Sam Spade - The Calcutta Trunk Caper

0:00Meet the Red Bull Dragonberry Emergizer. It's one of the many new drinks out now. Who knew ice cold drinks could be so... fire? Try them all only at McDonald's. Sam's say detective agency? Ahoy! It's me, just came ashore. From what? A boat? A ship. Effie a ship. Anything over 400 gross tons is a ship. Anybody knows that? May I inquire what was your... portacole? Calcutta? Mine, that was a quick trip. Well, Effie, I'll tell you. I got so homesick for you I couldn't stand it so I assembled my gear and jumped ship. I see him, how sweet! A faster gal, I'll be right down to dictate my report. Sam!

1:00Oh, Sam, you are alive! Oh, boy, ahoy, Effie! I've been worried sick. Where have you been? On my way to Calcutta, sweetheart, where the dawn comes up like thunder. What are you talking about? Calcutta! And the flying fish is play. Ready, Effie? Sam, why do you want to go to Calcutta of all plays? I didn't, Effie. I hate you. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play. I didn't, Effie. I hate Calcutta. I was Shanghai. To, uh, Mr. Philip J. Fog, Percer, SS Yoreen. How do you spell that, Sam? L-U-R-E-N-E. Oh, that's pretty. Sam, how could you be Shanghai in this day and age? I mean, isn't it against the law? Stoet Effie, you're pumping bilge water. Sam, I am not. From Samuel Spade, license number 137596, when you have the time regarding, the Calcutta trunk caper. Dear Mr. Fog.

2:01The following report will explain the enclosed voucher, which is a claim against your company for the amount of $500 and no sense. If it will also answer any questions you might be asked concerning the recent unpleasantness on board your ship. It all started yesterday morning in San Francisco when my secretary announced briefly and costically that there was a lady outside who wanted to talk to me. I judged that she was worth talking to. She was. Spade, your secretary let me in. Oh, I'm glad she did. What can I do for you? I'm Marsha Hopkins. I see. Mrs. Marsha Hopkins. I see. However, my husband is dead. I see. It's about my sister that I've come to you, Mr. Spade. I'm dreadfully worried about her. Who's your sister? Miss Constance Pendleton. And she's become involved with her unnerd do will, a completely worthless scoundrel and a rail foreign bluebeard. All three? It's one man, Mr. Spade. A Bulgarian, major Andrea Rodnick.

3:01They're going to be married this afternoon and I'm positive that his only interest is in her money. I'm convinced that he's going to kill her soon after the ceremony. He's done it to other wives in Europe. I've worn Constance and pleaded with her. Done everything I could to stop it, but she's completely infatuated with him and refuses to listen to me. What do you want me to do? Prevent the marriage if you can. Get the truth about Rodnick's background and face Constance with it. Or, Mr. Spade, in some way you've got to make a realise the seriousness of the situation. He's a ruthless character. Well, do what I can, Mrs. Arkins. Oh, thank you, Mr. Spade. I've felt so lonely, helpless, until now. But you will do everything you can, won't you? We've got to save our life. She dothed her eyes with a stamp-sized hangar, pat of the red gold hair that temples nervously, smiled at me bravely, and swayed out.

4:04By telephone, I learned that the Rodnick Pendleton marriage license had been issued four days before. And, but on the same day, Constance Pendleton had withdrawn a savings account of a tune of $45,000. I'd always wanted to, so I did it. I called at the Bulgarian consulate. What can I do, Anu? What do you know about Major Andrei of Rodnick? Ha! Andrei of Rodnick! On him we have hate, great sadness, with shame for the ground that walked under him. Oh? Ha! Andrei of Rodnick! Why is he so popular? On the devil he is driven without horns, six women he has killed, six times he has insulted the police of Europe by refusing to confess. We have proof of the matters, but never can we prove the proof on him. Sometimes it goes that way. Ha! Never do we find the bodies of the six women, only their money in the name of Andrei of Rodnick.

