GRACE: Now, children,
are you sitting comforably?
Then I'll begin.
This story stared
many thousands of years ago...
but it was all over
in just seven days.
All that long, long time ago...
none of the things
we can see now--
the sun, the moon,
the stars, the earh...
the animals and plants--
not a single one existed.
only god existed...
and so only He
could have created them.
And He did.
[Screaming]
[Sobs]
[Panting]
[gasping]
[Laughter]
MRS MILLS : Simpson.
what a character he was.
I wonder
whatever became of him ?
MR TUTTLE: oh, I imagine
he 's dead like all the rest.
MRS MILLS :
Ah, those were the days.
[Bell rings]
Mr Tuttle, your hair.
[Lock clicks]
Yes ?
good morning, ma 'am.
we 've come about the--
oh, yes, of course.
Come in.
I wasn 't expecting you so soon.
You are... ?
I'm Berha Mills, ma 'am.
And this is Edmund Tuttle.
Pleased to meet you, ma 'am.
You must be the gardener.
That's right. The gardener.
And this young lady
is called Lydia.
Have you had
much experience in service ?
oh, don 't let that angel face
fool you, ma 'am.
She 's older than she looks.
Can you iron ?
what's the matter?
Has the cat got your tongue ?
She can 't talk, ma 'am.
The poor little mite 's a mute.
oh.
oh, but she 's
a good little worker.
I can promise you that.
All right.
All right. The other girl
I had spoke too much, anyway.
Follow me.
Mrs Mills, you and the girl...
will sleep in the attic room
at the top of the stairs.
-And you, Mr...
- Tuttle, ma 'am.
You could sleep in the shed
around the back.
As you can see, the housework
has been rather neglected...
since the servants disappeared
almost a week ago.
You mean they just vanished?
GRACE: Into thin air.
No notice, nothing. They didn 't
even collect their wages.
They... they just left us.
MRS MILLS :
what a strange thing to do.
GRACE: You 'll soon find out
there are times...
when this house is not
exactly an ideal home.
Hence my adverisement
in the newspaper...
requesting honest,
hard-working people.
There 's nobody more honest
or hard-working than us.
Isn 't that right, Mr Tuttle ?
oh, aye, we 're very honest.
And, um, very hard-working.
The kitchen.
I have breakfast at 8. 00...
the children at 9. 00.
Lunch will be served at 1. 00
and dinner at 7 30.
MRS MILLS :
And the master, ma 'am ?
The master went off to war...
a year and a half ago.
I've had no news
since the war ended.
which of you does the cooking?
MRS MILLS :
I'm so sorry, ma 'am.
which of you does the cooking?
You 'll notice what I'm doing.
In this house,
no door must be opened...
without the previous one
being closed first.
It is vital
that you remember this.
It's not as easy
as it may seem.
There are 1 5 different keys
for all of the 50 doors...
depending on which area of
the house you 're in at the time.
Mrs Mills,
from tomorrow onwards...
I will be leaving
a set of keys in your charge.
Yes, ma 'am.
The music room.
That old piano was already here
when we moved in.
Please do not let
the children thump away on it.
It sets off my migraine.
Silence is something that we
prize very highly in this house.
That is why you will not find
a telephone, a radio...
or anything else
that makes a racket.
oh, we don 't have
electricity, either.
During the war, the germans
kept cutting it off...
so we learned to live
without it. Let's continue.
Ma 'am, there 's no need
to show us the whole house.
GRACE: Yes!.
Yes, there is.
Most of the time,
you can hardly see your way.
It's often difficult
to make out...
if there is a table, a chair,
a door, a sideboard...
or one of my children
playing hide and seek.
what do you mean, ma 'am ?
Perhaps I should introduce you
to the children.
[Lock clicks]
Mr Tuttle,
you can see to the garden now.
You 'll find tools in the shed.
Yes, ma 'am.
You two can star closing
the curains.
All of them.
Come.
I'll wake them.
You wait here.
whatever you do,
don 't open the curains.
wakey, wakey.
: Now, come on.
Eyes closed, hands together.
CHILDREN:
Let it be, at light of day...
Jesus, to whom now I pray.
Blessed be the Virgin pure...
whom I greet with faith
too shor.
Jesus, Mary, spotless rose...
keep us till this day
doth close.
:
They're still half asleep.
MRS MILLS :
what sweet little children.
well... what do you say?
How do you do ?
How do you do ?
How do you do, children ?
My name is Mrs Mills...
but you can call me
Berha if you like.
what are your names ?
-Anne.
-Nicholas.
Anne and Nicholas.
what pretty names.
ANNE: Are you going to be
our new nanny?
Mm-hmm.
Yes, my dears.
I'm your new nanny.
It's time for their breakfast.
Lydia, go to the kitchen
and close every shutter.
[Keys jingle]
The doctors were never able
to find a cure.
For what?
Their condition.
The children have
a very serious allergy to light.
They are photosensitive
and must never be exposed...
to any light
much stronger than this.
otherwise,
in a matter of minutes...
they will break out
in sores and blisters...
and begin to suffocate.
It would eventually be fatal.
MRS MILLS : good heavens.
I don 't like this toast.
oh ? why not?
It tastes funny.
I liked it better before.
That's because before,
somebody else made it.
when are they coming back?
They're not coming back, child.
Just like Daddy.
Daddy is coming back, though.
Mrs Mills, our father's
fighting in a war in France.
NICHOLAS : It's the world war.
I know, but he 's in France.
That's enough, chatterboxes.
Finish up your breakfasts.
Are you going to leave us, too ?
of course not!
why should I leave you?
The others
said they wouldn 't...
but they did,
and then it happened.
Be quiet!
what do you mean, Anne ?
what happened?
