Dead Silence (2007) - full transcript

You fixed it yet?

Just a couple more minutes.

You said that an hour ago.

- I promised to make you dinner, right?
- Yeah.

Well, I'm making you a gourmet dinner.

Trust me. It'll be worth the wait.

Surrender.

Surrender to the wonders of takeout.

I knew this was coming.

'Cause when your fingers dial
those seven little numbers,

it really turns me on.



Is that the best you can come up with?

Yeah.

Wow. You are fast.

Who was it?

I don't know.

It doesn't even say where it's from.

Well, there's one way to find out.

Oh, Jamie, you adopted us a baby.

A baby? Have you seen this thing?

- Well, who would send you a doll?
- I have no idea.

There's no card, no note.

His eyes look so real.

"I don't know
about you, but Lisa's hungry for Chinese."

I think my wife's gone crazy.



Oh, my God! This reminds me of
that poem from when we were kids.

What poem?

You remember. Come on.

That old ghost story about the woman
who had all those dolls.

"Beware the stare of Mary Shaw

"She had no children, only dolls..."

And something, something scary.

Something, something... Boo!

I think you're having just
a little too much fun there, Lisa.

Oh, baby, I won't let
the scary dummy hurt you.

Thank you. Thank you.

If you get Jamie to scream,

I'll make sure you get seven minutes
in heaven with my old Barbie. Deal?

"Yes, Lisa."

God, I'm such a loser.

Good boy.

Jamie?

Baby, I'm back.

Lisa! What are you trying to do?
Burn the place down?

Lisa?

Oh, Lisa.

I'm in here.

Dinner in bed again.

Lisa!

Yes, Jamie?

What's going on?

- I have a surprise for you, Jamie.
- ...for you, Jamie.

Lisa, this is not funny!

The strange thing is
she's got no defensive wounds.

Now, if somebody was trying to turn my face
into a jack-o'-lantern,

I'd be fighting back a little.

Yeah, but then you always have been
a little feisty, my girl.

- Ligature marks?
- Not a one.

- What about...
- Drugs?

That's a gift. I think the words here
and they come out there.

Preliminary results say no.

But the final tox results
won't be in for 48 hours.

Personally, I think only someone
high as a kite would kill his wife

and then pose her as a mannequin.

But the weirdest thing is her face.
I've never seen anything like it.

You know what it was? Your mistake?

It was the rose.

Yep. Boy, I'll tell you,

if I had a dollar for every time
some guy gave his wife a rose

on the day that he, you know...

Like that's an alibi.

Alibi?

I didn't hear you. Did you say something?

Why would I need an alibi?

I'm sure your lawyer
would want you to have one.

- My lawyer?
- Yeah.

I mean, the prosecution,
they're going to have your fingerprints,

no signs of forced entry on your apartment,

and you as the last person
to see your wife alive.

I mean, that's a lot to go up against.

- You think I killed my wife?
- Excuse me?

Do you think I killed my wife?

No. No, I don't think you did.

I'm just trying to help your lawyer out.

I mean, he's going to need
something more concrete.

I mean, at least to shift the suspicion
away from you.

Suspicion?
I mean, if you want to talk suspicion,

why don't you start by looking at
the package that turned up on my doorstep?

Oh, yeah. That package, right.

Let's see.
You received an unmarked package

just moments before Lisa was killed.

Yeah. A package containing
a ventriloquist dummy.

Ventriloquist dummy. Yeah.

Well, the mystery toy department
is down the hall.

This is the homicide department.

So unless you can tell me how some puppet

ties into your wife's murder,
I don't see the relevance.

ln the town where I'm from,

a ventriloquist dummy is a bad omen.

It's kind of a local legend,

and some people believe that the dummy
brings death to those around them.

Okay.

Well, Jamie,

I've never arrested a dummy
for murder before.

But I have arrested quite a few husbands.

You don't think it's weird
that this package arrives

- right before Lisa is killed?
- No, I'll tell you what I think is weird.

You said that your wife spoke to you
just moments before you found her, right?

- Yeah.
- Yeah. But she didn't have a tongue.

ln fact, according to you,
she was already dead.

Now, see, to me, that's weird.

