The Unholy (1988) - full transcript

In New Orleans, a series of horrific murders of priests are occurring around the city's Catholic churches. The diocese calls in Father Michael (Cross) to fight the powerful demon, known as Daesidarius, or The Unholy. The Father's faith is tested almost to the breaking point as the demon - disguised as a stunningly beautiful lady - attempts to seduce Father Michael into breaking his vows. Father Michael soon learns how the Unholy works - by murdering the sinner in the act of sinning, then sending that person's soul to Hell. Will this one priest's inner strength be enough to stop this monster - or will he join the ranks of the other ill-fated priests?

Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.

May all the souls of the faithfully
departed rest in peace. Amen.

Bless me, Father, for I have...

Oh, my God.
I am heartily sorry

And...

I detest all m...

No, don't.

No... no.

No, no. Please.

- Where do you think you're going?
- I'm a priest, officer.

I'm sorry, Father.
Park right there.



Thank you.

Mrs. Baker, just relax.
Just routine questions.

I don't know.
I didn't see him.

He just jumped in front of my car!

I'm a priest.

Help me, Father.

John Michael, you're in danger.

Come on.
We have to go now.

I want you, John Michael.

He's gonna jump
if somebody doesn't talk to him soon.

Yeah. You're right.

Where's he at?
Could have had the Pope by now.

Hi.

Father Michael?



Thanks for coming, Father.

His name is Claude.

J-Just let us deal with this.

You ever handle a suicide before?

Come on, Father.

Listen, you've... you've got to be very
careful, because he's liable to jump.

His?

Yeah.

- Father...
- Stay away from the window.

Claude?

I'm Father Michael.
You wanted to see me?

It's too late.

You sent for me, Claude.

Listen, it's... awkward
talking like this.

So we can see each other.

Do you have any family, Claude?

They don't care.

I care.

Oh, don't give me that.

Claude, I'm going into that room.

I'm gonna clear it and sit on that bed.

Why don't you come to this window
so I can see your face when we talk?

- No.
- Hey, if you still want to jump...

it's just as high from here.

I'm going in now.

I'll let you know when we're alone.

Would you wait outside?

Let's do what the father says.

They've gone, Claude.

Smoke?

Father Michael was thrown
from a 17th-story window.

Then it wasn't he.

I have been mistaken.

We must begin again.

Yes?

Yes, this is Archbishop Mosely.

Dr. Sulay to radiology.
Dr. Sulay to radiology, please.

Your Excellency.

May I show you the way?

The attending surgeon
has been waiting to speak to you.

Dr. Brill,
please pick up the phone.

Thank you, sister.
That will be all.

He's sleeping now.
He will be for several hours.

Will he live?

His X-rays disclose
no broken bones, no fractures.

We did a brain scan.
No indication of any damage there.

In fact, so far,
we haven't found any injuries whatsoever.

How is this possible?

Well, there have
been cases of pilots parachuting

from very high altitudes
whose parachutes have failed to open,

and somehow they survived.

With no injuries whatsoever.

Your Excellency.

Where am I?

In a hospital.

I fell.

Yes.

But I'm not injured.

The doctor
says you're all right, John.

He wants to make some further tests,
but he finds no signs of injury.

No. This isn't possible.

Try to get some sleep.

- Sherry?
- No, thank you.

The hospital is giving
you a clean bill of health, John,

I have good news for you, John.

You've been granted
your own parish...

St. Agnes.

Because of the fall.

Your fall.

Doesn't it trouble you?

As a priest,
you're called upon to believe

Why should this
be so difficult to accept?

Fortunately, we were able to keep
the incident out of the newspapers.

The church is taking care of that.

His holiness
does not approve of miracles.

You can take
over St. Agnes immediately.

Three years?
Why was it closed?

Father Dennis, the last pastor,
was murdered there.

Who did it?

That's a matter for the police
and for God.

I'll try not to
disappoint you, Your Excellency.

I know you won't.

God be with you.

Oh, he's so young.

I am certain.

He is the one.

Francis, stop that, you bad dog.

Can I help you?

Hello. I'm Father Michael.

I was expecting you,
but not so soon.

I'm Teresa Montague,
the caretaker.

Hello.

Is, uh, is this your dog?

He's very old and sickly.

Now that Father Dennis is gone,
I just don't have the heart.

He keeps coming in here
looking for Father Dennis.

He don't understand death.

Well, Teresa,

we have a lot of work to do
if we're gonna open for business.

We now anoint this altar
and this building.

May God in his power make them holy.

Stay, Francis.

Police.

Lieutenant Stern, you startled me.

I'm sorry I scared you, Father,

They told me you weren't
hurt in that fall.

