Night of the Hunter (1991) Movie Script
1
There's squashes.
Mama's gonna yield.
We're supposed to be dressed for daddy.
Daddy always promises.
He promised to buy me baby sassy for
Christmas.
It's not daddy, it's fault there wouldn't
know work at Christmas.
He's never work.
8% there was working on Ohio.
My daddy catches his pay.
He's going to bring his sneakers and take
us out for pizza.
Hello, darling.
Hey, glee, that's not any free samples
today.
Oh, yeah, sure.
How about you?
I'll trade you dollars to donut any day.
Yeah, I bet you would.
Well, you keep it warm for me now.
Coffee on me.
Coffee on me.
Very decent.
Have you got some kind of a alarm button?
Don't touch it.
Okay.
Only if anybody get dead over this.
Feel it.
Okay, do it here.
I think he's dead, Mr. Collins.
He's dead.
Like God.
There you go.
Go inside and watch TV.
He's just kids and shows.
They go upstairs and play dolls.
He's creepy,ylies, I'm scared.
Did you code it, daddy?
Yesterday you school.
A daddy, you're a blood criminal.
I did a full thing, jy.
I couldn't face up to your mom again
coming home empty.
Well, you gotta get to a doctor.
Guess I ain't been much of a credit to you
and Pearl as a daddy.
A daddy's job is to provide.
This money is my... my insurance policy.
Living poor forces, uh, people to do
desperate things sometimes.
People are gonna be storming all over this
place looking for this money.
Daddy.
How the police come in here?
They never tell nobody.
Especially not your mama.
I know if she finds out she won't sleep
and I tell her turn to the painting.
Promise?
I promised a gun.
I'll promise to God, promise to me here.
Come on, we gotta go.
Go find a place to put this money.
Now, let's try to scare you along and try
to scare with the Lord.
You look at what
you're trying to tell your
two things on the Lord
say so, you understand?
Now you hold it up, man.
It's free, right there.
Easy now.
Get the cuts up.
Take it easy.
Come on.
He's heard bad.
He needs a doctor.
We gotta take care of him.
Daddy.
Don't let you get now.
He's been killed in a lot of money.
He's been stolen.
We gotta talk to you daddy about that.
I know you want to help your daddy.
I'm gonna leave a man here until we can
locate your mama.
If you want to tell him what you know
about that money.
I don't know anything about it anymore.
You hear me okay, man?
The man's dead on your account.
Wouldn't this be the proper time to tell
us where you laid up all that cash?
Lord, where's he saw him?
He would enter the river.
Anybody have you the wife?
Apparently the kids were pretty shut.
She's just trying to settle him down to
get it right.
I'll send a car for her in the morning.
Man, if you tell us where that
water is, I'm sure he's gonna
make things go a lot easier for
you when you get to the judge.
He isn't going to get to the judge.
He isn't going to get through the night.
Get your eyes full.
Keep moving.
Let's press it strong.
Business is the same bird.
Wasn't he just up here faking asthma to
duck road detail?
Well, I've been a prize on this
performance.
I'm going through convulsions,
cough and blood.
The size is due for release next month.
I can't see him chance and that but some
stunned.
Okay.
It's scheduled for a GI series first thing
in the morning.
It's locked down.
They say you're killed a man, man.
I'm here to help you ease your case with
the Lord.
Really?
I'm the chaplain here, son.
What can I do to help you ease your soul?
Nothing anybody can do.
You were all in there, son.
Jesus blessed us all with the free will to
scorn or embrace his precious flesh.
Even in the last eye blink, you can be
greeted into the kingdom.
I didn't intend any harm.
That's a Dundee bin.
With that bloody money,
bring respect to the ones you love.
Don't you want to tell me where that money
is at, man?
Man?
I got pen and paper here.
Got any words for your wife and babies?
These remain times for hungry bellies,
man.
You're leaving the ones you love in pretty
tight straits.
I prefer it.
They know where you hit that one.
I've seen all kinds of craziness,
man.
But never $50,000 craziness.
Who are you?
Your process, Dad, too.
These two hands, hate
and love, warn against
each other for the soul
of the morning, man.
Do you have statues?
You ain't no clergy or a card.
You can slip out of this life peacefully.
You can go hard.
Faster!
The money, man!
Oh, he knows, trying to give it CPR.
Dad is too deep in the ground.
Is it too tight for all this?
Deeper.
How deep down is hell?
That ain't no place near to hell.
Look at that, he told you.
Oh, he just told me that I had to be more
charged around the house.
Where are you going?
I've got to go down and make sure the
cella pump's working all right.
Here, you've got a job, too.
You've got to talk to Beanie Bear so he
don't get scared.
Oh, Mommy's Bear.
It's okay.
It's okay, my little sweet potato.
You want it to go away.
It's just God moving furniture around
heaven.
The car made it.
Oh, how could you say that?
Ever has to suppose to have a daddy.
How could you go to a car daddy away?
It's okay.
And they don't have something.
It's coffee.
Morning, this is the...
What is you waiting for?
I'm not sure what it is.
I don't want it.
It's not there.
It's easy.
You
don't need to go away.
I don't want to miss you.
I don't want to miss you.
Well, let's come to the notice.
You've been pushing in late these last few
months.
I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry, but lately it's just
been a battle.
Getting my little one out and off to
school.
I don't like to miss another people's
business, but...
I heard you applied for a weekend waitress
job at the cafe.
If you're having problems keeping up with
one job...
Well, you know I've got to do it by myself
now.
And I want to make a good home for the
children.
They have been for leaving you all in such
a way.
Well, you know, I'm thankful that Grandma
Bailey left the saddle house.
You know, at least we got a cover up for
our heads.
Mr. Spoon, you know, the finishing
department is way behind.
Mr. Garrett's won't authorize an overtime.
Well, I could take materials home and work
at the house.
The company could just pay me for a
straight piece of work.
He wouldn't have to pay any overtime.
And I could be home with John and Pearl.
Mr. Garrett's don't have any complaints.
You can tell him it's fine with me.
My baby would look pretty with hair like
that.
Would you stop bothering me?
Pearl.
Sweetheart.
I'm sorry, Mommy didn't mean that.
Where's John?
I thought he was helping you lay out the
supper.
He's praying.
I'm sorry.
Oh, come on, let's go get him.
Come on.
Are you hungry?
I'm here.
I'm getting hungry, too.
Come on.
John, I'm going to get that thing towed
for scrap.
It wouldn't take much to fix it up,
you know.
And you could drive it to work.
You know I can't drive stick.
Now, come on inside, and let's get ready
for supper.
Wash out.
Paul, are you crazy?
I smell... Oh, I'm not
messing with the gas.
Put the clock in a way.
Are you falling?
That's not a blow!
You check-ass?
Oh, Reverend.
You okay?
Oh, see.
What are you trying to do?
Re-locate the whole town into Ohio.
I thought it was just my radio warning
over.
Folks around here, oh, you missed it.
Couldn't just leave her set there and
burn.
These sets you down for a decent fee.
I'll find time for my personal needs when
my mission is complete.
Well, these wise letters pass the hat to
help you on your way.
My mission brings me here.
To Wallace?
Last month.
I was called to give comfort to a man
dying in the county locker.
He asked me to deliver a message.
Ben Hopler?
You know the man.
Will Hopler works with my wife.
That's a dog factory.
Can you, well, he's waiting.
Reverend?
Sergeant.
Would you be kind enough to send the
waitress for Mrs. Harvers order?
Oh, I don't care for anything,
well.
Please.
He's supposed to have been told him
anything about the money.
You have a hard time convincing me that
anybody.
Throw away $50,000.
It wasn't pretty past, Ben.
That the boy was so kind of cherry if he'd
throw them in a creek.
