The Mystery Of Mr Wong 1939 | Boris Karloff, Dorothy Tree | Classic Hollywood Murder Mystery Movie

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:04][music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [singing] >> Monica.

[00:01:59]Monica.

[00:02:00]Never mind.

[00:02:01]Your mistress up yet? Yes, she's upstairs sitting room with secretary man. Very good.

[00:02:07]>> [music] [singing] [singing] >> Dreena?

[00:02:26]My secretary's working with Mrs. Endicott?

[00:02:28]Yes.

[00:02:32]Another boat has arrived from the Orient.

[00:02:35]One who knows too much can very easily be sent back to the Orient.

[00:02:39]I'm not afraid. And then one might never see the Orient again.

[00:02:46]You know who got you this position?

[00:02:48]You wanted to come to America, didn't you?

[00:03:04]He's home.

[00:03:10]You're terrified, aren't you? You're trembling. Peter, stop it, please.

[00:03:14]Valerie, how long you going to stand for this sort of thing?

[00:03:17]Peter, you're forgetting yourself.

[00:03:18]You're afraid of him, aren't you? You try to hide it, but you can't. It's becoming more apparent every day.

[00:03:30]>> [clears throat] >> The boat came in last night.

[00:03:44]He was out all night, and he brought something home with him. Really?

[00:03:48]It might be [music] what we're after.

[00:03:50]I hope so.

[00:03:54]What's the matter with you? You're not even listening. Have you forgotten why we're here?

[00:03:59]You're not interested in your work anymore. You're not interested in me.

[00:04:02]All you think about is Mrs. Edwards.

[00:04:04]Mrs. Edwards has nothing to do with it.

[00:04:06]All I'm interested in the musical career she offered me.

[00:04:09]>> CAREER. YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH HER. SHH.

[00:04:18]VALERIE, don't you see where you're heading? Do you want the same fate as his first wife? A suicide? Peter, please.

[00:04:23]>> He drove her to it with one refined cruelty after another. He's doing the same thing to you. Peter, STOP IT, PLEASE.

[00:04:29]>> STOP IT, VALERIE. Can't you see I love you? I won't listen.

[00:04:33]Yes, you will. I won't stand by and see the woman I love torn to pieces. I I can't stand much more.

[00:04:40]Someday I'm going to kill him.

[00:04:42]Peter.

[00:04:49]Morning, my dear.

[00:04:52]Good morning.

[00:04:54]Have you finished the guest list for our party? We just just making it up. Did you invite Ed Johnny? I want to show him something. Yes, I I don't follow him at the university, but he was giving a lecture. I told his secretary.

[00:05:06]I'd like to invite Mr. Wong, too.

[00:05:08]The Chinese detective?

[00:05:10]For your information, he's probably one of the five foremost living authorities on ancient art and literature in the Orient.

[00:05:18]He's also a graduate of Heidelberg and Oxford.

[00:05:24]>> [singing] >> Valerie, how long is this uh mockingbird going to continue?

[00:05:31]Oh.

[00:05:32]Peter, would you ask Michael, please, if he'd mind practicing a little later? Tell him he's annoying Mr. Edwards. Yes.

[00:05:46]It was your idea that we bring Strogonoff to America.

[00:05:49]You said he was wasting his marvelous talent, didn't you? Yes. Well, he has to keep up with his practicing. Is that why he moved in with us?

[00:05:57]Or was it so he could feast his eyes on you?

[00:06:00]That's not true.

[00:06:02]I'm not blind.

[00:06:05]He has a great attraction for women, hasn't he?

[00:06:08]I hadn't noticed. No?

[00:06:11]No.

[00:06:13]And I don't like your insinuations.

[00:06:15]You know I'm only interested in his voice. So?

[00:06:19]Then what might our interest in young Harrison be?

[00:06:23]You're insane.

[00:06:24]What are you trying to do to me?

[00:06:26]You brought us together constantly, both you and Strogonoff.

[00:06:30]Well, if Miss Frieda sends Strogonoff away, in case you were worrying about my absence last night, I was receiving the eye of the daughter of the moon.

[00:06:43]Brandon. What?

[00:06:45]You didn't bring that jewel into this house. Why not?

[00:06:48]We'll all be murdered.

[00:06:50]Don't be silly, Valerie.

[00:06:52]Don't you remember what they told you in Shanghai?

[00:06:54]What would happen if that jewel ever left China? An Oriental superstition.

[00:06:58]They said it carried the CURSE OF EMPEROR HUNG CHONG CHU.

[00:07:01]And they said the emperor was very jealous of his wife.

[00:07:05]When he buried her, he placed the gem in her heart.

[00:07:47]>> [music] >> Oh, Mr. Wong. Apologies. Apologies.

[00:07:52]Well, Mr. Wong, glad to see you. I'm afraid I'm inexcusably late.

[00:07:55]>> Not at all. Pleasure to have you at any time, I'm sure.

[00:07:58]Oh, Valerie, dear.

[00:08:00]May I present Mr. Wong my wife, Mrs. Edwards. [music] So nice of you to let me come. I'm delighted you could come, Mr. Wong. My dear Wong, this is such a pleasure. Well, Jeremy.

[00:08:10]I haven't seen you since the Dayton affair.

[00:08:12]>> that very interesting case.

[00:08:14]>> Yes. Do you remember that awful night in the open car? Raining cats and dogs.

[00:08:19]That was almost a year ago. Oh, stop it.

[00:08:21]Stop it. Oh, no, please. It's so exciting. Let them go on, please.

[00:08:24]>> Don't encourage them, my dear, or they'll be over in a corner. We'll lose them for the entire night.

[00:08:28]>> [laughter] >> Now, pardon me a moment. I must see Mr. Wong. If you'll excuse me, Mrs. Edwards.

[00:08:32]You were saying?

[00:08:33]>> I'll see you later, Jeremy. Now, Wong.

[00:08:37]You've never met Wong before.

[00:08:40]Fine scholar. Brilliant and clever man.

