Original subtitles

Ms. Flanagan, you can't imagine the damage

you've already done to your father.

You haven't seen anything.

Wait till I talk to the press.

If you do, we won't settle. We'll sue you for slander.

Don't threaten us, Ms. Hauber.

You want to file a claim, file it.

Charles: Both of you, please.

This is precisely the type of confrontation

we have to avoid.

Something far more serious is at stake here.

Our wonderful family?

- You're damn right! - Chris, stop it.

No, I want to know.

- How can you do this to him? - He raped me.

He raped Colleen.

Why do you think she killed herself?

He is not the man you think he is.

Your child is living in that house.

- Get her out of there! Charles: Margaret,

what's happened to you?

Don't you have any feelings left for me at all?

I despise you.

You made me feel ugly and dirty.

Vivian: Margaret, please let us help you.

Your father is so hurt by this.

All I want is for us to be a family again.

Ms. Flanagan, your father is prepared

to pick up the total cost

of your psychiatric care, whatever the amount.

- It's not enough. - Is it money?

Is that what you want?

I want you to say the words, I raped my daughters.

Vivian: Oh, God. - This meeting is over.

I want you to have the nightmares.

I want you to feel the humiliation and the shame!

- Margaret-- - I want you to feel the pain!

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

Did everyone see the morning paper?

Who has time to read the paper?

Frank Kittredge on the front page.

Margaret Flanagan's suit against her father.

Frank's representing her. The trial starts today.

I happen to know Charles Flanagan.

I've served on several committees with him.

I find it impossible to believe he committed the, uh,

the acts she's accused him of.

- Tough one to prove. - Incest usually is.

But here we're talking about three decades ago,

- And depressed memory. - I'll say one thing.

It explains a lot about Margaret Flanagan.

- What did you say? - Oh, yeah.

Assuming it really happened.

Let's move along, Douglas.

Gloria Lee vs. Meredith Tudor.

Arbitrator is Leland McKenzie.

Gloria Lee? She's still alive?

She's my age, C.J.

Oh, sorry, my mother used to use her cookbooks,

for "Authentic American Cuisine."

But that was ages ago.

Ms. Lee is accusing Ms. Tudor

of stealing recipes for her new cookbook.

This cookbook is expected to sell millions of copies.

Ms. Lee's claim is trade secret theft.

She says that Ms. Tudor planted a spy

in her test kitchen.

- What does she want? Leland: Credit in the book.

Part of the royalties.

They've opted for arbitration

because they need a quick decision.

Ms. Tudor can't go to press until this is resolved.

And speaking of food,

I think Leland deserves a big round of applause.

Today is Day Seven of his Slim Quick diet,

and he's lost...

- Uh, five pounds. - Hey!

Way to go, Leland. Great!

Well done! Bravo!

And on that note, we're adjourned.

Jonathan: Dad?

I hope you weren't waiting too long.

Son.

You look great.

- Thank you. - How was your flight?

Bumpy. Your mother's lying down.

- She'll meet us for lunch. - Good, good.

I'm not interrupting your day, am I?

No, no, no! I had a court date canceled this morning, anyway.

You have a legal problem, I'm at your service.

That's what I do.

[laughter]

So, Econodyne Corporation approached you about the job.

They do consulting work for former East Bloc countries.

I had been thinking about leaving teaching,

so the timing was perfect.

Dad, do you have any proof that their failure

to hire you was racially motivated?

Not really.

But they've got a bad record for hiring minorities.

Didn't you tell me there was a Vice President on your side?

- Dick Williamson. - Right, right.

The only black executive at Econodyne.

He's on the personnel committee.

If anyone knows where the bodies are buried,

it's him.

The question is, will he tell us?

I guess all that money spent for law-school was worth it.

[sighs] Dad,

if I'm gonna be your attorney

I also have a duty to tell you

if I think you have no case. Agreed?

- Oh, absolutely. - Alright.

But one way or another... send me a bill.

- It's not necessary. - Jonathan.

