The Wasp Woman (1959) Movie Script
(suspenseful music)
(buzzing)
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
Now, now, don't get
nasty my little friends,
your bumping's not gonna hurt you one bit.
Just relax and sleep.
Sleep, sleep, sleep
and in the morning you'll find
yourselves in your new home.
Eh, my pets?
(chuckling)
(twig snapping)
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
(buzzing)
Good morning, Doc, what you got there?
Alvin, I found some new friends.
(tapping)
Listen.
(angry buzzing)
Wasps?
You better be careful, they
can sting a man to death.
Don't worry, we understand each other.
They know who their friend is.
They can tell.
Yeah, but they know when you ain't too.
Ah, nonsense.
If you knew about wasps what I know,
you'd have no fear of them my boy.
[Alvin] No fear.
(laughing)
[Mr. Barker] Hey you,
give us a hand here!
Hello there, Mr. Barker.
Surprised to see you out
here in the field, sir.
How are things running
at the front office?
Smooth as honey, Renfro.
(laughing)
I see here you turned in
over a thousand pounds
of orange blossom honey and 400 of beeswax
last month, Renfro, congratulations,
you've made the top of the list again.
Why, thank you sir.
Holiday Honey needs
your kinda man, Renfro.
You stay with it and I
can see a bright future
for you with the company.
Well I do try to do my best, Mr. Barker.
I try to take my
inspiration from the bees,
always busy, busy, busy.
Yes.
Now what about this fellow, Dr. Zinthrop?
Zinthrop?
Boy, there's a nut, him and his bees.
You know it wouldn't surprise me someday
to see him flapping his arms, taking off
after some queen bee with
the rest of the drones.
Mm-hmm, well he's paid to
do research on royal jelly.
Haven't had a progress
report from him in a month.
Hmm, well, he has a
little workshop up there,
back of the orange grove,
keeps a few colonies.
I suppose I better go
up there and take a look.
(buzzing)
Hey you!
Where's this fellow Zinthrop?
Oh, he's up where the
extractor is, up there!
Hey, hey, this isn't a honey bee.
These are wasps.
Wasps!
Who's responsible for this?
Most likely Dr. Zinthrop, sir.
I told you he was a crackpot.
Zinthrop, huh?
Zinthrop.
(buzzing)
Zinthrop!
Zinthrop!
(buzzing)
Now look here, Zinthrop,
what's all this nonsense about wasps?
I'm so glad you dropped in, Mr. Barker.
Mr. Barker, I'm on the
verge of a great discovery.
Discovery, what do you mean?
Well, sir, I almost
perfected a new method
of extracting royal jelly
from the queen wasp.
According to my figures you're
better at extracting funds
from the company.
Now look here, Zinthrop,
over $1,000 last month for miscellaneous.
Yes, yes, I know, but Mr. Barker,
let me just show you something.
Just let me show you something.
Already I've learned to
slow the process of aging.
Soon,
I shall be able to reverse it entirely.
What are you getting at, Zinthrop?
[Zinthrop] Look, what do you see?
I see a big dog and a little dog.
Let's say an old dog and a young dog.
All right, so what?
But they're exactly the same age.
You see, the little one
Greta has been given
regular injections of my
compound from the queen wasp.
Just like I told ya, Mr. Barker.
Now look here, Zinthrop,
I understand about science
and progress and all that
but you were attained
to extract queen bee royal jelly.
Now it's a health food, a cosmetic.
It's not a miracle drug
or an elixir of youth,
that sort of thing is impossible.
- Oh, but Mr. Barker...
- Zinthrop,
I'm sorry, Zinthrop, but
I'm gonna have to let you go.
You just don't seem to be one of the team.
You understand.
Good luck, I'm sure
you'll fit in somewhere.
Fit in.
Somewhere.
(buzzing)
(mysterious music)
Oh, now, now, don't worry, my friends.
We shall find a home somehow.
Somewhere.
Oh but you sound impatient.
I know, it's your babies, huh?
They're hungry and they must be fed.
Now, how would you like a
nice, juicy little caterpillar?
You'd like that, wouldn't you?
There.
Now you must eat and be strong because,
well, a lot of work to do together.
Yes sir.
(sighs)
A lot of work.
(dramatic music)
As you can see, gentlemen,
sales for the last fiscal
quarter have dropped.
14 and one half percent.
There's not been a corresponding drop
in our competitor's sales.
I trust one of you gentlemen has a
satisfactory explanation for this decline.
Not one little suggestion, gentlemen?
We'll start with you, Thompson.
As Public Relations Manager,
no doubt you have some
faint glimmering of what's
happening to Starlin Products.
Well, Thompson?
- Well, you see, I...
- I had no idea
you were such an excellent
public speaker, Thompson.
Oh, I'm sorry Miss
Starlin, I guess I'm not
feeling very well this morning.
[Janice] I'm sorry you aren't.
I think I can tell
you why Starlin Products
are falling off so badly, Miss Starlin.
We're listening, Lane.
Where would you put the
responsibility for this decline?
On you, Miss Starlin.
I imagine you
have arguments to support that contention?
We've all been looking at
it for the past 20 minutes.
The most convincing argument
is right on that graph.
May I show you?
Thank you.
Now right here in April
is when Starlin's sales
started falling off.
Very clever of you, Lane.
Would you mind waiting
until I finish, Miss Starlin?
- That's enough, Lane.
- Relax, Willis.
My apologies for the interruption, go on.
Thank you.
Now as I said, sales
began to fall in April.
But the reason for the fall
was back here in February.
Starlin Products have
always been thought of
as something of a modern
miracle in the cosmetics trade.
A firm built to a
multi-million-dollar-a-year business
on the strength and appeal of
one person, Janice Starlin.
From the beginning right
through until February
of this year, only one woman's face
was used to advertise those products.
Your face, Miss Starlin.
The public have come to accept you as a,
as a symbol.
Now, after 16 years, they
see a different face,
they don't trust it.
They feel cheated.
The simple fact is that Starlin Cosmetics
should have Janice Starlin's
picture advertising them.
Well that's about all I've got to say.
And a darn good job of saying it, too.
I agree.
(applauding)
Lane makes a lot of sense
on that score, Miss Starlin.
I think I've had enough
flattery for one morning, gentlemen.
(buzzing)
It was a very convincing argument, Lane.
[Secretary] There's a Mr.
Zinthrop to see Miss Starlin.
There's only one small
factor you've overlooked.
Not even Janice Starlin can
remain a glamour girl forever.
Miss Starlin.
Yes, Mary?
There's a Mr. Zinthrop in reception,
he says he has an appointment.
Thank you.
Well, this has been a very
informative get together,
that'll be all for now.
(murmuring)
Oh, Arthur?
- Yes, Miss Starlin?
I'd like to see you
in my office, please.
Sure, Miss Starlin.
Take it easy, hot shot.
Something on your mind, Miss Starlin?
You've done some work on
royal jelly, haven't you?
A little.
Are there any real
therapeutic values in it?
Oh, I'd say so.
Course a lot depends on each individual's
reaction to the stuff.
What do you mean?
Just that no two people react
in precisely the same way.
One man's meat's another man's poison.
Oh.
But you think royal jelly can
be beneficial in some cases?
Queen bees set a lot of store by it.
I'll accept that as
an affirmative answer.
Supposing a more powerful
form of royal jelly
could be obtained, from
the queen wasp for example.
I mean, do you suppose that might have
some rejuvenating effect on a human being?
I'd stay away from wasps
if I were you, Miss Starlin.
Socially the queen wasp is on a level
with the black widow spider.
They're both carnivorous,
they paralyze their victims
and then take their time
devouring them alive.
They kill their mates in the same way too.
Strictly a one-sided romance.
Well, I'm not exactly interested in
the love life of the queen wasp.
I want your opinion on
the possibilities of using
enzyme extracts from royal
wasp jelly, commercially.
Well, if you want an honest
opinion, Miss Starlin...
Of course I want an honest opinion.
Then my advice is forget about it.
(sighs)
- Thank you, Arthur.
Any time, Miss Starlin.
- Have Mr. Zinthrop come in.
- Yes, Miss Starlin.
You can go in now, sir.
- Oh.
'Bout time.
(phone ringing)
Janice Starlin Enterprises.
(mysterious music)
[Zinthrop] Miss Starlin?
Yes, how do you do?
I'm afraid I won't be able
to give you much time,
Mr. Zinthrop.
But it is I who give you
the time, Miss Starlin.
