All language subtitles for Against Her Will (1994)

Thank you.

Very handsome.

Who,

the governor? No, not a one.

You didn't tell me that before. You
didn't ask me.

Well, is that him there?

No, that's Robert Hugh Pace.

And what about Mrs. White? Well, there
is a one.

You didn't tell me that either.

Does that matter?

No.

Miss Prentice. Adam, we've been looking
all over for you, boy. And I for you.

How do you do? I was looking around
wondering which one you were.

Mary Lou!

Mary Lou, dear, here I come.

Let's go get you something to drink.

You don't look at all like your
correspondence.

No? No. Well, which one would you have
thought I was? Honestly?

Thank you. Well, from your sample brief,
I think I would have thought that man

over there.

How are you?

Hello.

Good to talk to you.

Ms. Prentiss.

Ms. Ian Strand, former state senator,
one of the world's two great Democrats,

and someone I'm sure he's going to hit
up for campaign money. Don't you mind a

word he says?

Nice to meet you. And please, call me
Melissa.

Melissa is Dr. Kent's niece. Oh, the
lawyer.

Oh, yes, we've all heard about you. He
is very proud.

She was top of her class in Boston.
She's going to clerk with me while she

studies for the bar exam.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in
a big welcome for the current and the

next leader of the great Commonwealth of
Virginia, ladies and gentlemen, the

Governor, Albert Lee Trinkle.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank
you very much.

I'm going to keep it short.

I want you to go on and join yourselves
here, and I want me to have something

left to say when I do come to hit you up
for contributions.

We have the Great War behind us and only
greatness before us.

opportunity out there.

And it's our duty to see it and take
hold of it and better ourselves with it.

We're here tonight together because we
believe in progress.

We believe that through social progress
we can perfect our society.

We believe that through economic
progress we can perfect our commerce and

industry. We believe that through
scientific progress we can perfect even

human race itself.

And my friends, any goal short of that
is just not good enough for us here in

the Commonwealth of Virginia.

So I ask you all to raise your glasses
with me, not just to this campaign, but

to a whole new beginning, a new
beginning each day, and a proud new

together.

I should bring them to you here. Oh,
good. Thank you. I'll take those out

on. I was hoping I could go with you to
Mr. B's. Why don't you take this?

It's more noticeable. Uh -huh. Ruth.

Sit.

I was hoping I could go with you to
Phoebe's. See, everything's come past my

desk, and I'd like to see the end of it.
Uh, it's really not in a good part of

town. I don't mind.

I mean, not the type of place I think
your uncle would want you going.

Law school was the type of place my
uncle didn't want me going.

Can't I get it? Oh, she's with her
child.

Speaking of which,

did you call the feeble -minded colony
today?

They said Dr. Kent's out of town due
back in Lynchburg at the end of the

They say when they can commit carry?

Well, they said they'd write up the
order when Dr. Kent's back.

I certainly hope so.

People are already saying we've got a
place up here for unwed mothers.

What was that I heard about some
lemonade, huh?

Come on, let me see my grandson.

Sweetheart. What's your little grandma?

Come on, Feeney. You should be taking
all those down and not putting those up.

Feeney, if you don't get everything out
of here, you know, it's all going to

come down with the whole place.

Okay, look.

You can't read over that.

You just put an X on this line. Now, all
this says is that you have been

informed of and understand the eviction.

I understand how you feel, Mr. Feeney.

No one likes it when these things
happen.

And no one is doing this to hurt you.

It's just that the bank that owns this
building is tearing it down.

Like they're tearing down other
buildings that they own.

And whether we like it or not, they have
a right to do that.

See, the lease you signed with them is
ended.

Now either they're going to come in here
and pull you out of the store, or you

can walk out with your head up and get
on with the rest of your life.

This is hard enough, Mr. Feeney.

Please don't make it harder on yourself.

I'm impressed.

Dad, how long has he been?

Forever. His father had the original
lease.

Well, the law's the law.

Yes, it is.

If somebody's talking too much, then you
can choke them.

Right there.

Now, be careful. Don't break it. When
you paint it.

Carrie out to wipe it down.

Elizabeth, look at this.

Open car.

Carrie.

Carrie, bud.

Oh, Carrie, I need you to... Oh, my God,
what the hell are you doing?

Boy.

She's gone when all the arrangements are
made. And until then...

Don't they both?

Come on down, dear.

Oh, you changed her again. Oh, she does
look fine. Did she dirty herself again?

Mama. You remember Miss Frederick, don't
you?

Say hello.

Hello. Hello, Carrie.

Your bags are in the car.

I call you Vivian. No, dear. Why don't I
take Vivian?

No. Well, now, she's such a pretty
child. Won't you let me hold her? Yeah.

the nice Miss Frederick's hold her.

There now.

My, my. What a little... darling. Come
on.

Go on outside.

We're going to let Miss Evans hold it
for just a minute, and you and I are

to go say goodbye to Mr. Evans.

Okay? Okay?

Where's your little outfit, Carrie?

Now, Mrs. Evans is going to hold it for
just a minute. We're going to go out

here and say goodbye.

Come on, Carrie.

Come on now, Carrie.

It's Miss Jane Talbot again.

I'm sorry, he's with a client at the
moment.

Yes, I'll tell him.

