Okay. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome to the terrifying
world of your imagination. What would you say
is the one single feature that distinguishes
man from all his fellow creatures? His brain?
Speech? His ability to walk erect? The fact that
he's the only living thing that kills for any
other reason than self -defense or food? None
of them. Something much more simple. A phenomenon
shared only by our cousins, the apes. The human
hand. This is a gripping, eerie story of a pair
of, how best to describe them, superhuman, unique,
no, perhaps best, a pair of immortal hands. What
time is it? Four o 'clock, doctor. Over seven
hours. My fingers are numb, Helga. May I finish
the suit just for you here, doctor? Their speed
is very important. Morphine is beginning to wear
off. Dare I dog him again? No, absolutely not.
Young, healthy as he is, we could kill him. Here,
you take the needle. So carefully. These hands
must still be able to make the greatest music
in all Vienna. in all the civilized world. If
the graft holds, though I fly in the face of
the Almighty, I have done what I have done. Dear
God, may my gamble succeed, and be forgiven.
Our mystery drama, Death by Who's Hands, was
written especially for the Mystery Theater by
Ian Martin and stars Stefan Schnabel and Robert
Dreyfus. I'll be back shortly with Act One. In
the beginning of the 19th century, no city in
Europe shone more brightly, or boasted a more
resplendent culture than Vienna. City of dreams,
of glittering balls of royalty and nobility and
beautiful women, but most of all of music. Music
to the Viennese was and is a religion of faith.
an insidious destructive emotion which can lead
to sinister and deadly results. You are listening
at the moment to the hands of Rudy Baum on the
piano in Vienna's great concert hall. Right,
right, my boy. You must not strain them at any
cost. Let's go to my dressing room. I must go
to my room with the inverse that he had changed
first. I am ringing white. Oh, the touch of your
hands. From the whisper of Mozart to the thunder
of Beethoven. We must protect those hands as
a doctor and your future father -in -law. I will
make that my business. Well, I intend to be a
little part of that legend, you see. Yes, you
were at your best, my friend. It was a remarkable
debut. Beyond our wildest dream. Beyond mine,
I must admit. Rudy, I'll drive you back to the
university. No, we can drive, Rudy. You are coming
to our little supper and celebration, aren't
you, Brown? I wasn't sure I was invited. Rudy's
best friend and fellow pianist, both of course.
Can I accept? I'll go and fetch my hat and cape.
Yeah, it is, and I will go with you. There will
be important people coming backstage. Oh, you
won't mind waiting a while, huh? Hell, don't
run that jury, please. We'll try not to be too
long. You didn't answer, did you, Dr. Brown?
Did I have any other choice than to remain and
cool my heels? I think my friend tonight your
nose is a little out of joint. Why do you say
that? Listen to them. Can you hope to match it
at your debut? That remains to be seen. I think
I'll wait outside. It's uncomfortably hot in
here. Only for other pianists I'm afraid, Franz
Langemann. No, but you're right. It is a big
night. It's the start of everything I've worked
and slaved for all my life. You wouldn't understand.
but don't let it go to your head. You're not
the only pianist in Vienna. Oh, yes, I am now.
Some of your classmates still have to make their
debut. So impatient to announce the engagement,
huh? Well, of course. Why not? It's not easy
to be the wife of a man who belongs to the public.
Oh, but I can't wait to be married to Rudy, to
travel with him everywhere, to be feted by the
great, to have kings and queens lavish praise
and honor on us. There isn't much warmth in the
light from reflected glory. What warms a woman.
It's love. Oh, really, Papa? I'm getting exactly
what I want. But I do wish... What is this, Helga?
What is this? Please help, Doctor. May I see
you alone? No, I want to hear also. There is
an inspector of police downstairs. Police? There's
been an accident. We are both needed at the infirmary.
An accident? To whom? I don't know how to...
Speak up, speak up. Concerns is that you'll have
to know sooner or later have longer months light
carriage collided with a heavy dragon France
has been badly hurt and Rudy where his hands
injured no he he has a concussion only but we'll
go immediately is he conscious no I'm going with
you to the infirmary Hemorrhage is so massive.
Brain destruction is irreversible. I'm surprised
Rudy's still breathing. Oh, the music these hands
made less than three hours ago. The music they
could have continued to make. All vanished. Oh,
what a loss. What an irreparable loss to the
world. And to your daughter. Oh, yes, Ilse. I
cannot face her now, Helga. Will you, old friend?