Mummy went... mad.
-Nothing happened.
- Yes, it did.
-No, it didn 't!
- Yes, it did!
GRACE: Be quiet.
what's going on ?
I want those plates empty...
in less than a minute.
Is that clear?
Mrs Mills, would you
come outside a moment?
I'd like a word with you.
Yes, ma 'am.
The postman usually
comes every wednesday.
But I just checked
the letter-box...
and this week he hasn 't.
I'm afraid
I don 't follow, ma 'am.
This letter
should have been collected...
and delivered to
the newspaper five days ago.
It's an adverisement
for servants.
Since it was never published...
would you explain
what you 're doing here ?
oh, I understand.
Ma 'am, that's what
I was going to say to you...
when you opened the door to us.
The truth is
that we just come by...
on the off chance.
A big house like this...
is always in need of someone
who knows the ropes.
You 've served in a house
like this one before ?
This may come as a surprise
to you, ma 'am, but...
we, in fact,
used to work here.
Here ?
oh, now,
'twas a few years ago.
If you don 't mind
my saying so, ma 'am...
they were the best years
of my life.
That's why we come by,
because this house...
means a lot to us.
Perhaps I'd best show you
our references, ma 'am.
No, no, no. Don 't bother.
There 's no need.
So you say
you know the house well?
MRS MILLS :
Like the back of my hand.
That is assuming the walls
haven 't sprouted legs...
and moved in the meantime.
GRACE: The only thing
that moves here is the light.
[Sighs]
But it changes everything.
It's rather difficult,
to say the least.
one might
almost say... unbearable.
The only way of enduring it
is by keeping a cool head.
oh, yes, ma 'am.
I don 't like fantasies.
Strange ideas.
Do you know what I mean ?
I think so, ma 'am.
My children sometimes
have strange ideas.
But you mustn 't pay
any attention to them.
Children will be children.
Yes, of course, ma 'am.
All right. You can stay.
Thank you very much, ma 'am.
It did happen.
NICHOLAS : "The Roman governor
tried to make them...
"change their minds
afterwards... "
"To make them change
their minds. " Full stop.
- "Afterwards... "
-Mm-hmm.
"He ordered them
to be beaten.
"But Justus and Pastor,
far from being afraid...
"rejoiced and showed themselves
willing to die for Christ.
"when he saw this...
"the Roman governor
was filled with rage...
"and ordered their heads
to be cut off. "
[giggles]
[Snickers]
what do you find so amusing?
well...
well, what?
Those children
were really stupid.
why?
Because they said
they only believed in Jesus...
and then
they got killed for it.
And what would you have done,
deny Christ?
ANNE: well, yes.
Inside I would have
believed in him...
but I wouldn 't have told
the ROMANS that.
Is that what you think, too,
Nicholas ?
I see.
So you would have lied
to the point of denying Christ.
You 'd have saved your heads
from the ROMANS, that's true.
But what would have
happened afterwards ?
when ?
In the next life.
The one waiting for us
after we die.
where would you have gone ?
Ahh.
where, Nicholas ?
To the children 's limbo.
GRACE: what is
the children 's limbo, Anne ?
one of the four Hells.
which are ?
[gasps]
ANNE: Me, me, me! Me!
GRACE: No. Let him answer.
which are ?
There 's the Hell
where the damned go...
then there 's Purgatory...
Yes.
And the bosom of Abraham
where the just go...
and limbo where children go.
At the centre of the earh.
where it's very, very hot.
That's where children
go who tell lies...
but they don 't just go
there for a few days.
oh, no.
No, they're damned. Forever.
Think about it.
Try to imagine
the end of eternity.
Close your eyes.
Close your eyes
and try to imagine it.
Forever.
Pain... forever.
I'm getting dizzy. Heh.
:
Now do you understand...
why Justus and Pastor
told the truth ?
[Sighs] All right.
open your readers
at lesson six.
ANNE: Can 't we play?
:
You most cerainly cannot.
First you 're going
to read the lesson...
then you 're going
to learn it by hear.
All of it?
Any more protests...
and there 'll be
no playing at all today.
In fact, I think you can
study in separate rooms.
-CHILDREN: No, no, no!
-GraCE: Yes, yes, yes!
ANNE: But we get scared
if we 're separated!
GRACE: Scared? As if you weren 't
used to this house by now.
NICHOLAS :
what if we see a ghost?
Has your sister been telling you
one of her stories ?
I haven 't told him anything!
If you see a ghost
you say "Hello "...
and continue on studying.
-Come to the music room.
- why me ?
Because I say so!
Now come on.
Take your book.
Nicholas, I want to see
that lesson learned...
in less than an hour.
-Mummy...
- what?
give me a kiss.
ANNE: "give me a kiss.
Give me a kiss. "
:
Anne, wait for me outside.
You know I can 't.
over there.
: Mrs Mills,
close all the curains.
My daughter is going
to cross the living room.
Yes, ma 'am.
All right, Anne.
[Humming]
Darling...
Mummy can 't be with you
all the time, hmm ?
You must learn to be
on your own.
where 's your rosary?
Ahh!
whenever you feel afraid...
I want you to squeeze it
with all your might...
say an our Father,
and your fear will go away.
-It won 't.
- Yes, it will. Honestly.
Don 't you see that
when you do that...
the Lord is with you?
There 's no reason to be afraid.
[Blows kiss]
[Lock clicks]
[Footsteps fading]
[Distant door closing]
NICHOLAS :
"The house and the family.
"we all live in a house
with our family.
"The family is usually
made up of parents...
"children,
and their grandparents.
"we must be obedient... "
ANNE: "... and kind towards
other members of our family...
"and we must
never argue or fight...
"with our brothers and sisters. "
Do you have any children ?
