Cold River (1982) - full transcript

[Rushing water]

To give us
a hydroelectric dam

with dubious capacity

and of doubtful utility,

you would drown

the natural habitat
of countless wild animals.

Why, you would wipe out
thousands of acres
of pristine wilderness.

Ladies and gentlemen,

this dam is wrong.

It is wrong!

From the bottom
of my heart, I oppose it.



Hogwash!

Pure hogwash!

$10 words wasted
on a worthless,
bug-infested,

back country rat-hole!

[Applause]

Mr. Bishop...

Mr. Bishop--

uh, senator...

Lizzy Allison
is my neighbor--

Adirondack
born and bred.

But she's been
brainwashed

by the bird
and bunny nuts!

Boo!
Boo!

In my years as a senator
for New York,



I find that there is
nothing more controversial

than an issue forcing us
to choose between jobs

and the environment.

At the head of
the cabin

where Cindy is holding
an important...

It's round 10,
Elizabeth.

If you leave now,

the battle wilts away
and dies.

300 miles away
there's a person

who very well
may be dying
without me.

I've got
to get there.

Lizzy! Lizzy!

Shut up! Shut up!

Good afternoon,
ladies and gentlemen,

this is
Captain Morrison.

We're presently cruising
at 18,000 feet.

The outside air temperature
is -30 degrees fahrenheit.

We've got
a pretty good tailwind,

so we're now estimating
our arrival in Burlington

at 2:45.

The temperature there
is 25 degrees

with partly cloudy skies.

We hope you have
a pleasant flight,

and thank you
for flying Allegheny.

[Jazz music plays]

You pack your heavy coat,
Lizzy?

We get an early snowfall,
you're gonna need it.

...above all,
the Lord our God will ask

whether we got down
on our knees

and offered everlasting
Thanksgiving

for the gifts he has
bestowed upon us.

Let's go, Lizzy!
We're running late.

Ready? Up.

Very good.
That's good.
A little more.

Let her down.
Good. Fine.

Timmy,
you and your sister

get the gear
from the house.

O.K. Come on, Lizzy.

Lizzy,
get the packs.

I'll get the poles.

Old noise bucket!

Mike Allison,
the toughest man
I know,

and he owns a noisy
sack of nuts and bolts.

I need one.

I got to haul your
drunken carcass home

every
Saturday night.

Ha ha ha!
I'll drink to that!

Pete,
the children.

Oh...

Shoot.

Put this inside.

Something
for tonight.

Fried chicken!

Mike, I really could
use you this week.

For my sports.

I got one hell of
a week coming up.

Not interested.

A man should work
at what he knows,

and you are one
top Adirondack guide.

Amen.

Still not interested.

What's it pay, Pete?

My city pups?

Oh, they pay
pure beef gravy.

Makes my mouth water

just to think of
all them easy greenbacks.

We could use
the money.

Once and for all,
you two quit
pestering me.

I been guiding
in these mountains
for a good many years.

I make a pretty
decent living
for this family.

But today I am taking
this boat north.

I'm going to drop it
in the Chain Lakes.

I took the kids
out of school,

and I'm going
to show them

what I been yakking
about for years.

Pete, the woods
have changed,

you know that.
You can read the signs.

You know that
they mean winter kill.

There's going to be
a winter kill so bad

that the animals
are going to take
years in recovery.

Pauline, our kids
have got a right

to see the woods
as they are now--

before they change
forever.

You got me.

I'm coming
with you.

Good. Go ahead.
Keep an eye on 'em.

Pete can't go.
He's on a spree.

Aw, I can be sober
by Tuesday.

Make that Wednesday.

[Engine rattles]

Lizzy and Tim,
you be careful
in that boat.

Mind your father.
Do as he says.

Hey! You can
drop me off.

Bye!
Bye!

Bye!

Godspeed!

[Horn honks]

[Honk]

Stop!

Bye!

♪ Mademoiselle
from Armentieres ♪

♪ Parlez-vous

♪ Mademoiselle
from Armentieres ♪

♪ She hasn't been kissed
in 40 years ♪

♪ Hinky, dinky
parlez-vous ♪

[honk]

♪ Mademoiselle
from Armentieres ♪

♪ Parlez-vous

♪ Mademoiselle
from Armentieres ♪

♪ Parlez-vous

♪ Mademoiselle
from Armentieres ♪

♪ She hasn't been kissed
in 40 years ♪

♪ Hinky, dinky
parlez-vous ♪

[honk honk]

♪ The cootie
is the bug of France ♪

♪ Parlez-vous

♪ The cootie
is the bug of France ♪

♪ Parlez-vous

♪ The cootie
is the bug of France ♪

♪ You find it
in your underpants ♪

♪ Hinky, dinky
parlez-vous ♪

[timmy] Boy, am I glad
we're doing this.

