♪♪♪ (announcer speaking over microphone) - Look at that beauty.

If I had to do it all over again, I would make flying a plane a much bigger priority.

- Yeah, you would have made dying a much bigger priority.

- Where's your sense of adventure, Trudy?

- Not up there.

I'd do my adventuring by boat.

Paris, maybe.

- It sure is warm today.

- I'll get us some cold lemonades, then.

- It'll need a kick.

- You brought your flask.

- I'm going to find someplace quiet to watch the planes.

- But you'll miss the baby contest.

- Precisely.

- Now now, what's this I hear about you not liking babies?

- It has nothing to do with not liking babies and everything to do with really liking planes.

- Might I join you then?

I don't mind a spot of bird watching.

- Suit yourself.

- Nice bike.

- Thanks.

You ride?

- I prefer being up there than down here.

- You fly.

- Did.

Once upon a time.

Royal Flying Corps.

- Hm!

So you're one of those dangerous flyboy types.

- Thanks.

- Ladies, learn how to raise Better Babies!

The future of the nation begins with a healthy family.

Make sure you do your part!

- Dog fights were nothing like that.

They make it look so simple.

- It's always different when you're getting fired at.

- You speaking from personal experience?

- A girl can have her secrets.

- So which one do you like?

- I like them all.

- Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Phillip Anderson!

(applause) - Ah, the man of the hour.

Phillip Anderson.

- The aviator?

- Visionary, philanthropist, all-round golden boy.

- Sounds like you know him.

- Hm.

Our paths have crossed.

- If you'd asked me when I was with the Royal Flying Corps if we'd be on the cusp of a new age in a few short years, I would have said no.

But just look at the excitement that this new technology is generating.

My aerodrome is just the beginning.

Take my word for it, man is about to take off and soar above the clouds.

- He is quite the crowd-pleaser.

- That's very forward.

- A girl can admire the pilot as well as the planes.

- Well, admire all you like, he only has eyes for his wife.

- The perfect man.

With the perfect wife.

- Perhaps I can take you on a thrill ride sometime.

- Now who's being forward?

- Think about it.

- I'll mull it over.

- And now, Mr. Anderson will announce the winner of the Better Babies of Leaside contest.

- Well, it was so difficult to choose a winner from all these lovely, healthy babies.

Not a blemish on one.

But I had to, so ladies and gentlemen, the winner of this year's Better Babies of Leaside contest.

(applause) (dramatic music) - The baby!

The baby's gone!

(exclamations) - Charlie!

- Hello there.

You're okay.

- Charlie!

- Here.

- I can't believe you pulled that off.

- Oh, me neither.

(crying) - I thought I was going to take you for a thrill ride.

- Good lord, that was some feat.

Who are you?

- Frankie Drake.

Private detective.

(jazzy music theme) - Miss Drake.

I don't believe we've been properly introduced.

Greg Mills.

Mr. Anderson's mechanic.

- Nice to meet you.

- Trudy Clarke.

- Mechanic, you say?

I don't suppose you could...?

- Your bike?

Yes, I will fix her up for you on the house.

- I'm sure he will be in very good hands.

- Oh, Mrs. Drake-- - It's Miss.

- I stand corrected.

Anyway, I would like to commend you to your employer.

- Commendation accepted.

- Drake Private Detectives.

- Mr. Anderson, I don't want to alarm you or your wife, but we suspect the kidnapper is going to strike again.

- And that's why I've spoken personally with the Chief of Police.

A constable will be on 24-hour duty here at the house.

Every available man will soon be searching for the culprit.

- Well, you have two available women right here.

- And Frankie is the only person to get a firsthand look at the kidnapper.

- Phillip, perhaps it would be a good idea to hire Miss Drake.

- I appreciate the offer, Meara; kidnapping is serious business best left to the police.

Now, if you'll excuse me-- - I think he meant to say best left to the men.

- Mrs. Anderson, if you need anything, even the smallest thing, please call.

- Thank you.

- You should've seen it, girls.

Frankie jumps off the motorcycle, clocks the kidnapper in the chops, hops into a moving plane, stops it and saves the baby.

- That is so amazing.

The most exciting thing I did today was visit a dance hall to encourage good moral affect.