I taught economics for 25 years.

No son of mine is going to give away his talent.

My cookbooks were a Bible in every kitchen in America--

- Ladies-- Meredith: Cooking isn't about

measuring cups and ingredients any more.

It's about the total dining experience--

You were always one for a shortcut

but I never thought you'd stoop to stealing my recipes.

- They're not recipes! - Alright! That's enough.

And. What is that?

[sighs] Origami.

It relaxes me.

- Oh, Mr. Venturelli? - I'm finished.

Well, we've obviously reached an impasse.

Ms. Lee, you can't produce that "spy",

Ms. Tudor, you can't explain why your recipes

are so strikingly similar to Ms. Lee's.

I had hoped that we could reach

some sort of compromise here,

but I-- I don't know.

- How about a cook-off? Meredith: A cook-off?

Didn't those go out with quilting bees?

Now, what would that accomplish, Ms. Lee?

There are 16 recipes in dispute.

We each cook our own version,

and then see if there's any significant difference.

If there isn't,

that proves she's a thief.

Oh, well. Who would do the tasting?

- You would. - Oh! Oh, no, no.

That would be highly irregular,

and I'm really not qualified for that.

You eat, don't you?

And you're the one who's arbitrating this case.

[scoffs]

Would you agree to a cook-off, Ms. Tudor?

Why not? My recipes are unique.

Alright. Bring the food in on Thursday.

But only very small portions.

Margaret: It was the summer my sister Colleen died.

We were all in shock

and my father decided it would be good for us

if we all went away to Lake Arrowhead.

We had been there about a week and my father announced

that he was taking me fishing.

- I was terrified. - Why?

My earliest memories of my father

are at night in the bedroom I shared with my sister.

He would tuck us in.

I'd fall sleep

and wake up to hear Colleen crying.

He was forcing her to have sex with him.

Objection! No foundation.

Overruled.

Frank: Margaret, what happened

when your father took you fishing?

We went out on our boat, to the far side of the lake,

[sighs] and he asked me

why I was so sad.

He said he wanted me to be happy.

He started to tickle me,

and for a moment, I thought maybe I was wrong.

That nothing bad was going to happen.

- And then? - I was laughing.

And suddenly things changed.

The way he was touching me was different.

I tried to get away, but he grabbed me.

He was fumbling with the front of his pants.

What happened, Margaret?

He pushed me down on my knees.

He put his hands on the back of my head,

and pulled me towards him.

[exhales]

I couldn't breathe.

I hit him, but he just pressed harder.

He forced you to perform oral sex on him?

Yes.

Was that the only time your father

sexually abused you?

No, that night he came into

my room and kissed me good night.

He said if I told anyone about what we did,

he'd kill me.

And he put a pillow over my face,

he pried my legs apart and he raped me!

How old were you, Margaret?

I was 8 years old!

Despite his threats, did you ever say anything?

To anyone?

I tried to tell my mother.

But I was so young I didn't know the words.

I told her that he'd been mean to me,

the way he'd been mean to Colleen.

She said I was wrong...

that my father loved me.

Frank: But the abuse continued?

Margaret: Yes. For years.

But prior to December of last year,

you had no memory whatsoever of any of this taking place?

My father did terrible things.

Blocking it out was the only way I survived.

Until recently, my childhood was a complete blank.

Thank you. No further questions.

I'm sorry, Ms. Flanagan,

but I find that very hard to believe.

That for 30 years you had no memory of any of this?

I was 8 years old. My father was raping

and sodomizing me on a regular basis.

Then suddenly, two months ago it all came back to you?

No, Ms. Hauber, I struggled for nearly a year,

to understand why I kept hearing the sound

of my sister crying.

When the truth finally began to surface,

it came in pieces...

horrible images.

Susan: Are you still experiencing

flashbacks about your father?

Yes.

Well, I'm a little uncomfortable, Ms. Flanagan,

and I'm sure the jury is, too--

Objection!

Condemning a man based on evidence

that's constantly evolving.