He'd have floated upstream.
Any is misguided way.
And just wanted to do good by you and the
children.
I find it surprising that Ben turned to
God.
I came from a Christian
upbringing, but been
pretty much discouraged
that after we were married.
Yeah.
Looking into the eyeball at death.
I've seen even the hardest man called out
for his maker.
Just a little bit of that money would have
gone a long way toward ease in the load.
It's a mother's instinctive nature you
want to provide for a young.
But toughest things are.
I'm sure you know you're better off
without that tainted money.
Oh, no, I didn't mean I proved if what Ben
did.
No.
Too bad you couldn't have stopped him from
chucking that bundle.
You could have ended this idol speculation
before it even started.
Well, I never could talk sense to Ben.
The fact is, how was it work?
The thought of that frightened man running
home to an empty house.
Now the children were there.
What else?
What's poor babies all alone?
That's no way for a child, remember their
father.
I'll bloody them, running for his life.
John Harper?
You trying to break his town down or what?
Why aren't you at school?
I was going,
but uh... All right.
Somebody's going to have to account for
that damage.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Wally.
Well, that's all right.
We don't cut no more keys here,
anyhow, Willa.
You get yourself to school.
You go on.
I prayed with your daddy, John.
You asked me to come down here.
Tell you how much you love to you.
You prayed with my daddy?
Yes, sir.
He had a change of heart at the end.
We prayed.
He asked me to tell you to help your
mother.
And to ask the Lord to make you grow up
strong.
And follow his word.
My daddy never prayed with you.
My daddy never told you no such thing.
You get yourself to school, John.
You'll discuss it later.
I'm so embarrassed.
Go light on him.
Listen, your daddy is a hard thing for a
boy.
Come on, it's life time.
Oh, no, I was going so long, I'm warning
you.
I said, lunch!
Okay, I hope the Reverend gave you some
comfort.
I must say he's got a very calming way
about him.
That is a very presentable man.
And I gave the Reverend
Thompson a call, and he's going
to let Mr. Powell preach
from his pulpit this Sunday.
He smiles at the wrong times.
Oh, men are like that.
Sometimes I just don't know how to act
around a pretty woman.
But the good part is,
this is going to finally
hush up all that gossip
about the money.
And now I suppose lips will be flapping
over with a neglectful mother I am.
Who says that?
Oh, anybody who saw John running wild on
Main Street this morning.
That age of boy being deprived of his
daddy is a mighty upsetting thing.
Well, deprived is all they know.
And I see him wearing the same clothes and
doing with that.
At home, Pearl, she looks at
the dolls just so envious and
I really should do my piecework
after she's going to bed.
His hair is too curly.
I believe quality control is going to have
to reject it.
Maybe you know little girl wouldn't mind a
factory second doll.
Well, come on.
Don't birdie, don't bite.
He smiles.
Hi, birdie.
Uh, if your mom will allow you to drink
coffee back home.
No, sir.
Well, we take our Joe Mann's style around
here.
I got sugar, you know.
Oh, okay, two spoons please.
When I say I got sugar.
I mean, I got diabetes, you know what that
is.
Huh?
I mean, I can't have no sweets.
It's never as bitter as the first swallow
it in.
Well, you should see those fools.
And they're always a greeny bridge.
Yeah, they've been dragging the current.
They're looking for any trace of the
money.
I know people are saying all kinds of
things about your paw.
But the true man
usually falls somewhere
between folks best and
worst opinion of them.
But your paw is a rightful friend of mine.
And that's the way I'm going to remember
them.
Is something eating at your boy?
Well, preacher's been coming around my
house.
He says he knew my daddy.
Your dad's socializing who's a bison.
That's not very likely.
But I thought a preacher wasn't supposed
to lie.
Well, regular preacher's the one thing.
But these mail-order bison's.
They got such a gift of the gab.
They can get folks to jerking and holler
in the name of the spirits.
Right here in these parts, I've seen
people so fevered and so sermon drunk that
they get them to cozy up the vipers and
copperheads.
Poison snakes?
Yeah, they do.
Notion that snake bites cannot hurt the
truly righteous.
What do you think of that?
Yay!
Do you see creepy girl who's in the room?
The ribbons on the right is a catfish.
She'll be up looking for a meal.
Daddy promised he'd take me fishing.
He did.
Well, I'll learn you to set a good trot
line.
Um... Yeah?
Come on!
Go!
Come on, come on!
Come on!
Not off again!
And just once, I'd like to use a tea bag
one time and throw it away.
You know, I bet if we had that money,
I bet we could live decent then.
I don't ever want to hear you talk like
that again.
That is bloodied money tainted with
Satan's own curse.
Well, Daddy didn't hurt anybody on
purpose, Mom.
I've decided you, me and Pearl, are
going to get back into the church habit.
Come Sunday.
You've been listening to that preacher.
He's been making stories about Daddy.
Uncle Bernie says so.
Hey, hey, hey.
Didn't I tell you not to go around that
nest of your man?
You ain't no more nest, you didn't have
preacher.
You get yourself to your room,
Mr. My face shows on to no TV for you.
On the kind facing of this congregation.
And give thanks for the warm embrace of
your Christian hospitality.
Jesus smiles on those who give comfort to
the traveler.
I notice some of you eye on these hands.
Well, I tell you, I find
these tattoos mighty
helpful when it comes
to preaching the word.
It was with the left hand that came struck
the blow that laid his brother low.
This hate hand now bears the curse of the
living and all mighty Jehovah.
The fingers of this hand are fed by veins
that lead directly to the heart.
The right hand is the hand of love.
Hate and love.
Woring one against the other for control.
And that is the story of life,
my friends.
The soul of man.
Woring against his own greed and lust and
stinking corruption.
It is not an accidental turn in the road
that brings me to you good folks today.
Ben Harper sent me to this pulpit.
Ben Harper sent me to give testimony to
his deadly murderous offense.
Yeah, exhausting his last mortal breaths.
He sent me here with a message of the
error of easy money.
Two men have seen proof of your body.
Bloody cash.
And now a curse hovers over this gentle
community.
I hope you let him see that about Daddy.
So I have come to help lift that curse.
And return this town to the Lord's good
favor.
That ain't so.
John, please.
He's lied about my daddy.
It ain't so.
Sit down now, sit down.
I won't until he takes back his lies.
What a blessedness.
What a peace is mind.
Leading on the everlasting arm.
Leading.
Leading.
Safe and secure from all alone.
Leading.
Leading on the everlasting arm.
So she can hatch it.
Stay so long.
Because there was no eve.
I hope you'll pardon the intrusion.
There's no intrusion at all, Mr. Powell.
Well, I just wanted to say that perhaps I
came across a bit harsh at Sunday sermon.
I want to apologize if I caused any more
hurt, especially to the youngsters.
The children know that they're not going
to be the same.
as their father did wrong.
I guess they're just trying to reckon with
it the best ways they can.
We're just sitting down to supper.
Wouldn't be no bother to set another
plate.
Turn in your back on Satan's temptations
is one thing.
But turn it away from home, cooking.
Mr. Powell, there's one more slice of
meatloaf left.
I believe I'm filled with satisfaction,
thank you.
I'm just wrapping up for you and you can
take it along for some sandwiches.
So much silence in a natural thing in a
boy.
It don't help for you to slam it.
It never took it right.
I can't afford to get a repairman right
now.
Well, maybe I can fix it.
Well, look at that.
Anything else just make a list.
I know how a house can go to the devil
without a man around.
Sweetheart, why don't
you take Reverend Powell
into the parlor and
make him comfortable?
Big old house like this must be a great
place for a game I hide and seek.
Well, of what a nice little baby she is.
Her name is Miss Jimmy.
Has Mama been buying lots of nice presents
for you and Joan?
