Dallas s06e14 Episode Script

There is an intra-company rivalry going on between you and your brother.
I love my brother.
But he does not have the strength to run Ewing Oil.
I know it.
And the whole family knows it.
My brother thinks I can't play hardball.
Sweetheart, I'll have the pleasure of stuffing that ball down his throat.
I'm gonna side with Miss Ellie.
I'll fight you and Bobby.
Every step of the way.
She has to know exactly what she's getting into - if she wants to go to court.
- I don't want to do any of this.
I have to! Jock you're putting me through hell.
How can I fight you when you're not even here? Miss Ellie.
Why are you sitting in the dark? No reason.
I was just thinking.
Turn on a light.
I wanted to know how your meeting went.
With Brooks Oliver.
It was very general.
He needs to get permission from one of his clients before he can represent me but he thinks I might have a case.
Well.
Good.
To do it, though I'm going to have to claim that when Jock wrote the codicil he was mentally incompetent.
Well.
There must be other grounds.
No.
None I can win with.
According to the lawyer.
Miss Ellie.
The Jock we all knew is not the man who wrote that codicil.
He loved his sons too much to let them destroy each other.
Jock was not mentally incompetent.
He was a very rational man.
Miss Ellie.
Please.
You've gone this far.
Don't turn back now.
Jock.
God bless him.
Lived his life.
What you do now can't hurt him.
But the battle he left behind is tearing a whole family apart.
You owe it just as much to Jock to have that will overturned.
I don't know.
Pam.
I'm having second thoughts.
Looky there.
Everybody lined up.
Getting ready to watch television? Why? Ls there something we should watch? - Sure is.
- J.
R.
was interviewed by the news.
Well.
I can miss that.
- Bobby not home yet? - He's still at the office.
Well.
Why don't you call him.
Pam? He wouldn't wanna miss all the warm and wonderful things I said about him.
Good night.
Miss Ellie.
- Good night.
Pam.
- Good night.
Can I freshen up your drink.
Mama? No.
Thank you.
I'm going to bed.
You're not gonna watch the show? No.
I don't care to watch my two sons attack each other in public.
Attack? I haven't even loaded my guns yet.
Okay.
Let's watch this thing.
That does I! For local news.
Coming up next, we have Pete Decker with the weather which, hopefully, will remain just as pretty as it's been all week.
And following Pete, we have an interview with Mr.
J.
R.
Ewing.
The man who's starting in be known as the king of cut-rate gas.
Mr.
Ewing has some interesting things to say about gas and oil and fascinating things to say about the battle raging within the Ewing empire.
Craig.
It just doesn't sound reasonable.
That's all.
It's a basic multi-partner situation.
From what I can see.
The majority wants to keep these fields closed, they've got the right.
Of course the cartel doesn't mind if the Wellington fields are closed they don't need the revenues.
I do.
Well.
I'll see what we can find in the small print.
All right.
There's gotta be a way.
J.
R.
negotiated that contract.
I know he wouldn't paint himself into a corner.
We'll see.
There's a lot of words here.
Could take some time to go through all of it.
Give yourself a day.
I was thinking of a week.
I'm thinking of tomorrow.
And you know what the worst part is? The whole thing was a farce.
I mean.
You should've heard them.
You should've heard them.
You talk about cowards.
Oh.
Boy.
I mean.
The OLM doesn't have a thing on them.
- At least they're honest.
- Honest? They are going to allow J.
R.
to keep his variance.
That is stupid.
That is stupid.
What I mean is.
When you're dealing with a man that's honest you at least got a chance to change his mind.
Well.
You know what? I don't care.
Because I have decided to quit the committee.
Now.
Hold on a minute.
Really.
I mean.
I cannot work with people like that.
I Donna.
You're not a quitter.
I didn't say I was a quitter.
But I'm not blind either.
I mean.
I know a brick wall when it's staring me in the face.
- Now.
Just sit down.
- Ray.
Let's just go to bed.
Just sit down.
I wanna talk to you for a minute.
Now.
Look.
I love the idea of you running around.
Getting involved with politics.
But you took a job.
Now you do it.
Every time I try to do it.
