Don't Come Knocking (2005) - full transcript

What're you telling me?
He's not there?

- He's not in his trailer or what?
- No. He's not.

- Did you check craft service?
- Yes.

- He's not there either?
- No

How 'bout hair and make-up?
Did you check with the girls?

He's gone, Mickey.

I'm telling you, man.
He is gone!

Well, that's interesting.

Where do you think
he's gone off to?

Cause look around you.
What do you see?

I see sand and big fucking rocks.
There is nowhere to go.



Camera is ready!
I need him now!

You copy that?

Yes, I copy that!

I copy!
Don't yell at me, Mickey!

I can't take that right now!

Howard! Are you in there?
You are killing me, buddy!

Camera is ready.
I need you out here now!

- He's not in there, man.
- Shut up!

Who're you?

What d'ya mean "who am I"?
Who're you?

Where's Howard?

Oh, my God!
Don't push me around like that!

Oh, my God!

Alright.
What the fuck is going? What?



Where is Howard?

- Howard? Who's Howard?
- Aw, Jesus! He is not in here?

I told you...

Will you shut up!
Will you shut up!

Action!

Cut! Cut! No good.

- Come on, get that horse!
- Camera reload!

- Get the other wrangler!
- Diffuse this lens.

What do you mean, he's gone!

I mean... He just

disappeared.

Disappeared!

Not dead.

How could I be not dead?

Hello!

Hello?

Hey! You want these?

- What?
- Want this set a'spurs?

- Free, like?
- Yeah.

What's wrong with'em?

There's nothing' wrong with 'em.

If you give me
your shirt and your vest,

I'll give you that set of spurs.
Okay? We'll swap.

I'll give you
these boots, too. Okay?

- My shirt and my vest?
- Yeah.

Good deal?

- You'll give me the spurs?
- Yeah.

I'll give you this fancy jacket
and the stirrups.

You want those?

All right,
but you can't have my hat.

Because I've had this
thirty some odd years.

No, I don't want your hat.

I just want
your shirt and vest. Okay?

It's a deal?

All right.
They aren't good anyway.

Appreciate it.

You bet.

Warm out here.

And you can have this horse, too.
It's a pretty good gelding.

You must be gettin'
outa' ranching altogether?

Yeah.

Is there a car rental place
around here?

What?

- Place to rent cars.
- I ain't seen any.

train?

Oh, now and then.

Well, thanks.
Appreciate it.

You bet.

Who the fuck is that?

Some big shot
from the Bond company.

Let's go check him out.

I'd like to see
Mr. Spence's trailer, please.

Ah, his trailer?

That's right.
It's still here, isn't it?

Yes, The trailer is still here.

Ah, wouldn't you like to
come down and meet

the director
and the producer first?

No, I'd like to see his trailer.
His mobile home.

- His mobile home.
- His mobile home.

Sure.

Right away.

I got the producers on the line.
You wanna talk to 'em?

No.

Let me have the director
come down.

I'm sure he would be more than
happy to come right on down.

I don't want to see the director.
I don't want to see anyone.

I wanna be left alone.
Is that clear?

Nice talking to you...

What a dick.

There is every indication

that Mr. Spence is engaged in
a totally irresponsible,

self-indulgent,
immoral behavior.

Not unlike many members
of his profession.

Hey!
Pull up there a second!

Let's see some I.D.?

I.D.?
You gotta be joking.

- Mom?
- Howard?

Mom?

- Howard? Is that you?
- Yeah, it's me.

- Where in the world are you?
- I'm not sure.

- Are you in good health?
- Yeah, I'm fine, Mom.

- Are you far, far away?
- No. I think.

I mean I think I'm somewhere
in Utah, near the border.

What border is that, now?

Nevada.
The Nevada border.

You haven't been that close

since you went away
to do that movie years ago.

Yeah.

Listen, Mom would you mind if I came
by and spend a couple days with you?

Well if you're that close and
you don't come and stay with me

you better not ever,
ever call me again. I swear...

Mom! You're breaking up
on me, Mom!

Can you hear me?

You're breaking up on me!

Okay. Here we go.

How many cards does he have?

Darn machines...

Excuse me,
kind of in a hurry here.

Yeah. Sorry.

We are all waiting.
With our one card...

Thanks.

Say, excuse me, but
don't I know you from somewhere?

What! What the hell!

Attention all passengers.

The bus to Elko is now board
in gand departing immediately.

Adios!