Oh yes, plenty of time I give you, 10,
maybe 15 years I give you.
I want you to understand
one thing very clearly,
Mr. Zinthrop.
I expect absolute proof
of what you claimed
in your letter, tangible proof, not words.
(chuckling)
Such proof you shall
get, Madam, and more.
But I think I better show
you in the laboratory, yes?
All right.
Come along.
(mysterious music)
Look.
They look terrible.
Why don't you put them
out of their misery?
Madam, you asked for
proof, please be kind enough
to look at the proof you asked for.
May I proceed?
Thank you.
Come, come, come little one.
(dramatic music)
In a few minutes, Madam,
we shall see a miracle
you shall not believe.
Oh, no tricks,
you may look if you
like, I have no tricks.
Well, don't look at me, I'm not changing.
(dramatic music)
(mysterious music)
I don't believe it, it's not possible.
I see you do not believe one animal,
so I bring two.
I show you again, yes?
Yes, I must be sure.
Yes, Madam.
There.
(dramatic music)
Well, Miss Starlin, does my secret
have interest for you, yes?
What are your terms, Mr. Zinthrop?
First, I must have a laboratory equipped
with everything I need for my research.
If we're successful, well, I
ask for a little percentage.
But I must get full
credit for my discovery,
that is most important to me.
I'll have Gordon draw up the contracts.
Oh, contracts, contracts I do not need,
you give me your word, good enough for me.
(chuckling)
You amaze me.
Frankly, when I received
your letter I thought
you were just another eccentric.
But there was always a
chance you might not be.
Then you walk in here and show me
nothing short of a miracle.
Two miracles.
And you say that you'll accept my word
that I won't cheat you.
You won't.
I know you're a good woman,
even if you do not like
other people to know it.
However, my formula may not
be good for human beings,
I have not tested yet.
You will, on me.
Oh, no, no, no, no,
there might be danger.
Those are my terms, Mr. Zinthrop.
Janice Starlin will be
your next guinea pig.
Very well.
Though it may take a
little time to prepare
a sufficient extract, a week, maybe more.
I'll make whatever
arrangements you may need
for your equipment.
Thank you, Madam.
Now I see how you built all this.
(chuckling)
I'm very close to
losing it, Mr. Zinthrop.
Maybe working together we can save
Janice Starlin Enterprises,
maybe even make it
bigger than ever before.
Yes.
Oh, yes.
I'm sure the next
three months we will see
a rise in Starlin sales that will surpass
anything we've dared imagine.
Mr. Zinthrop...
Is working on the final
stages of a development
that will revolutionize
the cosmetics industry.
He's to have a free
hand in his experiments
and will be answerable
to no one but myself.
At the moment I cannot divulge the nature
of Mr. Zinthrop's experiments
but I can assure you
it will bring world-wide recognition
to Janice Starlin Enterprises.
(energetic music)
I dunno, this Zinthrop
must be the granddaddy
of all confidence men to have
taken a gal like Starlin.
Now why doesn't somebody wise her up?
Like you, for instance?
Bill, what makes you think Zinthrop
really isn't on the level?
After all, we don't even
know what he's working on,
it could be very legitimate.
You're as bad as she is.
Oh, women.
(scoffs)
Men.
Every time you're stuck for an answer
you always come up with, "Women."
You're not getting out
of this one so easily.
I'd like to know why you think Zinthrop
really hasn't got something.
Well you can call it
male intuition if you like.
It's just that there's something
about this whole business
that doesn't smell right.
The private laboratory,
the secret experiments,
Zinthrop himself.
The only thing that's missing
is a genie with a lamp.
You better leave the intuition to me.
Come on, I'll let you buy me dinner.
Buy you dinner?
What's happened to your sporting blood?
I thought we were gonna
toss for the check.
Oh no,
you won the last three times.
All right, look, I'll
make a deal with you.
Dinner is on me if you
promise to keep an eye
on what goes on in there.
Oh, what do you want
me to do, read her mail
and send you messages in secret code?
You could do worse.
Oh no, Mr. Cooper, not you too.
I've been trying to
tell bright eyes here
that I think Zinthrop is a
phony and a confidence man.
If I were sure of that
I wouldn't be worried.
I think he's a lot more dangerous.
A quack.
Well, I don't follow you, Coop.
Well, a confidence man
would just be interested in your money.
The only damage they can
do is to your pocket book.
A quack can be fatal.
(jazzy music)
So I says to him, I
says, "Listen Irving,
"I'm getting sick of this
TV every night, I mean,
"you know, we can do the
same thing in a night club."
Well, almost.
(phone ringing)
Good morning, Janice Starlin Enterprises.
(jazzy music)
I got two words for ya,
drop dead.
Twice.
Irving?
Calls me to tell me Dr. Cyclops
is on channel nine tonight.
What a crust.
He's seen it twice already.
(scoffing)
Good morning.
(jazzy music)
Is Miss Starlin in her office now?
Miss Starlin's in conference.
Would you like to speak to her secretary?
Oh, no, no, no, just say to Miss Starlin
I should like to see her
when she has time, huh?
Yes sir.
Was there something else, Mr. Zinthrop?
No, no, no, no, goodbye.
Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
(jazzy music)
What a character, a regular
two-eyed Dr. Cyclops.
Even the bow.
"Good morning, may I
see Miss Zarlin, please?"
(laughing)
He's a real weirdy.
Wonder what his game is.
- Who cares.
You know, Morton thinks he's a crackpot,
I heard him telling Cooper so.
Old bug eyes really has the execs worried.
About what?
That's just it, they don't know.
Oh.
So anyway, back to Irving.
(buzzing)
(suspenseful music)
(knocking)
Good morning, Miss
Starlin, good morning.
Good morning, I couldn't
get away any sooner,
is it important?
Miss Starlin, do you
remember the big cat
I showed you last week, no?
What about it?
Well, I want you to look at him, come.
No.
Quite a difference, yes?
(laughing)
Why, it's incredible!
The same mark.
Same cat.
(laughing)
You're young again, can
you realize what that means?
You're a kitten again.
Your whole life to live over.
How does it feel?
I think perhaps you'll
be able to find out
for yourself, Miss Starlin.
Today...
Today will be your first injection.
Come.
(dramatic music)
Sit down, please.
(mysterious music)
[Mary] Mr. Gleason, of
accounting, on line three.
What is it, Gleason?
I sent you a memo.
Mr. Zinthrop has carte blanche
to order anything he requires.
It is no concern of yours, Gleason.
Make out a check for the full amount.
(rotary phone rattling)
Sue?
Mary.
Can I talk to Mr. Lane a minute, please?
Bill?
Hey, listen, Gleason just
got a bill for $2,300.
Zinthrop.
Enzyme extracts.
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
Yes, yes, yes, we are making progress,
there's great improvement in the tissue.
Why is it taking so long?
It's the third week.
(chuckling)
- You forget, my dear,
there's more to you than
a little kitten, no?
Besides, there's a
difference in metabolism.
Why not increase the dosage?
Wouldn't that step up the process?
Patience, my dear, patience.
We must tread lightly, with
care, your arm, please.
(mysterious music)
There.
You know, I've been experimenting with
a concentrated solution of the enzymes,
oh a great deal more
powerful than the solution
I've been using in your injection.
[Janice] Oh?
Yes.
And I think, I think it
will be better for lotions,
as an emollient lotion
it'll make estrogenic creams
and all such products old fashioned.
My dear, Starlin will be world famous,
bringing you to millions.
If you're right, Zinthrop,
there are going to be a few red faces
in my advertising department.
But I am right, why your own mirror
will tell you that I am right.
Why, you look at least five years younger
than you looked three weeks ago.
(chuckling)
I know.
(dramatic music)
Will you let me talk
to Bill a minute, Sue?
Thanks.
Bill, I think I've got it.
Yeah, I'm a nervous wreck.
At lunch, at lunch.
You'll have to translate for me, Coop,
I'm not very good at that technical stuff.
Pseudo-technical.
Our Mr. Zinthrop's a very
capable confidence man
from what I read in this letter.
He claims he can stimulate
the processes of rejuvenation
through the use of enzymes
extracted from wasps.
Oh, for...
Well, what are you two
Sherlocks going to do about it?
Right now I don't know.
Frankly I'm getting tired
of the whole business.
That woman's so intent
on holding back time
she's ready to fall for the
first phony line she hears.
Wasps.
Bill.
Face the facts, Mary, Janice Starlin
has built her whole life
on youth and beauty.
