Crimes of Passion (2005) - full transcript

While in competition for a job promotion, the female competitor sues her male counterpart for sexual harassment. Blackmail and murder follow closely behind.

- I spent 3 days being eaten by

mosquitoes to get those shots.

No, the model stinks. Well,

next time tell your client not

to use his niece.

No, I get that.

Believe me, I understand but

I have a full schedule. I

can't just drop...

Nice tie.

- What? You don't like it?

- You look like a

Christmas tree.

I understand all that and I have

no problem reshooting

the pictures, my problem is

reshooting them for free.

Okay.

All right.

Well, let me know what

you decide. Bye.

I might have to reshoot the

Beach Croft campaign.

- So, you're going

back to Mexico?

- If they pay me.

The client's niece wants to be a

model so he insists I use her.

In every sexy shot, she looks

like she's constipated.

What time will you be home?

- Probably not until late.

There's a conference at the

Hyatt and then drinks.

- You want me to meet

you at the bar?

- Not a good idea.

I'll be working.

See you later.

- Bye.

- Morning!

- Morning.

- How was it, Polly?

- Very good, thank you.

- Good. Oh, Harry,

Harry, hang on.

- So, any word on when

McBradden is going

to announce the promotion?

- Not yet.

- Well, in the meantime, you

have a 9 o'clock with

Peter Kurtzman,

lunch with Dan Adler and then

over to the Hyatt

for an exciting seminar on

cutting edge communications.

Ooh.

- Is there

something else?

- You're not really going to

wear that tie, are you?

- Is there any way to get

out of this thing?

- You could quit.

[ Laughs ]

Well, McBradden rented out the

bar for after the seminar.

He won't be too pleased if his

frontrunner doesn't show up.

- Whoa, a

frontrunner?

- And you my friend, have the

best performance record.

- How many other VPs have you

said that same speech to?

- Hmm,3, or is it 4?

- I've taught you too well.

[ Laughs ]

- Hold the door! Thanks.

- Who's that?

- That is Rebecca Walker.

She transferred out from the

Chicago office a few

days ago.

[ Chattering and laughter ]

- So, Rebecca, what did you

think of the seminar?

- I think we should record it

and sell it as a sleeping aid.

[ Laughter ]

- You know, Jerry's up for the

national VP position as well.

- How cozy.

- Well, I hope this

doesn't mean we're adversaries.

- No, it just means that when I

get the promotion, you'll

be under me.

- Ooh. I think that's a position

I could learn to like.

- Would you please excuse me?

- I told you to go easy

on the booze, Jerry.

- Damn it! I'm so stupid.

I can't believe I said that.

All right, look,

I've got to go apologize.

- Ms. Walker.

- Thanks.

- Have fun.

[ Knocks ]

- [Rebecca]: Who is it?

- It's Jerry Dennings.

- [Rebecca]: Go away,

Mr. Dennings.

- I... I just wanted

to apologize.

[ Door opens. ]

Can I come in and

apologize or...

do I have to do it in the hall?

[ Zippers ]

You're up early.

- You're home late.

- Well, Donald and I had a bit

too much to drink,

so we decided to play it safe

and get a room.

Look, I'm sorry I didn't call.

It was pretty late, I didn't

want to wake you.

- I thought maybe we'd go

out to dinner tonight.

- No, I can't. I have to take

some clients out to dinner.

- I don't even know why

I even bother

trying to make plans

with you anymore.

- Shannon, I am working, trying

to make a life.

- And does this life

include me?

- We're not going to go into

this now, are we?

- When do we ever go into it?

Every time I try to talk to

you, you're running out

the door to some meeting or

you're too tired.

- I can't have this

conversation now.

I've got to be in the office

in a half-hour.

We will talk tonight,

I promise.

- Oh, Mr. McBradden called down.

He wants to see you.

- Okay.

- No, he said right away.

- Mr. McBradden's

expecting me.

[ Knock ]

- Please, you know

James Corbin from legal?

- Yeah, how are you?

- I'll get straight

to the point.

Rebecca Walker told us what

happened last night.

[ Nervous laughter ]

- Oh. This is a little

embarrassing.

We were all in the bar after the

seminar, I had a few drinks

too many.

I didn't mean for it to

happen. It just did.

- So what she says is true?

- Yeah.

But I had the impression when we

left that we understood

each other.

I don't see why she had to come

to you guys with this.

People say stupid things

sometimes. I apologized...

- Jerry, this isn't about

something you said.

- She claims you sexually

assaulted her in her

room last night.

- She says you came

on to her.

When she asked you to leave,

you became aggressive,

throwing her down on the bed,

ripping her blouse.

It wasn't until she began to

scream that you left.

- That never happened.

- We spoke to Donald.

He said he saw you go into her

room, and then he heard

the screams.

When he got there, her blouse

was torn and she was crying

hysterically.

- I went into her room, yes.

We had a drink, I apologized for

what I said in the bar,

and then I left.

Malcolm, you've known me for 10

years! I wouldn't do this.

- Can we look at your shoulder?

- What for?

- She says that while she was

fighting you off, she hit

you with a lamp.

I imagine it would

leave a mark.

- I have a bruise on my

shoulder. I tripped

on my way out to my car

the other night.

- Jerry, Mr. McBradden

is prepared

to offer you what I feel is a

very generous opportunity

under the circumstances.

- Opportunity?

- The morals clause

of your contract

specifically states

that any indiscrete behaviour

that reflects badly

on the company name can

result in dismissal

and forfeiture of all bonuses

and stock options.

- You are firing me?

- We're giving you a chance

to resign and seek

counselling. Your bonus for the

year will be prorated

and you'll receive 50% of

your stock options.

- But I didn't do anything!

- Take the offer, Jerry.

- And if I don't?

- You'll be dismissed,

publicly embarrassed

and you'll forfeit everything

you've worked for.

- I expected more from

you, Malcolm.

- I started this company selling

transistor radios out of

the back of a truck.

