You were in the war, weren't you?
The way you hold your cigarette, hiding the ember in your palm.
I guess I'm still trying not to give 'em
something to shoot at.
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS) ♪
An unspeakable act was visited upon us.
-(AGONIZED CRY) -Friends of yours?
Members of my church.
The Radiant Assembly of God.
PERRY MASON: Someone creeps in Emily's house and nabs her kid?
So you agree with the police.
You think the Dodson's had something to do with it.
I'm not agreeing with anyone.
It's queer from both sides.
I'm gonna nail Dodson.
Gotta know something stinks around you.
Why didn't you call the police?
I didn't kidnap my son!
DELLA STREET: Someone stitched those eyes.
MAN: Worse thing you've ever seen.
MATTHEW DODSON: None of this was part of the plan.
I should have run.
Evening gentlemen, sorry I'm late.
Let's get this over with.
(YELLS)
This is a live one.
♪ (MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
PERRY MASON: Fix bayonets!
Fix bayonets!
Fix bayonets. Let's go. Watch your points.
-Come on, make ready. -(SOLDIER GROANS)
-Look alive, stay alive. -SOLDIER: Yes, sir.
Yeah. Close in, close in.
(BULLETS WHISTLING)
Make ready.
Make ready!
SOLDIER: Get ready.
(EXPLOSIONS)
(WHISTLE BLOWS)
Edendale!
-(MCCAFFREY GROANS) -(GUNFIRE)
(EXPLOSIONS)
(SOLDIERS SCREAMING)
Hit the line!
(SOLDIERS SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
-SOLDIER 2: Hit the line! -(SOLDIER 3 SCREAMS)
-(DISTORTED EXPLOSIONS) -(PANTING)
MASON: Come on!
-SOLIDER 4: Follow me, boys! -(GUNFIRE)
(SOLDIER 5 YELPS)
(EXPLOSIONS)
(MASON GRUNTS)
(BULLETS WHISTLING)
(RECITES PRAYER QUIETLY)
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
-FINKEL: Mason. -MASON: Happy New Year.
FINKEL: Says you.
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC STOPS) ♪
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
Yeah. You wanted thread?
There's thread.
ALICE MCKEEGAN: And I can imagine God,
opening up his book of the world and wondering to himself,
"Who needs me most today?"
And I can imagine his great hand flipping the pages
and stopping when he comes to our city.
It's a heathen's morning in Los Angeles!
From the gambling boats off Santa Monica
to the brothels on Broadway,
they are tipping back their bottles,
rolling bones in the alley,
cheating themselves out of a life with Christ!
-(AUDIENCE CHEERING) -Liars!
Thieves!
-Fornicators! -(CONGREGATION BOOS)
Guests at the Devil's table,
served a seven-course meal, that feeds the body,
but starves the soul.
-(TRUMPET PLAYING) -CONGREGATION: Amen!
Isn't that right, Mother?
It most certainly is, Sister Alice.
SISTER ALICE: Brothers and Sisters,
I've been given a calling,
been given a voice and gifted a set of lungs
that would make Tarzan himself
green with envy!
♪ (ORGAN PLAYS) ♪
No, no, no, no. I'm not talking about you.
You sit your hindquarters back down.
♪ (ORGAN PLAYS) ♪
SISTER ALICE: It is my purpose and privilege
on this very first day of the very new year...
And I know it ain't been easy getting here.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
SISTER ALICE: Now, we have all known
our share of rough times.
We all know what it's like
to go to bed with an empty stomach.
CONGREGATION: Amen!
But Brothers and Sisters of Radiant Light,
and you listening at home on your radio boxes,
I am here to tell you
right here and right now,
there is another table where you can sit
with food from a kitchen
where God does the cooking!
And it, too, serves seven courses!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
SISTER ALICE: I shout it, you shout it!
-Chastity! -CONGREGATION: Chastity!
-Temperance! -CONGREGATION: Temperance!
-Charity! -CONGREGATION: Charity!
-SISTER ALICE: Diligence! -CONGREGATION: Diligence!
-SISTER ALICE: Patience! -CONGREGATION: Patience!
-Gratitude! -CONGREGATION: Gratitude!
-And humility! -CONGREGATION: Humility!
♪ ("LET'S GO ROUND THE WALL" PLAYING) ♪
CHOIR: ♪ Come on elders Let's go around the wall ♪
♪ That suits me ♪
♪ Oh, come on elders Let's go around the wall ♪
♪ That suits me ♪
ETHAN BROWN: Oh, isn't she a wonder?
A beacon?
A beachhead for us sinners?
Oh, give generously if you can,
give gloriously for the radiance around you.
Heed the words of our Sister,
and dig as deep into your pockets
as God will allow you on this great and good morning!
Kick those sins out, and welcome those virtues in!
I wanna see those plates piled so high,
I want to see those buckets brimming.
Oh, are they here?
Ah, yes, they're waiting for you.
