My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009) Movie Script

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done Thriller

2009 720p [H246-mp4] Subtitles English

[train horn blaring]

[melancholy acoustic

guitar music]

[woman singing] Aqu f

me sˇento a cantar.

Con carˇff o verdadero,

Versos que le compusˇeron.

A Don Valente Quˇntero.

Eran las dˇez de la noche.

Llegaron unos se ff ores.

Se fajó su carrˇllera.

Con sus 5 cargadores.

La querˇda le dec f a.'

"Valente, żqué vas a hacer?"

El mayor anda borracho,

algo te ha de suceder.

Valente le contestó.' "No

te quedes con pendˇente."

"Mˇra que sˇ él es 'mayor', yo

tambˇén soy 'sostenˇente'."

El mayor anda borracho.

Por las cantˇnas tomando...

[music fades]

Y'all want me to take

the wheel, Hank?

No, no. It's no problem.

I've driven halfway across

the country with one hand.

Remember that cracker

cop I told you about?

Yeah.

Son of a bitch rode

my ass for 20 miles,

then tried to take

me on the left.

He didn't know, of

course, that I was a cop

and I had a 350 supercharged

under the hood.

I gunned it.

Took that cracker for

the ride of his life.

We were doing 140.

And that's when I saw

that son of a bitch

reach for his blue strobe and

plant it on the dashboard.

I couldn't believe it.

The guy was a cop.

He wanted to bust me.

I pulled over and acted like

I was shaking in my boots,

and he came swaggering over.

"Well, I guess I led you

into that one, hey, boy?

"But you see, I just knew

you were gonna go for it,

"what with you looking in your

rear-view mirror like that.

"I knew you were gonna

try and race me.

"Now, I'm afraid I'm

gonna have to see

your license and

registration, son."

So I pulled out my badge,

and he nearly shit in his pants.

"I ought to run you

in," I told him,

"for endangering the life

of a homicide detective."

You know,

sometimes I'm really

not sure who's worse,

us cops or the

fucking criminals.

Change that 1140 to

an 1144, Havenhurst.

Two cars presently at the scene.

I read you. What was

that address again?

That's 105 Crystal off

Richmond below La Mesa.

You got two cars on the scene.

Okay. We'll check it out.

What's an 1144?

An 1144 is like somebody's dead.

- Like very much dead.

- Oh, okay.

This is gonna get

serious, then. All right.

[siren wailing]

Razzle them. Dazzle them.

- Razzle-dazzle them.

- Excuse me.

Hey, McDougal. Hey,

hey, McNamara.

Hey... oh, that's it.

Attack!

Want any more? Any more?

Come here. Come here.

Ah, that's right.

I always knew you were

my eagles in drag.

First cup measures...

94.

94 inches south of the north...

- No. That's north.

- Oh, west.

Correction, west

of the east wall.

Second cup measures...

- This was Mrs. McCullum...

- 72.

72 inches south of

the north wall.

- Yes?

- This was Mrs. McCullum's cup.

- I see.

- She was sitting right there.

I see, I see.

Third cup is

approximately 12 inches

west of the second cup.

We'll talk a little later.

It is noted that the

coffee in all three cups

is still lukewarm.

Time: 7:45.

Gary, did you take a shot

of the cups in here?

Yeah, I got 'em.

Okay. Take 'em into evidence.

I'll get right on that.

Red matter on the sword...

consistent with that of blood.

Position of what is most

certainly the murder weapon...

Tip pointing in a

north-northwesterly direction.

Approximately...

3 feet from the

decedent's right toe.

- Hey, Hank you got a minute?

- Yeah.

This morning when you arrived,

did you see a Caucasian

male, approximately 6'4",

with a coffee cup?

Yeah, he walked right by.

He said something, I think.

Why didn't you arrest him?

Should I have?

Yeah. That's our suspect.

Oh. He said something strange.

Yeah, Brad.

He's been quite strange.

Brad who?

Brad McCullum. He did

it. He stabbed her.

Ever since he came

back from Peru,

he's been strange.

Well, not so much strange as...

different.

It's the rainy season.

You don't kayak during

the rainy season.

Nobody... nobody does it.

That's the challenge.

Well, can we at least

go down the river

and check it out?

Yeah?

Hey, stop meditating,

okay? Open your eyes.

Look, this is the

river. This is reality.

Want people to think,

come up with a

coherent argument.

We have to do something.

I'm gonna try to talk him out.

Okay, but do it from here;

Otherwise, we can't cover you.

I'm positive I've seen him

in there with a shotgun,

and I heard him holler

something about two hostages.

Mr. McCullum?

Mr. McCullum!