Save it for the closing, Counselor.

I am the victim here, not my father.

Your father is a respected member of this community,

Objection! That is completely irrelevant.

Other prominent men have committed incest!

Sustained.

I am telling the truth.

Isn't it also true Miss Flanagan,

that you accused your ex-husband

of threatening you physically

and that you tried to obtain

a restraining order against him?

My marriage was ending.

We were having terrible fights.

Did your husband ever, in fact, abuse you?

I was afraid that he would.

Yes or no, please.

Did your husband ever physically abuse you?

No.

Ms. Flanagan,

two weeks after your divorce,

weren't you hospitalized

in the psychiatric unit of Brentwood Hospital?

I was there for less than a week.

I was emotionally exhausted--

Wasn't it more serious than that?

Hadn't you locked yourself in your apartment

and refused to eat?

You must understand.

I was under a lot of stress.

I do understand, Ms. Flanagan.

You were emotionally disturbed

and made wild accusations with no basis in truth.

Objection!

And you're doing the same thing now, aren't you?

Objection! Move to strike!

Withdrawn. Nothing further.

Mr. Williamson, how many other people

did the personnel committee approach?

We narrowed it to a field of ten, of which,

in my opinion, your father was the most qualified.

Yeah, but he wasn't hired.

Your father's reputation, as distinguished as it is,

was made in supply side,

and upper management felt that we needed someone,

quote, "More in touch with

current world economies," unquote.

That's absurd.

And in the last three years

you're the only black hired in an executive position there?

Look, attitudes are changing.

Maybe not fast enough to suit you and me,

but companies like this need time.

That's an excuse.

Now if we can show their reasons for rejecting

black applicants are just pretext or--

Impossible. Now, it's been tried.

Econodyne's rejections are always plausible enough

to deflect charges of bias.

They strung me along for six months,

making it seem like I was a shoe-in.

When the University pressured me to decide

whether I was staying on or not,

I took the chance on Econodyne.

Professor Rollins, I know how you feel.

I mean, I'm in the trenches over there.

I fight this stuff every day.

But a lawsuit isn't gonna get you anywhere.

- You can't win. - We might, with your help.

If I could, I would--

but I'd lose my job.

I mean, even this meeting was risky.

I'm sorry.

Take my advice. Just get on with your life.

It was nice meeting you both.

Yeah. Thank you.

[sighs] Well, can you go back to Minnesota?

No, the department had a replacement lined up,

that's why they put my feet to the fire.

Besides, your mother says

she could live the rest of her life

without seeing another snow-tire.

She really wants to come home to California.

You know, dad, if you go ahead with this,

they're sure to bring up your politics.

You're on record against affirmative action.

How do you think that's gonna sound in court?

Jonathan, I don't oppose real affirmative action.

I do oppose preferential hiring on the basis of race,

which is exactly what this is.

Okay.

Let me see what else I can turn upon Econodyne.

In the meantime,

Zoey and I will see you tonight for dinner.

Absolutely!

I'm looking forward to meeting her.

What about Mom?

I'm looking forward to that, too.

[knock on door]

Come in.

Ah! I knew you were a man who lunched at his desk.

Ms. Tudor, I'm afraid I cannot meet

with you unless Ms. Lee and the attorneys are present.

Oh, but this has nothing to do with the case.

None of these recipes are in dispute.

I just had this overwhelming urge to feed you.

Well, I appreciate that,

but you see I have to be concerned about

how this appears...

Oh, you poor man,

you look like you're starving to death!

No, no, I'm fine.

I'm not hungry. No. I'm not not hungry at all.

I think presentation is everything, don't you?

Oh.

The true artistry in cooking

is creating an experience for all the senses.

Ms. Tudor, this is entirely improper.

I'm going to take a short walk.

When I come back, I want you out of my office.

Dr. Naiman: Unable to prevent the abuse,

Margaret found another way to escape.

She separated her mind

from what was happening to her body.

- She disassociated? - Yes.