5:04My pardon? Well, thank nothing, but you're just upset, Anu. You're interested on him. Why? You go to Europe? No, Rodnick comes here. Here? Here on San Francisco? You marise again? So I'm told. Oh, by all the means you must prevent it. God to him, brave man, you do the world of service. Make a violin for him. Even do you hang for it. Your name will live. For those valiant words, coating me on, I left. The father I got into the cave with the moored luches of marshes, fierce for Constance Pendleton, were very real and very well-founded. When Constance opened the door of her hotel, sweet, I could see three trunks and a number of smaller pieces of luggage all locked and ready to be taken out. Yes. Your Constance Pendleton? Yes. I'm a detective. My name is Spane. Detective, what do you want?

6:05I want to talk to you about that blue beard you're going to marry. Get out of here. You listen. I'll talk and then I'll get out of here. I just left the Bulgarian consulate. Rodnic has been accused of the murders of six women in Europe. Each of them were wealthy. Each of them married him and each time Rodnic came into all their money. Are you trying to blackmail me because of the lies about my fiance's past? If you are, you're wasting your time. Well, no matter what I'm doing, I'm wasting my time. But to put you straight, your sister hired me and I am now resigning. She's worried about you, not me. And you should spend more time investigating your clients, Mr. Spade. You could have saved both of us some time. I have no sister. This is my wedding day. Goodbye, Mr. Spade. As I left the room, I maintained the stern facial expression I reserved. The moments of great shock. But once outside the door, I allowed myself to be carried on the wave of rage and embarrassment for just a minute. And I kicked over to part of Tom.

7:10As I left down the corridor, I was overtaken by none other than Marsha Hopkins. Did you see her? Let's talk about you first. Did you stop the marriage? Why did you really want that marriage stuff? But I told you. You told me you were her sister. Oh. She said she didn't have any sister. All right, Sam. I did lie to you about that. But I'll tell you who I really am. I don't want to know who you are. You're the only one I know. All I want from you is my honesty earned fee and a brief but permanent goodbye. Oh, no, Sam. Please. Listen to me. We've got to save that girl. I have $500. That's all I have. Would it be enough? What's your real name? Marsha Brodney. Yes, he's my husband. I've been married to him for ten years. We've traveled all over Europe. And I never knew where the money was coming from. He left me at times for two weeks or a month. And then when he'd come back, there'd be more money. I just realized that that's when he must have been killing those poor women. And I know that's what he's going to do this time. I just can't stand it. You've got to protect her.

8:10That should be easy. Well, I'm getting married and meeting him at the door with a bigum he wants. Then you will see me through this. I might. Oh. In my bag, there's $500. Take it. If we can't stop the marriage, then don't lay him out of your sight. I even for a minute. He's a beast, Sam. A beast. Marsha dropped me in front of the beast, so tell him I climbed some fake marble steps to the second floor and knocked at his door. The man who opened it was heavy, handsome and a swarthy, coarse sort of a way, and glowing can sleep through two eyes. One monical, one nut. You're facing major and ray of Rodnick first Bulgarian horse. What one to you? You're facing Saul Fox of the law firm of Fox, Smedley, Van Dusen and Grip. You overwell yourself. I came here to warn you. If you go through the marriage to Constance Pendleton, you're going to find yourself tangled with civil law.

9:12Ward. Andrey of Rodnick was personally led more saber charges than you have teet in your skull. Yes, who has personally split, slashed and impaled on his own blade. More men than you have fingers and toes. You warned me. What is this thought? You're going to have a big and me charge slapped on your five minutes after you slip her the ring. The warrant signed by Mrs. Marsha of Rodnick. Biggum. Ha! I laugh. This is not big amy. Marsha is your wife, isn't she? That big amy was committed when I married her. I had another wife then. You call yourself a lawyer, then you know that only the second marriage is big amy. The ones following that are nothing but interlose. Okay, major. Go ahead and have your interlose. I'm just warning you. Oh, speaks. We are being married and Redwood city from a justice of the peace one hour previous. Then they are sailing through the SS Lurin at midnight with Arhoniumun. Already a drosky awaits for the baggage and londage. Go on now before I'm losing my temper. If you're ever in Calcutta, look me up.

