The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 5, Episode 23 - The Hiding Place - full transcript

Of course, we've been
given to understand

how much the Germans
appreciate music.

Well, they have given the world
Beethoven, Brahms and Bach.

Well, then maybe
you can tell me.

Is it true that the
music of Mendelssohn

has been banned by the
Nazis because he was a Jew?

I told you.

Those are areas in which I have
neither interest nor competence.

I'm joining the National Guard.

You're what?

(PLAYING CLASSICAL
MUSIC ON PIANO )



(EXCLAIMS)

JOHN-BOY: Although the years of my
boyhood and youth on Walton's Mountain

were a time of uncertainty
and desperation for millions,

somehow in our home,

we were sustained by a
sense of being safe and secure.

And then, a visitor
came into our world,

and though she
tried to close the door

against the storm that was
sweeping across Europe,

the force of it was felt
even on Walton's Mountain.

Ben! Erin! We're gonna be late.

I'm surprised at you, Livie.

I've never seen you in such a rush to
get over to the Baldwin ladies before.

We've been invited
to a reception.

We ought to get there on time.



What do you do at
a reception, anyway?

Well, most anything
is likely to happen,

but if the Baldwin ladies
serve some of the Recipe,

I think things
will be real lively.

They wouldn't serve
that stuff at a reception.

Oh, don't worry, Livie.
I'll behave myself.

This country boy will conduct himself with
dignity in front of this European visitor.

If this lady's from Europe, how
can she be a cousin of the Baldwins?

Oh, the Baldwin ladies
have cousins all over.

Here, there and everywhere.

I reckon if you went to the
moon, there'd be a Baldwin there.

On the moon? Well,
Morocco, maybe.

Playing with confetti
again, Elizabeth?

Ben? BEN: But, John-Boy,
I don't understand.

I still don't know why you're
making a big deal out of this.

How often do you get a chance to talk to
somebody who spent their life in Europe?

What do you say to her? You
don't say anything. You just listen.

Mama, do I look all right to
meet someone from Europe?

You look just fine. I'm
kind of nervous about this.

Well, don't drag your
feet. Let's go, now.

Bye-bye, everyone. Bye-bye!

See you all later.

Can I trade you two
stamps from France

for one from Yugoslavia?

Where is Yugoslavia?

Don't look at me. I can't
even find Charlottesville.

(PLAYING CLASSICAL
MUSIC ON PIANO )

Jason, that was
simply beautiful.

(LAUGHING)
Schubert gets the credit.

Oh, but you play well.

Very well, indeed.

Thank you.

It's such a favorite of mine,

and the words
are so lovely, too.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

It sounds so peaceful,

even if I don't
know what it means.

Exactly.

And the words
mean something like,

"You are rest and gentle peace.

"You are longing
and what quiets it."

Oh.

Hilary speaks five languages.

I have a hard time
organizing my thoughts in one!

Oh, but I never
organize my thoughts.

If you lapse in French
or Italian, nobody notices.

I would so love to be able
to lapse into fluent French.

Corabeth, that lapse
might just lose me.

BOTH: Oh!

Please, who would
like some more tea?

I... I could do with a
drop more of the Recipe.

Of course,
Mr. Walton. Certainly.

There.

(CHUCKLES)

Dr. Willard?

Well, uh, I do hate to
see a man drink alone.

Purely medicinal.

We're so happy to
have dear Hilary with us.

Papa was always partial to the
Baltimore branch of the Baldwins.

Oh, well, there's nobody
left on that branch anymore,

except me.

I've been away so
long, I'm a stranger.

In fact, I was feeling like
an alien in my own country

until I found
these kind friends.

Now, this is your home, Hilary.

It's so kind of you all to come
and make me feel so welcome.

Tell me, exactly how long
had you lived in Europe?

Since I was six years old.

Hilary's papa was in our
diplomatic service in London.

Such a distinguished man.

When did you move to Germany?

My husband was... Is German.

MISS EMILY: I remember
the wedding announcement.

So elegant. It was
in two languages.

I've saved it for years.

What a lovely family
you have, Mrs. Walton.

I hope you'll be staying long enough
to have some supper with us one day.

Well, that's a delightful idea,
but my plans are indefinite.

We can't think of having
Hilary leave, can we, Sister?

