30min | Comedy, Crime, Drama, TV Series | Episode aired 24 March 1955
A woman with no companion other than her young daughter knows that an escaped convict is on his way to kill her.
Director: Robert Florey
Writers: Frederick Brady, John Bingham
Stars: Charles Boyer, Beverly Garland, Mimi Gibson
A woman with no companion other than her young daughter knows that an escaped convict is on his way to kill her.
Director: Robert Florey
Writers: Frederick Brady, John Bingham
Stars: Charles Boyer, Beverly Garland, Mimi Gibson
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Singer Four Star Playhouse presents Charles Boyer, Dick Powell, David Niven, Ida Lupino.
00:30No further information has been received at this late hour from the authorities at the
00:42province prison in Quebec.
00:44It must be presumed then that Philip Belfonte is still at large.
00:48His daring escape from the death house this morning, less than 48 hours from the date
00:52set for his execution, has placed in motion a combined Canadian and American manhunt.
01:09Charles Boyer, Dick Powell, David Niven, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino,
01:37Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida
02:06Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino,
02:34Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino,
03:02Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, Ida Lupino, I
03:32thought my daddy had come home. Do you know my daddy? He doesn't know your daddy, Julia, and your daddy's not coming home. Now go back to bed. I don't believe you, mommy. Uncle Larry said... Never mind what anybody said. Just listen to what I say. Now go back to bed. That's a very pretty doll. Named Stephen. Stephen? I wanted a baby brother, so... So it's Stephen? Why not? Do you know my daddy? Please make
04:03a phone call. It's getting late. That must be daddy. That must be daddy. Will you please
04:16help me? I can't see very well. Of course. Oh, I'm afraid it's nothing but the wind and
04:28some eyes falling from a branch. He'll come, though. He'll be here tonight. I know that,
04:34and so does my mommy. Go to bed, Julia. Immediately. It's much too late for you to be up. Hello?
04:55Hello? Hello? Hello? This is the operator. Hello? The lines must be down. Or the wire's
05:06cut. Well, I guess I can try for Lake Marquette on a rim. I'll find a flat board on the shed
05:14and try to free myself from the snow. You'll never make it. Well, I can do no more than
05:18try. Well, it could be dangerous for you if you pile into another drift on a lonely stretch
05:22of road. I appreciate your concern, but... You can spend the night here. Julia and I
05:28share the same room upstairs, and I can make up a bed for you down here. Oh, well, I'll
05:34gladly stay. It's very kind of you. Mommy! Mommy! Please excuse me a moment.
05:52Please excuse me a moment.
06:22And it is now almost accepted as fact that
06:50Philip Belafonte has crossed the American border somewhere near Lake Marquette. Both
06:55American and Canadian police have confirmed reports that Belafonte was seen driving a
07:00stolen car. All border communities are under intense scrutiny as the search for Philip
07:05Belafonte continues. His execution, which was to have been carried out... They still
07:12haven't found him, have they? Not yet, Mrs. Belafonte. Then you know. Among other things,
07:24I understand now your invitation to spend the night. You think he's out there, and you're
07:35afraid. Why should I be afraid? I don't know. I'm trying to remember some details of the
07:47trial. I remember that some people thought you behaved very badly, I understand. Because
07:54I didn't lie for him? Is that behaving badly? Because I didn't substantiate his alibi that
07:59he was with me at the time of the murder? Because I didn't perjure myself? Is that behaving
08:05badly? Men don't kill women for not doing something, Mrs. Belafonte. And you are afraid
08:11that your husband has come here to kill you. Philip knew all about Larry. Long before the
08:20murder, Philip knew that Larry and I were in love. Maybe it didn't sound quite proper
08:25on the stamp when I told him that Larry and I were together at the time of the murder,
08:29but it was the truth. People usually have so little to fear from the truth. I'm cold.
08:38It's cold in here. It was a simple case, everyone knew that. Philip killed his uncle. Everyone
08:51knew he was on bad terms with his uncle. He took a large sum of money, at least $50,000
08:58after he killed him. Everyone knows that. He'd been drinking at the time. That's why
09:07I suppose they found Philip's cap and heavy black thorn stick beside the body. They never
09:11did find the money, did they? Maybe that's what he's come for. If he's come, maybe the
09:19money is hidden here, in this house. He's come to kill me, but you mustn't let him.