I'm not going to let you drag

its image into the gutter

because you can't keep your

pants zipped up!

- It never happened.

- Why would she make up

a story like this?

- I don't know.

- You did flirt

with her.

- A little, yes.

- In front of everyone?

- I drank too much.

- Bull!

Don't blame it on the alcohol.

- All right, all right, I

flirted with her, Shannon.

Yes, I mean we haven't had

sex in 4 months, okay.

- And that's my fault?

- Well, you are half

this marriage.

- I'm not the half that

had the affair!

- I knew you would bring

this into it.

- You cheated on me and now you

are asking me to believe

that nothing happened?

- I thought it was behind us.

- What world do you live in?

You think it's behind

us because you

apologized and sent

me some flowers.

I trusted you

and you betrayed that trust.

- Shannon! I made a mistake.

- Maybe you made another one.

[ Sighs ]

- I need you to believe me.

- I don't know if I can

do that right now.

- Shannon, they want

me to resign.

If I did, we would lose half of

everything I've worked for.

- If you don't, we

lose everything.

I think you should resign.

- How can you say that?

- Because I'm your wife

and I don't know if

I believe you.

They're giving you a chance

to go quietly.

- This is business. There is no

such thing as quietly.

I mean, you don't think this

will follow me?

You think there are other

companies that will be

lining up to hire me?

I put 10 years of my life into

that company,

10 gruelling years. McBradden

throws me out like a

bag of garbage?

- I'd like you to not be here

when I get back from Mexico.

We need some time apart.

[ Chatting ]

- I won't resign.

- You don't have

a choice.

- If Miss Walker is telling the

truth, then she can file

criminal charges against me and

we will settle it in court.

But I will not be

judged by you.

- I tried to give you a way out

and do what's right for

the company.

- Oh, that is crap, Malcolm!

You're doing what's

best for you.

- Get out!

- If you try to push me out,

I will sue.

- You're fired.

- I wish you would have

waited for me.

- I gave him the opportunity

to resign.

- You pressured

him to resign.

- This is my company and I can

fire anyone I damn well please.

- No, you can't. You're his

employer, you're supposed

to be impartial.

You formed an opinion and

took a position.

That's not going to help us

when he fights this.

- You mean, "if"

he fights this?

- His attorney's already

contacted me. They're

suing, Malcolm.

You better hope this woman's

telling the truth.

- You wanted to see me?

- Jerry Dennings is

filing a lawsuit.

- Oh, and that surprises you?

- Frankly, yes.

- Well, if he took whatever you

offered him, that's as good

as saying

he's guilty. Of course, he

has to fight this.

- Mr. McBradden

has taken a

strong position in your behalf.

- Oh, I see, and now you're

wondering if you're backing

the right person.

Yes.

- I must say the incident

doesn't seem to have

affected you.

- I'm tough,

Mr. Corbin.

I mean, do you think I got where

I am today by letting my

emotions show?

Men see tears as weakness, so

I've learned to shut them off.

But that doesn't make what Jerry

Dennings tried to do to me

any less traumatic.

- We'd like to arbitrate this.

- Arbitration might have been

a viable avenue

if my client hadn't been fired.

- Well, what if he could

be reinstated?

- No. I'm not going to let you

take McBradden's foot

out of his mouth.

- How's your client going to pay

for a lengthy trial?

- With the 30 million dollars

he wins from you.

[ Chuckles ]

- Let me point out to you how

things are in the real world.

We've got signed statements from

several people stating

Mr. Dennings was drunk and

obviously hitting on Ms. Walker.

Donald Fuller saw him enter her

room and heard her

scream, and on

top of everything,

he has a history of

psychological problems.

- He doesn't have psychological

problems, he had a

stress problem.

- What he had was a

nervous breakdown.

A year ago he snapped

like a twig

during a staff meeting.

If I were you,

I'd start thinking about what's

best for my client.

- If I were you,

I'd start thinking about why Mr.

McBradden was so quick to

form an opinion.

- Because of the evidence.

- Evidence?

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know

McBradden Communications

was a court of law.

- Mr. McBradden was protecting

his employees.

- No, he was protecting himself

and his precious

company image.

- You can't win

this case.

[ Sigh ]

- We're prepared

to let a jury decide that.

- [Donald]: Yeah, all right.

- Donald.

I'm Frank Schaeffer, I'm an

investigator with the

legal division here.

- Oh, you're here about Jerry

Dennings, right?

- I was hoping

you could tell me what happened

at the hotel.

- Well,

I've already said he had

a little too much to drink.

- Right. I was hoping you could

give me a little insight into

Mr. Dennings in general.

- I can tell you that he is

a good friend of mine.

- Okay, I understand.

Loyalty's a good thing.

I hope Mr. McBradden

understands.

- Excuse me?

- Well, you made it clear that

your loyalty rests with

your friend and not to the man

who pays your salary.

- I'd be more than happy to do

anything to help Mr. McBradden.

- An affair.

- Last year. It went on

for five months.

- That's not the best part.

She worked here.

- Where is she now?

- We're trying to find her.

- So, how's bachelorhood

treating you?

- This is great.

- Listen,

I think it's pretty crappy

what they did to you.

- Thanks.

- They sent an investigator down

to my office

the other day.

They know about your

affair last year.

I think they're going to try to

make it look like you used your

position to coerce her.

Well, the good news is

they can't find her.

You haven't been in contact

with her, have you?

- No, no. She moved

out of state.

- Oh.

Well, they're going

to find her.

Maybe you should

call her, let

her know they're coming.

Do you know where she is?

- What did they promise

you, Donald?

A corner office? A raise? What?

What's the going rate these days

to betray your friends?

- It's just business, Jerry.

- You ungrateful creep. I

gave you your job.

- I've got a

career to think about.

- What about my career?

- Business-wise, you're dead.

You just haven't laid down yet.

- Get out.

[ Laughs softly ]

- I was surprised

you called.

- Really?

Why?

- Well, when I asked you to

leave you didn't

seem too upset

about going.

