Storm Fear (1955) - full transcript
During a snow storm in upstate New England, novelist Fred Blake, his wife Elizabeth and young son David are trapped inside their remote cabin in the hills. Their only contact with the outside world is their phone and a hired hand, Hank, who occasionally brings them the mail and supplies. The Blakes are surprised by the unexpected arrival of Fred's brother Charlie, gunman Benjie and blonde floozy Edna Rogers. Charlie suffers from gunshot wounds and needs immediate care. The trio had robbed a bank and are on the run from the police. The radio news reveal that bank robbers killed a bank guard and took some eighty thousand dollars. Fred is irritated about Charlie's arrival since Charlie always had problems with the law and also because he used to be Elizabeth's lover before he left her, allowing Fred to marry her. The wounded Charlie is lodged in the upstairs bedroom to recuperate. Young David, takes a strong liking to his wounded uncle, despite his parents' warning that Charlie is a no-good hoodlum. While Charlie recovers his strength, gunman Benjie pushes the Blakes around, barking orders and physically molesting the hosts. Charlie has to intervene several times to protect the Blakes but he's too weak to take on Benjie. The radio announces that roads are being cleared of snow by heavy snow-removal equipment and that plans are drawn by law enforcement to deploy in large numbers to check all areas for the whereabouts of the bank robbers. Hearing this, the trio of robbers make hasty plans to leave the Blake home and cross over the snowy mountain pass the next day. However, there is one problem. The robbers plan to take young David with them to show them the way. Panicked, Fred plans to sneak out of the cabin during the night and alert the police. In the morning, noticing Fred's absence, the robbers tie Elizabeth to a chair, grab David and leave the cabin wearing warm clothing and snow shoes. But the constant fighting between Charlie and Benjie threatens to lead to a shoot-out.
Hey, Hank, look at this one!
Must weigh at least a pound.
Sure, easy.
Hey, Hank!
Looks like more snow!
Yeah, Looks that way.
We could be in for a real storm.
- Yeah.
- Better hurry if we wanna
get to town before it starts.
Why you goin' into...
for the whole weekend, Hank?
Ah, a man's gotta get into town
every four or five months.
Let off a little steam.
You got a girl in town?
A girl? Seventeen!
Seventeen? You're kidding.
No, no, I got 17 girls
and they're all crazy about me!
[laughing]
- Uncle? Say uncle!
- Okay, I give.
Okay, come on.
I gotta get goin' anyway.
I bet Mom didn't think
we'd catch anything.
[Hank] She didn't know
who she's dealing with, did she?
Hey, wait, a minute.
Your feet.
Oh. Oh, yeah.
Look, Mother.
- You catch them yourself?
- No.
Hank helped a little.
I imagine.
Put them in the sink, David.
Yessum. Where's Daddy?
I'll get it.
In his room working.
Thank you.
Come here, David.
[music playing on radio]
You've snagged your pants.
When you go to bed tonight,
put them on your chair,
I'll mend them for you.
- Now go wash your hands.
- Okay.
I used to think I liked
summertime best.
But now, I don't know.
I think I like winter best.
Hank has more time to go
hunting and fishing with me.
You best stop talking like that,
your mother will fire me.
[man] Who turned the radio on?
- I did.
- Turn off, dear,
I'm trying to write.
Yes, sir.
Look at the fish
we caught, Daddy.
Don't keep them in the
kitchen, they'll smell up
the whole house.
Yes, sir.
We're having them
for supper tonight.
David, take off
your boots, please.
- And turn off the radio.
- Yes, sir.
Well, I'll be on my way.
Be back in a couple of days,
I gotta pick up some things
in town for the farm.
What do you have to get?
Well for one thing,
I'd like to get a new wheel
for the tractor.
Can't that wait
till next spring?
Well, it could,
but I'd hate to be without it,
in case we need it.
- All right.
- Well.
- Hank...
- Yes, ma'am?
Thank you again
for our radio.
It was the nicest
Christmas present
you could've thought of.
I'm glad you liked it.
Anything I can get you in...
[indistinct]
No, nothing I can think of.
- Fred?
- No, thank you, Hank.
Well, so long, everybody.
- Bye, have a good time.
- Bye, Hank.
- Thanks again for my .22.
- That's okay.
When I come back,
we'll go hunting
[David] Okay.
[door closes]
Fred, why didn't you
thank Hank for our radio?
He didn't get it for me.
He certainly did.
He got it for both of us.
I know who he got it for.
- Fred--
- Do you think I'm a child,
Elizabeth?
Do you think I don't know
why he stayed on here
for two years?
- Fred, please.
- I know what I'm talking about.
David, you're in this
godforsaken country
because of me, son.
When my health improves,
I'll see you get out of here.
I know this new book
of mine will be sold.
And I'm gonna be able
to take you and your mother--
[coughing]
[vehicle approaching]
Is there a door in this barn
big enough to get
this car through?
- Why?
- Answer me!
No, there isn't.
- Mother.
- Yes?
Someone's coming.
They came in a car,
and drove right up to our barn.
And a man was gonna hit me.
Charlie!
Hello, Liz.
- Surprised to see me?
- Yes, I... I am.
You're looking good.
[chuckles]
Thank you.
So are you.
Hi, David.
Fine, sir.
-Anybody else with you?
-Fred's in the living room.
Nobody else staying with you?
We have a hired man. Why?
- [Charlie] Where is he?
- He's gone
for a couple of days.
What's the matter, Charlie?
I've been shot.
Oh, that's nothing,
just a graze. I was lucky.
It's my leg
that's giving me the trouble.
You see?
[footsteps approaching]
Hello, Fred.
Where did you come from?
- What's happened to you?
- Oh, I've been shot.
- Bullet's still in there.
- Shot?
Well, how did you get shot?
You'll never learn,
will you, Charlie?
- I'll call a doctor.
- No, I don't need any doctor,
Fred.
All I need is a little rest.
I'll be all right.
Don't be childish.
You should have a doctor.
Who are these people?
[Charlie]
Well, that's Benjie
and that's Edna.
You look as though
you had a fever.
And I'm calling a doctor.
Now, look...
I don't want any doctor!
[phone ringing]
I told you not to phone, Fred.
Next time you listen to me
when I tell you something.
We're gonna be here
till morning,
and I'm giving the orders.
[grunts]
[yells]
Let me go!
Let me go!
[grunting]
David, take the milk
to the cooler.
- Yessum.
- [Fred coughing]
You gotta get it through
your head, Fred,
I am no kid brother anymore!
What the idea, Charlie?
- What are you trying to do?
- Don't you start
chewing on me, Liz.
It wasn't my fault.
Listen, you got
a room I can use?
Yeah, you can use mine.
Where you taking that?
Taking it with me.
Any objections?
No, just asking you.
All right.
I want you to stay down here.
I don't want nobody coming in,
nobody going out.
- Do you understand?
- Okay.
[Charlie]
Both of you get some sleep,
I wanna pull out
first thing in the morning.
Thanks.
In there.
Now I want to know
what happened, Charlie.
I don't want to talk
about it now, Liz.
- Charlie!
- Oh, lay off, will you.
Can't you see my leg
is killing me?
- Benjie, get me a shot.
- Later, we're gonna
get settled up there.
- Only got half a bottle.
- Half a bottle?
- Uh-huh.
- Pig!
Does your old man have anything
to drink in this house?
- You mean booze?
- Yeah.
No, he never drinks
anything like that.
Oh, must run in the family.
You were surprised to see
your Uncle Charlie, weren't you?
Yes.
How do you know he's my uncle?
Is he really?
What he told me.
[chuckles]
How was he shot?
Was he hunting?
Yeah. Hey, how old are you, kid?
Twelve.
Almost.
That coat, it's mink, isn't it?
- Yeah, you like it?
- Yessum.
Must've cost two or $300.
[laughs]
You hit it
right on the nose, kid.
When you grow up, kid,
you'll find out.
Daddy?
Is that man really my uncle?
Yes, he's your uncle.
I'll go up
and see how his leg is.
No, you'll stay down here.
I don't want you upstairs.
- Why?
- Because I don't
want you up there!
Yes, sir.
Whose guns are those?
The .22's mine.
The other two are my father's.
Cut that tree down myself.
Up on the mountain.
Yeah, just like
Radio City Music Hall.
Smell it.
It smells good.
Smells like a tree.
Hey, Liz.
Hey, Liz, my leg
started hurting real bad.
The bullet's
gonna have to come out.
Liz, you're the only one
here I trust to do it.
- What's that for?
- For Max.
- Max? Who's that?
- My dog.
Dog? I didn't see
no dog around here.
He's dead.
Fred.
What do you want?
The bullet has to be
removed from Charlie's leg.
Will you help me?
Let him get a doctor!
You know he can't.
He's in terrible pain.
Are you going to help me?
No.
- Kid, get me a couple glasses.
- David!
If you want any glasses,
get them yourself.
They're in there.
David, you're not to do
any errands for him.
- Yes, sir.
- Take this upstairs.
- What are you doing?
- It's for your friend.
It's the only pain killer
we've got around here.
I don't want
any drinking in this house.
Where we gonna drink,
in the barn?
Give me that!
[groans]
Come on, try it!
[Fred coughing]
Hey, Liz, you remember
the first time I met you
on the beach?
You had that
little red swimsuit.
Huh, remember?
Stop it, Charlie.
[jazz music playing on radio]
David, get the lamp
off the bureau so I can see.
It looks infected, Charlie.
Are you sure
you trust me to do it?
Oh, I told you I did.
Oh, come on, Liz.
If you're gonna do it, do it.
I've never done anything
like this before.
All right, so, you haven't.
I can do it myself.
David, bring the lamp
around here.
Now, if you feel
sick or anything, tell me.
Just don't back up
or drop the lamp.
- Understand?
- Okay.
I think you better
take this, Charlie.
I don't want it.
It's going to hurt.
I told you,
I don't want it.
Come on.
Go ahead.
[groans]
[groans]
[exhales]
David, you can
put the lamp back now.
Yessum.
Where is that lichen and water?
- I'll get it.
- And take these with you.
- You break the bone?
- No, it was in the flesh.
You got more lives
than a cat, Charlie.
If it hit the bone,
you'd be goin' nowheres.
Will you take this
with you, please.
- Me?
- Yeah, you.
Okay.
- Charlie.
- Yeah?
Now will you tell me
what happened?
I don't want to
talk about it now.
I'm sorry,
I want to talk about it now.
I have to--
Thank You, David.
[man on radio]
Here is a bulletin.
A robbery in... [indistinct]
The first in this area
in eight years.
Hey, Charlie!
[man on radio] ...was held up
and robbed of $85,000.
A police officer was killed.
One member of the gang,
who goes by the name Sam Carny,
was critically wounded,
and captured by the police.
He's not expected to live.
The other three criminals,
driving a tan Plymouth sedan,
are believed to be
heading south.
One of them
was shot in the leg.
Highway patrols are alerted
to be on the lookout.
Well, there seems to be
no tax relief...
I'm no killer, Davy.
Charlie!
Charlie, you think--
You think Sam would talk?
Nah, he'd want Edna
to get away.
Yeah.
Yeah, well, we fooled 'em.
- They think
we're headin' south.
- Yeah.
- My luck's holding out.
- Yeah.
Charlie, why did you come here?
Well, I planned on
coming here from the first.
I won't lie about that.
I forgot about the kid, I...
really forgot about him.
- Forgot all about him, Liz.
- It's just like you.
You'll never change,
not one bit.
Oh, come on.
David, would you--
Go on, now, please,
like a good fella.
- Stay here, David.
- David, you go on out!
And close the door, will ya?
No, you haven't changed.
Do you know what
this is going to mean
in a one-horse town like this?
Oh, I'm sorry, Liz. I'm sorry.
I know. You're always sorry.
You were sorry about me,
you were sorry about David,
You were sorry you were married.
You can't go on always thinking
that being sorry
will help everything.
What about your wife?
[groans]
She left me four years ago.
Then she had more sense
than I gave her credit for.
Who's the girl downstairs?
Your girl?
My-- Oh, she's nothing.
When I saw you come in
and walk over to the couch,
I thought...
I felt like years. ago.
Now, I would let you touch me--
- Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry--
- You're always sorry!
