Thunderground (1989) - full transcript
A con-artist meets a tough fighter and sees him as her ticket to a better life. The two make an agreement and head off to New Orleans to arrange a match with "the man" - the mysterious king of bare-knuckled boxing. There are no rules for this fight...one man wins when the other dies.
(mellow blues rock)
♪ I've got ramblin'
♪ I've got ramblin' all on my mind ♪
♪ I've got ramblin'
♪ I've got ramblin' all on my mind ♪
♪ Hate to leave here, baby
♪ But life treats me so unkind
♪ I've got a mean thing
♪ I've got mean things all on my mind ♪
♪ Little girl, little girl, I've got a mean, mean thing ♪
(wistful music)
- Ha, I won! Dammit, I won!
Lookie here, 20 bucks! (cackles)
- All right.
Who's next?
- I'll try, young man.
(pensive music)
- Queen of spades, razor blades.
Round and round and round she goes.
Risk a dollar, then you holler.
All right. What's your pleasure, old timer?
Sorry, Grandma.
Another time.
All right, step on up.
Who's gonna eat for real tonight?
20 bucks to the bum can beat me.
- [Burly Hobo] Go.
- Where's your dollar?
- Show her to me.
- All right, show's over.
Come on, clear outta here.
Sons of bitches don't know an honest game when they see one.
(distant train horn blares)
You keep warm, Rosie.
(hobos arguing)
- What do you think this is, Caesar's stinkin' Palace?
If he don't show up, he don't show up.
And you don't get a goddamn cent.
- That'd be what you call a default,
in which case my guy gets the purse.
- Hey, punk.
Bring that cake on over here
and lay it down on some real action.
- What y'all got?
- Got Big John Wesley, rumbling in from Richmond.
He's gonna fight Rhubarb here.
- Except he chickened out.
- Shut your mouth.
- Anybody gonna be laying down money,
they gonna be doing it with me.
I'll take my own action.
Well, just be sure to take all bets agin Rhubarb here.
My man Big John's the toughest bum there is.
- If he's so tough, why ain't he here?
- I said shut your mouth.
(train rumbling)
(pensive music)
- [Casey] Where you headed, Moondog?
- I was, uh...
I was just looking for you.
- I reckon you found me.
- I reckon I did.
Oh yeah.
Here you go, 20 bucks.
- Uh-huh.
- Thank you kindly.
Hey, hey, hey, wait! Wait a seccy!
This is only eight! You said I could have half!
I don't what you told me to do.
- That's for trying to cheat me.
You're lucky to get anything.
You oughta be ashamed of yourself.
(train horn blaring)
(stranger groans)
Looking for this?
- Yeah.
- I expect you must be in a hurry, or just plain dumb.
The 909 slows to five mile an hour a mile down the track.
Most bums prefer a walk than getting killed.
- Thanks.
- Anytime.
(wistful music)
(stranger grunts)
- Hey! Hey!
Hold your horses! Where the hell are you going?
- South.
- Not till this fight's done. - You ain't got a fighter,
unless you want to fight him yourself.
- Damn you to hell! You can't leave me here high and dry.
I'd have to give the money back.
(hobos arguing)
(rotisserie clangs) - Ow! Ow!
Oh, I'm sorry. Here, let me get that for you.
Sorry about that, that's clumsy of me. I, I...
I'm sorry, I apologize.
Eat that.
Go on. Hard enough getting the damn thing.
You know, ol' Ratman's having a little trouble
finding a fighter.
Think you can handle that big ape over there?
Some good change in it for you if you win.
I can see you're starving. I'll set it up for you.
Hey, Ratman! Got us a fighter, let's get it on.
- Who we talking about?
- Uh...
What's your name?
- Bird.
- Nice to meet you, Bird. I'm Casey.
Come on, show these bums some balls.
Boys, meet bird.
- Can you fight?
- I can fight.
- You think you can beat that big tub of lard over there?
Big fight! Big fight!
My man Bird agin this oversized bundle of beef!
Any you bums think this giant can beat my man,
just step on up here and lay down some money.
Three-to-one!
I'm offering three-to-one my man
beats the crap out of this bum.
- Twenty-to-one! I'm offering twenty-to-one on the Rhubarb!
Any you bums think this new boy Bird stands half a chance?
You come on up and get yourself rich.
Come on up here.
You wanna place your bets, come on up right here.
Right here, twenty-to-one on Rhubarb.
I gotta make my money.
Yeah, you come on up here, yeah.
Okay, that's a dollar for you. Thank you very much.
Come on up here!
That's a dollar on Rhubarb, thank you very much.
Who's got a dollar? Come on.
- All right, no refs, no rounds. Last man standing wins.
Winner gets 20% of the take.
Got that, punk? Winner gets 20% of the take!
All right, let's get it on.
- [Casey] Who's next? Who else?
(upbeat music) (hobos clamoring)
That's it, Rhubarb! Come on!
Get on him! Oh, come on!
Get that sumbitch!
Whip his ass! Come on, Rhubarb!
Come on, Rhubarb! Get in there, baby!
- I told you this old boy was tough!
(squeals) Get him, Birdman!
- Get up, you sumbitch! Get your ass up!
Come on, make me some money!
Yeah, get in there! Come on, Rhubarb!
You done seen that? Slap his shit around, Rhubarb!
Guy's got bad ribs, give 'em a good squeeze.
(Bird screams)
- Winner! Winner!
Yeah! (crowd cheers)
Stick around, Birdman! Your end's gotta be 50 bucks.
Now where's that punk at?
Damn it all, he skipped!
Look sharp, he can't get far.
We'll hang the son of a bitch.
There he is! There he is!
(hobos shouting)
Son of a bitch! Go get that money back from him!
Hey! You come back there!
(lively music)
(hobos shouting)
(pensive music)
(suspenseful music)
(shirt rips)
- Well now, what we got here?
Looks like we been hoodwinked more ways than one, huh, boys?
Yeah. (laughs)
Time to cover your bets, girlie.
- Can't.
- Why not?
- I ain't got enough.
Bird wasn't supposed to win.
- Never you mind.
I'm sure we can figure another form of payment,
can't we, boys?
- Leave her alone.
- The hell you say.
Why, you been cheated more than the rest of us.
- That's right. That's why I get her first.
- Oh, sure, Birdman.
You just be sure and leave something for the rest of us.
(hobos laugh)
(upbeat music)
- [Casey] Try it, I'll scratch your eyes out!
- [Bird] Aw, shut up. Not gonna leave you to the dogs.
Come on, knock off the bullshit!
Get up there, go on!
Hurry up!
Come on!
(train rumbling)
- [Hobo] They's cuttin' out!
- [Bird] Come on! Come on!
(lively music)
(hobos shouting)
Come on! Come on, run!
(both panting)
- Damn.
- [Old Man] Nice work.
- Why'd you do it?
(sighs) Where's this rocket headed, old timer?
- Memphis.
- How long's the roll?
- 660 till the last man hollers.
- What'd he say?
- Six hour nonstop at 60 mile an hour
until the brakeman shuts her down.
How long you been a rider?
- Few days.
- Yeah, I could tell you weren't no full-time rider
straight off, the way you come tumblin' off the 909.
I'll say one thing for you though, you sure fight pretty.
Almost like a real fighter.
Yeah, I didn't who was fixin' who
'cause I was sure you was in no shape
to take on that big ape back yonder.
Said to myself, here's a chance to score.
Heck of a lot easier than making that old queen disappear.
Course, it beats me why you be wasting all that talent
in some dumb old hobo meetin'.
'Cause you got talent.
Guy like you could stand a real chance against The Man.
Talent's a... (Bird snoring)
Rare commodity.
(train horn blares)
(Jew's harp playing)
If it ain't too late,
sorry about last night.
- Save it.
- Well, folks,
it's been a pleasure.
- [Bird] Thought you were heading to Memphis.
- And beyond.
Oh, but I don't intend to drop in at the Memphis yard.
Them bulls there'll skin you alive.
(laughs) I hope you two can work things out.
(old man laughs)
(wistful music)
(bell clanging)
(wistful music)
- Breakfast?
- Uh...
Coffee, please.
(coins rattle)
- Got any money?
- No money for food.
- Eggs and grits, times two.
Look, I'm sorry about last night.
I was just doing my thing.
- Where'd you learn to run people like that?
- My daddy.
- [Bird] Where's your daddy now?
- Dead.
- Mother?
- Same.
- Sorry.
- No big deal.
- Thanks for the breakfast.
- You helped the scam.
- Did I have a choice?
- Where you headed?
- South. Maybe New Orleans.
- How long you been a fighter?
- Who said I was a fighter?
- No one had to. Just had to see you last night.
- Glad you enjoyed it.
- I'm trying to be friendly.
- Yeah, well, why don't you be friendly
with someone your own age?
- Hey, I ain't as young as I look.
But you ain't as old as you look.
- Well, I never did look my best with my ribs busted.
- I said I was sorry.
Hell, I got as much a right to survive as anybody.
- Oh, you're a survivor all right.
Thanks for breakfast.
- Told you, it's your...
(wistful music)
Liar!
Said you had no money.
- Not for food.
- Cute, Bird. Real cute.
- Aw, what is it with you? What do you want from me?
- I wanna be partners.
- Partners?
- Yeah. We can be a team.
Every good fighter needs a good manager
and you're lookin' at one.
You need someone who knows the layout.
Someone who can watch your back.
Together we could do some serious shakin'.
- Oh yeah? What's in it for you?
- 50 percent.
Figure I can make myself some bread
and not have to pretend I'm a guy.
No bum gonna mess with me as long as you're around.
Look, I can just turn my back and walk away right now.
All's you gotta do is say the word and I'll be long gone.
Sooner or later you gonna end up on a slab
in some godawful town
and if it ain't the damn train that kills you,
it'll be some good ol' boy who don't like losing.
Or a sheriff who don't like strangers.
If you're lucky enough to get around all that,
it'll be some bum to kill you for that bottle.
But it's all right. Hey, don't worry about me, okay?
I'll be fine.
Best of luck!
- Hey, hang on a second.
If you behave yourself you can tag along
as far as New Orleans.
- Well, all right, Birdman.
You got yourself a deal.
(laughs) Let's go.
- Yeah, great idea to hitchhike, Case.
- Yeah, well, the way you handle them trains,
I expect this is a heck of a lot safer.
- Oh yeah, all we gotta do now
is worry about starving to death.
- We ain't gonna starve, Bird.
Fact is, out here's where you meet the right kinda folks,
people can lead you to something.
There ain't nothin' but a bunch of drunks
and bums on the rails.
Is there some kinda genie in the bottom of that thing?
'Cause you sure in a hurry to get there.
- Oh, I suppose drinking don't fit in
with your standards for acceptable human behavior, huh?
- Heck no.
- How about lyin', stealin', and cheatin'?