- Well, that's not true. I was.

But I understood...

Listen, Shannon,

whatever happens

I just need you to know that

I didn't do this.

But I know that I really hurt

you and I am sorry.

I just... I just never

realized it before.

- Now you do?

- Well...

that last month in the apartment

I had a lot of time on

my hands to sit around and think

about what really matters.

Well, I was

hoping maybe

when all this is over, we could

go away together.

- Well, we'll see.

- Kobrinsky is going

to call you.

He need to go over what you're

going to say at the deposition.

- All right.

- You know, they're going to ask

you about the affair.

It's important you know

what to say.

- You're afraid of

what I'm going to say at

the deposition, aren't you?

That's why you're here. You...

you want the image of the

supporting wife who believes

her husband.

- Do you think

that little of me?

- I don't know what to think of

you anymore, Jerry.

- Look, Shannon,

I am here for us, okay?

As for the lawsuit, you

do whatever you feel

comfortable doing.

- So, it doesn't matter

to you what I do?

- No.

I mean, yes. Of course it does,

but that is not the only

reason I'm here.

Come on.

Are you going to turn your back

on the chance to make millions

of dollars just because

you're angry with me?

- You don't have the slightest

idea of who I am.

- Shannon.

- I have been such an idiot.

- Shannon.

- Before we begin, Mr. McBradden

has instructed me to inform

you that if you stop

these proceedings now,

he will not file charges

of malicious prosecution

against your client.

- How generous of him.

We'll pass.

- How the hell do you think

you can try this case?

If you look at the evidence it's

not hard to connect

the dots.

- Try connecting them this way:

Ms. Walker is ambitious.

My client was the frontrunner

for the VP promotion. With

him out of the way

she had a pretty clear

path to the job.

It's my understanding she

already occupies Mr. Dennings'

old office.

- It's the only open office

on the floor.

- You seem to be very good at

climbing the corporate

ladder, Ms. Walker.

- This is absurd.

- A while ago you worked for the

Holmes-Jennings Company

in Chicago.

You filed a sexual harassment

suit against

a Mitchell Layton. The company

settled for... awarding

you $200,000

and a promotion to Senior

Vice-President.

- Those are

confidential records.

- After that you worked

for the Weatherdale

Corporation in Dallas. You filed

another sexual harassment suit

against your boss

which resulted in his

dismissal and an

undisclosed sum for you.

Why didn't you file criminal

charges against Mr. Dennings?

- Being an attractive woman

in the workplace is an

occupational hazard.

If I filed charges against every

man who came onto me,

I'd be in court every day.

- Tsk tsk. You're not saying

he came on to you.

You're saying he tried

to rape you.

- Mr. McBradden is very

sensitive about his

company's image.

I thought the matter would be

better handled internally.

- And of course,

Mr. McBradden would be beholden

to you for your discretion.

- I didn't ask Mr. Dennings

up to my room,

nor did I ask him to attack me,

but if there's something

to be gained from this

then why not take it?

- Rebecca...

- Look, it's not my fault that

men find me attractive or that

they take a smile

for more than what it is.

- Rebecca, that's enough.

- I mean do you have any idea

what it's like to come to work

and hear your colleagues

talk about you like you're

a $10 whore?

Or to see them undress you

with their eyes?

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Kobrinsky,

that behaviour is inappropriate

and unacceptable.

- I can't wait to get

her on the stand.

- She's angry. I would be too

if I was in her situation.

- She has made a career out of

sexual harassment suits.

You really think the jury's

going to find her a

credible witness?

McBradden Communications

fired my client without

just cause.

It took the word of one employee

over that of the other.

Consequently, my client's

reputation in the industry

has been destroyed, his

prospects for future

employment are grim,

he and his wife...

- Save it!

You're not addressing a

jury right now.

- You're on the ropes, James. If

you want to stand there and get

the tar knocked out of you,

that's up to you.

The longer it takes you to throw

in the towel, the more expensive

it's going to be.

- So, how expensive would it be

to get off the ropes today?

- How does it feel to be

Boston's newest millionaire?

- I'm just glad it's over.

- You think it's over?

It's not over, Jerry.

Do you hear me?

It is not over!

- Would you forget about

Rebecca Walker?

You've just won 10

million dollars.

Can't you be happy about it?

- Ah, you know something?

I'd much rather this

never happened.

I liked my job,

I liked the people

I worked with.

Ah, who knows. If

this hadn't

happened maybe Shannon and

I would have been able to

work something out.

- Things will work out

for the best.

In the meantime, go out and do

something for yourself.

Pamper yourself.

- We did it.

- You shouldn't

be here.

So, how did McBradden take it?

- Well, basically I'm not going

to be getting that promotion.

[ Soft laughter ]

Personally, I think he'd like to

fire me, but he's afraid.

Jerry...

we can't do

this anymore

for awhile.

We shouldn't have even

done it tonight.

- Well, it was your

idea, remember?

- It was a bad one.

No one can blow this

now but us.

We have to be smart.

- I don't see why you

just can't quit.

- I think we should stick

to the plan.

You know, I stay on for another

month or so and then

resign because I feel there's

no opportunity to grow

in the company.

- Maybe I should leave

the country now.

- Hey.

If either one of us starts doing

anything differently people are

going to get suspicious.

- Well...

it just seems like

such a long time.

- Yeah, well 20 years in prison

is a lot longer.

- You bastard! You don't even

have the guts to tell me you

want a divorce!

I find out through a

process server!

- It's better this way.

- How could you do this?

- Shannon, you don't have

anything to worry about, okay.

I will take

care of you.

- You think that's

why I'm here?

You never said anything

about a divorce!

- Well, I am saying it now.

- I thought we were going to

try to work things out.

- Why? Why

should we?

- I can think of a

lot of reasons.

- Well, I am sure you

can, Shannon.

I am sure you can think of

10 million reasons.

- Hey, thanks for coming over.

We need to talk.

- About?

- Something's been bothering

me and uh...

I don't know how to say

this... uh...

