Mr. Arkadin Page #9

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I realized I wasn't alone.

- Polizei.

- Yes.

- Jawohl.

Okay. What do you want?

We're acting as a courtesy for the Italian police.

This is a question of, uh, murder.

- This happened in Italy? A knifing?

- Yes. As a matter of fact -

It's very interesting to learn

how you that knew.

- Knew that.

- Well, a man died right in front of me.

Well, the Italian police sent us

a photograph of the victim.

This is an old case.

It's already settled.

Why don't you just let me go?

Mr. Arkadin's giving a party.

- I've gotta get -

- Arkadin?

- Gregory Arkadin?

- Right.

But you're not on your way to his hotel.

Oh, yes, I am. I just changed my mind.

- Uh-huh.

- Uh -

We'll bring the photograph

to Mr. Arkadin's, uh, apartment.

- Yeah?

- Uh, he says, uh,

"Have a nice time at the party, please."

- Christmas merry.

- Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas.

- Tell him thanks.

Yes, thanks. I know all about it.

Oh!

- Merry Christmas.

- Are you kiddin'?

What about the man in jail? The one you

came here to see. What's his name?

- You know as well as I do. Jakob Zouk. He's gone.

- Gone? You mean escaped?

No. His time was almost up, and he's dying,

so they let him out.

He lives in a rooming house

in Sebastianplatz 16.

If he's dying, then there's nobody left

for me to worry about.

- Except you, of course.

- I'm not the only one.

What about Sophie and Oskar?

Long-distance operator, please.

Long distance? I want to place a call.

It's urgent. I'll wait at this number.

The call is to Mrs. Sophie Jess Martnez

of Mexico City.

He says a gentleman downstairs

asked him to deliver this.

Oh, thank you.

Danke schn.

- Yes?

- You got the photograph?

Oh, you haven't looked at it yet?

Please. Do so, Mr. Van Stratten.

As we say, there's reason to believe

that you knew the murder victim.

- Van Stratten.

- Yes?

- About that call of yours. That call to -

- What about it?

What call?

Oh, it appears that Mr. Van Stratten wished

to speak personally to a certain Madame...

Jess Martini or Martnez.

What are you calling Sophie for?

Just a hunch. Well?

Madame Martnez is not available.

She appears to be deceased.

Perhaps Mr. Van Stratten

would like to speak to her house.

Yes. Yes. I certainly would.

There's no need to call Mexico.

What happened to Sophie?

Did she get it like Mily?

With a knife?

And Oskar?

I was wondering if there's any point

in trying to call him.

- What for?

- I don't know. Wish him merry Christmas.

You'd be wasting your time.

Cops in Naples shot down a guy with

a wooden leg. They think he killed Bracco.

But I think that this Bracco was knifed by the man

he and the peg leg were trying to blackmail.

- It's a theory.

- And I could prove it

if the blackmailers weren't dead.

They aren't all dead,

Mr. Van Stratten.

Yeah. Then there was Mily.

Poor kid.

All she did was deliver a message.

Don't try to pretend she wasn't

in on it with you.

- She didn't even know what the names

Sophie or Bracco meant!

- What?

Yeah. And Sophie knew all about you.

She'd known for years, and she didn't care!

Live And Let Live.

That was Sophie's motto.

- Why didn't you tell me about this before?

- I didn't know she was in any danger.

That should have been obvious.

Bracco and Mily.

Sophie and Oskar.

Now there's only Jakob Zouk.

Just one left.

Sure you aren't losing count?

To you, Van Stratten.

Ask me why-

why he's been

knocking off everybody...

that might remember

that crummy little secret of his.

I'd say it was all because of Raina.

He's gone right off his rocker at the thought

that she might find out about him.

Well, you're the next to go.

He's saving me for the last one.

I've done all the dirty work. The only way

I could save myself is by saving you, hiding you.

That's why you're so important.

You're the last living member of the gang.

Gang, schmang.

I belonged to lots of gangs.

- Yes, I know.

- So, who once said you are the boss?

So now he's got a n-name. He's rich. So go ahead.

Get some of the money away from him.

But for this you gotta

drive me out in the cold?

He might be here at any minute.

I gave him your address.

- You mean here?

- That was before I knew he was the -

- Killer, schmiller. You gotta prove it.

- Prove it?

Yeah. A big important man like this does

something he shouldn't do...

gotta prove it good.

Oskar and Sophie were found dead

in a ditch in Mexico City with their throats cut.

- I just found that out

on the long-distance telephone.

- Go ahead and laugh.

- I'm not laughing. I'm coughing.

Well, go ahead and cough!

Die if you've got your heart set on it.

I'm young. I don't want to wind up

with a knife in my gut!

Where I'm going, nobody could bother me.

I ain't scared, but you are.

So, better start running.

Running? Where to?

It's a big world, mister.

Not so big when Arkadin's after you.

Besides, he owns half of it.

- So what do you want with me?

- You knew him in Warsaw.

You're the last one alive that did.

As long as I can keep you alive -

- He's here. He's comin' up.

We gotta get out of here and hide.

- Hey. Mister. Mister.

- Come on.

Give me my blanket.

You're coming with me.

There must be something you want.

- Something you dreamed of all those years in jail.

- But this late Christmas Eve.

How could you go shopping?

- What is it?

- Where you going?

- We gotta get out.

- But this way ain't out, mister.

- Which way?

- That way.

Listen. Whatever you want...

I'm gonna get it for you, Mr. Zouk.

If I have to commit robbery, arson

or murder, you're going to have it!

At least let me get my pants.

- What do you want with your pants?

- What I do without them?

Come on!

Ain't you got no sense of decency?

Also it's cold, mister.

I'll catch me a chill.

He's coming into the courtyard now.

I've gotta hide you.

Uh, I just moved in.

I don't know nobody who lives here.

Why couldn't we stay up in my room?

Where do you think he's gonna look?

He's gotta find you're gone.

What's he gonna think if he catches me

out here dancing around in my underdrawers?

Also the police, mister.

I'm on parole, good behavior.

For this I can go right smack back

into the jail!

Shut up!

- This door is open.

- So it's open. Whose door is it?

What's it matter? Get in!

Psst. Give me my pants.

Shut up. Get in that bed.

- Whose bed?

- Here's some money. Lock the door.

- What I do if my husband finds him? Understand?

- I'm on parole.

- Hey, mister. You know what the man said.

- I ain't heard that piece in 14 years.

Get into bed.

That's something else

I ain't heard in 14 years.

Too late.

I tell you, I just got here.

That's why I haven't seen him.

That -That's the wrong room.

I went in there by mistake.

Zouk lives up in the garret.

Shall we go see if he's there?

There's just a woman in there.

She's entertaining.

What do you want?

Can't you see I got company?

Go away.

Go away, or I'll call the police.

- Coming back to the party?

- Party?

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