The Practice (1997–2004): Season 6, Episode 14 - Man and Superman - full transcript
DEBORAH: They told me you were
busy. Thanks for seeing me.
JIMMY: It's been a long time.
DEBORAH: Five years.
When you left the bank,
I remember Bill saying
that you got a job
in a law firm.
How is Bill?
Is he okay?
No.
Jimmy, he's not.
Please.
It started slow.
He would forget things.
Like amnesia?
No. He's delusional.
Bill's schizophrenic.
I'm sorry.
He's been like this
for almost five years.
I can't care for him
alone anymore.
There's a home--
a mental institution.
I put him there
two years ago.
Tell me how I can help.
For the most part,
he's lived there
without any problems,
and then,
about eight months ago,
he fell out a window.
He fell out a window?
On the seventh floor.
Oh, my God.
But he survived?
DEBORAH: Yes.
A canopy on the third floor
broke his fall.
That and a man
named Edward Green.
Who?
An accountant who happened
to be walking by the building.
Bill landed on him
and killed him instantly.
Bill's being sued, Jimmy.
Me too.
I'm his legal guardian.
Deborah, if you need a lawyer,
I'll do whatever I can.
He thinks he's Superman.
Excuse me?
My husband...
thinks that he is...
Superman.
I'm not sure
what to say to that.
I know it sounds absurd.
But it's not.
In his mind, he really
believes it, Jimmy.
And what scares me--
I don't think
he fell out that window.
I think he was
trying to fly.
(music playing)
I've got a hearing
that day.
So do I, and mine's
in Federal Court.
We're not making child-care
decisions based on jurisdiction.
Please, I need you to help me
this one time.
We need to find
a new baby-sitter.
I understand,
but I've got a full plate.
So do I, but that never
seems to count.
Meanwhile, you keep
taking on new cases.
I'm being criticized
for that now?
We need new cases
to keep this place running.
Sometimes you need to choose
family before work.
Sorry-- this sounds like
a pretty good fight,
but they're all waiting.
(sighs)
JIMMY: The Munces
need our help.
EUGENE: A lot of people
need our help, Jimmy.
But I know these people.
Bill Munce was my friend.
So why are they just
hiring you now?
The hospital told them
they'd work out a settlement
with the victim's wife,
but they couldn't make a deal,
so it's going to trial.
When?
Two days.
EUGENE: You can't just jump
into a complicated tort case
on two days' notice.
JIMMY: It's not complicated.
Everybody agrees he's nuts,
everybody agrees
he pancaked the guy.
EUGENE: We're talking
about priorities--
taking on new clients
when you already have cases
that need your attention.
It won't take that long,
I promise.
Defending a wrongful-death case
means no contingency.
These people got
nobody else to turn to.
(sighs)
One day.
That's all you get.
BOBBY: If the case doesn't
settle, I want you out.
That's all I ask.
Now, I gotta go.
Wait, Jimmy,
I'm going with you.
Lindsay--
LINDSAY:
We need a baby sitter.
I suggest
you start looking.
Bill's been deeply
affected by this.
He sees himself as Superman.
Heroes don't kill
innocent people.
LINDSAY: Did you tell him
we were coming?
DR. BERNARD: Yes, of course.
JIMMY: What should I call him,
"Bill" or "Superman"?
DR. BERNARD: Normally, "Bill."
We do our best here
not to indulge the delusion.
When we do,
it's only to keep them calm.
LINDSAY: Won't the medication
help him with that?
DR. BERNARD: To some extent.
But Bill's not responding
to the current drugs.
I wish I could say
he's improving.
But he's not.
So the Bill Munce
I knew...
DR. BERNARD: Is almost
completely gone, Mr. Berluti.
But he's still there.
He still has rare moments
of lucidity.
DR. BERNARD:
You need to understand,
Bill Munce is mentally ill.
That means
he can be unpredictable,
even unreasonable.
Jimmy!
Bill.
I'm sorry.
When they said
my friend Jimmy was here,
I assumed they meant
Jimmy Olsen.
BILL: Have we met?
No. I don't think
we have.
JIMMY: I'm Jimmy Berluti.
This is Lindsay Dole.
We're your lawyers.
Oh, you must be here
about the accident.
LINDSAY: Yes, we were hoping
to talk about that.
Well, I don't know
what more I can say.
It was a busy morning.
And the attendants here
at times
can get me a little...
distracted.
I tried to fly
without my cape.
Your cape?
BILL: All I can say is...
I made a mistake.
It's just...
I didn't realize
the cape was that important.
Well, of course it's important.
I can't fly without it.
I understand.
A man is dead.
And it's my fault.
Nothing I can do
will ever change that.
I'll have to live with that
for the rest of my life.
(music playing)
Actually, you may
not remember me, Bill,
but you and I
once knew each other.
JIMMY: I didn't keep in touch.
I'm sorry about that.
But you and I...
we were friends.
I'm sorry.
I don't remember.
It was a long time ago.
But the man I knew,
he never would have meant
to hurt anyone.
This was not your fault.
Sometimes
bad things happen...
...even to heroes.
LINDSAY: Aren't you concerned
about the effects
a trial might have on him?
DR. BERNARD: Yes. For Bill's
sake, I'd prefer we settle.
LINDSAY: So why haven't you?
ALLDREDGE: We've done
everything we could,
but Mrs. Green
and her lawyer
are being
totally unreasonable.
The woman is entitled
to something.
Her husband was killed.
Sure, but she's suing
for 15 million.
We offered her
a million dollars.
She won't settle
for less than three.
JIMMY: You don't have insurance?
ALLDREDGE: Of course we do.
But we're worried our carrier
will drop our coverage
if we get hit for too much.
If that happens,
we're finished.
Patients that we've
treated for years
will be thrown into state mental
institutions, if there's room.
Most will end up
on the street.
But if you lose at trial,
the sky's the limit on damages.
And let's face it--
he jumped out of your window.
You have to think
you're going to lose.
Only if the jury thinks
we're to blame.
Wait a minute,
you're going to blame Bill?
He's insane.
You were responsible for him.
We're not blaming Bill.
Who, then?
Talk to his wife.
His wife?
Ultimately, we didn't
push him out that window.
She did.
What are you talking about?
On the day Bill fell,
his wife came to visit--
to tell Bill
she was filing for divorce.
ALLDREDGE: Your client wasn't
trying to fly, Mr. Berluti.
He was trying
to kill himself.
(music playing)
JIMMY: Why didn't you tell us?
DEBORAH: I'm sorry.
I didn't think they knew.
Deborah--
I've talked to their lawyer
a dozen times.
He never said anything
about the divorce.
Look, I'm not exactly
proud of myself.
DEBORAH: We've been married
for almost 14 years.
For the last five, I've been
watching him fall apart,
praying
that he gets better.
Deborah,
you don't need to--
DEBORAH: I know I'm supposed to
love him, stay with him.
And I swear to you both,
I have tried.
But you don't know
what my life has become.
Do you think
this was a suicide attempt?
Is that what they're
planning on saying?
Yes.
You can't let them.
Please, you cannot
let Bill hear that.
They let the Munces think
the case would settle.
There wasn't gonna be
a trial.
LINDSAY: So Deborah and Bill
walk into court unprepared
and get slaughtered
with the judgment.
What are you gonna do now?
JIMMY: Well...
EUGENE: Plan "B."