- I got to take scrapings from under the nails of a John Doe.

- The kicker of the story is they didn't even hire us.

- What?

That doesn't make any sense.

Wait a minute.

Yes, it does.

- Kidnapping case.

That would've really been something.

I mean, obviously, not a good thing for the baby being kidnapped.

- Do you think they'll try again?

- Maybe.

But we did warn the Andersons.

- I wish I had been there to see all the action.

- On the plus side, you missed the Better Babies contest.

- I hate those things.

Weighing kids like they're turnips.

- Do people really need to think their child is better than someone else's?

- It's more than that.

It's about making supposedly better people by only passing on desirable traits.

- They call that selective breeding in livestock.

- My friend Lisa was born with a clubfoot, but she is the smartest and most courageous person I know.

What would've become of her if they'd practiced this?

- What did Frankie think of it all?

- She thought it was horrible.

- Where is Frankie, anyway?

- Yeah, it's not like her to miss a good meal.

- I think Moses might be back in town.

- Ooh... - So you think you can just come into town and throw me off my game?

- I don't think anything can throw you off your game.

(sensual song) - It's usually brains over brawn when it comes to getting the better of a man.

- I'm done for, then.

(slaps butt) Mm-hmm.

You're very good at avoiding answers.

- I pride myself on it.

- Nice.

Very nice.

You're improving.

I have to admit-- - My teacher claims he's the best.

(sensual song) (knock at door) (knock at door) - I know it's late-- I can come back tomorrow.

- It's fine.

Please, come in.

We were just sparring.

This is Moses Page, my boxing instructor.

Moses, this is Mrs. Meara Anderson.

- Ma'am.

Pleasure to meet you.

See you later, Frankie.

- I suspected you were out of the ordinary.

- How can I help?

- I will do anything to protect my son.

I want to hire you to find the kidnapper.

My husband doesn't know I'm here.

- A lot of husbands don't know that their wives hire me.

- Charlie is my... my everything.

Will you take the case?

(jazzy music) - You were alone in a city park at ten o'clock at night?

What if a man were to think you were there with illicit intentions?

- But I was.

- You're lucky I'm only letting you off with a warning.

- You're letting me go?

- Go on.

Go!

Oh!

Hey, gals!

Hi!

- Did you have a look at the file for us?

- Yes.

They've found no trace of the kidnapper.

And the artist's sketch they worked up from your description didn't ring any bells.

- The getaway plane?

- Doesn't seem to be registered.

- What about the pram-- - The pram is a new, high-end item at Eaton's.

Only two sold, one to the Andersons last week and another to a man just yesterday, no name given.

- He knew which one to buy.

- Sounds like he had inside information.

- Exactly.

Exactly.

(snappy jazz music) - Sylvia Frost?

May we have a word?

How long have you been working for the Andersons?

- Almost a year.

Since Charlie was born.

- The Andersons just bought this pram, right?

Who else would know about that?

- Anyone who saw it, I guess.

I did, obviously.

- Strange that the kidnapper knew to buy the exact same pram.

- You can't think I had something to do with this.

I wouldn't harm a hair on Charlie's head.

I love this boy like he's my own.

(crying) - Shh... Shh... - It's time for his nap.

Excuse me.

- Overly defensive?

- Perhaps.

- Lady detectives.

How novel.

- So, what brought the Better Babies Competition to the airfield yesterday?

- Mr. Anderson invited us himself.

He's a great supporter of the program.

- And who knew about the schedule of events for the day?

- My nurses.

Myself, of course.

Lots of people.

Why do you ask?

- The kidnapper's movements suggest that he knew the schedule.

- Are you saying this was orchestrated around our attendance?

- It's a possibility.

- How horrible.

All we're interested in is teaching mothers to raise their children.

Nutrition, hygiene-- - Basic public health.

- Precisely.

Oh, some of the babies we see, they're riddled with illness, you have no idea.

And we encourage families with a history of illness to stop reproducing.

It's not their fault.

We have to look out for the future.

The contests are an excellent means of getting the word out.

- It would be funny if it weren't so frightening.

- Why don't you look into the nanny's background?

I'm gonna see what I can find out about the kidnapper's plane.

- Hello again.

Your bike is fixed.

- Thank you.

