Summaries

Synopsis

THE MURDER CLINIC aka THE BLADE IN THE BODY

[MORLEY 1870]As the lights go down at night in a remote mental asylum, Ivan (Germano Longo as Grant Laramy) is in bed with Katty (Rosella Burgamonti as Patricia Carr), one of the nurses. He begs her to stay longer, but she tells him she must get back to work. Dr. Vance gets furious if she is late, she tells him. He rants about how he hates the place and wants to leave very much. Lighting a lamp, she suggests that maybe he likes it here because he has everything he wants and has made no attempts to find another job. He admits he stays because of her. Suddenly there is a knock at the door and someone calls for Katty. She tells them to go on without her and that she will catch up with her. As Ivan is leaving, he drops a straight razor on the floor. She notices and he picks it up without saying anything. He kisses her and leaves.

Sheena (Harriet Medin as Harriet White) is leaving a room. A mans voice from within tells her he will call her when he wakes up. She carries a lamp and goes to the room of an old woman who pets a stuffed cat. She tells the old woman that it is nine oclock and time for lights out. Snuffing out the room lamp, she leaves and checks on another room.

Mary (Barbara Wilson) is reading from a book entitled MARY STUART to patient Janey (Anna Maria Polani as Ann Sherman) where the title character is about to be beheaded. Sheena interrupts, saying Mary is off-duty and must leave. Mary tells her that she would like to remain and finish reading to Janey. Sheena chides her that this is against the rules and leaves the room. Mary promises to return in the morning to finish reading the story. Janey (who is mute) mumbles and obviously wants Mary to remain. Outside in the hall, Mary is chastised for getting too close to the patient.

Mary is shown to a very ornate room where she is told she will stay temporarily until a nurses room is prepared for her. Sheena tells her the previous nurse left the room in a terrible mess. She lights a candelabra, and bids her goodnight.

Mary, now dressed in her nurses uniform, extinguishes a lamp and is observed from an upper walkway by a black-hooded figure. The figure goes downstairs and enters the room of Janey. Approaching the sleeping girl, the figure removes the covers and pulls out a straight razor. Janey awakes (unable to scream) and flees out the window for her life as the figure begins slashing. She runs through a field where she stumbles and continues running until she comes to a fountain. As she drinks from the fountain, the figure approaches with the blade and kills her.

The hooded figure darts into a doorway of the building as a guard dog barks. Walter (William Gold) attempts to chase the suspect through hallways, including a laundry room where clothing is hung to dry. Down another hallway, Walter hesitates before entering a room he suspects the figure entered. Inside he is questioned by Lizabeth Vance (Mary Young), wife of Dr. Robert Vance (William Berger), head of the clinic. Vance enters and chides him for entering without knocking. Walter apologizes, saying he thought an intruder had come in. He slinks away. Vance asks if Lizabeth would like him to lead her to the bedroom. She refuses, saying she is able to do it herself.

The next morning Mary brings a tray in to Janeys room and finds the bed made up freshly. There is no sign of the patient, but Mary finds the book on the floor with a slash mark on the cover. Vance enters and asks if there is a problem. She asks about Janey and is told that relatives came early this morning and took her away. Mary seems puzzled about this. Sheena apologizes to the doctor, claiming she forgot to tell this to Mary. He tells her to introduce Mary to the patients.

After skipping one room, Sheena introduces Mary to Mrs. Hurley, who shows Mary the stuffed cat but then turns defensive when Mary reaches for it. Sheena tells the old woman to behave or she will take away the cat.

They go to another room where Sheena looks in through a slot in the door. Entering the room, she introduces Mary to Fred (Massimo Righi as Max Dean), whom she warns can be dangerous. Fred speaks to Mary, telling her that he is not allowed any chairs or anything that he might use to hurt someone or himself. She tells him that soon he will be well. He hangs his head in doubt. Suddenly there is the loud sound of footsteps from the ceiling. Fred becomes more panicked, saying the footsteps drive him mad. Finally Sheena has to ring for Ivan to come and subdue Fred until he is calmer. Vance enters and calls for a sedative. Telling Mary that the attacks are getting more frequent, Vance gives Fred an injection. Mary looks at the ceiling, still hearing footsteps. Dr. Vance goes upstairs toward the source of the footsteps. Mary follows and asks if she can help. He tells her to go back downstairs.

Mary hesitates but curiosity gets the better of her. She follows until Ivan grabs her, telling her that no one is allowed upstairs. He puts his hand on her as if to molest her, but she leaves.

Vance goes down another hall and enters a room where a woman talks to him. He tells her that her footsteps are heard all over the house. She walks with one foot wearing a heavy shoe. She refuses to show her face, but we see that her hand is gnarly and deformed looking. He begs to help cure her in his clinic, but she refuses, saying she will forever be tied to him. He holds up a black-hooded robe, implying that she wears it. She tells him to leave her alone and he does.

