Perry Mason (1957) s01e24 Episode Script

- How are you, Tommy? - I'm in conference, Mr.
Vance.
Oh, then I won't disturb you.
Hello, Dave.
Harry, I've been studying this Anderson thing.
- I don't think it has any merit.
- Are you suggesting we drop it? I don't see why you're pressing the matter.
- I think it's a rare opportunity.
- I don't.
I've had other dealings with Anderson.
I don't trust him or his figures.
I do.
You think I've been working with him under the table.
I didn't say that.
[INTERCOM BUZZES.]
DUNBAR [OVER INTERCOM.]
: Mrs.
Reed and Mr.
Crane are here.
One moment.
Harry, you stay here.
Have them come in.
Mom.
Mom.
Helen tells me you've instituted suit for custody of Tommy.
That's right, Bob.
She's not fit to be his mother.
You've accused my sister of that before.
You're not going to do it again.
This time, I'll prove it.
CRANE: You're lying, Reed.
And so help me, if you do anything to try to take Tommy away from Helen, you'll not live to appear in court.
Let's get out of here.
[PIANO MUSIC PLAYS.]
[WHISTLING.]
[LAUGHS.]
[MAN CLICKS FINGERS.]
[CHATTERING.]
[LAUGHS.]
Hi, Georgie Porgie.
Hi, Georgie Porgie.
GEORGE: Good evening, Miss Martel.
Give me a double, Georgie.
Hi, Johnny.
Hi, honey.
The service is lousy as usual.
I wanna talk to you, Joyce.
Talk? Well, well, well.
That'll be interesting for a change.
Where's my drink? You're not gonna sit at this bar and lush all night.
Of course not, baby.
As soon as Joyce has a couple of drinks, we'll have our little talk.
There's plenty of it in the office.
Call me when Terry Coogan gets here.
JO YCE: Mm.
That dame is poison.
Yeah.
And for Johnny, there ain't no antidote.
[LAUGHS.]
Where you been? Where have you been? Cheers, Johnny.
- Oh, Johnny, don't be so impatient.
- What do you mean, impatient? - I haven't seen you in a week.
- Has it been that long? What's happening to you, Joyce? All this double talk.
Be yourself.
- What's so funny? - That's it.
That's it.
I haven't been myself.
But, Johnny, tonight, I am going to be myself.
That's nice.
What about tomorrow night? Oh, Mr.
Crane, I'm so glad you're here.
How is she, doctor? She'll be all right in a few minutes.
Hi, sis.
Hi.
Did you take a little excursion through nightmare alley? I don't dare close my eyes again.
Not after that experience.
Do you wanna talk about it? It's all so senseless, Bob.
You-- You know how nightmares are.
There's no beginning and no end.
Well, I had a bad headache, so I went to bed early.
I must have gone to sleep right away because suddenly I was standing in front of this big garish building.
And I had a dress on that-- Well, if you saw me in it, you'd disown me.
CRANE: You might have caught cold.
No, hardly.
See, uh my shoulders were covered with mink.
But you're allergic to fur.
I know.
I know.
But not in the dream.
And I did a whole lot of things that I never do.
I never smoke and I never drink.
I can almost taste the alcohol now.
And then And then I went into the building and I went into the apartment.
And there I saw David's body.
DESMOND: Your former husband? He was He was sprawled out on the floor and there was a bullet hole in his head and there was a gun lying near him.
CRANE: Now, now.
HELEN: Aah! CRANE: We won't think about it anymore.
Just lie down.
Isn't there anything that can be done to alleviate these attacks, doctor? Mrs.
Reed's problem is emotional, not physical.
I've suggested psychiatric treatment and made several appointments.
She won't keep them.
I don't need a psychiatrist.
You make another appointment.
I'll see that she keeps it.
Good.
- I'll call Dr.
Maitland in the morning.
- Thank you.
Do you still have any of the pills I prescribed for you? Oh, I don't know.
I don't remember.
Sarah.
Sarah, in my purse, maybe.
This isn't Mrs.
Reed's purse.
There are initials on it.
"J.
M.
" What's the matter, Helen? That's the purse I carried in my nightmare.
CRANE: Mr.
Mason, I'll come right to the point.
My sister and I may require the services of an attorney.
Now then, will $2,500 be a sufficient retainer? It would if I accept the case.
We aren't sure that there is a case.
However, we have reason to believe that David Reed, my sister's former husband, has been murdered.
