Why did you come back?
I had to. That's all.
No, you didn't.
I could've gone through everything if you hadn't come back.
Why couldn't you just leave me alone and not come back?.
Cora...
...Iet's....
Let's figure something out.
I love you, Cora.
You love me...
...and what do you do?.
You let him take me away to some miserable little dump of a town...
...where I'll rot the rest of my life away waiting on him and his...
...half-dead sister.
You love me...
...I love you, but what do you do?.
You let him take me to Santa Barbara.
And you're even going right along in the car with us.
You're gonna stay at the same hotel with us.
Why, if you really loved me, you could--
-All right. -No!
Yes. I can't leave you.
But isn't there any other way out for us?.
You were just gonna put a knife in him, weren't you?.
No.
That knife was for me, Frank.
Not him.
You love me that much?.
That much.
We tried every other way.
I guess it's in the cards.
That other time had cured me of any idea we could pull a perfect murder,
This was gonna be such a bad murder, it wouldn 't be a murder,
A regular drunk automobile accident,,,
,,, with liquor in the car and all the rest of it,
Closed up early?.
Hello, Mr. Sackett. We're just going on a little trip.
Anything I can get you before we close up?.
I need a little air in my tires. I'll get it myself.
Oh! My bag!
It's all right, Mrs. Smith. I'll get it.
-Frank, that's Sackett! -Perfect. The DA will be our witness.
We'll do our act here instead of at the next gas station. Hop to it!
Let me get behind that wheel. You're too tight to drive.
No. You're as drunk as Nick is, only you don't show it.
Me, drunk?. I'm not drunk. I'll prove it to you. Listen.
Frank Chambers, get in that back seat.
Okay, Mrs. Smith, if you want Nick to drive, I don't wanna fight with you.
Nick, you shove over. You can't sing and drive at the same time.
All right, all right.
No, Cora, you keep straight on.
I've always wanted to see Malibu Lake. It's only a few miles to the other road.
Okay.
See, Cora, look what you're doing.
This is the worst piece of road in all of Los Angeles County.
No, no!
Look at that gauge.
She's boiling over. You're gonna ruin this car.
-Should I pull over and let it cool off?. -Sure, Cora. Pull over and stop.
We gotta save this little bus to take us to Canada.
There.
Hey, Nick, what happened to your voice?. We were going pretty good.
I gotta get out.
Nick! Hey, Nick. Nick!
Come on back in the car.
Listen!
-It's an echo, yeah. -Sure, it's an echo!
Let's go back in the car.
-It's a wonderful echo. -It's a swell echo.
It's a wonderful echo. It's the best echo I ever heard.
Cora, there's an echo out there. Listen.
See?. Which is best, me or the echo?.
The echo can't take your high note, Nick.
Here, listen.
It's gonna be tough going now. Can you go through with it?.
-After that, I can go through anything. -All right, let's get down there.
We gotta mess ourselves up so we can prove we've been in the accident too.
It's hardly smashed up at all. It didn't go down far enough.
Look, Frank, a car is coming!
-Can they see us?. -I don't think so.
There are no marks on us, but it's too late. Go yell for help, I'll get the car down.
No!
Frank!
Help! Help! Help!
Help! Help!
Help!
Help! Help!
You can stop yelling, Mrs. Smith.
Sure. I've been following you.
It's too bad I couldn't have been closer behind.
Hello there, laddie. How do you feel?.
I'll be all right.
You're not very hospitable for a patient who hasn't had a single visitor.
There's nobody in this part of the country that's interested.
Not even Mrs. Smith?. Cora?.
Come on, laddie.
You and she murdered her husband.
The sooner you admit it, the better it'll be for you.
You're wrong, Mr. Sackett.
How about a full confession?.
A plea of guilty, and I'll do what I can with the courts.
-Clemency for you. -You're crazy.
Interested to know I've been wise to you ever since that bathtub business?.
Nick's death was an accident.
