Dragonfly (1976) - full transcript
A man, recently released from a mental hospital, tries to track down his family.
[STRIKING BELL]
[MAN YELLING INDISTINCTLY]
[YELLING INDISTINCTLY]
Leave me alone.
[INDISTINCT YELLING]
[ALL SHOUTING LOUDLY]
[CONTINUES STRIKING BELL]
[MAN SOBBING]
[SHRILL RINGING]
That's it for today.
And clean up, please.
[CLAPPING] The concert's
over, Mr. Haviland.
[RINGING]
Well?
Yes.
Yes?
The committee says
you may leave.
When?
We didn't discuss that.
When would you like?
-Tonight.
-Tonight?
I wouldn't advise that, Jesse.
It'll be dark soon.
Wouldn't it be better
if you left in daylight?
Yes, Dr. Leo.
You wouldn't like to tell me
where it is you're going,
would you?
I don't know where I'm going.
Or who it is
you're looking for.
I've got to find
the dragonfly.
There isn't any dragonfly.
You know that, don't you?
Listen.
Wherever you go,
try to find the easier places.
I know.
I mean,
stay quiet as much as you can.
At least at first.
If a crowd gathers, cross
to the other
side of the street.
What if there is
no other side?
There's always another side.
I don't want you to go out
there and isolate yourself,
you know that.
[SIGHING]
But things can get violent,
and if you can keep
your distance...
Oh, well, have I succeeded
in scaring you half to death?
Yes, Dr. Leo.
You keep in touch.
ANNOUNCER ON RADIO:
Tom Seaver pitched
a first rate game
last night at Shea.
But it wasn't good enough
for Cincinnati Reds,
who're the hottest team
in baseball right now,
leading two to one
to keep their lead
in the West, over Los Angeles,
in an incredible 12
and a half games.
Meantime, out in Chicago,
the Yankees
blew a double-hitter
into the Chicago White Sox.
The Sox took the first game
four to three,
and then came back to win
the second, one to nothing.
The twin defeat
drops the Yankees
into a tie for second
with the Baltimore Orioles.
And they are both
eight games behind
the surging Boston Red Sox...
Excuse me.
[SPORTS NEWS CONTINUING]
Excuse me.
They told me the Danbury bus
stops here?
Well, if that's what
they told you.
Is that it?
You said it stops here.
That's what you said.
I didn't say
nothing of the sort.
Could you tell me,
is there still
a street called Flower Street?
One south that way,
and two to your left.
Thank you.
I'm looking for some people
named Arlington.
Harriet and Walter Arlington.
You wouldn't know...
Nobody by that name
lives here.
You wouldn't know
where they moved to,
-would you?
-No.
We bought from Emory.
People name Emory.
-Two years ago.
-Emory?
No.
WOMAN: You, er... Looking
for whites or blacks?
White people, yes.
Haven't been no white people
living here since...
Earl!
Earl!
How long's it been
since there's
been whites here?
EARL: [DRAWLING] Oh, shit!
He says, he don't know.
[LOUD FIGHTING
IN THE DISTANCE]
Thank you.
JESSE: You don't
remember Arlington?
How long have you
worked as a librarian?
For 30 years.
-Then you worked
at the old library.
-Yes, I did.
They were all
readers in the family.
-All readers.
-Shh!
[SOFTLY] Everybody had a card.
All of us.
Arlington.
You don't remember them?
I told you, no!
I'm sorry.
Thanks.
Hi. What would you like?
-Everything.
-Sure.
You take your time.
I'll wait on Howard, here.
My name's not Howard.
My name's Michael Popcorn.
Michael Popcorn,
what a nice name.
Fifty cents.
I wouldn't decide too soon.
You might make a mistake
you'll regret
the rest of your life.
I'll have one of those.
Okay. It's 40 cents.
-And two of those.
-A dollar, even.
And one of each of those.
-This?
-Yeah, this, this, and this.
Okay. You want me
to give you a bag for these?
-No, thank you.
-I mean,
-for after the show?
-No.
[CHUCKLING] Well, how are
you going to carry all this?
-In my pockets.
-In your pockets?
Yes. You better give me
four of those.
-Yeah, I want...
-In your pockets?
...candy everywhere,
in all my pockets.
I want candy
in every pocket.
Okay, hold it?
That's four, eight,
nine, 10, 12.
Sixteen. That's $4.90.
[TV IN BACKGROUND]
Come on, Eddie.
-Come on, Eddie, let's go.
-Move it! Let's go!
All right, I'm trying.
We gotta get out of here.
Let's go.
[INDISTINCT YELLING]
[GUNSHOTS]
-MAN: Hang on!
-WOMAN: Get the police!
Get the police!
Watch it!
[LOUD ACTION CONTINUING]
What's the matter with him?
CHLOE: I don't know.
What is he, drunk?
On what? Candy bars?
[RETCHING SOFTLY]
Hey, Mister, you
gonna be sick?
Take him down
to the men's room.
What? Mess up the men's room?
[SCOFFS] Let him
get sick outside.
Come on. Mister.
Don't be a crud. Take him
up to the men's room.
Come on, Mister.
Let go of him. Come on.
-Come on.
-Come on.
You can't go into no
men's room, Chloe.
You ain't allowed
in no men's room.
Shut up, Howard!
And you can't go
into no ladies' room neither,
because what if
there's a woman in there?
And what if he vomits
all over the floor,
who's gonna clean it up?
You know who?
You. So...
Don't you let him puke.
Don't you let him puke.
Don't do that.
That's a bad position for you.
If you lean forward like that,
you're gonna
bring it all up again.
Come on.
Here, sit down.
[MOANING]
Don't lean forward!
If anything, lean back
a little bit.
Well, not too far back.
Haven't you ever
thrown up before?
No.
I don't remember.
Gee, when I was a kid,
that was my main activity.
Fight with my sister
and throw up.
Here, put your feet up here.
There.
-Thank you.
-Sure.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Look, I don't want to rush you
or anything, but, uh...
I'll clean up and go.
No, no,
no, stay right where you are
until you're sure you're okay.
Really, I... I wouldn't even
mention it,
except pretty soon,
Mr. Valenti will be here.
He owns the place,
and he comes around this time
to make the collection,
and well, this room is for
employees, only you know.
Right away, yes.
CLIFFORD:
Did he eat all 16 of them?
How could he
in such a short time?
[LAUGHING] Listen, if a guy
is a creep for candy bars,
there's no telling how fast
he can get rid of 'em.
-That's a point worth taking.
-Mmm-hmm.
Er... Which can is he in?
-The men's or ladies'?
-Neither.
-The Employees' only.
-What?
What's wrong with that?
We never did that before.
[SIGHS] The next time
somebody eats 16 candy bars
and starts to puke,
we'll have a precedent.
[SIMPERING]
Good evening, Mr. Valenti.
Hello, dammit.
We gotta get him out of there.
Why? Who's he bothering?
Him.
He'll have another
attack of the shingles.
I... I'm gonna go get him.
No, I'll go.
Why not me?
-I don't want him to vomit.
-Wha...
CHLOE: Please,
will you come with me?
-No.
-Why?
I don't know.
Look, I've got my...
My car out there.
I could take you anywhere
you want to go.
Where do you live?
Are you afraid of something?
-Yes.
-Of what?
ls somebody after you?
In a way.
Not really, huh?
No.
I'll tell you what we'll do.
You come with me,
and stay real close to me,
and if anybody starts
to bother you, I'll...
I'll beat 'em up, okay?
No.
[SIGHING] Look, Howard, I...
I don't know who you are,
but there's
something about you.
I don't know...
It's kind.
So, I'm asking you
because you're a kind man.
Please don't get
me in trouble.
If you stay here,
I might lose my job.
Will you come with me?
Well, this is my car.
All paid for.
Do you like it?
No.
Well, you're an honest
son of a bitch, aren't you?
I suppose I am.
You didn't like my saying
son of a bitch,
though, did you?
No.
Okay. Well, get in.
Oh! Hey, wait a minute.
Where am I taking you?
I don't know.
What do you mean,
you don't know?
Where do you live?
I just came here.
From where?
A long way.
You mean you don't have
any place to go? No hotel?
You want me
to take you to the Y?
No.
Well, then where do you
want me to take you?
With you.
Slow down, Howard.
My name is Jesse.
So long, Jesse.
Hey, where you going?
In there.
What are you gonna do?
Sleep in there?
Yes.
You can't do that.
You'll get locked up.
What's the matter,
are you broke?
No. I've got money.
So why the hell won't you
let me take you to the Y?
Because I don't feel
like talking to anybody.
Well then, to hell with you!
Listen, you dumb bastard.
I can't take you with me.
I can't!
I don't even know who you are.
You night really be a rapist.
Or a strangler.
How the hell would I know?
I could wake up in the morning
with my throat cut.
You think I'm the kind
of jerk that's gonna
take a chance
with some stupid...
Jackass that buys
16 candy bars
and then starts
to hole up in a...
Starts...
Hey, hey.
Howard, what happened to...
Howard, where are you?
Hey, Howard.
Howard.
JESSE: I'm in here.
Well, come on,
get your ass in here.
It's only
a basement apartment.
This is where I live.
Uh...
Do you like it?
No.
Look, Howard, you're pushing
this honesty thing
just a little bit too far.
Now this is my home,
for God's sake.
Do you like it?
Yes.
You did better with the "no".
Take off your jacket.
Are... Are you hungry?
Do you want some liverwurst?
Don't have any bread.
But would you
like some liverwurst?
-I could spread
it on a pickle.
-No, thank you.
Then how about a beer?
I'm sorry, I don't
have anything else.
-Would you like a beer?
-No.
You're a little
chatterbox, aren't you?
Well then, come in. Sit down.
Take off your jacket.
No, thank you.
Look, Howard, I want
to tell you something.
You are giving me the fidgets.
Now I don't want you
to get the wrong impression.
I don't like a guy, who,
the minute you meet him,
comes onto you,
but on the other hand,
there's the guy
who all evening,
he's a million miles away.
And then suddenly,
it's 12:00 o'clock, and bang,
he has you in a half nelson.
Well, I hate that.
So if you have
any secret plans
about some surprise attack,
just look at my nails.
[SIGHING]
I'm sorry.
Please, would you
take your jacket off?
What shall I do with it?
Well, just put it any...
Oh, here, give it to me.
