Sherlock Holmes - E14: The Case of the French Interpreter
30min | Crime, Drama, Mystery | TV Series (1954–1955)
Dr. Watson urgently fetches Sherlock Holmes from his club, and brings him to see a French interpreter who urgently needs the detective. The interpreter, M. Dubec, explains how his services were requested by a man named Lattimer, who then abducted him and took him to an unknown location. There Dubec was asked to persuade a Frenchman to sign some papers for Lattimer and an associate, so that they can gain control over his sister's wealth. The case becomes more urgent when the criminals find out about Dubec's meeting with Holmes, and once again take him to their hidden ...
Stars: Ronald Howard, Howard Marion-Crawford, Archie Duncan
30min | Crime, Drama, Mystery | TV Series (1954–1955)
Dr. Watson urgently fetches Sherlock Holmes from his club, and brings him to see a French interpreter who urgently needs the detective. The interpreter, M. Dubec, explains how his services were requested by a man named Lattimer, who then abducted him and took him to an unknown location. There Dubec was asked to persuade a Frenchman to sign some papers for Lattimer and an associate, so that they can gain control over his sister's wealth. The case becomes more urgent when the criminals find out about Dubec's meeting with Holmes, and once again take him to their hidden ...
Stars: Ronald Howard, Howard Marion-Crawford, Archie Duncan
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Short filmTranscript
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01:03Speed is of vital importance.
01:05And when one is in a hurry, it is sometimes necessary to take a short cut,
01:09which was the case this particular evening.
01:14There are men in London who, out of shyness or sarness,
01:18have no wish for the company of others.
01:21Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and the latest reading material.
01:25For their convenience, a club was started
01:28which forbade its members from taking any notice of each other.
01:33If a member talked, it was a black mark against him
01:36and three such marks rendered him liable to expulsion.
01:40Sherlock Holmes was neither shy nor sour,
01:43but he joined the St Denis Club because he found the atmosphere
01:47soothing.
01:50True, I'd always been diligent about not disturbing him here,
01:54but tonight I had come on a matter of the greatest urgency.
02:03I beg your pardon?
02:06Oh, I... Excuse me.
02:08I thought you were Sherlock Holmes.
02:10That's not the point.
02:14You talked.
02:16Well, I only went.
02:17You went, and that's the same thing.
02:21Mr Brundy.
02:26Take this gentleman's name.
02:30Your name, sir?
02:32Watson. Dr John Watson.
02:35But you made a mistake. I'm not a member of your club.
02:38Not a member?
02:40How did you get in?
02:42Well, I...
02:46Mr Brundy, you'll accompany me out, sir.
02:49I'm here on very urgent business.
02:51Our constitution forbids talk of any kind.
02:54Follow me, sir.
02:56And I'd like you to understand I'm not the sort of man
02:58who enters a club like this uninvited
03:00if the circumstances happen to be extraordinary.
03:06Holmes!
03:09I must ask you, sir, not to attempt to...
03:12I don't believe such an incident has ever occurred before.
03:19Well, really.
03:22Holmes!
03:24I've never been so humiliated in my life.
03:26Why didn't you speak up in there?
03:28Because it's against the rules of the club, old chap.
03:30Oh, hang the club!
03:32This desire for privacy can go too far.
03:34What if an emergency arose?
03:36Yes, and perhaps to prevent that happening again,
03:38we'd better move down the hall a bit.
03:40Now, you were saying?
03:42What if an emergency arose?
03:44You can speak up now, Watson.
03:46What I'm trying to say is, what if an emergency arose
03:49and your presence is urgently requested?
03:51Then we can put a hand on you.
03:53I'm here, my dear chap. You've just disproved that.
03:55Oh, really?
03:57I'm only isolated here from triviality.
03:59Well, there's nothing trivial about this.
04:01There's a man waiting for you back at the flat,
04:03a man by the name of Dubeck, Claude Dubeck.
04:05He's had an experience that'll make your blood run cold.
04:08What sort of an experience, Watson?
04:10He watched a man being tortured.
04:12Tortured? We'll find a cab outside.
04:14Yes. Come along, then.
04:21Once outside, we immediately hailed a cab,
04:24and I began to tell Holmes what I knew of the case.
04:27Holmes sat in silence as we rode,
04:30and I knew that my explanations had done nothing more
04:33than rouse his interest in talking to Mr. Dubeck.
04:40Perhaps it was a nightmare.
04:42I'm no longer sure.
04:44But I saw a man being tortured, starved to death.
