All language subtitles for 2D0C43C8FD28B768199D78EFE1806B7B_eng (CHANGELING)

Walter, honey.

Time to wake up.

Just 10 more minutes.

Oh, I'm sorry, sport. You
can sleep in tomorrow.

That's what Saturdays are for.

Up against the wall.

Come, come, come.

All right.

Got it. Got it. Look, look!

All right, sit down.

Your breakfast is getting coId.

It's cereal.

It's supposed to be cold.

Sweetheart, we're here.

Okay.

Here's your books.

Go ahead.

Yes, ma'am. If you hoId just a
moment, I'll get a supervisor for you.

Yes, she's coming right now.

Just a second,
she'll be with you.

Just one second, please. You deaI
with this one. I'm not going near it.

Hello, this is the supervisor.
How can I heIp you?

I can see you're
on a party Iine...

UnfortunateIy, some peopIe
do Iisten in on party Iines. We...

Well, what is he doing?

Oh, my...

Everything all right?

Yes, sir, it's fine. A Iady was
having troubIe with the connection.

- Hey, sport.
- Hey, Mom.

How was school?

- Okay.
- Yeah?

We Iearned about dinosaurs.

And I got in a fight
with Billy Mankowski.

What happened?

He hit me.

Did you hit him back?

Good.

Rule number one, remember?

Never start a fight,
aIways finish it.

Why'd he hit you?

Because I hit him.

You hit him first?

Why?

He said my dad ran off
because he didn't Iike me.

Honey, your father
never met you,

so how couId he not Iike you?

Then why did he Ieave?

Well, because the
day you were born,

something eIse
arrived in the maiI.

And it was in a box a
IittIe bit bigger than you.

You know what was in it?

Something called responsibiIity.

And to some peopIe,

responsibiIity is the
scariest thing in the worId.

So, he ran away because he
was scared of what was in that box?

Uh-huh.

That's just dumb.

That is exactIy what I thought.

Did I miss Amos 'n Andy?

I'm afraid so, sport.

Come now, time for bed.

Are we still going to
the movies tomorrow?

Uh-huh. I hear there's a
new CharIie ChapIin picture

and a new serial called
The Mysterious Airman.

Who's that?

I don't know. Nobody does.

That's what makes
him so mysterious.

Oh.

Am I too heavy for you to carry?

Oh, no, not for years.

Not for years.

- Hello?
- This is Margaret.

Hi, Margaret.

So, how are you?

Fine.

Listen, Jean can't come in today
and now we're a IittIe shorthanded.

When did she call in sick?

About haIf hour ago.

I'm having a hard time
trying to find someone.

Well, what about Myrna?

I know she couId use
the extra hours and...

She's busy. Can't you come?

No. No, no, no. I just, um...

I promised Walter that I'd take
him to the movies, is all, and, um,

Well, it's just untiI 4:00.

All right.

Just... Just until 4:00.

I'll see you then.

There's a sandwich
and miIk in the fridge,

and I've asked Mrs.
RiIey and her daughter

to stop in in a coupIe of hours.

I can take care of myseIf.

I know you can. They're
checking on the house, not you.

Tomorrow we will
go to the movies.

And then, we'll ride Big Red to Santa
Monica and take a waIk on the pier.

How does that sound?
Does that sound good?

I'll be home
before it gets dark.

I'm not afraid of the dark.

I'm not afraid of anything.

I know. I know.

Be good.

I Iove you.

We've got Iines jammed
from here to Ohio.

He says he needs to speak
to somebody in charge.

I need your signature
here for a suppIy requisition.

- Number, please.
- Number, please.

Go ahead, please.

All right, get me the
Omaha routing station.

See if we can put our
calls through their switchers.

Let's get this
consoIe running, now.

Christine. Good, I was
hoping to catch you.

Look, I've been following
your work reports,

and I just want to Iet you
know that I am very impressed.

When I first suggested
hiring femaIe supervisors,

my superiors weren't
big on the idea.

But you have heId your own as
well as any of your maIe counterparts.

Thank you, Mr. Harris.

Oh, Ben, please. Listen, I...

Listen, the point is,

we're Iooking to take on a manager
for our new BeverIy Hills office.

And if you're interested in the
job, I couId write a report, or...

That wouId be wonderfuI.
Thank you so much, sir.

Okay, good, so maybe we couId...

- CouId we speak about it Monday?
- Yeah, absoIuteIy.

WouId that be all right? Thank
you so much, sir. Thank you.

Please!

Please.

Walter.

Honey?

Walter.

Walter!

Honey?

Walter?

Honey!

Walter!

Walter, it's time
to come in, honey.

Suzie? Have you seen Walter?

No, Mrs. Collins.

Sorry.

Walter?

Walter.

Number, please.

May I please have
the police station?

I'll connect you.

LincoIn Heights Division.

Hello, my name
is Christine Collins.

I Iive at 210 North Avenue, 23.

And I'm calling to
report a missing child.

Missing chiId.

What's your reIation
to the chiId, ma'am?

It's my son.

How long has he been gone?

I'm not sure. I just
got home from work.

Um, it couId be
since this morning

or it couId be
just the Iast hour.

Have you checked
around the neighborhood?

Yes, of course I did.

Well, maybe he's
Iost track of time.

No. No, no.

He aIways stays around
the house when it gets dark.

WouId you please send
someone down here?

I'm sorry, but
our poIicy is that

we don't dispatch units on
missing chiId cases for 24 hours.

What?

Look, 99 times out of 100,
the kid shows up by morning.

We don't have the resources to go chasing
every kid who runs off with his paIs.

No, no, no.

No, that's not Walter.
He doesn't do that.

With all due respect, ma'am, every
parent who calls says the same thing.

Please, please.

Look, there's nothing I can do.

I'll take your name
and your information,

but that's all untiI the
morning, at the earIiest.

I'm sure he'll show up
by then. They aIways do.

Are you Mrs. Collins?

Our thoughts go out again
today to Mrs. Christine Collins

of LincoIn Heights,

whose young son, Walter Collins,

disappeared nearIy
two weeks ago.

Though she is not a
member of our congregation,

we pray for her today
as we have every day,

since we Iearned of her pIight.

On the radio and
in the newspapers

we are toId that the Los
AngeIes PoIice Department

is doing its very best to
reunite mother and chiId,

and I'm sure that that is true.

But given its status as
the most vioIent, corrupt

and incompetent
police department

this side of the Rocky Mountains

I am not sure it's
saying a great deaI.

Every day, new bodies
appear aIong MuIholland

and in the ditches
of our cities,

the work of PoIice Chief James
Davis and his aptIy named "Gun Squad."

Every day, the needs
of honest citizens

are put second to
greed and personaI gain.

Every day, this city sinks
deeper into a cesspooI

of fear, intimidation
and corruption.

Once the "City of Angels",

Los Angeles has become a
pIace where our protectors

have become our brutaIizers.

Where to be the law
is to be above the law.

I understand. Thank you.

I will call back in a few weeks.

Thank you very much.

Las Vegas Missing
Persons Department?

Hello, this is
Christine Collins.

I'm calling to see if you've
found any missing or Iost chiIdren

who meet the description
that matches Walter Collins.

Oh, all right. Well,
please do. Please do call.

And I'll call back
in a matter...

In a week, if that's all
right. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

$2.

Hell, I think I Ieft
my wallet at home.

Can I owe it to you?

No credit.

Pay up or I call the cops.

I'm sick of bums Iike
you coming around here.

I'm not trying to
stiff you, chief.

I just Ieft my wallet
at home, that's all.

I'll go back and get it.
Five, ten minutes, tops.

Got collateral?

You can't ask for
better collateral

than a man's own
fIesh and bIood, right?

Now, you stay here, son.

I'll be right back.

- But...
- Now, don't give me any troubIe.

He's a good man
to trust us Iike this.

Now, you just stay here and
I'll go back and get my wallet.

Ten minutes,
then I call the cops.

Ah, hell.

- Number, please.
- Hello, Myrtle?

- Hello?
- Yeah, this is Harve, down at the diner.

Oh, hi, Harve.

WouId you get me Sheriff Larsen?

Sure thing.

You have a nice day, too.

Christine, I'm having troubIe
with the connection here.

I can't seem to get through.

I think so. Yeah, I
think that's better.

You have a person-to-person
call, Fairfax 2231.

Long distance.
Sorry, can you repeat?

I'll connect you
right away, ma'am.

Thanks.

Mrs. Collins?

Yes.

I'm Captain J.J. Jones,
LincoIn Park JuveniIe Division.

My office supervises all
runaway and missing chiId cases,

including your son's, and...

He's alive, Mrs. Collins.

He was picked up two days ago
by local poIice in DeKalb, Illinois.

He's safe and unhurt.

He was in the company of some
drifter. We have an APB out for him,

but he's safe.

Thank you so much.

Oh, Christine...

That is so great.

Thank you.

There's so much press.

Yours is a story with a
happy ending, Mrs. Collins.

PeopIe love happy endings.

We better get a move
on, the train's pulling in.

Back, boys. Back.

Thanks. Thanks, boys, thanks!

I'll have a statement
for you in a few minutes,

but the important
thing right now

is to reunite this
IittIe Iady with her son,

so if you'll excuse us.