No, no.

Well, I must get out,
rediscover my own country.

Uh, Mrs. von Kleist,
our local Women's Club

is very concerned
with world events.

Oh, as I said, I... I'm not
a very organized person.

Oh, I wasn't suggesting

that you would be interested
in joining our little club.

I just thought, perhaps, it would be
such a treat if you would speak to us

on "Europe today"

or "the Europe I have known."

Let's talk about it at another
time, shall we, Mrs. Godsey?

When my plans are more certain.

Oh, of course.

Mrs. von Kleist.

Oh, please, I insist
you all call me Hilary.

Oh, thank you.

Hilary.

I'd be curious to know
your reactions, uh,

towards what Hitler

and the National Socialists
are doing in Germany,

speaking as an American

who's lived there for
a number of years.

My reactions?

Well, I do wish Hitler
would shave his mustache.

On some men, a
mustache is most becoming.

On him, it's quite ludicrous.

(ALL LAUGHING)

I agree.

He looks more like a comedian
than a revolutionary leader.

BEN: How do you
feel about the Nazis?

Well, they've brought a kind
of order to what was disorder,

and they have managed
to unify the country.

But don't you feel that all of
their activities are... are, uh,

directed towards war?

I'm not an authority on
German political matters.

My husband is
still in the country.

Oh, but certainly, you
must have an attitude

about Hitler's push
into the Sudetenland,

and Austria and Czechoslovakia?

John-Boy, this is not the
place to talk about those things.

Oh, that's quite
all right, Olivia.

My grandfather was an
ambassador, my father, a diplomat,

my husband, a statesman.

I have one law for survival.

Never discuss politics,

especially in a
social situation.

Pardon me.

Perhaps you'll let me
have an interview, then,

for my newspaper,
regarding your experiences?

Oh, I really don't think

that anything I might have to
say would be of any interest,

but we'll see.

Just now, if you'll humor me,

I'd like your brother
to play again.

Do you know Schubert's Serenade?

I can try it.

(PLAYING SERENADE ON PIANO)

Well, Ben, now you
know what a reception is.

Well, I can think of
better things to do.

That Mrs. von Kleist, I
sure don't understand her.

Well, I'll tell you
one thing about her.

She knows more than
she's talking about.

Well, she's a deeply troubled
lady. You can see it in her eyes.

I agree with you,
Grandpa. Was it worth it?

I wish the talk wouldn't
always get around to war.

JASON: She's the best
audience I've ever had.

She truly enjoyed your music.

JASON: I reckon it takes
her back to Germany.

Seems to me she didn't even
wanna think about Germany.

Maybe some of the things she
has to think about are painful to her.

I've had enough socializing.
Good night, you all.

Good night, Grandpa.
Jim-Bob, Elizabeth, time for bed.

Come on. Here you go.

She was gonna beat you
anyway this time. Good night.

Good night. Good night, you two.

Time for me to turn in, too.

Good night, Daddy. Uh, Daddy?

Thursday night,
can I use the truck?

What for?

Well, I'm signing up
for the National Guard,

and they drill on
Thursday night.

You're what?

I'm going into the
National Guard.

You'll do nothing of the kind!

Now, just a minute. Don't get
your fur up. Let's hear him out.

It's really nothing, Mama.

We go to the Rockfish armory
and drill one night a week,

and that pays a dollar,

and we go to camp for a
couple of weeks in the summer,

and they have a band,
and that pays money, too.

I don't care how much they pay.

If my feelings count for anything
at all, you'll forget this right now.

Mama, a lot of fellas are
signing up with the Guard.

It's not the regular Army.

There's no reason he
can't join if he wants to.

Nothing any of you can say is
gonna reconcile me to Jason or you

or any of my sons
signing up to be soldiers!

Don't worry about it, son.

Being a militiaman is a long and
honorable tradition in this state.

I'll talk to your mother.

Good night. Good night.

Good night, Daddy.

Come on, Jason,
have a cup of coffee.

Liv, I think you're
off-base on this.

John, it's happening
all over again,

just like it did
before the last war.

Boys out marching
and carrying guns,

and all the while,
everybody saying it's nothing.

I'm gonna say something
you're not gonna like.

It's time we got
prepared over here.

