Possessed (1947) Movie Script

Watch your step.
- David?
- Watch your step.
I'm looking for David.
He ain't in here, lady.
- David?
- You're mistaken.
David...
I've been looking everywhere for you.
I thought I'd lost you.
David? My name isn't David, lady.
What?
Okay. You, lady?
Coffee?
Would you reach me the sugar?
Hey, you. Say, you drunk?
Here's your coffee.
Hey, what's the matter with you?
- She looks sick.
- Are you sick or something?
- Where did you pick her up?
- Sixth and Main.
Does she show any signs of physical injury?
Not as far as we could make out.
How many fingers?
Pulse low and irregular.
What's your name?
Can you hear me?
It looks like a coma.
- Diabetic?
- I don't think so.
- It's a non-traumatic stupor.
- Take her to Psycho.
How many does this make?
Twenty today. One manic, three seniles...
- six alcoholics, and 10 schizos.
- Going up all the time.
This civilization of ours is a worse disease
than heart trouble or tuberculosis.
We can't escape it. Well, what have we here?
Catatonic stupor. She was
in shock, but she's out now.
I see.
Beautiful woman, intelligent...
frustrated.
Frustrated, just like the others
we've seen. It's always the same.
Problem of some kind.
Simple, perhaps, but she was unable
to cope with it. And now this.
Complete confusion.
Hypoactive deep reflexes throughout.
Catatonic posturing,
waxy flexibility of the extremities.
Your diagnosis was correct,
Craig. Let me see the chart.
"Name unknown.
Previous medical history, unknown.
"Age, education, profession,
if any, unknown." All unknown.
"Patient's clothing bears labe
l from stores in Washington, D.C.
"Woman who saw her on the street said
she was asking for a man called David."
That's something to go on, at least.
Not much, but something.
Anyway.
David.
Well, hello, there.
I'm Dr. Willard. We're going to help you.
Feeling better?
Better? Much better.
You come from Washington,
don't you? Washington, D. C.
Where do you live in Washington?
Well, what's this?
You're married, aren't you?
What's your husband's name?
Is your husband's name David?
What's your name?
You can talk, you know. You just did.
You said "David."
Now you don't say anything.
Why is that?
Well, tell me this, at least.
How do you feel?
I said, "How do you feel?"
I...
feel...
That's fine, go on.
I...
You can't find the words, can you?
You want to, but you can't.
Something preventing you, is that it?
Just nod your head if I'm right.
I see.
We'll have to do something about that.
She shows marked thought blocking,
almost complete mutism.
Now, then...
in order to help you, we've got to
find out something about you...
and to find out about you...
we've got to make it possible
for you to talk.
We'll try narcosynthesis.
Seven-and-a-half grains
in 10 cc's of sterile distilled water.
Yes, Dr. Willard.
That's fine. It's not going to hurt.
It will just help you to tell us
what we want to know.
Don't you want to talk to us?
In a few seconds you're
going to be able to talk.
I want you to tell me what you're thinking.
Every time I see the reaction
to this treatment...
I get exactly the same thrill
that I did the first time.
Miss Rosen...
elevate the head of the bed, please.
Now watch, Craig.
There! That's better, isn't it?
Now you can think much more clearly,
can't you?
That's much better.
Much better.
It's all right. You're in a hospital.
Hospital?
What hospital?
Why?
You became very ill in a restaurant.
Don't you remember?
No.
I don't believe you.
- I'd like to leave now.
- All right.
You help us to make you well again,
then you can leave.
That's fair enough, isn't it?
What's your name?
Louise Howell.
You live in Washington?
Why are you in Los Angeles?
- To get away from them.
- From them?
- They must never know.
- What mustn't they ever know?
That's why I came here.
I wanted to disappear.
- They must never know.
- Now, now.
Don't get excited.
What is it you don't want them to know?
I'm not going to tell you everything.
All right. You just tell me
what you want to, that's all.
Tell me about... David.
- David?
- Yes. Who is David?
Someone's playing Schumann on the piano.
- I don't like it.
- No one's playing the piano, really.
Yes.
Listen. There.
Hear it?
I don't like it.
Make them play it softer.
That's better. It's nice.
That's fine. Tell me...
who was playing the piano?
David.
We were swimming, it was cold.
Now he's playing Schumann.
What're you doing? Louise?
I'm getting dressed, it's almost time to go.
We never seem to have enough time together.
What?
I said, we never seem to have
enough time together.
The days aren't long enough.
Not our days.
The others are too long.
You aren't even listening.
I'm making love to the piano.
One of my more attractive
minor accomplishments.
For Miss Louise Howell, Schumann.
And for the other women you've known?
The other women? It depends. Gershwin...
something light and frivolous, Mozart.
But for you, Schumann.
- Tenderness.
- Thank you.
I wish I hadn't gotten dressed.
We could go swimming again.
It would be lovely swimming
in the moonlight. Beautiful.
It would be too cold.
You haven't enough romance in your soul.
- Why don't you go?
- Alone?
It wouldn't be any fun that way.
Besides, I have to leave soon.
Will you miss me?
Will you be lonely?
Do you love me?
You say the most beautiful things.
Your hair's still wet
from swimming, back there.
You know that?
Smells wonderful.
Why do they still make perfumes
like Bouquet de Fleurs...
as if things still happened
in flower gardens?
If they turned out something like...
Wet Hair After Swimming,
they'd have something.
I love you, David.
"I love you" is such an inadequate
way of saying I love you.
It doesn't quite describe
how much it hurts sometimes.
Love gives me the sniffles,
and then my nose gets red.
- Why?
- Because I'm happy, because I'm in love.
- That's no reason.
- Yes, it is.
At least for a woman, it is.
Would you like to know something?
What?
Before I met you...
I never felt very keenly one way
or another about anything.
- I wasn't happy, I...
- Sad?
No, I just existed.
I never realized what a dreary
life it was, till I met you.
David, I want a monopoly on you.
Or whatever people have, when they don't
want anyone else to have any of you.
Don't, Louise.
Don't what?
Don't start bringing the subject
around to marriage again.
I like all kinds of music except
a little number called Oh, Promise Me.
- Why? What's wrong with it?
- It's a duet and I like to play solo.
I'm not in love with you like that,
you know that.
Not like that.
Don't be angry.
- I'm not angry.
- Yes, you are.
Why is it when a man gets interested
in his work, or a book, or something...
a woman has to always
start acting like a woman?
Because she doesn't want him
to get lost in anything but her.
Darling, in mathematics you never,
never lose yourself.
In life, very often. In love, always.
But in mathematics, two and two are
always four. And that's wonderful.
Let me show you this.
You see?
It's just a curve.
Well, yes, it's a parabola.
That's something that a mathematician
could fall in love with.
I've been working on
that for over four years.
I started when I was in the army, in Africa.
It's a girder, a molded girder.
The army couldn't use it...
but a construction engineer would
give his right arm for that.
Why don't you love me like that?
I'm much nicer than a girder
and a lot more interesting.
I have no pride,
you didn't know that, did you?
David...
I've never had anything in the whole world
I ever wanted, except you.
I used to be cold, shut in,
I didn't mind because...
nothing hurt me very much then, but...
I just can't go back being on the
outside of people's lives, looking in.
Louise, we're all on the outside
of other people's lives looking in.
You wouldn't like being
on the inside of my life, anyway.
There's nothing there
but a few mathematical equations...
and a lot of question marks.
Darling, I honestly think we'd better
not see each other for a while.
Why?
- Why, David, what have I done?
- Nothing.
Knowing you has been wonderful,
but you hang on to me too hard.
Sometimes I get the feeling
that you're choking me to death.
Everyone wants to be loved,
but no one wants to be smothered.