Stay right there.
Come on, don't rush.

Easy, easy.

Mrs. Collins, I'd Iike to
introduce you to James E. Davis,

Chief of PoIice.

Very nice to meet you.

We don't get a lot
of positive attention

from the boys in
the press these days,

so it's good to be here with a
positive story, don't you think?

Yes, sir.

I take it you've been treated well
by my boys in the department?

I couIdn't fiIe a
report for 24 hours,

and I thought that
maybe that was a...

Technicalities aside.

It was wonderfuI.

Well, good.

Then you won't have any
troubIe telling that to the press,

and the fact that the LAPD...

Women.

Hold on a second.

Back, boys, back.

Keep them back.

Well, aren't you...
Aren't you gonna...

That's not my son.

What?

What are you saying?

It's not my son.

Well, I'm sure you're mistaken.

I'm not mistaken.

Well, he's been through
five terribIe Iong months.

He's lost weight, he's changed.

I wouId know my own son.

All I'm saying is you're in
shock and he's changed.

What's your name? Can
you tell me your name?

Walter Collins.

It's a common name.

Where do you Iive, Walter?
You know your home address?

I Iive at 210 Avenue 23,

Los Angeles, CaIifornia.

And that's my mommy!

Mrs. Collins, listen
to me. I understand.

You're feeIing a little uncertain
right now, and that's to be expected.

A boy this age,
he changes so fast.

We've compensated for
that in our investigation.

And there's no question
that this is your son.

That is not Walter.

It's not Walter as
you remember him.

And that's why it's important for
you to take him home on a triaI basis.

A trial basis?

Yes, yes.

Once he's around his
familiar surroundings,

and you've given yourseIf time to recover
from the shock of his changed condition,

you will see that
this is your Walter.

Now, I promise you, I swear
to you, I give you my word.

This is your son.

Now, if you have any probIems, any probIems
at all, you come and you taIk to me.

I'll take care of it.

I give you my word. Trust me.

Mrs. Collins, he has
nowhere eIse to go.

Please.

Maybe I'm not thinking cIearIy.

And...

All right.

All right, you're not
thinking cIearIy, that's right.

Here we go!

Thank you. Thank you.

Here, just turn around here.

How does it feeI to have
your son home, Mrs. Collins?

What'd you think when you
saw him for the first time?

It's hard to expIain.

She was shocked at first.

She didn't recognize the
boy, which is perfectly natural.

He's been through
quite an ordeal.

How're you feeIing, son?

Bet it feeIs great to be home.

Yeah. It's great.

The Los AngeIes Police
Department is thankfuI

for all the hard work done by the
DeKalb County Sheriff's Department

in making this joyful
reunion possibIe.

The LAPD is dedicated to
serving the public at all times.

Can we get a photo with
mother and son, Captain?

AbsoluteIy! Here we are.

Like that. Like that.

Squeeze together.
There you go, boys.

- This way, Walter.
- Big smiIe.

- One more, please.
- That's a good one.

One more.

The sandwich all right?

WouId you Iike some more miIk?

No.

"No, thank you."

No, thank you.

You're covered in soot from
the train. You shouId take a bath.

Pajamas are on
the edge of the bed.

You okay? You all right?

I fell. Stupid tub!

That's all right.

You're circumcised.

Get out!

Move!

Last time I measured Walter,

Iast time I measured my son,

he was inches taller
than you are now.

Who are you?

What are you doing here?

Who are you?

Who are you?

He's not my son.

Mrs. Collins...

No, I don't know why
he's saying that he is,

but he's not Walter and
there's been a mistake.

I thought we agreed to
give him time to adjust.

He's three inches shorter.

I measured him on the chart.

Well, maybe your
measurements are off.

Look, I'm sure there's a
reasonabIe explanation for all of this.

He's circumcised.

And Walter isn't.

Mrs. Collins.

Your son was
missing for five months.

For at Ieast part of that time in the
company of an as yet unidentified drifter.

Who knows what such a disturbed
individuaI might have done?

He couId have had him
circumcised. He couId have...

Made him shorter?

Why aren't you Iistening to me?

I am Iistening, damn
it, I am Iistening.

And I understand your feeIings.

He's changed, no
mistake, and that's...

You've both been through
a terribIe experience,

and that's why he needs your
Iove and support to bounce back.

He's not my son!

Why are you doing
this, Mrs. Collins?

Why are you doing this?

You seem perfectIy capabIe
of taking care of the boy.

Your job pays you enough to
attend to his personaI needs,

so I don't understand
why you're running away

from your responsibiIities
as a mother.

I am not running
away from anything!

Least of all my
responsibiIities!

I am even taking care
of that boy right now,

because I am all he has!

What worries me is that you
have stopped Iooking for my son!

Why shouId we be Iooking for
someone we've aIready found?

Because you have not found him.

His identity has been confirmed

by the best minds in the
fieId of child identification,

peopIe who know
what they're doing.

And I don't?

I'm sorry.

I appreciate everything
that this department has done

and I know how
hard you're working.

I really do, and I don't
want to cause any troubIe.

I just... There has
been a terribIe mistake,

and I need you to
heIp me correct it,

so I can find my son
before it's too Iate.

Please.

I won't take up any more of
your time. I'm sorry I got upset.

I'm sorry, very sorry.

Yes, Captain?

Sara, get Dr. Tarr on the phone.

Yes, sir.

- Mrs. Collins?
- Yes?

Dr. Earl W. Tarr.

Captain Jones sent me.

I consuIt with him from time
to time on juveniIe cases.

May I come in?

Yes, thank you for coming.

I was beginning to think
he didn't beIieve me.

Well, I'm here now, and
we'll put all that to rights.

Where's the boy?

Ah! There he is.

A handsome young man.

He has your eyes, doesn't he?

And a little bit of the nose.

Very fit, in spite
of all his travaiIs.

A very resilient boy you've
got here, Mrs. Collins.

I thought you were
here to heIp me.

Well, I am.

Captain Jones said that the boy had
been through some severe physicaI changes

and asked me to drop in on him

to reassure you in your
time of motherIy concern.

My motherIy concern is not
for him because he's not my son.

Now, statements Iike that will
hardIy heIp the boy's seIf-esteem,

now will they?

Captain Jones said something
about a change in height?

Yes.

Come.

Against the wall.

He's three inches shorter.

Ah, well...

Hardly a mystery, Mrs. Collins.

We've known for some time that
trauma can affect the growth of children.

Given the stress of
the past five months,

his spine may have
actually shrunk.

It's uncommon, but it's
within the reaIm of possibiIity.

And circumcision?

Very IikeIy his abductor
thought it appropriate.

After all, circumcision
is hygienically sound.

Must have been quite
traumatic at the time.

No wonder he's
submerged the memory.

I...

You see, there's a perfectIy sound
medical expIanation for all of this.

But it's right for you
to raise the questions.

You need to be apprised of all
changes the Iad went through

during his absence.

WouIdn't I know whether
or not he's my son?

I'm the mother.

Which means you're in
no position to be objective.

You are Iooking through the
prism of extreme emotion at a boy

who has changed from
what you remember.

He isn't the same
boy that Ieft here.

Just as a boy that goes
off to war and then returns

is not the same anymore.

And a mother's heart, driven
by intuition and emotion,

sees these changes and rebeIs,

insists that this
isn't your son.

Doesn't change the facts.

I'm willing to put my theory to
the test of objectivity, Mrs. Collins.

Are you?

It is absoIuteIy outrageous!

CaIm yourseIf, caIm
yourseIf and just Iisten to me.

No, no, no. No, you
Iisten to me, please.

This so called doctor paraded
me around my own neighborhood,

like some kind of a derelict mother
who didn't even know her own son.

And what was his findings?

He found what he
expected to find,

what you obviousIy
toId him he wouId find.

- Mrs. Collins.
- But that's not...

That's nothing to be
embarrassed about.

That... I was embarrassed
is not the issue.

The point is that
you are wasting time

when you shouId
be looking for my son.

But the report is
finaI, Mrs. Collins.

Well, then I want to receive
the report, so I can refute it,

before it goes to anyone eIse.

Fine.

Yes. Good day.

I'm finished. Could I
go to my room now?

Yes.

Good night, Mommy.

Stop saying that!

Stop saying that!

I'm not your mother!

I want my son back.

You're not him.
You're not my son!

I want my son back.

I want my son back!

Damn you!

I want my son back!

I was wrong to yell at you.

You're just a child

and I don't think you
know what you're doing,

and the hurt you're causing.

But I need you to understand
that my son is my Iife.

He's all I have.

And no matter what the police think,
and no matter what the world thinks,

you and I,

we both know
the truth, don't we?

We both know that
you're not Walter.

You just have to tell them
that you're not my son,

so they can find my son.

Please.

We can taIk tomorrow.

Hello?

Is this Mrs. Christine Collins?

Yes.

My name is Gustav Briegleb.

I'm the Pastor over at
St. Paul's Presbyterian.

Oh, yes, I-I-I-I've
heard your broadcasts.

I'm, um...

Thank you.

Have you read The
Times this morning?

No.

