Sisters (1972) - full transcript

[tapping]

- [pennywhistle blows]
- [audience applauding]

[announcer] It's Peeping Toms!

Starring Ted Craft.

And now, here's Ted!

Hello, everybody, and
welcome to Peeping Toms,

New York's newest
and grooviest game.

You have just seen
the first half

of our real-life
candid situation.

Now, in one minute, you
will have to predict

just what our unsuspecting
subject will do.



You folks there in the audience, and
those of you peeking in at home,

guess along with us, okay?
All right.

Now, today, our Peeping
Tom's problem is chivalry.

What does a fella do
when a pretty girl

starts taking off all her clothes
right there in front of him?

- [audience whistling, laughing]
- A blind girl, that is.

Lovely young model
Danielle Breton

agreed to be our decoy.

Now, Danielle is
not really blind,

but that's what we want
our male friend to think.

Okay, peepers,
look at the board.

You've got 20 seconds
to pick your answer.

- [pennywhistle blows]
- [timer beeping]

[audience tittering]



[pennywhistle blows]

[Craft] Stop, Look and Listen,

Silence is Golden,

or This Way Out?

[sound effect: springing]

- [Craft] Well, look at that!
- [beeping]

Both of our contestants have
picked the same answer.

- Let's see if they're right.
- [pennywhistle blows]

- [pennywhistle blows]
- [buzzer sounds]

[audience groaning]

[Craft] Oh, lam sorry, Pat and
Fred, but better luck next time.

Right, audience? - [applause]

All right. And now, before we meet
our contestants for tomorrow,

let's bring out the lovely
Danielle Breton, our blind girl.

[organ playing upbeat theme]

- Bravo, Danielle.
- Thank you.

It's so nice to see you. Danielle,
what do you do in real life?

[French accent] Oh, uh, right now I
study to be a model with Gene Fox,

and also I study
to be an actress.

Great! That's
wonderful, Danielle.

Danielle, let's bring
out our other guest,

Peeping Toms' own
Mr. Chivalry, Philip Woode.

- [audience applauding]
- Come on out.

- [organ plays stinger]
- Hello, Phil. Nice to meet you.

We all think you're
a great sport.

Phil, what do you
do in real life?

I'm an advertising manager
for The Amsterdam Star.

Oh, great. That's wonderful.

- [organ plays stinger]
- I'm glad to - Oh! Uh-oh.

It's been wonderful talking
with you, Danielle and Phil,

but that music tells us that we just
have time to give away our prizes

before we have to say bye-bye.

Danielle, for you, this complete set
of Reynolds stainless steel cutlery.

- Ha-ha. Congratulations.
- Oh, thank you.

And Phil, for you, good
sport that you are,

dining and dancing for two at
Manhattan's famous African Room.

- [applause continues]
- [organ continues]

Philip!

I just remembered that I
haven't eaten all day

and I thought maybe you want some
help with your dinner for two.

I don't bite, you know.

That is, if I'm
filled I don't bite.

I-I have brought my own cutlery.

[laughs]

'M.

[rhythmic, mid-tempo
jazz playing]

[elephant trumpeting]

[Danielle] I don't know what
to do, so I just stand there

and, uh, I feel very
stupid and about, uh -

Then I said to the
photographer -

I said something so terrible you can't
even put it in the French movie.

But he deserved that, you know.

He's a - How you say that word?

He's a son of a bastard.

- Son of a bitch.
- Yes, he was that too. Son of a bitch.

But I'm not, you know - I'm not like
you Americans' women's liberation.

I don't, uh - I don't spend
my life to hate the men.

I don't like that. But this man,
he have deserve what I tell him.

So, after that have
happen to me, then, uh...

I said to myself, “Now it's time
for you to go from Quebec.”

- Quebec?
- Yes.

- I thought you were French.
- Oh, yes, I'm French-Canadian.

It's not the same, you know.

Quebec is very pretty, you know, but
now, for me, New York is the home.

It's for me - It's for
me, freedom, New York.

Yesterday you know what I have do? I go
to the top of the Empire State Building.

You know, the - that
building, the big -

And I am up there by myself,
and nobody know I am there.

I look down, I can see all the
little car and the people,

and I'm all by myself, and
nobody knows that I'm there.

- Do you like to be alone?
- Sometime I do.

But not tonight.

[French accent] Danielle, I think
I should take you home now.

I'm sorry. This is
so embarrassing.

I waited for you at the TV studio.
You saw me.

Why can't you leave me alone?

Look here, Miss Breton and I
were just having a drink.

Mrs. Emil Breton and you -

I am not married! I have
been divorced for a year.

- But still he follows me.
- Danielle, that is quite enough.

We do not want to discuss our very
private problems in front of strangers.

- Come along now.
- Don't touch me!

- Waiter.
- I will go, but not with you.

- It is important we go home now.
- Yes, sir?

This gentleman is bothering us.

You better come with me, sir.

- Just come with me.
- Danielle. Danielle!

Come home with me!

Danielle! Get your hands off me!

Come on. I'd better
take you home.

Okay.

Where do you live?

Staten Island.