Can we talk a moment?

Mr. McCullum...

can we talk, sir?

Mr. McCullum, can

we talk a moment?

Would you come outside, please?

No. No!

You come inside if

you want to talk!

I think I can handle this.

You got to make nice

with the guy, you know,

like call him compadre

or something.

- Compadre?

- Yeah, yeah.

He's lrish, I think,

maybe even Scottish.

Mr. McCullum, may

I call you Brad?

You can call me Brad.

You can call me Farouk.

You can call me any

damn thing you like.

Hey! God is here. He's

in the house with me.

But I don't need him anymore.

I don't need God anymore.

[plunking piano notes]

Brad, you pestered me for years

to get you this piano.

I got it for you,

and you have never used it.

Then you wanted the drums.

I got them. And you

just sit there.

[cymbal clangs]

Mom, you were the one who

tried to persuade me

to want them.

[car door slams]

What's going on here?

We're having a problem

with one of the residents.

I've got to go in there.

I've got to get to the

McCullums' house.

I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't

let anyone through.

But, Officer, this is

lngrid Gudmundson.

- She's his fiancée.

- Whose fiancée?

Brad McCullum. The

guy in the house.

Brad just called me

a half an hour ago.

He sounded very urgent. Has

anything happened to him?

Look, I'm his fiancée.

I think I can help.

- Detective Havenhurst?

- Yes?

Detective, I have

a young lady here

who says she's the

fiancée of the suspect.

Don't let her go.

I'll be right over.

I'm Detective Havenhurst.

I'm in charge here, Miss...

lngrid Gudmundson.

Has something happened to Brad?

Well... what can I say?

Brad is our suspect in a

stabbing that took place

across the street

from his house.

He has apparently

taken some hostages

and barricaded himself inside.

I don't mean to alarm

you, Miss Gudmundson,

but it's all a little strange.

You see, he's claiming

his name is Farouk

and shouts about God and

tosses oatmeal at us.

It's all a little confusing.

Can you help us out?

Well...

I...I don't know where to begin.

You see, I've known

him about two years.

We're supposed to get

married next month.

You know, when he came back

from Peru about a year ago,

he would call himself

Farouk once in a while.

He was different after that.

I mean, after the trip to Peru.

Did anything in particular

happen to him there?

Yes.

I mean... no, not to him.

He was with his

friends, these rafters,

these white-water

rafters, and...

he didn't go.

I mean, he didn't participate

in the expedition

because he told me he

heard this inner voice

telling him not to go.

And they were angry with him.

And they went into

those rapids, and...

all of them drowned.

Ooh.

Yes!

Check it out.

It's perfect. This is our river.

This is where we need to be.

I don't know.

We should go further down

and see how it turns out.

Brad!

Why are you acting so strange?

I'm just looking at the river.

Well, that's our challenge.

I don't like your

attitude, Brad.

Are you chickening

out or something?

It's as simple as that.

I'm not going rafting

down that river.

What do you mean by that?

I mean that I'm not going

to take your vitamin pills.

[thunder rumbles]

Ooh.

I mean I'm not going to

take your vitamin pills.

I'm not going to drink

your herbal tea.

I'm not going to the sweat lodge

with the 108-year-old

Native American

who reads Hustler magazine

and smokes Kool cigarettes.

I'm not going to

discover my boundaries.

I am going to stunt

my inner growth.

I think I shall become a Muslim.

Call me Farouk.

And he was different after that.

He changed somehow.

He told me he would only

follow this inner voice,

no matter what.

And you couldn't talk him

into anything after that.

And he spoke about God.

Often.

How he'd seen him.

Brad, darling...

can't you see I'm trying

to straighten the bed?

Forget about the

bed. Listen to this.

My dear children, I hope

I'm not disturbing you.

I'm just so happy for you both.

I'm so glad you

two are together.

Here, dears.

I've brought you some

brownies I just baked.

Brad, can't you see that lngrid

is trying to straighten the bed?

You have to keep

your eye on him.

You know how he is.

Can't she ever knock?

You've got to listen to this.

I don't want to listen to that.

You need to listen to me.

You've got to move out of here.

You're too old to have your

mom buying your clothes

and serving you cookies...

Okay, okay. But she means well.

Just for the night.

[glasses clink]

Thank you.

You've got to be

patient, you know?

She needs me.

She lost her husband when I

was barely two years old.

Why do you never call

him your father?

Because I never knew the man.

Listen to this.

Subject of this song is, I'm

born to preach the gospel,

and I sure do love my job.

[man singing] I'm born...

To preach the gospel

I'm born...

This is it!

[singing] To preach the gospel.

This is what I mean.

