Alfred Hitchcock Presents s02e29 Episode Script

Good evening.
This is a beauty contest.
I should explain however, that I am not one of the contestants.
At the last moment, someone stole my bathing suit.
So, I was made a judge.
You know the, uh, the problem of finding an unobtrusive spot for a vaccination is getting more and more difficult.
Let's see now.
This is ridiculous.
What difference does it make which one is the tallest.
While I continue with the tiresome task of ogling these young ladies our poor players will present tonight's story.
It is called "Vicious Circle.
" Hello.
Oh, hi, Dora.
Me? Out of breath? No, just ran from the other room, that's all.
Hey, where's that roommate of yours? No, she hasn't showed yet.
Oh, swell.
Thanks for letting me know.
Yeah, she's a good kid.
Okay, Dora.
Good night.
Hello, Gallagher.
Mr.
Williams sent me.
Don't do that.
It's too loud.
It's better loud.
What do you want? It isn't what I want.
It's what Mr.
Williams wants.
He doesn't like it, the way you slipped up on that jewelry job.
So what? One mistake in five years.
He's kidding.
You know one mistake is enough for Mr.
Williams.
Look.
You're just a kid.
You don't know what you're doing.
That's right.
I'm just a kid.
Please.
Anything you want.
What did he do? Why did you have to kill him? Can I have a cup of coffee? How long is this going to go on? Who are you going to kill next? Nobody.
I'm not ever going to kill anybody.
I haven't killed anybody so far.
You just keep remembering that.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Pretty girl like you making like this.
When you get angry, you shut me out.
I can't stand that.
I love you, Manny.
I do.
I love you.
You are my girl? Yes, I am.
I love you.
I love you more than I ever tell you, more than I tell myself most of the time.
When I'm with you I don't know how to say I feel different.
I feel different than any other time.
Happier and better and you're the only thing I'm living for.
I'm crazy about you.
Except when like now you get sore.
But you know what I want.
No, I don't.
I'm not going to guess.
Manny, Manny.
Do you want to live in a dump like this the rest of your life? Honey, look.
Remember when your mother was in the hospital? The only visiting hours were in the afternoon.
You had to work, so you couldn't see her for three days until they decided she was dying? Well, that kind of life is out from now on.
But not your way.
You know a better way? I do, Manny, I do.
Work.
Plain, ordinary work.
When I met you, you were clean.
Now, now you're dirty.
I don't have to take that kind of junk.
Where are you going? To your dear Mr.
Williams? What have you got against Mr.
Williams? I hate him.
Manny, I hate him.
My old man worked for 30 years in his candy store.
And what did it get him? So he could sit at a table one night and drop dead from work.
That's not for us, kid.
Not for us.
So, to get money, you'd kill? Ten years from now, you'll say I was right.
Mr.
Williams has got everything I want.
He can help me get those things.
He likes me.
Sure he likes you.
As long as you're useful with a trigger and you smile real pretty.
You're jealous of Mr.
Williams.
Manny, no, no.
Manny, I just want you to stay alive.
Will you stop talking like that? I won't stop talking like that.
Not until you quit Mr.
Williams.
You hear me? You quit Mr.
Williams.
Or we're finished.
I'll tell you when we're finished.
How's it, man? What's the word? Hey, I hear you ventilated Gallagher real nice.
Real nice, you shot him.
Now, get off that, man.
Cool it fast.
Sure, Manny.
Sure.
You know, when you first came into this neighborhood I was top boy with Mr.
Williams.
Yeah, yeah.
I was 24.
How old are you? So long, Turk.
How did you ease me out? Charm, man, charm.
I asked you here tonight to talk about you, Manny.
You please me very much.
And when one of my boys pleases me, he's always rewarded.
Well rewarded.
I want you to know that.
Thanks a lot, Mr.
Williams.
You deserve everything you get.
I think we better start with some new clothes for you.
You have a lot to learn, if you are to be my assistant.