The memories continued to exist,

but they were deeply buried.

And this led to the form of amnesia

that Margaret experienced?

Incest survivors often lose years of their lives.

Doctor, what causes these memories to return?

Oh, a dream, the sound of a laugh,

a certain smell. Every patient's different.

Frank: And in Ms. Flanagan's case?

Dr. Naiman: Well, the occasion was her father's 70th birthday.

The family was going up to their home on Lake Arrowhead.

When Margaret was asked to join them,

she began to experience an overwhelming terror

she couldn't explain.

And it was at this point

that she became your patient?

Yes and as the memories began to surface,

the reason for Margaret's panic became evident.

She had been sexually abused

by her father throughout her childhood.

And you concluded this based solely

on Margaret's repressed memory?

Well, her recollections were very specific

and highly detailed.

Her teachers noted a distinct personality change

between the second and third grade.

A previously happy child became depressed and withdrawn.

Dr. Naiman, is it unusual

for a child to have this sort of experience

and tell no one?

A child in an abusive situation

sees herself as completely trapped.

She's convinced the abusive parent

will be believed, not her.

So there is no doubt in your mind

that Margaret Flanagan was the victim

of sexual abuse by her father?

I am certain Margaret Flanagan was a victim

and is a survivor of incest.

Jonathan: Thank you, Doctor.

Doctor, when Ms. Flanagan came to you,

was she claiming she'd been abused by her father?

- No. - Who first mentioned incest?

[sighs] Look,

Margaret Flanagan was depressed.

She had difficulty with intimate relationships.

She had an aversion to being touched.

These are all symptoms that are common to incest victims.

Symptoms that could have been caused by a lot of things.

The question is,

who first raised the subject of incest?

I guide my patients, Ms. Hauber,

I don't force them--

People do fantasize about incest, don't they?

Don't be little the problem.

We believe one in three women in this country

has been abused as a child.

It's one in six boys.

Unproven statistics, doctor.

But they create a climate of hysteria

in which innocent parents like my client are victimized.

- Objection! Argumentative! - Judge Cramer: Sustained.

How many patients have you treated

where you diagnosed incest?

About sixty.

And in how many of those cases

did someone else confirm that the incest actually happened?

About five or six.

But in this case, you don't have

any independent evidence

showing incest, do you?

It's likely that incest occurred--

But you don't know for sure, do you?

No, but in this situation--

Thank you, doctor.

No further questions.

Slim Quick a little rich for you, Leland?

- I wish it were that simple. - Something wrong?

Meredith Tudor came to my office today,

trying to sway my decision with food.

- That's terrible. - Well, I threw her out.

But she left a meal that was...

[sighs] it was delicious. I ate it.

- Oh. - I gave into temptation.

I compromised my diet

my integrity for the momentary comfort

of some herb bread and bearnaise sauce.

I won't say it isn't serious, Leland,

but it's not the end of the world.

But it's not just the food, Douglas.

First I'm sharing memories of Ruth with a chimp,

then I'm kissing Grace by the elevators,

and now this. I mean, I just don't recognize myself.

It hasn't been a easy year for you.

Losing Rosalind,

then Michael, then Victor...

and dieting--

dieting can make anyone a little crazy.

- Yeah. - Leland...

I love bearnaise sauce.

[sighs] It was good.

Do you like creme Brule ?

My favorite.

Oh, I shouldn't.

What?

There's no conflict of interest for you, Douglas.

[sighs] Well,

maybe just one bite.

Mm.

So, you believe in the death penalty?

In certain circumstances, yes.

But David Lee was insane.

David Lee knew what he did.

I can't tell you I felt good about it.

But I would rather live with David Lee's ghost

than the ghosts of the two little girls he killed.

Well, I can't fault you for that.

So, Zoey.

You think I have a case against Econodyne?

Oh, isn't it amazing

how the first time a black conservative

is denied something, he suddenly decides

that discrimination does exist, after all?

Jonathan: Mom-- - Edward: Sweetheart,

I already know what you think of my case.

