[ Joe Bucknor narrates: ]
"I work in that building
across the street."
"That's our new Hall of Justice."
"It cost us taxpayers
twelve million dollars."
"Ten million was actually
spent on the building."
"The other two got kinda lost."
"It's that way in our city."
"It always was that way."
"But this is not a story about
corruption. Far from it."
"This story is about justice."
"There she is, up there. With a bandage
over her eyes and pigeons as playmates."
"Human nature being the way it is .."
"The lady can use all the help
she can get around here."
"Officially, that's my job."
"And unofficially, that's Andy Layford."
"Layford is head of the
Citizens Crime Commission."
"Right now, 3:30 in the afternoon .."
"The Commissioner is taking a look
at Hulderman's on Cedar Street."
"You could know our town a lifetime
without knowing Hulderman's."
"But it so happens a few weeks
ago, his son made news."
"By having a knife plunged
in his back late one evening."
"We don't have the knife,
but we do have the killer."
"At least we believe so."
"The dark, nice-looking guy
between the drunk and the conman."
"That's him."
"This is the attorney's
room in the county jail."
"A prisoner waiting trial .."
"Can ask to see his mouthpiece
here any hour of the day or night."
"That's the boys lawyer,
Wayne Kellwin, sitting opposite."
"At 3:45, four blocks away."
"A pretty girl is showing
a dinner dress."
"A very pretty girl."
"The look of the lady
may give you ideas."
"But it won't tell you why a young man
is behind bars on a murder rap."
"He is."
"You just saw him."
"Yes, she'll take it."
"She thinks Brad will like it."
"Brad is her husband.
Bradley Masen, attorney at law."
"He'll like it alright."
"They've been married 24 years,
the Bradley Masens."
"But for Stella, Brad still wants
the top of the Christmas tree."
"And he can afford it too."
"The best civil lawyer in town and
one of the finest in the country."
"That's Bradley Masen."
"Mr Kellwin is here, Mr Masen."
Who?
"Wayne Kellwin."
Oh. Have him come in will you please.
Brad.
Wayne.
Well, well. How are you, boy?
It's been a long time.
The class of '25. That makes
it a quarter of a century.
Correct, so help me.
So help us both.
Say, you look great, fellah. You're
getting to look just like your old man.
What more can a guy want?
Well, not a thing if it's true.
Of course it's true.
Sit down over there.
Remember the speech
he gave us at graduation?
I still have a copy of it some place.
Fine words, Brad.
I can't say I've lived up to
them the way you have.
Most of my campus dreams
failed to go the distance.
How? Who says so?
Oh, I'm not kicking. I've done okay.
But you've really made it, fellah.
And they tell me you've kept your
hands clean and you buttons shiny.
How about a drink?
Motion granted.
Is that your boy?
Ah, yes. He's ..
Twenty-three now.
In his last term.
Law school?
Of course.
Of course .. the Masen, Masen line.
I'm hoping he'll join
me here in November.
That will be great for you both.
It will give me a chance
to do the office over.
That might not be a bad idea.
It's a little old-style, conservative.
Don't go changing things
that suit you, Brad.
It tells the world what you are.
It wouldn't do for me of course. But my
clients wouldn't do for you as a rule.
What do you take these days?
All there is, from larceny to murder.
Which, by the way, brings me to you.
Ah ..
What was that you said:
"brings you to me"?
Murder.
Murder?
Has somebody killed somebody?
Somebody has killed somebody.
But not my client.
Not Rudi.
Rudi?
Rudi Wallchek. That's the boy's name.
I say "boy". He's 26 but
he looks younger.
Really?
It's a tough case, Brad.
It looks bad for the boy,
but he innocent.
And that's why I've come to you.
To me?
I want you to defend him.
But I'm not a trial lawyer.
I never take criminal cases.
That's why I am here.
Look Brad, I've been in
this game a long time.
There isn't a gimmick I
haven't pulled in my day.
But you're different.
You really believe in law and
justice and everyone knows it.
I think if you'll take this case,
the boy might have a chance.
Wayne I'm flattered, but
honestly .. it's out of my line.
I never take criminal cases.
I'd stumble an fumble.
You know, sometimes a lack of
technique works wonders with a jury.
Come on, fellah. Give the boy a break.
I've got a half dozen very
important cases coming up.
A lot of money involved.
You'd only get peanuts from Wallchek.
Maybe five hundred if you're lucky.
Well. I guess that does it.
I tried anyway.
So long, Brad.
Bye, Wayne.
Good to see you.
Nice to see you.
Say hello to the big money
for me, will you. Yep.
"Winterbottom versus Wright."
You've got the longest eyelashes.
"Winterbottom versus Wright."
I've got it. Let's go to the movies.
Later.
You've got the cutest nose, too.
"Winterbottom versus Wright."
"The supplier of the charity is
without anything more."
"Not responsible in damages to a user."
With whom he has no ..
Contractual relationship.
That was overruled by
McPherson versus Blewitt.
It was?
Definitely.
"One is not at liberty to put a
finished product on the market."
"Without subjecting the component
parts to ordinary and simple tests."
How are you, Ellie?
Good, Mr Masen.
Why the monkey suit?
We're having dinner at Andy Layford's.
How is the Dean?
Father is fine, thanks.
I think he'll call you. He will ask you
to make this year's commencement speech.
Oh no.
I'd be proud to. A great honor.
But you wouldn't do that to me, Dad.
I think I would. If the Dean
asked me, I might accept.
That's going to make a tough
afternoon even tougher.
Oh, you just don't know how he
suffers trying to live up to his father.
Dad had the same problem.
Only his father was a judge.
Mine is just a .. just a crummy lawyer.
Tell me just between the
two of us, how is he doing?
He won't concentrate.
He won't get through his
finals if he doesn't concentrate.
Well look at her Dad, I ask you.
Man to man.
Could you concentrate with this around?
Ah, man to man, I must
say I see what you mean.
Stella!
Coming.
How about giving us a lift to
the theater? Okay.
Stella!
Here I am.
Uhoh.
It looked perfectly wonderful
on the girl who modelled it.
Now, please say something nice.
It still looks wonderful.
Really, Brad?
I like it. Very much.
I like you very much.
So what do you think, Dad?
Could I have two months?
And then I could take in
Mexico and go up the coast.
Start right in after graduation, huh?
You understand how I feel.
All full of theories and stuff.
I'd like to .. I'd like to
polish up on life a bit ..
Before settling down in an office.
Well, maybe it's a good idea.
Not that life doesn't come
into the office occasionally.
And death too.
What was that?
Today, I was asked to
defend a murder case.
Which one?
The .. uh ..
The Wallchek boy.
What did you say?
No, of course.
Why not, Mr Masen? It might be fun.
I wonder why they came to you?
Oh, some baloney about
my passion for justice.
Well here we are, kids.
Thanks a lot.
You two be good now.
Bye.
Say .. how about those two?
When I went into the
study just now, they ..
Do you think it's serious?
I don't know, dear.
What were they doing?
She was cramming him
in accident liability.
Oh, then it is serious.
That's how I helped you, remember?
You did nothing of the sort.
Of course I did. It was all my doing
from the first moment I met you.
You hadn't a chance.
And I thought you were a nice girl.
You ought to get around more.
Oh well. Too late now.
"I was just getting together with
my second Old-Fashioned .."
"And wondering hopefully
how much longer until chow."
"When I say Layford go to meet them."
"Normally, I'm a cynic,
concerning the gentler sex."
"But there was something
about Mrs Masen."
"I don't know."
"Life had been sweet to her
all the way. You could tell."
"But somehow with her, you felt
good about it. Wished it would last."
