The Good Mother (1988) - full transcript

When I was a child, I spent
summers with my grandparents...

At their vacation home in Maine.

In those days, there was
no road to the house,

so one of my favorite chores
was to row visitors
across the lake.

My mother had three sisters...

And a brother... my uncle orrie.

In August, the men
would join their wives
and the children,

and for two weeks,
the family was fully assembled.

Orrie! Orrie!

Orrie! Orrie!

Looking good.
Looking good, mccords!



Sit down. You'll tip the boat.
My grandmother seemed
overwhelmed in their company,

but she was the one
I loved the most.

We were all dominated
by my grandfather.

He demanded
ambition and achievement,
and we all tried to please him.

Hi. How are ya,
darlin'?

Good to see ya.

All of ya come.
Let's get that luggage
into the house.

The only one who
ever stood up to him was babe.

She was
my mother's youngest sister...
20 years younger than my mother.

- I can take that.
- It's heavy.

Okay, watch
your toes, sweetheart.
Watch your toes.

It's good to see ya, Elmer.
Was it a hard row
across the lake, Anna?

No, it was easy,
gram. Anna!
Good for you.

Bring that big one.



Well, I tell you,
it's certainly
good to be here.

- Don't spoil your dinner.
- Yes, well, here we all are.

Wanna come?

My mother doesn't want me to.

You wanna grow up and be
just like your mother, Anna?

Through those long summers,
babe became my friend.

I was... well, I was
the oldest grandchild,
and, oh, I was shy.

Already I was a conformist.

All right. Come on.

Hurry up.

Ready?

Where'd you get the cookies?

Stole 'em... whaddya think?

Compared to the others, you see,

babe just seemed so glamorous
and unconventional,

and I adored her.

- what a bunch of fucking assholes.
- Once again!

I remember there was a time
when babe was gone a lot...

With young men
in their powerboats from
the other side of the lake.

Okay, I'll see ya.

Babe, do you realize
what time it is?

You betrayed my trust.

I'm ready, auntie babe.

Can I go too, mom?

Why is everyone so angry at you?

I'm pregnant.

They're just all in a twit.

My boyfriend's not
respectable enough.

They're sending me away
to Europe.

Do you love him?

How do you know you're pregnant?

You feel it.
Your body changes.

How does it feel?

Like... that.

- You wanna see?
- Sure.

You get bigger here.

And your nipples get fatter.

And down here it gets all tight.

You wanna feel?

Come here.

It's amazing, huh?

Babe, come on.

A week later, babe left
for Europe with one of my aunts.

I learned later that she'd
had her baby in Switzerland...

And gave it up
two days afterward.

one at a time.

And as I grew up
and began to drift away,

I saw babe less and less.

Then... oh, she'd appear
at family gatherings...

Often having had a lot to drink.

I'm fine. It's just...

Oh, god, would you quit?

Thanks.

What is the rush, orrie?

It's late.
Father will be waiting.

Babe?

Babe! Watch...
What the hell...

God... oh, shit. Oh!

Hey! Don't
be an ass!

Goddamn it!

Babe! Come back here!

Babe!

Babe!

Babe!

Babe!

In the years after babe's
death, I often thought of...

Of what she offered me
during those summers.

In her presence, it just seemed
as if anything was possible.

And I wanted to be like her.
I wanted to take risks.

I wanted to feel... I wanted
to be a passionate person.

And even now,
in spite of everything
that has happened,

i...
I feel...

I really, really had to try.

Mmm! Molly.
Molly, please.

Come on. Come and
eat breakfast, okay?

Do I have to eat
pancakes, mama?
Do you have to?

You said you wanted them.
And look. Look what I did.
What?

Look at this.
I made you a picture.

See?
What is it?

You have to guess.
Is it dog?

No, no. It's much bigger
than a dog.

Here let me put your shoe on.
Eat something. Go on.
A horse?

No. No. And it lived
a long, long time ago.

Hmm. A dinosaur!

That's right.
That's right. Do you
want some syrup with it?

Hmm? What
are you doing?
I have to get my other shoe.

Oh, no, no, no.
You sit back down here
and eat your breakfast.

I'll get your shoe.
Put some syrup on it.
It'll be good.

Uh-oh.

What is it?
Oh, Molly.

I didn't mean to.
I know you didn't.
Here. Put your shoe on.

Oh.
Oh, god.

I wanna help.
Just put your shoe on.

It's getting late.
Eat something, Molly,
all right?

Hi, Alex.
How's school?

Oh, wow.
Keep up the good work.
I'm glad to hear it.

Yeah.
I'm fine. Things
are going very well.

Oh, Molly's very good. I just
wanna thank you for asking.
It's just so sweet of you.

She's gettin' to be real big,
Alex. See ya later.
Good talkin' to ya.

Real good talkin' to ya.

Whoa!
Let's take this again.
Let's try this again.

Let's take it a little slower.
What is your foot doing
on the pedal? Huh?

Oh, damn it. I had my foot
on that stupid pedal again.
I know.

You know, I drive this way.
It's gonna kill me someday.
Try and play it. Two-four.

What?

Is this the da-gentles?
That's the man's genitals.
That's right.

- This is the lady's?
- Yes, that is.

It's that funny, huh?

Look at baby worms.
I know. Those aren't worms.
Those are sperm.

Is the baby
in mama's stomach?
No, no, no.

Not really
in her stomach, honey.
She's in her mom's uterus.

How did she get in there?

Well, she got in there
'cause she grew there from
this tiny, little egg.

Just like you grew. See?
I'm not a egg.

No, you're not an egg.
Not anymore, no.

But I think you're
a girl who has to go
to sleep real soon.

Do you wanna sleep with Sammy
or with Julia tonight? What?
Julia.

Julia. Okay.
Maybe Julia'll put you
to sleep real good, huh?

There you go.
Okay. There you go.
You're tucked in.

Are you gonna
sleep with me?
No, I'm not
gonna sleep with you tonight.

No, I'm not.
Close your eyes.
Why are you staying here?

I'm just saying good night.
Close your eyes. Good girl.
Oh.

Don't look at me, mom.
Well, I'm not.
I'm not looking at you.

Oh, yes, you are.
Are you saying I am?
Well, I can't help it.

Do you know that?
Do you know why?
Why?

'Cause it's the way I love you.
I love you with these things
right here. See? They just...

Eyes, you mean.
Yeah, my eyes. Right.
They go like this,

and they just go like this,
and you know what they are?

What?
They're eyeball love.

That's eyeball love,
Molly, and I got it for you.

Okay. Okay.

I gotta go pee, mama.

Okay, well, we're gonna
be there in just a minute.

It's one more minute.
One, one, one, one, one.

All right.

no, not a honk.
That's a goose.
All right.

Did you notice
that new wallpaper?
Oh, everybody's here.

Hello, Anna.
Happy Thanksgiving.
All right, everyone!

Hi, darlin'.
Hey, Molly, do you have
something for gram?

Ah, there we are.
Oh, thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving.
I know. It's beautiful,
isn't it?

Molly, Molly,
gram wants to give you
some Cranberries. Here.

Thank you so much.
Thank you.

- Oh, thank you.
- You got it?

Tilt your hand, honey.
What do you hear
from your parents, Anna?

Oh, um, well, not much.
They're doing fine.

What are you doing
these days, Anna?

Um, I'm doing lab work
at the college.
Really?

Mm-hmm. Yeah, I'm sort
of a glorified dishwasher.

Of course,
Anna's really a pianist.
Isn't that so?

Well, I, uh...
I think piano teacher's
more accurate,

but the lab work
helps pay the bills.

Anna, why this
bohemian pretense?