I was asking Zoey.

Right. Go ahead, Zoey.

Well, the law says

de facto discrimination isn't usually enough.

You have to prove intent, which will be hard.

I'll say.

But not impossible.

So how would you call it?

Hey, Mom, is this a dinner or a moot court?

Sorry babe, you're not required

to give closing arguments with dessert.

True. And there isn't a good one anyway--

Damn it, Jessica, I'm doing this for you.

You've got that standing offer at McKay Carter,

we could both have had jobs back here--

And we still can.

U.C. Irvine has always wanted you.

Why do you have to work for some faceless corporation,

especially one with a racist hiring record like Econodyne's?

Edward: I'm fifty-five years old,

what's wrong with a man wanting a little success?

It's your definition of success that's wrong!

You're already successful, but you won't believe it.

My God, why does every one in this family

want to be white?

Edward: Very good, Jessica.

Have you ever considered a career in diplomacy?

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.

[instrumental music]

[knocking on door]

Come in.

[chuckles]

You look like you're lying in state, man.

Parents.

I mean, I love' em,

but sometimes they just make me man, crazy.

Whose parents don't?

I know. My mother is a civil rights attorney.

She's worked with the A-C-L-U.

She lobbied against Clarence Thomas

and Robert Bork.

My dad's a Republican who voted for Reagan.

[sighs] What's up?

Yeah, I was wondering if you could give me a hand.

I know, you've done a lot of labor law,

I need someone who knows

the political landscape at Econodyne.

Econodyne.

I might know someone who knows someone.

Let me see what I can turn up.

That'd be great.

I'm from South Boston.

And when I came here,

my father used to call me late at night,

bitchin' about everything going on in the old neighborhood.

Drove me crazy.

Mr. De Lancie and his damn dog that barked all night.

Mrs. Benedetti's bratty grandsons.

Ernie Barger cheated him blind at penny poker.

He died two years ago.

But every time the phone rings late at night,

part of me hopes it's my old man,

just calling to drive me crazy.

Charles: Margaret was never a happy child.

She had few friends.

She suffered what I now understand

were bouts depression.

Objection, this witness lacks the qualifications

to make that diagnosis.

Your Honor, one hardly needs a PhD.

to identify depression.

I agree with Ms. Hauber. Go on.

Was she treated for this?

I'm sorry to say, no, she was not.

Back then, taking a child to a psychiatrist

was unthinkable.

We believed Margaret's problems

were caused by the death of her sister,

and that, in time, she'd out grow them.

Margaret and Colleen were close?

Oh, they were inseparable.

To truly know Margaret,

you'd have to have seen them together.

We should have realized how devastating

Colleen's suicide was for Margaret.

I made that mistake, among others.

Could you elaborate?

I wasn't there enough

for my children, Ms. Hauber.

And when I was, I was too demanding.

Especially of Margaret.

And why was that?

Oh, even at an early age

it was apparent how bright she was.

I was determined that she should maximize that potential.

And today, your daughter is a highly respected attorney?

Yes, but I'm afraid our relationship

paid the price.

I realize now that the last thing she needed

was me pushing her.

Susan: Mr. Flanagan, four years ago

Margaret cut off all contact with her family.

Do you recall the reason?

Well, her marriage had recently ended.

Margaret took it very badly.

She became hysterical.

She would call her mother at all hours day and night.

and just, and just cry.

We urged her to get help.

And her response?

She stopped calling us.

We have neither seen

nor talked to Margaret until...

well, until all of this.

And contrary to Margaret's testimony,

you never touched your daughters?

No.

If anything, I was not affectionate enough.

I can remember the girls used to ask me

for back-rubs.

- That's a lie! Judge Cramer: Ms. Flanagan...

You can't let him get away with this!

- Margaret. - Ms. Flanagan, I'm warning you.

That is not how it happened!

- Your Honor. - Ms. Flanagan.

I begged you not to touch me!

Can't you see she needs help?

