Original subtitles

(jaunty music and clapping)

(eerie orchestral music)

(ominous orchestral music)

(yelling)

(screaming)

Malcolm.

That no-good bastard!

It serves him right!

He was told not to wander off!

You get back there, get back!

(ominous orchestral music)

What are you yelling at me for,

it's not my fault he got out.

Monica, you go wake up Pa and tell him

I'll be with him in a minute.

He's already been awake for about an hour now.

Don't just stand there, right this minute,

go and tell him I'll be with him as soon as

I put something on Malcolm's burns.

Stop that!

See that?

That girl's completely out of control,

you'd better do something with her.

Why didn't you, I don't need to do everything myself.

(yelling in pain)

Put something on Malcolm's poor burns and then

I'll come in later and give him a shot of

some of Papa's morphine.

I've got to see Papa.

Oh and put his leg irons on so that he won't get out again.

I bet Monica let him out of his chains,

What makes you say that?

Well she was in here not half an hour ago.

We'll just have to keep her away from Malcolm.

I don't know why she hates him so much.

Monica hates everything and everybody,

she's just one big hate.

And it's all Pa's fault.

It's not all Pa's fault.

It's all our fault, we've all spoiled her

since the day she was born.

Pa thinks the sun rises and sets on her.

Maybe he does, but don't blame it all on him.

Pa?

Pa, are you here?

Over here, sweetie, I'm over here.

Now what are you doing up?

Didn't I tell you not to get out of bed 'til after sundown?

How could I rest with all the uproar in the house?

What happened to Malcolm.

He got out of his chains and those boys

got after him again.

How could he get out of his chains?

Mortimer thinks Monica let him out.

Now why should she do a thing like that?

She's always picking on him.

Every time something happens to Malcolm,

Monica gets the blame, now why is that?

Well she usually is to blame.

I'm sick and tired of hearing Monica

blamed for everything.

Well I'm sick and tired of hearing you defending

everything she does.

She's always been your favorite, ever since Mama died.

Monica's my baby, she's always been my baby.

If you don't like it then get out of the house.

(coughing)

Pa!

Monica!

Monica!

Well don't just stand there, come and help me with Pa!

All you do is fight with him again.

He wouldn't have these attacks if you wouldn't

fight with him all the time.

If it weren't for you, there wouldn't be fighting

half the time.

Yeah that's right, blame it on me,

you always have to blame it on me.

You let Malcolm out of his cage.

Who said I did?

It was Mortimer, wasn't it?

Tell the truth, it was you, wasn't it?

Let go of me!

It was you, wasn't it?

I don't have to tell you anything!

You'll be back below, you hear me?

You go to hell!

Don't you dare speak to me like that again.

I'll tell Papa on you.

And you just wait and see if I don't!

(sinister music)

You alright, Papa?

Going to be alright, just keep quiet.

Here, Malcolm, drink this.

How bad is it?

He'll be alright in a few days.

Did you talk to Papa?

Yes.

Well what did he say?

Well what do you think he said?

He said the same old things he always says.

Did you get the morphine for Malcolm?

No, I forgot.

But I will after lunch.

Papa had another of his attacks.

Well how did that happen?

Well I started shouting at him about Monica

and then he got angry with me and

then he had one of his attacks.

Well what did you have to make him angry for?

Can't you talk to him without making him angry?

Now I know it's all my fault...

I mean you know the condition his heart is in.

I mean what the hell did you have to make him angry for?

Well now don't you start.

Had a bad enough day without you picking on me.

Try to do the best I can for this family and all but...

Now don't, Phoebe, don't don't, it's alright, stop it.

I'm sorry.

I'll brighten up.

I must have been building up to that cry for days.

It's alright.

Lunch will be ready in a few minutes.

Oh, where do you think we ought to put Diana

when she arrives?

We'll put her in the old master bedroom,

that should be alright.

I hope she's not too upset at Monica

taking her old room.

Well if she is, it's just too bad.

We can't be quibbling about things like that

when we've got more important things to worry about.

I wonder what he's like.

Who?

Her husband.

Well I'd forgotten all about him.

I wonder if Papa will ever come 'round about him.

I'll make a bet with you on that.

What's that?

You wash the dishes three weeks if I'm right.

I don't know, depends what it is.

I bet they'll take no more than two days here

and then find somewhere else to live.

It's a deal.

Did Papa finish all his food?

No, he didn't eat very much.

You know why, don't you?

You mean Diana.

Well if she were coming home alone,

it would be alright.

She had no right to go and get married like that

without telling us beforehand.

Well it's done and there's nothing we can do about it.

She promised Papa she'd come back and take care of him.

The only reason he let her go to that medical school

in Scotland so she'd come back

and take care of him properly.

She's a liar and a cheat.

I hate her.

Now I don't want any more out of you.

Another word and you'll go to your room.

What time are they coming?

Well the letter said today or tomorrow

by the afternoon train but, I know it's going to be today.

You know how I'm always right when I get a feeling

about something like that.

Well you weren't right about Pa letting her

go off and get married like that.

I said I didn't want any more from you.

Now I'm warning you, Monica.

He's a painter, you know, he paints pictures.

Is he any good at them?

According to Diana he is.

Hasn't sold anything.

You didn't have to tell her she could

bring him here to live.

She'll be here about an hour, she'll want her old room back.

Go to your room.

Now what should I do?

I said go to your room.

You're always picking on me.

I mean it's alright for you to say something,

but as soon as I...

Monica, they won't be gone if you don't stop.

Well alright.

It's not going to be very pleasant around here

for a while, you know that, don't you?

Has it ever been so long as you can remember?

Come to think of it, no.

(howling and crashing)

Damn it, she let him out again.

If she doesn't stop torturing him,

we'll have to start locking her in her room like Malcolm.

Oh I've missed you all terribly.

Where's Papa, is everything alright?

Well aren't you going to introduce us?

Oh, dreadfully sorry, I forgot.

Mortimer, Phoebe, this is my husband, Gerald.

Where's Monica?

She's somewhere around.

She's still mad at me then?

Have you ever known her when she wasn't mad at something?

I thought maybe these few years of not seeing each other

she would have grown up.

Oh as long as Papa keeps letting her have her own way

she's never going to grow up.

Has Papa really been alright?

More or less.

But he needs more of his shots now than he used to.

Well, how was medical school?

Did you like everything in Scotland?

Wait a minute, one question at a time, please.

School was hell.

You know, it's not easy for a woman in an all-male school.

You have to be exactly right about what you're going to say

before you say it.

Did I like living in Scotland, well yes and no.

I hated it at first, until I met Gerald.

And then he made everything alright after that.

Everything was just fine then.

Isn't he handsome?

How did you ever put up with her as a child?

She must have been impossible.

We're all impossible, that's part of the Mooney charm.

Has Papa said any more about my marriage?

Oh here we are standing around talking

when you two should be unpacking.

You must be exhausted.

We'll show you to your room.

I'll go and see Papa first, and break the ice.

Good to have you back.

(knocking)

Come in, Phoebe.

How did you know it was me, Papa?

When you've been with this family as long as I have,

I know every move before you do.

They're here, aren't they?

Yes, Papa.

And he's very handsome.

I don't give a damn about him, how does she look?

Happy.

You want me to accept him, don't you?

Well I'm not going to.

Diana isn't the same as the rest of us.

I think maybe it would work, if we only gave it

half a chance.

I tell you, it will not work, believe me, Phoebe,

it will not work.

You're not going to give it a chance, though,

are you, Papa?

You're just so stubborn, you won't even give it

half a chance.

