Hostiles (2017) - full transcript

An adverb modifies a verb

by telling us
how something's done,

where something's done,

- or when something's done.
- When something's done.

Lucy.

The music played quietly.

And the adverb is?

- Quietly.
- Quietly.

Sylvie.

The dog runs
through the house.

Is right because...



It's explaining
where the dog ran.

Is correct, but if you wanted
to say how the dog ran...

- Quickly?
- Quickly. Very good, girls.

Rosalie! Girls!

- They're coming.
- Oh, dear God!

Mommy,
what's happening?

There are people coming
for our horses, sweetie.

Lucy, grab Jacob.
Remember our plan.

Sylvie, get away
from the door!

Grab Jacob's bear.

I'll meet you
at the top of the ridge.

- Wesley, come with us.
- If I don't,

they're gonna take
it all or burn it down.

Let them. Please come.



- Daddy, please come.
- Run for the door, girls.

Run for the door.

- Please come.
- Rosalie, run.

- Go. Run, girls, run! Go!
- Let's go, girls.

- Go!
- Run, girls.

- Run!
- Run!

Lucy, give me Jacob.

- Daddy!
- Come on, girls.

- Wesley. No.
- Daddy!

No!

Run. Run, girls.

Lucy! No!

I got it.

Hold her.

- I got him. Got him.
- Come on, redskin.

Give up. Come on!

Come on now.

Come on, red.

Get up, boy.

Come on now.

- Get up.
- Come on, red. Get up.

- Get him up.
- Move now.

- I said move!
- Get up.

- Hyah!
- Come on.

Come on.

Looks like you got it, Joe.

Yeah.

How far did they get?

Diablo Canyon.

- Apaches, huh?
- Uh-huh.

Get up!

It's gotta be about
the end of them, eh?

We think, but, like ants,
they just keep coming.

Y'all escape,
this is what happens.

Next time, we ain't bothering
bringing you back.

It ought not to be
this way, Joe.

Is there
a better way, Tolan?

Getting tired, Joe.

I think I've reached
the end of my sojourn.

They say I'm not fit.

Sort of have the...

The melancholia.

Mmm-hmm.

Well, there's no such thing.

Twenty years
I gave this Union.

They took my guns, Joe.

You're out anyway.

Hmm.

What'd you give?
Twenty? Twenty-five?

I stopped counting.

You remember that, uh...

That time when Kiowa put
his war-lance in your belly?

Yeah.

You remember you were sitting
there in the water...

just trying to hold
your guts in there.

Hmm.

And I came by
and you looked at me,

and you had
that look on your face.

You looked so young.

Like somebody had taken
something from you.

Like they had taken
a Christmas present from you.

They took
your fucking horse, yeah?

And we beated
the hell out of it.

And you say...

"I see his face

and I'm gonna kill him
one day."

And you did.

You did.

You ride him up
in that blind path...

and you took
that knife of yours

and you cut him
from end to end.

Yes, I did.

Those were good days.

Yes, they were.

Those were...

Those were good days.

They were the best, Metz.

Morning, sir.
Corporal Molinor here.

The colonel
would like to see you.

I'll get that.

- Yes?
- Captain Blocker's here, sir.

- Morning, Captain.
- Colonel.

You know Jeremiah Wilks here,
of Harper's Weekly.

Sit down, Joe.

I understand you finally

run that escaped Apache bunch
to ground.

- Sir. Mmm.
- Well done.

Today, gentlemen, I don't know
what we are going to do

with this...
these wretched savages.

I have a suggestion.

Why don't you
let them all go?

I mean, that would be
the humane thing to do.

Wouldn't it?
I see the captain disagrees.

Not my place to disagree.

Bet if you had your way,
you'd keep them in chains.

That right, Blocker?

Don't matter to me
what you do with them.

Now that
I'm in your esteemed company,

Captain, I must ask,

it true you took more scalps
than Sitting Bull himself?

That's what I hear, anyway.

- I don't care what you hear.
- Gentlemen.

I think that'll do.

Captain, you do know
Chief Yellow Hawk?

You know I know him.

