569 - August 29, 1968

[bunniefuu]

♪ [eerie music]

On this night, fear pervades the great house of Collinwood,

for Elizabeth Collins Stoddard has disappeared

and those who love her, fear for her life.

Others in the great house are in danger too, ever

increasing danger, for this will be a night of unknown terrors.

[knocking]

- Hello, Mrs. Johnson.

- Oh, Mr. Blair.

- Is, uh, Roger home?

- No, he's driven up to Windcliff.

- Oh, to visit, uh, Mrs. Stoddard?

- Well, that's just it. She isn't there.

She's disappeared.

- Disappeared?

- She disappeared from her room at Windcliff during the night.

The nurse came in in the morning and found her bed empty.

She's been missing for hours.

Heaven only knows where she is or what's happened to her.

- I am very distressed to hear that.

Is there anything that I can do?

- Well, there's nothing anyone can do except wait and hope

that they find her and that she's all right.

- Well, I certainly hope she is.

- Oh, Mrs. Stoddard was behaving so strangely when

they took her up to Windcliff.

She would talk of nothing but death, her own death.

And sometimes she thought she was someone else.

- Someone else?

Who?

- An ancestor of hers, a woman named Naomi Collins.

- Naomi Collins?

- Yes.

It happened so suddenly.

One day she was fine, and then the next--

- Well, people do have mental breakdowns, unfortunately,

and they can happen suddenly.

- I don't believe that Mrs. Stoddard had a mental breakdown

or whatever you call it.

- Well, then, how else would you explain her strange behavior?

- I believe that Mrs. Stoddard was under some kind of a spell.

♪ [dramatic music]

♪ [theme music]

- A spell?

Who would put Mrs. Stoddard under a spell?

- I don't know, but that's what I believe happened to her.

- Well, now, I didn't know you were

superstitious, Mrs. Johnson.

- You can call me a superstitious woman,

but too many things have happened

in this house, too many things that you can't explain.

It's as if there was some force, some evil force,

hovering over this house.

Some force that's trying to destroy this family.

- Well, that's a melodramatic idea, isn't it?

- It may be, but that's what I believe.

- Well, you're certainly entitled

to believe whatever you wish.

- Some nights I wake up trembling.

Things that are happening around here frighten me so.

- I am very sorry that you are so frightened.

But you must understand that your fears are unrealistic.

- Maybe they are, and maybe they aren't.

Mr. Collins, is there any news of Mrs. Stoddard?

- I'm afraid not, Mrs. Johnson.

- Hello, Roger.

Mrs. Johnson has been telling me about your sister.

Do you have any leads at all? - No.

The police and the hospital authorities

have searched the entire area surrounding Windcliff.

They haven't been able to find her.

They haven't been able to find a trace of her.

- I am extremely sorry to hear that.

- You never met Liz.

You don't know what she was like before she left this house.

She was far from being herself, that's

why I'm so worried about her.

Anything might have happened to her.

- I wish there was something I could do.

- Thank you, but there's nothing you can do.

- Can I get you something?

A cup of coffee perhaps?

- I think not, Mrs. Johnson.

What I really need is a stiff drink.

Will you join me, Nicholas? - All right.

- Julia!

- Dr. Hoffman!

- What is the matter?

- I couldn't find him.

- Him?

- I searched for him, but I--

I couldn't find him.

- Who are you talking about?

- Tom. Tom.

- Tom?

The only Tom I know is Tom Jennings.

- Yes.

Tom Jennings.

I-- I couldn't find him.

- But, Julia, Tom Jennings is dead.

- No.

[gasps]

- Nicholas! Help me get her--

- Let me take her.

- --in the drawing room.

There, on the sofa.

- What do you suppose has happened to her?

- I haven't the slightest idea.

Barnabas said that she was ill, but I had no idea

that she was in this condition. - Shall I call a doctor?

- Yes, I think you had better.

- Do you have any smelling salts?

- No, but I've got some brandy. That ought to bring her around.

[groans]

♪ [dramatic music]

[coughs] There.

She's beginning to come out of it.

- Roger? - Yes, Julia.

It's Roger.

- I'm at Collinwood.

Well, what am I doing here?

- Don't you remember coming here?

- No.

I just remember being in the woods.

- Did something happen to you in the woods?

- No, I don't think so.

I-- I don't know.

- How do you feel now?

- Weak.

- Here. - Otherwise, all right.

- You better drink this.

- All right.

- Are you sure you feel all right now?

- Yes.

