All language subtitles for Attack on Fear (1984) - Paul Michael Glaser

Timmy Klein, a seven-year-old San
Francisco boy who wandered off from his

family's McKenzie Park campsite last
night.

Volunteers are asked to report to the
park for deployment by the Marin County

Sheriff's deputies.

Motorists in the McKenzie Park area are
asked to be on the lookout for a small

boy wearing a tan, nylon windbreaker and
blue jeans.

Any information concerning...

Ali. Thank you.

Anything new?

And the biggest news so far is Tom
Banner's up in San Francisco. No

kidding.

All right.

Tom, it was a pleasant surprise.

How long has the kid been missing?

We wandered off about 7.30 last night.
We had a small search party out, but

they quit when it got too dark.

Is that the mother?

That's right, Lois Klein.

Father's out looking already.

Excuse me. Can we move up this way for a
moment, please?

I'm Sheriff Paul Burgess. We have a
child missing since last night.

Thank you, Senator Antepo, for coming.

Come on, push in close up here, if you
will.

The lost child's name is Timmy Klein,
age seven.

It still amazes me how small towns turn
out in a crisis.

I'd like Synanon to split up and take
the northern quadrant and the woods

behind the firehouse.

Art here will take half of you and sweep
in a southerly direction down the coast.

I'll head up the canyon with the rest of
you.

Okay. Let's split them up and get
started.

Sheriff, can I get the names of the
search party leaders?

That's myself and Deputy District. And
the Synanon teams?

Well, that's Drew Lewis and Sandy
Reynolds.

They're reserve deputies. Excuse me a
minute.

Keith?

I'm heading back to the office right
now.

Don't forget the mother-and-child
reunion show.

You got it, Chief.

Tom, you're welcome to stop by if you
want to wait it out there.

No, thanks, Dave, but I've got to get
back to the city and write up what I got

for the afternoon paper. Listen, we
might want to buy one of your guys'

photographs. Oh, hey, we could use the
money.

Marin County is a quiet coastal area
just north of San Francisco, a place

where college professors and crab
fishermen and cattle ranchers have

achieved a common lifestyle, a place
where the major concerns usually center

on coastal development and the influx of
city folk.

Dave Mitchell and his wife Kathy had no
idea when they moved to Point Reyes and

bought the town's weekly newspaper that
they would be caught up and swept along

by events that would change their lives
forever.

Mind your back.

Did they find the kid?

Not yet. He says he'll call as soon as
everything happens.

Do you have plenty of time to make it to
Santa Rosa?

It's Tuesday. I'm going to teach on
Tuesday.

Are you ready? Yes.

Dave, I want you to meet John and Jesse.
Hi. Hello.

They stopped by to find out why we
haven't published their articles.

You remember, eat fish bones.

But it's vital information.

You see, the enzyme balance of the fish
flesh alone is all wrong without the

bones. People are doing damage to their
bodies and their spirits.

I was saying, Dave, that it's probably
not in the best interest of public

safety for us to publish an article
advising people to eat fish bones.

It could be dangerous. I'm sure you see
that.

More dangerous not to, really.

Yes, well, regardless...

We have a policy of not printing
recipes.

Oh, I used to publish recipes.

It's a new policy.

Well, it's not a helpful policy.

Thank you.

You know, you might try... Always light.

Oh, hi, Keith. What's happening?

They did.

Oh, that's wonderful.

Who?

No kidding.

Yeah, come right in. We'll get right to
work.

Dave, they found Timmy Clyde and he's
all right. Oh, that's great.

Which team? Sit him on a bench.

No, no team.

A dirt bike. I found him by accident.

Who said they only tear up the beaches?

Well, we better get busy if we want to
get all this in by tomorrow.

What do you think?

I think it's fine.

Your interview with Mrs. Klein is very
good.

It may not fit, but it'll cut.

What do you think about mine?

Well, just one thing. You mentioned
Synanon again and again.

They helped him out with the search.

Sir Fergus did nothing to praise for it.
I know, but he caught every last

compliment. There were also a lot of
average citizens who helped. And they

were sort of mentioned in passing.

You're right.

Synanon's presence out there was kind of
unique.

I guess I got kind of carried away.

You know, Theron's presence in this
community is unique.

It's maybe something we should look at
with a fresh eye.

That's a good idea.

Next week.

forward to having these open house
parties here on the ranch. We sort of

feel like Marin County is our host, so
if we can return the favor once a month

or so, the more we know about each
other, the better we'll get along.

Come on, everybody!

Come on!

Here is juvenile delinquents.

Many of them were wild animals when they
came to Synanon.

Synanon is a society that discourages
the dope fiend personality.

You think society at large encourages
it?

Society does foster the dope fiend, yes.

At least there aren't any here. In fact,
there are very few sick people here.

This place is enormous.

This is our gift business.

We ship to client companies all over the
country.

Things like wallets, pen lights, and
other promotional items.

This keychain is one of ours.

How much business do you do in a year?

Oh, about $9 million.

But we don't measure value that way.

It's just good, productive work for
people who've never known that before.

The game is one of the main supports a
Synanon person has.

It's a way to get in touch with your own
feelings and the way others see you.

You can get it all out in the game and
just feel great.

Okay, quiet, everybody.

I'm your family now, Tammy.

We love you, Tammy.

I just wanted to get off and be by
myself and see nobody.

Because you're not smart.

Right.

It was stupid.

You're a coward, Tammy.

You finally found people who love you.

You try to run away from them.

I just needed some time to think. What
do you think is going to happen if

you're back on the streets?

You're going to fall into a manhole.

And you're going to be back on dope.

Because you're being stupid.

You don't have any character.

You don't even think you deserve better.

I do.

I do think so.

You're not making any sense, Tammy.

When I was a kid, my father used to tell
me he loves me.

And then he beat me.

And he tells me he loves me again. And
then he beat me again.