The chief and his family

have been prisoners
for nearly seven years.

I'd say that's
punishment enough,

wouldn't you?

There ain't enough punishment
for his kind.

- Is that right?
- Damn right, it's right.

Let me ask you, Colonel.

You remember Billy Dixon?
Probably not.

Billy was a very
good friend of mine.

I knew him very well,
as I do all the men here.

And I watched Yellow Hawk
take a knife

and cut Billy
from stem to stern.

And then he turned
to my good friend

- Tully McClain...
- Yes, well, Captain...

You're no angel
your own self.

Hmm.

You know he's eat up
with the cancer.

Mmm.

Well, the chief
has asked for his release.

Wants to go home to Montana.

Some place called
the Valley of the Bears.

- You know it?
- I do.

Sacred Cheyenne territory.

After due deliberation
and communication

with Washington, I've decided
to honor that request.

Allow him and his people
to go.

His release, it has
become something of a...

What you might call
a cause célèbre.

Back East.

The Department of the Army
wants to be certain

that the chief gets there
safely, without incident.

Why are you telling me this?

You speak as good
a native dialect as anyone.

Know the trails between here
and Montana as well as anyone.

- Do you not?
- I've been over them some.

I'm assigning a detail

to accompany the chief
and his people.

And, quite frankly,
you're the only one

I can count on to get
the job done right.

So, you will lead
the party to Montana.

See the chief back
to his homeland.

Arrange the others
back on the reservation.

And from there
you will cut off East

to Fort Mason
for your mustering out.

With respect, sir,
I'm not leading that cutthroat

and his brood of bastards
and bitches anywhere.

I'm afraid it's an order.

I'm afraid
I ain't obeying it. Sir.

You're retiring,
are you not?

I'm sure
you don't want to tarnish

your record
at this late date

with a court-martial.

To tell you the truth,
I don't give a damn.

Well, you do give a damn about
your pension, don't you?

Let me
tell you something, Captain.

Aside from losing
one's mind,

there is very little to do
for an old captain

besides sit
and whittle and whistle

and wait for the postman

to bring him
his pension check.

It would just be a damn shame
for a man such as yourself

who's put in the time

to come up short in the end.

You have any idea

who that son-of-a-bitch is

and what he's done?

I know he was considered

a very tough adversary
in his day.

And now
he is a dying old man.

No, he's a butcher.

Then the two of you
ought to get along just fine.

Shut the hell up,
you fucking pasty-faced...

You have never seen
a lick of war.

- You have no idea...
- No.

No idea
what it does to a man.

I've killed savages.
I've killed plenty of them.

'Cause
that's my fucking job.

And from what
I hear, Captain,

there was never a man happier
in his work.

Look.

- Hmm.
- I saw what happened

to the 4th when Yellow Hawk
and his dog soldiers

got done with them.

And there wasn't a...

Don't you dare laugh.

There wasn't enough left
of those poor men

to fill a slop pail.

Understand...

When we lay our heads down
out here,

we're all prisoners.

I hate them.

I got a war bag of reasons
to hate them.

Skinny Figler, Edwin Tate...

Captain,
I just don't give a damn

how you personally feel
about Yellow Hawk.

I don't.

What I care about is this,

a direct order
signed by President Harrison.

So, you've got
just over 24 hours

to pick and provision
your detail.

Should you decide
to disobey this order,

you'll consider yourself
confined to barracks

pending a court-martial.
Stop!

This will be done.

And it will be done by you.

Now you're dismissed.

I'll see to that, Captain.

The rest is in my trunk.

You can take that Apache
war bow if you want it.

Morning, doctor.

Morning, Captain.

Morning, Sergeant.

Corporal.

- Ready for the journey, sir.
- As you were.

- Lieutenant.
- Captain.

- West Point, hmm?
- Yes, sir.

I want to say
what an honor it is

to be chosen by you, sir.

I'll give you everything
I'm made of.

- You can sleep on it.
- That's why you're here.

We don't get too many
of you West Point types

out this far.

We'll see what
they taught you.

- Provisions?
- Yes, sir.

A month's worth of meat,
raisins, sugar, and pickles.