Is that all you can say?
It's not just David and me!
There's a man dead!
Maybe two by now,
and all you can
say is you're sorry!
Will you shut up
and listen to me?
I didn't plan
on hurting anybody.
Not you, not the kid, not Fred.
And I didn't plan on
anybody getting killed.
I just figured the robbery,
and coming here, that's all.
Do you know what
they're gonna do to you?
They'll kill you.
They'll electrocute you.
You know that, don't you?
Why did you do it?
How can you kill a man,
and lie there
as calm as if
had nothing happened?
- How could you?!
- Oh, shut up!
I didn't kill anybody!
Now get that straight.
My gun's right over there
in the jacket.
Go and take a look,
it hasn't been fired.
I don't know who did
kill that cop, but I didn't.
And I'm not getting caught.
Now, get that straight.
If I killed ten me,
I'm not getting caught.
- [upbeat music on radio]
- Giving her the once over...?
Edna, I think the kid
is sweet on youse.
Oh, don't you let him
kid you, Dave.
Are you an actress?
Are you an actress?
That's the best yet!
- [laughs]
- What's so comical?
You know, I could be
singing and dancing
right this minute
if I wanted to.
Any place in New York City.
Show us your act.
Then let's have a night club.
[Edna] Okay.
Would you like that, David?
- Sure!
- Okay.
[music gets louder]
Presenting, the one and only,
Edna Rogers!
Yay!
The girl with the golden voice!
And a classy chassis.
♪ For me and my true love
♪ Will never meet again
♪ On the bonnie, bonnie banks
of Loch Lomond ♪
♪ You take the high road
[laughing]
[chuckles]
♪ I'll be in Scotland
♪ Afore you
♪ For me and my true love
♪ Will never meet again
♪ On the bonnie, bonnie banks
of Loch Lomond ♪
♪ For me and my true love
- ♪ Will never...
-[man on radio]
This program comes to you
through the courtesy of the
general store of--
[grunts] You could get a job
singing and dancing
in a freak show.
You creep, you.
You're the lousiest I ever met.
They oughta put you
away someplace
because you're so crazy!
Shut the hell up!
Oh, when they get you this time,
my little creepy friend,
they will either kill you
or put you away in a nut house
where you can't
hurt nobody never again.
That's where you belong, Benjie,
in a nut house!
- [gasps]
- Shut up!
I'll kill you
with my bare hands!
Do you hear me?
Do you hear me?!
Get out of here!
All of you! Get out of here!
Get out of this house right now!
Tonight!
- I'm telling you
to get out of here!
- Leave my father alone!
[coughing]
Leave my father alone!
He's sick!
Ah! Take it easy, champ,
you'll cough up a lung.
[coughing continues]
You don't need no keys, champ.
See how simple it is?
You don't need no key.
Uncle Charlie!
Uncle Charlie!
I told you to leave him alone!
[groans]
- Get out of here!
- Leave my gun alone!
Get outta here.
Give me my gun!
Hank gave me
that gun for Christmas!
[Benjie laughing]
What's going on?
This creep here
started for the guns.
You crazy, fool.
What'd did you do?
- I didn't do nothing.
- What do you mean nothing?
Look at the place!
Well, he-he--
He started for the gun,
tried to--
tried to run us out, Charlie.
- [grunting]
- Don't you raise your hand,
you hear me?
Let go of me, Charlie.
Let go! Let me go!
- You hear me?
- Yeah, Charlie.
All right, now get up.
Go out and get a broom
and clean it up!
Come on, Fred.
Keep away from me.
I don't need your help.
What's been happening?
Where's, David?
Everything is all right.
David, come up to bed.
No, you stay
right here, David.
And you stay right there
where you belong
You're a good pair,
the two of you.
Just alike. There's no shame
in either of you.
It's just like old times,
isn't it, Charlie?
If you want her, take it.
Just get out of here!
Don't get all worked up, Fred.
Go back, Elizabeth.
Go back. Go back!
[coughing]
You're nothing
but a bum, Charlie.
You'll end up in the gutter
just like papa.
A thieving, murdering bum!
You'll end up just like
I told mom it would.
I haven't seen you in years.
Why must we always fight?
- Can't we get along
for a minute!
- Because you're no good.
Now get out of here,
and take the rest of them with
you!
Elizabeth, too!
But she's not having David.
- Not as long as I live!
- You're way off base, Fred!
- Don't get so worked up!
- You think I won't
turn you in, Charlie?
If I get the chance, I will so!
Help me, I will!
[coughing]
Mother, what was Daddy
talking about?
Nothing, David, he's sick.
He didn't mean those things.
Come on, let's go to bed.
[harmonica playing]
Uncle Charlie!
[groans]
All right, Benjie.
Put it back!
[Benjie] I just wanted my share,
Charlie, that's all.
[Charlie]
Next time, I'll kill you.
Now, put it back!
- Okay.
- Come on!
Get out of here.
[mumbles]
[Charlie] Now get out of here.
- Thanks, David.
- That's okay.
You better get back
and get some sleep now.
- Okay.
- And, David,
don't worry about your gun.
- I'll send another one.
- Okay.
Good night, Uncle Charlie.
Charlie, the kid says
we can't make it out of here.
Well, the kid's right,
we gotta stay here
till it clears up.
- Stay here?
- Oh, take it easy, will you?
Nobody knows we're here.
- Charlie, don't you--
- I'll get us outta here
in plenty of time. I'm lucky.
- Haven't I always been lucky?
- Yes, but--
All right, let me do
the worrying, will you?
Just go on downstairs
like-like I told you.
- Okay, how's your leg?
- Nothing for you
to worry about.
- What are you doing here?
- I wanna talk to Charlie.
You said you were
leaving this morning.
How can we leave?
Look outside.
- Charlie!
- Oh, come on.
Use your head, will ya?
What do you expect me to do,
clear the roads?
I wanna get out of here
more than you want us to.
I brought you a clean shirt.
[hiccups]
- What time is it?
- Time? High noon!
- Are we getting ready to leave?
- We're stuck.
- What do you mean?
- I mean, we're stuck.
Look out the window.
[Edna] What are we gonna do?
[Benjie] Big shot said we got
nothing to worry about it.
Him and his luck.
- Can I help you with anything?
- No, thanks.
I'd be glad to help.
- No, thank you.
- Anything.
Except wash the dishes
on account of my nails.
You know, you're
a pretty nice looking dish.
I'd like to see you sometime...
in a bikini.
You put some lipstick on today,
didn't you?
Let your hair down.
What's it with you and Charlie?
Used to be his girl?
You did, did you?
Don't touch me.
Hello, David.
Here's your breakfast,
Uncle Charlie.
Oh, thank you.
- How's your leg?
- Oh, much better, Davy.
Thanks, much better.
Say, do me a favor,
and get me my pen
out of my coat pocket.
Okay.
Hey, not that pocket, Davy.
The other one.
That's right.
Have you had
your breakfast yet?
- No.
- Well, you sit down
and eat these eggs up.
I don't want any.
Okay.
- Uncle Charlie...
- Mm-hm.
You ever shoot anybody
with that gun?
No.
How do you like it,
living up here
in the mountains, hm?
It's okay.
Daddy doesn't like it.
Is that so?
Is he still writing books?
Sure.
But he never makes any money.
Had one book published,
about four years ago.
Oh, did? I didn't know that.
Anything since?
Nope.
He has one sent away now.
He says this one's
gonna be a success.
Yeah, your father
was always a smart guy.
I always had to
look out for him though.
I was the younger,
but I was tougher.
I never let anybody
pick on Fred.
He'd always
sit around the house,
reading, learning something.
I just about worshipped Fred
when we were kids.
Mama did, too.
He had the brains,
all right, your father.
[harmonica playing]
How did you learn
to play that?
Oh, I picked it up years ago.
I wish I could play
something like that.
I'll teach you sometime, huh.
- Will you?
- Sure.
How come you didn't come to
visit us before, Uncle Charlie?
Oh, I don't know.
I've been away a lot, I guess.
Why, did you miss me?
I didn't even know you.
Well, now you do.
If you'd known me,
would you have missed me, huh?
- Sure.
- You're a good kid.
Thanks. So are you.
[both laughing]
Where's your dog?
I don't have any dog.
Yeah, but you had one.
How did you know that?
Oh, I don't know, I just figured
all the kids of the country
have dogs, don't they?
I had one once.
Someone sent me a puppy.
I never knew who sent it,
and I asked Daddy.
He wouldn't answer at first.
And then he said,
"Just a friend."
But he never liked the dog.
Where's the dog now?
What happened to him?
I came home
from school one day...
he had shot it.
What'd he do that for?
He said it was
chasing and killing chickens.
But Max has never chased
or killed any chickens.
I was sick for week after that.
I sure was crazy about that dog.
Davy, would you...
get me some more coffee,
please, like a good fellow?
All right, Uncle Charlie.
Do you want
some coffee now, Fred?
If I do, I'll get it myself.
- Hey, David.
- Good morning.
David, your breakfast
is on the stove.
Oh, I've had breakfast.
Uncle Charlie didn't want
his eggs, so I ate 'em.
- He wants some more coffee.
- All right, get it.
And bring down those
dirty dishes right away.
I want to get things washed up.
Wait, David, I want some.
Daddy, who was that
sent me Max?
You tell him, Liz.
You tell him, Liz.
Tell him who sent him the dog.
All right, Fred,
I'll tell him.
Your father sent you
the dog, David.
That's right, David.
Your father.
[laughing]
Here's your coffee,
Uncle Charlie.
Oh, just put it up here, yeah.
How soon you think
before they have the roads
cleared down below?
Oh, I don't know.
Listen, if I needed your help,
would you help me, Davy?
Well...
You go on out, David.
I want to talk to Charlie alone.
Yes, Mother.
I like your hair this way, Liz.
It's the way you
used to have it, isn't it?
You and your friends have got
to get out of here, Charlie.
Yeah, well, we're going
when we're good and ready.
What about us?
Have you ever, in your life,
thought about anyone
except yourself?
What do you mean?
Who was I thinking about
when I plunked down
the payment for this farm,
so Fred could have a nice,
healthy climate
and write his books,
and become a big shot genius.
And pay me back, maybe.
That's when I was
thinking about myself, huh?
That was an agreement
you had with Fred.
Agreement?
There was no agreement.
It was just that I thought
of you and the kid.
And him. All my life,
I've thought of him.
Is that why you
used him when you needed him?
What do you mean, used him?
It was his idea to marry you.
He had always wanted you.
And as far as that's concerned,
it's your fault
as much as anybody.
The kid and everything.
I was honest with you
right from the start.
That's right.
And you paid off.
And your consciousness, too.
For a few thousand dollars.
David, me and Fred.
You don't owe us anything,
and we don't owe you anything.
But if you were a man,
and you had any conscience left,
you'd think of David and me.
Oh, I...
I've thought of you, Liz.
I thought of you a whole lot.
All the way up here, Liz,
I was thinking about you.
And how you were
when I first met you
when you first come to the city.
You were just a kid.
A-a real kid.
You were the prettiest thing
I'd ever seen.
Hey, remember that...
that time on the pier
when that poor guy
you thought was me
and you pushed him in the water.
[both laughing]
[mumbles]
I haven't laughed like this
in... so long.
You remember the first time
I ever took you out, Liz?
Yes.
I thought about that
a lot of times. A lot of times.
You haven't changed much
since then, Liz.
Oh, yes, I have, Charlie.
No, you're just as pretty
now as you were then.
- Come here, Liz.
- Don't, Charlie.
Please, don't Charlie.
Please...
Don't... Please...
Please, Charlie.
It's just like long ago.
Isn't it?
- When all I had to whistle.
- Shut up!
- Isn't it? Isn't it?
- Let me go. Let me go!
You remember, Liz.
All I had to do was whistle.
Fred was right
about you, Charlie.
You're nothing but a bum.
And you'll end up
right where you belong.
I hope they catch you!
And I hope
they kill you, Charlie!
[knocking on door]
Come in.
- Uncle Charlie--
- Oh. Come here, a minute, Davy.
Now, look.
This is where we came in, right?
- Yes.
- And over here,
that's the state highway
going north, right?
- Yes.
- And what's in between?
That mountain there.