- Where'd you learn how to ride?

- France.

I was a dispatch rider in the war.

- Signal corps.

I didn't know they took too many women.

- Not willingly.

- Well, thank god that's over.

The war, I mean.

- Yeah.

Listen, I'm trying to figure out who attempted to kidnap your boss's son.

- Oh, has he hired you, Anderson?

- Something like that.

I'm looking for a flyboy- turned-kidnapper.

- Well, lots of flyboys come in from out of town for the air shows.

- What about the getaway plane?

- On the tarmac.

- Think I can give it a once over?

- Mm-hmm.

This old girl is light, easy to maintain-- very popular with the barnstorming set.

- Sets.

Someone from that "set" is likely the kidnapper.

- Yeah, could be.

They're all mostly ex-servicemen lunatics who survived the war.

They didn't call it the "flying circus" for nothing.

- Is it registered?

- No.

But the police have been all over it.

- Doesn't mean there's nothing left to find.

- What are you looking for?

- Pilots usually carry a good luck charm.

A talisman of some sort.

- Yeah.

- Oh...

This looks like just the thing.

Royal Flying Corps.

15 squadron.

Mean anything to you?

- Well, a lot of ex-airmen end up barnstorming.

- An airman with a thing for angels.

It's a bit obvious, but it's a start.

- So, you think you're gonna find him?

- My card.

In case he comes back... or you need to find me.

Don't forget you owe me that thrill ride.

(engine roaring) - An angel.

What's the significance?

- Well, nothing, I suspect.

It's what's on the back that interests me.

- Royal Flying Corps.

15 squadron.

Oh!

Oh, this is an important clue!

We just have to track down who was in the 15 squadron!

- "Was" being the operative word.

That was 3 years ago and there were an awful lot of men.

- Right.

So what's the next step?

- What bothers me is the timing of the kidnapping.

I think the Better Babies competition was used as a distraction.

- So the kidnappers must have known that it was there.

- Yeah.

The question is, were they organisers being duped or were they in on it?

- You know, maybe I could be of some help.

- What do you have in mind?

- Well, they already know you and Trudy, so I was thinking maybe I could infiltrate them.

Somehow.

- I don't think we need a full-on military operation, but I might have an idea of how we could get you in.

- Appreciate this, Bill.

(chuckling) - You keep singing for me with that choir voice on Sundays and I'll dig up any piece of paper you want.

- Find out anything about the nanny?

- I snuck a peek at the records: births, deaths, marriages, just like you asked.

- And?

- Your nanny is either a phantom or a fake.

- What makes you say that?

- Sylvia Frost died thirty years ago.

- Thanks, Bill.

- Funny, I thought they posted a constable here.

(mysterious music) - Mrs. Anderson!

- We're too late.

They got Charlie.

(sniffling) - I heard a noise so I came in to check on Charlie and then... somebody came behind me and put a cloth over my face.

- But you didn't see who it was?

- No.

- The cops are on their way.

- Oh, Charlie's nanny-- is she all right?

- We suspect that she may be in on the kidnapping.

- That's impossible.

She would never leave Charlie's side.

- We know she's using a false name.

- That can't be.

- Meara?

My child-- - Our child-- - Stolen from his own bed.

How does this happen?

Where were you?

- The police were supposedly guarding us.

Maybe if you had cancelled your meeting and been here with us for once.

- Mr. Anderson-- - Why are you here?

- I hired them.

- Why would you do that?

We don't need you.

Please, just get out of here.

- We're not just going to quit, are we?

- Not a chance.

Anderson didn't hire us, so he can't exactly fire us.

- Exactly.

So, the nanny's the inside person, supplying info to the flyboy.

- Which would explain why she's using a false name.

We need to find out who she really is.

- I found this in her room.

- Williams Photography.

- I'm gonna drop by the studio.

Maybe they have some information about her.

- Okay.

In the meantime, I'm gonna track down that barnstormer.

- I'm sorry, this club is for aviators only.

- Yes.

I am an aviator.

- No.

You are a woman.

- Can't I be both?

Even Amelia Earhart wears the occasional dress.

- I am not interested in a philosophical discussion.

Women.

Even Amelia Earhart.

Must.

Be.

Escorted.

- Sweetheart, whatever took you so long?