What have you got
in here, bricks?
Well...
I thought you ate all of it.
One, two, three...
Well, how many of these
do you have left?
I only ate one of them.
You only...
And it made you sick?
No. The movie.
-The movie made you sick?
-Yes.
[LAUGHING]
Wait till I tell Valenti.
He sure knows
how to pick 'em.
You mean really?
This man was shot in the back.
He was bleeding.
And a woman
was run over by a car,
and um...
Look, it's okay.
You don't have to tell me.
It was a mistake.
Dr. Leo told me...
Who's Dr. Leo?
A friend.
-From where?
-Back there.
Where is back there?
I think I better go now.
Yeah. Yeah, maybe you better.
I don't want to go.
[SIGHING]
Where's back there?
Is it a hospital?
Yes.
An asylum?
We never called it that.
Did you run away?
No.
Are...
Are you all right?
You're afraid of me.
I'm sorry.
I would never hurt you.
Wait.
How long were you there?
Since 13. I was 13.
Since you were 13 years old?
Yes.
My God. Then, that's
where you stopped.
That's where you are now.
You're 13.
No, I'm grown up.
Oh, Howard, come on in.
You can stay.
Sit down, kid.
[LOUDLY] Don't call me kid!
Please don't... Don't call me
Howard. My name is Jesse.
Jesse Arlington.
I would like it if you
would tell me yours.
Chloe Farnum.
Say it again.
Chloe Farnum.
Thank you. I'll remember it.
Sure thing, Howard.
[SHOUTING] Don't call me that!
I told you my name!
Don't you take that
away from me!
I'm sorry.
[SIGHS] I'm sorry.
No, no, really, it's my fault.
I shouldn't have said that.
-I'm sorry.
-Jesse, really,
I shouldn't have said...
You had every right.
Jesse, wait a minute,
Jesse, please.
Look, it was my fault.
Jesse, come back.
Jesse, please come back!
Jesse!
[HAMMERING]
[DRILLING]
[MAN GRUNTING]
Okay.
Now, when I say, "Go,"
you start nailing.
Okay.
What do you mean "okay"?
Where's your hammer?
What're you gonna
nail it in with, your thumb?
I forgot.
Thanks.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute!
I want to put the level on it.
JESSE: Up a hair to the right.
Hair on the right.
That's it. Drive it.
[CRYING OUT] Shit!
[ENGINE RUNNING]
[HAMMERING]
MAN: It's quitting time!
-Hey, Jesse.
-Yes?
What do you want to do,
work all night?
What?
Quitting time.
Is it?
What do we do?
Just bring your
hammer and quit.
Let me give you
a little hint, Jesse.
Don't let the boss see you
enjoying your work,
he'll cut your wages.
We never talked about wages.
Six bucks a square.
How many did you do?
Eight squares and two bundles.
You're all right, fella.
Come on, let's go.
All right,
I make it 14 squares
and two bundles
between you, is that right?
I guess so.
All right, who did how many?
Well, he...
We did them together.
What does he mean,
you did 'em together?
Well, I don't know. Ask him.
Well, I mean,
isn't that a good way
to work? Isn't it?
Well,
if it's all right with Matt.
Well, if it's all right
with you, Jesse.
Yes, it is.
I appreciate it, fella,
but you know
I can't accept it.
But I meant it.
Son of a gun! I bet you did.
Come on, climb in
and I'll buy you a beer.
[MATT LAUGHING]
Kid, it wasn't me!
[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]
-Hi, Hubie.
-Hey, Matt.
-Hi, buddy.
-Hey, Matt, how you doing?
That's Hubie behind
the bar. Jesse.
-Hi, I'm Jesse.
-Hi ya, Matt,
-where you been?
-And over there,
under the table,
that's Charlie McGill.
This is my friend,
Jesse Arlington.
-WOMAN: Hi.
-Hello.
And this is Pidgie.
Well, what'll it be, boys?
MATT: Beer, and a big one.
Okay, and you?
I know you wouldn't have
anything like
an ice cream cone.
PIDGIE: Oh, who says?
[ALL LAUGHING]
Sure we have, with little
chocolate jimmies on it.
[LAUGHING]
MATTHEW: Make it two beers.
[LIVELY COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]
[LAUGHING CHILDISHLY]
[INDISTINCT]
[CROWD EXCLAIMING]
[LAUGHING]
[NEWS SHOWING ON TV]
[KNOCKING AT DOOR]
-[KNOCKING LOUDER]
-I'm coming.
Oh! Holy Shit.
I brought you something.
Come in.
Last night, I...
I left in such a hurry,
that I...
What'll I do with these?
Here, give 'em to me,
I'll put 'em in some water.
You don't have to.
They're not real.
I didn't know where
to get you real ones.
So, I went to that store,
that Woolworth's place, and...
If you don't like 'em,
I'll take 'em right back to...
Oh, no, no, I... I love 'em.
The great thing about
artificial flowers
is that they keep.
Yeah, the lady said
that if they get dirty,
all you have to do
is just throw 'em in the tub.
I don't have a bath tub,
I have a shower.
But I could always
dunk 'em in the john,
couldn't I?
Sure, why not?
I got a job.
-You what?
-[LAUGHING] Yeah.
Carpenter.
Shingles, you know.
Bang, bang, bang...
[LAUGHING] I got a job.
You're drunk.
I feel good.
Does that mean drunk?
-Um...
-Bang, bang. [CHUCKLES]
How much did you drink?
Two beers,
with jimmies on the top.
Oh! You got that way
on two beers?
[CHUCKLING]
Oh, shit! I'm supposed
to be at work.
I've gotta be
behind the counter.
Look, there's some beef stew
in
the refrigerator right there.
It came out of a can,
but I threw some
tarragon in it...
I'm really sorry
I called you
Howard last night.
-No...
-Really, when you left,
I wanted to wash
my mouth out with soap.
Howard is a dirty word.
-No, it isn't.
-Yes, it is.
The way I use it, it is.
Do you know who Howard was?
He's a guy I went to school
with, Howard Vandercut,
and he was a snake.
-How was he a snake?
-Never mind.
Look, I've really got to go,
and I talk too much.
No, no, no, no.
How was he a snake?
Well there
wasn't a thing he did,
not a thing,
that he didn't
act guilty about.
And you know
why he acted guilty?
Because he was guilty.
Because everything he did,
everything he did was dirty.
If there was a girl
going up the stairs,
he'd be five steps
behind her, looking up.
He always had
a hole in his pocket,
and his hand was always in it.
One time, there were two dogs
stuck together on the sidewalk
and he was standing
right there, applauding.
Are you beginning
to get the point?
I think I must have
missed something.
I mean guilt. About sex.
Every man I've ever met,
they're all Howards,
every damn one of them.
And the bitch of it is,
the women are too.
All this...
This talk about how...
How educated we are.
And how cool we are.
And how free we are.
Well,
it's all a bunch of crap.
I mean, we're still pulling
sex on one another
as if it were some
kind of a dirty joke.
And why are we doing that?
Because we feel guilty.
I don't know how we're
ever going to get back to
being innocent again.
What's innocent?
You don't know
what innocent is?
No.
Okay, you're eating a cracker.
Are you embarrassed?
What I mean is, I have
caught you in the middle of
a natural function.
Now, does that
make you feel guilty?
I wish that you wouldn't
watch me eat it.
Okay, wouldn't it be
absolutely fantastic
if we could all just have sex
just as openly
as eating a cracker?
I mean, wouldn't it be great
if we could take off
all our clothes
underneath the big, blue sky,
and just make love
just as freely
and as innocently
as the first day of paradise?
Now, wouldn't that
be fantastic?
Wouldn't it?
Are you gonna be here
when I get back?
Do you want me to be?
Well,
hell, we're in the middle
of a discussion, aren't we?
And we haven't
finished everything.
All right, I'll be here.
Jesse, I...
Jesse?
Hey.
Jesse, dummy.
Is this all you had
for dinner?
Jesse, wake up. Come on.
[MOANING]
Okay, look, you can
spend the night.
But there's just one thing
I want you to understand,
and that's...
I don't have
the faintest idea what it is.
So let's just get
your clothes off. Come on.
You can't sleep
in your clothes.
Jesse?
Hey, come on, help me.
Yeah, you can't
sleep in your clothes.
JESSE: [SLEEPILY] I got a job.
I know you do. That's great.
Come on, up. [GRUNTING]
I gotta get to work.
I gotta get to work.
Now, we have to
get your shirt off,
so you can go to sleep.
Cause you can't
sleep in your clothes.
Other arm.
[CHUCKLES]
Pants.
Come on.
Oh, Jesse, you're heavy.
[GRUNTING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
No.
Leave me alone.
[GASPING]
CHLOE: Jesse?
[SHOUTING] Who are you?
Jesse?
What's the matter?
Leave me alone!
What is it, Jesse?
The dragonfly.
Leave me alone.
Who are you?
Jesse.
Jesse. Jesse,
are you all right?
There's somebody.
There's something.
No, there's nobody.
There isn't anything there.
There's something!
I don't make it up anymore.
There's something right there!
It's the mirror.
The looking glass.
You're seeing yourself.
Yes.
I'm sorry. I'll pay for it.
No, it's all right.
Anyway, I didn't kill anybody.
I didn't hurt anybody.
Dr. Leo...
He used to say that...
If you get mad and feel like
hurting something,
make it a thing.
Don't hurt people.
Don't hurt people.
You didn't,
it was only a thing.
I have to tell you.
I have hurt people.
Have you?
One of them was a stranger.
He was hiding.
So I pulled him
out of somewhere
just to see his face.
But it wouldn't show itself.
So I ripped at it, his skin.
As though it were a mask,
I ripped his skin away.
And they found me,
And they put me inside.
I didn't see anything
for years.
Or, maybe I saw something
every once in a while,
but not really.
And then somebody
came out of hiding.
It was Dr. Leo.
I left last
night because I saw
I was frightening you.
You don't anymore.
Because I haven't told you
the whole truth.
The stranger that I hurt,
I said
it was a man.
I think it may have been
a woman.
-Where are you going?
-Back.
-Back where?
-To the place.
-My shop. Dr. Leo.
-God, you can't.
Maybe. Okay, maybe.
Maybe you're right to go back.
Maybe
I should even take you back.
But maybe
you're wrong.
You haven't done anything
insane.
No.