And he loves me. He beat me.

And I was afraid you guys were going to
beat me.

Okay, everybody.

That's the end of our tour. I hope you
found it interesting.

Go and get something to eat and have a
nice day. Bye-bye. You go ahead. I'm

going to talk to the sheriff. Okay.

Oh, dear.

Hi. This is Sandy Reynolds and Drew
Lewis.

How you doing?

Pleasure.

I like what you're doing with the
newspaper, Dave.

Especially cutting out all that awful
local forgery.

There was an uproar about that, but we
figured the public's right to know was

more important than the poet's right to
inflict.

About the local primary, or is this a
bad time?

No, no. Walk me down to the kitchen. I'm
going to get another one of these.

Pleasure.

May I?

Oh, please, sit down, please.

You sure look good.

My name's Kathy Mitchell.

Jane. Jane Dutton.

This is quite a facility you people have
here.

How long have you been here?

May I join you?

Sure.

My name is Tony.

Kathy Mitchell.

Yes, I know.

You and your husband bought the Point
Reyes Light.

Yeah. I think you've done wonders with
it.

Well, it hasn't been easy.

Well, it never is whenever you're trying
to change something for the better. A

newspaper, a society.

Excuse me.

It's me, sir.

I hope we can be friends.

Sitting on in the light. You know, some
of the newspapers in the city haven't

been friendly or even fair.

And Time magazine, well, they were... I
read the Time article.

A lot of lies told by people who had
access to grind.

Splittings, quitters.

We're suing.

We're just a local paper.

If we covered Synanon at all, it would
be on a local basis.

Like today, when we came to take a look
at one of your picnics.

Great. The more you know us, the more
we'll get along.

I'm convinced of that.

Yeah. We could do kind of an overview
article.

Who we're sitting on, what are they
doing, and ask it to the community.

I watched you fold.

All day.

We gotta get a house.

This live where you work economy
measure's getting ridiculous.

One day, I'll run your underwear on page
one, and then you'll be fine.

When do we have time to house hunt?

Well, I'll have a few weeks soon,
between semesters.

Okay.

Hello? Oh, hi, Keith.

What?

Keith says turn on KCPY. Quick.

Thanks, Keith.

As we mentioned at the top of the
broadcast, KCPY has learned from

official sources that Synanon, the drug
rehabilitation organization based in

West Marin County, recently purchased
over $60,000 worth of pistols, semi

-automatic rifles, and ammunition from a
San Francisco gun dealer.

Though Synanon founder Charles Dietrich
declined to confirm or deny the extent

of the purchase, he has told reporters
the purchase of arms was prompted by

threats against his life in the wake of
recent published articles about Synanon.

In Mendocino, officials discussed
financing...

Yes, sir.

I know the place.

I'll know.

Sure.

Everybody decent?

Yes, sir.

No problem.

Yes,

sir. I understand.

Thank you.

I'll be there.

Goodbye.

But he's very important.

He wants to talk off the record about
those guns Sinanon bought.

And just who is this Mr. Very Important
Somebody?

Can't tell you that, Kath.

You know a good reporter doesn't share a
privileged source with his editor.

The question is, why would he call us?
The point raised light. The daily papers

are 400 times the circulation we get.

Look through those and tell me if you
find a story on Sinanon and guns.

No? No. You've got to understand about
Sinanon. It's kind of a...

sacred cow, particularly over the hill
in East Marin County.

They're very much into alternative
lifestyles over there. So I've heard.

More Zen Buddhists between here and
Sausalito than all Japan.

Dave, I picked up this book at the
library last night.

Synanon, Miracle on the Beach.

It's a complete love letter.

The only working drug program. Happy
smiling faces free of drugs at last.

It's on the 14th car.

I bet everybody in town's read this.
Yeah, precisely.

Printing bad news about synonyms is like
spitting on the flag.

But maybe your important person knows
that you and Kathy are new around here.

Maybe he trusts you to be more
objective.

Well, I would sort of like to know why
they need $60,000 worth of guns and

ammunition. So would I.

See you.

I can give you information about the
guns.

Leads as to where they were purchased
and so on. In fact...

It ties in with something else people
should be made aware of. What? Do you

know Drew Lewis and Sandy Reynolds?

Yeah, I've met them.

They're reserved deputies with full
police power when they're in uniform.

Both of them are also deeply involved in
Synanon's internal security force.

The last combination.

One has to wonder where their first
allegiance lies, particularly when one

of their names keeps showing up over and
over again.

As the purchaser of those guns.

A reserve deputy helping arm a private
force.

Hello. Hello, is this Synanon Public
Information?

Yes, SCRAM.

Did you say SCRAM?

The Synanon Committee for Responsible
American Media.

Oh, well, this is Kathy Mitchell at the
Point Reyes Light.

We're coming up on deadline, and I would
like your reaction.

Is it true that Synanon purchased 24 .45
caliber pistols, 57

shotguns, 7 .30 Aught 6 rifles?

You're talking about the lies on TV.

That station is one of several powerful
media organizations out to get Synanon.

Time Life Corporation, the Hearst
Corporation.

Well, now, hold this a minute now.
You're not lumping the point where it's

lied in with those guys.

We have been patient with these
persecutions long enough. We're prepared

to take whatever action is necessary to
ensure truthful reporting.

Is that what you need $50,000 worth of
guns and ammunition for?

You call back when you're ready to
listen to us.

My name is Richard Offshee.

I had known about Synanon for some time,
but had begun to notice some disturbing

changes in the organization.

I wondered how much of this was tip and
how much iceberg.

I could not have anticipated that the
answer to that question would

inextricably link me to the Mitchells
and the Point Reyes Light.

Is this front page material?

Mitchell's Purchase Local Estate.

I can't believe it. We actually bought a
house.

We actually bought a mortgage.

Come on, I'll let you carry me across
the threshold.