- Didn't you hear me? - Judge: Ms. Flanagan, sit down.

Susan: Your Honor! Judge: Mr. Kittredge.

Get your client under control

or I'm declaring a mistrial.

Please, someone ,help her!

[dramatic music]

Please!

Jessica! Hi.

Jonathan's gone to lunch.

I just stopped by to say, hello.

Oh.

This isn't easy, is it?

Tell me about it.

Zoey, I like you.

You're a bright, strong woman.

And you obviously care about Jonathan.

- But-- - You'd rather I were black.

The black family

is almost an endangered species in this country.

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves here?

I mean, Jonathan and I haven't even discussed marriage.

I've met some of his other girl friends.

I haven't look at one, the way he looks at you.

So doesn't that count for something?

That we love each other?

If that were all it took,

this would be a much nicer world to live in.

But it's not.

If my parents said to me,

"Zo, Jonathan's a great guy,

he's kind and loving and smart,

and we'd be happy to have him as your boyfriend

if he were white" what would you call that?

This is not racism.

Racism is about oppression.

This would only be racism

if blacks could oppress or exclude whites--

You're trying to exclude me

from Jonathan's life on the basis of my race.

What's the difference?

I probably should be having this talk with Jonathan.

You probably should.

[sighs]

Ladies and gentlemen.

Meredith: I hope we can get through this quickly.

My brie's about to liquify.

Mr. Venturelli, as you may or may not be aware

your client visited me yesterday,

exparte,

offering me bribes in the form of food.

Well, I got carried away. I'm sorry.

I am embarrassed to say that I could not

resist the temptation.

And since the food was, well, technically,

it was evidence in this case,

and I feel that I have no choice

other than to recluse myself from these proceedings.

Well, what about my book?

If it doesn't go to press by the end of the week,

I'll have to reschedule Oprah!

See, I have a list of other arbitrators in this district

and I'm sure a speedy hearing would be--

Look! I said I was sorry!

Why should I have to suffer

just because you couldn't resist stuffing your face?

What kind of an arbitrator are you anyway?

- Shut up, Meredith. - Oh and you.

You've always resented my success!

I resent your making cooking

into a competitive sport.

Well, if you can't take the heat, Gloria--

- Oh! - Ms. Lee!

- Gloria! - Oh!

- Oh! - Ms. Tudor!

Why you little--

- No. - Oh!

Meredith.

I'll teach you to put a mole in my kitchen!

Leland: Have you all gone crazy?

- Oh! - Meredith, don't.

Don't touch me, you idiot!

Leland: This is outrageous!

Hey! Stop that!

Stop that, ladies! Stop it!

This is a legal proceeding!

Now put that down! Put that down!

No, you don't!

Why you...

In college I dated an Asian girl.

You didn't seem so horrified then.

You didn't seem so serious then.

Jonathan, I don't think you've given enough thought

to how difficult this is gonna be.

For you, for her, for your children--

Jessica, for God's sake,

they're in love, what else matters?

We're not even living together.

They don't have the slightest idea

of the kind of anger and bigotry they'll face--

No? Try going into a restaurant

where the matre'd tries to escort you to a table for one,

because you couldn't possibly be with a white woman.

Try just holding hands on the street...

the dirty looks you get from white folks and blacks.

especially black women!

Can you blame them?

They're tired of black men,

as soon as they become successful,

marrying a white women

as another token of their success?

Jonathan: Are you saying that's what I'm doing?

Do you think Zoey's some kind of status symbol to me?

Is that what you think?

Jonathan, look at your choices.

You went to an Ivy League college.

You've joined a lily- white downtown firm.

You bought a condo in Brentwood,

and a Mercedes!

The only thing missing was the right kind of woman.

You know, some mother's would actually be proud

their son's accomplished all that.

I'm not belittling your achievement. It's just--

This isn't about Jonathan

dating a white woman.

It's about just what you said, "Choices."

His were too much like mine.

That's what you're really angry about.

Maybe I am.

- So? - So! I'm not Dad.

