Eye of the Beholder, The (1953)

the well-known shell game three Walnut shells and a p we place the PE under a shell under which shell is the PE many people have waited so sure were they that they knew most people shell few people will say under this one here is a hat a tall hat is the crown taller than the width of the brim obviously yes would be absurd to think differently but wait a minute let's see so 6 in and so exactly 6 in here is a formation of Cubes count them how many cubes are there some of us will count six some will count seven and now let's look at the same thing from another point of view from another perspective now count them now how many are there are there seven or six strange isn't it how a different point of view can change the appearance of things we're looking at a silhouette is it an animal a moose a reindeer a buffalo the head of a man or is it a witch is it a tree or the fear that lurks in so many Minds an atomic Cloud but you see it's only an overturned ink bottle a blot of ink some of us see the truth some of us see only part of the truth some of us never see the truth we're looking at the same scene you and I what do we see an artist studio an overturned easel scattered paints and brushes a knife we're all looking at the same scene at the same time do we all see the same thing do we all see the same man in the same way in the past 12 hours he attracted the attention of a number of people let's see what they beheld Michael Gerard is my son sometimes he worries me he's so moody and difficult but at heart he's a good boy Michael Gerard he's a ladies man a Smooth Operator with a women he's a hood I know a hood when I see one a real Hood he's insane he's a lone he's a murderer just 12 hours ago Michael Gerard was sitting in the Crystal room and all right that's for sure I knewed right away the first time I heard him drinks he wasn't just looking he was sizing up every Dame in the place he didn't care if his girlfriend knew it or not sure she got mad and an argument started but that didn't stop [Music] him all of a sudden he lighted up then I saw what caught his eye it was the blonde a real good looker I figured let him look what can he do about it waiter yes sir who was that girl over there blonde I'm sorry sir I don't know she comes in here often with the same gentlemen okay [Music] thanks talk about ner how far [Music] will you'll come up to my place then I thought I'd seen everything tomorrow tomorrow at 9: all right he was smooth all right too smooth why do you say he was too smooth I know how to get around myself sometimes I don't understand Michael even if he is my son he's so unpredictable he's so moody and ill-tempered but he's a good boy Michael morning Mom good morning dear I'll see you later I've got to get going but Michael you must eat something I don't have time but I made hot corn muffins eggs basted the way you like them I have a date at the studio there's a new model coming in at 9:00 everything's ready I'll butter the muffins I told you I don't want any breakfast but Michael you can't go to work on an empty stomach muffin Michael it's good for you Michael will me Mrs Gerard does Michael pay attention to you when you speak to him attention doesn't hear a word I say yeah I remember Mike Gerard the way he acted who could forget him and my business you learn the size of a guy fast one good look and I had him spotted a real Hood right away you started getting tough Y C Mac yeah okay let's go so as I call in skip the call and let's go [Music] nice day isn't it didn't feel much like working today I'd rather gone to the track I was out there a couple of weeks ago had a lousy day in the feature I had Lucky Joe he was leading two lanes at the three quarters and going into the stretch turn he went wide Jack could have held him in but I guess you didn't want to if you know what I mean the boys really handle that job with Greece they're smart real smart I hear they only set up One race a week brother I'd give my right on to being on one good fix uh you wouldn't have any ideas would you shut up huh I said shut up I got things out my mind that doesn't mean nothing just call walking feel that bump you know what caused it politics floated a bond issue 2 years ago the bump's still there crooked politics that's what it is well I don't mean that uh all politicians are Crooks look Mac I said shut up all right Bud all right a real Hood what makes you so sure he was a hood don't I know what makes up coat mag jar rents from me a long time I got the building full of artists and they're all peculiar but you'rea a lunatic [Music] good morning huh what's that did you say something I said good morning pling good morning is it everything is relative I just said good morning this is an issue maybe my good friend Co meire words do not mean the same to all men is that so so what does good morning mean by me it means good morning what is it by you all kinds of things plans and their fulfillment a dream comes to life Mr J you talking foolishness I'm talking real things real things what is reality you see that [Music] lady you think she's real oh and that lady is not real huh I made her up for my imagination exactly do you understand me C wire I understand you are a l [Laughter] wonderful you provve my point the man you see in me does not exist you don't exist either no couple may no I do not exist so who is going to pay your rent Mr kire would you really know a lunatic if you met one I'm an expert several cases in my family something about that Mr Gerard frightens me I've seen his paintings when I do up his room I don't know what can be in his mind to paint such things when he came into the way he looked [Music] [Music] I felt something terrible was going to happen few minutes later the lady came uh Mr Gerard Studio on the left thank you Dad it's Louise come in why you acting so mean stop looking at me that way let go of me no oh cut it out I tell you let go of me cut it out I tell you let go of me murder police [Music] police saw a lady killer a Smooth Operator through his mother's eyes Michael was thoughtless unappreciative to the cabie he appeared as a gangster a real Hood but to coupel Meer Michael was a [Laughter] lunatic always fearful of others the cleaning woman viewed Michael as a