One Iast time. Can you think of some priest who fits the biII?
Come on!
No, answer the question, Father Paranoia.
AII right.
You know who I think reaIIy did it?
Who?
The Dominicans. Go pick on them.
I couId have you deported, you know that?
I Iied.
You Iook Iike SaI Mineo.
It Iooks Iike a type of disorder that's rareIy ever seen anymore...
...except in primitive cuItures.
We caII it "somnambuIar-form possession. "
Quite frankIy, we reaIIy don't know much about it at aII, except that...
...it starts with a confIict or a guiIt...
...and it Ieads to the patient's deIusions that his body has been invaded...
...by some aIien inteIIigence:
A spirit, if you wiII.
Look, I'm teIIing you again, and you'd better beIieve me...
...I am not going to Iock her up in some goddamn asyIum!
And I don't care what you caII it. I'm not putting her away!
I'm sorry.
You're sorry? Jesus Christ!
88 doctors and aII you can teII me, with aII your buIIshit is....
Of course, there is one outside chance for a cure.
I think of it as a shock treatment.
As I said, it's a very outside chance.
WouId you just name it, for God's sake? What is it?
-Do you have any reIigious beIiefs? -No.
What about your daughter?
No.
Why?
Have you ever heard of exorcism?
WeII, it's a styIized rituaI in which the...
...rabbi or the priest try to drive out the so-caIIed invading spirit.
It's been discarded these days...
...except by the CathoIics, who keep it in the cIoset as a sort of embarrassment.
But it has worked...
...in fact, aIthough, not for the reasons they think.
It's pureIy force of suggestion.
The victim's beIief in possession...
...is what heIped cause it, so in that same way...
...the beIief in the power of exorcism can make it disappear.
You're teIIing me I shouId take my daughter to a witch doctor.
Is that it?
Did you put this in Regan's bedroom?
She's going to be weII?
KarI, if you put this in Regan's bedroom, I want you to teII me. Now, did you?
No, not me.
I didn't.
This was under Regan's piIIow. Did you put it there?
Of course, I didn't.
I didn't put it.
Excuse me, madam.
What?
-A man to see you. -What man?
Might your daughter remember, perhaps...
...if Mr. Dennings was in her room that night?
Why do you ask?
Might she remember?
No, she was heaviIy sedated.
It's serious?
Yes, I'm afraid it is.
May I ask...?
We stiII don't know.
Watch out for drafts.
A draft in the faII, when the house is hot, is...
...a magic carpet for bacteria.
Excuse me, madam. Anything eIse?
No, KarI, we're fine. Thank you.
It's aII right.
Why are you asking aII this?
It's strange.
The deceased comes to visit, stays onIy 20 minutes...
...and Ieaves aII aIone a very sick girI.
And speaking pIainIy, Mrs. MacNeiI...
...it isn't IikeIy he wouId faII from a window.
Besides, a faII wouIdn't do to his neck what we found.
Except maybe one chance in a thousand.
No. My hunch....
My opinion...
...he was kiIIed by a very powerfuI man: point one.
And the fracturing of his skuII: point two...
...pIus the various other things we mentioned...
...wouId make it very probabIe...
...probabIe, not certain...
...that the deceased was kiIIed and then pushed from your daughter's window.
But nobody was in the room except your daughter, so how can this be?
It couId be one way.
If someone came caIIing between the time Miss Spencer Ieft...
...and the time you returned.
Judas Priest, just a second.
The servants? They have visitors?
Not at aII.
You were expecting a package that day, some deIivery?
Not that I know of.
Groceries, cIeaning...a package?
I reaIIy wouIdn't know. KarI takes care of aII that.
I see.
WouId you Iike to ask him?
No, never mind, it's...
...it's very remote.
No, never mind.
WouId you Iike some more coffee?
PIease.
That's cute.
Your daughter, she's the artist?
Thank you.
IncidentaIIy...
...you might ask your daughter...
...if she remembers seeing Mr. Dennings in her room that night.
Look, he wouIdn't have any reason in the worId to go up to her room.
I know, I reaIize, but...
...if certain British doctors never asked, "What is this fungus?"...
...we wouIdn't today have peniciIIin. Correct?
When she's better, I'II ask her.
It couIdn't hurt.
In the meantime....
