Child of Glass (1978) Movie Script
We leave the two of you
alone for one summer
to go and visit Grandma,
and you move us lock, stock,
and barrel to some,
to some dilapidated old house
clear out in the boonies.
My social life's goin'
right down the drain.
Oh, now, don't you worry, honey.
No southern gentleman worth his salt's
gonna let a few miles
stand between him
and a pretty girl like you.
You're gonna be with the same friends
in the same school,
and it's just five miles further out.
Besides, it's not every day you get
a chance to buy a piece of history.
"Perhaps the most picturesque
"and atmospheric
of the river plantations
"was the famous Dumaine Estate
in Jefferson County.
"In the days prior to the Civil War,
"the stately manor house was the scene
of many elegant balls until... "
Well... You see?
It'll be just like that again
as soon as we get it fixed up.
Until what?
Oh, nothing, nothing.
I... I read you the most important parts.
Then, come on, Mama.
Let's see what we're really gettin' into.
Now, Connie Sue, give that book back.
That is my book.
Now, now, no fighting'
while I am drivin' this car.
Hey, no wonder.
- Oh, really!
Listen. "Until the estate fell into ruin
"under the ownership of a retired
riverboat captain
"named Jacques Dumaine
"whose fondness for the bottle
was matched
"only by his obsession for gambling. "
Oh, come on now, Connie Sue.
Give me the book.
- Wait a minute, Mama, there's more.
- I mean it. I'll park the car
and you can go read it in the woods
if you want.
It is my book. Oh, I'm so angry!
I'm really...
"The final infamy came to the house
in the fall of 1862
"when the old man went insane
"and hung himself
in the hayloft of the barn. "
Far out!
Far out? It's gross, that's what it is.
Oh, now, come on, children.
That is just enough.
Now, Mama, what kind of
a weird place are you dragging' us off to?
We are not dragging you off
to any place.
Your father and I have purchased
a perfectly astonishing example
of authentic Antebellum architecture.
Haven't we, Joe?
I suppose, children, if your mother
is determined to re-live
Gone with the Wind, I think
the least we can do is humor her.
Oh, ho, ho, really?
Since when was it all my idea?
Yeah,
was a bargain, I guess.
Who could resist a "fixer upper. "
A "fixer upper"?
How much of a "fixer upper"?
Oh, it's just a, uh, few little things,
you know, here and there.
I think it's gonna be neat livin'
in that old riverboat captain's house.
Right.
There's the turnoff, Dad.
Well, what do you think?
Isn't it just the most divine place
you ever did see?
I know you and Daddy
are stoked on history,
but I do hope, at least,
there's indoor plumbin'.
Your enthusiasm
is simply overwhelming.
Come on, Penelope,
it won't be that bad.
I reckon we're the only romantics
in this family, Em.
Alexander, give me a hand
with the luggage, son.
- Alex, come on. Get a move on.
- Oh, yeah.
Here you go.
And that, too. That's it. Okay.
- it's so huge, it looks like a museum.
- Well, now...
You're gonna need
a whole store full of furniture.
Well, darlin', I don't see
where that's such a problem...
- Hi there.
- It's so big.
- You like it?
- It's different.
Well, it's not much different
than the other house.
I mean, that was a colonial, too.
Yeah, I know, but this house feels old.
Well, it is old.
That's why your mother and I wanted it.
Hey, where's my room?
Well, it's right u!) there
at the end of the stairs, first door.
Here, here. Take the white ones. Go on.
- Mama, don't baby me.
- I'm not babying you,
but you're so unhappy,
I don't know what to do.
- You.
- Who, me?
- Oh. Just like I thought.
- I beg your pardon.
You're the one.
What one?
The one the spirits have waited for.
Excuse me. I gotta go.
Strange forces are at work here,
mysterious forces of the other world
that only you can comprehend.
Alexander!
You must be ready, boy.
Listen for the call of the spirits.
They'll come to you soon.
You must be ready, boy.
Shake a leg, Son.
Why don't you, uh, hotfoot it out
to the barn with these.
- Oh, yes, sir.
- Thank you.
Oh, every time I see this place,
I love it more.
Oh, Joe. I've dreamed of livin'
in a house like this all my life.
Miss Scarlett, I'd carry you up
those stairs in fine style
if it weren't for my bad back.
Oh, never seems to bother you
on the golf course.
Hey!
Hey, what you think you're doin'?
I'm sorry.
Who the devil are ya, anyway?
Alexander Armsworth.
Well, I got a right to be here,
Mr. Alexander Armsworth.
Don't worry about that none.
Eases the misery.
Ah!
Bet you just can't wait to tell
your rich old daddy you found
Amory Timmons layin' down
on the job. Huh'?
No, sir.
Well, wouldn't do you no good no how.
Today's my day off.
Don't you never tell no one
what to do on their day off.
Alexander.
Hey there, puppy. Come on, now.
I won't hurt you. Come on.
Yeah, that's better.
You sure are a funny lookin' old thing,
know that?
Just like an old mop, yeah.
How did you manage to
get up here anyway, moppet? Huh?
Who do you belong to?
Alexander, are you in here?
Hey, Alexander?
What the heck are you doing
out here, Blossom?
Helping my Aunt Vinia to clean.
Well, go help then. I don't want you
tagging after me all the time.
There's something I gotta tell Va,
Alexander. Something vital.
Something dumb, more likely.
You better listen and listen up good
'cause it has to do with
mysterious voices from the other world
that only you can comprehend.
What are you talking about?
Aunt Vinia just told me
you're a sensitive.
Don't take her long to tell.
All she needs is to look at your palm,
- or feel your head bumps.
- A what?
A sensitive's got second sight...
The Dower to see through the darkness
that clouds the minds of mortal men,
to see the unseen.
Well, how can your Aunt Vinia know
what kind of sight I got?
Todays the first time
she ever laid eyes on me.
And if she believes that stuff,
she's as freaky as you are.
You best not scoff, Alexander.
Aunt Vinia knows about the other world.
And restless spirits,
them that wander through all eternity
and never find no peace.
Well, I don't believe in ghosts.
And I don't believe
in your Aunt Vinia neither,
so just stop following me around
with all your stupid stories!
Well, you better start believin',
Mr. Smarty-Pants.
You must be ready, boy.
Moppet!
Come here, girl,
look what I brought you.
Moppet?
Who's down there?
Blossom, is that you?
Darn you, Blossom!
You spider-legged spook.
You think you're so funny!
You get out of here right now.
I told you to stay away from me.
Oh, now, listen.
Be sure and tell George
and all your dear ones I send my love.
Okay. Bye-bye-
The nerve!
The pure unadulterated nerve
of that woman!
Now, how in the world
did Ludee Calhoun ever find out
that we were plannin' our open house
for the first Saturday in November?
The printer, the caterer, the CIA...
In the wars of social one-upsmanship,
Em, everybody is suspect.
Ha, ha! Well, I wouldn't be surprised
if she hadn't bribed the painter.
He saws now that he doesn't know
when he's gonna be able
to finish the outside of the house.
- Oh, now, Em.
- Well, I think it's just plain tacky.
Her callin' up all sweetness and light
to say that she just had to move
her harvest ball up a week early
to accommodate some
very important guests.
Oh, now, listen.
She knew... She knew that
we were plannin' our open house.
Em, criminal lawyers,
they like to use delaying tactics,
but we, uh, corporate attorneys,
we like to beat the other fella
to the punch.
What?
How about movin' our party up a week?
Oh.
We could have one little, uh,
costume party.
How delicious! Hmm.
Oh! Oh, how delicious!
Oh, but listen now,
not a regular costume party.
I mean, not one with ghosts
and goblins and things.
I mean, we'll have to have
something special.
Something to match this house.
We'll give a cotillion
with people dressed up,
you know, as they were
in Civil War days.
Oh, Joseph, Joseph,
I wouldn't be surprised
if Miss Mary Lee Merryweather
herself didn't come.
Now, Em,
don't go overboard.
She hasn't been to a party in 40 years.
Well, only because the parties now
can't hold a candle
to the ones she remembers.
But this one will be
just like the old days.
We'll have, um, we'll have mint juleps,
and we'll have party ices and waltzin'.
Oh, everybody who is anybody
will be here!
Oh, Ludee Calhoun will be
just green with envy!
Hey, Dad! Dad!
- Yeah.
Hey, come on, Dad. I'm gonna be late.
- But why aren't you on the school bus?
- Did you miss it?
I couldn't pry Connie Sue away
from the bathroom mirror.
Oh, dear, well, you have to
forgive your sister, darlin'.
- She's just goin' throuqh a phase.
- Oh, Ma...
Now, don't tease.
You're gonna be there yourself
before long.
Well, tomorrow we set this household
on a schedule.
- About phases? Mmm.
- No, bathrooms.
Uh, well, how about a kiss
for your mother?
- Ma!
- Oh, Ma!
Goodbye, goodbye. Have a good day.
Don't forget your paper sack.
Have a good day at school.
- Olav.
- Alexander, your lunch.
Oh!
Thanks.
- Hey, Alexander.
- Oh, hey, guys.
How do you like
livin' out in the boonies?
It's all right.
I wouldn't want to live in an old wreck
of a house like that.
It's not no wreck. It's historical.
My mother's just hvsterical trying
to fix up an old monstrosity like that.
Aw, what do you know?
Captain Jacques Dumaine
used to live in my house.
He was a riverboat captain.
They wrote books about him.
Bet you no one that famous
ever lived in your house.
Hey, Alexander,
your girlfriend's wantin' you.
She's not my girlfriend.
Come on, let's go.
Alexander, can I talk to you? It's vital.
We wouldn't want to keep you from
anything that's vital, Alexander.
Hey, Henry!
We'll leave you alone
with Miss Cotton Blossom.
What is it now?
It's about the thing that's in your barn.
You seen it, didn't you?
- Seen what?
- The ghost that's haunting your barn.
The only thing in my barn
that I've seen is you.
Last night you took a light up
in the hayloft
and you swiped my new dog.
I weren't in your hayloft
last night or never.
- Hey, Alexander.
- Hey.
You lie so much, you don't know
what's true and what isn't.
I do so! I mean, I do not.
Oh, yeah? Well, what about
that time when you told everybody
your father was a government agent
working on a secret mission in China?
And you don't even have any father.
A lot you know. His mission's
so secret, nobody knows about it.
Not even me and Aunt Vinia.
I'm sorry, Blossom,
but just quit bugging me.
Bet he would be a secret agent.
Somebody brave and special.
Mr. Timmons!
Mr. Timmons!
Here I am. Right here.
Yes.
Hi, Ms. Armsworth.
You callin' me? Huh?
- Indeed I was, Mr. Timmons.
- Well, how you doin'?
I was, uh, I was just takin' a nap.
I was restin'.
From what exertions? It is after 4:00.
You have not done a lick of work
on that gazebo.
Well, uh, if youse to ask
my professional opinion,
I'd say that the Whole place
needed painting.