I get voted down.
You only got voted down once.
Now.
You get in there and fight! Well.
I never heard you talk like that.
Well.
I never heard you talk about quitting anything before either.
You stick with it.
Talk those jerks into stopping J.
R.
That's all I'm gonna say.
Let's go to bed now.
Well.
You coming? Yes.
Sir.
Push that one right there.
Push it again.
You haven't got the hang of this yet.
There we go.
Looky there.
Ewing Oil.
You know.
I think we can probably program some video games in here.
When this year is up.
Your Uncle Bobby's gonna have so much time on his hands he'll be able to play with you any time you want.
Ewing Oil.
Just a moment.
I'll see.
J.
R.
.
it's Roy Ralston.
- Who? - From the talk show.
Roy Ralston? Oh.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'll take it in the office.
Come on.
John Ross.
Come on.
Come on.
Now.
Go over and play with that oil well over there.
Honey.
Hello.
Mr.
Ewing.
I know how busy you must be.
So I'll be brief.
I spoke to Mrs.
Ewing a few moments ago.
You do know about our talk show.
Don't you? Well.
I'm not exactly Rip van Winkle.
You know.
We'd be honored if you'd appear as our guest.
A guest for what? Well.
Selling gas at your kind of prices has made you the talk of Texas.
So we'd like to discuss it with you on Talktime.
Well.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That'd be just fine.
I think your audience ought to be set straight on what's going on.
I'd like a chance to air my views.
Wonderful.
We'll get back to you with the schedule.
Then.
And I'm looking forward to meeting you.
- My pleasure.
- Bye-bye.
Hey.
John Ross.
- You ever hear of Robin Hood? - Yeah.
Yeah? Well.
Your daddy is the Robin Hood of the oil business.
Take from the poor, and give to the rich.
You remember that.
Now.
Well.
A talk show.
There's no stopping us now.
Thanks very much.
She said Jordan's on his way.
Oh.
Incidentally.
I spoke to some of the refineries in the area.
- Oh.
Did you? What did they say? - Excuse me.
- You ready to order? - Yeah.
Marilee? - Vodka.
Please.
- Bourbon and branch.
Please.
- Yeah.
I'll have the same thing.
- Okey-doke.
They're 100 percent behind us.
- None of them will do business with J.
R.
- Great.
Honey.
You wanna bring me a double recipe of the usual? Sure.
Sorry I'm late.
I was checking on some news that none of you's gonna like.
What news? Remember that 25-percent cutback Bobby made before the split? - Yeah? - Well.
He just reversed it.
- What? - He's pulling all he can out of his 17 fields.
Don't tell me Bobby got a variance too.
No.
J.
R.
's still got the only variance but Bobby's pumping to the last legal drop.
He wants to uncap that Wellington field.
Yep.
That's an awful lot of oil in today's market.
- He'll never get a price on all that crude.
- He'll get a price but he'll have to take four or five dollars less than anybody else.
You think Bobby's trying to cutthroat us? A Ewing is a Ewing is a Ewing.
This is even more reason not to let him open up the Wellington field.
You're absolutely right.
That's right.
What's the point of this meeting? We can vote, can't we? It's a majority votes, right? Is there anybody for opening up that field? - Hell.
No.
- All right.
Then that's all there is to it.
Jordan.
Why don't you call the gentleman and tell him he's just been voted down.
Okay.
Thank you, bye-bye.
- Hello.
Mrs.
Ewing.
- Good morning.
- You look lovely today.
- Thank you.
Let's go see Mommy.
Let's go see Mommy.
There she is.
Come on.
- There she is.
- Hi.
Sweetie-pie.
Hi.
Are you having fun? Oh.
Did you draw that? - I maked a fire engine.
- Oh.
That's wonderful! That's a fire engine.
- Are you starving? - He had some cookies, didn't you? Darling.
I'm sorry.
I'm gonna be late.
My last appointment's in the office right now.
How are you doing? I thought we were gonna have lunch.
We will.
You go down.
Grab a table.
I'll be down shortly.
Where is he? He's right here.
- Get him downstairs.
- Come on.
Sly.
Hold this.