- Just...

open your lips and let

some air out.

- I think that Jerry Dennings

might have known

Rebecca Walker before that

night at the hotel.

- What makes you say that?

- Well, I was talking to

a friend of mine who works at

Grown Pin Technologies and

well, you know,

we got around to talk about

Ms. Walker. Uh,

she says she remembers

them talking

at an executive convention

last year in Chicago.

- And so if they knew

each other...?

- Well, then why pretend

they didn't?

- I thought you were

Dennings' friend?

- I was.

I'd just rather be

Mr. McBradden's friend.

[ Chuckles softly ]

You knew about this?

- That photo was taken

a year ago.

I found it about a week after

the settlement.

You see, it always

bothered me how

Walker's sexual harassment

history kind of just

came up just at the right

time to discredit her.

- So, you think they scammed

the company?

- Here's the expense account

for Mr. Dennings

from last year. What's

circled there are

his hotel expenses.

- So, what? He travelled? He...?

- I also pulled

Walker's expenses for last year.

Eight times they're in the same

city, 4 of those times at

the same hotel.

- So, they did do it.

They actually did it.

Oh man, you've got to appreciate

this. I mean, it's brilliant.

- No, it's fraud.

If it was brilliant, we wouldn't

be having this conversation

because we wouldn't know.

- Shouldn't we go

to McBradden with this?

- Look, this could be an

e-ticket ride for us,

you know, if we play it right.

We don't have enough right

now to go to anybody.

We go to McBradden with this and

blow smoke up his ass and things

don't fall into place, he's not

going to be happy now, is he?

- All right, yeah.

- Now you haven't told anyone

else about this, have you?

- No, no.

- All right. Good, good. Let's

keep it that way for now.

- All right, yeah. Sure.

- We'll talk.

- Right, right.

- Jerry, have

a seat.

Poole, a pleasure

to see you.

Sorry for keeping

you waiting.

Mr. Dennings wants to

be fair about this.

- Define fair.

- We're not prepared to make a

proposal at this time.

- Well, we are. Mrs. Dennings is

asking for the primary

residence,

the mountain cabin will be

shared and 50% of all assets.

- [Scoffs]: You sure you don't

want a pound of flesh?

- We're talking about

a 10 year marriage here.

Mrs. Dennings has been there

every step of the way.

She's not the one who wants this

divorce, she only wants--

- I agree.

- Jerry?

- Have the papers drawn up.

- Are you sure you want

to do this?

- Absolutely.

- We accept.

- Jerry!

Thanks.

- For what?

- For not making

this ugly.

- I told you I'd

take care of you.

- Oh, could you drop by the

house tonight and

get the rest of your things

out of the office?

- Sure, sure.

- Great.

- Is everything else all

right with you?

- Yeah. I started teaching

a photography class.

- Oh, yeah? Wow,

that's great.

- It's only a night class in the

extension program, but...

- Well, it's

still teaching.

- And you?

- Nothing much.

- Are you...

seeing anyone or...

- No. No, no, no.

- You're just a man of

leisure, huh?

- Yeah, I guess.

- Well, I...

I should go.

- Yeah, yeah, sure.

Take care.

- You too.

Jerry?

You should

be happy.

It's what you've always

wanted, right?

- Yeah.

- Hmmph.

- How the hell could

this happen?!

- How it happened isn't

important. It's happened.

- Well, who would know about it?

We were so careful!

- Well, obviously not

careful enough.

- Yeah, well what are we

going to do about it?

What?! What are we going to do?!

- I don't know, Jerry! Nothing!

Nothing.

- Nothing?

- We don't know what they want.

We can't do anything until

we know what they want.

- Well, how do we know they

haven't sent these to

the police?

- Because we're not in jail.

- We don't know that.

They could be waiting for

us right now.

- Would you please calm down.

- Calm down?

- Yeah.

- Okay, look. I don't want to be

negative or anything, but

it kind of looks

like our perfect crime has a

little bit of a flaw.

- Okay, listen to me.

Listen to me.

I need you to be

strong, okay?

Can you be strong for me?

We're going to get

through this,

okay? But we have to

do it together.

Everything's going

to be okay.

It's going to be okay.

Come here.

Here.

It's going to be okay.

[ Phone ringing ]

- Hello.

- [Shannon]: Jerry, it's me.

You were supposed to be here

half an hour ago.

- What?

- You were going to come over

tonight and get your things

out of the office.

- Uh.

Well, that's it.

Everything else is in the car.

Uh...

you know, I don't really feel

like going home, I thought maybe

we could have a drink.

- Meredith is coming over.

- Oh, okay.

Look, I just wanted to

say that I am sorry.

- Don't.

You never made excuses for your

behaviour before,

no need to start now.

- Well, I just feel

bad about it.

I mean, we did share ten

years together.

- No, you lived here

for ten years.

You were never interested

in sharing anything.

- I'm not making excuses

for what I did.

- This is where you tell me how

much you've changed,

how you want to come back.

- No, I don't want to come back.

- What do you want?

Absolution?

Do you want me to tell you that

it's all right, what you did

and how you did it? I can't.

You know, when we first

broke up I...

I was so scared.

The thought of starting

over again,

living alone.

I've realized now that I needed

that time to find out who

I really am.

- Who are you?

- Someone who's a

lot stronger than I thought.

- When's the last time you used

that telephoto lens?

- A few days ago.

- Oh yeah?

And what did you shoot?

- Since when are you

so interested in my work?

- I was just

wondering if any of the pictures

might interest me.

- Maybe.

- Maybe?

Maybe yes

or maybe no.

You wouldn't do anything to hurt

me now, would you, Shannon?

- What the hell is with

you tonight?

- Oh, what the hell is with me?

What the hell is with me?

- All right,

I want you to leave now.

This conversation is over

and we are over.

- Okay.

- [Rebecca]: Hi, this

is Rebecca.

Leave a message and I'll

call you back.

- I need to see you.

Meet me tomorrow at noon,

up at the lake.

