Something About Amelia (1984) - full transcript

Did you get the wine?

Oh, I forgot.

I wonder if I forgot accidentally on
purpose. Maybe we should look at this.

No.
I thought we had a deal.

You weren't going to zing me about

my occasional glass of refreshingly,
cool white wine and I wasn't going to zing

you about your two packs
of cigarettes per day.

I think we need a writer on this.

You shouldn't have to buy me my cigarettes
and I shouldn't have to buy you your wine.

It's getting too complicated.

You're right.



I owe you a bottle of wine.

I'll pick it up later.

If you can late that long.

Sing zing Strings of My Heart.

Where's Amelia?

She's a baby sitting down the street.
Best upstairs.

I think she's coming down with something.

It's a great day out what
are you doing inside?

I've got a fever.

You feel bad?

No, but I've got a fever.

What's your temperature?

99 point something.

Come on.
That's nothing.



This is going to feel better
if you get up and around.

It's a great day out.

Dad, I Don't want to make
this part. It's my favorite part.

Can you pick Amelia up
tonight after the dance?

I'll do it if you can't.

What dance?

The dance at
school. I told you.

No.

- I didn't tell you?
- No.

I thought I told you.
Didn't she mention it?

No.
She didn't mention it either.

What dance are we talking about Gail?

Our oldest daughter's first dance
is the dance we're talking about.

Anyway, her dates parents are going to take her
there. We're supposed to pick them up after.

That's the way it works between parents
taking the kids and bringing them home.

I can't find the keys to the contact.

Have you left them, Steven?

No.

What date?

What?

Her date's, parents.
What date?

The boy who's taking her to the dance.

Her date.

I think you had the case
of the compact last stephen.

I found them.

I'll be back in a while.

Wait. Would you wait a
minute here? Would you mind?

Don't you think she's a little bit
too young to start going on updates?

As a matter of fact,
I think it's a bad time.

I was beginning to think she was running

a little behind in the interest
in boys department.

She's only 13 years old.

Are you serious?

Stephen, she can't climb trees
and go bowling with you forever.

Look, for a 13 year old,
she's a terrific bowler.

So don't knock it.

For a 13 year old girl.

I'm glad she's going to her
first dance on her first date.

Do you remember when I used
to be a terrific bowler?

You can't take the compact.

It's got a flat tire.

Terrific.

It's just what I needed.

Take the station wagon, Gail.

I don't want to take the station wagon.

I hate driving the station wagon.

I guess you just have
to until the flats change.

Am I supposed to change it myself?

You changing a flat tire.
That'll be the day.

Are the keys in the station, Wang?

Yes.

Hi, Princess.

Hi.

You want to plant some bulbs?

What are you planning?

Tulips and daffodils.

We have a lot of tulips already.

Never have too many tulips.

I hear you're stepping
out in the big world.

What do you mean?

Heavy date tonight is what
I hear from the Great Bar.

It's nothing.

I don't know.

Rumors are flying.

It's only a dance.

First time I heard about it.

I feel just a little bit left out.

I guess I forgot to mention it.

How's that feeling?

I'm going to go see how she is.

I just can't get over that I didn't know

anything about you going
to this dance with another boy.

With a boy?

I thought you and I always kept in touch.

I thought I told you.

I guess I forgot.

It's only a dance.

Is it okay if I go?

I don't even know this kid and suddenly
you're going to a dance with him.

What's he like?

Okay.

Mom said it's a good idea
if I'm going to a dance.

I know.

Someone go see.
I bet this.

I think they're here.

Yeah, they're here.

He can't bring any flowers for your dress,
so he doesn't have to.

He's supposed to.

It's a damn he's supposed to give
you flowers for your dress.

10:00.
Okay.

One of us will pick you up.

It was very nice to meet you, Robert.

Nice to meet you.

Have a nice time.

Bye.

Amelia.
What's the matter?

Just nothing.

Thank you.

Good night, Amelia.

See you at school Monday.
Good night, Mr.

Bennett.
Thanks a lot.

Good night.

So you really had a good time?

It was okay.

Well, first to many, I don't doubt.

I can't quite picture you dancing.

Never seen you dance before.

Not so good, I guess.

So you like this kid, especially Robert.

