 Oh, uh, waiter. Yes, sir? I'll have a cottage cheese and sour cream salad, a plate of scallions, some toasted rye bread, and a bottle of cold, perhaps, blue ribbon. Yes, sir. Finest beer served. Anywhere. From Hollywood, perhaps, blue ribbon. Finest beer served. Anywhere. Proudly presents... Screen Directors Playhouse, Production Saigon, Director Leslie Fenton, Star Alan Ladd. Hollywood Screen Directors present an interlude of adventure. Saigon, starring Alan Ladd, and introducing the director of the film, Leslie Fenton. In large, a motion picture has three main elements. The story, and the cast, and the creative force, which welds them into exciting entertainment. We mean, of course, the Screen Director, represented here tonight by a distinguished actor who turned to the creating of such fine films as Whispering Smith, The Streets of Laredo, and tonight's story, Saigon. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Leslie Fenton. Two places seem as remote from these United States as Saigon. A metropolis buried in the tip of French into China. There's a strange romantic flavor in the very sound of the name, and a certain strange glamour. Here is the raw material of adventure, and the story you're about to hear is an adventure filmed for adventure's sake. Now, listen to it for the first time on the air, starring Alan Ladd in his original role of Larry Briggs. Saigon. Mr. Briggs, if a police officer may speak his mind, you will find Indochina hospitable, but only to a point. There are evil men, Mr. Briggs, who found the war profitable. Now, some of these men consider my country a safe hiding place. It is not, Mr. Briggs. It is not. This is you he's talking to, Larry Briggs. How did you get into this? Saigon, the girl, the briefcase? Who started it? The war was over. You were discharged in the air corps. You and Mike Perry and Pete Rocco. You were in Shanghai at the base hospital talking to the surgeon. That's when it started, with the surgeon talking about Mike. I'm sorry, Major Briggs. Two to three months at the longest. Does Mike know? No, not yet. What a mess. What a stinking rotten mess. All that pain, six months of slicing and patching. For this, you'll appear perfectly normal, but the brain tissues have been irreparably damaged. Doc, do me a favor, will you? If I can. Let us tell him. Sergeant Rocco and I, we're his friends, you know. We can, well, you know. I understand. I don't say I was here. Tell him I phoned that I wanted him to meet us at the Jade Café. Very well, one more thing. It's three months at the most. Any physical or emotional shock would shorten his time. Yeah. Yeah, I'll remember. Figure it out. Why does it have to be like this? How are we going to tell him? We're not. But, Larry, you told the doctor. Nobody tells him. And Pete, we're going to pack those two or three months of his with 100 years of good living. The best. No rough spots, and no bones. Here he comes. Well, well, how are you, Mike? Yes, well, not even a headache, are you, Skipper? About time you stopped lying around in bed. Some picnic I had, huh? When were you going home? Well, uh, we aren't, Mike. That is, Pete and I aren't. What? You're wacky. No, no. Look, the Skipper and I, we've got a flying job, lined up in the Orient. Want to cut yourself in, Mike? Uh, I've got an awful yen to go home. Oh, look, it's just a couple of months, Mike, and good money. Uh-oh. Five o'clock. I've got an appointment with Alex Maris to close that flying deal. Think about it, Mike. Work on him, Pete. Work hard. Please sit down, Mr. Briggs. Mr. Maris will see you in a moment. Thanks. Are you Maris's wife? I'm Mr. Maris's secretary. Oh. He has a beautiful home here. You fit in very well. Yes. Doesn't she, Mr. Briggs? Miss Cleaver is one of my most tasteful accoutrements. Mid-leaver Susan. We decided to make you fight, Mr. Maris. If the price is right, of course. $10,000. $10,000? What are we doing, smuggling rubies? A simple business trip, Mr. Briggs. Now it's your instructions. Be ready to take off a saigon at 6 o'clock tomorrow evening. And I mean 6 p.m., Mr. Briggs. Not one minute later. 6 p.m. you're paying for? 6 p.m. you'll get. That does it. Get him. Ha-ha, brother, does she burn? Yee-hee. We're going flying again, Mike. Ah, the things I'll let you guys talk me into. Come on. Where Maris has sat at 6 o'clock already? The flight isn't going to hold forever. Ah, he's probably making time with that mouse you told us about. You know that secretary. This is probably him driving up now. Mr. Briggs. Mr. Maris will be a bit delayed. The mouse. Well, what do you know? Hey, Larry, she's pretty. Introduces, huh? Huh? Susan Cleaver, Mike Perry and Pete Rocco. Delighted. One of you please put my bags aboard. Miss Cleaver, where a fly is not served. I'll take him. No, not the briefcase. Leave that with me. Hey, what's holding up your boss? That's his car horn. He'll be here immediately. Mr. Maris! Mr. Maris seems to be having his problems. It's like old home