Nadine (1987) Movie Script
1
(SINCE I FOUND YOU PLAYING)
No use lookin'
for a cheap joint, honey
Wastin' my time and money
Those days are through
Since I found you
Just a little love
in the morning light
Now I got the feeling
that just one night won't do
Since I found you
Since I found you, honey,
I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
No more walkin' down
lonely street
Wearin' holes
in both of my feet
And feelin' blue
Since I found you
Don't really matter
what the boys are doin'
All I really care about
is you and me stayin' true
Since I found you
Since I found you, honey,
I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
(GLASS SHATTERING)
Yeah?
Mr. Escobar?
Hi, uh, it's me,
Nadine Hightower.
I really hate
to bother you.
I just want to
ask a favor of you.
Listen, if it's money,
I can't help you.
Uh, no, sir, no, sir.
(STUTTERING) It's not.
Could I come in and talk
to you for just a minute?
Honey, I'd love to,
but I got an important
client on his way over.
Oh, this'll only take
a minute.
It's about those photos
that you took of me.
Art studies.
Those were art studies.
Yes, sir.
But to tell you the truth,
they were
lots more artistic
than I bargained for.
And the thing is,
I'd like to have
those photos back.
Did you get paid?
Yes, sir. $22.
Did I touch you?
Did I lay a hand on you?
Well, no, sir.
Then you got no gripe
with me, young lady.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I gotta go.
Mr. Escobar!
Now, that day
at the Five and Dime,
when you come up to me
and told me
you was a close
personal friend
of Hugh Hefner,
and then you asked me
to take those photos,
I mean, those art studies.
To tell you the truth,
the only reason I said yes
was because you told me that
Playboy was bound to pay me
lots of money.
Now I'll pay you back
however much you're out.
I'll give your wife free
manicures for the rest
of her life.
How about that?
I'll do anything.
I mean, almost anything.
Will you quit that?
I'm not leavin' until I get
those photos back, and
that's that!
Okay, come on in, then!
Come on, damn it!
Lucky for you, I'm about
to become a very rich man.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Damn.
You wait in the back.
Don't come out till
I holler.
Okay?
In the back?
Yeah. All right, I'm comin'!
I'm comin'!
(ESCOBAR GROANING)
(GASPING)
Lady, I got...
Oh, my God.
Mr. Escobar.
Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
CHARLEY: Mr. Escobar?
It's Charley Draper,
Photo Supply House.
I got that carton of
developer you asked for.
I'm real sorry about this.
CHARLEY:
Mr. Escobar?
Oh, hey,
are you the janitor?
JANITOR: Yeah.
What's the problem?
I got this
package for Mr. Escobar, and
I can't get nobody to answer.
Hang on. I got the key.
You can leave it inside.
(DOORKNOB CLICKING)
Hey, hey!
Call the police!
There's been
a murder up here!
MAN: What's goin' on?
Hey! Somebody
call the police!
There's been
a murder up here!
MAN: Right up there?
(PEOPLE CLAMORING)
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
(CAR TIRES SCREECHING)
Hey! He's upstairs!
MAN ON TV: And now,
Search for Tomorrow.
MICHELLE:
I think Roger's gonna
have an affair with Vanessa.
VERA: Are you crazy?
Vanessa's got
the hots for Brad.
You're late, Nadine.
You got about
umpteen calls
from Vernon.
(WOMAN CHATTERING ON TV)
VERA: Well?
"Well" what?
Are you gonna tell Vernon
you're pregnant?
Vera, I don't want
to talk about this
right now.
He is the daddy.
That just happens to be
a biological accident,
that's all.
Hon, that man
is your husband.
Ex-husband.
That's just as much
your fault as it is his.
Vernon loves you.
Vernon don't love
nothin' but himself
and that damn
Blue Bonnet bar of his.
That man is flat-out
irresponsible,
and I do not intend on
lettin' Doris Isabelle...
Doris Isabelle?
I'm namin' her after
Mama's favorite sisters.
What do you think?
(SIGHS)
Nadine, I love you like
you was my own flesh
and blood.
But I do not intend to stand
around and see that baby get
born without a daddy.
Then you sure better
rustle up somebody
real fast
on account
it ain't gonna
be Vernon Hightower.
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
Oh, you won't forget
about the garbage?
Of course not.
Are you sure
you don't mind closin' up?
Get outta here
and have a good time.
MICHELLE: Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
MAN: Good evening,
ladies and gentlemen.