[Sizzling]

[Thunder]

Sorry, gang.

Just misjudged it,
that's all.

Any fool chipmunk knows enough
to stay out of the rain.

We're going to camp
at buck island.

♪ He promised
to bring me ♪

♪ a basket
of posies ♪

♪ a garland
of lilies ♪

♪ a gift of
red roses ♪

♪ He promised
to bring me ♪

♪ a bunch of
blue ribbons ♪

♪ to tie up
my bonny
brown hair ♪

♪ Oh, dear,
what can the
matter be? ♪

♪ Dear me

♪ What can
the matter be? ♪

♪ Oh, dear

♪ What can
the matter be? ♪

♪ Johnny's so long
at the fair ♪

[gunshot]

Better get the pot ready.

Maybe he missed.

I don't know.

Your brother's
a pretty good shot.

Tim Hood
isn't my brother--

not my real brother.

No...

No, he isn't.

But he lives
in the same house.

He eats the same food.

I'd say he gives you
the very same love

that a natural brother
would.

That's got to
mean something.

Well, I guess
I like him well enough.

But there's no blood
between us.

He's only family
because my mother died

and you married
Pauline.

Ahem.

I know if Tim
gets the right seasoning,

he's going to make
a real good woodsman.

Sure hope there's
a place for him.

What about me, father?

What can I be?

One thing for sure--

you're not going
to be a woodsman.

[Gunshot]

See?

He missed
the first time.

Hey!

Lizzy, wake up.

I got something
to show you
and Timmy.

Come on.

[Sighs]

Wow.

Those are
the northern lights,

the Aurora borealis.

I can hear
mother now--

"all for
the glory of God."

No church or
cathedral ever
held such glory.

Father?

They're right over
the Cold River--

right over
the entrance.

[Timmy]
Cold River.

Can we go, dad?

[Waves lapping]

Hey, Lizzy.

What's better,

looking at deer...
Or eating 'em?

The current's
picking up.

Yeah!

Yeah.

Bet if we listen
real hard...

Shouldn't we
carry her around?

What's up ahead,

it's called
big nasty.

We're sure going to
carry her around that.

Let's try it, dad!
Let's go get big nasty.

Uh...Mmm.

[Moaning]

Dad?

Shouldn't we
get in to shore?

Lizzy! Lizzy!

Father?

What's wrong?

I can't move.

Father?

Timmy, get the paddle.

You got to paddle us
to shore.

Tim!

Tim, hurry!

Tim!

Hurry up!

Timmy,
get the packs.
Packs.

Tim.

[Strikes match]

Timmy,
use the candle.

Don't waste
your matches.

We've got
some beans.

I'll boil them up.

Timmy, Lizzy.

Father?
What can we do?

Sit closer.

I'm really sorry,
kids.

I don't know
what happened.

Something gave way
just when I needed it.

[Coughs]

[Bird calls]

Timmy...

No!

Tim Hood,
come back here!

Come on, Lizzy.

If the woods are
so full of food,

how come we still
only got beans?

You just cook
the beans.

I'll get the rest.

[Bird flies away]

[Timmy]
Breakfast?

I found some old
raspberry leaves.

They sort of make
a weak tea.

What are you making?

Oh, a spear.

You mean like
for a bear and such?

For bears.

And partridge,
goose, and...

Turkey.

No.

Roast turkey...

With gravy
and mashed potatoes.

And peas.

Peas and carrots.

Ham.

Ham and eggs.

Roast beef.

Apple pie.

Ice cream.

Chocolate bars!

Come on.
Let's have some tea.

Not bad.

A little chewy.
What's in it?

Um, uh, plants

and a few things I
found lying around.

Well, if you
don't want yours,
let me have it.

Heh.

[Breathing heavily]

Uh.

When we
get out of here,

I'm going to come back
for my father.

Maybe I'll get
Pete to help me.

Well, I'll come, too.

I could have stopped him

from coming
down this river.

What are you
talking about?

Father gave his word
to Pauline.

I heard him.

He promised that
he wouldn't come down
the Cold River.

If I had told him
that I knew,

he never would have come
this way.

My poor mother.

Pauline?

She'll survive.

She's a tough old bird.

Tough old bird?

What do you mean?

Nothing.

I mean,
she'll get along.

Oh, you hate her.

