Original subtitles

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.