Now that she's losing them
she's scared to death.
Right now she's on cloud
nine with that quack Zinthrop
but I'd hate to be around when
she comes back down to Earth.
Well maybe we can let her down easy.
I think we owe her that much.
Yeah.
What are we gonna do?
We can't just let Zinthrop
build up her hopes
and then knock the props
out from under her.
How can he do such a terrible thing?
Poor Jan.
There must be something we
can do before it's too late.
He's got a mighty convincing argument.
Very impressive to the layman.
10 to one he's got a
record just as impressive.
There are ways to find out.
The answer might be
right here in our hands.
(jazzy music)
Heads.
I'm gonna keep this
letter for a day or two.
Wait a minute, suppose
she finds out it's gone,
I'm the only one with access to that desk,
she'll know I took it.
That's a chance you have to take, Mary.
I think we can be pretty sure that Coop
knows what he's doing, honey.
Well come on, young lovers.
(jazzy music)
(mysterious music)
(suspenseful music)
(cat yowling)
What is it, Maureen?
It is you, Miss Starlin?
Of course it's me.
Who did you think it was?
You look so different.
Finish your nails.
(phone ringing)
Maureen.
Hmm?
I think your phone is ringing.
Oh, yes, Miss Starlin.
Good morning, Janice Starlin Enterprises.
Gentlemen, Janice Starlin Enterprises
is about to start on the most
wide-spread publicity campaign
in the history of the cosmetic industry.
Our slogan will be, "Return
to youth with Janice Starlin."
When Mr. Zinthrop arrives,
there will be a press interview
and all questions regarding
the rejuvenation process
will be referred to him.
That'll be all for now, gentlemen.
- It's amazing.
- Why, it's wonderful.
- Absolutely amazing.
- You look marvelous.
I said that will be
all for now, gentlemen.
Good morning.
Oh not you, Mary, wait a moment, please.
Yes, Miss Starlin?
Mary, isn't it wonderful?
It's a miracle, a wonderful,
incredible miracle!
We were so worried about you,
we really thought you were in danger.
(laughing)
We even went to plotting how to rescue you
from Mr. Zinthrop.
(laughing)
It all seems so silly,
it seems ridiculous.
Oh Mary,
Mary, how old do I look?
Tell me, how old?
How old do I look?
Tell me!
How old?
23?
Maybe 22?
(stammering)
That's how old I was when I started
Janice Starlin Enterprises.
Do you realize what that means?
I'm back where I started, 18 years ago,
with what it took 18 years to accomplish.
It's like a dream.
(mysterious music)
(dramatic music)
(cat yowling)
(cat yowling)
30 years ago a bunch of
quacks were treating people
with monkey glands.
Seemed to work for a while.
Then the deterioration set in.
That's awful.
Do you think that will happen to Jan?
I don't know.
If I could just get inside of his lab and
run a breakdown on what he's using.
(suspenseful music)
(buzzing)
(knocking)
Mr. Zinthrop!
(suspenseful music)
Mr. Zinthrop?
Mr. Zinthrop?
(mysterious music)
(suspenseful music)
(tires squealing)
(thudding)
I want you to find him, Mr. Hellman,
I don't care what it costs.
We'll find him all right,
sooner or later we find them all.
Time is vital, Mr. Hellman.
Every hour he's gone,
it means more than you
can possibly imagine.
Well, you haven't given
me very much to go on.
No home address, no
former employer, no phone,
this is just like starting from scratch.
Mr. Zinthrop wasn't a,
a conventional employee.
He didn't go through regular personnel.
Uh-huh.
You say he came here about a month ago,
well how did he come here, Miss Starlin?
He just didn't walk in
off the street, did he?
The letter.
Right here in my drawer.
[Hellman] Maybe one
of the other drawers?
So that's what she meant?
What who meant?
(dramatic music)
Miss Starlin?
The letter's been taken and
you think you know who took it,
is that right?
My secretary, Miss Dennison.
[Hellman] You got her address handy?
Her phone number.
It might be better if
I busted in on her cold.
This way she'll have a
chance to prepare a story.
I know what I'm doing.
All right.
Mary?
Janice Starlin.
Before I went to lunch
I made a duplicate copy
of Mr. Zinthrop's letter.
I was going to take that one
to Bill and Mr. Cooper at first
but then I thought that the
original would be better.
Have you got the copy?
Yes, it's in my desk.
Get that copy, Miss Dennison.
Uh-huh, 946 West 73rd Street, Manhattan.
Yeah, that's right, get right on it, Jerry
and check back with me as soon as you can.
(suspenseful music)
(dramatic music)
(phone ringing)
Yeah?
Oh?
You're sure he's our boy?
Uh-huh.
Is he?
Central emergency.
Mm-hmm.
Right.
Well, it looks like we've got him.
There's a John Doe down
at central emergency,
auto accident.
There's no identification
on him but he was wearing
a lab smock and fills
Zinthrop's description.
Mary, get my coat and
Lane, get a cab downstairs.
Is he badly hurt?
Head injury, general
contusion to the body.
He's had a severe injury
and there's definite
brain damage, just how
much we can't tell as yet.
How long before you'll know?
It's hard to say, Miss Starlin.
Who's the best man
for this kind of injury?
Well, there's several top specialists.
Get the best,
I'll take full responsibility
for the expenses.
Yes, Miss Starlin.
(mysterious music)
I don't know, Arthur.
I think it best we wait.
It's been three days
since the accident, Jan,
and no sign of improvement,
he's still in a coma.
You heard what the doctor said.
He may never regain consciousness.
And even if he does, who knows how badly
his brain has been damaged.
Well,
I'll give it another 48 hours.
If he doesn't regain
consciousness by then,
you can take over the laboratory, Arthur.
Janice.
It's my decision.
(somber music)
(mysterious music)
It's incredible, right
in front of our noses.
He can't have used it all.
I could run a qualitative analysis.
(mysterious music)
(dramatic music)
(gasping)
(buzzing)
(yelling)
(dramatic music)
(playful music)
[Guard] Confounded thing,
always goes on the fritz
right in the middle of a good program.
(whistling)
(suspenseful music)
I want this to be the
biggest advertising campaign
in the history of cosmetic advertising.
Every newspaper and
magazine in the country
will be flooded with our new slogan,
"Return to youth with Janice Starlin."
Excuse me, Miss Starlin.
What is it, Thompson?
I think we should be
a little conservative,
Miss Starlin, cosmetics are one thing,
medications another, we're
liable to run into trouble.
Yes.
All advertising copy will be
cleared through your office.
It's a touchy business, you know?
Max is right, Miss Starlin.
You don't have to
second the motion, Lane.
(mysterious music)
I want one thing understood
very clearly now, gentlemen.
Janice Starlin Enterprises
is going to bring the most
fantastically sellable product
ever developed by modern
cosmetics to the public.
And I don't intend to be
restricted by timidity
on the part of my own
staff, is that clear?
(mysterious music)
Are you all right, Miss Starlin?
It's just a little headache, Mary.
I'm fine.
Can I get you something?
I'm all right, I'm all right, thank you.
I have some Aspirin in my purse.
It's all right, Mary.
Well, that'll be all for now, gentlemen.
(mysterious music)
Hi.
Hi, sweetie.
Gee, I sure hope they give
the girls working at Starlin
first crack at that new stuff.
Imagine being 18 again.
I guess if it can take
15 years off Starlin,
it can take 10 off you.
What do you mean 10?
Face it honey, this is
Maureen you're talking to.
Yeah?
Well if I were you I'd take a double dose
then maybe Irving wouldn't
watch television so much.
So who says he looks at it?
I can't imagine what else he does.
Three guesses.
- Say, did Cooper come in yet?
- Uh-uh.
Missed a board meeting this morning,
I bet Starlin's having a fit.
He should worry.
Uh-oh, see you later.
Bye, honey.
(jazzy music)
Hi pretty puss.
You know where
Miss Starlin's office is?
Suite number one.
(laughing)
La di da, the Duchess
of Flatbush herself.
How'd you like to have this
phone wrapped around your ear?
Wise guy.
That's more like it, sister.
(jazzy music)
Suite number one.
Thank you.
Miss Starlin.
Oh, what is it, Mary?
[Mary] Is there anything I can do?
Yes, is Mr. Zinthrop's room ready?
Uh-huh, the nurse is fixing
the emergency equipment now
and the ambulance is due any minute.
Be sure to let me know when it arrives.
