Alone (1997) - full transcript

( dog barking )

( woman vocalizing )

( score playing )

( typing )

Oh, good morning, Mr. Webb.

Good morning, Ann.

Mr. Webb is here.

( hangs up )

Why don't you go in?

Thank you.

( door opens )



Hello, John.

You all right?

Couldn't be better.

How you doing?

Fair.

We're about at the end of it,

I think.

Sign here, please.

Probatin' a will can take

forever.

Thank you for your patience.

Look, I know how complicated

it can all be.

How're the girls?



They're all right.

Trying to get me to come

and live in Houston

so they can keep an eye on me.

( chuckles )

You gonna do it?

Oh, God knows, Gilbert,

what I'm gonna do.

One day, I'm gonna do one thing.

The next day, it's changed.

( sighs )

Bessie and I were married

52 years.

I'm lost without her, Gilbert.

I really don't know

what I'm gonna do.

Hi.

Good day, Mr. Webb.

( phone ringing faintly )

Use the one that

they brought over last week.

( knocks )

Yes?

Mr. Davis?

Yes.

I'm John Webb.

Yes, sir, how can I help you?

Uh, I'd like to talk to you

about a loan.

Yes, sir. Please, come in.

Sit down.

How much did you want to borrow?

Oh, just enough to get me

through to the fall

when I can harvest my crops.

Fill out these forms for me.

Daddy? How much longer

do we have to stay out here

in this godforsaken place?

Hush up, Jocelyn,

and quit complaining.

I wished I'd never come.

Then why did you?

Nobody forced you.

( static hisses )

( rock music playing )

Jocelyn, turn that

damn thing off.

I've got a splitting

headache now.

( music stops )

You want aspirin?

I got some in my pickup.

I've already had three.

Didn't do me a bit of good.

He always gets upset

when he comes out here.

Your daddy just gave his half of

the land away when he sold it.

How much did Granddaddy's

tombstone cost?

I don't know.

I bet it cost 500

if it cost a penny.

It's pretty, I'll say that.

It's every bit as nice

as Aunt Bessie's.

Yes, it is.

You know what I think?

I still think they're

gonna find oil out here.

And because your daddy kept

his share of the mineral rights,

we're gonna all be rich.

Oh, hush, Estelle.

You're talking foolishness.

Daddy?

If you don't hush up, girl,

I'm gonna come over there

and slap you.

I wanna go back now.

Well, go on.

Ain't no one stopping you.

I can't walk seven miles

into town.

Well, then keep quiet

until I'm ready to take you.

Jocelyn, did you hear

what your Aunt Estelle said?

She said they're gonna find

oil out here-- we're all

gonna be rich.

( both chuckle )

I bet my life on it.

I went to see a fortune-teller

in Houston.

She looked me right in the eye

and she said,

"Do you own some land?"

"No, ma'am," I said, "I don't

own anything, but my husband

owns some mineral rights."

"That's it," she said,

"You don't let go of that.

You are going to be rich."

How rich?

Oh, I don't know.

She didn't say that.

Just rich.

Can I take ballet

and tap dancing if we get rich?

Ask your daddy.

Daddy?

What, honey?

Can I take ballet

and tap dancing if we get rich?

Oh, I reckon.

( rock music playing )

Jocelyn, turn off

that damn radio!

( music stops )

( car approaching )

Well, look who's here.

( car door opens )

How're you doin'?

Oh, pretty fair, Uncle John.

How're you doing?

Howdy.

Hi.

We's came out to look at

Daddy's tombstone, Uncle John.

Ah, I'm glad you did.

Oh, hi, Estelle.

Hi there.

We sure appreciate

you puttin' it up.

We were hoping next year

to do something about it.

Things been a little tight

for us both.

Don't worry about it.

Hi.

How are you, Agnes?

Children, did you know

your grandfather and I

grew up out here?

Do you remember your

grandfather?

No, sir.

No.

They don't hardly--

maybe Jocelyn.

Jocelyn, do you remember

your grandfather?

No, ma'am.

( all chuckle )

Well.

Would you all come

into the house for a spell?

Not today, thank you.

I can't anyway.

I have to get on back to town.

Oh.

I think I'd better

get back, too.

Aunt Estelle, tell him

about our getting rich.

Are you getting rich?

Uh, no, sir.

It was just a joke.

I told her

that a fortune-teller

told me that my husband

was gonna get rich from oil,

and since I knew that

he and Gus Jr. had

their daddy's mineral rights...

Well, let's hope she was

right and then we'll all be

rich.

( all chuckle )

Yes, sir.

Papa says you're rich now.

Shut up, Gus III.

Be quiet.

Well...

if your papa says that,

he's wrong.

I'm what you call "landpoor."

I have trouble paying my taxes.

Tell you the truth,

I'd sell it all if I could.

Huh. At least that's the way

I feel today.

Maybe tomorrow I'll feel

differently.

You remember Grey?

My overseer out here

all those years?

Yes, sir, I do.

Well, he's retired.

Now he's talkin' of leavin'.

Where's he goin'?

Houston to live

with his daughter.

Seems like half the world's

moving to Houston.

I wish I was moving

to Houston.

That's enough out of you,

Jocelyn.

Daddy's got a headache.

He's always gettin'

headaches. Big deal.

Better watch yourself, girl.

She's at that age.

You know, Mr. John--

smart aleck.

Well, if you won't come

into the house,

I guess I'll be on my way.

So long.

Bye.

Bye.

Bye-bye, Uncle John.

See you, Uncle John.

So long.

See you.

( sighs )

Boy, Gus III, I've got

a good mind to strangle you.

Why?

Opening your big mouth

about my headaches.

John, come on in.

Hi, Jack.

Hey, guess what we're doing?

What?

Looking at pictures

of Alaska.

Oh.

Would you like some

iced tea, John?

No, thank you.

A beer?

Nothing.

Thank you.

Will this be

your first cruise, John?

Yes.

If I go.

I haven't decided completely.

Oh, I know how you feel.

I almost called up

Jack and Susan and said,

"I just don't think I can go.

I don't have the heart for it."

But my children

wouldn't hear of it.

They think it would be good

for me to get away.

I keep wishing

Clarence was here to go along.

He never had a trip

of any kind.

You never did know Clarence

well, did you, Mr. Webb?

No, I'm sorry to say

I didn't.

I knew him to speak to,

of course.

When my wife and I

joined the country club,

I used to see him out

on the golf course.

Oh, he loved golf.

If he had gone on this cruise,

he would be wanting to play golf

the minute he got to Alaska.

I wonder, do they have golf

courses in Alaska?

I'm sure they do.

You don't play golf,

Mr. Webb?

I-- call me John, please.

John.

Uh, no. I don't play golf.

John's a farmer.

Well, I know that.

No, no, he's a farmer

that farms.

He just don't sit around

in town and ride out

every now and again

and watch his hired help farm.

Well, I used to anyway.

I'm slowin' down these days.

We're all slowing down.

Well, I'm not slowing down.

Don't you think I am.

I'm just gettin' started good.

( all chuckle )

Why did you join the country

club if you don't play golf?

Well, to tell you the truth,

it was the only place to go

for a decent meal

if you felt like eating out,

which my wife did sometimes.

Isn't it terrible?

We have no restaurants

here at all.

McDonald's, Whataburger, Sonic.

We have Taylor's.

Oh, that's barbecue.

I get so tired of barbecue.

Miss Lillie--

Call me Lillie.

If I'm gonna call you John,

you have to call me Lillie.

All right.

You said the other day,

you couldn't ever remember

seein' my wife.

I brought a picture of her.

