Hell on Wheels (2011–2016): Season 2, Episode 4 - Scabs - full transcript
After tragedy strikes one of their own, Cullen must diffuse an internal threat to the railroad.
(train whistle blowing)
(Lily): You do realize why
you're in this car, do you not?
You've been tasked by
Mr. Durant to build a bridge.
Any man can lay
track. Am I correct?
- Yes, ma'am. Pretty near.
- Then can you explain why
you've been spending all your energy
at rail's end instead
of at the bridge site?
- It'll be... remedied, ma'am.
- Thank you.
(sighing)
- You heard what the lady said.
- This where I tell you the men
don't like taking orders from a woman?
- They don't have to like it.
- No, they don't.
But if you're looking to get
back in Mr. Durant's good graces,
pissing off the man
might not be the best tack.
- Doesn't matter, as long
as we get this railroad built.
- Hmm. If you're not careful, you're
gonna start sounding like a man.
- Right.
(men shouting)
(train whistle blowing)
- Alright, move your carcasses!
(indistinct chatter)
(man): Step on it!
One more time!
(train whistle blowing)
- You lot, for the gorge,
make room for one more.
- You got it.
- As for the rest of you jackanapes, I
expect to be able to walk a mile of rail
by the time I get back from me
lunch break. (indistinct chatter)
- Change the numbers all
you want, that ain't the problem.
- Fifty-six men? Twenty-three...
And we've got another 46 coming.
Another tw... (man
screaming and sobbing)
(screaming and sobbing
continues) (indistinct chatter)
- That's gotta be Fleming.
- The sentry?
- You need to do something.
(screaming and
sobbing) (gunfire)
(gunfire)
- Bring me the long rifle!
- There's too many!
They got the high ground.
If you keep 'em occupied, we
can loop back, try and outflank 'em!
Dammit, I said bring me
the long rifle right now!
(gunfire)
(gunfire)
Get back.
(gunfire)
(indistinct chatter)
(screaming)
(gunshot)
(screaming and sobbing stops)
(whooping)
(man): He shot
Fleming! (all murmuring)
(distant whooping)
(theme music)
(woman moaning)
(moaning continues)
- Look at me. (Ferguson panting)
Look at me. Look
at me. Look at me.
- I see you.
(both panting and moaning)
(panting)
Damn, woman.
(laughing)
(laughter)
- What's so funny?
- Never thought I'd be glad...
Mr. Toole made foreman.
Out early... home late.
- Don't speak his name.
You know the rules.
- Right.
'Cause you live by rules.
(birds chirping)
- I want you to feel something.
- Damn, girl. Give a man
a minute to raise his spirit.
(laughter)
- You feel that?
That little bump?
You and me made that.
- How you know?
- Because I know.
Say something.
Elam Ferguson, you look me in the
eyes and you tell me what you're thinkin'.
Don't you leave here
without saying something!
- I can't.
- See, I-I-I'm asking you to
look... look in-inside your heart.
Inside your heart.
- Sorry, Reverend.
I'm afraid it's empty.
Same as my wallet.
(clattering) (Carl): Hey.
Alright now?
- Reverend.
- Cullen.
Could you... could you
spot a fellow traveler a drink?
(man): Rye, barkeep.
- Be right with you.
- Carl.
(banging the bar) Just the one.
You got to read
over a man today.
- Oh, you have to ask that...
that harlot who th-threw me out.
- You mean your daughter?
- Yeah. That sinning bitch...
(sniffling) stole my church.
Yes, she's... your conduit
to the Lord now.
- You mind me askin' where
you been beddin' down?
- I've been, uh... been
sleeping in the cemetery.
- It's near freezing at
night. There's no cover.
- Yeah, I find the
dead a comfort.
(train whistle blowing)
- What the hell?
You can bunk with me until you
get yourself settled. Carl, set him up.
- Carl, set them... set them up.
(men shouting)
- What in the hell's going on?
Why aren't y'all men at work?
Turn around and get back on...
(gunshot) (exclamations)
Mr. Toole!
You mind telling me why
these men ain't at work?
- All due respect...
we lost a man out there.
(man): Yeah!
- A mate.
(man): That's right!
- You finish your day's work.
Then you come back in
and drink to his memory.
- We parlayed. We all agree.
(man): That's right.
- It's not safe.
- It's about to get unsafe around here
if you don't get your ass back to work.
(man shouting)
- I am afraid you'll just have to shoot us.
(man): That's right!
(indistinct chatter)
- If we route south, then
we can bridge the river here...
and avoid the entire
issue of sacred land.
- Yes.
At considerable expense!
- Spend a few more pennies now
and keep your workforce, Thomas.
- Pennies.
- We can't run from the Sioux.
