Original subtitles

You know, when you're a movie star,

your appearance plays a big part in your career.

Everything is important.

Your clothes, your figure, your hair.

That's why I always have my hair shampooed...

with Luster Creme.

It's the movie star's favorite.

See the star?

I love this new liquid Luster Creme.

It's heavenly rich.

And leaves my hair shinier, easier to manage.

New Luster Creme shampoo,

with a new non-drying formula.

And now, here's Jack.

This next little lady has been entertaining

audiences all summer long.

In cabarets and cocktail lounges

up and down the East Coast.

She's making her live television debut

here, tonight, on The Jack Parr Show.

And aren't we lucky she is.

Please welcome Miss Pamela Scott.

- You two married? - No.

- We're... - Whatever you have to say,

he can hear it.

Fine.

You're having a miscarriage.

What?

How is that possible?

No, we were careful.

Well, the amount of hemorrhaging is severe.

She's gonna need a procedure

that'll clear out all the retained tissue.

It'll probably affect her fertility moving forward,

but we can't risk her going into sepsis.

I won't be able to have children?

It's gonna be all right, sweetheart.

Sorry, doll, but, some of you gals just,

you know, aren't built for it.

Reggie. Overnight admission.

I know I said that I wasn't ready to get married

and have a baby, but I didn't mean not ever.

No, it's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay.

Wait, you know what? Wait, wait.

Actually, cancel the operation.

I'm gonna get a second opinion.

Every other doctor in town is gonna tell you the same thing.

I work for Bellflower Chemical.

Listen, there's this state-of-the-art

medical facility in Houston.

I'm not even supposed to know about this,

but... but a... apparently they've hired

the best obstetricians in the world.

Obstetricians? Why?

I don't really know.

Maybe they just want to make sure our frozen peas

are safe for pregnant mothers.

But whatever it is,

you... you know, you deserve the best.

And they usually reserve these perks for upper management,

but I'm sure somebody could make a... a phone call.

Bellflower takes care of its own.

It's nice to get out of the city.

Did you drive her around a bit and show her the campus?

I still don't know why one company needs so many offices.

Well, I told her we're not just consumer products.

We're also industrial supplies, government contracts.

You left out the most important part.

Everything's bigger in Texas.

Hello, Pam. I'm Dr. Valentine,

and this is my colleague, Dr. Landau.

Shall we get started?

If you'll just lie down.

Pam, this unfortunate-looking behemoth

is called a sonogram machine.

Only three others like it in the whole world.

It uses sound waves to actually look inside you.

Maybe we'll find that chewing gum

you swallowed in third grade.

What's wrong?

You're still pregnant, Pam.

What?

You haven't lost your baby.

That little stinker's holding on for dear life.

I pass him, but I've never met him.

There she is.

Have a seat, Pam.

I was just telling your husband...

excuse me, your friend,

that doctor you saw in New York was an idiot.

Saying you'd never be able to conceive again is ridiculous.

If you do lose your baby, we'll go in there and clean you out,

and you'd almost certainly be fine to try again.

But that's not what you want, is it, Pam?

No.

You want to have this child, don't you?

Yes.

In that case, we'd like to help.

Dr. Valentine's offered us a spot in a clinical trial.

He says your, placenta isn't adhering properly.

The little fella's really struggling to hang on.

It's a serious condition, but treatable.

But you can already tell that it's a boy?

Call it a hunch.

Treatment would require you remain in Houston

throughout your pregnancy.

It's a big change, I know.

- Yes. - But...

we could easily arrange housing.

Well, it... it says here that the treatment is experimental.

No medical treatment is without risk, sweetheart.

For what it's worth, we've had incredible success

treating conditions just like yours.

Could you just give us a minute, please?

Take all the time you need.

I don't know, I...

What is it, sweetheart?

I don't know, it's just, it's all happening so fast.

What if this baby deserves a better mother than me?

No, no, no!

He's gonna be the luckiest boy in the world.

What are you doing?

Marry me.

And let's do it. Let's take this leap together.

But you can't leave your job for seven months.

And do what?

You think there's no corporate sales in Houston?

Look, the most important thing right now is you,

and our son, and giving our family the start...

