All language subtitles for Alfred Hitchcock s03e31 The Festive Season

Good evening, and thank you for allowing
me to come into your living room.

The miracle of electronics makes many
new pleasures possible.

I frequently watch television.

It takes my mind off my work.

You aren't interrupting, however, for I
seldom pay much attention to this part

of the program.

It's really quite superfluous.

I find I can miss it entirely and still
know what the commercial is all about.

I must say I sometimes find myself
fascinated by the amazing ego of this

He speaks as though he were certain. We
were all sitting here with ears akimbo,

listening to his every word.

Let's listen to what he's saying now.

But first we have an important
announcement.

The way he bows and scrapes before the
sponsor is disgusting.

He's obviously a relative.

And expensive message.

Hello, Celia.

You're late.

I'm sorry. I had some trouble on the
road.

Well, I've already finished dinner.

Oh, it doesn't matter. I stopped on the
way and had some. I wasn't sure you'd

got my wire.

Oh, where can I put these?

Christmas presents.

Well, it is Christmas Eve.

Yes, I know.

Only I hope that you'd realize that
presence would be a little out of place

time like this.

I'm sorry.

How is Charlie?

The same.

Where is he?

Where he usually is, in his room.

He fits there by the hour, doing
nothing, brooding.

I'll go and tell him I'm here.

Maybe if I have a little talk with him,
I can cheer him up a bit.

John.

Talk to me for a little first.

I'm sorry if I snapped at you.

It's just that I never seem to talk to
anybody anymore. I get so lonely.

There's no need for that, you know.

Well, what can I do?

Charlie hasn't spoken to me since it
happened.

Except when he loses his temper.

I didn't mean just Charlie.

I meant shutting yourself away like
this, not seeing anybody.

Well, did you expect that we'd have big
parties the way we used to?

Not if you don't want to.

But at least you don't have to keep the
place like this.

It's enough to depress anyone.

A little more light wouldn't hurt, you
know.

It's easier in the dark.

It's easier to pretend it never
happened.

There, that's a little more cheerful.

It doesn't seem right somehow.

But it can't hurt Jesse now. Can I get
you some coffee?

No, please don't bother.

Let's go into the library and talk for a
few minutes.

I'll see Charlie later.

Well, it's all set.

Yes, yes, I laid it this morning.

I suppose it was a foolish thought, but
I thought that if you would talk to

Charlie, he'd stop blaming me and
staying up in his room.

It'd be so lovely.

To have a big fire the way we always
used to on Christmas Eve.

Celia. Oh, I don't mean a lot of people.
I know that that wouldn't be right so

soon. Why not?

But you're not just anyone.

You're an old friend.

It wouldn't be disrespectful to Jesse
for just the three of us to have a quiet

Christmas Eve.

Oh, it certainly wouldn't. It wouldn't
even be disrespectful to have a few

people in. Oh, no, no, I wouldn't want
that. Why not?

Well, I should think you'd understand
without my explaining.

Well, I don't. I suppose it's because
you never felt the same way about Jessie

as I did.

Oh, I know you liked her.

But I... I loved her.

Why? Because she was your brother's
wife?

Partly, I suppose.

But more because of her.

She was so good.

So sweet.

You hated her.

Don't say that. You're just like all the
others.

I wouldn't even be surprised if you
believed what they were all whispering.

They weren't whispering.

That was your imagination or your
conscience.

Everyone thought the three of you got on
well together until you started acting

this way.

But you didn't believe it.

Well, answer me.

I've wondered sometimes, yes.

How could you?

You've known me all my life.

How could you think that I could hurt
anyone, let alone Jesse?

It was an accident, John. She tripped
and fell down the stairs.

Celia, I don't care much anymore, one
way or the other. You were cleared at

inquest. Yes.

And what good did it do me?

Everyone still believes that I did it.

Even Charlie.

That's what hurts the most.

My own brother.

Celia, please don't.

John, why do you care so much?

I've always cared, you know that.

Then you've got to talk to him. You've
got to make him see the truth.

Celia, the only thing you can do is to
go away from each other. Oh, no.

No, I don't mean forever, but just for a
little while.

This is my home. I have no place else to
go.

You only see things the way you want
them to be.

This isn't your home.

This was Jesse and Charlie's home.

I was born in this house.

But your father left it to Charlie.

That's because he knew it didn't make
any difference.

He knew that Charlie would always want
me here. Don't you understand?

The way he feels now is because he's so
unhappy. He loved her so much.

That's why he blames me.

He has to blame someone.

Do you honestly believe he'll ever feel
differently?

Oh, yes.

Yes, he has to.

I couldn't go on.

Bearing his hatred.

He's all I have.

He's all I ever had, really.

John, is that you down there?

Yes, I just got here.

Come on down, Charlie.

You come up.