[00:08:44]And a very good friend to have.

[00:08:47]Like you.

[00:08:52]Oh, a matched pair. You found a mate.

[00:08:57]Yes.

[00:08:59]You know, my dear Edwards, someday this collection will be your monument. Perhaps.

[00:09:06]Now that I have found this.

[00:09:13]I, the daughter of the moon.

[00:09:15]You recognize it?

[00:09:17]Of course.

[00:09:21]The most beautiful thing in the world.

[00:09:24]Exquisite.

[00:09:26]Gorgeous.

[00:09:29]But very dangerous.

[00:09:33]Does the Chinese government know it's in in country? I don't think so.

[00:09:37]They're searching for it.

[00:09:39]It was missing from the museum after the looting of Nanking.

[00:09:44]I suppose you realize your life may be in danger.

[00:09:47]>> My life is in danger.

[00:10:10]When did this come?

[00:10:12]The day before I obtained possession of the stone. The day before? That's the real reason I was so anxious to have you come here tonight.

[00:10:22]Have you consulted the police?

[00:10:24]No one.

[00:10:25]Why don't you consult our friend Jack?

[00:10:28]As you know, he's a noted criminologist.

[00:10:30]>> Head janitor's in and out of here all the time.

[00:10:32]Practically one of the household.

[00:10:35]I prefer to consult someone who has a clearer perspective.

[00:10:40]That's why I sent for you.

[00:10:42]I'll keep this.

[00:10:46]Odd.

[00:10:47]Arriving the day before.

[00:10:51]And you suspect no one?

[00:11:01]I have made a statement which is contained in this envelope. It is to be opened if anything should happen to me.

[00:11:07]The name of the person I suspect is in here.

[00:11:24]Let's see why you Very well, Sing.

[00:11:34]>> Absolutely trustworthy.

[00:11:36]He's devoted to me.

[00:11:45]Oh, Mrs. Edwards is going to play some sort of game downstairs. I think it's called Indications now. You know, you act out some sort of song, play, or picture. Oh, yes, I remember. In England, we used to call them charades.

[00:12:00]Well, that's the idea.

[00:12:02]I've been roped into assist.

[00:12:04]>> [laughter] >> ATTENTION, PLEASE.

[00:12:08]Ladies and gentlemen, we're going TO PLAY INDICATIONS.

[00:12:14]>> [applause] >> WE'LL ACT OUT THREE TITLES.

[00:12:18]ONE, a song, a well-known song.

[00:12:22]Two, a book, a mystery book.

[00:12:27]And the third, a movie, an extremely popular movie, I assure you.

[00:12:32]And there'll be a bottle of our very best champagne for the very clever person who guesses EACH ONE FIRST.

[00:12:45]MY FIRST APPEARANCE AS A PERFORMER.

[00:12:46]>> OH.

[00:12:47]And never mind the laugh.

[00:12:49]I expect to be very good.

[00:12:51]>> [clears throat] >> Has Brandon been showing you some of the treasure trove he brought back from China?

[00:12:57]Did he show you the beautiful manuscript he has of the legend Oh, wait. I know, I didn't know he had it.

[00:13:02]Well, what do I do?

[00:13:04]Oh, you play the part of your wife's lover.

[00:13:07]My wife's lover?

[00:13:09]That's an odd twist. Rather.

[00:13:12]What happens?

[00:13:14]Uh her husband comes in. He finds you two together, and shoots you.

[00:13:20]You know, I I think you've got something there.

[00:13:23]Well, do I Do I say anything? Uh oh, yes. Uh here are your lines.

[00:13:29]Alaska, I love you.

[00:13:31]Who's the husband?

[00:13:32]I am.

[00:13:36]Alaska, I love you.

[00:13:37]Alaska.

[00:13:39]I'll bet you follow that.

[00:13:41]I did.

[00:13:46]What ho, ESPIONS AT ALL?

[00:13:50]>> [clears throat] [laughter] >> WELL, WELL, what is it?

[00:14:05]Four men in a boat. Oh, no, no, no. Come on now, try again. Oh, this is easy.

[00:14:11]Come on. Sailing, sailing over the ocean way. Well, you're getting warm. Someone else?

[00:14:18]Oh, I know. THE VOLGA BOATMAN. RIGHT.

[00:14:23]>> [applause] >> MRS. BOLTON WINS THE FIRST BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE. GOOD CHAMPAGNE.

[00:14:33]>> [applause] >> ISN'T THAT LOVELY?

[00:14:42]OH. OH.

[00:14:44]>> WHY, I never was SO POPULAR IN MY LIFE.

[00:14:46]>> [laughter] >> AND NOW, NUMBER TWO, the mystery.

[00:14:55]No less persons than your host and hostess will play the leading roles in this one.

[00:15:00]Our play begins on the stroke of midnight.

[00:15:23]>> [clears throat] >> What?

[00:15:33]You shouldn't have come.

[00:15:35]Why?

[00:15:37]I had to see you.

[00:15:39]I had to see you.

[00:15:43]Valerie, I love you. Valeska.

[00:15:47]Valeska, I love you.

[00:15:49]John, you mustn't.

[00:15:51]My husband may be awake.

[00:15:54]Your husband is awake.

[00:16:01]Um What are you doing in my wife's arms? I mean, what's my [clears throat] wife doing in your arms?

[00:16:09]We've been in love with each other for months. Months and months.

[00:16:14]It'll be fun to let you live and suffer, but as for him, DIE LIKE A DOG.

[00:16:27]>> [applause] >> NOW, GUESS.

[00:16:35]THE ETERNAL TRIANGLE.

[00:16:38]Not this time. You lose. Oh, no, no, no.

[00:16:42]>> [laughter] >> Come. Come. Put your thinking caps on.

[00:16:46]Dead men tell no tales.

[00:16:48]No, [laughter and gasps] you're not even warm.

[00:16:51]I've got it. Let's play murder.

[00:16:54]No, no, that's out.

[00:16:59]I call on the eminent criminologist Professor Jenny.

