When A Stranger Calls (1979) Movie Script
Imadethereservationsfor8:15.
We'regonna belate.
I madethereservationsfor8:1 5.
We'regonna belate.
- Dr. Minakis?
- Mandrakis.
It's okay. Everyone gets itwrong
thefirst time.
-You'reJill. Come on in.
- Hi,Jill. I'm Mrs. Mandrakis.
Honey, couldyou get this for me,
please? Thankyou.
I wrote the number ofthe restaurant
on the notepad bythe phone.
Ifwe're not home in two hours, we've
gone on to a movie till midnight. Okay?
- Sure.
- I've told my service to take calls...
on my office phone, so--
The children are asleep upstairs.
First door on your left
at the top ofthe landing.
They're both just getting over
really bad colds...
and I had a terrible time getting them
to sleep...
so please try not towake them.
- Okay.
- Any questions?
- No.
- Great. We're late. Let's go, honey.
Makeyourselfat home.
The refrigerator's loaded.
- Okay. Bye.
- We even have some low-fatyogurt.
- Honey, come on!
- Bye.
Areyou at Dr. Mandrakis's?
Yeah. I've been here
for about an hour.
- Isn't it a neat house?
- I guess. I haven't looked around much.
- Didyousee his kids?
- Theywere asleep.
They're reallycute.
So what's goin'on?
Doyou thinkyou're gonna be talking
to him sometime tonight?
- Who?
- Bobby.
Probably. You know...
Bobbyaskedme
to go out with him this weekend.
And I was reallytempted...
'cause I like Bobby a lot.
As much asyou do.
But I told him I couldn't...
'cause I didn't think it was right
because you were my friend.
You are my friend.
Yeah, I guess so.
Listen, do me a favor.
J ust give Bobby the number here.
Okay? Don't tell him I told you to.
Okay. I gotta go now.
Bye, Nance. Thankyou.
Yeah. Bye.
Hello?
Haveyou checkedthe children?
What?
- Hello?
- Haveyou checkedthe children?
Dr. Mandrakis?
Oh, yeah, sure.
Dr. Mandrakis.
Hello?
Haveyou checkedthe children?
Robert, I don't think
this is veryfunny.
Bobby?
Who is this?
- Golden Bull.
- Hello.
Is Dr. Mandrakis there?
This is his baby-sitter.
Holdon a minute.
- Hello.
- Yes.
Dr. Mandrakis left the restaurant
about 40 minutes ago.
- Forty minutes ago.
- That's right.
- Operator.
- Could you get me the police?
- Is this an emergency?
- Yes.
Well, no. Not really.
The numberis 555-9431.
Wouldyou like me to connectyou?
Yes.
- Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.
- Hello.
I've been getting phone calls
about every 1 5 minutes.
It's a man.
I think he's trying to scare me.
An anonymous caller, ma'am?
- That's right.
- Has he threatenedyou?
Has he been using obscene language?
Sometimes he doesn't say anything.
He just keeps calling.
Well, there's reallynothing
we can do about it down here.
- Is the phone listedinyourname?
- No, I'm just a baby-sitter.
It's probablyjustsome weirdo.
The city's full ofthem.
Believe it or not, we get reports
like this everynight.
It's nothing to worry about.
- Oh.
- Have you tried whistling?
What?
Ifyou can find a good loud whistle
in the house...
blow it into the phone, hard,
the next time he calls.
Probably break his eardrum.
He won't botheryou after that.
No, I--
You're probably right.
It's nothing to worry about.
Hello?
Whyhaven'tyou
checked the children?
Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.
I called you before about the man
who keeps calling me.
- Oh,yeah.
- He called me again.
Didyou try whistling?
No. He's out there.
Out where?
In the neighborhood.
He's watching me through thewindows.
Didyousee him?
No, but I know he's there.
- Is the house lockedup?
- Yes.
Well, thenyou'resafe. Ifhe wantedto
break in, he wouldn't be callingyou.
Please, can't you help me?
I'm all alone here.
Okay. Take it easy. I'll tellyou what.
Ifthis guy calls again--
He will call again.
I know he will.
All right. Now, calm down.
Look, I can alert the phone company
so ifhe calls again...
we can try to trace the call.
What'syour number?
And the address?
Oh,yeah. I know where that is.
Okay, now. Ifthe guy calls again...
uou try to keep him on the line for at
least a minute so we can trace the call.
I can't do that. He doesn't stay on
for more than a couple of seconds.
Well, that's the only way
we can helpyou.
By the way, what'syourname?
Jill Johnson.
Jill, the important thing
is foryou to relax.
You're safe whereyou are. We've got
patrolmen cruising that area all night.
Just stay calm.
Willyou do that for me?
Yes.
In the meantime,
we'll be watchingyour line.
All right,Jill?
- Yes.
- You call again ifthere's anyproblem.
Good night.
'Night.
Hello.
It's me.
I know.
Who are you?
I'm not gonna be here
much longer.
Dr. Mandrakis and his wife
are coming home.
I know.
Can you see me?
Yes.
I'm sorry
I turned the lights down.
I'll turn them back up
ifyou like.
No. Don't.
Don't?
You've really scared me...
ifthat's whatyou wanted.
Is that whatyou wanted?
No.
What doyou want?
Yourblood.
All overme.
You don't know who I am.
Orwhere I live.
And Dr. Mandrakis will take me home,
or maybe even the police.
You've calledthepolice?
I wanna talk toyou.
- Leave me alone!
- This is Sergeant Sacker. Listen to me.
We've tracedthe call.
It's coming from inside the house.
A squad car's on the wayright now.
Just get outta that house.
Are the parents here yet?
Yeah, they arrived
about ten minutes ago.
Christ. What a homecoming.
What happened, Charlie?
Wewere less than a block away
when the call came through.
When we got here, the guywas still
upstairs in the kids' bedroom.