All right, just a minute.

I guess I'd better.

What are those?

Oh, Jesse's clothes, her personal
things. I packed them last night.

What are you going to do with them?

Get rid of them.

Because you loved her so much?

You don't understand.

It's not because of me. It's because of
Charlie.

It hurts him to be reminded of her.

John!

I'm coming.

Hello, Charlie.

John, it's so good to see you. It's good
to see you, Charlie.

Come into my room. I don't want her to
hear us.

Come on in, John.

We're all right now.

What's the matter?

You didn't know I'd moved back into my
old room, did you? Yes, I knew.

She told you, I suppose.

What difference does it make?

None.

Nothing makes any difference now.

But it's better in here.

I feel easier somehow.

As you always did.

Ever since we were kids, this was your
favorite refuge.

It was the only place I was really away
from both of them.

Mama and Celia.

It's funny.

Sometimes I get them both mixed up.

Don't look at me like that.

I'm not losing my mind.

It's just that I couldn't bear to stay
in the room that Jesse and I had.

Running back in here isn't the answer,
Charlie.

What is? Getting away from this house,
from Celia, and from all the unhappy

memories this house holds for you.

I'm going to.

You mean that?

I never meant anything more.

But there's something I have to do
first.

What?

You'll know about it when it happens.

Well, that's no answer.

I don't want to talk about it.

Charlie, listen to me. We've been
friends for a long time.

But I didn't want to come here tonight.

I didn't want to spend Christmas like
this. Then why did you come?

Because you can't go on like this any
longer.

Go look at yourself in the mirror.
You're as pale as a ghost. You haven't

shaved. What do you expect to accomplish
this way?

I told you I'm going away as soon as I
can. But you haven't told me what's

stopping you. Why you can't go right
away, tonight even.

You know as well as I do.

What is that supposed to mean?

She killed Jesse.

You know it, I know it, everyone knows
it.

But why did they let her go?

Why did they clear her at the inquest?

The verdict was accidental death.

There was no other verdict possible
under the circumstances. There was no

evidence, no motive.

What are you talking about?

She hated Jesse. What stronger motive is
there?

Well, if she did, no one knew but you.

Or possibly me.

You all pretended so in front of
everyone else.

Yes, that's right.

We were a great family of pretenders.

We always have been.

For as long as I can remember.

We were always taught it didn't matter
what happened inside the house as long

the neighbors didn't know about it.

I know.

No, you don't.

Because we even pretended in front of
you.

Oh, not as much, I suppose.

But we pretended.

I used to watch the people laughing and
talking when Mama was giving a party.

And I used to wonder if all families
were like that.

If they only pretended to be happy and
love each other when other people were

watching.

No, they're not all like that.

Charlie. No, don't say it.

I'm not going away until I do what I
have to do.

She killed the only thing I ever loved.

And she's going to be punished for it.
She wasn't even here.

She was shopping in Boston.

A dozen witnesses testified to that.

Jesse was alive after she left. She
talked to two people on the phone. Two

people who knew her voice.

Then why do you think Celia killed
Jesse?

I saw you looking at her when she was
cleared at the inquest. You knew she was

guilty.

It's true, I've wondered.

Although I don't know why exactly.

I'll tell you why.

Because you knew how badly lit that
stairs was and the foyer.

You knew Jessie always rested in the
afternoon.

All Celia had to do was to wait until
Jessie went up for her nap and tie a

across the stairs and leave to do her
shopping.

And when Jesse came down... That's only
a theory, Charlie.

There's no evidence to support it.

What if I found evidence?

What evidence?

I'll show you.

She had it hidden in her bedroom.

It's just an ordinary ball of corn.

It's what she used.

Can't you see that?

It doesn't matter what I see. It isn't
evidence. It won't hold up in court.

That's what I thought.

So it's up to me, isn't it? It isn't up
to you to do anything except clear out

of here.

You're still young. You can make a whole
new life.

Without Jesse, you never loved anyone.

Or you'd know that's impossible.

Charlie, loving someone is one thing.

But to stop living because you lose them
is not loving. It's sickness.

You don't understand, do you?

Perhaps I don't.

But I'm your friend and it's Christmas,
so do one thing for me, will you?

What?

Walk down to the tavern with me and
let's have a Christmas drink.

Why should I?

Because it'll do you good to get away
from here, even for a little while.

I don't want to. Why not? All your
friends are there. I stopped by there on

way here. They're all asking after you.

How could you ask him to do that?

How could you ask him to go drinking at
a time like this? I told you never to

come into my room.

I'm not in it.

I came to tell you your dinner is on the
table.

I thought you said you'd finished
dinner.

I said I'd finished.

We don't dine together.

Why don't you go and eat while I unpack?

I'm not hungry.

Besides, I want to show you something.

I can see it after you've eaten.