Oh, yes,

I remember her now.

Oh, such a pretty thing.

Thank you.

And just as sweet

as she could be.

Oh, I know she was.

How long were you married?

52 years.

Mmm.

Clarence and I were married 40.

Oh.

I was 18 when I married him.

How old were you and Bessie

when you married, John?

Uh, she was 20.

I was 22.

You met in college.

That's right.

At the university.

( soft tapping )

Uh, would you all like

to have supper with me

at the club?

Oh, dear.

Oh, no, we can't.

Thank you. We're going

to the Thompsons' for supper.

Oh.

I have a bridge game.

I hear they have lots

of bridge on the cruise.

You play bridge, Mr. Webb?

John.

John.

Uh, no. I never learned.

Was your wife

a bridge player?

No.

( soft tapping )

Well, I--

I think I'll be getting on.

I'll see you folks all later.

So long, John.

'Night, Jack.

Now, ask us another time.

I'll do that.

Bye-bye.

I thought I heard a car.

Hey.

How you doin'?

I'm all right.

How are you, Mr. John?

I'm pretty good.

( chickens clucking )

When are you leavin'?

This week sometime.

My girls are coming for me.

How do you feel about it?

I made my peace.

Now, look,

you don't like it,

you come on right back here.

I'll keep your house for you.

Yes, sir.

Things have changed, Mr. John.

( chuckles ) They have that.

Well, that's what happens.

Things change.

Things change.

I'll miss you, Grey.

Yes, sir.

I'll be out here

all by myself.

Everything's changed, Grey.

Town's changed.

County's changed.

All the families we knew,

black and white, are gone.

We're the last.

( chuckles )

And now you're going.

I didn't want to go,

to tell you the truth.

But I couldn't stand up

to my daughters any longer.

Your daughters

have done well.

I know you're proud of 'em.

Yes, sir.

They've done well.

They both have good jobs.

They both graduated

from college.

I tell 'em they don't know

how it was when I

was coming along.

You didn't go to school

till that cotton was picked.

You left in time for planting.

I don't think I went to school

more than four months

out the year.

I know, I know.

And you wanted to stay out

there in the field, picking

right along with us, but your

daddy wouldn't let you.

He made you go to school.

He did that.

( phone ringing )

Yeah?

Oh. Hello, baby.

How's my girl?

Good.

How's your sister?

No, I haven't

talked to her today.

How's Paul?

You give him my regards.

Wha-- I'm all right.

Don't you worry about me.

Well, I think I'll start

planting my corn next week.

Yeah, I know. I'm a little late.

Well, I'll plant a little

cotton-- very little this year.

No, I haven't decided about

going on the cruise yet.

Have to decide soon, I guess.

All right, honey.

( chuckles )

You go along.

Good night.

( thunder crashing )

( car approaches )

How are you, Mr. Webb?

Pretty well!

On your way to Houston, Grey?

Yes, sir.

You take good care of him,

Lois.

Yes, sir.

I'm going to.

Didn't you want to start

planting on Monday?

I wanted to,

but this rain's

got different plans.

Can't argue with the rain.

That's the truth.

( thunder booms )

Jocelyn, for God's sakes,

turn that television down.

...and personal life,

I've always felt that--

What'd you do that for?

I said to turn it down.

You can't mind me,

then you don't watch television

for a week.

Go to hell.

What'd you say, young lady?

Nothing.

She said go to hell.

Shut up, Gus.

Now stop it!

Just stop it!

Your father

has a splittin' headache.

Do you understand that?

He is real sick with a headache.

If this rain doesn't stop,

I think I'm gonna slit

my throat.

( knocks on door )

Oh, hi.

Is this the Webb house?

Yes.

Is Mr. Webb in?

Yes.

May I see him?

What's it about?

I'm with the Big Oil

Drilling Company.

I'm trying to track down

John Webb, Gus Webb Jr.,

and Carl Webb.

Yes?

I'd like to talk to Mr. Webb

about an oil lease.

Oh, uh, yes, sir.

Just a minute.

Won't you come in

out of the rain?

Thank you.

Thank you.

( sighs )

Mm.

Oh, thank you.

Hi there.

Hi.

( clears throat )

How do you like this rain?

I don't like it.

I don't like it at all.

It's been three days--

no end in sight.

I just drove by the river

on my way over here.

It's really high.

All we need's a flood, huh?

My husband will be in

in a second.

He was in bed with a headache.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Listen, I can come back

another time.

No, it's all right.

My husband is a housepainter.

He hasn't been able

to work for three days.

Well, if you can't work,

you can't make any money.

You can say that again.

Mr. Webb.

Yes, sir.

Travis Floyd.

Yes, sir.

We've been out in the country

looking for your father.

My father.

Yes, sir.

My father's been dead

for 10 years.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I thought-- I thought John Webb

was your father.

No, he's my uncle.

My father was Gus Webb.

He's Gus Webb Jr.

I see. Thank you.

Get up, bud.

Well, uh, you know where

I can find Mr. Webb?

No, if he's not

out in the country.

That's where he lives.

I've been out three days.

I've called out there

probably 10 times,

but I don't get an answer.

Maybe he's in Houston

with his daughters.

You know how to reach him

in Houston?

No. No, sir.

I'm afraid I don't.

Uh, do you know his

daughters' names?

Not their married names.

Well, you know what?

Forget it. That's okay.

I'll find him some way.

But I do need to talk to you.

I understand you have, uh,

interest in the mineral rights

in the land he owns?

Yes, sir.

My company--

Whew!

Hey.

Hi!

Hey, hey.

Isn't this rain awful?

I'll say.

You don't know where

Uncle John is, do you?

No, why?

Well, this man's

looking for him.

Travis Floyd.

Oh, you're the man

from the oil company.

Yeah.

Well, I'm Carl Webb.

And this is my wife Estelle.

Hi.

I got the note you left me

at the house.

Why do you want my uncle?

Actually, I want to talk

to all of you,

but your uncle, I suppose,

is the essential one

because he owns the land.

But it does affect you, too.

You both, I believe, have a

share in the mineral rights.

Yes, sir, 50%.

Well, my company

would like to make a lease

with your uncle.

And I hope he's willing.

I don't know your uncle,

but I understand he's

a very reasonable man.

Yes, sir.

Then I want to make a deal

with you boys.

But my company insists

I make a deal

with your uncle first.

( knocks on door )

Hi.

I almost drowned

gettin' over here.

Shepherd Drive is like a lake.

Oh.

I hope Daddy makes it in

all right.

I think it is so foolish,

his living out there all alone.

I think he should sell the farm.

I know you do

and I agree.

But Paul says

you can't just turn around

and sell a farm today...

with the economy the way it is.

He has to at least try,

talk to realtors.

Well, talk to him

when he comes in.

How is Paul?

I'm worried to death

if you want to know.

They have been letting men go

right and left at his company.

( knocks on door )

Daddy.

Hello, darling.

Daddy.

Hi, sweetheart.

Are you soaked?

No, I'm fine.

You get your plantin' done?

Ha. No.

I did not.

Daddy?

Yes, honey?

I don't mean to pry,

but...

just how are you financially?

Well, now.

I'm not about to go

to the poorhouse tomorrow

if that's what's worrying you.

I know that,

but sometimes

Jacqueline and I do worry.

Well, tell you the truth,

I'm little strapped for cash

right now.

I had to go to the bank to

borrow to see me through

until the fall.

He weren't very nice

about it either.

Some young fool, who I bet

had never been near a farm

in his life,

began to give me advice

on how to farm.

( chuckles )

Yesterday, I was ready

to quit--

sell my machines, my cattle,

my land.