- Hey.

- So, what's so important it

couldn't be said in my office?

- Well, I've

been thinking.

You know, with the full arrest

and my friend in Chicago's

testimony that they knew

each other, and the

hotel charges,

we have more than enough to go

to McBradden with this.

- Look, Don, look.

I thought we agreed we

were going to wait.

- Yeah, but you know,

I wondered what reason

could he have

not to pass along

this valuable information,

and then it hit me.

You're going to shake him down.

- Ha-ha!

Why would I do that?

- Well, that's what I'd do.

Why settle for a pat on the back

when you can get rich.

- Let's say for a moment I was

thinking of doing that.

What would I need

you for?

- Get off the

hypothetical crap.

- What do I need

you for?

- You need me not to go to

McBradden with this.

- And that's worth what to me?

- You know, I'm not greedy

and I do realize you've done

most of the work,

so I'll take half.

- Hey.

- I think Shannon sent

the photographs.

- What makes you

think that?

- Because I went over to get my

stuff last night, and

she's got

her cameras out with

a telephoto lens.

- Gerry, I think you're being

a little paranoid.

- Come on, Rebecca. Add it up.

Who else is close enough

to know what's going on?

- Well, did you do what

I told you with the divorce?

- Yeah, yeah, she thinks she's

getting everything she wants.

- Okay, so then why would she do

that? It doesn't make sense.

- Yes, it does.

Because this is payback. It's

revenge. She wants to

see me squirm.

- Well, I hope you're right.

- What?

- Well, if it is her, she's not

going to go to the police.

I mean, she thinks she's getting

millions of dollars,

if you go so

does the money.

- Right.

- Right.

And if it isn't

her, well

they'll let us know what they

want soon enough.

Either way, we might have

to leave quickly.

- Wait a minute. I thought you

said we shouldn't?

- That was before the

photographs.

[ Rebecca sighs ]

- Yeah, but then we were both

going to slip away unnoticed.

If we both just leave, we might

as well sign a full

confession.

- Okay, so what are you saying

now, you don't want to go?

- Oh, no, no, no. I want to go,

but I want to go the way

we planned.

I mean, I don't want to... I

didn't do this so I could

live in a third world

country and look over my

shoulder for the rest

of my life.

- Okay, okay, listen. All I'm

saying is that we need to

be prepared.

It takes time to get ten million

in cash together.

Now, call the bank tomorrow and

get them started and when they

have it, transfer it to a

safety deposit box.

- Well, I don't see why we just

can't wire it to where

we're going.

- Right, and maybe you'd also

like to leave

a little note telling the cops

exactly where we went.

Come here.

- Mr. Dennings.

My name's Frank Schaeffer.

I'm an investigator with

McBradden Communications.

- Haven't you heard? The case

has been settled.

- You know, what we need to talk

about should maybe be done

in private.

- Maybe you didn't hear me. The

case has been settled.

[ Chuckling ]

- I know what you did.

Relax, Jerry.

I don't want you to go to jail.

- Why would I

go to jail?

- Because you and

Rebecca Walker

ripped off McBradden for

ten million dollars.

Oh yeah. You see, I've

got credit receipts

showing you at the same

hotel at the same time.

I've got people who say that you

knew her before the incident,

and I've got photos.

- I don't know what you're

talking about.

- Jerry, Jerry, don't act like

you're innocent.

You see, because you're not

even good at it.

Now, the way I see it this

can go two ways:

You can either continue

to stand there and act dumb,

in which case I go to McBradden

with what I know.

I believe that doesn't serve

either one of our purposes

now, does it?

- Number two?

- Number two: You give me

five million dollars.

- That's crazy!

- That's the deal.

- Well, that's hardly a deal.

- Suit yourself,

Jerry.

- No, wait a minute! Wait a

minute! Can't we discuss this?

- We are discussing

it, Jerry.

We're just not going

to debate it.

- I know, I know...

I can't think right now.

- You know, I understand

that, Jerry.

You can't make this decision

all by yourself, so you

call Ms. Walker

and then tomorrow at 10 o'clock,

call me at my office, and

I will tell you

where to meet me with

the money.

- So, how did it go?

- It's all set.

- They agreed?

- Oh, they will. They have

no other choice.

Why don't you meet me during

lunch tomorrow.

I need you to

do something for me.

- Uh, yeah. Sure, sure.

- So this investigator,

Schaeffer came to see

me today...

and he knows everything.

Everything.

He says that he wants half or

he's going to go to McBradden.

- We have to take off.

- Do we want to take

that chance? The guy's

an investigator for crap sake.

He could be watching us right

now and we wouldn't even

know it.

- If we don't run, we

have to pay him.

- No.

- No? What do you mean, no?

What other choice do we

have, Jerry?

- We planned this and we took

the risks,

and I am not giving away half of

it just because he happened

to stumble on it.

He's not going to go

to McBradden.

What does that get him?

- So, you want to play poker

with this guy?

- Think about it.

He goes to McBradden,

he gets nothing.

If we offer him a million,

he'll take it.

- Yeah, but then next month

he'll come back and ask

for another.

- No, because once he takes the

money, he's an accessory.

He can't go to

the police.

[ Sigh ]

- What if he doesn't take

the million?

- I'm not giving away

5 million bucks

just because he says that's

what he wants.

We'll make it so he

has no choice.

- What you're talking about

doing, Jerry,

could be very dangerous.

- I'm not letting that son

of a bitch take half.

- You still want to do this?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

What did he say about

the meeting?

- He said for us to call him

in the morning.

- He probably wants to meet in

the afternoon.

You've got to give us some time.

How would you

describe him?

- Confident,

self-assured,

really enjoyed watching

me squirm.

- Good.

We want him to think that he's

got it all covered.

- He does have it

all covered.

- No, hmmph.

Not all of it.

He wants money.

We're going to give it to him.

Just not the way he

thinks we are.

You see, he thinks we're going

to do everything

exactly the way he wants.

We can use this,

because he won't be expecting

what's going to happen next.