Staten Island?

I thought you said you
lived in New York.

Isn't Staten Island in New York?

I guess it is. Come on.

You know, there are so few people
that I have any feeling for.

Not hast men, you know.

Ever since my sister left.

We have had such a close bond.

Hey. Hey!

[foghorn blowing]

[giggling]

Oops!

[sighing]

Well, here is my apartment.

I have just move in, you know.
I have a dishwasher.

- Dishwasher? A real dishwasher?
- Yes!

[humming]

- Ah.
- [giggles}

I think it's very
hot right here.

I think I'll - Ooh - turn the
thermostat down. [laughing]

[slurred chattering]

[slurred vocalizing]

Philip, you know I think
what you should do?

Ooh! You just must
wait there for me.

And then I will, uh, go get ready.
Okay, Phillip?

Oh, Christ.

Philip, what are you doing?

What you doing?

Does your ex-husband make a habit
of standing guard out there?

Why he is always following me?

What is so terrible, you
know, is his persistence.

He - He says that we
can work it through,

but I don't want to
work it through.

Sometime there are no solution.

I think you better go.

- Wait. Wait, look. I got an idea.
- No, I think you better go -

- What?
- Why don't I go downstairs.

I'll get in the car, I'll
drive around the block,

and I'll park.

And then I'll come back
through the back entrance.

I'll pretend to leave.

- Uh - - Okay?

- I don't know If that's such a good idea to do.
- Trust me.

I got rid of him before.
I can do it again.

- Okay.
- I'll be right back.

I'll wait for you.

[car door closes]

[engine starts]

You forgot your cutlery.

[Danielle groaning, whimpering]

[gasps, groaning continues]

[woman] Danielle.

Danielle!

[woman moans]

[Danielle speaking French]

[woman speaking French]

[door closes]

- Oh, excuse me.
- Oh, say -

- Shh, shh, shh.
- What's the matter?

Nothing.

- Who was that? Who was that?
- It is my sister.

Danielle, come on, take it easy.
You can tell me.

She's so crazy. She get -

She get so angry with me
when I'm with anyone,

except for her, my
husband and now you.

Well, why is she here?

[sniffles, sighs]

Because we are twins and
today is our birthday,

and - [sighs] she can come visit me but
she know that she have to go back.

And so - [sighs] And
so she feel very bad.

- Look, why don't I leave.
- No, no, no! Please?

Stay with me?

Okay.

I look so terrible, I think.

- No.
- I have such a headache.

- I have had too much Mau Mau punch last night.
- A little.

Philip, I think I would feel better
- I have no more of these pills.

- Could you get me some at the drug store?
- Sure.

- You know where is Bay Street?
- Yeah.

And then we have a happy
birthday together.

$4.50.

.79, $.89, $1.29.

That's $7.68.

- Yes.
- [Emil] You must do as I tell you.

- Yes, I - - You are not well.

Yes, I know. Please,
but I have only -

I have only two pills left.
Please hurry.

Yeah, that one's fine. And I'd
like something written on it.

Can't have it. The cake
decorator isn't in yet.

- Well, couldn't you do it?
- Are you kidding?

- Well, why not?
- Hey, Louise, he wants me to write on a cake.

You?

I'd like to see you try.
[chuckles]

All right then, I will.
What do you want written?

Happy birthday to Danielle -

No. Uh, happy birthday to
Dominique and Danielle.

Dominique and Danielle?

- You gotta be kidding.
- Come on. Let me show you.

[groans]

[gasping, groaning]

Surprise.

Hey, now, you know you're not
supposed to cut the cake

until you make a wish and
blow out the candles.

[Philip gasps] No!

[screaming]

[screaming]

[door opens, closes]

[intercom buzzes]

[intercom buzzing]

Hello? I want to report an emergency.
A murder.

- Yeah, I'll hold.
- [intercom continues buzzing]

Hello. I want to
report a murder.

A man, about 25 and black.

I saw it just now through my window. I live
in the apartment across the courtyard.

36 Hamilton.

Yes. I'll meet you downstairs right away.
My name is Grace Collier.

Yes, the Grace Collier.
I wrote that story.

[knocking]

I'm sorry you feel that way, Detective,
but I have to write it the way I see it.

Sometimes the police are wrong.

Look, this is ridiculous. We can't discuss
it now. A man is bleeding to death.

- [knocking continues]
- Yeah. Right away. Good-bye.

[knocking continues]

[Danielle] I'm
coming, I'm coming.

[baby wailing, faint]

[Danielle] Dominique?

Dominique?

[knocking continues]

- [knocking]
- Just a minute.

- What's wrong?
- Oh, Emil, thank you for coming.

But, uh, everything is fine now
and I get dressed and go out -

- What happened?
- Well, this morning I felt those pains -

What happened?

[whispering] Dominique.

What have you done?

Dominique is here?

She was here.

Watch out.

Someone might look
in the window.

Help me.

Help me!

- Help me!
- Wh-What are you going to do?

[man on radio] It's a beautiful
day here in New York.

This is Windy Craig
on the radio for you.

Remember, we'll be back with you
tomorrow afternoon, 2:00...