And don't write a letter on it until I talk to you.
See that guy right there? He's no longer with this firm.
Let me see.
Oh.
We were talking about opening up a string of gasoline stations? Yes.
Sir.
In Arizona.
Now.
I've got the stations and I wanna buy a franchise on the Ewing name which is getting itself known up our way too.
- Is that right? - Now.
This is what I plan to do.
I'd like to buy my gas from you and sell it at those cut-rate prices.
I don't have your resources, so I won't be able to go as low as you do.
But 10.
15 cents off a gallon, and I'll line those cars up around the block.
And I'll cut you in for 50 percent of the profit.
That's a generous offer, Mr.
Criswell.
You're a very enterprising young man.
- Then you like the idea? - I do.
That's wonderful.
I'd say we've got a deal.
Hell.
I'm afraid not.
See.
Oil is one thing.
Gasoline is something else.
I have a lot of oil.
But I'm having trouble refining it too.
Well.
That's a shame.
Mr.
Ewing.
Now.
I'm not slamming the door in your face.
It's just that I'm having an awful time supplying my own stations.
But if you could locate a refinery.
Well.
We could do some business.
No fooling.
Well.
A refinery.
That's a different story.
- They're pretty scarce these days.
- Tell me about it.
- All right.
I'll keep my ears open up.
- You do that.
- Mr.
Graison.
- Oh.
Mr.
Graison.
Yes.
Right this way.
- Mark.
- Miss Ellie.
You look younger than the last time I saw you.
Well.
That was some time ago.
And I certainly do not.
- How are you? - I'm fine.
- I'm Mark Graison.
- How do you do? - This is my daughter-in-law Pamela.
- Well.
I'm very happy to meet you.
- Won't you? - Thank you.
Something from the bar? White wine for me.
I'll have the same.
I wanna tell you how sorry I was to hear about Jock.
He was an exceptional man.
Thank you.
Mark.
It's Jock that I wanted to talk to you about.
Or rather, about his will.
I can imagine what kind of a battle that set up.
Yes.
It has.
And Miss Ellie thinks it should be stopped.
It seems the only way to stop this battle is to break the will.
And a friend of mine suggested that I see Brooks Oliver about representing me.
- My family has Brooks on a retainer.
- Yes.
That's what he told me.
He also said he'd be happy to handle Miss Ellie's case with your approval.
I understand.
Is his schedule completely filled? Well.
We'd have to see.
Phone call for Mrs.
Pamela Ewing.
Phone call for Mrs.
Ewing.
- Where's the telephone.
Please? - Right up at the hostess stand.
Excuse me.
Mark.
I have to be honest with you.
I'm not certain I'll go through with this case.
I'd like to apologize if this lunch turns out to be a waste of your time.
A waste of my time? Miss Ellie.
You don't have to apologize about anything.
I can't conceive how seeing you two could possibly be a waste of my time.
Yeah? - Hi.
You're just in time.
- For what? Oh.
Boy.
I'm covered up with packing cartons here.
- I need some help.
- Oh.
Lucky me.
The other day you wanted me to be your decorator.
We certainly do get to share interesting parts of your life.
You don't wanna help me pack? Why should I? These aren't my things.
I don't have a new apartment.
Well.
Yeah.
But I figured you'd be moving in sooner or later.
- Did you really? - Oh.
Yeah.
Eventually.
Tell me something.
Cliff.
Is that pre-marriage or post-marriage? What marriage? Exactly.
I haven't heard you mention a thing about that.
You wanna get married? Okay.
We'll get married.
Oh.
No.
We won't! - What? - Never! What are you saying? I would jump out that window before I'd marry you! Breakable things in here.
Look.
The man I marry is going to want to marry me! - I just said I wanted to marry you.
- No.
You didn't.
And you don't.
I don't understand you.
All you want is a cheap maid and someone to split the rent! Well.
Damn your boxes! Go pack them yourself! I keep going back and forth on it.
Ray.
I just can't make up my mind.
Whatever you decide to do.
Miss Ellie.
Just know Ray and I will support you.
Evening.
Hope I'm not interrupting anything.
- No.
- Well.
I don't know.