Ain't this gorge, it'll be the next.
- The men are afraid to work.
- Then find ones who ain't.
- They believe that if the Sioux
won't kill them, perhaps you will.
- Bullshit.
- Of course.
When logic isn't on your
side, resort to the profane.
- Alright... I'll give
you facts. Here.
Here. Here.
May not be sacred,
but it's all Sioux territory.
- We've established what's on
this side of the gorge! For once,
let's be smart! Reroute and
show the men we can steer them
out of harm's way!
- The Indians' home's at stake!
They'll fight us to the Rockies.
- Then we're lost!
- Turn tail first sign
of trouble, we are.
- You don't...
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What is your plan, Mr. Bohannon?
- Fight 'em here, fight 'em now.
- With what? That rabble?
- Them's the ones we got.
(chuckling)
- Well, they...
they won't even work for you.
- You let me worry about that.
Just don't reroute
this railroad.
- Let me.
- Thank you.
- Your husband know about
what you told me earlier?
- No.
Nobody knows but you and me.
- Good.
Spent my whole
life trying to get free.
Then here come a
woman - a white woman,
a married woman - spinnin' my
head saying she's got my baby.
I couldn't think of
nothin' to do but run.
Then it set with me.
- And?
- Any harm come to you,
I go weak in the head.
- You are weak in the head.
- All the Gold Eagles in the world
ain't worth a pinch of coon shit
if you can't use it to help
the folk you care about.
- Elam... (sighing)
What are you sayin'?
You saying you care about me?
- I love you.
I love you, woman.
(coins jingling)
I need you to take
these Double Eagles...
and get yourself taken care of.
- Taken care of?
- You can't have no black baby.
Your husband'll kill it, or you,
or both of you.
- Elam, I used to be a whore.
If I wanna get rid of
this child, I got my ways.
And you don't need to fear for
your freedom on my account.
(men singing): A prouder man
I walked the land
In health and peace of mind
If I might toil and
strive and moil
Nor cast one thought behind
But what would
be the world to me
Its wealth and rich array
If memory I lost of thee
My own dear Galway
(man muttering):
What's he doin' here?
- Come to pay my
respects to Mr. Fleming.
(Toole): He was a good man.
(man): Aye.
- A poor end he was met with.
- And he won't be
the last, I'm afraid.
- Mr. Michael Fleming...
Um...
He didn't ask for what he got...
but he got it
anyway. (murmurings)
Life ain't fair.
Ain't fair at all.
Hell, most of us here fought
in a war one side or the other.
We all seen men fall.
We prayed over 'em,
we drank over 'em.
But we did not quit.
Best way to honour
your friend is to carry on.
Finish this road.
(murmurings) (Toole):
Mr. Bohannon, Mr. Bohannon!
No disrespect intended...
but we won't die for
your railroad. (men): Aye.
(man): Not on your life!
- Your friend
didn't have to die.
- You best have a point!
- We're all in the same position.
- Mm-hmm.
- Sioux don't look at
any of us any different.
They just aim to kill.
- That doesn't explain why
you're interrupting a private wake!
- We're willing to protect the
end of the rail and the bridge site.
Railroad give us guns,
we'll go out early and pat...
- Give 'em guns? (laughter)
(man): You're not serious.
(loudly): Patrol for Sioux.
(indistinct chatter)
- Mr. Durant ain't gonna arm no ex-slaves
and these men wouldn't stand for it neither.
- Damn right. (men): Aye! Aye!
- Best get yourself
on outta here.
- Then you ain't getting
no work out of us.
- That's not a stand
you wanna take.
(Toole): We aren't working
neither! Not until you protect us.
We won't be sitting
ducks out there!
(all agreeing)
- Dammit, y'all listen to me!
That road's gonna get
built with or without you.
Y'all don't go to work,
it's you who's gonna lose.
Now trust me on this.
You'll lose and it'll get ugly.
Sorry for your loss.
(men singing): 'Tis
far away I am today
From scenes I roamed a boy
And long ago the hour
I know I first saw Illinois
But time nor time
nor waters wide
Can wean my heart away
Forever true it flies to you
My dear old Galway Bay
(indistinct shouting)
(man): Hang him!
- They are burning me at the stake out
there and I had to come and find you?!
- Thank you.
- Yes, ma'am.
(glass shattering)
(Durant sighing)
(distant shouting)
- What are they demanding?
- They want protection.
- Well...
we can't guarantee their
safety against the Sioux.
It's a hazard of the job.
- More beans?
- And the freedmen?
- They wanna be armed.
- Give rifles to an
army of ex-slaves?
(scoffing) No,
no. I won't allow it.
- That's what I told 'em.
- This is why we change the route.