That is not your concern. This is.
Listen, I'm gonna do it. I guarantee it.
You don't have to worry about that.
Well, lam worried... About this.
Oops.
Ah, you got me there.
I'm sorry about that.
It's not gonna happen again.
I mean it.
Oh, well.
Would you look at this picture, please?
I would like our gazebo to be
every bit as beautiful as this one.
Well, that's real pretty.
Yep, I can do that. It'll
be picture perfect.
- I guarantee. You got my word.
- I hope so.
- I'll leave the magazine with you.
- Well, thank you very much.
Good day, Mr. Timmons.
Ms. Armsworth.
Oh, yeah.
Alexander.
Moppet, where'd you come from?
What is it, girl?
Where are you taking me?
Wait, Moppet!
Blossom, you up here?
This is one of your dumb tricks.
Come on, enough's enough.
Alexander.
Alexander.
Wait. Do not go, Alexander.
I need your help.
Where are you?
I am in the darkness of the other world.
But for a short time it has been
given for me to come to you,
to seek you out from among the living.
Me?
Do not be frightened, Alexander.
No harm will come to you.
You must help me, Alexander.
We have only a short time
to solve the riddle.
The task must be completed before
the midnight hour on All Saints' Eve,
and only you can undertake it.
What's All Saints' Eve?
I believe you call it Halloween.
Why do I have to help you?
Because you are the one
I have been waiting for
all these long wears,
the one with the gift.
The one who can release me
from the terrible curse of my uncle.
What kind of curse?
One which condemned me
to wander among the lost souls
and restless spirits,
and kept me from my dear parents
who have been searching for me
all these long years.
If you do not help me,
I will never be able to rest in peace.
I'd like to help you, honest,
but I don't know anything about curses.
Hear me now, for I may say this
once and only once.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass...
"Vainly cries the child of glass...
"When the two shall be as one,
"the spirit's journey will be done. "
That doesn't make any sense.
You must find the sense.
You must solve the riddle,
and you must do it soon.
Now, repeat it quickly.
I must be certain that you remember.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass...
"Vainly cries the child of glass...
"When the two shall be as one,
"The Spirit's journey will be done. "
What does it all mean?
You must learn its secret for me
and solve the mystery
that has kept me from my eternal rest
for more than 100 years.
I must go now, Alexander.
Do not fail me.
Release me from my prison or I will
haunt you for the rest of your days.
Haunt me? Wait a minute.
I don't even know who you are.
Inez Dumaine.
But what do I do? Where do I start?
Early bird catches the bathroom.
Like mother, like daughter.
Um, could I talk to you for a minute?
Sure.
It's kind of private.
Well, uh, let's take it in your office.
- Dad?
- Hmm?
Do you think it's possible
for some people to know special things
about spirits and ghosts
and stuff like that?
Well, I'm more interested in fact
than in fancy, Alexander.
But there are people that, uh, study
what they call "psychic phenomena. "
Of course, you hear stories all the time.
I even heard the ghost
of old Captain Dumaine
still roams around this place
every now and then.
Supposed to be looking
for a hidden treasure.
Treasure? In our house?
A fortune in diamonds, so they saw',
around this place somewhere.
If he didn't find it, could we look for it?
Oh, don't go getting'
your hopes up, Alexander.
It's just a good story.
I think the fearsome ghost is
the invention of Mr. Amory Timmons.
Well, my ghost isn't bad.
She's in trouble and she needs help.
Slow down, Alexander.
Who's in trouble?
Inez Dumaine.
I saw her last night, out in the hayloft.
You know what I think?
I think you've been dreaming.
Nuh-uh. It was real.
The dog woke me up, Moppet.
Alexander, there's no dog in this place.
But you don't understand.
I understand that young men have
overactive imaginations.
Then you don't believe me.
I believe that you believe you saw her.
Uh, let me make a suggestion.
Why don't you leave off
reading these books
before you go to sleep at night?
First thinq you know, you're gonna be
seeing ghosts everywhere.
Next.
Come on, snap to it.
You're gonna miss your school bus.
Boo!
Crass, Blossom. Very crass.
Who'd you think it was? The ghost?
I got some stuff for us to use.
Long as we're dealin' with beings
from the other world,
we may need 'em.
I got 'em from my Aunt Vinia.
She sells them,
and they're all guaranteed.
Aw, come on.
These are lodestones
to drive off bad luck and draw good.
And that chamois has brimstone in it
for keepin' away evil spirits.
This here is shem-shem-touras,
the 10th Seal of Mercury.
What's that?
Tail of a black cat.
Witch-Sayers use 'em to spot witches.
You put it on your nose, like this,
and look across it,
and they become visible.
What's the matter with you?
That stuffs not good for anything.
I figured if it worked
on witches and such,
we ought to make it work
on that ghost, too.
Look, if there is a ghost,
and I'm not saying
there is or there isn't.
It's my ghost and I'm the one
that's a sensitive.
So, just take vour old junk
and quit tryin' to butt in on everything.
Is it the ghost of Inez Dumaine?
What do you know
about Inez Dumaine?
It is her. Oh, my goodness.
Tell me what you know!
I don't know much,
but my Aunt Vinia does.
She can tell you all sorts of things
about spooks and ghosts.
We can go ask her right after school.
It ain't very far.
We live right through them woods
over yonder.
I'll think about it.
You do that, Alexander.
What's the matter?
This is stupid.
You want to find out about
Inez Dumaine, don't you?
What are these?
Fish eyes.
We got dried bat wings
and jellied turkey gizzards, too.
Want me to show ya?
Oh, you've seen her.
You've seen Inez Dumaine,
didn't ya, boy?
I tried to reach her myself,
but I couldn't.
Aunt Vinia, we want you to tell us
all about her.
Folks'd say she was the only child
of a rich New Orleans family.
And when the Yankees was comin',
her ma and pa sent her to stay
with her uncle for safekeepin'
in that big old house
you're staying in now.
What happened to her?
She died.
Nobody knows
exactly.
Folks iust thought her crazy
old uncle, Jacques Dumaine
had somethin' to do with it.
They saw-
Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't.
All I know is she died
and nobody could Drove nothing
one way or the other.
Well, she gave me a riddle to solve
and it has something about murder in it.
Recite it to me, boy.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass...
"Vainly cries the child of glass...
"When the two shall be as one,
"the spirits journey will be done. "
Oh, that poor child.
What does it mean?
The spirits have chosen you
to discover that.
I have to figure it out before
midnight on Halloween.
She said if I don't do it by then,
she'll never be able
to go to her eternal rest.
That's 'cause she has unfinished
business from her earthly life.
Well, if I only knew where to start.
There's only one place to start, boy.
That's where the dead lie sleeping
in eternal silence.
Where the restless spirits
stand guard over the earthly remains.
What are you waiting for?
I gotta be home by 9:00.
I ain't never been in
no graveyard before.
It's spooky.
I thought you knew all about
graveyards and ghosts,
and things from the other world.
Not me, my Aunt Vinia.
Come on!
Dumaine.
Maybe we better forget it.
I think I just about...
Got it.
Go ahead. You wanted to see
where she's buried.
Not me.
You're a boy, and boys go first.
Whatever happened to women's lib?
You chicken?
Will you stop that?
"Captain Jacques Dumaine. "
It's her.
Oh, my goodness.
Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.
Alexander, let's get out of here.
I'm scared.
Will you be quiet? I'm trying to think.
Well, can't you think outside?
I think a whole lot better
when I'm outside.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass.
"Sleeping lies the... "
Blossom, this is it.
This is where Inez is sleepin'.
This is where she's buried.
That's the first part of the riddle.
Please, let's go, Alexander.
I don't want to hear about
no murder in here.
If I could only figure out the second part.
"Vainly cries the child of glass. "
What's a child of glass?
This is dumb. We don't even know
what we're lookin' for.
What's a child of glass, anyway?
How do I look?
I thought you wanted to help.
I am helpin'.
Just got tired of lookin', that's all.
- Well, I'm tired of looking, too.
- Why don't you stop, then?
We ain't gonna find nothing
in all this old junk up here.
No, do not stop, Alexander.
I need you.
No, do not stop, Alexander.
I need you.
Who said that?
Inez, is that you?
It's the spirit.
Come on, Inez.
What are you trying to do, scare us?
Alexander, I am afraid.
You're afraid!
Tell me, Alexander,
have you solved the riddle?
Do you have the answer?
Well, not exactly.
I figured out the first Dart, though,
about the murdered lass,
but I don't know what
a child of glass is yet.
You must hurry. My time is so short.
We'll figure it out, Inez.
Well, this is Blossom Culp.
She's helpin' me.
Pleased to meet ya.
Enchante, mademoiselle.
Inez, does the riddle have
anything to do with the treasure?
- Treasure?
- What treasure?
The Dumaine treasure.
Don't you remember that?
No, I do not.
Why do you talk of treasure?
What treasure?
Well, Dad saws it's supposed to be
hidden somewhere around here.
Alexander, do not speak of
this treasure again.
Remember what you are to do.
I am depending on you to free me
from this terrible curse.
- What treasure?
- Will you stay out of this?
I hope you understand...
All I understand is that
you're my only chance to be free.
Help me, Alexander.
Oh, my goodness.
But, Ma, you don't understand.
I don't have much time.
I gotta figure out the riddle
by tomorrow, midnight.
What I understand is that you are
using the most outlandish excuse
to get out of your doing
your share of the work.
A ghost in distress!
I mean, now, really, Alexander...
- But, Mom!
- Oh, no. Oh! Oh, no!
Alexander,
go fetch your father, quick. Oh!
Mr. Timmons!
Hey! How are ya doing, ma'am?
Well, I done her. What ya think?
Well, I...
Picture perfect! Isn't that what
you promised me, Mr. Timmons?
That's right, ma'am.
Looks pretty good to me, huh?
You are inebriated again.
You sure love using them
big words, don't ya?
Em!
- What's the trouble, Em?
- Well, I...
This gazebo is a disaster
and this man is a...
- Disgrace.
- Well,
this dumb thing
ain't worth nothin' no how.
I was going to string it with these lights,
and I was gonna serve
my mint juleps in here tonight.
Well, what's all the fuss?
The house ain't even painted yet.
Really! No one will notice it at night,
and the fuss is...
The fuss is that you have been
drinking so much
that you have not been
able to finish your work today.
The fuss is...
I want you off this place
as fast as you can get packed.
Now, wait a minute.
See, you can't kick me off. I've been...
I've been taking care of this place
for more than 20 years.
We've been more than patient
with you, Mr. Timmons.
You can't say that you weren't warned.
Just too do you think you are,
Mr. High and Mighty?
Huh?
You think 'cause you come along here
buying all this property,
you got a lot of money,
that makes you somethin'.
Is that what you think?
You think when you say "jump,"
the whole world's gonna jump?
Let me tell Va somethin'.
That money don't make you nothin'.
Nothing at all.
