Episode 341: The Burning Court

[00:00:16] Speaker A: The mysterious old Radio Listening Society podcast. [00:00:25] Speaker B: Look out. [00:00:27] Speaker A: Welcome to the mysterious old radio listening system, a podcast dedicated to suspense, crime and horror stories from the golden age of radio. I'm Eric. [00:00:36] Speaker C: I'm Tim. [00:00:36] Speaker D: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:37] Speaker C: We love mysterious old time radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? That's what we're here to find out. [00:00:42] Speaker A: This week we're listening to an episode I chose, the Burning Court from suspense. [00:00:48] Speaker D: One of radio's most prestigious and longest running shows. Suspense premiered on CB's in 1942 and continued to thrill audiences until its final broadcast in 1962. Known for its big name stars, high production values and sophisticated scripts, Suspense raised the bar for dramatic radio. [00:01:09] Speaker C: The script is an adaptation of John Dixon Carr's 1937 novel of the same name. Between 1942 in 1943, John Dixon Carr had over 20 of his scripts produced by Suspense. Despite living in England at the time. In September of 1943, Carr began his own series, appointment with Fear on BBC Home Service. It not only copied the format of suspense exactly, it also reused several of Carr's scripts. [00:01:32] Speaker A: Suspense presented two versions of the burning court, one in 1942 and a slightly altered version in 1945. This week we're listening to the earlier version. This is the burning court from suspense, first broadcast June 16, 1942. [00:01:50] Speaker C: It's late at night and a chill has set in. You're alone and the only light you see is coming from an antique radio. Listen to the sounds coming from the speaker. Listen to the music and listen to the voices. [00:02:05] Speaker B: The Columbia network takes pleasure in bringing you suspense. Suspense stories from the world. Great literature of pure excitement. A new series frankly dedicated to your horrification and entertainment week by week. From the pick of new material from the pages of best selling novels from the Theater of Broadway and London, the sound stages of Hollywood will parade the most remarkable figures ever known. CB's gives you suspense. Tonight's presentation is one of the finest of the contemporary stories of mystery and terror. John Dixon Carr's famous novel, the Burning Court. Ah, a glass of sherry by the fireside of a beautiful suburban home. What could be more comforting? You're an admirable host, mister des pas. And it's really a shame our first meeting is under such a cloud. It's also a shame I have so little time to tell you which one of your guests here murdered your uncle last week. Now, let's see now. I believe we're all here. Your wife, your friend, Mister Stevens. Captain Brennan. Yes. And incidentally yourself. Just who did you say you were? Well, no wonder you've had so much difficulty with the case. Captain, my name is Cross. Godin Cross, the writer. As a matter of fact, it's because of my just completed book, poisoning throughout the ages that I happen to be here now. And Ted Stevens there happens to be a member of the firm which publishes my work. I'd never seen him until tonight, but I've been told what happened. This afternoon. He began reading my manuscript for the first time on the train, the commuter's train, which every afternoon deposits him safely and soundly here in crispin. I imagine he was halfway home by the time he finished the first chapter. Then he turned a page. Attached to the following leaf was a picture, and looking at it, the young man stiffened suddenly and all but cried out his shock. It was a picture of a young woman, and under it had been printed famous poisoner, Marie d'Aubray, 1676. Ted Stevens was looking at a picture of his own wife. Imagine. Imagine his 25 year old wife in 17th century costume. The face, the features, even a wistfulness of expression were identical. Even the name Dobre was his wife's maiden name. But no, no, no, that was ridiculous. This woman in the picture was, well, one of his wife's ancestors. Yes, that was it. That was it. Simply an amazing family resemblance. Marie would be waiting for him at the station, and he'd have to tell her about it. He wondered why, however, she'd never told him about. Oh, well, but you don't discuss such an ancestor, do you? Ted Stevens glanced down at the chapter to which the picture had been attached. It was entitled the Affair of the non dead woman. [00:06:23] Speaker D: Hello? [00:06:23] Speaker B: Ted Stevens was almost jolted from his seat. It was doctor Weldon, professor of English at the college, an old friend of his. Quickly, he thrust the picture beneath the manuscript and moved over. Hi. I didn't see you, doc. Oh, here, have a seat. Oh, I thought maybe you were giving me the. What do they call it? The brush off. Oh, no, I say. As a matter of fact, doc, you're the one man I do want to see. Very flattering. Remember those discussions we used to have about murders? Better than bridge anytime. Well, I got the idea that you'd made sort of a hobby out of the old cases, the historical ones. Well, I've studied quite a number of them, yes. Ever hear of a woman named Marie Debray? Marie Debray? Marie Debray. Oh, yes, that was her maiden name, of course. One of the finest specialist in arsenic poisoning you could ever hope to find. Oh, we're almost at our station, Ted. Let's get to the door. Yes, a real charmer, Marie was must have disposed of half a hundred husbands, lovers, suitors and just plain friends before she was caught. Uh, what happened to her, doc? She was beheaded and burned. Crispin. Oh, absurd. Laughable. Ted Stevens kept saying this to himself, and yet what he knew was a foolish dread followed him straight through the small suburban station and clung to him as he reached the street. And there in the roadster was Marie, leaning toward him a little to hold the door open and smiling at him. [00:08:11] Speaker E: Oh, Ted, what on earth are you staring at? [00:08:14] Speaker B: That street light shining on your hair. I like that. [00:08:17] Speaker E: Oh, you're tight. Come on, get in the car. [00:08:25] Speaker B: Then, like a wisp of smoke, it was gone. The whole ridiculous fear, the delusion. When at home, Marie brought the cocktails into the living room. The logs were burning brightly in the fireplace, throwing a soft, dancing glow upon a room that was darkening with dusk. To you, Marie. [00:08:53] Speaker E: And to you, dear. [00:08:57] Speaker B: As Stevens placed his glass down, he noticed the manuscript of my book. It was there on the table, right where he placed it when he first came in. Deliberately, he turned from it and then turned back. The manuscript had been moved only an inch or so, but it had been moved. Keeping his back to his wife, he thrummed through that early chapter and discovered, just as he