It's tiresome coming
from a woman your age.

May I see you after dinner?

Of course.

Not with your hands,
honey. Okay?

How's Molly been?
Oh, fine.

Adjusting to the divorce?
Well, yes, pretty well,
I think. Mm-hmm.

Your grandmother and I
are worried about her.
Why?

She shouldn't have
to be in day care.

She's not the child
of factory workers, after all.

Yeah, well, neither are
the children she's in day care
with, if that matters.

As we know,
your parents have not had
a very strong interest,

so your grandmother and I
would like to make
a contribution to your income,

the money to be set aside
to be used for someone to come
to your home and care for Molly.

I'm sorry, grandfather.
I really think that she'd
just be bored stiff.

But thank you anyway.

You seem to suffer
from some romantic ideas
about poverty.

Even though you insist
on it for yourself,

it's nothing short of criminal
to inflict it on your daughter.

It's not poverty that
I care about, grandfather.

Brian is helping US.
We're hardly poor.

You know, it's...

It's independence.
It's being my own person.

Here. Keep it.
Okay. Thanks.

Daddy!

Hi. Hello.
How are you?
Hello, Anna.

It's good to see you.
Good to see you too.
Good to see you.

Well... well.

You don't have
to leave right away.
Oh, no, no, no.

I thought it'd be easier
this way. And, Molly, you can
show daddy where everything is.

Okay!
Okay, okay. Okay.

Where are you staying?
At Ursula's. I left the number
on the kitchen counter.

Okay.
Bye.

Oh, yeah.
Oh, bye.

Don't forget.
I won't forget.

Okay? I'm gonna see you when?
Sunday night, right?
Yeah.

Okay. Bye.
Promise?

It's a promise.
Bye.

Bye.

We were right in the middle
of the divorce...

When he told me that
he was going to marry again.

Yes. This woman Brenda,
who was a lawyer in his firm.

And I remember...
I remember thinking that
I should care about this,

that I should really
be outraged.

Oh, god. Why am I doing this?
Why am I telling you this?

I mean, I must be drunk
or something.

I don't know.
No, tell it.
Go ahead. Tell it.

Yeah? Okay, well,
I told him. I said to him
straight out... I said...

I could understand him
wanting someone else
because...

Sex between US
was so, um... nothing.

I think that's
the phrase I used.

I didn't think I was
being cruel or anything.
I really didn't.

It's just that it was so...
Obviously, it was so true.

I mean, it was like it was, uh...

It wa nothing.

I remember Brian saying, "ohh,

well, I never thought so."

- How long were you married?
- Seven years.

That is a long time
for nothing sex.

Well, it wasn't all
Brian's fault. Mm-mm.

What do you mean?

Well, I never
really felt very...

Erotic or... around him.

So that's why you got a divorce.

Oh, no, no, no, no.
It was all very reasonable.

Brian's firm was opening
an office in Washington.

He wanted to go,
and I didn't want to go.

And, uh...
and sex had nothing
to do with it?

Well, look,
it's never really been
a priority of mine.

'Til lately.

Yeah.

Oh, please!

Oh, are those yours?
Yeah.

I'm sorry. They were
sitting in here for so long,
and it was the only dryer.

They're still wet,
you know?
Yeah, they're a little damp.

I'm so tired of this crap.
Even in the laundromat,
it's dog eat dog.

Look, I said I was sorry.
Your clothes were sitting
in the dryer.

The dryer had been
sitting there...

Excuse me.
What's the rule here?

You're supposed
to keep your underwear company
while it dries or what?

Will you stop feeling sorry
for yourself and just put
your clothes in the dryer?

Are you finished here?
Can I use this now?
Yes, I am.

Yes, I am finished.
Thank you.

Excuse me.
Yeah?

You wouldn't have
a quarter, would ya?

I got all this stuff here.

Hmm? Oh, thanks.

I'm sorry I got upset.
It's okay.

It's been a tough day.
I had my heart set on
some dry underwear, you know?

Thank you.

You're very pretty.

I mean it.

Are you picking me up?

I'm trying to.
I'm trying to. It's...

It's pretty predictable too.

Yeah, I know. I'm sorry,
but I don't do this, you know?
I don't normally do this.

I don't pick up girls
in launderettes.

Well, I'm sorry.
I guess I'm not in the mood.

Leo cutter.

You're not gonna st...
Hello, Leo.

Um... Tamara? Brigitte?

- Anna.
- Anna.

Just Anna? Just plain Anna?
No parents, no?

Anna. Anna dunlap.
Dunlap.

You don't fancy
a cup of coffee,
do you, Anna?

No, I'm sorry.
I feel pretty lousy today.

But thank you.
Yeah.
Okay.

Well, look, if you
change your mind, I'm goin'
to a place called Tommy's grill.

Do you know it?
About a hundred yards
down the street?

I'll be waitin' for this
to dry, all right?

I'm off.
Come in if you like.

Ahem.

I spy with my eye
the letter "h."

What's next?
I don't know.
You tell me. What's next?

"A."
"a"?

"A." I don't know. "A."
Air. No? Not air? What?

What is that for?
This?
Well, this I've gotta put
over here on the bulletin board.

I need some piano students
desperately.

Oh, god, look.
Molly? Molly.

Molly!

Molly, come here.
Come here right now.

You can't run away
like that.
But, mom!

Here. Look.

Yeah. Ahem.

Anna, you are so bourgeois.

The minute that you find out
he has a profession,
you're interested.

No, that is
not it at all, Ursula.
It's just that it's safe.

It means that he's not
some kind of a, you know,
screwball or something.

My, he's adorable.
Call him up.

No, I can't, Ursula.

Why not?
I can't! I can't.

Maybe I'll see him, uh,
in the laundromat.

Oh! Anna. Anna.

Do you know
how few guys are out there
that aren't either gay...

Or married or even like
women enough to try to pick
them up in a laundromat?

I would've followed
this guy home on my knees.

Well, I mean,
that's you, Ursula.

"Cutter, Leo."
Oh.

Now call him up.
Oh. Just... just...

No.

No! I can't call a guy.

Six, five,
nine, two. Six.

Oh, hello, this is Anna dunlap.

Anna. Uh, Anna
from the wet laundry. Right?

Right.

Well, um, I was just hoping it
wasn't too late to take you up
on that offer for coffee.

I mean, I can understand
if you'd rather not.
It's perfectly fine. What?

Oh. Well... okay.

All right.
Well, that's good.

a dog will be yours
someday. Ya ready?

that sounds good.
Very good. Hi, Brian.
Hello.

Hello.
Hey. Gonna have fun?

Yeah.
Bye-bye.

Okay.
Whoa. Aren't we
looking pretty tonight.

Oh. Thank you.
So are you going
someplace special?

- Oh, I have a date.
- Ah. Well... oh.
Well, you look great.

Thank you. Thank you
very much. I'm off. Bye.
Bye.

Bye.

Arlene Bennett.
Roomful of blues. Give 'em
a big round of applause.

Hey, Leo, my man.
What's happenin'?
How ya doin', butch?

Okay. Anna, butch.
Butch, Anna.
Butch. Hello.

- Hi. Hello.
- How ya doin'?

Hey.
I'll catch you later,
yeah?

Yeah, man,
I'll talk to you later.

Do you wanna dance,
Anna?
I... no, I can't. I just...

Why not? I'm only joking.
I'm only joking. Why not?
I really can't.

No, don't ask.

I mean...
watch yourself.
Oh!

My real name
isn't Leo anyway.
It's Lauren.

Well, what made you
change your name?
Oh, god.

Come on. "Lauren."
Listen to it. You know,
it's "Lauren."

