Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)
Herman Bing: Franz Odenheimer
Photos
Quotes
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Prefect of Police : [interviewing the first witness] So, your name is Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont?
Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont, the Landlord : Yes, sir.
Prefect of Police : Why did you not investigate when you heard the first scream?
Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont, the Landlord : I... I was afraid.
Prefect of Police : Stupid, incredibly stupid.
Franz Odenheimer : [the next person approaches the Prefect, talking German] Habe die Ehre, Herr Prefekt.
[It's my honor, Mr. Prefect.]
Prefect of Police : What is your name and business?
Franz Odenheimer : I am Franz Odenheimer. I own a restaurant.
Prefect of Police : Odenheimer, in your own way, tell us what happened.
Franz Odenheimer : You see, I was just going to bed. Then suddenly, I heard a scream. Right away, I ran across the street. And I was one of the first ones to enter this room. On the way upstairs, I heard a voice. And that voice was speaking Italian.
Prefect of Police : [doubting his accuracy] Do you speak Italian?
Franz Odenheimer : No.
Prefect of Police : Were you ever in Italy?
Franz Odenheimer : No.
Prefect of Police : How do you know it was Italian?
Franz Odenheimer : Because I am sure it was Italian.
Prefect of Police : [unconvinced] Ah. Danke schön.
[Thank you.]
Prefect of Police : [calls on next person] Alberto Montani. What do you know of this affair?
Alberto Montani : Well, I also heard the voice. But it was not Italian. I am Italian. I speak Italian.
Alberto Montani : [says something in Italian, then continues in English] When I ran up the stairs with the others, I heard the voice. It's not Italian, no. Definitely, it was Danish.
Prefect of Police : Do you speak Danish?
Alberto Montani : No.
Prefect of Police : Were you ever in Denmark?
Alberto Montani : No.
Prefect of Police : How do you know it was Danish?
Alberto Montani : My intuition.
The Dane : [to Montani] It was not Danish!
The Dane : [to Prefect] I beg your pardon, Your Honor. I am a native of Denmark. Danish is my native tongue. I heard the voice, but it was not Danish. It was German.
Franz Odenheimer : [upset, approaches the Prefect] Italian, not German.
Alberto Montani : Danish.
The Dane : German.
Franz Odenheimer : [in German] Ich lege meine Hand ans Lügners Feuer das es keiner Deutscher war!
[I put my hand on the Liar's Fire that it wasn't a German!]
The Dane : [while Montani argues in Italian] I say it was German.
Prefect of Police : [while all 3 argue loudly in their native languages] Silence!
Franz Odenheimer : Italian.
Alberto Montani : Danish.
The Dane : German.
Prefect of Police : Silence.
