American Fable (2016) Movie Script
1
- Gitty!
Gitty! Come over here.
- Hi, dad.
- Gertrude Marie Jaeger
you know I told you never
to play by that silo.
- Sorry, dad. Come here.
- Come on.
- Just 50 short years ago,
there were
seven million small farms
in this country.
Today, in 1982, there are
less than two million..
- You know, Gitty,
they buy and sell farms
like they're trading
baseball cards.
They have no respect
for what we do
no respect for what we built.
We work our tails off
and this is where we're from
and this is where we're staying.
You remember that, Gitty.
This is the best place on earth.
You know that, right?
- Yeah.
No, dad, stop! Stop, dad, stop!
- You okay?
- Yeah.
- Can't we just let it go?
- What do you want me
to do, Gitty?
The coyotes come down here
and eat her alive.
Wait, wait, hold on, Gitty..
It's just a yearling.
Go to the car and get a blanket.
You're okay, buddy.
You're okay.
Come on.
- Hey, dad shoot a deer?
- He hit her on accident.
- Hey, Gitty, come over here.
Put your hand down on that.
Come on,
what are you afraid of, huh?
- Nothing.
- Trust me.
Okay, it's a game.
You can't move your hand.
No matter what.
Don't close your eyes.
No, look at me.
See, I knew
you'd move your hand.
Mom was lookin' for you.
- Hi, mom .
- Hey, sweet pea.
Hey, ah..
Don't even think
about tracking that mud in here.
- One, two..
The short stop..
- Yes! Yes.
- Gitty, can you
just turn it down?
The baby'll be here by then.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I... I know.
- Neither can government
and that means taxpayers..
Bail out every farmer
hopelessly in debt..
- No. That's a bunch
of bullshit, right there.
That.. I'm sorry, kids,
but that is some bullshit.
- Dad!
- Well..
- Mmm.
- Honey, will you grab me
another beer, please?
- Stop it, you'll hurt her!
- Gitty, it's a chicken.
Okay? We eat those things.
- Well, she's
a very special chicken, Martin.
- Okay..
- Hey, enough!
- Are we going to the fair
on Friday?
- We have the funeral.
- It's on Saturday.
- It's the third one this year,
you know that?
- Who died?
- Hansen hanged himself
in his cow barn.
- Hush. That's enough, Martin.
- What? Guys, everybody knows.
- Why did he kill himself?
- Well, you know, I heard
they were taking his farm away.
- What?
- Yeah, I know his wife got
a hell of a lot
of insurance money.
Right, mom?
- That's enough, Martin.
- Are we gonna lose our farm, dad?
- No.
- No, sweetie.
- Maybe.
- What?
- No, absolutely not,
we're not gonna lose our farm.
- Why is everybody so afraid
of telling the truth?
- Because your sister
is 11 years old, Martin.
That's why we don't need
to talk about that.
- Okay, so what?
- Martin!
Clear your plate
and go upstairs.
Sweetie, do you want to see
if you've got a friend
that wants to come to the fair
with us?
- No, Gitty doesn't have
any friends!
Gitty's only friend
is the stupid chicken!
- She's not stupid, Martin!
- Yeah, she is stupid!
- No, she's not.
- That's your only friend. That's why she talks to herself.
You can't be serious.
Stupid chicken.
- Maybe Heidi and Michael
wanna come with us?
- Heidi and Michael?
- Mm-hmm.
- Heidi and Michael
aren't my friends.
They just live next door.
- Well, I'll be your friend.
I'll go to the fair with you.
Do you want to come
to the fair with me?
- I'll go to the fair with you, dad.
- Well, thank you.
I guess you do
have some friends.
I guess Martin doesn't know
what he's talking about.
And I have a friend in my lovely wife..
- Ow, Abe..
- And I am going to enjoy her.
- Let me go. Come on.
- She is kind of beautiful.
- Abe, stop!
- Gross!
- So, let's see,
if I remember correctly..
We were squirrels
in the story, right?
- I don't want to be
a squirrel anymore.
- You don't want to be a..
Okay, why not?
- Martin said they have
babies up their butts.
- Martin said they had babies up their butts, alright.
- Yeah.
Do they have babies
up their butts?
- I don't think that that's
true but if Martin says so
I'll have to check it out.
- Okay.
- What kind of story
do you want then?
- How about..
A really... Scary story?
But make sure
it has a happy ending, okay?
- Scary story..
- Happy ending.
- Hmm.
Have I ever told you
why we have scarecrows?
- To scare away the birds?
- Yeah.
That they're there to scare away
the birds, that's what we
tell people, but have I ever
told you the real reason?
- No.
- Alright,
and you can't tell anyone this
but the truth is,
when a real farmer dies..
And I mean a real farmer, old-timer.
- Real farmer?
- Farmer that's been here Fo...
- What's a fake farmer?
- You know, somebody that comes
from the city and thinks
they know how to farm.
I'm talkin' about a real farmer.
- Mm.
Okay.
- A farmer that grew up here.
Who doesn't know anything
except farmin'.
- Okay.
- When he dies..
He needs to make sure
that his farm, well..
That somebody's there
to look after it.
- Okay.
- So his spirit,
it needs a place to go.
So that's why we have
to build a scarecrow
so his spirit can live there
watch over the farm
watch all the little girls
that run around his farm.
But on windy nights..
Especially on windy nights..
- Yeah?
- Sometimes, well, the spirit
gets a little bit lost.
He can't find the scarecrow,
he doesn't know quite where to
go so, not all the time
but sometimes,
he sneaks into the farmhouse.
- Sometimes?
- Sometimes he sneaks into the farmhouse.
And sometimes he goes upstairs..
And sometimes, he crawls
under the bed of little girls
that are sleepin'.
But when he does that,
he always gives himself away.
And you know how he gives himself away?
- How?
- Because when everything's
quiet and everybody's sleeping..
- Okay..
- And there's not a noise in the house..
- No..
- Sometimes that farmer,
that farmer's spirit..
He farts!
- Dad!
Dad! Dad!
You're so weird.
- Well, I guess
that makes two of us.
- I'm not weird.
You're the weird one.
- You need to go
to sleep now, hon.
- I know.
- You need to say your prayers.
- I will.
- And you need
to tell me you love me.
- I love you, dad.
- I love you too, Gitty.
- Goodnight, dad.
- Sorry, little guy.
I have tried everything.
I cannot refinance,
interest rate's at 16%.
You were the person
that talked me into
getting this property
in the first place.
You were the one that said
we cannot lose.
You are telling me that we
have less than we had before?
- We're on an adventure!
- Wait for me, guys.
- Come on, Heidi.
Wow.
- Look at that!
Wow.
- Gitty!
- What?
- Took you long enough.
- Is it safe?
- Who knows?
- Is it haunted?
- Probably.
- What do you think's
down there?
- He'll tell us.
- It's safe.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah, it'll be fine.
- Is Teddy okay?
- He'll be okay, Heidi.
- How deep is it?
- I don't know, Michael.
"The farm killed me.
Jr, 1933."
- What do you see?
- Someone died down here.
- What? Is there a body?
- No.
It happened a long time ago.
- Oh.
- No. No, no, no.
No. Wait, wait, wait..
Please. Please don't go. Hi.
What's your name?
- Gitty.
It's short for Gertrude.
- It's a beautiful name.
- I hate it.
- My name's, um..
Uh, Jonathan,
it's not a very pretty name.
Um, hey, Gitty? Uh..
I'm... I'm trapped down here.
And I haven't
I haven't eaten in... in, uh..
Oh, god, in a few days.
- Why are you in our silo?
- This is your silo?
- Yeah.
I'll go get my dad.
- No! No, no, no. No. Wait.
Wait, wait, please don't.
Please don't.
No one's supposed to know
that I'm here, okay?
Can you keep a secret?
- I'm not supposed to keep
secrets from my dad.
He'd get really mad if I did.
- Oh, yeah. No, I... I know.
I know, but you know what?
Um, sometimes if it's a friend
if it... it's someone
you can trust
and you can, you can trust me,
then it's okay.
So don't tell anyone
that I'm here. Okay?
- I don't know.
- Please.
Please, Gitty.
I... you know what?
I can, um, I can give you
anything you want.
Anyth... I can do that.
Anything you want
in the whole world.
Well, if there was one thing
that you wanted in the whole
world, wh... what would it be?
- Do you know any good stories?
- A story?
You want a story?
- Well..
My dad tells
really good stories.
- Huh..
Do you know the story
of the lion and the mouse?
- No.
- Oh, it's a very good story.
Okay, there was this lion
and, um, he lived in the jungle
and he was very, very strong
and very powerful.
And one night, he's sleeping
and, um, and a mouse comes out
of his hole
and it's very dark...
- Gitty, come on!
Come on! You're so slow.
- Hey!
Hey, Gitty, come back!
Gitty, please! I, uh..
Oh, god, I can tell it..
Better..
- and so the man lived there
for many years
paying for all the bad things
he had done.
Until one day
a Princess came and found out
his secret, and together..
Hello?
Who's there?
- What are you doing?
- Can I have a Popsicle?
May I please have a Popsicle?
- If you eat it at the table.
- Why do you do that every day?
