Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970) - full transcript

John...

John...

John...

John!

John!

Just a minute, Mildred.

My name is John Harrington.

I'm 39 years old.

I'm a paranoiac.

Paranoiac...

...an enchanting word,



so civilized and full of possibilities.

The fact is, I am completely mad.

The realization at which
annoyed me at first...

...but is now amusing to me.

Quite amusing.

Nobody suspects that I am a madman...

...a dangerous murderer.

Not Mildred, my wife...

...nor the employees of my fashion centre...

...nor, of course, my customers.

Poor little fly.

Why are you so daring?

You're so fragile.

And yet you're horn.



You reproduce yourself,
and you die like man.

The difference is that you don't think.

And you don't need to remember.

You don't fear death
because you ignore it.

Your insignificant life is
a mere biological accident.

But death exists, I can assure you.

And that is what makes life
a ridiculous and brutal drama.

But the fact remains that
I have killed five young women.

Three of whom are buried in the hothouse.

Carol...

Mary...

Margaret...

They were the friendliest,
the most attractive ones.

There is one problem.

I must go on wielding the cleaver.

It's most annoying.

But when I begin to hear
those footsteps...

...those stealthy footsteps...

...I know I must kill.

And I shall have to continue killing
until I find out the whole truth.

That's it.

Until I find out the whole truth.

Good morning, Mildred.

Did you sleep well last night?

You know I never sleep well.

It's pointless to ask me
the same question every day.

How sad, another bride killed.

Sad.

But forfunately...

...she paid for her wedding
dress in advance.

Have you made any decisions about
what we spoke of yesterday?

I'll never give you a divorce. Never.

We shall stay married
until death do us part.

That's a vague answer.
They didn't suspect that death

was going to part them so soon.

They're in my power' John.

The banks, the wholesalers.

Everything works thanks to my money.

None of this would exist if
it weren't for little old me.

Yes, but don't forgot...

I inherited the house and
the fashion business...

...from my mother.

A mountain of ruins buried in debts.

That's all it was, and you know it.

That's when I had the misfortune of
finding a completely useless husband.

I have records right down to
the last ponny I've invested.

Stop that!

Better listen to me carefully,
John Harrington.

I will never give you a divorce.

Never!

Do you understand?

Never!

As you wish, Mildred.

I won't insist.

John!

Dr. Kalleway has invited me
to a s?ance tonight.

I want you to come with me.

Are you trying to communicate
with your first husband?

If he was really as intelligent
as you say he was,

I don't think you'd be able
to manage it.

At least, while he was alive,
he was a man.

But you...

How easily one is deceived
by appearances!

I could compete with your
deceased husband easily!

If it was worth the trouble.

- Hello.
- Hello, Mr. Harrington.

Mr. Harrington?

We'd like to have you take a
look at those sketches.

Another time.

Who are you?

Hello, my name is Helen Wood.

I'm a professionel model.
I heard you had a vacancy.

How'd you find out?

Oh, a friend of Rosy's told me.

Rosy?

She worked for a year here.

Left us without warning a couple
of weeks ago.

- Have you worked before?
- Here are my references.

Your last job was at Regent's.

Why did you leave there?

For personal reasons.

Height 5'7,

weight 122.

37-22-37.

You're half an inch out.
My waist is 21 and a half inches.

Have you ever modelled wedding dresses?

A few times.

Here you'll have to do it constantly.

And pyjamas, lingerie...

We specialise in everything a bride
might use on her wedding day.

Including the bridegroom?

You seem to be very intelligent...

...and rather witty.

I think I am.

I can offer you a month's trial
at 499 francs a week.

And we have to have an exclusive.

Taxes and insurance are both included.

I'll take it.

- You'll report to Miss Louise.
- Alright.

She'll show you the routine.

Welcome to Harrington and Company.

- I hope you'll enjoy working with us.
- I hope so.

We are congregated here...

...with our remorse,

our hates,

our loves,

our unspeakable desires!

And I summon you, the ones,
who can still feel pity for those of us...

...alive here.

