Original subtitles

Good afternoon, doctor.

This is quite a surprise, you coming out

to meet me.

Is this a special occasion?

Yes, it is a special occasion.

Won't you come in?

What is the special occasion?

You've made such wonderful progress in the time

that you've been coming to me, I thought

I'd celebrate the anniversary day by showing a

token of progress.

Anniversary day?

Yes, one year, today.

That's right.

It is one year, doctor.

Your merit badge.

Daddy, do you love me?

Daddy loves you, little girl, more than anything

else in the world.

More than you love Mommy?

Just as much.

You can't love Melissa more than anything else

in the world.

And love Mommy just as much.

Daddy loves both his girls.

More than anything else in the world.

Kiss Melissa goodnight.

No, not like...

Kiss Melissa like you kiss Mommy.

Are you feeling better?

I was right the first time.

You really are a first class son of

a bitch.

How the hell did you find out?

Here we go again.

Waiting for the train dog to jump through

the hoop again.

And if I decide not to jump through

any more hoops?

Damn you, why don't you ever answer me?

Do you believe I want you to jump

through hoops for me?

There you go again, answering questions with questions.

Why do you think I answer questions with

questions?

All right.

All right, I'm just burning up that $25

an hour, so either way, you win.

So what do you want now?

What do you want to tell me?

I don't want to tell you a damn

thing.

So you're writing down, patient shows increased signs

of transference and avoids subject matter.

Therefore, it must be important.

I told you you were learning fast.

Yeah, too fast.

So I didn't give you all the goodies.

So I only told you the parts of

the story I wanted you to hear.

So I was kidding myself.

I didn't want to unload my guilt complex

upon you.

I won't start at the beginning.

I don't have time for that.

Not today.

But I will hit the high points.

Stephan!

Oh, Stephan, baby!

Mommy is so glad to see you.

Please, Mother.

Please, I'm not a baby anymore.

Oh, here, darling.

Let me help you.

Oh, my poor baby.

Did Mommy make him hurt himself?

Oh, Mother, please get up off me.

It doesn't look right.

Oh, here, let me carry that, darling.

You embarrass me.

I ask you not to embarrass me anymore.

Oh, my poor baby.

Mother!

Mother, I'm home!

We're out here, Melissa.

Melissa's home.

You want to go back to playing with

babies?

Not since I've met a real woman.

¶¶

¶¶

Walter.

¶¶ Surprise for you, Walter.

¶¶ You understand,

don't you, Doctor, that I grabbed at Stephan

as though he were a last straw.

I felt somewhat as if he and he

alone could save me.

But he was a...

what you call a kindred spirit.

After all...

we were both having...

shall we call it mother trouble?

You felt your troubles with your mother were

similar to Stephan's?

I did.

Then.

But this wasn't the first time you'd had

this sort of feeling about a boy, was

it?

That was the first time I felt this

way about a boy.

I'm sorry.

I should have asked whether the feeling you

had about Stephan was similar to the feeling

you'd had about other men.

There was a difference.

Yes.

And no.

You know what I mean.

Yes, I do believe I know what you

mean.

But the more important thing is for you

to know what you mean.

Why do you think there was a difference

in your feelings toward Stephan and your feelings

toward the men who preceded Stephan?

I admit that I felt much the same

about the other men as I felt about

Stephan.

But there was a difference.

I know there was a difference now.

But Stephan was the first one who wasn't

like my father.

You never told me much about your father.

Is there a reason why you avoided that

subject?

Doctor, why do you always sit so far

away from me?

Why don't you come over and sit beside

me?

There's plenty of room.

My, your hour really went fast today, didn't

it, Miss Borden?

You don't have to go back to Miss

Borden.

You called me Melissa last time.

All right, Melissa.

I will.

Next Tuesday, same time?

Kiss Melissa goodbye.

You don't really think that would be wise,

do you?

Might be interesting for both of us.

You'll recall what I told you.

Oh, yes.

I'm not really kissing you.

I'm transferring my love to you.

So what the hell?

Gather your rosebuds while you may.

I didn't know you ran Henley.

There's still lots of things you don't know

about me.

