Cold Blooded Beast (1971) - full transcript

- You have to admit, it's a
beautiful part of the country.

And I believe that may help
you to recover quickly.

You've got to give it a chance.

- Mm.

- You know, it's one of the
best clinics in the country.

And Dr. Osterman's quite a celebrity.

- Hm, how nice to be sent
to a famous loony bin.

- My dear, nowadays nobody
speaks about loony bins.

The correct expression is rest home.

And a visit to a rest home

is nothing for anyone to be ashamed of.



Just think of it as a nice
vacation at a luxury resort.

I'm sure you'll find it more
comfortable than any hotel.

- I'm only going because
you decided I had to.

- I didn't.

But considering how
much I paid for advice,

I think I should follow it.

And they all said Osterman.

- Hm, I see.

And you wouldn't want to lose your money.

- No, it's not the money.

But with a number of similar patients

he's been most successful.

If you'll just believe he can cure you,

I promise you in a few
weeks you'll be back home



with the children again.

Stop it!

Killing me is one thing,
but why commit suicide?

- The doctor asked me
about your case, Ms Medina.

- That's kind of him.

- I told him we have
noticed a great improvement.

- Not to me.

The shock treatment doesn't
seem to make much difference.

It's just a big waste of time.

- Oh no, we've all noticed
how different you look now.

Much more relaxed and attractive.

- Nobody cares whether I'm improving,

or whether I'm relaxed or not.

Nobody cares about me.

I've always been alone all my life.

- Yes, I know.

- You can't really know what it's like

when there's no helping
hand when you need it.

- Then you must let me help you.

- I hardly ever saw my parents.

What did my father do?

I seem to forget.

Was he a consul, commercial attache, spy?

And my mother?

Nurse, how long have I been here?

- I don't know, I was
just assigned to you.

- What do you really think of me?

- I want to help you get well.

- You all say that here, but
you don't really mean it.

As a child I remember I once got outside

one of those gates, though I forget which.

And I was so lost in a
confused maze of buildings

and crowd of total strangers.

I was terrified, and I
kept asking everyone I saw

if they were father and mother.

With so many people out there

I believed they were in the crowd as well.

I knew it, I knew it.

I was sure they were
there and I'd find them.

But I didn't find them.

The police found me and
brought me back inside.

- You shouldn't let your
memories worry you so much.

- I know that's true.

When I returned in the evening I was told

that mother and father
weren't even in this country.

They'd gone abroad someplace.

It was when I realized they were

so far away that I got worse.

I went crazy with solitude.

Oh, it was a nightmare.

- But now I'm here to help cure you.

I can promise you'll soon feel better.

- Oh nurse, do you mean it'?

- Believe me.

I want you to think of
me as your friend, Mara.

I'll think of you as my friend, too.

- I want to stay near you.

- I'll always be with you.

I'm sorry.

I wasn't really trying to kill you.

- To kill the two of us.

- I can never remember anything
in those dreadful moments.

You don't know what it means to...

- I'll be back on Monday.

- If you would like to rest,
your room is ready now.

Please come with me.

I think you'll find this
place extremely comfortable

because you're free to
do whatever you want.

We don't have many regulations.

Our atmosphere is quite informal.

I'm sure you'll be happy
once you get used to it.

You look very anxious,
but I can assure you

you will like it here.

The professor will examine you.

That's enough now.

I'm sure what you need
is a nice rest, please.

- You can take that.

- Say Mary, would you mind
if I played the next game?

- Good morning, Ruth.

- Good morning.

- How are you?

- Better, thank you.

- Good.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay here.

- Oh.

- Good morning, doctor.

- Good morning.

- I believe Ruth is the most dangerous

patient we have, Dr. Clay.

She's trying to dominate
her homicidal mania,

but her willpower is insufficient.

Oh, thank you.

I believe to avoid any
risks we should keep her

under close surveillance for at least

the next two weeks, don't you?

- Where's Cheryl, have you seen her?

- Talking to her husband.

I'm very pleased with her progress.

She's almost cured, I would say.

- What do you mean, almost cured?

- I mean there's no point in
keeping her here any longer.

As far as I'm concerned, Dr.
Clay, she can leave in a week.

Her husband is making
all the arrangements.

- But Osterman, her cure isn't complete.

- I know you've taken
her case to heart, Clay.

