Telegram for Mr. Ellery.
Pardon me.
They call up at the last minute and want tickets. How can they do this?
Telegram, Mr. Ellery. Give me.
I gotta take care of the back of the stage.
Hello.
Telephone, Mr. Ellery, Atlantic City.
The boss may be sick, but he's not too sick to keep us on the jump.
I got it. I got it. Hello, hello. Yes, Mr. Carroll.
Yes, everything's all right.
Listen, will you stop worrying?
Listen, Mr. Carroll, your health is worth more than that.
Well, listen, Mr. Carroll, will you do me a favor?
Will you take your arteries and go to bed
and forget about the whole thing?
Yeah, yeah. Goodbye. Goodbye.
Here. Put that...
They want you backstage, Mr. Ellery.
Lander and Ware haven't shown up yet.
Lander and Ware haven't shown up. What am I supposed to do here?
Go on and give their performances?
Long distance, Atlantic City calling. You cut them off.
Listen, tell them I've died. I can't be disturbed.
Telegram for Mr. Ellery.
All right. Don't knock me down.
Lieutenant Murdock, of the Homicide Squad.
Well, what's the matter? I want my tickets.
I'm sorry, Commissioner. There's nothing for you.
What? I'm sorry.
Where's Jack Ellery?
He's just gone backstage.
Hey!
Hey, you.
Where're those tickets you were going to leave for me?
Gee, Bill, I forgot all about them.
Yeah? Well, remember them now.
I'm going to hustle over to the Astor to pick up Ethel.
Oh, listen, I couldn't get a couple of tickets for the White House.
Would you like to stand? What?
With me all laid out like a funeral and a dame on my hands?
What are you beefing about? I got a show on my hands.
Say, that's nothing. I got Ethel on mine. I promised her.
Well, unpromise her. Judas H. Priest!
Here you're bellyaching about a couple of tickets
and I got a star and leading lady here that haven't shown up yet.
You can't get away with this. I promised Ethel.
Well, tell her you can't show up.
What's the matter, you afraid of that fluff?
What? Me? Me afraid of a dame?
Hey, I'll tell a dame anything I want to
and push her in the mush if she lets out a peep!
Well, what do you want from me? Go ahead and...
Hey, a swell pal you've turned out to be.
When you were a cheap reporter
butting in around the Police Headquarters,
did I ever give you the runaround?
Oh, go away, will you? You bother me. I'm a busy man here.
All right. That washes us up.
Just try and ask me for a favor sometime.
Go away. You're breaking my heart.
Out! Out! Out! Out! Out, you!
Take it on the lam. You take it.
Out! Get out, you big mallet-head! Outside!
What kind of a place is this? Opening night.
Get in there and get your clothes off.
Oh, people are so inconsiderate.
Oh, Mr. Ellery.
Not now, not now.
That was grand. I love the way you sing that, Eric.
Thank you, dear. But let's rush, darling.
We've got to get to the theater.
No, no, not yet, Ann darling. You must play it once more.
I must try my new lyrics once more.
Come, just once. Come on. Be a good girl.
There.
In some secluded rendezvous
That overlooks the avenue
With someone sharing a delightful chat
Of this and that
And cocktails for two
As we enjoy a cigarette
To some exquisite chansonette
Two hands are sure to slyly meet
Beneath a serviette
With cocktails for two
Oh, I adore you, darling.
And I adore you, too, but you'd better be careful.
You'll sing it to me some night like that onstage.
Well, I wouldn't care.
With intoxicating kisses
For the principal ingredient
Most any afternoon at five
We'll be so glad we're both alive
Then maybe fortune will complete her plan
That all began with cocktails for two
There you are.
There's the clock.
We must go to the theater.
Come along, dear.
This is the happiest night of my life, Eric,
and nothing, nothing can spoil it.
Nothing, Ann dear, nothing.
But there's one thing I must tell you.
No, no, no, there's only one thing you can tell me tonight, darling.
Come along.
Oh, Judas H. Priest.
Listen, this is opening night. Will you get inside here?
You're in here making taxicab hocus-pocus.
Oh, this isn't hocus-pocus. This is orange blossoms.
You mean you're going to get married and all that stuff?
We're going over to Jersey and wake up a minister after the show.
Oh, gee, ain't that marvelous.
Can you imagine buying all that from a minister for $10?
And what a break for the show. Crooners make it real.
Say, listen, I'll have it on the front page
of every morning newspaper in the city.
Oh, but say, listen, in the meantime,
would you mind coming inside and getting busy, please, just for me?
Shall we? Let's.
Oh, grand.
Hey, listen, Lona, have you got a date for tonight?
I don't know yet.
Hey, listen, you two can't get married tonight.
Why not? Well, wait till Sunday night.
We'll get a better break in the Monday morning newspapers.
I'm sorry, Jack, but we don't wait.
We take off tonight and I bet we find you
crawling out of the minister's nightshirt
with a couple of newsreel cameramen.
They want you out front, Mr. Ellery.
Oh, that Carroll's blood pressure's going up by long distance.
Good evening, Norma. Hello, Norma.
Oh, Mr. Lander.
I hope you're a wonderful success tonight and that nothing...
I mean that everything...
Thanks, Norma, I hope you like me.
Like you. Gosh.
I beg your pardon.
Oh!
Well, how long did it take you to get a bottle of champagne?
Or maybe I'm wrong
and you're the star of this opera and I'm the hired girl.
I'm sorry, Miss Rita.
I stopped to hear some gossip.
Gossip.
Dirt? Spill it.
Mr. Lander and Miss Ware are gonna get married.
Married? Why, he can't...
Why not? He's gotta get married sometime.
He can't always play around.
Married. And to that little...
After what I've been to him.
Oh, yeah?
Well, after what I've done for him.
Why, I brought him into this show.
You brought him in? You and who else? Just me.
Carroll saw me in an act with him and brought him along.
Listen, baby, blues singers like you are thicker on Broadway
than brunettes in Africa.
It was Lander Carroll wanted.
He just brought you along to hold his hat for him.
Is that the truth you're telling me, you broken-down clown,
or are you trying to ride me?
