The Shadowed Mind (1988) - full transcript

You're late.

According to my schedule,
my timing's perfect.

Elsewhere, perhaps,

but if you want to get along around here,

you'd best buy yourself a new wristwatch.

Are you in charge around here?

Why not?

Oh, I forgot my manners. Please, come in.

Welcome to our home.

Meet the porter.

Right this way?



Uh-huh.

Stephanie.

This is the right place?

Oh, yes.

- Sister Holloway.
- Please, call me Helen.

Ah, no, sorry. No touching allowed here.

One of Dr. Hildesheimer's rules.

Oh.

Tell me more.

Well, that and what you'll
learn about his new methods.

No alcohol, and punctuality.

- Hmm.
- Come.

I'm sure you'll be comfortable enough here.

Sure, being led around
by big guys in white coats



and locked up nights.
- Not at all.

You're perfectly free to
come and go as you please.

Dr. Hildesheimer wants
to see you in his rooms

in 15 minutes, sharp.

Yours is down there on the right.

Thank you.

Oh, right there is fine.

This could be a most
interesting case, Dieter.

Oh, and don't forget to discuss

the statement from her father.

It could reveal a lot.

Dieter, you're not going to use

the drug therapy on her, are you?

Good.

Come in.

Ah, Stephanie.

Come.

I'd like you to meet Dr.
Hildesheimer. Doctor?

Well, let me leave you two
to get to know each other.

I'll call your father and
tell him you arrived safely.

Thank you, Helen.

You don't talk much, do you?

You're here to do the talking, hmm?

Well, I'm not sure about the place,

but I'm impressed with your methods.

I've heard a lot about them.

But, um, what can I tell you

that you might not already know about?

Simply tell me about you.

Stephanie will be fine here, I'm sure.

Thanks. Goodbye.

Oh, Brenda.

I really don't like having
to say this to you again,

but since Kurt first brought you here,

I've not been happy with
the quality of your work.

Sister, please. Try to understand.

Things have been a little difficult

between me and Kurt lately, and-

That's private. It shouldn't
interfere with your work.

You don't stick to your schedule,

you disregard the doctor's instructions-

I put everything I have into my work.

I've really been trying.

Oh? Well, perhaps you could
try just a little harder.

Come tomorrow, I expect to
see a visible improvement.

It's just sometimes you get
yourself into a situation-

That'll be all. Thank you, Nurse.

Yes.

So really, I'm here because of my father.

I'm a big girl with, shall we
say, not so small a problem.

Excuse me.

Helen, what is it? What's so important?

It looks as though we'll finally get it.

- What?
- The grant! Gantry says...

Here, listen.

"I'm most interested in
the work you are doing.

I appreciate your vision.

I will visit you on Thursday the 12th.

I'm confident that, given
your fascinating presentation,

I will be able to recommend
that the sum of $1 million

be granted for the improvement
of your existing facilities

as well as additional
funds for actual research.”

You can go back to your room now.

You can help me, Doctor, can't you?

Yes. I think so.

I'm sorry about that.

Yeah, well, uh...

I'm not sure about the place,

but I'm impressed with your methods.

I've heard a lot about them. But, um...

Battalion!

Ready!

Hello, General.

Time for bread! Up, young man!

Report for duties, 0700 hours!

Yes?

Sorry about that.

It's his thing. Does it every morning.

My name's Alice. Breakfast
in the dining room till nine.

I'll be up later.

Kurt, would you begin?

Sure.

Hi, I'm Kurt. Everybody knows that.

Stephanie, we have met.

Helen and I figured that
today might be a good time

to talk about our past lives.

You see, I too was a patient here.

Not so long ago,

I cruised the streets, a lot.

I picked up women,

took them home,

and killed the whores,

just like I did my mother at birth.

Though these crimes were only in my mind,

I lived like a criminal,

till I came here.

Matthew? Would you talk to us now?

Please come forward.

Matthew?

I'm Paul.

I suffer from a stunted libido.

My sexual growth took a
dive during my childhood

and developed into a neurotic condition

with psychotic undercurrents.

It got me sent to prison.

I met the doctor and
he started treating me.

I feel I'm making progress,

getting better, coming
to terms with things,

and straightening out the kinks.

As a new patient,

I'd like you to know
that I value my privacy,

and I expect you to respect that.

My name is Stephanie.

I've never been to a place like
this before, so forgive me.

Dad sent me here.

He never loved me. He
never loved my mother.

It was embarrassing. For him.

I have a breast cathexis. Non-contagious.

You see, I, uh...

I like to show people what I've got.

I do it on impulse. It's unpremeditated.

So, uh...

Beware.

Matthew?

Would you try now, please?

This is bullshit.

Charming, Paul. Sit.

It's all right, Helen. You can go, Paul.

Yes, sir.