Me? Yes, Manny.
Oh, by the way.
Little matter I want you to straighten out for me.
Yes, sir.
About some girl of yours.
What's her name? What's her name, Manny? Betty.
Ah, yes.
It's a pity there are so many strange people in the world.
I really don't understand them.
Betty, there's nothing wrong with Betty.
Oh, didn't you know? I'm afraid Betty doesn't like me.
She even says I'm a crook.
There's a rumor she's starting a purity campaign against our kind of people inside a police station.
No, Mr.
Williams.
She wouldn't do a thing like that.
I know her too well.
Of course.
But people with rash ideas must be put away for their own good.
I don't get it.
Really, Manny.
Come now.
You're not that naive.
But she loves me, Mr.
Williams.
That's the beauty of it.
To triumph over that little impediment of love.
And after it's done, Manny, think of the elation.
Free from emotional annoyances.
I promise.
You'll thank me.
How long do I have? Let's see.
The day after tomorrow is Christmas.
Suppose you take a few days to plan carefully.
Manny.
Yes, Mr.
Williams.
Don't procrastinate.
Come in.
Wow, if it isn't Casanova.
Where have you been all week? Who'd you take out Christmas Eve? Was she a blonde or a brunette? I sat in my room alone.
I bet.
I swear it.
I haven't slept very well.
When I did sleep, I'd have dreams, I'd wake up.
Couldn't go back to sleep again.
Just sitting in that room.
Sitting and thinking.
What is it? You look awful.
We got to have a talk.
What is it? You're in real trouble.
You're in bad with Mr.
Williams.
Somebody heard you blabbing around the neighborhood.
They squealed to Mr.
Williams.
So what? Honey, you got to listen I don't want to listen.
All right, I did some talking and I'm not finished.
Either you quit Mr.
Williams or I'm going to go to the police.
You can't do that.
For both our sakes, go away for a couple of weeks.
I'll treat you to a swell vacation.
Right now Mr.
Williams I'm not afraid of your Mr.
Williams.
I told you, if you stuck with him, I'd speak up.
But I don't want to do anything to hurt you.
Don't worry.
Just Mr.
Williams.
Betty, please, please listen to me.
You go away for a couple of weeks.
You go out of town, now, quick! Go away, Manny.
Go away.
Go kill somebody else for Mr.
Williams.
After all, Manny, it has been a week since our discussion.
Yeah.
And your Betty has informed the police about you and the lately departed Mr.
Gallagher.
Luckily, I can furnish an alibi to your whereabouts that evening.
Betty wouldn't squeal on me.
I don't know who told you, Mr.
Williams.
Betty wouldn't do it.
Wouldn't she? I'm afraid your Betty is the kind of woman who would wait 20 years for you to get out of prison.
Moral and repentant.
I just can't believe she'd tell on me.
I assure you, she did.
Always beware the woman who loves you.
Most often, they want to run your life.
And I think that if anyone was to run your life, I'd be better qualified.
Oh, I know.
You're worried about Betty and what has to be done.
Yes, there's the technical difficulty.
This is no ordinary job.
It is to be done expertly.
It's sometime since I was a technician.
But the talent hasn't left me.
Let's see.
I have it.
New Year's Eve is just a few days off.
New Year's Eve? Yes, the noise, the confusion, the gaiety at the end of an old year and the start of a new.
The end of an old life.
And the start of a new one.
Your new life.
Until the New Year.
Goodbye, Manny.
Betty! Wow, look who's here.
Happy New Year.
What brings you to this neighborhood? I warned you.
Why didn't you listen to me? Why did you squeal on me? I didn't even mention your name.
You're a liar! Mr.
Williams says you did.
I swear! I didn't say anything about you.
They could beat me, I wouldn't have told them anything about you.
I don't believe you.
I believe him.
Manny.
Stop! You're going to kill me? Like Gallagher? Go ahead, shoot! Go on! Go on! Holy smokes! She walked right into that car.
