This is a true story.
How often have you seen that statement at the beginning of a picture?
It sometimes means that there was a man named Napoleon,
but that any similarity between what he did in life and what he's going to do in this movie
is strictly miraculous.
Well, this is a true story,
about a sweet, rather baffled young housewife,
who, in 1951, in her hometown in Georgia,
suddenly frightened her husband by behaving very unlike herself.
There's nothing unique in that. We all have moods.
We all have a secret yen to behave like somebody we particularly admire.
A modern writer has said that inside every fat man, a thin man is struggling to get out.
Well, in a literal and terrifying sense,
inside this demure young woman
two very vivid and different personalities were battling for the mastery of her character.
She was, in fact, a case of what is called "multiple personality",
something that all psychiatrists have read about and very few have ever seen.
Certainly not Dr Thigpen and Dr Cleckley, of the Medical College of Georgia,
who one day were confronted with a woman who had one personality more than Dr Jekyll.
Their account of the case was delivered to the American Psychiatric Association in 1953,
and it's already a classic of psychiatric literature.
So this movie needed no help from the imagination of a fiction writer.
The truth itself was fabulous enough.
And all the episodes you're going to see happened to this girl they call Eve White,
and much of the dialogue is taken from the clinical record of the doctor we call Dr Luther.
The date is August 20th, 1951.
Come in.
- Mrs White? - Yes, ma'am.
- Dr Luther. - Yes?
Mrs White is here. The lady Dr Watkins wrote to you about.
- Ask her to come in, will you? - Yes, Doctor.
Will you come in, please?
- How do you do, Mrs White? - How do you do?
- Come in. Sit here, will you? - Thank you.
Mr White.
Let's see.
Thank you.
Dr Watkins is a very old friend of mine. How long have you known him?
He's the doctor we go to.
He's a very able man. Very able.
Let's see. He says you've been troubled with very bad headaches.
Yes, sir, terrible ones.
- And some sort of spells? - Yes, sir.
What kind of spell?
I don't know. I'm not exactly sure.
What happens when you have one?
Is it, uh, what they say, uh... amnesia?
Well, amnesia means loss of memory. Is that what happens to you?
Yes, I guess that's it.
- How often does this happen? - Sometimes twice a week now.
- And the headaches, what about them? - Same thing.
- They happen at the same time? - Yes, sir.
First I get this terrible headache and then I get this spell.
Now, when you say "spell", do you mean you faint or anything like that?
No, sir, it's not like faintin'. It's more like...
Well, it's like the other day I was playing out in the back yard with Bonnie
and all of a sudden I got this splitting headache and then the next thing I knew,
I mean, the next thing I was conscious of, it was the next morning.
- Who's Bonnie? - Oh, that's my little girl.
- How old is she? - She's four and a half.
- Your only child? - Yes, sir.
- I lost another baby about four months ago. - I see.
And you have no recollection at all of what happened?
Where you were or what you did between the time you were playing in the back yard
and the next morning?
No, sir, I don't.
Were you at home at the time?
I was there as soon as I come home from work.
Yes?
I didn't see much different in her.
Well, did you see any difference?
I guess not. Nothing you could say was really different.
For several weeks Mrs White was greatly helped by the psychiatric treatment.
She had fewer headaches and they were less severe.
She had no more blackout spells - at least, none that she was aware of.
But not quite a year later,
several things happened that showed her to be in urgent need of help.
The first alarm was sounded around noontime of a spring day in 1952.
Anybody home?
Oh, hey. Just a minute while I hang out the wash.
- Where's Bonnie? - Here I am.
- Hi, sugar. - I'm wearing Mom's shoes.
Mommy will tan your britches if she finds you.
This one hurts.
- Where'd you get these? - They're Mommy's.
- Where'd she get'em? - The postman brought them today
- with the dresses. - What dresses?
On the bed.
Evie?
- Let me have them. - No! I wanna wear 'em. Mommy said I could!
Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!
What's the idea of all this?
Didn't you buy'em?
What do you mean, didn't I buy'em? Didn't you?
No, I thought you did. I thought it was sweet, but I...
It's got your name on it.
You know I wouldn't buy anything like that, Ralph.
- $218. - That's what I mean, they cost that much.
- Where'd they get your name? - I don't know. I thought you did it.
I mean, I thought you bought 'em for me.
But I was gonna make you take 'em back because I knew it was too much.
I'll say it's too much. You had me scared there for a minute.
I guess they just must have made some kind of mistake, that's all.
Well, I'll call'em.
- Is this the Beehive Store? - Yes, sir. Is there anrthing I can do for you?
- Is this Miss Effie? - Who is this?
It's Ralph White.
For goodness sakes, I thought you and Evie would be on your way to Hollywood by now.
- Hollywood? - With all those pretty things Evie bought.
You ought to be proud of how she looks in those dresses.
Especially that lilac one.
I'm bringing'em all back this afternoon.
Bonnie?
- Come on in, honey, and wash your hands. - Tell her not to come in yet.
- What's the matter? - Tell her I'll call her.
Never mind, honey. I'll call you when we're ready.
Shut that door.
Hurry up.
Come here.
Will you come here?
I got a good mind to slap your face.
- What'd they say? - What kind of dope do you think I am?
I don't know what you're talkin' about.
What did you think I was gonna do? Nothing? Let you get away with it? 218 bucks!
- I didn't buy'em. - You mean Miss Effie Blandford's a liar?
- She said I bought 'em? - She didn't say nothin' else.
I don't see how she could.
You mean to tell me you didn't try on those dresses?
I haven't been in the Beehive in months.
Sometimes I don't know whether you're crazy or you think I am.