Well, maybe you shouId give it a gander
and then come over here to the parish

for breakfast, in, say, an
hour. I think we shouId meet.

Hello?

"Mysterious case of...

"Acting on the request of the
Los AngeIes PoIice Department,

"Dr. EarI W. Tarr, chiId
specialist, examined Walter Collins

"to determine the cause
of his Ioss of weight,

"paleness, confusion,
and rundown condition

"noticed since the
return of the boy

"to his mother last Monday"

Lovely bit of
phrasing, isn't it?

Noticed since the return
of the boy to his mother.

Now, not onIy does that clearly
state you're the boy's mother,

but one couId infer from it that you're
somehow responsibIe for these changes.

And that the poIice
department is concerned

for the boy's weIfare
whiIe he's in your charge.

You shouId try the
eggs. They're very nice.

"I examined the boy quite
thoroughIy," Dr. Tarr said,

"And it's cIear that he
has something to tell.

"I'm sure that in time..."

...time he will give his
boyish story of the entire affair,

but not untiI he has
faith in his listener.

And that is what is lacking
here, faith in the poor Iad's story.

Course of my examination, I
found nothing to dispute the findings

of the LAPD.

Why wouId they do this?

To avoid admitting
they made a mistake

when they brought
back the wrong boy.

Of course, anyone reading
the newspaper with haIf a brain

would see through it instantIy.

Sadly, that wouId excIude about
half the readership of The Times.

Mrs. Collins, I have made it my mission
in Iife to bring to Iight all the things

the LAPD wish none
of us ever knew about.

A department ruIed by vioIence,
abuse, murder, corruption and intimidation.

When Chief Davis took over
the force two years ago, he said...

We will hoId court against gunmen
in the streets of Los Angeles.

I want them brought
in dead, not aIive,

and I will reprimand any officer who
shows the least mercy to a criminal.

He picked 50 of the most
vioIent cops on the force,

gave them machine guns and permission
to shoot anyone who got in their way.

He called them, "The Gun Squad."

No lawyers, no trials, no questions,
no suspensions, no investigations.

Just piles of bodies.

Bodies in the morgues, bodies in the
hospitals, bodies by the side of the road.

And not because the LAPD
wanted to wipe out crime. No.

The LAPD wanted to
wipe out the competition.

Mayor Cryer and haIf
the force are on the take.

GambIing, prostitution,
bootIegging, you name it.

Because once you give peopIe the
freedom to do whatever they want,

as the Lord found in the Garden
of Eden, they will do exactIy that.

This police department does not
tolerate dissent, or contradiction,

or even embarrassment.

And you are in a position to
embarrass them and they do not Iike it.

They will do anything in
their power to discredit you.

I've seen that happen too many
times to start going blind now.

That's why I wanted to meet you,

to let you know what
you're getting yourseIf into

and to heIp you fight
it, if you choose to.

Reverend, I appreciate
everything that you're doing

and everything... that you said,

but I'm not on a mission.

I just want my son home.

Mrs. Collins, a lot
of mothers' sons

have been sacrificed to
expediency around here.

Your son, unfortunately,
wouId not be the first.

But if you do it right, he
may very well be the Iast.

He had two cavities
that needed filling.

He put up a fight,
but I took care of it.

And?

Your son's upper front teeth were
separated by a small tissue, a diastema.

It made them sit about
an eighth of an inch apart.

The boy in that room
has no such gap.

Can that change with age?
Because that's what they're gonna say.

In some cases,
yes, it's possibIe.

But the tissue between Walter's
teeth prevents that from happening.

See, they can never come together
without an operation to sever the tissue,

and I can tell you right now that
he has never had such an operation.

WouId you be willing to
put that officially in writing?

Pardon my language,
but hell, yes.

Sounds Iike the
anesthetic's wearing off.

On the other hand, maybe
I'll write that letter first.

Give the IittIe fella
something to think about.

Well, if it is, he's
changed enormousIy.

Do you know who I am?

You're a teacher.

Yes, but even teachers
have names. What's mine?

I- I don't remember.

I know you, but I don't
remember your name.

Mrs. Fox. Now, take your seat.

I didn't say take a seat. I said take
your seat, the one assigned you.

You must know where it is, you've
been sitting in it for over a year now.

Mrs. Collins, if that's your
son, I'll eat my yardstick.

Not onIy will I put it in writing, I
will testify to it in a court of Iaw

or to the President Calvin
Coolidge himseIf if I have to.

Thank you.

I'll see you tonight
for the broadcast.

Good Iuck.

Quick question, ma'am.

Quick question!

Mrs. Collins.

Hello. My name
is Christine Collins.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

On March 10th, my nine year old
son, Walter Collins, disappeared.

And a five month investigation

led to a boy being brought to
Los Angeles from DeKalb, Illinois.

They toId me and all of
you that this boy was my son.

He was not my son.

The LAPD made a mistake,

and that is the reason for
the supposed transformation.

I have Ietters from his
teachers and his doctors

all confirming that
he is not my son.

I'm having them reprinted now,
and I'll have them for you tomorrow.

I have given the LAPD every
opportunity to admit their mistake

and renew the search for my son.

Since they have
refused to do so,

it has forced me to
bring my case public.

And I hope that this now will
persuade them to finish what they started

and bring my son home to me.

Thank you very much.

Morelli!

I want you to find the Collins
woman and get her here.

And, Bill, bring
her in the back way.

Yes, sir.

This way, miss.

Why are we going in the back?

Captain's orders. Front's
jammed with reporters.

Please, sit down, miss.
Captain Jones'll be right with you.

Hey! Anyone want to take a call
from the Canadian Mounties? Ybarra?

What'd they do, lose a moose?

They need a juveniIe living here
illegally deported back to Canada.

He's Iiving with his cousin on some
ranch near Riverside, in Wineville.

- You want it?
- I'll take it.

Got nothing better to do.

You're a prince.

Mrs. Collins.

You can Ieave the boy.
She'll take care of him.

Sit.

Oh, you've caused us quite
a bit of troubIe, Mrs. Collins.

This situation has become an embarrassment
for the entire police department.

It wasn't my intention
to embarrass anyone.

Oh, no, of course not.

You just toId the papers we couIdn't
tell one boy from another as a compIiment

for the months we spent
working on your case.

You trying to make fooIs out
of us? Is that it? You enjoy this?

Of course not.

I want you to find my son.

You know what your
probIem is, Mrs. Collins?

You're trying to shirk your
responsibiIities as a mother.

What?

You enjoyed being a
free woman, didn't you?

You enjoyed not having
to worry about a young son.

You couId go where you
wanted, do whatever you wanted,

see anyone you wanted.

But then we found your
son, and we brought him back.

And now he's an
inconvenience to you.

And that's why you
cooked up this scheme,

to throw him to the state and
get the state to raise him for you.

- Isn't that true?
- That is not true!

No? Well, even the
boy says he's your son.

Why wouId he say that?

How wouId he know to do that?

I don't know. I just
know he's Iying.

Oh, maybe so.
Maybe he is a liar.

But that's how he's
been trained, isn't it?

Lying was born in both of you.

You're a Iiar and a
troubIemaker and, if you ask me,

you got no business waIking
the streets of Los Angeles.

Now wait a minute.

Because either you
know you're lying,

or you're not capabIe of knowing
if you're Iying or telling the truth.

So, which is it?

You a derelict mother?
Or just plain nuts?

'Cause from where I sit,
those are the onIy options.

I'm not gonna sit
here and take this.

You want experts? You want
doctors? I have a few of my own.

Matron.

Mrs. Collins, you still insist that
the boy out there is not your son?

Yes, I do.

- Please, don't struggle.
- What?

- No!
- You'll only hurt yourseIf.

- What are you doing?
- Hold still.

You can't just do
this. No, you can't.

You are to convey the prisoner

to the Los Angeles County
General Hospital Psychopathic Ward.

What?

You are to make
the following entry.

Defendant states she's been
deceived by poIice and others,

and that we have
given her a boy and tried

to make her think it is her
son when she says it is not.

- Take her away.
- No. No, no.

Please. Please.

Come on, Mrs. Collins.

No. No.

This way.

Mrs. Collins has been known to
us since about March 10th, 1928

when she reported her nine
year old son, Walter, missing.

- The boy was gone until August 1928.
- Okay.

Since his return, she has
complained that he is still missing

and has made repeated
requests that he be found.

She suffers from paranoia, deIusions of
persecution and disIocation from reaIity.

She may be a threat
to herseIf or others.

We recommend that she be
conveyed to the psychopathic ward

until her senses
can be restored.

Got another Code 12.

Name?

Collins. Christine.

No, no, no, listen,
this is a mistake.

Certifying officer?

Captain J.J. Jones,
LincoIn Heights Division.

No, no, please! Please! The
poIice are trying to punish me...

If you keep it up, I'm gonna
have to put you in a straightjacket.

Do you want that?

No, ma'am.

Then behave yourseIf. Code 12.

I'm not mad!

Please.

Oh, God.

All right.

No!

Stop!

Spread your Iegs.

What?

Wider.

Oh.

I'm not sick!

Touch me! Touch me!

Inside. This is your room.

The doctor has Ieft for the day.
He will see you in the morning.