knew he would, that the photograph was gone. For a long moment, he thought of what to do. Then slowly, he turned around. This book by cross I brought home. Yes, there was a story of poisoner in it. Rather funny. Her name happens to be the same as yours. Oh, your maiden name, that is. [00:09:49] Speaker E: Oh, that is odd, isn't it, darling? [00:09:53] Speaker B: Was she a relative of yours? [00:09:54] Speaker E: Why, Ted, you're serious? [00:09:57] Speaker B: In a way, yes. Oh, I don't mean it. It's really important. It's just that, well, when you run across a person who's a dead ringer for your own wife, and who lived 300 years ago and was a top flight poisoner, well, you like to hear about it, that's all. [00:10:10] Speaker E: What on earth are you talking about? [00:10:12] Speaker B: Darling, be honest with me. Didn't you look at this manuscript when I was out of the room? [00:10:17] Speaker E: No. [00:10:18] Speaker B: You didn't take out a picture of a poisoner named Marie Debray? [00:10:21] Speaker E: I most certainly did not. Oh, dead. What is this all about? What are you getting it? [00:10:28] Speaker B: Oh, just this. Somebody took that picture out of that manuscript since I've been home. Now, who's that? Well, I'll take a look. I don't feel like. Why, it's Mark. They part. Mark? [00:10:41] Speaker E: Ted, wait a second. Yes, Ted. Whatever it is he wants, promise you won't do it. [00:10:49] Speaker B: Promise I won't do it. [00:10:51] Speaker E: Promise you won't get yourself involved. Please, Ted, don't go out tonight. [00:10:56] Speaker B: See, what in the world is. Well, anyway, we can't let him stay outside. Mark, how are you? Come on in. Thanks, Ted. Just thinking about giving you a call later. [00:11:08] Speaker E: Oh, let me have your hat. [00:11:09] Speaker B: Thanks. I. Marie, I hope you'll excuse me for popping in like this, but, well, I wanted to talk to Ted. It's rather important. [00:11:17] Speaker E: I don't mind at all. [00:11:18] Speaker B: Come on, Mark. We'll step into the library. Oh, you mind, dear? [00:11:20] Speaker E: Of course not, Ted. I'll be making the sandwiches for her. [00:11:23] Speaker B: Oh, grab that chair in the corner, Mark. Well, let's hear it. What's the trouble, Ted? My uncle Miles was murdered. Murdered? Oh, the talk hasn't reached you yet, but it's already started. Nothing definite, of course. Just that there was something wrong about Uncle Miles death. But I don't. Mark, are you sure of this? You know he was murdered. I don't know. Of course I don't. I just don't see how it could be any other way. Uncle Miles, you know, had been sick for quite a while, but lasts Saturday, he seemed so much better. That Miss Corbett, that was his nurse, decided to take the day off and. Oh, you know all this. You and Marie were over that afternoon. Anyway, Lucy and I went to the club that night, to that masquerade party, and we left the old boy completely alone. I've cursed myself a thousand times since. But what about your housekeeper, misses what's her name? Henderson. Wasn't she around? Oh, sure. In that little house out in Beckley. We told you to look in now and then, but. Well, that wasn't good enough. It was after midnight when Lucy and I got back. Uncle Miles was dying, Ted. It looked exactly like one of his regular attacks. But then later, after he was gone, I happened to glance under the chest of drawers in his room. There was a small silver cup under there, almost drained. And Uncle Miles cat. The cat was still warm, but quite dead. Oh, I managed to get the cat out of the house and buried without anyone seeing me. Next day, I had the contents of the cup analyzed. It was poison? Yes. Arsenic. Well, what do you want me to do? Help me open the crypt. What? I want to have a private autopsy performed. Help me get Uncle Miles body out of that vault. Oh, I know it's a tough job. The thing is sealed solid, but we can do it. You mean, without the police knowing about it? Without anybody knowing about it. Misses Henderson's visiting her sister, and I managed to send Lucy over to the club. You must be crazy. You're playing with dynamite. Mark, this is something you've got to tell the police. Now, I can't take that chance. But they'll have to know sometime. You're only I've got to know first. I tell you. You don't understand, Ted. There was somebody in Uncle Miles room that night, handing him something in a silver cup. Misses Henderson was on the porch by the window. She saw her. She saw her, Ted. She thinks it was my wife. Oh, Lucy. It doesn't mean anything to misses Henderson yet because she doesn't suspect anything. But. Well, Ted, you've got to see why. I've got to be sure. Why I've got to know how Uncle Miles died. Because it wasn't Lucy, Ted. I know it wasn't. Of course not, Mark. She had an alibi. She was with you at the club, wasn't she? Yes, except for half an hour. I see. You'll help me, won't you, Ted? When do we start? Soon as you can make it. Okay. Come on now. I'll get your hat. You trot on ahead, and I'll come over as soon as I can see Marie. But you're not going to tell her about this. Of course not. I'll think of something. Don't you worry about it. No, thanks, Ted. Thanks a lot. Uh, Marie, uh, darling, Mark asked me to. [00:14:37] Speaker E: I know, Ted. Here, you better take these sandwiches with you. You'll be hungry. [00:14:42] Speaker B: But you knew I was going out. [00:14:45] Speaker E: Yes, I knew. [00:14:46] Speaker B: You listened to us. [00:14:47] Speaker E: I couldn't help it, Ted. I had an idea what Mark's visit was about. The talk about his uncle's death. There's a lot of gossip about it in the village. That's why I tried to tell you. Why? I didn't want you to get mixed up in it. But it's too late now, isn't it? I mean, you're going. I can tell by the way you look. Ted, wait a second. There's just one thing I want to tell you before you leave. And that is that no matter what happens, no matter what you find or think or believe, I love you. You'll remember that, won't you? [00:15:23] Speaker B: I'll remember. You said so, Marie. By the light of a dim kerosene lantern, Mark and Ted Stevens pounded their way through the thick shelf of rock that covered the depart's ancestral tomb, pried open the great slab of stone which lay across the subterranean door, and then at last descended to the dank ink black chamber. They found the coffin. They dragged it from its crypt and placed it on the cold stone floor. They unclamped the lid and opened it. Mark, it's empty. [00:16:08] Speaker A: What? [00:16:08] Speaker B: That's impossible. It can't be. But it is. Mark, you know what this means. That body wasn't in this coffin when it was placed here. I'll swear it was. Ted. From the time that coffin was closed on Uncle Miles, somebody, the undertaker, or Lucy or me. Somebody was with it until it was buried and the crypt was sealed right after. Then somebody beat us to it. Somebody's broken in here ahead of us. Broken