[footsteps]
If love is an emotional necessity,
then perhaps art is a spiritual compulsion.
Mr. Alec Harringay, artist, a painter,
possessed of that mostfrustrating of blessings--
a moderate talent.
[rainstorm]
Alec intended to submit a canvas at the academy.
Yet, he had spent the best part of a week
failing to get any sortspirit into a portrait of St.
Catherine.
[thunder rumbling]
Rubbish.
[sinister music playing]
[door opens]
Alec? ALEC HARRINGAY: Mm-hm?
- I'm going to bed. - Bed?
Goodness, I had no idea it was getting so late.
Well, you, my love,are working far too hard.
Hm, who was she?
I mean, who is she?
St. Catherine, patron saint of artists.
Hm.
And what happened to her?
She fell.
What?
She fell short of what was required.
A submission to theacademy should be original.
It should be dazzling, not this.
But I think it looks very fine.
ALEC HARRINGAY: No, it doesn't.
It lacks the creative spirit.
I want to take canvas and pigment
and make a woman as Godmade Adam out of red oak.
But this thing, if he mether walking about the street,
you'd know she was fashioned in a studio.
Alec, you're becoming positively bilious.
[laughs]
[laughs] I know, I'm sorry.
You're right, when you saidI was working too hard.
Come to bed?
[door closes]
[sinister music playing]
[dog whines]
Darling, what's the matter?
HG WELLS: Over the next few days,
Alec made several furtherattempts at the portrait.
Let me see if I can capture you this time.
[birds chirping]
Your grace and your sublime beauty
shall dazzle the academy.
HG WELLS: Sadly, St.Catherine's true face remained
stubbornly out of reach.
[match strikes]
You are being deliberatelyelusive, Catherine.
You're-- you're teasing me.
Don't think I don't that you're laughing at me.
I shall make you mine, yet.
[door opens]
ISABEL HARRINGAY: Alec?
Do you know the time?
It's nearly midnight.
Alec?
Alec, are you going to paint all night?
Yes, if I have to.
I only wanted to spend some time with you.
ALEC HARRINGAY: An artist doesn't
choose his working hours.
They choose him.
And for all of the hours lostto work, when was the last time
you sold one of your paintings?
What?
Your art does not seem toimprove our coffers, no more
than it improves your humor.
Meanwhile, our debts are mounting, Alec.
ALEC HARRINGAY: Will youplease just let me get on?
[footsteps]
[door closes]
Damn it all.
She's no more a saint than I am.
ST. CATHERINE: Such strong manly hands.
[gasps] What is this?
[sinister music playing]
ST. CATHERINE: I've beenwanting to talk to for an age.
Hm, we've been staring at each other for so long.
I couldn't bare the silence any longer.
Who are you?
Who are you trying to capture?
St. Catherine.
I've watched you struggle.
And I have come to inspire you.
[sinister music grows]
It must be difficult for you, living with Isabel.
I've seen how she treats you.
She doesn't appreciate whatit takes to be an artist.
It's true.
Isabel has little passion for art.
The fact of the matter is, she doesn't seem
to appreciate that I'm--
ST. CATHERINE: A genius?
Well, possibly.
ST. CATHERINE: That's arisk all great artists run,
that their genius will not be recognized.
And yet, I have the power to help you.
[exhales sharply] Help me?
How?
I can bestow upon you the ability to create
an undisputed masterpiece.
It would be globally recognized--
a true addition to the gallery of great works.
Nobody would ever question your genius,
not even simple, little Isabel.
Your name would echo down the ages.
And all I ask in exchange is your soul.
[exhales sharply] My--
my-- I'm-- my soul?
I-- I don't--
ST. CATHERINE: Isabel does not deserve you.
She doesn't deserve you your kisses.
Oh, Alec.
[sinister music grows]
[chokes and coughs]
ST. CATHERINE: What is it, my love?
[spits]
ST. CATHERINE: What?!
Wait! Wait!
No, wait!
Wait!
Get thee gone!
ST. CATHERINE: Your paintingwould be world famous.
Alec!
No please, please stop it!
Enamel?
No, you wouldn't dare!
Alec!
[door opens]
Alec!
Have you been up all night again?
You're going to make yourself ill.
Alec, you need to get some rest.
Oh, Isabel.
I love you.
Oh.
Come.
[footsteps]
[groaning]
[sinister music grows]
HG WELLS: It would be anothertwo days before Alec felt
ready to reenter his studio.
[footsteps]
[birds chirping]
[dog barks in distance]
[inhales deeply]
ST. CATHERINE: Starting from scratch?
[gasps] You!
But-- yes.
I do love an optimist.
You start with the vaguestof presentment of an idea.
And you hope inspiration will strike.
It always does.
Does it?
Eventually.
Can you really face another blank canvas?
It's truth-- becomesmore difficult each time.
ST. CATHERINE: Remember my offer.
You could paint an undeniable masterpiece.
And a masterpiece would command a high price.
You could easily get those debts.
But the price you ask is high and--
ST. CATHERINE: Sh.
Give me your soul, and your artistic spirit
will live forever.
