1
[]
- No!
- Calm down!
No, I don't wanna!
No, I don't wanna!
I don't wanna!
I said, I don't want it!
You're giving me too much!
Too much!
You know that.
No! No, I'm not going to.
- No!
- Grab her legs. Grab her legs.
No!
- Take it easy, Eleanor.
- No, I don't wanna go in there.
No, I don't wanna go in there.
No, I don't wanna go in there.
- No. No.
- Settle down.
Please. Please.
Please, don't hurt me.
[YELLS]
[PANTING]
[YELLING]
NURSE:
Okay. It should be fine now.
[PANTING]
MAN: All right. She's
gonna be all right.
All right.
Yeah, okay.
- You good?
- Yeah.
Okay. Let's go.
NURSE: Okay, get
back into your room.
MAN:
All right.
[]
[GASPING]
[TALKING INDISTINCTLY]
Hello? Let... Let me out.
Yeah.
I-I need to go to
the-the bathroom.
I need to... I have to go...
The bathroom.
Please, somebody.
Somebody, help.
Come out. Help me.
Please, I... I need help.
[CRYING]
It really hurts.
Oh, no.
Oh, no, it hurts. Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Oh, Mama.
[SOBBING]
[URINATING]
ELEANOR: I need to
use a telephone!
I... I want to use a phone!
I-I need to use
a telephone!
I heard you so.
Don't you wanna
clean up first?
No, I... I wanna
use a phone.
Okay. Okay.
[DIAL SPINNING]
[SINGING SOFTLY]
WOMAN [ON PHONE]:
Hello?
Is...?
Is this Patients' Rights?
WOMAN:
Yes, it is.
My name is Eleanor Riese.
And...
I want a lawyer.
[]
MAN: We're hoping we can get
her out by the weekend.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY]
- Hi.
- Hi.
I'm here to see
Eleanor Riese.
I'm her lawyer.
May I see your ID?
[SIGHS]
You can wait there.
Okay, but I'm only gonna
wait five minutes.
Then I'm gonna call
the state board of hospitals
and complain that
you won't let me see my client.
I'll see if I can find
a nurse to show you up.
Thank you.
[DOOR CREAKS, SLAMS SHUT]
All right, sweetheart.
Now drink up.
Take a little pill.
That's it.
I want you to know
you're dealing with
a very explosive
patient.
Thank you.
ELEANOR: You don't need to touch me.
Don't touch me.
Ms. Riese?
I'm Colette Hughes.
We spoke on the phone.
I'm here to help you.
Yeah, everybody's here
to help me.
Yeah, that's why
I need help.
You can talk here.
Thank you.
I'm sorry. I only speak
to my clients in privacy.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY IN DISTANCE]
I don't like
lawyers.
Why not?
Why not?
'Cause of
the un-defending defender.
That's what I call
a public defender.
And you-you
wanna know why?
'Cause he doesn't
defend me.
When they tried to
keep me here, I told him:
"I don't wanna stay here."
And he said
I didn't mind.
He didn't listen to me.
He didn't listen
to me at all.
If I represent you
in this lawsuit,
I will listen.
You have my word.
Aw. I know how
you think about me.
Yeah, like I'm crazy.
Yeah.
People, they don't care about
their word with crazy people.
Tell me
I'm not right.
Just tell me
I'm not right.
You don't know how I feel
about you. We just met.
And I do keep my word
with everyone.
How long have
you been a lawyer?
Two years.
Aren't you kinda old
to be a lawyer only two years?
I mean,
what are you, slow?
[CHUCKLING]
No.
I'm not slow.
I was just doing other things
before becoming a lawyer.
Like what?
Belly dancing?
How'd you guess?
[CHUCKLES]
[GROANS]
Yeah, why do you
wanna help me?
Because I want
the same thing you want.
I want doctors
to respect your rights
when you're in
the hospital
and not give
you medication
without your permission.
What about money?
I can't pay you.
If we win,
I'll get paid for my time.
If we don't, I won't.
If we win, you'll get money too.
But only a little.
This won't be
a damages case.
There's something else
you have to know.
I can pursue
getting you released now.
But if you want me
to proceed with a suit,
if I get you released
right away,
the court might dismiss the case
because they would say
that you weren't
in harm anymore.
But if you prefer, I can just
concentrate getting you out.
Well, so...
So if I sue
the hospital,
you can make sure
they can't give people
any drugs they want to?
No matter what
it does to them?
If we win the case,
no hospital in the state
can do that to people
on 3-to 17-day
involuntary holds
just because
the hospital wants to.
You would be representing
150,000 people with this case.
You know,
I-I like your clothes.
But your hair...
gotta change.
Are...
Yeah, you're hired.
[MUSIC PLAYING
INDISTINCTLY]
No "hello"
or anything?
Oh, sorry.
I forgot you were
coming over tonight.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hungry?
Professor Cohen,
it's Colette Hughes.
I'm sorry to call
so late.
I think I got the plaintiff
for a case
for informed consent
for medication.
She's at St. Mary's.
Her name's Eleanor Riese.
And she's been exposed to
medication without her consent
over numerous
hospital stays.
ELEANOR [WHISPERING]: Blessed is
the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou
among women.
Blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
[]
[WOMAN CRYING
IN DISTANCE]
WOMAN [CRYING]:
Please help me.
Please.
Help me.
Help me, please!
Please.
Help me, please.
Please, help me.
Please!
Here.
Please, help me. God.
- No.
- Karen.
Help.
Hey, hey,
I'm gonna get you out.
I'm gonna get you out.
Karen.
- No.
- Karen.
- I'm here.
- No! Help me.
You aren't alone.
She's diagnosed with
chronic paranoid schizophrenia
with slight
mental retardation.
She can be
highly mistrustful.
She gets very angry.
She can be loud, but she's not
a danger to herself or others.
That's good.
She has extreme panic attacks
because she has a fear of dying.
That's why
she committed herself.
- Because she wanted help for her fear.
- Mm-hmm.
But when the hospital started
doubling her medication,
and she started refusing it,
that's when they
then said that
she had a delusion
about her medication.
- I see.
- I think she knows exactly
what her medication's
doing to her,
and she's furious
about it.
I think she has the will
to see this through.
How many patients
did you represent
in hearings last year
as part of your job?
About 200.
Uh-huh, and how many other
patients' hearings
did you
supervise?
Six hundred.
And that job
you have in San Mateo
um, your advocacy group,
how far is San Mateo?
- Only an hour.
- Uh-huh.
If you fly over
the cars.
Now, listen to me, I make
a good living here teaching.
I can afford to take on
whatever I want.
But this case?
This case?
This could take years.
And you're not gonna be able
to have any private clients.
It's gonna make
your job harder.
And, uh, you're not gonna
be making a penny.
Plus, which, no court...
Federal, California.
...has ever rendered a decision
in favor of
a case like this one.
But if we win, we'll get rights
for people who, right now
have fewer rights about
what goes into their own bodies
than criminals in prison.
You're right.
And all we have to do
is beat St. Mary's
and all the associations.
Not to mention the, uh, county
councils across the state.
And the researchers
and the lawyers
St. Mary's
is going to hire,
and the money they'll spend.
You can't discourage me.
I mean, I'm actually not
trying to discourage you.
I just want you to know
what you're up against.
I appreciate it.
I'm honored to be working on
this case with you, Mr. Cohen.
Thank you. Call me Mort.
Hi. I'm here to see Ms....
I'm sorry,
but you'll have to wait.
But I have
an appointment.
If you wanna complain to
the state hospital board,
Dr. Booker said he'd be happy
to tell them how busy we are.
We may not be able
to let you up
to see Ms. Riese
this morning or even today.
[DOOR LOCK BUZZES]
Thank you, ma'am.
[]
I'm trying to talk to
my friend, Sister Florence.
Why don't you
leave me alone?
You're not supposed to
be on the phone.
You're supposed to be
in art therapy.
Who wants to make
a stupid woolen octopus?
If you won't let me
make my rosaries,
I'll talk to my friend.
Okay.
[]
Eleanor.
No.
FLORENCE [ON PHONE]:
Who are you talking to?
Eleanor,
we have an appointment.
We don't
have an appointment.
We had an appointment
at 9:15.
- I'm sorry...