I even went to talk to some

realtors about it.

They weren't very encouraging.

And I'm all alone out there now.

Grey moved to Houston

a few days ago.

I really think

you oughta think about

moving here, too, Daddy.

Maybe he feels

he can't afford it, Grace Ann.

I could afford it, I guess,

if I sold everything.

But something in me

just hates to let go.

I get to the startin' point

every other day.

I don't know.

( sighs )

I know, Daddy.

Maybe if you just

rent the place out for a year,

see how it felt.

No one'll rent farmland

out here anymore.

They can't afford to.

If they don't make a crop,

they've just lost a year's rent.

You have anything saved?

Very little.

It's not fair,

as hard as you and Mother

worked all these years.

Since when was anything fair?

I'd ask you to stay here

with me and Gerald...

No.

but we've only the two

spare rooms. When the children

come home from college--

Stay with me and Paul.

No, no.

I would never consider

moving in with

either one of you.

Would you ever consider

moving out there?

Either of you?

Both of you?

I could fix up

the old cook's house.

Move in there.

Or Grey's house.

It would suit me fine.

Oh, that wouldn't be

very practical, now, would it,

Daddy?

I mean, Paul knows nothing

about farming.

And I doubt that Gerald does.

Not a thing.

Well,

I know that land's

gonna be valuable

again someday.

10 years ago, I was offered

$1,000 an acre.

I remember.

$150,000 for the house.

I remember.

And they were willing to

pay me a fair price

for all my machinery.

I remember.

Who was that?

Oh, some Houston oil man.

I forget his name.

Delbert Lee.

Oh. He's broke now.

He's lost everything.

His house in River Oaks,

his farm.

I'm sure Daddy knows that,

Jacqueline.

What did the realtors say

was the fair market price now?

I went to two of 'em.

And?

$400 an acre, tops.

If I could find a buyer.

$400 an acre?

That would leave you--

160.

$160,000.

Would that include the house?

No.

Not the house.

But the barns,

the tenant houses,

everything else.

It's all so depressing,

isn't it?

Oh, I don't think

it's depressing at all.

I mean, $160,000

would last Daddy quite a while.

I wouldn't get $160,000,

Jackie.

Government would take 30% of it.

And I owe the bank.

Oh.

Well, it is depressing, then.

Well,

I'm not gonna be depressed.

I'm just gonna hang on

and manage as best I can.

I've always managed to get

good help when I needed it.

Life's a little complicated

now, girls.

( chuckles )

Was it ever simple?

I doubt it.

I'm so depressed.

Oh, come on, now, Jackie.

It's not the end of the world,

you know.

I've still got my health.

That's something.

We have been having

a really hard time of it, Daddy.

I didn't want to worry you,

but Paul is in constant fear

of losing his job.

They let 30 men go

out of the firm last month.

They've asked him to take

a cut in pay,

which he can't afford,

but he's scared not to.

( Grace weeping )

Come on, Gracie.

I miss Mama so much, Daddy.

She always knew what to do.

Oh, I miss her so much, Daddy.

Our children are about

to drive us crazy.

College is costing us a fortune

and they're not taking it

seriously at all.

They're both just hanging on.

Gerald and I expect to hear

they've been expelled any day.

I'm sorry, honey.

I didn't mean to trouble you

with all our problems.

I'm glad you told me.

What else is a father for?

I miss Mother, too, Daddy.

I know you do.

( weeping continues )

Uncle John?

Uncle John?

Maybe he's sick in there

or dead!

Uncle John, it's me!

Carl Webb!

What can we do?

Maybe we should break

the door down or try

and climb in a window.

I'll leave a note.

We don't hear from him soon,

I'll find a way to get in.

( thunder booms )

( Gus stammers )

I could kick myself

for never getting

his daughters' phone numbers.

Why would you want

their numbers?

Stuck-up things,

I never could stand them.

Hello, Gilbert.

John Webb.

Uh, I've had an inquiry

about an oil lease.

I'd like to come in

and talk to you about it.

All right.

Okay.

Thank you.

I'll call you back.

They are interested

in leasing your land, all right.

What'll they offer?

$60 an acre.

That'd give you about $24,000.

Well, that's not to be

sneezed at, God knows.

I think, if you're willing

to play a little hardball,

I can do better than that.

Let me make a couple calls

and don't say anything

until you hear from me.

All right.

( thunder crashes )

( TV playing )

( knocks on door )

Uncle John?

Uncle John!

Coming!

( broadcast continues )

( loud knocks )

Just a minute.

Hi. Come on in.

Isn't this rain something?

Whoo! Damn!

I haven't been able to work

for a week.

I bet you haven't

been able to plant.

( chuckles ) No.

You been out of town?

Yeah. I was in Houston

visitin' my girls.

See? That's what I figured.

Well, I heard somewhere

you'd gone on a cruise,

but I said--

No. I was visitin' my girls

in Houston. I was thinking

of going on a cruise,

but I decided not to.

I really couldn't afford it.

I guess it costs

a lot of money, a cruise.

A lot to me anyway.

Come on in. Come in. Sit down.

Well?

How you boys been doin'?

Pretty fair.

Uncle John?

Yes, sir?

Did a Mr. Travis Floyd

get in touch with you?

Yes, he did.

He left a note for me.

I found it

the same time I found yours.

I told my lawyer to call him

late this afternoon.

And that was about

an oil lease on your land here?

That's right.

You remember that, uh,

Gus Jr. and I

have half the mineral rights.

I certainly do.

Say, Uncle John?

Yes, sir?

Uh,

he told me--

Who did?

Travis Floyd.

He told me he was willing

to pay you $60 an acre.

That's what he said.

Yes, sir.

Uh...

are you gonna take it?

Well, I don't know

right at the moment.

My lawyer thinks

we should negotiate,

play a little hardball,

as he says.

So I told him to go ahead.

Yes, sir.

Gilbert-- your lawyer

Gilbert Jackson?

That's right.

He's a good lawyer. Heh.

Everybody says.

I think so.

$60 an acre

come to $24,000.

Mm-hmm.

He says we'll get the same

for our share.

$12,000 for me,

$12,000 for Gus Jr.

Gus Jr. hasn't been able

to work all week

'cause of the rain.

I'm sure.

So how soon will it be

before you know

if you're gonna take the money

from the oil company?

Well, my lawyer--

I understand about lawyers,

Uncle John-- excuse me--

of course, it's your land,

but, ha ha, things been

pretty rough for me, too.

I should hate

if anything happened

and we didn't get the money.

I know you need money, son.

I know Gus Jr. needs money.

And I can certainly

use money.

But my lawyer--

Who's your lawyer?!

Gilbert.

Oh, sure, sure, sure.

I know that, I know that.

If he can get them up

to $80 an acre,

that'd be that much more

for you two.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings

any if you could get

$80 an acre.

I'm gonna put my cards

on the table.

I-- I owe everybody in town.

I'm behind in my rent,

my truck payments.

It's supposed to rain

the rest of this week,

maybe next--

I understand, son.

You need money.

Not tomorrow, but today.

That's about

the size of it, sir.

And they won't sign with us

until they sign with you.

'Course, like I told Gus Jr.,

by the time the federal

government sticks out its greedy

hands for its share,

we're not gonna wind up

with no $12,000.

We'll be lucky to have $10,000.

I know that's the truth.

Money isn't everything,

of course.

I saw a lady on TV

won a million dollars

on the lottery the other day.

And she said

the responsibility

of all that money

just about drove her crazy.

People callin' her on the phone,

day and night,

asking for handouts.

