Morgan's Ferry (2001) - full transcript

Three escaped convicts hide out in the home a reclusive woman as they wait to catch a ferry.

[crickets]

[bird chirping]

VONNIE (VOICEOVER):
What I know now is

that fate will always find you.

No matter that I cut
myself off from the world

not singing a song,
not caring to.

I believed nothing could
ever hurt me again.

[laughs] That was before
fate stumbled into my yard

and walked through my front
door without knocking.

[music playing]

[water sloshing]



Wait.

Goddamn.

Go this way.

No.

Shit.

DARCY: We could've
followed that gravel road.

We wouldn't have to cut
through this goddamn jungle.

It's a swamp, you idiot.

Sam, my foot's real hurt.

Get in.

Hold on.

Push him in.

For god's sake, row.

[inaudible] that way.



Get the rope on, Monroe.

Gah.

Go, go, go, go, go.

[sirens]

SAM: You in?

[sirens]

Gah, shit.

We're going the wrong way.

Monroe, we're going
the wrong way.

Shit.

Nowhere.

We're in the middle of
nowhere and it's your fault.

MONROE: Shut up, Darcy.

Oh, shit.
God.

Whoa.
Damnit.

Oh, shithead.

Yah!

God.

Shit.

Shit.

Boat's full of water.

DARCY: Sam, there's a hole
and the boat's sinking.

Oh, just plug it up then.

[music playing]

Ah, shit.

[heavy breathing]

MONROE: Damn!

Shit.

[birds chirping]

What do we got?

Nothing.

All right.

Let's go.

Come on.

Shit.

OK.

Shit.

(WHISPERS) Look.

Sam.

Shit.

Sam, look.
[thud]

Huh.

Goddamn it.

Damn.

Why'd we have to cut through
this goddamn graveyard?

Shut up.

[inaudible] Look, somebody
opening up a fresh grave means

there's somebody around here.

It's open but it ain't fresh.

That dirt's dried out.

Get out from there.

Y'all can go chase spooks.

Me, I'm going to
go in there and see

if there's a can of beans and
a mattress left in that dump.

There was light.

VONNIE (VOICEOVER): What
happened that late October

changed most everything.

Not on the outside, of course.

In town, mothers of ornery
and high-spirited daughters

still tell them to
mend their ways,

less they end up like
crazy old Vonnie.

I guess some things
will never change.

[door handle jiggling]

[crash]

[gasps] Darcy.

VONNIE (VOICEOVER): But
what I'm talking about

is bigger than all that.

I'm talking about how what
I feared most found me.

What I tried to
shut out, broke in.

It's like I called it on.

Y'all going to have
to come an understanding

about who is in charge here.

Yeah?

It sure as hell ain't you.

Fellas.

Food.

In the kitchen.

Uh!

You live here alone?

Mm.

We're going to eat and
we're going to leave.

You make me mad, it's
you that'll be sorry.

You understand?

[heavy breathing]

SAM: Hey, Monroe?

Say, why don't we just
eat and get on out here?

Where you going?

Get in there.

DARCY: Come on.

MONROE: You want her to go
running for the Sheriff?

SAM: It's going to be sunrise.

Let's change these clothes
and get out of here.

DARCY: I'm going to get
me something to eat first.

[pots banging in kitchen]

MONROE: Where's a radio at?

[bags rustling]

[radio stations changing]

Wilbur, you there?

They must have
took Elnora's boat.

They must have
took Elnora, too.

Nah.

She's in the hospital.

That cut on her
foot mending right.

They'll be making for
the ferry lickety split.

Get Nub out of bed.

Wake up everybody
on Old River Road.

Tell them to keep an eye out.

[nature sounds]

How far you reckon it
is to Morgan's Ferry?

Must be at least
30 miles from here.

Well, I can't wait to
get across that river.

No more bosses, no more
dogs, no more picking them

goddamn potatoes all day long.

So what are we going
to do what that lady?

Lady.

Damnit!

Awh, shit.

Now look what you've done!

Now she'll be back
with the sheriff

and the sheriff will have dogs!
- She's gone.

I don't need you.

No?

You needed me to
break out, didn't you?

Needed me to get all
mangled in that wire!

I don't need you now.

