["Alfred Hitchcock" theme music]
- Good evening, ladies and
gentlemen, and welcome to
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
[whistle blows]
That was my sponsor.
He is of the opinion that
my way of opening the show
lacks zip and excitement, he is
attempting
to zip me up.
[whistle blows]
[action music]
[g*n bangs]
If that had the same effect on
the viewers as it did on me,
our audience will be too
exhausted to watch the show,
and that would be a pity, for
it tells how to treat a wife
who is too loving, too
kind, and too thoughtful.
I'm sure all of your
husbands know this problem.
[whistle blows]
[g*n bangs]
And now, before we have
tonight's play,
a few words from our sponsor,
quite possibly his last ones.
[suspenseful music]
[Alice whimpering]
- John, John!
- Alice, what is it, what's the
matter?
- It happened again.
- Poor darling.
- I'm all right now, I'm just
cold.
- Oh, it's because you've been
ill.
I was quite worried about you
the first two days you were
here.
Is it some kind of nightmare?
- I'm in bed, and the curtains
move,
they begin to billow but
there isn't any wind,
and then something comes from
behind them.
- Something?
- A shadow, something
dark, something horrible.
I wait, and it moves
nearer, and I can't move,
I know it's gonna destroy me.
- I wish you'd let me call the
doctor
when you first had that attack.
- Oh no, it was just a stomach
upset,
I've never really been ill.
- I'll get you some tea.
- That's odd.
- What is?
- The curtains I keep
seeing in my nightmare.
- What about them?
- I just realized,
they're the ones in my bedroom
at home.
[suspenseful music]
[ominous music]
- Morning, Ethel.
- Oh, good morning, sir.
- I'll be back around 5:00
in case my wife calls.
- I'll tell her, sir.
- Oh, and Mr. Norton's coming to
dinner.
- Tonight?
- About 7:00, I've already
spoken to Mrs. Bates
about what to cook.
We'll probably play cards after
dinner,
so would you set up the table
please?
- Oh, yes sir.
- All right.
The house is different with
Mrs. Pemberton away, isn't it?
- Yes, it is.
She'll be back on Friday won't
she?
- Yes, in two days.
- Well, Gus, this man came into
the bar
[laughing] with an alligator.
Oh dear, what's the punchline?
Oh yes [laughing], the bartender
said,
we don't serve alligators.
- Mother.
- They don't drink.
Why, Alice, what are you
doing with your valise?
- We don't serve alligators.
- I'm going home.
- Oh, that's rich.
- Is there any mail for me?
I'm Mrs. Pemberton.
- No, ma'am, I'll see
you tomorrow Mrs. Wales.
- Thanks, goodbye, Gus.
- We don't serve alligators.
[Gus chuckles]
- But Alice, home,
what do you mean?
John isn't expecting you until
Friday.
- I know, but I decided to
leave.
- I'm sure you'll be glad to get
back,
not that I'm anxious to
be rid of you, darling.
- Oh, of course not, Mother.
- But John will be so pleased to
see you.
He called twice to ask
exactly how you were feeling.
- What did you tell him?
- Oh, you know how bad
I am at descriptions.
I told him you were feeling much
better.
Only I would speak to
the cook if I were you.
I'm sure it's something she's
using
on the pots to clean them with.
- Yes.
Oh Mother, didn't I throw that
dressing gown in the rubbish?
Oh, did you?
- You must have got it out
again.
What happened to the new
dressing gown I brought you?
- Oh, it's upstairs, darling.
- [Alice] Didn't you like it?
- Oh, yes, very much.
Well, maybe the color.
- I chose dark brown.
- Oh yes, lovely dark
brown, very suitable.
But maybe it's the cut.
- It's exactly like the one I
saw
Mr. Milford's mother wearing.
- Oh yes, and Mr. Milford
is such a good preacher.
I'm sure his mother must
be very proud of him.
- Well I'm sure she wouldn't
be wearing a thing like that
out in the front garden and
making jokes with the postman.
- Oh, darling, do I
really look so dreadful?
- Oh, Mother.
- Don't you worry about
your old mother, darling,
she's past redemption.
