Calling Dr. Death (Inner Sanctum Mysteries)

This is the Inner Sanctum.

A strange, fantastic world

controlled by a mass of living, pulsating flesh,

the mind.

It destroys, distorts,

creates monsters,

commits murder.

Yes.

Even you, without knowing,

can commit murder.

Sleep.

Sleep.

Relax.

You're tired.

Very tired.

Relax.

Sleep.

She's asleep now, Doctor.

Listen to me.

Listen closely.

You can speak.

You will speak.

Speak.

Frank.

She spoke. She said something.

Who is Frank?

He is no good.

I'm not interested in his character.

Who is he?

Marion fell in love with him. He was a bad influence.

We forced them to separate.

She took the automobile. They said she drank...

Marion never drank.

And then there was the accident.

From then on, she hasn't said a word.

She's a victim of voluntary paralysis.

It's not uncommon.

Get her and the boy together,

and I'm sure she will soon speak.

But I told you he was no good.

He's a bad influence.

Perhaps he is, but at the moment he's the only cure.

It seems impossible.

This girl loves that boy.

Let her settle her own problems.

Don't you see that in order to hurt you she's hurt herself?

You're very fortunate.

I've known cases, many of them, one quite recently,

where the girl despised her mother, wanted to kill her.

She couldn't, so she killed herself instead.

You might call that murder indirectly.

This is a milder form.

I'd advise you to bring them together.

All right, Marion, wake up.

How do you feel, Marion?

Come on, clear.

I'll expect to hear from you sometime next week.

It's all right. It's all right.

Neurology.

Neurology.

The results are beyond imagination.

To penetrate man 's mind. intrigues me more and more.

Even after eight years of practice,

it's still fascinating.

And there '5 satisfaction in being successful.

Successful?

Yes, with everyone but myself.

My personal life is a failure.

After two years of marriage to Maria,

it's no go.

We were terribly in love from the moment we met.

At least I was.

She certainly fooled me.

So beautiful.

She wore a perfect mask.

I couldn't see beyond it.

Dr. Mark Steele, eminent neurologist,

can't read his own wife's mind.

Everybody else could. Everybody else did.

Even Stella knows it.

She probably knew it the day I married Maria.

Stella 's a fine person.

She's not only a nurse,

she's my co-worker and confidante.

I depend on her more and more.

5 o 'clock.

How I wish the hands would never move.

My work keeps me occupied, I don 't think of myself.

Now I 've got to go home to her.

I dread it.

But I must face it.

It's bad to run away from things you fear.

They mustn't be allowed to beat you.

Goodnight, Doctor. See you in the morning.

Her grip is so firm, her hand so cool,

as if she wanted to tell me something.

Thank you, Stella.

Where is she, Bryant?

Mrs. Steele left word that she would be detained.

Dining alone.

Large table, six empty chairs.

One man.

No, I 'm not alone.

She keeps staring at me all the time.

I never understood the modern school of painting.

It was a joke to me.

But now I begin to respect the man for whom she sat.

He has caught one thing in Maria that she was able to hide from me.

Those eyes.

Mean eyes, selfish.

They really portray her soul.

Yes? Dr. Steele?

What's wrong?

Why, nothing.

I merely just called to discuss that Jennings case.

I thought we'd better...

Why should anything be wrong?

Well, it's 3:00, Doctor. Are you sure you're all right?

Of course, I'm all right.

Oh, I had no idea it was so late, Stella.

I'm sorry.

I'll see you in the morning.

Goodbye.

For hours I 've been sitting here,

never conscious of the time,

and still Maria hasn't returned.

I hate her.

Maria.

Oh, it's you.

What are you doing, spying on me?

Well, why don't you say something?

Spying. Always spying.

Maria, I want to talk to you.

You must listen to reason.

I know just what you're going to say.

You poor fool, do you think I'm stupid?

Stop it.

Stop it!

- Stop it! - Take your hands off me!

Maria, we can't go on like this.

You'd like to get away from me, wouldn't you?

But you can't.

I like my title.

A doctor's wife.

I have money, position,

and there's nothing you can do about it.

No, Doctor, there's nothing you can do.

I'm not so sure.

Not murder, Doctor.

You haven't the courage.

I wonder.

- Good morning, Doctor. - Good morning, Stella.

I'm sorry about that call last night.

I didn't realise that it was so late.

Oh, I understand.

There's something that I have to talk to you about, Stella.

I had another row with my wife last night.

Why are you telling me this?

Because for the first time, Maria made me realise that...

Oh, Stella, we're adult.

This business of hiding the truth from one another, that's not being honest.

But there's nothing we can do about it.

No, I guess there isn't.

Good afternoon, Doctor. I didn't expect you so soon.

Bryant, where is Mrs. Steele?

I don't know, sir.

Where is she?

Mrs. Steele said something, I believe, about going away for the weekend.

- I'm sorry, Bryant. - That's all right, sir, I understand.

Mark!

What are you doing here so early?

Oh, just look at yourself.

This is a fine way to start the week.

The week?

Is this Monday?

Of course it is.

Monday. And I don't even remember coming here.

- Mark, are you ill? - I don't know.

Something must be wrong.

I remember leaving the house Saturday afternoon.

From then on, everything is a blank.

You've got to help me. I guess I must be ill.

Please don't worry, Mark. We'll work this out.

Now, you sit right down there, and I'll get you something to fix you up.

Go on, sit down.

Saturday afternoon.

Sunday.

Where was I? I 've got to recall.

I left the house, got into the car,

I drove.

Drove.

Here, take this. It'll help you.

Oh, no, thanks, Stella, I never use them.

Maria?

Must be.

Nothing like this ever happened before.

We had an argument and...

Stella, do you know that I couldn't even tie my own shoelaces?

Bryant had to do it for me.

And now all this.