- Gotta do stuff that'll keep you alive,
not dumbass shit that'll kill you.
Sumbitch!
(Bird laughs)
- What are you doing out here, Case?
- The heck's it look like I'm doing?
I'm trying to get us a ride. - I mean out here. All alone.
Kid like you.
- I ain't no kid. I'm 18.
- Yeah, you should be in school somewhere.
- I don't need school.
My daddy taught me everything I need to know.
- (laughs) I bet those bums back there wish he hadn't.
- Best keep your mouth shut about my daddy.
- I was just kidding.
- Joke about somethin' else!
Hey, all right, we got us a ride. Come on.
Hi there!
- [Driver] Uh-huh.
Where y'all headed?
- [Casey] South. N'Orleans.
- [Driver] N'Orleans?
Best I can do for you is about 10 miles up the road.
Name's Cody, got a farm back aways.
- I'm Bobbie Jean. This is my brother Tom.
- Howdy.
- Say, uh, kinda look like you been in some kinda scrape.
- Tom's an ex-prize fighter.
Seems everywhere we go, when the boys find that out
they gotta try and prove somethin'.
- Must get tired fighting all the time.
- Ain't never been licked with the gloves off.
Ain't likely to neither.
Five fights in five counties in Tennessee.
It ain't nothin' but a buncha pussies
struttin' around pretending to be men in Tennessee.
- I can't argue with that.
But you all in Mississippi now.
You best be careful around these parts.
- (scoffs) That line sure sounds familiar, huh, Tom?
Yeah, if we had a dollar
for every time we heard that kinda talk,
me and Tom be livin' high off the hog.
- It's gettin' kinda hot.
I was figuring to stop up the road aways for a cold beer.
Can I buy you folks a drink?
- You've got the choice of sin, the drinking, the women,
or you can go home to your family,
you can go home to your farm.
The Lord's with you, George.
The Lord loves you.
Greetings.
How are you folks today?
- Why don't you take your truck and pack on outta here?
- God bless you. - Asshole.
- The Lord loves you.
♪ No more tears
♪ What's done is done
(Cody singing merrily)
- What's happenin', everybody? (laughs)
Frenchie! What's going on?
Oh, your highness! Hey hey!
Come on, y'all!
Oh! What's going on, Johnny boy?
I got some action today. You watch this shit.
Aw, Jessie, baby, have I got a thirst on today.
Brought some friends with me.
I think we're gonna have some beers
if you got some cold ones.
Cold one for you? Yes, sir.
How 'bout it, young lady?
Nothing for the young lady.
Well, no sir, it ain't too often
we get a real live prize fighter round these parts.
- [Casey] Ex-prize fighter.
- You don't exactly look like you're retired, pal.
- Aw, hell, you can't call those fights.
More like a damn massacre
the way old Tom here beat the snot out those turkeys.
Course, you can't expect a bar brawler
to stand much a chance against a real fighter.
- I guess that would depend on who was doing the brawlin'.
- Oh, suppose you got someone able enough?
- Save it, Case.
- What if I do know somebody able to take your brother?
- You better do him a favor and forget about it.
- I got $20 says my fighter don't need no favor.
- You're on.
- Jimbo! Stand on up, boy!
- The hell are you doing?
- Don't worry about it, Birdman. We'll make us 20 bucks.
- We don't have anything to cover it with.
- Would you let me handle the details?
- What's the matter? Y'all get cold feet?
- Aw, I just had to talk him into it.
He gets mighty tired of putting chumps like that
in their place all the time.
- Chumps?
- Yeah.
- [Cody] Y'all wanna make it 50?
- Fine by me.
- You two bums got $50?
- Got this watch.
- Okay.
Okay, you're on.
- Where in the hell did you steal that watch?
- It ain't stolen. My daddy gave it to me.
- Then you hadn't oughta be betting it in bar fights.
- It's my watch, I'll bet if I like.
- Whatever you say.
Sis.
- [Cody] Jessie, why don't you hold this bet for us?
All right. Come on, homeboy.
This gonna be fun.
(laughs) Come on, everybody!
Why not give 'em the dance floor?
(crowd cheering)
(upbeat music)
Hit him hard!
Yeah!
(Bird grunting)
(Bird screams)
(crowd clamoring)
- [Casey] Come on, Bird! Get up, get up!
- [Cody] Come on, Jimbo! Kick his ass!
- [Casey] Kill him, Birdman! Get him, get him!
(pig squeals)
Come on! Kill him, kill him!
Kill that sumbitch!
- [Cody] Shit, Jimbo, come on, boy! Kick his ass!
Put the boots on the son of a bitch!
- [Casey] Get up now! Yes, come on!
- [Cody] Come on, boy, get up!
- [Casey] Come on, Bird! Show him who's legit!
Get him, get him! - Shit! Come on, boy, fight!
- [Casey] Come on! All right!
- [Cody] Son of a bitch! Goddammit!
Yeah! Woo-hoo!
- Get up, ya bum!
(crowd cheering)
(pig grunting)
All right!
Hey, pay up!
- But that wasn't no fair fight! Shit!
(crowd laughing)
- Aw, that's the best damn brawl I ever saw! (laughs)
- Sir?
Y'all wouldn't be heading south by any chance, would you?
- I was.
- Well, we sure would appreciate a ride outta this place.
- It's no place for a young lady. Come on.
- Bird! Let's get outta here!
- You two hitched?
- No, sir.
- Gonna be? - No.
- Are you friends?
A friend on the road is a rare thing.
Something to cherish.
I know, I've been on the road 10 years,
reaching out to people.
You can't reach out to people if they ain't within reach.
Then again...
(wistful music)
That's the message I haul.
And I ain't never overweight at the scales
with that kinda cargo.
Yes sir, even folks on the road need-
- Next exit, if y'all don't mind.
- Going further south.
- Well, that's all right.
I gotta get some food and rest for this guy.
Got a big fight with The Man.
- The Man? Who's The Man?
- Tell you after I meet him.
Come on, Bird. Wake up.
Bird! Wake up.
Come on, let's go.
(train rumbling) (horn blares)
Me and Daddy used to stop here.
It's nice and sheltered.
Figure the bulls don't bother us so much
'cause the regular folks can't see it so easy.
(soft music)
- Casey?
- Red Rider?
(Casey laughs)
- I ain't seen you since Denver!
- Yeah.
- Thought we was gonna run for the coast together.
- Yeah. I needed some time on my own, Red.
How you been?
- When I got a drink, I'm okay. (laughs)
Who we got here?
- Oh, this the Birdman. We headin' south together.
- Hey, you're welcome here. Come on!
I found me a dumpster in back of the Publix.
Case, I still make the best castoff onion soup
on the Illinois Central.
(wistful music)
What's the matter?
- Oh, it's all right, I'm just not...
I'm not very hungry.
- You'll get used to it, Birdman.
- Going for a walk to see if I can scare us up a few bucks.
- Don't you be cutting out on us again now.
That's a good kid there.
- Yeah, if you're on her side.
- Oh, she may seem a mite hard.
These days you gotta be.
Don't suppose she gave you those lumps.
- Well, indirectly.
- I was hoping it wasn't one of them streamliners
that got to you.
- Streamliners?
- The crazies. Bums that don't belong out here.
Mean types just lookin' to hurt people.
They'll kill you just soon as look at you.
Except usually you ain't lookin'.
'Cause they do it when you're sleeping.
Just for the hell of it and what you got in your pockets.
- Streamliners ever bother you?
- Once.
Took a hell of a beatin' couple years back.
Course, I was luckier than the guy beside me.
He never come to.
That was Casey's daddy.
I was hopin' Casey would get off the road after that, but...
Think I'll be checkin' on her.
- Oh, I'll go get her.
(wistful music)
- All right, you bums, who's feeling lucky?
Who's gonna dash for the cash?
Who's gonna eat for real tonight? Better one than none.
- [Hobo] Bulls! Bulls!
(police sirens wailing) (hobos shouting)
- [Casey] Come on, Bird!
Hey, Bird! Bird!
- [Bird] Go!
(Red chuckles)
- Get in, Bird!
You shouldn't have gone back there, Bird.
- The hell's the matter with you? They'd have killed 'em!
- Yeah, well, in jail with our heads busted
wouldn't have helped them out any.
- Aw!
- You should think with your head
instead of your fists for a change.
(siren wailing) Damn!
What's the matter with this piece-of-crap thing?
- You got it in low gear! - How can you tell?
- By the L! Don't you know how to drive?
- Does it look like it?
(tires screech)
Shit, dead end! Come on, Bird, let's go!
- Aw, Jesus Christ.
- Come on! Come on! - Aw, shut up!
(siren wails)
- [Casey] What the hell do they want from us?
- Probably your ass for stealing the truck.
- Come and get us, you sons of bitches!
(gunshot cracks)
Move your ass, Bird!
(wistful music)
- [Bird] Well, they're not coming.
- [Casey] Heh, chickenshits.
- [Bird] Oh, yeah, not like us. We got our shit together.
That why we're wandering around in the woods
in the middle of the goddamn night.
- [Casey] What's your problem?
- [Bird] Oh, me? I don't have any problem.
I just didn't have a Boy Scout chapter
in my neighborhood when I was growing up,
so I don't know where the hell we are!
- Well, don't worry about it, I'll get us out of here
and you can get back to your stinkin' neighborhood.
- Yeah, sure you will.
(wistful music)
- Well, this has gotta lead somewhere.
Looks like somebody's place over there.
- Well, that isn't much help.
- Why not? We can just swim across.
- Speak for yourself.
- You can't swim?
- No.
- Not even a little? - No!
- Well, I couldn't drive and that never stopped me.
- Why you think we're stuck out here?
- You saying it's all my fault?
- I'm saying I can't swim.
- Well, I can. - Well, fine.
- Fine.
- Hey, man, what are you doing?
- Mornin'.
Brought you a shirt.
- Where'd you get all this stuff?
- Farm upriver.
- Well, I don't suppose they gave it to you.
- Nah, I snuck in and took it just as it was getting light.
Apples on the tree, clothes on the line, boat in the water.
- [Bird] You stole everything?
- So don't eat.
- Well, tree's okay.
- So how come you're still here?
- I fell asleep. Why'd you come back?
- Well, we're a team, ain't we?
Can't break up a team over a little nuttin'.
Come on, let's go.
I just love rivers.
They always just keep movin' along,
sorta like they got somewheres to go
but ain't in no hurry at all to get there.
Reminds me of Huck Finn and Jim,
traveling down to New Orleans on a raft.
Kinda like us, Birdman.
- Are they friends of yours?
- You mean to tell me you ain't never heard of Huck Finn?
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain?
- Yeah, he, uh...
Painted a fence or something.
- That was Tom Sawyer, you idiot. Huck Finn was his friend.
Ran away from his evil daddy with a runaway slave.