Oh, Kathy.

Hi, Seth.

You're giving up the newspapering for
drug garden, huh? That's the judge of

homeownership. That's right.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

So, how do you like the new home?

I'll let you know after the rise of
spring.

And that's a grand total of $36.80.

Okay.

Beth, would you put these on my bill,
please?

Certainly.

You know Mrs.

Mitchell?

She and her husband own the life.

How do you do?

Kathy Mitchell.

What's your name?

Lindley. Pleased to meet you.

I think.

Did I say something wrong?

Not to me.

I've just been wondering what kind of
person it takes to put out a reactionary

newspaper. A what?

Those articles you've been running about
guns at Synanon. As much help as those

people are to this community.

And then you stabbed them in the back.

We didn't know such thing.

It seems to me that a newspaper should
be objective, not engage in a smear

campaign.

If you can't adjust to different
beliefs, maybe this just isn't the town

for you.

I just thought we came here to settle
down, to be part of a community.

Now it seems the people are...

Turning their backs on us for trying to
be responsible for things.

It's okay, Kat. Small towns are
clannish.

You have to pay your dues before they
accept you.

I had a professor once who told me that
a byline is not a chance for a free

ride. It's a chance to take it on the
chin.

It comes with the territory.

So you mean the white picket fence and
the 2.3 kids and the mom and pop

newspaper that everybody loves and the
family.

So, what do you think?

It is... Beautiful.

I can't believe you really lived here.

Four years.

Well, I'm not spending four years here.

It is my honeymoon, and I want to get on
to San Francisco.

Look, I want to show you where the
compound is, but I don't know which

direction it is.

Oh, honey, honey, enough show and tell.
Let's just...

private property.

Okay, well, we'll just back up and turn
around.

Hey, don't I know you?

Yeah, you snuck out.

Just a split team, man. A lame on the
lam.

Maybe he's a spy.

Yeah, from Time Magazine, like on the
wire.

Get serious.

How's it going?

Business could be better.

You want to run the ad for that
rototiller again this week?

Gee, David, I'm sorry. I meant to call.

I sold it over the weekend.

No problem.

Just checking.

Don't you usually check the log, you
know, for stories?

Deadline's not till Wednesday. Why don't
you look at it now?

Save yourself a trip.

Substation, Mr. Heff.

Right.

Sure, yeah, I'll send Tom to check that
out as soon as it gets back.

All right, bye.

They dragged him from the car?

According to the complaint.

Cuffed? They got beaten?

Interrogated for hours? My God, is this
true?

I have been told not to talk to the
press.

I can provide you with an organizational
chart of the sheriff's department, sir,

if you'd care to see who's above me.

Dave Mitchell.

Point Ray's life.

I was wondering if I could ask you a
question.

You didn't happen to witness anything
out here yesterday?

Like an assault?

First we tried to be good neighbors.

We even gave him a heifer.

But then the children started coming to
us because we're so close. Right down

the road.

They came over the hill, down the creek.

Sometimes they were, what's the need?

Cinema.

Yes. And always, poor thing.

Eleven years old, some of them.

We were scared to death.

We'd help them.

Call their parents.

Have pictures and letters from them.

A kid.

They're babies.

You're very good.

May I make a list?

Oh, oh, no.

They won't talk to you.

Mrs. Gambanini, did they say anything as
to why they left Synanon?

We're not deprogrammers, Mr. Mitchell.
Just people trying to help. Okay.

Did you see or hear anything yesterday?

Yesterday?

No, but... What?

Well, these roads aren't the safest
place sometimes, you know.

There have been people harassed by
Sinanon out here.

They chased one truck right into town.

They want to beat up Alvin.

We were out checking one of our houses
on the ranch one night and they came

and... Tried to pull him out of the car.

This car right here.

They couldn't move him until they beat
him through the window.

Head and shoulders.

Did you report this?

To whom?

To the sheriff.

There's nothing in our back files, I'm
sure.

Keith? I just can't understand why we
haven't heard anything about any of

these things.

Hi. Hi. Can I help you?

Yes, I'd like to extend my subscription.

Oh, I'm glad to help with that.

The name is Offshe, O-F-S-H-E, Richard.

Subscription's still $7?

So, come up to $8.

Silly question.

Offshe, Dr.

Richard Offshe.

Yes, I'm a professor at Berkeley,
sociology.

I have a little summer place up today.

Mm-hmm.

Found your article about guns at Synanon
quite interesting.

Rather unique, too.

You notice?

Oh, yes.

Synanon is nothing if not a hot potato
for the press.

You mean because of the lawsuits against
the examiner in Time Life?

Yes. But just to call them lawsuits, I
mean, $116 million isn't exactly small

claims court.

Say not.

Oh, honey, this is Dr. Richard Offsheet.
My name's Dave Mitchell. This is my

wife, Kathy.

Pleasure. Hi.

Do you know they have something called
SCRAM?

The Committee for Responsible Media?

And a legal department of 48 people to
back it up.

I have friends on the examiner.

Synanon lawyers made life hell for them.

They couldn't do their jobs.

Endless depositions.

Somebody made a comment on record that
she heard Charles Diederich pass wind.

She was made to answer question after
question.

About whether she heard it or she
smelled it. And how obvious was it. And

how many times she remembered him doing
it.

You sound pretty well informed on this.

Well, my main concern is social control
in societies like Synanon.

I'd like to sit down and talk with you
about this sometime.

Anytime.

I hope you stick with this story.

I admire your courage.

Thank you.

One thing.

Unless I'm mistaken, then this paper
does not run on the shoestring.

Be sure you dot every I and cross every
damn T.

The deputy just a half risked his job to
tip us to this, you know. But we

wouldn't stand a chance against a legal
machine like that. We nearly missed an

issue last month because you had the
flu.

What if we had to do hours of legal
stuff on top of putting out the

newspaper? With me starting classes
tomorrow.

