The Spiral Staircase
- APPROVED
- Year:
- 1946
- 83 min
- 498 Views
-It's in there. Number nine.
-Right.
Don't stand around.
Go on home, all of you.
-What happened, constable?
-Well...
-...there's been another murder.
-A murder.
There's nothing you can do.
I told you to go home. Go on.
Oh, just a minute, miss.
Are you alone?
You work out at the Warren home,
don't you?
That's nearly two miles from here.
-Got any ideas who did it, constable?
-Yeah.
Same fella did the second one.
But who he is, I don't know.
Somebody in this town.
Somebody we all know.
Somebody we see every day.
Might be me. Might be you.
Why, how could--? I mean...
-...I was here at my desk, anyway.
-Oh, be quiet.
Didn't know you was called,
Dr. Parry.
I wasn't. As I was leaving the office,
Thought I'd see if there's
anything I could do.
Well, there ain't.
Unless, of course...
...you're good enough
to uncork a miracle...
...and bring the dead back to life.
I don't think I'm that good.
There's no sense in you going up.
She's dead, all right.
Dr. Harvey's up there,
and that's what he says. She's dead.
Well, in that event, constable,
I certainly can't do her any harm.
-Hello, Parry.
-Dr. Harvey.
There's nothing for you to do, unless
you're sightseeing.
-How was she killed?
-Strangled.
-She was dead when we got here.
-Who was she?
That lame girl that
worked over at Nelson's.
How awful.
She was just in my office last week.
Did she pay her bill or was this
her way of getting out of it?
I haven't enough experience
to make that sort of joke.
Perhaps not, Dr. Parry.
-I'll run along.
-Oh, just a minute.
I hear you were over
to see Mr. Stover last night.
-Yes, I was.
-Don't you know he's my patient?
I only went because they called me.
They told me that you'd
refused to go until morning.
-I thought it might be serious.
-You've got a lot to learn, young fella.
You've only been here a short time.
I've been here for a good many years.
If I answered all the calls as they
came, I wouldn't get any sleep at all.
Well, that's why I think there's room
for two doctors in this town.
Reckon so, but let the competition
be on an open plane. Ethics.
You get what I mean, Parry?
If ever I'm called on an emergency,
and you're sleeping...
...I intend to go.
That's very noble and ambitious.
Don't let anything discourage you.
Nothing will.
Oh, by the way...
...you might like to see
what the Stovers did...
...to that prescription
you wrote last night.
I'm gonna make some calls, Helen.
I'll take you to the crossroads.
Were you at the hotel?
Wasn't a very nice thing
to have happen on your afternoon off.
I've been pretty busy lately.
I haven't had much of a chance
to drop in and see you.
But I've been thinking
about you a great deal.
You haven't any family, Helen.
No one else to worry about you.
And I got to wondering just
how long you were going on like this.
I mean, doing the work
you're doing at the Warrens'.
You wanted to be
a nurse or a teacher.
You mean, you're going
to give up that...
...without making an effort
to get your voice back again?
Yes, I know, Helen,
you did see a doctor once.
That was a long time ago.
They might have discovered
a lot since then.
There are specialists in Boston now.
I don't want to build
your hopes up, Helen...
...but it seems such a shame
to give up so easily.
You'd rather I wouldn't talk
about it, wouldn't you?
All right, I won't.
You know the words to that tune?
Dr. Parry.
Dr. Parry.
-Hello, Freddy.
-Pa's sick, Dr. Parry, bad.
They didn't send you for me?
Ma sent me for Dr. Harvey,
but Pa wants you to come.
I'm afraid I can't help you out
this time, Freddy.
You don't understand.
Your father's Dr. Harvey's patient.
We'll have to try and find him for you.
I'll call him as soon as I get home.
Oh, please, Dr. Parry, you come.
I want you to come.
All right, come on, get in.
We'll go up and have a look.
I'll run you home afterwards.
Afraid you'll be late?
Are you sure you'll be all right?
You'll go straight home,
won't you, Helen?
Oh, it's you. Thank heavens.
They phoned us about the murder.
For a while I thought
it might have been you.
It's terrible. That's what it is.
Horrible.
As if it isn't bad enough
murdering people...
...but all these defenseless women.
First there was the girl
with a scar on her face.
Then that poor
simple-minded creature...
...and now this cripple.
It seems like....
I guess you've had enough
for one afternoon.
Now-- Now, get your wet shoes off
before you catch your death.
And you'd better get up
to Mrs. Warren straightaway.
She's raising a rumpus
with that nurse of hers again.
Won't even allow her
in the room now.
She sent down word for you
to go up the moment you came in.
Is that someone at the front door?
Who's there?
I don't understand.
I closed that window
when the storm started.
I'll get a hammer
and fix that shutter.
It was him!
Carleton, bad dog!
Out all day and only home in time
to get under my feet and break my--
You're a no-good loafer,
that's what you are.
Criminals and murderers loose...
...and you're out courting
the neighbor's dog.
Oh, Carleton, Carleton,
you deserve a good beating.
Guess I better dry you first.
You'll catch your death of cold,
that's what you will.
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"The Spiral Staircase" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_spiral_staircase_21365>.
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