She said you promised to call her last
week.

You can't say she isn't persistent.

I'm almost finished with that historical
brief. It's actually very

Do you need something?

No.

Wait.

I've been invited to a lecture this
weekend. Dr.

Harry Laughlin of the Carnegie
Institute.

Speaking about eugenics. Yes, Uncle
Laughlin's going.

If you're interested, I have an extra
ticket.

I thought if maybe you weren't studying,
you might like to come along.

I'd love to.

There are 10 to 15 million social
inadequates out there.

And it's not an exaggeration to say that
your new law here is historic.

If you'll allow me to project into the
future.

Enforcing the sexual sterilization of
the feeble -minded will change the face

this country, and indeed the world.

If all the other states would show the
courage and the foresight that you

Virginians have, by 1950 we could be
sterilizing 200 ,000 a year.

And by the turn of the century, we would
have an America that would be free of

insanity, feeble -mindedness, epilepsy,
poverty, and most of its crime.

Think of that, ladies and gentlemen.

Think of it.

There you are. My pleasure. What's up,
Michael?

How are you?

Oh, hello, Jack. This is Mr. and Mrs.

Barrows. The Barrows Sugar Company's my
colleague. Hi.

Melissa Prentice. Very nice to meet you.

There are 8 ,000 to 10 ,000 feeble
-minded in the state. Yes, but remember,

of them are Roman free out there. They
need to be found and committed first.

But what we have in our facilities right
now, I'd say we do about 400 this year.

I know you were sued a few years ago for
sterilizing some inmates.

Will this law help prevent future suits?

I hope so, sir. Thank you, sir.

Dr. Kent, I was hoping to have a word
with you. Well, I would be honored, sir.

Thank you. I know that this case was
designed to keep you out of the courts.

It is the opinion of my colleagues and I
that you need to get back into the

courts as soon as possible.

I don't understand.

We need to have you sued again.

What?

We need a case that'll test this law
right to the Supreme Court of the United

States. What if it doesn't pass?

We think it will.

Justice Holmes is with us.

And the Jew Brandeis is with Holmes.

And Butler is the only Catholic.

If the Supreme Court stamps its
approval, all the other states can come

board. How exactly would we proceed?

Very simply, you find a subject who
touches on as many provisions of the law

possible. Ideally, someone with no
religion or close friends or mentally

relatives. Then you find a cooperative
attorney to object to the sterilization,

and then you appeal the case right up
the ladder to Washington.

Forgive me.

If I'm the one being sued, what if we
don't win?

I have the full backing of the Carnegie
Institute.

He's quite a speaker, huh?

Yeah. You ever read his book?

No, but I've seen it around Uncle
Roger's office. I just haven't had a

to.

So what do you read?

These days, nothing but law books.

No D .H. Lawrence?

Oh, come on. It's not that scandal.

Oh. No, I... I don't... I don't find it
all that scandalous. I have... I've

heard.

What have you heard? You met him.

Hey, what's that?

She looks like she's lost.

Or run away from the colony.

Let me handle this.

I'm going to Charlotte Fair.

Where are you coming from?

Coming from the colony?

If you're going to Charlottesville,
you're going the wrong way because

Charlottesville is this way now.

That's right. Do you need a ride?

We can take you there.

Come on, come on. Get in the car.

Come on.

We'll take you.

That's it. Come on, come on.

We'll get in the car so that we can go
that way.

That's right.

You got the idea.

Ethel, come on.

It's an awesome long walk to
Charlottesville. Is that where you're

What's in Charlottesville?

That's all right. You don't have to tell
me if you don't want to.

Do you want to tell me your name?

Gentlemen, I need the road to
Charlottesville completely covered. You

have gotten far, but we need to find her
before dark.

What about the train?

They found her on her way to
Charlottesville.

Adam?

She's all right. Do you know how much
worry you put us through here?

Take her to her ward. I'll be there in a
minute.

Gentlemen, I'm sorry I brought you down
here for nothing.

Hmm. Uncle Arthur, I made you a sandwich
and some tea.

Oh, this is the best news I've had all
day.

The tea might be cold. Would you like me
to get you some more? No, no, honey.

It's just fine. You go on up to bed.
Thank you.

That girl this afternoon, who is she?

She's one of the Bucks.

We've had a number of them over the
years.

Well, what's wrong with her? She's
feeble -minded, moral delinquent.

Had an illegitimate baby.

What's going to happen to her?

Uncle Arthur?

What's going to happen to her?

Well, I don't know, Melissa.

I'll have to look into her case.

All right, then. Good night.

Oh, thank you.

All right, let's try a few numbers.

How about that?

Let's do these backwards.

6, 9, 4, 8, 2.

Begin.

My dear

Dr.

Laughlin.

She has sensual emotional reaction and
is morally, economically and socially

inadequate.

Her record is of immorality, promiscuity
and untruthfulness.

What's the matter with you?

Do

you want to be out

with Mrs. Evans and your baby?

But Mrs. Evans is afraid you might have
another baby.

Would you like for Mrs. Evans never to
have to worry

about that?

For you, never to have to worry about
having another baby.

She belongs to that shiftless, ignorant,
and worthless class of antisocial

whites of the South.

Would you like that?

Her

name

is Carrie Buck.

You find us another runaway? No.

You looking for Dr. Kent?