09:26I must call the police. The phone isn't working. We're cut off. He's got the wires. I know
09:34he has, but I'll be safe as long as you're here. Don't you have a gun? No. I'm cold.
09:48I'm trembling from the cold. I'll get some wood and make a fire. No, I don't want to
09:54be alone. Come with me then, at least to the door. Show me where the wood is. Come, you'll
10:02be safe, I promise you that. Or stay here if you wish. All right, you stay here. Is
10:09there any wood box? Inside of the house.
10:32Come outside a moment. Why? You mentioned a black thorn stick. Did your husband, did
10:53he always use a walking stick? Yes, almost always. He was a bit lame from a mill accident.
11:01Why? I'll show you why. Look at the footprints, right to the window. I imagine he saw me in
11:19there with you and Julia. I should say he's waiting for me to go. And then...
11:47Please light the fire. I'm almost sick from the cold. There will be no fire now. We're
11:54under siege, we may as well be clever about it. As any soldier could tell you, you're
12:01seldom killed by the weather, but you seldom survive if you set yourself up as a target.
12:08I'm so cold, I can't stand it. Got anything to drink? Yes, some cognac. I'll get it.
12:16And keep clear of the window. We do with less moonlight, but perhaps it's just as well.
12:28It gives him less darkness to... What? What is it? A shadow. I thought I saw a shadow.
12:38The back of the house. Is the back door locked? Yes. It's locked and barred. No thanks. I'm
12:51not as cold as you are. Perhaps because I don't have as much to fear. And I want to
12:57think clearly. Poor devil. Freezing to death out there in the snow. Hunted like an animal.
13:10I've been a prisoner myself once. I know what it is to run through the night with your lungs
13:17full of fear. Waiting for a bullet to tear into your back. Sometimes hoping that if there
13:25is to be an end, it will be swift and clean and warm. He's a murderer. He is a man and
13:37hunted. I don't think he'll wait too long to make his move. Not while you're here. I wonder.
13:47Daddy! Go to her. He'll kill me. Come on, go to her. No. Daddy! Daddy!
14:07Come back to bed, dear. It's cold here. I had a dream about daddy, and then I went to
14:14the windows and looked out. I saw someone. It must be him. Why won't mommy let him in?
14:20He must be so cold out there, and he's so nice to me. I love him so much, and I don't
14:26believe mommy when she says he's bad. Go back to sleep, dear. Why did everything change?
14:33We were so happy here. We used to play all the time. Then one night some men came in
14:40big heavy coats and took him away. He cried when they took him away. Mommy was mean to
14:47him. She was always mean to him, and he treated her so nice.
15:10Mrs. Bellafonte? I saw his hand at the window. So did I. I'm sure your child saw him too.
15:30Well, dress her. Dress her? Yes, dress her warmly. I'm taking her with me. You're leaving
15:37me here? Look, it's not my job to chase convicts or to protect anyone. A child, well, that's
15:47different. If you leave me here alone, you're killing me as surely as my husband will. Oh,
15:52I don't know. Perhaps all he wants is the money. In any case, it's no concern of mine.
16:01If you don't dress the child, I will do so myself. You lied to me. You lied to me about
16:18the telephone, Mr. Richard or whatever your name is. It was not working before. Perhaps
16:26I bet it. Hello? Larry. Larry, you must come to the cottage right away. I cannot meet you
16:39anywhere. I can't leave the house. Philip is outside. He's waiting to kill me. What?
16:47How? How can I bring anything? I'm trapped. Larry, listen. Larry, don't hang up. We're
16:55in this thing together, Larry. Larry? A brave man, Larry. You're not a stranded wayfarer
17:10at all, are you? You're here by design, Mr. Shall we keep calling you Richard? Why not?
17:18I'm sure there's no tire torn off the rim of a wheel, and I'm sure you're here for something.
17:24Shall I tell you why you came here? Please do. You want the $50,000? Let's turn up all
17:30the cards, Mrs. Belafonte. One at a time if you wish, but let's spread them all out on
17:37the table, face up. I do want the $50,000. You had no intention of leaving here at all,
17:46did you? Not at all, until I had the money. I must say, I thought your husband would be
17:52caught long before now. What makes you think the money is here? Why don't you call the
18:02police? Very well. The money is here. Philip hid it in the house after he killed his uncle.