If my boys have to
fight, I want them trained.

Is that what your brother
Ben died in the last war for?

NEWSCASTER ON RADIO:
President Roosevelt unexpectedly called

for greater American awareness

of what is happening
in the rest of the world.

ROOSEVELT ON RADIO: The
epidemic of world lawlessness is spreading.

When an epidemic
of physical disease

starts to spread,

the community joins in a
quarantine of the patients

in order to protect the
health of the community

against the spread
of the disease.

Peace-loving
nations such as ours

have a responsibility
to act in concert

with other nations of
the world community.

Sounds just like Woodrow
Wilson before the Great War.

He says he hates war,
but he seems determined

to get us involved in something
that doesn't concern us.

Mama, he just
wants us to be aware

of what's going on
around us. That's all.

When our neighbor's
field is on fire,

we better help put it out,
and not just for his sake.

Sparks don't travel across
3,000 miles of ocean.

Sooner or later, they do.

Well, whenever there was
something around to defend,

there's usually a Walton
around defending it.

Your breakfast is getting cold.

Hotcakes?

BEN: Good morning.
JOHN: Good morning, son.

JOHN-BOY: Good
morning, Ben. Good morning.

John-Boy, will you
say grace, please?

Yes.

Dear Lord, we thank Thee for this
food and for all Thy blessings. Amen.

ALL: Amen.

What's the matter with
everyone this morning?

I guess I started it last night,

talking about the
National Guard.

I still don't see what's
so terrible about it.

I've said everything I'm
gonna say on the subject.

A chance to make a dollar
just for a couple of hours a week.

All right, I'll scrape together a
dollar a week and pay you not to join.

The money's just part
of it, Mama, not all of it.

Your mother and I have
already talked about this, son.

I don't see what's
wrong with a Walton man

joining up to
protect what's his.

And I'm just trying to
protect what's mine!

All right, all right,
I've said enough.

I've never yet heard a man
listen to a woman on this subject.

I can't stop you from joining

any more than I could stop your
father from enlisting in his war.

Do it!

Just don't expect my blessing!

Come on, everybody. Eat
up. Pass me the muffins, there.

(HONKING)

(HORN HONKING)

(HONKING)

(MOOING)

(HORN HONKING)

Thought I heard a car.

Hmm?

(HONKING)

(MOOING)

Oh, it's only you.
Who'd you think it was?

She thought it was the man of her
dreams coming to carry her away.

Isn't it something?

It is something.

Chance thinks it's
the bull of her dreams.

GRANDPA: That horn
would make Gabriel proud.

Where'd you get
it? Syke's Junkyard.

It's off a Rolls-Royce.

JOHN: Must have
cost you a pretty penny.

Well, it isn't exactly mine.

Sykes has given me
time to raise the $8.

$8? You can live
a month off of $8.

Jim-Bob, you know how I feel
about buying things on time.

Yeah, but this is
different, Daddy.

I gave Sykes my
distributor as security.

When I pay him the $8,
I'll get my distributor back.

It's not a car. It's
a jigsaw puzzle.

You heard the concert. Let's
get back to work. Yeah, come on.

Hey, where are you
gonna get $8, Jim-Bob?

I guess I'll have to
do some odd jobs.

Maybe I can work
for you on the paper!

Uh, don't count
on that, Jim-Bob.

Things have been
tight these days.

John-Boy! Miss Emily.

Come in. What a joyous surprise!

Sister, we have a visitor.

Miss Mamie. Now,
isn't this fortuitous?

We were just saying how
gracious it was of your family

to join us here
the other evening

and making Hilary feel that
she had indeed come home.

Oh, well, we were
delighted to be included.

Uh, excuse me, do you think
that maybe Hilary would be able

to spare me a couple of
minutes for an interview?

Oh, I'm sure she'll
welcome the diversion.

Oh, life must be so
tedious for her here.

I'll go tell her. Thank
you very much.

You know, I do believe that
Hilary's husband was involved

in newspaper work in Germany.

Mmm-hmm.

Miss Mamie, for a woman
who has spent so many years

in such a fascinating
time and place,

she seems particularly
unwilling to discuss it.

It seems painful for her to
talk about her life over there,

and so, of course,
Sister and I do not press.

Of course.

Tell me something.