I wouldn't joke about a thing like that, Miss Rita.
Isn't it just beautiful and romantic?
Well, get off the table.
How can I work with you sitting on there?
I got dirt. She's got dirt.
All Carroll's children got dirt.
Dish it. Dirt's no good cold.
It's Ross, and is she burning.
Lander and Ware are telling it to the minister tonight.
Honest?
You mean they're going to get married
with a license and a ring and what not?
What a funny thing to do.
It dates them, like coffee.
Yeah.
Come in.
Good evening, Mr. Lander. Good evening.
Oh, isn't it splendid?
They've been turning people away for half an hour.
Well, that's grand.
Here's your coat.
Thank you, dear.
Eric, Rita Ross, she is very angry.
Now, don't worry, darling.
Oh, but this means so much, this Broadway opening.
Wouldn't it be wise perhaps to make up with her just for a little while?
Oh, I know Rita.
She'll put on an act, perhaps throw a tantrum or two,
but she'll survive.
Oh, I hope you're right.
Well, of course I'm right.
Nobody as happy as I am could be wrong.
Five minutes to overture, Mr. Lander.
Oh, and you are not even made up, Eric.
I'll go.
Come in.
Just a gag, I guess.
That ain't no gag.
Don't be silly.
Number coming up, Miss Ware.
Thank you.
Ann, are you hurt?
I don't think so.
What's going on here?
Somebody tried to drop a spotlight on me.
Oh, go on. You got opening night nerves.
Anything wrong? I thought I heard a scream.
Come on, come on, snap out of it, Ware.
Don't yell at her like that, Jack.
Nobody's going to hurt her.
It's just probably some clumsy electrician
up there with a hand full of thumbs.
And awhile ago somebody smashed my mirror.
What? Yes, sir, Mr. Ellery. Come on, I'll show you.
Are you all right, dear?
I guess so.
Of course you are.
Oh, I was so frightened.
No, you're not. You must be.
Come on, you'll be all right now. You'll be all right now.
I suppose it's a little wedding gift from Rita?
Rita could pull the theater down on us,
and we'd still climb out and go over to Jersey and get married.
And any accidents that happen after tonight
happen to Mr. And Mrs. Lander.
You bet.
Oh, the door blew shut.
Gee, this theater's as drafty as Times Square.
Listen, hear that? That's the overture.
You're in the opening number. Come on.
I'll be all right.
Go on then, dear. Go on.
Hurry up. Hurry up. Judas H. Priest!
Will you come on and get on the stage just for me, please?
This is opening night. I'm only trying to put on a show.
Come on, girls.
Go ahead, get on the stage, will you?
Mildred LaRue.
All right now, honey-bunch, hop to it, and give.
Oh, will somebody go up there and tell those dumb clucks to be careful?
Careful, my eye. This rope has been cut.
Cut?
Oh, honey, don't let that upset you.
Now, just go out there and slay them, huh?
Consider them slayed.
Atta girl.
Ladies and gentlemen
We are pleased to present again
With Mr. Carroll's permission
The latest edition of the Vanities
As we display this grand array of feminine charm and grace
We can see the same old question staring you in the face
Each year we hatch another batch of personalities
Eyes and lips and hips and ankles dimpled arms and knees
An endless supply of loveliness that never seems to cease
To you it's all a mystery that can't be solved by police
Lovely, languorous ladies from each corner of the globe
Hello, honey, this is Jack Ellery, backstage.
Listen, give me the 47th Street Police Station
right away, will you?
The last thing she said over the phone was,
"You were going to take me to the opening of the Vanities.
"Now you want to shove me off on a cheap picture show. Nuts!"
Nuts? To you?
Yeah, nuts to me.
That's what my friend Jack Ellery did for me.
Washed me out with a swell number
just as I was getting places with her.
Imagine her saying nuts to you.
Yeah.
Oh, is this funny.
It's your pal, Jack Ellery, at the Vanities calling.
Yeah? Yeah.
Says he's having trouble backstage, wants a couple of men.
Tell him okay. Hang up.
Okay.
I'll take that call, and will I take that call.
Broke me up with Ethel, did he?
Maybe I can do some breaking, too. Come on, boys.
Okay.
Sure, let's fix ourselves up for the winter.
Oh, boy, the Vanities.
Hey, you stay here.
Maybe somebody will go silly tonight and want a cop.
Come on.
Oh, nuts!
Where do they come from
And where do they go?
These glorious, glorified creatures
Did they pose for billboards or photographers?
Were they cigarette girls or stenographers?
Did they hail from Bridgeport or Kalamazoo?
How I wish I knew
Why am I puzzled and when will I know?
Where do they come from
And where do they always go?
Where do they come from
And where do they go?
These glorious, glorified creatures?
Will they settle down to happy marriages?
Playing bridge and pushing baby carriages?
Or will they all wind up as Hollywood queens?
On the movie screens?
Why am I puzzled and when will I know?
Where do they come from
And where do they always go?
We know
They come from the East
From dashing, crashing mobs
Who hurry to their jobs upon a subway strap
The busy, dizzy places on the Eastern map
Now you see they come from the East.
No
They come from the West
From great open spaces
The figures and faces are certainly best
Just where they come from
By this time you know
Now I will show you
Exactly where they all go
Lovely one
Your sweet exquisite loveliness
Is ever haunting me
My lovely one
Your voice will still be echoing
Through all the years to be
I can't forget
The beauty of your silhouette
Against the setting sun
Though we're apart
Within my heart
There lives an image of my lovely one
Where do they come from?
And where do they go?
These glorious, glorified creatures
Will they settle down to happy marriages?
Playing bridge and pushing baby carriages?
Or will they all wind up as Hollywood queens
Mr. Lander.
There's a button loose there on your coat.
The woman, she's in your dressing room, waiting.
Well, have you had any luck?
I don't know this lady.
Oh, that's quite all right. You can talk, but please hurry.
I got the things she stole and you were right.
It was Rita Ross?
Well, there's the stuff, and it was in her apartment.
Good.
Anything missing?
