1223 - March 3, 1971

[bunniefuu]

[suspenseful music playing]

NARRATOR:For over a century and a half,

the family in the great house of Collinwood

has been plagued by a terrifying curse.

Once during each generation,

a Collins is chosen by lottery

to spend a night in a mysterious locked room

in the abandoned west wing.

A room in which all who remain

are found dead or totally mad.

Last night, the lottery was held again,

and Catherine Collins was chosen.

But when she was taken to the room,

she discovered that her husband, Morgan,

had taken her place.

Now it is dawn, and Morgan has been removed from the room.

He has survived the night alive,

and Catherine is overjoyed,

but her happiness is short-lived.

What's wrong?

Why are you looking at the room

as though you'd never seen it before?

Morgan?

Stop calling me Morgan.

That is not my name.

[waves crashing]

[eerie music playing]

Morgan, I don't know what you mean.

I believe you heard what I said.

Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be left alone.

Morgan, did something happen to you up in that room?

MORGAN: I presume the Morgan you keep referring to

is a Collins.

Yes, of course, he would have to be.

How unfortunate.

But a man in my position can hardly be selective.

Morgan, please.

I want you to stop calling me that name.

Julia!

Julia, come quickly!

Who is Julia?

Is she the mistress of the present family?

Present family?

Oh, I see that you are confused.

Well, the less you know, the better off you'll be.

- Less I know about what? - JULIA: What is it, Catherine?

Oh, Julia, something did happen to him up in that room.

But he won't tell me what it was.

JULIA: Morgan?

He keeps saying that his name isn't Morgan!

Poor Morgan.

It's the madness, now you have it.

Madness, did you say?

Well if you're referring to me, you're wrong.

Oh yes, there is madness in this house,

but it is not from me.

And it's been going on for years,

do you understand that?

Yes, I'm sorry.

JULIA: Leave Melanie alone.

Melanie.

That's a very pretty name.

It's too bad it has to belong to a Collins.

You are a Collins, aren't you?

You know I am.

I know nothing of the sort.

And frankly, I care even less.

I want nothing to do with any of you.

Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be left alone

to do what I must do.

And what might that be?

I don't believe that's any of your business.

You're quite certain that you're not Morgan Collins?

Quite certain.

Well then who are you?

I don't believe I have to tell you that.

Are you aware that you just spent the night

in a locked room in the west wing?

Oh, yes.

Yes, I'm well aware of it.

My mind is functioning quite well.

But I must admit one thing, my body is tired.

Do you know anything about the curse,

and the connection with that room?

Nothing.

JULIA: You're lying.

Very well, I'm lying, if that'll make you happy.

And now if you don't mind,

I'm very tired and I'd like to rest.

Yes, maybe some sleep will help you to...

to be yourself.

I am myself, madam.

I'm very much myself.

In fact, you might even say that I'm liberated.

I wish I could understand this.

Catherine, why don't you take Morgan

up to the master bedroom?

I do not have to be taken anywhere.

Oh, you know your way around this house, then?

MORGAN: Very well, you may show me the way.

Nicely done.

Very much in the Collins tradition.

Why are you staring at me like that?

CATHERINE: Don't you recognize anything about me?

Yes, I do.

You are also very much in the Collins tradition.

I'll turn down your bed.

That will not be necessary.

If you're going to sleep.

MORGAN: I don't expect to sleep too long.

I have important matters to attend to.

What matters?

Private matters.

Won't you please tell me who you think you are?

I know who I am.

Of course you all think I'm mad,

but I'm going to use that to my advantage at this moment.

CATHERINE: Can you tell me nothing?

Nothing.

You know if there's anyone in this house

that you can trust, it's I.

And why should I trust you and not the others?

Because I'm your wife.

My dear madam, I have no wife.

I told Flora and Quentin about Morgan.

How did Mama take it?

JULIA: She was as shocked as we were.

What about Bramwell?

Did you tell him?

Yes, I just told him that Morgan

had taken Catherine's place in the room,

I didn't tell him about Morgan's condition.

Well, he'll know that soon enough.

He'll know that Morgan has been added to the mad ones

who've spent the night in that room.

You're wrong, Melanie.

Morgan did not go mad in that room.

Julia, what would you call his condition but madness?

He doesn't even know who he is.

JULIA: I believe he does.

What do you mean?

His behavior is unlike that of anyone

who's ever gone into that room.

Think about that for a moment.

Everything he says is coherent and lucid.

It's not the behavior of anyone who's mad.

But why does he think he's someone else?

Could happen through possession.

MELANIE: Possession?

By whom?

By whomever, or whatever is in that room.

A spirit?

Like what happens to me sometimes.

Yes.

Yes, an unfriendly spirit

is possessing Morgan.

Hostility came through clearly in everything he said to us.

But I didn't get any sense of v*olence.

Julia, I don't give any impression of

being violent either,

and yet...

Yes, yes, I know, Melanie.

I've not ruled out that possibility with Morgan.

He's sleeping now.

JULIA: Did he say anything more to you upstairs?

I didn't learn anything new, if that's what you mean.

But he did tell me that he does not have a wife.

Julia.

If what you said is true, about his being possessed.

CATHERINE: Possessed?

Yes, if he actually is someone else,

then what has happened to Morgan?

Well, if it's true, then Morgan's own mind is dormant.

The question, the important question is

how total is the possession?

And will Morgan ever be himself again?

Julia.

Please tell me everything you know about my real parents.

Why do you ask that?