- The metal pieces
I check at work every day
are these really fine wires
that go under the locks
on our cars.
And they're really sharp.
You want to try?
- No, thanks. I'm never gonna
work in a factory.
- Oh, yeah?
- I'm special.
- You know, Gitty..
Some people think they are
hot shit on a silver platter
when really, they're just
cold turd on a paper plate.
- What does that even mean, mom?
- It means special people
don't have to tell you
they're special.
- Mum..
If someone asks you
to keep a secret..
Should you keep it?
- Why do they want you
to keep a secret?
- I don't know.
I think they need a friend.
- Do you wanna keep the secret?
- Yeah.
- You should probably
keep it then.
Get over here,
let me do your hair.
- Hi, dad.
- What are you doing
in my kitchen, mister?
- Well, I'm gonna make my grandma's
rhubarb pie for the Hansens.
- Mm. You need any help?
- No, I got it all up here.
I mean, unless, Gitty,
you want to help?
- Yeah!
- Oh..
- Sorry.
Okay, now go out there
and get the butter.
Go on. Should I..
- "For I was thirsty, and you
gave me something to drink.
"I was a stranger
and you invited me in.
"I was in prison
and you came to me.
"And the king will answer them..
"Truly, I say to you,
as you did it
"to one of the least
of these my brothers
"you did it to me.
The word of our lord."
- Thanks be to god.
- Thanks be to god.
- In the name of the father,
the son
and the holy spirit, amen.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I'm Ethel.
Hank and I just moved into town.
- Hi.
- I've been doing
the paper route
just to get an idea of the area
so if you see me,
just say hello.
Alright?
- Okay.
- Oh, um, and if you
see the police car..
It... it's, it's,
just don't mind it
because, um,
I'm just retired now
but I got to keep the cruiser,
so..
Alright. Oh, um.. Uh..
Call me if you need anything.
Alright?
- Thank you.
- Take care.
- You too.
- This is just terrible.
Penny said it was
the third suicide this season.
- I'll take it.
Here you go.
- Thank you.
- Here.
- No. No.
- Please take it.
Please, please, please.
Come on, you deserve it.
- Thank you. Thank you.
- You deserve it.
- Hey, dad.
Have you ever heard the story
about the lion and the mouse?
- Yeah, the one where the mouse
hears the lion screamin'.
He finally comes across
the lion, he's trapped in a net
some hunters got him there?
- Yeah.
- And the lion begs the mouse to set him free, right?
And the mouse is terrified
but he chews through
the net anyway
lets that lion out.
- The lion's grateful... Right?
- No, the lion turns around
and eats the mouse.
He eats his whole family.
You can never trust people to
change their true nature, Gitty.
A lion is a lion.
It's a dog-eat-dog world.
- Whoa!
Dad, look!
Can we get it, please?
- Yeah. Go on, hurry up.
- Thanks, dad.
Yes, I win!
Thank you.
- Mom, I won. Cotton candy?
- I don't think so, Gitty.
- But dad promised I could
have some if I won and I did.
- Well, I didn't think
she was gonna win.
- Dad, come on.
- Alright.
- Please, please, please,
I'm hungry.
- Okay, the sooner you finish
the sooner you can have
your cotton candy.
- Nice shooting.
- Hello.
- Hi, Vera.
- It's nice to finally
meet you all.
I've heard so much about you.
- I haven't heard anything about you.
- Ah.
- We met Vera last year
at the barn raising in Iowa.
- Oh. Oh, um, nice to meet you.
- Mom? Mom, I've finished.
- Yeah, w... why don't you guys
go get some cotton candy?
And we'll meet you all
over there.
- Come on, mom, let's go.
- Hi, um,
one cotton candy, please.
- Purple, please.
- Alright.
There you go.
- Thank you.
- That'll be two dollars.
- Okay.
- Here, mom.
- And what are we gonna do
if I get caught?
What am I gonna do?
Think about that.
She's just a friend, she's just
someone I met a while ago.
She said she could help us out.
- Well, is she giving us a loan?
- She's not giving us a loan.
- She's paying you?
- She's paying me.
- For what?
- For a job, to hold something, Sarah.
To hold a package for her, okay?
- To hold a package?
What is it, drugs?
- You don't wanna know.
Sarah, you don't wanna know
- I..
Okay, so, w... why... why us?
Why did she... how did she even choose you?
- Why us?
Why it's because
I called her, Sarah.
Because I called her when I couldn't
make the payments last spring.
That's why it's us.
- You didn't tell me, Abe.
- And what am I supposed to tell you
when something like that happens?
- You're supposed to tell me
the truth!
- How am I supposed to tell you
that we're gonna lose the farm?
And everything
that we've worked for?
How am I gonna tell you that?
- I've gotta go to work.
We'll talk about it tomorrow.
- You came back.
- Yeah, um,
I have something for you.
You should probably watch out.
- Okay.
Thank you, Gitty.
Thank you for this.
You haven't told anyone
that I'm here, have you?
- No.
- Mmm.
- You're not a farmer, are you?
- No..
No, I'm... I'm not a farmer.
- Then what do you do?
- I buy land. Farms mostly.
- Did you buy
our neighbor's farm?
- I don't know, maybe.
- He killed himself.
- I didn't know that.
I'm sorry to hear that.
- Did you try to buy our farm?
- Gitty, I might have,
but, I... I..
You know, if it wasn't me
it would've been somebody else.
The, uh, these farms
are not doing very well
you know, they're all gonna be
bankrupt in a few years.
- A... are you a bad man?
Is that why you're in there?
- Gitty, no.
I'm a very good man.
You know what?
I'm... I'm..
I'm an important man.
- Important people don't
have to say they're important.
- You don't understand, Gitty..
Gitty?
- My dad says
it's a dog-eat-dog world.
- You know what,
your dad's right
it is a dog-eat-dog world.
You know what, Gitty,
tell... tell your dad..
You tell him
that I could pay him
double of whatever
they're paying.
Gitty, listen to me. You're not
listening to me. Gitty?
Tell him
that I could help you, okay?
Will you? Will you tell him
I can pay him. I can pay...
- why would you help us now
if you didn't before?
- God, Gitty, I..
Your... your, your father,
what's his name?
- Abe.
- Tell Abe to let me out!
I will pay him.
I will help him.
I promise you, and
I will not call the police.
Okay? Tell him that.
- I think you're lying.
- I'm not lying!
Gitty, I'm not. You... you go
tell him to let me out!
Now!
- Dad!
Dad?
- Okay, so how long
is he gonna be like this?
- No one knows.
He landed badly.
The fall broke his ankle.
There's a lot of pressure
on his spine
which is why he can't move.
Will you be having a nurse come
to wash him
and help with the bedpan?
- Um, no.
I... I can't right now.
I'll, I'll take care of him.
- Why isn't he in your room?
- We need room
for his special bed.
You wanna go say hi?
- Okay.
- Hey, mom?
Are you okay?
- Yeah.
What do you want, sweetheart?
- Does god really love us?
I don't think
he hears me at all.
- Look for him
in unexpected places, Gitty.
- After the recent passage
of a bill that would allow
for the construction
of what could be
the world's largest open-pit
iron ore mine
in Wisconsin's history
of environmental..
- How does this piece move?
- Put that back.
- Searches continue
throughout the region
for Jonathan winters,
the founder of Plymouth company
a large agriculture conglomerate
that has been buying up
failing farms in the Midwest.
Winters was last seen researching
crop yields in the Madison area.
Today the victim's sister..
- Pieces are missing.
- Message for the kidnappers.
- I'm speaking to the men
who kidnapped Jonathan..
My brother.
I beg you..
Please don't hurt him.
We'll give you
whatever you want.
Please, if you could just
tell him that I love him.
- Oh, that rich bitch.
- Why? What did she do?
- She's a monster, Gitty,
that's what she di..
She's a monster.
They're all monsters. Ask dad.
You know chess
is what the great generals
used to use to sharpen
their strategic skills for war?
- Can you teach me?
- It wouldn't even be a game,
I'd beat you every time.
What's the fun in that?
Let's face it, Gitty..
You're not good at much.
- Come on, happy.
Let's blow this joint.
- What's this?
- It's a lantern.
You know, for light.
- A lantern..
Did you bring matches?
- Oh, yeah,
I forgot about matches.
I'll bring them later.
Oh, your sister was on TV today.
- What?
My.. Anna?
- She said she loves you.
I should go.
- No, wait, wait, wait. Wait.
Gitty..
Can you wait...
For a little while?
Hey, want to know a riddle?
- A riddle? Yeah.
- Okay. What is..
I swallow up
all that's before me
and all that's after me..
And everyone who is watchin'.
What am I?
- I don't know. What?
- Think about it.
- Hey, Jonathan.
- Yeah?
- You..
You said before that you could
give me anything I wanted?
- Yes. Anything.
- I want my dad to get better.
- What's wrong with your dad?
- He had a bad accident.
Can you help him?
- Yes, I can.
But can you do something
for me first?
- What do I have to do?
- Can you, um, go home
and you see this door
with the lock?
Go home and... and find a key.
Okay?
- Okay.
- Oh, and, uh.. And, oh, uh..
One more thing,
can you... can you, uh
bring me some books?