Does her husband have anything
to do with the government?

I seem to recall she said something
about his being a statesman.

That's how they met.

He was in the German
diplomatic service in London. Ah.

Oh! Their wedding was
an international event.

Papa spoke of taking Sister
and me abroad for the occasion,

(SIGHS)

but that was not to be.

John-Boy? Yes, ma'am?

I'm so sorry, but Hilary
asked to be excused.

She regrets she's not
up to receiving visitors.

I'm sorry to hear that.

She really isn't very well.

Well, then perhaps she
should see Dr. Willard.

Sister and I have urged that.

I'm sure you must
be very disappointed.

Well, just tell her that I
hope she's feeling better

and as soon as she can spare me a
few minutes, I'd be glad to come over.

Oh, we'll certainly
tell her, John-Boy.

Thank you. Yes.

Our best to all your family.

Certainly.

Please, uh, I'll see myself out.

Thank you.

(CAR DRIVING AWAY)

(HORN HONKING)

(COW MOOING) Say,

if you and our old cow could
only learn Swanee River,

I could get you on Major
Bowes' Amateur Hour.

♪ Way down ♪

It's gonna take something
like that for me to raise $8.

It is a lot of money, isn't it?

Guess Daddy was right.
Guess I overreached myself,

trying to put a Rolls-Royce
horn on a Model A chassis.

It's something like putting a
stained-glass window into a privy,

but if you like it...

Well, liking it is one thing.

Paying for it is another.

Hmm. Yeah, move over
and give me a ride, hmm?

Let her rip.

(HONKING)

(MOOING)

Give it a rest, son. You
can't do it all in one day.

I wish everything
was as simple as this.

A job to be done, you do it.
There's no fuss, no argument.

Other people's feelings
don't get in the way, huh?

I never thought Mama
would get so upset

about me wanting
to join the militia.

Thought it'd be
as simple as this.

You mention soldiering to your
mama, it brings back memories

and a lot of them bad.

I'm not talking
about going to war.

This is drilling
one night a week,

going to camp in the summer
with a lot of my friends,

putting on a uniform and stepping
out in a parade on Armistice Day.

That's all.

It's not quite all, son.

If a war comes along, you'll be
the first one called up, you know.

If it comes, I'd wanna be in it.

I don't wanna argue with you.

You're old enough to
know what you're doing.

I wanna do it.

Then do it.

"Von Kleist" is the name.

That's K-L-E-I-S-T.

Right.

Yeah, supposedly it's an
aristocratic Prussian family.

Well, that's right.

Mr. von Kleist has held some
positions in the German government,

so it's quite possible he's got
some newspaper connection.

Anything you find
out, I'd like to know.

Okay. Thank you very much.

I reversed the charges,

so they'll just put it on
my monthly bill, all right?

Oh, whichever
way is best for you.

Ike, you have no idea,

and running a newspaper
without a telephone

is the hardest
thing in the world.

Well, you know you're
always welcome to use ours.

Thank you very much.

Oh, John-Boy! I thought I
recognized that voice. Corabeth.

I was just going to send this little
story down to the paper with Ike,

but you've saved him a trip.

I hope there'll be room
for it in The Chronicle.

"Mrs. Hilary Baldwin von Kleist
to speak at the Women's Club.

"'My years in Germany'"
How did you manage that?

Isn't that a coup?

Hilary is so gracious.

Well, we are
sponsoring the event,

but the public, both male
and female, of course,

is cordially invited.

Well, on behalf of The
Chronicle, I cordially accept.

I'm not a beer drinker,

but I still found the Oktoberfest in
Munich an exhilarating experience,

a carnival of high spirits,

joyous sharing
and good fellowship,

but, of course, the
clinking of beer steins

is merely an overture
to the delights

of, oh, an opera by Mozart,

a quartet by Schubert or
a symphony by Beethoven.

In fact, to conclude this
shamelessly personal reminiscence

of my almost 18
years in Germany,

I'd like to leave you with some
words from Schiller's Ode to Joy,

which Beethoven put to music

in the final movement
of his Ninth Symphony.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

Freely translated,

"We countless millions share
the bliss of a love that's universal.

"We all are brothers,
and our Father waits for us

"in our everlasting
home beyond the stars."