Are they gonna take 'em back? I'll pack'em up for you.
- I'll do it. - Let me.
You heard me. I said I'd do it.
I'm hungry, Mommy.
Evie!
It's all right, honey.
It's OK. You'll be all right.
It's all right, honey.
Don't get up.
I'll kill you if you get up.
- I didn't do it. - But I saw her.
I didn't do it.
How can she say a thing like that when I saw her with my own eyes?
- You mean you don't remember doing it. - I didn't do it.
- I suppose you didn't buy those clothes? - I'd die before I'd hurt Bonnie.
Why do you suppose Ralph says things like that if they're not true?
- I love her too much. - You wouldn't come home last month.
She went to Atlanta and then wouldn't come home cos she was havin' too big a time.
When I went up to get her, she cussed me and said she never would come home.
- How about how much you loved her then? - Will you let me talk to her alone?
She wouldn't come home to me or to Bonnie.
We'll just be a few minutes.
You didn't answer my question, Mrs White.
That's not true, what he said.
What's not true?
- I haven't been to Atlanta in nearly a year. - That's what I mean.
Why do you think he says things like that if they're not true?
- I don't know. - But he'd have to have some reason to do it.
- Yes, sir, I suppose so. - Have you thought what that might be?
- I thought of one. - What was that?
Maybe he wants to get Bonnie away from me.
- Do you mean by divorce? - No, sir, maybe not that.
But maybe he can make me believe I'm losing my mind.
- Is that what you think he's trying to do? - I don't know what else it could be.
- Am I? - I find no evidence of it.
- But you're not positive. - I couldn't be positive of anything so quickly.
But the fact you may be having spells of amnesia
doesn't mean that you're what you call losing your mind. Doesn't mean that at all.
It's no use.
Cos I am. You don't want to tell me, but I know it now.
How do you know it, Mrs White?
Because now I'm hearin' voices too.
What kind of voices?
Just one voice. But that's what that means, doesn't it?
- How long has this been going on? - For months.
Why didn't you tell me this before?
What does this voice say to you?
She tells me to do things.
A woman's voice? Can you recognise it in any way?
No, sir.
It sounds familiar sometimes, but I don't really recognise it.
What does this voice tell you to do?
To do things like... leave Ralph, take Bonnie and run away.
All kind of terrible things like that.
That is what it means, isn't it?
No, not in your case.
- But that's what everybody says. - And in most cases they'd be right.
It's a serious manifestation, the hearing of voices.
But the difference in your case is this: you've been frightened by this voice
because you recognise it as a symptom of illness.
People who are actually losing their minds
rarely find anything extraordinary about hearing voices.
They almost invariably assume it's some sort of extra privilege that they enjoy,
like personal radio reception or a built-in radar.
Yeah, but what if sometimes it... it sounds like my own voice?
Your own voice?
- Doesn't make any difference. - Yes, it does.
You just don't wanna tell me, but it does, I...
Mrs White?
Hi.
Feeling better now?
I feel fine.
- What was it? A headache? - No, I didn't have no headache.
She had one, but I didn't.
- "She"? - You got a nice place around here.
Oh, she always gets those headaches when I wanna come out.
I think she's a real dope, don't you?
- Who are you talking about? - Eve White.
It's these hose. They're nylon and I'm allergic to nylon.
I think I'll take'em off. You don't mind, do you?
If you like.
I think you'd better turn around, though.
You're kinda cute, but I don't think I know you that well.
Maybe sometime, though, huh?
- Hey, you like to go dancin'? - Sometimes.
Would you like to go dancin' with me? OK, you can turn around now.
- So you're not Eve White? - I certainly am not.
Maybe one night this week. You can tell your wife you gotta see a patient.
- And do what? - And go dancin'.
I bet you're a real cute dancer.
I doubt if my wife would agree,
but back to the point - if you're not Eve White, who are you?
Now what are you trying to do, kid me?
Seems more likely you're trying to kid me.
I'm Eve Black. You know that.
- You mean that was your maiden name? - That's still my name.
I've never been married. That's for laughs, gettin' married.
- What about Ralph? - You don't think I'd marry ajerk like that?
And Bonnie isn't your child?
Not while I'm in my right mind she isn't.
Boy, what fat books.
Hey, is this radio working?
You got a back door to your office. We could get out without him seeing.
- Will you excuse me? - You're not gonna tell him, are you?
I'll be right back. You wait here.
It's up too high.
Excuse me. I'll be right back.
Is that her?
- Ever had a case of multiple personality? - No.
Do you think you'd recognise one if you saw one?
I don't know. I'm not so sure.
But I can tell you this, I'll bet ya I can spot a fake as far as I can see one.
- Whom do you suspect? - Mrs White. Mrs Eve White.
- That dreary little woman? - That's the one.
Everything all right?
Oh, hi. Got your buddy with you, huh?
- May I turn this off? - Oh, sure. What did I do, scare you?
- You remember Dr Day? - Sure. Hi.
- How are you, Mrs White? - That's what you think.
- This is Miss Eve Black, Doctor. - How do you do, Miss Black?
How do you do?
- You don't mind talking to both of us? - The more there are, the better I like 'em.
And you say you are not Mrs White now?
OK, you wanna hear it again? I am not Mrs White. My name is Eve Black.
Then how does it happen that you remember meeting me?
Cos I know everything that happens to her.
She don't know anything about me, but I know everything about her.
Everything I want to, anyway.
There's some things about her I'm not interested in, like thatjughead out there.
Mr White, she means.
And the thing is, she don't really even care anything about him.
She tells herself she does cos she thinks she ought to.
Don't think I never told her so, too.