Well, have a good drive home,
and give my love to Madge and
Leo.
- All right.
[car horn honks]
- [Ethel] Mrs. Pemberton,
we didn't expect you back until
Friday.
- [Alice] Well, here I am
Wednesday.
Is Mr. Pemberton in?
- No, he said he'd be back about
- Has the gardener been here?
- [Ethel] Yes.
- Nice to be home.
I see you've dusted.
- [Ethel] Every day, ma'am.
- It's very tidy, Ethel.
- Thank you.
- Oh, um, Ethel, my mother
didn't telephone you did she?
- Call me, Mrs. Pemberton?
- I mean and warn you that I was
coming
and then you dusted and tidied
up?
- I kept the house just like you
see it
all the time you've been away.
- Oh well [laughing], it could
happen.
Bring my bag upstairs,
will you, I want to change
and run over to my sister's
after lunch.
Ethel, you're sure my
mother didn't telephone you?
- I've told you, Mrs. Pemberton.
The phone hasn't rung all
morning.
[sorrowful music]
- Ethel.
- [Ethel] Yes, ma'am?
- Why, look at this.
Somebody must have torn my
picture
and then pasted it together
and put it back in the frame.
- Well, I don't know who'd
do a thing like that.
- The other maid, the one
we had before you came?
I had to fire her and she
probably did it
just out of spite and I
never noticed it til now.
I suppose nobody's pressed
Mr. Pemberton's clothes
since I've been gone?
They look all right.
[suspenseful music]
What's this?
- [Ethel] I wouldn't know.
- Mm.
[wagon wheels shudder on
pavement]
Madge.
[knocks on door]
Madge?
Madge?
Madge?
- [Madge] I'm in here.
- Oh, what are you
doing lying in the dark?
You're not sick are you?
- I've been trying to sleep.
- Well, sleep, on a wonderful
afternoon like this?
There now, isn't that better?
- I thought you weren't
coming home until Friday.
- Oh, I changed my mind.
You know, nobody met me at the
door, is your girl off today?
- I let her go.
- Let her go, why?
- Well, we can't afford a maid.
- Oh [laughing], what
nonsense, of course you can.
Does Walter expect you
to clean your own house?
- Well, I've been cleaning it.
Would you like a cup of coffee,
Alice?
- No thanks, dear, you
know I never drink coffee.
- Well, how'd you find mother?
- Oh, she's all right.
Even though it is surprising how
she seems
perfectly happy just muddling
along.
- Oh, I don't think
she does much muddling,
she knows how she likes to
live and she lives that way.
- [Betty] It is true, Jeffery,
it's Aunt Alice's car.
- Now, Alice, please,
don't encourage Betty.
- Encourage her?
- Please, Alice, don't.
- Aunt Alice.
- Betty, hello, Jeffery.
- Oh, I'm so glad you're home,
I prayed for you to get well.
- Did you?
- Every night.
- Oh, that's nice, isn't it
Madge?
- And I wrote a composition in
school.
It was about what I wanted
to be when I was grown up,
and I said a missionary.
- Ooh, what a nice ambition.
- I'm gonna go to the islands,
and I'll convert all the
natives.
- All right, Betty, that's
enough.
I left some cookies in
the kitchen, go get them.
And then you'd better change
your clothes.
- Must I, Mother?
Must I, Aunt Alice?
- Well you look absolutely--
- I'm your mother,
not Aunt Alice, now go on.
You, too, darling.
- Bye.
- You see what happened?
I've asked you, Alice, please,
not to talk to Betty
so much about religion.
- Why not?
- [Madge] It's not healthy.
- Oh, that's nonsense.
Don't you want your children
to be taught any religion?
- Of course I do, but when a
says she wants to be a
missionary in Timbuktu,
that's exhibitionism.
- Don't be so scientific,
you've brought your children up
in a good old-fashioned way
instead of being so liberal with
them.
- They're my children, Alice.
- Yes, obviously, from their
manners.
- And what's wrong with
my children's manners?
- Well, look at Jeffery.
- Well, what about Jeffery?
- Well, I'm not as modern
as you are, but I mean,
isn't there just something
a little bit sissy about him
clinging to you like that?
