The Others

Now, children, are you sitting comfortably?

Then I'll begin.

This story started many thousands of years ago...

but it was all over in just seven days.

All that long, long time ago...

none of the things we can see now-

the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth...

the animals and plants- not a single one existed.

only God existed...

and so only He could have created them.

And He did.

Simpson. What a character he was.

I wonder whatever became of him?

Oh, I imagine he's dead like all the rest.

Ah, those were the days.

Mr Tuttle, your hair.

Yes?

Good morning, ma'am. We've come about the-

Oh, yes, of course.

Come in.

I wasn't expecting you so soon.

You are...?

I'm Bertha Mills, ma'am.

And this is Edmund Tuttle.

Pleased to meet you, ma'am.

You must be the gardener.

That's right. The gardener.

And this young lady is called Lydia.

Have you had much experience in service?

oh, don't let that angel face fool you, ma'am.

She's older than she looks.

Can you iron?

What's the matter? Has the cat got your tongue?

She can't talk, ma'am.

The poor little mite's a mute.

Oh.

Oh, but she's a good little worker.

I can promise you that.

All right.

All right. The other girl I had spoke too much, anyway.

Follow me. Mrs Mills, you and the girl...

will sleep in the attic room at the top of the stairs.

- And you, Mr... - Tuttle, ma'am.

You could sleep in the shed around the back.

As you can see, the housework has been rather neglected...

since the servants disappeared almost a week ago.

You mean they just vanished?

Into thin air.

No notice, nothing. They didn't even collect their wages.

They... they just left us.

What a strange thing to do.

You'll soon find out there are times...

when this house is not exactly an ideal home.

Hence my advertisement in the newspaper...

requesting honest, hard-working people.

There's nobody more honest or hard-working than us.

Isn't that right, Mr Tuttle?

Oh, aye, we're very honest.

And, um, very hard-working.

The kitchen.

I have breakfast at 8.00...

the children at 9.00.

Lunch will be served at 1.00 and dinner at 7.30.

And the master, ma'am?

The master went off to war...

a year and a half ago.

I've had no news since the war ended.

Which of you does the cooking?

I'm so sorry, ma'am.

Which of you does the cooking?

You'll notice what I'm doing.

In this house, no door must be opened...

without the previous one being closed first.

It is vital that you remember this.

It's not as easy as it may seem.

There are 15 different keys for all of the 50 doors...

depending on which area of the house you're in at the time.

Mrs Mills, from tomorrow onwards...

I will be leaving a set of keys in your charge.

Yes, ma'am.

The music room.

That old piano was already here when we moved in.

Please do not let the children thump away on it.

It sets off my migraine.

Silence is something that we prize very highly in this house.

That is why you will not find a telephone, a radio...

or anything else that makes a racket.

Oh, we don't have electricity, either.

During the war, the Germans kept cutting it off...

so we learned to live without it. Let's continue.

Ma'am, there's no need to show us the whole house.

Yes!

Yes, there is.

Most of the time, you can hardly see your way.

It's often difficult to make out...

if there is a table, a chair, a door, a sideboard...

or one of my children playing hide and seek.

What do you mean, ma'am?

Perhaps I should introduce you to the children.

Mr Tuttle, you can see to the garden now.

You'll find tools in the shed.

Yes, ma'am.

You two can start closing the curtains.

All of them.

Come.

I'll wake them. You wait here.

Whatever you do, don't open the curtains.

Wakey, wakey.

Now, come on.

Eyes closed, hands together.

Let it be, at light of day...

Jesus, to whom now I pray.

Blessed be the Virgin pure...

Whom I greet with faith too short.

Jesus, Mary, spotless rose...

Keep us till this day doth close.

They're still half asleep.

What sweet little children.

Well... what do you say?

How do you do?

How do you do, children?

My name is Mrs Mills...

but you can call me Bertha if you like.

What are your names?

- Anne. - Nicholas.

Anne and Nicholas. What pretty names.

Are you going to be our new nanny?

Mm-hmm.

Yes, my dears. I'm your new nanny.

It's time for their breakfast.

Lydia, go to the kitchen and close every shutter.

The doctors were never able to find a cure.

For what?

Their condition.

The children have a very serious allergy to light.

They are photosensitive and must never be exposed...

,,,to any light much stronger than this.

Otherwise, in a matter of minutes...

they will break out in sores and blisters...

and begin to suffocate.

It would eventually be fatal.

Good heavens.

I don't like this toast.

Oh? Why not?

It tastes funny.

I liked it better before.

That's because before, somebody else made it.

When are they coming back?

They're not coming back, child.

Just like Daddy.

Daddy is coming back, though.

Mrs Mills, our father's fighting in a war in France.

It's the world war.

I know, but he's in France.

That's enough, chatterboxes. Finish up your breakfasts.

Are you going to leave us, too?

Of course not!

Why should I leave you?

The others said they wouldn't...

but they did, and then it happened.

Be quiet!

What do you mean, Anne? What happened?

Mummy went... mad.

- Nothing happened. - Yes, it did.

- No, it didn't! - Yes, it did!

Be quiet.

What's going on? I want those plates empty...

...in less than a minute. Is that clear?

Mrs Mills, would you come outside a moment?

I'd like a word with you.

Yes, ma'am.

The postman usually comes every Wednesday.

But I just checked the letter-box...

and this week he hasn't.

I'm afraid I don't follow, ma'am.

This letter should have been collected...

...and delivered to the newspaper five days ago.

It's an advertisement for servants.

Since it was never published...

...would you explain what you're doing here?

Oh, I understand.

Ma'am, that's what I was going to say to you...

When you opened the door to us.

The truth is that we just come by...

on the off chance.

A big house like this...

is always in need of someone who knows the ropes.

You've served in a house like this one before?

This may come as a surprise to you, ma'am, but...

We, in fact, used to work here.

Here?

Oh, now, 'twas a few years ago.

If you don't mind my saying so, ma'am...

they were the best years of my life.

That's why we come by, because this house...

means a lot to us.

Perhaps I'd best show you our references, ma'am.

No, no, no. Don't bother. There's no need.

So you say you know the house well?

Like the back of my hand.