[00:17:03]Oh.

[00:17:05]Well, then I should say it's uh What?

[00:17:11]>> [laughter] >> What?

[00:17:13]A terrible professor.

[00:17:16]Oh, as a last resort. Will you make an effort, Mr. Wong? Oh, uh I would suggest Yes, yes. Murder comes at midnight. THAT'S IT!

[00:17:29]>> [applause] >> COME AND GET YOUR CHAMPAGNE, AND A BOTTLE OF UH soda pop for the professor.

[00:17:45]Mr. WONG.

[00:17:46]AND YOU.

[00:17:48]>> [laughter] >> I DRINK MY FIRST toast to your excellent performance.

[00:17:55]And particularly that of our friend Edwards.

[00:17:58]>> [laughter] >> Did you hear that, Brandon? Get up and take a bow.

[00:18:05]Brandon, it's all over.

[00:18:11]Brandon.

[00:18:28]His first appearance and his last.

[00:18:37]Let me have her.

[00:18:38]I'll take her to her room. Then I'll call the police.

[00:18:50]I'm afraid there has been an unfortunate accident.

[00:18:55]Your host is dead.

[00:18:57]Please do not disturb any I would like to have a word with you two gentlemen, please.

[00:19:19]Where's the telephone? It's in on the table, sir. You better get your mistress a glass of water.

[00:19:24]>> Yes, sir.

[00:19:30]Who suggested this particular playlet?

[00:19:33]Uh I did, Mr. Wong. I scrambled the dialogue and I was to play the husband's part.

[00:19:40]Why didn't you?

[00:19:41]Uh they needed me for another sketch, so I suggested Harrison.

[00:19:47]Who loaded the gun?

[00:19:49]Edwards. He loaded it with blanks. I sat right here and watched him.

[00:19:54]And was the gun ever out of your possession after it was loaded? Well, I I don't think so.

[00:20:00]Edwards loaded it and examined it and I examined it and put it IN MY POCKET.

[00:20:11]>> [screaming] [clears throat] >> OPEN UP.

[00:20:27]WHAT HAPPENED? Boss dead. Up there.

[00:20:30]Wait for the corner.

[00:20:39]Well, Wong, I didn't expect to find you here.

[00:20:42]>> I expected you, but not so soon.

[00:20:44]>> Somebody phoned us about 20 minutes ago, said it was a homicide.

[00:20:47]>> Who phoned, did they say? No. Why is it important?

[00:20:51]20 minutes ago, the victim was still alive.

[00:20:56]Alive?

[00:20:57]Say, what goes on here? Well, I'd hoped it was an accident.

[00:21:01]Now, I I wonder.

[00:21:08]How are you?

[00:21:09]You going to smelling salts? Yes, sir.

[00:21:14]Val.

[00:21:15]Val.

[00:21:17]You all right? Well, it was a party, as you see.

[00:21:20]And Mr. and Mrs. Edwards were giving a little playlet.

[00:21:23]In which this young man was supposed to shoot Edwards with this gun.

[00:21:31]These are blanks. Yes.

[00:21:33]He assures me that he saw Edwards load the gun himself with those blanks.

[00:21:39]And so far as he knows, the gun has not been out of his possession. But someone tampered with the gun, or the man is dead.

[00:22:33]Was anybody else with you when this gun was loaded? I was there.

[00:22:38]Did you handle the gun? No.

[00:22:45]Maybe we better start this thing at the beginning.

[00:22:48]Were all these people here when this gun was fired? Yes, we were all here.

[00:22:54]What kept you so long? I'm sorry, sir.

[00:23:02]And we all thought it was just an amusing play until Mrs. Edwards told her husband to get up and he didn't move.

[00:23:10]Where's Mrs. Edwards? He was taken to her room by Professor Janney.

[00:23:13]Is he here? Yes, he too is a guest at the party.

[00:23:16]Well, the gathering of the clan.

[00:23:19]We three have worked together before.

[00:23:20]>> That's right.

[00:23:22]Let's talk to Mrs. Edwards.

[00:23:23]You two stick around.

[00:23:25]You ladies and gentlemen may go home.

[00:23:27]Leave your names and addresses with the officer at the door.

[00:23:31]All right, folks.

[00:23:32]Line up out here and give me your names.

[00:23:36]Make her more comfortable. Yes.

[00:23:47]Hello, Street.

[00:23:49]How did you get here so soon?

[00:23:50]>> Somebody phoned us as far as I can gather before the shooting occurred.

[00:23:53]Amazing. We'd like to talk to Mrs. Edwards. Oh, please don't. Don't disturb her for a little while. She's half out of her mind. Utterly prostrate.

[00:24:02]I'm sure she knows nothing of this.

[00:24:04]Well, maybe you can help us out. Where can we talk?

[00:24:06]>> In here.

[00:24:10]What's this? Edwards' den. Uh.

[00:24:14]Well, all we have to do is actually find out whether that young secretary knew there was a real bullet in that gun when he fired it. Not quite as simple as that, Street. There are some very curious angles in this case.

[00:24:24]It's important to get the report from the ballistics department. Why? I just want to be sure the bullet in Edwards' body really came from Harrison's gun.

[00:24:33]Well, that's usually routine. Drop down early in the morning. I will. It's all very puzzling.

[00:24:38]Edwards and Harrison always seemed to be on the best of terms.

[00:24:45]Sing. Yes, sir.

[00:24:47]It's true, isn't it, that Mr. Edwards and Mr. Harrison were good friends?

[00:24:52]Big fight yesterday.

[00:24:54]You mean they had a fist fight?

[00:24:56]No.

[00:24:58]Big talk.

[00:24:59]Loud talk. Did you have any idea what the quarrel was about?

[00:25:03]No, sir.

[00:25:04]Tell that policeman to bring Harrison in.

[00:25:07]All right.

[00:25:10]All right, man.

[00:25:12]Hey.

[00:25:14]Where are you going?

[00:25:16]I'm going to Mrs. Edwards' room. Oh, are you? They want to see you inside, Mr. Harrison.