The top story
on the 6:00 news tonight
involves the brutal slaying
of an Austin photographer,
Raymond Escobar.
Mr. Escobar was stabbed
to death in his studio
on East 6th Street
this afternoon.
The studio seems to have
served as a love nest
for Mr. Escobar
and the woman
who killed him.
Our reporter talked
to deputy sheriff,
Leon Rusk,
at the scene
of the crime.
What makes you suspect
the killer is a woman?
Well, we have
several leads
that point to the fact that
the killer's undoubtedly
a woman.
For one thing,
we found traces of
lipstick and cheap perfume
on the collar
of the deceased.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
REPORTER:
We now take you
back to the studio.
I knew sooner or later
you was gonna come
out of there.
What do you want, Vernon?
Now, did you,
or did you not sign
them divorce papers? Hmm?
You gotta be kiddin' me?
'Cause if you didn't, I swear,
I'm gonna strangle you
on the spot.
Don't provoke me, Vernon.
I got enough on my mind...
Damn it, woman,
I'm tryin' to get the
Blue Bonnet refinanced.
If you ask me,
the Blue Bonnet's nothin'...
I didn't ask you.
Fine!
Now, there is no way they're
ever gonna let me have
that money
unless you sign that paper
saying you agree to
the divorce
and promise to make
no claim on the Bonnet.
Do you see the keys
to a brand new
Buick convertible
with white sidewall tires,
radio and air conditioner?
'Cause when you see the keys
to that car in my hand,
you'll see my name on those
divorce papers and not until.
Now, you got that, slick?
Come here.
Don't mess with me...
You just come here
for a minute.
I'm warnin' ya!
You know I'm mighty
stronger than you are!
You see that Chevy? Hmm?
You see
that busted headlight?
You see that bailin' wire?
Now, you think
I'd be drivin' around
in a wreck like that
if I could afford
a brand new Buick?
And who might that be?
That happens
to be Renee Lomax.
She's the
Uvalde High School
Pecan Queen of 1947.
Vernon, darlin'?
Uh-oh, whoa, whoa.
I'm not in the
"Vernon darlin'"
business anymore.
Remember?
Vernon, darlin',
what if I was to sign
those papers of yours?
I told you before,
I'm not payin' for
any brand new Buick.
What if I was to forget
about the Buick altogether?
All right,
what's the deal?
I'd just like you to run
a little errand with me,
that's all.
What kind of
little errand?
Well, a couple of weeks ago,
Vera asked me to pick up
this stuff
that she keeps in
a storeroom on
6th Street
and I just keep forgettin'
and if it ain't there by
tomorrow mornin',
she's gonna
have a real shit fit.
And,
well, you know what
a 'fraidy cat I am
of the dark.
Nadine, it's me, Vernon.
Remember?
Your almost ex-husband?
Now I know how you are,
especially when you get
your mind set on somethin'.
I know you're not
gonna give up on
that Buick
out of the goodness
of your heart.
Vernon, be honest with me.
Are you
ever really and truly
gonna give me that Buick?
Hell, no!
Then what am I losin'?
(DOOR BANGING)
Sug, I'm pretty sure that
I got her convinced to
sign that paper.
(EXCLAIMS)
The thing is, though...
Mmm.
(CHUCKLES)
Uh, sug...
Oh.
The problem is that she's
got some kind of deal
goin' here.
I'm gonna
have to help her
straighten it out.
So, uh, I want you
to take the pickup,
go on back over to your place
and I'll call you later,
all right?
Vernon, just think.
As soon as she signs those
papers, we can get married.
Yeah. Mmm.
(HORN BLARING)
Honey, go on now.
Vernon's gotta go.
(CLEARS THROAT)
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
Nightie-night.
(PICKUP TRUCK SQUEAKING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
VERNON: Hey!
Goddamn it, woman.
(TIRES SCREECHING)
Are you tryin'
to get me killed?
(CAR RATTLING)
When was the last time
you cleaned the sparks
in this thing?
You know me, Vernon.
Live and let live.
They don't bother me.
I don't bother them.
Hey, slow down.
Huh?
Slow down.
NADINE: What?
VERNON: Look at that.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
What's that son of a bitch
doin' in there?
(CHUCKLING)
Givin' away free beer?
How's the
old Blue Bonnet
gettin' along anyway?
Fine. It's doin' just fine.
I heard you was
about to go bust.
Well, you heard wrong.
The Blue Bonnet's just
about to turn the corner.
It's just gonna
take a little longer
than I expected, that's all.