- Well, you frightened us, Julia.

You came stumbling in here saying

all sorts of strange things, and then you fainted.

- What did I say?

- Well, you said you were--

you were looking for Tom Jennings.

- What?

- The young man who was attacked on the property

and who died here last week.

You said you were trying to find Tom Jennings.

- I-- I said that? - Yes.

You weren't making any sense at all.

- I-- I remember what happened now.

I-- I-- I was walking through the woods on my way here,

and I--

I passed the-- the-- the place where-- where--

where Tom Jennings was--

was-- was attacked, and-- and the memory of it frightened me,

and I, uh, I began to feel faint.

Luckily, I managed to get back here.

- Why did you say you were looking for Tom Jennings?

- I might have said anything, Roger.

I was delirious. - Yes.

Obviously.

- Oh, I reached the doctor, and he's on his way.

- No!

I-- I don't need a doctor.

- Julia, you do. You're ill.

- No I'm not.

I'm-- I'm-- I've just been working too hard.

I-- I just need to have some rest.

When the doctor comes, send him away.

- Now, Julia, you must see the doctor.

- Roger, I don't need him!

- All right, Julia, but at least go upstairs and lie down.

[sighs] - Yes.

Yes, I should do that.

- Mrs. Johnson, would you help her upstairs, please?

- Certainly.

- Oh-- oh, Roger?

- Yes?

- The things I--

I said when I-- when I first came in,

they were just nonsense.

Don't think anything of them.

- Of course.

- Come along, Dr. Hoffman.

- You know, when Julia was speaking of Tom Jennings,

she frightened me.

- Why?

- Because she brought back the memory

of that horrible attack and the possibility

that the maniac who did it might still be around.

- But is that possible?

- I don't know.

But I know something else that might be possible, as

incredible as it sounds.

- Well, what is that?

- My sister might be here on this property.

- Mrs. Stoddard, here? - Yes, yes.

The reason I say that is because of something her nurse told me

at Windcliff.

- What was that?

- She said that Liz kept babbling

about wanting to come back to Collinwood, that--

that she wanted to die here.

- Die?

- Yes.

Poor Liz thinks she's going to die,

and she wants to come back here.

That's why I think she might be on the property.

- But wouldn't she come to the house?

- No, not necessarily.

She might be afraid to come to the house,

but she might be somewhere out there on the grounds.

And if she is, she could be in danger.

The police have never caught that maniac

who k*lled Jennings.

- Do you want to search the grounds for her?

- Yes, I do.

There's one chance in a million that she's there,

but I want to be sure that she isn't, just to clear my mind.

- Then, by all means, you should search.

I'll go with you. - Would you?

Thank you. I appreciate it, Nicholas.

- Of course. - I'll get a flashlight.

♪ [suspenseful music]

[wind whistling]

[church bell ringing]

- [THINKING] So many of them are buried here,

so many of my ancestors.

And this is where they will want to bury me.

I wonder if any of them were buried alive?

Buried alive.

To wake up in a coffin, buried in the earth,

and to still be alive.

To die, gasping for breath, crying out,

and yet no one can hear.

No one can hear.

What could be worse?

What?

[birds calling]

I mustn't let it happen to me. I mustn't.

♪ [dramatic music]

Who are you?

Are you the caretaker?

Why don't you answer?

Why don't you say something?

[scream]

[screaming]

- Liz!

Liz!

Liz!

- Oh, you found me. - Yes.

Thank God.

- Oh, you found me.

- Liz, why were you screaming?

- That young man. - What young man?

- The young man standing there.

He was smiling at me so strangely.

He frightened me.

- Liz, there's no young man here.

- He-- he was here. He was standing right here.

He frightened me. Where did he go?

- It doesn't matter, dear.

He's gone now, and we are here.

- But, where did he go?

- You know, there's no need for you to be frightened anymore

because we're here. You're safe with us.

- Am I safe?

- Perfectly safe.

- Who-- who is this man?

- A friend.

Cassandra's brother.

- Cassandra?

- Yes.

Come with us, dear.

- Where are you taking me?

- Home, to Collinwood.

- Oh, yes.

Yes, I want to go to Collinwood.

I want to go home.

- Then you come along with us, dear.

- Oh, Mrs. Stoddard.

- Yes.

- We found her, and she's all right, Mrs. Johnson.

- Thank heaven.

- Uh, can I be of any further help, Roger, or should I go?

- I think not. Thank you, Nicholas.

Thank you for being helpful. - Of course.

