A Question of Silence (1982)

[bunniefuu]

I'm busy.

Me too.

Turn the volume down!

Thank you.

THE SILENCE AROUND
CHRISTINE M.

Whose's them ham and eggs
getting cold here?

Up yours, mate, I say.
Up yours.

Come and get it then!
Haven't I got enough to do?

Do your figure good.

Since when you been interested
in my figure?

You coming, then? If you don't
want it, I'll have it for you.

Give us a hot meat-roll.
- Hot meat-roll.

Undiminished pressure on prices
remains heavy...

especially in Germany.

AKH's personnel decreased by...



Of these... what was last
year's percentage?


that's unchanged.

There are now 902 employees.

Note that, and see that I get the
results of the reorganisation.

Have this typed out.

Good morning, madam. Would you
accompany us to the police station?

We believe you may be able to assist
us in our inquiries concerning...

You keep out of this, An. Only thing
women know about economics...

is how to hold out the hand for cash
and open the legs as a reward.

Why don't you throw your hat
in the canal and crawl under it.

Don't fly off the handle.
Where's your sense of humour?

Haven't got one today.

The law is getting younger
alle the time.

Look! There's two of them,
cheaper than one with a dog.

They're coming to get me, lads.
I've been found out at last.

Now I'm for it. I'll spend the rest of my
life in the nick, between four walls.

You lot can come and visit me
with a file in the cake.

Sit down, lads.
Have one on me.

Mrs Jongman?
- Yes, lad. For 15 years.

And I'm glad I got rid of the bastard.

I sweated blood for that bugger.

What'll you have?
- We want to talk to you about...

I know, lads. I know.

Now come on, take the weight off
your feet and have a drink.

What've you done, An?

Cough up, An. You know me,
silent as the grave.

m*rder, lads. m*rder.

I done someone in.
I sat on top of him.

How, An?

Where's my knitting?

I throttled him...

I swear to God...

Honest...

Well, what are you waiting for?

No, that's impossible now.
She's busy.

Very well.

The police urgently want to see you.
Highly inconvenient.

First let's arrange my appointments.

Admit that I, on the morning of


did bring about the death of the owner
of Boutique 22, van Houten...

together with Andrea Jannie Brouwer
and Christina Maria Molenaar.

This statement has been read to me
and I duly append my signature.

Sign here please.
- Anything to oblige. Let's have a read.

Andrea Jannie, Christina Maria.
Those your names?

Fancy!

You might have had the decency
to introduce us.

Didn't you know each other then?

No, never had the pleasure.

Now there's one more thing.
Who's going to look after my cat?

I don't know what to do, Janine.

But if you really want to,
you can get the facts.

If you're willing to dig deep enough,
you can still uncover a lot.

The West does not have
total censorship. Not yet.

Exactly, you admit it. Holland is
still one of the 10 or 1 1 countries...

without censorship.

Yes, but you don't see
what I'm getting at.

I'll do this.

Ruud means that the opportunity
to acquire information still exist...

but that people are systematically taught
not to look for it. Right, darling?

More or less.
Another sherry?

I call it preserving the Status Quo.
Who's winning?

How can you teach people
not to look? Anyone can...

Sure, by stimulating their preoccupation
with what is merely pleasurable.

What cannot give immediate pleasure...

is done away with,
considered unimportant...

Van den Bos...

Got Spasski on the run yet?

No, I'm the lawyer,
My wife's the psychiatrist.

It's for you, Janine.

No weekends off for a working woman.
- Help yourself to sherry.

Are you winning?

Van den Bos.

Mrs Van den Bos.
Coincidence meeting you here.

Of course, you're visiting
the three women.

So I heard from the investigating
magistrate.

It's an open and shut case.
They didn't deny a thing.

They weren't very clever
if you ask me.

If they wanted to get rid of someone, they
should have done it more professionally.

After you.

There's no doubt at all.
They're completely mad.

But I don't have to explain what
you already know professionally.

Of course you don't get cases
like this every day.

I assume you're usually
assigned to women.

What are you going to do with these?
- Talk to them, try to get to know them.

Women like those you can
recognise a mile away.

I've got to go to the investigating
magistrate now.

Visit for Mrs Molenaar.
Room 7.

Hello.
I'm Mrs Van den Bos.

You knew I'd be coming, didn't you?

Your lawyer and the police officer
told you?

I'd like to talk to you a bit.