Looks like I barged in on some kind of conspiracy.
Seems like every time I turn around somebody's conniving against me.
Nobody's conniving against you.
J.
R.
Look at Donna there.
Tampering with a public commission trying to get them to overturn my variance.
- Now.
Just a minute.
J.
R.
- Yeah.
You are.
Wheeling and dealing after they voted, democratically.
I might add to let me keep it.
I don't appreciate how you put that.
Are you implying that I have been underhanded? - I believe the word is inept.
- Watch your mouth.
- You gotta admit, she's not too bright.
- All right.
Let's go outside! - You're wrinkling my suit.
- I'm gonna wrinkle your face! - Ray.
Let's go home! - Best idea you've had all night.
Oh.
Ray! One of these days.
I'm gonna really shut that mouth of yours.
Let's go home, Donna.
I'm sorry.
Miss Ellie.
Yes? - Right in here.
Mr.
Gurney.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
I won't need you anymore tonight.
You can go.
- Thank you.
Bobby.
Good night.
- Good night.
All right.
What'd you find? Well.
I dug deeper in this contract than you dig for oil.
Well.
The important thing is did you find any? I believe we did.
Great! Then I can force them to uncap those wells.
No.
There's no procedure for that.
But what you can do is sell out your share.
Craig.
I don't wanna sell Wellington.
Not even for five times the current market value? Well.
Who's gonna give me that kind of money? The cartel.
According to the way your brother set up the contract if a majority of the partnership wants to cut off production then the others have the right to sell their share at fivefold market value.
And the majority partners are obliged to be the buyers of last resort.
Fivefold market value.
- That's a sizable amount of cash.
- Don't I know it.
So either way.
I win.
They either uncap those wells.
Or I can force them to buy out my interest.
That's the way the contract reads.
Thank you.
J.
R.
My God.
Do you know how to write a contract.
What do you find so amusing.
Sue Ellen? Well.
I was just wondering whatever happened to your ability of handling I mean.
Dealing with people.
Well.
I just forgot that cowboy has a terrible temper.
Just lucky he didn't have his spurs on.
Rub my back.
Would you? Of course.
I can't wait to see you on that TV show.
You like that sort of thing.
Don't you? I think it's nice to be the wife of a celebrity.
To tell you the truth.
I'm kind of nervous about being up there.
Speaking in public You'll think of something to say.
I've all the confidence in the world in you.
I'd have a lot more confidence if I had somebody up there with me.
You want me on the show with you? If it wouldn't be an imposition.
- You mean it.
Don't you? - We're partners.
Aren't we? You really mean that commitment that you made at the lake, don't you? Of course I do.
I can't tell you how happy that makes me feel.
Oh.
Honey.
It was late.
I thought you were asleep.
Wait till I tell you.
I had the best stroke of luck.
I think I found a way to force the cartel into opening up the Wellington field.
That's wonderful.
Now you can lose a few more friends.
Honey.
J.
R.
's way ahead.
I have to catch up.
By the time you catch up you may lose your family and all the friends you ever had.
Pamela.
We have been through this all before.
Now.
You know the kind of race I'm in.
I'm doing what I think is right.
And I'm very much afraid of what it's doing to you.
Hello? Bobby Ewing here.
Mark Graison! I haven't thought about you in ages.
How are you? Oh.
I'm doing real good.
Thank you.
What can I do for you? Oh.
Sure.
Pam's right here.
Hang on.
He wants to talk to you.
- Hello.
- Pam.
This is Mark Graison.
Listen.
I'm sorry to call you so late.
I'm leaving Dallas tomorrow for a couple of days and I know you need a decision on the Brooks Oliver situation.
Yes.
Well.
There's one or two questions I'd like to ask before I give an answer.
Could you meet me tomorrow morning.
Say.
Breakfast? Well.
I suppose so.
Fine.
We'll meet at The Morning Stop on Greenville.
Say.
9:00? All right.
That'll be fine.
Goodbye.
Honey.
What was that all about? His family has a lawyer on retainer Miss Ellie wants to use.
What does that have to do with you? I'm helping Miss Ellie convince him to loan her the lawyer's services.
I don't believe it.