A lot of us poor people,
we've been around here
a long time before you ever come.
We're gonna be in here
a long time after you go.
Don't you never forget that!
All right, Timmons. You had your say.
Now, You gonna clear out
or am I gonna have to throw you out?
Just take it easy. I'm gonna go.
You don't have to throw
nobody nowhere.
You think just 'cause you run
Jefferson County
and everybody in it, that you run me?
Well, let me tell you
somethin' real clear.
You don't run no Amory Timmons!
Not at all.
That's what's due you.
You ain't heard the last of me, bub.
Missy.
Come on in.
Oh, I don't know what
I'm going to do.
Alexander, I've been lookin' for you.
I gotta talk to you about somethin' vital!
- I can't talk now.
- But I said it's vital!
Okay, what's so vital?
I've been thinkin'.
Maybe we ain't been going about this
lookin' business in the right way.
- What do you mean?
- We ain't looked in the crystal ball yet.
You're not gonna start with
all that witchcraft stuff again.
You want to help Inez or not?
Sure, but what do you know
about crystal balls?
Aunt Vinia's got a crystal ball.
I watched her plentv of times.
I know what to do.
Okay, but I gotta finish this first
or Mom will have my hide.
I'll be waiting.
Blossom, are you here?
What are you made up for?
Hush. We gotta prepare ourselves
to enter the world of the spirits.
Sit down at the table.
Look, Alexander,
deep down into the crystal ball.
Look how peaceful and quiet.
And listen.
Listen to the spirits
calling you from beyond.
Alexander.
Alexander.
Alexander.
Alexander, what is it?
What are you looking at?
Something's holding me.
Some kind of force.
Oh, my goodness, I done it.
I've really done it.
Alexander, look.
Inez, are you ready, mon chri?
Oh, Maman. Must I go?
I do not want to leave you and Papa.
Oh.
Mais oui, mon petit cho...
There is no other way.
It is no longer safe in New Orleans.
But you have little Brigitte to
watch over you
and your beautiful Babette.
Never let it out of your sight.
You must promise me this.
Oh yes, Maman. I promise.
I will keep her with me always.
Remember, Inez. Remember
the promise you made to your maman.
Maman! Maman! Where are you?
Where have you gone?
Elle est morte.
Dead. They're all dead.
No, Uncle Jacques. It is not true.
Why must you say these things?
Mine now.
Treasure! Diamonds! All mine!
Tell me where they are!
I do not know!
Give them to me.
But I cannot.
I do not know where they are.
Curse be on you.
You will walk in darkness.
In the spirit world.
Never to meet your dear parents again.
No! Please!
Then tell me!
Tell me, where are the diamonds?
Blossom.
It's that doll.
The china doll that she was carrying.
- What?
- That's the child of glass.
"When the two shall be as one,
"the spirits journey will be done. "
We gotta find that doll and take it
to where she lies sleeping in the crypt.
Why don't we look
in the hayloft?
Looked there once. I don't remember
seeing any doll, do you?
That's 'cause we weren't looking for it.
Well, youre gonna
have to do the lookin', then.
I gotta get dressed for Mom's party.
Alexander.
You're gonna let some old party
keep you from helping that poor girl?
You think I want to det dressed up
in that dumb old costume?
Just so happens that I have to.
If I get grounded
I won't be able to help Inez at all.
Oh.
Tell you what, though.
If I hurry, I might have enough time
to check up in the attic.
See if there's any old stuff up there.
You do that, Alexander.
I'll look up in the hayloft.
I ain't scared. Much.
Oh, there's no reason to be
scared of Inez. We're helping her.
Yeah, but I wouldn't want to meet up
with that old Captain, that's for sure.
Alexander,
what have you been doing in the attic?
It's almost 8:00.
You'd better get dressed.
I sure wish
this night was over.
I sure wish
this night was over.
I know it seems like forever when youre
doing something you think is dumb.
You gotta think of Mama. She wants this
to be an evening to remember.
And we ought to help make it that.
Hey! Watch it!
Alexander, I know where it is.
Where what is? The doll?
No, the place where Inez...
You know, the place where it happened.
You found where she died?
Yeah, I figured it out.
You'd better be right, Blossom.
'Cause I'm gonna
get in a whole lot of trouble.
You'll see.
Where are we goin'?
The old well. Come on.
Aw, Blossom, this place is all locked up.
We can get in through here.
That there is the old well.
Under them boards.
I remembered it
when I thought back about Inez falling.
'Cause I used to play in here
when I was little.
This is where she died.
What are you doing now?
This is three knaves oil.
And this here is two jacks extract.
This wonder of the world root
will make the spirits show us
the whereabouts of the things
that was lost. Like the doll.
And the treasure.
If I look through this mirror,
I'll be able to see a vision of
where they's hid.
You're weird.
I'm gettin' out of here right now.
You don't want to look no more?
I can't. Ma will kill me if I'm late.
Wouldn't do to your old party
even if I did get an invite.
Hey, hello there.
- Hi, Pete, how do you do?
- Good to see you.
- Happy to see you.
- Au revoir. Yeah.
Mr. and Mrs. Desmond?
You know a Mr. and Mrs. Desmond.
Inez?
Inez, you up here?
I ain't steaiin' nothin', Inez.
Honest. Just borrowin'.
I want to see a beautiful ball
like you hear about in the fairy tales.
I'm beholden, Inez. Truly beholden.
I'll probavly be down
at the bank to see you in
another week or so to pay for all this.
Yeah, that's rig ht.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
Excuse me, Mrs. Culp,
will you take these out to the veranda?
Everybody out there is very hungry.
Yes.
- Thank you.
Oh, welcome to our house.
It's so nice to have you here.
Oh, thank you. You think so?
Thank you very much.
Hello. Hello.
Welcome.
Come on. Come on.
Sit.
What is that cat doing in here, darling?
Oh, oh, hello, everybody.
Oh, Connie Sue, darling,
would you do me a favor?
Over there is John Gardner.
- Would you dance with him, he's so shy.
- Oh, Mama.
Now don't complain, sweetheart.
Oh, you look so lovely and I love you.
- Oh Mama, please.
- So much.
Oh, Mr. Thompson, would you please
play me that divine waltz you promised,
and don't forget those, uh,
Stephen Foster songs, all right'?
Oh, Stephen Foster? Really,
Mother, how gross.
Oh, Joe, darling, do you think
my grandmother's lamp is safe there?
Well, do you, uh, want me
to move it upstairs?
Oh no, sweetheart, that's not necessary.
But I would appreciate it
if you could just move it
over to the corner a little bit.
Well, now, don't you worry.
Ludee Calhoun.
Why, Ludee.
I am so pleased you could come.
Oh, what a perfectly glorious dress.
My great grandmother.
Oh, really? Oh, the only thing I have left
of my great grandmother's is her lamp.
Joe teases me by saving
that's why I wanted this house,
to show it off properly.
What a quaint idea for a housewarming.
A Halloween party.
Complete with an old witch.
I was just telling Joe
that a true cotillion
is the only way to match
the traditions of this house.
Oh. What a pity you didn't have
a chance to get the outside painted.
But my dear, with all the travelin'
back and forth,
surely you must find the whole thing
terribly, terribly tedious.
Ludee is playing down everything
but she has not missed a detail.
She is positively green with envy.
Well, she is going to be
a lot greener in a minute, hon.
You have just scored the social coup
of the decade.
What?
Look who's standing in the doorway.
There she is,
Miss Mary Lee Merryweather herself.
Oh, Miss Merryweather,
what a delightful surprise.
What exquisite lace.
My goodness, you must feel
a great deal better
to be going out socially once again.
Age and infirmity have nothing to do
with my being a recluse, Ludee.
Just the quality of the parties.
Well, lam quite certain
that you will enjoy...
Oh, Miss Merryweather, I cannot tell you
how honored we are to have you here.
The honor is mine, Emily.
I so often think of your
dear grandmother.
Maw I have the pleasure,
Miss Mary Lee?
Well, I doubt if it'll be
much of a pleasure, Joseph.
I'm not as young as I used to be.
A lovely lady is like fine wine.
Age makes it all the better.
Hey there, Moppet. Good to see you.
Is this the way you solve the riddle?
Do you not realize
we have no time for frivolities?
Well, you don't think I like
being dressed up
in this dumb costume, do you?
Well, if I cut out now, theyll fix it
so I can't help you at all.
But Alexander, you must.
You are my only hope.
If you cannot find the answer
by midnight tomorrow...
I know. I know. I'm out here right now
trying to puzzle it out.
I am sorry. I will be very quiet.
I promise.
- Alexander...
- You promised.
I know, but they're playing a waltz.
You know, girls don't make any sense,
not even ghost girls.
Big deal if they're playing a waltz.
I want you to dance with me.
Well, if that doesn't beat all.
At first youre so all-fired worried
about time slippin' by
and now you want to take time out
to dance?
Come on, Inez.
Please, Alexander.
When I was a little girl,
I used to sit on the steps
when I was supposed to be sleeping
and watch Maman and Papa dance
and dream of one day
Waltzing with a handsome beau.
But it could not be.
And I may never have another chance
in all eternity.
But I don't know how to waltz.
Come, I will show you.
If I were a girl, a real girl,
would you dance with me then?
Well, you're not.
To each spirit is given the Dower
to step through the ghostly veil
and once again live
as we were on earth.
The Dower lasts only a short time
and it can only be used once.
Well, you wouldn't want to waste it.
I want this one waltz, Alexander.
I want it with all my heart.
Moppet!
How did that dog get in here?
- Moppet!
- Brigitte!
I'll get her. You stay out here.
Oh!
My lamp.
Get on home now.
Where did that thing come from?
Aw, come on, Penelope.
Come on, baby.
Connie Sue, Connie Sue,
take that cat upstairs.
Alexander, I want you to get that mutt
out of this house!
I want you to lock it up
and we're gonna talk about this later!
Now, get! Get!
Ludee, dear, please, don't go.
Well, I certainly am not going
to stay looking like this.
Well, I cannot tell you how bad I feel.
You could not possibly feel
as bad as I do.
Your great grandmother's dress...
I thought it was your intent, Emily,
to recreate a more gracious South.
Not Sherman's March to the Sea.
Oh, Ludee. I'm so sorry.
Oh, dear. Oh, dear.
Oh.
Mom, I'm sorry.
Oh.
Oh, darling. It's all right.
It's all right. It was an accident.
This is some night to remember, isn't it?
Oh, all my life I've dreamed
of living in a house like this and...
Giving an elegant party
with charming guests
from all of the finest families.
And now we have this... Shambles.
Oh, dear.
I guess you think,
I'm just the silliest thing, don't you?
It's all right, honey.
You go on now. I'll be all right.
Thank you.
Oh. Oh.
Miss Desmond, here's your shoe.
Thank you, Mr. Armsworth.
- Dad.
- Out. Out.
Emily.
Oh, oh, Miss Merryweather...