It's up your nose somewhere.
So inward, you know?

But "Leo"!
"Leo" goes out there.
It's like, you know, "Leo!"

Uh-oh.
It's like "Anna."
You know, "Anna!"

It's out there.
It's a statement.
Well, what happened?

Well, by then, I had
this fellowship to Yale.
I mean, I didn't have a clue.

I'd just come over
from Ireland, and i'm
with all these guys...

That are supposed to be
the cream of the crop.

I thought they were terrible.
So, I started puttin' all this
odd stuff into my sculpture.

Yeah?
Like car parts,
industrial refuge.

Weird stuff like that. Just
to get at them, you know?
Did you?

Yes. Oh, yes!
Did I get them!

You know, it was the first
time in my life I thought
I might be really good.

And then, yesterday,
yesterday, I hear that...

One of these guys
wins a Grant that
I'd applied for.

I'd like to wring
his neck, I tell you.

There are other grants.
Yeah, but that's not
the point, you know?

I mean, we both applied,
and he won.

Doesn't mean he's
better than you.
Aww.

What are you doing?
Well, somebody thinks so,
you know?

Some boring old fart thinks so.

Garbage men.
Yeah.

Always on strike.
Ahem.

Okay.

Watch your step.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.

Oh.
Oh! Well.

This is your work.
Yes.
"Celtic twilight."

Hmm. What's...

What's this? Oh.
What...

Yeah, it's... this is, uh...

Well, it's... it...

It's a lamp shade made of metal.

It's a thing.
This is "drunken boat."

Ooh. That?

"The worshiper."

Hmm.

Oh. Hmm.
Yeah.

Gosh.

What is this? Why do you have
that?
Well, I may use it
in a piece someday.

Oh.
Along with this.
I don't know. Maybe.

Maybe. Yeah.
Maybe. Maybe. Well.

Some music?
All right.
Sure. Music.
That'd be good. Sure.

These shadows, huh?
I like them.

Yeah? Well...
This piece isn't done?

No, it's not really
finished, you know?
Mmm.

You see, I sometimes use
the shadows in the wall.
You do.

See? Just to make...
just to make...
yeah.

Just to make...
just a little strange.
Play with it. Come on. Try it.

No, no, no. I can't.
I really can't do it.
Why?

Come on. Of course you can.
Let me take your coat.
Oh.

Sure. Ahem. Yeah.

It's a good way to learn
how to dance.
It's a good way, yes. Dance?

No, no. That's the thing...
I can't dance, no.
I said the wrong word.

Come on. Try it
and see. Just relax.
Just relax. Oh, god, relax.

Come on. Listen to the music.
Watch your shadow on the wall.
I do not exist. I'm not here.

Okay. Just... we do the shapes.
Yeah. Come on.
Ya see that there?

Come on.
Yeah. Yeah.
Go like, like that?

What's that? Come on.
You're doing it.
You're doing it.

Yeah?

There you go.
That's it.

Hmm. Yeah.
That is it, yeah. Hmm.

Right. Just relax.
There. You see?
Yeah? Relax?

Yeah.
Move your body.
Yeah.

Move your body.
Move my body.

That's it. Now make
a shape. Make a shape.

Make a shape?
Like...
that's it.

That's it.
Make a shape.

Well, i... you're doing it.

Let me think.
Come on.

Now move your body.
There you go.

You've done this before.

What are you...
Kiss me. Kiss me.

Oh, no. Oh...
Oh, you're beautiful.

Yeah.
What? What?

Oh, yes.

Oh, no, wait. Wait.
What... what are you...

I... I don't know
about this. Wait. Wait.
What?

Let's do it this way.
You do it.

Hello?

Mom, it's for you.
All right.

Ooh. Well, thank you,
mademoiselle.

Thank you so much.
Hello?

Oh, hello. Hi.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.
That's my moll.

Who is it, mama?
Sure is. Um... well, yeah.

Sure.

Wednesday night.
That'd be really good.

Okay.
All right.

Bye-bye.

Come here.
Give me your face.
Who was that, mama?

Give me your beautiful face.

You mean me?
Ooh, you're so attractive.

Excuse me.

Well, I don't know.
I... I was scared.

Uh-huh. Scared.
Of what?
Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Oh, of waking up
next to you.
Uh-huh.

Yeah. You know.
Why did that scare you?

Because.
All that intimate stuff,
you know?

Getting up and being
your ugliest self.

And besides, the truth is,

I didn't know
if you'd want me there.

Why didn't you ask, Anna?

I am. I am.
I'm asking.

Yes. Yes. Yes.
And I want you there
tomorrow morning too.

I can't tomorrow.

Why not?

Because I have
a baby-sitter, and I have
to be back by 11:30 tonight.

Uh-huh. Does that mean
we're gonna make love as soon
as we get back to my place?

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, we could do that.

Oh... don't. Oh, no.
I want to take a look at you
under here. I do. I do.

No, no, no.
Oh, yeah.
I'd love to see that.

Oh, Leo, please.
Where?
I'd love to look under there.

Yeah, it's charming.
I've seen it. I really...
I've seen it.

It's... you know?
What's with the ostrich
impersonation, huh?

I don't know.

Heh?

I don't know.

What?
"What?" come here. You're
disappointed, aren't you?

No.
Mm-mm.
You are. Tell me.

Not in you.

What, in you?
Well, I don't think...
you know...

You don't think what?
I don't think...

I don't think
I'm very good at it.

Ohh.

Oh, come on.
I don't.

Anna.
What?

So what?
So, we can fix that.

We can?
Yeah. We can fix that.

I don't know.
You'll get a tad
of cutter's medicine.

Oh, yeah?
Yeah.

Yeah. Now if we do it,
then can I look at you?

Huh? Yeah?

Yeah.
Okay.

Uh-oh!

Hmm? Now can I
look at you?

Oh, boy.

Oh, yeah.

Over here.
Come on. Come on.

Okay, boy. Okay, boy.
Right. That's a good boy.
That's a good boy.

Whoo! Yea!

- Yea!
There it is! Come on, boy.
- That's the best!

- Go get 'em, wrecker.
- Great!

Hey,
listen. Come here.

Here.
Leo!

Hey, Leo.

All right.
"Couldn't find
the damn thing," eh?

Where'd you get it?
Yeah.
It's beautiful?

All right. Well, it came in,
and I knew he was gonna
go for it. You like it, right?

I love it.
I love it.
See?
I know what he likes.

I know.
Salmon, he likes.

Reminds me of my wife.
Aw, come on, you clown.

Get outta... hey,
wrecker, bite his ass.

Kill this one. Wrecker.

Hey, wrecker.
That's no way...
bite his ass. Not that ass.

You trained that thing,
didn't you?
Get outta here, you clown.

Beat it.
Get outta... help!

It's too tight, mama.
Well, that's okay.

Push hard. I know.
It's a little sticky.
You can get it though.

Hi. Hi.
Hi.

I know, we must look like
a couple of rubber canaries.

That's very yellow.

Uh, yeah, I know.

I need a bandage, mama.

Molly, you don't
even have a blister.
Come here. Come here.

Molly, this is Leo.
Leo, this is Molly.

Hi, Molly.
How are ya?

Molly. Aren't you gonna
say hello to Leo?

Hi.

Hi.

Hi.

Oh, wait. Let me
grab a carrot. Wait.

Whoa. Whoa, moll. Molly!
What are you gonna...

Molly, you're gonna wait
for US at the crosswalk,
right? Good.

What? I know.

Take Leo's hand, honey.
No, you're not gonna take it.

Okay, hold mine.
Hold mine.

Vroom. Vroom.

Vroom. It needs wheels.