in? Listen, Ted. Lucy and I have hardly left the house since the funeral. Do you think anybody could break in here, smash through that stone and cement without our seeing them or without our hearing them? Well? Well what? Well, you might as well come on out then. But who is that? Me, Mister Des Paul. Up here. My name's Captain Brennan. I'm from the office of the commissioner of police. From the. Like to talk to you, if you don't mind, Mister Tafar. Here, follow my flashlight up. But I don't understand. How did you. How did you know about this? By listening, mainly. Mind if we go up to your house, Mister Des Bar? Why, no, not at all. Oh, thank you. Oh, Freddie. Look here, Captain Freddie, this is Mister Dapar. Lieutenant Gray. Glad to know you, Mister Dapar. And Mister Ted Stevens, isn't it? Well, how did you. How did you know my name? Very simple. I got the names of everybody who was here at the day. Passed the day the old man died. You and your wife were included. Oh, here we are. But I don't. Captain, who gave you those names? Why, your housekeeper, of course, misses Henderson. You didn't think misses Henderson saw the dead cat, did you, Mister Des pas? But she did. She also saw you bury it. And we've been interested in the case ever since. Well, nice place you have here, Mister daper. Now, let's see. According to Misses Henderson, your wife was wearing some kind of a masquerade costume that night. What kind of a thing was it? Well, it was there. You can see it. It was copied from the dress in that old painting over there. Oh, yes. Hmm. Funny. Where's the woman's face? It's always been that way, long as I can remember. Somebody must have thrown acid on it or something. Can't blame them much. She was a poisoner. A poisoner? Yes. The story goes that one of my ancestors was responsible for her execution. Marie Dobre, her name was. Oh, yes, I've read about her. Learned all the poison tricks from one of her lovers. Guy by the name of Godin Sacroix. Godin Sac? Oh yes, mister Stevens. We copse now and then. Did you say code eclair? That's french. We call it cross. Ha. Absolutely no limit to a cop's education, is there? But to get back to your wife, Mister Despard, she was dressed like the famous Marie. Now when misses Henderson looked through that window. Just a minute, captain. Misses Henderson can't prove she saw a thing and you know it. What do you mean? I mean you haven't any right to insinuate that my wife was in that room. Well, who's insinuating? I'm trying to say that misses Henderson, after thinking it over, realize that she was tricked by the costume. The woman she saw in the funny clothes handing the cup of poison to your uncle, wasn't your wife at all. What? Because your wife is an unusually tall young woman. And the one misses Henderson saw was fully half a head shorter. More on the order, let's say, of mister Stevens wife. My wife? This is absolutely ridiculous. I don't know why. What's the matter Mister Stevens? You're traveling like a leaf. Tell me now, just for fun, where was misses Stevens that night? She was home with me the whole evening. Certainly she retired early. Yes, we both did. You, I suppose, were sound asleep by midnight. Yes, I was. Then how do you know where your wife was? Well look here, Stevens. She had to have a costume that would match misses Dick Pasley. How did she manage that? Where did she get it? Well she. She never had one. She never had a dress like that. And what about our motive? Why did she poison him? I don't know. For money, certainly. Then what was it? Hate. Did she hate miles deadpan? Yes, yes. She declared no. Oh, I. I don't know. I. I don't know, I tell you. Grab. Yes. [00:20:23] Speaker A: Ready? [00:20:24] Speaker B: I phoned and got hold of misses de par and the nurse. All right. That misses Stevens couldn't reach her. Her phone won't answer. Okay, have her picked up. I'm going home. Stevens, come back here. I'm going to get my wife. Marie. Marie, where are you? It's Ted. Marie. What have you done? Maria. Oh. Oh. Good evening. Who are you? I'm. My name is Cross. Go down. Cross. Cross. Where's my wife? What have you done to her? You fiend? What have you done to my wife? You are nothing at all, young man. Here, here. Sit down. You're lying. Something's happened to her. The police just phoned, there wasn't an answer. Why are you here? Why am I here? Well, because your wife, reading my chapter on the Dubrais, realized I knew more about the family than even she did. Because she found my phone number on the front cover of the manuscript. And because I know an exceptional case when I hear one. Does that answer your question? No, you know it doesn't. Can't you see I've got to. I've got to know whether. Yeah, I see. Whether your wife is that Marie Dobre who was burnt. Burnt? By order of the high tribunal for all poison cases. The burning court of France? Witchcraft, black magic, the world across the threshold. You're quite sure? No doubt also that I am Gaudin Sainte Croix who first wooed her. No, no, my boy, no. My real name happens to be, of all things, Tom Simpson, most unsuitable for a distinguished writing career. And Marie Dobre is no more your wife's real name than mine is Gourdin Cross. What? Your esteemed wife was an adopted child, Mister Stevens. Adopted by people in Canada named Dobre. Remote members of the real family of poisoners. I can't believe it. Why? Why didn't you tell me? Why? Because until I told her half an hour ago, she didn't know it herself. You see, in the course of my research on the family, I found out about it. And in the course of talking with your wife, I found out something else. How? For years she was haunted by the fear that she might be a poisoner by inheritance, by blood. And you can see, can't you, why she never talked about it, her past to you. Yes, yes. And yet, Mister Stevens, you had all but made her forget that past you. And that's why she was willing to lie, to steal a picture, do anything in order to hold you to her. Yes, yes, I see that now. You know, young man, I. I rather think she loves you. But as you will see though I. She comes only when I call her misses Stevens. You mean she's. [00:23:22] Speaker E: Yes, mister Cross. [00:23:23] Speaker B: Marie, it's you. You're all right. [00:23:25] Speaker E: Oh yes, dear, we're both all right now. And nothing can change it, ever. [00:23:28] Speaker B: Marie, listen. [00:23:29] Speaker E: Don't say Marie, dear, say Maggie. [00:23:32] Speaker B: Maggie. [00:23:32] Speaker E: Oh, that's my name, my real name. Maggie McTavish. And it's a lovely name, dear. The most beautiful, gorgeous. [00:23:39] Speaker B: Darling, darling, please, you don't understand. The police, they think you had something to do with Miles death. [00:23:44] Speaker E: They think I did. [00:23:45] Speaker B: So now Mister Stevens, before we go back to the depars, don't you think you'd better tell me everything that's been said and done up to date. Having just