- Lead?
- Enough to defend Fort Apache

if required, sir.

We'll need it.

- Private.
- Pardon, monsieur.

Captain, I have a question

before we depart
on our journey.

Hmm?

As a new arrival
to Fort Berringer,

and, quite frankly,
as someone

with less than
ideal experience...

I don't... I'm just...
I'm curious why you chose me.

I didn't choose you.
He did.

You've got a good day
ahead of you, Captain.

Lord willing,
the weather will hold

and you'll avoid
the monsoons. Chief.

I shined them up for you
real nice.

They're good as new.

I know
this isn't the best duty

you've ever pulled,
but, uh, well, then again,

you are getting out
of this hellhole early.

When the president asks,
a man's got to do it.

Anyone gives you any trouble,
just show them these.

They'll guarantee you
safe passage.

- So long, Colonel.
- Good-bye, Blocker.

Joe...

You were a good soldier.

I still am.

Colonel.

Detail! Forward march.

The fucking parade's over.

- Woodsen.
- Yes, sir?

Take this shit off them
and put them in chains.

Yes, sir.

And take the braids
out of the bitch's hair.

Guide me

O Thou great Jehovah

Pilgrim through
this barren land

Guide me

I am weak

But Thou art strong

Hold me
with Thy powerful hand

Break them here.

- Kidder.
- Yes, sir?

- DeJardin.
- Yes, sir?

- Set up camp.
- Right away, sir.

We'll be back directly.

And mind them Reds.

Comanche.

Captain.

They're sleeping.

Ma'am.

Can we get you
and your babies to safety?

Get you...
Get you warm and...

Boys.

Her babies are sleeping.

Just try not to wake them.

Ma'am.

Let's get you warm.
Get you some water.

I'm not going to hurt you.
I promise.

Will you come with me?

All right.

Be gentle with them, please.

God almighty.

DeJardin!

Captain, what the...
Captain, what happened?

- Comanche.
- This far west?

I thought they were settled
on reservations.

Some of them
ain't ever settled.

- Lieutenant.
- Have you seen them, sir?

No, but they ain't far.

Well, start digging up
on top of the ridge.

Yes, sir.

DeJardin. Grab them shovels
over yonder, and them picks.

Ma'am.

- Yes, sir.
- May I help you down?

- Mmm?
- May I help you down?

All right. All right.

All right,
let's get a fresh blanket

and some water for the...
Just get a goddamn blanket.

No, they ain't gonna harm you.
They ain't gonna harm you.

Come, look this way.
Look this way.

They ain't gonna harm you.

Come on.

Ma'am, we got a...
Got a clean blanket here.

Hello, ma'am.

No! You will not touch
this baby.

- You hear me?
- All right, step away.

Yes, ma'am.

I don't need that.

- Drop those shovels!
- Drop them!

I will bury my family.

- You hear me?
- Yes, ma'am.

I will bury my family.

Shovel, please.

...for He will conceal me

in the shelter of his tent

and set me high upon a rock.

Even now
my head is held high

above my enemies
on every side,

and I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with
shouts of happiness.

I will sing and chant praises
to the Lord.

Amen.

Promise me that when I die,

I'll be buried
in this field.

Promise me.

Don't you take
another fucking step.

- Kidder.
- Sir?

Take the dress to the lady.

She wants you
to have this, ma'am.

Mmm.

You go ahead
and take my tent.

Are you sure you wouldn't like
something to eat?

No.

I'll bring my saddle up here
and be right outside.

You need anything,
you just holler.

I'll leave you in peace.

She's broken, Joe.

Yeah.

What do you plan
on doing with her?

Take her to Winslow.

Keep an eye on her
in case...

She ain't right.

Captain.

Everything all right, sir?

Everything's fine.

As soon as she's awake,
we'll move out.

Of course, sir.

Heading out soon.

You ready, ma'am?

I am.

Thank you.

Rally!

Get out of here!

- Kidder?
- Yes, sir?

Unchain them.

- Sir?
- You heard me.

If they put a foot wrong,
you put a bullet in them.

Yes, sir.