This whole thing, it's getting too involved.
It was never meant to go this far,
you know that.
- We agreed to that a long time ago.
- I know, but...
it's the sort of thing that people say
before they fall in love.
Louise, I hadn't wanted to tell you
this for a while...
but I think, now, maybe I should.
- I've had...
- David, please take me home.
- Waiting won't make it easier.
- Take me home, David.
David, I can't run away from it any longer.
What were you going to tell me?
I don't know what I want just now,
but I have to keep moving until I get it.
Blame it on the army, blame it on the war,
blame it on anything you like, but...
- that's the way it is.
- All right, go.
Go wherever you like.
But let me wait for you.
At least let me do that.
No. I won't be back this way.
Louise, you have got to let go.
I can't love you the way you love me.
I never could.
Believe me, someday you're gonna
be glad you're rid of me.
Won't you try to understand?
- Nobody caring what happens to me.
- When you're calm, I'll talk to you.
All right, run away.
- Miss Howell.
- Good evening, Mr. Graham.
I understood you were employed
to take care of my wife.
- Yes.
- Why don't you?
This is my day off, Mr. Graham.
- I see. Well, go and look after her.
- Yes, sir.
You'll find her rather upset, I'm afraid.
Who is that? Is that you, Dean?
- I told you...
- It's Louise, I'll be with you in a minute.
I don't want you to do anything for me.
I won't have you touch me.
Not after what's been going on
between you and my husband.
Nothing's been going on,
Mrs. Graham, you know that.
Don't try to fool me.
I can tell you're up to something
just by looking at you.
Where have you been all day?
Who were you with?
No one you'd be interested in.
Why don't you try and get some rest?
How can I rest? Lying here all alone,
no one to look after me...
nobody to care.
Even my own husband hates me.
That's not true, you know he's very upset
when you're unhappy.
He should be upset, it's his fault
I'm like this. All his fault.
- Is that you, Miss Howell?
- Yes, Mr. Graham.
- Have you a moment?
- Certainly.
I wanted to apologize for being so abrupt
when you came in this evening.
I'd just gone through a rather
unpleasant half-hour.
I understood that, Mr. Graham.
I imagine you were subjected to much
the same sort of thing, just now.
- I hope it wasn't too difficult for you.
- I'm used to difficult patients.
You have a magnificent detachment,
Miss Howell.
I wish I might achieve it.
I'm glad you weren't upset
by my wife's rather vivid imagination.
No, I wasn't upset, but I wondered...
I think I should leave.
Under the circumstances,
I think it would be better.
This has happened before,
Miss Howell, many times before.
There's every reason
to believe it will happen again.
My wife is fully convinced
that I spend all my free time...
making advances to her nurses...
or any other female who enters this house.
Your leaving wouldn't change that.
It would, however, deprive me
of your very capable presence.
If you can bring yourself to ignore
these fancies of Mrs. Graham...
I'd like very much to have you stay.
- All right, I'll stay.
- Good, it's settled.
I won't bother you any further
with my troubles.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
Leave the rest to me, Mr. Graham
will want his breakfast.
- Any luck?
- Caught two trout.
I thought I'd save some money and
catch my own breakfast. Good idea.
- How long were you out?
- About three hours.
Figuring what your time's worth
those fish cost you $1,000 apiece.
I got cheated on Junior.
He's only worth about $500.
How's Mrs. Graham this morning?
Feeling well enough to come
down here for breakfast.
Good.
That's David Sutton.
Hi, Dean.
- Catch anything?
- Enough for breakfast.
- Can I see you a minute?
- Sure.
You're going to talk business,
I'd better go.
Sutton won't mind. I'd like you to meet him.
Some other time, perhaps.
I have things to do.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- You know each other?
- Yes, sure.
I saw you out fishing. I thought
I'd drop over and say hello.
- How are Pauline and the kids?
- They're fine. What's on your mind?
You remember our little talk
Saturday at the club?
- Vaguely.
- Could we finish it?
Operator, I'm waiting
for that call to Montreal.
All right, I'll hold on.
- Some coffee?
- No, thanks. I've had breakfast.
- Don't let me interrupt yours, now.
- I won't.
Now, what about this Canadian deal?
Well, I know your company is surveying
a new field up there.
I know you're within six months
of production.
All right, I'll hold on.
How do you know all this?
Subterranean rumbles from the underground.
It's true, isn't it?
It might be. Why?
What particular rumble interests you?
That cracking plant
that you're going to build.
You'll need a structural engineer,
a good one.
Me.
Someday we must have a long chat
about your sources of information.
Maybe we will. Meanwhile,
I'm looking for a job. That one.
No, seriously, Dean. You know my record.
You know I'm as good a man as you could get.
Hello, Charlie. Hold on a minute.
When could you leave for Canada?
Tonight, tomorrow, anytime.
Charlie, do you know anything
about an engineer named Sutton?
David Sutton.
Do you think he'd be a good man
for the Lac du Pont project?
Start packing.
Louise.
Where are you, Louise?
I'm ready to go down.
Hello.
Hello, Louise.
David, I want to talk to you.
- All right. But does it have to be here?
- Here, now.
- What is it?
- I tried to get you on the phone last night.
I tried again this morning,
but you weren't at home.
I was home.
Then you wouldn't answer
because you knew it was me.
- David, we have no reason to quarrel.
- I agree completely.
I don't know why you're angry with me.
- I'm not angry.
- Please let me finish.
Whatever it is I've done,
or you think I've done...
I really haven't done anything,
David, but whatever it is, I'm sorry.
You have nothing to be sorry for,
you haven't done anything.
I've been thinking about us all night.
I couldn't sleep.
It's awful to lie down at night
and not be able to sleep.
But I do know that we can work things out.
I'll do anything you say, David,
just as long as we're together.
That's all I want.
- David, why can't we be together?
- I told you why last night.
Louise, don't hang on to me.
You'll get hurt.
You're in love with someone else,
aren't you?
There isn't anybody else.
Don't please read hidden meanings
into everything I say.
If I were in love with anybody else,
believe me, I'd tell you.
There is another woman, I know it.
Otherwise why should you suddenly
decide to go off to Canada?
How did you know about Canada?
You didn't think I'd find out,
did you? But I did, I listened.
I listened at the door.
Do you see the things you make me do?
I'll do anything because
I don't care anymore.
You can't go away without me, David.
I won't let you. I'll find a way.
I'll lie if I have to, but I'll find a way.
David, I didn't mean that. I don't know
why I ever said such a thing.
David, I'm sorry. Please don't be angry.
David, listen to me. You mustn't treat me
this way. Don't leave me.
Take me with you. David!
David...
where are you?
Don't leave me.
Now, try and be calm.
Tell me, how did you feel when he left you?
What were you thinking?
He did it deliberately, to humiliate me.
He even pretended it was because
I was too much in love with him.
But he didn't fool me any.
He planned it that way.
They all knew about it.
Dean...
his wife, Pauline, the others.
They all did it deliberately.
Just to make me feel miserable.
To make me...
like this.
Try and rest a while.
Try not to think of anything.
Do you notice the beginnings
of the persecution complex?
"They did it deliberately. Part of a plan.
Wanted to hurt me."
No attempt to evaluate the situation
or see the man's viewpoint.
No judgment, lack of insight.
Classic symptoms.
- This is where the psychosis began.
- Even further back, Doctor.
She said herself that before she met him,
she'd never felt anything very keenly.
That's lack of emotional response.
I think the exact term she used was,
"I wasn't happy, I wasn't sad."
Typical schizoid detachment,
split personality.
Yes, the seeds were there...
and her obsession for this man
made them grow.
Well, let's go on.
How do you feel?
Do you want to continue?
Don't go to sleep now.
