Original subtitles

Good evening.

So glad you could join us. We are holding a seance tonight.

At our last session, we managed to get in touch with the spirit of Marconi, the

inventor of radio.

But, unfortunately, it was impossible to understand what he was saying because

of the static.

Now, if all of you will place your hands palm down.

on the tops of your television sets.

We shall attempt to speak to Alexander Graham Bell.

Hello?

Hello?

I seem to have reached him already.

Mr. Bell, do you... That's peculiar.

It's a woman.

She says Mr.

Bell is not in.

No, I'll call later.

That was his answering service.

Now, if you will concentrate on the little screen in front of me, there is

someone I'm positive wants to get in touch with you.

And I'm certain he'll be in.

Listen.

Yes, Mother?

Darling, you've been sitting around all afternoon in your suit jacket. It's so

bad for it. I brought you this.

Well, I thought I might be going out, but it seems I haven't. Yes.

There now.

I'll just hang this away.

See?

That's my pretty sleeve.

Oh, darling, I wanted to ask you.

Did you charge some things at the drugstore?

Yes, I needed them. Well, of course. I'll just write the check now.

Do you need any pocket money?

Mother, you're going to wear yourself out with all these little things. Now,

wouldn't it be easier for you if I had a checking account? Oh, no, dear, no. You

see, you're like your dear father.

You're not very clever with money, whereas I am a very careful person.

And anyway, dear Arthur wanted it this way. I don't mind at all.

Oh, of course.

I know that you're unhappy sometimes because you're not earning anything just

now, but you mustn't be.

I enjoy having you home here with me.

And there is no hurry about getting another position.

There.

You spoil me.

Well, of course I do.

It's my occupation.

If I didn't have it, I'd just be fretting, wishing I were with your dear

Mother, Daddy's been...

Gone six years now.

Not gone, dear.

Never say that.

My Arthur is just across the threshold, waiting.

Of course.

Oh, close the window a little, like a good boy.

I do wish that I could somehow get in touch with Arthur. Oh, Mother, don't try

that again. That's such a waste of money.

But I worry about him so. I wonder if he's lonely, if he needs me.

It'd be simple enough to go to him. I've kept the medicine.

The last people you went to were complete... medicine?

Yes, dear, from your father's last illness.

Taken in large quantities.

It's poison, you know.

Oh, if anything happened to you, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment.

You don't mean if I... got married?

No, I've told you, dear, when that time comes, you just bring your wife to live

here. No, I... I just worry about Arthur.

I do miss him.

Do you think he misses me?

I don't know, dearest.

I do know how much you want to be in touch with him.

And that's difficult, as I said.

But I did hear about a young woman the other day.

Oh?

Now, I could look into that for you, but you mustn't talk about it.

She doesn't like to exploit her gift.

Oh, Hubert, would you?

Darling, could you?

Like the dear, thoughtful boy that you are?

I could try.

I'm so glad you could get away.

Can we have dinner?

No, I'm afraid not.

I only have a few minutes.

Mother's expecting me.

How are you?

Okay.

I waited in an agent's office for three hours today.

And I'm flat broke.

I just don't know.

Oh, that's too bad, dear.

I wish I could take you out and buy you a wonderful dinner.

Mother's a good cook, I'll bet, huh?

She could teach me.

Oh, Hubert, why can't I meet her?

Mother's never liked any girl I've ever taken home. That's why I hesitate about

asking you.

But now you may get to meet her.

How? Listen, do you remember that play you did in Summerstock where you were a

medium?

Yes. Oh, boy, was that a flop show.

Yeah, but you remember it?

Well, sure.

Well, listen, my mother believes in that kind of thing.

She's gonna try to get in touch with my dead father.

Now, could you do that?

You mean put on an act?

Fool her? Yeah, well, it'll be easy, because I'll help you.

See, the point is this. She's gonna go to somebody, and who knows what they'll

charge her.

This way, you get the fee, and we'll make her very happy.

Isn't that a good idea?

Sure.

Listen, she mustn't know that you know me. You understand that?

Mm -hmm.

Look, can you do this with the trance and the man's voice, all that? Of course

can do it. Tell me what to say.

Oh, I'll tell you what to say. I promise you.

Listen,

I'm going to make an appointment then for this week. Is that all right?

Yeah.

There is too much light.

Just one lamp, of course.

Of course.

Dimmer, please.

Is that all right?

Yes, thank you.

Whatever you say, Miss Collette, we are in your hands. Shall we sit down,

Mother? You must understand that I myself become unconscious.

The princess Artiti speaks through me.

Oh, she is your control, is she? Yes.

She was an Egyptian princess of the 18th dynasty who lived in Egypt in

1375 BC.

She married her brother.

They all did, you know.

Mother, will you sit there?

And I'll sit here.

Will you try to make contact?

I will try.

I do not know what will happen.

Sometimes, nothing.

Please, concentrate on the one you wish to contact.

Think hard.

That helps.

Think, darling, I'm thinking.

One.

and used to call me his... comfy old Sophie.

She could never have known that.

Oh, my dear, you were marvelous.

Will you come again soon?

Very soon.

Of course, Mrs. Winter.

If you wish it.

Oh, I do.

I do.

That's my girl.

That's my baby.

Cheep.

Cheep.

Is everything just so? I'm sure it is, Mother. Don't fuss, though. Just so the

environment's all right. That's all that Miss Colette requires.

I like her very much, don't you? Oh, she has great gifts.

I somehow sense that tonight we'll be able to talk together, your father and

I sense them too, dearest.

Now he is coming.

I see him.

He is standing at the end of a long, dark passage, holding out

his hands, ready to receive you.

The lady is waiting.

Sophie.

Arthur, now listen to me tonight.