The mother is very fragile...
(SIGHS)
You overcooked yourself.
You want me to meet with them privately?
No, no, it has to be now.
I just-- I have to catch my breath.
-I was good out there? -(CHUCKLING) Oh, you were.
Halfway to Heaven, a mile from Moses.
Sister Alice, this is Matthew and Emily Dodson.
I've been praying every night and every morning
since I heard, Miss Emily.
Thank you, Sister.
God is about all we have right now.
And He is with you.
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(SISTER ALICE WHISPERS) Come on, sit down.
We've been in our home for nearly a week.
I thought it might be a good idea
to get Emily back here to the Temple.
Then we received your invitation to come backstage.
I saw your picture in the paper and I said to my mother,
"We must, must, must do everything we can for them."
-Didn't I say that, Mother? -The very words, Sister.
If you haven't made arrangements,
we'd like to offer the Temple for Charlie's funeral.
The Elders have offered to pay for any and all expenses.
-EMILY DODSON: Thank you. -MATTHEW DODSON: Thank you, Mr. Baggerly.
STEVE HOLCOMB: Mr. and Mrs. Dodson.
-MATTHEW: Detective... -HOLCOMB: Holcomb.
Uh, excuse me for, uh... interrupting,
I need both of you to come with me downtown.
HERMAN BAGGERLY: What's this?
That's good news. We got a line-up to show you.
But we need to go now.
It's just a little legwork. Do some digging on the car.
Run down an alibi for Matthew.
There-- there's good money here.
You said that last time when 600 dollars turned into one.
I'm-- I'm trying to make it up to you.
(CHILDREN GIGGLING)
Hey! The hell did I say? Never aim at the head.
-I promise you, you'll get paid. -Don't promise. Pay.
Are you paying? Say you're paying 'cause I got mouths to feed.
E.B.'s paying.
E.B. E.B. thinks I'm a degenerate.
And a good investigator. He also thinks that.
(CHILDREN GIGGLING)
I-- I need the guy who taught me half of what I know.
Half? Try everything.
All right. I have...
twenty-three dollars.
You can pad the expenses as a sorry for the Chubby thing.
-Ruthie. -RUTHIE: What?
Come take care of this, they're running riot.
-RUTHIE: I'm cooking, you do it. -I'm in a business meeting.
You wouldn't have an extra gun, would you?
Forget it.
-MAN: Where you was last night? -BOY: Ouch.
Where were you? Throwing all my stuff out there.
LETITIA "GRANNY" JAMES: Mm-hmm.
You're throwing my stuff out here on the street, Letitia?
You lyin'. I know what you're doing.
GRANNY: I ain't ask you to come around.
What's going on here, Miss James?
None of your damn business.
-He beating on you? -DANIEL MADISON: Fuck y'all!
He a walled-eyed son-of-a-bitch, and I want him gone!
This is my house, my house.
I don't need him in my bed no more.
Daniel Madison. Step on out now. Come on.
-Fuck y'all. -That won't help. Come on out.
I don't take no shit from nobody. Not from you.
And not from this old crow right here.
You ain't nothing but shoeshine, jabber, and Aqua Velva.
DANIEL: Where was she at last night? Ask her that.
I ain't sitting around watching your drunk ass
all New Year's Eve.
(GUN COCKS)
Step back. Step back.
-I'm gonna kill her. -(ALL GASP)
I'm gonna kill her right here.
You ain't gonna do nothing like that.
Now, Daniel.
Right now, we're just having a little chat.
You ain't no kinda police.
-Badge say otherwise. -Just dress you up, blood.
Monkey on a leash with a pop gun.
I'm a proud man and she's been running out on me.
And I won't abide it.
She went nowhere but Zion Baptist last night.
How you know that?
'Cause Clara and I saw her there.
We all had punch, and saw the year out.
-Ain't that so, Miss James? -Hmm.
PAUL DRAKE: So why don't you just give me that?
Day for fresh starts. Ain't nothing never been so bad.
What you say?
Come on.
(HANDCUFFS CLINK)
All right.
If you don't mind, just for one moment.
Don't you ever pull a gun on a police officer.
-Motherfucker. -Officer Drake. Officer Drake.
Step on back now unless you want some too.
-(WHEEZING) -The hell you playing at?
Officer Drake, there's something you gotta see.
Straight on. Two-oh-six.
This is as far as I go.
I've been in there once, I don't need to go in again.
♪ (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(FLY BUZZING)
Pulling him out of church, for God's sake.
There's a process, Detective. You're to notify his counsel.
-Well, you're here, aren't you? -Notify beforehand.
And where's this line-up you promised?
It's okay, Mr. Jonathan, I wanna help.
He wants to help.
So, what do you think?
It sure looks like my suitcase.
I'd be certain except-- What's this here?
It's a bullet hole.
ELIAS BIRCHARD JONATHAN: And how did this suitcase come to be
in your possession, Detective?
Newton Division found it in an abandoned apartment.