Oh, Mary, please, before you go,
could you see if you
could work that thing?
Oh, sure.
I've seen lots of these.
Oh, simple enough.
That'll be all, Mary, thank you.
All right.
We've had a room
especially made over for you,
Mr. Zinthrop and Mrs. Warren
has a room adjoining yours
so there'll be someone
near you at all times.
Thank you, thank you.
When you're feeling
better, Mr. Zinthrop,
there are a few things I'd
like to discuss with you.
Good, good.
(murmuring)
We'll do everything we can
to make you comfortable, Mr. Zinthrop.
I'm going to spend the
nights here in my office
so if anything develops, I'll be on hand.
Thank you.
Thank you, Miss Starlin.
Only there's something
I must tell you,
something important.
But, important but...
(groaning)
I cannot remember.
I'm sure it can wait.
Right now the main thing is
to get you back to health.
(groaning)
Take good care of him, Mrs. Warren.
Yes, Miss Starlin.
Sure is funny about old Coop.
He misses one day of
work and you're ready
to call missing persons.
Well, he's a pretty
conscientious guy, honey,
if he felt sick or something
he'd have called in.
Relax, he'll probably be in bright
and chipper in the morning.
Oh, am I interrupting something?
[Bill] Oh, we were just
having a little coffee class,
Miss Starlin, we were
talking about Mr. Cooper.
What about Mr. Cooper?
[Bill] Well, about his missing
the meeting this morning.
Nobody's been able to reach him all day.
I wouldn't worry about that,
Mr. Cooper's been here a long time.
Probably feels he's entitled to take a day
for himself now and then.
[Mary] That's what I've
been trying to tell Mr. Lane.
Oh, by the way, Miss
Starlin, how is Mr. Zinthrop?
Oh, fine.
In a few days we'll start
the layouts for the campaign.
I'm ready when you are, boss.
Look those over.
Hey, Bill.
Hmm?
Don't go getting any
ideas about the boss.
Me? Don't be silly,
I just want her to know
that I'm an eager member of the team.
Still, she is looking a lot
younger these days, isn't she?
You think Zinthrop would give
you any of those treatments?
Break the watch or something.
(mysterious music)
(whistling)
Guarantee on this too.
(buzzing)
(whistling)
(buzzing)
(angry buzzing)
(dramatic music)
(yelling)
What's that?
Lie back now, you just had a bad dream.
Lie down now, go to sleep.
This horrible sound.
Like a nightmare.
Just a bad dream.
Lie down.
Just a dream.
(groaning)
Tell Mr. Green that personnel
is his responsibility.
I have other things to
think about than worrying
whether the night watchman
walked off the job.
Well that's just it, Miss Starlin,
Mr. Green feels that the
watchman never left the building.
His lunch pail and his raincoat
are still in the basement.
I don't want to hear
anything more about it, Mary.
All right, Miss Starlin.
We'll use these.
Fine.
She swears she heard a scream
from one of the other floors.
Zinthrop heard it too
but she convinced him
he was having a bad dream.
Oh, maybe they both were.
It's not funny any more, Mary,
there's something going
on in that building.
And I'm gonna find out what it is.
How?
Have a look around
Cooper's lab, for one thing.
After that I,
I don't know.
Hold it steady.
Bill, this is crazy.
We could really get in trouble.
(grunting)
I won't tire him, Mrs. Warren but
it is important.
All right, Miss Starlin,
I'll be in my room.
Zinthrop,
Zinthrop, you've got to help me.
Something's happening.
Something's happening to
me, I can't control it.
There's something I must remember but
I can't.
Try to think.
The wasp enzymes,
the extracts you were experimenting with
before the accident.
Try to think!
I can't
(crying)
Well this is Zinthrop's notebook, Mary.
Notes on his experiments with Jan.
Well how did Cooper get hold of it?
I don't know.
If only Coop would show up.
Mary, look.
It's Mr. Cooper's pipe.
Don't you get it?
He'd sooner go out without his pants
than leave that pipe behind.
He's still somewhere in the building,
I'd bet a year's salary on it.
- If he is...
- He's dead.
(ominous music)
And the night watchman.
There's only enough left
for one more injection.
One more.
You've got to make more, Zinthrop.
Help me, Zinthrop!
Please, leave, my head, oh my head.
(crying)
Zinthrop, help me!
Help me!
(suspenseful music)
(buzzing)
(yelling)
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
[Mary] Is he asleep?
I don't know.
Bill, don't touch him.
If anybody knows what's
behind all this, it's him.
Mr. Zinthrop?
(dramatic music)
Bill.
Look it.
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
Well, her coat, purse
and everything else
is still in there.
She wouldn't go out without her purse.
Bill, let's get out of
here, I don't like it.
The cat...
The cat...
Must warn her.
Mr. Zinthrop!
Who are you?
Now there's nothing to be
alarmed about, Mr. Zinthrop,
I'm Bill Lane and this is Miss Dennison,
Miss Starlin's secretary.
Miss Starlin, the cat.
What about a cat?
Must warn her.
The injections, must not
take any more injections.
[Mary] Is Miss Starlin in danger?
Terrible danger.
I must...
Take it easy, Mr. Zinthrop,
you're still pretty weak.
Mary, see if you can get Jan on the phone.
(groaning)
(phone ringing)
There's no answer.
(phone ringing)
- Oh, Miss Starlin?
- Is that you, Mary?
- Where are you?
- We're in the building.
We're in Mr. Zinthrop's room.
Something's happened down here...
Here, let me talk to her.
Hello, Miss Starlin, this is Lane.
Why are you and Mary
still in the building?
It's after 10.
- I must help,
I'm responsible.
- Don't let him get up, Mary.
I must help.
I must...
- I can't explain now, Miss Starlin.
I must go.
- Hang on to him.
- I must help.
You must not hold me back.
Don't worry, Mr. Zinthrop,
we won't let anything
happen to Miss Starlin.
[Bill] Hello, hello, Miss Starlin.
What's going on down there?
Stay in your office, I'll be right up.
(suspenseful music)
Keep an eye on Zinthrop,
honey, I'm going upstairs.
No, no, no!
The insect, the insect!
Take it easy, Mr. Zinthrop.
You do not understand, Miss Starlin,
she's in danger, I must warn.
Look, I'll have to stay
here, you go for Jan.
[Mary] Okay.
When you get up there, call the police,
you can't get outside on this phone.
All right, all right, I'll hurry.
(suspenseful music)
Not the police, not the police.
(suspenseful music)
Miss Starlin!
Miss Starlin!
(knocking)
Miss Starlin,
it's me, Mary!
Miss Starlin, please, open the door!
(suspenseful music)
- What is it, Mary?
- Miss Starlin, please!
Will you please call the police?
What for?
Look, I don't have time to, never mind.
Mary!
(suspenseful music)
I'm sorry I had to do that.
There's no time for hysteria.
Now what is this?
The enzymes, the enzymes,
they're going crazy.
Sure, Mr. Zinthrop, you just relax
and take it easy,
everything'll be all right,
we'll take care of those
whatever you call those...
You do not understand,
you do not understand,
that girl, you shouldn't
have sent her upstairs.
She's in danger, you must stop her
before it is too late.
- Okay.
As soon as the cops get here, we'll take...
Oh, you fool, you fool.
Miss Starlin will kill her
and tear her body to shreds.
Miss Starlin kill Mary?
Miss Starlin is not a
human being any longer.
The enzymes have changed her.
She will destroy the girl as an evil wasp
would destroy her enemies.
And then devour the remains.
(groaning)
Then Bill found Mr. Zinthrop's
notebook in Cooper's desk.
No, no, there's no mistake,
we've got to call the police now.
Now, Mary, you're just
getting a little excited.
Now who could possibly
want to hurt Mr. Coop...
(suspenseful music)
I don't know.
But it's not only Mr. Cooper.
What about...
(buzzing)
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
(buzzing)
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
I told you, we're too late.
Mary!
(dramatic music)
Mary!
Wait, I'll go with you.
I can't wait, I'm gonna take the stairs.
Oh look.
Laboratory, she's going to the laboratory.
Going up the stairs.
(dramatic music)
Mary!
(buzzing)
Mary, Mary!
(glass shattering)
(dramatic music)
(buzzing)
(thudding)
(buzzing)
(yelling)
Help!
(groaning)
(yelling)
(dramatic music)
(buzzing)
Get away from her!
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
Mary.
Oh, Mary.