MRS MILLS : No.
Mr Tuttle and the girl Lydia
are all I've got...
and I'm all they've got.
GRACE:
was she born like that?
Beg your pardon, ma 'am ?
The girl. was she born a mute ?
No.
I think
I've finished here, ma 'am.
If you 'll excuse me,
I think I'll go...
and see if Mr Tuttle
needs a hand.
[Door closes]
[Sighs]
[Child sobbing]
Nicholas!
Nicholas, I'm coming!
oh!
-Nicholas ?
- what's the matter?
why were you crying?
I wasn 't crying.
I was reading.
But I just heard you...
Anne!
[Door closes]
[Child sobbing]
Anne!
Anne ?
ANNE:
I haven 't learned it yet, Mummy.
-Are you all right?
- Yes.
- why were you crying?
-I wasn 't.
I just heard you a moment ago.
There 's no need
to feel ashamed, darling.
I don 't.
If I'd been crying,
I'd tell you.
oh, really.
So I imagined it, did I?
No. It was that boy.
: what boy?
Victor.
who 's Victor?
The boy that was here
a moment ago.
I told him to let me study...
but he wouldn 't stop crying.
I think he 's a spoiled brat.
He said we 'd have
to leave the house.
GRACE: oh, did he, now?
And why was he crying?
Because he doesn 't
like this house...
but he has to live here.
His father's a pianist--
-His father's a pianist?
- Yes.
I already told him he 's not
allowed to touch the piano.
He isn 't, is he, Mummy?
[Sighs]
So, you 've spoken
to his father as well?
ANNE: No, only with Victor.
His father's with the others
in the hall.
I've just come from the hall.
There 's no one there.
They must've gone upstairs.
They're viewing the house.
That'll do, Anne!
That's enough!
Now why were you crying?
It was Victor!
-So where is he now?
-He went out through there!
would you mind
telling me how a boy...
can get in and out
of this room if it's locked?
[gasps]
GRACE: I thought
I made myself quite clear.
No door is to be opened...
without the previous one
being closed first.
Is that so hard to understand?
This house is like a ship.
The light must be contained
as if it were water...
by opening and closing
the doors.
My children 's lives
are at stake!
MRS MILLS : But, ma 'am--
Do not argue with me!
Be quiet!
which was the last of you
to enter that room ?
Lydia ?
She hasn 't got a key.
I already told you that.
That leaves you, then.
But I was in the hall
the whole time.
And then I went out
into the garden.
You saw me with your own eyes.
I hope you are not suggesting
that it was me!
Do you think that
I would overlook such a thing...
and endanger
the life of my own daughter?
[Fire crackling]
NICHOLAS : You 're not supposed
to read at the table.
ANNE: oh, really?
who 's going to tell Mummy?
You?
or perhaps you?
[Giggles]
Did you really see a boy?
Yes. He 's called Victor.
Is he a ghost?
Don 't be stupid.
Ghosts aren 't like that.
what are they like ?
I've told you
a thousand times.
They go about in white sheets
and carry chains.
-How do you know?
-Because I've seen them.
They come out at night.
Fibber. where ?
[Inhales]
[Clank]
[Laughs]
- You 're stupid.
-Not half as much as you.
I don 't believe
you saw that boy.
Believe what you like.
You 'll soon be begging us
to play with you.
ANNE: Nicholas!
NICHOLAS : Huh ? what?
Look.
why have you opened
the curains ?
-It wasn 't me.
- who was it, then ?
It was Victor.
He 's been doing it all night.
You 're lying.
I'm going to tell Mummy.
-So I'm a liar, am I?
- Yes.
Victor, come out from
behind that curain...
so my stupid brother
can see you.
[Breathing heavily]
[gasps]
Leave me alone.
ANNE: So you don 't want
to see him now, eh ?
You 're a cowardy custard.
Cowardy cowardy custard.
I'll just have
to do it myself, then.
ANNE: That's enough, Victor.
Nicholas. Nicholas.
Tell him to leave
the curains alone.
He won 't listen to me.
VICTOR: Stop it.
Get off my bed, both of you.
ANNE: This is our bed.
VICTOR: No, it's mine.
Anne, please stop
putting on that voice.
You be quiet, cowardy custard.
Listen, if you don 't stop,
I'll call my mother...
and she 'll kick you out.
You don 't know my mother.
VICTOR:
And you don 't know my parents.
Anne, I'm going to tell
Mummy about you.
Don 't be stupid.
Can 't you see it's not me ?
Victor, touch his cheek
so he knows you 're real.
[Breathing rapidly]
Aah!
[Nicholas screaming]
NICHOLAS : Mummy! Help!
Help! Help, Mummy!
what is it? what is it?
[Crying]
what is it?
She was fighting with me,
and I told her to be quiet.
I'm fed up.
Do you hear me ?
I am fed up with you!
I didn 't do anything!
"Therefore the Lord god
sent him forh...
"from the garden of Eden...
"to till the ground
from whence he was taken.
"So he drove out the man...
"and placed to the east
of the Garden of Eden...
"cherubims
and a flaming sword...
"which turned every way
to keep the way...
"of the Tree of Life. "
There. I finished.
[Closes book]
Very good.
[Sighs]
Now you can ask the Virgin
for forgiveness.
what?
That's not what we agreed!
we didn 't agree anything,
young lady.
Today you 're being punished,
and you 'll do as I say.
You can 't make me
ask the Virgin for forgiveness.
How dare you!
Mummy, I won 't ask forgiveness
for something I didn 't do!
You told your brother
someone else was in the room!
- There was!
- You 're lying!
I am not!
[Sighs]
Anne...
do you remember the story
about Justus and Pastor?
Children who don 't tell
the truth end up in limbo.
