Intimate Strangers (1977) - full transcript

(birds chirping)

(narrator)
Wife battering is threatening

to become an epidemic
in the United States.

According to recent studies,

there are from 26 million
to 30 million abused wives

in the country today.

This is Janice Halston.

(flower pot falls)

Oh, no.

(narrator)
She could be one of them.

(children)
Mom, Mom, where are you?



(Janice)
In the kitchen!

Mommy, Mommy!
Guess what?

Mommy, guess what?

Dad picked us up
from school today

and you won't
believe what we got.

What?

We're gonna use it
for vacation and everything.

What is it?

(Janice)
What?

(girl)
Mom, look, look!

(man)
Hey, honey.
What do you think, huh?

Here, Chris.
Hold this for me.

Donny, you never said
anything about buying a--

I could get this thing
for an absolute steal.



Here, Chris, take this in
the house for Dad, will you?

Thank you, pal.
Come on, take a look.

Remember Claude?
Yeah?

The guy who runs
a camera store?
Yeah.

Well, Ol' Claud just has to
come up with some fast cash.

Look, Mom, here's a table
that we can all sit around,

and Daddy says we're gonna go
to Canada in this, right?

Right.

Well, still, it looks
awfully expensive.

Are you sure
we can afford it?

Afford it?
Huh.

Why don't you just
leave that

to the ol' bread winner
here, huh?

Right, Peggy?

Yeah!

Let's go!

Well, did something
happen?

I'll tell you later.

Come on,
let's go for a test drive.

You go, honey--

Come on, the plants are
just gonna have to wait!

Honey, put me down.
Put me down.

(Peggy)
Watch out.
Be careful!

Oh, be careful!

(Chris)
Don't drop her, Dad!

Hey, Dad, Dad, can I drive
to my friend Marc's house?

All right, kids, I guess
I'm going for a ride.

(engine starts)

(all)
* There was an old lady
who swallowed a fly *

* I don't know why
she swallowed a fly *

* Perhaps she'll die *

* There was an old lady
who swallowed a spider *

* That wriggled and jiggled
and tickled inside her *

* She swallowed the spider
to catch the fly *

* I don't know why
she swallowed the fly **

All right,
everybody who doesn't sing,

in back of the camper,
right?

All right.

* There was an old lady
who swallowed a bird *

* How absurd
to swallow a bird *

* She swallowed the bird
to catch the spider *

* That wriggled and jiggled
and tickled inside her *

* She swallowed the spider
to catch the fly *

* I don't know why
she swallowed the fly *

* Perhaps she'll die *

* There was an old lady
who swallowed a goat *

* She opened her throat
and swallowed a goat *

* She swallowed a goat
to catch the dog *

(Janice)
* What a hog
to catch a dog *

* She swallowed a dog
to catch the cat *

* Imagine that
she swallowed a cat *

* She swallowed a cat
to catch the bird *

* How absurd
to swallow a bird *

* She swallowed a bird
to catch the spider *

* That wriggled and jiggled
and tickled inside her *

* She swallowed the spider
to catch the fly *

* I don't know why
she swallowed a fly *

* Perhaps she'll die **

**

Honey, I'm gonna
run up the canyon

and see where the kids
have gone.

Donny, don't go.
Why?

Well, I wanna talk
to you about something.

What?

I still don't
understand how--

Honey...

this camper
is my department.

If I say
that I can handle it,

I can handle it.

We can save money
by buying this.

How?

Well, I got a three-week
vacation coming up, right?

We just pile the kids in
the camper and take off.

Look at all the money
we'll save

on motels
and restaurants.

Donny, there's only
one bed in there.

Oh, no.
No, no.

No, the big one over
the cab, that's for us.

The kids' bed pulls down here,
out of the wall,

right over the table.

Oh, I didn't know
that was there.

There's plenty of room.

Oh, honey, you think
of everything.

Um...

You wanna go inside and see
if our bed is comfortable?

(laughs)

Oh, you crazy,
mixed up kid.

We're in
a public place here.

We could get arrested for
reckless parking or something.

We're consenting adults,
aren't we?

(sighs)

Oh, Donny.

What do I have to do?

Get on some sort
of waiting list?

Hey, come on.

That's kinda hitting
below the belt, isn't it?

It's just that
recently I've--

I know.

You've been under
a lot of pressure.

Janice...

you know I love you, hmm?

Still?

I always will.

**

I didn't pull you away
from TV, did I?

Oh, I'm sorry.

I just had to call you
and tell you about--

about the camper.

I'm gonna take it!

Would you mind going over
those figures for me

just, uh, one more time?

Honey, is there
a pencil there?

Hold on a minute,
will you, Claude?

Pencil, will you
please, honey?

Thank you.

Okay, shoot.

Right.

Right.

Well, I spoke to the bank this
morning about the financing.

There's no problem there.

Oh.
Thank you.

Uh, you remember the client
that I was telling you about,

the one that I've been romancing
for the past month?

That was right, the doctor.
Caullier.

Well, I think that
he's going to spring loose

for the entire package.

You sell that camper
to anybody else, old buddy,

and I'm going to break
all 12 of your fingers.

Right.

Right.

I'll talk to ya.

Hey, babe,
why so glum?

Didn't you hear?

I can afford ten campers
if I want,

and a cliff to push 'em
over when they get dirty.

Donny, it would be nice
if just once in a while

you would tell me
something first

before you told
all your friends.

Aw, now what do you wanna
hear that for?

That's man talk.
Right?

Besides, I got
other plans for you.

Oh, yeah?
Like what?

(chuckles)

(Peggy)
Mom, he hit me!

(Chris)
She stuck her finger
in my cereal.

(Peggy)
You started it.

Okay, kids,
cool it.

Ma, can we go to school
in the camper today?

No, only Dad can
drive the camper.

Aw, why can't you
drive it?

Are you two finished?
Ready to go?

Okay, Peggy, put
this money someplace

where you won't
lose it.

Okay, get your books.

Don't forget
your lunch, Peggy.

Come on, come on.

(phone rings)

Oh, shoot, now we are
gonna be late.

Kids, get in the car.

Hello.

No, I'm afraid
he's just left.

May I tell him who called?

Oh, hi,
Dr. Caullier, yes.

Oh, I'm sure you could
reach him

at the office
anytime this morning,

but could I give him
a message?

Oh.

Oh, I see.

All right,
thank you.

Good-bye.

Take a look
at that Fenton kid.

I bet he sees more action

than Starsky and Hutch
put together.

Never mind the girls,
take a look at his desk.

Twenty-five years old

and it's as clean
as a vice president's.

How can you
sell insurance

when there's nothing
on your desk?

Hey, hey, look.

Larry's telling him how you
tied down the Caullier deal.

Now let's see how much
class he's got.

Hey, five bucks says
that he only used it

to remind us of
what a hotshot he is.

You're on.

I'll hold it.

Hello, Mort,
Don.

How things doing in
the old-folks section?

Creakin' along, Rusty.
Creakin' along.

Hey, I hear you landed
a big one.

Half a mil?

Oh, just a start.

I should triple it
by the end of the month.

No kidding?
Congratulations.

Have I shown you guys
my certificate?

Just had her framed,

third in national sales
last month, signed by--

I know!

Signed by Chairman of
the Board of Philadelphia.