It needs wheels?
Wheels. Uh, well...
wheels. Right.

What are they? What...
somethin' round or somethin'
square, moll?
Round.

Well, what's here
that's round then, moll?

Right over here.

Perfect.
Would you make it
for me?

Well, I'll show you how
to make one for yourself,
all right?
You make it.

That's what I meant.

Oh, okay.
Now I've got it.
Is Leo going home now?

No, he's gonna go home
in a little while. You wanna
say good night to Leo?

Yeah.
Night, Leo.
Okay.

- Night, moll.
- Thanks for the car.

Oh, my pleasure, Molly.
Sleep well.

Here. Give me the car.
Let's put the car to sleep.

You go to sleep.
Bye-bye. Bye.

Nighty-night.

Nighty-night.

I'll tell you something.
What?

I think she really likes you.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Me?

Yeah, I think she
really likes...
I like you.

You like me?
Yeah.

How much
do you like me?
Oh.

Do you like me as much
as I like you?
I hope so.

Do you know how much
I like you?
How much?

I like you like that.
Yeah?

Yeah, and I like you like...

I like you.
I like you.

- Mama!
- Molly? Come on in.

Oh. Oh, yes.
There you are.

I thought I heard somebody, mom.

- I don't think so.
- Uh-uh.

What... whoa.
Now, Molly, you make sure
you ask who it is at the door.

Okay, mama.
Who is it?

It's Leo, Molly.

Hey, Molly. Just thought
I'd come by and say hello.
Are you gonna stay?

I was gonna stay for a little
while if that's okay with you.
Could we make another car?

Another car?
That's a good idea.
Yeah.

Let's do that. Okay.
Come on.

"But the unhappy Princess
couldn't decide...

"Which of her many suitors
she wanted to marry.

And her father, the king,
was not..."

look at that.
One king, right?

Are you sure
that's a king?
Course I'm sure that's a king.

He's wearin' a crown, isn't he?

"Her father, the king,
was not famous
for his Patience.

"He told the Princess he
would hold a race to the top
of the glass mountain,

and whoever reached
the castle first would
win her hand in marriage."

I really
do think you can see
into someone's character...

By the way they play the piano.

Right? Like,
for instance, Ursula.
Ursula.

Yeah. She has this way
of just completely forgetting
the tempo altogether.

She just puts her head down
and races to the finish...
sorry. Was I talking too much?

Huh? No. No.
I was enjoying it.
No?

Uh-huh. But I noticed that
you'd stopped enjoying it.

To tell you the truth,
Anna, your lab work, the
piano students, the lab work...

It's all pretty
interchangeable, isn't it?
Well, maybe. Maybe.

I think I feel more utilized
with my piano lessons.
Oh, Jesus, Anna.

"Utilized." god.

I mean, I just can't
stand the way that,

you know, you think
about your work, your life.

You don't even
have work in the sense
I'm talkin' about.

Okay, well, what sense is that?

Well, I'm talkin' about a
passion, right? A commitment.
Oh, boy.

A commitment
to something else other than
a way to put food on a table.

Well, I have a commitment
like that, Leo. I do.
What? To music?

No. To Molly.
And to doing carefully
and well what I do.

Oh, come on.
"Careful." These words.
Let's not talk about it.

No, wait a minute. I'd like
to talk about it. You listen
to me for one minute, Leo.

I remember it used to be
that men would say,

"okay, I want a woman who..."
and then the list would
be slightly different.

"I want a woman who can
cook and who can sew..."
uh-huh.

Uh-huh. All right?
"Who can entertain
my friends."

Yeah?
It's still the same thing.
It's still your list.

It's still your rules.
It's still your game.
No. No. That's not it.

I'm just an extension
of you, so I better
look good to the world.

That's not it at all.
Then what is it, Leo?

I'm talkin' about...
what if I had been
a real musician?

What if I had been
a composer? Or what if
I had been a performer?

Would that have done
the trick for you?
Don't make fun of me.

No, I'm not.
I really mean it, Leo.

Because I might've been.
That was the plan for me.

It's just that I
wasn't good enough.

So I made a different kind
of life for myself, Leo,
with Molly!

And I'll tell you something.
She is my commitment.

And I'll tell you, I hate...
I really hate to be told
that there's no honor in it.

Who's talkin' about honor?
Especially by somebody
as lucky as you are...

With the good fortune
of being good at what you do.

Anna. Anna,
come here.

What is it?
What do you want?
I'm sorry.

No, you're not.
Leave me alone, Leo.
I'm sorry. No, wait.

No! What are you doing?
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

You're not sorry.
You meant what you said.
I am. I don't. I didn't...

I don't know what I meant.
Please, please. I don't know
what I meant, Anna.

I'm sorry, darling.
I'm sorry.

Jesus, Anna.
What?

I'm sorry!
Yeah?

I love you.
I love you.
I love you.

Oh, Molly.
What is it? What's
the matter? What is it?

I had a bad dream, mama.
What's the matter?
What happened?

Something scare you?
I was playing a game, and
Jerome kept taking my toys away.

Oh, no. What?
Every time
he did that, mama.

So Jerome did that to you?
He did that to you
in your dream?

He made me cry.
Shh.
Oh, he made you cry.

I'm sorry.

You just stay right here
'til you're better.

You can just stay with US.

Molly.

Molly.

Oh, Leo.
I love you so much.

Oh, wait.
This is with me, huh?
That's yours.

Molly,
let's put this on,
all right?

Good girl.
Okay.

Expressway service to
Washington national airport.

All right now, Molly.

You're gonna be a good girl,
okay? 'Cause I'm gonna
miss you a lot.

I'll miss you too.
I know. I know.

Well, it's gonna go
real fast, and you'll have
lots of fun with daddy.

How many days is it, mama?

How many days are
in a month? How many?

Thirty.

You're so smart, Molly.
Okay. Bye-bye.

Bye-bye. Bye-bye.
Bye.

I'll see you, okay?
Oh, wait a minute.

Guess what?
I made this for you.
I made this for you.

What is it?
You're gonna listen to it.
You guess. You find out.

Will I know it?
Maybe.

Okay.
Bye-bye.

Bye, mama.
I love you.

Bye-bye.
Brian, call me.

Yeah, I'll call you.
Thank you.
Okay.

Set it?
Just over there.
Straighten out.

Yep.

New York, New York.

I'll see you soon, eh?
All right.

I guess that's it.
Do you really have
to leave quite so soon?

I do. I gotta go.
Do you really? Really?

Yeah. Look, it's only
for three days.
Okay. I know.

Sure you won't change
your mind and come?
No, I can't.

I really can't.
I got all that stuff
to do at the lab.

Come on. We'd have fun.
What about you? Maybe
we could meet later tonight.

I don't wanna hit traffic
and stuff like that, you know?
Come on. Do it.

Yeah?
Just for a while.

Okay. No, I'm not. I'm goin'.
I'm outta here. Get away.
Get away from me, woman.

Here. Here's
something for you.

For me? Yeah?
It's a photograph
of me, yeah.

Wait, wait, wait.

See ya.
Yeah. See ya.

Bye.
Guess what?
Come here.

What?
You're not going.

You're comin' with me.
I knew you'd change your mind.

I want to go with you.
Wait. Whoo-hoo. Bye. Bye!
I'll see you.

So, Alex, are you
studying hard?

Oh, well, no.
I tell ya, I wouldn't
worry about it.

I'm sure it's going
to be perfectly fine.

Me? Well...

Oh, well, you know, a lot
has... well, it's changed.

It's really changed since
the last time we talked.

I, uh... I met this guy.

And... I don't know.
It's kinda, kinda
changed my life.

I mean... yeah.