Why should I wanna hurt a nice, harmless guy I was working for?.
A motive?. The girl herself, for one thing. A nice-paying business, for another.
That's no good, Mr. Sackett.
I never wanted to be tied down to anything or anybody in my life.
Then we'll come to the real motive.
That brand-new $1 0,000 insurance policy Nick Smith took out on his life.
Here.
Have a drink of water, you'll feel better.
-lnsurance policy?. -For $1 0,000.
And he took it out the day before you came back.
I give you my oath.
I never heard about any insurance policy until this very minute.
No?. Why did you turn white as a sheet and nearly pass out?.
I don't know anything about a policy. You leave me alone!
-You think I'm going to stand for that?. -I didn't do it! That's what I stand for!
It all started when you and Cora Smith had a great idea.
Nick's had an accident, get him to take out a policy.
I left before Nick came home from the hospital.
And two days after you came back, he got killed.
You were in touch with her by phone.
And the day after the policy was granted, you ran into Nick and what do you think?.
She'd fixed up this Santa Barbara trip.
And for old time's sakes, you had to go along.
Then she had to see Malibu Lake. Wasn't that an idea, now?.
-Would you like to pick it up from there?. -No. No!
But it was all planned. You crowned him from behind...
...then she slid out and started the car.
Then it was your turn to climb out, so you could both claim you'd escaped in time.
She moved too quick, you couldn't make it.
-She jumped, you went over the cliff. -That isn't what happened!
How do you know?. You were drunk.
-I mean, I don't think that's-- -You were drunk!
You don't know what happened.
Wait a minute.
Maybe you didn't have anything to do with it.
Maybe she did it.
Listen, laddie, she did do it.
There were three people in that car, Nick, you and Cora.
It's a cinch Nick didn't do it.
So if you were too drunk, that leaves her.
-Who says anybody did it?. -I do.
If you told the truth, you didn't have interest in her...
...except as the wife of your boss, then you gotta do something.
Do something?. I don't follow you--
You've got to sign a complaint against her!
A complaint?.
If you were in that car, drunk and helpless, then she tried to kill you too.
You've got to do something about that. Because it'll look pretty funny if you didn't.
She couldn't have meant to kill me.
You were drunk, you couldn't know what was going on, could you?.
-I guess not. -Then it was Cora who crowned Nick.
Then she slid out and sent the car over the cliff.
-You saying it don't make it so. -Yes, it does.
When I drove around, that car was turning over...
...but she was already on the road, yelling.
She felt the car going over, so she jumped.
She jumps out of a car turning over and has time to pick up her handbag.
Because I can testify she had that white, beaded bag when she ran up screaming.
Oh, no. Cora wasn't in that car when it went over, but you were.
You were still in it when I climbed down.
It wasn't nervousness on Cora's part that sent that car over with you and Nick in it.
She wanted that sweet property and insurance money all to herself...
...instead of sharing it with you.
-Now, are you gonna sign this complaint?. -No.
-You got it mixed up. -It's you or her.
If you didn't have anything to do with it, sign this.
If you don't, I'll know. So will the judge, the jury...
...and the guy in the poison gas chamber in San Quentin.
So will the boys who bury you alongside the others...
...who were too dumb to make a deal while they still had a chance to save their necks.
Officer, you may come in.
-Hello there, Kyle. -Arthur.
-Been hitting the headlines, haven't you?. -ln a mild way.
Can I see your friend here for a minute?.
-You his lawyer?. -No, hers. Mrs. Smith's.
Laddie, I pity you.
-For how much money?. -A hundred bucks even, she's a gone goose.
That's a bet.
Of course, maybe I shouldn't take your money. Look.
-I like a hand without trumps. The bet goes. -I'll be seeing you.
-What about dinner tonight?. -7::00. Same place. You pay the check.
-And give my regards to the missus. -Right.
-Goodbye, laddie. -Goodbye.
Chambers, my name's Arthur Keats. I'm Mrs. Smith's attorney.
