Original subtitles

Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

Hooray!

Hooray!

I'm in space.

I'm in orbit.

Why are the presidents?

Why are Khrushchev?

Tell him that Henry's keeping his eye open, huh?

Oh, I'm...

Hey,

what's going on?

What a night.

These guys are taking over my nice, quiet little bar. I may lose my license.

Who are they?

I don't know who they are. They followed them in here. I can't get them out.

Who's the clown?

Well, he calls himself a poet. I don't know what he does.

His name's, um, McHenry.

John McHenry? John Patrick?

That's him.

You've probably read about him.

He's always in the newspapers.

No, I've read his poetry.

You read poetry?

No, when I was in college.

Oh.

That's different.

Johnny,

we've got to get the bus to Plainfield.

You're always putting me on a bus.

We've got to do a lecture there tomorrow.

What are we doing here? Put the audience on the bus, huh?

Johnny. Lay off me.

I'm sorry.

Listen, you, why don't you watch who you're shoving around just a little bit,

huh? All right, you guys. All right, now, that's enough of that rowdyism.

That's enough of it.

That has nothing to do with the sheep.

Oh, shut

up.

Mickey,

call a cop.

Why did you have to take my place?

Let's see if we can get him out of here before the cops come. Are you crazy?

Let's get us out of here. Come on. Well, look, maybe we can help him.

That didn't hurt, did it?

Oh, Sally.

You let them do it. You stood there and you let them do it.

Oh, Sally.

Sally, come here. Don't run out on me now.

Sally.

Sally, they're all against me. They're all against me. They're all against me,

Sally. They're all against me.

Yes, it's all right. Well, at least she's quieting down.

We can't tell yet. Looks like just a scalp wound, a few stitches.

But there's always a possibility of concussion, too. How long will all that

take? We should keep him under observation a day or so.

Oh, now, wait a minute. No, we have to be in Plainfield tomorrow.

Can't you do something? Just fix him up.

Mrs. McHenry, your husband is hurt. I can't tell how badly just by looking at

him. He's not my husband, and we have to be in Plainfield tomorrow. Our living

depends upon it. Well, his living may also depend on getting the proper

treatment here.

Now, we shouldn't discharge him until we know he's ready.

He'll be all right.

Yeah, well, good luck.

What's his age?

37, I think.

He looks older, I know, but it's the way things have been going lately.

Do you get drunk often?

More frequent now than before.

How long has it been going on?

Five years that I know of.

Before that, I wasn't with him, so I don't know.

How long do they usually last, these vendors?

Three or four days.

A week sometimes when he really gets started.

Has he tried anything for the drinking?

Just drinking.

Oh, doctor, this is Miss... Winters.

Dr. Gillespie. How do you do?

Miss Winters was with him when it happened. She's his... A friend of his.

Friend. How is he?

He's out right now. I had to give him an injection to quiet him down.

Is he a doctor of his own?

He hates doctors.

I'm on a long list of other things.

Would you mind stepping out for a moment, Miss Winters?

Doctor, I hope we can get this all taken care of just as quickly as possible.

I do too, Miss Winters.

Yes.

She's a cool one.

So this is McHenry. You'd never guess.

Well, I saw a general once in his birthday suit. Never guessed he was a

What do you find?

Scalp wound.

Not too bad. Take a couple of stitches.

I'd certainly guess concussion at least.

He went down like an ox.

Better watch out for hematoma.

Yes, sir.

Anything else?

There haven't been x -rays yet, sir.

A man with his gifts, it's too bad.

He's been in every newspaper in the country, drinking and brawling his way

coast to coast.

Sir, I think we should give him a complete checkup.

He has a long history of digestive disturbances, retching.

Maybe the reason he hates doctors is that he's afraid of what we might tell

Good. Put him in a semi -private room and set it up.

Of course, maybe he just hates doctors.

Through for the night, Doctor?

I wish I were.

Still here? Why don't you go home?

Home is where the heart is, Doctor.

Well, I've told you we can't tell yet.

Well, you must have some idea. I've made commitments for him. They'll just have

to wait. They can't wait, Doctor. You don't seem to understand.