Actually, I'm looking for Carrie Buck.

Oh, they're all out on the farm.

Thank you.

Carrie, what's wrong? Are you hurt?

Should I go get Dr. Kent?

What is it?

Oh, my God, you must

be in pain.

My God, where's your baby?

Insert this.

And that patient will subside, Melissa,
so will the pain.

When? In a few days. A few days? You
can't leave her like that for a few

Well, I'll examine her and see what I
can do for her. She needs to be with her

baby, Uncle Arthur. And she is going to
be soon enough.

I'm petitioning to sterilize her. Once
that's done, she'll be out in the world

again. And you don't have a thing to
worry about, darling. You just run right

along. Don't worry.

Oh, what is that?

That's a pig, Margaret. That's very
good. Very good. You keep up the good

Hey, this is a pretty woman who's
waiting to see me. I was hoping it was

Now, these have just come in. I've got
15 minutes to make a decision. Which do

you think?

Um, this one. Okay.

I think you're right. Mind you, that
troubled look doesn't go too well with

Something the matter?

I have to file these with the court by 5
o 'clock. Yeah, well, so that's about,

what, three hours from now? So that
can't be what's on your mind.

You don't have to tell me.

I went by the colony on my way here and
saw that girl that we picked up.

When they committed her, they took her
away from the baby she was nursing.

And Uncle Arthur said he's going to keep
her there until he sterilizes her.

And I just don't think she should be
kept away from a child like that. And I

wondering if there was something we
could do for her. Some kind of legal

provision somewhere. I'll tell you what.
Why don't we talk about it later?

Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have
bothered. No, no, no. I'll see you back

office after class. Let me take you to
dinner tonight.

Talk about it then.

You don't have to do that.

Well, I know I don't. I want to.

All right.

Fine. I'll pick you up soon. Go.

All right. Bye. Fine. Bye.

Hey, Ralph.

Hello, Sally.

That's her over there?

Yeah, that's her, poor thing.

Dr. Laughlin wants to get a case all the
way to the Supreme Court.

to lock down once and for all the
constitutionality of these kinds of

Since this would be a big step forward
in any career, I was hoping maybe we

could get you to act as our attorney.

Well, I'd be honored.

Thank you.

Well, I thought you might be interested.

I'll get some paperwork sent over to
your office. Our first step is going to

to have a meeting of the colony board.

They will certify that she is fit for
sterilization, then her guardian will

object and appeal it into court. And
what about her attorney?

Well, I haven't got around to that idea,
but don't worry. It's going to be

somebody cooperative.

This is a friendly suit.

Here.

This is for you.

I asked him to put it here.

I just had them put these others out so
people wouldn't feel bad.

Why didn't you stay in Virginia for law
school?

They wouldn't let me. They weren't
taking any women.

How's that for a progressive state? They
are, and you can join our bond. Sure.

We can vote here, too, for progressives
like your Governor Trinkle.

What's wrong with that?

You don't really think we won that, do
you?

It was the lesser of two evils, Adam.
How do you keep the colored vote

insignificant? You double the white
vote. Now, come on. Women's causes have

strong. And successful.

Trinkle has spoken out for them hundreds
of times, hasn't he?

Hey.

I hired you, didn't I?

Yes.

But would you ever hire a colored to
work anywhere but your kitchen or your

garden?

Women have only done well here at a
convenience.

Mrs. Danforth, Colonel.

Mr. Wyatt.

You're going to make a good lawyer.

I intend to.

Your uncle said you would.

Strong -willed.

I imagine stubborn is probably the word
he used.

I love Uncle Arthur.

He's always been my favorite.

I used to come here every summer when I
was a little girl.

Mama and I would pack up the car and
drive down from Richmond and stay with

I was a tomboy.

See, that I can't imagine.

Oh, yes.

I used to get into all kinds of trouble
when I was little. Um, let me see.

Well, oh.

One time, my friend and I emptied a jar
of fireflies into

one of the colony windows and the
inmates went berserk and had a party.

And Uncle Arthur still doesn't know who
did it.

Oh, we used to steal old man Delaney's
robot.

and we would go catch catfish, and we
would toss them alive into the windows

passing trains.

It should have heard the scream.

Oh, then we'd take the boat all the way
down the river and go skinny dip it in

the swimming pool. We used to steal that
old boat, too. Yeah, I think everybody

did. I think he left it there for us. I
think he did.

Is he still alive?

Very much so. His boat is, too. Still
see him out fishing, doesn't he?

So what do you say?

To what?

It's a nice night.

Oh, you don't mean... Why are you daring
me?

I guess I'm not as fit as I used to be.
They didn't have women.

grew up in Boston? Oh, they did. I just
didn't know it.

Why don't you take a look?

Colt? No.

You? Mm -mm.

Actually, I am a little cold. Take my
jacket.

About to run.

I must have left it on the dock.

I shouldn't have. No, Adam.

It's not easy. The most bright and
beautiful woman you've ever met is

the office next to yours.

Get this one wall between you.

Adam. All you can think of all day long
is what's on the other side.

I'll get the light on it.

I've never seen a dead body before. Have
you?

I saw my mama in the casket, but she was
all done up, you know, made to be seen.

It was just a few days ago that we were
standing with him in his store. It was

so easy just to draw up those papers and
fill in M. Feeney.