So, what're you going to do? Arrest me?

Not yet.

Look, you can go, Ashen.

You're a free man for now.

Good.

It'll give me more time
to do your job for you.

Jamie!

I'm so sorry for your loss.

But I'm so glad to have you home.

My Lord, you must think I'm so rude.

We haven't even been introduced.

I'm Ella.

I'm...

Well, I guess I'm your stepmother.

- Is he in?
- Yes, he is.

- Please come in.
- Thanks.

There are some things
that you need to know about your father.

I know everything I need to.

Ella! Who's down there with you?

Your father won't fight you, Jamie.
He doesn't fight anyone, not anymore.

Well, then you're not married to my father.

Ella!

I can hear you.

Goddamn chair is stuck.

Here, Edward, let me help you.

My son. What a pleasant surprise.

- What happened to you?
- Your father had a stroke two months ago.

- Why didn't anybody tell me?
- You never return my calls.

It's because I never know
what to say to you.

I take it I wasn't the easiest person
to get along with in the past,

- but I've changed.
- Really?

Yes. A stroke can do that to a man.

Listen, I'm sorry about your wife.

I hear you've brought her home.

- Yeah.
- Don't worry.

I'll call Henry Walker,
make the arrangements.

No, that's okay, I can take care of it.

Jamie, please.
As your father, it's the least I can do.

You've done the least you can do
my whole life.

It's too late for charity now.

Is that why you've come here,

to remind me what a bad father
I've been to you?

ln light of what has happened,
I was hoping we could put that in the past.

I didn't come to talk about that, I...

I came to ask you something.

Do you remember when I was a kid,
Mom used to read me a poem?

Do you remember what it was?

What poem?

"Beware the stare of Mary Shaw

"She had no children, only dolls

"And if you see her in your dreams..."

"Be sure you never, ever scream"

You know it?

It's just a scary poem parents would
tell their kids to keep them in line.

No. It's more than just a ghost story.
And the adults believed in it, as well.

We live in a small town, Jamie.

Small minds breed
small-minded superstitions.

That's all. There's nothing else to tell.

- Nothing?
- Edward,

your son has been through a lot.

Why don't we make up a room for him?

No, that's okay. I'm not staying long.

I got a funeral to prepare.

Jamie, Jamie!

Jamie! Please wait.

- Won't you stay the night here?
- It was nice meeting you, Ella.

Your father's changed.
He's not the same man that you remember.

Really?

You see that?

Mom used to be in that picture with us,
until he drove her to kill herself.

Had his second wife in that one there.

But she was smart enough to leave.

So, it's a good thing
you're going to outlive him, lady.

There'll be no one to paint you out.

What more?

What more do you want from me?

Peck, peck, peck, peck, peck, peck.

I must say I was deeply saddened
to hear the news.

If you're up to it, I can walk you through
the various casket options we have.

Or we can do it later.

It's okay. Let's... Let's do it now.

Okay. Now, I don't know
what your preferences are.

Have you spoken to her family yet?

Only once.
We didn't really talk about casket choices.

When is she arriving?

Tonight.

Once the police have released her body,
then I'll pick her up.

Oh, I'll need you to fill out these forms,
at your convenience.

Jamie.

Jamie!

No, it can't be.

Marion?

Marion, is that you?

Marion, I told you
not to go down there anymore.

- The silent time's here.
- Now, come out of there and go to bed.

She's here now.

- I know it.
- Marion,

I don't have time to play games.

She won't find me down here.

Marion, I'm not going to ask you again.

Let's go. Come on, come on.

You just shush now.

- The silent time is here.
- Go on.

Go on up. I'll be up later.

Did you see her? Did you?

When she killed your wife?
Did you see her do it?

Killed my wife? What are you talking about?

"Beware the stare of Mary Shaw

"She had no children, only dolls

"And if you see her in your dreams..."

Marion!

She's here. No one's safe.

- No one's safe.
- Come, Marion.

- Marion, you leave him alone.
- No one's safe.

- This is not the time.
- What's she talking about?

I'm sorry, Jamie.
She doesn't know what she's saying.

She's here!