Hey, them dogs ain't
going to have any trouble

finding us now, Monroe.

I'll find a way
to throw them off.

Oh, always
figuring, ain't you?

Always talking, always
knowing all the answers!

Yeah, well someone's got to
and you ain't smart enough.

You get this through your head.

I ain't going back.

I'm out and I'm staying out.

Anyone gets in my
way, I'll kill them.

[rooster crows]

[cow moos]

VONNIE (VOICEOVER):
It seems crazy now,

but fate makes you
do strange things--

things you couldn't explain to
other people, or even yourself.

I don't know why but nothing
was going to make me leave.

Don't you have
good sense, lady?

Get out of my garden.

Even a slug knows enough to
be scared when it ought to.

You should know.

Monroe, you said
she wasn't important.

Maybe she is.

Can we just get out of here?

I don't know why you didn't
go for the sheriff, lady.

But I ain't giving
you another chance.

You didn't give
me the first one.

Me and my friends money.

What you need is
more than money.

I ain't asking, I'm telling.

You ain't doing
no good, Monroe.

You can do better?

Where's the cash?

I don't keep cash.

Everybody keeps cash.

Can't keep what
you don't have.

Can't keep what you do
have from the looks of it.

Oh, shut up.

Sam.
SAM: What?

DARCY: She's got to have
some money around someplace.

You make her talk.

Thought you wanted
me to shut up?

Shut up!

SAM: What am I supposed to do?

[sighs] All right, look here.

Suppose I told you that--

I've had it with this shit.

SAM: Monroe.

[horn beeping]

Who's that?

Vonnie, you OK?

My cousin and her
husband drive out

here a couple of times
a week to see if I'm OK.

When they get out,
we'll get their car.

[horn beeping]

They ain't getting out.

Vonnie!

Damn.

She could strip paint off
the walls with that voice.

Why ain't they getting out?

VONNIE: Never do.
SAM: Why?

VONNIE: Don't like
them, don't matter.

Come on.

Still here!

Okie dokie!

Damn.

Morning, parson.

[honking]

SAM: Why don't-- why don't
they pick up a phone?

Why do they drive?

Don't have one.

Monroe.

Who's that?

It's hard to say.

Can't see from here,
can't come over

there because you tied me up.

[knocking]

[humming]

Good day to you, sister.

How do?

I have here, the
word of the Lord.

Can't save your soul
if you don't know how.

[laughs] To tell
you the truth,

I ain't particularly
worried about

my soul right at the moment.

PARSON: Earthly troubles
pale beside the threat

of eternal damnation, sister.

Probably.

But suppose I was having
some troubles in this world.

What then?

Everything you
need is right here.

Good.

Um, say, where's that part
that talks about folks being

where they're not welcome?

You mock me, sister?

Oh, Lord God, Jehovah, who
hast sent me forth to minister

to the weakened, and the
heathen, and the unrepentant,

give me the strength to meet
Satan face to face and triumph

in the name of Jesus.

Argh!

[heavy breathing]

Where's your car?

Died out on the road.

The Lord took it.

Now I see why.

Oh, sweet merciful Jesus--

Shut up.

PARSON: --thank you for saving
me from being the instrument

by which these jailbirds--

Shut up!

Shut up!

Shut up!

[inaudible]

MONROE: Gah.
[crack]

Uh!

The hell did you do that for?

Monroe!

Put him in that dug up grave.

Come on.

[music playing]

VONNIE (VOICEOVER): I
don't know why I just

didn't send the
parson on his way

like I did my cousin
and her husband.

I guess one part
of me was looking

for salvation and the other just
couldn't help tempt the fury's.

Seems like I've been
doing that my whole life.

My daddy, rest his
soul, could attest that.

Hey.

Did you ever notice
how dumb women are?

Leave it be, Darcy.

And never shut up, neither.

Just keep on running at
the mouth like anybody

in their mind wants to hear
them yammer, yammer yammer!

Would you quit
and give me a hand

so we can get him in face up?

Oh, just dump him in.

I ain't touching
no dead preacher.

That ain't respectful.

We got to do it right.

- Well, I ain't touching it.
- Argh.

Mm.
Uh!

Nothing I hate
worse than a preacher.

