Original subtitles

Who is it?

Who is it?

Please.

Please.

Go away.

Hello, McGill.

This is Joan.

Joan Heinemann.

Hey, Joan.

It's good to hear from you.

McGill, you've got to help me, please.

Promise me.

All right.

What about that husband of yours?

Jason?

I can't. He thinks I'm going crazy.

You're the only one, Max.

What's going on, Joan?

I can't say on the phone.

Oh, I see. Okay, well, when do we get together?

Not tonight. We're going out.

Tomorrow. Okay, you remember that little restaurant down by the river?

Yes.

All right, I'll meet you there at 11 o 'clock tomorrow morning.

Okay. Thank you, Mac.

All right, now you take it easy.

Yeah.

Make mine a whiskey, huh?

Yes, James.

Pepe?

Pepino?

Sounds silly.

But about a month ago, it was only a month, I started seeing things.

And what kind of things?

A woman.

She's tall and blonde.

And she laughs at me.

It's an awful laugh.

Sometimes she's in the house, sometimes in the garden.

When I'm alone, always alone. And then there are phone calls.

Just... breathing and his laugh.

She wears a blue coat.

I shiver now if I see a woman in a blue coat.

When does all this happen?

At night, except once, the first time it was in the garden. I'd fallen asleep in

the sun and there she was.

Sounds like you're dreaming to me.

I wish I was dreaming.

She's real enough.

Well, do you recognize her? Does she look familiar?

No. No, I've... Complete stranger. I've never seen her before.

I want you to help me.

How? What about Jason?

Jason's a businessman.

Money, balance sheets.

Did you tell him? I've tried.

He thinks I'm imagining it.

You could help me.

What do you want me to do?

Well, you could find out who or what it is. Well, what about the police?

That isn't fair to Jason.

Anyway, what could they do about a woman and a lot?

I just don't know what I could do other than sit here and listen to you like a

priest.

I could move in with you and Jason. That's about the only way I could see

you see when you see it.

Yes, it's ridiculous. I'm sorry.

I didn't say that.

I shouldn't have involved you. I'm sorry. Please forget it.

Can you forget it?

Look, just give me a couple of days.

Let's see what happens.

And then call, okay?

All right.

Let me get a cab for you.

Oh, good afternoon, sir. Williams.

Do take a note of this address.

Flat 12.

Halcourt Mansions, Beaufort Street, Chelsea.

An American.

An American?

What's he look like? Oh, he's in his 30s, grey hair, about six foot. His name

is... McGill.

Oh, that's right, sir.

Shall I continue watching him?

No, Williams, you can leave him to me. Very good, Mr. Heinemann. Goodbye, sir.

Thank you.

What took you so long?

You expected me?

Yeah, I spotted your boy.

Would you like to explain why you were with Joan?

No, don't care to.

You always check up on your wife?

I'm responsible for my wife.

Her safety, her happiness.

Well, good for you.

I'm her husband and I happen to love her.

She's my responsibility and not yours.

Well, that's what I tried to tell her, but she seemed pretty scared, and she

asked me for help.

She never needed you.

She needs security, a home, stability.

Everything you never had and never will have.

Well, if it's going to make me as happy as it's made you, I hope I never do

have.

Seven years ago, she took me and not you.

She hasn't changed.

You haven't changed. I haven't changed.

Now, why don't you leave her alone?

Look, if she came to me as a complete stranger and asked me for help, I'd help

her if I thought I should.

I can get you stopped. You know that.

You can try.

A foreigner here under suffering, so to speak. And you do have a past.

And you do have a big mouth. And you do have some big friends, right? Right. And

I'll use them if necessary for Joan's happiness.

Is that the one?

Yep, that's Jason.

Obliging of him to show up here.

Yeah. Hey, wait a minute. I want to know every move he makes, day and night,

starting right now, okay?

I'll keep in touch, old boy. I got a little checking to do myself.

Hehehehehehehehehehe

Yes?

Joan?

McGill!

Joan?

Hey, listen.

Invented this thing to keep people from having to yell at each other.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a little on edge.

