Opasnyy povorot (1972) - full transcript

MOSFILM

Creative Association
TELEFILM

John Boynton Priestley
DANGEROUS CORNER

Oh, what a fool I was.

- You?
- Yes, of course.

I ought to have gone straight to Martin
and told him what Stanton had told me.

If this is true, then the person
really responsible is Stanton.

- Yes.
- Rubbish!

It isn't. Don't you see
what you did?

No, because I don't believe it.

Because you don?t
choose to, that?s all.



Oh, talk sense.

Can't you see
Martin had his own reasons?

No. What drove Martin
to suicide was my stupidity

and your damned lying,
Stanton.

Be calm!

Pray, be calm, Betty!
Don't worry.

But this has got to be settled,
once and for all.

You're none of you in a state
to settle anything.

- Listen to me, Stanton!
- Oh, drop it, man.

You've got to answer.

I'll never forgive you
for telling Martin what you did -

by God I won't!

You've got it all wrong.

They haven't,
you rotten liar!



Oh, get out!

You made
Martin shoot himself.

Wait!

Wait a minute.

Martin didn't shoot himself.

John Boynton Priestley
DANGEROUS CORNER

Part Three

Martin didn't..?

Of course he didn't.
I shot him.

Olwen...

That's ridiculous...

Olwen, you couldn't have done.

Is... is this your idea of a joke?

I wish it was.

She... must...

must... be...

hysterical or something.

I believe people often confess to all sorts
of mad things in that state;

things they could not
possibly have done.

Never...

Olwen's not hysterical.

She means it.

But she can't mean -
she murdered him. Can she?

You might...

as well tell us exactly
what happened now, Olwen,

if you can stand it.

And I might as well tell you -
before you begin -

that I'm not at all surprised.

I suspected it was you
at the first.

You suspected
I'd done it? But why?

For three reasons.

The first was that I couldn't understand
why Martin should shoot himself.

You see, I knew
he hadn't taken the money,

and though he was

in every kind of mess,

he didn?t seem to me
the sort of chap

who?d get out of it that way.

Then I knew you'd been
with him quite late,

because - as I said before -
I'd been told you'd gone that way.

And the third reason...

Well, that'll keep...

You'd better tell us

what happened, now.

It was an accident,
wasn't it?

Yes, it was really an accident.

I'll tell you what happened...

I think we?d all better...

tell everything we know now,

really speak our minds.

I agree.

- Will you have a drink before you begin?
- I'll just have a little soda-water...

- Sit here, Olwen.
- Thank you.

I'll sit by the fire.

I went to see Martin
that Saturday night,

as you know,

to talk to him
about the missing money.

Mr Whitehouse
had told me about it.

He thought that either Martin
or Robert must have taken it.

I didn't like Martin
and he knew it,

but he knew, too,
what I felt about Robert,

He believed that Robert
had taken the money

and he wasn't
a bit worried about it.

I'm sorry, Robert,
but he wasn't.

He was rather maliciously amused.
The good brother fallen at last.

I can believe that.

I hate to, but I know

he could be like that
sometimes.

You found that too,
that day?

Yes, he was in one
of his worst moods.

He could be cruel -
torturing - sometimes.

I've never seen him as bad
as he was that night.

He wasn't really sane.
- Olwen.

I'm sorry, Robert.
I didn't want you

to know all this,
but there's no help for it now.

You see, Martin had been taking
some sort of drug...

Drug! Do you mean
dope stuff?

Yes. He'd had a lot of it.

Are you sure?

It's true, Caplan.

I knew it.

So did I.

He made me try some once,
but I didn't like it.

It just made me feel
rather sick.

He liked it...

and took more and more of it.

But where did he get it?

Through some man
he knew in town.

When he couldn't get it,
he was...

I...

Not so bad as those dope
fiends one reads about...

but nevertheless, pretty rotten.

But didn't you try to stop him?

Of course -
but he only laughed.

I don't blame him really.

We knew nothing of it...

None of you can understand
what life was like to Martin -

he was so sensitive
and nervy. He...

He was one of those people...

who are meant to he happy.

We're all those people who are meant
to be happy. Martin's no exception.

Yes, that's true.