It's the real thing.

[singing] And I sure do...

I mean...

It's him.

[singing I haven't never

been to no college.

Him who?

Him. Him.

[singing] But when Jesus

Christ anointed me...

Him. Him. God. That's who.

I've seen him. I've seen God.

Ever since I was a child,

I knew he was very close.

Right here in the house.

Where?

In the kitchen.

This is him.

This is... This is God.

This is what he looks like. See?

This is the face of God.

You see... how kind he is?

Oh! Brad...

I am so glad to see you

back to low-fat foods.

I didn't think that bacon and

eggs was doing you any good.

Yes, Mom.

You know, the next day he

wanted to buy me a home?

This is the house.

But I said to him, "Brad,

this house is not for sale."

So he just moved on to

the next one over there.

Well, then I'm going

to buy you this one.

Brad, darling...

I know you mean well, but I

don't want to live here.

It's too close to

your mother's house.

Besides, we have to

start our own lives.

Well, then I'll

buy you this one.

It's further. See?

I don't know.

How 'bout this one?

No.

Brad, where will you

get the money from?

You don't have the money.

I plan to come into some.

Brad, this house isn't

for sale either.

So what?

Brad, stop that.

I want you to stop that

right... right now.

Wouldn't it be nice

to live on the moon,

with banks of television screens

where we could watch

the Earth transform?

We would live in seclusion.

A honeymoon on the moon.

Brad.

Detective,

why would Brad get up so early,

urge me to come over right away,

and then walk across the street

and attack some neighbours

that he barely knows?

Miss Gudmundson,

I have to inform you...

the suspect did not

attack his neighbours.

He stabbed his mother,

and she is dead.

His mother?

Why his mother?

I just... I don't understand.

He loved her so much.

I remember this dinner

we had the other night.

Oh...

Oh, you can do better than this.

- Oh, no, Mom.

- My goodness.

That's okay, I've had...

- Just one tiny, tiny, tiny...

- I'm finished.

- I had two helpings.

- Just one tiny...

Thank you. It was delicious.

It was.

And there will be a

little something else.

[whispering] I hope

it's not Jell-O.

Oh, Mom, Jell-O.

It's very nice,

but I just can't

eat another thing.

But, Brad, you love Jell-O.

Be a good boy. It's

good for your bones.

No, Mom, please, I can't

eat another thing, okay?

Besides, this Jell-O

looks hideous.

I think I'd better feed

it to the flamingos.

Oh, come on, Brad. You

don't really mean that.

Mom, I'm sorry. I

was just kidding.

Really, I don't even

know how to tell you

how great I think you are.

You're... you're the greatest

mother in the world.

Oh... Brad.

I wish your father were alive

to hear you talk this way.

Tonight I'm gonna take

my best girls out.

We're gonna go driving

over Coronado Bridge

at over 90 miles an hour.

Brad, you know your

driving scares me.

You always drive too fast.

You know, last night I

took Coronado Bridge

at 130 miles an hour.

I wanted to know how it

felt being in Star Wars,

driving through the valley

of the shadow of death.

[imitating rocket bursts]

[both chuckle]

Would you like some, Mom?

Of course.

Enough?

Almost. Good.

There you go.

[man singing in Spanish]

Hey! Hey, you guys!

I'd like to order a pizza!

And make sure

you get me some transportation

to Mexico...

large enough for me

and my two hostages.

And fast!

So we ordered his pizza.

I got an idea.

What if we laced the pizza

with some sleeping pills?

If we put some hot

chilies on it,

he'll never taste it.

Thanks, Fargas, but

it's not gonna work.

You watch too much Tv.

So what are we gonna do

about the getaway car?

The classic thing.

Just play for time.

Besides, I'm not convinced

about the hostages.

Who's he got in there anyway?

We checked with the neighbours,

and they're all accounted for,

so I don't know.

There's two guys over there

that want to get in,

one guy with a pizza

and another guy

who said he just came

up from Los Angeles.

He said Brad called

him this morning.

Is his name Meyers?

Yeah. Lee Meyers.

I know him.

We've all been working

on a play together.

[discordant cello music]

This sword cuts deep.

Straight through the lungs.

And justice is flouted...

women: And stomped

in the ground.

The sword smith of destiny...

women: Hammers the weapon.

A child is brought to

this house to avenge.

Stay right there. Freeze.

Who the fuck is gonna

deliver this thing?

I'm gonna do it.

Okay.

Your weapon.

- Show him your weapon.

- Okay.

Mr. McCullum, I have...

Mr. McCullum, I have your pizza.

Mr. McCullum!

I have your pizza.

Can you see my gun?

Mr. McCullum!