She said she had a good mind

to give it all back.

Shoot. You wouldn't catch me

giving up a million dollars.

No many how many people

worried me.

She said the federal

government's gonna end up

with more than half of it.

I expect that's about right.

Mm-hmm.

( clears throat )

How're you gettin' on

out here by yourself,

Uncle John?

Oh, I'm gettin' on all right.

I bet it gets kinda lonely

for you now, though.

It gets lonesome.

Well, I guess, uh,

we'd better be gettin' on

back to town, Gus Jr.

Yeah, I reckon so.

( phone ringing )

Excuse me.

Yes, sir.

We'd appreciate

hearing about what you're doing,

Uncle John, as soon as you know.

I'll keep in touch.

Hey, you think

it'll be tomorrow?

Could be.

Excuse me.

Yes, sir.

Oh, man, I hope so.

( huffs )

What do you think?

You think it'll be tomorrow?

God knows, Gus Jr.

God knows.

They told me this afternoon,

at the bank, they'd advance

me some money as soon

as all the papers are signed.

( thunder crashing )

Do you think his lawyer

could get more money

from Travis Floyd?

God knows.

You said you liked

his lawyer.

I'm just saying that.

I don't like him at all.

Stuck-up old know-it-all,

in my opinion.

That was my lawyer.

He's got them up to $80 an acre.

Ooh.

And he says

if I'm patient,

he thinks he can get

$100 an acre,

maybe $125.

( whistles )

Golly.

I see.

How long will all this

going back and forth take?

Oh, I don't know.

A week maybe.

Maybe a month.

A month.

( sighs )

Well, you know--

look, I don't know

how you feel, Carl,

but I swear,

if it was me,

which I know it ain't,

I'd take the $80 an acre.

That'd come to $32,000.

You see, Uncle John--

I know, I know.

You need money.

Oh, bad, and real soon.

Well, let me see

what I can do.

Yes, sir.

Well,

let's, uh--

let's get on back, Gus Jr.

Well, I'm ready.

I just would like to say

one last thing.

Like the old fella said,

"A bird in the hand

is worth two in the bush."

Good night, Uncle John.

Good night, boys.

Good night, Uncle John.

Good night.

( phone rings )

( TV chattering )

( vacuum humming )

( vacuum stops )

Did you see your uncle?

Yes.

And?

And what?

Has he talked

to Mr. Floyd?

Yes.

What did you do that for?

Because

I don't want the damn thing on.

Do you mind?

Yes, I mind.

Be quiet, Jocelyn.

Well, what did your

Uncle John have to say?

He got a damn lawyer

talkin' to the oil people

trying to squeeze money

out of the damn oil company.

I thought you said

we were gonna get $12,000.

Will you shut

your damn mouth?

And nobody said a damn thing

about $12,000.

Mama did.

Well, what the hell, Agnes?

Are you going around telling

people we're getting $12,000?

I didn't say we were

going to. I said we might.

Yes, you did, too. You said--

Don't tell me what

I said, young lady!

Go to hell.

You watch your tongue,

young lady,

or I'll get your daddy

to whip you.

Now, I hope you are satisfied,

Little Miss Priss.

He's gonna have

one of his headaches again.

( knocks on door )

Who's there?

Yeah, it's Travis Floyd.

I'm gonna tell him

what a mean witch you are--

You open your mouth

to Travis Floyd,

and I'll kill you.

Ma?

What?

Can we turn on

the television now?

No.

Oh, hello, Mr. Floyd.

What a surprise.

Hi.

Good evening.

I'll go call Gus Jr.

Come on in.

Thank you.

( TV chattering )

Hello, kids.

Hi.

What are you watching?

Television.

I can see it's television.

But what are you watching

on television?

I don't know.

I'm just watching.

You don't know

what you're watching?

No.

Don't you care?

No.

You watch television?

Sometimes.

You have kids?

Yep.

I have a little boy

and a little girl

about your age.

Do they watch television?

Too much, I'm afraid.

( TV clicks )

Oh, Ma.

I want you children

to go to your room.

Daddy and I have to visit

with Mr. Floyd.

I don't want to go

to my room.

I don't neither.

Then if you stay,

don't open your mouth,

either of you.

How're you folks tonight?

Oh, pretty fair.

How you doin'?

I'm all right.

I'm all right.

Sick of this rain.

( chuckles )

Yeah, you could say that again.

Listen,

my coming over here, I guess,

is not exactly ethical.

Ordinarily, I wouldn't do it,

but I like you folks.

And I like Carl and his wife.

What was her name?

Estelle.

Ah, Estelle.

How could I forget?

Well, they may come over later.

I left a note at their house,

letting 'em know

I was coming over.

Oh, they're never home,

are they, Gus Jr.?

No.

You know where they are?

Oh, they could be

a thousand places.

Is there a bingo game tonight?

Because if there is--

wait a minute.

I know where they are.

I heard Estelle say

she was gonna get Carl

to drive her into Houston

to see that fortune-teller

again. See, the day before you

come to see us,

she had gone into Houston

to see a fortune-teller.

And she told Estelle

that she and Carl

were gonna be rich from oil.

Hmm. That's interesting.

She was all excited

when we heard from you

about the lease.

They didn't go into Houston.

Carl was with me

when we went to see Uncle John.

Oh, I forgot that.

Hey.

Hello, folks.

Hello, everybody.

Come on in.

Oh, isn't this rain terrible?

Don't even talk about it.

I told Mr. Floyd--

Please call me Travis.

All right, Travis.

I said I bet you've gone

into Houston to see

the fortune-teller,

but then Gus Jr.

said you couldn't have,

because he was with Carl

this afternoon.

We were going in tonight,

but Carl didn't want to drive

all the way into Houston

unless he was sure

that fortune-teller

was gonna be there.

I called four times,

but all I got

was an answering machine--

how are you, Mr. Floyd?

Fine. Call me Travis, please.

All right. Mr. Travis.

No "mister." Just Travis.

Sorry. Travis.

I was just about to explain

why I was here

when you all came in,

saying it's not exactly ethical,

me being over here.

Why isn't it?

Let the man finish

what he has to say, Estelle.

I'm sorry, Carl.

I'm sorry, Mr. Travis.

Travis.

Call him Travis.

Sorry. Travis.

I'm here stretching things

a bit 'cause I like you.

Well, we like you, too,

don't we, Carl? Didn't I--

For God's sake,

let the man finish what

he has to say, Estelle.

Sorry, Carl.

Go on, please, Travis.

Well, what I was gonna say

was I sense from what you told

me that you could use

a little cash right now.

Boy, that's the truth.

And which one of us can't?

When you gonna give Daddy

the $12,000?

Shut up.

Just shut right up.

Is your uncle a rich man?

Well, he is to me

with all that land,

but he says he's not.

He's always talking poor man.

How much influence

do you have with him?

Not a hell of a lot.

Why?

Well, I hate to see greed

kill your deal.

I don't know if you know

this or not,

and you can't tell anybody

I told you, but from what I

understand, your uncle's under

the influence of a very

shrewd lawyer.

( groans )

We know all about that.

That's no news to us.

And we all know the type.

He thinks oil companies

are made of money,

which they are not,

and he's trying to gouge

the company with, to me,

most unreasonable demands.

I'm afraid, very much afraid,

that if he keeps asking

the company for more and more,

they're just gonna say,

"Forget it."

I mean "forget it" forget it.

You understand?

I certainly do.

You understand my point,

Gus Jr.?

Yes, I'm afraid I do.

Well, what is the point?

The point is, little lady,

you might end up with nothing,

zilch,

zero.