The Chairman of the Board
signed it.

Ah, would you look
at all the money!

Guys, gals, it's
coffee-break time.

Donald's buying.

You just can't wait to start
spending that commission.

(phone rings)

Hey, you don't wanna mess up
your desk with that, Rusty.

Somebody might think
you work here.

(Donny)
Hello, doctor.

Oh, really?

You coming, champ?

Excuse me.

No, I'm not coming.
Just go on.

I don't know how a man expects
to sell insurance

if he's not friendly.

Look, doctor,
if I could just

go over those figures
with you one more time,

I'm certain that--

Yes.

Uh-huh.

Doctor, uh,

you have no idea
how important this is.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, I understand
that it's not your--

Yes, sir.

No.

Donald?

Hmm?

I know what's
bothering you.

Me?

Dr. Caullier called
here this morning,

just after you left.

That's fine.

Well, would you like
to talk about it?

Janice,
if you got any sense,

you'll leave me
alone tonight.

I know you lost
the policy.

I know that's
what's upsetting you.

Well, you're wrong.

What's upsetting me
is that

you've overdrawn
the checking account again.

I did?

Unbelievable.

This is the second time
this month.

I'm sorry, Donald.

You're sorry?
That's terrific.

I'm the one that got the call
from the vice president,

and I'm the one that's
gonna have to go down there

and straighten out
this mess.

Do you have any idea
how embarrassing that is?

Huh?

There's not gonna be
any commission

from the Caullier sale,
is there?

That's right.
There's no commission.

Then, are you
gonna call?

Well, go on.
Go on, say it.

I mean, get it out.

You'd really love that,
wouldn't you?

You'd love it if I had
to call up Claude

and cry to him now that
I can't afford the camper.

Well then, would you
like to tell me

just where
that money is gonna come--

I don't have to tell you
a damn thing, nothing!

Shh!
The kids will wake up.

They're gonna hear you.

I work
my whole lousy life,

and finally,

finally I get
something for me,

and the first thing you want
me to do is to give it back.

It's not only
the stupid camper either.

It's everything.

You never miss an opportunity
to mess up my life.

Can't even balance out
a check book.

You can't even
make out a grocery list.

You can't even leave
a pencil by a telephone.

And I've asked you
to do it.

How many times have I said,
"Just please,

leave a pencil
by the telephone."

Well, maybe if I knew
how much money

we were gonna
have every week!

What did you say?

What?
Janice?

Janice!

Janice, don't you walk
away from me!

(screams)

You burned yourself.
Here, let me--

Hey.

You don't think that--

You don't believe that I did
this on purpose, do you?

Janice, I gave you my word
that it wouldn't happen again.

I haven't laid a hand on you
in months, have I?

Well, then it was
just a crazy accident.

You must've slipped
on something.

Here.

Come on.

Let me help you up,
please.

What are you
thinking, hmm?

That I wish you wouldn't
drive yourself so hard.

Well, it's just that
I want a lot for us.

Is that wrong?

No.

Time is going by
so fast.

There's plenty
of time, Donny.

How long am I
supposed to wait

to start enjoying life?

Like my father,
till it's too late?

We've got the kids.
We've got each other.

That's all that's important,
isn't it?

We don't have to go
into debt to be happy.

Well, I just want my kids
to have a childhood

that they can feel
good about, that's all.

Because you didn't?

I don't know.

Who knows?
Maybe.

Donny?

Hmm?

If you still think
we can manage the camper--

But of course we can.

That Caullier cad is not
the only thing I've got going.

Really?

Ask Mort.
Ask anybody.

I got more experience
than anybody in the office.

That's gotta count
for something.

Then you do what
you think is best, Donny.

I know that I've been a little
tough to live with lately.

I know that.

But it's...

that I wanna make
things good for us.

I know.

**

(car starts)

(crack)

Jan?

I looked in
the rearview mirror.

I was sure no one was
behind me.

Janice, it's me.
It's Karen Renshaw.

Karen!
(laughs)

Imagine running
into you.

I thought you were
living in Florida.

I was.
I was living in Florida.

What are you doing
back here?

Listen, let's get our tin
out of the road, huh?

Oh, wow, am I in trouble.

Oh, listen, we ran
into each other.

What do you
got insurance for?

Right.
Have I got insurance.

Donald is in the insurance
business.

Oh, Donald.

The centerfold from
"Seventeen" magazine.

How is Donald?

He's fine.
We're very happy.

Really, we are.

Did I say
you weren't happy?

Just Donald's not gonna be
very happy about the car.

Don't worry about it.

I was dating a guy
a while back.

He runs a garage.

Dating?

Divorced person.

Oh, I hadn't heard.

Yeah.

Listen, my office is three
blocks away from here.

Follow me over there.
We'll call him, okay?

Okay.

(Karen)
So the kids found
a school term with Jerry

and then they're here with me
for the summer.

Well, hey,
they're still my kids.

Jerry loves them just
as much as I do.

Anyway, I gotta right
to put my life together.

Thank you.

Here we be.

Give me one minute and I'll
get this guy on the phone.

So what is it that
you do here, Karen?

Are you a secretary
or what?

I'm a drafts woman.

Jan, they don't
actually require

that I smoke cigars
and wear boxer shorts.

Uh, Jimmy?
Hi. Karen.

Listen, I just bumped
into an old friend.

Yeah.

No, no, she didn't think
it was funny either.

Can you see her
for me?

Oh, you're terrific.

Terrific, okay.

I never thought
either one of us would end up

doing anything like this.

Listen, this is just
the beginning for me.

After I put in
six years here

and a couple
of night courses,

I get my degree as
an architect.

Hey, you know what?
I'm really impressed.

Ah, well, I got tired
of working in kitchens

designed by a man
who don't know bread boards

from ironing boards.

Uh, look, love, I've got
a meeting to go into,

but I'm gonna have
a bunch of people

up to the house
in a few weeks,

and I'll give you
and Donald a call.

I'd love to,

but Donald doesn't
seem to care much

for parties these days.

Wait a minute,
you sure we're talking about

the same Donald Halston?

I'm sure.

You tell Donald Halston
I don't care

if he is bald
and old and fat,

I wanna see him.

(laughs)
Okay.

I'm calling you.
All right.

Bye.
Bye.

(loud chatter)

What's with
young Fenton there?

Did he get another certificate
from the president?

Oh, I hate to be the one
to tell you this, Donald,

but that little punk has been
chosen Training Supervisor.

You're kidding.

Yeah.
Really?

Mm-hmm.

You all right?

Yeah, sure.

Okay,
here he comes.

I'll tell you what,
you trip him

and I'll drop him
lightly on his ear.

Hey!

Nice going there,
old buddy!

I'd like to congratulate you
on your new position.

Well,
thank you very much.

Listen, somebody said that
you had your eye on that job.

Is that so?

Are you serious?

Spend my time teaching kids
to sell insurance?

I think I'd rather
run a nursery school.

Well, for 5% override
on what they sell,

I think I can afford to wipe
a few noses.

I'll see ya.

Mort?

Who do you have to poison
to get out of this business?

Hmm?
(chuckles)

We can always start
with ourselves.

Think it's
too early to start drinking

to fearless Fenton's
bad health?

Maybe another time.

Aw, come on.