(mysterious music)
(dramatic music)
(buzzing)
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
Now, now, don't get
nasty my little friends,
your bumping's not gonna hurt you one bit.
Just relax and sleep.
Sleep, sleep, sleep
and in the morning you'll find
yourselves in your new home.
Eh, my pets?
(chuckling)
(twig snapping)
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
(buzzing)
Good morning, Doc, what you got there?
Alvin, I found some new friends.
(tapping)
Listen.
(angry buzzing)
Wasps?
You better be careful, they
can sting a man to death.
Don't worry, we understand each other.
They know who their friend is.
They can tell.
Yeah, but they know when you ain't too.
Ah, nonsense.
If you knew about wasps what I know,
you'd have no fear of them my boy.
[Alvin] No fear.
(laughing)
[Mr. Barker] Hey you,
give us a hand here!
Hello there, Mr. Barker.
Surprised to see you out
here in the field, sir.
How are things running
at the front office?
Smooth as honey, Renfro.
(laughing)
I see here you turned in
over a thousand pounds
of orange blossom honey and 400 of beeswax
last month, Renfro, congratulations,
you've made the top of the list again.
Why, thank you sir.
Holiday Honey needs
your kinda man, Renfro.
You stay with it and I
can see a bright future
for you with the company.
Well I do try to do my best, Mr. Barker.
I try to take my
inspiration from the bees,
always busy, busy, busy.
Yes.
Now what about this fellow, Dr. Zinthrop?
Zinthrop?
Boy, there's a nut, him and his bees.
You know it wouldn't surprise me someday
to see him flapping his arms, taking off
after some queen bee with
the rest of the drones.
Mm-hmm, well he's paid to
do research on royal jelly.
Haven't had a progress
report from him in a month.
Hmm, well, he has a
little workshop up there,
back of the orange grove,
keeps a few colonies.
I suppose I better go
up there and take a look.
(buzzing)
Hey you!
Where's this fellow Zinthrop?
Oh, he's up where the
extractor is, up there!
Hey, hey, this isn't a honey bee.
These are wasps.
Wasps!
Who's responsible for this?
Most likely Dr. Zinthrop, sir.
I told you he was a crackpot.
Zinthrop, huh?
Zinthrop.
(buzzing)
Zinthrop!
Zinthrop!
(buzzing)
Now look here, Zinthrop,
what's all this nonsense about wasps?
I'm so glad you dropped in, Mr. Barker.
Mr. Barker, I'm on the
verge of a great discovery.
Discovery, what do you mean?
Well, sir, I almost
perfected a new method
of extracting royal jelly
from the queen wasp.
According to my figures you're
better at extracting funds
from the company.
Now look here, Zinthrop,
over $1,000 last month for miscellaneous.
Yes, yes, I know, but Mr. Barker,
let me just show you something.
Just let me show you something.
Already I've learned to
slow the process of aging.
Soon,
I shall be able to reverse it entirely.
What are you getting at, Zinthrop?
[Zinthrop] Look, what do you see?
I see a big dog and a little dog.
Let's say an old dog and a young dog.
All right, so what?
But they're exactly the same age.
You see, the little one
Greta has been given
regular injections of my
compound from the queen wasp.
Just like I told ya, Mr. Barker.
Now look here, Zinthrop,
I understand about science
and progress and all that
but you were attained
to extract queen bee royal jelly.
Now it's a health food, a cosmetic.
It's not a miracle drug
or an elixir of youth,
that sort of thing is impossible.
- Oh, but Mr. Barker...
- Zinthrop,
I'm sorry, Zinthrop, but
I'm gonna have to let you go.
You just don't seem to be one of the team.
You understand.
Good luck, I'm sure
you'll fit in somewhere.
Fit in.
Somewhere.
(buzzing)
(mysterious music)
Oh, now, now, don't worry, my friends.
We shall find a home somehow.
Somewhere.
Oh but you sound impatient.
I know, it's your babies, huh?
They're hungry and they must be fed.
Now, how would you like a
nice, juicy little caterpillar?
You'd like that, wouldn't you?
There.
Now you must eat and be strong because,
well, a lot of work to do together.
Yes sir.
(sighs)
A lot of work.
(dramatic music)
As you can see, gentlemen,
sales for the last fiscal
quarter have dropped.
14 and one half percent.
There's not been a corresponding drop
in our competitor's sales.
I trust one of you gentlemen has a
satisfactory explanation for this decline.
Not one little suggestion, gentlemen?
We'll start with you, Thompson.
As Public Relations Manager,
no doubt you have some
faint glimmering of what's
happening to Starlin Products.
Well, Thompson?
- Well, you see, I...
- I had no idea
you were such an excellent
public speaker, Thompson.
Oh, I'm sorry Miss
Starlin, I guess I'm not
feeling very well this morning.
[Janice] I'm sorry you aren't.
I think I can tell
you why Starlin Products
are falling off so badly, Miss Starlin.
We're listening, Lane.
Where would you put the
responsibility for this decline?
On you, Miss Starlin.
I imagine you
have arguments to support that contention?
We've all been looking at
it for the past 20 minutes.
The most convincing argument
is right on that graph.
May I show you?
Thank you.
Now right here in April
is when Starlin's sales
started falling off.
Very clever of you, Lane.
Would you mind waiting
until I finish, Miss Starlin?
- That's enough, Lane.
- Relax, Willis.
My apologies for the interruption, go on.
Thank you.
Now as I said, sales
began to fall in April.
But the reason for the fall
was back here in February.
Starlin Products have
always been thought of
as something of a modern
miracle in the cosmetics trade.
A firm built to a
multi-million-dollar-a-year business
on the strength and appeal of
one person, Janice Starlin.
From the beginning right
through until February
of this year, only one woman's face
was used to advertise those products.
Your face, Miss Starlin.
The public have come to accept you as a,
as a symbol.
Now, after 16 years, they
see a different face,
they don't trust it.
They feel cheated.
The simple fact is that Starlin Cosmetics
should have Janice Starlin's
picture advertising them.
Well that's about all I've got to say.
And a darn good job of saying it, too.
I agree.
(applauding)
Lane makes a lot of sense
on that score, Miss Starlin.
I think I've had enough
flattery for one morning, gentlemen.
(buzzing)
It was a very convincing argument, Lane.
[Secretary] There's a Mr.
Zinthrop to see Miss Starlin.
There's only one small
factor you've overlooked.
Not even Janice Starlin can
remain a glamour girl forever.
Miss Starlin.
Yes, Mary?
There's a Mr. Zinthrop in reception,
he says he has an appointment.
Thank you.
Well, this has been a very
informative get together,
that'll be all for now.
(murmuring)
Oh, Arthur?
- Yes, Miss Starlin?
I'd like to see you
in my office, please.
Sure, Miss Starlin.
Take it easy, hot shot.
Something on your mind, Miss Starlin?
You've done some work on
royal jelly, haven't you?
A little.
Are there any real
therapeutic values in it?
Oh, I'd say so.
Course a lot depends on each individual's
reaction to the stuff.
What do you mean?
Just that no two people react
in precisely the same way.
One man's meat's another man's poison.
Oh.
But you think royal jelly can
be beneficial in some cases?
Queen bees set a lot of store by it.
I'll accept that as
an affirmative answer.
Supposing a more powerful
form of royal jelly
could be obtained, from
the queen wasp for example.
I mean, do you suppose that might have
some rejuvenating effect on a human being?
I'd stay away from wasps
if I were you, Miss Starlin.
Socially the queen wasp is on a level
with the black widow spider.
They're both carnivorous,
they paralyze their victims
and then take their time
devouring them alive.
They kill their mates in the same way too.
Strictly a one-sided romance.
Well, I'm not exactly interested in
the love life of the queen wasp.
I want your opinion on
the possibilities of using
enzyme extracts from royal
wasp jelly, commercially.
Well, if you want an honest
opinion, Miss Starlin...
Of course I want an honest opinion.
Then my advice is forget about it.
(sighs)
- Thank you, Arthur.
Any time, Miss Starlin.
- Have Mr. Zinthrop come in.
- Yes, Miss Starlin.
You can go in now, sir.
- Oh.
'Bout time.
(phone ringing)
Janice Starlin Enterprises.
(mysterious music)
[Zinthrop] Miss Starlin?
Yes, how do you do?
I'm afraid I won't be able
to give you much time,
Mr. Zinthrop.
But it is I who give you
the time, Miss Starlin.
Oh yes, plenty of time I give you, 10,
maybe 15 years I give you.
