Stranger on the Third Floor
- APPROVED
- Year:
- 1940
- 64 min
- 189 Views
There you are, lady.
- Is this seat occupied?
- Yes, please.
Well, that's too bad.
Would you mind
removing your purse?
I'm sorry, but this place
is taken.
I don't see anybody
sitting here.
- You will in a minute.
- The nerve of some people.
- Is this chair taken, Miss?
- Yes, it is.
Sorry.
Oh, it's you.
- Then, it's not taken?
- Stop clowning, Michael.
- Sit down.
- Thank you, Miss.
- You're late. What held you up?
- Something very important.
Drink your orange juice.
We haven't much time.
Oh, so you don't think
it was important.
Alright, wait till
you see the kitchen.
What kitchen?
What are you talking about?
Electric stove, refrigerator,
washing machine, everything.
Even a special hole
to dump garbage in.
Guess what else?
Whole wheat toast
and orange marmalade, right?
Right, it's a table.
A real table on four legs
with two chairs
so that two people can sit,
really see each other
trying to catch a glimpse
in the mirror behind
the lunch counter.
That's what you were
doing this morning?
Whole works is 60 a month.
What happened?
Did you win the sweepstakes?
Better than that.
I got a $12 raise.
Michael, but how come?
If the girl I marry
were interested in my career
she'd have bought
the New York Star and found out.
Let me see.
- "By Michael Ward."
- A byline.
See what it says?
"Star Reporter." That's me.
Think you can get
a day off tomorrow?
- Why?
- To get married.
I think I can manage.
Michael Ward, the key witness.
Two and a half columns.
Not bad, eh?
I didn't know he was so young.
He looks like a kid.
'Some of them start young.'
Do you really think
he killed Nick?
Certainly.
I don't know, but... I have
a funny feeling.
'What?'
Somehow, I wish you'd never been
near Nick's place that night.
What you talking about? That's
the break I've been waiting for.
If I hadn't, there'd be no story
and we wouldn't
be getting married.
- I know but..
- 'But what?'
Nothing, I... I guess
I'm just being silly.
It's becoming.
'Mmm, pass.'
'260.'
'290.'
Ah, why can't I get
a decent hand?
- Buy?
- Spades trump.
You think he'll get the chair?
- Who?
He should have
pleaded him guilty.
At least, he'd have saved
his life.
- Suppose he isn't guilty?
- What's the difference?
- He hasn't got a chance anyway.
- That's it, fellas.
Well, I'll be..
- Well. Well, look who's here?
- Hello, boys.
As I live and breathe
Michael Ward, the shining
light of journalism
the boy who made good.
You wanna look neat. Makes
a good impression on the jury.
Cut out the humor.
- Hiya, Tom.
- Tell me, Mr. Ward.
How does it feel to hold center
stage in this eternal drama?
- Shut up.
- You don't like it?
- 'Bet he likes the raise.'
- You good for a fiver?
Never mind.
Have they started yet?
They'll wait for you.
You're the star of this show.
Kill that stuff, will you?
Don't mind them. We're all
excited you got a break.
Thanks, Martin.
Aren't you guys going in?
What for? We know
how it's coming out.
- What makes you sure?
- What would they do?
Take a mug's word against
a gentleman of the press?
What the devil
are you talking about?
It isn't a question
of my word against his.
It's what I saw
with my own eyes.
I was going home.
I looked into Nick's lunchroom
to see if anyone
I knew was there.
- Well, did you see anyone?
- Yes, sir.
- Who was it?
- Briggs.
- You mean, the defendant?
- 'Yes, sir.'
'What was he doing?'
'Standing behind the counter near Nick'
'who was slumped
over the register.'
'What did you do?'
I ran into the place.
As I went inside,
I... saw Briggs look around
and dashed towards the kitchen
in the back.
- Did you follow him at once?
- No, I looked at Nick first.
- Go on.
- It wasn't very nice.
His throat was cut.
Blood was still dripping
into the open drawer
of the cash register.
Well, what did you do then?
I ran into the kitchen,
the back door was open
I looked into the alley,
but Briggs was gone.
I went back
and called the police.
You said you recognized
the defendant.
- Where had you met him before?
- At Nick's.
- When?
- Few days before he was killed.
Was at Nick's place when Briggs
came and ordered some food.
'When Nick brought it..'
'Go on.'
'Well, when Nick brought it'
'Briggs said he didn't
have any money.'
'Nick told him to get out'
'he wasn't in business
to feed deadbeats in New York.'
'What did the defendant do?'
He grabbed Nick and shouted
something like
"You wouldn't call me that
if I had a gun in your ribs."
'Then what happened?'
'Nick threatened to call the police.'
'I told Nick to leave him alone,
I'd pay for his food.'
- You're a reporter, Mr. Ward?
- Yes, sir.
As a newspaper reporter, you're
'I object.'
Eh, what?
I object to this line
of questioning, Your Honor.
Oh... sustained.
'Very well, one thing more.'
You have stated
that you're absolutely certain
this is the man you saw
in Nick's on both occasions.
Now, be careful
because on your answer
may depend a man's life.
Are you absolutely positive
he is the same man?
- I am.
- That's all.
Your witness.
You said you saw the defendant
standing beside the body
of the lunchroom proprietor?
Yes, sir.
But did you see him actually
commit the murder?
- No, I didn't.
- That's all.
I wouldn't let him defend me
if it was for stealing an apple.
Thanks for that cup of coffee.
'Your next witness.'
'Dr... Dr. Charles Evans.'
Jane, what are you doing here?
I felt a little upset.
The boss let me go home.
- I came here instead.
- You shouldn't have.
'Do you swear to tell the truth,
the whole truth..'
Do you think
they will convict him?
- I don't know. They might.
- Shh! Quiet, please.
- 'You are a police surgeon?'
- 'Yes, sir.'
- You examined Nick Narbajan?
- Yes, sir.
How long would you say
he had been dead
when you arrived there?
About a half an hour.
And what in your opinion
was the cause of death?
A sharp instrument,
either a knife or a razor
wielded I'd say
with a great deal of violence.
The head was almost
severed from the body.
So you want this jury to believe
that you went back to Nick's
just to repay
a debt of thirty cents?
Yes sir, that's the truth.
Mr. Ward was nice to me,
and I wanted to pay him back.
That's all I went there for.
How did you know
you'd find him there?
Well, I took a chance.
That's where I'd met him.
He wasn't there when you
went in, was he?
No.
What did Nick say to you
as you entered?
Well, he didn't say nothin'.
He was dead.
What did you do then?
Open the cash register?
- No, I didn't. It was open.
- How much money did you take?
I didn't take no money.
I didn't need any.
I worked that day,
and I made almost five dollars.
Well, why then..
- Your Honor.
- Eh? Yes, yes.
Oh.
'Jury number two.'
The jury will pay strict
attention to the evidence.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
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"Stranger on the Third Floor" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 Oct. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/stranger_on_the_third_floor_18964>.
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