You don't wanna take
this home with you.

We'll go out
and have some laughs.

Let's go.

Hey, come on.

Come on!

(smooth jazz playing)

(Mort)
You know what we ought
to do, you and me?

We ought to start
our own insurance company.

I think I'd rather
start a hog farm.

No, really.
Seriously.

Oh, and to keep
the aggravation to a minimum,

we'll have a big sign that
says "Halston and Burns Limited"

and underneath, it says
"no customers wanted."

(chuckles)

That's the kind
of sales campaign

I could really get behind.

Yeah, and we'll sit
in these big leather chairs

behind this huge
mahogany desk

and we'll eat pizza and drink
beer all day, hmm?

Hmm.

What's the matter?

You know, you get
to a certain age, you just,

you gotta start taking
care of the ol' bod.

You gotta start laying
off all that junk food.

Are you kidding?

That's the only thing
Marilyn can cook.

I bet if I ate a carrot,

my body would go into
instant vitamin shock.

And the booze.

You ought to swear off
of this stuff.

I'll drink to that.

No, I mean it,
really.

You know, I've been planning
on starting to work out again.

You wanna go with me
over to the park, huh?

We'll jog around
a track a little

and shoot a few baskets?

Make you feel good.
What do you say?

I say we ought to have
another painkiller

and discuss it rationally.

Not a bad idea.
All right.

Wait a minute.
It's kind of late.

Maybe we ought
to go home.

Okay, we'll put in
a hand of the gods.

Heads, we go home.

Tails, we order up
another round.

Heads.

Wanna make it
two out of three?

Come on,
what do you say?

One for the road.

I'll call Janice and tell her
I'll be a little late.

I owe you a dime.

Make it a nickel.
Tell yours to call mine.

(indistinct chatter)

Come over here.

(Mort)
Don, don't just stand there.

I got a couple of friends
who wanna meet you.

Uh...

I'd just like to introduce you
to a very good friend of mine.

Miss, miss, we have a couple
of drinks at the bar,

and what would you want?

Vodka on the rocks.

Two vodka on the rocks?

Two vodka on the rocks
and just bring them over.

Thanks,
thanks.

This is Sandy,
and this is Merna,

and this is my best friend,
Rusty Fenton.

He's a manure salesman.

(all laugh)

(Donny)
That's right, that's right.

I was third in national
sales last month,

27 box cars full.

That's a lot of bull.

(all laugh)

(Mort)
Did I tell you?

Oh, come on, you gotta be
kidding about what he sells.

No, no, no, listen.

I've got a gold shovel
to prove it.

Signed by
Chairman of the Board.

Wanna see it?

Well, I do because
I do not believe

that you have
any such gold shovel.

Oh, no, no, no,
he's not kidding, really.

But the only trouble is
it's in his room

over at
the Mayflower Motel.

Well then?
Let's go.

I wanna powder my nose
first, okay?

Okay.
I'll go with you.

(Mort)
We'll be waiting.

We'll be back.

Hold the drink, huh?
Will you hold the drink?

Thanks.

You see the way that little
brunette is looking at you?

If you were a piece
of chocolate cake,

you'd be all over
her face by now.

I think you're right.
Hmm?

So what's the problem?

Hey, you know, Mort,

the whole time
I've been married,

I gotta tell you that
I've just never, you know.

I believe you.

It shows?
Yeah, it shows.

It may seem
a little bit square,

but it's not that I haven't
thought about it

from time
to time, you know.

It's just that for me,
it didn't seem the way to--

huh.

Look, Donald, where's that
attitude ever gotten you?

I mean, are you richer?
Are you smarter?

Better looking?

Are you just gonna
wait around

until all of your vital
juices dry up forever?

Hey, come on.

Here they come.
Let's go.

He's quite a kidder.
My friend Mort, huh?

Yes, he is.

Actually,
I'm in insurance.

Oh, sounds like
very interesting work.

Well, it has
its compensation.

That was
a little joke there--

insurance compensation.

I guess we can leave
that alone.

Well?

So what do you do?
You work?

Or, you know, are you
a stewardess or a nurse?

Do you really
need to know?

Well, I-- I just...

Now, you just ease up.

I'm not going
to bite you.

I've, uh...

I've gotta tell you
the truth.

My name
is not Rusty Fenton.

I never thought
that it was.

You didn't?
How come?

Because you don't
look rusty to me.

Listen, I'm married.

I got two kids.

I got a house
with a mortgage

that won't be paid off
till March the 1st

in the year 2005.

Well, I guess that
I can live with that.

If you really wanna
know the truth,

I've just had
a rotten day.

You think you're getting
someplace in this life,

you know what I mean?

And you're very careful

to play everything
by the rules.

And then,
you stop just for a moment

to catch your breath,

and then some
25-year-old whiz kid,

he, phew,
runs you off the road.

Now listen to me, love.

If I wanted to hear what
a tough day somebody had,

I would've gone home.

**

(door opens, then closes)

What the hell happened
to the car out there?

Don't give me
your silent treatment.

I asked you a question,
lady.

I made dinner.
It's still on the warmer.

Have any idea how much
that's gonna cost?

And don't talk to me
about insurance.

We've got
a hundred-dollar deductible.

You come waltzing in here
after 2:00 in the morning,

smelling like a bar rag,

and you try to turn it
back on me?

Where were you?
With Mort?

I really don't think
you wanna know where I was.

You could've at least
phoned me.

You could've done that!

Or maybe you were busy
with Dr. Caullier,

writing up another
half-million-dollar policy.

All right.

All right.

You want to know where I was?
I'll tell you where I was.

I picked up a woman in a bar
and I took her to a motel.

That's where I was!

I don't believe you.

Well, you damn well better
believe me!

And you better know why,
because you drove me to it

with your nagging
and your complaining!

You're giving me
no support!

Well then...

Well then, what?!
Get it out!

Well then, you just
go back to that motel

and spend the whole night
with her,

because you sure haven't
been winning any prizes

in bed around here!

Why you--
No, Donny!

(loud thud)

(Janice screams)

(loud smack)

Donny, no!

Don't talk to me
like that, you!

Donny!

No, Donny, stop!

Gonna keep
your mouth shut!

You're gonna
keep it shut!

Answer me!
Answer me!

Donny, stop!

(both shouting)

Are you gonna talk
to me that way again?

Huh?

Are ya?

(Janice cries)
No!

(Donny shouts, Janice screams)

(Janice)
Donny, stop!

(crickets chirping)

(officer)
All right, folks, come on,
clear it out.

Go home.

(knocks)

Yeah?

Police!
Open up.

(crying)

(whispers)
It's the police.

Okay!

(crying)

(knocks)

Yeah!

We had a call from
one of your neighbors

that there was
a disturbance here.

Anything wrong?

Well...
(scoffs)

Had a little
family argument,

raised our voices maybe
a little bit.

It's all settled now.

Okay, sorry
to have bothered you.

Uh, may we talk
to your wife, Mr...?

Halston.
Donald Halston.

I, uh...

I'm afraid she's already
gone to bed.

We'd like to have
a look at her,

if you don't mind,
sir, for our report.

Come in.

Janice!

Janice!

Ja--

Wanna tell us
what happened, ma'am?

Come and sit down.

Would you tell us exactly
what happened, please?