I don't know yet, and I don't care.
I've got what I wanted.
So you're sure you've got this Rita Ross stopped?
What makes you doubt it?
Oh, I was just looking through some papers in her desk
and apparently she's written the Vienna Police Department.
Here's their answer.
You read it?
No.
I just closed my eyes, picked it up and brought it along.
You read it, you spy. You read it.
If you tell a single word to anybody, I'll...
- Please. - I warn you.
Please, darling. Please be calm.
Oh, Eric, I told you not to let strangers
meddle in your private affairs.
Now, this...
Listen, lady, I mind my own business.
Though I can see why you might be interested
in this Viennese opera singer of 30 years ago.
She won't say anything about them.
Now they both know, Rita Ross and this woman.
Listen, dear, I'm not worried about her.
I'm going to see Rita right now.
But Eric, you're on the stage in just a minute.
This will only take a minute.
I want to talk to you.
You're not paying me.
I've got some things to say and you're going to listen.
Norma, will you get me something?
Get you what, Mr. Lander?
Just tell me, anything at all.
Anything at all, so long as it takes
those tiny ears of yours out of here.
Go on.
You stole a photograph out of my apartment.
I wouldn't say stole.
I just happened to be looking through some stuff.
You weren't keeping it under cover, were you?
What did you take it for?
It just seemed to be a good idea at the time.
The dame in that photograph must have been quite a bother
to the boys in Vienna 30 years ago.
Why did you take it?
Elsie Singer, and in grand opera, too.
Why did you write to the Vienna police?
Nothing will come of that if you don't get out of step.
I didn't tell them that Helene Smith, the wardrobe woman,
was Elsie Singer.
Rita, for 30 years a woman makes amends,
suffers to keep herself and her child, and now...
You look a lot like your mother around the eyes.
Yes, she is my mother.
And she killed a guy in Vienna.
He was a dirty rotten...
But he was a big shot
and the Vienna police are still looking
for the woman that killed him,
for Elsie Singer.
Don't all those years of drudgery and sacrifice
mean anything to you?
How are you and Ann Ware getting along?
I hear you're going to marry her.
Yes, tonight, after the show.
Fine.
And when you read about your wedding on the front page,
right next to it you'll find a piece about a Mrs. Helene Smith
being pinched for murder!
You won't do that.
You like living too well.
Do that to my mother and I'll...
You threaten me!
That's good!
Remember, you tell that story to anybody
and I'll see that you never tell anybody anything again!
Judas H. Priest! The third number's gonna be over!
Will you get on that stage and break it up?
I've never been treated this way
in my 57 years in show business.
Your love song is my seventh heaven
Each note of my heart beats rhythms new
What's gone wrong, Helene?
What do you want to argue with her now for? Wait till the show's over.
You'll have plenty of time. Get on down there.
Don't worry about Rita, my dear.
Mildred LaRue.
Eric, another minute and they'll be off.
Okay, Jack.
What are you keeping from me, Helene?
Rita Ross, she knows about Vienna.
She does, does she? Well, I'll talk to her.
No, I'll handle her.
You'll do nothing of the sort.
Oh, you've been very sweet and helpful,
but this is something I've got to take care of myself.
Whether you like it or not, I intend to help, and at any cost.
Homer.
Mildred LaRue. Here's your wig.
Oh, Mr. Ellery.
Oh, not now, baby. But...
Get on the stage. Not now, dear.
Eric. Eric, come here.
Why don't you smile for the customers?
Say, you ought to be grinning from ear to ear.
You're marrying this beautiful girl.
Say, I'm going to have every newspaper man in town at the wedding.
I'm afraid not, Jack. What?
We'll have to postpone the wedding for a few days.
Why? Oh, there's your cue.
Come on, get on the stage. Watch out for that piano. Get up there.
Today was so depressing and so long
You were gone, I was blue
Tonight I feel like bursting into song
A song for you
Night winds are sighing
There's music in the sea
The whole world has joined
In a lover's rhapsody
What are the wild waves saying to me?
Live and love tonight
Ripples of moonlight illuminate the shore
Like beacons of romance I never saw before
What are they all conveying to me?
Live and love tonight
Sweetheart, I've lived this moment
In all my dreams
All my life
I've waited for this moment
And now if we delay
Our moment may slip away
In my embraces
You haven't said a word
But I listened closely
And this is what I heard
Your heart beats cry
In rhythm with mine
Live and love tonight
Did you really mean that we're not going to be married tonight?
Yes, dear. Something has come up.
Don't ask questions now.
Everything's going to work out fine.
But if there's any trouble, shouldn't I know?
Sweetheart, I've lived this moment
In all my dreams, all my life
I've waited for this moment
And now, if we delay, our moment...
Mr. Ellery. What?
There's some comedians out there with flat feet.
They say they're cops and that you sent for them.
Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, couple of friends of mine.
I couldn't get them tickets,
so I'm going to let them see the show from here. It's okay. Send them in.
Your heart beats cry in rhythm with mine
Live and love tonight
Oh, old crockhead, so it's you.
Yeah, me.
I send to the Police Station for a copper and look what I get.
I thought this was your night off.
So it is, but I'd give up anything to do an old pal a favor,
especially after all the trouble you went to about those tickets.
Oh, now listen, Bill. You know I...
You can't square yourself!
What are we here for, somebody disturbing your peace?
Not mine, somebody else's.
It seems that somebody around here's dropping sand bags
on the leading lady's dome and trying to cut her up with broken glass.
Say, boy, go back to your bootleg.
This legal stuff ain't agreeing with you.
Listen, mallet-head, we got comedians in this show
that get paid to be funny.
Hey, what do you want me to do, make a pinch for false...
Judas H. Priest, 30,000 cops in New York,
and I've got to pick out a big flat-footed Romeo like you.
Why don't you take your lamps off those dames
and do a little police work?
This is police work.
Them babies look like they got clues or something.
Oh, be serious, will you, Bill?
Somebody around here's committing merry mayhem, maybe murder.
Why don't you kind of peek around, huh?
Sure, I'll peek around.
Now, there's a baby over there
that looks suspicious and ought to be followed.
Don't get too close to her or she'll mistake you for King Kong.
Oh, Mr. Ellery.
Oh, not now. Go away. Not now.
Oh, but...
Soothe me with your caress
Sweet Marijuana, Marijuana
Help me in my distress
Sweet Marijuana, please do
You alone can bring my lover back to me
Even though I know it's all a fantasy
And then, put me to sleep
Sweet Marijuana, Marijuana
You alone can bring my lover back to me
Even though I know it's all a fantasy
And then put me to sleep
Sweet Marijuana, Marijuana
Get back here. Come on, you big mallet-head!
First thing you know, you'll be out in the audience.
What's that?
Don't you know?
Blood.
Hey, what's the matter up there?
It's blood.
You're crazy. That's paint.
There's a woman up there!
There's nobody up there. There is!
Quiet. Quiet. There's a show going on out front!
Hey, cork this place up. And, Ben, you stay with me.
Okay, Boss.
How do you get up there, or would you know?
Yeah, I know.
Probably some dame up there got dizzy and fainted.
It's all right. Come on with me, Bill.
Come on, come on! Get this show going, will you?
Get out on the stage.
If you guys want $5 short in your pay envelope, just keep...
Mildred LaRue!
This is a great spot for a girl
to pick out to sleep out a drunk.
What is this? What is it?
Listen, they got good cops over there in Jersey.
What's her act?
You don't know?
Maybe she's one of the Flying Ginsbergs.
Well, come on, pick her up.
Are you going to stay down there and get married to her?
Yeah, she is dead.
What? Judas H. Priest!
Who is she, Jack?
Well, I can't see her face. Wait a minute.
Mustn't touch until the medical officer says so.
Now, who is she?
I never saw her before.
What do you mean? Don't you know everybody in your show?
Yeah, I know everybody in the show and that's the answer.
She ain't in the show.
Uh-oh.
No mouth burns.
Funny place to pick for a bump off.
Yeah.
A million buildings here in New York.
365 nights in a year,
but this dame's got to pick this night
and this building to commit suicide.
It isn't suicide. It's murder.
What?
You mean somebody chased her up here
and shoved that stuff down her throat?
No, somebody pushed this into her heart.
Well, I've finished. You can take her away now.
Yes, sir.
Murder, and my opening night!
What do you do in a case like this,
give the people their money back?
Oh, hey, Bill, you're not gonna close the show?
Oh, no, I'm going to parade the body
and give 10 cents a head to see it.
Listen, Bill, you can't do that. Don't you understand?
The boss is sick in Atlantic City and this is my big chance.
Asking me for a favor now, aren't you?
Yes, Bill, I am asking you for a favor.
Listen. Please don't close the show.
Nothing doing. Pull your show.
Listen, if it wasn't for me, you'd still be pounding those pavements.
Wasn't it my paper that went to bat for you
when the commissioner broke Drake and McGinley?
Yeah, and tonight you penciled me out of my dame.
Go and make your announcement. The party's over.
Oh, listen, I'll get you 50 dames, but don't break me, will you?
Who owns this doodad?
I wouldn't know.
Sure, you wouldn't know.
Know anybody around here who would?
Well, the wardrobe woman might.
Well, let's go and see the wardrobe woman.
Okay.
But first call off your show.
What are you going to do?
Go down there and make an announcement, I suppose?
"Will the killer please step forward?"
Listen, Bill, let the killer think, see, that nobody's wise
and then you can stand down there and watch who's who.
Nothing doing.
Can you imagine if you went down below,
there see, with the report in one hand and the killer in the other?
Why, you'd come out of the Police Station a captain.
Just imagine that, Captain Murdock.
Don't that just roll off your tongue?
Captain Murdock.
Why, say, those two words go together like bacon and eggs.
Sure.
Maybe I'll investigate this murder to music for awhile.
Now you're talking, Bill.
Come on down here, you can watch everything from here.
Come on.
Why, what's wrong?
It's all right, darling, I think she's just fainted!
You run along upstairs. Run along.
Now, come on, come on, get back everybody, will you?
Go on, get back, will you?
Listen, boys and girls, will you listen to me?
There's nothing wrong here.
This lady just went upstairs and got dizzy and fainted. See?
So now, make your changes for the second act.
And if you don't, I'm going to rehearse you
all day Sunday and then fire you.
Now go on, move along now.
Eight minutes.
Eight minutes change.
Come on, you only have eight minutes for your change.
Down the stairs!
Come on, down to the dressing room.
You can't come in here. There are girls.
We can go anywhere.
You the wardrobe woman?
Yes.
Well, do you recognize that?
Yes.
Who's been wearing it?
Rita Ross.
That's all.
Well, Venus, where have you been?
That...
There was a girl fainted.
Well, what of it? Are you working for her?
I'm sorry.
Oh, go away!
Say, Rita, come here a minute, will you?
There's a fellow out here that used to go to school with you.
There's a catch in it somewhere. I never went to school.
Come on, girls, snap into it!
Rita, this is Lieutenant Murdock from Police Headquarters.
What have I done, parked in front of a fire plug?
You ever seen this before?
I wouldn't be surprised.
Yours?
Could be.
I don't care if it could or it couldn't. Is it?
I usually wear one like that with this costume.
So what?
So, this.
Is she dead?
Yes.
Somebody pushed this pin through her heart.
Oh, how horrible.
Do you know this dame?
No.
No. Pardon me for asking. Of course you don't.
There's a hundred people back of the stage here
and nobody's ever seen her before.
I saw her.
Well, why didn't you say so?
You asked me if I knew her. I don't.
I see a thousand people a day I don't know!
Go on, go on. Where did you see her?
About a half an hour ago, coming out of the wardrobe room.
Wardrobe. Wardrobe. Wardrobe. Oh, Ben.
Get the wardrobe woman.
Right.
And?
Mrs. Smith and that girl had some kind of a row.
Oh, they did, did they?
Yes.
Mrs. Smith has a duplicate of that pin.
Or did.
Where's your pin?
Right here.
Okay.
