The Curse of the Cat People

# The trees in apple orchards

# With fruit are bending down

# The flowers' bluest fringes

# Are curling in the sun

# In dusty pods, the milkweed... #

Come here, children.

Come closer.

Take a good look.

It may seem just a little valley

with a little stream running through it, but no.

There are songs and stories

and lovely legends about this one blessed spot.

It's Sleepy Hollow.

And now, just because you happen to be

the kindergarten class

in the very favored village of Tarrytown,

ou may run and play in Sleepy Hollow...for...

exactly 15 minutes.

Look, a kitty.

CAT MEOWS

HE IMITATES MACHINE GUN

So this will be the shoe.

You mustn't let Evalynn catch you with it,

Or you'll be it. Ready?

Yes. Ready.

Go.

# Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe

# Get it done by half past 2... #

Dorothy!

No, I haven't got it.

# cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe #

# get it done by half past 2... #

Amy!

She's dreaming again.

Amy, you're it.

He's kicking me.

Ready, Amy?

We never have any fun with Amy.

She spoils everything.

I'm sure she doesn't mean to.

Amy's a nice girl, only a little different.

Oh, my beautiful.

You're my friend.

Come play with me.

Amy.

I'll get it for you, Amy.

I'll get it for you.

I'll get it.

Really, Mr Reed,

There isn't anything to worry about.

After all, it was only a slap.

That's exactly what I told Mr Reed,

But he insisted upon remaining home from business

To talk to you, Miss Callahan.

I know it may seem stupid of me, but

It's not the slap i'm worried about,

It's the reason.

Something to do with a butterfly.

They were quarreling about it.

No. Amy slapped Donald because

he hurt the butterfly,

And...it was her friend.

Well, that seems a harmless fancy.

Amy has too many fancies

and too few friends, and it worries me.

It doesn't seem... normal.

You know these fond fathers with their only chicks.

I can see that you're worried, Mr Reed,

And Amy is a very sensitive

and delicately adjusted child.

But part of the blame for that may lie with you.

Perhaps you're overanxious, watch her too closely,

worry too much.

The child's bound to feel it.

It's late, Mommy.

You haven't forgotten

my birthday party.

No, darling.

Your birthday, Amy,

and I have something for you in my locker.

A present.

Mommy's having a party for me,

and I invited Robert and Lois...

Amy and I'll meet you at the car.

And Evalynn and Betty and Ruth.

Look at these, Ollie. Aren't they cute?

There must be one of Amy's here.

Oh, here it is.

She certainly doesn't seem to have inherited

any artistic abilities from either of us.

Well, it shows imagination, anyhow.

I wonder if you don't resent that in her.

I'm sure I don't, Alice. It's something else.

Something moody.

Something sickly.

She could almost be Irena's child.

But she's not Irena's child.

There's nothing of Irena in her.

She's my child.

All I have to do is look at Amy's eyes -

deep and blue, like yours.

I'm not a jealous woman, Oliver.

I know that.

That's why I can tell you.

That you think too much about Irena,

Blame yourself too much for her death.

No, it's not that.

It's because I know what can happen

when people begin to lie to themselves,

imagine things.

I love Amy too much

To let her lose herself

in a dream world

where butterflies become pals.

I saw what happened to Irena

with her cat people.

I know, dear. I understand.

But try not to worry so much about her.

Be a little easier in your thinking.

Especially today. Let's forget about it.

You'd better hurry. I left Amy in the car,

and she's getting impatient.

She tells me there's something

Especially important about a 6th birthday.

We'll see that she gets there

in good time.

I'm so happy to have met you, Miss Callahan.

You're just as nice as Amy told me you were.

I do hope you'll come to see us.

Thank you, I will.

Goodbye, Mr Reed.

Goodbye, Miss Callahan.

Where is everybody?

Oh, it's early yet.

It's nearly quarter after 4.

The party was for 4, wasn't it?

Yes, darling.

Gosh, in my day,

kids arrived at birthday parties

before anybody was ready for them.

Well, times have changed.

