Hey, lookie, lookie, lookie.!
This way for the monster.!
Right through here.!
Step right this way, folks.!
The show is about to begin.!
Right this way.!
Here we are.!
Folks, I must ask you to remember
that this exhibit is being presented...
solely in the interest
of education and science.
Now, this creature...
There he is! The geek!
He has puzzled the foremost scientists
of Europe and America.
Is he the missing link?
Is he man or beast?
Some have pronounced him man.
But beneath that shaggy mane of hair,
lies the brain of a beast.
Look.!
If he should sink his teeth into my arm, nothing
on this round, green earth could save me.
Now, folks, it's feeding time.
Horrible.!
He's on fire!
Now, folks, you haven't seen anything yet.
Step in closer, please.
The greatest demonstration of fire manipulation
the world has ever seen!
Hey. Come here.
Kind of a surprise to see you hanging
around that act, young man.
Why?
Hasn't got a skirt in it.
- Geek guy fascinates me.
- You aren't the only one.
That's why we got him in the show.
How do you get to be a geek?
Is that the only one?
- I mean, is a guy born that way?
- Let me tell you something, kid.
When you've been around this carny longer,
you'll learn to quit asking questions.
- Come on, Pete.
- He gonna be able to work?
Pete's okay. I've got him sobered up.
- What's the matter, Stan?
- Nothing.
What's the boss
been razzing you about?
I was just asking him about that guy
that does the geek business.
- That's always a sore point in a carnival.
- Why?
The geek is one of our biggest draws...
but a lot of performers
won't work a show that carries one.
I can't understand how anybody
could get so low.
It can happen.
- I wanna thank you, Zeena.
- Me?
- Uh-huh.
- What for?
For being so nice to me,
helping me with my spiel and everything.
- Well, I think you've got something, Stan.
- Honest?
- You like this racket, don't you?
- Oh, lady, I was made for it.
I had all kinds of jobs
before this one came along...
but none of'em
were anything but jobs.
But this gets me.
I like it. All of it.
The crowds, the noise,
the idea of keeping on the move.
You see those yokels out there,
it gives you sort of a superior feeling...
as if you were in the know
and they were on the outside looking in.
Kinda hard to explain,
but I like it.
I like you too, Zeena.
Hey, look! Hey, look! Hey, look!
Step right this way!
Move in closer, ladies and gentlemen,
and let me introduce Zeena...
the miracle woman of the ages.
She sees, she knows, she tells you
all the innermost secrets of your past...
your present and your future.
- Mademoiselle Zeena!
- Step right up, folks, and don't be bashful.
If any of you wants
to ask me a personal question...
Mr. Stanton will now pass among you
with little cards and envelopes.
- Lend me your hand there.
- Write your question on the card!
- I need a pencil.
- Pass those out. There we are, ladies.
Don't crowd.
There's plenty here for everyone.
Careful not to let anyone else see what you write,
because that's your business.
I don't want anybody asking me
about anyone else's business.
One for you, young lady.
When you have written your questions,
sign your initials or write your name...
as a token of good faith.
Write what's in your heart,
and when you write about it, think about it.
Madam? Yes, madam. Your questions
will be held in strictest confidence.
No one will know but yourself
and Mademoiselle Zeena.
Ah, I see that Mr. Stanton has
a good handful of questions.
So if he'll bring 'em right up on the stage,
we'll have some readings.
Thank you, sir.
Wait a minute. Here's mine.
- Mister, here's my question!
- I'd like to ask you about my mother.
Will that lady raise her hand, please?
Come on, Pete. Here.
Madam, your mother's had a lot
of hard work in her life.
Come on.
Take these. Here.
- Another drink, huh?
- Hurry up. Show's on.
There's something in there
I don't see quite clearly yet.
If you'll see me after this demonstration,
maybe I can tell you more.
I'll ask Mr. Stanton to drop the questions
into the bowl.
There they go.
I don't touch them.
Now, people have asked me
if I have spirit aid in doing what I do.
I always tell them the only spirits I control
are the ones in this bottle.
Spirits of alcohol!
I'll pour a little on the questions...
and ask Mr. Stanton to light a match
and drop it in the bowl.
Thank you, Mr. Stanton. Now you see them
burning, and that's the last of them.
Anybody who's afraid
that somebody else is going to read it...
or that I would
handle this question...
can just forget
that I ever touched them.
Your question is now recorded nowhere
except in the ether.
Your answer is there too,
and I will find it for you.
I get an impression.
It's a little cloudy, still,
but it's getting clearer.
I get the initials "J.E.G."
I believe it's a gentleman.
Is that right?
Will the person who has
those initials raise his hand!
Right here, missy!
Thank you, Mr., uh... Giles.
The name is Giles, isn't it?
Yes, ma'am, that's his name.
That's his name. Giles.
Giles, yes.
Molly.!
Wait. I see green trees and a rolling field.
It's plowed land, fenced in.
- That's your place.!
- Yes, ma'am, that's my place.
Oh, is that for me?
- It's a wagon.
- Goodness.! That's what you asked about.!
- Zeena's going good.
- That's what I wrote.!
- She sure knows how to put on an act.
- Sure does.
- Too bad she's tied up with that rum-dum.
- Why?
She could grab herself a smart guy
and make the big time in no time.
But she's already been in the big time.
She and Pete used to be
one of the biggest headliners in vaudeville.
Not with that act.
Pete stayed in the audience.
He never came near the stage.
How could he tip her off to anything?
They used a code, silly.
A code?
What kind of a code?
A word code
between the two of them.
Zeena says that blindfold code
is worth its weight in gold.
I'll bet.
- People still offer them big money for it.
- Why don't they sell it?
Zeena says it's their nest egg.
- Molly.
- Here comes your boyfriend.
Hi, Bruno.
- What's going on here?
- What does it look like?
- He get fresh, Molly?
- Sure I did.
What do you think I'm made of? She's the
prettiest girl in the whole outfit, isn't she?
Sure she is, but...
Just because you're a big mush
is no sign everybody else is.
Come on, you lovely little freak.
- Thanks for the pop, Stan.
- Next time I'll bring you a Kewpie doll.
How do you like that?
He had the nerve to admit it right to my face.
Look, Bruno. I'm no baby.
I can take care of myself.
When I'm talking to somebody,
I wish you wouldn't come butting in like that.
What are you thinking about, Stan?
Molly was telling me about that code
you and Pete used to use in vaudeville.
What about it?
Well, I was thinking
that if Pete got sick or something...
why, I could work from the audience
just like he used to.
No stage trap,
no gypsy switch.
- How do you mean?
- You know, if you taught me the code.
Over my dead body she will.
You got a nerve,
young fella.
- Do you know what a code like that is worth?
- Okay, okay, forget it.
- I was just trying to help you folks.
- I heard you the first time.
We gotta... We gotta watch ourselves
on account of...
- Sure.
- Hurt him enough already.
I thought it was the other way around.
No, Pete was all right
till they picked me up.
- What happened?
- Exactly what's happening now.
I'm about as reliable
as a two-dollar cornet.
You're crazy.
You've got a heart as big...
Sure. As big as an artichoke.
A leaf for everyone.
That's what Pete said
when he began hittin' the bottle.
Then one day he didn't show up.
I dug up another partner,
a magician by the name of Benston.
I was no good without Pete.
In a couple of seasons
I was glad to get a job with an outfit like this.
Pete showed up about a year ago.
Here we are.
I did everything I could to make it up to him,
but you see how it is.
The more I try,
the worse he gets.
And I'm not gonna give up on him.
It's the least I can do.
Zeena, you're a real woman.
Look at him.
He's like a dog waiting for somebody
to throw him a bone.
Come on.
Help me get some breakfast into him.
- Hi, Pete!
- Hello, baby. How'd you make out?
We don't have to sleep
in the truck tonight.
I got me the bridal suite at the hotel.
Two rooms and bath.
- Where's Molly?
- I left her at the hotel.
Come on, you two. Looks like you could use
a good, hot bath yourselves.