50 routine -ridden, star -struck, bored, middle -aged ladies of the Plainfield

Forum have paid $2 apiece to escape their husbands for an evening, get

and be grandly charmed and offended by the caustic Irish wit of John Patrick

McHenry. They want to see him and hear him tomorrow night at 8 o 'clock, and

they're going to because we have to eat.

And don't look at me like that.

Oh, I've been through this with him so many times before.

If you just bathe his head in ice cubes, promise him a drink, tell him he's

greater than Byron, the war horse will charge out of here in a colorful blast

iambic vulgarity.

Well, you can't help him by staying here, really.

I know, I know.

You seem a little tense yourself.

Why don't you try to get some rest and come back tomorrow?

Good night.

See, I thought you'd left me, too, to suffer and die in torment.

They're killing me, love.

They're trying to help you. And the sooner you cooperate, the sooner...

me. That's what they're trying to do. Torture me.

They'll drain me like leeches, suffocate me with lying assurances, and ban me

with sterile solutions.

And you know what I need.

What I need is a drink.

Thank heavens there's someone who knows what I suffer.

Get me a drink.

No, you're just going to have to hold on now. Because as soon as you feel

better, I'm going to get you out of here. And we'll get on that bus to

Plainfield. To Plainfield, to Plainfield. On a bus and far away.

Always on a bus.

You're always putting me on buses.

Get me a drink, woman. What is this?

You shouldn't be here. Could I speak with you for a minute, please?

Absolutely not.

He'll have the sedative the doctor prescribed and nothing more.

Sedatives? They're killing me with sedatives.

Just step outside, please.

He'll quiet down.

Quiet down?

When I'm quiet, you'll know I'm dead.

Don't worry. We'll take good care of him.

You go home and get some sleep. You can come back in the morning.

You're not helping him this way, ma 'am.

Good night.

Will you try to locate Dr. Kildare, please?

Imprison me like a common drunk.

Henry,

where do you think you're going?

You'll find out in a hurry.

Obviously, you're feeling more like yourself.

What's that? More tests?

No, no. I think we've covered you quite thoroughly.

Well? I just want to take a look at you. What for?

I'm going to ask you to take a deep breath. It won't hurt.

Did I hurt you?

No. Well, I thought you were going to.

Just take a deep breath.

Where's Sally?

Your friend?

She said she'd be back.

She was here all morning, most of the afternoon.

She keeps a pretty close watch over you, doesn't she? Yeah, she's a fine girl.

You wouldn't happen to be married yourself, would you, Doctor?

No. Stay that way. They can drive you to drink. They don't leave you a leg to

stand on. Once they've snared you with their little cobweb lasso, you're

powerless. You're bound hand and foot. That's why I've never married.

I might as well be. I might as well be. Now, hold quite still.

You never know it while they're doing it.

They disarm you with their flattery, soften you with sympathy, encompass you

with understanding, endow you with perpetual care and leave you eternally

their debt.

Then before you know it, they foreclose and they're running your life for you.

Of course, as I say, she's a fine girl.

Of course, the fact that you pay the bills, that doesn't mean a thing. It's

you don't pay them.

That'll do it, thanks.

Doctor, about last night, if I said anything, and I know I did... Oh, don't

worry about that.

I mean, the way I walked out on you.

I was a teensy bit under the weather. Yes, you were.

I don't want you to feel that I'm ungrateful to you. It's a noble calling,

father, dedicating your life to humanity.

I wish I had the call myself. I'd be a better man for it.

As a matter of fact, I've been a great admirer of yours ever since I was in

college.

Well, is that a fact?

Is that a fact?

Well, now, who does that...

You know, that's a very gratifying thing. Is that a fact?

Well, now.

Well, now, if that's the case, do you think there'd be the faintest trace of a

shadow of a ghost, of a smidgen of a possibility you've known about those

Oh, Dr.

Gillespie will go over that with you. I'm going down to see him now. Now,

listen, what's everybody hiding around here? He'll explain the whole matter.

Look, I want to know what everybody's... Doctor!

Where's the nurse? How long are they going to leave me here?

Oh, she'll be along, I'm sure.

Is he going to leave me sitting down here?

Just be patient.

There's not much doubt, is there, sir?

None, I'm afraid.

