Schizoid (1980) - full transcript
Julie is an advice columnist for the city newspaper who begins to receive anonymous notes threatening murder and worse. At about the same time, female members of the group therapy session she attends are being stabbed, one by one, by an unknown assailant. Is there a connection? If so, why do the notes talk about murder with a gun, while the murder victims are being stabbed? At first, the police, her ex-husband, her therapist and her friends all assure her that the notes are probably unrelated, and hoax; but with time, it becomes apparent that someone close to her is responsible. Is it her therapist, Pieter, who has sex with his patients just before they are murdered? Or Pieter's daughter, who resents Julie for Julie's romantic involvement with Pieter? Is it Julie's ex-husband, who never really wanted their divorce? Or maybe Gilbert, the eccentric building maintenance man whom many people believe is a little crazy anyway? Just about everyone around her seems mentally disturbed enough to be the culprit.
[TRAIN CHUGGING]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[SIGHS]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[GASPS]
[SIGHS]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[LAUGHTER]
WOMAN: I guess you could
[INDISTINCT]
WOMAN: Yeah, right.
Okay. All right.
We-- we're gonna miss you
in the group.
We really will.
And here's to wish you
a wonderful trip back east.
Okay?
And here's to help...
[LAUGHTER]
I hope the three weeks
with your parents
doesn't wipe out two years
with therapy with Dr. Fales.
Thank you.
Speaking of Dr. Fales,
Rosemary,
why don't you rent them
this hot tub
for therapy sessions?
Get the whole group in here.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
You wanna share a hot
tub with Bruce?
Or Gilbert?
[CAMERA CLICKS]
JULIE: I wish I was strong
enough to lead therapy.
You, you're stronger
than any of us.
Oh, no. I'm not.
Oh.
I just look that way.
Ooh.
WOMAN: Julie is like me.
Ice cube front and
jell-o inside.
I'm terrified to get up
in the morning.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
WOMAN: What about your divorce?
-Did it come through?
-Yeah.
Well, welcome back
to single's town, girl.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
You all think that I'm happy
to get out of my marriage,
but I'm not.
He still thinks
I'm his property though.
He's a man.
For somebody
who makes their living
writing an advice column.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
[INDISTINCT]
[LAUGHTER]
I wish he'd understand that
he's got to stop bothering me
or I'll only have to quit
my job.
WOMAN: Why you?
You know why.
We work for the same newspaper.
WOMAN: Let him quit.
Get him fired.
I couldn't do that.
String him up by his tonsils.
[LAUGHTER]
[CAMERA CLICKS]
JULIE: No.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
WOMAN: Oh, my gosh.
Have a nice trip, Sally.
Thank you.
[INDISTINCT]
-So, you wanna come?
-Oh, I can't.
I'd love to
but I'm overloaded with work.
Oh, you gotta [INDISTINCT]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS AND REVS]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PANTING]
[SCREAMS]
[CAR ENGINE REVS]
[SOBS]
Somebody, please help me.
[CRYING]
-[SQUEAKS]
-[SCREAMS]
Help.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRYING] Help me.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[SCREAMS]
[PANTING]
[SCREAMS]
Please, stop. No.
[SCREAMS] No.
No.
No.
[SOBS]
[CRYING]
[SCREAMS]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[HUMMING] Hey.
-Good morning, Julie.
-Morning.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
-Did you hear that?
-Good morning, Julie.
-I'll be right in.
-That's deadline.
Yeah. Well you talk
to your husband about that?
Ex-husband, sweetie.
-Okay.
-Too sunny in here for you?
Got a case of pink eye.
Oh, good Lord.
Oh, no.
Another one.
"Murder, I think about it
more and more.
They talk forever
about their stupid problems
and I'm the one who's miserable.
I wanna shoot them
through the head
and I can do it.
I've got his gun.
[SIGHS] You're one of them.
I'm gonna kill you too."
What a crackpot.
I mean,
you have to be a crackpot
to write a letter like that.
You think that this is a joke?
Show it to Doug.
DOUG: Go to the police.
JULIE: The thing is
I've gotten hoax letters before.
DOUG: He's threatening you.
You don't fool around
with something like this.
You should go to the police.
That is one of those nuts
from that therapy group.
That's who I bet it is.
One of those nuts
from that group.
I do have a group session
this afternoon.
DOUG: Well, there you go.
You can ask a psychopath
about a psychopath.
We could've made it,
you and I,
if it hadn't been
for that group.
Doug, stop it.
You know that that's not true.
[SIGHS] By the way,
have the divorce papers
come through yet?
Day before yesterday.
Don't look so sad.
I'm not the only woman
in the world.
It's just that sometimes,
people...
Do what you want.
Do what you want.
What do you think of these?
For what?
Gonna wallpaper
for the new art room.
But they're both
perfectly awful.
You think so?
Who's gonna do it for you?
What do you mean
who's gonna do it for me?
I'm gonna do it.
My uncle was a paper hanger.
He left me tools.
Business grave
if I let somebody else
hanging paper in my walls.
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[GASPS]
Gilbert, Gilbert, my God.
[PANTING]
You surprised me.
I'm gonna be working
on your building tomorrow.
-My building?
-GILBERT: Yeah.
Where you got your office.
You got some boiler problems
down there.
JULIE: Tell me about it.
I don't even have any hot water.
It's the boiler.
My boss is sending me down
to check it out.
We do all the boiler work
for the company
that manages your building.
They got 50 to 60
office buildings in the city.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PHONE RINGS]
Yes?
WOMAN: Your group is coming in, Dr. Fales.
DR. FALES: Thank you.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
Alison...
are you all right?
Yes, daddy.
You were out late
last night again.
I wish you wouldn't drive
alone like that.
It's dangerous.
[WATER SPLASHING]
GILBERT: So, loneliness,
sometimes it weighs on me
like a--
like a blanket made out of tar,
or rubber, or something.
Asphalt.
I don't know
how to push it off.
When I'm working
it's not so bad,
especially
when there's a crisis.
Uh, a boiler blows up,
something like that, I fix it.
For a while,
I can feel like a hero.
Then I get off work
and everybody else
has got some place to go.
It makes me...
kind of angry,
makes me really pissed.
[SCOFFS]
I don't know
why I'm saying all this for.
I feel like that sometimes.
Everybody does.
PIETER: Go on, Gilbert.
What do you do
when you get angry?
I walk it,
or I drive it.
Sometimes I walk it,
sometimes I drive it.
Walk it?
GILBERT:
I don't have anybody to talk to.
I ain't got a family here.
WOMAN: We're a family for you.
[CHUCKLES]
This group.
We're here for you.
Yeah, when?
2:00 in the morning
when I'm riding the streets.
Are you here then?
I never seen you.
You know what I do sometimes?
I walk to the supermarket
2:00 or 3:00 in the morning
just to see somebody's face.
I've never seen you there,
Francoise.
MAN: You know why, Francoise?
You got a husband,
that makes a lot of difference.
[HISSES] A husband
she'd be better off without.
JULIE: Now, wait a minute.
Rosemary, you can't say things like that.
ROSEMARY: What? About Francoise's husband?
-JULIE: Yes.
-ROSEMARY: Are you kidding?
We tore him apart last week.
JULIE: Well, that's exactly it. That is exact--
we tore her husband apart last week. That's right.
And the poor man wasn't
even here to defend himself.
You know,
I think we should really be
a little more careful
with other people's marriages.
Oh, please.
What [INDISTINCT]
marital experience
do you speak from, Rosemary?
ROSEMARY: None, love.
I've been remarkably successful
in avoiding it.
Maybe there's a reason for that,
sweetheart.
-[CHUCKLES]
-Rosemary,
you are a real catastrophe
today.
[LAUGHTER]
There are two sides
to relationships.
I think we have to address
ourselves to it.
-That's it.
-Thank you, doctor.