04:49I was powerless to help.
04:52Here, drink this. It'll do you good.
04:57Any true Frenchman will tell you
05:00that this brandy has to be sipped safer,
05:03but if you'll excuse me once...
05:08Poor devil.
05:10Maybe he's still alive.
05:12Mr. Holmes, you must find him before it's too late.
05:15Mr. Dubeck, we'll do our best to help you,
05:17but first of all, you must tell us who this man was
05:19and how you came to meet him.
05:21His name was Charon, Paul Charon.
05:24Paul Charon.
05:26And how I came to meet him?
05:30What day is it today?
05:31Wednesday.
05:32Wednesday.
05:33Wednesday, then it was last Friday that it happened.
05:36You know, Mr. Holmes, I'm an interpreter,
05:39and I interpret nearly all languages.
05:42Now, since I'm French by birth,
05:44it is with this tongue that I'm principally associated.
05:50Now, I'm very well known in hotels,
05:53and it occurs frequently that I'm called for
05:55at the strangest hours by travelers
05:58who get into difficulties.
06:00Now, I was not surprised, therefore,
06:02when I heard shortly before 11 o'clock at night
06:05someone knock at my door.
06:15Mr. Dubeck?
06:16I'm he.
06:18My name is Latimer, Harold Latimer.
06:21Forgive me for calling at such a late hour,
06:23but the man at the hotel said it would be all right.
06:25Oh, you need an interpreter?
06:27Yes.
06:28You do speak French, don't you?
06:30Oh, with the greatest of pleasure.
06:32What's your problem?
06:33Well, you see, someone from France came to see me on business.
06:36As it turned out, he speaks only French.
06:39And I, of course, can't even read the label on a bottle of wine.
06:42Oh, that's a pity.
06:44He's leaving tomorrow,
06:46and it's imperative that we settle our business tonight.
06:49I realize this is an imposition at this late hour.
06:52An interpreter and a doctor are the same in this respect.
06:55His hours are whenever he is required.
06:57Now, just a moment. I'll get my hat. Go.
07:07Mr. Latimer had a cap waiting outside.
07:10I didn't think to give it more than a passing glance.
07:13However,
07:15there was a strange atmosphere as I entered.
07:18One can sense such things.
07:27I must ask you not to.
07:29I beg your pardon?
07:31I prefer the shades drawn, Mr. Dubeck.
07:33But they cut out the view.
07:35That's exactly their purpose.
07:37You'll forgive me, but I have no intention of permitting you
07:40to see the place to which we are being driven.
07:43What's the meaning of this?
07:45We shall find out.
07:48Soon.
07:58For nearly two hours, we drove without my having the least idea
08:01where we were going.
08:03All the time, I sat in silence,
08:06wondering what on earth could be this man's reason
08:09for kidnapping me.
08:11Whatever it might be,
08:13there was no possible use in my resisting.
08:22We've arrived, Mr. Dubeck.
08:24You're aware this is kidnapping, Mr. Latimer?
08:27It is somewhat of a liberty, I admit.
08:30We'll make it up to you.
08:32You may get out.
08:39You may get out.
08:58Is this Mr. Dubeck, Harold?
09:00Yes.
09:02Well done, well done.
09:04No ill feelings, Mr. Dubeck, I hope,
09:06we couldn't get on without you.
09:08What do you want of me?
09:10Only to ask a few questions of a French gentleman.
09:13Let us have the answers.
09:15If you deal fair with us, you'll not regret it.
09:18But if you try any tricks,
09:21you'll wish you hadn't been born.
09:24You follow me?
09:37We put him in one of these, sirs,
09:39to move him away easily.
09:41What have you been doing to this poor man?
09:43That is no concern of yours.
09:56Feel better?
10:02You don't have to understand French
10:04to know that is not a compliment.
10:06But no matter.
10:08Ask him if he's prepared to sign the papers.
10:12For your own good, be quick about it.
10:17Jamais.
10:19Never.
10:21Tell him he is doing her no service.
10:28He says, let me hear her say so.
10:32Tell him he'll go free if he signs.
10:42He says, then he will never go free.
10:45Then he knows what awaits him.
10:47Translate that.
10:53He says he doesn't care.
10:57Stop that!
10:59There's only the beginning if he persists in being stubborn.
11:04Now let us try again and see if we can get better results.
11:07I was horrified at having to be a part of an affair like this.
11:11And even though I was only the interpreter,
11:14I felt guilty at not being able to give him any help.
11:17What could I do with Latimer on one side
11:19and Judd on the other,
11:21giggling with each question?
