Miz Kelty?
You don't need me, Mr. Baring. Just wasting my time again
You know where I am. No square dancing!
Do you reckon he ought to be in the hospital?
No, ma'am. My advice is
don't go near those places unless they pay you a heap of money
Your father's eighty-seven years old, Janet. Just be there for him
Don't worry, I ain't a-gonna go nowhere
Been looking for you all over, Jerry
- Take care - See ya
- Thanks for seeing Papa - Sure
Billy Fisher found her. He delivers the groceries out there
I guess she's what you'd call a hermit
She talked kinda funny, too. She kinda like, uh, "Durr yurr mmm..."
Only one side of her face was working
You try talking out of one side of your face
Oh, so you seen her then?
Just the once. When I first moved out here
It seemed to me she was doing okay
Oh, sure now, she lived her own life
I didn't know there were folks living this far out
Well, there aren't. Just ol' Miz Kelty
God
It's beautiful
Well, look at that
Just laid herself down... folded up her arms and died
Don't look like she's been gone long
No...
In this heat, you'd know if she'd been dead more than a day
Well... anything I should be concerned about?
Not that I can see
I guess she hasn't been outside in a long time
Well, that figures. The last time I seen her in town was more'n a year back
Is this for real?
No electricity, no phone... no running water
She lived here all alone, huh?
Well, that's what hermits do, lovell
They live alone and they die alone
Peterson to Robbinsville base
Okay-ay-ay, we're outta here!
Let's get back to civilization
Billy Fisher found her when he delivered the groceries?
Yeah, that's right
I'll catch up with you
Hi there
It's okay, I won't hurt you
- Stay back! - Well, what the hell is it?
- Stay back! - What the hell is it, Jerry?
- Put the gun away. Leave her alone - Don't touch my gun, Jerry
- Come on, let's go. Come on - What the hell is it?
- Get out. She's scared - She's scared? Holy shit! What...?
Good God Almighty
You ever heard of anyone else living out here?
No, never
- Are you all right? Did you get hurt? - Fine. Fine
- Okay - Jesus
Let's take this one step at a time. Stay here. I'm gonna go back inside
Jerry, I can't let you go back in there. We don't even know what that thing is
It's a human being. And she's frightened
Well, what are you gonna do?
Talk to her. If I can
Please... don't be afraid
The Lord led you here, stranger. Guard my Nell. Nell
Good child. the Lord care you
Man, did you see this? That crazy old woman owned half of this damn woods
What kind a deal is this?
The first stranger who finds her is supposed to look after her?
- Well, that means you, Jer - Oh, sure. Just what I need
Well, "the Lord led you here". There you go
You led me here
Well, you want the Lord to take care of you or not?
The last time I saw the Lord was in church on my wedding day.
And look how that turned out. Come on
Well, she's definitely over age
So I guess we notify the Adult Protective Service
She doesn't need a social worker. She needs a padded call
That is one seriously disturbed lady
Well, I'm afraid that's gonna be your territory, Jerry
Thanks
Well, "the Lord led you here, stranger"
It's okay. It's okay. It's all right, just calm yourself down. It's okay
Calm down, calm down
It's all right calm down.
No! Whackie!
No. Calm down
Come in
Nicole, you want to sing "Open/Shut" then?
Doctor Olsen?
Could you close the door, please? Thanks
They said it was fine to drop by
I'm Jerry Lovell. I've got a family practice over in Robbinsville
Hi
This is my assistant, Diane
So what can I do for you?
Well... I could use some advice
This, uh, this woman speaks an unknown language?
Her mother was paralysed down one side. Apparently a series of strokes
It's possible the girl picked up the speech distortions
Speech distortion's not an unknown language
I know. It's more than that
Well, I want to see her right away
How about first thing in the morning? Nine?
Thanks. If you're not too busy
Well, no known living next of kin
Violet Kelty was just about as lone as a soul can get in this world
- Hmm. Except she wasn't - Sheriff's Department
Well, now officially that "creature" does not exist
Todd?
There, see what you make of that
Right here?
Perterson
Yeah, hey, Sally, what...
Where is she now?
I'll be right over.
Yeah, thanks, Sally, I appreciate your trouble
You think that's how she got pregnant? Rape?