You must be sky.

Your mother will be very much
missed around here.

Oh, John.
Do you really have to leave?

I am sorry.

I'm sorry!
But I... I can't do this.

Cut! Cut!
What's going on now?

- What's wrong?
- I just... I can't do this!

- What's wrong, Monica?
- I can't do this.

I am having a very difficulty me pretending
that he is supposed to be Howard.

I mean I can't kiss that guy!

Who is that guy?
That's not Howard.

It's just a temporary thing,
Monica.

Temporary my ass!

Where is Howard?
When's he supposed to get here?

Howard's coming.
He's just going to be here soon

but what we've got to do is try
to continue until he gets here.

Why? I am supposed to
be acting with Howard Spence,

not some stand-in jerk-off.

The bond company
wants us to keep shooting.

Fuck the bond company!

- Wow! Hang on! Just wait a minute!
- Just get out of my way, ok.

- Do you want any water...
- I'm going to my trailer.

I'm calling my agent.
Leave me alone!

I haven't got anything
left to shoot.

Just some inserts.

Inserts will take half a day.

What we need is Howard!

We need Howard here
and we need Howard here now!

Mom!

Howard.

What in the wide world
has become of you?

- Are you my son?
- Yeah. It's me, Mom.

Is that all your luggage?

Oh, I'm traveling light.

You didn't have
to bring any flowers.

I didn't.
These aren't for you!

What would you do
with a bunch of plastic roses?

Come on,
let's get going.

Sold the old ranch house?

I had to when your father died...

So, You're not living
in the country anymore?

No. I moved ten years ago.

I don't know
what to do with you, Mom.

It all happened so fast.

I mean, I remember you
talking about that place.

That place out near
where you grew up.

You were always talking about that,
like you were happy there or something.

When I was a kid.

You remember that?

Always seemed like
you liked that place.

I thought maybe.
I'd take you up there.

Well, what were you
thinking about?

Nothing.

So, now they'll be
looking for you, is that it?

Yeah. I guess.

And you want me to
hide you out or something?

"Just like Jesse James?"

Yeah, "Just like Jesse James."

Well, I suppose I could do that.
You are my son, aren't ya'?

I just need a place
to rest for a while, Mom.

Might as well be the place
you grew up in.

Yeah.

You know, I always have
the same damn problem

finding your father's grave site.

Well don't you recognize
the stone, Mom?

Well. They'reall alike.

I mean, they used up all them pretty
little white arches during Vietnam.

Then, by the time your father died, all they
had were these simple slabs of granite.

Just a slab flat on the grou...

Here it is.

- Is that it?
- Yes.

I never thought it was appropriate
a flat slab on the ground.

People just walk right
on top of it.

Dogs pee on it.

It just isn't right.

Gentlemen, I can shoot around
Howard for another day or two, but...

That doesn't solve the problom.

I Well, you know, Mr. Daily, sir.

I don't see exactly how the director
or any of us, for that matter,

can beheld totally accountable
for Howard's actions.

Well somebody has to be held has to be
held accountable, don't they, Jim?

I mean, Mr. Daily's company has
insured us for 30 million

- Thirty two point, five.
- Well, yes, of course.

But Howard has a long history
of this kind of behavior.

I don't think he's ever completely
disappeared before though, has.

No, no.

He's never done that before...

We gave the guarantee
of completion, didn't we?

Yes, we did, Mr. Sutter.

Well, then we'll find him.

There's no question.
We'll definitely find him.

What kind of trouble
are you in, Howard?

Trouble?

Oh, it's nothing, Mom.
You know, I might end up

owing a little bit of money.
That's all.

No, I don't mean...
I don't mean that.

Then what?

Well, a man doesn't go off for
nigh thirty years without a word

then show up at his mother's door

unless there's some kind
of serious trouble.

No, I just...
I just needed to see you Ma.

I understand that part.

I mean, I thought it'd dome
some good to come back here

and just stay for a while,
you know.

Have you been doing all that stuff what
they said about you in the magazines?

What stuff?

You know, that stuff...
like carousing around.

You know the magazines are
magazines are just full of gossip.

I don't give two hoots about it.
I'm just curious.

No, I haven't been doing anything...
I haven't been doing any of that stuff.

Because if you were doing all that stuff,
it's no wonder you're not feeling so hot.

I feel fine.

With just the sheer
exhaustion of it.

I wasn't doing anything!

It's just that. that things came up
and they kind of snowballed and...