Whenever Scarlett O'Hara
faced disaster
she always said,
"I'll think about it tomorrow. "
And meanwhile, she fortified herself
with a mint julep.
- Oh.
- Won't you join me?
Oh, thank you.
You have done a remarkable job
restoring this place.
Well, I...
I'm afraid the gazebo leans a little.
Why, honey, it always did.
Alexander, lam sorry for little Brigitte.
She did not mean to upset the party.
She was frightened.
You just had to show up tonight,
didn't you?
You just had to come dancin'.
Well, now I'm in all kinds of trouble
and it's just because of you.
But Alexander...
Whyd uou have to pick on me, anyway?
I didn't ask you to come around.
Alexander, please.
Why don't you do find somebody else
to solve your dumb riddle?
I'm tired of all your ghost stuff, anyway.
Inez?
I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.
Inez?
I'm really sorry
for those things that I said.
Won't you come back?
I still want to help you, honest.
We don't have much time.
Say I'm trash, will ya? Hah.
Throw me out of my house
after all these years.
You ain't gonna have a house to live in,
Mr. Rich Man.
For your parties and your pretty family.
Come on, burn! Burn!
Come here, you little brat!
Got ya now!
Let me go!
Come here, you!
When I get hold of you!
Where are ya? Come on.
Em!
Hey!
- Hey, you there!
Joe! Joe! Joe!
- What?
- Alexander's in the barn.
- Oh, my God.
- Wait a minute, Daddy.
I saw him from my window.
Alexander!
Oh, no. Here, Em. Em! No, Em!
Em, no!
No, Em!
Wait, child.
Well, what happened?
Alexander's in the barn!
Hurry. Please, hurry.
1- L-20, 1-L-20, code 1.
- 11-L-30...
It's like I told you before.
Alexander wasn't caught in that fire.
He must've gotten out somehow.
Well, thank the Lord for that.
Where could he be?
He couldn't just vanish into thin air.
We'll find him, ma'am.
Now, don't you fret.
We think somebody
deliberately set that fire.
Poured a can of paint thinner over
the dry hay and touched a match to it.
Amory Timmons.
Ma' am?
Well, I had to fire him.
He, uh, made some remarks to me.
But I never took him seriously.
We seen Mr. Timmons runnin' off
when we're coming to the fire.
Was he alone?
He was all by himself and
headin' for the river.
I'll get out an all-points bulletin.
We'll get him.
L, I don't... I don't care about
Amory Timmons.
I just want my boy back again.
We'll find him, ma'am.
Moppet!
Is Alexander in there?
Is that what you're trying to tell us?
Come on!
Blossom, where's she going?
Is he in there?
- Alexander!
- Alexander!
- Alex.
- Alexander!
Are you in there? Alexander!
Alexander! Alexander, you down there?
I see him!
Where?
- There he is.
He's down there on the ledge.
Do we have any robe around here?
Oh, there.
Get that rope on the wall.
Get it for me, would you?
I'm going down.
- I can't let you do that.
- Nothing can stop me.
No, it's crumbling. Now, look at that.
The whole thing could give way.
Now, I'll get some more men out here
and we'll rig up a winch.
That stuffs not gonna
support the weight of either one of us.
I can do it. Let me take a rope
down to Alexander.
That is out of the question.
It's too dangerous.
Mr. Armsworth, please! I could do it.
Yeah, it might work.
If we tied a rope around her and
let her down easy.
Well, it's worth a try, anyway.
Mrs. Culp, We can't ask your
niece to do that.
I want to, Aunt Vinia. Please.
She'll be took care of.
All right then.
She'll be fine, just fine.
Won't ya, honey?
All right, Blossom.
Now you stay away from the sides.
That mortar is loose.
One of those stones is liable
to break off on ya.
That's it.
Careful, honey. Almost there.
Just a little farther.
I'm here.
He's alive. I can see him breathin'.
Well now, look, I'm gonna
throw you down another rope
and I want you to put it under his arms...
And then pull that noose tight.
Yes, sir.
You all right, Blossom?
Yeah, I think so.
Just hang on, young 'un.
We're gonna try and pull you
back up to the ledge.
Oh, my goodness.
Ow.
Ow. Ow.
- Tie it up, Em. Tie it up, Em.
- Okay.
Alexander,
I got something to show ya.
Blossom?
Yeah, it's me. You all right?
How did you get down here?
On a rope.
Just like Aunt Vinia always says,
good things can come out of bad.
Look, Alexander,
the doll we seen in the crystal ball.
You got it.
That's great.
You better pull him up.
- Careful. Careful.
- All right, dear. Up, up.
Come on.
That's it, come on.
You'll be fine, Blossom.
Almost.
Em, give me a hand.
Give me a hand over here.
Come on, darlin'.
- That's good. All right.
- Come on, darlin'. Come on.
- SHERIFF I got him.
That's it. All right.
Watch his head... Boy...
- Give me some slack.
- I am! I am!
All right. All right.
- You're safe now.
- Okay Blossom, honey. You're next.
- How are you, Alexander?
- I'm okay.
Got 'er'? Yeah, I got it.
Go ahead.
I'll hold it. I'll hold it. Go on.
Atta girl. All right. Got her.
Now. Hang on. Okay.
- Slack.
- I'll give you some slack.
That's a girl.
How are you, Alexander?
You had quite a fall, son.
- How are you feeling?
- Everything's goin' round in a circle.
Here, let me see.
Hey, he might have
a concussion.
You take him back into the house.
I'll go radio for Doc Adams.
We'll lift you up now, darlin'. Come on.
There you go.
There you go.
I don't know how we can ever
thank you, young lady.
Go. Go.
Bless your heart.
"Vainly cries the child of glass. "
That's it, isn't it?
I think so, and we'll have to get 'em
together before midnight tonight.
Oh, I pray that boy is strong enough
to set her soul to rest.
If he isn't,
I'll have to try and do it myself.
Not with that man running loose.
I promised your ma I'd take care of ya.
I aim to keep that promise.
Okay, Phil,
You continue up
Highway 28 to the bridge
and Sam will meet you there.
Come in, Sam.
Right, Sheriff.
Keel) movin' north
along the river shallows.
Deputy Briggs and his men
are headin' across the hills.
We're going south through the swamp.
Right, Sheriff.
Now, You gotta figure this Timmons
might be a little drunk or crazy or both.
So, I don't want nobody
trying to be a hero.
When you spot him,
you give me a holler on the radio.
Now, you got that?
Yes, sir.
Just what do you think you're doing?
You're supposed to stay in bed.
Well, I can't. I gotta do something.
- Something vital.
- Have you freaked? It's after 10:00.
Oh, no.
I gotta get to the cemetery
before midnight.
Cemetery?
Alexander, what kind of
a crazy stunt are you pulling now?
Blossom found the doll,
the child of glass.
We gotta get it to the crypt.
Promise you won't tell?
I'll promise no such thing.
Alexander, get back in that bed.
Connie Sue,
how would you like to be a restless spirit
wandering for a hundred years and
never being able to get to your folks?
You really did get a bang on the head.
Alexander, stop this minute,
or I'll have to call Papa.
I never asked you many favors before,
Connie Sue,
but I'm asking' you one now,
the most important one in my whole life.
Please let me help Inez.
I won't be gone for long. Honest!
- Thanks, Connie Sue.
- Be careful.
Blossom!
Where's Blossom?
She ain't here.
Well, where is she? I gotta talk to her.
She ran off somewheres.
What about the doll, the china doll?
She took it with her.
Code 1.
Calling Sheriff Muncey.
Where are you, Sheriff?
At the Dumaine plantation.
We're setting fresh hounds
on the trail from here.
We seen Timmons along
Shakedown Road.
Chased him a bit
but he gave us the slip in the woods
'bout, uh, two miles from the cemetery.
All right. Stay where you are,
I'm on my way.
That's where Alexander went, Daddy.
What are you talkin' about?
He said he had to go
to the old cemetery.
Well, and you just let him go?
Well, I didn't know what to do, Daddy.
Clem! Wait a minute!
I'm coming with you.
He was carryin' on about
a child of glass and restless spirits.
- I didn't know.
- He had a concussion.
Now, you should've
called your mother and me.
Well, you just better
start sayin' your prayers, young lady,
that your little brother's all right.
Blossom, it's me.
Blossom!
- Blossom, why don't vou...
- Gotcha, you little brat.
Didn't think you'd come this way.
Hear them dogs? Well, they're after me.
- You better get outta here.
- No, not before there's a little accident.
See, you're the only one
can put me away.
You're the only one who seen
what happened. Ain't that true?
- I didn't see anything.
- Ah, You're just sayin' that
30's you can save your skin.
You'd tell it like that
the moment you got free.
Well, I hit my head.
I'll tell 'em I can't remember.
Nah. I can't take no chances.
- Theyll know it was you.
- They won't know it was me.
They're gonna think it was an accident.
You're gonna hit your head
on this gravestone.
Blossom, let's go.
Come on!
The doll!
Ah!
Alexander, wait!
Alexander!
You bows, youre on the left,
move out to the left.
Youse on the right, get out on the right.
That's it.
Let's move out.
Hurry!
Whew! Think we gave him the slip.
Yeah.
Alexander.
It's probably close to midnight.
You better give me the doll.
Guess that's it. Just hope we're in time.
I wish we could see her again.
Yeah, I'd like to tell her
I'm sorry for what I said.
And at least say goodbye.
I reckon she's restin' now.
There you are, you little brats.
I ain't done nothing.
You got the wrong guy.
I'm coming.
Help! Stay away! Help! Help!
Help me! There's a haunt back there!
Help! Get away!
Help!
He's runnin' right at us. No.
Hold your fire. Hold your fire.
Help. Help me!
There's a haunt back there.
There's a spirit, right over there!
Come on, let's get outta here, quick!
I give up! I give up! Let's go.
- Thanks, Inez.
- Yeah.
You saved our lives.
It was my pleasure.
Inez, I'm really sorry for those
things that I said last night.
I didn't mean them, honest.
I know that, Alexander.
You and Blossom showed me
that such little differences
between friends do not matter.
It is only a sign that you care
for each other, n'est-ce pas?
You have found her.
You have found my little Babette.
That's the child of glass, Inez.
The last part of the riddle.
Mes arms, you have been very brave.
Both of you.
You faced much danger and hardship
to help me, a stranger, a lost
soul from the other world.
You gave much
of yourselves for another.
And because you did so,
I may now go to my eternal rest.
If only I could repay your kindness.
Does this mean we'll
never see you again?
Not in this life, Alexander.
We ain't gonna get haunted no more?
Only by memories, perhaps.
"When the two shall be as one,
the spirits journey will be done. "
Goodbye, my friends.
Do not forget me.
Inez?
I got something in my eye.
Me, too.
Look, Alexander, the doll!
Diamonds.
It's the treasure that Captain
Jacques Dumaine was looking for.
It's her gift to you and me, Blossom.
Alexander!
