Tuscaloosa (2019) - full transcript

Twenty-two and on the verge of entering high society, college graduate Billy Mitchell finds his plans changing when he falls in love with an inmate with multiple personalities at his father's mental institution.

I say segregation now,

segregation tomorrow
and segregation forever.

The University of Alabama
campus at Tuscaloosa

is under a tight
security guard of state police

as governor George Wallace
made a campaign promise

to stand
in the doorway himself

to prevent the integration
of the last

all-white state university.

52-year-old George Wallace

is expected to run
an easy first

in the primary election.



As president,
I will stand up

for your local police
and firemen

in protecting your safety

and property.

George Wallace was shot down
this afternoon

as he campaigned
not far from Washington.

But I say violence
is necessary.

It is as American
as cherry pie.

On the third day of August,
1953, my mother and Carmen

were on an errand of life,
death, and personal freedom.

The vehicle was not identified
for some days,

the bodies burned
so completely

there was no trace of them.

It is my hope that
if I keep her in sight,



it'll make it possible
for me to act myself.

Because as it is right now,

I am not good for much,

though I am
in the prime of my life.

- Duck, duck,

goose, duck, goose,

uh, duck, duck,

duck, goose.

- No, this way.

- Oh, oh...

I want to do it again,
do it again.

Do it--I want to do it again.

Duck.

- You're going to dream
yourself to death, son.

You got to live
in the real world, boy.

- I know, Dad.
I just--

I need to think
some things over,

started having
some weird visions.

- Duck!

- Now, this isn't a ploy to get
some more Benzedrine, is it?

- No, I'm just--

I'm feeling a little strange.

- Well, hell,

you've been moping around
all summer, son.

- Dad, as you know,
I am a busy man.

The grass,
it grows very quickly.

- I'm not talking about no
goddamn colored folk work.

I'm talking about a real job.

You want to go to Europe
or some such place?

- Nope, thanks,
but I appreciate it.

- Come on, now, come on.

- I'm heading over to see
the sheriff,

some of the boys.

All right.

- Yeah!

- Hey, Latham.
- Morning.

- Can't get this
fucking thing done.

- Nothing worse than
a sticky zipper.

Here.

- Ooh-la-la.
- Shoot.

- I appreciate that.

- It was my pleasure.

- I don't doubt it.

- It got torn a little

when I was getting
the zipper loose.

Oh, it's not mine.

- What, you borrowed it?
- Right.

- Well, then, you can tell them
it was my fault.

- I'll be sure to do that.

- Virginia!

- Well, I better be going.

- Damn you, Billy.

- Whoo!

- Orderly!

- All right. Grab her!

- Augh!

- Get off!

- Celibate --
- Hey, Billy.

- Hey, Earl.
- Ahh!

- Get her down on the ground.
- Baron.

- Is she new here?
- Get off!

- What the hell you have
on your face?

- Sunglasses.
- Mm-hmm.

It's dark as a tomb in here.

Now, you--you understand
that that young lady

was not what she seemed.

- Which young lady, Dad?

- You been around the patients
your entire life.

You know the difference
between them and us.

- Well, she seemed
pretty straight.

- I had to come back

and sedate her myself
before she calmed down.

- You ever think there might be

more than one way
to calm a patient?

- Sure, stronger meds,
possibly shock treatment.

- A lobotomy, right?
- Don't be getting wise, Billy.

That girl came
in here suicidal.

She's not your plaything.
Don't go messing with her.

I do not blame my mother,
nor am I angry at her memory.

In fact, she's become
a beacon for me.

- Billy!

What are you doing?

- Oh, planting geraniums.

- I need you to rescue me.

- Why is that?

- Because I'm not crazy,
you dumb shit.

Some have said that your
views on law

and order were similar
to those of George Wallace.

As far as this problem
of law and order is concerned,

I am for law and order.

¶ Bobby's all right ¶

¶ Bobby's all right ¶

¶ He's a natural-born poet ¶

¶ He's just out of sight ¶

¶ Jungle Faced Jake,
Jungle Faced Jake ¶

¶ I said make no mistake ¶

¶ About Jungle Faced Jake ¶

¶ Yeah ¶

¶ Telegram Sam ¶

¶ You're my main man ¶

¶ Telegram Sam ¶

In another public
demonstration by some citizens

opposed to the Vietnam War...

¶ You're my main man ¶

¶ Telegram Sam ¶

¶ You're my main man ¶

Covering the campaign,
Pierre Salinger,

the former press secretary

of the late
President Kennedy,

accused the Nixon
administration today

of intimidating
the news media.

This is the news in detail
on the hour

from the WJRD newsroom.

- Hey, bad Billy Mitchell,
how you been?

- All right. You keeping
warm in there, Nigel?

- Yeah, they'll have me
on white bread by tomorrow.

You need some breakfast, Billy?

- Give me a pint of barbecue,
loaf of bread, and a Coca-Cola.

In Minneapolis...
amnesty for draft evaders

would tear the country apart.

Agnew declared...
- Those who chose to serve...

- Today's meat ain't ready yet.

I got a carton of yesterday's.

Until this war is over

and until we get
the POWs back,

those who chose
to desert their country

can live with their choice...

- Add in a little of your
granddaddy's homegrown,

will you, Nigel?

- Sure thing, Billy.
- In Vietnam yesterday...

- My number will be up soon.
- Mine too.

Shit, you ain't
going to Vietnam, whitey.

- I hope not.