I fell.

I tripped on the stair
and hit my head on--

You sure about that,
ma'am?

Because if anybody
put a hand on you,

we can take him downtown.

Lady, that's our job.

You don't have
to be afraid.

Just say that you're willing
to swear out a warrant

and we'll take it
from there.

I tripped.
That's all that happened.

All right, good.
Let's go.

(sobbing)

I mean, I think
I could've talked her

into filing a complaint.

Look, I've had
two partners of mine

caught up already
in these family things.

I know,
I know.

All right, all right,

you wanna go back in there,
you go ahead.

But the only one
that's gonna get hurt

is you, old buddy.

Besides,
a good punching around

is what some of these women
need to turn them on.

Now, you take
those two in there.

They're most likely
kissing

and making up
right this minute.

Let's go.

(Janice sniffles)

Here.

Some ice.

(sniffles)

I'm-- I'm really,
really sorry.

Really.

(sniffles)

I don't know
what happened.

It just, uh,

this time,
you just made me so mad,

I didn't know
what I was doing.

I'll make it up to you.

Let's go to bed,
Janice.

Come on.

Come on.

All right.

If that's the way
you feel about it.

Peggy, honey, what are you
doing home from school?

I didn't feel good.
I threw up.

Well, did you
go see the nurse?

Why didn't the office
call me?

I don't know.
I guess they forgot.

Peggy, honey,
why are you lying to me?

Peggy?

You lied to me.

You said you fell down

and that's how you hurt
your face.

Why does Daddy hit you?

Did you do
something bad?

Is that why
he hurt you?

Well, yes, honey.

In a way.

I did overdraw
the checking account

and I banged up the car,

but that doesn't mean--

Are you and Daddy
gonna get a divorce?

Oh, honey, don't you
worry about that.

Of course your daddy and I
are gonna stay together.

It's just that sometimes
he loses his temper,

but he's always
sorry afterward.

Do you still love him?

He was the first man
I ever loved,

and the only one.

Oh, baby...

if you only could've
known your daddy

when I first met him.

He was so sweet,
and he was so strong,

and his head was full of
the most wonderful dreams.

And he could've had
any girl he wanted,

but he picked me.

You know, he said that
if I'd married him,

that he'd buy me a castle,

and that we would live
on strawberry milkshakes.

(Peggy laughs)

And that he'd always
take care of me.

But now he hits you.

Well, honey,

right now your daddy is
going through a hard time.

But things are gonna be
good again soon.

You'll see.

(crowd laughs)

(Mort)
No, really, she goes on
like that, see,

for what,
half an hour or more,

like, "Where were you
until 2:00 in the morning?"

"Why didn't you call?"

How would I like it if
she went catting around town

all the time like I did?

So you know what
I finally told her?

I said, "Marilyn,
believe me,

"if you keep this up,
believe me,

"one of these days
it's gonna be pow,

right in the old kisser"

No, I told her that.

Oh, God, you guys are
really disgusting.

Listen, I gotta get
to work, you guys.

Come on, we're gonna get
in trouble, huh?

What do you got?

Wait, don't tell me,
don't tell me.

It's a present
for Janice,

to ease the old guilty
conscience, right?.

No, no, this is the day
I go out and see my father.

Hey, while you're
out there,

why don't you
sell him some insurance?

We can use the business.

(man)
Donald, could I speak
to you for a minute?

Yeah, sure, Bob.

Are you off to see
a client, are you?

Sort of.

Good, good.
That's good.

Listen, I have a few leads
here that look promising.

I thought you might like
to follow them up.

Hmm.

You know, Bob, you don't have
to keep propping me up.

If I'm not doing a job,
why don't you just say so?

Hey, what are you getting
so touchy about?

Everybody has a bad month.

Or two?
Or three?

It happens.

My commission is not going
to equal my advance again

this month, right?

You been with the company
a long time, Donald.

You've got credit here.

Uh, we know you put a lot of
work in on the Caullier thing.

Obviously not enough.

Caullier thought about
what he was getting into

and he panicked.

He had an attack of
buyer's remorse

and he backed out of it.

You know, that's
the way it goes sometimes.

You know that.

He's not supposed to panic.

He's not supposed to know
what he wants

or what he doesn't want.

He's supposed to have
some confidence

in the man
that he's working with.

Why are you so tough
on yourself?

Would you have let
this one get away?

Would Fenton?

He's got the killer
instinct, Donald.

Not too many of us
are blessed with it.

Look, I happen to know that
you worked past 10:00

three nights last week.

When's the last time you
put your kids to bed, hmm?

I wanna tell you
something, Bob.

I work for you, but that
doesn't give you the right

to do a time-and-motion study
on my family life.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean--

Do me a favor,
will you?

Just give this to one
of the new guys.

I've always been able
to do just fine on my own.

Dad!

I gotta go.
My son's here.

Ben.
Take my place, will you?

Well, Donald,
one of these days,

you're gonna be on time and
I can throw away my watch.

Sorry, Dad.

I had to stop by and see
a couple of clients.

This proves my point,
don't it?

What point?

I've been telling you
for years,

you've gotta go into
business for yourself.

Otherwise, you're nothing,
just a wage slave.

Yeah.

I got a little
something for you.

When are you gonna stop
spending your life

making other people rich?

Well, I think maybe
I already have.

What's that
supposed to mean?

Oh nothing, nothing.

Here.

Wanna open it,
see what's in the box?

I saw this in Seattle

the last time
that I was up there.

Reminded me
of the one you lost

the summer we went to
Yellowstone, remember?

Too big.

No, no, here.
Here, try it on.

No, I was very careful
to make sure

that I got the right size.

It'll fit.

There.
How's that, huh?

That's perfect.

Too big.

Well, take it off.
I'll send it back.

Ah, never mind.
I'll keep it.

A place like this doesn't
make any difference anyway.

Nobody here
I need to impress.

I thought you said
you liked it here.

The food was good.

You've met
some new friends.

Well, we all
make mistakes.

Even you and God?

Is that supposed to be
some kind of joke, young man?

No, no, Dad.
I'm sorry.

It's just that I hope
that you're not

thinking
about moving again.

Well, why don't you just
leave that to me?

If I need your advice,
I'll ask for it.

Yes, sir.

Now then, you tell me.
What's bothering you?

Nothing.

You've been dragging
your face in the ground

ever since you got here.

What is it?

Don't you think that's a little
bit of an over-exaggeration?

I just got here.

Don't argue with me.
I can tell.

What is it?
Janice?

You and Janice fighting?

No, Janice and I are
getting along just fine.

Money then?
You need a few dollars?

Look, Dad, I-- I really
appreciate the offer,

but believe me,
I'm in great shape, really.

Well, you keep it
in mind, you hear?

I don't want anybody
to think a son of mine

has to go around begging.

Mr. Halston!

Yeah,
what do you want?

Not you, sir,
your son.

Excuse me.

Good day, Mr. Simpson.

I don't like to have to remind
people this sort of thing,

but this is the second month

we haven't had a payment
from you.

Well, I'm sure I put a check
in the mail to you.

You didn't get it?

Your father seems to be
getting along quite well here,

but we do have a rather
long waiting list.

It would be a shame to have
to ask you to move him out.

Well, I'll take care
of it right away.

Two days at the most.