- Yeah, you don't think
I got better things to do
than wait for you all day.
I told you,
I don't need a slow lawyer.
I was on time.
I just couldn't get...
Yeah, thought
you looked bad yesterday.
You look more like a patient
than a lawyer.
That's the idea.
I couldn't
get past the desk.
I had to do this, so that I
could come and see you.
- [MOUTHS] Oh!
- FLORENCE: I-I-I just can't...
I bet that'll show
those stupid doctors.
Yeah, there's
no one in here.
I'm looking forward to getting
started as much as you are.
Yeah, yeah. I don't want
you to start with me.
There is a patient.
She's all tied up in restraints.
- I told her I had a lawyer.
- I'll look into it.
Get her out.
Her name is Karen Winkle.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
- I want you to get her out.
- I'll do what I can.
Now I'm here
to work with you.
I don't want you to do anything
for me. Go do something for her.
It took me an hour and a half
to get up here.
We only have 45 minutes.
I'll help her
when I can.
No, no, no. I'm not doing
anything until you help Karen.
Come on. Let's go.
I told you
I'd get you out.
[LAUGHS]
Yeah.
I got a lawyer.
I know I'm late. I had to take
care of something unexpected.
Well, you'll have
to reschedule the meeting.
With drive time? Two hours?
[SIGHS]
"Whenever I'm held in
a psychiatric hospital,
"I am given
antipsychotic drugs
"such as Thorazine, Mellaril,
Navane, Serentil,
"against my will,
without my permission
and invariably
without my consent."
Yeah, don't forget
how it makes
my vision blurry
and my feet all swollen.
So it makes it hard
for me to walk.
- I haven't forgotten.
- And the hospital staff,
they get angry at me, 'cause
I'm not doing things right.
I've put it all in here.
Really, I have.
Yeah, yeah.
And-and-and say that
it makes my hands shake
and my head twitch,
so it makes me look
even crazier than I am.
It's here, I promise.
Yeah, and then you have to say
how I get scared.
And then they give me more drugs
that make me even more scared.
Yeah, sometimes
I don't even try and fight them,
because if I don't
swallow the drugs,
then-then they threaten me
with needles.
And I don't want needles.
I don't wanna go in
the torture chamber.
If you could just be quiet
for two minutes,
I could read
your entire declaration.
You could sign it, and then
I can work on getting you out.
Okay.
"The side effects of
these drugs..."
One thing:
Can you get some beads,
so that I can make
my rosaries?
They want me to make
a stupid woolen octopus.
But they won't let me
make my rosaries.
'cause they think
I have a delusion.
But I am a member
of a rosary club.
And they gave me
an award. Yeah.
I need to make
my rosaries.
Okay.
Yeah.
"The side effects
of these drugs..."
What religion are you?
I was raised
Catholic.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY]
- [KEYS JANGLING]
- [LOCK CLICKING]
- Thank you.
- ELEANOR: Oh, yeah.
I'd call the home.
I'll come back.
I'll find you.
MAN: Back inside in
five minutes, guys.
Eleanor.
This is Morton Cohen.
Professor of constitutional law
at Golden Gate University.
He's the lawyer
I told you about.
The one who's gonna be
senior counsel on your case.
Hello.
- Hi.
- It's nice to meet you.
- This is a very important case.
- Yeah, I know.
You're representing
150,000 people.
Are you Jewish?
- Yes.
- I thought so.
Yeah,
you're my Jewish lawyer.
She's my Catholic lawyer.
It's perfect,
'cause I was born Jewish,
and then I converted.
I'm now a Catholic.
That reminds me. I...
I got you these.
Hope they're okay.
Oh, you remembered.
Thank you.
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
No, they're perfect.
That's my mission.
My mission is making rosaries
for Jesus
and the Blessed Mother.
- COHEN: I see.
- I've been making them
since I was 15.
- Since you were 15? Ah.
- Fifteen.
I don't know how good they are,
but I'm doing my best.
That's what
Father Murray says.
You just have
to do your best.
Yeah.
I can make you a rosary
if you like.
Well, you'd very much like
a rosary, wouldn't you?
Yeah,
I'd like a rosary.
Here you go.
You okay with dogs?
Yeah, I'm-I'm okay.
Yeah, that's Bear.
That's a marlin.
I caught that off
the coast of Florida.
- Oh.
- Yeah.
And this is a bass.
This is a pike.
Pike. Over here
we have a marlin.
Ask me how long it took
to reel that guy in.
How long did it take
to reel that guy in?
It took me three hours.
Have a seat.
You sure
you're okay with dogs?
Yeah, I'm okay.
Good boy.
All right. So
you've seen the care package
that the hospital
sent over?
Oh, my God.
Hundreds of pages
for a 13-page complaint?
Trying to bury us
in paperwork.
I warned you.
They got the money
and the medical experts.
So let's split it up.
I'll take constitutional
common law,
and you take drugs, mental
health and statutory law issues.
- Okay.
- Okay?
Can I...?
[SIGHING]
All right.
No fishing for a while.
Chope Community Hospital
about a Mr. Morris?
Tell them I'll be there at 11
on Mr. Morris's behalf.
Ms. Hughes?
Oh, yes. Just one minute,
Mr. Grainger.
She'll be there at 11
for Mr. Morris.
Patients' Rights
Advocates.
It's for you.
This is Colette Hughes.
No, today.
I want her
released today.
I'll be in later
to sign the form.
Thank you.
One moment.
All right. Put that...
Put that in that one.
Yeah, and this one.
You can put that one.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, you can
put that in... No.
Okay, but be careful.
I don't...
All right. Oh, wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
Hang on. Hang on.
Look.
I made these for you.
Oh, they're...
That's beautiful.
I made them with
the rainbow colors.
You see how they sparkle?
Yeah, you'd never know
they were plastic.
No, you wouldn't.
Thank you again.
You wanna see the other ones
I made? I made five of them.
Eleanor,
don't you want to go home?
Oh, yeah.
- Yeah. Got everything?
- Yes.
Okay. Yeah.
Bye. This is my lawyer.
You're gonna be sorry.
Yeah.
Oh, wait,
I got something for you.
Yeah. Yeah.
Hang on.
- Here. You're nice.
- [GASPS]
Yeah.
I'm not suing you.
[CHUCKLES]
Thank you, Eleanor.
Oh, yeah.
They got an elevator here.
I'm glad.
Steps are horrid
for me.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
Why do you keep
looking at your watch?
Because
I'm on a schedule.
Do I turn on
the next street?
Yeah, but we're not
going home right now.
Why not?
'Cause... 'cause I phoned
my friend, Sister Florence,
and I asked her to
join us for a picnic.
Oh, I'm sorry, Eleanor,
but I don't have time
for a picnic right now.
I thought you said I was
your most important client.
Well, you are,
but I have
a lot of other things
I need to do too.
Don't you want to celebrate
with me 'cause I got out?
Of course,
but I... I have a very...
You're a big-shot
lawyer.
I'm mentally ill.
So I don't know anything.
I never said that.
Gonna ruin my whole day.
Yeah, no,
I planned this picnic.
Yeah, Sister Florence
already bought food for you.
I'm sorry, but you never
told me about a picnic.
You're like everybody else.
You don't care.
I do care about you.
And I said I'm sorry,
but I can't
go to the picnic.
But I'll be happy
to drop you,
so that you and Sister Florence
can celebrate.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY]
COLETTE: Are you sure
you'll be all right?
Yeah, I'll be fine.
Sister Florence will
drop me off at my apartment
on the way back
to the convent.
Are you sure?
That's right.
We can take the bus.
Yeah, we'll just
take the bus.
I've been taking
the bus for years.
Well, I'll call you later.
Nice to meet you, Sister.
Oh, it's nice
meeting you too.
Eleanor tells me
you're Catholic,
but you don't
practice anymore.
Why are you still here?
Big-shot lawyer with more
important things to do.
You think I can't
get around on my own?
You know, I got around on my own
before I had a lawyer.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hi, Robert.
ELEANOR [ON PHONE]:
Who's Robert?
This is Eleanor Riese.
Oh, Eleanor.
I didn't know
I gave you my number.
You didn't.
I looked you up
in the phone book.
I'm very good
with the phone book.
It says "C. Hughes."