On what do you base that belief? [RIPS PAPER.]
On a nightmare.
A nightmare in which my sister saw David Reed lying with a bullet hole in his head.
Well, this would indicate that your sister's nightmare has substance.
CRANE: My sister's nightmares have the bizarre faculty of proving themselves horribly real.
Suppose it was real.
Suppose it wasn't a bad dream.
In just what way would it concern you? I threatened to kill David Reed.
- Why? - He accused my sister of misconduct and instituted a suit to have their son, Tommy, removed from her custody.
But you didn't kill him? CRANE: No.
Well, in that case, I can't accept your retainer.
HELEN: Why not? A conviction can't be obtained on the basis of a nightmare.
Even if there's physical evidence to support it? What evidence? My sister carried that purse in her nightmare.
It doesn't belong to her.
How did this purse happen to come into your possession? I don't know.
I never saw that before last night.
There must be some explanation.
In any event, it doesn't prove that David Reed is dead.
One bullet fired.
- Recently.
- In her nightmare, my sister saw that gun lying near David Reed's body.
It happens to be my gun.
- Miss Dunbar? - Right there.
Thank you.
Miss Dunbar? My name is Mason.
I spoke to you about an appointment.
Oh, yes, Mr.
Mason.
I'm sorry, but Mr.
Reed hasn't come in as yet.
- Would you care to wait? - Thank you.
- Oh, may I? - Certainly.
MASON: Mr.
Reed? Yes.
It's a perfect likeness.
[DOOR OPENS.]
- Has he come in yet? - Not yet, Mr.
Vance.
Mr.
Mason is waiting for him.
Well, if it concerns Reed Industries, perhaps I can help.
No.
I've been retained by Mr.
Robert Crane and Mrs.
Reed to act as their attorney.
Ah, yes.
Little Tommy's custody.
Unpleasant business.
Mr.
Vance, I specialise in criminal law.
Surely this matter won't be tried in a criminal court.
No, but David Reed's murder will.
Are you implying my partner is dead? If my information is correct.
Miss Dunbar informed you that he called only two hours ago.
Obviously, she also informed you about me.
Not more than two minutes ago, you acted as though you'd never heard of me before.
What are you hiding, Mr.
Vance? [PHONE RINGS.]
Reed Industries.
It's for you, Mr.
Mason.
Thank you.
Yes? Perry, Paul Drake just called.
He wants you to meet him at 622 South Barry, Brentwood.
Do you have it? Thank you, Della.
Oh, Mr.
Mason, just what was the purpose of your visit? I wanted to verify a nightmare.
Perry, I called my office while I was waiting for you.
Crane and his sister, Helen Reed, are at Dr.
Maitland's office.
Maitland? - He's a psychiatrist, isn't he? - Mm-hm.
One of the best.
- What about that? - Her name's Joyce Martel.
She lives in this building.
Apartment 310.
- You get a description? - Yeah.
She's blond, beautiful, 5'5", lazy hips.
Sounds very interesting.
She is, if the store manager where she bought this is any judge.
The only problem is, she may not be home.
I believe there was a key in there.
That's a very expensive bag, wouldn't you say, Paul? Forty-five bucks including tax.
Then I'm sure Miss Martel would be very grateful to get it back.
We might even get a reward.
Come on.
- Reed? - Mm-hm.
And Mrs.
Reed just dreamed this? Homicide won't need a Joseph to interpret this dream.
Well, put this back in the purse.
The tipster who called said it was the third floor.
All right.
Ask the manager for the key.
Why don't you wait here, lieutenant? You know how these anonymous phone tips are.
Probably nothing to it.
Grant, I see a bright future for you in the department.
Wait a minute.
This is Mason's car.
Nothing in the kitchen.
It's as bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard.
- What about the bathroom? - No, not even toothpaste.
Just towels, all monogrammed "J.
M.
" Same as this.
Handkerchiefs, lingerie.
All with her monogram.
She must have an inferiority complex.
Miss Martel certainly seems to be trying to assert her personality, yet-- Yet something's missing.
Now, if this is Joyce Martel, there is nothing missing.
[DOORBELL BUZZES.]
MASON: Well, come in, lieutenant.
We were just about to phone you.
I'll bet.
What are you doing here? Calling on Joyce Martel.
Sorry I asked.
I'm shocked, Mason.
A fashion plate like you in the company of anyone improperly attired.
Oh, I see what you mean.
Black bag, brown jacket.