10:12Da! I can say the direct approach was getting me nowhere. So I decided to proceed by stealth. I waited outside the building and when he left I tell him. He made four stops. At a second hand store, a hardware store, surgical supply house, and an undertaker supply house. At these places he purchased the following items. An oversized steamer trunk, black with brass fittings, a large ball of rope twine, two large lead sash weights, a set of surgical instruments, and at the fourth and final stop the undertaker supply he bought two items, a 20 foot length of rubber tubing, and a pump. He returned to the second hand store with his other purchase, put them inside the trunk and ordered it to send up the Constance's hotel immediately. And thereupon, it took himself to the same place. Marsha was waiting in the empty lobby when he went in.

11:14I crouched behind a pillar, turned up my hearing aid, and listened. Now listen my darling, we must work fast. As soon as the trunk arrives before she has the chance to get to the telephone. Yes, yes, yes, yes, on the river please. No cutting in the apartment. As you wish my darling. Now you know what you have to do. While I'm getting going to the trunk you'll change your clothes, put on air traveling dressed, to hide with the wet. What is it? What's the matter? Nothing. Nothing. Come, we must make haste. They made haste for the elevators, and I made haste for the row, a house telephone booths around the corner and called Constance's room. Hello? This is Rodney. Speaking? Listen, get out of that room right away. Don't take the elevator, get out of the stairs. Who is this? What are you talking about? I haven't got time to explain, and you haven't got time to listen. All those stories about your husband are true. He's great.

12:15Hello? Are you still on the line? My hand clawed out to the door handle, but I couldn't reach it. I fell as if the walls were closing in around me. And just before I got dark, I had the crazy notion that I was inside Rodney's big black trunk with a brass fittings. I could still hear Constance's voice way off in the distance somewhere in the direction of Calcutta. I tried to shout to her, the Warner, and then the lid closed over me. Meet the Red Bull Dragonberry Emergist. It's one of the many new drinks out now. Who knew ice cold drinks could be so fire? Try them all only at my doubles. I shook my head trying to get the bells out of it. And I remembered where I was and what had happened. I was still wedged into the bottom of a phone booth where I'd slumped when Rodney sat me.

13:15I got out of there somehow and grabbed the taxi for the Embarcadero. The time was 1155. The SS Lorraine was scheduled to sail at midnight. I was no sooner across it than I hauled up the gang plank and the ship started moving out of the bird. I didn't know where she was bound for. I didn't much care. I checked the passenger list and found a major in Mrs. Andre of Rodnic were in State Room 12 A-Dec. One minute later I was hammering on the door of State Room 12. The woman in Rodnic State Room was Constance and she was not on a trunk. I thought I told you to stop interfering in our affairs. Yeah, your husband told me to but I didn't like the way he did it. Get out from here, get out! I see you got your trunk in here where it's handy, doesn't it make the State Room kind of crowded?

14:15Why don't you give up, Mr. Spade? Two times already you are twice a fool. Marsha has no money to pay you neither have I even a shadow case and believe me, she has no. Why do you even bother talking to him, Andre? Mr. Spade, will you go now or will I have to call the steward and make a complaint against you? I went. I still fought Marsha Hopkins with somewhere on that ship. I still didn't like the look of that trunk. I found the process office and went in. You looked at me as if you thought I was a store where Mr. Fag and you were right. I don't have to make arrangements for you to ride back with a pilot, Mr. Spade. You realize that of course it's your subject to a fight. Look, I don't want to do anything illegal. You know, it was just an impulsive thing. Couldn't I book a passage? Oh, there's a matter of your passport. Could arrange a visa and so on and some Pedro will put in there in the morning. Well, that's good enough. How much is the fare? What I may see, that's $483.97, exclusive of tax. Oh, hey, no. Wait, I wasn't thinking of taking quite some extensive voyage.