saved your wife's soul from the burning court. Now I'll rest her body from the electric chair. Yes, Mister Depasdez. Truly excellent sherry, don't you think so, Miss Corbett? [00:24:10] Speaker E: Yes, yes, it's very nice. [00:24:13] Speaker B: Well, that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I happen to be here. So let us consider first that supernatural hocus pocus in the crypt. That body that walked out of the sealed tomb. That body that never was in the tomb. Never was in the tomb? No, Mister Dipper. The murderer knew that very soon Misses Henderson's story would bring about an investigation. He had to get rid of the well known corpus delicti. Yes, but who could have kept the body out of the tomb? Who, Mister Depy? Why you, sir. I don't understand. Well, it's very simple. You had the opportunity. I believe you said yourself, you were alone with the body before the burial. And you had the strength. I dare say you carried it down to the furnace where it's now probably nothing but ashes. Ridiculous. Why would he spend an hour smashing into a crypt for a body he knew wasn't there? Why, captain? Hmm? To impress Mister Stevens, his witness. And also, apparently, you. [00:25:11] Speaker E: Oh, that's perfectly fantastic. [00:25:12] Speaker B: Fantastic? No, Lucy, just comic. And I suppose, Mister Cross, that I also put on a woman's masquerade costume, went into my uncle's room and handed him a nice cup of arsenic. No, no, no. That had to be done by a woman. Your accomplice, as matter of fact. Oh, now, come, come. You mustn't all look at Misses DePaus. Because Marc Depos one noble act was his frantic effort to prevent his wife from being charged with the crime. A crime which he and nurse Myra Corbett committed. Myra Corbett? [00:25:44] Speaker E: Why you. [00:25:45] Speaker B: Yes, sir. Yes, Mister Stevens. This quiet little lady beside me. [00:25:49] Speaker E: Why would I do such a thing? [00:25:50] Speaker B: Money, Miss Corbett. A cutout of Mark Depos inheritance payments for services rendered. That's an absolute lie, cross. You see, ladies and gentlemen, Captain Brennan never bothered to check Miss Corbett's whereabouts on the night of the murderous. Why even think of the nurse? She was the custodian of the old man's health. [00:26:04] Speaker E: Oh, you're crazy. You're crazy. [00:26:06] Speaker B: And yet, who but a nurse could so naturally offer the old man a cup? A cup he was sure contained medicine. [00:26:11] Speaker A: You're making it out. [00:26:13] Speaker B: And who but Miss Corbett, living right here in this house, would know what kind of masquerade dress she must copy, would know when Misses Henderson would pass the window that night pass and see her and accept her. She hoped for Lucy de Pas. [00:26:26] Speaker E: No, that's not true. [00:26:28] Speaker B: Oh, yes, Miss Corbett. Yes, Miss Corbett, that dress was the touch that wrecked you. That was your own idea, wasn't it? Not Mark's. You weren't content with a mere murderer's share of the profits. You wanted a wife's share, half of the whole estate. You wanted Lucy Depah convicted and out of the way for good. Well, I give you a toast, Miss Corbett, with Mister Depah's excellent sherry. To a particularly ruthless poisoner. And yet, you know, on the whole, I'm rather partial to female poisoners. Why, only tonight I. I. Here, let me get to him. Mister Cook. What's the matter, Brennan? This man's dead. Dead? And from cyanide, if I know anything. Cyanide from that glass of sherry. Cyanide that a nurse could get quite easily. That glass was right beside you, Miss Corbett, and nobody else was near it. Too bad he didn't drink it as soon as you hoped. A second ago, we had nobody to use against you. But we have now, Miss Corbett. We have now. And I arrest you for the murder of Godin crossed now close to five months ago that the prominent author was murdered. And tonight, Myra Corbett pays with her life for that crime. The former nurse at first protesting her innocence in recent years. I'm in here, dear. [00:28:10] Speaker E: Oh, I thought you might. What did you cut it off for, huh? [00:28:15] Speaker B: What do you mean? [00:28:15] Speaker E: The radio. [00:28:17] Speaker B: Oh. Oh, yeah. Well, I thought you wanted to talk. [00:28:21] Speaker E: Oh, Ted, don't you think I know you better than that? What was on the radio? [00:28:25] Speaker B: Well, there wasn't any. Okay. It was about Myra Corbett. She goes to the chair tonight. Oh, I didn't think you wanted to be reminded. [00:28:35] Speaker E: I don't really. But making such an effort to hide it only keeps it alive, doesn't it? All right, darlingenhe know what? I came in to ask if you ordered a cocktail before dinner. [00:28:45] Speaker B: The largest one you've got. [00:28:47] Speaker E: Fine. I'll get off the ice cube. [00:28:49] Speaker B: I know if I'll fix up the fire. Okay, Maria. Deal. Where are some papers to start it? [00:28:55] Speaker E: Right there by the bookcase. And the name's not Marie, it's Maggie. Because, darling, Marie's dead and gone forever. [00:29:17] Speaker B: Oh, no, Marie. We're never dead. Neither of us. It was your hand that touched that glass. I know that now. And I could return the favor. But instead, I shall ask that you dispatch your husband. This one, like all the others. Now, just a little bit of poison in the drink, Marie. Any kind of a drink. [00:29:51] Speaker E: What kind, Ted? What kind of a cocktail shall we have? [00:29:57] Speaker B: Oh, any kind. Darlingenhe any kind of doll. You've just heard the burning court from John Dixon Carr's famous novel, the first in Columbia's new series of outstanding classics and chills by world famous authors. Tonight's play, ladies and gentlemen, has one rather special significance we think you'd like to know about. As you perhaps have heard, every fine comedian is said to cherish a secret desire to do an abrupt, devout face. He pines for the part of a blackguard. Well, tonight you witnessed the fulfillment of one such desire. The role of that literary and quite infamous die hard. Gordon Cross was portrayed by none other than Hollywood's expert provoker of laughs, Charlie Ruggles, here in New York for the world premiere of his latest screen success friendly animes. The role of Marie, well, that was enacted by a young lady who long ago won national acclaim as one of Broadway's most accomplished dramatic actresses, Miss Julie Hayden. Thank you, Charlie Ruggles and Miss Julie Hayden, for your splendid performances. The play tonight, as all plays in this series, was produced and directed by Charles Vander, written by Harold Medford, and scored Barnard Hermande. Next week, we bring you an intensely exciting and moving drama, the life of Nellie James. This is the Columbia broadcasting system. [00:31:36] Speaker A: That was the burning court from suspense here in the mysterious old radio listening society podcast. Once again, I'm Eric. [00:31:43] Speaker C: I'm