week on Guadalcanal. Mike, turn him over. Okay, Skipper. Hey, what's the hurry? It'll sound like police bullets. So? So we can't afford to get mixed up with cops, not with Mike along. You can't leave. It's after 6 minutes, Cleaver. We're leaving on schedule. No, not without Alex. Want to come? You can't leave. Such loyalty. You can't go without him. I won't let you. Are you going or staying? Make up your mind. I'll go. Welcome aboard, Miss Cleaver. We made a deal to fly to Saigon at 6 and we're keeping it. Fly up for a while, Mike. Hey, Larry, don't you think you're being kind of rough on the girl? She hasn't been a personality kid with us either. Oh, she's okay. All right. She's wonderful. And I'll bet there's something wonderful in that briefcase too. The way she keeps hanging on to it. Hey, Larry, there must be a gas leak. We've been dropping fuel ever since we took off. I don't think we'll make Saigon. Mike, there's an emergency fuel up the river from Saigon at Lingdao. Lingdao? Hey, that sounds like fun. Yeah, that's a European hotel. I was there once. Okay, all across to 163, Larry. I got you. Yeah, some hotel. Looks like it fought the war personally. Yes, please. Do you wish rooms? Yeah, four rooms. Please sign. So sorry. It is ruled no baggage must pay in advance. We got baggage. We left it in the plane. No baggage must pay in advance. Forgive me for intruding, but the guests do have baggage. I see the young lady has a briefcase. Hey, who's this guy? A red cap? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lieutenant Kayon. Army. Unhappily a policeman. Your honor, my pleasure. Good day. Look, if you'll please show me my room. I'll go back to the plane for your thing, Susan. See you later, fellas. Well, it looks like Mike's fallen for the mouse. Dame like that, he sure to get hurt. Hey, uh, that cop, he was awful interested in her briefcase. A girl we don't know, cops, bullets, that briefcase of hers. Well, so what? That's her business. The mouse gets into trouble? Tough luck. We all came here together, Pete. We might be part of that bad luck. So I think the time has come for the mouse and I to talk. Please get out of my room. Not yet, Susan. I'd like to see that briefcase. Get out. Don't make me take it away from you. No. All right. Have it your way. Give it back. Now, let's see what's so important. Now, you've seen? It's Mr. Emeritus's money. Thousand dollar bills. There must be half a million. Doesn't concern you. Ten thousand of it does. That was our agreement. As for the rest, I'll make a deal with you, Susie. There's a river of vote leaving for Saigon in the morning. I want you to get out of our lives tonight. Go aboard. You do that, Susan. I'll mail the briefcase in your name to Saigon, General Delivery. You... You thief! I won't. I won't do it. You'll do it. This briefcase means too much to you. Night, Susie, go. Ah, Mr. Briggs. Lieutenant Keon. I'm merely inspecting your accommodations. We want you to be comfortable, Mr. Briggs. Are the police always this helpful to tourists? What we gain with solicitude we usually lose with bluntness. May I see that briefcase? Thank you. So... you must be a wealthy man, Mr. Briggs. Yeah, I, um... I ran a used car business back in Los Angeles. So much money. I wonder where it really came from. Mr. Briggs, if a police officer may speak his mind, you will find Indochina hospitable, but only to a point. There are evil men, Mr. Briggs, who found the war profitable. Now, some of these men may consider my country a safe-hiding place. It is not, Mr. Briggs. It is not. Screen Directors Playhouse Production of Saigon, starring Alan Ladd, and introduced by the director of the film, Mr. Leslie Fenton. You are in Albuquerque. The chief has stopped for 15 minutes. You, bored and restless from your long journey, step out of your air-conditioned train into New Mexico's withering heat. Listlessly, you pace up and down the platform, waiting for the... All aboard! Right now, what you'd give for a... Hey, what's that little blue sign in the restaurant window? Oh, brother. Perhaps blue ribbon. Finest beer served. Yes, during these hot summer days, you're just one of millions of men all over America to whom that perhaps blue ribbon sign means welcome relief. For perhaps blue ribbon does something more than quench your thirst. It gives you taste. Blue ribbon, taste. The kind of taste you can't get anywhere else in the world, except in that perhaps blue ribbon bottle. And, fortunately, you can get that blue ribbon bottle all over the world. Yes, you hear it everywhere. In Albuquerque, in Ashtabula, in Appleton, in Amarillo, perhaps blue ribbon. Finest beer served. Anywhere. Your taste will tell you why. Oh, back to our screen director's production of Saigon, starring Alan Ladd. I can't find Susan anywhere. She's left the hotel. She's disappeared. I forget her. She walked out on us. What have you guys got against her? She hasn't done anything. She... Some mishmash we got him into. That isn't