"I still feel that way about Mrs Masen."
"As for her husband? Well .."
"His figure was fine and his
forehead was noble and .."
"He knew how to wear a dinner coat."
My dear, I don't think you've
met the District Attorney.
Joe Bucknor - Mrs Bradley Masen.
No, but I've heard about Mr Bucknor.
Nothing good, I hope.
Brad, I imagine you two have
crossed swords before.
Glad you could come. How are you.
I .. I don't know who your
tailor is, but I like him.
I rented it from the
waiter at Greasy Joe's.
Martini, Stella?
Lovely, thanks.
Brad?
Thanks, I don't.
I do.
A certain lawyer named Cicero once said:
"Non Minus Juris Consultus
Quam Justitiae."
Justice is even more important than law.
Your Crime Commission is a fine example.
And you've been doing a good job.
Since you stopped buying yachts and took
a closer look at the town you live in.
Don't you agree with me, Brad?
Judge, I don't know
very much about crime.
Andy and I play golf together.
That's all.
He's a sound man in the bunker.
Why don't you join the Commission, Brad?
Are you serious?
The reason I asked you over here.
We can certainly use a new man.
And a good one.
May I think it over?
Please.
The D.A. needs all the help there is.
We were over on Cedar Street today.
The Hulderman killing.
Have fun?
It's a shocking business.
Brutal.
The father was prostrated with grief.
How does the case look, Joe?
Will you get a conviction?
Don't .. don't answer that, Joe.
Not while I'm here.
That case comes up before me next month.
Judge.
It was odd your quoting
Cicero and justice.
It was my father's favorite quote.
That was my grandfather's. Came down the
line from him to father and then to me.
Yes .. but you're ten minutes slow.
I am?
You know, I've never been able
to make up mind which I prefer.
That, or ..
"Justice is the foundation of empires".
Yes, I know.
Who is defending the boy, Rudi ..?
Rudi Wallchek?
Wayne Kellwin, I guess.
It won't help much. We've got
a chair reserved for Wallchek.
It's a wrap-up.
You sound awfully sure, Mr Bucknor.
I am.
Do you mind?
Are you equally sure he's guilty?
Don't tell me you care?
I was asked to defend
Wallchek this afternoon.
I refused.
I guess crime doesn't
pay your kind of fee.
If I .. wanted to see the prisoner do
you suppose you could arrange it?
I might.
When?
Tonight?
Alright.
I'm Masen.
Wayne Kellwin came to me and ..
He told me .. you taking the case?
Forget it, mister.
It's hopeless. Forget it.
Shall we sit down?
Sorry it's so late. I hope I
didn't disturb your sleep.
I sleep afternoons and
do my thinking nights.
Uhuh. How long you been here?
Three weeks, four days and a half.
Treating you alright?
Three meals a day and all
the smokes you can buy.
They even filled two teeth for me, here.
Did they?
The guy said they ought to come out but
figured maybe he could save them.
Just a chance, he says.
He did. He saved them.
Good.
A crazy guy.
I don't know why he troubled.
I don't know why you trouble, either.
Did you do it?
What do you think?
I don't know yet.
Sure you don't. How could you?
So why should you care?
Why have you come here anyway? Why?
Kellwin says you're innocent.
You believe Kellwin?
Not necessarily.
He knows you. I don't.
He could still be wrong.
No, you're different.
You're not like Kellwin.
New to this game, aren't you?
What game?
Crime.
Yes, I'm new to it.
I'm not.
You have a record?
Long as your arm. Larceny,
car theft, assault and battery.
Twice.
That shakes you, doesn't it?
I've been on the grift
since I was a kid.
How did you get started?
My Pop died when I was six, I guess.
Yeah, I guess that started me.
I liked my old man.
Ma was no good, but he was.
We got along just fine.
One day, he went out
and got himself killed.
Just a smash-up.
They said he was quite a mess
when they pulled him out.
Quite a mess, they said.
That's sob stuff.
Look, you'd better get of here mister
before you get your fingers burned.
Look, you want the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but?
Alright, I'll tell you the truth.
A guy gets cut to bits on Cedar Street.
Okay, that's too bad.
Too bad for me.
Because I'm in bed and
asleep when it happens.
In bed and asleep, see.
But I got no proof.
No proof, no alibi, nothing.
Just my word.
My word? Oh brother, is that a laugh.
Because who is taking it?
The cops, the D.A? You?
Are you going to believe
me, with my record?
Are you crazy?
For a guy like me mister,
there ain't no justice.
Go home to bed.
See this little bean-shooter?
It's a Czechoslovakian Czeska.
Only been fired once.
And it shouldn't have been, because
it went through the mail man.
The killer got sentenced this morning.
What else have you got in here?
This knife did for Marjorie Oldfield.
He wanted to divorce. She wouldn't.
This little hatchet was Mrs Thompson's
idea for dropping the curtain on hubby.
If you look close, you can
still see the blood on it.
Want to look close?
All these milestones in
your brilliant career.
Morbid isn't it.
Uhoh, no luck.
We got a mouse here, name of Molly.
She's quite a character.
She eats all my doughnuts
and search warrants.
Only moll that ever got away from me.
I'll get her one of these days, though.
How did you make out
with Wallchek upstairs?
I asked you at dinner whether
you thought he was guilty.
What do you think, Joe?
He's as guilty as Cain
and he'll go to the chair.
"The case of the people
versus Rudi Wallchek."
"His Honor, judge Holbrook presiding."
Be seated.
"For the people:
Joseph Bucknor, District Attorney."
"For the defendant:
Dwight Bradley Masen."
"The case looked solid."
"One night in his father's
shop on Cedar Street
"Young Johnny Hulderman
had come to a sudden end."
"It took the doctor from the Coroner's
office an hour to explain to the jury."
"In medical language that
Johnny was stabbed to death."
"Stabbed, said the medic by a
6" dagger, triangular shaped."
"Sure we'd frisked Wallchek's
place without finding it."
"But dagger or no dagger, that
young man's goose was cooked."
"A plain clothes man saw him come out
of the shop at the time of the murder."
"No ifs or buts."
"And old man Hulderman,
Johnny's father."
"Sure as there are cops and
robbers, he'd seen him come in."
"The motive?"
"Robbery."
And 26 dollars were gone from the till?
Is that right?
Is that correct, Mr Hulderman?
And 45 cents.
How was that?
Louder please, Mr Hulderman.
Oh .. and forty-five cents!
Alright.
Now with the court's permission I'd like
you to go back to the beginning, please.
Tell us in your own words what happened
that night after you went to bed.
Johnny was working late in the shop.
And I was in bed, just nodding off.
My room was at the back, like I said.
When I heard a knock on the door.
Which door was that?
The front door, sir.
Johnny had locked and
bolted it an hour before.
Well .. like I told you.
I saw Johnny go to the door and ..
How did you see him?
Through the glass door, from my bed.
Mr Hulderman, what
kind of glass is that?
Just plain window glass.
Alright.
What happened then?
What did you see next?
I saw Johnny let the man in.
I know the man.
I know him well, because ..
Because three weeks ago I fixed
a new lock on the door of his place.
I'm a locksmith you see, and ..
Talk into the microphone, please.
Oh yes, sir.
Well .. it was the same man.
I'd know him anywhere.
I'd know him for sure.
Right, you recognised the man.
Did you get out of bed?
No, I laid there watching
him and Johnny talk for a bit.
I figured he'd come about
another repair job.
Strike that out.
The conclusion of a
witness is not evidence.
The court allows for the fact ..
That the counsel for the defence is a
stranger to our procedures here, but ..
There are limits.
I am deeply obliged Your Honor.