I want you to understand
one thing very clearly,
Mr. Zinthrop.
I expect absolute proof
of what you claimed
in your letter, tangible proof, not words.
(chuckling)
Such proof you shall
get, Madam, and more.
But I think I better show
you in the laboratory, yes?
All right.
Come along.
(mysterious music)
Look.
They look terrible.
Why don't you put them
out of their misery?
Madam, you asked for
proof, please be kind enough
to look at the proof you asked for.
May I proceed?
Thank you.
Come, come, come little one.
(dramatic music)
In a few minutes, Madam,
we shall see a miracle
you shall not believe.
Oh, no tricks,
you may look if you
like, I have no tricks.
Well, don't look at me, I'm not changing.
(dramatic music)
(mysterious music)
I don't believe it, it's not possible.
I see you do not believe one animal,
so I bring two.
I show you again, yes?
Yes, I must be sure.
Yes, Madam.
There.
(dramatic music)
Well, Miss Starlin, does my secret
have interest for you, yes?
What are your terms, Mr. Zinthrop?
First, I must have a laboratory equipped
with everything I need for my research.
If we're successful, well, I
ask for a little percentage.
But I must get full
credit for my discovery,
that is most important to me.
I'll have Gordon draw up the contracts.
Oh, contracts, contracts I do not need,
you give me your word, good enough for me.
(chuckling)
You amaze me.
Frankly, when I received
your letter I thought
you were just another eccentric.
But there was always a
chance you might not be.
Then you walk in here and show me
nothing short of a miracle.
Two miracles.
And you say that you'll accept my word
that I won't cheat you.
You won't.
I know you're a good woman,
even if you do not like
other people to know it.
However, my formula may not
be good for human beings,
I have not tested yet.
You will, on me.
Oh, no, no, no, no,
there might be danger.
Those are my terms, Mr. Zinthrop.
Janice Starlin will be
your next guinea pig.
Very well.
Though it may take a
little time to prepare
a sufficient extract, a week, maybe more.
I'll make whatever
arrangements you may need
for your equipment.
Thank you, Madam.
Now I see how you built all this.
(chuckling)
I'm very close to
losing it, Mr. Zinthrop.
Maybe working together we can save
Janice Starlin Enterprises,
maybe even make it
bigger than ever before.
Yes.
Oh, yes.
I'm sure the next
three months we will see
a rise in Starlin sales that will surpass
anything we've dared imagine.
Mr. Zinthrop...
Is working on the final
stages of a development
that will revolutionize
the cosmetics industry.
He's to have a free
hand in his experiments
and will be answerable
to no one but myself.
At the moment I cannot divulge the nature
of Mr. Zinthrop's experiments
but I can assure you
it will bring world-wide recognition
to Janice Starlin Enterprises.
(energetic music)
I dunno, this Zinthrop
must be the granddaddy
of all confidence men to have
taken a gal like Starlin.
Now why doesn't somebody wise her up?
Like you, for instance?
Bill, what makes you think Zinthrop
really isn't on the level?
After all, we don't even
know what he's working on,
it could be very legitimate.
You're as bad as she is.
Oh, women.
(scoffs)
Men.
Every time you're stuck for an answer
you always come up with, "Women."
You're not getting out
of this one so easily.
I'd like to know why you think Zinthrop
really hasn't got something.
Well you can call it
male intuition if you like.
It's just that there's something
about this whole business
that doesn't smell right.
The private laboratory,
the secret experiments,
Zinthrop himself.
The only thing that's missing
is a genie with a lamp.
You better leave the intuition to me.
Come on, I'll let you buy me dinner.
Buy you dinner?
What's happened to your sporting blood?
I thought we were gonna
toss for the check.
Oh no,
you won the last three times.
All right, look, I'll
make a deal with you.
Dinner is on me if you
promise to keep an eye
on what goes on in there.
Oh, what do you want
me to do, read her mail
and send you messages in secret code?
You could do worse.
Oh no, Mr. Cooper, not you too.
I've been trying to
tell bright eyes here
that I think Zinthrop is a
phony and a confidence man.
If I were sure of that
I wouldn't be worried.
I think he's a lot more dangerous.
A quack.
Well, I don't follow you, Coop.
Well, a confidence man
would just be interested in your money.
The only damage they can
do is to your pocket book.
A quack can be fatal.
(jazzy music)
So I says to him, I
says, "Listen Irving,
"I'm getting sick of this
TV every night, I mean,
"you know, we can do the
same thing in a night club."
Well, almost.
(phone ringing)
Good morning, Janice Starlin Enterprises.
(jazzy music)
I got two words for ya,
drop dead.
Twice.
Irving?
Calls me to tell me Dr. Cyclops
is on channel nine tonight.
What a crust.
He's seen it twice already.
(scoffing)
Good morning.
(jazzy music)
Is Miss Starlin in her office now?
Miss Starlin's in conference.
Would you like to speak to her secretary?
Oh, no, no, no, just say to Miss Starlin
I should like to see her
when she has time, huh?
Yes sir.
Was there something else, Mr. Zinthrop?
No, no, no, no, goodbye.
Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
(jazzy music)
What a character, a regular
two-eyed Dr. Cyclops.
Even the bow.
"Good morning, may I
see Miss Zarlin, please?"
(laughing)
He's a real weirdy.
Wonder what his game is.
- Who cares.
You know, Morton thinks he's a crackpot,
I heard him telling Cooper so.
Old bug eyes really has the execs worried.
About what?
That's just it, they don't know.
Oh.
So anyway, back to Irving.
(buzzing)
(suspenseful music)
(knocking)
Good morning, Miss
Starlin, good morning.
Good morning, I couldn't
get away any sooner,
is it important?
Miss Starlin, do you
remember the big cat
I showed you last week, no?
What about it?
Well, I want you to look at him, come.
No.
Quite a difference, yes?
(laughing)
Why, it's incredible!
The same mark.
Same cat.
(laughing)
You're young again, can
you realize what that means?
You're a kitten again.
Your whole life to live over.
How does it feel?
I think perhaps you'll
be able to find out
for yourself, Miss Starlin.
Today...
Today will be your first injection.
Come.
(dramatic music)
Sit down, please.
(mysterious music)
[Mary] Mr. Gleason, of
accounting, on line three.
What is it, Gleason?
I sent you a memo.
Mr. Zinthrop has carte blanche
to order anything he requires.
It is no concern of yours, Gleason.
Make out a check for the full amount.
(rotary phone rattling)
Sue?
Mary.
Can I talk to Mr. Lane a minute, please?
Bill?
Hey, listen, Gleason just
got a bill for $2,300.
Zinthrop.
Enzyme extracts.
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
Yes, yes, yes, we are making progress,
there's great improvement in the tissue.
Why is it taking so long?
It's the third week.
(chuckling)
- You forget, my dear,
there's more to you than
a little kitten, no?
Besides, there's a
difference in metabolism.
Why not increase the dosage?
Wouldn't that step up the process?
Patience, my dear, patience.
We must tread lightly, with
care, your arm, please.
(mysterious music)
There.
You know, I've been experimenting with
a concentrated solution of the enzymes,
oh a great deal more
powerful than the solution
I've been using in your injection.
[Janice] Oh?
Yes.
And I think, I think it
will be better for lotions,
as an emollient lotion
it'll make estrogenic creams
and all such products old fashioned.
My dear, Starlin will be world famous,
bringing you to millions.
If you're right, Zinthrop,
there are going to be a few red faces
in my advertising department.
But I am right, why your own mirror
will tell you that I am right.
Why, you look at least five years younger
than you looked three weeks ago.
(chuckling)
I know.
(dramatic music)
Will you let me talk
to Bill a minute, Sue?
Thanks.
Bill, I think I've got it.
Yeah, I'm a nervous wreck.
At lunch, at lunch.
You'll have to translate for me, Coop,
I'm not very good at that technical stuff.
Pseudo-technical.
Our Mr. Zinthrop's a very
capable confidence man
from what I read in this letter.
He claims he can stimulate
the processes of rejuvenation
through the use of enzymes
extracted from wasps.
Oh, for...
Well, what are you two
Sherlocks going to do about it?
Right now I don't know.
Frankly I'm getting tired
of the whole business.
That woman's so intent
on holding back time
she's ready to fall for the
first phony line she hears.
Wasps.
Bill.
Face the facts, Mary, Janice Starlin
has built her whole life
on youth and beauty.
Now that she's losing them
she's scared to death.