- I'm sorry, sir, this woman is being difficult.

I will have her removed at once.

- Absolutely not.

Shall we then, my dear?

- Thank you, Mr...?

- George Crabtree, at your service.

- Well, thank you for playing along.

- I'm sure you would've made your own way in, Miss Drake, eventually.

I just saved you some time.

- Do you recall taking this?

- Who wants to know?

- I found it in the lining of a second-hand suitcase I bought.

I'd like to return it to the owner.

- Not many would go to that trouble.

Oh yes.

I took this a couple of years ago.

Lovely spot near Bolton.

Magnificent light.

Let me see-- There they are.

Margie and Tom Hunt.

- You're a peach.

- Mary Shaw?

Is there a Mary Shaw?

- Ooh, that's me.

- Shall we begin with a short examination?

- Oh no, that won't be necessary.

- Well, I want to be sure that you and your baby are healthy.

- Uh, Mrs. Brown-Sherbon-- that's quite a long name, by the way!

I came because of some things I heard you say at the air show.

- You were there?

- I was, and I've been thinking quite a lot about all those wonderful, healthy babies.

- Isn't it something?

Now, how can I help you?

- Ah, yes.

Well, I'm a little worried.

You see, it's my husband-- well, my husband's side of the family.

They have some traits.

- I see.

What sort of traits?

- Well, there are a few of his folk who have the colour-blindness and there are some... who are just... well, they're slow.

- Oh, dear.

- And I'm a little worried that my baby might have something wrong with it too.

- Well, you've done the right thing by coming here.

Of course, you must bring this child to term.

Some advocate more extreme measures, but I...

I don't go that far.

Hopefully, this child will be beautiful and healthy in every way.

- I hope so too.

- But you do understand the importance of these problems never being passed on?

- What would you suggest?

- Voluntary sterilisation.

- Oh, of course.

What other choice is there?

- Yes.

(soft music) - Have we met before, Mr. Crabtree?

- Your picture was in the paper after you saved the Anderson baby.

- You're very observant.

- Well, you know, I used to be a policeman.

- From copper to aviator?

- I made a couple of investments here and there over the years.

They've done all right.

I think you're still on the case.

- I am.

There's been a new development.

- What sort of development?

- The kidnapper has struck again.

This time they got the baby.

- That's horrible.

Is there anything I can do?

- I'm trying to find the owner of the plane.

- It's unregistered, I assume?

- Correct.

- What about...

There's often some little... good luck token that could be found somewhere hidden-- - I already found it.

- Yes, of course you have.

Why am I not surprised?

- I was hoping somebody here might own it or perhaps know who does.

- Not in this club.

None of this lot have the time of day for those old junkers.

But I think I know a place you should try... - I'm looking for a barnstormer.

Any idea who this belongs to?

- Yeah, looks like Johnny Angel's.

Over there.

Try talking to her.

- Thank you.

Looking for a flyboy.

- Aren't we all?

- Bartender says you might be able to help me out.

- Dean's wrong.

- He goes by the name of Johnny Angel.

- Hands off, sister.

He's mine.

- I don't want your beau.

- Any gal would want Johnny Angel.

He's going to be big one day.

And he proposed to me.

- So what's your worry?

- I said no.

- And why's that?

- He said he was pulling some big job and I don't want to marry a criminal.

That was two days ago.

I haven't seen him since.

- You haven't gone looking for him?

- I'm not the type to go begging.

He knows where to find me.

- I'm going to level with you.

Johnny's in the soup.

He tried to kidnap that rich guy's son.

- Where'd you get this?

- His plane.

- I gave it to him.

To keep him safe.

- If the police are looking for him, he's not gonna be safe.

I can help.

I'm a private detective.

But you have to tell me where he is.

- Millennium Hotel.

Room 317.

(radio crackling) - So he just fell into the highway?

- Just plopped right down.

I couldn't believe it.

- How's that even possible?

- He must have crawled to the door trying to get help and then died up against it.

- I'd like to say I feel sorry for him, but he did try to kidnap a child.

- So who killed him?

- That's what we need to find out.

Mary, what did you get?

- Well, Mrs. Brown-Sherbon only wants healthy babies.

- That's good.

- What's not so good is her attitude towards the unborn.