I ain't got no quarrel
with them Vietcongs.

The United States military
commander in Saigon says...

- Vietnam scares
the shit out of me.

On the other hand, maybe
I could use the discipline.

- Seems like a fucked up way
to come by discipline.

- I could see you crawling
around like a cat

on a jungle footpath,
an M-16 strapped to your back.

You'd make
a formidable adversary.

- Shit, Billy,
what you going on about?

- The abortion question...
- Never mind.

Put to 1,500 people
last June by the Gallup

polling organization.

Tonight Gallup says
the survey showed...

- Here, man, can't forget this.
- Oh, yeah.

- Mm-hmm.
- Think that the question

of whether to have
an abortion should be decided

solely between a woman
and her physician.

The Gallup poll also said
that 73 %

of those interviewed agreed

that professional birth
control information services

and counseling should be
made available to unmarried...

¶ Let me tell you ¶

¶ The truth is in the eyes ¶

¶ Because eyes don't lie ¶

¶ Amen ¶

¶ Remember a smile
is just a frown ¶

¶ Turned upside down ¶

¶ My friend ¶

¶ So hear me
when I'm saying ¶

- Hey, Billy.

¶ Smiling faces ¶

- Pass that joint, man.
- ¶ Smiling faces ¶

- We're almost like brothers,
you know.

- We ain't never going to
be brothers, Billy.

I don't care
how much you smoke.

- Really? Because our moms?

- Just because our moms
ran off together

and got burned up instead
don't make us brothers.

¶ Beware of the handshake ¶

- Hey, man. I'm Billy.

- Time to turn the meat, Billy.

- All right.

- Hey, we should hang out more

like we used to, Nigel,
go on a road trip or something.

- Yeah, sure, Billy.

- Roll Tide, boys.

- Act like a little brother.

- Yeah, it's been said
many times before.

- You ask me, dudes like that,
that's the problem.

- Billy don't know about
all that shit.

- You're either part
of the problem,

or you're part of the solution.

¶ Won't do you no harm ¶

¶ Because you'll know where
he's coming from ¶

¶ Don't let the handshake
and the smile fool you ¶

- They'd kill us
if they could.

We can stay ahead.

- Of course we can.

I think I could
outrun them on foot.

- Calm down. Let's go inside.

- Where's Billy?
I want to see Billy.

- Morning, Froufrou.

- Oh, good morning,
Dr. Mitchell.

- You ready for all
those visitors today?

- Oh, yes, sir.

- Big day. Morning.

- A reminder to all visitors,

please sign in at reception,
and your party will be...

- Hi, Billy.
- Hey, Earl.

¶ Ooh ooh ooh ¶

¶ Ooh ooh ooh ¶

- Oh.
- Froufrou.

- How you making out?
- Oh, I'm fixing to melt.

Now, Billy, you just go
right on in and see your Daddy.

- He can wait his damn turn
just like the rest of us.

- Yes, sir.

- Don't pay any attention
to him.

- That's the thing.

I'm not here to see my daddy.
I'm here on a visit.

- To whom?

- Her name is Virginia.

- Absolutely not.

You know your daddy
would have my head.

- I would be goddamned
if some little peckerwood snot

is going to skip
in front of me.

- Now, you listen to me,
mister,

this here
is Dr. Mitchell's son.

He ain't going to slow you down
one little bit.

- I don't give a damn
if his daddy

is George goddamn Wallace,
you heifer bitch.

Hey, mister.

Now, who might
you be visiting today?

- My wife of 47 years,

Mrs. Gertrude Willis.

- Oh, I should have known.

You're the handsome
fellow Gertrude

is always going on about.

Look, I don't mind
if you go ahead of me, sir.

I'm just--
I'm here to see my girl.

- What's the last name?
- I don't know.

- I'll help you out
this one time, Billy,

but if your daddy finds out
about this,

this is all your doing.

- Hi.

- This is what you call
a rescue?

- You like to fish?
- Sure.

- All right, tell you what,
I'll go get my car,

and we'll catch ourselves
a mess of bluegill.

- Oh, hot damn.

- Right over here.

Nice car.

This looks like
a road trip car.

- It's my dad's.

The top leaks a little
when it rains, but the eight

fat cylinders of her
Detroit steel go pounding,

you quit caring you're
in central Alabama.

You can put on the doctor's
overalls if you want.

- Oh, your daddy's?

- Yeah, sure.
You can change inside.

Now, Virginia,

you're not gonna go
batshit crazy

and try to gut me
or something are you?

- Oh, not me.

All patients must stay

within the perimeter
of the hospital grounds.

- You better duck.

Whoo!

How fast can this thing go?

- You want to see?
- I do.

Hey...

You right-handed
or left-handed?

- I'm right-handed.

- All right.
So with your left hand,

you're gonna put your--

you're gonna put your thumb
on this.

You hold that down.

At least try not to cast it
right over my line.

- Okay.

You got something.
- Here we go.

- Reel it in.
Come on, reel it in.

- All right.

Huh?
You like that?

You want it?

I can't believe
you caught one.

- You want to feel it?

- Look at that.

- You looking at
the new mayor of T-town.

- Pass it down the line.

- Huey Newton smoking
at the revolution.

- Right on, man.

- Aw, shit.

- Stash it, man.

By United States aircraft,

an estimated
2,000 tons of bombs

were dropped against
North Vietnamese troops.

- Motherfucking
white power elite.

- That's it.

- Tuscaloosa's
white power elite.