Well, Jason isn't home yet, and I've lost my little dog, Pepino.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

When did that happen?

He's been missing for a couple of days.

Have you anything to tell me?

No, I don't have anything to tell you yet.

But you will.

I mean, you said you were going to try and help me. Joan, if I have anything to

tell you, I'll tell you. You know that.

If?

Oh, you, uh... You think I'm imagining all this.

The woman and the telephone call, you think I'm making it all up.

I didn't say that. You did.

Well, if somebody isn't doing this, then it's me.

That's what I'm asking you to investigate, McGill.

My mind, my...

Vanity. Joan, now just listen to me.

I'm working on it. And I think you're probably one of the least neurotic women

I've ever met. So I don't think you're just making it all up. Now just try to

relax. Just take a book or a drink and just relax.

As soon as I have anything to tell you, I'll let you know, okay?

Joan?

Yeah.

Thanks, Miguel.

Here you are.

Hey.

Listen. Are you sure about this girl, Diana Fielding?

Jason's been here the last two evenings.

And again tonight. He's there now.

Like a bee running a blooming honey.

Is she a blonde?

Brunette. Light brunette.

Who pays her rent?

Who'd you expect?

She's taken the lease and everything.

Does she go out very much?

Shopping this morning. I gotta go.

Is that the only time she went out all day long?

Professionals, Mr. McGill, don't fit flogging over endless crossword puzzles

they have a chance of tailing their lemon.

Indiscriminate. In eleven letters.

Well, I'll say one thing for him. He really has good taste.

Are you coming for the ride?

No, you're such a professional. I know you can handle all the legwork. I'm

to take care of all the tricky stuff.

Well, try this.

Might make it less tricky.

Is this hers?

Where'd you get that?

You'll find it all itemized in my expenses, Mr. McGill.

Uh, promiscuous.

Who?

Indiscriminate, in a way.

Why don't you have another drink, Toby?

Thanks, old boy. Careful when you're drunk.

No, thanks.

Look, I'm no financial expert. Why don't you take a look at these things? See

what you can make out of them.

Jason.

Some welcome home.

Well, you're so early.

What about the office?

I brought it with me.

Oh, yeah, the fog.

Plus a vague sense of guilt.

Guilt?

About last night.

I said I'd be home.

I wasn't.

I'm sorry.

Will I make you some tea?

Well, I'd like something stronger. Do you mind?

Jason? Yes.

He's not back yet.

Who?

Pepino, of course.

He's been missing for nearly three days now. I know something terrible's

happened.

I'm sorry, darling.

Poor little fella.

But you know, I've warned you time and again about pet dogs and cities.

Where's the decanter?

It, uh, I had an accident.

How?

I'm sorry, Jason. It was just carelessness.

What was it, Joan?

What did happen?

I said... You had another one of your frights again last night, didn't you?

It's not hard to tell.

Married seven years. If nothing else, you at least get to know each other.

Nothing else.

Yeah.

I tried, darling. I really tried to get back last night. But this deal with the

Argentine, I... Please, Jason.

There's no need to make any excuses.

Who said anything about making excuses?

I was simply... John, you've been so touchy

recently.

Only in the last few weeks?

Yes, exactly.

Since... Well, say it.

Since I've been imagining things.

Well, if you choose to call it that.

I choose?

You're the one who keeps telling me.

What were you really doing last night, Jason?

I've already told you.

It's ironic.

You don't believe me about the phone calls and that woman.

And I don't believe your business deals.

What is this?

I'm being unfaithful?

Is that what you're accusing me of?

And you're accusing me of madness, Jason.

Which is worse?

My poor darling.

All I want is you.

The real Joan.

The way you were.

The real me.

We can do it.

Leave it, Jason.

You answer it.

Stop running, Joan.

I'm here now, remember?

Go on.

Joan? Yes?

Who is it?

McGill. Oh, it's you.

I'd like to see you now.

McGill, I can't.

Jason's here.

Well, that's okay.

Look, just meet me at the pub at the top of that alleyway as soon as you can.