With cirrhosis that far advanced, it's a wonder he functions as well as he does.

He's had his last drink, that's sure. Or his next to last.

I guess there's nothing to do then but warn him.

Warn him and dismiss him, hmm?

Well, there's not much else we can do, is there?

Other than tell him to stay off alcohol.

And when he leaves here, do you think he's going to listen to you?

Well, it seems to me any man in his right mind, if he knew what we found.

If he were in his right mind, as you put it, would he be in this condition?

Doctor, do you know how many alcoholics are in this country?

Millions of them.

It isn't something you can dismiss with a warning. It's a major disease that

needs our study as much as any other.

We may be able to do nothing for McHenry.

We need to reach a man before he gets in this state.

But we do need to know why he drinks.

I have a notion, sir.

McHenry and the others like him.

That's not a cure in itself, but clinically it's a first step.

What were you going to say?

Oh, nothing, sir. Just a notion.

Well, let's go and see him.

Where's your patient?

He was right here.

His clothes are gone.

Innkeeper!

Innkeeper! Don't leave me high and dry here.

Look, don't you think you'd better take it a little slow? You've already had...

He who hesitates is lost, and he who is lost doesn't hesitate.

I made that up.

Where's Mike?

Hasn't come in yet. You weren't here yourself last night, were you? My night

off. Oh, you missed it, you missed it. It was a grand evening. I carry the

memory of it to me grave.

Oh, here's Mac now.

Oh, Mac, me delicate daffodil, your health.

My health?

You have the gall to come in my bar after what you caused in here last

Oh, no, you wouldn't hold that against me, would you?

No more for him.

Mac! That's all.

Oh, come on now.

The evening's over. You're already loaded.

So drink up and move on.

I may never set foot here again.

Only if you promise.

Johnny,

why did you leave the hospital? You'll never catch me alive!

Come back here!

Stop him!

Stop him!

Hold it, you!

Halt! Where are you?

I claim the law of sanctuary.

In the house of God, the king's writ does not run.

Don't be a wise guy.

What do you want?

Sanctuary.

All right.

Open up in there.

Why are you here?

I want to confess.

You've been drinking.

Leave me something to confess.

You're drunk.

Oh, no, Father. Judge not that ye be not judged.

Drunk or sober, I claim the right of sanctuary.

Who's at that door?

The hounds ahead.

Don't let them in.

All right, now, I warn you, the blood is on your hands.

Open the door.

Open it.

Where'd he go, Father? What's he done? What's the matter? Father, he's a

at Blair. He left without being discharged.

Oh, it's a beautiful morning this evening, and a beautiful evening this

Where'd he go, Father?

I'm afraid he's gone off to the belfry.

Can't you open the door?

He bolted it from the inside.

Is there another way up there?

No, no other way.

to find out

take it away or I'll jump.

He's out of his mind.

Stop. Hold up on that ladder. Get the net.

Get the net out.

Revolt.

Thinkers of the world unite.

I'll have a try.

John, Pop is going up the ladder. Take him over.

Up there, huh?

Oh, let me do it. No, you stay here. No, you don't understand. He's my...

Father's done this before. Let him take care of it. He knows what he's doing.

You better let him. He thinks you're... He thinks we're after him.

Down with conformance. Down with women's...

I don't chance and you deny me.

The world has had its chance and it's denied me.

Now I'm going to do the talking. Please come down, son. Nothing can be as bad as

this. Come down and we can talk about it.

Hear ye, ye gawking peasants, ye time -serving priests,

ye minions of the law.

Better go and see that girl. She's a bit upset.

Yes, sir.

Well?

Dr. Gillespie will be out in a minute.

I should have taken him out of here when I wanted to.

How can he be so selfish?

How can he?

Miss Winters, your friend just tried to kill himself.

You might ask yourself why.

Your friend's all right. No sign of injury.

I didn't realize, sir, she sure had me fooled.

I think all our nerves are a bit on edge.

I'm sorry.

Just relax.

Thank you, Mr. Svane.

Tell me, how much sleep have you had?

She's hardly left the hospital, sir.

Did you ever get home last night?

I went home, but I didn't sleep. I went for a walk.

When did you eat last?

Oh, I've been too worried to eat lately.