11:23Again and again, I asked him in different ways
11:27and he would give in and sign the document.
11:29Again and again, I got the same reply.
11:32But soon, a thought came to me.
11:35I took to adding little sentences of my own to each question,
11:39innocent ones at first, to see if I could get away with it.
11:43When our companion showed no sign of catching on,
11:46I played a more dangerous game.
11:48I asked him all about himself
11:50and learned that his name was Paul Charon.
11:53He was a stranger in London,
11:56that he didn't know what house we were in,
11:58that he was being starved to death.
12:01In another minute, I might have wormed the whole story out from under their noses,
12:05but for the interruption.
12:09Who is it?
12:10I don't know. It's Miss Lee.
12:12The door is locked.
12:14Get rid of her.
12:17Give me the gun.
12:27Micheline, dear, I thought you went to bed hours ago.
12:30I couldn't sleep, Al.
12:32I can't think of nothing but Paul.
12:35Now, Micheline, there's nothing to worry about.
12:38But he should have been here two days ago.
12:41It isn't like Paul to do something like that.
12:44Something must have happened to him.
12:46Nonsense.
12:48I'll wager anything that he was delayed somewhere on business.
12:51Then he would have written to me.
12:53If I don't hear from him by tomorrow, I will go to the police.
12:58Micheline!
13:00Paul, he's in there.
13:02Micheline, what's the matter with you?
13:04Have you taken leave of your senses?
13:06But it was Paul's voice.
13:07It was nothing of the kind.
13:09But I did, I heard.
13:10Would I lie to you?
13:12If Paul were in there, wouldn't I tell you?
13:14Judd is in there.
13:16Judd.
13:17That's all.
13:19Judd is in there.
13:21Judd.
13:22That's all.
13:23Wow, Al.
13:25I don't know what's happening to me.
13:27Now, now, darling.
13:29It's only a case of nerves.
13:31You'll be all right after a good night's rest.
13:33But it never happened like that before.
13:35You've probably never been under such a stress.
13:38But it's foolish.
13:40If something happened to Paul, you would have heard about it by now.
13:43The fact that you haven't is proof enough that all is well.
13:49You're probably right.
13:51Of course I am.
13:56I'll take you back upstairs.
14:09You perceive we have taken you into our confidence over some very private business.
14:14A shameful business.
14:20Necessary business.
14:22But it would not be to our interest if you spoke to anybody about it.
14:27Therefore, I am paying you a fee such as you have never before received in your life.
14:33There will be more the next time you come here.
14:38However, I don't place all my faith in money.
14:42I don't place all my faith in money.
14:45Therefore, I must warn you that if you speak to a single soul about this,
14:50we shall know about it.
14:52And you will pay for it with your life.
15:07And now we return to the case of the French interpreter.
15:11This man, this evil man, escorted me back to the carriage and took his place opposite me.
15:17We drove for about half an hour and the shades were drawn as before.
15:24Then we came to a stop and he ordered me out.
15:27I walked for a mile or so and then I found myself at Wadsworth Common.
15:32And there I took a train to Victoria Station.
15:34I see. And there I presume your adventure ended.
15:37Now, I should have gone to the police right away, but I feared for a man's life.
15:42Now, Mr. Holmes, someone told me that you worked with a complete discretion.
15:48Oh, you can be assured of that.
15:50Mr. Holmes, would you please try to find him?
15:53I'll try, but you must realize that my success depends almost entirely on your memory.
15:58I've told you everything.
16:00Only everything you were able to see.
16:03I've told you everything.
16:05I repeat, Mr. Dubé, only everything you were able to see.
16:09I don't understand.
16:11Well, on the way to the house you saw nothing because the blinds were drawn in the carriage.
16:14But you could still feel and hear, couldn't you?
16:17Now, as you were going along, could you tell whether it was a rough or smooth road?
16:22Oh, yes. Now I know where you're getting at.
16:24Well, during the first part of the trip, the road was smooth.
16:28And then we seemed to turn off on a country road.
16:32A country road.
16:33Yes.
16:34Now, when you were going along that part of the road, did you hear anything like cattle or poultry or sheep?
16:38Sheep?
16:39Yes, that's what I heard.
16:40Now, think hard. Was there anything else?
16:42Well, now, I remember.
16:45I remember a horn, a foghorn, something like a coal barge passing by.
16:50I see. Now, what part of the journey would that be exactly?
16:53Toward the end, I'm certain.
16:55Was there anything else that you can remember?