- Fuck those pigs.
- Yeah, fucking right.

- Ugh!

Whoo!

So, Virginia,

what brings you to Tuscaloosa?

- Well, that is hard to say.

Well, it would have to be love

and hard living

and my father,

in about that border, though.

- I see.
- Mm-hmm.

You know, but I believe that
there is a conspiracy afoot.

- Oh, is that so?
- Yeah, see, first of all...

I'm not crazy.

- Oh, no, it doesn't seem so.
- No.

They can keep me here
a few months,

but if you don't get me
out of here...

I will go crazy.

- I take it you're not
at Branson by your choice?

Well, you know what?
It's complicated,

but the fact that my daddy says
I'm crazy is the law.

- You know, if you don't mind
my asking, Virginia,

what did your father say
was wrong with you?

- He said I was a nymphomaniac.

- Oh.

- Oh, you do know
what that is, don't you?

- I do, yes.

Well, uh, is it true?

Now, well, I am not sure.

What are you
about there, Billy?

- I am not sure.

- Augh!

No!

- Don't misunderstand, Billy.
Those--

those are from a long time ago.

No, they got nothing
to do with this, and...

and I'm feeling
much better now.

- That's good.
That's real good.

I'm glad you're feeling
better about it.

- Well, don't get
all serious about it.

- Okay.

- Well, go on about what you
were doing, Billy.

- We'd better head back.

Come on.

- Let me try one.

- Sure. You know how?

- Yeah, I've been watching you.

- Ooh.

Uh...

Fuck this fish.

- That was a no-good
one anyway.

Well, I'll be
seeing you, Virginia.

- Don't be a stranger, Billy.

- Don't you worry about that.

- For the most part,

I had a real good time.

Morning, Fanny.

- Good morning, Billy.

- Lawn is looking good.

You know, Brehard has
an opening at the paper.

- Cool.
- Mm-hmm,

I'm glad you think so.

He says the interview would be
just a mere formality.

- Well, I can think I can
find it down

to visit Mr. Brehard soon.
- Good.

And what's going on with Nigel?

- Well, he seems to be keeping
out of trouble.

- Well, the sheriff says
he's been keeping an eye on him

along with some of
the other boys at Paradise.

- Nigel?
- There's some serious

political shit
going on nowadays.

It's not like
when you two were boys.

- Yeah, well, Nigel is cool.

- No matter how well you think
you know someone,

they can change.

¶ There will be no pictures
of pigs ¶

¶ Shooting down brothers
on the instant replay ¶

¶ There will be no pictures
of pigs ¶

¶ Shooting down brothers
on the instant replay ¶

¶ There will be no pictures
of Whitney Young ¶

¶ being run out of Harlem
on the rail ¶

¶ With a brand-new process ¶

¶ There will be no slow motion
or still life ¶

¶ Of Roy Wilkins
strolling through Watts ¶

¶ In a red black and green
liberation jumpsuit ¶

¶ That he had been saving
for just the proper occasion ¶

- Think they're onto you?
- On me?

- Your dope.
- Maybe.

- Pigs.

- Yeah, I bet you hate
those fucking pigs.

- Sure, I say legalize it.

- It ain't about that, Billy.

How you go to college
and get to be so ignorant?

- Sitting around here
makes you Huey Newton?

¶ The revolution will be
no re-run brothers ¶

¶ The revolution
will be live ¶

- Augh.

- Hey, Grandpa.

- Hot enough for you?

How you making out?

- I'm tolerable.

- These sons of bitches
dug themselves clear out.

I'm getting too old to hunt.

Your daddy and that
son of a bitch sheriff

come for them
about a month ago.

- Well, they were, what,

tracking down
a patient or something?

- Hell no.
They say that we're outlaws.

Well...

Ohhh...

Let's get on in
out of the sun.

Whew.

So what all you been about?

- Well, long and short
of it is,

I'm mowing the lawns
and running the lunatics

on the grounds right now.

The doctor figures
I'm not going to make my mark

on the world with a lawnmower.

- It don't matter what you do
as long as you got character.

Take me, for example.

I get my satisfaction
out of drinking.

It's just whatever it is
you do,

you got to go ahead and do it.

If you get your satisfaction
out of cutting the grass,

then you just go on
and cut the grass.

- I'm not sure
that's what it is, but, yeah.

- You got time.

I weren't sure drinking
was my calling

until I was a damn sight
older than you are.

- Yes, sir.

- Don't suppose you
brought along

a little treat
for your old granddad?

- How could I forget?

- Well, now.

Mmm, ahh.

- You, uh,
are you getting some, boy?

- Oh, you know me,
Papa,

and the truth is...

It's more of a rescue.

- Well, how's that?

- It's a rather sordid tale,
but, well,

I'm not sure if she's
the crazy one or if it's me.

- What do you mean,
crazy, like, wild,

or crazy like them loonies
your daddy keeps locked up?

- She may be crazy, or,

you know, she may be
the sanest person I ever met.

I feel like I got to do
something to help her out.

- Well, there ain't
but one true path,

and that's the one you on,

and you don't let nobody
run you off,

and you don't let nobody

make you stop and sit down.

- I made you a ladder.

Ooh, second time is a charm.

- What you got in the bag?

- It's a fake groundhog.

You be good,
I'll let you eat some.

- You are too thoughtful.

- Careful now.

- Very nice.

- Yeah, when patients put
on scrubs for the first time,

it's like they become ghosts.

- More like animals.

Come on, boy.