Trust me. I'll take her home and sedate her.
No, no, no, give her something here before she
leaves. The inspector can see her home. I need
you here as you wish. But she'd want to see Rudy.
What do I tell her? Tell her, tell her, tell
her she must wait. Don't hold out any hope. And
France? Well, I'm going to see him now. Tell
Ilse he had some hand injuries. Say he's under
sedation. And be sure that policeman takes Ilza
home. He's asked all he needs to know. It's all
right here, doctor. I'm awake. Yes, I see. How
is Rudy? Rudy is asleep. Are you in pain? No,
the morphine does that. I deserve it anyway.
It was my fault. He was so swirled with his success,
he blurted out the truth. He's been using all
of us. Me, you, Wil, sir. He informed me he had
no use for me anymore. Of course he still needs
you and Ilse. Oh, I... I don't know why I'm even
saying this, my dear. Rudy has no need of any
of us anymore. You said he was a... He's dead.
He might as well be. What does that mean? His
skull was fractured. He has had massive intercranial
bleeding. His brain is damaged beyond repair.
In a sense, he's still alive. Medically, he's
dead. It's only a matter of time till the rest
of him dies too. And I am the one to live. Yes.
You will live. My hands, how bad are they? When
the wagon ran over them, the right one was severed,
was moribund, devoid of all life by the time
you were brought here. And the other, crushed
beyond hope. If it can be saved from amputation,
at best it will be a withered, motionless claw.
Why wasn't I the one to die? I can never play
the piano again. There is one way you could.
How? If I gave you Rudy Baum's hands. In stunned
incredulous shock, stares up at the usually kind
and humorous face of the hair Dr. Herschel. Now
it is stern and drained, the eyes boring down
at the young man, gleaming with a strange fanaticism.
What he is proposing is beyond belief, beyond
possibility, beyond the laws of man and God.
I'll return shortly with Act Two. Vaccination
has been discovered eight years before, but anesthesia
will not even be conceived of till 1842. The
only antidotes against pain are alcohol, opium,
and a man's determination. And Franz Langemann
lies in a bed in Dr. Herschel's private infirmary
facing a transplant infinitely more complicated
than anything medicine has dreamed of today.
Rudy's hands! But he's still not dead. At the
moment his heart stops to beat, we can take them.
Still alive and pulsing. Could it work? Could
I use them as hands? I don't know, Franz. I know
only you have nothing to lose. If the transplant
fails, you will be no worse off than you are
now. And if it succeeds? If it succeeds? You're
a musician. What better tools could you have
to create beauty and music than the fingers and
the hands of Rudy Baum? Very well. If Rudy is
gone, I agree. Put the horses away. I'll sleep
till mid -afternoon. I won't need you before
then. Papa! Who is there? What are you doing
up so early? Early? It's almost nine o 'clock.
How is Rudy? Oh, what can I say, Leapchin? To
make it easy for you. He's... I knew it. He's
dead. Yes. It's all right, Papa. When you were
so long, I knew. And Franz? Franz is... He will
live. He's fine. What about his hands? That's
what kept me so long. Helga and I were operating
on them. Will he have the use of them again?
I hope a great deal more than that. He might
even be able to play again? It's too soon to
know anything. It'll take months. Oh, what's
the difference? It won't be Rudy. Nobody ever
will play like Rudy Baum again. Not in your lifetime,
Papa. Or in mine. It would seem too much to hope
for, would it not, my daughter? And yet, I am
going to dare to hope. weak now and no sign of
gangrene? Yes. Yes, there seems to be circulation
in all the fingers, but no sensation yet. The
nerves need time to regenerate. So, now Franz,
we are taking off some of the bandages to free
the fingers. Yes, doctor. Now Franz, which hand
am I touching? I... I don't know. I don't know.
I... I have no hands. It isn't working. Patience,
patience. Why don't we try something else? Move
your right thumb. Now we try the other fingers
one by one. And as you see, today we take all
the bandages off for good. These terrible scars.
No, no, no. Terrible, beautiful. Well, you will
see within a year there will be thin white lines
you can hardly detect. Besides, I made the grafts
far enough back so that your linen will cover
them at all times. Even when you play, you really
expect that I will ever play the piano again.