Avoid sacred land.
Win the men back
by taking them out of harm's way.
- You do that, you'll lose this railroad.
- At least get the freedmen back out
there. They'll do what we tell them to do.
- All evidence to the contrary.
- Those Negroes... are
the property of this railroad,
Mr. Bohannon.
- "Property"?
- Yes. Most of the
freedmen are criminals,
and we bought their sentences
from the states where
they were serving time.
- Bought them, bought
me, it's all beside the point.
They do not make demands.
I told you when you hired me,
this was a war.
- Yes.
And I expected you
to have a battle plan.
Well?!
- Let me be clear.
I can't do anything... without
your complete authority.
- This is yours to deal with.
- Then, yeah...
got a plan.
(all shouting)
- Hear you're holding
that railroad hostage, huh?
He'll use you as a sacrificial
lamb for them Injuns.
- You worry about your people.
I'm gonna worry about mine.
- Boys get themself
killed playing with guns.
- They ain't never gonna see us as equals...
till we holding the weapons they got.
- Oh.
(all shouting and cheering)
I suppose everybody looks the
same once the maggots get to 'em.
- Mm-hmm.
(shouting and cheering)
(sighing)
(distant barking)
- You'd be a vision even if your whole
body were covered in them things.
Your beauty could never
be hidden from my eyes.
- Are you drunk, Mr. Toole?
- How did you know?
- Ah, you always... wax poetical
when you got a noseful.
- Chitterlings again.
- Yeah.
I had a hankering for 'em.
Just can't seem to get enough.
- They're fattening you up a bit. I
like me a woman with a bit of girth.
- Oh, it's... it's
strange, me...
wantin' to eat so much,
with me being so sick
in the mornings of late.
- I'm sure it'll pass.
Give us a kiss, woman.
Mm...
- Mr. Toole...
I'm with child.
And it ain't yours.
I can't... I can't
lie to you. You...
You've been one of the most...
halfway-decent men I ever known, but...
this child belongs...
to another.
- Does this mean
you're leavin' me?
- Seems you got your work
cut out for you, boss man.
- Ain't nothin' I can't handle.
Can you send a message
to the Council Bluffs office?
"Labour negotiations
stalled." Stop.
"Work halted."
Stop.
"Send 200 replacement workers...
on next available
train." Stop. Got that?
Alright. (distant screaming)
- There's gonna be bloodshed.
- What you care?
You ain't no freedman.
You sure as hell
ain't Irish or German.
- I ain't cleanin'
up after your mess.
- No.
You'll just do whatever
Mr. Durant wants you to.
Won't you?
(accordion playing)
- There is a... storm
brewing in town.
- Oh, that's... that's
a labour dispute, it...
appears to me.
- Ah... more blood.
More bodies.
More coffins.
Our jobs have never
been more secure. Hmm?
(hiccupping)
May I tell you a...
a secret, Reverend?
War is coming.
Yet again.
Not this business of workers
sitting down on the job.
A real war. (Reverend chuckling)
Ooh.
- Hey!
Now is the time...
to see...
things clear.
We must... decide...
which side we are on.
Hmm?
(background chatter)
(grunting)
(man, drunkenly):
Pardon me, sir.
- Where you think you goin'?
- Out of me way!
- I'm gonna tell you this once.
You lay a hand on her...
I'm gonna kill you.
- Oh, you can thrash me?
Fine.
You're not a real man.
- Just so we're clear.
- Puffed up. Big gun.
You can go to hell.
What kind of man are ya?
Most of us would give our life
to be a father, but look at ya.
Huh?
You didn't even stay
by her side before.
And where are you now?
In the middle of town,
flexing your damn
trigger finger.
You're no father.
You're just a coward.
Good night, then, yellow belly.
- Reverend.
- You... you got any
socks you want done?
(train whistle blowing)
- Why don't you
go to the Starlight?
Huh? Get us a bottle.
- What's a train doing here so late at night?
- It's new workers.
Comin' in to take over
for thems who won't go out.
- Y-you're replacing the men?
- Layin' rail ain't no scholarly business.
If the men don't wanna work, there's
hundreds more where they came from.
Now, you get us a bottle.
Whatever's left, you keep.
- Yeah.
(background chatter)
(train whistle blowing)
(Ferguson): You
enjoying your view?
(Bohannon):
Matter of fact, I ain't.
(men shouting) (man):
Let's go! take our jobs!
- The men think they steppin'
off that train to get jobs.
- If they can fight, they
might just have 'em.
(indistinct shouting)
(all shouting)
Boys are gettin'
their ass kicked.
- Let's get 'em, boys!
(all shouting)
(grunting) (Psalms):
Don't do it. Don't do it.