I begin to perceive some kind of
message with increasing intensity.

This room is being filled with pity,
with forgiveness, with compassion.

Who are you?

Whom do you seek?

Oh, John...

...behave yourself.

Leave me alone.

Don't be naughty.

I love you...

...John.

John!

I love you, my baby!

I loved you so much...

...John.

Stop it! Stop it!

Good morning, Mr. Harrington.

Good morning, Inspector Russell.

Do you want to ask me some more questions?

I'll do anything I can to help you.

I am afraid I've told you all I know.

Just passing this way.

I thought I'd drop in and pay my respects.
This place fascinates me.

It's only a hothouse.

I'm attracted to everything that
is in alteration of nature.

Like the brain of a mental patient.

Even that must be something
like your hothouse.

Don't you agree?

A curious analogy, Inspector.

An oppressive atmosphere...

Flowers are a strange...

And the birds of crime
fluttering about in his brain.

A special hybrid?

Heat and watering...

...and the right ferfiliser.

We've drawn a blank regarding
those murders.

In less than a year there were
three women killed,

and on their wedding night.
Not to mention the four missing.

Maybe their husbands weren't
too keen about marriage.

I can accept any crime if...

...I can understand the human
impulse that motivated it.

But when you're dealing
with a demented mind...

Why do you say that?

Is there another possibility?

A madman can also have good reasons.

For him.

But I'm sure in the dark.

That's the advantage the criminal has.

He operates without logic, you see?

Who knows who his next victim will be?

More than two hundred couples...

...get married in Paris every day.

The leaves you burn here?

Yes, only leaves.

Have you had any word from Rosy Miller?

No, she left without notice.

Look at these lovely flowors,
Inspector Russell.

They're beautiful, aren't they?

Hm, yeah.

Rosy was also quite beautiful.

But, Inspector...

...she wasn't planning to get married.

At least she wasn't just before she left.

I think I've mentioned before, that girls

who work in fashion' are
beautiful and ambitious.

Husbands sometimes buy the garments
for their wives

and use the models for themselves.

- If you understand.
- Thanks. That's it.

- You'll get the same photographs in colour.
- Yeah, okay.

Do you think Rosy is taking
a secret vacation?

Why not?

Beautiful.

Miss Wood?

Excuse me.

This is Helen Wood. She filled the
vacancy left by Rosy's departure.

Inspector Russell, I'd like to
introduce you to Miss Helen Wood.

It's a pleasure, Miss Wood.

There ought to be a law
against pretty models

going away without leaving a
forwarding address.

I'm not going anywhere.

Miss Wood?!

I have to leave you.

These husbands of your clients
are very fortunate men, indeed.

Oh, I may have to trouble you again.

Just routine, is that right, Inspector?

Simply routine.

Oh, Inspector...

...don't worry about these girls.

I'm sure you'll find them.

Mr. Harrington...

Mr. Harrington.

I wanted to notify you of it.

I'm going to have to quit working for you.

Why?

Because I'm getting married.

I want you to stay after
the other girls leave tonight.

Come on, come on, hurry up.

- What are you doing tonight?
- Having an appointment.

- See you in the morning.
- Good night.

Here you see all the dresses created
by the house of Harrington's

since my mother founded the
organisation in 1927.

I adored my mother.

And I decided to carry on her work.

You're so young...

...and so lovely.

Choose whatever dress you like.

It would be my wedding gift.

Go ahead. Choose one.

This is the prettiest, isn't it?

Put it on.

Now?

Yes, now.

I want to see you in your wedding dress...

...as if tonight really belonged to us.

A woman should live only until
her wedding night.

Love once...

...and then die.

Do you hear those footsteps?

Someone is tiptoeing inside my brain.

Who?

Why do I hear those footsteps?

John...

John...

Now, you'll turn into another woman.

And I'll find out e little bit more.

Why that woman keeps calling my name?

Why there's so much pain in her eyes?

And I'll see her features more clearly.

Each time more clearly.

John...

John...

Don't you smell something burning?

John!?