Why don't you stop by my apartment for

a drink tonight?

I think we'll make more progress if we

confine ourselves to office visits.

I don't.

You're just like my father.

Daddy, isn't it just super?

Honey, that's beautiful.

Just beautiful.

Oh, and you're so beautiful.

Daddy, I love you so much.

I love you more than anything else in

the whole world.

And your mother and I love you more

than anything else in the whole world.

Why do you always bring her in?

Oh, honey, I just thought you meant you

loved your mother and father more than anything

else in the whole world.

No, I don't.

Oh, I like her all right.

She's very pretty and very decorative.

And I guess she loves me.

In her own fashion.

I don't know.

We seem to have so much more fun.

Really fun when she's away.

Well, isn't it really super when she goes

away and we can have parties like this?

Don't go away now.

I'll be back in a flash with the

trash.

Hi.

Hi.

Come on in.

Daddy, this is my very best friend that

I told you so much about, Sally Marsh.

And this is Sally's friend.

Boyfriend, that is, Jimmy Blake.

And this is my daddy.

Hello, Sally.

Hello, Jimmy.

I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. Borden.

How do you do, Mr. Borden?

You have such a beautiful house, Mr. Borden.

Thank you.

Alyssa, can I fix you kids a drink?

Coke, seven-up, or root beer?

Don't be a square, Daddy.

Well, aren't you a little young?

No, sir, we're not.

My mother lets me drink beer.

And what do you drink when your mother

isn't home?

Scotch?

I'll have the same.

All right, you guys.

Stick them up.

I'm Leadfinger.

Now, why don't you let me take care

of this, Mr. Borden?

I know what the kids like to drink.

Your house is just super.

Will you give me the 25-cent tour?

I certainly will.

¶¶

¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶

¶¶

¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶

¶¶

¶¶ ¶¶

¶¶ You

said you were gonna show me your room.

We are going towards my room.

So what's the difference?

This is my daddy's room.

What's the difference?

I didn't say you could make out with

me.

You didn't say I couldn't.

You told Sally you were in love with

her.

I was.

Then why are you trying to make out

with me?

Tonight I'm in love with you.

But Sally...

Sally's having her own ball.

With whom?

With your old man.

You damn liar!

You filthy thing!

I'm not as filthy as you.

I'll kill you!

He's trying to drown me.

You little bitch.

Leave her alone.

Stop it.

Get away from me, you crazy kid.

Quit it.

She's trying to drown me.

I'll get

you.

You're stealing my water.

I let you steal my dad.

You know good.

Get out of the pool.

Get away from her.

You're crazy.

Stop it.

You're crazy.

Nobody's any good!

Nobody loves me!

How ya doing, old boy?

Old boy?

You gettin' much?

Here's the body.

Mmm, how do you like it, Sir Lancelot?

What charming pearls of wisdom do you want

to hear today?

Mmm, primitive society, who needs it?

Oh no, don't answer that.

You'll only ask me another question.

And today, my Fuhrer, I am all ready

to give you the goodies you really want.

You don't have to pride, you don't have

to bribe me with liquor or even promise

to take me out on the town.

I'm ready to talk and lay bare my

soul.

How many drinks have you had?

Only three martinis, your highness.

Doubles, of course.

But I have met the most scrumptious, beautiful

man, even more handsome than you, doctor.

And I don't think I'm going to have

any trouble this time.

This is the man, I just know it.

How many times before have you felt this

way?

Oh, don't go wet blanketing me again.

I feel too good to have you bring

me down.

This is it, I just know.

I'm going to marry this guy.

Can you?

I'm going to marry him.

Can you?

So he'll get a divorce, so he's all

in me, what do you care?

Don't you want me to be happy?

Or do you want me to keep coming

back here and pay $25 an hour forever

and ever and ever?

You know I have more patience than I

can handle, don't you?

Sure I know.

Just giving you the needle, I don't know

why.

I guess I just love giving you the

needle.

Just what you always say, transference.

Taking out all of my loves on you

and all of my hates too.

Today I'm in love.

This is really it.

And Stefan?

So I thought he was really it.

How did I know he was nuts?