You believe
in the Lord, Joseph?

Yes, I do, Mrs. Quaid.

But...

He's been blind to what's...

going on out here
for a long time.

I see that.

But I have to believe
that it's times like these

that strengthen
our bond with Him.

If I did not have faith,

what would I have?

By knowledge
shall the chambers be filled

with all precious
and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong...

I will seek it yet again.

Be not thou envious
against evil men

and neither desire
to be with them.

For their heart
studieth destruction,

and their lips talk
of mischief.

You can take your leave.

Yes, sir.

I ain't never killed a man
before, Sergeant.

That was my first.

Is that so?

How do you feel?

Strange.

And not in a good way.

To just...

take another man's life
like that.

How'd you feel
when you killed your first?

It was so long ago.

How old were you?

I was 14.

I was fighting
for the Grays.

You know, if you sign up
to be a soldier...

it's your job.

But if you don't do your job,
then you're lying

in a heap like DeJardin.

And you remember that.

You know,
I've killed everything

that's walked or crawled.

Men.

Women. Children.

All colors.

If you do it enough...

you get used to it.

It doesn't mean a thing.

That's what I'm afraid of.

What you don't get
used to is...

Is losing men.

I've lost a lot of men.

Is that them?

Yep.

And they ain't gonna bother us
no more, either.

Come on!

Tommy.

I do not like being humiliated
and I'll tell you right now,

you ever fall asleep
on watch again,

and it'll be you
hanging from a tree.

You fucking
hear me, Sergeant?

Everyone deserves
their kill, Joe.

Even them.

Let's go to Winslow.

Well, I'll be
a son of a bitch.

Hello, Ross.

How the hell are you, Joe?

- I've been better.
- You never looked it.

He's barely hanging on.

Need to get him
to the infirmary.

Corporal.

You're all right, Henry.

- Look after this man.
- Thank you, Corporal.

You run into
some trouble, huh?

Trouble's been trailing us
since we left Fort Berringer.

Kidder,
you see to DeJardin's body.

- Yes, sir.
- Ross,

this is Mrs. Rosalie Quaid.

- Colonel McCowan.
- Ma'am.

Mrs. Quaid lost her kit.
Is the sutler's store open?

Mmm-hmm. I'll have Minnie
look after her.

All right, I have no idea
what a dress costs...

- Hey, keep your money.
- If you need...

Thank you, Ross.
I'll go check on them.

Can I help you down, ma'am?

Those folks
in the Indian Bureau

ought to come out here
and spend a few weeks

at Fort Winslow
or on a reservation.

The sickness,
the starvation,

the conditions
those poor souls

have to live under
is nothing short of inhumane.

Come out here,
they'd understand.

I'm afraid my wife has become
a champion of the oppressed.

Don't pretend you don't
agree, Ross McCowan.

Don't let him fool you.

It just riles me the way

the government treats them,
that's all.

They're human beings.

They deserve to be
treated as such.

And need I mention
they were here first?

- That'll do...
- That they're dispossessed

at our hand.

- And have received nothing.
- That's enough!

I will...

You suppose that, um...

You could put up Mrs. Quaid?

Until the... until the stage
comes through?

I'd love to, but the stage
stopped running

six months ago.

Stopped?

They couldn't make
a go of it.

Hmm.

There's the supply train,

but it won't be here
until Christmas.

Well, Mrs. Quaid,
I'm sure that you...

Would be comfortable
until then.

Until Christmas.

Christmas?

Mmm.

I suppose so.

I...

I suppose I have no choice.

You're more than welcome
to stay.

I'm sure we'll find plenty
to keep you occupied.

Thank you, Minnie.

Cigar?

I want to ask
a favor of you.

I've got a prisoner who needs
escorted to Fort Pierce.

I didn't want
to say over supper,

but now that you're headed
in that direction,

I was wondering
if maybe you could

veer off a little bit
and deposit him for me.

Why all the way to Pierce?

That's where
he deserted from.

Going back
to face the courts.

- For what?
- Murder.

Chopped up a whole
hostile family with an ax.

They say it was
a hell of a sight.