Ollie, that's for the children to play with.

No kids yet.

Something's gone wrong.

Maybe I should call somebody.

All right, Ollie, go ahead.

Call the Millers

And see if their darling Donald has left yet.

I think I should. 3000-W?

That's right.

What is it, Ollie?

Something's haywire.

What do you mean?

Neither the Millers nor the Irvings received invitations.

But they must have.

Amy and I made them out together.

You mailed them, didn't you, Edward?

Well, ma'am, the truth is I gave them to Amy herself to post.

Amy mailed them?

She pleaded so to do it.

Amy.

You remember the party invitations

Edward gave you to mail?

Yes, Daddy.

Did you mail them?

Yes, I did.

Where did you mail them?

I'll show you.

Amy, not that old tree?

Yes, Daddy.

But I told you about that so long ago.

You couldn't have been more than three

when I told you that tree was a magic mailbox.

I didn't forget.

But Amy, that wasn't real.

That was just a story.

That tree's no mailbox.

Well, there they are.

Look, Amy,

mother and daddy keep telling you

over and over again,

but you go right on dreaming.

Then things like this happen.

If the invitations didn't go,

then that means nobody will come,

doesn't it?

There won't be any party.

Oh, yes. There is going to be a party.

We'll have one ourselves.

You and I and mother and Edward, huh?

Oh, Amy, look. Isn't that beautiful?

Oh, boy, I'll bet that tastes good.

You've got to blow them all out at once, Amy.

Amy, make a wish.

Wish real hard,

then blow out the candles,

and your wish will come true.

But wishes don't come true.

Certain wishes do.

But you told me in the garden

that the wish about the tree

couldn't come true.

Well, this is different.

Go on, blow.

Oh, Amy, you'll get your wish.

You know what I wished, Daddy?

I wished I could be a good girl.

Now it's all ruined.

You shouldn't speak your wish.

But, Edward, in this kind of wish,

that doesn't matter.

I can make this sort of a wish come true.

I'll be just like Daddy wants me to be -

play with the other children,

not sit around by myself,

tell the truth...

That's right, darling.

And you'll make Mommy and Daddy very happy.

Good morning, Edward.

Good morning, Amy.

Hello, Jack.

Nah.

(Look who's coming.)

THEY WHISPER

What comes next?

Double knocks, of course.

I just seem to stay in double knocks forever.

Of course, it's very hard to do anything

with somebody breathing down your neck.

May I play, too?

You might just as well

stop being nice to us, Amy Reed.

We're mad at you.

Why?

Because you said you were going to

invite us to your birthday party.

And you didn't.

But I did. I did invite you.

Look at that giraffe!

Run faster!

Run! Run faster!

Ditch her!

I did invite you to my party.

I did! I did! I did!

We ditched her. Serves her right.

The old house.

It's haunted.

There's a witch in it.

Count 3, count 4. Run past the door.

That's the best thing to say for witches.

Little girl?

Come into the garden.

It's pleasant and cool here.

Come into the garden.

Little girl?

Step back away from the house

so that I can see you.

Give me that.

Go away, little girl.

Go away!

May I have my milk, Edward?

Certainly, little miss.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Look at my ring.

That's a fine-looking ring.

A lady threw it to me.

Most surely that was a nice lady

to give a ring to a little girl. It's a pretty ring.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised

if it were a true wishing ring.

A ring that I can wish on like I wished on the candles?

Maybe. If it's a real mourning ring

like we have in Jamaica, all you've got to do is

turn it on your finger,

close your eyes, and make a wish.

If it's a real mourning ring,

I'm going to think hard for something I want

more than anything else in the world before I wish.

That's the clever way to do it.

You look good and hot,

and good and tired.

Guess you've been playing real hard with your friends.

I didn't play, Edward.

They wouldn't play with me.

Your daddy isn't gonna like that.

He had his heart all set

on your playing with the other children.

I'd better tell him.

Daddy?

Amy, come over here

and take a look at this.

Your daddy's so pleased with you

that he's built you a model ship

for your very own.

