Nurse Sherri (1978)

He's coming.
How is he?
He's improving.
He seems to have gotten
better when we contacted you.
Good.
Who else knows about this?
Only Brother Postal,
who was with him.
He contacted me as
soon as it happened.
When was the cross?
Two days ago.
Come.
Did Brother Postal say they
were following my instructions?
To the letter.
Fasting, meditating.
If what Brother
Postal says is true,
there's nothing to worry about.
It's just a trial of faith for
Brother Mims, nothing more.
Mrs. Mims called me.
She wanted to know if
her son had been cured.
And you said?
Nothing.
What could I say?
That the forces of
the universe are at work
within her son.
Rise, rise, William, rise.
Rise, William, rise.
Rise William, rise.
We will reach deep
into our brethren souls,
dear William, to rekindle
your breath of life.
Brothers and sisters,
I sense a pervasive and
insidious doubt among you.
In order for me
to raise William,
that doubt must be removed.
I am the lens in which the
glorious one's power is focused.
Brother Clarke, obedience
belongs to the word.
I have spoken it.
It is your obligation
to fulfill it.
Yes, sir.
Sister Smith.
Your vision is clear, sister,
but your devotion has waned.
This is tiring, I know,
but concentration
and fervor is needed.
Brother Newman,
faith is the key.
Before you chant again,
look into the sun
and draw your power.
Thank you, sir.
Brother Stevens.
I think it's going well.
I think we're in our success,
such favorable planet
alignment occurs
once but every three years.
Our faithful are tired.
Perhaps we can forgo
our 24 hour shifts?
No, if any one of our brethren
is not with William every moment
of his journey, that's it.
But it's been three weeks now.
And I told you,
it's going well.
Don't try and dish out any
of that crap to me, Reanhauer.
You can fool your high
class Beverly Hills bitches
with that astrological
charts and seances,
but as far as I'm concerned,
you can take your
pentagrams and shove it.
Do you know what you did?
You committed a crime,
and you're gonna pay
hard time for it,
and I'm not gonna share
that time with you.
Convincing a boy and his mother
that he didn't have to take
insulin to save his life.
You know, we were doing fine
with that high-society circuit
before you pulled this number.
The boy doesn't need insulin.
No, he doesn't anymore.
He's dead.
You got it?
You made a grandstand
play, and you struck out.
Now how the hell we
gonna get out of this?
By bringing
William back to life
and having him walk once more
with us in our great work.
I'm performing a miracle,
how dare you suggest fraud?
My friend, you and the
world will soon know
that I possess powers that
you haven't even dreamt of.
I'm going back to my work.
You can stay here or go,
it's of no concern to me.
Rise,
rise, William, rise.
Rise, William, rise.
Rise, William, rise.
Rise, William, rise.
Rise, William
Rise.
Rise, William.
Rise.
Rise, William, rise.
Your belief in
me was unwavering.
And you shall be rewarded.
I will bring you back from
this plane of existence,
and breathe into you
your breath of life.
Rise William, rise.
Come to life, William!
Rise!
Come to life!
Rise, William, rise!
Come to life, William!
I've done it!
You're with us again, William!
Rise!
Rise!
Rise!
Ah!
Surprise.
Peter.
You look so nice when
you shake like that.
You're crazy.
I'm involved with
a crazy doctor.
Things could be worse.
How 'bout a kiss?
Go take a shower
in formaldahyde.
Come with me.
Sweetheart, what am
I gonna do with you?
How about the
same as last night?
Good.
I've got something
to look forward to.
Hey Sherri, come
here for a second.
Yeah, Tara.
This patient here,
Marcus Washington.
Is it the Marcus Washington?
The Marcus Washington?
Who's Marcus Washington?
Really, Sherri,
where have you been?
Marcus Washington
just happens to be
the fastest running back
this side of the Juice.
Three years All-American,
Rookie of the Year NFL,
and when he gets that ball,
he moves his black ass down
the field, poetry in motion.
That's who Marcus Washington is.
Oh.
Oh.
Here, hold the station for
me while I go check him out.
Hail 24, hike hut!
Are you feelin' all right?
Boy, am I glad to meet you.
I've spent most of my life
watchin' you play football.
You've always been
my favorite hero.
My name is Tara Williams.
My friends call me Smiley
because of this sunny
disposition I have.
Don't need this.
Who let you in here?
Excuse me, but I am a nurse.
The bigger they get, the
bigger their heads get.
I think that's it for
the locker room honey.
Look at these.
The lights goin'
out inside, dig?
Marcus Washington, football
star, don't exist anymore.