What, what things?

Well, you know...
opportunities.

Opportunities are supposed to be
a good thing, aren't they?

Yeah, but not always though.
Sometimes...

What the hell are you
are you staring at!

Come on, Mom,
let's get sometimes when out of here.

Well, I haven't
finished my coffee.

I've just gotta get some air.

You'll have to excuse my son.
He's lost his manners.

That happens people
stray too far from home, Susy.

Don't worry about it, Lulu.

I don't know why you're so
upset about this, Mom. I mean...

Rudeness is one thing I've never
been able to tolerate, Howard.

I mean...
I don't understand rudeness.

I know, Mom, it's nothing.
It's over.

The man was staring at me.
It's rude to stare.

Well so be it. You didn't
need to take his head off.

Well, I apologize.

Well, it's embarrassing, Howard...
just embarrassing.

Well I'm sorry...
Sorry.

So there... I prepared a room
for you downstairs.

I hope it'll fit you.
I just...

I just don't have all the space
we had in the old ranch house.

No. I'll be fine, Mom.
I'll be fine.

Oh it's handy to the kitchen and
there's a bivy right down the hallway.

Where do you sleep?

Just down the hall.

So, if you need anything,
you just holler.

Well, thanks, Mom.

Yes. Sure.

- Good night.
- Good night.

Oh, where is the basement?

- Right through the kitchen.
- Okay.

- Night, night.
- Good night.

There's jam and bread
in the kitchen Howard!

If you're hungry.
I don't know if you're hungry or not.

I'm alright, Mom!

Well, if you're hungry,
you just help yourself!

Thanks!

Would you believe?

Hey, Ma!

I think I'm gonna go out
and get some air, alright?

Have a nice time!

What'll it be buddy?

let me have a coke, please.

Are you in the movies?

My friend says
you're in the movies.

Change for a hundred.

And... no more bets.
No more bets, please.

Here is your martini.

- Thank you, dear.
- Anything for you?

Hmmm... let me have a
"Jim Beam" on the rocks.

I'll be right back.

What is so god damn
fascinating about me, huh?

Howard, Howard...

Why do you keep
dogging me around?

Howard, it's me! It's me,
Cliff! Cliff Ormsby!

Cliff Ormsby?

Yes, Plains High, 1959

1959?

Yeah. Don't you remember me?

I don't remember anything.

Nothing that ever happened back
then happened to me. Okay?

Alright.

God damn it!

Hey! I was looking for you.

There you are!
I thought you might've skipped out on me.

Mr. Spence seems to
have done a good job

cutting himself off completely
from family and friends.

I have no traces to immediate
family, except his mother.

Er, she lives in Elko, Nevada.

- That's very good, Miss Rontz.
- Thank you, sir.

That's excellent work.

Thank you.

Mothers are always
the last refuge, aren't they?

Sure are, sir.

Just a tick...

Ah, oh, Sir are you there,
are you still there?

Sir?

And you can contact the car
rental company

and tell them that
we've located Mr. Spence's car...

Very good.

at the Rio Grande bus terminal...

Er, Rio Grande?
Where is that, sir?

- Here in Salt Lake City.
- Alright.

I'll be back in touch shortly.

- Thanks very much...
- Sweaty.

- Excuse me.
- That's right.

The Fight of Your Life.

Alright. I'm ready.
Are you ready? I'm ready. Ready?

Alright.

What the hell
do you think you're doing?

Take it easy!

Take it easy!

Hey! Hey!

Give me your arm.

God damn you!

Give me your...

Just hang on a second.
Would you?

- I need to take a pee.
- You can take a pee at the station.

I've been having to pee
for a longtime.

Damn it, I... that machine
is crazy.

You guys aren't from around
here are you?

I grew up in this town.

My dad ranched right up here
in the Ruby Mountains.

God damn it!

Don't you guys recognize me?
I've been in the movies.

- I'm an actor.
- Why don't you tell that to the judge?

Yeah. He likes movies.

I've been in lots of
lots ofWesterns.

This is my hometown.

Yeah. I know it,

Cowboy. Coming to tayayayeh, right?

Alright, right there.

Morning, Charlie.

Morning Mrs. Spence.

What's happened to Howard?

Well, he was having a little
too much fun last night.

Weren't you, Howie?

You keep an eye on him now,
Mrs. Spence.

Oh, I will. Don't you worry
about that, Charlie.

Tell you the truth,
I didn't hardly recognize him at all.