Thank you, I should have objected.
Proceed.
I must have dozed off.
You mean you fell asleep?
Yes, sir. I had taken a
pill when I went to bed.
I had not been sleeping
well and the Doc, he ..
He'd given me something.
It must have been ..
While I was asleep that ..
What time did you wake up?
Do you remember?
It was two hours later.
The light was still on in the shop.
But I can't see Johnny.
So I get up. I ..
Open the bedroom door.
And then I see him.
He is there on the floor.
Like that.
Mr Hulderman .. would you
look around the room please.
Tell the court if you can see the man
Johnny let into the shop that night.
Alright, do you see the man?
I see him.
Will the defendant stand up please.
Is that the man?
Yes, that's him.
Thank you.
Your witness.
The counsel for defence
may now cross-examine.
I don't think I have any questions
at the moment, Your Honor.
Well.
This seems a very good moment
to take our morning break.
Possibly, something will occur
to counsel during the interval.
The court is recessed for 15 minutes.
"Trial by jury is a curious business."
"From where I sat, Masen was dead
on his feet before getting up on them."
"But from where the jury sat,
I wasn't so sure."
"Everything about Brad said,
here is an honest man."
"I had a hunch they were
taking a shine to the guy."
"So was the judge."
"Yeah. So was I."
Well counsel, did
something occur to you?
A small point Your Honor, I wonder ..
You may cross-examine.
Thank you.
Mr Hulderman.
Do you see the ladies and
gentlemen of the jury?
Yes I see them, sir.
Will you describe to the court the third
juror from the right in the front row.
A lady in a blue suit.
A grey-haired lady with a string
of beads around her neck.
A kind of amber color.
Thank you.
Now then, will you
take off your glasses.
My eyeglasses, sir?
Please.
I'll hold them for you, shall I?
Now then.
You see the gentleman in the
front row of the public benches?
The one on the right of the aisle?
Er ..
Yes .. yes, I see him.
Would you describe him, please?
Well, I'd say he is ..
He's kind of broad-shouldered isn't he?
With ..
With .. he seems to have a paper or a ..
A parcel under his arm. Oh yes, it is ..
It's a parcel, yes.
Thank you.
Would you stand up sir, please?
Now what else do you see?
I'm not sure.
Try these and see if they help.
Hulderman, see if that
will help a little.
Well yes. Now I can see.
Yes.
It is not a parcel. It is a sling.
I guess he has hurt his arm.
Ah .. a tall man.
A gray suit .. a red tie.
Thank you. Thank you very much, sir.
Just one more question, Mr Hulderman.
You told the court that
you saw the defendant ..
Enter the shop the
night your son was killed.
Yes, I saw him.
You were in bed, you had turned
out the light and you were ..
I believe you said, just nodding off?
That's right.
Mr Hulderman.
Do you wear your glasses after
you've turned out the light ..
And you're just nodding off?
Uh ..
Well, no .. of course not.
That's all. Thank you.
But ..
"I objected, of course. But Brad
had a good point and it registered."
"What would hold far more
though, was his final plea."
"The way he lived and breathed
belief in Wallchek's innocence was .."
"It was kind-of like a crusade."
"I could feel the jury
starting to pull for him."
"But he'd only managed to shake the
evidence once and when he sat down .."
"I still figured
it 6 to 4 in our favor."
"They were out until
three the following day."
"I had slept the night through but I
knew that Brad had sweated it out."
"He was leaning forward as though it
were his life that hung on the verdict."
"The foreman stood up and
we heard the words .."
"Not guilty."
Congratulations, Mr Masen.
Wonderful job, Mr Masen.
How's it feel to win?
Turn this way please.
You nervous with the jury out?
Nervous as a kitten.
Had some doubts, huh?
Never doubted that right would
be done. As it has been.
Sure, sure. How about a
few more criminal cases?
No, please. Never, never again.
It's too hard on me.
Do you go with that?
If she says "no", it's no.
She's the boss.
How happy they look, don't they.
There's something familiar about that
girl's face. Now where in the world ..?
She's a model.
Oh yes, I remember.
Yes.
Pretty isn't she, Brad.
Yes, she is pretty.
What a dirty, fifthly rotten business.
And they call it "Justice".
Don't take it that way, Mr Hulderman.
I'm sure they'll find the
man that killed your boy.
The law will try him and convict him.
No, sir.
The law cannot touch him now.
Or ever.
Thanks to you.
Thanks to you, the law
has just acquitted him.
He did it.
Didn't you know?
Poor man.
Hey, Wallchek. You got company.
Brad.
Well hello fellah, this is unexpected.
Come in, come right on in.
Take off your coat.
Thank you.
The boy is taking a shower but he'll
be out in a minute. Right.
Can I fix you a Scotch?
No, none for me thanks.
You don't drink, do you.
No.
Say, we ought to do something about
that. This is a night to celebrate.
Or is it?
Are you kidding?
You don't beat the chair every day.
You did a terrific job, Brad.
Hi.
Oh this is Sally. Sally Tever.
Hi again.
Good evening.
Won't you sit down?
Thank you.
Well, I guess life must look pretty
good to you tonight, eh fellah?
Yes sir. You made yourself a brand
new reputation. You know that?
Hey Rudi, come on out here will you.
Brad! Well, Bradley Masen.
What brings you here?
Just the doctor paying a
call on his favorite patient.
After quit a major operation, eh doctor?
Well. How do I rate, doc?
I should say you've made
a very remarkable recovery.
Yeah, thanks to you. You sure
put it across and boy am I grateful.
Honey, call up The Odalisque.
Tell Joe my usual table.
Well Brad old boy, care to join us?
How about a night on the town?
Come on, what do you say, pal?
No, not tonight thank you.
No? Alright, another time then.
You know, now that it's all over
you and I ought to get together.
Talk over old times.
Yes, yes.
Say.
It just struck me. You did the job
and you haven't been paid for it.
There was no fee.
Don't give me that. You do
right by Rudi, he pays off.
Ain't that so, Wayne?
I guess that's so.
Before I took the case you warned
me there would be no money in it.
Ah, don't believe me.
You have to be awful careful
with Rudi, Mr Masen.
He's a terrible liar.
You want to make something of it?
A terrible, terrible liar.
What's on your mind, fellah?
I was just thinking.
Twenty-six dollars and forty-five cents.
It couldn't have meant that
much, could it? Not to him.
Didn't I tell you it was crazy
to pin the rap on Rudi?
Yes, you told me.
You also told me that
he hadn't a nickel.
Well, you know how it is with these
guys. Down one minute and up the next.
I believe Wayne said 500, but I figure
when a guy owes his life to a guy ..
Here.
That's a lot of money.
Two grand.
You want more?
Say the word and you got it.
When I took this case,
I understood you were broke.
That was one of my
reasons for taking it.
Huh?
But still, there no is fee.
That's the craziest thing I ever
saw in my life. Hey, Mr Masen.
Why did you do it?
Why did you take the case?
I wanted the satisfaction of
freeing an innocent man.
Goodnight. Goodnight, Miss Sally.
Goodnight, Wayne.
Goodnight, Brad.
D.A.'s office.
Yes, we have the
post-mortem, Mr Corrigan.
Thank you, sir.
Mr Bucknor.
Mrs Masen is here.
Right away, sir.
You can go in now, Mrs Masen.
D.A.'s office.
No, sorry. The Grand
Jury is on vacation.
You could try Preliminary.
Yes, I will.
Mister Bucknor,
this is very good of you.
You know, my housekeeper is a human
mistake but her coffee is something.
You like coffee?
Love it.
Good. This is for you.
Thanks.
By the way, hello and how are you and
it's a fine day and .. what's wrong?
