Roma wines presents Suspense.
Roma wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
Salud, your health, senor.
Roma wines toast the world.
The wine for your table is Roma wine made in California for enjoyment throughout the
world.
This is the man in black here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California to introduce
this weekly half hour of Suspense.
Tonight from Hollywood Roma wines bring you Miss Michelle Morgan, Mr. Philip Dawn and
Mr. George Kolouris in a suspense play dealing with a painting of a beautiful woman and with
a lover and a husband and with an assassination for which only the death of one of these three
could atone.
And so with portrait without a face and with the performances of Michelle Morgan as Colette
or Philip Dawn as the artist Paul Degel and of George Kolouris as Charles Gaveau, we again
hope to keep you in Suspense.
It was just twilight as she came out of the cathedral on Fifth Avenue and stood for a
moment on the north steps.
She looked across 51st Street at the discreet grey building with the discreet bronze sign
saying Furnay Gallery of Modern Art.
A freshly dressed couple came out of the gallery and the doorman called a taxi.
Surely it was safe now.
The crowds must be gone.
She hurried across the street.
Good evening.
The gallery is still open for a few minutes, isn't it?
Well, I'm sorry, Miss.
It's just closed not now.
Oh, you can't be.
I've come all the way from Boston and I...
Well, I'm sorry, Miss.
We're half an hour past closed and now we open again at 11 tomorrow.
Eleven?
But I can't possibly wait over...
Do you think five dollars would...
No, Miss.
I could even go as high as ten.
No, Miss.
I could even go as high as...
No, Miss.
Oh, but there's a picture on exhibit that I must see.
I'd stay only a moment.
I must see it.
Really, it's called...
I know, Miss.
It's called Portrait Without a Face.
Half of New York was in to see it today and the other half will be in tomorrow.
And if you'll excuse me now...
Wait a moment, please.
Have... have you seen the picture?
Me?
What did I be doing?
Looking at pictures?
What a waste of time.
But I can tell you this.
Sure got people talking.
One of those critics was in here this morning and you...
Eh, hold on, Miss.
Maybe you can't go in after all.
You see that man coming down from Madison Avenue?
That's Paul Degel, the artist who painted the picture.
Maybe if you would ask him...
Degel?
Oh, no.
No, thank you.
I've changed my mind.
I'll...
I'll come back some other time.
Taxi!
Some women like to drive you crazy.
Evening, Mr. Degel.
Hello, John.
How are you?
Thank you.
Fine.
Is the exhibit driving people away?
That woman seemed to be in an awful hurry.
Huh?
She was trying to get in, sir.
In fact, she offered me five dollars if I...
What?
She offered me five dollars if I'd let her in.
Then she raised it to ten and I...
Wait, wait.
She offered you money?
Did she want to see portrait without a face?
Not another.
She was pretty insistent about it, too.
She must have known about your work in France, Mr. Degel.
Had quite a foreign accent.
Foreign accent, you said.
John, is Mr. Furnay in?
Yes, sir, he is.
He's in the back.
There's some men with him.
Good.
I want to see those men.
I want to see them immediately.
Gentlemen.
Paul.
Gentlemen.
The woman we were looking for was here tonight.
Really?
Paul.
Yes, I'm sure of it.
I missed her only by a moment.
With every brushstroke I made on this canvas, I knew I was bringing her into our hands.
I knew she would have to see that portrait.
She had to know how much I knew.
I know, gentlemen, she will be back.
Paul.
Yes, Henry.
Will you still have the courage to finish the job when the time comes?
When the time comes, I'll kill with as little conscience as I would shoot down the Nazis
who have taken France.
That portrait is without a face, gentlemen, because I couldn't see her face.
But she will return and supply that feature.
Then we will know her for what she is.
She will be back.
I'll stake my life on it.
Tonight, for Suspense, Roma wines bring you as stars, Michel Morgan and Philip Dawn with
George Calouris.
You have heard them in the prologue of Louis Pelletier's story, Portrait Without a Face,
which is tonight's adventure in Suspense.
During this intermission of tonight's Suspense drama presented by Roma wines, let us picture
a scene in the fashionable restaurant El Patio in Havana, Cuba.
From the next table, we hear a Cuban judge of fine wines describe in glowing terms the
wonderful climate and soil of our own California.
When his American guest points out that his Cuban host has never been to the United States,
the Cuban answers, it is true, I've never visited your California, but from only such
perfect wine country could come sherry of such superb quality as we have enjoyed, Roma,
California sherry.
