Murders in the Rue Morgue

Here's a toast to you, Paul.

You've torn my Pierre

away from his books

and made him enjoy himself

for once.

Oh, don't thank Paul.

It was for you I came.

Then I must drink

a toast to Camille.

Oh, no, Paul.

You've had four glasses

already.

That's nothing.

For last year's

carnival night, I had 14.

Dupin, Paul!

Look at the Arab dancers.

This way. This way.

See the naughty nautch nymphs.

The adorable Arab angels.

Oh!

Come, we must continue

our studies of anatomy.

Yeah, much nicer

than... than visiting a morgue.

Oh!

...marvelous

performance of dancing.

We have Lady Fatima!

Lady Fatima's

snake imitations...

Do they bite?

Oh, yes, but you have

to pay extra for that.

Mignette, do you think

you could learn

to do that dance for me?

No.

No?

Well, then...

I guess I'll have

to join the show.

See, Pierre,

how brown they are.

Is that their real color,

do you suppose,

or have they

painted themselves?

Shall I find out for you?

Don't you dare.

Introducing

Col. Ha-ha from America!

Ho... ho... ho!

Bloodthirsty savages

from the wilds of America!

Ha... ha... ha!

See the redskins

scalp their victim.

First time in Paris.

They are Apaches, my friends,

Apaches.

Like our own waterfront rats.

Just as wild.

That'd be a good name

for our bandits.

Apaches.

Ha, Apaches, why, splendid.

Would you like to try

whether they are real?

I?

And leave you unprotected?

Never.

Oh, Pierre.

Let's go in there.

Attention, attention,

ladies and gentlemen.

Step closer. Closer.

Behind this curtain

is the strangest creature

your eyes will ever behold.

Erik, the ape-man!

The monster who walks upright

and speaks a language

even as you and I.

The ruler of the jungle,

whose giant hands

can tear a man in half.

Erik, the ape-man.

The beast with a human soul.

More cunning than a man

and stronger than a lion.

Step up, ladies and gentlemen.

Step right in.

Shall we go into this one?

All right.

Soldiers and children,

half-price!

Step up,

ladies and gentlemen.

Don't miss this opportunity.

That's good.

Let's go down there.

Oh! Let's sit

over there, love.

No, mademoiselle,

not there.

Take a seat in front

so that you can see

everything.

This gorilla killed six men,

you see.

What a funny-looking man.

He's a show in himself.

Did you notice his accent?

I wonder where he comes from.

I never heard

an accent like it.

Silence.

I'm Dr. Mirakle,

messieurs, mesdames.

And I am not

the sideshow charlatan.

So if you expect

to witness the usual

carnival hocus-pocus,

just go to the box office

and get your money back.

I am not exhibiting a freak,

a monstrosity of nature,

but a milestone

in the development of life.

The shadow of Erik, the ape

hangs over us all.

The darkness

before the dawn of man.

It's all right.

Don't be afraid.

It's only a baboon.

I-I'm not afraid.

Neither am I.

Listen to him,

brothers and sisters.

He is speaking to you.

Can you understand

what he says

or have you forgotten?

I have re-learned

his language.

Listen.

I will translate

what he says.

My home

is in the African jungle,

where I lived

with my father and my mother

and my brothers and sisters.

But I was captured

by a band

of hairless white apes

and carried away

to a strange land.

I'm in the prime

of my strength.

And I am lonely.

Here

is the story of man.

In the slime of chaos

there was the seed

that rose and grew

into the tree of life.

Life was motion.

Fins changed into wings.

Wings into ears.

Crawling reptiles grew legs.

Eons of ages passed.

There came a time

when a four-legged thing

walked upright.

Behold, the first man.

Heresy!

Heresy?

Heresy?

Do they still burn men

for heresy?

Then burn me, monsieur.

Light the fire.

Do you think

your little candle

will outshine

the flame of truth?

Do you think

these boards and curtains

are my whole life?

They are only a trap

to catch the pennies of fools.

My life is consecrated

to a great experiment.

I tell you, I will prove

your kinship with the ape.

Erik's blood shall be mixed

with the blood of man.

What does he mean?

I wish I knew.

Mesdames et messieurs

if any of you wish to make

the acquaintance of Erik,

come forward.

There's no need to be afraid.

He is behind bars

and cannot hurt you.

Let's go up.

Oh, no, Pierre,

I'm afraid.

I'm not afraid.

He likes you, Camille.

Look, he wants your bonnet.

Erik is only human,

mademoiselle.

He has an eye for beauty.

You have made a conquest,

mademoiselle.

Pierre!

Erik! Erik, get back!

You fool,

do you want to be killed?

Oh, but he has ruined

your bonnet.

I will replace it,

mademoiselle.

I will send you a new bonnet

with Erik's compliments.

Will you tell me

where you live

and what your name is?

Never mind, monsieur.

It was an accident.

But I insist.

Where do you live, my child?

It is not necessary,

monsieur.

Come, dear.

Follow her.

I must know where she lives.

You liked her,

didn't you, Erik?

Sweetheart.

Have I ever told you

that I love you?

Camille, I love you.

Let me look at you.

You're like a flower,

soft and fragrant.

Pure and beautiful.

Darling.

And you're like a star, too.

A white morning star.

And your hair,

it's full of stardust.

You're like a song

the girls of Provence

sing on May Day.

And like the dancing

in Normandy on May Day.

And like the wine

in Burgundy on May Day.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes