Alfred Hitchcock Presents s04e14 Episode Script

Good evening.
I am answering my correspondence.
I receive some very interesting letters, threatening and otherwise.
"Dear Mr.
Hitchcock, I am a man of 60 with a wife of 22.
"We have a handsome young man of 25 rooming with us.
"Yesterday, I discovered ground glass in my sugar.
"Isn't this unusual? "Anxious.
" Dear Anxious, yes, this is unusual.
I believe arsenic is customary in cases of this kind.
But your wife is young.
I'm sure she'll learn.
"Dear Mr.
Hitchcock, "we have endured your snide and impertinent remarks "about our commercials long enough.
"This is to warn you that " So much for fan mail.
Now we come to that part of the program for which the sponsor has been waiting.
I am too prudent to describe it.
Well, give my best to your mother.
Darling, let's not.
I mean it, Sharon.
I'm perfectly willing to be friends with her.
I've told you, Ben, she won't even talk about it.
So I just let her think I come over in a cab.
Well, next time you'd better stop around the corner.
I'd better go in, Ben.
Look, couldn't you skip it for tonight? I can't do that to her.
If you knew how much she looks forward to having me I don't know why you couldn't have made it some other night.
You know how hard it is for me to get free.
I'm hardly to blame for that, am I? No.
No, of course not.
I made the mistake and I can't expect you to pay for it.
Darling, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean it.
You mustn't talk like that.
I don't mind waiting, really I don't.
I love you, Ben.
Well, that's all that matters.
And one of these days, it'll work out for us.
I'm sure of it.
Mom, I'm here.
Everything's ready.
Mom, you've been crying.
Oh, I was peeling onions for the scalloped potatoes.
Mom, please.
If you'd only try to understand.
Sit down now, before everything gets cold.
Mom, if you'd only talk to me, but you always close up.
Just once, Mom.
Just let me talk to you.
Sharon, he's a married man.
All the talking in the world isn't going to change that.
But he is going to change it.
He's going to get a divorce.
He's been saying that for over a year.
Mom, you make it sound as if he didn't want to marry me.
He does, Mom, just as much as you want him to.
He's trying to work it out.
If he'd had a speck of decency in him, he'd have stayed away from you until he was free.
You said yourself it's been a year, Mom.
What was I supposed to do, sit around here and wait? Oh, Sharon.
Nobody as pretty as you are has to sit at home and wait.
Remember Steve Mooney? He wanted to marry you.
Yes, I know.
And I'd have slaved all my life just the way you did.
Did you ever hear me complain? No.
No, of course not.
Is it so old-fashioned to want to see you in a home of your own? I've got a place of my own.
Yes, I know.
Mom, please, we have to take our happiness when we can find it.
Sharon, did it ever occur to you that you might be taking her happiness away from her? Oh, that's a laugh! Mom, she's not in love with him.
She's only hanging on to him out of sheer spite.
If she can't have him, she's not gonna let anybody else.
Well, how do you know what she's like? Have you ever met her? No.
Ben's told me all about her.
Mom, do you really want to know why Ben can't get a divorce? I'll tell you.
It's because he put everything he owns in her name.
His house, his factory, his investments, everything, and she's not going to let go of it.
Now do you understand what kind of a woman she is? No.
And I don't understand why he would put everything in her name.
It's for business reasons, it's very complicated.
I don't understand it exactly myself.
But it's done all the time.
And now she's taking advantage of it.
But you wait.
One of these days, she's gonna get what's coming to her.
Sharon, don't talk that way.
Well, I just wanted you to know what Ben's had to put up with.
I only know one thing, two wrongs don't make a right.
He's a married man and he's ruining your life.
We'd better eat this before it gets cold.
and I'm confident you'll be as impressed with our new designs as I am.
They have that out-in-front creativeness that can't help miss being Yes? There's a lady here to see you, Mr: Nelson: A Mrs: Trotter: Well, tell her Mrs.
Trotter? What does she want? She says it's personal: Shall I send her in? Yes, but give me a minute.
Mrs.
Trotter, come right on in.
This is a very pleasant surprise.
Here, take this chair.
I think you'll find it comfortable.
Sit down.
Thank you.
Well, this is a very pleasant So you're Sharon's mother.
Well, it's about time we got around to meeting.
Mr.
Nelson I appreciate your coming to see me, Mrs.
Trotter.
I know it took a lot of courage.
I wonder if you really know how hard it was.
I think I do.
I've had to face some pretty trying situations in my own life.
We're all human, Mrs.
Trotter, and we've all made mistakes.
But we do the best we can and I think the man upstairs understands that.
If you really mean that, Mr.
Nelson, you'll stop seeing Sharon.
I was under the impression she was old enough to make her own decisions.
It's wrong.
You know it.
I can't sit back and watch you ruin her life.
Isn't your concern a little late? I certainly don't agree with you that Sharon is ruining her life.
But if that's the way you feel, why didn't you say something a year ago? Sharon knows that I never approved.
But she kept saying that you were going to be married.
Well, if that's all that's worrying you, Mrs.
Trotter, let me assure you.
I want nothing more in this world than to marry your daughter.
You're already married.
That's true, unfortunately.
But as soon as I'm free When will that be? I don't know.
We're trying to work it out.
Suppose you never get your freedom.
What is there for Sharon? That's the reason that I've come here, Mr.
Nelson.
It's not too late.
Sharon is still young and she's very pretty.
If you stop seeing her, she still has a chance to make the right kind of life for herself.
Mrs.
Trotter, Sharon didn't know you were coming to see me, did she? No, of course not.
Did you ever stop to consider what would happen if she found out? Yes, I know the risk.
I've lain awake night after night, wondering what to do.
And if I've done the wrong thing, it's only because I'm her mother and she's all I've got.
Believe me, I understand.
And don't you worry.
Sharon will never know about this.
All I ask is that you try to see my side of it.
Oh, I'm not going to burden you with my troubles, Mrs.
Trotter, except to say it's been bitter and unpleasant and Well, I think you understand.
I'm glad we had this talk, Mrs.
Trotter.
Thanks for coming in to see me.
Ben, honey.
What's the matter? What are you so worked up about? Your mother.
Mom? Well, why? What is it, Ben? Came to see me at the office.
She didn't! She wouldn't do a thing like that.
Why? She told me to stay away from you.
It was a pretty rough half hour, I don't mind telling you.
Well, it couldn't have been very pleasant for her, either, Ben.
If you knew her, you'd understand how hard it must have been.
I won't have her meddling in our affairs.
Things might change.
You could get tired of me, fall in love with another girl.
I have no protection, Ben.
I'm not married to you.
You could walk out tomorrow and what would I have? But we are going to get married, just as soon as I can work it out.
Yeah.
Yeah, you've been saying that for a year now, Ben, and it's no closer than it ever was.
She'll never let you go.
And I'm not even sure that you want to.
You know better than that, Sharon.
If it was just myself, I'd have walked out a year ago, given her everything.
But I want things for you.
Like this.
Oh, Ben! You don't find these in boxes of cereal, you know.
You shouldn't have, Ben.
You've given me so much.
I want to.
And I'm able to, because I haven't given in and let my wife take everything that's mine.
It's beautiful, darling.
And I love you for it.
But I'd trade, you know, for a plain gold wedding band.
Just so I could walk down the street and not be afraid I'd meet somebody who knew.
All right.
I'm going to Europe in two weeks on a business trip.
Why don't you join me there? Oh, it would be wonderful.
But I can't do it.
Why not? You know why.
My mother.
It would be like a slap in the face, like saying I didn't care how she felt.
But you don't care how I might feel.
You should have heard how she talked to me in the office.
What did you expect her to do, Ben, give us her blessing? She did it to protect me, you know.
She could have ruined both of us.
You know the situation.
Let one person in the office find out, it'll be back to my wife in an hour.
I thought she knew all about us.
Of course she knows.
But not who you are.
I've protected you that much at least.
I'm sorry, Ben.
I didn't mean it.
Baby, don't you understand? I may have to go into court before this thing is settled.
I don't want you dragged into it.
I love you far too much to ever let you get hurt.
Darling, I love you so much.
If anything ever happened Nothing is going to happen.
Just as long as you keep your mother in line.
Just supposing she'd got talking to my secretary.
Oh, she wouldn't breathe a word to her closest friend, let alone a stranger.
Just one slip, that's all it would take.
It won't happen again.
That's my girl.
Yes? Are you Mrs.
Nelson? I'm looking for the Nelson home.
Well, this is the Nelson residence.
Whom did you wish to see? Mrs.
Nelson.
Mrs.
Ben Nelson.
May I ask what it's about, please? Well, it's a It's a personal matter.
I've just come from Mr.
Nelson's office.
Will you come in? Good afternoon.
I'm Mrs.
Nelson.
I'm Mrs.
Trotter.
Won't you come in and sit down? I've come here all the way from the city on the bus.
Maybe I shouldn't have, though.
I don't see why you shouldn't.
Mrs.
Trotter, didn't you say? Yes.
I'm Sharon's mother.
Well, now that you know, I did come all this way, maybe I will sit down.
Please.
Such a terribly warm day.
With all this humidity, I'm sure we'll get some rain.
I hope you like iced tea.
Oh, yes.
Now, you made the long hot trip out from the city to I do hope it's not my husband you've come to see.
He's at his office, in the city.
No, I've been to see your husband and I did no good.
So there didn't seem anything left for me to do, but to come here and appeal to you.
What sort of appeal are you making, Mrs.
Trotter? Please, Mrs.
Nelson, don't make this any harder.