VONNIE: I reckon you
do look a might peaked.

Probably your conscience.

Ain't either.

You just keep your mouth shut
and we'll get along fine.

What you want ain't
worth a bucket of spit.

Hey!

Keep your hands to yourself.

Yeah?

What you going to do about it?

[crunch]

Ow!

[screaming]

VONNIE (VOICEOVER):
In a peculiar way,

I have that little
weasel to thank

for everything that happened.

I mean, they were
about to head out.

It's not that he
saved my life exactly.

It's more that I was wasn't
really living before.

DARCY: Oh!

Ow!

It's-- oh, it's broke!

All right now.
DARCY: It's broke.

I know it's broke.

That bitch broke my broke foot!

Shh.
Calm down.

DARCY: Oh!
Ow!

SAM: Now that ain't broke.

No, it feels fine.

No, it feels like it's
broke is how it feels!

[motor turning over]

Come one, now.
Put it down.

What you doing, Sam?

I got to lie down.

We got to see you
can walk, Darcy.

Shit.

[motor turning over]

Oh.

Put a little weight on it.

Oh, Sam, put me on the couch.

Put me down.

I can't do this.

Monroe, she broke my foot!

Come on.

We got to push the
car to get it started.

You, too.

DARCY: Easy.

After you.

MONROE: I said you, too.

If you get it started,
he won't wait for you.

He's just going to drive
off and leave you here.

MONROE: Push the damn car.

Why don't you get out
and push and she can steer?

That's the stupidest
idea I ever heard.

Well, it ain't no stupider
than letting you do it.

All right, on three.

1, 2, 3 push.

[music playing]

[motor sputtering]

[backfire]

[backfire]

VONNIE: [sighs]

Dead.

Get back in there.

It's dead, Monroe.

[motor turning over]

MONROE: Got to find that money.

[music playing]

[rustling and glasses breaking]

Damnit.

I told you keep an
eye on that woman.

You ought to quit
wandering off like that.

Needed some fresh air.

Y'all stink to high heaven.

Why ain't-- why
ain't you scared?

This is my land, my home.

I won't back down
from a bunch of thugs.

I ain't a thug.

Mm-hmm.

Sheriff just saw you smiling and
slapped you in the county jail

for being too good-natured.

Judge and jury come along and
say, yes, siree, that there

boy, well, he's just too nice.

We'd better put him
in the county farm.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Being mean does take
some intelligence.

All right.

You've got no call
to make fun of me.

I'm just trying to make
sure no one gets hurt.

Bit late for that.

You shouldn't
talk about people

like they're
worthless, you know,

because that ain't right either.

Woman's crazy.

[music playing]

Are you ever planning
to get up off my sofa?

I wouldn't be
on your damn sofa

if you hadn't
broke my damn foot!

Don't eat out of the pot.

Is that for me?

Mm-hmm.

If you eat at
all, you're going

to sit at the table proper.

Damnit, lady.

You got no good sense!

You got to get up
sometime unless you want us

to leave you here when we go.

And when's that going to be?

When you tell me
where the money is.

Don't have any money.

Anybody got a house on
a farm, got to have money.

[crickets]

[sighs]

[door handle jiggling]

Hmm?

[loud banging]

[crash]

[clothes ripping]

You should have given us the
money, lady, so we could go.

SAM: You are not
fit to live, Monroe.

Get your hands off of me.

You don't want to mess with me.

I sure don't but I will!

You don't got to go
killing everything just

because it don't go your way.

MONROE: I wasn't
planning on killing her.

[door slams]

[heavy breathing]

[rooster crows]

[music playing]

[cow moos]

[horse neighs]

[chickens clucking]

Morning.

Why ain't you gone?

Because Darcy can't walk.

VONNIE: : That may be
stopping him and you,

but I don't imagine that's
what's keeping the big fella.

Yeah, Monroe still
thinks you holding out.

Me, I think you
about broke as us.

We're going to be leaving soon.

Good.

I'd stay downwind of the
sheriff if I was you.

Maybe next time
you'll get lucky.

DARCY: I can't do this.

My foot hurts.

SAM: Now, we got
to get cleaned up.

Can't get very far
looking like his.

