NOTES BY DR. MABUSE
FEBRUARY 15TH TO MARCH 31 ST
"The Empire of Crime."
The empire of crime.
"Humanity's soul must be shaken to its very depths,
frightened by unfathomable and seemingly senseless crimes.
Crimes that benefit no one,
whose only objective is to inspire fear and terror."
Because the ultimate purpose of crime
is to establish the endless empire of crime.
A state of complete insecurity and anarchy,
founded upon the tainted ideals
of a world doomed to annihilation.
When humanity,
subjugated by the terror of crime,
has been driven insane by fear and horror,
and when chaos has become supreme law,
then the time will have come for the empire of crime.
ATTACKS UPON RAILROAD LINES,
GAS STORAGE TANKS, CHEMICAL FACTORIES
You have the special maps for the northern area?
Yes, sir.
The fire in the chemical factory
in quadrants E-9 and K-14 -
Repeat that.
"Quadrants E-9 and K-14."
They are to be concentrated
so as to spread the blaze mainly to the storerooms and depots.
Is that clear? - Yes, sir.
By the time the fire crews arrive,
the flames must be impossible to subdue.
Division 3 and Dr. Hauser to the boss.
ACTIONS AGAINST BANKS AND CURRENCY
- Division 3? - Yes.
And Dr. Hauser.
Report.
Per my orders,
the letters incriminating the signatory of the Overseas Bank
were not returned to him,
even when very large sums were offered,
until he agreed to comply completely with our demands.
We are now in possession of duplicate keys
to every one of the bank's vaults,
as well as combinations to all the safes
and plans for all alarm systems.
Only after successful completion of our mission will the letters be returned.
Good.
Turn the material over to Division 3 and wait downstairs.
I'll need you later. - Yes, sir.
Division 3,
you are to bundle the completed counterfeit bills this morning
and affix the stamps of the Overseas Bank.
Per the instructions you have just received,
at exactly 11:00 tomorrow night
you will break into the bank
and replace the bills now deposited in the bank
with the counterfeit bills
so that the bank itself will distribute the counterfeit money.
The bank guards are to be killed.
Killed!
There mustn't be the slightest clue to suggest the safes were opened.
Once everything has been executed according to plan,
the bank's alarms must be set off
to simulate a burglary interrupted in progress.
Do you understand? - Yes, sir.
Division 3 is no longer needed.
I LOVE YOU!
Good evening, Tom.
I was here in the afternoon, too,
but you weren't home.
Nor were you here earlier this evening.
So I waited, Tom, a terribly long time.
Won't you at least offer me a seat in return, Tom?
What a lovely place you have here.
I like rooms that have such wide, tall windows.
Lovely.
Is this true?
Yes, Tom.
But I wrote to you!
And I gave you my answer, Tom.
But you don't even know who I am, Lilli.
My dear Tom,
isn't that entirely beside the point?
Beside the point?
Entirely beside the point!
We'll see right now whether it's beside the point!
There you have it, in black and white - just who I am.
Official confirmation
with the seal and signature of the prison director
and everything that goes with it.
- Prison. - Yes, prison!
Four and a half years in prison!
The last six months commuted for good behavior.
There.
Why should I care, Tom?
I love you.
You don't know why I was in prison.
I killed two people.
One was my girlfriend,
and the other was the man I'd thought was my best friend.
Why should I care, Tom?
I love you.
Then I'm forced to tell you the rest, Lilli.
I...
I lied to you, Lilli!
I told you I'd found a position, didn't I?
Well, I certainly did.
Do you know where?
In a counterfeiting lab.
That's one place that can use an engineer who's an ex-con.
If I had only known what I know now.
Along with destruction of the crops,
water supplies must be poisoned.
Epidemics of every kind must break down
any resistance on the part of the people.
A warning to unreliable elements will not be issued again.
The slightest sign of treachery
will be punished immediately by death.
You see, Lilli?
This time you don't say,
"Why should I care, Tom? I love you."
Look, Tom.
When I received your letter,
did you really think me so dense
that I wouldn't sense the despair in your heart?
I thought to myself,
"What he needs is to regain his faith in himself,
to believe that everything can turn out well again."
And I thought to myself,
"Maybe you can restore his faith in himself
if you tell him how much you care for him
and that you will stand by him for better or for worse."
And so I came to you.
Tell me,
have you taken it upon yourself
to rob me of my last shred of sanity?
Yes, Tom.
You! You!
You have to report that he's failed to show up.
Let's wait.
Finished.
I guess I have no other choice.
Section 2-B? Yes.
This is Division 3.
I must report that Kent didn't show up.
Believe me, Tom, your life is just beginning.
A brand-new life, clean, spotless and good.
It's true, Tom!
We'll put it all behind us and make a fresh start.
And you know who'll help us?
