Looks like a burial.
In the road?
Driver, what is it?
Its a funeral, Mademoiselle.
They are afraid of the men
who steal dead bodies.
So they dig the grave
in the middle of the road
where people
pass all the time.
Well, thats a cheerful introduction
for you to our West Indies.
Do you know where is the house of
monsieur Beaumont?
Zombies! Aller vite! Allez!
It felt like hands touching me!
Why did you drive like that, you fool?
We might have been killed!
Worse than that, Monsieur.
We might have been caught.
Caught? By whom? Those men you spoke to?
They are not men Monsieur,
they are dead bodies.
Dead?
Yes, Monsieur. Zombies.
The living dead.
Corpses taken from their graves
who are made to work in sugar mills
and fields at nights.
Look! Here they come!
Look! Look!
Excuse me please,
have you got a match?
Did I frighten you? Ha, Im sorry. Im oddly
enough I suppose.
No, it wasnt you.
Something happened back on
the road there.
We stopped to speak
to some men.
Our driver told us that they werent men at
all. He said they were corpses.
Corpses?
Surely you dont believe it, do you?
No. But I dont know - Haiti is full of
nonsense and superstition.
Theyre always mixed up with a lot of
mysteries that will turn your hair grey.
Ive been a missionary here for, oh, thirty years,
and at times I dont know what to think.
Come, lets go
in the house.
Oh, yes, come, dear.
Is Mr. Beaumont in?
You are expected, Dr. Bruner.
Yes, Ive been sent for to marry someone.
Maybe you...
How long is it that youve
known Mr. Beaumont?
Oh, only a few days.
Madeline introduced him on
the docks in Port-au-Prince.
Ah, and you?
I met him on the ship
coming from New York.
He was very kind during the voyage.
Madeline and I planned to be married
the moment she arrived,
but Mr. Beaumont
persuaded us to come here.
And he promised to take me out
of the bank at Port-au-Prince
and send me to New York as his agent.
Strange.
Very strange.
You...
Ill tell Mr. Beaumont you are here.
Its all right, isnt it, doctor?
Oh, I guess so.
You see I, Ive only met Mr.
Beaumont once or twice.
But he never struck me like the man
who would take the trouble
to play fairy godfather to
a young couple like you...
Unless...
Unless what, sir?
I suppose youll think Im
a meddling old fool, but...
You know, Id feel a good deal better
if youd clear out of this place
after youre married,
and have nothing more
to do with Mr. Beaumont.
The young people have arrived sir,
and Dr. Bruner.
They are waiting in the reception hall.
Show them to their rooms,
and tell them Im out.
No wait.
Perhaps Id better see them.
It might look odd if I didnt.
Very odd, sir.
Especially as Dr. Bruner is a trifle
skeptical as to your -
motives, sir.
Nevermind my motives.
Has that other person sent word yet?
No, sir. Not yet.
Hes twenty-four hours late.
I wish youd keep away from
that man, sir.
He'll make trouble for you.
You needn't worry about that.
I'm not affraid of him.
I'm not easily frightened, sir.
You should know that.
But what you are planning is dangerous.
Dont you suppose I know that, Silver?
You dont seem to realize what
this girl means to me.
Why, Id sacrifice anything I
have in the world for her.
Nothing matters
if I cant have her.
I think, ah, I think youll like Haiti.
Most people that...
Madeline!
Im delighted to see you!
Neil, youre more than welcome.
Thank you, sir.
Doctor, it is very kind of you to come.
I know what a busy man you are.
No, ah, not at all. There is a native
family live out here
that Ive been trying to see for a long time.
After this young couple are
safely married, I'll leave.
But surely you will stay for
dinner after the ceremony?
No, no, no. No, I must run along.
Thats a great pity. We have something
very special prepared for this occasion.
It was very good of you, Madeline,
to humour the whim of a lonely man.
There was so little time
to prepare, I couldnt do half
the things I wanted for you.
Youve done more than enough already
Mr. Beaumont,
for a comparative stranger...
Giving Neil a position in The States.
Neil?
Yes. Yes indeed.
Oh, yes of course! Im sure Neil
will make a very good agent.
But you must be tired
after your drive.
You get some rest.
Silver!
Silver will show you to your rooms.
This way please.
Delighted to see you again,
monsieur Beaumont!
Please.
Please.
Im sorry to have kept
you waiting, monsieur.
Ive been on a journey
seeking men for my mills.
Men?
They work faithfully...
They are not worried
about long hours.
You can make good use of
men like mine on your plantations.
No.
Thats not what I want.
Then perhaps we should talk
about the young lady
who came to your house this evening?
Youve seen her? When?
The road, tonight.
There was a young man with her.
They are to be married, tonight.
You waited too long to do anything.
What do you want me to do?
If she were to disappear,
for a month...
What do you hope to gain
by her disappearance?
Everything...
Everything?
Do you think she will forget
her lover in a month?