I shouldn't have signed it, but he got me going.
Mr. Keats, do me a favor and tell Cora--
You shut up.
I'll tell her what's good for her to know.
As for the rest of it, I'm handling it.
And that means I'm handling it.
-Yes, sir. But l-- -You don't count now.
I was gonna ask questions, but since you signed that...
...the less you know, the better.
Just once more:
I'm handling this.
And that means, whatever I do, I'm handling it.
-But, Mr. Keats-- -I'll see you in jail.
Or, which is the same thing, in municipal court for the arraignment.
-Hold it, please! -Hold that.
-Thank you. -Thanks.
This way. Thank you.
Quiet, please.
The court is again in session.
-The People v, Cora Smith. -Stand.
Cora Smith, you're charged with the murder of Nicholas Smith.
And the attempted murder of Frank Chambers.
Steady. I'm handling it.
Your Honor, we waive preliminary examinations...
...since we intend to plead guilty to both charges.
Quiet! Quiet, please!
We're ready to appear in superior court as soon as you can file your information.
We'll be prepared to arraign the defendant in superior court at 1 0:00 a.m. tomorrow.
So ordered. There'll be a short recess.
Hold it.
We've been double-crossed, Cora.
That lawyer, Keats, he's nothing but a police stool pigeon.
I've been double-crossed, not you!
I see it all now. I see why I had to drive the car, not you.
And that other time, I had to do it, not you!
-That's not so. -Oh, yes, it is!
I used to say to myself I fell for you because you were smart.
Now I find out that you are smart!
Double-crossed! I'll say I was.
You and Keats fixed it so that I tried to kill you too.
That was to get you clear!
Then you two fixed it up to plead me guilty!
Well, listen, Mr. Frank Chambers...
...when I get through, you'll find out there's such a thing as being too smart!
Get out of here, you stool pigeon.
Why, what's the matter, Chambers?. I told you I was handling this.
When I get my hands on you--
So you...
...you and this man.
This so-called man.
You two framed me so I would get it and he would go free!
He's not gonna squirm out of it. He was in this mess as much as I was...
...and I'll tell the world!
-I wouldn't do that. -He's not gonna get away with it!
He's not going to get away with anything. I'm gonna tell it all right now!
-Just let me handle-- -You handled it before! Now I'll handle it.
I'll tell the district attorney you want to confess.
You the lady who wants to make a statement?.
That's right. A statement.
Okay.
This will be a full and complete confession...
...of how....
Go ahead.
Of how Frank Chambers and l deliberately planned...
...and carried out the murder of my husband, Nicholas Smith.
Frank Chambers and l are equally guilty.
Although it was Frank who smashed Nick in the head before the car went over.
That's all. Except...
...I didn't know anything about that $1 0,000 insurance policy.
Anyway, we didn't do it for that reason at all.
That's it.
All right. Sign here.
I'll put you out of business. There must be a law, even for lawyers.
You know the district attorney fooled you into that confession, don't you?.
And you fell for it, both of you.
He got you working against each other.
-Don't you see?. -You bet I see.
He got nothing from me, so he started in on you.
-And right away you turned yellow. -Yellow?.
Yellow is a color you figure on in a murder.
And nobody figures it better than Kyle Sackett. That was his trump card.
Once he tricked you into signing that complaint...
...he knew no power on earth could keep you from turning on him.
That way, he gets you both.
If you knew all that, why didn't you stop me from confessing?.
Oh, I tried.
I tried, but nobody could have stopped you.
However, now that you've got it off your chest....
-Kennedy. -Yes, sir?.
That confession Mrs. Smith signed, what did you do with it?.
I gave it to Jimmy White to lock up in your safe, like you told me to.
That's all.
You mean he's not from the DA's office?.
A plainclothes dick if I ever saw one.
He used to be a dick. But he's not a dick anymore.
He works for me now. He's my gumshoe man.
With the DA using high-pressure tactics, I had to fight fire with fire.