I'm worried about Brad.
And look, this visit is off the
record if you don't mind.
I don't want him to know about it.
It's about the Wallchek case.
Mister Bucknor.
Brad thinks it's possible
he may have been wrong.
So?
Of course, I know it's absurd.
But if by any chance,
there had been some mistake.
I mean.
Suppose this boy really
had done it, after all.
Brad says he never would forgive himself
for "perverting the law" as he calls it.
You see, the law is Brad's life.
It's as much a part of
him as his arms and legs.
He was brought up on it by his father.
They look on justice ..
As something sacred.
The Masens.
It's .. kind of a religion with them.
And now Brad feels he
may have dishonored it.
Good coffee, huh?
Oh.
Yes .. yes, it is good.
You know, Mrs Masen.
The law has quite a few
holes in it here and there.
But from where I sit, trial
by jury is not one of them.
Maybe the boys do make a
mistake occasionally. So what?
That could happen to the worst of us.
But if we take it to
heart, we'd all go nuts.
Now that's exactly what I ..
Oh, please. Would you say that to Brad?
Just the way you said it to me.
Coming from you, it might ..
Oh, I'd be so very grateful.
Get Bradley Masen's office please.
Thank you.
You know something?
I like your hat.
Mind you, it wouldn't look well on
everybody. What do you call those ..
Little thingamajigs on the side?
Bobbles. Just .. just bobbles.
Bobbles?
You learn something every day.
Thanks again, Mr Bucknor.
Goodbye.
Goodbye, Mrs Masen.
At first it was five dollars,
then fifteen, then twenty-five.
All the time they were raising
the price, raising the price.
They called it protection. Protection.
Every Thursday night
they came and we paid.
You don't have to believe me.
I can't prove every word.
Yes, but I do believe you.
That's my trouble.
Funny.
All through the trial I took
if for granted you knew.
Funny.
No, I didn't know.
I'm the one to blame
for not telling the court.
But I was scared.
Scared of what would
happen to me if I talked.
Well .. I'm not scared any more.
Will you talk now, Peter? Will you tell
the D.A. everything you've told me?
No. The law cannot touch him now.
It is too late for the law.
The law acquitted him for
murder, Peter. I mean it's ..
You could very easily turn it
round and get him for extortion.
Oh no, no. I cannot prove anything.
And he has friends. Big friends.
So you just don't know.
You didn't want to help me?
Of course I want to help you.
Well maybe you can.
Afterwards.
Afterwards?
This key fits Wallchek's place.
Uhuh.
I fixed a new lock for him.
Like I said in the court.
I am going up there
one day when he's alone.
I'll slip in quietly.
And there will be ..
Just the two of us.
Like him and Johnny.
I wonder.
Would you defend me ..
Afterwards?
Listen to me, Peter.
You're not going to kill Wallchek.
You're not going to kill anyone.
You know why?
Because it says so in
the book. Remember?
"Thou shalt not kill".
Now come on, snap out of it.
Look at that stain on the floor.
I know, I know.
It won't come off.
I scrubbed it over and over and over.
That's where it happened.
That's where Johnny died.
He was just nineteen.
I know. I know, Peter.
Alright now, come on.
You'd better take the key.
Take it!
Take it before I change my mind.
"Early next morning, Brad found
me as I was leaving the morgue."
"He told me he was morally
certain now, that Rudi was guilty."
"We'd been right with our man
but wrong with our motive."
"According to Hulderman, all shops in
the area were paying protection money."
"With Wallchek collecting."
"But collecting for who?"
Well, for himself I suppose.
You suppose? You're green, brother.
Wallchek is small-fry.
You think so?
I know so.
Is the old man is ready to talk?
Does he have any proof?
Well, he says it's too late.
But I was hoping ..
Hope is for kids and
when you're in love.
Have you gotten anything
solid I can get my teeth into?
Facts, proof, evidence?
A witness with guts?
No, but I ..
I thought not.
Then we're licked before we
start and I'm not starting.
You mean to say that you're going
to do nothing? Right.
Look, grow up. There's no new case
against Wallchek. The old one is busted.
Busted, snafu-ed, smashed.
You smashed it, remember.
Alright, I smashed it. I was wrong.
I'm green, I'm naive,
I'm anything you like.
But right now I'm trying to put things
square and you won't raise a finger.
Licked before we start?
Start what?
Are you scared to start something?
What kind of a man are you?
What kind of a town is this, anyway?
I'll show you.
Our fabulous metropolis.
Eleven hospitals.
Half a dozen parks, two museums ..
An opera house and sundry
other holes of lesser delights.
A cultured city teeming
with pride and industry.
All that's good and strong in men.
Teeming also, with all that's
base and weak in them.
Gambling, extortion.
All the syndicated pastimes.
The traffic in vice is highly organised.
I know that Joe, but ..
Highly organised, ruthlessly administered
and way beyond the clutch of the law.
I don't believe that.
Nobody is beyond the law.
Not today. Not in this country.
No?
No.
Crime today my friend, functions
from skyscrapers and plush hotels.
The big wheel, the boss man, the brains
behind it all is may be your friend.
A guy you like to have
a drink with at the club.
Your most exclusive club.
You know this man?
No .. I don't know.
I know that he exists.
Suppose I did know him.
When I try to bring him in, within a
week I'm peddling vacuum cleaners.
He goes on as he goes, and I can't
even do the little bit I've been doing.
Grabbing the small-fry,
the Wallcheks, the hired help.
Go on home, Sir Lancelot.
Home to your nice clean
practice and your pretty wife.
Stop bunny-hugging crime
before it blows up in your face.
I tell you it's dynamite.
Hey.
Take it easy, will you.
Look, I'll put a man on Wallchek.
I'll have him tailed night
and day wherever he goes.
Maybe he'll put some other guy to sleep.
If he does.
Next time he'll be a dead duck for sure.
Hulderman, Hulderman.
First name?
Peter.
Peter Hulderman.
62549 Cedar Street.
Age of deceased?
Sixty-one.
Family?
None.
Cause of death?
A guy in a truck knocked
the old boy over and beat it.
"Old Hulderman was dead."
"This was the first real shock."
"Now he had to go on."
"He had to find out."
"He went back to Wallchek's apartment."
[ Telephone ]
[ Telephone ]
[ Telephone ]
Yes?
"Wallchek?"
"Be there tonight at 9:30."
"Don't be early because I'll be
out, but don't be late either."
"9:30 sharp. Understand?"
"Hello? Wallchek?"
"Now he knew and now he would
have given everything not to know."
"His faith in his world of perfect law
and justice had begun to crack."
"It went on cracking."
"Get me the facts I told him. Facts,
evidence, proof, a witness with guts."
"So, back he goes to Cedar Street."
"To the shopkeepers,
the scared little rabbits .."
"Who will suffer the crime
and take the punishment."
"All that day he goes from shop to shop
walking miles and getting nowhere."
"Getting nothing but a shake of the head
and a frightened look in their eyes."
"They're not sticking their necks out."
"They're not talking."
"They won't come forward.
No, not one of them."
"As the day wears on,
Brad gets desperate."
"Finally, he remembers
the Crime Commission."
"He had nothing to eat or drink all day
but he doesn't even wait to telephone."
"He needs help badly."
"It's just 9:20 when he rings the bell."
Andrew.
Thank heaven you're home.
I know it's a little late, but I ..
Tell me, have you got guests?
No. No, I'm alone.
Mind if I come in for a minute?
What is it, Brad? You look terrible.
Oh, my head is sort-of
spinning a bit, but ..
I'll be alright if I can just
sit down for a minute.
Been on my feet all day and ..