It's called Lone Pine Peak.
Well, looks like
only a few miles on the map.
It is. But you have to go
over the mountain,
and there's no road or anything.
Well, how far
is it to the highway?
Oh, I'm not sure exactly.
Twelve or 15 miles, maybe.
Have you ever gone over it?
To the peak?
- Yeah.
- Sure.
But not in weather like this.
- Uncle Charlie.
- Yeah?
- Look what I found.
- What's that?
It's the bill of sale
that came with my dog.
Look, it says,
"Purchaser: Charles Blake."
Isn't that your name?
Yeah.
Well, then why
did Daddy just say
he sent for the dog
when he didn't?
- Oh, did he say that?
- Sure.
Mother said,
"Your father sent it."
And he said,
"That's right, your father."
And then he laughed.
Hm. Well, I don't know Davy.
It was a long time ago.
Maybe I bought it for him,
or something.
You know,
I'm getting kinda hungry now.
You wanna get me a little chow?
Okay. I'll take down
your dirty dishes.
Okay. And then, don't be long,
I want to talk to you.
Okay.
- Hey, Benjie!
- Yeah! Yeah.
Somebody coming up to the house.
Get everybody
in the living room, come on!
[both] Come on!
[indistinct]
Hurry up!
[overlapping chatter]
Not her, not her! Go ahead!
In there!
- Now, Liz.
- What?
I want you to Get rid of him.
Now you better
get rid of him, Liz.
Benjie's in there with Davy.
Benjie's got a gun,
don't give him an excuse
to use it,
he'd like nothing better!
Now go and see if you can
tell who it is. Go on!
It's the hired man.
Okay, get rid of him.
Suppose I can't.
Suppose he's back to stay.
Then you may be
needing a new hired man.
Tell him.
Hello.
[Liz] Hello, Hank.
[chuckles]
You surprised to see me?
Yes, what are you
doing back so soon?
I didn't get
any farther yesterday
than Will Everett's place.
Postman left these
at Will's for Fred.
He couldn't make it
up here yesterday.
So Will hailed me and asked me
if I'd bring them up to Fred,
and I said that I would.
And I stopped in for a drink.
One drink led to another
and then another,
and then the storm started,
and Will persuaded me
to stay overnight.
[exhales]
I couldn't get the jeep
through this morning.
That wind, it's fierce.
Drift's ten-twelve feet high.
It's the longest two miles
I ever walked.
Could I have a cup of coffee?
- All right.
- Huh...
I can get it.
Where's your company?
Why?
[chuckles] I see you got a plate
full of cigarette butts.
Fred doesn't smoke,
and I know you don't.
Oh. Ed Harris
stopped by last evening.
[hiccups]
These are from Fred's publisher.
Figured he'd be
anxious for them.
Oh, thank you.
Where's Fred?
In bed.
He wasn't feeling so good today.
Where's David?
He's upstairs.
He's got a cold.
Oh, maybe I'll just go up
and say hello.
I was just there, he's asleep.
- Hank--
- Liz...
- I'm gonna say
something to you--
- [Liz] Please, Hank.
What are you
doing to yourself?
A real woman like you,
withering away.
What are you
getting out of life?
Hank, be quiet.
What are you paying penance for?
When are you gonna stop
punishing yourself?
Hank,
what are you talking about?
- You don't know
what you're saying.
- I know what I'm saying.
You know what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about you and Fred.
- [Liz] How dare you?
- [Hank] And David.
What about him?
What do you think this ugly life
here is doing for him?
- Hank!
- He gets no love, no affection.
- Not for Fred, not for you.
- How dare you
talk to me like that?
I'm a good mother,
a very good mother.
Sure, you sew on his buttons,
you fix his meals,
but when do you
put your arms around him?
When do you kiss him?
You don't know
what you're talking about.
[cries]
You're drunk.
You don't know
what you're saying.
[Hank]
Oh, I... I know what I'm saying.
I want you to stop
wasting your life like this.
- You deserve something better.
- Hank, will you stop it?
You and David.
[Liz] I want you to leave, Hank.
Right now.
Right this minute!
[Hank]
You have to listen to me.
I'm not talking for myself.
- [whispering] Get back!
- [Hank] It's for you and David.
Please, Liz, believe me.
[Liz]
Hank, please, you've got to go.
I could be a good father
to that boy, Liz.
I brought you
some mail by, Fred.
Well, I...
I promised Will I'd come back
and keep him company
until the roads clear.
Well, I...
Excuse me.
Your mail's there
on the table, Fred.
I'll see you
in a couple of days.
I'm sorry.
Hey, Benjie, let the kid go.
Okay, kid, back in the kitchen.
- You hear me?
- I don't wanna!
- Hey, Charlie, think he's wise?
- No, I don't.
You did... a real good job, Liz.
This is from that publisher.
Don't want to read it?
Yeah, Davy told me
you had a book published
a few years ago,
I was very happy
to hear about it.
"None of your manuscripts
merits publication,
and that your revisions
have been a waste
of your time--"
Give me that!
[chuckles]
- Daddy, don't!
- Go away, David!
Don't. Hey, Fred,
don't-don't do that!
- Leave me alone, Charlie!
- Fred!
I'm gonna burn
every last one of them!
They're no good.
They never have been any good!
[crying]
Hey, Fred, d-don't.
Fred... Would you...?
Boo-hoo-hoo!
Shut up!
Boo-hoo-hoo!
I'll bash you with this!
- Benjie!
- Stay there!
Stay where you are!
Stay there!
I'm not taking any stuff
off you or no one.
You gave me your last order,
big shot.
You got us in the hole.
You and your big deals.
- Put the gun down, Benjie.
- Why?!
I could shoot up
the whole bunch of you.
You wanna get caught anyway.
Get back, kid!
David!
Stay there, Liz!
Give me that thing!
[David yells]
[grunts]
- Come here, Benjie, you--
- [grunting]
- Charlie, please, don't hit me!
- [indistinct grumbling]
Lay off the kid!
I told you to stay off the kid.
Now get your gun. Pick it up.
Hurry up!
- Yeah.
- Put it away.
- David!
- He's all right, Liz.
He's not hurt.
Would you please
go on downstairs?
Leave him with me a minute,
will you, please?
- Oh.
- Come on. Just a minute.
All right.
- Benjie, you stupid--
- What are you trying to--
Listen, you egg brain.
Suppose we can't go back
the way we came in.
- How do we get out of here?
- I don't know, how?
Here...
over that mountain out there.
You know your way over it?
No, but the kid,
he could take us
over that mountain.
Yeah!
- Okay, now go on downstairs.
- Okay, Charlie.
Hey, Davy.
I-I want you to forget
about what Benjie did.
He's scared, Davy,
he's scared stiff.
He's a little...
You gotta be careful with him.
- You try and forget it, huh?
- Okay.
Why do you keep him around?
Do you like him?
[chuckles] Nobody likes Benjie,
but I need him, Davy.
He does what I tell him to.
Hey, Davy, here.
I want you to have this.
It's always brought me luck.
- What'll you do?
- Oh, I'll-I'll get another one.
Why don't you lie down
and rest a bit, okay?
- Are you going to?
- Yeah, I guess so.
I guess so.
How do you feel, Uncle Charlie?
Not too hard, kid.
Not too hard.
[wind whipping]
Supper! Supper, everybody!
Is everybody asleep?
I called twice.
Ah, don't it smell good?
Everything's ready, Charlie.
I got a wonderful supper.
Oh, I love to cook.
You know I can cook, honey.
- So, you can cook. [indistinct]
- Drop dead!
- Hey, what are you doing?
- I can't drink
my milk straight.
Hi, honey.
I made a wonderful supper.
You don't gotta do a thing!
Thanks,
that's very kind of you.
Oh, think nothing of it.
You know, us girls
have gotta stick together.
- Uh, did you get a good rest?
- Yes, thanks.
Well, that's nice.
Now, you just sit down
at the table,
and I'll wait on you
for a change.
Thanks, but I'm going to
eat it in my room.
- David, you'll have to eat
upstairs with me.
- Yessum.
Fix us two plates. I'll take
this one in to your father.
I brought your supper.
Fred, believe me...
I was so sorry
about this afternoon.
Hank was drunk.
He didn't mean all those things.
He was so drunk he didn't know
what he was saying.
- Hank was right, Elizabeth.
- Oh, Fred.
There's no happiness here
for you, or me, or David.
- Fred.
- None.
When I married you,
I thought I was being noble.
Providing a home
for you and David.
But I was only
thinking of myself.
Because I wanted you.
I thought you'd love me
after a while.
That you'd forget about Charlie.
Oh...
I did the best I could.
I never told you
I loved you, Fred.
I made the best home
for you I could.
That's not what I want, Liz.
I want you.
Do you understand?
Liz, I want you to love me
the way you love Charlie.
[cries]
I can't, Fred, I can't.
Come on, David.
It's about time for
the seven o'clock news.
How's it taste? Good, huh?
[man on radio] The latest news,
compiled from all leading...
What'd you put in it,
fertilizer?
- I hope it kills you!
- It could kill
a whole bunch of us.
- Now, look, you--!
- Will you button up,
the two of you?
[man on radio]
...are still at large.
Two men, one of them wounded,
and a woman,
are traveling in a tan,
Plymouth sedan.
A fourth member of the gang,
wounded and captured by police,
died during the night.
Latest clues,
now make it certain
the robbers
are hiding near here.
Capped by heavy snows
between the...
Highway and the mountains.
Snow plows will be
working all night
so the police can begin their
search of neighboring areas.
Everyone is urged to report
any suspicious characters
to the police, immediately.
Have your friends
been avoiding you lately?
- Make sure--
- Charlie...
So, you think we oughta
get the kid and clear out now?
They got the snow plows working.
What's there to keep them
- from getting here tonight?
- We're not going out
in the dark
and getting lost in
any lousy mountain.
We're gonna stay
right here till it's light.
- Charlie--
- Now, look, if you want out,
get your coat and get goin'.
If you're staying,
you're doing exactly like I say.
[Benjie]
Okay. Have you asked the kid
if he'll take us yet?
[Charlie] No, but he'll take us.
Suppose he won't.
How do you know?
Uncle Charlie doesn't seem like
a bank robber to me.
I like him.
What have you
and your Uncle Charlie
been talking about?
Nothing much.
I want you
to stay away from him, David.
He's not good,
and he never has been any good.
Yessum.
If you were older, David,
I could tell you
a lot about your Uncle Charlie.
I could tell you
what his word is worth.
Yessum.
- David...
- Yessum?
Sometimes,
when you're young, well,
you do things you shouldn't.
Things that you're
ashamed of later on.
And then you have to
pay for these things.
Maybe all your life.
Yessum.
I just want you
to stay away from him.
That's all.
Yessum.
Promise me?
I promise.
[Charlie whispering] David.
What is it, Uncle Charlie?
Sit down over here, Davy,
where it's warm.
It stopped snowing.
I've got to get out of here
as soon as it's light.
Listen to this wind,
Uncle Charlie.
It's gonna make terrible drifts.
The roads will be
worse than ever.
I don't care about the roads.
The mountain,
I want you to take me
and Edna, Benjie,
over that mountain, Davy.
I've gotta get out of here!
The cops will be here today,
for sure.
Two men were killed.
I didn't kill 'em Davy.
I didn't.
You shouldn't have stolen,
Uncle Charlie.
You shouldn't
have stolen the money.
Listen, son,
you don't always get a chance
in this life
to do what you should.
Have you ever gone hungry?
- No.
- Have you ever seen
your mother go hungry?
- No.
- Well, I have.
We didn't have money
for-for rent,
for clothes, for heat,
for-for food.
I-I broke into
a grocery store one night.
A couple of cops
saw me going in,
they came in after me.
And there was some money
in the cash register.
And they took it.
And when we got
in front of the judge,
they said I had taken the money
and gotten rid of it somehow.
And the judge wouldn't
believe anything I told him.
They sent me to reform school
for six months.
And when I got out, I got a job,
made 14 bucks a week.
One of those cops came around
and said I had to give him
four bucks a week,
or he'd see that I get
sent back to reform school.
So I gave it to him
for a couple of weeks.
Then I said I wouldn't,
and he framed me,
and I got sent back
to reform school.