Here's the wardrobe woman, Bill.
Mrs. Smith, have you any more of these toys?
Things like that are always carried in duplicate.
Well, turn it up.
It's gone.
Oh, it's gone, eh?
Yes, I looked, after you asked for it.
Yeah, I had an idea.
A little birdie peeped that you might not find it there.
Hey, you can't go in there.
Take your hands off of me, menial!
Who are you, and why are you addressing this lady like that?
I'm Police, Lieutenant Murdock. And who are you?
Mr. Boothby. He's with the show.
The man with the flying trapeze?
Sir, I have played with Modjeska and Mantell!
Ah! That's their grudge, not mine. Now, keep out of here.
I don't care who you are.
I demand that you cease the absurdity
of questioning this fine woman.
Listen, Hamlet, ever hear of a little thing
like interfering with justice?
Justice?
"Oh, Justice, what stupidities are committed in thy name!"
Scram out of here or I'll have you committed.
Please, Homer. Come on, Romeo.
I'm quite all right. Take your hands off me!
I'm quite all right.
I was never so insulted in all my life!
Now, then.
Why did you kill that dame?
I didn't.
I never saw her before.
Is this the woman you heard having a row with this dame?
Yes, and a hot one. It's a lie!
It's the truth, and I'll take my oath on it in court!
Well, you had a row with her, the pin is missing.
Now what does that add up?
I guess that's all you want of me.
I've got to change for the last act.
Maybe there won't be any last act.
I'll be seeing you.
Let me see.
Yeah! Why did you kill her?
One of the boys found this not far from the body.
A private dick, hey?
You got a guy in this troupe by the name of Lander?
He's the... He's the leading man.
Ben, lead the leading man of this troupe
of trained seals here, will you? Okay.
But Mr. Lander couldn't have had anything
to do with this terrible business!
Ain't that sweet of you!
Say, Bill, here's Lander,
but listen, he's got to go on for the opening of the second act.
Are you Lander? Yes.
Do you know this woman?
Yes.
Do my ears deceive me, or am I at last hearing a "yes"?
Who is she?
Her name's Sadie Evans.
She was a private detective.
Uh-huh.
Now we're climbing!
Say, listen, Bill, my intermission's half over.
Now, what was your business with her, Lander?
Some things were stolen from my apartment
and I hired her to recover them.
Well, why didn't you notify the police?
Notify the police! He wanted to get his stuff back!
Now, those stolen things, what were they?
Purely a private matter.
Well, there ain't no private matters
when I'm prying into a murder case!
Now, come on, cough up.
My private affairs haven't any connection with the death of this woman.
Have a heart, will you?
Another minute and he'll be too late
for the opening of the second act.
Now quit stalling.
Stalling! Everybody don't want
their private affairs spilled all over the carpet.
Hey, this is a murder investigation. Yeah?
How'd you like to go out and blab to everybody
about you and Ruby sliding down that fire escape?
What do you think this is, a blackout?
All right, well, we'll put aside
the private affairs for a minute. See?
Now then, did you see this girl
talking to this woman Mrs. Smith?
Uh-uh. I see!
Going to make sure about telling the same story, eh?
Lady, you better walk, while I talk to this man Lander alone.
Gee, Bill, he's gotta sing!
Well, let him sing to me.
Now, come on, lad, let's play Truth.
Either you or Mrs. Smith is lying,
but I don't know who's lying for who,
but it won't be long now.
Listen! Will you listen to me?
This place is sealed as tight as a drum.
Why ruin my show and spoil this guy's chances?
Ellery! Jack Ellery!
Jack Ellery! Ellery!
Come on, come on, you dames.
On the stage! Come on.
Get away from that door!
Get down there!
What're you yelling about?
Go on, get down there!
That! Someone threw that at me!
A token of affection, I take it!
Now, you wouldn't know who that belonged to, would you?
No, I...
I haven't the slightest idea.
Mr. Policeman, that's half of this woman's scissors!
Where's the other half?
I... I don't know.
You sure are the most not knowingest woman I've ever run into.
She killed that girl and she just tried to kill me.
What are you doing, waiting for her
to drive past a red light so you can arrest her?
You keep your mouth shut!
Don't you tell me what to do!
Rita, don't start an argument.
Come on, get on the stage, will you?
Lieutenant, either Mrs. Smith killed that woman, or Mr. Lander did.
Look me up after this number,
and I'll blow the lid off the whole business.
I'll see you in the chair!
How long does the next number take, Jack?
About four minutes.
Well, I don't mind watching the girls for four minutes,
considering I'm going to arrest a murderer right after.
I need you, my inspiration
For I'm faced with defeat
Without you, this new creation never can be complete
The whole world would hear my masterpiece
If you would appear
Where are you?
My lover, I'm here
Love me
And floods of melody will pour from your soul
Play on
For I can see immortal fame as your goal
Someday the finest orchestra will play my rhapsody
Someday I'll see my dream turn into reality
All right, Boothby, there's your cue.
Okay, lights!
Darling, you were grand!
So were you, darling.
There's rhythm down in Martinique Isle
That has any minuet beat a mile for low-down quality
And they call it the ebony rhapsody
Instead of playing music like you do
They supply a little classical voodoo
They keep swinging that thing while singing the ebony rhapsody
It's got those licks, it's got those tricks
That Mr. Liszt would never recognize
It's got that beat, that tropic heat
They shake until they make the old thermometer rise
Oh, Lawdy, yes, they have bandanas
They go to market singing dirty hosannas
Swayin' to that ebony rhapsody!
Give me that prop machine gun.
Careful, Mr. Boothby. The safety's off.
There you are! Where's my drink?
Miss Rita, really you oughtn't to...
Don't you tell me what to do, you moonfaced...
Cut it out!
What are you trying to do to the girl?
Nothing of what I'm going to do to you after this number!
Now you get out of here! You're fired!
What happened?
Rita! She says after this number, she'll wreck Eric and me!
Fare thee well
Till I can be beside you
Once again, my love, my love
Fare thee well
And may the angels guide you until then, my love
Get Dr. Saunders, quick!