That's what you say,
but I read the other day...
that limbo 's only for children
who haven 't been baptized.
And I have!
ANNE:
"And Abraham took the wood...
"of the burnt offering
and laid it upon Isaac his son.
"And he took the fire
in his hand and a knife...
"and they went,
both of them together.
"And Isaac spake
unto Abraham his father...
"and said, 'My father... '
"and he said,
'Here I am, my son. "'
Did you look in on Nicholas ?
Yes, ma 'am.
The little angel is fast asleep.
what about Anne ?
Is she still on the stairs ?
oh, yes, ma 'am.
: I'd prefer to have her
where I can see her...
but I can 't embroider
in such poor light.
How long is this punishment
going to go on ?
It's been three days now.
It's up to her.
She 's got to learn
to swallow her pride...
and ask for forgiveness.
Anyway, it's time
she stared to read the Bible.
The priest will be very pleased
to hear that, ma 'am.
GRACE: If he ever deigns
to pay us another visit.
He knows perfectly well
that the children can 't go out.
MRS MILLS :
He told me yesterday...
he 'd be by
as soon as possible.
I'm beginning to feel
totally cut off from the world.
This fog doesn 't exactly help.
It's never lasted
this long before.
oh, that's true, ma 'am.
Even the seagulls
have gone quiet.
Anne!
Anne, I can 't hear you.
[Anne reading indistinctly]
ohh!
Incidentally, Mrs Mills, I've
had to put up with the noise...
of Lydia running around
above my head.
She 's been hurling
backwards and forwards...
as if there were three of her.
would you kindly tell her
it's not necessary...
to kick up quite such a rumpus
just to do a little cleaning?
I couldn 't bear to get
another migraine attack.
I'll tell her, ma 'am.
GRACE: Thank you.
[Footsteps receding]
[Anne reading indistinctly]
[Thumping overhead]
[Thumping overhead]
[Sighs]
[Louder thumps overhead]
[Thumping, glass rattling]
[Banging overhead]
Now she 's really gone too far.
Lydia! Lydia!
[Anne reading]
"... in the mount
of the Lord it shall be seen.
"And the angel of the Lord-- "
what's going on up there ?
Nothing, Mummy.
I'm just reading.
-Did you hear it as well?
-Hear what?
"And the angel of the Lord...
"called unto Abraham
out of Heaven...
"the second time and said...
"'By myself, I have sworn, '
saith the Lord-- "
Shh!
[Faint squeaking]
what was that?
I don 't know.
Anne, tell me
who 's making that noise.
I can 't tell you, Mummy.
You tell me.
I told you
there was someone in the room...
and you punished me.
Now I don 't know what to say.
Anne, I want the truth.
Tell me if
there is someone upstairs.
There. In that junk room.
ANNE: Mummy,
you 're letting the light in.
[gasps]
[Steps on glass]
[ghostly voices whispering]
Shh!
-She 's a woman.
-She 's what?
[gasps]
[Creaking]
where did they go ?
They just came past here.
Didn 't you see them ?
which way did they go ?
over there, over there,
and down there as well.
[Door closes]
They're everywhere.
They say this house is theirs.
And they're going
to take the curains down.
Ma 'am, stay calm, please.
: I will not stay calm!
For five whole years
during the occupation...
I managed to avoid a single Nazi
stepping foot in this house...
and now there is someone here,
opening and closing the doors.
Ma 'am, this is a very old house.
The floorboards squeak
and the plumbing clanks--
There were voices.
I'm telling you.
ANNE: Mummy, look.
A boy and two women,
talking together.
Mummy, look!
I did it yesterday.
This is the father,
this is the mother...
this is Victor,
and this is the old woman.
what do these numbers stand for?
ANNE: That's the number
of times I've seen them.
I've seen the old woman
the most.
oh, god in Heaven.
Mrs Mills,
go and call Mr Tuttle.
we have to search
the whole house immediately...
before it gets dark.
- Yes, ma 'am. There, now.
-Mummy!
Yes, darling. It's all right.
Nothing will happen to you
while Mummy's here.
ANNE: Look, Mummy.
She really scares me.
It's as if
she 's not looking at you...
but she can see you.
And she 's always around
saying "Come with me "--
No, Anne, don 't lie to me.
ANNE: Honestly, Mummy.
And she asks me things.
Victor told me she 's a witch.
: what does she ask you?
Things.
Her breath smells.
we have to open
all the curains.
I don 't want any dark corners
where someone could hide.
Yes, ma 'am.
You both search the right side,
and I'll take the left.
Then we 'll search upstairs.
[Sighs]
NICHOLAS :
Perhaps they're ghosts...
who lived
in this house before.
Don 't be stupid.
I've already told you.
ghosts go about
in white sheets...
and carry chains
and go "ooo. "
MRS MILLS : Now, Anne.
why do you make up
such stories ?
ANNE: I don 't.
I read them in books.
well, you shouldn 't
believe everything...
that you read in books.
That's what our mother says.
She says all this stuff
about ghosts is rubbish...
and then she expects us...
to believe everything
written in the Bible.
And don 't you believe it?
I believe some things.
But, for example,
I don 't believe...
that god made the world
in seven days.
And I don 't believe
that Noah...
got all those animals
into one boat...
or the Holy Spirit is a dove.
No, I don 't
believe that, either.
ANNE:
Doves are anything but holy.
They poo on our windows.
[Chuckles]
Have you mentioned
any of this to your mother?
oh.
[Knocking]
MRS MILLS : Ma 'am.
Yes ?
They've searched
everywhere, ma 'am.
There 's no one.
I see.
Mrs Mills.
Yes, ma 'am ?
Do you have any idea
what this might be ?