Besides it might
make you feel better.

DARCY: Well, I ain't going
to strip in front of her.

You got nothing I want to see.

[water sloshing]

After I get dried off
and dressed, I'm leaving.

Can't leave me, Monroe.

Pfft.

Hey, Miss Vonnie!

Peabo here.

What?

Is the old man blind?

SAM: He must be.

VONNIE: : How do, Peabo?

How's the back?

PEABO: Old, like the
rest of me, Miss Vonnie.

Your turnips come up yet?

VONNIE: Yeah.

Well, they're working on it.

PEABO: You hear about
them jailbirds escaping?

VONNIE: Sure did.

PEABO: Mm.

Here's my list for Mr. Levitt.

There you go.

What?

VONNIE: Sorry, I just
gave you the wrong list.

That's all.
PEABO: Oh.

VONNIE: Just tell Mr.
Levitt the usual, OK?

Yeah.

You know the sheriff
and his men are

stomping all around there in the
woods up there near my place.

He said they're going to
work their way from there,

clear down to the ferry.

I bet the gators got
them boys in the swamp.

VONNIE: Suppose so.

You best be getting on.

PEABO: All right.

Well, I'll be back along
by sunset, I reckon.

(SINGING) If I had
wings like Noah's dove--

You're not kill him, are you?

What in the hell
are you doing?

Trying to get that
[inaudible] to shut up.

What the hell is
the matter with you?

That could be us on that wagon
getting the hell out of here.

You know they'll be
setting the sheriff

between us and the ferry.

Where else you want to go?

Back to the farm?

In to town?

[horn honks]

[background conversations]

[nature sounds]

So whose clothes am I wearing?

My daddy's.

Oh.

That him?

VONNIE: Yep.

Never knew my daddy.

Never knew anyone
who was kin to me.

Could be you didn't miss much.

What did he do to make
you hate him so much?

Say, why was that grave open?

My daddy dug it for
me when I was born.

Said there wasn't any point in
saving any money for my school

because I might be stupid.

And there wasn't any point in
saving any money for my wedding

because I might be mean and
ugly but this thing here,

this was the one thing he was
sure I needed sooner or later.

If it was up to him, it
would have been a lot sooner.

Monroe.

Monroe!

MONROE: Shut up.

We got to take that wagon.

MONROE: Sheriff's
still out there.

Could be he's moved on.

He don't find us
where he's looking,

he's going to look
someplace else.

PEABO: (SINGING)
Wade in the water.

Wade in the water children.

We're sitting
ducks here, Monroe.

At least with the
wagon, we got a chance.

PEABO: (SINGING) --water.

Children wade in the water.

God's going to
trouble the water.

Oh, I say, wade in the water.

Say!

Miss Vonnie, Peabo is back.

I'm right here.

Oh.

Don't ever let them
tell you that moonshine

is as good as store bought
because it just ain't so.

[laughs] Hmm.

They here, ain't they?

Ah!

Come on, Darcy.

Come on, Sam!

MONROE: Darcy, get in.

DARCY: Come on.

We're on our way now.

(LAUGHING) Old mule
don't know how to go

to no place but town and home.

They'll be back.

There's a fork in the road
right up here around this bend.

The road to the left will
take us right to the ferry.

Once we get there, y'all
going to have to find

us a car and me a doctor.

[nature sounds]

I told you.

That old mule got
out-stubborned to death.

Tell that nigger to
stop staring at me.

He ain't staring
at you, Darcy.

He's blind.

Blind, my ass.

Look at him.

What you staring at, boy?

Digger coming for you.

You can't hoo-do me, old man.

Digger coming.

Daddy spent his whole
life trying to hoo-do

me with that jeezy shit.

Happiest day of my life was
when they put him in the grave.

Ain't no crazy old [inaudible]
starting on me now!

Come on.

[music playing]

Hey.

You know, yesterday I was
unhitching Peabo's mule

and putting him in the shed.

And Darcy really didn't want
to wait but I did it anyways.

I--

Peabo will appreciate that.

[sighs] That's him
getting up now.

You want to go upstairs and
help him find his way down?

DARCY: [coughing]

Look, I know you're not
used to helping anyone

but that little weasel
out there on my sofa,

but it isn't as hard
as you might think.