Pamela.
You may want this fight to be over but you're on the wrong side in the war.
I don't think so.
I'm going downstairs and have a drink.
Don't tell me I can't go up there! Get out of my way! - You can't come in here.
- Yes.
I can.
- The lady's busy.
If you'd - Don't give me any lip.
Young man.
- I wanna talk to you.
- I couldn't stop him.
- Get this creep off me.
- I'll take care of it.
- You sure? - Yeah.
She's sure.
Thank you very much.
You have no right to keep barging into my bedroom like this! You'll have to find another place to work.
- What is going on with your refinery? - What do you mean? You know damn well what I mean.
I asked you to cancel those contracts except for the ones I give you.
And you have not done that.
Okay.
Wait a minute.
Pick up that phone and call whoever to get rid of those contracts.
- J.
R.
.
I won't.
- I'm sorry.
I don't think I heard you right.
I'd be cutting Harwood Oil off from all other business.
I can't do that to my daddy's company.
You can and you will.
If you don't.
You won't need any other contracts.
Harwood Oil will cease to exist.
Do you really believe you could just wipe out Harwood Oil? Holly.
Sit down.
I'll explain something to you that even you will understand.
For the past two months I have entangled your company in many interrelated deals that you could send a battalion of accountants and they'd come away with nothing more than a headache.
What are you saying? I'm saying.
Holly.
That I have built your company into a house of cards.
You don't do what I tell you.
I'll huff.
I'll puff.
And blow Harwood away.
- You can't be serious.
- Some things even I don't joke about.
What about my contracts with the military? How can I break those? I don't know.
But I've got confidence in you.
I know you'll come up with something.
I'll be leaving now.
So that you can make all those nice phone calls.
And if I find out by tomorrow you have not done so I'll turn Harwood Oil into a memory.
And not a very pleasant one at that.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
Please.
Just coffee for me, thank you.
I'm fine.
Thank you.
You look very lovely this morning.
Thank you.
Last night.
You said there was a question.
I just thought before I released Brooks Oliver to work for Miss Ellie I ought to know a bit more about what he's gonna get into.
How the family feels.
For example.
Well.
My husband and his brother are against it, that's for sure.
What about you? I think Miss Ellie should do what she needs to do.
Even if it's against what your husband wants? In this case.
Yes.
It sounds like you want Miss Ellie to break the will more than she does.
We both want to end this rivalry for Ewing Oil.
All right.
I'll give you Brooks Oliver.
Well.
That was easy.
I must be very persuasive.
Either that.
Or you made up your mind before this morning.
Right.
Then why are we having breakfast? Because you knocked me out when we met.
And I wanted to see you alone.
- Mr.
Graison.
I'm a married woman.
- I know that.
And I'm not very modern when it comes to playing around.
That is a very attractive quality.
Well.
I'm glad you appreciate it.
It's a quality I intend to keep.
You know.
Marriages are funny.
Ships in a storm.
Some waves they survive.
Others break them apart.
Well.
I have a very strong marriage.
And we've survived lots of storms.
The battle over Ewing Oil may strain it more than you think.
- If you ever need a lifeboat - I don't think I ever will.
Thank you.
Have Miss Ellie give me a call about Brooks.
Well.
I'd appreciate it if you'd do that yourself.
And also.
That you not mention that we had breakfast together.
Thank you again.
Yes? Bobby, Miss Harwood is here.
Show her in.
Please.
- Hello.
Holly.
- Thank you for seeing me, Bobby.
Well.
You sounded so upset on the telephone.
Bobby.
Jordan Lee is on line two.
Do you want to call him back? No.
I'll take it right now.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
Holly.
- Jordan.
- Bobby, we tank a vale none of us liked the idea of opening up Wellington.
Well.
Jordan.
I don't like the idea.
But I do think we should meet about it.
- Tomorrow morning's all right with me.
- Well.
Fine.
9:30.
here? Fine.
See you then.
J.
R.
came to see me this morning.
- He threatened me.
- He did what? He really frightened me.
Sit down.
Tell me about it.
Bobby.
I've just gotta break away from that man.
Just calm down and explain what happened.