- Hello! - Hello.

You must be Pam. I'm Trish Fairfield.

I live just up the street.

Honestly, you don't have to eat that.

No, they asked me to fill out a survey about it.

I can tell you what to write.

"Tastes like old socks."

I'm four months along, in case you just thought I was fat.

No.

But does your husband work for Bellflower, too?

They act like we're so lucky

that we get to try all these new products for free.

But if they're not on the market yet, there's usually a reason.

How about cake for lunch instead?

And so then my mother-in-law says,

"well, of course I'll come and stay

for at least a month after you have the baby."

I just smiled and nodded,

because I knew that if I opened my mouth,

I would say something honest.

Who's coming to stay with you?

Oh, no, Elias' mother isn't well,

and my parents are gone, so.

Oh, my gosh. I'm so sorry.

Here I am, pooh-poohing my own family.

It was a long time ago.

And if they knew that I'd become a nightclub singer

in the big city, they'd have probably killed me.

Oh, my gosh. I never thought that I'd leave Topeka.

Thank goodness Dave came along.

But now, here I am,

meeting cosmopolitan people like you.

And our children are gonna grow up together.

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

That would, but, as soon as I have the baby,

I think we're gonna head back to New York.

But I would love it if you would come visit us.

I'm really just here for the treatment.

Wait, I don't understand.

You wanted the treatment?

Well, yeah, of course.

Why? What's wrong with that?

Oh, no, nothing.

No, I... Lord knows, I'm getting it, too.

I just... wish I wasn't.

Dave insisted.

You haven't gone in for it yet, have you?

The treatment?

No.

Why?

Maybe you won't think it's that bad.

Dave's always saying I'm a big baby.

Let me help you tidy up.

There he is.

Heart's beating like a drum.

Let's get started.

What are you doing?

This isn't the Spanish Inquisition, I promise.

We just can't have you moving around during treatment.

Well, can't you put me out or something?

No, we can't risk lowering the baby's heart rate.

He'll never grow up big and strong

if we don't get him to stay put first.

Remember, perfectly still, okay, Mom?

You don't want to hurt the baby.

Doesn't she look sweet?

So sweet!

Yeah.

Little bits and bobs, you know.

Trish, you don't have to do that.

You're awfully quiet today.

Is everything all right?

Sure. I'm just a little tired.

Well, they say it's hard to sleep in the last few weeks.

It's not that.

They have me taking these pills.

Everything sort of feels like a dream.

What pills?

It's embarrassing.

Oh, come on, you know you can tell me anything.

It's nothing, really.

I was just having these...

thoughts... delusions.

Gosh, I feel so foolish.

I was thinking that Dave and the doctors were...

Were what?

Lying to me...

about something to do with the treatments or the baby.

And every time I went in for an appointment,

I couldn't think straight for days.

And the injections were making me feel like I was...

I don't know, going... going a little crazy.

Does that happen to you?

Well, I mean, sometimes I get a headache after, but...

No. No, nothing like that.

Well, anyway, it turns out

I was doing this Freudian thing called projection.

And Dave's been working so hard.

I didn't want to make things harder.

And the pills really have been helping a lot.

Shoot. That must be Dave.

- He's early. - Oh, I completely forgot

I have an appointment with Dr. Valentine.

I should go.

Trish, I could come with you.

No.

No, I would never take you away from your own baby shower.

I'll see you later.

We're late. Let's go.

Get in the car, Trish.

Hello?

Oh, no.

Stillborn?

Oh, God.

What is it?

Hi, Trish.

I'm so sorry.

She wasn't right.

The baby.

What do you mean, wasn't right?

I wasn't supposed to see her, but I did.

Her face.

It was...

I don't think I could have loved her.

Oh, honey, don't say that. That's...

I know why it happened.

Because of the treatments?

Because of me.

Because they had to give me pills for my horrible thoughts.

It's my fault that she came out like that.

- No. - I killed her, Pam.

It's my fault.

No, it is not your fault, Trish.

- It's my fault. - No.

- It's my fault. - Hey, no, stop.

- It's my... It's my fault! - Stop, stop!

- I'm sick! I'm sick! - No, don't... hey! Help!