- What did you tell her? - Leave the so-and-so.
Take the kid and beat it. What can he do about it?
- How did you tell her? - I yelled at her.
I don't know whether she heard me or not, but I really hollered at her.
Boy, I can tell you, though, I'm gonna fix his wagon.
I ain't gonna go through the rest of my life with that creep.
And you say that Bonnie is not your child?
Oh, now, Doctor. How could I have a child if I'm not even married?
You tryin'to insinuate somethin'?
- You mean Ralph never made love to you? - Boy, I'd like to see him try.
Where were you, then, when Bonnie was born?
It looks like to me that's your problem, Doctor, not mine.
Don't you have any fans in this office? It's hot in here.
How are you gonna fix Ralph's wagon?
- You really wanna know? - I do indeed.
I'm gonna come out and I'm gonna stay out.
- Were you ever on the stage, Miss Black? - No, not exactly on the stage.
But I sang in nightclubs, a lot of 'em.
- Where? - Well, across the river's one.
- The Big Apple. You ever been there? - No, I'm afraid I haven't.
They're crazy about me at the Big Apple.
Every time I go in there, they ask me to stand up and sing.
Of course, I have to be in the mood to do it, though.
- What kind of mood? - I have to have a couple of snorts first.
Can you come out, as you call it, whenever you want to?
No. I wish I could, but I can't.
Sometimes I can, but sometimes I can't.
But it's getting easier. Cos she's gettin' weaker and I'm gettin' stronger.
And one of these days, I'm gonna come out and stay out,
just you wait and see.
And can you retire, go back in when you want to?
Sure. You know what I done one night? One night Ralph had to go to Savannah,
so I went over to the Big Apple and I got kinda gassed up.
You know what I done the next morning? I let her have the hangover.
- She's faking. - Oh, you should have seen her face.
Listen, Mrs White, I regret to have to say this, but I...
Hello, Doctor.
Mrs White?
On May 17th, 1952,
Mrs White was admitted to the psychiatric section of the University Hospital
for observation and treatment.
During the first week, her behaviour was excellent. There was nothing uneven about it.
But Dr Luther still could not decide when, or even if,
to confront her with the knowledge of the personality that she had suppressed.
"Love took up the glass of Time, and turn'd it in his glowing hands;
Every moment, lightly shaken, ran itself in golden sands. "
"Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all the chords with might;
Smote the chord of Self, that, trembling, pass"d in music out of sight. "
That's beautiful. I've never heard it before.
Well, I don't really understand what it means. I just like to read it anyway.
Doesn't have to mean anything in particular.
Good morning.
Would you like to read this one?
"Dear, beauteous Death... "
- Good morning, Doctor. - Good morning.
- Good morning, Doctor. - How's it going?
- Oh, I feel much better, thank you. - She looks better, too, don't you think?
- Yeah, she really does. - See you later, Mrs White.
- I'll be in the office, Doctor. - Thanks, Lenny.
- Heard from Ralph? - He came by for a few minutes yesterday.
- What about Bonnie? - She's back with my mother and father now.
Tell me something, Mrs White.
Would you say that your marriage, speaking of it as a whole,
has been a happy one?
No, sir.
Well, some of it, but not as a whole.
Don't you love Ralph?
Yes, sir.
Then why do you think it hasn't been a happy marriage?
I don't know.
I guess I just haven't been able to make him happy.
I don't know what it is I do that irritates him so much, but I do.
Well, tell me something else.
Have you ever had the feeling that, somewhere deep down inside you,
there might be somebody you couldn't quite reach,
but that you nevertheless knew was there?
No, sir.
I don't know what you're talkin' about.
- Good night, Doctor. - Good night.
Hey.
Come here a minute.
Come on. I ain't gonna bite ya.
- Got a cigarette? - Oh, sure.
- Thank you. - It's all right.
- Why don't you come in for a minute? - Well, no. No, you know the rules.
Aw, come on.
I got a poem for you.
Come on. Hm?
I... I can't stay long, though.
It's a limerick.
Chicken!
- Dr Luther? - Yes?
- About Mrs White... - Yes?
That lady is a whole lot healthier than you think she is, Doctor.
Can you control your emergence?
- Says which? - I want you not to come out, even if you can.
I'm tired of this place.
- It's a nuthouse. - It's a hospital.
You don't see any bars or anything like that, do you?
Is she crazy?
No, but you can drive her crazy if you don't behave yourself.
Why? I don't know what I have to do with it.
I haven't got anything to do with her.
You're wasting your time with that. I'm a doctor.
- You're cute, you know that? - Listen...
Hey, look, why don't you and I go out and have some fun? I can slip on somethin'.
Do you wanna be shut up in one of these places for life?
One with bars?
- What do you mean? - I mean if you get into any trouble at all,
Mrs White will be adjudged crazy, but it'll be both of you that'll be locked up.
But why, if I'm all right?
You're not gonna be subdivided by any court or board I've heard of yet.
Where Mrs White goes, you go. And that means into an asylum if she's committed.
An asylum with locked doors and bars and straitjackets. Now, is that clear?
I guess so.
Well, it had better be. Cos that'd be the end of it for you too.
No more dancing, no more... snorts, no more anything.
Ever.
Even if I don't come out, what do you figure to do about it?
I don't know. I'm not sure.
Nobody knows too much about this, because there haven't been too many such cases.
But for a starter... I think I'd like to tell Eve White about you.
What do you want to do that for?
- You object? - Won't that worry her even more?
I thought you didn't care what happened to her.
I don't really.
But I mean, you know, if she worries any more, ain't she liable to go crazy anyway?