On the other hand, if we don't tell this
story, we might as well bring back the

recipes. Because we sure won't be a
newspaper.

We should have plenty of room to print
the recipes.

We could go belly up on this one.

Well, let's not go nuts.

It's three days to deadline.

Somebody's bound to scoop us on this
one.

Dave, how's it going?

Can't complain.

Deadline's tomorrow, am I right?

You are indeed.

Any big stories this week?

I'll just have to buy the paper to find
out.

I don't get it.

Not a word in any other paper.

What about today's Samuel Fell news?

Oh, yeah.

An article in the history of Cinnabon's
ambulance service.

I warned you about the papers in East
Marin.

Is it possible they know something we
don't know?

Which is it, the county budget?

Or the Synanon beating?

What the hell with all those lawyers?

while there with that truck behind me my
heart was pounding something like a

little paranoia at least i wasn't
worried about lawsuits not funny the

story was about beatings not losses i
mean it you're not invulnerable and this

is not a fortress nothing's gonna happen

Honey, be careful.

At least we have one friend.

I was only 13.

Me and my brother left Wichita when I
was 11.

I was living in a room off the strip
with three other girls.

We were sick all the time.

Well, we weren't busy getting busted.

I turned 10, maybe 15 tricks a day just
to support my hip.

On top of that, there was my habit.

Then one day I went to the beach and I
found some people there.

They were called synonyms.

They took me in, they kept me safe when
my pimp came looking for me.

Excuse me, miss. May we please have your
question?

All right, here's a question.

What's wrong with a sheriff and Synanon
having friendly relations?

You heard this, girl.

Sheriff Burgess is probably the first
law officer she's ever really trusted.

So what's wrong with that, Mr. Peters?

There's nothing wrong with a sheriff and
Synanon having friendly relations. I

hope to have friendly relations with
Synanon myself after I'm elected.

But I don't think it's right to extend
special treatment to one group.

I'd like to hear you back that up,
Peters.

All right, what about the gun purchases,
huh?

Am I supposed to say those weapons are
in this county at this moment?

They're not in this county.

And if you have information that they
are, you should turn it over to me so I

can do my job.

I want Sheriff Fergus to answer this.

If Sinanon is so law-abiding, why am I
afraid to go into my field? Right.

Why do young people run away and ask us
to hide them? Yeah, right. Come on.

Well, that's two questions.

And I'll answer both of them.

No one in this county should be afraid
to walk on his own property.

And any group, any group with a
history...

of violence or runaway children will be
investigated by me. You have my word on

that.

Every runaway, every group,

does that include domestic squabbles?

Are you going to put a squad car in
every living room?

Come on, come on, Fergus, don't equate
that with sin and honor.

So it's only unusual groups like Synanon
that are going to be investigated.

Right. Well, there's engaging in special
treatment now, Peter.

I encourage them to get up and speak.
They're shy people.

You shouldn't have gotten into it. Don't
you see how that looks? Oh, how it

looks? Who cares how it looks?

All I can do is say it for the 20th
time.

We cannot be for or against anything. We
just report what happens. That's the

service the newspaper provides. That's
the service the Washington Post

provides. They don't know the victims.
We do.

That's got to make a difference. No
difference.

Then why did we move up here? Why did we
buy this damn paper?

We wanted something personal, not a big
anonymous daily. Some place where we

could work at close range and get
involved.

I was always taught that a reporter was
supposed to stay uninvolved. Oh, come

on. Maybe I should take your course in
journalism as a refresher.

Maybe you ought to take a long walk as a
refresher. Well, hell, Cap, I'll do

better than that.

Good night.

I don't want the sheriff's scalp.

He did suspend the Seminole Reserve
deputies.

I just want him to enforce the law.

Law enforcement could use a little help
in this town.

Why hasn't the paper endorsed a
sheriff's candidate in this primary?

We don't endorse county candidates.

That's rather an ostrich's perspective,
isn't it?

I'm sorry, Kath, I know you've got
classes. I wouldn't have called except I

wanted you to proof this for me before
you left.

Tosses out a hundred pieces.

Ain't love grand.

Pete,

put a frame around that thing. Now we
can tell what we might need it for.

I mean, have they all gone crazy?

What's the reason for a drug rehab
program to act like this?

Well, Synanon has been more than a drug
rehabilitation center for years.

What else is it?

Synanon is also a co-

A shot of the kids chasing the van.

Great. Okay, I'll see you in an hour.
Bye-bye.

He's going to run the tape on the 6
o'clock news.

I wonder how Sinanon will like seeing
that on TV.

They'll love it.

It's just that I've seen it all before.

Even the ape suit.

It's textbook Sinanon.

Offer to cooperate and then cry
persecution.

Stroke the sympathetic press, sue the
hostile, mock the rest.

Up in Tulare County, it was the same
thing.

Why haven't they sued us?

Small fry.

Don't get me wrong, Dave.

That may be your greatest strength.

The time may come when only the little
voices will be left.

Nope.

KCPY will cover this story, and we are
not small fry.

I'll see you guys later.

It was nice meeting you. Nice meeting
you.

Yeah.

Take care now. Thank you.

It's the violence that bothers me.

That's the new wrinkle.

East Marin, too?

That's great.

Yeah, thanks, Keith.

You sure?

Absolutely.

Earth is lost. Most precincts.

Paul Ray's light.

Yes, he is. May I tell him who's
calling?

Sure.

That was very interesting.

A gentleman just called to tell you his
battery is dead.

Thanks, Captain.

How do you like our new sheriff?

I must say I'm surprised.

Quite an upset.

Cherish the good news, Dave. There's not
much of it.

Health Department sent five state
inspectors out to Synanon with a warrant

to check out the facilities.

They finally left in frustration.

Synanon made it so difficult for them to
conduct the investigation.

How could Synanon ignore a warrant?