But I really think we've done all we can.

She still has depressions,

but she's a long, long way from suicide.

Ah, now it's time for me to see Anne.

Would you tell the Humes
to go along to my office?

I'll speak to them afterwards.

- Of course.

- Thank you.

Alfred, get the car ready for Mr. Hume.

- Yes, professor.

- Clay, you can also tell
him that the car is ready.

- I'll be glad to.

- Anne, Anne.

Anne, don't you want to get well?

- I'm not sick, doctor.

There's nothing wrong with me.

I don't know why I'm here.

I didn't want to kill
myself or anyone else.

I'm not one of those
mad people who need you.

I just want to make love,
make love, that's all.

- There's no question of
your being insane, Anne.

You're a perfectly healthy woman.

It's just that your desire to make love

is excessive, compulsive.

Go and take a shower.

- Good morning, Mr. Hume, Cheryl.

- I know, visiting time is up.

And I guess I'd better be
getting along to the airport.

However, it hardly matters.

In a week's time Cheryl's
coming home for good.

- According to Professor Osterman.

- You mean you don't agree?

But look how much better she is.

After all, I brought Cheryl here myself,

and I should know when
she's back to normal.

And besides, she's the
legal owner of our company.

We do need you, Cheryl.

You must come back to work.

- Well, your wife tried
to kill herself, Mr. Hume.

She may try it again.

We've not yet got to
the root of her trouble.

- You've had plenty of time.

And frankly, I don't think
it's all that serious.

She was working too hard
and just needed to rest.

That's all.

The board of directors is looking forward

to your return, darling.

The meeting is set for the 25th.

- Mr. Hume, your plane
will be leaving in an hour.

If you'll excuse me.

- Bye, darling.

- So good to see you again.

- Ah, let's see you now.

You look much better.

I know it's awful being cooped
up in a place like this.

But I'm sure it won't be for much longer.

- Please, Peter, I must get away.

- Oh, I spoke to Professor Osterman.

He feels you're doing well actually.

In this kind of clinic
you're bound to get...

- But I'm not getting better
because nothing's the matter.

They should know it by now.

They all assumed that
everyone has a mental illness.

Oh Peter, why can't you love me

the way you used to when we were children?

- Anne, no, you mustn't say that.

- You haven't forgotten
our little bed, have you,

and how you comforted me.

- Anne, we must forget about all that now.

- When I became a woman
you stopped loving me.

And I began to look to other
men for what I'd found in you.

But there's nobody like you, Peter.

Only you calm my passion
that I feel burning,

scalding the very heart of me.

- No, forget about all that,
or I won't come here anymore.

Now calm down, get a grip on yourself.

I didn't come here to upset you.

- Look, Peter, you don't say
I'm mad, but you believe it.

Is that why you want to keep me here?

You ran away from me, though
I don't know what I did.

I'm so lonely.

In the meantime I have to go on living

shut up here with a bunch of real weirdos.

- I'd better have a word with Osterman.

- But why do you want to do that?

Please, Peter, if you love
me let's leave together.

- You must under...

- You don't need to explain.

I...

- It was all right to play
love games as a child.

But now we're both grown up, you can't.

You're afraid of what people will say.

But each day I die here.

- We'll talk about all that

the next time I come to visit you.

- Peter, tell me I'm still beautiful.

- You're perfect, Anne.

- If you only knew what
you mean to me, Peter.

I miss you so much.

And you're never here.

I feel so alone.

- No, Anne.

You must understand that
anything we did as children

is over with now.

- Well I would say Mara is suffering

from a morbid fear of open places.

I've known cases of patients who refuse

to leave their own rooms,

and others who wouldn't let anyone in.

It's know as agoraphobia.

Oh, here's Mr. Hume.

As I was saying, she
receives very few visitors,

so I'd like you to look after her.

- All right, doctor.

- Thank you.

- I'm delighted your wife's so well.

- Clay's not so sure.

- Oh, Dr. Clay's a good man.

Though he has a tendency
to be overcautious.

But in this case I think
his caution is uncalled for.

- Hm, good bye, professor.

- See you next week.

- You feeling better now?

- Yes, thank you.

- Shall I move that one, or this?

- Hm, that was good.

- You're a wonderful player,
Ms Goldman, aren't you?