Just give me a month.
One little month.
Not in a month. Not even a year,
monsieur.
I looked into her eyes. She is deep
in love. But not with you.
They are to be married
within an hour!
There must be a way!
There is way.
The cost...
The cost is heavy!
You give me what I want,
and you may ask anything.
No! Not that!
Only a pin point,
monsieur Beaumont,
in a glass of wine
or perhaps a flower.
Take it.
The time is very brief.
You must do your share if
I am to help you.
Keep it, monsieur.
Keep it.
You may change your mind.
Send me word when you use it.
- Ill find another way.
- There is no other way.
They are driving away evil spirits!
Close it, close it!
Mademoiselle!
I love you, Madeline, more than anything else
in this whole world, dear.
Heaven or hell lies in this
little moment for me.
You could raise me up to paradise or
you could blast my world into nothingness.
I can make you the envy of every woman.
Id give my life to make you happy!
Oh, listen to me dear
before its too late!
Dont, please.
Dont go into that room.
We can be in Port-au-Prince
in half an hour.
Theres a boat sailing at midnight.
Youve been so wonderful.
Dont spoil everything now.
One last gift
before I lose you forever!
We are gathered together here
in the sight of God,
and in the face of this company,
to join together this man, this woman
in holy matrimony.
This is the night of nights!
A toast to the bride!
To beautys queen!
Gladly, My Lord!
Leave but a kiss
within the glass.
Fair gypsy, read my fortune.
What do you see in the glass?
I see
happiness...
I see love, far more than you
can bear.
Is that all?
No.
I see...
I see...
What is it?
I see death.
Death?
Madeline, whats wrong?
Madeline my dear, please.
, no...
Madeline?
Madeline?
Cant we do something?
Please, please.
Madeline!
Not my wife. My wife!
Praise of our lord and saviour
and the love of
god and the fellowship
of his angels.
Be with us ever more. Amen.
Neil, Neil...
Neil...
Neil...
Neil...
Look!
Zombies!
Yes.
They are my servants.
Did you think we could do it alone?
In their lifetime they were my enemies.
Ledot, the witch doctor.
Once my master.
Secrets I tortured out of him.
Von Gelder, the swine.
Swollen with riches.
He fought against my spells until the last.
In him I have a struggling type.
His Excellence, Richard.
Once minister of the interior.
Scarpia, Brigand Chief. Marcquis,
Captain of Gendarmerie. And this...
this is Chauvin. The high
executioner,
who almost executed me!
I took them
just as we will take
this one.
But what if they
regain their souls?
They would tear me to pieces.
But that, my friend,
shall never be.
Madeline!
Madeline!
Madeline!
Madeline!
Theres two explanations
that strike me,
either the body was stolen by the
members of a death cult
that use human bones in their
ceremonies, or else...
Or else what?
Shes not dead.
Not dead?
Are you mad?
I saw her die,
the doctor signed the certificate.
I saw them bury her.
Now, wait a minute, wait a minute.
Im not mad.
But Ive lived in these islands
for a good many years,
and Ive seen things with my eyes
that made me think I was crazy.
There are superstitions in Haiti that
the natives brought here from Africa.
Some of them can be traced
back as far as ancient Egypt,
and beyond that yet, in the countries
that was old when Egypt was young.
Yes, but what has that
to do with Madeline?
I kissed her as she lay
there in the coffin.
And her lips were cold.
Let me explain. Now,
just a minute, Ill explain.
Wherever there is a superstition, you
will find there is also a practice.
Now, do you remember what your driver told you
the night that he took you to Beaumonts house?
Oh, about those horrible
creatures we saw?
He said they were corpses!
Taken from their graves.
Yes - thats the superstition!
Now for the practice.
The ghouls that steal the dead corpses from their graves,
are supposed to put them there in the first place.
Do you mean that
Madeline was murdered
so that somebody could
steal her dead body?
Aagh! Nonsense!
No, no. Not her...
Her body, yes; but not her dead body.
Thats what I meant.
Well, surely you dont
think shes alive,
in the hands of natives?
Oh no, better dead than that!
Excuse me please,
have you got a match?
Thank you.
You dont believe that,
do you?
Say, theres been lots of people
thats been pronounced dead
that came alive again and
lived for years.
Now, if nature can play
pranks like that,
why isnt it possible to play
pranks with nature?
Oh, I dont know.
Your driver believed he saw
dead men, walking.
He didnt. What he saw was man alive
and everything but this and this.
Oh, the whole thing has me confused!
I just cant understand it.
Um, I dont blame you...
I dont blame you.
Ive been trying for years to get to
the bottom of these things.
To separate what you call fact
from fiction.
The law!
The law of Haiti acknowledges the
possibility of being buried alive.
Here it is in
the penal code.
Ill read it for you.
Its in French -
do you speak French?
No.
Excuse me please,
have you got a match?
Right here, heres one.