It's the state of California.

The state ain't nothing but a big
county, Dave.

Meaning what?

Those four guys who beat up that Harper
fellow, the one you wrote about?

Yeah. One of our county judges just
reduced the charges this morning from a

felony to a misdemeanor.

They'll never serve a day.

What's new?

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Don't try me.

It makes you wonder why you can try so
hard, doesn't it?

You got time for coffee at Bledsoe? I
gotta finish.

See you later.

Yeah.

Even the grand jury complaints against
Synanon came to nothing.

The state just doesn't know how to deal
with organizations like these when they

begin to go out of control.

We could show them.

Maybe.

Let me ask you something.

We have no axe to grind with Sinanon.

Do you?

No.

Nothing personal.

But I do nurture a dislike for
totalitarianism.

The control of other people's lives. The
cult of us versus them.

You've said that before. Why is Synanon
a cult?

Why? Strict internal structure.

A single, unquestioned leader.

Behavior control. Extreme dedication.

A textbook definition of which Synanon
is a textbook example.

Unstoppable.

And therein lies the potential for a
truly dangerous situation.

Why dangerous?

Cults can mobilize people and have
effects far beyond what their size would

generally indicate. If that energy
should ever turn hostile, it could be

very, very destructive.

Dave, it's getting late. I have a lot of
preparation for my class.

Okay. Tell me, Doctor, do you think we
could get those files from Berkeley one

of these days?

Sure. Be glad to.

Thanks. That would be a great help.

How did Dietrich get started in all
this? Well, he was a confirmed

alcoholic, but he was a very effective
speaker and had somewhat of a following

within Alcoholics Anonymous.

So by the late 60s, Synanon was taking
in large numbers and being criticized

for not returning many back into
society.

So Dietrich came up with the first of
what I call his perfectly simple

solutions.

The people that come into Synanon are
suffering from a fatal disease.

If they go out of Synanon, they're dead.

In other words, they keep all the fish
they catch.

Precisely. And put them to work.

Neat. But not neat enough.

By 1977, they had assets of about $20
million.

They needed professionals, non-addicts,
to help run the thing.

And they got them, too.

Doctors, admin, accountants, lawyers.

It was the human potential movement, the
me decade, a chance to get in on the

ground floor of utopia.

But they had a big turnover problem, and
some minor probes into their tax-exempt

status, and still the nagging
rehabilitation question.

Sounds like another perfectly simple
solution.

Become a religion.

Guaranteed tax status.

And nobody graduates from a church.

Bingo.

Okay.

We're going to meet three times a week
and discuss various problems in modern

journalism. Oh, like First Amendment
stuff.

We'll discuss the First Amendment, of
course, but we'll also deal with more

practical day-to-day issues.

Such as?

Letting advertisers dictate editorial
policy.

That's a good one.

And what is liable?

And how much advertising a newspaper
needs to break even?

I'm going to get you all to understand
that there's more to putting out a

successful newspaper than the glory of
the byline.

Thanks. Oh, may I have some extra sauce
for my husband?

Your source.

Mr. Bledsoe, what are you... Head of the
House of Montague.

Romeo and Juliet, the community theater
is presenting Romeo and Juliet.

We have been all week.

There was a time when the Point Reyes
Light would cover local events. Now I

guess Synanon is more important.

Oh, I'm terribly sorry. We will cover
it.

We close tonight.

One on the aisle.

See you in Verona.

Thank you. Thank you.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Diederik is an amazing individual, Dave.

He's extremely charismatic.

And very intelligent.

With all the zeal of the reformed
alcoholic, which he is.

He blends a smattering of logic,
psychology, eastern mysticism,

into a rhetoric and a philosophy that
sounds seductively humanistic.

Beating people up was hardly my idea of
humanism.

Nor mine. But you have to admit it, sir.

Oh, darn.

What you got?

Last time I had a special on the
oysters, and I thought... Hi.

Well, I see we have a guest.

Oh, I'll make something extra.

No, don't bother yourself, Dave. This
should be the two of you.

Well, aren't you going to have anything
to eat? I have to change for the

theater.

We're just wrapping up.

Well, good for you.

Please don't leave our mark out.

I'll call you tomorrow.

Yeah. Good night.

Good night.

Are you okay?

You just look so down the mouth.

I'm all right. I'm just a little tired.

Where are you from?

Tennessee.

I thought I heard something.

Georgia myself.

How's everything in the newspaper
business?

Fine. Full of surprises.

How's everything in the people business?

Full of surprises.

Well, have a nice day.

Are you sure this is accurate?

I can't believe that everything about
Synanon is as black as you paint it.

The stuff that's Richard's opinion is
identified as opinion.

Opinion goes on the editorial page.

I know that.

And where is the corroboration?

Try and get somebody to talk. Richard
and I called dozens of ex-members. Do

you want a beer?

I know, Dave. I've seen the phone bill.

That kind of extraneous expense could
kick over this apricot.

Extraneous expense?

Calling all over the country to a deep
background when we should be covering

the local news?

This is local news.

It's the tip of an iceberg. It's right
in our own backyard.

I'm going to follow it wherever it takes
me. That's what I do.

I'm a reporter.

What am I, Dave?

My wife.

My partner.

My editor.

Well, you know, I don't feel very much
like your editor or your partner.

I feel like a cub reporter that you send
to cover the Kiwanis luncheon while you

and your cronies hang out at the
courthouse.

That's not fair. I consult you on
everything.

Do you?

I hadn't noticed.

Look, Kathy, this is an important story.

I'm going to pursue it. Richard says
that... Richard does not make editorial

policy on this paper.

Oh, come on. This is a community weekly.

I will not have it said that the Point
Reyes Light is obsessed with Synanon.

We are not obsessed.

You and I are not obsessed.

Let me make this.

I'm going to pursue this story.

Because I want to. Not because Richard
Offsheet wants me to.