I have to go
- Mary, huh? - Yeah
My Mary
You'll be all right now, honey. He's on his way. He's a-coming
Thanks, Sally
It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay. I'm here now
Why'd you get upset?
Hey!
Come on... come on. There you go
Okay, folks, the show's over
- You guys okay? - Yeah, yeah. We've been here before
Hi
You found me
Early
Yeah, I'm always early
Not a bad day
What happened to her?
Nothing and everything
It hits her once in a while
- Is there any obvious cause? - You want a list? Life's touch
But she's luckier than some. She's got a good husband there
Ready to head for the woods?
The things people do to their kids. Jesus
She's not like that when she's on her own
Strangers scare her
How do you know?
I've been watching her
She's been, uh, completely isolated. Almost certainly mentally retarded
A blood test will pick up childhood disease, any kind of metabolic disorder
Oh, you carry a blood kit?
You think she's gonna sit there and let me stick a needle in her?
I'll hold her
It's okay, darling. It's okay
Do it
Shh... shh. It's okay
If you're right...a big if...
if she's never left this cabin or this part of the forest
never known anybody but her mother...
never encountered any of the images of the modern world,
never seen a car, a television a gun, a Hershey bar...
never heard rock'n'roll music or But now you said she can talk
Yeah, but it's some kinda language of her own
Well, we haven't had a true wild child in this country for sixty years
She's not a wild child
It's just a shorthand term, Dr. Lovell
She's not a child
No. That's what makes this case so unique
This is not your field, I know
Bur let me tell you what we're dealing with here
Some pretty fundamental issues
How was the personality formed? We don't know
How much is innate, how much is learned? We don't know
Where do gender roles come from? We don't know
Because you can't take a baby and have it grow up in a lab...
- and monitor and control every influence... - You want to have her grow up in a lab?
Grow up in a lab? No
Dr. Lovell thinks you're gonna do a Frankenstein number on her, Al
Oh, well, uh... all right...
Let me ask you this, Dr. Lovell
Can she survive on her own?
Well
I don't know
Yeah, well, all right, suppose she cannot
Who's gonna look after her? You?
Me? Why me?
All right, so who's volunteering?
I can tell you this much
It's gonna be somebody with an ulterior motive
Everybody who cares for someone has an ulterior motive
Even Mother Teresa
She wants to know that her life has been of some use to others
And so do I
Excuse me
Oh, shit
Yeah, I'm on my way
Well, Lovell, did I wake you up?
Hey, Todd, it's okay. I overslept. What's up?
I'm looking at a commitment order that's just been issued for Nell
What does that mean?
Well, it means they're gonna take her away
It's a court order, Jerry. I have to enforce it
When, now?
Well, that's what it says
Can you give me some time?
- I guess I could hold off till after lunch - Try and make it a long lunch, will ya?
Well, what do you say there, Don?
Not fishing today?
Todd
Sorry about this, Jerry?
Hi
Well, we've... come to pick Nell up
Yeah, I heard
I've got the court order
You do know it's in her own best interests right?
Did you ask her?
Well, you know that's impossible
Tell 'em, Don
Well, I have a court order here that says...
if you don't get Nell's informed consent, you're violatin' her rights
And if you do that, I'm gonna sue you all the way to the Supreme Court
How can she give her informed consent?
She doesn't even speak English!
If she doesn't speak English, she has to give her consent through an interpreter
What interpreter? This is crazy!
There isn't anybody who speaks her language!
Then I guess somebody's gonna have to learn
Dr. Lovell's view seems to be that this woman's natural habitat is...
a primitive cabin in the heart of the forest. Well, I take a different view
I see... a victim of abuse... and neglect...
I see a mature woman who's been robbed of half her life
Her mother never gave her a choice. Isn't Dr. Lovell doing the same thing?
Hiding her away as his own private pet in the woods?
We all know what happens to these freak cases, Your Honor
They get a year of celebrity
A starring role in a few academic papers
Then they get to spend the rest of their lives in a state institution...
abandoned... by the very doctors and scientists who claimed to be helping them
Nell has a home. She has a life. She's not asking for any help
So just be sure she needs care... before she gets cared to death
If she's ever gonna leave that cabin
she's gonna need skills she doesn't presently possess
How do you know she wants to leave the cabin?
You think that's the best life we can give her?