(panting)
(men shouting)
(train whistle blowing)
(man): Don't show
your face around here!
(indistinct shouting) (man):
Get back on that train!
- You tell anybody else tryin' to
come out here what happened!
You hear me?! (man shouting)
- Get outta here!
- Go on! Get outta here!
Go!! Back where you came from!
- Yeah!!! (men cheering)
(man 1): Let me see.
(man 2): What you got?
(indistinct chatter) (man):
Hey, congratulations!
(laughter)
- We're willin' to go back to
work, under one condition.
- Maybe you don't understand.
I can have another trainload
of workers here tomorrow.
- We understand.
The Negroes are willing to put
themselves between us and the Sioux.
We're okay with
them having guns.
- Hmm.
Get yourself some
rest, Mr. Toole.
- Proud of yourself?
- Pride ain't got
nothin' to do with it.
- So that was the plan? Everybody
supposed to get along happy ever after?
- Not quite yet.
Now you need to get
your people back to work.
Ain't no sense havin' a horse unless
it's broke enough so you can ride it.
- Except we ain't talkin' about
horses. We talkin' about men.
- Same principle.
You work for Mr. Durant now.
Same as me.
That means we're the
ones doing the ridin'.
(man 1): He ain't gonna like
that one bit! (man 2): No, he ain't.
(man): Vittles look good to me.
(harmonica playing)
- What he want?
- Get over there.
- Y'all got a choice.
You either get back to work,
or go back to prison.
- Says who?
- Boss man.
- Then we need to hear
it from the boss man.
- You're hearing it
just as good from me.
- I ain't hearin' nothin'
but some noise...
comin' from the
boss man's flunky.
Look at you.
And what you become.
Get your ass up, boy!
(men shouting)
(shouting)
- Hit him!
(Psalms screaming)
- Don't know if you're black,
don't know if you're white!
You're nothing! You hear me?!
(grunting) (men exclaiming)
(men): Get up! Get up! Get up!
(groaning)
(groaning)
- Nothin'. You ain't nothin'.
Get your ass up.
Get your ass up. Huh?
Yeah, I'll show you.
(screaming)
You bit me! You bit me!
(grunting)
(groaning)
(panting)
(groaning)
- You're still my nigger.
(grunting) (men cheering)
(chickens clucking)
- Strike's over.
- They gave in?
- The freedmen agree to
go back out, no conditions.
When the men sober up,
we're givin' the Negroes rifles
and send everybody
back out to the cut.
- But you said yourself we
can't capitulate to their demands.
- Point is, we ain't.
- I am not arming the freedmen.
- You want this railroad built,
somebody's gotta patrol that land.
Now, you gonna let
me do this or not?!
(Durant sighing)
- Well, if...
they wanna be cannon fodder - hmm...
- So be it.
But we have lost
two days and 5 miles.
- Those men fought to
the death for their jobs.
We'll make up those 5 miles in no time.
- So that's it. We move forward.
At what cost?
- You're the one said building this
railroad's the only thing that matters.
- Being smart and rerouting
is not the same as being weak!
- You and me's gonna
have to agree to disagree.
- Yes. Because clearly it always
has to be on your terms, doesn't it?
- It don't work... if there's
any question about that.
Got yourself a
real workforce now.
(footsteps)
- Mrs. Toole...
Your husband has returned home.
- Reverend?
You leavin' me?
- Well, I see you've
bent the men to your will.
(train whistle blowing) I
suppose I played a part in that.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Is it true?
I mean, do you believe
you're at war with the Sioux?
(sighing)
- Yes, sir, I do.
- Now you have the
men to do the job.
I can't stay with you.
- I respect that.
Rifle in your left hand,
cartridges in your right.
Join the line. Arms distance, please.
- You think this is unwise?
- Probably.
But this is...
Barrels down, gentlemen.
But a necessary evil, Mr. Toole.
- You're speaking of
yourself then, Mr. Bohannon.
(rifles cocking)
- Hmm. Mm-hmm.
- Rifle in your left hand.
Cartridges in your right.
(rifle cocking)
Congratulations.
Alright, gentlemen,
the rest of y'all,
rifles in your left hand,
barrel facing the sky,
finger off the trigger. Take
one cartridge in your right hand.
Sharp end is the business
end. Load that cartridge
into the cartridge port on
the side, business end first.
Now, on the order to make ready,
rack that lever all the way forward
and all the way back, loadin'
the round into the chamber. And...
make ready! (rifles cocking)
You dropped your
round. (laughter)
Pick it up.
Start again.
And... make ready!
(rifles cocking)
(background chatter)
(horse neighing)
(Psalms): Boss man coming
through. Hold your fire.
(man): Boss man coming
through! Hold your fire!