You are right, Stanton,
but I know what Gordon means.

You couldn't help knowing
what he means,

if you knew Martin.

There was no sort of middle state,

no easy jog-trot with him.

Either he had to be gay, he was gayer
than anybody else in the world

or he was intensely miserable.

I'm like that. Everybody is -
aren't they? -

except old and stuffy people.

But what about this drug,
Olwen?

He took some...

while I was there.

It was in little...

white tablets...

and it had a horrible effect on him.

It gave him a sort of devilish gaiety.

I can see him now.

His eyes were queer.

Oh - he really wasn't sane.

What happened?

It's horrible to talk about.
I've tried not to think...

...about it.

He knew...

I disliked him,

but he couldn't believe
I really disliked him.

He was frightfully conceited
about himself.

He seemed to think that everybody
ought to be falling in love with him.

Yes, he did.

And he'd every reason to.

He began taunting me. He thought
of me as a priggish spinster

full of repressions,
who?d never really lived.

He spoke at length on this subject.

I ought to have run out
and left him,

but I felt I couldn't while
he was in that state.

In a way I was sorry for him,

because really he was ill,
sick in mind and body.

I might dislike him, but after all

he wasn't a stranger.
He was one of our own set,

mixed up with most of the people

I liked best in the world.

But everything I said
seemed to make him worse.

And then he tried to show me...

some beastly foul drawings he had.
- Oh, my God!

Oh, Freda,

Freda, I'm so sorry.
Please forgive me.

I'm so sorry...
- Martin!

Martin! - Don?t listen to any more.
I?ll stop if you like.

- Oh, no...
- Or go and lie down.

I couldn't.

If you'd known him
as I'd known him - before.

I know that. We all do.
He was different.

He was ill.

Go on, Olwen.

Yes, Olwen.
You can't stop now.

Go on.

There isn't a lot to tell now.

When I pushed...

his beastly drawings away...

and was rather indignant
about them,

he got still more excited,

completely unbalanced.

He tried to tear my clothes.

I was running for the door.

But then he stood
between me and the door.

And he had a revolver
in his hand

and was shouting something
about danger

and terror and love.

He was just waving it about -
being dramatic.

I didn?t even believe
it was loaded.

I told him to get out
of the way.

When he wouldn?t, I tried
to push him out of the way.

And then we had a struggle.

It was horrible.

He wasn?t any stronger than I was.
I?d grabbed the hand...

I?d turned...

the revolver...

towards him.

His finger must have been
on the trigger.

I must have given it a jerk.

The revolver went off.

I?ve tried and tried
to forget that.

If he?d just been wounded, I?m sure
I would have stopped with him.

But he was dead.

You needn't tell us.

When I realized
what had happened,

I rushed out and sat
in my car outside

for I don?t know how long.

I couldn?t move a finger.

And it was so quiet in the cottage,

so horribly quiet.

You know how lonely
that cottage was.

I just sat on and
on in the car, shivering.

I?ve gone through that over
and over again.

God!

You can't be blamed, Olwen.

Of course she can't be blamed.

And there must never be a word spoken
about this - not to anybody.

We must all promise that.

It's a pity we can't all be as cool

and business-like about this
as you are, Stanton.

I don't feel very cool
and business-like about it.

But you see, it's not as big a surprise
to me as it is to you people.

I guessed long ago that something
like this had happened.

But it looked so much like suicide

that nobody bothered
to suggest it wasn't.

I can?t think how you could
have guessed

even though you knew
Olwen had been there.

I told you
I had a third reason.

I was over fairly early
next morning -

the postmistress rang me up -

and I was there before anybody
but the village constable and the doctor.

And I spotted something
on the floor

that the village bobby
had missed,

and I picked it up.

I?ve kept it in my
pocket-book ever since.

I?m rather observant
about such things.

Let me see.

Yes, that's a piece
of the dress

I was wearing.

So that's how you knew?

That's how I knew.

But why didn't you
say anything?

I can tell you that.

Because he wanted everybody
to think that Martin had shot himself.

That meant that Martin
must have taken the money.

That?s about it, I suppose.

It falls into line with everything
we?ve heard from him tonight.

No, there happened
to be another reason,

much more important.