Hard to believe.

Is that why you came
here in the middle of the night?

To see for yourself?

I don't like unsolved cases.

You're working
rather late, aren't you?

I'm not on duty, Father. I'm...

I couldn't sleep. I...

I got lots of questions and no answers.

Would you like some coffee?

Yeah. Thank you, Father.

- It's not fresh, but it's warm.
- Thanks.

- You're the third priest.
- What do you mean?

Don't you know
about Father Collins?

Father Collins.

Was murdered here
the Saturday night before Easter Sunday

The archbishop managed to keep
both incidents out of the papers.

We got two homicides
filed "Unsolved."

It's been 3 years, but, uh...

How were they killed?

Both the same way.

and, um, their throats
had been ripped out,

Father Dennis did have one kind
of unusual name in his appointment book.

I wonder if it's still around here.

Yeah.

Huh.

Yeah. That's it.

I never got anywhere
with that either.

Somebody around here
just hates priests.

Maybe it's the way they make coffee.

What happened?

You sure you're in the right place?

I know where I am.

Millie, come over here.

This is, uh...

Oh!

What did you and Father Dennis
talk about, Millie?

He wanted me to quit
this scene and go back to school.

And what else?

I said I would.

Did he offer to do that?

All he offered to do
was pray for me.

Great.

Oh, yeah. Ohh.

How old are you?

Nineteen.

Who do you think killed him, Millie?

A priest hater.

Who else, Father?

Ohh!

Bye.

♪ He's my comfort ♪

There's a young woman
here to see you.

Says you know her. Millie.

Show her in, Teresa.

All right.
You can come in now.

Am I disturbing you, Father?

Not at all. Have a seat.

So what can I do for you?

I didn't tell you all
I know about Father Dennis.

Will you tell me now?

Just before he died,
I came to him for confession.

Millie, I'm a priest.
You can tell me.

I told him I gave
myself to the Devil...

to Luke.

I'll serve the coffee, Teresa. Thank you.

Come on, Francis. Come on.

You want some?

No, thanks.

So how did you meet this Luke?

I ran away from home.

You see, my father, he... he tried things.

Well...

Took me to the club
and gave me a place to live and a job.

That was three years ago.

Listen...

He is.

There's no such thing.

You don't believe me.

You came here
to tell me something.

What is it?

Don't come back to the club.

John Michael...

John Michael...

Leave.

Leave.

Go...

Body of Christ.

Amen.

- Body of Christ.
- Amen.

- Body of Christ.
- Amen.

- Body of Christ.
- Amen.

- Body of Christ.
- Amen.

Father Michael?

Yes?

May I have a word with you, please?

You must be Luke.

Yes, I am.

So what about Millie?

Well, I don't see
why you should be concerned for me.

Well, she had been
coming to see the last priest here...

well, she started
acting all screwed up.

well, you know how
he ended up.

I suppose Millie told you all kinds
of weird things about me.

Well, you can just
ask Millie what she said about you.

Father, you've been
down to the club.

Oh, yes.

Listen, Father, I'm a businessman,

Well, some real freaky
things have been happening.

this last time,

I felt...

It's real, and I need your help.

And you believe him?

Pardon my saying so, Father.
You shouldn't be going to that place.

Jesus Christ, what happened here?

Now do you believe me, Father?

If you were to make an official
report of what you just told me,

"Luke came to noon
service on Sunday.

How long after this was
Father Dennis murdered?

Five days.

Your Excellency,

and Father Collins?

Why don't you have
some more tea?

You praying or just worrying?

You didn't eat very much.

You don't like my cooking.

Francis?

Father Michael.

More cheap tricks, Luke?

I'm talking about you killing that dog
and leaving it on my altar!

I don't know what you're
talking about, man.

And I don't want you messing with Millie.

You mess with Millie's head,
you might end up like that dog.

I believe you've met Father Silva.

when I was a kid.

Thank you.

Father Silva is a great
scholar of demonology.

Father Silva, I think
it's time for you to confide in him.

Father Michael...

there is a constant war
between God and Satan.

Satan fights through his demons.

You are the chosen one.

What are you talking about, Father?

Devils? Demons?

you must abide by
the doctrines of the church.

Yes, but not as an entity
that can take on human form,

In evil.

An evil that is in all of us,

Father...

Thank you, Father.

We must tell him everything.

Father.

I've been waiting for you.

from Father Dennis.

I'll be outside if you need me.

Millie?

Millie, it's Father Michael.

There's nothing to be afraid of, Millie.

What are you trying to say?

What about him?

And then he said...

and then he tried to make me...
Then he made me.