- He's five-years old.
And why shouldn't he cling
to me, I'm his mother?
- Oh, but running to you and
kissing you,
not even saying hello to me.
I'd be worried.
- Would you?
Well, I'm not.
I worry more about Betty.
- Well, I must be running.
I want to stop in and
see Leo on the way home.
- Alice?
- Hmm.
Oh, you're crushing me.
- I'm sorry, I just
wanted to give you a hug,
like we used to when we were
kids.
- You are looking tired.
Have Walter get you some help.
[suspenseful music]
[suspenseful music]
[light orchestral music]
[knocking on door]
- Oh, Colin, is your father
home?
It's me, your Aunt Alice.
Well can't you see me?
Colin, if you don't stop
reading,
you're not gonna have any eyes
at all.
[knocks on door]
- Colin, what is it?
- It's Aunt Alice, she's
downstairs, I ran away.
- Oh, Colin.
- I hate it when she comes here.
She just gets father sick.
- Oh, honey, don't let her upset
you.
- Why does she have to
come here all the time?
- Alice?
[Leo coughs]
- But, you must take care.
What will happen to your
patients
if you have a breakdown.
- Alice?
- Oh, Evie, this cough.
[Leo coughs]
- I'm all right now.
May I have a glass of water.
- There you are.
Yow know, I read in the medical
journal--
- Oh, darling, it's 3:30,
won't you be late for
Mrs. Dickinson?
- Oh, thank you.
You'll have to excuse me, Alice,
I've got a house call to make.
- But can't Mrs. Dickinson
come to the office?
- Mrs. Dickinson is bed-ridden.
- But, I mean when
he's feeling like this.
- Evie, Evie,
we must all have dinner together
some night with Alice and John.
- You'd better hurry, dear.
- Yes, goodbye, Alice.
- Oh, Leo, I don't like
the sound of that cough.
You know it's getting worse.
[Leo coughs]
- Is it, Alice?
- Well, you know,
I can't understand it, Leo's a
doctor.
He of all people should know
how to take care of himself.
- We're all doing the best we
can, Alice.
- Oh, yes.
Oh, you have a button missing.
- Have I?
- Why don't you let me
take your blouse over
and I'll give it to my
maid to sew on for you.
- I'll do it myself, thank you.
I wouldn't want to bother your
maid.
- Oh, she wouldn't mind,
she never has enough to do.
It's funny isn't it,
I can't stand things like
missing buttons.
Well, it's psychological, I
mean, it shows one's character.
- Yes, it does.
- Well, I ought to be running.
I want to be sure that the
cook has planned a nice dinner.
Tell Leo I don't like
the sound of that cough.
- You've already told him,
Alice.
- Oh, Evie,
Colin needs a haircut,
that is if you can get his
nose out of a book long enough
to take him to a barber.
- We're very proud of the fact
that Colin likes to read so
much.
- Oh, what a beautiful
afternoon.
Oh, aren't John and I lucky
not to have any worries.
It's so wonderful to be,
oh, at peace with oneself in the
world.
Of course, it's partly my doing.
I would have worries if I gave
in to them, but I never do.
Oh, look at me, counting my
blessings
when you have so much to do.
Oh, bye, dear.
[suspenseful music]
[door slams]
- I ain't got nothing
to do with it, ma'am.
It's what Mr. Pemberton told me
to cook.
- Are you sure?
- He's asked Mr. Norton to
dinner
and he said Mr. Norton likes
veal stew and apple pie.
- Oh, what a dreadful
meal, so heavy and dull,
oh, Mrs. Bates, really.
When I think of all the
time and trouble I've taken
preparing menus with you, you
shouldn't serve Mr. Pemberton
a dinner like that just because
I'm away.
- Shall I cook you something
different?
- No, thank you, I'll eat what
they eat.
And then at bedtime,
I'll have my usual cocoa,
you did remember to order the
new kind?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Oh, Mrs. Bates.
Could you be using some cleanser
that might have something,
well, poisonous in it?
- Poison?