I made a gift to mom and add her job.
If I'd known we were having company,
I would have made a cobbler pudding.
Well, frankly, I don't think I could find
a place to put it in.
Besides, I need to be moving on.
Goodbye, Miss Jenny.
I promise some of the church women that I'd
help and plan the prayer social tonight.
Perhaps you'd be free to join us.
If it's okay with the man of the house.
Good term.
But Mommy and home here.
You're going to get a two-wheeler like
that?
It's a secret.
Bad half secret.
You are a secret, Daddy.
How'd you know that?
Preacher said it.
He's a daddy told him.
Did he promise you a bike?
Preacher's a bad man, Pearl.
If he's bad, help me came to help us.
It's because he thinks there's money.
Keepsy, Daddy was bad.
You see, Daddy was good.
People say Preacher is good.
And you say Preacher is bad.
I give up.
And may not be the four-square temple or
the crystal cathedral.
But I don't think the Lord will fum his
nose at this fine tabernacle.
I see the foundation of a fine ministry
here.
Just sometimes.
I question if I'm a suitable spokesman for
God's Word.
All the years I've moved around without
attachments.
I've made my congregation among the lost
and discarded.
But I wonder if there isn't a time in a
man's life.
When he tires at the road.
You know, will I chose to dedicate my life
to the message of salvation?
Of course, that don't exclude me from
natural feelings for an attractive woman.
So I stand by the convention.
I respect him family.
I hope you value that in me.
Oh, I value a great deal in you.
Harry Powell.
Well, I want you to find value.
I want you to trust.
I don't think you know the struggle.
Well, I look at that boy and I was even
younger than John.
You can bet I'd bucked against a harsh
hand.
Even in my grown years, believe me, I've
done restitution for my slack and error.
But that's the nature of the struggle.
Right against wrong, easy against harsh,
pleasure against sacrifice.
I've never moved to one easy day in my
life.
I think I know how hard it's been.
What you've been through.
But there comes a time.
To rest.
You know, some scientists figured it out.
And they came up with the opinion that this
is the second oldest river on the planet.
And the only one older is the river Nile.
People tell me this is one of the
prettiest spots in creation.
Well, I'd have to take their word on that.
See, it's how I've never been nowhere
else.
No word.
I won't bend in my honeymoon.
We did go to Colonial Beach, Maryland.
Never did see the ocean.
I'm sorry.
Look at those kids burning every light in
that house.
However, if those
folks believe if you're not
sinful, you can end up
poisoning and they won't bite.
Well, back country folk.
Don't take the strange people hanging out,
all right?
You could take us.
But a regular church starts, aren't you?
What do you want to do?
What do you want to hang around and snake
people for?
Life, snakes?
Is that creature fellas still creeping
around your house?
Yeah.
Yeah, he is.
The tags are good till August.
You know where the keys are at?
My dad had the only set.
We can get her started.
My mom don't drive a stick shift.
You want to learn to drive, boy?
I know your daddy was against religion.
Is that why you're so set against me?
Well, I don't have anything just regular
religion.
I just don't like this kneel down,
holy, holy kind.
What do you like, son?
Well, in front of my dads, he has his
church well out on the back parts.
No, on Wednesday nights, they have good
music and stuff.
That sounds pretty interesting,
doesn't it?
You trying to hurt wired?
Kind of young.
You know your way around cars,
aren't you?
Well, I knew enough.
Well, let's see.
Said yourself beyond the wheel.
When I say, give her some gas.
All right.
Okay, give her a pedal.
This church is on Wednesday nights,
you say?
Yeah.
Mom's got Bible study Wednesday night.
Well, I was just thinking of us.
What?
I'm sure.
And then one day the Lord spoke to me so
loud.
It kept my ears ringing for three months.
And God gave me victory over my bastards.
And I came that day for the anointing.
Just as a lot of you know, we got snakes,
okay?
And if you get the anoint and come up,
put your hands on things.
But if you don't fail it, don't brother,
cause they're deadly.
Out of balance.
What's up?
What's up?
What's up?
Me!
Oh!
It's yours.
Me!
Oh, my God!
We'll take the world out.
We'll go out for the clean heart.
We'll come forward to test his faith.
Brother, let me anoint myself in the
witness of the Lord.
It old-outing John, I think the serpent
would strike me dead if I touched it.
So, boy, you'd make this lake?
Or is there a deviousness in your heart?
You think I don't know why?
You brought me here?
Me!
Me!
All right, any snakes?
All right, any snakes?
All right.
They couldn't beg didn't.
You see how terrifying she is.
But could you take children to a place
like that?
Well, if you seriously believe that I
would endanger these children.
John, don't do any good to go on
protecting you.
Now, tell your mama how you tricked me.
She should have been in bed hours ago.
Maybe she should sleep in mama's room
tonight, huh?
Can you show me the way to mama's room?
Can we help first enter the bed?
If we see anything nasty, we'll just
squash it flat.
You gotta listen.
Aren't things hard enough?
I mean, all I ask for you is a little
cooperation.
I mean, if you can't do that much for me,
just go to your room.
Just go on.
I'm scared.
What are some bad happens to the family?
John, if I'd already happen, ain't bad.
I'm afraid to know what it is.
What if we really had money?
We could go away, maybe Arizona or
Florida?
Oh, John, sweetheart.
Oh, don't be like your father dwelling on
what ain't it?
Frigors not interested in us.
No, we are not as natural children.
I'm not saying that.
No.
You can't expect him to be a special with
you as a real father.
That's not what he's after.
I think we all understand what's great in
John.
He's going to think of himself as the man
around his house.
It's a hard adjustment to let a new man
come into his home.
You ain't never coming in.
Come on, everyone, John.
I'm going to say that we need to discuss.
I know it's a short time.
But I stand in my faith against hypocrisy.
And it would be hypocrisy to hide the
feelings I feel for your mother.
Feelings I'm forbidden to express outside
the blessing of matrimony.
So, with your permission, I plan to start
a life with your momma.
And to do good by your children.
Bye bye, thank you!
I think I'm hot, baby.
I spoke to her at least, being going
through the motion.
You want to help me make up a bell to his
bed?
Did you know I had a little girl?
Where'd she know her girl anymore?
She's a dental high of a genus in vain.
I'm pulled out of a spine, will you?
Harry?
I was praying.
I'm sorry.
I'll wait for you to finish.
Wait for blood.
You were expecting me?
You thought I was going to start to pause
and handle you?
I don't expect you to pause.
I think it's time we got one thing
straight, Will.
Get up.
Come on, get up.
Strip off your nitrous.
Let's get back into the covers.
Now go around, face the mirror.
Harry, please.
Go on.
Not in the light.
A nitrous, Will.
Now what do you see?
Harry, it's cold.
I said, look in the glass.
The only thing I have to give is me.
Will, you're not hearing me.
I said, look at this body.
Now this body was intended as a vessel for
creation and motherhood.
Do you intend children, Will?
I don't know.
This body was meant for beginning
children.
It was not meant for the course roping
pleasure of men.
That's filthiness, filthiness and pouring.
I'm not saying you're any worse than the
rest, but...
I meant this body.
I meant this body.
I cannot believe you want us to soil
ourselves with rottenness of truth.
We're married now.
Help.
Can I please you?
It is the purpose of this marriage.
It is the business of this marriage.
To mine those two children, you have now.
It is our business to set a moral example.
So their souls will not be lost.
It has been a long day.
Cover yourself up.
Go to bed.
That's the wall.
Your support is coming by the door.
No.
Sorry.
You want to think about running away
sometimes?
You know I don't like to see by myself.
Will you come too?
Are we going to go to our same school?
What's going on in here?
Nothing.
For youngsters doing nothing?
I have to go hide about it.
Go on downstairs, bro.
