American Horror Story (2011–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Murder House - full transcript

(humming)

Mm.

Don't stop.

I'll be finished in here
in just a second.

Why?

A shame to waste
such a beautiful bed.

Don't. No, don't.
No, stop, please. No!

Stop it!
You're drunk.

Please, I really need this job.

You liked it the last time.

That was a mistake.



I was just lonely.

Want a Camaro?

Huh?

We got a new shipment
in yesterday.

No, I...

(screaming)

(muffled sobbing)

Shh.

(muffled sobbing in distance)

(sobbing)

(shrieks)

I have loved you since I was 16.

Sweetheart, please.

This-This didn't mean anything.



You've broken my heart
for the last time.

(whimpers)

(panting)

(sobbing)

We were just
getting it back, Ben.

I wanted to trust you so badly.

I was trying to protect you.

Oh, don't try to turn this into
some kind of heroic act!

You were scared shitless

of what I might do
if I found out about it.

How was I supposed to know
he was gonna screw up

our investments that badly?

He's always made us money before.
Well, I am pregnant,

and I cannot live in this house
after what happened to us here!

And now you're telling me
that we have no choice,

that we're broke?

We're not broke.

We have money.

It's just tied up in this house.

Once we sell it,
we can take it out.

No, no.

I-I can't wait that long.

I-- we...

we have to, we have to
rent a place.

Viv, what do you want me to do?

I'm trying to rebuild
my practice.

We're already paying
the minimum on our cards.

I'll get a job.

To put more stress on yourself?

(sighs)

Fine.

We'll get
a studio apartment somewhere.

We can, we can swing that,
at least, at least temporarily.

Studio apartment?

You think that's gonna
take the pressure off?

My office is here.

People see me here.

Patients see me here.

And not that many, I might add.

(sighs)

Honey, you're having PTSD.

This is a total

normal response.

We just need
to find you a therapist

that our insurance will cover.

Right away.

Don't make me
feel like I'm crazy.

I have an appointment
with the realtor tomorrow.

I'm gonna talk to her about
what kind of home improvements

we can make--
hopefully nothing too expensive,

maybe something
with the backyard.

Hopefully we can sell the place

without taking
too much of a loss.

Sure.

I'm sure we can.

Don't lie to me again.

If you lie to me again,
we're through.

I am just horrified
for you and your family.

I hardly know
what to say, really.

And I can just imagine

how you might be feeling
a little anxious,

given all of this.

Nope, not anxious. Angry.

You know that's how I felt
when the boys,

you know, did what they did.

We'd gotten rather close.

They'd have me over for Bloody
Marys and omelettes on a Sunday.

So to find out what nasty
little perverts they were--

you probably heard
about the poker

from the fireplace
being rammed up his...

Marcy, we have to put the house
back on the market.

And we have to make back

everything we put into it.

We just can't afford to take

a bath on this.

You know, you might want
to adjust your expectations.

The housing market
is dropping daily.

And these things aren't
about to change until 2013,

when we vote that bum out.

Well, here's the bottom line:
you owe our family.

Under the law, you were
obligated to disclose

any material facts
that might have

influenced our decision
to buy this house.

Excuse me, dear,

but the law requires us
to disclose

any death on the premises

within the last three years.

I did that.

Nobody's buying me
cooking classes, Mrs. Hormon.

Harmon.

Nobody's looking out for me.

Do you know where I live?

I live in a 350-square-foot
guest house

in Valley Village, with rats.

I'd kill to live in this house,

regardless of the history.

You know, you probably need
a more seasoned realtor.

Someone who specializes in...

Oh, you think you were
my first call?

I called every realtor
in the city this morning--

Coldwellke Banker,

Century 21.

No one will take this listing.

So here's the plan.

You are going to bake cookies,

you are going to go buy
beautiful, expensive,

fresh-cut flowers,
you are going to maybe make up

some nice stories about
all the lovely people

who have lived here
over the years.

You're gonna do
whatever it takes

and you are gonna sell
this house,

and then my family and I are
gonna go live someplace safe.