Well, some people just have no taste.
Of course.
No private detective would be carrying an evening bag when dressed for the afternoon.
Not even an ex-private detective.
Uh, wait a minute, lieutenant.
Perry can explain everything.
Yes, I'm sure he can.
What's the idea of trying to remove evidence from the scene of a crime? We weren't.
We brought that bag up here with us.
My client found it and turned it over to me.
Since when did you become a Lost and Found Department? Well, now, Lieutenant Tragg, you above all people should know the duties of an attorney are varied and many.
Who's your client? - I am not at liberty-- - Liberty to divulge that at the moment.
Heh.
Probably.
But I'd appreciate a look at the ballistic report.
Oh, of course.
Just drop into my office.
When you visit your client's cell.
Thanks.
I will.
Just as soon as I find out who my client is.
Coming, Paul? All right, let them out.
Thanks, lieutenant.
Perry, I've got to return this immediately.
Of course, but the lab address is on the back.
I'd like to know - who's on the other half of this picture.
- I'll get right on it.
But what about the gun? The minute Tragg checks the registration, he'll know it belongs to Bob Crane.
Yeah, he moves pretty fast.
I'm hoping it will keep him occupied long enough for us to find out what Helen Reed has up Joyce Martel's sleeve.
You just passed me.
Is there a connection? So close they could share the same nightmare.
- This is Joyce Martel.
- Yeah.
And Joyce Martel is Helen Reed.
And God bless Miss Dunbar and Mr.
Vance and Sarah and Mother and Daddy.
SARAH: All right, young man, off to bed.
Good night, darling.
- Amen.
- Heh.
Good night.
Good night.
Now, march right off to bed.
- Will you read me a story? - We'll see.
Good night, Mommy.
Good night, sweetie.
[DOORBELL BUZZES.]
Bet you're tickled to death to see me.
I beg your pardon.
You left this in my cab last night.
- That isn't mine.
- Now, wait, lady.
Take that thing away from me.
- Well, "that thing" is mink.
- Take it away.
Get out.
[CAB DRIVER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY.]
[DOORBELL BUZZING.]
Hey, lady, open up.
You wanna get me into trouble? Come on.
I got enough headaches without you making more.
What's going on? You got me, mister.
That dame in there.
I dropped her at the Burgundy Club last night.
Later, I picked her up from an apartment on Barry and drove her here.
She left this stole in my hack.
Now she says it ain't hers.
I don't know what kind of a racket she's trying to pull, but I'm not falling for it.
Excuse me.
[DOORBELL BUZZING.]
Mrs.
Reed, this is Perry Mason.
This gentleman claims you left your mink stole in his cab last night.
I've already told him that it doesn't belong to me.
Well, I suppose I could be wrong.
The lady looked different last night, but I-- Now I know it's her for sure.
That other one opened the door for us.
Okay.
You can leave it.
Thanks, mister.
Please, Mr.
Mason.
She can become very ill.
She's allergic to fur.
All right.
But that taxi driver can testify that Mrs.
Reed was wearing this fur last night in the vicinity of David Reed's murder.
Oh, no.
No.
That was only a nightmare.
It was only a nightmare.
Mrs.
Reed, your husband's murder was very likely a nightmare.
But it was no figment of your imagination.
He is dead.
He was found in the apartment you occupied under the name of Joyce Martel.
My apartment? I don't have any other apartment.
That thing doesn't belong to me.
I couldn't wear it.
I couldn't wear that.
Miss Street said it was urgent.
It certainly is, Mr.
Crane.
You'll likely be arrested for David Reed's murder before the night's out.
Then it is true.
I should have known.
Did you know that David Reed was murdered in Joyce Martel's apartment? That's impossible.
There is no Joyce Martel.
There never has been.
Don't you lie to me, Mr.
Crane.
Now, the name is familiar to you, isn't it? Well, yes.
Joyce Martel is the name of an imaginary playmate of Helen's when we were children.
Go on.
About 25 years ago, after one of her nightmares, Helen said she saw Joyce Martel try to kill me with a bread knife.
I used to tease her about Joyce until I found the bread knife in my pillow.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
That must be Paul.
I thought I'd save myself a few steps.
Oh, I see you found out who your client is.
Apparently we both did, Lieutenant Tragg.
Where is, uh, Joyce Martel? I don't know anyone by that name.
Didn't Mr.
Mason introduce you? He had her purse with your gun in it.