Yes, by their example, wine connoisseurs of many other lands tell you that in Roma wines
are all the great qualities that must be present in a wine for great enjoyment.
As for this reason, these wine experts of other lands import Roma wines from great distances
to be enjoyed as a rare luxury.
But for you, this luxury of other lands becomes a daily pleasure because you can enjoy any
of Roma wines, many different taste appealing wine types without additional charge for import
duties and expensive shipment from great distance.
These two great Roma wine features, superb quality and small cost have made Roma wines
America's largest selling wines.
Why put off another day your enjoyment of this splendid quality, such thrilling taste
appeal.
I'll spell out the name for you, R-O-M-A, Roma wines, made in California for enjoyment
throughout the world.
And now it is with pleasure that we bring back to our sound stage, Michelle Morgan,
Philip Dawn and George Kolouris in Portrait Without a Face, a tale well calculated to
keep you in suspense.
Where have you been Colette?
For a walk Charles, along 50 haven't you?
I needed a breath of air.
You're lying.
You were at the Ferney Gallery.
Then I'm lying, I was at the Ferney Gallery.
You fool, I told you that they'd kill you once they're sure.
Yes, you told me Charles.
I'm going to bed.
Did you see the picture?
I'm going to bed Charles.
Answer my question.
No, I didn't see it.
What, the gallery was closed?
Yes.
That's good, good.
Well, drink?
No, thank you.
You don't mind if I do?
I haven't minded what you do since the second week of our marriage, Charles.
Really?
That distresses me.
Colette.
Yes?
Before you go to bed, there's something here I want you to read.
What is it Charles?
This art magazine my dear that just came on the newsstands today, contains a charming
series of reviews of the exhibit at the Ferney Gallery.
René Lautrec, the French critic, has done a little piece on the picture that you are
so anxious to see.
He heads his review, The Murderous.
Read it.
Please Charles.
Read it.
It'll satisfy your curiosity once and for all.
Begin here.
This portrait.
This portrait without a face is no ordinary canvas.
This is a portrait of a crime.
A crime etched on the mind of a man who must have been there to see it happen.
One cannot describe the portrait in words.
Only in action.
This way.
The artist is sitting in a darkened room, resting from the noise of a party upstairs
in the big house.
Yes, the reception for General Vauban, Paris, 1939.
Go on.
The artist.
The artist is resting in the darkened room.
Suddenly they are two shots.
The sliding doors to the library open.
Standing in the door, where's the silhouette of a woman in evening dress?
Charles, I can't...
Give it to me.
The woman's back is towards the artist.
He doesn't see her face.
At the woman's feet is a hand outstretched.
The hand of a dead man.
Who is the man, Colette?
Vauban.
General Vauban's dead.
All this happens in an instant.
The picture is photographed on the brain of the artist.
A woman in evening dress standing in a doorway, her back turned.
That is, portrait without a face.
Colette, it's time to move boldly.
Paul Desjelles will have to be put out of the way now.
He knows enough to be dangerous.
I suppose it's somewhat of a pity to eliminate such a promising young artist.
He might have gone places.
However, tomorrow morning you will telephone Paul Desjelles at his apartment.
You will tell him you saw his name in the art magazine.
You will ask him where he's been all these years.
You will say that you must see him.
Your voice, and it will tremble just a little, will convey a message he's been waiting to
hear all these years.
You love him.
After all these years, you still love him.
Hello?
Yes, this is Paul Desjelles.
Colette, Colette, darling, where are you?
Where are you?
Yes, yes, naturally, every day, every moment, of course, anywhere you see.
Then the Carlton?
The Carlton?
What time?
One or two?
Two.
Then at two o'clock, dear.
Till then...
Yes, till then.
I'm so happy, Colette.
Goodbye.
Goodbye, darling.
Goodbye, Paul.
That is very convincing, my dear.
So much sentiment in your voice.
See that it doesn't affect your actions.
It's your life or his, Colette.
So you've told me.
Well, remember it.
Stand up.
Let me have a look at you.
Oh, yes.
Oh, you're...
The crying Colette.
Oh, yes.
The crying, Colette.
How touching.
The lovers parted.
The lovers reunited.
April in Paris.
Chestnuts in blossom.
Charles, please.
Oh, wouldn't he love to know you married me.
Me, of all people!
And how I'd love to see you two meet.
Colette, what will you say to him?
