Kommissar Rex (Inspector Rex) (1994) s03e09 Episode Script

INSPECTOR REX WHY DiD ROMEO DiE? Monday? ha! ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon.
O'Thursday let it be.
She shall be married to this noble earl.
What say you to Thursday? - I wish Thursday were tomorrow.
- Get you gone.
O'Thursday, then.
Go to Juliet.
Prepare her against this wedding-day.
Farewell, my lord.
Light to my chamber, ho! Afore me, it is so very, very late that we may call it early by and by.
Good night.
Attention, the stage is revolving.
Act lll, Scene V.
Attention, please, the stage is revolving.
- Will you come over later? - I can't today.
You wouldn't cheat on me? Act lll, Scene V is now commencing.
Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.
It was the nightingale, and not the lark, that pierc'd thine ear.
Nightly she sings Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.
It was the lark, the herald of the morn, no nightingale.
Look, what envious streaks do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.
Alex! A farmer is buried there.
He tried to hide under a tree during a storm, and was supposedly crushed by a falling branch.
Supposedly? He'd had a quarrel with his neighbour and said publicly that he wanted to kill him.
No villager believed it was an accident.
- Was it investigated? - Yes.
But this was last century and methods were not what they are now.
Yes, I'll go for a walk.
After my slides.
Please.
Another dubious case.
Yes, this one is about love, jealousy and arsenic in the marmalade.
It's summer! You're worse than Stockinger.
What else should I do? Sit near some lake, or climb a mountain? Come off it! Unsolved cases keep me young.
Look at that now, he's knocked over my bottle.
Get me a new one.
Moser.
The office.
Does BÃck know? Well done.
So he's there.
I'm on my way.
- I have to go.
Want a lift? - No.
I'll clean up and take the bus.
Arsenic in the marmalade that's fascinating.
Hi, Richard.
Staff are in the foyer, actors in their dressing-rooms.
The stage manager stayed back.
Dr Graf's already here.
The audience has gone.
That's good.
Check the staff, I'll do the actors.
Somehow I knew that.
Hi, Richard.
Cover him up.
The column wasn't heavy, but very deadly from that height.
Even a bottle would act as a missile.
He was killed straight away.
A fractured skull, spilled brains Enough.
The rope's held up by a lever which was released so the column came down unhindered.
Hey, found anything up there? Not yet.
The stage manager told me that all actors have two fears.
Firstly, forgetting their lines on stage.
Secondly, being killed by a prop or a light.
Fine.
So you were in charge tonight.
- Unfortunately.
- How many work up there? Not many are needed for this play.
One man was asked to work there, but he was only needed again for the final act.
So no one was there when the column fell.
No.
A fireman is required to be present up there.
And where is he now? In the foyer.
Send him back up there and show me the way.
Everyone's here.
Mr Zimmer, please.
- Where's Franz Zimmer? - I'm here.
Sorry, I just went to the toilet.
Franz Zimmer.
Basically, everyone here calls me Charlie.
Where did you come from? The monitor above your desk Is it only for supervision or does it record? We record the performances.
I want a video of today's show.
Is this Juliet? - You must be from the police.
- Yes.
Excuse me.
I hope he didn't scare you.
He's my dog.
You want to know what happened.
I only noticed that Alex looked up and that he was scared.
Then Leave her alone.
She's in shock.
The doctor gave her an injection.
She needs rest.
Come back tomorrow.
Are you the wardrobe mistress? No.
I'm an actress.
And Sabine's friend.
Were you in the play? There's only one young female role.
Sabine had that.
So you watched the play? No.
I was at the opening night.
Tonight I was studying a text backstage.
- Alone? - Yes.
Yes, I organised my props before the performance, and the props table, then I went to the props room.
You weren't nearby during the murder? No, I was in the props room.
I heard the performance on the speakers.
Did anyone see you? - I don't think so.
- You may go.
Bye.
Please send me Clara Schmidt.
- What does she do? - Clara? She's head of make-up.
I'm here.
Hello.
Please have a seat.
Thank you.
No fingerprints.
He either wore gloves or wiped the lever clean.
- I'm sorry.
- So am l.
This is the mechanism.
You maintain you were here all the time? No one fiddled with the ropes? I didn't notice a thing.