As you know I'm the psychiatrist.

Don't be scared of the cassette recorder.

That's just for me so I won't forget
important details.

I thought we might talk a bit
about what happened...

and about yourself.

I've had a chat with your husband.

The children are fine.

He took the eldest to his mother's
and the baby is with his sister.

May I call you Christine?

That's your name, isn't it?

Perhaps I can take a message
to your children?

Or your husband?

He'll manage alright.

You don't feel like talking, do you?

I understand.

It's difficult to discuss something
like this suddenly with a stranger.

Did you know the man beforehand?

Seen him previously?

No?

How old are your children?

I saw your husband
but not your children.

They're quite young, aren't they?

Why don't you want to see
your husband?

Shall we leave it at this for today?

I'll be back tomorrow.
Perhaps you'll feel like talking then.

You're not rid of me yet, you know.

I'm taking these ladies to
the High Block.

Lift to ward 4A, please.

My mother minded dreadfully.

Every time I went home, she tried
to find out if I'd hooked anyone.

Five years ago...

when she got desperate...

she tried to marry me off to someone
from the village, a widower with a child.

A good prospect, she said.

He turned out to be a commercial traveller
in coffee! Old coffee clot, I called him.

Why was your mother so anxious
for you to marry?

An unmarried daughter isn't
respectable. Not quite normal.

"Men don't like old maids.
You'll have to get a move on, girl..."

My mother always had my best interests
at heart. She wanted me provided for.

Married for financial security
and children for when I'm old.

What is so remarkable is the fact
that none of you knew this man.

You didn't either, did you?

Had you ever been in that shop before?

Why that man especially?
- Why not?

You didn't wake up in the morning
with the feeling that...

"Today's my day off, I'm going to m*rder
the owner of a dress shop."

Not really.

Could it have been another man?

Why not?

Could it have been a woman?

Why not?

Because...

That's an irrelevant question.
It wasn't a woman.

Look, you're an intelligent woman.

You must have thought about this.

There must have been a reason...

Try to understand I want to help you.

Why that tone of voice?

What's your name, your Christian name?

Janine.

You don't really want
to claim, Janine...

that you are so naive as to believe
you can help me?

Why not?

My report can have a great
influence on...

It'll be of no influence whatsoever.

Why couldn't it have been a woman?

In spite of the fact that you could k*ll
some women because they're so stupid...

we would never have m*rder*d
a woman at that moment.

Aren't some men stupid, too?
- Yes.

You've always worked with men,
haven't you?

For men.

Were they all stupid?

Yes.

One of the best workers I ever had.
My right hand.

Since she left all my appointments
have got muddled up.

Did you notice anything
unusual about her?

Was she tense? Restless?

Didn't strike me. She did her work,
was punctual.

She was exceptionally good, you said.

Did you ever consider
having her on the board?

She was a secretary.

...development of the overseas network
and potential expansion.

Miss Brouwer.

I have examined the position of
Chemical United and Chemie National...

who like us have recently
established subsidiaries in Africa...

in those sectors essential for
future development...

Could you be brief, Miss Brouwer?
- Certainly.

Disappointing results from
certain Dutch companies...

and higher interest charges caused
by payment delays from West Africa...

make it inadvisable for us to expand
our investments in those countries.

Right.

Chemical Ltd have recently held
informal discussion...

with Mattinkro in Houston...

on radioactive...

radioactive isotopes.

Is there anything we can do about this?

I should like to propose not to expand
our activities in West Africa...

because prospects are
highly doubtful.

Good thinking, Bob.

Item Nr 8.
Company structure.

Most recent marketing data indicate...

No, we had a good marriage.

It was a very good marriage.

We had our problems, ok.
But who hasn't?

I don't understand
how she could do this to me.

The two eldest are with my mother,
they've got their school.

I've got work, see...
The baby is with my sister.

I just don't understand it. She could
have know I'm useless with kids.

No, she never talked much.

She was the quiet type,
never said a lot.

Never had much to say. I mean...

I worked hard, always have done.

I'd do anything for the kids, anything.

If you work hard the whole day,
you want a bit of peace and quiet.

Christine, she could have
kept them quiet for a bit.

I mean, she didn't have anything
to do all day anyway.

...was wearing this dress she'd
made herself, all frills...

with a plunging neckline...

and a flared skirt.

Very nice, but it was a job, I tell you.

I wouldn't have minded one
but she had no time she said.