REBECCA: What exactly
are you getting at?
Well, Mrs. Green isn't the only
one who's been hurt by this.
The Munces have, too.
EUGENE: Emotional distress,
pain and suffering.
Put the blame
where it belongs.
So you think we should sue
the hospital?
Damn right.
(crying)
BOBBY: Lucy, call the agency.
I need to meet
with more baby-sitters.
DEBORAH: Will the judge let you
do that-- sue the hospital?
LINDSAY: We hope so.
It's probably our only shot
at winning.
But it is dangerous.
The hospital will come
after you and Bill.
I don't know
how much he can take.
You need to understand,
if you're found liable,
you could lose everything,
including the money
to pay for his care.
Okay.
He's been waiting for a while.
We should go in.
(music playing)
Hello, Bill.
(sighs)
Hello, Lois.
We're not going to deny
what happened.
We're just going to say
you weren't to blame.
BILL: Okay.
JIMMY: One more thing...
If we can get the judge
to go for it,
we want you to wear
the Superman outfit.
I saw the complaint.
They name Munce,
not Superman.
BILL: Munce is the one
on trial.
Bill, they already know
you're Superman.
Do they?
I'm not really sure.
JIMMY: Believe me,
they definitely know.
And having the jury see
who you are,
it could help explain
to them how this happened.
Really? How?
Superman is an icon.
America loves you.
BILL: Yes.
Which is why
I won't wear the outfit.
Superman is a role model.
He shouldn't be seen on trial.
BILL: As a matter of fact,
now that they know
Munce is Superman,
I'm gonna need your help
to change my name.
JUDGE: Ms. Dole,
I don't like surprises.
Filing a cross-complaint
on the day of trial
constitutes a surprise.
LINDSAY: Your honor, we've only
recently got on this case.
JUDGE: Mr. Klein,
what does the plaintiff
have to say about this?
Let them point fingers
at each other,
so long as my client
gets what she's entitled to.
MR. KLIEN: What we don't want
is a continuance.
ALLDREDGE: We need time
for discovery.
LINDSAY: You've had time.
They have had access
to our clients
from the moment
this happened.
Your Honor,
if the Munces lose,
they can always
come after us later.
LINDSAY: That means two trials
with the same witnesses
and the same testimony.
We don't need
to try this twice.
Since the plaintiff
does not object
and the hospital
did have ample discovery,
I'll allow
the cross-complaint.
JUDGE: We'll begin in an hour.
(gavel bangs)
(music playing)
You asked if I was worried
that a trial
could devastate Bill.
The better question is...
are you?
You need to understand--
Dr. Gorman
is a compassionate man
who gets paid to care
about Bill's condition.
I'm not.
MR. KLEIN: How long were you
and Mr. Green married?
MRS. GREEN: In August,
it would have been 23 years.
You must have loved him
very much.
Yes, Mr. Klein,
I loved my husband.
Tell us what happened,
Mrs. Green.
I met Ed for lunch
at 12:00.
And when we were done,
we decided to walk
a few blocks to his office.
And when did you realize
that something was wrong?
I slowed up for a minute
to look at a dress
in one of the windows.
Look, I-I don't want
to hear this.
It's okay, Bill.
MRS. GREEN:
And I heard a scream.
MRS. GREEN: And I saw a man...
that man...
...lying on the sidewalk.
He was wearing
a Superman costume.
MR. KLEIN: And what happened
to Ed, Mrs. Green?
His neck was broken.
I knew he was dead.
MR. KLEIN: Thank you.
I have nothing further.
Mr. Berluti?
Mr. Alldredge?
ALLDREDGE: Your husband
was an accountant?
MRS. GREEN: Yes.
An accountant
who earned $45,000 a year?
So?
So you're suing
for $15 million in damages.
ALLDREDGE: The truth is,
Mrs. Green,
your husband
was 53 years old.
It would have taken him
over 300 years
to earn
that kind of money.
My husband was killed,
Mr. Alldredge.
Yes, because that woman chose
to be reckless.
JIMMY: Objection.
You don't really believe
we're to blame for his death?
Objection!
Overruled.
This isn't right.
I don't like this.
Bill.
ALLDREDGE: She didn't care
about ending her own marriage.
Do you think she cares
about ending yours?
MRS. GREEN: I don't know who
is to blame, Mr. Alldredge.
All I do know...
is that
my husband is dead.
And no amount of money
can make that right.
(music playing)
Bill's never tried
to fly before.
He never discussed
the ability to fly.
Flying is just not
part of his pathology.
ALLDREDGE: Did Mr. Munce appear
suicidal before that day?
No. If he had,
we would have lodged him
on a more secure floor.
Then why do you think
this was a suicide attempt?
DR. BERNARD:
To understand, you need to know
about Bill's condition.
Has his condition improved
since being at the hospital?
No. About all we can do
is keep him safe and calm.
That means keeping stress
to an absolute minimum.
ALLDREDGE: Why?
DR. BERNARD: It triggers
inappropriate behavior.
I think stress made him
try to end his life.
ALLDREDGE: What stress are you
referring to?
Bill's wife, Deborah, visited
on the day in question.
DR. BERNARD: I met her
at the reception desk
and walked her
into a private room.
About ten minutes later,
I walked by that room
and saw Bill alone, crying.
Did you ask him
what was wrong?
Yes, but he wouldn't say.
I got him calmed down,
then I went to get
his medication.
It was then that Bill
jumped out the window.
JIMMY: He dresses
like Superman.
He calls his wife "Lois,"
but you didn't think
he might try to fly?
What happened
had nothing to do
with his assumption
of Superman's identity.
So, he's lying when he said
he tried to fly?
At some level,
I'm sure he believes it.
DR. BERNARD: But that's just
a defense mechanism.
Bill Munce heard his wife
say she was leaving him.
Bill Munce tried to kill
himself, not Superman.
And you being the doctor--
you must know
exactly what reality he's in
at any given moment.
DR. BERNARD: I know he's ill.
He needs a safe place,
which we provided him
until his wife destroyed it.
Move to strike--
nonresponsive.
Sustained.
The jury will disregard.
As director of the hospital,
you treat patients
and make staffing decisions.
Yes.
Doctor, isn't it a fact
that last year
your hospital was bought
by a parent company?
Yes, but--
And less than three months
after you were bought,
you reduced your staff
by almost 30 percent?
The company chose
to streamline our costs.
The reduction hasn't proven
a danger to anyone.
Tell Ed Green that.
ALLDREDGE: Objection!
JIMMY: Withdrawn.
There were no bars
on the windows,
were there, doctor?
No.
Because bars cost money.
They also intimidate
and frighten the patients.
That's worse than letting them
fall out a window?
I told you, before that day,
he wasn't suicidal.
Did you ask Mrs. Munce
why she was there that day?
Well, no.
JIMMY: If you were so concerned
about Mr. Munce's
fragile psyche,
why didn't you ask her
why she was there?
Because I thought Mrs. Munce
cared about her husband's
mental health.
It never occurred to me
that she would behave
so recklessly.
(music playing)
WOMAN: I love kids.
I have six of my own.
LUCY: Six?
They're older than you.
Are you two planning
to have more?
Oh, no, no, no,
we're not--
Ever been accused
of misconduct with a child?
No, of course not.
Have you ever
been arrested?
LUCY: Bobby.
WOMAN: No!
