The Sisters, starring Miss Frances Farmer with Miss Kathy Lewis.
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Here is a very lovely item.
The lining is pure silk.
Yes, that's very nice.
But I believe I'd like to see something perhaps even a little better.
Oh, of course.
If you will just step over this way, Miss Haskell.
Now, here.
Here is an exquisite casket.
Something that really honors the departed.
It is beautiful.
Now the interior is just the same as the last one you looked at, but the casket itself is
of bronze, solid bronze.
And notice particularly the seams, guaranteed airtight and watertight.
You know, of course, how important that is.
Oh, yes, of course.
In a hundred years or even two hundred years, this casket will be just as strong and look
just as beautiful as it does on this stand today.
You couldn't buy a finer piece of workmanship.
How much would this one be, please?
This casket, a durable, by the way, durable for durability, as we say in the trade, is
quite expensive.
But it is such a solace to know that one is given the dear to part of the finest possible
last honor.
This durable is priced at seven hundred and fifty dollars.
Very well.
I'll take it.
I'm sure you'll never regret it.
In all my years as a mortician, I've never found a family that has not been completely
satisfied with the durable.
And now, do you wish us to handle the funeral arrangements?
I don't know yet.
If you'll just hold the casket here for me for a while, please.
Hold it?
But for how long?
Not more than three weeks.
Three weeks?
I don't understand.
Who is the party, the deceased?
Who is the casket for?
It's for me.
Lydia?
Lydia, where have you been?
You've been gone all afternoon.
I've been shopping.
Did you get me some ribbons?
No, I didn't have time.
Oh, I wanted some new ribbons.
My others are all worn out.
See, Lydia?
Ellie, I wish you'd stop putting ribbons in your hair like a schoolgirl.
You're almost forty years old.
I know, Lydia.
I know.
Then try to act like it.
I wonder why we have to grow old.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were young like we used to be?
Well, we're not, Ellie, so stop talking nonsense.
It is nonsense, isn't it?
Indeed it is.
Oh, the doorbell rang while you were out, just before you came home.
You didn't answer it.
Oh, no.
You told me never to answer it.
I just looked out of the upstairs window.
Did you see who it was?
Yes, it was a man, a rather big man.
He rang a long time, and then he went away.
He didn't see you, did he?
Oh, no.
I just peeked ever so carefully from behind the curtains.
Then I came down here and watched him going down the walk.
You came downstairs?
Yes, I...
I told you never to come down those stairs when I'm not in the house.
It was all right, Lydia.
I held on very tight to the banisters all the way, and I didn't once look down the stairwell.
So I didn't get dizzy, and I didn't want to jump.
Well, don't do it again.
I won't.
I promise.
What did you buy today, Lydia?
A durable.
Don't ask so many questions, Ellie.
All right.
Lydia, I think I'll sew a while.
I could fix up some of these old ribbons.
May I, Lydia?
Yes, sew.
It will be good for you.
Thank you.
Lydia?
Yes?
Lydia, could I go shopping some day?
Don't be a fool.
I'm sorry.
I just thought...
No, I suppose you're right.
It wouldn't do.
Not yet.
There wasn't any mail today.
Wasn't there?
No.
I thought perhaps there'd be a letter from David.
It's been such a long time since he's written.
I haven't noticed.
Oh, yes.
He used to write every week on Tuesday, and I'd get the letter on Thursday.
But there wasn't one this week, or last, or the week before that.
It's strange, isn't it?
But perhaps he's been busy.
Perhaps.
Stop singing that.
Stop it.
But Lydia, it's my favorite hymn.
Well, learn another one.
That's all you sing day and night, day and night, the same hymn.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
41.
44.
Oh, okay.
But there was no layer in that hymn at all.
Well, she should know the next one.
OK.
Goodbye.
Everything's short.
We all know.
They have to all beast like us.
OK.
When are we going to take home a host.
This Christmas will be last year.
Lydia, you're looking all day.
It's getting dark,��
No rain and no snowing.
Saint Fort.
You're familiar with St.TT Borough.
Perhaps I'm still crazy.
I'm not, am I, Lydia?
I'm not so crazy.
Yes?
Good evening. You, Miss Lydia Haskell?
Yes.
Well, can I speak to you for a minute?
Well, I don't...
I was here this afternoon. There was no one home.
What is it, please?
I'm from the police department.
Oh, really? I don't see what the police would want with me.
But come in if you wish.
Thanks.
Miss Haskell, we got a call this afternoon from Doane Brothers, the Undertakers.
And, well, you've got to admit it's sort of unusual for a woman to order a casket for herself.
Unusual? I've heard of many cases of that kind.
People who are alone in this world with no one else to look after things.
Sure, I know.
Only it's a little more unusual when you can name the date.
The Undertaker said you wanted the casket held for three weeks.
Why three weeks? There must be some reason for that.
There is. I'm going to die.
I shall die in three weeks, or perhaps even before.
That's why I ordered the casket. You may call it a premonition, if you like.
Maybe I could also call it suicide.
I don't know whether you know it, but suicide is a crime in the eyes of the state.
For which there is no punishment.
Not if it's successful, no, but our job is to prevent it.