I ain't goin' to no
more football games
unless it's to stand
outside and shake a tin cup.
I'm sorry, I didn't know.
But it's not the
end of the world.
You wanna help me?
Leave me alone.
I don't need any of
your honkey crap.
What makes you
think I'm white?
A black woman wouldn't
feed shit like that to me.
She might if she
cared a little.
See ya later, bigot.
Five already?
You don't have to go just yet.
Yes, I do.
All I do is dream about sleep.
Can't you just
stay a little longer?
You need your beauty sleep.
Get outta here!
Oh, Nurse Gordon.
Could you check
with Dr. Andrews?
Oh, thank you, Beth.
Oh, Tara.
Room 317 wants to see you.
Come in.
Who's there?
Tara Williams.
You wanted to see me?
Oh, I'm sorry, talk to me.
Keep diggin' yourself
right into a hole,
don't you, Smiley?
I'm sorry about yesterday.
That's okay, but if you don't
mind, I must make my rounds.
Go ahead.
Walk out on Marcus Washington.
Everybody else has.
Now, we both have
something to apologize for.
Hey, come over here.
Were you really a fan of mine?
Stood in line
a whole hour once
just to get your autograph.
You're jivin' me.
No, I was just
a blur in a crowd.
Hey no, now I remember.
Redhead, right?
Big, blue eyes.
Looks like Charlie's
going to surgery.
Yeah, poor guy.
Thinks he's about to
cash in all his chips.
Didn't realize it
was that serious.
It isn't.
But for Charlie,
one ingrown toenail,
and it's the big casino.
Hey, Charlie.
Well, how are you feeling today?
Oh, awful, real awful.
I can't go through with
that operation, Beth.
Yes you can.
Oh, I can't, they're
gonna cut into me.
Oh, well you
won't feel a thing.
Eh, that's what you say.
They're not gonna cut into you.
Oh, well Dr. Desmond's
the best doctor in town.
Yeah, well what if
he makes a mistake?
He won't make a mistake.
Eh?
Besides, you'll do it for
little old me, won't you?
Little old you, Beth?
I'll do it for
little old you, sure.
But it's important that I...
Don't worry about a thing.
Well, don't be nervous,
I can make you relax.
See, doesn't that feel better?
You like that?
Well, let's see
if we can't get a rise
out of your thermometer.
You remember that time
you scored five touchdowns
against the Trojans?
You remember that?
Sure do.
Man, I was only a sophomore.
I had seats on the 50.
You brought this one
play, I'll never forget.
Man, you were so
beautiful to watch.
What is it like to
play football, Marcus?
Man, it's like no
other rush you ever felt.
Lined up at half back
all hot and tired,
but that doesn't bother you,
'cause you're listenin'
for the signal, see?
Then the ball is snapped,
and you're set into
motion like a pinball.
Quarterback shoves the
ball into your gut,
and you're bouncin' off of
bodies all huffin' and puffin',
all tryin' to trap
you and capture you
and smash you into the ground,
and if you're lucky, find some
daylight, and run and run.
The crowd's all screamin'
wildly, and you can't stop,
you've gotta run, gotta run!
Gotta run.
Gotta run.
Just run.
Maybe.
Well, what kind of
pass did he throw?
- He didn't.
- Oh.
He didn't even
try for a touchdown?
No.
Seriously, though, how
did he lose his sight?
It was a car accident.
Flying glass from the
window into his eyes.
Oh, how awful.
Well, how are the world's
three most beautiful nurses?
Trying to get off the
sidelines and into the game.
Well, lunch in 15
minutes, my treat.
- Ooh.
- Boy.
What do you feel like having?
Oh, Chinese.
Oh Beth, we had that last
week, how about Italian?
Yeah sure, Joe,
I'm tellin' you.
It'll work.
Stop worrying.
Now I'll go over the scam
with you one more time.
Sure it's legal.
Damn it, I'm tellin'
you, it's legal.
All we need is
that bread you got
to open an office downtown.
Now, you gotta
have a good front.
Always need a fancy front.
Now, I'll talk to
you soon, okay?
Goodbye.
Huh?
Reanhauer.
Peter.
Where were you?
Don't worry, no one's lookin'.
Sherri, where were you?
What do you mean?
Lunch, we were supposed
to have lunch together.
It must've slipped my mind.
How could it?
You were standing right
here with Beth and Tara
when we talked about it.
I don't know,
I don't remember.
But I'll make you
up for it tonight.
Dr. Desmond
wanted in surgery.
Dr. Desmond wanted in surgery.
I'll talk to you
later about this.
Sherri.
So glad I ran into you.