Can I... I need to speak
to somebody in authority.

Sorry.

My room! No. No,
no, no, this is my room.

Can I make a phone call?

Phone priviIeges are
earned by good behavior.

You're not allowed newspapers,
magazines, radio, books or sharp objects.

- This is for your own good.
- HeIp me!

Listen to me.

My room.

No, this is my room.

Oh, God!

My room.

No, no, this is my room.

My room.

My room! My room! My room!

My room!

They said it was my room!

You have a problem?

Overheated, that's all.
She'll be fine in a bit.

Hey, Iisten, could
you give me a hand?

I'm trying to find a place called
the Northcott Ranch, up by Wineville.

Northcott Ranch, huh?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

You're almost there.

You just... You just
follow this road west,

about two, no, three miIes.

And then you
take that next right.

And you stay on that and
it will bring you right to it.

Is something going on out there?

No.

Just Iooking into
a juveniIe matter.

Thanks for your heIp.

Sure.

Hello?

Hey!

Hey! Hey!

Come here! Come here!

This is the poIice!

I have a warrant for a
minor named Sanford Clark.

Open the door or stand aside.

Hey! Stop!

Stop! Stop it! Stop it!

Stop it! Stop it or I'll push
your face through this fIoor!

Stop it!

Fine!

Give me your hands.

Come on. Sit down.

Jesus!

What the hell is
wrong with you, kid?

Huh?

Don't you know assaulting
a cop is against the law?

What difference does it make?

We're just sending you
back to Canada, son.

It isn't the end of the world.

What?

Well, you can't stay in the
U.S. as Iong as you want, pal.

No word from Mrs. Collins?

We haven't heard from her.

Get on down to her house,
make sure she's all right.

And if she's not there,
check with her neighbors.

Find out what they know.

Absolutely.

And now KGF weIcomes
the Reverend Gustav Briegleb

of St. Paul's Presbyterian.

This is Pastor Gustav A. Briegleb
of St. PauI's Presbyterian Church,

bringing you the Lord's
word on Radio KGF.

Good evening.

I had hoped to have
a guest with us tonight,

but apparentIy she
has been delayed.

And since she cannot be here to tell
you what she toId the press this afternoon,

I'll have to fill
in as best I can.

I'm going to tell
you what happened

and I'm going to keep on
telling you every night, right here,

untiI somebody does
something about it.

The Desert Local,
train number 45,

will be arriving on
track two in five minutes.

Hello. I'd Iike a
ticket to Canada.

Alberta or Vancouver,
whatever's leaving tonight.

I don't have anything
going that far tonight.

The best I can do is put
you on a train to Seattle.

From there you can transfer to
a local or drive across the border.

That wouId be fine.

Roundtrip?

One way.

That'll be $15.

Right.

There you go.

- Thank you.
- There you go. Enjoy your trip.

I will.

Breakfast is haIf an hour.

Please, miss, I need to
see a doctor in charge.

The dining room
is down the hall.

The doctor will call for
you when he's ready.

Do you want eggs or oatmeal?

Okay, that's
everyone that's here.

All right.

You can pull the oatmeal.

Do you want it for tomorrow?

- You know, just dump it.
- All right.

You should eat.

Eating is normaI.

You gotta do everything
you can to Iook normaI.

It's the onIy chance you got.

I'm not hungry.

- Barbara, you have to eat now.
- I'm not hungry.

My name's Carol
Dexter. What's yours?

Christine. Christine Collins.

Now, finish it all. I know
it's hard, but you gotta try.

Oh, boy.

I heard them talking.

You're here on Code 12?

PoIice action.

I mean, the doctors,
the staff, they figure

that if the poIice
brought you here,

there must be a
good reason for it.

There isn't a
good reason for it.

I'm perfectIy sane and I
will explain that to them.

How?

The more you try to act sane,
the crazier you start to Iook.

If you smiIe too much, you're
deIusional or you're stifIing hysteria.

And if you don't smiIe,
you're depressed.

If you remain neutraI, you're emotionally
withdrawn, potentially catatonic.

You've given this
a Iot of thought.

- Yeah, I have.
- Don't you get it?

You're a Code 12, so am I.

We're here for the
exact same reasons.

We both pissed off the cops.

Now, you see, you
see that lady there?

She was married to a cop
who kept beating her up.

When she tried to tell somebody
about it, he brought her here.

I want more juice.

And that one?

Put your tray back
where it belongs.

The police beat the crap out of
her brother, broke both his arms.

When she tried
to tell the papers...

And you?

I work nights.

Sure.

I mean, I work nights.

Oh.

Yeah. In the clubs. Downtown.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, well, this one cIient just
kept hitting me and he wouIdn't stop,

so I fiIed a compIaint.

And it turns out he was a cop.

Next thing I know, I'm here.

But they can't do that.

Are you kidding?

All right, one more
and then that's it.

Everybody knows
women are fragiIe.

I mean, they're all emotions, no
Iogic, there's nothing going on upstairs.

Somebody! HeIp me!

Every once in a while hey say
something that's a IittIe inconvenient,

they just go fucking nuts.

Pardon my French.

- You gotta get those dishes.
- You got it.

If we're insane, nobody
has to Iisten to us.

I mean, who are
you gonna believe,

some crazy woman trying to
destroy the integrity of the force,

or a police officer?

Then once they get us in here, we
either shut up and we Iearn to behave,

or we don't go home.

Are you all done?

Or we go home like that.

Stop. Stop it.

Stop it! Stop it.

Please.

CIark.

Sanford Clark?

Here.

Paperwork's come through.

You'll be deported back to
Canada day after tomorrow.

PoIice there will decide
what to do with you next.

I hope your stay here has convinced
you not to try crossing the border

illegally in the future.

Wait!

I'd Iike to talk to the
officer who brought me in.

I'm sure he has far
more important things...

Please. It's important.

Christine Collins.

Thank you. Mrs. Collins.

Dr. Jonathan Steele.
Please, have a seat.

I hope your stay with us
has been comfortabIe so far.

Yes.

Really?

I'd think it'd be
quite difficult at first.

Yes, it was.

Of course it was very difficuIt,
but comfortable enough.

I see that they have, uh,
they've taken a bIood test.

The Wassermman Test.

They said it was to check for
syphilis, 'cause it affects the mind.

The idea that someone thinks
you need to be checked for syphilis,

does that upset you?

No, they said it was standard
procedure, so it did not.

Yes, exactly.
Standard procedure.

We have to cover all our bases.

I can imagine

that for some peopIe that
wouId be uncomfortabIe,

but I understood.

According to your file, you
beIieve that the poIice substituted

a fake boy for your son.

No, I didn't say
he was a fake boy.

He's not my boy.

They brought home the wrong boy.

My son is still missing.

Well, that's strange, because I
have here a newspaper articIe

with a photo of you at the train
station, welcoming home your son.

That is you in
the photo, isn't it?

Yes.

Yeah.

Yes.

So, at first he was your son,

and now he's not your son.

Has this been going
on for a long time?

PeopIe changing, becoming
something other than what they are?

PeopIe don't change.

You don't think peopIe change?

No, that's not...

The poIice, they're not
out to persecute you?

No, they're not.

No, they're not.

The police are
here to protect you.

Yes.

Really?

Yes.

Well, that's odd because
when you were admitted,

you toId the head nurse that the police
were conspiring deIiberateIy to punish you.

So, either the head nurse and the
interns are aIso conspiring to punish you

or you're changing your story.

Do you often have troubIe telling
reality from fantasy, Mrs. Collins?

No.

I'm sorry to bring you out
in this weather, Detective,

but the boy has
been quite insistent.

It's all right.

I'll see what he has to say
so I can go home and get dry.

It's raining cats, dogs,
and Democrats out there,

so this had better be worth it.

You again, huh?

We'll see.

Well?

This isn't easy, okay?

Yeah?

Driving my ass here in the
pouring rain wasn't easy either.

My cousin is Gordon Northcott.

He owns the ranch
where you found me.

He said I couId Iive there in exchange
I watch the place when he's gone,

doing chores
and stuff Iike that.

Said I couId stay as
long as I wanted to.

I thought that meant I couId
Ieave whenever I wanted.

Mmm.

You saying that he
held you prisoner?

Bull.

When I got there, you were
running around free as a jaybird.

CouId've Ieft any
time you wanted.

No.

So, what's this, huh?

Some kind of story to cover
why you're in the country illegally?

No, it's nothing Iike that.

'Cause I don't have
time for this, okay?

Listen to me! He said...

What?

What did he say?

He said that if I tried
to Ieave, he'd kill me.

Look, you don't
understand what he's like,

what he... What we did,
what he made me do.

All right.

Let's start at the
beginning then.

What'd he make you do?

We killed some kids.

What?

Look, I didn't mean to, I
swear. He made me heIp him.

He said if I didn't,
he'd kill me, too.

Look, you gotta heIp
me, please. I'm so scared.

I don't want to go
to hell for killing kids.

Look.

What kids? What... What
are you taIking about?

I don't know. I never
knew their names.

Names?

How many?

How many kids?

All together?

About 20, I guess.

No, you're Iying.

No! It's true, I swear!

You're gonna tell
me you killed 20 kids?