I don't think her life is ours to give
People can help each other, Dr. Lovell. We don't have to do everything on our own
Okay, I think I'm getting the picture
Here's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna defer my decision for three months
This time to be used for the proposed of observation and assessment
And I hope that by the end of this period, this court is better informed
Hey
You sure you can make it, roughing it like this?
I don't see an air conditioning unit
You okay about breathing raw air?
Wow, who's paying for this floating palace?
My department. This project has very high priority
Oh, I bet it does
So how long are you staying?
Three months
Don't you have a life?
It can wait
How long're you staying?
I don't know
Well, won't your, uh, patient miss you?
I've got someone to cover for me. Everybody's replaceable
so I guess you'll make full professor on the back of this case, huh?
Sure, why not?
Look, I'm here to do ajob. Anything that helps me do thatjob is fine by me
If you want to be a Boy Scout, go ahead...
but I'd appreciate it if you could do your best not to screw it up
What's all this?
What's it look like?
You never said anything about video cameras to me
Well, it's the least intrusive method of observation
Well, how'd you rig this up?
Well, she was asleep. She sleeps most of the day
Mind if I dress?
Hi
I'm Jerry
You're Nell. I'm Jerry
Me
Me. That's right. Jerry
You're Nell
That's right. That's right
That's right
She has an objective self and a subjective self that I
I've never seen such a perfect projection before
That's, that's "me"... me... in the mirror
You'd think it would be the other way around
But that's "me" out there. almost like she's displacing herself
Have you run any tests?
Only blood works, and no abnormalities there
We'll have to run competency tests before the court hearing, but...
I'd say it's still too soon
I want you to hear this language she speaks
What is this gesture about?
I don't know. It's some kind of self comforting
She did it when she was saying "me"
You should explain the speech degradation is misleading
That's right. the mother was aphasic
but the idiosyncratic word forms...you tell me
Incredible
You mind if I talk?
I like it here
It's a quiet place
You've got the right idea, Nell
You live with people, you get problems
First they screw you up...
then they leave you, right?
You ever get lonely, Nell?
I never had any brothers and sisters either
"Very unusual for an Irish family, Dr. Lovell"
Oh, sure, you better believe it.
God, there was a family lived next door.
The Connors. The Connors... They had seven kids. Seven
Always yelling and screaming, having a good time
Me watching...
over a fence, through a window
I heard music. A band
This parade was coming down the street
I'm on our front steps
Jamie Connor grabs me pulling me into the street
"No, no, no, no, no" My heart's going ba-boom, ba- boom, ba-boom
The band's going bum-bum-bum, bam, bam-bam-bam, bam.
Oh, but I was so excited. Jamie's got me by my hand
We're doing this. Some kid's got my other hand, the band right behind us
You get close to a band. you know about it
I'm marching, I'm with the other kids. I wasn't alone
You know what I'm saying?
We weren't talking
Just... just...enjoying this wonderful spirit
Did you see that?
- Yeah, I saw it - Did you see it?
- Yeah, I saw it - She talked! To me!
- I know - Hold out your hand
- I didn't ask for that. She did - I know
- You know what it means? - No!
Okay, so here's what I've been thinking. Nell speaks English
English? Oh, come on
Yeah, most of the time anyway. Look
Come here. Take a look at this.
"Af'ah I done go, ga'inja come" There's only one word of pure Nellish there
Sounds like language analysis to me
- Dr. Olsen - All right, o- okay
"Spee"...speak. "Af'ah"... after. She's droppin' consonants
Yeah, but...what does "chickabee" mean?
She says, "Missa chickabee." What's "missa"?
I don't know
When she's scared she says. "Tata, tata" Wh-what's that?
I don't know yet
Where is she?
Look at that
- We shouldn't be watching this - Why not?
She's naked
So?
I think she's beautiful
You think I'm planning to abuse the doctor patient relationship?
- Are you? - No
Just because I think she's beautiful doesn't mean I want to have sex with her
I mean, I think you're beautiful, but...
Oh, thanks
You know what I mean
That's okay
- No, look, I didn't mean it that... - It's okay. I'm a big girl
What is it with you and Nell?
It's like...
there's no one else in the world
Like she doesn't...need anybody
Can you live your whole life that way or...
does it drive you crazy in the end?
