A Quiet Place to Kill (Paranoia)

Helen!

No pictures, please!

Scissors.

Scalpel.

Clamps.

Take one of these pills whenever you feel upset.

And try to avoid strong emotional stress.

I mean it. Your nervous system has to recover.

And above all, forget about the races. Is that clear?

I understand. No smoking, no lovemaking,

no whiskey, just a nice walk in the country.

I can allow you one exception.

Which one will it be?

- Whiskey. - All right, but never on an empty stomach.

Helen!

I couldn't wait to take you back home.

Did you pay the clinic bill?

With what? You're overdrawn.

And the car?

Totally destroyed. The manufacturer wants 6 million lira.

- Madam? - Yes?

- It's for you. - Thank you.

Aren't you gonna read it?

Probably just a 'get well' telegram. Look at it yourself.

'I have a villa in Majorca and I really want to see you again.

A little rest by the sea will do you good. Come. Don't play stupid.'

Sounds nice. Who sent it?

A certain Maurice.

- A friend? - Not exactly.

My ex-husband. We divorced 3 years ago.

You sound like he left you.

He did. I haven't seen him since.

Will you go?

I have no intention of seeing him again.

It's past history.

Forbidden by the doctor.

And this?

Also forbidden.

We'll try to ease abstinence.

I'll be right back.

Helen!

Do you know where the villa of Maurice Sauvage is?

No.

You said Maurice?

- A brown-haired guy? - Yes.

A very sexy body?

Yes.

His villa is up there.

Is someone home?

Maurice?

You're Helen, right?

- Well, I... - Welcome. Make yourself at home.

You're looking for Maurice?

- Yes, but... - I'm Constance, his wife.

I didn't know that he remarried.

Maurice has a vocation for marriage.

He married me right after your divorce.

He's by the swimming pool. We were to meet some friends in Palma.

You did well not to warn us. He loves surprises.

But you know him better than I do.

Where's your luggage?

I didn't take any. I left unexpectedly.

Don't worry. Who needs clothes by the sea anyway?

I don't know why Maurice invited me. Maybe I'd better leave. Even for you.

Don't be silly.

I'm delighted to have you here.

- Can we use first names? - Sure.

Helen!

I wasn't expecting you.

You look great.

So do you.

- Let me look at you. - You're embarrassing me.

I expected more emotions. You look like old acquaintances.

The good side of marriage.

When it's over, you become friends. Right, Helen?

Sure.

Harry, will you stop with that spying machine of yours?

This is Doctor Webb.

- How do you do? - Delighted.

Hey, Maurice!

Albert!

So you're here finally.

- Get down, you have to meet our guest. - I'm coming!

My husband'd love to live in these caves. He finds them 'cinematographic'.

Come on, Solange. I like to document on new events and your arrival is one.

Really?

But you look very well.

The newspapers said you were in a bad shape.

Journalists often exaggerate.

Especially when they talk about us.

Palma's the best place for you to rest.

- I hope so. - Let's begin!

- Whiskey? - Yes, please.

It's rather humid here.

Oh, I can't drink on an empty stomach.

Your wife's very nice.

Oh, I'm sorry.

With all of Maurice's women, a little confusion is normal.

One day one of them will get jealous and will kill you.

One already tried. But I'm invulnerable.

I bet it was you.

You're a fortune-teller now?

I'll buy you a turban.

His robe is enough.

Our Duchamps is a judge in charge of criminal cases.

Of course, you have the flair of a bloodhound.

Are you always that shrewd?

You'll see for yourself. You will stay, won't you?

Of course she will.

The two of us must become friends.

Thank you.

I know you can't sleep without one of those.

You remember that?

I wanted to welcome you alone.

Disappointed because there's Constance?

Not at all.

You're still conceited. Did you expect me to be jealous?

You don't interest me that way anymore. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.

All right.

What do you think of my wife?

Charming, don't you think?

Hmm.

And rich I suppose.

Yes, very rich.

Of course, you...

were different. More important.

If you invited me to heal your nostalgia by getting me into bed, you got things wrong.

Where did you get that from? And I didn't invite you. Constance did.

- Constance? - Yes.

She was the one who wanted you here.

Excuse me.

A gift from Constance since you didn't bring anything.

How nice.

Shall I hang them up Madam?

Yes, please.

- Dinner's at nine. - All right.

Our guest first.

Thank you.

It was very nice of you for the clothes. They fit perfectly.

Maurice remembered your measurements.

'Who has a short memory has a short life.'

You managed to embarrass her.

Did I or did you?

Sometimes I wonder what your aim in life is.

To make myself happy.

And to put your money to good use.

Was he that cynical with you too?

I only cared about how well he made love. I had only met frigid Americans before him.

Well enough to overcome any kind of frigidity, right?

The truth is you're unsure of yourself. You feel flattered, that's all.

Should I try to be different?

No, why?

You're a typical European male: selfish, amoral and corrupt.

Who couldn't care less about our puritanism.

Puritans are the best in bed.

A long-distance call for you. I think it's your daughter.

Excuse me for a moment.

Yes? Is that you Susan?

You wouldn't think she had a daughter.

It's an error of her youth. She keeps her in a school in Zurich.

She inherited Susan from her first husband along with some oil wells.

You call that an error?

I absolutely forbid it Susan.

No, I don't want to. What you're doing is wicked. You must break it off at once.

You must leave him, understand?

Yes, yes.

Let's stop now.

I'll come and see you one of these days.

She has a sharp tongue. Does she treat you that way?

We're very fond of each other. We're like one person.

Is that why she signed her telegram with your name?

I sign her checks with mine.

Stop it, Susan. Stop it. We'll talk about it in person.

Sorry but my daughter often exasperates me.

What a fuss for a childish love affair.

You always dramatise.

You're the last person on Earth to judge a young girl's morality.

All right, we Europeans are corrupted.

Are you looking for me?

Indeed I was.

Let's see if I can guess.

You found out I was the one who sent the telegram

and you want to know why.

Exactly. Why?

Will you help me?

I have something for you.

6 millions for the car you smashed and the clinic bill, 3.5 million.

I paid through my bank.

Why did you do that?

Why don't you mind your own business?

I want an explanation.

3 years ago, Maurice left you having spent your last cents.

So you worked for a magazine, then a boutique,

then you did public relations and eventually you took up racing.

You know a lot about me.

Racing only brought you enough to live on.

You and the various playboys you took to bed.

So you want to buy me too. 'Cause you can afford everything.

Don't feel you owe me anything, we must help each other.

We're almost relatives. We married the same man.