Original subtitles

My pants! My jacket! Oh, get them! Come on! Where are we going? To my car!

Kingsfield's daughter!

You don't fool around, do you?

No, hardly at all.

How do you feel?

Wonderful.

I feel terrific.

You sure that going now is the right thing?

I think so.

Is there anything I can do?

It's too late for that.

Is it?

If you are good, you know it inside, and you don't have to worry about

Kingsfield's approval.

I can take care of myself, Susan. Now, what about you? Aren't you everything

that you're accusing Kingsfield of? It's your life that's messed up, not

Kingsfield's and not mine.

The study of law is something new and unfamiliar to most of you, unlike any

other schooling that you have ever known before.

The first years are hard years, much more than we know.

With good friends to love us, we'll feel every blow.

Stay open to all things.

unknown and new and one day we'll all say hey look

we've come through hey look we've come through and one day

we'll all say hey look we've come through the first you

teach yourselves the law but i

train your minds

You come in here with a scowl full of mush, and if you survive,

you leave thinking like a lawyer.

Anything else you need me to do before I split, Ernie? Nah, take off. Get some

sleep. Sleep? Not for another couple of hours.

Got a hot date?

Sure. Some law books.

That's not so hot.

Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

What's this?

That is, you know, Angus Morley's order for a special. He didn't pick it up. We

gotta stop taking that guy's phone orders.

Now put it back in the kitchen.

Ah, forget it. Take it home with you.

Thanks, Ernie.

Want to split it?

Pizza, I don't need at all.

Okay. Thanks again, Ernie. Sure. Night. Night, Carol. Good night.

Lisa, can I walk with you? I think there's someone trying to follow me.

What? Which one?

Must have lost his nerve.

No, point him out to me. I want to know which one it is.

Come on, you want to ask him a question?

What did he do?

He didn't do anything.

Shouldn't we do something about it?

He's gone.

I was only scared for a minute.

Thanks.

Wait a minute. I should walk you home.

You should.

Well, yeah, in case he shows up again.

I smell pizza.

Oh, yeah, that's me.

Pepperoni? Yeah, would you like a slice?

Why?

Oh, you forgot to cut it.

It's the least I can do. I mean, here you are half terrified, and here I am

totally brave.

It was obviously meant to be.

This is nice.

What is?

Walking me home.

Well, it's never happened to me before.

What, being picked up?

No, no, just being asked to help somebody.

I have a knife.

No, no, I mean, yes, I have a knife at home.

For the paint steps.

I, uh... I also have a bottle of wine, too.

Terrific.

By the way, my name's James. James Hart.

I'm Susan.

Susan.

Just Susan.

It's a beautiful night, isn't it?

Yeah, it is.

This is where I live.

Oh.

I hope I didn't take you too far out of your way.

Where do you live?

About 26 walk from my campus.

Good night.

What?

I changed my mind. Good night.

Susan. Good night.

Well, Susan.

Miss Hogden, I owe you $10.

I pay you $5 of this debt.

Sometime later, Miss Hogden, I inform you that I'm unable to pay the remainder

of the debt.

You say that's fine.

$5 already paid is sufficient.

Now, is that a binding contract, Miss Hogden?

I don't know, sir.

I'm sorry, I... I can't get my mind together today. I just can't deal with

the Socratic method, those relentless questions.

Miss Hogden, what is the situation?

I'm not even sure, sir. My boyfriend is a doctor, and even he doesn't know.

Miss Hogden, no.

No, Miss Hogden.

I have asked you what is the situation in this hypothetical case.

I have no interest whatsoever in your boyfriend.

In that case, let's return to my question.

Is there or is there not a contract, Miss Hogden?

I don't think so.

You are right, Miss Hogden.

Now, why?

What element is missing?

Could it be bargaining and exchange?

Exactly. Then, if the $5 is not part of a bargain, it can only be what?

A gift.

Absolutely right again, Miss Ogden. Now, how would you make a contract out of

this?