Hewas covered with blood.
- Blood?
- Not his own.
The children have been dead
for several hours.
Oh,Jesus.
He'd been using some old phone
the parents never had disconnected.
Who is he?
Well, we found this merchant seaman's
card on him. He's English.
Entered this country
less than a week ago.
How about the baby-sitter?
She'll be all right.
I'm Lieutenant Clifford.
I'm very sorry. I'll tryto be brief.
Sit down.
Thankyou.
Soyou're in business
foryourselfnow.
Yes, sir. For
the past three and a halfyears.
That's good.
And you'd heard about
Curt Duncan's escape?
Oh, yes.
Doyou think the police
will find him?
I know they haven't
assigned anyone to it specifically.
- It's an old case.
- An old case.
- Can you find him?
- Yes.
Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not this week,
but I'll find him.
- He could be anywhere by now.
- I don't think so.
Because he's a foreigner,
he'll come back to the city.
After sixyears in confinement, that's
the only place that's familiarto him.
That's important.
A man murders two children
in cold blood.
Ajury declares him insane.
How could such a person
not be?
He's sent to a state
mental institution...
where the security
is less than perfect.
And he escapes.
It isn't fair.
A thing like that...
should never be allowed
to happen again.
I couldn't agreewith you more.
Go ahead, then.
My accountantwill contactyou.
Thankyou.
Thankyou.
State Hospital.
Curt Duncan isn't going to run right out
andkillmore children.
I'm not worriedabout that.
We hadhim in here forsixyears
under continuous therapy--
some ofit rather forceful.
And drugs, tranquilizers,
depressants, lithium--
Eventually anyone will respond
to the treatment here.
You gave him electric shock?
Yes, some.
It says here thirty-eight.
Thirty-eight times?
It's a fairly standard procedure.
Well, whatwill happen to him now...
without the drugs hewas on?
Oh, there'll be some deterioration.
That's inevitable.
We can't say how much.
During the time thatyou had him here,
did you discover...
any particular habits ofhis--
peculiarities, quirks?
- Anything that might help me find him?
-Yes, of course.
It's all in the folder,
Mr. Clifford.
Any mail from people
back in England? Family?
That, too, is in the folder.
Let's get something
straight here, Doctor.
I've been 33 years in the business of
tracking people and putting them away.
Spent almost a year on Curt Duncan alone
with the trial and the testimonies...
and the background investigations.
Now, I didn't come here todayto look
in your goddamn folders.
In fact, I wouldn't be here at all
ifyou'd doneyourjob right.
This is a hospital, Mr. Clifford,
not a penitentiary.
Everything appertaining to one ofour
patients is meticulously recorded...
in that patient's folder,
whetheryou can make sense ofit...
or not.
Doyou want to know how much
we really understand ofthe human mind?
Listen. This is Curt Duncan...
shortly after hewas admitted here
sixyears ago.
...to giveyoumedication
that will calmyou down.
We're notputting anything
inyourfood, either.
No? I've got to eat the food?
It doesn't taste right!
That's Duncan.
Curt, why areyou fidgeting?
Can'tyou get comfortable?
No! I'm not comfortable!
Don'tyou look at me.
Don'tyou talk to me.
Don'tyou touch me.
Stay away.
- Curt, I'm only trying to helpyou.
- Stay away.
Guard! Guard!
Grab him! Help!
Hello.
What you been up to?
My own business.
Look. Thanks for the light.
Next round's on me.
Look. I've got my own money.
So ifyou don't mind.
Afterwhat I've been through,
I don't mind anything.
See, that's thewhole point.
My mind.
Your mind.
Where do theyfit in?
Doyou seewhat I mean?
Okay, pal.
Doyou live around here?
Get offofme!
Oh, listen. I didn't mean anything.
I-- You see--
- I don't live around--
- Hey!
I thinkthe ladywants to be
left alone.
I thinkan apology is in order.
Is that the best
you can do?
I thinkyou better move along, pal.
Bill, it's okay, really.
He's--
No! I want him out ofhere, man!
Areyou deaf?
Go on! Beat it!
I'm not gonna say it again, mister.
This is Torchy's.
I want to report a fight.
Whoyou callin'?
I don't knowwhy I keep coming back
to this dump.
Charlie?
Hey, Cliff.
Let me fixyou a drink, man.
- Let me talk toyou.
- You want some ofthis?
- No. Thankyou.
- What's goin' on?
I wanna talktoyou
in private. Sorry.
- You know these people here.
-Yes, I do.
- What's going on here?
- I wanna talk toyou privately.
Huh? Come on. I can't take
any more surprises tonight.
You did this, you dirty dog.
Yeah, you did.
Let's go upstairs for a minute.
All right.
Now, what's going on?
Come on. Tell Papa.
- You getting married?
- No.
I got a job this week,
tracking someone.
Fantastic. I knewyou could do it.
- Yeah. Keep up the good work.
- It's Curt Duncan.
- What?
- You didn't know he escaped?
I need your cooperation on this one.
Yeah, sure.
Anything you want. Anything.
Oh, it's you.
What doyou want?
I came to apologize.
Listen, I'm the one
who should be sorry.
I didn't mean forthat to happen.
I'm new in town.
I don't know anybody.
Where areyou from?
Excuse me.
Hello?
No, I just got in.
I don't know ifl can.
Listen, I can't talk right now.
Can I call you back?
All right. Bye.
I--
I'm from New York, actually.
Look, you can't come in here.
Well, I thought perhaps
we might get some coffee.
No, I don't think so.
- Somewhere nearby?
- Not tonight.
You'd better go.
I got no place to go.
Well, you can't stay here.
Just a coffee?
Please?
Well, maybe tomorrow.
Okay. Tomorrow. When?
I said maybe. I don't know.
Look, I'm sorry about what happened
this afternoon. I really am.
All right?