all. We only flew into Indochine in a plane that might be stolen for all we know. We were hired by a guy with all the earmarks of being on the wrong side of the law. We have no legitimate reason for being here. And to top it off, Keon tagged me with Susan's briefcase. We've got to beat it out of here and try to get lost in Saigon till we straighten this thing out. Well, we can't fly. That plane has a sip for a gas tank. A river boat is leaving for Saigon in the morning. Yeah. We're going to make plans for the mouse and the mantis. I kind of think Mike is going to be a lot happier with her than without him. Briggs, what are you doing on this? The boys and I are taking little river voids for our health, Susan. But you said you were... I changed my mind. And I'm changing our deal. The briefcase was mailed to Saigon this morning. But, uh, in my name, not yours. You heal. Now, now, take it easy. What is it this time? Be nice to Mike. Oh, now, isn't that sweet. Mike's fond of you, Susan. He's a good kid. I'm touched. Try to be nice. Even for you, it must be worth half a million dollars. You know all the answers, don't you? All right, I'll be nice to Mike. But if it was you, there wouldn't be enough money in the world. Yeah, some scowl this is. And Mike thinks it's a cruise to Havana. He's as happy as a kid. Who found his lost pocket knife. Ah, love. I wish I had a mouse. I wish I had a mouse. Uh-oh. What's the matter? We got company. Cop company. Mr. Briggs and Mr. Rocco. How fortunate we should be traveling together. A pleasure, Lieutenant. Now, if you're part of... You left the village rather unexpectedly, gentlemen. The pressure of business. You understand. I do not, Mr. Briggs. When we arrive at Saigon, your entire party will be held for inquiry. I see. And how long will that take? Justice in the Orient, Mr. Briggs, is sure but sluggish. A month or two. Perhaps less, perhaps more. Look, Keon, we haven't got a month or two. We don't know the whole story ourselves. But we might be able to find out in Saigon if you leave us free to operate. But what if you should leave Saigon? The police will see that we don't. Yes, I'm afraid so, Mr. Briggs. Well, what if I to lose? Yeah, sure. It's like playing cards with a stacked deck. A very apt metaphor, Mr. Rocco. Good day, gentlemen. That isn't the amazing, Mr. Briggs. All alone and moaning at the moonlight. Hello, Susan. Larry. I... I want to say something. That money, I don't know anything about it. Alex Maris asked me to carry it. For shots. I don't understand it. Okay, Susan. I've acted pretty awful, I guess. I'm sorry. You've got an apology coming too, you know? Larry. This business with Mike, it isn't fair to him, it isn't right. He's crazy about you. It's because he doesn't know what I'm like. And what are you like? Like. Susan, I... I'm going to tell you about Mike. He was wounded during the war. The doctors say I was only a little while to live. He doesn't know. Um... Go and find him, Susan. It's kind of nice here on the river. Tomorrow, we'll be in Saigon. Hey, Larry. Come on out here on the balcony. Some city this Saigon. Oh, it even looks good at night. Ah, man, man, this is luxury. Classy hotel, plenty of dough. They call it the Paris Theorie N.P. Think I'll take a walk. Want to come along? Yeah, only to the door, though. I've got a few things I want to talk over with Susan. She's a funny mouse. Can't figure it. Doing a fine job. Yeah. There's no room across the hall. Well, good night, Skipper. Good night, Pete. Susan, I... I just wanted to tell you... I'm grateful for all you've done for Mike. It's all right. Forget it. You've worked wonders for him. You better go, Larry. There's one more thing. It's about Marys. All of us are in trouble with the police, Susan, because of the money. Only Marys knows the truth about it. I've got to know if he arrives in Saigon. And there's a chance he will if he's free. Well, very good chance, Mr. Briggs. Welcome to Saigon. Marys. Do you always give your greetings with a gun? I regret it quite as much as you. But you have the key to certain funds that belong to me. I resent that, Mr. Briggs. And quite as much I resent the fact that you and your crew have been forcing your attention upon Susan. You make a lovely couple together. Susan and I have had a long talk about the money. We understand each other. We understand each other. We understand each other. We understand each other. Don't we, Susan? I think we do, Alex. It is too bad about the young one. What's his name? Mike? Mike. What about him? I went to his room to question him. He became quite uncontrollable. I was forced to strike him with my gun. You yellow gun having... Mr. Briggs. He's sick. Any shock and killing? Unfortunately. Now, it appears that my money is in the Saigon Post Office in your name. Therefore, we will wait in your room until morning when you will get it for me. Alex, if we're leaving in the morning, I better get some sleep. Sweet dreams, Susie. They will be. Now that