Along with a couple of stiffs.
E.B. Jonathan, you old so-and-so.
You must be Matthew Dodson.
Maynard Barnes. Sorry I'm late.
Mr. Barnes is the District Attorney.
Though I'm not sure why he's here.
(CHUCKLES) Similar interests, I assume, E.B.
But let me not interrupt.
We were talking about the Central Avenue stiffs.
Yes, well, we believe these men, murder victims it seems,
were involved in the kidnapping
and subsequent death of your son.
-That-- that's good, right? -Involved?
MAYNARD BARNES: You have a gun, Mr. Dodson?
-What? -Yeah, sure.
ENNIS: What kinda gun?
Hold on, Matthew.
What exactly are we doing here, Maynard?
Where were you the night Charlie was taken,
-Mr. Dodson? -I told you guys.
I was at the store, totaling the receipts.
E.B.: All right, let's go.
BARNES: Sit down, E.B.
Because you weren't working, were you?
E.B.: Bring us down here under false pretenses
for some goddamn ambush?
-This is over. -Sit the fuck down, gramps.
Don't you speak to me like that.
A patrol officer stopped by your grocery twice that night
to check on an open transom window.
And you weren't there!
BARNES: You were at home, Matthew.
At home, the night your son was taken.
We have an eyewitness.
This man is represented by counsel.
-He has nothing to say... -BARNES: Saw him go in the back door.
-I wasn't there! I swear to God! -BARNES: Saw him come out...
...a minute later with something in his arms.
Something he could turn into money.
A quick score to settle his debts,
because you owe all over town, don't you, Matthew?
E.B.: I'm gonna lodge a formal complaint.
Badgering this man with nothing but--
I got motive. I got opportunity.
E.B.: Yeah, you have...
Maynard, you have entirely a bucket of eels.
(SCOFFS) Really?
You're gonna tell a jury that this man kidnapped his son
because he had debts?
And that his plan was to extort money,
which he clearly didn't have, from himself?
(LAUGHS) Please, be my guest.
I'm gonna get a two-dollar haircut
so that I look good in the papers laughing my ass off.
Come on, Matthew. Shame on all of you.
That was the one thing we couldn't quite figure.
Why pull a snatch job on a grocer's kid?
And a hundred thousand? Why so steep?
(CHUCKLING) Makes no sense.
Unless he knew he had the money
or knew that he could get the money.
Like from his rich father, perhaps.
But who'd know a thing like that?
I mean, such a well-kept secret.
Wanna take a guess, Mr. Dodson?
Or should we call you Mr. Baggerly?
Baggerly?
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
Herman is your father?
HOLCOMB: You're under arrest, tough guy.
Happy New Year.
Might wanna hold off on that haircut, E.B.
-Now wait a minute. -BARNES: Here, let me get that.
Barnes, you're not getting...
You're... (STUTTERS)
-Barnes, this isn't-- -EMILY: Matthew?
-This is not the way. Emily. -EMILY: Matthew?
-What is going on here? -All right. Just calm down.
-Matthew? -I have to tell you
-what's happened there... -EMILY: Matthew?
-What's-- Matthew. -E.B.: ... it's nothing we didn't expect.
Matthew! Matthew!
-REPORTER 1: He confessed? -REPORTER 2: What's the charge?
REPORTER 3: You're nailing Dodson for it?
REPORTER 4: He's going down for it?
Matthew Dodson is being held
on conspiracy kidnapping charges,
proving once again that, under my watch,
criminal activities will be quickly put down
and the laws energetically enforced
to the benefit of all. Take it.
That's it.
(OVERLAPPING CHATTER)
REPORTER 1: Dodson. Mr. Dodson.
(OVERLAPPING CHATTER)
A woman in Missouri.
She lied to me.
My fault certainly, but I was lied to.
I was a different man then.
So Matthew is your son?
He found me a few years ago.
We made kind of an arrangement.
He would give himself to the Lord,
I would provide the means to resettle him here
and start a business.
He's a God-fearing boy now. Not without his troubles.
Like the kidnapping charge he's up against?
He would never get involved with anything like that.
Never? He sure lied to the cops like a pro.
Because he was engaged in illegal gambling
on the night in question.
Given the circumstances, I can understand his hesitation.
They now have a witness who saw him at home.
And you're gonna find one that saw him rolling dice.
I assure you, Mr. Mason,
my son is incapable of harming anyone,
let alone my grandson.
Listen to this guy.
Now, suddenly, it's "my son," "my grandson."
Last week, you didn't know Matthew
-from the fucking gardener. -Take it down a peg, boy-o.
You waste your money, Mr. Baggerly, if you lie to us.
I did not lie. I do not lie.
I told you what you needed to know.
You told us he was one of your fellow parishioners
in your church,
not that you knocked up his mother
in between train whistles.
And I was told that you were a decorated serviceman.
But actually you were discharged with a blue ticket.
