Scalpel (1977) Synopsis

Dr. Phillip Reynolds (Robert Lansing) is making the opening speech for doctors who want to specialize in plastic surgery. He says he has to live ten minutes earlier, after joking that all plastic surgeons are conceited, only surpassed by neurosurgeons.He goes to the funeral of his father, Old Thorndike (Kermit Echols's voice), whom we expected to inherit. However, he gets nothing, and Uncle Bradley Austin Thorndike (Arlen Dean Snyder) only gets the responsibility of caring for a dog, as the five million fortune goes to his daughter, Heather (Judith Chapman). He leaves the funeral in a limousine with Bradley, after closing the door on an elderly lady (Clara Dunn) who inquires after the mystery of Heather having disappeared. This leads Dr Reynolds to remember his daughter making out with her boyfriend. When he is about to leave, Dr Phillips attacks him and kills him, making believe that he drowned in his swimming-pool because of being drunk. Heather sees it all from her bedroom window.Bradley says that he hopes that Heather shows up to claim the money. Bradley wonders why funerals are so depressing, and Phillip says that he is not depressed at all. They have dinner together, and Bradley announces that he wants to present candidacy as the estate's senator. He has already contested many elections, but never won anything. Bradley says that he wants a party in his funeral, and Phillip inquires since when he has been taking some pills for his heart. Dr Reynolds remembers that Thornbury thought that he was a devil for being a plastic surgeon. Philip says that he also blamed him for the death of poor Jennifer "Jenny" Reynolds (Laura Whyte).A striptease dancer (Lynda Simon) is pushed out of a night club wearing only her knickers. Jane (Judith Champman) is run over by the car of Dr Reynolds, as it was night, it was pouring down with rain... and he had drunk a lot. They take her to Emergency. Dr Reynolds calls the police, but then he says nothing and hangs up. He looks at the table portrait of his daughter. At this moment another doctor arrives. Doctor Sandy Williamson (Sandy Martin) asks where this woman comes from, as she has no ID and has been disfigured heavily, and she suggests to call her Jane, as in Jane Doe. Phillip lies and tells Sandy that he has already told the police. Dr Reynolds tells her to take care of Jane, who is just coming out from her coma. Dr Reynolds is even interested in knowing the eye colour of this girl.Dr Reynolds puts a pen on Jane's hand so that she can write her name, but she refuses. Her head and face has been heavily bandaged. Jane only writes and O, or a zero. Jane doesn't want to tell anybody about her problems, no family, no friends, no boyfriends. Dr Reynolds starts operating. Later, and still with her face and head heavily bandaged, Phillips takes Jane for a walk in a luxurious park. Philip has told the hospital that Jane is going home. Jane says that she feels panic when Philip looks at her like that. He presses her, saying that he wants her to have Heather's face, and promises to give her 2 and a half million dollars, half of the inheritance. He tells her that Thorndike loved Heather as much as he hated him, as he blamed Phillip for the death of his only daughter, Jenny. Jane has to learn the life and identify of the people who have met Heather. The only problem is that Heather was an excellent pianist, having played with the Atlanta Symphonic Orchestra at 16. But Jane cannot play at all. Heather had sent a recorded letter, and that's how Jane learns to talk like her. Jane realises that they haven't talked about Jenny. Phillip says that she suffered an accident when she swam in the deep part of a lake by mistake. The flashback shows Phillip passing close to her and not moving a finger to save her life.Philip stares at Jane while she is sleeping, making him a type of stalker.Dr Philip Reynolds takes out most of the bandages carefully. Jane looks like a zombie, with grey skinand one or two huge scars on her face. However, Philip thinks that she is ready to meet the family.At a party, Keith Jarvey (Larry Quackenbush) is flirting with Jane/Heather. She doesn't want Philip to go far away. Aunt Margaret (Muriel Moore) approach them. Margaret mentions an anecdote about Uncle George, her late husband, who had a beard that 5-year-old Heather set in fire. Jane says that she can't remember it. Maddie Schuster (Mimi Honce) calls for Jane's attention irritatingly, but Jane keeps her cool and is polite. Bradley introduces Jane