Now, first thing in the morning

I'm going to call down

to accounting and get

some information.

When the bank opens, you take

care of the money.

At 10 o'clock sharp he'll call.

[ Phone ]

- Schaeffer.

- Meet me in the park across

the street.

- [Rebecca]: His first

impression of you will be the

most important.

He has to feel you know he's

running the show.

Be strong.

- Did you bring the money?

- [Rebecca]: But don't

challenge him.

- Of course not, but I'm not

going to talk about this

on the phone.

- Fine, meet me at 4 o'clock

at the park over at the

south side...

- Hey, how do I know once

you get your money

you're not going to come back

asking for more?

- I guess you just going to have

to trust me, Jerry.

- That's not good enough. You

realize that once you get

your share, you're as

guilty as we are.

- I know that.

That's your guarantee.

It's a little hard for me to go

to McBradden or the cops to

explain my involvement,

so once I have the money

I'm gone, all right?

You'll never see me again.

So, at 4 o'clock you'll

meet me at the park

on the south side.

You know where that is?

- No, no, no, no. I'm not

meeting there. No way.

- [Rebecca]: The moment you

say that he's going to

become suspicious.

The reason you give has

to make sense.

- Look, I'm not going to come to

a public place with Rebecca

so somebody else can see us

together and figure out

what we did.

- Then come alone.

- Right now all she has is my

word that you know.

She's not going let me

take the money without

seeing it herself.

[ Sigh ]

- Look, when I go upstairs

I'll talk to her.

- If she doesn't have a problem

with it, it's fine with me.

- Fine. Pfft!

[ Phone ringing ]

- Yeah?

- He's on his way.

He'll be there in 5 minutes.

- Okay.

- Ms. Walker, there's

a Frank Schaeffer here

to see you.

- When I know he's coming, I'll

make the call. Corbin.

I'm going to insist that we both

go and we meet in a

secluded spot.

Now, he may argue at first, but

soon he'll begin

to realize it's his last hurdle

to the money.

Greed will kick in. He'll be so

close he can taste it.

[ Knocking ]

As soon as Corbin sees me

with him,

Schaeffer's going to

get nervous.

He's not going to want to sit

here and argue with me

in front of him.

- Frank.

So, Rebecca what's

so important?

- Oh, it's all right, sir.

I've taken care of it.

- [Jerry]: I still don't

understand how we get to meet

him where we want.

- [Rebecca]: We don't.

We haven't picked a place.

We've only said that we don't

want a crowded one.

He'll pick it.

[ Car approching ]

- Where's the money?

- It's not here.

- What the hell do you mean,

it's not here?

- We have to talk.

- No. You need to give me

my money.

- It's not that we don't want to

work something out with you.

- Jerry, I told you,

there's no debating this.

- Five million dollars

is unreasonable.

- You know, maybe I didn't

make myself clear.

There's no negotiation

about it.

- We'll give you one million.

- You'll give me five million.

You'll give me five million

dollars or you will spend

the rest of your miserable

lives in jail!

- One million, take it

or leave it.

- You take a good look around.

This is the last time you're

going to see this much

open space.

- Yeah, well if we go to jail

you go with us.

- We'll say you're part of it.

- You know, Jerry. You're

swimming into deep waters, bud.

- How are you going to explain

to McBradden that you've known

about this for weeks and didn't

bring it to his attention?

- Accounting has a record

of your request of our

expense accounts.

Oh, and there's the photographs.

- Unbelievable!

You're setting me up?!

- We are setting you up.

- You couldn't set up a lawn

chair, Jerry.

- Oh, then there's the lobby

surveillance tapes showing you

and me going up to my apartment

together yesterday.

- I'm through. I'm done with

this. I don't need that.

- [Jerry's voice]: "You realize

that once you get

your share you're as guilty

as we are.

- [Schaeffer]: I know that.

That's your guarantee.

It's a little hard for me to go

to McBradden or the cops

to explain my involvement, so

once I have the money, I'm gone.

All right? You'll never

see me again."

It won't work.

- Yes, it will.

- No, it won't work because I

never took any money.

- Oh, but you did. I got your

financial information from

accounting this morning.

- I've instructed my bank

to wire one million dollars

into your account at the

end of the day.

Talk about a paper trail.

- You stupid...!

- Now, there's still time to

stop the transfer.

I'll get you the money in a less

conspicuous manner if you agree.

[ Whap! ]

Ooh!

- You think you're going to turn

this around on me?

Is that what you think? Huh?

I will kill you before I let you

do that to me.

Ugh!

[ Thunk ]

- No!

No! No!

[ Bang! ]

- Arrg.

- Oh my God.

I had to do it.

He was going to kill you. I had

to do something. Oh my God.

It was a million dollars, I

offered him a million dollars,

he didn't take it.

I had to do it.

He was going to kill you.

- Jerry. We have to get

rid of the body.

- No, I can't, I...

- Now listen to me! Calm down!

Listen to me! Just a minute!

Just breathe, stay

with me, baby.

Stay with me. Listen.

Sit down here.

Sit down, sit down, sit down.

Shh. It's okay.

Now...

I have a blanket

in my truck.

I'm going to get the blanket.

Do you hear me?

And I'm going to wrap up the body

and you need to go find a place,

somewhere up there.

Just go up there and find a

spot, I'll wrap him up.

Okay? Just calm down.

Come on. Give me the gun.

Come on.

Okay. Okay, it's okay,

it's okay, it's okay.

- Ah!

[ Yelling ]

- Okay... I cleaned out

his pockets.

We have to get rid of

this stuff somewhere else.

- All right.

- Okay.

[ Gasping ]

My God!...

[ Heavy breathing ]

- Aaah! God!

What the hell

have I done?

- [Rebecca]:

I'll take my car.

You take Schaeffer's.

Okay?

- Yeah.

- I'm sure his address

is in his wallet.

We'll meet back at his house

and leave his car there.

Just be careful

with your fingerprints.

Jerry... you saved my life.