Incidentally, I can save you a trip to my office.
The bullet that killed David Reed was fired by Crane's gun between 9 and 11 last night.
That doesn't prove Mr.
Crane fired it or that he was even there.
"Dear Mr.
Crane Mr.
Reed has requested that you meet him at Miss Joyce Martel's apartment, Cora Dunbar.
" TRAGG: I found that in one of your suits.
The desk clerk at your hotel said you picked it up about 10:00.
But I didn't read this.
I picked it up and just as I was picking it up, I was paged.
And then when I learned of my sister's illness, I put it in my pocket.
I never read it.
All right, Crane.
MASON: Mr.
Crane, please remember, you're not required to answer any of Lieutenant Tragg's questions.
As a matter of fact, don't even discuss the weather with him.
He can be very persuasive.
Mason, sometimes I wonder which side of the law you're on.
That's easy, Tragg.
My client's side.
MASON: What kind of a place is it? It's a nightspot on the strip.
The Burgundy Club.
That's Johnny Hale, the owner.
Hale? Didn't I refuse to represent him in some matter? A shooting or something? His third one.
You weren't interested because of the unethical aspects.
What about their relationship? Cosy, from the looks of this picture.
I didn't have time to check it.
But it shouldn't be too difficult.
No.
I think I'll drop around to the Burgundy Club.
This Hale, does he have a private office? Yeah.
It's just to the right as you go through the bar.
Good.
[PIANO MUSIC PLAYS.]
[CHATTERING.]
HALE: Come in.
Ah.
Hello, Mason.
- What brings you here? - Business.
The last time we met, you didn't want any part of mine.
I still don't.
I want some information.
You came to the wrong place.
We only serve entertainment, food and drinks.
This was in her bedroom.
Just 15 feet away from where David Reed's body was found.
This part was missing.
Do the police know this? Not yet.
Now, look, Mason.
You don't frighten me one little bit.
I've handled guys like you before.
So? So you want to play rough, you've got yourself a partner, only stay away from Joyce Martel.
Afraid she'll lead me to you? You don't get it, do you? You think I'm worried about my own skin.
I can take care of myself.
But you are concerned about Joyce? I don't know why I should try to convince you, but yes, I'm crazy about her.
She's nothing but trouble, but she's mine.
And it's gonna stay that way.
I mean it.
If you so much as go near her, you'll answer to me personally.
I think you do mean it.
Frankly, I don't care what you think.
Where did you leave your allergy? [LAUGHS.]
At home with Helen Reed.
Hmm.
MAITLAND: Mr.
Mason, I simply cannot violate the confidence of a patient.
Dr.
Maitland, I appreciate your reluctance, but Helen Reed's legal difficulties must take precedence over any psychiatric considerations.
I see.
Very well.
Have you met Joyce Martel? Yes.
At first, I gathered that Joyce Martel was only an assumed identity for Helen Reed.
Oh, no, Mr.
Mason.
It is not an assumed identity.
Joyce Martel is a distinct and separate personality who happens to be sharing the same body with Helen Reed.
A kind of Jekyll and Hyde? Well, that's a bit simplified for psychiatric purposes, but it will do.
To a degree, Helen Reed and Joyce Martel are the living counterparts of that story, with one exception.
And that is? Joyce Martel knows of this dual personality.
But Helen Reed was quite unaware of Joyce's existence until quite recently when I started treating her.
How do these two women differ? Oh, in dozens of ways.
Helen Reed is allergic to fur.
If she comes in contact with it, she will wheeze and her eyes will begin to water.
Fur, on the other hand, doesn't bother Joyce Martel at all.
Helen Reed doesn't smoke or drink.
Joyce does both to excess.
As to their moral outlook, Helen Reed is a virtuous woman.
Something which amuses Joyce Martel considerably.
Dr.
Maitland, in your professional opinion, would Helen Reed commit murder? No.
But Joyce Martel could.
Miss Ellis, this is the gun that killed David Reed.
It's a .
32 Colt revolver.
Have you ever seen this weapon before? - Um, I'm not sure.
- Didn't you identify it in my office? Yes, sir.
Well, where did you say that you'd seen it before? In Mrs.
Reed's apartment, on the night of the murder.
Shortly after Mr.
Reed had called, I tried to contact Mr.
Crane.
I failed to reach him.
I left a message with his hotel desk clerk.
Do you know why Mr.
Reed wanted to reach the defendant? Yes.