Help us?
Yes, Tom. The man who once -
When he had to arrest you,
he was so decent and compassionate towards you.
Lohmann?
Inspector.
What is it?
Voberg is here.
He claims to have some important news.
Give me a cigar and raise the shades. Then show him in.
Morning, Inspector.
What is it?
Well, Inspector, it's like this.
Scholz and I think we've stumbled across something -
Lower those shades.
Clumsy fool.
We stumbled across something that might lead us to the jewelry robbers.
Is that so?
We saw a girl running around with a big pearl necklace.
She could tell me anything at all,
that she bought the thing at Woolworth's for 25 pfennigs.
But Scholz knows about these things,
and he swears that necklace is genuine.
Well, is it?
So far all we know is that she's the sweetheart of a scoundrel
who's an expert on anything having to do with jewelry robberies.
Where are the others?
They had a few details to take care of.
Come along, quietly.
Come along, Kent.
Come on, let's go!
Off you go, then, but remember:
Be careful.
You're dealing with a dangerous international crook.
Understand? - Yes, Inspector.
All right then. Good luck.
Good day, Chief.
Kent!
You were ordered to prepare the strike against the Overseas Bank.
You failed to carry out your orders.
Failure to obey is tantamount to treason.
The penalty for both offenses is death.
Let the woman go free.
Do with me what you like, but let her go free.
You and that woman
will never leave this room alive.
You monster!
- Tom, for God's sake! - Stay back!
Good God!
You will never leave this room alive.
You have three hours left to live.
What's that?
Tom, what's that?
What's that, Tom?
Whatever it is, Lilli,
we must find it
and put an end to it.
You'll be taking over Kent's job, by the way.
He won't be able to do it anymore.
What do you mean?
He's otherwise engaged.
Who could that be?
How do I know? Maybe it's the mailman.
Anni!
Wanna go and see who that is?
Hold on.
Who is it?
The gas man. I'd like to inspect the meter.
Afternoon, miss.
You want to look at the meter?
Come back some other time. I've got company right now.
How dare you! - Police. Open up.
Look out! Police!
- Don't shoot! - Shut up, you idiot!
Get out!
Quick, out the back door!
We don't have one!
You idiots get an apartment with only one exit?
- What about the window? - From the fourth floor?
There must be some way out!
Shall I put in an elevator for you guys?
Now we're really done for!
That guy will call all his cop friends.
And on a Sunday, too.
What're you crying about?
It's your own damn fault for firing at him!
Leave me alone, you hear? Stop giving me a hard time!
Listen, try to knock a hole through the ceiling.
Maybe we can escape to the roof.
I'll try to hit the guy and keep him back from the door!
Stay back.
Notify the Special Tactics Squad and get hold of -
Damned scoundrel!
Who should I get hold of?
Homicide. Inspector Lohmann.
It's no use. We'll never get out this way.
The window, Tom. We could try to break through that.
Cement.
But the brick, maybe.
Damn it!
Hey! How far are you in there?
I can't hold this door forever. Lohmann and his whole gang are here.
Lohmann?
That's it! I'm out!
Get yourself killed, all of you!
What do you mean by that?
What do I mean?
I'll tell you what I mean!
Watch the door!
Out of the way.
Hardy, be sensible. It's no use.
We won't get anywhere on the roof.
Let me talk to them.
Let me tell you something.
Anyone who gets near that door, inside or out,
is gonna get it, understand?
Go keep an eye on them!
Move it!
Almost.
Now.
Let's see now.
What's the matter, Tom?
It's no use, Lilli.
Behind those bricks is a steel plate.
Dear God!
Careful! A bullet can cripple you for life!
Is he dead?
Karetzky.
Goddamn this mess!
Anni, get some towels.
Come on, quick!
It's no use. Better keep an eye on the door.
- Why didn't you let me negotiate? - You and your stupid shooting!
Bredow, shoot anyone who comes near the door!
Do you hear? - You bet I will!
I've had enough of this business.
I've got you now.
Open up! It's Lohmann!
What's the matter?
Lohmann's outside.
- I forbid you to go! - Who are you to forbid anything?
I won't land in jail 'cause of you!
Think I'll let you cowardly swine send me to the slaughter?
Be sensible.
It's no use.
We've got hand grenades.
I'll give you one last chance.
If you're reasonable, we'll be reasonable too.
That's the way.
Attaboy. Daddy's proud of you.
Now, open the door and put your hands up.
- How many of you are there? - Five, Inspector.
One, two, three.
Diamond Anna! See you don't catch a cold, my dear.
Four.
Where's the fifth?
Damn it! Don't try anything!
A Dreyse pistol.
What do you know?
A Dreyse pistol, no less.
Made in 1906, 7.65-mm.
Apparently the former owner -
a friend of yours -
- No. - No?