And in return for that,

I am not gonna sue you
for gross criminal negligence.

We on the same page?

Good.

See? Somebody's looking out
for you.

It's fresh.
I just made it.

(knocking, gasps)

I thought I'd knock this time

so you didn't have
a heart attack.

Though Lord knows
I wish you were dead.

Do me a favor, will you?

Before I take this one,

polish it up.

Look, it's cruddy
with corrosion.

And you know why?

Because you're

a shitty maid.

Adding those
to your magpie stash?

Until I have a full set.

Then it's off to eBay, where
I'll make a pretty penny

and you'll be accused of theft.

You are a thief
of biblical proportions,

after all.

Your specialty
being weak husbands.

I don't want
to be here anymore!

I'm frightened!

I miss my mother!

You think I want to stay

in this world of death
and rot and regret?

Try to find some dignity
in the situation.

Move on, missy.

I can't.

I want to, but I can't!

Every time...

I find my heart

breaking just a sliver for you,

I suddenly remember,

you made this mess for yourself.

And I also remember,

every time I see

that ghostly eye,

that I was and continue to be

(chuckles) a hell of a shot.

You need to pay
for what you've done.

Oh, I do.

Every goddamn day.

SALLY:
I'm at the end of my rope.

(recorder beeps)

He's going through with
it, and there's nothing

I can do to stop him.

We're supposed to sign the
papers next week, and that's it.

23 years gone with
the stroke of a pen.

I'm so upset.

And I wonder if I'll ever be
able to love or be loved again.

What was the reason your husband
is seeking the divorce?

He says I'm very boring.

I've tried to converse with
him on a variety of subjects.

Sports for instance.

I even learned the names

of the football teams
he follows.

Let's see, here's the Chargers,

the 49ers, the
Raiders, the Seahawks

up in Seattle.
That's the West Coast.

Then the Cardinals.
They're in Arizona.

I memorized them... for him.

I'm very good at memorization.

I can still name the states
and all of their capitals,

which I learned in
the sixth grade.

My memory helps with my work.

I'm an accountant by trade, but
I'm branching out into taxes.

(crow caws, dog barks)

What are you doing?

Cleaning up your mess.

My mess?

Well, it's not my blood.

How long have you been out here?

Long enough.

What did you see?

Why, nothing.

Nothing at all,
if anyone should ask.

I'm very discrete.

Don't worry.

I did this room first.

It's all ready
for your next victim.

I mean patient.

Where's my tape recorder?
It was right here.

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

I never touch the things on
your desk.

I just get the stains.

Do you wanna make a new one?

Get away from me.

Where is it?

Think about the blood.

Rushing.
Pumping.

Filling you up.
Filling us both up.

I'm done playing this game!
You're goddamn fired!

What the hell are you doing?

I did not want to get physical
with her, but I had no choice.

I have rebuffed every advance,
and believe me,

there have been many,
but she just won't stop!

Unbuttoning, and
bending over and...

I don't mean to be presumptuous,
but my days of romance

are long over.
Oh, please. Is that why

you prance around
in that little maid's outfit

like you're headed
to a fetish ball?

Don't want to clean
other people's houses

in your own clothes, my ass.

Ben!
It's all right, Madame.

I'm not
naive to the ways of men.

Their need to objectify,
conquer.

They see what they want to see.

Women, however,
see into the soul of a person.

Is this what you do?

Entrap employers?

That said, I understand
the stress you two are under.

Money, the baby, what happened
here the other night.

I don't mean to listen, but the
walls here are paper thin.

This unfortunate incident aside,

I am happy to work for
the two of you.

And I certainly need the money,
times are tough.

I'm perfectly willing to forget
the whole thing.

Well, Moira, I think maybe

it might just be better
for you to...

Just leave?

Just toss me out like a
piece of trash, will you?

No, you won't. Not this time.

I deserve respect.

If your husband lays a hand on
me again,

or tries to fire me

with unjust cause,
I will press charges.

I changed the sheets
in your bedroom,

fresh towels in the
downstairs bath

and Violet's.

If you don't mind I'd like to
take a longer lunch than usual.