He's right.

I wouldn't have risked my career

taking on the LAPD like he did.

I wouldn't have had the nerve.

I don't think that's true.

Yes, it is.

I've taken the safe road a lot of the time...

not all the time, but a lot.

Jessica,

just because he's with McKenzie Brackman

and not the A.C.L.U.

doesn't make him any less a fighter.

And just because he's dating a white woman

doesn't make him any less black.

I don't think that.

I just want him to think about what he wants

and why he wants it.

That's all.

[exhales]

Andrew Parks copped a plea.

They've agreed to eight years.

What about Scribbs?

The judge denied our request for bail.

He's O.R. Listen, we don't have to finish this now.

I want to.

They said it was alright if I waited for you.

I'll call you tomorrow.

Uh, no, stay.

This won't take long.

I already know what she's gonna say.

What a wonderful man my father is

and how I'm destroying him.

I didn't come here for that.

There's been so much talk about Colleen in the courtroom.

I almost felt like she was there

and these were hers.

I packed them away the day we buried her.

And I want you to have them.

Just a few things...

a Girl Scout pin, some books she loved--

Why didn't you tell me you had this?

You and Chris were so young.

I thought we were doing the right thing--

I'm sure it was easier for you that way.

There hasn't been a day I haven't thought of her.

Or you.

I love you, Margaret.

Do you know where I'd go in my mind

when it would happen?

I was with you.

You would stroke my hair

and tell me it would be alright.

I need you to believe me.

In June I will have been married to your father

for 50 years.

That's most of my life.

And I'm doing the best I can.

I know.

[sighs]

[instrumental music]

Mr. Rollins, I don't know what's to be gained by this.

I told you, I don't think you can win his case--

Oh, you see, we don't have to win.

Have a seat.

We're negotiating a settlement with Econodyne,

and once they heard what we had to say,

they were anxious to avoid a lawsuit.

I don't understand. I wasn't informed of this.

You will be.

We did a little research on Econodyne, Mr. Williamson.

And when our source took a straw poll

of the personnel committee,

it came out that a majority of them at first

wanted to hire my father.

I was never approached by anyone taking a poll.

That's right, because we assumed

you'd also favored his hiring--

except you didn't, did you?

- That's not so-- - Okay.

At first you supported him, but as time went on

you found more and more reasons not to hire him,

until you eventually tilted the committee against him.

But the funny thing is,

that seems to have happened to all the black applicants

during the three years

you've been on the committee, my brother.

I don't have to listen to this.

You kept your job secure by shooting down

every other minority applicant.

At Econodyne and the last two companies you worked for.

You told this load of garbage to upper management?

Oh, yeah.

And to the California

Department of Fair Employment.

Well, you wasted your time.

Econodyne will fight any claim that you make.

No, they won't.

Once they heard our case, they decided to make

a generous lump-sum payment to my father,

to compensate him for his loss of his teaching position

and any expenses he may have incurred.

That should tide me over until I can find something else.

It's a pretty grim job-market out there,

which I have a feeling you're about to discover first-hand.

[knocking on door]

Come in.

Ms. Lee.

I came by to apologize.

I've done a lot of things with food in the last 40 years,

but this is the first time I ever used it as a weapon.

I honestly don't know what came over me.

Whatever it was, it must have been contagious.

I'd like to pay the cleaning bill.

I did start it, after all.

Well, that's very generous,

but it's as much my fault as anyone.

I should have exhibited more will power

when Ms. Tudor brought me lunch.

Oh, it's all worked out as far as I'm concerned.

Oh. I know Meredith.

She gets a little carried away

but she never forgets her own best interests.

It didn't take much to convince her

that missing her publication date

would be worse than being associated with a "has-been."

You don't really think of yourself that way?

Ah. Not usually, no.

But I do feel the time speeding by.

You know, the first time that I voted

in a presidential election,

it was for Adlai Stevenson.

Oh.

And most of the people in this office

only know Stevenson through history books.

Like George Washington.