All right, now, just lie still.

Mrs. Fane, tell my secretary to call my housekeeper until I'll be home in half

an hour, and there'll be three for dinner.

Yes, sir.

You haven't had dinner, doctor?

No, sir.

Will you join us?

Why, yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

No dessert?

Miss Winters, you've hardly touched a thing.

Oh, I've had plenty, really. Thank you.

There wasn't much nourishment in that.

Oh, the food was delicious, really.

I'm just a little nervous, I guess.

Tell me, how did you come to meet McHenry in the first place?

Oh, he was on his first lecture tour.

I was a senior in college, and I'd written some things for Lit.

I sort of fancied myself one of the Beat Generation.

He had made some recordings of his poetry, reading them, you know.

They just seemed to strike the right note because he thumbed his nose at

everything. I remember.

There was a certain cockiness, an impudence in the things he wrote.

You couldn't altogether approve it exactly, but you had to admire it

was alive.

That's it.

Johnny was so alive then.

Well, that's how I met him.

He traveled everywhere.

Colleges and lecture halls.

It was the first time in his life that he'd ever made money.

And he felt he'd really discovered himself.

He loved it. He just loved it. The performing and all, I mean.

Excuse me, doctor. It's the hospital.

Oh, dear. I was afraid of that.

Medicine on a pogo stick.

Tell them I'll be right over.

It's not... No, no, no. I'm sure it's nothing to do with McHenry.

You stay.

Stay and enjoy your coffee. Mrs. Benson will serve it in the living room.

I'm sure Dr.

Kildare will see you to your hotel.

Oh, yes, of course.

I'm sorry about this, but I know you'll understand.

Oh, thank you very much. There's nothing to thank me for.

You've hardly eaten anything.

I'm sure he'd offer us something with our coffee.

No brandy.

Oh, well.

Thank you all for... Good to make ourselves

at home.

Aren't you having anything?

Oh, no, thanks. Just coffee.

I have to go on duty later.

Uh, Miss Winters, I think I should warn you.

Miss Winters?

My name is Sally.

To Sally.

Sally.

I know you've been under a strain, but you were feeling shaky when you came

here. You've eaten nothing and on an empty stomach.

Especially for someone who isn't used to drinking.

used to drinking.

Whatever gave you the idea that I wasn't used to drinking?

I've been living with it for five years.

Five merry years.

There was a time once when I didn't drink.

When I first met him.

But I had to learn.

Because if I didn't, there were always others there to drink with him.

You know.

society people, newspaper men.

They used to entertain him and put him on.

Great dancing Irish bear.

Money,

money, money, money, money.

I need money.

Does everybody need money?

You know what I did today?

I called his publisher to try to get an advance.

And you know what I found out?

He doesn't have a publisher.

He just doesn't have any, that's all.

Because he hasn't written anything to publish for the last five years.

But it's been a ball.

Johnny, you're great.

Ooh, you're great, Johnny.

Come on now. Out of the bar and into the bus. Out of the bar, into the bus.

Getting him to get on that bus, you know, and getting him where he's

be on time, and covering up when we don't pay our bills.

I don't know.

Oh,

Jack the Giant Killer.

The Roaring Boil.

Greater than Byron.

Where do you think it's going to end?

Do you think he loves you?

He needs me.

And I'll never leave him as long as he needs me.

Do you love him?

Oh, I would have married him in a minute.

But Sally McGurl, I wouldn't make a fit husband for anyone.

That's what he always said.

It's just an excuse, I guess.

This is getting us nowhere. I'm just going to have another drink.

Why do you think he jumped off that tower tonight?

What?

Why do you think he tried to commit suicide tonight?

Why ask me?

How would I know?

Wouldn't you know better than anyone else?

Are you saying that I had anything to do with that?

No. All I'm saying is that...

You've been with him all these years. Does that mean that I'm responsible for

everything that goes wrong?

Now, look, you. I've been telling you the problems of my life tonight because

thought you were friendly and interested.

But if you're... I love him.

I've done everything to try to help him.

If you're saying... Sally, Sally.

All I'm trying to find out is if there might be some connection.

Well, there isn't. There isn't any connection.

There isn't any connection.

I'm so tired.

I'm so tired.