I believe her, what with five
blokes hanging around...

the one more unemployed than the
other, say they can't get a job.

Moaning all day.
No-one could keep that up for long.

Jan's wife, the one
I was talking about...

you know how much she gets?

Couldn't feed a budgie on that.

I'm glad my bloke's gone, glad. He was
another, spend money like water.

I told him, I was very
reasonable at times...

I said, you can't go on like that,
lad, you just can't.

He didn't understand, no idea.

How long have you been living
alone now?

Let's see, that was when...

Just before Janneke married,
my daughter...

So that was about nine
or ten years ago.

Has your daughter visited you here?
- Her?

I haven't seen her for years...

and she won't show her face here...

unless I'm very much mistaken.

Why not?

She's barmy, she wanted
to get married that bad.

What she didn't do to hook
that feller of hers.

A white wedding what wasn't
if you follow me.

He married her, I'll give him that...

but now she's stuck in that flat
with her kind.

And since then you've lived alone.

Did you have a bad night?

Do you like living alone?

Like? Like?

I can think of something
that's more fun.

But it's peaceful all right.
No one nagging...

Do this, do that, nothing.
Nice and quiet.

Weren't you happy in your work?
- Happy, that's a big word.

I mustn't complain, but happy...

It's not that I jumped out of bed
raring to go every morning...

but it was varied work and you
could have a laugh at times.

But the work was heavy, and
always the smell of that fat...

Did you ever try to get another job?

A bit of an innocent, aren't you?

An old women like me, who'd want her?

I was lucky to have what I had.

Didn't you ever want to remarry?

Do me a favour!

Got a cigarette?

What do you want?

Is anything the matter?
- Why would there be?

You haven't smoked for ages.

I felt like a cigarette.

No thanks.

Dinner's almost ready.

Didn't you ever want to remarry?

Do me a favour!

Where's my shirt, Christine?

Turn that radio off.

I'm late enough as it is.

Can't you feed your kids
a little earlier, or later.

Bloody hell! Keep your tea.
Too late now.

Bag?

Daddy's going to work now.
Be good.

...injuries over the whole body,
inflicted by blows and kicks...

with the hand, shoes and a number
of blunt and sharp instruments...

like coat-hangers, and one of those
carts, you know... a shopping cart.

Marks left by a ring or various
rings visible in the face.

The att*cks were mainly
concentrated on the head...

the abdomen, and the genitals.
I just have to get a file.

Here you are, professor.

On the torso there is a deep cut
from the Adam's apple...

also heavily damaged, by the way,
to the lower part of the abdomen...

probably caused by a broken plastic
coat-hanger wielded with great v*olence.

The genitals are barely
recognisable as such.

That imbecile of an inspector...

came with a couple of shoes and
boots belonging to the women...

and asked lf I could establish
which kick had been fatal!

Absurd question, of course.
As if I could say from that mess.

The back of the head is crushed,
the temple smashed...

and the nose broken...

Do you want to see those shoes?

Yes, the ladies gave him quite a dusting.

But madam...

Now, look here, ladies...

And after that, what happened then?

Well, we began.

Doing what?
- Hitting and kicking and all that.

Do you know what I really
feel like now? Chocolate.

I could just m*rder someone for
a bit of chocolate.

But seriously, my mouth is watering.

Couldn't you bring me a bar
tomorrow? Yes? Lovely.

Put it on the bill.

Do you eat a lot of sweets?
- No, only now and then.

Good food, that's what I like.

Once in a while I prepared
a slap-up meal, just for myself...

really grand, genuine French cuisine,
got it from a cookery book...

the one you get with all those
coupons on packets of coffee...

with lots of garlic,
I don't mind if I smell.

And wine, usually I drink beer,
but it was wine then...

a good one, at least that's what
the bloke in the off license said.

Was it a special occasion?
- Oh no, just for me.

The best of everything. Delicious.
Got it from the cookery book.

The wine was really too expensive...

but believe me
it tasted like heaven.

And the beef! I got it from
that expensive butcher's...

much too expensive,
but he's very good quality...

When did you do this?

Can't remember. Sometimes he's got
these special offers...

Was it then, after the boutique?

Might have been. Steak the other day,
just under a quarter pound...

Was it the evening of the m*rder?

Jesus, who cares, girl!
Let me think.

Yes! That's when it was!

Did he cry?

Had you ever hit or kicked
anyone before?