Yeah, that was in the days of old riverboats.
You know, back then a hobo was a pioneer.
Now he ain't nothin' but a bum.
- Is that all we are, Case?
- Gonna find out.
- How long you been a hobo, Case?
- Long time.
My mama died when I was 10.
Daddy had a real job then. Last one he ever had.
He drank too much.
I think it was outta missin' her.
So he just started driftin'.
And I drifted right along with him.
After a while it sorta suited us, so we just kept on movin'.
Daddy always said he figured the only way
to be truly free and happy
is never to stay in place long enough
for people to get to know you.
What about you, anyway? How come you out bummin' around?
You oughta be fightin' legit.
- Too old.
- Got family?
- [Bird] Nah.
- Girl?
- Not now.
- [Casey] How come?
- Not very good at holding onto things.
- Welp, your luck's gonna change, Birdman.
We get down to New Orleans, things are gonna be different.
Get us a fight with The Man.
- The hell's this Man everybody's talking about down here?
- The Man? Heard a lotta stories about him.
Some rich guy, likes to fight.
Pays you big money if you beat him.
- Generous guy.
- Beat you to death if you don't.
- This true?
- Word is no one's ever beaten him.
No one's around to talk about losin'.
- Aw, sounds like drunken bum talk to me.
- We'll see.
(wistful music)
♪ Uprooted his past
♪ And left with nothing in its place ♪
- Bourbon.
♪ When you fill your soul with hate ♪
♪ You build a wall of stone
♪ That hearts can never penetrate ♪
♪ You do it without hesitation
♪ Sweet desolation
(motor putters)
- Hi.
You ain't from round here, are ya?
♪ Empty your pockets
♪ Your tired old mind
♪ You pour out another
- Bird.
How long you been here?
- Aw, I don't know.
- How many you had?
- A few.
- (sighs) Bird, we ain't got but a few dollars.
You're drinking it all up.
Besides, you ain't gonna be in no shape to fight The Man
if you keep drinking.
Come on, let's go. Come on.
- Oh, will you leave me alone?
♪ Let me start over
♪ Bring back the fire
♪ I wish you could turn back the time ♪
(somber music)
- That your friend in there?
Daddy?
He your lover?
Didn't think so.
Be a hell of a way to treat a pretty gal.
Where y'all from?
Springtime's the best, but you can still catch a fair size.
Course, if we were out trolling,
that would be best of all.
♪ I got me a little Cajun girl with her long brown hair ♪
♪ And she'll follow me everywhere ♪
♪ She'll do anything in the name of love ♪
♪ If you know what I'm a-thinkin' of ♪
♪ She don't bark but she'll dance all night ♪
♪ You gotta be careful, she'll get you a fight ♪
♪ All you need's a little zydeco beat ♪
♪ To get that girl up on her feet ♪
- What are you guys doing? I got enough money!
Will you let go of me? I'm going!
(Bird shouting)
(shouting) Help!
Help! (coughs)
Oh, god.
Aw, come on, Case!
Slow down, will you? This is killing me.
- I don't wanna hear you lecturing me
about moral behavior no more.
- Anything you say. I just gotta get out of this sun.
- You don't wanna walk no more?
- I can't walk anymore.
- Okay then. Let's drive.
- What can I do you for?
- Well, we were looking for something sporty.
- [Bird] Casey-
- Daddy, you just let me handle this, all right?
How 'bout that one over there?
- Now that there's your classic automobile.
Just came in last week
from a good ol' boy had it since high school.
Be driving it still if he hadn't got caught
holding up a filling station.
Course, it weren't the car's fault, no.
Dang fool ran outta gas! (laughs)
- Well, sure is pretty.
Y'all think I could take it for a test drive?
- I'll just fetch the key for you.
- What are you doing? We don't have any money.
- Yeah, thanks to you.
Now you just hush up and let me handle things.
- There you go.
- All right.
Say, y'all wanna come with me,
show me the finer points of this here machine?
- Well, all right.
Let's go.
(tires screech) (upbeat music)
- My daddy wants to buy me a car for my 18th birthday,
but he doesn't have much money.
Besides, he's real protective of me.
He didn't want me driving till I was 18.
Can you believe I ain't never drove before? (laughs)
Oh.
Yeah, well, something else I ain't never done.
I can't believe I'm almost 18 and I'm still a...
Well, you know.
Anyhow, I thought maybe
I could kill two birds with one stone.
I could test drive the car and...
You could test drive me.
- All right! - Say, wait.
Don't you wanna get outta them first?
- Oh, yeah, yeah!
(salesman chuckling)
- Chuck 'em on over in the back seat, honey.
We don't want my daddy to see 'em all dirty.
(salesman chuckles)
Hey now, you just turn around, all right?
I'm just a bit bashful, you know?
- [Salesman] Aw, honey.
Now you gonna find out what a real man has to offer!
Course, I can't say it's ever gonna be
as good for you again, but...
Well, your first time should be somethin' special.
(engine revs)
Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
What the hell's happening?
You all come back here now!
Aw, this ain't funny!
(tires screech)
- Where's the old boy?
- He got a little overheated. Come on, you drive.
- Hey! - Aw, Jesus, Case!
This is stealing! We could get locked up for this!
- I expect he'd just as soon forget about it.
I swear, you better lay off of that stuff.
You ain't never gonna beat The Man
if you don't stop juicin'.
- You really think it's that simple, don't you?
You quit drinking, get in shape,
maybe do some roadwork, lift some weights,
then go and beat the snot outta some legend,
get rich, and retire, it's as simple as that, huh?
Yeah.
Oh yeah, we'll find The Man
and he's gonna pay us thousands of dollars if I beat him.
- That's what they say.
- You don't suppose The Man
is waiting at the next gas station
to advance us a little for gas money, do you?
- You do the fighting.
Y'all let me worry about getting us there.
- Time to fill her up.
(lively Cajun music)
- [Casey] Closed.
- [Bird] Yeah, well...
Hang on, I'll be right back.
(lively music) (crowd hooting)
(wistful music)
- He belong to you?
- What's left of him does, I guess.
- Poor fella's been in here since five this morning.
I was gonna throw him out, but...
Well, he's kinda cute and I felt sorry for him.
Y'all be having some breakfast?
- Yeah.
Bird, wake up.
(Bird groans)
Bird. - Hmm?
(Bird grunts)
Morning.
- I want you to eat something. Here.
Here!
Ain't you even gonna read it?
- No.
- Ma'am, we'll have a couple
of your number three specials, please.
- [Waitress] Coming right up.
- Oh!
Hey, lookie, Bird.
A New Orleans newspaper.
Been a long time since I read in one of these. Here.
What's it say about the weather in New Orleans?
- It's hot.
- Does not, says rain.
- Well, read it yourself.
- You can't read, can you?
- Sure I can read.
- All right, what's this headline say?
- Aw, it ain't nothing to be ashamed of.
I can teach you to read.
- I don't need to read.
- That'll be $10.
Thank ya.
- Bought you a present back there.
- Yeah? What's that? - A book.
- Very funny.
- It ain't a joke. I'll read to you.
And I'll teach you to read to yourself,
just like my daddy taught me.
- [Bird] What's the book?
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It's my favorite.
Besides, it's sorta like us.
It's about these couple of runaways,
go traveling down the Mississippi River on a raft.
They get into all kinds of adventures and stuff
on their way to New Orleans and freedom.
Yeah. Listen to this.
I never felt easy till the raft was two mile below there
and out in the middle of the Mississippi.
Then we hung up our signal lantern
and judged that we was free and safe once more.
I was powerful glad to get away from the feuds
and so was Jim to get away from the swamp.
We said there weren't no home like a raft, after all.
Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery,
but a raft don't.
You feel mighty free and easy, comfortable on a raft.
Guess this car's kinda like that raft, huh?
- Did they make it?
- You're gonna have to learn to read to find out.
(upbeat music)
♪ I didn't say we wouldn't hurt anymore ♪
♪ That's how you learn, you just get burned ♪
♪ And we don't have to feel like dirt anymore ♪
♪ Though love's not earned, baby, it's our turn ♪
♪ We were always looking for true love ♪
♪ With our heads in the clouds, just a little off course ♪
♪ But I left that motor running ♪
♪ Now if you're feeling down and out ♪
♪ Oh, come on, baby, drive south ♪
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ I'm not talking 'bout retreating, little girl ♪
♪ Gonna take our stand in this Chevy van ♪
♪ Windows open on the rest of the world ♪
♪ Holding hands all the way to Dixieland ♪
♪ We been trying to turn our lives around ♪
♪ Since we were little kids, it's been wearing us down ♪
♪ Don't turn away now, darling
♪ Let's fire it up and wind it out ♪
♪ Oh, come on, baby, drive south ♪
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ We could go down with a smile on ♪
♪ Don't bother to pack your nylons ♪
♪ Just leave those pretty legs showing ♪
♪ It gets hot down where we're going ♪
♪ Better believe it, baby
♪ We were always looking for true north ♪
♪ With our heads in the clouds, just a little off course ♪
♪ But I left that motor running ♪
♪ So if you're feeling down and out ♪
♪ Oh, come on, baby, drive
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
Whoo!
Ain't this some sorta paradise?
- Yeah. Who needs a fight?
Just let you loose picking pockets.
- Hey, I ain't no pickpocket. I'm a manager.
Come on, we got someone to see.
(wistful music)
Here it is.
Wait here.
- What can I do for you, doll?
- Uh, I was given this address by a friend.
He said I might be able to find someone
who could set me up with some action.
Fight action.
This the right place?
- Right as rain, child.
Come on in.
- Okay.
- Can I get you a drink?
- No, thanks. I'm fine.
- Indeed you are.
Have a seat, have a seat.
Yeah.
Yeah, uh...
Yeah, sit.
You, uh, say you're looking for a fight?
What kinda fights you looking for?
- Well, um...
We're looking for...
The Man.
- The Man, huh?
You think you got somebody good enough to fight The Man?
- So he's real?
- How bad do you wanna find him?
- Bad enough.
- Ain't been nobody fought The Man
that lived to talk about it, girlie,
so you're a bold one.
What's your name?
- Casey.
- Casey.
I'm Wedge.
- I know.
- You sure you don't want something to drink?
You know, a beer? Sody pop?
- No, I'm sure. Um, now about the fight-
- You know, you're awfully young and pretty
to be hustling fights.
- I'm old enough.
- Oh, that's good.
- Look, I'm here to talk business,
so don't be playing no games.
- Business, huh? How much money you got?
- None.
- That's what I figured.
How you expect to get The Man to fight you
if you ain't got any money?
- Well, I got a fighter. What do I need money for?
- A stake.
Man ain't gonna fight unless there's something to win.
Maybe you got something to sell.
- Told you I got a fighter.
- And what you need is The Man.
And there ain't nobody but me in this town
that can put you in touch.