[00:25:21]Who? Policeman.

[00:25:23]All right, come on.

[00:25:29]Sit down, Mr. Harrison.

[00:25:32]You had a quarrel yesterday with Edwards.

[00:25:34]How did you know that?

[00:25:35]>> Is it true?

[00:25:37]Yes. What did you quarrel about?

[00:25:40]I can't tell you. You mean you refuse?

[00:25:43]Yes.

[00:25:44]I'll have to hold you as a material witness.

[00:25:47]Which is the same as being under arrest, isn't it? Practically. That's all.

[00:25:59]Might in jail loosen his tongue.

[00:26:01]Well, I hope it'll be solved as easily as that.

[00:26:04]I think I'll grill that bird myself.

[00:26:07]If I don't get anywhere, I'll turn him over to the two foremost criminologists on the Pacific Coast.

[00:26:24]You don't believe it was an accident, do you? Well, so far I've no reason to suspect otherwise. I have.

[00:26:32]I've a very definite reason for suspecting foul play. Really?

[00:26:37]I didn't mention it to Street, but Edwards showed me a sealed letter in his safe which was to be opened in case of his death by violence. You mean to say he had anticipated that an attempt would be made on his life?

[00:26:49]And he suspected someone? Of course.

[00:26:52]That's what's in the letter.

[00:26:54]You know, of course, that Edward was unreasonably jealous of Valerie. The singer? Mhm. Stroganoff, Harrison, half a dozen men in San Francisco.

[00:27:04]Valerie had many admirers.

[00:27:09]How do you propose to open the safe?

[00:27:12]That may not be so easy a matter.

[00:27:20]Why, it's open.

[00:27:22]And the letter's gone.

[00:27:26]And the eye of the daughter of the moon.

[00:27:31]The eye of the daughter of the moon?

[00:27:35]You mean of the Chu dynasty? Yes.

[00:27:38]But that's in the Imperial collection in Nanking. No.

[00:27:43]It was lost [clears throat] in the looting of Nanking.

[00:27:45]Somehow or other, Edward got possession of it.

[00:27:48]He showed it to me earlier this >> evening. Heavens, what that thing's worth.

[00:27:53]A fabulous sum. Yes.

[00:27:55]Our friend had a taste for that sort of thing.

[00:27:59]And presumably the person who stole the letter took the sapphire.

[00:28:03]We'd better tell the police.

[00:28:04]>> By no means.

[00:28:06]We'd better not give our friends tweet too much to think about once. No. No.

[00:28:12]I think you and I had better stay the night here.

[00:28:16]Good.

[00:28:21]Let's have a look round before we turn in. Yes.

[00:28:40]>> [music] [music] [music] >> What's the matter, Mr. Wong?

[00:29:19]Why, nothing at all, see.

[00:29:21]Aren't you up rather late? Miss She lie downstairs. We come up, look, see. Quite right, see.

[00:29:27]Quite right.

[00:29:31]>> [music] >> I want you to go to the house of the seven brothers on Grant Street.

[00:31:09]Talk to Sun Yat.

[00:31:11]Ask him who in Chinatown sells this kind of paper and to whom.

[00:31:17]Very fine paper. Yes, it's not the ordinary paper made from straw. It's from the rice paper tree.

[00:31:23]It may have come from Hunan province.

[00:31:25]This may not be easy.

[00:31:26]>> Well, do the best you can.

[00:32:03]This is a microphotograph of the fatal bullet taken from Edward's body.

[00:32:09]I'll now fire a test shot with Harrison.

[00:32:47]>> Isn't it?

[00:32:50]They don't match.

[00:32:52]Fatal bullet was never fired with Harrison's gun. I didn't think it was.

[00:32:57]You'll notice test bullet has none of the peculiar markings of the fatal bullet.

[00:33:04]Could that These peculiar markings Could they have been caused by a silencer? Yes, perhaps. That's what happened in the Anderson case, you remember, Johnny? Yes, yes. I had a hunch it would turn out this way when I got the coroner's report. By the way, does it say that the bullet traveled in a downward direction? That it was fired from a height?

[00:33:26]Yeah, how'd you know?

[00:33:28]Well, I found this last night.

[00:33:31]The balcony overlooking the stage.

[00:33:36]It's a.38. It's the right caliber.

[00:33:39]Then it was deliberate murder.

[00:33:41]Yeah, and that's not all.

[00:33:43]Carslake, that's Edward's attorney, is waiting in my outer office with a fine load of news.

[00:33:48]It seems that Edwards changed his will.

[00:33:50]And Carslake was on the way to Edward's house this morning to get his signature.

[00:33:56]Hello, Johnny.

[00:33:58]>> this is Mr. Wong.

[00:33:59]We're helping the police in the investigation. Mr. Wong. How do you do?

[00:34:03]Carslake?

[00:34:04]It's been definitely proven that your client was not killed with a bullet that came from Harrison's gun.

[00:34:08]This is murder.

[00:34:10]I'm not entirely surprised.

[00:34:12]What do you mean by that? There was something wrong in that house. An atmosphere of approaching doom. I felt it ever since Mr. Edwards returned from his recent trip to China.

[00:34:21]Just how do the terms of the new will differ from the old ones?

[00:34:25]Ordinarily, I'd consider this information as confidential. But Mr. Edwards altered his will. Practically eliminating Mrs. Edwards from every benefit possible. Disinherited Mrs. Edwards? Practically, as much as was possible. How about Sing, the butler?

[00:34:41]Just to what extent was he benefited by the new will? Well, he'd been with Edwards for years. He had the largest legacy of all.

[00:34:47]I wonder how much that really knows.

[00:34:51]Ways that are dark and tricks that are vain. You know what I mean, Wong.

[00:34:55]I think the sooner we get out to Edwards' house and question everybody, the better. Well, I think you should know that Edwards left a letter in his safe to be opened in the event of his death. He did? And when Jenny and I looked for it last night, it was gone.