If there are any questions,

Mrs. von Kleist has very generously
offered to try and answer them.

Frau von Kleist?

In all your trips, uh, up
and down the Rhine River,

you ever run across a
little lady called Die Lorelei?

No, I don't believe
I did, Mr. Walton,

but then I understand
she reserves her charms

for susceptible gentlemen.

Are most of the people in
Germany as enthusiastic

about classical music
as you seem to be?

Oh, even more so.

I mean, in Germany, uh,

music is more important
than bread or sauerkraut

or even beer!

Thank you.

Uh, I'd like to ask a question.

Uh, what are the
stores like over there?

Well, uh, in the cities,
large department stores,

and then in the
villages, small markets,

very quaint and colorful.

Rather like yours, Mr. Godsey.

Ma'am? Yes?

You've certainly given
us a very charming picture

of the years you've
spent in Germany.

Apparently, you
don't seem to feel

that the Nazi regime has
changed any of that at all, do you?

I don't feel qualified
to answer that question.

Oh.

Thank you.

Are there any further questions?

If not, then the meeting
is officially adjourned,

and you are all invited to
enjoy some refreshments,

which some of the ladies
have prepared in the anteroom.

Oh, it was just lovely.

I do hope they have macaroons.

Cookies.

I'm sorry I had to miss part of your
talk while we were getting set up in here.

Well, I'll repeat any part
of it any time for you, Olivia.

It was wonderful, Olivia.

Dear Hilary made me
feel as if I were really there,

drifting past those lovely
castles on the Rhine.

And the festivals at Bayreuth and
Salzburg, all that beautiful music.

Of course, we've been
given to understand

how much the Germans
appreciate music.

Well, they have given the world
Beethoven, Brahms and Bach.

Well, then maybe
you can tell me.

Is it true that the
music of Mendelssohn

has been banned by the
Nazis because he was a Jew?

OLIVIA: John-Boy, the
question period is over.

People just wanna relax
and enjoy themselves.

Well, I'm sorry, but
all of my questions

seem still to be
looking for answers.

Now I've been
given to understand

that your husband has been
in the publishing business.

Maybe you can tell me

why some of the great
German newspapers

have been forced to close down.

I told you.

Those are areas in which I have
neither interest nor competence.

CORABETH: John-Boy, why
don't you have some punch?

This is just a small gathering
of neighbors and friends.

OLIVIA: A social gathering is
no place for a political argument.

There were many German
neighbors and friends

who felt the same way
and ended up in jail.

OLIVIA: You've gone too far.

I'm... I'm feeling
rather... Rather tired,

so if you'll excuse me...

Hilary, I'm sorry.

What in the world are
you doing? How could you?

I have no intention
of upsetting Hilary,

but she just doesn't seem to be
talking about anything important.

There are certain
things that interest me

in this subject, and I don't...

I just thought
maybe she'd be able

to tell me the
truth. That's all.

Everyone was having
such a nice time.

Such a lovely and informative
occasion, and now it's spoiled,

all spoiled.

Mama, I apologize.

I really did not intend for
it to turn out the way it did.

Then why did you do it?

Because there are certain
things I'd like to know.

I'd like to know why
the Nuremberg laws

have taken away
citizenship from all Jews.

I'd like to know why the
Reverend Martin Niemoller,

who's a national hero,
has been sent to jail.

Is there any Germans left with enough
courage to stand up to the Nazis?

Those are the things
that are important to me,

not castles on the Rhine
or beer drinkers in Munich.

Those are goodquestions, son.
Maybe you're asking the wrong person.

Where else am I gonna find
someone like that, Daddy?

She's an American. She's
lived in Germany for 17 years,

married to an important
government official.

There's a lot of things
she could tell us.

It could be she came over here

to get away from the very
things you wanna know about.

She's home for the
first time in years.

She's left all the old
European troubles behind her.

Yeah, well, I certainly hope
she doesn't think she can escape

the consequences
of what Hitler is doing

by running to Fortress America

and pulling up the drawbridge.

Well, why shouldn't she?

Mama, it's the 20th century!

We're neighbors now. There's
no hiding place anywhere.

All right, now, let's not
turn this into a battlefield.

I gotta figure out a
way to make it up to her.

I'm the one who
spoke out of turn.