What can you say, Colette?
What can I say, Paul?
Nothing for a moment.
Just let me look at you.
With Monsieur Odeur now?
No, no, not yet.
Not just yet.
Yes, wait.
Bring us two charries, will you?
Yes, thank you, Monsieur.
I'm changed, Paul.
You can see that.
A little.
A deepness around the eyes, perhaps.
You've been unhappy, Colette.
Yes.
I wrote you almost every day for the last two days.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry I couldn't help but think.
Iürü, yes.
I told you.
Okay.
Are you very happy?
Yes.
People often forget their friends.
When someone forgets their friends.
Some people forget their friends.
I'm very happy you人es creed itself.
I'm happy you Fam violated me.
Of course, you are.
In other words, he made you feel very suspicious, Colette.
I'm not saying you must be afraid of him because he's your first bar searched by you.
I saw it yourself.
It seems your old friend.
Let's go to school, Paul.
Don't Per rév Millennials.
I think I'm going to have a hard time because I have to put a
curse on you and she got married.
What do you say.
Good ruin, Paul.
How insane he was about you.
Oh, please, Paul, don't talk about Charles.
I thought if you ever married Capuodin...
I'm sorry.
There's so much I don't know about your life.
Four years.
Oh, I knew everything about you.
Yeah, press notices.
I wanted to be a success for you, Colette.
I followed everything you did.
The prison camp, I remember that.
When you escaped to this country, your first exhibit here,
you had all the clippings.
Oh, I was so happy for you, Paul.
I was so glad they believed in you as I did.
Yes, you have been good to me in this country.
Very good to me.
More than I deserve.
No, not more.
Only you're just you.
I know.
I've read the reviews of the exhibit at the Ferney Gallery.
Yes, they seem to like that.
Paul, I want to see that exhibit.
Of course, Colette, any time.
No, not any time.
I want you to show it to me tonight.
Tonight?
Please, Paul.
After the crowds have gone from the gallery,
my first look at your work in so many years,
I don't want to share it with anyone.
I just want there to be you and I.
Well, then that's how you shall have it.
Darling, of course, I want you to see it.
I want you to see every piece in the exhibit.
There is one that has attracted considerable attention.
Portrait without a face.
Oh.
Oh, yes.
I read about that one.
There was much of my life in that painting, Colette.
Certainly much of the past four years.
But your work on it has been so worthwhile.
No, no, not entirely.
Not just yet.
Colette, do you remember the death of Jean-Paul Faux-Bin?
Faux-Bin?
That was some time in 1940, wasn't it?
1939, the year you left Paris.
Oh, yes, that's right.
As you recall, Faux-Bin was the greatest advocate of air power.
There were people in Paris who hated Faux-Bin
and wanted him out of the way.
Your friend Charles Cavo and his newspapers
were the general's bitterest enemies.
And do you know a curious thing, Colette?
What, Paul?
Some of the best people in France were duped by Cavo's newspapers
into believing that Faux-Bin was an arch-criminal.
Yes, yes, I remember.
Briefly, some deluded woman fancied herself a modern Joan of Arc
and killed Faux-Bin, thinking she was saving her country.
A woman?
But they say the crime was never solved.
It wasn't, but it will be, I think, very soon.
Yes, I'm sure that...
Forgive me, darling.
I hadn't meant to burden you with this.
Oh, it is yourself you must not burden, Paul.
You have given this matter much of your life,
much of your thought, haven't you?
All of my thought, Colette, when I wasn't thinking of you.
Or painting.
Painting?
When I was painting, I thought of you most.
I think that in every picture there was something of you.
Sometimes the light on your hair,
sometimes the way you hold your hand...
Even in portrait without a face?
Is there something of me in that one?
Two cherries, monsieur.
Oh, yes, thank you.
Yes, Colette, I think that even in that one
there's something of you.
And it's very strange because you...
Well, anyway, tonight you'll see for yourself.
To you, darling.
To our reunion, Paul.
To our reunion, that's what she said, gentlemen.
To our reunion.
You are sure, Paul, that she does not suspect?
Positive.
She is utterly convinced that I am as blindly infatuated with her as ever.
She is convinced that in my blindness
I shall step out upon the stage she has set for me.
I am convinced that I am as blinded as she is.
We shall see who has set the stage.
We shall see who portrays the victim.
It will take courage, Paul.
Perhaps.
There are not many who have your kind of courage.
No, there are not many who have my kind of hate
or who have waited so long to spend it.