Go on.
I'm a perfect little hideout here.
All kinds of secret nooks.
Crannies?
Why do you think your daddy stole that
money in the first place?
Huh?
I think he did it because he wanted to
make a good life for you.
So what's wrong if we all have a good
life?
What do you want more than anything?
You want me out of this house?
Isn't there some way we can both get what
we want?
I don't have to make no deals.
My mom's going to find out about you.
You believe that.
Sure find out you're fake and you'll be
gone.
You think you know your mom is true heart
better than I do?
You think boy?
John Harper.
I'd have at least thought you were mad
enough to come clean on your own.
Come clean about what?
I caught him.
Caught what?
It was a bnatic playing with matches.
No way.
All that paper and old furniture up there.
It's like a tinderbox.
Mom, I didn't.
Don't make any worse by lying.
You lie.
Beginning tomorrow, we're going to start a
new program around here.
Immediately after school, John will come
home and report directly to me.
I think the boy needs to open his Bible.
My own daddy used to drill me.
When I was John's age, I could recite from
Acts to Zephania.
I think John could learn some obedience
and humility from the scriptures.
Mom, he can't!
John, please.
In your own eyes, I know you think you've
done right.
But you've failed those children with
laxity and permissiveness.
I know the kind of rebellion they can brew
inside of a boy.
It only came to me as a man that a shut
hand can often enclose love.
Don't make me come and get you.
Don't make me come and get you!
Don't make me come and get you!
Don't make me come and get you!
You're going to take daddy's word of
creatures.
Here.
You need to go.
You need to go.
Come on!
Whoa, what are you doing out here?
Who's killing us?
What?
You're digging a deep hole deeper!
What are you doing out here?
I said, what are you doing out here?
Well, uh, being brutal.
We were looking out at the rain and she'd
drive her dog, so I came out to get it.
Get off back in the house.
Hey, somebody!
Hey, somebody, let me in!
What's all this noise about?
The door's locked.
Maybe it's locked because this ain't your
home anymore.
Hey, Pearl!
Hey, Pearl, let me in!
I don't have a jacket.
It's cold out here.
Let me in!
Pearl didn't want to talk to you.
She's talking to me now.
Mama!
Mama can't hear you.
She's a church.
The lady's prayer meeting.
Such a pretty little girl.
You should have lots
of pretty things and not
have to live cooped up
in this dreary old house.
I like the hills.
I know how children feel.
I know what it's like to be shut in.
Never air.
Light.
Closed off.
Sealed in a bottle.
Pearl, where are you going?
I'll come here running away from your
friends, huh?
Well, maybe we'll just go play by
ourselves.
Hello, Mr. Bear.
How are you today?
Well,
you know something?
I think Pearl's a little scared of
preacher.
Well, maybe.
Sometime.
But preacher.
Preacher just wants to make Pearl happy.
Really?
Preacher only wants Pearl to love him.
Pearl?
Pearl, I got a idea.
Let's play Ticksley tape, are you ready?
You need her alone.
You hurt my sister.
I swear.
Some on your mind, boy.
Okay, I'll tell you.
You'll tell me what.
If I show you where it is, will you go
away?
You are.
There's another one of your tricks,
boy.
No, it's right in there in a closet.
You first?
I've already checked this room.
Oh, it's in there.
I'm going to shelf behind a lot of stuff.
Is it?
Okay, where?
I'm going to go through things.
That's what you wanted me to find,
boy.
Is it?
Is it?
I ain't nobody right, trip, honest!
You're playing me for a fool, boy.
You see that river up there?
There are places in there.
You could lose a little boy's body
forever.
Now, where's someone?
All right.
I'll tell you.
Where?
It's up there.
Head box.
If you're tricking me, it's going to go
real hard with you.
We're going to catch you all for this
time.
In 37.
In 37.
Who ain't to pry, but I wish you
everything's all right at the house.
I got B7.
B7.
It's just taken a little bit of time for
every day.
I'm ready to make the adjustment.
Pay attention to your numbers.
Bingo!
We got a mango here.
You've got a hundred dollar wimmer.
I did.
I'm not going to explain this to Harry.
You're not.
You're just going to tuck that hundred
dollar bill away and save it.
We're a treat for you and the youngsters.
Harry?
Oh, listen.
There's godless little pieces.
I show restraint and look what happens.
Harry, what happened?
We're the children.
John.
Pearl.
Are you okay?
My god.
What's going on here?
He was me and John.
He walked him outside.
Sometimes John just gets him so mad.
It's because he went and killed.
Tell him what?
Where the money is here.
Willa, I think I need the doctor.
Okay.
Yeah.
Listen.
You're children.
You stay in this room.
And later, we'll sit down and figure out
what's going on here.
Okay.
Is your head bad?
Are you okay to drive?
Is it going on?
Have you ever seen those children so
frightened?
Harry,
I'm not making any judgments, but I think
I need some explanations.
Then maybe you can explain something to
me.
What?
I was intending to tell you.
You were intended to tell me what?
I didn't know, Mr. Spoon was taking me to
a window.
You lied to me!
Where's the rest of it?
I was right.
All along he knew it was the money you
were after.
I'm going back to the house.
I'm going to talk to my children.
I'm going blind and injured.
And this time I'm going to listen.
Please, please.
I've got to make you understand.
Why aren't you the one who always wanted
to understand?
All those years.
I was trapped.
Couldn't get away.
I'll bottle them, suffocating.
I pushed.
But I couldn't get away.
Is this getting clear?
Willa?
I got a recount.
Get free.
There's no other way!
You see Willa?
Do you understand me now?
Willa?
Well, Willa didn't show up for work this
morning.
Miss Spoon was worried.
Will me drive out here.
Hurry.
Is Willa feeling ill?
She...
What's the matter?
She's run off.
Jumped in the car.
Lord out of here in the middle of the
night.
Willa?
Go.
I just left a children.
Last night she came home late.
Fill her wild ideas.
Fought in a hundred dollar bill from who
knows who they're.
Maybe I almost saw what I wanted to see.
From the wedding night she...
I can accept from Ben.
She may have been accustomed to them.
More excitement than Ben.
There are the words of rejection.
No man can preach.
If you want us to take in the children...
Well, I already explained it to him.
That their mama left early for work.
I started to pack him off now.
They'd... They'd know
something was wrong.
But... she didn't
come back by by night.
They'll always have a home with us.
You are truly good people.
Indeed you are.
That don't entirely sound like Willa.
I don't know if...
It's our place to meddle.
Maybe I can fix a casserole.
I'll bring it by later.
See if things are settled down some.
Boom!
Up here!
Help!
Just give him the money!
I can't.
Till he finds the money he can't hurt us.
You children better get your mind straight
because I'm coming.
She's gone out for a while.
Where?
Off in the car.
My mom will drive a stick.
For such a smart little boy.
How come you haven't figured out what's
going to happen to you?
If you don't show me to that money,
huh?
Downstairs.
I've
got no more patience.
In there, Pearl.
First I'm going to start with your
brother.
Where is it?
That's how you wear!
No!
It's in the doll!
In the doll.
You're going to tell me which one?
Huh?
It's going to be you in the pantry.
And I'm going to be talking to Pearl.
If not any of those.
No, it's in Pearl's.
Upstairs.
It's upstairs.
I know your tricks, mister.
I got your trap.
Don't you know that?
Tell me.
Good thing you won!
I'll get you!
I'll take you one to the shark.
I can find a bullet in your hand.
Oh, there ain't nothing bigger in here
than just something in your car.
Hang on tight.
Somebody will see us.
It's going to be okay.
I'll look shall lead him.
Get ready to see him!
What is he?
The road's going to be dark.
But there's no monsters, no creepy
crawlings.
That's okay, John.