So how bad you want it?
- Ah! No!
Get your hands off me, you filthy slug!
- Easy now! Come on, hon!
Honey, I wasn't gonna hurt you now!
- Stay away from me!
- No! Don't!
- [Casey] Stay away from me, you dirty old man!
Dirty old man! Son of a bitch!
- Not so loud, girl!
The neighbors will think- - No, don't!
Don't touch me! - Come on, kiss me! Kiss me!
- [Casey] Let go!
- What's going on?
What the hell's going down here?
- Bird! Bird! - Hey! Don't hit me!
- [Casey] Bird, no! Bird, wait!
Wait! Wait!
- [Wedge] You're all crazy, I swear!
(upbeat music)
- [Casey] Well, it's just temporary, but it's dry.
Nobody'll bother us.
Except maybe other hobos.
- How'd you know about this place?
- Well, I didn't,
but I saw there weren't no ships
in the river when we drove in.
No ships means no business,
no business means empty warehouses.
There's miles of these buildings.
- You know, Case, I...
Think we oughta forget about this fight.
I don't care about the money.
- The problem is you don't care about yourself.
And you should.
You ain't got nothin' but yourself.
Nobody gonna really help you when you need it.
- I know that.
- Well, then do something about it, for God's sake.
Go out there and grab something for yourself.
- No matter who it hurts, right?
- Better them than you.
- Maybe.
Maybe not.
- It's me, ain't it?
I know it is. You don't like me.
- That's not true.
I just don't think we're much help to each other.
You oughta have someone looking after you.
Not some fight bum either.
- Don't flatter yourself, Bird.
I can take care of myself, you know.
- I know you can.
You deserve better.
Don't you want something better than this?
(wistful music)
- Don't leave, okay, Bird?
Not yet.
I need you to help me put together a stake.
Then you can go off and drink yourself to death,
if that's what you want.
- He ain't with me, I'm alone.
I need to talk to you! Open up!
- [Wedge] What do you want?
- Some action.
We ain't got but a few dollars.
We need to put together a stake to fight The Man.
Wanna make real bread off this mark.
- The Man ain't no mark.
If you were smart,
you'd take yourself and your boy back on the road.
Now, this guy plays for keeps.
- Bird ain't afraid of nobody.
- None of them are.
But what they is is desperate.
See, when a man ain't got nothin' to lose,
he's willing to take a chance.
Now, it ain't that he's brave
and it ain't that he's gonna win,
he's just got nothin' to lose.
But your boy is...
Different.
- How?
- He's got you.
- We're just partners.
- I woulda guessed of the horizontal variety
from the way he come after me.
- Just nevermind about that, all right?
What about the fight?
- I'll get you a fight.
A nice and easy one too.
- How much?
- A grand. - Thousand bucks?
- If he loses.
- If he wins?
- Nothin'.
(lively music) (crowd clamoring)
Come on, come on.
Yeah.
Go ahead.
♪ Been drifting many miles
♪ Ain't seen too many smiles
♪ Still looking for the man
One thing about New Orleans,
they know how to party down here.
- Yeah, so where's my dancing partner?
- Oh, you'll pick him out.
His name's Mojo. Grew up in a swamp.
Got it has start wrasslin' alligators.
(crowd cheers)
♪ Got some Tennessee whiskey
♪ Yeah, there are lots of Cajun people too ♪
♪ Got some Tennessee whiskey
♪ Boy, there are lots of Cajun people too ♪
♪ And we got this New Orleans moonlight ♪
♪ Shining down on me, on me and you ♪
- [Crowd] Mojo! Mojo!
♪ And we got this New Orleans moonlight ♪
♪ Shining down on me, on me and you ♪
(crowd chanting Mojo's name) (upbeat music)
- Now listen up here, boys.
No buttin', kickin', spittin', or bitin'.
Keep your fists closed.
In case of a knockdown, back off.
One man wins when the other man can't fight no more.
Two-minute rounds.
Now go to your corner and await my signal.
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- Now get it over with quick, all right?
Save yourself for The Man.
You hear me? All right?
(bell rings)
(lively music) (crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- Bird! Bird!
(bell rings)
(Mojo growls)
Bird, what the hell you doing?
You keep this up, that boy's gonna be too long gone
to take the gift.
- The hell do you wanna do, see the color of my blood?
- Oh, don't talk like that. It's just business.
Why don't you get this thing over with?
- Look, if I gotta give it to that bum,
I'm sure as hell gonna make him earn it.
(Mojo grunting)
(lively music)
- [Crowd] Mojo! Mojo!
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- [Mojo] Come on!
- Bird!
- What's he doing? Why don't he go down?
- I don't know! Can't you get him to stop?
- What do you want me to do?
Walk out there and hit him myself?
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- [Mojo] Come on!
(lively music)
(Mojo screams)
(bell clangs)
(Bird coughs)
- This ain't funny, Bird.
I want you to stop the fight. Now!
Would you stop it, please?
Just forget about The Man, okay?
Forget about everything. Just stop the fight.
- I can't hear you.
- Don't be an asshole, Bird.
You gotta go down.
- I'll go down when I'm ready.
- Not if he goes first.
For Christ's sakes, he's only got one hand left!
- That's all right.
I've only got one hand.
- [Wedge] Stubborn bastard.
(Mojo grunting)
- You're going down, man!
(Mojo laughs)
(Mojo laughs)
(crowd cheers)
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- [Spectator] Aw, really? Stay down!
- [Spectator] Don't get up, man. Stay down.
- Come on.
Come on, get up! Get up!
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
Yeah!
(crowd cheers)
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- It's over, Bird. Let's get outta here.
Come on, lets' go.
(suspenseful music)
(crowd cheers)
- The winner!
(crowd cheers)
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
(pensive music) (rain pattering)
- Come back here!
I ain't finished yet! Come here!
Come on!
I'm not finished yet, you son of a bitch! I'm not done!
Come here! Come on back here!
Come on! Come on, you sumbitch!
I'm not done yet!
I'm not through!
You hear me? I'm not done!
(Bird sobbing)
(thunder cracks)
- What's this?
- Your cut.
- 100 bucks! It's supposed to be a grand!
- You had expenses. Payback's a bitch, ain't it?
(Casey scoffs)
- Go on.
Call your boy.
I'd love it.
- We need that money.
- You need me.
You want The Man, you shut up and do as I say.
Now go collect that miserable bag-of-shit boyfriend of yours
and get out of my face.
- [Bird] This place looks the way I feel.
- Relax, he's just trying to rattle us.
Wedge said he was sorta spooky in a Southern kinda way.
This here looks like the one.
(eerie music)
- I understand that you're looking for me.
- Are you nuts?
- We are here to discuss the conditions of the fight.
- So what's the deal?
- Put up what you will. I'll put up 100 times that amount.
- Just like that?
If you can afford to be throwing money away like that,
you must be growing- - Conditions, if you please.
First:
you will be brought in secrecy to an arena of my choosing.
Second:
the referee.
There is no referee.
- Then who's gonna call the fight if you break the rules?
- Third:
the rules.
There are no rules.
- What? - Fourth:
the duration.
The fight continues without rounds or interruption
till the death of at least one man.
That man is the loser.
- [Casey] If you wanna split, Bird, y'all go right ahead.
- Give it back, I'm not in the mood for this sh...
- (gasps) God, how can you drink this stuff?
- Practice.
Looking for the genie?
- Looking for something.
(wistful music)
You know something, Bird?
I ain't that smart.
I thought I was, but I ain't.
- You can read.
- That don't mean shit.
Never got me shit.
I ain't got shit.
- Nah, that's not true. You...
You got...
- What?
- You got balls.
- Thanks, Bird.
- You know what I mean. I mean...
You got what it takes to survive.
You'll get by.
- You know what I said before, about being alone?
It ain't true.
Nobody cares about you and...
Doesn't really matter 'cause you're better off dead.
You got the right idea.
- You leave me outta this.
You're different than me.
You're too young to give up.
You...
You just gotta...
Meet someone.
Fall in love.
Have a family.
- Who'd wanna have a family with a bum?
- You're not a bum.
You gotta quit hiding inside a little hobo.
Deep inside there's a...
A pretty girl.
Who needs to brush her hair.
- I ain't pretty. You're just being nice.
I appreciate that.
I ain't never been kissed before.
(bottle clanks)
Something wrong?
- Yeah.
- With me?
- [Bird] No.
- Don't bullshit me, Bird.
- Aw, Christ, look at this place, Case.
It should be better for you than this.
- Why don't you let me decide that?
- Aw, you're just a kid.
(soft music)
(wistful music)
- Where are we?
- Do you have a bet you wish to place?
- Yeah.
Uh...
Ninety-one dollars.
And seventy...
Seventy-two cents.
Wait just a second. How do I know you'll come through?
- Overkill perhaps,
but I expected my wager to be more than $9,172.
- Let's just get this over with.
Excuse me.
- Condition number five: no spectators.
(pensive music)
(fighters grunting)
(fighters grunting)
- Fool.
There are no rules.
(suspenseful music)
(fighters grunting)
(Bird screams)
Finish it.
(wistful music)
(Casey laughs)
- No big score.
- Don't need money anyway. Just make you crazy.
(train rumbling)
Well, that one down yonder's headed north.
Chicago.
The moving one over there's headed west.
I ain't never been west.
Oh, here.
50-50.
- That's all right, I only need enough for bus fare.
- I can take care of myself.
- I never doubted it.
- Read this sometime?
- Maybe I will.
(wistful music)
- Bird?
Would you kiss me goodbye?
(train horn honks)
See you, Bird.
(wistful music)
(bright music)
(upbeat blues rock)
♪ I got ramblin'
♪ I got ramblin' on my mind
♪ I got ramblin'
♪ I got ramblin' on my mind
♪ We got to leave here, baby
♪ Got to leave this time
♪ I've got real things
♪ I've got real things on my mind ♪
♪ Little, little girl
♪ I've got real things
♪ I've got real things on my mind ♪
♪ Got to leave here, baby
♪ Just see what we can find
♪ Let's us run down to the station ♪
♪ Catch the first train that we see ♪
♪ Run, run, run down to the station ♪
♪ Catch the first old train I see ♪
♪ I've been good to you, baby
♪ You better be good to me
♪ Oh, you'll be leaving this morning ♪
♪ Arms fold' up and crying
♪ Well, you're leaving this morning ♪
♪ Arms fold' up and crying
♪ You hate to leave here, baby
♪ But you know that it's time
♪ Wait a minute
♪ We've got sweet things
♪ We've got sweet things on our mind ♪
♪ We've got sweet, sweet, sweet things ♪
♪ We've got some sweet things on our mind ♪
♪ When we leave here, baby
♪ Make it down the line
♪ Got ramblin', ramblin'
♪ Got ramblin' on my mind
♪ We got ramblin' on our mind
♪ Got ramblin', ramblin'
♪ Got ramblin on my mind
♪ I've got ramblin'
♪ I've got ramblin' all on my mind ♪
♪ I've got ramblin'
♪ I've got ramblin' all on my mind ♪
♪ Hate to leave here, baby
♪ But life treats me so unkind
♪ I've got a mean thing
♪ I've got mean things all on my mind ♪
♪ Little girl, little girl, I've got a mean, mean thing ♪
(wistful music)
- Ha, I won! Dammit, I won!