It's intermission,
rise and stretch time,

time to refresh yourself
and visit our snack bar.

Got a yen for a hot popcorn?

- Here you go. How's this?

Fresh soft drinks
are sparkling cold.

The juicy...

- Hey, you want a drink
or something?

- Watch out.
I know black belt.

- Yeah, Bruce Lee
is giving lessons.

- Hey, those cops
the other day,

why are they watching you
so close?

- There's a riot
going on, Billy.

You just haven't seen it yet.

You're too busy mowing lawns
and chasing after lunatics.

Why don't you try
a juicy good hot dog?

Mmm, delicious.

- Thank you.
- You talking shit.

We're just
three minutes away

from the start
of our next feature.

- Billy, you know what the word
"Tuscaloosa" means?

- Get with it, man...
- No, what?

- "Tuscaloosa" is the word
for "black warrior"

to the Choctaw Indians.

- And sitting around here

makes you a black warrior?

- Billy, it's the same old shit
100 years on.

My mama was your mama's maid.

My granddaddy worked
for your old man and so on.

- What are you getting at?
- Come on, Jim.

Give us a treat.

- Billy, I don't think
I can pretend

to be your friend anymore
just because our moms.

- Pretend?

- Billy, you're either part
of the problem

or part of the solution.

It's two minutes
till showtime.

- All right.
- The refreshment stand

will remain open
after the feature begins.

So you still have time to have
some fun watching the movie.

Before we begin our
next feature,

we'd like to remind you
to replace your speaker

before leaving the theater.

If it's accidentally damaged,
just notify...

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

What?

- So tell me about
your friend, Nigel.

- Tell you what?

- Anything you know.

- Well, not much now.

We used to hang out a lot
when we were little.

- Oh, yeah?

- Our mothers,
they died in the same fire,

and they ran off together.

- They ran off?

- Yeah, it was a torrid affair.

- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.

- Oh, that's real
romantic, huh?

- Maybe so.

- Must have been
real sad for you.

Poor sad Billy.

No wonder you're so weird.

- I am not so weird.
- Oh?

It'd make anybody weird.
It's nothing to be ashamed of.

- Look, I'm not ashamed
of anything.

I think I'm in love.

- I know.

And that's why you're going
to take me away.

Out of Virginia?

Hey, you know I would
if you wasn't crazy.

- Oh, you the crazy one,

crazy about me.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6,

5, 4, 3, 2...

Time for the show.

- Let me go!

Let me go!

- Orderly!

- No! No!

I don't want to!

- I don't want to!

- Settle down.
- No! No!

Ahh! Augh!

Augh!

I don't want to.

- It's okay.
- It's all right.

- Don't make me go;
don't do it.

I don't want to.

- Yeah, it's political, man.

- Over there, it was, like,

black man fighting yellow man
for the white man.

- Yeah, that's it.

- Nigel, you ain't going
to 'Nam.

- Maybe.
- Uh-uh.

Why you act so big man,

but yet you still
so goddamned naive, huh?

You ain't going to fight
with the brothers,

'cause this dude right here

got a deferment
with that honky boy's daddy.

Why you think that headshrinker
give a fuck about you, huh?

- 'Cause he's a loony, man.

- See, now you playing
with the devil,

and the devil
gonna bite you in the ass.

- My number will be up soon,

and I ain't killing no gook
at the Vietnam, fuck no.

- Gook? Don't you be calling
nobody no motherfucking gook.

You think about some little
girl just standing there

who you just called
her motherfucking gook,

watching her mama
scream and burn

because you just
flame-throwed her ass.

Try to imagine that
with your eyes.

- Rapunzel.

Rapunzel.

Come on up, boy.

- Oh, who's this?

- Billy, Louise. Louise, Billy.

- Hey, Louise.

- I almost got caught by
the night nurse last week.

I think she's been watching me.

- Yeah, we--we got to be
more careful.

- No, I worked it out.

See, I complained
to Nurse Bickerty

about my roommate's nightmares,

and she said I should go
on stronger meds,

but I suggested that I be
moved in with a vegetal case.

Now we can come
and go as I please.

- Well, the doctor does like
the patients taking

a hand in their recovery.

You know,
sometimes she's all for

the up-and-coming health care.

- Mm-hmm, like shock therapy.
- No, Virginia, they don't do

that shit anymore.

- Oh, sure, no, not if you
behave like Louise here.

I think she had a lobotomy.

- Well, the doctor hasn't
performed a lobotomy in years,

so that's...

- You know, Billy,

I'd rather we didn't talk
about your father.

- Okay.

- You know, one time,
I ran my hand

across her breast,

down her thigh

until she became one,

started to cough.

I like to let
the wind blow over her.

I think it makes her dream.

- You are strange,

but in a good way.

- Come on, boy.

Whoa, careful.

- Nice boat.

- Thank you. It's not mine.

Whoop.

Whew.

Whoo!

This river is kind of spooky.

Hold on, I think
I got something.

- You got a big old mamba
coming

to bite you, is what you got.
- Oh, you fuck off.

I got me something
bigger than that.

- It's a rock...

- Or an alligator.

- What is it?
- It's a rock with flippers.

- A turtle.

Oh, shit!
A turtle.

- It's got a nasty beak on it.

That can make short work
of a finger.

- What have you done?

- Well, I cut the line.

- With the hook still in it?

- Well, I couldn't get it back.
It swallowed the hook.

- Swallowed the hook?
- Yeah.

- Swallowed the hook?