[00:35:08]How do you know Edwards didn't take it himself? Edwards showed it to me just before we went downstairs.

[00:35:14]And as you know, he never came up again.

[00:35:17]I think we better get out there right now. Of course, you realize that this definitely eliminates young Harrison.

[00:35:23]Yeah, I'll release him.

[00:35:25]But I'm going to take him along for further questioning. He might be useful.

[00:35:32]>> [clears throat] [sighs] >> What is it, Sing? Police downstairs.

[00:35:42]They want to see me? They want to see everybody.

[00:35:47]Peter. Valerie.

[00:35:50]Tell the police we'll both be down shortly.

[00:35:56]Peter, they they released you. Yes.

[00:35:59]They found that the bullet that killed your husband wasn't fired from my gun.

[00:36:04]I knew you couldn't have done it, Peter.

[00:36:07]Well, they're waiting.

[00:36:09]Let's go.

[00:36:17]In other words, no one went up that stairway outside of Stroganoff. That's right. He went in the playroom, poured himself out a drink.

[00:36:32]>> What's the trouble? How are you, Mrs. Edwards? Sit down, please.

[00:36:39]Mrs. Edwards, uh in as much as it's been definitely established that your husband was murdered, it opens up a new line of investigation.

[00:36:46]Have you any personal suspicions?

[00:36:50]No.

[00:36:52]There's no one I suspect.

[00:36:54]Have you any idea why your husband quarreled with your secretary, Mrs. Edwards?

[00:37:00]I wasn't aware they had quarreled. I think I can explain that, possibly.

[00:37:04]Harrison bitterly objected to the terms of the new will, which disinherited Mrs. Edwards.

[00:37:10]Oh.

[00:37:12]So, that's why you quarreled, eh?

[00:37:15]Yes.

[00:37:16]You didn't like the idea of him changing the will.

[00:37:19]You knew about it.

[00:37:21]You knew about it.

[00:37:23]Do you know anything about it? No.

[00:37:26]And you, Mrs. Edwards?

[00:37:28]No.

[00:37:30]But I'm not surprised.

[00:37:32]Seems to me that it's a pretty good motive for murder.

[00:37:36]Getting rid of that man before he had a chance to sign it.

[00:37:40]That's all.

[00:37:49]If you don't mind, Sergeant, I'd like to return to my office. Thanks for coming.

[00:37:54]One moment, please.

[00:37:56]How did you feel about the changing of this will? Well, naturally, I was indignant. Mrs. Edwards is a lovely and charming lady. I thought Edwards was insane, and I didn't hesitate to tell him so. I quarreled with him as bitterly as anyone. In fact, I told him to get someone else to look after his legal affairs.

[00:38:14]I didn't see you at the party last night. Oh, I was invited, but at the last moment I decided not to come.

[00:38:19]I took a ride in my car alone. And you live only a few doors from here. Well, yes.

[00:38:26]Why? I mean, we can get in touch with you easily if we need you. Oh, oh, yes, indeed. Thank you.

[00:38:35]If I were you, Street, I'd have a few officers on duty here tonight.

[00:38:39]I think you're right.

[00:38:42]Professor Janney and I have decided to spend the night here again.

[00:38:54]Too much smoke.

[00:39:04]On this felicitous occasion, clouds of heaven conceal the trees on the mountain top.

[00:39:13]Treasures of Hur Wei?

[00:39:15]Yes, and the forgery.

[00:39:17]Could be. Boss, he thought he had original, stolen from temple of ancestor.

[00:39:23]Those who profane the dwelling places, the gods destroy.

[00:39:28]You know something, don't you?

[00:39:33]But you hold your tongue in more languages than one, my friend.

[00:39:48]Michael, darling. Oh, Lena.

[00:39:51]I was so afraid you wouldn't come. It wasn't so easy.

[00:39:54]We must be very careful.

[00:39:57]I'm so worried about you.

[00:39:59]Don't. Soon it will be all over.

[00:40:01]I hope so.

[00:40:04]Where did you hide it?

[00:40:06]W- What do you mean?

[00:40:07]The jewel, of course.

[00:40:08]But I haven't got it.

[00:40:10]We were upstairs. There were many who were upstairs.

[00:40:14]Are you lying?

[00:40:15]You mustn't say such things. You have no reason to doubt me.

[00:40:19]Haven't I?

[00:40:20]We were to be married as soon as you reached America. That was 3 months ago.

[00:40:24]No, but I explained to you that it would be detrimental to my career.

[00:40:28]You know very well your career was only a blind. But I didn't realize then the great possibilities this country offers.

[00:40:36]Hello, thought you'd gone to bed. I was just going to have a little drink before I do. Join me. Why not?

[00:40:45]I think I'm beginning to understand.

[00:40:47]You took the stone and you're trying to hold out on me. You are crazy.

[00:40:51]Not as crazy as you think.

[00:40:53]And I'd advise you to be careful.

[00:40:56]Are you threatening me?

[00:40:58]I found the letter in the safe that you overlooked. What letter?

[00:41:02]The letter that Edwards wrote naming the one he suspected. Who is it? Wouldn't you like to know?

[00:41:07]What are you going to do with it?

[00:41:09]I'm going to spoil your plans and everyone else's in that house. I'm going to give it to the police.

[00:41:14]And tell them that you stole it in the safe.

[00:41:17]Don't be silly.

[00:41:20]All right then, I'll mail it to Wall.

[00:41:23]You are bluffing.

[00:41:25]There's one way to find that out.

[00:41:37]Why you come in front door?

[00:41:41]You go meet him, huh?

[00:41:53]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Hey George.

[00:43:40]Come on up here.

[00:43:41]Come on, quick, make it snappy. Come on up.

[00:43:45]Ready?

[00:43:45]>> [clears throat] >> Come on, come with me. Come on.

[00:43:50]Yeah, take a look at that.

[00:43:55]Now, what do you think of that?

[00:43:57]The door was open. There's someone in the house. Who can tell? Maybe they made their getaway. Well, come on. Let's count noses and find out.

