Summaries

Synopsis

We are in the BBC's building, Broadcasting House. This is the final rehearsal for a murder drama which is to be broadcast live tonight. The cast are separated into groups in separate small studios, and there is a small orchestra in another room.

Sydney Parsons is rehearsing for the scene in which his character is murdered. The very testy director Julian Caird is highly critical of his performance. The director is in another room and goes down one floor to explain to Parsons what he wants, and he makes critical asides to his staff as he goes. In a side room Herbert Evans and Rodney Fleming criticize one another's work. A small orchestra is also waiting, and they too are complaining about the way they are treated. Leopold Dryden and his wife Joan Dryden are critical of the playwright too, and as the express this, they realize he can hear them on the microphone system.

Finally everyone is allowed to leave, to come back this evening. Dryden is helped into his overcoat by a porter named Higgins; Dryden drops his umbrella, and when Higgins says that this is bad luck, Bannister simply says "Don't annoy me" and turns away. Parsons is then told by Higgins that he ought not to bring his overcoat to the studio, but it should be left in the cloakroom. This causes some friction between him and Dryden, and they glare at one another. As Dryden walks out, Parsons sees that Dryden has left his gloves behind when he took his overcoat.That evening we see various people arriving for the broadcast; there is a musical performance to take place simultaneously in the Variety Studio. Several autograph hunters are intercepting performers as they arrive. A man called Guy Bannister arrives to watch a variety show that is also being broadcast. He is given a pass but not escorted to the studio, so that he is roaming freely in the building.

The performance now starts; it is called Murder Immaculate. Radio is live and there is considerable tension over getting everyone, in different rooms, ready for their cues. The orchestra play an introduction, and we see some sound effects being created for a small boat on a river, where the action takes place.

Leopold Dryden has been saying he is unwell, and in the first moments of the play he leaves the studio. Rodney Fleming is the writer of the play and is listening in a side room. He receives a phone call from Brighton, which he takes.

Meanwhile in the control room, the producer Caird is anxious that one of the cue lights has not been operated. This is to show that the performers in another room are ready for their cue. In fact Caird says "Where's Partington's return signal? The light must have failed!" although we can hear that the Parkington Quintette are actually playing background music. Caird rushes out of the control room.

Now the porter Higgins, assigned to wait in the corridor outside the studio, absents himself from his post, looking rather furtive. Guy Bannister is still roaming the corridors looking for "variety".

Now we see Sydney Parsons in close-up waiting for his cue in another studio. Hands wearing gloves come up behind him and strangle him. He says "Let me go ... you're strangling me" and in fact he dies. This is consistent with the script of the play, and those who hear it assume that Parsons was simply acting.

Dryden goes into the room where Fleming is still talking on the telephone to his brother. Dryden says he was concerned about the return light, but leaves to go back to the control room. As he leaves he finds Leopold Dryden, who says he is unwell, butt hat he will get through the play all right. Caird says he must go back to the studio at once or he will miss his cue.

Caird is congratulating everyone after the transmission, and he notices that Parsons is missing; one of Caird's assistants is sent to fetch him, and with Higgins they discover that Parsons is dead.

The police are called, and a doctor conforms that Parsons was strangled, probably by someone wearing gloves. One of the policemen finds a fragment of paper in an ash can; it is signed "Your dear Joan".

The senior detective asks Caird about his movements at the critical moment when Parsons was killed, and then the Drydens are interviewed by Leopold Dryden is uncooperative, claiming that he is unwell.

Now we see Higgins being interviewed; he left this post to see a girl, but then he changed his mind, feeling guilty as he was married, and he never got to see the girl.

Now Herbert Evans is sent for; he is in charge of program research. He seems not to have known that the murder had taken place. He is asked about Bannister, as he had vouched for Bannister enabling him to get a pass for the Variety show. He hardly knew him, but the policeman accompanies him to his office to get Bannister's address.

Well after midnight, Caird is still in his office; he decides to prowl around and bumps into Evans doing the same thing. They challenge one another, and Evans says that he has discovered the gloves used by the murderer, in Higgins' cupboard. How did Evans know that gloves were used in the murder? Asks Caird. "Inside information" says Evans, and Caird apparently accepts that. But the two men accuse one another of suspicious actions.

Now we are at the home of the Drydens on the next day. Joan Dryden is in the act of refusing to the speak to a journalist on the phone; she has been pestered by the press all morning. The investigating detective comes in, and he asks her if she knew Parsons. She says only as a small part actor. He challenges her about a quarrel between her and her husband, and then asks her about a letter that she received recently. Who was it from? An unknown admirer, she says; she doesn't even know his name. The detective now produces a bundle of letters written by her, and found in Parsons' flat. She says the letters have no bearing on the quarrel.

The telephone rings, and the detective says it is probably for him, and answers it. Evans is at Scotland Yard; the detective says he will come right away. When he gets there, Evans tells him that Leopold Dryden is the murderer. His theory is based on a pair of gloves he produces. He found them in a cleaning cupboard at the studio; he broke it open late last night. They are Dryden's gloves.

As Dryden leaves, he bumps into Bannister, who is vague as to what is going on. Evans implies to Bannister that he is the prime suspect, and Banister decides he must get an alibi, by which he means one of the chorus girls.

The police commissioner calls the detective in and demands an arrest quickly. He is well acquainted with the facts of the case, and insists that Leopold Dryden should be arrested. But the detective hesitates.

Now the detective is at the BBC again, questioning Caird. But an assistant points out that the play was recorded (on a primitive recording system known as the Blattnerphone).

Caird and the detective and some others listen to the recording, repeated several times. The detective now sees Bannister, who is pretty incoherent about his movements; he was all over the building at the time of the murder. Caird telephones for Higgins to bring the detective's hat and coat; while they are waiting the detective tells Caird that Higgins alibi is cast iron. But Mrs Higgins found out, and Higgins has now got a black eye as a result.

The police now arrest Leopold Dryden. We are in the Dyden's home ,where Joan Dryden, Caird and Rodney Fleming are commiserating. She says she regrets showing Parson's letter to her husband, and Fleming says that Parsons was a professional blackmailer. The doorbell rings and it is Evans. Caird tells him he is not welcome and he leaves, and Caird goes with him.

Bannister arrives at the detective's office with a chorus girl, Poppy Levine, who provides his alibi, although rather inconclusively. Evidently the police didn't really suspect Bannister, but as they are leaving, Poppy refers to Parsons as a little rat. Did she know him then? Well, it was in a touring company some years ago; the play was called "We're on the Rocks"; Joan Dryden was also in the company.

Evans is now in Joan Dryden's house, when the detective arrives. There will be a reconstruction of the crime tonight; will he attend please. With bad grace he agrees. The maid says that someone has telephoned for Joan Dryden, and the detective says it is probably Poppy Levine. Joan Dryden says she will take the call in the other room, and goes out; the detective takes the opportunity to find the Drydens' scrapbook and locates a program for "We're on the Rocks" and tears it out and pockets it.

The phone call was indeed from Poppy Levine; when it is over Joan Dryden sees that the detective is letting himself out of the house unannounced; and as he left the scrapbook out of place, she realizes that he has taken the program.