All because

of one lawyer's greed.

Uh, excuse me.

I'm sick to my stomach.

It's these headaches he has

from time to time.

Huh.

Sick headaches.

He ends up nauseous.

Listen, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to unduly

upset anyone here,

but I felt like I needed

to be honest and aboveboard

with you people.

We appreciate that, sir.

We certainly do.

Carl, you need to drive

out to the country

and see your Uncle John

right away.

You need to tell him everything

this gentleman has said.

No, no, no.

You can't ever say

that this came from me.

I could get in a lot of trouble.

Yes, sir.

Do I have your word

you won't divulge

I told you any of this?

Yes, sir. You have my word.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

( knocks on door )

Oh, hello, Mr. Webb.

Hello, Uncle John.

Hello, son.

Hi, Estelle.

Hi there.

Hi. Travis Floyd

with Big Oil Drilling Company.

Oh, yes.

You're the fellow

I spoke to on the phone.

Yes, sir.

Am I interrupting

a party or something?

No. No, sir. We was just

having a little visit.

Ah.

Where's Gus Jr.?

Oh, he's a little

under the weather.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Mr. Floyd.

Yes, sir.

I guess we're

in business together.

How's that, sir?

My lawyer

just spoke to your lawyers

and we've agreed

to sign the lease.

They're preparing

the papers now.

They'll be ready

in the morning.

I just drove out

to tell you folks.

Gus Jr.! Gus Jr.!

Well, congratulations.

Thank you.

We gonna get the $12,000

now, Mama?

Be quiet, Gus III.

Have you boys all signed

with Mr....

Travis. Travis Floyd.

Sorry.

Have you all signed

with Mr. Floyd yet?

We have a verbal

understanding. I believe we

agreed to $60 an acre.

Uh, no, sir,

I don't think we agreed on that.

Well, then I certainly

misunderstood.

It was my opinion you felt

it was a very good offer.

Well, you see, sir,

our uncle here is getting

$80 an acre.

But your uncle owns the land.

You don't own the land.

Excuse me,

but I'm gettin' $100 an acre.

Excuse me, sir.

It's understood, sir,

what you're getting,

but you own the land.

Not according to my lawyer.

According to my lawyer--

Gilbert Jackson?

That's right.

Well, I have to tell you

it's been my experience

he has a very misguided idea

about oil companies.

You are aware, of course,

what it will cost my company

to drill this well.

The cost, I want you to know--

Excuse me. Let me just tell

my nephews what my lawyer

said to me.

He said they had a right to ask

for whatever they wanted.

And I'm saying my company

has a right to say no.

So I warn you both against

getting any exaggerated ideas.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

( sighs )

Look, I wanna get this over

with. I like you folks.

I'm very sympathetic

with your situation.

If your uncle is indeed

being given lease money

of $100 an acre,

I will take it upon myself--

it may cost me my job--

but I'll take it upon myself

to get you the same.

So that means

I'll get $20,000,

and Gus Jr. gets $20,000?

Exactly.

Oh, my God.

Ha ha!

I bet that headache's

gonna be cured mighty fast now.

We're gonna all be rich now?

No, son.

Nobody's gonna be rich.

Unless we strike oil.

We could be rich then,

couldn't we, Mr. Travis?

Well, let's put it this way:

I wouldn't mind having

your share of the well

if you struck oil.

Do you think they will

strike oil?

Well, never know

about that.

Well, but

what's your feeling?

I think you have

an excellent chance.

No company's gonna spend

half a million dollars

on a well if they didn't

expect oil to be there.

It was tried once before,

you know. They found nothing.

I know, but the equipment's

far more sophisticated

these days.

Well, uh, when will you

start drilling?

Soon as we put

the contracts behind us

and the rain stops.

Could be a month

till the rain stops.

Damn rain!

( groans ) Oh, boy.

You still got a headache,

Daddy?

Be quiet, Gus III.

You look pale as a ghost,

Gus Jr.

He'll be all right.

Give him time.

Hi, Gus Jr.

Hello, sir.

How d'you like our news, huh?

Well, it couldn't be better.

You gonna have $20,000.

And I'm gonna have $20,000!

Yee-ha!

Whoo!

Ain't that something?

Boy, that fortune-teller

sure knew what

she was talkin' about.

( all laugh )

( workers chattering )

Yee-ha!

( engine starts )

Well, bless my soul.

This is a surprise.

He was about to drive me

crazy, Mr. John.

Hello, Lois.

He wouldn't let me rest

until I brought him out here

for a visit.

Glad to see you, Grey.

Real good to see you, too.

I got to visit a sick auntie

in Boonville, Mr. John.

Is it all right if Daddy

stays a while

and visits with you?

It sure is.

I'll see you in a while,

Daddy.

Take your time.

Mr. John, what's going on

out there?

They're trying for oil.

My goodness.

You could be a rich man.

That's what they say.

( chuckles )

All right.

Come on up to the house.

How are you, Grey?

Tolerable.

How do you like Houston?

It's all right, I guess.

Who's working for you?

Lou Sherman's boy

and a Mexican named

Luis Sanchez.

You know 'em?

I know the Sherman boy.

Herbert?

That's the one.

I don't know the Mexican.

Eh...

I was out there workin' with 'em

a little earlier,

but I can't go

the way I used to.

No, sir.

I'll go out later

and join them when

it's a little cooler.

What are you planting?

Corn.

Planted five acres of cotton

for old times' sake.

The rain we had

just stopped in time.

It was getting too late

for planting.

How do you like Houston?

It's all right.

I asked you that before,

didn't I?

Yes, sir. ( chuckles )

I may be moving

into your old house.

Is that so?

Paul, Jackie's husband,

lost his job.

They got over their heads

in debt. They're losing

their house in Houston,

their car,

just about everything.

Jackie's living here

with me now.

Paul goes back and forth

to Houston.

And the kids, of course,

will be here for some part

of the summer, so I'm turning

this house over to them.

Yes, sir.

Does Lois have a house

in Houston?

No.

She has an apartment.

I got my own room, though.

And things is high

in Houston, Mr. John.

She pays $700 a month

for that apartment.

Go on.

She do, too.

$700 a month.

$700 a month.

Yes, sir.

( chuckles )

That's a new tractor.

Yes.

I needed it bad.

I was afraid the old one

wouldn't see me through

the winter.

So when I got the lease money,

I bought a new tractor,

went down to the bank,

paid off what I owed 'em,

so I'm in the clear again.

I wonder how many notes

I've paid off down at that bank

in my lifetime.

But I can't complain.

My head's still above water.

You all right for money, Grey?

Oh, I gets by.

I got my pension

from the government.

My girls give me

a little something now.

That about does me.

I got the insurance to bury me

and that's all I need.

Is anybody staying

in those other tenant houses?

The Mexican asked me

if he could bring his family

out here and stay in one

while he worked here.

He says the rents in Harrison

have gone sky-high, too.

I forget what he pays,

but it seemed like

an awful lot to me.

Of course, not as high

as it is in Houston.

Nothing as high as Houston.

What about that other

tenant house?

Oh, it's empty.

Yes, sir.

Mr. John?

Mm-hmm?

I don't like Houston.

I don't know nobody in Houston.

My girls are nice to me,

of course, but they're at work

all day and I just sit

in the apartment

looking out the window.

They say I could watch the TV.

I don't like the TV.

Now, could I stay

in that other tenant house

if I come back here to live?

You don't have to stay

in that other tenant house.

You can go back

to your old house.

I'll move into the cook's house.

Oh, no, sir. I can fix up

that other tenant house.

No, no, no, no.

I won't hear of it.