I'm afraid that is a possibility, but that's a chance I think we're gonna have to take.
If we're ever gonna reunite these two personalities, to put it simply,
I'd say the first logical step to take in that direction
would be to introduce 'em to each other.
Introduce 'em? Ha!
Doc, you flip me, you really do.
Look. I don't have to put on much. Let's go on out and have a little fun.
Mrs White.
I don't underst...
I had another one, hadn't I?
A little one.
I was hopin'...
I think I'd better tell you as well as I can just what the situation is.
Have you ever heard of multiple personality?
Now all Dr Luther had to do was to explain this situation to Ralph.
- How are you, Ralph? - Good morning, sir.
- How's Evie? - Much better now.
- Have you found out what's wrong with her? - That's what I wanted to talk to you about.
It's a very unusual case.
One of the rarest, in fact, in the history of psychiatry.
You don't say.
Mrs White's problem is what is called multiple personality.
- Yes, sir. - Have you ever heard of that?
- No, sir, I can't say as I ever have. - What actually happens is this:
At some point in the past, apparently when she was a little girl,
her personality became divided
into two different personalities.
In effect, she's now two different women,
entirely different in character.
To be more specific about it -
the girl you married, Bonnie's mother, the sweet, quiet girl you fell in love with,
that's one of the women.
The other is the one that scared Bonnie,
the one who bought all those clothes and had that row with you in Atlanta.
You know those headaches and blackout spells?
Well, that was when this other woman, the one who calls herself Eve Black,
was trying to get out.
Out of where?
Out of the body. Your wife's body.
Well, how do you like that?
But what I want you to understand is that this is an actual mental condition.
It isn't pretending or faking.
She can't help it.
But that doesn't mean she's psychotic.
Crazy.
Do you understand?
No, sir.
Well, let's see if I can put it to you in another way.
In the first place, no one has ever defined the personality as a psychopathological...
- I think you'd better come with me. - Yes, sir.
Come in.
- You've got company this morning. - Hello, honey.
Hi.
- How's Bonnie? - She's all right.
I asked Ralph to come in so that I could explain the situation to him.
So he'll understand when you leave here.
You know who he is, don't you?
- You mean Ralph? - Who is he?
Well, he's my husband, of course.
And you're the mother of his child, aren't you?
Of course.
- You're Mrs White? That's your name? - Yes, sir.
All right, now, may I speak with Eve Black?
Of course.
Eve Black?
- Oh, spit! - You know who this is?
- I sure do. - Now, just a minute there.
Your husband?
If I have told you once I have told you ten thousand times, I ain't got no husband.
If I was gonna have one, it wouldn't be no lead-bottom like Ralph White.
- What'd you have to tell him for? - Bonnie isn't your child?
- She's her child and you know it. - I got a good mind to slap your face.
- I'd like to see you try. - You ain't foolin' me.
Don't get angry. Just talk to her and watch her.
And don't use your temper, use your sense about it.
May I speak to Mrs White?
You sure can. And don't ever bring me back while that pea-picker's here.
Mrs White?
- Did I go out again? - Just for a few minutes.
- Evie? - Eve Black?
- I told you I wasn't gonna talk to him again. - Mrs White?
After she'd been in the hospital for two weeks, Dr Luther and Dr Day were satisfied
that whether she behaved as Eve White or Eve Black,
she would do no harm to herself or to others.
So, on 30th May, 1952, they discharged her.
During those two weeks, Ralph had left Bonnie with the grandparents
and found for himself a better job in Jacksonville, Florida.
But Mrs White was not to go with him.
For, on the advice of Dr Luther, she decided to stay in town, in a furnished room,
for further and more regular treatment.
This decision caused a separation that was to have unexpected consequences.
Might as well get started, I guess.
- Ralph, I'm awful sorry. - That's all right. You couldn't help it.
Breakin' up everything like this.
Well, he can get you well, can't he?
- I hope so. - Didn't he say?
- No. - Didn't he say anything?
He said he'd do the best he could. That's about the only thing he could do.
- Maybe. - Well, I think he will, honey.
They don't like to promise too much, you know.
- You really think so? - You know how some of 'em are.
They like to make a big thing out of it so as they look better when they knock it off.
The only trouble, though, I sure am gonna miss Bonnie.
She's OK. Your folks will take care of her all right.
You don't have to worry about her.
Yeah, but if I don't get well, I might never see her again.
Stop that, will you? Of course you'll see her again, cos you are gonna get well.
I mean, you ain't really crazy, you know. He told me that hisself.
I mean, I asked him confidentially and he said no.
He said there were nothing the matter with you except this multiplied personality.
And that ain't anywhere near crazy. Now, he told me that hisself.
You gonna stop worrying now?
- I'll try. - You do that and you'll be all right.
Goodbye, honey.
I'll send you some more money on Saturday.
Oh, you don't have to do that. I'm gonna get ajob.
That'd help, but I'll still send you some money.
You take care of yourself, you hear?
- I feel like singing. - So what's stopping you?
All right.
Hey. Do you know "Hold Me"?
You got it, pretty woman. OK, fellas...
- Stand back, Big Daddy. - One, two...
Oh, wait a minute. I forgot my shoes.
Thank you.
- Let's get outta here. - No, I'm thirsty. I want a drink.
- I'll get us a bottle on the way. - On the way where?
- Hey, how about a snort, tall, dark and ugly? - Come on. I'll find a place.
What are you talking about? This place is fine. I like it.
Look, I gotta be back to the post by one. Let's go.
Are you crazy? I'm not going any place with you. I don't know what you're talkin' about.
Don't give me that. I didn't buy you all these drinks for nothing.