That has nothing to do with it.

We can not afford to take a chance.

Well I think you ought to see them.

I'll go send them in here.

I don't want them in here.

As long as he's in this house, I won't speak to him

and that's final.

You'll see Diana, though, won't you?

Does Diana want to see me?

What do you think, Papa?

I'll see my daughter any time.

You're wrong, Papa.

I'll go send Diana in.

Happy?

I don't know yet.

Everything will work out, you'll see.

We should have stayed in Scotland.

Every time I think about it, I wonder how

you ever could have talked me into

come to live with your family.

We couldn't afford to stay in Scotland, you know that.

I'd have got a job.

And give up your career as an artist, I won't hear of it.

At least with a job, I'd be a better husband.

You're a fine artist and a great husband.

I love you very much.

Can you imagine what it would be like in years to come

if you'd given up your one love of life, your painting?

And how I'd always feel guilty about it?

No Papa has lots of money,

he can well afford to put us up for a while.

I gave half my life to looking after him.

While Phoebe looked after the rest of us,

I ended up looking after Papa.

I don't think it's asking too much of a favor, do you?

(clapping)

That was a beautiful speech, Diana.

It's too bad there wasn't any one truth

and society to it.

Hello, I'm Monica, the middle sister, the bitch.

The one they always talk about behind her back.

I see you're still sneaking about,

listening at keyholes.

The door was wide open.

And with a voice as loud as yours, it's not difficult

to be heard, unless you're deaf, of course.

And the only dummy running around here is Malcolm.

Oh you mean you haven't met our youngest brother, Malcolm?

Hasn't Diana told you everything about our fantastic family?

You haven't changed one little bit, have you, Monica?

None of the family has, including you.

I see you're still pretending to be the great one.

Now listen, don't listen to everything she tells you

or you're going to be very sorry.

I don't think we're too interested in your

paranoid rantings.

Well she's a bit smarter now that she's graduated

from medical school.

I think you'd better go.

You see she made a deal with Papa

that when she finished medical school,

she'd help him with his experiments.

But she didn't keep her promise to that old man in there.

She only thought of herself, her future, her happiness.

She didn't think of the future of our family,

like she was supposed to.

She always thinks of herself.

I've had enough out of you!

Take your hands off me!

You haven't heard about the Mooneys yet have you, Gerald?

Well I'm warning you, you'd better find out now!

You'd better find out now, Gerald!

Oh, I'm sorry, I'm terribly sorry about that.

Well I finally met your sister Monica.

She has a few problems, doesn't she?

Now I know why I love you so much.

That fabulous sense of humor.

You can't survive life without it,

I discovered that years ago.

I told you I had a very strange family.

I knew you were a master of understatement,

your talent goes beyond that.

Who's Malcolm?

I should have told you about him before.

Yes I think you should have.

It's not easy to talk about him.

I don't want you ever to feel there's something

you can't tell me.

It's telling each other everything

that makes our love strong.

So that no one person or thing can destroy it.

I love you so much.

Tell me about Malcolm.

There really isn't very much to tell.

He's a year older than me, and he's not quite normal.

He's almost animal like.

We don't know how it happened.

The genes got mixed up at conception

and he never developed into a normal baby.

When he was a youngster, we used to have to

keep him locked up in a room.

He has the instincts of an animal.

Oh he's not dangerous or anything like that,

but to this day, we keep him locked in a room.

Are there any more secrets you should tell me?

No.

Let me tell you some things about the family.

Phoebe's the eldest.

She's 39 and she's been almost like a mother to us.

Mortimer's the next in line, he's 29,

then Monica, who's 25, and Malcolm's 23.

Finally, there's me.

As you know, I've just become 21.

That's why I couldn't marry you last year when you asked me.

Papa wouldn't have allowed it, and I had to wait

to come of age in order to give my consent.

Well why does Monica hate you so?

My Mama died in childbirth having me.

She and Papa had only been married for a year.

Monica's always been jealous of Papa's love

for me and my Mama.

You see, all of this estate and a large sum of money

is to be legally divided when Papa dies.

Monica's the only one of the family

who doesn't think I should have as much as the rest

because I have a different Mama to her.

You see, a very strange thing happened

when Monica was born.

When her mama was in bed right after having Monica,

she was poisoned.

To this day, no one knows who did it.

Well you have a strange family there, haven't you?

I should have told you more about them

before we were married.

But I was afraid of losing you, and I couldn't stand that.

You never asked me before we were married,

and I thought it would be alright to tel you afterwards.

Are you angry with me for not telling you sooner?

Well now that we're having a truth day with each other,

perhaps I should tell you a few things about my background.

My father deserted my mother when I was five.

Two years later, he was arrested for raping and murdering

a six-year-old girl.

He was hanged at Portsmouth.

And left hanging on display for all to see as lesson.

He hung there for two weeks,

until his body became so hideous,

they had to cut it down for health reasons.

He was buried in an unmarked grave

in the yard of an insane asylum.

And two weeks later, my mother died of grief and shame.

I was shipped off to an orphanage in Scotland.

The nuns there had it in for me because of my background.

They punished me often for the whole orphanage to see.

They would strip me, tie me between two posts,

and beat me.

I never made any friends there.

Probably thought I was just like my father.

When I finally became 18, they set me free in society.

Years later, I was lucky enough to meet you.

That's why those first two years we were living together,

I couldn't show you any love.

My God, I love you so much.

I don't want you ever to think about that again.

Oh.

I'm very sorry to have come in on you like that,

I assure you it won't happen again.

You see I have a bad habit of checking on

Malcolm and Monica that way and I'm

afraid I just forget about other people's privacy.

Darling, you shouldn't have to apologize to us.

Papa wants to see you, he's in his room.

Good.

You see, I told you everything would be alright.

Diana,

I'm afraid he only wants to see you.

He hasn't changed, then?

Oh I'm sorry, Gerald.

But he'll come 'round in time, you'll see.

(knocking)

Come in, Diana.

Hello, Papa.

You haven't kept your promise to me.

I fell in love, Papa, there was nothing I could do.

You mean that he means more to you than I do?

I love you both the same, but in different ways.

You have absolutely no right to marry,

you know that as well as I do.

I am a woman.

I have a woman's desires, I have as much right to marry

as any other woman.

You are not, you are not an ordinary woman.

You are playing with fire.

Haven't you understood anything I've ever told you

all these years?

But you know there's a slight chance...

It is too slight a chance to take, look at me.

Because of my age and my health,

I decided to send you to medical school in Scotland

so that you would be able to help me

carry on with my experiments.

You know how important those experiments are

to the family's existence.

If I die tomorrow, there'll be no one

to carry on those experiments except you.

That was the reason for letting you go.

Our family's like no other family, don't you know.

It's not the same with me as with the others.

My Mama was healthy.

But I wasn't.

We don't know that it might work out,

the marriage of yours.

I could have only let you marry him

after we'd done exhaustive tests.

I'm willing to take the chance.

Regardless of the outcome?

Yes.

I can't allow it.

It would be too dangerous.

There's nothing you can do about it.

I am of age, and I can make my own decisions now.

There is just one thing, you could always get a divorce.

No, Papa, I will not give up Gerald.

I need him and he needs me.

You know our family life hasn't always been easy.

But I'm going to make up for all that

with my love of Gerald.

You're talking to your Papa, Diana.

Remember, I know you better than you know yourself.

Ever since you were a little girl,

you thought only of yourself.

You really were...

That's not true, don't say that!

Will you let me finish?

You've always been very selfish.