- I'm sick! I'm sick! - Help! Somebody!

- I'm sick! I'm sick! - Please, we need some help!

Please, nurse!

Pam.

No!

Oh, my God.

You've done it to my wife.

I mean, how... how... how am I ever gonna explain this to her?

We understand, and we intend to...

- Elias? - How am I gonna get

compensated for what you've done to our child?

- We'll take care of this. - Elias.

Hey. Hey, sweetie.

It's okay. I'm here.

Where's the baby? What happened?

- No, it's... - What?

You had the baby. They gave you anesthesia.

That's why...

That's why you can't remember.

It's a boy.

Oh, okay.

Well, when can I see him?

Well, I'm afraid they had to keep him

in the nursery a little while longer,

because he was premature.

But...

he's...

He's what?

What aren't you telling me?

I need to speak to the doctors.

But you should get some rest.

Now, here. Come on, careful.

Okay. Now, watch your step.

Oh, Pam, this is Nora, my new secretary.

I asked her to get the house all ready for you.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Pam.

I didn't know Elias was getting his own secretary.

He negotiated quite a few perks

with his new promotion.

There's food in the fridge, and plenty of baby formula,

although Mr. Wittering said that you don't need any bottles.

Oh, no.

Jason's mouth doesn't attach that way.

I have to feed him with drops from a syringe.

Shh... shh, shh.

Like how they feed kittens.

It takes forever, and I'm afraid I'm not very good at it.

My daughter is...

She's a little different, too.

Not physically, but...

How old is she?

26.

It's just her and me now. It's...

I'll be taking care of her for the rest of my life.

Well, you're all, set up in the nursery there.

You didn't tell me you got a promotion.

Oh, I was just waiting for everything to settle.

But, yeah, anyway, since we're gonna be here

for a while longer than we planned,

the company thought they'd put my talents to good use.

Speaking of which, Nora and I need

to get back to the office.

What? So soon? We just got home.

Well, yeah, there's a meeting with investors in D.C.

I'll be gone all weekend.

But Nora is just a phone call away if you need her.

- Well... - Look, this is gonna be

good for us, but...

it's a lot more responsibility.

You'll be all right?

Honestly, I don't know.

I've never done this alone before.

Hey, the Pam that I know, the woman that I fell in love with,

she can do anything.

All right.

Say bye to Daddy.

I'll be back before you know it.

You'll be fine.

You hear that?

We're gonna be fine.

Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

It's okay.

There you go.

Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

Come on, please.

Please, come on, it's okay.

Honey, I'm home, where are you?

Pam.

Oh, my God.

- No! No. - Oh no, what did you do?

- He's not breathing. - Let me see. Let me have him.

- Let me have him. - He's not breathing.

- Let me help him. - There's no pulse.

- There's no... He's gone. - No!

- He's gone. He's gone. - No!

What did you do? What did you do?

- Shh! - No! No!

Shh!

It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay.

It's gonna be okay.

Oh, God.

Oh! Oh, my baby.

Come here.

Pam.

Pam...

Pam.

Where's Jason?

He's all right.

He's a very lucky boy.

We don't think the loss of oxygen

will have any lasting effects.

What? Wha...

You had to be sedated last night.

You were in hysterics.

Where is Jason?

Miss Parsons here will be moving in with us for a while.

Make things easier on you.

Good morning, dear.

She's a registered nurse.

We're very lucky to have her.

I'll be taking Jason to and from the clinic every day

so you can rest.

The clinic? What...

He'll still need various therapeutic interventions

to mitigate any of the damage you may...

to help him grow up big and strong.

I can just drive him to the clinic.

After what happened last night,

we can't let you do that.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. What did I do?

Did I hurt him?

It's all right, Pam.

We're only human.

He'll be just fine.

We'll make sure of that.

Now, I want you to take one of these

whenever your spirits get low.

But the way I see it,

you've got nothing to feel sad about.

Good-looking husband and a full-time nanny?

It's every little lady's dream.

The decorations in the backyard look wonderful.

- Oh, thank you. - Oh, he'll be so delighted.

If he ever gets here.

Elias knew the party's at 2:00.