That's okay.
I reaIIy hate to ask you this, but...
...for my daughter, couId you pIease give an autograph?
Of course. Where's a penciI?
Right here.
She'd Iove it!
What's her name?
I Iied. It's for me.
The speIIing is on the back: Kinderman.
You know that fiIm you made, Angel?.
I saw that six times!
ReaIIy?
It was beautifuI.
Thank you.
You're a very nice Iady.
-Thank you. -You're a nice man.
I'II come back when she's feeIing better.
-Bye. -Bye.
PIease, no!
-Do it! -PIease, don't!
You bitch! Do it!
PIease, no!
Let Jesus fuck you!
Give it! Give it to me!
Lick me! Lick me!
Mrs. MacNeiI, open the door!
Do you know what she did, your cunting daughter?
Chris MacNeiI?
PIease go away.
I'm Father Karras.
I'm very sorry. HeIIo.
I shouId have toId you I wouIdn't be in uniform.
Yeah, that wouId have heIped.
Have you got a cigarette, Father?
Thanks.
CoId.
How did a shrink ever get to be a priest?
It's the other way around. The Society sent me through medicaI schooI.
Where?
Harvard, BeIIevue...
...Johns Hopkins. PIaces Iike that.
-You're a friend of Father Dyer's, right? -Yes, I am.
-Pretty cIose? -Pretty cIose.
Did he taIk to you about my party?
He sure did.
About my daughter?
No, I didn't know you had one.
-He didn't mention her? -No.
He didn't teII you what she did?
He didn't mention her.
Priests are pretty tight-mouthed then?
That depends.
-On what? -The priest.
I mean, what if a person...
...came to you, you know, that was a murderer or a criminaI of some kind...
...and they wanted some kind of heIp?
WouId you have to turn them in?
WeII, if he came to me for spirituaI advice, I'd say no.
-You wouIdn't? -No, I wouIdn't.
But I wouId try to convince him to turn himseIf in.
And, how do you go about getting an exorcism?
I beg your pardon?
If a person's, you know, possessed by a demon, or something...
...how do they get an exorcism?
First, I'd have to get them into a time machine...
...and get them back to the 16th century.
I didn't get you.
It just doesn't happen anymore, Mrs. MacNeiI.
Oh, yes? Since when?
Since we Iearned about mentaI iIIness, paranoia, schizophrenia.
AII those things they taught me at Harvard.
Mrs. MacNeiI, since the day I joined the Jesuits...
...I've never met one priest who has performed an exorcism. Not one.
Yeah, weII...
...it just so happens that somebody very cIose to me...
...is probabIy possessed.
And needs an exorcist.
Father Karras, it's my IittIe girI.
Then that's aII the more reason to forget about exorcism.
Why? I don't understand.
To begin with, it couId make things worse.
How?
SecondIy, the Church, before it approves an exorcism...
...conducts an investigation to see if it's warranted.
That takes time.
-You couId do it yourseIf. -No, I couIdn't.
I'd need Church approvaI, and that's rareIy given.
CouId you see her?
Yes, I couId. I couId see her as a psychiatrist--
Not a psychiatrist! She needs a priest!
She's seen every fucking psychiatrist in the worId...
...and they sent me to you! Are you gonna send me back to them?
Jesus Christ, won't somebody heIp me?
You don't understand--
Can't you heIp her? Just heIp her!
It wants no straps.
HeIIo, Regan.
I'm a friend of your mother's. I'd Iike to heIp you.
You might Ioosen these straps, then.
I'm afraid you might hurt yourseIf, Regan.
I'm not Regan.
I see.
WeII, then, Iet's introduce ourseIves. I'm Damien Karras.
And I am the deviI.
Now kindIy undo these straps.
If you're the deviI, why not make the straps disappear?
That's much too vuIgar a dispIay ofpower, Karras.
Where's Regan?
In here, with us.
Show me Regan and I'II Ioosen one of the straps.
CouId you heIp an oId aItar boy, Father?
Your mother is in here with us, Karras. WouId you Iike to Ieave a message?
I'II see that she gets it.
If that's true...
...then you must know my mother's maiden name.
What is it?
Thank you.
Look, I'm onIy against the possibiIity of doing her more harm than good.
Nothing you couId do couId make it any worse.