Come to think of it, the Mooneys are a selfish lot.

But we need that selfishness in order to exist.

When we think of the family continuing,

we must think not of ourselves,

but of the family as a whole.

We're the last of the Mooneys,

and we must protect our heritage.

Society doesn't accept us because of what we are

and so we're an enemy of society

and we must protect ourselves by being self-sufficient.

That's where you come in.

If I die tomorrow, there will be only you

to continue my experiments.

Without those experiments, the family would become extinct.

Papa, I'm not going to leave you.

Gerald will stay here with us, and things will be

the same as they've always been.

It cannot be as it was.

Why?

Because we do not know if we can start a new bloodline.

We must do extensive tests.

Then perhaps you can get married.

But Papa, I already am...

You're the only one in the family who can get married

because of your mother.

You are very beautiful Diana, just like her.

Oh no, that's not going to work anymore.

What do you mean?

You know damn well what I mean.

All my life you've used my mother mixed with cheap sentiment

to get your own way.

Well it won't work anymore.

That is not true.

While I've been away, I've put two and two together

and I've come up with the answers to just about everything

to do with this family.

But the most important thing is the way you've

maneuvered me about Mama.

Well it's not going to work anymore.

Gerald and I are married, and I intend to keep it that way.

I want to have children, he's going to give them to me.

Don't say such things.

You don't know what you're doing.

It would be disastrous.

There is nothing you can do about it.

I'll throw you and your precious husband out of the house.

Then where would you be with no income

and no roof over your head?

Don't be so melodramatic, Papa, you know damn bloody well

you need me, because without me this family

doesn't have a hope in hell of surviving.

So don't let's make empty threats we don't mean.

Get out of here, get out of here.

That's another of your tricks, pretending to get angry

and lose your temper to get your own way.

Well that's not going to work either.

Oh Papa,

please, listen to me.

Just learn to live with the idea of my marriage

and everything will work out, you'll see.

It will not work out, this family is cursed.

Don't be a stubborn little fool,

you don't know what you're doing.

This family is doomed if you... (coughing)

Phoebe!

Phoebe, come quickly!

Papa's had one of his attacks, help me with him!

This is the second time today.

He had one with me earlier this morning

before you arrived.

Where is it?

It's here on the side table, I'll give it to you.

As much as this?

How long has that been?

Well over the past year I've had to

increase it gradually all along.

Papa said as soon as you came home,

he and you would find a way of concentrating the formula.

You still grow it in the back garden?

Yes, but two years ago we lost the supply of it

because of the weather, and of course

that's dwindled our supplies of it.

How frequent have his attacks been?

Two a week.

As many as that?

I'm afraid Papa isn't going to be with us

for very much longer.

That's not true.

After all these years, Papa can't be that sick.

We must find a way of helping him,

isn't there something we can do?

No, nothing.

Papa is extremely old, his heart can hardly

carry an ordinary day anymore.

A man's heart isn't meant to last for as long as Papa's.

Tomorrow night is the full moon.

We shall have to put him to sleep before it rises

or his heart won't be able to take it.

You must find some way of prolonging his heart, you must.

You don't know what Papa means to me.

He means a lot to all of us.

No.

He means much more to me.

What do you mean by that?

I'll tell you Diana, someday.

I'll tell you, someday, when the time is right.

I don't see why she can't help with the dinner.

Don't expect her to help her first day back home.

She'll help tomorrow.

Well I don't have to hold my breath waiting to see that.

You can't think anything good, can you?

Well it's true, isn't it?

I mean have you ever known Diana to help much

in the kitchen before?

Look, years ago we made house rules.

Diana was to look after Papa's comfort

and you and I were to look after the meals.

Well I think we got the shit end of the deal.

I really can't understand why you dislike Diana so much.

It goes way back, my hatred for Diana,

it goes back to when we were all children.

I think you imagine a lot.

See there you go again, you're always taking

her side against mine.

That's just not true.

You've got no basis for your dislike of Diana

except jealousy.

Well that's true, too, but that's not the main reason

I hate her.

She used to do things when we were children

and she used to arrange them to make it look

as though I was to blame for them.

I don't believe you, Monica.

I think you have a vivid imagination

and that you imagine a lot of things that aren't true.

Are you calling me a liar?

Yes, I am.

Well, you were always so busy that you couldn't see

the truth about Diana.

I'm not gonna stand here and let you call me a liar,

I'm going to my room.

You're not going to get out of helping me with the dinner

that way, by starting a fight.

Now you can take Malcolm his food, and then you can go.

Now I will not have you help my with dinner

than have you out here with me complaining all the time.

Do I have to feed Malcolm, why can't Mortimer do it?

It's your job.

And you'd better feed him now,

because it's well past his feeding time,

you know he only starts howling

if we start eating before he gets his.

Now then, don't start picking on him,

just give him his food and leave him be.

Alright!

(yelling)

Come on.

Come on, get your dinner.

Got some food for you, come on.

Come on.

(yelling)

(yelling)

No you don't.

(screaming)

Shut up!

Doesn't Papa eat with the family anymore?

Papa used to eat with us all the time,

but just lately it's been easier if he stays in his room.

Oh.

I thought maybe just tonight he would have

joined up for dinner.

Why should he?

Her doesn't like your husband, so why should he?

[Phoebe] Now just shut up, Monica, and eat.

Well it's true, isn't it?

How long have you been a painter.

About three years now.

Did youring any of your paintings with you?

[Diana] We had too much luggage, there wasn't room

to bring any of them.

They're coming by boat, the end of this month.

[Diana] He's quite good at landscapes,

his portrait work's good too.

I should like to paint a portrait of Monica,

she has lovely features.

Why that would be lovely.

Did you hear that, Monica?

It would be nice to have a portrait of her.

You must all think I'm very stupid

if you think a little flattery will win me over.

Well you're very...

Now that's not so, Monica, I'm sure Gerald meant it

in all sincerity.

I'm sure he did, too.

And I'm also sure that she put him up to it.

That is not true.

I wouldn't even suggest such a thing to Gerald.

My dear sister,

I wouldn't put anything past you, including murder.

(gasping)

Get out of here!

You go to hell, you hear me, all of you!

Just go to hell!

Tired?

A little.

Would you like a drink before we go to bed?

Port would be nice.

To my darling.

May we always be together as one.

What's the matter?

Would you mind terribly if I said something?

That depends on what it is.

I'm not happy here.

I think we should go away.

I think we should start our own life on our own.

Because of Monica?

It's everything.

Such as?

I have a terrible feeling we won't be at all happy here.

That's just because everything hasn't been

mapped out yet.

Just give it time, and everything will be alright.

I'll make it work.

It takes more than you to make something work out,

it takes everyone involved.

Papa will come around in time, he has to.

That's just the point, he shouldn't have to.

They should be rid of us and everyone's concerned,

can't you see that?

It's all Monica's fault.

It's not Monica's fault, it's my fault.

How can you say such a thing?

It's my fault for letting you persuade me

to come and live with your family.

We should have stayed in Scotland, I could have got a job.

I thought we'd already settled that.

In your mind, maybe.

You're that unhappy, then?

There's something wrong here, I don't like it.

It's your imagination.

(howling)

What's that?

It's only Malcolm.

Why is he howling like that?

I told you why, because he's not normal.

He's always howled like that when the moon is becoming full,

ever since I can remember.

It will be worse tomorrow.

Why?

Because tomorrow night is a full moon.

I think we'd better get ready for bed.

(howling)

There he goes again.

He sounds as though he were king.

We should have had him committed

to an institution long ago.