Well doctor, I ask you a question.

Can't I ask you a question for a

change?

Do you think there's a possibility your new

romance might be another Stefan?

No.

Another Drake?

No.

Then what is disturbing you?

Why do you always have to keep dragging

Stefan in?

And Drake.

Why don't you want to tell me about

Stefan?

And Drake.

I told you about Drake.

I told you about that son of a

sea cook.

I told you, he threw me over for

my mother.

You did.

But you haven't told me about Stefan, have

you?

No.

I didn't tell you about Stefan.

And now I want to tell you about

Stefan.

I will tell you about him right now.

Stefan wasn't like the others.

The others were all like my father.

I admit it.

I thought I was getting my father in

every one of them.

Or I thought I was getting back at

my father by letting each and every one

of them make out with me.

Maybe it was a combination of both.

Stefan was different.

Please believe me, doctor.

Stefan was sort of like me.

Sort of helpless.

Bewildered.

Oh, I don't know.

I felt sorry for Stefan.

I don't think I ever really felt sorry

for anyone in my whole life.

But the more I felt sorry for Stefan,

the more I wanted him.

At least I thought I wanted him.

You see, every other man came on like

gangbusters.

You know, I'm really not ugly.

And you and Stefan are the only two

men in the whole world who never made

a play for me.

Everybody else always wanted me.

Everybody else chased me.

Everybody else moved in.

Oh, sure, some of them got diverted by

dear old mother and her big bosoms and

winning ways.

But they still wanted me first.

That is, if they could get me.

Oh, sure.

They got me.

Once, almost everybody in town who looked anything

like Melissa's father had a one-night stand

with Melissa.

But never a second time.

Never a second time.

Do you understand what I'm saying, doctor?

Never a second time.

Once I had them, I never wanted them

again.

None of them.

Not even Stefan.

Not even Stefan.

And I was so sure, so damn sure

that once I took Stevie to bed, he

would be the one I really wanted.

And Stefan wanted to marry me.

Really, doctor, he wanted to marry me.

Just as if I hadn't slept with 101

guys.

Doctor, I don't know whether I killed Stefan

or Stefan killed me.

Well, I'm a dead woman all right.

And you're no Lazarus, and you'll never raise

me from the dead.

Sure, I belt down three double martinis for

lunch and kid myself into believing the next

guy's going to be different.

But you and I both know it's never

going to be any different with me.

I'm never going to have it.

No guy's going to give it to me.

It's just never going to happen.

Never, never, never.

So what's it all about, doc?

Why are we keeping up this charade?

How about

if I just walk over to that window

and open it up and step out and

quietly drop those 12 floors?

You are on the 12th floor of this

building, aren't you, doc?

I doubt if I'd bounce.

I could count to 10 and it'd be

all over.

Never have to worry again.

No more worries.

No more troubles.

And you could fill my $25 an hour

slot with a $50 an hour patient who's

waiting in line.

So everybody'd be ahead.

It's the very best cure for a nymphomaniac

like me.

Even my dear daddy said so.

My dear, dear daddy who preferred his daughter's

best friend to his daughter.

Open the window, doctor.

It'd be better for all of us.

Open the window, doc.

And I'll fly out like a lead balloon.

I'll do a swan dive to the pavement

below.

I'm ready, doc.

Really ready.

You don't have a drink in that desk

of yours to help me fly out the

window, do you?

You were saying that you killed Stephan.

I thought he killed himself.

How could you have killed Stephan when he

killed himself?

Doctor, I don't want to talk about Stephan.

I'm talking about something else.

Why don't you stop asking me questions?

I should like to leave.

Permanently.

There's nothing for me to stay for.

If you want to leave, why don't you?

I couldn't stop you.

Oh, I could stop you here, all right.

But I couldn't guard you all day and

all night, too.

Especially all night.

But don't you think you'd feel better if

you tell me about Stephan before you leave?

How did you kill Stephan?

I wanted Stephan more than anything else in

the world.

More than...

Even my father.

I hated him after that night I saw

him in the pool with Sally.

Mother divorced father.

And then...

Hi, Mom.

This handsome devil is Johnny Kiani.