I want you to see it now.

It's a Christmas present from Jessie.

From Jessie?

She made it.

She had it all wrapped and waiting for
Christmas Eve and... Then she died.

Well, this is Christmas Eve.

I'll get it. I keep it with her things.

Charlie.

Her things are gone.

Charlie, listen. She took them.

Celia!

You took Jesse's things.

Yes, I took them.

What's the use of keeping them? They
only make you unhappy, Charlie.

I told you never to touch anything of
Jesse's. Not anything.

Where are they?

What did you do with them?

They're in the library.

I packed them in two suitcases.

Why did you tell him?

I didn't.

Well, it doesn't matter.

It only means that I'll have to pack
them all over again. Celia, you can't do

this. If he wants to dispose of them,
it's up to him.

He won't do it.

And it only makes him miserable to have
them there, always reminding him. Leave

him alone, Celia.

What about me?

If you ever touch anything of hers
again, I'll kill you.

Celia, I want to talk to you a minute.

Come in.

What is it?

I can't stay here tonight. I'm going
back to town.

Well, I can't blame you.

Who'd want to stay in a house where
there's so much unhappiness?

I wouldn't mind if I were doing any
good, but I'm not.

In fact, I may be making matters worse.

Thank you for coming to say goodbye. I
want you to promise me you'll stay in

your room tonight.

Well, I usually have a glass of hot milk
before I go to bed.

I was just on my way to get it. Well,
couldn't you skip that just one night?

Why should I?

You don't need to worry about me, John.

He's not going to do anything to me.

Charlie has never done anything in his
whole life except talk.

Oh, are you sure I can't get you
something before you go? No, no, no,

I'll just pack while you're getting your
milk.

And Celia...

After the holidays, I'm going to do
something about all this, whether either

of you like it or not.

I don't care anymore.

Do what you like.

Are you sure I can't get you anything,
John?

It's a long drive to town.

I don't think I'll go back tonight.

I'll stay at the tavern and go back in
the morning.

Oh, I'd forgotten they have rooms.

I'll see you before I go.

Are you all right?

Yes.

Are you sure?

Yes, I am.

It

didn't

work, Charlie.

Not quite.

I'm sorry it didn't. How could you hate
me so much?

How could I not?

I didn't kill her.

You know that as well as I do.

I couldn't kill anything.

Couldn't you?

What you call what you've done to me.

The only difference is you did it slowly
to me.

Little by little.

All I ever did was to love you and to
take care of you.

I never even wanted anything in return.

I couldn't speak to anyone, go anywhere
or do anything. Unless it met with your

approval. That's not true. Of course
it's true.

You're so like Mama.

She had to own everything too.

When she died, I thought I'd be free.

But you were right there waiting to take
over.

But you wanted it that way.

You always wanted to be taken care of.

You never really wanted to be on your
own. I wanted to be married.

To have some sort of life of my own.

That's why I married Jesse.

But you couldn't stand that, could you?

So you fixed it.

Well, it may not have worked this time.

But there'll be other times.

Charlie.

Get out of my house.

You're not my friend.

You're on her side.

I'll get out as soon as I know that
Celia is safe.

Don't worry about me, John.

I'll be all right.

Charlie, if anything happens to Celia,
I'll go straight to the police.

Merry Christmas, John.

Merry Christmas, Al. How you been?

Fine. I was hoping you'd stop by for a
Christmas drink with me. I was afraid

weren't going to make it.

I barely did.

Well, what's it going to be? Usual?

The usual.

Just come from there, huh?

Yeah.

See Charlie?

And Celia.

Well, that's less unusual than seeing
Charlie.

I see her pretty often when she goes
shopping, but I never see Charlie.

You think it's safe for them to be alone
together like they are?

I mean, the way things stand, the way
Charlie feels.

There could be another lot of trouble
there.

It looked that way tonight, but I think
it's all right now.

Until the next time.

Until the next time.

You know something?

This is one day I'd like to cut out of
the calendar permanently.

And leave them alone to their troubles.

It'd serve them right.

They're not alone.

Jesse is with them.

Jesse will always be with them.

I suppose so.

That's certainly the queerest thing ever
happened in this town.

Both of them up there, hating each other
day after day since... When

was it, John?

When was it Jesse took that fall?

Twenty years ago.

Twenty years ago tonight on Christmas
Eve.

you must agree.

That was a very charming mime.

I don't think we should be bothered with
much more by our syncopantic friend.

I have a remote control device which
eliminates those portions of a program

don't wish to hear.

Just a moment. Here's a part I never
miss.

Our sponsor goes to keep you

amused. This remote control device is
second -hand, but is in excellent

condition.

It belonged to a little old lady in
Pasadena, a widow who only used

it once. Please understand.

Ah, there's that obnoxious fellow again.
Next week.

Good night.