- I had a bad attack of
something
before I went to my mother's,
and she thought it might be,
oh, something you're using
in the pots or the dishes.
- It ain't nothing I'm using.
- How can you be sure?
- 'Cause we all eat out of the
same pots
and off the same dishes.
- Hm, that's true.
Well, it was probably just
a little stomach upset.
Darling.
I'm home two days early, oh
I'm feeling so much better.
- And did you go to a doctor?
- Oh, you know I never go to
doctors, I always cure myself.
- By sheer willpower.
- Mm, and I'm feeling marvelous,
now, oh, let me look at you.
Don't you look distinguished in
that suit?
- Do I?
- Oh, darling, I'm so glad
you're here.
- Are you?
- Oh everything's been
horrid since I arrived,
I mean, Evie and Madge,
why is it that nobody
wants to be happy or enjoy life
except me?
- Poor baby, nobody
understands you, do they?
- Except you.
- Except me.
[Alice sighs softly]
[light string music]
- Are you asleep?
- No.
- You haven't kissed me yet, you
know?
- Haven't I?
- Mmp-mm, you let me kiss you
enough,
oh, but you haven't kissed me.
[romantic music]
- I'm so sorry, forgive me.
- Hmm, what'd you say?
- Nothing.
- You said something under your
breath.
It sounded like forgive me.
Mm, why should I forgive
you, what have you done?
- I didn't mean anything.
- Have you been unfaithful to
me?
- I couldn't be even if I wanted
to.
I've thought of nothing but
you all the time you were away.
You've haunted me.
- Well, what have I
got to forgive you for?
- Oh, I guess I was just
asking you to forgive me
for being what I am and
doing whatever I've done.
Just as you might ask me to
forgive you for being you.
- Mmm.
[rapid knocking on door]
Oh, yes?
- [Ethel] It's me, Mrs.
Pemberton.
It's almost 7:00 and Mr. Norton
is coming.
- Oh, Ethel.
Have you done the flowers for
the table?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Did you put the candlesticks
on?
- Yes, ma'am.
- And you polished the silver
ashtrays?
- [John] I'm sure Ethel
will have everything very nice,
darling.
- She has been known to forget,
you know.
You did polish the silver?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you.
Oh, dear.
I wish Mr. Norton weren't
coming,
I wish we could be alone all
evening.
- The old man likes to
play cards, sweetheart.
- Does she?
- Who?
- Mrs. Norton.
- I think he said she was
going out for the evening.
- Well, when a man that age
marries again,
you have to expect that sort of
thing.
- What sort of thing?
- Darling, she's at least
- Alice, come on, I like Norton.
- Well, so do I.
I'd better go and put my dress
on.
- Alice.
- [Alice] Yes, darling?
- Promise me you won't
say anything at dinner.
- [Alice] About what?
- Don't give Norton any advice,
don't tell him how wonderful old
age is,
just let him have his dinner
and play cards, will you?
- [Alice] Of course.
- And don't talk too much,
promise me.
- Oh, you know how tactful I am,
but it must be miserable for him
having to go to other people's
houses
to spend a pleasant evening.
- Alice.
- Hm?
- Promise me.
- Oh, you are silly, what
could I possibly say.
- Are you going to promise me?
- I will be mute all evening.
Better luck next time, Mr.
Norton.
- Yes, I'm sorry you lost,
Henry.
- Oh, it's all right, it's all
right.
Well, good night, John, I
want to thank you very much.
- Oh, you suppose you could
manage lunch next week, Henry?
- The Plaza has a businessman's
special every Thursday.
- I know, darling.
- Call me if you can.
- I'll remind him, he
always forgets everything.
- Well, you know that, that's
a very human failing, my dear.
- Oh it was heaven to have you.
- You know, you're a very
unusual person, Alice.
- Oh, heavens, Mr. Norton,
you mustn't flatter me.
I'm a very simple person.
- Oh no, my dear, anything but
simple.
Good night.
- Good night.
Does he always leave so early?
- No.
- Oh, I suppose it was that
heavy dinner
that made him sleepy.
Veal stew does that.
- I don't think it was the stew.
But I do think it was a pity
you tried to improve his gin
game.