But have no fear, gentlemen.
You will see that I do not fail.
You will be with me tonight, all of you.
With you? I do not understand.
I have already said you will be present in the wings just off the stage.
It's just ten now.
In less than an hour my guest will arrive.
Before long, he will come into this room to see the portrait.
The room will be quite dark.
You will be in the background.
There will be no way to prevent that.
You have much time. Are you ready?
Yes.
Wait, which purse are you carrying?
That black one on the table.
Hand it to me.
Good. Just the right size.
Oh, don't look so wide-eyed and innocent.
You've seen a pistol loaded before?
Charles, couldn't we?
Perhaps it would be best for me to have a look in on you and Desjardins this evening.
Oh, please, Charles.
How do I know that you'll do what you're told?
You said it was his life or mine.
But you're a sentimental fool. You might we...
I'll do what I'm told.
Very well.
Remember, I'll be waiting across the street on the cathedral steps.
I'll give you till eleven o'clock.
If you're not out at eleven...
I'll be out.
Yes. Yes, you'd better be.
Ready to fire. Here's your purse.
The pistol, you see, on top.
Watch out when you pay the cab fare.
Yes, Charles.
I'll be waiting for you on the cathedral steps.
And you have till eleven o'clock.
Do you remember this picture, Colette?
Oh, Paul, of course.
That was the summer we were at Nice.
Lovely summer, wasn't it?
Oh, so lovely.
You see the fishing boat, Lirondelle?
Remember her?
Oh, too well. She made me seasick once.
But it was a beautiful summer, Paul.
Wonderful summer.
Yes. Yes, it was.
Well, that's all of the Paris pictures.
Now, uh...
Now I guess you would like to see the...
the portrait.
Yes.
Now I'd like to see it.
It's in the next room.
They have given it a room by itself.
Oh.
Take my hand, Colette.
I've kept the lights out in there.
I want you to sit on the bench.
Then I'll turn the lights on.
And you will see the picture as...
as I saw it.
I mean, in my mind's eye.
Yes, Paul.
This way. Now, careful.
Two steps down.
You are trembling, Colette.
I've always been afraid of the dark.
Here's the bench.
Sit here. No, no, no, no. Sit here.
You're in front of the picture now.
I'm going to turn on the light.
Hurry, Paul. I don't like this.
I just want to give you the full effect of it.
Are you watching?
Straight ahead.
Yes, Paul.
So...
May I present then...
my portrait without a face?
Oh, Paul!
Oh, Paul.
I thought you would find it effective.
Now we'll put aside pretense.
You know who that woman is.
She's Colette.
Standing in the doorway of General Vauban's library.
The hand of the dead man at her feet
is the hand of General Vauban, my friend.
The blood on the floor is the blood of Vauban.
The blood that is touching the evening slipper of Colette.
Stop it, Paul. Stop it!
I've waited a long time for you, Colette. Four years.
I said then that I would make someone pay for the murder of General Vauban.
We have a committee, Colette.
We formed it back there in Paris in the dark days,
just before the war broke out.
The committee knows everything about the people who planned the death of Vauban.
The committee knows who did the murder itself.
Settling with that person has been my special assignment.
I have been your special assignment.
Your special prize.
Is that what you mean?
That's what I mean.
I don't care really. Not now.
You cared enough to want to fight back.
You came here armed.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Don't open your purse.
I took the trouble to remove the pistol while you were taking off your coat.
No, no, not this one in my right hand. That's mine.
This one. This pistol here.
It is yours, isn't it?
Yes.
French make. Did Charles give it to you?
Charles?
Yes, Charles. I knew you married Charles.
I found it out just before I lost track of you two years ago.
I knew you married Charles and I knew why.
And you told me this afternoon.
Yes, I made you believe that I didn't know about Charles.
I want you to come up here to the gallery.
I knew you had to come here to find out how much I knew.
Charles was right. He said it was your life or mine.
He's very clever, Charles.
Do you remember when you first met him and I warned you away?
I remember.
You were impressed by Charles and his politically wise friends.
But you didn't know that Charles had sold out his country.
I didn't know.
You were duped into believing that Vauban was a traitor.
Charles dominated your mind. He controlled you as an hypnotist.
They needed someone to murder Vauban, so you were chosen.
You were to be the savior of France.
You excelled in the role and you believed it.
Yes, up to the very last, up to the last moment.
Then I didn't see how I could go through with it.