(SIGHING)

I... I probably ought
to say something.

Maybe if I had the Baldwins
and Hilary over here for supper.

Okay, look, I'll tell you what.

I'll go over to the Baldwin
ladies, and I'll apologize to Hilary,

and I'll invite
them all to dinner.

Thursday night.

Okay, I'm on my way.

Everyone's entitled to a
little peace and security.

It was foolish of me, fluttering
away like a frightened bird.

I certainly didn't intend
to give you the impression

I was being hostile towards you.

Sister and I have been reassuring
Hilary that there is nobody,

nobody who is more sensitive to
the feelings of others than you are.

And I believe that.
No more apologies.

I guess I just got carried away

because I was so sure you could
tell me what I wanted to know.

The impetuosity of youth.

Young people always think

if they just ask
enough questions,

they're sure to capture
the ultimate truth,

which, I'm afraid, is as elusive

as the phoenix and the unicorn.

Well,

my mother hoped that you ladies
would be our guests for supper

this coming Thursday evening.

Well, that's very kind of her,

but, really, a conciliatory
meal isn't necessary.

Oh, I agree.

Mama's just afraid that
you're gonna carry away

a rather bleak impression of
hospitality up here on the Mountain,

and I would like to be able to
go home and say that you'll come.

No talk of politics
allowed, all right?

And perhaps your brother
Jason will play for us again?

I'm sure he'd be happy to.

He's never had such
an appreciative audience.

He plays so well,

and the other night here,
it was almost like seeing...

Well, shall we accept
this generous invitation?

Well, sister and I
would be delighted,

but the decision
is yours, Hilary.

Tell your mother
we'd love to come.

Good. She'll be delighted.

John, friends?

Yes, friends.

Wanna wait a few minutes?

I'll take you down
to the junkyard.

That's okay, Daddy. I can walk.

This is just too
much horn for the car.

Yeah, it's got a lot of class,

but I just couldn't afford it.

I think Chance will
miss it more than I will.

(HONKING)

(DOG BARKING)

(CAR HONKING)

I'm really sorry, Mama,

but I can't be here
on Thursday night.

Why not?

Because I promised
to do something else.

Jason, this is a
very special dinner.

I'd rather be here,

but there's nothing
else I can do.

You have some other commitment?

The Guard?

It's our drill night.

Mama, there's gonna
be so many people here.

I'll never even be missed.

That's not true.

John-Boy said that Hilary
expressly asked for you.

She was looking forward
to hearing you play.

I can't miss the drill.

Mama, suppose...

Suppose I make an
appearance, and I play the piano

and then go on to my drill?

If that's the best you can do,

we'll just have to be satisfied.

"Ernst von Kleist
was, at one time,

"co-publisher
of the very liberal

"and influential
Frankfurter Tageblatt.

"Since the Nazis came to power,

"von Kleist has either sold out or been
forced out of the publishing business."

Why was he forced
out of business?

Uh, well, he probably wouldn't
print the straight party line.

"He has also held a number of
important diplomatic positions

"under the German Republic."

Was that before Hitler?

"He is still in the
Diplomatic Service

"but with little
rank or prestige.

"At present, he
holds a minor post

"in the German
embassy in Vienna."

Could be why he sent
his wife home to America.

Was there anymore
about her in there?

On her? No, it just says, "Von
Kleist is married to an American.

"They have one son."

Who turned that on?

I did. It seemed
kind of dark in here.

It's better this way.

John-Boy? Yeah.

Here. Now, I want you all
to be on your best behavior.

Yeah, we don't
want that lady to think

we're a bunch of
backwood savages.

They're here.

They're here! Looks good.

Can't see anything
in here. Wait a minute.

It's supposed to be this way.

MISS EMILY: Good evening.
MISS MAMIE: Good evening!

I hope we're not too early.

A dozen clocks in the house
and no two of them the same.

Hilary, you haven't met my
husband, John. No, how do you do?

Jim-Bob. Hello.

Glad to see you. Hello.

Good to see you,
too. Oh, Mr. Walton.

Oh, how nice.

What a charming place
you have here. It's really...

(PLAYING CLASSICAL
MUSIC ON PIANO )

(EXCLAIMS)

(SIGHING)

(JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)

JOHN: Calling it a night?

Well, I might as well.