She suggested I be sterilised.

- That's horrible.

- But my point is, I don't think she would harm a living baby.

I really don't think she had any part in this kidnapping.

- So the contest must have been a diversion.

Johnny Angel was working with someone who knew the schedule of the Andersons and of the air show.

- Likely the nanny.

(telephone ringing) - Drake Detectives.

Flo, we're on our way.

Mary, can you-- - Look up the background of the nanny?

Oh!

- Name's Margie Hunt.

- Margie Hunt.

(jazzy music) - I've only got a sec, ladies.

- Don't tempt me, Flo.

- Well, I never smoke alone.

- Latest body into the morgue.

Johnny Angel?

- Yeah, the cops are breathing down our necks about him.

- So, give us the scoop.

- He was a real doozy.

Two bullets, .38s, ripped apart his sternum, burst his heart wide open.

- When?

- Before he hit the ground, most likely.

The damage to his thorax-- - Flo, she meant the time of death.

- That's all?

How dull.

- Rigor had already passed, so...?

- Your Mr. Angel expired at least twenty-four hours before you found him.

- Twenty-four hours?

- That means he was dead before Charlie was kidnapped.

- Thanks, Flo.

- Bye, toots.

Bye, toots.

(knock at door) - Coming!

(persistent knocking) Coming!

- I thought you'd never get here!

- What's going on?

- Did the Andersons receive a ransom demand?

- No, and I find that highly suspicious.

But I do have the rundown on your nanny and it is quite the tale.

- Go on.

- The nanny, Margie Greene, she marries a fellow named Tom Hunt two years ago.

They settle down in Bolton, they buy a house, they start a nice little family.

One baby.

- A baby?

- Then, tragedy strikes.

There's a terrible house fire and the baby perishes.

After that, everything starts to fall apart.

The husband starts drinking, and before long, Margie... well, Margie just disappears.

- She becomes Nanny Frost to escape her past.

How old was the baby?

- Ten, eleven months.

- The same age as Charlie.

- You're thinking she misses her baby so much, she needs someone else's?

- Did the police have any other leads?

- They're busy worrying about who has to tell the Andersons they only have one lead.

- Which is?

- A woman matching the nanny's description was spotted near Caledon.

- Caledon-- That's a couple of hundred square miles of forest and farmlands.

- We'll never be able to find her.

- Well, the police are already searching, and I will let you know the second they find anything.

- Thanks, Mary.

- Anytime.

It was my pleasure, really.

- Okay, so, Johnny Angel is the kidnapper from the airfield, but he was found dead before Charlie was taken from the house.

- Suggesting the nanny did it on her own.

- Well, who killed him?

Mrs. Anderson says the nanny never left Charlie's side.

- There had to have been a third party.

- Why kill Johnny?

- Maybe it was payback for ruining the airport job.

- Some guardian angel.

Didn't bring him much luck.

- There is one other option.

- What's that?

- Greg Mills, the Andersons' mechanic.

He's the only one who saw me get that card from the plane.

- He must have thought the card would lead to Johnny.

- We need to find him.

Looks like he's still here.

That's his car.

- Jacob!

- What's your brother doing here?

- Hey.

I figured you guys would be hungry.

- I'm starving.

- So, you guys just... sit here?

- Until something happens.

- When is something going to happen?

- Why do you want to know?

- I just thought-- - You just thought being a private detective meant all guns and gangsters?

Sorry to disappoint you.

Jacob.

(upbeat music) Stop.

- I hope for your sake there's nothing in that box that you don't want me to see.

- You've got this wrong.

- Where's the baby?

Do not hesitate to shoot him!

- I'm sure she meant to say, "If he moves."

(lively music) - Stop!

Mrs. Anderson?

What the hell's going on?

Where's the baby?

- Somewhere safe.

- Safe from who?

- My husband.

- Why would your husband want to kidnap his own child?

- You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Please just let me go.

- No one is going anywhere until you tell me what's going on.

- Just leave her alone.

She's trying to protect her son.

- From his own father?

Why?

- Charlie's deaf.

Charlie was born that way, but we only found out two months ago.

My husband changed after that.

He wanted less and less to do with his son.

- It was so difficult to choose between all these lovely, healthy babies.