But I know the C
was for "Colette."
- Is something wrong?
- ELEANOR: No.
But you said
you were gonna call me.
And you didn't,
so I'm calling you.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
I got busy, and I forgot.
ELEANOR: Yeah, I just wanted you
to know I got home all right.
And-and I can see
you got home all right too.
Yes, I did.
ELEANOR:
Yeah, good.
Good night.
Good night.
All right. Here's what
I think we should do:
Start off with the California
Constitutional Right to Privacy.
Then just move on to the common
law right against battery.
Cobbs v. Grant.
That's important.
That set the standard
for doctors' obligation
to get informed consent
for intrusive procedures.
We have to establish these
drugs are intrusive procedures.
When the doctor first started
giving Eleanor Mellaril,
he told her
she could take it four, six,
- eight times a day if she wanted.
- Okay.
He thought that it would help
psychologically. But it didn't.
All it did was damage
her bladder and her brain,
and make her seizures worse.
And now she has
to keep taking it,
- because if she doesn't, she has more seizures.
- My God.
There's a notation
in her hospital records
- that I'd like to highlight.
- Okay.
"She was placed on Mellaril with
the reasoning that her bladder
was already so damaged
that more or less
Mellaril would not have
an impact on its recovery."
So these people were
giving her drugs
that they knew
were damaging her.
Yeah.
I see it all the time.
My God.
This is for Mr. Adams.
RECEPTIONIST:
Good morning, Adams...
[WHISPERS]
That's her.
Ms. Hughes?
James Adams,
counsel for St. Mary's.
Good to meet you,
Mr. Adams.
I believe you already know
Dr. Booker.
May I help you
with something?
Yes. I stopped by
to deliver this.
It's our response to your
briefing on the medications.
It also includes
some information
on the adverse side effects
of the medications in question,
as well as the side effects
that they had on Ms. Riese.
[CHUCKLES] Off the record, how
did you reply so quickly?
Who's your
medical expert?
What do you mean?
Who's coordinating on
the medical issues?
I am.
I don't understand.
I was a nurse
for 10 years
and a psychiatric nurse
for five.
With a big firm
like yours,
I assumed you'd do
a background check.
I'm sure we did.
I must have missed it.
You were a psychiatric nurse.
You're doing this?
You're telling me
you were a nurse,
you never gave drugs to patients
without their informed consent?
No. Never.
I always felt it
was my primary responsibility
to care for the patient,
not manage them
for my own convenience.
Gentlemen.
[MUSIC PLAYING FROM
ELEANOR'S APARTMENT]
Well
Sugar in the mornin'
Sugar in the evenin'
Sugar at suppertime
Be my little sugar
And love me all the time
Honey in the mornin'
Honey in the evenin'
Honey at suppertime...
[MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING,
MUFFLED]
[KNOCKS]
Hang on.
...sugar and love me
All the time...
- Hi.
- Oh.
Look who's here,
it's my big-shot lawyer.
Oh, nice to see you,
Sister.
Hope I'm not
interrupting something.
No, no. She's gotta go. She's
gotta go. Back to the convent.
They treat her like
a sixth-grader. Bye!
Yes, nice to see you
again, Colette.
COLETTE:
You too!
Honey in the mornin'
Honey...
You be careful
on those steps.
FLORENCE:
I will.
There's 25 of them.
And outside, there are two more.
I know.
You've already told me.
Yeah, there's 27.
Twenty-seven steps.
- FLORENCE: Okay.
- Yeah.
Bye.
...never, ever...
Sit down.
Go on. Take a load off.
I'll get you a 7UP.
No, thank you.
I have someplace I have to be.
Yeah, someplace
more important, I bet.
O-okay.
...is anytime
Yeah, isn't that
a beautiful bride?
Yeah, I love weddings,
don't you?
Thank you.
Not really.
...just be my honeycomb
- Honeycomb
- Honeycomb
What about you and Robert?
You two getting married?
Eleanor, I didn't come here
to talk about my personal life.
Oh, so I'm right.
He is your boyfriend?
Yeah, I'm right.
He's your boyfriend.
The hospital called.
They have a request.
Yeah, what do they want?
They want me to sing a song?
No, I'm afraid not.
They want you to appear
in Superior Court
for the hearing
of the case.
...ah...
Do you mind if we just turn
the music down a little?
Ah
- Love me
- Love me
- All
- All
[LOUDER]
All the time
[MUSIC GETS QUIETER]
So, uh, so would I
have to go up
to the witness box
like Perry Mason?
No, there... There
won't be a witness box.
You would have to
sit in the courtroom
and listen to what
the hospital's lawyer
has to say about you.
Uh-huh.
Um. They want
to embarrass you.
They're hoping that
you can't just sit there
and listen to what they
have to say about you.
They wanna try
and show the lawyer that
you're not fit to make decisions
about your own medication.
But it's just a request.
You don't have to do it.
Here. You see this?
This is where I write down
what medication I'm taking.
The time I take it, how much
I take, and what it does to me.
If I feel groggy
or it makes it hard for me
to do the things I need
to do for myself.
And then... And then
I tell a doctor. Yeah.
And-and you see?
You know why I got all of those?
And those?
You know why?
Because I've been
writing it down
for a lot of years.
Nobody knows more about
what that medicine
does to me than I do.
Yeah.
Tell me I'm not right.
Just-just tell me
I'm not right.
You're right.
Yeah, no,
I wanna go to court.
[EASY LISTENING MUSIC PLAYING
OVER LOUDSPEAKERS]
This place
is beautiful.
Yeah, I always wanted
to shop here.
We only have
half an hour.
Yeah, well, I'm not leaving
until I get exactly what I want.
Can I see
a navy blue dress,
navy blue shoes,
and navy blue pocketbook?
You're in luck.
We have an awful lot
of navy blue in your size.
ELEANOR: What did you
think of the last one?
I told you I like it very much.
I think you should buy it.
He's at Chope Community.
No.
Tell him I filed
the paperwork.
Psst.
You're not supposed to be
on the phone.
You're supposed
to be helping me.
Can you tell Mr. Hakamura
that I'll get back to him later?
I put it down.
I have to go.
Well?
What do you think?
It's fine.
It's not fine.
I look like
a balloon.
I know this is important
to you, Eleanor,
but I wanna get you
to the courthouse.
Remember? I told you
we're on a schedule.
I want you to see the room,
so that you're prepared.
They close at 5.
It's almost 5 now.
Yeah, well, I don't care.
I'm gonna look the way I want,
whether you like it or not.
All right.
Excuse me? Do you have
any other dresses in navy blue?
In my size, please.
- Let me see.
- Yeah, thank you.
Yeah, you go to court
all the time.
You probably
have lots of dresses.
I don't.
And don't look
at your watch.
You see?
This one's better?
You're right. It is.
Yeah, so now,
all I need to find now
is shoes
and a pocketbook.
But they have to be...
The exact same shade
of navy blue.
You're right.
[CHUCKLES]
ELEANOR:
Yeah, this is it.
That's it. Wow.
Okay.
Are you all right?
Yeah. Yeah.
I'll be fine.
One.
Two.
- Can I help you?
- Three... No.
Four, five.
Six, seven.
Eight, nine, 10.
[SIGHS]
All right.
I'm sorry
there's not an elevator.
Yeah, no, that's okay.
No. I want everybody
to see my new dress.
[]
Eleven.
Twelve.
Thirteen.
Fourteen.
Fifteen.
Sixteen.
Seventeen.
Eighteen.
Nineteen.
Twenty.
[BREATHLESSLY]
Thirty-five, 36.
Thirty-seven, 38.
- Sure you're all right?
- [NORMALLY] Yeah, no.
If you keep asking me
if I'm all right,
I'm not gonna be all right,
all right?
Forty-seven, 48.
Forty-nine, 50.
Fifty-one, 52.
Fifty-three, 54.
Fifty-five steps.
- Hello, Mr. Cohen.
- Good morning.
That's a beautiful dress.
See?
The question here,
Your Honor, is:
Who is competent
to decide the medication
of involuntary-held
short-term patients?
Doctors,
who as the federal court ruled
can be relied upon
to use professional judgment?
Or chronic schizophrenic
mental patients?