- You were sleeping? - Never on duty.
Now listen.
Who else was here at the time of the murder? No one.
Take him in for questioning.
It was an accident, I'm sure.
- He had no enemies.
- No.
Hurry up.
I must get out, or I'll go mad.
I'm doing my best.
I'm feeling the same way as you.
- You? - Yes, me.
We're off to the Shakespeare.
Coming? - I couldn't go home.
- Get ready.
Going somewhere? We wanted to go to the Shakespeare.
- I'll get a cab.
- It's on my way.
I don't want to be a bother.
Where's my car? I parked it here.
Obviously stolen.
BÃck! This can't be.
For 1 00 schillings I'll tell you.
What? - Is a cheque okay? - No.
- BÃck! - I thought so.
You're lying again! Two stagehands stated they saw you make a call near the canteen.
So you were not at your post.
They're wrong.
They mistook me for one of my colleagues.
Who were in the right and left wings.
Out with it now, or I'll get really angry.
- Yes, I did make a call.
- Finally.
I didn't say because I need my job.
I'm not in the fire brigade.
Who did you call? My wife.
- She had a baby three days ago.
- Congratulations.
So, did you ring the previous two days? On duty? - Yes.
- During Romeo and Juliet? Yes.
You phoned each time? The killer watched you.
Shit! What is it? A Romeo or a Juliet? What? - Is it a boy or girl? - A boy.
Richard.
Thanks.
You may go.
I know it's impudent.
But my superior Thank you.
I'm starving.
What's this? Liver sausage.
- BÃck.
- Listen.
You go and try to get a proper roll at 2 a.
m.
Here.
See? That's the last time.
You ran the names through the computer? Yes, the lot of them.
None of the artists has a record, nor the staff.
Who'd kill an actor who's popular with everyone? A woman, perhaps.
He had a reputation as a womaniser.
"My dear Alex, you now owe over 1 00,000.
"You have till Tuesday, or you'll have it coming.
"I've run out of patience.
Charlie.
" Verbose.
Charlie's the props manager, the guy with the sports car.
They went to the Shakespeare.
Come on, let's go.
I want it back in two days.
Plus interest.
That will be 1 2,000.
Or you know what will happen.
Yes.
- Let's gamble for the interest.
- Okay.
Odd or even numbers? Even.
It's odd.
That will be 1 4,000.
Same again.
I still can't believe it.
We're all mourning him.
She's not.
- How can she say that? - Leave her.
She's in despair.
Her? I'm in despair! My boyfriend died next to me.
Come now.
Her boyfriend? She'll try to get anyone into bed.
Anyone will do.
Stay calm.
Stop it.
She has no idea what Alex and I had together.
It was special.
Someone like her wouldn't understand.
It's all right.
Can I have another vodka? Why did you tell the police you were in your room? What? I went there to get a ribbon.
You were out.
I went to the canteen.
Or somewhere.
- Did you kill him? - Are you mad? Stop it! This won't bring Alex back.
Who's there? They're not regulars.
They have a dog.
- Looks like the police.
- Stash the money, stay calm.
- Are you members here? - Sure thing.
Evening.
A new game.
Both bishops on white squares.
Where's Charlie? The props manager.
BÃck, no one leaves the room.
Good evening.
Alex played cards every second day.
He never paid me back.
What could I do? And the threat? Would I kill for 1 00,000 schillings? Of course you wouldn't dirty your hands.
Perhaps you hired someone.
Nonsense.
- I wrote the letter to scare him.
- Why run away, then? I had a bad feeling.
Naturally, you'd find the letter.
So I tried to hide it.
It was stupid.
You were not in the props room.
You have no alibi.
Ask the stagehands.
I'd never go up there.
Why not? I suffer from vertigo.
We'll check that out.
Take him to his cell, please.
Why? I'm innocent! We'll find out tomorrow.
Fine.
TODAY'S PERFORMANCE CANCELLED We're taking the bus today.
We've no choice.
Come on.
ENTRANCE Wait.
My dog's still outside.
Well? Come on now, get on.
He's a bit playful today.
Why the delay? I rang the theatre.
Two lighting technicians confirmed his statement.
He gets dizzy climbing on a stool.
He's not our man.