to Dr. Robert Dean (David Scarroll), a renown hospital psychiatrist. A woman in the party (Ellen Heard) criticizes Thorndike, as he didn't give any money to charity. Bradley makes a toast in honour of Heather. Jane says that her and "Dad" are going to have a holiday together to know each other better, as she is not the girl she used to be anymore. Bradley makes a short speech and says that Heather is going to play the piano. Jane sits down at the piano elegantly, while everybody gathers around. She plays four or five notes, but Philipintervenes, saying that she doesn't need to play. Mencys inquires if she is all right. Philip takes her out to have some fresh air.Jane signs for her inheritance with Mr. Ward Clyde (Warde Q. Butler), who says that there are no conditions on the inheritance. She can even take the money in a briefcase if she wants. Her first decision is to give 2,5 million to her father as a gift. Philip is about to protest, but she will give the money to him. They speak about how not to pay taxes, and Philip tells her to let accountants take care of her money. Philip compares Jane and Heather, and he says that Heather was not as sophisticated as Jane. Jane doesn't want to have her old face. They french kiss and make love. Philip proposes to go somewhere and have fun, so they finally go to a joyride.Bradley calls on them, and says that he has always wanted in inherit that mansion, a monument to an old way of living that has died away. He wants Jane to play the piano. Philip says that Dr Dean has told her not to play for a while, as Heather is supposed to have some kind of trauma related to it. Bradley forces Jane to sit at the piano, and a discordant noise is heard when he pushes her hands onto the keys. He has discovered the deception.Philip pushes Bradley away, who has a heart attack. Philip takes Bradley's pills away and lets him die,while Jane tries to convince him otherwise... but weakly. Bradley's wish of having a party is conceded, and a swing band (John Barbe, Thomas J. Howard Jr., James W. Hudson, Wesley John Jackson, John Thomas Kelly, Ralph E. Mays, Allen Murphy, Julius Wimby) are playing. When they arrive home, the table is set. Philip knows immediately that Heather is present. Heather has come back and has cooked dinner. Heather is enthusiastic and wants to know Jane. Heather offers to have dinner with both of them. Jane looks terrified, but both Philip and Jane look startled. Heather has a different personality: she is a femme fatale who smokes and plots. She is more direct, more rebellious.Heather is not ready to meet the rest of the family yet. Meanwhile, Jane is listening. Heather looks more like a lover of Philip than his daughter.Heather doesn't know that Granfather Thorndike has died. Her father gives her the news. Heather becomes silent and expresses her sadness by playing the piano. She strolls at the mansion garden on her own. Jane drinks too much. Jane is drunk and mentions that there are no gentlemen anymore, not even Philip.He tells Heather that Grandfather left all his money to the university. Jane goes to sleep while Heather sings a song she used to sing with her father. Jane thinks that Heather is mocking the both of them, but Philip says that Heather doesn't.Jane envies Heather's room. She mentions that she never smoked. Heather tells her to go away. Heather feels that Jane doesn't belong to the mansion as she does. Each one wishes that the other would go away. Heather proposes that they imitate one another, but Jane says that Philip would notice the difference with he had sex with her.Heather and Jane play tennis. Heather is bad at it. Heather wants to see Mr Branch (Tad Currie). Jane stops playing, annoyed. Heather says it is not good that the grandfather left all the money to the university. Jane and Philip plot Heather's death. Jane is unconvinced. Philip is hiring an assassin (Greg Oliver), who at that moment is speaking to the bartender (Bruce Atkins). Jane says that she almost prefers to be the one who dies, but then she says that she will always be Philip's little girl. It is taken for granted that Reynolds hires Toby.A bar brawl breaks out and Jane and Philip Reynolds go away.A plumber shows up. Heather lets him in. Meanwhile, Jane is swimming in the lake where Jenny has died. Later, the plumber goes up the stairs with a blood-stained hand. However, he has not killed Heather = he is a real plumber who has hurt himself solving the problem on the piping at the basement. He says that he worksasa bartender part-time, and