Your masterwork would exert an influence
on future generations.
[WHISPERS] Yes.
[sinister music grows]
So now, are you not inspired?
[inhales deeply] [exhales sharply] I've--
I've been approaching thecompetition completely wrong.
I know exactly what to do now.
Thank--
[footsteps]
[door closes]
HG WELLS: From the moment Alec Harringay
sold his soul for the abilityto print a masterpiece,
his mind was flooded with amultitude of dazzling ideas.
He prepared paintingcombinations which had never
previously occurred to him.
And his techniqueadvanced a thousand fold.
[door opens]
[scratching on canvas]
Alec, I haven't seen you for days.
Hm?
What is it you want?
To see you, to hear yourvoice, to know that you're
aware of my existence.
I'm busy.
You can see that.
This-- this surpassesanything that you've ever done.
It's almost like it's--
ALEC HARRINGAY: Like it's what?
Like it's the work of another painter.
I have developed.
Now, please leave us.
Us?
Leave me.
Don't you understand, this is my masterpiece.
It's beautiful, Alec.
But it is making you ill.
The academy's deadline forsubmission is one week away.
I need every moment betweennow and then to complete this.
I can't waste any time.
[SOBS] Damn you, Alec.
Can you not see what is happening to you?
You're losing your reason.
For pity's sake, can you just step
away from the easel for just--
just one hour.
Please!
Please leave me be.
[grunts] Oh, uh, [whimpers] uh.
[coughs] [chokes] [gasps] [coughs]
[sinister music grows]
HG WELLS: Now, finally,Alec can work undisturbed.
As the days passed, he feltneither hunger nor thirst
and slept only fleetingly.
But he knew now for certain thathis immortality was assured.
[door closes]
[footsteps]
ALEC HARRINGAY: Piccadilly,please, Burlington House.
DRIVER: Right-o.
HG WELLS: On his way to the academy,
and thrilled by his own genius, Alec could
not resist just one more look.
[paper rips]
It's the wrong one.
[paper rips]
[gasps] it's the wrong one!
DRIVER: Beg your parden, Sir?
uh-- nothing, look, um, uh,we must turn around and go back.
DRIVER: Oh, right-o.
[breathing deeply] H-- how-- how
could I wrap the wrong canvas?
ST. CATHERINE: You didn't.
What?
ST. CATHERINE: There's only one canvas.
You painted over it.
Remember?
You painted over me.
ALEC HARRINGAY: My masterpiece,what happened to it?
ST. CATHERINE: [laughs] Igave back to what is mine.
[laughs]
ALEC HARRINGAY [SCREAMING]: No!
No!
DRIVER: Are you all right, gov?
Uh, we-- we have to turn around.
DRIVER: All right, all right.
[horse clomping]
Wait, wait, it-- it's fine.
It's fine, we can go on the academy.
DRIVER: Oh, make your mind up, mate.
Come on! Come up!
[horse whinnies]
[yelling]
[crash]
NURSE: How are we feeling?
[WHISPERS] I-- ah.
NURSE: There you go.
[exhales sharply][breathing deeply] It's gone!
NURSE: It would have been no use to you anymore.
ALEC HARRINGAY: [gasps] But--
But I-- I'm a--
I'm a painter.
NURSE: Well, I supposeyou'll just have to learn
to paint with your other hand.
[gasps] Oh, god!
NURSE: Is there anybodyyou'd like us to contact?
[inhales sharply] No, no one.
NURSE: Well, you just get plenty of rest.
And I'll be along to check on you later.
[gasps]
[curtain scraping]
ST. CATHERINE: A pity.
A pity about your hand.
You!
You know who I am, of course.
I am your inspiration.
What do you want?
ST. CATHERINE: We struck a bargain.
But--
You created amasterpiece, did you not?
ALEC HARRINGAY:[inhales deeply] It's gone!
ST. CATHERINE: No.
It was rescued from the crash.
At this very moment, it's beinghung at the Royal Academy.
[chuckles] There will be no doubt
over the genius of its creator.
There can be no more paintings now.
That's not my concern.
I've lost everything, even poor Isabel.
ST. CATHERINE: None of that is my concern.
ALEC HARRINGAY: [gasps] Please no.
All I sought was to create beauty.
ST. CATHERINE: All yousought was glorification.
ALEC HARRINGAY: No, no.
It was all for art!
ST. CATHERINE: You made your choice.
Now, your soul shall be mine.
[SOBBING] Please don't!
ST. CATHERINE: The trick is to find it.
I've looked in here.
[yelling] Ah!
ST. CATHERINE: But did not find it.
[WHISPERS] Please, leave me be!
ST. CATHERINE: So now--
now we must look--
ALEC HARRINGAY: Leave me be!
-- a little deeper.
ALEC HARRINGAY: [chokes]
HG WELLS: Sometimes, an artistpaints a form with no soul
to it.
He paints aimlessly and recklessly
and without inspiration in the hope
that some random spirit may becoached forth into his work.
And sometimes-- sometimes,a spirit does come.
[sinister music playing]