15:18I just wanted to get a little see here and how much to Pedro. Well, I'm afraid you don't understand, Mr. Spade. This is not a coast-wise steamer. Our first official port of call is Calcutta. Yeah, I know, but Calcutta. That's an India. Don't you have something a little less expensive like... Stereage or... There is only one site from available, number 14, I'd say. I could all leave it. Okay, okay, Calcutta. After buying my passes to Calcutta, I had exactly 12 cents left. This I gave to the steward who showed me to my state room. He thanked me, kicked me in the shins and left. Out on deck, a tall red nose-doll gentleman, a nicker-barker, and a yachting cap was taking a turn around the deck. Well, there was a face I'd seen in the morning lineup, down at the Hall of Justice a dozen times.

16:18He was a hotel fee by profession named Norman Gorman. You know me, too, but he didn't give me a tumble. I fell into stepwood. Ah, see ya. Nothing like it, am I right? I guess it's okay, but there's so much of it. Ah, brisk, bracing, salt spray, nothing like it. Hey, Norman Millard. I hate it. I hate both. Suppose there was a fire on board. Ah? Oh, ridiculous. Is this your first voice to the audience? Yeah. In Scootaboo East. You've made the strip before? Oh, yes indeed. I've worked this line. I mean, it's indeed I make this spoil truly often. Business interest out of India. Tea, you know. Runs from a family. Sterdors has golden ore. It isn't a little yellow packet. Who's it right? Oh, no, I never end up. Don't drink tea or something. Commodore, I need a drink. I ain't happy. Suppose there was a fire on board here. Well, it's all avidry.

17:18Yes, of course it was. Yeah, we... Come on, I'll shut you to a drink, sir. Not me, Commodore. I just remember this as fire prevention week. The nearest fire alarm to Brodnext State Room was on the companionway, leaving to the A-deck corridor. It was a glass-and-closed box with a small hammer hanging on a chain. It wrote the glass and turned the key. In three seconds flat, the entire population of A-deck were shoving each other up the companionway, grabbing the life reserves as they went. The Stuart Hammond on the door of State Room 12 opened it, shouted inside, and driving it in constant reluctantly came out. I ducked inside, grabbed the handle, the truck and started dragging it. And I got it into my State Room. I broke the lock and lifted the lid. It was marshal, right? I was just trying to see that before the State Room door flew open and the ship's off. So it stuck his head in. I didn't know what you did to the alarm. Why, no, I didn't. What's wrong?

18:18Never mind. That is a take this lock, sir. Let's get going now. OK, OK, don't touch me. It makes me nervous. Twenty minutes later, the captain announced the mob up in the deck that it was a false alarm, and they're passing just drifted back to their cabins. I tried to look casual as I unlocked my State Room door and walked in. Then I stopped trying. The trunk was still there, but the lid was standing open. And it was empty. I went down to B-Deck and found the cabin occupied by norm in the corridor. That door was locked, so I kicked it in. You could still see the marks on her wrists and ankles from the court. It was the girl I had seen in the trunk. It was Marsha Hopkins, and she was very much alive. Oh, I'm sorry, I thought it was home.

19:19Oh, what am I going to do? What am I going to do? You've got to help me, Sam. Why should I help you? He's crazy. The boy is crazy. It all depends on Hoes and the trunk, doesn't it, Marsha? When it was constant, she didn't think he was so crazy. Oh, don't you understand? I had to pretend that I'd help him. He was going to kill her right there in the hotel room. I told him it was too dangerous. Then anybody looked in the trunk that would be safer because she was in there alive. So we finally agreed and said he'd wait until we got out to see the killer. And then he was gone. Yeah, I know about that. The idea was so awful. I couldn't stand it. I started to scream and then he stuffed the gag in my mouth and tied me up. He must have used chloroformal or something because the next thing I knew I was in the trunk. And that little dark man was leaning over me. He and that old man were the nickers. He brought me here. They pulled a switch on you. You were the fall gal all along. Oh, you've got to believe me. It was the only way I could save our life. You're the only one I can turn to Santa. That little thief and the old man, they'd deliver me dead if there was an extra twenty-five dollars.