Blossom!
alone for one summer
to go and visit Grandma,
and you move us lock, stock,
and barrel to some,
to some dilapidated old house
clear out in the boonies.
My social life's goin'
right down the drain.
Oh, now, don't you worry, honey.
No southern gentleman worth his salt's
gonna let a few miles
stand between him
and a pretty girl like you.
You're gonna be with the same friends
in the same school,
and it's just five miles further out.
Besides, it's not every day you get
a chance to buy a piece of history.
"Perhaps the most picturesque
"and atmospheric
of the river plantations
"was the famous Dumaine Estate
in Jefferson County.
"In the days prior to the Civil War,
"the stately manor house was the scene
of many elegant balls until... "
Well... You see?
It'll be just like that again
as soon as we get it fixed up.
Until what?
Oh, nothing, nothing.
I... I read you the most important parts.
Then, come on, Mama.
Let's see what we're really gettin' into.
Now, Connie Sue, give that book back.
That is my book.
Now, now, no fighting'
while I am drivin' this car.
Hey, no wonder.
- Oh, really!
Listen. "Until the estate fell into ruin
"under the ownership of a retired
riverboat captain
"named Jacques Dumaine
"whose fondness for the bottle
was matched
"only by his obsession for gambling. "
Oh, come on now, Connie Sue.
Give me the book.
- Wait a minute, Mama, there's more.
- I mean it. I'll park the car
and you can go read it in the woods
if you want.
It is my book. Oh, I'm so angry!
I'm really...
"The final infamy came to the house
in the fall of 1862
"when the old man went insane
"and hung himself
in the hayloft of the barn. "
Far out!
Far out? It's gross, that's what it is.
Oh, now, come on, children.
That is just enough.
Now, Mama, what kind of
a weird place are you dragging' us off to?
We are not dragging you off
to any place.
Your father and I have purchased
a perfectly astonishing example
of authentic Antebellum architecture.
Haven't we, Joe?
I suppose, children, if your mother
is determined to re-live
Gone with the Wind, I think
the least we can do is humor her.
Oh, ho, ho, really?
Since when was it all my idea?
Yeah,
was a bargain, I guess.
Who could resist a "fixer upper. "
A "fixer upper"?
How much of a "fixer upper"?
Oh, it's just a, uh, few little things,
you know, here and there.
I think it's gonna be neat livin'
in that old riverboat captain's house.
Right.
There's the turnoff, Dad.
Well, what do you think?
Isn't it just the most divine place
you ever did see?
I know you and Daddy
are stoked on history,
but I do hope, at least,
there's indoor plumbin'.
Your enthusiasm
is simply overwhelming.
Come on, Penelope,
it won't be that bad.
I reckon we're the only romantics
in this family, Em.
Alexander, give me a hand
with the luggage, son.
- Alex, come on. Get a move on.
- Oh, yeah.
Here you go.
And that, too. That's it. Okay.
- it's so huge, it looks like a museum.
- Well, now...
You're gonna need
a whole store full of furniture.
Well, darlin', I don't see
where that's such a problem...
- Hi there.
- It's so big.
- You like it?
- It's different.
Well, it's not much different
than the other house.
I mean, that was a colonial, too.
Yeah, I know, but this house feels old.
Well, it is old.
That's why your mother and I wanted it.
Hey, where's my room?
Well, it's right u!) there
at the end of the stairs, first door.
Here, here. Take the white ones. Go on.
- Mama, don't baby me.
- I'm not babying you,
but you're so unhappy,
I don't know what to do.
- You.
- Who, me?
- Oh. Just like I thought.
- I beg your pardon.
You're the one.
What one?
The one the spirits have waited for.
Excuse me. I gotta go.
Strange forces are at work here,
mysterious forces of the other world
that only you can comprehend.
Alexander!
You must be ready, boy.
Listen for the call of the spirits.
They'll come to you soon.
You must be ready, boy.
Shake a leg, Son.
Why don't you, uh, hotfoot it out
to the barn with these.
- Oh, yes, sir.
- Thank you.
Oh, every time I see this place,
I love it more.
Oh, Joe. I've dreamed of livin'
in a house like this all my life.
Miss Scarlett, I'd carry you up
those stairs in fine style
if it weren't for my bad back.
Oh, never seems to bother you
on the golf course.
Hey!
Hey, what you think you're doin'?
I'm sorry.
Who the devil are ya, anyway?
Alexander Armsworth.
Well, I got a right to be here,
Mr. Alexander Armsworth.
Don't worry about that none.
Eases the misery.
Ah!
Bet you just can't wait to tell
your rich old daddy you found
Amory Timmons layin' down
on the job. Huh'?
No, sir.
Well, wouldn't do you no good no how.
Today's my day off.
Don't you never tell no one
what to do on their day off.
Alexander.
Hey there, puppy. Come on, now.
I won't hurt you. Come on.
Yeah, that's better.
You sure are a funny lookin' old thing,
know that?
Just like an old mop, yeah.
How did you manage to
get up here anyway, moppet? Huh?
Who do you belong to?
Alexander, are you in here?
Hey, Alexander?
What the heck are you doing
out here, Blossom?
Helping my Aunt Vinia to clean.
Well, go help then. I don't want you
tagging after me all the time.
There's something I gotta tell Va,
Alexander. Something vital.
Something dumb, more likely.
You better listen and listen up good
'cause it has to do with
mysterious voices from the other world
that only you can comprehend.
What are you talking about?
Aunt Vinia just told me
you're a sensitive.
Don't take her long to tell.
All she needs is to look at your palm,
- or feel your head bumps.
- A what?
A sensitive's got second sight...
The Dower to see through the darkness
that clouds the minds of mortal men,
to see the unseen.
Well, how can your Aunt Vinia know
what kind of sight I got?
Todays the first time
she ever laid eyes on me.
And if she believes that stuff,
she's as freaky as you are.
You best not scoff, Alexander.
Aunt Vinia knows about the other world.
And restless spirits,
them that wander through all eternity
and never find no peace.
Well, I don't believe in ghosts.
And I don't believe
in your Aunt Vinia neither,
so just stop following me around
with all your stupid stories!
Well, you better start believin',
Mr. Smarty-Pants.
You must be ready, boy.
Moppet!
Come here, girl,
look what I brought you.
Moppet?
Who's down there?
Blossom, is that you?
Darn you, Blossom!
You spider-legged spook.
You think you're so funny!
You get out of here right now.
I told you to stay away from me.
Oh, now, listen.
Be sure and tell George
and all your dear ones I send my love.
Okay. Bye-bye-
The nerve!
The pure unadulterated nerve
of that woman!
Now, how in the world
did Ludee Calhoun ever find out
that we were plannin' our open house
for the first Saturday in November?
The printer, the caterer, the CIA...
In the wars of social one-upsmanship,
Em, everybody is suspect.
Ha, ha! Well, I wouldn't be surprised
if she hadn't bribed the painter.
He saws now that he doesn't know
when he's gonna be able
to finish the outside of the house.
- Oh, now, Em.
- Well, I think it's just plain tacky.
Her callin' up all sweetness and light
to say that she just had to move
her harvest ball up a week early
to accommodate some
very important guests.
Oh, now, listen.
She knew... She knew that
we were plannin' our open house.
Em, criminal lawyers,
they like to use delaying tactics,
but we, uh, corporate attorneys,
we like to beat the other fella
to the punch.
What?
How about movin' our party up a week?
Oh.
We could have one little, uh,
costume party.
How delicious! Hmm.
Oh! Oh, how delicious!
Oh, but listen now,
not a regular costume party.
I mean, not one with ghosts
and goblins and things.
I mean, we'll have to have
something special.
Something to match this house.
We'll give a cotillion
with people dressed up,
you know, as they were
in Civil War days.
Oh, Joseph, Joseph,
I wouldn't be surprised
if Miss Mary Lee Merryweather
herself didn't come.
Now, Em,
don't go overboard.
She hasn't been to a party in 40 years.
Well, only because the parties now
can't hold a candle
to the ones she remembers.
But this one will be
just like the old days.
We'll have, um, we'll have mint juleps,
and we'll have party ices and waltzin'.
Oh, everybody who is anybody
will be here!
Oh, Ludee Calhoun will be
just green with envy!
Hey, Dad! Dad!
- Yeah.
Hey, come on, Dad. I'm gonna be late.
- But why aren't you on the school bus?
- Did you miss it?
I couldn't pry Connie Sue away
from the bathroom mirror.
Oh, dear, well, you have to
forgive your sister, darlin'.
- She's just goin' throuqh a phase.
- Oh, Ma...
Now, don't tease.
You're gonna be there yourself
before long.
Well, tomorrow we set this household
on a schedule.
- About phases? Mmm.
- No, bathrooms.
Uh, well, how about a kiss
for your mother?
- Ma!
- Oh, Ma!
Goodbye, goodbye. Have a good day.
Don't forget your paper sack.
Have a good day at school.
- Olav.
- Alexander, your lunch.
Oh!
Thanks.
- Hey, Alexander.
- Oh, hey, guys.
How do you like
livin' out in the boonies?
It's all right.
I wouldn't want to live in an old wreck
of a house like that.
It's not no wreck. It's historical.
My mother's just hvsterical trying
to fix up an old monstrosity like that.
Aw, what do you know?
Captain Jacques Dumaine
used to live in my house.
He was a riverboat captain.
They wrote books about him.
Bet you no one that famous
ever lived in your house.
Hey, Alexander,
your girlfriend's wantin' you.
She's not my girlfriend.
Come on, let's go.
Alexander, can I talk to you? It's vital.
We wouldn't want to keep you from
anything that's vital, Alexander.
Hey, Henry!
We'll leave you alone
with Miss Cotton Blossom.
What is it now?
It's about the thing that's in your barn.
You seen it, didn't you?
- Seen what?
- The ghost that's haunting your barn.
The only thing in my barn
that I've seen is you.
Last night you took a light up
in the hayloft
and you swiped my new dog.
I weren't in your hayloft
last night or never.
- Hey, Alexander.
- Hey.
You lie so much, you don't know
what's true and what isn't.
I do so! I mean, I do not.
Oh, yeah? Well, what about
that time when you told everybody
your father was a government agent
working on a secret mission in China?
And you don't even have any father.
A lot you know. His mission's
so secret, nobody knows about it.
Not even me and Aunt Vinia.
I'm sorry, Blossom,
but just quit bugging me.
Bet he would be a secret agent.
Somebody brave and special.
Mr. Timmons!
Mr. Timmons!
Here I am. Right here.
Yes.
Hi, Ms. Armsworth.
You callin' me? Huh?
- Indeed I was, Mr. Timmons.
- Well, how you doin'?
I was, uh, I was just takin' a nap.
I was restin'.
From what exertions? It is after 4:00.
You have not done a lick of work
on that gazebo.
Well, uh, if youse to ask
my professional opinion,
I'd say that the Whole place
needed painting.
That is not your concern. This is.