I'm quite shaken.

She's lying.

I knew we shouldn't have hired her
in the first place, I knew it.

You know what I think?

What?

I think your little...

indiscretion in Boston...

has really screwed you up.

And I think you're acting
out and you're being paranoid

and crazy and guilty,

and you have to get it together.

And we have to get
out of this house.

I'd like to do that
without a lawsuit.

STAN: And the next stop on our
tour of departed souls--

the gem of mid-town,
Murder House.

(nearby clatter)

Relax.
I'm not here to bust you.

Why not?

Because what you guys went
through last week

can haunt you a long time.
Seriously, Dad? I'm fine.

It'll make a great
college essay one day.

Okay. But if you ever
want to talk to somebody...

Dad...
I mean, not me.

You know, I'm way too expensive.

But we can find you someone.

Okay, thanks.

I'll think about it.

He's a great dad.

He really cares.

You're lucky like that.

Where's my tape recorder?

Hmm?

I need it for my work.

Here's your coffee, Dr. Harmon.

I don't want any damn coffee.
I want my tape recorder.

It was in my office until you
cleaned up. I need it.

Well, it might be down
the front of my dress.

All you have to
do is reach down

between my breasts...

You're sick.

I hope it's not a problem.

Your next patient
is in your office.

My next patient?

I'm sorry, I-I didn't have
anyone on my schedule...

What are you doing here?

This is my house!

I'm not stupid, Ben.
I saw her leave.

I just want to talk.

Not in my house.
Jesus, Hayden, I've called you

a dozen times since
I left Boston.

You left me there, Ben.

Without a word.
By myself.

I know, I know.

I'm sorry, but I told you
in my messages.

We had a home invasion here.
I had to come back.

Did everything go all right?

I didn't have the abortion.
What?

I decided to keep the baby.

Our baby.

I'm moving here,
and you're paying.

You're going to be a
father to our child.

I've already started
looking for a place.

I think I
really like Marina Del Rey.

Hayden, you-you-you really
haven't thought this through.

I love my wife, my family.

As far as support, you have
to believe me,

the move out here
took everything I had.

I-I don't have
the financial resources...

I'm not a whore, Ben.
I matter.

I didn't say...
I matter!

(doorbell rings)

I'm looking for
a Dr. Ben Harmon.

That's me.

Detective Jack Colquitt.
L.A.P.D.

I need a moment of your time.

The detective wants
to talk to me.

Fine, meet me tomorrow at 3:00.

There's a Norms
down the street.

BEN: I told the other
officer everything.

My wife and daughter were the
ones those animals terrorized.

Sorry. That's robbery/homicide.
I'm missing persons.

I'm here about Sally Freeman.
She's a patient of yours.

Our first session was Tuesday.

I'm sorry...
missing persons?

Her husband hasn't seen her.
She didn't come home last night.

He didn't seem too concerned.

They're getting a divorce.

Her online calendar listed
you as a 3:00 appointment.

Did she show up?
Yes.

Then you were the last one
who saw her.

She also had a Power Point class
down at the Learning Annex,

but she bailed on that.

Well, I can't tell you
what we talked about,

but I can say it
was nothing extreme.

Well, I'm not surprised.
Just between you and I,

everyone I talked to about
that gal said she was

the most boring
person they'd ever met.

How the hell do you get anything
done with that thing around?

Right?

Anyway, like I said,
it's probably nothing.

But if you hear anything,
give me a call?

Sure.
No problem.

I'll let myself out.

Hopefully run into your maid.

Change your mind?

No.

No...

I told you I ain't no faggot.

That's not what your dick says.

Easy, man.

You were cruisin' me, I
thought you were fair game.

Cruisin' you, my ass.
Easy!

Help! Help!

God!

STAN: Sal Mineo was 37 years old
when he died.

A Golden Globe winner
and two-time Oscar nominee.

His father was a coffin-maker

who never accepted
that his son was gay.

They sent away
a petty criminal,

African-American Lionel Raymond
Williams for the murder,

calling it
a "robbery gone wrong."