I like him okay.

Really likes you playing,
I can tell you that.

He wants me to go
to the movies next Friday.

See what I mean?

Is it okay if I go
to the movie with Robert?

Of course.

Next Friday is the first Friday
of the month, if I'm not mistaken.

I forgot.

Oh, how soon they forget.

I mean we got a tradition
going here, right?

You and me, babe.

I mean, do we go bowling the first
Friday of every month or don't we?

Huh?
Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Besides that.

If you want my honest opinion
do you want my honest opinion?

I think that you can do a lot
better than this Robert character.

That's if you want my honest opinion.

Why?

What's the matter with him?

I don't want to go into specifics.

He just doesn't seem to me
to be all that terrific.

I think he likes me.

I don't doubt him.

Why wouldn't he?

You are a very pretty girl, Princess.

A lot of boys are going to be liking you.

Doesn't mean that you have to.

He's the first one so far.

You have to say I'm pretty.

I know I'm not pretty.

Hey,

no one could like you
better than I do, princess.

Where's Amelia?

Did she have a good time?

I want a full report.

I think maybe I'll leave her alone.

We had a little upset.

Probably once we left alone.

Steve, not everyone's like you, you know.

Not everyone wants to be left
alone when they're upset.

Hi.

What's up?

Nothing.

You had an argument with Daddy.

What about?

Or what was it about?

Wasn't anything.

Why won't you tell me?

Because you can't do
anything about it anyway.

How do you know?

Try me.

It doesn't matter.

Come on, tell me what
you were crying about.

He doesn't want me to go
to the movies with Robert next week.

Why not?

Because it's bowling night.

He doesn't want me to go out with Robert.

That's what he said.

That's what he meant.

Well, if he didn't actually say that,
maybe you just misunderstood.

You're going to be on his side, right?

I'm not on anybody's side.

I'm just trying to help out here.

In the first place, you can always
go to a movie Saturday night.

It doesn't have to be Friday night.

He didn't ask me Saturday night.

He asked me Friday night.

You see, you're on this side already.

That's what always happens.

You're both all the time fighting,

but whenever it comes to something
about me, you're always on his side.

Well, maybe we should just drop
the whole subject just for now.

Fine with me.

You want to tell me about the dance?

Hope you had a good time.

Thank you.

You asleep?

You can't be asleep that fast.

Look, I just want to tell you
I didn't mean to make you so upset.

Did you tell your mom where you were?

Yeah.

What did you tell her
about not going to meet you with Robert.

What did she say?

Nothing that made any difference.

Have a good sleeper.

I'm sorry about this morning.

Yeah, forget it.

Have you got something in particular
on your mind today or anything?

No, why?

You seem like it all day, very tense.

I mean, especially.

Maybe it's the full moon.
No.

Full moon?
No.

I could think of a reason you
could be feeling very tense.

Oh, yeah?

I count four weeks.

What do you count?

Time really flies.

Not when you're counting.

Remember the last time?

A couple of good games on today.

Dallas Green Bay, St.

Louis, Pittsburgh.

I can't watch today.

What do you mean watch?

Because I have something else to do.

What?

I have to go over to Jamie's.

She wants me to come over.

Why you go after the game, Zack?
See I can't.

It's too important.

Well, if there's anything more important

happening today than Dallas Green Bay,
I'd certainly like to know what it is.

Well, she wouldn't tell me what it was,

just that it was important and she
wanted me to come over after church.

Well, whatever it is, I think it's
more important than any football game.

That's two against one.

You lose.

If you don't get a move armor,
it'll be very late.

I could watch football if you want me to.

Want me to?

And the kink is out.

Three yard line
with no more timeouts left.

Only 10 seconds left of this half.

Dallas is going to rush out their
field goal team for a long you ready?

Here we go.
There's a snap.

It's up.
It looks like it's going to be short.

No.

Did you finish all your
homework last night?

Did you?

Almost.

Amelia, you promised if I was as.

Opposed to failing and everything as you

are I should be doing all
my homework, that's all.

I can bet.

Amelia, I was wondering if you could do
a few things for me after school today.

I left a list.

How am I supposed to do all the irony?

I didn't ask you to do all the irony.

