S03E28 Lamb To The Slaughter

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Season 3)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the time the show premiered on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades. Time magazine named Alfred Hitchcock Presents one of "The 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME".

more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock_Presents

list of episodes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Alfred_Hitchcock_Presents_episodes

He gave me this ticket for blocking
an aisle during the rush hour.

I don't understand. I was in the slow lane.

I just stopped a moment
at the condiment shelf

where the store's having
a "get acquainted" sale

on Low Calorie Calories.

Tonight's play is not unrelated
to this milieu.

It is called Lamb to the Slaughter.

But before we see it, the store
has asked that I direct your attention

to their very best bargain.

Hello, love.

Darling, is something the matter?

Are they badgering you
about that Manetti case again?

Is that what's the trouble?

Well, try not to think about it for a while.

I hate to see you getting all tired
and worried like this.

Darling, why don't you take off
your coat and then

you can sit yourself down
comfortably and relax?

We certainly don't have to go out to dinner
if you don't want to.

I'll call Molly and tell her
you're much too tired.

Would you like me to do that?

She'll understand. I know she will.

And I'll cook you some nice supper
right here at home.

There's plenty of meat
in the freezer.

We'll have a nice roast.

It'll just take a little longer to cook,
that's all.

While it's in the oven,

I'll slip out to the corner
and get some vegetables.

Oh, before I forget I must tell you,

old Mrs. Keating gave me
the ring test today.

You know, where they have
a ring on a bit of string

and dangle it over your tummy.

And guess what? It's a boy.

There's absolutely no doubt about it,
she says.

She's never been wrong yet
in her whole life.

Isn't that exciting?

Where are you going?

Well, to the garage,
to get the meat out of the freezer.

Sit down. Sit down a minute.

Patrick, what is all this?

What's wrong, darling?
Please tell me.

This is going to come as a bit
of shock to you.

I hope you won't blame me
too much.

I'd never blame you, darling,
you know that.

The truth is, Mary,

I want to leave you.

You understand me, don't you?

I want to leave you.

You don't mean that.

Yes, I do mean it.

And what's more, I want a divorce.

There's someone else I want to marry.

That really is all there is to it.

I love her and she loves me.

Now, we got to be sensible about it all.

Calm and sensible.

I'll arrange for the divorce.

Naturally you can have the baby
when it comes.

You'll have some money.

Sorry, I can't give you a lot

but you'll get along all right.

I'll get you your supper.

Get what?

Oh yes, yes,
you must have your supper, darling.

I wouldn't ever let you go
without your supper.

You'll feel better
when you've had something to eat.

What are you doing?
I'm leaving.

Patrick, you can't.

You can't go. You can't. You can't.

No?

Patrick, I won't let you.

I won't! I won't! I won't!

No sense getting
hysterical about this whole thing.

Patrick, I mean it!

Try and stop me.

Hello, Molly?

Listen, darling, Patrick's just come home
and he's utterly exhausted, poor thing.

Yeah, he's had a terribly rough day.

So I was wondering,
would you mind terribly
if we didn't come over tonight?

I knew you wouldn't.

You're an angel, Molly.

No, no, it's nothing like that.

He's just been working too hard,
that's all.

Well, maybe we'll see you
over the weekend.

Yeah, that would be lovely.

Yes, goodbye, dear.

Bye.

Hello, Operator?

Operator, quick,
give me the police. Quickly!

You've got to help us,
Mrs. Maloney.

You think you can
pull yourself together now
and talk to me a little?

Yes, I'll try.

I'll do my best.

Now tell me.

Is this exactly what the room
looked like when you walked In?

Yes.

You haven't touched a thing?

Well, all except Patrick.

I came in the front door
and I saw him lying there
like that and I...

You did what when you saw him?

Well, I tried to talk to him.

Then I saw that he was dead

and I ran to the phone.

I see.

Now, what time was it when you went out?
Can you tell us that?

Oh, I think it was
about 20 minutes ago.

It's 6:14 now.

You think it was around 5 to 6?

Yes, I think so.

Print man and photographer
are coming in now.

Oh, I want to see them.

And we've got a man out front
and one at the back.
Good.

All right, now listen, fellows.
Let's have a real thorough job here.

Take all the time you need.
It's the Chief.

Mike, you tell them what we want.

And get some pictures
right away before
the doc comes along

and starts shoving things about.
Okay, get going.