You understand?

Thanks for calling. How come you're
giving us the story?

Oh, well, my paper's publishing it.

But I felt that you should hear about it
anyway.

Charles Kingston left Synanon in 1977,
not amicably.

He's fighting for custody of his child,
and his wife is still inside.

Is he going to make it?

That's going to be touch and go.

Do the police have any leads?

Well, they say they've got an
eyewitness, but...

I sure hope you two are safe out there
in the boonies.

You know who that guy with the beard is?

His name is Peter Lofgren. He was in
Synanon at the same time Charles

Kingston was.

Floor supervisor to pediatric leave.

Floor supervisor to pediatric leave.

Peter Lofgren, I'm Tom Banner.

This is Dave Mitchell, Kathy Mitchell of
Point Reyes Light.

I've got nothing to say.

Is Charles Kingston a friend of yours?

These things are going to keep on
happening until you tell us what you

know.

Katie, there's some folks to see you.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Hi. Hi. How are you? Fine.

Lousy. I had a budget for a new special.

In-depth study of cults and their
leadership.

I don't have a budget anymore.

Pressure from seminar?

No comment.

But as of now, you two are practically
the only working press devoting

extensive energy to the subject.

Katie, Paul Morant, line two.

Hello, Paul?

Katie, who are they?

Okay, I'm going to put you on the
speakerphone.

Paul, I have Dave and Kathy Mitchell
here with me. I told you about the point

-raised light?

Sure, I remember. Hello there.

Hello. Paul is an attorney in L.A.

suing Synanon on a false imprisonment
incident.

It's not a pretty story.

How's it going?

Well, we have a pretty strong case, but
Synanon is well represented.

All those lawyers?

All those lawyers.

Say, you folks are right out there,
aren't you? I mean, in the same town.

That's right.

Well, I hope you're okay.

I mean, safe.

Thanks, we're fine.

Close your eyes. Now make a wish. Close
your eyes. Now make a wish.

Now keep your eyes closed.

Okay. I'll try to blow out the candle.

Okay, Pete. Go ahead.

Hey!

All right!

So,

Bonnie, how did you two meet? Oh, we met
sailing.

Oh, you're a sailor.

No, I'm in advertising.

Oh.

Uh, do you know anything about cults?

No, not really.

You will.

I've got a place to stay. They're going
to put me up until I find my own place.

Here you go.

There. That looks pretty well done.
Thank you.

Kath, I feel terrible about leaving.

No, you have to take that job. It sounds
great.

Yeah, I suppose, but with all this
Synanon stuff going on, I...

Ah, that word is taboo. This is a party.

So you, uh, saw your canoe, Keith?

Yeah, I did. It went real fast.

How about your duck gun?

Well, there won't be a lot of mallards
floating around downtown Seattle.

Oh, no, I guess not.

Yeah, I'm gonna sell that, too.

Unless Kathy and Dave want it. No, thank
you.

You are the third person today who tried
to stick a gun in my hand.

Hey, I just thought you...

I'm sorry, Keith.

It's just I grew up in the South, and
all over there was the obligatory

shotgun in the rear window.

I hated it then, and I hate it now.

It's one of the things I love about this
place. You don't see guns everywhere.

Well, I drive around this country too,
Kathy.

More than you.

And the guns are starting to appear.

Ever since this Synanon thing.

the way the party worked out.

It wasn't your fault.

I think I'm becoming profoundly unhappy,
Dave.

What can I do?

Oh, I don't know.

Nothing, I guess.

Thanks for offering, anyway.

Want to talk about it?

Wouldn't do any good.

That's what I always say.

Then we end up talking half the night.

Is it school?

You really don't see it, do you? See
what?

I know Synanon bothers you.

Bothers me?

Of course it bothers me.

We didn't come to Point Reyes to devote
our lives to a crusade to bring down

some cult we hardly ever heard of.

Kathy, this is no crusade.

You and Richard seem obsessed with this
thing.

You're charging around like some macho
dynamic duo.

Of course I'm charged up.

For the first time in my career, I've
got a story that I can sink my teeth

into. Something that's really important
to make the entire community stop in its

tracks and listen.

But that's just the point, Dave.

Nobody is listening.

Can't we back off?

Just a little bit.

Until one of the other thousand or so
newspapers in this country join us out

here on this limb.

I'm scared, Dave.

And people keep reminding me just how
scared I am. If one more person says,

are you safe? I swear I'm going to
scream.

going to hurt either of us.

How do you know?

How do you know that?

Don't you know there's really very
little we can do to protect ourselves?

I think about that a lot.

And I figure if they come after anybody,
it'll be you.

I've got over in my mind what I'd do if
that happened.

I'd run a photograph of your bloody body
on page one and right next to it.

I'll publish a list of the sin and
non-violence that we have given the

Organized Crime Bureau.

I get my students to help me put out
that issue.

When it was out, I'd go home and cry.

It'll be a hell of a story.

And you wouldn't be afraid to publish
it.

What about us?

I still feel like an outsider in this
town.

A carpetbagger.

And we never have a minute to ourselves
anymore with Richard off, she hears day

and night.

I know I haven't been spending any time
with you lately.

And you've been running yourself ragged
from school to the paper.

I appreciate it. I know it's a strain,
but it'll ease up soon.

How will it get easier?

With Keith gone, we'll have to work even
harder. We can't afford anybody to

replace him.

We'll make it work. We still have money
in the bank.

No, we don't.

I made a mistake in the checkbook.

A thousand dollar mistake.

The papers broke.

Good night, Dave.

Is anyone listening?

Is anybody out there?

We're beginning to wonder.

We're beginning to feel a little like
Alvin Gambonini.

He's a rancher on the Petaluma Road, a
neighbor to Senanon.

He's tried to coexist with his neighbor,
and for his trouble, he's been beaten

and harassed.