Listen, I'm gonna do it. I guarantee it.
You don't have to worry about that.
Well, lam worried... About this.
Oops.
Ah, you got me there.
I'm sorry about that.
It's not gonna happen again.
I mean it.
Oh, well.
Would you look at this picture, please?
I would like our gazebo to be
every bit as beautiful as this one.
Well, that's real pretty.
Yep, I can do that. It'll
be picture perfect.
- I guarantee. You got my word.
- I hope so.
- I'll leave the magazine with you.
- Well, thank you very much.
Good day, Mr. Timmons.
Ms. Armsworth.
Oh, yeah.
Alexander.
Moppet, where'd you come from?
What is it, girl?
Where are you taking me?
Wait, Moppet!
Blossom, you up here?
This is one of your dumb tricks.
Come on, enough's enough.
Alexander.
Alexander.
Wait. Do not go, Alexander.
I need your help.
Where are you?
I am in the darkness of the other world.
But for a short time it has been
given for me to come to you,
to seek you out from among the living.
Me?
Do not be frightened, Alexander.
No harm will come to you.
You must help me, Alexander.
We have only a short time
to solve the riddle.
The task must be completed before
the midnight hour on All Saints' Eve,
and only you can undertake it.
What's All Saints' Eve?
I believe you call it Halloween.
Why do I have to help you?
Because you are the one
I have been waiting for
all these long wears,
the one with the gift.
The one who can release me
from the terrible curse of my uncle.
What kind of curse?
One which condemned me
to wander among the lost souls
and restless spirits,
and kept me from my dear parents
who have been searching for me
all these long years.
If you do not help me,
I will never be able to rest in peace.
I'd like to help you, honest,
but I don't know anything about curses.
Hear me now, for I may say this
once and only once.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass...
"Vainly cries the child of glass...
"When the two shall be as one,
"the spirit's journey will be done. "
That doesn't make any sense.
You must find the sense.
You must solve the riddle,
and you must do it soon.
Now, repeat it quickly.
I must be certain that you remember.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass...
"Vainly cries the child of glass...
"When the two shall be as one,
"The Spirit's journey will be done. "
What does it all mean?
You must learn its secret for me
and solve the mystery
that has kept me from my eternal rest
for more than 100 years.
I must go now, Alexander.
Do not fail me.
Release me from my prison or I will
haunt you for the rest of your days.
Haunt me? Wait a minute.
I don't even know who you are.
Inez Dumaine.
But what do I do? Where do I start?
Early bird catches the bathroom.
Like mother, like daughter.
Um, could I talk to you for a minute?
Sure.
It's kind of private.
Well, uh, let's take it in your office.
- Dad?
- Hmm?
Do you think it's possible
for some people to know special things
about spirits and ghosts
and stuff like that?
Well, I'm more interested in fact
than in fancy, Alexander.
But there are people that, uh, study
what they call "psychic phenomena. "
Of course, you hear stories all the time.
I even heard the ghost
of old Captain Dumaine
still roams around this place
every now and then.
Supposed to be looking
for a hidden treasure.
Treasure? In our house?
A fortune in diamonds, so they saw',
around this place somewhere.
If he didn't find it, could we look for it?
Oh, don't go getting'
your hopes up, Alexander.
It's just a good story.
I think the fearsome ghost is
the invention of Mr. Amory Timmons.
Well, my ghost isn't bad.
She's in trouble and she needs help.
Slow down, Alexander.
Who's in trouble?
Inez Dumaine.
I saw her last night, out in the hayloft.
You know what I think?
I think you've been dreaming.
Nuh-uh. It was real.
The dog woke me up, Moppet.
Alexander, there's no dog in this place.
But you don't understand.
I understand that young men have
overactive imaginations.
Then you don't believe me.
I believe that you believe you saw her.
Uh, let me make a suggestion.
Why don't you leave off
reading these books
before you go to sleep at night?
First thinq you know, you're gonna be
seeing ghosts everywhere.
Next.
Come on, snap to it.
You're gonna miss your school bus.
Boo!
Crass, Blossom. Very crass.
Who'd you think it was? The ghost?
I got some stuff for us to use.
Long as we're dealin' with beings
from the other world,
we may need 'em.
I got 'em from my Aunt Vinia.
She sells them,
and they're all guaranteed.
Aw, come on.
These are lodestones
to drive off bad luck and draw good.
And that chamois has brimstone in it
for keepin' away evil spirits.
This here is shem-shem-touras,
the 10th Seal of Mercury.
What's that?
Tail of a black cat.
Witch-Sayers use 'em to spot witches.
You put it on your nose, like this,
and look across it,
and they become visible.
What's the matter with you?
That stuffs not good for anything.
I figured if it worked
on witches and such,
we ought to make it work
on that ghost, too.
Look, if there is a ghost,
and I'm not saying
there is or there isn't.
It's my ghost and I'm the one
that's a sensitive.
So, just take vour old junk
and quit tryin' to butt in on everything.
Is it the ghost of Inez Dumaine?
What do you know
about Inez Dumaine?
It is her. Oh, my goodness.
Tell me what you know!
I don't know much,
but my Aunt Vinia does.
She can tell you all sorts of things
about spooks and ghosts.
We can go ask her right after school.
It ain't very far.
We live right through them woods
over yonder.
I'll think about it.
You do that, Alexander.
What's the matter?
This is stupid.
You want to find out about
Inez Dumaine, don't you?
What are these?
Fish eyes.
We got dried bat wings
and jellied turkey gizzards, too.
Want me to show ya?
Oh, you've seen her.
You've seen Inez Dumaine,
didn't ya, boy?
I tried to reach her myself,
but I couldn't.
Aunt Vinia, we want you to tell us
all about her.
Folks'd say she was the only child
of a rich New Orleans family.
And when the Yankees was comin',
her ma and pa sent her to stay
with her uncle for safekeepin'
in that big old house
you're staying in now.
What happened to her?
She died.
Nobody knows
exactly.
Folks iust thought her crazy
old uncle, Jacques Dumaine
had somethin' to do with it.
They saw-
Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't.
All I know is she died
and nobody could Drove nothing
one way or the other.
Well, she gave me a riddle to solve
and it has something about murder in it.
Recite it to me, boy.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass...
"Vainly cries the child of glass...
"When the two shall be as one,
"the spirits journey will be done. "
Oh, that poor child.
What does it mean?
The spirits have chosen you
to discover that.
I have to figure it out before
midnight on Halloween.
She said if I don't do it by then,
she'll never be able
to go to her eternal rest.
That's 'cause she has unfinished
business from her earthly life.
Well, if I only knew where to start.
There's only one place to start, boy.
That's where the dead lie sleeping
in eternal silence.
Where the restless spirits
stand guard over the earthly remains.
What are you waiting for?
I gotta be home by 9:00.
I ain't never been in
no graveyard before.
It's spooky.
I thought you knew all about
graveyards and ghosts,
and things from the other world.
Not me, my Aunt Vinia.
Come on!
Dumaine.
Maybe we better forget it.
I think I just about...
Got it.
Go ahead. You wanted to see
where she's buried.
Not me.
You're a boy, and boys go first.
Whatever happened to women's lib?
You chicken?
Will you stop that?
"Captain Jacques Dumaine. "
It's her.
Oh, my goodness.
Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.
Alexander, let's get out of here.
I'm scared.
Will you be quiet? I'm trying to think.
Well, can't you think outside?
I think a whole lot better
when I'm outside.
"Sleeping lies the murdered lass.
"Sleeping lies the... "
Blossom, this is it.
This is where Inez is sleepin'.
This is where she's buried.
That's the first part of the riddle.
Please, let's go, Alexander.
I don't want to hear about
no murder in here.
If I could only figure out the second part.
"Vainly cries the child of glass. "
What's a child of glass?
This is dumb. We don't even know
what we're lookin' for.
What's a child of glass, anyway?
How do I look?
I thought you wanted to help.
I am helpin'.
Just got tired of lookin', that's all.
- Well, I'm tired of looking, too.
- Why don't you stop, then?
We ain't gonna find nothing
in all this old junk up here.
No, do not stop, Alexander.
I need you.
No, do not stop, Alexander.
I need you.
Who said that?
Inez, is that you?
It's the spirit.
Come on, Inez.
What are you trying to do, scare us?
Alexander, I am afraid.
You're afraid!
Tell me, Alexander,
have you solved the riddle?
Do you have the answer?
Well, not exactly.
I figured out the first Dart, though,
about the murdered lass,
but I don't know what
a child of glass is yet.
You must hurry. My time is so short.
We'll figure it out, Inez.
Well, this is Blossom Culp.
She's helpin' me.
Pleased to meet ya.
Enchante, mademoiselle.
Inez, does the riddle have
anything to do with the treasure?
- Treasure?
- What treasure?
The Dumaine treasure.
Don't you remember that?
No, I do not.
Why do you talk of treasure?
What treasure?
Well, Dad saws it's supposed to be
hidden somewhere around here.
Alexander, do not speak of
this treasure again.
Remember what you are to do.
I am depending on you to free me
from this terrible curse.
- What treasure?
- Will you stay out of this?
I hope you understand...
All I understand is that
you're my only chance to be free.
Help me, Alexander.
Oh, my goodness.
But, Ma, you don't understand.
I don't have much time.
I gotta figure out the riddle
by tomorrow, midnight.
What I understand is that you are
using the most outlandish excuse
to get out of your doing
your share of the work.
A ghost in distress!
I mean, now, really, Alexander...
- But, Mom!
- Oh, no. Oh! Oh, no!
Alexander,
go fetch your father, quick. Oh!
Mr. Timmons!
Hey! How are ya doing, ma'am?
Well, I done her. What ya think?
Well, I...
Picture perfect! Isn't that what
you promised me, Mr. Timmons?
That's right, ma'am.
Looks pretty good to me, huh?
You are inebriated again.
You sure love using them
big words, don't ya?
Em!
- What's the trouble, Em?
- Well, I...
This gazebo is a disaster
and this man is a...
- Disgrace.
- Well,
this dumb thing
ain't worth nothin' no how.
I was going to string it with these lights,
and I was gonna serve
my mint juleps in here tonight.
Well, what's all the fuss?
The house ain't even painted yet.
Really! No one will notice it at night,
and the fuss is...
The fuss is that you have been
drinking so much
that you have not been
able to finish your work today.
The fuss is...
I want you off this place
as fast as you can get packed.
Now, wait a minute.
See, you can't kick me off. I've been...
I've been taking care of this place
for more than 20 years.
We've been more than patient
with you, Mr. Timmons.
You can't say that you weren't warned.
Just too do you think you are,
Mr. High and Mighty?
Huh?
You think 'cause you come along here
buying all this property,
you got a lot of money,
that makes you somethin'.
Is that what you think?
You think when you say "jump,"
the whole world's gonna jump?
Let me tell Va somethin'.
That money don't make you nothin'.
Nothing at all.