Since you were due to spill the beans, better to do it to my man, not Sackett's.
-Why, you-- -That's why I said we'd plead guilty.
To stop everything cold in that courtroom before you blew your topper.
-Then the DA's got nothing against me. -You're not even under arrest.
Oh, sure. He goes free, and I get tossed in for murder and attempt!
Unless you let me handle it.
Listen, my girl...
...you're still in trouble.
Because we don't know what evidence Sackett's got against us.
From now on, speak only when spoken to.
And in that court tomorrow, try and look as young and innocent as possible.
And remember, I'm the only hope you've got.
Time's up, young lady.
Cora Smith. Is that your true name?.
Yes.
Cora Smith, you're charged in information number 1 9-X5-27 in the...
...Superior Court of California on two counts.
Count one, murder of Nicholas Smith.
Count two, attempted murder of Frank Chambers.
Your Honor, we waive further reading.
-Very well. -Are you ready to plead?.
We are.
To count one, murder of Nicholas Smith, how do you plead, guilty or not guilty?.
-Not guilty. -What?.
If Your Honor please...
...my client protested her innocence from the beginning.
I didn't believe her.
In her best interest, I urged her to plead guilty and ask for the court's mercy.
But with later developments...
...no other course is open to me but to plead not guilty to both charges.
Will the district attorney consent to a brief conference, with the court's permission?.
Kyle...
...you're bluffing.
You gambled on getting a confession, and you didn't get it.
I know you haven't got one iota of evidence against her...
...and without witnesses, you'll never prove it couldn't have been an accident.
Dismiss that phony attempt charge...
...change murder to manslaughter, and we'll plead guilty...
...providing you give a recommendation for leniency.
If Your Honor please...
...I move to dismiss the charge of attempted murder...
...and to permit her to withdraw her plea of not guilty...
...for the purpose of entering a new plea.
Motion granted.
I'm informed by defendant's counsel...
...that she will enter a plea of guilty to the charge of manslaughter.
I feel this plea will be satisfactory to the people and in the interest of justice.
That's correct, Your Honor.
Very well.
Cora Smith, to the crime of manslaughter, how do you plead?.
Guilty,
Guilty.
Your Honor, we waive time for sentence. We're ready for sentence now.
It is the sentence of the law and the judgment of this court...
...that you be confined in the state institution for women at Tehachapi...
...for the term prescribed by law.
If Your Honor please, I recommend leniency be granted this defendant.
It seems to me that considerable leniency has been given this defendant already.
May we approach the bench and explain the facts to Your Honor?.
Very well.
I am personally satisfied of the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt...
...but there are many practical and legal difficulties in proving the case against her.
In these circumstances, I deemed it wise to follow this course...
...thus saving the people of the state of California the expense of a protracted trial.
Return to your places.
Having full confidence in the district attorney, I follow his recommendation.
The court summarily grants probation.
And suspends execution of the sentence.
That's it. You're free.
It's all right, Mrs. Smith. Everything's gonna be all right now.
That's what you think.
That was a brilliant piece of strategy, laddie.
Thank you, Kyle.
But you're crazy if you think I'm through with those two murderers.
Well, that's the whole story.
Except that if either one of you even parks a car alongside a fire hydrant...
...Mr. Sackett will see that you get 20 years.
Just a minute. There's one other little matter.
Yes?.
That insurance policy.
This 1 0,000 bucks you get for knocking off your husband.
Oh, sure. That's how I knew Sackett was bluffing.
If the company with the smartest detectives couldn't find evidence...
...it's a cinch the DA couldn't.
In an exceptional case like this, I ought to keep it all.
But this time...
...you take it.
I don't want that 1 0 grand. Besides, I got 1 0 grand.
I've been trying to figure things out, and I still don't know what to say.
Don't say thanks. You did me a favor. Look what I got out of it:
I won 1 00 bucks from Sackett. I made him write me a check.