I'm so tired. I

can't

understand it.

After seeing what alcohol did to him, how can she fall into it herself?

It's too bad.

She's an attractive woman.

Couldn't be contagious, could it? Well, I've never heard it put that way, but I

suppose in a sense it can be.

Who knows?

I should think it would repel her.

Perhaps she feels badly, even guilty.

She sees what's happening to him and she can do nothing to prevent it. She feels

she's failing him.

And if alcohol can provide him with an escape from an intolerable situation,

maybe he can do the same for her.

If you can't lick him, join him.

Possibly she feels that if he's going to destroy himself, she wants to go down

the drain with him.

But maybe there's a deep, quite unconscious resentment.

She feels she wants to give him a taste of the same treatment that she's been

subjected to.

Let him do some worrying and coping for a change and see how he likes it.

I wish that was it.

Why?

If she resented him, it might be easier for her to leave him.

You think that would be a solution?

For her, I can't see any other.

Remember, McHenry's our patient. What would it do to him?

Well, at least for her, there's still some hope.

That's true.

If he's reached the point of no return, I'm not sure that she has.

It'll need some kind of a shock to jolt him out of this if it can be done at

all.

Let's go and have a talk with him.

What's this, a delegation?

Mr. McHenry, you had a close call this evening.

I bear a childlike... Closer, perhaps, than you know.

Live dangerously at all times in all clans. But you want to go on living, I

assume. What's in it for me?

McHenry, this is something you can afford to take seriously. You cannot

not to.

What do you mean?

I have the results of the tests that were made this morning.

Oh, do you? Well, suppose you keep them to yourself.

Do you know the meaning of the word cirrhosis?

It's a disease of the liver, a severe impairment of its function. I've looked

up.

Oh?

And how did you come to look it up?

How bad is it? No, no, no, don't tell me.

Serious enough that if you don't give up... If I don't give up my simple

pleasures I know I know, come to the point, how long do I have to live? I

say.

It could be as little as six months.

A little longer.

If you give up drinking, perhaps.

Perhaps, perhaps. Why can't you people ever give a direct answer?

All right.

I'll give a direct answer.

You'd like me to tell you that if you swear off alcohol and live an exemplary

life from here on, you'll be a well man.

Well, I can't and you won't. Damage has been done. It's a matter of time.

How much time is the question?

One more orgy like this last could be the end. The end.

The end of what?

What does it matter when a man stops breathing, when every breath's a

Do you have pain?

Pain? Do you have pain, he asks. You don't know the meaning of pain.

The pain's so deep it paralyzes, it crucifies, it rends the soul.

You live in a nightmare, you struggle to cry out, no sound will come.

You've lost your voice. You've lost your voice. Have you ever known that

feeling?

Well, that's what it is to be a writer unable to write.

That's what happened to me when my talent ran out.

Five years it was.

Shelley and Keats and Byron, they had the fortune to die at that peak. But me?

I'm condemned to drag on silently till my life is over, watching myself

disintegrate, living off the memory of the man I used to be.

That's the fact I can't face sober, and why should I? The sooner it ends, the

better.

Yes, McHenry, I understand.

But I don't know whether you believe the words you say or not.

i suggest that you think it over it's entirely up to you your life is in your

hands

The words.

John McHenry port.

Poems put up to take out appropriate to all occasions.

One to go.

What do we call it?

Old on the occasion of my own demise.

Into this...

cold, stark world we come, dragged by the heels,

naked and dismayed, with a slap on the rump to give us breath,

and a start on the road

to death.

Wait just a minute, please.

Sally's outside.

Have you told her?

Oh, why not? Go ahead and tell her.

This isn't for me to say, I guess.

But have you ever thought what you're doing to that girl?

What do you mean, what I'm doing to the girl?

Have you ever thought what it's like for her, the kind of life you've led her?

I've thought about a lot of things.

What were you thinking about when you tried to kill yourself?

Tried to kill myself?

Why did you jump? You silly fool, why would I? My foot slipped.

Your foot slipped?

Yeah, it slipped, me lad.

It happens all the time. I'd had a couple, if you must know.

You needn't be feeling sorry for Sally either. Maybe I have led her a chase.

what would have happened to her if she hadn't met me?