Stay awake and talk to me.
- Would you like to go on?
- Yes.
I'll tell you, I know you can help me.
I know...
- Would you like a glass of water?
- No.
It was black then.
Cold, very cold, and black.
I found her!
Okay, Lieutenant.
I hoped it wouldn't be true.
I feel it's all my fault. If only
I hadn't gone into the village.
You weren't to blame.
You look so tired. Why don't you
go in the house and lie down?
Let me stay here.
I'll do whatever's necessary.
Thank you, Miss Howell. I'll be all right.
Please, Mr. Graham, I'm worried about you.
We were too late, Mr. Graham.
Much too late. I'm sorry.
I wonder if you'd mind coming
with me for a minute?
Certainly.
I have to make a report.
Just routine, you understand,
otherwise I wouldn't trouble you.
I understand your wife
used to come here quite often.
Yes, she loved this spot.
She'd suddenly get out of bed
and come here and spend hours.
Who are you?
- Louise Howell, Mrs. Graham's nurse.
- Why did Mrs. Graham need a nurse?
She'd been ill for years. She thought
she'd never be well again.
However, Dr. Sherman, her physician,
can tell you more about that.
I understand Mrs. Graham
wasn't missed till about 7:00.
That's right. When the maid took her
dinner up, she was gone.
We weren't called until 8:15.
Everyone thought perhaps
she'd gone for a walk.
Although she didn't ordinarily do
that without telling someone.
When her slippers were found here,
I thought it best to call you.
I see.
Where were you all this time, Miss Howell?
I was in the village. This was my day off.
I never should have left her alone.
- I blame myself for this.
- Why should you? It was your day off.
How do you think the accident
happened, Mr. Graham?
It wasn't an accident.
She did it deliberately.
If you don't want me for anything else,
I have some calls to make.
Mr. Graham's children are away at school
and they have to be notified.
- Would you like me to tell them?
- No, I'll take care of that.
Do you think it was suicide, Miss Howell?
- She had spells of extreme depression.
- Evidently.
She must've been trapped by the weeds.
Weeds grow very long here, near the shore.
Then, I guess the current carried her out.
The body was found out here.
This is the rock where Mrs. Graham's
slippers were found.
- Would you pass that on to the jury?
- Yes.
- What time were you called,
Lieutenant? - 8:15.
Sergeant got the call from the house.
We got here about 9:00 and...
we didn't find the body till approximately
2:30 in the morning.
Well, I guess that's all.
Except for one thing.
A statement by Mr. Graham.
You don't usually hear a man
say a thing like that...
especially about his wife,
so I wrote it down.
I asked him:
"How do you think the accident
happened, Mr. Graham?"
His exact answer was...
Anything I said that night was not...
I was under great strain.
- It's not evidence.
- Just a moment, Dean.
I should like to remind the coroner,
that Mr. Graham has not been well.
We' re aware of Mr. Graham's
condition, Doctor.
It's largely the reason why this
hearing is being held here...
instead of the county courthouse.
However, anything that pertains
to the events of the evening...
must be a matter of public knowledge.
What was Mr. Graham's statement?
Well, his exact words were:
"It wasn't an accident.
"She did it deliberately."
Is that correct?
Any more questions, Mr. District Attorney?
- Not at all.
- That's all, Lieutenant.
Mr. Coroner, before you conclude
this hearing...
I'd like to recall Dr. Sherman to the stand.
Dr. Sherman, will you
take the stand, please?
Unless I'm mistaken, this is your personal
diagnosis of Mrs. Graham's illness?
Yes.
Dr. Sherman, according to the case history
you've already given the coroner...
Mrs. Graham was an invalid,
and likely to remain so.
- Yes.
- Was she depressed?
Well...
- Was Mrs. Graham depressed?
- Yes.
In your opinion, Doctor...
was she depressed enough to commit suicide?
If you'll excuse me, sir, Mr. Graham's
children have just come in.
- Daddy.
- Wynn, my boy.
I didn't know you were here.
Come on out in the hall.
Carol, darling, I didn't expect you so soon.
You shouldn't be in here.
Why are all the people in there?
Where's Mother?
Wynn, please run along up to your room.
Carol will be up in a few minutes.
- All right, Daddy.
- That's a good boy.
- You didn't tell him, did you?
- No.
It's awful you had to come home
at a time like this.
When I phoned I didn't intend
you to bring Wynn.
He said suicide. Why?
I thought it was an accident.
I know suicide was mentioned,
but this is an inquest.
They have to consider everything,
every possibility.
But why should they talk about suicide?
Was Mother unhappy enough to kill herself?
You know your mother was unhappy.
It was part of her illness.
- But, Father...
- Don't let's talk about it now.
I'm in the middle of this, please help me.
Go to your room and in a little while I'll
come up and we'll have a talk.
Will you do this for me, darling?
Oh, Daddy!
I know, darling.
Mr. Graham.
The coroner wants to see you.
Is that you, Miss Howell?
Miss Howell, is that you?
Miss Graham, I thought
I heard somebody call me.
Yes, I did. Is it over?
The inquest? Yes.
- What was the verdict?
- Accidental death.
- It wasn't an accident, I know better.
- You shouldn't think such things, really.
Miss Howell, my mother mentioned
you in her letters.
I know quite a lot about you,
probably more than you'd want me to.
What could she possibly say about me?
The last letter was written
just before the accident.
It was mostly about my father,
but she mentioned you.
How attractive you were to him.
How much he liked you.
I know your mother thought that,
but it's not true.
- My mother never lied to me.
- It isn't a question of lying or not.
Your mother was very ill, much more
than you were ever told.
- That made her imagine all kinds of things.
- There's no point in discussing it.
It's over now.
I'm home, you're leaving.
But your father has asked me to stay
and take care of Wynn.
I don't want you here, is that plain enough?
Yes, that's very plain.
If you're trying to discharge me, don't you
think you should ask your father about it?
Yes, you'd like that, wouldn't you?
You're very confident of what he would say.
- You're being a very silly girl.
- Am I?
I know how much my father likes you,
too much to let you go.
You've planned it that way.
That's so ridiculous I won't even
bother to deny it.
There are things about your mother
you should know.
Don't talk about my mother.
No matter how hard you scheme,
you'll never take her place.
I won't let you, Miss Howell.
If it hadn't been for you,
my mother would still be alive.
She killed herself because of you.
Carol.
I think you owe Miss Howell an apology.
You've made an extremely
offensive suggestion.
- You will apologize.
- No, please don't, Mr. Graham.
Both my children have been
taught good manners.
I prefer they don't forget them.
Carol, things haven't been pleasant
here for some time.
I'd looked forward to your coming home.
I hoped you'd make things easier for all of us.
Please don't disappoint me.
You don't need me, Father.
Miss Howell has taken my place.
Just as she took Mother's place.
Oh, no.
In the circumstances,
you'd better go back to school.
Yes, Father.
Mr. Graham, it isn't her fault.
I don't want you to defend me, Miss Howell.
As long as you're in my father's house,
I'd rather be somewhere else.
Carol, your father needs you.
- I wish this hadn't happened.
- So do I.
Frightened you today, did it?
You remember, the medicine
made you feel better.
Beginning to feel it?
That's fine.
Yesterday, you told me
about Mrs. Graham dying.
What happened after that?
Washington.
Yes, you went there with Mr. Graham
and his son, Wynn, I gather.
Something happened there that upset
you very much. Made you ill.
Yes.
Made me ill, like I am now.
You don't forget things like that.
Now, why don't you tell me about it.
After the funeral, we moved
back to Washington.
I didn't want to.
I wasn't really needed.
Mr. Graham asked me to.
And I thought...
I knew I'd never see David again
if I went away.