All right, I'll go with you some other time.
You're going with me now if you don't want some of this.
Stop it. That hurts. Let me go.
- See what I mean? - You hurt me. I don't like to get hurt.
You know how much I shelled out on you already? Eight bucks' worth.
When I spend eight bucks on a chick, I don'tjust go home with the morning paper.
So let's not have any more arguments about it.
What's the matter with you?
What kind of a gag is this?
Maybe she's sick.
Say, look, honey, I...
Ah! For the love of Mike.
We missed you Sunday. Where were you?
- I went up on the bus to see Bonnie. - I'll bet she was glad to see you.
- Oh, Ralph. - Hi, Eve.
- Why didn't you let me know? - I wanted to surprise you.
- Mr Fox, would you excuse us, please? - Certainly, ma'am.
Siddown, won't you?
You know why I come up here? I want you to come back with me.
- I can't do that. I'm not well yet. - Who says you ain't?
Dr Luther. I know it's true.
I think it's even worse now.
Is he the one who told you to go out to the Big Apple every night?
That's... that's what I mean. I didn't know about it.
Thought I wouldn't find out about it, huh?
- I didn't know about it, I tell you. - You didn't know about it?
You knew enough about it to get ginned up. You was well enough for that.
Fella I know saw you out there, twice.
Tight as a tick and dancin' and throwing your dress up.
Ralph, now, Dr Luther explained all that to you.
He even showed you. You told me so.
Now, look. I don't know which one of you is foolin', you or him - but somebody is.
Because I've been askin' people about it.
I asked two doctors, and you know what they said?
They said it looked like somebody was kiddin' somebody.
But, Ralph, it is somethin'. Believe me, it is.
Then let it be something in Jacksonville. Where are your bags? Let's get outta here.
If I don't check out of that motel by ten, they'll charge me for another six hours.
I won't leave here until I'm well again, not till I have Bonnie back with me.
OK, we'll get Bonnie and take her with us.
I'm not gonna be alone with her, not till I'm well.
You're not gonna be alone with her?
She tried to hurt Bonnie once before. She scared her.
Will you cut that out? I don't wanna hear any more about it.
Why don't you just talk to Dr Luther just for a few minutes?
- No, I already talked to two regular doctors. - Then I'm not going!
You know what you need? You need a darned good whippin'.
- Knock some of that nuttiness out of you. - I'm not goin' and that's all there is to it.
I suppose you'd rather stay here and go to that Big Apple.
Not until Dr Luther tells me I can leave.
And what if I don't want you by then?
Well, I can't help it. I'm not gonna leave here, not until I'm well.
- You don't want to see Bonnie again? - Not until I'm well, no.
I wouldn't count on it then either, if I were you.
If you think I'll have people laughing at me, you got another think comin'.
If you were really crazy, it'd be different. But not this multiplied thing.
So you don't come with me now, that's all there is to it, you understand?
I can't help it, Ralph.
OK, if that's the way you want it.
Come in.
Hi.
Where'd you get that dress?
You like it?
- Did you buy that yourself? - Got a lot of skirt, see?
- I never saw that dress before. - That's because you've been away.
- Why don't you fix me one of them drinks? - You kiddin'?
Well, don't you wanna give me one?
Well, I never seen you take a drink before.
There are a lotta things you never seen me do before. That's no sign I don't do 'em.
Are you gonna fix me one or not?
Don't look like to me you're awful glad to see me.
After comin' up all of this way, too.
Straight.
- You ain't foolin' me. - I don't know what you're talkin' about.
- I know what you're tryin' to do. - What?
You're tryin' to make me think you're that... that other one.
- What other one? - You know what I mean.
You mean you don't even know your own wife when you see her?
You ain't Evie.
You think not?
I never seen Evie do a thing like that in my whole life before.
- You don't like it? - That ain't the question.
Come here.
Oh, come on. Sit down.
Oh, come on. I'm not gonna bite ya.
You know, you're real cute.
- What are you up to? - Well, I'm not up to a thing.
I just said you were cute. Something wrong with that?
- No, but I... - You know, I didn't used to go for you.
But you must be gettin' cuter these days, cos you sure look cute to me now.
Are you really...?
Really what?
I'll be doggoned if I ever saw anything like this in my whole life before.
You ain't mad, are you?
No, I guess not.
You know what you ought to do?
What?
I think you ought to ask me to go to Jacksonville with you.
- I don't think so. - Well, you asked her.
- I don't know if this is the same thing or not. - You wanted her to go with you, didn't you?
Aah! Oh, oh, oh!
Oh, boy, you work faster than I thought you did.
I'm gonna tell your wife on you.
What do you mean, my wife? You are my wife.
That's not what you said a few minutes ago.
You really want to go away with me?
- Maybe. Only not tonight I can't. - Why not tonight?
Cos I ain't got anything to wear to Jacksonville.
- We could pick up some things. - Them ol' tacky things?
This is the only really nice dress I got.
It's gettin' kinda old.
Besides, can't go to Jacksonville with just one dress, even if it was new.
If I buy you a dress, will you go away with me?
Maybe. If you buy me a pretty one.
- Will you go now? - I can't. Stores ain't open now.
- Don't you trust me? - Sure. I just want the dress first.
OK. Give us a little kiss.
- Does that mean you'll buy me somethin'? - I told you I would, didn't I?
OK. Butjust a little one.
- Hey, is that what you call a little one? - Hey.
- What? - Come here.
I think we'd better get started, don't you?
I'll wait for you in the car.
Don't take too long, though.
- Won't you even sit close to me? - Mm-mm.
Not until you buy me somethin' pretty.
You didn't have to wait up for me.