A blue ticket is reserved for undesirable servicemen.
Homosexuals and Negroes.
You're not Negro, are you?
No, I'm a quarter Welsh and queer only once.
BAGGERLY: I heard they called you
the "Butcher of Montfaucon."
Brought before a military tribunal.
Did I hear wrong, Mr. Mason?
We tell one another what we need to tell
one another, do we not?
E.B.: Son, why don't you get--
I'm gonna double back to the Dodsons'.
Check out this witness that suddenly remembers
seeing Matthew in the alley.
MASON: So I spoke to the guy, their witness,
a Mr. Kitt. You know him?
EMILY: No, I-- Maybe.
One of your neighbors just across the way there.
I don't socialize much.
No matter.
He said he saw Matthew
go down the side of the house
when Charlie was taken.
Which sounds worse than it is,
'cause Mr. Kitt originally told the police he saw "a man."
Turned into "saw Matthew" third time they leaned on him.
I suppose that's good that he wasn't sure.
-Are you sure it wasn't Matthew? -Of course I am.
It's my job to ask these questions.
I'm only talking about what might be possible.
You, um...
you fell asleep in front of the fire...
listening to the radio.
EMILY: It was Rudy Vallee. Fleischmann's Yeast Hour.
I try to never miss it.
(HALF-SINGS) ♪ When songbirds are singing ♪
♪ Heigh-Ho, everybody Heigh-Ho ♪
EMILY: You like Rudy Vallee, too?
Not really.
Just one of those things that gets in your head,
whether you want them there or not.
How are things between you and Matthew?
If you wanna push stories, Mr. Mason,
go on outside and stand with the reporters.
Stand out there, and shout at my windows
with the rest of them.
Matthew would never... hurt Charlie.
Emily, whoever took your son never meant to hurt him.
They just wanted money.
And something went horribly wrong.
Can I offer you a cigarette?
EMILY: I'd prefer you not smoke in here,
if it's all the same to you.
Of course.
We only kept the females.
I mean, when we were having litters.
Not that we pushed the toms out, mind you.
We're right Catholics.
Mr. Trotter got a bucket and drowned 'em.
-It's the humane thing to do. -Of course.
(CAT MEOWS)
Settle yourself, Sadie Mae!
Did you see anything odd
the night Charlie disappeared?
No. Sorry.
No strangers? No unfamiliar cars?
Just the missus gabbing away on the phone.
You ask me, the mister works too much.
Poor girl talks on the phone all night,
just to have someone to talk to. Kinda sad.
You say she was on the phone that night?
MRS. TROTTER: Uh-huh.
Look, she's at it again.
(CAMERA CLICKS)
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
RUDY VALLE: Heigh-ho, everybody, this is Rudy Vallee announcing
and directing the recording of our radio greetings.
Heigh-ho, everybody, heigh-ho!
♪ ("HEIGH-HO, EVERYBODY, HEIGH- HO!" BY RUDY VALLEE PLAYING) ♪
♪ When songbirds are singing ♪
♪ Here's all they Keep singing ♪
♪"Heigh-Ho, everybody Heigh-ho!" ♪
♪ The breeze says Each morning ♪
♪ When daylight is dawning ♪
♪ "Heigh-Ho, everybody Heigh-ho!" ♪
♪ Every star up in the sky Looking down here below... ♪
(GUNFIRE)
(EXPLOSION)
(INAUDIBLE)
Go!
(SOLDIERS SHOUTING)
Come on, with me.
-(GUNFIRE) -(SOLDIERS SHOUTING)
-(BULLETS WHISTLING) -(SOLDIER GRUNTS)
-(EXPLOSIONS) -(SOLDIERS GROANING)
(SOLDIER 2 GROANS)
(EXPLOSION)
(BULLETS WHISTLING)
(SOLDIER YELPS)
(SOLDIER 2 YELPS, GROANS)
(GRUNTING)
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(BOTH GRUNTING, STRAINING)
-(UNSHEATHES KNIFE) -(SOLDIER GRUNTS)
SOLDIER: Please, do it.
Please.
Please do it.
Kill me. Please do it.
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
MR. HARTE: Flowers, obituary composition,
casket and tombstone, the inscriptions thereon.
It is our business to take on every detail
so that you and your husband...
So that you and your family
can concentrate on the grieving at hand.
Now, we have a variety of caskets.
Most are lined in satin,
and the embroidery is first rate
from a seamstress in Oxnard.
Well, any of these. This one. This one.
Ah. Might I suggest this one.
Redwood casing, blue interior satin,
gold leaf on the pillowing
-and it's available... -I'm hungry.
MR. HARTE: ...in an infant's sizing.
I haven't eaten since yesterday morning.
E.B.: You know, there's a swell diner
down on Larchmont.
Ms. Emily, why don't you let me handle the affairs
and Della can drive you down there in my car.
Gentlemen. Thank you.
-Gentlemen? -Yes.