I ain't scared anymore.
There's squashes.
Mama's gonna yield.
We're supposed to be dressed for daddy.
Daddy always promises.
He promised to buy me baby sassy for
Christmas.
It's not daddy, it's fault there wouldn't
know work at Christmas.
He's never work.
8% there was working on Ohio.
My daddy catches his pay.
He's going to bring his sneakers and take
us out for pizza.
Hello, darling.
Hey, glee, that's not any free samples
today.
Oh, yeah, sure.
How about you?
I'll trade you dollars to donut any day.
Yeah, I bet you would.
Well, you keep it warm for me now.
Coffee on me.
Coffee on me.
Very decent.
Have you got some kind of a alarm button?
Don't touch it.
Okay.
Only if anybody get dead over this.
Feel it.
Okay, do it here.
I think he's dead, Mr. Collins.
He's dead.
Like God.
There you go.
Go inside and watch TV.
He's just kids and shows.
They go upstairs and play dolls.
He's creepy,ylies, I'm scared.
Did you code it, daddy?
Yesterday you school.
A daddy, you're a blood criminal.
I did a full thing, jy.
I couldn't face up to your mom again
coming home empty.
Well, you gotta get to a doctor.
Guess I ain't been much of a credit to you
and Pearl as a daddy.
A daddy's job is to provide.
This money is my... my insurance policy.
Living poor forces, uh, people to do
desperate things sometimes.
People are gonna be storming all over this
place looking for this money.
Daddy.
How the police come in here?
They never tell nobody.
Especially not your mama.
I know if she finds out she won't sleep
and I tell her turn to the painting.
Promise?
I promised a gun.
I'll promise to God, promise to me here.
Come on, we gotta go.
Go find a place to put this money.
Now, let's try to scare you along and try
to scare with the Lord.
You look at what
you're trying to tell your
two things on the Lord
say so, you understand?
Now you hold it up, man.
It's free, right there.
Easy now.
Get the cuts up.
Take it easy.
Come on.
He's heard bad.
He needs a doctor.
We gotta take care of him.
Daddy.
Don't let you get now.
He's been killed in a lot of money.
He's been stolen.
We gotta talk to you daddy about that.
I know you want to help your daddy.
I'm gonna leave a man here until we can
locate your mama.
If you want to tell him what you know
about that money.
I don't know anything about it anymore.
You hear me okay, man?
The man's dead on your account.
Wouldn't this be the proper time to tell
us where you laid up all that cash?
Lord, where's he saw him?
He would enter the river.
Anybody have you the wife?
Apparently the kids were pretty shut.
She's just trying to settle him down to
get it right.
I'll send a car for her in the morning.
Man, if you tell us where that
water is, I'm sure he's gonna
make things go a lot easier for
you when you get to the judge.
He isn't going to get to the judge.
He isn't going to get through the night.
Get your eyes full.
Keep moving.
Let's press it strong.
Business is the same bird.
Wasn't he just up here faking asthma to
duck road detail?
Well, I've been a prize on this
performance.
I'm going through convulsions,
cough and blood.
The size is due for release next month.
I can't see him chance and that but some
stunned.
Okay.
It's scheduled for a GI series first thing
in the morning.
It's locked down.
They say you're killed a man, man.
I'm here to help you ease your case with
the Lord.
Really?
I'm the chaplain here, son.
What can I do to help you ease your soul?
Nothing anybody can do.
You were all in there, son.
Jesus blessed us all with the free will to
scorn or embrace his precious flesh.
Even in the last eye blink, you can be
greeted into the kingdom.
I didn't intend any harm.
That's a Dundee bin.
With that bloody money,
bring respect to the ones you love.
Don't you want to tell me where that money
is at, man?
Man?
I got pen and paper here.
Got any words for your wife and babies?
These remain times for hungry bellies,
man.
You're leaving the ones you love in pretty
tight straits.
I prefer it.
They know where you hit that one.
I've seen all kinds of craziness,
man.
But never $50,000 craziness.
Who are you?
Your process, Dad, too.
These two hands, hate
and love, warn against
each other for the soul
of the morning, man.
Do you have statues?
You ain't no clergy or a card.
You can slip out of this life peacefully.
You can go hard.
Faster!
The money, man!
Oh, he knows, trying to give it CPR.
Dad is too deep in the ground.
Is it too tight for all this?
Deeper.
How deep down is hell?
That ain't no place near to hell.
Look at that, he told you.
Oh, he just told me that I had to be more
charged around the house.
Where are you going?
I've got to go down and make sure the
cella pump's working all right.
Here, you've got a job, too.
You've got to talk to Beanie Bear so he
don't get scared.
Oh, Mommy's Bear.
It's okay.
It's okay, my little sweet potato.
You want it to go away.
It's just God moving furniture around
heaven.
The car made it.
Oh, how could you say that?
Ever has to suppose to have a daddy.
How could you go to a car daddy away?
It's okay.
And they don't have something.
It's coffee.
Morning, this is the...
What is you waiting for?
I'm not sure what it is.
I don't want it.
It's not there.
It's easy.
You
don't need to go away.
I don't want to miss you.
I don't want to miss you.
Well, let's come to the notice.
You've been pushing in late these last few
months.
I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry, but lately it's just
been a battle.
Getting my little one out and off to
school.
I don't like to miss another people's
business, but...
I heard you applied for a weekend waitress
job at the cafe.
If you're having problems keeping up with
one job...
Well, you know I've got to do it by myself
now.
And I want to make a good home for the
children.
They have been for leaving you all in such
a way.
Well, you know, I'm thankful that Grandma
Bailey left the saddle house.
You know, at least we got a cover up for
our heads.
Mr. Spoon, you know, the finishing
department is way behind.
Mr. Garrett's won't authorize an overtime.
Well, I could take materials home and work
at the house.
The company could just pay me for a
straight piece of work.
He wouldn't have to pay any overtime.
And I could be home with John and Pearl.
Mr. Garrett's don't have any complaints.
You can tell him it's fine with me.
My baby would look pretty with hair like
that.
Would you stop bothering me?
Pearl.
Sweetheart.
I'm sorry, Mommy didn't mean that.
Where's John?
I thought he was helping you lay out the
supper.
He's praying.
I'm sorry.
Oh, come on, let's go get him.
Come on.
Are you hungry?
I'm here.
I'm getting hungry, too.
Come on.
John, I'm going to get that thing towed
for scrap.
It wouldn't take much to fix it up,
you know.
And you could drive it to work.
You know I can't drive stick.
Now, come on inside, and let's get ready
for supper.
Wash out.
Paul, are you crazy?
I smell... Oh, I'm not
messing with the gas.
Put the clock in a way.
Are you falling?
That's not a blow!
You check-ass?
Oh, Reverend.
You okay?
Oh, see.
What are you trying to do?
Re-locate the whole town into Ohio.
I thought it was just my radio warning
over.
Folks around here, oh, you missed it.
Couldn't just leave her set there and
burn.
These sets you down for a decent fee.
I'll find time for my personal needs when
my mission is complete.
Well, these wise letters pass the hat to
help you on your way.
My mission brings me here.
To Wallace?
Last month.
I was called to give comfort to a man
dying in the county locker.
He asked me to deliver a message.
Ben Hopler?
You know the man.
Will Hopler works with my wife.
That's a dog factory.
Can you, well, he's waiting.
Reverend?
Sergeant.
Would you be kind enough to send the
waitress for Mrs. Harvers order?
Oh, I don't care for anything,
well.
Please.
He's supposed to have been told him
anything about the money.
You have a hard time convincing me that
anybody.
Throw away $50,000.
It wasn't pretty past, Ben.
That the boy was so kind of cherry if he'd
throw them in a creek.
He'd have floated upstream.