He told me he had learned about his wife's indiscretion, and he intended proving it to her brother.
Do you know how he learned this? Well, he had detectives watching her.
BURGER: Do you remember what Mr.
Reed said when he read their report? Yes.
He said, "I'll show that Bob Crane what kind of a sister he has.
I'll take Tommy away from her.
I just hope he tries to stop me, because I'll blast Helen in every paper in town.
" BURGER: Thank you.
Your witness, Mr.
Mason.
Miss Dunbar, what is your official position with Reed Industries? I was Mr.
Reed's private secretary.
And unofficially? I don't know what you mean.
What is your relationship with Mr.
Reed's junior partner, Harry Vance? Well, I know him.
- That's as far as it goes? - Yes.
Didn't Mr.
Vance purchase a plane ticket to Mexico City for you on April 14th? He did not.
I paid for that ticket.
MASON: How did it happen that he gave his personal cheque to the travel bureau for that ticket? Well, I was going to reimburse him later.
MASON: Did you ever inform Mr.
Vance of decisions Mr.
Reed had wished to keep in confidence? No, they had no secrets from one another.
MASON: Wasn't that your fault? Didn't you tell Mr.
Vance that Mr.
Reed had decided not to buy the L.
K.
Anderson Company? That's a lie.
Mr.
Reed had told Har-- I mean, Mr.
Vance that himself.
That will be all, Miss Dunbar.
Mr.
Reed and I were discussing a business matter when Mrs.
Reed and Bob Crane entered.
Did you leave the room? No, Mr.
Reed asked me to stay.
What happened then? Crane was highly incensed.
He threatened to kill Reed if he continued his suit to regain Tommy's custody.
I see.
Cross-examine.
Mr.
Vance, when did you learn of your partner's death? VANCE: The following day.
Mr.
Vance, I must remind you you're under oath.
Well, uh, Mr.
Reed had an appointment to meet Crane at Joyce Martel's apartment.
He asked me to be there as a witness.
When did you arrive at Joyce Martel's apartment? Ten o'clock.
- Did you see the defendant there? - No.
- Whom did you see? - David Reed.
Was he alive at that time? No.
Why didn't you report that to the police? I didn't want to get involved.
But I called them later from a phone booth.
Isn't it true that you were negotiating with the L.
K.
Anderson Company and Mr.
Reed was against the deal? That's not true.
Mr.
Reed approved.
He even signed the cheque.
And you realised that at the report of his death, the bank would stop payment on that cheque.
Yes.
Isn't that why you bought Cora Dunbar that ticket to Mexico City, - so she wouldn't testify to that effect? - Yes.
No further questions.
VANCE: Well, I had to protect myself, didn't I? [JUDGE BANGS GAVEL.]
JUDGE: That will do.
The witness may step down.
I call John Davis Hale to the stand, please.
CLERK: John Davis Hale to the stand.
Raise your right hand, please.
Do you swear the testimony you're about to give in the cause now pending to be the truth? - I do.
- State your name.
- John Davis Hale.
- Be seated.
Mr.
Hale, you're the sole proprietor of the Burgundy Club, - is that correct? - I am.
Do you know Mrs.
Helen Reed, the defendant's sister? Yes.
How long have you known her? About two years.
And under what circumstances did you meet her? She came into my club one night.
I introduced myself.
And how well did you get to know her? Your Honour, I object to this entire line of questioning.
Mrs.
Reed is not on trial here, nor does her relationship with Mr.
Hale have any bearing on this matter.
If it please the court, it has a definite bearing.
It goes to Mr.
Crane's motive for the murder.
You may proceed, Mr.
Burger.
Thank you, Your Honour.
How friendly were you with the defendant's sister? HALE: Very friendly.
BURGER: Would you say that if her husband knew of your conduct with her, he would have had suitable grounds for regaining custody of the child? Your Honour, the witness is no legal authority.
He may or may not know what are suitable grounds.
The witness will ignore the question.
But you did visit Mrs.
Reed at her apartment on Waverly Place? - I did.
- How often? It would depend.
Well, once a week, twice a week, three times a week? I don't know exactly.
BURGER: But you did spend a great deal of time with her? Yes.
Cross-examine.
The prosecution keeps referring to my client's sister as Mrs.
Helen Reed.
Did you actually know her under that name? No, I didn't.
Had you any idea she was married? None at all.
She was Joyce Martel to me.
Thank you, Mr.
Hale.
