1241 - March 28, 1971

[bunniefuu]

[eerie theme music]

MELANIE VOICEOVER:The great house at Collinwood,

in the year .

An era of interminable fear

for every member of the Collins family.

For over years, they have been haunted by a curse

put upon them by one of their own ancestors,

Brutus Collins.

Everyone who has spent a night

in the legendary locked room in the west wing,

has either d*ed or gone insane.

On this night,

the family has held the lottery once again

to decide who will risk his life in the room this time.

[ominous music]

Good evening, Kendrick.

KENDRICK: Good evening, Bramwell.

Well, after what I've heard about you and Melanie,

I would have expect you to be more cheerful.

I've learned that there is never anything

to be cheerful about in this house.

Tonight is no exception.

BRAMWELL: What's happened?

The lottery was held again, one hour ago.

And who's going in the room this time?

I am.

[dramatic music]

[eerie theme music]

You mean to tell me that they actually allowed you

to participate in the lottery?

Why shouldn't they?

I'm a member of the family now.

But you're not a Collins!

Actually, I wanted to participate.

I was anxious to be picked to go into the room.

And of course, they were more than happy to accommodate you.

Your magnanimity spared them all.

Wasn't magnanimity, Bramwell.

I knew what I was doing.

Why on earth are you going into that room?

To end the curse.

Kendrick, you and I don't know each other very well,

but could I give you a word of friendly advice?

What is it?

Don't become a part of this Collins madness.

Take Melanie and...

Take her as far away from here as you can.

I think it's too late for that.

It's never too late, if you love her.

Obviously, Bramwell, you haven't heard the news.

What news?

Melanie had another att*ck.

She's locked in the tower room.

Shortly after it happened,

Julia and I saw the ghost of Brutus Collins,

right here in this room.

The ghost of Brutus Collins?

Surely, you don't imagine that you've imagined that.

It was not my imagination.

He spoke to us.

And, he said Melanie would not be sane again

until another person went into that room!

Of all the people in this house,

Melanie seems to have suffered the most.

I don't understand it.

You know, I almost took her away from here last night.

I blame myself for what happened.

That's why I'm going into that locked room.

And, you really think that you can end it?

Yes.

Well, I'm afraid that I can't agree with you.

The only way this will ever end

is for the Collins family to destroy itself.

Good evening, Catherine.

What are you doing here?

If you'll excuse me, I'm going up to see Melanie.

[door closes]

What are you doing here?

You seem upset.

Of course, I'm upset!

Don't you think I have a reason to be?

Well, I trust that you don't think

I have anything to do with it.

I'm here for a legitimate reason.

What is it?

I spent the whole day making arrangements

for Daphne's funeral,

and I came here to announce them to the family.

CATHERINE: Well, tell me the arrangements,

and I'll relay them to the family.

Why are you so upset?

Your presence here upsets me.

Don't you know that if you're found here

there will be trouble?

There have been such ill feelings since Daphne d*ed.

BRAMWELL: You're speaking of Morgan, now.

If we're seen here together,

it would be very difficult for me.

Very well.

I'll leave on one condition.

What is that?

Agree to see me tonight at : at the gazebo.

CATHERINE: Don't be absurd, that's impossible!

Well, it's important!

It's essential that you see me!

I can't afford to be seen with you.

So, is Morgan really watching you that closely?

Bramwell, can't you understand?

I understand only one thing.

That is, you must see me,

and I will not leave here until you promise you will.

Very well. Yes, I'll come.

BRAMWELL: At : at the gazebo?

Yes, yes!

Now, please get out of here!

[dramatic music]

Leave the room, Catherine.

CATHERINE: Morgan...

Bramwell has a good reason for being here.

Then I'll hear it from him, won't I?

Morgan, remember that you promise--

MORGAN: I said kindly leave the room, Catherine!

BRAMWELL: Your mind is swirling

with lewd thoughts, isn't it?

As far as I'm concerned,

you can thank Catherine that you're still alive.

Why, may I ask do I owe her my life?