There's something I must ask you.

Dear Sophie.

Now, listen to me, please.

I worry about you.

I know that you always depended on me for everything, and I so loved doing

everything for you.

Are you all right, my dear?

Are you happy? Mother, I think if you'll just be silent, Father will speak.

I am here, dearest Sophie.

And I love you as ever.

And oh, how I miss you.

Then I'll come, Martha.

I swear I will.

And quickly.

I promise you.

I know now.

I know now what I must do.

Okay, that's fine. You better go now.

You see, I was right.

He is lonely.

I had the instinct. I seem to know he does need me.

You do understand?

Yes, I understand.

I shall miss you terribly.

When?

Isn't it fortunate that I'm not inclined to throw things away?

The medicine?

Oh, yes, much the best way.

Now, let me see. There'll be several things to attend to, but I think I can

that tomorrow in the daytime, and then in the evening.

One of our nice, quiet evenings.

Yes, that'll be best.

Tomorrow evening, then, Arthur.

Tomorrow evening at this time, my son.

There.

That's every penny I owe anybody.

Now let me see.

I've checked the linen and the silver and the china.

I've put my clothes in mothbags.

I've stopped my library subscription.

I'm sure you've seen to everything, Mother.

Dust on the piano.

Well, now, I can't have that.

Mother. Yes, dear?

Oh, I'm just going to fetch a dust cloth.

Well, perhaps if I went out for a breath of air.

Oh, poor child.

I've kept you with me all this long last day. It must have been very difficult

for you. No, dearest. It's just that this waiting is so painful.

You know where the poison is. You haven't mislaid it. Well, of course I

I know exactly where it is.

I am a very careful person, as Arthur used to say.

I'll just dust the piano and...

Oh. Oh, dear.

Oh.

Could you run an errand for me? I'd be glad to.

Oh, it was a nasty old piece of newspaper, baby.

The drugstore has shelf paper. Would you get me something pretty?

You want me to buy paper for the canary now?

Yes, dear, would you? And will you mail these?

I must have everything just so.

Yes, I suppose you must.

Are you frightened?

No.

No. You mustn't be. It's nothing.

It's just a transition.

I know that. I believe that.

But I'm not long out.

I'll be here.

I promise you. I could never go unless you were near me.

So have no fear of that.

Well, then I'll be right back.

Come in.

What happened?

Congratulations.

Is she?

Everything's going to be all right.

When? Tonight.

Now, Hubert, you can't let her do this. Just let me go and tell her that we were

kidding. No.

No, you mustn't. But you just can't. Listen, if you tell her now that wasn't

father last night, you'd break her heart.

All right, then you do it some other way.

You tell her that you need her here. Now, you can do that.

But I don't need her.

I'm not a child, you know.

Hubert, you... What is this?

That's paper for the bottom of her canary cage.

Hubert, I don't think we ought to let her do it.

I do. I think it's the best thing for everybody all the way around.

Dearest, this is murder. You know that, don't you?

The law can't touch us.

Well, they can touch us if they know about it.

Listen, if this is murder, you're in on it just as much as I am, so you're not

going to interfere.

How are you going to explain your part in this to the police or anybody else?

My part?

You're the one that set her off with that act of yours, and that's fraud.

Criminal fraud.

I was acting.

Listen, there's nothing you can do except sit and wait and be patient.

Do you understand that?

Yeah.

Let's look at it this way.

My mother will be happy. I'll be rich.

We can get married, go to Europe on a honeymoon, and nobody will know the

difference.

Mother?

Mother?

Here I am.

What's that?

I have brought you your jacket.

Now, I want this to be just like one of our usual lovely evenings.

You in your chair and I in mine.

I don't want to be found in bed.

I want to be here.

where we've had so many happy times.

Do you understand?

Yes, I understand. I meant, what's that in the glass?

That's the medicine.

Well, it was exactly where I had put it. A place for everything and everything

in its place.

That is how Arthur used to tease me. Now I will just put this away.

Matt. Now, I wonder if I've forgotten anything.

I can't imagine what.

Oh, what a tangle.

Oh, dear.

Mother, does that matter now?

It won't take a minute, dear.

me the police.

Oh, dearest, I don't like to ask, but have you left a note of any kind?

Oh, yes, I've taken care of that. I've written everything down and explained it

most clearly.

And your will, I suppose, is in order.

Oh, yes.

There's a copy in the desk drawer and the lawyers have the original.

Well, I do believe I have thought of everything now.

Forgive me, darling, but I do need this. Well, of course, dear.

Well, Hubert, now you're not going to cry.

There's no need to.

Believe me.

I do believe you.

And I won't cry.

Mother, I'd like to propose a toast.

To Daddy.

Ah.

Dear.

Mother, I did think you'd drink that toast with me.

Oh, I will, dear. I will.

Dearest, I have tried to understand everything. Now, won't you try?

Have pity on me. Don't drag this thing out.

Can't you see that I can't stand much more of this?

If you are going to do it... If you are going to do it, then please do it.

Don't drag it out. For my sake.

For... It doesn't hurt,

does it, darling?

I've only been waiting to see you safely over the threshold.

Well, you didn't think I was going to leave you here all alone, did you,

darling?

I've poisoned you, darling.

Now you'll be with Mommy and Daddy for always.

You're not afraid, are you?

It won't be long.

Well, Arthur, I think I have attended to everything.

Just so.

What in the world is that?

our tribute to mother love.

I shall return after we reveal our sponsor's identity.

There is an epilogue to tonight's story.

Mrs. Winter decided to trade spiritual togetherness for solitary confinement

and discovered she preferred it that way. After seeing Hubert, I can't say I

blame her.

Next week we shall make our own attempt at togetherness with you. Until then,

good night.