(Mr. Halston)
Donald!

Did you come
to see him or me?

What are you talking
to that idiot about?

He's a pain
in the neck.

(woman)
Eight, nine, ten,

11, 12 and rest.

All right, thank you
for coming, ladies.

See you next time.

(ragtime music playing)

(Janice)
I didn't figure I'd see you
down here, Marilyn.

I thought
your membership ran out.

Oh, Mort renewed it
for my birthday present.

Isn't that sweet?
Yeah.

Says if I lose a pound a week
for the next three years,

he's gonna buy me a facelift
and a Paris divorce.

Say, what time did
Donald finally get home

last Thursday night?

Oh, not late, just a few
minutes after you called.

And Mort, too.

Thank you, Bridget.

(showers running)

Thanks.

Excuse me,
Mrs. Burns.

I know it's not
my place to ask,

but is Mrs. Halston
feeling all right?

Gee, I suppose so.

My guess is that, uh,

she's suffering from a slight
case of late-night husband.

First time is always
the toughest.

You know what I mean?

Yes, I do.

She'll get over it.

You know,
I was saying to Mort,

how come we all don't
get together?

How come I don't ever see
more of you and Donald?

We'll do it soon.

How come you're so modest
all of a sudden?

We're all girls.

No reason.

Ready to take some steam?

Mmm, just grab a shower.
I'll meet you back here.

Oh, my God,
what's all that?

It's from my car accident
the other day.

Remember I told you?

Yeah, you said you
just banged the fender

and hit your head.

Well, I got tossed
around a lot,

and I bruise easy.

I'll say.

Well, what else would
you think it was?

Meet you back here later.

(keys jingling)

(woman)
Mrs. Halston.

Forgive me for saying so,

but I don't believe
you got those bruises

from a car accident.

And I didn't hear anybody
ask you what you thought.

May I have that, please?

Look,
I know how you feel.

Like, like this is something
that's only happening to you,

and if you told anyone
about it,

they'd think you were
some kind of a freak.

I don't want
to talk about it.

Please.

Whoever it is that's
doing this to you--

your husband, your boyfriend,
whoever it is,

he isn't gonna stop.

You can kid yourself.

You can tell yourself
he will stop, but he won't.

Not before he really
hurts you.

Not even then.

That's because the salad
wasn't on the table

when he thought
it ought to be.

Look, I've written down
this number for you.

These people
know how to help.

Call them.
Please.

I did.

They showed me
how to save my life.

**

Got it!
Hey, that's mine!

Not anymore!

(Janice)
Hey, you two!

You know I asked you to put
some of that stuff away.

Your father will be home
in a little while.

In a minute, Mom.

Now, please!

(phone rings)

Wife line.
This is Barbara.

How can we help?

I don't wanna give my name.

Well, that's perfectly
all right.

Just be easy.
How can we help?

Um, I have this friend...

Well, her husband
took a swing at her.

I'm not sure if it will
happen again,

but if it does--

Will you tell her to come
and talk to us here at the Y?

We're at
840 South Apple Street.

Or at least to call.

We have counselors available
anytime of the day or night.

(door opens)

I'm sorry.
I have to go now.

Hi.

(sighs)

So how'd your day go?

Oh, come on, Janice.
It's been three days.

How long are you gonna keep
this vow of silence?

That was the worst time,
Donny.

That was the worst
you ever hurt me.

I know, and I said
that I was sorry.

It's just that...

sometimes I guess I just
don't know my own strength.

Janice, I'll do anything
that you want.

Anything.

I'll even go
to Karen Renshaw's party.

Go on.
Call her up.

Tell her that
I've changed my mind,

that we'll be there.

And here.
Here.

I want you
to buy yourself

something really nice
to wear.

Come on, take it.

You haven't bought
a pretty dress in--

The other night,
that, that woman.

She just--

She just meant nothing
to me, nothing.

I told you.
Nothing.

It's just that I had
a couple of drinks too many

and I just--

it just happened,
that's all.

But I swear to you,

if she walked through
the room right now,

I wouldn't even
recognize her.

Well, this you gotta believe,
if you believe nothing else,

because it's the truth.

I need you.

And...

and I...

I love you,

and I...

just--

You're the only woman
that I ever cared about.

Donny.

I believe you.

**

(chuckles)

Hey, we got
an audience.

(roars loudly)

I caught you.
I caught you!

(children laugh)

I caught you.

(laughing altogether)

Hey, does anybody wanna know
what's in my pocket?

(children)
Candy!

Yeah, candy!

Whoo!

(children squealing
and laughing)

I don't care
what anybody thinks,

I don't enjoy being hit.

I am not some kind
of masochist.

Then why do you
stay with him?

I don't know.

Irene, would you like
to know why I stayed

and took it
all those years?

Because I was scared.

I was more frightened of being
on my own than of being hit.

I mean,
what was I trained for,

having children and making
avocado dip?

Dolores, did you ever
speak to him about that?

We could never really
talk to each other.

We didn't know how
to show affection

or whatever feelings we had.

No, fighting and hitting was
our way of communicating.

When he hit me, at least
I knew I was alive, I existed,

and as bad as that was,

it was better
than being ignored.

I'd rather be ignored.

But afterwards was nice.

After he hit me,

because he was gentle
and he was sorry.

(woman)
You know why?

'Cause you were scared.

He didn't want
your friends to find out.

Well, who has friends?

They don't let
you have any friends.

They cut you off
from everybody.

It's always easier
to blame the man, isn't it?

Well, I didn't ask
to be hit.

Didn't you?

No, I didn't.

Dr. Morgan, I don't understand
what she's talking about.

I mean,
I never did anything--

(Dr. Morgan)
Anything to provoke him.

Even though you knew
he was out of control.

Never said the wrong word
at just the wrong moment.

(whispers)
Why?

Why would I do that?

If I allow him
to beat me,

then I don't have
to accomplish anything

to be a whole person.

How can I be expected
to be a whole human being?

How can I be expected to know
anything about money,

to buy furniture,

even to clean my house,

when I live with a man
who hits me?

(Barbara)
He's right.

I guess somehow
deep down inside,

I felt I deserved
to be hit.

You know what I mean?

No.

(woman)
Well, I'm not looking

to take more than my own
share of the blame.

If anything went wrong,
it was my fault.

If the sun didn't shine
in the morning,

he pushed me down the stairs.

Margo?

Did you ever try
to find out why?

No, I didn't.

Try.

My husband saw his father
beat his mother once,

twice a month just
to let her know who was boss.

He just figured that was the way
it was supposed to be.

The last time my Terry
started beating on me,

I was
seven months pregnant.

I almost lost the child.

Your old man ever smack you
when you were pregnant?

You don't understand.
Donald isn't like that.

Well, it's true that he did
shove me, sort of,

but he'd had
too much to drink.

He didn't know what
he was doing.

Huh-uh.

Drunk don't count.

That's just an excuse
for a guy

to do what
he wants to do anyway.

Does he beat
his children?

Absolutely not.

He will.

Sooner or later,
most of them do.

Well, you're wrong.

You don't know Donald.

You don't know
anything about him.

He works hard.

He's a good husband,

and he's good
to the kids.

When my father was dying,

he stayed up
all night with me,

every night for two weeks.

As far as what happened,

he promised me
it'll never happen again.