Fuck you. Fuck you!

Fuck you!

You're a coward.
- Would you rather me, what,

cut off his head or something?
- Oh, yes, yes, I would,

because that is what any sane
person would have done,

instead of letting it
swim around

with a hook in its throat
for the rest of its life.

Can you--can you imagine that,
huh, a hook in your throat

for the rest of your life,
forever?

- Yes, I--
- No! No, you can't!

- It was a turtle.
- No!

- It's just a turtle.

Hey, come here.

Come here.

Come on.

It was just a turtle.

Virginia?

- That's why you're good
for me, Billy.

- We'll take a peek.

Hey, get out of the car, boy.

Get up there.

Get his attention, man.

- Looky look.

Get your face on that hood,
eyes straight ahead.

- You keep your hands
on the car, boy.

- Doesn't talk much.

- You are one lucky nigga, boy.

I see the devil in you, boy.

Get your ass on home.

Black Panthers is something
we need as an equalizer.

It give them something to fear

just as we had something
to fear for many years.

Do unto him
before he do unto you.

- Boom.

We the ones who represent
the new generation.

We the ones who represent
the new train of thought.

And we the ones that ain't
taking no more shit.

Son?

What you doing up there?
- Reading.

- Uh-huh.

I'm headed to a lodge meeting.

I don't know when I'll be back.

- Okay, win big.

- Do what?
- Nothing, have fun.

- Will do.

Ow, my face, fuck.

- Psst.

- What happened to your face?

- Oh, a--a lunatic attacked me.

Oh.

Oh, lordy, you come prepared.

- Well, I was a Boy Scout.

- Oh, you don't have to worry

about me...

getting pregnant.

- Me, neither.

Come on, Nigel.
Let's go for a ride.

These motherfuckers
in Tuscaloosa,

they got to take the same licks
we put on them

in motherfucking Philadelphia,

in Detroit,
in Watts, and in Harlem.

- Oh, man, I'll stay with you.
- You can raise it.

- You take the pot, Deputy.
- Look at that.

- That Earl Campbell was riding
roughshod over...

- Oh, I can tell you,
we would be wasting our time

on this political bullshit
if George Wallace was running.

- That's true.
- Mm-hmm.

- Wallace could stand in the
middle of Broad Street

in Tuscaloosa
and shoot somebody

and still wouldn't lose
any voters.

- I think you're
right about that.

- Damn right.

- You can raise it.
- There's one.

- I put in a dollar.

- Big spender, big spender.

- Hey, Al, get me a beer.

- You know what my sergeant
once told me

after burning down
a village in Vietnam?

The man once said

that it becomes necessary
to destroy a town

to save it.

Do it, man.

Do it.

- Show some respect, boy.
- Respect?

- Hey, Sheriff.

- What in the...

Holy...

- That goddamned motorcycle.

- Fuck!

- Get out; here we go.
- You son of a bitch.

¶ Forgotten boy ¶

¶ Forgotten boy ¶

- Al, call for
the fire brigade.

It's one of them damn

- Get me--
get me that patrol car.

I want the son of a bitch.

- Now, move, move, move.

- Oh, I am gonna get me
one of those someday.

- Yeah, that's good clean fun.

- Oh, I love it.

Ain't nothing
that can catch you.

- Oh, you know how to ride one?
- Oh, you bet, son.

I stole my daddy's one time,
came back a week later.

Wild.

You're a wild one.
- I reckon so.

It has been said before.

- Oh, yeah?

- Billy, watch out!

- Nigel?

- Move over.

Whoo!

- Did you see a motorcycle?

- Oh, yeah,
it was going this way.

- Nigga left me
in the middle of nowhere.

- Well, we can catch him.
- I'll catch him later.

Never mind
if I catch him or not.

- What the hell is that?

- Why am I driving?

- Pull up alongside.

- Girl, what's wrong with you?

- She's nothing.
- Oh, hell, get on with it.

- Girl, what did you do?

- I just waved
at the man in the car.

- Damn.

I owe you one, Billy.

I can walk home from here.

Whoa.

- Is that him?

- Yeah.
- Yeah,

- That is him. Move it.

Move this car.

- Let's do it.
- Oh, Doc, we got him now,

I'll tell you what.
- We got him!

- Yeah, yeah, yeah!

- I know what you wish.

- And what do I wish?

- You wish you were him.
- Nigel?

- Running from the law.
- Yeah, that's it.

Come on, don't lose him.
- Come here, boy!

- Who was in the car, Virginia?

- It was your daddy in the car,
him and three others.

- Three other what?

- Three other white men.

- He took that old Robert road.

- Ahh!

- He got no place
to go over here.

Hit the son of a bitch.
- Got it.

- Knock him off the road.
- Yeah!

- Getting close.

Get me over to him.
- Ahh!

Ed, stop the car! I got him.

God damn, I got him good.
Back him up.

Get your hands up.

- Ahh!

Ahh!

- Morning, Latham.

I'd better do some pruning
on those elms out back.

- Them azaleas, they're fittin'
to get choked off.

- Well, better get
to the azaleas, I guess.

You right about that, Billy.

That's why you in charge.

Here come Nigel. We fittin'
to go on down the store,

see if that paint done come in.

- Good. That's a good plan.

- Latham.

That old boy keeps
this place looking good.

Nigel could learn a thing
or two from his granddaddy.

Nobody knows more about
horticulture than Latham.

- Yes, sir.

- What happened to your face,
son?