Well why didn't you?

Because Papa didn't want anyone to...

What do you mean by that?

I mean he didn't want anyone to know

about Malcolm's condition.

That's not what you meant, now tell the truth.

I don't have to tell you anything.

Oh Gerald, I'm sorry, I didn't mean...

This is exactly what I meant when I said

we couldn't be happy here.

But we're bound to argue, all married people argue.

This goes deeper than that.

This place isn't conducive to happiness.

Now that is complete and utter nonsense.

Is it?

Something tells me my feelings are right.

Look,

we've both had a long day and we're both very tired.

Let's just go to bed.

Which side of the bed would you like to sleep on?

It doesn't matter.

Well then I'll take the outside,

just in case something happens to Papa.

Oh, I forgot the lamp.

(howling)

I must talk to Papa about Malcolm.

[Gerald] Diana.

[Diana] Yes?

[Gerald] I love you.

Very, very much.

(breathing heavily)

(sinister music)

(chicken squawking)

Diana, wake up.

What is it, what's the matter?

I don't know, come see for yourself.

(eerie music)

I should think it would be much easier on the whole family

if he'd be committed to an institution.

Papa and I decided not to a long time ago.

Malcolm's alright if he's left with his animals.

If I asked for your help in something, would you help me?

That would depend upon what it is.

I want Diana to go back to Scotland with me.

That would be impossible.

Well why would it be?

Diana belongs here, taking care of Papa.

Well why don't you and Mortimer or Monica

take care of him?

Because we haven't got the training to take care of him,

Diana haa.

Training, what training?

Papa exists only because of the formula he discovered

when he was a doctor.

Diana was sent to Scotland to study for four years

so that she could continue with Papa's experiments.

But what about our life together, Diana and me?

Don't we have as much right to a life together?

[Phoebe] When you married Diana, you, without knowing it,

gave up your freedom.

I don't agree with your family's way of thinking.

[Phoebe] I think the best thing for you to do

would be to divorce...

That would make you all very happy, wouldn't it?

[Phoebe] No, but it would solve a lot of problems.

Diana and I are leaving here, we don't belong here.

You don't.

I'm telling her tonight.

We'll leave within the next few days.

If she won't come with me, then I'll go by myself.

If Diana loves me as much as I think she does,

she'll come with me.

Diana will never leave the needs of her family.

She is destined to devote her life to caring for them

and she will never desert them.

I don't believe you.

It's true.

Oh Gerald, if you were wise, you would think of leaving her.

Do you all hate me so much?

Nothing to do with you.

Could have been anyone.

Just that Diana had simply no right even to think

of getting married.

What do you mean she had no right,

she has as much right as anyone.

Gerald, for heaven's sake, go, before it's too late.

What are you trying to tell me?

I've already said too much.

I'm just sick and tired of this damn talk.

Diana and I are staying married.

We're leaving here as soon as possible

and neither you nor anyone else will stop us.

(humming)

You look happy.

I am very happy.

You know, I don't remember being this happy since,

well, since we were children.

I like to see you happy.

You're a good brother to me.

I love you the most next to Papa.

You love Gerald, don't you?

Very much.

You know, I believe the way you do.

You mean about giving the marriage a try?

Yes.

It's almost as if you were reading my mind.

I think it can work, I'm sure it can.

Well I mean you are different from the rest of us.

That's what I keep telling Papa,

but he won't listen to me.

Oh Papa's always got old ideas and superstitions.

There's a chance he's right.

But the position of our family tree is precarious

we must be daring enough to take a chance.

Will you tell him that?

Do you think it would do any good?

You know he only hears what he wants to hear.

That statement is true of everyone.

But if you could make him listen to you,

just for my sake.

I'll do anything to make my favorite sister happy.

What's the matter, your hand's trembling.

I'm frightened of what could happen.

That's the first time I've seen you frightened.

Suppose things don't work out as we hoped.

The Mooneys will still survive.

And Gerald?

Well what can I say, what do you want me to say?

I want to tell you something.

Something I haven't told anyone yet, not even Gerald.

I think I know what it is.

What?

Well I want you to tell me.

Hold my hand tight.

I'm going to have a baby.

I knew it, I knew it, that's marvelous!

I knew you'd be pleased about it.

But I'm not so sure about the rest of the family.

Oh there's nothing they can do about it now.

It's a terrific chance I'm taking.

Well it will be worth it if it turns out

even half as good as I think it will.

I don't want anyone to know about it, not even Gerald.

But you must tell Papa.

No.

But it might change the whole relationship

between you and him and Gerald.

I have it all planned out in my mind.

I'll tell Papa when it's the right time to tell him.

Everything's going to be alright, I know it it.

I'm not so sure about that.

Why?

Gerald wants us to go away from here.

He wants me to leave this place with him.

Well that's impossible, you need the protection

of the family.

Safety in numbers, yes.

But this family has deteriorated more than you realize.

You don't notice the changes.

But I've been away for four years and I notice them.

I don't think this family stands much chance

of surviving as a whole for very much longer.

I think we're on the verge of destroying ourselves.

No, I don't believe that.

You don't want to believe it.

My unborn baby is the only answer.

In your brain, the Mooneys is the most

important thing of all.

But you must tell Papa.

I will, my darling, I will.

But at the right time.

Yoohoo!

Yoohoo.

Hello!

Mr. McCarver.

Mr. McCarver!

Ah, Miss Mooney, delighted to see you.

And what brings you into the city?

And on such a fine day?

It is a fine day, isn't it?

The sun is shining and I find it terribly hot.

And it's so stuffy in here.

Couldn't you open some windows and let in some fresh air?

Oh couldn't, never do that.

Had the windows sealed up a long time ago.

I can't stand the sunlight.

Beastly stuff, sunlight.

Oh no, that would never do.

How's your sister?

Oh she's alright, I guess.

You mean you don't know?

Well of course I know.

There are very few things that I don't know.

Well then how is she?

Do you really care?

Well no, not really I guess.

Well then why ask?

Well it's the thing to do, one doesn't go about

without asking how's your sister.

Manners always were a complete waste of everyone's time.

If more people got to the point,

they wouldn't go about cluttering up their day

with a lot of nonsense.

Now don't you agree?

I couldn't agree more.

What did you come for, my dear?

A gift, perhaps a wee gift?

Remember that little mouse I got from you?

Oh yes, sweet little thing, how is he?

Oh it wasn't a he, it was a she.

You don't even remember.

Oh well when one brings as many little

creatures of the night into the world as I,

one forgets a little sex now and then.

Mr. McCarver, please.

Oh, that didn't sound at all right or proper

now did it?

I wish you wouldn't mention those words in my presence.

An ugly slip of the tongue I assure you, my dear.

How is she?

My sister?

She's fine.

No dear girl, the little girl, the mouse.

Did she live up to our greatest expectations?

Oh I love that book.

Dickens is a great writer, don't you agree?

It died, you know.

Of course it died, died long time ago.

I read all of his books, you know.

Oh Mr. McCarver, I do wish you would

stay on one subject at a time.

It's very hot in here.

My head is swimming from the heat.

It's not very often I get to sneak out of the house

and come into town like this to visit with you.

Now please, let's get down to business.

Business, ah yes, delightful word.

Now what is it you wish this time?

Some more chickens or rabbits for your brother?

Is your sister happy with the ones that she

purchased from me?

Perhaps you would like some more.

No, they're not for Malcolm, I've come for me.

I want some pets of my own.

You see, it gets very boring up there in that old house

without anyone to play with.

I need some pets.

Just what did you have in mind?