Right now she's on cloud
nine with that quack Zinthrop
but I'd hate to be around when
she comes back down to Earth.
Well maybe we can let her down easy.
I think we owe her that much.
Yeah.
What are we gonna do?
We can't just let Zinthrop
build up her hopes
and then knock the props
out from under her.
How can he do such a terrible thing?
Poor Jan.
There must be something we
can do before it's too late.
He's got a mighty convincing argument.
Very impressive to the layman.
10 to one he's got a
record just as impressive.
There are ways to find out.
The answer might be
right here in our hands.
(jazzy music)
Heads.
I'm gonna keep this
letter for a day or two.
Wait a minute, suppose
she finds out it's gone,
I'm the only one with access to that desk,
she'll know I took it.
That's a chance you have to take, Mary.
I think we can be pretty sure that Coop
knows what he's doing, honey.
Well come on, young lovers.
(jazzy music)
(mysterious music)
(suspenseful music)
(cat yowling)
What is it, Maureen?
It is you, Miss Starlin?
Of course it's me.
Who did you think it was?
You look so different.
Finish your nails.
(phone ringing)
Maureen.
Hmm?
I think your phone is ringing.
Oh, yes, Miss Starlin.
Good morning, Janice Starlin Enterprises.
Gentlemen, Janice Starlin Enterprises
is about to start on the most
wide-spread publicity campaign
in the history of the cosmetic industry.
Our slogan will be, "Return
to youth with Janice Starlin."
When Mr. Zinthrop arrives,
there will be a press interview
and all questions regarding
the rejuvenation process
will be referred to him.
That'll be all for now, gentlemen.
- It's amazing.
- Why, it's wonderful.
- Absolutely amazing.
- You look marvelous.
I said that will be
all for now, gentlemen.
Good morning.
Oh not you, Mary, wait a moment, please.
Yes, Miss Starlin?
Mary, isn't it wonderful?
It's a miracle, a wonderful,
incredible miracle!
We were so worried about you,
we really thought you were in danger.
(laughing)
We even went to plotting how to rescue you
from Mr. Zinthrop.
(laughing)
It all seems so silly,
it seems ridiculous.
Oh Mary,
Mary, how old do I look?
Tell me, how old?
How old do I look?
Tell me!
How old?
23?
Maybe 22?
(stammering)
That's how old I was when I started
Janice Starlin Enterprises.
Do you realize what that means?
I'm back where I started, 18 years ago,
with what it took 18 years to accomplish.
It's like a dream.
(mysterious music)
(dramatic music)
(cat yowling)
(cat yowling)
30 years ago a bunch of
quacks were treating people
with monkey glands.
Seemed to work for a while.
Then the deterioration set in.
That's awful.
Do you think that will happen to Jan?
I don't know.
If I could just get inside of his lab and
run a breakdown on what he's using.
(suspenseful music)
(buzzing)
(knocking)
Mr. Zinthrop!
(suspenseful music)
Mr. Zinthrop?
Mr. Zinthrop?
(mysterious music)
(suspenseful music)
(tires squealing)
(thudding)
I want you to find him, Mr. Hellman,
I don't care what it costs.
We'll find him all right,
sooner or later we find them all.
Time is vital, Mr. Hellman.
Every hour he's gone,
it means more than you
can possibly imagine.
Well, you haven't given
me very much to go on.
No home address, no
former employer, no phone,
this is just like starting from scratch.
Mr. Zinthrop wasn't a,
a conventional employee.
He didn't go through regular personnel.
Uh-huh.
You say he came here about a month ago,
well how did he come here, Miss Starlin?
He just didn't walk in
off the street, did he?
The letter.
Right here in my drawer.
[Hellman] Maybe one
of the other drawers?
So that's what she meant?
What who meant?
(dramatic music)
Miss Starlin?
The letter's been taken and
you think you know who took it,
is that right?
My secretary, Miss Dennison.
[Hellman] You got her address handy?
Her phone number.
It might be better if
I busted in on her cold.
This way she'll have a
chance to prepare a story.
I know what I'm doing.
All right.
Mary?
Janice Starlin.
Before I went to lunch
I made a duplicate copy
of Mr. Zinthrop's letter.
I was going to take that one
to Bill and Mr. Cooper at first
but then I thought that the
original would be better.
Have you got the copy?
Yes, it's in my desk.
Get that copy, Miss Dennison.
Uh-huh, 946 West 73rd Street, Manhattan.
Yeah, that's right, get right on it, Jerry
and check back with me as soon as you can.
(suspenseful music)
(dramatic music)
(phone ringing)
Yeah?
Oh?
You're sure he's our boy?
Uh-huh.
Is he?
Central emergency.
Mm-hmm.
Right.
Well, it looks like we've got him.
There's a John Doe down
at central emergency,
auto accident.
There's no identification
on him but he was wearing
a lab smock and fills
Zinthrop's description.
Mary, get my coat and
Lane, get a cab downstairs.
Is he badly hurt?
Head injury, general
contusion to the body.
He's had a severe injury
and there's definite
brain damage, just how
much we can't tell as yet.
How long before you'll know?
It's hard to say, Miss Starlin.
Who's the best man
for this kind of injury?
Well, there's several top specialists.
Get the best,
I'll take full responsibility
for the expenses.
Yes, Miss Starlin.
(mysterious music)
I don't know, Arthur.
I think it best we wait.
It's been three days
since the accident, Jan,
and no sign of improvement,
he's still in a coma.
You heard what the doctor said.
He may never regain consciousness.
And even if he does, who knows how badly
his brain has been damaged.
Well,
I'll give it another 48 hours.
If he doesn't regain
consciousness by then,
you can take over the laboratory, Arthur.
Janice.
It's my decision.
(somber music)
(mysterious music)
It's incredible, right
in front of our noses.
He can't have used it all.
I could run a qualitative analysis.
(mysterious music)
(dramatic music)
(gasping)
(buzzing)
(yelling)
(dramatic music)
(playful music)
[Guard] Confounded thing,
always goes on the fritz
right in the middle of a good program.
(whistling)
(suspenseful music)
I want this to be the
biggest advertising campaign
in the history of cosmetic advertising.
Every newspaper and
magazine in the country
will be flooded with our new slogan,
"Return to youth with Janice Starlin."
Excuse me, Miss Starlin.
What is it, Thompson?
I think we should be
a little conservative,
Miss Starlin, cosmetics are one thing,
medications another, we're
liable to run into trouble.
Yes.
All advertising copy will be
cleared through your office.
It's a touchy business, you know?
Max is right, Miss Starlin.
You don't have to
second the motion, Lane.
(mysterious music)
I want one thing understood
very clearly now, gentlemen.
Janice Starlin Enterprises
is going to bring the most
fantastically sellable product
ever developed by modern
cosmetics to the public.
And I don't intend to be
restricted by timidity
on the part of my own
staff, is that clear?
(mysterious music)
Are you all right, Miss Starlin?
It's just a little headache, Mary.
I'm fine.
Can I get you something?
I'm all right, I'm all right, thank you.
I have some Aspirin in my purse.
It's all right, Mary.
Well, that'll be all for now, gentlemen.
(mysterious music)
Hi.
Hi, sweetie.
Gee, I sure hope they give
the girls working at Starlin
first crack at that new stuff.
Imagine being 18 again.
I guess if it can take
15 years off Starlin,
it can take 10 off you.
What do you mean 10?
Face it honey, this is
Maureen you're talking to.
Yeah?
Well if I were you I'd take a double dose
then maybe Irving wouldn't
watch television so much.
So who says he looks at it?
I can't imagine what else he does.
Three guesses.
- Say, did Cooper come in yet?
- Uh-uh.
Missed a board meeting this morning,
I bet Starlin's having a fit.
He should worry.
Uh-oh, see you later.
Bye, honey.
(jazzy music)
Hi pretty puss.
You know where
Miss Starlin's office is?
Suite number one.
(laughing)
La di da, the Duchess
of Flatbush herself.
How'd you like to have this
phone wrapped around your ear?
Wise guy.
That's more like it, sister.
(jazzy music)
Suite number one.
Thank you.
Miss Starlin.
Oh, what is it, Mary?
[Mary] Is there anything I can do?
Yes, is Mr. Zinthrop's room ready?
Uh-huh, the nurse is fixing
the emergency equipment now
and the ambulance is due any minute.
Be sure to let me know when it arrives.
Oh, Mary, please, before you go,
could you see if you
could work that thing?