Yeah! Thereabouts.

I stopped counting
after a while.

Gordon said maybe one
or two may have escaped.

But...

No.

Nobody can just up
and kill 20 kids, okay?

We did.

We did.

How?

Most times we'd
just have one or two.

Sometimes as many as three.

I aIways knew when we
were getting ready to Ieave.

Clean up the car.

Make sure the tires were good.

Check the engine.

'Cause he was afraid that
the car wouId break down...

and we'd get caught.

We'd always go a different
direction every time.

Never hit the same
part of town twice.

Sometimes we'd just
drive around for hours,

till we found somebody.

Well, there you are!

We've been Iooking
for you Iike mad.

You have?

Sure thing.

Listen, your foIks, they've
been in an accident.

And they sent us to come find
you. Now, they're hurt reaI bad.

The police took them to the hospitaI,
but they didn't have time to come find you,

so we said that we would do it.

Now, come on.

- All right.
- Get in here. Hurry.

Listen, we gotta get you to that
hospitaI so you can see your foIks.

See, a Iot of kids won't get
in a car aIone with a stranger,

but when he's got a kid there...

There's a good boy.

Scoot over. Scoot over, San.

...that made it easier.

I want you to hoId on tight.

They'd Iook at me and say...

We've got a Iong way to go.

"Hey, if he's safe..."

And we are gonna fIy.

"...I guess I will be, too."

Every time they
got in the truck,

I just wanted to die.

As soon as we got back to
the ranch, they went in the coop.

You boys hungry?

Huh?

Watch the door, Sanford!

Hey! Watch the door!

What's the matter?

I'm not gonna hurt ya.

Are you worried that
I'm gonna hurt ya?

I'm not gonna hurt ya.

Huh? Come here.

- No! No! No! No! Please!
- I wouId never hurt you.

Some days he'd do 'em right off.

Other days... he'd wait,

pick up a few more,

until he had about
four or five of 'em.

Yeah.

- No! No! No!
- No what?

No what, huh?

Come on. Come on. Come on!

Sanford, keep your
eye on that door!

No! Please, no! No! No!

No! No! No! No! Please! No! No!

Hey!

He'd... He'd sometimes leave

just one or two of them
alive... barely, anyway.

He'd say,

"Finish them, San.

"Finish 'em off... Finish
'em or I'll finish you."

And I did.

And I killed them.

And I did.

I killed them.

Oh, God, I killed them!

Oh, God! Oh!

Hey.

Hey.

What?

Look at me.

These kids...

You think if you saw 'em again, you
think you might be able to recognize 'em?

I don't know.

Maybe.

Hey, I haven't updated
these in a while, but still.

Just...

It should be. Just go
through these, okay?

If you see any you recognize, just
put them down on the tabIe here.

I'm sorry!

Oh, my God.

I didn't mean to... He made me.

Oh, shit.

This one. Look at me.

You're sure?

I'm sure.

Jesus Christ.

Oh, God! Oh, God!

Jesus Christ.

Son of a bitch.

Oh, God.

Well, he's lying.

Have you gone soft
in the head, Les?

Twenty kids, sir.

He's pIaying you.

He knows he's in trouble, so he's
come up with some cock and bull story

about how he was forced
to stay in the country.

With all due respect, sir, I
don't think so. You didn't see him.

This kid, he's scared
haIf out of his mind.

He picked the Collins kid.
We found him, remember?

Haven't you been
reading the papers?

Or maybe you have, is that it?

Sir, if you'd just
Iisten to me...

I'm sorry, Captain,
but he's here again.

- Who?
- That Reverend Briegleb.

He's asking about
Christine Collins.

Well, you tell
that son of a bitch

to get the hell off
of poIice property,

or I'll have him arrested
for disturbing the peace.

I tried. He said he won't
Ieave, him or his friends.

What?

Oh, what the hell!

Jesus!

Oh, Jesus jumped down.

Captain?

- Ybarra?
- Yeah.

Listen to me. You're to do
nothing except get back here.

Sir, departmental
policy requires that

all allegations of homicide
have to be investigated.

These are kids, for Christ sake.

DepartmentaI policy
is what I say it is.

Now, I'm ordering you to get your
ass back here with that kid, you got that?

You don't taIk to anybody and
you bring me that kid. You got it?

Nobody!

- Captain Jones.
- Boys.

What the hell have you
done with Christine Collins?

And don't try and
Iie your way out of it,

because several of her neighbors saw
her being driven away in a police car.

Mrs. Collins has been
placed in protective custody

following a mental breakdown.

A what?

She's getting the best
treatment avaiIabIe.

And that will be all.

Next.

- Go on. Move up.
- For what?

Medication.

Medication for what? The
kind that's good for you.

HeIp you relax.

- Well, I don't want to reIax.
- Come on.

- I'm not gonna take something...
- We can force-feed you

- if that's what you want.
- I don't know what it is!

- I don't know what it is. Dr. Steele?
- Take it. OrderIy.

Dr. Steele?

I understand. Come on.

Ladies, keep moving. Come on.

I don't wanna take anything
that I don't know what it is.

There's nothing wrong with
me that I need medication.

There's nothing wrong with you.

No, there's nothing wrong. No.

- You're fine.
- Yes, I am.

Well, then you shouIdn't
have any troubIe signing this.

By signing it, you certify
that you were wrong

when you stated the boy returned
to you by the poIice was not your son.

It further stipulates
that the poIice were right

in sending you here for
observation and it absoIves them

of all responsibiIity. Sign it.

I won't sign that.

I won't sign that.

Well, then your
condition is not improved.

Sign it, and you can be out of
here first thing tomorrow morning.

But I wasn't wrong.

He's not my son. My
son is still missing.

Mrs. Collins, you're
becoming agitated.

Yes, I'm, yes... I'm not signing
that, because he's not my son!

Orderly!

- He's not my son!
- Orderly!

My son is missing!

- The patient is becoming hysterical!
- No! My son is missing!

See to it she is
sedated properIy.

- Get her out of here.
- No! No! No!

- Next!
- No!

- No, no!
- OrderIy, hoId on.

Stop it!

- No!
- Open your mouth. Open, open your mouth.

- Easy!
- You got her?

- God!
- Swallow it.

Stop it!

Move back.

- You!
- Get her out of here!

Come on, you got her?

Stay out of this! This is none of
your business! This is police business!

All of you! You'll stay out of it if
you know what's good for you!

You'd think you were in enough
troubIe with the Iaw aIready,

being a whore, wouIdn't you?

Attacking a staff
member. Room 18.

No, no! Stop it! No!

No! No!

No! Stop it!

Come on, kid.

I don't know. I'm not sure. I
think so. He was pretty close.

Excuse me.

- It's all right, I can take it from here.
- But I got...

We need him for questioning.

Like I said, it was dark.

Thanks. Come on.

Brady, Ross.

You've just been requisitioned
for backup. I'll explain on the way.

Yes, sir.

I'm not sure. She said she'd had the
croup before. This couId be pneumonia.

I keep telling her that,
and she doesn't want to.

You have to insist.

You shouldn't have done that.

- Please, Iet me out!
- Get in there!

Wanted to.

FeIt good.

- Let me out! No! Please! No!
- You got her?

I Iost two babies to
back alley doctors.

No choice.

Never had the chance
to fight for them.

You do.

Don't stop.

I won't.

Fuck them and the
horse they rode in on.

That's not exactly
language for a lady.

Hell.

There are times that's exactly
the right language to use.

Yeah?

When you've got
nothing Ieft to lose.

You're not supposed to be here!

Mmm. Mmm.

Stay there. Check the
house. Check the barn.

It's all cIear.

Clear here.

Bring me that shovel.

All right. Let's go.

Come on.

You're gonna show me.

Come on. Show me.

This it?

You sure?

Yeah.

Dig.

You put them in the ground, you
can take them out of the ground.

Go on. Dig.

You heard me. Dig.

My God.

Oh, my God.

Call it in.

Get the coroner
and every officer

in a 20 mile radius
here inside the hour.

Then put out an APB on
Gordon Stewart Northcott.

The information's
in my car. Go on.

You can stop, son.

You can stop now. It's over.

Hey.

We'll take it, we can take it
from here. We can take it from...

We can take it from
here, okay? It's over.

It's okay.

It's okay. It's okay.

It's all over.

Okay?

File.

Privacy, please.

I see that you've been refusing
medication, requiring force feeding.

All right, Michael. Lunchtime?

Six days, Mrs. Collins,
and no progress.

We may have to move on
to more strenuous therapies.

Unless you're willing to
prove that you're doing better

by signing this.

Fuck you and the
horse you rode in on.

Room 18.

I want to talk to somebody
in charge, right now!

Please.

Who is in charge here?!

Open.

I'm the head doctor on duty.

You're the doctor who
locked up Christine Collins?

Oh, I'm sorry, sir.

We don't discuss cases
with anyone other than family.

Oh, you'll damn well
discuss this one. Read it.

Sir.

Read it.

Stop.

Mrs. Collins, one last time.

Are you or are you not
prepared to sign that letter?

No.

You're free to leave.

What?

Your clothes are in the next
room. You can change there.

In the next room?

Yes. That's right.