What do you find so interesting in
the newspaper that you forgot the toast?!

Don't do that, Mildred.

You know it bothers me.

I was only trying to make
your toast edible.

Did I tell you I received a
letter from my cousin Gladys?

No.

Aren't you going to ask me
what she said in it?

You're gonna tell me anyway.

She's not feeling well,

and she's asked me to pay her a visit...

...to keep her company.

So if you have no objections,
I'll go tomorrow.

I have no objections.

Of course, you have no objection!

For a whole week you can
pretend you're divorced.

But I promise you, I will come
back, my dear.

You can be certain of that!

Hello, Mr. Harrington.

Hello.

What are you doing here?

What do you think I'm doing?

I could tell you I knew your
wife was going away,

and I've come because I wanted
to be alone with you.

I might be a model whose solo
purpose is to capture her boss...

...or Rosy Miller's sister,
for example...

...who wants to ask you:

"What did you do with my sister,
Mr. Harrington?"

As a matter of fact I...

I killed her...

...raped her...

...and buried her in the hothouse.

Must have been marvellous.

What motive would you prefer
to have brought me here?

The real one.

That'll be the most interesting.

Are you really Rosy's sister?

Would it matter to you if I were?

No.

How often have you been unfaithful
to your wife?

Three, four times?

You ask a lot of questions.

That's the only way that you're
like other women.

the only way?

There's something different about you.

I don't know exactly what it is.

Perhaps your eyes.

Or your skin.

But for me you're different
from any women I've ever known.

I'm just an ordinary girl.
I adore luxury, I'm terribly lazy.

And I like to amuse myself
doing crazy things.

How? What kind of things?

Well, I've just turned 23 and
I've had several lovers.

How many lovers have you had?

Oh, I never counted them.

Not many.

Why aren't you happily married?

Every man needs women
for different reasons...

...apart from love.

Apart from love, why do you need them?

Perhaps...

...to find out something about myself.

You know, I could help you find
out about yourself.

I wouldn't want to...

...to use you in that way.

I don't want to harm you.

I know how to take care of myself.

Do you live here?

Yes, I do. Alone.

Good night, Helen.

Do you mind if I ask you another question?

- No.
- Why haven't you kissed me yet?

Please Mary, come away from here.

Come with me. You'll be alright.

No.

Please.

I beg you to come.

I can't leave you here.
I don't want to leave you here.

Listen, Mary, she knows best.

- No.
- You got to understand.

- It's for your own good. You must.
- I don't went to understand anything.

All I know is...

I'm going to die.

He was the only thing I ever
loved in the world.

I'm not a ghost, my dear.

I took the first plane back.

I wanted to surprise you,
and apparently I did.

Where have you been?

With some woman?

What were the two of you doing?

Did you tell her how much
you loved your mother?

Mildred!

Did you think I was going
to leave you here alone?

I sent Gladys a telegram saying
I wasn't coming!

I don't intend to leave you here
alone for a week!

Do you hear?!

Don't even bother dreaming about it!

Are you listening?

Not a week, not a day, not even a minute!

I'll always be here at your side,
whether you like it or not!

Always! Always!

Why do we torture each other?

Who's torturing whom?

There was a time when we were...

...we were happy.

Before we got married to be exact.

We laughed together.

Made plans.

Had dreams.

But you were never my husband.

I know, but I wanted you so much.

John!

Then something happened.

Right on our wedding night.

I heard those footsteps.

What footsteps?

Mildred, I know I should have
done something that night...

...but...

...I was afraid.

John John, don't leave me like this.

Have pity, darling. Don't loave me.

I'll be back in a minute.

I promise.

John...

Mildred...

...you don't want to separate from me.

And I don't want you around my neck.

What other solution is there?

I hated these last years with you.

And now, find it'll be all over.

But why? Why?

I think it's necessary.

It's inescapable.

I'm sure of it.

John...

John...

Alright, where is she?

- Where is she?
- Where is who?

Alice Norton! I know she's in
this house with you!

Alice Norton is Mr. Cane's fianc?.