And every time I got out,
it was the same thing.
They never gave me
a chance to go straight.
I'm sorry, Uncle Charlie.
I didn't know that.
- But, anyways--
- Here I am
with the money
to get out of the country
and get a new start and life,
and the cops
looking for me everywhere,
waiting to kill me.
And a-a kid I thought liked me,
refusing to show me the way
over some lousy mountains.
I do like you,
and I don't want to
see you killed, but--
Then help me!
Then help me!
- I can't.
- Look, please, Davy.
Please, I'll never forget you.
If you help me, I promise
I'll make it up to you.
- I just can't
- Why?
I made a promise to Mother.
Davy, listen,
I-I saved your life, today.
Benjie would have killed you.
You brought him here,
Uncle Charlie.
I'm sorry, but I can't go.
Uncle Charlie!
I'll take you, but we gotta
get out of here fast.
Daddy's gone for the police!
- How long ago?
- I don't know.
Listen, hurry up and get ready.
Look, don't make any noise,
Davy.
We don't wanna wake your mother.
- Okay.
- Okay, thanks
Pick out everything
that fits you.
Hurry up.
[Edna indistinct]
Where's the dough?
Right here.
Come on, Edna, I'll help you
put on your snow shoes.
I'll take it.
- All right, let's go. Come on.
- Come on.
- These are snow shoes.
- Those things?
- You walk in 'em?
- You just walk in them.
What's happening, Charlie?
We gotta get out of here, Liz.
Fred's gone for the police.
Fred's gone out in the snow?
He couldn't have.
[Charlie]
Well, he has.
David! Where are you going?
[Charlie] He's taking us
over the mountain, Liz.
David, don't you dare!
You stay right here!
Charlie, you know can't
get over it in the snow.
Don't you have any sense at all?
He doesn't know anything,
he's just a boy!
Do you have any idea
how far it is
over that mountain?
Did you see
the drifts outside today?
It's worse up there.
If you want to go, go.
But don't take him with you,
Charlie.
Now, listen, to me Liz!
We're going,
and David's already agreed
to show us the way.
Isn't that right, Davy?
Isn't that right?
Yes, that's right.
David, don't go move! Charlie!
Charlie, he's just a child!
You aren't taking him!
He'll tell you what to do,
but he-he doesn't have to
go with you.
David, don't you understand?
They're trying--
they're trying to use you.
None of them are any good.
They're no good!
They'll just take you
and use you,
and try and kill you afterward.
I've got to go, Mother.
I'll be all right.
Edna, take the boy
and wait at barn!
- Go ahead, Davy!
- David! David, come back!
David! David, come back!
Charlie, don't you
have any decency? [crying]
Get that rope over there.
He's your own
flesh and blood, Charlie.
- [crying indistinct]
- Hurry it up!
- Benjie, let's go.
- Yeah. Okay, Charlie.
- [crying]
- Now, look, Liz,
we don't wanna do this,
but we can't help it.
David!
- Well, what are we doing?
- Wait a minute, will ya?
- Hey, Davy.
- Charlie, hurry up.
Shut up!
Hey, Davy,
we had to tie your mother up.
We didn't hurt her, Davy.
We had to do it or she--
she woulda tried to follow us,
you see?
But there will be people here
soon enough to let her loose.
Which way, Davy?
Up there.
I don't know if she can make it.
There's an easier way
down about a mile.
All right, let's get going.
Hey, Charlie, you want me
to carry the dough for--
I got it!
I just want to make it
easier for youse.
Come on.
You shouldn't do that, Edna.
You're gonna need that sweater.
It's gonna get
awful cold later.
I'm too hot with all
this stuff on! I'm dying!
It'd be easier on you
if you'd left
the fur coat behind.
You wouldn't get
so tired then.
It took me ten years
to get this coat, kid,
and it's going where I'm going.
If this is left behind
I'm gonna be in it!
I can't wear this coat anymore.
I can't even carry it,
it's too heavy.
- Carry it for me, Benjie?
- Why don't you bury it?
With yourself in it.
[muttering]
I hate you!
I hate you, you creep!
I hate you!
You're mean, I--
[screaming]
You have to come down here
and help me!
- My ankle's hurt!
- What are we gonna do,
Uncle Charlie?
See if you can walk on it, Edna.
I can't, it's broken!
I can feel it!
It's broken!
- You lousy creep!
- What do you want?
[groans]
Davy, hold this.
- What are you doing?
- I'm leaving this for her.
- You're leaving money!
Are you crazy?
- [yells]
- Come on, Charlie!
- [indistinct]
Let it go!
Come on, Davy.
- Uncle Charlie...
- Now, look, Davy,
there's nothing we can do, kid.
I feel just as sorry about it
as you do,
but there's just nothing
we can do.
Come on!
No!
No, Charlie!
Don't leave me here, please.
Charlie, Benjie, I'll give you
all my share of the money.
I don't want it, you take it,
Benjie, here.
Please, don't go!
Don't leave me here!
[crying]
Say, Davy, you gotta
get a hold of yourself.
There was no way to get to her.
I know, but...
Say, Davy, they'll be after us.
They'll find her.
They'll find her,
she'll be all right.
Fred!
Fred...
[muttering]
My bandage is coming loose.
I-I gotta fix it.
You should've
stayed behind with that leg.
Let me do it for you,
Uncle Charlie.
Thank you.
[crying]
I knew something was wrong
when I woke up this morning.
These shoes I kicked,
I know they weren't yours.
And then I heard
on the radio about the robbery.
They... they've got David!
They headed for
Long Pine Peak with him,
and you've got to get him.
I'm afraid
they'll use him as a shield.
All right, all right.
Don't worry.
- Elizabeth, Fred's dead.
- [sobbing]
I found him in the snow,
he must've started for help.
I'll call Evans,
have somebody come over
and stay with you.
You can't! They yanked
the phone off the wall.
You got get him.
I'll be all right.
- How long have they been gone?
- About three hours.
Hey! Please, be careful,
they're killers!
I'll be careful.
Hank, get him!
Please, don't let them hurt him!
Yeah, that's much better.
- Uncle Charlie.
- Yeah?
When you get off
this mountain...
what are you gonna do?
Well, the first thing
is to get a car.
Why?
I want to go with you.
Go with me? You must have
rocks in your head.
- I want to.
- Get some sense,
will you, Davy.
Look, kid, I'm happy you
want to go with me,
but you can't.
Youse talking kid's stuff.
I'm not a kid.
If I can take you
over this mountain,
- I'm not a kid.
- All right, you're not a kid.
You don't understand, Davy?
I'll-I'll be running
maybe the rest of my life.
I don't care! I don't care!
You don't know
what it's like, Davy.
Only somebody who runs knows.
Like when that cop fell over
I shoulda started from scratch.
I can say it was
smart to come here,
but that don't make it so.
- It was dumb. It was stupid.
- [crying]
Oh, now look, Davy,
you're just--
You're just tired and keyed up.
Someday you'll thank me.
You'll say--
Who do you think you are,
Charlie? Look what you've done.
You scared baby boy.
He's balling. Boo-hoo-hoo!
No, Davy, Davy, no!
Benjie, so help me,
I'll kill you!
Benjie!
[muttering]
- [yelling]
- Don't hit him!
Oh, Benjie, I'll kill you!
Benjie, I'll kill you!
[yelling indistinct]
I got news for you, big shot.
You ain't killing nobody.
You're all finished.
You ain't going nowheres.
You ain't doin' nothing
from here on out.
Stay there!
I'm gonna kill you now,
big shot.
Look at me. Look at me!
I'm gonna put a nasty hole
right in the middle of
that precious face of yours.
If you do,
the kid won't take you
over the mountain.
You can't get out of
this place alone.
Shut up!
Ask him.
Ask him.
Even with a gun,
you can't make him do it.
How are you gonna
get over the mountain?
You can't even walk.
I'll walk.
Come on, Davy.
Help me up.
[vehicle approaching]
What's that?
The snow plow is cleaning
the road up the mountain.
How far away are they?
Couple of miles
from over the Evans farm.
Hurry it up.
Hurry it up!
What is it, Uncle Charlie?
I-- I gotta stop
for a while, kid.
I'll try to slow down.
Uncle Charlie, listen to me.
We gotta do something, quick,
'cause just over the--
- What's going on?
- Nothing.
The snow plows
are coming closer.
Come on.
We can't!
He's gotta stop for a while.
Don't you see
he's all tired out?
That's too bad.
He stays here.
Give me that.
Get moving.
I'm not going!
You're goin'.
And it better be the right way.
Go on!
No...
No...
No. Don't go.
Don't leave me. Don't...
- Davy, Davy...
- Keep moving.
Davy... [crying]
Move it!
[Charlie] Davy...
Davy... [crying]
Come back!
I said get back here!
Come back here!
I'll take you with me, Davy.
I'll take you anywhere.
- Listen to me.
- Just don't leave me.
Uncle Charlie, listen to me.
- I'll take you--
- Uncle Charlie,
will you listen to me?
We gotta think
of something awful quick.
Because just over the crest,
you're gonna see the highway.
You... Davy...
You gotta stall 'em, Davy.
Stall 'em.
If... sees the highway,
he'll kill us.
If I can get
my hands on him, Davy...
I'm gonna get you for this, kid,
and don't you forget it.
Benjie, you gotta...
let me lean on you.
- You gotta help me.
- Crawl on your hands and knees!
Up there!
Up there!
What are you doing?
The snow shoe's loose,
I gotta fix it.
Fix it when we get there.
What's that over there?
Just a shack.
Anybody live there?
No, nobody
stays there in winter.
[Benjie]
Wait! Wait. Wait a minute.
You're going away from the top.
We have to.
There's a drop up there.
Yeah, we just have a look at it.
Up there.
Up, up.
[panting]
Drop, huh?
That's it, Charlie.
That's it, big shot.
What do you say now?
Where's your luck now.
Why don't you beg?
Maybe I'll let you go.
Can't you talk?
Why can't you talk?
'Cause you're stupid!
You're stupid! Not me!
[panting]
I'm gonna kill you now.
I'm gonna kill you!
- I'm gonna-- Ah!
- [yells]
Give me that.
Give me that, I'll... [mutters]
Give me it...
- Give me it...
- [gunshot]
[crying]
Oh, Davy...
It wasn't your fault, Davy.
You had to do it.
Benjie woulda killed us both
if you hadn't shot him.
I know that, but I never
wanted to kill anybody.
Never![crying]
Oh, Davy, I-I'm sorry,
boy, I'm sorry.
Hey, the snow plow's...
getting real close.
How's your leg,
Uncle Charlie?
I don't know. It's kinda numb.
Are you--
Are you ready, Davy?
Uh-huh.
- What's the matter?
- I can't make it.
I just can't make it.
I think one
of my ribs is broken.
Oh, sure you can make it, Davy.
Listen, it's downhill
all the way from here.
And we'll get a car as soon
as we get on the highway, Davy.
- Come on.
- I can't!
You go on!
Well, what about you,
you'll freeze to death, Davy.
No, I won't.
I'll crawl over to the shed.
I'll be warm there.
I'll-I'll take you.
No, you've got to go.
You gonna be okay here
all alone, Davy?
Sure.
After you get a good start,
I'll build a fire.
Somebody's bound
to see the smoke.
Now-now you get going.
Good luck, Davy.
Let me hear from you sometime.
Well, goodbye, Davy.
Goodbye, Uncle Charlie.
Don't Hank! Don't!
Uncle Charlie, look out!
Uncle Charlie!
Uncle Charlie!
- Uncle Charlie, look out!
- [gunshot]
Uncle Charlie!
I'll have to
bring the boy in right away.
[gasps]
Charlie...
I'm so sorry.
[soft chuckle]
So, now it's you who's sorry?
How's Davy?
He's very upset.
He's bitter against everybody
because of what's happened
to you.
I think he hates me, too.
It's not right, Charlie.
He doesn't understand.
He's still just a boy.
He loves me.
He looks up to me.
At least I've got somebody.
Something.
Hello, Uncle Charlie.
I'd...
I'd like to see him alone, Liz.
All right.
Bye, Charlie.
Goodbye, Liz.
- How do you feel,
Uncle Charlie?
- Okay.