That will be all.
BURGER: Your Honour, it's a well-established fact that Helen Reed was using the name Joyce Martel as an alias to cover her relationship - with Mr.
Hale.
- That is not true.
BURGER: I can produce a dozen witnesses to prove it is true.
And if it please the court, I can have them all here tomorrow morning.
Very well.
Court stands adjourned until 10:00.
[CHATTERING.]
Now, Mr.
Johnson, as manager of the Crest Apartments, did you personally rent Apartment Number 310? I did, sir.
Would you tell us, please, the name used by the tenant.
Well, she told me her name was Joyce Martel.
That's how the lease was signed.
And do you see her here today? Yes, sir.
Would you point her out to us, please? Let the record show that the witness pointed to Mrs.
Helen Reed.
You may cross-examine.
No questions.
JUDGE: You may step down.
That concludes the case for the state, Your Honour.
JUDGE: Will you call your first witness, Mr.
Mason.
I call Dr.
Daniel Maitland.
CLERK: Dr.
Daniel Maitland to the stand, please.
Raise your right hand, please.
Do you swear the testimony you're to give in the cause now pending to be the truth? MAITLAND: I do.
CLERK: State your name.
- Daniel Maitland.
CLERK: Be seated, please.
MAITLAND: Thank you.
Dr.
Maitland, you are a duly qualified and practising physician and surgeon in this state? I am.
MASON: Have you specialised in any particular branch of your profession? If it please the court, since Dr.
Maitland's reputation is so well-known, we will stipulate to his qualifications as an expert in psychiatry subject to the right of cross-examination.
MASON: Thank you, counsellor.
Dr.
Maitland, do you know Mrs.
Helen Reed? Yes, she's a patient of mine.
In your opinion, what is her condition? She is a true schizophrenic.
- Would you explain that, doctor? - Certainly.
Schizophrenia is a disassociation of psychic function commonly referred to as dual or split personality.
Thank you, doctor.
Your witness.
No questions at this time.
You may step down.
Your Honour, may we approach the bench? JUDGE: Certainly.
With the court's permission, I should like to have the courtroom cleared before I call my next witness.
Will counsel state his reason? Well, the method necessary to produce this witness must be performed before the least possible people in order to get results.
It will, in effect, require psychological surgery.
If the court please, the prosecution would like to know the name - of this witness.
- Joyce Martel.
The prosecution has no objection, Your Honour.
Permission granted.
The bailiff will clear the courtroom, except for witnesses.
BAILIFF: All right, folks, the judge wishes that you leave the courtroom.
Please clear the courtroom.
[CHATTERING.]
MASON: Mrs.
Reed, you have sat in this courtroom and heard the prosecution virtually accuse you of being an accessory in the murder of your former husband.
You have heard the district attorney hint that in an effort to shield your brother, you removed his gun from the apartment where David Reed was killed.
Now, with your help, I'd like to try a little experiment.
Will you take this, please? I can understand your reluctance.
- You're allergic to fur, are you not? - Yes, I am.
Nevertheless, will you please hold on to it.
[SNEEZES THEN COUGHS.]
That's enough, isn't it? Very well.
We'll go a step further.
Now, David Reed's body was found in the apartment you occupied under the name of Joyce Martel.
Now, with your cooperation, I'd like to have Dr.
Maitland produce Joyce Martel.
Dr.
Maitland.
I never thought Mason would put Helen Reed on the stand.
He's out of his mind.
Yes, but he's calling for Joyce Martel.
But the law doesn't recognise dual personalities.
He's left himself wide open.
How are you, Mrs.
Reed? I'm all right, I guess.
I imagine all this must be a little bit frightening for you.
Well, it is a little difficult, you know, to be accused of things you never did.
That's quite all right.
You're coming along splendidly.
Now I want you to relax.
Now, there's absolutely nothing to be afraid of.
We've done this before.
Just relax.
That's the way.
Good.
Now, you'll find you're getting a little bit drowsy.
Your eyelids are getting heavier and heavier.
It's hard to keep your eyes open.
That's quite all right, you can close them.
When you open them again, you'll feel fine.
How do you feel, Helen? Fine.
MAITLAND: You know where you are? Yes, I'm in the courtroom.
MAITLAND: That's very good.
Miss Martel.
Joyce.
Miss Martel, I want to speak to you.
Open your eyes.
BURGER: If Your Honour pleases.
- Yes, Mr.
Burger? I'm fully aware of Dr.