I knew that if Olwen had
had a hand in Martin's death,

then something like that

must have happened...

So Olwen couldn?t be blamed.

I knew her better
than any of you.

I understood her better...

or I felt I did.
And I trusted her.

She?s about the only person
I would trust.

She knows all about that.

I?ve told her often enough.

She's not interested,

but there it is.

And you never
even hinted to me

that you knew.

Surprising, isn't it?

What a chance I missed to capture
your interest for a few minutes.

I suppose even nowadays,
when we?re all so damned tough,

there has got to be one person that you behave
to always as if you were Sir Roger de Coverly,

and with me you?ve been
that person for a long time now.

And I knew all along that
you were saying nothing

because you thought Robert
here had taken the money,

and that he was safe

after everybody put it down
to Martin.

And that didn?t always

make it any easier for me.

But what a fine romantic
character you are, aren't you?

Steady, Betty.
You don't understand.

How could she?

Why do you say that -
in that tone of voice?

Why does one say anything -
in any tone of voice?

You know, I nearly did take
you into my confidence.

And that might have
made a difference.

But I chose a bad moment.

Why?

When was this?

Tell me.

I told you I sat in my car
for some time

not able to do anything...

But then, when I felt a little better,

I felt I had to tell somebody,

to tell somebody about all,

and you were the nearest person.
- But you didn't go there

that night?

Yes, I did.

I drove over to your cottage
and I got there about eleven o?clock.

I left my car and walked up
to your cottage.

And then - I walked back again.

You walked up to the cottage?

I walked right up to your cottage

and saw enough to set me walking
straight back again.

So that's when you came.

After that, it was hopeless,

I suppose?

Quite hopeless.

I think that added
the last touch to that night.

I don?t think I?ve ever
felt the same about people

not just here,
but everybody...

And you must all have noticed

that I?ve been completely off
country cottages.

Yes, even Betty's noticed that.

Why?

Why,

what's the matter, Betty?

What's the matter, Betty?

Betty?

What's the matter?

What a...

You...

What a little liar you are, Betty.

Haven't we all been liars?

But you...

But you haven't,

Betty.

Oh, don't be a fool, Robert.

Of course she has.
She's lied like fury.

What about?

Why don't you ask her?

Oh, what does it matter?
Leave the child alone.

I'm not a child.

That's the mistake
you've all made.

Not you - and Stanton?

Is that what they mean?

Why don't you tell them
it's ridiculous?

How can she, Robert?

Don't be absurd.

You see, Robert, I saw them both
in Stanton's cottage that night.

I'm sorry, Olwen,

but I won't take even
your word for this.

Besides, there are
other possible explanations.

Oh, drop this, Caplan.

We've had too much
of it already.

I'm going.

You're not going.

Don't be a fool.

It's no business of yours.

That's where you're wrong,
Stanton.

This is where Robert's business
really begins.

I'm waiting for an answer,
Betty.

What do you want me to say?

Were you with Stanton
at his cottage?

Yes.

Were you his mistress?

Yes.

How could you, Betty?

But why -
in God?s name - why?

How could you?

How could you?

How could I?

Because I'm not a child,
and I'm not a little stuffed doll.

You would drag all this out

and now you can
damned well have it.

Yes, I stayed with Stanton that night,
and I've stayed with him other nights.

And he's not in love with me
and I'm not in love with him.

I wouldn't marry him if I could

But I'd got to make
something happen.

Gordon was driving me mad.

If you want to call someone
a child, then call him one.

Betty darling and Gordon darling.
It?s just nothing - pretence,

pretence, pretence.

He...

He...

And the very sight of him makes me
want to scream. - Betty, you mustn't go...

It's not my fault.

I was in love with him
when we were married

and I thought everything
was going to be marvellous.

He can't even talk to me.

For God's sake,
shut up, Betty.

I won't shut up.

They want to know the truth
and they can have it.

I don't care.

I've had nothing out
of my marriage but shame and misery.

Betty, that's simply nonsense.

If I were the nice little doll
you all thought me,

perhaps it wouldn't have mattered.

But I'm not.
I'm not a child either.

And Stanton was the one person
who guessed what was happening.