- Oh, I cut myself shaving.

- Are you fixing to get
yourself in a heap of shit?

- I hope not.
- Good, because last night,

I saw something so strange,
I cannot figure it out.

Last night, I saw someone
driving your car

and a pickled blonde
in the passenger seat.

- In the El Do?
- Yeah.

- I just--
I could not figure it out.

- What were you doing?

- I was taking some money
off the sheriff

and some other no accounts
in a game of poker,

and we heard this dirt bike
kick up, tear out of there.

I look out the window,
and the patrol car is burning,

like to blow up.

- Oh.
- Yeah.

I mean,
you should've seen Hobson.

He was apo-goddamned-plectic.

He grabbed his gun
and went out there,

and we took off after the bike,
and that's when I saw the car.

- Well...

- Yeah.
I don't mean to be getting

in your business, son,
but I just--

I couldn't figure it out.

Politics is bad business, son.

- I know it.
- Maybe you do

and maybe you don't.

Anyway, you got
to get back to work.

I can hear the leaves falling.

- Hey, you catch him?

- No, but I did get my $100
from the sheriff.

You haven't seen a white
woman

with a colored girl, have you?
- Yes, sir. I did.

It was this morning.

- Are they headed west?
- Yep.

- Billy, the doctor
will see you now.

How many times
I got to tell you

about those sunglasses?

Hard labor is not all it's
cracked up to be, huh, son?

That newspaper job
is looking pretty sweet.

- Well, you know
the life of a gardener.

The cherry trees

planted under the supervision
of my dear mother

have been attacked by a
particularly nefarious fungus.

The cherries are turning
into little raisins

before they even have
a chance to ripen.

- Put the cigarette out, Billy.

Now.

I'm fixing to make you
respectable.

I'm meeting
with Brehard Sunday afternoon.

I expect you to be there,
noon sharp.

- All right. See you then.
- Sit back down.

We got a problem here
at the hospital.

- Yeah?
- That young lady, Virginia,

I'm afraid
she's not very stable.

I'm considering a transfer to
a more controlled institution.

- When?
- Soon, possibly very soon,

but far enough away

so you can concentrate
on your job opportunities.

- I'm not sure
what you mean, Dad.

- She's sick, Billy.

She has been placed
in the official care

of the state for good reason.

Her case may involve
a surgical procedure.

- No!

- All orderlies to reception.
Code red.

Orderlies to reception
immediately.

- What's going on?

What happened?
Oh, no!

- No!
- Jesus.

- You know what, Billy?

I got me a hankering
for some barbecue.

- Barbecue, you say?
- Mm-hmm! That's right.

- Hmm.
Are you my girl, Virginia?

- More than you know.

- Well, then,
we're going to Paradise.

They're open all hours.

- Oh, take me there.
Take me to Paradise, Billy.

Pretty wild.

- Oh, yeah.

You know all about the seamy
underbelly, don't you, Billy?

- Hey, Billy.
- Hey.

Hey, buddy. Have you seen
Nigel Rathberry around?

He's--he's big.

- He's my cousin.

Oh.

- Well, how about a pie and
a loaf of bread and two Cokes?

Thank you, kindly.

- He troubling you, Randy?
- Yeah.

- Should I whip his butt?
- Yeah.

- Hi, Nigel.
- You need something, Billy?

- Oh, Billy here was just
wanting some barbecue.

- Uh-huh.

- Maybe something went down
at the hospital, so we--

- Yeah,
his daddy is thinking about

maybe sending me away.

- Or worse.

- I think the doctor has
other things

to worry about, Billy,

but if it troubles you,
why don't you take the El Do

and go away?

It could do you good
to take that road trip.

- Yeah.
I got something for you.

- How you feeling now, Billy?

- I feel fine.

- It's a good feeling,
isn't it?

Yeah, I wish I was feeling
that way right now.

- Yeah, I wish you were too.

- It's the only way to feel.

- Yeah.

- Billy, how come you always
come around here hanging?

- Oh, I like it. That's all.

- You like it?
- Yeah. I feel a connection.

- How we was like brothers?

- It's kind of weird time
to talk about--

- Actually, Billy,
I think you should

expand on that right here.

- I ain't never really
figured it out.

Uh... you know,
I been having visions.

- Visions?

- Religious visions
or some shit?

- No.

I've--I've been, uh,

seeing our mothers
in my dreams,

and they're being chased
by the doctor.

And he's acting like a lunatic,

and I believe I'm coming
to an understanding.

- I believe you're out
to a long lunch, Billy.

- Possibly so.

- You best forget
about that shit.

That shit is over.
It's a new time now.

- You ever catch him?
- Catch him?

- The guy on the motor bike.
- His name is Antoine.

No one has seen him
since the day your old man

and the sheriff was after him.

- Now you're talking shit now.
I don't--

no, they said
they never caught him.

It was just--
- Never caught him, my ass.

Damn.

- You going to have
to figure out

what side of the line
you stand on

before you come back
around here.

Am I making myself clear?

- Virginia, we--we better go.

- Oh, the party's
just started.

- You stay out of trouble.

- No, you stay out
of trouble, Nigel.

- All right, Billy.
- Look, I'm going to come back.

And we're--we're gonna talk,
all right?

- Do what you have to do,
Billy.

- Bye, Nigel.

Sorry we didn't get
to chat more.

- Oh, I've got some big news
for you, son.

- I've got some heavy things
on my mind right now, Virginia.

- Mm-mm, big news.
And you know what?