Any problems with drugs
or alcohol?
Wait just a minute.
The agency told me
you were nice people.
Sorry, this is new for me.
Before I hire someone
to take care of my son,
I like to be
sure about them.
Well, I understand.
I do have
excellent references.
I see only
two families listed.
I was with those people for
over 10 years without a problem.
What about an AIDS test?
LUCY: What?
WOMAN: An AIDS test?
No, I have not had
an AIDS test.
Exactly how old are you?
I tell you what--
I am old enough to know
I don't need this.
Good luck staying married
to this pig!
(door opens and slams)
BOBBY: Hmm.
What?
DEBORAH: I lost him the day
he forgot my name.
He started calling me "Lois."
LINDSAY: Why did you place
him at Clerendon Hall?
DEBORAH: I kept him at home
as long as I could.
Please understand, I'm still
in love with the man I married.
It's just-- Bill isn't
that man anymore.
I've lost my husband.
Tell us why you went
to see him that day.
I went to tell Bill
I was asking for a divorce.
Was that really something
that he needed to hear?
Yes. We'd been together
a long time.
It's something he deserved
to hear from me.
And how did he react
when you told him about it?
At first he was
confused and upset.
He said that Superman and Lois
could never be apart.
But by the time I left,
he seemed okay.
This wasn't the first time you
considered a divorce, was it?
That's not true.
You didn't want to be married
to a mid-level banker.
You resented Bill
for his lack of ambition.
Objection, Your Honor.
This is what Bill Munce
told his therapist
the first year he got
to the hospital.
That's privileged.
We can use his statements
to defend ourselves.
He's right, Ms. Dole.
By suing the hospital,
you waived the privilege.
I loved my husband,
Mr. Alldredge.
Then why did you make him
so miserable?
He said you called him
weak, stupid.
Bill would never
have said that.
Your husband chose
to be Superman.
In his mind, he had to be
perfect to make you happy.
Objection-- argumentative.
Sustained.
ALLDREDGE: This past year,
Mrs. Munce,
how many times did you
visit your husband?
BILL: She came when she could.
JIMMY: Bill, please.
ALLDREDGE: Mrs. Munce?
I don't know.
Nine times.
Nine times, Mrs. Munce.
You can't even make it there
one day a month.
It's hard for me
to see him like this.
Stop him from hurting Lois.
Why didn't you talk
to his doctor first?
Excuse me?
ALLDREDGE:
You're his legal guardian.
You were filing for divorce.
You had to know Bill
might get upset.
Why not ask for his doctor's
permission?
I don't need permission
to speak with my husband.
Your husband, Mrs. Munce,
is mentally ill.
ALLDREDGE:
You're going to leave him,
and you don't tell
his doctor ahead of time?
Objection!
Stop it!
None of this has anything
to do with truth or justice!
JIMMY: Bill--
JUDGE: Mr. Munce,
sit down right now.
She doesn't have
to worry about me.
I'm Superman!
Counsel, sit him down now,
or he's out of here faster
than a speeding bullet.
JIMMY: Please!
(music playing)
I will testify.
We can talk about that,
but you need to sit down.
Attacking Lois like that--
BILL: We can't let them
get away with it.
DEBORAH: I don't think
he should testify.
LINDSAY: I don't like it either,
but you didn't do
so well up there.
It's risky, I know,
but I think we need him
to say this wasn't your fault.
Bill, are you sure
you want to testify?
You're damn right!
Those sons of bitches!
(music playing)
I'm sorry.
I, um...
I don't know why I just...
I'm going to protect Lois.
I'm going to testify.
ALLDREDGE: He can't testify.
He's crazy.
JIMMY: He's a named
defendant.
He has to be allowed
to take the stand.
ALLDREDGE: Not if he's
incompetent.
They say his wife
caused him to jump.
He's got the right
to explain that she didn't.
ALLDREDGE: He has no sense of
reality, of the truth--
JIMMY: He can explain what was
going through his mind.
That's completely relevant
to the question of liability.
I hope Mr. Berluti realizes
that if his client testifies,
I'm gonna treat him
like any other witness.
Meaning what?
I'll have to choice
but to go after him.
The man is not well.
You've made him watch everyone
he's trusted turn on him--
his wife, his doctor.
What are you trying to do,
totally destroy him?
Is he threatening
my witness?
No, he's warning you.
And so am I.
Are you sure you want
to do this, Mr. Berluti?
Look, if we lose--
if the jury hits the Munces
with real damages--
they won't be able
to afford private care.
JIMMY: Bill will spend
the rest of his life
in a state institution
and feel responsible
for bankrupting his wife.
We can't let that happen.
I'll let him testify,
Mr. Berluti.
But I hope you know
what you're doing.
Flying isn't something
I just do.
There has to be a reason.
JIMMY: So, you've flown before?
Many, many times.
JIMMY: Why did you want
to fly that day?
Well, Lois had come
to see me--
JIMMY: Sorry. Who's Lois?
BILL: The woman seated there.
My wife.
JIMMY: Why do you think
she came to see you?
She said she wanted
a divorce.
But I think
she wanted my help.
I think she was
in some kind of danger.
JIMMY: What kind of danger?
I don't really know.
When she left,
I watched her
from the window.
And I was gonna
follow her from above
to make sure
she was all right.
But that nurse--
she started harping on me
about going down to lunch.
I forgot my cape.
I need the cape to fly.
So, you weren't trying
to hurt yourself.
You were just trying to fly?
That's right.
Thank you.
JIMMY: Nothing further.
ALLDREDGE: Mr. Munce,
you love your wife.
Very much.
ALLDREDGE: So, when she told you
she was leaving you,
that was devastating,
wasn't it?
No.
Weren't you crying?
BILL: At first, maybe...
and then I calmed down.
ALLDREDGE: When?
Dr. Gorman said he found you
crying ten minutes later.
ALLDREDGE: Alone.
ALLDREDGE: You do remember that,
don't you?
Mr. Munce?
I, um...
I remember.
Did she say why
she was leaving?
Objection-- irrelevant.
Goes to his state of mind.
Overruled.
Did she say
why she was leaving?
Not really.
ALLDREDGE: Not really?
Didn't she tell you
exactly why?
Isn't it a fact
that your wife told you
she had met someone else--
a man she met at work?
What?
O-objection--
lacks foundation.
I can lay the foundation.
I've got photos.
Objection.
Overruled.
JUDGE: Mr. Munce, do you
remember the question?
She didn't say that.
I don't know what
he's talking about.
Mr. Munce, you tried to kill
yourself, didn't you?
No, I--
ALLDREDGE: Your wife told you
that she had fallen in love
with another man,
and you tried
to kill yourself.
ALLDREDGE: Isn't that right?
BILL: I don't know what
he's talking about.
I don't know what
he's talking about.
BILL: I don't--
I don't know--
I don't know--
I don't--
I don't-- I don't know
what he's talking about.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't-- I-I-I--
(quietly) No, I-I don't know
what he's talking about.
BILL: I don't--
I know that Lois--
She would not tell me
anything like that.
She wouldn't say
that she was seeing someone.
I don't know...
(music playing)
(people chattering)
(sighs)
DEBORAH: How is he?
JIMMY: I don't know.
He won't talk to anyone.
Can I see him?
I don't think that's
a good idea.
Jimmy, what they said about
me meeting somebody else--
You have to believe me--
I never told him.