DARCY: Sam.

SAM: In a minute, Darcy.

Now!

I said in a minute.

DARCY: I have to go
to the bathroom now.

Forget your friends, one
of these days you're going

to find yourself forgotten.

You best remember, I'm
the only one ever treated

you like family in this world.

Me and you taking care of
each other all these years.

You lose sight of that?

All you see is that old
nigger and that crazy woman?

Their not your long lost
momma and daddy, Sam!

Them two will turn
you into the sheriff

faster than a snake
can swallow an egg

and never think twice about it.

Shut up!

I had done had a craw
full of that shit.

What do you think the whole
world should not have nothing

better to do than worry
itself sick trying

to find ways to make you happy?
Let me tell you something.

I figured it out,
it can't be done.

And I am sick of trying.

MONROE: Ah, shut up, you two.

Tell him he's taking
me to the ferry.

He can hear you.

I take all of you or none.

You ain't exactly in a
position to lay down rules.

You kill me, who is going
to take you to the ferry?

[music playing]

[rooster crows]

VONNIE (VOICEOVER):
After daddy died,

I remember feeling
relieved to be alone

and this was sort
of the opposite.

Somehow the quiet
seemed a lot louder

after all that yammering.

Funny how the body gets lonely.

[music playing]

[horse neighs]

Let's go.

Go [inaudible].

Shit.

Monroe!

Get off.

Get off.

[punching sound]

[grunting]

Uh.

SAM: Come on.

[music playing]

I think this is yours.

Mm-hmm.

CARLEEN: Vonnie!

Vonnie!

You OK, Vonnie?

Why's the parson's
car still here?

Momma, he took me tomahawk.

Neh, neh, neh, sissy.

Daddy, make him stop.

All right now, children.

I told you not to--

CARLEEN: Vonnie!

I'll be.

CHILDREN: No!

Give it!

She's never come out
of the house before.

What do you reckon she wants?

I don't know.

CHILDREN: This is mine.

Now, kids, stop
that this minute!

I want you to sit down and
behave for your cousin, Vonnie.

You hear?

How do, Carleen?

Joe Ed.

Evening.

Y'all care to come
in and have some tea?

[laughs] I don't mind if I do.

Mm-hmm.

That's mighty fine
tea, cousin Vonnie.

CARLEEN: Mm-hmm

How come you got your sofa
cushions on the porch instead

of the sofa?

Will you two
please stop acting

like poor white trash before
I snatch you bald-headed?

I hear tell some men
escaped from the county farm.

Oh my, yes.

And Sheriff Barnwell says they
are real dangerous-- a murderer

and two armed robbers.

Had the dogs out
looking for them

but they lost the
scent in the swamp.

He figures they'll
head to the river

so he deputized a couple
of the Johnson boys

to keep an eye out on
the ferry, but ain't

nobody heard nothing yet.

Those jailbirds could be
right outside the door

and nobody would never know
it till it was too late.

Why in the world this
town let them put--

VONNIE (VOICEOVER): You think
I would have known better than

to look to my kin for solace--

or even a little company.

Like I said, sometimes
fate makes you

do things you can't explain.

Of course, now I know.

I was waiting on what came next.

Been looking in the
wrong direction.

[music playing]

Whoa.

We real close.

I can smell the river.

All right.

We'll wait until dawn
and then we move.

Monroe?

Monroe!

FERRY MASTER: Dark
night, huh boys?

We got some [inaudible] coffee.

You know, the escapees
could be real close by.

You gonna see 'em.

They could sneak
up here real quiet.

[bang]

[laughs]

[nature sounds]

[metal pipes falling]

[gunshot]

Turn the wagon around.

[gunshot]

Do it.

[gunshot]

[heavy breathing]

[gunshot]

I ain't going back.

[gunshot]

FERRY MASTER: This man's dead.

You boys better hope
you got the right one.

You're in a mess of trouble.

Them badges don't give you the
right to shoot whatever moves.

SAM: They shot Monroe He's dead.

Whoa.

The ferry was guarded.

They shot Monroe.

Shoot him, too?

No.

[inaudible] graveyards,
niggers that shy.

Come on, Darcy.