Oh, sure.
I've seen lots of these.
Oh, simple enough.
That'll be all, Mary, thank you.
All right.
We've had a room
especially made over for you,
Mr. Zinthrop and Mrs. Warren
has a room adjoining yours
so there'll be someone
near you at all times.
Thank you, thank you.
When you're feeling
better, Mr. Zinthrop,
there are a few things I'd
like to discuss with you.
Good, good.
(murmuring)
We'll do everything we can
to make you comfortable, Mr. Zinthrop.
I'm going to spend the
nights here in my office
so if anything develops, I'll be on hand.
Thank you.
Thank you, Miss Starlin.
Only there's something
I must tell you,
something important.
But, important but...
(groaning)
I cannot remember.
I'm sure it can wait.
Right now the main thing is
to get you back to health.
(groaning)
Take good care of him, Mrs. Warren.
Yes, Miss Starlin.
Sure is funny about old Coop.
He misses one day of
work and you're ready
to call missing persons.
Well, he's a pretty
conscientious guy, honey,
if he felt sick or something
he'd have called in.
Relax, he'll probably be in bright
and chipper in the morning.
Oh, am I interrupting something?
[Bill] Oh, we were just
having a little coffee class,
Miss Starlin, we were
talking about Mr. Cooper.
What about Mr. Cooper?
[Bill] Well, about his missing
the meeting this morning.
Nobody's been able to reach him all day.
I wouldn't worry about that,
Mr. Cooper's been here a long time.
Probably feels he's entitled to take a day
for himself now and then.
[Mary] That's what I've
been trying to tell Mr. Lane.
Oh, by the way, Miss
Starlin, how is Mr. Zinthrop?
Oh, fine.
In a few days we'll start
the layouts for the campaign.
I'm ready when you are, boss.
Look those over.
Hey, Bill.
Hmm?
Don't go getting any
ideas about the boss.
Me? Don't be silly,
I just want her to know
that I'm an eager member of the team.
Still, she is looking a lot
younger these days, isn't she?
You think Zinthrop would give
you any of those treatments?
Break the watch or something.
(mysterious music)
(whistling)
Guarantee on this too.
(buzzing)
(whistling)
(buzzing)
(angry buzzing)
(dramatic music)
(yelling)
What's that?
Lie back now, you just had a bad dream.
Lie down now, go to sleep.
This horrible sound.
Like a nightmare.
Just a bad dream.
Lie down.
Just a dream.
(groaning)
Tell Mr. Green that personnel
is his responsibility.
I have other things to
think about than worrying
whether the night watchman
walked off the job.
Well that's just it, Miss Starlin,
Mr. Green feels that the
watchman never left the building.
His lunch pail and his raincoat
are still in the basement.
I don't want to hear
anything more about it, Mary.
All right, Miss Starlin.
We'll use these.
Fine.
She swears she heard a scream
from one of the other floors.
Zinthrop heard it too
but she convinced him
he was having a bad dream.
Oh, maybe they both were.
It's not funny any more, Mary,
there's something going
on in that building.
And I'm gonna find out what it is.
How?
Have a look around
Cooper's lab, for one thing.
After that I,
I don't know.
Hold it steady.
Bill, this is crazy.
We could really get in trouble.
(grunting)
I won't tire him, Mrs. Warren but
it is important.
All right, Miss Starlin,
I'll be in my room.
Zinthrop,
Zinthrop, you've got to help me.
Something's happening.
Something's happening to
me, I can't control it.
There's something I must remember but
I can't.
Try to think.
The wasp enzymes,
the extracts you were experimenting with
before the accident.
Try to think!
I can't
(crying)
Well this is Zinthrop's notebook, Mary.
Notes on his experiments with Jan.
Well how did Cooper get hold of it?
I don't know.
If only Coop would show up.
Mary, look.
It's Mr. Cooper's pipe.
Don't you get it?
He'd sooner go out without his pants
than leave that pipe behind.
He's still somewhere in the building,
I'd bet a year's salary on it.
- If he is...
- He's dead.
(ominous music)
And the night watchman.
There's only enough left
for one more injection.
One more.
You've got to make more, Zinthrop.
Help me, Zinthrop!
Please, leave, my head, oh my head.
(crying)
Zinthrop, help me!
Help me!
(suspenseful music)
(buzzing)
(yelling)
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
[Mary] Is he asleep?
I don't know.
Bill, don't touch him.
If anybody knows what's
behind all this, it's him.
Mr. Zinthrop?
(dramatic music)
Bill.
Look it.
(mysterious music)
(buzzing)
Well, her coat, purse
and everything else
is still in there.
She wouldn't go out without her purse.
Bill, let's get out of
here, I don't like it.
The cat...
The cat...
Must warn her.
Mr. Zinthrop!
Who are you?
Now there's nothing to be
alarmed about, Mr. Zinthrop,
I'm Bill Lane and this is Miss Dennison,
Miss Starlin's secretary.
Miss Starlin, the cat.
What about a cat?
Must warn her.
The injections, must not
take any more injections.
[Mary] Is Miss Starlin in danger?
Terrible danger.
I must...
Take it easy, Mr. Zinthrop,
you're still pretty weak.
Mary, see if you can get Jan on the phone.
(groaning)
(phone ringing)
There's no answer.
(phone ringing)
- Oh, Miss Starlin?
- Is that you, Mary?
- Where are you?
- We're in the building.
We're in Mr. Zinthrop's room.
Something's happened down here...
Here, let me talk to her.
Hello, Miss Starlin, this is Lane.
Why are you and Mary
still in the building?
It's after 10.
- I must help,
I'm responsible.
- Don't let him get up, Mary.
I must help.
I must...
- I can't explain now, Miss Starlin.
I must go.
- Hang on to him.
- I must help.
You must not hold me back.
Don't worry, Mr. Zinthrop,
we won't let anything
happen to Miss Starlin.
[Bill] Hello, hello, Miss Starlin.
What's going on down there?
Stay in your office, I'll be right up.
(suspenseful music)
Keep an eye on Zinthrop,
honey, I'm going upstairs.
No, no, no!
The insect, the insect!
Take it easy, Mr. Zinthrop.
You do not understand, Miss Starlin,
she's in danger, I must warn.
Look, I'll have to stay
here, you go for Jan.
[Mary] Okay.
When you get up there, call the police,
you can't get outside on this phone.
All right, all right, I'll hurry.
(suspenseful music)
Not the police, not the police.
(suspenseful music)
Miss Starlin!
Miss Starlin!
(knocking)
Miss Starlin,
it's me, Mary!
Miss Starlin, please, open the door!
(suspenseful music)
- What is it, Mary?
- Miss Starlin, please!
Will you please call the police?
What for?
Look, I don't have time to, never mind.
Mary!
(suspenseful music)
I'm sorry I had to do that.
There's no time for hysteria.
Now what is this?
The enzymes, the enzymes,
they're going crazy.
Sure, Mr. Zinthrop, you just relax
and take it easy,
everything'll be all right,
we'll take care of those
whatever you call those...
You do not understand,
you do not understand,
that girl, you shouldn't
have sent her upstairs.
She's in danger, you must stop her
before it is too late.
- Okay.
As soon as the cops get here, we'll take...
Oh, you fool, you fool.
Miss Starlin will kill her
and tear her body to shreds.
Miss Starlin kill Mary?
Miss Starlin is not a
human being any longer.
The enzymes have changed her.
She will destroy the girl as an evil wasp
would destroy her enemies.
And then devour the remains.
(groaning)
Then Bill found Mr. Zinthrop's
notebook in Cooper's desk.
No, no, there's no mistake,
we've got to call the police now.
Now, Mary, you're just
getting a little excited.
Now who could possibly
want to hurt Mr. Coop...
(suspenseful music)
I don't know.
But it's not only Mr. Cooper.
What about...
(buzzing)
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
(buzzing)
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
I told you, we're too late.
Mary!
(dramatic music)
Mary!
Wait, I'll go with you.
I can't wait, I'm gonna take the stairs.
Oh look.
Laboratory, she's going to the laboratory.
Going up the stairs.
(dramatic music)
Mary!
(buzzing)
Mary, Mary!
(glass shattering)
(dramatic music)
(buzzing)
(thudding)
(buzzing)
(yelling)
Help!
(groaning)
(yelling)
(dramatic music)
(buzzing)
Get away from her!
(dramatic music)
(screaming)
Mary.
Oh, Mary.
(mysterious music)
(dramatic music)