- Anything moves...
shoot the shit out of it.
Subtitling: CNST, Montreal
(Lily): You do realize why
you're in this car, do you not?
You've been tasked by
Mr. Durant to build a bridge.
Any man can lay
track. Am I correct?
- Yes, ma'am. Pretty near.
- Then can you explain why
you've been spending all your energy
at rail's end instead
of at the bridge site?
- It'll be... remedied, ma'am.
- Thank you.
(sighing)
- You heard what the lady said.
- This where I tell you the men
don't like taking orders from a woman?
- They don't have to like it.
- No, they don't.
But if you're looking to get
back in Mr. Durant's good graces,
pissing off the man
might not be the best tack.
- Doesn't matter, as long
as we get this railroad built.
- Hmm. If you're not careful, you're
gonna start sounding like a man.
- Right.
(men shouting)
(train whistle blowing)
- Alright, move your carcasses!
(indistinct chatter)
(man): Step on it!
One more time!
(train whistle blowing)
- You lot, for the gorge,
make room for one more.
- You got it.
- As for the rest of you jackanapes, I
expect to be able to walk a mile of rail
by the time I get back from me
lunch break. (indistinct chatter)
- Change the numbers all
you want, that ain't the problem.
- Fifty-six men? Twenty-three...
And we've got another 46 coming.
Another tw... (man
screaming and sobbing)
(screaming and sobbing
continues) (indistinct chatter)
- That's gotta be Fleming.
- The sentry?
- You need to do something.
(screaming and
sobbing) (gunfire)
(gunfire)
- Bring me the long rifle!
- There's too many!
They got the high ground.
If you keep 'em occupied, we
can loop back, try and outflank 'em!
Dammit, I said bring me
the long rifle right now!
(gunfire)
(gunfire)
Get back.
(gunfire)
(indistinct chatter)
(screaming)
(gunshot)
(screaming and sobbing stops)
(whooping)
(man): He shot
Fleming! (all murmuring)
(distant whooping)
(theme music)
(woman moaning)
(moaning continues)
- Look at me. (Ferguson panting)
Look at me. Look
at me. Look at me.
- I see you.
(both panting and moaning)
(panting)
Damn, woman.
(laughing)
(laughter)
- What's so funny?
- Never thought I'd be glad...
Mr. Toole made foreman.
Out early... home late.
- Don't speak his name.
You know the rules.
- Right.
'Cause you live by rules.
(birds chirping)
- I want you to feel something.
- Damn, girl. Give a man
a minute to raise his spirit.
(laughter)
- You feel that?
That little bump?
You and me made that.
- How you know?
- Because I know.
Say something.
Elam Ferguson, you look me in the
eyes and you tell me what you're thinkin'.
Don't you leave here
without saying something!
- I can't.
- See, I-I-I'm asking you to
look... look in-inside your heart.
Inside your heart.
- Sorry, Reverend.
I'm afraid it's empty.
Same as my wallet.
(clattering) (Carl): Hey.
Alright now?
- Reverend.
- Cullen.
Could you... could you
spot a fellow traveler a drink?
(man): Rye, barkeep.
- Be right with you.
- Carl.
(banging the bar) Just the one.
You got to read
over a man today.
- Oh, you have to ask that...
that harlot who th-threw me out.
- You mean your daughter?
- Yeah. That sinning bitch...
(sniffling) stole my church.
Yes, she's... your conduit
to the Lord now.
- You mind me askin' where
you been beddin' down?
- I've been, uh... been
sleeping in the cemetery.
- It's near freezing at
night. There's no cover.
- Yeah, I find the
dead a comfort.
(train whistle blowing)
- What the hell?
You can bunk with me until you
get yourself settled. Carl, set him up.
- Carl, set them... set them up.
(men shouting)
- What in the hell's going on?
Why aren't y'all men at work?
Turn around and get back on...
(gunshot) (exclamations)
Mr. Toole!
You mind telling me why
these men ain't at work?
- All due respect...
we lost a man out there.
(man): Yeah!
- A mate.
(man): That's right!
- You finish your day's work.
Then you come back in
and drink to his memory.
- We parlayed. We all agree.
(man): That's right.
- It's not safe.
- It's about to get unsafe around here
if you don't get your ass back to work.
(man shouting)
- I am afraid you'll just have to shoot us.
(man): That's right!
(indistinct chatter)
- If we route south, then
we can bridge the river here...
and avoid the entire
issue of sacred land.
- Yes.
At considerable expense!
- Spend a few more pennies now
and keep your workforce, Thomas.
- Pennies.
- We can't run from the Sioux.
Ain't this gorge, it'll be the next.
- The men are afraid to work.
- Then find ones who ain't.