You ain't gonna to hear it
until we go to the beach.

- I'm not taking you to
the river right now, Virginia.

- Yeah, fuck the river.

I'm talking about
the real beach, the ocean.

- It's almost six hours
from here.

I just--
I just got to get you back.

- If you don't take me
to the beach,

I am through with you, Billy.

- Are you serious?

Well, is it good news
or bad news, because I--

look, I can't take
much more bad news right now.

- Well, that all depends

on whether or not
you drive me to the beach.

- Well, that's
all there is to it.

We're going to Gulf Shores.

We better stop
and get some whiskey.

- Mm-hmm.

- Otherwise,
I will fall asleep.

¶ You're dreaming ¶

- So what do you think
about the Tide, fellas?

- We undefeated.

- Bear Bryant is
on the way out.

- With that defense playing
the way it is?

- Yup! Well...

- Thank you. Thank you.
- Keeping Al on his feet.

- Your bet to this nonsense
going on.

You got the queen-jack, Doc.
You bet.

- You know what's ripe,
is your daughter, Daisy.

She looks damn fine.

- Now, you be careful
the next thing

comes out of your mouth, boy.

- Why don't you
shut up and deal?

- I'm just saying,
we are the law.

I mean, We can do what we want.
I'll go grab her by the cooch.

- Damn it, boy!

¶ I'm not sleeping ¶

¶ I'm not walking ¶

¶ And you can't hear
my talking ¶

- God!
What the hell?

- You know, actually,

there are two secrets.

Which do you want
to hear first?

- The first one.

- I'm going to tell you
the second one first.

- Tell me the second one, then.

- Your daddy is onto us.

- I was afraid of that.

- I mean,
he's definitely onto us.

- Definitely.
- Oh, definitely.

Yeah.

See, he come up to the ward
this evening talking about

how he was--
he was gonna send me

to an Ohio asylum for women...

- Ohio? What...
- With strong emotions.

Mm-hmm. And then he had me
put in a different room,

and he--oh, he told old
Bickerty to keep an eye on me,

because I'm
a subversive element.

- How'd you get back
in your old room?

I clumped her one.
- What--excuse me?

- I clumped her one
on the head.

- With what?
- With mine.

- With your head?

- I gave her what for.

- What was
the first secret, then?

- I'm not going to tell you
that one

until we get to the beach.

- Hey, so, uh,
what's that first secret?

- Your sorry seed
has taken root in me.

- Oh.

Virginia.

Virginia, where you going?

Virginia.

If we don't go back, I'm--

don't misunderstand me.
All right? I'm just--

we're gonna have to go
somewhere.

I'll have to get a job.
We need to figure out how to--

- You want to go back.
You coward.

You think--
you think you're brilliant,

but you are a turd.

- I beg you not to harangue me,
Virginia. I'm just--

- This is real,

so you better get off
your sad ass now,

and you can cut that
dreaming shit out.

- Are you sure?

Are you sure
you're pregnant, because...

Ahh!

- Ahh!

Oh! Oh!

Oh, shit.

Augh.

Why did you bite
my fucking finger? I don't...

- I'm sorry.

- I thought you said you
couldn't.

I thought you said--I thought
you said you couldn't.

Oh, shit.
- I didn't think that I could.

- Wh... how?

- I was.
- You were what?

- I was pregnant

when I got to Tuscaloosa.

But they took it out of me
first thing,

and I thought they fixed me.

- Oh, Virginia, they don't do
that sort of--

they don't do that...

They don't do that sort
of thing.

- They don't do
that sort of thing?

What the hell
are you talking about?

Why do you think
that I was shut up?

I was pregnant
with a black man's baby,

and my psychotic father

tied me up
and brought me to Tuscaloosa.

- Oh, I thought it was because
your--

because you tried to...

your ankles.

- It was a long time ago.

My daddy just
freshened them up some.

- Jesus.

- When I got there,

your daddy laid me down
on the table

and gave me some gas.

And when I woke up,

I was empty...

And, you know,

maybe it's a bit early,

But I intend to keep this one.

It's mine. Mine.

- How you doing, man?

- Thanks.

¶ Let me tell ya ¶

¶ The truth is in the eyes ¶

¶ 'Cause the eyes don't lie ¶

¶ Amen ¶

¶ Remember ¶

¶ A smile is just a frown
turned upside down ¶

¶ My friend ¶

¶ So hear me
when I'm saying ¶

¶ Smiling faces ¶

¶ Smiling faces sometimes ¶

¶ Yeah
they don't tell the truth ¶

¶ Smiling faces ¶

¶ Smiling faces tell lies ¶

¶ And I got proof ¶

¶ Beware ¶

¶ Beware of the handshake ¶

¶ That hides the snake ¶

¶ Can you dig it?
Can you dig it? ¶

¶ I'm a-tellin' ¶

- Here's my papa's place.

You can stay here
till I get back.

I just have to settle some
stuff in town before we leave.

- A cowboy settles his debts.

What?

- Those blueticks?

- Oh, yeah.

- Hi.

Hi, guys.
Hi, there, cuties.

- Who the fuck is that?

- It's me, Papa.

- Well, hey, boy.

Who's that messing
with my dogs?

- Oh, she's a lunatic.

I knocked her up, and we're
running away to California.

Can she stay here for the day?

- I reckon if you willing to
vouch for her good character.

- Oh, she's a gem, Papa.

- Oh, yeah?

Hey,
what did you do to that finger?