Like Eleanor Riese, who,
during her hospitalization,
became delusional about
the medications, threw objects,
and threatened nurses,
defecated and urinated
on the floor,
lying in her own wastes.
These medications are
the only effective treatment
for acute psychotic
patients.
Yes, they can sometimes
have side effects, but most
are temporary
and short-lived.
According to the leading
authority on such medications,
and I quote, "They're among
the safest drugs in medicine."
Your Honor, would it not
defeat the very purpose
for which hospitals
have been set up
for doctors not
to be able to treat
gravely disabled patients
like Eleanor Riese
with the only medication
that would help them?
Thank you,
Mr. Adams.
With due respect, Your Honor,
I wish to rebut.
"Competency"
is a legal term.
It's not a medical term.
Therefore, it is not
the doctor's right to determine.
It is the court's.
But the question is...
The real question
is whether doctors...
And not just doctors. Doctors,
nurses, hospital workers.
Do these people routinely
have the right
to override the choice
of a competent mental patient
regarding
his or her medications?
That is the real question.
And I also take issue with
Mr. Adams' portrayal
of these drugs
being a panacea
for patients
with schizophrenia.
Studies show
that they are effective,
but they are effective at only
one-third of the cases.
And the hospital's
own records show
that these drugs have not
always helped Ms. Riese.
And by the way, the hospital
records also contradict
Mr. Adams' characterization
of Ms. Riese's behavior.
While there, not only was she
locked in a seclusion room...
Mr. Cohen.
I have read the record.
She was given drugs
that made her
agitated and sleepy
at the same time.
And these people,
Your Honor,
they didn't let her
go to the bathroom.
So, yes, she urinated
and defecated all over herself.
And as for her
threatening the nurses?
They were forcing
medications on her.
Which is what
this case is about.
And, yes, she threw...
And I want to be specific here...
She threw
a plastic pitcher of water...
Mr. Cohen.
Gentlemen.
The briefing is heavy
and adequate
and very well-done.
And that is the reason
I'm cutting you off somewhat
in the oral argument.
Your Honor,
I will shorten my argument,
but these are
fundamental legal rights.
- In Cobbs v. Grant...
- Mr. Cohen.
Reviewing the file,
I do not find anything
constitutionally
objectionable
in the forcible treatment
of short-term involuntary
mental patients.
And I am not prepared
to make a decision
granting a constitutional
challenge to the position.
- Your Honor...
- Mr. Cohen, as I have said
I am not prepared
to change the decision.
- MAN 1: All right.
- MAN 2: Excellent.
He didn't wanna hear
this case.
It was over
before we started.
BOOKER:
Thank you so much.
- ADAMS: Told you.
- BOOKER: That was very good.
What do you have
to smile about?
- Pardon me?
- No, you got a terrible job.
- All right. Let's go.
- Yeah, coming to court
- and lying about people.
- Eleanor.
And telling the judge
it's-it's okay
- for doctors to throw patients...
- COLETTE: Eleanor.
...on the floor and inject them
with whatever they like?
- Yeah, I feel sorry.
- COHEN: All right.
- I feel sorry for you.
- COHEN: Here we go.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
What good is a judge who...?
Who can't make
a decision?
I mean,
it's an easy case.
- I'm sorry, Eleanor.
- Why didn't you tell him off?
Why didn't Mr. Cohen
tell him off?
Why didn't you tell the judge
that he's stupid?
Because you can't tell
a judge they're stupid.
I have better things to do
with my day than waste it here.
Yeah, I could have been at home,
making rosaries.
Yeah, people
all over the world,
they're waiting for
my rosaries.
[GASPS]
No. No, I-I...
I had to sit in court
while my bladder hurts,
and I had to urinate.
That's all because
of those drugs
that the hospital
say are so good for me.
Well, if they're so good,
then why do I have to use this
every time I go to the bathroom
for the rest of my life?
And how come...?
How come they get
to throw me down
and pull down my underpants
and stick needles into me?
Yeah, if I did that,
I'll go to jail.
Tell me I'm not right.
[LOCK CLICKS]
COLETTE:
It's not over, Eleanor.
We're not giving up.
We're going to file
for an appeal.
[WINCING, WHIMPERING]
[URINATING]
How is she?
ELEANOR: Yeah, park here.
Here. This is good.
Thank you.
Yeah, you know,
I don't just give
my rosaries to people.
I give them to my church,
and they send them
to different countries.
And I use them to pray
for all the people on my list.
You're on my list.
So is Mr. Cohen.
- Yeah, you're number eight.
- Thank you.
My mother, she's number one.
She's been very sick.
- Goodbye.
- Bye, Eleanor.
You wanna come in
and meet her?
I'd love to.
You may not know this
about Eleanor,
but she graduated high school
when she was 18 years of age
with the rest of her class,
even though people
always said she couldn't.
And she's been living alone
for years.
She could have kept living
with me here, of course,
- but she didn't want to.
- ELEANOR: I told you.
I don't like the weather
in this part of town.
You know that.
Yeah, it's never sunny.
No, at like...
In the mornings,
my living room
is full of light.
- Isn't that true, Colette?
- Yeah. Yep, it is.
Yeah, she's a nice person.
She is.
And she's a good lawyer.
Yeah, even if she did
lose today.
That was a joke, Colette.
[CHUCKLES]
Even if it is true.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Honey, it's almost 2.
How about coming to bed?
I can't.
You can't keep pushing yourself
like this.
If I don't do it,
it won't get done.
[SWITCH CLICKS]
One.
Two. Three.
I'll be there for your hearing
tomorrow at 3, Mrs. Hayes. Yes.
I will. No, I...
I will.
Okay, at 3 p.m.
tomorrow. Bye.
- Hi.
- Eleanor.
You didn't have to come
all the way to my place.
I'd have been happy
to stop at yours.
That's okay.
I wanted to see
where you live.
Here. Let me get the page
for you to review and sign,
so we can file the appeal.
Um, here, sit down. I'll...
I'll get you a pen.
Those shoes
are too big for you.
- Are they Robert's?
- Yes.
So you do have a boyfriend.
Yes.
- Does he sleep here with you?
- Eleanor.
Yeah.
I've never had a boyfriend.
- Yeah, I'm too shy.
- Here.
I have this page
right here for you to sign.
Yeah,
I'm not signing anything
until you read it
and explain it to me.
Explain what happened to you
at St. Mary's?
It's the same thing we described
in your declaration...
No, I'm not talking about that.
I'm talking about the rest.
Like all of this.
Cobbs v. Grant,
Bouvia v. Superior Court.
Everything. Read it.
Yeah, and don't look
at your watch.
Here, this lists the cases
we're citing.
This is Bouvia
v. Supreme Court.
It says that in California,
people have the right
to refuse medical treatment,
but it's never been applied
to people
with mental disabilities.
- So...
- Wait a minute.
I need to get my pad,
so I can make notes.
MAN [ON RADIO]: Why are you taking this
case to the State Court of Appeal?
Because I believe what happened
to Eleanor Riese
was a form of chemical rape.
That's kind of strong,
don't you think?
Not in my opinion.
Look at the force they used
to administer the drugs
to her.
Look what the drugs
did to her.
What is that
if not a form of rape?
So more mental patients
should be released?
Aren't there too many
on the street already?
The last thing we want
is more people on the streets.
We want people to get the
services they need and want.
- Mm-hm.
- When people are in the hospital
let's have the doctor do
the doctor's job:
explaining the medications,
possible risks and benefits,
and have
the competent patient
do the patient's job
of choosing.
But isn't that an oxymoron?
How can someone who's
considered mentally disabled
be competent enough
to make decisions?
Mental illness does not affect
all areas of functioning.
There are many people
with mental illnesses
who are highly competent
in areas
not affected by their illness.
Look at Eleanor Riese.
She didn't refuse medication.
She refused
too much medication.
A sign of her competency
to understand
the medications'
side effects.
In every other branch
of medicine,
unless a patient is in a coma
or experiencing
a life-threatening emergency
and is incapable
of voicing a decision,
it's always the patient
who makes the decision.
Only in a mental hospital is it
always the doctor's choice.
And if the patient refuses,
violence is used
to enforce the doctor's choice,
as it was on Eleanor Riese.
You're famous, dear.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm representing
150,000 people.
