Orson Welles' Great Mysteries Season 1, Episode 9: Battle of Wits

Captain Rogers

The respectable owner of a quiet inn in 18th century England is blackmailed by a grubby stranger, who knows he is secretly the notorious pirate Captain Rogers.

25 min

The Leather Funnel

When a young man discovers a curious funnel made of leather, he has a presentiment that it was once used as an instrument of torture

25 min

A Terribly Strange Bed

Charles Faulkner, a young American gambler in Paris, should have left the casino after striking it lucky. Why the devil did he accept to sleep in the casino's guest bed? This was to be the most horrible night he had ever lived.

25 min

La Grande Breteche

A Spanish officer, captured by the French during the Peninsular War, is imprisoned at the country house of an elderly aristocrat with a bored young wife - whose lover he becomes, with deadly consequences.

25 min

The Dinner Party

Blake is a brilliant accountant, but does he deserve a promotion to the board of directors? It all depends on the suitability of his wife. His bosses attend a small dinner party given by the Blakes to check her out.

25 min

Money to Burn

A French girl in London finds herself in the awkward position of owing money to a Soho crime boss. But when she pays him off, he contemptuously sets fire to the money. Why?

25 min

In the Confessional

An old tramp takes refuge in a church, and, concealed within the confessional, overhears things of great interest.

25 min

Unseen Alibi

Dean Stockwell stars as the victim of an elaborately staged murder frame centering around a lover's rendezvous.

25 min

A Point of Law

A lawyer cannot stop a middle-aged spinster from making a fool of herself with a young fortune-hunter, but he can stop the fellow from getting his hands on her money.

25 min

The Monkey's Paw

An old army sergeant, back in England after long service in India, shows some old friends a strange possession he's acquired - a monkey's paw which can make wishes come true.

25 min

The Ingenious Reporter

Reporter Harry Langley pretends to be the murderer of unidentified women to boost sales with a special report from prison. But once arrested, the authorities seem to be convinced that he is indeed the killer.

Death of an Old-Fashioned Girl

A jealous wife faces complications stemming from her artist husband's obsession with his ex-wife.

For Sale - Silence

Businessman Pennington is bribed by a Mr. Briggs due to an extramarital affair. But it seems that Briggs has underestimated his opponent and the tables might be turning.

The Inspiration Of Mr. Budd

How did Mr. Budd become a top-class West End hairdresser after such humble origins in a suburban barbershop? Well, one day, a stranger came in for a shave and a haircut.

An Affair of Honour

India: After secret plans for the defence of a harbour are secretly copied, British General Sanderson tasks officers Bruce and Rolfe with convincing the apparent traitor Fanshaw to "save his honour" by committing suicide.

Farewell to the Faulkners

The masquerade is over when a murdered man turns up alive in the guise of his wife.

The Power of Fear

A handyman, finding that a number of middle-aged housewives require him for rather more than his professional services, turns to blackmail.

Where There's a Will

A letter opened in error provides rather dangerous knowledge concerning a murder case.

A Time to Remember

Zigorin, a top Russian spy, has defected to the West. But is he really Zigorin or an impostor?

Ice Storm

An "Ice Storm" traps a woman with a potential thief masquerading as one of three experts invited to view a collection of valuable manuscripts.

Come Into My Parlour

Compliments of the Season

A penniless man tries to claim a reward from a millionaire at Christmas, and finds it's not as easy as he thought it would be.

Under Suspicion

A pianist on an international tour is forced to spy for the secret police to avoid being detained.

Trial for Murder

During a murder trial in 19th-century England, one of the jurors begins to have mysterious hallucinations - has he seen a ghost?

The Furnished Room

A young man's month-long search for a missing girl ends in a haunted room of a boarding house.