So I stayed in Washington,
with the Grahams...
taking care of Wynn.
Months went by.
I'll race you to the top of the stairs.
- I'll beat you there.
- Come on.
- Are you ready?
- Yes.
- Ready, set...
- Wynn, is that you?
Daddy's home!
Hello, Son.
Daddy, I raced Miss Howell
to the door and I won.
Good for you. Wynn,
this is an old friend of mine...
Mr. Sutton.
- How do you do?
- Glad to see you again, Wynn.
The last time I saw you,
you weren't shaving yet.
It's mathematically impossible
to try a joke on a child this age.
I don't remember you.
I'm sorry to hear that, I always try
to leave a lasting impression.
What are these?
Those are the plans of a cracking
plant Mr. Sutton's building for me.
- You remember, you saw one once.
- Yes.
Miss Howell, come in.
- I hope we're not disturbing you.
- Not at all.
I brought my homework and David Sutton.
Hello, David, how are you?
No use lying to you, Louise,
you're a nurse. I'm fine.
- You?
- I'm fine, too.
- Good. Dean, you?
- Not a complaint. Not a symptom.
This is absolutely the healthiest
circle I've ever moved in.
I keep forgetting that you
two know each other.
Oh, yes, David and I are very old friends.
- If you're talking business, I'Il...
- No, we're all finished.
As a matter of fact,
I was about to propose a drink.
- Second the motion.
- Would you join us?
No, thank you. I don't think
Wynn would approve.
But I'll mix them for you.
Wynn, go upstairs and get ready for dinner.
Yes, Miss Howell.
Daddy, you promised me
you'd read me a story.
- Whenever you're ready.
- All right, I'm ready.
Dean, I have your okay to go ahead
with this pumping station?
Yes. All right.
You're the only man
who ever worked for me...
who could get me to do what he wanted
and make it seem like a favor to me.
David, you take water in yours,
if I remember correctly?
Yes, please.
I ran a 1,000 barrels of heavy crude...
- The lighter stuff will go faster.
- I don't know, it's cold ground.
That oil comes up as stiff a
s an evening shirt.
We'll do what we can with it.
- Was there much deposit in the test load?
- Here you are.
- Oh, thanks.
- Good.
Jackson put a go-devil through with it,
there was hardly any sludge at all.
Here's to oil, down with atomic energy.
Beginning to think the atom
was opened by mistake.
Are you going to be here long?
A few weeks, perhaps a month.
Depends on the boss.
You'd only be here a day,
if I have anything to say about it.
- You've been away, haven't you?
- Yes, up and away. Canada.
Really? I didn't know.
Did you like Canada?
Canadians are wonderful people.
It's just that they're spread so far apart...
at least where I was.
This is my first taste of
civilization in a long time.
I think it'll last.
- You sound as though it were lonely.
- I was too busy to be lonely.
I warned you to work with me,
you wouldn't like it much.
Mr. Graham, Wynn is ready.
He said you promised to read him Bugs Bunny.
So I did, excuse me.
Don't spread this around the office...
but, my son's affection for me
is based on my ability to say...
"What's cooking, doc?"
I'll be back in a minute.
I never realized before that
Canada is so large and far away.
- David, it's wonderful to see you again.
- Canadian Special, good.
Of course, in Canada they won't drink
anything but Kentucky whiskey.
Aren't you going to kiss me?
I had no plans one way or the other.
All right, go ahead and kiss me.
You don't have to mean it.
I didn't expect you to mean it that little.
When a woman kisses me, Louise,
she has to take pot luck.
I can see that you weren't nearly as lonely
in Canada as you pretended to be.
No, I wasn't. Man, Louise,
doesn't live by bread alone.
- Very amusing.
- No. Only mildly so.
You've changed, David.
Something's changed you.
No, we were through before I went to Canada.
- I suppose I should've put that in writing.
- But, now you're hard and bitter.
Bored, I think would be a bit closer to it.
I warned you about that, didn't I?
Look, suppose we don't discuss it anymore?
All right. Let's discuss something else.
Slide rules, cracking plants? Or maybe,
you'd rather talk about the weather?
It's been very nice, the weather.
We have so much of it.
Washington is practically all weather.
Some hot, some cold.
- In between, we have rain. Shall I go on?
- Please do.
In a moment I'll be out on the street,
hailing a cab.
I hope I haven't said anything offensive,
I wouldn't want to hurt you.
Usually, one of the nice things
about going away, is coming back.
Usually, not always.
Did you expect to come back and find me
just as you left me, waiting patiently?
Crying a little with the joy
of seeing you again?
You're so sure of yourself, so certain
of your own breathless charm!
I'm sorry, Louise.
You watch temperatures go down
and then go up again...
but in love, there are no relapses.
Once you're out of it, the fever n
ever comes back again. Bye, Louise.
Your love affair with yourself has
reached heroic proportions.
Doesn't leave much room for me.
Are you sure you can get along without
somebody to help you admire yourself?
You're offering me no more
than any other registered nurse.
Louise, be reasonable.
That's fairly reasonable.
David, leaving already?
Yes, I have a dinner date.
You know how it is.
Don't come in with a hangover tomorrow.
Don't go, Miss Howell.
I was just going out to get some fresh air.
Sutton's a good fellow.
I'm glad I've got him.
He's doing very well.
This is my last day here,
Mr. Graham. I'm leaving.
I don't understand.
- It's simple. I'm quitting.
- Are you unhappy here?
I'd rather not discuss it.
- I won't permit it.
- I'm afraid you'll have to.
I know people usually do
what you want, Mr. Graham...
if they won't, you have
ways of persuading them.
But don't try that with me,
because it won't work.
I've never seen you like this before.
- You're usually so quiet.
- Yes, quiet, patient, efficient Miss Howell.
Tell her to do something and she does it,
day after day, year after year.
At the age of 60, retires with a gold watch
and the blessings of the entire household.
No, thank you. I've had enough
of being a servant.
I've never thought of you
as a servant. I've never...
- You've been very kind, but I'm leaving.
- Don't go, please.
Something's upset you. I don't know
what it is, but I'm deeply concerned.
You're right, I do try to get
what I want whenever possible.
That may seem selfish, I suppose it is.
But you've become very necessary here.
You're a part of my home.
Very much a part of my life.
I don't know how to express this properly...
but I've become very fond of you.
Fond is an understatement.
- Mr. Graham, don't...
- I hadn't meant to talk of this for a while...
but now it seems necessary.
I'm asking you to marry me.
I hadn't intended to amuse you.
It wasn't you. It was something else,
please believe me.
I had to either laugh or cry.
I'm through with crying,
don't you understand that?
No, but it's all right.
As for marrying you...
it's very flattering.
It feels wonderful to be wanted by someone.
I needed that feeling right now,
more than you'll ever know.
Something happens to a woman
when she isn't wanted.
- Something dreadful.
- All of which doesn't answer my question.
Will you marry me?
I'm aging visibly.
I'm not in love with you.
Do you think we could be happy?
I'll do everything in my power
to see that you are.
There's Carol to think of.
She doesn't like me.
I haven't done this very gracefully
or even adequately.
But, one thing is certain, Carol isn't
asking to marry you, I am.
I've never had a great deal.
It's very tempting to be offered
the kind of life I'd have as your wife.
But that's not important.
The important thing is I think
I can make you happy.
I will marry you, if you want me to.
I'm sorry, I'm just not quite
used to the idea, yet.
It isn't very easy for a man my age
to kiss a woman with dignity.
I'll need practice.
Will you have dinner with me, Louise?
Yes, Dean.
Don't you love the way Prof.
Hopkins gets mad?
- I just think he's delicious, don't you?
- Well...
- Do you like Mr. Elliott?
- Sort of.