Any is misguided way.
And just wanted to do good by you and the
children.
I find it surprising that Ben turned to
God.
I came from a Christian
upbringing, but been
pretty much discouraged
that after we were married.
Yeah.
Looking into the eyeball at death.
I've seen even the hardest man called out
for his maker.
Just a little bit of that money would have
gone a long way toward ease in the load.
It's a mother's instinctive nature you
want to provide for a young.
But toughest things are.
I'm sure you know you're better off
without that tainted money.
Oh, no, I didn't mean I proved if what Ben
did.
No.
Too bad you couldn't have stopped him from
chucking that bundle.
You could have ended this idol speculation
before it even started.
Well, I never could talk sense to Ben.
The fact is, how was it work?
The thought of that frightened man running
home to an empty house.
Now the children were there.
What else?
What's poor babies all alone?
That's no way for a child, remember their
father.
I'll bloody them, running for his life.
John Harper?
You trying to break his town down or what?
Why aren't you at school?
I was going,
but uh... All right.
Somebody's going to have to account for
that damage.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Wally.
Well, that's all right.
We don't cut no more keys here,
anyhow, Willa.
You get yourself to school.
You go on.
I prayed with your daddy, John.
You asked me to come down here.
Tell you how much you love to you.
You prayed with my daddy?
Yes, sir.
He had a change of heart at the end.
We prayed.
He asked me to tell you to help your
mother.
And to ask the Lord to make you grow up
strong.
And follow his word.
My daddy never prayed with you.
My daddy never told you no such thing.
You get yourself to school, John.
You'll discuss it later.
I'm so embarrassed.
Go light on him.
Listen, your daddy is a hard thing for a
boy.
Come on, it's life time.
Oh, no, I was going so long, I'm warning
you.
I said, lunch!
Okay, I hope the Reverend gave you some
comfort.
I must say he's got a very calming way
about him.
That is a very presentable man.
And I gave the Reverend
Thompson a call, and he's going
to let Mr. Powell preach
from his pulpit this Sunday.
He smiles at the wrong times.
Oh, men are like that.
Sometimes I just don't know how to act
around a pretty woman.
But the good part is,
this is going to finally
hush up all that gossip
about the money.
And now I suppose lips will be flapping
over with a neglectful mother I am.
Who says that?
Oh, anybody who saw John running wild on
Main Street this morning.
That age of boy being deprived of his
daddy is a mighty upsetting thing.
Well, deprived is all they know.
And I see him wearing the same clothes and
doing with that.
At home, Pearl, she looks at
the dolls just so envious and
I really should do my piecework
after she's going to bed.
His hair is too curly.
I believe quality control is going to have
to reject it.
Maybe you know little girl wouldn't mind a
factory second doll.
Well, come on.
Don't birdie, don't bite.
He smiles.
Hi, birdie.
Uh, if your mom will allow you to drink
coffee back home.
No, sir.
Well, we take our Joe Mann's style around
here.
I got sugar, you know.
Oh, okay, two spoons please.
When I say I got sugar.
I mean, I got diabetes, you know what that
is.
Huh?
I mean, I can't have no sweets.
It's never as bitter as the first swallow
it in.
Well, you should see those fools.
And they're always a greeny bridge.
Yeah, they've been dragging the current.
They're looking for any trace of the
money.
I know people are saying all kinds of
things about your paw.
But the true man
usually falls somewhere
between folks best and
worst opinion of them.
But your paw is a rightful friend of mine.
And that's the way I'm going to remember
them.
Is something eating at your boy?
Well, preacher's been coming around my
house.
He says he knew my daddy.
Your dad's socializing who's a bison.
That's not very likely.
But I thought a preacher wasn't supposed
to lie.
Well, regular preacher's the one thing.
But these mail-order bison's.
They got such a gift of the gab.
They can get folks to jerking and holler
in the name of the spirits.
Right here in these parts, I've seen
people so fevered and so sermon drunk that
they get them to cozy up the vipers and
copperheads.
Poison snakes?
Yeah, they do.
Notion that snake bites cannot hurt the
truly righteous.
What do you think of that?
Yay!
Do you see creepy girl who's in the room?
The ribbons on the right is a catfish.
She'll be up looking for a meal.
Daddy promised he'd take me fishing.
He did.
Well, I'll learn you to set a good trot
line.
Um... Yeah?
Come on!
Go!
Come on, come on!
Come on!
Not off again!
And just once, I'd like to use a tea bag
one time and throw it away.
You know, I bet if we had that money,
I bet we could live decent then.
I don't ever want to hear you talk like
that again.
That is bloodied money tainted with
Satan's own curse.
Well, Daddy didn't hurt anybody on
purpose, Mom.
I've decided you, me and Pearl, are
going to get back into the church habit.
Come Sunday.
You've been listening to that preacher.
He's been making stories about Daddy.
Uncle Bernie says so.
Hey, hey, hey.
Didn't I tell you not to go around that
nest of your man?
You ain't no more nest, you didn't have
preacher.
You get yourself to your room,
Mr. My face shows on to no TV for you.
On the kind facing of this congregation.
And give thanks for the warm embrace of
your Christian hospitality.
Jesus smiles on those who give comfort to
the traveler.
I notice some of you eye on these hands.
Well, I tell you, I find
these tattoos mighty
helpful when it comes
to preaching the word.
It was with the left hand that came struck
the blow that laid his brother low.
This hate hand now bears the curse of the
living and all mighty Jehovah.
The fingers of this hand are fed by veins
that lead directly to the heart.
The right hand is the hand of love.
Hate and love.
Woring one against the other for control.
And that is the story of life,
my friends.
The soul of man.
Woring against his own greed and lust and
stinking corruption.
It is not an accidental turn in the road
that brings me to you good folks today.
Ben Harper sent me to this pulpit.
Ben Harper sent me to give testimony to
his deadly murderous offense.
Yeah, exhausting his last mortal breaths.
He sent me here with a message of the
error of easy money.
Two men have seen proof of your body.
Bloody cash.
And now a curse hovers over this gentle
community.
I hope you let him see that about Daddy.
So I have come to help lift that curse.
And return this town to the Lord's good
favor.
That ain't so.
John, please.
He's lied about my daddy.
It ain't so.
Sit down now, sit down.
I won't until he takes back his lies.
What a blessedness.
What a peace is mind.
Leading on the everlasting arm.
Leading.
Leading.
Safe and secure from all alone.
Leading.
Leading on the everlasting arm.
So she can hatch it.
Stay so long.
Because there was no eve.
I hope you'll pardon the intrusion.
There's no intrusion at all, Mr. Powell.
Well, I just wanted to say that perhaps I
came across a bit harsh at Sunday sermon.
I want to apologize if I caused any more
hurt, especially to the youngsters.
The children know that they're not going
to be the same.
as their father did wrong.
I guess they're just trying to reckon with
it the best ways they can.
We're just sitting down to supper.
Wouldn't be no bother to set another
plate.
Turn in your back on Satan's temptations
is one thing.
But turn it away from home, cooking.
Mr. Powell, there's one more slice of
meatloaf left.
I believe I'm filled with satisfaction,
thank you.
I'm just wrapping up for you and you can
take it along for some sandwiches.
So much silence in a natural thing in a
boy.
It don't help for you to slam it.
It never took it right.
I can't afford to get a repairman right
now.
Well, maybe I can fix it.
Well, look at that.
Anything else just make a list.
I know how a house can go to the devil
without a man around.
Sweetheart, why don't
you take Reverend Powell
into the parlor and
make him comfortable?
Big old house like this must be a great
place for a game I hide and seek.
Well, of what a nice little baby she is.
Her name is Miss Jimmy.
Has Mama been buying lots of nice presents
for you and Joan?
I made a gift to mom and add her job.