A lot of us poor people,
we've been around here
a long time before you ever come.
We're gonna be in here
a long time after you go.
Don't you never forget that!
All right, Timmons. You had your say.
Now, You gonna clear out
or am I gonna have to throw you out?
Just take it easy. I'm gonna go.
You don't have to throw
nobody nowhere.
You think just 'cause you run
Jefferson County
and everybody in it, that you run me?
Well, let me tell you
somethin' real clear.
You don't run no Amory Timmons!
Not at all.
That's what's due you.
You ain't heard the last of me, bub.
Missy.
Come on in.
Oh, I don't know what
I'm going to do.
Alexander, I've been lookin' for you.
I gotta talk to you about somethin' vital!
- I can't talk now.
- But I said it's vital!
Okay, what's so vital?
I've been thinkin'.
Maybe we ain't been going about this
lookin' business in the right way.
- What do you mean?
- We ain't looked in the crystal ball yet.
You're not gonna start with
all that witchcraft stuff again.
You want to help Inez or not?
Sure, but what do you know
about crystal balls?
Aunt Vinia's got a crystal ball.
I watched her plentv of times.
I know what to do.
Okay, but I gotta finish this first
or Mom will have my hide.
I'll be waiting.
Blossom, are you here?
What are you made up for?
Hush. We gotta prepare ourselves
to enter the world of the spirits.
Sit down at the table.
Look, Alexander,
deep down into the crystal ball.
Look how peaceful and quiet.
And listen.
Listen to the spirits
calling you from beyond.
Alexander.
Alexander.
Alexander.
Alexander, what is it?
What are you looking at?
Something's holding me.
Some kind of force.
Oh, my goodness, I done it.
I've really done it.
Alexander, look.
Inez, are you ready, mon chri?
Oh, Maman. Must I go?
I do not want to leave you and Papa.
Oh.
Mais oui, mon petit cho...
There is no other way.
It is no longer safe in New Orleans.
But you have little Brigitte to
watch over you
and your beautiful Babette.
Never let it out of your sight.
You must promise me this.
Oh yes, Maman. I promise.
I will keep her with me always.
Remember, Inez. Remember
the promise you made to your maman.
Maman! Maman! Where are you?
Where have you gone?
Elle est morte.
Dead. They're all dead.
No, Uncle Jacques. It is not true.
Why must you say these things?
Mine now.
Treasure! Diamonds! All mine!
Tell me where they are!
I do not know!
Give them to me.
But I cannot.
I do not know where they are.
Curse be on you.
You will walk in darkness.
In the spirit world.
Never to meet your dear parents again.
No! Please!
Then tell me!
Tell me, where are the diamonds?
Blossom.
It's that doll.
The china doll that she was carrying.
- What?
- That's the child of glass.
"When the two shall be as one,
"the spirits journey will be done. "
We gotta find that doll and take it
to where she lies sleeping in the crypt.
Why don't we look
in the hayloft?
Looked there once. I don't remember
seeing any doll, do you?
That's 'cause we weren't looking for it.
Well, youre gonna
have to do the lookin', then.
I gotta get dressed for Mom's party.
Alexander.
You're gonna let some old party
keep you from helping that poor girl?
You think I want to det dressed up
in that dumb old costume?
Just so happens that I have to.
If I get grounded
I won't be able to help Inez at all.
Oh.
Tell you what, though.
If I hurry, I might have enough time
to check up in the attic.
See if there's any old stuff up there.
You do that, Alexander.
I'll look up in the hayloft.
I ain't scared. Much.
Oh, there's no reason to be
scared of Inez. We're helping her.
Yeah, but I wouldn't want to meet up
with that old Captain, that's for sure.
Alexander,
what have you been doing in the attic?
It's almost 8:00.
You'd better get dressed.
I sure wish
this night was over.
I sure wish
this night was over.
I know it seems like forever when youre
doing something you think is dumb.
You gotta think of Mama. She wants this
to be an evening to remember.
And we ought to help make it that.
Hey! Watch it!
Alexander, I know where it is.
Where what is? The doll?
No, the place where Inez...
You know, the place where it happened.
You found where she died?
Yeah, I figured it out.
You'd better be right, Blossom.
'Cause I'm gonna
get in a whole lot of trouble.
You'll see.
Where are we goin'?
The old well. Come on.
Aw, Blossom, this place is all locked up.
We can get in through here.
That there is the old well.
Under them boards.
I remembered it
when I thought back about Inez falling.
'Cause I used to play in here
when I was little.
This is where she died.
What are you doing now?
This is three knaves oil.
And this here is two jacks extract.
This wonder of the world root
will make the spirits show us
the whereabouts of the things
that was lost. Like the doll.
And the treasure.
If I look through this mirror,
I'll be able to see a vision of
where they's hid.
You're weird.
I'm gettin' out of here right now.
You don't want to look no more?
I can't. Ma will kill me if I'm late.
Wouldn't do to your old party
even if I did get an invite.
Hey, hello there.
- Hi, Pete, how do you do?
- Good to see you.
- Happy to see you.
- Au revoir. Yeah.
Mr. and Mrs. Desmond?
You know a Mr. and Mrs. Desmond.
Inez?
Inez, you up here?
I ain't steaiin' nothin', Inez.
Honest. Just borrowin'.
I want to see a beautiful ball
like you hear about in the fairy tales.
I'm beholden, Inez. Truly beholden.
I'll probavly be down
at the bank to see you in
another week or so to pay for all this.
Yeah, that's rig ht.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
Excuse me, Mrs. Culp,
will you take these out to the veranda?
Everybody out there is very hungry.
Yes.
- Thank you.
Oh, welcome to our house.
It's so nice to have you here.
Oh, thank you. You think so?
Thank you very much.
Hello. Hello.
Welcome.
Come on. Come on.
Sit.
What is that cat doing in here, darling?
Oh, oh, hello, everybody.
Oh, Connie Sue, darling,
would you do me a favor?
Over there is John Gardner.
- Would you dance with him, he's so shy.
- Oh, Mama.
Now don't complain, sweetheart.
Oh, you look so lovely and I love you.
- Oh Mama, please.
- So much.
Oh, Mr. Thompson, would you please
play me that divine waltz you promised,
and don't forget those, uh,
Stephen Foster songs, all right'?
Oh, Stephen Foster? Really,
Mother, how gross.
Oh, Joe, darling, do you think
my grandmother's lamp is safe there?
Well, do you, uh, want me
to move it upstairs?
Oh no, sweetheart, that's not necessary.
But I would appreciate it
if you could just move it
over to the corner a little bit.
Well, now, don't you worry.
Ludee Calhoun.
Why, Ludee.
I am so pleased you could come.
Oh, what a perfectly glorious dress.
My great grandmother.
Oh, really? Oh, the only thing I have left
of my great grandmother's is her lamp.
Joe teases me by saving
that's why I wanted this house,
to show it off properly.
What a quaint idea for a housewarming.
A Halloween party.
Complete with an old witch.
I was just telling Joe
that a true cotillion
is the only way to match
the traditions of this house.
Oh. What a pity you didn't have
a chance to get the outside painted.
But my dear, with all the travelin'
back and forth,
surely you must find the whole thing
terribly, terribly tedious.
Ludee is playing down everything
but she has not missed a detail.
She is positively green with envy.
Well, she is going to be
a lot greener in a minute, hon.
You have just scored the social coup
of the decade.
What?
Look who's standing in the doorway.
There she is,
Miss Mary Lee Merryweather herself.
Oh, Miss Merryweather,
what a delightful surprise.
What exquisite lace.
My goodness, you must feel
a great deal better
to be going out socially once again.
Age and infirmity have nothing to do
with my being a recluse, Ludee.
Just the quality of the parties.
Well, lam quite certain
that you will enjoy...
Oh, Miss Merryweather, I cannot tell you
how honored we are to have you here.
The honor is mine, Emily.
I so often think of your
dear grandmother.
Maw I have the pleasure,
Miss Mary Lee?
Well, I doubt if it'll be
much of a pleasure, Joseph.
I'm not as young as I used to be.
A lovely lady is like fine wine.
Age makes it all the better.
Hey there, Moppet. Good to see you.
Is this the way you solve the riddle?
Do you not realize
we have no time for frivolities?
Well, you don't think I like
being dressed up
in this dumb costume, do you?
Well, if I cut out now, theyll fix it
so I can't help you at all.
But Alexander, you must.
You are my only hope.
If you cannot find the answer
by midnight tomorrow...
I know. I know. I'm out here right now
trying to puzzle it out.
I am sorry. I will be very quiet.
I promise.
- Alexander...
- You promised.
I know, but they're playing a waltz.
You know, girls don't make any sense,
not even ghost girls.
Big deal if they're playing a waltz.
I want you to dance with me.
Well, if that doesn't beat all.
At first youre so all-fired worried
about time slippin' by
and now you want to take time out
to dance?
Come on, Inez.
Please, Alexander.
When I was a little girl,
I used to sit on the steps
when I was supposed to be sleeping
and watch Maman and Papa dance
and dream of one day
Waltzing with a handsome beau.
But it could not be.
And I may never have another chance
in all eternity.
But I don't know how to waltz.
Come, I will show you.
If I were a girl, a real girl,
would you dance with me then?
Well, you're not.
To each spirit is given the Dower
to step through the ghostly veil
and once again live
as we were on earth.
The Dower lasts only a short time
and it can only be used once.
Well, you wouldn't want to waste it.
I want this one waltz, Alexander.
I want it with all my heart.
Moppet!
How did that dog get in here?
- Moppet!
- Brigitte!
I'll get her. You stay out here.
Oh!
My lamp.
Get on home now.
Where did that thing come from?
Aw, come on, Penelope.
Come on, baby.
Connie Sue, Connie Sue,
take that cat upstairs.
Alexander, I want you to get that mutt
out of this house!
I want you to lock it up
and we're gonna talk about this later!
Now, get! Get!
Ludee, dear, please, don't go.
Well, I certainly am not going
to stay looking like this.
Well, I cannot tell you how bad I feel.
You could not possibly feel
as bad as I do.
Your great grandmother's dress...
I thought it was your intent, Emily,
to recreate a more gracious South.
Not Sherman's March to the Sea.
Oh, Ludee. I'm so sorry.
Oh, dear. Oh, dear.
Oh.
Mom, I'm sorry.
Oh.
Oh, darling. It's all right.
It's all right. It was an accident.
This is some night to remember, isn't it?
Oh, all my life I've dreamed
of living in a house like this and...
Giving an elegant party
with charming guests
from all of the finest families.
And now we have this... Shambles.
Oh, dear.
I guess you think,
I'm just the silliest thing, don't you?
It's all right, honey.
You go on now. I'll be all right.
Thank you.
Oh. Oh.
Miss Desmond, here's your shoe.
Thank you, Mr. Armsworth.
- Dad.
- Out. Out.
Emily.
Oh, oh, Miss Merryweather...
