The Bat Page #3

Synopsis: Mystery writer Cornelia Van Gorder has rented a country house called "The Oaks", which not long ago had been the scene of some murders committed by a strange and violent criminal known as "The Bat". Meanwhile, the house's owner, bank president John Fleming, has recently embezzled one million dollars in securities, and has hidden the proceeds in the house, but he is killed before he can retrieve the money. Thus the lonely country house soon becomes the site of many mysterious and dangerous activities.
Director(s): Crane Wilbur
Production: American Pop Classics
 
IMDB:
6.1
APPROVED
Year:
1959
80 min
434 Views


Gorder, sit tight.

I will.

I have a gun.

And I know how to use it.

Oh, relax, relax, Lizzie.

The police did a good job.

They couldn't find

anybody in here.

But we both saw

him, Ms. Cornelia.

All right, all

right, so he got away.

But there are men

on guard outside.

So just try and get some rest.

There's nothing

can get at us here.

Oh, oh, oh, Miss cordelia!

Miss cordelia!

What?

What's the matter?

A bat!

Oh, nonsense, you've

had a nightmare.

Maybe I did.

But there was a bat.

And it bit me.

What?

It flew in that closet.

Oh, good gracious, Lizzie.

You're right!

Operator, operator, will

you get me Dr. Malcolm Wells'

office, please.

I don't know his number.

And I have no

phone book up here.

But this is an emergency.

Will you connect me

with his office, please?

Oh dear, oh dear, I'm

going to get the rabies.

Woman:
Hello?

Hello?

Dr. well's office.

Woman:
This is a call service.

Dr. Wells is out at moment.

But if you give me your name and

number, I'll try to locate him.

Well, this is Miss

Van Gorder of the Oaks.

My maid has just been bitten

by a bat that may be rapid.

And she must have treatment

as soon as possible.

And I was told that Dr. Wells

was the nearest physician.

Woman:
I'll try to

find him for you.

And I can't, I'll send

you another doctor.

Well, thank you very much.

Oh, he's out on a case.

Oh.

I hope it's not a

delivery-- a baby, I mean.

They can be terribly

complicated.

It never bothered me none.

Oh, Lizzie, you

never had a baby.

Of course I didn't.

That's why they

never bothered me.

Oh, does it hurt, huh?

A little.

Operator:
Dr. Wells?

Are you there Dr. Wells?

Are you there, Dr. Wells?

This is the operator.

Your call service

is on the wire.

It's an emergency.

This is Dr. Wells.

Woman:
This is your

call service, doctor.

Oh, hello I-- I was

just doing an experiment.

I left the receiver off.

Woman:
That's what I

thought, but I kept trying.

Ms. Van Gorder at

the Oaks called

and said that her maid

had been bitten by a bit.

And she's afraid

it might be rapid.

What?

Oh, all right, tell her

I'll be right over there.

Who's there?

Dr. Wells:
Dr. Wells.

Come in.

Good evening.

Oh, I'm so glad they

found you, doctor.

Well, I reached my office

shortly after you called.

How is your maid?

Is she in any pain?

No, no, she doesn't seem to be.

Did the bat get away?

No.

I believe it's

still in my bedroom.

Oh, good, I'll

want to examine it.

There you go, Ms. Allen.

Now you'll feel better.

Doctor, have I got the rabies?

Well, I can tell you better

after I've examined the bat's

brain under a microscope.

That thing's got a brain?

Oh, you'd be surprised.

Where is it?

I think the little

darling is in that closet.

Oh.

You know, it's a pity you leased

this house, Ms. Van Gorder.

Why a pity?

Well, my dear lady, I don't

want to alarm you, but--

Oh, well after tonight,

nothing can alarm me.

Yes, I understand.

It must have been terrifying.

So many unexplainable

things have happened here.

There's something

about the place.

Your servants must

have sensed it

when they walked out on you,

an apprehension of disaster.

Well, let's see.

Ah-ha!

Yes, there he is.

All right now, take

it easy, nobody's

going to hurt you,

quiet now, quiet.

Looks quite normal, doesn't

seem to be sick at all.

Ain't that nice.

I've been worried about him.

Well, you should be.

From his appearance,

I'd say that he

doesn't have any

infection, in which case

you've had a narrow escape.

