Approved | 30min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, TV Series | Episode aired 27 October 1959
In a seedy bar washed up drunk Michael Barry tells the presenter how an elderly countess to whom he was a gigolo died wearing a beautiful necklace, as did her dowdy companion who inherited the jewelry. Barry was not superstitious until he gave the necklace to another woman, who went the same way, leaving him unhinged.
Director: John Newland
Writers: Merwin Gerard, Lawrence B. Marcus
Stars: Sean McClory, Jan Miner, Estelita Rodriguez
In a seedy bar washed up drunk Michael Barry tells the presenter how an elderly countess to whom he was a gigolo died wearing a beautiful necklace, as did her dowdy companion who inherited the jewelry. Barry was not superstitious until he gave the necklace to another woman, who went the same way, leaving him unhinged.
Director: John Newland
Writers: Merwin Gerard, Lawrence B. Marcus
Stars: Sean McClory, Jan Miner, Estelita Rodriguez
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00The amazing drama you're about to see is a matter of human record.
00:08You may believe it or not, but the real people who lived this story, they believe it.
00:15They know.
00:16They took that one step beyond.
00:30Last summer, I went on a short holiday to wonderfully cosmopolitan Mexico City.
00:35It was Thursday.
00:36My wife had, of course, gone shopping, and I had a few hours to kill.
00:39One of the hotel porters told me about this cellar bar, and...
00:45That's him, Mr. Newland.
00:48Michael, this is Mr. Newland.
00:50He's from the United States.
00:52He's very interested in true stories such as yours.
00:59Who's there?
01:04I don't want to embarrass him.
01:05Maybe we should...
01:06Embarrass him?
01:07Why, nothing can embarrass him.
01:09Why, he tell the story to anybody for a little wine.
01:12Why don't you buy him some wine?
01:14All right.
01:20You're sure this is a...
01:21It's the right thing to do.
01:37She was an evil woman.
01:46I had a future.
01:49I was well-liked.
01:50I had a pleasing personality.
01:53I could have been manager of an enterprise.
02:00I was handsome, too, handsome.
02:03She promised me so much.
02:05She promised me everything, and...
02:09And she treated me so shamefully.
02:17Oh, really.
02:28Countess, it's five minutes after nine.
02:30We're already an hour late.
02:31Then we'll be two hours late.
02:33Reasonable, don't we?
02:34Close the door.
02:49Oh, this is not the way.
02:52After all those centuries,
02:54when you have at least learned to comb my hair,
02:57take a letter properly, or keep my books properly,
03:01or do something properly.
03:04I'm sorry, ma'am.
03:09Both of you bore me so.
03:12He was his fading Irish charm, and you...
03:16Well, while I even knew you, I don't know why.
03:19I really do my very best, ma'am.
03:21Yeah, I really do my very best, ma'am.
03:24Bring the necklace.
03:25No, no, no.
03:27Call Mr. Barry for his little performance.
03:33He is so fond of my necklace.
03:36He loves to touch it.
03:39You know, one day, just for a joke,
03:42I'm going to buy him one of those...
03:44Those little things the jewelers wear in their eyes
03:47when they make a praise of.
03:51What are you waiting for?
04:01Call Mr. Ramsey. He wants you to help her with her necklace.
04:12Darling, we're going to have to think
04:14of some absolutely outrageous lie about why we're so late.
04:17I'll leave all that to you.
04:19Dear boy.
04:28I'm sorry, darling,
04:30but this clip always did give me so much trouble.
04:34But you put it on me so often,
04:36you should be able to do it with your eyes closed.
04:38Well, I'll do it.
04:40All right.
04:41I'll do it, darling.
04:42Take your time.
04:44Take your time.
04:47Take your time.
04:51There. There now. There you are.
04:55Darling, you know, you look positively radiant tonight.
04:59But you always look at my necklace
05:01when you make your pretty speeches.
05:04Oh, Countess, why do you have to tease me so much?
05:07Tease you?
05:09But it is a remarkable necklace.
05:12When you are old, it makes you young.
05:16And when you are plain, it makes you beautiful.
05:20Grace, tonight, dozens of young men,
05:24slender young men, will crowd around me.
05:28And Michael will get absolutely furious.
05:32Won't you?
05:34Yes.
05:36It's because I have a jealous nature, you know.
05:40Furious. Frightened.
05:43So there is my beauty secret.
05:47If you want Michael to notice you,
05:50you need more than a pink nose.
05:53Countess, now you're embarrassing her.
05:55Embarrassing her.
05:57Bring the car around the front.
06:01Yes. Yes, of course.