But you'll have a hard time
finding anyone

who believes that in this town.

Most people believe Sal Mineo
died of a hate crime.

Our tour concludes with one of
the most famous houses

of horrors
in the City of Angels...

better known as
the "Murder House."

Built in 1922 by
Dr. Charles Montgomery--

acclaimed surgeon to
the stars -- for his wife Nora,

a prominent East Coast
socialite.

WOMAN: Charles? But when Montgomery
fell on hard times,

he became addicted to drugs

and developed a terrifying
Frankenstein complex.

Charles?

Charles?

Damn it, Charles,

are you down
in the basement again?

Charles?

For God's sake, I'm working!

Working. I wish.

Now, come upstairs for dinner.

You've made us wait
five whole minutes.

(door slams)

You've ruined it.

(inhales)

(wheezes)

(sighs)

(baby cooing)

What have you done to that baby?

Can't even tell if
it's a girl or a boy.

You're a disgrace, Charles.

How you can call yourself

a man is beyond me.

You think I came

all the way here
from Philadelphia for this?

This life?

This house?

I built you this house,
exactly the way you wanted it.

And how many servants
do we have? Two?

And I'm expected to do
everything else?

Good, Charles.

Drink your talent away.

You're a waste.

Even looking at you
I'm sick to my stomach.

You'll see.

They will write articles
about me one day

in the Boston Medical Journal.

Ha!

(glass shatters)

(laughs)

Good, Charles.
Break everything.

(crying)

(bell ringing)

Daphne, when you hear
the baby crying,

come in straight away
and take him upstairs.

Yes, ma'am.

Yes. Oh, come here.

It's all right.

Shh.

It's all right.

It's-- here, it's okay.

They came again today--

the bill collectors.

Charles!

Do you hear me?!

I'm not deaf!

Would that I were.

Now, you listen to me.

You're going to support this
family one way or the other.

I've arranged for a girl to come
tomorrow morning with $60 cash.

She's in trouble.

She probably has friends.

So you'd better not be blotto.

(doorbell rings)

Dorothy Hudson?

Come in, lamb.

Right this way.

Such a pretty girl.

But you can't become a legend
of the silver screen

with an obligation
hanging on your skirt.

(sobs softly)

Now, don't worry.

No one will ever know.

But we do require
payment up front.

Here.

Drink this.

That's it.

It'll make you forget.

Charles?
You ready for Dorothy?

CHARLES:
Yes, dear.

You'll have to help her down.

She's a bit woozy.

Hurry. Before
it wears off.

STAN: An estimated
two dozen girls

went under
Dr. Montgomery's knife,

thanks to his wife Nora.

But the souls of
the little ones

must have weighed
heavily upon them,

as their reign
of terror climaxed

in a shocking finale in 1926.

You can't go in there, ma'am!

This is my house!

Okay.

So, mother looks good,
uterus looks good,

baby looks good.

So, I didn't have a miscarriage.

Nope. Just a little spotting.

- The bleeding stopped after a few minutes?
- Yep.

Right after I went
into the house.

When you're pregnant,

you have 50% more blood
in your body.

A little discharge
is perfectly normal.

So if this happens again,
I don't need to worry?

No worrying.

Worrying is bad
for mommy and baby.

Uh-oh.

Have you been worrying
more than usual?

Recently we had some, uh, issues

in our house,
but we're putting it

on the market, so...

Read my lips.

No moving while you're pregnant.

Death, divorce,

moving--

these are the three
most stressful events

a person can experience.

We don't want any CRH,
corticotropin-releasing hormone,

wreaking havoc in there.

High levels could lead to

a spontaneous abortion.

Excuse me.

Um, one second.

HALL:
Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm just...

Ben!

HALL:
He's not the first father

to faint in here.

Ben.

Ben, we're gonna run a quick

EKG and a blood panel,
make sure nothing's wrong.

And then I think
the two of you should go out

for a nice big lunch.

I'm good.

I'm good. I'm fine.

(dog barks)

(clears throat)

(scoffs softly)

Good luck selling this lemon.

I like it when you don't run.