I can't stand him. Know what he said to me?
You'll never believe it.
He said I talk too much.
I wonder where he got that idea.
Hey, Graham, you have a visitor.
- A man?
- No, a lady.
- Thank you.
- Bye.
- Hello.
- Yes?
I came to see you.
Obviously.
That's a very pretty sweater you have on.
You didn't drive 300 miles
just to admire my sweater.
No, I didn't.
I came to tell you something.
Father called me.
You're going to be married.
I'm sorry he told you. I wanted to.
Is that all?
I want you to like me.
I don't think that's absolutely
necessary, Miss Howell.
I hope you won't mind
if I don't call you mother.
That's beside the point.
I do think that we should talk
about your mother, just a little.
I know what you're going to say.
I talked to Dr. Sherman.
He told me things I hadn't known.
I know what I thought about you
and Father wasn't true.
And I'm sorry I said the things I did.
I'm very sorry.
It's all right. I didn't blame you.
As for your getting married...
you and Father are quite capable
of deciding things for yourself.
- It isn't necessary to have my approval.
- Oh, but it is.
Your father is very lonely, Carol.
Maybe that has something to do with
his wanting to marry me, I don't know.
I do know that I can't marry him,
if it would mean his losing you.
Since there's no hope you'll like me,
I'll do what you want me to do.
I'll go away.
- He'd never forgive me.
- He won't know I've talked to you.
- I'm sorry.
- That's all right.
You can't help the way you feel,
any more than I can.
Your father needs someone, Carol,
and he has for a long time.
You've stayed away all these weeks just
to punish him for making you unhappy.
You don't know the meaning of unhappiness.
If you ever really want to know,
ask your father.
You know, we could've been
friends very easily.
If we'd met a few days sooner,
or a long time later.
It's too bad.
Miss Howell...
Louise.
- Good afternoon, Mr. Sutton.
- Good afternoon.
How late am I?
I'm afraid you've missed
the entire ceremony.
Frankly, I just came for the food and drink.
Where are they?
Mr. And Mrs. Graham are in the drawing room.
I mean the food and drink.
Never mind, I'll find them myself.
- How are you, David?
- Hello, George.
- I wish you both a lot of happiness.
- Thank you very much.
I wonder if I'd start a new trend
if I shook hands with the bride...
and embraced the groom?
I know it's tough, but couldn't
you try to be conventional?
You're a very lucky man.
- You're a very lucky woman.
- Thank you, David.
Bless you both, and where are
the hors d'oeuvres?
Dean, I didn't know you'd invited him.
- I didn't. Didn't you?
- No.
One more, please.
Come out from behind that potted palm.
No.
Would you rather I hid and
you came out and found me?
I'll be through crying in a minute.
Please go away.
I will not. I'm hungry. You cry, I'll eat.
Don't mind me. Blow as hard as you like.
There's nothing unusual
about crying at a wedding.
Certainly not, I've got a lump
in my throat myself.
Mine's pure emotion. Yours is devilled egg.
I was afraid you were going to ruin
a perfectly good potted palm.
It wouldn't matter.
- They're not ours, they're rented.
- Don't worry about it.
- What?
- You're David Sutton.
I've never denied that, who are you?
Don't you remember me?
Don't you recognize me?
Not with your eyes in that condition, no.
The last time you saw me, my eyes
were in exactly this condition.
I was 11 years old and I'd just
proposed marriage to you.
Now, do you know?
Not definitely. I received proposals
from several 11-year-olds.
Will this help?
When you said no, I hauled off
and kicked you in the shins.
Carol Graham!
I'm disappointed, I'd pictured
you going through life with a limp.
Let me look at you.
Well, you haven't grown very much but...
then again, you have.
Let me look at you.
You're holding your stomach in a bit,
otherwise you've held together beautifully.
- Yes, very attractive.
- Thank you.
Why don't we see if the minister
is still here? A double wedding.
I don't want my shins kicked again.
But, I won't be rushed
into anything, either.
I'm going to give you plenty of time.
You're gonna take me dining,
dancing, nightclubbing...
That sounds like an expensive program.
You better speak to your father
about raising your allowance.
Carol, your father wants you.
I'll be right back.
Wine?
Please.
Thank you.
Stay away from Carol.
- Why?
- Because you're not wanted in this house.
I'm married now and I have a different life.
Frankly, you bring back very
unpleasant memories.
I've forgiven you, why haven't you
forgiven me?
Do I have to make a scene before you leave?
No, I arrived late, it's only right
that I should leave early.
- Hello, Louise.
- Hello, John.
Where's Dean? Is he neglecting you already?
- Yes. For a new oil field.
- That's hardly a good excuse.
There's David Sutton.
That's very rude. He'll think
you're inviting him over here.
I am.
I've hooked him.
I wish you hadn't done that.
I don't want him to join us.
When he comes over,
make an excuse, but get rid of him.
- Why?
- Because I asked you to.
- Hello, Carol.
- Hello, David.
- Mrs. Graham, how are you?
- Very well, thank you.
We don't want to keep you from your friends.
Yes, we do.
As a matter of fact,
I haven't a friend in the world.
I guess, I better be getting
back to my seat.
Too late, you're trapped.
In that case I'll take
the best spot. Move over.
Darling, I have a headache,
I think I'd better go home.
Should I go with you?
No, you stay. I don't want
to spoil the concert for you.
I'll see her to the car.
You're using the wrong tactics,
you should keep me guessing.
I don't know why I don't hate you.
You don't try hard enough.
You should force yourself.
Someday you're going to stop laughing at me.
- May I see you to the car?
- No, thank you. Don't bother.
Good night, Mrs. Graham.
Good evening, Mrs. Graham.
Oh, Elsie.
- Is my husband home?
- No, ma'am.
He phoned from the office.
He said he'd be late.
What is it?
- We fooled her, didn't we?
- Yes.
- Good night.
- Good night, darling.
See you tomorrow.
Carol.
- I thought you were ill.
- Never mind that.
- I want to talk to you.
- About?
- Not here, in my room.
- We can talk here.
Get in there, I said.
I don't like this kind of treatment.
I saw you kissing.
- What of it?
- I heard what you said to him.
- Did you?
- Stay away from him, Carol. He's no good.
Odd, he says that about you.
We had quite a long talk about you.
- He's a liar, whatever he said was a lie.
- Really?
Even what he told me about
how you used to meet in his cabin?
Lies, all lies.
I'd never have anything to do with him,
that's why he hates me.
He doesn't hate you.
But he doesn't love you, either.
You're the one, you're
in love with him, aren't you?
That's absurd and ridiculous.
Childish, just like everything else.
- Pretty stupid of you to have believed him.
- He told me other things I hadn't known.
About my mother.
What about her?
What about your mother, what did he say?
You killed her, it wasn't an accident.
- Keep quiet!
- You did it so you could marry my father.
- So David would come back...
- That's not true, you're lying.
You're all liars.
You're in love with David, and
you killed my mother to get him back!
It's true, isn't it? Isn't it true, Louise?
- Isn't it?
- Yes, it's true!
Now leave me alone.
- What are you going to do?
- I'm going to tell my father, right now.
Don't do that, Carol, I'm warning you.
Carol!
I won't let you tell him.
- You can't stop me.
- Yes, I can.
Let me go, I'm going to tell him.
Good night.
Louise, you shouldn't have waited up.
Are you feeling better?
- Yes.
- I came straight home as I was worried.
It's a shame you missed the concert.
- Your jacket is wet.
- It doesn't matter.
- Is there something I can do for you?
- No.
Good night.
142 over 90.
All right...
you can finish dressing now, Mrs...
Mrs. Smith.
Oh, yes. Smith.
Unusual name.
Come in here, when you're ready.