Shut that door.
All I was doin'was just dancin'.
Come here.
Come here!
You ain't mad, are you?
Oh, dear God.
Let's not kid ourselves. We're losing.
She's in worse condition today than when she walked in two years ago.
- The divorce, you mean? - No, it's more than that.
I don't believe the divorce actually affected her seriously.
Bonnie's the only thing with her - not Ralph or marriage.
And that's the discouraging part of it.
The truth is neither Eve Black nor Mrs White is a satisfactory solution.
Neither of them is really qualified to fill the role of wife, mother,
or even responsible human being.
A victory for either would be disastrous. No solution whatever.
And as for memories, infancy, childhood...
Perhaps I should say childhoods - she says she's been coming out since she was six.
...an empty, almost abnormally normal history.
- Some patients are really so inconsiderate. - They are indeed.
It wouldn't have hurt her to have had some shocking experience when she was little.
Something rather nasty she saw in the attic.
- Yes? - Miss Black is here.
- Miss Black? - Miss Eve Black.
Tell him I'm all dyked out for him.
She's all dressed up for you. Very pretty, with flowers in her hair.
- Miss Eve Black, in person. - Want to try hypnosis again?
You mean keep punting and wait for a fumble?
- How do you do, Miss Black? - Well, both docs.
You gonna protect him against me?
The way you look this morning, I'm not so sure he'd want me to.
Well, say, you look pretty sharp yourself, you know that?
She's your patient, Doctor. I'm much too old for that sort of thing.
He's pretty cute sometimes, don't you think?
He's a living doll. Will you come in?
Maybe I'd like him better than I do you.
- What's the idea of all this? - I wouldn't let her come back.
- Why not? - Cos something's wrong.
- You think so? - Well, she tried to kill herself last night.
Something's wrong somewhere.
- How did she try to kill herself? - With a razor blade.
She's feeling awfully low,
and when I got what she had in her mind, it scared me half to death.
Cos you know, if somebody didn't stop her, I'd be gone too.
- Go on. - Well, wasn't anybody else there but me.
So when she went in the bathroom and she locked the door... Look.
She made one slash and then I got out and I made her drop the blade and...
I got it and threw it away. But it was a close call.
- Do you think she meant it? - I know she meant it.
I wouldn't have meant it.
I might be tryin' to scare somebody or fool 'em or somethin',
but I wouldn't go that far.
- I understand. - But she was really levelling.
She really was gonna kill herself if I hadn't stopped her.
When you said there was something wrong somewhere,
did you mean something more than the effort to kill herself?
- I sure did. - What?
Now I'm havin' blackout spells too.
You mean lapses of time when you don't remember what's happened?
And let me tell you, it scares me, too.
- May I speak to Mrs White? - Of course.
Mrs White?
Eve Black tells me you were very low.
Yes, I was.
Would you mind going under hypnosis again?
If you say so.
All right. Now, relax.
Completely.
When I count to three, you'll be in a deep hypnotic state.
You understand? All right, now.
One...
Your eyelids are getting heavy.
Very heavy.
Two...
Relax.
Three.
Who are you?
Who do you think?
I have no idea.
May I ask who you are?
I don't know that either.
- Would you excuse me for a minute? - Certainly.
How's your heart? Can you take another one?
- You're kidding. - Come on.
- Do you remember Dr Day? - How do you do, Doctor?
- How do you do? - Oh, well, then you must be Doctor...
- Luther. - Luther. Yes, of course. I should have known.
- You mean you have heard of me? - Yes, through both Eve White and Eve Black.
Not unfavourably, I trust.
On the contrary. They think very highly of you, both of them.
Are we to understand...?
This is a little awkward, but are we to understand that you're no longer Mrs White?
- No, I'm not. - Nor Eve Black?
- No. - Then may I ask, what is your name?
I don't know.
You do know Mrs White and Miss Black, don't you?
I know them in a way. I don't think I know them very well.
But you know they're...
Yes, I understand that.
It's a pretty bewildering thing, too, isn't it?
I should say you were well within your rights in so describing the situation.
And may I add, it seems to grow no less so with the passage of time.
- I wish I understood it better. - How long...?
It's not easy to phrase these questions without sounding like an idiot,
but how long have you, well, been around?
I don't know. But I don't think it could have been very long.
- What do you know about Mrs White? - Oh, what about Jane?
- Jane who? - I mean, for my name. Jane.
Why Jane?
Why not?
And so now Dr Luther had three inadequate personalities
to complicate and confuse his search for one stable and complete woman,
all of whom continued to live, so to speak, their own separate lives.
Which would it be? The rollicking and irresponsible playgirl?
Hey, you cut that out.
- I don't even know your first name. - Ernie.
Ernie!
The defeated wife?
Hill Brothers. Yes, sir, just a minute.
Hill Brothers.
- Hill Brothers. - Thank you for waiting.
What? Well, just keep your britches on, sugarfoot. I'll get your party for you.
Let me figure out which one it is.
OK, that it? What? Well, who are you?
Well, honey, you're not the right one. No, get off the line, you're not...
Look, I don't care who you are. Blast off, buster.
Or the pleasant young woman who had no memory?
What, in short, had nature, in the first place, intended this woman to be?
- Not yet, Janie. - What's the use, Earl?
You did say you loved me, didn't you?
Yes, I did.
Well, then, is it fair to say you love me but can't marry me, without telling me why not?
- I just can't. I know it isn't fair. I just can't. - What is it, honey?
I'm not gonna let you get away with anything like this. You've got to tell me.
Please, Earl. Just don't ask me any more. Please.
I'm sorry, Janie, I've got to.