We heard a woman screaming.

Screaming?

- Yes, we certainly heard it.
- Ah Inspector,

you're allowing yourself to be influenced
by a very impressionable young man.

I'm surprised at you.

That's not worthy of you, you know.

No, no, don't touch me.

Leave me alone.

Were these the screams you heard?

Very interesting.

You like horror films, do you?

I don't find them very entertaining.

I keep thinking that reality is
more terrifying than fiction.

Wouldn't you agree?

Another strange disappearance of
one of your models, Mr. Harrington.

Alice Norton, who hasn't been
seen in a week,

since she works at your fashion
house and...

...no one saw her leave.

I thought you might...

...be able to help me.

- Logical?
- No.

It's hard to believe she wouldn't
leave work with someone.

Alice Norton and Jimmy Cane would
have been married before long.

- Did you know that, Mr. Harrington?
- No.

Your visits are becoming too
frequent, Inspector.

They begin to annoy me.

If you wish to continue this investigation,

you'll have to make a formal
charge against Mr. Harrington.

- So, you don't know anything about her?
- No.

I must apologize. It was a misunderstanding,

- Isn't that so, Mr. Cane?
- I think so.

- Good night, Mr. Harrington.
- Good night.

Oh...

...it's very cold tonight, isn't it?

Yes, quite cold.

It's curious. You seem to be sweating.

Very curious.

I saw mummy dead.

Something awakened me that night.

It was raining very hard.

I crossed the whole house
to get to their room.

I was afraid because it was so dark.

Why did they kill mummy?

Who did it?

I want to know who did it.

John...

John...

John...

What are you filling that cup for?

Your wife asked for it.

Can I have a look?

Perfect.

The wig for No. 12.

- Almost ready?
- In a minute.

- The white boots go with model 24.
- Yes, Ma'am, I'm on my way.

Mrs. Harrington,

it's a pleasure to see you here.
We thought you were away.

Oh, by the way, John, what satin
are we going to use for model 25?

What would you suggest, Mrs. Harrington?

She's gone.

Well, shall we leave it the way it was?

John?

Is it alright?

Yes, fine.

Listen, I'd like a colour shot of
this for the cover, Jack.

How is it going, Mary?

- Fine.
- Good.

Are you ready?

Mhm.

Do you like your negligee?

Aha.

It looks fine.

Thanks. I'm happy.

Model 11
Subtle Breeze.

Fashion from a base of Swiss organdy.

And appliqu? with a spattering
of flowers in three colours.

The flowered cap has a short
veil, also in organza.

the shoos are of delustered
satin with Italian heels.

Good morning, Betsy.
Good morning, Lady Whister.

Model 12
Summer Moon.

This is an empire-style gown
in fur with a cloak of lace.

The shoes and stockings are
of silver lam?.

Awakening.

This one is a night gown of
fine Dutch tulle.

Worn with slippers trimmed
in swans down.

Excuse me for a moment,
won't you, ladies?

Model 18
Orange Flowers.

An enchanting ensemble in natural
silk and delustered satin.

The shoes are buckled...

Inspector Russell...

...and what brings you here?

It used to be when marriage for a woman
was a simple problem of finding success...

...or failure.

Now she also has the simple problem
of keeping alive.

But which of these wedding gowns
will the next victim to be wearing?

This one?

That one?

I wouldn't know.

I made a routine call to the
television station.

I asked them to show me the film
that was playing that night...

...that we showed up and invited
at your house.

It's strange...

...but nobody screamed before
that scene we saw...

...when you turned on the TV
in front of us.

Interesting, eh?

Yes, very interesting.

- Yeah...
- Oh...

Would you like me to tell you my plan
for trapping a murderer?

If you want to.

Just patience.

Only that.

Just patience.

Right now, all I can do is wait.

But it won't be very long until
I'll be able to burst his bubble.

- Good day.
- Model number 21...

- Good day, Inspector.
- ...Flower Girl.

A short dress, who's top is
completely ruffled and handmade lace.

The ruffles are repeated at the hair.