You couldn't have been more responsible

for your wife's death

then if you'd taken a p*stol and sh*t her down dead!

So, now, m*rder has been added to my list of crimes?

MORGAN: Yes, I was on my way to the old house

to sh**t you down like a common criminal,

but Catherine persuaded me not to.

Well, I must express my gratitude to her.

How contemptuous you are.

You have absolutely no feeling

for Daphne's death at all, do you?

I will express my feelings in my own way,

but what strikes me as curious is your behavior, not mine.

MORGAN: What is that suppose to mean?

Your seemingly intense grief for Daphne's death.

You never felt that way about her

when she was alive and well, did you?

What are you getting at?

This grief that you have for her,

this anger,

it has nothing to do with Daphne's death.

It is because I'm free again.

Free to be your rival.

That's a lie!

I was very found of Daphne.

You're the one responsible for her death.

If that's what you want to believe,

I will not try to stop you.

But I know you so well.

I know how easily jealous that you can get.

That's not true!

Catherine loves me very much,

and she's very happy with me!

BRAMWELL: Well, if you keep thinking that,

sooner or later, you'll be convinced.

I think it's time that you left this house.

BRAMWELL: You heard what Catherine said,

that I'm here for a legitimate reason.

MORGAN: I don't care what the reason is!

Now, I want you out of this house right this minute!

I will leave on orders from the head of the house

and that isn't you.

No, it isn't.

But that does not stop me from bodily throwing you out.

JULIA: Morgan?

Julia?

This is a fight between him and me.

Morgan, you will leave this room right now.

MORGAN: Julia, do not interfere!

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Leave this room right now!

Do you hear me?

I think you better listen to your Aunt

if you want to live to fight another day.

Now...

I warned you, but you wouldn't listen.

Are you satisfied, now?

Satisfied?

I told you that there would be trouble

unless you left Collinwood.

Julia, I did not instigate what you just saw.

That is beside the point.

No, it is not!

I came here in peace

to tell the family of the arrangements

I made for Daphne's funeral.

Then, you should have left it to Josette to tell us.

I told you that if you came here,

Morgan would be angry.

Julia, that is Morgan's business, not mine.

I promise you that nothing will happen.

Now, I want to go and see Flora.

Is she here?

Yes, she's in her room and resting,

and she doesn't want to be disturbed.

Why do you want to see her?

To tell her the funeral arrangements, I expect.

All right, you can tell them to me.

[mystical music]

MELANIE: What do you want?

You still don't recognize me, do you?

MELANIE: Oh, I recognize you all right.

You're the one that put me here.

Melanie, I have something very important--

Don't come near me!

If you do...

I'll k*ll you!

[dramatic music]

KENDRICK: Melanie--

Stop calling me that name!

KENDRICK: Melanie, will you just listen to me,

and try to understand what I'm going to say?

It is very important to both of us.

You and I have nothing to say to each other.

You have nothing to lose by listening to me.

Can you understand that much?

I understand that I have no choice

because I'm your prisoner here.

Melanie, we've done it for your own good.

But you might not have to be here that much longer.

That's what I want to--

You're lying to me!

You never intend to let me out of this room!

KENDRICK: Do you know what the lottery is?

Yes, yes I know.

It was held again tonight.

I was chosen to go into the room.

You seem almost anxious to go in.

KENDRICK: I am!

Because I believe I can spend the night

in that room, Melanie, and end the curse!

The curse will never end.

Brutus will see to that.

I don't believe it.

I believe I can end it,

and if I do, Melanie, you will be cured!

There's nothing wrong with me.

It's you.

All of you Collinses who are mad.

All of you!

Melanie!

MELANIE: If you go into that room,

you will die!

No, Melanie.

Brutus shows no mercy to anyone.

He is too powerful!

He cannot be defied!

I tried it.

I failed.

I've had no rest since then.

Now, I'm his servant.

I must help him in any way I can

to get his revenge.

I promise you...

When you go into that room, you will die.

And when you do...

I shall rejoice.

[Melanie laughing sinisterly]

[door lock clicking]

Why did you come here?