The refinery I bought has contracts with oil producers.
- You know that.
- Sure.
J.
R.
's been trying to get me to break those contracts.
Of course.
He needs your full capacity for his own gas stations.
I don't wanna break those contracts.
Bobby.
Holly.
You don't have to.
You still have 75 percent of your own company.
He told me that if I didn't.
He has ways of destroying Harwood Oil.
He said he's tangled my company up into knots that only he can untie.
Could he have done something like that in just a couple months? Holly.
You gave him a free hand.
It doesn't take long to stretch a company like yours to the snapping point.
What do I do? Well.
I said it was possible.
I didn't say he did it.
God.
I want that man out of my life! I want that 25 percent I gave him back.
Well.
Now.
You might have to sue him to get that.
Then he'd attack my company for sure.
Well.
It is one way to find out if he's bluffing.
That's not much of an answer.
Bobby.
Yeah.
I know.
It's the only answer I can give you, Holly.
I'm sorry.
Hey.
Who gave you permission to swim in our pool? Didn't think I needed it.
After all.
I'm practically a Ewing.
It's the “practically“ that makes the difference.
And I hope you washed the hay off before you jumped in.
Yes.
Ma'am.
And the fleas and the ticks too.
- Wanna dive in and find out? - Don't do that.
Does Ray know you're down here? - I don't know what Ray knows.
- I'll bet he doesn't.
Why don't you go down and ask him? I'm not especially interested.
Oh.
Interested enough to come down and look for me.
Don't flatter yourself.
I didn't even know you were down here.
You're a very cocky kid.
Oh.
I'm sorry.
You bring out the best in me.
I was afraid that was your best.
- Hey.
Is that what you really think? - No.
Not really.
I think that underneath all your cockiness.
You're basically pretty nasty.
And underneath all that frost.
There's a deep-freeze unit.
Hi.
You still angry with me? - Well.
I'm here.
Aren't I? - I'm sorry about the other day.
I mean.
I really acted stupid.
I just wasn't myself.
Unfortunately.
You were.
And as far as marriage is concerned.
Why.
That's definitely in the cards.
Cliff.
Let's change the subject.
Okay? You said you invited me over for dinner.
I don't smell anything cooking.
I can't find the cartons with the kitchen stuff in it.
50 But I thought I'd keep it simple.
And just order something in.
I heard there's a really great gourmet restaurant.
Right here in the neighborhood.
- Chinese? - Yeah.
I like Chinese.
And they should be here any minute now.
Well.
Don't let me disturb you.
I'm sure you wanna keep on with your decorating.
I'm gonna go watch some TV.
Okay.
Settle down.
Please.
Settle down.
Stand by.
Five seconds.
Four.
Three.
Two Good evening.
We are privileged tonight to have a very special guest.
A man whose name is synonymous with independent oil here in Texas.
Some call him a saint.
Some call him a sinner.
Hopefully.
We'll find out which one he is tonight.
You all know who I'm talking about.
The man who has set gas prices back four whole years.
Along with his lovely and charming wife.
Let's give a warm welcome to Mr.
J.
R.
Ewing.
Hey-ROY-How you doing? - Thank you for joining us.
- Thank you.
My pleasure.
Mr.
Ewing.
Why have you decided to sell gasoline cheaper than anybody else? Well.
I feel the American public deserves a better hand than they've been dealt.
The price of gasoline is skyrocketing.
And I don't think there's a real reason for it.
That's not what the industry wants us to believe.
No.
I guess they don't.
It doesn't cost all that much to get a barrel of oil out of the ground.
And that is where the price starts from.
Isn't it? That's pretty radical talk from an oilman.
Do you consider yourself a radical? A radical? Me? Sue Ellen.
You better answer that.
Well.
He's about as conservative as they come.
I make a profit.
I wouldn't be in business if I didn't but I don't have to gouge the public to do it.
You see.
I'm a Texan.
And I don't like to be dictated to by a pack of foreign interests.
So I just called it quits.
I said.
Enough is enough.
I'm curious.
Why did you wait till now to make that decision? Well.
Roy.
I'm only human.
I've had a lifetime of thinking in one direction.