Yeah,
I'm gonna be as important
as Bouvia v. Superior Court
and Cobbs v. Grant.
Oh, that's nice.
[ALL CHEER]
- ALL: Happy birthday.
- Okay.
Oh, happy birthday.
One good thing
about my case taking so long is
I have birthday parties
with my lawyers.
- Yeah.
- Just a little bit?
And one of them
brought me flowers.
Well, it's
my pleasure.
And I get to speak properly
to Colette's boyfriend.
Yeah, so Colette tells me
you're a doctor.
- Yeah.
- How come you're not against us?
Because I think
you're right.
Ah! Yeah, he...
You must be pretty smart.
Yeah, I wouldn't let
this guy get away.
And you're not
getting any younger.
Eleanor.
It's nice to have
one doctor on our side.
Yeah.
Yeah. Oh!
You know what?
I'm gonna
have this with
Colette's birthday present
for me.
Dreyer's vanilla ice cream.
It's my favorite.
- Everybody else can have some.
- FLORENCE: I like ice cream.
It goes so well
with wine and cake.
- You want some?
- Mom, do you want some?
- Thank you.
- No, thank you.
Eleanor,
- I have a present for you too.
- For me?
Thank you, Robert.
- Thank you. That's sweet of you.
- You're welcome.
I'm excited.
[GASPS]
It's the McGuire Sisters.
- Oh, nice.
- How'd you know?
Oh, I love it.
I love it, I love it.
Thank you. Thank you, Robert.
- Yeah, look.
- Oh, I see.
I haven't got this one.
- Oh, lovely.
- See, Mama?
Ah, I'm gonna put it on
right now.
Ooh!
- Dear. Oh, gosh.
- ELEANOR: You got the springs.
- Move on.
- I forgot.
You always forget.
You know what?
When we win this case,
there will be
shopping trips to the Emporium
because I could really use
a new sofa.
Yeah, okay.
All right.
Thank you, Robert.
[CLICKS]
- [VOCALIZING]
- [GASPS]
He can turn the tides
And calm the angry sea
He alone decides
Who writes a symphony
You know what?
This song is so romantic.
Do you two wanna dance?
[CHUCKLES]
...the darkness bright
He keeps watch
All through
Each long
And lonely night
Okay, now it's your turn.
[CHUCKLES]
Your turn. Your turn.
- Oh, no, not me.
- Yes, you.
- No, no. I'm not. I don't dance.
- Yes, you.
I can't.
- [LAUGHING]
- Come on. Come on.
- You sure?
- COLETTE: Absolutely.
All right.
- Put your hand here.
- All right.
...to see the way we live
He'll always say
I forgive
He forgives
I wanna include
a First Amendment argument
about these drugs interfering
with a person's freedom
of speech.
Mm-mm.
That's not a good idea.
No one who speaks
to people in mental hospitals
can't say these drugs
aren't interfering
with their personality,
their thoughts,
- emotions, expressions.
- Okay, here's what I've done.
I have put in the California
Constitutional Right to Privacy,
but with the hospital's
new reply brief,
we have a lot to answer.
I think we're fine.
St. Mary's
wrote in Eleanor's record
that they medicated her
for being sarcastic.
If that isn't interfering
with her freedom of speech,
what is it?
Anytime anyone has put in
a First Amendment argument
in a case like this,
they've lost.
No, it's too risky.
Let's go to work.
We have 50 pages.
[]
[ELEANOR SCREAMING]
Oh, no.
I don't want it! No,
I don't want to go in there.
I don't want to go in there!
You're giving me too much!
Too much!
Too much. You know that.
[PHONE RINGING]
ROBERT:
It's the phone.
- Hello?
- ELEANOR [ON PHONE]: I need you.
I need you! Please come!
[LINE DISCONNECTS]
[ELEANOR WAILING]
Eleanor.
I'm here now.
Yeah. I feel like
I'm being spanked.
- Yeah, I'm being spanked.
- But no...
You're a nurse and a lawyer.
- Why can't you stop it?
- Nobody's spanking you.
No. Yeah. No.
- No, I know.
- Are you in pain?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- I'm... I'm scared.
- Okay.
- I'm scared.
- What are you scared of?
- I'm scared...
- What are you scared of?
I'm scared of...
I'm scared of dying.
I'm scared of dying.
- What if I haven't been good enough?
- No.
What if I don't go to heaven?
- You're not dying.
- I don't get into heaven.
You're not dying,
and you're a very good girl.
- I don't know.
- Shh.
Can you take a breath? Shh.
Okay, now talk to me.
Talk to me.
- What?
- Can you
tell me why you think
you're dying?
My stomach.
- Okay.
- My... My stomach hurts.
It hurts so much.
Would you like me
to make an appointment
for you to see
a new urologist?
Well, yeah, I...
If... If you'd come with me?
Yes. Of course
I'll come with you.
- I'm sorry, I get scared.
- Okay.
It's all right.
It's all right. No.
It's all right.
[SNIFFS]
When I was in
Catholic school,
around fifth grade,
the teachers,
they hit me.
And then,
some of the kids,
they said...
that my seizures were
the work of the devil.
Like...
I was bad.
You don't think my seizures
are the work of the devil?
No. Absolutely not.
You have seizures because you
have a damaged nervous system.
It's not because
of anything you've done.
Eleanor, you're
a very good person.
A very, very good person.
Thank you.
[]
[ELEANOR SNIFFLING]
[]
Divine master,
grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled
as to console.
To be understood,
as to understand.
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in the giving
that we receive.
And it is in the pardoning
that we are pardoned.
And it is in the dying
that we are born
to eternal life.
Amen.
You put the First Amendment
argument in for five pages.
Why didn't you tell me
you were doing that?
I didn't see the point
of talking about it anymore.
I'm sorry?
What did you say?
I didn't see the point
of talking about it anymore.
Uh-huh.
This is teamwork.
We're a team.
COLETTE: Would you tell
the court, Mr. Cohen,
how you respond to
the hospital's statement
that these drugs are among
the safest known to medicine?
Yes, Your Honor,
I'd be happy to.
The side effects of these drugs,
according to Gaughan and...
COLETTE:
LaRue.
- And who? LaRue?
- Mm.
The side effects of these drugs,
according to Gaughan
and LaRue are as varied
and serious as any...
pharmaceuticals
being manufactured
in the United States today.
What specifically are
the side effects, Mr. Cohen?
I have no idea, Your Honor.
- Neuroleptic malignant...
- Neuroleptic malignant...
- syndrome.
- Start with tardive dyskinesia.
Let me get neuroleptic
malignant syndrome first.
Neuroleptic malignant...
You've been around
this language. I haven't.
All right? So take it easy.
You told me to train you
like a boxer.
I did, but you don't have to
strangle me with the ropes.
You have to know
this stuff cold.
Oh, I have
to know this cold.
You know, you're not the only
one who cares about this.
I care about this.
Why is tardive dyskinesia
so significant?
Because it is.
Recent literature shows
that tardive dyskinesia
has a prevalence rate
of up to 50 percent
in patients who are using
these drugs. Next question.
[]
Are you made up for the circus
or Court of Appeal?
- Aren't you coming?
- Oh, no. I can't.
I'm... I'm too tired.
I didn't sleep well
last night.
If you knew
you weren't coming,
why didn't you call me
and let me know?
I wanted to wish you luck.
I'm sorry.
You... You said I didn't
have to be there,
so why are you so upset?
I guess I'm just
a little nervous.
I know you and Mr. Cohen
are gonna win this time.
I hope so.
Yeah, you are. 'Cause
you're gonna do your best.
JUDGE:
The hospital contends
that the side effects
of these drugs,
such as tardive dyskinesia
are not at issue in this case
because the treatment period
for short-term
involuntary patients is just...
...three to 17 days.
Would you address this?
I would be happy to address
that, Your Honor.
And they certainly
are an issue. Ahem.
As Dr. Harvey Dondershine
of Stanford Medical School
has said, it is the cumulative
effect of these drugs
to which patients
like Ms. Eleanor Riese
are repeatedly exposed during
numerous short-term admissions
that make each dose so dangerous
because no doctor can tell
when even the smallest dose
can send a patient
like Ms. Eleanor Riese
over the edge.