I'll be all right.
You and Pete go ahead.
Don't be silly.
Huh, Pete?
It's all right.
I've gotta see a fella anyhow.
What's your rush?
You're dead on your feet.
Well, this fella's got something
that'll take care of that.
Here's enough for a shot.
But remember, only one.
Swell. See ya later.
Stan.
Wait a minute, Pete.
Get some coffee in you first.
Promise Zeena
you'll get something to eat.
I shall probably have a small orange juice,
two three-minute eggs...
some melba toast and coffee.
Got to see my money's safe.
Pete just gave you a gander at himself,
before and after.
- I've seen worse.
- You think it's too late to put him in a cure?
I don't know much about those things,
but I understand it takes dough.
- I can get it.
- How?
Sell that code.
- The code?
- Uh-huh.
- I got a better idea.
- What's that?
Let's build up a new act with it.
What good'll that do?
I'm gettin' top carny dough right now.
I wasn't talking about doing it
in this mouse menagerie.
You and I?
Where else would we do it?
If Pete could make a headliner out of you,
I don't see why you couldn't do the same with me.
Oh, Stan.
You think I can make the big time again?
You'd know more about that
than I would.
- How about it, baby?
- Don't rush me. Let me think about it.
Hey, where you goin'?
Come on, Stan!
Give Bruno a hand!
What are you doing?
Cut them three times.
- What kind of deck is this?
- This is a tarot.
Oldest kind of cards in the world.
Pete says the Gypsies
brought them out of Egypt.
They're a wonder
for giving private readings.
Say, they look plenty weird.
Whenever I have something to decide
or don't know which way to turn...
Look, Stan.
That's the wheel of fortune.
- Yeah.
- That means we're gonna knock 'em dead.
- Pete and I never had it this good.
- What did I tell you?
- What's the matter?
- Well, I don't know.
Everything looks wonderful for us...
money, happiness and great success.
But there's no sign
of Pete in it.
How could he be
if he's away taking the cure?
But there's no sign of
him anywhere, dead or alive.
Hang on.
Yeah, maybe this is Pete.
Did you knock this off the table?
- No. You must have dropped it yourself.
- I don't see how I could.
- Was it face up or down?
- Face down.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah. Why?
- Couldn't be like that.
It's too awful, it's too crazy.
- What's got into you?
- Get your bath and get out ofhere.
- What's the matter?
- It's all off, Stan.
- The act?
- Everything.
- But what have I done?
- Nothing. But I can't go against the cards.
- You don't believe in that junk?
- I didn't used to.
But time after time it told me I was gonna
ruin Pete's life, and I went right ahead.
- Here's Pete's card.
- What are you worrying about?
- Is this the one that was on the floor?
- No, this one.
You see what it means?
Are you satisfied?
Zeena, it just doesn't make sense.
Maybe not.
Maybe it's silly, maybe it isn't.
Listen, honey.
We've all gotta die sometime.
But when a card falls on the floor...
whatever happens, good or bad,
is gonna happen fast.
And when a card falls face down,
it's bad.
- That's for the chumps.
- Been true of Pete and me so far, hasn't it?
Honest, Zeena, to see a smart girl like you
fall for one of your own boob-catchers...
I give up.
Yes, sir, I give up.
- I don't believe it.
- Huh?
You never give up.
Me?
Why do you say that?
Well, I don't know.
I just have the feeling.
That's why I'm gonna keep away from you.
- You know...
- What?
- I wonder why I'm like that.
- Like what?
I'm never thinking about anybody
except myself.
Did your folks drop you on your head
or something?
Yeah, they dropped me, all right.
Listen, honey. I don't want to make you unhappy.
You know that.
If you want to forget about the whole thing,
it's all right with me.
- You won't get sore, Stan?
- What do you think I am?
Let me alone for a minute.
I've got to think.
You're terrible.
- Is that Pete?
- No, it's somebody else. Get in there, quick.
- Hello, Bruno. Come on in.
- Hello, Zeena. How's everything?
- Where's Molly?
- She's in there pounding her pretty little ear.
- In here?
- Yeah.
Hey.
Whose cap is that?
- That's Stan's. He's in there taking a bath.
- Taking a what?
Bet you could use one, huh?
Sure, but I wouldn't want
to put you through all that...
What do you think I got the place for?
Bunking in that truck gets you down. Stan!
- Yeah?
- Hurry up. We got another customer.
- Hey. Charlie?
- What?
Got a quart you can spare?
- Stan, when did you start nibblin'?
- I get around.
- That'll be four bucks.
- It'll have to wait until payday.
Moonshine.
- Don't forget. It's four bucks.
- It's a debt of honor.
Charlie.
Pete. How you doin'?
Bad. Won't you trust me?
Just a half pint.
I'm sorry, Pete. You know I promised Zeena.
Now go away.
- Yeah, but I... Charlie!
- Please go away.
Well, you're a fine one.
Running off in the middle of the show.
Zeena was sore.
I couldn't help it.
She's got me on a diet.
One shot a day.
- You seem to be doing all right.
- No.
Just a sip here and there.
Zeena's tipped everybody off.
I seem to have the dropsies tonight.
Yeah, I heard you the first time.
Look. I'd like to help you,
but I don't wanna get in Dutch with Zeena.
You won't.
You know me, Stan.
I- I wouldn't tell anybody.
Never.
I'll get him.
I'll take care ofhim.!
It's the geek.
He's got the heebie-jeebies again.
Yeah.
Hoatley didn't give him his bottle today.
- Why?
- Says he's been laying down on the job.
Ah, that's silly.
Guy's been ready for the straitjacket for a week.
It's not right to cut a man off so quick,
right in midair.
Come on. Steady.
Boy, have I got 'em.
Here.
You need that
worse than I do.
How is it?
Awful.
But I wish I had a barrel of it.
You're a good kid, Stan.
You're going to go places.
Nothing can keep you out of the big time.
You've got everything.
Just like I used to have.
Me and Zeena.
You should have seen us pack 'em in.
They'd wait through six acts
just to see us.
Top billing everywhere we went.
I was born
brought up in Boston
A city we all know well
Brought up by heartless parents
The truth to you I'll tell
Brought up by heartless parents
Poor guy.
"Poor guy". If it weren't for Zeena,
they'd be saying that about me.
Poor Pete.
Pete the geek.
Ah, you're crazy.
No. I remember that fella
when he first showed up here.
Hoatley knew him in the old days.
So did I.
Course, we pretended we didn't.
- Who was he?
- Hmm? He used to be plenty big-time.
- Mental act?
- What difference does it make?
It's all smoked meat now.
Just a bottle-a-day rum-dum,
and he thinks this job is heaven...
long as he has his bottle a day
and a dry place to sleep it off in.
There's only one thing
this stuff'll make you forget.
- What's that?
- How to forget.
- Have a drink.
- No, thanks.
I, uh...
wonder where Zeena is.
Waiting for me at the hotel,
I suppose.
She's always waiting for me.
Boy, you should have
seen us work once.
I heard you were pretty good
by yourself.
Chord from the orchestra,
amber spot, and I'm on.
Make my spiel. Good for one laugh.
Plenty of mystery.
Just a minute there.
Go right into my reading.
Here's my crystal.
Throughout the ages man has sought
to look behind the veil...
that hides him from tomorrow...
and through the ages certain men
have looked into the polished crystal...
and seen.
Is it some quality
of the crystal itself...
or does the gazer merely use it
to turn his gaze inward?
Who knows?
But visions come.
Slowly shifting their form,
visions come.
Wait!
The shifting shapes begin to clear.
I see fields of grass
and rolling hills...
and a boy.
A boy is running barefoot
through the hills.
A dog is with him.
A dog is with him.
Yes.
His name was Gyp.
Go on.
See how easy it is to hook 'em?
Stock reading. Fits everybody.
What's youth?
Happy one minute, heartbroken the next.
Every boy has a dog.
Now, now, now.
Steady.
I'm just an old drunk.
Just an old lush.
