Elizabeth and Laura head for a fiery confrontation over young David.

Synopsis

Teaser

My name is Victoria Winters. The flames in the fireplace at Collinwood blazed firecely as a painting was consumed by fire. But no one at Collinwood can explain the unearthly scream that filled the great house.

Victoria has just seen Sam out, and he was very disturbed. She wonders where the scream came from; Roger suspects that wind blowing in the chimney is responsible for what they heard. He searches for logic; using this, Victoria wants to figure out how David's face got into the painting.

Act I

Roger drinks to avoid further discussion of the painting/scream and Victoria preps him for telling David about its destruction. Elizabeth, who has been walking around the grounds, comes in and Roger recaps recent events. Victoria insists that Mrs. Stoddard be told everything, and Roger is rude to her. She leaves to check on David's dinner. Roger tells Elizabeth that Sam dropped by and had a feeling that the painting had been finished, as it had been. Elizabeth tries to get Roger to admit he's disturbed by a painting of Laura and David in fire. Has he thought of David? Of course not.

Act II

David finds the painting missing and begins to threaten and yell at Roger. He realizes his father took it, and demands that it be returned to him. He insists the painting is trying to tell him something and that he almost had it figured out. Roger tells him the painting was destroyed; David cries for a second and then says to Roger, "You burned it! You burned it!" Roger doesn't know how he knows. David mourns his painting at the fire. Elizabeth berates Roger after David runs out screaming. She sees through his campaign to get rid of David. She tells Roger that she's going to tell Laura that she can't see David anymore. She's sick of Laura's mystery.

Act III

David is in tears and Victoria tries to console him. She explains why she couldn't prevent the painting's destruction. Elizabeth goes to the Cottage and she and Laura drop the airs. Elizabeth makes her strong statement after Laura regrets the progress she's made with David. Laura is upset and insists she just needs more time with David. Elizabeth says no, especially not tonight because David's painting was destroyed. She says Laura needs to leave David alone and give him more time. Laura says time is the one thing she doesn't have. Which of them will be the timekeeper?

Act IV

David asks Victoria to tell him the story of the Phoenix so he can fall asleep. Laura goes to her window and stares out into the night. Elizabeth returns and tells Roger of her statement and the impending stalemate with Laura. David weeps, then wakes up and speaks with his mother, who has appeared in his room. Laura gives him a handkerchief and David falls into a deep sleep.

Memorable quotes

Roger: Vicki, you are the master of the understatement.

---

Roger: "I decided that the time had come to destroy the painting, the ashes of which lie yonder."

Dramatis personae

• ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
• ← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins →
• ← Diana Millay as Laura Collins →
• ← David Henesy as David Collins →
• ← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters →

Background information and notes

Production

Story

• TIMELINE: It was the "other night" when Laura told David the story of the Phoenix. (This occurred in episode 140, which was five on-screen days ago, which would suggest they all take place consecutively.)

Bloopers and continuity errors

• In the teaser of this episode, the frame of the painting is visible in the fireplace. When Act I begins, the frame is gone.
• In the drawing room, as Vicki and Roger discuss the issue of David and the painting, a second camera slides into frame on the left. [Addendum: I'm not seeing this. There is a globe lamp to the left of the scene, there are several moments when a portion of it enters the frame at the left; perhaps that is what is being seen.]
• When Joan Bennett enters the foyer and places her coat on the table it immediately falls to the floor.
• Alexandra Moltke suffers from a small case of the giggles during what is supposed to be a serious scene with Louis Edmonds and Joan Bennett. When Liz enters for the first time, Moltke is clearly working to suppress a grin. Then after sitting down she brings her hand to her mouth in an apparent attempt to cover a second smile. [Alexandra is grabbing her fingers as Liz enters Collinwood and this is a known behavior for Alexandra when she is struggling with her lines, but she is also in a perfect position to have seen Elizabeth's coat fall to the floor.]
• When the painting is seen on the wall of David's room in 149, there is a model of a white sailing ship below it next to a toy robot. Later, when David returns and sees the painting is missing, the white ship is gone but the robot remains. Then when Victoria enters to check on him, the robot is gone and there is a small mirror and two lamps on the desk.
• Actor Louis Edmonds stumbles on several words during his speech to David.
• When Elizabeth leaves Collinwood to go to Laura's cottage, she walks to the front doors but just before reaching the doors, she exits stage left instead of opening the doors.
• The glycerin used to simulate tears can still be seen on David's face in subsequent scenes after Victoria has consoled him.
• When Laura is talking to David in his bedroom, the shadow of a camera rig or boom mic is briefly seen in the shot.

End credits announcement

• Step into "The Time Tunnel" and share fantastic adventures with time travelers Tony and Doug. The drama starts tonight at 8, 7 o'clock Central Time, in color right after "The Green Hornet" on ABC.
• Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.

External Links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 150 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 150: Time isn't easy to give

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 150: 1/20/67