he reminiscences about late Heather's boyfriend Donald Neumann (Stanley "Stan" Wojno). That makes Heather sad, who softly says that he died. Focus on Jane. Is she dead on the late? No, she was just playing around until Philip whistles. He has stayed on the shore.The police arrive. Philip shows his driving license to the policeman. Heather identifies herself as his daughter. Philip says that she was a hitch-hiker he has found near the lake. Heather insists she is Heather. The police officer points his gun at Heather - it looks that Jane was the one speaking to the plumber and Heather was the one swimming at the lake. But then she says that they have finally exchanged her roles. The police officer tries to arrest her but she runs away. First it looks like it is Heather, and then that is Jane, as she calls him "Reynolds". She runs away after having kicked still bikini-clad while Toby, the killer disguised as a police officer runs after her. Although both trip while running around the forest, Toby catches her.Reynolds goes back home and calls for Heather. He relaxes at his bedroom, while a car approaches. Somebody drove Heather home.Heather says that she went for a stroll. She asks where Jane is. Philip tells Heather that Jane had an accident at the lake and has died. Dad says that Jane was jealous of the love between Philip and Heather. Heather asks for the keys of the car. He doesn't want to, as he is afraid Heather will runaway again, but she says that she wants to buy steak to make a wonderful dinner for them both, to celebrate that Jane is not alive anymore,as Heather has never liked Jane.Both sit down, and Philips asks her where she went that night. She asks which night. He says "you know what night I'm talking about, the night Donald died." Philip says that he saw Donald raping her. Heather says it was not rape. Philip tells her that he will take care of her forever. Philip is still afraid of her running away again. Philip is obsessed with Heather. He says that Jane used to be a good imitation of what Heather is. Heather is terrified and cries when Philip tries to rape her. Jane kicks him in the back of his head with a frying pan.Jane hugs Heather, still crying hysterically. Jane calls him "son of a bitch", and mentions that he couldn't distinguish them when they were not together. Jane is dressed with the clothes of Toby.Heather has a syringe. When Jane asks what that is, she says that Bobby, that is, Dr Robert Dean, her psychiatrist, had given it to her. Heather says that she has been at the psychiatric clinic, hidden away since she saw her dad throwing Donald to the lake. Jane inquires who Donald is. Heather's Gradfather was the only one who really knew where Heather was. It took a long time, more than the expected 6 months - a year and a half - for Heather to remember what Philip Reynolds had done. Jane also gets emotional when Heather tells her story. Heather finally realised how sick her dad was. She also asks Jane what happened with Uncle Bradley. Jane tells how Philip Reynolds caused him to die.Dr Robert Dean is medicating Philip, who is having a nightmare.Reynolds wakes up. Dean says that Heather has brought him there because he has been speaking about an imaginary person called Jane. Reynolds laughs maniacally. Heather and Philip stare at each other. Dean proposes medication and total isolation, although recovery is doubtful.Reynolds imagines Heather, Dean and Grandad Thorndike doing weird things like playing jojo. Then, he doesn't know if he is kissing Jenny, Jane or Heather.It looks like it is Heather, who is present, as she is smoking. He feels his face is melting away and screams in agony. He is put into a straight jacket and is taken away by Michael Fedack and Tom Pietschner. Jane goes in the ambulance with the attendants and Philip towards the airport.Dr Dean tells Heather that Philip will be in treatment until he is cured to their satisfaction. It looks as though Heather and Dr Dean are lovers.Jane remembers how Philip told her that she would never lose her new face. She bids him goodbye, kisses him and takes away her blouse. The phone rings at Dr Dean's office. Heather says to let it ring. They embrace and french kiss.Clyde and Branch are meeting Heather, dressed in a yellow dress and giving her a 2,5 million yellow suitcase with cash money. The ask about the present for her dad, but Heather says they should put it in her bank accont and invest it wisely on her behalf.Heather takes the money and boards a private plane happy as happy can be.