Okay? Okay.

Joan, where are you going?

Who was it on the phone?

It was the neighbors. They think they've seen Pepino and I have to go and find

them. You're lying to me, dear.

No, no, they... You're lying.

What do you want, Joan?

Who do you really want to trust?

I can help you, you know that. But you have to decide.

Please. Or you're going to run away again.

Search the house, Jason.

The garden.

That's fine.

While you run off to lover boy McGill.

Joan!

What did you want to see me about?

Well, I wanted to see how you were.

I wanted to ask you about your money.

My money?

You have a lot of capital?

Inherited from my father.

Is it all your own?

Yes. Jason asked you to put a little money in his business lately?

I can't tell you that.

He has, hasn't he?

Jason wouldn't want me to say it.

Joan, now do you want me to help you or not?

Now, what do you say?

I'm sorry, McGill.

I want to trust Jason more than anything.

How do you trust him?

Just answer my question.

Has he?

He suggested I invest his.

Did you?

Well, it takes time. You know that it's complicated.

Okay. Now, you just stay here for a while.

Where are you going?

I'm going to go check on your house.

But Jason's there.

Good. Don't worry about Jason.

Oh, I see.

You do?

Well, it's pretty obvious, isn't it?

Handle me with care.

Don't let me know anything. Treat me like a child.

Like the mad case that I'm supposed to be.

Then I ought to give you a good spanking.

Now, you do as I say. You stay here and don't come home for about an hour.

Exactly, McGill.

A few feet to the left and you have a very simple explanation for Jones'

supposed intruder.

A little too simple.

And that's why I'd moved it. Really?

Blonde, she said, like herself.

It fits.

Yeah.

Well, that's very ingenious of you.

You mean a husband shouldn't try to solve his wife's illusions?

Shouldn't try to create them, either.

Meaning what?

You left that door and the one out in the garden open for someone else to walk

through, not me.

Someone with a blonde wig, I think.

Such as?

Such as an out -of -work actress by the name of Diana Fielding.

Yes, I suppose it could look like that.

It does.

Same for you?

Okay.

You think I'm trying to drive my wife mad.

Why?

To gain control over money?

I already have a prosperous business of my own.

Your prosperous business is on the rocks.

How interesting.

You need about half a million dollars to refit and modernize.

How much money does Joan have, Mr. Chairman?

You should look further.

At our competitors.

They all show the same sort of losses, on paper, that is.

Study the tax laws.

Now, I'm in no need of capital, McGill. Then why'd you ask Joan for money?

I advised her to make a profitable investment.

What about your girlfriend?

Diana Fielding.

Tell me, is it so wrong to seek a substitute for a wife you love?

We can no longer reach.

Oh.

Dana Fielding charged a blonde wig to your account in Harrods on the 30th of

last month. Now, do you deny that?

No.

She also has an auburn one. I paid for that, too.

She changes them like hats.

Oh, and by the way, she was in Paris the day that Joan had her first, uh, first

vision. How interesting.

McGill, if I could do anything, anything at all, to prevent what's happening to

Joan, believe me... What is happening to Joan?

Depressions, abrupt irrational fears, imagining things.

Those kind of problems don't just spring up overnight.

What, did she tell you that?

Do you know about her family?

Do you know about her mother, Mrs. Kagan?

No, what about Mrs. Kagan?

She's possessive, hysterical.

She's sick.

It's no wonder Joan had to get out, make a complete break.

Then, of course, what happened to her father?

What happened to him?

He hanged himself.

No, this hasn't happened overnight.

If you've known all of this, why haven't you gotten help for her before now?

She must have told you about Forsyte.

You must have known that she's been undergoing regular psychiatric

This woman, what does she look like?

You always ask that.

Please, let yourself see her.

Exactly as you did that first time.

I told you all this before.

Yes, in the garden, wasn't it? I told you all this.

I know.

But tell me again.

It was sunny.

After lunch, Pepino and myself.

So hot and humid.

I must have slept and then... Then... Then you felt this awful

heaviness.

Leaden and precious.

Everything's shimmering.