[00:44:02]>> Yeah.

[00:44:16]>> But what's wrong? There's a ladder by an open window in that room. I think we better take a look, Johnny.

[00:44:21]Yeah. Go to the back door. SEARCH THE GROUNDS. KNOCK ON SOME DOORS. GET EVERYBODY UP.

[00:44:32]I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT AT ALL. WHAT?

[00:44:35]That our Mr. X should have to force an entrance into the house. Or Mrs. X, or Miss X.

[00:44:52]What's happened? Have you seen any stranger in the house? No. Is something the matter? Somebody either came in or went out.

[00:44:58]Is everybody here?

[00:45:00]My maid, Rena, isn't here.

[00:45:01]Maid.

[00:45:04]Where's her room? This way.

[00:45:19]MISS!

[00:45:21]COME ON. BREAK IT IN.

[00:45:34]SHE'S DEAD. OH.

[00:45:40]HELLO. PLACE IS ALL UPSET. Looks as if it's been searched.

[00:45:57]Say, aren't you going to call the street?

[00:45:59]Yeah. Get them over here right away.

[00:46:01]>> Right. All right, folks. Let's clear the room.

[00:46:04]You stay here. Don't let anyone in or out until Street gets here.

[00:46:15]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Oh, Henderson. I was just having a drink. Won't you join me? Uh yes, I think I can stand one. Uh Singh, do we have any Scotch?

[00:47:09]Oh, won't you join us for a drink, Mr. Wong? Thank you. No.

[00:47:14]I would like a cigarette.

[00:47:18]Yes.

[00:47:19]Thank you.

[00:47:20]I'll take another if I may. I'm all out.

[00:47:24]Good night.

[00:47:35]>> [music] >> Have you found something, Wong?

[00:47:46]The envelope of the letter which Jedwyns left in his safe. [clears throat] And the letter? No letter.

[00:47:52]Where did you find it?

[00:47:53]In the wastebasket in Jedwyns' bedroom.

[00:47:57]I've always assumed that the murderer stole the letter from the safe.

[00:48:01]But somehow rather it fell into Drina's hands.

[00:48:04]So that she knew who killed Edmonds.

[00:48:07]And she in turn, poor girl, was killed herself. Horrible.

[00:48:11]I wonder if the murderer has the letter now.

[00:48:14]We'd all feel safer if we knew.

[00:48:17]But in any event, whoever has it or finds it later is obviously in great danger.

[00:48:22]Don't you think so, gentlemen? Indeed, yes.

[00:48:26]Oh, there's our friend Streeter.

[00:48:30]>> [screaming] >> I'm plenty sore about the whole thing.

[00:48:37]I take every possible precaution, and what happens?

[00:48:40]Somebody gets in the house and kills that girl right under our very nose.

[00:48:45]If the newspapers get a hold of this, they'll tear the police department apart.

[00:48:50]I left strict instructions for every door and window in this house to be locked. How did window get open? I was going through some of Edmonds' Chinese manuscripts in the den. I'd smoked a good deal.

[00:49:00]Sing came in and opened the window.

[00:49:04]Why didn't you close it afterwards? He forget.

[00:49:06]Oh, you did, eh?

[00:49:08]You sure you didn't arrange to leave that open for someone? Room full of bad air. Me open window. Me forget to close him.

[00:49:15]Does anybody know what this girl was doing all evening? She go outside. She come in front door. Me see her.

[00:49:22]Are the servants in the habit of coming in through the front door? That's what I asked her. What was she doing outside?

[00:49:28]She go meet him.

[00:49:30]Hm.

[00:49:33]Did she?

[00:49:35]Yes.

[00:49:36]She was on her way to meet Letitia when we met. Oh, just an accident, eh?

[00:49:41]No. It was prearranged. She wanted to see me. What did you talk about?

[00:49:47]A purely personal matter.

[00:49:50]Discussing personal matters in front of eh?

[00:49:53]How well do you know this girl?

[00:49:55]We were friends in Shanghai. Just friends.

[00:49:58]When she learned that I'm coming to the States with Mrs. Edwards, she persuaded her to take her also. Was she a maid in China?

[00:50:07]She was a dancer in the cafe in the foreign settlement.

[00:50:10]Did Mrs. Edwards know that her maid was your sweetheart?

[00:50:14]No.

[00:50:16]But what has that to do with the investigation? Might have a lot to do with it.

[00:50:20]Now, what was the personal matter you were discussing last night?

[00:50:25]She was insisting on us getting married.

[00:50:27]And if you refused?

[00:50:30]She was threatening to cause a terrific scandal. Oh.

[00:50:34]Did you believe that she'd actually do this thing?

[00:50:36]I did not and I told her so. Then what happened?

[00:50:40]She got very angry and she left.

[00:50:43]You say she was on her way to mail a letter to Stroganoff. Yes. And did she mail the letter? I don't know. Do you happen to know to whom the letter was addressed?

[00:50:52]No, I haven't seen the address.

[00:50:54]How'd you get back in the house?

[00:50:57]Through a French window. I left it purposely open. You sure you didn't climb a ladder and get back in the house that way?

[00:51:04]Quite sure.

[00:51:05]All right.

[00:51:07]You may all go to your rooms. That is all except Mr. Stroganoff.

[00:51:16]He's telling the truth. The next step is to find out how much he forgot.

[00:51:20]>> Tell us, you really think he knows something?

[00:51:21]>> Sure, and I know so.

[00:51:24]Whoever killed Edwards and that girl is on these premises right now. Well, I'm quite sure of it. Why? Well, somebody took a shot at me. A shot? When? Well, earlier in the evening. I was outside. I was trying to make a cast of the footprint at the base of the ladder. We never heard of a shot. Of course not. He used a silencer. And that's why we didn't hear the shot that killed Edwards. Yeah, but you You take those chances, Wong.

[00:51:46]>> Nonsense. It's perfectly all right. He missed.

[00:51:50]The more I think about it, the more I think he knows more than he's telling us. You think he killed his sweetheart to shut her up, eh? Sure. When she threatened to talk.

