1234 - March 17, 1971

[bunniefuu]

[dramatic music]

JULIA:The great house of Collinwood

in the year , a time of terror and tragedy

for the Collins family.

For over a century and a half they have lived under

a terrible curse put on them by their own ancestor,

Brutus Collins, and they know that soon one of them

will be chosen to enter the locked room in the west wing,

the room that has brought death and madness

to all who have entered it.

But on this night, the adopted Melanie Collins,

with the help of Carrie Stokes, is determined to learn

who her real parents were.

She is unaware of what a shock is in store for her.

MELANIE: What is it, Carrie?

Something's happening.

MELANIE: Do you see something?

No, no, not yet.

Vibrations, very strong vibrations.

An image is beginning to form.

What is it?

It's still very hazy.

I see a woman,

leaning over a coffin,

the coffin of your father.

Then my real father is dead.

Yes, he is dead.

But, Melanie!

What?

Your mother is alive,

and somewhere very close by.

[dramatic music]

My mother is alive,

and somewhere close by?

Carrie, I can't believe it.

It's true.

But how do you know?

What is this vision you see?

It's very hazy.

But I see a room, with a coffin, and a woman.

- My mother? - CARRIE: Yes.

- Do you know where the room is? - CARRIE: No.

Could it be somewhere here at Collinwood?

I don't know.

I have to concentrate harder.

MELANIE: Yes, Carrie, please do, please try.

I want you to be able to see the woman.

I want you to tell me who my real mother is.

It's becoming clearer.

Who is she, Carrie?

Tell me who she is?

- It's-- - JULIA: Carrie!

Oh, Miss Collins.

Just what do you think you're doing?

She was trying to help me, and she did.

I know now that my real mother is alive.

Carrie, did you see her face?

Do you know who my mother is?

CARRIE: No, no, I didn't.

I'm sorry, Melanie.

You shouldn't have spoken to her as you did.

You've broken her concentration.

I will speak to you later, Melanie.

After what happened at the séance,

you know your father forbade you to ever do this anymore.

Yes, I know.

Would you like him to find out about tonight?

Julia, you wouldn't.

Oh, please, Miss Collins,

don't tell my father.

I couldn't turn down Melanie. Please don't tell my father.

All right, all right, we'll forget this one time.

Now go back to the cottage.

Yes, Miss Collins.

Good night, Melanie.

Julia, you deliberately stopped her

because you don't want me to know, do you?

I did not do anything of the sort.

I've not kept anything from you.

You don't want me to know the truth.

You don't want me to know who my real mother is.

Why, Julia?

Why have you kept it from me all these years?

I don't know the truth, and I never have.

I only stopped Carrie, Melanie,

because it was an exercise in futility.

That's not true.

Carrie told me that my mother

is not only still alive,

she's somewhere very close by.

Carrie was wrong.

She was wrong to raise your hopes.

That isn't fair to you.

I don't believe you, Julia.

I just don't believe you anymore.

[dramatic music]

[door lock clicking]

Did you bring it?

Yes, I have it right here.

Give it to me. Give it to me!

Gabriel, you haven't had a drink since you came into this room.

Why start now?

Morgan, maybe you haven't noticed,

but I haven't got anything better to do.

I'm a prisoner here.

I've been locked up here for hours.

Ever since I've been here,

I haven't done anything to anybody.

I haven't committed any v*olence.

I've done nothing.

All I've gotten is bored, and it's going to k*ll

me if nothing else does.

Don't you understand that?

Yes, I do understand that.

Here, I hope you enjoy that.

Thank you. I really appreciate it. I do.

Is there anything else I can do?

Yes.

Yes, you can talk to mother.

Tell her I'd like to see her.

About what?

GABRIEL: Why is it that whenever I ask a perfectly

innocent question you always look suspicious?

Well, in view of your behavior

when you came out of that room, do you blame me?

I haven't done anything since I've been up here, have I?

I haven't been a burden to anybody?

You can't deny that.

No, I can't.

Well, you don't think I'd do anything

to harm Mother, do you?

No, not in your present state, of course not.

Well then please, please ask her to come and see me.

Please, Morgan.

All right, I'll tell her.

[suspenseful music]

[lock clicking]

[suspenseful music]

Flora, where have you been?

FLORA: At the Old House.

You haven't been there in years.

- Did you go to see Daphne? - Yes.

I couldn't believe the news when I heard it.

I had to go.

She married into the family, and I felt an obligation.

Is there any change?

No, Dr. Fletcher was there when I arrived.

We talked privately. He says there's no hope at all.

How's Bramwell taking it?

I couldn't have been more surprised, Julia.

He's really grieved.

I think he really loves her.

Perhaps it takes something like this

to make him realize it.

I felt very sorry for him.

Mother, I've just come from the tower room.

Gabriel wants to speak to you.

How is he?

He seems quite calm and in control of himself.

I find that very disturbing.

He's been just too quiet up there.

I must go up, I haven't seen him since he was put there.

You really can't take that chance.

Julia, he's my son.

I'm not taking any chances now that he's himself again.

Well, be careful.

Don't worry.

I'm going to have a brandy.

Would you like to join me?

No. No, thank you.

There's something that I must attend to.

[dramatic music]

[knocking]

CARRIE: Miss Collins.

Is your father here?

CARRIE: You promised you wouldn't tell

him about tonight.

I have no intention of breaking my promise.

Is he here?

CARRIE: No, he's working late at his office.

Good, because it's imperative

that we see each other alone.

Alone, what for?

I have some questions to ask you,

and I insist that you give me honest answers.

What do you want to know?

Everything that happened when you tried to help Melanie.

Well, she asked me to tell her

everything I knew about her parents.

So I began to concentrate.