I'll get him, boss!
Step aside there, girls!
Now listen. Now wait a minute!
Now listen to me, everybody!
We've had a little trouble here, see,
but everything's gonna be all right.
So take it in your stride like real troupers, will you?
There's over 2,000 people out front
that've paid a lot of money to come and see this show,
and they're entitled to everything
we can give 'em, don't you understand?
So kind of settle down and give 'em the works, will you?
Make your changes now.
Yes, she's dead all right.
Dead!
Yeah, she was going to blow the lid off, and now she's dead.
Does that add up anything?
Listen, it might add up to making
you look ridiculous if you're not careful.
Yeah? Well, it's simple.
Mrs. Smith or Lander did it.
Lander wouldn't do that, I know!
Yeah, you know! She had to be shut up,
and somebody shut her up pretty.
And it was your wardrobe woman or your tenor.
Wait a minute.
It could have been the machine gun.
Did you ever stop to figure
that somebody could have stuck a bullet in there with those blanks?
Listen, sap!
How could one bullet out of 300
hit a certain dame just where it'd croak her?
No, no, no.
It was Mrs. Smith or Lander did the trick!
Ben, get that Mrs. Smith.
And where did that guy Lander go?
He went upstairs about a minute ago.
Oh! Yes! Mr. Lander! Lander!
Hey, Brownie, go get Rita Ross' understudy right away.
What's wrong with her? She can't finish the show.
Go and get her, will you? Go on!
I'm sorry, Mr. Ellery!
Haven't I got enough worries without... Go away!
It's... It's you.
Are you looking for something, Mr. Lander?
Are you looking for someone?
Yes, where's Lander?
I don't know.
Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you, Mr. Lander?
Something maybe you'd like to know?
That's nice of you, Norma, but...
Something maybe about Vienna?
Norma! Do you know?
Yeah, I know.
You know the letter she got from the Viennese police?
Yeah. Then tell me!
Did she answer that letter?
Yeah, tonight, after she'd talked to you.
Then it's... Then it's all too late!
No, it isn't.
She thinks it's in the mail.
Norma! I owe you everything for that!
What's the matter with you, man?
Don't you know enough to knock before
you come busting into a lady's room?
What's going on here?
Why, nothing.
What's this you're burning?
That? A note I was going to leave for Rita,
but she'll be here in a moment.
She will, will she?
Yes, she's got to change.
Well, she ain't going to be here,
and her next change will be in a wooden kimono.
What do you mean?
You're putting on a good act, Lander.
She's dead!
Dead?
Yeah, and you know it.
But how should I know it?
You don't think I...
I did think, but since catching you here, I'm past thinking.
Come on.
I'm sorry, Mr. Ellery.
I've been looking all over for you.
Where'd you find that?
I found it back of that flat.
Somebody threw it there. Lander was standing there. He could have tossed it.
Mrs. Smith. Maybe Boothby.
Listen, don't say anything to anybody about this, hear?
But won't I get into trouble?
Don't say a word. Shut up!
Oh! Mr. Ellery!
What do you... Not now, not now!
Oh!
But ain't you going to turn that over to the copper, Mr. Ellery?
Not till I find out who it belongs to.
It's a cinch it ain't Lander's.
It might be Mrs. Smith's, it might be Boothby's.
But anyway, I ain't going to give it to that big flatfoot until...
Until the show's over, anyway.
But do you think I'll...
Listen, go away. You bother me! Please!
You sent for me? Yeah.
You know, I thought you killed Rita Ross,
but I know now he did it.
He killed Rita Ross? Is she dead?
Very.
You don't seem to be upset much, do you?
She deserved to be killed, but he didn't do it.
Uh-oh. She deserved to be killed?
It's stupid to think that Eric... Mr. Lander...
Eric? Eric?
Say, what is it between you two?
Why, not a thing.
Why, she just mothers everybody.
Yeah, maybe she's been mothering the private detective.
It's a crime to get a sweet old lady
all muddled up the way you're doing!
Yeah, but it was the blade from that sweet old lady's scissors
that missed that Ross dame's head.
And you, Mr. Lander, was in the room with me.
And you, you sweet old lady, just where were you
when the blade from those scissors was thrown?
Why, anybody could have thrown that scissors blade.
Sure, anybody could have thrown 'em. Now, look here.
You had a row with the private detective, and Ross overheard you.
The blade from your scissors was thrown at the dame.
I don't think she did it.
Now shut up, will you?
Now, the Ross dame said she would spill something about you
that would send you to the chair,
and then the Ross dame gets killed.
Why don't you take me downtown and leave her alone?
No, laddie, I ain't gonna take you downtown,
but you've been a great help to me.
Now go on, go out and roll your hoop.
Right now this old lady's my meat.
Oh, you!
Please, Eric, go!
Ben! Take this Prince Charming outside, will you?
Come on, come on, get out!
I'll have plenty to say to you later!
Mr. Lander, your number is on right away.
Say, Eric! I want to see you a minute alone.
What's up?
Go on, Ann, exit. This doesn't affect you.
It affects me if it affects Eric.
Go on, Jack, she knows everything now. What is it?
Well, listen, about Rita. Did you...
Of course he didn't.
Did you bring a gun in here tonight?
A gun? Certainly not.
Are you telling me the truth?
Well, of course I am, Jack.
Okay. Then we'll find out who did it.
In the meantime, get on there and do your number. Go ahead, kid.
Hurry, darling.
I'll be in time. Don't worry!
Oh, what delight to be given the right
To be carefree and gay once again
No longer slinking, respectable drinking
Like civilized ladies and men
No longer need we miss
A charming scene like this
In some secluded rendezvous
That overlooks the avenue
With someone sharing a delightful chat
Of this and that
And cocktails for two
As we enjoy a cigarette
To some exquisite chansonette
Two hands are sure to slyly meet
Beneath a serviette
With cocktails for two
My head may go reeling
But my heart will be obedient
With intoxicating kisses
As the principal ingredient
Most any afternoon at 5.; oo
We'll be so glad we're both alive
Then maybe fortune will complete her plan
That all began
With cocktails for two!