Makes it a whole lot easier

to keep up.

Leave me alone.

Hey, will you run this scene
with me while we walk?

You be Oscar.

I'm not running lines with you.

I'm not speaking to you.

Ooh, someone's cranky.

I'm guessing that trouble
in Boston didn't go so well.

That girl still
giving you grief?

It's none of your business.

My life is
none of your business.

Fine. You need
some space.

I get it.

I need, uh, I need $1,000.

You're crazy.
I'm not giving you any money.

I need it. I
need head shots.

Listen to me.

Don't come near me!

You bother me again,
there's gonna be a problem.

You understand?

Oh, I understand.

CONSTANCE: You won't find
any gold buried out here.

What are you doing
down there in the dirt?

I don't know.

I keep finding myself
waking up here.

The same spot.

Well, there's no mystery to it.

It's stress.

Teenage daughter...
(chuckles)

a pregnant wife,

and your business hasn't
found its footing yet.

I can tell by the cars
on the street, or lack thereof.

But you'll find your way.

Mm-mm.

I must warn you
about this property.

You see, the previous owners

soaked this ground
in pesticides.

Any fruit from this soil
would be poison.

With soil this toxic,

the best you can do
is just to cover it up.

You know, I see a brick patio

with a gazebo

under the shade
of this pepper tree.

Tall glass of Long Island
iced tea in your hand

while reclining
on a chaise lounge.

Oh, the sweet hum
of cicadas in your ears.

(chuckles)

Heaven.

(grunting)

Sheer heaven.

(doorbell rings)

Can I help you?

Are you the woman of the house?

Are you here
to look at the house?

Did you have an appointment?

Yes.

Well, you'll have to call
the realtor.

I can come back another time.

Wait.

My husband's upstairs, so...

Oh, this wood--

it's so lovely and warm.

One almost never sees
chestnut anymore.

Yeah, I know.

I never even knew
what kind of wood this was.

And the wainscot here.

Louis Comfort Tiffany glass.

Yes.

Inspired by the iridescence
of butterfly wings.

And look at the blue.

Matches my eyes, doesn't it?

It does.
(chuckles)

Your eyes are
a beautiful blue, too.

Thank you.

And this must be
one of the chandeliers

imported from his
studio in New York.

Yes.

I looked it up,
it's the real deal.

The house has four of them.

Would you like
to look at the kitchen?

It's been modernized
quite a bit.

I don't like this.
It's not right.

It's not what I want.

What's that device?

Oh, this?

This is, um,
this is a pasta arm.

It's-It's, you know, for
filling up big pots of water.

I'll tell you what.

If you decide
you want the house,

I will have this removed
before you move in.

Do you think I could have
a glass of water?

Yeah.

Or would you like some tea?

I-I was making tea before--
mint and verbena.

(microwave beeps, hums)

Ugh.

I would have to get
rid of that machine.

Oh, I know.

I'm conflicted about it, too.

We are just addicted

to our conveniences.
We?

Do you have children?

Yep. I have a daughter.

And actually, I'm pregnant

at the moment.
Pregnant?

I had a child.

(microwave beeps)

Dr. Harmon.

A little late to be planting,
isn't it?

How can I help you, Detective?

We found Sally Freeman.

She had something of
yours on her person.

Sally was admitted to University
Hospital two days ago.

Failed suicide attempt,
found in a hotel downtown.

She took one too many
pills, put herself in a coma.

She was brought in
without an I.D.,

which is why it took awhile
to find her in the system.

Could have saved a lot of people
a lot of trouble

if you told us.
I'm bound under doctor-patient confidentiality.

Who are you trying to protect,
Doc-- Sally Freeman, or you?

You're worse than my husband.

I'm paying you to help me
through this crisis.

The least you can do is pretend
to be interested.

I'm in pain.

I'm in pain! What do I have to
do to get your attention?!

Kill myself?!

Stop.

Finally.

I got a rise.
Now I know what I have to do.

I didn't do anything.

You heard it on the tape.

She did it to herself.

Right.

It's not a crime
to be an asshole.