You see, when you're a good girl

and play with the other children,

don't go moping and dreaming by yourself,

your daddy wants to do everything he can to make you happy.

Now...

You run along and find the other children.

I wanted to talk to you.

I wanted to tell you

about the other children.

Can't you tell me later?

I didn't play with them.

They wouldn't play with me.

What do you mean you didn't play with the other children?

They wouldn't play with me, on account of the birthday party.

Oh, because you didn't ask them.

Well, I don't blame them for being angry.

Why didn't you explain what happened?

They ran away.

Why didn't you run after them?

I did. I came to an old, dark house,

and a voice called to me. A lovely, sweet voice.

Now, Amy...

It's true.

Who did the voice belong to?

It was just a voice.

Look, this is the last time you come to me with such stories.

I'm sick of this sort of thing.

But it's true.

Well, let me be the judge of that.

Old dark houses and voices.

Run out and play with the other children,

and never let me hear anything of that sort again.

Your mother may excuse it as imagination,

but I call it just plain lying,

and I'll have none of it, understand?

My, my, what a coil we're in.

What's this all about?

Oh, Amy's been lying again.

No, I didn't.

Voices from an old, dark house.

Did you hear the child out?

Well, it seemed to me...

You mean you didn't.

It seems to me the least you could do.

You can't just jump at conclusions that way.

I think you're being unfair.

I'm never unfair!

You're shouting at me.

I'm not shouting at you!

But there's no doubt in my mind

that you spoil this child.

I'm sorry, darling.

Daddy and Mommy are a little upset.

You're upset about me.

I made you fight.

I hate for you to fight.

We're not really fighting, darling.

We're just having a little discussion.

You run out and play, and we'll make up.

Go on, now.

I wish...

for a friend.

Amy looks happy.

Looks almost as if she were playing

with another child,

Like somebody else were running with her and playing.

Well, nothing wrong with your appetite, is there?

I didn't even have to coax her tonight.

That's because she made a promise,

and she's keeping it,

Aren't you? Yes.

You saw the way she played this afternoon, Edward.

Indeed, I did. Up and down the garden she went,

laughing and singing to herself.

I wasn't singing to myself.

Oh? I suppose it was to the wind you sang,

or maybe to the clouds or the sun.

Or perhaps it was to the flowers in the garden.

All finished, darling?

Yes, mommy.

All right, come along, then.

Good night, daddy.

Good night, darling. Pleasant dreams.

Same to you.

She'll surely have pleasant dreams tonight.

She's been such a good girl all day long.

SHE HUMS

What are you saying?

I wasn't saying anything.

I was singing.

I suppose any note, no matter how sour,

sounds like a song if you hold on to it long enough.

I thought I'd never forget that song.

What song, dear?

The song I was trying to hum.

The song my friend taught me.

Oh, you'll remember it sometime.

Mommy?

Yes, darling?

Did you ever make a wish?

Oh, lots of times.

Did your wishes ever come true?

Sometimes.

I made a wish today, and it came true,

just like Edward said it would.

Where did you get this ring?

That's what I wished on.

Edward said it's a wishing ring, and it is.

But where did you get it?

At the old house with the voice.

Someone gave it to you?

But, darling,

you shouldn't accept gifts from strangers.

Yes, mommy.

Where was this old house?

On the back street.

A green house.

Oh, the Farren house.

Do you know the people?

No, dear, I don't know them,

But I've heard about them.

Are they nice?

I really don't know.

But I do know that you must return the ring.

You get Edward to take you up there

and give it back to the old lady.

Well, the mother or daughter -

whichever one gave it to you.

But ask Edward to go with you.

I'll take it back.

I got my wish anyway.

You mustn't tell anybody or it won't come true.

But it's already come true.

Shh. Then you must keep it true.

Good night, darling.

Good night.

# Ranzo was no sailor

# Ranzo, boys, Ranzo

# Ranzo was a tailor

# Ranzo, boys, Ranzo... #

VACUUM CLEANER STOPS

Little miss, you're stopping me in my work.