I know that.

You always gave her
a hard time,

thinking you were
so much better.

Jerk.

Pauline will drown
herself in religion.

When you get back,

she'll thank the Lord
10 times a day for
the next 50 years.

She married your father.

You got mad 'cause
you didn't have him
all to yourself,

and now you're mad
because she's alive
and he's dead!

Just like her.

Pig iron strong
and just as dumb.

Just shut up!

Anything's better
than talking to you,
you moron.

Tim.

Timmy.

Shut up!

You know, if this snow
gets much deeper,

we won't be able
to move.

If this snow
gets any deeper,
we'll be dead.

Tim Hood...

A real joker.

Tim!

Aah!

Lizzy!

Lizzy!

Lizzy!

Hello!

Hello out there!

Hello!

Is anybody out there?

We need help!

Help!

Ow!

Ow, my leg.

Yeah, but it's
not broken.

It's pretty
banged up, though.

Boy.

How did I get here?

Well, I carried you.

You're quite the guy,
you know that?

Tomorrow I'm
going to shore up
the lean-to...

Try to get
some food.

We're going to be
here quite a while.

We need more wood.

We better get more wood
tomorrow.

[Footsteps]

Timmy.

I see we were favored
with an early snow.

You got yourself
in one plain fix.

Lucky you ain't
throwing snowballs

at the pearly gate
this very minute.

How far is
the nearest town?

8 miles
down the lake

and three days
of hard walking.

Will you show us
the way?

We just want
to get home.

Our folks are worried.

By now, your folks have
given you up for dead,
gone, and buried.

You'd cause double grief
showing up alive.

If you'd just help us
get there,

I'm sure our family
would make it
worth your while.

Worth my while?

Worth my while.

Ain't that a pip?

You think I'm some sort
of a gribbling nitwit?

This is my business.

Next couple of weeks,
them animals all

gonna be putting on
their best furs--

getting ready
for winter.

Look, we don't
want to be here

any more than
you want us.

Miss Moppet,

have you ever seen
a man like me before?

If you mean colored...

Some.

I guess.

Around the hotels
in summer.

You?

No, sir.

I had a boat...

It sank four years ago,
so I bought a sled.

Next couple of weeks
I'll have my furs.

Then, Miss Moppet,
you can ride in style.

Furs won't mind.

Boy, you can pull--

save my old bones
for walking.

You mean
you'll take us?

I'm saying I'm going anyway.
I might as well take you
along.

Those people
are my mother
and father.

They look
very nice.

Who's he?

The other one
is John Brown.

Great man.

He lived
a long time ago.

Was he
your friend?

Yep...

For a time.

But...

John Brown died when
I were a young'un...

Before
the Civil War.

He would have freed
the slaves.

That John Brown.

We learned about him
in school. Remember, Tim?

Nope.

Look at this clean, boy.

Ain't it disgusting?

Females.

They just won't
let a man be.

[Trapper]
Ha ha ha ha.

"My day has been too long.

"In the morning, I saw
the Sons of the Delaware
happy and strong.

"And yet,
before the night has come

have I lived to see
the last warrior of the
wise race of the Mohicans."

I read
the whole book.

As a firearm,

it's seen better days.

You think you'd like
to tinker with it?

Sure!

Thank you.

I said I read
the whole book.

I don't even get
a thank you?

And I said...

The white man
left the book

on a trip through here
many years ago.

Tomorrow we go
for venison!

Young lady...

Thank you.

Two years ago...

This same wind...

These same cracks,

they were
of no account.

Now...

The damn cold...

Getting
to gnaw at me.

Sometime
it aches...

My every bone.

Hell ain't
no hot place,

no, ma'am.

I expect it's cold...

Cold all the time.

Why not move
into town?

Get a warm room

in a regular house.

I don't want
nothing from town

or town people.

Not in--not in
all my years.

End up like my father?

Working to give pleasure
to rich folk?

My father worked
for rich people.

He guided them
in the woods.

He cooked their meals
and shot their deer.

He was brave,

and he was strong...

But he's dead.

We could surely
use some help
around the house.

Come home with us.

Of course, you'd have
to bathe regularly.

More than...
once a year?

Will you come with us?

Go back to sleep.

I said
go back to sleep.

You--you come here
uninvited,

you accept
my hospitality,

and now you're
going to give me
a world of grief.

You're a girl
that understands
nothing.

Stay out of my life.

He let the fire die
for the first time.

Ever.

Oh, he's gone,
all right.

[Timmy]
Maybe he's a friend
of the trapper's.