We didn't do anything wrong.

You don't even know what M stands for,
do you?

I know.

I don't.

You can't take the blame for what
happened.

Adam.

Uncle Arthur says they're going to have
a hearing tomorrow about that girl

Carrie's sterilization.

Yeah.

I want to go.

Do you mind if I take the afternoon off?

No, you go.

Thanks.

Please have the record show myself as
attorney for the board. Mr.

Willem Sherman as court -appointed
guardian for the inmate Carrie Buck.

And Miss Melissa Prentice as...
Gentlemen, I apologize for my tardiness.

Gentlemen, I would like to have you meet
Carrie Buck.

Well, hello, Melissa.

How you doing, huh? I'm fine. You
started this thing early, didn't you?

classify her as a lowest -grade moron.

Her mental age is about seven, yet she's
already had one illegitimate, mentally

defective child.

She's a moral delinquent, but I think
physically capable of earning her own

living if protected against childbearing
with sterilization.

And if she were not sterilized?

She would have to remain here at the
expense of the state for the remainder

her childbearing years, maybe 30 years.

So it's your opinion that sterilizing
Carrie would be better for her and

society? I believe that preventing
Carrie Buck from childbearing is our

And there's support for this in general
medicine?

Yes.

My belief is based on all the
authorities on mental defectiveness.

and on stroboculture, which is the study
of horse breeding and all the general

principles of heredity.

Thank you, Dr. Kent. No further
questions.

Do I say it now?

Not yet. I'll tell you when.

Then let me see, Philippian.

Mr. Sherman, it's your duty to defend
Carrie Buck's rights and interests.

Do you have any questions of Dr. Kent?

Yes, sir, I do.

Doctor, what assurance can you give that
sterilization will not be dangerous to

Carrie Buck's health or life?

The operation is as harmless as any can
be.

The girls leave their beds in two or
three weeks. None of their womanly

functions except for childbearing is
impaired.

I've already sterilized, oh, I'd say 80
to 100 females, and we haven't had one

single death.

There's been no deaths, gentlemen.

Couldn't she be taught or trained to
restore herself to society as a moral

responsible individual?

No, sir.

That would be impossible.

Self -control, moral conception are
lacking in her.

They cannot be supplied by training or
teaching.

She is incurably, congenitally
defective. Thank you, doctor.

Mr. Stanton, do you have any questions
for the inmate herself?

Just one.

Carrie, do you care to say anything
about having this operation performed on

you?

I do not.

You deserve to my people.

Her people? The child

has no people.

Does Willem Sherman even know her? Has
he told her what's going to happen? She

wouldn't understand.

Well, this is a serious operation. She
has to be made to understand.

Uncle Arthur, you've sterilized 80 to
100 girls. Have all the hearings been

way? There hasn't been a hearing like
this before. This is the new law, which

all and carries best interest.

Well, what are Willem Sherman's
qualifications?

Is he a lawyer? Is he a doctor?

I'm just simply asking him to select
someone suitable.

Ian? But Ian's representing your side.

Well, Sherman only asked two questions.

Yes. Ian and I instructed him which were
the proper ones.

Now, Melissa, this is my job, honey.

I've worked with girls like this for
most of my life. I do know what's best

them. Trust me. I really do.

How are you? Are you still hurting?

Did Dr. Kent give you a hot water
bottle?

They're going to let me see Vivian.

Carrie, they're only going to let you
see Vivian after they give you an

operation. Do you know what an operation
is?

They're going to cut into your body and
make... They're going to change you,

Carrie, forever.

They're going to make it so that you
can't have any more babies like Vivian.

I think you should be able to see Vivian
without having that done to you. And I

want to help you.

But who knows?

Maybe someday you'll want to have other
Vivians. And I think that should be your

choice, too.

Do you want me to help you, Karen?

I want to see Vivian.

My baby.

Norfolk for the campaign.

Norfolk? Friday he has his club
launching.

Did he leave me a message?

Very good to me, Anna. I was trying to
knock you off the field.

There, and see what you get for it. I
understand things are working well with

you and Melissa. Oh, yeah.

She's quite a girl.

These are your caseloads?

Yeah. Matter of fact, more than I
expected.

Good. I'm glad to hear that.

That mean you got room for another case?

What?

What kind of case?

Very important case.

That's it.

What you saw in Norfolk is exactly the
same in Raleigh. Let me call you right

back. No, this is important now.

I know it's important, but let me call
you back.

Bye -bye.

I was wondering where you were.

There's a case that we need to get. My
trip was great, thanks. I missed you,

too.

We're way up in the Norfolk polls. Hey,
look at this over here from my luncheon.

What is it? Campaign.

Your uncle was particularly generous.

Good.

I went to Carrie's sterilization
hearing. Adam, it was a joke.

The board already ruled for Uncle
Arthur. So I think there's something

can do. Melissa?

Our guardian's name is Willem Sherman.
He's a friend of Ian Strand's.

We need to get him to appeal to county
court. He's already going to.

How do you know that?

He was at the club.

And he said he's going to appear? Yes.

Well, who's representing him?

I am.

Are you serious? Yes, he asked me and I
said I'd be happy to.

Listen to me now. I'm going to go start
getting things together.

What is all of this?