See you next time.
Thank you.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
JULIE: Dr. Fales?
Yes?
JULIE: Could I see you
for a minute, please?
I didn't wanna bring this up
in front of the group.
It's the second one
in two weeks.
[CAR ENGINE REVS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
Could he be serious
about murdering people?
-He's asking for advice.
-From me?
It's what you give
in your column.
JULIE: Yes.
But to kids with pimples.
I think if he wanted to kill,
he wouldn't write letters.
How are things going
with your husband?
Doug is wallpapering his office.
Is he?
Yes, he is.
His family is in
the wallpaper business
and his uncle that is in--
you know, his parents died
when he was an infant.
But, you know that.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PANTING]
I never do these sort of things.
Your appointment is for 6:30,
Dr. Fales.
Thank you, Clara.
[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]
Oh, I'll just be a minute.
You wanna a ride?
PAT: Definitely.
My car divorced me last night.
I can't even find the bus stop.
JULIE: Help me with this.
This is no town
to be without wheels.
Tell me about it,
especially with creeps
like Gilbert
-wondering around.
-JULIE: Gilbert?
Yeah, all those fantasies
he has about women.
I'd like to strangle him
with a barbwire.
They were just fantasies.
PAT: I should talk, me,
a topless dancer with a Masters
-from Wellesley with-- oh.
-Oh, God.
Oh, God. It's disgusting.
[LAUGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS AND REVS]
[LAUGHTER]
PAT: I hate goodbyes.
[SIGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[KEYS JINGLING]
MAN: Fritz!
You shaved your head.
Bro, I don't believe it.
Suits you, it does.
It really does.
When did you do that?
[SIGHS]
[WATER DRIPPING]
[SIGHS]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Is anybody there?
[MOTORCYCLE ENGINE REVVING]
WOMAN: [LAUGHS]
Oh.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
-MAN: Hurry up.
-[CHUCKLES]
[CRICKETS CRICKETING]
[CHUCKLES]
It's cold.
No problem.
WOMAN: [SCREAMING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
[DOG BARKING]
[SIGHS]
I keep wondering
how many of these things
I got to see before it starts
turning my stomach.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[GLASS CLINKING]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
[SIGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PAT GASPS]
You always surprise me.
[CHUCKLES]
[PANTING]
[MOANING]
I don't know, Jake.
You know,
it's like a rollercoaster,
you know what I'm saying?
Sometimes you're up,
sometimes you're down.
You got to learn
how to roll with the punches.
Come on, I'll buy you
a cup of coffee.
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTERS]
[PHONE RINGS]
I'm looking
for a Det. Donahue.
-I called before.
-Right. Lt. Donahue
is right behind that door
over there.
Just walk right behind
this counter,
through the door.
Okay. Thank you.
DONAHUE: It's eight to five,
it's some kind of a hoax.
Some character
playing kiddie games.
JULIE: But what if isn't?
Then you're in a different
kind of problem.
Isn't [INDISTINCT]
where's my cup?
Who's got my cup?
JULIE: You mean we have to wait
until somebody dies?
JAKE: The law works
in mysterious ways, Miss.
But it's just a sad letter.
You'd be surprised
how many people out there
feel the same way this guy does.
DONAHUE: How long
have you been writing
that lonely heart's column
of yours?
About a year.
DONAHUE: I wanna guarantee you
two things.
One, that that letter
is as phony
as a three-dollar bill.
Two, if before you're though
writing that column,
you're gonna have a sack full.
I know.
That's what my therapist says.
What's a pretty girl like you
go to a therapist for?
Well, it helps with my column.
And anyway, you know,
there are a lot
of people out there
-who have problems.
-JAKE: Yeah, tell me about it.
We clean up the mess.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE TURNS OVER]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[BUS ENGINE REVVING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[BUZZER BUZZES]
[BUS DOOR OPENS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[PANTING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[PANTING]
[SCISSORS SNIPPING]
[GASPING]
-[GASPS]
-[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]
[FENCE CLATTERING]
[PAT GROANS]
[CLATTERING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[METAL CLANKING]
PAT: Oh, please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
[INDISTINCT]
[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]
[PAT GROANING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[KEYS JINGLING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[DOOR OPENS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[FAUCET HISSING]
[CLICKS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DOOR CLOSES]
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
Like the flowers?
Another letter came
this morning.
Oh, really?
JULIE: "Dear Julie,
maybe you don't believe
I'm serious.
Your time is growing short.
The bullet's in the chamber,
the gun's ready to blow.
I'm aiming it at you."
Signed, Scared to Death.
WOMAN: Total schizo.
Well, I've got to do something.
Julie, don't get involved.
-This person is appealing--
-So what?
He's obviously insane!
Why don't you go to the police?
She did,
they think it's a hoax.
I think I'm gonna have
to do something myself.
To answer him,
maybe in the column.
No!
The police could set me up
with a special phone line
so I could--
maybe I could talk to him.
Let me see that letter.
You know something,
I think it's a hoax, too.
[CHUCKLES]
Doug, you just don't want me
to get involved.
Whoever is writing this
is obviously capable of murder.
-All right?
-Now, look.
He doesn't wanna hurt me,
he just wants my help.
How do you know what he wants to
or doesn't want to do to you?
The guy's obviously a lunatic.
Doug's right, you know.
DONAHUE: It's the same thing.
Hey, look, even if he threatens
somebody directly,
we could go after him.
But the guy
hasn't done anything.
Well, how do you know he hasn't?
Some of those letters
mentioned a gun.
Now how-- maybe
he's shot somebody already.
Maybe.
Look, I'm dealing
with a half a dozen
murders a day
and you're busting my chops
on a maybe.
Now, come on,
do you know how many homicides
there are in the L.A. area
every week?
Do you?
Archie,
let me see the latest
beauty file, will you?
Forty.
Forty a week.
And that's just the ones
that turn up.
Yeah, uh, we had thirty-two
three weeks ago.
We've thought
the world turned good.
Paid job?
-No.
-Good.
Nothing in, nothing out.
Oh, thanks, Arch.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
John Doe,
shot in the head twice,
close range.
Jane Doe, slit throat.
John Doe, knifed.
Twelve-year old girl,
raped, knifed, and shot.
We can't figure out
in what order yet.
The stepfather did it.
One happy family.
DONAHUE: John Doe,
Jane Doe, Jane Doe.
All right.
Okay.
You see
what we're up against?
Suppose I published a number
in my column
where he could call me?
JAKE: The trouble is,
we don't have the time
or the manpower
to give you any real protection.
JULIE: Wait a minute.
Oh, my God.
It's Sally.
She was in my therapy group.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
When was the last time
you saw her?
It was last week
in the group.
It was her last group
before she's supposed to leave
for Tennessee,
but we didn't miss her
because we thought
she'd gone already.
Would you, um,
would you mind, uh,
coming down to the morgue
to make a positive ID?
I'd like to call somebody first.
[SOBS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
How was she killed?
We don't give
that information out.
DONAHUE: It helps sometimes
when we make an arrest.
You know, to, uh,
make sure we got
the right party.
If you wanna change your mind
about writing that column,
I wouldn't blame you.
If you want
my honest opinion though,
I don't think
whosever writing those letters
had anything to do
with this girl's death.
Well, that's my opinion, Julie.
I'm gonna answer
whoever's writing those letters.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
What would you say to him?
You know, I want him to call me
and I'm-- I want him
to get some help.
Supposed he came after you.
That's what Doug's afraid of.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
JAKE: You found this here
on the door.
JULIE: Glass door
outside the office.
Can't the police do something
about this now?
Honey, the department
won't let us do nothing
more than setup
that private phone line
-we talked about.
-[TELEPHONE RINGING]
But believe me,
this guy don't wanna kill.
He wants to communicate.
[SIGHS]
-I hope so.