- Oh, darling, I only told
him how to arrange his hand.
- Alice, Henry's an old man,
he likes to play cards the
way he's always played cards.
- But, darling, if--
- And I think it was a pity,
too, that you told him so much
about how you've tried to reform
me
since we've been married, I
mean,
how I forget everything
and lose everything.
- [laughing] That's true.
- Alice, Norton's rich,
and he's thinking of
transferring
all his business to me
because he's not satisfied
with the lawyers he has now.
- Well, nothing I said
could have changed his mind.
I simply said that you'd gotten
over all those bad habits.
- Yes, you told him that, too.
- Well, then what's worrying
you?
- Possibly the idea that
Norton might think a man
whose wife has to look after him
as though he were
feeble-minded might not be
a very reliable lawyer
to give his business to.
- Oh dear, I wish you'd
dropped me a hint at dinner.
- Why?
- Well, then I would have told
him
what a wonderful lawyer you are.
- The point is, he'd like to
find that out for himself.
Darling, I need some new
business.
Don't you realize how
few new clients I get?
Nobody comes to the office
anymore.
- Oh, well, this town, you know.
- It's not this town.
Besides, I like Norton.
I'd like him to have confidence
in me.
- Oh, well it's all right,
darling,
we'll just ask him to dinner
again
and be especially nice
to him, and that's it.
I'm sleepy, are you going to
come to bed?
- [John] No, I think I'll stay
down here,
I want to think something out.
- All right, but don't be long.
[suspenseful music]
And, darling, do remind
Ethel to bring up my cocoa.
Good night.
[ominous music]
- You have to admire our
sponsor.
He's a far more hardy
individual than I imagined,
and nimble, too.
During that last commercial,
I couldn't once draw a bead on
him.
And now a word from
another energetic fellow,
your local station.
Good evening, and welcome
to The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
part two,
and to the sponsor's message
part four.
[suspenseful music]
[cheerful music]
- When along came a spider
and sat down beside her and
frightened Miss Muffet away.
- Oh, John.
[both laughing]
- Good morning.
- Have you had breakfast?
- Bacon and eggs.
- Did Mrs. Bates remember
to turn your eggs over?
- Yes, Mrs. Bates remembered
to turn my eggs over.
What are you gonna do today?
- Oh, I don't know, I
may go and see Walter.
- Walter?
- Do you know, he's let their
girl go?
Madge is doing all the housework
herself.
- Yes, I knew it.
- And it's made a wreck of her.
Do you realize Madge is
five years younger than I am
and she's already looking,
well, 20 years older.
The least Walter can do
is let her go on a rest
at one of those wonderful health
resorts.
- Alice.
- What?
- Don't.
- Don't what?
- Don't see Walter.
I'm serious.
- Well, all I was gonna do is
talk to him.
- Alice, listen, please don't
interfere
in his and Madge's life.
- I'm not interfering.
- What else would you call it?
- Well, somebody has to talk to
Walter.
After all, if Madge fell down in
the road
and a car was coming--
- It's not the same thing.
- To me, it is, I'd be saving
her.
Anyway, I heard about a
wonderful health resort.
It's up near Lake Tahoe
where they put you on diets
and give you massages, and--
- Sweetheart, I love you.
Do you believe that?
- Of course.
- And you love me, don't you?
- You know I do.
- Then for our sake, promise me,
and this time keep your
promise to leave Madge
and Walter alone, and that
includes Evie and Leo.
Don't visit them unless they ask
you.
Don't try to manage their
affairs,
don't save them from anything.
- But John, you sound as though
Leo and Evie resented me.
- Would it matter to you?
- Well, I couldn't bear it,
darling.
- [John] Why?
- Well, it would be so
ungrateful of them.
You know I'm always trying
to do things for them.
- That's just the point.
Sweetheart, people change
after they've grown up,
and married, and have children.
They like to be left alone.
- Well they wouldn't want to,
unless they stopped loving me.
Oh, John, don't tell me
everybody stopped loving me.
- No, darling.
But I want you to make
that promise, to please me.
I might, I might do something
violent if you don't.
- What?
- m*rder you.
