Original subtitles

I wasn't sure if I should call before 9 or after 9, if I was or was not coming

by before the sun went down or the clock struck 12.

Because I lost this huge piece of paper that had the Maggie-Zombro relationship

rules written on it. And that's why I was late.

I was standing on a corner, trying to remember which one of the 3,000

regulations applied to this particular situation.

And finally...

I just said the hell with it.

And here I am.

You do know how to make an entrance ticket.

How much longer do I have to wait?

Sorry, Mrs. Kirby, but the trial before yours is taking more time than it's

supposed to. This is the fourth time you've dragged me down here for nothing.

Do you want me to testify or not?

Shouldn't take much longer.

Not much longer as in ten minutes.

Three hours.

Six weeks. What?

Allow me.

Mr. Delaney, my client is no more willing to capitulate to these

preposterous conditions than she was willing to surrender to the rapacious,

predatory, and actionable demands of your priapic client.

Call me Jean.

Reinstatement, back pay, the promotion she was unfairly denied, and a public

apology.

We have not yet. Thank God.

arrived at a point where a man has to issue a public apology for finding a

woman attractive?

Mr. Duncan's lust is not the problem.

It's his methods of expressing his urges that society finds unacceptable.

I asked the woman for a date, for God's sake. You put your hands underneath my

blouse and unhooked my bra.

So?

Mr.

Duncan, at various times you sent Miss Cassidy an annotated copy of the Kama

Sutra. A box of multicolored condoms, very festive, I'm sure. A $500 gift

certificate to an establishment known as... Erotica Mania.

Followed by a board game called Hide the Salami, which I understand you yourself

designed.

Mr.

Duncan has a generous nature.

Well, Miss Cassidy and I are perfectly happy to go to trial and have Mr.

Duncan's generous nature...

Exposed to public view.

Gene.

Exactly what is the nature of the defendant's ailment, Mr. Mervis? The

food in the county jail disagreed with him, Your Honor. He's unable to venture

very far from the, uh, facilities.

And... The details of Mr. Fowler's incapacity need not form part of the

record, Counselor.

When do you anticipate his recovery?

That's it!

I have given the same statement to two patrolmen, three detectives, a DA's

investigator, what, 2,000 lawyers?

I've shown up here four times, and every time something else goes wrong. And no

one here gives a damn about anybody or anything except whether the criminal has

a bathroom handy?

Mrs. Kaufman?

Mrs. Kirby is the victim in this case. The alleged victim. You know, if I ran

my business the way you people run this nuthatch, I'd be in the poorhouse,

which... is where I'll be anyway by the time you're through with me. Thank you.

Shall we try this again tomorrow, say, two o'clock?

Court is adjourned for the day.

Thank God.

Well, it depends.

You buy it?

Okay. Well, then, yes, yes, I'd like to have dinner with you.

No, I don't have to check with Maggie first.

Yes?

Thank you.

Vicki. No, no. I think that would be Rule 33A, which says that you may have

dinner with somebody besides me on alternate Thursdays, when the moon is

full.

All right, well, have a good time, and I'll see you later.

I just thought you might need some insight into the male attitude on the

sexual harassment case.

I was unaware there is a monolithic male attitude on the subject. So you see,

Bruce, you have already enlightened me.

Is there more?

John Robert Duncan is a successful, high-powered businessman.

He thinks he's entitled to whatever he wants. Other people's time, other

people's money, other people's women.

That could have been more felicitously phrased, Bruce, but I take your point.

John Robert Duncan doesn't know he did anything wrong.

Exactly.

And ignorance can sometimes look like innocence.

You know?

Thank you, Bruce.

I'll see you tomorrow.

No, I don't think the system is approaching gridlock.

I think that it's already there.

It would bother me if I could do something about it, but I can't.

Here you go, sir.

Thanks. Kind of a bad attitude.

Bad attitude? No, no.

It's a realistic one.

I can't do everybody's job for them. I can only do mine.

Can't fix everything that's broken.

Hard to believe that anyone could mellow me out.

Or hard to believe that being with Maggie would mellow anybody out.

Either one.

Hello, Philip.

It's okay. Everything is fine.

Easy for you to say.

Somebody tell me what the hell's going on here.

Dickie Cobb, Philip Sombro.

My brother.

I thought you were a burglar.

Never would have occurred to me there was a boyfriend in the picture.

Particularly a boyfriend with a key.

My sister's never quite grasped the concept of sharing.

Really?

I find her to be warm.

considerate and generous philip has a rather unique definition of sharing if

you have something he wants you'd better give it to him because he'll just keep

grinding you down until you do and what if he has something you want i i don't

think that's ever happened has it philip have you ever had anything i wanted

You want me to get down?