Rats.

I'd like some rats.

Ah, then you have come to the right place.

Would you like a little nip, my dear?

I suppose I could put on the kettle for some tea,

but it's much better without anything.

Much better.

I can go the whole day now.

Are you sure you wouldn't like a little nip my dear?

It's mothers milk, you know.

We, the Mooneys, don't drink alcohol.

It doesn't agree with us.

What do you drink?

If I didn't know.

What do you mean by that?

Nothing dear girl but,

I know a lot more than you think I know.

I'll just pretend I didn't hear that remark.

Now do you want to do business or don't you?

Where else would you go?

Well there are other places I could deal with.

Ah but could they assure you of the discretion

that I show you with my business?

Not in a million years.

And the Mooneys wouldn't survive long without discretion

now would they?

For the second time, Mr. McCarver,

I don't forget that easily.

Shall I show you the little ones?

Yes please do, I don't want Phoebe to know

I've been gone this long or there'll be hell to pay.

Remarkable creatures, rats.

They can be very friendly if they want to be.

On the other hand, they can be very destructive

if they get mad.

I lost my arm to them, you know.

No, I didn't.

Oh yes, and part of my face, see?

How fascinating.

Well how did it happen?

One night, I had a little too much mothers milk.

I fell asleep at the table here.

What I didn't know was that I hadn't

shut the cage completely.

Oh I've been here doing experiments with grown rats.

I've discovered that they will eat anything

that you bring them up on.

I started feeding them flesh from birth.

They know nothing else to eat.

What kind of flesh?

Oh, cats, dogs.

Anything that I can find on the street

late at night when no one is about.

And once...

I shouldn't tell you this, but

one night, I found an old lady that had died in a doorway.

Well I couldn't just leave her there.

So I dragged her home and gave a piece to the children.

They absolutely loved her.

They went wild with ecstasy.

But that, I'm afraid, was my undoing.

Because when I fell asleep that night,

they chewed off all of my left arm

and part of my face before I awoke.

You'd think I'd stop drinking, wouldn't you?

For shame.

Naughty naughty.

I must have them.

How many would you like?

I'll take all of them.

All of them?

Yes, I'll take them home with me.

I'm going to miss them.

I raised them from birth.

How much are they?

Six shillings apiece.

Six shillings?

Well that's highway robbery, I could go out and

find my own rats.

Oh not like these little darlings.

These are special, they're talented.

Well couldn't you do better on the price?

Well, being that your family does use up a lot of animals,

I could let you have them for five shillings apiece.

Well that's a little better.

It's still high, but I'll take them anyway.

By all means, please do not tell my sister Phoebe

about this, she would be absolutely furious.

I'll wrap them for you.

(humming)

(screaming)

(screaming)

What are you doing in here?

I told you to stay out of my room.

She was in the closet.

(???)

Found her in the closet, she was trying to

stab me with this.

Get out of here.

Why Don't you go and look in the closet?

And that, my dear sister, is only the beginning.

You'll be sorry for this,

you'll wish you'd never done that!

Why, what are you going to do, tell Papa?

How much good do you think that would do,

you know I'm Papa's favorite,

he'll never listen to you.

There are ways of punishing you, I'll find a way.

You always were all mouth.

I wouldn't like to be in your shoes tomorrow.

Why, what's tomorrow?

I feel very sorry for you, Monica.

I think you'd better go.

Why don't you and your husband leave here,

we don't want you here.

(laughing)

Monica's a very sick girl.

I think the family ought to do something about her.

She certainly did a good job on my clothes.

Oh well, I just suppose I'll have to dig up some old ones

I keep stored in the attic.

I think I'm losing my mind.

Why would you say that?

When I grabbed her arm to stop her using this on me,

I turned around and threw her on the bed.

As she fell, she landed on this.

What's that?

[George] It's a cross my mother left me.

It's the only thing she had.

The nuns kept it and gave it to me before I left them.

Why don't you put it away?

[George] Something strange happened

when Monica fell on it.

Oh you were just excited.

[George] You know I didn't say it to you,

why do you say that?

Say what?

It's almost as if you knew what I was gonna tell you.

Nonsense, what were you going to say?

When Monica fell backwards onto the cross,

she screamed in pain as if in agony.

And at the same time, a puff of smoke

came off of her back, as if the cross were burning her.

And then you came in.

Oh it's your imagination.

No it isn't.

Well it would have to be.

Such a thing as you're suggesting would be impossible.

Would it?

I'm not so sure now.

I want to leave this place.

Look, you know the house is extremely old.

I'll tell you what probably happened.

When Monica fell onto the coverlet,

a could of dust rose from it, that's all.

Phoebe and I will shake it out tomorrow.

You're probably right.

I know I'm right.

Oh, you're still tired after the trip.

Why don't you take a nap before lunch?

I have to go into town to attend to some business for Papa.

I'm not really tired.

Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?

No really, you have a rest.

I'll ask Phoebe if we can have a late lunch,

I'll only be gone a couple of hours.

Oh and darling, put your Mama's cross away,

why don't you?

We're home now.

That wasn't so bad, was it?

You mustn't let Phoebe see you.

If she sees you, she'll make me take you back and

well we wouldn't want that, would we?

What am I going to call you?

Oh dear, how am I going to remember your names

all at once?

I know,

I'll name you Monica Two.

And you, I think I'll call you Phoebe.

You know you look just like her?

You've got the same tiny little beady eyes.

And you, you on the floor, I think I'll call you Roe.

You know, Roe.

No, I think I'll call you Ruard,

you look just like a Ruard.

I'll call you Sally.

You're such a pretty little girl.

Well you are a girl, aren't you?

It's very hard to tell nowadays.

Just so real.

Yes.

What a sweetheart.

I think I'll call you Ben.

Benjamin.

Do you like that name?

That's a good name for you.

What?

You're hungry?

Well I'll have to take care of that, won't I?

Yes I will (gasp) ouch!

You bloody rat, you bit me!

(sinister music)

Mr. McCarver.

Mr. McCarver.

Wake up, Mr. McCarver, I brought the rats.

Go away.

Mr. McCarver, I brought the rats back,

I don't want them anymore.

The bloody creatures bit me.

I don't want any ungrateful rats.

No you can't bring them back.

Can't you see that I'm sleeping, get out of here.

I've brought them back and I want my money.

You can't bring them back, all sales are final, go away.

You're going to give me my money.

I won't give it to you.

Besides, it's all gone.

I want my money.

I told you, it's all gone.

I drank it all up.

You had no right to take my money like that,

now give it to me!

A bargain's a bargain.

You bought them from me and now you want to bring them back.

And I gave them to you at a very good discount.

Can't do it, can't do it.

Now get out of here, I want to go back to sleep.

I want my money!

Go away like a nice little girl.

I'd better get my money.

Because if you don't, I don't wanna be responsible

for what might happen to you.

What do you mean by that?

Just what I said.

Get out of here!

Give me my money!

No!

They haven't eaten yet, you know.

What are you talking about?

The rats.

They haven't eaten since I bought them from you.

And I should think that they would be very hungry by now.

They just almost ended you.

Are you going to go, or do you want me to call the police?

Not until I get my money.

Very well.

(yelling)

Mr. McCarver!

(screaming)

(unintelligible yelling)

(screaming)

we have to wait to give it to him

until the very last minute.

Otherwise, it won't do much good.

Is it all prepared?

Yes, it's on the sideboard in his bedroom.

Did you tell Papa that tonight will be a full moon?

Do you think he doesn't know that without being told?

Really, Mortimer, sometimes.