Thatwas my boyfriend on the phone.
He's coming over.
So please leave. Now.
- I likeyou.
- Look!
Doyou want me to call the cops?
It's okay.
I'll seeyou sometime.
Later.
I still want to buyyou that drink.
Howlong willyoube here?
Depends on howluckyl get.
I wanna look
through the oldfiles on him.
Check everyrecent report ofassault,
vagrancy, things like that.
J ust wanna askyou a question,
Mr. Trumble.
- All right. What doyou wanna know?
- What was stolen?
Wake up! Godbless it!
Get outta here. Out!
All right! Damn it. All right!
What doya say, partner?
Hey, looky here.
I'm dry as a bone, man.
You got any money?
Well, keep the picture. Ifyou think
you see him, I'd appreciate a call.
- About four blocks.
- Yeah? Down bythe park?
- A foreigner. Has a British accent.
- No, I haven't.
He's about my height.
Light complexion.
I wasjust with that guy.
Lookedbad.
- Where?
- Hell, I can't remember.
Probably see him again, though.
I'll tell you what.
You leave that moneywith me,
and I'll see that he gets it...
as a favortoyou.
I gotta talk to him.
What's the matter?
Don'tyou trust me?
We can work together.
Yeah. Sure.
You keep the bottle, huh?
I'll be back.
- Bar downtown?
- I got the address ifyou want it.
Appreciate it.
Shit.
Who is it?
My name is John Clifford.
I'm a private investigator.
You're a what?
A private detective.
What doyou wantwith me?
I thought maybewe could talk.
Ask a few questions.
I don't know nothing
about anything or anybody.
Shit.
Listen, lady. I can be back
in 30 minutes...
with a search warrant
and a handful of cops.
I could probably haveyou arrested,
whether or not the charges would stick.
Now, you wanna let me in and talk?
Haveyou got a badge?
I'll showyou a badge
when you open the goddamn door!
I don't have a badge.
I'm issued a license, a piece ofpaper.
And I left it at home.
You Tracy Fuller?
Can we sit down?
You recognize this man?
Why?
He's escaped from the insane asylum.
Seven years ago,
he murdered two children.
Broke into the house
and found them asleep in bed.
Itwas a little boy, four and a half,
and his little three-year-old sister.
Afterthe coroner's investigation,
the bodies were taken to the mortuary...
where the undertaker
took one look at them...
and said their bodies couldn't
be reconstructed for the burial...
without six days ofsteadywork.
Then he asked what had been the murder
weapon, because looking at the mess...
he couldn't imagine
what had been used.
The coronertold him
there had been no murderweapon.
The killer had used only his hands.
He's been here.
Think he'll tryto seeyou again?
I don't know. He--
He said he had no place to go.
Let's play it safe.
Let's assume hewill.
Will you workwith me?
You found him.
You found him.
I thinkso.
Where?
From here on, I go it alone.
Whytake a chance on it, Cliff?
- We'll letyou have the credit.
- No.
I'm gonna kill him, Charlie.
The closer I get to this guy,
the more--
He gets to me. I don't know.
Look, you better go on home.
You're falling in.
Not this time. This is the case
that makes up for a whole career.
Ifyou don't understand that now,
you will in a fewyears.
Who hired you to do this?
So nowyou're a hit man.
Jesus Christ. He killed two kids
in cold blood! You were there too.
What areyou gonna use?
Lock needles.
You are straining ourfriendship.
Ifyou blow this thing at all--
You'll never hearfrom me again.
All right.
Takeyourtime.
And do it good.
You okay?
All right.
Keep it, honey. Mytreat.
No luck.
Did you see him?
He still could
be out there, though.
- Oh, God.
- Areyou okay?
I'm gonna hang around
outside for a while.
I'll be back, on and offagain,
all night.
- You sureyou're all right?
- I'm fine.
Boltyour door, and don't
let anybody in, no matterwhat.
I'll be seein'ya.
Listen.
Thanks.
Sure.
I must talktoyou.
I wantyou to be myfriend.
Please?
What's happening, old buddy?
CrazyCurt!
Hey, old fella, well-met
and all thatjazz. Looky here.
This is our lucky day. Friend
ofyours has got some moneyforya...
and we got to get on backdown
to the park now and meet him.
Come on, now. Wait. Listen.
He gonna be comin' foryou, Crazy Curt.
He's got some M-O-N-E-Y.
We can get us a little joyjuice,
partner. Come on, now.
Come--
Come on, man.
What's the matterwith you?
You really are crazy.
Hey there, partner!
It's over now.
Come on out.
My name's John Clifford.
I'm a private detective.
I was hired by Alexander Mandrakis
to takeyou back.
I'm not gonna hurtyou.
I'm not gonna hurtyou.
There'll be no more pain.
You're safe now.
Take it easy, Duncan.
You're all right.
Nobody's gonna hurtyou.
Just comewith me.
It's all right, Duncan.
Duncan!
Grab him!
Stop that guy! Hold him!
Come on.
Get out oftheway.
Let me through here!
Come on!
Nobody can see me anymore.
Nobody can hear me.
No one touches me.
I'm not here.
I don't exist.
I was never born.
No one can see me anymore.
No one can hear me.
No one touches me.
No one can hear.
I don't exist.
I wasn't born.
Come on.
- Hi, Mommy.
- Hi, Mommy.
Hi, you guys.
Lookwhat the wind blew in.
- You been playin' hard?
- Yeah.
- Yeah? You hungry?
- Yeah.
- What doyou want for dinner?
- Hamburgers.
Hamburgers? I never knew
he liked hamburgers, did you?
Can you get that?
Maybe that's Daddy, huh?
- Hello?
- How's mylittle tiger?
- Okay. When you coming home?
- Realsoon.
Why don'tyou
let me talk to Mommy, okay?
- Bye, Daddy.
- Thankyou. Hello.