I want to tell you, I'm sorry
you had to take me to the shack.
I wished you hadn't.
I tried to call you.
I tried to warn you.
That's all right, Davy.
Uncle Charlie, you remember,
about Max, my dog?
You have him to me, didn't you?
Davy, I...
I gotta tell you something.
Davy, I-I had this
coming to me...
I... I lied to you, Davy.
All that stuff
about the cops framing me,
it wasn't true, Davy.
They gave me
every break they could,
I-I just didn't take it.
You understand, Davy?
I-I'm no good.
You understand?
Your Uncle Charlie is...
a bum.
Just a bum.
It-it was you who gave me Max,
wasn't it?
Don't forget me, Davy.
It was you, wasn't it?
Don't ever... forget me, Davy.
[Davy] I won't.
I won't ever forget you.
[cries]
Father... [crying]
Oh, David, my boy.
[crying]
I love you...
[whimpering indistinct]
Must weigh at least a pound.
Sure, easy.
Hey, Hank!
Looks like more snow!
Yeah, Looks that way.
We could be in for a real storm.
- Yeah.
- Better hurry if we wanna
get to town before it starts.
Why you goin' into...
for the whole weekend, Hank?
Ah, a man's gotta get into town
every four or five months.
Let off a little steam.
You got a girl in town?
A girl? Seventeen!
Seventeen? You're kidding.
No, no, I got 17 girls
and they're all crazy about me!
[laughing]
- Uncle? Say uncle!
- Okay, I give.
Okay, come on.
I gotta get goin' anyway.
I bet Mom didn't think
we'd catch anything.
[Hank] She didn't know
who she's dealing with, did she?
Hey, wait, a minute.
Your feet.
Oh. Oh, yeah.
Look, Mother.
- You catch them yourself?
- No.
Hank helped a little.
I imagine.
Put them in the sink, David.
Yessum. Where's Daddy?
I'll get it.
In his room working.
Thank you.
Come here, David.
[music playing on radio]
You've snagged your pants.
When you go to bed tonight,
put them on your chair,
I'll mend them for you.
- Now go wash your hands.
- Okay.
I used to think I liked
summertime best.
But now, I don't know.
I think I like winter best.
Hank has more time to go
hunting and fishing with me.
You best stop talking like that,
your mother will fire me.
[man] Who turned the radio on?
- I did.
- Turn off, dear,
I'm trying to write.
Yes, sir.
Look at the fish
we caught, Daddy.
Don't keep them in the
kitchen, they'll smell up
the whole house.
Yes, sir.
We're having them
for supper tonight.
David, take off
your boots, please.
- And turn off the radio.
- Yes, sir.
Well, I'll be on my way.
Be back in a couple of days,
I gotta pick up some things
in town for the farm.
What do you have to get?
Well for one thing,
I'd like to get a new wheel
for the tractor.
Can't that wait
till next spring?
Well, it could,
but I'd hate to be without it,
in case we need it.
- All right.
- Well.
- Hank...
- Yes, ma'am?
Thank you again
for our radio.
It was the nicest
Christmas present
you could've thought of.
I'm glad you liked it.
Anything I can get you in...
[indistinct]
No, nothing I can think of.
- Fred?
- No, thank you, Hank.
Well, so long, everybody.
- Bye, have a good time.
- Bye, Hank.
- Thanks again for my .22.
- That's okay.
When I come back,
we'll go hunting
[David] Okay.
[door closes]
Fred, why didn't you
thank Hank for our radio?
He didn't get it for me.
He certainly did.
He got it for both of us.
I know who he got it for.
- Fred--
- Do you think I'm a child,
Elizabeth?
Do you think I don't know
why he stayed on here
for two years?
- Fred, please.
- I know what I'm talking about.
David, you're in this
godforsaken country
because of me, son.
When my health improves,
I'll see you get out of here.
I know this new book
of mine will be sold.
And I'm gonna be able
to take you and your mother--
[coughing]
[vehicle approaching]
Is there a door in this barn
big enough to get
this car through?
- Why?
- Answer me!
No, there isn't.
- Mother.
- Yes?
Someone's coming.
They came in a car,
and drove right up to our barn.
And a man was gonna hit me.
Charlie!
Hello, Liz.
- Surprised to see me?
- Yes, I... I am.
You're looking good.
[chuckles]
Thank you.
So are you.
Hi, David.
Fine, sir.
-Anybody else with you?
-Fred's in the living room.
Nobody else staying with you?
We have a hired man. Why?
- [Charlie] Where is he?
- He's gone
for a couple of days.
What's the matter, Charlie?
I've been shot.
Oh, that's nothing,
just a graze. I was lucky.
It's my leg
that's giving me the trouble.
You see?
[footsteps approaching]
Hello, Fred.
Where did you come from?
- What's happened to you?
- Oh, I've been shot.
- Bullet's still in there.
- Shot?
Well, how did you get shot?
You'll never learn,
will you, Charlie?
- I'll call a doctor.
- No, I don't need any doctor,
Fred.
All I need is a little rest.
I'll be all right.
Don't be childish.
You should have a doctor.
Who are these people?
[Charlie]
Well, that's Benjie
and that's Edna.
You look as though
you had a fever.
And I'm calling a doctor.
Now, look...
I don't want any doctor!
[phone ringing]
I told you not to phone, Fred.
Next time you listen to me
when I tell you something.
We're gonna be here
till morning,
and I'm giving the orders.
[grunts]
[yells]
Let me go!
Let me go!
[grunting]
David, take the milk
to the cooler.
- Yessum.
- [Fred coughing]
You gotta get it through
your head, Fred,
I am no kid brother anymore!
What the idea, Charlie?
- What are you trying to do?
- Don't you start
chewing on me, Liz.
It wasn't my fault.
Listen, you got
a room I can use?
Yeah, you can use mine.
Where you taking that?
Taking it with me.
Any objections?
No, just asking you.
All right.
I want you to stay down here.
I don't want nobody coming in,
nobody going out.
- Do you understand?
- Okay.
[Charlie]
Both of you get some sleep,
I wanna pull out
first thing in the morning.
Thanks.
In there.
Now I want to know
what happened, Charlie.
I don't want to talk
about it now, Liz.
- Charlie!
- Oh, lay off, will you.
Can't you see my leg
is killing me?
- Benjie, get me a shot.
- Later, we're gonna
get settled up there.
- Only got half a bottle.
- Half a bottle?
- Uh-huh.
- Pig!
Does your old man have anything
to drink in this house?
- You mean booze?
- Yeah.
No, he never drinks
anything like that.
Oh, must run in the family.
You were surprised to see
your Uncle Charlie, weren't you?
Yes.
How do you know he's my uncle?
Is he really?
What he told me.
[chuckles]
How was he shot?
Was he hunting?
Yeah. Hey, how old are you, kid?
Twelve.
Almost.
That coat, it's mink, isn't it?
- Yeah, you like it?
- Yessum.
Must've cost two or $300.
[laughs]
You hit it
right on the nose, kid.
When you grow up, kid,
you'll find out.
Daddy?
Is that man really my uncle?
Yes, he's your uncle.
I'll go up
and see how his leg is.
No, you'll stay down here.
I don't want you upstairs.
- Why?
- Because I don't
want you up there!
Yes, sir.
Whose guns are those?
The .22's mine.
The other two are my father's.
Cut that tree down myself.
Up on the mountain.
Yeah, just like
Radio City Music Hall.
Smell it.
It smells good.
Smells like a tree.
Hey, Liz.
Hey, Liz, my leg
started hurting real bad.
The bullet's
gonna have to come out.
Liz, you're the only one
here I trust to do it.
- What's that for?
- For Max.
- Max? Who's that?
- My dog.
Dog? I didn't see
no dog around here.
He's dead.
Fred.
What do you want?
The bullet has to be
removed from Charlie's leg.
Will you help me?
Let him get a doctor!
You know he can't.
He's in terrible pain.
Are you going to help me?
No.
- Kid, get me a couple glasses.
- David!
If you want any glasses,
get them yourself.
They're in there.
David, you're not to do
any errands for him.
- Yes, sir.
- Take this upstairs.
- What are you doing?
- It's for your friend.
It's the only pain killer
we've got around here.
I don't want
any drinking in this house.
Where we gonna drink,
in the barn?
Give me that!
[groans]
Come on, try it!
[Fred coughing]
Hey, Liz, you remember
the first time I met you
on the beach?
You had that
little red swimsuit.
Huh, remember?
Stop it, Charlie.
[jazz music playing on radio]
David, get the lamp
off the bureau so I can see.
It looks infected, Charlie.
Are you sure
you trust me to do it?
Oh, I told you I did.
Oh, come on, Liz.
If you're gonna do it, do it.
I've never done anything
like this before.
All right, so, you haven't.
I can do it myself.
David, bring the lamp
around here.
Now, if you feel
sick or anything, tell me.
Just don't back up
or drop the lamp.
- Understand?
- Okay.
I think you better
take this, Charlie.
I don't want it.
It's going to hurt.
I told you,
I don't want it.
Come on.
Go ahead.
[groans]
[groans]
[exhales]
David, you can
put the lamp back now.
Yessum.
Where is that lichen and water?
- I'll get it.
- And take these with you.
- You break the bone?
- No, it was in the flesh.
You got more lives
than a cat, Charlie.
If it hit the bone,
you'd be goin' nowheres.
Will you take this
with you, please.
- Me?
- Yeah, you.
Okay.
- Charlie.
- Yeah?
Now will you tell me
what happened?
I don't want to
talk about it now.
I'm sorry,
I want to talk about it now.
I have to--
Thank You, David.
[man on radio]
Here is a bulletin.
A robbery in... [indistinct]
The first in this area
in eight years.
Hey, Charlie!
[man on radio] ...was held up
and robbed of $85,000.
A police officer was killed.
One member of the gang,
who goes by the name Sam Carny,
was critically wounded,
and captured by the police.
He's not expected to live.
The other three criminals,
driving a tan Plymouth sedan,
are believed to be
heading south.
One of them
was shot in the leg.
Highway patrols are alerted
to be on the lookout.
Well, there seems to be
no tax relief...
I'm no killer, Davy.
Charlie!
Charlie, you think--
You think Sam would talk?
Nah, he'd want Edna
to get away.
Yeah.
Yeah, well, we fooled 'em.
- They think
we're headin' south.
- Yeah.
- My luck's holding out.
- Yeah.
Charlie, why did you come here?
Well, I planned on
coming here from the first.
I won't lie about that.
I forgot about the kid, I...
really forgot about him.
- Forgot all about him, Liz.
- It's just like you.
You'll never change,
not one bit.
Oh, come on.
David, would you--
Go on, now, please,
like a good fella.
- Stay here, David.
- David, you go on out!
And close the door, will ya?
No, you haven't changed.
Do you know what
this is going to mean
in a one-horse town like this?
Oh, I'm sorry, Liz. I'm sorry.
I know. You're always sorry.
You were sorry about me,
you were sorry about David,
You were sorry you were married.
You can't go on always thinking
that being sorry
will help everything.
What about your wife?
[groans]
She left me four years ago.
Then she had more sense
than I gave her credit for.
Who's the girl downstairs?
Your girl?
My-- Oh, she's nothing.
When I saw you come in
and walk over to the couch,
I thought...
I felt like years. ago.
Now, I would let you touch me--
- Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry--
- You're always sorry!
Is that all you can say?
It's not just David and me!
There's a man dead!
Maybe two by now,
and all you can
say is you're sorry!
Will you shut up
and listen to me?
I didn't plan
on hurting anybody.
Not you, not the kid, not Fred.
And I didn't plan on
anybody getting killed.
I just figured the robbery,
and coming here, that's all.
Do you know what
they're gonna do to you?
They'll kill you.
They'll electrocute you.
You know that, don't you?
Why did you do it?
How can you kill a man,
and lie there
as calm as if
had nothing happened?
- How could you?!
- Oh, shut up!
I didn't kill anybody!
Now get that straight.
My gun's right over there
in the jacket.
Go and take a look,
it hasn't been fired.
I don't know who did
kill that cop, but I didn't.
And I'm not getting caught.
Now, get that straight.
If I killed ten me,
I'm not getting caught.
- [upbeat music on radio]
- Giving her the once over...?