I want to talk to you.

Mommy says for you to come

to the old house with me.

I've got to take back this ring.

You just wait until I finish here.

I've got to dust these ships off for your dad.

Will you come soon? Soon as I finish.

# His guitar was a dandy

# Ranzo, boys, Ranzo

# And was too fond of brandy

# Ranzo, boys, Ranzo... #

Now, little miss?

You're going to be busy all day long, Edward.

I do suppose so.

But since you were there yesterday,

I guess you can get there today.

That means I can go alone?

# Ranzo was a tailor

# Ranzo, boys, Ranzo... #

Hello, Amy.

Hello. Were you coming

to see us, Miss Callahan?

No, darling, I hadn't intended to.

I live right here.

Well, maybe I'll drop in and see your mommy.

Goodbye, Miss Callahan.

Goodbye, Amy.

I like to see a home like this,

a home connected with people's

thoughts and work - things they love.

This is some of Oliver's handiwork.

Good, too.

It was fun getting this room together.

I should think so.

It doesn't fit, does it?

Yet it's a part of our lives, too,

part of our past.

I've often thought of getting rid of it,

But Oliver wouldn't stand for it.

You see, it was his first wife's

favorite picture. She was an artist.

I didn't know that Mr Reed had been married before.

Yes, he was. As a matter of fact,

I was on the point of telling you about it yesterday.

It was a tragic, terrible experience.

Oliver's never really gotten over it.

What is it?

My mother told me to give back the ring

to the lady who gave it to me.

You're not the lady.

Sit over there.

CREAKING LAUGHTER

I quite agree with you.

The sun is not kind.

God should use a rose amber spot.

Come along.

Here we go.

Sit down, my child.

I've been watching you.

You couldn't see me, but I could see you.

It was like peeking through the slit

in the curtain before the play began.

You'd be a very good audience.

I can see that.

If you are the lady who gave me a ring,

My mother says I have to give it back to you.

Return it to me? Indeed you may not.

I gave it to you as a present.

But my mother says I mustn't accept gifts from strangers.

Stranger? Julia Farren a stranger?

Why, I've played every theater

from Boston to San Francisco.

I've played London, Paris...

Oh, those days...

Those beautiful, shining, golden days.

But I only came to give back the ring.

The ring?

We'll have no more nonsense about the ring.

Let's have some tea, shall we?

Tea will be good, strong, and red now -

the way I like it.

She's always spying on me.

She creeps into the room.

She lives here. Who is she?

That woman is an imposter.

She's a liar and a cheat!

How do you like your tea?

Well, sometimes I get a spoonful of tea

in a cup of hot milk.

Good.

It's almost as if there were a curse on us.

I wouldn't care if it were on me,

But it seems to be directed against Amy.

I sometimes think Irena haunts this house.

Why, Edward, I thought you'd gone with Amy.

No. She went running off to some old house

she was talking about yesterday.

That's the Farren house.

Is that where she got the ring, Mrs Reed?

She shouldn't be up there.

But I told her to go with you.

She said something about that,

but she didn't tell me it was the Farren house.

I'll go right over.

Child...

Have you ever seen a play?

I like stories.

Then I'll tell you a story, a lovely story.

Do you know the story of Rapunzel?

My mommy read it to me.

Oh. Do you know the story of the headless horseman?

You live here in Tarrytown

And don't know the legend of Sleepy Hollow?

Ooh, then you must hear it.

I shall tell it to you.

There. Now, you sit there.

Now, we'll pretend this is the stage.

The headless horseman.

Why hasn't he got a head?

Oh, it was shot off long ago

in the great battles that were fought here,

With the British on one side,

And the Americans on the other.

KNOCK ON DOOR

"There's a knocking at the south entry.

"Knock, knock - never quiet.

"Wake Duncan with thy knocking."

Is my little miss here?

A little girl with hair about the color of yours, ma'am?

About time for you to come home, Amy.

But Mrs Farren just started to tell me a story. Please.

Let the child stay.

I don't know, Amy.

He'll let me stay, Mrs Farren.

