La chiave di vetro

The always aloof Alan Ladd, a former laborer, preferred the friendship of film crews rather than other actors or studio execs. Yet he was able to form lasting friendships with a few of his co-stars, especially William Bendix who accidentally cold-cocked Ladd during a particularly vicious fight scene in this film. Ladd was so taken aback by the sincerity of Bendix's apologies that they formed an immediate and unlikely friendship. They even purchased homes across the street from one another at one point. According to Bendix's wife Tess, the bond was strained in later years after Ladd's wife and manager, Sue Carol, made an offhand remark about Bendix's lack of military service. Stuck in the middle, it would be a decade before the wounds healed between the two. By then, Ladd was career down and self-destructive, leaning heavily on Bendix, who was thriving out of town frequently in the 1960s with stage work. Bendix's heartbreak was evident in the wake of Ladd's premature death (and probable suicide) in January of 1964. Bendix's health failed quickly and he too died (of bronchial pneumonia) a week or so before Christmas that same year.

At c.30 minutes, Paul and Ed are served a full glass of beer each. Following an argument, Ed knocks Paul to the floor, after which Ed breaks an empty glass on the table to threaten Paul. However, neither of them drank any of the beer.

Edited into Il mistero del cadavere scomparso (1982)