Some really big, big books.
Okay? The biggest you can find
and as many as you can carry.
Okay?
- Okay.
Mom?
- Mom's at work, stupid.
- Where are you going?
- Out.
- Martin?
- Oh, hey, Vera.
- Let's go.
- Keys, keys, keys..
Where are your books, Martin?
Hey, Jonathan, I... I brought
magazines and I brought matches
and I brought keys.
- Matches, check.
Go try the keys.
What are these?
- You said
you wanted stuff to read.
- Oh, no, no! Gitty, no.
I said books. Books, big books.
Oh, my god.
Where did you get these?
- I found them in Martin's room.
We don't have many books
in our house.
- Is there a library in town?
- Yeah.
- Go to the library
and get me books, please.
Big books,
the biggest you can carry, okay?
- Okay.
- Okay, now go and try the keys, please.
Are they working?
- I... I'm trying.
Have you ever loved someone?
Like, kisses and stuff?
- What is making you
think of that?
- All those ladies
in the magazine looked..
They look real funny.
Am I supposed to be like that
when I grow up?
- No. No, you're not
supposed to..
Don't ever, ever be like that.
- I'm sorry, Jonathan.
None of these keys work.
- Thank you, Gitty.
Thank you for trying.
Do me a favor now
and go to the library.
Please go to the library
and get me books, okay?
Real books. Big books.
As big as you can carry.
As many as you can carry, okay?
- Okay.
I will.
Should I
take the magazines back?
- Oh, uh..
No.
You can leave these here.
I'll read the articles.
- How far away is London?
- Very, very far.
Have you heard
of Nancy drew, dear?
- Thank you.
- We don't have a choice.
You've clearly
given us no choice.
- There's no other way, Sarah.
This is the only way
it can be done.
I'm glad you called me, Martin.
It's all under control.
These things take time.
You're doing great,
I can't say that enough.
- How can we trust you?
- I wouldn't
put your family in danger.
We're in this together.
- You told Abe it was a package.
- You're doing great. So now, just
keep people away from that silo.
Okay?
Sarah?
We'll be fine,
if you can just do that.
What was that?
- I don't know. I'll check.
- Is there anything up there?
- No, I think it was just a rat.
- Martin..
Trust me.
It's better that you don't know.
Just keep doing
what you're doing.
- Hey..
We're doing the world a favor,
right?
Okay? It's us or them.
- So, what... what...
- Like you said..
- What happen..
W... what if he dies out there?
- He won't.
- What happens when he gets out?
- He doesn't know where he is
and he doesn't know who you are.
- I'm in.
- You can call me any time.
- Well..
I've got chores to do.
- Vera, I can help you.
- You're strong, Martin.
You could be a real warrior..
If you wanted to be.
- You remember Vera, Gitty?
- I got you a burger, Gitty.
- Say thank you.
- Thank you.
- He was a farmer.
That company paid rebels
to burn down farms..
And they bought them
for pennies.
- Hmm.
- So what happened
to the farmers?
- They became soldiers.
- I got pregnant with Martin
when I was in high school.
Abe was going to play
professionally, things change.
- What am I?
- Gitty, what are you doin'?
- What is this, a chess set?
Hmm..
You want to play?
- I don't know how.
- I can teach you.
- From here?
- Well, you have a good point.
- Maybe I can come down.
- Can you fit
through that hole there?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Be careful.
Careful.
Careful.
- I'm trying.
I figured out your riddle.
- You did?
- Yeah.
- I swallow up all before me
and all that is behind
and everyone... Who is watching.
What am I?
- You're time.
- Very good.
- Did Martin do that?
- Oh..
Yes, he did.
Let's play.
Hmm..
Okay.
Let's just set these up.
- I know a few riddles.
- Yeah?
- What do you call a cow
with no legs?
- Uh, I don't know. What?
- Ground beef.
- That's pretty good.
We're missing a piece.
- Here.
- What's this?
- I found it.
- Okay, now, bishop
goes like this, diagonally.
This is your rook.
Your rook goes up and down.
- Okay.
- This is my favorite one,
the horsey, or the knight.
He can jump over people.
Let's see.
We've got some good books here.
- Oh, yeah,
those are due in two weeks.
Oh, okay, I'll make a note
of that in my calendar.
Yeah, there are some
good stories in this book, too.
- Do you know any good stories?
- You know what? I do.
Once when I was a little boy,
about your age
my parents sent me away for
the summers to the country.
We'd play out in the fields
and every day
there was this plane
that would cruise overhead
same flight path, every day.
It was an old plane very slow
looked like a big,
giant, beautiful dragonfly.
Then one day,
the plane crashed..
Just about 100 yards
in the next field.
The boy ran over to the plane
and pulled the pilot out.
And seconds later
the plane burst into flames.
The pilot was very grateful
and said to the boy
"you can have whatever you want.
Whatever you desire,
it's yours."
- What does the boy say?
- Well, he thinks about it
for a minute
and then he says,
"I want a grave stone."
- Why does he say that?
- I don't know,
why do you think?
- Hmm..
- You sleep well?
- Hey, Gitty.
- Dad!
Thank you so much, Jonathan.
It's working.
- What's that, kiddo?
- Oh, nothing, dad.
- Well, what road is that?
Oh!
Oh..
Oh, gosh darn it! Uh..
Hello, my dear.
Can I talk to your mom?
Oh, I'm Ethel. Yeah.
- From church? Yeah.
- Yes, exactly.
- Okay. Um, mom?
- How are you?
- Oh, I'm good.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- And your dad's doin' okay?
- Yeah, he's much better.
- Great.
Oh, something happened
to your mailbox.
Oh, hi! I'm glad to see
that you're doin' better.
I'm Ethel.
- Hi, Ethel, I'm... I'm Abe.
It's nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Oh, and you look fantastic.
Oh, boy, wouldn't you know it..
I got the old squad car
and there's no treads
on those darn wheels,
but I can pay for it.
- You.. You hit..
Oh, you hit the mailbox?
- Oh, yeah, I did.
- Oh.
- You know what, it's okay,
it's okay.
We'll take care of it.
- Are you sure?
- Absolutely.
- Yeah, we got it.
- Oh, thank you. Oh..
Well, nice house you got here.
Well, uh,
gotta go deliver the papers.
Oh..
Your paper.
- Thanks.
- Okay.
And please let me know
if you ever need anything.
Alright?
- Okay.
- Alright. And so sorry
about the mailbox.
- Oh, it's okay. It's good.
- Alright.
Okay, talk to you soon.
- Okay.
- Hi, dad.
- Hey, Gitty.
- Dad, you want to hear
a riddle?
- Do I want to hear a riddle?
Yes, I want to hear a riddle.
Definitely.
- Okay..
I swallow up what is
before me, what is behind me
as well as anyone
who is watching.
What am I?
- I don't know, baby. Um..
- Guess, dad.
- I'm tryin', I'm tryin'.
Uh..
- Guess.
- I swallow up what..
A big fat cow.
- No, dad.
- No.
- No.
- Not a cow?
- Just guess.
- I don't know, Gitty,
you stumped me.
- Dad..
Why don't we ever go places?
- What do you mean?
- Like..
Like Sydney..
Auckland, London..
Timbuktu.
- Well..
Who would take care of the cows?
- Haven't you ever wanted
to go places?
- Maybe, but no matter what
anybody tells you, Gitty
this is the best place on earth,
right here.
This is home.
- Okay.
- That's the second time
this week you've beaten me.
- I know you let me win.
Here.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Why aren't you married?
- I'm just not.
- Why don't you have any kids?
- I just don't.
- What did you want to be
when you were my age?
- Hmm.
When I was your age,
I wanted to be a musician.
I loved to play anything
with strings.
- Why a musician?
- Life without music,
is a mistake.
- Hmm.
Can you tell me another story?
- Why don't you pick a story
from one of these books?
There are
some wonderful stories in there.
- "William Butler Yeets."
- Yates, is from Ireland.
He's a wonderful poet. Pick one.
- "The second coming.
Turning and turning
in the widening gyre.."
- It's pronounced "jyre," here.
Let's see.
"Turning and turning
in the widening gyre.."
- "The falcon
cannot hear the falconer.
"Things fall apart,
the center cannot hold.
"Mere anarchy
is loosed upon the world.
"And everywhere, the ceremony
of innocence is drowned.
"The best lack all conviction
"while the worst are full
of passionate intensity.
"Surely some revelation
is at hand.
"Surely the second coming
is at hand.
"The second coming
"hardly are those words out
when a vast image
"out of spritus mundi
troubles my sight.
"The darkness drops again
"but now I know that
20 centuries of stony sleep
"were vexed to nightmare
by a rocking cradle.
"And what rough beast,
its hour come round at last
slouches towards Bethlehem
to be born."
- Huh.
What the..
What is that?
Oh..
Poop.
I says to Hank, I says
"I'm sure they're aware
that there are strangers
pokin' around on their property"
and he tells me
that I shouldn't be
checkin' it out for myself
but I didn't wanna be
botherin' you all.
- You're not botherin' us,
but we really haven't
had too much of a problem
with trespassers around here
so, thank you.
- Yeah, except you.
- Martin, that's enough.