[grunting]

Over on the couch.

[Danielle whimpers]

[grunts] Help me.

[gagging]

[retching]

Put on some makeup. It must look
as if nothing has happened.

[car door closes]

[Grace] In here.

Drop it there.

I'm Grace Collier. I just spoke
to you on the telephone.

How you doing, Miss Collier?
I'm Detective Kelly.

My partner, Detective Spinetti.

- Just what seems to be the problem?
- You're the man I spoke to on the telephone?

- That's right.
- Well, I imagine we can discuss -

I hope there's not too much
imagination involved here.

Well, you obviously don't think so,
or you wouldn't be here. Am I right?

Now, I just saw a man viciously
and repeatedly stabbed.

It was in that apartment up there - 3-R.
The name is Breton.

The man is probably dying,
if he's not dead already,

so I think the best thing
to do is to get up there.

All right, take it easy, will you, lady?
These people are always stabbing each other.

- “These people”?
- All right, all right. Let's just keep calm.

One step at a time.

Your story is that you
looked out the window.

- What time would that have been?
- I'm sure your people have this written down.

The thing to do is to get up there
and try to save that poor guy.

Miss Collier, our work is a profession. A
doctor, for example, doesn't begin to operate -

You're not a doctor.

I read your article about, uh,
police brutality in Stapleton.

And the next time The Staten ls/and Panorama
decides to investigate our methods,

I hope they send
a real reporter.

I'm going up there.

And you're certainly not a cop.

And you're not either if you
don't do something about this.

Unless, of course, you'd rather
go beat up a few students.

Ever hear of a search warrant,
Miss Civil Liberties?

Well, you haven't got
one, and neither do I.

You mean you're actually gonna stand
here and ask me idiotic questions

like some dumb courtroom drama
while a man actually dies?

I saw it.

Saw it happen. Actually
saw it happen.

Calm down, calm down.

Now, you just go back to
your apartment and relax.

- And watch you walk off?
- You'd like that, wouldn't you?

That'd make a great story
for your next issue.

“Police refuse to investigate
brutal race murder.”

Not a chance, lady.
You stick with us.

- And keep your mouth shut.
- I'll do what I consider necessary.

This isn't a police state yet.

3-R is this way.

[doorbell buzzing]

- Yes?
- Police officer.

- Oh, yes? Can I help you?
- Are you the lady of the house?

- Yes, I am.
- You live here alone?

- Yes.
- Had any com any this morning?

- Oh, no. Nobody.
- Two people -

That will do, Miss Collier.

If there is some information that you
need, I will be glad to help you,

but as you can see, I am
in the middle of dressing.

So, uh, if you excuse
me, I'll finish.

- Do you mind - - She's afraid.

- You mind if we come in?
- Just what do you want?

If you don't mind our coming
in, this lady will explain.

Have you the search, um - the
search permission? Have you that?

- You mean a search warrant?
- Yes, the search warrant. Have you that?

- No.
- She's stalling. She's hiding the body.

If you have not the search
warrant, it's not very important.

So if you excuse me, I
finish to dress and, uh -

It'll take me just about ten
minutes to get a search warrant,

and while Spinetti here is going to the trouble
of doing that, I shall naturally have to -

Excuse me. Excuse me.

I don't mean to offend you.
Come in.

But you know, I see all the
time on the television show

the scene of the evil
criminal and the policeman,

and the policeman
knock on the door

and the criminal, he ask about,
you know, what you have ask me -

the search warrant.

But you have not said to me,
“Open in the name of the law.”

You have not said that.

- Now, then, Miss - - Danielle.

Danielle Breton.

I'm Detective Kelly. This is
Detective Spinetti, and, uh -

How do you do?

This is Miss Collier, your
neighbor from across the way.

- Hello. How are you?
- Hello.

[Kelly] Something very unusual
occurred this morning.

Seems that Miss Collier happened
to glance out of her window

and saw something which so
shocked and disturbed her

that she called the
police department.

- I saw a murder.
- [scoffs]

Thank you, Miss Collier.

Now then, Miss Breton, I suppose you can
see Miss Collier's apartment from here.

I really don't know.

You know very well you can.

Yes, there's my window. And this
is definitely the right apartment.

Miss Collier, do you spend a lot
of time watching my apartment?

You saw me. You know you did.

[scoffs] If, uh, I have seen you,
then I would have pulled the shade,

and if I do that I have to give up
all my life to have the privacy.

She did draw the shade. Obviously once
she'd hidden the body she felt safe.

But it must be here somewhere.

I can't believe that
this is serious.

He wrote “help” on this window in his
own blood, and I watched him write it.

- Here he write that?
- Naturally she washed it off.

It's all so obvious. This
girl is protecting someone.

But the murderess is
someone this girl knows.

She was shorter and had a - a
twisted face and stringy hair

and was having a terrible
fit of some kind.

Do you know someone who would fit
that description, Miss Breton?

No.

Good God! I saw the knife!
I saw her stab him!

Could somebody have gotten in
here without your knowledge?

It would be impossible.
I was here all morning.

What about the man
that stayed over?