I'm weary.
Oh, that's good.
You don't mind my dropping in
like this do you, unexpectedly?
That's quite alright.
Here.
Come on, take a good pull.
Thanks.
Boy, what was that?
Brandy.
That's the first I've had in a ..
I don't, you know.
You look all in. Shall I
call up Perry Garvin?
Oh no, no. I don't need a doctor.
I just want to talk, Andy.
What's the trouble?
You remember the Wallchek case?
I found that today.
Where?
In his apartment.
Then he did it?
I think I've known since
just after the verdict.
But that's not the half of it. I went
to see old Peter Hulderman and ..
Look, would it surprise you to know that
this town is riddled with the most ..
Vicious form of extortion?
It wouldn't surprise me.
I've stumbled on to
a regular hornet's nest.
I don't know where it's leading me, but
one thing I do know, I can't turn back.
Were you serious when you wanted me
to join the Crime Commission of yours?
Certainly.
Right then. I'm with you.
That's great news, Brad. We need you.
And I need you, believe me.
You're my last hope.
That's what we're here for.
If the law won't act or can't ..
It's up to the ordinary decent citizen
to clear up the mess himself.
Take my word, we'll
do everything we can.
I know. Now then, where do we start?
Where did you start?
With Hulderman.
No, no. No more thanks.
I think you need it.
So you went to Hulderman?
Uhuh.
And he talked?
To me, yes.
Will he talk to us?
He can't .. he's dead.
Dead?
Since when?
This morning.
Thank you.
It seems they'll stop at nothing.
Then I went to the D.A.
He says there is somebody
running this town.
Behind all this. The big wheel.
I know it sounds like nonsense, but ..
I'm not sure.
I've often wondered if there
wasn't some superior brain.
[ Blender noise ]
Forgive me, I'm expecting someone.
Don't move .. I won't be a moment.
[ Blender noise ]
[ Blender noise ]
Sorry.
How do you feel now, better?
Alright.
You know, when I was a boy
I was crazy for milkshakes.
I used to dream of the day when
I could have them by the dozen.
Well, now I can.
And you know something?
I'm still crazy for milkshakes.
I feel there is a moral
in that somewhere.
Who was it, Andrew?
Who?
Your visitor. Who was it?
A friend.
What friend?
Look here, what is this?
You drop in unasked, cry on my shoulder
and then start firing questions at me.
Who was it?
I think you must be drunk or crazy.
No, I'm not drunk but
there are things that ..
Drive a man almost crazy.
Such as?
Such as, you're searching the home of a
murderer. Suddenly the telephone rings.
You sound like a detective story.
You pick it up.
There is a voice that's
vaguely familiar and ..
A noise that you can't place at all.
A noise like a fan or a motor running.
The voice says to be at
some place at 9:30 sharp.
You hang up.
You try to remember the voice.
You go on trying all day.
That night, you're at
the home of a friend.
At 9:30 somebody calls.
The host goes out and you're alone.
There is only a noise.
That noise.
Who was it, Andrew?
The D.A. put a man on Wallchek.
They're tailing him.
They'll know. They'll
know where he was a 9:30.
Alright .. he was here.
Wallchek?
There is a perfectly simple explanation.
The Crime Commission puts me in
contact with criminals every day.
What they tell us about each
other is often valuable to us.
You didn't want me to know he was here.
Why?
We guarantee a man secrecy if he talks.
The D.A. says that somebody is running
this town that the law can't touch.
He is too big, he's too powerful.
Does he? That's very intelligent of Joe.
If I believe that, I'd ..
This is America 1951.
You couldn't get away with it.
Of course not.
But suppose.
Purely for argument's sake.
Suppose I were what you
appear to believe I might be.
Come out here. I'd like
to show you something.
Suppose all this were one man's kingdom.
That he'd built up an organisation that
reaches into its homes, offices, shops.
He controls and corrupts it
for his own satisfaction.
Ruling it from the shadows.
Behind and above the law.
Suppose this were true and no-one
could do anything about it.
What would you do?
I'd fight him with everything I've got.
You wouldn't get to first base.
Not with a man like that.
Try the courts and he'll smear you.
Blacken you, even get you disbarred.
Go higher?
And he'll go higher, too.
After your wife, your boy.
He has the power to break
you and he will break you.
Until everything is gone.
Home, work, family.
There is just you.
Disgraced and powerless.
Then what would you do?
What could you do?
I might kill him.
Never.
No, really you wouldn't.
Not for one moment.
I know you.
You are soft and sentimental.
You love the law. Love it and serve it.
You're Bradley Masen. So you get tricked
and cheated by the any Rudi Wallchek ..
Who plays you for a sucker.
If I am what you think I am.
That knife cut young Hulderman
to bits on my instruction.
If I am what you think I am, I had that
man run down by a truck this morning.
But of course, I'm not.
How did you know he
was run down by a truck?
You said so.
I said he was dead.
I didn't say how he died.
I think this joke has gone
far enough, don't you.
It's getting late.
I have a heavy day tomorrow.
Can I get you a nightcap?
No?
Well.
Goodnight then.
Let's see.
Did you have a hat?
Is it in?
Yes.
His man found him an hour later.
I'd like to think it was the drinks.
I'd like to think I was drunk.
I'd had a couple.
I wasn't used to it.
That wasn't it.
I knew what I was doing. I ..
I knew exactly.
What happened?
Couldn't it be self-defence?
No. It wasn't. It wasn't.
He just talked and I hated him more
than I've ever hated anybody in my life.
He turned and looked
at me .. just before he fell.
He had an expression
of absolute amazement.
Oh, my darling. My darling.
I'm not making any excuses.
I haven't any.
But ..
I want you to understand
this, if you can.
When I killed him, for one second, I ..
I thought it was right.
Everything I've ever believed in.
Justice, morality, the law.
He laughed at.
He laughed at the law.
So I killed him.
Alright, alright. Take it easy, fellahs.
He says "take it easy, fellahs".
Sure, what's the hurry? One of the
top men in town gets rubbed out.
Is that important?
Why don't we all go home?
What's the D.A. doing?
He stares into a little crystal ball.
Maybe he don't know it, but this job
is liable to bust him out of office.
Yeah. You boys had better
come up with something fast.
The boys are getting nervous.
Let 'em sizzle.
Call Bradley Masen.
Tell him to get over here right away.
I think you got him, sir.
These fingerprints definitely show ..
Can't you do any better than that, Ed?
Okay, sir. He's cold.
Look .. see these tented arches, here.
They are blurred but not too badly.
And the loops and the composites
add up all along the line.
I guess that does it.
Did you get Masen?
"Sorry, Mr Bucknor. Mr Masen
went out a half hour ago."
Where'd he go?
"They don't know, sir."
Try his office.
"Right away."
Alright, Sarge, go get him.
Right.
You can let them in now.
Thanks, Ed.
Gentlemen.
Oh .. Brad.
Brad, are you sure?
Are you expecting him?
Do you know where I could reach him?
Well would you have him call the
D.A.'s office please the moment he ..
Thank you.
Yes, please?
I have to see the D.A.
Sorry, the D.A. is tied up.
But I must see him. It's about
the death of Andrew Layford.
Name, please?
Bradley Masen.
Yes, Mr Masen. Just a moment, please.
Mr Masen, Mr Bucknor.
"Where?"
Here. In the office.
"Send him in."
Yes, sir .. go right in, sir.
Thank you.
Layford was killed
between 9 and 10 o'clock.
Oh come in, Lancelot.
You all know Bradley Masen?
Yeah.
Sure.
This about completes the cast.
Send him in, Sam.
Come on over here, Brad.
You just have to be here for this.