Zeena will be mad.
Good old Zeena.
- Well, gotta go now. Zeena will be waiting.
- Okay, give me the bottle.
- Why?
- She'll only take it away from you.
Oh, I'll finish it first.
- Zeena will be worried.
- Oh, Zeena's always worried about little Pete.
Hangs over me
like I was an ice-cream soda.
Ah, let her worry.
- What are you gonna do now?
- Take a little snooze.
Drink a little drink.
Dream and drink.
Drink and dream.
- Charlie.
- Hi, Molly.
- Where's Stan?
- Stan? He's out there.
Stan! Stan.
Where's Zeena?
I think she's over picking up her dough.
What's up?
It's Pete.
We can't wake him.
- What's wrong with him?
- I don't know. Everybody's scared stiff.
Well, come on!
- Take it easy.
- Let him alone. I'll take care of him.
Come on, Pete.
Pete!
Come on, Pete.
Pete, answer me.!
Pete, do you hear me?
Pete.
Come on, Pete.
Do you hear me? Pete.!
- Call a doctor!
- I'm afraid it's too late, kid. Smell that.
Pete didn't drink this.
This is the wood alcohol I use
for burning my envelopes.
Where do you keep it?
In my prop trunk.
Oh, Pete. Pete, what happened?
Pete! Oh, Pete!
- It's all right.
- Oh, Pete!
Pete!
He's gone.
He was a good guy
and a swell trouper.
Only last night I made up my mind
to put him in a cure.
Only last night!
- What have I here?
- A gold earring.
- Can you tell me what this is?
- It's a key case.
- What color?
- It is red.
Ah, here we are.!
Now, Madame Zeena,
will you name this?
- It's a scarf.
- Right again!
Here.! Quick now. What is this?
- Can't take your eyes off him?
- I want to be sure he's getting it right.
- Getting what right?
- The code.
How do you suppose Zeena's working
without anybody in the cubbyhole?
Please concentrate
and see if you know what this is.
A gold watch.
How does she do it?
She and Stan are using a two-person code.
- What's that?
- Each word stands for a number.
Each number stands for some object.
But there's more to it than that.
It's the way you accent the syllables
and the vowels. Listen.
Quick now.
Will you name this?
He's telling Zeena it's a lady's hat.
A lady's hat. A beautiful hat.
How did you know that?
Zeena and I have been helping Stan
memorize the code.
Zeena says he's already got it
as good as she has.
- Here. Quick now. What is this?
- A silver dollar.
As soon as Stan has more practice,
they're going to quit the carnival.
He and Zeena?
Zeena's already written to
three or four booking agents.
This yours, miss?
Am-scray.
The ulls-bay.
Police.
That concludes our performance
for the time being.
You all must be pretty dry
and could use a cold drink.
I want to call your attention
to that stand across the midway...
where you can get all the ice-cold soda pop
you can drink.
- Stay right where you are. You too.
- That's all for now.
Come back tomorrow and you'll see
a lot of things you didn't see tonight.
Hello, chief. My name is Hoatley.
I own this attraction.
- You're the man I'm looking for.
- You're welcome to inspect the place.
We've no girl shows,
no games of skill or chance.
That's right, chief.
- Quiet, both of you.
- You're the boss.
- What do you got in that geek place?
- Crocodile tamer. Wanna see?
That ain't what I heard.
You got an illegal performance going on
with cruelty to human beings and live chickens.
That's an exaggeration, chief.
Stay as my guest and view the entire...
Shut up, you. I've got orders from the mayor
to close you down and arrest who I see fit.
Send somebody for that geek.
I'm taking him and you and that girl there.
What for?
Indecent exposure.
That's what I'm arresting her for.
She didn't do anything wrong.
We've decent women in this town,
daughters and growing girls.
- Come on!
- Just a moment, Sheriff.
- Molly. The chair.
- Get out of that contraption.
Now you can see the reason for the costume
this young lady is forced to wear.
The electricity would ignite
any ordinary fabric.
Only by wearing the thinnest covering
can she avoid bursting into flames.
That's right, chief. Thousands of volts
of current cover her body like a sheet.
You can't pull the wool over my eyes
with a lot of sparks.
I've done business with you carnival
crooks before. Get that geek in here.
You can talk to the judge.
- Go get that geek. Put a shirt on him first.
- Wait a minute.
Let me take a crack at that hick.
- You daffy? You want him to pinch the whole show?
- Slip me a couple of bills.
- You can't bribe these guys.
- Come on, come on. Give me the dough.
- It won't work.
- I'm not gonna bribe him.
That's what they say.
No, no, no.
We're not bothering any of the town folk.
- Excuse me, Marshal.
- I don't want any more of your soft soap.
Pardon me, sir, but there seems to be
several bills coming out of your pocket.
Another minute
and you'd have lost your money.
And I see you've bought your wife
a present of a lovely silk handkerchief.
That's very nice.
I'm sure she's gonna like that very much.
- And a pure white one. For your daughter?
- How'd you know I got a daughter?
I know many things, Marshal.
I don't know how I know them, but there's
nothing supernatural about it, I'm sure.
You see, my family was Scotch...
and the Scotch are often gifted with powers
that the old folks used to call "second sight".
You don't say.
For instance, I can see
that you have carried a pocket piece...
or a curio of some kind
for nearly 20 years.
Several times
you lost that luck piece...
but you found it again every time.
It means a great deal to you,
and you don't know exactly why.
- I would say that you should always carry that.
- I always do.
Now, Marshal,
this is none of my business.
I see that you're a man who is fully capable
of handling his own affairs...
and almost anything else
that's liable to come along.
But my Scotch blood
is working right this minute...
and it tells me that there is one thing
in your life that's worrying you...
something that you find
very difficult to handle...
because all your strength
and your courage...
and your authority in the town
seems to be of no avail.
It seems to slip through your grasp
like water.
Wait a minute, young fella.
Who you been talkin' to?
As I say,
it's none of my business.
You are a man in the prime of life,
old enough to be my father.
By rights, you should be the one giving me
good advice, not the other way around.
Where's everybody?
Joe, come on.
Tim, put those lights out.
Get that crowd out of here. Beat it.
- Think he can pull it off?
- Look at him. I told you that kid had it.
I sense that there are antagonistic influences
surrounding you.
Come here.
Someone near to you
is jealous of you...
and your ability.
Son, that's the gospel truth.
And while part of it extends
to your work as a peace officer...
there is another part
that has to do with your spiritual life...
and the influence
of a good woman.
Yes. Yes, there is someone
you love very dearly.
But there is an obstacle
in the way of that love.
I can't see what it is.
It's rather dim right now.
You feel hemmed in
and trapped by it.
But through it all
I hear a woman's voice.
A sweet voice
singing a beautiful old hymn.
"O Pilot Me".
Or is it
"Over the River"?
She can sing both of them.
I see a Sunday morning
in a beautiful, peaceful little church.
You have labored hard
in this lovely vineyard, Marshal...
and your labor is rewarded
by a fine woman's love.
But I hear malicious tongues out there.
I see jealous faces waiting to surround you
again and to do you an injury...
and to harm that splendid woman too,
if they can.
You must be strong, Marshal.
You have the strength within you,
an everlasting supply.
But not to crush...
to uplift.
Repay evil with good.
Love your neighbor.
Do not hate your enemies.
Forgive them.
They just don't know what they're doing.
Don't forget...
to err is human...
to forgive... divine.
Good-bye now.
Where is everybody?
- Molly?
- I'll be out in a minute, Stan.
- It's okay, honey. I stalled him off.
- I heard you. You were great.
Ah, it was a lead pipe.
I could do it with anybody.
Oh, sure you could.
- You're wonderful, Stan. Just wonderful.
- Honest?
- What are you shaking for?
- I don't know. I'm not scared anymore.
- I don't know what it is, but I'll be all right.
- Sure.
Nothing's gonna hurt you
as long as Stan's around.
I know it.
You're terrifi...
Oh, Stan, we shouldn't do this.
Why not?
No.