She'd be back in Wisconsin, probably married to some farmer.

At least she's had some color in her life.

But what's it going to be from here on?

You know what Gillespie told you?

Sally learns about it.

What are you suggesting?

That I give her up? Well, she'll never give you up.

If you want to go down the drain, don't take her with you. Or is that what you

want? Because she's well on her way.

Go on, send her in.

Johnny!

Well, come to view the remains, huh?

I'm sorry to disappoint you.

I'm blown this morgue.

Should he? Is he well enough?

I'm fine.

Top of the world, slept like a baby.

Hey, where do they hide your stuff here?

Somebody stole me wallet, me watch and everything.

Are you sure what he's doing is right?

It's up to him. There's nothing we can do for him here that he can't do for

himself. Oh, here it is, me hip pocket.

Why are you pretending, Johnny?

Pretending what? I feel fine.

Is it just to get out of here?

I feel fine, I tell you. No, you don't. I know you too well.

Ah, now look, look. Look, why don't... All right, all right. We'll leave here.

We'll go somewhere else and we'll find help.

We'll lick it this time, Johnny.

You can do it if you want to.

And I'll help you, darling.

I'll never leave you as long as you need me.

I have to be truthful to you.

I wanted to spare you. That's why I was pretending.

Sally, you must leave me.

Johnny, what is it?

It's these black moods. They keep coming over me. You saw what happened last

night. I tried to take me life.

Oh, Johnny.

Please understand.

These moods will come again. I can't go on subjecting you to this. But I want

to. I want to help.

Sally, love, I've got to fight this out alone.

But why?

How can I tell you without hurting you?

Why do I drink? Why do I have these moods?

Out of despair, that's why.

In all the years we've been together, love, I've not been able to write.

I've stood in your way.

Oh, no, no, no. Is that it? No, you're a blessing.

You're a blessing.

I needed you. You're all a man could ask for. You're everything and more.

But you've made things easy for me. That's the truth of it. You've made it

easy for me.

A man has to have his work or he's nothing.

What do you want me to do, Johnny?

I'll do anything you want.

Go home.

Go home to your folks for a while.

And leave me to struggle with this alone till I've worked it out.

Oh, I miss you. I'll suffer.

But let me. Stop making it easy for me.

Poetry doesn't come from easy living, but from lonely struggle.

Leave me as you found me.

Just till I've got things going again, till I've functioned, till I've mastered

things.

And sure, then I'll send for you.

How long will it be?

Oh.

Six months.

Six months?

Oh, no, no, no. It's not what I want. It's what has to be.

And your six months will pass in no time.

Well, I'll be hanged, drawn, and halved.

It wasn't an easy thing to do.

Well... She has a will of her own. I don't know how you persuaded her.

I knew if she ever learned the truth about things, she'd never leave me, so I

didn't tell her.

I told her instead she was getting in my way.

You're an exceptional man, McHenry.

I've been told that before.

Not necessarily in those words or as a compliment either.

I mean it as a compliment.

Not many men facing what you do would have the strength of character, the...

should I hesitate to use the word?

The nobility to make a sacrifice like that.

That's true.

It's a far, far better thing I do now.

than I have ever done.

Why do you think I told her

that? Because it's true. That's why.

Always in my way. Always dragging me home. Always putting me on a bus to

someplace I didn't want to go.

She stood in the way of the only fun that's left to me.

Don't laugh at us. Oh, come on now, Doctor. Don't tell me.

Do you think I'm going to spend me remaining days in a wheelchair, drinking

milk and having me chin wiped, even be Sally?

Huh?

Oh, now, Doctor, it's a nasty choice you gave me.

But I've made it. I make one more plea.

Don't ignore us.

Your concern and efforts on my behalf show a... Well,

why should I hesitate to use the word?

A nobility that I thought nobody possessed but meself.

You've done all that you could for me.

Thank you.

Thanks for putting me up. And thanks for putting up with me.

Send me the bill.

Johnny boy.

We would come in and see you. Well and well and well and well.

We even brought you some flowers.

Ah, so what would I want with those? Give them to your, your, your dear old

mother. Here, Mom. Come on, you come buy me a drink instead.

Well,

we can't win them all.