Whenever Scarlett O'Hara
faced disaster
she always said,
"I'll think about it tomorrow. "
And meanwhile, she fortified herself
with a mint julep.
- Oh.
- Won't you join me?
Oh, thank you.
You have done a remarkable job
restoring this place.
Well, I...
I'm afraid the gazebo leans a little.
Why, honey, it always did.
Alexander, lam sorry for little Brigitte.
She did not mean to upset the party.
She was frightened.
You just had to show up tonight,
didn't you?
You just had to come dancin'.
Well, now I'm in all kinds of trouble
and it's just because of you.
But Alexander...
Whyd uou have to pick on me, anyway?
I didn't ask you to come around.
Alexander, please.
Why don't you do find somebody else
to solve your dumb riddle?
I'm tired of all your ghost stuff, anyway.
Inez?
I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.
Inez?
I'm really sorry
for those things that I said.
Won't you come back?
I still want to help you, honest.
We don't have much time.
Say I'm trash, will ya? Hah.
Throw me out of my house
after all these years.
You ain't gonna have a house to live in,
Mr. Rich Man.
For your parties and your pretty family.
Come on, burn! Burn!
Come here, you little brat!
Got ya now!
Let me go!
Come here, you!
When I get hold of you!
Where are ya? Come on.
Em!
Hey!
- Hey, you there!
Joe! Joe! Joe!
- What?
- Alexander's in the barn.
- Oh, my God.
- Wait a minute, Daddy.
I saw him from my window.
Alexander!
Oh, no. Here, Em. Em! No, Em!
Em, no!
No, Em!
Wait, child.
Well, what happened?
Alexander's in the barn!
Hurry. Please, hurry.
1- L-20, 1-L-20, code 1.
- 11-L-30...
It's like I told you before.
Alexander wasn't caught in that fire.
He must've gotten out somehow.
Well, thank the Lord for that.
Where could he be?
He couldn't just vanish into thin air.
We'll find him, ma'am.
Now, don't you fret.
We think somebody
deliberately set that fire.
Poured a can of paint thinner over
the dry hay and touched a match to it.
Amory Timmons.
Ma' am?
Well, I had to fire him.
He, uh, made some remarks to me.
But I never took him seriously.
We seen Mr. Timmons runnin' off
when we're coming to the fire.
Was he alone?
He was all by himself and
headin' for the river.
I'll get out an all-points bulletin.
We'll get him.
L, I don't... I don't care about
Amory Timmons.
I just want my boy back again.
We'll find him, ma'am.
Moppet!
Is Alexander in there?
Is that what you're trying to tell us?
Come on!
Blossom, where's she going?
Is he in there?
- Alexander!
- Alexander!
- Alex.
- Alexander!
Are you in there? Alexander!
Alexander! Alexander, you down there?
I see him!
Where?
- There he is.
He's down there on the ledge.
Do we have any robe around here?
Oh, there.
Get that rope on the wall.
Get it for me, would you?
I'm going down.
- I can't let you do that.
- Nothing can stop me.
No, it's crumbling. Now, look at that.
The whole thing could give way.
Now, I'll get some more men out here
and we'll rig up a winch.
That stuffs not gonna
support the weight of either one of us.
I can do it. Let me take a rope
down to Alexander.
That is out of the question.
It's too dangerous.
Mr. Armsworth, please! I could do it.
Yeah, it might work.
If we tied a rope around her and
let her down easy.
Well, it's worth a try, anyway.
Mrs. Culp, We can't ask your
niece to do that.
I want to, Aunt Vinia. Please.
She'll be took care of.
All right then.
She'll be fine, just fine.
Won't ya, honey?
All right, Blossom.
Now you stay away from the sides.
That mortar is loose.
One of those stones is liable
to break off on ya.
That's it.
Careful, honey. Almost there.
Just a little farther.
I'm here.
He's alive. I can see him breathin'.
Well now, look, I'm gonna
throw you down another rope
and I want you to put it under his arms...
And then pull that noose tight.
Yes, sir.
You all right, Blossom?
Yeah, I think so.
Just hang on, young 'un.
We're gonna try and pull you
back up to the ledge.
Oh, my goodness.
Ow.
Ow. Ow.
- Tie it up, Em. Tie it up, Em.
- Okay.
Alexander,
I got something to show ya.
Blossom?
Yeah, it's me. You all right?
How did you get down here?
On a rope.
Just like Aunt Vinia always says,
good things can come out of bad.
Look, Alexander,
the doll we seen in the crystal ball.
You got it.
That's great.
You better pull him up.
- Careful. Careful.
- All right, dear. Up, up.
Come on.
That's it, come on.
You'll be fine, Blossom.
Almost.
Em, give me a hand.
Give me a hand over here.
Come on, darlin'.
- That's good. All right.
- Come on, darlin'. Come on.
- SHERIFF I got him.
That's it. All right.
Watch his head... Boy...
- Give me some slack.
- I am! I am!
All right. All right.
- You're safe now.
- Okay Blossom, honey. You're next.
- How are you, Alexander?
- I'm okay.
Got 'er'? Yeah, I got it.
Go ahead.
I'll hold it. I'll hold it. Go on.
Atta girl. All right. Got her.
Now. Hang on. Okay.
- Slack.
- I'll give you some slack.
That's a girl.
How are you, Alexander?
You had quite a fall, son.
- How are you feeling?
- Everything's goin' round in a circle.
Here, let me see.
Hey, he might have
a concussion.
You take him back into the house.
I'll go radio for Doc Adams.
We'll lift you up now, darlin'. Come on.
There you go.
There you go.
I don't know how we can ever
thank you, young lady.
Go. Go.
Bless your heart.
"Vainly cries the child of glass. "
That's it, isn't it?
I think so, and we'll have to get 'em
together before midnight tonight.
Oh, I pray that boy is strong enough
to set her soul to rest.
If he isn't,
I'll have to try and do it myself.
Not with that man running loose.
I promised your ma I'd take care of ya.
I aim to keep that promise.
Okay, Phil,
You continue up
Highway 28 to the bridge
and Sam will meet you there.
Come in, Sam.
Right, Sheriff.
Keel) movin' north
along the river shallows.
Deputy Briggs and his men
are headin' across the hills.
We're going south through the swamp.
Right, Sheriff.
Now, You gotta figure this Timmons
might be a little drunk or crazy or both.
So, I don't want nobody
trying to be a hero.
When you spot him,
you give me a holler on the radio.
Now, you got that?
Yes, sir.
Just what do you think you're doing?
You're supposed to stay in bed.
Well, I can't. I gotta do something.
- Something vital.
- Have you freaked? It's after 10:00.
Oh, no.
I gotta get to the cemetery
before midnight.
Cemetery?
Alexander, what kind of
a crazy stunt are you pulling now?
Blossom found the doll,
the child of glass.
We gotta get it to the crypt.
Promise you won't tell?
I'll promise no such thing.
Alexander, get back in that bed.
Connie Sue,
how would you like to be a restless spirit
wandering for a hundred years and
never being able to get to your folks?
You really did get a bang on the head.
Alexander, stop this minute,
or I'll have to call Papa.
I never asked you many favors before,
Connie Sue,
but I'm asking' you one now,
the most important one in my whole life.
Please let me help Inez.
I won't be gone for long. Honest!
- Thanks, Connie Sue.
- Be careful.
Blossom!
Where's Blossom?
She ain't here.
Well, where is she? I gotta talk to her.
She ran off somewheres.
What about the doll, the china doll?
She took it with her.
Code 1.
Calling Sheriff Muncey.
Where are you, Sheriff?
At the Dumaine plantation.
We're setting fresh hounds
on the trail from here.
We seen Timmons along
Shakedown Road.
Chased him a bit
but he gave us the slip in the woods
'bout, uh, two miles from the cemetery.
All right. Stay where you are,
I'm on my way.
That's where Alexander went, Daddy.
What are you talkin' about?
He said he had to go
to the old cemetery.
Well, and you just let him go?
Well, I didn't know what to do, Daddy.
Clem! Wait a minute!
I'm coming with you.
He was carryin' on about
a child of glass and restless spirits.
- I didn't know.
- He had a concussion.
Now, you should've
called your mother and me.
Well, you just better
start sayin' your prayers, young lady,
that your little brother's all right.
Blossom, it's me.
Blossom!
- Blossom, why don't vou...
- Gotcha, you little brat.
Didn't think you'd come this way.
Hear them dogs? Well, they're after me.
- You better get outta here.
- No, not before there's a little accident.
See, you're the only one
can put me away.
You're the only one who seen
what happened. Ain't that true?
- I didn't see anything.
- Ah, You're just sayin' that
30's you can save your skin.
You'd tell it like that
the moment you got free.
Well, I hit my head.
I'll tell 'em I can't remember.
Nah. I can't take no chances.
- Theyll know it was you.
- They won't know it was me.
They're gonna think it was an accident.
You're gonna hit your head
on this gravestone.
Blossom, let's go.
Come on!
The doll!
Ah!
Alexander, wait!
Alexander!
You bows, youre on the left,
move out to the left.
Youse on the right, get out on the right.
That's it.
Let's move out.
Hurry!
Whew! Think we gave him the slip.
Yeah.
Alexander.
It's probably close to midnight.
You better give me the doll.
Guess that's it. Just hope we're in time.
I wish we could see her again.
Yeah, I'd like to tell her
I'm sorry for what I said.
And at least say goodbye.
I reckon she's restin' now.
There you are, you little brats.
I ain't done nothing.
You got the wrong guy.
I'm coming.
Help! Stay away! Help! Help!
Help me! There's a haunt back there!
Help! Get away!
Help!
He's runnin' right at us. No.
Hold your fire. Hold your fire.
Help. Help me!
There's a haunt back there.
There's a spirit, right over there!
Come on, let's get outta here, quick!
I give up! I give up! Let's go.
- Thanks, Inez.
- Yeah.
You saved our lives.
It was my pleasure.
Inez, I'm really sorry for those
things that I said last night.
I didn't mean them, honest.
I know that, Alexander.
You and Blossom showed me
that such little differences
between friends do not matter.
It is only a sign that you care
for each other, n'est-ce pas?
You have found her.
You have found my little Babette.
That's the child of glass, Inez.
The last part of the riddle.
Mes arms, you have been very brave.
Both of you.
You faced much danger and hardship
to help me, a stranger, a lost
soul from the other world.
You gave much
of yourselves for another.
And because you did so,
I may now go to my eternal rest.
If only I could repay your kindness.
Does this mean we'll
never see you again?
Not in this life, Alexander.
We ain't gonna get haunted no more?
Only by memories, perhaps.
"When the two shall be as one,
the spirits journey will be done. "
Goodbye, my friends.
Do not forget me.
Inez?
I got something in my eye.
Me, too.
Look, Alexander, the doll!
Diamonds.
It's the treasure that Captain
Jacques Dumaine was looking for.
It's her gift to you and me, Blossom.
Alexander!
Blossom!