Tim. [00:31:44] Speaker D: And I'm Joshua. [00:31:45] Speaker A: All right, let me explain some things. All right, listen to a lot of episodes. Want to know what to bring. What I really wanted was to be scared. I always have some kind of underlying what do I want to bring to the podcast? What's motivating me? What am I in the mood for? And I must. And I alluded to this last week's episode. I must have listened to eight or nine set up supernatural, scary type horror stories that all ended in the last minute and a half with a very logical ending and conclusion. It's just like, no. Could you just be a ghost? Could you just be something crazy that we don't understand? That's what I wanted. And they all had these nice bow wrap up endings. So I'm listening to this, and I'm going, all right, we're doing well. Love this guy. I really hope she is a 60 zero year old woman that poisoned people. Like, yeah, bring it. Like, have her be a ghost alive forever. And then the guy comes in and he wraps the whole thing up, right? And he's like, okay, no, she's not this. And this is how this happened. And you did this. And I went, damn it. Damn it. I just can. I just couldn't. Oh, all right. Well, okay. They wrapped it up, and I was half listening, when all of a sudden, I go, wait, this isn't over. Like, I was waiting for the. Right. I'm waiting for this to wrap up. She's back in the house. I go, oh, there's a twist coming. Because otherwise, this has all been wrapped up. Why are we back in their house? Right? Why are we getting drinks for? [00:33:13] Speaker D: Are they gonna have sex? [00:33:16] Speaker A: Right? And, you know, we hear his voice and the whole thing. And I went, yes, I am bringing this to the podcast, because finally, somebody let me have that ending I was looking for. And that is everything I know about this and why I enjoyed it so much. [00:33:34] Speaker D: I'm just kicking myself. This has been on my list for a long time, and what we haven't mentioned is that this is the real first episode of suspense, right? [00:33:44] Speaker A: Because the lodger was just a pilot. I was a pilot. [00:33:48] Speaker D: And it never occurred to me until you just said it, that this is what Eric dreams every episode is going to be, whether there's any evidence to support that dream. And for some reason, that didn't click with me. Like, I should have brought this long ago, but I'm glad you discovered. [00:34:06] Speaker A: And the emotional rollercoaster of it, you know, me being so mad. Like, again, I. Some guy walks in and just columbos this thing into a night, you know, here's what really happened, and this isn't actually a mystery at all. And then to have the end where the ghost, I'm assuming, of the guy, is talking to her in the kitchen while she's making drinks. That's what I assumed. [00:34:27] Speaker C: Right. [00:34:27] Speaker D: Let's get into that. But first, I want to contextualize this a little, because you've already brought this up, that this is. I don't know if this will mean anything to you guys, depending on your knowledge of Agatha Christie, but if there are any Agatha Christie fans out there who aren't John Dixon Carr fans, the burning court is John Dixon Carr's. The murder of Roger Ackroyd. Huh? [00:34:50] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. [00:34:51] Speaker A: I don't get it. Because you didn't push your glasses up while you were saying that, in that. [00:34:56] Speaker D: It is well known for shattering what, at the time, at least, was believed to be a unbreakable rule of the mystery novel. [00:35:09] Speaker A: Sure. [00:35:10] Speaker D: And in this case, it is that the rational explanation for the seeming impossible is overturned by a supernatural solution. And so the response, even to this day, is generally split. There is the Eric camp who's like, yes, you actually sort of expanded the mystery genre. You didn't break it, right? You made more room for more kinds of stories. And other people were like you with your indulgent ending that didn't need to be there. Ruined a masterpiece. I'm gonna tear that last chapter out of the book. Kind of reacting to it. [00:35:49] Speaker B: Right. [00:35:49] Speaker A: The supernatural solution is why I'm attracted to the universal monster movies. For example, we don't find out the mummy was a guy, you know, pretending to be a mummy at the end, right? It's a mummy. He's 2000 years old. It's a vampire. He made a monster in his lab. Like, you know what I mean? Like there's no logical explanation at the end, which explains everything away, so it fits into our reality. I like that. I also like mysteries like this. Like the train one last week, the train disappears. All of a sudden I feel like I'm, I'm twelve years old and I'm watching in search of with Leonard Nimoye. Then the train disappeared. Right. And Eric von Daniken writes a book about why are the trains disappearing? You know, like, I love that stuff. And no, we don't really know what happened, but it's gone. And that's what I really was looking for this week. This has that feel to it, to me. Like we don't really know what's going on here, but she seems to be really old and kills all her husbands and some kind of eternal entity of. [00:36:53] Speaker C: Some sort of, I am closer to the other camp. [00:36:56] Speaker A: There's a third one. [00:36:58] Speaker C: No, no, it's just kind of non committal. I was really enjoying the story as it went. And particularly as a bit of a pair with the, the lost special from last week of. I fell for the, like, ooh, the, this name. And oh, the other name of the other person was, was Lacroix, which was cross. And this sort of magical legacy story of two people who were opposed through the ages. And then coming to the ending of like, that's not really her ancestor. That's not really his ancestor. This is all sort of window dressing. And the things that will really solve this mystery are who could give this uncle a cup of poison and he'd. [00:37:42] Speaker A: Accept it, and who would benefit from that? [00:37:44] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. It's just the simple beat by beat. How could this work? [00:37:48] Speaker A: Sure. [00:37:48] Speaker C: Which I was sort of charmed and delighted by. Like, you got me. I was going along for the bigger, fancier, cool story and I appreciated the down to earth real solution, so that when it did make that big twist, I didn't like, this is terrible. It's not the story I was enjoying before that. [00:38:06] Speaker A: Right. [00:38:07] Speaker C: It's, like, decided, no, we liked the version you were thinking of. We want to do that instead of, okay, I'm gonna parenthetically hear. My wife and I have a running joke of saying gift of the magi to things that are really not gift of the magic. [00:38:20] Speaker A: My wife and I, too, yes, we. [00:38:22] Speaker C: Do the gift of the magi. Like, oh, I wanted a story like this, but then you want to tell a