- Funny, though, um,
I thought for sure
that I heard a voice
near the silo.
And... and that truck outside,
is that yours?
- I've heard voices
near the silo.
There's a man who lives there
and he grants wishes.
- Hey, shut up, shrimp.
- You will have to forgive
our daughter
she obviously
has a active imagination.
- It's true.
- Gitty, shut up.
- Well, um,
I'd better get goin'.
Yeah, Hank is probably
wonderin' where I am.
If you'll excuse me.
- Well, be careful driving.
- Oh, I will.
And, uh, you've got, uh,
my number in case of emergency?
- Mm-hmm.
It's right on the fridge.
- Great, great.
Nice mailbox, by the way.
- Try not to hit it this time.
- Bye.
- Can you play it?
- Let's see.
It's a little old..
And the bridge is broken.
Thank you, though.
You wanna hold it?
Put it under your chin.
There you go, just like that.
Hand on the neck.
Take the bow,
with your right hand
and hold your thumb there
and your pinky there
just nice and light.
There you go.
And pretend to play.
See what music comes
into your head.
Hey, Gitty..
- Mm-hmm?
- If we don't ever
see each other again..
Remember me.
Okay?
- I will.
- Gitty?
Gitty, are you okay?
- I knew it, you were gonna
free him, weren't you?
Do you know
what would happen, Gitty?
D... dad would go to jail
for the rest of his life...
- He's my friend!
- He's not your friend.
Okay, you idiot!
He's not one of us.
He pretends to like you, but
he just wanted you to help him
you stupid little shit.
- Stop it, Martin!
- You wait till dad finds out.
He'll kill him.
- No..
Please don't tell dad.
Please don't tell dad, Martin.
- You gotta swear you're not
gonna go back there.
You're not gonna go back there
you're not gonna tell the police
about this
you're not gonna tell mom
and dad I found you out here.
- Yeah, okay.
- No. No, you swear, Gitty.
You swear
on your chicken's life.
You swear on your stupid
chicken happy's life.
- I swear.
- Come.
- What's that smell?
- I used bleach.
I had to.
He's disgusting.
He smells like an animal.
Is that why
you like him so much?
- Do you wanna play?
- Aren't you afraid
you're gonna lose?
- Why do you like Vera so much?
- 'Cause no one understands me.
But she does.
- What does she understand?
- There's two kinds
of people in this world.
Warriors, they have to protect
the weak ones
even from themselves.
And farmers,
they don't make good warriors.
Gitty, I am a warrior.
It's your move, Gitty.
- Checkmate.
It's called a "blitzkrieg."
I could teach you,
if I wanted to.
- Gitty! Help me!
Gitty!
Where are you? Help me!
- Shh.
- Mom!
Mom!
Dad?
Dad!
Dad!
Dad!
What should I do, happy?
What should I do?
"821-158."
- The storm knocked down
the phone lines last night.
Who are you callin'?
- Jonathan!
Oh, my gosh.
Jonathan, are you okay?
- Gitty, hi.
- Oh, my!
- But...
- No, no, no, no!
- Gitty, did you,
did you call the police?
Gitty, wh..
- No.
- Do you think I wanna stay here
and play games
with a little child?
Is that what you think?
I'm dying. Gitty, I'm dying!
Now go, call the police!
Go, get me out!
You're the killer. You hear me?
You're the killer.
Now go! Go!
Go, Gitty! Go!
- Thanks, mom.
- Yeah.
- Come on in, it's open.
- Open it.
- Um..
Is that enough?
- Yeah, it'll do.
- He needs to be
on the midnight train.
That's the deal.
- I understand.
- What is it, dad?
- You mind your own business,
Gitty.
- Martin, thank you.
- You're not gonna to eat?
- I can't stay.
- You're just leaving?
- I have nothing left
to do here.
- But you haven't done anything.
You just make other people
do things.
- Shut up, Gitty. Okay?
- Martin, watch your mouth
at my table.
- Where are you going?
- To New York first.
- I'm goin' to New York one day.
And to London, Tokyo, Paris.
What?
People will write books
go to those places, right?
Martin's sure gonna miss you,
Vera.
- Shut your face, Gitty!
- Martin, watch your mouth.
- Martin,
this chicken's delicious.
Where'd you buy it?
- I didn't.
- What?
- I found it..
In the silo.
Come on.
Who doesn't love a happy meal?
Happy?
- Jesus Christ, Martin.
What the hell
is wrong with you, son?
Why would you do
something like that?
- Because she has been visiting
that man in the silo
for the past few weeks.
I told her, "don't go near,"
and she did.
She was gonna free him, okay?
How do you expect to learn
a lesson if it doesn't hurt?
- Gertrude, listen to me.
Hey, come here.
Listen to me.
Did you talk to that man
in the silo?
- Did you mention your name,
anyone's name?
- Gitty, this is
extremely important. Just think.
- I don't know.
I can't remember.
- What did you tell him?
- I don't know, dad.
- Think. Gertrude,
try and remember what you told.
- Dad, I can't remember.
- What do you mean you can't remember?
- I, I don't know, okay?
- Did you tell him...
- I don't know!
- I'm gonna ask you
one more time.
Did you tell him our names?
- Yes.
- Shit!
- Daddy, he's my friend, okay?
- What?
- He said he'd make you better
and he did.
He did you make you better!
- What?
- Unbelievable.
- Just get out, Gitty.
Get out of here.
Go!
- There's only one thing
left to do.
- It's possible
that he wouldn't say
anything about us.
- No. No.
- Please, just listen to me.
- There's no other way
to do this, Sarah.
Think about it.
He's not one of us.
He has no reason to help us.
When he gets out of there,
we're doomed
and someone
has to protect this family.
- Your own daughter is the reason
we have to do this. Remember that.
- No, our daughter had nothing to
do with this, Vera. This was you.
And if we go to prison,
you go to prison with us.
- He's on your property.
Your own son cut off his finger.
- What?
- We had to make it look like a
normal ransom kidnapping. He'd..
How do you think
we got that money?
- Vera, you said
that you were with us.
We need you.
- Look, the situation's changed.
I'm tryin' to figure it out,
okay?
- Oh, my god, Vera,
I wish we had never met you.
Abe, we got to go.
- Get out of my house.
- What are you gonna do?
- Get out of my house.
- What are you gonna do?
- Vera.
I'll make sure everything
around here gets done.
You won't have to worry
about anything.
- Thank you, Martin. You really
are a brave young man.
I wish you all the best.
Where did you come from?
I know you think
I'm a bad person..
But I'm not.
- Then what are you?
- People like that man
you met in the silo..
If you let them..
They will take everything
from you.
It's not about right or wrong,
Gitty.
It's about who has control..
Who has the power.
You have to decide for yourself.
- 821-158.
821-158.
821-1..
Okay.
Hi, Ethel, it's Gitty.
I need your help now.
At the silo,
can you get there now?
When, when can you get there?
Okay, will you please hurry,
okay?
Hey, Jonathan, watch out!
I... I'm coming down!
Come on, Jonathan. We have
to go. We have to hurry!
Let's go, let's go, let's go!
- Hi.
- Let's go.
- I'm so sorry.
- I know. I know.
- I'm so sorry. I..
- Are the,
are the police coming?
- I don't know, I don't know,
but Martin, Martin is coming
and we need to hurry, okay?
We need to go now.
Now, get the axe.
Get the axe. Come on!
Come on, hit the door!
You can, you can,
you can do it! You have to!
You have to do it.
We have no other choice!
Jonathan, let me try.
I can do it. Let me try. Wait.
Jonathan, what are you doing?
Jonathan, we have to try!
We have to try!
- It's no use.
Stay with me for a second,
please.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Hey..
You are the bravest person
that I've ever known.
I'm glad you're my friend.
I am very glad to have met you.
You are, you're the best friend
I've ever..
You're the best friend
I've ever had.
Loving so deeply.
Your father and his farm..
Even your chicken.
- Happy.
This can't be the ending,
Jonathan
not that
I, I want a happy ending.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
- What was that?
- I don't know.
- Gitty?
Gitty!
Ethel, we're inside!
Gitty, what are you doing
up there?
Get down from there,
that's dangerous! Honey.
- Oh, god.
Thank, god, Gitty.
- Honey, what are doing?
You got to get down from there.
- Aw!
- Ethel, run!
Run!
- Gitty, what's happening?
Gitty!
- Come on. Come on. Shit!
- Martin, no!
- This is your fault, Gitty!
She's here because of you!
- Gitty.
Martin. Hey, it's a girl!
Martin. Gitty.
- Come out, Gitty.
Come out, come out,
wherever you are.
I'm gonna kill you
just like I killed
your fuckin' chicken.
Tasted real good, didn't it?
I could just tell everyone.
I'll tell everyone
that he killed you both.
- Ugh!
- Ah-ah!
- Don't move, Martin.
- Come on, Gitty, you wouldn't
shoot me, would you?
There's two types of people
in this world
you gotta choose what kind of
person you're gonna be.
Ah!
- Stop!
Stop!
Stop right there!
- Dad, no!
- It's morning again in America.
Today more men and women will
go to work than ever before
in our country's history.
Nearly 2000 families today
will buy new homes.