All you did,
you saw something in
this room,
something that didn't belong
here, right?
And you struck out at
it and it broke,
and became nothing.
That isn't insane.
If somebody sees
something that frightens them,
even
if it's nothing,
if it's a shadow, if
it's not real,
and smashes to nothing,
that's not insane.
It may just
be the courage to
look life in the face
and see it for
what it really is.
Nothing?
I didn't say that's
what it is, but okay,
if that's what it is,
okay.
It takes a risk to look at it.
Now stop putting
your clothes on
and look at yourself.
Now, what's he saying to you?
He says I got a job.
Well, good.
Maybe someday he'll say
you have a girl, too.
Look. Mac. I told you...
How many times you been
around here?
There's nobody left from the
old neighborhood. Nobody.
Look, not even
the stores are the same.
I'm the last one.
And I ain't got one
customer,
not one, that's been here over
three or four years.
And you don't
remember the Arlingtons?
How could I?
I've only been here six years
Look, you think every time
you come in here,
I'm lying to you?
No, I was just.
I'm sorry.
Who's that?
What? Where? What are you
talking about?
Wait.
Wait. Please wait. Wait!
Sorry.
I've forgotten who you are,
but I...
Mrs. Patterson.
Mrs. Patterson, yes.
Flower Street.
You live on Flower
Street.
You used to have a dog
I've forgotten his name
a collie.
Well, we don't
live on Flower Street
anymore.
Years ago, the Arlingtons,
do you remember
the Arlingtons?
Arlington?
Oh yes, the Arlingtons.
There wasn't any
man in the house,
was there?
There were just two boys.
Two lovely boys.
Yes. You don't remember what
happened to them, do you?
Oh, no, years ago, they left,
went away.
We all do, you know.
Went back somewhere.
Back, back, back where?
Oh. Back,
back where they came from.
A farm, was it?
Oh, no!
And one of them's in the loony
bin.
Did you know that?
The crazy house.
They locked him up
in the craty house.
You...you...you
don't know where
they moved to, do you?
Started killing people.
He never killed anybody.
Oh yes he did.
-Killed his mother.
-That's not true.
Yes it is.
He killed her.
Killed his own
mother.
No, it's not true. No. He
did it.
-Operator, are you there?
-WOMAN: Operator.
I'd like to place
a person to person
call to Dr.
Leo Cooper, please.
Your number, please?
The number is...
[YELLS]
[SOBS]
[CLOCK TICKING]
[LOCK CLICKING]
Jesse?
Yes.
-Are you all right?
-Yes.
Then go to hell.
Where the hell were you?
I waited for you.
I was walking.
You're full of shit.
Don't say that, please.
I'll do whatever I want to.
If you never say
the word "shit",
I do, and I use it often.
-It doesn't say what you mean.
-Well,
nothing says what I mean.
And look who's talking.
Do you ever say what you mean?
Ever?
If you have.
I've completely missed it.
God, I have tried to
understand you and I've
tried just for my...
I start to get some kind of
a glimpse of you, you just,
you disappear,
you just don't show!
There's something about
you that is
totally unexplainable.
You're full of shit!
I'm sorry, Chloe.
Don't give me that
I'm sorry business.
Will you talk to me?
Look at me. Talk
plain to me, Jesse's sake.
Tell me I'm full of shit too.
I wouldn't mean it.
[SIGHS]
Are you sure you're all right?
Yes.
You don't sound
like you're all right.
You hungry?
You want me to
fix you something?
I'm leaving, Chloe.
-I'll make you
an egg sandwich.
-Tonight.
Or even scrambled eggs or...
Because I can't
stand not knowing.
Not knowing what?
If I killed.
Who, Jesse?
My mother.
Oh, God, Jesse.
I met this woman today, Mrs.
Patterson.
She used to live on
our block and she said...
I don't care what she said.
It's not true.
If it were true,
Dr. Leo would have told you.
Somebody at the hospital,
some way you
would have found out.
There are things
you can't find
out from others.
There are some things you
have to find out from others.
No. Something inside me says
there are lots of
ways of killing somebody.
If we listen
only to ourselves,
we're guilty of everything,
of being alive.
Now listen to me. Look at me.
You didn't kill anybody.
I'm the one that
knows that about you.
But I gotta know it, too.
[SIGHS] Where you gonna go?
What are you gonna do?
I don't know.
She said that my
brother moved back.
Before we lived in Danbury,
we used to have a farm.
I wonder if I'll
be able to find it.
Will I ever see you again?
Maybe not.
Well, it's not as if
we've really got anything.
You been here three weeks
and you never
laid a hand on me.
You kissed me once.
At least I think it
was a kiss. I don't know.
Maybe it was my imagination.
Whatever it was, it was nice.
And, it's not as
if I understand you.
Hell, we don't even speak
the same language.
So I guess I'll just pack up.
Oh, God, Jesse.
What happened to your hand?
[SOBBING]
Your poor hand.
Your poor, poor hand.
You know anyone
by the name of Arlington?
Hello.
Hello.
Doesn't seem to
be anybody here.
Except just me and you, huh?
What can I do for you?
Oh, I'm Pearlie Craigle.
I own this place.
I need a room.
Looks like a storm.
Yeah, gonna be the damndest.
What kind of
a trick would you like?
I would like a room.
Okay, sign the book, honey.
Sorry it's so
dead-miserable here.
No cars,
cabins empty, weather lousy.
Why I stay here in this heat.
It says license number,
and I don't have a car.
-What'd you do, walk?
-Yes.
From where?
-What's your trick, fella?
-Trick?
Everybody's got a trick.
What's yours?
I'm a carpenter.
Oh, that's not a trick,
that's a job.
I'm talking tricks.
I had this one
fella here once.
He was always
hearing beautiful music.
With or without a TV.
With or without
the radio going.
With or without somebody...
Singing in his ear.
He was always
hearin' loud, kookie music.
That was his trick.
I had this other fella once.
He was always eatin' carrots.
He always had
a carrot in his hand.
A big carrot.
Driving his car,
sitting on the porch,
laying in bed.
Oh, a big carrot.
What is your trick?
I don't have any.
Well, that might be the
biggest trick of 'em all, huh?
-Should I pay now?
-Yeah. Ten dollars.
Refundable. What?
Later, honey.
Please go away.
No.
I heard you crying.
Crying?
Not me, lady.
I didn't make a sound.
I heard you cryin'
without making a sound.
That's why I'm here.
You don't have to cry out loud
for me to hear you.
I'm a mother.
I can always
hear my baby crying.
Always.
Always.
What?
Honey, come on.
You don't have
anything you don't want to.
You don't even
have to kiss me.
Not my mouth anyway.
It's the mother-baby trick.
The mother-baby trick.
[MOANING]
What's the matter?
Walter. He's home. Oh. God.
Pearlie... Pearlie...
Pearlie... Pearlie.
[SCREAMING]
I'll kill you. I warned you.
You'll get more, you bitch.
I only started on you.
You'll get more.
I leave you alone one night...
I'll hit you again.
-No. Please.
-I told you...
-Hey, you! You son of a bitch.
-No, please!
Please, Walter, Let him alone.
No! No!
Walter, Walter, please!
Hit me, you bastard.
Come on, hit me back,
so I can kill you
in self-defense.
Let him go! Please!
-Get in, Jesse.
-Go away.
-Please get in.
-Go away.
I'm going to keep
following you until you do.
Why?
Why?
Arlington?
Yeah. Keep going straight.
[DOG BARKING]
WOMAN: Packo.
Stop that. Packo!
Shut up. Damn it, shut up.
-Yes? What do you want?
-I'm looking for
Gabriel Arlington.
Well, he's not here.
If you want to
rent some equipment,
I can help you...
No, it's not that.
Will he be back soon?
What do you want?
I'm his brother.
His brother?
Well, there is none.
You're Jesse?
-I thought he was...
-I'm out now. I'm all right.
I see.
Eh, I'm Gabe's wife.
My name is Willa.
Willa?
Yes.
Look. Gabe went into the city
and he won't be
back until night time.
I mean,
I don't know what
to say or anything.
You don't have
to worry about me.
No, I suppose not.
Well, come on inside.
Hey, don't.
I just want to get friendly.
Well, he won't get any
friendlier, so don't.
Place is kind of... I mean,
I haven't straightened up or
anything because...
Oh...
I forgot I had some
bean soup on the stove.
It boiled over.
Damn it.
It's all over the place.
-What kind of
soup did you say?
-Navy bean.
-With the marrow bone?
-Yeah, you want some?
It was Gabriel's favorite.
Could I wait and
have some with him?
Sure. I just want to
clean up this mess.
[CHILD LAUGHING]
I heard a sound.
Like a laugh... A child.
Do you have any children?
Yes, Lonnie.
Lonnie! Lonnie, where are you?
Lonnie! He's always hiding.
It's a new game.
Lonnie!
Come out of there. Lonnie!
Come on.
Lonnie, this is your uncle.
His name is Jesse.
Hello, Lonnie.
Say hello to
your uncle, Lonnie.
He's fourteen,
but he won't get any older
than five or six.
He has Mongolism...
But he's not an idiot.
He can do some
things very well.
He just doesn't
go to people much.
Was that you laughing, Lonnie?
Don't pay no more
attention to him.
He's like Packo,
he won't get any friendlier.
Catch it. Now, throw it to me.
Come on, over there! Catch it!
Then guess what
Charlie Brown says.
Guess what he says?
I think he's asleep.
-He is?
-Yes.
Corked off.
[LAUGHING]
-You ran him ragged.
-Me?
Yes.
He wouldn't stop.
He doesn't run around
that much. And he's never
played baseball before.
That's the first time I've
ever played it with only one
person on each team.
And no ball.
Oh,
I've played without a ball.
Yes, I suppose you have.
Well, it's not
the worst way to play, is it?
You can get struck
out just as easily.
Oh, I'm sure you can.
I guess striking
yourself out is the worst.
That navy bean
soup that you made
was very good.
Thanks.
Even without Gabriel.
I don't know what's
keeping him so late.
Lonnie.
Sweetheart, time to
get up to go to sleep.
Who's that?
Who is that?
It's me, Gabriel.
Jesse.
Jesse?
I thought I wouldn't find you.
Jesse?
I want to know
about my mother.
She...died, Jesse.
When did that happen?
I wrote to you all about it.
-I don't think
you did, Gabriel.
