[NEWwoman]

I remember that accident scene. So that was her.

Also, I remember another scene with the mother that was weird. Duvall was about to go on a crusade and he found his mother lying on the floor. He said something to her that seemed really out of place, especially for finding your mother on the floor. He covered her with a blanket, then left. Never understood what that was all about.

[GSWarrior]

I got the impression that she was always pretending to be ill and Duvall's character, over time, realized that she was faking. It was another quirkly scene among many in that film that made it, IMO, so enjoyable.