I had to see her.

You knew how useless it would be.

Julia, I felt there might be some hope.

Well, there isn't.

And there isn't, and there won't be

until you go into that room.

Julia, she's my wife!

I couldn't stay away.

JULIA: Did it do any good to see her?

No, no it didn't.

Then don't t*rture yourself by coming here again.

We both heard the prophecy.

We both know that she's got to stay this way.

Julia, there is something about me

that none of you seem to have a grip on.

JULIA: What's that?

I'm not like any of you.

You're all defeatist, Julia.

I've watched you, studied you.

You're all willing to sit back and accept your faith!

Not me!

I will fight this thing,

and I will win!

I will do my own destiny,

and nothing will stop me!

You sound very much like Catherine when she came here.

The whole curse was just superstitious nonsense

is what she thought.

It was barely two months ago.

Now, she feels as we do.

That there maybe nothing that can appease the curse.

And you're all willing to stay here

and die one by one?

JULIA: If running away were the answer,

we'd have done that before.

How do you know it isn't the answer?

Because there have been those that have tried it.

KENDRICK: And what happened to them?

The curse followed.

Caught up with every one of them.

None of them ever lived to tell of it.

KENDRICK: I will, Julia.

I hope so.

I hope so, for your sake, and for Melanie's.

I've lived here all my life, Kendrick,

and there's something I know.

You're just as human as any of us,

and the same thing can happen to you in that room

as anyone in the family.

[dramatic music]

[dramatic music]

Would you care to join me?

KENDRICK: If I thought it would help,

I would say yes.

I know how you feel.

Remember, I spent the night in that room also.

Maybe you should have taken Mother's advice

and got an annulment to the marriage.

KENDRICK: I've got to do it, Morgan,

for Melanie's sake.

Well, I tried.

I'd tell you to stop thinking about it,

but I know how impossible that is.

No, it's not going into the room that's bothering me,

it's the waiting!

Why can't I just go up there now

and spend the night?

I'm ready for whatever happens!

One of the rules

is you must spend the entire evening in the room,

not just part of one.

[chuckles] One of the rules.

The ritual of it all is so unbelievable.

There's something uncivilized about it.

I think I will have that drink.

Fix me another one, too, will you?

Catherine, are you going out?

CATHERINE: Yes.

I assumed that Julia told you

about the funeral arrangements?

Yes, she did.

You're not going to the village, are you?

No.

I was going to the old house.

MORGAN: Why?

Well, the funeral is tomorrow.

I'll be there of course, but so will so many other people.

I thought that I'd like to pay my last respects

to my sister, alone.

You can understand that, can't you, Morgan?

Yes, yes, of course, I can.

Well, I won't be long.

Catherine?

Are you feeling all right?

Yes, yes, of course.

See you soon.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Here's your drink, Morgan.

I've changed my mind.

I don't want it.

[dramatic music] [wind whistling]

Thank you for coming.

This is insane.

I'm risking everything to be here.

Even in mourning, you're a picture of loveliness.

Bramwell, tell me what it is that's so important

it couldn't wait until after tomorrow.

There's only one thing important in our lives, us.

I don't see how you could talk that way.

My sister's not even buried yet.

Daphne wanted it.

She wanted us to be together, remember?

You asked me here just to remind me of that?

No...

I asked you here because I heard something

that deeply disturbed me.

You almost had one of your fainting spells this morning,

didn't you?

How could you possibly know that?

Word spreads quickly around Collinwood.

Though the family didn't tell me.

But over the years, I've cultivated

friends among the servants.

It's true, isn't it?

Yes, yes, it's true.

You know why you almost fainted?

Because you're pregnant,

and that's what I want to talk to you about.

What more is there to say?

Catherine, you can't keep putting it off forever.

Time's running out!

Before long, you won't have to tell anyone.

Everyone will know.

I've thought and thought about it.

But I don't know what to do!

Well, we must make up our minds soon.

It's our child that you're carrying,

and we have to come to some decision about its future.

[dramatic music]

[eerie theme music]