- [laughing] Oh, silly.
All right, I promise.
That's exactly what Madge needs,
Walter,
complete rest and quiet,
and then they get you up at
seven o'clock in the morning
and make you exercise in the
woods.
- A charming idea, Alice.
- And while Madge is away,
I'll take care of Betty and
Jeffrey,
you know, I don't think
Madge understands Betty.
- Oh, Alice.
I'll take her to church
and to those Spanish
missions, oh, she'll love it.
- Now, Alice.
- What is it, Walter?
- I can't afford it.
- Well, of course you can, it's
only $500.
- Well, I haven't got $500.
- What?
Well you have all that oil
stock, sell some of it.
- I've already sold that.
- You haven't.
- Two years ago.
I speculated.
Please try and understand,
Alice, I love my wife.
It kills me to see how
hard Madge is working,
but I haven't got the $500.
I owe my creditors, I owe the
government,
the market cleaned me out.
- Well.
[phone rings]
- Hello?
Yeah, she's here.
It's John.
- Ooh, darling.
What?
Well, John, I mean.
Yes, John.
All right, John.
All right, I'll meet you
outside, John.
Yes, goodbye John.
Who told you I was at Walter's
office?
Ethel?
Ethel heard me telephoning.
Oh, she's worse than Lillian
Hall.
Well, aren't you going
to talk to me at all?
Course, I'll have to see Madge.
Just because Walter's lost all
his money
and she has to be a little
careful, there's no reason
for lying around on sofas
and playing the martyr.
[brakes squeal]
Where are we going?
Let go of me.
- Alice, can't you get
it through your head?
There's no necessity of
saying anything to Madge.
She's a fine woman, she doesn't
need any advice from you.
- What's the matter with
you, you're hurting my wrist.
- I'm sorry.
- No, I don't think you're sorry
at all.
What did I say that was so
awful?
- Alice, have you ever
read any fairy tales?
- Fairy tales?
- Yes, there's one about a
princess.
She was very beautiful, she
lived in a beautiful castle,
had a beautiful garden,
but her fairy godmother warned
her not to do one thing.
There was a particular
flower in that garden
she wasn't to pick.
If she did, she'd lose
everything,
her beauty, castle, everything.
- I don't get the point.
- Alice, princess, don't
touch that flower, please.
- Oh, don't be silly, they
only write fairy stories
to keep children out of
mischief.
- Yes, but the children
never listen, do they?
[ominous music]
[tires squeal]
[suspenseful music]
[lively music]
[suspenseful music]
Who are you calling?
- Madge.
- I want to talk to you.
- All right.
- I want you to listen
to me very carefully
because I'm gonna tell you the
truth.
What are you doing?
- I'm looking at you in the
mirror.
- Don't look at me in the
mirror, look at me here,
this is where I am.
- Is this better.
- Alice, I'm gonna tell you
the truth about yourself,
and I'm gonna do it right now,
because tomorrow it might be too
late.
- Why?
- Alice, you're a wonderful
person.
You're the salt of the earth.
In the ten years I've been
married to you,
I've never known you to
do anything dishonorable.
You'd hold your hand in a hot
fire for someone you love.
You'd give away your last nickel
to someone in your family.
I know that, and I know that
now that you've found out
Madge is broke, you'll
shower her with presents.
Shower, you'll drown her.
You'll be so generous with
her that she'll grit her teeth
every time the postman delivers
another package from you.
- Well, that's a strange thing
to say.
- What I'm trying to tell you,
Alice,
is that nobody likes having
salt rubbed into their wounds.
- Salt rubbed into their wounds?
- You never give up an
opportunity
of making people feel inferior
to you.
You insist on managing their
lives
and then you expect them to be
grateful.
- Madge has been talking
against me, hasn't she.
- No.
What I'm trying to tell you,
Alice, is that you hurt people.
You hurt them continually and
intolerably.
You find out everybody's
vulnerable point
and you sh**t arrows into
it, sharp, poisoned arrows.
You find out what allows people
to survive and you k*ll it.
- Oh, my sister resents me,
I knew that this morning.
- Alice.
- And I suppose Evie's joined
the chorus behind my back.