- Hi, babe. How's mygirl?
- Fine.
- You wanna go with Stevie?
- Come on.
I'm comin'.
You know that dress I gotyou
foryourbirthday?
- Yeah?
- Well, now'syour chance to wearit...
'cause I'm takingyou
out to dinner tonight.
- What's goin' on?
- A little surprise.
I'm leaving here now.
I'll be home in halfan hour.
- Bye-bye.
- Bye, babe.
...I pray the Lord
mysoul to keep.
Ifl should die
before I wake...
I pray the Lord
mysoul to take.
God bless Mommy and Daddy--
And me.
Grandma, Aunt Lucy,
Uncle George--
- And me.
- And her.
- Now will you read us a story?
- No, I will not.
- You try and go to sleep, okay?
- Okay.
- Good night, Mommy.
- Good night.
Sharon will be here
while we're gone. Good night.
Mommy, will you come here a minute?
I wanna tell you something.
What is it?
- Come closer.
- What is it?
- I loveyou.
- I loveyou too, Beebell.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Sleep good.
Good night.
- Hi, Sharon.
- Hello, Mrs. Lockhart.
I sawyour picture in the paper
the other day. Congratulations.
Wasn't that
a terrible picture?
I thought itwas nice.
- The kids asleep?
- No, but theywill be.
I give about 20 minutes, then go up
and take a peek. But I warn you:
IfStephen sees you, you're
gonna have to read him a story.
Let's go.
Now, I have the number
ofthe restaurant here...
and you know the number for police
and emergencies is 91 1?
- You know that, right?
- I'm gonna eat this staircase.
Yes, lord and master.
I'm not
wearing that thing.
- Have a good time.
- Okay. Thankyou.
- Good-bye, Sharon.
- Bye-bye.
- Good-bye.
- You got everything, right?
I don't believe it--
district sales manager.
It's about time.
It's about time they recognized you
forwhatyou really are.
You know, I'm going to be
theyoungest district sales manager...
in the company's history.
- Does this mean a raise?
- It sure does.
- How much?
- A lot.
Well, how much?
- You are kidding?
- No.
- And a car? Doyou get-- Yes?
- And a car.
I'm so proud ofyou.
- Don'tyou wantyourfood?
- Excuse me.
- Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart?
- Yes?
- There's a phone call foryou.
- No. I'll get it.
It's just Sharon, I'm sure.
Eatyour dinner.
This way.
Thankyou. Hello?
Haveyou checkedthe children?
- Someone help us!
- Somebody needs help.
Please.Jill?
- What's happened? What's wrong?
- The phone! That man!
- He's on the phone! He's got my babies!
- Wait.
- What?
- Curt Duncan. He's back.
- He's on the phone?
- He has my babies!
My babies! Please.
It's okay. It's okay, honey.
- Hello?
- Hello? Sharon? This is Mr. Lockhart.
- What's going on over there?
- Nothing's going on.
- Is everything all right?
- Yes. There's nothinggoing on.
Everything's fine.
Why? What's the matter?
Sharon, listen
to me very carefully. Look.
Ifthere is a man in the house-- if
there's any reason you can't talk--
just answer "yes" over the phone.
Ifthere's any danger
ofany kind,just say "yes."
I don't understand.
What man in the house?
Sharon? Please do me a favor.
Just tell me truthfully:
When was the last time
you checked my children?
About 45 minutes ago.
Everything's fine.
- Theywere fast asleep.
- Wh--
Sharon, I'm sorry
about the hysterics.
We're leaving the restaurant now. I'll
explain everything when we get back.
Beforewe hang up, would you
do one more thing for me?
- What?
- Would you go checkthe children?
- Honey!
- Sure.
- Excuse me. Excuse me, please.
- Hold on.
- What's the problem, sir?
- I'm Stephen Lockhart.Just a second.
Why doesn't he hurry up,
get herto the hospital?
Hello? Mr. Lockhart,
what's the matter?
- What's going on?
- Nothing's going on.
- You all right? What about the phone?
- What phone?
-When we called you from the restaurant.
-Mommy?
When I got back to the phone,
the line was dead.
Go back to sleep.
Was anybody else here tonight?
Is it okay ifthe police takeyou home?
I don'twant to leaveJill alone.
- Have I done something wrong?
- No. Don'tworry about it.
Jill, I'm here.
We're both here.
We're safe now.
Look. Ifit'll
makeyou feel any better--
I'll keep it right here
beside me all night long, hmm?
You know I'm a light sleeper
and a damn good shot.
Satisfied?
I'm sorryto be
putting you through all this.
Come on.
Hey, Bert. This reportjust
came in on that guy, Curt Duncan.
It seems he broke out ofthe nuthouse
about threeweeks ago.
Yeah? You gonna
put this in our report?
Diamonds, Charlie.
Diamonds was led.
Yeah, I thinkwe should put it in.
Maybe this gal did get a call from him.
- Who knows?
-Your lead, Charlie.
What the hell you doin'?
That's a trump.
A card laid
is a card played.
You're right. We'd better leave this
on Ruznik's desk in the morning.
Sorry, fellas. Give 'em all to me.
I've got 'em all.
-Jesus Christ.
- I can't help that.
- Say, can I see this a minute?
- Yeah.
-You guys have a stakeout on this house?
-Yeah.
Bernstein and Waller are checking in
about every 20 minutes or so.
Hello?
Cliff, I think
I got something foryou.
Wh-- Yes?
Honey,
where'd you get this?
The candy.
Where'd you get the candy?
- Operator, what does that mean?
- I'm sorry, sir.
- That line seems to be disconnected.
- Then why don't I get a recording?
I don't know, sir. Maybe the number
was recently disconnected...
or maybe there's
a temporary malfunction in the wiring.
Couldyou try it again
in the morning?
Yeah. Okay. Thanks.
You can't see me...
but I had to come back.