- You're not concentrating.

- Do you want me to call Mara, professor?

- No, she must want to
come of her own free will.

- She won't do it, it's too soon.

However, we can't leave her alone all day.

- Well, you can try if you want to

and stay with her if necessary.

- All right, I Will.

- Is that clear?

- Yes, professor.

- Am I disturbing you?

- No, not in the least.

She's beaten me.

You play...

- You can start this game.

All right.

- Please, get your
clothes on and go back in.

You mustn't stay here.

- I'm like one of your little plants.

I need you.

- No, I don't want to.

Why not?

- Please, miss, I'm just a gardener.

- I'll uproot all your plants

so you'll have to stay with me.

- But if they catch me with you.

- Come on.

- Who is it?

- Helen.

Don't you want to join
the others in the lounge?

- No, I don't feel like it.

- Don't worry, I didn't come to force you.

You don't have to go down.

- I was afraid you were ordering me.

I was worried.

- You are here to be cured,

and we're here to take care of you.

- I'm feeling quite a lot better already.

I mean, well, I'm not
making any attempt to hide.

- I'll come by later and see how you are.

- I normally don't go
to bed until very late,

so you can look in whenever you like.

- Ah, Dr. Hyde.

I think it's time for
the patients to retire.

- Anne is missing.

- What, again?

Well, she's certainly not in here.

She must be outside.

Go look for Ms Palmieri.

How did she manage to slip away?

- What's your first name, doctor?

- Francis.

- Am I free here?

- Why, of course.

- I just wondered if I had to account

to anyone for my actions or feelings.

- Not at all.

Here you are in complete
charge of yourself.

- Here, but outside.

Well, will I be like I was before?

With all of that loneliness,
suffocated by everything,

unable to make decisions?

- No, you won't return
to what you were before.

You will win over your obsessions.

You've been cured.

- Then what were you so doubtful
in front of my husband for?

Oh, can I ask you something?

Before I came here I felt lonely.

I felt I needed to find someone

with whom I could share my life.

You understand that?

- Of course I do.

Everyone needs someone to love.

- I know.

But I've never found him.

Certainly not in my husband.

Francis, I want to see you after, alone.

Please don't say no.

I'll come to you.

- I knew that you would like that.

- You should go now.

- No.

- Don't be stupid, go.

- No, I'm so happy here.

Why can't I stay?

- Because if you stay,
a nurse might come in

and I'll get in trouble.

- Why?

You'd really let me go with.

- Ms Palmieri.

Ms. Palmieri.

- They're looking for you,

so you've got to get dressed quick.

Don't let them find you here.

Hurry.

- Ms Palmieri.

- Get your clothes on, hurry.

- No.

- You have to get away, quick.

- Ms Palmieri.

- My place is here.

- Ms Palmieri.

- If they find us I'll get fired.

- Kiss me again.

- Ms Palmieri.

Ms Palmieri.

- Go away.

- Here I am, boys.

Give me a kiss.

- Ms Palmieri, don't act like that.

- No, out here.

The three of us together.

Come on.

- Ms Palmieri.

Please control yourself.

Ms Palmieri.

Come along now.

Now, now, now.

That's enough.

- Come on.

- Come on.

- Who's there?

- Good night.

- Good night.
- Good night, professor.

- I'll come to see you tonight.

- What are you doing here?

Why are you hiding?

- I didn't realize it was you, doctor.

- I thought I heard a noise,
like someone wandering around.

- Yes, doctor, I got that impression too,

and I was just checking.

- Well everything seems to be in order.

I think you'd better run along to bed.

Good night.

- Oh yes, I was just going, doctor.

Good night.

- What took you so long?

- I heard footsteps and noises,

and I was afraid I might be seen.

- Come on, let's go.

- Oh, you, Helen.

- I'll help you.

- I was waiting all
evening for you, Helen.

- I couldn't get here any sooner.

Like that?

- Mm, marvelous.

Thank you.

You know, I've never known
anybody like you before.

Oh marvelous.

I'll do that.

- All right, dear.

I'll wait for you in your room.

- You think I love you
because of all the attention

that you've given me.

But even so, Francis,
what's the difference

between a new love and a new life?

- Cheryl, it's almost inevitable

that in cases like yours the patient

develops an attachment for the doctor.

- Francis, this never happened before.