- You're worrying about Zeena.
- Somebody ought to.
You're wrong, honey.
Zeena and I are just friends, that's all.
- You don't have to lie.
- I'm not lying.
I've only been kidding her along
on account of the code.
- Didn't look like kidding to me.
- You're all wrong.
I can hardly stand to be in the same room
with her ever since Pete died.
- Why?
- I don't know. It gives me the willies.
That's why I've always had you around
when we've been rehearsing the code.
- You've noticed that, haven't you?
- Yes, but...
I tell you, I haven't been alone with her
for 10 seconds.
All I want is that code.
I'm telling you true.
- But you're going away with her.
- You're coming with us, aren't you?
You want me to?
- You don't think I'd go without you.
- You mean that, Stan?
Absolutely. You satisfied?
Oh, Stan, I don't care about nothing now.
Nothing in the world.
The old geezer's trap was hangin'open a mile...
lappin'up every word
the kid handed him.
- Stan.!
- You were great, Stan.!
- Where'd you go to?
- I hid in my truck.
Stan, you sure done noble.
I always knew you was a born mentalist.
Imagine giving a cop a cold reading
and getting by with it!
- Look who I had for a teacher.
- Nice work, kid. You're a real carny.
You ought to have heard Stan spout gospel
to that hypocrite. It was like Sunday school.
- You must've been raised pretty religious.
- Yeah, in a county orphanage.
- Didn't you have any folks?
- If I did, they weren't much interested.
- Where'd you learn all this gospel?
- In the orphanage.
That's what they used to give us on Sunday
after beating us black-and-blue all week.
Then when I ran away,
they threw me in the reform school.
But that's where I got wise. I let the chaplain
save me and got a parole in no time.
Boy, how I went for salvation.
Comes in handy in a jam. Many's the judge
I've good-talked right out of his shirt.
Son, you can have mine right now.
Let's give Stan a big hand. We'd be
in a peck of trouble if it wasn't for him.
And I'd be in jail!
How about some beer, partner?
Oh, Bruno, cheer up.
There'll be no more trouble tonight.
We'll open tomorrow night
and pack 'em in. Won't we, boss?
Best advertising in the world.
- Hello, Bruno.
- Where did you go? I been lookin' all over.
- She was in her truck.
- But I went in the tent and yelled my head off.
- Why didn't you answer me?
- Where did you think I was?
What are you looking at me
like that for?
- Uh-oh.
- That's what I say.
Huh?
Oh, what's the diff?
She's here now, isn't she?
And by the way, Bruno, where did you run off
to when the trouble started?
You're not talking to that hayseed cop.
You're talking to Bruno. Savvy?
When you get through with him,
there's a couple questions I'd like to ask.
Molly, you and Stan
gonna get married?
Stan, you gonna marry Molly?
- You people trying to kid somebody?
- And you aren't either.
Oh, Stan,
Stan, aren't you the foxy one...
making out like you never knew
this child was on the face of the earth.
- You sure fooled me.
- He didn't fool me.
What's going on here?
Let's drink to the bride and groom.!
May all their children be acrobats.!
- You're drunk.!
- I'll give the bride away.!
That's a good idea.
Huh, Stan?
- Bruno!
- Molly, you stay out of this!
Bruno!
- He can't stand much more.
- I don't care. You gonna do as I say?
- You trying to kill him?
- All he's gotta do is touch my hand.
There he is, Molly!
Now we get a parson! Hey, boss?
Sure.
Come on, folks.
Let's drink to the bride and groom.
- I'm sorry, Stan.
- What for?
I know how you feel.
You didn't want to marry me.
Sure, I did, honey.
But I didn't want it to be...
Well, you know,
everybody thinking...
- Cooks the carnival for me.
- Why?
Well, there I was, on the top of the world,
kingpin of the whole outfit...
Say!
Maybe it's the best thing
that could have happened.
I've got the code,
you know it as well as I do...
and I've got you!
Ah, Zeena and Mr. Bruno,
they aren't so smart as they think.
We'll show 'em.
- You're not sorry?
- I should say not.
Not one bit?
Why should I be?
I've never been so tickled in my life.
You're sure?
You're not just saying this?
- Baby, there's only one thing I'm sorry about.
- What's that?
That I didn't think of this sooner.
Oh, Stan, darling,
you're wonderful.
I'll be a good wife to you.
I'll love you to pieces.
I'll try to be everything you want...
and I'll not even look at another fella,
never!
I have another question here.
Are you ready?
Yes.
Can you tell me
how this question is signed?
It is signed, "Mother".
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
Now then, will you read the question for me,
word by word...
exactly as written.
"Is the young man my daughter
has written to me about worthy of her?"
- Was that your question?
- Word for word.
Are you able to answer
this specific question?
Yes.
I think that you and your husband
are going to be very happy about this matter.
The young man your daughter has chosen
is very rare in this day and age... a good man.
He not only attends church on Sunday,
but he practices his religion seven days a week.
Your daughter is much the same type...
thanks to the splendid heritage of good health,
both physical and spiritual...
for they go hand in hand...
which you and your husband
have so generously passed on to her.
If I were an artist
and wanted to paint a full-length portrait...
of the American family...
I could ask
for no better models.
The gentleman has a question. What is it?
The question is,
will I feel better tomorrow?
- Have you an answer?
- Yes.
This boy's got something.
- You're not taking him seriously.
- Why not?
I'll show you.
- Isn't it some sort of a code they use?
- Of course.
Notice how deliberately
she accents certain words.
Thank you.
This question...
can you tell me how it is signed?
- It is signed with the initial "R."
- That's right!
Can you describe the person
who wrote this question?
- She's very beautiful.
- I agree with you, Mr. Stanton.
She's quite beautiful.
Now read the lady's question.
The question is, "Do you think my mother
will recover from her present illness?"
Is that correct?
What is your answer?
I'm afraid a truthful reply to that question
will appear rather strange.
- I don't know whether I should answer it or not.
- Why?
I get the impression
that the lady's mother...
has been dead for some time.
If that is incorrect,
will the lady please say so.
I must assume that the lady's silence
means assent.
- Here's a hundred blank records from the
Record-A-Phone company. - Just a minute.
- Is Miss Ritter in?
- What is your name?
- I think she's expecting me.
- Will you come this way, please.
- Thank you.
- Miss Ritter will be free in a few minutes.
Fine.
Hello.
- I suppose you must think this rather odd.
- Why?
- Me writing you that note.
- I get a laundry basket full of'em every day.
Won't you sit down?
What did you want to see me about?
My friends and I were very much impressed
with your performance.
But that isn't why you asked me
to drop in.
No, it isn't.
- How did you happen to know so much about me?
- I read your mind.
You mean to claim
you can actually do that?
How else would I know that your mother
was dead? I'd never seen you before.
You didn't make a reservation.
- The mitre d' didn't know who you were.
- That's true.
That fella you were with... the mitre d' says
he's a big guy in this town.
- That, uh, Ezra Grindle. You gonna marry him?
- I?
I got a feeling
there was something between you.
He's a patient of mine.
Now, in regard to this feeling you have...
- psychologists admit the validity of
mental telepathy under certain... - Uh-huh.
I thought this looked like
one of those joints.
You ever been psychoanalyzed?
No. I saw one
in a murder movie once.
But a good mentalist could have straightened
the whole thing out in five minutes.
I'm sure you could have.
How did you know my mother was dead?
I didn't. I just had a feeling
that your question wasn't on the level.
I figured you were trying to make
a chump out of me. Just common sense.
It's not so common.
- I don't know about that.
- Why?
I've got that same feeling right now.
What's on your mind, lady?
What are you up to?
Don't worry, Carlisle.
I never make the same mistake twice.
Me neither.
Yes?
She is? But...
I'll be through in a minute.
I'll buzz you.
We'll have to continue this
in our next.
There's a patient I'll have to see.
An emergency call.
You can go out this way.
Well, I'll be seeing you.
- When?
- I don't know yet.
You can call me at my apartment.