Ow.
[inaudible]

Step coming up right here.

Mm-hmm.

[footsteps]

[screen door opening]

[singing quietly]

He just gave up
all of the sudden.

Man, I shouldn't
have yelled at him.

Nobody ever died
from getting yelled at.

Ain't nobody ever took
care of me but Darcy.

He doesn't take care of you.

Always telling you you're
stupid, making you wait on him.

He's looking out for
himself, not you.

He can't help the way he is.

You don't know nothing about it.

It's not your fault.
Probably gangrene.

Come on, Darcy,
you got to eat.

[raining]

And he will rule them
with a rod of iron!

As the vessels of a potter
will they be broken in shivers.

Whoa.

Darcy.

Be watchful and strengthen
the things which remain,

that are ready to die!
- Shh.

Hey.

What-- what's he saying?

Whoa.

The Revelation.

DARCY: Four beasts had each
of them, six wings about him,

and they were full
of eyes within!

For the great day of
his wrath has come!

The great day of
his wrath has come!

SAM: What's he saying?

DARCY: The great day
of his wrath has come!

SAM: Quiet, Darcy.

DARCY: Please Father,
forgive me my sins!

Please Father,
forgive me my sins!

SAM: [inaudible]

[music playing]

VONNIE (VOICEOVER): You
can call it serendipity

or happenstance with the stars.

It's so clear to me now.

But what I couldn't know then
was that I was getting closer

to the reason why those three
broke in through my front

door and no one else's.

He's going to hate being
on top of a preacher.

Aren't you going
to say anything?

Eh.

He hated all that stuff.

Still don't seem right
not saying anything.

Lord, he wasn't much.

He was kind of angry
but meant no harm.

His daddy was a preacher.

Lord, forgive this here sinner
and take him to your bosom,

if you've a mind to.

Amen.

Hmm.

Sure is a lot of
people in that grave.

Mm-hmm.

That boy out there--

Which one?

Dead one or the live one?

The live one.

He ain't a problem to
nobody but himself.

Just thought you
might like to know.

Finished?

Mm-hmm.

Mighty fine, Miss Vonnie.

Sure do appreciate what
you've done for us, Peabo.

I won't forget it.

See you next
month, Miss Vonnie.

So what you going to do now?

Can I stay?

Sheriff's no fool.

He'll just start at the
river and work his way back.

Yeah, well it's a
big stretch to cover.

It could take some time.

A day, a week, it
all comes out the same.

When he comes for
me, I'll go with him

but until then, I
would like to stay.

I don't know what you
think those badges entitled

you to do, but you're
goddamn lucky it

was the right one you shot.

Man didn't even have
a toothpick on him

and you put seven
bullets in him.

If I come back out here and
find another dead man you

morons are using
for target practice,

I'm going to fry your butts.

You understand?

Do you understand?

I know these boys here
don't know shit from Shinola

but you ought to
have more sense.

DALTON (OVER RADIO): Sheriff,
you've got to pick up.

Go ahead, Dalton.

DALTON (OVER RADIO):
Coroner McKeen was here.

He wants to know
if you can come by.

He found something
on that dead escapee.

He wants to talk
to you about it.

Now, I can meet you there.
- Stay where you are.

I'm leaving here now.

DALTON (OVER RADIO): Well,
I can meet you there.

I said, I'll take care of it.

Billy Ray, don't
ever do that again.

Don't ever call me down
that way in front of folks,

especially not them boys.

You watch them
boys closely, Caleb,

or I'm going to do more
than call you down.

You can travel a lot
faster now that you're alone.

Mm-hmm.

Cities and people, high
times beyond the river.

Yeah, I reckon.

Where were y'all heading?

Eh, you know, cities,
people, high times.

And what were you planning
on doing once you got there?

[sighs] Well, you know Darcy
was doing all the planning.

He'd been in Memphis once.

I've never been there.

Still want to see it?

Yeah.

I reckon Memphis
would be just fine.

Sure.

You can give Elvis Presley
a run for his money.

Oh, come on.

Which room am I supposed
to take that anyway?

Whichever one you
want, except mine.

You know, I never
had a room of my own,

and I want to thank you.

[music playing]

[snoring]

[hammering in the background]

Come on, now.