20:21I'll say you'll help me, Sam. Please, Sam. When you ask me like that, what else can I say? Oh, you do believe me, darling. You do believe me. Come on, let's get out of here. I am sorry, Mr. Spade. Please stay back inside. I promised my associate, Mr. Gorman, that I would not allow this young lady to risk her life by leaving this capital. You're getting into this cave with the wrong end, Commodore. It's wound up. They've bungled it. It's no good anymore. You may be right. But you understand my position, sir. I can't take any chances. You've, uh, talked to Mr. Gorman. Norm? Yeah, I talked to him. He took you into his comfortant. Stop macking with the pistol, Commodore. You don't know how to use it anyway. Well, Heaven's normal. You'll recite it and she'd wonder it. He's sick. Go get a doctor. Here's your need. Right away. Listen, Spade, take her with you. Get out of here. I don't want no part of this. You got it bad, Norm. I'm sick, I tell you. The way I had it sizes was a clean caper, a snatch.

21:21I figured that Dame here was an aerosol. Maybe they'd drop her off in the lake, correct some, connect some ransom and go on. I figured there wasn't a for all of us. Oh, but that creep that Brutniky's crazy. Is it regular jack the rips? I'm babbling, Norm. Tell me what happened, exactly what happened. I get a sink and feelin' my stomach every time I think about it. Well, I go in and see. He's very smooth, very business-like. He offers me a drink. I accept it. He mixes a couple of high balls for me and the dames and he starts talkin'. I guess she don't know all about it before this, because she gets sick as I do. First I think he's kidding. Then he drags out this set of cutlery like a doctor used to operate on people. Only he's got something else in mind. The portal, the understand? I don't want to hear you. You know, as it's you he has in mind, I don't blame you. My stomach! Hey, Norm! Norm! Here he is, the hip-sug, you know. Oh, dear me. What, what? Stand away from him, please.

22:22Help me get him into the bunk. Sure, doctor. Take the shade off that light, please. Ah, yes, yes. He's dead, isn't he? Oh, yes, he's dead, of course. Who poisoned him? I didn't waste any time answering. Am I grabbed him by the arm before he could object? I was pushing him up the confining way to A-Day. It was probably too late to save Constance's life, but she'd drunk the same poison. I was pretty sure she had, but if I was gonna nail him for the murder of Constance, I had to get there before the evidence foundies. We got there just in time. I don't need to tell you what we saw, and I'd rather not. Rodnik rose slowly to his feet, flicked his heels, military fashion, and bowed very low. Huh, the ship's surgeon. How opportune. Perhaps you could advise me, doctor. After all, I am in all honesty, even still a mere amateur at this sort of thing.

23:33After Rodnik had been taken into custody, we took another turn around the deck. It was daylight, and the ship was lying too off-sand Pedro. This time, the fresh air really felt good, and so did Marsha. It's all over, Sam. Yes, sweetheart, it's all over. But not between us. Say it, Sam. Say it's not all over between us. How can it be? I knew it. I knew you felt the same way. All my life before, it's been like a terrible nightmare. Never really happened. But it did happen, sweetheart. But you can forget it darling. Can't you? Please forget it. I'd like to, Marsha. I really would. Call me close, Sam. Never let me call. You're beautiful. Is that all, Sam? Nothing else? Yeah, well, that's all. That's why I think we better say goodbye right now. Because when I feel like this, I get foolish. And if I get foolish with you, I'm likely to wake up in a trunk someplace.

24:45And that, Mr. Fogg, is the true account of a cowcutter trunk caterer. As my voice was interrupted through no fall of my own, I trust you will advise your company to refund my passage minus a one-way trip to San Pedro. Period and a report. Sam's paid is played by Howard Duck. Meet the Red Bull Dragonberry Emergizer. It's one of the many new drinks out now. Who knew ice cold drinks could be so fire? Try them all only at my doubles.