And I asked you to do yours and Beth's.

Irony?

Why kept Beth's iron own stuff.

We don't know how.

Don't you remember the time I tried?

It was ridiculous.

I was just playing around.

Beth, that wasn't serious.

I don't want not to be
serious about irony.

Amelia, was I asking you to do anything
like that when you were best age?

You weren't going to work when I.

Was best aged, you didn't have to ask me.

Well, now I do have to go to work.

So now I do have to ask you.

What do you mean, have to?

I thought you went to work
because you want to.

That's what Daddy says.
I know what Daddy says.

You better hurry.
You're going to miss your bus.

In other words, Beth just gets
totally off without doing anything.

Let me tell you something.

If business doesn't get a lot better very
soon I won't even have this part time job.

And both of you can forget all the little
extras you've been getting from it.

Meanwhile, I don't want to hear
any more complaints about Beth.

Don't worry.

Beth's turn will come
when she's old enough.

Maybe she's old enough right now.

Not for just helping her
in the house, either.

What does she mean, not just
for helping around the house?

She doesn't mean anything.

She's just upset.
You better hurry, too.

You're going to miss your bus.

I'm here to see Mrs.
Hall.

Amelia Bennett.

Come on in, honey.

Close the door.

Well, we meet again.

So, how are you doing?
Okay.

Fine.

Did you have a good time
the other night at the dance?

It was fun.

You don't really have a whole
lot of fun, do you, Amelia?

What do you mean?

Well, I mean, I'm worried about
the way that you're feeling.

I feel fine.

I can't think of a single kid in this

whole school who feels
less fine than you do.

I thought all you had to worry
about was my schoolwork.

You used to be on the honor roll.

Your grades been going down.

And I think that the reason you're doing

so poorly is because
you're feeling so poorly.

Can you talk about it at all?

Have you talked to anybody else about it?

Your mother or a friend?

No, it isn't anything.

There isn't anything to talk about.

Amelia,

you happen to be one of my favorite
people around this place.

And if there was

something that you wanted to talk about I
mean, something you felt that you couldn't

handle yourself,
I'd certainly want to help you out.

That is, if you could
do anything about it.

Well, if I couldn't, I'd find somebody
for you who could tell me on.

I can't tell anyone.

Maybe it isn't as bad as
you think it is, you know.

It is.

What is?

My father's been maxing around with me.

What do you mean?

She's here?

You'll stay right here
like you said, right?

Yes.

Hi.

I came as soon as I could.

What's happening?

Mrs.
Bennett, Amelia told me something today.

Something she's been afraid
to tell you for a long time.

But I've convinced her it's
something that you have to know.

Of course, she's still terribly afraid.

That okay.

Suspense is killing me.

Mrs.

Benedamilia says that her
father has been having sex with her.

Oh, I don't think I'm getting this.

What are you talking about?
Amelia?

What do you mean, sex?

I mean what you think I mean.

I don't think you mean anything.

I don't know what you mean.

Tell me what you mean.

Daddy, he makes me out of sex with him.

Have you gone crazy?

This is what she told you?

Yes.

You don't believe me, right?

I told you she wouldn't believe me.

Would you please leave now?

Mrs.
Bennett, please.

I want so much to be helpful.

I don't need your help.
Mrs.

Hall.
My daughter goes stark stirring crazy

and tells an incredible, disgusting
lie like this to a total stranger.

You think I need help with that?

I don't need any help, thanks very much.

I don't think it is a lie.

You don't think it's a lie?

Am I supposed to care what you think?

I don't care what you think.
It's not a lie.

Mom.

I know you're a hard kid to understand,

and God knows you're not the happiest
one in town, but this why?

Why would you say such an insane thing?
Mrs.

Bennett, please.

I asked you to leave.

I'll call the police if you
don't get out this minute.

I only told because I don't want.

To do it anymore.
Stop it.

I'm not crazy and I'm not a liar.

Go up to your room and stay.

There till I come up.

Hi.

What's the matter?

Beth, I want you to do
a favor for me, okay, hon?

I want you to go upstairs and stay
there till I come up, okay?

What's matter?
I'll explain later.

Just go, okay?

And stay away from Amelia.

Why?

I'll explain later.

Just go.