- I slammed it in a door.
- Ooh. Looks like a damn plum.

- Yup.
- What you need

is some medical attention.

- You got any?
- Shit.

- Hey, he said it's fine.

- Of course he did.

- Hey.
- Hey, little guy.

Isn't he the cutest?

- Hey, if, uh,
Papa gets too drunk or mean,

just ask him
why they call him possum.

He'll be telling that story
by the time I get back.

I love you.

- Hey, Billy.
- How y'all doing?

- Oh, not bad.
- All right,.

- Hey, Billy, there's some, uh,
people looking for you.

- Yeah,
I'm late for my appointment

with Mr. Brehard, my dad.

- Appointment shit.
Ain't no appointments today.

Didn't you hear the news?
- What news is that?

- They done blown up
Sheriff Hobson's office.

- Anyone hurt?
- Not bad.

One of them deputies
had his arm cut up,

but he'll be all right.

Yeah, Sheriff Hobson says it's
one of them

crazy niggers for sure,

and he went out to your
granddad's to get the dogs.

- Virginia!

Virginia!

- Over here, Billy.

- Oh.

- [Laughing.
- Oh!

Oh, baby, I was afraid
the doctor got you.

- Oh, no. You just missed him.

Papa hid me.

He's something crafty,
this one.

- He came for the dogs.

Though what he's hunting
this time of year beats me.

- Oh, they weren't hunting.
They're were chasing outlaws.

- Ah.

You got time to stay
for a drink?

- Naw. We better hit it
before I change my mind.

- We sure appreciate your help,
Papa.

- Aww. Oh.

- You come and visit us.
- Yeah.

I might just take me one of
them jet airplanes out there.

They say
it's something special.

- Well...

- Ah, ahh, boy.

- I love you, Papa.
- You too, boy.

- Bye, Papa.
- Bye-bye.

You drive safe now.

- You know I won't.

- Back so soon?

- Actually, we're leaving.
Come to say good-bye.

- You finally taking
that road trip.

I guess so.

Well, yeah.

Taking a road trip myself.

Oh, you better hit it
if you're going.

They're taking some dogs down
to the station.

I hear it's a real mess
down there.

Yeah, I heard that too.

Billy, I think
we should get going.

Nigel, if you think they're on
to you, you can run.

I ain't going nowhere.

The shit is here,
and you're in it.

Put your hands up!

Now, Billy, you and that girl

just step out of the way.

God damn it!
Go on!

Hey. Hey!

Get up there.

I said--you deaf?

You like playing with fire?

Play with fire, you get burnt.

Who done it, huh?

- Now what the hell
is going on here?

- Nothing.
There is nothing going on here.

- What are you doing
with your perpetrator, Billy?

- Perpetrator?

- Yeah, well, you see,
Doc here has a notion

that that boy is behind
some of the shit

that's been blowed up lately.

- Well, hell, we were all here
when it happened.

Hell, we were here from,
what was it,

midnight until dawn?

- Doing what?

- To be honest,
we were drinking,

and we did have
a little bit of marijuana,

but we didn't blow
nothing up.

- Is that a fact?

- Yes, sir.

- Do you know that he is
a nefarious goddamned criminal?

- Well, he might be one,
but last night,

he was right here.

- Y'all sure about this?

You the one that he done
busted out, ain't you?

- I busted myself out.

Well, I'll be.

Okay, I guess I'll let you
deal with her, Doc.

My, my, my, I bet you know

who blew up my office, huh?
Talk!

- I'll have you know, I'm not
buying any of this horse shit.

- It's true.
- You want to meet my dog?

- I think you'd might even have
tried to blown me up yourself.

It don't matter; I figure I'll
never see you again.

- No.

- Taking her along with?

- That I am.

I need to know some things.

- What's that?

- Well, I suspect you're
a bad man.

Ahh!

- Maybe I am, but I think
all these things are relative.

That's bullshit.

- Now you're young yet.

Maybe someday
you'll understand.

- No.

No, I'll never understand.

- I tell you,
nothing will break you.

Nothing will break you
like loving a crazy person.

- You hear me, boy?

- Mom wasn't the crazy one,
Dad.

- A world of trouble.

Oh, you in a world
of trouble.

I got in mind to put them
dogs on you right now.

You best tell me what you know.

Your life would be
a lot easier, son.

- Ooh!

Oh!

It's going to be another day,
another day.

We'll get you.

- Nigel.
Hey, you all right?

Makes me fucking sick, man.

We're all free.

- Do you think
you're a hero, Billy?

- I'm sorry about your head.

- I'm not worried about
my head.

- Nigel.

Nigel, you know--

- Shut up, Billy.

- Well,
you're like a--

a brother to me.

You are.

I know this sounds funny,
but it's true.

- Never mind that shit, Billy.

I'm fixing to
tell you something.

What? Anything?

- I'm not your fucking brother.

- Oh!

I know your dad killed
our moms, Billy.

They never got out
of Tuscaloosa.

- Ohh!

The babies,

they'd be awake by now.

- Yeah.

You reckon we should
go back for them?

It makes me wonder.

I wonder if his motive
is more than we thought.

It's a spiritual thing.

¶ Our bodies break ¶

¶ And the blood
just spills and spills ¶

¶ But here we sit ¶

¶ Debating math ¶

¶ It's just a shame ¶

¶ My hand just kills
and kills ¶

¶ There's gotta be an end ¶

¶ To that ¶

¶ There's gotta be an end ¶

¶ To that ¶