monster a murderer five different people five different Michael Gerards but what is the truth let's go back and see through Michael's eyes for a long time I've had an idea I wanted to paint the 20th Century Madonna mother of all men who sees her children crucified by this age as she looks on in sorrow and compassion I knew that somewhere there was a woman with a face the depth the spiritual quality of my Madonna and that I must find her for without her I could not put my dream on canvas I searched for her everywhere and then one night H saw a girl in the Crystal room and called me in great excitement to tell me she had found my Madonna we went there the following night she isn't here yet Michael but she will be the bartender says she drops in almost every night you really think she's what I'm looking for darling I'll bet on it I don't know I'm beginning to think my Madonna doesn't exist [Music] Michael Michael there she [Music] is you're right Esther she's perfect [Music] I feel as though I've seen her a thousand times I'm so glad who is she do you know who she is no the waiter might ask him waiter yes sir who is that girl the blonde I'm sorry sir I don't know she comes in here often with the same gentleman thank [Music] you I've got am do you think she'll pose well there's one way to find out go over and ask [Music] her uh excuse me funny intruding like this but my name is Michael Gerard I would like to speak to the young lady a moment [Music] please don't be offended I I had to talk to you I've been looking for you [Music] everywhere I pleaded with her I begged her I explained how important it was finally she understood my search was ended she agreed to come to the studio at 9:00 in the morning I didn't sleep all night my mind was whirling with ideas my only desire was to get to the studio Michael good morning mother good morning dear Mother I found the girl the model for my Madonna Michael Sit down you must eat something I can't I haven't got time I get up every morning to make breakfast for you I made you hot corn muffins eggs basted the way you like them mother I found she's coming in at 9:00 but your appointment isn't so important you can't eat everything's ready it'll just take a minute mother I told you I don't want any breakfast I've been awake all night and I'm all ke up can't go to work on an empty stomach mother I can't eat don't you understand just one muffin Michael it be good for you Mom you haven't heard a word I said driver this your cab and Ain my brothers let's go will you I'm in a hurry hold your horses but I got to call in forget the call will you I'm late like I said when I call in I'm not going far please make a call later okay okay if you're in such a [Music] sweat nice day isn't it didn't feel much like working today I'd rather gone to the track I was out there a couple of weeks ago that allowed placement of the head on the canvas let's see and the feature I had lucky the angle of the light if it hits from above qu all dark tones light on the face hel them in that is if he wanted to look my friend please yeah a light from above only on the face the boys really tone contrast with grease yeah it's got to shine through the spiritual quality like a light from within real smart I hear they only set up One race of angle so that the eyes are highlighted luminous one I wouldn't give to be in one good fix you wouldn't have any ideas would you will you please keep quiet huh I said keep quiet will you I'm trying to concentrate no offense just talking now too diffused have to focus it maybe if I use a cold light on my face that P in the background yeah that politics that's all good fled a bond issue 2 years ago the other way let's see the bump's still there yeah warm light on the face cold on the background yeah yes yeah I work with a limited pallet and then with everything coming back to the face I don't mean all politicians are crooked what I mean is look I'm busy will you please keep quiet all right Bud all right yeah that's it everything the line the Rhythm the light everything is relative I have it all the lines converging out of the darkness yes that's it good morning what that I said good morning that's all plain good morning everything is relative Co I just discovered it I just said good morning this is an issue maybe my good friend K meire words do not mean the same to all men nothing is the same to all men is that so so what does good morning mean by me it means good morning what is it by you today wonderful things promise fulfillment the reality of a dream what are you talking Gera dreams are real yes that's the beauty and the Wonder Mr Gerard don't give me foolishness I'm talking real things real things what is reality see that woman mhm you think she's real she's a product of your imagination I made her up from my imagination exactly to every man she looks different one looks at her and falls in love another looks and sees nothing today I shall put on canvas what I see in a woman to you the result will be a painting but to me it'll be as real as that woman the painting is as real as that lady huh yeah yeah ah you don't understand COA I understand you are a looney you prove my point the man you see in me does not [Music] exist in my excitement of meeting my Madonna I even had a smile for the with the nosy old cleaning woman whose hobby was minding other people's [Music] business come in come in come in hello fine just just make yourself comfortable I'll be right with [Music] you think I was almost didn't make it didn't get to sleep I'll be right with you it'll only take a minute I guess I am a mess I'm over in the cab came to sudden now if you don't mind I'd like to P okay now let me explain this is a modern you're the Eternal woman mother of all men whose Sorrows for all her children ain't anything you want now look out that window up into the sky try to imagine you see impul suffering right you're cute yeah there was some party last night I kept wishing you were there you're drunk so what I'm here I mean cut it out stop looking like that take your things and get out thank you ow cut it out so now you know what really happened people see what they want to see what they're prepared to see Gerard that day and each thought he saw true but where is the truth Michael Gerard a square