It's in the book.
I may give you a ring.
Fine. I don't come to the office
on Wednesdays or Saturdays.
I heard you the first time.
How do you do,
Mrs. Peabody?
Sorry to rush in on you
like this, my dear.
It's quite all right,
Mrs. Peabody.
That's what I'm here for.
Really, I'm...
I'm terribly upset.
Now, what seems to be the trouble?
I had another one of those dreams
about my daughter Carol.
You know, I never dream of her as dead,
but always alive.
- Very much alive.
- I know.
Now, you just come over here
and make yourself comfortable.
I'm not to be disturbed
under any circumstances.
Now just lie back here.
There. Is that better?
- Mm, my dear.
- Good.
I wouldn't have bothered you...
only you said dreams were important
in cases like mine.
They're one of the clues we have
to the subconscious mind.
It's a psychologist's way
of looking at the patient's tongue.
- I'll telephone you tomorrow morning.
- Fine. Good-bye, Mrs. Peabody.
You make a record of everything?
- It's a wonderful idea.
- How did you get back in here?
I fixed the latch on the door
when I went out.
I wanted to get
a line on you.
Maybe we can do
a little business after all.
You make one of these things
every time you give a treatment?
How could you do
such a horrible thing?
You don't realize
what you've got here.
We could set this town
on its ear.
Or is that what you wanted
to talk to me about?
Are you insane?
That's not a bad hunch, lady.
If you got clients
like that Grindle...
you must be up to your knees
in that Lake Shore and Lake Forest mob.
And with that stuff
you've recorded...
you have no idea
what I could do with it.
- In a nightclub.
- Are you crazy?
I'm getting out of there
as soon as my contract's up.
You should see
some of the letters I get.
Couple of big spook people
are after me now.
But I've got an altogether different idea.
Look here, Mr. Carlisle.
If you ever so much as mention to anybody...
Please.
Who do you think I am?
I haven't sufficient flow of speech
to go into that.
But I want you to know that I make
these records only for my personal study.
Mm-hmm.
- You're not a regular M.D., are you?
- Of course not.
But anything my patients reveal to me
is as sacred...
as though it were given under
the seal of the confessional, is that clear?
All right. All right.
You don't have to get on your soapbox.
I'm going to be strictly on the level
about this whole thing myself.
Get out of here. I should have known
you were that kind of...
Uh-uh-uh.
Takes one to catch one.
Get out.
Stan, you're not listening to me.
Oh, I'm sorry, baby.
What were you saying?
- I've got a surprise for you.
- What kind of surprise?
You'll see.
It's not locked.
Hello, Stan.
You very surprised?
Who wouldn't be?
The... The carnival
was rained out in Kankakee...
so... so I thought that now
would be a good time to... to...
A good time to what?
- Well, just get together again.
- Sure.
What's the use
of people being mad at each other?
It sure turned out for the best, huh, Stan?
You can't say it didn't.
I'll say. Look at you.
Look at Molly. You're the tops.
You're going like a million dollars.
When you come home at night,
you're singing like a lark.
Now, what could be sweeter?
Come on, professor,
give your old pal a kiss.
Well, you're right at that.
Bruno.
Excuse me
while I get out of these clothes.
Same old Stan.
Molly, it doesn't look like
you'll shop for baby clothes this year.
- I won't?
- Mm-mmm.
Oh, Bruno? Here.
Oh, throw that away.
Well, thanks, Stan.
You look nice and comfortable.
A man's coming to give him a massage.
He's not sleeping so good.
- You still monkeying around with those things?
- Yep.
What's wrong with them?
Everything they say about me has come true.
Another wire from New York.
Is that where you're opening next?
Oh, they're offering us the moon.
But Stan hasn't made up his mind yet.
- You're making a mistake.
- Who?
You. If you make the change in the work
you're thinking of.
- You told her about it.
- How could I?
- I haven't seen her since...
- How else did she find out?
- I haven't said a thing.
- I didn't want you to breathe it to a soul.
She didn't tell me about it.
It's all here, plain as day.
It doesn't say what this new stunt is,
but you're going to the top like a skyrocket.
Stan, turn that card over
and we'll see how it'll end up.
- Who else did you tell?
- Look, Stan...
- Turn that card over.
- What do I care what the card says.
Leave it alone.
The hanged man.
- You better watch yourself.
- Is that bad?
Not if he doesn't go against it.
But I thought...
Wasn't that Pete's card?
Sure. Now it's yours.
You hear that? I told you that new stunt
was all wrong. I told you...
Oh, don't be a sap.
This is the stuff she feeds to chumps.
- It's nothing but a deck of gypsy cards.
- I don't care.
- Zeena believes them.
- Sure I do. So does Stan.
- You're crazy. Why should I?
- They were right for Pete, weren't they?
Get out.
I know what I'm doing.
I don't need any help
from a couple of cheap carnival freaks.
Go peddle your stuff where it belongs.
Get out!
- Stan!
- Who are you calling a freak?
Bruno. We gotta get that 1:30 bus.
Come on.
- Zeena, I'm sorry.
- Forget it.
What got into you,
acting so crazy?
It's all your fault.
I'll tell you something again.
- Stan, I never...
- Don't lie to me.
You did write to her about it, didn't you?
- Excuse me. I forgot my cards.
- Oh, yes.
Oh, there's one on the floor.
The hanged man.
- Feeling better?
- Not a bit.
Yeah, you're still sweating.
I'll have to close up those pores.
This always seems to freshen you up.
Stan!
What's the matter with him tonight?
- What's in that bottle?
- Nothing.
Just pure alcohol.
Same as I always use.
I felt pretty shaky about the whole thing,
but I didn't let it ride me.
Until tonight, the smell of alcohol
didn't bother me at all.
I hadn't thought about Pete
in a long, long time.
But seeing Zeena again
and all that stuff about the cards, it...
it sort of turned
my stomach inside out.
That's quite natural.
We call it total recall. Go on.
That's all.
There's nothing more to tell.
I walked around for an hour or so
trying to cool off.
Nothing worked,
so I-I came here.
Quarter after 7:00?
I've gotta beat it.
Well, what do you make of it?
I think you're a perfectly normal
human being.
Selfish and ruthless
when you want something...
generous and kindly
when you've got it.
Although Pete died
as a result of an accident...
you naturally felt a sense of guilt
because you profited by it.
Am I right?
Yeah, I guess so.
As I understand it,
you never told Zeena or anybody else...
about giving Pete that bottle.
You think I'm crazy?
I think you showed good sense.
You might have had a hard time of it
trying to explain to the police...
under the circumstances.
Maybe I didn't show such good sense
in spilling it to you.
Then what did you come to me for?
I figured that if anyone was gonna help me,
it'd have to be somebody like you.
Thank you very much,
Mr. Carlisle.
What a chump I was
to fall for Zeena and those cards.
Letting a little thing like a whiff of alcohol
make me blow my top.
Then you're not going to let it
influence you in the least?
Nope. I'm going right ahead
the way I figured.
The spook racket.
I was made for it.
I suppose you expect
to be paid for this.
- What do you think?
- How much?
- Nothing at all.
- Hmm?
Professional courtesy.
Well, maybe I can return
the favor someday.
- Maybe you can.
- What do you mean?
Remember?
Takes one to catch one.
If this is answered right,
I'll pay you all 10%.
Have you an answer
for this question?
- Oh, I'm afraid not.
- Why?
Because that has to do with the stock market.
A labyrinth whose eccentricities no mentalist
of my acquaintance has ever been able to solve.
As a matter of fact,
I tried it two or three times myself...
and find that I can do
much better at the racetrack.
That's very funny.
- Took me 20 years to find that out.
- Good evening.
- Have you written out a question?
- Yes.
Thank you.
I have a question here.
Will you tell me
how it is signed?
I get the impression
"Mrs. S.P."
But I have a feeling
that's incorrect.
Why do you feel
that is incorrect?
I don't know. But would you ask the lady
with the pearl necklace...
if it shouldn't be Mrs. A.P...