06:08You know,
06:11you behave quite ridiculous in front of him.
06:15Pardon?
06:17You make yourself such a fool.
06:19Fool?
06:21You know what?
06:23If you are very, very, very good,
06:26I will give him to you for Christmas.
06:28Madame, please.
06:30Isn't that a lovely Christmas present?
06:33A beautiful Irish boy.
06:35Oh, a little bit too fat.
06:37Madame?
06:39Slightly beyond his prime.
06:42But still very useful.
06:45Please.
06:48No. No.
06:50Please. Please.
06:52Madame.
06:59Can you breathe?
07:06Help me.
07:09Help.
07:27Bueno?
07:29Bueno?
07:39Madame.
07:41Come on, hurry. Something has happened.
07:44What is it?
07:46The Countess. She's here, dear.
08:04Madame.
08:09Madame.
08:13Give me the police.
08:25What a stubborn old woman she was.
08:28I don't know how many times I told her.
08:31The doctor warned her again and again about her heart.
08:34Cut down on your activities, he said.
08:36Or you'll be sorry for it.
08:39She just wouldn't listen.
08:41I tried to help.
08:43But before I could reach her, she was dead.
08:47The Countess is dead.
08:49It just doesn't seem possible, does it?
08:52I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
08:54It's perfectly all right, Mr. Rivas.
08:56Please sit down, Miss Harkness.
09:01You both know that Countess Ferezzi had no living relatives.
09:04Yes, it is a shame, isn't it?
09:06I mean, she didn't even have a little niece to come visit her during the holidays.
09:10But I'm thankful to say that at least I could make her last years less unhappy.
09:15Yes, I'm sure.
09:19In this letter, accompanying her will,
09:22she asked that both of you attend the reading as interested parties.
09:26I told you, Miss Harkness, you see, she hasn't forgotten you.
09:29And with all her faults, she had a generous heart.
09:33I'll read the pertinent paragraphs.
09:36Skipping for the moment items relating to taxes and so forth.
09:39Fine, fine. Good idea. Go ahead.
09:41Nothing to worry about, Miss Harkness.
09:43To grace Evelyn Harkness, who has served me as well as she could for many years,
09:47I leave my house at 6-7 Avenue Barzoni,
09:50and all the furnishings therein.
09:53What? I don't understand.
09:56What?
09:57I further bequeath all other property, personal and real,
10:01covered in the enclosed inventory.
10:03Specifically, to include my most prized possession, my diamond necklace.
10:17She didn't even mention me.
10:20My name isn't even mentioned in there, is it?
10:23Yes, Mr. Barry.
10:25I leave to Michael Barry the sum of 30 centavos,
10:28which should be enough for bus fare to his young lady friend
10:32at 1216 Rolando Plaza.
10:35I am certain the tranquility that Mr. Barry will feel,
10:38knowing he is no longer in danger of being discovered,
10:41will more than compensate for any monetary consideration.
10:57Well, Miss Harkness,
10:59there's still quite a lot.
11:01Miss Harkness!
11:03Come on.
11:26I expected you at 9.
11:28I came at 11 instead.
11:31We need nothing more.
11:34What is it you wanted to see me about?
11:41Champagne is probably warm.
11:43Oh, so now we're drinking champagne now.
11:46Just for tonight.
11:48Would you open it for me?
11:50I don't know what, but I will, ma'am.
11:56So we're the new lady of the house, are we?
11:59How does it feel?
12:01Frankly, I am still in a daze.
12:03It has only been a week.
12:10You know, frankly, may I tell you something?
12:12You don't act like the lady of the house.
12:14And you still haven't told me why you sent for me.
12:16I will.
12:18Was it to show me your new position in life?
12:21Barry, I am not like that.
12:23Oh?
12:25Oh, look, look.
12:28You're a beautiful young Irish boy, were you?
12:30You're in a trifle deceived, though, huh?
12:32Huh?
12:34I wanted to talk to you.
12:36Did you? What about?
12:38About several things.
12:40First of all, I want you to know that I think that she treated you very badly.
12:42I often heard her promise you.
12:44The moon? Oh, yes, of course, I remember that well.
12:46You know what I wound up with?
12:4830 centowels.
12:50And even at that she cheated me
12:52because the bus fare was 40 centowels.
12:54Huh.
13:01Oh, I beg your pardon.
13:03I'm forgetting my manners, may I?
13:05Of course, all you want.
13:07And help yourself to the hors d'oeuvres.
13:09I may be stale,
13:11but I have the maid
13:13make the kind that you like.
13:15And that's your need with a maid.