If you offer me the $5 as a settlement of the agreement, and I

accept it in that context?

Brilliant, Miss Ogden.

Brilliant.

The Socratic method has triumphed once again.

That is all.

Kingsfield seemed to be in a strangely mellow mood today.

Maybe he's changing.

Hey, don't count on it.

Uh, Hart, you awake?

Yeah.

Our class is over.

You're lucky he didn't call on you.

You're really out of it, man.

I know.

Hart, what's the matter with you?

Developing some personal problems of his own, I think.

Join us for coffee. Take your mind off things.

Later.

I was walking by.

But you didn't. What?

Walk by.

Uh, no, I didn't.

It's freezing out here. Oh, yes, it is.

Come here.

Oh,

I was rude the other night.

That's all right.

Oh, I wasn't apologizing. I was just letting you know that I was aware of it.

Well, I don't know why I'm here.

Would you like some tea? I have some made. Yes, please.

You take cream, sugar?

One sugar, please.

One sugar, okay.

I was saying, I really don't know why... Yeah, I heard you. I heard you.

Don't you ever just do things? Do you always have to know why?

Oh, no, I guess not.

I like to know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. Then tell me, why do you

think you're here?

Maybe just to talk, to have something about you, to tell you something about

me and my work.

I already know about some of those things.

About me?

About law students.

How did you know I was a law student?

Well, you told me that you lived at 26 Waltham. That means torts, civil

procedures, contracts, and Kingsfield.

You do know about me.

My husband was a lawyer.

Your husband?

My ex-husband.

Aren't you going to get that?

Someone may want to talk to you.

You said you did.

Oh, well, yeah.

Uh, your ex-husband was a law student.

Mm-hmm. Seems to be a purse of mine, law students.

That's really why I didn't invite you in the other night.

Well, you've come back.

There's nothing else for me to do except... Except what?

Try to save you.

Save me from what?

From involvement.

In what?

The Socratic method.

How do you feel?

Wonderful.

This is terrific.

I think there is hope for you.

Good.

What now?

Now I have to study.

And then?

And then I have to study some more.

Oh, all right.

Hope weakens.

But after that, late, really late. Hart, I have to get you out of here.

What? Come on.

There are some absolutely beautiful country roads around here. I've got to

study. No, no, no, no, no. Now, this will be good for you. Believe me. I

mean, there are no telephones, no obligations, nothing on the road.

Change your plans, Hart. Susan.

No.

Thank you. You're welcome.

No trespassing road closed.

Where are we? I don't know. We lost?

Of course not. We weren't going anywhere.

Aren't we always going somewhere? Ah, how Socratic of you.

What? The inevitable progression of the Socratic method.

Probing relentlessly to discover hidden truth.

Like Kingsfield.

Kingsfield? He's the best. That's why I came here.

Question and answer. Fact and conclusion.

It's like I'm coming alive to a whole new way of seeing things. Or building an

impenetrable wall.

Wall?

Wall.

I see it more as a stairway. Yes, leading upward to greater truth.

Something like that. No, no, no, Hart. It doesn't work like that.

It doesn't? Well, how does it work?

Oh, I've seen it happen over and over again.

Seen what? What are you talking about?

Nice guys, like yourself.

Maybe even nicer than you. I mean, I really don't know you that well, do I?

Oh, I'm a pretty nice guy.

Oh, I think you are.

Maybe nicer than you know.

Let me tell you about this guy, what happened to him a few years ago.

He was like you.

Nice, decent, hardworking.

It was an awful case.

What do you mean?

Well, at first, when he disappeared, no one knew quite what to think.

Disappeared? Well, he wasn't the type.

I mean, he was a really modeled student. You know, the sort who wouldn't miss a

single day of class unless it was absolutely necessary.

I mean, you know, like you, right?

Right?

Well, at first... His friends didn't know what to do, but they went to the

police claiming foul play.

And a manhunt was organized, and the search went on for weeks and months

until they finally discovered the body.