'Tis a photograph album, ma 'am.
No, but look.
They're all asleep.
Look.
They're not asleep, ma 'am.
They're dead.
'Tis a book of the dead.
In the last century,
I believe...
they used to take
photographs of the dead...
in the hopes
that their souls...
would go on living
through the porraits.
: There are even
group porraits.
[gasps] And children!
oh, it's macabre!
How could these people
be so superstitious ?
grief over the death
of a loved one...
can lead people to do
the strangest things.
GRACE: get rid of it.
I don 't want it in the house.
MRS MILLS : Yes, ma 'am.
Mrs Mills, it's cold.
why don 't you come
and sit by the fire ?
Thank you very much, ma 'am.
So... tell me about
when you worked here before.
Did you have
to look after children then ?
No, I was in charge of
organizing the housework.
Hmm.
were there many servants ?
oh, about fifteen.
Though in the end...
there were just
the three of us left.
why?
My employers moved to London.
They came here
less and less...
it being
so out of the way like.
So gradually the house
just became empty.
Everybody ends up leaving
this damned island.
My family left
in the summer of 1 940....
just before the invasion.
That was the last
I've heard of them.
ohh.
I don 't blame them.
Actually, we left, too.
Although, you know...
sometimes when
you leave a place...
it's like it's there
with you all the time.
I always felt like I
never left this house.
why did you leave ?
oh, 'twas on account
of the tuberculosis.
The whole area was evacuated.
ohh.
was that when Lydia went dumb ?
Yes, I think so...
though my memory's
a bit rusty these days, ma 'am.
what happened to her?
It was suddenly one day.
She just... stopped talking.
There must've been a reason.
People don 't just stop talking.
These things
are always the result...
of some sor of trauma.
Something
must've happened to her.
Did your employers
treat you well?
oh, they were always
very kind to us.
They treated us
just like family.
You know, ma 'am,
I think I will go to bed.
I'll never be able
to get up in the morning.
: off you go.
I'm going to stay here
a while longer.
Yes, ma 'am.
[Sighs]
I'm sorry I was so hard on you.
Can you forgive me ?
Anne.
NICHOLAS : Mummy.
what?
when 's Daddy coming home ?
when the war's over.
why did he go to war?
I mean, nobody's done
anything bad to us.
Daddy went...
Daddy went
because he 's very brave...
and because
he wasn 't prepared...
to let the germans tell him
what he had to do.
NICHOLAS : why?
[Sobbing]
Charles...
where are you?
[Piano playing]
[Piano playing]
[Music grows louder]
[gasping]
[Music stops]
[Muffled thumping]
[Creaking]
[Lock clicks]
[Creak]
[Bang]
-[Slam]
-oh!
[Door locking]
Mrs Mills!
Mrs Mills!
what's the matter, ma 'am ?
The key to the music room,
give it to me! Quickly!
- what's happening, ma 'am ?
-Come on!
oh, my god.
ohh!
I checked that room myself.
It was empty.
Take these tablets, ma 'am.
They'll do you good.
And yet I felt as if
there was someone else there.
And it wasn 't human.
There is something
in this house.
Something diabolic.
Ma 'am...
Something which is not...
not at rest.
[Sighs]
I know you don 't believe it.
You don 't believe it, do you?
I don 't blame you.
I used to not believe
these things.
[Sighs]
I do believe it, ma 'am.
I've always believed
in those things.
They're not easy to explain...
but they do happen.
we 've all heard stories
of... the beyond...
now and then...
and I think sometimes
the world of the dead...
gets mixed up
with the world of the living.
But it's impossible.
The Lord would never allow
such an aberration.
The living and the dead...
will only meet
at the end of eternity.
It says so in the Bible.
Ma 'am...
there isn 't always
an answer for everything.
[Door opens]
MRS MILLS :
where are you off to, ma 'am ?
I'm going to the village
to pay Father McGraw a visit.
If he won 't come here,
then I shall go to him.
I shall bring him back.
Ma 'am, you should wait
till the weather improves.
:
I've waited long enough.
Ma 'am,
the priest told me that--
: I don 't care
what he told you!
I want him to tell me
personally!
He must come today!
MRS MILLS : But what are you
going to tell him ?
: That we have searched
every room inch by inch...
and now I need them
to be blessed.
MRS MILLS :
Ma 'am, please, wait.
Still, it's very early.
-Mr Tuttle.
-Morning, ma 'am.
I need you to search
the garden for gravestones.
gravestones ?
Yes. when my husband
bought this house...
we were told
there was a little cemetery.
I think it was over there,
amongst the trees.
I've not seen anything.
Check carefully.
It could be overgrown.
Yes, ma 'am.
I need to know if there was
a family buried here...
and if they had
a little boy-- Victor.
[gate squeaking]
Now she thinks
the house is haunted.
Do you think
it's safe to let her go ?
oh, don 't worry. The fog
won 't let her get very far.
oh, yes, the fog.
The fog, of course.
And when do you think...
we should bring
all this out into the open ?
All in good time, Mr Tuttle.
All in good time.
Speaking of which.
oh!
[gasping]
wha--
oh.
[Footsteps]
oh!
Charles ?
grace ?
ohh.
oh!
oh!
:
You 're here. You 're here.
They said there was no hope.
They said I should
give you up for dead.
They say a lot of things.
GRACE: ohh.
ohh!
oh, thank you.
Thank you, god.
Thank you, god.
Every night I prayed for this...
begging god to bring you back.
Bring the children
their father back.
Bring him...
But where have you been
all this time ?
out there...
looking for my home.
[Sighs]
You 're so different.
So different.
Sometimes I bleed.
[Laughs]
[Front door closes]
Ma 'am--
Mrs Mills...
this is my husband.