I wouldn't count on it.

You hang in there,
Janice,

just as long
as you can.

You give it
every chance to work.

How can you say that?

You've been there.

You know what
she's going through.

Yes, I've been there,
and I'm going back.

To your old man?
Why in the world?

Because I can't make it
out there anymore!

Because
I've got three kids

and I can't feed them
on a welfare check.

And nobody will
rent us an apartment

if it's got carpets
on the floors

or glass on the windows.

You've given us a lot,

and I appreciate
the support,

but, uh...

(sobbing)

I can't hold it together
anymore, Dr. Morgan.

And if getting punched
once or twice a month

is the price I have to pay
to feed my kids, then...

(sobbing)

(music playing)

Hold this, hold this.
Donny? Donny?

Hi.

Oh, hey, how are you?

You are beautiful.

I'm so glad you didn't
forget about--

Wait a minute.
Benny!

This is my beautiful Ben,

and this is Don
and this is Janice.

Will you bartend for her,
sweetheart?

Because I'm gonna take
this one to the kitchen

and show her
what a kitchen looks like.

Come here.

(Karen)
Oh, hey, wait a minute,

you people have
to know each other.

This is Jeffrey.
I'm Janice.

So Karen tells me
you used to be quite a jock.

Oh, I got kind of
a late start.

Played a little
college basketball

after I got out
of the service.

What'll you have?

Vodka on the rocks
would be fine.

Ran a little track.

Why are you so modest?

Karen says you almost
turned professional.

Well, thought about it,
but didn't quite work out.

And now you're what?
A stock broker?

No, no,
I sell insurance.

Oh, say.
Wait a minute, will you?

Uh, Wes?

(music continues)

And he said, "Give me
a shot of Big Rain."

(laughs hysterically)

Hey, don't worry.

Nobody's gonna steal
her away.

On the other hand,

I don't suppose you'd have
any trouble at all

finding a replacement.

Nice of you
to say so.

Wasn't a casual
observation, love.

That was an invitation.

Yeah, well, I think
that I'll just, um,

I'll take the compliment
and pass on the offer.

Whatever's easy.

Let's take a walk,
okay?

Feel like I need
a little room to breathe.

Sure.

Excuse us.

You know, she decorated
the whole apartment?

Really?

She even designed
the new kitchen.

Oh, yeah, did she design
an extra bedroom

for her house boy?

Ben is not
her house boy.

He lives in the house,
doesn't he?

He's obviously
only a boy.

He's a graduate
architect.

He's already won prizes.

Oh, is Karen supposed
to be one of them?

What law says a woman can't
be interested in a man

that's younger
than she is?

Well, I think it's
the same law that says

a woman should be home,
taking care of her own kids

instead of going to bed
with somebody else's.

Why are you
so down on Karen?

She likes you.

I'm not down on her.

I just don't want you
to end up like her,

that's all.

Well, if you mean making
something of myself,

maybe getting a job or
starting a little business,

I gotta tell you, Donny,
I wouldn't mind.

You see what I mean?

I could be of some help
to you if you'd let me.

I know I could.

Maybe we could sell
the house,

get out from under
some of those payments.

We could live
a simpler life,

like when we first
got married.

That was
the happiest time for us.

Janice, I gotta tell you
that I've lost my taste

for honest property.

I've worked hard
for what I've got

and I'm not gonna
give it all up

just to be
some scruffy hippie

living in a three-room
apartment.

I didn't say that.

And I'm not gonna end up
like my father either.

Mean old buzzard
that still thinks

he's got a pot to spit in.

He's a very sad
old man.

Oh.
Yeah.

You should've had him
for a father.

Donald, can I ask you
a question?

Of course.

I know your father
whipped you a lot

when you were growing up.

That's right,
and I'm better for it.

Did he...
ever hit your mother?

He did,
didn't he?

Okay, I'm sorry
I brought it up.

So am I.

Well, come on, let's go
back to the party then.

Janice, why don't we
just go on home?

I thought that's why he farmed
the kids out for the weekend,

so we could relax
for a change.

Honey, the place
is crawling with weirdos.

They all look like they just
flew over the cuckoo's nest.

They're probably saying
the same thing about us.

Come on, honey.

Let's forget about Rusty Fenton
and endowments.

(music playing)

(party chatter)

(indistinct chatter)

Oh, Donald.
Have you met Jeffrey?

He's a landscape designer.

Oh, terrific.

Excuse us,
would you please?

Sweetheart.

I'll be right back.

I wanna get out of here.

Well, you look like you
were having a good time.

Get your things.

I'm not ready
to go yet.

I said, get your things!
Let's go.

You had to do it,
didn't you?

You had to humiliate me
in front of Karen.

Oh, I humiliated you,
yeah.

The way you were coming on
to that guy.

Coming on?

You spent the whole afternoon
hanging all over him.

Donald,
we were just talking.

About what?

About business.

I told him I would like
to open a little business.

Why don't you
just tell him

you'd like to do
open-heart surgery

while you were at it?

Why do you spend
so much of your time

trying to prove
that I'm stupid?

I suppose
you're gonna tell me

that's the first time
you ever met the guy.

I've been wondering
what you've been doing

with your afternoons.

Looking at you,
it's obvious

that you haven't been
at the gym.

I think you actually
expect me

to stand here
and defend myself.

I'm not stupid.

I know you've been
spending time with him.

And if we were?

It's all right for you
to mess around, is that it,

but it's not all right
for me?

You're admitting it?
Is that what you're doing?

I'm admitting that you
have a diseased mind!

Well, why don't you just
speak a little louder?

Maybe the whole neighborhood
would like to hear.

I don't care who hears--

Shut up!

(yelps in pain)

(shrill screaming)

Police officers.
Open up in there.

Kick it in.
I'll go around back.

You!
Hold it right there!

I-- I-- I live here.
Don't-- don't shoot.

Hands around.

Okay.
Spread 'em.

All right, this is my house.
I live here.

Yeah,
we'll talk about it.

(sirens wailing)

(police radio chatter)

I caught him running
out the back.

Claims he's her husband.

Yeah, he is.

You're getting to be
a regular customer,

aren't you?

All right,
turn him loose.

Maybe if
you would've let me

take the extra five minutes
the other night,

this wouldn't
have happened.

Maybe.

(knock on door)

What do you want?

I don't need any help
from you.

Jan told me
what she wants,

and I won't take up
two minutes of your time.

Hey.

What the hell do you
think you're doing?

She's gonna need
some clothes

when she comes
out of the hospital

that aren't covered
with blood.

I'll get her what she needs.

I think that, uh, you are
probably the last person

she wants
to see right now.

Besides, she already
has a visitor.

Who?

An assistant
district attorney.

And if Jan doesn't
get you put away

for six or eight months,

then she's dumber than
you've made her think she is.

Oh, by the way, it might
interest you to know

that my friend Jeffrey,
the landscape artist,

has been working for
the last half year in Boston,

and he just made it in
yesterday for my party.

So you see, you fractured
three of your wife's ribs

for nothing, hotshot.

You got what you need.
You wanna get out of here?

She needs a toothbrush.

Now take this stuff,

and please
get out of here.

That's it,
isn't it, Don?

That's the way you make
your muscles ripple.

By shoving around
women half your size.