Something... Something close.

Heavy and near and heavy.

suffocating and then she was there yes

yes laughing

Familiar laughter, Mrs. Hannum.

No. I've told you and told you and told you.

Not my mother.

Not her.

No, you're right. You're wrong, Doctor.

Not her. Never.

Never.

Mrs. Kagan.

Dr. Forsyte, Heinemann here again.

It's two hours now and Joan still isn't back.

Not a sign of her. You're worrying unnecessarily, Mr. Heinemann. Yes, I am

worried.

I'm afraid her illness is nearing some sort of crisis.

You're entitled to think what you like.

Now, I've already told you once this evening where I think she might just

conceivably have gone.

If you're worried, that's where I suggest you go and look for her.

Good night, Mr. Heinemann.

The husband's asking a lot of questions, too.

His privilege.

Certainly not yours.

You're not a relative, Mr. McGill.

Well, do you have to be a relative to be worried about someone?

You must consider my position.

Yeah, I do. Why don't you consider mine?

And what do you want me to do, just quit and go to bed?

My profession has a stricter code of ethics than yours.

Then just answer this question.

Are you sure that...

The woman, the phone calls, the laughing are all Joan's neurotic inventions.

Not solely inventions.

Illusions.

Distortions of reality.

An unexpected shadow.

Or a reflection in a mirror, perhaps.

Illusions, distortions of reality, and you're not even worried?

You think she's psychotic and you're not even going to tell me anything to help?

I didn't say she was psychotic.

You didn't say anything.

Why do I look for her, Doctor?

Thank you.

to come. I had to. Why?

Why did you have to come here?

Because we have to face our guilt. Guilt for what?

For murder, McGill.

My mother and I murdered my father.

You don't imagine guilt like that.

You don't really believe you killed your father, do you? She did.

I mean it.

Not literally, of course, not in law.

But in spirit and heart.

He was a sensitive man and craved love.

And all he got was meanness and ridicule.

So we're both guilty.

She because she was hateful and I was indifferent.

Is that why you split with her?

Yes. Is she still alive?

I don't know.

Joan, do you think that she may be the woman you've been seeing?

Yes.

No.

I don't know.

Well, if it's not her, real or imagined, then who is it? Who could it be?

My guilt, myself.

My mother, death.

You're the detective. You deserve it.

I think I prefer death.

Where are we going?

I'm going to take you home. No.

Not there.

Go to your place or hotel, but not there. Why not?

Jason doesn't care anymore.

Yes, he does.

Well, he didn't come looking for me. You did.

But I came because he told me to.

I don't believe you.

I'm sorry, but I talked to Dr.

Forsythe. He told me where he thought you'd be, and then I called Jason, and

Jason told me to come get you.

Well, why didn't he come himself?

Because he thinks you're afraid of him. He doesn't think you trust him anymore.

He just thought it'd be better if I came.

What do you think?

Well, I think I'm going to take you home now.

No matter what happens, stay here.

Jason, McGill came and found me.

Thanks, McGill.

Are you all right?

You can imagine how worried I've been about you.

Are you sure you're all right?

Yeah.

Darling, there's something I want to show you.

It's all right.

In the dining room.

I tell you it's all right.

What's going on here, Jason?

I had to show her. What do you mean you had to show her? Why didn't you tell

her, at least warn her first? I had to prove her was in her mind.

And now we know, don't we, Joan?

We know what's really behind it.

Who's the one person you've tried to shut out of your life?

The person you've twisted into a terrifying dream, a guilty fantasy?

Your mother.

And now we're going to face the truth, McGill.

No more self -made nightmares.

No more shut -in secrets.

Please.

Yes, just a minute, please.

It's for you.

Hello.

This is McGill.

Hey, what do you say, Toby?

Well, where are you?

No, you stay there. I'll meet you.

It's family time here.

Okay, I'll see you in a little.

Well, I'm going to take off now.

Thanks for everything, McGill.

Guilty, my dear, but of course you were guilty.

He were too young to understand.

It would take far more understanding than a child could have.