And changes take time.
But my heart's in it now.
What I'm doing.
I'm committed.
What does he mean.
His heart's in it? The man doesn't own a heart.
How do you feel about all this, Mrs.
Ewing? - Can we turn this thing off? - I wanna see this.
- Well, I think it': Wonderful.
- Will he continue? Well, I'm not very well versed in the business but I know that my husband's going to make sure “Aha! The prices slay as low as possible.
I think I'm gonna go home now.
You say you're not well versed in the business, but you're not the average - stay-at-home sort of wife, are you? - That's the food, probably.
- Well, I wouldn't say that.
- And I wouldn't either.
I'm just not well acquainted with the intricacies of the oil industry.
- Lychee Tree Restaurant.
- Yeah.
How much do I owe you? Ten seventy-four.
- Yeah.
You wanna bring it right in here? - Sure.
Mr.
Ewing, it': Common knowledge that there is an intra-company rivalry going on between you and your brother.
Does your dropping prices have anything to do with that? Here you go.
- Absolutely not.
- Some people think it dues.
- That's J.
R.
Ewing.
Ain't it? - Yeah.
That's him.
All Bobby': Doing is acting out a game my daddy set up.
I love my brother, but he does not have the strength to run Ewing Oil.
I know it, and the whole family knows it.
Oh.
Poor Bobby's gonna love that.
I tell you.
If he ran for president tomorrow.
I'd vote for him.
I would! So much for the intelligence of the average voter.
I don'! Suppose my crystal ball is any better than yours.
I can'! Foresee the future.
Bu! I can tell you this: For the first time in my business life I'm taking pleasure in being an oilman.
- Thai mus! Make you feel pretty good.
- It dues.
Oh.
Boy.
That's all we need.
Is J.
R.
Ewing in office.
How do you feel about having a hem for a husband? - I'm very proud u! Him.
- Wait a minute.
I'm being appreciated by the people who count - What? - Muse gauged by big ail companies.
- I wonder.
- And I like that feeling.
I really do.
SOUTHFORK RANCH Bobby.
- You're awfully jumpy.
- Did you see that show tonight? - Yes.
I did.
- I'll show him who's acting out a game.
Who the hell does he think he is.
Anyway? - Bobby.
Please try to calm down.
- Ls he back yet? - No.
He's not.
- I don't have the strength to do the job? What he really means is.
I don't stoop as low as he does.
Bobby.
It's not worth it.
Miss Ellie's gonna put a stop to all of this.
Mama will do nothing.
She won't break that will.
She's seeing a lawyer tomorrow.
When Mama finds out what's involved in declaring Daddy incompetent she will never do it.
- I'm glad.
I'm really happy.
- Happy? My brother doesn't think I can play hardball.
Sweetheart, I'll have the pleasure of stuffing that ball down his throat.
You almost full? Come on.
Come on.
Sweetheart.
Say.
"Christopher.
“ Say.
" Christopher.
“ Are you tired? You tired? Teresa.
Would you take Christopher upstairs please? - Sure.
- It's nap time.
It's nap time.
Yeah.
Thank you.
- Morning.
Teresa.
- Morning.
Morning.
Pam.
Say.
You're kind of late.
Aren't you? Shouldn't you be out meddling in somebody's life? I don't meddle in people's lives.
That's your specialty.
Well.
You're meddling in my life.
Carrying on with Mama the way you are.
I've been meaning to talk to you about Bobby too.
You know.
Your helping Mama is pretty rough on that boy.
He's so concerned.
He can't keep his mind on his business.
It must bother you deeply.
Another thing.
He's gonna need all the spunk he can get in this contest.
I'll win.
Of course.
Everybody knows that.
But you gotta give him a sporting chance.
You know.
J.
R.
.
I think Bobby could beat you.
I think he could wipe you right out of Ewing Oil but to do that.
He'd have to become like you.
And I don't want that.
Your concern is very touching.
My dear.
I'm gonna side with Miss Ellie.
And I'm gonna fight you and Bobby every step of the way because it's the only way I know of saving this family from falling apart.
Hope you're a graceful loser.
Bobby.
We're not opening the Wellington field.