Can you see my gun?

I'm gonna put my gun down.

- I'm unarmed now.

- Through the garage!

- I'm sorry?

- Through the garage!

Okay.

All right. I'm unarmed.

I'm walking up now. Where

do you want me to put it?

The centre. The

centre, right here.

Okay. Okay.

- Closer!

- I'm putting it down right now.

I'm putting it down.

- Closer!

- Okay.

Back off. Back off!

Okay. I'm away.

Okay?

- Go away!

- Okay.

But why don't you let me try?

I'm sure I could walk right

in and bring him out.

He would listen to me.

Why else would he call me

at 6:00 in the morning,

desperately asking for help?

You know I can't

allow that, sir.

This is a police

matter, Mr. Meyers.

And besides, we have a

hostage situation here,

and the special unit

is running the show.

But I would like to ask you a

few questions, if I might.

Can you tell me what the

content of that call was?

He was desperate, begging

me to come right away

because something terrible

was going to happen.

He said to me,

"Lee, everything is

crystallizing into one word:

"'Now, '

capital N, capital

O, capital W."

He said he was like

a runaway train.

And then he mentioned

something about a sword

which he had used as

a prop in our play.

He killed his mother

with that sword, Lee.

Jesus God.

With that damn thing?

Brad was obsessed with it.

I told him it is too

dangerous for rehearsals.

But he insisted on using it.

I remember when he

got it. I was there.

He made a big fuss about

driving down to his uncle.

He killed his mother?

- Hey.

- Hey, Uncle Ted.

Hey, this is my friend Lee.

- Hi.

You haven't seen the new

birds yet, have you?

No.

Come on out here and

let me show you.

You need to be careful,

though. They can be mean.

Think dinosaurs in drag.

Brad, I thought you said your

uncle ran a chicken farm.

Was!

You know, Lee, I think my uncle

bred the largest

chicken in the world.

Was. It was the biggest.

- Oh, my God!

- What?

- My glasses.

Out of my pocket!

Doug, he got the glasses again.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's the animal.

That's it. Take it.

This is disgusting.

Don't you do that again.

Brad, this is disgusting.

Maybe we should get

away from the fence.

Good one, Doug. Good one.

I had this one rooster, Ben,

a behemoth.

This thing weighed 45 pounds.

It was bigger than any

damn turkey you ever saw.

So you raised him

for cockfights.

Fuck no, man. For meat.

Why pluck 20 when you

can pluck just one?

- Well, that's true.

- But the beast.

The beast was Willard.

You remember Willard, don't you?

- Oh, yeah.

- He was a monster.

Yeah, they got too large,

too mean, too dangerous.

And could Willard

kick. He was angry.

You see these holes

here? See 'em?

To approach him,

you had to hold this

up like a shield.

And damn if he didn't jump

up and kick holes in it.

And when I was down

to my last can,

that was it, boy;

I'd had enough.

I'll be burning their spurs

off with a blowtorch.

And where are they

now, these big birds?

Well, after Willard,

they couldn't produce

no more offspring.

I think they got too

heavy to jump the hens.

Uncle Ted, I came

about the sword.

Now... what exactly did you say

you needed this sword for?

We need it for a

theatrical production.

A what?

Brad, do you mean to tell me

that you're serious

about this acting shit?

Yes.

Only faggots and

Negroes with attitude

become actors.

Are you a faggot now?

'Cause you don't look

like no Negro to me.

Look, Uncle Ted, you

don't understand.

This is serious stuff.

We're doing a Greek play.

It's been around

for 2,000 years.

A Greek play.

Well, the only thing that

Greeks know how to play with

is each other's balls.

Is this one of those

Souvaki plays

where the guys all get up

and dance with each other

like a bunch of fairies?

There is a Greek guy,

moved in not long ago

right over there.

I had to lock my

sheep up at night,

made 'em so nervous.

A Greek play!

Brad, does your mother know

you're mixed up in

shit like this?

Brad...

it isn't a Greek sword.

The style is all wrong.

So what?

Brad...

it's really not the

right kind of sword.

You know what the book

of Job has to say?

About swords?

Fuck, no. About ostriches.

Job 39:13.

"The wing of the ostrich

beateth joyously,

"but are her pinions

and feathers

"the kindly storks?

"For she leaveth her

eggs on the earth

"and warmeth them in the dust.

"When the time cometh,

"she raiseth her wings on high

and scorneth the horse

and his rider."

I knew he was quarrelsome

and disruptive.

But we had to accept

him the way he was.

At the same time,

he was so talented.

But he did give me problems.

Let me warn you straight out.