Come. I'm going to take you home now.
Let's go, let's go. Come on.

You must bury the doll!
Bury the doll!

Leave him alone, leave him alone. Come on.

Marion, we'll go home now.

Who dug you up?

Thought I asked you not to leave the city.

I came to bury my wife.
You got a problem with that?

Nope.

Problem is, she's not the only one
that you came to bury.

So, you've been following me now?

You know, Jamie, you really are forcing me

to use the word "perplexed"
an awful lot lately.

You mind telling me what the hell that is?

Okay. Since you don't want to answer
my questions,

maybe you'd like to answer his.

"Why did you bury me, Jamie?

"Is it because I'm evidence
in a capital crime,

"a crime that you are
the number one suspect in?"

You understand what I'm saying here?

It's like I told you before.

The night Lisa was murdered,
somebody sent it to me.

It just arrived on our doorstep.

So, why'd you bury it?

It came from that cemetery.
I was just putting it back.

ln the cemetery?

There's an old ghost story around here
about a woman named Mary Shaw.

She was buried with her doll collection.

Now, the story goes, "If you ever see her,
make sure you never scream."

Or what?

Or you end up without a tongue.

I guess your wife didn't listen, then, huh?

- You son of a...
- Hey! Hey!

Settle down, Jamie.

Let's not add assaulting an officer
to your list of offenses here.

So you're trying to tell me
that a ghost killed your wife?

- I don't know, I don't know.
- What do you know?

I do know whoever sent this to me

either knows who killed my wife
or did it themselves.

That's a theory.

I'm going to go.

And I hope you don't mind me
taking our little friend here with me,

seeing as he's evidence and all.

Great.

Good night, neighbor.

Neighbor?

Sleep tight.

You know, I noticed
you have very smooth skin.

What's your secret?

Well, that never works for me.

Friend of yours?

You said Mary Shaw killed my wife.

Why would you say that?

Marion.

Marion, please!

- Yes, I know, I know...
- What do you know about Mary Shaw?

I didn't say anything! I...

You're... You're not supposed to have that.

- Where did you get that?
- Maybe you can tell me.

- It's hers!
- Who? Mary Shaw's?

We don't say her name around here.

You don't say her name.
Well, why don't you try, huh?

It might just help me find out
who killed my wife.

There are things you remember,
and there are things you can't forget.

Like the look on that woman's face
when she died.

Her name was Mary Shaw,
the ventriloquist who lost her voice.

Back when I was a boy,
those were the glory days of Ravens Fair,

and the town built itself a grand old theater,

the Guignol Theater, out on Lost Lake.

I only ever went there once.

Ladies and gentlemen,
prepare to be astounded.

Prepare to be amazed.

Witness Mary Shaw give life
to the boy made of wood.

Where is Billy?

Billy!

Where are you, Billy?

You won't find me, Mother!

I knew you were hiding out there!

You, there!

Could you check under your seat for me?

He's here!

Would you mind bringing him to me?

Good boy.

Say thank you.

Thank you, Henry.

Is that right, young man?

Is your name Henry?

Well, I guess my boy's had his eye on you.

Now, why did you run away, Billy?

Don't I treat you well?

Oh, yes, you're the best mother
I could ever hope for!

It's just that it gets so dusty
inside that little box,

it makes me want to...

- Want to what?
- Want to...

Want to...

Oh, Billy!

You sneezed all over my shoe!

I'm sorry, Mother. I can't help it.

I can see your lips moving!

What?

- Who said that?
- I did. I can see it.

Her lips are moving.

What do you say to that, Billy?

Young Michael here
doesn't think you're a real person!

- What do you mean, Mother?
- He thinks you're a dummy,

and that I'm doing your voice for you.

But that can't be true!

There's no way you'd give me
all the good lines!

Forget about him, Billy!

There will always be doubters!

I don't want to forget, Mother!

I think we should show this boy
just how real I am.

- I'm just as real as him!
- No.

I'm afraid we must go on with the show.

No! I'm as real as you are, and I'll show you!

- Leave him alone, Billy!
- I'll show him what it's like, Mother!

- Listen to me! That's enough!
- I'm as real as you!

- No more!
- Bring him up here!