[00:52:00]I think I'll take Stroganoff down to headquarters.

[00:52:03]Get him ready, George.

[00:52:10]You know, he claims to be a singer.

[00:52:14]All right. I'll make him sing.

[00:52:17]>> [laughter] >> Hello?

[00:52:50]What number is this, number what?

[00:52:53]All right. All right.

[00:52:59]You say you came in through the French windows. That's correct. Where'd you go?

[00:53:03]Upstairs to my room. And how do you account for the fact that the policeman on duty in the hallway didn't see you go up the stairs?

[00:53:09]I went up the back stairs. Oh, talk to the maid, huh?

[00:53:12]Yes. Did you see her?

[00:53:14]No. I knocked at the door, and there was no answer. Then where'd you go?

[00:53:19]To my room and to bed. Huh.

[00:53:27]Signor say paper bought from China by Kong Lee Company. They sell paper to very few people. Here list of them who buys them.

[00:53:42]A soda. 0661.

[00:53:48]Yes? Mr. Wong?

[00:53:50]About the letter, Mr. My hat and umbrella.

[00:54:50]Straight office.

[00:54:52]Yeah, right here.

[00:54:56]Hello. Wong speaking.

[00:54:59]I'm afraid something's happened at the Edwards' house. I'll be in front of your house with a squad car in 10 minutes.

[00:55:05]Come on, Deborah.

[00:55:25]Open up.

[00:55:29]Bring it in.

[00:55:45]>> Out like a light. Somebody hit him on the head. Look around and see what you can find. Phone the ambulance.

[00:55:56]You said you were talking to him on the phone. Did you hear any other voices?

[00:55:59]No, I just heard a commotion and what might have been the sound of a falling body. So, I called you immediately.

[00:56:06]Wagon's on its way. There's not a sign of anyone down here, Chief. Nobody out there? Check the upstairs. Look around the grounds.

[00:56:15]Don't you feel better with that little walk?

[00:56:17]>> Yes, thank you, Ellie. It was very nice.

[00:56:21]Singh.

[00:56:22]Singh.

[00:56:27]Street. Well, what is this? What's happened? Have they killed him? No, he's only knocked out. Why?

[00:56:33]What did it all mean? Oh.

[00:56:35]Where have you three been?

[00:56:37]In the grounds, walking in the rose garden.

[00:56:39]I insisted that Valerie go out and get some fresh air and we took Harrison along with us.

[00:56:43]It was my suggestion.

[00:56:45]But when did this happen?

[00:56:47]We haven't been out of the house.

[00:56:49]Half an hour. Oh, much less than half an hour. That's right, isn't it, Ash? Yes.

[00:56:53]Have you been together all the time?

[00:56:55]Why, yes, of course.

[00:56:56]Now, there's one thing I'm sure of.

[00:56:58]Stroganoff didn't do this cuz he's been with me.

[00:57:03]The letter.

[00:57:05]That's the one thing I got out of Stroganoff.

[00:57:07]That letter was intended for you. Yes, it was.

[00:57:11]Singh was speaking of it when he was struck down. Letter?

[00:57:15]Please, please, what letter?

[00:57:17]It's a letter written by your late husband containing the name of the person he suspected to be opened after his death in the event of foul play.

[00:57:28]Then he didn't know.

[00:57:32]Evidently, the assailant thought Singh had the letter with him.

[00:57:36]Save your time, boys. It's not necessary. I talked to Singh earlier in the day.

[00:57:41]And the letter is in the mail. It'll be in my hands in a very few hours.

[00:57:57]You expecting a visitor? I'm expecting a visitor.

[00:58:00]>> One or two? Oh.

[00:58:01]You better stand at the door. Admit anyone who comes. Right.

[00:58:23]Why, good evening, Mrs. Edwards. The letter. Have you received it?

[00:58:26]>> Do sit down.

[00:58:28]Have you opened it?

[00:58:30]Allow me to offer you some tea.

[00:58:32]Who was it? Whom did my husband suspect?

[00:58:36]He suspected the one who hated him.

[00:58:39]My husband had many enemies.

[00:58:42]Is it possible that that could include young Harrison?

[00:58:46]No. No, no. Do sit down.

[00:59:00]Good evening.

[00:59:01]>> Good evening.

[00:59:02]Is this Mr. Waring? Yes.

[00:59:05]Then the real reason for your being here is that you're afraid his name might be in your husband's letter. Is that it?

[00:59:14]Why, Harrison. We were just speaking of you. Well.

[00:59:18]Peter, why did you come here?

[00:59:22]Oh, for the same reason you did. Is it possible you both have an identical interest in the contents of this letter.

[00:59:43]Mr. Wong, two more men come. I told you to admit anyone who came.

[00:59:55]Excuse me a moment.

[01:00:02]Sorry to be so late, but I met Stroganoff. He wanted to know where you live, so I brought him along.

[01:00:08]Hello, Val.

[01:00:10]Harrison?

[01:00:11]I came to ask you, Mr. Wong, not to open that letter until I have a chance to tell you certain things.

[01:00:17]>> That your name is not Stroganoff, but Petrovic.

[01:00:20]That you knew that Edwards had obtained possession of the Eye of the Daughter of the Moon. That you and the maid Zena won his confidence and came to America with him to get the stone.

[01:00:29]Even if you had to kill him.

[01:00:32]Aren't you assuming too much, Mr. Wong?

[01:00:35]That remains to be seen.

[01:00:37]In the meantime, please be comfortable.

[01:00:41]Thank you.

[01:00:48]Wong, mind letting go of this. I couldn't help thinking of what you said about my living so near the Edwards.

[01:00:54]Now, if you think for one moment that I had anything to do with this Why, Mrs. Edwards, if you contemplate making a statement of any sort, I must insist, as your attorney, that you first consult me.

[01:01:06]But surely you don't think that Mrs. Edwards might incriminate herself.

[01:01:12]Now, I submit that we are all here for one purpose, to identify the murderer of Brandon Edwards.