Mrs. Bennett, there's something
you have to understand.

I want you to go now.

I will, but I have to explain something.

In your place, I might do
exactly what you're doing.

I probably would.

I suppose anybody would.

But whether you believe Amelia or not,
it has got to be reported.

You see, it is the law.

Get out.

Get out of my house.
Get out.

Get out.

All I can say is it must be pretty serious

if you're breaking the rules about
no sleepovers on school nights.

What's the big deal anyway?

I'll explain it all tomorrow.

Before, you said you're
going to explain it today.

Now you're supposed
to explain it tomorrow.

I won't be surprised if
you never explain it.

I can't right now.
Right now.

This isn't the time for it.

Well, it's something about Amelia, right?

That's pretty obvious.

Have you got your minibus card?

You're not driving me over?

No.

Are you sure this is okay
with Cindy's mother?

She's not allowed to think
over stern by me either.

She's doing us a special favor.

Very annoying,
not knowing what's going on.

Mom, it's something about Amelia, right?
Yeah.

Come on.

You can't have the right to do this.
We do, Mrs.

Bennett.
We really do.

It's the policy of the Juvenile Authority.
What policy?

To remove the child from the home just
as soon as it's feasibly possible.

What?

To deny the perpetrator further access

to the child just as soon
as it's feasibly possible.

Get back upstairs.

Go back to your room and stay there.

What's happening?

Do you hear me, Amelia?
This instant.

Go to your room and shut the door.

Don't you dare call
my husband a perpetrator.

The alleged perpetrator.

That woman had no right
to call the police.

This is our private business, Mrs.
Bennett.

An incident of suspected child abuse
is subject to criminal charges.

Criminal charges aren't
somebody's private business.

Now, ma'am, we understand how you feel.

Believe me, we do.

But we have to go by the book.

It's not true.

Don't you understand that?

She's lying.

It's impossible for this to be true.

If she's making it up.

We'll find that out when we investigate.

That's all we have here,
a charge that has to be investigated.

In the meantime.
The kid, the child.

This is insane.

Even if it was true and
it's not. It's not. It's not.

But even if it was true in some
other case, why take the child away?

The child wouldn't be the criminal.

We're just protecting the child.

I can protect my own child.

Ma'am, you can.

Ma'am, I think you're making a terrible
situation even worse right now.

You're fooling around with a charge
of obstructing justice.

Is that what you want?

Suppose she did just
make the whole thing up.

Suppose she's not telling
the truth, like you say.

Why don't we just have a little
talk with her right here, okay?

We're going to have to take
her with us, Mrs. Bennett.

I'm sorry.

Don't be scared, Emilia.

Everything's going to be okay.

I've got to wait for Daddy.

I'll be there as soon as I can.

I didn't know this would happen, mom.

I'll be there as soon as
I can to bring you home.

What story?

They're sending somebody
off from Juvenile.

How old is she?

13.

Why don't you ask her if she
wants some mice or something?

What's the matter?

What's the matter?

Somebody die or something?

Has it been an accident or what?

Wait.

Amelia says you've been
having sex with her.

She said what?

How could she say a thing like that?

Why would she?

Why would she?

I don't know.

Where is she?

Upstairs.

She's gone.
They had to take her away.

Who had to take her away?

What are you talking about?

Will you please tell me
what you're talking about?

How are you doing?

I brought you some ice cream anyway,
just in case you change your mind.

How could you be so dumb to let
them take her out of this house?

Are you totally idiot?

I told you they threatened me if I didn't.
They threatened me.

At least you could have gone with them Gail.

I wanted to be here to warn you.

Tell you.... we should get a lawyer.

For what?

Yeah, maybe, if it was
true. I need one. That's right.

I'm coming with you.

No, you're not.

I'm taking care of this now.

Hi.

I'm Ruth Walters.

Sorry you've been cooped up here.
I got here as soon as I could.

Are you a policeman or a woman?

I look like a cop?

I'm a social worker.

I love your name.
It's a beauty.

Could you tell me what's going to happen?

Well, I'm going to get you out
of this joint, for starters.

I'm not arrested?

Of course not.

You haven't committed any crime.

It is a crime.

Policemen told my mother that.

