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704 Gallery
704
Number

695

Timeline

1897

Narrator

Joan Bennett

Writer

Gordon Russell

Director

Lela Swift

Broadcast

March 6, 1969
(Thursday)

Recorded

February 27, 1969
(Thursday)

Video

Complete: Disc 73
Collection 13: Disc 1

704 Gallery
We have 4 images of Dark Shadows 704

Barnabas formally introduces himself to the Collins family of 1897, and arranges to stay in the Old House. Meanwhile, Quentin is determined to learn the dark family secret.

Synopsis[]

Teaser

The great house at Collinwood stands deserted. The living have sought refuge elsewhere, leaving an evil spirit to roam the cold empty corridors alone. For some, this night will seem an eternity. Barnabas Collins remains in a deep trance. He has employed the mysterious powers of the I-Ching, and gone through the door to the infinite, hoping to find and defeat the spirit that haunts Collinwood. But beyond the door, he has been transported back in time to the year 1897, a time of intrigue and terror for all who lived at Collinwood.

Quentin questions the validity of Barnabas' story. Suspicious of his true motives, Quentin pulls a sword from the wall and holds it at Barnabas' throat. He tells Barnabas about his recent visit to England and discovery that there was no English branch of the family then gives him five minutes to tell Quentin exactly who he is, or else he will run him through.

Act I

Quentin tells Barnabas he thinks he is a fraud, and Barnabas asks what it is Quentin thinks he is after. Quentin waves the question off and Barnabas insists that he represents the English branch of the Collins family, and implies that he knew Quentin was in England, but his bad reputation had preceded him and that was why the family did not bother to contact him. Quentin is steadfast, but Judith enters the room with the tea service and commands Quentin to put the sword down. Quentin tells Judith that Barnabas is a fraud, but Judith submits that it is obvious Barnabas is a member of the family, and even if he were not that Quentin’s actions are inexcusable. Judith demands that Quentin apologize and Barnabas tells him that he and the rest of the English family are quite wealthy. This changes Quentin’s attitude considerably and he offers a weak apology. Tempers cool down, and Judith welcomes Barnabas into the family. Barnabas inquires about the Old House and requests the use of it during his stay in Collinsport. Judith apologizes that she cannot grant this request as the Old house is occupied by gypsies who got on Edith’s good side. Barnabas asks if he can speak to Edith and convince her to change the arrangement, but Judith insists Edith is too sick to see anyone, but offers to talk to her when she is feeling better. Barnabas asks if he may walk over to the house to inspect it and Quentin escorts him to the front door.

Judith tries to telephone her brother, Edward, in Boston, but Quentin grabs the telephone and stops her from placing the call. Judith tells Quentin that Grandmama told her to call Edward and tell him she is dying. Quentin suggests to Judith that if Grandmother knew Edward was not able to make it in time, then she would be forced to tell one of them the family secret. Judith insists she must call Edward, but Quentin tells her to lie to Edith. Judith says nothing, but leaves the room without making the call.

On the path towards the Old House, Barnabas runs into Beth Chavez, Recognizing her as a spirit that haunts Collinwood in 1969, he startles her when he calls her by name.

Act II

Beth tries to walk away calmly, but Barnabas begins talking to her. Beth asks who he is and how he knows her name. He tells her he saw her photograph with the children and says he assumed she was a Collins. Beth corrects him, indicating that she is merely a servant. She excuses herself and Barnabas tells her he hopes he will see her at Collinwood with the children, Jamison and Nora. He apologizes for not remembering the name of the other child and Beth tells him there is no other child. Barnabas purses the topic of the other child and Beth scurries away. Once she leaves Barnabas wonders why she if she is lying about the third child or if (s)he has already died and is buried.

Beth returns to Collinwood and runs into Quentin. Quentin accuses Beth of spending time with her "gentleman friend". Beth snubs Quentin, smirks and leaves towards the interior of the building.

Barnabas heads into Collinsport, where he finds a compact lying on the docks. A woman named Sophie Baker is wandering the docks looking for the compact and trying to get a drunken man named Charlie to help her look for it. Parting company with Charlie, Sophie is startled by Barnabas who asks if she is looking for something. She tells him of the compact, which was given to her by Captain Strathmore. Barnabas returns the compact to her and she puts it away, then begins to flirt with Barnabas. The hunger for blood begins to overwhelm Barnabas and he tries to resist giving in, excusing himself, but Sophie keeps clinging to him and asks him if he will escort her back to the The Blue Whale. Barnabas agrees, but before they leave Sophie draws out the compact to reapply her makeup and notices Barnabas has no reflection. She begins to panic and Barnabas bares his fangs, biting Sophie in the neck.