-JAKE: We're gonna setup
a special phone number
where he can reach you.
Now, he won't know
where he's calling,
so you won't have to worry.
There won't be any kind
of personal danger to you.
I have felt less terrified
in my life.
JAKE: Ever consider
the possibility
it might be somebody you know
and somebody who works here
in the office
or maybe somebody
from that therapy group
of yours?
-I'd check it out.
-How am I supposed to do that?
I'd do it carefully.
Whoever it is,
it's running short on words.
[SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS CLOSE]
JULIE: Have you told
your daughter yet?
PIETER: What?
JULIE: I'm coming to dinner?
PIETER: Not yet.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
JULIE: It's a wonderful house.
PIETER: It was,
when my wife was alive.
JULIE: The grounds
are still cared for.
PIETER: Solid grounds
of cemeteries.
JULIE: Why Pieter,
I've never heard
you talked like this.
PIETER: You never heard me
talk at all.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
You know
what I dreamt last night?
I dreamt you wrote me
the most beautiful love letter.
Only you didn't want me
to know it was you.
So you cut out all the words
from newspapers and magazines,
just like the letters
I've been getting in the mail.
Only...
somebody saw you doing it,
so you killed her.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
PIETER: How did I kill her?
I don't know.
I don't remember.
How can you not remember
something like this?
I wasn't interested.
All I cared about was
what you said in the letter.
Pieter?
Pieter, what's happened?
Is it Sally?
Finding Sally dead?
Yes.
You never saw my hair down.
[INDISTINCT]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
PIETER: Wait for me here.
Yes, yes.
PIETER:
Have you seen my daughter?
I think she's upstairs.
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
Alison?
[WATER DRIPPING]
Alison?
We have a guest
for dinner tonight.
Alison?
Yes?
PIETER: I invited Julie
for dinner.
I just want to tell you.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
MAN: All right. Let's get
the body outta here.
[SIRENS WAILING]
Yah!
No credit cards,
no wallet, nothing.
For the first time in history,
the goddamn garbage man
got here when
they're supposed to.
Probably a hooker.
You think all women are
hookers, don't you?
I mean, Louise, she had two
pounds of makeup on her face,
she's either a hooker,
an actress,
a dancer, something.
Then what's she doing in
the back alley?
Probably setting up a trick.
Oh, come on.
-What?
-Oh, come on.
Get in the car.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTERING]
What's the matter?
This case doesn't have anything
to do with those letters,
does it?
What? From that newspaper girl?
Yeah.
Kind of let her talk about guns,
I mean, you don't,
talk about guns
and then use a knife.
Yeah, you know
[INDISTINCT] it.
She recognized last
night was knife.
I don't know.
I mean, what do you wanna do,
bring him down in here?
MAN: I'd say let the morgue boys
run a make on it,
see what they come up with it.
All right. You're gonna have to
wait until tomorrow.
You know those guys
don't work here. Fine.
Well, not that a couple of days
is not gonna kill anybody.
[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]
PIETER: Alison?
Dinner's ready.
Alison darling.
[LIGHTER CLICKING]
You know, I spoke
to the police this evening.
They can set up
that special line.
Pieter...
listen...
maybe I shouldn't stay
this evening.
Yes, you should.
Where do I sit?
I'm Julie.
I know who you are.
[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]
That's a very lovely
dress, Alison.
ALISON: It was my mother's.
She's dead.
JULIE: I know, and I'm sorry.
ALISON: Why?
She wasn't your mother.
PIETER: I thought we are going
to give her things away.
So you can get rid
of her forever?
What do you think?
Alison...
Don't you have any advice
to give here, Julie?
Nothing to say?
There are laws
against minors drinking.
Oh, I see.
And are there laws
against minors
wearing their mother's dresses?
Are there laws
against that too?
Why are you behaving like this?
I don't like you wearing
your mother's dress.
It's not good
for your well-being.
My well-being?
You were so concerned
about my well-being,
why did you bring her here?
Alison.
-Pieter, I think I should leave.
-No, you will stay.
It's practically the anniversary
of mother's death--
-of my mother's death.
-Stop it. That's enough.
And that's enough of that too.
Okay. Okay. You don't want me
to think about mother.
You don't want me to wear
mother's dresses.
I won't.
That's what
you're concerned about?
That's really the right thing
to be concerned about.
Alison
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
[SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
I'm an American.
What's happened to you, Alison?
ALISON: You think it's so awful
to wear mother's dress?
Well, I won't wear it anymore.
-I won't wear it anymore.
-Stop it.
-ALISON: No.
-Alison.
-No [SCREAMS]
-[SILVERWARE CLATTERS]
I'm sorry.
I'm terribly sorry.
Alison.
Alison.
Please.
Alison.
-Please.
-[INDISTINCT]
Please listen.
Please.
-Daughter, listen to me.
-Leave me alone.
-Alison.
-Leave me alone
with my mother's dress.
I don't wanna
[INDISTINCT] with it.
[WHISTLING]
[HUMMING]
[GROANS]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[OBNOXIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[GASPS]
Gilbert.
Gilbert, what are you--
what are you doing here?
I've been working
on the boiler,
I told you yesterday, remember?
JULIE: Oh, boiler.
You probably, uh, forgot.
Oh.
I cleaned it out,
changed a couple of valves,
sometimes make
a couple of changes,
you're as good as new.
Well, isn't the boiler
downstairs?
Right.
I wanted to see
where you worked,
I think about you sometimes.
You're the only one in
that therapy group I can stand.
I'm going to be leaving
the group soon.
Figures.
Why?
So what's going on
between you and Dr. Fales?
Hey, you think I'm dumb?
You two hadn't taken
your eyes off of each other
the whole six months
you've been there.
I don't think
this elevator's moving.
It's not.
Are we stuck in here?
You're really the nervous
type, aren't you?
Relax, I'm a maintenance man.
I'll fix it.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
Dear, Julie.
[SIGHS]
This is Julie[INDISTINCT]
no one is home now
but if you'll leave a number, I'll call you back
as soon as I can.
[TELEPHONE BEEP]
Uh, It's Doug, um...
I just wanna make sure
you were safe.
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOORBELL RINGING]
[SIREN WAILING]
[ENGINE REVVING]
[MOANING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
MAN: Hey, what the hell are
you doing down there?
Son of a bitch.
I'll fix your ass about
the people coming in here
and shitting around here.
Get back here.
I'm gonna see-- what is
the hell wrong with you?
Dammit.
Son of a bitch.
I'm coming at you.
Turn [INDISTINCT]
get back here.
Hey, come back here
[INDISTINCT]
fucking [INDISTINCT]
get back here.
Come here, turn around
and I'll get your ass,
I'll break your fucking neck.
Turn, you son of a bitch.
Come on.
Come on. Get back here.
I'll fix your ass.
I think...
you shouldn't mention
the murder to the group.
[SIREN WAILING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
You're still up?
I couldn't sleep myself.
We dressed you like that
when you were eight years old.
Remember that?
You haven't kissed me
goodnight for a long time.
[SIREN WAILING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[SCREAMING]
[FOOTSTEPS LEAVING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
There's always a first time.
What really bothers me,
you come all the way out here
[INDISTINCT] in an hour
then-- and then sit around
do nothing, just waiting.
Well, you're my guest here.
We're here.
Where's everybody?
[PHONE RINGS]
Dear Julie.
I want to speak to Julie
[INDISTINCT] please.
Julie, it's for you.
We hardly had a session.
I'm waiting for the police,
they let us go into the
column tonight.
[SIGHS] I'm sorry Pieter.
I-I just forgot to call.
You know, I won't be
reachable later
except through
this special number.
Give it to me.
Well, it'll in
the newspaper tonight.
I see.
Bye-bye.
[THUDS]
[SIGHS]
[PHONE BUZZES]
Yes?