I don't understand, Nell. What, what's "missa"?
Oh, I've got it! "Missa"...little
Little. "Erna"...big. Huh?
So, so what's "t'ee"?
"T'ee"...tree. "Tree in the wind!" You're a tree in the wind!
Hey, Nell, Nell. Show me "t'ee"
Come on, show me "t'ee." Show me the trees
Come on, Nell, it'll be fun
Come on, we'll have fun
- Tata! - Tata?
Tata!
Tata. What...? Tata? You're afraid?
What are you afraid of, Nell?
What's "eva'dur"?
You okay?
"Missa"...little
"Erna"...big
"Tata"...potato. Just kidding
Frightened..."tata"... frightened. "T'ee"..."tree"
Hey
Well, how long has she been there?
Turn if off
Turn that thing off!
What the hell do you think you're doing?
She's never heard music before in her life
- Hey sometimes people just do things! - Did you think of that?
It's called impulse
- It's called doing what you want... - You ought to try it some time!
whenever you want to and not giving a shit about anyone else!
And I grew out of it around about the age of six!
What the fuck is that?
What's wrong?
What...what's gone away?
Ah... word of the Lord. I'll get it. I'll get it!
It's safe
I'm sorry. We shouldn't have taken it away
You want... you want me to read it to you, huh?
a people...laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers
children that are corrupters...
they have forsaken the Lord
They have provoked the...
Eva'dur...
A seed of evildoers
Nell
Show me "eva'dur."
Nell
Nell?
Nell. Nell
Show me "eva'dur." Show me
Show me "eva'dur."
It's okay
Nell, Nell... the "eva'dur" hits you like this, huh?
Skoo'? "Skoo" in the belly?
Skoo'!
Skoo'?
Well, suppose your only close encounter with men was terrifying violence?
Rape. You'd tell your daughter they were monsters. Evil-doers
- "Eva'dur." - My God, of course!
You'd want to warn her what they do. I think Violet told Nell about rape
Sure. but how?
"Skoo' inna belly." Knife in the belly. Pardon me
Skewer
- Nell told you that? - Yep
Well, that could be all that's keeping her from coming out in the daytime
A deliberately-implanted phobia
And why is she more likely to be raped in the daytime?
Well, she isn't, but she's more likely to be seen in the daytime
And... Violet didn't want anyone to see Nell
Yep. I buy that
So...
what do we do with phobics? Get them to face what they're afraid of
Neutralize their fear
We could do that
Hey. Uh-uh. not so fast
- You're a man. You're an "eva'dur" - Wait a minute, no, I'm not
Ye-yes, I'm a, I'm a man. I'm g-, I'm "ga'inja"!
Ga'inja
Guardian angel! I'm her guardian angel!
Well, that's great. Now you have to help
Je'y!
Come on. I want you right here beside me
- You want a chaperone? - For the record. Come on
Okay
Now's as good a time as any
- Do I warn her, or what? - Just do it. Act like it's no big deal
Believe me, it's no big deal
Turn around
He won't hurt you
Who's Tirzah?
Good, huh?
Je'y!
What, Nell?
These?
Come and get it
Come on
- Je'y! - What, Nell?
Well, come on nobody's gonna hurt you
Come and get some
See? No evil-doers. Just me
Come on. scaredy. Come on!
Well, what was you doing back in that barn?
The Wild Woman of Lake Coweeta!
- Well, what kind of wild? - She was like an animal
- She ain't got no clothes on? - Butt fucking naked!
And she does like a dog
Hey, how are you doing?
What's going on?
You say you was sawing the wild woman in the wood
And what if I did?
- Well, I'd be interested - Well, I'd be interested
What's it called?
Pop what?
- Popcorn, Je'y - Popcorn
- What are you doing? - Getting her out in the daytime
- She's not a dog, for crissakes - It works, doesn't it?
- Well, yeah, but... - She's having a good time
She's discovered popcorn Now she can go to the movies!
Nell?
Nay tata. Reckon?
Oh, I knew she'd like it
T'ee...t'ee in the way!
Whoops
Nell!
Damn it!
Je'y?
Come loo' Mi'i!
Where is "Mi'i", Nell?
Mi'i inna missa feliss
Missa feliss?
Come on
Nell
Oh, my God
Mi'i!
Mi'i?