Jordan.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Well.
What did you expect.
Bobby? You're talking about cutthroating everybody J.
R.
hasn't.
Look.
This is not something I would do.
And you know it.
You also know the situation I'm in with J.
R.
And I can't afford not to use every single one of my assets.
Mr.
Gurney here has gone over this contract that we all signed when we bought the Wellington property.
And he informs me that I am not able to force you to uncap those wells.
That's right.
But I can ask you to buy me out.
You wanna sell your interest? - I don't seem to have a choice.
- I guess we can negotiate a price.
No.
Jordan.
Actually the price is set right here in the contract.
Five times market value.
- Five times market value? - We figure that's $25 to 30 million.
That's armed robbery! No.
That's paragraph 17A.
Section F.
You can't force us to buy you out at that kind of money.
I can.
Marilee.
And I will.
I'm between a rock and a hard place and you know it.
I don't think you can do this.
Bobby.
But if you can, and if you do.
You're gonna make a whole lot of enemies.
Andy Bradley's in this.
Barnes-Wentworth - Jordan.
I'm sorry.
- You certainly will be.
Now.
Either you uncap those wells.
Or I'm gonna ask you for the cash.
Let's get out of here.
Well.
Whichever way they go.
Bobby.
You'll come out ahead.
Which would you prefer? I'd prefer not to have to do it to them at all.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Oh.
My.
You have straightened up since I was here.
It's coming along.
Yeah.
Afton gave me a hand.
So he got you to help him after all? Cliff was so upset after he saw J.
R.
on TV he had to work off that energy.
- Would you like some coffee? - I'd love some.
Did you happen to see him on television last night? He's taking curtain calls for stabbing his own people in the back.
You consider yourself one of J.
R.
's people? No.
No.
I don't mean that.
I mean I mean the oil community.
And there's Sue Ellen beside him like the Duchess of Windsor.
I tell you.
If he continues like this he'll work himself into a position where we won't be able to touch him.
- I don't like it any more than you! - All right.
Then let's move on him.
Now.
Cliff.
I paid a little visit to Ellie the other day.
Did you have a nice time? A lovely time.
We talked.
Played with our grandson.
It was the way things could be if our families weren't fighting.
Go on.
Drop the other shoe.
Well.
You know.
Ellie may try to break Jack's will.
- She'll never go to court.
- That's not sure.
And if she does and she succeeds.
There won't be much for us to fight about.
So.
What are you suggesting? Do we ease up on the pressure? - I want the pressure off Ellie.
- I'm not concerned about Ellie.
I know.
But I think we should hold off on them all for now.
Nothing should dissuade Ellie from attacking that will.
God.
She's fighting both her sons.
We don't know how strong she is.
Cliff.
It's not such a bad idea.
What do you have to lose? Okay.
We'll hold off.
Until the Will's decided.
If it's decided.
These letters from your husband they do show a certain deterioration of spirit.
It had to be very difficult for Jock in South America.
I'd say they tend to support the argument that he was not of sound mind and body.
- Then do we have a case? - I believe we do.
Yes.
I can't help but notice how you're guarding these letters.
They're very precious to you.
Aren't they? Yes.
They are.
Very personal.
Mrs.
Ewing do you have any idea what it entails to have a person declared legally incompetent? It's a very difficult procedure.
I think we have a good case.
But it depends in great part on how far you're personally willing to go.
What do you mean? Well.
You take these letters.
For example.
It isn't just me and your family who'll get to know what's in them.
They'll be made public.
- Is that necessary? - Yes.
If we're to win.
It is.
Yes.
Excerpts of these well.
They may even find their way into the newspapers.
- The newspapers? - Ewing is a name that sells newspapers.
You'll be questioned.
Your private life will be probed.
And from what you say.
Your sons won't make it easy for you.
I have no illusions about my sons when it comes to a fight.
It won't be a pleasant experience.
You're upsetting her.
Why are you telling her all this? Because she has to know exactly what she is getting into if she wants to go to court.
Mr.
Oliver.
I don't want to go to court.
I don't want to do any of this.
I have to! So you would like to proceed? Yes.
I've got to break Jack's will.