Monte Markham: David Smith

Death Takes a Holiday

David Smith

David Smith: [Peggy has tried to throw herself off the cliff] Peggy! What were you trying to do?
Peggy Chapman: You know what I was trying to do.
David Smith: Why? Why would you want to?
Peggy Chapman: [she touches his face] I thought you'd look different... but you don't.
David Smith: He told you?
Peggy Chapman: Yes.
David Smith: And now?
Peggy Chapman: I don't know... I was so frightened at first, so many things bouncing around in my head and then... absolute stillness inside. There were no more questions I had to ask.
David Smith: But you still haven't told me why! Why this?
Peggy Chapman: Because I wanted to leave with you.

David Smith: [to Judge Chapman] You won't believe me, will you? I'm not a judge, I'm not God, I'm not even an executioner.

David Smith: [to John] You're a very courageous man. I mean, taking upon yourself the responsibility for altering the course of another person's life.

David Smith: [Judge Chapman has realized who David really is] You know, don't you?
Judge Earl Chapman: I know I'd seen you before... but I couldn't quite remember. Each time... each time I had a stroke, it was you waiting. Every time I thought the pain was so bad that it was all over, you were there, weren't you? Standing off a way.
[he chuckles]
Judge Earl Chapman: Waiting... but you were always so dim, so... so vague.

John Cummings: I think you're a phony... a very clever gold-digging phony, Mr. Smith. I intend to prove that to Peggy and to Judge Chapman.
David Smith: You'd be well advised to leave well enough alone.
John Cummings: But thing's aren't well enough, are they? There's something wrong about you. I want you out of here, off this island.
David Smith: I'm afraid your wants are the least of my concerns right now.
John Cummings: I'll tell you something, Smith... if I have to beat the truth out of you, I'll do it!
David Smith: Take my advice, Mr. Cummings... don't get involved in matters far beyond your control... and far beyond your possible understanding.

David Smith: I came here to solve what for me has been a riddle for as long as there's been life. I had to understand why people cling so tenaciously to living... why they're so afraid of what I can bring them. I want to know what is there that makes men and women fight so desperately to remain in a world so unhappy, so filled with hate and now so polluted with real poisons.

[last lines]
David Smith: Peggy, if I don't stay I'll have to take you, and I can't! I love you, Peggy! I can't take all those years of living from you, not when you make them count for so much!
Peggy Chapman: David, I've waited for you all my life! Do you know what I'm saying? All my life!
[They embrace]
Peggy Chapman: If I go with you, can we be together as we are right now?
David Smith: Yes.
Peggy Chapman: For ever?
David Smith: More.
Peggy Chapman: Then I want to go with you. Now.
David Smith: Peggy, I can't promise you that it will be either more or less than you may have imagined.
Peggy Chapman: I know.
David Smith: You won't regret it?
Peggy Chapman: No... not with you.
David Smith: But you're so young! You've had so few years.
Peggy Chapman: Most people live 'til they're eighty and never know the fulfillment I've known. David... it's Christmas morning. I want to open the next package.

Judge Earl Chapman: [He has realized] 3:45 on Friday... when all death stopped everywhere! When Peggy-...
David Smith: Drowned. When Peggy accidentally drowned.
Judge Earl Chapman: [grabs hold of David's arm] No! Not Peggy! Please!
David Smith: It's done. It happened. 3:45 Friday her body washed up on the beach.
Judge Earl Chapman: But you let her live!
David Smith: I extended her time a little.
Judge Earl Chapman: [pause, then] How long?
David Smith: Tomorrow. When the weekend is over, I'll take her with me.

David Smith: [Peggy has asked him to tell her about himself] In my earliest recollected incarnation, I was the poet Euripedes. That was about 480 B.C. My next trip in was as John the Baptist.
[Peggy laughs]
David Smith: Not too happy a choice, as it turned out. And then somewhere around 810 I served a hitch in Charlemagne's army. Yes, I was a general, I think... at least I had a very fancy uniform.
Peggy Chapman: Wonderful! Because at this rate, we'll be here all night.
David Smith: Wait 'til I get to the fifteenth century. That was easily my best century.

David Smith: [Judge Chapman has realized who David really is] You know, don't you?
Judge Earl Chapman: I knew I'd seen you before... but I couldn't quite remember. Each time... each time I had a stroke, it was you waiting. Every time I thought the pain was so bad that it was all over, you were there, weren't you? Standing off a way.
[he chuckles]
Judge Earl Chapman: Waiting... but you were always so dim, so... so vague.