Don't you know why?
Your husband's okay.
We'regonna belate.
I madethereservationsfor8:1 5.
We'regonna belate.
- Dr. Minakis?
- Mandrakis.
It's okay. Everyone gets itwrong
thefirst time.
-You'reJill. Come on in.
- Hi,Jill. I'm Mrs. Mandrakis.
Honey, couldyou get this for me,
please? Thankyou.
I wrote the number ofthe restaurant
on the notepad bythe phone.
Ifwe're not home in two hours, we've
gone on to a movie till midnight. Okay?
- Sure.
- I've told my service to take calls...
on my office phone, so--
The children are asleep upstairs.
First door on your left
at the top ofthe landing.
They're both just getting over
really bad colds...
and I had a terrible time getting them
to sleep...
so please try not towake them.
- Okay.
- Any questions?
- No.
- Great. We're late. Let's go, honey.
Makeyourselfat home.
The refrigerator's loaded.
- Okay. Bye.
- We even have some low-fatyogurt.
- Honey, come on!
- Bye.
Areyou at Dr. Mandrakis's?
Yeah. I've been here
for about an hour.
- Isn't it a neat house?
- I guess. I haven't looked around much.
- Didyousee his kids?
- Theywere asleep.
They're reallycute.
So what's goin'on?
Doyou thinkyou're gonna be talking
to him sometime tonight?
- Who?
- Bobby.
Probably. You know...
Bobbyaskedme
to go out with him this weekend.
And I was reallytempted...
'cause I like Bobby a lot.
As much asyou do.
But I told him I couldn't...
'cause I didn't think it was right
because you were my friend.
You are my friend.
Yeah, I guess so.
Listen, do me a favor.
J ust give Bobby the number here.
Okay? Don't tell him I told you to.
Okay. I gotta go now.
Bye, Nance. Thankyou.
Yeah. Bye.
Hello?
Haveyou checkedthe children?
What?
- Hello?
- Haveyou checkedthe children?
Dr. Mandrakis?
Oh, yeah, sure.
Dr. Mandrakis.
Hello?
Haveyou checkedthe children?
Robert, I don't think
this is veryfunny.
Bobby?
Who is this?
- Golden Bull.
- Hello.
Is Dr. Mandrakis there?
This is his baby-sitter.
Holdon a minute.
- Hello.
- Yes.
Dr. Mandrakis left the restaurant
about 40 minutes ago.
- Forty minutes ago.
- That's right.
- Operator.
- Could you get me the police?
- Is this an emergency?
- Yes.
Well, no. Not really.
The numberis 555-9431.
Wouldyou like me to connectyou?
Yes.
- Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.
- Hello.
I've been getting phone calls
about every 1 5 minutes.
It's a man.
I think he's trying to scare me.
An anonymous caller, ma'am?
- That's right.
- Has he threatenedyou?
Has he been using obscene language?
Sometimes he doesn't say anything.
He just keeps calling.
Well, there's reallynothing
we can do about it down here.
- Is the phone listedinyourname?
- No, I'm just a baby-sitter.
It's probablyjustsome weirdo.
The city's full ofthem.
Believe it or not, we get reports
like this everynight.
It's nothing to worry about.
- Oh.
- Have you tried whistling?
What?
Ifyou can find a good loud whistle
in the house...
blow it into the phone, hard,
the next time he calls.
Probably break his eardrum.
He won't botheryou after that.
No, I--
You're probably right.
It's nothing to worry about.
Hello?
Whyhaven'tyou
checked the children?
Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.
I called you before about the man
who keeps calling me.
- Oh,yeah.
- He called me again.
Didyou try whistling?
No. He's out there.
Out where?
In the neighborhood.
He's watching me through thewindows.
Didyousee him?
No, but I know he's there.
- Is the house lockedup?
- Yes.
Well, thenyou'resafe. Ifhe wantedto
break in, he wouldn't be callingyou.
Please, can't you help me?
I'm all alone here.
Okay. Take it easy. I'll tellyou what.
Ifthis guy calls again--
He will call again.
I know he will.
All right. Now, calm down.
Look, I can alert the phone company
so ifhe calls again...
we can try to trace the call.
What'syour number?
And the address?
Oh,yeah. I know where that is.
Okay, now. Ifthe guy calls again...
uou try to keep him on the line for at
least a minute so we can trace the call.
I can't do that. He doesn't stay on
for more than a couple of seconds.
Well, that's the only way
we can helpyou.
By the way, what'syourname?
Jill Johnson.
Jill, the important thing
is foryou to relax.
You're safe whereyou are. We've got
patrolmen cruising that area all night.
Just stay calm.
Willyou do that for me?
Yes.
In the meantime,
we'll be watchingyour line.
All right,Jill?
- Yes.
- You call again ifthere's anyproblem.
Good night.
'Night.
Hello.
It's me.
I know.
Who are you?
I'm not gonna be here
much longer.
Dr. Mandrakis and his wife
are coming home.
I know.
Can you see me?
Yes.
I'm sorry
I turned the lights down.
I'll turn them back up
ifyou like.
No. Don't.
Don't?
You've really scared me...
ifthat's whatyou wanted.
Is that whatyou wanted?
No.
What doyou want?
Yourblood.
All overme.
You don't know who I am.
Orwhere I live.
And Dr. Mandrakis will take me home,
or maybe even the police.
You've calledthepolice?
I wanna talk toyou.
- Leave me alone!
- This is Sergeant Sacker. Listen to me.
We've tracedthe call.
It's coming from inside the house.
A squad car's on the wayright now.
Just get outta that house.
Are the parents here yet?
Yeah, they arrived
about ten minutes ago.
Christ. What a homecoming.
What happened, Charlie?
Wewere less than a block away
when the call came through.
When we got here, the guywas still
upstairs in the kids' bedroom.
Hewas covered with blood.
- Blood?