Find out anything yet, Doc?
Shot in the back.
It looks like a small caliber gun.
A small caliber gun?
Why are you so anxious to keep Lander out of this?
Had he anything to do with this
mysterious business you killed Rita for?
Judas H. Priest! Now I suppose she did it!
It's a good thing General Grant's got an alibi.
Yes, and I suppose you knew she didn't?
Sure, I know. You know!
Why, she just confessed!
Confessed?
Yeah, why, sure, I knew she or Lander did it,
so I played 'em up against each other.
Yeah.
You killed Rita?
You knew! Smart Broadway guy!
Well, how'd you kill her?
Well, what does it matter?
It doesn't.
Look, and we've no time for you now, Jack.
Listen, do one thing. Tell me something.
You stabbed Rita with one half of that scissors blade, didn't you?
Is that what Dr. Saunders says? Quiet, quiet!
Well, that cinches it!
Answer me, Mrs. Smith.
You killed Rita with that scissors blade, didn't you? Didn't you?
Yes.
Yeah. What does that add up to?
Well, it just adds up to a washout, mallet-head!
Yeah!
Dr. Saunders in there has just found that Rita was shot
with a small caliber revolver.
Yeah! Yeah! Are you kidding?
Why should I kid you?
And I suppose you're going to lock up Mrs. Smith here,
because she stabbed Rita with a.32 revolver at 16 paces!
Hey, go and rivet some panties on your cuties out there.
Wise guy!
You always thinking Smith and Lander did it.
What about this guy Boothby out here?
No, no!
Anybody with half an eye could see... No, no!
...that he's in love with the old dame. Yes, yes.
He was handling that phony machine gun!
All right. He might have been handling
something else at the same time, huh?
Ben!
Go and bring Boothby here.
Okay.
You're killing me! Say,
I found something out there
that might interest a good, smart detective.
Of course, there's no use my taking it up with you.
What is it?
Well, here, mallet-head. I picked it up on the stage.
Can you make it out?
Uh-huh.
Yeah. Yeah. That's right. Yeah, thanks.
It's Lander's gun. What?
That's what the Bureau says.
Permit issued to Eric Lander, actor, 54 West 54th Street.
I knew it! Come on, Ben!
Where's Lander?
He's up making a change.
How can I help when I don't know a thing?
Every man for himself. So that's it?
I'm sorry, Jack, but there it is.
Oh! Gee, Eric, won't you listen a moment?
Say, what are you doing here?
Nothing.
Hey, where's that gun of yours?
I don't know anything about that gun!
Yes, you do! No, I don't.
Somebody stole it out of my apartment.
Why don't you try something new?
Didn't you steal it yourself and bring it down here
to bump off Rita Ross?
It was stolen. That's all I know.
You got him.
Yeah. Give me that paper!
Whose handwriting is this?
It's no use, Bill. I... I've been trying.
He... He won't talk till after the show.
All right, Mr. Ellery.
He won't talk, but you will!
Now come on, kick in. You know something.
It'd mostly be over your head!
Quit your stalling. Now where's that gun?
Did he tell you where it was, or have you got it?
Search me!
Well, that's an idea. Come on, Ben.
Take it easy, will you?
I got you!
I thought I recognized your handwriting!
So my old pal holds out murder evidence!
Sorry, Jack, but this puts the finger on you.
Now where's that gun?
Gonna be tough, are you?
No, I ain't going to be tough, and I'll play ball with you.
This show's got eight minutes to run, see?
Now if you want that gun, you're gonna let me finish my show,
or don't you wanna do that?
I don't do no trading in murder cases.
Yeah? Maybe you won't have a case
if you take Lander along with you.
If you haven't got that gun, well, you got no evidence,
don't you understand that?
And that'll just leave you a copper with a remarkable dumbness!
Hey, you got a big house here, Jack, tonight,
but there's a bigger house up the river.
Yeah, I know that, and if I flop with this show,
I just as well go on up there and stay there,
you understand, for the rest of my life.
And let me tell you something!
If you want that gun, you're gonna wait eight minutes, see,
and that's flat and final!
All right, I'll let you finish the show.
Now you're talking!
Wait a minute. Stick 'em out.
Bill, you can't do that!
Come on, stick 'em out!
In case you try to make a getaway.
That's a lovely dirty trick!
Yeah, you did me a dirty trick, too.
And you'll be lucky if you don't go down for a long stretch
while your boyfriend's sitting it out on the hot seat.
Mr. Lander, the finale's on.
But how can I sing?
Come on, do the best you can.
Do it for me, will you?
Roy, can't you find Mr. Lander?
I'll try, Miss Ware.
Hurry, darling. The number's half over!
I'm sorry, dear, but I can't help it.
Eric, what is it?
Nothing, dear, nothing at all.
Put your hands over, please. That's us.
Sweetheart, I've lived this moment
In all my dreams, all my life
I've waited for this moment
And now if we delay our moment may slip away
In my embraces, you haven't said a word
But I listened closely and this is what I heard
Your heart beats cry in rhythm with mine
Live and love tonight
Well, old mallet-head, this is the finale!
Looks like my show's a big success.
Yeah.
Sorry you stuck your nose in it, fellow,
but I gotta do my duty, you know.
That's okay, pal.
Being's you been such a nice boy,
well, I'm going to give you that gun. Here.
Hey!
Where'd you have it parked?
Don't tell nobody.
No!
You'd never've found it!
Well, it's a break for you, you found it again yourself!
Yeah? Yeah!
In some secluded rendezvous
That overlooks the avenue
With someone sharing a delightful chat
Of this and that
And cocktails for two
As we enjoy a cigarette
To some exquisite chansonette
Two hands are sure to slyly meet
Beneath a serviette
With cocktails for two
My head may go reeling
But my heart will be obedient
With intoxicating kisses
For the principal ingredient
Most any afternoon at 5.; oo
We'll be so glad we're both alive
Then maybe fortune will complete her plan
That all began
With cocktails for two!
Oh, what a delight to be given the right to be carefree
Come on, little songbird!
No!