WOMAN:
So as I mentioned on the phone,

the carpet will be steam clean
before move in.

There's a dock there for your
iPod or your iWhatever.

Uh, well, I'll tell you
what I do like.

I like that security
guy at the door...

Excuse me. Can my mom and I have
a moment? Alone?

Sure.

I'll be in the rental office.

I've got someone else coming
in 20 minutes.

Glad we moved all
the way to California,

since we could be totally anywhere.
I think it has a certain...

You and Dad, both of you--
you don't deal with anything.

The affair, the miscarriage.

For most people that's
just life and they deal.

But you guys had
to uproot everything--

drag everyone across the country
to start all over...

Honey, I don't think you've
quite processed

what happened to us
in that house.

That was devastating.
That was a nightmare.

This place is the nightmare.

I love our house, it's got soul.

It's where you and I
kicked some ass, Mom.

You say we were victims
of something bad there.

I say that's the place
where we survived.

I love that you see it that way.

I'm pregnant.

I can't stay there.

This is the decision that
your father and I have made

for our family together.

Yeah, whatever.

But I'm telling you,
you go ahead

with this whacked-out plan
and I'm out of here.

I will run away.

And believe me, I know how to
leave so you will never find me.

HALL: I'm looking at your
results and the good news is

your EKG is perfectly normal.

As for your blood panel, they
found a laudanum compound.

Laudanum?

Apparently they used to use it
as an opiate during surgery.

But it caused such extreme
retrograde memory loss,

that they banned it in 1934.
(doorbell ringing)

Uh, excuse me one second.
I'll call you right back.

I know you drugged my coffee.

Prove it.
(doorbell ringing)

Hey.

Jesus, I am so sorry...

You left me waiting in
the Norms for three hours?!

Mrs. Harmon?!

Hayden, hey.
Mrs. Harmon!

It's Hayden McClaine!
We need to talk!

Hayden, stop.
This is crazy.

Vivien?
You're acting crazy.

Do not call me crazy.
I am not crazy. Calm down.

I'm angry.
Calm down.

And I'm pregnant!
Mrs. Harmon?!

Do not put your hands on me!

You're upset.

You have every right to be,
but before this spins

completely out of control,
let's go someplace and talk.

Vivien needs to know.

She needs to understand
you have other obligations.

I think we should tell
her together.

We can discuss that, too.

I'm not going back
to that Norms.

Anywhere you like.

Well, I am eating for two.

You know what I'd love?

A big, thick, juicy...

She's still moving.

What the hell have you done?!

What'd you do?! What'd you do?!
What'd you do?!

Easy!

So far you haven't
killed anybody!

Yeah. She's done.

Oh, God! Oh, God!

What are you doing?

You taking a DNA bath?

She's dead.
Uh-huh.

You're a murderer.

You're a murderer!

Yeah. But you're not.

And now all your
problems are solved.

She was going to tell
Vivien everything.

We couldn't have that.

I'm gonna-- I'm gonna
call the police.

You, uh, you sure you
want to do that?

I mean, she was
your mistress, Ben.

And she was carrying your baby.
I mean, how's that gonna look?

I just don't see that
going well for you.

Hey, it's okay.
It's okay. Oh, God.

Everything's gonna be...

You just got to get yourself cleaned
up before your wife gets back.

Oh, God...
I'll take care of the body.

It's not a problem.

Hey, hey... hey... what were
you digging up here?

You got a nice good
hole started here. See?

We're halfway there.

Hey, Ben?

I could really use
that thousand bucks.

♪ And so they say, Lord,
for everything a reason ♪

♪ For every ending,
a new beginning ♪

♪ And so they say, baby,
you will be brought ♪

♪ Brought back to me ♪

♪ I saw you leaving ♪

♪ And so they say, Lord,
for everything a reason... ♪

Poor girl.

♪ My house is haunted
by wrong desire ♪

Now you're stuck here forever.

♪ I saw you leaving ♪

♪ I saw the light go out ♪

♪ I saw you leaving ♪

♪ I saw you ♪

♪ Come back to me... ♪