That's not the reason
I want the divorce.
JIMMY: I understand, Deborah,
and I know you were trying
to protect him.
JIMMY: But hiding the truth--
He shouldn't have heard it
for the first time in court,
and I shouldn't have, either.
I-I got to get ready
for my closing.
(sighs)
I'm sorry.
Jimmy gets nervous
before his closings.
No. He's right.
DEBORAH: The truth is, Lindsay,
I've never known
what's best for Bill.
I mean, I know I'm not
responsible for his disease.
Not really.
But that lawyer--
He was right
about one thing--
I never appreciated
what we had.
DEBORAH: I kept pushing him
to be what I wanted--
what I thought
he could become.
I don't think
I ever accepted him
simply for who he really was.
I should've.
MR. KLEIN: In the law,
we have a doctrine called
res ipsa loquitur.
"The thing speaks for itself."
Sometimes negligence
is so obvious, so blatant,
the law simply shifts
the burden to the defense.
"We know someone
was at fault for this,
so explain to us
why it shouldn't be you?"
MR. KLEIN: Here we have two
defendants at fault--
a wife who drove her husband
to attempt suicide
and an institution that failed
to control its patient.
Who's more to blame?
That's your decision.
MR. KLEIN: But there was
negligence here.
Mentally ill men in costumes
don't just drop
on an accountant's head.
JIMMY: He's convinced
that he's Superman,
but they never expected
he might try to fly?
Ed Green would be alive if there
were bars on those windows.
JIMMY: It really is that simple.
You have to ask yourself,
"Who was in the best position
to prevent what happened?"
They were in control,
they were responsible
for keeping him safe.
JIMMY: That's what they
were being paid to do.
The fact is, Clerendon Hall
isn't really a hospital.
It's a business.
These people care about profits,
not patients.
JIMMY: And that's why they
didn't have bars on the windows.
That's why they didn't have
more staff on that floor.
Dr. Gorman saw Bill Munce
crying in his room.
If anyone had stayed
in that room,
Ed Green would still be alive.
JIMMY: If they really think
he tried to kill himself,
imagine the cruelty
of revealing to him
that his wife is seeing
another man
right here in open court.
JIMMY: Now, I don't know much
Latin, Mr. Klein,
but that's a thing
that speaks for itself.
ALLDREDGE: When Deborah Munce
told her husband
she was leaving him,
it was reckless cruelty.
She drove him out that window.
ALLDREDGE: Had she told
Dr. Gorman--
and she had the chance--
he would have protected Bill.
She didn't do it.
That's the negligence
that cost Ed Green his life.
ALLDREDGE: Our hospital has
taken good care of Bill Munce.
For almost five years,
long after his wife stopped
coming to visit,
Dr. Gorman and his staff
have provided
round-the-clock treatment.
ALLDREDGE: Don't blame us
for the actions of a wife
who parked her sick husband
at our doorstep
and then stopped caring for him.
ALLDREDGE: Don't blame us for
her neglect and cruelty.
We're a hospital.
We're in the business
of caring for people.
But for Mrs. Munce,
this tragedy
would never have happened.
LINDSAY: Bobby, what are you
doing here?
Is it over?
Jimmy's with the Munces.
We're still waiting
for a verdict.
What do you think?
LINDSAY: I don't know.
An innocent man was killed.
The jury's gonna want to
blame somebody for that.
I, uh, thought
you might need this.
What is it?
Mental hospitals
from around the country.
I made a few calls.
A few?
There are 15 names here.
The underlined ones
might be able to take Bill
when this is over.
The two with the stars by them
are your best shots.
This must have
taken you hours.
And with all the work
that you've got...
Why'd you do it?
To be honest, um,
I don't know.
Let's just say
I fell for the guy.
There but for
the grace of God.
Something like that.
By the way,
I think we've got
a new baby-sitter.
You're kidding.
You managed to hire one?
No, uh, Eugene and Ellenor
did the interviewing.
She seems very nice.
You still get the credit.
Thank you.
I better get back
to the office.
Bobby...
I just...
Well, I'll see you later.
BOBBY: Okay.
BAILIFF:
Ms. Dole, the jury's back.
(music playing)
Madam Foreperson,
the jury has reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
What say you?
On question one,
FOREPERSON: "Do we find the
defendant, William Munce,
negligent?"
We the jury answer, "No."
On question two,
"Do we find the defendant,
Deborah Munce, negligent?"
We the jury answer, "yes."
(spectators murmuring)
Quiet.
I said quiet!
Madame Foreperson, do you have
a verdict on question three?
Yes, Your Honor.
Question three--
"Do we find the defendant,
Clerendon Hall, negligent?"
We the jury answer, "yes."
FOREPERSON: We further order
that Clerendon Hall pay
damages to the plaintiff
in the amount of three
million dollars
and that Deborah Munce
pay damages to the plaintiff
in the amount of one dollar.
FOREPERSON: Excuse me.
We're not done.
Question four--
as to the cross-complaint,
we find for the complainants
and order the hospital
to pay Bill and Deborah Munce
actual damages of one dollar
and to pay Bill Munce
punitive damages
in the amount
of one million dollars.
Your Honor, we move for judgment
notwithstanding the verdict
and ask that the damage award
be set aside.
Motion denied.
JUDGE: Members of the jury,
this completes your service.
You are dismissed
with my thanks.
This court is adjourned.
(indistinct conversations)
DEBORAH: You did it, Jimmy.
Thank you so much.
ALLDREDGE: We'll appeal
until this judgment--
(gasping)
ALLDREDGE: Are you all right?
LINDSAY: Somebody get a doctor!
(gasping)
Somebody get a doctor!
ALLDREDGE: Are you all right?
What is it? Can you breathe?
BILL: I'm flying to the hospital
to get this man a doctor!
JIMMY: No! Wait!
DEBORAH: Bill, no!
(people screaming)
JIMMY: Oh!
(breathing heavily)
(sighs)
(music playing)
He was having
a heart attack.
JIMMY: It was a
panic attack Bill,
some minor chest pains
caused by stress.
Bill, now that this is over,
we need to talk.
(knock on door)
May I come in?
LINDSAY: This is a client
meeting.
Come on, Bill.
What are you doing?
Taking Bill back
to the hospital.
DR. BERNARD: The lawyer says our
appeal should take a year.
Whatever you may think,
Mr. Berluti,
I'm still his doctor.
Bill tried to save my life.
So as long as we remain open,
he's gonna have a home.
LINDSAY: You don't have to go
with him, Bill.
There are other hospitals
that might take you in.
Is it okay to talk
to Lois for a second?
I don't think that
would be a good idea.
No. Wait.
It's-- it's all right.
I want to come home.
I know.
But you can't.
You don't love me anymore.
That's not true.
I just can't take care
of you anymore.
Whatever you did--
if you met someone else,
I don't care about that.
All that matters to me
is that we stay together.
I can't do this again.
I'm sorry.
Deborah...
I'll use whatever name
you want.
Bill...
Listen to me.
I won't be Superman anymore.
I promise.
I-- I can do it.
You can't.
DEBORAH: The world needs
Superman.
Especially now.
And no matter how much
I might want to...
...I can't ask you to stop
being who you really are.
I love you.
I love you, too.
Goodbye.
(sobs)
I...
(sobs)
...wanna go home.