He'll let me stay.

Good.

Now, Amy, I didn't say.

On the dark nights,

on the stormy nights, you can hear him.

He passes like the wind,

and the flapping and fluttering

of his great cloak,

beating like gaunt wings,

and the thunder of his horse's hooves

is loud and loud and louder!

At the midnight hour,

down the road that leads to Sleepy Hollow,

across the bridge,

he goes galloping, galloping, galloping -

always searching, always seeking.

And if you stand on the bridge

at the wrong hour,

the hour when he rides by,

his great cloak sweeps around you.

He swings you to his saddle bow,

and then forever you must ride.

And always, his cold arms around you,

clasping you into the cavity of his bony chest.

And then, forever you must ride...

and ride and ride...

with the headless horseman.

Come along now.

I've had a nice time,

but I have to go home now. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Thank you.

Little miss,

don't you never come here alone.

You gave me a fright, you did.

But she's such a nice lady.

I don't want you coming here alone.

You get me to go with you

when you want to come here.

You promise?

You be sure of your promise.

A liar? An imposter?

Your own daughter?

You called me that,

yet you're sweet and kind to the little girl -

a stranger.

Look at me. I'm your daughter.

My daughter Barbara died when she was 6.

That was long ago.

You're only the woman who takes care of me.

Look at me.

You are an imposter.

He passes like the wind...

VOICES AND HOOFBEATS ECHO

His cold arms around you...

Loud and loud and louder...

And loud and loud and louder...

HOOFBEATS GET LOUDER

Aah!

Listen.

What is it, Alice?

I thought I heard Amy calling.

I guess not.

My friend, I'm frightened.

My friend.

I'm glad you came...

My friend.

Sing me that song again...

My friend.

# Do-do

# L'enfant do

# L'enfant dormira bientot... #

He's a million miles away.

Gathering a few aces, I hope.

Ollie? What?

It's your play.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I was somewhere else.

# Do-do

# mmm-mmm

# l'enfant dormira bientot #

Good morning, mommy.

Good morning, darling.

You ready for breakfast?

I had my breakfast

while you were still asleep.

I haven't had mine.

Well, you know where it is.

You see the way I'm treated?

You're the only one who has any pull around here.

Mommy, who's this?

Amy, where did you get this?

Right in here. Isn't she pretty?

She was very pretty.

What's her name?

Irena.

Irena.

Darling, look. The sun's shining.

Why don't you run out and play?

All right, mommy.

Ollie.

Yeah?

Don't you think we ought to get rid of this?

Where'd you get it?

Amy found it in that drawer.

Perhaps you'd better go through the whole bunch.

There may be others of Irena in there.

I hope we never have to tell Amy about her.

There's no need to that I can see.

Irena.

Irena.

Who are you?

You called me by my name.

Irena - but who are you?

I'm your friend.

I've wanted a friend.

I've wanted a friend, too.

I've been lonely.

But where do you come from?

You wouldn't understand.

I come from great darkness

and deep peace.

But where is that?

I cannot tell you.

Will you be my friend for always?

For as long as you'll let me.

I shall want you for always.

For always, then.

But you must promise

never to tell anyone about me.

Not even daddy or mommy?

No. This must be a friendship

that only we shall have -

you and I -

Amy and her friend.

Oh, I like the sound of that.

Amy and her friend.

Amy and her friend.

One is like a tall princess.

A princess?

Of course.

And two is the prince who kneels before her

on one knee.

Yes? Yes, the prince!

That's right.

This is more fun than just numbers.

Of course.

There's an oak leaf. Add a maple.

That one's an elm.

Throw seaweeds into the flames,

and the fire turns blue.

I don't think that's much fun.

Let's play house instead.

You be the friend who comes to see me.

I'll show you my children.

Your children?

My dolls. We can pretend.

All right, then.

Button your sweater, darling.

It's turning cold.

Yes. Winter's coming.

I don't like the winter.

Oh, but winter's fun.

There's the wind and the snow.

You will like the warm fire

upon the hearth

and the long, long nights.