Hi. These are Carrie's papers. They just
came in. Everything. Her medical

records, the commitment proceedings,
petitions. I even pulled some cases.

Oh, you have the bar exam in a month.

I'll study in the evening. What if you
get a gentleman caller?

Well, that all depends on who he is. A
handsome lawyer?

He'll have to call and see.

He is.

I'll make time. I promise.

What's wrong? Well, nothing.

Are you trying to say you don't want me
on this?

Of course not.

So there she is with the Evans family,
doing just fine with the chores. Thank

you. For years and years.

And she gets pregnant.

Well, now they want to be rid of her.

She's an unwed mother. She's an
embarrassment. So, they say they can't

her anymore.

They say she is dishonest, has
hallucinations, outbreaks of temper.

Here they even try and say she's
epileptic since childhood, where before,

said that she has never been subject to
epilepsy, headaches, nervousness, fits,

convulsions, and spasms of any kind. She
is not epileptic.

What does the medical record say?

Just a convenient people -minded within
the meaning of the law. That has a broad

definition. Yes, so does uneducated,
which is all she really is. Well,

argue she's not educable.

According to Uncle Arthur, she was
committed and is being sterilized for

moral delinquent. You're not born with
morals. Well, Uncle Arthur says

otherwise. Well, prove him wrong.

Heredity is scientifically documented.

Not of morals, it's not. Now, look.

The better part of her family has been
in the colony at one time or another,

including her own mother. Now, there's
eight known members, who knows how many

others, and Carrie herself was born out
of wedlock. Now, she's part of a whole

pattern, and we can't deny that.

Desires do get the best of that kind of
girl. Melissa, they don't know any

better than to go out and satisfy
themselves when they wonder how they end

pregnant. So we blame them? Well, what
about the men that take advantage of

them? They're guiltless. No, you can't
blame them.

The girls come looking for it. And men
are easy prey.

Not in the issue here, anyway. Maybe it
is.

You are the most frustrating human being
that I have ever known. We're trying to

make you a better lawyer?

No, you listen to me.

Do you know how many girls get pregnant
in the streets each year? There's

just... Case after case, and Carrie is
difficult.

How do you know? Does anyone ever ask
how it happens?

I don't know. I think that's pretty
obvious, isn't it?

Is that what you'd say if I suddenly
showed up pregnant?

Something you would tell me?

Adam, I'm trying to be serious.

You're different.

Why?

Because I don't fit one of Uncle
Arthur's patterns? Because I'm not a

from the hills?

Something could just as easily happen to
me.

Yes, well, under the same conditions,
yes, maybe it could.

Walking down the street, it could.

See, that's my whole point here.

No one's ever bothered to find out what
really happens to these girls.

Have you asked Carrie what happened to
her?

No, I haven't.

Ken has to authorize any leaves
personally.

He won't be back for another two days.

Yes, I know. I just took him to the
train station.

Well, then you know I can't let her out,
don't you?

I'm her attorney. I work with Mr. White,
and I need to spend a few hours with

her. Is there someplace I can talk to
her completely undisturbed?

Close the door. No one will bother you.
Thank you.

Here

we

go. Thank you.

All right, now close your eyes.

Are they shut?

Cover them with your hands.

Promise you can't see anything?

I promise.

No peeking now. No peeking.

All right, you can look now.

take cream and sugar?

Just cream, please.

Thank you.

So Carrie never said who the father was?

Oh, gracious, no. She tried to deny the
whole thing.

Well, what would she say?

Oh, you know, that she didn't know how
it happened. That kind of thing.

Do you think she might have been forced,
Mrs. Evans?

I suppose anything's Possible, isn't it?

For her to know.

Imagine when all's said and done, she
just got herself into trouble like a lot

of them do.

She's sleeping.

This is my favorite

place.

I can see why.

Did you make this for her, Carrie?

What?

She likes it here, too.

She's hunkering.

See you soon.

I'm glad.

Do we have to go

now?

Not yet. We still have more time.

I do not want to go back.

I know.

Why did you have a baby, Carrie?

I left at the end.

Did you love a boy?

Was it a man?

It was a boy, but you didn't love him?

What was his name, Carrie?

Beryl Anderson.

Was he your friend? Was he nice to you?

Did he hold you?

Close to him like a hug?

How did he hold you, Carrie? Show me how
he held you.

It's all right.

You can show me.

Come

on,

Carrie. We have to go now.

It's all right, Carrie. Give it to me.
It's okay. Don't worry. We'll come back

soon.

It's okay, Carrie.

Come on.

Come on. Let go.

Let go. I got her, Carrie.

We'll come back soon. Of course we will.

Get in the car, miss.

Get in the car. Get in the car.

Miss Evans, who is Daryl Anderson?

He's my nephew. Who is my husband's
nephew, his sister's son.

Goodbye. Goodbye.

Goodbye, Carrie.

You'll come back soon.

His name is Daryl Anderson.

Did she tell you how it happened?

No. That's all I could get out of her,
and then she started crying.

We need to find him.

Look, we don't have any proof.

We will if we find him. We have the word
of a girl who isn't competent to

testify. Well, then we'll get more out
of him. Like what?

Something. I don't know what. Something.
And who do you think they're going to

believe?

Adam, her only crime was having that
baby, and she was raped. Look, I know

Henry, and he won't let us turn this
into a rape trial.