Dr. Phillip Reynolds (Robert Lansing) is making the opening speech for doctors who want to specialize in plastic surgery. He says he has to live ten minutes earlier, after joking that all plastic surgeons are conceited, only surpassed by neurosurgeons.He goes to the funeral of his father, Old Thorndike (Kermit Echols's voice), whom we expected to inherit. However, he gets nothing, and Uncle Bradley Austin Thorndike (Arlen Dean Snyder) only gets the responsibility of caring for a dog, as the five million fortune goes to his daughter, Heather (Judith Chapman). He leaves the funeral in a limousine with Bradley, after closing the door on an elderly lady (Clara Dunn) who inquires after the mystery of Heather having disappeared. This leads Dr Reynolds to remember his daughter making out with her boyfriend. When he is about to leave, Dr Phillips attacks him and kills him, making believe that he drowned in his swimming-pool because of being drunk. Heather sees it all from her bedroom window.Bradley says that he hopes that Heather shows up to claim the money. Bradley wonders why funerals are so depressing, and Phillip says that he is not depressed at all. They have dinner together, and Bradley announces that he wants to present candidacy as the estate's senator. He has already contested many elections, but never won anything. Bradley says that he wants a party in his funeral, and Phillip inquires since when he has been taking some pills for his heart. Dr Reynolds remembers that Thornbury thought that he was a devil for being a plastic surgeon. Philip says that he also blamed him for the death of poor Jennifer "Jenny" Reynolds (Laura Whyte).A striptease dancer (Lynda Simon) is pushed out of a night club wearing only her knickers. Jane (Judith Champman) is run over by the car of Dr Reynolds, as it was night, it was pouring down with rain... and he had drunk a lot. They take her to Emergency. Dr Reynolds calls the police, but then he says nothing and hangs up. He looks at the table portrait of his daughter. At this moment another doctor arrives. Doctor Sandy Williamson (Sandy Martin) asks where this woman comes from, as she has no ID and has been disfigured heavily, and she suggests to call her Jane, as in Jane Doe. Phillip lies and tells Sandy that he has already told the police. Dr Reynolds tells her to take care of Jane, who is just coming out from her coma. Dr Reynolds is even interested in knowing the eye colour of this girl.Dr Reynolds puts a pen on Jane's hand so that she can write her name, but she refuses. Her head and face has been heavily bandaged. Jane only writes and O, or a zero. Jane doesn't want to tell anybody about her problems, no family, no friends, no boyfriends. Dr Reynolds starts operating. Later, and still with her face and head heavily bandaged, Phillips takes Jane for a walk in a luxurious park. Philip has told the hospital that Jane is going home. Jane says that she feels panic when Philip looks at her like that. He presses her, saying that he wants her to have Heather's face, and promises to give her 2 and a half million dollars, half of the inheritance. He tells her that Thorndike loved Heather as much as he hated him, as he blamed Phillip for the death of his only daughter, Jenny. Jane has to learn the life and identify of the people who have met Heather. The only problem is that Heather was an excellent pianist, having played with the Atlanta Symphonic Orchestra at 16. But Jane cannot play at all. Heather had sent a recorded letter, and that's how Jane learns to talk like her. Jane realises that they haven't talked about Jenny. Phillip says that she suffered an accident when she swam in the deep part of a lake by mistake. The flashback shows Phillip passing close to her and not moving a finger to save her life.Philip stares at Jane while she is sleeping, making him a type of stalker.Dr Philip Reynolds takes out most of the bandages carefully. Jane looks like a zombie, with grey skinand one or two huge scars on her face. However, Philip thinks that she is ready to meet the family.At a party, Keith Jarvey (Larry Quackenbush) is flirting with Jane/Heather. She doesn't want Philip to go far away. Aunt Margaret (Muriel Moore) approach them. Margaret mentions an anecdote about Uncle George, her late husband, who had a beard that 5-year-old Heather set in fire. Jane says that she can't remember it. Maddie Schuster (Mimi Honce) calls for Jane's attention irritatingly, but Jane keeps her cool and is polite. Bradley introduces Jane to Dr. Robert Dean (David