Look, I've gotta fill
in for Pam in OR,
so do me a favor.
Tell Marcus I'll see
him about four, okay?
Sure, Tara.
Thanks.
Hello.
Tara?
Is that you?
Coochie, coochie.
You know, I never had
to audition before.
Beth, you wanna put Ed's
stethoscope back in his pants?
I'd like to talk to
you for a moment.
Hey, Peter.
Beth, please.
Listen, this better
be important, Buster.
I think it is.
Look, Sherri's been actin'
real strange lately.
Now, has she said anything
to you at all about me?
Only rave reviews.
Now, if you wanna
honor my ticket...
Come on, I'm serious.
Is she seeing someone else?
No one, Peter.
Listen, Sherri is
so hung up on you,
she'd scratch my eyes out
if she found us together.
Well, something's wrong.
The devil's making her do it.
Listen, my advice to
you is just forget it.
Tara, is that you?
Yeah, babe.
You feeling all right?
Oh, all right.
Listen, come here a second.
Did you come by earlier?
No, I was in OR.
Somebody came by.
Probably Sherri.
Didn't she tell you I
was going to be late?
She didn't say anything, but.
What?
I felt something.
Something, a presence.
Suddenly I grew cold
as if a chill or a draft
went through the room.
Marcus, I don't
doubt what you think,
but the medications
you've been taking,
they do cause a certain
amount of hallucinations.
Maybe you were a little bit
drowsy when Sherri came by?
I don't know.
Hello, Dr.
Nelson, how are you?
Great just great.
The last thing I
miss in the world
is those 5 a.m. surgery calls.
We found a package yesterday
labeled Dr. Nelson,
Chief Surgeon.
Oh, well then you
better let me have a look.
Here, it's in the trunk.
Thanks.
Hello, Charlie.
Hi.
How are you feeling?
Oh, um, this hurts, it throbs.
- Oh, your poor toe.
- Yeah.
Well, it'll be all right.
Eh, I don't know,
they cut it too long.
I know, but he didn't
make a mistake, did he?
Well, we don't know yet.
Oh, you want me to
make it feel better?
Remember?
I'll make it feel better.
Roll over.
Oh yeah?
I have a surprise
for you, come on.
Just relax.
Remember how nice it
was the last time?
Yeah.
- Nice and relaxed.
- Oh yeah.
Remember?
Mm, yeah.
Okay, here I come, ready?
Sherri?
Are you home?
Sherri?
God damn it.
Gotcha.
I'm not in a playful mood.
Oh, that's a switch.
Funny.
What's wrong?
You're still upset about lunch.
Jesus, Peter.
Can't you forget anything?
It's not just that.
Then what is it?
Are you seeing someone else?
You've gotta be kidding.
No, I'm serious, are you?
God damn it, Peter,
what's come over you?
What's come over you?
I ran into Tara this afternoon,
you know what she told me?
The blood.
Yeah.
Now just what the hell
were you trying to prove?
I don't know.
I don't know.
How can you have blood
all over your mouth
and not know about it?
I don't know!
Can't you understand that?
I must've cut my lip.
Let's see.
No.
If you cut it, let me see it.
Don't touch me!
Stay where you are!
Don't interfere with things
you know nothing about.
You look bewildered,
Dr. Desmond.
You're not as smug
as when we last met.
Not as complacent, but
then, what can you expect
from a man of science?
Powers of science are finite.
Mine are limitless, as
you'll come to know.
Do you know if Sherri
has had a history
of mental instability?
No.
You don't know?
She's never had any problems.
Peter, people
have been committed
with far less severe symptoms
than what you've related to me.
I know all that, Doctor.
There must be some
logical explanation,
but that's the eeriest
thing I've ever experienced.
Eerie is a subjective
evaluation, Peter.
Now tell me once again,
what, exactly, did she say?
She told me to
stay where I was,
and she started in on
how we last talked.
Me being a man of science.
A man of science?
With finite powers.
I was brought here while
I was unconscious, Doctor!
I don't care what your god
damn electrocardiogram says.
Mr. Reanhauer, you've had a
heart attack, try to relax.
I refused all
form of treatment!
Your powers are finite!
Mine are limitless.
I'll talk to Dr. Nelson.
He said limitless, huh?
We ought to let the
demented little twerp die.
Reanhauer is nuttier than
a box of Cracker Jacks.
And he will die.
He's perfectly within
his legal rights.
I don't think so.
I think the guy can be certified
for a trip to the looney bin.
So what are we gonna do?
Operate.
Judicial process is too slow.
Of course, we'll save the
little bastard's life,
we'll then have it out in court.
What's his condition now?
Asleep.