We'll have to leave

the country.

Did you hear me?

- Rebecca, I can't think

about this right now.

- Well, look: we can't

just sit around, we need

to have a plan.

- Seems like our plans

don't work out too well.

- It's only a matter of time

before they find the body.

- So?

- So?

- So there's nothing

to connect him to us.

- What about

the photographs?

Don't you think, when

they find the body,

that the police are

gonna search his house?

What if the photographs are

inside his house?

- All right, okay. So...

we'll go in, we'll find

the photographs

and the negatives. There

won't be any connection.

God! None of this had to happen,

had he just taken the money!

- I'm just glad we didn't

transfer the money

into his account.

That would have been

a real waste.

What?

- I just killed somebody.

You're talking

about saving money?

- I'm just saying...

after what's happened,

I'm just happy we didn't

give him a dime.

Let's go.

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!

I don't know about this.

I don't know if we

should go in.

- We have to go in,

we have no choice.

- But... uh...

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

How do we know he lives

alone, huh?

Maybe someone's in there.

Wait... Ah...

- It's fine.

- Jerry! What are

you doing?

Do you want the police to know

that we've been here?

Pick that up.

Give me the keys.

Jerry.

- Aaah!

Ah!

- Here you go.

Bingo!

[ Sighing ]

- What?

- Jerry, we need to talk.

- You know, Shannon, this

really, really isn't a good

time for me, okay?

- You ever returned

any of my phone calls.

Didn't you get the envelope

I sent you?

- Envelope?

- You know what

I'm talking about.

The support agreement.

You promised

to send me a check

each month until

the divorce is finalized.

- That is what you came

here for?

- The mortgage is due, I've got

bills to pay, and you won't

return my phone calls!

- I sent you the check.

- I was supposed to have it

a week ago.

- Well, I am not responsible for

the mail service, Shannon.

- I can't pay my bills

with promises, Jerry!

- Well, what are you saying:

I didn't send it?

- No! I'm saying:

I don't have it!

I'm saying that you promised

me something and once again--

- Oh! Will you shut up?!!

I mean, you know what

your problem is?

That you are oblivious

to other people's moods!

I mean, have you noticed

that I am just a little bit

on edge here?

No! You can't! Because

it has always been

about what you want

whenever you want it, without

any regard for anybody else!

- What is happening

to you, Jerry?

- I'm just expressing my anger.

- Are you taking

your medication?

- What? So suddenly, you care?

Oh, of course, you care.

'Cause you need money!

Everybody cares about Jerry

now that he's got money.

- It's not

your money, Jerry.

It's our money.

Believe me, I earned it.

- No... I earned it!

I am the one who went

to work every day

for 10 years while you played

with your cameras!

I am the one who kissed

ass for 10 years while

you stayed home

watching soap operas and

reading magazines!

So don't tell me you earned it,

because you didn't.

I did!

- I don't know

what's going on with you.

But I do know I don't

need this crap.

I just want

to get on with my life.

I've been fair

with you, Jerry,

after everything

you've done.

I just want you

to be the same.

I'm going up to the lake on

Monday to shoot some pictures

after we sign

the settlement papers.

If you want to put a stop

payment on the check

you already sent, fine.

But I want you to write me

another one... right now

so I can put it

in the night deposit.

- All right. Fine.

- [Radio]:

Today's weather calls

for mostly cloudy skies

throughout most of the day

with a drop in temperature

in the afternoon.

It looks like more of the same

for tomorrow.

So all in all, not a great

weekend weatherwise.

And now for the CLXA news.

Sheriff's deputies have

reported finding a body

buried in a shallow grave

in the canyon this morning.

They have yet to release the

identity, pending notification

of the family.

In other news today,

government--

[ He bangs on the counter. ]

- Shoots!

Ah!

- Dr. Reilly's office.

- Yeah, hi! This is

Jerry Dennings.

I am a patient of Dr. Reilly's.

Could I speak to him please?

- I'm sorry. Dr. Reilly is

unavailable for the weekend.

- What do you mean,

he is unavailable?

- He can't be reached.

- This is kind of an

emergency, so...

- He's referring all his calls

to Dr. Graham.

- Yeah, but I don't want

to speak to Dr. Graham. I want

to speak to Dr. Reilly!

- I'm sorry, sir.

I have no way of contacting him.

- Hmm!...

- Hi! This is Rebecca. Leave a

message and I'll call you back.

- Meet me at the cabin. Noon.

[ Sighing nervously ]

Jeez! Where the hell are you?

[ Phone ringing ]

Hello.

- Jerry, it's me. I'm outside.

- I'm busy, Shannon.

- Jerry, you forgot to sign

the check you gave me.

- Shannon, I said I'm busy.

- I'm coming up.

- Dammit!

Ah!

- You look horrible.

- Thanks!

- Jerry, I don't want

to be a drag.

I just want to get through

this divorce as painlessly

as possible.

- Painless divorce.

Isn't that an oxymoron?

- I'm worried about you.

- Ah! Why?

'Cause I lost

my temper last night?

- Have you spoken

to Dr. Reilly lately?

- I can't actually,

he's unavailable.

- I think you need

to speak to somebody.

Does he have a colleague?

- Yeah.

What? You think

I should speak to him?

- You've been under

a lot of pressure the

last few months.

- Ha!... That is for sure.

Well, okay, I'll speak to him,

I'll speak to him.

- Do you mean it?

- Yes, absolutely, absolutely.

First thing Monday morning.

Look, uh...

I'm going to get

an iced tea, do you want one?

- Do you have any soda?

- No.

- What have you got?

- Iced tea!

- Iced tea is fine.

It's a nice place.

One bedroom?

- Two. Two bedrooms.

One for me...

and one... for me.

Oh! Damn!

- Make sure you get

it all out.

You'll have ants if you don't.

Ha!... Look, I said everything

I have to say.

I know you have things to do.

[ She walks out. ]

- Bitch!

- Jerry.

- Where the hell were you?

- What are you talking about?

