The Paradine Case

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- Dinner will be ready in 15 minutes.

- Thank you, Leakin.

Inspector Ambrose is here,

madam.

- Show him in will you?

- Yes, madam.

- Good evening, Inspector.

- Good evening, Mrs Paradine.

This is Sergeant Leggott.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

I must say I'm surprised

to see you, Inspector.

I can't imagine anything

else you want from me.

I know, Mrs Paradine,

I know what you've been through...

but I'm here to arrest you.

That's incredible.

I'm sorry.

- Then you'll want me to go with you?

- Yes.

I'll tell them I won't need dinner.

Will you ring? The bell is there

beside the picture.

Do you like the picture?

It was finished a week

or two before he...

before he died.

I think the artist has caught

the blind man's look...

quite wonderfully.

Mrs Paradine, I have to use

some formal words.

Leakin, ask Helen for

my black coat and handbag.

I suppose if I need other clothes

they can be brought to me?

Yes, ma'am.

- Well?

- I have a warrant for your arrest.

I warn you that you

need not say anything...

but that what you say will be taken

down and may be used in evidence.

The warrant charges you

that on 6 May 1946...

you administered, or caused

to be administered...

a poisonous substance to Richard

Patrick Paradine. And murdered him.

Leakin, I probably won't be back

this evening.

Very well, madam.

- Tell Cook I'm sorry about dinner.

- Yes, madam.

- Goodnight.

- Goodnight madam.

Yes, I know the country very well.

But it's so difficult

to get there...

- you can't go by car...

- In here sir.

Forgive me for being late.

I was dressing for dinner

when your call came.

- I took it in a bath towel.

- This is Chief Inspector Ambrose.

Sir Simon, my family solicitor.

Yes, we're old friends.

How are you, Inspector?

Well, thank you, Sir Simon.

We don't often see you here.

You must excuse an old man.

I'm not very keen on this place.

We'll get out as soon as possible,

Mrs Paradine. As soon as possible.

When you're ready, we'll make

the formal charge.

- Do you want another room?

- That's not necessary.

Just give me

a couple of minutes here.

Now, let's not waste words.

I know the police are making

a terrible mistake.

We mustn't despair. Above all,

we mustn't despair.

- You're not despairing, are you?

- No, Sir Simon.

Let me see.

They'll read the charge...

and ask if you've anything to say.

You'd better say "No".

Quite simply:
"No".

Understood?

All right then.

Madelena Paradine...

the charge is that you,

on 6 May 1946...

did wilfully murder Richard Patrick

Irving Paradine.

Do you wish to say anything?

- I have nothing to say.

- That's all we can do.

I'll tell your maid to put together

some of things.

- You're allowed a few things.

- Who'll defend me? You?

At the trial?

No. Of course not.

I'll get you a distinguished leader

of The Bar.

- You know Anthony Keane?

- I've heard of him.

He's good in this sort of thing...

full of charm and cunning.

But juries like him. So do I.

- Won't it be difficult to get him?

- We'll see.

He's on a case in Lincoln now.

I'll go down and talk to him.

You'll like him.

It's not as important as his

liking me, is it?

I think he will.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Would you come this way,

please?

- Think it over, Keane.

- I will, Simmie, I will.

- Evening, Baker.

- Good evening, sir.

- Tony?

- Yes, my love?

I knew it. You didn't have an

umbrella or raincoat. Oh, darling.

You're wet through Tony. Baker,

will you bring up the cocktails?

- You might ask me if I won.

- You always win.

Even if you don't come home dry.

Simmie's car, it leaks.

Come and have a hot shower.

I'll make your drink strong.

We may pull through.

- Simmie wants me to take a case.

- Oh?

Mrs Paradine.

- I don't believe she did it.

- Could you tell me why?

As her lawyer, I could use

any bit of evidence.

Nice people don't murder

other nice people.

So you think she's nice.

Her photograph looks nice.

If not, she wouldn't have married

that poor blind man.

Here you are.

- Just right.

- Good.

So nice people never murder

their husbands?

I suppose

there are circumstances.

It's amazing how 11 years with

the greatest realist in the country...

haven't altered your lovely

delusions about nice people.

I'm glad you're defending her.

- Why?

- Well... Your hair's wet. I'll rub it.

- Not so hard.

- It's nice you can help others.

Even save their lives.

But you've changed. 11 years ago

you wouldn't have taken this case.

Nonsense, I never turn down

a big fee. Then or now.

You'd have taken it, but only after

sneering at the decadence of the rich.

I hardly recognise my lost ideals.

I remember the first time

you called on me...

with 2 tickets for that Shaw play.

Remember?

You'd forgotten to dress. The look on

Mother's face as we left the house.

It took you 5 years

to forgive that look.

It took her 50 years

to perfect that look.

You're reasonably dry.

You better get dressed.

- I'm not really mental.

- I know you're not.

If I didn't pretend, I couldn't

live with so brilliant a man.

I use that sort of talk

only on juries.

- Does it actually work?

- Come here.

- No, we've guests for dinner.

- Come here.

No, Tony.

She's a strange woman,

with an almost mystic calm.

- How do you do, Sir Simon?

- Here's the great man. Mrs Paradine.

May I present Mr Keane.

- How do you do?

- How do you do, Mrs Paradine?

You may take heart now.

We've got the Marines on our side.

- You'll defend me?

- The Marines don't expect trouble.

A brief skirmish, and you'll be

lunching at the Savoy.

Really? I haven't been thinking

about the Savoy.

- I know what you've been thinking.

- Do you?

Yes. Dark thoughts like:

"Death, where is thy sting?

- Grave where is thy victory"?

- I keep hearing them...

All the time. Saying I married

a blind man for money.

Then killed him for money.

And what will they say of Dickie?

It makes him such a fool

for loving me.

We'll have the answers.

You loved him and he needed you.

- You know that?

- Weren't you his eyes?

Of course, I had to be.

Had to be, Mrs Paradine?

Had to be?

You must mind your verbs.

He means it was voluntary service.

You devoted your whole life to him.

Freely. Gladly.

Yes. I see what you mean.

It was a sacrifice.

A sublime sacrifice.

Yes, it's better to see it

in that light.

What's more, Paradine

couldn't understand.

Couldn't understand your sacrifice.

He'd never seen you.

- He'd never seen you.

- Yes, quite so, quite so.

I'm not sure if Mr Keane will put you

in the witness box. If he does...

We needn't trouble Mrs Paradine

with that now.

When shall I see you again?

As soon as I've gone

over the details.

- Thank you deeply.

- Good afternoon.

Thankyou for bringing him.

Until the next time, then.

Come along, Keane.

So you think Tony

was taken with her?

Let's not go on

a fishing expedition.

All right, don't tell me.

Tony may be a good lawyer...

but he loves anything dramatic.

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