- Yes, yes they talk against
you,
they have to, to protect
themselves.
You are deadly.
- That is ridiculous.
- Now wait, I've got a
lot more to tell you.
You want to know the real reason
you aren't welcome at Leo's
house?
It isn't because of Evie, it's
Leo.
Leo can't stand you.
- My brother?
- [John] And he loves you like
we all do,
but you frighten him.
- Frighten him?
- Do you remember that
wound he got during the w*r?
- Yes, I remember.
- [John] It was a bad one.
- I know that.
- And last winter, he got
pneumonia.
- [Alice] I know that, too.
- He got well, but a little
slowly, and every day,
you'd go to the hospital
and you'd sit by him.
And you'd look at him
with those beautiful eyes
and you'd say, "Leo, are you
sure it isn't that old wound?"
And then you'd pause and say,
"Leo, what will Evie and Colin
"do if you have to give up your
practice?"
- Because I was concerned,
isn't it natural for me to be
concerned?
- No, darling, because
it is that old wound.
And Leo knew it, and Leo
knew that you knew it.
Leo's a doctor, he knows
what his coughing means.
He knows that the next
time he gets pneumonia
he won't recover, he'll die.
And he doesn't want to die,
people don't, you know.
So the only way he can
go on from day to day
is to forget, to pretend
that it's something else,
smog, the damp air, anything,
anything but what it really
is, his death notice.
And he knows that every
time you come near him,
you manage to remind him of it.
You make sure you remind him of
it.
"Leo, how's the cough today?
"Leo, you must be careful?"
If you knew how many
times Evie has called me
and asked me to please,
please keep you away from him.
- So.
- What does that mean?
- You've joined them, you've
joined the conspiracy, too.
- There's no conspiracy.
You t*rture Leo, that's
why Colin hates you.
- Now Colin?
- Colin loves his father,
and he knows that every time
you go to his house, you
leave his father so depressed
he's ready to cut his throat.
Naturally he hates you, and you
hate him.
- That simply is not true.
- It is.
You hate Colin because he tries
to come between you and Leo,
because he tries to protect his
father.
And you love Betty because
you can use her against Madge.
- Have you quite finished?
- Not quite.
- Well I think maybe you'd
better sleep in the guest room.
- Haven't you listened
to anything I've said?
Don't you understand
what's happened to us?
We've no friends, don't you
realize that?
People are afraid of you.
Look what you did to old Henry
Norton.
Look how your own mother
had to leave this town
because you made her feel
that you were ashamed of her.
- How can you say that?
- It's true, she went to Leo
crying that you made her feel
that she belonged either in a
coffin
or a home for the aged.
- Stop it, stop that!
[Alice crying]
- Alice, I'm sorry, don't cry.
[Alice sobs]
- I want to be liked, I do,
and I am at first, and then,
then something happens.
- I'm trying to tell you
what makes them change.
- Well it hasn't changed you.
- Hasn't it?
- No, but what makes me
miserable
is that you'd listen to all
these people
when they're trying to
be spiteful about me.
- Don't you feel that
anything I've said is true?
- No, I don't, I can't
stop seeing Madge and Leo.
- [John] Why not?
- Well I, I wouldn't want them
to think
I don't have any family
feeling, and I do, a great deal.
- And you're still gonna talk to
Madge
about Walter's stock losses, hm?
- [Alice] But, of course.
- Why?
- Well, I found something out
about Walter
that makes it necessary.
- What?
- Well, he speculated for a
reason,
he needed that extra money.
- For what?
- A woman.
- Oh, the blonde in Fresno,
you found out about that.
He broke that off two years ago.
- And two years ago he lost his
money.
- You could have a lot of
fun with that, couldn't you?
Madge would probably leave
Walter, she loves him,
but a little heart to heart
talk with you would k*ll that.
And Walter?
He's pretty down, he
doesn't have much left.
All he has left to hang onto is
Madge.
Take that away and he'd
really fall, all the way down.
Yes, you sure could have a lot
of fun
with a little item like
the blonde in Fresno.