-REPORTER 1: Mrs. Dodson? -REPORTER 2: Mrs. Dodson?
REPORTER 3: Mrs. Dodson, have you talked with your husband since the arrest?
REPORTER 4: Were you drinking the night your husband--
REPORTER 5: Do you think your husband killed Charlie himself?
REPORTER 6: Mrs. Dodson, is it going to be an open casket
-or are you cremating the body? -Sleep well at night, do ya?
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
DELLA STREET: Hey. Get out of my way.
♪ (JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
Odd enough, finding two dead white folks around this way.
I mean, occasionally, you find a stiff coal burner,
a tea head, but that's mostly about a knife
stuck in them somewhere.
Bullets, see, that's-- that's executive murder.
That and the suitcase.
And you connected that off the briefings?
DRAKE: Yes, sir. And the hat. That sketch.
Report here mentions a blood trail.
Yes, sir. Up the fire escape to the roof.
Leading to what?
-Nothing. -Nothing?
Yes, sir.
ENNIS: Could be you got that wrong.
Could be the trail starts on the roof and leads down.
Yes, sir. Could be.
Ah. Only the, uh, the drops of blood.
The tail on the splash points up those stairs.
Wow, get a load of this character.
Officer Drake here is a detective.
Ain't that right, Officer Drake?
You a detective like me and Sergeant Ennis?
No, sir. No.
'Cause there are no colored detectives.
Hmm, maybe Officer Drake's gonna be the first.
(CLEARS THROAT) I personally disagree with the policy.
Had me a colored mammy as a young-'un.
Just as soon as work with a colored detective as Ennis.
But, uh... such is life.
ENNIS: This is some good work, Drake.
Real good.
♪ (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
You haven't eaten very much.
-Sorry. -DELLA: No. It's okay.
I look around lately, thinking I forgot something.
But there's nobody there to ask.
E.B. will take care of everything.
Don't you worry.
EMILY: Don't worry.
We just went casket shopping for my son.
Excuse me.
(RADIO PLAYS FAINTLY)
-OPERATOR: Hold for your connection, please. -Thank you, Operator.
(TELEPHONE RINGS)
(SIGHS, SNIFFLES)
♪ (JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
Hello, Operator? Operator?
OPERATOR: Operator. How may I direct your call?
Uh, yeah. My wife was just trying to, uh, reach her doctor
but, well, it seems she got cut off.
OPERATOR: One moment, sir. I'll try the line again.
Thank you kindly, ma'am.
OPERATOR: I'm sorry, sir.
Your party doesn't seem to be answering.
No answer? Well, this is real important.
It's a medical situation, you see.
OPERATOR: I'm sorry, sir.
Well, what number are you trying?
OPERATOR: Sierra 3-6517.
MASON: Holy crow, that's our own number.
No wonder we're not home. Thank you.
Great coffee they got here, huh?
Why the hell are you following us?
Well, E.B. wanted, uh, to make sure,
you know, with all the reporters, that--
You're a bad liar. And a lousy tail.
I don't have to explain shit to you, Della.
I'm-- I'm-- I'm working the case. I'm doing my job.
DELLA: Hey, kid, let's get you home, okay?
OPERATOR: Operator, how may I direct your call?
Uh, Boyle 2-3405.
OPERATOR: One moment, sir.
-DIANNE: Messenger Exchange. -Dianne, it's me.
DIANNE: Oh, he knows my name today!
Yes, I-- I-- Look, do you have the reverse look-up handy?
I need a name and an address. Sierra 3-6517.
Must feel good. To be back.
You look quite the stalwart around here.
I wouldn't say that.
BARNES: I've seen the pictures, heard some stories.
(CHUCKLING) A lot of stories, actually.
Practically an original member.
One of the "best young men the city contained."
Smaller city back in those days and "best..."
has always been a relative term.
I'm sorry for, uh, catching you out like that.
It's a big case. Lot of pressure.
And there was no disrespect intended.
That's why I asked to meet with you.
Okay. So let's hear it already.
Dodson signs a confession. I take hanging off the table.
We pin the murder on one of the dead guys.
-That's tidy. -BARNES: I like it.
Mayor likes it. The Newshawks are gonna love it.
You took me once, Maynard. It won't happen again.
I relish, and that's not a word I throw around casually,
I truly relish the thought of going into court with you.
If you are Baggerly's friend,
you should relish the chance to save his son's life.
Matthew Dodson is innocent.
(CHUCKLES) Oh, come on, I have an eyewitness, I have--
My investigator is currently looking
into what little you have.
This is a hanging case, E.B., not some gray-hair
that wants to leave her sweaters to a cat.
Do yourself a favor, and consider the possibility
you may be out of your depth.
Stay as long as you want.
Have another round. On me.
Gentlemen.
BIRDY MCKEEGAN: Where are we putting Mayor Carter?
ELDER SEIDEL: On the house right under the balcony lip.
Oh, no. No, no, no, no. That's not nearly close enough.