Really, I'm afraid I don't It's for my daughter's sake.
Oh, Sharon.
Yes, I thought you knew her.
You mentioned her name when you first came in.
Mrs.
Nelson, I can't All this talking around in circles may be the civilized way, but I'm no good at fencing with words.
I can only say what I feel.
I wish you would.
I don't know who's to blame.
Maybe all of us, me as much as anybody.
Somewhere along the way I must've failed.
I don't want you to think I'm making excuses for Sharon.
She's not blameless by any means.
She knew he was married.
But he's twice her age.
Surely he must carry the greater burden of the blame.
Are you by any chance referring to my husband? Well, if you still loved him, I could understand your feelings.
Just one moment, Mrs.
Trotter.
I hope you realize you are close to getting yourself into very serious trouble.
There are laws about this sort of thing.
I know it's natural to be bitter and to want to strike back, but this has been going on for a year.
Please, let him go.
Really, if your daughter If Sharon has told you some incredible schoolgirl story, I suppose it's even possible she imagines herself in love with Please, let me have just a moment.
I've got to try to understand this.
You did say you've been to see my husband? Yes.
And he said he was trying to get free, so he could marry Sharon.
Oh, you must've Didn't you You didn't know, did you? Darling? Darling, why are you sitting here in the dark? Mrs.
Trotter came to see me today.
Mrs.
Trott I can't understand what she'd want here.
From what she said, I think Sharon must be a nice girl.
Just very, very young.
She's just somebody who came in for a job.
She couldn't handle the work, so I had to let her go Please, Ben, you should know by now I can always tell when you're lying.
You told that girl you were going to marry her.
Have you forgotten? I'm already married.
Of course, you'd have to get your freedom first.
I believe that's the way you phrased it.
Darling, the girl doesn't mean anything to me.
I never had any thought of marrying her.
I don't think there's much chance of it now.
I'm going to give you your freedom anyway, Ben.
I don't want it.
Only I'm afraid that's all I'm going to give you.
There isn't anything I could do about it anyway, even if I were foolish enough to want to give you a settlement.
Everything my father left me is in trust.
So, when you get free from me, you'll be free of my money, too.
Mom! Sharon! For heaven's sakes, what are you doing out this time of night? Oh, my baby! You're soaked to the skin.
Come on, Mom, let's get those wet things off.
No, I was Mom, where have you been? I tried to call you a dozen times tonight.
I've been walking around, trying to think.
Sharon, I did a terrible thing today.
You're telling me.
Mom, why did you go to Ben's office? That was the worst thing you could have done.
Mom, you've got to promise me that you'll never do anything like that again.
Sharon, he deceived you.
He was lying to you.
He didn't intend to marry you.
Now, stop it.
I'm not going to listen to you anymore.
From now on, it's a closed subject.
But I haven't told you the things I came here to say.
Now, Mother, I mean it.
I know Ben better than you do.
Everything is gonna be all right.
Now, I'll go fill the bathtub for you and we'll get you some dry clothes.
Okay? You won't listen to me.
Hello? Hello, Sharon: Now, listen carefully, I've only got a few minutes: I may have to hang up: Now just listen, because everything depends on it.
My wife My wife's dead.
What? She died this evening: I'll explain everything later: The police have been questioning me for hours.
I tried to keep you out of it, but I couldn't.
I had to tell them I was with you.
They're on their way to question you now.
You've got to say I was in your apartment from 6:00 until after midnight.
Have you got that? Sharon? Yes.
That's all you have to say.
Just stick to it, no matter what they tell you.
You stand by me now, baby, and I'll make it all up to you later.
As soon as it's over, we'll get married.
I've got to hang up now: Goodbye, baby: Your bath's ready.
Mom, you have a nice long soak.
Mom, what are you doing? Who were you calling? It rang.
I was going to take the message, but he talked so fast.
Was it Ben? Yes, it was Ben.
What did he want? He said his wife died tonight.
Oh, no! What happened? He really didn't explain.
He said the police were there asking him questions and they know about you and him.
And they're coming here to talk to you.
And Sharon, you mustn't get involved.
And you must stick to your story no matter what.
What story? What am I supposed to tell them? Ben wants you to say that he wasn't here all evening.
Do you understand? Ben wants you to say that he wasn't here all evening.
I hope you liked our play.
We now have a one-minute soap opera, which I'm sure you'll love.
This is the story that asked the question, "Can a poor, lowly, advertising man from rural Madison Avenue "win customers for his sponsor "and find happiness in the upper income brackets?" I'm afraid I may have done it again.
However, if I am sacked, moving out will be no great problem.
I'm a clean desk man.
This is a type of desk where everything is out of sight.
The waste basket.
The telephone.
And here is my secretary.
That will be all, Miss Whiteleather.
Suppose you tune in next week to see if I'm still on the job, I can at least promise you another story.
Good night.