You should have

your own house back.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

You reckon they gonna

strike oil?

God knows.

Huh.

( car horn honks )

Well.

Look who's here, Grey.

Hello.

Surprised to see us?

I sure am.

Hello, Grey.

You remember my husband Gerald,

Grey?

Hello, Grey.

My children Hector

and Mary Louise.

Yes, ma'am, I remember

them all.

Children sure have grown.

They have at that,

though they're not worth

killing, either one of 'em.

Come on, Gracie.

Well, they're not.

They both flunked

out of college, Grey.

Well...

Grey has two daughters

who took advantage

of an education.

They both have fine jobs

in Houston.

What is it they do, Grey?

I forget.

One of 'em is a pharmacist

at a drugstore.

The other one teaches

at Southern Baptist University.

Oh, and they both had to work

like dogs to put themselves

through college.

Neither of 'em had 1/10

of your advantages.

Come on, Gracie.

Well, I get so mad

when I think about it,

all the money we spent

on them just to flunk out.

You're spoiled rotten,

both of you.

I tell you one thing:

you're both gonna get jobs.

I don't care how minimal

they are, you are going to work.

You don't shut up,

I am going back to Houston

right this minute.

Let's all please change

the subject.

We passed the old Thorne

place on the way over here.

It was burned down.

When did that happen?

While I was visiting you

in Houston.

It was empty, you know.

Had been for about five years.

They say they were using it

as a crack house.

Oh, my God, Daddy.

Don't tell me there's crack

out here in the country.

Yes, ma'am.

Full of it.

Out here in the country?

In the country

and Houston, too.

Well, I know about Houston.

They have everything in Houston.

What about Harrison?

Full of it.

Hush.

Full of it.

Ain't that right, Mr. John?

That's what they tell me.

Well...

that's one thing I have

to be grateful for.

At least you two

don't fool with it.

How do you know we don't?

Well, I guess I don't know.

I can only hope and pray.

We drove out to see how

the oil well was coming along.

It's coming on pretty well,

I guess.

They started drillin'

a couple days ago.

How about that?

Bet you'd like to come out

and see all that excitement,

huh, Mary Louise?

It's not so excitin' now.

Not like it was

in the old days

when I was a boy.

It's all scientific now.

They've got instruments

that tell you everything.

In the old days,

when they struck oil,

it would just come gushing

up out of the earth.

Flooded everything

till they got the well capped.

I wish I could've seen that.

I bet that was a sight,

huh, Mary Louise?

( sighs )

Where's my sister?

She's in town

getting her hair done.

Where you goin', hon?

Nowhere.

Just going for a walk.

She's gonna look

for a crack house.

Come on, Hector.

That's so funny.

Kids, let's go on down,

see how that oil well's

coming along.

You gonna come, Grace Ann?

No, I think I'll just

stay here and visit

with Daddy for a while.

C'mon, kids.

No, you know, I don't wanna

go. You guys go.

Come on. We'll just stay

a little while. You might

find it interesting.

Go on with them, Mary Louise.

Don't tell me what to do.

Well, somebody

has to tell you something.

Come on, Grace Ann.

Let's go, Mary Louise.

Would you please tell her

to get off my back?

( huffs )

Gerald lets the two of them

walk all over him.

I guess...

I suppose I am

a little rough on them,

but it's just that I worry so.

They have absolutely

no motivation.

They're still young.

Think there's any chance

they might strike oil?

How would I know that, honey?

( chuckles )

( workers chattering )

( loud rumbling )

You know your mother

loves you both very much.

And she's right, of course.

This is a very competitive

time we're living in.

If you don't have an education,

you don't stand a chance.

I hate school.

I hate school, too.

I know. I never

liked it so much myself,

but you have to go

and get a degree

in order to get certain things

in this life-- a good job,

for instance,

a job that will provide

certain things for you

that you just now

take for granted.

Daddy, look, can we just

change the subject, please?

Okay, but promise me

you'll think about

what I've told you.

And let me say one more time

very clearly:

if you want to make any kind

of a living, you need

in this day and age

an education.

I only wish now

I'd taken college more seriously

when I was your age.

You see, I want to help you

both avoid the kind of mistakes

I feel I've made in my life.

And I know your mother's

trying to do the same thing.

If they strike oil,

will Grandpa be rich?

He'll have plenty.

But the days of great

oil fortunes are gone,

I'm afraid,

at least here in America.

Well, are we gonna

get a share?

Yeah, Dad, will we?

I suppose, in time.

I heard Mom and Aunt Jackie

talking and Mama said

that if he struck oil,

she was gonna ask him

to give Aunt Jackie her share

of the money right away

and not wait until he died.

And then Aunt Jackie

said that she was gonna ask

him to give Mama her money

right away, too.

Then Mama said that you

were worried about losing

your job.

No, I'm not, really.

Of course, there's always

a chance you can get eased out

when you get my age.

I think it's your mother

that worries 'cause your

Uncle Paul has lost his job.

Mama worries

about everything.

Isn't this excitin'?

See the Texas flag up there?

Hi.

Howdy.

Hi.

Can I help you folks?

No, we're just watching.

Uh-huh.

I see.

You folks from around here?

No, we're from Houston.

Houston?

Yes, sir.

Just visiting?

Yes, sir.

May I ask who

you're visiting?

My father-in-law.

Your father-in-law?

( clears throat )

Well, would I know him?

I don't know.

Well, what's his name?

John Webb. This is his land.

Ha ha.

Well, my goodness,

what a small world.

I'm his nephew.

Oh.

Folks, come over here

and meet some of your kinfolks.

Which one of them girls

are you married to?

Grace Ann.

Uh-huh.

Folks, this is Grace Ann's

husband.

Hi, I'm Gerald.

This is our son Hector,

our daughter Mary Louise.

How do you do?

I'm Carl.

This is my wife Estelle.

This is my son Timothy.

Nice to meet you.

This is my brother Gus Jr.

and his wife Agnes.

This is his daughter

Jocelyn, named after our mother.

And this is his son Gus III.

And this is his daughter

Little Agnes.

I have another son

named for me.

We call him Little Carl,

although he's bigger than I am.

He couldn't get off work

this weekend.

Timothy here works in Austin.

And his brother works

in San Antonio.

Shoot, we couldn't get 'em

out here before,

but once they heard that the

well was going up,

they can't stay away.

Yeah.

My wife Estelle

went to a fortune-teller

just the day before

all this excitement

began to happen

and she told her

she'd be rich.

Ooh!

Oh, and she was just

darlin' about it, too, you know?

She said our whole lives

were gonna change.

I'm real disappointed, though.

I had wanted to go back down

there and tell her

what's happened,

but she's moved

and left no forwarding address.

Isn't this all exciting?

Well, where is Grace Ann?

She's up at the house.

( radio blasting )

Don't start that noise,

Jocelyn.

( radio turns off )

Jocelyn can't live

without the radio

or the TV on.

Yeah.

Do you get out

to the country often?

Every once in a while.

We will have half

the royalties, you know.

You'll have half of nothing.

Me and Gus Jr. will be the ones

with the half.

Well, Mr. Smarty, half

of what you have belongs

to your wife.

Who says so?

Estelle, make him behave.

Now, Carl, you behave

yourself.

He's just a tease, Gerald.

I warn you.

( ringing bell )

My Lord, what's that?

I hope the house

isn't on fire.

C'mon, Gus Jr.

Carl, you'd better

take the car.

Oh, he'll have a heart attack

running that way.

What is it, Grey?

Mr. John. He's had a spell

of some kind.

Oh, my God.