I'm up there putting
one word after the other

to no good purpose.

All I can think of
is Hilary von Kleist.

Well, I do hope she hasn't
taken a turn for the worse.

Your mama should be back
from the Baldwins by now.

Curt says she's in shock.

I've seen a lot of swooning
females in my day.

When I was a boy,

young ladies were taught
how to faint gracefully

the same way they was taught how
to hand-paint china or to embroider,

but this lady was
different, her swooning.

Well, she just took
one look at Jason

sitting there, playing
the piano, and that was it.

I don't wanna miss the news.

(STATIC CRACKLING ON RADIO)

NEWSCASTER ON RADIO: And
from John L. Lewis' headquarters,

there was only the
terse "No Comment."

Now it's time for our
nightly transatlantic report

from our special newsmen in
the major European centers.

Come in, Vienna.

This is Edward R.
Murrow in Vienna.

A pall of uncertainty and fear
hangs over this once carefree city.

Tension flickers in the
atmosphere like heat lightning.

A few hours ago, there
was another attempt made

to assassinate Austrian
Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg

as he left his
government offices.

The would-be killers escaped
in the ensuing confusion,

but witnesses testify
they wore Nazi swastikas

and shouted, "Heil,
Hitler!" as they fired.

Armed gangs roam
the streets chanting,

"Ein Reich, ein
Volk, ein Fuhrer."

Sit here, Mama.

Thank you. How's Hilary?

There's no change at all.

We tried everything
we could think of to do.

Well, Curt's gotta have
a diagnosis by now.

He says she's in shock, but he
doesn't know what to prescribe for her.

He's going in to Richmond in
the morning to talk to a specialist,

but if rest doesn't
bring her around,

he says there's nothing for
her but to put her in a sanitarium.

Oh, dear.

How are the Baldwin
ladies standing up to that?

They're upset, but they're
rallying. Just such a helpless feeling.

Somehow it seems
to be our fault.

Look, Mama, that woman had troubles
before she came to Walton's Mountain.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

Hi, everybody.

Hmm.

I just talked to Curt and Mary
Ellen. It's terrible about Hilary.

Jason, will you take
that uniform off, please?

What can we do?

Try to get some sleep.

It's an epidemic, like
our President says,

a disease that's
spreading everywhere.

How can we protect our sons?

They'll manage.

They're survivors from
a long line of survivors.

When you first put on your
uniform and went off to war,

and I was carrying your baby,

I used to pray
that it'd be a girl,

that they'd all be girls so that they
wouldn't have to grow up and march off

and kill or be killed.

So we have four boys.

And what would our
lives be without them?

I don't know.

I just don't know.

It seems like we're just
getting through the Depression,

and we look back
over our shoulder,

and something
worse is coming along.

(HONKING)

(MOOING)

(HORN HONKING)

(COW MOOING)

Jim-Bob, I thought you were
gonna bring that back to the junkyard.

I started to, but something
happened on the way.

You found $8?

Nope. I was walking
around in Rockfish,

blowing the horn like this.

(HONKING) We've heard it before.

And I realized I
was being followed.

Was the Sheriff gating you
for disturbing the peace?

By a herd of lovesick
cows, no doubt.

No, it was a whole
bunch of people.

Some of them even followed
me to Syke's junkyard.

When they got there,
they started looking around.

Ended up they bought
$12 worth of stuff.

Just because of
you and the horn?

Well, we made a deal, you see.

I walk around Rockfish
a couple times a week,

blowing the horn
and wearing this sign.

Said he'd give me 10% credit on everything
he sells till the horn's paid for.

So everyone's happy, huh?

Especially our old cow.

(IMITATING HONKING)

Mama.

Mama, I wish you
weren't angry with me.

I'm not angry with you.

Sure seems like it.

I'm angry with the
way things are going.

I'm angry with what's happening.

I had such hopes for you.

Nothing has changed.

I'm not a different person

just because, once a
week, I put on a uniform

and tramp around
till my feet hurt.

I know that.

I'm sorry if I seem to
be taking it out on you.

It's just that I'm a mother,

and I can't bear the thought
of anything happening to you.

Oh, look, I got
flour all over you.

Who cares?

You look like a snowman.

(DOOR OPENING)

Jason? Jason.