Body?

He had been mutilated beyond all recognition as a human being.

That? Well, of course there was an autopsy. And that's when they discovered

two other major things that were really symptomatic of a rare condition.

How do you know all this?

Well, I was pre-med before I gave it up for marriage.

Hart, are you sure that you want to hear the rest of this?

Yes, I do.

Well, his brain had been treated in a hideous fashion.

It was calcified, rigid, hard, and cold as stone.

And his heart had been completely removed from his chest cavity.

And what'd they do? Do?

Well, what else could they do?

They graduated him with honors.

He passed the bar, became a full-fledged lawyer.

As a matter of fact, he has a very successful practice right now in

Washington, D.C.

That is one hell of an unfunny joke.

It isn't a joke.

And it wasn't meant to be funny.

You better get back.

It's a warning, Hart.

Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. Yes, you obviously seem to think

so. That's for sure.

Help.

I'm sorry.

I'll pay for it.

Forget it.

No, I did it. I'll pay for it. I said forget it. I'll take care of it.

No, I broke it. I'll make of the damages.

Is that a form of contract? Exactly.

Restitution of property to its original condition.

Well, that was the wrong thing to say.

What'd you say?

You are crazy.

She is crazy. This whole thing is crazy.

Well, I want to see her again.

All right.

That's good.

No, I can't just drop it.

Wait a minute. You just said a message. Yeah, but that's exactly what she'd do.

Just like she left me out there to hitchhike back home.

Forget it. Listen, she's a nitwit. She's a nut. Just forget all about it. You're

right.

No, I can't forget her.

First I gotta replace her tail light, and then I gotta... Oh, I don't know.

The trouble with you, Hart, and it's fatal, is that you're always trying to

prove that people are human.

Like this dingbat here, like Kingsfield.

Just a piece of red glass.

How much can that cost? Three, four bucks, right?

That much?

Listen, all I want is the tail light, not the whole rear end.

Well, do you have to order the whole assembly?

No Okay,

yeah, go ahead and order it Yeah, I'll send you $20 on deposit Okay, thanks

They sent me from law school employment.

Oh, yeah. Grab a jacket out of the station wagon over there. Give the guest

a receipt. Mark the plate number down on the stub.

Park the car on both sides of the street down that way.

Oh, why don't you people go inside? It's so cold out here.

Please, won't you go inside? It's very cold out here. Yes.

Young man?

Young man!

Are you the other boy?

Mrs. Nottingham, it's me, James Hart.

Oh, aren't you one of Professor Kingsfield's students?

Yes. I'm going to be helping with the parking.

Is Professor Kingsfield coming?

Coming? He lives here.

He lives here?

Now, where is she?

What? His daughter.

Why can't she ever be where she's supposed to be at the right time?

You mean I'm going to be working for Professor Kingsfield?

Well, I certainly hope so. There's an awful lot to be done.

What are you doing here?

What are you doing here? I'm parking cars.

What was that about the other night? I can't believe you left me out there.

Are you going to open the door for me?

How about an answer, Susan?

How about opening the door first?

What the hell are you doing at this party?

Do you mean that you really don't know?

Know what?

Ah, Susan, there you are.

Where have you been?

Oh, no.

Oh, yes.

Our guests are waiting, Susan.

Yes, Father.

Kingsfield's daughter.

You don't fool around, do you?

No, hardly at all.

That's not what I'm talking about.

What are you talking about?

Your ability to dig up the most advantageous relationship around here.

Well, that's a rotten thing to say.

Are you claiming that I'm trying to use her?

Rotten? You're the one who said you can't stand her. Yet you keep saying it.

Her? It's the fullest view. It's Kingsfield.

Kingsfield for me? Yeah, I answered it. She said she was calling for Professor

Kingsfield. Wants to talk to you right now.

I love it. I love it.

Hello?

No, it's not funny.

Well, you shouldn't have.

Is that really Kingsfield? Would you clearly see my ear tomorrow night?

