What's the Matter with Helen?

You have a very great opportunity...

...not merely to provide bread and butter...

...not merely to keep people from starving.

You have the further great social opportunity...

...of inculcating the understanding

that we've got to build from the bottom up...

...and not merely supply food from the top down.

The First Lady, about to take an aerial holiday,

has a word to say before she goes.

I'm very glad to be here,

and I'm just starting on an unofficial trip

to Puerto Rico,

hoping to see something of a very beautiful island

and its people.

Mrs. Roosevelt gets ready

for the first over-ocean flight ever made by a president's wife.

Off to Haiti, landing safely a few hours later,

then Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

A triple hop of 1,250 miles for the flying First Lady.

Emotion continued high

in this small country courthouse,

as young Leonard Hill and Wesley Bruckner,

after six weeks of one of the century's

grisliest murder trials,

were sentenced to life imprisonment.

During the course of the trial,

the jury was shown photographs such as these,

depicting the brutal mutilation killing

of Ellie Banner,

one of Braddock's most respected citizens.

There was a tense moment as crowds,

displeased at the verdict,

threatened the orderly departure of the young killers

from the courthouse.

Leaving moments later are the convicted men's mothers,

Adelle Bruckner and Helen Hill.

During the sensation-packed days of the trial,

Mrs. Bruckner and Mrs. Hill

have been subjected to nearly as much public curiosity

as their sons.

And so the ordeal comes to an end

for these two women,

as their sons go to prison for life.

Billy, get us out of here.

Do you have a handkerchief?

Sure.

- -

You're not going to cry, are you?

You never cry.

Oh, no.

What happened?

Somebody cut me.

-Somebody out there cut me. -

The handkerchief, put the handkerchief on it.

Oh, Billy, hurry!

I know it's against your religion, Helen...

...but you better have a shot of gin.

Adelle, I'd rather have a first aid kit.

Oh, yeah, of course.

Where did I--?

Oh.

I call that real class.

Why? What?

Well, the way--

the way you didn't scream or anything.

I'd have raised the roof.

Iodine first, dear.

Oh.

Go ahead. Go on.

And you never saw who did it?

I didn't even feel it.

I just looked down, and my palm was full of blood.

What kind of a screwball would do such a thing?

There.

Thank you, Adelle.

How 'bout a little shot of gin now?

Holy Moses, I--

I still have a heap to get done

if I'm going to get out of here on Friday.

I think I'm gonna have that shot of gin.

-Helen -Mmm?

Helen, I didn't tell you. But you know what I’ve decided?

Mmm?

I decided that the school in California

is going to be all different, just for kids.

You know, out there in Hollywood,

kids are the cat's meow.

Cat's meow?

Since Shirley Temple, you know?

You have heard of Shirley Temple?

I hardly ever go to the movies,

but I've heard of Shirley Temple.

You know, out there in Hollywood...

...all the parents are crazy to get their kids in the movies.

And somebody has to teach them how to sing and dance, so...

...why shouldn't I help?

Adelle...

Won't you mind being so far away from your boy?

Of course, I will.

But what can I do about it?

He turned on me.

He really turned on me, Helen.

You saw.

I just don't understand it.

I did everything I could for him.

It wasn't my fault that his father took a powder.

You know,

Adelle,

men can be quite a bit lower than the angels.

That's for sure.

Adelle's New York School of Dance.

Hello?

This is she.

Yeah, hold on. It's, uh...

someone with asthma for you.

Hello?

I thought you'd Like to know,

I'm the one who cut you today.

Why?

I wanted to see you bleed.

Like Ellie Banner.

I wanted to be sure you can.

You'll bleed, all right. So will the other one.

You have no right to talk to me like that.

What's going on?

Those boys should have gone to the gallows.

Somebody's got to pay for what they did to Ellie.

And somebody's going to.

You...

...and her.

Wherever you are, I'm gonna--

- -I’ll call the police.

Don't.

No. We'll be all over the papers again.

I can't take that anymore.

Adelle, that man's dangerous.

Helen, how do you know?

He may be just a harmless crank.

Oh Helen, please don't do anything yet.

Honestly, Helen, I can't stand any more.

I don't understand.

Wes, saying that he hated me...

...and that I was too busy when he needed me.

I was busy dancing my feet off to earn a buck so we could eat.

I did everything I could.

Adelle.

Dear, no matter how bad things get...

...you must always tell yourself, always,

there is a reason, there has to be a reason.

Up there?

Yes.

I need a reason down here.

I do.

Helen.

Helen, why don't--

Why don't you come with me to California?

Well, I-- I--

D--d-- don't worry.

I have a little money socked away.

Enough for two train tickets, if you don't mind riding coach.

And-- and I’ll still have enough to get the school

going somehow.

I'm so glad you asked me.

I didn't want to be the one that suggested it.

You're--

You're quite a girl, Mrs. Hill.

You know, you-- you really are, Mrs. Hill.

Ah!

Oh, wait a minute. No more "Mrs. Hill."

No, from now on, you're going to be Helen Martin.

Helen Martin?

I'm going to be Adelle Stuart.

Adelle Stuart?

New names and new lives.

New lives.

Yeah, a whole new shuffle for both of us, okay?

Okay.

And--And if the school catches on, then, we'll--

we'll hire one of those high-priced lawyers.

Maybe even Clarence Darrow, for an appeal, for the boys.

And, anyway, we're gonna be 2,000 miles away

-from everything, -

-including that. -

Hello?

Your light went on...

...so I know you're awake.

You will kindly refrain from disturbing us further!

H-- He's been watching us.

Come away from there.

Come away from there, Adelle Stuart.

California, here we come.

- -