I wouldn?t have blamed you
if you?d gone and fallen in love,

but this was just
a low sordid intrigue,

a dirty little affair, not worth
all your silly lies.

I suppose Stanton was
the rich uncle in America

who kept giving you
all those fine presents?

Yes, he was.

You couldn't even be generous.

I knew Stanton
didn't really care for me,

so I got what I could out of him.

It served you right.

Men who say they?re
in love with one woman

and keep spending
their weekends with another

deserve all they get.

Is that why you suddenly found
yourself so short of money, Stanton?

Yes.

Queer how it works out...

Then Betty is responsible for everything...

You see!

For Martin.

Always Martin.

Always Martin!

If I was responsible for all that,
then it?s your fault really

Because you're responsible
for everything that happened to me.

You ought never
to have married me.

It was a mistake.

We seem to make that kind
of mistake in our family.

I ought to have left you
long before this.

That was my mistake -
trying to make the best of it.

pretending to be married
to somebody who wasn?t there.

Yes, I think I am dead.

I think I died last summer.
Olwen shot me.

Gordon, I think that?s unfair...

and also rather
stupid and affected.

It may have sounded
like that, but it wasn't.

I meant it.

I began this.

Well, I?ll finish it.

I'll say something now.

Betty, I worshipped you.

I suppose you knew that?

If she didn't, she must
have been very dense.

I'm talking to Betty now.

You might leave us alone
for a minute, Freda.

Did you realize that I felt
like that, Betty?

Yes. But I didn't
care very much.

No, why should you?

No, it isn't that.

But I knew you weren't
in love with me.

You were only worshipping
somebody you?d invented.

And that?s not
the same thing at all.

I thought that you and Gordon
were reasonably happy together.

Yes,

we put up a good show,
didn't we?

You did.

Yes, we did.

What would have happened
if we'd gone on pretending

like hell to be happy together?

Nothing.

No. If we?d gone on
pretending long enough,

we might have been happy together.
It often works out like that.

Never.

Yes it does.

That's why all this is
so wrong really.

The real truth is something
so deep...

you can't get at it this way,

and all this half-truth...

does is to blow everything up.
It isn't civilized.

I agree.

You agree.

You'll get no sympathy
from me, Robert.

Sympathy from you.

I never want to set eyes
on you again, Stanton.

You're a thief, a cheat, a liar,
and a dirty, cheap seducer.

And you're a fool, Caplan.

You look solid,
but you're not.

You?ve a good deal in common
with that cracked brother of yours.

You won?t face up to real things.

You?ve been living
in a fool?s paradise,

and now, having got yourself out
of it by tonight?s efforts -

all your doing -

you?re busy building yourself
a fool?s hell to live in.

I think this was your glass.

Your glass?

And now take yourself after it.

Get out.

Get out.

Good night.

I'm sorry, Olwen, about all this
- So am I.

Good night.

Good night, Freda.

Good night.

I suppose you're
coming along?

Gordon?

Not with you, I'm afraid.

And don't forget, Stanton,

you owe the firm
five hundred pounds

and a resignation.

Oh, you're going to take it
that way, are you?

Yes, I'm going to take
it that way.

You'll regret it.

Don?t be too hasty, Gordon.

Whatever his faults, Stanton?s
a first-class man at his job.

If he goes, the firm will suffer.

I can't help it.

I couldn't work with him after this.

The firm will have to suffer,
that?s all.

That?s all.

Don't worry.

The firm?s smashed to hell now.

Nonsense.

Is it?

I don't think so.

No, don't trouble.
I can find my way out.

Good night.

Well,

Betty darling,

my sweetie.

I think we'd better return
to our happy little home,

our dear little nest...

Oh, don't, Gordon.

I'll let you out.

Why do you look like that?

I am not looking at you.

I don't know you.

I'm not saying goodbye to you.

I'm saying goodbye...

...to this.

That's all.

The elegantly packaged filth.

Robert, please don't drink
any more tonight.

I know how you feel,

but it'll only make
you worse.

What does it matter?

I'm through, anyway.

Robert, I can't bear seeing
you like this.

You don't know
how it hurts me.

I'm sorry, Olwen,

I really am sorry.

You're the only one who's
really come out of this.