If I'd known we were having company,
I would have made a cobbler pudding.
Well, frankly, I don't think I could find
a place to put it in.
Besides, I need to be moving on.
Goodbye, Miss Jenny.
I promise some of the church women that I'd
help and plan the prayer social tonight.
Perhaps you'd be free to join us.
If it's okay with the man of the house.
Good term.
But Mommy and home here.
You're going to get a two-wheeler like
that?
It's a secret.
Bad half secret.
You are a secret, Daddy.
How'd you know that?
Preacher said it.
He's a daddy told him.
Did he promise you a bike?
Preacher's a bad man, Pearl.
If he's bad, help me came to help us.
It's because he thinks there's money.
Keepsy, Daddy was bad.
You see, Daddy was good.
People say Preacher is good.
And you say Preacher is bad.
I give up.
And may not be the four-square temple or
the crystal cathedral.
But I don't think the Lord will fum his
nose at this fine tabernacle.
I see the foundation of a fine ministry
here.
Just sometimes.
I question if I'm a suitable spokesman for
God's Word.
All the years I've moved around without
attachments.
I've made my congregation among the lost
and discarded.
But I wonder if there isn't a time in a
man's life.
When he tires at the road.
You know, will I chose to dedicate my life
to the message of salvation?
Of course, that don't exclude me from
natural feelings for an attractive woman.
So I stand by the convention.
I respect him family.
I hope you value that in me.
Oh, I value a great deal in you.
Harry Powell.
Well, I want you to find value.
I want you to trust.
I don't think you know the struggle.
Well, I look at that boy and I was even
younger than John.
You can bet I'd bucked against a harsh
hand.
Even in my grown years, believe me, I've
done restitution for my slack and error.
But that's the nature of the struggle.
Right against wrong, easy against harsh,
pleasure against sacrifice.
I've never moved to one easy day in my
life.
I think I know how hard it's been.
What you've been through.
But there comes a time.
To rest.
You know, some scientists figured it out.
And they came up with the opinion that this
is the second oldest river on the planet.
And the only one older is the river Nile.
People tell me this is one of the
prettiest spots in creation.
Well, I'd have to take their word on that.
See, it's how I've never been nowhere
else.
No word.
I won't bend in my honeymoon.
We did go to Colonial Beach, Maryland.
Never did see the ocean.
I'm sorry.
Look at those kids burning every light in
that house.
However, if those
folks believe if you're not
sinful, you can end up
poisoning and they won't bite.
Well, back country folk.
Don't take the strange people hanging out,
all right?
You could take us.
But a regular church starts, aren't you?
What do you want to do?
What do you want to hang around and snake
people for?
Life, snakes?
Is that creature fellas still creeping
around your house?
Yeah.
Yeah, he is.
The tags are good till August.
You know where the keys are at?
My dad had the only set.
We can get her started.
My mom don't drive a stick shift.
You want to learn to drive, boy?
I know your daddy was against religion.
Is that why you're so set against me?
Well, I don't have anything just regular
religion.
I just don't like this kneel down,
holy, holy kind.
What do you like, son?
Well, in front of my dads, he has his
church well out on the back parts.
No, on Wednesday nights, they have good
music and stuff.
That sounds pretty interesting,
doesn't it?
You trying to hurt wired?
Kind of young.
You know your way around cars,
aren't you?
Well, I knew enough.
Well, let's see.
Said yourself beyond the wheel.
When I say, give her some gas.
All right.
Okay, give her a pedal.
This church is on Wednesday nights,
you say?
Yeah.
Mom's got Bible study Wednesday night.
Well, I was just thinking of us.
What?
I'm sure.
And then one day the Lord spoke to me so
loud.
It kept my ears ringing for three months.
And God gave me victory over my bastards.
And I came that day for the anointing.
Just as a lot of you know, we got snakes,
okay?
And if you get the anoint and come up,
put your hands on things.
But if you don't fail it, don't brother,
cause they're deadly.
Out of balance.
What's up?
What's up?
What's up?
Me!
Oh!
It's yours.
Me!
Oh, my God!
We'll take the world out.
We'll go out for the clean heart.
We'll come forward to test his faith.
Brother, let me anoint myself in the
witness of the Lord.
It old-outing John, I think the serpent
would strike me dead if I touched it.
So, boy, you'd make this lake?
Or is there a deviousness in your heart?
You think I don't know why?
You brought me here?
Me!
Me!
All right, any snakes?
All right, any snakes?
All right.
They couldn't beg didn't.
You see how terrifying she is.
But could you take children to a place
like that?
Well, if you seriously believe that I
would endanger these children.
John, don't do any good to go on
protecting you.
Now, tell your mama how you tricked me.
She should have been in bed hours ago.
Maybe she should sleep in mama's room
tonight, huh?
Can you show me the way to mama's room?
Can we help first enter the bed?
If we see anything nasty, we'll just
squash it flat.
You gotta listen.
Aren't things hard enough?
I mean, all I ask for you is a little
cooperation.
I mean, if you can't do that much for me,
just go to your room.
Just go on.
I'm scared.
What are some bad happens to the family?
John, if I'd already happen, ain't bad.
I'm afraid to know what it is.
What if we really had money?
We could go away, maybe Arizona or
Florida?
Oh, John, sweetheart.
Oh, don't be like your father dwelling on
what ain't it?
Frigors not interested in us.
No, we are not as natural children.
I'm not saying that.
No.
You can't expect him to be a special with
you as a real father.
That's not what he's after.
I think we all understand what's great in
John.
He's going to think of himself as the man
around his house.
It's a hard adjustment to let a new man
come into his home.
You ain't never coming in.
Come on, everyone, John.
I'm going to say that we need to discuss.
I know it's a short time.
But I stand in my faith against hypocrisy.
And it would be hypocrisy to hide the
feelings I feel for your mother.
Feelings I'm forbidden to express outside
the blessing of matrimony.
So, with your permission, I plan to start
a life with your momma.
And to do good by your children.
Bye bye, thank you!
I think I'm hot, baby.
I spoke to her at least, being going
through the motion.
You want to help me make up a bell to his
bed?
Did you know I had a little girl?
Where'd she know her girl anymore?
She's a dental high of a genus in vain.
I'm pulled out of a spine, will you?
Harry?
I was praying.
I'm sorry.
I'll wait for you to finish.
Wait for blood.
You were expecting me?
You thought I was going to start to pause
and handle you?
I don't expect you to pause.
I think it's time we got one thing
straight, Will.
Get up.
Come on, get up.
Strip off your nitrous.
Let's get back into the covers.
Now go around, face the mirror.
Harry, please.
Go on.
Not in the light.
A nitrous, Will.
Now what do you see?
Harry, it's cold.
I said, look in the glass.
The only thing I have to give is me.
Will, you're not hearing me.
I said, look at this body.
Now this body was intended as a vessel for
creation and motherhood.
Do you intend children, Will?
I don't know.
This body was meant for beginning
children.
It was not meant for the course roping
pleasure of men.
That's filthiness, filthiness and pouring.
I'm not saying you're any worse than the
rest, but...
I meant this body.
I meant this body.
I cannot believe you want us to soil
ourselves with rottenness of truth.
We're married now.
Help.
Can I please you?
It is the purpose of this marriage.
It is the business of this marriage.
To mine those two children, you have now.
It is our business to set a moral example.
So their souls will not be lost.
It has been a long day.
Cover yourself up.
Go to bed.
That's the wall.
Your support is coming by the door.
No.
Sorry.
You want to think about running away
sometimes?
You know I don't like to see by myself.
Will you come too?
Are we going to go to our same school?
What's going on in here?
Nothing.
For youngsters doing nothing?
I have to go hide about it.
Go on downstairs, bro.
Go on.