"A"for Addie.
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
The lady says yes.
Now will you please answer her question.
The lady wishes to know
if she will ever see her daughter again.
The answer is yes...
if she believes in the hereafter,
a life beyond the grave.
Is that true?
Has your daughter passed on?
- Yes.
- Wait.!
Don't anybody move.
I see someone standing
between me and that lady.
The figure is very dim.
But I see it's a girl.
A lovely girl of 16.
I get the name "Caroline".
That...
That's my daughter's name.
That's... That's Carol.
Yes, she...
she wants to speak to you.
She says...
Stan.!
- Stan! Stan!
- Gentlemen, gentlemen, please, please.
"Chicago, Illinois.
The city of Chicago...
"finds itself with a mixed personality
on its hands.
"Stanton Carlisle, known as the Great Stanton,
nightclub mentalist...
"fell into a deep trance
during his act in a nightclub.
"Before doing so, he was able to talk to
and see, so he claims...
"the departed daughter
of a famous Chicago society woman.
"Many proclaim him to possess
spiritual phenomena.
"Sir Oliver Green,
famous spirit sleuth of England...
"says that Stanton's contact
is undoubtedly genuine.
But in the meantime, Professor Samuel
Kaufman Brown proclaims him a trickster".
Addie, this is absurd.
I say again,
I am neither a child nor an imbecile.
And I won't be treated as one.
I didn't hear you knock.
Take the tea things, please, Maude.
Ezra.
Ezra, please.
Ezra, I know you were deeply devoted
to my late husband...
and I am grateful to you
for your interest in my welfare.
But I won't have
any further interference.
This young man has brought me
the greatest spiritual comfort I've ever known.
And I am going to continue
to do everything I can, regardless of cost...
to make it possible for him to bring
that same spiritual comfort to other people.
If I had my way...
I'd build him the finest tabernacle
in the world.
I can't figure it.
Addie's usually so levelheaded about everything.
That's what disturbs me.
Maybe she might not be so wrong
about this young chap after all.
Nonsense. He's nothing
but an uncommonly shrewd young trickster.
I have seen him work, and I grant you,
he has personality and flair.
But as far as Addie's concerned...
he seems to be
a bit of a hypnotist.
You know,
I'd like to get a crack at this fellow.
Do you think you could arrange for me
to see him privately?
I don't see why not. It's obvious
we can't get anywhere with Mrs. Peabody.
- Well, get him on the phone now.
- Very well.
I'll talk to him.
Stan?
Shh. Quit yelling.
Turn off that boat.
Well, how'd you come out
with Grindle?
Ah. No wonder he's the head
of one of the biggest outfits in the country.
You didn't let him
scare you off.
Sit down.
I wish you'd been there.
He came in like a lion
and went out like a lamb.
What happened?
Well, he started off by throwing
the district attorney at me.
He was going to
have me investigated.
He said that the things I told Mrs. Peabody
about her daughter...
anybody could have found out
just by looking through the newspaper files.
I wish you could have seen his face
when I started slipping him the stuff...
you gave me about his past.
Especially when I asked him if there was
anything in the newspaper files...
about his still being in love with some dame
that's been dead for 35 years.
And when I called her Dory,
that put the old boy
right on the carpet.
Have you got a cigarette?
- And he really did go for it?
- Go for it?
He stood there
and shook like a leaf.
Came apart
like a broken doll.
Crawled on his hands and knees to me and
begged me to get some message from this Dory.
Mm. Thank you.
But I told him he wasn't ready yet
for spiritual communion.
He should prepare himself a little more
with prayer and good works.
Well, he came back in about two hours
with a whole lot of good works.
He gave me enough to start building
the finest tabernacle in the country.
- Well, what's wrong with that?
- Nothing. Nothing at all.
And he's going to buy me
a radio station of my own.
A radio station?
Yeah. But...
there's a big "if" to it.
He wants me to fix it so that he can see
this Dory with his own eyes.
- See her?
- Yeah, that's all.
That's all he wants,
an absolute, blown-in-the-glass clincher.
Oh.
"Oh" is right.
I think somebody must have sold his mother
a wooden nutmeg.
Yeah, that's the way he is.
We should have expected
something like this.
You don't have a picture of this Dory dame
in your files anyplace, do you?
No, but it shouldn't
be too difficult to get one.
He has them in every room
of his house.
Yeah.
Well, I've got the tabernacle anyway,
no matter what happens.
- How much did he give you?
- 150 grand.
Feels like it's in cash.
It is.
He asked me to take it that way.
He said if I used his name,
he'd deny it.
- Why?
- Well, you don't think the old geezer...
wants Mrs. Peabody or any of the others
to know that...
that's how he got me to turn down
that old firetrap that she was gonna give me.
- You got anyplace to stash it?
- I have a jewel safe.
What's the good of me putting it away
if you're gonna start building?
I'm not going to start building anything
until we've got Grindle really in the bag.
This is only peanuts.
But it'll come in handy
in case anything goes wrong.
Stan, you're wonderful.
You think of everything.
- There's one thing I didn't think of.
- What's that?
If it was gonna be this chilly tonight,
I should have brought an overcoat.
Well, I'm freezing myself,
but I know a place where we can go.
- Where?
- Funny I never thought of it before.
It's not very far from here either.
- You mean that place down the road?
- Don't be silly.
I belong to the Rogers Park
Beach Club.
- I have a cabana there.
- Yeah, I know a better place.
- Where?
- Marshall Field's window.
Nobody ever goes to the beach club
this time of year.
Nix. We don't wanna take any chances.
This thing's too big.
I'm surprised
a smart cookie like you...
Supposing somebody saw us together
and Grindle found out about it.
Then where would we be?
Well, at least you can't say
I didn't try.
Good night, Lilith.
I'll give you a buzz tomorrow.
Good night, Stan.
Mr. Carlisle?
Special delivery, sir.
- Oh.
- Can you sign for it?
- Here we are.
- Thank you, sir.
- Here.
- Thank you.
Hello, dear.
Did you sleep well?
Why didn't you wake me
when you got up?
I have quite a difficult problem to solve,
and I don't seem to be able to make a dent in it.
- What's wrong?
- It's that new convert of mine.
Mr. Grindle?
It seems his conversion isn't as complete
as I thought it was.
Did he take back the money he gave you
for the tabernacle?
No. No, no.
But before he goes any further...
he wants me to materialize
the spirit of his dead sweetheart.
But you can't do that.
I mean, you told Mrs. Peabody
nobody could.
That's right.
But we've got to look at it
this way, darling.
A man's faith
is trembling in the balance.
A man who was a confirmed skeptic
about anything relating to religion...
now stands upon the threshold.
The door is open.
One more step will bring him inside the fold.
What should I do?
Should I let the man's soul be lost forever?
Or should I stake my own to save it?
- Or yours?
- Mine?
What have I got to do with it?
You?
You can help me.
I realize it's in the nature of a subterfuge,
but our motives are so pure, so unselfish.
Wait a minute, Stan.
Oh, honey,
there isn't the slightest bit of danger.
I won't let him get close enough to see anything
except that you are a young dame about her age.
I knew it.
- I knew it!
- You knew what?
You never were on the level.
You lied to me. Zeena was right.
- Walking out on me, huh?
- Look, Stan.
Anytime you wanna go back
into show business...
Yeah, you and all that talk
of yours about love.
You were going to be
such a good wife to me.
I've tried to be.
You know I'd do anything.
Sure, sure. Anything in the world for me.
Or to me.
- What do you mean, "to you"?
- What are you doing now?
What do you think the newspapers will say
when they find out about this?
- "Wife quits miracle worker".
- I won't say anything.
You can tell them
I've gone to visit some friends.
No, they'll follow you. They'll get it
out of Bruno or some of the others.
Honey, look.
It's not me that I'm thinking about.
But what about this poor guy Grindle?
What's gonna happen to him?
Mrs. Peabody,
all those other people that I've helped.
Look. Look at these.
Hundreds of them every day.