Are you telling the truth about
what happened with your father?

Yes.

Amelia, you haven't committed any crime.

Try to remember that.

What happens now?

We're going into the city to a place
called Hollowwell Center.

I'm not going home.

My mother said you come get me.

You won't be going home right away, honey.

You'll be staying at the center
for a couple of days.

What it is in a jail?

No, just a place for kids with trouble.

You're qualified.

Looks like you guys just automatically
believed her, no questions asked.

You know, if you were some guy that lived
down the street from your daughter,

you'd be in the slam already.

But because you're her father,

for the time being, we're just going
to book you on suspected child abuse.

You'd be released on your
own recognizance.

And then can I see her?

At this hallowell center?
She's there, right?

I said she was there.
I didn't say you could see her,

You won't
be permitted access to your daughter.

That's the procedure.

Will I be able to talk to her?

You know, I don't think you're
quite getting the point here.

No access means no access?

You mean I am not allowed
to speak with my own child?

I am her father.

Now you're getting the point.

Hello.
Where's the office, please?

Ruth Walters.

So, just as a cautionary measure,

it's always presumed the child
is telling the truth.

There has to be a detention hearing within
72 hours of the child's arrival here.

The judge will then.

How soon will you be
finished with her here?

Getting late.
I'd like to get her home.

I'm sorry, Mrs.
Bennett, you can't do that.

She has to remain here,
at least until the hearing.

For three days.

It might not take that long, but I'm
afraid that's the way it has to be.

After that, she gets to come home?

That depends.

If the father remains the home,

it's certain the judge
won't send her back there.

Are you saying my husband is
going to have to move out?

Of course.
He would have to leave the home.

Volunteer.

We have no authority
over that at this point.

Otherwise, the judge would probably order

that Amelia be kept here while
the case is being investigated.

Well.

How are you doing?

How do you like our designer nightgowns?

Your mom is here.

Would you rather see her in the morning?

I explained everything to her.
The things I told you in the car.

She believed me yet.

Give us some time.

Do all the other kids know why I'm here?

None of the other kids will know
anything you don't tell them, Pierce.

I know, but remember what I told you.

It wasn't your fault and you've
nothing to feel guilty about.

Try to start thinking that and
remembering it and believing it.

So it's my word against hers.

And any idiot would know by now
they're going to believe, right?

You will have to decide very soon whether
you're going to stay here or move out.

And if I move out?

You know what they're going
to make out of that, don't you?

It looks like I'm admitting I'm guilty.

There's nothing to do with that.

It's for Amelia's sake.

Look, I'll tell you what
this has to do with.

This has to do with me being locked up.

There's something else about that.

About your having to move out temporarily.

If you don't, the judge could have
Beth taken out of the house, too.

What are you talking about?

Well, according to the social worker,

that's because...
it's not altogether unusual

for a man to be involved with more
than one of his daughters.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Don't worry.
I'm going to take care of this.

This is not going to be a problem.

I'm going to take care of this.

Does betting where I am.

No.
She spent the night with Cindy.

I'll talk to her when she
gets home from school.

You ask her to feed my fish.

I fed them.

Thanks.

You won't be here long, you know.

With a loaded night of 40. 40 degrees
pressure at 28.5 inches of....

Mercury, and the wind is going
to be coming out of the north.

How much do I have to tell you?

I'll just ask you some questions
and you answer as best you can.

I know how hard it is,
but it's very important.

So we'll just give it a try
and see how it goes, okay?

Guess you've never met
somebody like me before.

Like you how?

Did what I did.

Amelia,
what happened wasn't something you did.

It was something that was done to you.

And in just this past year alone,

we've met 40 girls who've had
the same thing happen to them.

Some a little older than
you and some even younger.

Is that really true?

And those are just the ones we know about.

We're certain there are many more
when we never find out about.

I thought I was the only one.

So anyway, we really won't know where we
stand until the psychologist submits his

evaluations and recommendations
to the judge.

And if I refuse to see this head shrinker?

Stephen, my advice is to not refuse

as a chance at this point in this state
that we can keep this thing right where it

is in the juvenile court system and we
can avoid criminal prosecution.

Believe me, it's the best way
to go with it for everyone.

So my advice is to go along
with whatever they want at this point.