Is anybody listening to the story Mr.
Gambonini has to tell?

Is anybody listening to the story of
Henry Harper?

He was dragged from his car and beaten
last March on the Synanon Ranch.

The assailants received reduced charges.

So far, there's only silence.

From the courts, from the Attorney
General's office.

And what about ex-Synanon members, those
who once were in leadership positions?

Why don't they speak out?

Why don't they tell their stories?

We know it's none of our business.

Reporting is simply getting the facts to
the public.

We've done that to the best of our
ability.

We know we shouldn't expect any more.

Still, it's curious.

Just answer one question and then we'll
shut up.

Is anyone out there listening?

Yes, we are thinking of selling the
paper.

I can give you the figure.

Tuesday.

I know where it is.

I'll find you.

Fine.

Goodbye.

Mr. Mitchell?

I don't know if you remember me.

My name is Peter Lofgren.

If we can't use your name, Mr. Lofgren,
then we can't print the story.

It has to be this way. There's somebody
still inside I have to protect.

Who?

From what, then?

The Imperial Marines, he calls them.

Martial arts experts.

Armed men.

Are you absolutely sure?

I'm dead sure.

Dietrich organized them last year.

Said he wanted to hear some bones
cracking.

Bones cracking?

Is that a quote?

Pretty much.

But don't make the mistake of seeing
Harper and Kingston as isolated

incidents. It's organized.

And it has a long history.

The surfers in Santa Monica, the kids
and ranchers up here, members who leave,

internal discipline.

Dietrich gets the word out not to mess
with Synanon.

Where are these Marines now?

All over.

You've got to publish this.

Damn right.

But not without a name.

But it's dynamite. Not is an
unattributed rumor. It's not.

Look, I'm as shocked as you are. But I'm
not going to let our zeal make us act

irresponsibly. You were the one who said
dot the I's and cross the T's.

But we've got to tell someone. This is a
ticking bomb.

Doesn't Art have a friend in the
Attorney General's office?

I don't believe it.

Reporters are going to jail to protect
their sources. You just want to breathe

in there and tell them that Peter
Lofgren gave us this interview?

We'll protect Lofgren.

This is Mr.

Newspaper Ethics who yelled at me about
talking to the Gamboninis?

Yes. Yes.

But I'm a citizen here too, damn it.

I was out walking. I saw a rabid dog.
I'm not going to wait for someone else

to confirm. I'm going to call the man
with the gun.

You're not going to get an argument from
me.

I just hope he believes us.

To us it's proof even if we can't
present it. No, I understand.

I believe you.

What can be done?

Well, I'll take this information and if
it checks out, I'll recommend an

investigation. Will they act on your
recommendation?

Sure.

Probably.

But announcing the start of an
investigation and... really pursuing it

to convictions, those are two different
things.

Are you saying that nothing will be
done?

Let me be frank.

So long as Synanon is doing all this to
its own people on its own property, no

one is much going to care.

If you had a state senator or the
governor behind you, that would be

different.

Call you when I'm president.

That would help.

Enjoy the lunch, Dave.

Thank you. Oh, give me a call.

You made your decision.

A chain can always use another paper.

Okay. I appreciate your offer very much,
Mr. Thompson. I have, truthfully. A

weekly in this neck of the woods would
suit me to a tee.

Thanks again.

I'll talk it over with my wife. Right.

bitten by a rattlesnake placed in his
mailbox.

The young attorney had recently been
awarded a large default judgment against

Senanon, a controversial drug
rehabilitation center in Northern

California. According to a neighbor,
Morant's first words after the attack

were, It's Senanon.

God, you're all right. I was so worried.

Me too.

Did Richard call?

About 30 seconds after the broadcast.

Uh-huh. And I called and wondered if he
should come over. Oh, that was nice of

him. Lock the door.

think it was as much a message as it was
an attack.

Like a letter, you mean.

Well,

if you need me, give me a call. I'm not
that far away. Remember.

Thank you.

I've got to work up that bond. It's your
story.

Put it on the tab.

Can we afford it?

Dave mentioned that you might sell the
paper.

After last night, don't you think that's
a good idea? No, I don't.

Kathy, I mentioned to you how
important... I know what you think.

I also know what I feel.

You can't sell the paper now.

And that rattlesnake was a stop sign.

If we give up now, it's just yielding to
intimidation. This whole thing is just

beginning to come to a head.

You are amazing.

You don't care about me or Dave or the
paper.

All you care about is bringing down the
giant.

Where will you be when the bills start
coming in?

Sure, I'm scared.

But selling the paper has nothing to do
with sin and non-riches.

It's simple economics.

We're not making a living at it.

And that's why we came here.

We believe in this story. We want more
than anything to follow this thing

through. So do I. But we have to face
the facts.

Now, we can keep the paper, continue to
lose money, and trust in Providence,

or we can sell.

Now, which do you think is the smart
move?

Believe you two know each other?

Hello, Mrs. Mitchell.

I can't say exactly when things started
going wrong inside. I guess around

1977.

Chuck Diedrich started making some very
strange statements.

We were going to move against our
enemies.

He said he wanted to hear some bones
cracking.

Then he began to insist on
childlessness.

We weren't going to have any more.

It's as simple as that.

First he broke up marriages.

Hundreds of people changed partners.

Didn't matter how long you'd been
married, go off and sleep with somebody

new.

Chuck decided it, and it was done.

A lot of people split because of that.

Childbirth was overrated as an
experience.

Suddenly, women were getting abortions.

The men had it just as bad, worse maybe.

Guys were brought in, gamed about
vasectomy.

Long games that went on 24 hours.

If you wanted a synonym to be a
democracy where you got freedom

and you were in the wrong place, you're
living in a place where you got to do

what you're told.

And a lot of guys left over that issue.

But those that stayed, they got beaten
down, humiliated.

And once they agreed, out they went. Out
they went and had it done. Right then.