Not a blemish on one.

- He couldn't let a defect be passed on to the future generations.

- I never thought that he would do something like this.

- So he planned the kidnapping at the aerodrome to try to get rid of Charlie?

- How did you figure it out?

- Actually it was you that figured it out.

That lucky charm in the kidnapper's plane.

- But that just led me to Johnny Angel.

- The badge on the back, 15 Squadron-- Anderson was 15 squadron's commanding officer.

He would've known the kidnapper.

He said nothing to the police.

- So then it was you who kidnapped Charlie.

- No, I told Mrs. Anderson of my concerns.

We realised we had to get Charlie out fast, and the three of us came up with this plan.

- Where is he now?

- Charlie is with his nanny at the family cottage near Caledon.

- Caledon.

- Problem?

- The police told Anderson they saw the nanny close to there.

- He knows where Charlie is.

(lively music) - Oh c'mon, girl, you can go faster than forty.

- Look out!

- Looks like she's hurt.

- Mr. Anderson-- He... he took...

He took Charlie.

- Where would Anderson go?

- The aerodrome.

- Stay and help.

- I'm coming with you.

I know him.

That's his plane.

He's about to leave.

- You take the back.

I'll go in the front.

Mr. Anderson?

I know what you did.

And I know why.

(baby cooing) I'm here for Charlie, so hand him over.

- Get out.

- The police are on their way here to arrest you.

- For what?

Taking an airplane ride with my son?

- For murder.

- What murder?

- You killed Johnny Angel so he couldn't tie you to the kidnapping.

The police will find your gun They're gonna link it back to you.

- Even if they did, there's not a jury in the world that would convict me of shooting my child's kidnapper.

- Just hand over the baby, and then you can fly off to wherever the hell you want to go.

- Listen to her.

- You want Charlie, put the gun down and kick it away.

- Now, hand him over, Phillip.

- For god's sake, Greg, you know me.

I'm not a monster.

This is for the greater good.

A man of your intellect should know that only the strong should survive.

- I see a man who isn't living up to his responsibilities as a father.

- Don't tell me what I am!

- Look at him.

He's your son.

You're supposed to protect him.

(baby cooing) - No!

(crash) - Are you alright?

- Fine.

Thanks for not asking.

It was simple, I just had to take the shot, and I froze.

Two green teas, please.

- With sugar, please.

So it's happening again.

(sighing) - Why does this keep coming up, Peter?

- For the same reason it happened the first time and every time since.

You're deeply troubled by something that happened during the war.

So we're just gonna eat chop suey and you're actually gonna talk about it this time.

- People come to me with their problems.

They put their faith in me.

They think I can fix anything.

- Well, why wouldn't they?

It's what you do.

- Maybe they shouldn't.

- Why do you say that?

- I don't think that I can be trusted.

- Because of what happened during the war?

They asked a lot of you, Frankie.

- They did.

And I let them down.

- Who did you let down?

Until you face this, it will continue to haunt you.

- Someone innocent died because of me, because of a mistake that I made.

I can't.

- It's okay.

It's okay.

It's a start.

(cheerful music) - Hello, little man.

- Oh, this is actually the sign.

- Oh, hello.

Well, the girls better watch out, you're gonna go breaking too many hearts.

- So, Meara, what are you gonna do now?

- I'm gonna take over the aerodrome.

And Greg's going to manage the place.

- Can I hold him?

- Of course.

- That sounds like a great idea.

- Hey, buddy!

Oh, you're so sweet!

- I owe you an apology.

I should've trusted you even though you're a redhead.

Can I make it up to you?

Dinner or something.

I can cook.

Vaguely.

- So you can fix bikes and cook dinner.

That's very impressive.

- What do you say?

- I'd rather go on that thrill ride you've been promising.

- That would be my pleasure.

- Not going to happen, no way.

- A bet is a bet.

- But I don't remember agreeing to any bet.

- We made a bet and we are going to follow through with it.

If I get this, you're coming with me.

Come on!

(laughing) Yes!

- No!

- Trudy Clarke is going to fly in a plane.

- No, Trudy Clarke is going to die in a plane.

(laughing) - You're going to love it.

(sighing) - We are going to love it.

(laughing) - That's the spirit.

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