If it's okay to you, I'll go up and change my clothes.
As you are, young fellow.
I'm going with you.
I'm afraid there isn't any room in the bus, miss.
Eric! Don't worry, darling.
Everything will be all right.
Come on, come on. I'm cutting in here. Come on.
No, you can't take him away!
Norma! Scram, lady, scram!
But he didn't do it!
Judas H... Something!
I've never seen so many judges and juries before in my life!
I tell you he didn't kill her!
Kill her! Which her?
Why, he killed two of them and played
a part in the Vanities in the same night.
That's pretty good!
Now, go on, scram, lady, scram!
I'm gonna take him to a place where he can get a bit of rest.
I saw it done!
You saw what done?
Nothing.
I mean, Rita Ross.
She's been furious all week,
account of Miss Ware getting the lead in the show.
And when she heard Mr. Lander was going to marry Miss Ware,
she just went wild!
I saw her sneak out of her dressing room.
At first I thought she only wanted
to queer Miss Ware's performance.
And then I saw her go upstairs,
and then I heard the lamp crash,
and I knew she did it.
I'm asking you what you saw, not what you know!
I suppose you saw her cut the sandbag?
No, I didn't know about that.
But she was away from her dressing room a long time,
and when she came back...
It was a bottle of acid.
I couldn't think what she'd be doing with it, so I followed her.
There was another woman following her, too,
a woman I'd never seen before.
Down on the stage, Miss Ware was singing with Mr. Lander.
Rita took out the acid,
and that woman saw she was going to throw it down on 'em.
Suddenly Rita's arm flew up.
I couldn't see just what happened.
And then the woman fell.
So you can't arrest Mr. Lander for that!
Sounds straight.
Nobody knew anything about the acid.
But why didn't you tell me Rita Ross murdered her?
I didn't know it then.
I saw the cops carrying her into the stage manager's office,
and Mr. Ellery said she'd fainted.
I'd have told, all right.
Rita deserved to go to the chair.
She was rotten to everybody.
I'm glad she's dead!
Yeah. So you stabbed her with the other half of the scissors?
That?
She threw that at herself just to make trouble for Mrs. Smith.
She hated Mrs. Smith.
Yeah, so what?
Your story sounded on the square, but now you're all mixed up.
It sounds phony. Come on, Lander,
I'll pick you out a nice airy cell.
No, you can't take him!
I thought so!
You saw Rita Ross murdered.
You were there.
No, I... You know who shot her!
Yes. Yes, I was there.
I'll tell.
But Mr. Lander didn't do it.
He was good to her.
Why, he got her into this show, and he was fine to me.
Why, he wouldn't let her fire me lots of times,
and he stood up for me when she beat me,
and made her stop it, like he did tonight.
She hit me, right in front of everybody.
I hated her like I never hated a human being before!
I got her gun. I knew where she had it.
I wasn't going to kill her.
I was just going to make her keep her hands off me
if she'd come at me again.
I watched her dancing and smiling,
and I thought how black and mean she was inside.
And then the music got wilder.
Everything was whirling on the stage.
She was herself then, just a she-devil without a heart or a soul!
She had no right to live! She deserved to be killed!
And then I saw Mr. Boothby grab the machine gun
and spray the dancers with it.
I could feel every shot crashing into my brain
till I didn't know what I was doing!
I prayed for him to turn it on her,
with the bullets tearing her to pieces.
And then I let her have it.
I killed her!
But you shot her with Lander's revolver!
Mr. Lander's? Oh, no!
No! It was Rita's.
I saw it at her house. I saw it at the theater.
Why, she must have stolen Mr. Lander's revolver!
Tell me, what was she going to spill about him?
Why, she...
I never could find out.
She'd faked up something or other.
Anything to break off his marriage.
But it isn't going to be broken off now, is it, Mr. Lander?
No, Norma, thanks to you.
So it was the gun you were trying to get back, Lander?
You hadn't the nerve to tell that new sweetheart of yours
that Rita Ross was running loose in your flat.
Well, I hope you don't have too much explaining to do.
All right, Ben, he's in the clear.
And you came clean, old girl, and if I can give you a break, I will.
And as soon as I've changed my clothes,
I'm going out to find the best attorney in New York.
We're coming with him, and all you have to do
is tell him what you told us.
Thank you very much.
Bless you!
All right, Ben. Come on.
You go ahead, honey.
Everything's going to be all right. Don't worry.
Well, do you want me now, Bill?
What do I want you for?
All right, forget about it. I'm sorry we tangled.
Forget about it, fellow, forget about it!
Say, Bill, tell me something.
How'd you like the show?
Hey, do you want my honest opinion?
Yeah.
You big mallet-headed lamebrain,
what do you know about a show?
You've been hanging out in that Police Station...
Mr. Ellery.
Oh, dear. All right, Nancy.
Now, what have you been trying to tell me?
Mr. Ellery, what I wanted to tell you was
that Rita Ross has been stealing things.
What?
Yes, Mr. Ellery.
I saw her sneak into the wardrobe and steal a hat pin.
Judas H... Something. There you are!
Why didn't you listen to her?
Why didn't you listen to her, mallet-head?
She wasn't talking to me. She was talking to you, brainless.
What a smart dick you are! Why, take one look at a girl
and you can tell she's got a clue or something!
Mr. Ellery! What is it that I had?
Never mind, honey. You still have it.
Say, how about a little supper, you and me?
Wait a minute.
Nancy's coming with me tonight.
What? Yeah.
And you promised me 50 dames if I let the show run!
Yeah, I promised you 50 dames, but she's 51 on the team.
You scum, you!
You wash me up with Ethel
and now you bust up my night off, and well...
Well, just try and ask me for a favor sometime.
Yes, I'll ask you for a favor!
I'll ask you for a favor right now! Shut up! Shut up!
Get out of the building, you're bothering me!
Take that big mallet-head of yours and get out of here, please!
Cops hanging around a theater give it a bad name. Go away!
You are beginning to smell up the place!
Well, Nancy, what shall we do?
Oh! Mr. Ellery!
Uh-oh. Come on, let's do it.