What about them?

There's nothing we can do about them.

Maybe we should try and get rid of them,

at least for tonight.

We can't do that without telling Gerald.

Now he's a very stubborn man.

And I'm quite sure he would never do anything

without being given a good reason for it.

Perhaps you should tell him, then.

One might have to.

But not yet.

I think we ought to see how tonight's change goes

and then act from the results.

Where is he now?

Oh, he's sleeping.

Diana had to go to town, he said he was going to take a nap

until she got back.

Where did she go to?

He's uncertain.

Did she say anything to you about anything?

Such as?

Well, when I was talking to Gerald this morning

at breakfast, I might have said that he ought to leave.

Not just now.

What do you mean by that?

Nothing.

Oh yes you do, there's something you haven't told me,

what is it?

I promised Diana I wouldn't tell anyone.

Well I think it would be a good idea if you told me.

But she hasn't even told her husband yet.

I think I know what it is.

She's pregnant, isn't she?

Yes.

Now you know.

I don't want her to know I told you,

she'll never trust me again.

But why didn't she tell me?

She hasn't told anyone, only me.

But what about Papa?

At least she should tell Papa.

Then they can both make preparations

in case anything goes wrong.

Nothing's going to go wrong.

I feel that and so does Diana.

But feeling everything's going to be right

doesn't make it right.

No, Papa must be told.

Then he can start to prepare for the birth.

Are you afraid they might have a child

that turns out like Malcolm?

No.

Malcolm turning out like that is completely different.

Well why do you say that?

There's something to do with Malcolm

that you know nothing about.

Tell me, don't you think I should know?

Papa didn't want anybody to know, not even you.

Oh come on, you can't leave me up in the air like that,

tell me, I have a right to know...

It's a very unpleasant thing.

To this day, I can't think how it could ever have happened.

Tell me, please, tell me.

You know you can trust me.

If I told you now, things would never be the same

between you and me.

I'll tell you at the right time.

Don't tell Papa about the baby.

No, I'll let Diana do that.

And I'm sure she will soon.

Is everything ready for tonight then?

Yes.

But we must be careful not to give him his shot

until just before the moon rises.

Or it won't carry him through until the moon goes down.

What about Diana and Gerald?

Oh, to hell with them.

We can only think about Papa tonight.

(light, happy music)

Yes?

Come back here, I'm in the back room.

Good afternoon.

May I be of some assistance?

Yes, I'm looking for a gun.

Oh dear pet, yes.

Now what sort of a firearm were you looking for?

Doesn't really matter.

Let's see, did you want it for hunting?

Yes, it's for hunting.

Then I should think a shotgun or rifle.

Well I wasn't really thinking in those terms,

I was thinking of something much smaller,

such as a pistol.

Yes, I think a pistol.

A pistol is a little too small for any large game.

Just how large is the game that you plan to kill?

Well about the size of,

I'd say about your size.

I beg your pardon?

Oh you see, this large wild dog keeps prowling around

outside the house.

Why, only yesterday he killed off two of our chickens.

We have no choice but to kill him.

I do think you'd have much better luck with a heavier gun.

No, I think I could handle a pistol much better.

Very well.

You wait here, I'll be right back, alright?

Don't go away.

Now this here is a very fine old gun.

Notice the workmanship here.

Now here, feel the weight.

Yes, I like this one.

I'll take it, how much is it?

Well I have more guns along this line,

perhaps you'd like to see them?

No no, this one will be just fine.

How much?

It won't be any trouble at all to show you

some more guns in the shop.

Well is there something the matter with this one,

doesn't it work?

Of course it works, I wouldn't show it to you

if it didn't work.

Well then I'll take it, how much is it?

I must seem like a silly old fool to you.

I was hoping that you would look at more than

just one gun.

Oh you see, not many people come into the shop anymore.

And when they do come in, well I don't like 'em

to leave too soon.

You see, when you get to my age, people,

well I should say association with people,

mean much more to me than just a sale.

You know it's much more pleasant to spend the afternoon

with a charming young lady such as yourself

than to worry about health or material things

or the shop or anything but that.

Well what a very nice thing of you to say.

It wasn't, wasn't idle flattery.

No no, I do so enjoy the company of people.

You see, I don't have any relatives or a wife

or anything like that anymore.

The only time I am of importance to people

is when I'm in the shop.

Sometimes when the day is done

I stand there and I think about the next day

and then my spirits pick up again.

The only day I don't like is Saturday, you see,

because well, then I have to wait 'til Monday

before anyone comes in.

Oh dear, here I am talking like this,

you must think I'm a silly old man,

rambling on like this...

No.

You must have a dozen more important things to do

than talk to a silly old man. (Chuckling)

Oh yeah, that would be three pounds, eleven and six

for the pistol.

Well, I've enjoyed our little chat very much

and I'll drop in again next time I'm in town.

But I will expect something in return.

Well what's that?

A cup of tea, and I'll bring the biscuits, alright?

That's a, oh what a lovely idea.

Oh it is a lovely day today, isn't it a lovely day?

I wonder if I might ask you a small favor.

Oh anything at all, anything in the whole world, dearie.

What is it?

Well, I have something here that I'd like you to do.

Do?

Oh, that's very lovely!

It's a little small, perhaps, but it's very old.

Did you plan to sell it?

No, it had unpleasant memories attached to it

and I don't want it in the house anymore.

I didn't want to throw it away,

I was wondering if you could do something with it for me.

Anything I possibly can.

I noticed the sign over your shop says

you're also a silversmith.

Oh yes, that is correct.

Oh may I?

Oh dear, dear me.

I'll put it there.

I would like to have this cross turned into

some silver bullets than would fit the gun.

Can you do that for me?

Well if you'd like.

Well may I have them by this afternoon?

I'm afraid that would be rather difficult

on such short notice.

Well I'll pay you any amount you like,

money's no object.

Couldn't we do it tomorrow afternoon?

No, that would be too late, I'm going away tonight

to Scotland, and I have to take them with me.

You see, they're a gift for my father who lives there

and he's expecting them and well,

he'll be heartbroken if he doesn't get them.

I don't see how I could possibly refuse

such a charming young lady as yourself.

Oh I should say be ready about six o'clock.

Oh but that's too late,

couldn't you do it any sooner?

But how much sooner?

Well, within two hours?

Well I'll do my best.

Oh thank you so much.

I'll never forget this favor.

Oh oh, there's one other thing,

the bullets might not be as polished as they should be.

Oh that doesn't matter, so long as they fit the gun.

(yelling)

Brought you dinner.

(yelling)

(screaming)

Why can't you let him alone?

One of these days there won't be someone around to save you.

(yelling)

Leave him alone!

I don't want you ever to set foot in this room again.

And from now on, Mortimer or I will feed him,

you hear me?

That's fine with me because I don't care

if I ever see him again.

(yelling)

Oh that's no punishment, put him away somewhere

and I'll never see him.

Now get out of here.

I'm warning you, Monica, he'll kill you

one of these days if you don't leave him alone.

He'll never get me.

I don't think you like me very well.

Said you wouldn't do that, you know.

Well just for that,

I'm not gonna give you the present that I brought for you.

I found him in the backyard.

And I said, oh, a lovely present for me good friend, Monica.

She's such a good friend.

She wouldn't do something like

putting a dirty old bug in her mouth.

He wasn't a dirty old bug, he was a brand new bug.

I just found him.

I was only joking, Rebecca.

Can't you take a joke?

Well are you sorry?

No.

If you're not sorry, I'm just gonna

take him home with me again.

Well aren't you gonna stop me?