Hurt anyone?

Did your father ever hit you?

Yes! He kicked my behind once
when I wouldn't eat my dinner.

He was furious.

Nothing else?

My mother didn't hit me either.

You don't feel like talking
about this?

Why not?

I'm not interested.

But you joined in.

Were you angry?

Weren't you furious?

What did you feel, then?

Wasn't there anyone else
in the shop?

No.

You three were alone with the man?

And no one came in the whole time?

Christine's child was there,
wasn't she?

Yes.

Did she see any of it?
- No.

So no one saw anything.

No.

Here Central Post to N6, over.

Why did you kick him, Christine?

Because of the dress?

Do you know why you k*lled him?

May I see what you've drawn?

Is that why you did it?

I'll bring some drawing materials
tomorrow.

Wasn't there anyone else in the shop?

Hello. I've just popped in
to bring you the chocolate.

That's really nice. I was just
thinking what to do next.

Fruit and Nuts, delicious!
I could eat boxes full.

By the way, wasn't there
anyone else in the shop?

Do you know what she said?

She said it was as crowded as
a supermarket on Saturday.

And Christine, she doesn't talk,
she draws.

One drawing after the other.

I think she's slowly leaving
her catatonic state.

After all, she's already talking
through her drawings.

Soon...

How much time have you got left?

I've asked the investigating
magistrate for a postponement.

That's annoying. Why?

I haven't finished with them.
- What do you mean?

Exactly what I said.
I don't know enough yet.

You've been working on it
long enough.

I shouldn't have thought
it was so difficult.

From what you've told me...
- What do you mean?

Well, it's obvious. These women
are completely deranged.

Or at least they were
at the time of the m*rder.

The photo's of the body
you showed me...

You mean they're mad.
- Yes, what else?

That's rather a rash judgement
for a layman.

I'm only a humble lawyer
and not a psychiatrist...

but what else can they be?
To mutilate that man in such a way...

Have you never seen photos
of w*r atrocities?

That's something else entirely.

Oh, that's all right, is it?

What's the matter with you, darling?

What makes this case different
from the others?

You're usually very much involved
with your patients...

Clients.
- Clients. I beg your pardon.

But you don't think of anything else
but those women.

I can't reach them.

They're three very ordinary women...

people I meet every day, in the street...

at the butcher's, at my work...

You know,
they are such normal women...

in spite of the fact that one
doesn't talk at all...

the other far too much, and the third...

They are really very ordinary women.

Except that they...

Yes I know, but that's not
what it's all about.

That is what it's all about,
but I don't mean that.

You know... Andrea...

Who's that?

The secretary.

She's lying.

That's nothing new. Most of
your patients lie to you.

Not her. She's ruthlessly honest.

What's she lying about?

She says there wasn't
anyone else in the boutique.

And Christine was lying too.

How can she lie if she never talks?

I phoned the inspector.
"My dear lady", he said...

"theoretically it's possible
that others were present...

but then we should have found them,
or they would surely have reported it."

Or tried to intervene.

Yes...

I wonder...

I don't think those women are insane.

What?

I don't think those women are insane.

How much?



No.

OK.

...one of the most undemocratic
systems you can imagine.

The defendant is allowed to testify, and is
listened to politely, but what he says...

Has no influence whatsoever
on the verdict.

Exactly. The Dutch legal system
is by no means impartial.

The defendant's social background
is taken into account...

but it's doubtful whether this
is to his advantage.

It's more a kind of blanket in which the
system can wrap up its sense of guilt.

The system is such that everything
has been arranged before the trial.

During the trial defending counsel is
more or less present as a formality...

so that the defendant has the
impression he's being defended.

Or she.

Or she, of course, that he's being
defended, but personally...

I think you can do precious little
as counsel for the defence.

The only thing the judicial system does
is to hurt people in the name of justice...

and legal retribution.

Aren't you exaggerating a bit?

Now there is a tendency to punish
physical v*olence more severely...

than a few years ago, when crimes
against property were severely punished.

Of course that development
was to be expected...

but one wonders what is solved
by stiffer sentences...

if the underlying factors,
I mean education, schooling...

...aren't changed.

That was a lovely dinner, darling.

You excelled yourself again.

That brandy was much better
than the one we had before.

I'll order a case tomorrow.

Come to bed, love.

Don't.

...those women are completely
deranged...

...they're utterly mad...

...she didn't have anything else
to do...