- Not his own.
The children have been dead
for several hours.
Oh,Jesus.
He'd been using some old phone
the parents never had disconnected.
Who is he?
Well, we found this merchant seaman's
card on him. He's English.
Entered this country
less than a week ago.
How about the baby-sitter?
She'll be all right.
I'm Lieutenant Clifford.
I'm very sorry. I'll tryto be brief.
Sit down.
Thankyou.
Soyou're in business
foryourselfnow.
Yes, sir. For
the past three and a halfyears.
That's good.
And you'd heard about
Curt Duncan's escape?
Oh, yes.
Doyou think the police
will find him?
I know they haven't
assigned anyone to it specifically.
- It's an old case.
- An old case.
- Can you find him?
- Yes.
Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not this week,
but I'll find him.
- He could be anywhere by now.
- I don't think so.
Because he's a foreigner,
he'll come back to the city.
After sixyears in confinement, that's
the only place that's familiarto him.
That's important.
A man murders two children
in cold blood.
Ajury declares him insane.
How could such a person
not be?
He's sent to a state
mental institution...
where the security
is less than perfect.
And he escapes.
It isn't fair.
A thing like that...
should never be allowed
to happen again.
I couldn't agreewith you more.
Go ahead, then.
My accountantwill contactyou.
Thankyou.
Thankyou.
State Hospital.
Curt Duncan isn't going to run right out
andkillmore children.
I'm not worriedabout that.
We hadhim in here forsixyears
under continuous therapy--
some ofit rather forceful.
And drugs, tranquilizers,
depressants, lithium--
Eventually anyone will respond
to the treatment here.
You gave him electric shock?
Yes, some.
It says here thirty-eight.
Thirty-eight times?
It's a fairly standard procedure.
Well, whatwill happen to him now...
without the drugs hewas on?
Oh, there'll be some deterioration.
That's inevitable.
We can't say how much.
During the time thatyou had him here,
did you discover...
any particular habits ofhis--
peculiarities, quirks?
- Anything that might help me find him?
-Yes, of course.
It's all in the folder,
Mr. Clifford.
Any mail from people
back in England? Family?
That, too, is in the folder.
Let's get something
straight here, Doctor.
I've been 33 years in the business of
tracking people and putting them away.
Spent almost a year on Curt Duncan alone
with the trial and the testimonies...
and the background investigations.
Now, I didn't come here todayto look
in your goddamn folders.
In fact, I wouldn't be here at all
ifyou'd doneyourjob right.
This is a hospital, Mr. Clifford,
not a penitentiary.
Everything appertaining to one ofour
patients is meticulously recorded...
in that patient's folder,
whetheryou can make sense ofit...
or not.
Doyou want to know how much
we really understand ofthe human mind?
Listen. This is Curt Duncan...
shortly after hewas admitted here
sixyears ago.
...to giveyoumedication
that will calmyou down.
We're notputting anything
inyourfood, either.
No? I've got to eat the food?
It doesn't taste right!
That's Duncan.
Curt, why areyou fidgeting?
Can'tyou get comfortable?
No! I'm not comfortable!
Don'tyou look at me.
Don'tyou talk to me.
Don'tyou touch me.
Stay away.
- Curt, I'm only trying to helpyou.
- Stay away.
Guard! Guard!
Grab him! Help!
Hello.
What you been up to?
My own business.
Look. Thanks for the light.
Next round's on me.
Look. I've got my own money.
So ifyou don't mind.
Afterwhat I've been through,
I don't mind anything.
See, that's thewhole point.
My mind.
Your mind.
Where do theyfit in?
Doyou seewhat I mean?
Okay, pal.
Doyou live around here?
Get offofme!
Oh, listen. I didn't mean anything.
I-- You see--
- I don't live around--
- Hey!
I thinkthe ladywants to be
left alone.
I thinkan apology is in order.
Is that the best
you can do?
I thinkyou better move along, pal.
Bill, it's okay, really.
He's--
No! I want him out ofhere, man!
Areyou deaf?
Go on! Beat it!
I'm not gonna say it again, mister.
This is Torchy's.
I want to report a fight.
Whoyou callin'?
I don't knowwhy I keep coming back
to this dump.
Charlie?
Hey, Cliff.
Let me fixyou a drink, man.
- Let me talk toyou.
- You want some ofthis?
- No. Thankyou.
- What's goin' on?
I wanna talktoyou
in private. Sorry.
- You know these people here.
-Yes, I do.
- What's going on here?
- I wanna talk toyou privately.
Huh? Come on. I can't take
any more surprises tonight.
You did this, you dirty dog.
Yeah, you did.
Let's go upstairs for a minute.
All right.
Now, what's going on?
Come on. Tell Papa.
- You getting married?
- No.
I got a job this week,
tracking someone.
Fantastic. I knewyou could do it.
- Yeah. Keep up the good work.
- It's Curt Duncan.
- What?
- You didn't know he escaped?
I need your cooperation on this one.
Yeah, sure.
Anything you want. Anything.
Oh, it's you.
What doyou want?
I came to apologize.
Listen, I'm the one
who should be sorry.
I didn't mean forthat to happen.
I'm new in town.
I don't know anybody.
Where areyou from?
Excuse me.
Hello?
No, I just got in.
I don't know ifl can.
Listen, I can't talk right now.
Can I call you back?
All right. Bye.
I--
I'm from New York, actually.
Look, you can't come in here.
Well, I thought perhaps
we might get some coffee.
No, I don't think so.
- Somewhere nearby?
- Not tonight.
You'd better go.
I got no place to go.
Well, you can't stay here.
Just a coffee?
Please?
Well, maybe tomorrow.
Okay. Tomorrow. When?
I said maybe. I don't know.
Look, I'm sorry about what happened
this afternoon. I really am.
All right?
Thatwas my boyfriend on the phone.
He's coming over.