I'll take him for you.

- You're sure?
- Mmm.

Listen, I'll understand
if you don't want to carry

that kind of burden.

Ross, I've been carrying
that kind of burden

for some time now.

Morning, Captain.

Morning.

How you holding up?

All right.

Well, if I don't breathe.

Well then, don't breathe.

Could be worse.

Could have ended up
like Frenchie.

As you well know...

death rides on every hand.

In this case,
a kind provenance

is watching over you.

It don't feel right.

It don't feel right
not helping you

finish what we started.

Feels like
I let you down, Joe.

You never
let me down, Henry.

You never let me down.
Not one time.

You're always...

Centered. Focused.

Without you on my flank,

likely would have met my fate
a long time ago.

That's the truth.

I hate to do this,
but might be

the last time I see you.

It's been a real honor, Joe.

Serving under you.

Ain't many a man
that would have taken me in.

I won't soon forget it.

You're a good man, Joe.

I'd take you in
a hundred times over, Henry.

There's no finer soldier.

And I'm telling you,

your daddy would have been
proud of you.

All right.

Any luck,
we'll meet down the road.

Henry?

Take care of yourself.

Yes, sir.

You've been truly generous.

I can't thank you enough
for your hospitality.

It's been
our absolute pleasure, dear.

And please, you take very

good care of yourself,
will you?

I'll try.

Captain.

I know I'm an inconvenience,

but I would rather
be with you

than just about anybody
right now.

- Kidder.
- Yes, sir?

Saddle up a horse
for Mrs. Quaid.

Right away, sir.

Good morning, Joe.

- Morning, Ross.
- I trust you slept well?

Never better.

- Sergeant Malloy.
- Captain.

- Sergeant.
- One of our finest.

He'll be taking your prisoner
to Fort Pierce.

Thank you for these.
It was very thoughtful of you.

You honor...
By wearing.

Elk Woman.

- And this is Narcos.
- Where's Thomas?

Collecting Wills, sir.

- Colonel.
- Corporal.

Captain Blocker.

It's an honor
to meet you, sir.

Godspeed.

When I seen it was you who was
to escort me,

I said, "Goddamn, Phil,

"your luck's
finally turned."

It has turned,
hasn't it, Joe?

You remember Wounded Knee,
don't you?

When we slaughtered
them Reds something good?

Yeah, I remember.

I thought you would.

I mean,
how could you forget?

We was on your flank
all day long.

I carried a dispatch to you
from Colonel Reno.

Mmm.

To tell you the truth,
I didn't think

we were gonna get out alive.

But watching you work
them Lakota

and the other belligerents,
it was a sight to behold.

Must have been
how Custer had done it.

No.

Custer didn't do it.

He met his end,
as you well know.

Yeah, but still...

That old chief over there,
he was...

He was there that day, too.

Funny you're toting
them savages up north.

It goes to show
things have changed...

Before long, we'll be giving
them their land back.

What got into you?

I ain't never laid a hand
on anybody

who didn't deserve it.

I don't know how you done it
all these years, Captain.

Seeing all the things
you've seen.

Doing all the things
you've done.

Makes you feel inhuman
after a while.

You just
gotta take your dues.

Suppose I will.

But if it's just
you and me talking,

we both know
it could just as easily

be you sitting here
in these chains.

But I was just doing my job.

What's going
to happen to him?

They'll hang him.

- I'm gonna help them wash up.
- They can handle it.

And so can I.

Oh, how shall a sparrow fly

Or have the heart to sing

If all she can do is cry

About her broken wings

If all she can do is cry

About her broken wings

Thomas, you stay with Wills.

Kidder, watch the camp.

- Get up.
- What?

Get your fucking ass up.
I heard something.

You making all the noise
out here?

Huh? Waking us the fuck up?

It's nothing.

Metz.

Malloy.

Malloy's dead.

Reckon they're lucky

it was no Comanche
raping them.

They'd cut them
stem to stern.

I once knew a woman
down in Texas

whose nose was burnt
clean to the bone.

Flesh gone.
Nostrils wide open.