Oh, my God!
I'm gonna tear his eyes out!

...from the mouth of the beast.

Hello?

Hello?

Who is this?

I... I can't hear you.

Is this some kind of joke?

I'm waiting for you in Hell.

Oh, Father Michael.

I said some horrible things,
and I don't know why.

- I'll get some towels.
- Yes, quickly.

Please don't send me
back to that place.

Please don't send me back there.

No, I won't send you back, Millie,
but I'll have to notify your doctor.

Why not?

I don't know where I'll go, what I'll do
if you don't let me stay here tonight.

All right, Millie.
You can stay here for the time being.

Teresa will make up
a room for you.

Won't you, Teresa?

What in the world are you doing?

She's so beautiful, don't you think?

Ooh, yeah, child.

How old is she?

I don't know.

They brought her here five years ago.

She's from some faraway country.

They said the church
she was in burned down.

Yeah.

Millie.

What are you doing here?

I came here.

Well, why didn't you call me?
I would have come and got you.

Well, don't you want
to come back to the club?

Aren't you afraid I'll
poke your eyes out again?

Turning you into a freak.

Millie?

I used to work for him, at the club.

So, you are Luke.

You were scared of this?

I'll be in the sacristy if you need me.

Lord, all that bitch needs is a broom.

But I want you back.

Yeah, but I want you.

I know what you want.

What makes you think
I'm ever gonna let you?

You living here?

Yes.

Where do you sleep?

In his room.

Any more questions?

I just want her back.

Millie, do you want
to go back with him?

You brainwashed her.
You want her for yourself.

Ha ha ha!
I'm right, aren't I?

That's none of your business.

You ain't done with me yet, Father.

Have a nice day, Father.

I'll get right to the point,
Your Grace.

He's in danger.

You know what I mean,
Your Grace.

I'm afraid I don't.

I'm talking about murder.

I know the church deals
in souls, Your Grace,

Great night.

Fridays tend to be.

Want me to stay?

I don't have any plans,
if you want to talk.

Where's Teresa?

Sleeping.

Well, isn't that what
you should be doing?

I've been reading this.
Is Satan Alive?

Don't!

Why are you doing this?

Can't you see I'm a priest?

Now stop this and get dressed.

Don't you like me, Father?

I can't let you tempt me.

This is what I'm talking about.

You were trying to rape her.

Father, I never touched her.

She had some hang-up
about her old man.

Don't con me, Luke.

You're in this and you know it.

Have you ever considered, Father,

That all this spook stuff
you priests always talk about

Well, surprise, surprise.

Maybe there is a demon.

Maybe there is.

I'm coming.

You can leave us, Stella.

You said that you were in trouble?

No, not me.
A... friend might be in trouble.

Let me help you.

Come.

Sit.

I was afraid it might be too late.

There are no clocks here.

Days, nights... they're all the same to me.

The priest.

If you don't believe, why are you here?

This priest,

He also thinks
that I killed the others.

I know.

You brought something
that belongs to Millie?

Yes.

What?
What is it?

What did you do to her?

Danger!

Remember me, Father?

Claude.

I am the one who pushed you
out the window,

but I came here today to ask for your
forgiveness 'cause I didn't do it.

Did you do this?

No, I didn't do this.
She did this.

Who?

I beg for you to forgive me, Father.

Yes, yes.
Yes, of course.

She wants to destroy you.

You don't have
any power over me anymore.

Dear God, what is it
you will have me do?!

You have seen.

You cannot deny it any longer
on the face of this evidence.

Yes, yes.

At last.

The Unholy has chosen
your church.

Desiderius, the irresistible temptation.

The object of desire is here.

Permitted to abide out of Hell,

it manifests itself

On the solemnest of days,
it makes an offering to Satan...

someone who is pure,

with that you most desire.

If you succumb to that temptation,

Then your final battle will begin.

Let Christ manifest himself through you.

When?

Tonight.

Now the demon is here.

Tomorrow is the Feast
of the Resurrection.

Speak to it its name...

Send it back to Asheron.

No!

Aah!

No!

Father Michael, are you all right?

No!

No, you said they weren't real.

Oh! No!

No.

No.

No.

Oh! Keep away!

Get away from me!

No!

No! No!

No!

Go away!

Stay away from me!

Oh, God!

No!

God, give me your strength!

Desiderius!

I charge and adjure you,

Desiderius,

in the name of the living
and true God,

Anathema!

Father Michael.

Father Michael, are you all right?

Father Michael, please be all right.

Millie?

God, your eyes.

Take me out of here.

♪ He's my comfort and my joy ♪

♪ In the dark, the light I see ♪