Edna, I think the kid
is sweet on youse.
Oh, don't you let him
kid you, Dave.
Are you an actress?
Are you an actress?
That's the best yet!
- [laughs]
- What's so comical?
You know, I could be
singing and dancing
right this minute
if I wanted to.
Any place in New York City.
Show us your act.
Then let's have a night club.
[Edna] Okay.
Would you like that, David?
- Sure!
- Okay.
[music gets louder]
Presenting, the one and only,
Edna Rogers!
Yay!
The girl with the golden voice!
And a classy chassis.
♪ For me and my true love
♪ Will never meet again
♪ On the bonnie, bonnie banks
of Loch Lomond ♪
♪ You take the high road
[laughing]
[chuckles]
♪ I'll be in Scotland
♪ Afore you
♪ For me and my true love
♪ Will never meet again
♪ On the bonnie, bonnie banks
of Loch Lomond ♪
♪ For me and my true love
- ♪ Will never...
-[man on radio]
This program comes to you
through the courtesy of the
general store of--
[grunts] You could get a job
singing and dancing
in a freak show.
You creep, you.
You're the lousiest I ever met.
They oughta put you
away someplace
because you're so crazy!
Shut the hell up!
Oh, when they get you this time,
my little creepy friend,
they will either kill you
or put you away in a nut house
where you can't
hurt nobody never again.
That's where you belong, Benjie,
in a nut house!
- [gasps]
- Shut up!
I'll kill you
with my bare hands!
Do you hear me?
Do you hear me?!
Get out of here!
All of you! Get out of here!
Get out of this house right now!
Tonight!
- I'm telling you
to get out of here!
- Leave my father alone!
[coughing]
Leave my father alone!
He's sick!
Ah! Take it easy, champ,
you'll cough up a lung.
[coughing continues]
You don't need no keys, champ.
See how simple it is?
You don't need no key.
Uncle Charlie!
Uncle Charlie!
I told you to leave him alone!
[groans]
- Get out of here!
- Leave my gun alone!
Get outta here.
Give me my gun!
Hank gave me
that gun for Christmas!
[Benjie laughing]
What's going on?
This creep here
started for the guns.
You crazy, fool.
What'd did you do?
- I didn't do nothing.
- What do you mean nothing?
Look at the place!
Well, he-he--
He started for the gun,
tried to--
tried to run us out, Charlie.
- [grunting]
- Don't you raise your hand,
you hear me?
Let go of me, Charlie.
Let go! Let me go!
- You hear me?
- Yeah, Charlie.
All right, now get up.
Go out and get a broom
and clean it up!
Come on, Fred.
Keep away from me.
I don't need your help.
What's been happening?
Where's, David?
Everything is all right.
David, come up to bed.
No, you stay
right here, David.
And you stay right there
where you belong
You're a good pair,
the two of you.
Just alike. There's no shame
in either of you.
It's just like old times,
isn't it, Charlie?
If you want her, take it.
Just get out of here!
Don't get all worked up, Fred.
Go back, Elizabeth.
Go back. Go back!
[coughing]
You're nothing
but a bum, Charlie.
You'll end up in the gutter
just like papa.
A thieving, murdering bum!
You'll end up just like
I told mom it would.
I haven't seen you in years.
Why must we always fight?
- Can't we get along
for a minute!
- Because you're no good.
Now get out of here,
and take the rest of them with
you!
Elizabeth, too!
But she's not having David.
- Not as long as I live!
- You're way off base, Fred!
- Don't get so worked up!
- You think I won't
turn you in, Charlie?
If I get the chance, I will so!
Help me, I will!
[coughing]
Mother, what was Daddy
talking about?
Nothing, David, he's sick.
He didn't mean those things.
Come on, let's go to bed.
[harmonica playing]
Uncle Charlie!
[groans]
All right, Benjie.
Put it back!
[Benjie] I just wanted my share,
Charlie, that's all.
[Charlie]
Next time, I'll kill you.
Now, put it back!
- Okay.
- Come on!
Get out of here.
[mumbles]
[Charlie] Now get out of here.
- Thanks, David.
- That's okay.
You better get back
and get some sleep now.
- Okay.
- And, David,
don't worry about your gun.
- I'll send another one.
- Okay.
Good night, Uncle Charlie.
Charlie, the kid says
we can't make it out of here.
Well, the kid's right,
we gotta stay here
till it clears up.
- Stay here?
- Oh, take it easy, will you?
Nobody knows we're here.
- Charlie, don't you--
- I'll get us outta here
in plenty of time. I'm lucky.
- Haven't I always been lucky?
- Yes, but--
All right, let me do
the worrying, will you?
Just go on downstairs
like-like I told you.
- Okay, how's your leg?
- Nothing for you
to worry about.
- What are you doing here?
- I wanna talk to Charlie.
You said you were
leaving this morning.
How can we leave?
Look outside.
- Charlie!
- Oh, come on.
Use your head, will ya?
What do you expect me to do,
clear the roads?
I wanna get out of here
more than you want us to.
I brought you a clean shirt.
[hiccups]
- What time is it?
- Time? High noon!
- Are we getting ready to leave?
- We're stuck.
- What do you mean?
- I mean, we're stuck.
Look out the window.
[Edna] What are we gonna do?
[Benjie] Big shot said we got
nothing to worry about it.
Him and his luck.
- Can I help you with anything?
- No, thanks.
I'd be glad to help.
- No, thank you.
- Anything.
Except wash the dishes
on account of my nails.
You know, you're
a pretty nice looking dish.
I'd like to see you sometime...
in a bikini.
You put some lipstick on today,
didn't you?
Let your hair down.
What's it with you and Charlie?
Used to be his girl?
You did, did you?
Don't touch me.
Hello, David.
Here's your breakfast,
Uncle Charlie.
Oh, thank you.
- How's your leg?
- Oh, much better, Davy.
Thanks, much better.
Say, do me a favor,
and get me my pen
out of my coat pocket.
Okay.
Hey, not that pocket, Davy.
The other one.
That's right.
Have you had
your breakfast yet?
- No.
- Well, you sit down
and eat these eggs up.
I don't want any.
Okay.
- Uncle Charlie...
- Mm-hm.
You ever shoot anybody
with that gun?
No.
How do you like it,
living up here
in the mountains, hm?
It's okay.
Daddy doesn't like it.
Is that so?
Is he still writing books?
Sure.
But he never makes any money.
Had one book published,
about four years ago.
Oh, did? I didn't know that.
Anything since?
Nope.
He has one sent away now.
He says this one's
gonna be a success.
Yeah, your father
was always a smart guy.
I always had to
look out for him though.
I was the younger,
but I was tougher.
I never let anybody
pick on Fred.
He'd always
sit around the house,
reading, learning something.
I just about worshipped Fred
when we were kids.
Mama did, too.
He had the brains,
all right, your father.
[harmonica playing]
How did you learn
to play that?
Oh, I picked it up years ago.
I wish I could play
something like that.
I'll teach you sometime, huh.
- Will you?
- Sure.
How come you didn't come to
visit us before, Uncle Charlie?
Oh, I don't know.
I've been away a lot, I guess.
Why, did you miss me?
I didn't even know you.
Well, now you do.
If you'd known me,
would you have missed me, huh?
- Sure.
- You're a good kid.
Thanks. So are you.
[both laughing]
Where's your dog?
I don't have any dog.
Yeah, but you had one.
How did you know that?
Oh, I don't know, I just figured
all the kids of the country
have dogs, don't they?
I had one once.
Someone sent me a puppy.
I never knew who sent it,
and I asked Daddy.
He wouldn't answer at first.
And then he said,
"Just a friend."
But he never liked the dog.
Where's the dog now?
What happened to him?
I came home
from school one day...
he had shot it.
What'd he do that for?
He said it was
chasing and killing chickens.
But Max has never chased
or killed any chickens.
I was sick for week after that.
I sure was crazy about that dog.
Davy, would you...
get me some more coffee,
please, like a good fellow?
All right, Uncle Charlie.
Do you want
some coffee now, Fred?
If I do, I'll get it myself.
- Hey, David.
- Good morning.
David, your breakfast
is on the stove.
Oh, I've had breakfast.
Uncle Charlie didn't want
his eggs, so I ate 'em.
- He wants some more coffee.
- All right, get it.
And bring down those
dirty dishes right away.
I want to get things washed up.
Wait, David, I want some.
Daddy, who was that
sent me Max?
You tell him, Liz.
You tell him, Liz.
Tell him who sent him the dog.
All right, Fred,
I'll tell him.
Your father sent you
the dog, David.
That's right, David.
Your father.
[laughing]
Here's your coffee,
Uncle Charlie.
Oh, just put it up here, yeah.
How soon you think
before they have the roads
cleared down below?
Oh, I don't know.
Listen, if I needed your help,
would you help me, Davy?
Well...
You go on out, David.
I want to talk to Charlie alone.
Yes, Mother.
I like your hair this way, Liz.
It's the way you
used to have it, isn't it?
You and your friends have got
to get out of here, Charlie.
Yeah, well, we're going
when we're good and ready.
What about us?
Have you ever, in your life,
thought about anyone
except yourself?
What do you mean?
Who was I thinking about
when I plunked down
the payment for this farm,
so Fred could have a nice,
healthy climate
and write his books,
and become a big shot genius.
And pay me back, maybe.
That's when I was
thinking about myself, huh?
That was an agreement
you had with Fred.
Agreement?
There was no agreement.
It was just that I thought
of you and the kid.
And him. All my life,
I've thought of him.
Is that why you
used him when you needed him?
What do you mean, used him?
It was his idea to marry you.
He had always wanted you.
And as far as that's concerned,
it's your fault
as much as anybody.
The kid and everything.
I was honest with you
right from the start.
That's right.
And you paid off.
And your consciousness, too.
For a few thousand dollars.
David, me and Fred.
You don't owe us anything,
and we don't owe you anything.
But if you were a man,
and you had any conscience left,
you'd think of David and me.
Oh, I...
I've thought of you, Liz.
I thought of you a whole lot.
All the way up here, Liz,
I was thinking about you.
And how you were
when I first met you
when you first come to the city.
You were just a kid.
A-a real kid.
You were the prettiest thing
I'd ever seen.
Hey, remember that...
that time on the pier
when that poor guy
you thought was me
and you pushed him in the water.
[both laughing]
[mumbles]
I haven't laughed like this
in... so long.
You remember the first time
I ever took you out, Liz?
Yes.
I thought about that
a lot of times. A lot of times.
You haven't changed much
since then, Liz.
Oh, yes, I have, Charlie.
No, you're just as pretty
now as you were then.
- Come here, Liz.
- Don't, Charlie.
Please, don't Charlie.
Please...
Don't... Please...
Please, Charlie.
It's just like long ago.
Isn't it?
- When all I had to whistle.
- Shut up!
- Isn't it? Isn't it?
- Let me go. Let me go!
You remember, Liz.
All I had to do was whistle.
Fred was right
about you, Charlie.
You're nothing but a bum.
And you'll end up
right where you belong.
I hope they catch you!
And I hope
they kill you, Charlie!
[knocking on door]
Come in.
- Uncle Charlie--
- Oh. Come here, a minute, Davy.
Now, look.
This is where we came in, right?
- Yes.
- And over here,
that's the state highway
going north, right?
- Yes.
- And what's in between?
That mountain there.
It's called Lone Pine Peak.
Well, looks like
only a few miles on the map.
It is. But you have to go
over the mountain,
and there's no road or anything.
Well, how far
is it to the highway?
Oh, I'm not sure exactly.
Twelve or 15 miles, maybe.
Have you ever gone over it?
To the peak?
- Yeah.
- Sure.
But not in weather like this.
- Uncle Charlie.
- Yeah?
- Look what I found.
- What's that?
It's the bill of sale
that came with my dog.
Look, it says,
"Purchaser: Charles Blake."
Isn't that your name?
Yeah.
Well, then why
did Daddy just say
he sent for the dog
when he didn't?
- Oh, did he say that?
- Sure.
Mother said,
"Your father sent it."
And he said,
"That's right, your father."
And then he laughed.
Hm. Well, I don't know Davy.
It was a long time ago.
Maybe I bought it for him,
or something.