Who did she say recommended her?
Dr. Reynolds in Washington.
Shall I look him up?
Don't bother, I doubt
there is such a doctor.
In any case, it doesn't matter.
I know all that I need to know.
Did she mention any previous
medical history?
Measles, influenza, the usual things.
No serious illnesses.
Perhaps that much is true.
Sit down, please.
- You think I've been lying to you?
- I'm sure of it.
People named Smith rarely have
the letters "L.G." on their clothing.
- I'm sorry.
- That's not important.
It merely makes it a little more difficult
for me to help you.
And you do need help. Take this.
Incoordination. Now close your eyes, please.
Hold out your hand.
What does that feel like to you?
A piece of cloth.
Now the other hand.
That doesn't feel like
a piece of cloth, does it?
- No, it doesn't.
- What does it feel like?
I don't know.
A piece of sandpaper, perhaps?
Yes, that's it.
Open your eyes.
Extreme suggestibility.
And that pounding noise you hear at night...
that's easily explained, Mrs. Smith.
It's merely the sound of
your own heart beating.
Blood pulsation can be heard as sound.
It's a common symptom of neurasthenia.
What's wrong with me, Doctor?
Why do I see things that aren't...
that just couldn't be real?
Sometimes a patient can't distinguish
between reality and unreality.
In your case, you're still able to make
that distinction.
But what if it gets worse? What then?
There is a type of nervous disorder
in which that happens.
We all have dreams, Mrs. Smith.
Bad dreams, sometimes.
But we wake up and we say
that was a bad dream.
Occasionally, however, we find a patient
who can't wake up.
He or she lacks insight...
the ability to distinguish between
what is real and what isn't.
Now, that may be true in your case.
It's too early to know definitely.
You're describing schizophrenia, aren't you?
Is that what's wrong with me?
I didn't know you had any
knowledge of the subject...
or I shouldn't have discussed it.
I knew there was something wrong
with me when I came up here.
I had no idea it was insanity.
Insanity's not a word
we like to use, Mrs. Smith.
You have a problem but it's not insoluble.
Problems never are.
Whatever it is that's troubling you,
put an end to it.
No, it's too late.
- Much too late.
- Nonsense.
The important thing is to know
that there is something wrong.
Now that you know,
you can do something about it.
I'm going to give you
the name of a psychiatrist.
Go and see him.
Don't lie to him as you did to me.
Tell him the truth.
Mrs. Smith?
Well, I'll have to come up then.
I'll fly at the end of the week.
Very well. See you then.
Darling, I have to go to Canada.
Just for a few days. Why don't you sit down?
I've got an idea. Why don't you
come with me? Make it a holiday.
Might get some fishing in.
I'll teach you how to get a 40-pound salmon.
I'm leaving you.
I'm going away. I don't know where.
That isn't important.
- The important thing is, I want a divorce.
- I don't...
I won't discuss it.
There's nothing to discuss.
You don't know what you're saying.
Why should you want a divorce?
What have I done?
I thought I'd given you everything
you wanted.
I hoped that you'd be happy with me.
I thought you were.
It isn't you.
Whatever's wrong with our marriage
is my fault.
Louise, what's troubling you?
I don't know exactly.
But it just won't work out.
I can't take her place. I've tried but...
- she hates me for it.
- Who hates you?
- Pauline.
- Pauline?
Yes.
I can't seem to forget her.
- Don't you see, I've got to go away.
- Stop it.
You talk as if she were alive.
Yes, I did, didn't I? I didn't mean to.
She isn't alive, I know that.
I'm sorry, we've never
discussed Pauline before.
But whatever problems I had...
all the unpleasant memories...
I put them aside when we were married.
They were over for me.
Not for you, I gather.
Well, I'll fix that.
I don't intend to lose you so easily.
Have my car brought around
to the side entrance.
Telephone the house and
tell Elsie to pack some things...
for Mrs. Graham and myself.
We'll be out till Monday.
Yes, sir. Where can we reach you?
- I don't want to be reached.
- Yes, sir.
I love you very much.
Your happiness means everything to me.
I'm going to help you forget Pauline
just as I've forgotten.
You're going away with me.
- Where?
- To the lake house.
Oh, no, I'm afraid of her!
Pauline is gone from our lives.
She can't harm us...
or take you away from me.
You'll see.
There's only one way to solve a problem.
And that's to face it.
Good evening, Mrs. Graham.
Mr. Graham.
Good evening, Norris.
Dreadful weather.
- The place looks in good order.
- Thanks.
Almost thought we'd lose
the house a while back.
What happened?
- Fire.
- Much damage?
Burned quite a few trees.
I want to talk to you about that...
they'll blow down this winter anyway.
My advice, cut them.
You think any of them can be saved?
Pretty bad shape. Would you like to look...
before it gets dark?
You can see from over here.
- Go ahead, darling.
- All right.
Good evening, Mrs. Graham.
- You're the caretaker's wife.
- I'm Mrs. Norris.
I saw you come in from upstairs.
I was airing out the rooms.
I'm sorry we didn't know
you were coming sooner.
I'd have fixed the place up a little.
- That's quite all right.
- Mr. Norris was sick last week.
That's why everything is so dusty.
You'd be surprised how a place
can run down so fast.
It doesn't seem to take any time at all.
Yes, I know.
You look cold. I'll go and
make you a cup of tea.
No. Please don't bother.
No bother. You stay by the fire.
It won't take me a minute.
Getting on to winter again.
What is it!
No.
No, I won't.
I won't.
Louise, what is it?
Why did you scream?
It's Pauline.
She wants me to kill myself, like she did.
She wants me to drown, but I won't.
Pauline is dead.
- She's been dead over a year.
- No, she's there.
Now, she's talking to me again.
Hear her? Listen.
"Kill yourself, Louise.
"Drown yourself in the lake."
Make her stop.
I tell you, she's dead.
There's no one there.
Look, there's no one there.
Gone?
She's gone.
She was never there.
She went back to the lake.
She'll wait for me there.
Yes, she'll wait for me. She said she would.
What do you mean? What on Earth do you mean?
Come out of this room.
Come out.
I don't know.
I just don't understand.
- What happened?
- You had a bad dream.
About Pauline.
Oh, yes, now I remember.
I thought she was alive. She spoke to me.
- It wasn't real?
- Of course, it wasn't.
I can't tell anymore.
I don't seem to know the difference.
Stay near.
Stay close to me.
I'm afraid.
I'm afraid of Pauline.
Why? What reason have you
to be afraid of her?
You don't know.
You don't know what I've done.
Tell me.
But I can't hear you.
I said, I killed her.
I helped her commit suicide.
- That's not true.
- Yes, it is.
She asked me to take her down to the rock.
I helped her. It was very dark.
Then she went close to the edge of it.
I watched her.
I stood there and watched her.
Then she came up.
Her face was white through
the water and then...
she called to me.
"Louise, Louise."
Then she stopped.
But I could still hear her.
And I hear her now: "Louise, Louise."
Stop it.
Listen to me.
This is all nonsense. I don't know
why you think these things.
It's something for a doctor to find out.
But none of it's true.
- Yes, it is.
- It's not true, I tell you.
I know what happened that night.
And you had nothing to do with it.
You weren't even there.
Pauline and I were together on the rock.
She said she was cold.
I went to the house for a wrap.
I was only away a few moments,
but when I came back she was gone.
The rest, you know.
You were nowhere near that night.
You were in the village. Don't you remember?
I was in the village.
- It was my day off.
- Yes.
You're not just lying to
make things right for me?
You wouldn't lie to me about
a thing like that, would you?
No, you only imagined it.
I only imagined it.
I didn't kill her.
And I didn't help her kill herself.
I had nothing to do with it.
Thank you.