Scarroll), a renown hospital psychiatrist. A woman in the party (Ellen Heard) criticizes Thorndike, as he didn't give any money to charity. Bradley makes a toast in honour of Heather. Jane says that her and "Dad" are going to have a holiday together to know each other better, as she is not the girl she used to be anymore. Bradley makes a short speech and says that Heather is going to play the piano. Jane sits down at the piano elegantly, while everybody gathers around. She plays four or five notes, but Philipintervenes, saying that she doesn't need to play. Mencys inquires if she is all right. Philip takes her out to have some fresh air.Jane signs for her inheritance with Mr. Ward Clyde (Warde Q. Butler), who says that there are no conditions on the inheritance. She can even take the money in a briefcase if she wants. Her first decision is to give 2,5 million to her father as a gift. Philip is about to protest, but she will give the money to him. They speak about how not to pay taxes, and Philip tells her to let accountants take care of her money. Philip compares Jane and Heather, and he says that Heather was not as sophisticated as Jane. Jane doesn't want to have her old face. They french kiss and make love. Philip proposes to go somewhere and have fun, so they finally go to a joyride.Bradley calls on them, and says that he has always wanted in inherit that mansion, a monument to an old way of living that has died away. He wants Jane to play the piano. Philip says that Dr Dean has told her not to play for a while, as Heather is supposed to have some kind of trauma related to it. Bradley forces Jane to sit at the piano, and a discordant noise is heard when he pushes her hands onto the keys. He has discovered the deception.Philip pushes Bradley away, who has a heart attack. Philip takes Bradley's pills away and lets him die,while Jane tries to convince him otherwise... but weakly. Bradley's wish of having a party is conceded, and a swing band (John Barbe, Thomas J. Howard Jr., James W. Hudson, Wesley John Jackson, John Thomas Kelly, Ralph E. Mays, Allen Murphy, Julius Wimby) are playing. When they arrive home, the table is set. Philip knows immediately that Heather is present. Heather has come back and has cooked dinner. Heather is enthusiastic and wants to know Jane. Heather offers to have dinner with both of them. Jane looks terrified, but both Philip and Jane look startled. Heather has a different personality: she is a femme fatale who smokes and plots. She is more direct, more rebellious.Heather is not ready to meet the rest of the family yet. Meanwhile, Jane is listening. Heather looks more like a lover of Philip than his daughter.Heather doesn't know that Granfather Thorndike has died. Her father gives her the news. Heather becomes silent and expresses her sadness by playing the piano. She strolls at the mansion garden on her own. Jane drinks too much. Jane is drunk and mentions that there are no gentlemen anymore, not even Philip.He tells Heather that Grandfather left all his money to the university. Jane goes to sleep while Heather sings a song she used to sing with her father. Jane thinks that Heather is mocking the both of them, but Philip says that Heather doesn't.Jane envies Heather's room. She mentions that she never smoked. Heather tells her to go away. Heather feels that Jane doesn't belong to the mansion as she does. Each one wishes that the other would go away. Heather proposes that they imitate one another, but Jane says that Philip would notice the difference with he had sex with her.Heather and Jane play tennis. Heather is bad at it. Heather wants to see Mr Branch (Tad Currie). Jane stops playing, annoyed. Heather says it is not good that the grandfather left all the money to the university. Jane and Philip plot Heather's death. Jane is unconvinced. Philip is hiring an assassin (Greg Oliver), who at that moment is speaking to the bartender (Bruce Atkins). Jane says that she almost prefers to be the one who dies, but then she says that she will always be Philip's little girl. It is taken for granted that Reynolds hires Toby.A bar brawl breaks out and Jane and Philip Reynolds go away.A plumber shows up. Heather lets him in. Meanwhile, Jane is swimming in the lake where Jenny has died. Later, the plumber goes up the stairs with a blood-stained hand. However, he has not killed Heather = he is a real plumber who has hurt himself solving the problem on the piping at the basement. He says that he worksasa bartender part-time, and he reminiscences about late