I don't know why he has to take him for therapy on a Saturday.

Jason's about to miss his own birthday party.

- Oh, hey... - Sorry.

- Let me help you. - Sorry, I didn't mean to...

Sorry.

Are you moonlighting as a janitor, Doctor?

Damn clinic.

Why don't you come in and lie down for a minute?

So you don't scare the children.

Yeah, of course.

The powder room's inside, and you can just freshen up.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Wittering.

For everything.

Hey! There's the birthday boy.

Hello.

What's wrong?

Oh, he's just a little hungry, right, champ?

You get yourself a cheeseburger and some cake,

you're gonna perk right up.

Okay, Daddy.

Come.

Let's get you something to eat and we'll find your friends.

Everybody is waiting to celebrate you for your birthday.

Look!

One, two, three!

He missed half the party.

The doctors need to run some more tests.

Tests? What tests?

I promise you, he's gonna be fine.

He doesn't look fine.

No problems all year,

and now suddenly he's sick to his stomach every day?

Just a temporary reaction to the new seizure medication.

Hey, let's go and enjoy the party, though.

It's a really nice turnout?

You're lying to me.

You seem a little agitated, darling.

Do you need me to go and get your pills?

Or maybe, you need a few more days back at the clinic?

Nice, quiet room, get some rest,

talk to someone?

There he is!

I was beginning to wonder if our new director of operations

was too good to hobnob with the hoi polloi.

Bill. Hey, you're looking a little light.

Come on. I'll top you off.

He's a bomb! Jason's a bomb!

He's gonna explode! Get away!

Run away, run away!

Oh, my God.

Are you okay, honey? What's wrong?

We were playing in the bomb shelter.

I didn't mean to scare anyone.

What do you mean?

What is...

Mommy, I don't feel good.

Where is he?

He'll be fine.

What do you mean, fine?

Oh, Pam...

Why couldn't I stay with him at the clinic?

They had to move him to a restricted ward

so they could treat him properly.

Treat him for what?

Well, it's... it's hard to explain.

Very technical.

I don... I don't even fully understand.

Well, when can I see him?

Well, they wanna keep him for a few extra days

so they can monitor his progress.

But I promise you, he's feeling much better.

- He'll be home soon. - And...

the... the doctors, they said it was only a virus.

A virus?

He was bleeding and his hair came off in my hand.

- Calm down. - What...

Has he been exposed to radiation?

That's absurd. What, because of the old Geiger counter?

That thing, that goes off for no reason.

Are they doing some kind of radiation therapy?

He... he's getting the best possible care, Pam.

How can you say that?

You saw him at the party.

He could barely stay awake.

I mean, he's not himself. He hasn't been for weeks.

Well, experimental therapies, they have side effects.

You know, and he's a sick kid, Pam.

You are the ones making him sick!

I'm not gonna let you

use him like a guinea pig.

I want another opinion outside of the company.

And I'm gonna take him some...

You're not taking him anywhere.

He's gonna complete his course of treatment at the clinic.

End of discussion.

And if you do anything to undo the progress

that we have made so far,

I...

What? You'll what?

I'll divorce you and take full custody of Jason,

and you will never see him again.

You wouldn't do that.

Come on, no judge would even let you do that.

Who do you think they're gonna side with?

A pillar of the business community,

or a former lounge singer who takes psychiatric medication

ever since she nearly drowned her baby?

What happened to you?

I need to get back to work, and you need to go to sleep.

The gala is this weekend. I'm the keynote speaker.

There are some very important investors

who are gonna be there,

and I need to walk in with my wife on my arm,

looking healthy and rested.

And look...

Elias!

Congratulations.

Excuse me.

Dr. Landau.

Mrs. Wittering.

What a pleasure to see you looking so well.

Thank you. I'm glad to see you're feeling better.

How's Jason doing?

Elias said that he's recovering well, but...

I haven't been able to see him.

Yes, well, it shouldn't be long.

Just being... cautious.

Big night for your husband.

Is Dr. Valentine here?

He...

he should be along a little later.

Would you be a doll and fetch me another Manhattan?

I'm parched.

Of course.

May I have this dance?