[01:01:22]Now, this letter stolen from his safe and subsequently mailed to me contains the name of the suspect. May I see the letter?

[01:01:33]Well, why not open it? I'm afraid it's not quite as easy as that.

[01:01:37]As we all know, Edwards had a great many enemies. And it would be grossly unfair to cast suspicion on a possibly innocent person until we have sifted all the facts.

[01:01:48]But what are your deductions to this point?

[01:01:51]Edwards could have been murdered for two widely different reasons.

[01:01:55]First and most obvious one, of course, is the theft of the Eye of the Daughter of the Moon.

[01:02:00]My first thought was that possibly Far East friends of China had struck to recover what was rightfully theirs. But my countrymen here, who are in a position to know, assure me that that is not true.

[01:02:15]So, then we come to Mr. Stroganoff.

[01:02:19]Whose sole purpose in coming to America was to steal the stone.

[01:02:24]But Mr. Wong, how possibly could the murder of Edwards help me to gain possession of the stone, which was locked in the safe in an entirely different part of the house?

[01:02:35]My dear Mr. Stroganoff, we have arrived at exactly the same conclusion.

[01:02:41]So, I'm afraid we must discard the theory of the stone altogether.

[01:02:45]Then you don't think the murder was committed to obtain possession of the stone? That was not the power about. You remember, of course, Street uncovered the fact that the will was changed and Edwards was killed before he signed it.

[01:02:57]Ah. There we come to the second, perhaps the stronger motive.

[01:03:02]In that event, who would be the interested parties?

[01:03:08]Of course, it would be Mrs. Edwards and young Harrison, whose devotion to his employer's wife was obvious.

[01:03:16]But the report of the Department of Ballistics proves the bullet was not fired from Harrison's gun.

[01:03:22]And Mrs. Edwards was standing alongside of her husband at the moment that the shot was fired from the balcony overlooking the stage.

[01:03:30]So, could they have had an accomplice?

[01:03:36]Carslake has admitted to quarreling violently with Edwards over the terms of the new will.

[01:03:42]But then again, Street's investigation corroborates his story that he did go for a drive that night and was nowhere near the house at the time of the murder.

[01:03:52]Well, I confess that I am completely at a loss, and at no small cost to my professional pride.

[01:04:02]I shall have to seek the solution in this letter, unless you will come to my rescue, Janney, and tell me why you killed Edwards.

[01:04:14]But, dear Wong, surely you're not serious. I'm sorry, Janney.

[01:04:20]I was never more serious in my life.

[01:04:22]But, my dear Wong, you you made so many mistakes. Mistakes? The theft of the jewel misled me for a while.

[01:04:31]But, why the warning note?

[01:04:33]But, the very paper on which it was written, the type of rice paper rarely found in this country, was easily traced to your university, where it's used in the repairing of ancient manuscripts.

[01:04:46]Yes.

[01:04:49]That was a mistake.

[01:04:50]Then you went out of your way to draw my attention to the manuscript of Wu Wang, an obvious forgery, which you had encouraged Edwards to buy, so I felt sure you weren't his friend.

[01:05:02]Then came the question of motive.

[01:05:04]And when I discovered that Edwards' first wife was your sister, and you had watched him drive her to a suicide's grave, I was certain that you had every reason to hate him.

[01:05:16]Yes, that's true.

[01:05:19]He drove my sister Mary to her death.

[01:05:22]I was sure of it.

[01:05:25]He knew of my conviction because I warned him at the time of his marriage to Valerie.

[01:05:30]That was my great mistake.

[01:05:34]You know, of course, Valerie married him to save her father from going to prison.

[01:05:39]Well, for 3 years I stood quietly by and watched him pursuing the same tactics.

[01:05:44]Using the same insidious cruelties against her that he'd used against my sister.

[01:05:52]When I heard he was going to disinherit her, then I made up my mind to remove him.

[01:06:00]I see.

[01:06:02]And poor Freda?

[01:06:04]The autopsy showed she died of poisoned smoke inhaled into her lungs.

[01:06:09]I can't believe Believe me, my dear Wong, I would have saved her if I could.

[01:06:14]Her death is the one thing in all this sorry business that I regret. No, Johnny.

[01:06:21]They're both the same, aren't they?

[01:06:27]Wong.

[01:06:34]I've traced the source of that poison, but I can't find the man that bought it.

[01:06:39]Here's your man.

[01:06:42]Johnny?

[01:06:48]Bye, Wong.

[01:06:50]Congratulations.

[01:06:53]I'm sorry, Johnny.

[01:06:55]Shall we go straight?

[01:06:58]It's getting late and I haven't slept for a week.

[01:07:15]>> Kind of breaks up a nice combination, doesn't it?

[01:07:19]All right, folks, that's all.

[01:07:22]Good night, Mr. Wong.

[01:07:26]A letter?

[01:07:27]Why, yes.

[01:07:29]Why, it hasn't even been opened.

[01:07:34]It's blank paper.

[01:07:36]Well, I was in rather an embarrassing position when the real letter mailed by Sing failed to arrive. However, that served its purpose.

[01:07:44]How did you tie Jenny into that Edward shooting? I happened to remember that when the lights were out, he left me for a few moments. I then found it had time to get to the balcony and back.

[01:07:54]So, when I was fired at later on in the garden by a gun also equipped with a silencer, it wasn't difficult to put the two together.

[01:08:01]Providing we could find a motive for Jenny.

[01:08:05]Which, unfortunately, we did.

[01:08:08]But, once again, Street, I must say that but for your valuable assistance, I couldn't have solved the case. Thanks, Wong. I'll put that in the report. Good night. Good night.

[01:08:26]Messenger just bring letter.

[01:08:31]Important?

[01:08:33]Not now.

[01:08:38]I get you some fresh tea. No, I don't want any tea tonight.

[01:08:45]You're going on a very important errand for me. Yes.

[01:08:49]You're taking back to China something that belongs there.

[01:08:58]>> [music]