I was quite alone.

You see, I'm - I'm divorced from
my husband, and still, uh -

Well, it's very
personal, you know.

But, Miss Collier, many time at
night I watch the television show

and, uh, I watch
the horror film,

and it make me full of fear, and
- and I jump at every noise.

I understand that when you
live alone it make you -

It's very difficult.
I understand that.

What I saw happen was real.

Mind if we have a look around?

No, it's perfectly all right.

Thank you, Miss Collier.

I know you're doing your best
to help the forces of justice,

but they will be better
served by your sitting down.

That body is here somewhere,
and she knows it.

[Kelly] How many rooms do
you have, Miss Breton?

Well, uh, there is the
living room here,

and then the bathroom and the kitchen,
and then past is the bedroom.

- You mind if we see the bathroom?
- No. The bathroom is here.

See? This.

- And the - - Bedroom?

Yes, the bedroom is down here.

In here.

Corning, Miss Collier?

Oh, uh - [chuckles]
Excuse me for a second.

[Kelly, Danielle
speaking, faint]

[toilet flushes]

[Spinetti] Miss Collier, would
you stick with us, please?

- I understand.
- Have you looked under the bed?

I was waiting for you.

Any luck?

You think we should check
those hallway closets?

- It's fine with me. They are right here.
- Thank you.

There you are. And there.

- Can we look in these bags?
- Yes, fine.

Why do you have things
in pairs, like twins?

- [laughs]
- You have a twin.

I have a television
commercial to do some time,

and in case I should get the
makeup, you know, on the dress,

then there is another
one for the next take.

You see, uh, I'm a model.

And sometime an actress too.

- You certainly are.
- That will do, Miss Collier.

I'm sorry to have troubled
you, Miss Breton.

[Danielle, Kelly
speaking, faint]

- I'm coming, I'm coming.
- I'm sure you'll report it to the police.

- Oh, yes.
- By withholding evidence,

you can make yourself an
accessory after the fact.

[Danielle] Well, if I do hear
anything, I'll telephone you.

- [doorbell buzzes]
- Oh, excuse me.

- Oh, Emil.
- Hello, darling. Am I late?

No. Officer Kelly,
this is my husb -

my ex-husband, Emil Breton,
and Officer Spinetti.

[Emil] You never
should have left me.

Now you've done something naughty
and the police have found out.

[Danielle] No, they tell me
that they look for a dead body.

[Emil laughs] Are you serious?

[Kelly] One of the neighbors claims she saw
a murder being committed this morning.

- You mind if I ask you a few questions?
- No. Anything I can do to help.

- Just what is your full name?
- Emil Breton.

How long have you and Mrs.
Breton been divorced?

We are not divorced. We
have been separated -

Dominique and Danielle!
She does have a twin! Oh!

It was right - right here.

- Listen - - one more word,
and I'm gonna book you.

I'll book you on something. I'll find
something in the book to book you on.

Attempted libel, assault on a police officer
- I don't care what it is, but I'll do it.

I saw a murder, and
I'll prove it.

Listen, Miss Collier, I don't
know what kind of a nut you are,

or what kind of an exposé
you're looking to get.

But just don't bother me or
that girl upstairs, okay?

Far as I'm concerned, this case is closed.
You got that? Closed!

[car engine starts]

Grace, I thought we were
supposed to meet upstairs.

What are you doing here?

Grace, it's Tuesday.

Oh, I forgot.

Urn, well, let's go.

Honey, don't you think you ought to
change into something a little bit more -

Yeah, I'll change. I'll
meet you at the car. Okay?

Honey, I thought we were going
upstairs to have a little chat.

If you were embarrassed about the mess, you
know I'm always glad to help you tidy up.

Although, what you're going to do
when you get married, I don't know.

Oh, did I tell you the
Cunningham girl is engaged?

She's about your age, and she finally
found somebody that suits her.

He's a doctor.

Well, he's a veterinarian, but the
animals are all owned by wealthy people

and he has his own hospital.

So you see, honey? Just because things aren't
working out with you and your editor -

Uh, what's his name? Jim?

- I don't want to discuss that.
- Oh.

Well, I'm not trying
to interfere, honey.

But you know, this doctor has a
very interesting young assistant.

[gasps] Grace, that reminds me.

They've started right
in our neighborhood,

and I don't know whether the zoning
laws are going to permit it.

And I just don't know how
they got away with it.

But three or four
blocks away from us -

Are you listening, honey? Because this would make
a very interesting story for your newspaper.

An experimental madhouse.

Now, you see, what's worse is that
they just let them walk around.

The whole idea is that
instead of locking them up,

they let them live in a house and
the doctors make a home for them,

and it's sort of a family
situation, just like real people.

It's very advanced. I saw
something about it on television.

You see, honey? There are interesting things
going on right here on Staten Island.

But I tell you, I don't
feel safe at night.

- Would you stop here? Pull over.
- Why?

Why don't you wait until you
get down in the Village?

Oh, everything looks
so dull in here.

If you want pastry, let's
wait and get it at Ryan's.

I don't want any pastry.

Did a man come in here this
morning and buy a birthday cake?