He's heavily sedated.
Good, keep him that way.
Did
Sherri have any contact
with this Reanhauer fellow?
Some, I don't know how much.
She was in the operating room.
Well, if we were
in the 17th century,
I'd be inclined to
diagnose her symptoms
as a classical
case of possession.
Yeates, how would've
Yeates put it?
Under the heavy loads
of trampled clay
lie the bodies of vampires
filled with blood,
their shrouds are bloody
and their lips are wet,
but this is the 20th century.
I wanna know if perhaps
this Reanhauer fellow
could have somehow implanted
his beliefs in Sherri.
I'll see what I can find out.
Thanks, Doctor.
Hey, you, wait.
You're Dr. Desmond?
Excuse me, I'm in a hurry.
I have to talk to you, Doctor.
Please excuse
me, I'm in a hurry.
I have to know
where his grave is.
Sorry, I can't help you.
You listen to me, Doctor.
I've got to know where he is!
You've been drinking, friend.
Damn right, I've
been drinking.
You don't just see ghosts
and walk away happy.
Sorry.
Reanhauer was your patient.
You know where he's buried.
Reanhauer?
He came back today.
I've got to burn him.
What are you talking about?
To destroy the spirit,
you've got to burn the body,
do you understand?
I've got to burn him, he
told me that a long time ago,
he told me that.
You come back tomorrow.
I've got to know today.
You understand,
I've got to know!
Listen, come back
tomorrow when you're sober!
Hey wait, damn it.
I've got to know.
Where is he buried?
Guy's crazy.
Where do you think you're
going, my friend?
Hey, Smiley.
That was really nice.
I could get used to it.
Might not be so bad.
That's a nice bracelet.
My grandmother gave that
to me a long time ago.
What are the faces for?
Those are Haitian demons.
Grandma lived in Haiti
most of her life.
She was a voodoo priestess.
The stories she told me
used to scare me out
of my wits as a kid.
The bracelet's to ward of
demons and bring good luck.
Really?
Really.
Hey, this may sound
way out to you,
but even though she's dead,
there are times I feel
she's still with me.
There were times when
playing ball, you know,
when holes opened where
they shouldn't have.
Wow.
You like it?
It's nice.
It's yours.
Who's there?
Me, Peter.
I tried to call
you, are you okay?
I don't know.
I don't feel well.
No, no, it's not that.
I don't feel right.
Sherri, you must tell me
something that's very important.
Do you remember
Thomas Reanhauer?
You shouldn't be laughing,
Sherri, I'm serious!
You have powers you haven't
yet begun to imagine.
I'm sorry, I can't help it.
But you can.
I see it in your aura.
You're one of the
chosen few, Sherri.
There are forces in
this universe far
greater than you know.
Don't be afraid.
Take my hand, come
with me, Sherri.
I'll introduce you to
the bliss that lies
beyond the borders of Hell.
Peter, my head, it hurts.
Sherri,
do you remember him?
Yeah.
He always talked to me
about strange things.
Peter, my head hurts.
You need to get some rest.
I'll get you a sedative.
No, I don't need
anything to sleep.
All right, but you call me
in the morning at the hospital.
I'll be on duty.
Okay.
Beth, do you remember a
patient named Thomas Reanhauer?
You were in the operating room.
Now I remember.
He was a strange one.
He was always talking about
the devil was protecting him.
He was kind of fond of Sherri.
Do you know she was the only
one that he really talked to?
Listen, if Sherri calls in,
tell her I'm on my way over.
Okay?
Hey, Marcus.
Got some good news for you.
You're goin' home tomorrow.
Hey, what's wrong?
Aren't you happy?
Tara, something is wrong.
What, Marcus?
I got this feeling
inside of me.
It's like, like...
You want me to get the doctor?
No.
It's not that.
It's something I can't explain.
Sherri?
Good to see you, Dr. Brown.
No.
I'm all right.
It's over.
Have you had seizures
like this before?
It wasn't a seizure.
I saw my grandmother have these
things when I was a child.
What things?
She called it 'possecion de diabla.'
She said she could feel
the force of a demon
overtaking and
possessing a human soul.
I'm gonna check
your medications.
Who's there?
Marcus,, my little one.
Grandma?
Yes, Marcus.
I have come to take you with me.
Why?
Your spirit shall
reside with me.
In Hell!
Sherri!
Sherri, what in the
hell is wrong with you?
All those responsible
for the death
of Thomas Reanhauer must die.
Must die.
You always were a
fool, Stevens.
You exhumed the wrong
body, fool.
No!
You're a sad sight,
Stevens.
No!
I'll get you!