(crying)
(music playing)
(music playing)
WOMAN: You Stinker!
busy. Thanks for seeing me.
JIMMY: It's been a long time.
DEBORAH: Five years.
When you left the bank,
I remember Bill saying
that you got a job
in a law firm.
How is Bill?
Is he okay?
No.
Jimmy, he's not.
Please.
It started slow.
He would forget things.
Like amnesia?
No. He's delusional.
Bill's schizophrenic.
I'm sorry.
He's been like this
for almost five years.
I can't care for him
alone anymore.
There's a home--
a mental institution.
I put him there
two years ago.
Tell me how I can help.
For the most part,
he's lived there
without any problems,
and then,
about eight months ago,
he fell out a window.
He fell out a window?
On the seventh floor.
Oh, my God.
But he survived?
DEBORAH: Yes.
A canopy on the third floor
broke his fall.
That and a man
named Edward Green.
Who?
An accountant who happened
to be walking by the building.
Bill landed on him
and killed him instantly.
Bill's being sued, Jimmy.
Me too.
I'm his legal guardian.
Deborah, if you need a lawyer,
I'll do whatever I can.
He thinks he's Superman.
Excuse me?
My husband...
thinks that he is...
Superman.
I'm not sure
what to say to that.
I know it sounds absurd.
But it's not.
In his mind, he really
believes it, Jimmy.
And what scares me--
I don't think
he fell out that window.
I think he was
trying to fly.
(music playing)
I've got a hearing
that day.
So do I, and mine's
in Federal Court.
We're not making child-care
decisions based on jurisdiction.
Please, I need you to help me
this one time.
We need to find
a new baby-sitter.
I understand,
but I've got a full plate.
So do I, but that never
seems to count.
Meanwhile, you keep
taking on new cases.
I'm being criticized
for that now?
We need new cases
to keep this place running.
Sometimes you need to choose
family before work.
Sorry-- this sounds like
a pretty good fight,
but they're all waiting.
(sighs)
JIMMY: The Munces
need our help.
EUGENE: A lot of people
need our help, Jimmy.
But I know these people.
Bill Munce was my friend.
So why are they just
hiring you now?
The hospital told them
they'd work out a settlement
with the victim's wife,
but they couldn't make a deal,
so it's going to trial.
When?
Two days.
EUGENE: You can't just jump
into a complicated tort case
on two days' notice.
JIMMY: It's not complicated.
Everybody agrees he's nuts,
everybody agrees
he pancaked the guy.
EUGENE: We're talking
about priorities--
taking on new clients
when you already have cases
that need your attention.
It won't take that long,
I promise.
Defending a wrongful-death case
means no contingency.
These people got
nobody else to turn to.
(sighs)
One day.
That's all you get.
BOBBY: If the case doesn't
settle, I want you out.
That's all I ask.
Now, I gotta go.
Wait, Jimmy,
I'm going with you.
Lindsay--
LINDSAY:
We need a baby sitter.
I suggest
you start looking.
Bill's been deeply
affected by this.
He sees himself as Superman.
Heroes don't kill
innocent people.
LINDSAY: Did you tell him
we were coming?
DR. BERNARD: Yes, of course.
JIMMY: What should I call him,
"Bill" or "Superman"?
DR. BERNARD: Normally, "Bill."
We do our best here
not to indulge the delusion.
When we do,
it's only to keep them calm.
LINDSAY: Won't the medication
help him with that?
DR. BERNARD: To some extent.
But Bill's not responding
to the current drugs.
I wish I could say
he's improving.
But he's not.
So the Bill Munce
I knew...
DR. BERNARD: Is almost
completely gone, Mr. Berluti.
But he's still there.
He still has rare moments
of lucidity.
DR. BERNARD:
You need to understand,
Bill Munce is mentally ill.
That means
he can be unpredictable,
even unreasonable.
Jimmy!
Bill.
I'm sorry.
When they said
my friend Jimmy was here,
I assumed they meant
Jimmy Olsen.
BILL: Have we met?
No. I don't think
we have.
JIMMY: I'm Jimmy Berluti.
This is Lindsay Dole.
We're your lawyers.
Oh, you must be here
about the accident.
LINDSAY: Yes, we were hoping
to talk about that.
Well, I don't know
what more I can say.
It was a busy morning.
And the attendants here
at times
can get me a little...
distracted.
I tried to fly
without my cape.
Your cape?
BILL: All I can say is...
I made a mistake.
It's just...
I didn't realize
the cape was that important.
Well, of course it's important.
I can't fly without it.
I understand.
A man is dead.
And it's my fault.
Nothing I can do
will ever change that.
I'll have to live with that
for the rest of my life.
(music playing)
Actually, you may
not remember me, Bill,
but you and I
once knew each other.
JIMMY: I didn't keep in touch.
I'm sorry about that.
But you and I...
we were friends.
I'm sorry.
I don't remember.
It was a long time ago.
But the man I knew,
he never would have meant
to hurt anyone.
This was not your fault.
Sometimes
bad things happen...
...even to heroes.
LINDSAY: Aren't you concerned
about the effects
a trial might have on him?
DR. BERNARD: Yes. For Bill's
sake, I'd prefer we settle.
LINDSAY: So why haven't you?
ALLDREDGE: We've done
everything we could,
but Mrs. Green
and her lawyer
are being
totally unreasonable.
The woman is entitled
to something.
Her husband was killed.
Sure, but she's suing
for 15 million.
We offered her
a million dollars.
She won't settle
for less than three.
JIMMY: You don't have insurance?
ALLDREDGE: Of course we do.
But we're worried our carrier
will drop our coverage
if we get hit for too much.
If that happens,
we're finished.
Patients that we've
treated for years
will be thrown into state mental
institutions, if there's room.
Most will end up
on the street.
But if you lose at trial,
the sky's the limit on damages.
And let's face it--
he jumped out of your window.
You have to think
you're going to lose.
Only if the jury thinks
we're to blame.
Wait a minute,
you're going to blame Bill?
He's insane.
You were responsible for him.
We're not blaming Bill.
Who, then?
Talk to his wife.
His wife?
Ultimately, we didn't
push him out that window.
She did.
What are you talking about?
On the day Bill fell,
his wife came to visit--
to tell Bill
she was filing for divorce.
ALLDREDGE: Your client wasn't
trying to fly, Mr. Berluti.
He was trying
to kill himself.
(music playing)
JIMMY: Why didn't you tell us?
DEBORAH: I'm sorry.
I didn't think they knew.
Deborah--
I've talked to their lawyer
a dozen times.
He never said anything
about the divorce.
Look, I'm not exactly
proud of myself.
DEBORAH: We've been married
for almost 14 years.
For the last five, I've been
watching him fall apart,
praying
that he gets better.
Deborah,
you don't need to--
DEBORAH: I know I'm supposed to
love him, stay with him.
And I swear to you both,
I have tried.
But you don't know
what my life has become.
Do you think
this was a suicide attempt?
Is that what they're
planning on saying?
Yes.
You can't let them.
Please, you cannot
let Bill hear that.
They let the Munces think
the case would settle.
There wasn't gonna be
a trial.
LINDSAY: So Deborah and Bill
walk into court unprepared
and get slaughtered
with the judgment.
What are you gonna do now?
JIMMY: Well...
EUGENE: Plan "B."
REBECCA: What exactly
are you getting at?