...your report will be of no
influence whatsoever...

Three children, the first two planned
and the third by accident...

and spends the rest of her life
stuck to the kitchen sink...

and a minor civil servant...

whose most exciting activity
is probably stamp collecting!

Do you really wonder why
Christine has stopped talking?

Nobody is listening.

But you said you'd never talked to her.
How do you know she's like that?

A blind child can see that.

What did you do after...

The m*rder?

I felt like an ice-cream.

What are you going to do
with all those tapes?

I'll get them typed out.

By whom?

By my secretary.

Or would you like to do it?

No. Never again.

I'll never have to type out anything
again. I'll never have to work again.

The government will take care of me.

They won't sh**t me or hang me,
they'll take care of me.

I'll be allowed to go
quietly mad in here.

Aren't you mad, then?

That's for you to establish.
That's what you're here for.

Did you have an orgasm?

You're here to establish
whether I'm insane...

not to ask after my sex life.

The one could have something
to do with the other.

Definitely.

Do you have many friends?

Are you often in love?

Have you had many lovers?

Have you?

What sort of man was that in the hotel?

The man wasn't important.

Did you come?
- No.

Why not?

Why the hell should I have.

You don't understand people
at all, do you?

And certainly not women.

Was it different?

After the act...

the crime...

the release of tension?

Yes?
- No.

Was it liberating?

Are you married?

Is it a good marriage?

What does your husband do?
- He's a lawyer.

What's your sex life like?

The sexual life of the psychiatrist
and the lawyer.

Do you do it often?

What's often?

During the day too?

Short? Long?

How?

This way?

Or...

like this?

Or...

like this!

Or like this?

Or perhaps like this?

Perhaps you both pray to Freud
after f*cking.

I'm sorry.

What'll happen to you for
the rest of your life...

doesn't that interest you?

I know what will happen.

Do you believe there are people
who won't think you're mad?

Yes.
- Who?

Women.

Who? The others?

Christine? Mrs Jongman?

Among others.

Who else?

Does that help?

How can I do my job if you don't help me?
- I'm not talking about your job!

Do you know she still won't speak?

Christine?

Brave of her.

What's brave about it?

Turn that thing off.

Do you ever stop to think?

Why do you ask?

Why do you ask?

Can't you just for once give
a straight answer?

Do you ever stop to think?
Did you ever try to imagine...

what kind of a person she was,
that child who m*rder*d a man?

I do nothing else all day!

The only thing you do...

is to try and discover whether we're
fully responsible for our actions or not.

You parrot the book, you play
the understanding psychiatrist...

but that's the only thing
you want to know...

so that you can give the court a definite
answer as to our temporary...

or permanent insanity, after which
you can begin your next case...

and we can devote the rest of
our lives to really growing insane.

So you're not insane?

Isn't that what it's about?
- That's not what it's all about!

...or do they think you don't have
to clean your arse in the nick.

Filthy rotten b*tches,
scabby whores.

I want a clean towel sod it...

and you with your stupid
questions, you scumbag.

What use are question to me,
sod it, I want a clean towel.

And if I get my hands on you
I'll do you proper...

Going on and on all the time.
I've been here three weeks...

talking myself hoarse,
are you stupid...

I've sodding had it, the only
thing I want is a clean towel.

Is that too much to ask?

I'm sodding sick of it all,
do you hear, sick of it...

I want a clean towel.

She won't come.

You still don't want to talk, do you?

Do you believe me
when I tell you...

I really would like
to talk to you?

Not only because I have to,
in my professional capacity, but...

May I open the curtains?

Please tell my husband he mustn't
forget to speak to Simon's teacher.

I'll tell him.

I'd like you to tell me why
you stopped talking.

You still don't want to, do you?

Pity.

Bye.

What do you want now?

Excuse me, wrong door.

You are Andrea Brouwer...

resident in Johan Kernstraat,
Amsterdam.

Christina Maria Molenaar,
nee Smith.

resident in Jaques Veltmanstraat,
Amsterdam.

Annie Jongman, nee Harmsen,
divorced wife of P.C. Jongman...

resident in Andries Snoekstraat,
Amsterdam:

I caution you to pay attention
to the proceedings...

you are not obliged to give evidence.

Will the Public Persecutor
please proceed.

The accused are charged with having
on 10th of March, 1981 ...

jointly and with malice
aforethought, wilfully...

m*rder*d Antonius Paulus Mathias
van Houten.