Outside, it is windy and dark. Through the forest a carriage is riding, carrying a man and a woman. Gisele (Francoise Prevost) complains of the long uncomfortable trip and wants to stop. Marc de Brantome (Phillipe Hersent) at first ignores her, until she begins to suggest a warm bed for them both. He promises this when they reach the coast.

All at once the carriage breaks down and Marc examines the wheel and axle. Complaining of the poor condition of the carriage, he tells Gisele to come and help him. She knocks him out, but spooks the horses, which run away with the carriage.

Later she arrives at a cavern where she hears chopping sounds. She is able to observe Vance burying the body of Janey. He hears something and grabs a pickaxe, but is unable to hear anything else and goes back to his work.

The next morning when Vance is leaving, he finds Gisele sleeping and asks where she came from. She tells him the carriage with the horses bolted, trampling the driver and that she wandered through the forest all night. He tells her he will allow her to stay at his clinic for a few days.

Lizabeth sees them arriving from an upper window. As they enter the drawing room, Lizabeth is playing the piano. Vance introduces Gisele and explains that she was involved in an accident where a man was killed by spooked horses. Lizabeth welcomes her to stay. Sheena enters and tells Vance he is needed by a patient. He tells her to prepare a room for Gisele. Sheena suggests the room that was occupied by Janey. He agrees and leaves.

Mary shows the room to Gisele, including the bathroom. In conversation Gisele refers to Robert by his first name, which surprises Mary.

Lizabeth complains that Gisele should not have been brought there to Vance. She questions where he has been and what he was doing. Incensed, Vance replies that he doesnt have to account for every minute of his day to her. As he pours himself a drink, Lizabeth tells him that he cant continue to seduce women and then- He demands to know what she is going to say. She tells him it was because she loves him that she spoke on his behalf and freed him from imprisonment in the past. She perjured herself and that they should go away together and start a new life.

Gisele hears the footsteps from above in her room. Suddenly Sheena knocks and tells her that it is lights out at 9:00 for all patients. Gisele insists that she is a guest and not a patient. She says she was invited by Dr. Vance. The footsteps are heard again by both women. Gisele asks about them, but Sheena replies that she has heard no footsteps.

Unable to sleep, Gisele plays cards. She hears footsteps outside her door and goes to investigate. She sees Vance going around a corner. Putting on her robe, she follows him to the top floor, where he enters a room. She opens the door to find another passageway to another wing of the building. Hearing someone coming, Gisele retreats to where she left her candle at the top of the stairs. Someone covered in a sheet blows out the candle and Gisele flees to her room in terror.

Fred is seen taking the light globe from the lamp and breaking off part of it. He comes to Giseles room and gets in, threatening her with the broken glass. In one of his maddened states, he pulls off the bedcovers, scattering the cards and glaring menacingly at her. When Gisele goes to open the bathroom door, she finds only a white wall. A struggle begins on the bed between Fred and Gisele. Mary comes in and calls to Fred, appealing to his right mind. As she talks him into surrendering the glass globe to her, this is observed by Sheena, Ivan and Dr. Vance who enter the room. Finally with the glass in her hand, she calms Fred down and Ivan takes him away. Dr. Vance thanks Mary for her help. Then, hearing Gisele moan, he goes to her and notices cuts on her arm. He calls for Mary to get bandages. He tells Gisele that it will not happen again.

Ivan takes Fred and puts him in an isolated cell. Mary comes in and wants to know who ordered putting him in this cell. Ivan tells her it was Dr. Vance. She speaks kindly to Fred, telling him that it will not be for long.

Dr. Vance and Sheena are working in the laboratory, where he is trying skin grafts on animals. He is seen applying a paste to a guinea pig.

Gisele throws a scrap to the guard dog who accepts it. Ivan comes out and expresses surprise that she gets along so well with animals. She asks him who is housed on the top floor. He says he does not know. She puts her hands on him as if to encourage his help. This is seen by Mary and Katty, who are returning with supplies. Mary tells Ivan that the doctor wants to see him.

Dr. Vance and Sheena complete their work. He is hoping they will be successful. Ivan knocks and asks if he was summoned by the doctor. Sheena tells him that he must have been mistaken. He leaves.

Gisele hears the footsteps above her room again. Putting on her robe, she goes out and listens to an argument between Vance and Lizabeth. She observes them from an upstairs passageway, and then goes to the room where Vance went before. Knocking and getting no response, she enters and sees Laura, sister of Lizabeth (Delfi Mauro as Delphine Maurin) facing the wall. The woman turns around and Gisele is horrified to see her disfigured face. Laura tells her to go. Gisele faints and Laura bends over her, touching her face. Rising, Laura begins moaning and shuts her door. Gisele is left in the hallway unconscious.

Sheena is seen trying to revive Gisele in her bed. Dr. Vance comes over just as she awakens and chastises Gisele for betraying his hospitality by spying. She tells him that the authorities might be very interested in what she would have to tell them. He tells Sheena to leave the room. Gisele threatens to tell what she knows, including that he buried the dead girl Janey. She wants a large sum of money, which he tells her will take some time to get. She threatens him further and he leaves. As he walks away from her room, we see Sheena, who apparently was listening in.