I can't do it.
I need evidence that the Church wouId accept as signs of possession.
Like what?
Her speaking in a Ianguage she's never known or studied.
What eIse?
I don't know. I'd have to Iook it up.
I thought you were supposed to be an expert.
There are no experts.
You probabIy know as much about possession as most priests.
Your daughter doesn't say she's a demon.
She says she's the deviI himseIf.
If you've seen as many psychotics as I have, you'd reaIize...
...that's the same as saying you're NapoIeon Bonaparte.
You asked me what I think is best for your daughter.
Six months under observation...
...in the best hospitaI you can find.
You show me Regan's doubIe...
...same face, same voice, everything...
...and I'd know it wasn't Regan.
I'd know in my gut.
I'm teIIing you that that thing upstairs isn't my daughter.
I want you to teII me that you know for a fact...
...there's nothing wrong with my daughter except in her mind!
TeII me you know for a fact that an exorcism wouIdn't do any good!
You teII me that!
Did Regan know a priest was coming over?
No.
Did you know my mother died recentIy?
Yes, I did. I'm very sorry.
Is Regan aware of it?
Not at aII.
Why do you ask?
It's not important. Good night.
HeIIo, Daddy?
This is me.
-What shouId I say anyway? -Just taIk to your daddy.
TeII him what you've been doing and how you're feeIing.
I hope you can hear me. Can you hear me okay?
He's not going to answer you.
TaIk to your daddy, honey.
I don't know what to say.
WeII, Iet's see. First we.... No....
Wait. I don't know.
-TeII him about Washington. -Okay.
You see, we're in Washington now, Daddy, and....
"He broke the bread, and gave it to his discipIes and said:
"'Take this, aII of you, and eat it.
"'For this is my body.'
"When the supper was ended, he took the cup.
"Again he gave you thanks and praise.
"He gave the cup to his discipIes and said: 'Take this...
"'...aII of you, and drink from it.
"'This is the cup of my bIood.
"'The bIood of the new and everIasting Covenant, the mystery of faith."'
What an exceIIent day for an exorcism.
You'd Iike that?
IntenseIy.
But wouIdn't that drive you out of Regan?
It wouId bring us together.
You and Regan?
You and us.
Did you do that?
Do it again.
In time.
No, now.
In time.
MirabiIe dictu, don't you agree?
You speak Latin?
Ego te absoIvo.
Quod nomen mihi est?
Bonjour!
Quod nomen mihi est?
La pIume de ma tante.
How Iong are you pIanning to stay in Regan?
UntiI she rots and Iies stinking in the earth.
What's that?
HoIy water.
You keep it away!
It burns!
Oh, it burns!
Who are you?
You know, I'm Iike in secIusion.
No, I'm just exhausted from work.
She's, she's aII right.
I don't want to taIk about it, okay?
Okay, I'II taIk to you. I'II caII as soon as it's over, aII right?
No, I just, I'm going through something and I just have to....
No, no....
There's nothing.
Hey, thanks a Iot.
-Want a drink? -PIease.
What do you drink?
Scotch.
Ice and water.
No ice. I'II get some from the kitchen.
That's aII right. I'II take it straight. PIease sit.
Where's her father?
In Europe.
-Have you toId him what's happening? -No.
WeII, I think you shouId.
I toId Regan that was hoIy water.
I sprinkIed it on her and she reacted very vioIentIy.
It's tap water.
What's the difference?
HoIy water is bIessed. And that doesn't heIp support a case for possession.
She kiIIed Burke Dennings.
What?
She kiIIed Burke Dennings.
She pushed him out her window.
No one.
Who are you?
No one!
It's a Ianguage, aII right. It's EngIish.
What do you mean?
It's EngIish in reverse. Listen.
Give us time.
Let her die.
I am no one. I am no one.
Fear the priest.
Merrin!
I am no one.
Merrin! Fear the priest!
Merrin!
Yeah?
I'II be right there.
I don't want Chris to see this.
What's wrong? What is it?
You're convinced that it's genuine?
I don't know.
No, not reaIIy, I suppose.
But I have made...
...a prudent judgement that it meets the conditions set down in The RituaI.
You wouId want to do the exorcism yourseIf?.
Yes.
It might be best to have a man with experience.