Strange, isn't it - that you should have been
feeling like that about me all the time?

Yes, all the time.

- I'm sorry, Olwen.
- I'm not.

I mean about myself.
I suppose I ought to be,

but I?m not.

It?s hurt like anything sometimes,

but it's kept me going too.

I know.

Now I?ve stopped going.

Something's broken - inside.

It never does.

It won?t seem bad tomorrow.

It's always been the case.

All this isn?t going to seem
any better tomorrow, Olwen

Freda will help too.

After all, Robert,
she's fond of you.

No, not really.

It isn?t that she dislikes
me steadily,

but every now and then
she hates me -

and now I see why, of course.

Because I?m Robert Caplan
and not Martin,

because he?s dead
and I?m alive.

She may feel differently -

after tonight.

She may. I doubt it.

She doesn't change easily -
that's the trouble.

And then again,
I don?t care any more.

Whether she changes or doesn't
change I don't care now.

And you know

there?s nothing
I wouldn?t do, Robert.

I?ll run away

this very minute
with you if you like.

I'm terribly grateful, Olwen.

But nothing happens here -

inside.

Nothing happens.
All hollow, empty.

I'm sure it's not at all the proper
thing to say at such a moment,

the fact remains

that I feel rather hungry.

What about you, Olwen?

You, Robert?

Or have you been
drinking too much?

Yes, I've been drinking
too much.

Drinking too much...

Well, it's very silly of you.

Yes.

Very silly...

And you did ask
for all this.

I asked for it.
And I got it.

Though I doubt if you minded
very much until it came to Betty.

That's not true.

But I can understand
your thinking so.

You see, as more and more
of this rotten stuff came out,

so more and more I came to depend
on my secret thoughts of Betty -

as someone who seemed
to me to represent

some lovely quality of life.

I've known some time

that you were getting very
sentimental and noble about her.

And I've known some time,
too, all about Betty,

and I've often thought
of telling you.

I'm not sorry you didn't.

You ought to be.

- Why? - That kind of
self-deception's rather stupid.

What about you and Martin?

I didn't deceive myself.

I knew everything -
or nearly everything - about him.

I wasn't in love with somebody
who really wasn't there,

somebody I'd made up.

I think you were.

Probably we always are.

Then it?s not

so bad then.

You can always build up another image
for yourself to fall in love with.

No, you can't.
That's the trouble.

You lose the capacity
for building.

You run short of the stuff
that creates beautiful illusions.

Then you have to learn
to live without illusions.

Can't be done.

Not for us.

We started life too early for that.

Possibly they're breeding people now
who can live without illusions.

I hope so.
But I can't do it.

I've lived among illusions.

You have.

Well, what if I have?

They've given me hope and courage.

They've helped me to live.

I suppose we ought to get
all that from faith in life.

But I haven't got any.
No religion or anything.

Just... this...

damned farmyard to live in.
That's all.

Then why didn?t you leave
them alone,

instead of clamouring
for the truth all night...

...like a fool?

Because I am a fool.

Stanton was right.

That's the only answer.

I began this evening with something...

with something... something...
to keep me going.

Martin...

I?d good memories of Martin.

I?d a wife...

who didn?t love me but at least
seemed too good for me.

I?d two partners
I liked and respected.

There was a girl
I could idealize.

And now...
- No, Robert - please.

We know.

But you don't know,

you can't know -

not as I know -

or you wouldn't stand
there like that,

as if we?d only just had
some damned...

silly little...

squabble about a hand at bridge.
- Robert, please...

Don't you see, we're not living
in the same world now.

Everything's gone.

My brother was an obscene lunatic...
- Stop that!

And my wife doted on him
and pestered him.

of my partners is a liar
and a cheat and a thief.

The other...

God knows what he is -

some sort of hysterical
young pervert.

And the girl?s...

a greedy little cat on the tiles.
- No, Robert, no.

This is horrible!

Please, please don't go on.

It won't seem
like this tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

Tomorrow...

There can't be a tomorrow.

He?s got a revolver there.

Stop!

Stop, Robert!

It can't happen!

It can't happen...

And that's that.

I hope it didn't bore you,
Miss Mockridge?

Not in the least.

How many scenes did we miss?