See to it.

Christ.

Long as it's not the original.

No, it's not.

Here it is.

And who is that? Is that
Baker's file or Larson?

That's Baker.

He said he wanted...

Nurse, I wanna see

every piece of paper you have on
the case of Mrs. Christine Collins,

and I want to see it right
now, do you understand me?

Every piece. When
will she be coming out?

Oh, it's just up ahead.

Oh, all right. Let's...

Hurricane hits West Palm Beach!

Babe Ruth hits 53rd home run!

- Kids found murdered in Riverside!
- There it is.

Biggest crime in
Los Angeles history!

Collins boy assumed dead!

Read it here! Read it here!

Mrs. Collins, I'm so sorry.

Captain, your handling of
the Christine Collins case

has exposed this
department to pubIic ridicuIe.

There is even the possibility
of civiI and criminaI liability.

Sir, nobody couId've known what
was happening up at that ranch.

Not us, the Sheriff's department,
or the MarshaI's office.

And as for the Collins woman,

I'm still not convinced that her boy
is among the victims up in Wineville.

No?

No.

There were four other photos of
missing boys that Iooked a lot Iike him.

The Clark kid couId've
been mistaken.

Maybe he was.

Which begs the obvious
question. Who cares?

Sir?

The mayor wants this to go away.

I want this to go away.

The way you do that is to
stop insisting that Walter Collins

is not among those boys
killed up at that goddamn ranch.

Because if the boy you brought
back is not Walter Collins,

and he's not dead up at that
ranch, then where the hell is he?

People are gonna want to
know why we haven't found him.

Why we're not doing our job.

But if, on the other hand,

he is, or couId be, among those
poor boys killed up in Wineville,

then the inquiries stop.

It's a momentary embarrassment

you're just gonna
have to Iive with.

Better a short inconvenience

than a Iingering probIem,
wouIdn't you say, Captain?

Yes, sir.

The boy's been
gone nearly a year.

If he was going to be found,
it wouId've happened by now.

Whether he was up
at that ranch or not,

the truth is he probabIy
is dead somewhere.

Better his mother accept that
now than later, don't you think?

- Yes, sir.
- Good.

That'll be all, Captain.

That's how you want it,
then I guess we're done here.

Tell county jaiI we're
remanding him for triaI.

Wait. I didn't do anything. I
wasn't even here when it happened.

By pretending to
be Walter Collins,

you're interfering in a police
investigation of a kidnapping and murder.

We can try you as accompIice
to that murder after the fact.

That's too bad.

County jail is a Iot worse than
a juveniIe hall or a foster home.

It's a lot worse.

You can't do
that. I'm just a kid.

Sanford CIark's a kid, too.

Fifteen. He's going to jaiI.

All murderers and their accomplices
go to jail. Everybody knows that.

Get him out of here.
It's out of my hands now.

Wait. I don't
want to go to jail.

Prove it.

I...

I knew Los Angeles is where
they make the Tom Mix movies.

I figured if I couId
meet Tom Mix

maybe he wouId Iet
me ride on his horse.

His horse is named
Tony. Did you know that?

How are you feeIing?

All right.

The police still
have a car outside.

I guess they're waiting to see
what your next move is going to be.

- I'm going home.
- And then?

Then, I've been
giving it a lot of thought.

And what they did to those women,
and what they did about Walter.

I used to aIways tell him, "You never
start a fight, but you aIways finish it."

And I didn't start this
fight, but I'm gonna finish it.

Mrs. Collins, right now you're a
sufficientIy high profiIe that I think

even the police wouId hesitate
to go after you out in the open,

but I have to warn you that
couId change very quickIy

if they feel their
position threatened.

Very quickly indeed.

What are they
gonna do to me now?

They got nothing.

I'm going home.

Hi, sis.

Gordon.

I didn't know you
were back in town.

Yeah, I got in a
coupIe of days ago,

figured I'd surprise you.
Is that... Is that okay?

Yes. Yes, of course.
Of course, come on in.

Where's that littIe
niece of mine?

She went into town.

Should be back this evening.

Uh, Bob's here.

Oh, good.

Uh, I was gonna ask if I
couId stay on a coupIe days.

Staying?

Yeah.

Listen, can I use your bathroom?

It's been a Iong ride and I
couId really use a shower.

- Of course.
- Okay.

Thank you.

Is that...

All right, go next door.
I'll call the police. Hurry.

Operator. How may I connect you?

He's upstairs, sir.

Go around the other
side! Cut him off!

- Come with me!
- Yes, sir.

Let's go!

Mrs. Collins, I'd Iike you to
meet my friend, Mr. Hahn.

Mrs. Collins, my deepest
condolences on your loss.

May we come in?

I appreciate the sentiment,

but they've yet to find...

To identify the
remains as my son.

I'm afraid it never
gets any easier.

I Iost a daughter to
poIio five years ago.

There's not a day goes
by when I don't think,

"I shouId mention
this to Claudine."

Then I remember she's not here.

Please, sit.

I've been on the
phone all morning

with the Appointment Secretary
of the PoIice Commission.

They said thatthey
won't Iet me testify

at the hearing or call witnesses.
That it won't be necessary.

I know. My sources say
the Police Commission

is going to say that Jones and the
LAPD did absoIuteIy nothing wrong,

and that the real blame
lies with the kid and with you

for being difficuIt and forcing them
to put you away for your own safety.

Then I guess I wouId have
to hire a lawyer, file a civil suit.

I went to the best
attorney in town,

a man who's sued this
city four times and won.

UnfortunateIy, we can't
afford to really hire him.

I see.

Which is why I'm
doing this pro bono.

It wouId be my honor to
defend your honor, Mrs. Collins.

In my 15 years as a Iawyer,

I have never seen anyone fight
as Iong or as hard as you have,

in what is so cIearIy
in the cause of justice.

Thank you.

Let me see what's on the shelf.

I'll Iook.

Yes? May I...

My name is S.S. Hahn,

and I have a court order for the immediate
reIease of all women being detained

in this institution under
the designation Code 12

pending a formal inquiry into
the reasons for their detainment.

I'm sorry, the doctor
in charge is not here

- until the morning.
- Madam, Iet me be clearer.

Either you will produce the
people named in that court order,

or you will find yourseIf behind
bars, and I mean without a key.

- I can't authorize you...
- Madam, stand aside.

Can I see her now?

Sure. AbsoIutely.
How does she look?

All right, fellas, step
back. Let's give him room.

Here he is.

Mr. Northcott, any
comment on your arrest?

Mr. Northcott, how
are you feeling?

Oh, I'm feeIing fine.

I've been on a IittIe vacation,
as some of you know.

It was a really
pleasant vacation.

The police have certainIy provided
me with a Iot of amusement.

How Iong you been in hiding?

How did you avoid capture?

Easy, easy. That's far enough.

Well, I didn't, did I?

One more shot!

Have you seen your
picture in the paper?

Didn't know anybody
wanted me until just recentIy.

Didn't even try.

My luggage still has
my initials on it, fellas.

Did you know why the
police were after you?

No, but I figured it'd be a good
idea if I were to just stay out of it.

Any remorse, sir?

Do you have anything to say to the
parents of the chiIdren you murdered?

No comment.

One more shot, this way!

Mayor Cryer. This is unexpected.

So was this.

Subpoenas, requests for
depositions, interrogatories.

All courtesy of Mr. Hahn and
his new client, Christine Collins.

You don't have to Iook
them over too closely, Chief.

Your own copies shouId
be coming any time now.

The city council has aIso
agreed to look into this,

starting immediateIy.

Goddamn it!

I thought this was
supposed to go away.

This is an eIection year.

I can't afford
this kind of press.

It is going away, sir. I've instructed
Captain Jones to deaI with it.

I'm afraid, falling on his sword

and saying he made a mistake
isn't going to be good enough, Chief.

If we take him out of
the picture for a whiIe,

just might heIp caIm things
down until the hearing's finished.

- What is happening?
- Didn't you hear?

It's the biggest
protest I've ever seen.

- Protest?
- Yeah.

Over the Collins broad,
if you can believe that.

We want justice!
We want justice!

Oh, my!

Mr. Harris.

The Lord works in
mysterious ways, Mrs. Collins.

Boy, does he ever.

Ladies and gentlemen, can I
have your attention, please?

There are more peopIe
gathered in this chamber

than have ever been
in this room before.

Therefore, I ask you to refrain
from demonstrations of any kind.

Tell the truth! Tell the truth!

We are all here because we want
to know the real facts in this case.

And everybody is going to be
heard if we have to sit here for a week.

Mr. Thorpe, I don't see any
members of the PoIice Commission.

Are there any members of the
police department in the room?

Is Chief Davis here?

Is Captain Jones here?

Is there anybody here
representing the poIice?

Mrs. Collins, couId you come across
the street with me for just a moment?

There's something I
think you shouId see.

Well, I hate to call a recess
before we've even started,

but I think a few
phone calls are in order.

The police decided it'd be best
to keep this off the main docket

in order to avoid exactIy the sort
of chaos we have across the street.

Mrs. Collins. I'm Leanne Clay.

- This is my husband, John.
- Hi.

I just wanted to pass
along my sympathies.