Yeah.

Hello. Yeah, Bigelow, it's me. What's up?

What? What?

Hey,

Bigelow. I'm glad you're here.

It's okay.

She's all right. If you cut some bruises, she was lucky.

What happened?

Carjacking.

One guy and more. You give description?

It's been a little shaky, and we've kind of had a hard time communicating.

Want to help? Yeah.

Yeah, sure.

Can you help Detective Bigelow now?

I was really scared.

Just because you see it in your job all the time doesn't mean you get used to

it, Tess.

I don't know if they'll find him.

They'll try.

You gave a good description.

That always helps.

I need to call Maggie.

Tell her you're okay.

No, I'm fine.

Why don't you just go back to her place?

No. No, I've, uh, slept on your couch before.

Didn't kill me.

Threw my back out for a couple weeks.

But it didn't kill you.

I'll go do another beer.

Hey.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

Dickie? Hey, Meg.

How is she?

She's okay.

Good.

Will you be staying with her?

Yeah, I thought I should.

You understand?

Oh, sure.

Your brother's still there?

Playing with your guns? No, I brought all of the guns up here with me.

That's probably a good idea.

He's got sort of a nasty streak, don't you think? He runs in the family.

In medical circles, it's known as the Zombro gene.

Don't make me laugh, Zombro.

Why not?

Because it makes me want to be with you.

Dickie?

I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay.

Good night.

You have her, don't you?

And after he pulled you from the car, what did he do then?

I don't mean to be rude, Detective, but I answered all these questions last

night. Follow-up interviews are routine, Ms. Kaufman. As you know.

Nothing has changed since last night. I haven't remembered any other details,

and I was supposed to be at a conference in Judge Orrick's chambers ten minutes

ago.

Excuse me.

Thanks for your help.

Is she all right?

As far as I know, she's okay.

Okay. Keep an eye on her, will you?

What am I looking for?

Any signs that she's having trouble coping? That she needs help? This sounds

sexist to me. Would you be worrying that, uh, oh, say, Burke might have

trouble coping?

I wouldn't care if Burke could cope.

And there's nothing sexist about it.

I can't believe Gene Delaney took this case.

This guy Duncan left footprints everywhere. Talk about an easy win.

Complacency is for idiots.

Not that I'm calling you an idiot.

Have your fun, Maggie.

But I'm telling you, there is no way we can lose this case.

Everything John Robert Duncan did is a smoking gun.

This guy, he must think with his...

With his gun?

Yes, Chris.

All right, I'll be right there.

You've redecorated.

I liked it the other way.

Had I only known.

We hardly had a chance to talk last night, what with one thing and another.

Who are you into this time?

It doesn't matter.

How much?

Whatever is coming to me from Mom's estate.

She had been sick for months before she died.

I sent you telegrams. I left messages with your low-life friends.

Did you give a damn?

For 18 years, she stood by while Dad beat the crap out of us. When she tried

to stop him, he'd beat the crap out of her, too.

She should have done something. Like what?

She leave anything?

Debts.

I can calculate your half rather quickly.

I have taken the liberty of having the jury join us today, counsel, because I

am anticipating no further delay.

Mr. Fowler.

You talking to me? Stand up and act like you have a brain. Get your hands off me,

you little puss bag.

Can I take it that you're feeling better today, Mr. Fowler? I am not. What the

defendant means to say, Your Honor, is that he is not unmindful that the

court's time is valuable. The court is gratified by your client's regard,

Counselor.

Are you ready to proceed, Ms. Kaufman?

Sir, the people call Ms. Patricia Kirby.

Miss Kirby, it is customary for the witness to sit.

What the hell is the matter with you people?

This is not the guy who robbed me. I have never seen this guy before in my

life. Excuse me?

Oh, please, who could forget a face like that? Looks like a hippo sat on it. Mr.

Mervis, is this or is this not Thomas K. Fowler, the defendant in this case?

Hey, you heard the lady. I didn't do nothing. I'm innocent. You gotta let me

go. I ought to hold you in contempt, Mr. Mervis. Don't you even know your own

clients? I have 52 cases on my desk, Your Honor.

That means I have 52 clients, and if after a while they all start to look

pretty similar, you know what I mean. Are you with us, Ms. Kaufman?

Fuck!

So, yeah, as far as I know, that's all I can tell you. That's it. All right,

thanks a lot. Yeah.

This guy Murdock brought the car in to have the window fixed.

Shop owner got suspicious and checked with us.

So where is he?

Murdock. Face to the front, toes on the line.

Take your time.

I don't have to.