I saw a woman in a room with a man in a coffin.

I told her that her father was in the coffin,

and the woman was her mother.

And what else happened?

CARRIE: That's all.

That's not true.

When I interrupted you, you said that the image

was becoming clear.

Yes, but then you interrupted and it disappeared.

It didn't disappear quite quickly enough, did it?

I don't know what you mean.

You saw.

I saw the look on your face when Melanie asked you

if there was anything else,

and I know what that look meant.

CARRIE: What did it mean?

It meant that the image became crystal clear

for just one second, and you know who Melanie's mother

is, don't you?

Miss Collins, I swear, I didn't see what you think I saw.

I can tell when you're lying, Carrie,

and you are lying now.

Now Carrie, listen.

If it becomes necessary,

I may have to go back on my promise.

Oh, no, please don't tell my father about tonight.

You know who Melanie's mother is, don't you?

Yes, I saw her face for an instant.

You know now why you cannot tell Melanie.

No, I don't understand.

I'm not sure I want to.

Doesn't matter.

Melanie must never know.

You must not tell her.

Miss Collins, don't you understand?

Melanie's bound to question me.

I won't be able to lie to her,

anymore than I was able to lie to you.

She'll know I'm concealing something.

You will have to deny it.

You will tell her that you saw nothing,

and that you know nothing.

Justin Collins and I agreed a long time ago

that Melanie was never to know who her mother is.

I want you to give me your word that you will not tell her.

CARRIE: All right, I promise.

Thank you.

Good night, Carrie.

GABRIEL: Mother, look at me.

Do I look insane?

Do I act it?

No, of course not.

Haven't I been lucid, perfectly lucid,

since you put me here?

Gabriel, everything you've said is true.

Then isn't that proof enough that I'm all right now?

Gabriel, no one wants to believe that more than I do.

Well then believe it, Mother.

Please, you must, because it's true.

I've never felt better in my whole life.

It won't hurt to give it a little more time.

Mother, you've already given it enough time.

Now think of what I've gone through in this room.

I haven't complained, have I?

I've tried to understand, done my best to

take it like a man.

Isn't that true, Mother?

Yes, it's true.

Then release me from this room, please, Mother.

Gabriel.

You've got to.

I give you my solemn word.

Solemn word, I'll be as good as gold.

Gabriel, I would like to do what you ask,

but I can't without consulting the family.

Mother, you're the head of the family.

You can make the decision yourself.

Mother, please, make it.

I'm sorry, Gabriel.

JULIA: Flora, are you still in there?

Yes, Julia.

I'm coming out now.

Gabriel, as long as everyone in the family's involved,

I feel I must consult with them.

Please try to understand.

I will, I will, Mother.

I'll do anything you want me to.

[lock clicking]

JULIA: What's the matter?

Poor Gabriel.

He's desperately lonely.

I feel so sorry for him.

I really do.

[intense music]

I'm sorry, Melanie.

I wish I could tell you more, but I can't.

Carrie, I was so certain you knew.

When you said the image was becoming clearer

I thought suddenly you saw my mother's face

and you were going to tell me.

Perhaps I would have if Julia didn't walk in,

but she did.

Yes, she did.

I'm sorry, Melanie.

I'm terribly tired.

I'd like to go to bed.

Carrie, why are you so upset?

I'm not upset. I'm tired, I told you.

Carrie, are you keeping something from me?

No. Honestly, you must believe me.

Very well, I believe you.

Carrie, did Julia come here tonight?

Julia?

No, of course not.

- Whatever made you think that? - I don't know.

It just suddenly occurred to me that she might have.

Good night, Carrie.

CARRIE: Good night.

[sobbing]

FLORA: Where are Melanie and Quentin?

MORGAN: I don't know about Melanie.

Quentin went to the village, why?

I want to consult the family about Gabriel.

Is Catherine still upstairs?

- Yes. - Never mind Catherine.

Her mind is on Daphne.

Let's not disturb her.

And what is it you want to discuss with Gabriel?

Oh, Melanie, I'm so glad you're here.

Come in, please.

I want you all to listen to what I have to say.

Gabriel has just presented a very strong argument, I think,

in favor of his being released from the tower room.

- Released? - No, let me finish, Morgan.

It seems to me he's shown a remarkable improvement,

but I told him this could not be decided

without the whole family's decision to say yes.

Do you think his insanity was only temporary?

Yes, I think that's possible.

I'd like to believe that,

Mother, but I'm afraid to.

I remember the way father was.

Well, that was different.

Justin never came out of shock.

Mother, he used to go through long dormant periods

when he'd show no sign of v*olence at all.

Now Gabriel hasn't shown any sign of v*olence

in over a week, but it could happen any moment,

and without a warning.

Then you think he shouldn't come out?

Yes, I do.

FLORA: Julia?

I'm afraid I have to agree with Morgan.

I feel very sorry for Gabriel,

but I also feel that we've got to think about

the safety of the rest of the family.

Melanie?

I think he should stay in the tower room.

Very well, he stays.

I'll go tell him.

No, I will.

I was planning to take him his food anyway.

Mother, I know you're very concerned about Gabriel,

and you want him to get well.

We all do.

But we must take a little more time.

Perhaps we'll have a change of heart soon.

[clock chiming]

- Morgan. - Yes, Mother?

Julia took Gabriel's food up an hour ago.

I'm getting worried.

Well, perhaps she went to her room.

No, she'd have come down here to tell me

what his reaction was.

Well, I'll go check and see if anything's happened to her.

[clock chiming]

[dramatic orchestral music]

[door rattling]

Julia, are you still in there?

Julia!

Gabriel, is Julia in there?

Gabriel, are you in there?

- [intense music] - [pounding]

Gabriel, Gabriel!

[dramatic music]