I'm gonna frame it and hang it over my desk.
-Let's get going, Kennedy. -Back to town, Sammy.
Well, goodbye, Mr. Yellow.
I don't know what you're going to do and I don't care...
...but I'm going in and open up my lunchroom.
Cora. Cora, look...
...maybe-- Maybe you could sell the place and...
...we can go away somewhere and start fresh, where nobody knows us.
Oh, no.
You've tried to make me a tramp since you've known me.
But you're not going to do it.
I stay here.
All right.
I'm gonna stay too.
Let me tell you something. If you do stay...
...there's going to be a lot of hard work, because I've got ideas for this place.
I'm going to fix a nice spot under the trees...
...then I'm going to sell beer--
-You're in the hamburger business-- -I'm going to amount to something!
So if you want to keep your job...
...you'll have this place clean and open for business tomorrow at 7::00.
Okay.
Okay, Mrs. Smith.
That expresses it perfectly.
Things stayed that way for several weeks,
I had to watch her like a hawk because I didn 't trust her,
People started flocking to the Twin Oaks Just to see what she looked like,
Oh, Mrs. Smith?.
Mrs. Smith, would you kindly give me your autograph?.
Oh, thank you.
Popular girl, huh?.
Listen....
-Well, how are you, Mr. Keats?. -Hello.
-Hello, Mr. Sackett. -Mrs. Smith.
Something I can do for you?.
-Only some beer at the moment. -I see.
You're pretty busy.
Suppose I handle this table.
You shouldn't mind my handling anything for you.
-Hello, Frank. -Hi, Mr. Keats.
-Maybe it doesn't mean a thing. -What doesn't?.
Maybe the district attorney's gonna take action.
He claims folks around here are talking about you two living here like this.
-Talking about it?. -That's a laugh.
Is it?.
An unmarried man and woman living together under the same roof?.
In Los Angeles, they held a murder suspect, when they couldn't hang it on him...
...they threw him in the can under 47 different laws.
I'm way ahead of you, Mr. Keats.
And I'll handle this.
Don't wipe it off, Mr. Keats. You look stunning in my lipstick.
This kind tastes good too. What flavor do you call it, Frank?.
-I can't remember that far back. -As far as I'm concerned...
-...you imagined it even then. -Oh, dry up.
-Thanks. -Notice his necktie, Mr. Keats.
It's my wedding present to him.
The way he wears it, you'd think it was a noose around his neck.
Well, I can only think of 1 5 or 20 reasons why you two should never be happy.
Well, there you are, my dear.
Thanks. We'll paste it right alongside of our beer license.
Say, this came while you were getting prettied up.
Hope it's congratulations from Sackett.
-Would you?. -Bad news?.
You hope.
It's my mother. She....
She's had a heart attack.
I haven't been home in three years.
Mr. Keats, would you drive me to the station, please?.
Leave it to me. I'll handle everything.
-Check your baggage, sir?. -Yeah.
-When will you be back?. -A week, maybe. I'll wire you.
I'll walk you to the train.
Please, I hate goodbyes.
A blind man without a cane could see you're in a bad way.
Yeah.
Come on, Chambers, I'll drive you home.
No, thanks, Mr. Keats.
I'm gonna to see if I can't get that blond out of my system.
Excuse me. You've flooded your carburetor.
You'll have to wait a while.
I'm gonna wait standing up.
It's a hot day and that's a leather seat.
And I've got on a thin skirt.
I'll cool the seat off for you.
Thanks.
Name: Madge Gorland.
Address: Joe's Highway Haven.
-What's that?. -Lunchroom.
A lunchroom?. Well, meet another member of the club.
Sometimes I think everybody in Southern California...
...makes a living selling hamburgers to each other.
-See?. It works. -Thanks. You're a genius.
Yeah. With my brains and your looks, we can go places.
-Such as?. -Oh, take a run down to Tijuana.
I'll buy you the best Mexican dinner you ever had.