13:19Well, here's to good health.
13:24I really meant what I said.
13:26I mean about the countess.
13:28She had no right to treat you
13:30as she did.
13:32Tell me something, darling.
13:34Hmm?
13:36You're all right.
13:38Don't let anyone ever tell you different.
13:40You're all right. You've got a good heart.
13:44Oh, no.
13:46Think of what a fool I made of myself
13:48in that attorney's office.
13:50I couldn't tell,
13:53but I suppose when I heard that 30 centowels
13:55it was enough to drive me out of my mind.
13:57What changed, fool?
13:59If she ever found out about Nina, I'll never know.
14:03You know, when I think of that old woman...
14:05Don't think of her.
14:09Makes my blood boil inside of me.
14:11How she degraded me.
14:13Rubbed my nose in that dirt.
14:15I could have been something.
14:17I really could, and I still can.
14:19I could have been a manager or an enterprise.
14:21You can. You still can.
14:23No, no, no. That's too late now.
14:25Let me think of the many times
14:27that I sat here in this chair
14:29waiting for her to open that door.
14:31You shouldn't give up.
14:33That's fine.
14:35It's very easy for you to say, my dear.
14:37You're young, and you're still very handsome.
14:41Handsome?
14:45Yes, you're...
14:47handsome.
14:51It's been my undoing.
15:06About that young girl?
15:08Nina?
15:10We know all about her.
15:12You going to marry her?
15:14Marry her?
15:16Oh, Mallory.
15:18You know, when she heard about the will,
15:20you know what happened?
15:22She just...
15:24And I haven't seen a hide in her hair ever since.
15:26But did you ever think...
15:30Is she very young?
15:32Well, I don't know.
15:34She's about 25, 26.
15:36Something like that, I guess.
15:38But she looked about 30.
15:40And the countess was much too old.
15:42Forgive me for being forward,
15:45but did you ever consider that a woman your own age
15:47could offer you a great deal more
15:49than either one of them?
15:51Understanding, companionship?
15:53Excuse me.
15:55Listen to me.
15:57Babbling away.
15:59What did you say?
16:01It's just champagne.
16:03Just a minute.
16:05What did you say about Nina a moment ago?
16:07Hmm?
16:09Nina, what about her?
16:11A moment ago, you said something about her.
16:13Well, why do we have to talk about Nina?
16:18You haven't commented on my new clothes.
16:22It is very ungallant of you, Mr. Barry.
16:26You always spoke of how lovely the countess looked.
16:29And I went to the same dressmaker.
16:32My goodness, I...
16:36They charged me enough for the hair.
16:38I hope there's some improvement.
16:41What was it you said about Nina
16:43a moment ago, huh?
16:45Come on, tell me!
16:47You know, there's only one thing missing,
16:49and I'll be right back.
16:51Wait a minute!
16:57Wait a minute, do you hear me? Come back here!
17:04How did you know how old she was?
17:06How did you know what she looked like, even?
17:08Come on and open up this door and answer me!
17:11Come on!
17:14Oh, yes! Now I see it!
17:16That's how the old woman found out about us,
17:18because you saw us together someplace, isn't that it?
17:20And you told her!
17:22And that's why she tried to ruin me.
17:24Come on and open up this door and answer me!
17:28Open it up!
17:30You told her!
17:32You told her!
17:35Oh, come on now!
17:37No use in trying to pretend to me!
17:39Come on, you rat!
17:41Face it!
18:09Now I know what the lock is for.
18:11What a nice way to say hello.
18:13Oh, I can say goodbye much better.
18:15No, Nina, you're a terrible girl.
18:17I always told you.
18:19You know that I've spent all my life
18:21trying to make you happy,
18:23and I've never been able to do it.
18:25I'm sorry.
18:27I'm sorry.
18:29I'm sorry.
18:31I'm sorry.
18:33I'm sorry.
18:35I'm sorry.
18:38You know that I've spent almost a whole week
18:40looking for you.
18:42You should have spent it looking for another nice, rich old woman.
18:44Nina, Nina, please.
18:46Please.
18:48Don't say that. Please, I beg you.
18:50You still wear too much hair oil.
18:57Aren't you even going to ask me where I can buy it?
18:59I'm much too busy for riddles.
19:01I've got a date.
19:03With who?
19:05Somebody who can show me some fun.
19:07Somebody who can put money in his wallet
19:09besides pictures of himself.
19:11Somebody who'll fit mistakes
19:13instead of pipe dreams.
19:15Also somebody who's not 17 years older than me.
19:19You stole it.
19:21Oh, no, no.