- They believe that if the Sioux
won't kill them, perhaps you will.
- Bullshit.
- Of course.
When logic isn't on your
side, resort to the profane.
- Alright... I'll give
you facts. Here.
Here. Here.
May not be sacred,
but it's all Sioux territory.
- We've established what's on
this side of the gorge! For once,
let's be smart! Reroute and
show the men we can steer them
out of harm's way!
- The Indians' home's at stake!
They'll fight us to the Rockies.
- Then we're lost!
- Turn tail first sign
of trouble, we are.
- You don't...
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What is your plan, Mr. Bohannon?
- Fight 'em here, fight 'em now.
- With what? That rabble?
- Them's the ones we got.
(chuckling)
- Well, they...
they won't even work for you.
- You let me worry about that.
Just don't reroute
this railroad.
- Let me.
- Thank you.
- Your husband know about
what you told me earlier?
- No.
Nobody knows but you and me.
- Good.
Spent my whole
life trying to get free.
Then here come a
woman - a white woman,
a married woman - spinnin' my
head saying she's got my baby.
I couldn't think of
nothin' to do but run.
Then it set with me.
- And?
- Any harm come to you,
I go weak in the head.
- You are weak in the head.
- All the Gold Eagles in the world
ain't worth a pinch of coon shit
if you can't use it to help
the folk you care about.
- Elam... (sighing)
What are you sayin'?
You saying you care about me?
- I love you.
I love you, woman.
(coins jingling)
I need you to take
these Double Eagles...
and get yourself taken care of.
- Taken care of?
- You can't have no black baby.
Your husband'll kill it, or you,
or both of you.
- Elam, I used to be a whore.
If I wanna get rid of
this child, I got my ways.
And you don't need to fear for
your freedom on my account.
(men singing): A prouder man
I walked the land
In health and peace of mind
If I might toil and
strive and moil
Nor cast one thought behind
But what would
be the world to me
Its wealth and rich array
If memory I lost of thee
My own dear Galway
(man muttering):
What's he doin' here?
- Come to pay my
respects to Mr. Fleming.
(Toole): He was a good man.
(man): Aye.
- A poor end he was met with.
- And he won't be
the last, I'm afraid.
- Mr. Michael Fleming...
Um...
He didn't ask for what he got...
but he got it
anyway. (murmurings)
Life ain't fair.
Ain't fair at all.
Hell, most of us here fought
in a war one side or the other.
We all seen men fall.
We prayed over 'em,
we drank over 'em.
But we did not quit.
Best way to honour
your friend is to carry on.
Finish this road.
(murmurings) (Toole):
Mr. Bohannon, Mr. Bohannon!
No disrespect intended...
but we won't die for
your railroad. (men): Aye.
(man): Not on your life!
- Your friend
didn't have to die.
- You best have a point!
- We're all in the same position.
- Mm-hmm.
- Sioux don't look at
any of us any different.
They just aim to kill.
- That doesn't explain why
you're interrupting a private wake!
- We're willing to protect the
end of the rail and the bridge site.
Railroad give us guns,
we'll go out early and pat...
- Give 'em guns? (laughter)
(man): You're not serious.
(loudly): Patrol for Sioux.
(indistinct chatter)
- Mr. Durant ain't gonna arm no ex-slaves
and these men wouldn't stand for it neither.
- Damn right. (men): Aye! Aye!
- Best get yourself
on outta here.
- Then you ain't getting
no work out of us.
- That's not a stand
you wanna take.
(Toole): We aren't working
neither! Not until you protect us.
We won't be sitting
ducks out there!
(all agreeing)
- Dammit, y'all listen to me!
That road's gonna get
built with or without you.
Y'all don't go to work,
it's you who's gonna lose.
Now trust me on this.
You'll lose and it'll get ugly.
Sorry for your loss.
(men singing): 'Tis
far away I am today
From scenes I roamed a boy
And long ago the hour
I know I first saw Illinois
But time nor time
nor waters wide
Can wean my heart away
Forever true it flies to you
My dear old Galway Bay
(indistinct shouting)
(man): Hang him!
- They are burning me at the stake out
there and I had to come and find you?!
- Thank you.
- Yes, ma'am.
(glass shattering)
(Durant sighing)
(distant shouting)
- What are they demanding?
- They want protection.
- Well...
we can't guarantee their
safety against the Sioux.
It's a hazard of the job.
- More beans?
- And the freedmen?
- They wanna be armed.
- Give rifles to an
army of ex-slaves?
(scoffing) No,
no. I won't allow it.
- That's what I told 'em.
- This is why we change the route.
Avoid sacred land.
Win the men back
by taking them out of harm's way.
- You do that, you'll lose this railroad.