The arraignment is one of m*rder
under Article 289...

on the indictment that they
did wilfully take his life...

by the application of blows and
kicks with pointed or sharp objects...

to the face and body with the intent
to injury him so grievously...

that death would inevitably follow.

On the further indictment that
they did, with malice aforethought...

cause grievous bodily harm as
the results of which he d*ed.

Should no conviction ensue:

that a further indictment be laid of
grievous bodily harm resulting in death:

that they did severely injure
him with blows and kicks...

which injuries were followed by
his death, the causing being...

the wounds resulting from
those blows and kicks.

Ladies, you have heard
the Public Prosecutor...

and now know with what
you are charged:

that you did k*ll Mr Van Houten
by whatever...

Your Honour.

Before you proceed with the case,
may I urge that this trial held in camera...

in view of the case's intimate nature.

Evidence may be brought
of an extremely painful nature.

Evidence, that can better not be heard
in the presence of the press.

Request denied.

Around 11 o'clock I saw her
going into the boutique.

I just happened to look, I didn't
have anything special to do.

..I remember when it came
on the news...

...An... Mrs Jongman I mean...

She said...

Them what did it...

At the time I didn't know that An...

that they kicked his balls in...

because his clothes were much
too expensive...

...where I was taking down the
particulars of a traffic obstruction...

caused by a car illegally parked.

The lady in question arrived meanwhile,
I ordered her to remove the vehicle.

She was behaving in an odd manner...

What exactly do you mean by odd?

Have you ever, as a pathologist come
across such a brutal m*rder?

Your Honour, I object,
the question is irrelevant...

Let me put it differently.

Was not the body so mutilated
that it appeared...

as if a high-heeled army of Furies
had viciously and horrible inflicted...

Your Honour, this really goes too far.

Would the Public Prosecutor
be so good...

as to restrict himself
to less florid metaphors...

and to direct his question to...

...having taken all this into consideration,
I can come to no other conclusion...

than that the three women are
completely sound of mind.

I demand order.

The public gallery must be silent,
otherwise...

I shall be compelled
to clear the court.

Do you mean to say, madam...

that these women can be held fully
responsible for their acts?

That's for the court to decide.

But what do you think as a psychiatrist?
- I am speaking as a psychiatrist.

And as a woman, I assume.

Isn't it so, Mrs Van den Bos...

that these three women
have in cold blood...

committed one of the most hideous
and repulsive murders

I have ever come across?

And moreover, Dr. Van den Bos...

that they have shown not
a single sign of remorse.

Neither during the time they spend in
custody nor during this trial.

Isn't it so, esteemed expert witness,
that these women completely lack...

any moral sense whatsoever.
They are not only immortal...

they are cold-bloodedly a-moral
and a menace to society.

I wasn't aware that it was the
court's task to establish...

whether a defendant
feels remorse or not.

Nor was I aware that defendants have
to demonstrate their sense of morality.

Would you restrict yourself
to answering the questions.

This expert witness is stating personal
opinions not compatible with...

My opinion of these women is based on
years of experience as a psychiatrist.

In this capacity I judge whether people
are responsible for their actions.

But from a psychiatrist one might
at least expect...

even from a woman, an objective
attitude towards...

What you understand by an objective
attitude is your attitude.

So you approve of their crime!

You are putting words into my mouth.

I'm not here to approve or disapprove of
this crime or to pronounce sentence.

But my good woman...

We shall unfortunately have to postpone
discussion of you report...

to recess for lunch. The court
will reconvene at two o'clock.

What do you mean, if I go on like this?

Well, you do hold some very
peculiar ideas.

So you think in this case I'd better
not act according to principle?

Of course you should, after all they've
always brought you a lot of success.

You're a woman with a very impressive
record in threating criminals.

But perhaps you could express yourself
somewhat less vehemently.

I could say that I consider these woman
are not insane...

but that I might be mistaken?

Something like that. In that way you'll...
- Preserve my reputation?

And yours.

Darling, I'm not concerned with me.

Not in the first place.
I'm concerned about you.

You must realise that your views
will have repercussions on your career.

I don't matter.
Those women do.

What difference do they make!

I mean, they're going to be
locked away for years.

You really must be more realistic, dear.

There's no way you can score
one of your brilliant successes.

More beans?

So this "case" as you insist
on calling it although...