Just look at you.
No!
Now the end is near for you.
No!
No!
You will join me!
No!
No!
No!
There's no other
recourse open to us, Peter.
Well, I can't even bring
myself to think about it.
You know very well
those snake pits
are nothing but warehouses
for human shells.
I can recommend a very
fine private sanitarium
which is nothing like
you've described.
Look, we can't think
of what's easy for us,
we've got to think about
what's best for Sherri.
That's exactly what I'm doing.
Well then you must
recognize the fact
that for the time being, anyway,
she's a danger to
herself and other people.
Where is she now?
I'll call an ambulance
and have her transported
to the sanitarium immediately.
No you won't.
She's resting comfortably
at her apartment.
I've got the best psychiatric
nurse caring for her.
I've given you my best advice.
If you don't choose
to follow it,
I can no longer assume
professional responsibility
for what happens to Sherri.
Peter!
Now you're not a psychiatrist.
You know absolutely nothing
about what you're dealing with.
That was my
grandmother's voice,
not the medication.
Yeah, hun, I know.
If we were in Haiti,
we'd have a.
A ceremony to rid her
of her possession.
How do they do that?
They find the
sanctuary of the demon.
Its grave.
My grandmother knew that a
person only becomes transformed
like Sherri when a
wondering, tortured soul
inhabits her body.
You must understand, Sherri
has no knowledge or control
over what she does while
the demon inhabits her body.
The only way to rid
her of the possession
is to cremate all corporeal
remains of the demon.
I was at the
operation when he died.
The location of his grave must
be in the hospital records.
Let's go.
All right, Beth Dillon, out.
You know, on second thought,
I don't think this
is such a good idea.
Come on.
I mean, who believes
in ghosts anyway?
Me, are you kidding?
The only ghost I
believe in is Casper.
What was that?
My foot.
Now come on.
All right.
Hurry.
Here, you take these.
Come on.
Beth?
You still behind me?
Beth!
This is crazy.
Let's get the hell out of here.
You heard what Marcus said.
We gotta do this for Sherri.
Really, Beth, is this any worse
than what we see in
the operating room?
Oh, yes!
Come on.
Stay behind me.
Why can't Sherri dig
up her own damn graves?
Beth!
Beth!
Oh, Tara.
Look, it's all right.
It was a twig, and we
both got a little scared.
Where are the shovels?
I must've dropped them.
Then we'll just
have to go back.
I'm not going back there.
Then I'll go by myself.
Oh, wait, I'm
gonna come with you.
They're just not here.
They have to be here.
Isn't this where you
said you dropped them?
Yes, this is where
I dropped them.
They're not here, you
can see for yourself.
They're just not here.
Well then, keep looking.
Found one.
And the other one, they
were here all the time.
Here, here.
Now let's go.
What do we say if
somebody sees us?
Tell them we're a
couple of campfire girls.
The grave has gotta
be around here.
For Christ's sake Tara,
there's over a thousand people
buried in this graveyard.
You'll never find that grave.
I don't believe it.
Sherri.
Nurse Gordon?
Sherri?
It's Peter.
Are you here?
Sure hope I'm not
diggin' my own grave.
I hit something.
Come on.
Let's clear the rest
of this earth away.
So we can open it up.
Open it up?
Come on.
I'll take the point of the
shovel, put it under the lid,
and you lift it.
Hello?
Hello?
I am not going back there.
Look, Beth.
The only way we can get
this thing over with
is to burn the body!
You're right.
Come on, let's go.
Matches.
Beth!
I can't find them.
Oh, here they are.
When the earthly remains
are destroyed by fire,
the demon is driven
from this world
and descends into Hell.
The possessed person
is freed completely
and can never be plagued
by this or any demon again.
When the demon
possessed Sherri's body,
Sherri had no control nor
knowledge of her actions.
Now that she is freed, she has
no memory of what she's done.
And what you're
saying, Marcus,
is that Sherri had no control
over what she was doing,
and now she'll return
to her normal self.
That's right, Doctor.
Thank you, Marcus.
Peter.
You know, Peter, it took
every bit of influence
the hospital has
to prevent the prosecution
of those two girls.
As for Marcus's explanation,
it's just one of those
primitive rationalizations
man has found
necessary to invent
so that he can interpret
the world in which he lives.
But Doctor, it all makes
sense, it all correlates.
A naive correlation, Peter.
We're men of science,
but we can avoid the trauma
of prosecution for Sherri.
I'll certify her
as insanity myself.
But she's as
sane as you and I...
Time, Peter.
Time is our strongest ally
in a matter like this.
We will achieve
results with Sherri.