I am not Janice,

and you better keep that
in mind, tough man.

You wanna put
your hand on me again?

I'll not only call the cops,

I'll call the whole damn
Marine Corps.

Oh, wow.

You know, it's hard
for me to believe

that you really
did that to her.

You know, Donny, I could
name you a dozen girls

who would happily have pushed
Jan in front of a truck

for a chance
to get next to you.

And this may come
as a surprise,

I was one of them.

Poor little Jan.

She got lucky.

(woman)
If you'd been beaten in
the street by a mugger,

you'd be down to the D.A.'s
office in a flash

to file a complaint.

Tell me why
this is any different.

Because he's your husband,
right?

Because if you lock him up,
who's gonna pay the bills

and who's gonna
support your kids?

Yes, that's part of it.

Okay.

Can we talk
about your kids?

You're not the only victim
in this crime.

Every time it happens,
it puts a scar on them.

An emotional scar.

Five years ago,

there were no decent
rape laws in this state,

and things didn't change

until women were willing
to testify.

Now, how are we going
to move those people

in the state legislature

if we can't even get
the women who were beaten

to stand up and say,
"I'm not somebody's property.

I have a god-given right
not to be hit."

I...

I just don't know
if I can do that to him.

If you stay,
and you give him a chance

to put you in a coma
for six months,

or worse,

would that be
helping him?

All right.

Here's my number
at the D.A.'s office.

Don't ask for anyone else
but me.

Keep on ducking,
sugar.

**

Mr. Halston.
Yes.

I'm Dr. Morgan.

Figured.

If you have any questions,
or you'd like to speak to me,

please feel free
to call.

Sure.

(birds chirping)

The kids are fine.

They're anxious for you
to come home.

I know.

I've spoken with them
on the phone.

I swear to you that if
I ever hurt you again, I'll--

Donny, don't.

I'll pack up,
I'll leave the country.

Please.

Don't go on making promises
you can't possibly keep.

There is a chance
that you could change,

only if you really
want to,

and only
if you have help.

Is that what...

what he told you?

Your Dr. Morgan there?

Telling you that it's all
my fault, is that it?

What he said was
if I let you hit me,

then it's my fault,
too.

It's a two-sided game.

We had a little argument.
It got out of hand.

We don't have arguments,
Donald.

Not like
normal people anyway.

We don't know how to fight.

There's no middle ground
for us.

I either
walk around in a trance

because I'm so terrified
of you,

or if I open up my mouth,
which I admit I do,

then I run the risk
that you'll kill me.

Oh, come on, Janice.

Aren't you overstating
the case just a bit?

No, I don't think so.

There's this rage
inside of you

that you can't control.

I don't know
where it comes from,

your father or where,

but you've got
to find out.

Maybe it's me.

Do you want to kill me,
Donny?

What is it
you want me to do?

I want you
to see Dr. Morgan.

Okay.

Okay.
I'll go.

You sure you don't
want to come spend

a couple days with me?

No, thanks, I've got
some things to do.

I have to meet Donald
in town this afternoon.

Janice--

Don't say it, Karen.

I've had about
all the good advice

I can handle for one week.

We're different, Karen,
you and I.

Let's just
leave it at that, okay?

You've changed
so much.

People change in 12 years.
That's natural.

You were so bright,

and you were
a smart aleck.

The whole world was
in front of you.

And you didn't have bruises
all over your face.

No, just
a mild case of acne.

We were gonna climb
Mount Everest, remember that?

And learn how
to fly airplanes

and be Brenda Starr,
the two of us.

That's comic-book stuff.

The real world
isn't like that.

Yeah, maybe.

So what's real,
going back in there

to get
smashed around again?

That's not going
to happen this time.

Donald has made me
certain promises.

You're incredible.

The man is an animal,
don't you understand that?

And you believe him
and you trust him.

How can you trust him?

Because
in spite of everything,

I love him.

But I guess you
wouldn't understand that.

No, you're right.
I don't understand that.

I don't understand staying
with a guy who beats on you.

I never heard anything
about Jerry hitting you,

so why didn't you stay
and work it out with him?

Oh, come on, Janice.

This is not
the 16th century, you know?

"Divorce" is
not a dirty word.

And marriage isn't
some high school

Home Ec. course either,

where you take your "F"
and sign up for something else.

You failed marriage,
Karen.

I don't intend to,
not if I can help it.

Donald and those kids,
they're my life.

And if I can't
work it out with him,

I mean, if I had to live
the way you do,

with some guy
you know is gonna leave you,

and then he'd spot something
younger and prettier,

and pretending
you don't miss your children

so bad sometimes
you wanna die.

I'm sorry.
I guess I've said too much.

Yeah.

But nothing I haven't said
to myself from time to time.

I might not have
all the answers, Karen,

but neither do you.

So I guess I'm just gonna
work it out my own way.

I hope you do, Jan.

(car door closes)

(grunts)
Good night, Chris.

And you, too.

I'm sorry you had to be away
for a few days,

but Mommy's home now
and things are gonna be fine.

Good night.

Come on, Peggy.
It's your bedtime, too.

Good night, baby.

Good night.

How's it going?

Oh, good.

Should be through here
in a minute or two.

I waited for you

at Dr. Morgan's office
this afternoon.

Oh, yeah, I got tied up
with a new client.

Honey, I think things are
gonna turn around for me again.

Donald,
you gave me your word.

I know, I know,
but it's--

I just can't help it.
I don't believe in shrinks.

Honey, you know I've been
thinking about us.

You know
what the problem is?

You know what has caused
all of this?

We were doing just fine

until your friend Karen
showed up,

and she's really convinced you
that you're unhappy.

She really
messed up your head.

It's got nothing to do
with Karen.

Oh, come on, honey.

You've never had these notions
before about working,

going to freaky parties,

afternoon gripe sessions
with women

that don't even
shave under their arms.

Think about it.

You've never cared
about any of those things

until Karen came along.

Janice, honey,

I want you to promise me,
for both of us,

that you won't
see her again.

Karen and I may not
agree on everything,

but she is my friend.

I can't promise you
anything of the kind.

Please, Janice,
please.

I'm sorry, Donny.

Well, you just leave me
no choice, no choice.

I am forbidding you to see

that trouble-making,
loud-mouthed broad again.

Is that clear?
Do I make myself understood?

I wanna be
a good wife to you.

That's why I came home.

But you've got to let me
be a person, too.

Well, be a person.
Nobody is stopping you.

Do you have to have her
to be a person?

(Chris)
Don't!

Don't hurt her!

Chris, I am not
hurting your mother.

Go back to bed.

I am not hurting him!

**

Come here, honey.

Come on,
Chris.

Come on.

(door opens, then closes)

Janice.

Janice!

Hurry up, Peggy.
Get in there.

Hurry up!

Janice!
Janice!

What are you doing?

Janice.

Janice,
what're you doing?

Janice, roll down
the window.

I wanna talk to you.

What did I do?

(tires screeching)

Janice!
No, don't-- Janice!

(Barbara)
Okay now, here you go.
You like pink?

Mm-hmm.

Good.

All right.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I've just spoken
to Dr. Morgan.

He's on his way.

They're setting up
some cots

in the recreation room
for tonight.

We don't even have
any clothes.

I bet I don't have $5
in my purse.