And even if we wanted to press charges,
it's a separate case, and you know that.

She's up in confinement.

Why?

She left the grounds, went to
Charlottesville. With you, I believe.

Gary. Gary, I'm so sorry.

I never meant for this to happen.

I'm going to go and talk to Dr. Kent and
tell him it was all my fault.

All I want is to help you, Gary.

Do you know that?

Can you... Can you please just tell me
that you know that

this wasn't meant to happen?

If you're going to confine someone, it
should be me.

What ought to do ought to have you
arrested. You had no right, Melissa.

Had no right to take it away from here,
take it out, see that baby. Then punish

me. That's not my job.

Carrie knows the rules here. It's not
the first time she's left, as you very

well know.

Uncle Arthur, you're the one person that
can help her. Please.

Melissa, I'm trying to help her. And if
you want to help her too, then stop

interfering. It is my job to interfere.
I am her lawyer.

You are not her lawyer.

Adam White is her lawyer.

And I work for him.

Melissa, he is embarrassed.

Embarrassed? Yes, and I'm embarrassed
too. He had no idea you went out there.

You spoke with him? Yes, I spoke with
him. Called him up on the phone, asked

what the devil was going on. And he said
he was embarrassed?

He said he had no idea about anything
until you got back.

Well, he didn't.

Melissa, if I could please give you a
little advice.

I'd be very careful, darling. You are a
beautiful young woman. Adam is as fine a

boy as ever came down the track. But if
you keep on like this, hon, you're going

to ruin everything. You're going to
drive him away.

I told him a lot of things about you,
but I didn't tell him you were like

And just what did you tell him? I told
him what I've been telling him for

that you two would get along famously,
that you'd be a fine mother, wife, just

as soon as you got this.

Damn lawyer stuff out of your system.

You told him that?

Yes, I told him that. So why don't you
just let things be? I mean, just stop

meddling, hon, and things that do not
concern you. Now, I'll see you back at

house for supper.

Oh, good day, Miss Prentice. Good day,
Miss Prentice.

Anyway, I think we should go.

All right, let's go.

Miss Prentice?

Mr. Jeff?

I am sorry if I... Well, I telephoned.
They said you'd be back soon.

Do you want to come in?

No, my husband would... He's waiting for
me on Main Street.

Thinks I'm shopping.

Then it's what he said.

There's something I didn't tell you the
other day.

There were these bruises that Carrie had
here on her wrist and a fine

silk nightgown that Mr. Evans and I had
given to her was missing.

Carrie said she'd thrown it out, that
she'd torn it, caught it on a nail.

One day I was out by the incinerator and
I got a glimpse of it stuffed down

inside, so I pulled it out.

It was torn all right.

Not like she said.

Caught on the nail.

It was torn all the way down the front.

Like it'd been ripped right off of her.

And there was blood all smeared into the
back.

Like she'd had a month, Liesl.

Only more.

And, well, Dale Anderson was staying at
our house at the time.

Mrs. Evans, I need you to help me.

I need you to help Carrie. I need you to
come down to the court and tell people.

It's not going to help.

They're going to do it to her anyway.
Don't you know that? They'll do it to

those girls.

We can stop them.

My husband said that if I ever told him.
I thought a girl was going to come and

be looking for me. Mrs. Evans, please.
You summoned me.

I'm going to have to swear that I was
never here.

Understand, don't you?

I needed to tell someone.

I need you to know.

I've got to go.

Hey,

what do you think?

You tell me. Why, what's that?

Ian Strand's witness list. They're going
to call Harry A. Crawford himself. Oh,

yeah, I know.

You know. Why didn't you tell me? Well,
I just found out. I spoke to Ian.

Adam, Mrs. Evans came by the office
today. Oh? What for?

She knew about the rape.

Did she testify?

She said if we called her, she'd purge
herself. So I think we should ask for a

continuance, and we should try and find
Daryl Anderson. How? Who said you can't

find him? Well, somebody's got to know
where he is. We just need more time.

If we do find him, what do you think
he's going to say? Yeah, I raped her.

put him on the stand and hammer him
until he gives in. It won't happen. And

besides, you know it wouldn't change
anything anyway.

All right. So who are we going to call?
Well, I've been thinking about that.

Yeah, these need to get to Amherst right
away.

I think our best move is to call no one.

No one? What do you mean? Who would you
suggest?

Somebody to refute Lawson.

That'll only make us look foolish.

He's the world's leading expert.

Adam, there is a growing body of
scientists who believe... We'll just try

impeach Ian's witnesses and then show
the law unconstitutional. What if we

do that? We'll appeal.

This is the kind of case that can go all
the way to the Supreme Court. Now, do

you know what that means? Yes, I do.

It means that we have to win it right
here, right now.

Next week, they want to seal the right
to sterilize Carrie and every other girl

in that colony.

And that's only going to be the
beginning, Adam.

Next it'll be the blind and the deaf,
the crippled, the poor, the Negroes, the

Jews, and anybody else who isn't good,
white, and all -American in the eyes of

Dr. Harry H. Laughlin.

And it's not just going to be to Carrie
Bucks, Adam.

Milton was blind.

Byron had a club foot. Beethoven was
deaf.

We need our own experts.

Listen to me now.