Now who's the dummy?

Some weeks later,
that disbelieving little boy went missing.

Gone without a trace.

But I always felt that Mary Shaw
played some role in it.

And not long after that, she was murdered.

- Who killed her?
- No one ever found out.

ln her will, Mary stated that her dummies
were to be buried with her,

her children, as she called them.

All one hundred and one of them.

Her body was brought
to my father's mortuary,

so he could begin work
on her other final request.

Not only did she ask to be buried
with her dolls,

she asked to become a doll herself.

Henry, are you all right?

Ever since she was buried,
Ravens Fair has been plagued by death,

families murdered.

They were found without their tongues.

Posed in family portraits.

Your wife's is the last.

How could you take these pictures?

No, I have to take pictures.
It's part of my business.

Who would have dug up the dummy
and sent it to me?

I don't know.

No one in this town dares speak
Mary Shaw's name,

let alone go near her grave.

They know she won't stop killing
until the screaming does.

You said she lived out
at that old theater, right?

- The one on Lost Lake?
- Jamie!

Jamie, please!

Please be careful.

If you go looking for answers,
you just might find them.

That's what I'm counting on.

Morning, Mary.

I'm just going to go check in on the kids.

Mama! Mama! Mama.

What do you want with him?
What is it?

What do you want?
We did what you wanted.

We put you in there with your family,
all together.

- Why can't you just leave us alone?
- Why won't you?

I didn't do anything!

Yes, you did. You talked.

I didn't talk! I didn't!

I didn't say anything! I didn't!

Hey!

Say something.

Why have you gone so quiet?

I'm putting you back where you belong,
once and for all!

- He talked to me!
- Stop it!

He did, he talked to me, he talked to me.

Marion?

Marion, I'm sorry I yelled at you.

Marion?

You don't have to hide anymore.

This will all be over soon.

Marion?

Marion, now you come on out now!

Marion?

Marion, open the door.

Marion! Come on, no games, Marion!

Open the door!

Marion, open this door, please! Marion!

Hello, Henry!

Oh, my God.

Your voice is mine now, Henry.

Jamie, you're just in time for dinner.

- I'm not hungry.
- It's soup.

- Delicious, too, if I must say so myself.
- I'll vouch for that.

I didn't come here to eat, I came to talk

about Mary Shaw.

- You lied to me.
- No, I didn't.

- Sit down.
- No, I want the truth.

What does Michael Ashen and our family
have to do with Mary Shaw?

Fine.

When he was a boy,

your great-uncle, Michael Ashen,
vanished without a trace.

For our family,
there was only ever one suspect,

Mary Shaw.

So, they dealt their own justice.

They forced her to scream.

Then cut out her tongue.

- Our family killed her?
- Along with others from Ravens Fair.

But she didn't stay dead.

She came back and took her revenge.

One by one,
each of the men involved were killed.

Their tongues ripped out.

And then the same thing
happened to their wives.

And then their children.

And their children's children.

All these years you've resented me
for sending you away,

but I did it to distance you from this curse.

Distance?

Well, it found Lisa!

Lisa's death made me realize
we can't run from our fate.

Spirits have long memories.

She'll come for us in the end.

- Now I'm paying for the sins of my fathers.
- Jamie, I'm sorry.

All I ever meant to do was to protect you,
even if it earned your hatred.

I don't know how, but one way or another,

I'm going to stop this thing.

Please, Son!

Well, hey, there!

I was wondering if you could help me
with a missing person's case.

Wait.

I'm looking for a male, brown hair,
he's around this tall,

sometimes seen with a hand up his ass.

Actually, his brothers and sisters
have just gone missing, too.

- What are you talking about?
- Somebody dug them up.

All one hundred of them.

What I want to know is who did it and why.

So do I!

Don't give me some ghost story
about a woman who kills you if you scream,

because nobody in this town
has ever heard of Mary Shaw

- or your little fairy tale.
- They're lying!

- They're afraid!
- Afraid of what?

Afraid of ghosts?

Or are they afraid of talking to the cop
who's investigating your wife's murder?

They have no reason to protect me.

But they believe in Mary Shaw.

That's why they won't answer
your stupid questions.