These ancient Greeks

were not just

a bunch of philosophers and

aesthetes pussyfooting around.

They were into the real thing.

So as I was saying before,

we're dealing here

with a trilogy.

You know that the king

comes home from Troy

only to be killed by his wife.

Then the son returns

home to avenge him,

to take his mother's life.

But there's a history

to this curse

that weighs on these people.

The killing goes on

for generations.

Orestes is just the last link

in a bloody chain.

It all starts with Tantalus,

the one who spends his

eternity in hell,

chained to a rock by the gods,

starving for grapes

just beyond his reach.

He is the source of

our word "tantalize."

He is at the root

of our own curse,

lusting for something we

want but we cannot have.

He challenged the

gods, this Tantalus.

He wanted to see

if they were real.

So he invited them for dinner.

And just as a test,

he served up his son in a stew.

The gods puked up his flesh

so he could still father

more cannibals and killers.

It's like his own son Atreus

who cooked the son of

his brother Thyestes

and then invited

him for a feast.

I'm saying, to understand

Orestes and the curse,

you must feel the whole weight

of this godforsaken

Tantalid house,

a dynasty of ruthless kings

and diabolical queens

who eat each other's flesh and

fuck each other's wives...

century after century,

generation after generation.

And only Orestes can

lift the curse.

But he has to murder

his mother to do it.

So he's damned if he does,

he's damned if he doesn't,

and doubly damned if he wavers.

That's it! That's it.

Razzle them.

Dazzle them.

Razzle-dazzle them.

I'm the director, Brad.

You do what I tell you.

Lee, some people act a

role. Others play a part.

[chuckles nervously]

You know, one thing I could

just never get out of my mind.

I never understood

what he meant.

He clutched his sword,

and he said to me,

"A bird was the largest

animal I ever killed

before I killed my mother."

How long ago was that?

Weeks, maybe a month.

But rehearsals went very well,

especially when

Brad had no lines

and the chorus was performing.

You remember?

In position.

In position!

Concentrate.

Concentrate. Let's go.

Earth breeds many

things, begetting...

women: Pain, terror...

And horrors of suffering.

And the depths of the

sea teem with...

women: Murderous monsters.

And flaming comets stab

down through the sky

and blast creatures that fly.

Women: And creatures that crawl.

And things more horrid still

like the cradles of storms...

- Cradle of storms.

But who can describe

the audacity of man

or the daring and

passion of women

that stop at nothing and

lead to mortal ruin?

The cruel bitch

of female passion

can break apart the

yoke that joins a pair

and force apart the

dark embrace...

women: Of beasts and man alike.

This sword cuts deep.

Straight through the lungs.

And justice is flouted...

women: And stomped

in the ground.

And the sword smith

of destiny...

women: Hammers the weapon.

A child is brought to

this house to avenge...

To lift the seeping

stain of ancient blood.

Women: Brought by her,

we shudder to name

the dark, brooding fury.

But there was always trouble

whenever we rehearsed

Brad's part.

What was the play about?

About a son killing his mother.

[discordant cello music]

Child...

you have in mind to slay,

and slay your mother.

Oh, no, you slay

yourself. You, not I.

Beware... your mother's

vengeful hounds from hell.

I must heed my father's,

not spare you.

Did she do it... or did she not?

Bear witness here.

This robe...

she dyed it in the blood

that ran around her

lover's sword.

Brad, this isn't a Greek robe.

This spurted stain has

aided time to blur

the many dyes that once

adorned this robe.

I stand here now, made glad,

made mad with blood,

exalting... wailing.

Hear me, woven web

that slew my father.

Stop it, stop it,

Brad. Enough, enough.

You skipped a hundred lines.

It makes more sense this way.

It does.

You're just standing

there, delivering lines.

You're not acting.

And at this point, I

told you to move.

Lee...

I need to say something

to you about basketball.

We all know you were

a great player.

No, you see... I was a

little short for the game,

so I had to become the

classic distance shooter,

a 3-point man.

Now, in one of my

games, it happened.

The ball is passed to

me. I jump; I look.

And in midair, I realize...

I'm shy of midcourt, some

70 feet from the basket.

And I can't come down,

because if my feet touch,

I'm travelling.

So I have to shoot.

I freeze in midair.

Then everything else

around me freezes...

so I shoot.

It was more of a

shot-put than a throw.

And it just swished through.

No. No, it hit the rim... hard.

It kind of rattled in.

That's enough.

That's ridiculous.

But I think I've found it.

What?

I've found the still point.

The unwobbling pivot

of the world.

Do you know what I mean?

No. Can we do it again?

Please?

Chorus, back.

Come on, quick, quick.

Get in position. Position.