-Well, I certainly did.
Things being what they were,
you may not have noticed.
I think I would have noticed.
Or forgot. Maybe you forgot.
I wouldn't have
forgotten it altogether.
By now I think it would have
come back to me.
Why? Did
everything come back to you?
No, not everything.
Well...
All right, maybe I don't...
I don't remember
what you told me.
What did she die of?
-What difference, Jesse?
She's dead.
-What did she die of?
A complication of things.
-Like What?
-Well, her lungs.
You know her lungs were
never very healthy.
No, I didn't know that.
And then, you know, that...
That started to
affect other things.
-I wrote you all about it.
-I tell you I don't remember.
When you first when... When...
When she came to visit you,
she was sick even then.
You know very well
she never came to visit me.
Now come on, Jesse, she did.
-You just don't recall it.
-No, I'd have remembered that.
I remember when
you came to visit me,
but I don't remember
when mother ever
came to visit me. Never.
I don't remember that.
-All right, take it easy.
-So that leads me to believe
that she didn't die
while I was there,
but before I went there.
And maybe that's
why I went there.
Because you had
something to do
with her death?
Yes.
No, I swear to you, Jesse...
-I don't believe you.
-What do you believe?
That you killed
your own mother?
For Christ sake...
-Do you want to believe that?
-I've got to
believe whatever happened.
And if you don't
tell me the truth,
how am I ever gonna know?
I...
I give you my word. I swear.
I swear by my family,
you did not kill her.
Why didn't she
come to see me then?
Why did she just
leave me there?
Why did you both
leave me alone?
Because they told us
you didn't know us.
You didn't know who we were.
I knew you, Gabriel.
When you came, I knew you.
Why did you stop coming? Why?
I told you.
I just told you the reason.
That's a reason
for a sane person,
not a reason for me.
Well, I'm sane.
That's the only reason I know.
Not that those reasons
are any goddamn good,
but they're
the only ones I've got.
And if you're going to be
out here with the rest of
us sane bastards,
you're going to have to be
satisfied with reasons that
are never any damn good.
Never! Never! Never!
[DOOR SLAMMING]
I made up your bed
in the spare room.
It's the last room at
the end of the hall.
-You'll let me stay here?
-For a while anyway.
-Would you like that?
-Yes, I want to very much.
I won't be any trouble.
I'll work very hard.
Gabriel is the only
relation I've got,
you know.
I mean blood relation.
Lonnie's your
blood relation, too.
Yes, he is.
You coming to bed?
Why didn't you
tell him the truth?
-Why didn't you?
-It wasn't my place,
it was yours.
I told him as
much of the truth
as he can stand.
I think he can
stand all of it.
Now, you gonna tell him?
What can I tell him?
That he and my
mother went at each other
like a couple of murderers?
They were
always at each other.
I don't know what happened,
I wasn't there.
You know enough, Gabe.
And if he's going to
stay here, he'll find out
sooner or later.
Who says he's going to stay?
I say.
Why?
'Cause I want him here.
You want him here?
Gabe, he could help you.
He's experienced with tools.
He fixed the dryer today.
Gabe, you could
teach him the business.
There isn't enough
work for one man, Willa.
We'd fall all over each other.
He's good with Lonnie.
I don't want him here, Willa.
Lonnie had
a happy day with him.
What the hell does that mean?
He can have
a happy day with a toy.
Buy him a kitten.
He talked more than
I've ever heard him.
You think he's going to
cure Lonnie of being an idiot?
Don't call him that.
-You think he's
going to cure him?
-I didn't say that.
That's what
you'd like to think.
-Lonnie's all alone.
-Stop it.
WILLA: Gabriel, we better
reach out for something,
anything...anybody.
GABRIEL: Even a lunatic?
WILLA:
Gabriel, he's your brother.
That's just the reason.
You think I can
stand anymore of it?
Every day of my
life I look at my son.
He is my son...
And he's an idiot.
You think I can
stand another one?
My brother?
I can't, Willa. I can't.
I've had enough of it.
I can't.
Go back to bed, Lonnie.
Where's Jesse?
Where's Jesse?
Come on, boy.
Go to sleep now, boy.
WILLA: He's gone.
What?
Jesse's gone.
He must have
heard what you said.
Oh no!
Jesse?
Jesse, please, come back.
Jesse.
DR. LEO: How are you, Jesse?
I don't know. Dr. Leo.
I don't know how I am.
Can I help you?
You told me to keep
in touch, and uh...
I don't know what
I'm out here, Dr. Leo.
Jesse, where are you?
I don't know.
I'm looking out at this road.
I don't know where it goes to.
I'm lost.
Jesse,
why don't you come back?
I want to come back.
I don't think I can
find my way.
Jesse, you can.
I can't find my way.
I can't find my way!
When did you hear from him?
He called me that morning.
He was desperate.
I told him to come back here,
but he never showed up.
Well...
Where do I go from here?
Nowhere.
Go home, Chloe. Give it up.
No, I can't.
Maybe I'll go to his
brother's house.
Maybe he's gone back there.
He might be there now.
No, he isn't.
Well, he just might be.
Where else would he go?
He might have gone there.
No. He didn't.
How do you know?
Because his sister-in-law
called me.
She called you? Why?
To tell me that
Jesse's mother is alive.
Oh, my God.
Gus! Gus, for Christ's sake!
He's up there again!
Hey, Jesse! Come on down
out of there!
Jesse! Listen...
Come on down and we'll
put a cable on it!
Jesse, will you come down?
He's gonna kill every
goddamn one of us!
Jesse, listen to me!
For Christ's sake,
man, what are you doing?
Jesse, come down, you bastard!
Will you come the hell down
out of there?
Jesse!
[ALL YELLING]
CHLOE: You're looking
very well, Jesse.
You did real well at the job,
didn't you?
I saw you once
before up on the scaffold.
You scared the shit out of me.
I was gonna say hi, but I
was afraid that if I did that
I'd frighten you and you'd
fall, but you didn't.
You came down like...
I told you to stay
away from me.
I won't. I won't.
What are you trying to do?
Wreck yourself?
Don't tell me what to do with
myself. I'm a grown woman.
I know what I want.
I know what I have to
sacrifice in order to get it.
Don't tell me what to do.
Don't you dare tell me
what to do with myself!
Your mother's alive, Jesse!
She's alive!
Your mother's alive!
[DOOR CREAKS]
Hello?
Hello? Is anybody there?
Hello?
Is there something
I can do for you?
I knocked on the door,
but nobody answered.
Are you an artist?
Not really.
I've painted a little
all my life.
I don't remember that.
Is your name really
Mrs. Barrow?
Miss Barrow. Yes.
You sure it's not Arlington?
No.
It's always been Miss Barrow.
Even when you married?
Married?
I never did that.
Would you like something
to drink?
A glass of water?
No, thank you.
Do you like my house?
I keep it very clean.
Don't you think
it's very clean?
Yes, it's very clean.
I'm sure it must puzzle you,
all these things I have around
on the wall and on the table.
Religious things.
All sorts of religion.
I believe in everything.
Do you?
Yes.
I used to get headaches.
But I don't anymore.
I used to be in great despair.
But that stopped, too.
If you have a great many
things wrong with you,
you need a great many
different kinds of help.
Most of all,
you need
forgiveness.
Forgiveness?
Where do you go for that?
I find it...
I find it most of the time...
But not all the time?
Most of the time.
-Yes.
-But not all the time?
There are some sins
no one is forgiven for.
Which ones?
I don't want to talk about it.
[SIGHS]
It used to be fashionable
to think that people who
believed in something
were a little mad.
But I think that's changing.
Don't you?
I don't know.
Well, if it isn't,
you have to swim against
the current of the time.
You have to believe
in something.
Do you believe in something?
I'm not sure.
I don't know, anymore.
Oh.
I wish I could help you.
To believe in something.
But they say that no of us
can help one another.
Is that why you
live alone, Mama?
You're my mother,
aren't you?
I never had any children!
After all, Miss Barrow.
"Miss!"
"Miss!"
I haven't been well, but I'm
well enough to know that I've
never had any children!
However,
it might be nice.
Yes, it might be very nice,
now that I'm old,
to have someone.
So, if you'd like to pretend,
then I'm your mother.
No, I've pretended enough.
Why don't you look at me?
Don't you want me
to see your face?
Go away, please.
Don't you want me to see
that we resemble each other?
Go away!
I want to look at you.
[SOBBING] No!
Oh, God!
What's the matter?
What's the matter?
That picture. What is it?
The crucifixion. I painted it
long ago.
But I call it "The Dragonfly."
Goddamn you.
What?
Goddamn you.
Goddamn you!
Please, Jesse, please!
Where have you been?
Why did you leave me alone?
Why didn't you help me?
I didn't... When you were
little I helped
you all the time.
Why didn't you help me
when I was sick?
When they took me away?
I couldn't!
Why didn't you come to
visit me when I was in the
hospital, all those years?
Why didn't you come?
I couldn't!
I swear I couldn't!
Why?
Is it because you thought
I wouldn't recognize you?
Is that the reason?
Like Gabriel said?
No.
If that was the reason,
tell me. It's all right, Mama.
That was the reason.
I want you to have
a good reason.
Oh, stop it.
Or I will tell you!
Please.
Because...
Because I couldn't bear
to look at you!
Because you were insane!
I don't care what they say.
It's in the blood!
It was in my blood!
It was in your blood!
It's original sin!
That's what it is!
Not to be forgiven!
I gave it to you.
I couldn't bear
to know that I did.
I couldn't bear to know that
I brought you into the world!
Forgive me for living, Mama.
No.
I can't forgive myself.
For giving you life,
and I can't forgive you
for living.
Forgive me for living, Mama.
[CRYING] No!
I tried to kill you once.
And I should have!
I should have!
I should have!
Forgive me for living!
You're all bastards!
[LAUGHING] You're all
full of shit!
All full of shit!
[LAUGHING GLEEFULLY]
Bastards!
Son of a bitches!
Goddamn bastards!
[LAUGHING]
You phony bastards!
Jesse?
Stay away from me.
I'll kill you!
Jesse!
[JESSE SCREAMING]
Jesse, please!
[SCREAMING INCOHERENTLY]
Jesse!
[LAUGHING] I'll kill you!
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
I'll kill you.
[EXHALING]
[EXCLAIMS]
[SCREAMS]
You didn't stop me.