No, it's you who won't answer
my questions, Jamie.

That's why I'm going to arrest you
for stealing evidence.

Then I'm going to sit you down,
and you will...

What do you want me to tell you?

Something less perplexing
than a ghost story. Come on.

Jamie, is everything all right?

It's for you. They said it was urgent.

Go ahead.

- Hello?
- Jamie.

Who is this?

Jamie?

Henry?

- I can prove it.
- Henry, I can't hear you, you're breaking up.

I can prove it.

I can...you didn't kill her.

There's a way, at the theater.

Meet me at the theater. It's on Lost Lake.

Yeah, I know where it is.

Now, Jamie.

Henry, wait! What have you found?

Henry! Henry!

That was Henry Walker
from the funeral home.

He says he can prove I didn't kill my wife.

Convenient time for him to call. Let's go.

Wait, wait, wait.
I'm going to meet him at the theater.

- That's where I'm going.
- No, you're going with me.

Your appointment with me comes first.

You wanted answers.
I'm giving you answers.

Camp is over.
I'm done with the ghost stories. Let's go.

Listen, we're talking
about my wife here. Come on.

Do us both a favor, Jamie.

Don't make me cuff you
in front of your mom.

Jamie!

Jamie. Jamie!

Hey, you don't want to make me chase you!

Jamie!

I don't have a full tank of gas!

Jamie!

Henry?

Jamie!

Hello?

Where are you?

Henry?

Henry!

Henry?

Come on, Jamie. I'm up here.

I'm coming, Jamie.

God damn it.

Jamie?

I know you're here.

I'm in here.

Henry?

- Henry?
- Guess again.

He's here.

Nobody's here.
Our boats were the only two out there.

- Listen, I'm telling you he's here!
- And I'm telling you

he is not here!

Yes, he is.

If you say I told you so, I'll shoot you.

Where the hell are you?

Hang on to this for a second.

Where are you going?

Remember, whatever happens,

don't scream.

Jamie. Jamie?

Jamie?

Jamie!

You follow me.

Yes, sir.

All right, Jamie, where is he?

You know, if I see one more of these...

They're all here.

Yep.

All home.

Someone brought them back here.

All but one.

What?

What the hell is that?

Is that a doll?

It's not a doll.

It's a boy.

You mean, it was a boy.

- It's me.
- All right, I get it.

I think we just solved a 70-year-old
missing person's case.

Who was that?

A long-lost relative.

This is how it starts.

What's going on here, Jamie?

Jamie.

What the...

Mary Shaw?

Cleνer.

Who's there?

Show yourself!

Come out!

What do you want?

To silence all those who silenced me.

Is that why you killed Michael Ashen?

So hard to construct

the perfect doll.

Sometimes you have to use existing parts.

"I love you, Mommy. I love you, Mommy."

"I love you.

"I love you, Mommy."

Why Lisa?

Why did you take her from me?

Come closer and I'll tell you.

Don't go back there. Don't.

Come on, come on. Don't go.

Come closer.

I'll whisper it to you.

You weren't the last Ashen.

The last Ashen was inside her.

Don't scream.

The doll!

What the hell's going on here, Jamie?

- What's going on?
- She's living in the dolls!

- What?
- She's living in the dolls!

- Destroy the dolls!
- I am!

All of the dolls!

Jamie! Run!

Come on!

One left.

Henry!

Please. Please.

Please.

Please say

- something.
- Shit.

Marion. Marion, listen to me.
Where is the dummy?

- He took it.
- Who took it?

- Who took it?
- Mr. Ashen.

Mr...

Marion, my father is in a wheelchair.

He never leaves the house.

He left this house. He had the doll.

It was him.

Why did you bury me, Jamie?

I'm in here!

Dad?

I take it I wasn't the easiest person
to get along with in the past,

but I've changed.

Jamie!

- Soup! Delicious, too.
- I'II vouch for that.

Jamie, I can prove you didn't kill her.

Jamie! So glad to have you home.

Now who's the dummy?

No!

"Beware the stare of Mary Shaw

"She had no children, only dolls

"And if you see her in your dreams

"Be sure you never, ever, scream"