You know,
I'm getting kinda hungry now.
You wanna get me a little chow?
Okay. I'll take down
your dirty dishes.
Okay. And then, don't be long,
I want to talk to you.
Okay.
- Hey, Benjie!
- Yeah! Yeah.
Somebody coming up to the house.
Get everybody
in the living room, come on!
[both] Come on!
[indistinct]
Hurry up!
[overlapping chatter]
Not her, not her! Go ahead!
In there!
- Now, Liz.
- What?
I want you to Get rid of him.
Now you better
get rid of him, Liz.
Benjie's in there with Davy.
Benjie's got a gun,
don't give him an excuse
to use it,
he'd like nothing better!
Now go and see if you can
tell who it is. Go on!
It's the hired man.
Okay, get rid of him.
Suppose I can't.
Suppose he's back to stay.
Then you may be
needing a new hired man.
Tell him.
Hello.
[Liz] Hello, Hank.
[chuckles]
You surprised to see me?
Yes, what are you
doing back so soon?
I didn't get
any farther yesterday
than Will Everett's place.
Postman left these
at Will's for Fred.
He couldn't make it
up here yesterday.
So Will hailed me and asked me
if I'd bring them up to Fred,
and I said that I would.
And I stopped in for a drink.
One drink led to another
and then another,
and then the storm started,
and Will persuaded me
to stay overnight.
[exhales]
I couldn't get the jeep
through this morning.
That wind, it's fierce.
Drift's ten-twelve feet high.
It's the longest two miles
I ever walked.
Could I have a cup of coffee?
- All right.
- Huh...
I can get it.
Where's your company?
Why?
[chuckles] I see you got a plate
full of cigarette butts.
Fred doesn't smoke,
and I know you don't.
Oh. Ed Harris
stopped by last evening.
[hiccups]
These are from Fred's publisher.
Figured he'd be
anxious for them.
Oh, thank you.
Where's Fred?
In bed.
He wasn't feeling so good today.
Where's David?
He's upstairs.
He's got a cold.
Oh, maybe I'll just go up
and say hello.
I was just there, he's asleep.
- Hank--
- Liz...
- I'm gonna say
something to you--
- [Liz] Please, Hank.
What are you
doing to yourself?
A real woman like you,
withering away.
What are you
getting out of life?
Hank, be quiet.
What are you paying penance for?
When are you gonna stop
punishing yourself?
Hank,
what are you talking about?
- You don't know
what you're saying.
- I know what I'm saying.
You know what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about you and Fred.
- [Liz] How dare you?
- [Hank] And David.
What about him?
What do you think this ugly life
here is doing for him?
- Hank!
- He gets no love, no affection.
- Not for Fred, not for you.
- How dare you
talk to me like that?
I'm a good mother,
a very good mother.
Sure, you sew on his buttons,
you fix his meals,
but when do you
put your arms around him?
When do you kiss him?
You don't know
what you're talking about.
[cries]
You're drunk.
You don't know
what you're saying.
[Hank]
Oh, I... I know what I'm saying.
I want you to stop
wasting your life like this.
- You deserve something better.
- Hank, will you stop it?
You and David.
[Liz] I want you to leave, Hank.
Right now.
Right this minute!
[Hank]
You have to listen to me.
I'm not talking for myself.
- [whispering] Get back!
- [Hank] It's for you and David.
Please, Liz, believe me.
[Liz]
Hank, please, you've got to go.
I could be a good father
to that boy, Liz.
I brought you
some mail by, Fred.
Well, I...
I promised Will I'd come back
and keep him company
until the roads clear.
Well, I...
Excuse me.
Your mail's there
on the table, Fred.
I'll see you
in a couple of days.
I'm sorry.
Hey, Benjie, let the kid go.
Okay, kid, back in the kitchen.
- You hear me?
- I don't wanna!
- Hey, Charlie, think he's wise?
- No, I don't.
You did... a real good job, Liz.
This is from that publisher.
Don't want to read it?
Yeah, Davy told me
you had a book published
a few years ago,
I was very happy
to hear about it.
"None of your manuscripts
merits publication,
and that your revisions
have been a waste
of your time--"
Give me that!
[chuckles]
- Daddy, don't!
- Go away, David!
Don't. Hey, Fred,
don't-don't do that!
- Leave me alone, Charlie!
- Fred!
I'm gonna burn
every last one of them!
They're no good.
They never have been any good!
[crying]
Hey, Fred, d-don't.
Fred... Would you...?
Boo-hoo-hoo!
Shut up!
Boo-hoo-hoo!
I'll bash you with this!
- Benjie!
- Stay there!
Stay where you are!
Stay there!
I'm not taking any stuff
off you or no one.
You gave me your last order,
big shot.
You got us in the hole.
You and your big deals.
- Put the gun down, Benjie.
- Why?!
I could shoot up
the whole bunch of you.
You wanna get caught anyway.
Get back, kid!
David!
Stay there, Liz!
Give me that thing!
[David yells]
[grunts]
- Come here, Benjie, you--
- [grunting]
- Charlie, please, don't hit me!
- [indistinct grumbling]
Lay off the kid!
I told you to stay off the kid.
Now get your gun. Pick it up.
Hurry up!
- Yeah.
- Put it away.
- David!
- He's all right, Liz.
He's not hurt.
Would you please
go on downstairs?
Leave him with me a minute,
will you, please?
- Oh.
- Come on. Just a minute.
All right.
- Benjie, you stupid--
- What are you trying to--
Listen, you egg brain.
Suppose we can't go back
the way we came in.
- How do we get out of here?
- I don't know, how?
Here...
over that mountain out there.
You know your way over it?
No, but the kid,
he could take us
over that mountain.
Yeah!
- Okay, now go on downstairs.
- Okay, Charlie.
Hey, Davy.
I-I want you to forget
about what Benjie did.
He's scared, Davy,
he's scared stiff.
He's a little...
You gotta be careful with him.
- You try and forget it, huh?
- Okay.
Why do you keep him around?
Do you like him?
[chuckles] Nobody likes Benjie,
but I need him, Davy.
He does what I tell him to.
Hey, Davy, here.
I want you to have this.
It's always brought me luck.
- What'll you do?
- Oh, I'll-I'll get another one.
Why don't you lie down
and rest a bit, okay?
- Are you going to?
- Yeah, I guess so.
I guess so.
How do you feel, Uncle Charlie?
Not too hard, kid.
Not too hard.
[wind whipping]
Supper! Supper, everybody!
Is everybody asleep?
I called twice.
Ah, don't it smell good?
Everything's ready, Charlie.
I got a wonderful supper.
Oh, I love to cook.
You know I can cook, honey.
- So, you can cook. [indistinct]
- Drop dead!
- Hey, what are you doing?
- I can't drink
my milk straight.
Hi, honey.
I made a wonderful supper.
You don't gotta do a thing!
Thanks,
that's very kind of you.
Oh, think nothing of it.
You know, us girls
have gotta stick together.
- Uh, did you get a good rest?
- Yes, thanks.
Well, that's nice.
Now, you just sit down
at the table,
and I'll wait on you
for a change.
Thanks, but I'm going to
eat it in my room.
- David, you'll have to eat
upstairs with me.
- Yessum.
Fix us two plates. I'll take
this one in to your father.
I brought your supper.
Fred, believe me...
I was so sorry
about this afternoon.
Hank was drunk.
He didn't mean all those things.
He was so drunk he didn't know
what he was saying.
- Hank was right, Elizabeth.
- Oh, Fred.
There's no happiness here
for you, or me, or David.
- Fred.
- None.
When I married you,
I thought I was being noble.
Providing a home
for you and David.
But I was only
thinking of myself.
Because I wanted you.
I thought you'd love me
after a while.
That you'd forget about Charlie.
Oh...
I did the best I could.
I never told you
I loved you, Fred.
I made the best home
for you I could.
That's not what I want, Liz.
I want you.
Do you understand?
Liz, I want you to love me
the way you love Charlie.
[cries]
I can't, Fred, I can't.
Come on, David.
It's about time for
the seven o'clock news.
How's it taste? Good, huh?
[man on radio] The latest news,
compiled from all leading...
What'd you put in it,
fertilizer?
- I hope it kills you!
- It could kill
a whole bunch of us.
- Now, look, you--!
- Will you button up,
the two of you?
[man on radio]
...are still at large.
Two men, one of them wounded,
and a woman,
are traveling in a tan,
Plymouth sedan.
A fourth member of the gang,
wounded and captured by police,
died during the night.
Latest clues,
now make it certain
the robbers
are hiding near here.
Capped by heavy snows
between the...
Highway and the mountains.
Snow plows will be
working all night
so the police can begin their
search of neighboring areas.
Everyone is urged to report
any suspicious characters
to the police, immediately.
Have your friends
been avoiding you lately?
- Make sure--
- Charlie...
So, you think we oughta
get the kid and clear out now?
They got the snow plows working.
What's there to keep them
- from getting here tonight?
- We're not going out
in the dark
and getting lost in
any lousy mountain.
We're gonna stay
right here till it's light.
- Charlie--
- Now, look, if you want out,
get your coat and get goin'.
If you're staying,
you're doing exactly like I say.
[Benjie]
Okay. Have you asked the kid
if he'll take us yet?
[Charlie] No, but he'll take us.
Suppose he won't.
How do you know?
Uncle Charlie doesn't seem like
a bank robber to me.
I like him.
What have you
and your Uncle Charlie
been talking about?
Nothing much.
I want you
to stay away from him, David.
He's not good,
and he never has been any good.
Yessum.
If you were older, David,
I could tell you
a lot about your Uncle Charlie.
I could tell you
what his word is worth.
Yessum.
- David...
- Yessum?
Sometimes,
when you're young, well,
you do things you shouldn't.
Things that you're
ashamed of later on.
And then you have to
pay for these things.
Maybe all your life.
Yessum.
I just want you
to stay away from him.
That's all.
Yessum.
Promise me?
I promise.
[Charlie whispering] David.
What is it, Uncle Charlie?
Sit down over here, Davy,
where it's warm.
It stopped snowing.
I've got to get out of here
as soon as it's light.
Listen to this wind,
Uncle Charlie.
It's gonna make terrible drifts.
The roads will be
worse than ever.
I don't care about the roads.
The mountain,
I want you to take me
and Edna, Benjie,
over that mountain, Davy.
I've gotta get out of here!
The cops will be here today,
for sure.
Two men were killed.
I didn't kill 'em Davy.
I didn't.
You shouldn't have stolen,
Uncle Charlie.
You shouldn't
have stolen the money.
Listen, son,
you don't always get a chance
in this life
to do what you should.
Have you ever gone hungry?
- No.
- Have you ever seen
your mother go hungry?
- No.
- Well, I have.
We didn't have money
for-for rent,
for clothes, for heat,
for-for food.
I-I broke into
a grocery store one night.
A couple of cops
saw me going in,
they came in after me.
And there was some money
in the cash register.
And they took it.
And when we got
in front of the judge,
they said I had taken the money
and gotten rid of it somehow.
And the judge wouldn't
believe anything I told him.
They sent me to reform school
for six months.
And when I got out, I got a job,
made 14 bucks a week.
One of those cops came around
and said I had to give him
four bucks a week,
or he'd see that I get
sent back to reform school.
So I gave it to him
for a couple of weeks.
Then I said I wouldn't,
and he framed me,
and I got sent back
to reform school.
And every time I got out,
it was the same thing.
They never gave me
a chance to go straight.
I'm sorry, Uncle Charlie.
I didn't know that.
- But, anyways--
- Here I am
with the money
to get out of the country
and get a new start and life,
and the cops
looking for me everywhere,
waiting to kill me.
And a-a kid I thought liked me,
refusing to show me the way
over some lousy mountains.
I do like you,
and I don't want to
see you killed, but--
Then help me!
Then help me!
- I can't.
- Look, please, Davy.
Please, I'll never forget you.
If you help me, I promise
I'll make it up to you.
- I just can't
- Why?
I made a promise to Mother.
Davy, listen,
I-I saved your life, today.
Benjie would have killed you.
You brought him here,
Uncle Charlie.
I'm sorry, but I can't go.
Uncle Charlie!
I'll take you, but we gotta
get out of here fast.
Daddy's gone for the police!