Yeah, it's kinda
changed my life.

Hi, Anna.
How are ya?

Oh, I'm okay.
How are you doing?

- Good.
- How are the kids?

Oh, they're great.
That's good.

Brian?

Hello, Anna.
Brian, is something wrong?
Where's Molly?

Well, I just came by,
Anna, to, uh,

tell you that I'm keeping her.

What do you mean?
She's staying with me
and Brenda.

She's not coming back
to you. I'm going back
to Washington tonight.

What are you talking about?
Ask your boyfriend.

Why don't you just ask
your boyfriend what i'm
talking about. Leo!
Leo?

Yes. Ask Leo why i'm
taking Molly away from you.
Wait. Wait, wait.

What are you talking about?
I don't understand
what you mean.

Oh, you just don't have any idea
what I'm talking about?
That's right.

I don't know what you mean.
All right. I came by out of
a sense of fairness, Anna.

I just wanted to tell you
face to face. You see,
I have filed papers.

There's gonna be a hearing.
You're gonna be getting
a subpoena.

Brian, wait a minute.
I would get a lawyer
if I were you.

Brian, I don't understand
what you're talking about.
What do you mean?

This guy live with you?
He has his own place, but he
stays with US sometimes, yes.

Yes, and you've left her
alone with him?
Of course I have.

She likes him. They
have fun together, Brian.
Ask him about the fun, Anna.

What are you suggesting,
Brian, that he did
something wrong with Molly?

He did, Anna!
Well, he didn't.

That'll be the argument
in court.

And let me tell you
something else. You better
get someone very good.

Because I'm gonna win this.
She told me.
She's told the shrink.

He did it, Anna.
You ask him!
No, Brian! He didn't do it!

And you let him! You're
in charge of her, and
you let him!
He did not!

No, Brian, wait!

Brian...
I'm not gonna
argue this with you.

I came by to tell you
because I still have
some feelings for you,

some pity for you,
but I'm not gonna
argue with you.

Just get a lawyer.
Get a fuckin' lawyer.

No!
Brian, wait!
Go.

Brian!

Wait.
Billy.
Billy, get over here.

Okay.

Oh, boy.
Oh, dear. Oh, no.

Okay. Ohh. Okay.

Okay.

Three, three...

Okay.

Hello? Um...

Leo cutter, please.

Uh, yeah, frank Dawson from
the district attorney's office.

I have a 2:00 with,
uh, attorney Miller...

Could I just call down, please?

Well, he has
a client right now.
Would you like to wait?

Oh, thank you.

Mrs. Dunlap.
Nice to see you again.
How are you? Good to see you.

Mr. Muth,
this is Leo cutter.

Mr. Cutter.
Come on in.
Mr. Muth.

Okay. Thanks.

This way.

Sit down, Mr. Cutter.

Bring the papers with you?
I did. Yes.

Mm-hmm.
Thank you. Yeah.

Mum, mum, mum, mum,
mum, mum, mum.

Mm-hmm.

Well, Mr. Cutter, Mrs. Dunlap
and I have been through
some of this on the phone,

and I think it would help me
to find out just what it is...

That's got Mr. Dunlap
so fired up here.

What happened? How often?
That kinda thing.
It happened once.

Can you fill me in on it
a bit, Mr. Cutter?

It happened about a month ago.

Anna was working at the lab,
and she'd left Molly with me.

She was going to get back
in time to tuck her in.

It was hot, and i'd
been working all day,

and I wanted to take a shower.

Molly was playing in her room,
so I told her where I was
in case she needed me.

I got in the shower,
and just as I finished,
Molly came in.

I'd forgotten to get
a towel, so I asked her
to get me one.

She got it and handed it to me.

And as I was drying off,
I noticed her staring at me.

She'd seen me naked before
so I didn't think anything
of it.

She'd come in before when
you were taking a shower?

Yeah. Sometimes we talked
while I was in the shower.
She liked the company, I guess.

Anyway, when I'd finished,
she just said out of the blue,

"is that your penis?"

She was learning those words,
that stuff, you know?

She had a book that Anna
had been reading to her
that explained about babies...

Where babies come from.

Still have the book?

- Yes.
- So...

I just said,
"yeah, it is."

I felt
a wee bit uncomfortable
about it, actually,

but I'd seen
how relaxed Anna was
about things like that,

and I didn't
want to screw it up.

I tried to seem natural,
not cover up or anything.

Okay.
And she said,
"can I touch it?"

I didn't think about it for more
than a second. I just said,
"sure," and she did.

- And that was that?
- Yeah. Pretty much.

She'd talked about it
some more that night.

She knew a little bit
about the facts of life,
about sex.

And then I put her to bed.

Well, did you discuss this
with Mrs. Dunlap when
she returned?

No.
Why not?

I felt embarrassed,
I guess. And I thought
I'd handled it okay.

I didn't see it as a problem.

Well, can I ask, Mr. Cutter,

why you didn't tell the child
that she couldn't touch you?

You said you felt uncomfortable.

I thought Anna would've wanted
me to be as relaxed and as
natural with Molly as she was...

About her body
and that kind of thing.

So you might say
you misunderstood the rules.

I thought I understood them.

Well, what were
the rules around Molly
in terms of nudity?

Well, they were pretty relaxed.

When you were married
to Mr. Dunlap, pretty much
the same kind of rules?

Less relaxed.

Okay. Well, Mr. Cutter,

we'll have a lot more
to chat about.

But for now, if it's
all right with you,

I'd like to talk
to Mrs. Dunlap alone
for a couple of minutes, hmm?

It's good to talk to you,
Mr. Cutter. I appreciate
your honesty.

Well, anything you wanna
tell me about Mr. Cutter?
Any doubts about him?

Any signs of aberrant behavior?

No. No. I mean,

he's not
a very conventional person,
but I trust him with Molly.

And so, it was
just in this case that
he misunderstood you.

No, he was doing what
he thought was right.

In what sense
do you mean?
Look, Mr. Muth,

um, I have tried
to raise Molly freely.

I didn't want her to be ashamed
of her body or think that it
was something she had to hide.

I think he was just
trying to honor that.

Well, I believe him, but, uh,

I think we're gonna have
to down-pedal this permissive
business, Mrs. Dunlap.

We both know it's
probably healthier for a kid
to be open about sexual stuff,

but I don't think it
makes much sense to try and
educate the judge about it.

But if we explain how
it happened, if we explain
the context in which it...

All right.
Well, we'll do that.
We'll do that.

But these judges
are very conservative.

What they hear all day long
is terrible stuff:
Child abuse.

Rape. Child molestation.
After a while,

they lump
everything like that
together in their minds.

I mean, I can understand
how it happened,
and you can understand.

But I can also tell you
how their attorney
is going to present it,

and it's not going
to sound good.

So what are you
suggesting we do?

I think we focus
on how happy she was with you,
how responsible you were.

Mr. Dunlap is a bit
of a workaholic.

His wife's got
the same kind of a job,

and so, it's pretty much
a choice...

Between a loving mother
and a paid baby-sitter.

And we'll let 'em bring up
the sexual stuff with cutter.

But we're not
going to defend it or
tie it in to the idea...

Of sexual openness or anything.

It's just going to be
a mistake he made.

Sound reasonable?

Yeah.

You mean
blame Leo, huh?
That's the strategy.

That's pretty convenient,
isn't it? We just find
somebody to sacrifice.

- Why don't we just build
ourselves a bonfire?
- Do you see it another way?

I don't see how Brian has
the right to do this... to sit in
judgment on my life like this.

- He doesn't know Leo.
He doesn't know how we live.
- Well, all I'm telling you is...

What if we told the truth?
How about the truth?
Which is?