Concentrate.

A Greek play.

Let's go.

Earth breeds many

things, begetting...

women: Pain and terror...

And horrors of suffering.

And the depths of the

sea teem with...

women: Murderous monsters.

And flaming comets stab

down through the sky

and blasts creatures that fly...

women: And creatures

that crawl...

And things more horrid still,

like the cradle of storms.

- Cradle of storms.

But who can describe

the audacity of man

or the daring and

passion of women

that stop at nothing

and lead to...

women: Mortal ruin?

The cruel bitch...

The rooster! The rider!

A man on a rooster! The

rider of the Apocalypse!

[rifle clicks]

The rooster. The rider!

The rider of the Apocalypse.

No, not the rider. It

was the horse owner.

It was the goddamn horse owner

wouldn't let me have the horse.

Look, imagine it's the

opposite time of the year.

There's no snow.

And this... this horse

is fully grown.

And this little guy

would be riding this,

the smallest horse in the world.

And then Willard, my rooster,

would be chasing him around

the biggest tree on this planet.

[serene music]

[man singing] Dˇcen

que por las noches.

No mas se le ˇba en puro llorar.

Dˇcen que no com f a...

Now, here's the thing.

The rooster would stand taller

than the rider and

the horse together.

- God, that sounds fantastic.

- Yeah.

There was gonna be a commercial.

It was gonna make

a bunch of money.

It was gonna be great!

A commercial for what?

How should I know?

But it was gonna be great.

[man singing] Muerte

la fue llamando.

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay...

Cantaba.

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay...

Gem f a.

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay...

Cantaba.

De pasˇón mortal...

Mor f a

[door creaks]

[door thuds]

Subject of this song is, I'm

born to preach the gospel,

and I sure do love my job.

[man singing] I'm born.

To preach the gospel

I'm born.

To preach the gospel

I'm born.

To preach the gospel.

And I sure do love my job

I haven't never

been to no college.

And I didn't get a

chance in school.

But when Jesus

Christ anointed me.

To preach the gospel.

He sure didn't leave me no fool.

Oh, yes

I'm born.

To preach the gospel

I'm born.

To preach the gospel

I'm born.

To preach the gospel.

And I sure do love my job.

Well, they have lots

of educated preachers.

That picked up in the end.

And dropped their hearts

unfixed with God.

And walking around

scared to death.

Oh, yes

I'm born.

To preach the gospel

I'm born.

To preach the gospel

I'm born.

To preach the gospel.

And I sure do love my job

[door thuds]

Hey, Detective, have a look!

Mr. McCullum, what is this?

It's a flamingo that

slammed into a tree.

Give it to my mother.

He kept talking

about his mother...

Mr. Meyers, please.

Please, it's safer here.

I understand.

He was obsessed with her.

When I'd play his mother

and lay murdered at his feet,

he whispered to me,

"Twitch your feet.

I wanna see my mother's feet

dancing her to heaven."

He disrupted our

rehearsals so many times

that I had to take

him out of the play.

I hated to do it because he

was really so very good.

It was really very sad.

He took it hard.

He just couldn't get

it out of his system.

He just couldn't shake it.

When we took the

play to Calgary,

he came all that way

with his mother

just to see the performance.

That was the last

time I saw him.

He was with his mother.

He seemed so caring.

And he really was

taken with the city.

He was so fascinated by it:

All those glass tubes.

Brad, where are you going?

What are you doing?

Can't you see it, Lee?

This is the tunnel of time.

Wouldn't it make

the perfect stage

for a cosmic melodrama?

Like a hound on the trail

of a wounded deer,

we will track him down

by the drip of blood.

Women: I snort, lungs bursting,

from long man-slaughtering toil.

Ranging over every

corner of this Earth.

In pursuit...

Without wings, I have

flown over oceans.

And now that this man is here...

- Somewhere...

- Cowering...

women: The scent of human blood

grins wide for me.

- Look!

- Look everywhere.

Women: Cast your eyes

in every direction.

Don't let this mother-killer

get away unscathed.

I now stand here, made glad,

made mad with blood,

exalting, wailing.

I slew her.

I deny no word hereof.

Hear me, woven web

that slew my father.

This robe, she dyed

it in the blood

that ran around her

lover's sword!

Women: Yes, you must tell

the manner of your deed.

Drawn sword in hand,

I lopped her head.

Women: Who, and by craft

of who, did urge you on?

Fate and necessity

made me do it!

Brad, don't participate.

You're disturbing the play.

Just be quiet.

Draw from their killers

blood to answer blood.

[serene jazzy piano music]

[music continues]

Brad? Brad. Brad, let's go.