- I liked Ike. - Oh. I know.

Mr. McKenzie,

I hope you won't think me too forward,

but would you let me fix dinner for you sometime?

Well, right now I'm on this diet...

I make a mean baked halibut with yogurt dill sauce.

Guaranteed low fat.

Well, it would be my pleasure, Ms. Lee.

Gloria.

Gloria. I'll bring the mineral water.

Frank: So you would characterize yourself

as a loving but flawed father.

As I said, I've made my share of mistakes with my children.

And that's why your daughter says you raped her?

My daughter is disturbed.

Her delusions focus on me.

I think she'd say anything at all to hurt me.

What about your daughter, Colleen?

Do you in any way see yourself as responsible for her suicide?

Charles: Any parent would feel responsible

after a tragedy like that.

But if you're suggesting that some aberrant behavior

on my part drove her to her death--

I am not suggesting it.

Your other daughter is saying it.

Your Honor, we have traveled down this road numerous times

and always to the same place--

the word of his client against the word of my client.

And the only person who can shed light on the truth

- is dead. - Mr. Kittredge,

I agree with Ms. Hauber.

Unless you have something new to offer, please move on.

Your Honor, I wish to enter into evidence

these documents authenticating this book

as the diary of the late Colleen Flanagan,

written in her hand.

With the court's permission, I would like Mr. Flanagan--

Where did you get that?

Sidebar, your Honor.

This document was not on their list.

I demand adequate opportunity

to verify the authenticity of this so-called diary.

Those are declarations of experts at testing to that.

I want to cross-examine them.

I will hear the diary, Ms. Hauber,

but the jury will be removed, pending my ruling.

Frank: Would you read the first paragraph

of the entry dated May 26th, 1961?

[exhales]

Is it going to be you or me?

My daughter was troubled.

For God's sake, she killed herself!

Then I'm sure you'll read it with compassion.

Starting with "He drove me to school this morning."

"He drove me to school this morning.

He made me stay in the car

until the bell rang."

I don't have to do this.

"I'm sure the other kids could see what he was doing,

"where he was touching me.

"I want to die.

"I think about dying all the time.

- I'll be safe in heaven." - I swear I didn't touch her!

"He tells me it's my fault.

"That I make him do those things.

Maybe if I cut my face.

If I had scars maybe he wouldn't want me."

She was disturbed, she was a sick girl--

"What if he's right, diary? What if it is my fault?

Would God even let me into heaven?"

A week after she wrote this,

Colleen Flanagan committed suicide.

She was 14 years old.

I have nothing further.

Your father's returning the rental car,

but we could take a cab to the airport.

- If you're too busy. - No, no, Mom, it's okay.

It's no problem.

We would have been here sooner, but

we got into a heated debate at the hotel.

Mom, I gotta ask you something.

How have you two kept from killing each other

over the last 30 years?

No sharp objects in the house.

In spite of our differences,

your father and I fit.

We make a whole out of two halves.

Like me and Zoey.

That was what the heated debate was about.

Mom, I do love her.

She's not a status symbol,

she's someone I really care for.

I know. But it hurts...

seeing you with someone so...

different.

Maybe on the outside.

But inside, she's a lot like you.

Believe me.

So you didn't pick her out of some deep-seated

resentment of me?

[laughs]

Five hundred thousand dollars,

no admission of liability.

We have two conditions.

One. Your client enters a program for sexual offenders.

Like hell I will!

I refuse to be treated like a common criminal.

If you prefer, Mr. Flanagan, we can go back to court.

What's the second condition?

All unsupervised contact with the grandchild,

Emma Flanagan, is forbidden.

And if there's any evidence you laid a hand on her,

I promise you, you'll face criminal charges.

Are you going to agree to this?

Dad, I can't risk it.

I love that child.

I would never hurt her!

You won't have a chance to.

These are my terms.

Then to hell with you!

Charles, I don't think you have a choice.

After all the sacrifices we made for you.

For what?

For this?

Come on, Vivian, let's go.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]