I couldn't bear the thought of killing a man.
You're lying, Collette.
No, Paul, no, listen to me.
I stood there looking at Vauban, the pistol in my hand.
He looked up, he started walking toward me, telling me to give him the pistol.
I felt dizzy. Oh, I wanted to run away too.
But I, I raised the pistol.
There were two shots.
And he fell at my feet.
I dropped the gun.
Then you opened the library door to escape.
Yes, I ran out on the terrace and through the garden.
I ran blindly and fell.
Then I felt a strong pair of arms lift me up.
Charles was there.
You told him you had killed Vauban.
Yes, I begged him to take me away too.
I needed someone desperately.
He promised me to take me out of France and let me forget.
Oh, Paul.
Paul, turn out the light on that horrible picture, please.
The light stays on, Collette.
I want you to keep looking at the picture.
That picture was painted for a purpose.
And now the purpose is going to be fulfilled.
Paul, will you believe that I didn't want to kill Vauban?
Four years I've waited, Collette.
Now it works out according to plan.
I didn't want to kill a man.
I didn't want to go away with Charles, but I was in too deep.
Paul, Paul, listen to me.
I've loved you, always.
You must know that.
After tonight?
After you're coming here to kill me?
Open my gun, Paul.
Open it up.
You'll see that it's empty.
I took the shells out on my way here.
Why don't you do it, Paul? It's true.
I knew I couldn't go through with it.
Not this time.
Not with you.
Paul.
It's too late, Collette.
Paul.
Keep sitting on the bench, Collette.
Keep looking at the picture.
Don't move.
I won't.
I won't, but you must believe me.
Paul, Paul, wait!
Just look at the picture, Collette.
The picture.
Listen.
Please listen.
I'm telling the truth, Paul.
My gun wasn't loaded.
Listen, Paul!
For you, Dijon.
And you, mister.
Oh, heavens.
Paul, are you all right?
Yes, yes, I'm all right, gentlemen.
Gentlemen, may I present the late Monsieur Charles Gaveau.
Four years.
Four years of painting and planning and waiting.
Paul, take me out of here.
Yes, darling.
Collette, I'm sorry I had to do this to you.
It was the only way to find him.
I knew he was here to kill again.
Both of us.
Charles?
Charles killed Vauban.
I picked up the pistol you dropped that night, Collette.
It had never been fired.
Charles was never certain you would have the nerve to go through with it.
At the last moment, he took a hint himself.
The shots that killed Vauban were fired from the terrace.
In your terror, you believe that you did it.
Charles let you believe it all these years.
Oh, Paul.
I knew he would follow you here tonight.
I left the door open for him.
He came downstairs when we entered his room.
He could hear us talking.
I wanted him to hear.
I needed time, time, Collette.
Collette, I'm sorry.
That was the only way to meet him face to face.
Oh, Paul.
Don't ever leave me.
Never, never leave me.
Never, Collette.
We are together now.
For always.
But before we go, there's one thing left.
You see this knife.
For us, that is the end of portrait without a face.
And so closes Portrait Without a Face, starring Michelle Morgan, Philip Dawn, and George Kolouris.
Tonight's tale of suspense.
Miss Morgan is currently being seen in Warner Brothers' Passage to Marseilles.
Mr. Dawn appeared through the courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of Madame Curie.
You know, if we could bring to this microphone a man typical of all Roma wine dealers, this is what he might tell you.
I sell a lot of the good Roma wines.
They are, you know, America's largest selling wines.
My Roma wine customers, I've noticed, are sociable people who enjoy entertaining friends.
Talking with me, they give a lot of credit for the success of their entertaining to the enjoyable Roma wines they serve.
They're thrifty people, too, these buyers of Roma wines.
What else could offer so much enjoyment for so little cost?
Only pennies a glass by actual check.
Now, that doesn't leave much for me to add, except this, perhaps.
If you are not already one of the millions enjoying Roma wines regularly,
make your own taste test of any of Roma wine's many different taste-delighting California wine types,
such as the delicious Tangy Roma Sherry, or the hearty Roma Burgundy, or the sweeter, heavier Roma Port,
and discover for yourself why Roma wines are winning international praise.
Voiced in this phrase, Roma wines are truly magnificent.
Let me repeat the name, R-O-M-A, Roma wines, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
Suspense is produced and directed by William Spear.
Don't forget, then, next Thursday for Alan Ladd in Suspense.
Presented by Roma wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.