Witness for the Prosecution Page #2

- I'd probably think better with a cigar.

- Of course.

No previous convictions. He's of good

character with an excellent war record.

- You'd like him a lot.

- They've confiscated the matches. A light.

The defence may turn on establishing

an alibi for the night of the murder.

- I haven't got any. Let me get you some.

- Lord, no! You don't know Miss Plimsoll.

This will take all our cunning.

Young man!

Come here, please.

Your solicitor and I feel you may be able

to enlighten me on an important point.

- Yes. Thank you.

- Sir Wilfrid!

You're not in bed yet? Upstairs!

- Give me a match.

- Sorry, I never carry them.

- What? You said I'd like him.

- But I do have a lighter.

You're quite right, Mayhew,

I do like him. Thank you.

Can you imagine Miss Plimsoll's face

if she saw me now?

Then let's make absolutely sure

that she doesn't.

Splendid. All the instincts

of a skilled criminal.

- Thank you, sir.

- Here.

Whether or not you murdered

a middle-aged widow,

you certainly saved the life

of an elderly barrister.

I haven't murdered anybody. It's absurd.

Christine, that's my wife, she thought

I may be implicated and needed a lawyer.

That's why I went to see Mr Mayhew.

Now he thinks he needs a lawyer

and now I have two lawyers.

It's rather silly.

I am a solicitor. Sir Wilfrid is a barrister.

Only a barrister can actually

plead a case in court.

- Oh, I see.

- She shall not even find the ashes.

- Sit down.

- Thank you.

I saw in the paper that Mrs French had

been found dead with her head bashed in.

It also said the police were anxious to

interview me since I visited that evening.

- Naturally, I went to the police station.

- Did they caution you?

I don't quite know.

They asked if I'd like to make a statement

and said they'd write it down and it might

be used against me. Is that a caution?

Well, it can't be helped now.

- They seemed quite satisfied.

- They seemed satisfied, Mr Vole.

He thinks that he made a statement

and that's the end of it. Isn't it obvious

that you will be regarded as the principal

suspect? I'm afraid you'll be arrested.

I've done nothing!

Why should I be arrested?

This is England! You don't get arrested

or convicted for crimes you haven't done.

We try not to make a habit of it.

But it does happen, though, doesn't it?

Of course. There was that case of

that fellow, whatshisname, Adolph Beck.

In jail for years and they

suddenly found it was another chap.

- He'd been innocent!

- Unfortunate, but restitution was made.

He received a pardon, a bounty from the

crown, and was restored to normal life.

That's all right for him. What if

it had been murder? What if he'd hanged?

How would they have restored him

to his normal life then?

Mr Vole, you must not take

such a morbid point of view.

It's just when you say these things

are closing in on me, it's like a nightmare.

Relax. You're in the hands of the finest,

most experienced barrister in London.

Let's get this straight. I may have done

something highly unethical.

I've taken your cigar

but I'm not taking your case. I can't.

I'm forbidden. My doctors would never

allow it. I'm truly sorry, young man.

But if you'd like the case

handled by these chambers,

- I'd recommend Mr Brogan-Moore.

- Yes. A very able man.

- I second Sir Wilfrid's recommendation.

- All right, sir, if you say so.

Hold this.

Carter?

I would like to see Brogan-Moore here

as soon as he comes in from court.

Sir Wilfrid, I have never

known such insubordination.

Not even as a nurse during the war.

What war was that?

The Crimean War, no doubt.

You'll like Brogan-Moore,

he's had excellent training. Under me.

This morning I had no lawyers at all

and now suddenly I have three.

We should explain

that I have very little money.

I shan't be able to pay

all the costs and fees.

We'll get a fourth lawyer to sue you.

He won't get very much.

I haven't had a job in four months.

- What sort of work do you do?

- Well, uh...

My last job was as a mechanic.

The foreman kept riding me all the time.

- I took it as long as I could, then I quit.

- And before that?

I worked in a department store, in toys,

demonstrating children's building sets.

Of course, it lasted only during Christmas.

Before that I tested electric blankets.

- Electric blankets?

- I suppose you think I'm a bit of a drifter.

It's true, in a way,

but I'm really not like that.

My army service unsettled me. That and

living abroad. I was stationed in Germany.

It was fine there, though.

That's where I met my wife.

She was an actress, and a good one.

She's a wonderful wife to me, too.

But I haven't been much of a provider,

I'm afraid.

Somehow, I just don't seem able to settle

down now I've come back to this country.

- If I could just put my eggbeater across.

- Eggbeater?

Yes, sir. I, uh, I'm a bit of an inventor.

Nothing big, just little household things.

Pocket pencil sharpeners,

key chain flashlights.

But my best is really this eggbeater.

It not only beats,

it also separates the yolk from the white.

Is that really desirable?

If you were a housewife,

you'd see it right away.

The trouble is, I need money

for manufacturing and promotion.

I was really hoping that's what Mrs

French might do for me after I met her.

- Exactly how did you meet Mrs French?

- That's rather funny in itself.

It was 3 September. I remember

because it's my wife's birthday.

I was window-shopping in Oxford Street,

daydreaming about what I'd buy for her,

if I had any money.

- You really like this one?

- Very much.

- You don't think it's too mad?

- Mad?

Not at all. Daring, perhaps. I wouldn't

recommend it to every woman. But you?

- Why shouldn't you attract attention?

- You think so?

Absolutely. But if I could

suggest one little thing.

Perhaps we could tip it and bring it back

a bit like that. Show more of your face.

(squealing brakes)

- My bus. Goodbye.

- Good...

You buy that hat. I insist.

Actually, it was a ridiculous sort of hat -

a silly thing with ribbons and flowers.

I'm constantly surprised that women's

hats do not provoke more murders.

Go on, please.

I was only trying to be nice

to make her feel good.

I never dreamed I'd see her again.

Or the hat.

- But you did?

- Yes, a few weeks later.

Again, by accident. I was peddling my

eggbeaters and business was a little slow.

(gunfire and action-sequence music)

Would you mind, madam? Your hat.

- Oh, it's you!

- Hello!

It's your fault, you know.

You chose it yourself.

- May I?

- Sure, if you like.

Thank you. It's such a bother

taking it off and putting it back on again.

That chap is Jesse James. They've led

him into an ambush. It's not at all cricket.

- Don't worry, he shoots his way out.

- He does?

- I've seen it. I got to the movies a lot.

- You do?

I get restless so I go out. Then I find

I've no place to go so I go to the movies.

Sometimes I see the same one

two or three times. Ooh.

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