Lady, ten men came in and
bought ten birthday cakes.

This cake had two names on it, but written
the way a child writes, not the way a -

[gasps] Yeah.

The colored guy that made
me write on the cake.

- What were the names?
- I don't know.

- Daisy and Debbie.
- Uh, Dominique and Danielle.

- That's what it was.
- Yeah! That's it.

I did it, and I don't
even remember.

- Can I have your names, please?
- What for?

My name is Grace Collier, and I write
for The Staten Island Panorama.

And I'm her mother, Mrs.
Peyson Collier.

My girlfriend and I
read your column.

My name is Elaine D'Anna.

D' Anna.

- And the other girl is Louise Wilanski.
- Wilanski.

- What do you want to know?
- Thank you. That's fine.

Huh.

Hey, how do you like that?

She says she's gonna write an article,
and she doesn't ask us any questions.

They're just terrible
about deadlines.

Next.

Really, Grace, you
were rather abrupt.

I happen to be working
on an assignment.

Well, don't you think you're taking this
little job of yours a bit seriously?

After all, you're 25 years old. You
should be thinking about something else.

I'm not gonna marry anybody!

And I wish you'd stop referring
to my work as “a little job.”

I like to call what
I do a profession,

only working for The Staten ls/and
Panorama is a bit of a joke.

- Do you know what my next assignment Is?
- No, I don't.

I'm having lunch tomorrow
with an 80-year-old ex-con

who's just carved an entire replica of
the Danbury Penitentiary out of soap.

- Oh, that's interesting.
- Oh!

I want to write about - about
the apathy in the police force,

about where the heroin goes after a
bust, about the fat political cats!

You don't have to shout
right here on the street.

What's the matter with you?
I've never seen you like this.

- I'm on to something big.
- Are you on diet pills again?

I can see that you have
your mind on other things.

- Can we have another date?
- We do have another date.

- You have supper with us on Friday.
- Fine. I'll be there.

Well, can I drop you somewhere?

No. It's okay. I'll walk.

Well, it's not the way we planned it, but
if that's the way we're gonna do it...

A white woman kills her black lover, and
those racist cops couldn't care less.

I saw it happen, and
they won't investigate.

Well, if you're not interested, I'm sure
I can find someone else who'd print it.

Lots of people would.

Good. You're interested.

I'll do my own investigation.

Why not?

I know more than those idiot police.
I know karate -

A private detective?
Waste of money. I -

All right. All right,
what's his name?

Joseph Larch.

- Now, I think the best thing for
us to do - - This is what we do.

You go up to your apartment, call
Danielle, and see if anybody's home.

If someone answers, wave once.
If no one is there, wave twice.

- You're going up there If no one's there?
- Sure.

All I have to do is know the situation
in advance. I can play it either way.

Well, in that case, I can pretend to be
making an informal telephone survey -

You just do hand signals.

If there's no one up there, I can charm
the super into giving me a passkey.

- No, you've got to make a wax impression.
- No one does that.

You go up to your apartment, watch
the front while I'm up there,

and if you see someone coming,
telephone the apartment - one ring.

- Well, what if - -
One ring and hang up.

- Does that answer your question?
- Yeah.

- But suppose that - - Have you
ever been a detective? Have you?

No, but simple logic suggests
a way of doing things.

- I don't see that it can be all that mysterious.
- Grace, this is a craft.

I wouldn't try to teach you how
to write magazine articles.

Listen, I went to school to learn this - The
Brooklyn Institute of Modern Investigation.

- Okay? Okay.
- Okay.

Now, go on up to your apartment
and do what I told you. Go ahead.

I'll be here.

[mutters] Nobody's home.

Larch?

The boxes.

- What?
- Meet me in the truck.

My God.

Get out of there, Larch.

[telephone rings]

[receiver rests on cradle]

We gotta get out of here.

[engine starts]

- What was that you were waving?
- I don't know.

But they had it hidden in the bedroom,
so it might be something important.

Take a look in it while I tell you about the
real evidence I found in the living room.

I got up there
without any trouble.

I did the usual
search - nothing.

I was beginning to think that cop was right
about you until I tried to move the couch.

- I couldn't. It was too heavy.
- The couch.

- Yeah. He's in the couch.
- What?

- The body.
- What about the body?

What I went up there to look for, remember?
The body is in the couch!

Terrific! And the
murderess is in here!

- What?
- Do you know what you've found?

A complete file on
the Blanchion Twins.

Now what are you talking about?

Do you remember about a year ago, Life
magazine ran a whole story on them.

The only Siamese twins -

I was up there, Grace.

I know what I saw, and I
didn't see no Siamese twins.

I do know that you have to have a
dead body before you have a murder.

I gotta get going. We
gotta catch this ferry.

You mean, that's all you're gonna do
- locate the body and then split?

- Yes, for Quebec.
- Quebec?

That's where Breton told them to take it.
Now, wherever that couch goes, I follow.

Because somebody's gonna be waiting for it
at the other end, and I want to know who.

- That makes sense.
- Hey, lend me a dollar, will ya?

[Grace] Yeah.