Oh, Gerald,

we had to get Daddy

into the house.

He almost fainted.

I did not almost faint,

Grace Ann.

You did, too.

You scared me to death.

Come on, now.

Gerald and I are gonna

take you into Harrison.

I'm not goin' anywhere.

All right, then,

I will call a doctor

to come out here.

You'll never get anyone

to come out here.

Don't you dare get up!

I'm gettin' up.

I feel just fine.

I swear I will never breathe

an easy breath

knowing you are out here

all by yourself.

I'm not all by myself.

Jackie's here.

Well, she won't

be here forever.

She will leave

as soon as Paul gets a job.

Yeah.

Hello, Carl, Gus Jr.

Hi, Grace Ann.

Hello, Grace Ann.

What's all the excitement?

Hello, Paul.

Hello, Paul.

I'm Carl,

Uncle John's nephew.

This is my brother Gus Jr.

Nice to know you.

I'm Jacqueline's husband.

Daddy had a sinking spell.

For about half a second.

Now will you please change

the subject?

Change the subject,

Grace Ann.

Where is Jacqueline?

She went into Harrison

to get her hair done.

Hello, Gus Jr.

Hello, Carl.

Hello, Uncle John.

Uncle John.

Did your wives and children

come with you?

Yes, sir.

Yeah, you can't

keep 'em away.

My God, they're almost

driving me crazy.

Every five minutes, they say,

"Daddy, let's go out

and see about the well."

They already

started drilling.

I know.

They say they might

have something by next week.

Is that so?

That's what they told me.

Unless something

unforeseen turns up.

That's what

they told me, too.

We'll be out at the well

for the next hour or so,

Uncle John, if you

need anything.

Thank you, Carl.

Hope you feel better.

Nice seeing you folks.

Nice to have seen you.

I almost didn't

recognize them.

What is it that they do?

Gus Jr. paints houses.

Carl does a little bit

of everything.

Jack-of-all-trades,

master of none.

That's about it.

Do you have your

planting done?

Just about.

It should be all done

by tomorrow if the weather

holds out.

( sighs )

Grace Ann,

will you all stay for supper?

We could drive over

to the country club.

No, sir, we can't stay.

We have to get on home.

Oh.

Now, you take care

of yourself.

Yes, ma'am.

Getting hungry?

I can always eat.

Jackie's a good cook.

Oh, I know she is.

Her mother

was a good cook, too.

Yeah.

She certainly was.

I walked over

to the graveyard a while ago.

I hadn't seen her tombstone

before.

It looks very nice.

I think so.

You know, I can hardly

believe that she's not in

that kitchen right now

helping Jackie.

Sometimes I think,

quite suddenly,

"Where is she?

In the next room?"

She was a wonderful woman.

I loved her a lot.

I know you did.

And she loved you.

I know that.

I take comfort from that.

Paul.

Yes, sir?

How are you fixed for money?

Well, sir...

Gerald tell you

I borrowed money from him?

No.

Grace Ann told me.

Don't tell Jackie,

will you, please?

It'd worry her to death.

How much did you borrow?

Well, sir, I--

Don't be ashamed, son.

I've been in tight squeezes

myself. I know what it means.

Yes, sir.

I borrowed $200.

How long'll that last you?

Not very long, I'm afraid.

Of course, I may

get a job any day now.

I have to believe that,

you know, else I'd go crazy.

Well...

I got a little extra money

I can spare now.

That lease money helped me

get out of debt,

bought us a new tractor

for the farm.

And I expect to make a crop

this year, too,

so you see, I'm ahead

of the game for a while.

( chuckles )

I'm gonna write you out

a check for $2,000.

No.

I couldn't take

that much from you.

I wouldn't be able

to pay it back.

You'll get a job.

You'll pay me back.

Not with the kinda jobs

I'm being set up for.

I'll be lucky if I could--

if you could loan me $200,

that would see me through

to the end of the month.

And it's something

I feel I could pay you back

in time.

Sure.

Jackie thinks that

we should live out here

and I'd work on the farm.

She said you asked us.

I did.

And I thank you, but, uh...

I know nothing about farming.

Well, it's mostly machines

now, you know.

There's nothing too strenuous

about it.

Long hours, of course.

The spring, the summer,

the fall.

But if you can drive a car,

you can drive a tractor.

Maybe I will try.

Maybe I should.

Well, you can start

any time you want.

It's just too disappointing,

you know, the kind of jobs

being offered in Houston.

I don't see how people

are making it on the kind

of salaries I'm told about.

( worker chattering )

Of course, if I had it

to do all over again,

I wouldn't do the extravagant

things I did. We were foolish.

We both realize that now.

Supper's ready.

Good.

Paul, are you coming?

No, I'm, uh, not hungry.

You-- you have to eat.

You have to eat.

You all go on in, then.

I'll be in in a little

and have a cup of coffee.

You will not.

You will come in and eat

your supper.

Jackie, I'm not

coming in now,

so don't keep after me for it.

Come on, Jackie.

Leave him alone.

( music playing )

( workers chattering )

All of us, too. Cheese!

Stand next to me.

Cheese!

( knocks )

Jacqueline?

Can Little Agnes come in

and get a drink of water?

Sure, honey.

Go on in and help yourself.

Thank you.

Agnes, come on in.

How does your husband

like farming?

All right, I think.

How do you like living

out here?

All right.

To tell you the truth,

I couldn't take living out here

in the middle of nowhere.

Hmm.

It's too lonesome.

Gus Jr.'s always complaining

because his daddy

sold his half of the farm

so cheaply to your father.

"Stop complaining," I tell him.

What if you owned it?

Who would farm it?

Mmm.

( giggles )

They couldn't live out here.

Me either.

Or my children.

God knows.

They'd go crazy.

( laughs )

Nothing to do.

Gus Jr.'s a housepainter

when he gets the work,

but it's awful slow now.

We've had such a rainy winter.

And everybody's short of money.

Of course, our share

of the oil lease

helped out a lot,

but that's about gone.

We had to buy a car.

The one we had, we'd driven

for eight years.

Got it secondhand then,

so it was just a wreck.

Afraid it was gonna die

out one day on the road

and never start again.

Thank your cousin Jacqueline.

Thank you, Cousin Jacqueline.

You're very welcome.

Gus Jr. says

you have two sons.

Yes.

Do they live in Houston?

No.

One of them lives in St. Louis.

He sells insurance.

The other one lives

in Pittsburgh.

He's, uh,

between jobs right now.

Did they go to college?

Yes.

University of Houston.

That's nice.

C'mon, Little Agnes.

Let's go.

See you later, Jacqueline.

Bye.

Bye.

Hello, Mr. John.

How're you gettin' on?

Hello, Sarah.

I brought these flowers

for Miss Bessie's grave.

Oh, thank you.

I come here every week.

I know you do.

Sit down.

These are sweet peas.

I know. They're lovely.

Yeah, she loved sweet peas.

She could never grow

sweet peas in her yard.

( chuckles )

Remember she'd say,

"Sarah, how come you can

grow 'em and I can't?"

I know.

Jacqueline and her husband

staying with you now?

Yep.

How's her husband

like farming?

Oh, he's a quiet

sort of fellow.

He doesn't talk much.

I guess he likes it all right.

Jackie doing the cooking?

Yep.

A shame I'm so old

or I'd be up there cookin'.

I been with you 30 years,

you know.

( chuckles ) I know.

Yes, sir.

I was sittin' there

on my porch.

Man comes up,

says, "Guess what?

Miss Bessie died."

I said, "Hush up."

"She died," he said,

"She died."

( weeping )

I miss her, Sarah.