I hope. I hope with all my heart. Now we try
the exercises again. Here, pick up the pencil.
I can't. I can't feel the damn thing. The feeling
will come. No, never. They work, they move, but
they have no feeling. I tell you, it's all been
for nothing. I'm wearing a dead man's hands.
Good morrow, Franz. Morgen, lieber Herr Doctor.
Are there a few today? Oh, I haven't had any
pain in them for the last two or three days.
The first part is over. We are going home. Home.
loss it is too big and with my family gone of
course of course you don't return to the castle
you're coming home with us oh no my dear I cannot
impose on your hospital I insist you are my patient
you're my protege and my prodigy besides you
still need care and supervision for your exercises
yes at home we will have a new teacher for you
Ilse. Helga has been training her to assist with
your rehabilitation. Does... Does Ilse know about...
About the hands? No. No one knows that secret.
Save you and I and Helga. No one must ever know.
As far as the world is concerned... And you,
Franz. These are your hands. You must think of
them from now on Every moment waking or sleeping
is as your hands yours But they are not they
are Rudy bombs really bomb is dead Come let us
go home. I have some special bandages that you
will wear always I'll come is this waiting to
see you eagerly Yes, sir To see me I will tell
you a secret and then we shall never mention
it again. I Believe sincerely that it was not
Rudy my daughter loved she was just blinded and
bewitched by his talent I Can be truthful and
I say she mourns him no longer But aren't you
anxious to see her? Yes, sir. Yeah Let's go home
Yes, I didn't hear you come in. Guten tag. Where
is Papa? He went back to the infirmary after
lunch. Oh, I thought you and he were together.
And now that I'm here, I must take up my duties.
Will you come to the table? Are we to eat again?
No. We're going to start your exercises. Oh.
Your poor hands. To think. That night... Pa never
told me how badly they were injured. There's
not a sign of a scar. Your father is a magician.
I know he's prouder of his success with you than
anything he's ever done. Do they still hurt?
No. Even when I hold them? My hands are not what
you heard, Ilsa. It was my heart that was in
your hands. It was a long time ago, Franz. It's
over. Shall we start again, then? Us? Again?
No, I meant the exercises. What are you doing
here in the music room? It's suddenly, suddenly,
suddenly, yes. I feel that my hands may be ready
to try again. Try it. Forgive me. I know you
will understand. I want to be alone in the house.
I want no one to hear me until I'm ready. If
that is what you wish, Liebling. Liebling? Oh,
that was a slip of the tongue. I'll take it as
that for now. But if... is it... will you help
me in a plan I have? Ask me. Well, your father's
birthday is two months away. I want to repay
him for all he's done for me in a way beyond
money. Let me have four hours a day. Alone. Here.
No one but the servants in the house and swear
them to silence. Let the hairdoctor think I'm
taking my regular exercises to strengthen my
hands. Instead... Let me exercise them where
they belong. On the keyboard. Oh, that's marvelous.
If only I... Only what? No, if only I could share
it with you. No one can share this private agony.
Liebchen, yes, I will call you that and I hope
that I have the right to. But I won't know for
at least two months. Help me. In everything.
Always. Yes. And that was not a slip of the tongue.
I'll be out of the house in ten minutes, and
you can start to build your triumph alone. A
dinner fit for a king and a birthday cake made
for an emperor. I had forgotten it was my birthday,
but then that's... It's easy to do at my age.
We'll have a port and brandy and coffee in the
music room. Music room? Why there? Now don't
ask questions, Papa. On a birthday there are
many surprises. There's one very special gift
you haven't received yet. From Franz. Oh, I don't
need any gifts. This one permit me to offer you.
Here, sir. Thank you, Franz. Lieb her, Doktor.
Danke schön. No, sit with me, Papa. Here on the
sofa. This is all so, so mysterious. What are
you up to? Listen. This is a moment of terrifying
truth. I am Lazarus. But am I surely risen from
the dead? For all of us, music is a way of life.
If it is still mine. And this is the best birthday
gift I can offer either of you. In return for
all you've done for me. Here it is. Magnificent
I've never heard it play better to live To live
for moments like these Oh France France, how
can I thank you? But this is not just for me
you you will concert time. Oh, of course He's
going to set the world on fire and that's the
other birthday present we have for you Papa more
more France is not only your prodigy. He's going
to be your son We're going to be married At last.