All my children are taking their naps.

We must be very quiet.

This is Lottie.

She's very good.

This is Mary Ann.

She's good sometimes.

This is Virginia.

She's hardly ever good.

These are all from me.

Oh.

Why, Amy!

Let's see what we have here.

"to mother, from Amy."

Thank you, darling.

You can't open them yet.

You have to put all of them

under the tree until morning.

All right, dear.

I guess if you can wait, so can we.

Let's see... "to daddy, from Amy."

Here's one for Miss Callahan.

And, um...

"to Edward, from Amy."

Good heavens, what could you be giving me, little miss?

You just wait.

This one's for Mrs Farren.

She gave me a ring, so I'm giving her a ring.

I paid 25 cents for it, too.

This one hasn't got a name on it.

Amy, who gets this one?

Who's it for, Amy? Do we have to guess?

Come on. Tell us who it's for.

CAROL SINGERS SING

# From angels bending near the earth

# To touch their harps of gold

# Peace on the earth

# Good will to men

# From heaven's all-gracious king

# The world in solemn stillness lay... #

Ollie, ask them in.

# ..To hear the angels sing! #

Merry christmas. Come on in.

Thank you. Thank you.

Merry christmas!

ALL TALK AT ONCE

Take your things off, girls. Put them down someplace.

Your carols were beautiful.

Oh, it's so cold out there!

You've no idea how cold.

You could nearly die.

There's a big fire in the living room.

Edward's fixing something hot for you all to drink.

So bounteous of you,

But I've always said you were a most bounteous young man.

Well, the sentiment's mutual, Miss Plumett.

Oh, thank you.

Right in there.

Oh, my dear Mrs Reed.

Of all the houses we've been in tonight,

I do swear that yours has the truest

dyed-in-tradition Christmas spirit.

Plumett ought to have a record

made of that.

She says the same thing

at every house we go to.

What did you get for Christmas?

I don't know yet.

My goodness,

don't you open your presents

until Christmas morning?

No.

We open ours on Christmas Eve.

That's considered proper.

Well, I guess we're not a very proper family.

Hmm.

Can we have another carol?

Of course you may have

another carol!

What shall it be, good friends?

Oh, I know one.

Shepherds, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep.

We know that one!

Come on, everybody!

Now remember, we start con vivace, you know.

# shepherds, shake off your drowsy sleep

# Rise and leave your gentle sheep...

# Depuis plus de quatre mille ans

# Nous le promettaient les prophetes

# Depuis plus de quatre mille ans

# Nous attendions cet heureux temps

# Il est ne le divin enfant

# Sonne haut bois resonnez musettes

# Il est ne le divin enfant

# Angels from heaven around are singing

# Tidings of great joy are bringing

# Shepherds, the chorus

# Come and swell

# Sing Noel

# Oh, sing Noel...

# Chantons tous son avenement

# Depuis plus de quatre mille ans

# Nous le promettaient les prophetes

# Depuis plus de quatre mille ans

# Nous attendions cet heureux temps. #

Merry christmas, Amy.

Merry christmas, Irena.

I brought you a present.

Oh, thank you, Amy.

You can open it now, I guess.

Lois Huggins says that's proper.

Oh...

How beautiful.

It reminded me of you,

so I bought it.

It cost me more than all the others.

I shall wear it on my cape.

Oh, that is more beautiful

than I ever imagined it.

I wish I could show you

to Mommy and Daddy.

I wish you could enjoy Christmas

with us.

You and I shall enjoy Christmas together.

Shall I show you my Christmas gift to you?

Oh, please.

Look.

Oh!

Amy? >

Amy, where are you? >

Amy! >

Better go in now.

Run along, darling.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you, Amy.

Oh!

Come in, my child.

Sit over there.

You sit there.

I brought you a present.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas present!

It's been so long

since I've had a Christmas present.

There's a present

you haven't opened yet.

Oh. That's from her,

that woman.

Well, let's see what we have here.

In my time, I've had a great many presents,

Christmas and otherwise.