19:23The Countess promised it to me a thousand times,
19:25and I insist on people keeping their promises.
19:27I never saw anything so beautiful in my life.
19:29Yes, it is, isn't it?
19:31180 diamonds.
19:33And each and every one of them
19:36is perfect.
19:38Do you know it's worth more than everything else she had put together?
19:40You must have stolen it.
19:42Now, why talk about it?
19:44I'm keeping you from your date.
19:46Yes, I think I'll have to be going now.
19:48Going?
19:50That's what I merely dropped around to say goodbye.
19:52Unfortunately, I'm cursed with good manners.
19:54Going where?
19:56I don't know. Rome, Madrid, Paris, Havana.
19:58I don't know. Any place to go.
20:00You're trying to sell that necklace, and the only place you'll go is to jail.
20:02Oh, no, darling, you're wrong.
20:04What if I said I had one diamond at a time?
20:06But here now, forgive me.
20:08I'm keeping you from your handsome young man.
20:10Goodbye, dear.
20:12Wait. Don't go.
20:14I've missed you, Michael.
20:16Have you? Really?
20:18Of course I have.
20:20Yes, of course you have.
20:22Look, you promised me so much, and then to end up with nothing.
20:24You know how you felt about the old lady
20:26when you ended up with nothing.
20:28It's a foolish date,
20:30and he's the most foolish man imaginable.
20:32Don't go.
20:34No, darling.
20:36I am the most foolish man imaginable.
20:46Darling.
20:48I'll tell you what.
20:50Why don't you finish dressing, pack a suitcase,
20:52and I'll be back for you in an hour?
20:54What are you going to do?
20:56Well, there was a man in town who said that he would buy some of these diamonds.
20:58I called him up, and he told me to meet him at his hotel at 8.30.
21:01I'll be back then, darling.
21:07Michael.
21:09May I see them just once more?
21:11Oh, really.
21:15They're so beautiful.
21:17They...
21:19They almost hypnotize you.
21:21It seems so wrong to break them up.
21:27Yes, but I imagine when you see how much money you have,
21:29they realize that you'll feel much better about it.
21:31Now, come on, give them to me, darling.
21:33Just once.
21:35Just for a second.
21:37Just that I can see myself in the mirror with them on my throat.
21:39Darling, I promised the man 8.30.
21:41Dearest, just for a second.
21:43Oh, well, all right, then.
21:45Come on, I'll help you with the clasps.
21:47Oh, I'm so excited.
21:49You know, it's a funny thing.
21:51Now that they're mine,
21:53I don't feel at all nervous about them.
21:56I never saw anything so beautiful in my life.
21:58Look at me, Michael.
22:00Just look at me.
22:02Come on, let's have them back.
22:04Darling, what's the matter?
22:06Nina, darling, what's the matter with you?
22:08Take them off!
22:10Nina!
22:12They sure gave me!
22:14Help!
22:16They sure gave me!
22:18Help!
22:26Nina, are you all right?
22:40It moved.
22:42It moved.
22:46It moved.
22:52Well, sayonara, Mr. Newland.
22:54What happened to him?
22:56What could happen?
22:58They put him in a place where the criminals are...
23:00¿Cómo se dice?
23:02Loco, the mad.
23:04How long was he there?
23:06Eight, nine years, señor.
23:08¿Quién sabe?
23:10All right, thank you.
23:24Well?
23:26What do you think?
23:28Did the necklace really move?
23:30If it did,
23:32it isn't the first time
23:34that a necklace seemed to have a life of its own.
23:36Around the turn of the century,
23:38a lady in Brighton, England,
23:40was most certainly strangled
23:42by her string of pearls.
23:44But how could such a thing possibly happen?
23:46I don't know.
23:48I don't know.
23:50I don't know.
23:53But how could such a thing possibly happen?
23:55Well, the psychic answer
23:57would be
23:59that somehow the vengeful
24:01spirit of the countess
24:03managed to impart
24:05some sort of life,
24:07an evil life
24:09to her necklace.
24:11Or if you want a more rational answer,
24:13as José the porter says,
24:15¿Quién sabe?
24:17Who knows?
24:19In a moment,
24:21something about next week.
24:25Next week, and every week,
24:27we'll be bringing you
24:29the personal records
24:31of the rarest kind of human experience,
24:33man's adventure in the world
24:35of the unknown,
24:37that mysterious psychic world
24:39beyond our five senses.
24:41This is your invitation
24:43to take with us that astonishing
24:45one step beyond.
24:51© BF-WATCH TV 2021
25:21© BF-WATCH TV 2021