Then they cut
her beau's sack off, too,

and stuffed his testicles
in his mouth

while he was
squirming around.

That's enough, Wills.

Just telling the truth.

A man that's done
what you done,

telling the truth
won't help.

How's that, Lieutenant?

You know what he means.

You and that yellow-eyed chief
over there done worse than me.

Hell of a lot worse
and you know it.

I've seen you butcher
women and children.

It ain't right, judging me.

None of you.

I'm a honest
and decent man,

and more than handy.

If you need me to watch
them demons for you,

I sure as hell will.

I fought alongside you.
We're all guilty of something.

I'm just asking for mercy.

Mercy.

Who've you become, Joe?

Letting me die
by the gallows,

and saving this savage.

I mean...

You ain't who
I thought you was.

I would've died for you.

And my brothers-in-arms
did die for you.

What did you do?
You sent them to their deaths.

You owe them.

You owe them your life.

Spitting on your men's graves
saving this savage.

And if
you don't avenge them,

then what did they die for?

Kidder, put him back
on the tree.

Yes, sir.

Get up.
Come on.

You ain't who I thought
you was.

Morning.

I'm afraid
that we're gonna have

to break camp and, um...

I was wondering if you think

you might be able
to ride or...

I can get a travois
ready for you.

I can ride.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

I'm gonna drown
out here, Captain!

Shut up, Wills.
We're all wet.

Treating me worse
than your goddamn animals!

Kidder, get him coffee
when it lets up.

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Quaid?

You, uh... You okay in here?

Need anything?
A blanket or something?

I don't need anything.

Thank you.

Where are you sleeping?

I'll have one of the boys
fix me up a place here.

That's nonsense.

Get in here
and out of the rain.

You sure?

- Of course I'm sure.
- Joe?

What're you doing, Tommy?

I gotta move on.

What're you talking about?

You get back inside your tent.
You're gonna freeze.

I don't feel anything.

You've been
a good friend, Joe.

Here.

Captain don't want
you freezing to death.

Hey.

You all right?

Hold on.

Hold on.

Put your head back.

Oh, jeez, don't... don't shoot!

Oh, God.

Captain!

Captain!

Son of a bitch!

Ah, Jesus.

Kidder!

That bastard!

He jumped him.
I'll get the horses.

No, no, no, no.
I got him.

He'll bleed out
inside a day.

I can't risk any more
men's lives

for that son of a bitch.

Tommy!

Get back here, Tommy!

Tommy!

Oh, Jesus, Captain.

He got him, sir.

He got him good.

Bury him?

Give me a moment.

And, Thomas,
we set camp here tonight.

Yes, sir.

Sometimes I envy
the finality of death.

The certainty.

And I have to drive
those thoughts away

when I'm weak.

We'll never get used

to the Lord's
rough ways, Joseph.

Thank you for kindness.

Your spirit...

You... Within me.

Me... Within you.

Thank you.

Montana?

Yeah.

Will he make it?

He's taking
his last breaths.

Billy Dixon.

Tully McClain.

Edwin Tate.

Thomas.

Name's Cyrus Lounde.

These are my boys.

This here's my land

and I want you
the hell off it.

I seen you traipsing through
my fields with that sorry Red.

And I don't like it one bit.

Mr. Lounde.

This land here
is his rightful burial place.

Where we come from,
Natives ain't got no rights.

President's orders.

There ain't no writing
on no paper,

president or not,

can tell me what I can
and can't do on my property.

Hey. I ain't telling you
one more time.

Get your shit,

your dead Cheyenne,
and get the hell out of here.

This is my land!

Now, goddammit!

You just ain't hearing me.

You just ain't hearing me.

We ain't telling you
one more time.

That savage stays here,

you better make room
for several more

right next to him.

Well, he ain't moving.

Something tells me

you ain't got the nerve
to fire that, woman.

4:30 outbound for Chicago.

4:30. Last call. Chicago.

All aboard.

Well...

I suppose this is it.

Came sooner than I thought.

You're a fine man,
Joe Blocker.

We can't thank you enough.

Whatever may come,

I want the best for you.

I...

Come on.

Thank you.