- At least get the freedmen back out
there. They'll do what we tell them to do.
- All evidence to the contrary.
- Those Negroes... are
the property of this railroad,
Mr. Bohannon.
- "Property"?
- Yes. Most of the
freedmen are criminals,
and we bought their sentences
from the states where
they were serving time.
- Bought them, bought
me, it's all beside the point.
They do not make demands.
I told you when you hired me,
this was a war.
- Yes.
And I expected you
to have a battle plan.
Well?!
- Let me be clear.
I can't do anything... without
your complete authority.
- This is yours to deal with.
- Then, yeah...
got a plan.
(all shouting)
- Hear you're holding
that railroad hostage, huh?
He'll use you as a sacrificial
lamb for them Injuns.
- You worry about your people.
I'm gonna worry about mine.
- Boys get themself
killed playing with guns.
- They ain't never gonna see us as equals...
till we holding the weapons they got.
- Oh.
(all shouting and cheering)
I suppose everybody looks the
same once the maggots get to 'em.
- Mm-hmm.
(shouting and cheering)
(sighing)
(distant barking)
- You'd be a vision even if your whole
body were covered in them things.
Your beauty could never
be hidden from my eyes.
- Are you drunk, Mr. Toole?
- How did you know?
- Ah, you always... wax poetical
when you got a noseful.
- Chitterlings again.
- Yeah.
I had a hankering for 'em.
Just can't seem to get enough.
- They're fattening you up a bit. I
like me a woman with a bit of girth.
- Oh, it's... it's
strange, me...
wantin' to eat so much,
with me being so sick
in the mornings of late.
- I'm sure it'll pass.
Give us a kiss, woman.
Mm...
- Mr. Toole...
I'm with child.
And it ain't yours.
I can't... I can't
lie to you. You...
You've been one of the most...
halfway-decent men I ever known, but...
this child belongs...
to another.
- Does this mean
you're leavin' me?
- Seems you got your work
cut out for you, boss man.
- Ain't nothin' I can't handle.
Can you send a message
to the Council Bluffs office?
"Labour negotiations
stalled." Stop.
"Work halted."
Stop.
"Send 200 replacement workers...
on next available
train." Stop. Got that?
Alright. (distant screaming)
- There's gonna be bloodshed.
- What you care?
You ain't no freedman.
You sure as hell
ain't Irish or German.
- I ain't cleanin'
up after your mess.
- No.
You'll just do whatever
Mr. Durant wants you to.
Won't you?
(accordion playing)
- There is a... storm
brewing in town.
- Oh, that's... that's
a labour dispute, it...
appears to me.
- Ah... more blood.
More bodies.
More coffins.
Our jobs have never
been more secure. Hmm?
(hiccupping)
May I tell you a...
a secret, Reverend?
War is coming.
Yet again.
Not this business of workers
sitting down on the job.
A real war. (Reverend chuckling)
Ooh.
- Hey!
Now is the time...
to see...
things clear.
We must... decide...
which side we are on.
Hmm?
(background chatter)
(grunting)
(man, drunkenly):
Pardon me, sir.
- Where you think you goin'?
- Out of me way!
- I'm gonna tell you this once.
You lay a hand on her...
I'm gonna kill you.
- Oh, you can thrash me?
Fine.
You're not a real man.
- Just so we're clear.
- Puffed up. Big gun.
You can go to hell.
What kind of man are ya?
Most of us would give our life
to be a father, but look at ya.
Huh?
You didn't even stay
by her side before.
And where are you now?
In the middle of town,
flexing your damn
trigger finger.
You're no father.
You're just a coward.
Good night, then, yellow belly.
- Reverend.
- You... you got any
socks you want done?
(train whistle blowing)
- Why don't you
go to the Starlight?
Huh? Get us a bottle.
- What's a train doing here so late at night?
- It's new workers.
Comin' in to take over
for thems who won't go out.
- Y-you're replacing the men?
- Layin' rail ain't no scholarly business.
If the men don't wanna work, there's
hundreds more where they came from.
Now, you get us a bottle.
Whatever's left, you keep.
- Yeah.
(background chatter)
(train whistle blowing)
(Ferguson): You
enjoying your view?
(Bohannon):
Matter of fact, I ain't.
(men shouting) (man):
Let's go! take our jobs!
- The men think they steppin'
off that train to get jobs.
- If they can fight, they
might just have 'em.
(indistinct shouting)
(all shouting)
Boys are gettin'
their ass kicked.
- Let's get 'em, boys!
(all shouting)
(grunting) (Psalms):
Don't do it. Don't do it.
(panting)
(men shouting)
(train whistle blowing)
(man): Don't show
your face around here!