He's not here.

You sure?

Yes, I am.

The man who swung the crowbar at me, missing my head by inches.

The man who dragged me out of the car, threw me on the pavement.

And the man who stole my car is not here.

You lean on this guy, Murdoch.

Find out how he ended up with the car.

All right.

Has she changed the locks yet?

Yeah, we did that last night.

Being victimized is scary.

How is she handling it?

Okay.

She seems okay.

Sometimes people seem okay when they're not.

My brother has never overheard a conversation he couldn't improve by

giving vent to one of his many profound opinions.

My sister has a way with words, doesn't she? And not a single tattered shred of

humanity.

The perfect lawyer.

Let's go to my place, okay? Okay.

Don't take it so seriously, Dickie.

I show up, I need money. She makes me work for it, I make it unpleasant for

her. It's a game.

That's right, Dickie.

It's a game.

It's just a game. Like when we were children, and he would convince our

father that I was the one who deserved to be hit that day.

A coward playing a coward's game.

Tell me.

Dickie, this is just idle curiosity, believe me, but what is she like in bed?

Does the ice melt?

Does the blood flow?

I'm sorry.

Does the flesh quiver?

I'm sorry.

What a Maggie.

He's just like Dad.

How Freudian of you.

Get out of here. Get out of here! Get out of here!

Get the hell out of my life!

Get out.

Why do I feel I've overstayed my welcome?

God.

Oh, God.

Don't. Oh, God. Don't, Maggie.

Don't do this to yourself.

He's wrong.

And you know it.

Yes, you do.

This is outrageous.

Yes, but you were warned to expect it. And it is a preview of what awaits you

in court.

Though we don't think it will go that far. This is just chest beating and

posturing, really.

During the period of your employment with Mr. Duncan, were you sexually

active?

Did you contract any venereal diseases as a result of this activity?

Were your sexual contacts limited to members of the opposite sex, or did you

have sexual liaisons with members of your own sex?

Interrogatories are fishing expeditions, Tina.

Delaney is looking for something to use as a wedge.

Barring that, he's trying to rattle you.

What are we doing to rattle him?

He knows we've got enough evidence to bury him.

He's got nothing to counter with. As long as the information in your file

remains private.

Your secrets are safe with us, with me.

No way anybody can find out.

I never should have told you about Peter Kelly. Everything you have told me is

privileged information.

When your file is not in my hand, it's under lock and key.

Everyone in this office knows the meaning of client confidentiality.

Mr. Mervis. Yes, sir.

The person sitting to your left is your client?

Yes, sir. And what is his name, Mr. Mervis?

Thomas K.

Fowler, Your Honor.

Are you sure?

Yes, sir, I am.

Are you ready to proceed, Ms. Kaufman?

Yes, sir.

The people call Patricia Kirby.

Ms. Kirby?

Ms.

Patricia Kirby?

Your witness seems to be among the missing, Ms. Kaufman.

As you know, sir, Miss Kirby is the victim in this case, and she has been

unwavering in her desire to see justice done.

I would beg the court's indulgence while I attempt to have her located.

Will there ever come a day when both you and Mr. Mervis are prepared

simultaneously? I move for an immediate dismissal, Your Honor. Where there is no

victim, there can be no crime.

Patricia Kirby was victimized by an armed robber, and then she was

victimized by a system of justice.

that has seriously inconvenienced her over and over again while scrupulously

protecting the rights of the accused.

This is our obligation to the accused, and no one here begrudges it.

But if we cannot spare a scruple or two for the victims, Your Honor, then what

kind of justice are we dispensing?

Nice save, Ms. Kaufman.

You have 24 hours.

This case is held over until 9.30 tomorrow, sharp.

How are we doing this time, Ms. Kaufman?

Number four.

Number four is the one who stole your car.

Yes.

Arthur, are you prosecuting this one?

Yeah.

Number four your client?

Yes. We'll talk.

Sure.

Is this the man?

That's the guy Murdock fingered.

Number four.

Are you sure?

Yes, I am.

It's not a face I'm likely to forget.

What the hell makes you think tomorrow's gonna be any different?

on Thursday at 8 p.m. Yeah, I got it.

That judge looks like he's going to have a hemorrhoidal flare-up at any minute,

and he'll probably pick tomorrow to do it. Excuse me, Ms. Kirby. Look around

here, okay?

You see anybody else?

When I'm not at this desk, this phone does not get answered. Kirby.

Uh-huh. Yes, 7 on Monday at 6 p.m. Got it.

Phone doesn't get answered. I don't make any money.

Miss Kirby, look, I know this is a lot to ask, and I can't think of anything

that I haven't already said, but...