Well, this is not my birthday. It's the beginning
of the world. Good night, Yus. Must you go? Time
enough for us. This is his celebration. Let us
wait for hours. If I must? Don't tell me. You
were so wonderful tonight. me is yours. of the
restless dreams that are torturing her intended
husband. And neither of them is aware of the
nervous tensing and extension of the hands that
once were Rudy Bounds. Hands joined to the body
of Franz Langermann. I'll return shortly with
Act 3. The debut that fall of Franz Langermann
was sensational. The public took him to their
hearts, and the critics were unanimous in praise,
projecting for him the brilliant future that
had been denied Rudy Baum by his untimely death.
So bright indeed were all Franz's prospects that
he seemed to have banished the tortured dreams
that haunted his sleep till the morning of his
wedding day. He was standing before the peer
glass adjusting his white cravat when... a beer
glass with a chair. But why? Doctor, I cannot
marry you. We will have to call the wedding off.
Guests already arriving? Is this dress and her
bridle down? What's the matter, boy? Are you
mad? More than a little, I'm afraid. I can guess
perhaps what troubles you. Let us sit down together
then and talk this over. your dreams and now
today the specter appeared in the mirror yes
and you feel that his uneasy spirit is doomed
to haunt you that his ghost will forever dog
your footsteps yes certainly if I marry you sir
and I love her too much to put her through that
too you are an exceptionally kind and sensitive
man You've been through an agonizing and traumatic
experience. You've been driving yourself practicing
long hours for your concert debut. You are exhausted
physically and emotionally. The mind is simply
playing you tricks. No, you don't understand.
Rudy Baum was no friend of mine. You remember?
I tried to tell you that night, the night of
the accident. Oh, yeah, yeah. So you did, I recall.
Rudy was my enemy. He resented me, hated me.
And I'd have his triumph when he had everything.
He gloated over it. He threw it in my teeth.
Well, then that is it, Franz. Why should you
have any remorse? You think it is only remorse
that conjures up these visions? Of course. That
and your over -sensitive nature. And I can help
there. I will give you some mild sedation for
the days. And for the nights? If you need it.
I should think Ilse would be better than all
my pills for that. What you need is her to take
care of you. Ilse, Franz, welcome home. Oh, Papa,
it's good to be back. It's good to see you here,
Doctor. So now, tell me all about the tour. It
was brilliant, marvelous, unbelievable. Standing
ovations everywhere. France was the lion of the
hour. He looks like a rather tired lion. Oh,
just need a couple of days' rest. I must look
a fright after that long carriage ride. You'll
excuse me while I change. Oh, I forgot. We are
to give a special concert recital for the Anthra
at Schönbrunn. Imagine! own emperor. Well, she
is wildly happy. Yes, he also thrives on all
the social life. Well, you don't seem to share
her enthusiasm. Oh my God, how can I? Oh, come
on, France. Not so bad to be wined and dined.
The important thing is to remember it's a tribute
to you, a genius. My genius. Do you really think
it is I they applaud? Who else? These, these.
That's what they come to worship. And who makes
them work? Not I. I tell you they have a life
of their own. Do you think I could attack the
Beethoven Emperor as though notes exploded from
one of Napoleon's cannons? I tell you they are
beyond my control, and it is driving me mad.
I want to play my own music, be my own man. These
may be the hands of a genius, but... Lord, help
me, they are not mine. I never want to play the
piano again. Bob? Yes, yes, sir. What are you
doing out of bed? Thinking. Well, must you sit
by the window, come back to bed, and think with
me? I'm afraid in bed with you, sir, I... Don't
think very clearly. It's better when you don't
think at all. That used to be a way out. No longer.
What do you mean? Yes, sir. Listen to me. I don't
want to play again. Are you out of your mind?
The king, the queen, Napoleon and the Empress
Josephine. Are they so important to you? Oh,
what are you trying to say? Are they more important
to you than my piece of soul? No, really, Franz.
You should live to play. Why? Because it's expected
of you. By whom? Well, by the nobility, royalty,
everyone who hears your music. And you? Yes,
and my father. Oh, no. Your father understands.
And for the rest, there's always a new artist,
a new interest. The truth is, isn't it that...