18:12He didn't think I'd find it, but I did. Just a moment, please. I suggest that we put all
18:20the cards on the table. That's what I'm doing. Yes, but you're also introducing another deck.
18:27The sleight of hand is very confusing. Besides, I'm interested in one of the discards. The
18:33jack of clubs, perhaps. Larry. I don't need Larry. Of course not. You didn't need Philip,
18:45so you discarded him. You don't need Larry now, so you discard him. But you do need me,
18:53for the moment. I do. I admit that. And I'm willing to make an arrangement. That's sensible.
19:00What would you suggest? I suggest that you give me the $50,000. Of course. And have you
19:07leave immediately. Very well. What do you suggest? I suggest that you spend the night here.
19:14Wait till morning, or until Philip is caught by the police, and we'll split the $50,000.
19:21But when Philip, your dear husband, is caught, why should you give anything to anybody? That's
19:29very true. It would seem as though we've reached an impasse. It would seem so, but we have not.
19:37More cards? All trumps. Number one, I served time with your husband in prison. He never
19:45stole the $50,000. Number two, he hasn't come here for the money, but merely to kill you.
19:53And of course, to take your child, Julia, away with him, after he's done so. Of course,
19:59he'll be caught eventually, but he's not thinking rationally at the moment. It's true I lied
20:05to you before. I wanted to give you the impression that you were trapped. Cut off.
20:15You are. So you see, we have not reached an impasse. What do you intend to do? I intend
20:26to leave. And in a little while, return. You will be dead. Perhaps I'll find the money,
20:34perhaps not. But I do not have what we call in French an embarras du choix. I just mean
20:41I have no choice. It's a very good idea, but I don't think it's going to work. Why not?
20:47Well, you told me a lie before, but then I told one too. You asked me if I had a gun.
20:55I said no. You couldn't reach me or the door ahead of a bullet, could you? I could not.
21:06Take off your coat. Stay a while. Thanks. But then, if you had a gun all the time,
21:20what did you need me for? I didn't want to use it unless I had to. I see. May I have
21:34a drink? You may. It's on the table. Very careful. No, thank you. So once again, the
21:50$50,000 is all mine. I imagine that's the way you had it planned anyway. I merely made
22:00you bring out the gun sooner. That's true. I had planned on killing you anyway. You could
22:07very well be charged as my husband's accomplice. And besides, who cares about an ex-convict?
22:15Certainly not you. Now, let's see. Philip will be taken care of or killed. I will be
22:24taken care of or killed. But what about Larry? Something must be done about Larry. He won't
22:32make trouble. He'll be hiding out in Chicago with a brother. After all... Oh, yes. One of
22:39the cards we didn't turn over. Shall you turn it over or shall I? It was Larry who killed
22:48the old man. Then he planted Philip's cap and stick to frame him. That's why you'll
22:55get no trouble from Larry, even though you were his accomplice and lied about your husband's
23:01alibi. When Philip is executed, the case will be closed. That's the last card to be turned
23:08up. Not quite. There is one more, but there is plenty of time. I wonder how long Philip
23:23will wait. Some police! I want the police! They're already here. I've kept one card
23:43hidden, too. Now they all turned over. I am a police officer. Very well timed, Sergeant.
23:57Your husband was captured three hours after he escaped this morning. Naturally, we kept
24:01the news secret. You can handle the important pickup. Larry Henderson killed Philip Belafonte's
24:09uncle. He's on his way to Chicago. We can handle that part, Lieutenant. Could you take
24:15her into custody? There is a little girl upstairs, Julia. I'm going to bundle her up and drive
24:22her to the prison. There is one reunion I want to be part of. You won't be able to prove
24:28anything, not anything! Mrs. Belafonte, now that we know what really happened, we'll be
24:35able to prove everything. You and Larry will spill so much about each other, to save your
24:40own necks, we'll have to put gags into your mouths. It always works that way, doesn't
24:46it, Sergeant? Always. Julia! Julia! Wake up!
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