(indistinct shouting) (man):
Get back on that train!
- You tell anybody else tryin' to
come out here what happened!
You hear me?! (man shouting)
- Get outta here!
- Go on! Get outta here!
Go!! Back where you came from!
- Yeah!!! (men cheering)
(man 1): Let me see.
(man 2): What you got?
(indistinct chatter) (man):
Hey, congratulations!
(laughter)
- We're willin' to go back to
work, under one condition.
- Maybe you don't understand.
I can have another trainload
of workers here tomorrow.
- We understand.
The Negroes are willing to put
themselves between us and the Sioux.
We're okay with
them having guns.
- Hmm.
Get yourself some
rest, Mr. Toole.
- Proud of yourself?
- Pride ain't got
nothin' to do with it.
- So that was the plan? Everybody
supposed to get along happy ever after?
- Not quite yet.
Now you need to get
your people back to work.
Ain't no sense havin' a horse unless
it's broke enough so you can ride it.
- Except we ain't talkin' about
horses. We talkin' about men.
- Same principle.
You work for Mr. Durant now.
Same as me.
That means we're the
ones doing the ridin'.
(man 1): He ain't gonna like
that one bit! (man 2): No, he ain't.
(man): Vittles look good to me.
(harmonica playing)
- What he want?
- Get over there.
- Y'all got a choice.
You either get back to work,
or go back to prison.
- Says who?
- Boss man.
- Then we need to hear
it from the boss man.
- You're hearing it
just as good from me.
- I ain't hearin' nothin'
but some noise...
comin' from the
boss man's flunky.
Look at you.
And what you become.
Get your ass up, boy!
(men shouting)
(shouting)
- Hit him!
(Psalms screaming)
- Don't know if you're black,
don't know if you're white!
You're nothing! You hear me?!
(grunting) (men exclaiming)
(men): Get up! Get up! Get up!
(groaning)
(groaning)
- Nothin'. You ain't nothin'.
Get your ass up.
Get your ass up. Huh?
Yeah, I'll show you.
(screaming)
You bit me! You bit me!
(grunting)
(groaning)
(panting)
(groaning)
- You're still my nigger.
(grunting) (men cheering)
(chickens clucking)
- Strike's over.
- They gave in?
- The freedmen agree to
go back out, no conditions.
When the men sober up,
we're givin' the Negroes rifles
and send everybody
back out to the cut.
- But you said yourself we
can't capitulate to their demands.
- Point is, we ain't.
- I am not arming the freedmen.
- You want this railroad built,
somebody's gotta patrol that land.
Now, you gonna let
me do this or not?!
(Durant sighing)
- Well, if...
they wanna be cannon fodder - hmm...
- So be it.
But we have lost
two days and 5 miles.
- Those men fought to
the death for their jobs.
We'll make up those 5 miles in no time.
- So that's it. We move forward.
At what cost?
- You're the one said building this
railroad's the only thing that matters.
- Being smart and rerouting
is not the same as being weak!
- You and me's gonna
have to agree to disagree.
- Yes. Because clearly it always
has to be on your terms, doesn't it?
- It don't work... if there's
any question about that.
Got yourself a
real workforce now.
(footsteps)
- Mrs. Toole...
Your husband has returned home.
- Reverend?
You leavin' me?
- Well, I see you've
bent the men to your will.
(train whistle blowing) I
suppose I played a part in that.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Is it true?
I mean, do you believe
you're at war with the Sioux?
(sighing)
- Yes, sir, I do.
- Now you have the
men to do the job.
I can't stay with you.
- I respect that.
Rifle in your left hand,
cartridges in your right.
Join the line. Arms distance, please.
- You think this is unwise?
- Probably.
But this is...
Barrels down, gentlemen.
But a necessary evil, Mr. Toole.
- You're speaking of
yourself then, Mr. Bohannon.
(rifles cocking)
- Hmm. Mm-hmm.
- Rifle in your left hand.
Cartridges in your right.
(rifle cocking)
Congratulations.
Alright, gentlemen,
the rest of y'all,
rifles in your left hand,
barrel facing the sky,
finger off the trigger. Take
one cartridge in your right hand.
Sharp end is the business
end. Load that cartridge
into the cartridge port on
the side, business end first.
Now, on the order to make ready,
rack that lever all the way forward
and all the way back, loadin'
the round into the chamber. And...
make ready! (rifles cocking)
You dropped your
round. (laughter)
Pick it up.
Start again.
And... make ready!
(rifles cocking)
(background chatter)
(horse neighing)
(Psalms): Boss man coming
through. Hold your fire.
(man): Boss man coming
through! Hold your fire!
- Anything moves...
shoot the shit out of it.
Subtitling: CNST, Montreal