"Mi'i" walks with the Lord
The Lord!
Lor-d
That's it
Reckon
She's the survivor of a pair of identical twins
That's where the private language comes from. It's twin-speech
- And this repetitive gesture? - You got it
So, how long ago did the twin die?
Well, I'd guess the age of between six and ten. We're looking at twenty years at least
We want her in here, Paulajust as soon as the court hearing's over
Jerry thinks she should be left where she is
- Jerry? - Dr. Lovell
You know, Al, Nell has her own way of doing things
I'd say she can probably handle it on her own
Let me give you a little, uh, peek into the future, Paula
One day soon some...hiker or fisherman is gonna come walking...
out of those woods with a story about a wild woman
And, uh, that'll bring the news reporters. The news reports will bring the crowds
The crowds will bring the talk show hosts. Nell will find she's hired a lawyer...
an agent, a manager, and three bodyguards
You think she can handle that?
Hello?
Anybody home?
Hello?
Anybody home?
Hi
Mike lbarra. I'm ajournalist. Charlotte Tribune
Um... I heard you were living up here
Well, I, I hope you don't mind me coming by
Look, is, uh... it okay if I... I take a picture?
Have you ever seen one of these before?
It, It's called a camera, see, and...
um, uhh, I look at you...through this little window here, see? Now...
I'm looking at you through this... window, and, uh...
Hey, no, come on, it's okay. Really. It's okay...
You hurt her, you're dead, buddy!
Look, I never touched her! All I did was take her picture
You press?
Charlotte Tribune
Okay. I'm sorry. I guess I overreacted
Look, I'm her doctor. Do me a favor, will ya? Forget you ever met her
Mike lbarra
Lovell
Well, it's like this, Dr. Lovell
I'm a newsman
Yeah, well find some other news. You saw how you scared her
Nell? You okay?
- Nell? - She's called Nell?
She's called Nell? She's called Nell?!
Why can't she just be left alone to live as she damn well pleases?
You know why. Once word gets out, we might as well start selling tickets
So what do we do, huh? Build a wall around the woods?
Well, maybe she's gonna have to go somewhere else
- Like where? - Somewhere where she can be protected
Like a psychiatric unit, maybe?
So what's your suggestion? Check her into a Holiday lnn?
Al Paley's the best man in the field
Great. Let him stay in his field. Nell doesn't need him
- So who does she need? You? - She could do worse
Well, what have you got to offer? What's your big plan for Nell?
I don't make plans. That's your game. Yours and Al's
Go play it somewhere else, and leave us out of it
Oh, it's "us" now, is it? Jerry and Nell, the happy couple?
What would you know about happy couples?
Well, what would you know about Nell?
I've spent more time with her than you have
Oh, yeah, I noticed
What's that supposed to mean?
You ever ask yourself why you like hanging around Nell so much?
- Great! Here we go again! - She's not exactly a grown woman, is she?
- Not exactly a threat. Doesn't make any demands. - You want to know what you problem is?
- I'll tell you what your problem is - Just what every man wants!
- You're the big expert on men, right? - You're not a man
- You're just a biob! - What'd you do, read a book about it?
God!
Okay, Nell. It's okay
Nell, Nell, Nell. It's okay, it's okay. Nell
Say something. Make her feel it's okay
Mommy loves Daddy, really
Whatever I said back there...
I'm sorry, I was just sounding off
- It's okay - What do I know?
So what are we gonna do about Nell?
She's gonna have to take some kinda competency test before a court hearing
Those tests don't prove a...
I know
It's time to show her the big bad world and see how she handles it
Okay. Hold still
Loo', Je'y. Jus' like Pau'
Slow down
It's all right. It's noisy, though
Mommy
This is it, Nell
- Well, what do you say, Jerry? - Hi, Todd
You know Doctor Olsen
- Oh, yeah. Hi - Hey, how you doing?
- Well, look at this - Nell this is Sheriff Peterson
Uh, welcome to Robbinsville
So how are you guys doing, Todd? Okay?
- Ah, well quiet. Uh, I've known worse - Hi, Mary?
Hi. All this is kinda new to her
You scared?
Well, you sleeping pretty good up there in the mountains?