Forget it.

Dinner.

Yeah, okay.

No, that'd be fine.

Is that Kingsfield?

All right, I'll see you then.

Okay, bye-bye.

What are you doing?

Who was that? I'm going to Kingfield's house for dinner tomorrow night.

Well, you go hard.

You can put in a good word for all of us.

Do you like it?

It's wonderful.

Oh, it's just the two of us. I thought... Oh, no.

Being his guest at dinner could be the worst possible thing.

It would?

Besides,

you don't want him to find out about us.

No.

I thought all your finery was on my account.

Oh, it was.

It is.

Only a robot jumps to it, the sound of a bell.

Do you want to answer that, Hart?

Susan, I'm not a robot. I just thought... Okay, you are not a robot.

But I hardly expected my bait.

To be picked up so eagerly.

What bait?

Well, you know.

My offer to use me to get closer to Kingsfield, the Oracle, the Guru, the

fountainhead. If you think that that's the only reason... Oh, Hart, why did you

do that?

Susan, this isn't funny. I borrowed some of these clothes. Oh, I'll take care of

it. Oh, here, give me the coat.

Here. Look, I'll take it to the kitchen, sponge it off, put it by the stove.

You'll never know. The stove? No, it'll burn. Trust me, I do have a few domestic

skills. Take off your pants.

My pants?

Take them off.

Here? Here.

Is that funny? It is, Art. It's very funny.

Now, I want you to make yourself comfortable.

I don't believe this.

A personal letter from Albert Einstein.

Read it.

Dear Charles, thank you for your inspiring thoughts.

We all need this kind of wholehearted, indivisible commitment to humanity.

Sincerely, Albert.

What did he do?

Wrote some words of encouragement during a time of personal crisis.

They were friendly in the late 30s.

Wholehearted, indivisible commitment to humanity.

What an unbelievable phrase.

Oh,

is my stuff dry already?

I'm fast, Hark, but not that fast.

They're drying now.

This feels so strange.

What?

Do you think he'd mind me being here?

Well, we could call New York and see.

When I was a little girl, I'd play in here. I'd turn on the dictaphone.

I'd turn that off.

I'd feel like an intruder.

Nonsense, my boy.

Sit down.

I'd rather stand, sir.

They tell me that you have special problems.

Perhaps you should find a nice girl and settle down.

But I want to be a lawyer.

I want to be famous and respected, just like you, sir.

Look at me, boy.

Take a real close look.

It might surprise you.

Why do you dislike him so much?

Dislike?

I adore him.

And I probably admire him a lot more than you do. It's just that there are

easier things than being the daughter of a great man... or the wife.

This is my mother.

She's beautiful, isn't she?

Oh, you said she was ill.

She's in a mental institution.

Don't be shocked, Hart. It's a very nice place.

It's very quiet, peaceful.

She just sits there and stares.

Actually, I sometimes envy her.

Did he do something?

Of course not.

It's just that he's Kingsfield.

And that means that you can only be an extension of that. You are Kingsfield's

wife, Kingsfield's daughter.

It's a trap.

I saw the trap.

And I watched her fall into it. She didn't even put up a struggle.

That's terrible.

Not me. I moved out of this house years ago.

I've always had that apartment.

It's mine.

I just wouldn't be safe here. I feel myself start to disappear the minute I

walk in the front door.

But you came back.

Would you like to see more?

More?

That's what you came here for, isn't it?

Come on, Art.

Let's go upstairs and see where he brushes his teeth.

This is it.

You have my sink, toilet, tub.

Same facilities used by lesser mortals.

It's amazing, isn't it?

Your other standard assortment of mouthwash and aftershave.

Susan, speaking of the kind of stupid, I didn't come here to look at the

bathroom. Then I have just the place for you.

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tay?

It's a mystery!

Even the great Kingsfield has his frailties.

Aren't you going to inspect the bed, Hart?

This is his bed.

This is it.

This is where he sleeps.

Where he rests those millions of gray cells.