And you can't have this one.

He's mine.

Johnny drinks champagne.

Pour him a glass.

And I'll have one, too.

Hey, what's the matter?

Did Aunt Emma die and leave us a

couple hundred thousand?

No, quite the contrary.

Your father's gotten married.

Your best friend, Sally.

Never introduce your best friend to your father.

Champagne.

Grazie.

Porcina.

I usually don't go for the gigolo type.

But since this is a special occasion...

Special occasion, Mother dear?

Don't you go after every man I bring

home.

They're all closer to my age than yours.

Fashion is going to take a lot more

time next week.

Isn't there a shred of decency left in

you?

Decency?

That is the story of my life, child.

Your father leaves us, divorces us, and marries

your best friend.

And now you're going to preach to me

about decency.

You, who have slept with more men than

any girl in this town.

And all of them, baby.

All of them old enough to be your

father.

Good afternoon.

What's good about it?

Don't you ever get angry, Doctor?

Yes, I do.

What happens when you get angry?

Do you get mad at the whole world?

The purpose of these consultations is to examine

your feelings, not mine.

You mean you have real, live feelings, like

ordinary human beings?

Like ordinary crud like me?

You think you're ordinary crud?

Just dirt.

Plain, ordinary dirt.

Why do you think you feel that way?

Because it's true.

That's what I am.

Won't you sit down?

I know what you're going to say, Doctor.

Don't bother to say it.

We've been through this bit before, haven't we?

My transference of my hate to you is

a healthy sign.

I don't know if I can go through

another night like last night.

I took all three of the sleeping pills

on top of the libium and the tofanil

and I couldn't get to sleep.

I just couldn't get any sleep!

I'd give anything for a decent night's sleep.

If I could only get to sleep at

night like normal people.

I finally got to sleep just as the

sun was coming up.

I had the most horrible dream.

It seemed so real.

As much as I wanted to sleep, Doctor,

the nightmare was worse.

Tell me about it.

I can't remember.

I really can't remember too well.

Tell me what you do remember.

I don't want to.

I don't have to.

I won't do it.

I don't want to remember that dream.

Is it because it was about Stefan?

Yes.

I remember now.

Some of it.

It was something like the very first time

we met.

It seems like it was something like what

I could never remember to tell you.

What you said I had blocked out of

my mind.

Charlie and I were by the pool playing

catch.

Hi!

Hello.

I hope I didn't startle you.

No, that's all right.

Just reading Thoreau again.

I saw you coming home the other day.

I never knew I had such a handsome

next door neighbor.

What's your name?

Stefan Long.

Hi, Melissa Borden.

Did you graduate?

No.

I got kicked out.

Oh, I'm sorry.

There's nothing to be sorry about.

It just didn't fit in with the Rah

-Rah boys.

Well, how about the co-eds?

Oh, I don't know any girls.

Well, I'm a girl.

Or hadn't you noticed?

Yes, I saw you when I was coming

home.

Well, did you like what you saw?

Yes, I thought you looked like one of

the roses in my garden.

I mean our garden.

Well, that's a start.

How about climbing the fence and having a

drink with your next door neighbor?

Oh, I don't drink.

No wine, no women.

You must be a great man for a

song.

It's very nice of you to ask, but...

I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to do

around a woman.

I wouldn't be very good company.

That would be a relief.

Every other man I invite over seems to

take the invitation to meet a quick roll

in the hay.

Oh?

I didn't know your property was that big.

Didn't know your property was that big?

Oh, no!

You really are the naive one, aren't you?

Yes, I...

I've been told that before.

Yeah.

Yeah.

On second thought...

perhaps it would be better if we played

in your garden.

Oh?

Would you like to see my roses?

I have some beautiful specimens.

I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind.

Of course, Mother isn't home.

Would you mind if Mother isn't home?

No, silly.

Catch, Melissa.

Oh!

Oh, I'm sorry.

Do you like peanut butter?

Gosh, how did you know?

I like it best on apples.

I like grape jelly on mine.

You know, you're the first girl I've ever

shown my roses to.

I mean, our roses.

Oh, they're beautiful.