For nearly a year now I've been
thinking all kinds of things.
Why didn't you tell me before?
I could've helped you.
I couldn't.
I was even afraid to close my eyes at night.
But it's all right now.
It's all right. She's gone.
Pauline's gone and she'll never come back.
No, she'll never come back.
Good evening, Elsie.
- Good evening, Elsie.
- Good evening, sir.
The rest of the luggage is in the car.
Will you ask Edwards to bring it in, please?
You're beautiful.
- Women always are when they're happy.
- Are you happy?
I've never felt so happy.
I feel as though I were floating
two or three inches off the floor.
There's only one thing wrong with it.
- What's that?
- Makes me hungry.
Elsie, we're starving.
I suppose it's too late for dinner.
- Yes, sir, but I could fix you something.
- No.
I'll tell you what. Let's go out.
Let's make it a real evening.
- Nightclub, champagne, dancing.
- Dancing? I'd love it.
- How long will it take you to dress?
- Five minutes.
All right then, an hour-and-a-half.
The polka has come a long way since my time.
Something new has been added.
Nonsense, we're the best couple
on the floor.
We must be. There's a waiter
watching us and taking notes.
- If we're not the best, we're the happiest.
- I hope none of my stockholders are here.
Tommy, you may take a short rest
and then start mixing me another.
- Yes, sir.
- Hello.
I'm not late, am I?
No. I just came early so I could
get in a few practice swings.
Any other boyfriend would've picked me
up and brought me here.
That is exactly why I didn't.
And to think I'd live to see the day
when I'd be referred to as a boyfriend.
Tommy, you better make
that next one a double.
And the young lady will
have a bourbon and ginger ale.
Without the bourbon.
How many have you had?
Easily.
Aren't you overdoing it?
How about your insides?
My liver rushes in where
angels fear to tread.
- I worry about you, David.
- Thank you very much.
How do you like my dress?
Construction engineers do not
comment on ladies' dresses.
Sometimes it's not your liver
I worry about, it's your mind.
Thank you again.
Carol, you're very young, you're very
beautiful. I love you very much.
How American it is to want something better.
Look, Carol...
in another few days I've got to
be going on back to Canada.
What's gonna happen between us?
Well, I don't know about you.
But I've considered us engaged
for quite some time.
So have I, but that's a nasty way
for an engagement to end...
in a marriage.
David, do you think we have a chance?
Do you think it would last?
I think it would last
a reasonable length of time.
Enough to make it worth
the minister's while, anyway.
David, don't you think we need each other?
We wouldn't know that until
after we're married.
Isn't that putting the cart
before the horse?
Now look, if you're gonna drag horses
into this conversation, we're lost.
Anyway, look at the difference in our ages.
What of it?
You're 35, I'm 20.
After one year of married life
with you, I'll look...
27 or 28, and that's no difference at all.
You know, come to think of it,
that is a very attractive dress.
It's Dad and Louise.
Carol and David.
- Don't.
- What's the matter?
Your father will probably
want us to join them.
Don't you want to?
- I'd rather not. Louise.
- She wouldn't mind.
She doesn't really dislike you.
Beg your pardon, sir.
The gentleman at that table would like
to have you join them.
Okay.
- I thought you were up at the lake house.
- We came back early.
How are you, Mrs. Graham?
Why haven't you got your nose
to the grindstone?
Your daughter asked me out tonight.
I'm billing you for it later.
Chivalry is dead.
You seem to be enjoying
your stay in Washington.
Bring another bottle of this
and two more glasses.
You're old enough to drink champagne.
- Glad to hear it.
- You mustn't let Dean work you too hard.
We haven't seen enough
of you since you got back.
- I've been very busy.
- There, you see?
Mr. Sutton does work too hard.
Look how pale he is, and how quiet.
He never used to be so quiet.
Is he always this quiet when he's with you?
Does he talk to you?
He's a beautiful conversationalist...
when he wants to be.
Get him to confide in you.
- I try...
- There might be one or two things...
that he wouldn't want us to know about him.
- He looks like a man with a past.
- Most of us do.
However, we don't consider
such things important.
Besides, anything can be forgiven a man
who plays the piano as well as he does.
Have you ever heard him play
the piano, Carol? He's excellent.
With the proper training he could
have become a concert pianist.
But he wouldn't practice enough.
And he had the most unfortunate habit of...
stopping right in the middle
of his selection.
Come in.
- Do you have any orange sticks?
- Yes.
In my bed table drawer.
I don't know what I do with mine. Thanks.
Stay and talk to me.
All right.
I didn't know that you and
Mr. Sutton were such good friends.
Why don't you call him David?
You might as well, you'll be seeing
a lot of him from now on.
Do you like David?
How does he feel about you?
About the same, I guess.
How do you know?
I can tell by the way he breathes
when I go near him. You know.
Tell me frankly.
Do you think I'm as attractive
as David says?
You're very pretty.
And wealthy.
Both of which would appeal to David.
Particularly the money.
Don't you like David?
No.
As a matter of fact,
I dislike him intensely.
For a very good reason.
- Why? He's never done anything...
- Look.
I've never asked you this before.
But it's very important now.
Do you trust me, Carol?
I don't know. I've never thought about it.
I suppose I do, why?
I've wanted to tell you this so many times
but I never could bring myself to do it.
And when it became obvious
that you liked David so much...
it was too late.
Can't you see what he's like?
Don't take him so seriously.
I know something about him you don't know.
Something that would make everything
he's probably said to you a lie.
What are you talking about?
I wasn't going to tell you this.
I thought you'd get over it
or realize what he's like.
But since you haven't, I'll tell you.
He's in love with someone else.
- What?
- You saw how he was tonight.
He's not in love with you, Carol.
Believe me, it's someone else.
You talk as though it were you.
Yes.
He uses you as an excuse
to come here to see me.
- I don't believe it.
- I begged him not to hurt you.
And I couldn't tell your father.
He likes David so much.
It's better to find out now how he is
and be hurt a little than find out...
- about it later and be destroyed by it.
- I don't believe it. I'll talk to him.
- Don't be a fool. He'll only lie to you again.
- Let me go.
- Hello, Elsie.
- Good afternoon, Mr. Sutton.
- Mrs. Graham home?
- Just a moment and I'll see.
- Won't you sit down?
- Thanks.
- Mr. Sutton is calling.
- Tell him I'm not home.
Don't bother, Elsie, I'll tell him myself.
- He must have followed me.
- It's all right. You can go.
What do you want?
I've just been to see Dean.
What did you say to him?
- About what?
- What did you tell him?
I told him you want to marry Carol.
- That's the truth, isn't it?
- What else did you say to him?
- Nothing.
- Don't lie to me, Louise.
You probably told him the same pack
of stupid lies about me...
that you tried to pawn off on
Carol last night.
She told me about that.
That must've been charming.
You said once that I'd changed, remember?
Well, you've changed, too.
You didn't used to be a liar.
It wasn't me. I didn't tell him
anything. It was Carol.
She doesn't love you, David.
She's tired and wants to be rid of you.
So she told Dean.
- What's the matter? Don't you believe me?
- No.
All right. I lied to him.
It was easy.
He believed me, too.
What're you going to do about it?
Something I should have
done a long time ago.
Something very naive and simple.
But it'll probably impress you
as being diabolical.
I'm going to tell him the truth.
About us, and more particularly, about you.
He won't believe you.
You can be as agreeable
and charming as you like.
It won't do you any good.
- He'll always hate you.
- Not me darling, you.
But I just can't quite figure out why you
started spinning this web of deception.
I told you once, I'd do anything to keep
you from leaving me, and I will.
- Anything.
- Well.
Any jailbreak is pretty tough,
but I think I can manage this one.