We'll send somebody for
your clothes in the morning

and we'll lend you
what you need

until you can
get straightened out.

I'll have to get a job.

Do you know anybody who
might want to hire you?

I don't know.
Maybe.

Well, don't think
about that now.

Tomorrow, we'll drop
the kids off for school

and then if you feel
up to it,

you and I can go out
looking for an apartment.

(bangs loudly)

Peggy, don't.

Let her get it out.

(bangs continue)

(motorcycle revs)

(Donny)
I painted Peggy's room
bright yellow.

I think she'll like it.

Remember
the garbage disposal

that was so touchy that
it got indigestion

when you put
egg shells in it?

Well,
I got a new one.

So everything's ready
for you to come back home.

But I'm not ready.

Janice,
it's been two months.

I want you back.

We belong
with each other.

That's the way
it is with us.

Don't make me come
begging.

Can we discuss this
some other time?

I really don't
want to lose this job.

Well, I don't know why.

You couldn't be earning
enough here

to feed a family of mice.

You still don't understand,
do you?

Donald,
I'll never be hit again.

If I have to sleep in alleys
and eat out of garbage cans,

no one will ever
hit me again.

Janice, what do I have
to do to get you back?

Excuse me.

It's me, Mrs. Wilkes.

I'm home.

Mrs. Wilkes?

What are you doing here?

Where's
the baby-sitter?

I sent her home.

They're my kids, too,
aren't they?

Oh.

Champagne
and everything.

I had a wonderful evening
planned for us, Janice.

You'll forgive me,
I had to start without you.

I would like you
to leave, Donald.

Now.

That was him, wasn't it,
that you were out with?

That kid Jeffrey?

We were not out.

We had a late shipment
of azaleas

that we had
to get ready for morning,

and he just dropped me off.

You don't have a car?

The car is in the shop.

I finally put together
enough money

to get that fender fixed.

So you need me.

I'm not gonna crawl off
and die

while you go hopping around
town with somebody else.

No.

Are you drunk or crazy?

The children are asleep
in there.

No, we won't wake them.
We never did before.

This is my place.
I want you to leave.

I'm not going to.

You're my wife,
and you belong to me.

No!

And I want you
right now.

I can't breathe.

I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.

I want you, honey.

Don't.
Don't.

I love you.

You want me just
as much as I want you.

(gasps for air)

I love you.
I love you.

(muffled cries)

No, no, no!

I'm sorry.
It's just not rape.

Not in this case.

But he, he--

I know.

It doesn't matter if you're
separated or living apart.

As long
as you're married,

the law in its wisdom,

guarantees every man
his connubial rights.

This is my body.
It doesn't belong to him.

Under the law, a husband
cannot rape his wife.

I want him in jail.

Did he hit you?

Not this time.

He choked me.
Look.

Now we're getting close.
How hard?

I almost passed out.

It's a first offense.

We'll ask for
misdemeanor battery.

That's six months
in the county jail.

Are you willing to go all
the way with that?

John,
this is Charlotte Ames.

I would like for you to draw up
a complaint

against a Mr. Donald Halston,

for violation
of penal code 242.

Right.

(hangs up)

Which of you is Halston?

Okay, Halston.
Come along with me.

You've been bailed out.

Where is he?

Cross the street
at the bar.

Says he'll wait till
you're processed out.

Mort.

Hey.

I know it was
a lot of trouble for you

to come down this way
to bail me out.

I wanted to thank you.

Listen, John Dillinger,

I got 315 bucks
invested in you and--

You want a drink?

Vodka on the rocks.

Vodka on the rocks,
huh?

315 bucks.

And I don't know
what a 242 is.

I'll get the money to you
in a couple of days.

I'm not in a rush.

What's a 242?

Misdemeanor battery.

Battery?

Does that mean
you actually hit her?

Sort of.
Mm-hmm.

So she put you in jail
for a sort of, huh?

Well, you know
how they are.

She wanted
to get even with me.

And the...

the time a while back,
when she was in the hospital,

with broken ribs?

Did you do that?

(sighs)

Well, we had a little
family argument.

A little shoving.
You know how it is.

No, no,
I don't know how it is.

Donald, I thought
I knew you.

I don't know you at all.

Oh, come on, Mort.

Pow,
right in the kisser.

Hit them once a week

whether they need it
or not, remember?

Oh, my God, Donald.

I mean,
maybe I joke about that.

Maybe I even think about it
once in a while, but...

hit a woman?

A guy just doesn't do that.

Not if he has
any self-respect at all.

Who asked you
for your opinion anyway?

Nobody.

Hey, Mort, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

It's like everything
I've ever worked for

is slipping away
from me--

my job, my wife,
everything.

All I wanted was
to try and get her back.

That's all.

That's all.

(Donny)
Well, I don't know.

Maybe they're all right,
Janice and Mort.

Maybe I belong in jail.

I'm beginning
to think so.

Now, how am I supposed
to defend a client

with an attitude
like that, huh?

Well, why don't you just
not try so hard?

Do us all a favor,
right?

I know Charlotte Ames.

She's tough,
but she's fair.

I think we can get her to go
along with straight probation.

But we'll have
to give her something.

Have to give her what?

Trust me.

(indistinct chatter)

Okay, here it is.

Now, you plead guilty,
six months probation,

no jail,
$500 fine,

and one condition.

What's the condition?

You stay away
from your wife.

You can't see her,

and you can't try
to talk to her.

(whispering)

Okay, bye.

Janice.

Let her go,
let her go.

You mess up now,
you bought yourself

six months
in the county jail.

Wait a minute,
please.

Janice.

You got nothing to say
to me, Donald.

Well, you're right.

There's nothing
that I can say to you

to make up for what
I've done to you.

Well then, as long
as we agree on that,

I think we should
leave the rest

for our attorneys
to settle up.

You said there was
a chance that I could change.

I thought so.
I don't think so anymore.

Please, give me
another chance.

You're a human bomb,
Donald.

You're a threat to anyone
who tries to get close to you.

You're a threat to me,
a threat to your kids.

Well, I really think that
I can deal with that now.

I'm gonna see
Dr. Morgan.

I really am.

I think
that it's important.

That's a beginning,

but it's only
a beginning.

I don't want to live
with rage anymore.

I don't
wanna live with fear.

I don't want to live
with pain.

I might have
needed that once.

I don't anymore.

Janice, you see,
I've--

I've got to know that,

of course when Dr. Morgan
says that it's okay,

I've just got to know that
you're gonna be around.

I-- I really am frightened.

I never heard you
say that before.

Oh.

I've always,
always been afraid

that somehow I wouldn't
measure up,

always afraid that
I wouldn't live up

to what my father
expected of me

or what
I expected of myself.

I--

I was always afraid
that I'd lose you.

Always.

When I first met you, Donny,
I was 17 years old.

My heart stopped.

I couldn't breathe
for three days.

Do you think I cared if
you ever became a millionaire,

or had "vice president"
after your name?

Janice, you know what
I've got to do?

It's going
to take a little time.

I know.

(lawyer)
The judge is waiting for us.

**

(narrator)
There are from 26 million

to 30 million abused wives
in the country today.

Four million to 5 million
of them are badly battered.

In all the 50 states,

there are presently only
30 active shelters

for beaten women.

**