And why did you hire me?

What do you mean, why did I hire you?

I mean, why did you hire me?

Well, because I read your work, I
thought it was good, and I was looking

my load to get on with things like this
campaign plot.

You call me in here and you ask my
opinion on your...

hats and your flyers and your posters.

Do you really care what I think about
our case? Of course I do.

Good. Then I think we need our own
expert. And I'm going to go find us one.

Bye.

Tall, tall, tall dwarf.

Now, this is a pure tall.

This is a pure dwarf.

And these two middle ones are hybrid
talls, which means they look exactly

the pure tall, but have the gene for
dwarfism hidden inside them.

If they mate, they can produce a pure
dwarf.

But this doesn't work for humans.

Oh, no, for some physical traits, it
does.

Um, six fingers, eye color, a baldness,
but certainly not all the mental and

social conditions your Dr. Laughlin
would have us believe.

What about this chart, this evil
-mindedness and all these studies,

studies on alcoholism and poverty? It'd
be nice to blame all the ills of the

world on biology, wouldn't it?

Listen, the most complicated organisms I
work with are fruit flies.

Tiny little gnats that reproduce very
quickly. We study their eyes and wings

we're only beginning to understand how
complex the relationship of genetics is

to the environment.

It's hard to even speculate about the
human mind.

From the first moment of consciousness,
it's subject to all kinds of conditions.

Education, sanitation,

medical care, love, thousands of
different variables.

And even if this were all true, watch
what sterilization would do.

Let's change these little d's to f's for
feeble

-minded. And leave these big d's for,
let's say,

Decent. The only feeble -minded would be
this.

One -fourth of this generation.

That's who'd be sterilized.

But these other hybrids would still
carry the feeble -minded gene, yet

completely decent.

You could sterilize every feeble -minded
one, but it would still take

generations to see any meaningful
reduction.

And the gene itself would be impossible
to eliminate.

Unless, of course, he wants to sterilize
them all.

Come

on.

They caught Carrie trying to jump the
train to Charlottesville. They've got

over at the jail.

Yeah.

Stop it! Stop it!

Leave her alone!

Stop it!

Stop!

I want to talk to her, please. Let her
go. It's all right.

Let her go.

Thank you.

Gentlemen.

Go away. Please, both of you.

Thank you.

Carrie, may I come in?

Carrie, are you hurt?

I would like to come in if it's all
right.

But I won't unless you say I can.

You can leave if you want to.

They won't stop you.

No one here will stop you.

But they will find you, Carrie.

Every time.

And they will take you back to the
colony.

I want to help you to be free.

But we have to do things the right way.

Now, I don't know if you can understand
this, but the right way is through the

law.

That's what Mr.

White and I work at every day for you.

We don't think that the law is being
fair to you.

And we think that you should have some
kind of say in your own life.

Harry.

We are going to do everything that we
can for you.

We really are.

So you can go.

She's a distinct liability.

Would you say that she could take care
of her own children?

No, I wouldn't. On the very day I
brought her to the colony, I witnessed

throwing a vicious temper tantrum. She
scratched her own child quite badly.

She purred to me. It's okay.

That's when they took her baby.

I see.

Now, tell me about this child that she
scratched.

Do you have specific impressions of it?

Well, it's difficult to judge one so
young.

But I have seen the child with Mrs.
Evans' grandchild, Stephen, just three

older. And there is a look about
Carrie's child that is, well,

not quite normal.

You're a witness, Mr. White.

You say Carrie's baby does not measure
up to the Evans'. No, not nearly.

Can either of them talk?

No. Can they walk?

No. Then in what way do they differ?

Well, the Evans' baby is...

It's just a baby you can play with.

The other baby isn't.

It seems more apathetic, not responsive.

More passive.

Yes, very much so.

And because it's more passive, you think
it's people -minded?

I think it is.

Well, just not quite normal. And this
more active baby is a boy, and the more

passive one, a girl. Is that right?

Yes, sir.

All right, now, before Carrie's
pregnancy, Are there any records at your

that show Carrie Buck to be feeble
-minded or antisocial?

No, sir. So your opinion that she is
feeble -minded and antisocial is based

the birth of her child?

On that, and that as a social worker, I
know girls of that type.

Of what type?

Decidedly feeble -minded.

But wait.

The fact that this girl made a misstep
or was perhaps taken advantage of, is

that evidence of feeble -mindedness?

No, but a feeble -minded girl is much
more likely to go wrong.

I see. Now, just one more question. You
say Carrie is a liability. Do you think

by sterilizing her, she would become an
asset? I don't know that she could ever

become an asset, but I do think it would
at least prevent the propagation of her

kind. It would prevent the propagation
of her kind, undoubtedly.

Thank you, Miss Frederick.

Why didn't you ask her about the
stretch?

I didn't need to. The judge got the
point, and I'm sure her version would be

different from Carrie's anyway.

Well, that's the whole problem.

Everybody's version of everything is
different from Carrie's. You know, they

just gave her this label, feeble
-minded. Vivian, too, and she can't even

yet. We need to show that to the judge.
Well, we just did.

No, I mean, we really need to show that.
Now, Melissa, you know as well as I do

that Carrie has her limitations. So what
do you want to argue? She can be a

competent parent?