I'm a perfect little hideout here.
All kinds of secret nooks.
Crannies?
Why do you think your daddy stole that
money in the first place?
Huh?
I think he did it because he wanted to
make a good life for you.
So what's wrong if we all have a good
life?
What do you want more than anything?
You want me out of this house?
Isn't there some way we can both get what
we want?
I don't have to make no deals.
My mom's going to find out about you.
You believe that.
Sure find out you're fake and you'll be
gone.
You think you know your mom is true heart
better than I do?
You think boy?
John Harper.
I'd have at least thought you were mad
enough to come clean on your own.
Come clean about what?
I caught him.
Caught what?
It was a bnatic playing with matches.
No way.
All that paper and old furniture up there.
It's like a tinderbox.
Mom, I didn't.
Don't make any worse by lying.
You lie.
Beginning tomorrow, we're going to start a
new program around here.
Immediately after school, John will come
home and report directly to me.
I think the boy needs to open his Bible.
My own daddy used to drill me.
When I was John's age, I could recite from
Acts to Zephania.
I think John could learn some obedience
and humility from the scriptures.
Mom, he can't!
John, please.
In your own eyes, I know you think you've
done right.
But you've failed those children with
laxity and permissiveness.
I know the kind of rebellion they can brew
inside of a boy.
It only came to me as a man that a shut
hand can often enclose love.
Don't make me come and get you.
Don't make me come and get you!
Don't make me come and get you!
Don't make me come and get you!
You're going to take daddy's word of
creatures.
Here.
You need to go.
You need to go.
Come on!
Whoa, what are you doing out here?
Who's killing us?
What?
You're digging a deep hole deeper!
What are you doing out here?
I said, what are you doing out here?
Well, uh, being brutal.
We were looking out at the rain and she'd
drive her dog, so I came out to get it.
Get off back in the house.
Hey, somebody!
Hey, somebody, let me in!
What's all this noise about?
The door's locked.
Maybe it's locked because this ain't your
home anymore.
Hey, Pearl!
Hey, Pearl, let me in!
I don't have a jacket.
It's cold out here.
Let me in!
Pearl didn't want to talk to you.
She's talking to me now.
Mama!
Mama can't hear you.
She's a church.
The lady's prayer meeting.
Such a pretty little girl.
You should have lots
of pretty things and not
have to live cooped up
in this dreary old house.
I like the hills.
I know how children feel.
I know what it's like to be shut in.
Never air.
Light.
Closed off.
Sealed in a bottle.
Pearl, where are you going?
I'll come here running away from your
friends, huh?
Well, maybe we'll just go play by
ourselves.
Hello, Mr. Bear.
How are you today?
Well,
you know something?
I think Pearl's a little scared of
preacher.
Well, maybe.
Sometime.
But preacher.
Preacher just wants to make Pearl happy.
Really?
Preacher only wants Pearl to love him.
Pearl?
Pearl, I got a idea.
Let's play Ticksley tape, are you ready?
You need her alone.
You hurt my sister.
I swear.
Some on your mind, boy.
Okay, I'll tell you.
You'll tell me what.
If I show you where it is, will you go
away?
You are.
There's another one of your tricks,
boy.
No, it's right in there in a closet.
You first?
I've already checked this room.
Oh, it's in there.
I'm going to shelf behind a lot of stuff.
Is it?
Okay, where?
I'm going to go through things.
That's what you wanted me to find,
boy.
Is it?
Is it?
I ain't nobody right, trip, honest!
You're playing me for a fool, boy.
You see that river up there?
There are places in there.
You could lose a little boy's body
forever.
Now, where's someone?
All right.
I'll tell you.
Where?
It's up there.
Head box.
If you're tricking me, it's going to go
real hard with you.
We're going to catch you all for this
time.
In 37.
In 37.
Who ain't to pry, but I wish you
everything's all right at the house.
I got B7.
B7.
It's just taken a little bit of time for
every day.
I'm ready to make the adjustment.
Pay attention to your numbers.
Bingo!
We got a mango here.
You've got a hundred dollar wimmer.
I did.
I'm not going to explain this to Harry.
You're not.
You're just going to tuck that hundred
dollar bill away and save it.
We're a treat for you and the youngsters.
Harry?
Oh, listen.
There's godless little pieces.
I show restraint and look what happens.
Harry, what happened?
We're the children.
John.
Pearl.
Are you okay?
My god.
What's going on here?
He was me and John.
He walked him outside.
Sometimes John just gets him so mad.
It's because he went and killed.
Tell him what?
Where the money is here.
Willa, I think I need the doctor.
Okay.
Yeah.
Listen.
You're children.
You stay in this room.
And later, we'll sit down and figure out
what's going on here.
Okay.
Is your head bad?
Are you okay to drive?
Is it going on?
Have you ever seen those children so
frightened?
Harry,
I'm not making any judgments, but I think
I need some explanations.
Then maybe you can explain something to
me.
What?
I was intending to tell you.
You were intended to tell me what?
I didn't know, Mr. Spoon was taking me to
a window.
You lied to me!
Where's the rest of it?
I was right.
All along he knew it was the money you
were after.
I'm going back to the house.
I'm going to talk to my children.
I'm going blind and injured.
And this time I'm going to listen.
Please, please.
I've got to make you understand.
Why aren't you the one who always wanted
to understand?
All those years.
I was trapped.
Couldn't get away.
I'll bottle them, suffocating.
I pushed.
But I couldn't get away.
Is this getting clear?
Willa?
I got a recount.
Get free.
There's no other way!
You see Willa?
Do you understand me now?
Willa?
Well, Willa didn't show up for work this
morning.
Miss Spoon was worried.
Will me drive out here.
Hurry.
Is Willa feeling ill?
She...
What's the matter?
She's run off.
Jumped in the car.
Lord out of here in the middle of the
night.
Willa?
Go.
I just left a children.
Last night she came home late.
Fill her wild ideas.
Fought in a hundred dollar bill from who
knows who they're.
Maybe I almost saw what I wanted to see.
From the wedding night she...
I can accept from Ben.
She may have been accustomed to them.
More excitement than Ben.
There are the words of rejection.
No man can preach.
If you want us to take in the children...
Well, I already explained it to him.
That their mama left early for work.
I started to pack him off now.
They'd... They'd know
something was wrong.
But... she didn't
come back by by night.
They'll always have a home with us.
You are truly good people.
Indeed you are.
That don't entirely sound like Willa.
I don't know if...
It's our place to meddle.
Maybe I can fix a casserole.
I'll bring it by later.
See if things are settled down some.
Boom!
Up here!
Help!
Just give him the money!
I can't.
Till he finds the money he can't hurt us.
You children better get your mind straight
because I'm coming.
She's gone out for a while.
Where?
Off in the car.
My mom will drive a stick.
For such a smart little boy.
How come you haven't figured out what's
going to happen to you?
If you don't show me to that money,
huh?
Downstairs.
I've
got no more patience.
In there, Pearl.
First I'm going to start with your
brother.
Where is it?
That's how you wear!
No!
It's in the doll!
In the doll.
You're going to tell me which one?
Huh?
It's going to be you in the pantry.
And I'm going to be talking to Pearl.
If not any of those.
No, it's in Pearl's.
Upstairs.
It's upstairs.
I know your tricks, mister.
I got your trap.
Don't you know that?
Tell me.
Good thing you won!
I'll get you!
I'll take you one to the shark.
I can find a bullet in your hand.
Oh, there ain't nothing bigger in here
than just something in your car.
Hang on tight.
Somebody will see us.
It's going to be okay.
I'll look shall lead him.
Get ready to see him!
What is he?
The road's going to be dark.
But there's no monsters, no creepy
crawlings.
That's okay, John.
I ain't scared anymore.