But now you're grown.

Surely you must see how it was for me, for all of us.

I'm sorry about the garden. I'm sorry I frightened you like that.

Was you?

I should have written. It was stupid of me to just come like that, impulsive and

thoughtless. Yes.

You see, it was just your own mother, Joan.

Of course, I could see how it shocked you.

Ten years? You can't just walk back like that. I saw that immediately.

That's why... Well, I... I mean, I... Well, I went away again.

And since?

Since? Well, I couldn't come back, could I? Not after that. I mean... That's

when I wrote to dear Jason here.

He explained how unwell you were.

Told me about that nice Dr.

Forsythe. He... Jason told you?

Dolly, your mother was very hurt. I had to explain.

I must say he was very interested and sympathetic.

Dr. Forsythe, he... You've seen him? But naturally.

He was so keen to help. He even suggested I came round this evening just

case. You.

McGill. Where's McGill?

No, John.

McGill isn't here.

I don't want to make you feel unwelcome, McGill, but I do have an early film

call in the morning.

Yeah, I bet you do too, honey.

And where's your next performance?

The morgue?

Ah, big deal.

And do you think you can use this as evidence?

Well, I'd say that's up to the police.

Please, Your Honor.

Sir. I didn't mean to break the law.

It's just that, well, nobody told me it was a crime to laugh in a wig.

Well, then they didn't tell you about malicious persecution, did they?

With you as a witness.

I have a professional friend of mine down there.

His name's Toby.

Want me to call him up?

You never make it stick.

Well, if that didn't, then we'd have to think of a tougher charge.

Which is?

Well, how about this?

On the night of the 25th of September, you were seen by an independent witness

to take a cab, license number XYP836H, to the Chiswick Cemetery, and there

did, under the cover of disguise, attempt the murder of one Joan

who's still alive to testify against you. Now, listen.

I never laid a finger on that neurotic little fool.

She'd never dare accuse me of that.

Oh, I think she would, after what you've done to her.

Me?

Yeah, and it's going to be a pretty tough rap for someone to take alone,

Fielding.

Come back again soon.

Bless you, Jason. Wild horses couldn't keep me away now.

Good night. Good night.

the gloom, darling.

I'm sorry.

It's the shock.

Of meeting her after all these years?

No. I thought she was rather nice.

I can't understand why you... No, it's not that, Jason.

It's the shock of knowing it was me all along.

My mind.

Well, don't worry, dear.

At least you know.

Now there'll be no more of this search the house, Jason.

Come and rescue me, McGill.

No more of that nonsense, huh?

I'm sorry, Jason.

I'm sorry about McGill.

I should have trusted you, I know.

When he told me... Told you what?

To trust you.

You can't imagine how much better it made me feel.

There's no harm done in it, is there?

Besides, once McGill realized it was all due to your mental state... Jason, how

can you be so clinical about it?

Why not?

Knowing the truth...

That's half the battle with psychotics, isn't it?

I wanted to tell you all along that Forsyte insisted it was his job.

And then tonight, after you ran it off like that, I thought, well, this has got

to stop because this poor kid is going to get suicidal like her father. Jason,

please. Oh, what's wrong, my love?

That is invariably the next step, isn't it?

Suicide. I mean, this has worried Forsyte all along.

To hear him talk while you may decide to do away with yourself at any moment.

It wouldn't surprise him one bit tomorrow to hear that you'd, uh, well,

Taken an overdose of pills?

Hanged yourself?

It wouldn't surprise any of us, really.

McGill, myself, even your mother.

Take this down to the inquest.

Any one of us.

All of us, maybe.

Swear that you were unbalanced.

Crazy. Well, you had been for weeks.

No response to treatment.

And this sudden crisis tonight.

Acute hysteria.

Hallucinations. Family history of insanity and suicide.

Guilt complex relating to father's death.

Nobody would be surprised to hear of your suicide.

Hanging?

Hardly your style.

Pills? Not too slow.

I know.

The river.

Drowning.

That's just right.

Like that miserable little dog of yours.

Like Pepino.

Oh.