Doctors were waiting.

Four doctors working ten hours, seven
days a week.

And when it was over, Every male over 18
who'd been inside over five years had

either left or had the vasectomy.

Everybody except Chuck Dietrich.

But why stay in a place like that?

They saved my life.

It's as simple as that.

The Downers were starting to take over.

I needed a strong figure, and there was
Chuck Diedrich.

I loved the man for what he did for me,
and I still have.

Great feeling for him.

He did leave eventually.

Yes.

The lawyer was... was suing us, Marantz.

Chuck got on the wire.

We're going after these blood-sucking
lawyers.

He said, Oh, boy, I am eager to get into
the fray.

I really do want an ear in a glass of
alcohol on my desk.

Really.

And I know some guys who want to get one
too.

And then he said he was quite willing to
break

some lawyer's legs.

And then the next time his wife's legs.

And then maybe cut his kid's arm off.

It's a very satisfactory, humane way of
transmitting information.

That's a quote I'm never going to
forget.

And then we heard about the rattlesnake.

And I left the next day.

You heard Charles Diederik ask his
people to attack Paul Marantz?

Many times.

Can we quote you on that?

All right!

You know, it would be great if other
splitties would start coming forward.

Maybe Jane's story would open the
floodgates.

I wouldn't be too sure.

Dietrich is still a very intimidating
guy.

Bye.

That's great, Tom.

Sure, read me the lead.

Who's going to tell us? It's right here.

Thanks a lot.

That's Tom Banner.

Guess what? We got on the UPI. Full
attribution on the Jane Dutton story.

That's great.

That's great.

Ah, congratulations.

Congratulations to you.

This one's mine.

Four-way flight.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry. It's just that things have
been so hectic around here.

Yes, he's right here.

Can you hang on just a minute?

It's Tompkins.

We never got back to him on his offer to
buy the paper.

I forgot.

Mr. Tompkins, I'm sorry, but we've
decided not to sell.

Oh, no, your offer was very generous.

It's just that we're involved in
something here that's very important to

us.

Well, I'm sorry we wasted your time.

Now, what about that follow-up on the
interview with Miranda's doctor?

He was kind of reluctant to talk, but
maybe if I call him back, I could get

some better quotes.

I have a warrant here to search the
premises for evidence this is your copy

Step aside, sir.

Open the gate.

Following the attempt on Paul Marantz's
life, and the resultant law

enforcement activity, the country's news
media began to focus on Synanon like

never before.

Okay.

I'll help. All right.

All right.

Here you go, sweetie.

Thank you.

Oh, good, Dave. I want to ask you a
question.

Wasn't the race originally an alcoholic
treatment program? Yes. Excuse me. Sir.

What? Excuse me.

You know, I'm really going to get
charged out of this.

Chronicle, The Post, Times, all calling
the point Ray's life believes.

So which one are you, Woodward or
Bernstein?

He thinks he's both.

Richard!

Richard! Richard! Come on in, the
water's fantastic.

You haven't heard.

What's wrong?

Heard what?

Congressman Ryan, members of his
delegation, and several members of the

Jonestown sect... were apparently
ambushed and killed at a remote jungle

airstrip at Port Kayatuma.

Victims of the mass suicide and murder,
all Americans, were found on the grounds

of the religious commune at Jonestown.

The Guyana Ministry of Information said
that soldiers reported counting the

bodies of 163 women, 183 men, and 82
children.

Officials said that the victims, most
from California, seemed to have died

from poisoning.

though some had been shot with rifles
and automatic weapons.

The following is a partial list of names
of the victims released by the Guyana

Ministry of Information.

Mrs. Mitchell?

Hello.

I think my cancellation was a mistake.

I'd like to reinstate my subscription,
please.

Of course.

That's Mrs... Lindley.

Martha Lindley.

Lindley, right.

This... This Guiana thing, it's... It's
terrible,

isn't it?

Yes, it is.

I just want you to know I'm... I'm glad
you and your husband came to Point

Reyes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My God.

Ever since Jonestown, the papers can't
print enough about cinema.

The world's waking up.

Listen to this.

It's from one of the tape season of
Badger Raid.

Diedrich says, we're not going to mess
with the old-time turn-the-other-cheek

religious postures.

Our religious posture is, don't mess
with us, you can get killed dead.

Literally dead.

Dave? Kathy?

Hi, Art. I just heard they arrested
Diederich in Arizona.

Diederich? Arrested? Conspiracy to
commit murder.

And get this.

Mr. Reformed alcoholic, Charles
Diederich, was drunk when they came for

him.

Drunk?

Well, I guess that's the end of it.

to run this Coastal Commission piece
this week or not?

Let's wait before the next meeting.
It'll be more effective.

It'll also give us more room to detail
that auto repair rip-off story.

Okay.

Well, this article ought to make my file
a little fatter, but I still miss the

days when the papers were full of
synonyms. Hello.

Tom, what are you doing here?

Why are you guys going to break down and
buy a teletype?

We don't cover national news, you know
that.

Oh, today you are national news.

You won the Pulitzer Prize.

Today, for only the fourth time in its
history, the Pulitzer Prize for

Meritorious Public Service was awarded
to a small weekly paper that was point

-raised by a public secretary, Kathy
Mitchell, from the small population of

350 Northern California community, a
point-raised station located in the

western section of...

Somebody get some glasses. Come on, come
on.

There we go.

Sometime after the Mitchells and I
received the Pulitzer Award, Dave and

Kathy separated.

Ultimately, they sold the Point Reyes
Light.

Dave became a reporter for a San
Francisco daily.

Kathy accepted a professorship at the
University of North Carolina.

and I remained at Berkeley.

Charles Diederich pleaded no contest and
was placed on probation.

Synanon headquarters moved around the
country for a time, finally settling

once again in Northern California, where
the organization continued to flourish.