I can't give you up without even knowing what's the matter.
All right, then. I'll tell you.
Did you read in the newspaper about a month ago about a multiple-personality case?
A woman that has three personalities?
- In The Chronicle? - Yes, that's the one.
- Yeah, I read it. What about it? - I'm that woman.
You're the...
That's right.
But you sound all right.
- Do I? - You sound fine.
Maybe I do, but not the other two.
Other two?
Sure. There are two others, you know, and they're very different from me.
And I don't even ever know when they're coming out.
Holy Moses.
- So that's all there is to it. - Oh, no, it isn't.
- Oh, please. - Not by a long shot.
What I mean is, that doesn't scare me.
I feel just exactly the same. Exactly as I felt before.
I love you just exactly the same.
Maybe even more.
Whatever it is, we can handle it together.
Earl, don't you understand? It's not you marrying me.
It's me marrying anybody.
I'm sick. I am mentally sick and I cannot marry anybody, ever.
Then, on the afternoon of September 17th, 1953,
Mrs White came to the office for her regular treatment
and died there.
How are you, Mrs White?
I don't feel very well.
Let's go inside and talk it over, shall we?
You look tired.
Yes, I'm very tired.
I seem to be tired all the time now.
Has the lively Miss Black been keeping you out late?
Yes, sir, I guess so.
Anyway, I seem to be forgettin' more than ever now.
Well, that could also be Jane, you know.
Yes, sir. I know.
What do you think of Jane?
Well, from what you've told me,
I hope she'll be the one.
- The one to what? - To live.
Is that what you think is going to happen? That two of you will eventually disappear?
Don't you?
Well, I have thought so at times.
Well, that's what I think.
And I think it'll be Jane.
At least, I hope so.
Did you go up Sunday to see Bonnie?
- Yes, sir. - Did you have fun with her?
I did for a while.
Then I forgot for a while.
Then I came back again, before I left.
Then, when I was saying goodbye to Bonnie,
she said to me 'Don't come back that other way, Mommy. I don't like that other way. '
Eve Black?
I guess when I was up there last month she must have come out,
and she must have been cross with Bonnie or slapped her or somethin'.
But then she said "Come back this way, Mommy. The way you are now. "
So I knew that it must have been Jane that came out this time when I forgot.
And she was sweet to Bonnie.
But then when Papa was driving me out of the yard,
I got the strangest feeling that I wasn't ever gonna see her again,
that this was the last time.
And I wanted to jump out of that truck and go hug her.
Try to explain to her and try to tell her...
But I don't know. How do you explain to a little girl?
How do you make her understand that her real mommy ain't never coming back,
but another woman who just looks like her?
Why do you think you'll be one of the ones to go?
It's just the way I feel, I guess.
I don't really mind. Not any more.
I'm not fit for her now.
I'm not fit for anything, really. I know that.
But if it's Jane...
If she'll just understand how much our little girl needs love and understanding,
then I won't mind dyin'.
You know, if she'll just take good care of her for me.
- May I speak to Jane now, please? - Yes, sir.
Jane?
Good morning.
It was me that came out on Sunday.
And while I was there,
a curious thing happened that I think you might be interested in.
What was that?
Well...
Well, it was this.
Bonnie and her mother were out in the back yard.
They were playing ball. You know, bouncing a ball back and forth.
Now, are you ready? All right.
Here it comes.
- Very good. - Do it again, Mommy.
OK, here we go.
Uh-oh.
- Look, it's under the house. - That's all right, honey. I'll get it.
You wait here, darling. Mother will get it for you.
Can you see it?
Then, when I got under there, a strange thing happened.
Suddenly, I was littler.
I was a little girl under the house.
I could smell the odour of fresh earth, like a long time ago.
And morning glories, though there are no morning glories growing around there now.
And you still can't remember anything at all about your childhood?
No, not even of being a child.
Do you think Eve White might be able to remember it?
- I have no idea. - May I speak with her, please?
Mrs White?
Jane tells me that when she came out up there on Sunday,
when you were playing catch with Bonnie,
the ball rolled under the house and she went under after it.
And when she got under there, she had a feeling of being very small.
A child.
A very curious and somehow frightening feeling, as if she'd been there before.
Now, this had some meaning for her.
Can you remember, when you were very little, any experience like that of any kind?
No, sir.
Will you think back to when you were five or six or seven years old, something like that?
No, sir, I can't remember anything like that under the house.
Perhaps under hypnosis? Would you mind?
No, sir. I don't mind.
Will you close your eyes, please? Relax.
One...
Two...
Three.
Now, I want you to think back to when you were five years old.
Just a little girl on the farm.
A very little girl playing around the house in the back yard.
Sometimes you play under the house, don't you?
Yes, sir.
Did you ever go under the house for a ball?
- I don't remember. - Was it dark under the house?
- Yes, sir, very dark. - Did it scare you?
No, sir.
All right. Now you're six.
Six years old.
You're still playing around the house. The back yard.
You still go under the house sometimes?
Yes.
Now, can you remember one particular time
when something happened to you when you were under there?
I don't want to, please...
Did a ball go under the house?
I want my cup...
First give me my blue china cup.
I want my cup.
I don't want to.
I don't like all those flowers. Please, I don't want to.
Mama, please, I don't want to. There's too many people.
Please... Mama, don't make me.
Mama, please, don't make...
- Mrs White? - What were you doin' to her?
- Eve? - Of course. What are you tryin' to get at?
I'll tell you. I'm interested in something that Jane told me about being under the house,
your mother's house, probably when you were about six years old.
It upset Mrs White very much. Can you remember what it was?