different story. But then I like the story you were telling, but then you thought I should tell the story you wanted, so we switched gift of the magi. Gift of the magi. Except that actually is kind of gift of the magi, as opposed to, like, oh, I wanted to eat burgers, and then you didn't have gift of the magi. [00:38:42] Speaker A: Right. [00:38:43] Speaker D: See, the joy I take from this is that it disappoints people like Sam. No, though, in all seriousness, I think the supernatural ending would be a sad trombone if it weren't for how meticulously, more meticulously in the novel. But this is a really solid adaptation of the novel. I think, in many ways, that car wraps it up in a rational, real world way. So that supernatural ending just catches you completely off guard. And that, to me, is the genius of it. And I actually want to back up even one more step because everyone does sort of obsess on the supernatural twist, but because cross steps into this story, and while not formally a detective, takes the role of the golden age detective on himself and is sort of cantankerous and a little eccentric and a know it all. So he feels like he fits this mold. The fact that he reveals who did it and then is immediately killed, that alone is a great twist. [00:39:51] Speaker B: Yes. [00:39:51] Speaker D: The first time I heard it, I went, what? It's like if you're reading an Agatha Christie and the murderer is revealed, and he just snaps Miss Marble's neck on the spot. [00:40:01] Speaker B: What happened? [00:40:02] Speaker A: Right, right. [00:40:04] Speaker D: So even before we get to the supernatural twist, I was really taken by this. The first time I heard it, and the first time I heard it was as the radio adaptation because the burning court is out of print. So I had a conversation earlier today via email with one of our patrons, Dave, who's a big fan. And we've talked about the burning court before. A big fan of John Dixon Carr and particularly this novel. So I couldn't remember everything about the novel. So I asked him some questions about if he remembered what the big differences were between the radio script and the novel. But I'm sorry, Dave, I've decided not to talk about the novel because I still think it's different enough, even though the twists are all there, that someone. I don't want to spoil the few surprises that are left if you decide to go read this novel. However, Dave brought up that he couldn't really figure out whether the supernatural twist was as effective in the suspense version as it was in the novel, because he had read the novel first, then heard the suspense version. But I can say that the fact that the vast majority of suspense episodes are not supernatural have rational conclusions that it had a very similar effect on me. When I first heard this, I was. Did a audio double take. I was like, you, Eric, where? I was like, oh, that wrapped up really nicely. And, okay, I'm gonna turn it off. What? [00:41:29] Speaker A: Right. [00:41:30] Speaker D: And the fact that it's the first episode of suspense that immediately leans into something they're going to abandon. [00:41:36] Speaker A: Right. [00:41:36] Speaker D: For the most part. [00:41:37] Speaker A: Not twists. [00:41:38] Speaker D: Yeah, but that it's a supernatural one. They're gonna do the hitchhiker, and then they're gonna pretty much let it go, with a few exceptions in their 20 year history. So in that respect, it really got me. [00:41:48] Speaker A: Yep. And to answer anybody's question, like, if you have not read the novel, when I saw this and it says burning court as the Michael Jordan story, like, I don't know. I don't know. [00:42:02] Speaker D: Somebody got sunburnt on the tennis court. What is this? [00:42:05] Speaker A: I don't know anything about it. I just. Yeah, that'll be fine. Click that. Let's hear what this is. [00:42:09] Speaker D: But it's a great dramatic name, isn't it? Yeah, it's intriguing. And because you don't know exactly what it is, you're so. [00:42:15] Speaker A: I'm listening to it. That ending for someone that knows zero about what they're doing, got me, and it was cool. [00:42:23] Speaker D: The other bit of Eric nip in here is that the pace, because it is cut down from a full size novel to 30 minutes. [00:42:30] Speaker A: Right. [00:42:30] Speaker D: Is just crazy. [00:42:31] Speaker A: Right. [00:42:32] Speaker C: It has. That starts out in a classic. Like, someone in this room is a murderer, one of these four or five people. And now let's immediately break away from this scene that I have a lot of interest in. [00:42:43] Speaker D: And then suddenly, it's a guy on a train who sees an old picture of a murderer who looks just like his wife, and you're like, what? And he confronts his wife. All this mystery and then the neighbor next door. I need your help exhuming a body. [00:42:55] Speaker A: Right. [00:42:55] Speaker D: Like what? [00:42:56] Speaker A: Right? [00:42:56] Speaker D: It's just like. And it just keeps going, going. [00:42:59] Speaker A: It's exactly why I was having a great time. [00:43:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:43:02] Speaker A: With my fingers crossed. Please don't give me a logical explanation. But to Tim, when that thing starts in a sentence or two, and that's why I'm going to tell you who in this room murdered so and so, like, however the sentence was. And I went, oh, we're at the castle. Yeah, baby. Boom. We're moving. [00:43:21] Speaker C: And yet in that opening sentence, that, like, he's interrupting himself with his own little sips of sherry, of, like, it's a very effective, immediate going through action. But also, this character knows, like, people are hanging my every word. [00:43:34] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah. So it has a lot of nice layers to it, as you mentioned, the sipping of the sherry. To me, it feels like an eccentric detective moment. Right? As you're saying, like, egotistical, all this stuff. But it turns out to be really important because he's being an arrogant detective. He's just downing all this poison. [00:43:56] Speaker A: Right. [00:43:57] Speaker D: I also think it was cool because in most, like, b movies, a lot and a lot of old time radio poison, and as everyone has observed and made the jokes, works instantaneously. Right. Like, people take two sips of poison, go and fall over, but they've established killer is vomiting for 30 minutes. He's drinking this drink. And so it's. It takes a long time to kill him. So I thought that was a nice little touch. [00:44:23] Speaker A: I don't know if how new or recent this is, but I just watched the Agatha Christie murder is easy. What was interesting is I watched it. It's a two part series, and Shannon, my wife, and I watched it, and we loved it. You know, it was great. And it was less than 24 hours later that I listened to this. So I've had a lot of poison stories in the last 36 hours of my life. [00:44:52] Speaker