Can you come with me
over to the Baldwin house?

Is Hilary worse?

No, Mama, just the same.

Curt and Mary Ellen are
gonna meet me down there.

I had a notion that Curt
thought was worth trying.

Sure.

(CLASSICAL MUSIC
PLAYING ON PIANO)

Thank you.

Oh, Hilary, we're so relieved.

We were so frightened.

Oh, I'm sorry. Can
you all forgive me?

Well, I... I hardly
think that's necessary.

We somehow feel
that we were to blame.

To blame? No, I'm
grateful to you all,

especially to you, John.

I don't see how you could be.

I pushed you sort of hard.

I'm glad you did. I really am.

I... I'd like you to
feel that I did it...

I thought I was doing
some kind of a job.

(CLEARING THROAT)

Mrs. von Kleist,
let's not overdo it.

Oh, I'll be all
right now, Doctor.

I'll just sit down now.

No more hiding up in my room

or in this last resort.

I've been wanting to run away
and hide for such a long time.

Ever since the Reichstag fire.

That was when the
Nazis really took over.

A lot of people did
leave then, didn't they?

Oh, yes, thousands went to
Switzerland, England and America,

but not my Ernst.

I would like you to
meet him one day.

He's a strong, courageous man.

How he despises Hitler
and what he's done,

what he's doing and
what he plans to do.

But Ernst feels that he
can fight more effectively

from the inside, so, in spite
of the insults and humiliations,

we held on.

We had one son, Peter.

About your age, Jason.

In his own way,

he was trying to do
in the youth movement

what my husband
is doing in diplomacy.

Then, one night,

about three months ago,

he... Mrs. von Kleist...

It's all right. I... I
want to tell you.

Peter's group was ordered to
destroy a subversive printing press.

The subversives turned
out to be three elderly Jews.

The boys started clubbing them,

and Peter couldn't bear it.

He tried to shield the Jews,

and he was beaten to
death by his comrades.

Oh, the Nazis insisted that
the Jews had murdered Peter

and gave him a hero's funeral,

but one of the boys
told us the truth.

He loved music,
especially Schubert.

I went absolutely mad.

I couldn't bear to stay in that
charnel house a moment longer.

I begged Ernst to leave with me,

but, of course, he
refused. I knew he would.

And I deserted
him, fled to America,

looking for a hiding place

where I could forget
everything, everybody,

pretend nothing had happened.

This must have seemed
like the perfect place.

It did at first, an idyll,

a refuge from the insanity
of the outside world,

but there are no
hiding places left

and no forgetting.

I listened to you and...
And I heard my husband.

I looked at you, Jason,

heard you playing Schubert,
saw you in that uniform,

and Peter was here with me.

And that's when you
decided to blank it all out.

But it isn't any good,

and I'm going to go
back where I belong.

This is your country.

You're an American, Hilary.

No, I... My place
is with my husband,

and if Ernst and the others

who feel like him
are successful,

then perhaps other Americans
won't have to go to Europe and fight.

Believe me, Mrs. von Kleist,
that's exactly what we want,

but people over here have
to know what's going on,

and that's part
of the fight, too.

I know. Too many
people in France

and England and this country
want to turn away and hide,

but, believe me, John,

what you're doing matters to me

and to my husband.

Thank you.

Listen to me.

I sound like Cassandra
predicting the fall of Troy.

So solemn.

Jason, you help us.

Help us dispel the gloom.

Will you play something
cheerful and lighthearted?

(PLAYING TALES FROM THE
VIENNA WOODS ON PIANO)

JOHN-BOY: Hilary
did return to Europe.

Letters were exchanged,
and then Vienna fell.

Our letters came back
stamped "Address Unknown."

Hilary, her husband

and the others who
stood against the Nazis

couldn't stem the tide.

Other Americans
did go to Europe,

to Africa, to Asia,

and found the same courage

that carried Hilary
Baldwin von Kleist

out of the sanctuary
of Walton's Mountain

and back into
the heart of battle.

Daddy? What is it, Jason?

I guess you remember
just about everything.

I suppose some of the things,
you don't wanna remember.

That's right. There
were good things?

Oh, sure. Good and bad.

What would you say was the
best thing happened to you?

Coming home.

Good night, Daddy.
Good night, son.