Lookie here, 20 bucks! (cackles)
- All right.
Who's next?
- I'll try, young man.
(pensive music)
- Queen of spades, razor blades.
Round and round and round she goes.
Risk a dollar, then you holler.
All right. What's your pleasure, old timer?
Sorry, Grandma.
Another time.
All right, step on up.
Who's gonna eat for real tonight?
20 bucks to the bum can beat me.
- [Burly Hobo] Go.
- Where's your dollar?
- Show her to me.
- All right, show's over.
Come on, clear outta here.
Sons of bitches don't know an honest game when they see one.
(distant train horn blares)
You keep warm, Rosie.
(hobos arguing)
- What do you think this is, Caesar's stinkin' Palace?
If he don't show up, he don't show up.
And you don't get a goddamn cent.
- That'd be what you call a default,
in which case my guy gets the purse.
- Hey, punk.
Bring that cake on over here
and lay it down on some real action.
- What y'all got?
- Got Big John Wesley, rumbling in from Richmond.
He's gonna fight Rhubarb here.
- Except he chickened out.
- Shut your mouth.
- Anybody gonna be laying down money,
they gonna be doing it with me.
I'll take my own action.
Well, just be sure to take all bets agin Rhubarb here.
My man Big John's the toughest bum there is.
- If he's so tough, why ain't he here?
- I said shut your mouth.
(train rumbling)
(pensive music)
- [Casey] Where you headed, Moondog?
- I was, uh...
I was just looking for you.
- I reckon you found me.
- I reckon I did.
Oh yeah.
Here you go, 20 bucks.
- Uh-huh.
- Thank you kindly.
Hey, hey, hey, wait! Wait a seccy!
This is only eight! You said I could have half!
I don't what you told me to do.
- That's for trying to cheat me.
You're lucky to get anything.
You oughta be ashamed of yourself.
(train horn blaring)
(stranger groans)
Looking for this?
- Yeah.
- I expect you must be in a hurry, or just plain dumb.
The 909 slows to five mile an hour a mile down the track.
Most bums prefer a walk than getting killed.
- Thanks.
- Anytime.
(wistful music)
(stranger grunts)
- Hey! Hey!
Hold your horses! Where the hell are you going?
- South.
- Not till this fight's done. - You ain't got a fighter,
unless you want to fight him yourself.
- Damn you to hell! You can't leave me here high and dry.
I'd have to give the money back.
(hobos arguing)
(rotisserie clangs) - Ow! Ow!
Oh, I'm sorry. Here, let me get that for you.
Sorry about that, that's clumsy of me. I, I...
I'm sorry, I apologize.
Eat that.
Go on. Hard enough getting the damn thing.
You know, ol' Ratman's having a little trouble
finding a fighter.
Think you can handle that big ape over there?
Some good change in it for you if you win.
I can see you're starving. I'll set it up for you.
Hey, Ratman! Got us a fighter, let's get it on.
- Who we talking about?
- Uh...
What's your name?
- Bird.
- Nice to meet you, Bird. I'm Casey.
Come on, show these bums some balls.
Boys, meet bird.
- Can you fight?
- I can fight.
- You think you can beat that big tub of lard over there?
Big fight! Big fight!
My man Bird agin this oversized bundle of beef!
Any you bums think this giant can beat my man,
just step on up here and lay down some money.
Three-to-one!
I'm offering three-to-one my man
beats the crap out of this bum.
- Twenty-to-one! I'm offering twenty-to-one on the Rhubarb!
Any you bums think this new boy Bird stands half a chance?
You come on up and get yourself rich.
Come on up here.
You wanna place your bets, come on up right here.
Right here, twenty-to-one on Rhubarb.
I gotta make my money.
Yeah, you come on up here, yeah.
Okay, that's a dollar for you. Thank you very much.
Come on up here!
That's a dollar on Rhubarb, thank you very much.
Who's got a dollar? Come on.
- All right, no refs, no rounds. Last man standing wins.
Winner gets 20% of the take.
Got that, punk? Winner gets 20% of the take!
All right, let's get it on.
- [Casey] Who's next? Who else?
(upbeat music) (hobos clamoring)
That's it, Rhubarb! Come on!
Get on him! Oh, come on!
Get that sumbitch!
Whip his ass! Come on, Rhubarb!
Come on, Rhubarb! Get in there, baby!
- I told you this old boy was tough!
(squeals) Get him, Birdman!
- Get up, you sumbitch! Get your ass up!
Come on, make me some money!
Yeah, get in there! Come on, Rhubarb!
You done seen that? Slap his shit around, Rhubarb!
Guy's got bad ribs, give 'em a good squeeze.
(Bird screams)
- Winner! Winner!
Yeah! (crowd cheers)
Stick around, Birdman! Your end's gotta be 50 bucks.
Now where's that punk at?
Damn it all, he skipped!
Look sharp, he can't get far.
We'll hang the son of a bitch.
There he is! There he is!
(hobos shouting)
Son of a bitch! Go get that money back from him!
Hey! You come back there!
(lively music)
(hobos shouting)
(pensive music)
(suspenseful music)
(shirt rips)
- Well now, what we got here?
Looks like we been hoodwinked more ways than one, huh, boys?
Yeah. (laughs)
Time to cover your bets, girlie.
- Can't.
- Why not?
- I ain't got enough.
Bird wasn't supposed to win.
- Never you mind.
I'm sure we can figure another form of payment,
can't we, boys?
- Leave her alone.
- The hell you say.
Why, you been cheated more than the rest of us.
- That's right. That's why I get her first.
- Oh, sure, Birdman.
You just be sure and leave something for the rest of us.
(hobos laugh)
(upbeat music)
- [Casey] Try it, I'll scratch your eyes out!
- [Bird] Aw, shut up. Not gonna leave you to the dogs.
Come on, knock off the bullshit!
Get up there, go on!
Hurry up!
Come on!
(train rumbling)
- [Hobo] They's cuttin' out!
- [Bird] Come on! Come on!
(lively music)
(hobos shouting)
Come on! Come on, run!
(both panting)
- Damn.
- [Old Man] Nice work.
- Why'd you do it?
(sighs) Where's this rocket headed, old timer?
- Memphis.
- How long's the roll?
- 660 till the last man hollers.
- What'd he say?
- Six hour nonstop at 60 mile an hour
until the brakeman shuts her down.
How long you been a rider?
- Few days.
- Yeah, I could tell you weren't no full-time rider
straight off, the way you come tumblin' off the 909.
I'll say one thing for you though, you sure fight pretty.
Almost like a real fighter.
Yeah, I didn't who was fixin' who
'cause I was sure you was in no shape
to take on that big ape back yonder.
Said to myself, here's a chance to score.
Heck of a lot easier than making that old queen disappear.
Course, it beats me why you be wasting all that talent
in some dumb old hobo meetin'.
'Cause you got talent.
Guy like you could stand a real chance against The Man.
Talent's a... (Bird snoring)
Rare commodity.
(train horn blares)
(Jew's harp playing)
If it ain't too late,
sorry about last night.
- Save it.
- Well, folks,
it's been a pleasure.
- [Bird] Thought you were heading to Memphis.
- And beyond.
Oh, but I don't intend to drop in at the Memphis yard.
Them bulls there'll skin you alive.
(laughs) I hope you two can work things out.
(old man laughs)
(wistful music)
(bell clanging)
(wistful music)
- Breakfast?
- Uh...
Coffee, please.
(coins rattle)
- Got any money?
- No money for food.
- Eggs and grits, times two.
Look, I'm sorry about last night.
I was just doing my thing.
- Where'd you learn to run people like that?
- My daddy.
- [Bird] Where's your daddy now?
- Dead.
- Mother?
- Same.
- Sorry.
- No big deal.
- Thanks for the breakfast.
- You helped the scam.
- Did I have a choice?
- Where you headed?
- South. Maybe New Orleans.
- How long you been a fighter?
- Who said I was a fighter?
- No one had to. Just had to see you last night.
- Glad you enjoyed it.
- I'm trying to be friendly.
- Yeah, well, why don't you be friendly
with someone your own age?
- Hey, I ain't as young as I look.
But you ain't as old as you look.
- Well, I never did look my best with my ribs busted.
- I said I was sorry.
Hell, I got as much a right to survive as anybody.
- Oh, you're a survivor all right.
Thanks for breakfast.
- Told you, it's your...
(wistful music)
Liar!
Said you had no money.
- Not for food.
- Cute, Bird. Real cute.
- Aw, what is it with you? What do you want from me?
- I wanna be partners.
- Partners?
- Yeah. We can be a team.
Every good fighter needs a good manager
and you're lookin' at one.
You need someone who knows the layout.
Someone who can watch your back.
Together we could do some serious shakin'.
- Oh yeah? What's in it for you?
- 50 percent.
Figure I can make myself some bread
and not have to pretend I'm a guy.
No bum gonna mess with me as long as you're around.
Look, I can just turn my back and walk away right now.
All's you gotta do is say the word and I'll be long gone.
Sooner or later you gonna end up on a slab
in some godawful town
and if it ain't the damn train that kills you,
it'll be some good ol' boy who don't like losing.
Or a sheriff who don't like strangers.
If you're lucky enough to get around all that,
it'll be some bum to kill you for that bottle.
But it's all right. Hey, don't worry about me, okay?
I'll be fine.
Best of luck!
- Hey, hang on a second.
If you behave yourself you can tag along
as far as New Orleans.
- Well, all right, Birdman.
You got yourself a deal.
(laughs) Let's go.
- Yeah, great idea to hitchhike, Case.
- Yeah, well, the way you handle them trains,
I expect this is a heck of a lot safer.
- Oh yeah, all we gotta do now
is worry about starving to death.
- We ain't gonna starve, Bird.
Fact is, out here's where you meet the right kinda folks,
people can lead you to something.
There ain't nothin' but a bunch of drunks
and bums on the rails.
Is there some kinda genie in the bottom of that thing?
'Cause you sure in a hurry to get there.
- Oh, I suppose drinking don't fit in
with your standards for acceptable human behavior, huh?
- Heck no.
- How about lyin', stealin', and cheatin'?
- Gotta do stuff that'll keep you alive,
not dumbass shit that'll kill you.
Sumbitch!
(Bird laughs)
- What are you doing out here, Case?
- The heck's it look like I'm doing?
