Psycho IV: The Beginning

Norman Bates, now married to Connie and expecting a child, fears the baby may inherit his mental illness. He calls Fran Ambrose's radio talk show, using the alias 'Ed', to tell his life story. The confession frames the film's present-day narrative around the past he cannot fully escape.

Dr. Leo Richmond realizes that the caller 'Ed' is Norman Bates and urges Fran to trace the call. The idea of tracing provokes tension and a sense that the past might break into the present. Ambrose dismisses the concern as entertainment, delaying any real action.

During the exchange, Norman confides that Connie's pregnancy might produce another monster unless he exercises control. He voices anxiety that his child could inherit his madness. The moment foreshadows the danger lurking behind seemingly ordinary family life.

Norman tells Fran that, even knowing his mother is dead, he intends to kill Connie with his own hands. The confession exposes the dangerous line between self-preservation and homicidal impulse. It sets the stage for the present-day climax.

In flashbacks, six-year-old Norman loses his father and is left under Norma Bates' controlling rule. The mother exerts constant authority and abuse, shaping Norman's fear and dependence. The memory anchors Norman's fractured psyche.

Norma subjects Norman to brutal punishments for minor infractions, including being beaten, kept out in the rain, and told sex is sinful. She dresses him in girl clothes, smears lipstick, and even forces him to urinate like a female. These acts carve deep psychological scars and confusion about his identity.

In 1949, Norma becomes engaged to the brutish Chet Rudolph, who openly bullies Norman. The abusive pairing heightens Norman's sense of threat and desperation. The looming violence seems inevitable as the past tightens its grip.

Driven by jealousy and sustained abuse, Norman poisons both Chet and his mother by serving iced tea. He disposes of Chet's body and preserves Norma's corpse, beginning his long-running masquerade. The act triggers the emergence of a new, murderous split personality.

To mask his guilt, Norman's psyche splits and he 'becomes' his mother. When 'Mother' takes over, he dresses in her clothes, wears a wig, and speaks in her voice. This alter ego drives further killings and erodes his sense of self.

As 'Mother', Norman kills two local women who try to seduce him at the motel. The killings deepen the rift between Norman and reality and widen Norma's influence. After the acts, Norman wakes, convinced that 'Mother' is responsible and destroys the evidence.

Norman confronts the aftermath of the killings and believes 'Mother' committed them. He destroys any evidence that could reveal the truth, attempting to suppress the truth from himself and others. The moment marks a fragile victory over guilt, at least temporarily.

Back in the present, Norman's fear of losing control resurges as he suspects he could kill Connie again. He emphasizes the danger to Fran and the danger to the unborn child. The conversation deepens the sense that the past is never fully behind him.

Norman drives Connie to his mother's house with the intent to kill her and her unborn baby. Connie challenges him, reminding him that their child will be guided by love and free will. The moment crystallizes the couple's conflict and test of trust.

Connie's words rally Norman to choose freedom and responsibility over violence. He drops the knife and confronts the possibility of reform. The decision reframes his fate, cutting off the killer's path for the moment.

Norman impulsively sets the house on fire, trying to escape his past as smoke and flames fill the rooms. He hallucinates his victims and his mother in the blaze, barely surviving the inferno. The next day, he declares himself free of his mother, but the final image shows the rocking chair in the ruins and a baby crying, implying an unsettled future.