CLARA: No one answers at Rosemary boil shop, Dr. Fales,
and the bartender where Pat works,
said she hasn't been in in two nights.
Why don't you go home, Clara?
CLARA:
Well, I wouldn't mind
because my sister is in the...
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
Where are you going?
Out.
Where do you go
when you go out at night?
Alison.
I ride around
like a lot of people.
PIETER: I wasn't able to find
my gun for several days.
Do you know where it is?
What do you need it for?
You know where it is.
Do you want to kill me?
You don't need
a gun to kill me
because you're killing
me anyway.
Alison...
I found these on the floor.
You wrote the letters,
didn't you?
Letters like that are dangerous.
Alison, one of my patient
have been killed.
You think I killed one
of your patients?
Alison...
You blame me for killing one
of your patients?
Please, Alison.
You don't even know me.
I'm your own daughter
and you don't even know me.
Wait.
I hate you.
I really, really hate you.
Alison.
Alison.
I have to talk to you.
Go away.
-Alison...
-Go away, call the police.
I don't care. I don't care
what you do.
God, I just [INDISTINCT]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[ENGINE TURNS ON]
What are you doing?
You're in a car
in a closed garage.
What do you care?
You were never interested in me.
PIETER: Alison.
Your family was never
important to you.
My family is everything me.
Darling, shut the motor off.
You let mother die,
now you're killing me.
PIETER: Mother died of cancer,
darling, you know that.
ALISON: She died because you
were never there for her
like you're never there for me.
Shut the motor off.
ALISON: You're all
you care about.
PIETER: Alison,
shut the motor off.
Why weren't you there for her?
PIETER: Please, shut off
the motor, darling.
You're with your patients
holding their hands,
listening to them.
PIETER: We will talk
but shut the motor off.
You were even listening to them
the night that mommy died.
PIETER: Alie, darling...
You could have saved her
but you didn't care,
you didn't care.
I did care.
Ugh, words.
[ENGINE REVVING]
PIETER: Alie, Alie, darling.
Doug.
Caught me with my pants down.
[CHUCKLES]
This is Lt. Donahue.
I'm Jake [INDISTINCT]
how you doing?
-Yeah.
-Heard a lot about you.
Hope it was all good.
-[LAUGHS] Howdy?
-LT. DONAHUE: Hi.
Julie says you're gonna be
staying with her, huh?
Yeah. I'm doing
some wallpaper, you know,
and so I thought I'd hang
around in case...
anything happened.
Nothing's gonna happen.
She's safer here
than she'd be at home.
JAKE: You understand we're not
trying to capture this guy,
we just wanna get a chance
to talk to him, that's all.
Yeah. Let me show you
what we did.
Uh, we switched
this second button here
for that special number
published in the call.
So aren't you gonna bring in
a separate line?
The same thing.
Nobody's gonna know
where it rings.
And we'll be taping everything
over at the department.
But we'll only come on
the line,
if you hit that last button.
Okay.
This guy's not gonna call.
-[LAUGHS]
-[INDISTINCT]
JAKE: Well, uh...
the little lady was good enough
to give us her time
and we're gonna try
to help her out.
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
You ever done any
wallpaper, Lieutenant?
Dough, stop it.
No.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
Here.
Hello.
[INDISTINCT] may check the line 2552835.
JULIE: Thank you.
Huh?
We're in business.
Now, that's it.
Now look, if your pen pal calls,
hit that button
as fast as you can,
so we can throw a trace on him,
-okay?
-Okay.
-Thank you.
-Hey, thank you.
Okay.
[EXHALES]
-Okay.
-Yeah.
[OBNOXIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIREN WAILING]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
MAN: Is this Dear Julie?
Yes, who is this calling?
Never mind who it is. I read your column.
Who the hell you get off, giving people advice?
You think you're some kind of a[INDISTINCT] fucking god
or something, you're no psychiatrist.
You probably need a psychiatrist yourself.
Why did you call this number?
Telling you I think you're full of shit.
Nobody can say I don't have
an interesting
group of readers, huh?
-You know what I think?
-JULIE: What?
I think every nut in
the city's gonna call you
except the one you want.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Hi, this is Alison.
-Alison Fales?
-ALISON: Yeah.
Um, there's something I want
to talk to you about.
JULIE: Sure.
I called your apartment and, um,
I[INDISTINCT]
about this number,
so, uh, I bought this newspaper.
Alison, is your father with you?
ALISON: No.
Well, what is it you want
to talk to me about?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
Um, not over the phone.
Can I come see you?
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, that's okay, Alison.
I'm at the office, you know.
I really wanna talk to you.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
Hey, come on, give me
a break, will you?
Excuse me, is Donahue upstairs?
They're down the morgue.
Ed, where's Lou and Jake?
I think they're down
the morgue with Jensen.
Thank you.
[KNOCKS]
I was here other day
with two detectives.
Oh, yeah. I remember you.
I was told they're here.
Gee, I haven't seen them.
It's because, um...
two more of my patients
are missing.
Well, I'll show you
what I got on ice.
Yup, it's the last one.
Know her?
No.
[DOOR BUZZER BUZZING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
Hi.
Are you alone here?
No.
My husband is in the back.
ALISON: I bet you thought
I was crazy.
About last night?
JULIE: No, uh,
I told your father
I thought it was
too early for us
to meet last night.
No, not about last night.
Oh, my God, Alison,
you wrote those letters.
Doug.
It's amazing.
JULIE: Why did you do it?
Were they jokes?
Jokes? I meant them.
Yeah, but did you do it?
That's the question.
Did you do it?
JULIE: Alison,
did you murder anybody?
Oh, I could.
I could.
[GUN CLICKS]
[PHONE RINGING]
PIETER: Julie, it's Pieter.
Where are you?
Where is the number I'm calling?
You're at the office,
aren't you?
Yes. Yes.
PIETER: Is someone with you?
Alison.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[TIRES SQUEALING]
[DOOR BUZZER BUZZING]
Julie?
[SWITCH CLICKS]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[SWITCH CLICKS]
-Alison!
-[GUNSHOT]
My God!
What are you doing?!
Alison!
Darling, listen to me!
Please!
Let me talk to you.
[GUNSHOT]
[PANTS]
Alison!
Please let me talk to you.
Please!
All right, darling.
You're right.
I won't look at you
if you don't want me to.
Please.
Please, let me talk to you.
Alison.
-Talk to me!
-[GUNSHOT]
[PANTING]
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
Alison?
You haven't done anything
to Julie, have you?
[BREATHING COARSELY]
Don't hurt her.
Please, don't hurt her.
I didn't want her
to take mommy's place
or your place.
You're my flesh and blood.
I could never love anyone
the way I love you.
Do you hear me, darling?
Can you hear me?
You make me sick!
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
Who's that?
[ALISON GRUNTS]
DONAHUE: Did he recognize her?
Well, he said he didn't,
but I don't know,
I had a funny feeling
he was lying,
and it wasn't a nice job either,
those wounds are made
by a long pair of scissors.
No shit.
Yeah, just like hers.
And we found traces of paste
in the punctures.
Paste?
Yeah, you know,
water-based paste,
the kind of use to hang
wallpaper with?
Sweet Jesus.
Come on!
[PANTING]
[GRUNTING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
[SIRENS BLARING]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
Who the hell are you?
You don't know my face, do you?
Your group didn't either,
but you know everything else
about me, don't you?
Don't you?
You dissect me like a worm,
all of you!
Every Tuesday
and Thursday, right?
Tuesdays and Thursdays,
you slice me up,
you and your disgusting
little group!
[DOOR CLATTERING]
Kick the damn thing!
Kick it! Kick it!
-Oh!
-Get your ass here, come on.
Come on, buddy! On
the double!
Open the goddamn door!
[PANTING]
You took my wife away from me.
You made her think
I was nothing!