Simple, honest, little people who believe in me.
They say I've given them hope.
I'm not worrying about them.
They're gonna be all right.
But you won't.
You've got to stop it.
Do you hear?
You've got to, Stan,
or I'll make you.
I will walk out on you.
Are you crazy?
No, I'm not crazy.
Just plain scared.
Scared?
Of what?
I don't know.
I can't explain it.
But I feel...
Well, you're going against God.
How do you figure that?
Do you think I'd be getting
all those letters?
That's what makes it so terrible.
Everything you say and do
is so true and wonderful...
and you make it sound
so sacred and holy...
when all the time
it's just a gag with you.
You'rejust laughing your head off
at those chumps.
You think God's gonna stand for that?
Do you want him
to strike you dead?
You can't do it, Stan.
Nobody's ever done it.
Never!
Now, honey, don't get yourself all worked up
about nothing.
I've gone over this in my mind
a hundred times.
If anybody comes back, they're not gonna
get all steamed up because we fake a little.
Another thing. I've met a lot of these
spook workers. They're all hustlers just like me.
I didn't see one of them
wearing a lightning rod.
But they don't act like you do.
They don't talk like ministers.
When did I ever talk
like a minister?
Oh, you do it all the time.
I am talking exactly the same way I did
when we were in the nightclub.
And I'll tell you another thing.
I never mentioned God in the nightclub, did I?
No. I-I don't think so.
Have I ever mentioned him
in this racket?
Have you ever heard me do it?
Come on, come on. When did I do it?
- You haven't, but...
- No, I'll say I haven't.
I know what I'm doing.
I've read the Bible.
I can recite the Ten Commandments
backwards.
And I'll tell you
what the Third Commandment is too:
"Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord, thy God, in vain".
A lot of people think that means swearing.
But I'll tell you what it means.
It means exactly
what you're talking about.
I'm not taking any chances, baby.
There's nothing to worry about.
There's no difference
between this and mentalism.
It's just another angle
of show business.
Wait a minute, mister.
You're not talking to one of your chumps.
You're talking to your wife. You're talking to
somebody who knows you red, white and blue.
And you can't fool me anymore.
There's only one way
I can stop you from doing this thing...
and that's to leave you.
You'd honestly do
a thing like that to me?
No. I'm going to do it for you.
We're right back where we started, hmm?
All right.
Listen to me.
I'm no good.
I never pretended to be.
But I love you.
I'm a hustler. I've always been one.
But I love you.
I may be the thief of the world,
but with you I've always been on the level.
You've done a lot of talking about love.
I never mentioned it before...
but I guess you get
the general idea.
If you wanna walk out on that...
it's okay with me.
Here we are.
Mr. Grindle, this...
this place of yours...
is one of the most beautiful
I've ever seen.
- You should be very proud of it.
- Yes, I am.
Those great trees in moonlight,
they give the whole place a...
a cathedral-like atmosphere.
- You feel that?
- Yes.
I'm glad to hear you say that.
I've been coming here to pray.
It's so secluded.
I didn't want any of the servants
to see me.
I see you've been reading the Bible.
How did you know?
Well, we...
we know that it tells us...
that prayer, like good works,
should be done in secret.
- There's one thing that troubles me.
- What's that?
Well, on account
of the life I've led...
I don't know
very much about God.
And it's very hard
to pray to someone...
I mean, when you know
so little about him.
Well, that's true.
But nobody knows very much along those lines.
That's where we must rely
solely upon our faith.
Indeed,
I think it's a mistake...
to try to define our thoughts about it
in human terms.
That, in itself,
is a form of irreverence.
It's like...
like trying to put the ocean into bottles.
That's right.
That's where I've been wrong.
Trying to put boundaries
around this thing.
It's too big. It has no boundaries.
No limits.
It can't have, can it?
And be what it is.
Go on.
Go on, my friend.
You don't know it,
but you're praying right this moment.
No prophet of old could have said a finer thing
than you have just said.
Keep it up.
Think like that in your heart.
Don't worry about the words.
There are no words for it.
Words are boundaries too.
But they're not any bigger
than we are.
You've got to do things,
just as you said the other day.
"Good things,
good for their own sake...
without any hope of reward or..."
- What's the matter?
- Look!
- Do you see it?
- Yes.
Probably one of your servants.
No, no, it couldn't be.
They have orders never to come down here.
Dory?
It is.
It is.
Dory! Dory!
- Wait!
- Dory!
- But it's Dory. Don't you see?
- Yes.
That means we're on hallowed ground.
Kneel.
Kneel.
Dory! Dory!
Quiet. Don't move.
Stay where you are.
Dory. Dory.
Oh, Dory, forgive me.
Forgive me, Dory.
I believe now.
I believe everything.
Oh, Dory, ask God to forgive me.
Ask him to give me one more chance.
Please. Please!
I'll do anything.
What right have I to ask for mercy...
when I have never shown mercy
to anyone?
No! No!
- I can't, Stan! I can't!
- What happened to you?
- Not even for you.
- Who are you?
- I'm Stan's wife.
- Get out of here! Get out of here!
Fake! You crook!
You dirty, sacrilegious thief!
Help! Help!
I couldn't help it, Stan.
I know I've ruined
everything for you.
- I know you hate me.
- All right, all right, quiet.
I don't know what happened.
When I saw that man down on his knees,
praying to God...
I just couldn't go on.
I don't wanna hear
any more about it.
As soon as I find a taxi stand,
I'm getting out of here.
What for?
There's something
I've gotta do.
Now listen,
I want you to go back to that motel...
change your clothes
and meet me at the Inglewood Station.
- You're going to take me with you?
- If you hurry.
What about our things
at the hotel?
We haven't got time
to monkey with things like that.
Oh, Stan, I love you.
I love you.
Yeah, I know.
Here we are.
There he was on his knees,
I had all that dough right in my hand...
- and she has to go and blow her top.
- Then what happened?
Well, he called me a dirty, sacrilegious thief,
and he grabbed me.
I hurt him, I think, accidentally.
- You think?
- Well, anyway, he went down.
You better get going.
- Yeah, yeah, I know.
- You'd better take your money with you.
- What are you going to do?
- I'm going to leave most of this with you.
- What for?
- In case I get caught, I'll have some fall money.
That wouldn't be any good. You'd just lead them
straight back to me and pull us both in.
Yeah, you're right. You suppose
there's a chance of handling Grindle?
Well, it depends.
He's not going to be easy.
- He has his pride, you know.
- Yes, but you can work on the publicity angle.
- His board of directors and so forth.
- You leave that up to me.
The important thing for you
is to leave town.
Don't try to get in touch with me
under any circumstances.
Watch the papers.
If nothing happens, you can call me.
Okay.
What a mug I've been.
I had the whole world right in my vest pocket.
Everything I wanted.
The kid said I couldn't get away with it,
and I had to stick my chin out.
You'll stick it out even further
if you hang around here much longer.
I guess you're right at that.
- Good-bye, Stan.
- Good-bye, Lilith.
Say, buddy, how much longer
is it gonna take us?
Inglewood Station?
About a half hour.
- Can't you step on it a little bit?
- Sure.
- Take me back where you picked me up.
- What?
- I said take me back where you picked me up.
- Okay.
Who is it?
You're good.
You're awful good.
Just about the best
I ever saw.
Instead of 150 grand,
I get 150 brand-new one dollar bills.
- The gypsy switch.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Where's the rest of it?
- The rest of what?
- Open that safe.
- Miss Ritter.! Miss Ritter.!
Come in, Jane.
I saw a man on the fire escape,
and I...
It's quite all right, Jane.
This gentleman's a patient of mine.
Will you make yourself comfortable
in there, please? I'll be with you in a minute.
When you first came to me,
you were in bad shape.
I had hoped by getting at the roots of
your anxieties, I could avert a serious upset.
Well, I seemed to have failed.
Wait a minute. If you're thinking
of throwing the cops at me...
don't forget that you've
been in this with me.