- How long ago?
- I don't know.
Listen, hurry up and get ready.
Look, don't make any noise,
Davy.
We don't wanna wake your mother.
- Okay.
- Okay, thanks
Pick out everything
that fits you.
Hurry up.
[Edna indistinct]
Where's the dough?
Right here.
Come on, Edna, I'll help you
put on your snow shoes.
I'll take it.
- All right, let's go. Come on.
- Come on.
- These are snow shoes.
- Those things?
- You walk in 'em?
- You just walk in them.
What's happening, Charlie?
We gotta get out of here, Liz.
Fred's gone for the police.
Fred's gone out in the snow?
He couldn't have.
[Charlie]
Well, he has.
David! Where are you going?
[Charlie] He's taking us
over the mountain, Liz.
David, don't you dare!
You stay right here!
Charlie, you know can't
get over it in the snow.
Don't you have any sense at all?
He doesn't know anything,
he's just a boy!
Do you have any idea
how far it is
over that mountain?
Did you see
the drifts outside today?
It's worse up there.
If you want to go, go.
But don't take him with you,
Charlie.
Now, listen, to me Liz!
We're going,
and David's already agreed
to show us the way.
Isn't that right, Davy?
Isn't that right?
Yes, that's right.
David, don't go move! Charlie!
Charlie, he's just a child!
You aren't taking him!
He'll tell you what to do,
but he-he doesn't have to
go with you.
David, don't you understand?
They're trying--
they're trying to use you.
None of them are any good.
They're no good!
They'll just take you
and use you,
and try and kill you afterward.
I've got to go, Mother.
I'll be all right.
Edna, take the boy
and wait at barn!
- Go ahead, Davy!
- David! David, come back!
David! David, come back!
Charlie, don't you
have any decency? [crying]
Get that rope over there.
He's your own
flesh and blood, Charlie.
- [crying indistinct]
- Hurry it up!
- Benjie, let's go.
- Yeah. Okay, Charlie.
- [crying]
- Now, look, Liz,
we don't wanna do this,
but we can't help it.
David!
- Well, what are we doing?
- Wait a minute, will ya?
- Hey, Davy.
- Charlie, hurry up.
Shut up!
Hey, Davy,
we had to tie your mother up.
We didn't hurt her, Davy.
We had to do it or she--
she woulda tried to follow us,
you see?
But there will be people here
soon enough to let her loose.
Which way, Davy?
Up there.
I don't know if she can make it.
There's an easier way
down about a mile.
All right, let's get going.
Hey, Charlie, you want me
to carry the dough for--
I got it!
I just want to make it
easier for youse.
Come on.
You shouldn't do that, Edna.
You're gonna need that sweater.
It's gonna get
awful cold later.
I'm too hot with all
this stuff on! I'm dying!
It'd be easier on you
if you'd left
the fur coat behind.
You wouldn't get
so tired then.
It took me ten years
to get this coat, kid,
and it's going where I'm going.
If this is left behind
I'm gonna be in it!
I can't wear this coat anymore.
I can't even carry it,
it's too heavy.
- Carry it for me, Benjie?
- Why don't you bury it?
With yourself in it.
[muttering]
I hate you!
I hate you, you creep!
I hate you!
You're mean, I--
[screaming]
You have to come down here
and help me!
- My ankle's hurt!
- What are we gonna do,
Uncle Charlie?
See if you can walk on it, Edna.
I can't, it's broken!
I can feel it!
It's broken!
- You lousy creep!
- What do you want?
[groans]
Davy, hold this.
- What are you doing?
- I'm leaving this for her.
- You're leaving money!
Are you crazy?
- [yells]
- Come on, Charlie!
- [indistinct]
Let it go!
Come on, Davy.
- Uncle Charlie...
- Now, look, Davy,
there's nothing we can do, kid.
I feel just as sorry about it
as you do,
but there's just nothing
we can do.
Come on!
No!
No, Charlie!
Don't leave me here, please.
Charlie, Benjie, I'll give you
all my share of the money.
I don't want it, you take it,
Benjie, here.
Please, don't go!
Don't leave me here!
[crying]
Say, Davy, you gotta
get a hold of yourself.
There was no way to get to her.
I know, but...
Say, Davy, they'll be after us.
They'll find her.
They'll find her,
she'll be all right.
Fred!
Fred...
[muttering]
My bandage is coming loose.
I-I gotta fix it.
You should've
stayed behind with that leg.
Let me do it for you,
Uncle Charlie.
Thank you.
[crying]
I knew something was wrong
when I woke up this morning.
These shoes I kicked,
I know they weren't yours.
And then I heard
on the radio about the robbery.
They... they've got David!
They headed for
Long Pine Peak with him,
and you've got to get him.
I'm afraid
they'll use him as a shield.
All right, all right.
Don't worry.
- Elizabeth, Fred's dead.
- [sobbing]
I found him in the snow,
he must've started for help.
I'll call Evans,
have somebody come over
and stay with you.
You can't! They yanked
the phone off the wall.
You got get him.
I'll be all right.
- How long have they been gone?
- About three hours.
Hey! Please, be careful,
they're killers!
I'll be careful.
Hank, get him!
Please, don't let them hurt him!
Yeah, that's much better.
- Uncle Charlie.
- Yeah?
When you get off
this mountain...
what are you gonna do?
Well, the first thing
is to get a car.
Why?
I want to go with you.
Go with me? You must have
rocks in your head.
- I want to.
- Get some sense,
will you, Davy.
Look, kid, I'm happy you
want to go with me,
but you can't.
Youse talking kid's stuff.
I'm not a kid.
If I can take you
over this mountain,
- I'm not a kid.
- All right, you're not a kid.
You don't understand, Davy?
I'll-I'll be running
maybe the rest of my life.
I don't care! I don't care!
You don't know
what it's like, Davy.
Only somebody who runs knows.
Like when that cop fell over
I shoulda started from scratch.
I can say it was
smart to come here,
but that don't make it so.
- It was dumb. It was stupid.
- [crying]
Oh, now look, Davy,
you're just--
You're just tired and keyed up.
Someday you'll thank me.
You'll say--
Who do you think you are,
Charlie? Look what you've done.
You scared baby boy.
He's balling. Boo-hoo-hoo!
No, Davy, Davy, no!
Benjie, so help me,
I'll kill you!
Benjie!
[muttering]
- [yelling]
- Don't hit him!
Oh, Benjie, I'll kill you!
Benjie, I'll kill you!
[yelling indistinct]
I got news for you, big shot.
You ain't killing nobody.
You're all finished.
You ain't going nowheres.
You ain't doin' nothing
from here on out.
Stay there!
I'm gonna kill you now,
big shot.
Look at me. Look at me!
I'm gonna put a nasty hole
right in the middle of
that precious face of yours.
If you do,
the kid won't take you
over the mountain.
You can't get out of
this place alone.
Shut up!
Ask him.
Ask him.
Even with a gun,
you can't make him do it.
How are you gonna
get over the mountain?
You can't even walk.
I'll walk.
Come on, Davy.
Help me up.
[vehicle approaching]
What's that?
The snow plow is cleaning
the road up the mountain.
How far away are they?
Couple of miles
from over the Evans farm.
Hurry it up.
Hurry it up!
What is it, Uncle Charlie?
I-- I gotta stop
for a while, kid.
I'll try to slow down.
Uncle Charlie, listen to me.
We gotta do something, quick,
'cause just over the--
- What's going on?
- Nothing.
The snow plows
are coming closer.
Come on.
We can't!
He's gotta stop for a while.
Don't you see
he's all tired out?
That's too bad.
He stays here.
Give me that.
Get moving.
I'm not going!
You're goin'.
And it better be the right way.
Go on!
No...
No...
No. Don't go.
Don't leave me. Don't...
- Davy, Davy...
- Keep moving.
Davy... [crying]
Move it!
[Charlie] Davy...
Davy... [crying]
Come back!
I said get back here!
Come back here!
I'll take you with me, Davy.
I'll take you anywhere.
- Listen to me.
- Just don't leave me.
Uncle Charlie, listen to me.
- I'll take you--
- Uncle Charlie,
will you listen to me?
We gotta think
of something awful quick.
Because just over the crest,
you're gonna see the highway.
You... Davy...
You gotta stall 'em, Davy.
Stall 'em.
If... sees the highway,
he'll kill us.
If I can get
my hands on him, Davy...
I'm gonna get you for this, kid,
and don't you forget it.
Benjie, you gotta...
let me lean on you.
- You gotta help me.
- Crawl on your hands and knees!
Up there!
Up there!
What are you doing?
The snow shoe's loose,
I gotta fix it.
Fix it when we get there.
What's that over there?
Just a shack.
Anybody live there?
No, nobody
stays there in winter.
[Benjie]
Wait! Wait. Wait a minute.
You're going away from the top.
We have to.
There's a drop up there.
Yeah, we just have a look at it.
Up there.
Up, up.
[panting]
Drop, huh?
That's it, Charlie.
That's it, big shot.
What do you say now?
Where's your luck now.
Why don't you beg?
Maybe I'll let you go.
Can't you talk?
Why can't you talk?
'Cause you're stupid!
You're stupid! Not me!
[panting]
I'm gonna kill you now.
I'm gonna kill you!
- I'm gonna-- Ah!
- [yells]
Give me that.
Give me that, I'll... [mutters]
Give me it...
- Give me it...
- [gunshot]
[crying]
Oh, Davy...
It wasn't your fault, Davy.
You had to do it.
Benjie woulda killed us both
if you hadn't shot him.
I know that, but I never
wanted to kill anybody.
Never![crying]
Oh, Davy, I-I'm sorry,
boy, I'm sorry.
Hey, the snow plow's...
getting real close.
How's your leg,
Uncle Charlie?
I don't know. It's kinda numb.
Are you--
Are you ready, Davy?
Uh-huh.
- What's the matter?
- I can't make it.
I just can't make it.
I think one
of my ribs is broken.
Oh, sure you can make it, Davy.
Listen, it's downhill
all the way from here.
And we'll get a car as soon
as we get on the highway, Davy.
- Come on.
- I can't!
You go on!
Well, what about you,
you'll freeze to death, Davy.
No, I won't.
I'll crawl over to the shed.
I'll be warm there.
I'll-I'll take you.
No, you've got to go.
You gonna be okay here
all alone, Davy?
Sure.
After you get a good start,
I'll build a fire.
Somebody's bound
to see the smoke.
Now-now you get going.
Good luck, Davy.
Let me hear from you sometime.
Well, goodbye, Davy.
Goodbye, Uncle Charlie.
Don't Hank! Don't!
Uncle Charlie, look out!
Uncle Charlie!
Uncle Charlie!
- Uncle Charlie, look out!
- [gunshot]
Uncle Charlie!
I'll have to
bring the boy in right away.
[gasps]
Charlie...
I'm so sorry.
[soft chuckle]
So, now it's you who's sorry?
How's Davy?
He's very upset.
He's bitter against everybody
because of what's happened
to you.
I think he hates me, too.
It's not right, Charlie.
He doesn't understand.
He's still just a boy.
He loves me.
He looks up to me.
At least I've got somebody.
Something.
Hello, Uncle Charlie.
I'd...
I'd like to see him alone, Liz.
All right.
Bye, Charlie.
Goodbye, Liz.
- How do you feel,
Uncle Charlie?
- Okay.
I want to tell you, I'm sorry
you had to take me to the shack.
I wished you hadn't.
I tried to call you.
I tried to warn you.
That's all right, Davy.
Uncle Charlie, you remember,
about Max, my dog?
You have him to me, didn't you?
Davy, I...
I gotta tell you something.
Davy, I-I had this
coming to me...
I... I lied to you, Davy.
All that stuff
about the cops framing me,
it wasn't true, Davy.
They gave me
every break they could,
I-I just didn't take it.
You understand, Davy?
I-I'm no good.
You understand?
Your Uncle Charlie is...
a bum.
Just a bum.
It-it was you who gave me Max,
wasn't it?
Don't forget me, Davy.
It was you, wasn't it?
Don't ever... forget me, Davy.
[Davy] I won't.
I won't ever forget you.
[cries]
Father... [crying]
Oh, David, my boy.
[crying]
I love you...
[whimpering indistinct]