That's funny.
It says here that the two of you were close friends.
It's signed by Karetzky, Diamond Anna, and her sweetheart.
One shouldn't forsake a friend who's died.
I'm not forsaking him.
That's more like it.
So your old buddy held on to this gun
because he was used to it.
Actually,
haven't these things been out of style for a long time?
I'm no gun expert.
That's right.
You're more of an expert on automobiles.
What make of car did Dr. Kramm drive?
A "Hanomag" or a DKW?
Who?
Dr. Kramm, the guy you two rubbed out from your car.
I don't know what you're talking about, Inspector.
Is that so? Müller.
It's no good, Lilli.
I can't find a thing.
God almighty.
There, there.
Steady, Lilli.
My dear little Lilli.
There might be another way.
It's a long shot.
- What if we flood the room with water? - Water?
Yes. Where did I -
- What are you looking for, Tom? - My knife.
Water lessens the force of an explosion. - There it is.
Out of the way.
It just might break through the wall for us.
What if it doesn't, Tom?
If the water rises, and we're -
Let's try it, Tom.
- Here you are, Inspector. - Thank you.
So you don't know anything about Dr. Kramm's murder?
No, Inspector. The first I heard of it was right here.
Let me show you something. Come here.
Come, come.
Take a look at this still life.
You're familiar with this here.
A 7.65-mm Dreyse pistol made in 1906.
It belonged to your friend.
He shot himself with it, didn't he?
Yes.
Fine.
But do you know
what's in there?
No.
Well, then, look here.
Take that magnifying glass
and take a careful look at these two Easter eggs.
Well?
See any difference?
No, not the slightest.
You see, my boy, that's just it!
None of us police could detect any difference either,
neither with the magnifying glass nor in the photographs.
These two bullets are so completely identical
that they could only have been fired from the same gun.
Yet one was taken from the skull of the deceased Dr. Kramm,
and the other was found in the skull of your dead friend Hardy.
Glass of water, my lad? - Cigarette.
So now tell me why your friend Hardy shot and killed Dr. Kramm.
- I can't tell you that, Inspector. - Liar!
Kill me if you like, but I don't know what Hardy's orders were!
- So you had orders? - Not me. Hardy.
From whom?
I couldn't tell you, Inspector. I've never seen the man in my life.
Now enters the mystery man.
Come on in and pull up a chair.
Just what we needed: the man in the shadows.
So you don't know the man's name?
On my honor, Inspector, I don't know who gave Hardy those orders.
Then there's nothing we can do.
Dictate for the record what you know about the whole case.
Yes, Inspector.
- Müller. - Yes, Inspector.
It was like this, Mr. Assistant Inspector.
I was just -
I was just washing my car,
because everything has to be in top shape in these days of keen competition.
Suddenly the phone rings, and Hardy picks it up.
Then he came and said we were to catch up with Dr. Kramm's car
at the intersection of Körnerstrasse and Grüner Winkel.
So we set out, of course, and pretty soon he showed up.
Sergeant, take this man away.
Isn't Professor Baum's insane asylum on Grüner Winkel?
Yes, Inspector.
So that's where Dr. Kramm spent his final two hours.
Look and see if we have any police record for Dr. Baum.
Baum - Bertha, Anna, Ulrich, Max.
Nothing on him?
Well, that was - Thank you.
Get Professor Baum on the phone for me.
Professor, it's police headquarters.
Inspector Lohmann wishes to speak to you.
This is Professor Baum.
This man swears you've been treating him for the last two months.
I think he's just trying to establish an alibi.
I'd like to confront him with you.
Without him knowing who you are, of course.
Could you come over right away?
Thanks a million, Professor.
If I'm on the right track now,
I'm gonna get high as a kite tonight!
That's our way out! We're saved!
Inspector, when are you going to let me out of this monkey cage?
My dear fellow, we're glad we've got you in there.
But I've told you everything I know.
We'll see about that. Professor, please.
Well, Professor, do you know that man?
Is he the one?
No, Inspector. I've definitely never seen him before.
Just as I thought.
You there.
Then I've troubled you for nothing.
Professor.
Sorry to disturb you, Inspector, but we need your signature here.
I'll be right with you. Pardon me a moment, Professor.
Perhaps you might wait in my office.
Room 204, at the end of the hall. - Thanks.
- Any of you know that man? - No, Inspector.
- No. - Never seen him before.
Bredow, do you know the man you just saw with me?
No, Inspector. I don't know the gentleman.
- Not the slightest doubt? - No.
MURDER - 2,000 MARKS REWARD
Sad business, isn't it?
Especially for you, since you were a close friend of the victim.
Yes, we were on excellent terms as colleagues.
The poor fellow even visited you on the day of his death.
You could have saved us a lot of work, Professor,
if you'd reported that to the police.