- Didn't you get my message?

- Uh, no. I just got in.

- What? You're on vacation,

you don't check your messages?

- I'm sorry, I got hung up.

What's going on?

- I needed you.

- Jerry, I'm sorry.

I should have checked.

It was stupid.

- I can't take

this crap anymore.

- Jerry, look...

If I knew you needed me,

I would have been there.

I'm sorry. What's up?

Hmm?...

- When I got back

from the lake,

somebody put the blanket that

we buried Schaeffer in,

in my apartment.

- What?

- And...

this came in

this morning.

- I don't understand.

- Okay, I'll explain it to you.

It's that Schaeffer wasn't

acting alone.

He had a partner who

photographed the whole

damn thing.

It is my worst frickin'

nightmare!

- So what do we do, Jerry?

What do we do?

- We don't have

the choice, we gotta go.

- Go where? Where?

- Mexico. We'll go

to Mexico for now.

- Okay.

- So I want you

to go to the lake tonight.

And I'm going to go to

the bank in the morning,

I'll get the money and

meet you there.

- Okay.

- Okay.

- [Lawyer]:

Apparently,

your husband had

the settlement agreement

worded very artfully.

By the terms

of the contract,

he was not awarded

the money for damages

prior to your separation.

- Well, I don't understand.

- The award for damages was

based on future loss

of earnings.

The law states that once

you are legally separated,

your spouse is

not entitled to share

in any future earnings.

- Are you telling me I'm not

getting anything?

- If you accept the offer,

you'll get the house,

half of all assets acquired

prior to the separation,

but none of

the settlement money.

- And he can get away

with this?

- We can fight it,

but it's going to be

very difficult

to make a case against him.

- Well, can't we say

that he...

separated from me to avoid

his responsibilities?

- We can say anything we want.

Proving it is another matter.

- No, no, no, no.

That is not right.

- The law is on his side.

- And who's on my side?

- Shannon, I understand

how you feel. But--

- No you don't.

You don't understand at all

how I feel.

- I only meant, I can understand

how angry you are.

- I am so tired of letting him

screw up my life.

That bastard...

I won't let him get away

with this.

- All right then.

I'll meet you at the end

of the counter.

- Thank you.

[ He's out of breath. ]

- You got it.

- I got it.

Our plane leaves at 4:00.

- And where are we going?

- Mexico City.

We can disappear from there.

Ha!...

- I'm sorry it has to be

this way, Jerry.

- What are you doing?

- Exactly what

it looks like I'm doing.

- I don't understand.

- You weren't supposed to.

- Oh no... You cannot do this.

- I can. It's done.

- No...

- And don't go making this

any more difficult

than it needs to be.

You're not a well man, Jerry.

Something like this could just

push you right over the edge.

- Ah!

- Ah!

- I gave up everything for you.

Everything, I killed for you!

- Now what?

- Now what?

Well, I'm a man on the edge,

remember?

Why don't you give me one reason

why I shouldn't blow

your head off?

[ Cocking a gun. ]

- Well... 'cause then yours

will be blown off.

Drop the gun, Jerry.

- I killed you.

- I don't think so.

- Well... I buried you.

- Not me. It was Donald,

the asshole.

It was your buddy Donald.

He was a clever kid,

a little too clever. But in

the end, he worked into the

plan nicely.

[Frank]: I want you to meet me

during lunch tomorrow.

I need you to do

something for me.

Yep! This looks like

a good place.

- For what?

- [Rebecca]: No!

[Whispering]: He's gone.

- Why me?

- Think about it, Jerry.

If she filed a lawsuit,

harassment against me,

what would she get?

I'm not married,

I make $60,000 a year.

You were perfect.

You're married, house,

career, stock options.

Ha! Ha! Ha!

- Rebecca...

- Oh, Rebecca. You figured

you got something special

going on with her?

Yeah... She's good at that,

isn't she?

- Don't worry, Jerry, we're

not going to kill you.

We're just going to leave you

here without your car keys,

put out the phones.

By the time you get out,

we'll be long gone.

- So let's go, Jerry.

Let's go, get on it.

Get out of here!

You know, you are a tougher

nut to crack than we

thought, Jerry.

All we wanted you to do

is to run so we can get

to the money, uh?

But you're a little

stubborn, aren't you?

Just stay there.

- What if I want you to kill me?

- Is that what you want?

- Yeah, that's what I want!

- This guy's nuts!

- You tell me what

I've got to live by.

You want to go, then

you've got to kill me.

- Let's go, Frank, come on.

- Now what?! You think you're

just going to walk out of here,

and that's the end of it? No.

You've got to shoot me.

Shoot me.

Come on, shoot me!

- Shoot him.

- Yeah, come on, do it.

The cops are going

to find my dead body.

You're gone, so is

the money, and you two

are going to be running

for the rest of your lives.

- Come on, Frank. Shoot him.

- Ah!

- Ah!

- Frank!

- Aaah!

- [Rebecca]: Ah!

- Aaah!

- Ah!

- Ah!

- You bastard.

- Ah!

[ Gunshot ]

- Ah!

- Ah... Thank God, Shannon,

you're here.

Help me up.

Shannon. Ah... Ah...

- Miss Dennings,

tell me again

why you went up

to the lake house.

- I just wanted

to get away for a while.

- Have you ever met

Miss Walker before?

- No.

- But you knew

who she was.

- Yes.

- And you have no idea why she

and Mr. Schaeffer went up there?

- No.

- You know, I don't think she

knows anything more than

she's telling.

- We'll probably never know

what happened.

- I figure Walker felt wronged,

so she talked Schaeffer into

following Dennings

up to the lake house

for a little payback.

Then it all went to crap.

Look, I'm sorry we had

to put you through that.

- I understand.

- Are you going to be okay?

- Yeah.

- It's a rough one.

- Yeah. Can you imagine what's

going on in her head?

If she just crossed the room

a few seconds faster,

maybe she could have helped

her husband up before he fell.

Closed captioning:

Technicolor,

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