Well, Mrs. Green isn't the only
one who's been hurt by this.
The Munces have, too.
EUGENE: Emotional distress,
pain and suffering.
Put the blame
where it belongs.
So you think we should sue
the hospital?
Damn right.
(crying)
BOBBY: Lucy, call the agency.
I need to meet
with more baby-sitters.
DEBORAH: Will the judge let you
do that-- sue the hospital?
LINDSAY: We hope so.
It's probably our only shot
at winning.
But it is dangerous.
The hospital will come
after you and Bill.
I don't know
how much he can take.
You need to understand,
if you're found liable,
you could lose everything,
including the money
to pay for his care.
Okay.
He's been waiting for a while.
We should go in.
(music playing)
Hello, Bill.
(sighs)
Hello, Lois.
We're not going to deny
what happened.
We're just going to say
you weren't to blame.
BILL: Okay.
JIMMY: One more thing...
If we can get the judge
to go for it,
we want you to wear
the Superman outfit.
I saw the complaint.
They name Munce,
not Superman.
BILL: Munce is the one
on trial.
Bill, they already know
you're Superman.
Do they?
I'm not really sure.
JIMMY: Believe me,
they definitely know.
And having the jury see
who you are,
it could help explain
to them how this happened.
Really? How?
Superman is an icon.
America loves you.
BILL: Yes.
Which is why
I won't wear the outfit.
Superman is a role model.
He shouldn't be seen on trial.
BILL: As a matter of fact,
now that they know
Munce is Superman,
I'm gonna need your help
to change my name.
JUDGE: Ms. Dole,
I don't like surprises.
Filing a cross-complaint
on the day of trial
constitutes a surprise.
LINDSAY: Your honor, we've only
recently got on this case.
JUDGE: Mr. Klein,
what does the plaintiff
have to say about this?
Let them point fingers
at each other,
so long as my client
gets what she's entitled to.
MR. KLIEN: What we don't want
is a continuance.
ALLDREDGE: We need time
for discovery.
LINDSAY: You've had time.
They have had access
to our clients
from the moment
this happened.
Your Honor,
if the Munces lose,
they can always
come after us later.
LINDSAY: That means two trials
with the same witnesses
and the same testimony.
We don't need
to try this twice.
Since the plaintiff
does not object
and the hospital
did have ample discovery,
I'll allow
the cross-complaint.
JUDGE: We'll begin in an hour.
(gavel bangs)
(music playing)
You asked if I was worried
that a trial
could devastate Bill.
The better question is...
are you?
You need to understand--
Dr. Gorman
is a compassionate man
who gets paid to care
about Bill's condition.
I'm not.
MR. KLEIN: How long were you
and Mr. Green married?
MRS. GREEN: In August,
it would have been 23 years.
You must have loved him
very much.
Yes, Mr. Klein,
I loved my husband.
Tell us what happened,
Mrs. Green.
I met Ed for lunch
at 12:00.
And when we were done,
we decided to walk
a few blocks to his office.
And when did you realize
that something was wrong?
I slowed up for a minute
to look at a dress
in one of the windows.
Look, I-I don't want
to hear this.
It's okay, Bill.
MRS. GREEN:
And I heard a scream.
MRS. GREEN: And I saw a man...
that man...
...lying on the sidewalk.
He was wearing
a Superman costume.
MR. KLEIN: And what happened
to Ed, Mrs. Green?
His neck was broken.
I knew he was dead.
MR. KLEIN: Thank you.
I have nothing further.
Mr. Berluti?
Mr. Alldredge?
ALLDREDGE: Your husband
was an accountant?
MRS. GREEN: Yes.
An accountant
who earned $45,000 a year?
So?
So you're suing
for $15 million in damages.
ALLDREDGE: The truth is,
Mrs. Green,
your husband
was 53 years old.
It would have taken him
over 300 years
to earn
that kind of money.
My husband was killed,
Mr. Alldredge.
Yes, because that woman chose
to be reckless.
JIMMY: Objection.
You don't really believe
we're to blame for his death?
Objection!
Overruled.
This isn't right.
I don't like this.
Bill.
ALLDREDGE: She didn't care
about ending her own marriage.
Do you think she cares
about ending yours?
MRS. GREEN: I don't know who
is to blame, Mr. Alldredge.
All I do know...
is that
my husband is dead.
And no amount of money
can make that right.
(music playing)
Bill's never tried
to fly before.
He never discussed
the ability to fly.
Flying is just not
part of his pathology.
ALLDREDGE: Did Mr. Munce appear
suicidal before that day?
No. If he had,
we would have lodged him
on a more secure floor.
Then why do you think
this was a suicide attempt?
DR. BERNARD:
To understand, you need to know
about Bill's condition.
Has his condition improved
since being at the hospital?
No. About all we can do
is keep him safe and calm.
That means keeping stress
to an absolute minimum.
ALLDREDGE: Why?
DR. BERNARD: It triggers
inappropriate behavior.
I think stress made him
try to end his life.
ALLDREDGE: What stress are you
referring to?
Bill's wife, Deborah, visited
on the day in question.
DR. BERNARD: I met her
at the reception desk
and walked her
into a private room.
About ten minutes later,
I walked by that room
and saw Bill alone, crying.
Did you ask him
what was wrong?
Yes, but he wouldn't say.
I got him calmed down,
then I went to get
his medication.
It was then that Bill
jumped out the window.
JIMMY: He dresses
like Superman.
He calls his wife "Lois,"
but you didn't think
he might try to fly?
What happened
had nothing to do
with his assumption
of Superman's identity.
So, he's lying when he said
he tried to fly?
At some level,
I'm sure he believes it.
DR. BERNARD: But that's just
a defense mechanism.
Bill Munce heard his wife
say she was leaving him.
Bill Munce tried to kill
himself, not Superman.
And you being the doctor--
you must know
exactly what reality he's in
at any given moment.
DR. BERNARD: I know he's ill.
He needs a safe place,
which we provided him
until his wife destroyed it.
Move to strike--
nonresponsive.
Sustained.
The jury will disregard.
As director of the hospital,
you treat patients
and make staffing decisions.
Yes.
Doctor, isn't it a fact
that last year
your hospital was bought
by a parent company?
Yes, but--
And less than three months
after you were bought,
you reduced your staff
by almost 30 percent?
The company chose
to streamline our costs.
The reduction hasn't proven
a danger to anyone.
Tell Ed Green that.
ALLDREDGE: Objection!
JIMMY: Withdrawn.
There were no bars
on the windows,
were there, doctor?
No.
Because bars cost money.
They also intimidate
and frighten the patients.
That's worse than letting them
fall out a window?
I told you, before that day,
he wasn't suicidal.
Did you ask Mrs. Munce
why she was there that day?
Well, no.
JIMMY: If you were so concerned
about Mr. Munce's
fragile psyche,
why didn't you ask her
why she was there?
Because I thought Mrs. Munce
cared about her husband's
mental health.
It never occurred to me
that she would behave
so recklessly.
(music playing)
WOMAN: I love kids.
I have six of my own.
LUCY: Six?
They're older than you.
Are you two planning
to have more?
Oh, no, no, no,
we're not--
Ever been accused
of misconduct with a child?
No, of course not.
Have you ever
been arrested?
LUCY: Bobby.
WOMAN: No!
Any problems with drugs
or alcohol?
Wait just a minute.