You believe this?

Can you believe this is happening to me?

I got to go.

Listen, we'll be in touch, okay?

When's the first time you can
remember that he touched you there?

I was on a camping trip.

He went on a camping trip,
just me and him.

How old were you when that happened?

I was eleven then.

Did you say anything to him
when he touched you?

I told him I didn't think
he should be doing that.

Did you feel afraid?

What, of him?

Not exactly.

I was very nervous, but I wasn't afraid.

Not of him.

I mean, he wasn't hurting me on anything.

It would never hurt me.

And that's when he began
having intercourse with you?

Where did that happen for the first time?

That was in my room.

Was anyone else in the house
at the time, do you remember?

No.

That was when Beth was in the hospital.

She was pretty sick.

My mother was there a lot.

Did he ever threaten to harm you
physically if he didn't do what he wanted?

No, it wasn't ever like that.

I told him I didn't think
we should be doing that.

But he never said he would
hurt me if we did it.

He just said that if anyone found out
be really bad, be a lot of trouble.

People wouldn't understand.

Be all my fault.

He said mom would be really mad at us.

I should never tell.

The Walters woman told me it is extremely
rare for a child to make this up.

This particular thing.

So I heard.

I guess we have an extremely rare kid.

You could see how it would be a very
unusual thing

for any child
to say something so horrible.

Spout the blue.

How often did it happen?

About every week, I guess.

About once every week you men?

About sometimes less.

I don't really remember.

Had he been drinking usually or ever
on the occasions when he approached you?

Do you know?

I doubt it. Maybe a little. Sometimes.

Doesn't drink very much.

Hardly at all?

Never they have parties.

He's usually about the only one who's not
totally smashed by the time they're over.

How do you feel about your father now?

I don't know.

Have you met him yet?

Not yet.

No.
You won't like him because of what he did.

But I mean, if you met him
and you didn't know what happened

he wouldn't think
he was some terrible person.

Taught me all about football.

Not too many girls know
anything about that.

He was all saying he loved me,
that I loved him.

That was the best way for people
to show that they loved each other.

I don't know if I love him anymore.

But I feel bad about that...
because my father.

Because it is your father.

That's horrible.

That's a horrible thing for anyone to say.

It's a terrible, terrible
thing for anybody to say.

Terrible.
Hater.

- No.
- Hater.

No, don't say that.

You mustn't hate her.

You mustn't.

You mustn't hate her.

But I think we can have
a ruling on this matter now.

You feel confident at this point in time

that the child will be under adequate
supervision if she's returned to the home?

I do, your Honor.

And is your client aware

that should I decide to return
his daughter to her home

that he would be forbidden any contact
with her or with the other minor

and must make no attempt
at contact whatsoever?

Yes, he is fully aware of that.

Is the mother aware of her
responsibility in this regard?

Yes, she is.

Who cares?

You you're not lying, are you?

She's two lying.

She's two.

She's not.

Why, Amelia?

Why did you let it happen?

Why didn't you refuse?

He never forced you, did he?

He never threatened you, did he?

Why did you let him?

Why did you have to tell then?

Why did you just stop doing it?

You're not supposed to be here.
You can't come in.

I got a message you called me.

I didn't say I wanted to see you.

You're not supposed to be here.

How are you?

kids asleep.

How are you?

I called you to tell you something.

Okay.

I didn't want to tell you face to face.

Actually...

We haven't been face
to face in a very long time, have we?

So to speak.

Incidentally, I'm on tranquilizers,

if you wondered why I'm not running
up and down the street screaming.

What do you want to say to me, Gail?

I know Amelia's telling
the truth, Stephen.

I believe her now.

Why is that?

I tried not to believe her
because I had to try.

And I've made her suffer all
the more because I tried.

I don't think I'll ever be able
to forgive myself for that.

I wouldn't.

You have to tell the truth, even.

It's not a fact,
just because you decided to believe her.

You know what will happen if you don't.

This will become a whole public court case.

And Amelia will have to testify

and you'll end up in jail,
and everyone will know.

Is that what you want?

Doesn't matter what I want.

Nobody's asking me what I want.

Everybody's just telling me what I
better do...

Don't touch me.

You're disgusting.