- Hi, Gitty.
- Gitty!
Gitty! Come over here.
- Hi, dad.
- Gertrude Marie Jaeger
you know I told you never
to play by that silo.
- Sorry, dad. Come here.
- Come on.
- Just 50 short years ago,
there were
seven million small farms
in this country.
Today, in 1982, there are
less than two million..
- You know, Gitty,
they buy and sell farms
like they're trading
baseball cards.
They have no respect
for what we do
no respect for what we built.
We work our tails off
and this is where we're from
and this is where we're staying.
You remember that, Gitty.
This is the best place on earth.
You know that, right?
- Yeah.
No, dad, stop! Stop, dad, stop!
- You okay?
- Yeah.
- Can't we just let it go?
- What do you want me
to do, Gitty?
The coyotes come down here
and eat her alive.
Wait, wait, hold on, Gitty..
It's just a yearling.
Go to the car and get a blanket.
You're okay, buddy.
You're okay.
Come on.
- Hey, dad shoot a deer?
- He hit her on accident.
- Hey, Gitty, come over here.
Put your hand down on that.
Come on,
what are you afraid of, huh?
- Nothing.
- Trust me.
Okay, it's a game.
You can't move your hand.
No matter what.
Don't close your eyes.
No, look at me.
See, I knew
you'd move your hand.
Mom was lookin' for you.
- Hi, mom .
- Hey, sweet pea.
Hey, ah..
Don't even think
about tracking that mud in here.
- One, two..
The short stop..
- Yes! Yes.
- Gitty, can you
just turn it down?
The baby'll be here by then.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I... I know.
- Neither can government
and that means taxpayers..
Bail out every farmer
hopelessly in debt..
- No. That's a bunch
of bullshit, right there.
That.. I'm sorry, kids,
but that is some bullshit.
- Dad!
- Well..
- Mmm.
- Honey, will you grab me
another beer, please?
- Stop it, you'll hurt her!
- Gitty, it's a chicken.
Okay? We eat those things.
- Well, she's
a very special chicken, Martin.
- Okay..
- Hey, enough!
- Are we going to the fair
on Friday?
- We have the funeral.
- It's on Saturday.
- It's the third one this year,
you know that?
- Who died?
- Hansen hanged himself
in his cow barn.
- Hush. That's enough, Martin.
- What? Guys, everybody knows.
- Why did he kill himself?
- Well, you know, I heard
they were taking his farm away.
- What?
- Yeah, I know his wife got
a hell of a lot
of insurance money.
Right, mom?
- That's enough, Martin.
- Are we gonna lose our farm, dad?
- No.
- No, sweetie.
- Maybe.
- What?
- No, absolutely not,
we're not gonna lose our farm.
- Why is everybody so afraid
of telling the truth?
- Because your sister
is 11 years old, Martin.
That's why we don't need
to talk about that.
- Okay, so what?
- Martin!
Clear your plate
and go upstairs.
Sweetie, do you want to see
if you've got a friend
that wants to come to the fair
with us?
- No, Gitty doesn't have
any friends!
Gitty's only friend
is the stupid chicken!
- She's not stupid, Martin!
- Yeah, she is stupid!
- No, she's not.
- That's your only friend. That's why she talks to herself.
You can't be serious.
Stupid chicken.
- Maybe Heidi and Michael
wanna come with us?
- Heidi and Michael?
- Mm-hmm.
- Heidi and Michael
aren't my friends.
They just live next door.
- Well, I'll be your friend.
I'll go to the fair with you.
Do you want to come
to the fair with me?
- I'll go to the fair with you, dad.
- Well, thank you.
I guess you do
have some friends.
I guess Martin doesn't know
what he's talking about.
And I have a friend in my lovely wife..
- Ow, Abe..
- And I am going to enjoy her.
- Let me go. Come on.
- She is kind of beautiful.
- Abe, stop!
- Gross!
- So, let's see,
if I remember correctly..
We were squirrels
in the story, right?
- I don't want to be
a squirrel anymore.
- You don't want to be a..
Okay, why not?
- Martin said they have
babies up their butts.
- Martin said they had babies up their butts, alright.
- Yeah.
Do they have babies
up their butts?
- I don't think that that's
true but if Martin says so
I'll have to check it out.
- Okay.
- What kind of story
do you want then?
- How about..
A really... Scary story?
But make sure
it has a happy ending, okay?
- Scary story..
- Happy ending.
- Hmm.
Have I ever told you
why we have scarecrows?
- To scare away the birds?
- Yeah.
That they're there to scare away
the birds, that's what we
tell people, but have I ever
told you the real reason?
- No.
- Alright,
and you can't tell anyone this
but the truth is,
when a real farmer dies..
And I mean a real farmer, old-timer.
- Real farmer?
- Farmer that's been here Fo...
- What's a fake farmer?
- You know, somebody that comes
from the city and thinks
they know how to farm.
I'm talkin' about a real farmer.
- Mm.
Okay.
- A farmer that grew up here.
Who doesn't know anything
except farmin'.
- Okay.
- When he dies..
He needs to make sure
that his farm, well..
That somebody's there
to look after it.
- Okay.
- So his spirit,
it needs a place to go.
So that's why we have
to build a scarecrow
so his spirit can live there
watch over the farm
watch all the little girls
that run around his farm.
But on windy nights..
Especially on windy nights..
- Yeah?
- Sometimes, well, the spirit
gets a little bit lost.
He can't find the scarecrow,
he doesn't know quite where to
go so, not all the time
but sometimes,
he sneaks into the farmhouse.
- Sometimes?
- Sometimes he sneaks into the farmhouse.
And sometimes he goes upstairs..
And sometimes, he crawls
under the bed of little girls
that are sleepin'.
But when he does that,
he always gives himself away.
And you know how he gives himself away?
- How?
- Because when everything's
quiet and everybody's sleeping..
- Okay..
- And there's not a noise in the house..
- No..
- Sometimes that farmer,
that farmer's spirit..
He farts!
- Dad!
Dad! Dad!
You're so weird.
- Well, I guess
that makes two of us.
- I'm not weird.
You're the weird one.
- You need to go
to sleep now, hon.
- I know.
- You need to say your prayers.
- I will.
- And you need
to tell me you love me.
- I love you, dad.
- I love you too, Gitty.
- Goodnight, dad.
- Sorry, little guy.
I have tried everything.
I cannot refinance,
interest rate's at 16%.
You were the person
that talked me into
getting this property
in the first place.
You were the one that said
we cannot lose.
You are telling me that we
have less than we had before?
- We're on an adventure!
- Wait for me, guys.
- Come on, Heidi.
Wow.
- Look at that!
Wow.
- Gitty!
- What?
- Took you long enough.
- Is it safe?
- Who knows?
- Is it haunted?
- Probably.
- What do you think's
down there?
- He'll tell us.
- It's safe.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah, it'll be fine.
- Is Teddy okay?
- He'll be okay, Heidi.
- How deep is it?
- I don't know, Michael.
"The farm killed me.
Jr, 1933."
- What do you see?
- Someone died down here.
- What? Is there a body?
- No.
It happened a long time ago.
- Oh.
- No. No, no, no.
No. Wait, wait, wait..
Please. Please don't go. Hi.
What's your name?
- Gitty.
It's short for Gertrude.
- It's a beautiful name.
- I hate it.
- My name's, um..
Uh, Jonathan,
it's not a very pretty name.
Um, hey, Gitty? Uh..
I'm... I'm trapped down here.
And I haven't
I haven't eaten in... in, uh..
Oh, god, in a few days.
- Why are you in our silo?
- This is your silo?
- Yeah.
I'll go get my dad.
- No! No, no, no. No. Wait.
Wait, wait, please don't.
Please don't.
No one's supposed to know
that I'm here, okay?
Can you keep a secret?
- I'm not supposed to keep
secrets from my dad.
He'd get really mad if I did.
- Oh, yeah. No, I... I know.
I know, but you know what?
Um, sometimes if it's a friend
if it... it's someone
you can trust
and you can, you can trust me,
then it's okay.
So don't tell anyone
that I'm here. Okay?
- I don't know.
- Please.
Please, Gitty.
I... you know what?
I can, um, I can give you
anything you want.
Anyth... I can do that.
Anything you want
in the whole world.
Well, if there was one thing
that you wanted in the whole
world, wh... what would it be?
- Do you know any good stories?
- A story?
You want a story?
- Well..
My dad tells
really good stories.
- Huh..
Do you know the story
of the lion and the mouse?
- No.
- Oh, it's a very good story.
Okay, there was this lion
and, um, he lived in the jungle
and he was very, very strong
and very powerful.
And one night, he's sleeping
and, um, and a mouse comes out
of his hole
and it's very dark...
- Gitty, come on!
Come on! You're so slow.
- Hey!
Hey, Gitty, come back!
Gitty, please! I, uh..
Oh, god, I can tell it..
Better..
- and so the man lived there
for many years
paying for all the bad things
he had done.
Until one day
a Princess came and found out
his secret, and together..
Hello?
Who's there?
- What are you doing?
- Can I have a Popsicle?
May I please have a Popsicle?
- If you eat it at the table.
- Why do you do that every day?