The truth is that... that
Leo would never hurt Molly,

that Molly wasn't hurt.

He may have made a mistake, but
he was just trying to do what
he thought I wanted him to do.

It's Brian who's got this
all wrong. It's Brian who's
got this all twisted around.

And now you're trying
to make it sound like there's
something wrong with Leo...

Something wrong with US.

Mrs. Dunlap.
What?

I'll represent you
in any way you like,

but I think the point here
is to get Molly back...

And not to
enlighten the judge
on sexual morality.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Are we in agreement on that?

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Anna.
What?

Anna, come here.
What?

I've said this before,
and I guess I'm gonna
keep sayin' it.

I am sorry.
I don't think it's
all your fault, Leo.

I think your lawyer does.
No, he's just trying
to help me get Molly back.

Huh? How much
is it gonna cost US?
It's not your problem, Leo.

Anna, it is my problem
if I lose you.

That's not what's at stake here,
is it? You losing me?

Where's your baby?

Oh, she's staying
with her father
for a month.

Oh.
Yep.

Yeah.
It must be hard.

You must miss her.
I do.

Very much.
What was his name?

Brian.
Oh.

Yeah.
Brian.

Mmm. Divorced.

We just couldn't
make each other happy, gram.

I know that must be hard
for you to understand, but...

I understand.

Happy.

There was a time in my life
where I used to wake up every
morning and wish I'd died.

Just wish i'd
passed away in the night.

I never would have done
anything, you know, but...

Each day, I'd open my eyes
sorry that I had to.

How long did you feel that way?

Ten years.
Fifteen years, I suppose.

Never knew that, gram.

Why should you?
No one did.

What ended it?

- When babe came.
- Oh. Yeah.

Your grandfather
didn't take too much
of an interest.

He hadn't wanted her
in the first place.

He'd got his son by then.

She was mine, I felt.

The only one that was.

The only one that was.

You wouldn't believe how
handsome your grandfather was
when I first met him.

I thought I'd die
if I didn't get him.

I just thought I'd die.

I didn't know anything about it.

Why, Anna. To what
do we owe the pleasure?

Hello, grandfather.

Yikes!
It's Anna!
Hi, Celia.

- Where's my blueberries?
- Right here, my sweet.

- You remember Garrett.
- Of course.

Thank you.

Anna wants to borrow money.

I think they're
a bit early this year,
don't you think?

Ahem.

Well, Anna?

Uh, I need money.

Not to put too fine
a point on it.

I'm sorry. I don't
mean to be rude.
Uh, I just do.

You'll forgive my curiosity.
I'm wondering why the urgency.

You haven't rushed up here
because you suddenly decided
to hire someone...

To care for
your daughter, surely.

No.

Um, Brian started
a custody suit.

He wants Molly.
I need money
for a lawyer.

What makes him think
he can win such a suit?

He believes he has grounds.
Correct me
if I'm wrong.

I thought only a mother's
incompetence would be
sufficient grounds.

Uh, he has... he has grounds.

He has grounds
based on your incompetence.

I've had a lover, grandfather.

Not an unusual event for
a woman in my situation...

Someone living with me,
essentially.

Molly's been aware of it.

She's... seen some of it, not
to put too fine a point on it.

Anyway, she must have
said something to Brian,

and, uh, he's angry.

And you've talked to a lawyer.

Mm-hmm.
And?

He wants $4,000
to start.

No, I meant what does
he think your chances are
for keeping custody?

I don't know.
I think he feels...

That Brian has
a reasonable chance.

And who is this lover of yours,
this man whom Molly
has seen too much of?

Does it, uh, really matter?

- To me, it does, yes.
- Why?

- Why not?
- Because...
Because it just...

It seems like prying to me.

But you would like my money.

Yes.

- It seems to me I have the right
to ask a few questions then.
- I'm so...

I just don't see the relevance
of my personal life beyond
what I've already told you.

If you're not going
to give me the money,
why don't you just say so?

And I'll figure out
what to do. I'll just
figure out what to do next.

Are ya still seeing this man?

- Are you?
- Here now. Stop this.

You don't need
to concern yourself
with this, my dear.

I'm talking to you, frank.

This is between
Anna and me. Anna
has asked me for help.

Then hadn't you better
help her?
That's for US to arrange.

I have money too.
You could ask me, Anna.

That's not what
your money's for,
Eleanor.

It's for whatever I wish.
You're not to spend
your money on the family.

That's not the way we do it.

You could ask me, Anna.

Anna has asked me.
But you're not
giving it to her.

Yes, I am!

You are?

Yes.

I will give Anna
the money, Eleanor.

Let me see.

That's that, then?

Yes.

Thank you.

Well, good for you, frank.

I think I'll nap now.
I skipped that today,

getting the berries and so on.

I think you should.

Can't you see?
She told me what to say.

I don't care what she told you.
She's not your lawyer.

Now, the name is harkessian.

She'll be making
her recommendation...

On how Molly will spend her time
while this is all being
worked out.

How often you get to see her,
that sort of thing.
Mm-hmm.

Now, she'll want to know
how this all happened.
Mm-hmm.

Remember what we decided:
You're sorry. Uh,
Leo misunderstood you.

Uh, maybe both of you
used bad judgment, etc., etc.
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

But the main thing is
it was a mistake.
That's very important.

Mrs. Dunlap?
I'm Mrs. Harkessian.

Hello.
Won't you
come in, please?

- Mr. Muth.
- Dunlap. How are you?

I think he simply
misunderstood me...

My attitudes about sex
and how I was raising Molly
with respect to them.

I mean, I can understand
how it might have happened,
but, um, I didn't condone it.

I don't con...
I don't condone it.

Mr. Dunlap thought that
there were times...

When you and Mr. Cutter
had Molly in bed with you.

I wonder if you can explain
to me your thinking on that.

- Is that what Molly said?
- It's what Mr. Dunlap said.

W-Well, she couldn't have known.
The only time we were having
intercourse, she was asleep.

But you did actually
have intercourse while
the child was in bed with you?

Oh, no, no.
I-It's not the way it sounds.

I mean, it's not, um...
We didn't actually...

Look, see, Molly...

Molly'd had a bad dream, and,
um, she came into the bedroom...

But we weren't making love
with her right there,
not like that.

It wasn't like
something you'd imagine...
but she was in bed with you?

Well, she was asleep,
and, uh, it was just that once.

And it... it was a mistake.

It was a mistake.

Okay. Is there anything
that you'd like to add or
any questions you might have?

Um...

No, just, well... good.

I'll go get Mr. Dunlap.

Fine.

And we'll make arrangements
for visitation.

Mr. Dunlap?

Get off the swing.
It's my turn!
No, I don't have to.

Get off now!
Now!
No!

No, she doesn't
have to.
Nick?

Larry. Hey, Larry!
Don't. Let's not
fight, okay?

You can use the swing,
but don't fight.

That's better.
See?

Mama!
Molly?

Molly!
Well, look at you!

Look at this dress!

You look so... oh!
Look at you.

Hello, Anna.

Hello, Brian.
I'll be back to pick her up
on Wednesday morning.

Okay. Fine.

There's a list in here
of all her things so
it doesn't get mixed up.

Good. Good.

Bye, babe.
Got a kiss for daddy?

I love you.

Hey, look at this person!
Oh-oh! This is a heavy person.

I know.
You do know?
How do you know?

Have you been
on a scale?
No.

But I've been on
a skateboard.
You've been on
a skateboard?

Dad took you
on a skateboard?

Thank you.
You're welcome.

So, um, could you describe
Molly for me, please?

She's bright and imaginative.

Um, pretty private, I guess.