I'm very pleased
to meet you, sir.
: He 's very weak.
Here.
I want you to prepare a hot bath
and some clean clothes.
And something to eat.
Pight away, ma 'am.
How are my little ones ?
Daddy!
ANNE: [Kiss]
why did you take so long?
[Crying]
Hello, Nicholas.
I told you, you see.
I told you he 'd come back.
[Kiss]
Have you both been well-behaved?
we 've been very good.
Have you been good
to your mother?
Very good.
we study every day
for our First Communion.
Daddy, did you kill anyone ?
[Door closes]
oh! Here he comes!
Darling,
we 've prepared lunch for you.
Are you coming down
or would you prefer--
[Door closes]
ANNE:
when 's Daddy coming down ?
: Be patient, Anne.
Daddy is... not well.
ANNE: He said he 'd seen
a lot of dead men.
: Shh.
Mummy, when people die
in the war...
where do they go ?
oh, what a question.
-It depends.
-on what?
whether they fought on the side
of the goodies or the baddies.
Your father, for example,
fought for England...
on the side of the goodies.
How do you know who the goodies
and the baddies are ?
[Sighs] That's enough questions.
Eat your food.
You 'll never go to war.
we 'll never go anywhere.
ohh.
You 're not missing out
on anything.
You 're much better off at home
with your Mummy and Daddy...
who love you very, very much.
And the intruders.
There are no intruders here.
But you said that there were.
No, I said that
there are no intruders here.
I don 't want to hear
another word on the subject.
-But you said--
- That is enough!
Can I say something?
-No!
- why not?
Because you can 't!
[Fork clatters]
[Breathing heavily]
Anne, stop breathing like that.
You heard me. Stop it.
Stop breathing.
Pight, you go to your room.
go to your room.
No desser for you today.
[Sighs]
[Anne sobbing]
ohh, no crying now, no crying.
oh, stop that here.
Look what an awful face
you 've got when you cry.
-I don 't care!
- There, there.
You listen to me.
I've seen them, too.
You have ?
Yes.
why don 't you tell my mother?
Then maybe she 'll believe me.
There are things your mother
doesn 't want to hear.
She only believes
in what she was taught.
But don 't worry,
sooner or later...
she 'll see them.
Then everything
will be different.
How?
oh, you 'll see.
There are going to be
some big surprises.
There are going to be...
changes.
Changes ?
Now she 's behaving
as if nothing had happened.
what about her daughter?
oh, she 's not so stubborn.
The children will be
easier to convince.
No, it's the mother who 's going
to cause us problems.
Do you think her husband
suspects anything?
No. I don 't think
he even knows where he is.
ohh, look what
a pretty daughter I've got.
Mummy made this veil
especially for you.
-Hmm ?
-I look like a bride.
Yes. You do.
[Sighs] I need to shoren
the sleeves a little.
- You can take it off now.
-No.
This dress has to be spotless
for your First Communion.
I promise I won 't diry it.
Just let me wear it
for a little longer.
oh, just a little ?
All right.
I'll be back shorly.
No sitting on the floor
or leaning against the walls.
No.
[Locks door]
Monsieur,
would you like to dance ?
[Deep voice] I'd love to.
[Humming]
Charles,
you can 't go on like this.
You must eat something.
oooo.
[giggles]
[Humming]
d In the sky d
d I don 't know if
it's cloudy or bright d
d But I only have eyes d
d For you, dear d
d The moon may be high d
[Humming]
[Humming]
[Crying]
[Anne humming]
Anne, you need to take
the dress off now.
[Humming]
[Sighs]
Anne, are you listening to me ?
Anne ?
what did I tell you
about sitting on the floor?
ANNE: But it's clean.
It makes no difference.
why can 't you ever do
as you 're told...
[Humming]
[Anne 's voice]
what's the matter?
where is my daughter?
[giggles]
what have you done
with my daughter?
Are you mad?
I am your daughter.
[gasps]
No! You 're not my daughter!
[Anne screaming]
No! No!
[Fabric tearing]
Aah!
You 're not my daughter! No!
-Aah!
-No! Aah!
[gasping]
[Sobbing]
Ma 'am, I heard shouts.
She wants to kill me!
She won 't stop
until she kills us!
She won 't stop!
MRS MILLS :
Hush, child. Come with me.
ANNE: You 're wicked!
You 're wicked! wicked!
[Door closes]
ANNE: wicked!
[gasps]
[water running]
How is she ?
There 's no calming her...
so I've left her
with her father.
oh!
She insisted
on speaking with him.
what happened?
why did you fight?
GRACE: It wasn 't her.
It was the old woman
with the strange eyes.
She was imitating
my daughter's voice.
I'd swear to god
that it wasn 't my daughter.
oh, god. god help me.
god help me.
what's the matter with me ?
I don 't know
what's the matter with me.
MRS MILLS :
You must get more rest.
You can 't take on the whole
responsibility of this house.
Leave it to us.
we know what has to be done.
what do you mean by that?
what do you mean
you know what has to be done ?
Nothing, ma 'am.
I was just suggesting--
There 's nothing to suggest.
who do you think you are ?
You have no idea
what has to be done.
[Softly] or do you?
what are these ?
The tablets
for your migraine, ma 'am.
The ones you always take.
Please,
I need to be on my own.
Yes, ma 'am.
Come, child.
[Door opens]
[Footsteps]
CHAPLES :
Anne told me everything.
I wish I had an explanation,
but I haven 't.
At first, I thought there
was someone else in the house.
Even thought there were ghosts.
I'm not talking about
the ghosts.
I'm talking about
what happened that day.
I don 't know what
you 're talking about.
CHAPLES :
Tell me it's not true.
Tell me what happened.
Happened?