Now, you take one

of those tablets

I left for you and I

guarantee you a good night.

And I'll drop in

on you tomorrow.

Oh, thanks for

everything, doctor.

But I can find my way out.

I know you can.

But do let me help you.

Oh, don't forget

that once I'm gone,

you'll have to climb

those stairs alone.

Oh, I'm all right.

I'm armed now.

Can you shoot one

of those things

without shutting your eyes?

Oh, doctor, there are guns in

every book I've ever written.

I don't write about things

I'm unfamiliar with.

Lock the door, Lizzie.

Goodnight.

Yes, ma'am, good night, doctor.

Accident?

No, no, the wind blew

him down, I think.

Oh.

Did you know that young mark

Fleming leased you this house

without notifying his uncle?

No, no, I didn't.

Well, it doesn't matter now.

John Fleming is dead.

And mark's his heir.

But if John were alive,

he would warn you

to leave here, Miss Van Gorder.

Really?

Yes.

It's been a tragic place for

anyone who ever lived in it.

Well, goodnight.

Goodnight, doctor.

Who's out there?

Nobody you need to

worry about, doctor.

Oh, it's Andy.

That's right.

Good evening, Miss Van Gorder.

Good evening, Lieutenant.

Somebody sick here?

My maid was bitten by a bat.

Oh?

A rabid bat?

Well, I'll know for sure

when I get to my lab.

I-- I caught the bat.

It happened indoors?

In my bedroom.

How'd it get in?

Well there are ways a

bat could get in a house.

You ought to know.

I, uh, I spotted this hole

in the window the minute

I got there.

That's where the two-legged

bat got your door open.

Miss Van Gorder told me

that she phoned headquarters

at Zenith.

Yes, I phoned twice.

The second time was after

the prowler got in the house.

Were you in headquarters, Andy?

No, but they contacted me.

An officer came and searched

the house from top to bottom.

But they couldn't find the bat.

You better have this

window fixed tomorrow.

Oh, yes, I certainly shall.

Yes, and I-- I better be going.

I'm due in surgery at 8

o'clock in the morning.

Goodnight.

Goodnight, doctor.

There will be a man patrolling

the grounds all night,

Ms. Van Gorder.

Oh, thank you.

And nobody inside, Andy?

Why should there be?

Well, how do you know but what

the bat is hiding somewhere

in the house?

I'm quite sure he isn't in

the house, doctor, not now.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Hi, Andy.

Hello, mark.

Well, congratulations,

real estate business

must be picking up-- new

office, new furniture.

New deal, how do you like it?

It looks expensive.

Are you squandering

your inheritance?

Oh, I haven't got it yet.

Well, the paper says John

Fleming left his entire fortune

to you.

Funny thing about

that entire fortune

is that we can't find it.

No kidding?

No, all uncle John

has in his bank account

was a couple hundred dollars.

And his safe deposit

box was empty.

If we don't find

that missing million,

mine will be empty too.

How come?

Well, all my savings were

invested in Zenith bank stock.

The examiners won't

certify the bank as solvent

until those stolen

securities are found.

So the stockholders

have voted an assessment

that'll wipe some of us out.

It's as is those securities

have been converted into cash.

And if I can't find

that cash, I'm sunk.

Well, where are you going

to look for it, Andy?

Here in Zenith.

Your uncle wouldn't take a

million on a hunting trip,

would he?

You suspect uncle John?

Why, Andy, he founded

the Zenith back.

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Crane Wilbur

Crane Wilbur (November 17, 1886 – October 18, 1973) was an American writer, actor and director for stage, radio and screen. He was born in Athens, New York. Wilbur is best remembered for playing Harry Marvin in The Perils of Pauline. He died in Toluca Lake, California.He was a prolific writer and director of at least 67 films from the silent era into the sound era, but it was as an actor that he found lasting recognition, particularly playing opposite Pearl White in the iconoclastic serial The Perils of Pauline. He brought to the first motion pictures merry eyes, a great, thick crop of wavy, black hair and an athlete's interest in swimming and horseback riding. Twelve years of stage experience prepared him for his venture into the new art of silent motion pictures. He was one of the first to explore the techniques required to communicate through the wordless shadows of the movies. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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