Maitland's reputation, but we have absolutely no proof that Mrs.
Reed isn't over-cooperating.
- You think she's faking? BURGER: Well, she certainly could be.
I'm not impressed with Mr.
Mason's pyrotechnics.
I don't know why he found it necessary to empty a courtroom just to prove that Mrs.
Reed is oversensitive to fur.
Many women are.
And while she may be under hypnosis, we have absolutely no guarantee of that.
[LAUGHING.]
Oh, thanks a lot, doc.
Oh.
Oh, you know how I hate being cooped up.
I thought you'd never get me out of there.
Johnny.
Hi, Johnny.
Did you miss me? Heh.
I'll see you later.
- Thank you, doctor.
- Mm-hm.
Miss Martel, my name is Perry Mason.
Yes, I know.
You're her brother's lawyer.
I'm going to need your cooperation, Miss Martel.
That's not such a bad idea, Mr.
Mason, and the name is Joyce.
I was referring to the murder of David Reed.
Uh-uh.
Uh-uh.
Not interested.
That's Helen Reed's husband, not mine.
Miss Martel, the law does not recognise dual personality.
You and Helen Reed will be considered the same person.
Now, let's get this straight, mister.
We may be sharing the same body, but we are definitely not the same woman.
Nevertheless, on occasion you did pose as Helen Reed.
And it was you who took that gun from Robert Crane's apartment.
[LAUGHS.]
Hmm.
Sure it was.
Crane thought I was his sister, Helen.
Ha, ha.
I took some other things too.
You know, Helen told Bob once that she saw a picture of herself with a man in a nightclub.
The man was Johnny.
I tore Johnny off the picture and left it in Helen's apartment.
She couldn't figure out who it was.
It nearly drove her nuts.
Now, Helen told Crane later that it was all a dream.
And I wanted Crane to think that she did it.
Your Honour.
The prosecution has so far refrained from objecting only out of deference to this court's decision to allow the defence counsel unusual latitude.
JUDGE: Because of the unusual aspects, the court has permitted this irregular procedure.
Nevertheless, counsel will use discretion in availing himself this opportunity.
Your Honour, the court must be aware of the extreme prejudice the witness bears against Helen Reed.
Actually against herself.
In view of this unique situation, I must ask for the court's further indulgence.
Just what does counsel intend to establish? MASON: The fact that Joyce Martel was the occupant of Helen Reed's body at the time of the crime.
That she was present when it was committed.
And that she knows who the murderer is.
Very well, counsel may proceed.
Are you in love with Johnny Hale? You bet I am.
He wasn't in my apartment that night, though.
He didn't kill Reed.
And you say you hate Helen Reed? Now, that's the funniest line of the year.
You'd like to see her dead? With any luck.
Could you arrange it? Well, for your information, Helen Reed feels the same way about you.
She'd like to get rid of Joyce Martel once and for all.
And I know how she can do it.
We'll have Dr.
Maitland bring Helen Reed back.
We'll have Helen Reed tell how she saw you in the room with the dead body, how she saw you pick up that gun, and-- Let her alone! JUDGE: Let that man approach the bench.
You think I was gonna sit there and let you put her in the gas chamber? - Johnny, don't.
HALE: It's all right, baby.
I knew you'd never talk, but I don't trust that other dame.
- Johnny.
- I won't let you take the rap for me.
Yeah.
Yeah, I did it.
I thought she was playing around with Reed.
I didn't know he was her husband.
So when I found him in her apartment, well, I flipped.
She's the only one who ever meant anything to me.
Can you beat it? She ain't even for real.
MASON: Paul, see that Mr.
Crane gets this, will you? Perry, I know I shouldn't ask embarrassing questions, but why did Johnny Hale confess? I'll let you in on a secret, Paul.
That wasn't a confession.
- That was an extraction.
- Come again? All along I felt that Johnny had the strongest motive and that he was really in love with Joyce Martel.
So I decided to bluff.
I felt that if it looked to Johnny as though Joyce were in danger, he'd leap to her defence.
But Joyce was in no danger from Helen Reed.
Helen Reed knew nothing about her.
Well, fortunately Johnny never met Dr.
Freud, so he was unaware of that little quirk.
What do you suppose will happen to Mrs.
Reed now? Well, her doctor holds out great hope for her cure.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
What? Well, if she remains Helen Reed all the time, she'd still be allergic to fur.
You do know what that means to a woman.