A bore, wouldn't you say?

My mother still thinks those
things are important.

And you don't think so?

If only girls, who deserve these dresses,
wore them, you would go bankrupt.

Do you deserve one?

Certainly not!

You don't really think that
I'm a lily-white virgin, do you?

I'm my own boss.

I hope you're going to be present
at my wedding.

You are?

Sure, why not?

He must like you, and that's something.

He is very nervous.

And very lucky.

What's wrong with your mother?

She's talking to herself.

Are you blind? She's with your wife.

Mildred?

Mildred?

Mildred, where have you gone to?

I'll never leave you, John.

Never.

Everyone will see me except you.

By your side as always.

Always, John.

Always by your side.

They'll say we're a perfect couple.

Always together.

Always...

My incinerator is too much...

...even too much for you, Mildred.

I think now...

...you'll leave me in peace.

Won't you, Mildred?

I hope that finally you're happy.

You wanted to be with me, dear.

Always.

You said so yourself.

- Yes, Sir?
- A whisky, please.

Would you like something, dear?

A Whisky for you, Sir, and a
sherry for madam.

Here's to us, Mildred.

Would you like to come home with me?

You have company.

She won't disturb us.

We'll go to my house...

...the three of us.

My wife will see something
she won't ever forget.

Not even in hell.

You rotten pervert,
who do you think you are?!

Throw him out of here!
He insulted me, the filthy pig!

Here's your bag.

I was in the fitting room
when I saw you come up here.

- May I come in?
- Yes, of course.

Come closer, Helen.

When I was a little boy this was my room.

We've all had a room like this.

And then it gets lost,
this room of memories.

But you've kept yours boautifully.

Yes, the memories do float about.

Somewhere... vaguely...

You managed to preserve them very well.

Get out of here, Helen.

John...

...are you ill?

I'm coming to the end of a long road.

Our minds got so tired of suffering.

I'm suffering so.

I've got to find out.

There's only a little way to go.

Only one step more...

...and I'll have found out everything.

Only one step more.

The last, Helen.

I didn't expect you to be here, Harrington.

What do you want, Inspector?

The killer tried to get to Lady
Whister's daughter, her house tonight.

You were at the reception, weren't you?

Yes.

How long were you there?

Not long.

Mr. Harrington and I have
been here all evening.

We decided to spend the night together.

Any objections?

Oh no, of course not, Miss Wood.

You won't be long, will you?

You seem to be a very lucky men, Harrington.

I must say very lucky.

If I were you, I wouldn't press my luck.

Pardon this interruption.

You are certainly very fortunate.

I envy you.

I'd visit a doctor if I were you.

You were sweating again in the cold air.

And I can turn into a nuisance.
Good evening.

Helen, what are you doing here?

Can't you guess?

You don't mind me using your bath, do you?

Or getting into your dressing gown?

Why did you lio to help me?

I wanted him to leave, so that we
could spend some time alone.

You're not afraid to be alone with me?

Me afraid?

Not a chance.

Go away.

Please.

Please, go away.

Do you mean it...

...really?

Yes.

Something unforeseen has happened.

Go. Go now...

...before it's too late.

I don't want to go.

I went to stay.

I want to be with you.

John.

Let's dance.

I never wanted to harm you, Helen.

No, I didn't.

But I must fit that last
piece into place.

I must know who did it.

John!

John!

John!

I killed my mother.

I did it.

I didn't want her to marry again.

I killed her.

I killed her.

Are you all right?

Yes.

Miss Wood, you're a very courageous
young lady.

Helen was the pawn you introduced
into the game.

Am I right, Inspector?

It could have been so nice.

I think.

Although I suppose it couldn't be.

Let's go, Inspector.

Good evening, John.

At first you couldn't see me.

And now nobody will see me except you.

And we'll always be together.

At first in the insane asylum...

...end then in hell for eternity.

No.

Go away.

I don't want you with me.

No. No!

Let me go.

No! Make her go!

Make her go!

I killed her once.

I don't want to have to kill her again.

No!