Because...

Because of what I had become,

I was a burden to my parents

and an object of ridicule
amongst the boys at school.

Because of what I had become,

I turned to spiritual love.

But lovers need more.
They need physical love.

Because of what I am, I'm alone.

And because I'm alone,

I've turned to nature and the universe,

because they accept my love and accept me.

Without conditions.

I'm Julia.

Do you really care about my feelings?

No.

You don't.

I've realized one thing:

you can give something
to somebody, everything,

but it's just not enough.

So.

You accepted my invitation.

If I didn't know any better, I'd, uh...

I'd think I was being seduced.

Why have you come here, really? Huh?

I know what you are.

There's gonna be an apocalypse.

I know.

Scared?

No.

I didn't like being pushed.

What's with you and the boy?

Matthew?

I don't like what you're implying.

Don't.

What a waste.

Nothing more to say.

I mean, I can't understand why she's here.

Apart from what she told us,
she seemed pretty normal.

You interested?

Hey, Steph. Oh.

Brenda? Stephanie, our new patient.

Brenda's on the staff here. Um...

We kinda go together.

Hi, Stephanie. Nice to meet you.

I hope you'll be happy here.

Brenda.

Here.

Read this.

So?

You know, I've been
hanging in for two years

with waiting for that.

Now it's finally come, I feel nothing.

Guess I gotta think about leaving.

Before, in the group therapy, you were...

Listen, are you sure you still
want to go through with this?

What are you saying?

We agreed on something, didn't we?

Hey, look, if it's a girl
you're worried about, forget it.

I made a deal with you
and I'm sticking to it.

It's just I'm interested again, that's all.

It's new for me. I may be getting better.

Anyway, I need the money,
and that's the bottom line.

I guess I got things to do.

Kurt.

I brought you here.

Really tried.

I know you loved me.

Was that your mistake?

I couldn't tell you.

I didn't realize.

Then she came.

Brought it with her.

It was in those goddamn bags.

Don't you...

I'm so sorry.

Oh, Kurt.

Brenda? You're late again.

Please come to my office right away.

It's just not good enough, Kurt.

Very good, men!

Dismissed!

Dieter, I'm sure it would help

if you spoke to Brenda.

No. The staff is under
your control, Helen.

I think the only one who
controls Brenda is our Kurt.

Kurt, it's Brenda I wanted to see.

What is it? What's the matter?

I didn't do it.

Do what?

Come.

Come!

What...

What the hell happened here, Kurt?

I didn't do this.

We have to call the police.

Police? Did you call the police?

No. I didn't.

This could ruin everything.

I'll take care of I,
Dieter. Go to your office.

Now listen to me, Kurt.

I don't know what drove you to this,

but we'll deal with that later.

Right now, we need to help each other.

Can you understand what I'm saying, Kurt?

Yes!

He's a bit calmer now.

I told him to stay in his
room for the rest of the day.

But first thing tomorrow, we
must get him into therapy.

We may have to sedate
him when Gantry arrives.

Kurt?

Oh, hi. How you doing?

Have you seen Brenda?

She went home for a
couple of days. Uh...

We had an argument.
- Oh.

You know how it is.

Anyway, I'd best be going now. Take care.

I loved her.

I lived off her.

You see,

I still had a desperate need
to see my mother's breast.

If I couldn't have them, I had to see them.

I watched bizarre love scenes.

They never did more than
take off their clothes.

Looking was beautiful.

My mother's exposure, glorious.

Her lover...

Enticing.

I thought they'd stop.

They always had.

Moved together.

Drifted toward the bed.

He threw her down and
brutally penetrated her.

I watched.

It wasn't like before.

She writhed in agony.

I saw the hatpin.

Oh, yes.

Yes!

But she passed out.

He left and I ran.

And no one ever said a word about it.

Six months later, she died.

Internal hemorrhaging.

You fix that, Doctor.

Shut the door.

You okay?

- Yeah.
- Yeah?

Yeah.

Do you want me to leave?

You know why I'm here.

No!

No. This has gotta stop.

I gotta go to her.

Who? Brenda?

Okay, come. Come.

Slowly. Slowly, Kurt.

Okay, slowly. Come.

Settle down.

Come.

Hey.

Hey.

Morning, Prescott.

Kurt?

Kurt?

No.

You calm down, okay?

I want to see you in my office.

Oh. And lock this door behind you.

Hello.

You were with Kurt last night.

I heard you.

He was at the door. Prescott!

I can't.

I can't go on with this.
We have to call the police.

No!

We cannot call the police now.

Listen, this is our life.

This is everything we worked for.

Gantry arrives tomorrow.
We must hide the body.

It's only one day. One more day.

That's all I'm asking for, Helen.

One more day. Please?

Get me Prescott now, will you?

What is it, Paul?