-Why Mexico?. -I like the food.
Besides, I got a little trouble.
-Trouble?. -Yeah. My feet.
-They keep itching for me to go places. -You're an outlaw.
Can't stand captivity.
Me too.
I get so sick of hamburgers sometimes, l....
What time will we get back from Mexico?.
Oh, I got a whole week.
Come on, slide in.
All right.
I'll bet you got a little gypsy in you.
They say I was born with rings in my ears.
Maybe a week won't be long enough, and Mexico won't be far enough.
-The large one with the stripes, please. -Yes, ma'am.
Cora, why didn't you let me know she died?.
-I didn't wanna bother you with it. -I feel badly, you not letting me know.
-Why should you?. -You back in lowa, your mother dying...
-...and me back here having a good time. -I don't mind.
When we get home, I'll give you a stiff drink. You could use a pickup.
-I'm not drinking anymore. -Well, what's the matter?.
I have a lot to tell you. I think you and l will get along better from now on.
-Well, what is it?. -Not now. Tonight, maybe after dinner.
Here we are.
Where'd you get the new car?.
Hello.
Remember me?.
Yeah, sure, I remember you.
Come on in.
How you been, Mrs. Chambers?.
Fine, thanks.
Oh, Frank, why don't you take Mr. Kennedy into the living room?.
-I'll get you a couple of beers. -You'll be more comfortable there.
Thanks.
-How's Mr. Keats?. -Me and him had a little argument.
-I walked out. -Yeah?.
Well, if there's anything we can do, just say the word.
I was wondering...
...if you could let me have a little money.
Well, I don't keep very much money here, but if $20 will help....
I was hoping you could make it more.
-All right, Kennedy, what is it?. -That paper...
...the one I wrote up for you, Mrs. Chambers.
You mean that daydream she called a confession?.
Yeah. It was still in the files when I left Keats...
...so I took it. I was thinking maybe you'd like to get it back.
-How much do you want for it?. -How much would you pay?.
We don't need that confession now. We might give you $1 00 for it, though.
Sure. I'd pay that for it.
I was thinking it was worth more.
I was figuring on about...
...$1 5,000.
-Are you crazy?. -Well, you got 1 0 grand from insurance...
...and the publicity's making you a fortune.
Maybe 5 grand more. That makes 1 5.
-You'd clean us out just for that paper?. -It's worth it.
-Why you-- -Now, don't start anything, Chambers!
In the first place, I haven't got the paper with me.
I'm not starting anything. I....
I guess you got us.
Yeah, but, you're figuring too high.
-Keep talking. -Well...
...we made $4000, not $5000, but we spent a couple of thousand.
And I had to go East and of course, it cost quite a lot.
Her mother died.
And then we've been fixing up the place.
All right.
Ten and two makes 1 2.
-Twelve grand. -The whole 1 2?.
Twelve thousand, or the confession goes to Sackett.
Well, it looks like we'll have to give it to him, Frank.
-It's tough, but he's got us. -Yeah.
I'll phone you at 5:00. That'll give you time...
...to go to the bank and get it. At 5:00, if you got it, I'll come right out.
If you haven't got it, Sackett.
You know, Mr. Kennedy, it's really too bad that Frank was here...
...because if we had been alone, I feel...
...that I could've talked you out of it.
All right, snap out of it and get your friends on the phone.
I got no friends.
I'm the only one that knows--
-You're gonna call your friends?. -I ain't got no friends.
I'm the only one that knows about it.
-You're gonna call your friends?. -I ain't got no friends. I tell you--
Don't hit me no more!
-I tell you, I only got one friend. -All right.
Get him on the phone. Come on, in the kitchen.
All right! All right!
Here.
Thanks.
Cora, bring the extension phone, will you?.
There it is, Kennedy. Make it a good story.
Here.
If he tries to pull a fast one, I'll give you the sign.
Come on.
Say--
Is that you, Willie?.
This is me. Listen, it's all fixed.