D: As Dave, our patron, points out, the novel spends a lot more time really focusing on that she's a witch, that there's more supernatural elements than just a poisoner. But with those handful of lines that are in the radio show about she was burned at the court and she mentions witchcraft and black magic. And obviously, if that's the same person from the 16 hundreds, that connection was there for you guys, or did you feel you missed it? [00:45:20] Speaker C: It seemed like more to me that what was distinct about this ancestor was specifically that she was a murderess and that the witchcraft was just a label that was put on her. [00:45:31] Speaker D: Okay. [00:45:32] Speaker A: That's what I got out of it, too. Not an actual, but somehow she lives, so she must have been in the novel. [00:45:38] Speaker D: There's evidence that she shows up again in the 18 hundreds somewhere. So they give you a little bit more of this idea of an immortal person. But I'm not going to say any more about the novel in case you want to read it. Stop me if I do it again, guys. [00:45:52] Speaker C: But that the physical resemblance I took to be that I am a direct ancestor of this person and have some connection to them by that familial line, which is part of why I plugged in thematically of, like, I'm not actually related to this person. [00:46:09] Speaker D: So here's a question for you guys. Do you think by that ending, we are supposed to assume that the supernatural non dead witch lady not only is about to kill her husband, but she is the one who did the murders, and that the two people who've gone to the chair for it are innocent? Or do you think these two crimes were happening in parallel? [00:46:33] Speaker A: I was led to believe she's the one that was behind all of it. That synopsis, that wrap up was completely wrong. [00:46:41] Speaker D: I mean, that's the more delightful interpretation that the not only did the pompous detective die, but he was completely wrong. [00:46:48] Speaker A: That's how I took it. [00:46:49] Speaker D: And they never confessed. Right. During the whole time of that conversation, they're saying, no, absolutely not. [00:46:54] Speaker A: Right. [00:46:54] Speaker D: Which is not usual for this golden age of mystery. They're usually like, you've got me. They're usually very Scooby Doo. [00:47:00] Speaker A: Right. [00:47:01] Speaker C: However, having the voice be a separate sort of entity, it made me think either that this poisoning presence is like a ghost that is affecting this woman, or she's just nuts. [00:47:16] Speaker D: Yep. And that has been one of the theories proposed by your camp of car fans who want to, like, write off the supernatural elements to say, there's nothing in this story that keeps us from assuming she's just gone mad. [00:47:31] Speaker B: Right. [00:47:32] Speaker D: There's actually more evidence of you can pull out of the novel than in the radio adaptation to come to that conclusion. But I think that's just cynical and trying to take the joy from people in the other camp. [00:47:44] Speaker C: But it's harder for me to plug into the idea that she is this eternal witch character. I mean, it still tracks that this figure has been immortal and killing for all these years because of some voice that she hears, as opposed to just like, I like killin'you're. [00:48:06] Speaker D: Saying the radio show suggests that this is a dormant part of her that's activated by the voice of the person she killed. [00:48:15] Speaker C: Something separate from. Yes. The killing impulse. [00:48:19] Speaker D: She's possessed, but the voice suggests and seems to speak with authority. Since the voice is dead, uh, has knowledge that we as living people don't, that it was Marie, Maggie, uh, who poisoned cross. [00:48:35] Speaker A: Yes. [00:48:35] Speaker D: Right. [00:48:35] Speaker B: For sure. [00:48:36] Speaker D: So we know that much happened. [00:48:37] Speaker C: Yes. [00:48:38] Speaker D: Interesting. And she does have motivations to kill the others if we are to believe all this sort of reincarnation idea. Right. Because Miles was related to someone who had put her to the stake, and cross is supposedly the first man she murdered. [00:48:56] Speaker A: Yep. [00:48:57] Speaker D: There's just a lot in here. Yeah, and we've praised it up and down. But I will say some of the editing is a little confusing because you do have the weird murder mystery in which you don't hear a word spoken from the suspect until they're accused. [00:49:15] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:49:15] Speaker D: Right. Because we hear the name of the nurse. They mention her twice, but she doesn't speak until someone points a finger at her. [00:49:23] Speaker A: Right. [00:49:24] Speaker D: And the first time I heard it, I had to back up a couple times. And Lucy, the wife of the nephew, has one line in the entire thing. [00:49:33] Speaker A: Oh, that's right. Yeah. [00:49:35] Speaker D: But otherwise, it's a pretty amazing job to just. So she got you hack an entire novel into 30 minutes. [00:49:42] Speaker C: The first episode of suspense is like, this is a big swing and very successful. [00:49:47] Speaker A: And compared to how bad that pilot was. [00:49:50] Speaker D: Yeah, they were like, oh, wait, the lodger had no ending, so we're gonna put two in this one to make up for it. [00:49:58] Speaker C: So at the end of the lodger is, this lady's been poisoning. Everyone. [00:50:03] Speaker A: Ready to vote? [00:50:05] Speaker D: Sure. [00:50:05] Speaker A: Joshua, your turn. [00:50:06] Speaker D: What? [00:50:07] Speaker A: Yeah, your first. [00:50:08] Speaker B: Do it. [00:50:10] Speaker D: Obviously, this is of historical interest and of significance because it is the first real episode of suspense. I don't count the lodger. That's not part of my suspense head canon. So certainly that I think it stands the test in time. If it has a fault, it's what also excites me about it, which is the manic pace. And I'm not sure that you can follow this episode 100% on one. Listen. [00:50:39] Speaker C: Yeah, it took me a couple tries. [00:50:40] Speaker D: You might like it. The first time I heard it, I loved it, but I immediately went back because I had to figure out exactly who was who. Actually, in that final, I'm going to reveal the murder scene where people showed up out of the blue. So that's definitely a fault. But it's hard because I think it's a classic novel, so I want to call it classic. I don't know that it deserves classic radio status, but it's really good. And like Tim just said, that this is suspense's first episode. It shows how ambitious the producers were. It's like, we're gonna just blow this sucker out. I mean, the intro is really overblown, too, about you are going to this amazing evening of horrification, right? Does that mean what I think it means? [00:51:27] Speaker C: I've been horrificated. [00:51:29] Speaker D: Every night we