Oh, thank you. I didnt see it there.
Ill translate it for you.
If you could spare me.
Article...
Article 2.49.
The use...
The use of drugs or other practices
which produce lethargic coma,
or lifeless sleep,
shall be considered attempted murder.
Attempted!
Yes I see.
If the person has been
buried alive,
the act should be considered murder
no matter what result follows.
Beaumont!
Say, you said you couldnt
understand
why he was so interested in us.
Do you think he did this?
No. No, I think his natives would.
Natives would be right.
Of course if you want to, we
could go to Beaumonts house first.
If I could get my hands on the devil
thats responsible for this,
Ill make him such an example
that every witch doctor in Haiti
would be shaking in his sandals.
But we cant do this alone.
Cant the authorities help?
The authorities, Neil, my boy,
you dont know these islands.
The native authorities are
afraid to meddle.
I am not. Ive got friends
among the natives.
Theyll tell me things that no jandam
could ever get out of them.
Because I am a preacher.
They think I am a magician.
Before we get through with this thing, we may uncover
sins that even the devil would be ashamed of.
Oh, these witch doctors...
Madeline...
Foolish things, they cant bring
back the light to those eyes.
I was mad to do this,
but if you had smiled on me,
Id have done anything for you.
Given you anything.
I thought that beauty
alone would satisfy,
but the soul is gone...
I cant bear those
empty staring eyes.
Oh, forgive me,
Madeline. Forgive me!
I cant bear it any longer.
I must take you back.
Back to the grave,
Monsieur?
No, you must put the life back into her
eyes and bring laughter to her lips.
She must be gay and
happy again!
You paint a charming picture,
Monsieur.
One that I should
like to see myself!
You must bring her back.
Arent you a trifle afraid,
Monsieur?
How do suppose those
eyes will regard you
when the brain is able
to understand?
Better to see hatred in them
than that dreadful emptiness.
Perhaps youre right.
It would be a pity to
destroy such a lovely flower.
Lets drink to the future
of this flower.
A glass of wine!
Silver, bring wine!
We have a toast to drink.
To the future,
Monsieur!
Only a pin point,
Monsieur.
In a flower...
or perhaps in a glass of wine?
You devil! What are you
trying to do to me?
I have other plans for Mademoiselle.
And I am afraid you might not agree.
I have taken a fancy to you,
Monsieur!
Silver! Silver!
Dont, dont!
To the future,
Monsieur!
The vulture,
you...
No. Not that.
Not that!
We ought to be picking up an old witch
doctor around here pretty soon.
His name is Pierre, Ive known
him for years. Bright old fellow.
I dont know just
where well find him.
Come, son.
There are evil spirits in the road.
I will give you an awonga.
And here, this one
for the ox.
Young man is sick with distress.
Well hey, wait a minute, we cant
afford to have you sick.
Neil, why dont you go over there,
we've got a hard day before us tomorrow.
Now, now then Pierre, come on.
Hes gone. We can talk.
It is a dangerous thing
you ask me to do.
Well now listen here you know, we're old
friends, you and me, and I want to go on.
Turn back before it is too late!
Oh, no. Ive come too
far to turn back now.
Im too old to go all this way with you.
Well listen, cant you get
somebody to go with us?
My people all afraid of the mountain.
Why?
Because it is called the land of the living dead.
Well, have, have you ever been there?
I am the only man that has ever
come back from there alive.
There is an evil spirit man
that is called Murder.
Come, I will tell you all about
what he did.
Vulture.
Just as old Pierre said.
A cloud of vultures always hovers
over the house of the living dead.
Madeline...
Is she there?
Oh, I must go and see her.
Neil, my boy, please, please
lie down and rest. Please.
Youll feel stronger in
the morning.
You rest.
Let me go up and see
what I can do.
Why is she so restless tonight?
Perhaps she remembers something?
They never remember anything
when they are like that.
No?
Because shes cut off.
Madeline!
Madeline!
No, no, I cant,
I cant!
You must, its your turn.
Lets run away!
He might hear you!
No way. I cant stand it.
I am going to run away!
He will find you
and make you like her.
Can you still hear me?
It is unfortunate you are
no longer able to speak.
I should be interested to hear
you describe your symptoms...
You see, you are the first
man to know
what is happening.
None of the others
did.
You refused to shake hands once.
I remember.
Well, well.
We understand each other better now.
Madeline!
Madeline!
Madeline!
Madeline!
I found you!
Youre alive.
Alive!
Whats the matter?
Its I, Neil.
Oh my darling, what
have they done to you?
Who are you?
And what are they?
For you, my friend, they
are the angels of death.
Come! Zombies!
Duck!
Look!
Madeline, dont you know
me, dear?
Its Neil.
I could swear, for a moment
she recognized you.
Come on, dont let
him get away!
Madeline, my darling!
Neil, I...
I dreamed?
Excuse me please,
have you got a match?