How soon can you get out here with it?. Yeah.
Yeah, Chambers is on his way to the bank now to get the dough.
Willie, get this. He knows we got him, see.
But he's afraid if she finds out he's gonna pay all that dough, she won't let him.
You get it?.
Well, maybe it sounds to you like a funny way to do it, Willie...
...but I got my reasons.
Okay.
Willie's gonna bring the papers out here.
He's awful suspicious.
Willie's a bad hombre when he gets suspicious.
Yeah?. Thanks.
That's so you'll act right when he gets here.
And that's for playing along, Cora. I think we better open the place up...
...just the beer garden, better not let anyone inside.
All right, Frank.
I think that's your friend Willie, but if it's not Willie...
...I'm gonna give you another going over just for luck.
Gesundheit.
-What gives?. -This. Keep moving.
All right, Cora, his pockets.
-Here it is! -The other pockets!
-This is it. -Here.
Photostats!
-And the negative. -So they meant to keep on blackmailing us.
Yeah, but not anymore.
Thanks, boys.
Come on, I'll show you out. Come on!
Come on, come on, come on. Out!
Well, we did it, didn't we?.
-That's the last of the Photostats. -Oh, no, it isn't.
That isn't the last of the Photostats. I got a million of them right here.
-So you got a million of them. -Just one is enough for Mr. Sackett.
You're not foolish enough to stick your nose in that gas chamber...
...just to get even with me.
No. No, you didn't understand Mr. Keats at all.
Once they made it manslaughter, they can't do anything more to me!
What's the matter with you, Cora?.
This! While you were wet-nursing Kennedy...
...your friend dropped in outside.
So you're an outlaw, and you just love Mexican food.
I hope your broken-down sweetie brings you plenty to the death house...
...where I'm going to send you!
-Just hanging up my clean uniforms, dearie. -That's nice of you.
-What did you think I was doing?. -I didn't think anything.
Don't worry, when it comes time to call Mr. Sackett, I'll let you know.
In the meantime, just take it easy, because you're gonna need all your strength.
Just taking something to keep up my strength, dearie.
-That's nice of you. -What'd you think I was doing?.
I didn't think anything.
Don't worry, when I'm ready to skip out, I'll let you know.
Just take it easy, you may need all your strength.
That's the way it kept up all day,
Me following her around for fear she'd call Sackett,
Her watching me like a hawk, for fear I'd,,,,
Both of us hating each other like poison,
Finally, she went up to bed,
I went to my room, but I knew I didn 't dare sleep,
Then all of a sudden,,,,
-Get away from there or I ' ll-- -Or you ' ll what?.
Hello?.
Yellow Cab?.
We changed our mind. We don't need a cab now, thanks.
-Or you'll what?. -Sock you in the jaw maybe.
Something else, wasn't it?. You've been thinking of a way to kill me.
-I've been asleep. -Don't lie to me!
-Because I'm not gonna lie to you. -All right, I was.
You were gonna duck out and hand me over to Sackett, so we're even.
Right back where we started.
Not quite, Cora.
That other girl...
...she didn't mean anything to me.
She told me you were going away with her.
Why didn't l?. I planned to, and never come back.
Why didn't I go away and never come back?.
Because we're chained to each other, Cora.
-Don't tell me you love me. -But I do.
Oh, but love when fear comes into it....
Then you hate me?.
I don't know.
But we've got to tell the truth for once in our lives.
All right, why were you gonna run away then?.
I told you I had something to tell you.
Frank...
...I wasn't going to Mr. Sackett tonight.
I was running away...
...for good.
So that you wouldn't ever see me again.
Me or....
-Me or.... -Cora.
Oh, no, don't, Frank. I've got to tell you all about it.
We....
We took a life, didn't we, Frank?.
Well, now we can give one back. Then maybe God will forgive us...
...and maybe it'll help square us.
Maybe it will.
Maybe it'll help. We've been all mixed up.