I could do that for you.

You hungry?

Yes ma'am.

You ever do this
kind of work before?

I've done just about
everything that makes

you sweat and don't pay good.

Hey.

Someone's coming.

Miss Vonnie.

VONNIE: How you do, Sheriff?

SHERIFF: Parson Williams
car doing out front?

Broke down.

SHERIFF: Where's the parson?

Wherever he got to
after he left here.

Johnson boys killed one of
them convicts out at the ferry.

Good.

One less to look for, then.

He wasn't wearing
convict clothes.

Is that so?

His shirt had your daddy's
initials in the collar.

Whatever happened
to Vonce's clothes?

Gave them away
after he passed.

Who'd you give them to?

Some tramp that
was passing through.

Then how'd that shirt
end up on a convict

escaped only a few days?

I don't rightly know, Sheriff.

Well--

How come you didn't
tell him I was here?

How come you didn't come out?

[music playing]

[sizzling]

[water running]

Sheriff won't be
coming this soon.

Ain't looking for the Sheriff.

I'm going to see if
it's going to rain.

Want to see if that patch holds.

Dinner's getting cold.

[laughs quietly]

You ever been
any place but here?

Town.

You ever wanted to
go someplace else?

Not much.

[sighs] You happy?

Don't think about
that much either.

Miss Carpenter.

No need to call me miss.

I'm not that much
older than you are.

Ma'am?

My name is Vonnie.

There's no need to
call me ma'am neither.

Vonnie, your kinfolk coming
back here anytime soon?

Lord, I hope not.

That Carleen, she could talk
the hind leg off a donkey.

They stopped by the other
day after y'all left.

Why didn't you tell them
about me, and Darcy, and Monroe?

Couldn't get a
word in edgewise.

[raining]

[music playing]

[knocking]

Come in.

Well.

I know.

[music playing]

[hammering]

[birds squawking]

Joe Ed.

What's that, Joe Ed?

Where'd cousin Vonnie get
the money for hired help?

I don't know.

CARLEEN: Morning.

How do?

Who's that?

A boy that's passing through.

Well, what are
you paying him with?

Room and board.

We'll, it's dangerous taking
in strangers, cousin Vonnie.

You remember what happened to
the Watleys over at Moss Fork?

They took in that
hired man and he--

--and he took an axe to them
because a voice told him to.

I'll be OK.

Thanks, y'all, for stopping by.

Come on, Carleen.

I got that, uh, Lions
Club meeting to get to.

You reckon they'll tell?

Depends if they figure it out.

- How smart are they?
- Not very.

Can I help you folks?

- Is Sheriff Barnwell here?
- No ma'am.

He's out at the ferry.

You got pictures
of those men that

escaped from the county farm?

You seen them?

One of them, maybe.

Don't know until we
see the pictures.

DEPUTY DALTON: Well?

And you're sure Sheriff
Barnwell is not around?

Uh, ma'am, if you've
seen one of these men,

it is your duty as
a citizen to report

it to the nearest law
enforcement officer,

and that would be me.

CARLEEN: Him.

We have seen him.

[music playing]

You don't have to
work all the time.

Don't know how
to do nothing else.

You should be careful.

She can be dangerous.

You a good girl, ain't you?

Yeah.

She used to belong to Earl
Shurtleff two farms down.

She kicked him in
the head and ran off.

SHERIFF: Now, Miss
Vonnie, your kin

say you got a man out here--

a man I'm looking for.

I had a boy out here
help me around the place.

Where is he?

Gone.

Where to?

You keep on asking me
where everybody is, Sheriff.

If they're not here, I
don't know where they are.

Leave in a hurry, did he?

I wouldn't say so.

Just finished up and moved on.

It's funny how he finished up
and moved on right after Joe Ed

and Carleen saw him.

Are you calling me a liar?

No, ma'am.

It's mighty peculiar, is all.

How old is this boy?

I'd say about 30, maybe 35.

No boy at all, then.
Have a name?

I reckon.

Didn't ask.

If this boy of yours is
the one I'm looking for,

he's a dangerous criminal.

He robbed a gas station
over at Webster's Landing.

Near about scared poor old Jake
Finley out of 10 years growth.