I gotta talk to you.

Please, Helen.

What was that all about, huh?

Listen. Listen to me.

Things are happening.
- Yes.

Everything is moving too fast!

Okay.

Listen! I've been hibernating!

Listen to me! It's like
I've been asleep, you know?

I've stopped living!

But I'm waking up now.
She's getting to me.

I feel I can fuck her!

I have a serious problem here!

First Brenda, then Kurt,

and now this woman is going-
Hey. Hey.

They're gone.

Good!

Now, me! When are we getting the money?

When are we getting the money?

Only a few more days,
I promise you. Okay?

Hey. Hey, Doc.

You been telling me a
couple of months more,

a couple of months more,
till it's two years!

Two fucking years of my life down the tube!

I'm not gonna jeopardize
the scam, okay? Okay?

I might be confused, but I'm not crazy.

Listen. We will get the money.

Trust me, huh?

Okay. Okay.

We get the money, we split it.

You take your share, you go your way.

I get my share, I go my way.
We go our separate ways, okay?

And I don't want to see you again!

Of course. Yes.

Thank you, Doctor.

I don't want to talk to
you about this again.

Oh, Helen. Good luck with the grant.

I hope you use it wisely.

Prescott's on his way.

Thank you.

What do you want?

How are you doing?

I don't want to talk to you, Paul.

Okay. You wanna fuck.

- Is this another chapter?
- Maybe.

I don't wanna be in it.

Oh, it's too late for that.

Events have been set in motion, see,

and you're part of them.

Well, I'm not interested.

You don't understand, do you?

You see, he has regained his potency,

but she lusts after the stud
of the funny farm, right?

Stop it, Paul! Just shut up!

This place is a fraud, and you know it.

But I suppose as a hiding place,

it's a perfect place to hide out.

Have a good day.

Confusion started with my parents.

I hated my father's coarse skin,

his foul breath,

and his stinking body.

But my mother...

Diana's...

Silks,

perfumes,

and warm body,

I adored.

She seduced me without ever knowing it.

In my relationships,

I looked for a boy in a girl,

and a girl in a boy.

It was hopeless.

Asexuality worked for a while,

but my lovers couldn't
accept my sexlessness.

They were enticed by a difficult conquest.

At 18, I severed my ties with men.

But society still can't accept that.

So I'm here.

And I want to stay.

I want to stay.

So, what do you think?

I don't know.

Maybe he's smarter than we think, huh?

I couldn't go back alone,
Dieter. To Kurt's room.

We will take care of this later, yes?

But please come.

We must not let the others
think anything is wrong.

I could eat this meat.

That's fine. That's fine, yeah.

Shall I get some of the curry?

I saw the doctor today, Paul.

How'd it go?

All right.

Dieter.

Julia, what are you doing?

Julia?

What are you doing here?

I came to see Kurt.

Why?

Why is the door locked?

Because he's not here.

Where is he?

He's, uh...

He's gone to be with Brenda.

Why?

Come and join us for dinner.

I'm not hungry. Don't want to eat.

Well then, go back to your
room. It'll be all right.

He's coming back.

It's okay.

We have a very important announcement.

I want Sister to tell you the good news.

Please.

Over the past two years,

we have applied repeatedly for a grant

from the Foundation for
Better Mental Healthcare.

Well, at long last, it seems
certain that we will get it.

Tomorrow, Mr. Gantry, the
chairman of the foundation,

will be paying us a visit to
make his final inspection.

The doctor and I ask you all

to help make sure that everything
goes according to plan.

So please, be on your very best behavior.

Thank you.

Thank you.

What are you doing?

Flames.

It's the ultimate seduction, you know that?

Where's Stephanie?

Don't...

Don't always run.

You gotta trust yourself.

Hey.

Relax, Nick.

You know, I used to fear what
I thought was your power.

You, Kurt,

and now her.

Your sexuality.

The way you used to flaunt it.

Hold me.

Does it feel good?

This is what you want, isn't it?

Hmm?

Paul...

You don't have any
power, Nick. You're weak.

You play your fucking games

and you don't realize the consequences.

You're hurting me.

The real hurt happens here, inside.

Do you understand?

I'm leaving in a couple of days.

I want you to take care of Matt.

Look after him, you understand?

Yes.

Matthew is an innocent.

He's very special. Don't hurt him.

Okay.

If you help him,

you can help yourself.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Most interesting, Dieter.

Not quite what I imagined.

Are you sure we can't persuade you

to stay for some tea, Mr. Gantry?

Oh, quite sure. Thank you, Helen.

I would like to meet some
of the patients though,

particularly the case
history you presented to us.

Paul, I think. What was his name?

Oh, we do not disclose
patients' family names.

Of course.

Mr. President!

We are honored and privileged
to welcome you in our country.

Thank you, General.