You'll see.
I can be very objectionable.
That, I can believe.
But you're forgetting just one thing.
Carol.
What about her?
She loves me enough to marry me
no matter what you do.
And I love her.
Her or her money?
Well, you have a point there.
Her money is an obstacle.
So I intend spending it just
as rapidly as possible.
- Good evening, sir.
- Good evening, Elsie.
- Where's Mrs. Graham?
- In her room.
I don't know whether I should mention it.
She's been crying all afternoon.
Thank you.
David came back to see me this afternoon.
And Carol, too. We had a long talk.
Why did you lie to me?
Because I felt like it.
I wanted to lie and I lied.
Let me alone.
You've been crying. Elsie told me
you've been crying...
Let me alone.
I want to think.
I don't know what to do, I want to
think and people won't let me.
I don't feel well.
I know you don't feel well.
I've known it for some time.
I thought perhaps, things
would work themselves out.
But now I'm not so sure.
That's why I've asked a doctor
to come and see you.
A doctor?
You went to the trouble
of getting me a doctor?
That's very thoughtful of you.
You're very sweet and kind.
- He's an old friend of mine.
- What kind of a doctor?
He'll be able to help you.
- He'll know exactly what to do.
- What kind of a doctor?
Don't you think I know?
I've been lying here all afternoon
waiting for you to come home...
knowing what you'd say when you came in.
"Louise I've asked a doctor
to come and see you."
Knowing what kind of
a doctor it would be, too.
You think there's something wrong
with my mind, don't you?
- This man is a mental specialist, but...
- No, I won't see him.
Listen to me.
No, you just want to lock me up,
put me away, I know.
- I'm trying to help you.
- No, you're not.
You're trying to get rid of me.
That's why you're calling
in a doctor, isn't it?
I love you. I want you to be well again.
And you need help.
That's all I'm trying to do.
I only want to help you.
If only you could.
I don't know what's wrong.
I don't know why I'm this way.
- If you see this doctor...
- No.
Listen to me, I've only asked
him to talk to you.
- When's he coming?
- He's coming to dinner.
It'll be very quiet and we can talk.
All right.
I'll do what you say. Anything.
You'll see.
I won't do anything bad.
I just want to please you.
So I'll do whatever you say.
Now, can I be alone? I'd like
to lie down for a while...
so I'll be rested when the doctor comes.
That's better. I'm so glad
you feel this way.
I know everything is going to be all right.
Rest yourself, darling, and I'll call you.
Well, I won't ask you to sit down.
What do you want?
I had to see you.
- I had to talk to you about us.
- "Us" is not my favorite topic.
- Name another.
- All right, me.
- There are some things you must know.
- It won't do any good.
Will you get out, go home, leave me alone.
David.
I'm sorry, Louise, I seldom hit a woman.
But if you don't leave me alone
I'll wind up kicking babies.
It's all right. It didn't hurt.
David, I'm ill. Very ill.
Why come to me? All I can recommend
is a couple of aspirins.
But you've got to listen.
I've done some terrible
things because of you.
I'm rotting away with the things I've done.
- The things you've...
- All I've done is fall out of love with you.
That's a man's privilege.
I wish sometimes women would
avail themselves of the same privilege.
I made Dean love me.
It was easy because he was so lonely.
I thought if I were married to a rich man
I could make you come back to me.
But now it's all over.
- I've lost you and now I've lost Dean.
- You haven't lost Dean.
He wants to help and I know he loves you,
he told me that this afternoon.
No, he doesn't.
He wants to put me away in an institution
and I'd never see you again.
Talk to him, David. Make him leave me alone.
Don't let him do it, I'm not insane.
- What do you mean?
- He thinks I am.
I don't know what
this is all about, Louise, but...
there's one thing I'm sure of:
Dean wouldn't do anything to hurt you.
Now why don't you let me take you home?
No.
- I think I'd better call Dean.
- But I don't want you to.
He'll take care of you. He'll look
after you a lot better than I ever could.
He only wants to get rid of me.
And you're helping him.
You're against me, too.
Both of you and Carol.
You're all against me!
Going away?
Yes. Carol and I are getting
married tonight.
No, you're not.
You're not going to marry her.
You're not good enough for her.
If you're going to shoot me,
at least be honest about it.
You don't give a hoot about Carol
and you never have.
I'd rather be shot by a jealous woman
than a noble one, anyway.
Don't you think we should
sit down quietly and think up...
a better reason for you
to shoot me than that?
Talking won't do you any good.
It's silly of you to kill me, Louise.
There's still a lot of pain and
unhappiness in store for me.
You wouldn't want me to mis
s all that, now would you?
Now, look, why don't you
just give me that before I get hurt.
I told you.
I explained it to you, how important
it was for you not to leave me again.
All right.
Well, go ahead and shoot.
Mathematically, the chances
of your hitting me are slight.
And as far as killing me, well,
I don't think you're that good a shot.
I killed him!
Ten years ago, I could've prevented this.
Five, even two years ago,
it could've been prevented.
It was there for any psychiatrist to see.
If a child breaks a leg,
he's taken to a doctor.
If he shows signs of mental illness,
he's hidden away in a closet.
- Shut away, until it's too late.
- Dr. Willard, a Mr. Graham...
is waiting in your office to see you.
All right. Thanks, Miss Pullie.
- Dr. Willard.
- Yes, sir.
My name is Dean Graham.
- You telegraphed me about my wife.
- Yes, how do you do?
Won't you sit down, please?
Doctor, I've never given way to emotion.
But you can imagine my state of mind.
Yes, of course I can.
May I see her?
Yes.
She won't recognize you though.
I must know her condition, Doctor.
Tell me everything you know.
Mr. Graham, it's a clear case of psychosis.
- Completely unbalanced.
- You mean she's insane.
Yes, if you insist on using that term.
- Is it hopeless?
- No, it isn't.
As a matter of fact, I intend
to try and restore her.
It will take many months.
But there's every reason to believe
that someday she'll be herself.
Thank God.
Mr. Graham, I want you to
follow me very closely now.
We human beings act according
to certain patterns of behavior.
Sometimes, why exactly we don't know yet...
the pattern is broken.
The wires are crossed.
The mind cannot evaluate, judge...
or even function properly.
Shock follows shock, until
eventually the mind gives way.
The brain loses control
and the body sinks into coma.
Then, in a biblical sense...
we might say that such a person
is possessed of devils.
And, it is the psychiatrist
that must cast them out.
Substantially...
this is what happened to Louise.
She was under great emotional strain
the night your first wife killed herself.
And it was a very simple matter
for her tortured mind...
to develop the delusion that she actually
helped Pauline to commit suicide.
And once the initial delusion
was established...
her present condition was almost inevitable.
I see.
Doctor.
Since, apparently,
she has told you all this...
I presume you know about David Sutton, too.
Yes, Mr. Graham, I do.
- There'll be a trial, of course.
- Of course.
I can't predict the outcome.
But Louise is neither mentally nor morally
responsible for any of her actions.
Whether or not a jury will understand
that is beyond my control.
And now, may I see her?
Yes, Mr. Graham, come with me.
She looks almost happy.
Yes, she is, in a way.
There are no problems in her private world.
Not now, anyway.
When she starts to recover...
She'll suffer, I suppose.
You and I can have no conception
of how she'll suffer.
- I'd like to spare her that.
- You can't.
It's pain that made her this way.
Only through greater pain,
and suffering beyond belief...
will she get well again.
I'll be there whatever happens.
However much she suffers.
I was rather hoping you'd say that.
She's going to need you, very much indeed.
- Can I stay here a few moments?
- Yes, of course.
If she awakens, don't expect
too much, though.
She won't know you. Not for a while.
I'll wait.
I'm here.