will go out whoring and then we won't produce an episode. [00:51:34] Speaker A: I like the ending, too, when they reveal who was playing the roles. Hey, by the way, here's your surprise. We didn't tell you that was, you know, Ruggles and whoever the woman was, I can't remember the name, but that was a really interesting thing where they just let you listen and then went, did you recognize. [00:51:51] Speaker D: Those are going to leave you in suspense. [00:51:54] Speaker A: Right? He did say that, you know, Ruggles pines for the role of a blackguard. [00:52:02] Speaker C: Yes. [00:52:02] Speaker A: Yeah. And I was like, what? I keep hearing that word. What is it? So I had to look it up. [00:52:06] Speaker D: Keep hearing that. Are you in a lot of pirate ships? [00:52:08] Speaker A: No, no. It pops up in old time radio now and then. But I realized I keep assuming I know what that word means, and I don't. [00:52:19] Speaker D: Let me guess. It's super racist because, like, surprisingly not racist. [00:52:23] Speaker A: A scoundrel or untrustworthy person. But. [00:52:27] Speaker C: So etymology is like a servant. [00:52:29] Speaker A: Right. But I found it also interesting. The dream of every comedian is to play. That's what he says is to play. You know, this scoundrel that's going to. [00:52:42] Speaker D: Become one of the trademarks of suspense is casting comedians and suspense roles. [00:52:48] Speaker A: I think this was very, very good. It stands the test of time. I am not comparing it to other suspense, and I'm not going to compare it to the novel. This is someone who went in absolutely ice cold with no knowledge. And I thought it was well done, well produced, well acted, well written, pace, everything. I enjoyed that a lot. Will not give it a classic. I won't, but I will give it a really, really good, really close. [00:53:15] Speaker C: You guys are going to do this to me, but this is a classic. [00:53:18] Speaker A: Oh, nice. [00:53:20] Speaker C: It's not perfect, but I mean, not only for the way that's historical importance, but that pace, that all the things I loved about it, all the things about it that were a surprise that I didn't maybe necessarily love, but admired and appreciated. That's the thing, is it definitely has to. The flaws that you mentioned of the editing and the clarity, but those don't detract from the things that make it a classic to me of, there's not a lot of other radio episodes out there like this. [00:53:52] Speaker A: Right. [00:53:54] Speaker D: The other thing, I forgot to mention that it has great dialogue. John Dixon Carr writes really good dialogue. [00:54:00] Speaker C: Yes. [00:54:01] Speaker D: Some of it is a little stilted because he's cutting it down. So people are just occasionally just telling you information you need to know. But he's always got colorful dialogue, I should say. Like, the cop who keeps being proud of how intelligent he is is fantastic. Pretty educated for a cop. He seems to be angry at detective tropes, not anyone who he's actually speaking to. [00:54:22] Speaker A: Right. [00:54:22] Speaker D: He's like, I'm a smart cop. [00:54:24] Speaker A: Have you heard the 1945 version? [00:54:26] Speaker D: No, I haven't. So we wonder if it exists. [00:54:29] Speaker A: So. [00:54:29] Speaker C: Oh, I assumed it was. I put in the intro that it was slightly altered because I was warned, listen to the right one. [00:54:34] Speaker D: Oh, so it does. Yes. And I have heard that they make changes. [00:54:37] Speaker A: So last week we had the escape episode of the Lost Special, which there is a suspense version of it with Orson Wells, Orson Welles. And this week we have another version of this. I think that this summer we should hit both of these other versions of burning court and lost special. I'm just going to throw that out there. [00:54:56] Speaker D: All right, cool. [00:54:57] Speaker A: Also, a lot less work for us to do in the next few weeks. All right, Tim, tell them stuff. [00:55:03] Speaker C: Hey, if you have a chance, go visit ghoulishdelights.com. that is the home of this podcast. Of course, you can get the podcast wherever you get the podcast. We're all over the place. [email protected]. you can leave comments, you can vote in polls. Let us know what you think about these, because your opinion is half the fun. You can also link to our social media pages. You can link to our store and buy some merchandise, and you can link to, oh, well, yes, the other fellows are going to tell you some more here in just a second, but you can also link to our Patreon page. [00:55:34] Speaker D: Yes, go to patreon.com. the morals and please support this podcast. You know what? It costs money to do this podcast. As in, we won't sit down and do it unless you pay us money. No, we put a lot of work into this, guys. Come on. And thank you. If you do support this podcast, and we're not just going to take your money and run. No, we are going to give you extra stuff. We are going to give you bonus podcasts. Zoom. Happy hours, hanging out with us, book clubs. So much and if you become a patron, then you get to hear each episode of this podcast with an extra supernatural twist at the end. [00:56:16] Speaker A: Nice. If you'd like to see us performing live, the mysterious old radio listening society theater company does on stage live recreations of classic old time radio shows. [00:56:27] Speaker D: Pause for that. On stage live podcast, podcast, podcast. There's no dancing, okay? [00:56:39] Speaker A: Recreations of classic old time radio shows and a lot of our own original work. Come see us performing old time radio drama live on stage. You can find out where we're performing, what we're performing, and how to get tickets each month. Practically, we're somewhere, if not more than once. [00:56:56] Speaker D: Sometimes twice. [00:56:57] Speaker A: Yeah, sometimes twice. You can go to ghoulishdelights.com and get tickets and come see us and have a great night out with some places that also are wonderful ambiance and great food and all of that. If you can't, if you're a Patreon, we also record video and or audio of those shows, and that is part of your Patreon perk. You get to see them that way. But if you can come see us, come see us. That would be awesome. Support us that way, too. What's coming up next? [00:57:23] Speaker D: Next is my pick, and we will be returning to the hermit's cave for an episode entitled the Search for Life. Until then. [00:57:35] Speaker B: Oh, no, Marie. We're never dead. Neither of us. It was your hand that touched that glass. I know that now, and I could return the favor. But instead, I shall ask that you dispatch your husband. Just a little bit of poison in the drink, Marie. Any kind of drink. This series presents information based in part on theory and conjecture. The producer's purpose is to suggest some possible explanation, but not necessarily the only one to the mysteries we will examine.