The agency told me
you were nice people.
Sorry, this is new for me.
Before I hire someone
to take care of my son,
I like to be
sure about them.
Well, I understand.
I do have
excellent references.
I see only
two families listed.
I was with those people for
over 10 years without a problem.
What about an AIDS test?
LUCY: What?
WOMAN: An AIDS test?
No, I have not had
an AIDS test.
Exactly how old are you?
I tell you what--
I am old enough to know
I don't need this.
Good luck staying married
to this pig!
(door opens and slams)
BOBBY: Hmm.
What?
DEBORAH: I lost him the day
he forgot my name.
He started calling me "Lois."
LINDSAY: Why did you place
him at Clerendon Hall?
DEBORAH: I kept him at home
as long as I could.
Please understand, I'm still
in love with the man I married.
It's just-- Bill isn't
that man anymore.
I've lost my husband.
Tell us why you went
to see him that day.
I went to tell Bill
I was asking for a divorce.
Was that really something
that he needed to hear?
Yes. We'd been together
a long time.
It's something he deserved
to hear from me.
And how did he react
when you told him about it?
At first he was
confused and upset.
He said that Superman and Lois
could never be apart.
But by the time I left,
he seemed okay.
This wasn't the first time you
considered a divorce, was it?
That's not true.
You didn't want to be married
to a mid-level banker.
You resented Bill
for his lack of ambition.
Objection, Your Honor.
This is what Bill Munce
told his therapist
the first year he got
to the hospital.
That's privileged.
We can use his statements
to defend ourselves.
He's right, Ms. Dole.
By suing the hospital,
you waived the privilege.
I loved my husband,
Mr. Alldredge.
Then why did you make him
so miserable?
He said you called him
weak, stupid.
Bill would never
have said that.
Your husband chose
to be Superman.
In his mind, he had to be
perfect to make you happy.
Objection-- argumentative.
Sustained.
ALLDREDGE: This past year,
Mrs. Munce,
how many times did you
visit your husband?
BILL: She came when she could.
JIMMY: Bill, please.
ALLDREDGE: Mrs. Munce?
I don't know.
Nine times.
Nine times, Mrs. Munce.
You can't even make it there
one day a month.
It's hard for me
to see him like this.
Stop him from hurting Lois.
Why didn't you talk
to his doctor first?
Excuse me?
ALLDREDGE:
You're his legal guardian.
You were filing for divorce.
You had to know Bill
might get upset.
Why not ask for his doctor's
permission?
I don't need permission
to speak with my husband.
Your husband, Mrs. Munce,
is mentally ill.
ALLDREDGE:
You're going to leave him,
and you don't tell
his doctor ahead of time?
Objection!
Stop it!
None of this has anything
to do with truth or justice!
JIMMY: Bill--
JUDGE: Mr. Munce,
sit down right now.
She doesn't have
to worry about me.
I'm Superman!
Counsel, sit him down now,
or he's out of here faster
than a speeding bullet.
JIMMY: Please!
(music playing)
I will testify.
We can talk about that,
but you need to sit down.
Attacking Lois like that--
BILL: We can't let them
get away with it.
DEBORAH: I don't think
he should testify.
LINDSAY: I don't like it either,
but you didn't do
so well up there.
It's risky, I know,
but I think we need him
to say this wasn't your fault.
Bill, are you sure
you want to testify?
You're damn right!
Those sons of bitches!
(music playing)
I'm sorry.
I, um...
I don't know why I just...
I'm going to protect Lois.
I'm going to testify.
ALLDREDGE: He can't testify.
He's crazy.
JIMMY: He's a named
defendant.
He has to be allowed
to take the stand.
ALLDREDGE: Not if he's
incompetent.
They say his wife
caused him to jump.
He's got the right
to explain that she didn't.
ALLDREDGE: He has no sense of
reality, of the truth--
JIMMY: He can explain what was
going through his mind.
That's completely relevant
to the question of liability.
I hope Mr. Berluti realizes
that if his client testifies,
I'm gonna treat him
like any other witness.
Meaning what?
I'll have to choice
but to go after him.
The man is not well.
You've made him watch everyone
he's trusted turn on him--
his wife, his doctor.
What are you trying to do,
totally destroy him?
Is he threatening
my witness?
No, he's warning you.
And so am I.
Are you sure you want
to do this, Mr. Berluti?
Look, if we lose--
if the jury hits the Munces
with real damages--
they won't be able
to afford private care.
JIMMY: Bill will spend
the rest of his life
in a state institution
and feel responsible
for bankrupting his wife.
We can't let that happen.
I'll let him testify,
Mr. Berluti.
But I hope you know
what you're doing.
Flying isn't something
I just do.
There has to be a reason.
JIMMY: So, you've flown before?
Many, many times.
JIMMY: Why did you want
to fly that day?
Well, Lois had come
to see me--
JIMMY: Sorry. Who's Lois?
BILL: The woman seated there.
My wife.
JIMMY: Why do you think
she came to see you?
She said she wanted
a divorce.
But I think
she wanted my help.
I think she was
in some kind of danger.
JIMMY: What kind of danger?
I don't really know.
When she left,
I watched her
from the window.
And I was gonna
follow her from above
to make sure
she was all right.
But that nurse--
she started harping on me
about going down to lunch.
I forgot my cape.
I need the cape to fly.
So, you weren't trying
to hurt yourself.
You were just trying to fly?
That's right.
Thank you.
JIMMY: Nothing further.
ALLDREDGE: Mr. Munce,
you love your wife.
Very much.
ALLDREDGE: So, when she told you
she was leaving you,
that was devastating,
wasn't it?
No.
Weren't you crying?
BILL: At first, maybe...
and then I calmed down.
ALLDREDGE: When?
Dr. Gorman said he found you
crying ten minutes later.
ALLDREDGE: Alone.
ALLDREDGE: You do remember that,
don't you?
Mr. Munce?
I, um...
I remember.
Did she say why
she was leaving?
Objection-- irrelevant.
Goes to his state of mind.
Overruled.
Did she say
why she was leaving?
Not really.
ALLDREDGE: Not really?
Didn't she tell you
exactly why?
Isn't it a fact
that your wife told you
she had met someone else--
a man she met at work?
What?
O-objection--
lacks foundation.
I can lay the foundation.
I've got photos.
Objection.
Overruled.
JUDGE: Mr. Munce, do you
remember the question?
She didn't say that.
I don't know what
he's talking about.
Mr. Munce, you tried to kill
yourself, didn't you?
No, I--
ALLDREDGE: Your wife told you
that she had fallen in love
with another man,
and you tried
to kill yourself.
ALLDREDGE: Isn't that right?
BILL: I don't know what
he's talking about.
I don't know what
he's talking about.
BILL: I don't--
I don't know--
I don't know--
I don't--
I don't-- I don't know
what he's talking about.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't-- I-I-I--
(quietly) No, I-I don't know
what he's talking about.
BILL: I don't--
I know that Lois--
She would not tell me
anything like that.
She wouldn't say
that she was seeing someone.
I don't know...
(music playing)
(people chattering)
(sighs)
DEBORAH: How is he?
JIMMY: I don't know.
He won't talk to anyone.
Can I see him?
I don't think that's
a good idea.
Jimmy, what they said about
me meeting somebody else--
You have to believe me--
I never told him.
That's not the reason
I want the divorce.