I'm trying to get us a ride. - I mean out here. All alone.
Kid like you.
- I ain't no kid. I'm 18.
- Yeah, you should be in school somewhere.
- I don't need school.
My daddy taught me everything I need to know.
- (laughs) I bet those bums back there wish he hadn't.
- Best keep your mouth shut about my daddy.
- I was just kidding.
- Joke about somethin' else!
Hey, all right, we got us a ride. Come on.
Hi there!
- [Driver] Uh-huh.
Where y'all headed?
- [Casey] South. N'Orleans.
- [Driver] N'Orleans?
Best I can do for you is about 10 miles up the road.
Name's Cody, got a farm back aways.
- I'm Bobbie Jean. This is my brother Tom.
- Howdy.
- Say, uh, kinda look like you been in some kinda scrape.
- Tom's an ex-prize fighter.
Seems everywhere we go, when the boys find that out
they gotta try and prove somethin'.
- Must get tired fighting all the time.
- Ain't never been licked with the gloves off.
Ain't likely to neither.
Five fights in five counties in Tennessee.
It ain't nothin' but a buncha pussies
struttin' around pretending to be men in Tennessee.
- I can't argue with that.
But you all in Mississippi now.
You best be careful around these parts.
- (scoffs) That line sure sounds familiar, huh, Tom?
Yeah, if we had a dollar
for every time we heard that kinda talk,
me and Tom be livin' high off the hog.
- It's gettin' kinda hot.
I was figuring to stop up the road aways for a cold beer.
Can I buy you folks a drink?
- You've got the choice of sin, the drinking, the women,
or you can go home to your family,
you can go home to your farm.
The Lord's with you, George.
The Lord loves you.
Greetings.
How are you folks today?
- Why don't you take your truck and pack on outta here?
- God bless you. - Asshole.
- The Lord loves you.
♪ No more tears
♪ What's done is done
(Cody singing merrily)
- What's happenin', everybody? (laughs)
Frenchie! What's going on?
Oh, your highness! Hey hey!
Come on, y'all!
Oh! What's going on, Johnny boy?
I got some action today. You watch this shit.
Aw, Jessie, baby, have I got a thirst on today.
Brought some friends with me.
I think we're gonna have some beers
if you got some cold ones.
Cold one for you? Yes, sir.
How 'bout it, young lady?
Nothing for the young lady.
Well, no sir, it ain't too often
we get a real live prize fighter round these parts.
- [Casey] Ex-prize fighter.
- You don't exactly look like you're retired, pal.
- Aw, hell, you can't call those fights.
More like a damn massacre
the way old Tom here beat the snot out those turkeys.
Course, you can't expect a bar brawler
to stand much a chance against a real fighter.
- I guess that would depend on who was doing the brawlin'.
- Oh, suppose you got someone able enough?
- Save it, Case.
- What if I do know somebody able to take your brother?
- You better do him a favor and forget about it.
- I got $20 says my fighter don't need no favor.
- You're on.
- Jimbo! Stand on up, boy!
- The hell are you doing?
- Don't worry about it, Birdman. We'll make us 20 bucks.
- We don't have anything to cover it with.
- Would you let me handle the details?
- What's the matter? Y'all get cold feet?
- Aw, I just had to talk him into it.
He gets mighty tired of putting chumps like that
in their place all the time.
- Chumps?
- Yeah.
- [Cody] Y'all wanna make it 50?
- Fine by me.
- You two bums got $50?
- Got this watch.
- Okay.
Okay, you're on.
- Where in the hell did you steal that watch?
- It ain't stolen. My daddy gave it to me.
- Then you hadn't oughta be betting it in bar fights.
- It's my watch, I'll bet if I like.
- Whatever you say.
Sis.
- [Cody] Jessie, why don't you hold this bet for us?
All right. Come on, homeboy.
This gonna be fun.
(laughs) Come on, everybody!
Why not give 'em the dance floor?
(crowd cheering)
(upbeat music)
Hit him hard!
Yeah!
(Bird grunting)
(Bird screams)
(crowd clamoring)
- [Casey] Come on, Bird! Get up, get up!
- [Cody] Come on, Jimbo! Kick his ass!
- [Casey] Kill him, Birdman! Get him, get him!
(pig squeals)
Come on! Kill him, kill him!
Kill that sumbitch!
- [Cody] Shit, Jimbo, come on, boy! Kick his ass!
Put the boots on the son of a bitch!
- [Casey] Get up now! Yes, come on!
- [Cody] Come on, boy, get up!
- [Casey] Come on, Bird! Show him who's legit!
Get him, get him! - Shit! Come on, boy, fight!
- [Casey] Come on! All right!
- [Cody] Son of a bitch! Goddammit!
Yeah! Woo-hoo!
- Get up, ya bum!
(crowd cheering)
(pig grunting)
All right!
Hey, pay up!
- But that wasn't no fair fight! Shit!
(crowd laughing)
- Aw, that's the best damn brawl I ever saw! (laughs)
- Sir?
Y'all wouldn't be heading south by any chance, would you?
- I was.
- Well, we sure would appreciate a ride outta this place.
- It's no place for a young lady. Come on.
- Bird! Let's get outta here!
- You two hitched?
- No, sir.
- Gonna be? - No.
- Are you friends?
A friend on the road is a rare thing.
Something to cherish.
I know, I've been on the road 10 years,
reaching out to people.
You can't reach out to people if they ain't within reach.
Then again...
(wistful music)
That's the message I haul.
And I ain't never overweight at the scales
with that kinda cargo.
Yes sir, even folks on the road need-
- Next exit, if y'all don't mind.
- Going further south.
- Well, that's all right.
I gotta get some food and rest for this guy.
Got a big fight with The Man.
- The Man? Who's The Man?
- Tell you after I meet him.
Come on, Bird. Wake up.
Bird! Wake up.
Come on, let's go.
(train rumbling) (horn blares)
Me and Daddy used to stop here.
It's nice and sheltered.
Figure the bulls don't bother us so much
'cause the regular folks can't see it so easy.
(soft music)
- Casey?
- Red Rider?
(Casey laughs)
- I ain't seen you since Denver!
- Yeah.
- Thought we was gonna run for the coast together.
- Yeah. I needed some time on my own, Red.
How you been?
- When I got a drink, I'm okay. (laughs)
Who we got here?
- Oh, this the Birdman. We headin' south together.
- Hey, you're welcome here. Come on!
I found me a dumpster in back of the Publix.
Case, I still make the best castoff onion soup
on the Illinois Central.
(wistful music)
What's the matter?
- Oh, it's all right, I'm just not...
I'm not very hungry.
- You'll get used to it, Birdman.
- Going for a walk to see if I can scare us up a few bucks.
- Don't you be cutting out on us again now.
That's a good kid there.
- Yeah, if you're on her side.
- Oh, she may seem a mite hard.
These days you gotta be.
Don't suppose she gave you those lumps.
- Well, indirectly.
- I was hoping it wasn't one of them streamliners
that got to you.
- Streamliners?
- The crazies. Bums that don't belong out here.
Mean types just lookin' to hurt people.
They'll kill you just soon as look at you.
Except usually you ain't lookin'.
'Cause they do it when you're sleeping.
Just for the hell of it and what you got in your pockets.
- Streamliners ever bother you?
- Once.
Took a hell of a beatin' couple years back.
Course, I was luckier than the guy beside me.
He never come to.
That was Casey's daddy.
I was hopin' Casey would get off the road after that, but...
Think I'll be checkin' on her.
- Oh, I'll go get her.
(wistful music)
- All right, you bums, who's feeling lucky?
Who's gonna dash for the cash?
Who's gonna eat for real tonight? Better one than none.
- [Hobo] Bulls! Bulls!
(police sirens wailing) (hobos shouting)
- [Casey] Come on, Bird!
Hey, Bird! Bird!
- [Bird] Go!
(Red chuckles)
- Get in, Bird!
You shouldn't have gone back there, Bird.
- The hell's the matter with you? They'd have killed 'em!
- Yeah, well, in jail with our heads busted
wouldn't have helped them out any.
- Aw!
- You should think with your head
instead of your fists for a change.
(siren wailing) Damn!
What's the matter with this piece-of-crap thing?
- You got it in low gear! - How can you tell?
- By the L! Don't you know how to drive?
- Does it look like it?
(tires screech)
Shit, dead end! Come on, Bird, let's go!
- Aw, Jesus Christ.
- Come on! Come on! - Aw, shut up!
(siren wails)
- [Casey] What the hell do they want from us?
- Probably your ass for stealing the truck.
- Come and get us, you sons of bitches!
(gunshot cracks)
Move your ass, Bird!
(wistful music)
- [Bird] Well, they're not coming.
- [Casey] Heh, chickenshits.
- [Bird] Oh, yeah, not like us. We got our shit together.
That why we're wandering around in the woods
in the middle of the goddamn night.
- [Casey] What's your problem?
- [Bird] Oh, me? I don't have any problem.
I just didn't have a Boy Scout chapter
in my neighborhood when I was growing up,
so I don't know where the hell we are!
- Well, don't worry about it, I'll get us out of here
and you can get back to your stinkin' neighborhood.
- Yeah, sure you will.
(wistful music)
- Well, this has gotta lead somewhere.
Looks like somebody's place over there.
- Well, that isn't much help.
- Why not? We can just swim across.
- Speak for yourself.
- You can't swim?
- No.
- Not even a little? - No!
- Well, I couldn't drive and that never stopped me.
- Why you think we're stuck out here?
- You saying it's all my fault?
- I'm saying I can't swim.
- Well, I can. - Well, fine.
- Fine.
- Hey, man, what are you doing?
- Mornin'.
Brought you a shirt.
- Where'd you get all this stuff?
- Farm upriver.
- Well, I don't suppose they gave it to you.
- Nah, I snuck in and took it just as it was getting light.
Apples on the tree, clothes on the line, boat in the water.
- [Bird] You stole everything?
- So don't eat.
- Well, tree's okay.
- So how come you're still here?
- I fell asleep. Why'd you come back?
- Well, we're a team, ain't we?
Can't break up a team over a little nuttin'.
Come on, let's go.
I just love rivers.
They always just keep movin' along,
sorta like they got somewheres to go
but ain't in no hurry at all to get there.
Reminds me of Huck Finn and Jim,
traveling down to New Orleans on a raft.
Kinda like us, Birdman.
- Are they friends of yours?
- You mean to tell me you ain't never heard of Huck Finn?
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain?
- Yeah, he, uh...
Painted a fence or something.
- That was Tom Sawyer, you idiot. Huck Finn was his friend.
Ran away from his evil daddy with a runaway slave.
Yeah, that was in the days of old riverboats.
You know, back then a hobo was a pioneer.
Now he ain't nothin' but a bum.
- Is that all we are, Case?
- Gonna find out.