Oh, the poor thing! Someone call an ambulance.
Too late for that now.
A very impressive funeral.
I don't quite know why, but I always feel more alive when somebody else has died.
I know what you mean.
Course you do, Manny.
You've proven it to me, time and again.
But this last job, Betty.
Ah, that was a real masterpiece.
You rose decidedly in my estimation.
Getting her to run in front of a car, very clever.
No bullet wounds, no suspicion, completely clean.
Commendable.
Thank you, Mr.
Williams.
From now on it might be Vincent.
Don't you think? Yeah.
Vincent.
To Manny Coe.
New assistant in the Vincent Williams Enterprises.
I'll drink to that.
To the future, Vincent.
To the future.
$500.
I've had it.
Anybody else want to go? Boy, that Ann is some dish.
She's a fool to keep chasing Manny.
Yeah, it's a waste of time.
You won? I'm so glad.
Come on, let's go over to your place.
Let's take a ride in your new sports car.
What color is it, Manny? It's white with red upholstery.
A dream boat.
Come on, Manny, let's go over to your place and play some records.
Give me another.
Make it a double.
Hello, Georgie.
Hello, Mr.
Williams.
Having a good time? Swell.
Thanks for inviting me, I didn't have anything decent to wear, but Well, we'll have to see to it that you get some new clothes, won't we? Yes, Mr.
Williams.
Boy, it's sure funny, isn't it? If I had clothes and dough and a car like Mr.
Coe, I'd be enjoying myself.
Having a swell time.
You're a very observant boy, Georgie.
By the way, I thought you handled that camera-store job very intelligently.
Yes, Mr.
Williams.
I think a gray herringbone tweed would look very nice on you.
What's the matter, baby? Don't drink so much.
You promised me.
Manny, please, take me with you.
What's the matter, Manny? Nothing, Vincent.
Why are you leaving? What? Oh, Manny.
I'm sorry the Johnson job didn't turn out to be the success we anticipated.
I can't understand what happened.
I planned every detail.
I thought I hadn't overlooked anything.
Perhaps you need a vacation? Well, no, no, I'm sure I'll be all right by tomorrow.
Get a good night's sleep.
Thank you, Vincent.
Good night.
Leaving, Mr.
Coe? Yeah.
Hello, this is Mr.
Coe.
Has Ann Nash left the party? Good, get her to the phone, will you please? Ann? Yeah.
Look, why don't you come on over here? We'll have a couple of laughs, maybe listen to some music? Well, I'm feeling much better now.
Yeah, I changed my mind.
Will you be over? That's a good kid.
Make it fast, huh.
Manny! Manny.
Manny.
It's me.
You said you'd be right over.
I couldn't get a taxi.
Let me have your coat.
Are you glad you asked me to come? Now you're talking, baby.
I wondered what was wrong with me.
I'm crazy about you.
Say, I never saw her before.
How long have you been hiding her? Tacking her up on the door like that.
Why you afraid to show her off? She's quite a dish.
You'd better go home.
I shouldn't have asked you to come.
You better go home.
Manny, are you crazy or something? I've got to be up early tomorrow morning.
It's a conference with Mr.
Williams.
You know how it is.
Oh, sure.
And you only just remembered it? I must have it pretty bad to take what I take from you.
I'll make it up to you, kid.
Now, you just be a good girl and leave me alone.
There's something the matter with you, Manny.
What is it? You're sick.
No, I just need some sleep like Mr.
Williams says.
Okay.
Goodnight.
I got them right here, honey.
Hello, Manny.
Mr.
Williams sent me.
So much for life among the smart set.
As you may have guessed, the law did not catch up with Manny.
However the bullet with his name on, did.
Actually it had someone else's name on it.
But it was mis-sent.
However the error wasn't discovered until it was too late.
This concludes tonight's divertissement.
Next time we shall return with more of the same.
Good night.