I have no intention of taking my own life.
There is no need to do so, since I know I'm going to die.
I don't quite understand that.
I didn't expect you to.
Miss Haskell, do you live here alone?
Yes.
No relations, no housekeeper?
I live alone here.
And now if you're finished with your impertinent questions...
I'm sorry, Miss Haskell. I'm only doing my job.
I was told to find out why you bought that casket.
Then I think we may assume you have found out.
I guess so. Sorry I had to bother you.
So am I. Good night.
Oh, Miss Haskell. How are you going to die?
I don't know.
Nor do I consider it important. Why should you?
Yeah.
Oh, good night.
Good night.
Lydia?
Ellie! What are you doing sitting on the stairs in the dark?
Lydia...
I heard what that man said.
Lydia, why did you buy the casket?
Why are you going to die?
You mustn't, Lydia. You mustn't die.
I'd be alone if you died.
Go up to bed, Ellie.
Oh, Lydia, you won't die. Promise me you won't.
I promise you. Now go to bed.
Why did you buy the casket? Why, Lydia?
Why do you want to die?
I don't want to die. No one does.
You have such a lot to live for, haven't you, Ellie?
Yes, I have, Lydia. I've been happy.
You've made me happy.
And someday when I'm well again, David will be waiting for me.
You know he will be. You've always told me he'd be waiting.
And he'll see that I'm well again, and he'll take me back.
I know he will. I'm not that much older.
David won't see me as old.
He told me that when I was well, no matter how long it took,
he'd still see me as a young girl.
Haven't you learned yet?
Don't you know yet that you're mad and you'll always be mad?
No.
No.
No, I'm getting better, Lydia.
You know I'm getting better.
Yes, putting bows in your hair, sewing ribbons all day long,
sneaking about the house at night, spying on me,
doing the same hymn over and over and over,
until I think I'm going mad too.
Oh, yes, you're getting better.
Is that why you want to die? To get away from me?
I thought you loved me, Lydia.
Why should I love you?
I gave you the best of everything I had.
I've given you my whole life.
I even gave you David.
Lydia, you were in love with David?
He came to our house.
Was it you he came to see?
Yes, but I had to stand by and watch you take him from me.
When you had your first attack, I was glad.
People said what a shame it was, but I was glad.
Because I knew then that he could never have you.
Oh, yes, you were going to be cured, and he was going to wait.
But it won't matter now how long he waits,
because you'll never be cured, and he'll never have you. Never.
You hate me.
You've always hated me.
You didn't bring me here so I'd be cured.
You wanted to keep me this way. Mad.
That's why you took me out of that place,
because they might have made me well again.
Go upstairs.
You hate me.
You bought a casket today, Lydia.
Was it for yourself, or is it for me?
Ellie, what a dreadful thing to say.
Yes.
I can see it in your eyes.
It is for me. You're going to kill me.
Ellie, you're my sister, my twin sister.
You want to get rid of me because you hate me.
Yes. Yes, because you love David.
You're going to kill me, and they'll come and find me, and bury me,
and they'll think it's you.
Ellie, you are mad.
They'll think it's you who is dead,
because no one knows I'm living here.
Then you'll go away.
You'll go back to David, and you'll say that Lydia has died,
and he'll think you are me, and that I'm well again,
and he'll marry you.
You'll have him.
You'll be Ellie, and you'll have my David.
Did you hear what I said?
Go upstairs and get to bed.
Lydia. Lydia.
How can you be so wicked?
She's just pretending to be asleep.
She's lying over there on the other side of the room, staring at me through the dark.
She knows it was the truth tonight.
She knows I'm going to kill her.
And now that she knows it will have to be soon, and it mustn't look like murder.
No, it mustn't, but how?
How shall I do it?
That hymn. That hymn.
I could kill her for that.
Just for singing that hymn. I could kill her.
But how?
Stairs. The stairwell.
She gets dizzy if she looks down into the stairwell. Yes.
Three floors straight down the stairwell, of course.
Ellie. Ellie. You mustn't cry anymore.
Do you hear me? You mustn't be afraid of the dark.
Here, I'll light the lamp for you.
There, dear. That's better, isn't it?
Why, you're shivering.
We'll go down to the parlor and light a fire.
And I'll make you a nice cup of hot milk.
Come, Ellie. No.
Now, Ellie, stop acting like a child.
I am a child.
Mommy, I'm your little Ellie.
Now, come, dear. Here's your wrapper.
Put it around your shoulders. That's my little girl.
Get up now.
Give me your hand, dear.
Now, be careful. Walk slowly.
There we are.
Now, hold on to the banister, dear. That's right.
I'll hold the lamp up high so you can see better.
I'm afraid. The stairwell.
Ellie, you must get over that fear.
Look, Ellie. Just look down.
There's nothing to frighten you.
Look down the stairwell, Ellie. No.
I'm holding you, dear. Just lean over and look down.
No. Don't make me look. I can't stand it.
Come closer, dear. No.
Closer. Lean over. No.
Lean over, Ellie. Look down. No.
Now, Ellie. No. Let me go.
Lean over. Look down. Look down.
No.