A Matter of Life and Death Page #5

Lexington, Concord.

You are good at history.|The American War of Independence.

- Oh, he was killed?|- By a British bullet.

Oh. He might be... prejudiced.

Hmm. He hates your guts.

And he hates the guts|of every Englishman.

And he hates this little affair|with the Boston-born girl.

It's not a little affair.

Ohh, a big affair he will hate even more!

- I'll appeal against him.|- No good!

We had to choose a good man.|Our honour is at stake.

Non, you must choose|a good man for yourself.

- As defending counsel?|- Precisely.

- Can I choose anybody?|- Anybody who's ever lived on earth.

Everybody is at your disposal.

- You can choose me.|- That would suit your book.

Do not waste time. Abraham Farlan|is piling up his case already.

You can choose Socrates, William Pitt,...

.. you can choose Henry Vlll.

Oh, Madame Du Barry.

- She knows all about love.|- Rather a one-track mind.

You are a good chess player. Philidor.

I'll think it over.

By the way, I'd like to borrow this.

It's not mine, it belongs to the doctor.

- Oh, doctors.|- What about them?

They give me a great deal|of trouble in my job.

(bell rings)

- He was here! He tricked us!|- Yes, he was... here.

And these were on the floor.

Peter, sit down.

Now...

.. look up.

You've been doing some hard talking.

I have.

- You didn't give in to anything?|- No.

- That's the spirit.|- Can I stay overnight?

- Yes, I'll tell Mrs Tucker.|- I don't need much.

Now, let's see.

Hmm. I'll tell Mrs Tucker you're staying.

Dr Reeves, can I stay in here?|I want to be near these books.

Of course. I'll fix up a camp bed.

Great news, darling.

- I'm allowed to appeal.|- Really?

June, I don't want to leave you.

Darling, why should you?|Everything will be all right.

- If I can get a good counsel.|- Of course you will.

It's very important.|I don't want to lose you.

I don't intend to let you go.|No-one can take you. I won't let them.

A judgement against me|would be backed up...

.. by all the power of this world|and of the other.

Drink this.

- Peter's got the right to appeal.|- Splendid.

- Smell anything?|- Yes.

- Fried onions?|- Yes.

Good. Drink that up.

- Any headache?|- Mm.

Tell me tomorrow what he said.

No, he said...

- Good heavens!|- What is it?

- He got my Hundred Best Games.|- Alekhese's chess book!

- You sure?|- Certain. He had it in his hand.

- What a nerve!|- A bit cool.

- Now, get to bed.|- I want to talk to you first.

No, have a long sleep.|Tomorrow, you'll feel as fresh as a daisy.

- You don't believe a word I say!|- Of course we do!

My dear friend, here on Earth|I am your defending counsel.

As your counsel,|I believe everything you tell me.

- Dr Gaerlter.|- Hello, Dr Reeves.

You make your rounds the hard way.|Give me a coupe!

- Is Dr McEwen free?|- He's going to operate.

He hasn't started yet.|I imagine he'll see you in the washroom.

- Hello, Frank, what's new?|- Deterioration.

We ought to operate tonight.

Impossible, we're swamped.|Sure of your diagnosis?

Certain. He had slight concussion|two years ago - no aftereffects.

The X-ray's inconclusive.

You know about these hallucinations|coupled with a sense of smell.

It points to arachnoid adhesions|involving the olfactory nerve.

A tricky op. I've never seen one.

I have - at the Hospital de la Piti in Paris.

I've made some notes for the surgeon.

It'll be Dr Leiser, a fine neurosurgeon.

- Leiser, good man.|- We can't manage tonight.

There's no crisis in such a thing.

- Any day will do.|- No, it won't.

I'll tell you why and why there is a crisis.

I'm afraid his brain|may be permanently affected.

Insanity?

- Yes.|- Why?

Because his trial is on for tonight.|He hasn't found anyone to defend him.

He spends all his time in my library.|He only sleeps when I drug him.

The boy has a fine mind but it's taxed.

That's the trouble, it's too good a mind.

A weak mind isn't strong enough|to hurt itself.

Stupidity has saved many a man|from going mad.

Yes, you're right there.

He's had several talks|with this heavenly messenger.

Hallucinations, but you never saw|such an imagination!

I've been taking tips on the other world -|law, system, architecture.

Interestingly, he never crosses|the limits of his imagination.

- I don't get you.|- Nothing he invents is fantastic.

It's invention, but logical invention.

The keystone to his invention|is that the trial takes place tonight.

He must win or lose his case tonight.

We ought to operate tonight.|No use shaking your head.

We need to find a counsel to save him|losing his case or we may lose him!

What about...

.. him?

Lincoln?

No, it's hardly fair to drag him in.|I don't believe he'd be prejudiced.

Plato.

How would you like|to be defended by Plato?

Nobody knew more about reasoning.

He was 81 when he died. He might be|too old to think love important.

Do you think so? Anyhow, Plato had|very elementary ideas about love.

Besides, didn't he quote Sophocles...

.. when someone asked him|if he could still appreciate a woman?

- What did the old boy say?|- "I'm glad to be rid of all that. "

"It's like escaping from bondage|to a raving madman. "

Tut!

These Greeks - cold as their marble.

If he had been French... Richelieu,|for example. Irresistible at 80!

How about Richelieu?

No, I never liked him much|in "The Three Musketeers".

(conductor) Solomon.

Solomon?

Non?

Mais, mon Dieu, who do you want?|You have only a few hours left!

It sounds a grand idea to have|all these great men to choose from,...

.. but what do they know|of our problems today?

True. Very little.

Besides,|I think it ought to be an Englishman.

Nobody famous, but somebody|with his head screwed on.

Screwed?

- Now, this Abraham... er...?|- Farlan.

Was he a famous man?

First American killed by a British bullet.

I mean, was he a great philosopher|or statesman?

- He was a schoolteacher.|- There, you see!

Now, Plato would probably talk about|perceptions and causations.

Pardon?

- Over your head, too?|- Definitely.

It's quite simple...

By the way, why are you so interested|in my winning my case?

I?

Yes, you!

And why am I being taken up|this... stairway?

I'm not being taken for a ride, am I?

- What a suggestion!|- Take that bit of barley sugar away.

I don't like it or your suggestions!|I'll go back before it's too late.

Peter! Peter!

Peter!

Peter...!

Peter!

Peter, come back!

Peter, Peter!

Peter!

Peter, Peter!

Come back!

- Peter!|- (June) Peter, come back!

(June) Peter, come back!

Peter! Peter, come back!

Peter! Peter!

Come back!

Peter, Peter, come back!

- (thunder)|- Peter! Peter!

Peter, my darling, come back to me!

He almost got me!

(thunder)

(thunder)

(wind howls)

He'll be all right in a moment.

Why isn't the ambulance here?|It was due half an hour ago.

Phone Dr McEwen, say we must|operate tonight. It's life or death.

Tell him about the ambulance.|Telegraph his mother and two sisters.

- Yes, Doctor.|- That's all.

Now, Peter...

- Where's June?|- Phoning. Back in a moment.

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