I hate you.

I hate you for what you did.
I hate you for it.

He's not the kind of man
who does this.

Mrs. Bennett...

The drunken brute
with the seductive adolescent daughter

is the popular misconception.

The man who commits incest can be a
perfectly well thought of, law abiding guy.

Church every Sunday.

It could be anyone.

It happens in hundreds of thousands
of families in this country.

But how could it be Stephen?

Because, like the other men who did what
he did he probably had an enormous need

that he was unable
to fulfill in any other way.

Part of people's sex lives go bad, they
don't start doing it with their children.

You're going to find this almost impossible
to believe, very difficult to understand.

But incest has relatively
little to do with sex.

What these men yearn for,
most of them, is comfort and warmth.

Security, intimacy, love.

That's what a wife is
supposed to be for, isn't it?

Is that what you're getting at?

Are you saying that it was my fault?

Blame is not what we're about here, Mr.
Bennett.

These things happen in very troubled
families, in marriages that have broken down.

Let's face it,

very few of us have not had an incestuous
thought at one time or another.

Faint and fleeting, maybe.

But...

the men who act on them have a very deep
need to feel powerful

and they can't control their impulses.

We don't know yet why
they crossed the line.

My turn is at the table by now.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

I always thought the real reason
why she wanted to get a job

it's only a part time job, understanding.

But even so,
I always thought the real reason

why she wanted to get
away from the kids in the house.

Not that there's anything wrong with that,
at least for some people.

I personally don't think it's
the right way for a woman to feel.

But why didn't you just say it the way it is

instead of telling everybody
that she had to go out and get a job,

because we needed the extra income,

Which does not exactly, make me look like
a world class husband and provider.

I can just see my father letting
my mother go out to work.

And that would have been the day.

Are you sure it isn't going
to be too crowded in here?

No, it's okay.

She can sleep in here if she wants to.

Not too crowded.

There's plenty of room.

Good night.

Sleep tight.

Don't let the bedbugs bite.

Leave the door open.
Okay.

And leave the light on in the hall.

Okay.

Guess it just should have run away again.

I ran away once.

Then I got scared.

A better day, so I came back.

I just should have run away again.

- Never come back.
- No, Amelia.

You did the right thing.

And it was a very brave thing to do.

One of the braves things anybody could do.

Now maybe things can be made better.

I found Beth taking all
the pictures of him out of her.

How did I let this happen?

Was I blind?

Sometimes I'm jealous.

Let's face it, he obviously wanted
her more than he wanted me.

It's crazy, isn't it to be jealous?

Well, I think it's crazy.

Such a roller coaster.

Most of the time my heart breaks for her.

But then every once in a while
I just get so angry.

I mean, why did she do it?

Why did she let it happen?

She felt he wouldn't love her anymore.

She didn't do what he wanted.

She's a child.

She trusted him and he manipulated her.

She didn't want Daddy to be mad at her.

How many times have I been here now?

What is it, five times?

This is your fourth time.

I'm losing track of time a little bit.

I know you've been
talking to my daughters.

The younger one won't talk
to me on the telephone.

Did you know that?

This is very difficult for her
to deal with right now.

My wife says that Amelia
is in very bad shape.

I don't want her to hurt.

I don't feel like I can tell her I love her

without it sounding wrong right now,

but I do, and I don't want her to hurt.

Do you love her enough
to want to help her?

Certainly I do.

Enough to begin to help her now?

Yes.

Enough to stop calling her a liar?

Yes.

Why don't you want to do this?

I don't know.

I figured since Farley wanted
to see us both together tonight.

Thanks for coming.

I got your check.

I don't understand why you did it, Steve.

How could you do that?

I don't understand.

That's what we're trying
to find out, isn't it?

Because I don't know.

I don't know if I can live.

With I don't know.

I don't know if I could
live with it if I do know.

We had as good a marriage as anybody once.

We really did.

I've been thinking how long it is
since we've said we love each other.

And I've been thinking that
if we could both right now

say we don't love each
other anymore, it'd be so much easier.

I mean, there's no place to go from I
don't love you anymore, right?

Well, I don't know about you.

No, you don't.

I don't know about you, but I couldn't
say that because it wouldn't be true.