16:57No.
16:59Oh, yes, something about the house.
17:01Yes, we left the house, and then we seemed to pass through a huge storage room.
17:08And under the floor, I heard something like rushing water.
17:12Water?
17:13Yes, a stream.
17:14It couldn't be, but that's what it seemed like.
17:17Thank you, Mr. Dubé.
17:18I think I have all the information I require for the present.
17:21Have you already found out where he is?
17:23No, but I have all the facts at my disposal, and it's now only a question of time.
17:26Please, Mr. Holmes, don't give my name, because if they ever found out that I've been here...
17:30You can depend upon my keeping your confidence, Monsieur Dubé.
17:32However, I would urge you still to be on guard.
17:35I'll be careful, Mr. Holmes.
17:36Good.
17:38Good night, Mr. Watson.
17:39Good night.
17:45Good night, sir.
18:00Good night.
18:31Well now, Watson, you were listening to what Dubé had to say?
18:34Have you any theories?
18:35In a vague sort of way, yes.
18:37Well, let's hear it then.
18:38Well, it seemed to me that this young French girl had been carried off by this English chap, Blattimer.
18:44Oh, but carried off from where?
18:46Oh, from Paris, I suppose.
18:48Well, the young girl could speak English fairly well, but the young man couldn't speak a word of French.
18:52Inference, the young girl had been in England some time, but the young man hadn't been in France.
18:57Well, then we can presume she came over on a visit to England and this man, Haddle, persuaded her to run away with him.
19:02More than likely, Watson.
19:04Then this Charon, the prisoner, brother or guardian, decides to come over on a visit from France.
19:11He meets Blattimer and his associate, and then for some reason decides against signing away the girl's fortune,
19:17of which he is presumably the guardian.
19:19The men then resort to force.
19:21Excellent, Watson.
19:22I'm quite certain that you're not far from the truth now.
19:25Well, it's only simple logic.
19:27Yes, and with simple logic we'll find the house.
19:30It must be here somewhere.
19:32And when we finish translating the facts that Dubeck has given us, an X will mark the spot.
19:38Now, let's see.
19:55The Doctor?
20:13I'm sorry to disturb you, Doctor.
20:15Would you mind getting your coat?
20:17We'll pick up a straight on the way.
20:19You found it?
20:20I believe so.
20:22I think we should find Dubeck in case we need an interpreter.
20:24That's an excellent idea.
20:32And from what I've heard, I believe these may come in handy.
20:36Right.
21:05Dubeck had his lodgings just across the river, and we decided to walk there.
21:34If you're looking for Mr. Dubeck, he left about an hour ago.
21:40Can you tell us where?
21:41I don't know.
21:42I only know he drove away with a gentleman in a carriage.
21:45Well, did the gentleman leave his name?
21:46No, sir.
21:47Was he by any chance a rather tall, handsome-looking man?
21:50Oh, no, sir.
21:51It was a little gentleman with glasses.
21:53Did nothing but giggle all the time.
21:55Thank you, madam.
22:04Even the weather seemed to be against us,
22:06and as we found our cab and started on our way, it began to rain.
22:10According to Holmes's calculations, we had a considerable way to go,
22:13and we had to go fast if we were to be in time.
22:17London streets in the rain are a handicap to any carriage,
22:20so there's nothing for us to do but hope and wait.
22:27He's going to eat me.
22:29He's going to eat me.
22:34Does he still say no?
22:37He asked for food.
22:39Have mercy on the poor man.
22:41He will be fed the moment he's signed the papers.
22:43Tell him that.
22:47Sign, my old man, and a meal will be served to you.
22:52I can't take it anymore.
22:54He'll sign at last.
23:16Now feed this man.
23:18It would be foolish to spare him, only to have to kill him again.
23:22Kill him?
23:24And you broke your promise.
23:26You spoke to Sherlock Holmes.
23:28That's not...
23:30That's true.
23:34There's no point in lying,
23:36but you couldn't tell him where we are,
23:38and even the famous Mr. Holmes could never deduce that.
23:51There are some men coming.
23:53Quick, open the trap.
24:04Down there.
24:32Who are you?
24:50What do you want?
24:52Does it answer your question?
24:55The property was rightfully mine.
24:57I'm her husband.
24:58It belonged to me.
25:00But he controlled it and wouldn't sign it over to me.
25:03He found out you were a thief.
25:05You can't take me to jail.
25:07I only tried to get what was coming to me.
25:10I'll see that you do.
26:09I'll see that you do.
26:38THE END