Brad, let's go.

[man breathing heavily]

Brad? Brad. Brad.

- Yes.

- What is it?

Lee, you don't need to

give me such a close look.

Okay? Yeah, I admit I've

been crying a lot lately.

But it's strange.

The tears only come

out of my left eye...

never my right.

How do you explain that?

[man chanting mournfully]

[shouting] Why is everyone

staring at the house?

Why is the whole

world staring at me?

[whispering] Why are the

mountains staring at me?

[thunder rumbles]

Why do the clouds

look down upon me?

Why are the clouds

looking upon me?

Why is everyone staring at me?

Why is the whole

world staring at me?

[mournful chant continues]

Why is the whole

world staring at me?

All right, team one,

up on the roof.

Team two, shore up the wall.

Team three, into that garage.

Team four, go long, perimeter.

Let's go, fellas. Move out.

Lieutenant,

we have a relative

and close friend of

the suspect here.

I think they can be useful.

All right.

Put 'em in the van.

Be there in a minute.

Joey, keep me posted, okay?

In the van. Come on.

Hi, I'm Lieutenant Brown. Ma'am.

Look, try not to be...

too distressed about

all this, okay?

Because right now, we're just

assessing the situation,

all right?

Now, I appreciate if you

stay here in the van

so when I need you, I

know where you are.

- Can you do that for me?

- Yeah.

All right. Stay with them?

[phone line trilling]

Same old thing.

It rings 30 times, but

he doesn't pick up.

Let me try to get in there.

Look, I can offer

myself up as a hostage.

He can take me in a swap.

No, you won't.

I can do it. I can do it.

It's not protocol. Look,

my show. I run it.

You take orders, or you

get behind the perimeter.

Is that clear?

Thank you.

I'm really sorry.

How totally inconsiderate of me.

Neither of you have

had any coffee. Here.

Thank you.

And forgive me for not

thinking of it sooner.

You know, when we

were up in Canada,

I realized that Brad

was crying a lot.

He didn't like to talk about it

or else made a joke out of it.

But I remember, one time,

he turned to me, a

little bit more serious,

and said,

"I cried in the laundry

room for four years

until they renovated it and

used it for something else."

Yeah, it was only two days ago

that he called me, desperate,

from Tijuana.

He was crying, and

he was telling me

about this hotel room he was in

and how he had placed

prescription glasses

around the light on

his night table.

I went across the border the

next morning to pick him up.

Now...

did you buy all these

prescription glasses?

What do you mean

by placing prescription glasses

like this, Brad?

This is my way of

bringing heaven to Earth.

You see...

[festive music]

[men singing in Spanish]

No, no, no, no, no. It's okay.

[speaking Spanish]

Oh, not today, not today.

But I'll take a card.

It's all right, okay.

Maybe later. Okay.

Thank you, thank you.

No, no, no, no, no.

Not today. No, it's

okay. Thank you.

As soon as we got

back to the States,

he wanted to go to

the naval hospital

in San Diego.

I was glad...

because I thought he wanted

treatment for his depression.

There. You turn up here.

Turn right.

But that's... the

naval hospital, Brad.

I want to go to the

naval hospital.

Right.

Right here.

My father died here.

Sir?

I would like to visit the sick.

Sir, who would you

like to visit?

The sick. The sick in general.

Oh, the general.

Well, I'm not

certain if he's in.

Why don't you just park

your car over there, sir?

One more time, sir.

Who do you mean by "the sick"?

Madame...

I mean the sick in general.

Sir, you can't visit

the sick in general.

Can I at least buy a

pillow for the sick?

You can inquire at the

gift shop about the...

But, sir, please wait one moment

while I make a call.

Hello? It's the front desk.

No, this man just came.

He's asking about a...

I don't know. Just stop him!

He's asking about the sick

or a pillow, I don't...

Security, there's a man

going to the gift shop.

Yes, civilian. With

a woman, right now.

He's behaving very strange.

Brad.

They're calling security.

Brad!

Brad, let's... let's

just go, okay?

[let engine roaring]

Look how beautiful San Diego is.

It's like the city of God.

[man chanting mournfully]

Do you... mean to leave it here?

Yeah. I'm hoping some

young future player

will find it.

Did you see that, lngrid? The

whole world almost stopped.

What do you mean?

Brad... I didn't see anything.

Excuse me, sir. I'd

like to give you this.

Your bag?

Yes, as a gift. I

insist, please.

No. What am I supposed

to do with this bag?

Just take it. It's wonderful.

It's got all kinds of... see?

Oh, wait, I've got to

keep this one thing,

but you can have the rest.

No, you know, I

can't. I don't know.