- But, I couldn't possibly
keep this a secret from
Madge, she'd never forgive me
even if it weren't my duty to
tell her.
- Alice, Alice, listen.
Will you do one thing for me,
please?
- What?
- Let's sell this house,
let's go to Europe,
let's forget about your family,
this town,
let's give ourselves one last
chance, will you, please?
- Are you joking?
- I've never meant anything
more seriously in my whole life.
- You mean sell all my beautiful
things, leave my family,
wander around Europe as
though I were a criminal?
How can you even ask such a
thing?
[somber music]
- Forgive me, I was being
stupid.
I've said some cruel things,
and they were useless, too.
But it's all over now.
I'm back to where I was
before you went away.
Well, shall we have dinner.
- No, I'm tired, you know
how talking exhausts me.
Oh, and darling, do tell
Ethel to bring up my cocoa.
[somber music]
Oh, darling.
Did you remember to ask
Ethel to bring up my cocoa?
- Yeah.
- Aren't you having dinner,
either?
- No, I'm having a
drink, it's all I wanted.
- John?
- Mm-hm?
- I found a tube of white
powder in your tweed jacket.
What is it?
- That's something I picked up
at Leo's.
- What's it for.
- Sleep.
- Oh, haven't you been
sleeping well lately?
- Not very.
- [Alice] Oh.
I tasted it.
- You did.
- It's horrid, does it work?
- If you know the right amount
it does.
I haven't been using the right
amount,
but if you use the right amount
it works.
- [Alice] Why didn't you ask
Leo?
He could have prescribed the
right dose.
[knocking on door]
Come in.
- It's your cocoa, Mrs.
Pemberton.
- Oh, is it the new kind.
- [Ethel] Yes, ma'am.
- Well, put it right down there,
please.
- Will that be all, ma'am?
- That's all, thank you.
Oh, Ethel, don't forget to
turn the lights off downstairs.
- Yes, ma'am, good night.
- Good night.
Oh, look at that, really.
Fingermarks all over the pot.
Ethel's getting so careless
lately, I tell you,
it takes all my time
just looking after her.
I don't know, you just can't
get anybody these days,
you have to do it all yourself,
really,
where are you going?
- What's Ethel doing in the
guest room?
- Is she?
Ethel?
[suspenseful music]
Ethel?
Ethel?
Ethel?
Ethel?
- [Ethel] Yes, ma'am?
- Are you down there?
- [Ethel] You want something,
ma'am?
- No, no thanks, just checking,
night.
Dear.
Oh, you must be dreaming,
she's gone downstairs.
Darling, did you have to leave
that there?
- I'll get it in a minute.
[Alice sighs]
- Take your medicine?
- Don't worry about me, drink
your cocoa.
[spoon clinks]
- This brand tastes worse than
the last.
- Finish it, you didn't have any
dinner.
- What'chya doing?
- I'm gonna wash the cup and
saucer and rinse out the pot.
- Whatever for?
- I don't really know, it won't
help,
but I don't care.
- Oh, darling, you're forgiven.
It's all right.
I mean about the guest room,
you don't have to sleep there.
I'd be too lonely.
[water runs in sink]
Oh, darling, don't bother
with that, that's Ethel's job.
Mmm, mm.
Oh we're so silly to quarrel.
We always patch things up.
Leo said why don't we
all have dinner together,
the four of us.
Don't you think that'd be nice.
- Mm-hm.
- [Alice] We could ask
Walter and Madge, too.
I think families ought
to have dinner together
at least once a week, don't you?
- Mm-hm.
- We could have the cook
do something very special.
Aren't you coming to bed?
[lighter clicks]
Well, don't stay up all night.
[suspenseful music]
[Alice gasps]
John!
[Alice groaning]
John.
- In case you hadn't guessed,
that was the end of our story.
At least, that it is
all we intend to show.
The scene in which John turns
himself in to the police
is, of course, an integral
part of the story,
but we feel it would be
in poor taste to show it.
We have not yet come to
the end of our commercials,
however, I shall do what I
can to pep them up a bit.
[whistle blows]
["Funeral March of the
Marionette"]
["Funeral March of the
Marionette"]
[boisterous music]
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