He may be a gambler, but he's not a murderer.
You haven't forgotten we ordered them all back to the theatre? No, but first I'll have to look at the video.
- Did you ring about my car? - Yes.
They'll return it to your house.
But sadly, it will take a day or two.
Towing it away was faster.
Hello, gentlemen.
Hi, Rex, remember me? So you were on duty yesterday.
I went to a fabulous summer party.
To make up for it, I've shouted you rolls.
- They're really fresh.
- That's something new.
Well? We'll have to start from scratch.
Tell the props manager he's free to go.
Will do.
Yes, Rex, so you want my roll as well? You'll have to work for it.
Look here.
You already know this game.
I have a rubber and I'll put it here.
Then I put a cup over it.
Under this cup is nothing but air.
It's the same with this one.
I'll move them, and you have to guess.
If you find the rubber, you'll get my roll.
Okay? I'll start now.
One, two, three, a little game, a little game so plain.
You win, you lose, you can choose.
Win or lose.
Well, Rex, where's the rubber? Let's have a look.
Sorry, it's not under this one.
There, you think? Let's see.
No, it isn't.
Because it's here! You must pay attention.
Pay attention.
It's as important for a policeman as it is for a police dog.
Always be alert, always concentrate.
So Forget that.
We're off to the theatre.
I want the lighting as it was in the scene.
The lighting for Act lll, Scene V.
BÃck, I'm very sorry, you're Juliet.
- The dog's Romeo.
- Why must I be Juliet? What else? Want to be Romeo? Lie on the bed.
Go over to BÃck.
Check that we're doing everything right.
Now He picks up the rapier and sits down there.
Go and sit.
Right Juliet follows him.
She kneels down here in front of her Romeo.
Fine.
Then she sits just opposite.
Notice anything? Yes.
Romeo's in the spotlight, but I'm not.
You're in the wrong place.
What? You're sitting in the wrong places.
But they sat like that yesterday.
Like in the video.
The book puts Romeo there.
So Romeo sat on the wrong haystack.
And Juliet sat in Romeo's spot.
Rex and BÃck, change places.
That's right.
BÃck? The murderer wanted to kill Juliet, not Romeo.
Sorry, but I think this is ludicrous.
If you came up with a motive, I'd accept being under police guard.
If I knew who wanted to kill you, I'd be out arresting him.
I thought you'd help me regarding the motive.
Why would anyone want to kill a pretty young actress? Out of envy? - Well, it's happened before.
- It's Beate, yes? She's my best friend.
I'm taking that into account.
Is she ambitious? - Who isn't? - It was just a question.
I'm placing you under police guard for your own safety.
You stay with Sabine.
- Okay.
- You go after the redhead.
- Does she look like a murderer? - How do they look? You've got a point.
I need to cool down.
Coming in? - No.
- Go in by yourself.
- Why not? - We're not in the mood.
Man, are you boring! Maybe I'm kidding myself.
Maybe the police are wrong and the killer wanted Alex.
And what if it was meant for you? You'd like that.
Would I leave my roles to my understudy? You have talent, and yet Some actresses are hubristic.
Others can't bear it if someone is successful.
So they plan a murder, eh? Look me in the eye, ask me! - Stop it.
- Ask me if I was up there.
Sorry, but I'm scared, terribly scared! No reason to suspect your best friend.
Someone's after me at the theatre.
I don't know who, but someone is.
I know.
I wouldn't trust anyone any more either.
Well, what's up? Nothing.
I like these sort of jobs the best.
Must be nice to be an actor, lie in the sun all day, do a bit of work at night.
They'll stay there till evening, I'm sure.
- I'll get us some food.
- Good idea.
But no ham rolls, please.
The doorman lets no one past, so only someone from the inside could make it backstage.
So you think he'll try again? I'm pretty sure.
I need someone to watch the actresses from offstage.
Someone no one knows.
Except the stage manager.
I'm your man.
I've always been a theatre enthusiast.
All right, then.
You'll be in the wings.
I'll watch the auditorium.
- Will it suit me? - It's tailor-made.
Hello.
I'm here for a colleague.
Where do I sit? During the play, up there.
During rehearsals, down here.
Thank you.
I'll settle in at the back.
Such a friendly girl, she'll go to heaven.