Rudi, no need to tell an
old campaigner like you ..
You don't have to talk
unless you want to.
Okay Rudi, why did you do it?
Was Layford getting in your hair?
He knew too much and he was on to you?
Show us how you did it Rudi.
Was it this way?
You're crazy! I had nothing to do with
it, I tell you. Nothing. I'm innocent.
Sure, like a tarantula.
I never touched the guy.
I never touched him.
He's all yours, Sarge. Take him away.
It's about time to go, boys.
Well, it's kind of a beautiful
morning, don't you think?
The mills of the Gods grind slowly but
they grind exceedingly fine. Hallelujah.
Ah, the morning gets more beautiful.
No bobbles today?
What? What's happening, Brad?
Our prize rat just got his comeuppance.
I told you it would all
come out in the wash.
You want to take "Honest Abe" here on a
vacation. He looks a bit out of whack.
I hear it's kind of
pretty up Alpina way.
Woods and flowers and a trout
stream way up in the hills.
So long, children. I'll be seeing you.
I know I've no right to
try to influence you.
But you're going to, aren't you ..
Hello, Bob.
It's alright, Brad.
Have a good evening, Bob?
Yeah, I guess so.
That Ellie is really something.
We got into an argument.
She threw the book at me ..
But I threw it right back.
Do you know, we kinda liked it.
It seems the more we go for
each other, the more we ..
Go for each other.
That's love, I guess.
Yeah, I guess.
Night.
Brad.
Wallchek's a murderer.
He committed murder.
Not this one.
Alright, not this one.
He didn't kill a vile degenerate.
He only murdered a decent honest
boy who never hurt anyone.
And now he's to pay for it.
Can't you see there's a ..
A higher justice in that?
I can see the irony of it, but justice?
That's another thing.
Well it may not be Man's justice.
But it could be God's.
That still doesn't let me out, Stella.
God would any normal person.
Alright then, I'm not normal.
I can't help it.
But I've tried for two whole days
and I just can't stomach it.
You've no right to ask me.
I am asking you.
No, Stella. No.
Brad!
No, no, no. I can't.
Do you want to destroy everything?
Our home, our life together?
Even our love.
You don't mean that.
Yes, I do. I mean it.
I mean our love.
You are sacrificing everything.
Everything.
Into a blind obsession.
You can't go back now and
say it makes no difference:
"Here I am, take me. I'm guilty."
If you won't think of yourself, Brad.
Think of me.
Of .. Bob.
Oh, please.
Please ..
Stella darling, listen.
I know all the arguments.
I've gone over them again and again
and there is only one that matters.
Do you honestly want me to let another
man die for something I've done?
Who says that he will die?
He may be acquitted.
He probably will be. He's innocent.
Why should they convict him?
Wait, Brad.
There is no harm in waiting, surely?
Wait for the trial.
Please.
Brad, do you believe
Wallchek killed Layford?
No.
You must.
You'd take the case. If you
didn't you couldn't refuse.
I am refusing.
You defended him once.
You believed he was innocent and
you, Bradley Masen, spoke for him.
That swung the verdict.
Without you, he hasn't a chance.
And I'm asking you, what are
you going to do about it?
The superior court of Blake
County is now in session.
The Honorable James B.
Hulbrook, Judge presiding.
The people versus Wallchek.
Be seated and remain quiet.
Members of the jury,
give me your attention.
There is.
Just one point that I particularly
want to stress before we begin.
Whatever you've heard or read concerning
the defendant's previous trial ..
You must put out of your mind.
That case was decided
by a previous jury.
And no concern of yours.
You must base your verdict in this
case solely upon the evidence ..
You are about to hear in this court.
At this trial. Nothing else.
The people's witnesses are here.
Mr Bucknor?
All here.
Defence witnesses, counsel?
We .. we have none, Your Honor.
You ..
Mean that you are not calling
any witnesses for the defence?
I shall call the defendant. That is all.
I see. I see.
Well.
We may as well begin.
Your Honor it's a bit warm in here. May
we have a window open, do you suppose?
Yes, yes. A good idea. Bailiff.
Open one of the windows.
Thank you.
The deceased lay in a supine position.
The weapon had penetrated
the gladiolus piercing the ..
Pericardium and entering the
organ by the left ventricle.
Uhuh.
Could it perhaps be
put more simply, sir?
Well you could say he
was stabbed in the heart.
Thank you.
Dr Palmer, I have here a dagger
which has been marked as ..
People's Exhibit number
One for identification.
Do you recognise it?
Yes, sir.
When did you first see it?
It's the same weapon I removed
from the body of Andrew Layford.
Would you describe it, please.
Wooden handled blade, six inches
in length, triangular shaped.
Triangular shaped.
Tell me doctor, would this particular
weapon inflict a special kind of injury?
I don't follow.
I mean, is an injury
inflicted by this weapon ..
Easily recognisable as
having been caused by it?
Could it perhaps be
put more simply, sir?
Well, this weapon caused a certain,
specific wound. Isn't that so?
Yes.
Have you seen a similar wound, doctor?
Recently, about three months ago?
Think a moment.
You must mean the
murder of young Hulderman.
Yes, certainly. That must be
the same dagger which ..
Objection, Your Honor.
Utterly irrelevant and immaterial.
The District Attorney is trying
to influence the jury ..
By dragging in charges of which
the defendant was acquitted.
Objection sustained.
I was summoned to the apartment of the
deceased by his manservant at 11:04 pm.
I remained there
approximately 40 minutes.
Then I took Sergeant Walker and went at
once to the apartment of the defendant.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Now will you please tell the court what
made you go at once to the defendant.
That you found a certain article on the
floor of the deceased's apartment.
Yes, sir.
What was this article?
A laundry bill, dated
May 2nd of this year.
Made out by the Melway
Laundry to R. Wallchek.
Is this the bill, Lieutenant?
Yes, sir.
A laundry bill made
out to Rudi Wallchek.
Just a moment.
The witness said
"R" Wallchek, Mr Bucknor.
Not "Rudi".
Thank you, Your Honor. "R" Wallchek.
Lieutenant, did you show this bill
to the defendant? Yes, sir.
How did he explain its
presence so close to the body?
He couldn't .. he said it had
been on his desk that morning.
And that someone must have
broken in his place and stole it.
Oh? Had he reported a burglary?
No.
Was there any sign of one?
A forced lock, a broken window?
No, sir.
So, some unknown person
effected an entrance ..
In a mysterious manner without leaving a
sign or trace of his coming or going ..
For the sole purpose of
stealing a laundry bill.
Your witness.
No questions.
Naturally, we check and
double check everything.
The prints on the handle
of the dagger and ..
The fingerprints of the defendant.
Are identical.
There is no doubt at all?
No, sir. Absolutely none.
Your witness.
Did you find any other
prints on the handle?
No sir, just the defendant's.
But there were other prints in the
room where the body was found?
Yes, sir.
Whose were they?
The deceased's and his manservant's.
Any others?
Yes, sir. Several.
And .. do you remember ..
A glass .. a brandy glass ..?
On a long, low table in front of
the couch in the living room.
There was a glass, yes sir.
With fingerprint on it?
Yes, sir.
The defendant's?
No sir.
The deceased's?
No, sir.
Whose were they?
Well, they weren't clear
enough to identify.
You couldn't identify them?
No, sir.
Thank you.
Why were you detectives
following this man?
Orders of the D.A.'s office, Your Honor.
Proceed.
Just after 9 pm Wallchek
came out of the restaurant ..
And walked slowly towards Markus Drive.
He reached the apartment
house, Seven Gables ..
At 9:25.
He stood under the street lamp
a while, smoking a cigarette.