No. That fella
just spotted the cabin.

Besides, the trapper
doesn't make friends.

[Clanking]

[Clanking]

I made
fresh coffee.

I saw you
in the distance.

Who lives here?

My father, me,

our friend Pete.

Where are they?

Out running
our trap lines.

They should be back
anytime.

Sister,
my name is Knat.

K-n-a-t.

I'm one hungry man.

Do you suppose
I could share
some of your food?

Whosever in there--
man or beast,

if you value
this cute little neck,

get out here!

Now!

What is this,
a Boy Scout camp?

Show your hand,
you little whelp.

Drop it.

Drop it!

Drop it!

Ugh!

I'm painfully hungry.

What's this, your maid?

Those are the parents
of our friend.

Pete's his name.

No wonder
this place stinks.

You got a pet nigger.

You thief!

You dirty thief!

You took
everything we need.

Don't you care?

Don't you care
if we live or die?

No, I do not!

When your old man
gets back,

you tell him
thanks for the food.

[Clicking hammer on rifle]

Fish head soup?

I'd rather eat
muskrats.

Raw.

I once knew somebody

who'd kill
for fish head soup.

Where do you live,
a barn?

I don't see what's so wrong
with fish head soup.

It's good for you.

Tim!

Timmy!

Tim!

Timmy! Help!

Tim!
Timmy!

Tim!

[Bear growling]

[Click]

Oh, no!

Ohh!

Tim!

[Growling]

[Click]

[Click]

[Gunshot]

[Bear growling]

Come on.
Let's go inside.

Think of it, Lizzy...

Just think of
all that meat
on that bear.

That stupid
piece of junk

almost
got you killed.

I know what's wrong.

I can fix it.

Give it to me.

I'm going to throw it
in the stupid lake.

No, you aren't!

I don't want that
in the cabin, Tim,

not ever, ever again.

He said, "8 miles
down the lake,

three days
of hard going."

You sure
you can make it?

The trapper
helped us, Tim.

Without him,
we could have died.

We don't know
where he is

or when he'll get back.

There's nothing
we can do.

We can wait
just a little longer.

When he does get back,
he may need us.

He may need us

just as much
as we needed him.

He may need us,

but I can sure bet
that he won't tell us...

Or thank us.

One thing, Tim--

something I think
you should know.

If we stay here,

that means Christmas
in the cabin,

not home.

Christmas.

He'd better show up,
that old goat.

♪ Let earth
receive her King ♪

♪ Let every heart
prepare Him room ♪

♪ and heav'n
and nature sing ♪

♪ and heav'n
and nature sing ♪

♪ and heav'n

♪ and heav'n
and nature sing ♪

♪ Joy to the world

♪ the savior reigns

♪ Let men
their songs employ ♪

♪ While fields
and floods ♪

♪ rocks, hills,
and plains ♪

♪ repeat the sounding joy

♪ repeat the sounding joy

♪ repeat

♪ repeat the sounding joy

Wait right there.

Where am I
going to go?

They're mittens.

I knitted them

with thread
from the old
gray blanket.

They're great.

But I have nothing
to give you.

Give me?

Me?

Tim, look what
you've done already.

You're the provider,

a true woodsman.

I bet soon you'll be
known far and wide.

Tim Hood--one top
Adirondack guide.

As good as Mike Allison?

As good as
your father?

You're getting there.

You really are.

Merry Christmas, Lizzy.

Merry Christmas
to you, Tim Hood.

♪ Silent night

♪ Holy night

♪ All is calm

♪ All
is bright ♪

♪ Round yon--

Aah!

Merry Christmas.

[Scraping plate]

Sweet thing,

for a hermit girl,
you do pretty good.

That food
was meant for us.

Yeah. Before I heard
your singing,

I was a sure goner.

Funny...

How Christmas singing...

Warms you up inside.

When my father
gets back,

you'll wish
you'd died out there.

Holidays and all,

your old man is out
running traps?

I need sleep.

I don't need no more
evil eyes and smart lip.

Besides...

It's Christmas.

I'm just as sentimental
as the next guy.

Merry Christmas, boy.

You pig!

Heh heh!

Sleep tight.

Don't let
the bedbugs bite.

Sweet thing.

Oh...

Ain't it pretty?

Oh, what a ring-tailed
jasperoo I was,

oh, Mr. Houdini himself.

I was the stud,

figured I'd head
for the mountains,

away from where
the cops would look.

He and old Mr. Quick,

I figured they'd never
come looking for me
out here.

Turns out
they never had to.

This godforsaken place

does their work
for 'em.