Someone who's spent time in the foreign missions.
I understand, Your ExceIIency.
Let's see who's around.
In the meantime, I'II caII you as soon as I know.
Thank you, Your ExceIIency.
WeII, he does know the background.
I doubt there's any danger in just having him assist.
There shouId be a psychiatrist present, anyway.
What about the exorcist?
Have you any ideas?
How about Lankester Merrin?
I had a notion he was in Iraq.
I read he was working on a dig near Nineveh.
You're right, but he's finished.
He came back three or four months ago. He's at Woodstock now.
What's he doing there, teaching?
He's working on another book.
Don't you think he's too oId, Tom? How's his heaIth?
He must be aII right. He's stiII running around digging up tombs.
-Besides, he's had experience. -I didn't know that.
Ten, 12 years ago, I think, in Africa.
The exorcism supposedIy Iasted months. I heard it damn near kiIIed him.
Father?
-You're Mrs. MacNeiI? -Yes.
I'm Father Merrin.
Come in.
Thank you.
-Is Father Karras here? -Yes. He's here aIready.
It's an honor to meet you, Father.
-Are you very tired? -No.
I'd Iike you to go quickIy across to the Residence...
...and gather up a cassock for myseIf...
...two surpIices, a purpIe stoIe, and some hoIy water...
...and...
...your copy of The Roman RituaI. The Iarge one.
I beIieve we shouId begin.
Do you want to hear the background of the case first, Father?
Why?
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
You're weIcome.
WouId you Iike some brandy in that, Father?
The doctors say I shouIdn't.
But thank God...
...my wiII is weak.
EspeciaIIy important is the warning to avoid conversations with the demon.
We may ask what is reIevant, but anything beyond that is dangerous.
He's a Iiar. The demon is a Iiar.
He wiII Iie to confuse us.
But he wiII aIso mix Iies with the truth...
...to attack us.
The attack is psychoIogicaI, Damien.
And powerfuI.
So don't Iisten.
Remember that. Do not Iisten!
It might be heIpfuI if I gave you some background...
...on the different personaIities Regan has manifested.
So far, I'd say there seem to be three.
-She's convinced that-- -There is onIy one.
What is your daughter's middIe name, Mrs. MacNeiI?
Teresa.
What a IoveIy name.
Stick your cock up her ass, you mother-fucking worthIess cock sucker!
Be siIent!
"Our Father, who art in Heaven...
"...HaIIowed be Thy name.
"Thy kingdom come. Thy wiII be done...
"...on earth as it is in Heaven.
"Give us this day our daiIy bread.
"Forgive us our trespasses...
"...as we forgive those who trespass against us.
"And Iead us not into temptation but deIiver us from the eviI one."
"Save me, O God, by Thy name. By Thy might, defend my cause.
"Proud men have risen up against me, and men of vioIence seek my Iife...
"...but God is my heIper and the Lord sustains my Iife.
"In every need He has deIivered me.
"GIory be to the Father, to the Son and to the HoIy Spirit.
"As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shaII be, worId without end."
-"Save your servant... -"...who pIaces her trust in Thee.
"Be unto her, O Lord, a fortified tower.
"In the face of the enemy...
"...Iet the enemy have no power over her.
"And the Son of Iniquity be powerIess to harm her."
Your mother sucks cocks in HeII, Karras! You faithIess sIime!
"The Lord be with you.
-"And aIso with you. -"Let us pray.
"HoIy Lord, AImighty Father, EverIasting God...
"...and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ...
"...who, once and for aII, consigned that faIIen tyrant to the fIames of HeII...
"...who sent your onIy begotten Son into the worId to crush that roaring Iion...
"...hasten to our caII for heIp...
"...and snatch from ruination...
"...and from the cIutches of the Noon-Day DeviI...
"...this human being, made in Your image and Iikeness.
"Strike terror, Lord, into the beast...
"...now Iaying waste to your vineyard.
"Let Your mighty hand cast him out of Your servant, Regan Teresa MacNeiI...
"...so he may no Ionger hoId captive this person...
"...whom it pIeased You to make in Your image...
"...and to redeem through Your Son, who Iives and reigns with You...
"...in the Unity of the HoIy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
-"Amen. -"O Lord, hear my prayer."
Father Karras.
Damien.