And then he entered the building.
Did you see him go in?
Yes.
And come out?
Yes.
What time was that?
9:35.
Then he was in the building
approximately five minutes?
Exactly five minutes.
The defendant was take to headquarters
and I proceeded to search his apartment.
In the closet in his living-room
found Exhibit Three.
Your witness.
No questions.
Exhibit Three.
Found in the apartment
of the defendant's.
Exhibit One.
Found in the body of the deceased.
Alright. It's mine, but it was stolen.
I'm innocent! You've got to believe me.
Silence, silence!
The defendant will be seated.
Any further disturbance and I will
order the courtroom cleared.
Counsels will join me in my
chambers immediately.
Court recesses for five minutes.
Well, I suppose you know
what you've done, Joe.
You've just made it impossible for this
jury to keep an open mind in this case.
I have, sir?
Oh, don't.
Don't be so innocent.
You've proved whether or
not Wallchek killed Layford ..
He certainly killed young Hulderman.
The jury knows now they are dealing with
a murderer who was wrongly acquitted.
Bound to influence them.
It would anybody.
I don't like it.
That's bad judge, legally.
Morally, it could be called "Justice".
Not by me.
Nor by me.
Look who's talking.
Who came to me crying because his
precious client had cheated the law?
Who could eat .. or sleep nights because
he'd let loose a murderer on society?
I can't figure you, Lancelot.
One minute, you build his gallows high.
And the next you're in there
swinging for him like crazy.
There's something screwy somewhere.
You don't add up.
Well, I happen to know he's innocent.
You happened to know that
once before, remember?
Yes.
But this time it is true.
He's guilty, sure as the knife is steel.
Oh, that's enough of that, Joe.
That's enough.
How are you feeling, Masen?
Here.
Thank you.
You don't want to pay any
attention to anything Joe says.
I never do.
Well, gentlemen.
Here we go.
Back to the salt mines.
Hey, how come you know about
the prints on that brandy glass?
How come you know there was a
brandy glass on that table that night?
This court is now in session.
Be seated and remain quiet.
I conclude the case for the prosecution,
Your Honor. The people rest.
I call the defendant, Rudi Wallchek.
Raise your right hand.
Do you swear to tell the truth, and
nothing but the truth, so help you God?
I do.
Take the stand.
Is your name Rudi Wallchek?
Yes.
Were you tried in this court ..
Three months ago, for murder?
Yes.
Were you acquitted?
Yes.
Wallchek.
Did you kill Layford?
No, no, no!
Alright.
Now.
You heard the medical evidence.
That Layford died between the hours ..
Of 9 and 10 pm on the 3rd of May.
Yes.
Were you at his apartment ..
On that evening, between those hours?
Yes. I was there at 9:30.
Exactly 9:30?
Yes.
How do you know the exact time?
He said to be there then.
It was expected.
Who was?
Layford.
He got me on the phone at
Shiners while I was having lunch.
He called me at my
place earlier, but I was out.
He said to be there at 9:30 so I went.
How long did you stay?
Ask the cop. He was tailing me.
Answer the question.
Two minutes, three minutes.
How do I know?
Long enough to kill him,
if that's what you mean.
Only it just so happened I didn't.
This laundry bill. Is it yours?
Yes.
And this dagger?
Yes.
Did you have them on you that evening?
No. I swear it.
Can you explain ..
No, I can't.
It doesn't make sense.
I've tried and tried to figure it.
Look, they must have been stolen.
I wasn't in my place all day, see.
Someone must have sneaked
in and pinched them.
Someone who wanted them .. but who?
Who would do a thing like that?
When you ..
Rang the bell of Layford's apartment,
who answered the door?
He did. Layford.
You went in?
No, not right in. He ..
Said there was someone
with him. He couldn't see me.
He said what?
He said there was someone
there in the apartment.
Some guy who dropped in unexpectedly.
A friend of his.
Ah.
Did he ..?
Did he say who he was .. this visitor?
No.
Did you see him?
No. We were in the hall.
I guess this guy must have
been in the living room.
Strike that out.
The witness will indulge in conclusions.
Just tell us what you saw.
Uh ..
Can you see the living-room
from the hall?
If the door is open.
Was it open?
No, it was shut.
All the time?
All the time.
So you never saw this person?
No.
Er ..
While you were in the hall.
Did you hear a sound
of any kind? A noise?
Yeah. Yeah, there was a noise.
Where did it come from?
From behind the door.
Which door?
The living-room door. It was ..
It was kind of a buzz
like a bzzzz. Like that.
Now, was it continuous?
Or did it start and stop
and then start again?
Yeah, come to think of it, it ..
Was on.
And then it went off, and ..
Then it went on again. But how did ..
About this visitor.
Is there anything else
you could tell the court?
Did you see some article in
the hall that might identify him?
Yeah, there was a hat.
On the hall table,
right next to the door.
A man's hat.
A hat?
What color was it?
Brown. Kinda ..
Light brown with a dark band around it.
Would you recognise this
hat if you saw it again?
Yeah, I guess so. Yes, I would.
Do you know anything
else about this man?
Why he came? What he was doing there?
No, I don't.
I don't know why or what or who.
I don't know anything about
the guy, but I do know this.
He ought to be sitting
where I'm sitting today.
Because he killed him.
I don't believe I have any
further questions, Your Honor.
Wallchek, were you in the
habit of visiting the deceased?
Huh?
Was that your first visit to
Mr Layford's that night that you ..
The night that he died.
I'd been before.
Often? -Sure. Why not?
What was his interest in you?
We were friends.
Friends?
You and the head of the
Crime Commission? Really?
Why not?
I just wondered.
You told the court that you
were out all day the 3rd of May.
Is that correct?
I was out.
How about the door to your apartment?
Did you leave it open?
No.
You locked it, didn't you.
Did you lock the door?
Alright, so I locked it.
What kind of lock is it, Rudi?
What do you mean? A lock is a lock.
Yours was a special kind of lock,
wasn't it? You had it made for you?
So what?
So, it's impossible for anyone to enter
the apartment without a key, isn't it?
Locks can be forced.
But this one wasn't, was it.
It must have been.
Nobody had a key but you, did they?
Did they?
Yeah ..
The guy who made it had one. A duplicate
in case I lost mine. He could easily ..
Yes, go on.
Forget it.
You were telling the court about
the locksmith, weren't you, Rudi?
What was his name?
Well, what was his name?
Answer the question.
His name was Peter Hulderman.
Peter Hulderman.
But we know that Mr Hulderman
couldn't have used his key ..
To visit your apartment
that day .. don't we, Rudi.
Because that was the morning Hulderman
was run down by a truck .. and killed.
Members of the jury.
I'm not defending a noble character.
A decent, clean-cut American boy.
I may be defending
the scum of the earth.
But I shall go on defending
him until my last breath.
As long as I believe in my heart.
That he is innocent.
You have heard the evidence.
The people's case is a an extremely
strong one. I don't deny it.
But there is one link.
You may say, a very vital link.
That is missing.
Not one reason.
Not one reason has been advanced.
As to why the defendant
should have killed this man.
Well, the ..
Prosecution is under no
obligation to establish motive.
But still there remains the
everlasting question: why?
Why was Layford killed?
The district attorney
is a practised speaker.
He has ridicule ..
Irony and sarcasm.
At his command and he has
used them all over again.
In his attempt to laugh out of court.
The unknown man.
Who was there that
night in the apartment.
Ladies and gentlemen, this man
is no figment of the imagination.
He exists just as surely
as I am standing here.
He lives and eats and breathes.
He is flesh and blood.
He could stand right up in this court.