[Sighs]
I don 't know
what came over me that day.
The servants had left
during the night.
Hadn 't the courage
to tell me to my face.
They knew that I couldn 't
leave the house.
They knew. [Sobs]
Anne.
Anne, what happened?
She hit me.
She went mad
like she did that day.
Do you remember?
No.
You must forgive me, Charles.
Not me. The children.
They know that I love them.
They know I'd never hur them.
I'd die first.
what are you going to do ?
Are you angry with me ?
I just came back
to say good-bye...
to my wife and children.
Now I must go.
go where ?
To the front.
No. The war's over.
The war is not over.
what are you talking about?
You 're not going,
do you hear me ?
You left us once already.
You can 't go!
why?
why did you have
to go to that stupid war...
that had nothing to do with us ?
why couldn 't you have
stayed here like the others ?
The others surrendered.
we all surrendered!
The whole island was occupied!
what did you expect?
[Sighs]
what were you trying to prove
by going to war?
Your place was here with us.
with your family.
[Sighs]
: I loved you.
That was enough for me.
Living in this darkness...
In this prison.
But not for you.
I wasn 't enough for you.
That's why you left.
[Crying]
It wasn 't just the war.
You want to leave me, don 't you?
[Sighs]
ohh.
[gasps]
[Screaming]
Anne!
Nicholas!
[Children screaming]
[Screaming]
what is it? what--
ohh! ohh!
[Screaming]
oh, my god!
Here! oh, my god!
oh! oh!
Here!
oh!
Aah!
where are the curains ?
[Screaming]
GRACE: Mrs Mills!
Let me see. Let me see.
oh, you're all right!
You're all right!
I want my daddy!
[Crying]
Daddy's gone.
It's not true!
Yes, it is.
It is true.
[Sobbing]
I love you, Mummy.
[Sighs]
Find the curains.
who was it?
who did this ?
Tell me!
Tell me!
[Struggling]
You know what's happening here!
You know because
it happened to you, too!
You 'll tell me.
You write it down.
write it down! Please!
MRS MILLS : That attitude
won 't solve anything, ma 'am.
Anyway, she can 't write.
- where are they?
- what?
The curains!
The curains
my children 's lives depend on!
Someone has taken the curains!
I have noticed, ma 'am.
There 's no need for you
to raise your voice.
oh, Mr Tuttle. I was just
on the point of calling you.
Did you know that someone
has taken all the curains ?
The curains ?
oh, dear.
why should anyone want
to take all the curains ?
To let some daylight
into this house, I imagine.
Daylight. of course.
Someone wants to kill
my children.
why do you think that
the daylight would kill them ?
Are you mad?
I told you.
I already told you!
The children are photosensitive!
The light will kill them!
Yes, but that was before.
The condition could have
cleared up by itself.
If you never
expose them to daylight...
how do you know
they're not cured?
My sister-in-law had terrible
attacks of rheumatism...
in her legs and back.
Then one fine day...
they disappeared.
I am going
to find those curains...
and when you have finished
helping me hang them...
you will leave this house!
And what about the master,
ma 'am ?
what has he got to say
about all of this ?
give me your keys.
I want your keys now!
I know what you want.
You want to frighten us.
You want to get us out,
me and my children.
You 've wanted
to take over this house...
ever since the first day
you arrived.
Now, you give me those keys.
I will not ask again.
You should
try and calm down, ma 'am.
give me the keys.
give them to me.
And now get out of here.
[Door closes]
You know something, Mr Tuttle ?
I think I've reached
the end of my tether.
what about you?
oh, yes. Definitely.
we 'd better go and uncover
the gravestones.
[Clattering]
[Keys rattling]
[Footsteps]
[Door slams]
what's Mummy doing?
I've already told you.
She 's gone mad.
Liar.
-She 's gone mad!
-Liar, liar!
Night-time.
where are you going?
I've had enough.
I'm going into the woods
to look for Daddy.
Are you going to run away?
If I hang onto the pipe,
I can climb down to the ground.
It's very easy.
[wind whistling]
NICHOLAS : If Mummy finds out,
you 're in for it.
ANNE: Yes, yes, yes.
NICHOLAS : Anne, wait!
I want to come and look
for Daddy, too.
Liar. You just don 't want
to be left on your own.
Scaredy-pants, scaredy-pants!
Be quiet!
[Thumping]
[Noise]
Anne, I think we got lost.
we still haven 't
left the garden yet, silly.
-I'm scared.
-Shouldn 't have come, then.
-Say something.
- what shall I say?
I don 't know. Anything.
Let's see.
My name is Anne and I'm walking.
I'm walking
and my name is Anne.
[Creaking]
what's that over there ?
I think they're graves.
Don 't go near!
why not?
what if a ghost jumps out?
graves don 't have ghosts.
only skeletons.
[Sighs]
There 's something written here.
NICHOLAS : Let's go!
wait! [Brushing]
[gasps]
oh!
Anne! what does it say?
[gasps]
MRS MILLS : You must be
strong now, children.
ANNE: Nicholas, come here!
Mrs Mills, please don 't
tell Mummy we 've run away.
Don 't speak to them!
why?
- They're dead!
- what?
ANNE: They're ghosts!
Please come here!
Children!
ANNE: Nicholas!
They're ghosts ?
why aren 't they wearing sheets
and clanking chains ?
You said that--
I don 't care what I said!
Get away from them!
You 're always teasing me
and telling lies...
and I'm sick of it!
I'm not teasing you!
I'm telling the truth!
Come here!
[gasps]
Quick!
Aah! Mum! Mum!
Children!
[Screaming]
GRACE: Pun!
Pun!
go! Into the house!
GRACE: Don 't come any closer!
