Dana Hill credited as playing...
Jennifer Phillips
- Jennifer Phillips: [voice trembling] Howard, I do think that you love me. All of us. And I tried to believe everything was right - normal, like you said - but I know now it wasn't. And you don't understand it, and you have to. Maybe I was a wh...
- [intends to say "whore", but trails off]
- Jennifer Phillips: I'm not anymore.
- [rides away on her bicycle]
- Howard Nichols: Yes?
- Sherry Phillips: Mrs. Krebs, the manager?
- [Howard unlatches the chain and opens the door]
- Sherry Phillips: [rushes into the apartment, physically attacking Howard in a fit of rage] It was YOU!
- Jennifer Phillips: Mommy!
- Howard Nichols: [attempting to shield himself from Sherry's hands and fists] Please don't! Don't, please!
- Sherry Phillips: You bastard!
- [pounds Howard with her fists as he falls to the floor]
- Howard Nichols: [trying to shield himself from the blows] Don't! Stop! I was getting her to come home!
- Jennifer Phillips: Mommy, stop!
- Sherry Phillips: What kind of monster are you? You are not a monster, you are worse!
- Howard Nichols: [retreating towards the couch] You don't understand.
- Sherry Phillips: Understand? Oh my God, I understand; look at these children! I finally understand!
- Howard Nichols: Please, listen...
- Sherry Phillips: I listened, all right? Get away from her!
- [slaps Howard some more]
- Sherry Phillips: God! I saw that window; before, I hoped - I really hoped - that this was your second apartment. I hoped it wasn't you!
- Howard Nichols: I love those kids better than their parents! Better than you!
- Sherry Phillips: After what you've done to them? Come on, Jennifer.
- Howard Nichols: I've taken them places; I bought them things!
- Sherry Phillips: You have used them! Let's go, boys.
- Howard Nichols: I've given them love!
- Sherry Phillips: Love?
- [to the boys, insistent]
- Sherry Phillips: Let's go!
- Howard Nichols: I've given them love!
- Sherry Phillips: Love? Oh, my God!
- [to Jennifer and the boys]
- Sherry Phillips: Go!
- Howard Nichols: I never hurt you. Any of you! Don't leave, please; you're the most important things in my life.
- [steps into the hall, where Sherry, Jennifer and the boys are making their exit]
- Howard Nichols: I love you all very, very, very much!
- Sherry Phillips: [sees Jennifer looking back at Howard as he pleads] Come on, honey; let's go!
- Howard Nichols: Please don't hurt me!
- [watches as they exit the building, then steps back inside the boys' apartment, realizing he'll soon be arrested for what he's done, now on the verge of tears]
- Howard Nichols: Please don't say anything.
- Howard Nichols: [trying to convince Jennifer to pose nude for a photo shoot] I won't hurt you; Fred and I, we said we'd never hurt you.
- Jennifer Phillips: Howard, I don't want to.
- Howard Nichols: Yes, but I want you to. I need your help, I need you very much. Does anyone in the world need you? Your mother? Her boyfriend?
- [shakes head]
- Howard Nichols: I need you, I want you.
- Jennifer Phillips: But it's wrong.
- Howard Nichols: Some people think so; I've shown you people who don't. I want you to do it, Angel; if you don't, you'll lose me. I'm all you have.
- Jennifer Phillips: [near tears, voice starting to crack] My mom...
- Howard Nichols: Have you thought about when they get married? They could send you away. He certainly doesn't want you; who wants to raise someone else's kid?
- Jennifer Phillips: Howard, I can't. I like you...
- Howard Nichols: No, no, no! You love me, Angel, love me. And I love you! I'm all you have. Help me?
- Jennifer Phillips: [sniffling] I want to, but...
- Howard Nichols: [taking a more ominous tone] I'd have to send Fred back! I couldn't let you keep him after hurting me.
- Jennifer Phillips: [shaking] Fred never hurt any...
- Howard Nichols: But you'd hurt me! And you know how they kill dogs in those places. They put them in a chamber; no windows, no air, black. Then they push a button, a small button, that literally explo...
- Jennifer Phillips: STOP IT!
- [crying]
- Howard Nichols: It's up to you, Angel. Only you...
- Jennifer Phillips: [in voice-over, reading the note she left for her mother before running away] I don't blame you for hating me, 'cause it's all true. I couldn't look at you once more without you knowing. I know you'll never want to see me again, but I do love you and Daddy. Don't hate me too much.