- The metal pieces
I check at work every day
are these really fine wires
that go under the locks
on our cars.
And they're really sharp.
You want to try?
- No, thanks. I'm never gonna
work in a factory.
- Oh, yeah?
- I'm special.
- You know, Gitty..
Some people think they are
hot shit on a silver platter
when really, they're just
cold turd on a paper plate.
- What does that even mean, mom?
- It means special people
don't have to tell you
they're special.
- Mum..
If someone asks you
to keep a secret..
Should you keep it?
- Why do they want you
to keep a secret?
- I don't know.
I think they need a friend.
- Do you wanna keep the secret?
- Yeah.
- You should probably
keep it then.
Get over here,
let me do your hair.
- Hi, dad.
- What are you doing
in my kitchen, mister?
- Well, I'm gonna make my grandma's
rhubarb pie for the Hansens.
- Mm. You need any help?
- No, I got it all up here.
I mean, unless, Gitty,
you want to help?
- Yeah!
- Oh..
- Sorry.
Okay, now go out there
and get the butter.
Go on. Should I..
- "For I was thirsty, and you
gave me something to drink.
"I was a stranger
and you invited me in.
"I was in prison
and you came to me.
"And the king will answer them..
"Truly, I say to you,
as you did it
"to one of the least
of these my brothers
"you did it to me.
The word of our lord."
- Thanks be to god.
- Thanks be to god.
- In the name of the father,
the son
and the holy spirit, amen.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I'm Ethel.
Hank and I just moved into town.
- Hi.
- I've been doing
the paper route
just to get an idea of the area
so if you see me,
just say hello.
Alright?
- Okay.
- Oh, um, and if you
see the police car..
It... it's, it's,
just don't mind it
because, um,
I'm just retired now
but I got to keep the cruiser,
so..
Alright. Oh, um.. Uh..
Call me if you need anything.
Alright?
- Thank you.
- Take care.
- You too.
- This is just terrible.
Penny said it was
the third suicide this season.
- I'll take it.
Here you go.
- Thank you.
- Here.
- No. No.
- Please take it.
Please, please, please.
Come on, you deserve it.
- Thank you. Thank you.
- You deserve it.
- Hey, dad.
Have you ever heard the story
about the lion and the mouse?
- Yeah, the one where the mouse
hears the lion screamin'.
He finally comes across
the lion, he's trapped in a net
some hunters got him there?
- Yeah.
- And the lion begs the mouse to set him free, right?
And the mouse is terrified
but he chews through
the net anyway
lets that lion out.
- The lion's grateful... Right?
- No, the lion turns around
and eats the mouse.
He eats his whole family.
You can never trust people to
change their true nature, Gitty.
A lion is a lion.
It's a dog-eat-dog world.
- Whoa!
Dad, look!
Can we get it, please?
- Yeah. Go on, hurry up.
- Thanks, dad.
Yes, I win!
Thank you.
- Mom, I won. Cotton candy?
- I don't think so, Gitty.
- But dad promised I could
have some if I won and I did.
- Well, I didn't think
she was gonna win.
- Dad, come on.
- Alright.
- Please, please, please,
I'm hungry.
- Okay, the sooner you finish
the sooner you can have
your cotton candy.
- Nice shooting.
- Hello.
- Hi, Vera.
- It's nice to finally
meet you all.
I've heard so much about you.
- I haven't heard anything about you.
- Ah.
- We met Vera last year
at the barn raising in Iowa.
- Oh. Oh, um, nice to meet you.
- Mom? Mom, I've finished.
- Yeah, w... why don't you guys
go get some cotton candy?
And we'll meet you all
over there.
- Come on, mom, let's go.
- Hi, um,
one cotton candy, please.
- Purple, please.
- Alright.
There you go.
- Thank you.
- That'll be two dollars.
- Okay.
- Here, mom.
- And what are we gonna do
if I get caught?
What am I gonna do?
Think about that.
She's just a friend, she's just
someone I met a while ago.
She said she could help us out.
- Well, is she giving us a loan?
- She's not giving us a loan.
- She's paying you?
- She's paying me.
- For what?
- For a job, to hold something, Sarah.
To hold a package for her, okay?
- To hold a package?
What is it, drugs?
- You don't wanna know.
Sarah, you don't wanna know
- I..
Okay, so, w... why... why us?
Why did she... how did she even choose you?
- Why us?
Why it's because
I called her, Sarah.
Because I called her when I couldn't
make the payments last spring.
That's why it's us.
- You didn't tell me, Abe.
- And what am I supposed to tell you
when something like that happens?
- You're supposed to tell me
the truth!
- How am I supposed to tell you
that we're gonna lose the farm?
And everything
that we've worked for?
How am I gonna tell you that?
- I've gotta go to work.
We'll talk about it tomorrow.
- You came back.
- Yeah, um,
I have something for you.
You should probably watch out.
- Okay.
Thank you, Gitty.
Thank you for this.
You haven't told anyone
that I'm here, have you?
- No.
- Mmm.
- You're not a farmer, are you?
- No..
No, I'm... I'm not a farmer.
- Then what do you do?
- I buy land. Farms mostly.
- Did you buy
our neighbor's farm?
- I don't know, maybe.
- He killed himself.
- I didn't know that.
I'm sorry to hear that.
- Did you try to buy our farm?
- Gitty, I might have,
but, I... I..
You know, if it wasn't me
it would've been somebody else.
The, uh, these farms
are not doing very well
you know, they're all gonna be
bankrupt in a few years.
- A... are you a bad man?
Is that why you're in there?
- Gitty, no.
I'm a very good man.
You know what?
I'm... I'm..
I'm an important man.
- Important people don't
have to say they're important.
- You don't understand, Gitty..
Gitty?
- My dad says
it's a dog-eat-dog world.
- You know what,
your dad's right
it is a dog-eat-dog world.
You know what, Gitty,
tell... tell your dad..
You tell him
that I could pay him
double of whatever
they're paying.
Gitty, listen to me. You're not
listening to me. Gitty?
Tell him
that I could help you, okay?
Will you? Will you tell him
I can pay him. I can pay...
- why would you help us now
if you didn't before?
- God, Gitty, I..
Your... your, your father,
what's his name?
- Abe.
- Tell Abe to let me out!
I will pay him.
I will help him.
I promise you, and
I will not call the police.
Okay? Tell him that.
- I think you're lying.
- I'm not lying!
Gitty, I'm not. You... you go
tell him to let me out!
Now!
- Dad!
Dad?
- Okay, so how long
is he gonna be like this?
- No one knows.
He landed badly.
The fall broke his ankle.
There's a lot of pressure
on his spine
which is why he can't move.
Will you be having a nurse come
to wash him
and help with the bedpan?
- Um, no.
I... I can't right now.
I'll, I'll take care of him.
- Why isn't he in your room?
- We need room
for his special bed.
You wanna go say hi?
- Okay.
- Hey, mom?
Are you okay?
- Yeah.
What do you want, sweetheart?
- Does god really love us?
I don't think
he hears me at all.
- Look for him
in unexpected places, Gitty.
- After the recent passage
of a bill that would allow
for the construction
of what could be
the world's largest open-pit
iron ore mine
in Wisconsin's history
of environmental..
- How does this piece move?
- Put that back.
- Searches continue
throughout the region
for Jonathan winters,
the founder of Plymouth company
a large agriculture conglomerate
that has been buying up
failing farms in the Midwest.
Winters was last seen researching
crop yields in the Madison area.
Today the victim's sister..
- Pieces are missing.
- Message for the kidnappers.
- I'm speaking to the men
who kidnapped Jonathan..
My brother.
I beg you..
Please don't hurt him.
We'll give you
whatever you want.
Please, if you could just
tell him that I love him.
- Oh, that rich bitch.
- Why? What did she do?
- She's a monster, Gitty,
that's what she di..
She's a monster.
They're all monsters. Ask dad.
You know chess
is what the great generals
used to use to sharpen
their strategic skills for war?
- Can you teach me?
- It wouldn't even be a game,
I'd beat you every time.
What's the fun in that?
Let's face it, Gitty..
You're not good at much.
- Come on, happy.
Let's blow this joint.
- What's this?
- It's a lantern.
You know, for light.
- A lantern..
Did you bring matches?
- Oh, yeah,
I forgot about matches.
I'll bring them later.
Oh, your sister was on TV today.
- What?
My.. Anna?
- She said she loves you.
I should go.
- No, wait, wait, wait. Wait.
Gitty..
Can you wait...
For a little while?
Hey, want to know a riddle?
- A riddle? Yeah.
- Okay. What is..
I swallow up
all that's before me
and all that's after me..
And everyone who is watchin'.
What am I?
- I don't know. What?
- Think about it.
- Hey, Jonathan.
- Yeah?
- You..
You said before that you could
give me anything I wanted?
- Yes. Anything.
- I want my dad to get better.
- What's wrong with your dad?
- He had a bad accident.
Can you help him?
- Yes, I can.
But can you do something
for me first?
- What do I have to do?
- Can you, um, go home
and you see this door
with the lock?
Go home and... and find a key.
Okay?
- Okay.
- Oh, and, uh.. And, oh, uh..
One more thing,
can you... can you, uh
bring me some books?
Some really big, big books.