Ah, glory.

[Lizzy]
I think you're right.

[Knat]
I'm right?

Right about what,
sweet thing?

About God...

Having forsaken
this place.

You think major thoughts,
don't you?

For a little girl
I'll bet's never been kissed.

I wasn't going
to tell you this.

No, I wasn't,

but you rile me
to no end,
both of you.

You just
sitting there

just as high
and mighty

thinking,
"Reuben Knat...

He ain't no better
than frozen turd."

I do believe
I saw your pet nigger

out there--
out there in the damn woods

not three days ago.

Yes, indeedy.

That old codger
was covered

with the whitest
damn snow you ever saw,

and he was frozen solid.

Solid.

Stay put,
sonny boy,

or she gets hurt,
real hurt.

[Knat]
Will you listen,
for God's sake? Just--

You killed him!

Listen!
Listen to me!

I didn't kill no man
out there!

I didn't have to.

The winter
did it for me.

Appeared like he fell
through the ice,

got soaking wet,
got to where he couldn't
move no more.

He froze right there--
half in, half out
of that water,

the ice just
locking him in solid.

Sure a godawful way
to die.

Death is on your mind.

I don't fancy joining
no dearly departed.

A little light
keeps us all honest.

Easy, easy, easy.

It won't last long.

But it's gonna be
something--

something you'll remember
for the rest of your life.

Tim! Tim--

- Shut up!
- Tim!

Shut up!

Shut up! Shut up!

Shut up!

You're gonna
get it now.

Argh!

Lizzie...

Lizzie,
it's okay.

Everything's okay.

It's all over.

It's okay.
Everything's okay.

[Grunts]

Aah!

You little...

Tim, run!

Aah!

Tim!

Dirty,
bloody animal!

I got you now!

[Gasps]

Stupid move, boy.

A one-way ticket,
boy,

right in my hand.

Please, God.

Please let me
find it.

Two shots, boy.

Two shots left.

A lousy, stinking,
animal inside.

Please?

[Door creaking]

Boy?

Show yourself, boy.

[Rope creaking]

[Hammer clicks]

One shot, boy.

One shot left
for you.

If that don't do it,
I'll rip out your black heart

with my bare hands,
you living chunk of hell!

[Hammer clicks]

No!

Tim?

[Timmy]
How did he die?

I'm not sure.

He could have
been shot.

He was shot.

For sure, Lizzy.

[Panting]

Tim...

I think
I hear a bell,

a school bell maybe.

A school bell?

Nah, not out here.

I think you've got
school on the brain.

You jerk.

Can't you hear it?

Even if there
was a bell,

it wouldn't be
a school bell.

Maybe
a church bell,

but not a dumb
old school bell.

Will you just
shut up and listen?

Will you just
keep walking?

[Bell ringing
in distance]

[Bell ringing]

Tim.

Oh, Tim.

Tim, that was such
a long time ago.

A long time.

And we made it.

We made it.

And to think,
after all these years,

they want
to forget that place

and build a dam,

but they can't take
that river away, Tim.

Not now.

Not ever.

Hey!

That river of ours--

the Cold River.

Godspeed!

[Silent]

[Guitar plays]

♪ There's a moment
in a young girl's life ♪

♪ when she knows
her time has come ♪

♪ and it's quiet

♪ and it's bittersweet
for some ♪

♪ but that memory
cuts me like a knife ♪

♪ even after
all these years ♪

♪ In the trackless wild
was a woman-child ♪

♪ fighting back the tears

♪ Winter nights

♪ never-ending,
killing cold ♪

♪ Winter nights

♪ long remembered,
never told ♪

♪ I had to reach out
for tomorrow ♪

♪ and hope
a bird would sing ♪

♪ All winter

♪ I dreamed
a dream of spring ♪

♪ All winter

♪ I dreamed
a dream of spring ♪

♪ There's a time
I always think of him ♪

♪ Can't help it,
I just do ♪

♪ When the leaves are gone

♪ and the waning light
is through ♪

♪ I had a long and soulful
drink of him ♪

♪ but time
has soured the taste ♪

♪ 'cause part of me died
when he walked outside ♪

♪ and crossed
the frozen waste ♪

♪ Winter nights

♪ Whispered words
and secret signs ♪

♪ Winter nights

♪ Moaning cries
and silent eyes ♪

♪ In time, I'm told,
all wounds must heal ♪

♪ So why
do mine still sting? ♪

♪ All winter

♪ I dream
a dream of spring ♪

♪ All winter

♪ I dream
a dream of spring. ♪