Do you raise roses?

No, Stephan, my boy.

I've been too busy raising Cain.

The very first thing I ever remembered was

coming out to the garden with my mother...

to smell and feel the roses.

Feel how soft it is.

It feels so good.

Smell.

Mmm.

When I was a little boy, my mother

told me I never had to drink.

I could always inhale the scent of the

roses.

I didn't really want to go out and

play with the other kids.

Why am I telling you all this?

I've never told anyone about how I felt

about the roses.

Stephan?

What are you doing back there?

It's Miss Borden from next door, our neighbor.

It's my mother, Miss Borden.

She really owns the rose garden.

Hello, Mrs. Long.

It's very nice of you to permit me

to see your beautiful roses.

I guess I'd better go now.

Come over and visit me.

Please.

There's a gate over there.

Would you walk me home?

Thank you, yes.

It would be a pleasure to walk you

home, Miss Borden.

Please call me Melissa.

Thank you, Melissa.

Will you call me Stephan?

I'll do better than that.

I'll call you Stevie.

Gosh, nobody ever called me Stevie before.

That poor, poor son of a bitch.

Nobody ever called him Stevie before.

That horrible, awful woman was draining everything out

of him like he was a chattel.

A pawn, a nothing.

I felt so sorry for him.

I felt very, very sorry.

I even felt sorrier for him than I

felt for myself.

What do you think of those apples, Doctor?

I'll answer your question this time.

I think we're starting on the way home.

What do you mean by that crack?

Don't you know what I mean?

I guess so.

I guess I just wanted to hear you

say it.

All right.

I think you're beginning to understand your own

feelings.

I think your actions, and more importantly, the

reason for your actions, are coming into focus

for you.

The long way home.

The way home could be much shorter if

you'd finish telling me about Stephan.

How I killed him?

Yes, if you insist on using those terms.

I'm just being candid with you, Doctor.

You told me I should tell you the

truth.

I killed that boy just the same as

if I had taken the rifle and put

it in his mouth and pulled the trigger

myself.

Suppose you tell me why you feel that

way.

I made up my mind about Stephan that

day.

And that day I signed Stephan's death warrant.

Why do you call him Stephan now when

you said you were going to call him

Stevie?

Because I changed the Stephan into a common,

ordinary Steve.

Changed something fine into a common, ordinary thing.

I made up my mind about Stephan that

day.

I made up my mind that day that

I was going to have that boy.

I had to have him.

I thought it was my salvation.

Believe it or not, I thought I was

his salvation.

Believe me, I thought I was going to

be different.

I swore off all other men.

Didn't go out on any dates.

I laid siege to Stephan Long.

Steve.

She might hear you.

Would you like to take me out for

a drive tonight?

I don't have a car.

You can drive mine.

I don't know how to drive.

I'll drive you.

Better not.

She wouldn't like it.

She doesn't like me to go out without

her.

Would you like me to climb over the

fence?

No.

Couldn't I walk around and come to the

gate?

No.

I'm afraid she might not like it.

It's late, you know.

Why don't you come over to my house?

No one's home.

Mother went to Palm Springs.

I'll show you my garden.

Do you have roses?

Yes.

Gosh, Melissa, I've never done anything like this

before.

Well, it's time to start.

Did you like it?

Yes, it felt just like a rose.

It was the strangest courtship you could ever

imagine.

Stephan was the strangest, shyest boy I'd ever

met.

We were simpatico.

I felt feelings about Stephan that I'd never

felt about any other man.

It was difficult for us to see one

another.

I never once saw Stephan away from his

house or mine.

Mostly we met in the garden after his

mother went to sleep at night.

Stephan was a tortured soul.

More tortured than I.

Very gently, very slowly, our relationship grew and

blossomed.

I was the first and only friend that

Stephan ever had.

And now I'm the last one because I

betrayed him.

Why do you say you betrayed him?

Because I wasn't content to just have a

friend.

I wanted to kiss Stephan.

I wanted Stephan to kiss me.

I wanted to make love to Stephan.

I wanted Stephan to make love to me.

Stephan didn't know the meaning of love.