I mean haven't seen him
in so long.

Of course I guess we've all gotten a little
bit longer in the tooth now, haven't we?

- I guess so, Charlie.
- Yeah, it happens. Yeah.

- Bye.
- Bye, bye.

Yes, it happens.

Did you have any fun
out there, last night?

Haha, fun?

Yeah.

Girls?
Drinking and gambling?

No... Mom.

Well, it's supposed to be fun,
isn't it?

I mean that's
what they claim.

People come from miles
around to have fun.

That's what
I thought it was, anyway.

It's just designed
to be fun.

Yeah, I don't know.

I don't know what to do
with myself, anymore.

Aren't you gonna' eat your eggs?

No. I'm not feeling so hot.

Well, hand the mover then.
No sense in wasting'em.

They look good.

Oh, thank you.

A fork...

Yeah, you don't happen to have any
pictures of your little family, do you?

Mom and Howard
My... my... my family?

The child
you never told me about.

My grandson.

And I had to find it out from
his poor mother back then.

What child!

Now don't tell me you gave it up for
adoption or something stupid like that?

I don't know about any child.

- You don't know?
- No.

How'd you get to
be such a mess, Howard?

A woman called me, years ago.

Back, just after you'd finished that...
big motion picture of yours up there in Montana.

The Western. Said she was
pregnant with your baby.

What woman was this?

I don't know what woman?
You're the one who got her pregnant.

I never...
I never got any body pregnant!

Well, she said that you did.

She had a pretty
strong notion about it.

What did she want?

She wanted to know
if I'd seen you.

Course I hadn't.
I never saw you again after that.

And you were just
a total stranger.

She called from somewhere
up in Montana. I remember that.

Montana?

I got...
I gotta lie down, Mom.

Oh... okay... don't you want
your orange juice, then?

No. Thanks.

Mrs. Spence.

I'm looking for your son.

My son?

I haven't seen him
in over thirty years.

Ever since he became
a big movie star.

I mean you'd think he'd at least drop
his mother a card now and then, wouldn't you?

Yes, you would.

So you haven't heard
from him in thirty years.

- Not a phone call?
- Na ah.

- Not an email?
- What's an email?

Oh, you must be with the
movie company outfit, is that it?

Sort of.

Well, Mrs. Spence, here's my card and
if you do happen to hear from your son,

could you give me a call?
My numbers are all there.

Oh, I'd be glad to.

I'd appreciate that.

- Bye, bye.
- Goodbye, now.

Howard!
The coast is clear!

I remember your father barreling down
those long, dusty roads in this thing,

heading back from
the cattle auctions.

You could see him from miles away
Just a plume of dust.

Like a giant rooster.
It was quite excitin', actually.

It's a beauty, Mom.
Does it still run?

Oh, I use it every week
for shopping,

but... but I can walk
just as easy.

You're sure?

Well, let me know now and then
where you're stayin'.

- Keep in touch.
- I will, Mom.

Oh, I packed some things
of your father's for you.

Thanks.

Don't be a stranger!

No. I'll give you a call.

Runs like a top.

You look good.

- Bye, Howie!
- Bye, Mom.

Have you seen this man?

Yeah. Yesterday.

Thank you.

Excuse... Excuse me.

Sorry.

Pardon me.

Excuse... Excuse me.

Sorry. Ah... Excuse me.

Sorry.

You got a room for one night?

Well, this must be your lucky day, Mister.
We have one room left.

Oh, good.

It is a 'smoking' room though,
if that's all right.

Yeah that's fine. Thanks.

Ah, you take cash money?

Yes, we certainly do.
Ah, what's your name?

Ah, Spence.
Howard Spence.

Are you here on business,
Mr. Spence?

No, I'm not.

- Howard Spence?
- Yeah.

The Howard Spence?

No. No. No.

People mistake me for him.

Hey, Mom! It's me again.
I'mon the road.

Where are you heading now,
Howard?

Well, I thought
I'd go up to Montana
and try to find that woman.

What woman is that?

Well, you know, the one you told me about.
The woman with the baby.

Oh, yes of course.

You don't remember her name?
Do you?

- Her name?
- You got a name?

How would I remember a name
after thirty years?

It wasn't...
was it 'Doreen'?

What's that?

Doreen! She used to work
as a waitress up there.

It was so long ago.

Well, it certainly was, Howard,
where are you calling from?

God, I mean, the kid must
be thirty almost by now.