Mrs. Maloney, do you usually
go out shopping so late?

Excuse me, but I have
to ask you these questions.

Oh, I understand.

Well, no, I don't.

As a matter of fact,
we were going out for dinner
tonight with some friends

but Patrick seemed
so terribly tired

that I just called up
and cancelled.

Now, who did you call?

Molly, Molly Vandenoord.
They live on South Street.

And when your husband
came in,

did it seem to you
that there might have been
something on his mind?

Do you think he was worried
about anything?

No, no, not especially.

Just seemed terribly tired.

I see.

And when he first came in I...

Oh, excuse me.

Who did it?
No idea.

See what you can find out,
will you, Doc?

Is that his wife?

Yes.

You'd better take her
in the next room.

Okay.

Let's go into another room
for a while, shall we?

You'll be more comfortable there
and then we can talk easier, too.

I don't want to.
I want to stay here.

Please let me stay here. I'll be all right.

You got something
cooking in the kitchen here?

Yes, yes,
that was his supper.

But I thought you didn't have
any supper in the house.

Wasn't that why you went out?

Well, yes,
but I had to get some vegetables.

I had plenty of meat.

I always keep plenty of meat in the freezer.

Well?

It looks like a severely
fractured base to me.

Just one blow,
right on the back of the head.

What with?
Can you make a guess?

I can up to a point, yes.

It's bound to be something heavy,
that's obvious.

But it isn't sharp.

At least, I don't think
there are any sharp edges on it.

No? Why do you say that?

Well, look for yourself.

The skin on the scalp
isn't even broken.

It isn't a hammer,
for instance.

More like a large club
of some sort.

A club?

Yes, something
shaped like a club anyway.

Smooth and rounded at the end.

That's my guess.

See you later, Doc.

Let me know as soon
as you're through at the lab.

I'll do that.

Is this glass dusted?

Yeah.

Mrs. Maloney, you said you didn't
notice anything particularly unusual
about your husband's behavior

when he came in this evening?

No, not especially.

He just seemed terribly tired.

I see he had a drink.

Yes, he always had a drink
when he came home from work.

He usually took soda,
didn't he?

Yes. I guess so.

And ice of course.

Mmm-hmm.

This evening
he took it straight.

And with his coat on, right?

Yes, I suppose he did.

Now think hard, Mrs. Maloney.
Please.

He comes in the door.

So what's the first thing
he does after that?

He kissed me.

Now wait, and please excuse me
for asking you these questions,

but I'm simply trying to find out
whether or not there was something
on your husband's mind

when he came home.

You're quite sure he kissed you?

It wasn't you that kissed him?

He kissed me.

Okay.

Now he walks
straight over there

and pours himself
a shot of neat whiskey.
Am I right?

Mmm-hmm. Well...

He doesn't usually have a drink
before he takes his coat off,
does he?

No, I guess not.

You saw all this and you still
didn't think he was a worried man?

I told you.
I just thought he was very tired.

You know what I think, Mrs. Maloney?
I think he was desperately worried.

And if we can only find out
why this was, then perhaps we'll
be able to get somewhere.

Well, I wish I could help you more.

The other thing
I want to find is the weapon.

Hey, Mike.

Now look, I want you
to go outside right away
and comb every inch of the garden.

Have those fellows out there help you.

See what you can find. Get some flashlights.

I'll check the rest of the house.

Right.

Mrs. Maloney.

Yes?

You know, somehow
I don't believe that this
was a premeditated murder.

Nor was it a professional job.

I think it was a quarrel.

And then someone lost their temper.

And then...

Well, perhaps this person,
whoever it was, simply
grabbed hold of some object

that happened to be
close at hand and swung
at your husband.

The point is this.

If I'm right,

then the weapon they used was probably
something that was already in this house.

Now then, here's where you
may be able to help us out.

First of all,

can you tell me if there's anything
missing from this room

that could have
been used as a weapon?

Take your time.

Well, I'm not sure
what sort of thing you mean.

Well, something like
a club, for instance.

A club?

You mean like a baseball bat?

Yes! Exactly!

No there isn't any
baseball bat in the house.

All right, how about a door stopper

or a heavy metal vase or...
Well, anything you like.

You understand what I mean,
don't you?

Well, yes, I think so.

It's just...

Well, it's so hard to remember
everything that's in the house.

Well, perhaps you wouldn't mind
coming along with me while I
go over the rooms one by one.