I'm not as young as I used to be
Well, we better get on home. Uh, looks like you're doing good work there, Jerry
Just starting
I'm not getting her this
She hasn't eaten junk like this yet, and I'm not having her start now
Don't you remember eating candy as a kid?
Saturday mornings, tearing the wrapper off a Milky Way?
The first explosion of total sweetness? Life doesn't get any better
- Right, Hazel? - Yes
- You still got all your own teeth? - Yeah, mostly
Wher2's Nell?
Nell?
Jim!
We got us a wild woman
Flesh and blood
Well, what does she want anyway?
Well, I tell ya, I believe she wants a little action
Get going, Billy
Hi there, baby
Anything I can do ya for?
Now, you'll have to excuse me. Just correct me if I'm wrong here
Miss... Miss Wild Thing, but you
you don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?
That's right
You don't understand a word that I'm saying, do you?
That's right
And it's getting a little bit hot in here, Jim
Why don't you just light my fire?
You light my fire darling, that's right Oh, that's it
You want, you wanna show me something?
You, you want to show me them tit...? Them are titties. Can you say "titties"?
Tit-, titties? Titties?
That's right, shake 'em up. That's right, turn all about, right
That's a girl. Turn all around, do the titty dance
That's right. Hey! I got an idea. You want to see my body? What you want?
Whoo, titties! Titties!
Let's do the titty dance! You put your left titty...
Put your right titty... No, no... Put your right titty in...
Nell?
Nell!
What's going on here?
What'd you do to her?! What'd you do to her?!
There don't have to be no ass-whupping. You just take a look right over here
She's just crazy.
Nell, come on. Shh-shh-shh, Nell. Shh. Come on. let's go, let's go
- She still looking at it? - Yeah
Did your parents do this for you?
You gotta be kidding me. My mother'd die before she'd give me a book like that
No way. Uh-uh
So how'd you learn?
Go on. Tell Dr. Lovell
Girlfriends at school
So what about you?
- Well - Come on, don't be shy. Come on
Bathroom walls
- Bathroom walls? - Je'y?
Nell?
How yo' caw this?
Well making love
- Je'y? - Well, not exactly
Pau'?
Yeah, that's right. That's Jerry and Paula
Making love
It has to help Nell if we look on as if we're getting along
That's why I let her identify us with the pictures. I hope you don't mind
Nope
Research shows that children who perceive their parents as having a good sex life...
grow up to make far better sexual relationships themselves
Is that so?
Yeah, that's so
Did your parents have a good sex life?
Three guesses
What went wrong?
My daddy left home when I was thirteen
My mom still doesn't know why
She was always laughing and smiling
We were all supposed to be having such a good time
My dad liked happy people, and so she was happy for him
She was so hurt. Shit
You know what I hate?
The way we're all
we're all trapped in these cycles, going around and around
I doesn't seem to me like you're repeating the same pattern
Oh, sure. I'm just playing the flip side, right? Nobody's gonna hurt me, so...
so I don't...
I don't feel that much
Even when I want to
Shit!
Nell, wha...? Is anything the matter?
An'thin' a' matter?
Donana kee
I'm not, I'm not crying
Oh, hell. Yes, I am
Paula?
You okay?
Fine
You wanna come?
Well, it's a pretty walk
I just saw a T.V. news outfit in town. It's not gonna take 'em long
Listen to this
"The wild woman never spent a dollar in her life, but she's worth millions"
Where do they get this shit?
We have to get her outta here
The hospital
You know it's the only place where they can't get to her
Get away! Get those cameras the hell outta here!
Get away!
Let her go, Mary. We have to go
Nell, listen to me, Listen to me, Nell. We have to leave! Just for a while
Nell. I know you're scared...but I'll be with you, I'll keep you safe. I promise
Nell...Jerry ga'inja
- Je'y ga'inja - That's right. Come on,
Come on, we have to leave
Okay? All right
Hold on
Excuse me
Almost there. We're almost there
Nell. Nell. Nell. It's okay. Nell
You'll have to carry her
It's gonna be all right. It's gonna be all right...
It's all right...it's all right, Nell
It's all right...Nell
It's all right...Nell!
Nell!
All right, all right, now let us take her. Easy, easy, easy
Hey, hey, hey, hey! Hey, easy, wait! Come on...
Back off! Back off!