Heather's boyfriend Donald Neumann (Stanley "Stan" Wojno). That makes Heather sad, who softly says that he died. Focus on Jane. Is she dead on the late? No, she was just playing around until Philip whistles. He has stayed on the shore.The police arrive. Philip shows his driving license to the policeman. Heather identifies herself as his daughter. Philip says that she was a hitch-hiker he has found near the lake. Heather insists she is Heather. The police officer points his gun at Heather - it looks that Jane was the one speaking to the plumber and Heather was the one swimming at the lake. But then she says that they have finally exchanged her roles. The police officer tries to arrest her but she runs away. First it looks like it is Heather, and then that is Jane, as she calls him "Reynolds". She runs away after having kicked still bikini-clad while Toby, the killer disguised as a police officer runs after her. Although both trip while running around the forest, Toby catches her.Reynolds goes back home and calls for Heather. He relaxes at his bedroom, while a car approaches. Somebody drove Heather home.Heather says that she went for a stroll. She asks where Jane is. Philip tells Heather that Jane had an accident at the lake and has died. Dad says that Jane was jealous of the love between Philip and Heather. Heather asks for the keys of the car. He doesn't want to, as he is afraid Heather will runaway again, but she says that she wants to buy steak to make a wonderful dinner for them both, to celebrate that Jane is not alive anymore,as Heather has never liked Jane.Both sit down, and Philips asks her where she went that night. She asks which night. He says "you know what night I'm talking about, the night Donald died." Philip says that he saw Donald raping her. Heather says it was not rape. Philip tells her that he will take care of her forever. Philip is still afraid of her running away again. Philip is obsessed with Heather. He says that Jane used to be a good imitation of what Heather is. Heather is terrified and cries when Philip tries to rape her. Jane kicks him in the back of his head with a frying pan.Jane hugs Heather, still crying hysterically. Jane calls him "son of a bitch", and mentions that he couldn't distinguish them when they were not together. Jane is dressed with the clothes of Toby.Heather has a syringe. When Jane asks what that is, she says that Bobby, that is, Dr Robert Dean, her psychiatrist, had given it to her. Heather says that she has been at the psychiatric clinic, hidden away since she saw her dad throwing Donald to the lake. Jane inquires who Donald is. Heather's Gradfather was the only one who really knew where Heather was. It took a long time, more than the expected 6 months - a year and a half - for Heather to remember what Philip Reynolds had done. Jane also gets emotional when Heather tells her story. Heather finally realised how sick her dad was. She also asks Jane what happened with Uncle Bradley. Jane tells how Philip Reynolds caused him to die.Dr Robert Dean is medicating Philip, who is having a nightmare.Reynolds wakes up. Dean says that Heather has brought him there because he has been speaking about an imaginary person called Jane. Reynolds laughs maniacally. Heather and Philip stare at each other. Dean proposes medication and total isolation, although recovery is doubtful.Reynolds imagines Heather, Dean and Grandad Thorndike doing weird things like playing jojo. Then, he doesn't know if he is kissing Jenny, Jane or Heather.It looks like it is Heather, who is present, as she is smoking. He feels his face is melting away and screams in agony. He is put into a straight jacket and is taken away by Michael Fedack and Tom Pietschner. Jane goes in the ambulance with the attendants and Philip towards the airport.Dr Dean tells Heather that Philip will be in treatment until he is cured to their satisfaction. It looks as though Heather and Dr Dean are lovers.Jane remembers how Philip told her that she would never lose her new face. She bids him goodbye, kisses him and takes away her blouse. The phone rings at Dr Dean's office. Heather says to let it ring. They embrace and french kiss.Clyde and Branch are meeting Heather, dressed in a yellow dress and giving her a 2,5 million yellow suitcase with cash money. The ask about the present for her dad, but Heather says they should put it in her bank accont and invest it wisely on her behalf.Heather takes the money and boards a private plane happy as happy can be.

Published Time: 2021-09-26 20:39:43