You're the first person I want like this.

I've never really lived.

But you already know that.

The important thing now is that I'm cured.

Cured of a hopeless marriage.

- No more, Cheryl, please.

This is a bit embarrassing.

- Everything depends on you
and the way you feel about me.

I'm yours.

- I must do my rounds.

I'll be back later on.

- Come and lie down with me.

Lie down here, please.

Say Yes, please.

- That music's from your
native country, isn't it?

- Yes, I must have danced
to it when I was a child.

- It's monstrous, incredible.

The arrow was shot from
outside, according to the nurse.

Pull yourself together.

- I can't.

- It's the arrow from a crossbow.

As for you, don't let anyone in here

for any reason whatsoever.

Come with me, doctor?

- Keep everyone out.

- Yes, sir, as you wish.

- Well, who killed her?

- Hm, we have nothing to go on.

What are you doing here?

- She was with me.

- We better check the
rest of the building.

I'll phone for the police immediately.

- Francis, look.

- Dr. Osterman.

Look, the other sword is missing.

The murderer is still armed.

- This is the work of a psychopath,

a cold blooded beast.

And he's still at large.

We must keep a close
watch on all the patients

without alarming them.

I'll call the police and wait for you

in my office, Dr. Clay.

Yes, commissioner.

I can't explain now.

I'll give you all the
details when you arrive.

Yes please, come without using sirens

and with the utmost discretion.

I have reason to suspect that the murderer

is still in the clinic.

Thank you.

- You acted like a fool.

Explain, or can't you?

You moved the bodies,
extracted the weapons

and took them away, wasted your time.

Then finally called the police

and asked us to come
as quickly as possible

and with the utmost discretion.

You must think this is sort of a sideshow,

and not the handiwork of a
brutal killer, of a sex maniac.

You must be crazy.

Up to now you've been
acting like an accomplice.

- I refuse to stand here
and let you be so insulting.

- Relax, professor.

Why should you feel the
commissioner is insulting you?

Up to now everything you've
done has helped the killer.

- That's enough.

- Not by a half it isn't.

You've interfered
disastrously with the police.

Neither my colleague nor
I can do anything whatever

to prevent other killings from
taking place in this clinic.

Telephone headquarters.

- This is Lieutenant Long.

I want you to send the emergency
squad out here immediately.

- Dr. Clay, my senior assistant.

- The other patients are
under control, professor.

- Mm.

- And you, doctor.

Haven't you been told to inform the police

when someone commits a crime?

My theory is he's still waiting,

planning to kill again and
hiding in the clinic somewhere.

Do you agree, Clay?

- Yes, inspector.

- You consider the previous murders

the work of a maniac, am I right?

- Yes, inspector.

- Ah, well we'll give the killer

the chance that he's been waiting for.

- It's an interesting idea.

- He's a bloodthirsty maniac,

and once he's started,
nothing will stop him.

- I understand your reluctance, Clay.

But the inspector I think is right.

Perhaps we can stop the killer

before he commits more crimes.

And I think I have what you need.

We have a patient, Cheryl Hume,
whom we feel is fully cured.

From a clinical viewpoint, in fact,

this could give us proof of her recovery.

- Would you guarantee the absolute safety

of the patient and everyone else?

- Yes, Dr. Clay.

As soon as the emergency squad gets here

we'll guarantee that without reservation.

- Good, what do you want us to do?

- Don't you do anything.

I'll talk to the girl myself.

If you want to help, keep out of my way.

- What did the commissioner say to you?

I must know.

- I want to help.

I'm the bait.

- No, I won't allow that.

- But why?

I'm perfectly well now.

- No, no, it's not possible.

You're not completely cured yet.

- I see everything clearly now.

Francis, you've done a lot for me.

And now I want to help you.

Oh, you don't need to worry about me.

After all this, I appreciate
just how much I love you.

- All right, Cheryl.

If you want to.

- Quick, after him.

- Oh, darling.

- Cheryl.

- Now I understand everything.

He wanted to kill me.

- By killing five girls it
would have made it difficult

to trace the murders back to him.

- Now it's obvious that
the real target was Cheryl.

Hume created the idea of
a maniac to cover himself.

- My men saw him heading for
the nurse's quarters in there.

- Hm, good, they're well guarded.

He must be in there.

Shoot on sight.