Go on, if you want to go.

But if you take my present,

don't you ever show your face around here again.

Oh Monica,

Monica, don't be mad at me.

Please, I can't stand it when you're mad at me.

Alright, look what I brought for you.

Oh, he's a snake!

Oh, he's beautiful.

Oh, he's absolutely beautiful.

Well what's his name?

I don't know, he doesn't have a name.

Oh come on, everything has a name.

Even you have a name.

How did you know he was a boy snake?

Well I asked him and he told me that he was.

Well if he told you that,

why didn't he tell you his name?

I don't know.

You don't know anything, do you?

Well you do like him though, don't you?

Well, he's alright.

He's not half as big as the frog

you caught me last week, though.

He died, you know.

No, I didn't know, how did he die?

He didn't suffer, I don't think.

But of course, it's really hard to tell with frogs.

Well what happened to George?

Well I fixed a nice little place for him

under my pillow and, he was fine there.

Mortimer came into the room and I was reading and

I guess I forgot about him and

I turned and oh he let out a big (croak)

and he jumped to the floor and,

oh I guess Mortimer happened to turn toward the noise and

that was the end of George.

Why didn't you invite me to his funeral?

I don't think you like me anymore, Monica.

Besides, he should have had a big state funeral

because he was George the First, you said so yourself.

Well we could dig him up again and bury him all over.

Oh let's do!

What should we call him?

Uh, George the Second?

Oh no, there's far too many Georges in the world already.

I wish he were a girl snake,

then I'd call him Diana.

Why would you call it that?

Because he looks like her, she reminds me of a snake.

You don't like Diana very much, do you?

I hate her.

Oh you shouldn't hate your sister, Monica,

it's not very nice.

Well she's not very nice, so why shouldn't I hate her?

Well you don't hate me, do you, Monica?

Sometimes.

Monica, please don't say that.

I like you so very much, you're my best friend.

I'm your only friend, Rebecca, and don't you forget it.

I won't.

(horn honking)

Listen I,

I don't think we should stay here any longer.

I think Phoebe might see us and she'll make you go home.

Why don't we go to the gazebo?

And, she never goes there, so we'll be safe.

And nobody can hear us from the house.

Well shall we go fast?

Yes but, go on your tippytoes and be very quiet.

(giggling)

It's like hide and seek!

Only, Monica I think I'd better take him with me

because he might not be used to you.

No, you don't!

You can't have him, he's mine, now go on!

Well alright.

Only you better be careful with him.

I don't want anything happening to him

like it did to George.

Oh really, Rebecca.

(singing)

(singing)

How funny.

Do you think she saw us?

I don't know, you can't tell with Phoebe.

She's got eyes in the back of her head.

She does, really?

You take everything I say so serious.

Well you're not an ordinary girl, Monica.

In fact, you're quite extraordinary.

What do you mean by that?

Well I can see lots of things

that other people don't see.

Like sometimes when I'm supposed to be in bed,

I'll go outside and I can see lots of things.

Well like what?

Well, like at night.

Do you know I can see all the way up

to that window over there?

You mean you can see up into Papa's window?

And Malcolm's window, too.

Well now,

I don't know why you feed him all those

insides of the chickens.

Don't you have to cook 'em first?

I mean I don't know why he likes them anyway,

I should think they taste awful.

What else do you see?

Well,

sometimes, when it's very bright,

I can see Phoebe giving your dad something

with a big needle like this.

I think you imagine a lot.

You have a very vivid imagination.

Oh no, I see all of those things.

Then I see lots of other things, too.

Well I think you see too much.

Well I won't tell anyone that I saw them.

Not as long as you're my friend.

You are my friend, aren't you, Monica?

I've said so, haven't I?

Well you always will be my friend, won't you?

Of course, Rebecca.

Oh Monica, I'm hungry.

Well why don't you go home and get something to eat?

Well we don't have anything to eat as nice as you do.

Monica why don't you go inside and

get me something to eat.

I see

and you know that bracelet, Monica,

that little silver one?

What about it?

Well I never had anything as nice as that.

And you know, we're such good friends...

You'd like me to give it to you, wouldn't you?

Yes, because of our friendship.

I mean, we are good friends, aren't we, Monica?

We were good friends.

Were?

Oh did I say were, I meant are.

We are good friends.

You wait right here,

I'll be right back.

Did you tell anyone what you saw?

No, not yet, not as long as we...

Remain friends.

Did anyone see you come here?

No, nobody did.

Well, if you won't tell, I won't tell.

I'll be right bacl.

Don't go away now.

(singing)

Rebecca.

Rebecca.

Yes?

Rebecca!

(sinister music)

(screaming)

I've already told you no, I never go back on my word.

Mother can be a very big word, Papa.

And I mean it.

If you think, for one moment, I have any intention

of going back on my word, then you're very much mistaken.

I can be just as stubborn as you.

But you have gone back on your word.

You promised that when you left medical school

you would help me with my experiments.

But I kept my word!

What about Gerald, your husband?

What about him?

I didn't agree that you should do anything so foolish

like getting married.

Nothing was ever said one way or the other

about my getting married.

I didn't think it would have to be said,

you know as well as I do none of the Mooneys

can ever get married.

Well I don't agree with that way of thinking.

Look, Papa, Gerald and I intend to stay married

and there's nothing you can do about it

so you might as well resign yourself to the idea.

So long as he's under my roof, I do not plan to accept him

now perhaps he'll get the general idea and leave here.

You don't really care about my happiness at all, do you?

Of course I want your happiness.

But you won't find it with him.

I already have found it.

What do you mean?

I'm going to have his child.

How long have you known this?

Four months.

Does he know?

No, I haven't told him yet.

Why not?

I was going to save it, to keep him

by my side if necessary.

You talk as if he were going to leave you.

He wants us to go away from here,

to go and live in Scotland.

And now he won't.

Of course.

You were always clever.

Once I tell him of it, he'll never leave me,

he's much too devoted to me.

Who else knows?

Mortimer.

Oh, so you told Mortimer before you even told me.

I thought I was closer to you than that.

Oh it's not always easy to talk to you, Papa.

Sometimes you make it very difficult to confide in you.

Mortimer and I don't have that sort of relationship

I can talk to him.

I don't mean to be difficult,

I can't help myself sometimes.

I wouldn't love you so much if you were any other way.

(chuckling)

You aren't angry with me now, are you?

To think of a possible grandson.

That would be the answer to all my wishes.

We can do it.

I know we can do it!

Tomorrow we must start extensive tests

to ensure the birth of your baby.

Papa.

Huh?

Will you do me a favor?

Anything, my darling, anything.

Will you see Gerald?

(laughing)

I'll have to now, won't I?

I love you, Papa.

Not as much as I love you.

I'll send Gerald.

Now the important thing to remember about Papa

is to let him do all the talking.

He loves to talk.

He's very old, much older than he looks.

And he mustn't be excited because his heart is very bad.

You make it sound as if Papa were an ogre or something

and you should be frightened of him.

We don't mean it like that.

You and he will get along just fine, I feel it.

If you handle Papa right,

you'll find he'll come completely around

to your way of thinking.

Remember, you've got the upper hand with him.

But don't let him know you feel that way

or he'll get the better of you.

He's very please about the baby,

almost as pleased as you were when I told you about it.

Diana, it's getting late.

I think you ought to take Gerald in before it's too late.

Then they'll have time for a talk before he has his shot.

Oh, that's tonight isn't it, I'd forgotten about that.

And it rises early.

I'm ready when you are.

Then let's go.