Please, Mr. Carlisle,
try to understand...
that these delusions of yours in regard to me
are a part of your mental condition.
When I first examined you,
you were being tortured by guilt reactions...
connected with the death of that
drunken mentalist during your carnival days.
Wh-What are you trying to pull?
You can't prove anything.
Besides, it was an accident.
I told you that.
I'm a psychologist,
not a judge.
What I want to explain to you is...
all these things that you think you have
done lately, or that have been done to you...
are merely the fancied guilt of your past life
projected on the present.
Do I make myself clear?
You must regard it all as a nightmare.
The police records show that a carnival employee
by the name of Peter Krumbein...
actually died of wood alcohol poisoning
in Burly, Texas.
Self-administered. You told me you gave him
that bottle of wood alcohol yourself.
But I suppose that was just another one
of your homicidal hallucinations, wasn't it?
Or was the homicide a reality too?
Speaking of records,
would you like to hear a playback...
of the recital you made to me
that night?
It's on file in my office, but I'll be glad
to let you hear it anytime you like.
Listen. I can prove that you've been
in this with me from the start.
That's another thing,
Mr. Carlisle...
which clearly indicates the serious nature
of your malady.
Since I've been your counselor,
you've made a strange transference to me.
You see me as a confederate
who's cheated you.
That explains your entrance
by way of the fire escape tonight.
Really, Mr. Carlisle,
I hate to say this to you...
but you simply must have hospital care.
These hallucinations of yours.
We can't have you wandering about,
getting into trouble, can we?
Listen, you can't bluff me
with that doctor-patient baloney.
I want that dough. I want that...
That's why you were stalling, huh?
Waiting for the cops.
That's ridiculous.
Why should I call the police?
Don't you think I got ears?
What about that?
- What about what?
- That police siren.
I don't hear anything.
- Huh?
- Let me get you a sedative.
I'll drive you down to SaintJoseph's Hospital.
It's not far from here.
They'll take good care of you,
and you can have a nice, long rest.
Please, Mr. Carlisle,
put yourself in my hands.
You can trust me, absolutely.
No.
Stan, where have you been?
I've been waiting for hours...
walking up and down the platform,
looking all over for you.
- Huh?
- What's the matter, darling?
What's happened to you?
A lot of things, baby.
A lot of things.
Zeena wasn't so far off after all.
- Zeena and her boob-catchers.
- Zeena?
Where's the carnival playing now?
Do you know?
Galesburg, I think.
But why?
- You could go there by bus.
- But, Stan...
Yeah.
Yeah, that's the best idea.
What about you?
Where are you going?
I don't know.
Oh, but, Stan,
I thought I was going with you.
So did I.
What's happened?
You've got to tell me.
All aboard.!
Listen, baby.
I want you to get on that train.
Go anywhere,
then get back to Galesburg.
Keep out of sight
as much as possible.
Here.
Here's the bankroll.
Take good care of it.
But what about you?
Won't you need some?
No, I'll be all right.
So long, honey.
All aboard.!
Get aboard, honey.
Don't miss the train.
Stan!
Take care of yourself.
Who is it?
Joe. Bellboy.
- Pick up the tray.
- Come in.
- Something wrong?
- What do you mean "something wrong"?
- The food... you haven't touched it.
- Well, I'm not hungry.
Hey, uh, look, mister,
it ain't none of my business...
but we got a pretty good doctor
down the street there.
- You want me to call him?
- What makes you think I want a doctor?
Nothing. Only, you haven't touched a mouthful
in about three days. I just...
Well, I don't want a doctor
and I'm all right.
Say, uh, you know
where I can get a drink?
No, not at this hour in this state,
unless you want gin.
Sure, sure.
Anything. Anything.
Two bucks.
- If there's anything else you want...
- No. Good night.
Since the dawn of history,
man has sought to see behind the veil...
which hides him from tomorrow.
Through the ages, certain men
have gazed into the polished crystal...
and seen.
Is it some quality
of the crystal itself...
or does it merely serve
to turn the gazer's vision inward?
Who can tell?
But visions come,
slowly shifting their form.
Visions come.
Wait.
The shifting shapes begin to clear.
I see fields of grass...
and rolling hills and a boy.
A barefoot boy
is running through those hills.
A dog is with him.
A dog is with him.
Yeah, his name is Don.
Go on.
Your mother.
Your mother is waiting at the gate for you.
A beautiful, gray-haired old lady.
That's right, buddy.
You're pretty good.
She was always standing there waiting.
Even when I come home
a couple of years ago.
Hey, you see how easy
it is to hook 'em?
Stock reading, fits anybody.
Never misses.
Ah, what's youth?
Happy one minute,
hungry and heartbroken the next.
Every boy has a dog.
Every boy has a beautiful,
old, gray-haired mother.
- Everybody except maybe me.
- What happened to her?
- Oh, what do you care?
- Hey, don't cry in that good liquor.
You know,
I had a mother once.
She wasn't so good-looking,
but she was mighty good to me.
Hey, hey, you fellas take it easy.
There's not gonna be any left for me.
Buddy, you're sure a good mind reader.
Oh, excuse me, mister.
Are you the boss?
That's right.
What do you want?
1l- I, uh... I wanted to talk to you
about an attraction.
An added attraction, so to speak.
It's, uh, an attraction that...
- An attraction.
- Yeah? What kind of an attraction?
- Come on. Hurry up. I'm busy.
- Well...
Of course, I understand,
a man in your position.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I'm... I'm Sheik Abracadabra.
A top-money mint reader.
Sorry, brother.
I'm all full up.
- Anyway, I don't hire no boozers.
- Me?
You smell like you just climbed
out of a beer vat.
- Go on, beat it.
- Um...
Please, j-just give me
a chance, mister.
I'm an old carny hand
and I'll tackle anything.
Come here.
Sit down.
Would you like a snort?
Oh, y...
Oh, that's very refreshing.
Thank you, sir.
All I need is a fly
and a bridge table.
I can hang my banner
on the edge of the fly.
If I could have a small advance
to purchase the necessary...
That show is too high class
for a mid-camp.
Besides, palmistry always
gets you in trouble with the law.
Well, I'm pretty good
at magic too, sir. I...
Magicians are a dime a dozen
nowadays.
- Would you like another?
- Yeah.
Go ahead.
Anyway, I never fool with an act,
unless it's got something sensational.
Yeah. Yeah, sure.
- Wait.
- Yeah.
I just happened
to think of something.
I might have a job
you can take a crack at.
Course, it isn't much, and I'm not
begging you to take it, but it's a job.
Yeah, well,
that's all I want.
And we'll keep you
in coffee and cakes.
Bottle every day.
Place to sleep it off in.
What do you say?
Anyway, it's only temporary.
Just until we can get a real geek.
- Geek?
- You know what a geek is, don't you?
Yeah.
Sure, I-I know what a geek is.
Do you think
you can handle it?
Mister...
I was made for it.
Jimmy!
Hey, Jimmy!
- Jimmy!
- What's wrong, Ed?
- Have you seen the handcuff key?
- No.
Come on. Come on.
Where's the straitjacket?
- Who wants it?
- The boss.
- Is anything wrong?
- The geek's gone nuts.
- The geek?
- The one McGraw hired today.
Grab him, boys.!
You better get inside
and stay there.
Let's get him!
Watch him now. Don't hurt him.
Where...
Where did he go? Huh?
Stan. Stan.
Son, nobody's gonna hurt you.
Come on!
Hey, George!
- Mark, you go around the back.
- Okay, Charlie.
- Stan!
- Hey, look out, kid.
- That guy's liable to kill somebody.
- Stan!
It's me, Molly!
Stan.
It's me, Molly.
I've looked everywhere for you.
Everywhere.
I've been waiting for you.
Don't you know me, honey?
It's me, Molly.
Everything's gonna be all right now.
I'll look after you.
Molly?
Well, he certainly fooled me.
I never recognized him.
Stanton.
Stanton the Great.
How can a guy get so low?
He reached too high.
- Good night, boys. Lock up.
- Good night.