[CLICKS TRIGGER]
[INDISTINCT]
You are nothing!
You took my wife away from me!
I'll kill you!
You're nothing!
JULIE: Oh, my God!
Don't do that!
[INDISTINCT]
Don't!
No! [SCREAMS]
I'll kill you!
Don't!
JULIE: No, no, no! Don't!
No!
I'll kill you!
Oh, God!
Daddy!
Daddy!
Oh, my God [INDISTINCT]
[SOBBING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[SIGHS]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[GASPS]
[SIGHS]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[LAUGHTER]
WOMAN: I guess you could
[INDISTINCT]
WOMAN: Yeah, right.
Okay. All right.
We-- we're gonna miss you
in the group.
We really will.
And here's to wish you
a wonderful trip back east.
Okay?
And here's to help...
[LAUGHTER]
I hope the three weeks
with your parents
doesn't wipe out two years
with therapy with Dr. Fales.
Thank you.
Speaking of Dr. Fales,
Rosemary,
why don't you rent them
this hot tub
for therapy sessions?
Get the whole group in here.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
You wanna share a hot
tub with Bruce?
Or Gilbert?
[CAMERA CLICKS]
JULIE: I wish I was strong
enough to lead therapy.
You, you're stronger
than any of us.
Oh, no. I'm not.
Oh.
I just look that way.
Ooh.
WOMAN: Julie is like me.
Ice cube front and
jell-o inside.
I'm terrified to get up
in the morning.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
WOMAN: What about your divorce?
-Did it come through?
-Yeah.
Well, welcome back
to single's town, girl.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
You all think that I'm happy
to get out of my marriage,
but I'm not.
He still thinks
I'm his property though.
He's a man.
For somebody
who makes their living
writing an advice column.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
[INDISTINCT]
[LAUGHTER]
I wish he'd understand that
he's got to stop bothering me
or I'll only have to quit
my job.
WOMAN: Why you?
You know why.
We work for the same newspaper.
WOMAN: Let him quit.
Get him fired.
I couldn't do that.
String him up by his tonsils.
[LAUGHTER]
[CAMERA CLICKS]
JULIE: No.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
WOMAN: Oh, my gosh.
Have a nice trip, Sally.
Thank you.
[INDISTINCT]
-So, you wanna come?
-Oh, I can't.
I'd love to
but I'm overloaded with work.
Oh, you gotta [INDISTINCT]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS AND REVS]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PANTING]
[SCREAMS]
[CAR ENGINE REVS]
[SOBS]
Somebody, please help me.
[CRYING]
-[SQUEAKS]
-[SCREAMS]
Help.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRYING] Help me.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[SCREAMS]
[PANTING]
[SCREAMS]
Please, stop. No.
[SCREAMS] No.
No.
No.
[SOBS]
[CRYING]
[SCREAMS]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[HUMMING] Hey.
-Good morning, Julie.
-Morning.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
-Did you hear that?
-Good morning, Julie.
-I'll be right in.
-That's deadline.
Yeah. Well you talk
to your husband about that?
Ex-husband, sweetie.
-Okay.
-Too sunny in here for you?
Got a case of pink eye.
Oh, good Lord.
Oh, no.
Another one.
"Murder, I think about it
more and more.
They talk forever
about their stupid problems
and I'm the one who's miserable.
I wanna shoot them
through the head
and I can do it.
I've got his gun.
[SIGHS] You're one of them.
I'm gonna kill you too."
What a crackpot.
I mean,
you have to be a crackpot
to write a letter like that.
You think that this is a joke?
Show it to Doug.
DOUG: Go to the police.
JULIE: The thing is
I've gotten hoax letters before.
DOUG: He's threatening you.
You don't fool around
with something like this.
You should go to the police.
That is one of those nuts
from that therapy group.
That's who I bet it is.
One of those nuts
from that group.
I do have a group session
this afternoon.
DOUG: Well, there you go.
You can ask a psychopath
about a psychopath.
We could've made it,
you and I,
if it hadn't been
for that group.
Doug, stop it.
You know that that's not true.
[SIGHS] By the way,
have the divorce papers
come through yet?
Day before yesterday.
Don't look so sad.
I'm not the only woman
in the world.
It's just that sometimes,
people...
Do what you want.
Do what you want.
What do you think of these?
For what?
Gonna wallpaper
for the new art room.
But they're both
perfectly awful.
You think so?
Who's gonna do it for you?
What do you mean
who's gonna do it for me?
I'm gonna do it.
My uncle was a paper hanger.
He left me tools.
Business grave
if I let somebody else
hanging paper in my walls.
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[GASPS]
Gilbert, Gilbert, my God.
[PANTING]
You surprised me.
I'm gonna be working
on your building tomorrow.
-My building?
-GILBERT: Yeah.
Where you got your office.
You got some boiler problems
down there.
JULIE: Tell me about it.
I don't even have any hot water.
It's the boiler.
My boss is sending me down
to check it out.
We do all the boiler work
for the company
that manages your building.
They got 50 to 60
office buildings in the city.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PHONE RINGS]
Yes?
WOMAN: Your group is coming in, Dr. Fales.
DR. FALES: Thank you.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
Alison...
are you all right?
Yes, daddy.
You were out late
last night again.
I wish you wouldn't drive
alone like that.
It's dangerous.
[WATER SPLASHING]
GILBERT: So, loneliness,
sometimes it weighs on me
like a--
like a blanket made out of tar,
or rubber, or something.
Asphalt.
I don't know
how to push it off.
When I'm working
it's not so bad,
especially
when there's a crisis.
Uh, a boiler blows up,
something like that, I fix it.
For a while,
I can feel like a hero.
Then I get off work
and everybody else
has got some place to go.
It makes me...
kind of angry,
makes me really pissed.
[SCOFFS]
I don't know
why I'm saying all this for.
I feel like that sometimes.
Everybody does.
PIETER: Go on, Gilbert.
What do you do
when you get angry?
I walk it,
or I drive it.
Sometimes I walk it,
sometimes I drive it.
Walk it?
GILBERT:
I don't have anybody to talk to.
I ain't got a family here.
WOMAN: We're a family for you.
[CHUCKLES]
This group.
We're here for you.
Yeah, when?
2:00 in the morning
when I'm riding the streets.
Are you here then?
I never seen you.
You know what I do sometimes?
I walk to the supermarket
2:00 or 3:00 in the morning
just to see somebody's face.
I've never seen you there,
Francoise.
MAN: You know why, Francoise?
You got a husband,
that makes a lot of difference.
[HISSES] A husband
she'd be better off without.
JULIE: Now, wait a minute.
Rosemary, you can't say things like that.
ROSEMARY: What? About Francoise's husband?
-JULIE: Yes.
-ROSEMARY: Are you kidding?
We tore him apart last week.
JULIE: Well, that's exactly it. That is exact--
we tore her husband apart last week. That's right.
And the poor man wasn't
even here to defend himself.
You know,
I think we should really be
a little more careful
with other people's marriages.
Oh, please.
What [INDISTINCT]
marital experience
do you speak from, Rosemary?
ROSEMARY: None, love.
I've been remarkably successful
in avoiding it.
Maybe there's a reason for that,
sweetheart.
-[CHUCKLES]
-Rosemary,
you are a real catastrophe
today.
[LAUGHTER]
There are two sides
to relationships.
I think we have to address
ourselves to it.
-That's it.
-Thank you, doctor.
See you next time.
Thank you.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
JULIE: Dr. Fales?
Yes?
JULIE: Could I see you
for a minute, please?
I didn't wanna bring this up
in front of the group.
It's the second one
in two weeks.
[CAR ENGINE REVS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
Could he be serious
about murdering people?
-He's asking for advice.
-From me?
It's what you give
in your column.
JULIE: Yes.
But to kids with pimples.
I think if he wanted to kill,
he wouldn't write letters.
How are things going
with your husband?