(knocking)

Diana?

Yes, Papa.

Come in.

Well don't stand in front of him,

how can I see how handsome he is

if you stand in front of him?

Well what do you think of him, Papa?

I did alright for myself, don't you think?

Oh you don't judge a parcel from the wrapping,

I'll let you know later on what I think of him,

now go on, get out of here, get out.

Oh Papa, can't I stay and listen, please?

I'll be ever so quiet.

You, ever so quiet? (Laughing)

Go on, get out of here, I don't want you in here, get out.

Well, don't stand there looking like a fool,

go and sit down.

Now Diana tells me you love her, is that true?

Isn't it obvious, I wouldn't have married her otherwise.

Well you would have possibly married her for her money,

couldn't you?

She never once told me anything about her

financial background.

I fell in love with her, and she with me,

and we finally got married.

It was after the wedding that she told me about her family.

You said you finally got married,

what do you mean by that?

You mean she didn't tell you?

I wouldn't be asking you if she did, would I?

We lived together for two years before getting married.

She didn't tell you?

[Papa] No.

Well she should have.

[Papa] Whose idea was it that you should live together,

hers or yours?

It was hers.

[Papa] Well from now on, I'll take everything you tell me

as the absolute truth.

I'd be foolish to tell you lies.

You would so easily ask your daughter

if they were true or not.

When you said just now that you and Diana

lived together before you got married,

did she tell you the reason why?

She believed we should live together as man and wife

to see if we're compatible.

I wasn't too fond of the idea of it.

Diana has a way of getting her own way eventually.

Wasn't it rather difficult to live together

in the eyes of society?

We lived in a small village,

away from her school and my place of business.

We passed ourselves off as man and wife

and no one knew otherwise.

And then you eventually got married?

When Diana came of age, she told me.

I asked her to marry me and she did.

Did Diana tell you anything about our family background?

[Gerald] No, not really.

Well I'm going to.

You may not believe it all, but it's absolutely true.

The Mooneys are a very, very old family,

they go back for many, many centuries.

They came originally from northern Europe.

Once they were immensely rich.

They had great holdings of land.

Three centuries ago, my great-grandfather

was bitten by an animal.

This animal was afflicted with a dreaded disease

which was passed on to all members of the family

through the birth of each new child.

At the time of this accident to my great-grandfather,

there were few descendants of the Mooneys.

A plague had taken them in the region where they lived.

The Mooneys dwindled until it was only this family left.

None of the Mooneys had any chance of marrying except Diana.

And it is a chance we're taking to let her have her baby.

Diana's mother was of clean blood when I took her

for my second wife.

Unfortunately, she died of poisoning after Diana was born.

[Gerald] You mean she was poisoned?

Yes.

[Gerald] By who?

I don't know.

And if I did, I wouldn't tell you.

[Gerald] That's almost the same as saying

you know who did it.

Yeah well perhaps.

Time will tell.

You said yourself your great-grandfather

was afflicted by an animal bite.

You meant your great-great-grandfather, didn't you?

I meant exactly what I said.

But that would make you...

180 years old

That's impossible.

Nothing is impossible, my boy.

That is why I need my shots.

When I was a younger man, a doctor,

I invented a formula that would prevent me from aging

and prolong my life.

That is why Diana was sent to medical school

in order to help me with my experiments.

You see my boy, we planned everything very carefully

in advance.

We will all be able to extend our lives.

That would be impossible.

Nothing is impossible, my boy.

Someday, man will be able to fly.

He will be able to live on other planets.

It will be possible to freeze a body

and bring it back to life

long after he's discovered medicines to prolong life.

You're in 1899, think what the new century will bring.

You've read of Jules Verne, whom everyone calls mad?

He is telling the world of things to come

and no one will listen.

But he is right, and they are wrong.

My Diana will contribute to the future of the new world

by continuing my experiments

on the plants in the backyard.

And my Diana... (growling)

Mr. Mooney, Mr. Mooney!

Diana, Diana, quickly!

Diana!

(growling)

(intense music)

(growling)

Papa.

Papa!

Papa!

(crying)

You never knew about me and Papa.

I loved Papa more than any of you could ever know.

And Papa loved me.

That's why he is the way he is.

It wasn't meant to be.

We were punished by what Papa and I did.

There's something else you don't know.

I poisoned your mama, Diana.

I couldn't bear to see her and Papa together.

I don't expect either of you ever to forgive me.

(crying)

(dramatic music)

(growling)

(screaming)

(glass breaking)

(yelling)

[Diana] Mortimer!

What is it?

Mortimer!

Mortimer!

(growling)

(dramatic music)

(yelling)

(screaming)

(screaming)

(dramatic music)

(yelling)

Where did you get it?

I bought it in town today.

Do you have any bullets for it?

Promise you're not going to be mad at me

for what I tell you.

There's no time for anyone to be mad at anything, tell me.

You know your mama's silver cross?

I took it today while you were sleeping.

Well what do you want that for?

I needed it to make bullets for the gun.

Well couldn't you use the normal ones?

They wouldn't be effective, they have to

be made of silver and from someone you love.

I knew how much you loved that cross

and it had to be done before tonight.

Can you forgive me?

Of course, we haven't much time, come on.

And incidentally, give me the gun.

Is it loaded?

Yes.

(sinister music)

(gunshot)

(growling)

(dramatic music)

(gunshots)

(crying)

Do you feel better now, would you like some more tea?

No thank you, I'm alright, really.

I think we better leave for town.

We'll go to the police station first

and tell them everything.

What I can't understand is how you managed

to keep them from killing each other before now.

Whenever it was a full moon,

Papa used to give them all sedatives

and lock them in their rooms.

Then I had to give him a shot and lock him

in his room as well.

In the morning, I used to let them all out again.

Well I think we better make for the police station.

In a way, it will be quite a relief to have

all this off my mind.

It's going to be nice to have the house

all to ourselves.

What makes you think we're staying here?

Well surely you don't intend to go anywhere else.

We'll go back to Scotland where we're happy.

I hate Scotland.

No, my darling, we're going to stay here

for the rest of our lives.

We're going back to Scotland.

We can sell the house and have plenty to live on

wherever we choose.

This house will never be sold.

We're going back to Scotland.

(laughing)

You, my darling, are not going anywhere.

You see, I don't need you anymore.

You've served your purpose, you've sired my baby.

I really don't see any further use for you.

You see, there's one little thing I forgot to tell you.

I am different from the rest of my family.

I can change myself at will.

(dramatic music)

(growling)

(humming)

It's pretty warm today, isn't it?

A little.

Would you like me to make you some lemonade?

A little later, perhaps.

You sure you feel alright?

I'm fine, Mrs. Vaschinksy, just fine.

I never thought you'd get over the shock

of finding your whole family and husband murdered like that.

I'd really rather not talk about it.

Do you think the police will ever find out

who or what did it?

Please, Mrs. Vaschinsky.

I hope it's a boy.

I'm almost certain it's going to be a boy.

That's what you want isn't it, a boy?

I don't really mind, as long as it's healthy.

It's going to be a beautiful baby.

I've always liked the name of William.

But then you always called him Bill or Will.

Course if it's a girl, there's all the flower names

to choose from.

There's Iris, and Violet.

Lily or Rose.

Or Petunia.

(laughing)

That's not a very nice name, I don't think.

Imagine a young girl growing up

and finding herself stuck with a name like Petunia.

Of course it could be worse,

there are lots of other funny names, too.

But you have to be very careful when you christen a baby,

you know, because when they grow up, they don't tend to...

(light, happy music)