He'd been a very lonely boy, completely dominated

and possessed by his mother, with little or

no relationship with his father.

He was an only child who was not

given the companionship of other children.

His mother had been a schoolteacher, tutored him

at home.

At one time, as a child, he'd run

away from home and had been knocked down

by an automobile while crossing the street.

He never ventured away from his house again

until his father insisted that he go to

college.

In school, he didn't know how to make

friends, to live with other people.

He was out of things.

He didn't know how to study without his

mother.

Despite all these things, Stephan was good and

everything fine, like his lovely roses.

I said Stephan didn't know how to love.

There were three exceptions.

He loved his mother.

He loved her even more than he hated

her.

He loved her despite that smothering blanket of

possession with which she enveloped him.

Oh, I know, I'm sounding very dramatic and

maybe a bit corny.

But I'm certainly not trying to transfer my

blame for the death of Stephan Long.

But I also charge Rachel Long with the

crime of being the original architect for Stephan's

death.

And who were the two others whom Stephan

loved?

More than anything else in the world, Stephan

loved the roses.

To Stephan, the rose represented all that was

peaceful, all that was beautiful in life.

He could watch a rose for hours, feel

its smooth texture, inhale its fragrance.

He was raised in a rose garden with

the roses.

The roses were his sisters, his sweetheart, his

mistress.

Stephan turned to the roses for comfort and

serenity.

As a boy, he was rewarded with candy

and goodies for taking care of the roses.

When he fled from life, he fled to

that tranquility, sanctuary of the rose garden.

And yet this good and beautiful person of

whom you speak so glowingly took a high

-powered rifle and wantonly killed or wounded five

persons before he committed suicide.

How do you explain the marked difference between

this lover of roses and the killer of

human beings?

I think it began one night.

Steve!

Steve!

I'm coming.

Gee, I've been waiting for over an hour.

She left an hour ago.

Come on over.

Then why are we whispering?

I don't know.

I guess I'm scared.

I never did anything that she didn't want

me to before.

At least nothing like this.

Catch me.

What's the matter, Steve?

I don't know.

I just feel...

I feel funny.

Don't you like me?

Yes, but...

But don't...

Don't come any closer.

Why?

Please forgive me.

I wanted to.

I just couldn't.

I don't know why.

It seemed like it was so wrong.

Please forgive me.

You're the only friend I have.

I look forward every day to seeing you

and...

and talking to you.

I have no one else.

Please believe me.

May I touch the rose?

You killed me!

Art!

Francine, I've asked you never to interrupt me

when I'm with a patient.

Yes, I know, Doctor.

But there's a detective here from the police

department on his way in, and I wanted

to tell you.

You're Dr. Craft?

You're Melissa Borden?

What right have you to come into my

office in this manner when I'm with a

patient?

I'm sorry, Doctor, but I have a warrant

for the arrest of Melissa Borden, and I

have instructions to serve it on her immediately.

Melissa won't run away.

Suppose you sit down, Sergeant, and we'll talk

about it.

We usually do our talking at headquarters, sir.

I think you'll find it more comfortable here,

and if you wish, I can call the

chief.

I'm sure he'll vary your usual procedure this

time.

You know I only have to commit Miss

Borden, and she'll be out of your jurisdiction.

Your warrant will be useless.

Francine, please cancel the rest of my appointments

for today.

You might as well let them take me,

Doctor.

I'd prefer jail to the loony house.

If you'd killed him, I'd turn you over

to the detective without an argument.

But since you could not have killed Stephan

Long, then I think we all have things

to discuss.

It might interest you both to know that

the death of Stephan Long is officially listed

as self-imposed.

But you said you had a warrant for

Miss Melissa Borden.

Miss Melissa Borden is charged with murder upon

the person of Mrs. Rachel Long.

Stephan's mother?

If and when you get out, you could

always take up acting, Miss Borden.

Is it all right if I take her

now?

Or do you still want to call the

chief?

I don't think that type of remark is

necessary, Sergeant.

And if you try to take this girl

away from my treatment, I will most certainly

have her committed so that no harm can

come to her well-being as we all

conduct our investigations.