So please leave. Now.
- I likeyou.
- Look!
Doyou want me to call the cops?
It's okay.
I'll seeyou sometime.
Later.
I still want to buyyou that drink.
Howlong willyoube here?
Depends on howluckyl get.
I wanna look
through the oldfiles on him.
Check everyrecent report ofassault,
vagrancy, things like that.
J ust wanna askyou a question,
Mr. Trumble.
- All right. What doyou wanna know?
- What was stolen?
Wake up! Godbless it!
Get outta here. Out!
All right! Damn it. All right!
What doya say, partner?
Hey, looky here.
I'm dry as a bone, man.
You got any money?
Well, keep the picture. Ifyou think
you see him, I'd appreciate a call.
- About four blocks.
- Yeah? Down bythe park?
- A foreigner. Has a British accent.
- No, I haven't.
He's about my height.
Light complexion.
I wasjust with that guy.
Lookedbad.
- Where?
- Hell, I can't remember.
Probably see him again, though.
I'll tell you what.
You leave that moneywith me,
and I'll see that he gets it...
as a favortoyou.
I gotta talk to him.
What's the matter?
Don'tyou trust me?
We can work together.
Yeah. Sure.
You keep the bottle, huh?
I'll be back.
- Bar downtown?
- I got the address ifyou want it.
Appreciate it.
Shit.
Who is it?
My name is John Clifford.
I'm a private investigator.
You're a what?
A private detective.
What doyou wantwith me?
I thought maybewe could talk.
Ask a few questions.
I don't know nothing
about anything or anybody.
Shit.
Listen, lady. I can be back
in 30 minutes...
with a search warrant
and a handful of cops.
I could probably haveyou arrested,
whether or not the charges would stick.
Now, you wanna let me in and talk?
Haveyou got a badge?
I'll showyou a badge
when you open the goddamn door!
I don't have a badge.
I'm issued a license, a piece ofpaper.
And I left it at home.
You Tracy Fuller?
Can we sit down?
You recognize this man?
Why?
He's escaped from the insane asylum.
Seven years ago,
he murdered two children.
Broke into the house
and found them asleep in bed.
Itwas a little boy, four and a half,
and his little three-year-old sister.
Afterthe coroner's investigation,
the bodies were taken to the mortuary...
where the undertaker
took one look at them...
and said their bodies couldn't
be reconstructed for the burial...
without six days ofsteadywork.
Then he asked what had been the murder
weapon, because looking at the mess...
he couldn't imagine
what had been used.
The coronertold him
there had been no murderweapon.
The killer had used only his hands.
He's been here.
Think he'll tryto seeyou again?
I don't know. He--
He said he had no place to go.
Let's play it safe.
Let's assume hewill.
Will you workwith me?
You found him.
You found him.
I thinkso.
Where?
From here on, I go it alone.
Whytake a chance on it, Cliff?
- We'll letyou have the credit.
- No.
I'm gonna kill him, Charlie.
The closer I get to this guy,
the more--
He gets to me. I don't know.
Look, you better go on home.
You're falling in.
Not this time. This is the case
that makes up for a whole career.
Ifyou don't understand that now,
you will in a fewyears.
Who hired you to do this?
So nowyou're a hit man.
Jesus Christ. He killed two kids
in cold blood! You were there too.
What areyou gonna use?
Lock needles.
You are straining ourfriendship.
Ifyou blow this thing at all--
You'll never hearfrom me again.
All right.
Takeyourtime.
And do it good.
You okay?
All right.
Keep it, honey. Mytreat.
No luck.
Did you see him?
He still could
be out there, though.
- Oh, God.
- Areyou okay?
I'm gonna hang around
outside for a while.
I'll be back, on and offagain,
all night.
- You sureyou're all right?
- I'm fine.
Boltyour door, and don't
let anybody in, no matterwhat.
I'll be seein'ya.
Listen.
Thanks.
Sure.
I must talktoyou.
I wantyou to be myfriend.
Please?
What's happening, old buddy?
CrazyCurt!
Hey, old fella, well-met
and all thatjazz. Looky here.
This is our lucky day. Friend
ofyours has got some moneyforya...
and we got to get on backdown
to the park now and meet him.
Come on, now. Wait. Listen.
He gonna be comin' foryou, Crazy Curt.
He's got some M-O-N-E-Y.
We can get us a little joyjuice,
partner. Come on, now.
Come--
Come on, man.
What's the matterwith you?
You really are crazy.
Hey there, partner!
It's over now.
Come on out.
My name's John Clifford.
I'm a private detective.
I was hired by Alexander Mandrakis
to takeyou back.
I'm not gonna hurtyou.
I'm not gonna hurtyou.
There'll be no more pain.
You're safe now.
Take it easy, Duncan.
You're all right.
Nobody's gonna hurtyou.
Just comewith me.
It's all right, Duncan.
Duncan!
Grab him!
Stop that guy! Hold him!
Come on.
Get out oftheway.
Let me through here!
Come on!
Nobody can see me anymore.
Nobody can hear me.
No one touches me.
I'm not here.
I don't exist.
I was never born.
No one can see me anymore.
No one can hear me.
No one touches me.
No one can hear.
I don't exist.
I wasn't born.
Come on.
- Hi, Mommy.
- Hi, Mommy.
Hi, you guys.
Lookwhat the wind blew in.
- You been playin' hard?
- Yeah.
- Yeah? You hungry?
- Yeah.
- What doyou want for dinner?
- Hamburgers.
Hamburgers? I never knew
he liked hamburgers, did you?
Can you get that?
Maybe that's Daddy, huh?
- Hello?
- How's mylittle tiger?
- Okay. When you coming home?
- Realsoon.
Why don'tyou
let me talk to Mommy, okay?
- Bye, Daddy.
- Thankyou. Hello.
- Hi, babe. How's mygirl?
- Fine.
