"Tales from the Crypt" Retro Recap: "Mute Witness to Murder"

Written by Scotty

There are some events in life that can change the way you see the world going forward.  But there are other events that you may witness, or experience first hand that will change the way you behave, for the worse.  Hopefully you are able to learn from all of your life’s events, since that is what living life is all about in my eyes, learning.  And if you are part of or witness some sort of traumatic event, I hope you do not change who you are completely, but hope you have some sort of takeaway from it.

Suzy and Paul are celebrating their anniversary out on their terrace with a couple of friends.  As Paul starts putting the moves on his wife, their friends kindly remove themselves from the situation so they do not get in the way.  Paul loves his wife so much and will do anything for her and he wants to show her that with a new piece of jewelry.  Leaving Suzy alone on the terrace for a matter of minutes however, she sees something so gruesome across the way in the adjacent building that will change her life forever, a murder.

Paul comes back to find his wife traumatized by something, but with Suzy not being able to speak, he will never know what really happened.  Calling their friendly neighbor who is also a doctor, Paul is certain that he can get his wife back to normal.  When Dr. Trask arrives at the apartment, Suzy recognizes him as the man that just performed the heinous act earlier in the night.  Asking where the young bride was standing when she suffered her breakdown, Dr. Trask finds out that there was a witness to his actions and will have to find a way to keep the recently muted woman a mute and comes up with a plan to move her to his asylum.

Being drugged a placed in a strait jacket by the murderer, Suzy has been locked up for her own safety and although Paul wants to get her back as soon as possible, Trask is not willing to let his wife leave the hospital.  Promising that she will be released when she is better, Suzy is pumped full of drugs to keep her as quiet as possible, but when Paul comes in to see what is happening to his wife, he finds that there is something wrong with her treatment.  Yelling at Trask, Paul is asked to leave and will not be allowed to see his wife without the doctor’s supervision going forward.  But the doctor has another problem of his own, a weak heart that he is required to take medication for if he gets to excited. Keeping himself from falling into limbo like Suzy, Trask has one final meeting with the couple to discuss what the next steps will be in Suzy’s recovery, but as Paul gets ready to release his wife, he receives a dose of medication that is reserved for the crazies and is choked to death by the good doctor.  With this happening right in front of her very eyes, Suzy mutters her husband’s name and finds out that she is cured, but will she have enough strength to battle off the murderous doctor or can she beat him at his own game?

A story of love and lies, as Paul loves his wife very much, but Dr. Trask lies about Suzy’s condition.  Watching as the young woman is locked away in a padded room is tough, especially when there is nothing wrong with her with the exception of not being able to talk.  Watching as the medication takes hold of the patents is a little bit disturbing, as the fade into nothingness and would have to submit to anything that the doctor wants.  Starring Richard Thomas as Dr. Trask, Patricia Clarkson as Suzy and Reed Birney as Paul, the group seemed to pull together quite nicely as the story played and all efforts were being made for Suzy to get better, or as the lies about her true condition came to light.  Until next time kiddies, Stay Scared.

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