Here, we'll put him on the-- on the aisle. (SIGHS)
ELDER SEIDEL: I-- I believe that's where you've sat
Mr. Clark Gable, Mother McKeegan.
Well, he's a bread loaf over six feet, isn't he?
He is a tall man, yes, Mother.
Well, we can't have the mayor leaning and preening
-trying to see the stage. -ELDER BROWN: You'd have thought
grim circumstances would have driven everyone away, but...
Well, who knew we were even hosting the event.
But here we are. And we should do this
as we do all things. Best and better.
Elder Brown, would Mrs. Brown be willing to part with her seat
to offer the mayor a clear view of the stage?
Whatever accommodates.
I'll make sure she gets a moment with Mr. Gable
before we part to the cemetery.
Perhaps it would be wise to move the event
directly to the cemetery, considering.
Considering what?
A member's child is being laid to rest.
But... one is also being charged with murder.
HERMAN BAGGERLY: Kidnapping. Not murder.
And the police are in serious error on that matter.
ELDER BROWN: I merely wonder if this is a light
too bright for our church.
BAGGERLY: My son did not do this.
He's a child of Christ's blood, just like you and me.
Do not let the sin of his birth,
nor the fact that I kept this shame from all of you...
Do not let it blind you.
SISTER ALICE: Blessed are the mourners.
Isn't that the truest thing you ever heard?
Mother, Brother Baggerly, can I speak on that tomorrow?
That sounds lovely, Sister.
I'm sure that'll bring great comfort
to all those in attendance.
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(INDISTINCT WHISPERING)
(DOOR CREAKS)
(CRICKET CHIRPING)
(DOG BARKING)
(KNOCKS ON DOOR)
MASON: Fuller Brush Man. Get a handy new brush
for just two minutes of your time.
♪ (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(DOOR CREAKS OPEN)
♪ (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CONTINUES) ♪
MASON: That your car outside?
'Cause I'd like to ask you a few questions.
(RADIO PLAYS DISTANTLY)
CLARA DRAKE: What?
DRAKE: It's work.
Watch Commander say I made a mistake.
'Cept I didn't make no mistake. 'Cept he says I did. So.
I had to change my report.
-CLARA: This Joe Morton? -Yeah.
You say, "Joe Morton dumber than a bag of hammers."
That's 'cause he is dumber than a bag of hammers.
So why'd you change it?
Baby, why do you think?
Hmm.
CLARA: Hmm.
-Hmm. -Mm-hmm.
-Outta my face, cop. -(CHUCKLES)
That's Officer Drake to you, Ms. Lip.
Hmm.
♪ (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(PANS CLATTERING)
OFFICER COBB: Hey, pal. No visitors
-unless it's cleared downtown. -MASON: Yeah. I work for their attorney.
OFFICER COBB: I don't care who you work for,
you get back in the truck. Hey, stop right there.
-Mrs. Dodson? -Hey. Hey.
-Emily? -Hey, you feel that?
-I will-- -Mr. Mason?
See? She knows me.
-EMILY: What's going on? -Be quiet.
You're hurting me.
MASON: Who's George Gannon?
-George... Gannon? -Who's George Gannon?
-I don't know anyone named-- -Don't, don't, don't...
-Don't do it. -He's a friend from church.
Do not-- Do not lie to me, do not lie to me.
Who's George?
"My beautiful George,
It's been three days since we saw each other,
but it feels more like three years..."
He's a friend from church.
"Take me away, George. To some island in the ocean.
And set fire to the boat that got us there..."
Those aren't yours.
MASON: "God must want us to be together,
or we wouldn't be feeling this way.
I love no one more than you, Emily."
(SOBS)
-Where's George? -George is dead.
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
No.
No!
(EMILY WAILS)
(EMILY CONTINUES WAILING)
MASON: No, she's lying!
I gave her a chance to come clean, she dithered.
Now, she's letting her husband swing for it.
-(TELEPHONE RINGS) -Hey, you took evidence from a crime scene!
You could lose your license for this!
-(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING) -They don't have to know where we got them.
It gets our client off.
DELLA: And gets another client the rope.
E.B.: Are you gonna answer that?
The client is Herman Baggerly, who's out a hundred thou,
whose wife and legitimate kids are gonna get humiliated.
Yes. A lying dad, with a bastard son,
and a daughter-in-law who's a goddamn cheat.
-Hmm. The holy trinity. -E.B.: You shut up.
-He's a degenerate. -See?
He even used the word!
No. Don't shut up. Tell him what you got.
I tracked down two chinks
say they were in that dice joint with Dodson on the night.
I told you to check out Matthew's alibi.
He was too busy following Emily and me.
MASON: Yeah. Good thing I did.
She had nothing to do with Charlie's murder.
Well, these letters say different.
These letters say she had an affair. So what?
You didn't spend the day with her.
The woman is broken. I got a feeling, Chief.