And dreams.

Tell me, Hart.

If you were the great Kingsfield, what would you dream?

He's back.

He's back?

He's back.

He's back.

That must have been him on the phone.

My clothes.

Stick around. Say hello.

Hurt, you haven't done anything wrong.

Susan, hurry up.

How do I get out of here?

Follow me, I'll show you.

My pants, my jacket. Oh, get them. Come on.

Where are we going?

Take the car. You can bring it back tomorrow.

What did he say?

Well, he said he hoped it wasn't a law student.

So,

will you please state the facts of the case of Beigers v.

Cook, Mr.

Breut?

Cook's son died, Beiger's was an undertaker, or was Cook the

undertaker? Mr.

Sanders?

Uh, you just want the facts, sir? Miss Hogden?

This undertaker agreed to provide the usual funeral services.

That included the coffin, transporting it to the church, to the cemetery,

Interring the body and, um... Uh... Mr.

Gagarian.

I'll end providing carriages for the immediate family.

The Beigers gave Cook an estimate that the whole thing would cost about 49

pounds. Thank you, Mr. Gagarian.

Now, the rest of the facts, please.

Mr... The body was placed in a board.

They placed the body in a lead coffin.

The coffin was soldered without a vent hole, and then the services were held

two days later.

It became apparent that owing to the condition of the remains, something had

gone wrong, and the undertaker was therefore in violation of his contract.

You told him. What?

You told him about us. What are you talking about?

He's staring right at me, pulling on the guy on my left, on my right, behind me,

and in front of me. Now, what do you think? I think you're paranoid.

Paranoid? You should have seen it. No, I'm not being paranoid.

Hi. Hello. He glared at me and called on some other student.

Are these all signs, Susan?

Yes, Jason, they are.

Jason Fields.

James Hart.

Ah, Wednesday morning.

Contracts, I see. Must be a law student.

Yes.

All finished.

Final signatures.

I assume you've told your young friend everything, so no explanations are

necessary. Oh, please, don't be so civilized.

I thought you said Kingsfield was going to handle your divorce.

Both parties have to sign.

Oh, you're Susan's husband.

X.

Has Susan been talking about me? I'm flattered.

But of course, you're a perfect example of what the law school turns out.

That old chestnut.

What a nice guy I used to be before I became a big, successful lawyer.

It's the truth.

Oh, come off it, Susan.

I happen to make $150,000 a year, young man.

Keep studying.

I see you're still playing your little telephone games.

I answer the phone when I want to.

Is that a game?

Hello?

Hello? It's your father.

Oh, just a minute, please.

Yes, Father.

I've confirmed your reservation for tomorrow, and I'll be happy to drive you

to the airport.

Thank you, Father.

Is everything all right, then?

Oh, everything's fine.

Okay, I'll see you later.

Goodbye, Father.

Well, all set.

My heart, pleasure to have met you. Stick to those books.

It's worth even Susan's disapproval.

Goodbye, Susan.

Goodbye, Jason.

No.

Of course not.

Well, do you see what I mean?

What? Well, he wasn't like that when I fell in love with him.

Like what? He seemed fine to me.

Dull, complacent, smug. I mean, is that really what you want to be?

If that's what he is, I'm not like that, and I never could be. Oh, you were

certainly working your way towards it.

Grow up, Hart.

Well, what about you?

Grown-ups are supposed to take responsibility.

You screw everything up for me, and now you're packing.

I never said that I was staying.

And you've got Kingsfield on my tail.

You're terrified of him, aren't you? I mean, you are absolutely dying for his

approval. Yes, I want his approval. He's my teacher. I'm his student. That's the

way it is. If you are good, you know it inside, and you don't have to worry

about Kingsfield's approval.

I can take care of myself, Susan. Now, what about you? Aren't you everything

that you're accusing Kingsfield of? You're cold, indifferent, manipulating.

Stop it, Hart. It's your life that's messed up, not Kingsfield's and not

mine.