Right now she seems a little bit
tense. I think she's afraid of
letting me out of her sight.

I was wondering
why you think Mr. Dunlap
is doing this now.

I mean why he's
trying to get custody.

Oh, well, um, I can imagine
him hearing whatever it was
Molly had to say...

And just, uh, freaking out.

I mean he's, uh,
a very careful man.

A-And a caring man
in a lot of ways.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

But, uh, tell me
why you think he
didn't call you.

I mean, I was told by
your attorney that you had
a fairly amicable divorce...

So why wouldn't he just, you
know, call you up and say, "what
is it? What's going on?"

I don't know.
Um, maybe it wasn't
so amicable after all.

Maybe he's jealous in some ways.
He... he wants to get back at me.

Um, let's focus a little bit
on why it was that you allowed
Molly to be in bed with you...

While you were having sex.

- You seem to be attacking me.
- Uh, i-in what way?

Oh, I don't know.
I really don't know, but I, uh,

I hear you blaming me.

Well, you may have heard
blame, Anna, but I assure you...

That all I was expressing
was curiosity.

Yeah, well.

Well... I felt...

I-I honestly...
I honestly didn't feel...

With Leo that...

That there was a need for...

All the... the rules
and the lines.

I mean, we were... all of US...

We were very happy.

We had been naked
around her. It's true.

But it was...

It was all part of this, um,

this world that Leo
had opened up to me where...

Where...

Well, where I was...

I was beautiful,
and our sex together
was beautiful and...

And, and, Molly was...
she was part of our...
part of our love,

part of our life and...

I really think you
have to understand that...
you see, with, um, Brian,

we just stopped having sex
a long time before we split up.

I was, um, I was
frigid with him and...

Well, i'd, i'd, uh,
I'd always been frigid.

But... well...

All of that...
you see, all of that
changed with, um, with Leo.

My life changed, and i...
I really think that...

That it was...
It was good for Molly.

You know? So that night,
when she...

When she came into my room
and... and I held her and...

And she fell asleep...

Well, yes, we were.
We were making love.
I-It's true, but...

I'm sure...
I-I'm really convinced that...

That she didn't know.

I see.
And I think it was
in that context...

That Leo, you know,
let her touch him because...

He misunderstood...

What the boundaries were.

I mean...

She asked;
She was curious;
He let her.

But he shouldn't have.

It was... it was a mistake.

He made a mistake.
We both made mistakes.

I just... I don't want
to lose her.

I really don't want to lose her.

Now, Mr. Dunlap,

During these visits
with Molly...

At Mrs. Dunlap's
apartment,

did you notice any changes...

In Molly or...
Or in her environment?

Yes, uh, the first
indicator was...

When my ex-wife would get
calls from different men.

Objection.
The witness doesn't know
who called...

Of whether they
were "different."

- I'll sustain.
- Well, she would get calls
from a male person...

Or persons,

and by my next visit,
there was evidence that
a man was staying there.

Objection.
Sustained.

You found articles
in the house that
belonged to a man.

Right.
A razor, a can
of shaving cream,

hiking boots
in the closet,
that sort of thing.

How did you feel
about that,
Mr. Dunlap?

Well, I might have, uh,
been a little jealous.

You know, Molly's my
little girl. Is this guy gonna
come in and take my place?

That sort of thing.
Did you notice
any other changes?

Changes in behavior?

She was very curious
about my body.

Well, about our bodies...
My wife's and mine...

In a way that seemed,
uh, new, uh, and
inappropriate to me.

We'd always been very careful
not to, uh, distress her
or scare her...

By having her
see US... naked.

Uh, when you say "we," you mean?

Well, uh, in both marriages.

It seemed to me
that Molly was, um,

well, had changed
around this issue...

That there was something
preoccupying her
or frightening her.

And then one time
she asked me, just
asked me straight out...

I was shaving...
If she could see it,

and I said...

"No. That's my business."

And she said, "well, Leo
lets me see his penis.
He lets me touch it."

- Objection.
That's hearsay.
- Sustained.

You know better, counsel.

Thank you, Mr. Dunlap.

Mr. Dunlap,

were you aware that, uh,

Molly had a book which
explained sex to her?

- No.
- You were not
aware of that?

- No.
- Uh, were you aware that
the day care center...

Had done a project on anatomy
and body parts with the kids,

which included sexual parts?

- No.
- Well, now that you
have been made aware,

Mr. Dunlap, uh,
doesn't it seem clear...

That Molly's preoccupation
with sexuality,

with your body,
her stepmother's...

Might have a great deal to do
with learning experiences...

Rather than anything else?

- No.
- No what?

No, it doesn't seem clear to me.

I see.

You all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.
Mm-hmm.
You sure?

Well, he's good,
your husband, but we
made our points, I think.

Mr. Cutter, you're next.
They're going to make you
a hostile witness.

Listen carefully.

Don't let him trap you
into something you
don't mean to say.

And don't
let him rile you.
He won't.

I just want a chance
to explain it
the way it happened.

Mr. Cutter, how long had you
gone out with Mrs. Dunlap
before you slept together?

Once.
Once.
I see.

You are, uh, currently
unemployed, are you not?

I'm self-employed.
I'm an artist.
I make sculpture.

- But you are not currently
working on a job, are you?
- Not in that sense, no.

A simple "no"
is sufficient,
Mr. Cutter.

So it would be fair to say
that you live an unstable
life, economically.

- Yes, that's fair.
- So moving in with
Mrs. Dunlap...

Represented a fairly good
deal for you, didn't it?

I didn't move in.

You slept there every night
and had your meals there.

Usually.
But you didn't
move in.

- No.
- Well, we won't quibble,
your honor.

Mr. Cutter, you took care of
my client's daughter from
time to time, didn't you?

Yes.
You were alone with her.

You bathed her.
You put her to bed.
Yes.

And on one of these occasions,
you were naked in front
of the child, were you not?

- Yes.
- And you told her
to touch your genitals.

No, I didn't.

You did not tell her
to touch you.

No. She asked if she could.

A child asked if she
could touch you sexually.

Yes... no. Not sexually.

The child
asked if she could
touch your genitals.

Yes.

A six-year-old child
spontaneously requests
to fondle a grown man.

- She was curious.
- And you said, as
anyone would, "yes.

Sure. Great.
Go ahead."

I said y...
Ahem. I said yes.

Okay.

Mr. Cutter, let's talk
about something else.

On occasion,

did you and Ms. Dunlap
take Molly to bed with you?

- Yes.
- You would be naked, and the
child would be in bed with you.

Neither of US wore pajamas.
Molly was in bed with US
occasionally,

but we never took her
to bed with US naked.

Thank you, Mr. Cutter,
for that explanation.

So when it happened to end up...

Two naked adults
and a six-year-old child
in the same bed,

on any of these occasions,
were you and Mrs. Dunlap
actually having intercourse?

- Once.
- So you were making love while
the child was in bed with you.

- She was asleep.
- How did you determine
that she was asleep?

- I could see
she was sleeping.
- Ah. I see.

No further questions,
your honor.

- Mr. Muth?
- I have no questions,
your honor.

You may step down,
Mr. Cutter.

Ohh.
I know. I...

You could have
told me, you know?

He implied I'd get a chance
to tell the story my way, so
I was a good little boy...

For the cross-examination,
and then he pretends
not to fuckin' know me!

He was just trying to help me,
Leo.
Anna, you know I'll do
anything to help you.

To help him help you.
I told you that.

If he doesn't want
to talk to me in court,
great, but just tell me.

Well, I think he just thought
maybe you'd perform better or
something like...

I don't give a shit
what he thought.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Now, Dr. Payne, in
your examination of Molly,

did she show signs
of being traumatized...