- Jennifer Phillips: [sees various children being innocently photographed at the zoo, triggering flashbacks of her time with Howard]
- Sherry Phillips: [laughing at an exhibit] Did they teach you that in school, Jennifer, the difference between apes and gorillas?
- Jennifer Phillips: I think I can do it.
- Frank Dawson: [thinking she's referring to Sherry's question] Good, Jennifer. Which is which?
- Sherry Phillips: No. I mean, I think I can testify.
- Sherry Phillips: No; it's behind us! You see, that's why we have to move.
- Frank Dawson: Are you sure?
- Sherry Phillips: I'm sure! She's got to go back to leading a normal life.
- Jennifer Phillips: You're sure because you're my mother. I'm not sure what Daddy would think. What do you think, Frank?
- Frank Dawson: [referring to Howard] People say he's sick; I suppose they're right. One thing we both know for sure: that little girl in the mental hospital is sick, because of Howard. What do I tell you? I worry about you if you testify, I worry about other kids if you don't.
- Sherry Phillips: The last thing my little girl needs is more pressure. She's 12 years old!
- Frank Dawson: She's 13, and she's not a little girl anymore. This could be the most important decision Jennifer ever makes; she has to know that from somebody. From somebody besides lawyers and mothers.
- [to Jennifer]
- Frank Dawson: You keep on thinking, Jennifer.
- Howard Nichols: [spotting Jennifer at the rec center] Hi, Angel. What are you doing here?
- Jennifer Phillips: Here's all I got.
- Howard Nichols: But I thought you were gonna stay home for a few days.
- Jennifer Phillips: Mom found out.
- Howard Nichols: [frowning] What? How?
- Jennifer Phillips: An ad. You know, in one of your dumb magazines?
- Howard Nichols: You told her it wasn't you?
- Jennifer Phillips: Well yeah, but...
- [trails off]
- Jennifer Phillips: Look, I just can't stay home now.
- [flirtatiously]
- Jennifer Phillips: I can stay with you.
- Howard Nichols: Oh, no. I'm on my own. People would ask questions.
- Jennifer Phillips: [more flirtatiously] Deny. Say no.
- Howard Nichols: No, no. No way.
- Jennifer Phillips: You got the other kids places. How about me?
- [smiles as she seductively runs her finger up and down Howard's chest]
- Jennifer Phillips: I'll make it up to you. I am getting older... and better.
- Howard Nichols: [first spots Jennifer, playing pinball at the local arcade] You look exactly like someone who's having fun and wants some more.
- Jennifer Phillips: Huh?
- Howard Nichols: I'm Howard, or Howie.
- [throws a quarter onto the pinball machine]
- Howard Nichols: Have fun.
- Jennifer Phillips: I don't think that I should...
- Howard Nichols: Don't? Never? Can't? Won't? Shouldn't? All bad words. Accept, enjoy: good words. Thanks is a good word, too.
- Jennifer Phillips: Thanks.
- Howard Nichols: I blew it. Thank you. You: very important word. Parents never think about you, right? Only themselves. Thank you?
- Jennifer Phillips: Thank you.
- Howard Nichols: Perfect.
- [points finger at Jennifer and makes "click" sound]
- Howard Nichols: See you around.
- Sherry Phillips: [referring to Jennifer] She's so come out of herself since she's been on your team. You're doing a terrific job!
- Howard Nichols: I just treat her, and well, all the kids like people, and care for them honestly. You know, if I do get mad at them, I let them know it, and tell them you only get mad at people you care about. I'm sure you both do that, too.
- Frank Dawson: Well, maybe not as good as you, but I try about the same.
- Jennifer Phillips: [approaches with a rubber ball] Is this ours, Howie?
- Howard Nichols: No, those rubber turkeys are theirs.
- [puts arm around Jennifer's shoulder]
- Howard Nichols: Hey, you know, if I had a daughter, I'd order up one just like this nut here.
- [nuzzles Jennifer close, as she smiles in response]
- Howard Nichols: Were you a love child?
- Jennifer Phillips: [looks confused] What's that?
- Howard Nichols: Did your folks plan you? Like, uh, "We want Jennifer", and along came Jennifer? Or were you "Oops, oh my God, we got Jennifer", like me?
- Jennifer Phillips: You mean like an accident?
- Howard Nichols: Well, it doesn't make you any better or worse. Just sort of says how your parents must have felt about you at the beginning.