When we get to Manhattan, I'm gonna
go see this writer, and then -

Then you go back to your apartment, lock
the door, and wait for me to call. Period.

- Where's Arthur McLennen's office?
- Uh, end of the hall, to your right.

- Uh, Miss, uh - Miss Collier?
- Yes.

Ah, yes. Well, I'm, uh
- I'm Arthur McLennen.

- How do you do?
- Hello.

I, uh - I'm afraid I'm a
little disorganized today.

Are, uh - Are you
here about, uh -

Well.

- That's the Blanchion Twins file.
- Yes, it is.

I know you did the
story over a year ago,

but I was hoping you might remember
enough about it to help me.

Oh, those poor girls.

You know, this looks like the file
I saw at the Loisel Institute.

- Oh, it is the original, isn't it?
- Yes, I believe it is.

How'd you get it? Are you
going to do a follow-up?

We never did. The managing
editor would never assign it.

Well, they've asked me to find
out as much as I can about it.

We're not quite sure what
kind of a piece we'd do.

Oh, well, come on in and
we'll talk about it, huh?

The subject is a curious one.

After we ran this story,
we got about 500 letters.

No matter what else they said, they all
had that same tone of morbid fascination.

I don't excuse myself either.

Until I actually met the Blanchion
girls, I was the same way.

Hey, if you're going to do that piece,
I've got something I'd like to show you.

Oh, I'd appreciate
anything that -

- You do have some time now?
- Of course!

Sometimes I forget myself when
I get going on a subject,

but if you have the time, I'd
like to show you a videotape.

The more I learned, the
more interested I became.

You see, to me at any rate,

the psychological and philosophical
elements are of extreme importance.

Yes. Fine.

Well, there. They're
about to begin.

[man narrating] Conjoined
twins, cal/ed Siamese,

challenge life at
their first breath.

History had them as the
stuff of myth and symbol.

Some tried to achieve such
normality as they could.

The famous Chang and Eng,
the twins of Siamese birth

who gave this congenital
abnormality its popular name,

married and fathered families.

Other twins lived by hiring
themselves out to sideshows

or running small
town souvenir shops.

With the increasingly sophisticated surgical
techniques developed in this century,

some twins have been separated
and lead normal lives.

Others never can.

Born on March 27,
7.948, in Quebec,

the Blanchions were Canada's
first Siamese twins.

Their parents died in an automobile accident
only days before their first birthday.

Dominique and Danielle were
to grow up from then on

within the pale walls of
the Loisel Institute,

where surgeons, reluctant to risk an operation
on their delicate spinal conjoinment,

decided to let them live as one.

- But whether as twins through life -
- That's Danielle's husband.

- Who told you that?
- I want to hear this.

[narrator continues] There
is always a price to pay.

It seems the older they become,

the more precarious is
their psychological -

psychological balance,

both within themselves

and between one another.

In this, I am in agreement
with my colleagues.

Although they tend to think that
Dominique is the truly disturbed one,

I think they will find that
Danielle, who is so sweet,

so responsive, so normal,

as opposed to her sister,

can only be so because
of her sister.

- Bonjour, Dominique.
- [speaking French]

[narrator] This was the last interview
the conjoined twins would ever give.

That night, doctors
were forced by nature

to perform an operation
they had hoped to avoid.

Late the next day, the institute
announced a successful separation.

Dominique and
Danielle, once one,

would now stand each alone.

- Well, what do you think?
- That's an extraordinary tape, Mr. McLennen.

Now, I tried to do a follow-up,

but the institute was closed to
me even as a friend of the twins.

Why was that?

Well, all I could find out at the
time was that after the operation

there had been some
complications.

- What sort of complications?
- I never did get any official information.

So I slipped 20 bucks to
one of the suture nurses,

and she told me that Dominique Blanchion
had died on the operating table.

[vehicles passing on highway]

[engine starts]

[engine cranking]

[engine starts]

[people chattering]

[arguing]

[woman shouting]

[woman groaning]

[screams, moaning]

[groaning stops]

- [snap]
- [gasps]

- What are you doing?
- I have my work to do.

[snapping continues]

- Do you live here?
- So they tell me.

Do you mind if I use
your telephone?

- No.
- Where is it?

- It's in the kitchen down the hall.
- Thank you.

Better spray yourself, hon.

You're not supposed
to be in here.

I've gotta use the telephone.

You're not supposed
to be in here.

[inhales] I think
you have a cold.

No, no.

It's a clean telephone.

Don't just think you can
walk in here like that.

Did you know that the germs
can come through the wires?

I never call and I never answer.

It's a good way to get sick.

Very, very sick.

That's how I got so sick.

Someone called me
on the telephone!

What's going on here?
Who are you?

My name is Grace Collier and I write
for The Staten Island Panorama,

and I must use the telephone.

[screams] No!

No! Don't give it to her. Don't!

She won't use it, Arlene.
She won't.

Trust me.

[choked sobs]

Look, this is the Lynton Clinic. You can't
just come walking in here like this.

Well, I can if one of your patients is
roaming around loose, murdering people.

Oh, come on.

