The Element of Crime

Fantasy is okay, but my job

is to keep you on the right track.

We are after the facts.

You seem to return to Cairo and me

whenever you have a problem.

Two months ago,

you left Cairo, your wife,

everything

for a police job in Europe.

Now you are back,

haunted by headaches.

If you want me to help you

get rid of these headaches,

we must go back

two months in time,

back to where it all started.

All I know, Europe

has become an obsession to you.

What was the name again?

Mr. Fisher.

An obsession, Mr. Fisher,

a state of mind.

I have no doubt the stay

in Europe has been painful--

painful.

So you must go into that part

of your memory.

It's hard for you

to remember, you say.

Yes. Yes.

So to help you to remember,

we have agreed to try hypnosis.

Hypnosis is a sound method.

It cannot fail.

If you feel uneasy, tired, worried,

I'll bring you out of it.

Just ask me.

No problem.

No problem at all.

I want you to go back...

two months in the time.

I want you to leave Cairo--

the sand, the desert...

Hoppitiher...

Nile...

Nilehralik.

It's too much for Europeans.

Yes.

You're going to see Europe again...

first time in 13 years.

I'm going to see Europe again...

for the first time in 13 years.

But Europe is not the same.

I have arrived at dusk.

The trip has made me restless.

I cannot sleep.

Water, water everywhere...

and not a drop to drink.

The story-- What is the story?

- Hello?

- I'm a policeman.

I've finally been called

back to Europe to solve a murder case.

- Hello?

- They told me I was able.

That's all I know.

I'm looking up Osborne,

- Hello!

- the only one I want to see again.

I've brought him something

from Egypt.

Where's the stairs?

You've moved the f***ing stairs.

You must tell me everything, Mr. Fisher.

What do you see?

Is anyone there?

There's a smell in the moist

corridor like burnt leather.

The housekeeper is leading me on.

She's grown old.

Good evening.

It's Fisher.

It's been a long time.

Fisher, for Christ's sake.

You really thought

I wouldn't recognize you?

So, tell me about yourself.

Italy.

You went to Italy.

- Cairo.

- Really?

- Just a minute.

- The wind's picking up.

- Shhh. Shh, shh.

You were wise to go.

Best away.

They treated you badly.

But... Cairo?

How are things at the academy?

I haven't taught for years.

The teaching was restructured.

That was actually

the word they used.

I suppose I was

restructured too, hmm?

But now I'm quite content.

Did you see anybody out there?

Kramer's found a job for me.

Why not?

You're an able man, Fisher.

Not many left with your training.

Kramer knows.

Yes, I must admit I'm

really looking forward to it.

"The Element of Crime" in Egyptian.

Your paper.

The translation took two years.

Footnotes and everything.

The complete work.

Without asking my permission?

It didn't occur to you that I'd like

to know what happened to my book?

I did.

I wrote you.

- I would remember.

- You replied.

I don't recall that.

My wife died.

I sold all my books and papers.

Eine Kugel kam geflogen,

gilt sie mit order

gilt sie dir?

Yes, I finally

decided to get married.

She died for me.

I'm sorry.

She could do nothing by halves.

She certainly knew

how to be remembered.

It's the most important

thing-- the family.

I had a wife in Cairo.

Why do men leave their wives?

I cannot understand it.

It's incomprehensible to me.

The city was sanding over.

It was impossible to stay.

She was born there.

She couldn't leave.

I was the last

European to go.

A mixed marriage, hmm?

I find it hard to talk

about these things.

I loved her as much

as I could, and that's all.

It was such an extraordinary

joy for me, Fisher.

The bosom of a family,

cheerful smile--

I don't know what to say

about your books.

Hmm. They guided me.

Not just in my police work,

my whole way of thinking.

No, no, no, no.

I was furious when they removed

my books from the academy library.

Now I understand.

I wrote fiction. It wasn't science.

What I wrote

was naive, dangerous.

The worst thing that can happen

in the name of science...

is when the system

becomes all-important.

We always looked for

the element of crime in society.

But why not look

in the very nature of man?

So much has happened in Europe.

This book has become dangerous.

Excuse me.

Fisher? Back from the promised land.

I thought I'd find you

at the old man's.

Straight in there, eh?

Now, let's see what you can do, Fisher.

They just found another mutilated body--

a little girl. Somebody's gutted her.

This time down at the harbor.

So chop, chop. Fifteen minutes.

I'm sorry.

I had to take my medicine.

It was Kramer for you?

He's a busy man.

He's very important these days.

Kramer's nothing.

Is this the job Kramer

has in mind for you?

It's incredible.

Europe lies dormant..

There's a man with a horse

harnessed to a wagon.

The wagon loaded with apples.

Very peaceful.

They found her up in the coal.

They're bringing her down now.

Here comes a candle

to light you to bed.

Here comes a chopper

to chop off your head.

Chip, chop, chip, chop.

The last one's dead.

Someone is asleep up there.

But, Mr. Fisher, I have to know

more about Kramer.

What did you mean,

he's nothing?

Nobody move! This is

Chief of Police Kramer speaking.

- Nobody move.

- I know him from the old days.

The police academy.

He was always a pain...

and now he's chief of police.

Fisher, good of you to turn up.

I see you found

your friend Osborne then.

I didn't see you at headquarters.

Nancy boy.

Funny world, Fisher. You were always

so much more promising than me.

Now I'm chief of police.

Did you know I was the one

who offered Osborne the job,

when he was ditched

from the school?

I've got the world

by its balls, Fisher.

The short and curlies.

This is the clumsiest

police job I've ever seen.

- Shhh.

- Yeah, all right, Fisher.

Let's say clumsiness

is a principle which we use.

There's a special kind of evil

around. You can feel it.

You've seen the changes

everywhere.

Believe me, Fisher, the same thing

has happened in these people.

You know what the Dive is? A jump from

a height with a rope around the ankle.

They call it a ritual.

I call it crime.

We've got to keep them under.

You've always been a good boy, Fisher.

All work and no play.

You want to understand everything.

Why did you ever try for the force?

I didn't think blood

was in your line.

Your people

have never known joy.

You know what this is?

This is the difference

between you and me.

Look out!

Have you gone completely mad?

- Why did you run away?

- I don't know.

There's a girl

been murdered up here.

- I was the one who

told them where to look.

- You're a dreamer, Fisher.

- Did you see who did it?

- No, I just arrived.

Did you know her?

She shouldn't

have come here tonight.

I tried to tell her.

She was my sister.

We sell lotto.

You don't seem to understand.

Your methods

are old-fashioned and too risky.

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