I don't have to look forward to holding the infant's hot little hand... All right, Mr. Briggs. Into your room. How long night isn't it, Mr. Briggs? Nurse, I promise you. If you've killed Mike, I... Mr. Briggs. Who is he? The police. Tell him to come in and remember this gun. Come in, Lieutenant. I... Oh, you have a guest. Lieutenant Kayon, this is... Mr. Chanuk. Carl Chanuk. It's a pleasure. Mr. Briggs, I thought we might compare notes. You see, I've gleaned a few scraps of information. For instance, I know your plane was owned by a Mr. Alex Maris of Shanghai. Pardon me, Mr. Chanuk. If I bore you with these few business details... Not at all. Go right on, Lieutenant. Maris is wanted by the Shanghai police as a war profiteer and collaborator. Now, Mr. Briggs, about our arrangement, what have you to tell me? Nothing, Lieutenant. Nothing at all. P.T. Hey, Larry! I was just out with the cutest... Oh, oh, company, huh? Pete, we're... we're busy. Yeah, well, I just wanted to tell you about the new mouse I met. She's the cutest thing I... Hey, here's Susie. I've brought you a present, Mr. Maris. Susan, go back to your room. Your money, Alex. The price of treachery. Shut up! Oh, Lieutenant Kayon, I want to thank you for having the postmaster open the post office. You're blind, Judas. I will kill you for that! Let's get in, Pete! Okay, skip... Death interferes so frequently with justice. Mr. Maris, Mr. Maris is no more. Susan, are you all right? Look, Pete... I regret, Mr. Briggs, that you must have learned this, in such unfortunate surroundings with my office. You found the hospital? Mike Perry is dead. He passed away within a few minutes of Mr. Rocco. Larry? Pete. Both gone. I made a plan. I was going to let all of you work it out for me. But it went astray. I made a plan, too. I... I was the skipper. They listened to me. Harry, you mustn't. Don't torture yourself. What do you do? What do you say? You finally run out of answers, Larry. Just like the rest of us. Nothing left. No more answers, Susie. Maybe. If we try to find... Maybe if we tried together. You are both free to leave Saigon whenever you wish. Come on, Susie. Let's try. The two of us. In a moment, our star, Helen Ladd and our screen director, Leslie Fenton, will return to the microphone. You've seen pictures and read stories about fabulous parties here in Hollywood. Well, take it from me. Most of those glamorous affairs are strictly for publicity. When movie stars really entertain, they do it simply and modestly with a buffet supper consisting of, well, for example, cold cuts, potato salad and tall friendly glasses of perhaps blue ribbon beer. Everything in perfect taste. Blue ribbon taste. And it's that blue ribbon taste that makes this internationally famous beer so popular. Not only here in Hollywood, but all over America. Yes, you hear it everywhere. In San Francisco's famous eating places. In Pennsylvania's hospitable inns. In Michigan's picturesque summer resort. Perhaps blue ribbon. Finest beer served. Anywhere. Your taste will tell you why. Next week on Screen Director's Playhouse, perhaps blue ribbon presents Fort Apache. Starring John Wayne and Ward Bond. Now here again as tonight's star, Alan Ladd and Screen Director Leslie Fenton. We spent a lot of hours together on movie sets, Alan. But this is the first time we've ever faced each other across a microphone. Unless it's a wonderful opportunity to get something off my chest. Brother, am I going to expose you? People are listening. Good. Folks, if it weren't for the Leslie Fentons and the directors of Hollywood, we actors and actresses wouldn't be, well, we just wouldn't be. It's the people like Les with their skill and experience who literally and figuratively make motion pictures. It's a wonderful compliment, Alan. Thanks. From all the directors. Good night, Les. Good night, everyone. Good night. And good night to you, Alan Ladd and Leslie Fenton. Tonight before you go to bed, peek inside your refrigerator. Pick up on your supply of Papst Blue Ribbon beer. Remember, tomorrow is the beginning of another lazy weekend. Two whole days to relax and take life easy. Be good to yourself. Be good to your friends. Serve Papst Blue Ribbon. Finest beer served. Anywhere. Your taste will tell you why. Saigon was presented through the courtesy of Paramount Pictures, whose current release is Top of the Morning starring Bing Crosby and Larry Fitzgerald. Alan Ladd is currently being seen in the Paramount Pictures The Great Gatsby. Portions of tonight's broadcast were transcribed. Listen again next week when Papst Blue Ribbon presents Screen Directors Playhouse Production Ford Apache Director John Ford Stars John Wayne Ward Bond Screen Directors Playhouse is brought to you by the Papst Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey and Peoria, Illinois. Stay away with the best wishes of the Papst Blue Ribbon dealers from coast to coast. James Wallington speaking. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.