There have been a lot of wild
rumors going around about us,

but I wouldn't expect the
Panorama to take them seriously.

I take them seriously, and
I'm gonna call the police!

Better talk to the head of the clinic.
If you call about 10:00 tomorrow -

I'll speak to him now!

I'll see if he'll see you.
He's probably gone to bed.

[gasping]

Hello, Doctor. I'm
sorry to disturb you.

There's a girl here who says she's
a reporter from the Panorama.

She insists on talking to you.

Okay.

Doctor will be right with you.
Arlene -

- You did a good job cleaning up.
- [gasping]

Now, you can take your things
back to the supply room.

[exhales] One of your
patients is a murderess.

I followed her here tonight. Now,
we've gotta call the police.

That's him!

Dr. Breton, this girl says
she's from the Panorama.

Hello, Margaret. Why
aren't you in your room?

This man is involved in a murder and
we have got to call the police.

She came to us last night. We're very
happy to have her join our family.

Oh, I was off duty.

Margaret, this is Mr. Jansen.

- [Emil] Margaret Grisham.
- Hello, Margaret.

Nice try.

If you'll go and check my
ID, it's in my car outside.

I am Grace Collier.

I wouldn't insist on
“Margaret” right away.

We want to respect your wishes.

When you're ready to have us
call you Margaret, you tell us.

- Take her to room 23.
- Right.

Dr. Corbin, prepare
her for hypnotherapy.

Come with me, Margaret.

Grace, I mean. It's all right.

Please. Now, you've got to believe me.
I am perfectly sane.

Just go downstairs and check my bag.
It's in my car.

- Yes, Grace. Just as soon as you're settled in.
- No! Now!

- I'm afraid my life is in danger.
- I understand.

Oh, God! I know what that sounds like.
No, I'm serious.

As soon as you find out who I am, you'll
know that they're making all of this up!

Grace, I believe you're
serious in what you think.

- Let go of my arm!
- It's a little rough going in the dark, Grace.

- Stop calling me Grace!
- Then you really do want to be Margaret?

No, damn it! My name is Grace!

Let go. Let go.

All right, Margaret, just push up your
sleeve for me. This won't hurt a bit.

- [screams] Help!
- Get her in the room.

[screaming continues]

No!

Help! Help!

[Emil] Open your eyes.

You came here to
ask me questions.

- Is that correct?
- [Grace] Yes.

You will ask me questions.

You will remember my answers
exactly, word for word.

- Do you understand?
- Yes.

Good. Now, repeat after me.

What did you do with the body?

- Repeat.
- What did you do with the body?

It was all a ridiculous mistake.

There was no body.

Repeat.

It was all a ridiculous mistake.

There was no body.

There was no body,

because there was no murder.

Repeat.

There was no body

because there was no murder.

Again.

There was no body

because there was no murder.

Good.

When you awaken, all you will
remember is what I have told you,

if anyone should ask.

Do you understand?

Yes.

Good.

Now, I'm going to take you
deeper - into deeper sleep.

Relax. Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

[inhales]

Now, listen to me
very carefully.

You came to watch us, to spy on
us, to feed on our sorrows -

Look at me.

At no cost. Do you hear me?

- [Grace whispers] Yes, I hear you.
- Good.

You want to know
all our secrets?

All right. We will
share them with you.

Watch.

Wh-Why is she here?

Don't you remember?
She was always here.

Don't you remember?

- [Danielle] No.
- [Emil] Go back.

- [Danielle murmuring]
- Go back. Remember.

- [Danielle] I can remember.
- [Emil] Remember when you were very young.

[echoing] I am in agreement
with my colleagues.

Although they believe
that Dominique

is the one who is
truly disturbed,

I think that they will find
that Danielle, who is so sweet,

so responsive, so normal,

as opposed to her sister,

can only be so because
of her sister.

- Danielle - - [Danielle] And
the time we had the picnic.

- [Emil] That's right, the picnic.
- And the people have come to see us.

- To see you, yes.
- I remember.

- [Emil] What else do you remember?
- [Milius] She is not just one.

- They were all my friends.
- They were - They were your friends.

- Oh, Dominique, it's okay.
- They brought...

- Thank you, Charlie.
- Their picnic lunches...

- and their cameras.
- Yes.

And they brought their
little children.

- Ah, yes. I remember that.
- Yes. They gave you treats.

- Little cakes, candies - - Yes, an apple.
You gave me an apple.

Apples, yes. And then they asked
whether they can take your picture.

Yes.

- Dominique didn't like the children very much.
- Yes, Dominique?

- No, she said that they were laughing at us.
- Do you remember?

- No, I can't remember.
- Go back. Try.

- What did they call you?
- I-I can't remember that.

- Try to remember what they called you.
- Go away, please!

- You can remember.
- I can't remember.

- You can remember. Look at me.
- No!

- Look at me!
- Go away! I can't remember that.

- You can remember. What did they call you?
- No. I don't know!

- Remember!
- They said, “Freak. Look at the freak.”

- [echoing] The freak. The freak.
- Sweetie, smile.

- [echoing continues] The freak. The freak.
- [overlapping voices] Smile. Smile!