You didn't try to stop me.
[MAN YELLING INDISTINCTLY]
[YELLING INDISTINCTLY]
Leave me alone.
[INDISTINCT YELLING]
[ALL SHOUTING LOUDLY]
[CONTINUES STRIKING BELL]
[MAN SOBBING]
[SHRILL RINGING]
That's it for today.
And clean up, please.
[CLAPPING] The concert's
over, Mr. Haviland.
[RINGING]
Well?
Yes.
Yes?
The committee says
you may leave.
When?
We didn't discuss that.
When would you like?
-Tonight.
-Tonight?
I wouldn't advise that, Jesse.
It'll be dark soon.
Wouldn't it be better
if you left in daylight?
Yes, Dr. Leo.
You wouldn't like to tell me
where it is you're going,
would you?
I don't know where I'm going.
Or who it is
you're looking for.
I've got to find
the dragonfly.
There isn't any dragonfly.
You know that, don't you?
Listen.
Wherever you go,
try to find the easier places.
I know.
I mean,
stay quiet as much as you can.
At least at first.
If a crowd gathers, cross
to the other
side of the street.
What if there is
no other side?
There's always another side.
I don't want you to go out
there and isolate yourself,
you know that.
[SIGHING]
But things can get violent,
and if you can keep
your distance...
Oh, well, have I succeeded
in scaring you half to death?
Yes, Dr. Leo.
You keep in touch.
ANNOUNCER ON RADIO:
Tom Seaver pitched
a first rate game
last night at Shea.
But it wasn't good enough
for Cincinnati Reds,
who're the hottest team
in baseball right now,
leading two to one
to keep their lead
in the West, over Los Angeles,
in an incredible 12
and a half games.
Meantime, out in Chicago,
the Yankees
blew a double-hitter
into the Chicago White Sox.
The Sox took the first game
four to three,
and then came back to win
the second, one to nothing.
The twin defeat
drops the Yankees
into a tie for second
with the Baltimore Orioles.
And they are both
eight games behind
the surging Boston Red Sox...
Excuse me.
[SPORTS NEWS CONTINUING]
Excuse me.
They told me the Danbury bus
stops here?
Well, if that's what
they told you.
Is that it?
You said it stops here.
That's what you said.
I didn't say
nothing of the sort.
Could you tell me,
is there still
a street called Flower Street?
One south that way,
and two to your left.
Thank you.
I'm looking for some people
named Arlington.
Harriet and Walter Arlington.
You wouldn't know...
Nobody by that name
lives here.
You wouldn't know
where they moved to,
-would you?
-No.
We bought from Emory.
People name Emory.
-Two years ago.
-Emory?
No.
WOMAN: You, er... Looking
for whites or blacks?
White people, yes.
Haven't been no white people
living here since...
Earl!
Earl!
How long's it been
since there's
been whites here?
EARL: [DRAWLING] Oh, shit!
He says, he don't know.
[LOUD FIGHTING
IN THE DISTANCE]
Thank you.
JESSE: You don't
remember Arlington?
How long have you
worked as a librarian?
For 30 years.
-Then you worked
at the old library.
-Yes, I did.
They were all
readers in the family.
-All readers.
-Shh!
[SOFTLY] Everybody had a card.
All of us.
Arlington.
You don't remember them?
I told you, no!
I'm sorry.
Thanks.
Hi. What would you like?
-Everything.
-Sure.
You take your time.
I'll wait on Howard, here.
My name's not Howard.
My name's Michael Popcorn.
Michael Popcorn,
what a nice name.
Fifty cents.
I wouldn't decide too soon.
You might make a mistake
you'll regret
the rest of your life.
I'll have one of those.
Okay. It's 40 cents.
-And two of those.
-A dollar, even.
And one of each of those.
-This?
-Yeah, this, this, and this.
Okay. You want me
to give you a bag for these?
-No, thank you.
-I mean,
-for after the show?
-No.
[CHUCKLING] Well, how are
you going to carry all this?
-In my pockets.
-In your pockets?
Yes. You better give me
four of those.
-Yeah, I want...
-In your pockets?
...candy everywhere,
in all my pockets.
I want candy
in every pocket.
Okay, hold it?
That's four, eight,
nine, 10, 12.
Sixteen. That's $4.90.
[TV IN BACKGROUND]
Come on, Eddie.
-Come on, Eddie, let's go.
-Move it! Let's go!
All right, I'm trying.
We gotta get out of here.
Let's go.
[INDISTINCT YELLING]
[GUNSHOTS]
-MAN: Hang on!
-WOMAN: Get the police!
Get the police!
Watch it!
[LOUD ACTION CONTINUING]
What's the matter with him?
CHLOE: I don't know.
What is he, drunk?
On what? Candy bars?
[RETCHING SOFTLY]
Hey, Mister, you
gonna be sick?
Take him down
to the men's room.
What? Mess up the men's room?
[SCOFFS] Let him
get sick outside.
Come on. Mister.
Don't be a crud. Take him
up to the men's room.
Come on, Mister.
Let go of him. Come on.
-Come on.
-Come on.
You can't go into no
men's room, Chloe.
You ain't allowed
in no men's room.
Shut up, Howard!
And you can't go
into no ladies' room neither,
because what if
there's a woman in there?
And what if he vomits
all over the floor,
who's gonna clean it up?
You know who?
You. So...
Don't you let him puke.
Don't you let him puke.
Don't do that.
That's a bad position for you.
If you lean forward like that,
you're gonna
bring it all up again.
Come on.
Here, sit down.
[MOANING]
Don't lean forward!
If anything, lean back
a little bit.
Well, not too far back.
Haven't you ever
thrown up before?
No.
I don't remember.
Gee, when I was a kid,
that was my main activity.
Fight with my sister
and throw up.
Here, put your feet up here.
There.
-Thank you.
-Sure.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Look, I don't want to rush you
or anything, but, uh...
I'll clean up and go.
No, no,
no, stay right where you are
until you're sure you're okay.
Really, I... I wouldn't even
mention it,
except pretty soon,
Mr. Valenti will be here.
He owns the place,
and he comes around this time
to make the collection,
and well, this room is for
employees, only you know.
Right away, yes.
CLIFFORD:
Did he eat all 16 of them?
How could he
in such a short time?
[LAUGHING] Listen, if a guy
is a creep for candy bars,
there's no telling how fast
he can get rid of 'em.
-That's a point worth taking.
-Mmm-hmm.
Er... Which can is he in?
-The men's or ladies'?
-Neither.
-The Employees' only.
-What?
What's wrong with that?
We never did that before.
[SIGHS] The next time
somebody eats 16 candy bars
and starts to puke,
we'll have a precedent.
[SIMPERING]
Good evening, Mr. Valenti.
Hello, dammit.
We gotta get him out of there.
Why? Who's he bothering?
Him.
He'll have another
attack of the shingles.
I... I'm gonna go get him.
No, I'll go.
Why not me?
-I don't want him to vomit.
-Wha...
CHLOE: Please,
will you come with me?
-No.
-Why?
I don't know.
Look, I've got my...
My car out there.
I could take you anywhere
you want to go.
Where do you live?
Are you afraid of something?
-Yes.
-Of what?
ls somebody after you?
In a way.
Not really, huh?
No.
I'll tell you what we'll do.
You come with me,
and stay real close to me,
and if anybody starts
to bother you, I'll...
I'll beat 'em up, okay?
No.
[SIGHING] Look, Howard, I...
I don't know who you are,
but there's
something about you.
I don't know...
It's kind.
So, I'm asking you
because you're a kind man.
Please don't get
me in trouble.
If you stay here,
I might lose my job.
Will you come with me?
Well, this is my car.
All paid for.
Do you like it?
No.
Well, you're an honest
son of a bitch, aren't you?
I suppose I am.
You didn't like my saying
son of a bitch,
though, did you?
No.
Okay. Well, get in.
Oh! Hey, wait a minute.
Where am I taking you?
I don't know.
What do you mean,
you don't know?
Where do you live?
I just came here.
From where?
A long way.
You mean you don't have
any place to go? No hotel?
You want me
to take you to the Y?
No.
Well, then where do you
want me to take you?
With you.
Slow down, Howard.
My name is Jesse.
So long, Jesse.
Hey, where you going?
In there.
What are you gonna do?
Sleep in there?
Yes.
You can't do that.
You'll get locked up.
What's the matter,
are you broke?
No. I've got money.
So why the hell won't you
let me take you to the Y?
Because I don't feel
like talking to anybody.
Well then, to hell with you!
Listen, you dumb bastard.
I can't take you with me.
I can't!
I don't even know who you are.
You night really be a rapist.
Or a strangler.
How the hell would I know?
I could wake up in the morning
with my throat cut.
You think I'm the kind
of jerk that's gonna
take a chance
with some stupid...
Jackass that buys
16 candy bars
and then starts
to hole up in a...
Starts...
Hey, hey.
Howard, what happened to...
Howard, where are you?
Hey, Howard.
Howard.
JESSE: I'm in here.
Well, come on,
get your ass in here.
It's only
a basement apartment.
This is where I live.
Uh...
Do you like it?
No.
Look, Howard, you're pushing
this honesty thing
just a little bit too far.
Now this is my home,
for God's sake.
Do you like it?
Yes.
You did better with the "no".
Take off your jacket.
Are... Are you hungry?
Do you want some liverwurst?
Don't have any bread.
But would you
like some liverwurst?
-I could spread
it on a pickle.
-No, thank you.
Then how about a beer?
I'm sorry, I don't
have anything else.
-Would you like a beer?
-No.
You're a little
chatterbox, aren't you?
Well then, come in. Sit down.
Take off your jacket.
No, thank you.
Look, Howard, I want
to tell you something.
You are giving me the fidgets.
Now I don't want you
to get the wrong impression.
I don't like a guy, who,
the minute you meet him,
comes onto you,
but on the other hand,
there's the guy
who all evening,
he's a million miles away.
And then suddenly,
it's 12:00 o'clock, and bang,
he has you in a half nelson.
Well, I hate that.
So if you have
any secret plans
about some surprise attack,
just look at my nails.
[SIGHING]
I'm sorry.
Please, would you
take your jacket off?
What shall I do with it?
Well, just put it any...
Oh, here, give it to me.
What have you got
in here, bricks?
Well...
I thought you ate all of it.