Okay? The biggest you can find
and as many as you can carry.
Okay?
- Okay.
Mom?
- Mom's at work, stupid.
- Where are you going?
- Out.
- Martin?
- Oh, hey, Vera.
- Let's go.
- Keys, keys, keys..
Where are your books, Martin?
Hey, Jonathan, I... I brought
magazines and I brought matches
and I brought keys.
- Matches, check.
Go try the keys.
What are these?
- You said
you wanted stuff to read.
- Oh, no, no! Gitty, no.
I said books. Books, big books.
Oh, my god.
Where did you get these?
- I found them in Martin's room.
We don't have many books
in our house.
- Is there a library in town?
- Yeah.
- Go to the library
and get me books, please.
Big books,
the biggest you can carry, okay?
- Okay.
- Okay, now go and try the keys, please.
Are they working?
- I... I'm trying.
Have you ever loved someone?
Like, kisses and stuff?
- What is making you
think of that?
- All those ladies
in the magazine looked..
They look real funny.
Am I supposed to be like that
when I grow up?
- No. No, you're not
supposed to..
Don't ever, ever be like that.
- I'm sorry, Jonathan.
None of these keys work.
- Thank you, Gitty.
Thank you for trying.
Do me a favor now
and go to the library.
Please go to the library
and get me books, okay?
Real books. Big books.
As big as you can carry.
As many as you can carry, okay?
- Okay.
I will.
Should I
take the magazines back?
- Oh, uh..
No.
You can leave these here.
I'll read the articles.
- How far away is London?
- Very, very far.
Have you heard
of Nancy drew, dear?
- Thank you.
- We don't have a choice.
You've clearly
given us no choice.
- There's no other way, Sarah.
This is the only way
it can be done.
I'm glad you called me, Martin.
It's all under control.
These things take time.
You're doing great,
I can't say that enough.
- How can we trust you?
- I wouldn't
put your family in danger.
We're in this together.
- You told Abe it was a package.
- You're doing great. So now, just
keep people away from that silo.
Okay?
Sarah?
We'll be fine,
if you can just do that.
What was that?
- I don't know. I'll check.
- Is there anything up there?
- No, I think it was just a rat.
- Martin..
Trust me.
It's better that you don't know.
Just keep doing
what you're doing.
- Hey..
We're doing the world a favor,
right?
Okay? It's us or them.
- So, what... what...
- Like you said..
- What happen..
W... what if he dies out there?
- He won't.
- What happens when he gets out?
- He doesn't know where he is
and he doesn't know who you are.
- I'm in.
- You can call me any time.
- Well..
I've got chores to do.
- Vera, I can help you.
- You're strong, Martin.
You could be a real warrior..
If you wanted to be.
- You remember Vera, Gitty?
- I got you a burger, Gitty.
- Say thank you.
- Thank you.
- He was a farmer.
That company paid rebels
to burn down farms..
And they bought them
for pennies.
- Hmm.
- So what happened
to the farmers?
- They became soldiers.
- I got pregnant with Martin
when I was in high school.
Abe was going to play
professionally, things change.
- What am I?
- Gitty, what are you doin'?
- What is this, a chess set?
Hmm..
You want to play?
- I don't know how.
- I can teach you.
- From here?
- Well, you have a good point.
- Maybe I can come down.
- Can you fit
through that hole there?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Be careful.
Careful.
Careful.
- I'm trying.
I figured out your riddle.
- You did?
- Yeah.
- I swallow up all before me
and all that is behind
and everyone... Who is watching.
What am I?
- You're time.
- Very good.
- Did Martin do that?
- Oh..
Yes, he did.
Let's play.
Hmm..
Okay.
Let's just set these up.
- I know a few riddles.
- Yeah?
- What do you call a cow
with no legs?
- Uh, I don't know. What?
- Ground beef.
- That's pretty good.
We're missing a piece.
- Here.
- What's this?
- I found it.
- Okay, now, bishop
goes like this, diagonally.
This is your rook.
Your rook goes up and down.
- Okay.
- This is my favorite one,
the horsey, or the knight.
He can jump over people.
Let's see.
We've got some good books here.
- Oh, yeah,
those are due in two weeks.
Oh, okay, I'll make a note
of that in my calendar.
Yeah, there are some
good stories in this book, too.
- Do you know any good stories?
- You know what? I do.
Once when I was a little boy,
about your age
my parents sent me away for
the summers to the country.
We'd play out in the fields
and every day
there was this plane
that would cruise overhead
same flight path, every day.
It was an old plane very slow
looked like a big,
giant, beautiful dragonfly.
Then one day,
the plane crashed..
Just about 100 yards
in the next field.
The boy ran over to the plane
and pulled the pilot out.
And seconds later
the plane burst into flames.
The pilot was very grateful
and said to the boy
"you can have whatever you want.
Whatever you desire,
it's yours."
- What does the boy say?
- Well, he thinks about it
for a minute
and then he says,
"I want a grave stone."
- Why does he say that?
- I don't know,
why do you think?
- Hmm..
- You sleep well?
- Hey, Gitty.
- Dad!
Thank you so much, Jonathan.
It's working.
- What's that, kiddo?
- Oh, nothing, dad.
- Well, what road is that?
Oh!
Oh..
Oh, gosh darn it! Uh..
Hello, my dear.
Can I talk to your mom?
Oh, I'm Ethel. Yeah.
- From church? Yeah.
- Yes, exactly.
- Okay. Um, mom?
- How are you?
- Oh, I'm good.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- And your dad's doin' okay?
- Yeah, he's much better.
- Great.
Oh, something happened
to your mailbox.
Oh, hi! I'm glad to see
that you're doin' better.
I'm Ethel.
- Hi, Ethel, I'm... I'm Abe.
It's nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- Oh, and you look fantastic.
Oh, boy, wouldn't you know it..
I got the old squad car
and there's no treads
on those darn wheels,
but I can pay for it.
- You.. You hit..
Oh, you hit the mailbox?
- Oh, yeah, I did.
- Oh.
- You know what, it's okay,
it's okay.
We'll take care of it.
- Are you sure?
- Absolutely.
- Yeah, we got it.
- Oh, thank you. Oh..
Well, nice house you got here.
Well, uh,
gotta go deliver the papers.
Oh..
Your paper.
- Thanks.
- Okay.
And please let me know
if you ever need anything.
Alright?
- Okay.
- Alright. And so sorry
about the mailbox.
- Oh, it's okay. It's good.
- Alright.
Okay, talk to you soon.
- Okay.
- Hi, dad.
- Hey, Gitty.
- Dad, you want to hear
a riddle?
- Do I want to hear a riddle?
Yes, I want to hear a riddle.
Definitely.
- Okay..
I swallow up what is
before me, what is behind me
as well as anyone
who is watching.
What am I?
- I don't know, baby. Um..
- Guess, dad.
- I'm tryin', I'm tryin'.
Uh..
- Guess.
- I swallow up what..
A big fat cow.
- No, dad.
- No.
- No.
- Not a cow?
- Just guess.
- I don't know, Gitty,
you stumped me.
- Dad..
Why don't we ever go places?
- What do you mean?
- Like..
Like Sydney..
Auckland, London..
Timbuktu.
- Well..
Who would take care of the cows?
- Haven't you ever wanted
to go places?
- Maybe, but no matter what
anybody tells you, Gitty
this is the best place on earth,
right here.
This is home.
- Okay.
- That's the second time
this week you've beaten me.
- I know you let me win.
Here.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Why aren't you married?
- I'm just not.
- Why don't you have any kids?
- I just don't.
- What did you want to be
when you were my age?
- Hmm.
When I was your age,
I wanted to be a musician.
I loved to play anything
with strings.
- Why a musician?
- Life without music,
is a mistake.
- Hmm.
Can you tell me another story?
- Why don't you pick a story
from one of these books?
There are
some wonderful stories in there.
- "William Butler Yeets."
- Yates, is from Ireland.
He's a wonderful poet. Pick one.
- "The second coming.
Turning and turning
in the widening gyre.."
- It's pronounced "jyre," here.
Let's see.
"Turning and turning
in the widening gyre.."
- "The falcon
cannot hear the falconer.
"Things fall apart,
the center cannot hold.
"Mere anarchy
is loosed upon the world.
"And everywhere, the ceremony
of innocence is drowned.
"The best lack all conviction
"while the worst are full
of passionate intensity.
"Surely some revelation
is at hand.
"Surely the second coming
is at hand.
"The second coming
"hardly are those words out
when a vast image
"out of spritus mundi
troubles my sight.
"The darkness drops again
"but now I know that
20 centuries of stony sleep
"were vexed to nightmare
by a rocking cradle.
"And what rough beast,
its hour come round at last
slouches towards Bethlehem
to be born."
- Huh.
What the..
What is that?
Oh..
Poop.
I says to Hank, I says
"I'm sure they're aware
that there are strangers
pokin' around on their property"
and he tells me
that I shouldn't be
checkin' it out for myself
but I didn't wanna be
botherin' you all.
- You're not botherin' us,
but we really haven't
had too much of a problem
with trespassers around here
so, thank you.
- Yeah, except you.
- Martin, that's enough.