Oh, Frank, I couldn't turn you in to Sackett.
I couldn't have this baby and then have it find out I'd sent its father...
...into that poison gas chamber for murder.
Was...?.
Was the baby the only reason?.
No.
Frank. Please, there's one thing I have to be sure of.
No, don't ask me any questions.
Just take me down to the beach. We've been so happy there.
And let's be happy again...
...just once more.
And then I promise that everything will be settled, one way or the other...
...before we come back.
I'll get the car, Cora.
Frank.
All the hate and revenge has left me...
...but is it all out of you?.
I'm trying to find some way I could prove it to you.
Maybe I know a way.
Let's swim out there, way, way out...
...until we're so tired that we'll just barely be able to get back.
-How is that gonna prove--?. -Oh, please, Frank. Come on, I'll show you.
This is far enough.
-Are you tired?. -Very tired. How about you?.
I'm still all right.
Frank...
...what I wanted to be sure of was...
...whether you trust me.
If you don't believe that I can never turn on you again...
...and if you don't want me to go back with you...
...you could swim back by yourself.
I'm too tired, I could never make it alone.
Nobody will ever know.
Cora, Cora, don't say another word. Darling, save your strength.
I'll take you in.
Are you sure now?.
I'm sure.
I've been waiting a long time for that kiss.
When we get home, Frank, then there will be kisses.
Kisses with dreams in them.
Kisses that come from life, not death.
I hope I can wait.
Darling.
Look out!
Frank!
Cora.
This man, Frank Chambers, and the dead woman...
...first murdered her husband to get his estate.
Then Chambers murdered her so that he'd have it all to himself.
The jury was out five minutes.
The judge said in sentencing me...
...that he was giving the same consideration he'd show any other mad dog.
I see.
And now, Father...
...comes the important thing you can do for me.
Do you think she knows?.
Knows that you didn't kill her?.
She must know it.
But that's the awful part when you monkey with murder.
Somehow...
...maybe it flashed through her head when the car hit...
...that maybe I did do it.
Father, do you think she knows the truth?.
We can hope.
We got off to a wrong start, and somehow or other...
...we never got back on the right track.
But I didn't kill her.
I loved her so much, I tell you, I would have died for her!
I just talked to the governor.
But, l....
I didn't do it.
-I didn't do it, I tell you! -Wait a minute!
All right, suppose you didn't do it.
Get me a new trial. I'm not gonna go in that gas chamber for killing her!
Suppose you got a stay of execution, a new trial, acquittal of killing Cora.
Then what?.
Last night they auctioned off the fixtures at the Twin Oaks.
A man who bought the cash register found a note in the back of the drawer.
He brought it to me. It's addressed to you.
Cora wrote it.
It's a very beautiful note, Frank...
...written by a girl who loved a man very much.
I imagine it was written earlier the very night she died.
A note of farewell, isn't it?.
She did try and run away that night.
And since she had no idea anyone would ever see that note but you...
...it therefore has just enough of a confession...
...to convict you of helping her kill her husband.
So if you were to leave this room because you didn't kill her...
...you'd soon be back here again for helping her kill Nick.
What's the use?.
Then....
Then what's gonna happen to me is not because I killed her?.
No, laddie, for killing Nick.
You know...
...there's something about this that's like....
Well, it's like...
...you're expecting...
...a letter that you're just crazy to get...
...and you hang around the front door...
...for fear you might not hear him ring.
You never realize that he always rings twice.
What's that?.
Well, he rang twice for Cora...
...and now he's ringing twice for me, isn't he?.
That's about it.
The truth is, you always hear him ring the second time.
Even if you're way out in the back yard.
Father.
You were right.
It all works out.
I guess God knows more about these things than we do.
Somehow or other...
...Cora paid for Nick's life with hers.
And now I'm going to.
Father...
...would you send up a prayer for me and Cora?.
And if you could find it in your heart...
...make it that we're together, wherever it is.
[ENGLlSH]