INFORMATION OF ANY KIND
ESPECIALLY CONCERNING THE HOURS FROM 6:00 TO 8:00 P. M.
This request was published in every newspaper
and posted on kiosks all over the city.
I never read newspapers, only medical literature.
And today's the first time I've been in town in four weeks.
Dr. Kramm came to look something up in a scientific book in my library.
He left in the best of spirits.
As for his death, it's as much a mystery to me as it is to you.
Then I'm terribly sorry to have troubled you for nothing.
Why, it's Kent!
Do you know him?
Who?
Him.
I asked you if you knew him.
Where would I know him from?
I have no idea, yet you just spoke his name.
I did?
That was you, Inspector.
Inspector, I must speak to you. It's terribly urgent.
I suppose I may leave, Inspector? My time is -
Of course. By all means, Professor.
Just a moment, Kent.
Many thanks for coming.
Don't mention it. Good-bye.
Good-bye.
- Inspector, please - - Just a moment.
Go on in.
It's all right.
- It's tremendously important - - Just a moment.
This is crucial: Do you know that man who just left?
- No. - Are you certain?
I'm certain.
Yet I could swear he knew you.
Most certainly not. I've never seen him before.
Damn it!
What happened to you, for God's sake?
That's why we've come.
And what is the name of this "boss" you mention?
Dr. Mabuse.
Goddamn it!
Mabuse again! That fellow is dead!
He's alive and kicking, I tell you.
I saw the cadaver myself.
Bless you.
It's true. - I'm telling you, he's not dead.
I think the two of us are living proof of that,
though as for "living," that was pure luck!
Inspector, I put myself completely in your hands.
Last night...
I could have fled but I didn't,
because I realized this is about more than my life or liberty.
My God, how can I convince you?
Is this proof enough for you?
TONIGHT AT 12:00 - DR. MABUSE
Typewritten.
That's no proof.
Someone else could have -
"Someone else"?
I'm not in for anybody. No exceptions.
Yes, Professor.
All the evidence leads again and again to that insane asylum.
Müller, get the car.
I may be putting my neck on the line,
but I'm going out there once more, and you're going with me, Kent.
Perhaps you're right and
Mabuse is still alive.
- I'd like to speak with Professor Baum. - I'm afraid that's impossible.
The professor can see no one.
Just tell him that Police Inspector Lohmann wishes to see him.
Gentlemen, it's really impossible.
The professor gave strict orders not to disturb him.
My good man, I must speak with him. Now go on and announce me.
- But, Inspector - - Will you announce me or not?
- I have strict instructions - - Fine. Don't announce me.
But, Inspector -
I do not wish to be disturbed.
- That's him! That's his voice! - What?
That's the boss's voice.
I'd recognize it anywhere.
That's the man!
Where is the man whose voice we just heard?
Kent, come over here.
What is it?
I do not wish to be disturbed.
I clearly said I did not wish to be disturbed.
That's his voice.
Nice little contraption.
Very clever.
No wonder you failed to recognize the man's voice.
You only heard a mechanical reproduction of it.
- The professor? - Baum. Of course.
But where is he hiding?
What's this?
A map of the northern part of town?
That must be the Löhr & Stegerwald chemical factory.
CHEMICAL PLANT - OCTOBER 15TH
And today's date.
Strange.
Very strange.
What's one to make of that?
There's something else here.
It's in pencil.
8:30 p.m., and today's date.
It's now 9:10.
Kent, call the chemical plant.
There won't be anyone there, but they must have guards.
And here's something else.
"Notes by Dr. Mabuse"? Isn't that interesting.
Go ahead.
Good Lord! The chemical factory!
"Fires started in this manner in a chemical factory's storerooms
cannot be extinguished by firefighters.
Tanks exploding from the heat will quickly release immense quantities
of poisonous gas into surrounding areas of the city."
Damn it! They're playing cards again instead of keeping guard.
Here's your line, Inspector.
Police headquarters?
Inspector Lohmann.
- Lohmann, look! - What?
In the light there!
Quiet.
Over there!
- Nothing. - Damn it!
There.
Krause!
Where's my driver? Krause!
Where is that guy? Krause!
I'll drive, Inspector.
Push that car out of the way.
I just hope this piece of junk can make it.
Faster, faster!
Come on!
CAUTION - RAILROAD CROSSING
Get out of the way!
Faster! Come on!
Now we're done for.
Get the spare.
The empire of crime...
Gloria
Lovely are the maidens in Batavia
Permit me to introduce myself.
My name is Mabuse.
Dr. Mabuse.
For heaven's sake!
Who opened that door?
Run and get help! He'll kill him!
Police.
We're looking for -
Hofmeister!
Inspector!
That man's name is Mabuse.
Come, my boy.
There's nothing left to do here for a mere police inspector.