Well, I've become very curious lately.

Well, I don't know anything about them.

I've told you that before.

What's brought on this curiosity?

MELANIE: Nothing at all.

It's Kendrick Young, isn't it?

Now, I told you, you must not see him.

He is bad for you, you must believe that.

I don't wanna believe that, and it isn't true.

He's been very kind and understanding.

Yes, and puts thoughts in your head

that shouldn't be there.

Like making me wanna know something about

where I came from?

What's wrong with that?

And why does it upset you so whenever I mention it?

I'm not upset.

Well, then you're...

you're being defensive,

as if you had some secret to protect.

Julia, you do know more about it than you've ever told me.

Don't you?

If I tell you everything I know,

will it satisfy you?

Yes.

Justin Collins was on the board of directors

of the Concord orphanage, and that's how he found you.

But there must have been hundreds of other children

at that orphanage.

Why did he choose me?

Well, he had known both your parents.

Why did he never tell me that?

Oh, I don't know.

But he told me that they had

both been in an accident, k*lled.

And that's why he felt an obligation towards you,

and adopted you.

What were my parents' names?

I don't know.

But your name has always been Collins,

and that is all that matters.

Thank you, Julia.

[eerie music playing]

[wind blowing]

You startled me, I thought you were sleeping.

MORGAN: What are you staring at?

Oh, nothing.

I was just staring.

The grounds are as beautiful as ever.

Well, you speak of them as though you know them well.

Every inch of them.

They haven't changed all these years.

How many years?

You're all about to choke on your own curiosity,

aren't you?

That cottage over there, who lives in it?

Why?

Answer me.

The caretaker lives there, Ben Stokes,

with his daughter Carrie.

Why are you interested in the cottage?

I didn't say that I was.

What have they been saying about me downstairs?

Nothing.

They're all just as concerned as I am.

But being Collinses and suspicious by nature,

I expect they intend to keep me watched, don't they?

They haven't said anything about that.

If I can't appeal to you as my husband,

then perhaps you can try to understand me

as a human being.

You see, this has come as a great shock to me.

I mean, it's...

it's as though my own husband were dead.

Where are you going?

I'm sorry, Mrs. Collins,

but I do not like to be spied on.

I must have my privacy.

CATHERINE: No, wait!

I wasn't...

[door locking]

Don't lock me in here!

Morgan, let me out!

We have already discussed this matter thoroughly

and the decision has been made.

Melanie shall be adopted by me.

My dear lady, I'm aware of your opposition to this,

and I respect your feelings in the matter,

but surely you can understand how I feel.

From the moment I saw her, I loved her.

I knew she belonged at Collinwood,

and I had hoped you would share that feeling.

That you did not, came as a severe disappointment to me.

[door opens]

What are you doing here?

MELANIE: Julia, you lied to me.

Why did you lie?

I have never done a thing like that.

Yes you did.

You told me my parents

were dead when I was adopted.

That's not true.

JULIA: How do you know a thing like that?

I found a page from a letter

in the secret drawer of Papa's desk.

It was written to my mother just before my adoption.

Let me see it.

There's no salutation, and there's no signature.

MELANIE: I told you it was a part of a letter!

But it is in Papa's handwriting,

and could only have been written to my mother.

That's wishful thinking on your part.

No, it isn't! Read it and you'll see!

I have already read it, and I know who this letter is to.

It is to Flora.

Yes.

Flora grew to love you

when you came to Collinwood,

but she was much opposed

to the adoption, for your sake.

She felt that the boys, who were growing up then

might not accept you.

I find that very difficult to believe.

Nevertheless, it's true.

And you are not to be in this room,

you should never have come here.

You may go now.

MELANIE: Yes, Julia.

[mysterious music playing]

[knocking]

- Mr. Collins. - Good evening, Carrie.

Are you alone, is your father here?

CARRIE: No, I'm alone.

What's the matter, Carrie?

I don't know.

You seem different somehow.

Well, I have undergone a change.

But that's something I don't think you'll understand.

Now, I need your help.

I'm looking for something very important.

I need your cooperation.

CARRIE: Cooperate how?

Well, there's something I'm looking for.

I think it might be in the cellar.

Give me the key to the cellar, Carrie.

Mr. Collins, what is it?

What's happened to you?

MORGAN: I said give me the key.

No, no, I don't think I should.

Now I am here for a very important reason.

And I do not want to have to use force.

CARRIE: No, I won't help you.

I'm going to Collinwood to tell them.

You are going nowhere.

[eerie music playing]

Carrie.

What's the matter with you?

What's happening?

[banging]

Can anyone hear me?

Julia!

Quentin!

Anyone!

[door unlocking]

Oh, Julia.

What is it, Catherine?

Where's Morgan?

He locked me in the room when my back was turned.

Well, where did he go? He must be somewhere

in the house, we've got to find him.

No, I don't think he's in the house.

He was talking about the cottage over there.

He seemed very interested in it,

but he wouldn't tell me why.

Well, then let's go.

[eerie music playing]

What are you doing here?

I told you I do not like to be followed.

I go where I please, and I go when I please.

Julia.

Look at Carrie.

Carrie?

What have you done to her?

I assure you I did nothing to her.

I don't know what's happened to her.

She suddenly went into that strange state.

JULIA: Carrie.

Carrie.

Carrie, Carrie, can you hear me?

Carrie, wake up.

I know who you are.

I know who you are.

You're James Forsythe.

[eerie music playing]