- Settle down, everybody, quiet!!! - No sedatives
We don't...want to set the whole ward off here
You can go in to see her just as soon as you're... quiet
Come on, Nell, It's Jerry
This is not her normal behavior
She hasn't freaked out like on this for weeks, Al. You saw the damn tapes
I'm not happy about this, Paula
She's out of her familiar environment
You've had almost three months
I want her in here, so we can begin what we should have been doing from the start
I must have been out of my mind to bring her here
She needs time, Al, that's all
Come on
Well, we've got the weekend
Maybe by Monday I'll feel happier
Maybe not
They'll shut you away!
Show them how you really are! Please
My beloved is gone down into his garden
to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens
and to gather lilies. I am my beloved
and my beloved is mine
he feedeth among the lilies
"Thou art beautiful, O my love... "...as Tirzah...
This isn't, uh, lower level autism, that's for sure
I want to take her out of here, Paula
We can't. One more day, that's all
You think the judge is gonna say he knows better than Al Paley?
- I'm taking her out - Jerry!
Come on, come on. You're gonna walk. You're gonna walk. Here we go
Come on. I'm talking you out of here. I'm taking you out
Hey, wait a second!
- Move! - Sorry
No, not a word
Yeah, I know
Days lnn
Six-oh-one North Tryon. Room two-two-one
No, we're not going anyplace
I never meant it to be like this, Nell
I'm not your guardian angel. Sorry
But...Je'y feliss aw tye wi' Nell
But I guess all that's over now
Thou au beau'fu', o ma love, as Tirzah
How long she been like this?
She's been out for over an hour now. Just laid herself down and went to sleep
Why here?
I didn't know where else to go
So what are we gonna do now?
I'm gonna have to take her to court tomorrow morning?
Yes
So that's it
Shit
I could...take it if she'd say something to me. Anything but this silence
Nell is on the threshold of a hazardous journey
We can guide her on thatjourney
but what we can't do is turn the clock back.
She can never be a child again
But, uh, we're not here to choose between her new life and old life
Her new life has already begun
Our task here today is to determine how we can best help her...
as she takes her first steps into a wilder world
And in your opinion, Professor... ...Nell does need help?
I don't think that's in doubt
You don't think she's capable of looking after herself?
No, I do not
What do you think she's been doing for the last three months?
It's my impression for the past three months she's made no progress at all
Your counsel will have the opportunity to put questions to the profes...
What do you call progress? Turning into someone like you?
- No need to be personal here, Dr. Lovell - I happen to like Nell, Professor
What you do to her is personal to me, okay?!
Counsel, you want to control your client?
You and Dr. Olsen have become emotionally involved with your patient
She is not my patient! She is not sick!
She throws fits. She bangs her head against the wall
Oh, for God... It was a glass wall! She didn't see it!
Dr. Lovell, you will take your seat.
She displays many of the symptoms of... Asberger's Syndrome...
Oh, bullshit! She just doesn't want to talk to you!
Does she want to talk to you, Dr. Lovell?
Dr. Lovell, sit down!
I...I'm sorry?
Dr. Lovell?
Je'y? Spee' fo Nell
She says, since her mother died, she's been alone
She's been afraid
Everyone's frightened, everywhere
The sweet Lord soothes our tears
Our many tears
Our world has...many people in it, Nell. People who can be your friends.
But you have many things to learn
Don't you want that?
You have big things
You know big things
But... you don't look into each other's eyes
And you're...hungry for quietness
I've lived a small life
I know small things
I know...
loved ones
I know everyone goes
Everyone goes away
Yeah... I guess so
Don't be frightened for Nell
Don't weep for her
I have no...
greater sorrows than you
Yo'kay?
Is Ruthie still asleep?
Yep
Almost there
Well, has everybody got everything they need?
Hey! What'd I tell you?
You just start eating and they'll show up. It never fails
We finally made it! I don't believe it!
Happy birthday, Nell!
Happy birthday
Bass ain't hitting this stickbait today
Well, it ain't gonna hit nothing if you don't hush up
What you using, Don?
Old spinner. You know Mister Bass can't resist that
I can't tell you how many times I seen Myrtle Jean and Clara and the little baby...
See that?
And to think I was the big shot who was gonna change her life
You're not the only one
But you did. Didn't you know? You were the first
The first what?
To need her
You remember that