Doug is wallpapering his office.
Is he?
Yes, he is.
His family is in
the wallpaper business
and his uncle that is in--
you know, his parents died
when he was an infant.
But, you know that.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PANTING]
I never do these sort of things.
Your appointment is for 6:30,
Dr. Fales.
Thank you, Clara.
[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]
Oh, I'll just be a minute.
You wanna a ride?
PAT: Definitely.
My car divorced me last night.
I can't even find the bus stop.
JULIE: Help me with this.
This is no town
to be without wheels.
Tell me about it,
especially with creeps
like Gilbert
-wondering around.
-JULIE: Gilbert?
Yeah, all those fantasies
he has about women.
I'd like to strangle him
with a barbwire.
They were just fantasies.
PAT: I should talk, me,
a topless dancer with a Masters
-from Wellesley with-- oh.
-Oh, God.
Oh, God. It's disgusting.
[LAUGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS AND REVS]
[LAUGHTER]
PAT: I hate goodbyes.
[SIGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[KEYS JINGLING]
MAN: Fritz!
You shaved your head.
Bro, I don't believe it.
Suits you, it does.
It really does.
When did you do that?
[SIGHS]
[WATER DRIPPING]
[SIGHS]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Is anybody there?
[MOTORCYCLE ENGINE REVVING]
WOMAN: [LAUGHS]
Oh.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
-MAN: Hurry up.
-[CHUCKLES]
[CRICKETS CRICKETING]
[CHUCKLES]
It's cold.
No problem.
WOMAN: [SCREAMING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
[DOG BARKING]
[SIGHS]
I keep wondering
how many of these things
I got to see before it starts
turning my stomach.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[GLASS CLINKING]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
[SIGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[PAT GASPS]
You always surprise me.
[CHUCKLES]
[PANTING]
[MOANING]
I don't know, Jake.
You know,
it's like a rollercoaster,
you know what I'm saying?
Sometimes you're up,
sometimes you're down.
You got to learn
how to roll with the punches.
Come on, I'll buy you
a cup of coffee.
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTERS]
[PHONE RINGS]
I'm looking
for a Det. Donahue.
-I called before.
-Right. Lt. Donahue
is right behind that door
over there.
Just walk right behind
this counter,
through the door.
Okay. Thank you.
DONAHUE: It's eight to five,
it's some kind of a hoax.
Some character
playing kiddie games.
JULIE: But what if isn't?
Then you're in a different
kind of problem.
Isn't [INDISTINCT]
where's my cup?
Who's got my cup?
JULIE: You mean we have to wait
until somebody dies?
JAKE: The law works
in mysterious ways, Miss.
But it's just a sad letter.
You'd be surprised
how many people out there
feel the same way this guy does.
DONAHUE: How long
have you been writing
that lonely heart's column
of yours?
About a year.
DONAHUE: I wanna guarantee you
two things.
One, that that letter
is as phony
as a three-dollar bill.
Two, if before you're though
writing that column,
you're gonna have a sack full.
I know.
That's what my therapist says.
What's a pretty girl like you
go to a therapist for?
Well, it helps with my column.
And anyway, you know,
there are a lot
of people out there
-who have problems.
-JAKE: Yeah, tell me about it.
We clean up the mess.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE TURNS OVER]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[BUS ENGINE REVVING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[BUZZER BUZZES]
[BUS DOOR OPENS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[PANTING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[PANTING]
[SCISSORS SNIPPING]
[GASPING]
-[GASPS]
-[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]
[FENCE CLATTERING]
[PAT GROANS]
[CLATTERING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[METAL CLANKING]
PAT: Oh, please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
[INDISTINCT]
[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]
[PAT GROANING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[KEYS JINGLING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[DOOR OPENS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[FAUCET HISSING]
[CLICKS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DOOR CLOSES]
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
Like the flowers?
Another letter came
this morning.
Oh, really?
JULIE: "Dear Julie,
maybe you don't believe
I'm serious.
Your time is growing short.
The bullet's in the chamber,
the gun's ready to blow.
I'm aiming it at you."
Signed, Scared to Death.
WOMAN: Total schizo.
Well, I've got to do something.
Julie, don't get involved.
-This person is appealing--
-So what?
He's obviously insane!
Why don't you go to the police?
She did,
they think it's a hoax.
I think I'm gonna have
to do something myself.
To answer him,
maybe in the column.
No!
The police could set me up
with a special phone line
so I could--
maybe I could talk to him.
Let me see that letter.
You know something,
I think it's a hoax, too.
[CHUCKLES]
Doug, you just don't want me
to get involved.
Whoever is writing this
is obviously capable of murder.
-All right?
-Now, look.
He doesn't wanna hurt me,
he just wants my help.
How do you know what he wants to
or doesn't want to do to you?
The guy's obviously a lunatic.
Doug's right, you know.
DONAHUE: It's the same thing.
Hey, look, even if he threatens
somebody directly,
we could go after him.
But the guy
hasn't done anything.
Well, how do you know he hasn't?
Some of those letters
mentioned a gun.
Now how-- maybe
he's shot somebody already.
Maybe.
Look, I'm dealing
with a half a dozen
murders a day
and you're busting my chops
on a maybe.
Now, come on,
do you know how many homicides
there are in the L.A. area
every week?
Do you?
Archie,
let me see the latest
beauty file, will you?
Forty.
Forty a week.
And that's just the ones
that turn up.
Yeah, uh, we had thirty-two
three weeks ago.
We've thought
the world turned good.
Paid job?
-No.
-Good.
Nothing in, nothing out.
Oh, thanks, Arch.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
John Doe,
shot in the head twice,
close range.
Jane Doe, slit throat.
John Doe, knifed.
Twelve-year old girl,
raped, knifed, and shot.
We can't figure out
in what order yet.
The stepfather did it.
One happy family.
DONAHUE: John Doe,
Jane Doe, Jane Doe.
All right.
Okay.
You see
what we're up against?
Suppose I published a number
in my column
where he could call me?
JAKE: The trouble is,
we don't have the time
or the manpower
to give you any real protection.
JULIE: Wait a minute.
Oh, my God.
It's Sally.
She was in my therapy group.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
When was the last time
you saw her?
It was last week
in the group.
It was her last group
before she's supposed to leave
for Tennessee,
but we didn't miss her
because we thought
she'd gone already.
Would you, um,
would you mind, uh,
coming down to the morgue
to make a positive ID?
I'd like to call somebody first.
[SOBS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
How was she killed?
We don't give
that information out.
DONAHUE: It helps sometimes
when we make an arrest.
You know, to, uh,
make sure we got
the right party.
If you wanna change your mind
about writing that column,
I wouldn't blame you.
If you want
my honest opinion though,
I don't think
whosever writing those letters
had anything to do
with this girl's death.
Well, that's my opinion, Julie.
I'm gonna answer
whoever's writing those letters.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
What would you say to him?
You know, I want him to call me
and I'm-- I want him
to get some help.
Supposed he came after you.
That's what Doug's afraid of.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
JAKE: You found this here
on the door.
JULIE: Glass door
outside the office.
Can't the police do something
about this now?
Honey, the department
won't let us do nothing
more than setup
that private phone line
-we talked about.
-[TELEPHONE RINGING]
But believe me,
this guy don't wanna kill.
He wants to communicate.
[SIGHS]
-I hope so.
-JAKE: We're gonna setup
a special phone number
where he can reach you.
Now, he won't know
where he's calling,
so you won't have to worry.
There won't be any kind
of personal danger to you.
I have felt less terrified
in my life.
JAKE: Ever consider
the possibility
it might be somebody you know
and somebody who works here
in the office
or maybe somebody
from that therapy group
of yours?
-I'd check it out.
-How am I supposed to do that?
I'd do it carefully.
Whoever it is,
it's running short on words.
[SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[CAR ENGINE REVVING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS CLOSE]
JULIE: Have you told
your daughter yet?
PIETER: What?
JULIE: I'm coming to dinner?
PIETER: Not yet.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
JULIE: It's a wonderful house.
PIETER: It was,
when my wife was alive.
JULIE: The grounds
are still cared for.
PIETER: Solid grounds
of cemeteries.
JULIE: Why Pieter,
I've never heard
you talked like this.
PIETER: You never heard me
talk at all.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
You know
what I dreamt last night?
I dreamt you wrote me
the most beautiful love letter.
Only you didn't want me
to know it was you.
So you cut out all the words
from newspapers and magazines,
just like the letters
I've been getting in the mail.
Only...
somebody saw you doing it,
so you killed her.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
PIETER: How did I kill her?
I don't know.
I don't remember.
How can you not remember
something like this?
I wasn't interested.
All I cared about was
what you said in the letter.
Pieter?
Pieter, what's happened?
Is it Sally?
Finding Sally dead?
Yes.
You never saw my hair down.
[INDISTINCT]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
PIETER: Wait for me here.
Yes, yes.
PIETER:
Have you seen my daughter?
I think she's upstairs.
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
Alison?
[WATER DRIPPING]
Alison?
We have a guest
for dinner tonight.
Alison?
Yes?
PIETER: I invited Julie
for dinner.
I just want to tell you.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
MAN: All right. Let's get
the body outta here.
[SIRENS WAILING]
Yah!
No credit cards,
no wallet, nothing.
For the first time in history,
the goddamn garbage man
got here when
they're supposed to.
Probably a hooker.
You think all women are
hookers, don't you?
I mean, Louise, she had two
pounds of makeup on her face,
she's either a hooker,
an actress,
a dancer, something.
Then what's she doing in
the back alley?
Probably setting up a trick.
Oh, come on.
-What?
-Oh, come on.
Get in the car.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTERING]
What's the matter?
This case doesn't have anything
to do with those letters,
does it?
What? From that newspaper girl?
Yeah.
Kind of let her talk about guns,
I mean, you don't,
talk about guns
and then use a knife.
Yeah, you know
[INDISTINCT] it.
She recognized last
night was knife.
I don't know.
I mean, what do you wanna do,
bring him down in here?
MAN: I'd say let the morgue boys
run a make on it,
see what they come up with it.
All right. You're gonna have to
wait until tomorrow.
You know those guys
don't work here. Fine.
Well, not that a couple of days
is not gonna kill anybody.
[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]
PIETER: Alison?
Dinner's ready.
Alison darling.
[LIGHTER CLICKING]
You know, I spoke
to the police this evening.
They can set up
that special line.
Pieter...
listen...
maybe I shouldn't stay
this evening.
Yes, you should.
Where do I sit?
I'm Julie.
I know who you are.
[PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]
That's a very lovely
dress, Alison.
ALISON: It was my mother's.
She's dead.
JULIE: I know, and I'm sorry.
ALISON: Why?
She wasn't your mother.
PIETER: I thought we are going
to give her things away.
So you can get rid
of her forever?
What do you think?
Alison...
Don't you have any advice
to give here, Julie?
Nothing to say?
There are laws
against minors drinking.
Oh, I see.
And are there laws
against minors
wearing their mother's dresses?
Are there laws
against that too?
Why are you behaving like this?
I don't like you wearing
your mother's dress.
It's not good
for your well-being.
My well-being?
You were so concerned
about my well-being,
why did you bring her here?
Alison.
-Pieter, I think I should leave.
-No, you will stay.
It's practically the anniversary
of mother's death--
-of my mother's death.
-Stop it. That's enough.
And that's enough of that too.
Okay. Okay. You don't want me
to think about mother.
You don't want me to wear
mother's dresses.
I won't.
That's what
you're concerned about?
That's really the right thing
to be concerned about.
Alison
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
[SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
I'm an American.
What's happened to you, Alison?
ALISON: You think it's so awful
to wear mother's dress?
Well, I won't wear it anymore.
-I won't wear it anymore.
-Stop it.
-ALISON: No.
-Alison.
-No [SCREAMS]
-[SILVERWARE CLATTERS]
I'm sorry.
I'm terribly sorry.
Alison.
Alison.
Please.
Alison.
-Please.
-[INDISTINCT]
Please listen.
Please.
-Daughter, listen to me.
-Leave me alone.
-Alison.
-Leave me alone
with my mother's dress.
I don't wanna
[INDISTINCT] with it.
[WHISTLING]
[HUMMING]
[GROANS]
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[OBNOXIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[GASPS]
Gilbert.
Gilbert, what are you--
what are you doing here?
I've been working
on the boiler,
I told you yesterday, remember?
JULIE: Oh, boiler.
You probably, uh, forgot.
Oh.
I cleaned it out,
changed a couple of valves,
sometimes make
a couple of changes,
you're as good as new.
Well, isn't the boiler
downstairs?
Right.
I wanted to see
where you worked,
I think about you sometimes.
You're the only one in
that therapy group I can stand.
I'm going to be leaving
the group soon.
Figures.
Why?
So what's going on
between you and Dr. Fales?
Hey, you think I'm dumb?
You two hadn't taken
your eyes off of each other
the whole six months
you've been there.
I don't think
this elevator's moving.
It's not.
Are we stuck in here?
You're really the nervous
type, aren't you?
Relax, I'm a maintenance man.
I'll fix it.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
Dear, Julie.
[SIGHS]
This is Julie[INDISTINCT]
no one is home now
but if you'll leave a number, I'll call you back
as soon as I can.
[TELEPHONE BEEP]
Uh, It's Doug, um...
I just wanna make sure
you were safe.
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOORBELL RINGING]
[SIREN WAILING]
[ENGINE REVVING]
[MOANING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
MAN: Hey, what the hell are
you doing down there?
Son of a bitch.
I'll fix your ass about
the people coming in here
and shitting around here.
Get back here.
I'm gonna see-- what is
the hell wrong with you?
Dammit.
Son of a bitch.
I'm coming at you.
Turn [INDISTINCT]
get back here.
Hey, come back here
[INDISTINCT]
fucking [INDISTINCT]
get back here.
Come here, turn around
and I'll get your ass,
I'll break your fucking neck.
Turn, you son of a bitch.
Come on.
Come on. Get back here.
I'll fix your ass.
I think...
you shouldn't mention
the murder to the group.
[SIREN WAILING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
You're still up?
I couldn't sleep myself.
We dressed you like that
when you were eight years old.
Remember that?
You haven't kissed me
goodnight for a long time.
[SIREN WAILING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[SCREAMING]
[FOOTSTEPS LEAVING]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
There's always a first time.
What really bothers me,
you come all the way out here
[INDISTINCT] in an hour
then-- and then sit around
do nothing, just waiting.
Well, you're my guest here.
We're here.
Where's everybody?
[PHONE RINGS]
Dear Julie.
I want to speak to Julie
[INDISTINCT] please.
Julie, it's for you.
We hardly had a session.
I'm waiting for the police,
they let us go into the
column tonight.
[SIGHS] I'm sorry Pieter.
I-I just forgot to call.
You know, I won't be
reachable later
except through
this special number.
Give it to me.
Well, it'll in
the newspaper tonight.
I see.
Bye-bye.
[THUDS]
[SIGHS]
[PHONE BUZZES]
Yes?
CLARA: No one answers at Rosemary boil shop, Dr. Fales,
and the bartender where Pat works,
said she hasn't been in in two nights.
Why don't you go home, Clara?
CLARA:
Well, I wouldn't mind
because my sister is in the...
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
Where are you going?
Out.
Where do you go
when you go out at night?
Alison.
I ride around
like a lot of people.
PIETER: I wasn't able to find
my gun for several days.
Do you know where it is?
What do you need it for?
You know where it is.