What we went through
waiting to hear anything

about our son David
was bad enough, now this.

But what the poIice did to
you, there was no call for that.

No call at all.

All rise.

- Please, be seated.
- BaiIiff.

Oh, hey.

I saw you in the papers.

You got a Iot of moxie,
standing up to the police Iike that.

The defendant will please rise.

Gordon Stewart Northcott,

you've been charged with three
counts of murder in the first degree,

with an additional 17 counts under
review by the district attorney's office.

How do you plea?

Oh, not guiIty, Your Honor.

You may sit, Mr. Northcott.

In Iight of the defendant's penchant for
international travel, no bail will be set.

This court will hear preliminary
motions by tomorrow morning.

The boy, Walter Collins,

was reported as
missing, March 10, 1928.

We then instituted
a nationwide search.

On August 18th, we received
a cable indicating that a boy

matching his description
was found in DeKalb, Illinois.

Upon questioning, he
admitted to being Walter Collins.

We then made arrangements for
him to be transported back to California.

Where Mrs. Collins toId
you the boy was not her son.

Yes. She denied his identity

in spite of all of the evidence
pointing to the contrary.

But, as subsequent
events have demonstrated,

she was correct.

So, what prompted
you to send her

for psychoIogicaI evaIuation?

Whether or not this was
in fact the correct boy

was not reIevant to my decision.

Throughout this period,
she acted strangely.

She was often cooI and
aIoof and unemotional,

especially when confronted
with the boy we found in DeKalb

and in our subsequent
conversation.

It was because of her

disturbing behavior that I
submitted her for observation

to the psychopathic ward of Los
Angeles County General Hospital.

Just Iike that.

You snap your fingers
and an innocent woman

is thrown into the psycho ward!

She wasn't thrown.

Every family in this
state is in grave danger

when a PoIice Captain can
take a woman into his office

and five minutes later

have her thrown into the
Psychopathic Ward on his own authority!

She wasn't thrown.

She wasn't thrown!
She wasn't thrown!

What was that, Captain?

She wasn't thrown.
She was escorted.

Escorted, thrown, the verb
doesn't matter, Captain.

What does matter is that her incarceration
was ordered without a warrant.

I am hoIding a carbon copy

of the affidavit of insanity
that was issued in the case

of the State of CaIifornia
versus Christine Collins.

Who signed the affidavit?

I did.

Well, now, Iet me see
if I have this correct,

a woman was thrown into the
Psychopathic Ward without a warrant,

because no warrant existed.

And when it was finally
written several days Iater,

there was no need to
sign it or to go to a judge

because she was
aIready in the asylum!

Is this correct, Captain?

Technically, yes.

Extraordinary steps were
necessary because we were dealing...

We were deaIing with
an extraordinary situation.

Now, is it our fauIt that
we were being deceived

by a boy who cIaimed
to be Walter Collins? No.

In light of his cIaims and
her disturbing behavior,

who wouIdn't begin to think that there
was something the matter with her?

Because she questioned you?

No, because she wouIdn't listen!

Because she insisted
on being obstinate!

Because she tried to take
matters into her own hand,

best Ieft to quaIified officers!

Because once civiI
disobedience starts...

Because she was fighting
for the Iife of her son!

A boy who may
have still been aIive

while you were wasting vaIuabIe time
denying you had done anything wrong!

And in the end

that's what happened, isn't it?

At some point, whiIe
all this was going on,

Walter Collins was
brutally murdered,

along with as many
as 19 other boys

at the Northcott
Ranch in Wineville.

Is that correct, Captain?

Yes, it is.

It's a travesty.

No further questions.

Train number 14, now
boarding on track...

So, after much effort, we
were abIe to identify this boy,

who's been responsible
for so much trouble lately,

as Arthur Hutchins
of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Between this, and the arrest of
the man suspected of murdering

the real Walter Collins,

we've cleared up two of the biggest
mysteries in the history of Los Angeles.

I hope you gentlemen
of the press will give

as much space to
the good things we do

as the mistakes that are
made on rare occasions.

GentIemen, allow
me to introduce you

to the boy's real mother,
Mrs. Janet Hutchins.

Arthur.

I hope he wasn't too
much troubIe for you.

Oh, no, not at all.

How about a photograph, fellas?

One more.

Mrs. Hutchins,

Mrs. Collins, the woman he was
staying with, wanted him to have these.

They're the clothes
she let him wear.

Well, thank you.

Isn't that nice, Arthur?

Tell the nice
officer, "Thank you."

I don't want them. Give
them to somebody eIse.

Precocious little
fellow, isn't he?

It's not my fault.
It's the police.

They said I was Walter
Collins, not me! It wasn't my idea!

- Not my idea!
- Get...

Yeah. Go blame the police
for your own mistakes.

We've seen a Iot of
that lately, haven't we?

Take care now,
Arthur! Safe traveIs.

All right, fellas,
that's it for today.

Sir, sir! What did the
boy mean by that?

It was March 10th, and
I came home from work,

and my nine year old
son, Walter, was gone.

Captain Jones was acting on
information he believed to be correct.

Walter Collins had a diastema,
aIso known as a diastema.

That child was never
in my classroom.

I can certainly attest to that.

We rely on our good friends
in the police department

to point to us those
peopIe who exhibit behavior

which is socially unacceptabIe.

About four inches shorter
than the Iast mark of Walter.

Well, some of
these pictures show

what Sanford Clark told me,

that he did in fact help in
the murder of these chikdren.

Thank you, Detective.

Gentlemen of the jury,

I ask you to take a good
Iook at these images.

They estabIish beyond
any reasonabIe doubt

the circumstances and the
nature of these heinous crimes.

I'm in here, Reverend.

When Walter was here, I
used to walk by his room

when he was sleeping.

And even though I
couIdn't see him or hear him,

I couId feel him.

That's why I don't
think Walter's dead.

I can still feel him.

- Mrs. Collins...
- No.

I know what the poIice said.

But that pIace and the remains,

they couIdn't be
properIy identified.

And maybe that kid made a mistake
when he picked Walter's picture.

I understand you don't
want to accept this.

What mother wouId?

But I think it's time
for you to move on

and start over for yourseIf.

Your son wouId
want you to move on.

Maybe.

Maybe he'd want me
to keep Iooking for him.

Maybe he's somewhere
waiting for me.

I beIieve he is waiting, ma'am.

He's waiting in that pIace where

we'll all go someday to be
reunited with our Ioved ones.

And on that day, he'll know
from front to back, end to end,

heart to souI, that you did
everything you couId, Mrs. Collins.

Everything.

We shouId go, ma'am.

One minute.

This meeting will
now come to order.

This committee has now
heard all of the testimony,

and, in Iight of the
facts presented,

we recommend that the
suspension of Captain Jones

be made permanent.

Order! Please. Please.

Mr. Foreman,

has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

Will the defendant please rise?

Second, that steps be
taken to investigate a change

in the prevaiIing Iaws and
procedures by which a citizen

of this city can be
subjected to incarceration

in the county's
mental facilities.

You may read the verdict.

"We the jury find the defendant,
Gordon Stewart Northcott,

"guiIty on all counts of
murder in the first degree.

Finally, restoration of pubIic
confidence in the police department

can only be achieved

by the removal of
its Chief of Police,

and this committee
so recommends.

This hearing is concIuded.

Does the defendant wish to make a
statement before judgment is passed?

I want to make it real clear

that I never once got
a fair shake from you,

Your Honor,

or from this court.

The only one in here worth
a good goddamn is her.

'Cause she's the onIy one who
never badmouthed me to the press.

She's the onIy one
who understands

what it is to be
framed by the police

- for something you didn't do.
- All right, that's enough.

And then to just be
thrown in the hole,

to just rot and to fester
and to be forgotten

- and fade away, isn't that right?
- Gordon!

- Counsel!
- Isn't it?

I never killed your
boy, Mrs. Collins.

- Counsel, that's enough!
- I wouId never do that.

I wouId never hurt Walter.

Counsel, get
control of your client

or I'll have him
bound and gagged!

He's an angel.

- Come on, Gordon.
- Get off of me!

Now get down.

Gordon Stewart Northcott,

it is the judgment of this court

that you be conveyed
to San Quentin Prison,

where you'll be heId in solitary
confinement for a period of two years,

until October 2, 1930.

On that date, you will be
hanged by the neck until dead.

May God have mercy on your soul.

Is it all right if I have
a 10 minute break?

Of course.

You know,

one of these days you
might actually consider taking

one of these 10 minute breaks.

It might be good for you.

We'll see.

This is Christine Collins.

I called yesterday.

I was wondering if you had a
chance to look through the files

and see if there was a match
to my son, Walter Collins.

I see.

Well, if it's all
right with you,

I'll call back in a month.
Thank you very much.

- Mrs. Collins.
- I was just...

Yes, I know.

In fact, that's why I
wanted to see you.

It's about Walter. We had a...

Well, we received a
very strange telegram.

From who?

Gordon Northcott.

He's asked to see you.

Why?

He said he knows you're
still looking for your son,

and before he dies...

He says he Iied when he
testified that he didn't kill Walter.

Christine, he's willing to
finally admit that he did it.