Wait a minute.

I didn't mean that hard. I'm sorry.

You don't understand what you mean at all.

I just want you to see. I don't want any more advice.

I'm leaving.

The facts of...

Dunlap versus Hyatt, Mr.

Bowen.

Tom Dunlap worked as a houseboy for Mr. Hyatt for 30 years.

Hyatt promised him he would give him his house or leave it to him in his will.

Thank you.

Mr. Anderson, will you... Mr.

Hyatt died.

but he had not fulfilled the conditions of his promise.

Instead of leaving his house to his houseboy, he left it in his will to his

brother. And the holding of the court, Mr.

Bell?

The court held for the estate of Mr. Hyatt. It upheld the will, and Tom

Dunlap never got the house he was promised.

Thank you, Mr. Bell.

And it was a miscarriage of justice.

What was that, Mr.

Hart?

Well, the court held that due to the dead man's statutes, Tom Dunlap couldn't

testify in court and explain about Mr. Hyatt's promise.

Apparently, the dead man's statutes eliminates the right of people to

testify after the person who has made the promise has died if the testimony is

in connection with a will.

I see. You seem to have an opinion on that, Mr. Hart.

In this case, I think it was completely unfair and a travesty of justice.

A travesty of justice, Mr. Hartle.

Tom Dunlap worked for Mr. Hyatt for 30 years, and he relied on Mr. Hyatt's

promise. When people rely on a promise, the court should honor it.

Isn't that what you've been teaching us?

Isn't that what makes contract law a...

humane process?

Need I remind you, Mr.

Hart, in your infinite naivete, that the legislature wrote the dead man's

statutes, not the court's, and that the court is obligated to follow the

legislature's laws.

Are you arguing for judicial anarchy, Mr. Hart?

I'm arguing for justice, sir. I see, Mr. Hart.

You would have us supersede the legislature.

All written statutes, and probably the Constitution itself, eh? Sir, the dead

man's statutes are obsolescent now anyway, so you're twisting what I'm

trying to say, sir.

Twisting, Mr. Hart?

Rephrasing, perhaps.

Showing you how to think.

But twisting?

What is the nature of your argument that I am twisting?

I'm arguing for real justice, sir.

I'm arguing for a penetrating sympathy in trying to understand the obligations

of interpersonal involvement.

I'm arguing for people.

For a wholehearted, indivisible commitment to humanity.

I'm saying that a really brilliant judge could have found a way around those

statutes. And I'm saying that the result in this case is wrong.

with you, Mr. Hart.

Susan. Were you here for the whole class?

Mm-hmm.

And I was right about you.

I saw.

You do have a dream.

Is that all?

That's a lot, Hart.

Really, it is.

But you're still leaving.

My father's giving me a ride to the airport.

Maybe we should have had more time.

Hart, you were really good to me.

And what we had was almost beautiful, except for me.

I am not that nice a woman.

I still have a few things that I need to work out.

I think I can, but I just don't think it would be fair to do it with you.

It might be nice to try.

Oh, uh, we'll probably run into each other again.

I don't know where or when or how.

But if you ever lose what you have, I'll never let you rest.

kind of a going away present.

Susan, did you enjoy the class?

Yes.

You have some very promising students.

Yes, very special promise, I believe.

I'm sorry your visit was so short, but it was good having you here.

It meant a great deal to your mother.

You sure that going now is the right thing?

I think so.

Pre-med seems to be more of a reality now.

Good.

Is there anything I can do?

It's too late for that.

Is it?

Well, it should be.

I am grown up. Yes, you are.

You can't help me.

I have to do it alone.

You know, I'm concerned about you, Susan.

Really?

You've always been so busy.

Yes, my life has always been full.

I know.

But you've always been part of it. You do understand that, don't you, Susan?

Have I?

It's time we got started.

The first years are hard years, much more than we know.

With good friends to love us, we'll feel every blow.

Stay open to all things, and one day we'll all say,

hey look, we've come through the first year.