Recent literature has shown
that tardive dyskinesia
has a prevalence rate
of up to 50 percent.
Fifty percent, Your Honor,
in patients who use these drugs.
And it's a devastating disease.
It causes facial distortions.
It causes involuntary
movement of the tongue
and the lips and the jaw.
But it's worse
than that, Your Honor.
It affects your breathing.
You can't...
You can't breathe.
It puts you on a respirator.
It makes your tongue hang
so far out of your mouth
that sometimes
they pull your teeth,
so you won't
bite your tongue off.
And it's not only tardive
dyskinesia, Your Honor.
These drugs can cause
neuroleptic...
- [MOUTHING] Malignant syndrome.
- ...malignant syndrome.
It kills you.
Yes, the issue of consent
is important, Your Honor.
JUDGE: Are you asking
for informed consent
in the case of emergencies?
No. No. Obviously,
in the case of an emergency
immediate care is needed,
so patients
won't harm themselves or others.
No. We're not asking
for informed consent.
But for acute patients,
who are competent
yes, we are seeking the right
to have a dialogue with
their physicians
about medication,
about the right of choice.
This is not about refusal.
This... This is
about the right to refuse.
And in that right,
there's a negotiation.
There's a communication between
doctor and patient
that does not exist today.
We are asking that the physician
inform their patients
about the medication,
which in most cases
the patients are going
to accept. Why?
They wanna get better.
They wanna be helped.
So this will help doctors
better perform
their true role...
as healers.
Thank you, Your Honor.
JUDGE:
Thank you.
- How'd it go?
- Better than Superior Court.
- ELEANOR: Uh-huh.
- Much, much better.
I know there are 27 steps,
but you don't look so good.
You should sit down.
- No.
- I'll give you a 7UP.
- COLETTE: I'm okay, thank you.
- Hello, Robert.
- Hi.
- Were you there this morning?
Yeah, the argument
went very well.
I wish I had heard Mr. Cohen
arguing with the judge.
I bet he really yelled at him.
He doesn't really
argue with him.
That's just what they call it
when you speak in court,
"oral argument."
Oh, well, I bet
he was good anyway.
COLETTE: Now we only have
to wait for their decision.
Yeah, I've been thinking:
When we win, there's gonna
be a shopping trip
to the Emporium because I really
need to fix this place up.
What's that on your face?
Nothing. Is this for me?
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
Are you ready?
COLETTE:
I can't believe it.
The hospital's saying the
mental-health statutes are...
I don't want to hear
about mental-health statutes.
I want you to rest.
Court won't give us
a decision
until we turn in
this supplementary briefing.
- It's my job.
- I'm a doctor,
and I've told you
how serious this is.
Your doctor has
told you how serious it is.
You know you can die
from shingles.
Rarely. Rarely
do people die from...
Rarely do people have it
as badly as you do
and ignore
what everybody tells them!
I admire your commitment,
Colette,
but you're not
indestructible.
You have to tell Mort
how sick you are.
You can't keep pretending
you're not.
You need to rest.
Hi, Eleanor. I don't know
what to do for her.
She just won't listen.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Yeah, you look lousy.
I brought you
some chicken soup.
Thank you.
And I came here to bring you
a new rosary I just made
but you don't deserve it
because you're not resting.
I am resting.
I'm not at the office.
No, I heard
what Robert said.
He said you
shouldn't be working at all.
Okay, he's a doctor, but
doesn't mean he's not right.
I'm okay.
I know what it's like
to be sick, Colette.
I don't want you ever
to be sick.
- I just want you to get better.
- I'm gonna rest, I promise.
I'm gonna pray for you.
- Thank you, Eleanor.
- Yeah, you're welcome.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[]
[]
[PHONE RINGING]
[ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS]
ELEANOR [ON ANSWERING MACHINE]:
Hello. This is Eleanor Riese.
722-3529.
I just want to make sure
you don't forget
to have your chicken soup.
I'm doing my best,
and I hope you're doing your
best, which means resting.
You don't have to
call me back.
[ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS]
[]
[SIGHS]
Here it is.
We won?
We won.
Eleanor won.
[LAUGHS]
What?
They mentioned
the First Amendment argument.
It's in a footnote.
[CHUCKLES]
[EXHALES]
Well done,
well done, well done.
Well done. Come on.
Come on, come on, come on.
[COHEN CHUCKLES]
- WAITER: Do you want a drink?
- No.
But my lawyer is bound
to have at least one.
I'd like a merlot.
Thank you.
Where are we?
We're in a Chinese restaurant.
We won my case, remember?
That's what I thought.
Can I recommend
the house special, duck?
I don't know, can you?
It depends how you like
your duck cooked.
You're the restaurant.
Don't you know how to cook it?
The duck would be perfect.
Maybe some vegetables too.
How did I get here?
We came with my Catholic
lawyer, Colette.
Thank you.
I'm gonna need this.
- I'd like one too.
- Yes, of course.
Can I have a 7UP?
[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
ELEANOR:
So just 'cause she's old,
they want to send her
to another convent.
She doesn't wanna go there.
- Do you, Sister?
- What?
You don't wanna go
to the new convent.
I don't know.
Maybe it would be nice.
No, it wouldn't.
It'd be terrible.
That's why
I want you to sue 'em.
- Sue who?
- The convent.
I want you to sue
the convent.
I'm not about to sue
the Catholic Church.
Why not?
Because I'm not,
heh, heh, Eleanor.
No, I'm... I'm just not.
- I'll walk you upstairs.
- No, please, don't bother.
Sure you don't want me
to walk you up?
Sure I'm sure.
Big-shot lawyer,
who's too afraid
to sue
the Catholic Church.
I'm moving you down
my prayer list to number 23.
The last position.
You know, Eleanor,
you're not gravely disabled.
You're gravely
obnoxious.
[LAUGHING]
That was a good one.
I'm still not suing
the Church.
Oh, well.
You can walk me upstairs
anyway.
[]
[]
- What do you think?
- I like it.
Yeah?
[PHONE RINGING]
[PHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
- Colette Hughes.
- COHEN: Hi, it's Mort.
Hi.
I got bad news.
We just got notification.
St. Mary's petitioned
the State Supreme Court.
And the court has agreed
to review the decision.
- What?
- The hospital's gonna go after
every doctor in this country
to send in amicus briefs
to support their position.
So we have to round up
as many experts as we can
to file for us.
Oh, God. You know
how much doctors hate
testifying against other doctors
and pharmaceutical companies.
You've got to look at it
like fishing.
We just keep casting
our lines...
hoping we get a tug.
Oh, uh...
- Could you tell Eleanor, please?
- I can't. She's at mass.
But I'll see her tomorrow.
She invited me over
for Christmas.
Okay, good night.
[PHONE BEEPS]
Merry Christmas.
[WOMAN SOBS]
WOMAN:
No! No! No!
Help me!
Help!
Help me!
[]
[CAR BRAKES SQUEAL,
ENGINE STOPS]
[KNOCKING]
ELEANOR:
That's Colette...
- Thank you.
- ...and Robert.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
- Is that for me?
- Yes.
Let me guess. Let me
guess what it is. Uh...
- Beads for my rosaries.
- How'd you know?
- Merry Christmas, Colette.
- Merry Christmas, Sister.
- Where's Robert?
- He's with his brother's family.
ELEANOR:
Uh-huh.
What's the matter?
The case isn't over.
What?
But I thought
the judges said we won.
We did.
But the hospital asked
the state Supreme Court
to review the case
to see if they agree
with the decision.
And if they don't,
then they could say
that the hospital
was right after all.
["JINGLE BELLS" PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS]
Give me your coat.
Everyone...
this is Colette,
she's my Catholic lawyer. Uh...
Yeah, she's upset
because she says
the court
could change its mind.
- This is Noni.
- Hi there.
- Nice to meet you.
- This is Gabriella.
- Nice to meet you.
- Same here.
And you know Karen.
You got her out of restraints.
- I wanted to thank you.
- COLETTE: I'm glad I was there.
Yeah, you... Sit down.
I'll get you a 7UP.
Yeah. It's Hungry Man fried-
chicken dinners for everyone.
Yeah, it's Christmas. You can't
let this ruin Christmas.
No, we mustn't.
It's Christmas.
It's a time of hope.