He says if you come
up to see him in person,

then he'll tell you
the truth, to your face

so that you can
get on with your Iife

and have some peace.

As you know, he's
set to be executed

the day after tomorrow
at San Quentin,

so you don't have a lot of time.

It took me most of the morning
to make all the arrangements.

Turns out, you're the
first woman in 30 years

the state has allowed
to visit a serial killer

on the eve of his execution.

You'll be all right, ma'am?

- Yes.
- We're right at the door.

Twenty minutes.

Don't suppose
you got a cigarette?

Mr. Northcott, you
asked me to come here.

You said that if I did,

you wouId tell me
the truth about my son.

Yeah.

You're right. I did say that.

But see, the thing is,

I didn't really think
that you wouId come.

And now.

- And now...
- And now what?

I just didn't
expect that you'd...

I don't wanna see you.

You don't wanna see me?

No. See, I can't do this.

I don't wanna taIk to you. I
can't taIk to you right now,

not with what they're gonna
be doing to me tomorrow.

It's one thing, Mrs.
Collins, to send a telegram,

that is really easy.

But when it's here, right
now, in person, you know,

I just, I can't...

I can't tell you what you
want to hear, Mrs. Collins.

And why not?

Because I don't want to go
to hell with a Iie on my Iips.

See, I did my penance,

and I asked God to forgive
me and He did, so far as I know.

And I have been
really good ever since.

But if I Iie now, if I
commit any sins right now,

I'm out of time here,

and I won't be forgiven again.

And I'll tell you one thing,
I am not going to hell.

I'm not...

Mr. Northcott, you
asked me to come here.

Mr. Northcott,
please Iook at me.

Mr. Northcott,
please Iook at me.

Did you kill my son?

Did you kill my son?

I don't know what
you're taIking about.

- Yes, you do. Yes, you do.
- Hmm.

Did you kill my son?

I toId you, I don't wanna
taIk to you right now.

Did you kill my son?!

Did you kill my son?!

- Did you kill my son?
- Hmm.

- Did you kill my son?
- I don't know.

You don't know?
You don't remember?

- Did you kill my son?
- Oh, no.

Answer me! You answer
me! You answer me!

- I don't know their names.
- Did you kill my son? Yes...

You better get off of me.

- Or what?
- Hmm.

- Did you kill my son?
- I don't know.

Did you kill...

Did you kill my son?

- You know his name!
- Oh, I don't. No.

You know his name!
You called him an angeI!

- No.
- You know his name!

- No, I don't know his name.
- Did you kill my son?

They cried for their parents to
come and get them and then I...

Did you kill my son?
Did you kill my son?

- Answer me!
- Or what?

Answer me!

What are you gonna
do? You gonna hurt me?

I hope you go to hell.

I hope you go to hell.

- Did you kill my son?
- Guard! Hey, guard!

Did you kill my son?

- Did you kill my son?
- Ma'am, please.

- Come on.
- I hope you go to hell!

I hope you go to hell!
I hope you go to hell!

I'm sorry, ma'am.

Did you kill my son?!

"Gordon Stewart Northcott,

"you have been
convicted of murder,

"the penalty for which
is death by hanging.

"There have been
no stays or reprieves,

"therefore the
execution will go forward

"as stipuIated under the
laws of the State of CaIifornia."

Do you have any Iast words?

No.

Nothing.

I kept cIean after I
confessed, Reverend,

just Iike I said I wouId.

Will it...

Will it hurt?

Please, please, not so fast.

Please, don't make
me walk so fast!

Please, don't make me!

No, I don't wanna.

No! Thirteen steps.

Thirteen steps.

But I didn't touch
them all, you bastards.

I didn't touch them all!
I didn't touch them all.

Please!

A prayer! Please!

God!

Please! Somebody here, please,

say a prayer for me!

No, God. No!

No! No!

We're having a party tonight

at my place for
the Academy show.

- You want to come?
- No, I have a million things to do.

Oh, come on, please. Please!

You girls blew the phone
Iines out from here to Baltimore.

Someone's gotta fix them.

Go, have a good
night. I have the radio.

Okay.

You sure?

I'm sure. I'm sure.
Have a good night.

- Good night.
- Good night.

Listen, I really...

Hello, Ben.

I'm meeting some friends at
Musso and Frank's for dinner.

They're gonna pipe in the movie
ceremonies into the restaurant.

Should be quite a night.

I'd Iove it if you'd come.

I just have so much
work I shouId be doing.

Good night.

Ben?

I...

I put $2 down on It
Happened One Night

to win Best Picture.

Seems I am the only
person that thinks

it has a chance
against CIeopatra.

But, if it wins, do you wanna
celebrate tomorrow night at dinner?

It's a deal, Christine. See you.

If your movie
wins, I'll call you.

I'll be here.

- Hi.
- Hi.

...The Thin Man, Cleopatra...

Overrated.

...and It Happened One Night.

Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert.

I rest my case.

May I have the envelope, please?

And the winner is It
Happened One Night.

I knew it! I knew it,
I knew it, I knew it!

Dinner is on me.

Is this Christine Collins?

Yes, it is.

This is Mrs. Clay. Do
you remember me?

Mrs. Clay, of course, of
course I remember you.

I just had to
call you right off.

- What is it?
- The police just called.

They found a boy, Christine!

- Where?
- Lincoln Heights Precinct.

We're leaving right now.

I'll be right down.

Oh, here.

I wanted to go to him right off,

but they said it was important
to taIk to him aIone first.

- Are they sure?
- They're sure.

But, more important, I'm sure.

It's my boy, all right.

It's David.

He's alive, Christine.

They found him up in Hesperia.

You were walking
home from school,

and they told you they
needed help finding a dog.

Yeah.

So, after you got in the
truck, what happened next?

They drove me
around for a long time,

then we ended up at this ranch.

Come on. Come on, Davy.

- Davy! Come on.
- Get off me.

Don't fight this much. Hey!

Were there other boys there?

Yeah. Five, I think.

It was a Iong time ago, though.

Hello, boys. This is Davy.

I know you'll make
him feel... Hey!

No. No! Hey! Shut up!

Did you speak to them?

Yeah? You remember
any of their names?

Yeah.

Two of them were brothers.

I think their Iast
name was Winslow.

The oldest one was Jeffrey.

And Walter.

Walter?

- Yeah.
- Do you remember Walter's last name?

C-Collins.

Walter Collins.

Tell me something... if you only
remember some of the boys' names,

how come you
remember his full name?

Because of what happened.

Walter and Jeffrey were taIking.

- Pull it.
- They kept checking around

and they found a part of the coop
where the wire was all messed up.

Be careful!

Hurry!

Maybe make enough room
to get out of there and run.

When we get out, we split up,

go in different
directions. Okay?

They can't catch all of us.

It'd make an awful Iot of noise.

Be quiet. You got it?

And if it wasn't wide
enough, then we'd be stuck.

Wait. Help! Help!
Come on, hurry!

My foot's stuck! Hurry,
help! Help me, please!

He's coming! He's...

My foot!

He's coming.

Hurry, run, run, run!

Hey! What the
hell are you boys...

Oh! Mary, Mother of
God! Hey! Hey! Hey!

You get back here!
Hey! HoId it! Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Stop!

Check on the others!

Stop! Damn it!

Boys, I'm coming after you!

Damn it! Damn it!

Boys, I'll find you no
matter where you are!

They're not in there!
Come on! Get in the car!

I'm gonna find you!
Damn it! Damn it! Come on.

Shit! Get in the car, Sanford!

That was the last I
saw of any of 'em.

So, you don't know if either of
the other two were captured?

No.

All I know is,

if Walter hadn't
come back for me

I don't think I ever
would've gotten out of there.

Okay.

So, what happened after that?

I kept off the main roads,

untiI I saw a train stopped
at a crossing and I jumped in.

Why didn't you tell anyone
what had happened?

I was afraid.

I thought they'd come
after me, or my folks.

So, I just didn't tell anybody.

I was on my own untiI I got a free
meal from this lady, Miss Lansing.

ToId her I was an
orphan, on my own.

She said I couId stay on.

And I did.

Every night,

I'd wake up thinking they
were right outside my window.

And then I heard the
poIice taIking on the radio

about what
happened at the ranch.

And I thought, "For
sure I can't go back now."

Why?

Why not?

Since I didn't tell
anybody what happened.

I was afraid they'd blame
me for those kids being dead.

So I just stayed away.

What made you come
forward now, after all this time?

Hmm? Why come forward now?

I really miss my mom.

I really miss my dad.

I just wanna go home.

I just wanna go home.

Are you all right?

I Iove you.

I still can't beIieve it.

Five years, case closed, everyone
thinks he's dead, and there he is.

WouIdn't be, if it
wasn't for Walter.

Your son did a brave
thing, Mrs. Collins.

You shouId be very proud of him.

I am.

You still think he's out there?

Why not?

Three boys made a run
for it that night, Detective.

And if one got out,

then maybe either or
both of the others did, too.

Maybe Walter's out there,
having the same fears that he did.

Afraid to come home
and identify himseIf,

or afraid he'll
get into troubIe.

But either way,

it gives me something I
didn't have before tonight.

What's that?

Hope.