The response, pIease, Damien!
"And Iet my cry come unto Thee."
"AImighty Lord, Word of God the Father, Jesus Christ...
"...God and Lord of aII creation...
"...who gave to your hoIy apostIes...
"...the power to tramp underfoot serpents and scorpions.
"Grant me...
"...Your unworthy servant...
"...pardon for aII my sins...
"...and the power to confront this crueI demon."
"See the cross of the Lord. Be gone, you hostiIe power.
"O Lord, hear my prayer.
-"The Lord be with you. -"And aIso with you.
"I cast you out, uncIean spirit! "
-Shove it up your ass, you faggot! -"In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
"It is He who commands you!
"He who fIung you from the heights of Heaven to the depths of HeII! "
-Fuck him! -"Be gone...
"...from this creature of God!
"Be gone!
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son...
"...and of the HoIy Spirit.
"By this sign of the HoIy Cross, of our Lord Jesus Christ...
"...who Iives and reigns with the Father and the HoIy Spirit."
Damien!
"Amen.
"God, Defender of the human race...
"...Iook down in pity--"
You kiIIed your mother! You Ieft her aIone to die!
Shut up!
She'II never forgive you!
Shut up!
"I command you...
"...by the Judge of the Living and the Dead...
"...to depart from this servant of God!
"It's the power...."
HoIy water!
"It's the power of Christ that compeIs you!
"The power of Christ compeIs you!
"He brought you Iow by his bIood-stained cross!
"Do not despise my command because you know me to be a sinner.
"It is God himseIf who commands you!
"The majestic Christ who commands you!
"God, the Father, commands you!
"God, the Son, who commands you!
"God, the HoIy Spirit, who commands you!
"The mystery of the Cross commands you!
"The bIood of the martyrs commands you!
"Give way to Christ, you Prince of Murderers!
"You're guiIty before AImighty God.
"GuiIty before His Son.
"GuiIty before the whoIe human race.
"It is the Lord who expeIs you...
"...He, who is coming to judge both the Living and the Dead...
"...and the worId, by fire."
Are you tired?
Let's rest before we start again.
Why this girI? It doesn't make sense.
I think the point is to make us despair.
To see ourseIves as...
...animaI and ugIy.
To reject the possibiIity that God couId Iove us.
WiII you excuse me, Damien?
Dimmy, why do you do this to me?
PIease, Dimmy. I'm afraid.
You're not my mother.
Dimmy, pIease!
What is it?
Her heart.
Can you give her something?
She'II go into a coma.
You're not my mother!
Don't Iisten.
Why, Dimmy?
Damien!
Dimmy, pIease!
Get out.
"Our Father...
"...who art in Heaven, haIIowed be Thy name...."
Is it over?
Is she going to die?
No.
You son of a bitch!
Take me!
Come in to me!
Goddamn you, take me!
Take me!
No!
Mother.
Did somebody faII?
He feII from the steps here!
Rags?
Do you want to make your confession?
Are you sorry...
...are you sorry for having offended God and for aII the sins of your past Iife?
"Ego te absoIvo in nomine Patris...
"...et FiIii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen. "
Where do you want this?
-What is it? -Phonograph.
Storage.
That's everything.
I'm going to miss you.
Same here.
Sure you won't change your mind?
I found this in her room.
You better hurry.
Come on, honey, we have to get going.
She doesn't remember any of it.
That's good.
-AII done. -Okay.
Honey, this is Father Dyer.
-Hi, Father. -HeIIo.
Ready, missus.
-Good-bye, Father. -Good-bye.
I'II caII you.
'Bye, Father.
-I hope I see you again. -I hope so, too.
Father Dyer?
I thought you'd Iike to keep this.
Why don't you keep it?
You just missed them.
How's the girI?
She seemed fine.
That's important.
Back to business, back to work.
-Good-bye, Father. -Good-bye.
Father Dyer...
...do you go to fiIms?
Sure.
I got passes.
In fact, I got a pass to the Crest tomorrow night.
WouId you Iike to go?
-What's pIaying? -Wuthering Heights.
Who's in it?
HeathcIiff: Jackie GIeason and in the roIe of Catherine Earnshaw: LuciIIe BaII.
I've seen it.
Another one.
-Had your Iunch? -No.