I think she can if she gets some help.
But the Evanses don't want to help her

anymore. Then another family. And what?
We have to find families for all the

Indians.

Well, what if she married?

Then she'd have a husband to love her
and care for, and he might want to have

more babies with her.

Adam, she's an attractive, sweet girl. I
can see it. So what are you saying

here? You want to put Carrie on the
stand?

Yes, I think we should.

No, we can't do that. Why not?

You really think she can handle that?

Yes, I do.

We at least owe her the chance, don't
we?

My name is Carrie Buck.

And where do you live?

In the colony.

Well, where did you live before that?

With Mrs. Evans.

Now, I understand you have a baby.

Is that right? You have a baby?

Yes, sir.

What's her name?

Vivian.

And where does your baby live?

With Mrs. Evans.

Oh, I see. So someone else is raising
your baby for you?

Who's Vivian's father, Carrie?

You don't want to answer that. It's all
right. Just tell us, did you know him?

Yes. Did you know him well?

No. Oh, I see now.

Are you in the habit of having sexual
relations with men you don't know well?

Do you not understand my question?

I'm going to put another way for you.

Do you often sleep with men you don't
know well?

No. But you did sleep with Vivian's
father, yes?

I... I... I... Is there something you
want to say? I... Can I?

No.

Now, how do I know you won't have sex
with someone like Vivian's father again?

No. Well, why not? You did once, huh?

I... I... Oh, let her try.

Did I repeat the question?

What, Mrs. Evans? Is it Mrs. Evans you
need now? No, Adam. Mrs. Evans!

Get out!

My room!

Oh, no!

No!

Ms. Bond, do you need a rest? Are you
having trouble...

Tomorrow they're going to call Dr.

DeJonis, Dr.

Estabrook, Uncle Arthur, and Dr. Lawson.

We need Professor Morgan.

Please state your name and occupation.

My name is Harry H. Laughlin.

I'm in charge of the eugenics record
office of the Carnegie Institution of

Washington. I head the investigation of
heredity in humans, animals, and plants.

I see.

And in this investigation, have you made
any effort to determine to what extent

insanity and feeble -mindedness are
transmissible by heredity?

Yes, we've made great efforts in that
area.

And can you please tell the court what
you found?

Certainly.

If I may refer to my charts.

Human mental characteristics are
inherited in exactly the same way as

ones.

Such as, say, the condition of six
fingers.

But while six fingers is what we call a
dominant condition, feeble -mindedness

is what we call a recessive.

If you'll follow here on the chart, I'll
make it clear. The operation is a very

simple procedure.

It's just cutting the fallopian tubes
and tying them back.

Efficient in hospital stay, too.

What we have proposed, Your Honor, is an
in -and -out method by which our

institutions would be turned into
clearinghouses to take these girls in,

sterilize them, and turn them back out
again.

In a very short period of time, we could
have the better part of them taken care

of. So this operation is just a simple
cut and tie with none of the ovaries

removed?

No, indeed, sir.

That would be criminal.

No further questions.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mr. Strand?

No questions, Your Honor.

And no further witnesses.

You may step down, Dr. Kent.

Mr. White, do you wish to call any
witnesses?

No witnesses, Your Honor.

Then I believe we just have some
technical matters.

We'll take a recess until two o 'clock.

Melissa.

I brought you Morgan and you never even
used him to challenge Laughlin. You

didn't challenge any of them, Miss
Frederick, Uncle Arthur.

That's because this is just a friendly
suit, isn't it?

Right from the beginning. Alyssa,
there's no question that Carrie Buck

prevented from having children. What's
in court here is the law, and not her.

You never wanted a partner for your
practice. I'm glad you told me that, but

was stupid enough to convince myself
that it wasn't true. I do want you for a

partner, but I wanted to tell you the
truth.

Then why didn't you? Well, because I did
try, but you would just charge off. And

you let me. I was hoping we could
somehow both find our way with this.

A girl is about to lose her fertility.

What kind of appeal?

It's the whole idea, see, to argue it in
Supreme Court.

You should have argued it here. Let
Uncle Arthur appeal.

What?

He gave this to you.

And you took it so that you could get
your name into the history book. So what

does that make me?

I'm a favorite of him. Melissa.

We are taking this case to the highest
court in the country. The nine greatest

judicial minds are there. Oliver Wendell
Holmes, Brandeis, Butler. This is the

right way.

No, this is not the right way, and you
know it.

Withdraw.

Pardon?

Withdraw and show them that you're not
as much of a pawn as you've made Carrie.

Withdraw from the case.

I have to go because I can't do anything
for you here.

Where are you going?

I'm not sure.

Past Charlottesville?

Yeah, past Charlottesville.

When are you coming back?

I don't know.

I don't know if I am coming back.

But I do know that I'm going to do
everything I can for you, Carrie.

And I need for you to know that.

You trusted me.

You're my friend.

Yes.

And you're my friend, Carrie Buck.

My friend, we have triumphed in the
Supreme Court of the United States.

Now these are the targets of
sterilization.

The feeble -minded.

The insane and psychopathic.

The delinquent.

Epileptic. Drunkard. Drug addict.

The diseased in any way.

The blind. The deaf.

The crippled and deformed.

Dependent. Mortal.

Take it to class now.

That's a floating tube.

All right.

All right.

Cut.