One, two, three...
Well, how many of these
do you have left?
I only ate one of them.
You only...
And it made you sick?
No. The movie.
-The movie made you sick?
-Yes.
[LAUGHING]
Wait till I tell Valenti.
He sure knows
how to pick 'em.
You mean really?
This man was shot in the back.
He was bleeding.
And a woman
was run over by a car,
and um...
Look, it's okay.
You don't have to tell me.
It was a mistake.
Dr. Leo told me...
Who's Dr. Leo?
A friend.
-From where?
-Back there.
Where is back there?
I think I better go now.
Yeah. Yeah, maybe you better.
I don't want to go.
[SIGHING]
Where's back there?
Is it a hospital?
Yes.
An asylum?
We never called it that.
Did you run away?
No.
Are...
Are you all right?
You're afraid of me.
I'm sorry.
I would never hurt you.
Wait.
How long were you there?
Since 13. I was 13.
Since you were 13 years old?
Yes.
My God. Then, that's
where you stopped.
That's where you are now.
You're 13.
No, I'm grown up.
Oh, Howard, come on in.
You can stay.
Sit down, kid.
[LOUDLY] Don't call me kid!
Please don't... Don't call me
Howard. My name is Jesse.
Jesse Arlington.
I would like it if you
would tell me yours.
Chloe Farnum.
Say it again.
Chloe Farnum.
Thank you. I'll remember it.
Sure thing, Howard.
[SHOUTING] Don't call me that!
I told you my name!
Don't you take that
away from me!
I'm sorry.
[SIGHS] I'm sorry.
No, no, really, it's my fault.
I shouldn't have said that.
-I'm sorry.
-Jesse, really,
I shouldn't have said...
You had every right.
Jesse, wait a minute,
Jesse, please.
Look, it was my fault.
Jesse, come back.
Jesse, please come back!
Jesse!
[HAMMERING]
[DRILLING]
[MAN GRUNTING]
Okay.
Now, when I say, "Go,"
you start nailing.
Okay.
What do you mean "okay"?
Where's your hammer?
What're you gonna
nail it in with, your thumb?
I forgot.
Thanks.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute!
I want to put the level on it.
JESSE: Up a hair to the right.
Hair on the right.
That's it. Drive it.
[CRYING OUT] Shit!
[ENGINE RUNNING]
[HAMMERING]
MAN: It's quitting time!
-Hey, Jesse.
-Yes?
What do you want to do,
work all night?
What?
Quitting time.
Is it?
What do we do?
Just bring your
hammer and quit.
Let me give you
a little hint, Jesse.
Don't let the boss see you
enjoying your work,
he'll cut your wages.
We never talked about wages.
Six bucks a square.
How many did you do?
Eight squares and two bundles.
You're all right, fella.
Come on, let's go.
All right,
I make it 14 squares
and two bundles
between you, is that right?
I guess so.
All right, who did how many?
Well, he...
We did them together.
What does he mean,
you did 'em together?
Well, I don't know. Ask him.
Well, I mean,
isn't that a good way
to work? Isn't it?
Well,
if it's all right with Matt.
Well, if it's all right
with you, Jesse.
Yes, it is.
I appreciate it, fella,
but you know
I can't accept it.
But I meant it.
Son of a gun! I bet you did.
Come on, climb in
and I'll buy you a beer.
[MATT LAUGHING]
Kid, it wasn't me!
[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]
-Hi, Hubie.
-Hey, Matt.
-Hi, buddy.
-Hey, Matt, how you doing?
That's Hubie behind
the bar. Jesse.
-Hi, I'm Jesse.
-Hi ya, Matt,
-where you been?
-And over there,
under the table,
that's Charlie McGill.
This is my friend,
Jesse Arlington.
-WOMAN: Hi.
-Hello.
And this is Pidgie.
Well, what'll it be, boys?
MATT: Beer, and a big one.
Okay, and you?
I know you wouldn't have
anything like
an ice cream cone.
PIDGIE: Oh, who says?
[ALL LAUGHING]
Sure we have, with little
chocolate jimmies on it.
[LAUGHING]
MATTHEW: Make it two beers.
[LIVELY COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]
[LAUGHING CHILDISHLY]
[INDISTINCT]
[CROWD EXCLAIMING]
[LAUGHING]
[NEWS SHOWING ON TV]
[KNOCKING AT DOOR]
-[KNOCKING LOUDER]
-I'm coming.
Oh! Holy Shit.
I brought you something.
Come in.
Last night, I...
I left in such a hurry,
that I...
What'll I do with these?
Here, give 'em to me,
I'll put 'em in some water.
You don't have to.
They're not real.
I didn't know where
to get you real ones.
So, I went to that store,
that Woolworth's place, and...
If you don't like 'em,
I'll take 'em right back to...
Oh, no, no, I... I love 'em.
The great thing about
artificial flowers
is that they keep.
Yeah, the lady said
that if they get dirty,
all you have to do
is just throw 'em in the tub.
I don't have a bath tub,
I have a shower.
But I could always
dunk 'em in the john,
couldn't I?
Sure, why not?
I got a job.
-You what?
-[LAUGHING] Yeah.
Carpenter.
Shingles, you know.
Bang, bang, bang...
[LAUGHING] I got a job.
You're drunk.
I feel good.
Does that mean drunk?
-Um...
-Bang, bang. [CHUCKLES]
How much did you drink?
Two beers,
with jimmies on the top.
Oh! You got that way
on two beers?
[CHUCKLING]
Oh, shit! I'm supposed
to be at work.
I've gotta be
behind the counter.
Look, there's some beef stew
in
the refrigerator right there.
It came out of a can,
but I threw some
tarragon in it...
I'm really sorry
I called you
Howard last night.
-No...
-Really, when you left,
I wanted to wash
my mouth out with soap.
Howard is a dirty word.
-No, it isn't.
-Yes, it is.
The way I use it, it is.
Do you know who Howard was?
He's a guy I went to school
with, Howard Vandercut,
and he was a snake.
-How was he a snake?
-Never mind.
Look, I've really got to go,
and I talk too much.
No, no, no, no.
How was he a snake?
Well there
wasn't a thing he did,
not a thing,
that he didn't
act guilty about.
And you know
why he acted guilty?
Because he was guilty.
Because everything he did,
everything he did was dirty.
If there was a girl
going up the stairs,
he'd be five steps
behind her, looking up.
He always had
a hole in his pocket,
and his hand was always in it.
One time, there were two dogs
stuck together on the sidewalk
and he was standing
right there, applauding.
Are you beginning
to get the point?
I think I must have
missed something.
I mean guilt. About sex.
Every man I've ever met,
they're all Howards,
every damn one of them.
And the bitch of it is,
the women are too.
All this...
This talk about how...
How educated we are.
And how cool we are.
And how free we are.
Well,
it's all a bunch of crap.
I mean, we're still pulling
sex on one another
as if it were some
kind of a dirty joke.
And why are we doing that?
Because we feel guilty.
I don't know how we're
ever going to get back to
being innocent again.
What's innocent?
You don't know
what innocent is?
No.
Okay, you're eating a cracker.
Are you embarrassed?
What I mean is, I have
caught you in the middle of
a natural function.
Now, does that
make you feel guilty?
I wish that you wouldn't
watch me eat it.
Okay, wouldn't it be
absolutely fantastic
if we could all just have sex
just as openly
as eating a cracker?
I mean, wouldn't it be great
if we could take off
all our clothes
underneath the big, blue sky,
and just make love
just as freely
and as innocently
as the first day of paradise?
Now, wouldn't that
be fantastic?
Wouldn't it?
Are you gonna be here
when I get back?
Do you want me to be?
Well,
hell, we're in the middle
of a discussion, aren't we?
And we haven't
finished everything.
All right, I'll be here.
Jesse, I...
Jesse?
Hey.
Jesse, dummy.
Is this all you had
for dinner?
Jesse, wake up. Come on.
[MOANING]
Okay, look, you can
spend the night.
But there's just one thing
I want you to understand,
and that's...
I don't have
the faintest idea what it is.
So let's just get
your clothes off. Come on.
You can't sleep
in your clothes.
Jesse?
Hey, come on, help me.
Yeah, you can't
sleep in your clothes.
JESSE: [SLEEPILY] I got a job.
I know you do. That's great.
Come on, up. [GRUNTING]
I gotta get to work.
I gotta get to work.
Now, we have to
get your shirt off,
so you can go to sleep.
Cause you can't
sleep in your clothes.
Other arm.
[CHUCKLES]
Pants.
Come on.
Oh, Jesse, you're heavy.
[GRUNTING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
No.
Leave me alone.
[GASPING]
CHLOE: Jesse?
[SHOUTING] Who are you?
Jesse?
What's the matter?
Leave me alone!
What is it, Jesse?
The dragonfly.
Leave me alone.
Who are you?
Jesse.
Jesse. Jesse,
are you all right?
There's somebody.
There's something.
No, there's nobody.
There isn't anything there.
There's something!
I don't make it up anymore.
There's something right there!
It's the mirror.
The looking glass.
You're seeing yourself.
Yes.
I'm sorry. I'll pay for it.
No, it's all right.
Anyway, I didn't kill anybody.
I didn't hurt anybody.
Dr. Leo...
He used to say that...
If you get mad and feel like
hurting something,
make it a thing.
Don't hurt people.
Don't hurt people.
You didn't,
it was only a thing.
I have to tell you.
I have hurt people.
Have you?
One of them was a stranger.
He was hiding.
So I pulled him
out of somewhere
just to see his face.
But it wouldn't show itself.
So I ripped at it, his skin.
As though it were a mask,
I ripped his skin away.
And they found me,
And they put me inside.
I didn't see anything
for years.
Or, maybe I saw something
every once in a while,
but not really.
And then somebody
came out of hiding.
It was Dr. Leo.
I left last
night because I saw
I was frightening you.
You don't anymore.
Because I haven't told you
the whole truth.
The stranger that I hurt,
I said
it was a man.
I think it may have been
a woman.
-Where are you going?
-Back.
-Back where?
-To the place.
-My shop. Dr. Leo.
-God, you can't.
Maybe. Okay, maybe.
Maybe you're right to go back.
Maybe
I should even take you back.
But maybe
you're wrong.
You haven't done anything
insane.
No.
All you did,
you saw something in
this room,
something that didn't belong
here, right?