- How long you been a hobo, Case?
- Long time.
My mama died when I was 10.
Daddy had a real job then. Last one he ever had.
He drank too much.
I think it was outta missin' her.
So he just started driftin'.
And I drifted right along with him.
After a while it sorta suited us, so we just kept on movin'.
Daddy always said he figured the only way
to be truly free and happy
is never to stay in place long enough
for people to get to know you.
What about you, anyway? How come you out bummin' around?
You oughta be fightin' legit.
- Too old.
- Got family?
- [Bird] Nah.
- Girl?
- Not now.
- [Casey] How come?
- Not very good at holding onto things.
- Welp, your luck's gonna change, Birdman.
We get down to New Orleans, things are gonna be different.
Get us a fight with The Man.
- The hell's this Man everybody's talking about down here?
- The Man? Heard a lotta stories about him.
Some rich guy, likes to fight.
Pays you big money if you beat him.
- Generous guy.
- Beat you to death if you don't.
- This true?
- Word is no one's ever beaten him.
No one's around to talk about losin'.
- Aw, sounds like drunken bum talk to me.
- We'll see.
(wistful music)
♪ Uprooted his past
♪ And left with nothing in its place ♪
- Bourbon.
♪ When you fill your soul with hate ♪
♪ You build a wall of stone
♪ That hearts can never penetrate ♪
♪ You do it without hesitation
♪ Sweet desolation
(motor putters)
- Hi.
You ain't from round here, are ya?
♪ Empty your pockets
♪ Your tired old mind
♪ You pour out another
- Bird.
How long you been here?
- Aw, I don't know.
- How many you had?
- A few.
- (sighs) Bird, we ain't got but a few dollars.
You're drinking it all up.
Besides, you ain't gonna be in no shape to fight The Man
if you keep drinking.
Come on, let's go. Come on.
- Oh, will you leave me alone?
♪ Let me start over
♪ Bring back the fire
♪ I wish you could turn back the time ♪
(somber music)
- That your friend in there?
Daddy?
He your lover?
Didn't think so.
Be a hell of a way to treat a pretty gal.
Where y'all from?
Springtime's the best, but you can still catch a fair size.
Course, if we were out trolling,
that would be best of all.
♪ I got me a little Cajun girl with her long brown hair ♪
♪ And she'll follow me everywhere ♪
♪ She'll do anything in the name of love ♪
♪ If you know what I'm a-thinkin' of ♪
♪ She don't bark but she'll dance all night ♪
♪ You gotta be careful, she'll get you a fight ♪
♪ All you need's a little zydeco beat ♪
♪ To get that girl up on her feet ♪
- What are you guys doing? I got enough money!
Will you let go of me? I'm going!
(Bird shouting)
(shouting) Help!
Help! (coughs)
Oh, god.
Aw, come on, Case!
Slow down, will you? This is killing me.
- I don't wanna hear you lecturing me
about moral behavior no more.
- Anything you say. I just gotta get out of this sun.
- You don't wanna walk no more?
- I can't walk anymore.
- Okay then. Let's drive.
- What can I do you for?
- Well, we were looking for something sporty.
- [Bird] Casey-
- Daddy, you just let me handle this, all right?
How 'bout that one over there?
- Now that there's your classic automobile.
Just came in last week
from a good ol' boy had it since high school.
Be driving it still if he hadn't got caught
holding up a filling station.
Course, it weren't the car's fault, no.
Dang fool ran outta gas! (laughs)
- Well, sure is pretty.
Y'all think I could take it for a test drive?
- I'll just fetch the key for you.
- What are you doing? We don't have any money.
- Yeah, thanks to you.
Now you just hush up and let me handle things.
- There you go.
- All right.
Say, y'all wanna come with me,
show me the finer points of this here machine?
- Well, all right.
Let's go.
(tires screech) (upbeat music)
- My daddy wants to buy me a car for my 18th birthday,
but he doesn't have much money.
Besides, he's real protective of me.
He didn't want me driving till I was 18.
Can you believe I ain't never drove before? (laughs)
Oh.
Yeah, well, something else I ain't never done.
I can't believe I'm almost 18 and I'm still a...
Well, you know.
Anyhow, I thought maybe
I could kill two birds with one stone.
I could test drive the car and...
You could test drive me.
- All right! - Say, wait.
Don't you wanna get outta them first?
- Oh, yeah, yeah!
(salesman chuckling)
- Chuck 'em on over in the back seat, honey.
We don't want my daddy to see 'em all dirty.
(salesman chuckles)
Hey now, you just turn around, all right?
I'm just a bit bashful, you know?
- [Salesman] Aw, honey.
Now you gonna find out what a real man has to offer!
Course, I can't say it's ever gonna be
as good for you again, but...
Well, your first time should be somethin' special.
(engine revs)
Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
What the hell's happening?
You all come back here now!
Aw, this ain't funny!
(tires screech)
- Where's the old boy?
- He got a little overheated. Come on, you drive.
- Hey! - Aw, Jesus, Case!
This is stealing! We could get locked up for this!
- I expect he'd just as soon forget about it.
I swear, you better lay off of that stuff.
You ain't never gonna beat The Man
if you don't stop juicin'.
- You really think it's that simple, don't you?
You quit drinking, get in shape,
maybe do some roadwork, lift some weights,
then go and beat the snot outta some legend,
get rich, and retire, it's as simple as that, huh?
Yeah.
Oh yeah, we'll find The Man
and he's gonna pay us thousands of dollars if I beat him.
- That's what they say.
- You don't suppose The Man
is waiting at the next gas station
to advance us a little for gas money, do you?
- You do the fighting.
Y'all let me worry about getting us there.
- Time to fill her up.
(lively Cajun music)
- [Casey] Closed.
- [Bird] Yeah, well...
Hang on, I'll be right back.
(lively music) (crowd hooting)
(wistful music)
- He belong to you?
- What's left of him does, I guess.
- Poor fella's been in here since five this morning.
I was gonna throw him out, but...
Well, he's kinda cute and I felt sorry for him.
Y'all be having some breakfast?
- Yeah.
Bird, wake up.
(Bird groans)
Bird. - Hmm?
(Bird grunts)
Morning.
- I want you to eat something. Here.
Here!
Ain't you even gonna read it?
- No.
- Ma'am, we'll have a couple
of your number three specials, please.
- [Waitress] Coming right up.
- Oh!
Hey, lookie, Bird.
A New Orleans newspaper.
Been a long time since I read in one of these. Here.
What's it say about the weather in New Orleans?
- It's hot.
- Does not, says rain.
- Well, read it yourself.
- You can't read, can you?
- Sure I can read.
- All right, what's this headline say?
- Aw, it ain't nothing to be ashamed of.
I can teach you to read.
- I don't need to read.
- That'll be $10.
Thank ya.
- Bought you a present back there.
- Yeah? What's that? - A book.
- Very funny.
- It ain't a joke. I'll read to you.
And I'll teach you to read to yourself,
just like my daddy taught me.
- [Bird] What's the book?
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It's my favorite.
Besides, it's sorta like us.
It's about these couple of runaways,
go traveling down the Mississippi River on a raft.
They get into all kinds of adventures and stuff
on their way to New Orleans and freedom.
Yeah. Listen to this.
I never felt easy till the raft was two mile below there
and out in the middle of the Mississippi.
Then we hung up our signal lantern
and judged that we was free and safe once more.
I was powerful glad to get away from the feuds
and so was Jim to get away from the swamp.
We said there weren't no home like a raft, after all.
Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery,
but a raft don't.
You feel mighty free and easy, comfortable on a raft.
Guess this car's kinda like that raft, huh?
- Did they make it?
- You're gonna have to learn to read to find out.
(upbeat music)
♪ I didn't say we wouldn't hurt anymore ♪
♪ That's how you learn, you just get burned ♪
♪ And we don't have to feel like dirt anymore ♪
♪ Though love's not earned, baby, it's our turn ♪
♪ We were always looking for true love ♪
♪ With our heads in the clouds, just a little off course ♪
♪ But I left that motor running ♪
♪ Now if you're feeling down and out ♪
♪ Oh, come on, baby, drive south ♪
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ I'm not talking 'bout retreating, little girl ♪
♪ Gonna take our stand in this Chevy van ♪
♪ Windows open on the rest of the world ♪
♪ Holding hands all the way to Dixieland ♪
♪ We been trying to turn our lives around ♪
♪ Since we were little kids, it's been wearing us down ♪
♪ Don't turn away now, darling
♪ Let's fire it up and wind it out ♪
♪ Oh, come on, baby, drive south ♪
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ We could go down with a smile on ♪
♪ Don't bother to pack your nylons ♪
♪ Just leave those pretty legs showing ♪
♪ It gets hot down where we're going ♪
♪ Better believe it, baby
♪ We were always looking for true north ♪
♪ With our heads in the clouds, just a little off course ♪
♪ But I left that motor running ♪
♪ So if you're feeling down and out ♪
♪ Oh, come on, baby, drive
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ With the one you love
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
♪ Come on, baby, drive south
Whoo!
Ain't this some sorta paradise?
- Yeah. Who needs a fight?
Just let you loose picking pockets.
- Hey, I ain't no pickpocket. I'm a manager.
Come on, we got someone to see.
(wistful music)
Here it is.
Wait here.
- What can I do for you, doll?
- Uh, I was given this address by a friend.
He said I might be able to find someone
who could set me up with some action.
Fight action.
This the right place?
- Right as rain, child.
Come on in.
- Okay.
- Can I get you a drink?
- No, thanks. I'm fine.
- Indeed you are.
Have a seat, have a seat.
Yeah.
Yeah, uh...
Yeah, sit.
You, uh, say you're looking for a fight?
What kinda fights you looking for?
- Well, um...
We're looking for...
The Man.
- The Man, huh?
You think you got somebody good enough to fight The Man?
- So he's real?
- How bad do you wanna find him?
- Bad enough.
- Ain't been nobody fought The Man
that lived to talk about it, girlie,
so you're a bold one.
What's your name?
- Casey.
- Casey.
I'm Wedge.
- I know.
- You sure you don't want something to drink?
You know, a beer? Sody pop?
- No, I'm sure. Um, now about the fight-
- You know, you're awfully young and pretty
to be hustling fights.
- I'm old enough.
- Oh, that's good.
- Look, I'm here to talk business,
so don't be playing no games.
- Business, huh? How much money you got?
- None.
- That's what I figured.
How you expect to get The Man to fight you
if you ain't got any money?
- Well, I got a fighter. What do I need money for?
- A stake.
Man ain't gonna fight unless there's something to win.
Maybe you got something to sell.
- Told you I got a fighter.
- And what you need is The Man.
And there ain't nobody but me in this town
that can put you in touch.
So how bad you want it?
- Ah! No!
Get your hands off me, you filthy slug!
- Easy now! Come on, hon!