Now why don't you sit down, Sergeant, and

perhaps we'll all get a lot further if

we talk this thing over.

If I can get my questions

answered, I'll conduct my examination here.

But if I can't, I'll take Miss Borden

downtown, and you can take out your papers

for commitment.

At least she'll be put away safe where

she can't kill anybody.

Sergeant, I think your zeal could be tempered

with some discretion.

Under American jurisprudence, a person is considered innocent

until proven guilty.

No disrespect intended, Doctor, but maybe you ought

to get your head examined.

You've had this girl under your care for

a year now.

And you claim to know so much about

her.

And you didn't even know she'd already confessed.

I have it right here.

May I see that?

Oh, no.

Not now.

This is an airtighter case as we've ever

had.

Her confession in her own handwriting.

Her fingerprints all over the envelope belonging to

her.

And the star witness is her own mother.

How do you expect the police to keep

law and order, to stop murders with head

-shrinkers like you threatening to put away these

wild kids who knife someone like they'd spread

butter on a piece of bread?

If Melissa Borden is guilty of the murder

of Rachel Long, and you can prove it

to me, I will promise you not to

have her committed, but will allow her to

stand trial.

We of my profession have our duty to

society just as you have your duty to

society, although we work in somewhat different ways.

I do not believe Melissa Borden is capable

of killing anybody.

And I believe I can prove it.

Therefore, I'm suggesting to you that we work

together to find out whether Melissa Borden is

innocent or guilty of the murder of Rachel

Long.

What do you say?

I guess I have no choice.

Did you kill Rachel Long?

No, I didn't kill Rachel Long.

She deserved to be killed.

I wanted to kill her.

She ruined my life.

She ruined Stephan's life.

But I didn't kill her.

She beat you?

Yes.

Why did you write us that you killed

her?

I didn't write you that I killed her.

I wrote you that I killed Stephan.

Police Department, I am guilty, I swear.

I killed another human being.

I'm sorry, very, very sorry.

But it's too late now to even be

sorry.

I want to pay for my crime.

You can get me at the above address.

All right, Dr. Crafts, my psychiatrist in the

Powers Building.

I go nowhere else.

Respectfully yours, Melissa Borden.

You see, Sergeant, she didn't confess to the

murder of Rachel Long.

She does feel responsible for the death of

Stephan.

She carries a very heavy burden of guilt

about it.

She's tried to unburden this guilt by writing

to you.

Well, I don't get your line of reasoning.

Are you a Catholic, Sergeant?

Yes.

It's like going to confession.

Now, is this a trick?

Why does she feel responsible for the death

of Stephan Long?

No, it isn't a trick.

Melissa was just telling me why she feels

responsible.

Melissa has been a very troubled girl, and

it's difficult, very difficult for her to explain.

But she is coming closer to the basic

reason.

She was about to tell me when you

broke in so abruptly.

Melissa, do you think you could possibly continue

so we can get this cleared up?

I'll try.

Darling, there's the most beautiful young boy here

to see you.

He's the youngest one you've ever had, and

he's far more handsome than any of those

men you bring home.

I could really latch on to this one.

Oh, take your time, darling.

I'll take care of him for you.

I'll tell him I'm your sister.

Mother, you go anywhere near this boy, you

try any of your tricks on this one,

and I'll cut your heart out.

This one is different.

Do you understand me?

Yes, they're all different, baby.

We share them all together, don't we?

Just like we shared your father, and just

like your father, they all leave us.

So you better go and make yourself real

pretty, and we'll see who gets this one

first.

You get within ten feet of that boy,

and I swear to you I'll leave this

house and never come back.

Is that a promise, darling?

You seem to forget that you're the girl,

and I'm the woman.

Now, if you don't hurry and get dressed,

there just won't be anything left for you

when I get through with him.

You missed, darling.

Again.

Again.

Not even a teensy-weensy little drinky?

No, ma'am, I don't drink.

You know, everybody thinks that Melissa and I

are sisters.

I mean, hardly anybody really believes I'm her

mother.

Of course, that's because I got married when

I was 14 and had her right away.

Nine months later, that is.

You know, everybody seems to think I look

22.