Act III

Back at Collinwood, Quentin stops Beth as she is bringing a tray of food to Edith's room. Quentin asks Beth to put down the tray and talk to him, but she refuses, saying the food will get cold, but she puts the tray down anyway when Quentin tells her he needs her help in order to talk to Edith. Beth asks if he really thinks he can fool Edith into revealing “the big, dark secret”. Quentin tries to charm Beth, but she resists his touch and accuses him of being an opportunist. She tells him she is very happy with her job and cannot help him. Quentin notices that the tray contains more food than Edith could possibly eat, and begins to suspect Beth’s true motives. Beth tells her that Miss Judith will eat most of it as she sits with Edith.

Meanwhile, Judith watches over Edith, telling her she was unable to reach Edward. Edith frets that Edward must arrive soon. She tells Judith she is thankful of Judith’s devotion and that she will be rewarded for it. Beth brings Edith's food inside, warning Judith that Quentin stopped her and noticed the food and has been asking a lot of questions. Judith tells her that they need to start being "more careful" with how they handle things. She tells Beth to go upstairs and not let anyone see her. Edith asks what they were whispering about, but apparently did not hear enough of this mysterious exchange between the two women.

As the clock strikes 11pm, Judith checks Edith and leaves the room. Quentin sees her leave, as he is hiding in a corner and enters Edith's room. As he does she awakens and calls out, asking if it is Edward. He tells her yes, but she recognizes his voice. He grasps her about the shoulders and demands for her to tell him the family secret.

Memorable quotes[]

Quentin: I'd suggest you start talking. Five minutes go by rather quickly when a man is about to die.

Barnabas: Any man who would put a sword at another man's throat moments after they met is hardly the sort of person that relatives would want to meet.

Edith: No, no, it isn't Edward. Quentin, I know your voice. I'm not as far gone as you think.
Quentin: Yes. Yes you are.
Edith: What do you mean?
Quentin: I mean that you are going to die tonight. But before you do, you are going to tell me the secret! Aren't you, Grandmother?!

Edith: (to Judith) You have been very faithful to me.

Dramatis personae[]

Background information and notes[]

Production[]

  • The opening narration for this episode is the same as the one used in 703 and 705.
  • The woman that Barnabas meets in Collinsport is named Sophie Baker. However, in the closing credits her name is listed as "Sophie Barnes."
  • This is the earliest reference in linear time to The Blue Whale. Before 1897 residents of Collinsport frequented the Eagle.

Story[]

  • In other episodes, Edith is referred to as "Grandmama" (Grand-muh-ma), but in this episode both Quentin and Judith call her "Grandmother."
  • A vampire is shown to cast no image in a mirror when Sophie asks Barnabas why she cannot see him in her compact mirror.
  • Edward is currently in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Captain Strathmore was a kind gentleman who gave Sophie her compact.
  • Quentin says he was in England for over six months and never encountered anyone named Collins. In the previous episode he stated he was there for "the better part of six months," which would be less than six months.
  • Powder compacts of the type Sophie carries were invented after the turn of the century and were relatively rare until World War I, when women entered the workforce.
  • Edith is using the same bedroom, or one with a similar layout, to that which will be later occupied by Victoria Winters in the present day as first seen in 2.
  • TIMELINE: 8pm: Quentin asks for Beth's help. 11pm at the end of the episode and the start of the next.

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

  • A boom microphone appears two separate times during the drawing room scene when Judith tells Quentin to put away his sword.
  • Barnabas meets Beth and acts like she is his old friend without any apparent reason. Jonathan Frid also flubs, "Barnabas Collin is my name," without an "s".
  • Jonathan Frid stammers over his lines during the Sophie Baker scene; however, this could be attributed to his character's attempt to resist his vampiric bloodlust.
  • The right side of the screen is out of focus as Beth steps into the foyer.
  • During the end credits, the Dan Curtis Productions logo gets stuck after having gone too far up the screen.
  • Powder compacts, as Sophie Baker was using, had not been invented in 1897.

External Links []

Dark Shadows - Episode 704 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 704 - It Just So Happens

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