Jake Finley would be
scared of his own shadow.

It don't make it right
to pull a gun on him

and take his money.

No, it don't, sir.

You understand, I'd
like to have him back.

I know you do, Sheriff.

I'd like for you to
come to town with me

and look at some pictures.

Seems to me that
Carleen and that dishrag

of a husband she's married to
already identified that boy.

Yes, ma'am.

But I'd like for you
to identify him, too.

Sheriff, I have a
lot of work to do here.

Now if you want me to
go looking at pictures,

you're just going to have
to bring them on out here.

I'll do that.

Could have gotten yourself
in trouble doing that.

I'm going to head back into
town and he's going to pick

me up on his way back out here.

[sighs] You could
try to make the ferry.

Monroe got himself shot
trying to make it--

Monroe was a fool.

PEABO: (SINGING) Rocking my
soul in the bosom of Abraham.

Rocking my soul in
the bosom of Abraham.

Oh, rocking my soul.

Mm-hmm.

Hey, mule!

Hey, Miss Maggie!

[music playing]

[deep breath]

PEABO: Miss Vonnie.

Miss Vonnie!

Peabo's here.

Oh, Miss Vonnie!

Hey, Peabo.

Hey.

I heard the sheriff
pass by my place.

Thought you might
have a need of me

and the wagon and this old mule.

(SINGING) If I had
wings like Noah's dove,

I'd fly up the river
right to the one I love.

Fare thee well, my
honey, fare thee well.

[humming]

You mean to tell me, you left
my cousin out there all alone

with that--

that criminal?

Now calm down, Carleen.

There wasn't anybody
there but her.

He probably threatened her
and she was scared to tell you!

Don't seem likely.

Now that's the truth, Carleen.

I mean Vonnie would be likelier
to hand that boy his head

than be scared of him.

Carleen, if I thought that
Miss Vonnie was in any danger,

I'd be there and not here.

Well, what I want to know is
what do we pay our taxes for?

We did our duty.

We came and told
you what we've seen

and I, for one,
expected you to get

out there and protect my kin!

Well, I did tell miss Vonnie
that I'd come back by and have

her look at these pictures.

I was going to do it tomorrow
but if it'll make you feel

better, I'll do it right now.

[music playing]

Miss Vonnie?

Miss Vonnie, it's Sheriff
Billy Ray Barnwell.

[music playing]

Stop right here.

How do, boys?

Caleb around?

This is a stupid idea.

Listen, if we can't
outsmart the Johnson brothers,

we deserve to get shot.

Well, how do, Vonnie?

How do?

Ain't seen you since
your daddy's funeral.

I have a boy here, needs
to get across the river.

First run's at sunup.

Be about 30 minutes.

You come on and have
some coffee, huh?

You know, we had a shooting
out here some nights back.

Them fellows over there, they
killed one of them escapees.

So I hear.

Thank you.

And the sheriff ain't been
able to find the other two.

Must not be looking in
the right place, then.

I reckon.

Had a good idea, putting men
out here to guard this place.

Only way out at this end
of the county is by ferry.

If I was to spot one of them
convicts, all I got to do

is pick up the phone
and call the sheriff.

Dalton.
Deputy Dalton.

[neighing]

[crash]

[car turning over]

Damn.

[music playing]

Morning, Bobby.

Can I use your phone?

Yeah.

CALEB: Hey, young fellow.

Over here.

First run's at sunup.

Looks like sunup up to me.

[music playing]

[ringing]

Don't worry, boys.

They'll ring back.

Come with me.

Come on, there's freedom
across the river.

Freedom is where you
belong and I belong here.

But I do thank you.

And I hope with all
my heart that you

find your belonging place.

When I get across, if anyone
ever asks me if I got family,

I'm going to say, yes, I do.

And they're right
here Morgan County.

[music playing]

[laughs]

VONNIE (VOICEOVER): It's not
so much that I miss him--

that would be too simple.

It's more that everything
feels different now.

I mean, it's the same
farm and people in town

still call me crazy old Vonnie.

I never knew how a choice
could show you to yourself.

I guess daddy was right
after all about me

needing that grave.

But he'll just have
to be content for now

with the present company.

[music playing]