- Funny, though, um,
I thought for sure
that I heard a voice
near the silo.
And... and that truck outside,
is that yours?
- I've heard voices
near the silo.
There's a man who lives there
and he grants wishes.
- Hey, shut up, shrimp.
- You will have to forgive
our daughter
she obviously
has a active imagination.
- It's true.
- Gitty, shut up.
- Well, um,
I'd better get goin'.
Yeah, Hank is probably
wonderin' where I am.
If you'll excuse me.
- Well, be careful driving.
- Oh, I will.
And, uh, you've got, uh,
my number in case of emergency?
- Mm-hmm.
It's right on the fridge.
- Great, great.
Nice mailbox, by the way.
- Try not to hit it this time.
- Bye.
- Can you play it?
- Let's see.
It's a little old..
And the bridge is broken.
Thank you, though.
You wanna hold it?
Put it under your chin.
There you go, just like that.
Hand on the neck.
Take the bow,
with your right hand
and hold your thumb there
and your pinky there
just nice and light.
There you go.
And pretend to play.
See what music comes
into your head.
Hey, Gitty..
- Mm-hmm?
- If we don't ever
see each other again..
Remember me.
Okay?
- I will.
- Gitty?
Gitty, are you okay?
- I knew it, you were gonna
free him, weren't you?
Do you know
what would happen, Gitty?
D... dad would go to jail
for the rest of his life...
- He's my friend!
- He's not your friend.
Okay, you idiot!
He's not one of us.
He pretends to like you, but
he just wanted you to help him
you stupid little shit.
- Stop it, Martin!
- You wait till dad finds out.
He'll kill him.
- No..
Please don't tell dad.
Please don't tell dad, Martin.
- You gotta swear you're not
gonna go back there.
You're not gonna go back there
you're not gonna tell the police
about this
you're not gonna tell mom
and dad I found you out here.
- Yeah, okay.
- No. No, you swear, Gitty.
You swear
on your chicken's life.
You swear on your stupid
chicken happy's life.
- I swear.
- Come.
- What's that smell?
- I used bleach.
I had to.
He's disgusting.
He smells like an animal.
Is that why
you like him so much?
- Do you wanna play?
- Aren't you afraid
you're gonna lose?
- Why do you like Vera so much?
- 'Cause no one understands me.
But she does.
- What does she understand?
- There's two kinds
of people in this world.
Warriors, they have to protect
the weak ones
even from themselves.
And farmers,
they don't make good warriors.
Gitty, I am a warrior.
It's your move, Gitty.
- Checkmate.
It's called a "blitzkrieg."
I could teach you,
if I wanted to.
- Gitty! Help me!
Gitty!
Where are you? Help me!
- Shh.
- Mom!
Mom!
Dad?
Dad!
Dad!
Dad!
What should I do, happy?
What should I do?
"821-158."
- The storm knocked down
the phone lines last night.
Who are you callin'?
- Jonathan!
Oh, my gosh.
Jonathan, are you okay?
- Gitty, hi.
- Oh, my!
- But...
- No, no, no, no!
- Gitty, did you,
did you call the police?
Gitty, wh..
- No.
- Do you think I wanna stay here
and play games
with a little child?
Is that what you think?
I'm dying. Gitty, I'm dying!
Now go, call the police!
Go, get me out!
You're the killer. You hear me?
You're the killer.
Now go! Go!
Go, Gitty! Go!
- Thanks, mom.
- Yeah.
- Come on in, it's open.
- Open it.
- Um..
Is that enough?
- Yeah, it'll do.
- He needs to be
on the midnight train.
That's the deal.
- I understand.
- What is it, dad?
- You mind your own business,
Gitty.
- Martin, thank you.
- You're not gonna to eat?
- I can't stay.
- You're just leaving?
- I have nothing left
to do here.
- But you haven't done anything.
You just make other people
do things.
- Shut up, Gitty. Okay?
- Martin, watch your mouth
at my table.
- Where are you going?
- To New York first.
- I'm goin' to New York one day.
And to London, Tokyo, Paris.
What?
People will write books
go to those places, right?
Martin's sure gonna miss you,
Vera.
- Shut your face, Gitty!
- Martin, watch your mouth.
- Martin,
this chicken's delicious.
Where'd you buy it?
- I didn't.
- What?
- I found it..
In the silo.
Come on.
Who doesn't love a happy meal?
Happy?
- Jesus Christ, Martin.
What the hell
is wrong with you, son?
Why would you do
something like that?
- Because she has been visiting
that man in the silo
for the past few weeks.
I told her, "don't go near,"
and she did.
She was gonna free him, okay?
How do you expect to learn
a lesson if it doesn't hurt?
- Gertrude, listen to me.
Hey, come here.
Listen to me.
Did you talk to that man
in the silo?
- Did you mention your name,
anyone's name?
- Gitty, this is
extremely important. Just think.
- I don't know.
I can't remember.
- What did you tell him?
- I don't know, dad.
- Think. Gertrude,
try and remember what you told.
- Dad, I can't remember.
- What do you mean you can't remember?
- I, I don't know, okay?
- Did you tell him...
- I don't know!
- I'm gonna ask you
one more time.
Did you tell him our names?
- Yes.
- Shit!
- Daddy, he's my friend, okay?
- What?
- He said he'd make you better
and he did.
He did you make you better!
- What?
- Unbelievable.
- Just get out, Gitty.
Get out of here.
Go!
- There's only one thing
left to do.
- It's possible
that he wouldn't say
anything about us.
- No. No.
- Please, just listen to me.
- There's no other way
to do this, Sarah.
Think about it.
He's not one of us.
He has no reason to help us.
When he gets out of there,
we're doomed
and someone
has to protect this family.
- Your own daughter is the reason
we have to do this. Remember that.
- No, our daughter had nothing to
do with this, Vera. This was you.
And if we go to prison,
you go to prison with us.
- He's on your property.
Your own son cut off his finger.
- What?
- We had to make it look like a
normal ransom kidnapping. He'd..
How do you think
we got that money?
- Vera, you said
that you were with us.
We need you.
- Look, the situation's changed.
I'm tryin' to figure it out,
okay?
- Oh, my god, Vera,
I wish we had never met you.
Abe, we got to go.
- Get out of my house.
- What are you gonna do?
- Get out of my house.
- What are you gonna do?
- Vera.
I'll make sure everything
around here gets done.
You won't have to worry
about anything.
- Thank you, Martin. You really
are a brave young man.
I wish you all the best.
Where did you come from?
I know you think
I'm a bad person..
But I'm not.
- Then what are you?
- People like that man
you met in the silo..
If you let them..
They will take everything
from you.
It's not about right or wrong,
Gitty.
It's about who has control..
Who has the power.
You have to decide for yourself.
- 821-158.
821-158.
821-1..
Okay.
Hi, Ethel, it's Gitty.
I need your help now.
At the silo,
can you get there now?
When, when can you get there?
Okay, will you please hurry,
okay?
Hey, Jonathan, watch out!
I... I'm coming down!
Come on, Jonathan. We have
to go. We have to hurry!
Let's go, let's go, let's go!
- Hi.
- Let's go.
- I'm so sorry.
- I know. I know.
- I'm so sorry. I..
- Are the,
are the police coming?
- I don't know, I don't know,
but Martin, Martin is coming
and we need to hurry, okay?
We need to go now.
Now, get the axe.
Get the axe. Come on!
Come on, hit the door!
You can, you can,
you can do it! You have to!
You have to do it.
We have no other choice!
Jonathan, let me try.
I can do it. Let me try. Wait.
Jonathan, what are you doing?
Jonathan, we have to try!
We have to try!
- It's no use.
Stay with me for a second,
please.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Hey..
You are the bravest person
that I've ever known.
I'm glad you're my friend.
I am very glad to have met you.
You are, you're the best friend
I've ever..
You're the best friend
I've ever had.
Loving so deeply.
Your father and his farm..
Even your chicken.
- Happy.
This can't be the ending,
Jonathan
not that
I, I want a happy ending.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
- What was that?
- I don't know.
- Gitty?
Gitty!
Ethel, we're inside!
Gitty, what are you doing
up there?
Get down from there,
that's dangerous! Honey.
- Oh, god.
Thank, god, Gitty.
- Honey, what are doing?
You got to get down from there.
- Aw!
- Ethel, run!
Run!
- Gitty, what's happening?
Gitty!
- Come on. Come on. Shit!
- Martin, no!
- This is your fault, Gitty!
She's here because of you!
- Gitty.
Martin. Hey, it's a girl!
Martin. Gitty.
- Come out, Gitty.
Come out, come out,
wherever you are.
I'm gonna kill you
just like I killed
your fuckin' chicken.
Tasted real good, didn't it?
I could just tell everyone.
I'll tell everyone
that he killed you both.
- Ugh!
- Ah-ah!
- Don't move, Martin.
- Come on, Gitty, you wouldn't
shoot me, would you?
There's two types of people
in this world
you gotta choose what kind of
person you're gonna be.
Ah!
- Stop!
Stop!
Stop right there!
- Dad, no!
- It's morning again in America.
Today more men and women will
go to work than ever before
in our country's history.
Nearly 2000 families today
will buy new homes.
- Hi, Gitty.