And you struck out at
it and it broke,
and became nothing.
That isn't insane.
If somebody sees
something that frightens them,
even
if it's nothing,
if it's a shadow, if
it's not real,
and smashes to nothing,
that's not insane.
It may just
be the courage to
look life in the face
and see it for
what it really is.
Nothing?
I didn't say that's
what it is, but okay,
if that's what it is,
okay.
It takes a risk to look at it.
Now stop putting
your clothes on
and look at yourself.
Now, what's he saying to you?
He says I got a job.
Well, good.
Maybe someday he'll say
you have a girl, too.
Look. Mac. I told you...
How many times you been
around here?
There's nobody left from the
old neighborhood. Nobody.
Look, not even
the stores are the same.
I'm the last one.
And I ain't got one
customer,
not one, that's been here over
three or four years.
And you don't
remember the Arlingtons?
How could I?
I've only been here six years
Look, you think every time
you come in here,
I'm lying to you?
No, I was just.
I'm sorry.
Who's that?
What? Where? What are you
talking about?
Wait.
Wait. Please wait. Wait!
Sorry.
I've forgotten who you are,
but I...
Mrs. Patterson.
Mrs. Patterson, yes.
Flower Street.
You live on Flower
Street.
You used to have a dog
I've forgotten his name
a collie.
Well, we don't
live on Flower Street
anymore.
Years ago, the Arlingtons,
do you remember
the Arlingtons?
Arlington?
Oh yes, the Arlingtons.
There wasn't any
man in the house,
was there?
There were just two boys.
Two lovely boys.
Yes. You don't remember what
happened to them, do you?
Oh, no, years ago, they left,
went away.
We all do, you know.
Went back somewhere.
Back, back, back where?
Oh. Back,
back where they came from.
A farm, was it?
Oh, no!
And one of them's in the loony
bin.
Did you know that?
The crazy house.
They locked him up
in the craty house.
You...you...you
don't know where
they moved to, do you?
Started killing people.
He never killed anybody.
Oh yes he did.
-Killed his mother.
-That's not true.
Yes it is.
He killed her.
Killed his own
mother.
No, it's not true. No. He
did it.
-Operator, are you there?
-WOMAN: Operator.
I'd like to place
a person to person
call to Dr.
Leo Cooper, please.
Your number, please?
The number is...
[YELLS]
[SOBS]
[CLOCK TICKING]
[LOCK CLICKING]
Jesse?
Yes.
-Are you all right?
-Yes.
Then go to hell.
Where the hell were you?
I waited for you.
I was walking.
You're full of shit.
Don't say that, please.
I'll do whatever I want to.
If you never say
the word "shit",
I do, and I use it often.
-It doesn't say what you mean.
-Well,
nothing says what I mean.
And look who's talking.
Do you ever say what you mean?
Ever?
If you have.
I've completely missed it.
God, I have tried to
understand you and I've
tried just for my...
I start to get some kind of
a glimpse of you, you just,
you disappear,
you just don't show!
There's something about
you that is
totally unexplainable.
You're full of shit!
I'm sorry, Chloe.
Don't give me that
I'm sorry business.
Will you talk to me?
Look at me. Talk
plain to me, Jesse's sake.
Tell me I'm full of shit too.
I wouldn't mean it.
[SIGHS]
Are you sure you're all right?
Yes.
You don't sound
like you're all right.
You hungry?
You want me to
fix you something?
I'm leaving, Chloe.
-I'll make you
an egg sandwich.
-Tonight.
Or even scrambled eggs or...
Because I can't
stand not knowing.
Not knowing what?
If I killed.
Who, Jesse?
My mother.
Oh, God, Jesse.
I met this woman today, Mrs.
Patterson.
She used to live on
our block and she said...
I don't care what she said.
It's not true.
If it were true,
Dr. Leo would have told you.
Somebody at the hospital,
some way you
would have found out.
There are things
you can't find
out from others.
There are some things you
have to find out from others.
No. Something inside me says
there are lots of
ways of killing somebody.
If we listen
only to ourselves,
we're guilty of everything,
of being alive.
Now listen to me. Look at me.
You didn't kill anybody.
I'm the one that
knows that about you.
But I gotta know it, too.
[SIGHS] Where you gonna go?
What are you gonna do?
I don't know.
She said that my
brother moved back.
Before we lived in Danbury,
we used to have a farm.
I wonder if I'll
be able to find it.
Will I ever see you again?
Maybe not.
Well, it's not as if
we've really got anything.
You been here three weeks
and you never
laid a hand on me.
You kissed me once.
At least I think it
was a kiss. I don't know.
Maybe it was my imagination.
Whatever it was, it was nice.
And, it's not as
if I understand you.
Hell, we don't even speak
the same language.
So I guess I'll just pack up.
Oh, God, Jesse.
What happened to your hand?
[SOBBING]
Your poor hand.
Your poor, poor hand.
You know anyone
by the name of Arlington?
Hello.
Hello.
Doesn't seem to
be anybody here.
Except just me and you, huh?
What can I do for you?
Oh, I'm Pearlie Craigle.
I own this place.
I need a room.
Looks like a storm.
Yeah, gonna be the damndest.
What kind of
a trick would you like?
I would like a room.
Okay, sign the book, honey.
Sorry it's so
dead-miserable here.
No cars,
cabins empty, weather lousy.
Why I stay here in this heat.
It says license number,
and I don't have a car.
-What'd you do, walk?
-Yes.
From where?
-What's your trick, fella?
-Trick?
Everybody's got a trick.
What's yours?
I'm a carpenter.
Oh, that's not a trick,
that's a job.
I'm talking tricks.
I had this one
fella here once.
He was always
hearing beautiful music.
With or without a TV.
With or without
the radio going.
With or without somebody...
Singing in his ear.
He was always
hearin' loud, kookie music.
That was his trick.
I had this other fella once.
He was always eatin' carrots.
He always had
a carrot in his hand.
A big carrot.
Driving his car,
sitting on the porch,
laying in bed.
Oh, a big carrot.
What is your trick?
I don't have any.
Well, that might be the
biggest trick of 'em all, huh?
-Should I pay now?
-Yeah. Ten dollars.
Refundable. What?
Later, honey.
Please go away.
No.
I heard you crying.
Crying?
Not me, lady.
I didn't make a sound.
I heard you cryin'
without making a sound.
That's why I'm here.
You don't have to cry out loud
for me to hear you.
I'm a mother.
I can always
hear my baby crying.
Always.
Always.
What?
Honey, come on.
You don't have
anything you don't want to.
You don't even
have to kiss me.
Not my mouth anyway.
It's the mother-baby trick.
The mother-baby trick.
[MOANING]
What's the matter?
Walter. He's home. Oh. God.
Pearlie... Pearlie...
Pearlie... Pearlie.
[SCREAMING]
I'll kill you. I warned you.
You'll get more, you bitch.
I only started on you.
You'll get more.
I leave you alone one night...
I'll hit you again.
-No. Please.
-I told you...
-Hey, you! You son of a bitch.
-No, please!
Please, Walter, Let him alone.
No! No!
Walter, Walter, please!
Hit me, you bastard.
Come on, hit me back,
so I can kill you
in self-defense.
Let him go! Please!
-Get in, Jesse.
-Go away.
-Please get in.
-Go away.
I'm going to keep
following you until you do.
Why?
Why?
Arlington?
Yeah. Keep going straight.
[DOG BARKING]
WOMAN: Packo.
Stop that. Packo!
Shut up. Damn it, shut up.
-Yes? What do you want?
-I'm looking for
Gabriel Arlington.
Well, he's not here.
If you want to
rent some equipment,
I can help you...
No, it's not that.
Will he be back soon?
What do you want?
I'm his brother.
His brother?
Well, there is none.
You're Jesse?
-I thought he was...
-I'm out now. I'm all right.
I see.
Eh, I'm Gabe's wife.
My name is Willa.
Willa?
Yes.
Look. Gabe went into the city
and he won't be
back until night time.
I mean,
I don't know what
to say or anything.
You don't have
to worry about me.
No, I suppose not.
Well, come on inside.
Hey, don't.
I just want to get friendly.
Well, he won't get any
friendlier, so don't.
Place is kind of... I mean,
I haven't straightened up or
anything because...
Oh...
I forgot I had some
bean soup on the stove.
It boiled over.
Damn it.
It's all over the place.
-What kind of
soup did you say?
-Navy bean.
-With the marrow bone?
-Yeah, you want some?
It was Gabriel's favorite.
Could I wait and
have some with him?
Sure. I just want to
clean up this mess.
[CHILD LAUGHING]
I heard a sound.
Like a laugh... A child.
Do you have any children?
Yes, Lonnie.
Lonnie! Lonnie, where are you?
Lonnie! He's always hiding.
It's a new game.
Lonnie!
Come out of there. Lonnie!
Come on.
Lonnie, this is your uncle.
His name is Jesse.
Hello, Lonnie.
Say hello to
your uncle, Lonnie.
He's fourteen,
but he won't get any older
than five or six.
He has Mongolism...
But he's not an idiot.
He can do some
things very well.
He just doesn't
go to people much.
Was that you laughing, Lonnie?
Don't pay no more
attention to him.
He's like Packo,
he won't get any friendlier.
Catch it. Now, throw it to me.
Come on, over there! Catch it!
Then guess what
Charlie Brown says.
Guess what he says?
I think he's asleep.
-He is?
-Yes.
Corked off.
[LAUGHING]
-You ran him ragged.
-Me?
Yes.
He wouldn't stop.
He doesn't run around
that much. And he's never
played baseball before.
That's the first time I've
ever played it with only one
person on each team.
And no ball.
Oh,
I've played without a ball.
Yes, I suppose you have.
Well, it's not
the worst way to play, is it?
You can get struck
out just as easily.
Oh, I'm sure you can.
I guess striking
yourself out is the worst.
That navy bean
soup that you made
was very good.
Thanks.
Even without Gabriel.
I don't know what's
keeping him so late.
Lonnie.
Sweetheart, time to
get up to go to sleep.
Who's that?
Who is that?
It's me, Gabriel.
Jesse.
Jesse?
I thought I wouldn't find you.
Jesse?
I want to know
about my mother.
She...died, Jesse.
When did that happen?
I wrote to you all about it.
-I don't think
you did, Gabriel.
-Well, I certainly did.