There's a guy on Vista Drive
-with no feeling in his fucking head... -(TELEPHONE RINGS)
...and Little Charlie is about to get embalmed
over at Harte and Hanna. So, spare me the intuition.
E.B.: Do I pay you to answer the phone?
Yes, I do.
(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
E.B. Jonathan's office. How can I help you?
Cops got it half right, it's extortion gone way wrong.
But it's not Matthew. It's Emily
and this guy George and the hoods he got in with.
The cops coached the neighbor's statement.
It was George Gannon he saw in the alley that night.
PETE STRICKLAND: I thought you said
George was on the phone, distracting her.
Yeah. He-- he was.
-How could he manage both? -I don't know!
Maybe he's one of the stiffs of Central Ave!
Pulling this outta your ass, boy-o...
Oh, that I agree with.
And you, it's "E.B. Jonathan and Associates"
when you answer the phone!
Haven't been associates for six years!
STRICKLAND: Ooh. You people got some things to sort out.
I don't reimburse for whorehouses.
What? I was tailing a guy. I had to blend in!
-(TELEPHONE RINGS) -E.B.: Blend in...
MASON: Look, George's place was all wrong.
A trumped-up suicide note? I kill my partners,
I burned the money, I blow my head off,
'cause woe is me, I have a guilty conscience?
You know who else has a guilty conscience?
Percy DuMott, sophisticated man of distinction!
Would you shut the fuck up?
You're giving me migraines, son.
How am I supposed to even introduce these?
How do I get 'em?
This is reasonable doubt for Matthew.
Infidelity is not murder.
E.B.: Look, we gotta look at what we got.
Matthew's a gambler. Emily's a cheat.
Either of you think they killed their kid?
-No. -I don't know.
Not intentionally.
I don't suppose you could put these
back where you found them?
You had me call it in.
Cops are probably crawling already.
E.B.: The letters stay here.
We sit on them until I figure the best way to use them.
Everyone hear that? Until I figure.
Someone has to lead, and that's me.
(TELEPHONE RINGS)
We're gonna need more phones.
Or an answering service.
E.B. Jonathan and Associates.
♪ (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
DELLA: Mr. Jonathan is in a meeting at the moment.
I can take a message.
♪ (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CONTINUES) ♪
(INDISTINCT WHISPERING)
(BABY CRYING)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
We're ready.
(CHOIR SINGING)
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)
(CHOIR SINGING) ♪ Hallelujah ♪
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
CONGREGATION: Amen! Praise be!
SISTER ALICE: The words of Jesus Christ Our Lord,
from His Sermon on the Mount.
There's another name for that part of the good book,
The Beatitudes.
And it is a beautiful thought.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
CONGREGATION: Amen!
But how will Emily Dodson be comforted?
This glorious mother, who birthed the child,
who bathed the child,
who fed the child from her body,
how do we, Brothers and Sisters,
provide comfort for her...
when the child, Charlie Dodson,
lies in this very box you see before me?
I don't know if we can.
Do not misunderstand me, Emily.
You will not know another friendless day
for the rest of your life,
and God as my witness,
may this Temple crumble to its very foundations
if we fail you.
CONGREGATION: Yeah! Amen!
I see new faces down in the front.
Men.
The most powerful men in our city.
Given the best seats in our loving home.
And just as I can't be sure that we can offer comfort
to the mother in mourning,
I can't be sure I'll ever see you men under our roof again.
So let me address you directly.
The Devil put Charlie Dodson in this box.
CONGREGATION: Yes!
SISTER ALICE: He flew up from hell,
walked to our streets,
and laid his violent hand on this child's head.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
SISTER ALICE: Beatitudes for the day at hand.
Blessed be the police
who will gather evidence against the Devil.
CONGREGATION: Yes!
SISTER ALICE: Blessed be the attorneys
who will prosecute the Devil.
CONGREGATION: Amen!
Blessed be the jury who will convict the Devil.
Blessed be the judge who will sentence the Devil.
CONGREGATION: Yes!
Blessed be the hangman
who will snap this Devil's neck.
CONGREGATION: Yes!
Blessed be the gravediggers who will bury the Devil
a thousand feet deep,
and blessed be the worms who will eat this Devil's flesh
and disappear it from the earth.
(CONGREGATION CLAMORING)
This is the work of the Lord.
You do this work for little Charlie Dodson.
(CONGREGATION CLAMORS)
(CHOIR SINGING) ♪ Immortal, Invisible ♪
♪ God Only Wise ♪
♪ In light inaccessible ♪
♪ Hid from our eyes ♪
♪ Most blessed... ♪
What was that?
(CHOIR SINGING) ♪ The Ancient of Days ♪
♪ Almighty, victorious ♪
♪ Of goodness and love ♪
♪ To all life Thou givest ♪
♪ To both great and small ♪
♪ In all life Thou livest ♪
♪ The true life of all ♪
♪ We blossom and flourish ♪
♪ As leaves on the tree ♪
♪ And wither and perish ♪
♪ But naught changeth Thee ♪
Excuse me, officers. Let go of...