By the events mentioned here?

No, I think not.

I don't think she
perceived it as frightening or
threatening in any way at all.

In fact, uh, I might say
that my most relevant
observation about Molly...

Actually had nothing to do
with these sexual issues
at all.

And, uh, what was
that observation?

Molly's relationship
with her mother
is a strong one.

It gives her a certain kind
of inner strength...

Which she can take with her
wherever she goes.

It actually allows her to move
towards the independence which
all of US desire for our kids.

Now, what I'm suggesting is
that we not compromise that
at this point,

that we not say to her,
"okay, because you've, you've
taken all this so well,

now we're gonna take the one
person with whom you feel some
sense of strength away."

That would be
putting her at risk,
in my book.

Thank you, doctor.

Now, Mrs. Dunlap,

would you tell US, please,
how Molly reacted to Leo?

Well, she adored him.
Um, he worked very hard
to get her affection.

He was steady with her,
and she enjoyed
being with him.

And, um, what was
your response...

When you learned
of this incident
between them?

I was shocked.

Did you express
that opinion
to Mr. Cutter?

Yes.
Do you recall
the words you used?

No. Just that
I thought it was bad,

and I couldn't understand
how he could have thought
that it was all right.

Now, uh, Mrs. Dunlap,

I'm going to ask you
a question, and I want you
to consider it carefully.

If this court gives you custody
of Molly...

But it makes a condition
of that custody...

That you give up
your relationship
with Mr. Cutter,

what would your response be?

I would be willing
not to see Mr. Cutter again.

Okay.
Thank you.

That's all.

Mrs. Dunlap,

do you disapprove of
what Mr. Cutter did?

Yes.

And yet you allowed your little
girl to be in bed with you while
you were having intercourse.

- Isn't that so?
- Well, sh-she was
very sleepy...

Just yes or no,
Mrs. Dunlap.

Yes.

Do you disapprove
of what you did...

In letting the girl
watch you have intercourse?

She didn't watch.

- Do you disapprove
of your own actions?
- Yes, I do.

And you wouldn't
do it again.
No, I wouldn't.

Tell me, Mrs. Dunlap.
You changed your mind
about your behavior.

- Isn't that the case?
- No, I didn't.

- No, I did not.
- But once it was fine and
dandy. Now, apparently...

I did not feel that
it was "fine and dandy."

- But you did it.
- Yes, I did.

Without feeling
it was all right?

Uh...

She wa... she was asleep.

That's all, your honor.

This hearing is adjourned.

Whatever happened with that?

Well, I took the car down,
and I told the guy...

"Look, I want the tires
done, and I want..."

So, um,

if you get Molly, what...
What, am I to be...

What's the word?
Dismissed? Is that
how you say it?

He doesn't think they're gonna
make that a condition, so...
uh-huh. I see.

Well, why would they ask
the question, Anna?

It's what they all
wanted to hear, Leo.
I was rehearsed.

I knew the question was coming.
There's not a damn bit of truth
in the whole thing, is there?

It's all a charade,
isn't it?
Leo, i...

So what do we do now?

We wait.

How long, do you think?

Maybe Monday.

Well, do I come
with you? What?
Do I come with you?

No, i... I want to, Anna.

I love you.

Yeah. Well...

Mrs. Dunlap?
Mm-hmm?

You can go in.
Okay. Oh.

Let me just put this
here. Oh, yeah.
Good. Good.

Hello, Anna.

Hi.
Sit down.

Oops.

Uh-oh. Huh.

Yeah.
Anna, i'm
very sorry.

We did everything we could.

Another judge and, uh,
the decision might have
come out the other way.

Well... is it final?

I'm afraid it is.
Yeah.

Well, can we appeal?

They never reverse
the trial judge
in issues like this.

Later, perhaps,
uh, new evidence,
we could reopen the case.

Oh! Oh, no!
Now, Anna.

Anna, we've got to
focus on the positive.
Oh!

They're being generous
about visitation. You're gonna
get a lot of time with Molly.

Now, you just have to
make the best of a bad deal.
No!

Oh!

Oh.
Oh, Leo.

I'll come in with you,
yeah? Huh?

All right, do you
want to come round
to my place?

You wanna be on your own, huh?

Will you call me?
Will you call me?

Anna, call me.

Oh, my...

Anna?

Anna. I've been
calling and calling.

Ursula's been trying
to get in touch with you.
Are you all right?

I'm fine.

Why didn't you answer the phone?

- Talk to me.
- I don't know
what you want.

I would just like to know
what the hell's going on here.

My life is ruined,
and I'm just, you know...

- I'm just trying to find a way
to put it back together.
- So does that mean without me?

- It means
whatever it has to mean.
- There is nothing about me...

That has to be, Anna.
Oh.

It's all up to you.
It's all your choice now.
Isn't that true?

- No one's made me part
of any condition here.
- Why don't you leave me alone?

Okay, Leo? Just leave me
alone, all right?
Sure, I can leave you alone.

I can leave you alone
and do nothing!

Because I feel guilty...
responsible! Because
I respect your grief.

I can leave you alone
and lose you for sure, or
I can struggle with you...

And impose on you
and maybe not lose you.

What are you trying to do?
Are you trying to argue me
into loving you?

Do you think that's going
to make it all go away?
What do you want me to do?

I don't know.
Do you want me to
roll over and play dead?

Well, I already did that.
I played dead for you and
that asshole lawyer of yours.

I agreed.
I'm the pervert!
I'm the criminal!

I took the rap
while you stood up there
and pretended I was...

Just some accident
that happened to you.

You think that makes up
for everything?
No!

No, but I didn't do everything.
We just pretended I did, and
that was fine with me.

All I ever wanted
was to make it right
if I could.

But you and I know the truth,
you know. Some of the
responsibility falls on you.

I'll take the rap
everywhere else, but here
with you, I want the truth.

Don't you think I'm taking
the rap too? Huh? How about
for the rest of my life?

- I did everything I could
to make that not happen.
- What? Leave me alone!

Leave me alone!
Get away from me!
Stop it, will you?

Just get away!
Just get away from me!

Leave me alone!
Leave me alone!

Go! Go!

Go!

I don't know how long
I sat there,

but I had a sense
of returning to myself...

From a great distance.

Molly took the outcome
of the custody hearing
real hard.

Occasionally
on her visits, she'd cry.

She wanted to know...

Why she couldn't come
and live with me.

But slowly, she began
to seem better.

My lawyer called,
and he told me
to watch her.

See if I notice signs...

Of her being unhappy
with the situation...

And then we might try
and reverse the decision,

but I never called him
because what I wanted most...

Wasn't to make use
of Molly's misery...

But to see it end.

I take heart in knowing that
Molly's in a family of her own,

and sometimes,
I long to be in a family too.

I tell myself I will.

How does she seem to you?
Oh, I think
she's gonna be fine.

And you, Anna?

I guess, um...
I guess i'm
starting over, huh?

I have to
finish packing.
Okay.

Every now and then,

Leo calls or... or I call him.

Sometimes late at night.

His voice always
lifts my heart, but then...

Somehow we bump up
against the impossibility.

Good. You brought
the life jackets. Very good.

Here. Get in.
Come on. Over here.
That's a girl. Good.

All right, ready?

Ready?

I see Molly...

Every second weekend...

And during school vacations...

And we try to make the most
of our time together.

Sometimes I'm all right, but...

Other times,
the pain of the loss
is terrible.

And then i...
I think of something
that gram said to me...

When my losing Molly
seemed unthinkable...

Something that
could never come to pass.

She said...

"Everybody knows you're
a good mother, Anna."