- Bye. - Good night.

- Good night.

- I-- I know you, don't I?

- Of course you do.

- You're-- you're Mrs. Johnson.

- That's right.

Oh, I was so worried about you.

- Were you? - Yes.

You'll never know how worried I was.

- Mrs. Johnson, um, will you stay here, please?

Liz, come with me.

Come into the drawing room.

- Why?

- I want to talk to you.

- What do you want to talk about?

- Just sit down over there, dear.

Now, do you know who I am?

- Well, of course I do.

- Who am I?

- Well, you're-- you're my brother, Roger.

- And who are you?

- Oh, what an odd question.

- Answer it.

- Well, I'm your sister, Elizabeth.

Roger, why are you asking me these questions?

You're not going to send me back to the hospital?

- Well, that depends.

I must first speak with Dr. Hoffman.

- Oh, don't send me back to that hospital, Roger.

You can send me back there!

You can't!

I don't want to die there.

I want it to happen here.

- Liz, you're not going to die!

Get that idea out of your head!

- I-- I--

I know I'm not going to die, not--

not really.

- Of course you're not!

- But you'll all think I'm dead, all of you.

- Why would we think you're dead if you're not?

- You will. You will, and you'll bury me.

You'll bury me alive!

I know it's going to happen.

I must do everything I can to stop it.

Roger, I've got to have your help.

Will you please help me?

- Of course I will help you. - You mean that?

You promise?

- I promise I will do everything I can to help you.

And I want you to promise to do something for me.

- What?

- I have to do something now.

Will you wait here for me?

- Where are you going?

- It will only take a moment.

Just-- just sit quietly until I get back.

Good.

Mrs. Johnson, I'm going to get my car.

I'm driving Mrs. Stoddard back to Windcliff.

- Oh, does she have to go back there?

- Yes, I'm afraid she does.

For a moment I thought she was rational, then all of a sudden

she became irrational.

I'm afraid she's still very troubled.

- [THINKING] Roger lied to me.

He's taking me back to Windcliff.

I-- I've got to stop him.

Somehow, I've got to.

♪ [dramatic music]

- Stay with her while I get the car, and then call Windcliff.

Tell them that I've found her, and that I'm bringing her back.

- All right, Mr. Collins.

I wish it didn't have to be this way.

- I do too, Mrs. Johnson.

I do too.

[door opens and closes]

- Mrs. Stoddard?

Oh.

- Are you planning to make a phone call, Mrs. Johnson?

- A phone call?

- Yes.

If you were, you needn't bother trying.

I've cut the wire.

- Oh, you heard us talking, didn't you?

- Yes, I did.

I heard every word.

- I am sorry, Mrs. Stoddard.

I really am.

- Mrs. Stoddard?

- Oh, Dr. Hoffman! - You're here?

- Yes, but Roger's going to send me back to Windcliff.

You've got to talk to him.

You've got to stop him.

You're the only one who can.

- Dr. Hoffman, will do you stay here a moment?

I have to go to the study to make a phone call.

- Of course.

- Oh, Dr. Hoffman, please don't let Roger

send me back to that hospital.

I don't need to go back. I'm sane.

I'm perfectly sane.

You must believe that.

- Mrs. Stoddard.

- Talk to me.

I'll show you that I'm sane.

I'll prove it to you.

Ask me anything, anything at all!

- Well-- [dogs howling]

- What-- what's the matter?

- The dogs.

The-- the howling of the dogs.

- What about it?

- He's calling to me.

He wants me to come to him.

- He?

- He wants me to come to him, and I must.

- No. No!

Please. You must stay here, Dr. Hoffman.

- I must.

- Please.

Please, don't go.

You're my only hope.

[dogs howling]

[wind whistling]

- Mrs. Stoddard?

Dr. Hoffman?

[dramatic music]

[dogs howling]

- I-- I heard you calling me.

Where are you?

Where are you?

- Dr. Hoffman. [gasps]

- Oh, Mrs. Stoddard, you followed me here.

- I had to. Well, what-- what is this place?

Who's coffin is this? Is it mine?

- No.

No, it has nothing to do with you.

Now, get out of here. - But you said you'd talk to me.

You said you'd talk to Roger.

- I can't do anything now.

Just get out of here. Get out of here!

Get out!

Get out!

Get out!

[dogs howling]

You-- you called to me.

Why won't you appear to me?

Where are you?

- I am here, Julia.

♪ [dramatic music]

♪ [eerie theme music]