The king of Spain gave me that ring.

Ohh! A ring!

A beautiful ring.

See how it shines.

Oh, what would I do

With the king of Spain's ring

when I have this to put in its place?

For this,

this is a ring given me

out of friendship and love.

Thank you, my child.

It's getting late. We'd better be going on.

The family will be waiting.

Oh... Such a brief visit.

But, dear child,

you've made my Christmas a very happy one.

Merry Christmas.

You didn't even open my present,

and I'm your daughter.

My daughter died

long ago.

Dismantling a Christmas tree

always makes me a little sad.

Cheer up. It'll be on us again

before you know it.

Amy...here.

Take these and put them on the fire.

Isn't it fun to hear them crackle, Amy?

Uh-huh. I like it.

I love the smell of pine.

It's one of my clearest memories - twelfth night -

burning pine and mummer's plays.

It's been ages since I even thought

Of a mummer's play.

We used to do them every year in college.

St George and the dragon.

All kinds of crazy sword dances.

I even have some pictures of myself

all done up in tattered green, waving a wooden sword.

They're in here, I think.

Here we go again.

Quiet.

Uh-oh.

What did I lose?

I'll get it, Mommy.

Daddy!

Yes, Amy?

Why, Daddy, you know my friend, too.

You couldn't know this woman.

She died before you were born.

Why did you call her your friend?

Answer me. Why did you call her your friend?

Because she is my friend.

Ollie, please,

let's not go on with this.

The child's trembling.

We've got to go on. Amy...

All this time, you've let your mother and father think

that you'd forgotten that old dream life of yours,

now we find you've only kept it secret.

It isn't a secret.

She plays with me.

She plays with me in the garden all the time.

Right out there in the garden. She does!

In the garden?

Would she be there now?

She's there whenever I call her.

Now, Amy, I want you to look all around

very carefully,

and then I want you to tell me

if your friend's in the garden now.

Do you understand, Amy?

She's there.

Where, Amy?

Right there, under the tree.

Amy, there's nothing there.

There's no one at all in the garden.

But she is there!

Listen, darling,

I want you to look once more.

Take as long as you want. Look very carefully.

And then I want you to tell me there's no-one there.

But she is there!

I tell you there's no one there.

If you deny that,

if you insist this woman you call your friend

is in the garden,

I'm afraid I shall have to punish you.

Do you understand?

Yes.

All right.

Now...tell me what you see.

I see Irena.

Amy's never been punished before.

Not that way.

It's best for you not to interfere.

I suppose so.

I'm sorry to make such a fool of myself.

After all, a first spanking -

it's an important occasion.

I'll be all right in a minute.

I'll duck into the kitchen

and see what's happened

to Edward and the coffee.

"When children are playing alone on the green,

"In comes the playmate that never was seen."

What did you say?

I was starting a poem - Stevenson's Unseen Playmate.

You probably know it.

"When children are playing alone on the green,

"In comes the playmate that never was seen.

"When children are happy and lonely and good,

"The friend of the children comes out of the wood."

I know it.

You liked it, didn't you?

I like it now.

Don't you see it's the same thing?

Amy isn't lying to you.

It's an unseen companion.

Children love to dream things up.

This is different.

This is worse.

It isn't just a childish fancy.

It couldn't be anything else.

You see... I've lived through

something like this before.

I was married to the very woman

that amy claims is a friend,

whose picture she identified.

That's so easy to understand.

She'd seen the picture, and had liked the face,

and made it part of this companion she imagined

for herself.

You don't know about this woman,

my first wife, Irena.

You don't know what happened to her

just because she told lies to herself

and believed them.

I tried to stop it, but...

Everything I did was wrong.

In the end she went completely mad.

There was a terrible tragedy.

She killed a man.

Then she killed herself.

It must have been terrible for you,

but you can't let this stand between you and your child.

CRYING

Amy.

Do you know why I came to you, Amy,

why I came to be your friend?

Because you called to me.

Out of your loneliness you called me

and brought me into being.

And I came

so that your childhood could be bright

and full of friendliness.