I... I said some things the other day

I desperately wish I could take back.

Obviously with confidentiality requirements,

I haven't been able to share things with you

that I wish I could have.

But that all changes tonight.

I just hope that once everything's been made clear,

you'll understand how much I love our family.

Because I love you, Pam.

And Jason, so very much.

And you have no idea the gift that you have given the world.

What are you saying?

Ladies and gentlemen,

if you'll please take your seats.

The program will begin shortly.

That's my cue.

I better freshen up.

I don't wanna miss a minute of your speech.

Our keynote speaker moved here

a little over four years ago from our New York office,

where he was a junior sales manager for household products.

And in that brief time,

he has become much, much more.

Upon joining our R&D division,

he completely transformed the department,

heralding a wave of innovation in our lab sciences group.

Tonight, he'll be sharing some of that cutting-edge work

with all of you for the very first time.

Please join me in welcoming

a rising star in the Bellflower family,

Elias Wittering.

Deeply appreciate it.

Thank you. Thank you all for coming out tonight.

Less than two years ago,

we stood at the precipice of nuclear war

with the Soviet Union.

Or, to put a finer point on it,

the total annihilation of life on Earth.

In the months and years since, the bellicose rhetoric

between our two nations has only increased.

As we speak, the Russians have a nuclear arsenal

pointed at our cities, and we theirs,

a grim reality which sparked an existential question

among our team here at Bellflower:

how do we prepare for what is inevitable?

Well, as it stands,

there is only one creature on Earth

who can survive an atomic blast.

Well, it's not so funny when one of those little buggers

scuttles out from under the stove,

right, ladies?

But we allowed ourselves to wonder,

what if we could survive this eventuality as well?

Fortify humans to survive, and yes, even to thrive,

on the surface of an irradiated Earth.

Science fiction?

Once, maybe, but not anymore.

After years of rigorous experimentation,

our team has managed to replicate the cellular process

that enables a cockroach to withstand radioactive fallout

in a human being.

Since undergoing treatment in this very building,

our Phase One test subject has developed a cellular matrix

capable of hyperproliferation far beyond normal thresholds.

Uncanny levels of resilience to radioactive bombardment.

In the same way that pruning a tree

can paradoxically stimulate it,

this subject,

trauma actually makes him stronger.

In fact, it could spur accelerated physical growth,

which is why we are currently developing a technique

to harvest his DNA,

the molecule that carries genetic information.

And with rigorous effort,

we believe we are only three years away

from being able to replicate these results in others.

Concurrently, we are proceeding with Phase Two.

More than 100 new subjects have received in-utero inoculations,

and while none of the resultant offspring

have fared as well as Subject J,

still, each trial has yielded critical new data.

Our belief is that these advances

will redefine what it means to be human

and ensure a safe

and prosperous future for all mankind.

A future where no one need fear the bomb.

A future filled with hope and progress,

where Bellflower's bold innovations reshape the world.

This is the future that we will build together.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Where the hell is Pam?

Jason?

I wouldn't do that.

What are you doing here, Pam?

I am taking my son.

You know I can't let you do that.

Jason is a very fragile boy.

He requires regular infusions of chemicals

and medications only we can provide.

Deprive him of treatment, and he'll die.

You're lying.

You've been lying to me all along.

Fine.

Let's say Jason does survive on the outside.

What about you?

Me?

You've been on experimental mood stabilizers for years.

It's likely already altered your brain chemistry.

Stop now, the side effects would be debilitating at best.

I don't believe you.

Pam.

You couldn't even take care of him when he was a baby.

What makes you think you're any more fit to be a mother now?

I'm only trying to help you, Pam.

Bellflower takes care of...

- Mommy? - It's okay, honey.

Just hold on to Mommy tight, okay?

I got you.

Take it. I'll tell them you stole it. My car is outside.

I didn't know. Not everything.

- I'm sorry. - Pam?

Go!

Pam?

Pam! Pam!

- Did you see her? - She's not here.

Where's Daddy?

Daddy was hurting you, sweetheart.

But I promise from now on

I'm never gonna let anyone hurt you ever again, okay?

Why don't you lie down and try to get some sleep, okay?

Okay, Mommy.