Do you want to kill me?
You don't need
a gun to kill me
because you're killing
me anyway.
Alison...
I found these on the floor.
You wrote the letters,
didn't you?
Letters like that are dangerous.
Alison, one of my patient
have been killed.
You think I killed one
of your patients?
Alison...
You blame me for killing one
of your patients?
Please, Alison.
You don't even know me.
I'm your own daughter
and you don't even know me.
Wait.
I hate you.
I really, really hate you.
Alison.
Alison.
I have to talk to you.
Go away.
-Alison...
-Go away, call the police.
I don't care. I don't care
what you do.
God, I just [INDISTINCT]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[ENGINE TURNS ON]
What are you doing?
You're in a car
in a closed garage.
What do you care?
You were never interested in me.
PIETER: Alison.
Your family was never
important to you.
My family is everything me.
Darling, shut the motor off.
You let mother die,
now you're killing me.
PIETER: Mother died of cancer,
darling, you know that.
ALISON: She died because you
were never there for her
like you're never there for me.
Shut the motor off.
ALISON: You're all
you care about.
PIETER: Alison,
shut the motor off.
Why weren't you there for her?
PIETER: Please, shut off
the motor, darling.
You're with your patients
holding their hands,
listening to them.
PIETER: We will talk
but shut the motor off.
You were even listening to them
the night that mommy died.
PIETER: Alie, darling...
You could have saved her
but you didn't care,
you didn't care.
I did care.
Ugh, words.
[ENGINE REVVING]
PIETER: Alie, Alie, darling.
Doug.
Caught me with my pants down.
[CHUCKLES]
This is Lt. Donahue.
I'm Jake [INDISTINCT]
how you doing?
-Yeah.
-Heard a lot about you.
Hope it was all good.
-[LAUGHS] Howdy?
-LT. DONAHUE: Hi.
Julie says you're gonna be
staying with her, huh?
Yeah. I'm doing
some wallpaper, you know,
and so I thought I'd hang
around in case...
anything happened.
Nothing's gonna happen.
She's safer here
than she'd be at home.
JAKE: You understand we're not
trying to capture this guy,
we just wanna get a chance
to talk to him, that's all.
Yeah. Let me show you
what we did.
Uh, we switched
this second button here
for that special number
published in the call.
So aren't you gonna bring in
a separate line?
The same thing.
Nobody's gonna know
where it rings.
And we'll be taping everything
over at the department.
But we'll only come on
the line,
if you hit that last button.
Okay.
This guy's not gonna call.
-[LAUGHS]
-[INDISTINCT]
JAKE: Well, uh...
the little lady was good enough
to give us her time
and we're gonna try
to help her out.
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
You ever done any
wallpaper, Lieutenant?
Dough, stop it.
No.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
Here.
Hello.
[INDISTINCT] may check the line 2552835.
JULIE: Thank you.
Huh?
We're in business.
Now, that's it.
Now look, if your pen pal calls,
hit that button
as fast as you can,
so we can throw a trace on him,
-okay?
-Okay.
-Thank you.
-Hey, thank you.
Okay.
[EXHALES]
-Okay.
-Yeah.
[OBNOXIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIREN WAILING]
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
MAN: Is this Dear Julie?
Yes, who is this calling?
Never mind who it is. I read your column.
Who the hell you get off, giving people advice?
You think you're some kind of a[INDISTINCT] fucking god
or something, you're no psychiatrist.
You probably need a psychiatrist yourself.
Why did you call this number?
Telling you I think you're full of shit.
Nobody can say I don't have
an interesting
group of readers, huh?
-You know what I think?
-JULIE: What?
I think every nut in
the city's gonna call you
except the one you want.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Hi, this is Alison.
-Alison Fales?
-ALISON: Yeah.
Um, there's something I want
to talk to you about.
JULIE: Sure.
I called your apartment and, um,
I[INDISTINCT]
about this number,
so, uh, I bought this newspaper.
Alison, is your father with you?
ALISON: No.
Well, what is it you want
to talk to me about?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
Um, not over the phone.
Can I come see you?
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, that's okay, Alison.
I'm at the office, you know.
I really wanna talk to you.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
Hey, come on, give me
a break, will you?
Excuse me, is Donahue upstairs?
They're down the morgue.
Ed, where's Lou and Jake?
I think they're down
the morgue with Jensen.
Thank you.
[KNOCKS]
I was here other day
with two detectives.
Oh, yeah. I remember you.
I was told they're here.
Gee, I haven't seen them.
It's because, um...
two more of my patients
are missing.
Well, I'll show you
what I got on ice.
Yup, it's the last one.
Know her?
No.
[DOOR BUZZER BUZZING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
Hi.
Are you alone here?
No.
My husband is in the back.
ALISON: I bet you thought
I was crazy.
About last night?
JULIE: No, uh,
I told your father
I thought it was
too early for us
to meet last night.
No, not about last night.
Oh, my God, Alison,
you wrote those letters.
Doug.
It's amazing.
JULIE: Why did you do it?
Were they jokes?
Jokes? I meant them.
Yeah, but did you do it?
That's the question.
Did you do it?
JULIE: Alison,
did you murder anybody?
Oh, I could.
I could.
[GUN CLICKS]
[PHONE RINGING]
PIETER: Julie, it's Pieter.
Where are you?
Where is the number I'm calling?
You're at the office,
aren't you?
Yes. Yes.
PIETER: Is someone with you?
Alison.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[TIRES SQUEALING]
[DOOR BUZZER BUZZING]
Julie?
[SWITCH CLICKS]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[SWITCH CLICKS]
-Alison!
-[GUNSHOT]
My God!
What are you doing?!
Alison!
Darling, listen to me!
Please!
Let me talk to you.
[GUNSHOT]
[PANTS]
Alison!
Please let me talk to you.
Please!
All right, darling.
You're right.
I won't look at you
if you don't want me to.
Please.
Please, let me talk to you.
Alison.
-Talk to me!
-[GUNSHOT]
[PANTING]
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
Alison?
You haven't done anything
to Julie, have you?
[BREATHING COARSELY]
Don't hurt her.
Please, don't hurt her.
I didn't want her
to take mommy's place
or your place.
You're my flesh and blood.
I could never love anyone
the way I love you.
Do you hear me, darling?
Can you hear me?
You make me sick!
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
Who's that?
[ALISON GRUNTS]
DONAHUE: Did he recognize her?
Well, he said he didn't,
but I don't know,
I had a funny feeling
he was lying,
and it wasn't a nice job either,
those wounds are made
by a long pair of scissors.
No shit.
Yeah, just like hers.
And we found traces of paste
in the punctures.
Paste?
Yeah, you know,
water-based paste,
the kind of use to hang
wallpaper with?
Sweet Jesus.
Come on!
[PANTING]
[GRUNTING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
[SIRENS BLARING]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
Who the hell are you?
You don't know my face, do you?
Your group didn't either,
but you know everything else
about me, don't you?
Don't you?
You dissect me like a worm,
all of you!
Every Tuesday
and Thursday, right?
Tuesdays and Thursdays,
you slice me up,
you and your disgusting
little group!
[DOOR CLATTERING]
Kick the damn thing!
Kick it! Kick it!
-Oh!
-Get your ass here, come on.
Come on, buddy! On
the double!
Open the goddamn door!
[PANTING]
You took my wife away from me.
You made her think
I was nothing!
[CLICKS TRIGGER]
[INDISTINCT]
You are nothing!
You took my wife away from me!
I'll kill you!
You're nothing!
JULIE: Oh, my God!
Don't do that!
[INDISTINCT]
Don't!
No! [SCREAMS]
I'll kill you!
Don't!
JULIE: No, no, no! Don't!
No!
I'll kill you!
Oh, God!
Daddy!
Daddy!
Oh, my God [INDISTINCT]
[SOBBING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]