I don't know. If you still feel anything
for me anymore, then I'm not asking you.

You think I could feel
anything for you now?

I don't know.
All I was saying was I'd be.

Ashamed to feel anything for you now.

Be ashamed to admit it, maybe.

You said it yourself.

We had as good a marriage
as anyone wants now.

All I'm saying is I don't see you with
a divorce lawyer of drawing up papers.

I'm very confused, Stephen.

You have a right to be.

I know I have a right to be.

That's what I just said.
Why are you getting so excited?

Because I don't know why
I'm not getting a divorce.

Must be crazy.

There's plenty of time to get a divorce
if that's what you want to do.

I remember when.

Jack and Elaine had been divorced for,
you know, six months.

And Elaine said.

It was a bad marriage,
but anything's better than this.

I guess it'd be tough on any woman

with three kids to suddenly be out on her
own after all those years of marriage.

You can see how miserable she is.

I imagine how you'd feel.

Who said anything about me?

I was talking about Elaine.

I mean, who said I'd
be afraid to be alone?

Who am I kidding?

Harley says that not everybody
in this situation gets divorced.

She says sometimes there's forgiveness.

This is never an easy decision to make.

Most often I wish I had more time.

But there is a sense
of urgency about this.

I've been giving it a lot of thought

and there's some chance that the two
of you might be able to work things out.

But in order to do that,
we'd have to try to keep you out of jail.

How?

I could recommend to the criminal court

that your case be diverted to the sexual
abuse treatment program we have now.

What's the program?

I'd continue to see you individually.

Beyond that, it's therapy
with other parents in your same situation

and also a group of the children,
like Amelia.

Amelia would remain a ward of the court
in your custody and eventually,

we might arrange supervised visitation
from you

until the case comes up for review in
the juvenile court in about six months.

We'll see where we are.

Now... about Amelia.

She's filled with guilt and a sense
of betrayal and absence of trust.

Her self esteem is virtually nil.

She needs to be helped to make
the transition from the victim that she is

to the survivor that she might be.

What do I do?

Face her.

Take responsibility for what's happened.

Not just a part of it, all of it.

I hope you can do it.

Come in.

Have a seat.

Hi, Princess.

Hi.

She knows.

You know what this is all about,
don't you us getting together?

How's bad?

She's okay.

I know Dr. Farley explained to you how we're
all going to try to work this out some way

and maybe someday we could help
you together again, like before.

No, of course not.

No, it'd have to be better.
A lot better.

There's a question?

Well, maybe we love each other just
enough to go on for now, down very deep.

It's hard to get to, I guess.

But maybe we could get to it.
Dr.

Farley told me how you've been feeling.

There's a lot I don't understand,
but I know that it's very important

for you to start feeling
better about yourself.

You don't have to worry about me.

I'll be perfectly fine.

I want to say something to you, Princess.

I wish you please wouldn't
call me that anymore.

All right.

I won't call you that anymore.
I promise.

Amelia it was me.

It was me...
It was all my fault.

You were not responsible
for what happened in any way.

Not in any way at all.

You just got to try not to blame
yourself at all about it.

It's my fault that you're feeling so
rotten that you're so unhappy now.

I'm sorry I made you feel that way.

I want you to be happy.

I always wanted you to be happy.

What I want most in the whole world is
for you to be happy again,

the way it used to be before...

Amelia

It was me.

It was all my fault.

I'm going to start babysitting
for the new people across the street.

Looks great.
What have they got?

Well, not really.
Babysitting kind of mother's helper.

They've got two boys.

One's three, and the baby
swelt almost a year.

How much are you getting?

A dollar an hour or two afternoons a week.

Not too bad.

Can you do this?

Yeah.

I was trying to sing the baby a song
today, but I couldn't remember the words.

I have to learn some baby songs.
What's that one?

Hush, little baby don't you cry no.

Hush, little baby, don't say a word.

Oh, mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.

And if that Billy coat don't fall,

mama's going to buy you a cart and bull.

If that cart and bull turn over,
daddy's going to buy you a dog name.

And if that dog name over, don't bark.

Daddy's going to buy you a horse and cart.

If that horse and cart fall down,
it'll be the sweetest little baby.

Yes.