And say:
"I am the man who dropped
by unexpectedly. The .."
"The .."
"Friend who was given the drink, and .."
"Left his fingerprints
on the brandy glass."
"I .. wear a .."
"A brown hat with a
dark ribbon around it."
"I .."
"Was there that night in the apartment
behind the closed door, waiting."
"I killed Andrew Layford."
Members of the jury.
I can't tell you.
What to think or ..
Who to believe.
It is for you.
And .. only you.
To decide whether ..
The defendant has a
debt to pay to society.
Whoever killed ..
Andrew Layford.
Has a debt to pay.
I don't believe you will say.
Wallchek must pay.
He killed him.
No.
I don't believe you will say that.
Because.
It isn't so.
Will it be long, the verdict?
I hope not.
Just the waiting.
When do you think?
I hope in the morning.
Darling.
If they ..
Whichever way it goes ..
Don't worry about us.
You do whatever you think.
Hi.
Oh hello, Bob.
Tough luck, Dad.
Well, I guess you didn't have much of
a chance anyway. But you did a fine job.
How are the exams coming?
Oh, it got through the written stuff
alright, but .. the orals begin Monday.
Rough.
I had the shakes on the orals, too.
You did alright.
You'll do better.
You'll be taking over pretty soon.
And you're going to do
quite a job of it. How's Ellie?
She's fine. What was
that about taking over?
Say hello to her for me, will you.
She's outside in the car.
You through here yet?
No. Not quite, Bob.
Well, I'll see you later.
Alright. Oh, Bob.
Er .. you know the ..
The watchmaker over
there on the corner of ..
8th and Garrison?
Uhuh.
Take this in will you.
It loses ten minutes.
Have him fix it up for you.
Okay.
For me?
It's coming down the line to you.
One day.
Going to be home for dinner?
Uhuh.
Look after your mother for me, will you?
What do you think? Bye.
[ Buzzer ]
Yep?
"Mr Masen to see you."
Oh.
Alright. Send him in.
A cup of coffee and a doughnut and I'm
as soft and as sweet as a nurse myself.
Almost mellow in fact.
Hello, Lancelot.
Hello, Joe.
I had a hunch you'd show up.
You had a hunch, huh?
Uhuh.
Well I'm glad. That will make it easier.
Always getting hunches.
Usually over a cup of java.
Just had a humdinger.
It's about Andy Layford.
I want to talk to you, Joe.
You like doughnuts?
-I'm crazy about 'em.
I want to talk to you too, Brad.
It's about Layford.
You know it's an odd thing.
Since Andy left us ..
The organised crime .. has
dropped to an all-time low.
Of course it all depends on
which way you look at it.
But it struck me there might
be some connection.
What do you say?
Whichever way you look at it, Joe.
It's still murder.
Murder.
Yep.
Murder.
From where I sit you
don't condone it, ever.
You can't. No man can take the law into
his own hands and get away with it.
But sometimes you ..
Understand it better than others.
Which makes it tough when
you have to go after the guy.
Because that's your job,
whether you like it or not.
You can't let him off the
hook, no matter what.
All you can do is ..
Try and show them that
you're not exactly having fun.
No fun at all.
Thanks, Joe.
Okay, let's get it over with.
You came here to tell me that you ..
The Judge's compliments
and it's all yours, Joe.
Thanks, Sam.
Yeah, that Wallchek
is a bad boy. Real bad.
Break my heart to see him go free.
Ah well ..
One more for the chamber of horrors.
Hey, what do you know? We caught Molly.
Look at that. Isn't she
a cute little devil, huh?
Sam.
Hey, Sam.
Look who's here.
Well, for Pete's sake.
Say, she's kinda cute, ain't she.
The little son-of-a-gun.
There you go, Sam.
What will I do with her? Drown her?
Drown her?
Sam, take her out and
buy her a nice lunch.
And walk her for about six blocks and ..
Let her go. On parole.
Yes, sir.
You know, I'm going to miss her.
That's the toughest case
I ever had to handle.
Parole?
I wonder.
I ..
Guess you couldn't extend that to me.
Could you, Joe?
Brad, the rules for mice and
men are kinda different.
Yeah.
Their needs are different too, Joe.
A man may need more than a ..
A piece of cheese or a rind of bacon.
He may be reaching for something
higher. Something that's ..
Probably beyond his reach.
What are you reaching for?
Justice has always
been a religion with me.
And it breaks my heart too ..
To think of that boy going free.
Joe.
Let me have five minutes
upstairs with him, will you?
Why?
Come on. Just five minutes.
Okay, five. I'll be waiting
right here for you.
Thank you.
Alright, sir.
Cigarette?
Okay, what now?
I'm not sure.
To tell you the truth, I'm worried.
You're worried?
Yes.
Of course, we can appeal.
Claim misdirection of the jury.
Ask for a retrial or ..
There are a dozen
ways to postpone things.
I'm afraid it's a waste of time.
Well if you think I'm going to give
up without a fight, you're crazy.
I wouldn't call it giving up.
I'd call it .. facing the facts.
Facts? I'm innocent and I want to live!
There's a couple of facts for you.
Look, get this. If you can't beat this
rap for me, I'll get somebody who can.
You can get yourself
another lawyer, Rudi.
I don't think it's going
to help very much.
No-one can help you now.
I'm sorry. I've done everything I could.
Ha! You say.
No, really.
After the verdict,
I went to see the D.A.
To tell him the truth, but ..
Well, he knew already.
You what?
I went to his office to tell
him who killed Layford.
It wasn't necessary.
The brandy glass had already told him.
That and the hat with
the dark rim around it.
It was right on the desk in front of him
while I talked .. and he recognised it.
But by then he wasn't interested.
I am afraid he ..
I'm afraid he doesn't care
now who killed Layford.
You're going to the chair and
that's all that matters to him.
When I realized that,
I didn't even bother to ..
Show him this key.
This key to your apartment.
The old man, Peter
Hulderman gave it to me.
The day before he died.
I had no idea I was going to use it.
Strange how ..
You can't foresee the future.
Perhaps it's just as well.
You were right about the
visitor in the living room.
I ..
I waited there while Layford
went out in the hall to ..
Talk to you.
When he came back.
I killed him.
With this.
I .. just took it from
the D.A.'s closet.
I think perhaps we ..
Never really know ourselves completely.
I'm not sorry I killed him and ..
I can't say I'm sorry you
are going to die for it.
You cheated the law once.
If I burn it won't be for
something I didn't do.
Is that a bible there?
It's in the Old Testament, isn't it.
"An eye for an eye,
a tooth for a tooth".
I'm not sure, but I
think it's Leviticus 24.
Yes, here it is.
"As he hath caused a blemish in a man,
so shall it be rendered unto him".
"And he that killeth a man".
"Shall be put to death".
He said that he killed Layford.
I'm innocent!
Not now.
And so now you are all about
to become Counsellors at Law.
Attorneys, lawyers.
Some of you good.
Some not so good.
Some of you great and some not so great.
Well, that's okay.
Only a very few ball
players ever get to hit 400.
As you know, I'm pitch-hitting
this afternoon for a better man.
Who couldn't make it.
His son made it.
He graduates today.
And Mrs Masen is right here
beside me to see him do it.
I guess her husband would be ..
Very happy about that if he knew.
Maybe he does.
Well, I've said my little piece.
There is just one more thing.
It's something I have a huch Bradley
Masen might have said if he were alive.
And here today.
Well, he isn't, so I'm going
to say it for him. It's this.
You will find. That the law.
May make mistakes.
But justice .. never.
So, reach out for justice.
And keep your hnds clean
and your buttons shining.
He did.
Until the end.
T-G