JIMMY: I understand, Deborah,
and I know you were trying
to protect him.
JIMMY: But hiding the truth--
He shouldn't have heard it
for the first time in court,
and I shouldn't have, either.
I-I got to get ready
for my closing.
(sighs)
I'm sorry.
Jimmy gets nervous
before his closings.
No. He's right.
DEBORAH: The truth is, Lindsay,
I've never known
what's best for Bill.
I mean, I know I'm not
responsible for his disease.
Not really.
But that lawyer--
He was right
about one thing--
I never appreciated
what we had.
DEBORAH: I kept pushing him
to be what I wanted--
what I thought
he could become.
I don't think
I ever accepted him
simply for who he really was.
I should've.
MR. KLEIN: In the law,
we have a doctrine called
res ipsa loquitur.
"The thing speaks for itself."
Sometimes negligence
is so obvious, so blatant,
the law simply shifts
the burden to the defense.
"We know someone
was at fault for this,
so explain to us
why it shouldn't be you?"
MR. KLEIN: Here we have two
defendants at fault--
a wife who drove her husband
to attempt suicide
and an institution that failed
to control its patient.
Who's more to blame?
That's your decision.
MR. KLEIN: But there was
negligence here.
Mentally ill men in costumes
don't just drop
on an accountant's head.
JIMMY: He's convinced
that he's Superman,
but they never expected
he might try to fly?
Ed Green would be alive if there
were bars on those windows.
JIMMY: It really is that simple.
You have to ask yourself,
"Who was in the best position
to prevent what happened?"
They were in control,
they were responsible
for keeping him safe.
JIMMY: That's what they
were being paid to do.
The fact is, Clerendon Hall
isn't really a hospital.
It's a business.
These people care about profits,
not patients.
JIMMY: And that's why they
didn't have bars on the windows.
That's why they didn't have
more staff on that floor.
Dr. Gorman saw Bill Munce
crying in his room.
If anyone had stayed
in that room,
Ed Green would still be alive.
JIMMY: If they really think
he tried to kill himself,
imagine the cruelty
of revealing to him
that his wife is seeing
another man
right here in open court.
JIMMY: Now, I don't know much
Latin, Mr. Klein,
but that's a thing
that speaks for itself.
ALLDREDGE: When Deborah Munce
told her husband
she was leaving him,
it was reckless cruelty.
She drove him out that window.
ALLDREDGE: Had she told
Dr. Gorman--
and she had the chance--
he would have protected Bill.
She didn't do it.
That's the negligence
that cost Ed Green his life.
ALLDREDGE: Our hospital has
taken good care of Bill Munce.
For almost five years,
long after his wife stopped
coming to visit,
Dr. Gorman and his staff
have provided
round-the-clock treatment.
ALLDREDGE: Don't blame us
for the actions of a wife
who parked her sick husband
at our doorstep
and then stopped caring for him.
ALLDREDGE: Don't blame us for
her neglect and cruelty.
We're a hospital.
We're in the business
of caring for people.
But for Mrs. Munce,
this tragedy
would never have happened.
LINDSAY: Bobby, what are you
doing here?
Is it over?
Jimmy's with the Munces.
We're still waiting
for a verdict.
What do you think?
LINDSAY: I don't know.
An innocent man was killed.
The jury's gonna want to
blame somebody for that.
I, uh, thought
you might need this.
What is it?
Mental hospitals
from around the country.
I made a few calls.
A few?
There are 15 names here.
The underlined ones
might be able to take Bill
when this is over.
The two with the stars by them
are your best shots.
This must have
taken you hours.
And with all the work
that you've got...
Why'd you do it?
To be honest, um,
I don't know.
Let's just say
I fell for the guy.
There but for
the grace of God.
Something like that.
By the way,
I think we've got
a new baby-sitter.
You're kidding.
You managed to hire one?
No, uh, Eugene and Ellenor
did the interviewing.
She seems very nice.
You still get the credit.
Thank you.
I better get back
to the office.
Bobby...
I just...
Well, I'll see you later.
BOBBY: Okay.
BAILIFF:
Ms. Dole, the jury's back.
(music playing)
Madam Foreperson,
the jury has reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
What say you?
On question one,
FOREPERSON: "Do we find the
defendant, William Munce,
negligent?"
We the jury answer, "No."
On question two,
"Do we find the defendant,
Deborah Munce, negligent?"
We the jury answer, "yes."
(spectators murmuring)
Quiet.
I said quiet!
Madame Foreperson, do you have
a verdict on question three?
Yes, Your Honor.
Question three--
"Do we find the defendant,
Clerendon Hall, negligent?"
We the jury answer, "yes."
FOREPERSON: We further order
that Clerendon Hall pay
damages to the plaintiff
in the amount of three
million dollars
and that Deborah Munce
pay damages to the plaintiff
in the amount of one dollar.
FOREPERSON: Excuse me.
We're not done.
Question four--
as to the cross-complaint,
we find for the complainants
and order the hospital
to pay Bill and Deborah Munce
actual damages of one dollar
and to pay Bill Munce
punitive damages
in the amount
of one million dollars.
Your Honor, we move for judgment
notwithstanding the verdict
and ask that the damage award
be set aside.
Motion denied.
JUDGE: Members of the jury,
this completes your service.
You are dismissed
with my thanks.
This court is adjourned.
(indistinct conversations)
DEBORAH: You did it, Jimmy.
Thank you so much.
ALLDREDGE: We'll appeal
until this judgment--
(gasping)
ALLDREDGE: Are you all right?
LINDSAY: Somebody get a doctor!
(gasping)
Somebody get a doctor!
ALLDREDGE: Are you all right?
What is it? Can you breathe?
BILL: I'm flying to the hospital
to get this man a doctor!
JIMMY: No! Wait!
DEBORAH: Bill, no!
(people screaming)
JIMMY: Oh!
(breathing heavily)
(sighs)
(music playing)
He was having
a heart attack.
JIMMY: It was a
panic attack Bill,
some minor chest pains
caused by stress.
Bill, now that this is over,
we need to talk.
(knock on door)
May I come in?
LINDSAY: This is a client
meeting.
Come on, Bill.
What are you doing?
Taking Bill back
to the hospital.
DR. BERNARD: The lawyer says our
appeal should take a year.
Whatever you may think,
Mr. Berluti,
I'm still his doctor.
Bill tried to save my life.
So as long as we remain open,
he's gonna have a home.
LINDSAY: You don't have to go
with him, Bill.
There are other hospitals
that might take you in.
Is it okay to talk
to Lois for a second?
I don't think that
would be a good idea.
No. Wait.
It's-- it's all right.
I want to come home.
I know.
But you can't.
You don't love me anymore.
That's not true.
I just can't take care
of you anymore.
Whatever you did--
if you met someone else,
I don't care about that.
All that matters to me
is that we stay together.
I can't do this again.
I'm sorry.
Deborah...
I'll use whatever name
you want.
Bill...
Listen to me.
I won't be Superman anymore.
I promise.
I-- I can do it.
You can't.
DEBORAH: The world needs
Superman.
Especially now.
And no matter how much
I might want to...
...I can't ask you to stop
being who you really are.
I love you.
I love you, too.
Goodbye.
(sobs)
I...
(sobs)
...wanna go home.
(crying)
(music playing)
(music playing)
WOMAN: You Stinker!