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Emily Dodson, you're under arrest
for the conspiracy kidnapping of Charlie Dodson.
-MAN: No. -Come with us, ma'am.
DELLA: No. Let go of her!
-EMILY: No. No. No. -DELLA: Get your hands off her.
EMILY: Help me! Help me! Help me!
Charlie!
Please. Please don't do this!
-Charlie! -POLICEMAN: Get back.
(CROWD CLAMORS LOUDLY)
EMILY: Please. Give me one minute.
Charlie!
(CROWD CONTINUES CLAMORING)
EMILY: Charlie! Please don't do this.
Please.
Charlie!
Please, don't do this! Please, don't!
My baby.
(SOBBING)
(INAUDIBLE)
♪ ("SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME" BY AL BOWLLY PLAYING) ♪
♪ Save the last dance for me Sweetheart ♪
♪ Give me one chance Before we part... ♪
BARTENDER: One coffee,
one cold tea.
(SIGHS)
It was the right call, son. Believe me.
We'll get Matthew out before lunchtime tomorrow.
Baggerly stays happy. We stay in the fight.
MASON: Infidelity is not murder...
How's that?
It's what Della said. It's still in my head.
(E.B. SIGHS)
They already arrested the wrong guy.
Now they're stuck with a church choir housewife
part of a kidnapping ring out of Milwaukee?
Can't see that holding, even if she did do it.
(LAUGHTER)
(E.B. SIGHS)
He thinks I'm last night's eggs.
Thinks he's playing me. You watch.
We're gonna run him over like a streetcar.
They shoulda let her see the kid get buried.
E.B.: Oh, they said they would.
But who tells the truth anymore?
I don't like it here.
We do what we don't like
when there's a greater good to be served.
You more than anyone should know that.
♪ (SONG CONTINUES PLAYING) ♪
You know how many different types
of thread there are in the city?
You'll find it, boy-o.
That's the kind of thing you're good at.
(LAUGHS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
♪ ("LIFT HIM UP THAT'S ALL" BY WASHINGTON PHILLIPS PLAYING) ♪
♪ When Jesus was around here ♪
♪ On this land ♪
♪ He certainly did do His Father's command ♪
♪ Because He knew that He was his Father's only son ♪
♪ He came to draw Men unto Him ♪
♪ Oh lift Him up that's all Lift Him up in His word ♪
♪If you'll tell the Name Of Jesus everywhere ♪
♪ If you'll keep His Name A ringing ♪
♪ Everywhere that you go ♪
♪ He will draw men unto Him ♪
♪ When Jesus met the woman At Jakob's well ♪
♪ He certainly did have A sweet message to tell ♪
♪ The woman commenced wondering Because she seen He was a Jew ♪
♪ He came to draw men Unto Him... ♪
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(PREACHER SINGING) ♪ Come and see a man ♪
♪ Who told me All that I had done ♪
♪ Is this not the messenger Which is called Christ? ♪
♪ He came to draw Men unto Him ♪
♪ Oh lift Him up that's all ♪
♪ Lift Him up in His word ♪
♪ If you'll tell the Name Of Jesus everywhere ♪
♪ If you'll keep His Name a ringing ♪
♪ Everywhere that you go ♪
♪ He will draw men unto Him ♪
(GRUNTING)
-(SOLDIER 1 YELLS) -(SOLDIER 2 SCREAMS)
(SOLDIER 3 SCREAMING)
(GUNFIRE)
Gas! Gas! Gas! Gas!
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
(GUNFIRE)
(SIGHS)
Get back to our side!
What the fuck are you doing? Now!
(CHOKING)
-Captain... -Forgive me.
(GUNFIRE)
(PREACHER SINGING) ♪ ...Only knew the gift of God ♪
♪ I came to draw men unto me ♪
♪ Oh lift Him up, that is all ♪
♪ Lift Him up in His word ♪
♪ If you'll tell the Name Of Jesus everywhere ♪
♪ If you'll keep His Name A ringing ♪
♪ Everywhere that you go ♪
♪ He will draw men unto Him ♪
♪ Oh lift Him up that's all ♪
♪ Lift Him up in His word ♪
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪
♪ (MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪
♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS) ♪
WOMAN: We had a murderer amongst us.
She laid with that man.
Why did God have me meet George?
MAN: Emily Dodson is charged with conspiracy.
E.B. JONATHAN: I proved Matthew innocent and shall do the same for Emily.
-What the hell is that? -(TIRES SCREECHING)
I can shut this down in a heartbeat.
JONATHAN: Detectives don't play fair.
PERRY MASON: I got a bunch of your reports.
Not one of them reads like that kidnapping write-up.
Open that door!
You saw something and you know it.
-Detectives! -(GRUNTS)
This one's really got its hooks in me.
♪ (MUSIC CONCLUDES) ♪