That's when our baby Jesus
was born.
Hey, did you brush
your teeth?
Yeah. Why did I buy you
a toothbrush for?
Go back. Brush
your teeth. Go on.
- Eleanor likes to help people.
- Yes, she does.
ELEANOR:
Yeah, you won once.
You'll win again.
You gotta have faith.
COLETTE: I'm glad I reached you, doctor.
I hope you got my message
about supporting us
in the Eleanor Riese case.
DOCTOR: I did read it.
I'm not interested.
I see.
No, I see. Thank you.
Thank you for your time.
WOMAN:
Solvang Clinic.
Hi, I'd like
to speak with Dr. Brown.
- Who's calling?
- Colette Hughes.
I left a message yesterday.
Sorry, Dr. Brown
doesn't have the time.
- I understand.
- Goodbye.
Thank you.
WELLS:
Hello.
Dr. Wells,
hi. This is Colette Hughes.
I'm one of the attorneys
on the Eleanor Riese case.
I'm familiar with the case.
Oh, great, I'm calling you
because I wanted to ask you...
Are you aware St. Mary's asked
me to write a brief for them?
No, I... I didn't know that.
But please, Dr. Wells,
if you would just...
let me send you our papers.
Once you read them...
I'm not sure I have time.
Please, Dr. Wells.
COLETTE: Good morning, may I
speak to the doctor, please?
WOMAN [ON PHONE]:
Who's calling?
COLETTE:
Colette Hughes.
Dr. Wells is busy
at the moment.
COLETTE:
Tell him I called again.
I wanted to make sure he
got the package that I sent him.
- Please ask him to call me back.
- Will do.
- Thank you.
- Bye.
[PHONE RINGS]
- Dr. Wells?
- No.
But I have a tug
on another line.
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
You're experimenting
with the Riese decision
with your short-term patients?
We are. We've seen
a definite improvement
in the therapeutic
relationship
when doctors and patients
work out treatments together.
I have some figures
for you here.
After a patient
leaves the hospital,
they only keep taking
their medication
if they trust their doctors.
There's a garbage can
outside where I've seen
patients throw away medication
on the way out.
I don't want that to happen.
Would you... be willing
to write that for us?
Yes, I would.
[]
Hey, look what I found.
Right from the horse's mouth.
The American Psychiatric
Association.
You want to cite
an authority?
They recommend informed consent
for antipsychotic drugs.
And they talk about tardive
dyskinesia and cumulative doses.
- This is wonderful.
- Yeah.
More, more.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Hey. How about going out
for dinner tonight?
I'd love to, but the amicus
briefs are starting to come in.
It's Sunday night.
And tomorrow's Monday.
I have to get this done.
[]
You got a message
from a Dr. Wells.
WELLS: What made me decide
to write a brief for you,
was that one of the
psychiatric organizations
supporting the hospital
wrote the court
that you're trying
to tie doctors' hands
over abstract issues.
The side effects
of these medications
are anything but abstract.
Especially to people like
Eleanor Riese, who take them.
What are you prepared
to address in your brief?
The hospital keeps saying
the drugs need to be given
immediately.
They neglect to say
that immediate
administration of these drugs
can interfere with diagnosis,
because the side effects can be
mistaken for psychotic symptoms.
Now that we got Dr. Wells,
how does the case look?
It's better than yesterday.
But it's a conservative court,
and we actually don't know why
they decided
to hear this case.
And we're not gonna know till
they hand down the decision.
What's going on?
What are you thinking?
About my father.
He experienced
a lot of obstacles
for being
part American Indian.
When we were writing our briefs
for the appeals court
and talked about
the First Amendment argument,
and I didn't keep arguing
with you,
that was the American
Indian part of me.
In that culture,
the way my father raised me,
you don't argue
about things.
You just present
what you feel is right,
and everyone's opinion
is weighed equally.
And if it has any merit,
it's assumed you'll do it.
- I didn't mean to offend you.
- You didn't offend me.
I'm glad he raised you
to be stubborn.
It's good for the case.
Where have you been?
I've been calling you.
You knew I was
going out of town.
We were meeting with a doctor
to support your case.
What happened?
- My mother died.
- Oh...
I'm so sorry.
[ELEANOR SOBBING]
- She died.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
The man at the funeral home,
he was... He was so mean.
He looked at me funny,
and he yelled at me.
And he said I couldn't ride
in the limousine.
He treated me
like I was nothing.
Like I was a nobody.
And then... And then...
And then Father Murray, he came.
He came and he told them.
He made them let me ride
in the limousine.
- I'm so sorry.
- Yeah.
I wasn't here for you.
She's gone.
I'm sorry.
Eleanor, I'm so sorry.
COLETTE: It's terrible
how they treat her.
ROBERT: You got her a new urologist.
You got her a new psychiatrist.
You've done as much
as you can right now.
You are sending
in the Wells brief.
You don't have
anything else to do,
so I'm taking you
to Mexico.
I got us a suite in a nice
little hotel on the ocean.
We'll just be away
seven days.
You can take
a week vacation, Colette.
I bought the tickets.
When I wanna take a vacation,
I'll take a vacation.
And when I do,
I'll pay for it myself.
I can... I can
take care of myself.
How am I supposed
to deal with you?
What is that
supposed to mean?
You're not your regular
run-of-the-mill workaholic.
You're a workaholic
for an important cause.
How can I be mad at you
for working so hard
for something
so noble?
It's like criticizing
a saint.
I never said
I was a saint.
I said I didn't want to take
a vacation with you.
Since the night we've met,
I've played by your rules.
Now I'm asking you
to do something my way.
This isn't about Eleanor
or the case. It's about...
you and me.
You're going to have to decide
if I have a place in your life.
Yeah. Thank you
for letting me come over.
I didn't want to be on my own
today. I don't know why.
- You got any 7UP?
- Let me see.
You finally unpacked.
Congratulations.
- [ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS]
- ROBERT: Hi, Colette.
If you change your mind
doing Mexico, please call...
[ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS]
That was Robert, wasn't it?
Yes, he...
He wants you to go
to Mexico with him?
- Yes, but...
- I can't believe...
Why aren't you going
with him?
All we're doing is waiting now.
You can go tomorrow.
I don't wanna talk
about this, Eleanor.
Why...? Why not?
Because you're
so perfect?
- No.
- No, no, I get it.
I'm the one who's supposed
to have the problems
'cause I'm the mental patient.
What about you?
Are you so perfect because
you're a nurse and a lawyer?
- Of course I'm not perfect.
- You say that.
- You don't mean it.
- Of course I do.
I'm always telling you
what I'm scared of.
You never say
you're scared of anything.
I'm scared of lots of things.
Really? Like what?
What are you scared of?
I'm scared of...
I don't wanna talk about it.
Why not?
'Cause I'm not smart enough?
No.
Because...
I'm scared of...
...letting people down.
I'm scared of making a mistake
by not seeing something
in my research.
I'm scared of not doing enough.
That no matter how hard I work,
I could never do enough.
Colette, you couldn't work
harder if you were a machine.
I've just worked so hard
for so long,
putting myself
through nursing school,
putting myself through
law school.
Working 16-, 18-,
20-hour days.
I...
I just don't know
how to be a person.
I don't know
if I ever knew how.
Don't you think
Robert knows how you are?
Don't you think
he likes you anyway?
What good does it do
if you win my case,
you make other people's
lives better,
but you don't live
your own life?
You've done
your best.
You deserve to go.
Tell me
I'm not right.
Just tell me I'm not right.
You are right.
One thing.
When you two get married, you're
inviting me to the wedding.
I promise you.
If Robert and I
ever get married,
you'll be the second to know,
right after me.
Good. You got any ice?
It's not cold enough.
- Colette.
- Yes?
- They took Eleanor.
- What happened?
MAN:
They landed right out there,
these red lights
and yellow lights,
and their funny clothes,
these electronic voices and...
- Oh, boy, they took her.
- COLETTE: Who took Eleanor?
- They did.
- Who's "they"?
They took her in an ambulance.
St. Abbon's Hospital.
- Right.
- COLETTE: St. Abbon's, thank you.
[]
- Ms. Hughes.
- Dr. Donnelly.
- Where's Eleanor?
- You can't see her.
- She's sleeping.
