Shadow of a Doubt

Come in.

Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer, I hate to bother you,

but I thought you'd like to know there were two men here.

Two men asking for you,

a young man and a kind of older man.

They was sorry you wasn't in. I said you wasn't.

Did they say they'd be back?

They didn't say exactly, but I think they will.

Just now, when I had to go down to the store,

I seen them standing there at the corner.

Maybe I should've let them in, only you said not to disturb you...

Yes?

And I'm sure they'll be back.

You look kind of tired to me, and that's a fact.

You got a headache or something?

I think maybe you need a real rest. That's what I think.

Why, Mr. Spencer, you oughtn't to leave all that money lying around like that.

Oh, it makes me nervous to see money lying around.

Everybody in the world ain't honest, you know.

Though I must say, I haven't had much trouble that way.

Those friends of yours told me not to mention they'd called.

Wanted to surprise you. But I thought you'd like to know somehow.

Yes, yes. Of course.

If they come back, you may show them in.

Yes.

You know, Mrs. Martin, it's very funny.

They aren't exactly friends of mine. They've never seen me.

That's odd, isn't it?

It is odd, like you say.

And now that I'm here, I'll have to meet them.

I may even go out and meet them.

Then again, I may not. Not yet.

You go ahead with your nap. I'll pull down the blind.

What do you know? You're bluffing. You've nothing on me.

Hello, Postal Union?

I want to send a telegram to Mrs. Joseph Newton

in Santa Rosa, California.

Here's the message. Ready?

Lonesome for you all. Stop.

Am coming out to stay with you awhile. Stop.

Will arrive Thursday, and try and stop me.

Will wire exact time later.

Love to you all,

and a kiss for little Charlie from her Uncle Charlie.

That's right. That's the signature. "Uncle Charlie."

That's right. Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa, California.

Ann! Ann, answer the telephone.

Newtons' residence. Ann Newton speaking.

Oh, hello, Mrs. Henderson. This is Ann.

Mother isn't home yet.

A telegram? Well...

I don't see a pencil, so maybe she better call you back.

I'm trying to keep my mind free of things that don't matter,

because I have so much to keep on my mind.

Innumerable things.

I'll have her call back. Thank you for calling.

Goodbye.

Hello, Ann. Where's your mother?

She's out. Out?

Mrs. Henderson just called from the Postal Union Office.

She says we have a telegram.

I would have taken it down, only I couldn't find a pencil. I looked.

Telegram, eh?

I knew there'd be trouble if your Aunt Sarah got her driver's license.

Whereabouts was the accident?

I didn't take notes.

Oh. Then how about a kiss?

Isn't that the funniest thing?

Here I am, practically a child,

and I wouldn't read the things you read.

Mmm-hmm. Well, I guess they'd give you bad dreams.

Bad dreams? You don't understand, Papa. Mystery stories have done...

Where's Roger? Out. The average mind...

Where's Charlie? Out.

No, I mean she's upstairs in her room thinking.

Well, don't read too much. You'll ruin your eyes.

And leave my book alone. What's that you're reading?

Ivanhoe. Hmm?

Oh.

Who is it?

It's me.

What's the matter? Don't you feel well?

No. I'm perfectly well.

I've just been thinking for hours,

and I've come to the conclusion that I give up.

I simply give up.

What are you going to give up?

Have you ever stopped to think that a family

should be the most wonderful thing in the world?

And that this family has just gone to pieces?

We have?

Of course we have.

We just sort of go along and nothing happens.

We're in a terrible rut.

It's been on my mind for months.

What's going to be our future?

Oh, come now, Charlie. Things aren't as bad as that.

The bank gave me a raise last January.

Money.

How can you talk about money when I'm talking about souls?

We eat and sleep, and that's about all.

We don't even have any real conversations.

We just talk. And work.

Yes. Poor Mother. She works like a dog.

Just like a dog.

Where is she?

She's out.

When she comes back, it'll be the same thing.

Dinner, then dishes, then bed.

I don't see how she stands it.

You know, she's really a wonderful woman.

I mean, she's not just a mother.

And I think we ought to do something for her.

Don't you think we should?

Yeah. What were you thinking of doing for her?

Oh, nothing, I suppose.

I guess we'll just have to wait for a miracle or something.

Oh, now, Charlie, you're right. Absolutely right.

I'll figure out some way...

Oh, I don't believe in good intentions anymore.

All I'm waiting for now is a miracle.

Oh, Charlie.

Those back stairs are steep.

What's the matter, Charlie?

What's the matter, Joe?

Well, it seems that...

Oh, I've become a nagging old maid.

And you went downtown in that awful old hat you promised me you'd throw away.

Mama. Darling, what does it matter

what hat I put on?

Mama.

Mother, I don't see why

you let that child yell at you like that.

She's... I'm going downstairs anyway.

Joe, what were you both talking about when I came in?

Something about a miracle?

Oh, it's nothing. Charlie's a bit under the weather.

Well, she'll be all right.

Well, come on, dear. Let's go downstairs. No use standing here.

I'm going to get myself a bottle of beer.

Mother, I'm going downtown and send a telegram.

Why, darling, who do you know to send a telegram to?

I know a wonderful person who'll come and shake us all up.

Just the one to save us.

Have you gone crazy? What do you mean, "Save us"?

All this time, there's been one right person to save us.

Mother, what's Uncle Charlie's address?

Uncle Charlie?

Now, you're not going to ask him for money, are you?

Of course not. That wouldn't help us.

What's his address?

Well, the last address...

Do you know how many steps I had to take

to get from here to the drugstore and back?

649.

No. If you've forgotten, I'm not going to tell you.

I remember. Philadelphia.

But, darling, you can't ask a busy man like that

to come all this way for nothing.

He'll come for me. I'm named after him.

Besides, we're the only relatives he has in the world.

If you come all the way up Fourth Street, it's 802.

Mama, guess what?

I have no time for guessing.

What's that thing in your hair?

Well, I'll tell you anyway,

even though I think it's nicer when people guess.

Mrs. Henderson said to call her at the telegraph office,

'cause she says we have a telegram.

Ann, I don't think you ought to put things behind your ears.

Something might get into your ear.

Emmy, Ann says we have a telegram.

I think you ought to find out about it.

Somebody might be sick or something.

Mrs. Henderson didn't read the telegram...

Did you say telegram for me?

...because I couldn't find a pencil.

When I have a house of my own,

it's going to be full of well-sharpened pencils.

Did Mrs. Henderson say who the telegram was from?

No, she didn't. I think that's funny.

I think she might have said who it was from.

Come on, Ann. That's my chair.

I'll call up and find out.

If you all be quiet... Just a second.

Hello. 181, please. I wonder who it can be.

Oh, nothing, Operator. Just 181.

If that's from my sister... Hello?

Mrs. Henderson? This is Emma Newton.

Ann says you have a telegram for me.

Mama, you don't have to shout. Shh.

Really, Papa. You'd think Mama had never seen a phone.

She makes no allowance for science.

She thinks she has to cover the distance by sheer lung power.

Why, how wonderful. Thursday, you say?

Looks like somebody's coming.

Who's coming, Ma?

Well, it's the most wonderful surprise.

It's my brother, you know.