I miss her so much.

Don't cry, Mr. John.

Don't cry.

I know you do.

You a sweet man.

I pray for you every day.

Every day.

Thank you.

I pray for Miss Bessie, too.

Thank you.

You think they gonna find oil

on your land?

I wouldn't know about that,

Sarah.

Say, you'll be a very

rich man if they do.

Maybe so.

You remember

how I used to sing

in the kitchen

while I was working?

And Miss Bessie, she'd call me

into the parlor.

She'd be at her piano.

She'd play and I'd sing.

I remember.

Most every day,

she'd do that.

It was early spring

when I came to work

for you all.

Jacqueline and Grace Ann

were going to Harrison School.

Mm-hmm.

And Miss Bessie,

she drove 'em there every day.

The roads weren't paved then.

They were all gravelly.

Sometimes when it rained,

she couldn't drive 'em to town.

So she'd teach 'em their lesson

out on your gallery.

They'd just sit there,

the rain just coming down.

( TV blaring )

Hey, Carl just called.

He's out at the field

and he said we'd better

get out there.

They tell him they think

they're onto something.

Hey, let's go.

Oh, my God.

I'm so excited, I'm trembling.

Are we rich, Mama?

Not yet, honey.

We'll soon know.

Come on, Jocelyn.

Come on, Little Agnes.

Let's hurry.

We don't want to miss

the excitement.

I don't wanna go.

What?!

I don't wanna go.

I'm sick of going out there

and getting bitten up

by mosquitoes.

I wanna stay and watch

television.

Well, of all the--

Just let her stay.

Come on, let's go.

I wanna stay, too.

I wanna watch television.

You make me sick,

both of you.

I'm sorry the day

that damn thing was invented.

Come on, Agnes!

All right!

At least there's one of you

that's interested in what's

happening to this family.

Oh God, not rain again!

Thank you.

What's happening?

What's wrong?

We've had a disappointment,

I'm afraid.

They brought up saltwater.

There's no oil.

( Estelle whimpers )

Shut it down.

Shut it down.

All right.

Kill it.

Well, maybe they can

go deeper!

I heard many a time--

No.

They've gone as far

as they can go.

There is no oil.

That's it.

Well, I'm a little tired.

I'm gonna go along

on back to the house.

So long, everybody.

Bye-bye, Uncle John.

Good-bye.

Say good-bye to your

great Uncle John.

Good-bye, Great Uncle John.

Good-bye, son.

I'll come with you, Daddy.

Good-bye, everybody.

Bye.

Paul, are you coming?

Good-bye.

Bye.

( pounding )

( workers chattering )

( Gus III grunts )

Come on, Estelle.

The world isn't

coming to an end.

It has, too.

No, it hasn't.

I told Estelle

she shouldn't get her hopes

up so high, but she wouldn't

listen to me.

We all had high hopes.

I didn't.

Oh, you did, too.

I did not!

'Cause I knew better!

I mean, why would I

hope for anything?

Nobody ever give me anything

in my life.

That's not true, Gus Jr.

You got 20,000 just a month ago.

Oh, big deal!

Big deal!

And where is it?!

It's spent!

After the government

took its share

and I bought a car

and I got the children's

teeth fixed

and I paid the back rent

on the house,

what do I have now?

Nothing!

You have something left.

Yeah, maybe.

$1,000?!

Well, that's something,

isn't it?

That's more than

we've ever had before.

Come on.

We'd better go call the boys.

I told 'em I'd let 'em know

as soon as we knew.

Okay.

How'd Uncle John take it?

He didn't say a word.

You know how he is.

He just listened to the men

when they explained

about saltwater.

Of course, he doesn't have

to worry. He owns all this land.

( laughs )

Whenever he needs money,

he can just sell off

a piece of land!

Yeah. ( laughs )

Come on, Estelle.

Let's go home, honey.

Okay.

I'm gonna miss coming out here.

It ain't the same now.

It's gonna be so lonely now.

Nothing to do.

God Almighty, Estelle,

now stop it.

Just cut it out, will you?

( choked ) I'm sorry, Carl.

I'm just so disappointed.

I had a lot of plans.

I know I shouldn't,

but I had a lot of plans.

What kind of plans, Estelle?

Oh, don't get her

started on that, Agnes.

We'll be here all night.

No, now, come on.

Come on, now.

I'm-a go without you.

I could cry, too.

Well, don't start!

( weeping )

God's sake, don't start.

Cut it out.

I said cut it out, woman.

Cut it out.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

I had plans, too.

Estelle wasn't the only one.

You son of a bitch.

Son of a bitch!

Son of a bitch!

I guess we should call

Grace Ann and tell her.

Well, the lease money

was a help to me anyway.

Got me out of debt.

Got us a new tractor.

But I have to tell you children

I'm disappointed

in spite of myself.

I had my own fantasies

of what would happen

if we found oil.

( chuckles )

Would you have left

the farm then?

One day I would.

One day I wouldn't.

( chuckles )

One day I'd

build houses out here

for you and the children,

so you could all

come out and visit

whenever you wanted.

One day I...

hired an overseer

to take care of the farm

and I took that trip to Alaska

that I couldn't afford before.

I was gonna divide the money

between the three of us.

I would keep a third,

you and Paul would have a third,

Grace Ann/Gerald a third,

and we'd all be rich and happy

for the rest of our lives.

( laughs )

Only it didn't quite

work out that way.

How can I help you, children?

Paul, I know you're not

happy here.

I know farming

doesn't really interest you.

Jackie,

how could I help you

and your boy so far away?

I want to help you.

I know, Daddy.

There was a time, you know,

when a farm like this

could take care of several

families.

I'd gladly turn it over

to you and Paul,

Grace Ann and Gerald.

I--

I'm ready to quit.

Daddy...

Paul has been offered a job

managing an apartment complex

in Houston.

It provides an apartment for us

as part of the salary.

If Paul accepts it,

we'll have to leave in a week.

Well, I'll miss you both.

But I understand.

We'll be in touch.

You call us.

I will.

( car door opens, closes )

( engine starts )

( footsteps )

Hello, Grey.

Come on up on the porch

and visit.

You gonna make a crop

this year?

Heh. How would I

know that, Grey?

That's the truth.

Nobody can tell that.

One year you make a crop,

and one year you don't.

I have to make a crop, Grey.

I have no money left.

You'll get along.

Ah.

You always have.

Jackie go on back to Houston?

Yep.

Her husband go back, too?

Yep.

They didn't last long.

No.

They didn't take to farming.

Nope.

They gonna leave

that oil rig standing?

Oh, they'll take it down

pretty soon.

They said they found

saltwater instead of oil.

That's what they said.

How you gentlemen

this evening?

Hello, Sarah.

Come sit and visit.

I brought you some cake,

Mr. John.

Well, now...

thank you.

I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

Angel food.

Used to be your favorite.

Still is.

Mmm.

Mmm.

Delicious.

Have some, Grey.

Go on, go on, go on.

Sarah is a cook.

Always has been.

♪ Shall we

♪ Gather at the river

♪ Where bright angels' feet

♪ Have trod?

That's the song Miss Bessie

liked me to sing best of all.

I'd be in the kitchen singing.

She'd call out,

"Sarah, come out here

and sing with me

while I play."

And I'd come out

and she'd play the piano.

And I'd sing.

It's so quiet.

My God.

It's so quiet.

Blessed...

blessed...

blessed quiet.

( John humming tune )

♪ The beautiful

♪ The beautiful river

♪ Shall we gather

♪ At the river...

( resumes humming )

( sighs )

Hmm.

( music playing )