Upstairs, Laura emerges from her room wearing the black-hooded robe. Meanwhile, Lizabeth goes through the laundry room and down a corridor. This is observed by the old woman holding the cat. Suddenly a scream is heard as the old woman sees something. Lizabeth is found on the floor. Gisele runs out and finds Lizabeth, who is also seen by Sheena, Ivan and Walter. Ivan and Walter carry Lizabeths body away. Sheena picks up a razor and suggests something to Gisele, who will not be frightened or blackmailed.

Dr. Vance attends to Lizabeth in her bed. Someone suggests that maybe Fred is involved, but it is said that he was safely locked in his cell.

Someone wearing black gloves is seen getting the key to Freds cell and unlocking it. Pulling it open slightly, a straight razor is placed on the cell bars to incriminate a sleeping Fred.

The next morning Mary goes to bring a tray to Gisele and discovers that she is dead and bloody. She interrupts Dr. Vance who is trying to get Lizabeth to drink. She calls him aside and tells him about Gisele. They go to her room and he covers her with a sheet. Mary tells Vance that the authorities will have to be called. He says no. She reminds him that a woman has been brutally murdered. He tells Mary that no one knew Gisele came here. He picked her up in the forest.

They go into his office, where he locks the door behind them. He begins explaining about his life and then we see in a flashback of when Laura arrived after Robert and Lizabeth had married. She and Robert spent much time together and they obviously like each other. Several happy scenes are observed with Robert and Laura enjoying each others company while Lizabeth looks on. Then he tells about building the new clinic and how they went to see it during construction. Walking along high scaffolding, he shows something to Laura as Lizabeth watches from a few feet away. Suddenly a rope gives way and Laura plunges into a pit of lime acid. He confesses that it is Laura who hides herself upstairs and that he is the only one she will see. Although he was tried for her accident, Lizabeth testified on his behalf. He was freed, but unable to practice as a doctor anymore. He resigned himself to working only at his clinic. For this reason he tells Mary that he cannot be associated with another death.

There is a frantic knock at the door. Vance opens it and Ivan informs him that Fred is missing from his cell and that a razor was found.

Lizabeth hears voices speaking loudly and rises to put on her robe. Mary enters and cautions her to remain in her room. She offers to stay with her, but is told Mary might be needed elsewhere. As she opens the door to leave, a bloody arm falls down from above, dropping a razor to the floor. Mary screams and Vance puts his hand on her mouth. He explains that Fred, who is seen above, killed himself in remorse for killing Gisele and that the authorities will be told this.

That night the staff is eating together. Ivan comes in late and touches Katty on the neck. He sits and ladles soup into his bowl. Mary makes excuses and leaves the table. She goes to a room but it is empty. Sheena comes in, takes the lamp and tells her to leave.

Passing Vances room, Mary notices the lamp is still burning. She goes to extinguish it, not noticing that he is seated there before the fire. He speaks to her, telling her of the anguish he has endured these last few days and years. He tells Mary that his wife no longer loves him since Laura was in between them. He moves to kiss Mary, suggesting that she help him.

Lizabeth, seeing them kissing, shouts Robert! and runs away. He follows. Running through the halls, he calls for his wife. Sheena comes out and he tells her to look for Lizabeth.

In the laboratory, Mary selects a large knife from several instruments. Suddenly Sheena comes in with a lamp, asking what Mary is doing in there. Mary makes an excuse. Seeing the guinea pig, Sheena exclaims that the transplant has been successful and that Dr. Vance needs to be told.

Laura comes out of her room wearing the black-hooded robe and ambles down the hallway. Meanwhile a search is being made outside by all the staff for Mrs. Vance. Sheena comes out to tell him of the discovery. He says he will attend to it after his wife is found.

In her bed, Mary hears footsteps outside her door. She sees the shadow of feet go past her door and back again. She lies back down. The door opens quietly and the black-hooded figure enters with a razor. Approaching the bed, the figure begins slashing at the covers. Feathers fly as it is revealed to be pillows only. Mary comes out from behind the curtains with her knife and confronts the figure, who turns out to be Lizabeth. At the same time we see Laura, who confronts Lizabeth about the accident. Laura says it was Lizabeth who released the rope that caused her to fall (we see in a flashback). Lizabeth denies this but stabs Laura, who falls. Lizabeth flees the room. Vance comes in and sees Laura on the floor. Mary tells him it was Lizabeth. He runs after her. Lizabeth goes up to the top floor, screaming madly. Vance goes downstairs and outside where others are still searching. Lizabeth comes to an open window and is seen by Vance and the others. He cries out for her not to jump, but she does. Crowding around her, Vance cradles her as she confesses to doing all she did for love. As she dies, he announces that the nightmare is over.

The next morning Vance is seen leaving. As the carriage passes Mary, it stops. Vance helps her into the carriage and they leave together. She realizes that Vance was not the murderer.