- I didn't pay much attention to anything then. - You came out then, didn't you?
Yeah. Only when I wanted to do something she didn't want to do.
Didn't she ever tell you about all those lickings she got for things she didn't do?
What are you doing out here now? I didn't call you.
I don't know. I just had to, I guess.
Do you remember anything about a blue china cup?
I don't remember anything like that. How long is this gonna go on?
Until we find out what's the trouble, of course.
- How long do you think that's gonna be? - I have no idea.
You know what I think?
What?
I think I'm not havin' much fun any more.
You're still getting out, aren't you?
Not like I used to.
Is it Jane that's doin' that to me?
I don't know. What do you think?
I wish I knew more about her.
What do you want to know about her?
I don't know. It's not like it used to be,
when I knew all about Eve White and she didn't know anything about me.
That's the way I liked it.
- It's all changed now, hasn't it? - Mm-hm.
Now there's Jane.
Yeah.
Do you like her?
Very much.
- More than you do me? - I don't like anybody more than I do you.
You never would go out and have a good time with me, would you?
A psychiatrist can't go out with a patient. That's against the rules.
Would you go out with me if you wasn't a doctor?
Anytime you'd let me.
Does she know all about what I do?
Does she tell you?
When I ask her.
Like about that sergeant?
- Yes, she told me about that. - That's what I mean.
Somebody around all the time, telling on you.
- You tell me about Mrs White, don't you? - Yeah, but she don't do anything.
You know somethin', Doc?
What?
You remember that red dress? The low-cut one?
How could I forget it?
I want you to have it.
A low-cut dress, for me?
I want you to have it if anything happens.
What do you mean, if anything happens?
Something's the matter.
I don't know what it is, but something's the matter.
You don't think we're ever going to get well, do you?
Of course I do.
Well, I don't.
I think we're gonna die, all of us.
Eve.
- You didn't think I could cry, did you? - You never have before.
You know, I remember the first time I ever saw you.
You was the first one I ever said who I was. First one ever knew me.
You liked that red dress, didn't you?
Very much indeed. I think it's a beautiful dress.
Well, I want you to have it.
Cos you're the only one that knows what it's meant to me. The only one.
I know of nothing that's gonna happen to you,
but I do appreciate the dress, believe me.
Now, may I speak to Jane?
- Of course. - Jane?
Goodbye, Doc.
Goodbye, Eve.
Jane?
Yes.
What do you think she meant?
I don't know.
Have you remembered about that blue china cup? Or under the house?
- No. - Mrs White?
No!
No, Mama! Mama, please don't make me!
Please, please, please!
Please don't make me, Mama, please! Please don't...
- Jane? - Please, please!
- What happened, Jane, under the house? - She made me kiss her!
She made me kiss her!
Mama, please!
I'll beat you! I'll beat you!
- I'll beat you! - I'll beat you!
Evie! Evie?
- Come on, sugar, time to get your clothes on. - I'll be there in a minute, Mama.
Come on, Evie. I don't want to come in there after you.
You come on this minute, do you hear?
You've got to kiss Grandma goodbye.
Then you won't miss her so much if you kiss her goodbye, sugar pie.
You know that.
Please don't make me. I don't want to. Oh, Papa.
Evie, darling. Evie, you do like your mommy says.
Come on, now, you give her to me. I know, sugar. All you've got to do is kiss her.
- Don't make me, please. - Then you won't miss her so much.
- Mama, I don't want to, Mama. - You've got to kiss her goodbye.
I don't want to. Please, Mama.
Please, please! I don't want to.
Kiss her goodbye, so you won't miss her so much.
She didn't mean any wrong by it.
It was just the way people thought in those days.
If you kissed the dead face, it was a sweet goodbye and you wouldn't miss her so much.
That's all she meant.
Do you think a great deal about death now?
No.
Just that...
"Life's a city full of straying streets,
and death's the marketplace where each one meets. "
Just that. Someday, it'll happen.
Who wrote that? That poem?
- Shakespeare, wasn't it? - Where did you learn it?
In high school.
Mr Montgomery recited it to us one day.
- Who was Mr Montgomery? - The English teacher.
Who was your first teacher? Your very first, when you first started going to school?
That was in Fortsville. Miss Bates.
In the second grade?
Miss Bates in the first grade.
Miss Griffith in the second grade.
Miss Stewart in the third grade.
And... and then we moved to Richmond and we had Miss Patterson in the fourth grade.
Do you remember all of them?
- May I say 'em? - Go on.
And in Richmond, we lived on Fifth Street.
27 Fifth Street.
Right next door to the Thompsons.
Rick and Mary Lou Thompson.
And... and Mr Thompson worked at the railroad, in the machine shop.
Because I remember one Sunday he took us all down to look at the machines.
Rick and Mary Lou and Florence and myself.
Florence is my cousin.
- I remember. - May I speak to Mrs White?
- Do you have to? - Mrs White?
She's gone.
Eve?
- They're gone. - Eve Black?
They're gone, I tell you. Both of them.
They're gone and there's nobody else here but me.
I know it. I can feel it.
And I can remember. I can remember everything.
Mama and Papa and Bonnie...
I can remember.
Oh, I can remember, I can remember.
That was in the fall of 1953.
On September 17th, 1955,
Dr Luther received a special-delivery airmail letter from Richmond, Virginia.
"Dear Dr Luther,
Do you remember what today is? "
"It's the second anniversary of that day in your office,
and still no more Eve White and no more Eve Black. "
"That's why we decided it was safe at last to have Bonnie with us. "
"And so here we all are, Earl and Bonnie and me, going home together. "
Visiontext Subtitles: Marisa Castle de Joncaire