I'd just like you to

give us one more chance, if you would.

Please.

Kirby.

Hi, Mom.

I'm not busy.

No.

What, um, what is it about?

Well, they're on their way up. I think they're ready to get serious.

Gentlemen, are you ready to do business?

I believe we are.

Perhaps you better spit it out before you choke on it.

Beckler and Jones Engineering, 1984.

Yes?

You have marvelous control of your facial expressions.

Much better than your clients.

Who was, I believe, employed at Beckler and Jones Engineering between 1982 and

1984.

Why did you leave that firm, Miss Cassidy?

Could it have had something to do with a workplace affair you were having with

a...

Well, we don't need to mention any names.

Not at the moment. But I'm sure the jury will no doubt find the gentleman's

testimony compelling.

No doubt the jury will also find it very interesting that you have a history of

initiating sexual relations with men who are in a position to influence the

course of your career.

Juries love to be titillated, don't they? I did not. I don't suppose you'd

care to share the source of your information, Mr. Delaney.

Maggie, Maggie.

It's Jean, remember?

We're all friends here.

Mr. Duncan will reinstate your client to her former job.

No promotion, no back pay.

In exchange, she will drop this ridiculous and indefensible action

against my client.

See?

Mr. Duncan and I are not unreasonable men.

Well, I'm sure you're gonna... Want to take some time to discuss the options

with your client.

We'll see you tomorrow morning, 10.30.

What the hell happened?

He doesn't have the name.

What? They don't have the name, or he would have flaunted it.

Nobody knew but me and Peter Kelly and you.

You told me it was safe. You told me this office was leak-proof.

Excuse me

Delaney

offered me a nice chunk of change for the rest of the file care to get in on

the bidding What

are you gonna do about

I don't know.

For your little words, you seldom hear from Maggie's ombro.

It's illegal, Mag.

What your brother is doing is illegal.

I can arrest him. He's my brother.

He's a son of a bitch.

Maybe he wouldn't be a son of a bitch if he'd been given a chance to be something

else. He had the same chance you had. Yeah, well, much the same result.

That's not even close.

You made me work hard at finding the real Maggie Zombrow you have hidden in

there.

I know it was worth it.

Maybe there's a human being inside of Philip somewhere, too.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

I do. Be seated.

Ms. Kaufman?

Ms. Kirby, on New Year's Eve of this year, were you at your place of

business? Yes, I was.

As I've told you countless times. And did anything unusual happen that

evening? That guy over there came into my office and stuck a gun in my face.

Where I come from, that is considered unusual.

Then what happened? I opened the safe, like he said, and he stole my money.

How much money? $2,500.

$2,500 may not seem like a lot to you, but to a working woman... Thank you,

Miss Kirby. I'm sure that it's a meaningful amount to everyone here.

Now... When you say, that guy over there, to whom are you referring?

Him.

The ugly one.

The one that looks like someone used a jackhammer on his face.

Let the record show that the witness has indicated the defendant, Thomas K.

Fowler. I have no further questions.

Mr. Marvis.

How old are you, Miss Kirby?

Old enough to know it's none of your concern how old I am.

It's a concern of justice, Miss Kirby.

Your Honor.

Perhaps you'd care to enlighten us how the witness's age is relevant, Mr.

Mervis. Many people begin to lose their eyesight when they reach a certain age.

You need glasses, don't you, Miss Kirby?

No.

Would you please tell the court what it was you were doing when the robber

entered your office?

I was working. What is it you do in your office?

What kind of work?

Paperwork. So you were looking down at your desk?

Yeah. until this guy, that guy over there, stuck a gun in my face and said,

hey, that I looked up.

And what did you see?

I saw that guy over there sticking a gun in my face.

How big was the gun?

Big enough to get my attention.

Uh-huh. So you were staring at the gun? I looked at the gun. Then I looked at

him.

Would you describe the lighting conditions of your office, please?

Uh... There's fluorescence in the ceiling, the lamp on the desk.

There's a lot of light in there, mister.

Doesn't cast dark shadows.

I saw that guy.

It was him. He had a gun. He stole my money. You can stand here. You can

blather all day long. It will not change a thing.

Nothing for the honor.

So, may I go now, please?

This office is off limits to unauthorized personnel.

No one who doesn't work here or have a specific appointment is allowed to

wander about freely.

Is that clear?

Yeah. Thank you.

Bruce? Yeah. Bye, Bruce.

Better you than me, man.

Last night, I left you in the conference room with one of my clients. When I went

looking for you later...

Both of you were gone.

Tina was upset.

She needed some hand-holding.

I took her out to dinner.

Shall we?