I must keep on playing for you. Well, that isn't
true. Then, if you love me, agree that my career
is over. Would you love me still, just as Franz
Langermann? You're being foolish, Liebling. This
is just another temperamental display. Why should
you stop playing? I won't allow you to. Won't
you, Lisa? I think it's time we put things to
a test. What are you doing? I want to show you
something. I don't think I want to see it. At
last you must. You see my arms? Why do you think
I wear these bandages above my wrists? Well,
you... you always said the scars were ugly, and
it... Ugly? Let me show you the truth. Look at
both arms. What? There's nothing there but...
but a thin white line. On each arm. all the way
around. See? Yes, but... but I thought... In
the accident, Rudy's brain was injured fatally,
but the rest of him was untouched. All of me
was untouched, except my hands. They were completely
destroyed. But if they were... if they were...
Oh! Oh no! Yes, yes, these are Rudy's hands.
grafted to me miraculously by your surgeon father.
These are what you love, aren't they? Not me!
Even when they were still Rudy's, it was these
hands and the fain and the notoriety and the
acclaim that could win and really claim your
love. The man behind them meant little except
a means to an end, right? No, I... no, I give
you one last choice, you'll see. Rudy can never
play again, and promise you I never will. But
you stay with me as my wife and care for me and
nourish me now I know you're mad and I'll not
waste my life on you. I Forced myself to endure
Rudy because I knew he could carry me with him
to the top. I Found you more endurable if you
could give me the same But if you turn your back
on success and glory Don't ask me to do the same.
You cannot love me for myself Only for these.
For those hands. No matter whose, you can rule
the world. Even though they destroy me. Oh, I
don't know why I wasted my time on such a fool.
Those hands are not for destruction. Even about
your throat. Say you love me. Oh, stop being
a child, son. Say you love me. At this moment,
I despise you. What? What? What? For the new
pier glass I brought today, you're gonna knock
it over. You feel this book? What are you looking
at? Can't see him. Rudy. In the mirror. What
is there to do? Police will come, Franz. You
will be hanged. What does it matter? Nothing
can bring Rudio or my daughter back. I was as
guilty as anyone in this. I wanted to save a
rare musical gift for the world. And I was tempted
in the operation to... to play God. And now there's
only one thing to do. What? Poor Ilse must have
fought. Your face is damaged. Now we must ransack
the apartment or I will take enough valuables
away with me. Then I will say I came to visit
you and that I found my daughter and you and
then that I rushed out for the police. dead my
son -in -law merely renders unconscious I placed
him on the bed as you see and came for you inspector
murder and robbery obviously I don't know how
much is missing certainly my daughter's jewels
some ivory pieces I gave them as a wedding present
your daughter is quite dead strangled how is
the young man awesome facial wounds possible
concussion and He has been straggled too. Tongue
protruding, face livid, marks on throat, not
much doubt. Some kind of maniac, it looks. Cortomino.
What is it? A maniac, all right, look. Cut right
off above the wrist. He has no hands. Rudy Baum
from his solitary grave. Would he prove to have
hands or not? As it happened, no one did. And
since here Dr. Herschel died quite suddenly from
a heart attack during the solemn requiem mass
for his daughter and his son -in -law, why should
it have occurred to anyone to question this extraordinary
tale further? I'll be back shortly. closing.
Man proposes, God disposes. There is never a
time when man can take his work into his hand.
No truer words have been spoken than in the Bible,
Hosea 8, Chapter 7. They have sown the wind,
and they shall reap the whirlwind. Our cast included
Robert Drivers, Stefan Schnabel, Marion Seldas,
Ira Lewis, and Roger DeKoven. The entire production
was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now,
a preview of our next tale. Florence would never
give me a divorce, and even if she did, she'd
want a big alimony. I just couldn't afford you,
Sherry. Well, I won't deny I'm expensive, but
you could easily afford me. How? Symer, sir,
and his new... Lady love are leaving early for
a weekend in Bermuda. Monday's a holiday. They
won't be back till Tuesday morning. It won't
be till then that they discover the money is
missing. What money? The money in the teller's
drawers. How much do you think it adds up to?
Well, it's the end of the month, payday for most
people. The deposits have been heavy, somewhere
between six or seven hundred thousand... Why?
What do you want to know? I just wanted to know
how much we're going to steal. This is E .G.
Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery
theater for another adventure in the macabre.
Until next time, pleasant dreams.