Don 't move! [Panting]
MRS MILLS:
Don 't trouble yourself, ma 'am.
Tuberculosis finished us off...
more than half a century ago.
[Keys rattling]
[Locks door]
GRACE: go away!
[Doorknob rattling]
MRS MILLS :
open the door, ma 'am. Please.
what do you want?
Mummy, don 't open the door.
Don 't.
we 've seen their graves.
go upstairs and hide.
-go on.
-I'm scared.
ohh!
Don 't separate! oh!
ohh!
whatever you do, don 't separate.
go hide. go. go.
MRS MILLS : we 've been trying
to make you understand.
Understand what?
About the house.
About the new situation.
GRACE: what situation ?
we must all learn
to live together...
the living and the dead.
ohh!
If you 're dead,
leave us in peace!
oh. Leave us in peace!
GRACE: [Echoing]
Leave us in peace!
In here. get inside.
MRS MILLS:
And suppose we do leave you.
Do you think they will?
who ?
The intruders.
There are no intruders.
MR TUTTLE:
They took the curains down.
There are no intruders.
oh, yes,
I assure you it was them.
And now they're in there
with you and the children.
- waiting for you.
-No!
Yes. And believe me,
sooner or later...
they'll find you.
Listen, wait here,
and I'll be back in a minute.
No, no, no. Mummy said
we shouldn 't separate.
we can 't leave her on her own.
[Panting]
Stop breathing like that.
[Breathing]
Nicholas,
stop breathing like that.
Stop breathing!
[Breathing]
Can 't you hear it?
There 's someone there.
woMAN: Come with us, children.
Come with us.
[Screaming]
Aah!
Nicholas ?
Anne ?
where are you?
Answer me!
MRS MILLS :
The intruders have found them.
MR TUTTLE:
There 's nothing we can do now.
MRS MILLS: You'll have to go
upstairs and talk to them.
[gasping]
[Pattling]
our Father,
who ar in Heaven...
hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come...
Thy will be done on earh...
as it is in Heaven.
give us this day
our daily bread...
and forgive us
our trespasses...
[Nicholas whimpering]
woMAN:
why are you afraid, children ?
why don 't you want us
to be your friends ?
[whimpering]
Come on. Speak to us.
Speak to us.
Tell me what happened.
[whimpering]
NICHOLAS : Don 't tell her!
Don 't tell her!
MAN: "Don 't tell her. "
ANNE: If I tell her,
they'll leave us in peace.
NICHOLAS : Mummy!
MAN: "Mummy. "
why are you crying, children ?
what happened in this room ?
what did your mother do to you?
[whispering]
Something about a pillow.
Is that how she killed you?
[Posary drops]
with a pillow?
She didn 't kill us!
Children, if you 're dead...
why do you remain in this house ?
ANNE: we 're not dead!
[Sobs]
woMAN: why do you
remain in this house ?
we 're not dead!
NICHOLAS : we 're not dead!
we 're not dead!
woMAN: why do you
remain in this house ?
"we 're not dead.
we 're not dead. "
- we 're not dead!
- we 're not dead!
we 're not dead!
[Yelling]
oh!
[gasps]
[Exhales]
MAN: Are you all right?
Yes. Just a bit dizzy,
that's all.
what happened?
They made contact.
All three ?
Apparently, yes.
The mother
and the two children.
Quite interesting,
don 't you think?
MRS MAPLISH: Interesting?
I was scared out of my wits!
Darling, calm down.
No. So far, we have handled
this matter your way...
but now you listen to me.
we can 't possibly stay
in this house any longer.
It is quite clear these beings
do not want us to live here.
we don 't know anything
about them yet.
Yes, we do!
we know the woman went mad...
smothered her two children,
and then shot herself.
That's quite enough.
Think of our son.
There 's nothing wrong
with Victor.
Yes, there is!
He has nightmares.
He says he has seen that girl...
and even this lady
has been possessed by her.
Please,
let us leave this house.
All right.
we will leave tomorrow morning.
oh, thank god for that.
I'll just go
and check on Victor.
once again,
thank you so much for coming.
MAN: A pleasure.
I hope we 've been of some help.
MR MAPLISH: oh, yes, of course.
Though I must admit...
: At first,
I couldn 't understand...
what the pillow
was doing in my hands...
or why you didn 't move.
But then I knew.
It had happened.
I had killed my children.
[Inhales]
I got the rifle.
I put it to my forehead.
Then I pulled the trigger.
Nothing.
Then I heard your laughter
in the bedroom.
Ahh.
You were playing
with the pillows...
as if nothing had happened.
And I thought
the Lord in His great mercy...
was giving me another chance...
telling me, "Don 't give up. "
"Be strong. "
"Be a good mother. "
"For them. "
But now...
now...
what does all this mean ?
where are we ?
MRS MILLS : Young Lydia
said the very same thing...
when she realized
the three of us were dead.
And that was the last time
she ever spoke.
But I couldn 't tell you
that before now.
Shall I make us
a nice cup of tea, ma 'am ?
The intruders are leaving...
but others will come.
Now, sometimes we 'll sense them.
other times, we won 't.
But that's the way
it's always been.
Ma 'am.
NICHOLAS : Mummy...
Daddy died in the war,
didn 't he ?
GRACE: Yes.
will we ever see him again ?
I don 't know.
If we 're dead, where 's limbo ?
I don 't know
if there even is a limbo.
I'm no wiser than you are.
But I do know that I love you.
I've always loved you.
And this house is ours.
You say it with me.
This house is ours.
NICHOLAS :
This house is ours.
This house is ours.
[All repeating]
Mummy, look.
It doesn 't hur any more.
No one can make us
leave this house.
Come along, Victor.
[Chain clanks]
[Lock clicks]