[Danielle] Make them go
away from me, please.

Don't you remember what you learned
last spring that you could never have?

- No, I can't remember!
- Yes, you can. Try. Try!

Don't you remember you realized you could have
no home, no husband, no children, no baby?

Yes, I remember that.

Yes, I remember that.

You're supposed to be sleeping.

Why can't you make her go away?

Can you make her go away?
Please. Please.

Of course.

Help me. Don't hurt me.

Don't hurt me.

Help me.

Help me.

- [sobbing]
- [Emil] Danielle, what happened afterward?

[sobbing continues] I - I was walking
in the garden with Dominique and...

I tried to tell her that I
was going to have a baby.

And I-

I tried to explain that it
could be her baby too, but -

but she doesn't understand and
she get very angry at me.

And she... tried to kill the
baby with the garden shear.

- Are you in pain?
- [sobbing]

I'm-I'm going to lose my baby.

No, you will be fine.

No. I'm going to die.

Everything will be fine.

- [sobbing, moaning]
- Everything will be fine.

Everything will be fine.

Oh, it hurts me. Please help me.

[Emil] Do not be afraid.

Do not be afraid.

Do not be afraid.

I am the surgeon.

You have lost our baby.

You are bleeding very badly.

The only way I can save you is
to separate you from Dominique.

- [Danielle] Am I going to die?
- [Emil] No.

You will be fine.

Everything will be fine.

Sleep.

Sleep.

Sleep.

[shrieks]

[hysterical screaming]

Relax, relax, relax, relax.

- [screams subside]
- [Danielle babbling]

- Relax. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.
- [babbling continues]

- I-I am sure you've come
back, Dominique. {groans}

- Dominique! Dominique.
- Dominique is dead.

Please come back, Dominique.

Dominique is dead. Remember.

No, she's not dead. She's
going to kill you.

- She is dead.
- No!

- I know she's not. No! No, she's not.
- Sleep.

- Sleep. Sleep.
- No.

- No - [murmuring]
- Sleep. Sleep.

- She's not.
- Dominique is dead.

She is dead.

Time you learned to
accept her death.

We both have to go away now.

Danielle, I'm going
to marry you.

Do you remember how we
came here to the clinic...

and made it our own?

It was good for a while.

But Dominique never
died for you.

You kept her alive in your mind.

Sometimes -

Sometimes, you even became her

to reassure yourself
of her existence.

You could never
accept the guilt...

the terrible guilt for
Dominique's death.

It was hard for me to
accept what had happened -

that we could never live
together as man and wife.

[murmurs]

Every time I made love to you,

Dominique came back

and took control of you.

I did not know how
to rid you of her.

All I could do was to
give you the pills

and keep you sedated...

until she went away.

{moans} - I tried to warn
you about Dominique.

Dominique is dangerous
for both of us.

To Dominique,

any man that made
love to you is me -

Emil.

[sobbing] Danielle?

Danielle?

I love you.

- [moaning]
- Look at this knife.

Look at it. You killed
a man with this knife.

- Remember. Remember.
- [moaning]

Remember.

That's it.

What happened?

There was a cake.

A cake? What else?

They had... candles.

Yes. What did you do?

- I-I make a wish.
- Yes.

- And I blow out the candles.
- Yes.

And then I cut him!

[93393]

[screaming]

[siren wailing]

Relax, fellas. He's dead.

[woman weeping]

Just a minute, Mrs. Breton.

Are you prepared to confess to the
murder of your husband, Emil Breton?

I warn you that whatever you say may
be used as evidence against you.

I have never hurt
anyone in my life.

You claim that you had
a sister who did it?

My sister died last spring.

Dawson.

Well, Miss Collier,
up and about?

[chuckles]

- How do you feel today?
- Oh, fine. Thanks.

- Oh, thank you for the chocolates.
- Oh, you're welcome.

- Would you like one?
- No, thank you.

Well, you'll be interested to know
that we're reopening the whole case.

We already got her on
first-degree murder for Breton.

But we haven't had any luck in turning
up that black man you saw her slice up.

Now, I want you to tell me
everything you can remember.

It was all a ridiculous mistake.
There was no body.

Look”.

I apologize for having
been so skeptical.

I should have put more
trust in your claim.

It-It was all a
ridiculous mistake.

What else do you want me to do?
Apologize in print?

- I sent you a box of candy.
- I'm telling you all I can remember!

I talked to your editor. He told me about
the detective you hired. What did he think?

I got a witness who saw that couch
being loaded onto the truck.

Now, obviously the body was
hidden inside that couch.

Otherwise, why would
they move it?

It's really quite simple.

There was no body because
there was no murder!

What was simple? There's nothing
simple about any of this.

I-I just don't understand you.

Now you claim that
there wasn't a body.

Well, if there wasn't a body, why
did you make such an accusation?

You know how serious
that could be?

Grace has never deliberately
told a lie in her life.

You have to understand that
she's not quite herself.

I'm fine! [stammering] There's
absolutely nothing wrong with me!

All I know is there was no body
because there was no murder!

[engine oft]

[moos]