Five, I think.

I suppose they must have been
telling a lot of lies in those scenes.

That's why that man
was so angry -

the husband, I mean.

Listen to the men.

They're probably laughing
at something very improper.

No, just gossip.
Men gossip like anything.

They've got a marvellous
excuse now

that they're all three directors
of the firm.

What a snug little group you are.

Snug little group...
How awful!

Enchanting.

I hate to leave it.

I should think you do.

must be so comforting
to be all so settled.

Pretty good.

But I suppose you all miss
your brother-in-law.

He used to be down here
with you too, didn't he?

You mean Robert's brother,
Martin?

Oh, have I dropped a brick?

I always am dropping bricks.

No, not at all.

It was distressing for us
at the time, but it's all right now.

Martin shot himself.

Oh yes - dreadful business,
of course.

He was very handsome,
wasn't he?

Yes, very handsome.

Who's very handsome?

Not you, Charles.

They were talking about me.

Betty, my girl,

why do you allow them all to talk about
your husband in this fulsome fashion?

Darling, I'm sure you've had
too much manly gossip

and old brandy.

Sorry to be so late, Freda -
but it's that wretched puppy of yours.

Oh, what's it been
doing now?

It was eating the script
of Sonia William's new novel,

and I thought it might
make him sick.

You see, how we talk
of you novelists.

Yes, I heard you.

I've just been saying what a charming
cosy little group you've made here.

I think you've been lucky.

It's not all luck,
Miss Mockridge.

You see, we all happen
to be nice easy-going people.

Except Betty -
she's terribly wild.

That's only because Gordon
doesn't beat her

often enough - yet.

You see, Miss Peel,

Mr. Stanton is still

the cynical bachelor.

I'm afraid he rather
spoils the picture.

Well...

What's disturbing
the ether tonight?

Anybody know?

Oh, Gordon, don't start it again.
We've only just turned it off.

What did you hear?

The last half of a play.

It was called
'The Sleeping Dog'.

Why?

We're not sure -

something to do with lies,

and a gentleman shooting himself.

What fun they have at the BBC.

Yes, don't they?
Shots and things.

You know, I believe
I understand that play now.

The sleeping dog was the truth,
and that man - the husband -

insisted upon disturbing it.

He was quite right
to disturb it.

I think telling the truth...

...telling the truth is about as healthy
as skidding round a corner

at sixty.

And life's got a lot of dangerous
corners - hasn't it, Charles?

It can have -

if you don't choose
your route well.

Let's talk about something
more amusing.

Drinks, Robert.
And cigarettes.

There aren't any here.

There are some in this one.

Oh, I remember that box.

It plays a tune at you,
doesn't it ?

I remember the tune.

Yes, it's the Wedding March,
isn't it?

Wait a minute.

Listen to this.

Oh, I adore that tune.

What is it?

It's a foxtrot.

What?

It's a foxtrot...

Miss Mockridge?

When autumn lives to see
the falling snow

Like humans live to see
the wrinkled face,

Just wrap yourself in plaid, relax

And lay a fire in the fire-place.

Then fill your pipe,
breathe deeply in

To fill the darkness with
the smoke of blue

And take my word,
the word of gentleman,

The world will seem quite
different to you.

The world will seem quite
different to you.

The window now has melted,
and your glass

Is now as good as empty,
and your soul

And heart may not be
warm enough, alas,

But you can warm your body,
after all.

To while away the winter time
with ease

And keep yourself from cold
and chills and gloom

Provide yourself with candles
for the night

And lay a fire in the sitting room,

And lay a fire in the sitting room.

The winter winds are blowing now

The smoky fog is rising now

With heavy sticky snow

We?ve got the storm all night again

But we?ll forget before too long

All our grieves when we go wrong

And we will be able

To understand each other?s pain.

Directed by Vladimir BASOV

Directors of Photography
I.MINKOVETSKY, P.TERPSIKHOROV

Production Designer
A.PARKHOMENKO

Music by V.BASNER

Sound Engineer
E.FEDOROV

Lyrics by
M.MATUSOVSKY

Producer
N.DOSTAL

English subtitles
by Boris Bulgakov

Lyrics translation
by Alec Vagapov

The End