Are you nearly through now?

Uh-huh.

Say, what time have you got?

10:15.

Thanks.
Mrs. Maloney.

Yes?

You're quite sure
you wouldn't want someone

to take you over
to Mrs. Vandenoord's
house tonight?

Oh, no, thank you.

I just couldn't go anywhere
at the moment.

Then you ought to
go to bed and lie down.

Either Mike or I
will be around all night,
so you don't have to worry.

It's all right. I may do that.

There's something fishy
about this case.

Go on.

I don't believe there ever
was a fight in this room.

I think someone purposely
fixed it up afterwards

to make it look
as though there'd been one.

You do?

I'll tell you why.

It isn't humanly possible
to club a man hard
on the back of the head

right here,
in the middle of a fight.

Not unless there were two people.

That's right.

But I don't think
there were two people.

Or unless he got
knocked out during the fight

and the other fellow hit him
while he was lying on the floor.

Nobody knocked him out first.

There isn't a single bruise
or scratch on his entire body.
Only where he was hit.

And another thing.

He was carrying a gun,
wasn't he?

Sure was.

Then why didn't he draw it?

You know why?

Because he didn't even realize
he was being threatened.

Well, in that case the killer
was probably someone
he knew pretty well.

Exactly.

Do you think
it could've been a woman?

Why do you say that?

Well,

you know as well as I do
our friend here used to fool
around a bit now and again.

Yeah, I see what you mean.

Well, anyway, we got to find that weapon.

Didn't anyone think to turn off that oven?

Whatever it is,
it'll sure as heck
be ruined by now.

Hey, that looks all right.

It sure does.

That's mighty peculiar,
isn't it?

I'd have thought
it would've been burned
to a crisp by now.

Yeah, me too.

Well, maybe it takes longer
according to how big it is.

Well, this is
a big one all right.

You're darn right it's big.

Jack, would you turn that off
for me, please?

It's all right. It's not spoiled.

I can see that.

What I really came in for
was to ask if you'd like
to have a cup of coffee.

You must be terribly tired by now,
both of you.

I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner.

Well, that's isn't necessary, Ma'am.

You mustn't bother about us.

Well, Patrick,
would never forgive me

if I didn't look after you properly.

He always used to tell me

how grateful he was
in the old days

when somebody would
offer him a cup of coffee

when he couldn't get home for a meal.

He said that's the least you can do
when somebody's trying to help you out.

Well, it certainly is good of you.
It sure is.

I'll tell you what,

why don't you help yourselves
to some of this too.

No, we couldn't do that,
Mrs. Maloney.

Wouldn't dream of it.

We'll be sending out
for a couple of sandwiches
in a little while.

Oh, no. Now, please.
Eat this instead.

I'll only have to throw it
out if you don't.

But what about you, ma'am?

Me?

Oh, no,
I couldn't touch a thing,
believe me.

Give some to the others too.

They must be absolutely
famished by this time,

particularly those two
standing out there in the cold.

Ask them all in, why don't you,
and give them a nice hot meal.

It's very good meat, I promise you that.

Boy, this is great.

Best piece of meat
I've had in months.

She said to finish it,
didn't she, Jack?

She did.

I'd like to have a piece of this brown,
crispy stuff left on the end here.

Suppose it'll be all right
to take this bone home to my dog?

Sure, she said she never
wants to see it again.

She was cooking it for her old man,
that's why.

He missed a real nice meal.

Not so loud, fellows.
Take it easy.

You got any dope
on this case yet, Jack?

Not a lot.

No one's found the weapon.

Doc says it's probably
some sort of a club.

You mean like
a shillelagh or something?

Something heavy, anyway.
Must have weighed
about eight or nine pounds.

Whoever did it, they're not
going to carry a thing
like that around

longer than they need.

Personally I think
it's here on the premises.

Well, for all we know
it might be right under
our very noses.

Well, that's the way
the ol' meatball bounces.

As for Mary Maloney
she would have gone scot free

if she hadn't tried to do in
her second husband the same way.

Unfortunately, he was the forgetful type

and had forgotten to plug in the freezer.

The meat was as soft as jelly.

Speaking of plugs
that is precisely what our sponsor
wants to do for his product,

after which I'll wheel back.

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

those of us who work in television

have a technical term
for this part of the program.

We call it the end.

Next week we shall
be back with another story...

I'm gonna go, now,
I can't risk another ticket.
Good night.