Honey, I wasn't gonna hurt you now!
- Stay away from me!
- No! Don't!
- [Casey] Stay away from me, you dirty old man!
Dirty old man! Son of a bitch!
- Not so loud, girl!
The neighbors will think- - No, don't!
Don't touch me! - Come on, kiss me! Kiss me!
- [Casey] Let go!
- What's going on?
What the hell's going down here?
- Bird! Bird! - Hey! Don't hit me!
- [Casey] Bird, no! Bird, wait!
Wait! Wait!
- [Wedge] You're all crazy, I swear!
(upbeat music)
- [Casey] Well, it's just temporary, but it's dry.
Nobody'll bother us.
Except maybe other hobos.
- How'd you know about this place?
- Well, I didn't,
but I saw there weren't no ships
in the river when we drove in.
No ships means no business,
no business means empty warehouses.
There's miles of these buildings.
- You know, Case, I...
Think we oughta forget about this fight.
I don't care about the money.
- The problem is you don't care about yourself.
And you should.
You ain't got nothin' but yourself.
Nobody gonna really help you when you need it.
- I know that.
- Well, then do something about it, for God's sake.
Go out there and grab something for yourself.
- No matter who it hurts, right?
- Better them than you.
- Maybe.
Maybe not.
- It's me, ain't it?
I know it is. You don't like me.
- That's not true.
I just don't think we're much help to each other.
You oughta have someone looking after you.
Not some fight bum either.
- Don't flatter yourself, Bird.
I can take care of myself, you know.
- I know you can.
You deserve better.
Don't you want something better than this?
(wistful music)
- Don't leave, okay, Bird?
Not yet.
I need you to help me put together a stake.
Then you can go off and drink yourself to death,
if that's what you want.
- He ain't with me, I'm alone.
I need to talk to you! Open up!
- [Wedge] What do you want?
- Some action.
We ain't got but a few dollars.
We need to put together a stake to fight The Man.
Wanna make real bread off this mark.
- The Man ain't no mark.
If you were smart,
you'd take yourself and your boy back on the road.
Now, this guy plays for keeps.
- Bird ain't afraid of nobody.
- None of them are.
But what they is is desperate.
See, when a man ain't got nothin' to lose,
he's willing to take a chance.
Now, it ain't that he's brave
and it ain't that he's gonna win,
he's just got nothin' to lose.
But your boy is...
Different.
- How?
- He's got you.
- We're just partners.
- I woulda guessed of the horizontal variety
from the way he come after me.
- Just nevermind about that, all right?
What about the fight?
- I'll get you a fight.
A nice and easy one too.
- How much?
- A grand. - Thousand bucks?
- If he loses.
- If he wins?
- Nothin'.
(lively music) (crowd clamoring)
Come on, come on.
Yeah.
Go ahead.
♪ Been drifting many miles
♪ Ain't seen too many smiles
♪ Still looking for the man
One thing about New Orleans,
they know how to party down here.
- Yeah, so where's my dancing partner?
- Oh, you'll pick him out.
His name's Mojo. Grew up in a swamp.
Got it has start wrasslin' alligators.
(crowd cheers)
♪ Got some Tennessee whiskey
♪ Yeah, there are lots of Cajun people too ♪
♪ Got some Tennessee whiskey
♪ Boy, there are lots of Cajun people too ♪
♪ And we got this New Orleans moonlight ♪
♪ Shining down on me, on me and you ♪
- [Crowd] Mojo! Mojo!
♪ And we got this New Orleans moonlight ♪
♪ Shining down on me, on me and you ♪
(crowd chanting Mojo's name) (upbeat music)
- Now listen up here, boys.
No buttin', kickin', spittin', or bitin'.
Keep your fists closed.
In case of a knockdown, back off.
One man wins when the other man can't fight no more.
Two-minute rounds.
Now go to your corner and await my signal.
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- Now get it over with quick, all right?
Save yourself for The Man.
You hear me? All right?
(bell rings)
(lively music) (crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- Bird! Bird!
(bell rings)
(Mojo growls)
Bird, what the hell you doing?
You keep this up, that boy's gonna be too long gone
to take the gift.
- The hell do you wanna do, see the color of my blood?
- Oh, don't talk like that. It's just business.
Why don't you get this thing over with?
- Look, if I gotta give it to that bum,
I'm sure as hell gonna make him earn it.
(Mojo grunting)
(lively music)
- [Crowd] Mojo! Mojo!
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- [Mojo] Come on!
- Bird!
- What's he doing? Why don't he go down?
- I don't know! Can't you get him to stop?
- What do you want me to do?
Walk out there and hit him myself?
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- [Mojo] Come on!
(lively music)
(Mojo screams)
(bell clangs)
(Bird coughs)
- This ain't funny, Bird.
I want you to stop the fight. Now!
Would you stop it, please?
Just forget about The Man, okay?
Forget about everything. Just stop the fight.
- I can't hear you.
- Don't be an asshole, Bird.
You gotta go down.
- I'll go down when I'm ready.
- Not if he goes first.
For Christ's sakes, he's only got one hand left!
- That's all right.
I've only got one hand.
- [Wedge] Stubborn bastard.
(Mojo grunting)
- You're going down, man!
(Mojo laughs)
(Mojo laughs)
(crowd cheers)
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- [Spectator] Aw, really? Stay down!
- [Spectator] Don't get up, man. Stay down.
- Come on.
Come on, get up! Get up!
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
Yeah!
(crowd cheers)
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
- It's over, Bird. Let's get outta here.
Come on, lets' go.
(suspenseful music)
(crowd cheers)
- The winner!
(crowd cheers)
(crowd chanting Mojo's name)
(pensive music) (rain pattering)
- Come back here!
I ain't finished yet! Come here!
Come on!
I'm not finished yet, you son of a bitch! I'm not done!
Come here! Come on back here!
Come on! Come on, you sumbitch!
I'm not done yet!
I'm not through!
You hear me? I'm not done!
(Bird sobbing)
(thunder cracks)
- What's this?
- Your cut.
- 100 bucks! It's supposed to be a grand!
- You had expenses. Payback's a bitch, ain't it?
(Casey scoffs)
- Go on.
Call your boy.
I'd love it.
- We need that money.
- You need me.
You want The Man, you shut up and do as I say.
Now go collect that miserable bag-of-shit boyfriend of yours
and get out of my face.
- [Bird] This place looks the way I feel.
- Relax, he's just trying to rattle us.
Wedge said he was sorta spooky in a Southern kinda way.
This here looks like the one.
(eerie music)
- I understand that you're looking for me.
- Are you nuts?
- We are here to discuss the conditions of the fight.
- So what's the deal?
- Put up what you will. I'll put up 100 times that amount.
- Just like that?
If you can afford to be throwing money away like that,
you must be growing- - Conditions, if you please.
First:
you will be brought in secrecy to an arena of my choosing.
Second:
the referee.
There is no referee.
- Then who's gonna call the fight if you break the rules?
- Third:
the rules.
There are no rules.
- What? - Fourth:
the duration.
The fight continues without rounds or interruption
till the death of at least one man.
That man is the loser.
- [Casey] If you wanna split, Bird, y'all go right ahead.
- Give it back, I'm not in the mood for this sh...
- (gasps) God, how can you drink this stuff?
- Practice.
Looking for the genie?
- Looking for something.
(wistful music)
You know something, Bird?
I ain't that smart.
I thought I was, but I ain't.
- You can read.
- That don't mean shit.
Never got me shit.
I ain't got shit.
- Nah, that's not true. You...
You got...
- What?
- You got balls.
- Thanks, Bird.
- You know what I mean. I mean...
You got what it takes to survive.
You'll get by.
- You know what I said before, about being alone?
It ain't true.
Nobody cares about you and...
Doesn't really matter 'cause you're better off dead.
You got the right idea.
- You leave me outta this.
You're different than me.
You're too young to give up.
You...
You just gotta...
Meet someone.
Fall in love.
Have a family.
- Who'd wanna have a family with a bum?
- You're not a bum.
You gotta quit hiding inside a little hobo.
Deep inside there's a...
A pretty girl.
Who needs to brush her hair.
- I ain't pretty. You're just being nice.
I appreciate that.
I ain't never been kissed before.
(bottle clanks)
Something wrong?
- Yeah.
- With me?
- [Bird] No.
- Don't bullshit me, Bird.
- Aw, Christ, look at this place, Case.
It should be better for you than this.
- Why don't you let me decide that?
- Aw, you're just a kid.
(soft music)
(wistful music)
- Where are we?
- Do you have a bet you wish to place?
- Yeah.
Uh...
Ninety-one dollars.
And seventy...
Seventy-two cents.
Wait just a second. How do I know you'll come through?
- Overkill perhaps,
but I expected my wager to be more than $9,172.
- Let's just get this over with.
Excuse me.
- Condition number five: no spectators.
(pensive music)
(fighters grunting)
(fighters grunting)
- Fool.
There are no rules.
(suspenseful music)
(fighters grunting)
(Bird screams)
Finish it.
(wistful music)
(Casey laughs)
- No big score.
- Don't need money anyway. Just make you crazy.
(train rumbling)
Well, that one down yonder's headed north.
Chicago.
The moving one over there's headed west.
I ain't never been west.
Oh, here.
50-50.
- That's all right, I only need enough for bus fare.
- I can take care of myself.
- I never doubted it.
- Read this sometime?
- Maybe I will.
(wistful music)
- Bird?
Would you kiss me goodbye?
(train horn honks)
See you, Bird.
(wistful music)
(bright music)
(upbeat blues rock)
♪ I got ramblin'
♪ I got ramblin' on my mind
♪ I got ramblin'
♪ I got ramblin' on my mind
♪ We got to leave here, baby
♪ Got to leave this time
♪ I've got real things
♪ I've got real things on my mind ♪
♪ Little, little girl
♪ I've got real things
♪ I've got real things on my mind ♪
♪ Got to leave here, baby
♪ Just see what we can find
♪ Let's us run down to the station ♪
♪ Catch the first train that we see ♪
♪ Run, run, run down to the station ♪
♪ Catch the first old train I see ♪
♪ I've been good to you, baby
♪ You better be good to me
♪ Oh, you'll be leaving this morning ♪
♪ Arms fold' up and crying
♪ Well, you're leaving this morning ♪
♪ Arms fold' up and crying
♪ You hate to leave here, baby
♪ But you know that it's time
♪ Wait a minute
♪ We've got sweet things
♪ We've got sweet things on our mind ♪
♪ We've got sweet, sweet, sweet things ♪
♪ We've got some sweet things on our mind ♪
♪ When we leave here, baby
♪ Make it down the line
♪ Got ramblin', ramblin'
♪ Got ramblin' on my mind
♪ We got ramblin' on our mind
♪ Got ramblin', ramblin'
♪ Got ramblin on my mind