Where does the time go?
It's unbelievable.

What's all that noise?

I hope you see
this thing through, Howard.

You owe it to that woman.

Oh, excuse me.
Someone is at the door.

Goodbye, Howard.

Coming!

Good evening, Mrs. Spence.

- It's you.
- Yes, it's me.

Sorry to be such a nuisance.

Would you like to come in
and have some cookies and milk?

Cookies?

What kind?

Peanut butter,
with little chips of butterscotch.

I'll try one.

Oh, just come on in then
and help yourself.

I've just baked them.

Oh, that's very kind of you,
Mrs. Spence.

- Are you staying in Elko, Mr...
- Sutter. Mr. Sutter.

Sutter?

Ah, no.
I'm just passing through.

That's about all you
can do here, isn't it?

Just pass on through.

Here.

You lied to me,
didn't you, Mrs. Spence?

I beg your pardon?

You deliberately lied to me
about your son.

He was here all along, wasn'the?

I don't know what in the world
you're talking about.

I've never told anything
but the truth in my whole life.

Lying is for cowards,
Mr. Sutter. Hmm?

Excellent cookies.

Housekeeping!

Oh, shit! Oh. Hey! Hey!
Come on, everybody

up... up, up, up.
Everybody outta here!

God damn it. Oh, my God.

Here, Get your stuff.
Come on.

Whose stuff is this?

Come on. Get outa' here!

Let's go. Come on.

Everybody out.
Here we go. Is that yours?

Come on, come on, come on...

What do you want?

Would you like me to
come back later, sir?

Yeah! No! Don't come back!
Don't ever come back!

Hey, wait a second!
Is this... wait! That's yours?

- Thanks, Howie.
- Bye.

Ah, great. Great.
You've done it again.

Ahhh god!

Nice. Nice. Way to go.
Terrific.

Oh, God.

Oh, boy.

Just see if you
can get to Montana.

You want me to freshen that up?

Can I help you, sir?

Oh, just a cup of coffee,
thanks.

- You want Coffee mate with it?
- Yeah. Sure.

I'm probably not going to
get out of here until midnight so...

Can I get a room
for a couple of nights?

Yes, sir. No problem.

Ah, would you fill this out, please?

You take cash, I hope.

Absolutely.
Here is your room key.

You're in 201,
just down the hall.

Ancient history now.
This place is just full of ghosts.

Are you from out of town?

Ah, yeah, sort of.
My Mom was from Butte.

She was?
What was her name?

Oh, you wouldn't know her.
She kind of...

she came and went a lot.

Ahh, yeah.
Well, she's not alone.

There's only a few
of us die-hards left here.

What movie was this?
It's a Western?

Yeah.

It was shot right around here,
wasn't it?

Right here. Yep.

Must have been really exciting.

Yeah, well.
For about five minutes.

And then "real life" came back
and took its place.

Yeah. I don't know I thinker...

I think I like the movies better.

Than what?

Than real life.

Well, you let me know if you want
some coffee or something, huh, honey?

Thanks.

Strike a pose, imagining loud
and ecstatic, applause.

Simply because...
you are on pause.

Strike my face so we can see
if it leaves some kind of mark.

No, it's too dark.
My, it's dark.

Excuse me.

Ah, Ginger Ale, please.

Well, it took you long enough.

Thank you. Thank you folks.

This next song is for everybody

who's ever been shaken,
rattled and rolled...

He's got a pretty good voice,
don't you think?

Dedicated to Bill Haley.
Okay guys.

- Where have you been, Howard?
- One, two, three. one, two, three

Where in the world
have you been?

I don't know.

Just kinda' fell off the face
of the earth, huh?

Yeah.

You know,
I looked for you for a while.

I tried to find you.

I looked everywhere.

- I even tracked down your mother.
- My mother?

Yeah.
Didn't she tell you?

No, I haven't seen her for
a good long while.

That's too bad, Howard.

You should never lose
track of your mother.

So, what are you doing
back up here?

Oh, you know.
Just kind of...

kind of passing through.

Just... passing through?
On a whim?

Yeah, I thought I'd just
drop back through...

Well, ifyou're
looking for your son...

That's him.
Right there in front 'a you.

It's really good to
see you again, Howard.

Wait a second!
Can I get you a drink or some...

Doreen!

Thank you.
Thank you, guys, Thanks.

We'll take a short break.
Come back.

Tip the bartender...
Thanks.