I've tried to explain more than once
that this isn't just a "case"...

Stop and think, darling!

If you get carried away by
momentary idealism...

Do you really think I'm such an imbecile?
- You must face the consequences!

I can't afford to lose clients
because of this sorbid affair.

If you back-pedal
on what you said in court...

I mean if you just tone it down a bit...

So if tomorrow...

there's a pleasing mention
in the paper...

then your name won't be tarnished
by this "sordid affair"!

Darling, you must think of yourself.

Don't worry. I will.

As those women did.

Mrs Van den Bos, if I might now refer
to a passage in your report...

on the defendant Molenaar...

in which you state
that her catatonia...

need not necessarily be caused by,
or be a consequence...

of her mental state during the crime.

That's right.

Her catatonia is no indication
of diminished responsibility...

or possible insanity.

I consider that latent symptoms
of catatonia...

were already present in her life
before she committed the crime.

Do you mean she was already insane
before she committed the crime?

Absolutely not.

Long periods of lethargy...

of not talking, were normal
in Mrs Molenaar's life.

But she was aware of that.

Her refusal to speak now is the
consequence of a choice she has made.

She is capable of communication
but no longer sees the sense of it.

But why hasn't she talked to you?
I take it you have explained to her...

that the court always takes
a defendant's social...

and psychological background
into account.

And surely she knows that your report
is of the greatest importance...

in determining her sentence...

and that her future depends
to a large extent on...

The defendant seems to find
this highly amusing.

Dr. Van den Bos, I put it to you again.

We are confronted here
by three women...

who have confessed to a m*rder...

at which no one else was present
and which no one else saw...

of a man they did not know, and
against whom they held no grudge.

These women
did not know each other.

The police verified that they had no
connection with each other whatsoever.

You agree with me so far.

Hasn't it struck you
this concerns three women?

Of course it's struck me this
concerns three women.

It's a fact one can hardly overlook.

These three women however,
improbable as it sounds...

happen to meet each other in
a boutique one fine March day...

to buy dresses, blouses and suchlike.

But instead of indulging in this
harmless pastime...

I don't understand why you think
it necessary to describe...

buying clothes as "indulging
in a harmless pastime".

Do you buy your clothes like that?

Madam, please allow me to do my duty
without bothering me with trivialities.

These three women then,
indulged, no wallowed...

in the butchery of the proprietor
of the boutique...

Your Honour, I object to the
prosecutor's choice of words...

Would counsel be so kind
as not to interrupt.

With a savagery which should horrify
every decent minded person...

...provided of course
that they are sane.

And that this was done by women!

I ask you, Dr. Van den Bos, as an
experienced psychiatrist, why?

What was the motive of these women
to commit this m*rder?

It's not my task to establish motive.
That's for the court to decide.

But my dear madam,
you must have some idea!

But my dear sir, I gave you
some excellent reasons just now!

You chose to treat it flippantly.
As an experienced prosecutor...

you have clearly shown in your
entertaining speech...

that you do not really wish to go
into the motives of these women!

Mrs Van den Bos, you are
a highly qualified person.

Let me assure you
we are all convinced of that.

As a psychiatrist you have surely
more than enough experience...

to provide a diagnosis
in this matter too.

But perhaps, because of the
exceptional nature of this case...

you may prefer to offer a tentative,
provisional diagnoses?

What I mean to say is...

If these women are sane,
as you state...

they must surely have had a motive?

It will not have escaped your
attention that these women k*lled...

a man who also happened to be
the owner of a boutique.

What are you getting at?
- That it's an important point!

If you refuse...

Do you mean they had something
against a man who happened...

to sell clothes as a job?
There are so many like him.

Exactly! Now don't you
understand that this man...

Really, Mr Van den Bos,
I see absolutely no difference...

between this case and, let's say...

if they had k*lled the female owner
of a shop, or the other way round...

if three men had k*lled
the female owner of a boutique.

Ladies...

Ladies, this is contempt of court...

Mrs Jongman, you're not doing
your case any good at all.

Ladies, this is contempt of court...

Ladies, this is impossible...

This is enough!
This disgraceful behaviour...

It's really quite funny.
- What did you say?

This is quite enough.

Officer, will you remove the ladies
with as little force as possible.

The case will now continue
in the absence of the defendants.

Mrs Van den Bos?
Dr. Van den Bos...

The case will continue in the
absence of the defendants.

Look where you're going, c**t.