Enjoy it. Thank you.

Okay, uh...

Brad, all your glasses

are in there.

Oh, it's okay. I can

read without 'em.

I'm just following

this inner voice.

It feels so good to say

good-bye to your things.

And then?

After Balboa Park, I

brought him home,

to my place.

That was yesterday.

He slept for most of the day,

and then at night,

he got restless.

He started talking a

lot about machinery,

how much he hated it.

And then he disconnected

all the clocks

and the refrigerator.

And then he went outside

and started banging on his car

so hard that it scared me.

When he finally came back in,

he had that pillow with him.

And he gave me this look

that I'd never seen before,

and that's when I

got really scared.

I said to him, "Brad, I don't

want you staying here tonight."

And he just... he left

without saying a word.

Detective, the Roberts woman

seems to have

recovered her speech.

She says she's

feeling much better

and she can talk

to you now, sir.

I'm coming.

Miss Roberts, I know this

is difficult for you,

but could you tell me

how it all started?

Well, it all seemed so normal.

It was early in the morning,

and of course, we were

up having our coffee

when Brad came across the

street with his mother.

Actually, she was

hurrying ahead,

and he was following

a few steps behind.

My mother offered

her some coffee

because she sensed

that Miss McCullum

wanted to talk to her

about something.

So she said to me,

"Why don't you take

Brad out in the back

and show him your garden?"

So I took him outside

and showed him my

dried-out flowers

and all the dust,

talked to him about the problems

I was having with

water shortage.

And he seemed to be very

interested in all of this.

And then when he tossed

his baseball bat at me,

I asked him, I said, "Brad,

what are you doing?"

No, but that was later. No,

let me tell the detective.

When they were out back,

my daughter and Brad McCullum,

Mrs. McCullum leaned in

and whispered to me...

Brad tried to smother

me with a pillow.

Oh, no.

He wasn't kidding.

I think we should

call the police.

- Oh...

- Now, this has gone far enough.

We've got... Here he comes.

But I'm calling.

She's had so much trouble

with this garden

with no rain, you know,

and everything, so...

Adele, you sit here.

I want you to sit here.

Excuse me.

How 'bout some coffee, Brad?

I'll pour you a cup of coffee.

Oh, no.

No, wait, I...

I got to go get my cup.

Can't start the day without

my special coffee cup.

It took quite a while

till he returned,

about ten minutes or so.

We almost thought he

wasn't coming back.

We were discussing whether or

not we should call the police

when he walks in

with his coffee cup.

Mmm, boy, Mrs. Roberts,

you sure do make the

best coffee around.

Where's he going?

He's going to his car.

He's got a bat.

Here. Take it.

- Brad, what are you doing?

- Hit me.

What?

Kill me before it happens.

Kill me.

What are you doing?

Kill me!

When he ran her through

the first time...

Ran her through?

What do you mean?

When he ran her through

with the sword,

she said calmly,

"My son, my son,

what have ye done?"

That was the last

time she ever spoke.

There was no screaming.

In fact, no one screamed,

least of all his mother.

I was astounded at the silence.

Okay. We're gonna

give this a try.

You ready?

You stay behind here,

and no heroics.

Brad!

It's me, Lee.

I came down from I.A.

lngrid here is with me.

I'm here, Brad!

Brad, it's going

to be all right.

I promise you,

nothings going to happen to you.

But you have to come out, Brad.

Brad, it makes no sense

keeping the hostages.

Let them go!

Yeah!

In a minute, Lee. I'm

still feeding them.

Brad, it's me.

Talk to me.

Tell me, who are the hostages?

What are their names?

McNamara and McDougal!

Oh, my God!

They're his flamingoes!

They're his birds!

What do you mean by birds?

They're my eagles in drag.

It's okay. It's okay.

Come on. That's all right.

I hate it that the sun

always comes up in the east.

Police! Don't move!

Put your hands in the air!

Turn around and face the wall!

Put the weapon down slowly.

Now, walk...

Walk back towards my voice.

Keep coming. Keep coming.

Slow down. Keep coming.

Stop there. On your knees.

Hands on your head.

I want to be left in the

desert, in the wild.

I want to be taken

south of the border.

I have taken a new vocation

as a righteous merchant!

Hi, lngrid. Hi, Lee.

Sorry, folks, I can't allow

communication with the suspect.

Please step back.

Detective, do me a favor.

Can you include two

things in your report?

One, forget about flamingoes.

I see ostriches.

I see ostriches running.

[frolicking harmonica music]

[ostrich hooves thundering]

And two...

what ever happened

to my basketball?

[man singing in Spanish]

[melancholy instrumental music]

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009) - full transcript