Well, they've decided.
Romeo and Juliet is out of the repertoire.
Which puts pressure on our comedy.
The opening's been brought forward.
- That can't be true.
- I've told them off upstairs.
Costumes will be ready tomorrow, the set in three days.
It's tough on all of us, but we must try.
Let's rehearse the jealousy scene first as it's so damn difficult.
Well, can you please get up on stage.
What are you doing? The wig.
It's too low, I wanted to adjust it.
- The wig - Let's deal with it later.
Come in.
- Where would you like it? - Over there.
Near the window.
Of course.
I'd rather have it here.
We have to be very quiet, do you understand? As madam pleases.
I'll have it over there.
They're very good.
I like talented people.
What play is it? - Not so loud.
- Coffee? Be quiet! The fireplace, after all.
Is there Anything else? - I'd rather have it here.
- No! How dare you? Just because you screwed my husband, you have no right to disobey me.
- Sure can.
- I demand an apology.
I'll sit here until you've apologised.
I, apologise to you? Why not? - Whose dog is that? - Sorry, he's mine.
You see? It's a prop.
- You see? - It doesn't cut.
You see? Nothing happened.
- You're here to see me act? - Yes.
- The dog was curious too.
- Did he like it? I'll ask him.
The goddess of beauty Waitress, could I have a small mocha? - Sure.
- Thanks.
Damn it.
What? You lost her? Go to her flat, contact me.
- Did you notice the make? - No, I was paralysed with fear.
You must recall the make, it's not possible! I'm sorry, it happened too fast.
- Any computer data? - Lots of red cars have numberplates starting with W34.
Think about it.
Any number might help us.
I was paralysed, I don't know.
Listen, BÃck will take you home, and if you remember anything, ring me, any time at all.
- I still have one question.
- I know what it is.
- Beate has no car.
- She could hire one.
True.
So what do you have for me today? I showed the wig to the director.
- He liked it.
- Just like the other mousy rag.
He's ignorant.
You have a lot to learn, my dear.
I'll remember your advice.
No, you cannot be serious.
It's even uglier than yesterday's damn shit.
BÃck, I've found it! What? There it is! Where were you yesterday evening? Here.
- Is that red car yours? - Yes.
If that's okay.
- Did you use it yesterday? - No.
- Who was it, then? - Clara.
Clara Schmidt? The make-up artist? Yes.
I let her borrow the car.
She's just returned the keys.
To the theatre, BÃck.
I can't discuss that now.
We'll talk after the rehearsal.
A lovely good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Rehearsals in three minutes.
Everyone up on stage, please.
- Find a place to sit.
- Anything to please a lady.
Move faster around the table.
- Okay.
- And stretch out your arms.
- Like this? - Yes.
That's amusing.
Stab her properly.
Not like they do in the opera.
No holding back.
Let's start.
Back to your places.
She refuses to wear the wig.
It's impossibly itchy and scratchy.
This wig is handmade from real hair and it took several months to do it.
- It doesn't itch or scratch.
- We'll talk after the rehearsal.
Now please remove the bust.
But it suits you.
Who has the lead role here, me or the wig? So someone appreciates my work.
Thank you.
Where would you like it? - Over there.
Near the window.
- Of course.
I will not put up with this any longer Have you seen Ms Schmidt, Clara, the make-up artist? Yes, she went to the auditorium for the rehearsal.
Rex! As madam pleases.
Near the fireplace.
- Small steps, please.
- Yes.
I'm sorry.
All right.
- Anything else? - I'd rather have it here.
- No! - How dare you? Just because you screwed my husband, you have no right to disobey me.
- Sure can.
- I demand an apology.
I'll sit here until you've apologised.
I, apologise to you? Why not? - Stop! - A fireman? Don't stab her, the knife's real.
Ritchy, it was the make-up artist, she's gone.
Taxi Shit.
I need your bike.
- Are you joking? - No, I'll return it.
Be good now Good boy.
I didn't want this.
Not like that.
I wanted to hurt her because she'd taken Alex I noticed too late that Alex had sat sat in Juliet's place I couldn't stop the rope.
She's cold and calculating, only cares about her career.
She can't she doesn't know what love is.
Evading the fare again, eh? One day, you'll be caught.