What? Are we ready to talk turkey?

We're ready.

As we have been from the beginning.

to discuss settling this case on an equitable basis.

You have our conditions for settlement.

And you have ours.

And I also have access to information that I can use to make your client look

like an opportunistic slut.

You have access to information which may or may not compromise Miss Cassidy in

the eyes of a jury.

What I have...

is everything I need to nail your client's head to a post.

And I'm looking forward to doing it. I'm looking forward to putting you on a

stand and showing you what helpless humiliation feels like.

I'm looking forward to hearing you try to explain to 12 titillated jurors and

one stony-eyed judge what entitles you to withhold raises and promotions from

women who won't have sex with you. I'm looking forward, Mr. Duncan.

To turning over the rock and watching you squirm in the full light of day and

the full glare of publicity.

She's posturing.

Try me.

You told me that this would never get to court. You told me that you could bluff

her into settling cheap.

We'd be happy to settle, Mr. Duncan.

But it won't be cheap.

Will it?

I guess this is where you tell me to get out of Dodge, huh?

Well... You know, I've been sitting here eating peanuts, wondering just how to

put it.

I don't think I can top that.

I got some unfinished business before I go.

See, that's where you're wrong.

All your business is on the other side of the city limit sign.

This town's not big enough for the both of us? Let me tell you what's going to

happen, fella.

You're going to give back the papers you stole from Maggie.

And you're going to move on.

And you're going to keep on moving until you are someplace else.

If I don't.

I'd been out to dinner with a friend and was driving home afterwards.

What time was it?

Around 10.30.

And what happened?

I was stopped at a red light, waiting for it to change, and a crowbar smashed

through the driver's side window.

And a man yanked open the door and dragged me out of my car.

Were you injured in this incident?

Yes, I was cut by flying glass.

Then what?

Well, then...

He knocked me out of the way, jumped in my car, and drove off.

Is that man in this courtroom?

Yes, he is.

There. Let the record show that the witness has identified the defendant,

Mr. Norris.

Thank you, Ms. Kaufman.

Counselor.

If the time was 10.30 p.m., we can assume that it was dark. Is that

correct?

Yes. How many streetlights are there at that intersection?

Enough to provide adequate light? One, four, seven.

I don't know. When the crowbar struck your window, you did say crowbar, didn't

you? Yes.

You're sure it wasn't a tire iron or maybe a rebar or a length of pipe?

It was a crowbar.

Well, I guess we'll just have to accept your impression of that since the police

found no such implement or anything similar to it among my client's

possessions. Your Honor.

Are you questioning the witness, Ms. Gilbert, or delivering your closing

argument?

Questioning the witness, Your Honor.

When the crowbar struck your window, where were you looking?

At the red light, waiting for it to change.

How much time would you say elapsed from the moment the crowbar struck your

window to the moment your car was driven away by the assailant?

A few seconds. Five seconds?

I don't know. It seemed longer.

One, two, three, four, five.

Were you afraid?

Of course I was. So, under garish lighting conditions...

In the space of five terrifying and chaotic seconds, you got such a good

look at the assailant that you are able to identify this man and only this man

as your attacker?

Yes.

Did a good job, Arthur.

Yeah. Win some, lose some. Not good enough.

Eleanor Gilbert.

made the jury believe that eyewitness testimony was completely unreliable.

Uh, I just wanted to thank you for getting that guy convicted.

Thank you for your help.

You're welcome.

You know, I think someone ought to tell you people you're approaching meltdown.

You know?

I've had enough for one day.

I'm out of here.

See you tomorrow.

How you doing?

Okay?

I need a vacation.

Don't we all?

You have really good taste in scotch, Maggie.

I'm gratified you approve.

Is that my case file on the coffee table?

Why, yes, I believe it is.

The, uh, boyfriend paid me a visit today.

He seems to feel I should move on.

He was very persuasive in a monosyllabic kind of a way.

So I've come to say goodbye.

You had so much potential, Philip.

Water under the bridge, Maggie.

Mom's favorite cliche, remember?

Everything was always water under the bridge.

It's been swell.

What?

I was just gonna say, I think maybe you found the right guy.

She'll screw it up.

You and I always screw up the important stuff.

Next time.

You alright?

I love being with you.

Huh?

I can't hear you.

I love being with you.

You make it sound like a bad thing.

The most important thing in my life has always been control.

Of myself and the space around me.

I know that.

Lately.

Lately, I've been having trouble focusing.

Well, your brother has that effect on people.

It's not him.

I've been feeling... Feeling lost when I'm

not with you.

I would rather rip out my own heart than turn into my mother.

I don't want to need you.

What is it you do want?