Shall I introduce you to Paul now?

Yes, Helen. That would be nice.

Paul? I'd like you to meet Mr. Gantry.

Nice to meet you, Paul.

If I were you, Dieter,
I wouldn't worry, okay?

Thank you.

Bye, Helen.

We'll be in touch.

Lori's being Daddy,

and I'm being Mommy.

We're lying on the bed, holding each other.

Why is Mommy holding Daddy?

'Cause he mustn't go away.

Where is he going?

Away.

And then?

Uncle Jeff is watching us.

Do you like him?

No.

He does things.

What?

Can't say.

Julia?

Mustn't say.

You can tell me.

Touching...

There.

Lori likes it.

Lori likes Uncle Jeff. He gives her money.

What happened?

Lori takes off her clothes.

Why?

I don't know.

Tell me, Julia.

Uncle Jeff wants her to.

Then?

They take off Mommy's clothes.

Whose clothes, Julia?

I can see them. They
off Julia's clothes.

No.

No more asking.

Julia.

Dieter?

Julia, you must come out now.

Do you know what just told me?

Yeah.

How do you feel?

Empty.

Relieved.

I don't know.

We are having a little celebration tonight.

And so in a few days the grant will arrive

and we will be able to
start again, new and fresh.

Thank you.

Now let's enjoy this evening.

Here, Doctor.

Trust me. We'll get the money.

Paul?

Please.

Please, I beg of you. Don't...

Don't spoil it now.

Hmm?

What would you do with the money?

I don't know. How much is it?

A lot.

Oh, I think the doctor
deserves it. Don't you?

I'm not sure.

Why?

He does a lot for them.

And us.

You think so?

Yes, of course.

This could mean a raise for us.

Mm, that'd be nice.

Or they could get rid of us.

What do you mean?

Come on, Alice.

Truce.

I'll give you this much:

I've tried to figure you out, and I can't.

Well, you're looking at the model patient.

You're drunk.

You're very beautiful.

So?

Well, you want to dance?

One dance, and then you stop bugging me?

No touch.

Now where have I heard that before?

Come.

You okay?

I'm not doing it right, huh?

Just show me.

It's...

It's not that.

I'm clumsy. I...

It's new for me.

No.

We're...
- What's wrong, Stephanie?

I can feel you need me
too. It's not dirty.

We're different. I should
never have come here.

I can't make love to you.

Stephanie.

Stephanie!

Listen, in 26 years,
I've been dead down here.

You understand?

You've given me life!

I'm offering you my fucking virginity.

The least you can do is take it.

Please?

I can't. I gotta go.

No.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

I'm grateful.

I guess I can afford
to wait a while longer.

But Paul...

I'm hurting, you know.

Goodnight.

Julia.

Julia.

Battalions!

Time for inspection!

Pass me the butter, please?

Yeah.

Did you have a nice night last night?

Those shoes are dirty.

Look at that hat!

Morning, Docsie.

Hi, guys.
- Morning, Paul.

God, this place is getting
emptier by the minute.

Hey.

Orange juice, please.

Thank you.

So, how are you feeling this morning?

- Hungover and irritable.
- Ah.

If I got you in the sack last night,

I would be feeling a lot better.

You know something? I got
a good feeling about today.

I went to your room last night, Paul,

but you weren't there.

I got things to do, Matt.

We must talk, Paul.

So?

Alone.

Hey. I didn't mean right away.

That's all right.

That was not necessary.

I didn't mean to chase him.

So? Talk to me.

I'm sorry about last night.

So am I.

Paul?

I...

We shouldn't get too close.

Why not?

I'm not ready.

Stephanie.

Don't lie to me.

Tell me the truth.

I'm scared.

So am I!

I've never been with a man before.

I'm not well.

We must stop this now.

Listen to me.

I love you.

No!

I've never even thought
that about anyone before.

Listen.

Come with me. Come with me.

Come on, please.

How easily you justify yourself.

What do you mean? I didn't
do any of the killing!

Really?

Give her to me, General.

No.

This soldier died for his country.

General, may I help?

No.

General, we promise to bury this soldier

with full military honors.

Why must war be like this?

We must lock up this place
and find the killer now.

You do what you want.

I'm gonna call the others.

Nicholas, please find Alice
and come to my office.

Right away.

We have to get everyone together.

Keep me out of this, okay?

What?

So now that you've got the grant,

you think you can run away?

Well, you can't.

You're gonna stay here till
the bitter end, my friend.

It can only be Paul.

He's the one. Find Paul, he's responsible.

Come in.

Matthew, where are they?

They've gone.

They've left the dining room.

That's it. Stephanie's in danger.

Nick, Alice, lock the front
gates and look for them.

Be careful.

Dieter, you have to help me find him.

Stephanie!

Stephanie!

Stephanie.

Steph...