Now...you must send me away.

I don't want you to leave.

You'll remember me for a while...

Mourn a little...

But then you'll forget,

and that is as it should be.

I'll never forget you.

If you leave, I'll follow you.

No-one can follow me.

Don't go!

Don't leave me!

Goodbye.

Please don't leave me.

Don't go. Please.

Come back, Irena.

Irena!

But you're a teacher, not a parent.

You haven't any children.

Wait a minute.

You design ships. That's your business.

You haven't any special qualifications

to handle children, other than parenthood.

I'm a teacher. I've studied children.

What do the books tell you about Amy?

Just one book -

It's called The Inner Life Of Childhood.

There's a whole chapter devoted

to children like Amy -

unhappy and frustrated.

Children have only one way of escape -

they build companions for themselves.

Some children believe they have a dog or a cat,

others create children or grown-ups

for their friend.

That's an indication of how serious

it is with Amy.

You seem to agree with me.

I have every right to be worried.

I've never argued that.

It's just that you're going about it

the wrong way.

I still find that hard to believe.

Irena.

Irena.

You've got to be her friend

so that she won't need other friends.

You've got to believe what she says.

Her friend will vanish

the moment her hunger for friendship

is satisfied by a real person.

You're talking about Amy?

Yes.

I want to trust her.

I want to be her friend.

There's no better time than now.

She's probably upstairs this minute

sobbing out her grief

to a friend who doesn't even exist.

Ollie, why don't you go up to her?

Well, I'll...

I'll go up and see

if she's gotten to bed all right.

Irena.

Ollie, what is it?

Amy - she's gone!

Operator,

give me the state police, and hurry.

She's gone into the woods.

'And if you stand on the bridge

'at the wrong hour,

'the hour when he rides by,

'his great cloak sweeps around you...'

HOOFBEATS

HOOFBEATS

THUMPING LIKE HOOFBEATS

I hate the storm.

I hate it.

I don't hate the storm.

It blows beyond me.

It was on a night like this

that barbara died.

But I'm Barbara.

I didn't die!

Don't you understand?

My Barbara was killed.

No, no,

you were out of your mind.

You didn't know anybody.

You didn't remember anything.

Look at me.

Look in my eyes, mother.

Say that I'm barbara.

No.

It's not true.

Everything you say is a lie.

You're a poor, lost woman.

You're not my Barbara.

You're always worse when that little girl's been here.

If that child comes here again,

I'll kill her.

Yes, I'll kill her!

What is it, Johnson?

Dogs tracked her down to here, sir.

Ollie, they'll find her.

It's a bad night.

If anything happens to her,

it's so much my fault.

They'll find her, and then you can

make it up to her.

I'll make it up to her.

I'll trust her. I'll believe her!

We'll have to leave the car here -

she's gone across the field.

BARKING

BARKING

HOWLING

KNOCK ON DOOR

Mrs Farren!

Mrs Farren!

Mrs Farren!

Mrs Farren!

Poor little girl!

Poor little girl.

TINKLING

Why, I...

I'll have to hide you... little girl.

I'll have to hide you.

No.

We-we can't hide you there.

She knows every corner of that room.

We could go upstairs.

There's a little room under the eaves.

I can hide you there.

I-I rarely go upstairs any more.

You-you'll have to help me.

BARKING

Hurry. Hurry! Yes. Yes!

Hurry!

Oh, I...

I can't do it.

I-I can't do it!

Mrs Farren.

Mrs Farren!

FOOTSTEPS

Even my mother's last moment

you've stolen from me.

Come here.

Daddy.

Come here.

My friend.

My friend!

My friend.

My friend.

BARKING

Amy!

Amy!

Amy.

Amy, darling.

I thought we'd lost you.

I thought I'd never find you again.

Amy, from now on,

you and I are going to be friends.

I'm going to trust you.

I'm going to believe you.

You'll like that, won't you?

Yes, Daddy.

Is your friend in the garden?

Can you see Irena now?

Yes. I can see her.

I see her, too, darling.