Leo Genn credited as playing...
Dr. Mark Kik
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: It was strange, here I was among all those people, and at the same time I felt as if I were looking at them from some place far away, the whole place seemed to me like a deep hole and the people down in it like strange animals, like... like snakes, and I've been thrown into it... yes... as though... as though I were in a snake pit...
- Doctor Mark Kik: A snake pit?
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Later, weeks later, I understood. I remembered once reading in a book that long ago they used to put insane people into pits full of snakes. I think they figured that something which might drive a normal person insane, might shock an insane person back into sanity. Did you ever hear of that?
- Doctor Mark Kik: Yes.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Well, it was just as though they'd thrown me into a snake pit. And I was shocked into thinking that maybe I wasn't as sick as the others... and I really might get well.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: [sighs] It's funny.
- Doctor Mark Kik: What is it?
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Everything you've said seems to make sense. I feel as though I know it,
- [places hand on her heart]
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: here...
- Doctor Mark Kik: But you don't quite understand it all, here?
- [points, with his pipe, to his head]
- Doctor Mark Kik: Don't worry, it doesn't matter. You may never know *why* everything happened, but now you do know *how* and *where* it started, and that *does* matter. Look, it's as though you were in a dark room, like this one...
- [turns off light switch]
- Doctor Mark Kik: ... now. And you wanted to turn on the light. But, you couldn't, because you didn't know where the switch was. Now you *do*. You may never know *why* turning that switch makes the light go on, but you don't *have* to. As long as you know *where* it is, you don't ever have to be afraid being in the dark again. And that, I'm sure, you'll be able to do very soon.
- Dr. Jonathan Gifford: Now now, doctor, we're not trying to minimize the importance of the treatment you're giving your patient.
- Dr. Curtis: The trouble is for you each case is 'the one,' and for us it's one of thousands.
- Doctor Mark Kik: Yes, Curtis, one of thousands, even millions. But only by trying to make each case 'the one' can we really help the patient.
- Dr. Curtis: I happen to have here some of the more recent statistics. Ah yes, here they are. Sometimes even we doctors must face reality.