You don't really think I look 32, do

you?

No, and Mother doesn't look 40 either.

You wanted on the telephone, Mother dear.

I didn't hear the telephone ring.

I told you you should get a medical

hearing examination, Mother.

The faculties of hearing also fail when one

goes into middle age.

I'll see you late.

How did you get out?

Mother went away.

What if she comes back?

She won't be coming back.

She won't be coming back?

No.

You mean she won't interfere with us anymore?

No more.

Shall we go over to your house then?

I can't go back to that house.

I'm not going to live there anymore.

I can't live there anymore.

Oh, there you are.

You must have been mistaken, darling.

There wasn't any phone call.

And even if there were, I just couldn't

bear to tear myself away from this charming

young man.

Now, let's have some fun.

What do we do for excitement?

Oh, I know.

Let's go for a swim in the pool.

Here, let me help you with this.

No, please.

Excuse me, I'll see you later.

What did you do to frighten him away?

Coffee and sandwiches?

No, thank you.

I'm not hungry.

Coffee and sandwiches, Sergeant?

I'll just have black coffee.

No, thank you.

I don't know whether you've hurt your case

or helped it, Miss Borden.

On the one hand, you admit you threatened

to kill your own mother.

Although, possibly you have done this to show

the animosity between you so as to explain

her very damaging testimony against you.

I'm not trying to explain away anything.

I'm trying to tell the truth.

I'm not even telling you the truth.

I'm telling Dr. Craft the truth.

You see, Sergeant, I don't give a damn

what you do to me.

There's nothing for me anymore.

I don't care whether you get me for

the murder of Stefan's mother or for Stefan's

murder.

I just didn't happen to kill his mother.

I didn't even know she was dead until

you told me.

Yes, Sergeant.

I think Melissa is really telling the truth.

And I think her logic is quite sound.

She has a history of attempting suicide.

You can check that by taking a look

at her wrists.

There are police reports of at least twice

when she's taken sleeping pills and had to

have her stomach pumped out.

She'd welcome execution.

It would relieve her of the terrible, crushing

burden of guilt she's unable to sustain.

I'm not a big college man like you,

Doctor.

I don't have an M.A. or even

a Ph.D. I don't get it.

If she didn't kill Mrs. Rachel Long, then

what's her guilt all about?

I think we're getting to it.

I think Melissa is going to tell us

now.

I left my house determined never to return.

I had come searching for Stefan, but he

was nowhere to be found.

I thought maybe he was hiding in his

sanctuary.

So once again I climbed the fence to

Stefan's rose garden.

Don't, don't, don't come any closer.

Please don't come any nearer.

I can't.

No, I won't.

Please, I shouldn't.

Please.

Mama.

The stone broke.

Stefan awakened me.

Wake up.

Wake up, Melissa.

Get dressed.

We have to go away before someone sees

us.

Now hurry.

Please hurry.

Go away?

Go away where?

I don't know.

But we have to leave this place now.

We can't stay here.

Not after what happened.

What happened?

You know.

But nothing happened.

That's just the trouble.

Don't you understand?

Where are you going?

I'm going in there to change.

You don't want me to go home in

my nightgown, do you?

Are you going home?

Home or hell, what's the difference?

It's all the same.

Where did you think I was going?

I don't know.

I thought we...

...were going to leave and get married.

Get married?

Don't go in there.

It won't be the first time that Melissa

has come home at dawn in her nightgown.

You see, Melissa always goes home.

Only because Melissa has no other place to

go.

That was the last time I saw Stephan.

I didn't know it was his mother burying

the cabana.

It was my fault.

I thought Stephan was going to save me.

But he couldn't.

He wanted to.

He tried.

But he couldn't.

And I couldn't save him.

For each one kills the thing he loves.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

And good luck.

I finally told you, didn't I?

Yes, you did.

And don't you feel better now?

There you go with the questions again.

Sure, I feel better.

I think I'll live, doctor.

And that's a statement, not a question.

Hello, can I help you?

Yes, I'd like a bunch of flowers for

my wife.

The roses are very beautiful this time of

year.

No, thanks.

I think I'll try the chrysanthemums.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you.