- You wanna go with Stevie?
- Come on.
I'm comin'.
You know that dress I gotyou
foryourbirthday?
- Yeah?
- Well, now'syour chance to wearit...
'cause I'm takingyou
out to dinner tonight.
- What's goin' on?
- A little surprise.
I'm leaving here now.
I'll be home in halfan hour.
- Bye-bye.
- Bye, babe.
...I pray the Lord
mysoul to keep.
Ifl should die
before I wake...
I pray the Lord
mysoul to take.
God bless Mommy and Daddy--
And me.
Grandma, Aunt Lucy,
Uncle George--
- And me.
- And her.
- Now will you read us a story?
- No, I will not.
- You try and go to sleep, okay?
- Okay.
- Good night, Mommy.
- Good night.
Sharon will be here
while we're gone. Good night.
Mommy, will you come here a minute?
I wanna tell you something.
What is it?
- Come closer.
- What is it?
- I loveyou.
- I loveyou too, Beebell.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Sleep good.
Good night.
- Hi, Sharon.
- Hello, Mrs. Lockhart.
I sawyour picture in the paper
the other day. Congratulations.
Wasn't that
a terrible picture?
I thought itwas nice.
- The kids asleep?
- No, but theywill be.
I give about 20 minutes, then go up
and take a peek. But I warn you:
IfStephen sees you, you're
gonna have to read him a story.
Let's go.
Now, I have the number
ofthe restaurant here...
and you know the number for police
and emergencies is 91 1?
- You know that, right?
- I'm gonna eat this staircase.
Yes, lord and master.
I'm not
wearing that thing.
- Have a good time.
- Okay. Thankyou.
- Good-bye, Sharon.
- Bye-bye.
- Good-bye.
- You got everything, right?
I don't believe it--
district sales manager.
It's about time.
It's about time they recognized you
forwhatyou really are.
You know, I'm going to be
theyoungest district sales manager...
in the company's history.
- Does this mean a raise?
- It sure does.
- How much?
- A lot.
Well, how much?
- You are kidding?
- No.
- And a car? Doyou get-- Yes?
- And a car.
I'm so proud ofyou.
- Don'tyou wantyourfood?
- Excuse me.
- Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart?
- Yes?
- There's a phone call foryou.
- No. I'll get it.
It's just Sharon, I'm sure.
Eatyour dinner.
This way.
Thankyou. Hello?
Haveyou checkedthe children?
- Someone help us!
- Somebody needs help.
Please.Jill?
- What's happened? What's wrong?
- The phone! That man!
- He's on the phone! He's got my babies!
- Wait.
- What?
- Curt Duncan. He's back.
- He's on the phone?
- He has my babies!
My babies! Please.
It's okay. It's okay, honey.
- Hello?
- Hello? Sharon? This is Mr. Lockhart.
- What's going on over there?
- Nothing's going on.
- Is everything all right?
- Yes. There's nothinggoing on.
Everything's fine.
Why? What's the matter?
Sharon, listen
to me very carefully. Look.
Ifthere is a man in the house-- if
there's any reason you can't talk--
just answer "yes" over the phone.
Ifthere's any danger
ofany kind,just say "yes."
I don't understand.
What man in the house?
Sharon? Please do me a favor.
Just tell me truthfully:
When was the last time
you checked my children?
About 45 minutes ago.
Everything's fine.
- Theywere fast asleep.
- Wh--
Sharon, I'm sorry
about the hysterics.
We're leaving the restaurant now. I'll
explain everything when we get back.
Beforewe hang up, would you
do one more thing for me?
- What?
- Would you go checkthe children?
- Honey!
- Sure.
- Excuse me. Excuse me, please.
- Hold on.
- What's the problem, sir?
- I'm Stephen Lockhart.Just a second.
Why doesn't he hurry up,
get herto the hospital?
Hello? Mr. Lockhart,
what's the matter?
- What's going on?
- Nothing's going on.
- You all right? What about the phone?
- What phone?
-When we called you from the restaurant.
-Mommy?
When I got back to the phone,
the line was dead.
Go back to sleep.
Was anybody else here tonight?
Is it okay ifthe police takeyou home?
I don'twant to leaveJill alone.
- Have I done something wrong?
- No. Don'tworry about it.
Jill, I'm here.
We're both here.
We're safe now.
Look. Ifit'll
makeyou feel any better--
I'll keep it right here
beside me all night long, hmm?
You know I'm a light sleeper
and a damn good shot.
Satisfied?
I'm sorryto be
putting you through all this.
Come on.
Hey, Bert. This reportjust
came in on that guy, Curt Duncan.
It seems he broke out ofthe nuthouse
about threeweeks ago.
Yeah? You gonna
put this in our report?
Diamonds, Charlie.
Diamonds was led.
Yeah, I thinkwe should put it in.
Maybe this gal did get a call from him.
- Who knows?
-Your lead, Charlie.
What the hell you doin'?
That's a trump.
A card laid
is a card played.
You're right. We'd better leave this
on Ruznik's desk in the morning.
Sorry, fellas. Give 'em all to me.
I've got 'em all.
-Jesus Christ.
- I can't help that.
- Say, can I see this a minute?
- Yeah.
-You guys have a stakeout on this house?
-Yeah.
Bernstein and Waller are checking in
about every 20 minutes or so.
Hello?
Cliff, I think
I got something foryou.
Wh-- Yes?
Honey,
where'd you get this?
The candy.
Where'd you get the candy?
- Operator, what does that mean?
- I'm sorry, sir.
- That line seems to be disconnected.
- Then why don't I get a recording?
I don't know, sir. Maybe the number
was recently disconnected...
or maybe there's
a temporary malfunction in the wiring.
Couldyou try it again
in the morning?
Yeah. Okay. Thanks.
You can't see me...
but I had to come back.
Don't you know why?
Your husband's okay.