The Brain That Wouldn't Die

Woman: Let me die.

Let me die.

I should've known he was as good as dead

when they wheeled him in.

You did everything possible,

everything you could, Dr. Cortner.

Everything?

Everything except save my patient.

Everything in the books.

Now, Dad, do I have permission to take over

and try things my way?

The operating room is no place to experiment.

He's dead; I can't do any harm.

Very well.

The corpse is yours. Do what you want to do.

All right.

Make an opening into the chest cavity.

Apply 100 milliamps of current directly to the heart,

then massage by hand. I'll handle the brain area.

- By yourself? - By myself!

I've got to work fast, if it isn't too late.

You talk as if he's still alive.

Woman: He is!

I just picked up a faint pulse beat.

Keep massaging the heart.

I am, I am.

These electric shocks should stimulate

the motor area enough to enervate the heart again.

Then he won't need any external stimuli.

Keep away from the motor area.

You'll paralyze him for good.

Which would you rather be: Paralyzed or dead?

Don't try to play God.

Some choices are not yours to make.

When the obstetrician has to decide which to save,

the mother or the child, who plays God then?

It's part of the game.

The game?

The human body is not a jigsaw puzzle to experiment on.

Still playing it safe like the other doctors, hmm?

Might as well save my breath. Keep massaging the heart.

You've already lost your patient, doctor.

I'm going to save mine.

Woman: His pulse is coming back stronger than ever.

It's unbelievable.

Man: Nothing is unbelievable

if you have the nerve to experiment.

I've been working on something like this for weeks.

In your laboratory?

I knew this would work,

if only I had the opportunity—

You don't conduct experiments on people.

You should be sure of the results first.

I am now.

Stop massaging the heart.

Let's see if it can take over by itself.

All right.

Close up the chest.

I'm about finished with the cerebral area.

How's his pulse?

Woman: Strong and steady.

Yeah, you did perform a miracle.

I may not approve of your methods but...

I am proud of your results.

That was an amazing...

Even an extraordinary operation, son.

But it still is too risky.

Too uncontrolled.

Saved his life.

And the aftereffects, what about them?

You've lost the urge to experiment.

To explore.

You don't explore on people.

Before you put a scalpel to one,

an operation like this needs testing under every condition.

Over and over again.

Rabbits, mice, monkeys!

Not people!

That man who should be dead now won't think so.

There's more to surgery than just being

a carpenter to patch up walls.

Or a plumber to drain pipes.

Our bodies are capable of adjusting in ways

we've hardly dreamt of.

If we can only find the key.

I'm so close now, so very close.

The key to what?

Complete transplantations.

To be able to transplant limbs and organs.

To be able to replace diseased and damaged parts

of the body as easily as we replace eye corneas now.

So that the new parts will join together as though

they were born there.

It can't be done!

It can be done!

With my new special compound I've created,

I'll do it, I know I can do it!

Sure, sure, that's what you say!

That's what I know!

I know I'm close!

Darling, I'm so proud of you I could kiss you!

Promises, huh? Always promises.

Careful, your father is liable to report us.

And stop the floor show?

When you two are married it won't be fun

to watch anymore.

Well, I can promise you one thing.

Your grandchildren won't be test tube babies.

You better hurry if you wanna catch

that plane to Denver, Dad.

And you know that medical convention

can't start without you.

Um, Jan, you'd better check about my reservations.

Oh yes, I'll call the airport. I'll be right back.

Bill.

The line between scientific genius and obsessive fanaticism

is a thin one.

Now I want you on the right side of it.

If I don't experiment, how can I hope to perform

operations like the one you almost messed up?

But I can't cover up for you anymore.

The superintendent had it out with me.

He thinks it's you who's been stealing

those limbs from the amputee operations.

So what if it is?

I've got to have limbs for my transplant experiments.

Well, you said test and experiment, test and experiment!

Yes, but limbs and organs taken from people!

I've got to have them to work with.

Sure, I've made a few mistakes.

But I've learned from them, I've learned!

Your reservations are all set,

3:30 take off.

Well, what have you two planned for the weekend?

Oh, nothing much.

Just a quiet weekend.

Are you sure you're not going up

to the country house?

You're always sneaking off up there.

That place gives me the creeps,

I should've sold it when your mother died.

You can't sell that place!

Well, I mean it's nice to get away from the city,

I can work without anyone snooping around.

You spent too much time up there.

All right, I'll see you both in a few days.

I've got to clean up and get out of here.

Fine operation or not, Bill,

you're walking on thin ice.

But don't go too far!

Oh, every time you touch me

I go out of my mind.

I wanna kiss you.

Bill, I wanna get married,

I can't stand not having you!

You've been wonderful!

Oh, I'd rather be a bride.

In a few more weeks.

Then nothing will keep us apart.

We'll be together.

Dr. Cortner!

I'm so glad you're here.

I was afraid you'd gotten away.

There is a very important phone message

that came to you; it sounded quite urgent.

I have been looking everywhere.

it was from a man called Kurt.

He called from the country place,

and he said something terrible had happened,

and he wanted you to come right out.

Thank you.

Well, you've always wanted to know

what's kept me away from you so many weekends.

Have you got the keys to your car?

Why haven't you ever taken me up here before?

Because the things I'm working on

don't need an audience.

That telephone call, what about it?

All right, all right, hold off the questions.

Why the mystery, Bill? What's this all about?

We'll be there soon enough, you'll see.

I've got to hurry.

Bill: Kurt? Kurt!

All right, all right!

For God's sake open the door!

I'm coming!

What's the matter?

What's happened to you?

There's been a terrible accident.

I've got to save her, I've got to save her.

What is it, what have you got there?

Kurt, please!

Sterilize the tubes and instruments, quickly!

Well what are you going to do?

Aren't you going to have a look in the closet first?

Oh, I can't now, this is more important.

But you don't understand!

For God's sake, Kurt, this is urgent,

do as I tell you before it's too late,

I can't waste precious time arguing with you!