The Lady from Shanghai Page #6

- Been home since Tuesday.

- Well, that's fine, Judge.

- Wasn't it your idea?

- Yes, Lover?

Oh, I beg your pardon.

Wasn't it your idea?

Isn't it your idea to save Michael

from the gas chamber?

Arthur Bannister's the only one

who can do it.

What do you think? Hello, Galloway!

Hi, Bannister, how's tricks?

- You know our district attorney, dear.

- How do you do?

Hello, Mrs. Bannister.

I was the murdered man's partner.

The other victim was my servant.

If I defend Michael, any jury will figure

I have reason to believe he's innocent.

And you have reason to believe

that Michael is innocent?

I hear that Galloway is going to say

that Michael took George's corpse...

...into the city in our speedboat.

- We can prove he didn't.

- George couldn't have taken it.

- Why not?

- How could it get back?

- Back where?

- To the yacht, naturally.

The speedboat couldn't have driven itself.

Or maybe it was George's ghost.

Maybe the boat just drifted back.

No, Lover.

Michael has got to plead

excusable homicide.

But you can prove he didn't do it

with his gun.

They know it wasn't Michael's gun

that killed George.

The gun that did kill George can't be found,

Lover, so we can't prove...

...that Michael didn't shoot him.

And it was Michael's gun

that killed Broome.

Now...

...Michael is going to need

everything that the greatest...

...living trial lawyer can do for him.

Our good district attorney over there

has worked up a beautiful case.

The truck driver,

the fat saloon keeper down at the docks...

...they'll be effective witnesses.

He'll know how to handle them.

And then there's this crazy confession.

But Michael has an explanation.

Explanation?

- You think it's funny?

- Funny?

You mean that story about how George

hired Michael to kill George?

To pretend to kill him.

Really?

Why would George want to disappear?

Michael said something

about partnership insurance.

- What?

- Partnership insurance.

- Which George wanted to collect?

- Yes.

George wanted everybody

to think he was dead?

Yes!

Dead, so that he could collect

the insurance?

Yes.

Well, if he was dead, how could he collect?

Now, Lover...

...if your Irishman doesn't want to go

to the gas chamber...

...he's going to have to trust me.

But you, do you trust him?

I wouldn't trust him with my wife.

You want to make sure

he doesn't get off, don't you?

I've never lost a case, remember?

Besides...

...my wife might think he was a martyr.

I've got to defend him.

I haven't any choice.

And neither have you.

Hello.

It looks bad for me.

Isn't that what your husband says?

Whatever else he is,

Arthur's a marvelous lawyer.

- You've got to trust him, Michael.

- Why should I trust him?

Because it's your only chance.

Because I want you to.

They'll have to do for a reason.

- Why did you kill Broome?

- What?

Don't be afraid to tell me.

I just want to know.

It was Grisby who killed Broome.

He was going to murder your husband.

George kill Arthur?

What could he possibly gain from it?

- He couldn't get a divorce.

- What?

He wanted people to think he was dead

so he could get away from his wife.

- Wife? But that's impossible.

- Why?

George didn't have a wife.

He wasn't married.

And because of that,

you can be fairly certain of the month.

Mrs. Bannister, I saved a seat for you.

Would you gentlemen please move over?

- Thank you.

- Sit down!

I just want to look at her.

I object! The question calls

for the operation of the officer's mind.

Sustained.

Very well. In the interest of saving time,

we'll proceed...

...as I'm sure Officer Peters

is most anxious to go home...

...to his wife and family

before returning to duty.

Now then, Officer Peters,

except for the blood, the clothes were dry.

- Yes, sir.

- They were dry.

The defendant stated in his confession

he threw the body into the bay.

Your Honor,

the district attorney isn't cross-examining.

- He's making speeches.

- That isn't so!

I move for the declaration of mistrial...

...on the grounds

that the jury is being prejudiced.

These are some of the great Bannister's

trial tactics, in appeal for sympathy.

The district attorney

is beginning to get vicious.

When you two gentlemen get over

your argument, tell me who won.

Then I'll decide on the objection.

Objection sustained.

Your witness, Mr. Bannister.

No questions, except, yes....

Officer Peters, I don't wish to keep you

from your wife and children...

...any more than the district attorney,

who was so concerned about them...

...but I would like to ask you one question:

Officer Peters,

have you a wife and children?

Well...

...no.

Thank you. You may step down.

Call your next witness.

I call...

...Arthur Bannister.

It's certainly unusual, Your Honor,

to put a defense attorney...

...on the witness stand.

But I'm confident that my client

will make no objection.

Galloway can't make Bannister testify

against his own client, right?

This trial keeps getting screwier

all the time!

Your Honor, I wouldn't take this step...

...if there were more effective means of

establishing the evidence I'll bring forward.

With my client's express permission....

Mr. Bannister will take the stand.

I've never seen anything like that before.

- I thought he was smart.

- They don't come smarter.

- Maybe he's the bad guy?

- Maybe he's wrong?

- Maybe he killed him?

- You ain't kidding!

Do you solemnly swear

to tell the whole truth, so help you God?

I do.

State your name.

Arthur Bannister.

Mr. Bannister,

you are a member of the Bar.

I am.

Quiet!

And have been...

Quiet!

And have been for a number of years.

That is correct.

The defendant, Michael O'Hara,

worked as a crew member on your yacht.

Yes.

Did he seem happy in his job?

I beg your pardon?

- You had your back turned...

- Did he seem happy in his job?

Reasonably so.

- Did you get that answer?

- I did.

Reasonably so.

As a matter of fact,

wasn't he threatening to quit?

Yes.

Did you know, Mr. Bannister,

that right after the murders...

Right after the murders,

we found the defendant's bags packed...

...and everything put away

in readiness for an immediate departure?

Yes.

In your experience as an attorney,

would this not indicate premeditation?

The district attorney is making speeches...

- Premeditation and plan for flight?

- Making speeches, drawing conclusions!

- I'm not drawing conclusions!

- You are!

Gentlemen!

- He is asking improper questions...

- Your Honor, I think...

I ask Your Honor to declare a mistrial.

Overruled.

Exception.

No further questions.

Would Your Honor kindly explain

to the jury that...

...since the district attorney has placed me

in the position of a witness...

...I am permitted, as the defense attorney,

to cross-examine myself?

These are more of the persuasive

Mr. Bannister's trial tactics.

The jury is so instructed.

Question:
Mr. Bannister,

did the defendant say anything...

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