- What's wrong?
Psychologically,
Eleanor is Eleanor,
but medically she's very weak.
It's her old problem.
Her bladder
and her kidneys.
When she got
to the emergency room,
they saw she'd been a mental
patient and sent her here.
She should be
in the medical wing,
but they don't like
mental patients.
- We're doing the best we can.
- Can I see her?
She'll be okay tonight.
Come back in the morning.
[AMBULANCE SIREN WAILING]
Hm.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Hm.
I hope you like the flowers.
Yeah.
You have to get better soon.
I found out that
you're getting an award
from the mental-health
advocates.
They're gonna have a dinner,
they're giving you a plaque.
Yeah, Colette,
I'm really scared.
- I know.
- I need you to get me out
- of here before I die.
- You're not going to die.
You just need to get
your blood stronger.
No, I'm gonna die.
I'm gonna die, and you have
to arrange for my funeral.
I'm not arranging
for your funeral.
You're gonna get better.
I want a Catholic funeral.
And I want a lot of flowers.
- I don't wanna hear this.
- A lot of flowers.
Dr. Donnelly said that you need
to get your blood stronger.
I wanna be laid out
in an open coffin
with a statue of the Blessed
Mother looking over me.
And I want my blue crystal
rosary in my hand.
And make sure
they do my makeup right.
I don't want it heavy,
like yours.
[]
I'm out of practice praying.
But I know you're not
out of practice listening.
Please...
watch over Eleanor.
Please, heal her.
Please...
ease her pain.
[]
ELEANOR:
The attendants lost my keys.
COLETTE:
I know.
They're not supposed
to lose your keys.
When you leave, they're supposed
to return your property.
It says so in the form when you
sign it. I wanna sue them.
I thought
we had this resolved.
We're gonna borrow
your landlord's keys.
Yeah, but what they did
was wrong.
I know.
I want you to
at least threaten them.
No, I'm not
gonna do anything.
What? You don't care.
You're right.
I don't care.
Okay, that's it.
You're fired.
I'm Eleanor Riese.
There are hundreds of lawyers
who'd wanna work for me.
You can fire me
if you want, Eleanor,
but I'm here
as your friend.
Yes. I am. Come on.
Colette, stop. Stop.
- Where? What?
- Let's go.
- Let's go to the wedding.
- You wanna go to a wedding?
Yeah. Come on.
I don't know them,
but nobody minds
if you just go in and watch.
[ORGAN PLAYING SOFT TUNE]
Yeah. Let's sit over there.
Over here. Just here.
Yeah. I always choose
the side
that doesn't have
as many guests.
Yeah. That way, the bride
or groom will feel better.
Isn't it
beautiful?
It is
beautiful.
[ORGAN CONTINUES PLAYING
SOFT MUSIC]
[PHONE RINGING]
This is Colette Hughes.
Yes, Ms. Hughes.
I think you wanna check
if your mail's
arrived yet.
- Was there any mail for me?
- Um...
Uh, there's one from the
Supreme Court of California.
Where are we going?
- No. Come on, you gotta tell me.
- You'll see.
No, come on. It's unfair.
You gotta tell me.
What?
Tell me. Tell me.
Tell me.
Why are we here?
The Supreme Court,
they decided not to review
the case after all.
We won. You won.
- I won?
- Mm-hm.
We won.
[COLETTE LAUGHS]
We won!
- We won! We won. We won.
- Let's shop.
- We won. We won!
- Come on.
We won! Yeah!
Yeah! Let's... Let's shop!
- Sofas! Yes, sofas!
- Yes. Yes, sofas.
How do you think it looks?
Perfect.
Yeah, I wish
my mother could see it.
And love me all the time
Do you hear
something different?
And swear by the stars above
You'll be mine forever
Just the McGuire Sisters.
Yeah, but on my new hi-fi
from Mr. Cohen. It's a present.
Be my little sugar
- Hey. Did you bring the camera?
- Yep.
How about you
take a photo of me
- on my new couch...
- Good idea.
...listening to my new hi-fi.
[ELEANOR CHUCKLES]
Be my little sugar
And love me all the time
- Is that okay?
- Perfect.
- Okay.
- Hang on.
So be my little honey
And love me all the time
Father Galluzzo
was the first person
who bought me Dreyer's
vanilla ice cream.
Yeah.
Yeah, I was 10.
And I was in
a Catholic hospital,
and he bought it
for me.
Mm.
He had this beautiful, thick,
white hair. It was white.
Like the ice cream.
When I have it,
it reminds me of him.
And it makes me feel good...
because he was
so very kind to me.
And I always buy it
in a half-gallon container...
just like
the one he bought for me.
That was when they put
the shunt in my head...
to drain the water off my brain
after I had spinal meningitis.
Yeah. Before that,
I wasn't retarded,
and nobody called me
mentally ill.
I was just like everybody else.
I know.
Do you remember
when you were 10?
[COLETTE CHUCKLES]
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
Yeah.
When I was 10, my little
sister was really sick...
...and she died.
And I...
I loved her very much.
We didn't have enough money
to afford a stone for her grave.
And the only one who could
console me was my grandmother.
And she was
a wonderful woman.
She was friends with
everybody.
All different kinds of people
from all different races.
And...
she was very artistic.
She wore lots of bracelets
and a big necklace, earrings.
Lots of color.
And I loved being with her.
But sometimes...
...she'd get depressed,
so my parents would have
to put her in a hospital.
But I never...
I never loved her any less.
And I really miss her.
You have a lot of love
in you, Colette.
Thank you.
So do you, Eleanor.
[SIGHS]
[]
[CHUCKLES]
- Mr. Young.
- There's a phone call for you.
- Please take a message.
- They say it's urgent.
I'm sorry, will you wait
just a moment? Thank you.
She'll be right with you.
[PHONE RINGS]
This is Colette Hughes.
Yes.
[]
[EXHALES]
Oh, no.
Thank you.
[]
[]
This is yours.
The decision
from the Court of Appeal.
You were a brave woman,
Eleanor.
[SNIFFLES]
I better wipe off
some of that makeup.
I wouldn't want you to have
to come back and tell me off.
[]
COHEN: We are here tonight
to honor and to celebrate...
Eleanor Riese.
Accepting this award
in Eleanor's honor...
is my colleague
Colette Hughes.
[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]
Um...
[SIGHS]
I... I first met
Eleanor Riese...
Excuse me.
I first met Eleanor Riese
as her lawyer,
but soon because...
Eleanor was Eleanor,
she became my friend.
And soon, heh,
because Eleanor was Eleanor,
she became my protector,
my guardian,
my worst critic,
and my greatest support.
She constantly reminded me
through her presence
in my life,
that we weren't
just working on a case.
That this wasn't just about law.
It was about people.
The human right
to be respected,
and the human duty to treat
each other with respect.
Even though Eleanor wanted
passionately to win,
she had a profound knowledge
that I didn't have...
which was...
we could only do our best,
as she could only do her best.
Eleanor was in pain
every single day of her life.
It astounds me
that she could ever think
about anybody else,
but she did.
All the time.
That was Eleanor.
She walked up...
the 27 steps to her apartment
every day without complaining,
and every day she found
something in her life...
to enjoy,
something to be grateful for.
But, as Mort said, she won
the fight she wanted to win.
The Riese decision will affect
the lives of hundreds
of thousands of people
for the better.
People who might
one day find themselves
in the hospital like she was.
People who will need
their voices to be heard.
Sometimes when I find
myself...
overwhelmed by how much
there still is to do,
I'll see those big eyes of hers
and that mischievous grin,
and I'll think she's
still looking down at me.
I better sit down
and have a 7UP.
And I'll hear her say:
"Tell me I'm not right.
Just tell me I'm not right."
[]
[]
He can turn the tides
And calm the angry sea
He alone decides
Who writes a symphony
He lights ev'ry star
That makes
The darkness bright
He keeps watch
All through
Each long
And lonely night
He still finds the time
To hear
A child's first prayer
Saint or sinner call
And always
Find him there
Though it makes him sad
To see the way we live
He'll always say
I forgive
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
He can touch a tree
And turn the leaves
To gold
He knows every lie
That you and I have told
Though it makes him sad
To see the way we live
He'll always say
I forgive
He forgives
[]
[]