Things being what they were,
you may not have noticed.
I think I would have noticed.
Or forgot. Maybe you forgot.
I wouldn't have
forgotten it altogether.
By now I think it would have
come back to me.
Why? Did
everything come back to you?
No, not everything.
Well...
All right, maybe I don't...
I don't remember
what you told me.
What did she die of?
-What difference, Jesse?
She's dead.
-What did she die of?
A complication of things.
-Like What?
-Well, her lungs.
You know her lungs were
never very healthy.
No, I didn't know that.
And then, you know, that...
That started to
affect other things.
-I wrote you all about it.
-I tell you I don't remember.
When you first when... When...
When she came to visit you,
she was sick even then.
You know very well
she never came to visit me.
Now come on, Jesse, she did.
-You just don't recall it.
-No, I'd have remembered that.
I remember when
you came to visit me,
but I don't remember
when mother ever
came to visit me. Never.
I don't remember that.
-All right, take it easy.
-So that leads me to believe
that she didn't die
while I was there,
but before I went there.
And maybe that's
why I went there.
Because you had
something to do
with her death?
Yes.
No, I swear to you, Jesse...
-I don't believe you.
-What do you believe?
That you killed
your own mother?
For Christ sake...
-Do you want to believe that?
-I've got to
believe whatever happened.
And if you don't
tell me the truth,
how am I ever gonna know?
I...
I give you my word. I swear.
I swear by my family,
you did not kill her.
Why didn't she
come to see me then?
Why did she just
leave me there?
Why did you both
leave me alone?
Because they told us
you didn't know us.
You didn't know who we were.
I knew you, Gabriel.
When you came, I knew you.
Why did you stop coming? Why?
I told you.
I just told you the reason.
That's a reason
for a sane person,
not a reason for me.
Well, I'm sane.
That's the only reason I know.
Not that those reasons
are any goddamn good,
but they're
the only ones I've got.
And if you're going to be
out here with the rest of
us sane bastards,
you're going to have to be
satisfied with reasons that
are never any damn good.
Never! Never! Never!
[DOOR SLAMMING]
I made up your bed
in the spare room.
It's the last room at
the end of the hall.
-You'll let me stay here?
-For a while anyway.
-Would you like that?
-Yes, I want to very much.
I won't be any trouble.
I'll work very hard.
Gabriel is the only
relation I've got,
you know.
I mean blood relation.
Lonnie's your
blood relation, too.
Yes, he is.
You coming to bed?
Why didn't you
tell him the truth?
-Why didn't you?
-It wasn't my place,
it was yours.
I told him as
much of the truth
as he can stand.
I think he can
stand all of it.
Now, you gonna tell him?
What can I tell him?
That he and my
mother went at each other
like a couple of murderers?
They were
always at each other.
I don't know what happened,
I wasn't there.
You know enough, Gabe.
And if he's going to
stay here, he'll find out
sooner or later.
Who says he's going to stay?
I say.
Why?
'Cause I want him here.
You want him here?
Gabe, he could help you.
He's experienced with tools.
He fixed the dryer today.
Gabe, you could
teach him the business.
There isn't enough
work for one man, Willa.
We'd fall all over each other.
He's good with Lonnie.
I don't want him here, Willa.
Lonnie had
a happy day with him.
What the hell does that mean?
He can have
a happy day with a toy.
Buy him a kitten.
He talked more than
I've ever heard him.
You think he's going to
cure Lonnie of being an idiot?
Don't call him that.
-You think he's
going to cure him?
-I didn't say that.
That's what
you'd like to think.
-Lonnie's all alone.
-Stop it.
WILLA: Gabriel, we better
reach out for something,
anything...anybody.
GABRIEL: Even a lunatic?
WILLA:
Gabriel, he's your brother.
That's just the reason.
You think I can
stand anymore of it?
Every day of my
life I look at my son.
He is my son...
And he's an idiot.
You think I can
stand another one?
My brother?
I can't, Willa. I can't.
I've had enough of it.
I can't.
Go back to bed, Lonnie.
Where's Jesse?
Where's Jesse?
Come on, boy.
Go to sleep now, boy.
WILLA: He's gone.
What?
Jesse's gone.
He must have
heard what you said.
Oh no!
Jesse?
Jesse, please, come back.
Jesse.
DR. LEO: How are you, Jesse?
I don't know. Dr. Leo.
I don't know how I am.
Can I help you?
You told me to keep
in touch, and uh...
I don't know what
I'm out here, Dr. Leo.
Jesse, where are you?
I don't know.
I'm looking out at this road.
I don't know where it goes to.
I'm lost.
Jesse,
why don't you come back?
I want to come back.
I don't think I can
find my way.
Jesse, you can.
I can't find my way.
I can't find my way!
When did you hear from him?
He called me that morning.
He was desperate.
I told him to come back here,
but he never showed up.
Well...
Where do I go from here?
Nowhere.
Go home, Chloe. Give it up.
No, I can't.
Maybe I'll go to his
brother's house.
Maybe he's gone back there.
He might be there now.
No, he isn't.
Well, he just might be.
Where else would he go?
He might have gone there.
No. He didn't.
How do you know?
Because his sister-in-law
called me.
She called you? Why?
To tell me that
Jesse's mother is alive.
Oh, my God.
Gus! Gus, for Christ's sake!
He's up there again!
Hey, Jesse! Come on down
out of there!
Jesse! Listen...
Come on down and we'll
put a cable on it!
Jesse, will you come down?
He's gonna kill every
goddamn one of us!
Jesse, listen to me!
For Christ's sake,
man, what are you doing?
Jesse, come down, you bastard!
Will you come the hell down
out of there?
Jesse!
[ALL YELLING]
CHLOE: You're looking
very well, Jesse.
You did real well at the job,
didn't you?
I saw you once
before up on the scaffold.
You scared the shit out of me.
I was gonna say hi, but I
was afraid that if I did that
I'd frighten you and you'd
fall, but you didn't.
You came down like...
I told you to stay
away from me.
I won't. I won't.
What are you trying to do?
Wreck yourself?
Don't tell me what to do with
myself. I'm a grown woman.
I know what I want.
I know what I have to
sacrifice in order to get it.
Don't tell me what to do.
Don't you dare tell me
what to do with myself!
Your mother's alive, Jesse!
She's alive!
Your mother's alive!
[DOOR CREAKS]
Hello?
Hello? Is anybody there?
Hello?
Is there something
I can do for you?
I knocked on the door,
but nobody answered.
Are you an artist?
Not really.
I've painted a little
all my life.
I don't remember that.
Is your name really
Mrs. Barrow?
Miss Barrow. Yes.
You sure it's not Arlington?
No.
It's always been Miss Barrow.
Even when you married?
Married?
I never did that.
Would you like something
to drink?
A glass of water?
No, thank you.
Do you like my house?
I keep it very clean.
Don't you think
it's very clean?
Yes, it's very clean.
I'm sure it must puzzle you,
all these things I have around
on the wall and on the table.
Religious things.
All sorts of religion.
I believe in everything.
Do you?
Yes.
I used to get headaches.
But I don't anymore.
I used to be in great despair.
But that stopped, too.
If you have a great many
things wrong with you,
you need a great many
different kinds of help.
Most of all,
you need
forgiveness.
Forgiveness?
Where do you go for that?
I find it...
I find it most of the time...
But not all the time?
Most of the time.
-Yes.
-But not all the time?
There are some sins
no one is forgiven for.
Which ones?
I don't want to talk about it.
[SIGHS]
It used to be fashionable
to think that people who
believed in something
were a little mad.
But I think that's changing.
Don't you?
I don't know.
Well, if it isn't,
you have to swim against
the current of the time.
You have to believe
in something.
Do you believe in something?
I'm not sure.
I don't know, anymore.
Oh.
I wish I could help you.
To believe in something.
But they say that no of us
can help one another.
Is that why you
live alone, Mama?
You're my mother,
aren't you?
I never had any children!
After all, Miss Barrow.
"Miss!"
"Miss!"
I haven't been well, but I'm
well enough to know that I've
never had any children!
However,
it might be nice.
Yes, it might be very nice,
now that I'm old,
to have someone.
So, if you'd like to pretend,
then I'm your mother.
No, I've pretended enough.
Why don't you look at me?
Don't you want me
to see your face?
Go away, please.
Don't you want me to see
that we resemble each other?
Go away!
I want to look at you.
[SOBBING] No!
Oh, God!
What's the matter?
What's the matter?
That picture. What is it?
The crucifixion. I painted it
long ago.
But I call it "The Dragonfly."
Goddamn you.
What?
Goddamn you.
Goddamn you!
Please, Jesse, please!
Where have you been?
Why did you leave me alone?
Why didn't you help me?
I didn't... When you were
little I helped
you all the time.
Why didn't you help me
when I was sick?
When they took me away?
I couldn't!
Why didn't you come to
visit me when I was in the
hospital, all those years?
Why didn't you come?
I couldn't!
I swear I couldn't!
Why?
Is it because you thought
I wouldn't recognize you?
Is that the reason?
Like Gabriel said?
No.
If that was the reason,
tell me. It's all right, Mama.
That was the reason.
I want you to have
a good reason.
Oh, stop it.
Or I will tell you!
Please.
Because...
Because I couldn't bear
to look at you!
Because you were insane!
I don't care what they say.
It's in the blood!
It was in my blood!
It was in your blood!
It's original sin!
That's what it is!
Not to be forgiven!
I gave it to you.
I couldn't bear
to know that I did.
I couldn't bear to know that
I brought you into the world!
Forgive me for living, Mama.
No.
I can't forgive myself.
For giving you life,
and I can't forgive you
for living.
Forgive me for living, Mama.
[CRYING] No!
I tried to kill you once.
And I should have!
I should have!
I should have!
Forgive me for living!
You're all bastards!
[LAUGHING] You're all
full of shit!
All full of shit!
[LAUGHING GLEEFULLY]
Bastards!
Son of a bitches!
Goddamn bastards!
[LAUGHING]
You phony bastards!
Jesse?
Stay away from me.
I'll kill you!
Jesse!
[JESSE SCREAMING]
Jesse, please!
[SCREAMING INCOHERENTLY]
Jesse!
[LAUGHING] I'll kill you!
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
I'll kill you.
[EXHALING]
[EXCLAIMS]
[SCREAMS]
You didn't stop me.
You didn't try to stop me.