You mean, that jukebox
you bought with my money
just ain't doin' the
trick for you, is it?
I told you before,
that was a loan.
I'll pay you back.
I've got big plans
for the Blue Bonnet.
By the time I'm through,
it's gonna be
the showplace of Austin.
The first thing
I'm gonna do is
get me a new sign.
Mmm-hmm.
Then I'm gonna get
the dance floor fixed up.
I'm goin' to
get me a name band.
I'm not talkin' about one
of these low rent bands.
I'm talkin' big time.
The Blue Bonnet Lounge
ain't never gonna
be anything.
First of all, it's in the
worst location in all
of Austin.
I must have told you
I don't know how
many times...
I know
what you told me!
But you was wrong.
Then I must
have told you...
You was wrong! I don't
want to talk about it
anymore.
But, I...
Period!
Fine.
We'll talk about
something else.
Fine.
Okay.
Ain't she a little
on the cheap side
for you?
Who?
Miss Low Rent Lust back there.
Renee? Are you kiddin'?
She's got a good job
with the Lone Star
Beer Company.
She don't look
that smart to me.
Well, she's smart enough to
work in Accounts Receivable.
I don't know, Vernon.
She looks
a little on the chubby
side to be Pecan Queen.
Well, at least she doesn't
spend all her time findin'
fault with me.
Here we are.
(SIGHS)
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
VERNON: Why are we
goin' in the back door?
It's a lot quicker
this way.
I can't believe this.
I left the keys
at the beauty shop.
I guess we're just gonna
have to go back and get 'em.
What? We came
all the way out here
and you don't even
have the keys with you?
If you hadn't
been so obnoxious,
I might've remembered.
Now, come on, let's go.
Hold on, hold on, hold on.
I'm not ruinin' mine and
Renee's evenin'
because you ain't
completely put together.
Now, did you bring
a nail file?
Vernon, I don't have
the time to stand here
and play games with you.
It's gonna take
half the night
as it is.
Now, come on, let's go.
You forgot the night
we was in Tulsa,
we had
locked ourselves
out of the motel room.
Remember, I did that
little trick with the lock?
Ooh, Vernon,
aren't you the smart one?
(LOCK CLICKING)
There's no need to do that.
You know, Nadine, I'm way
ahead of you on this deal.
You always have been,
Vernon.
There ain't
no beauty supplies
in here, is there?
NADINE: Not exactly.
And this place don't
belong to Vera, does it?
Uh-uh.
You know
what kind of trouble
that we can get in...
Shh!
(WHISPERING) You wanna wake up
everybody between here and
El Paso?
Do you
have the least idea
what could happen to us
if the owner walked in
and found us like this? Hmm?
I'm talkin'
breakin' and enterin'.
I'm talking three
to seven in Huntsville.
Not to mention
me losin' my
liquor license.
Don't worry. That ain't
gonna happen. I swear.
You want to explain
why you're so sure?
Well, if you have to know,
he's dead.
Dead?
You mean, dead dead?
Hey!
Hold on.
I don't know
what's goin' on here,
but I'm not gettin' mixed up.
VERNON: Nadine,
we're gettin' out of here
right now and that's an order.
You comin'?
(FOOTSTEPS POUNDING)
Well, I'll visit you
in the jailhouse.
Adios.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
You know
what'd go down
real good right now?
A nice cold
bottle of beer.
You plannin' on us drivin' up
to a 7-Eleven in a police car
and askin'
the cashier
for a six-pack?
It just so happens
I hid a couple of
Lone Stars
up there in that
stiff's icebox.
You hold down the fort.
I'll be right back.
Hell, Cecil,
you're not as dumb
as the Captain said.
Nadine? I mean it now.
This is your last chance.
(PAPERS RUSTLING)
Forgive me.
(VERNON MUTTERING)
That woman is
dumb as a post.
I swear,
if she thinks
I'm goin' to prison
on account of some
dimwit idea of hers,
she's got
another thing comin'.
(CECIL WHISTLING)
VERNON: ...being around,
get her out of trouble,
there's no tellin'.
(DOORKNOB CLICKING)
Of course.
Nadine?
(SIGHS)
Damn it all,
will you let me in?
Nadine?
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Nadine, I mean it now.
I know you're in there.
I can hear you movin' around.
She don't
have the sense
that God gave a goose.
(SIGHS)
VERNON: Wait a minute.
We break into the place
in the middle of the night.
The poor son of a bitch
who owns it turns out
to be dead.
For all I know,
she probably
killed him herself.
Lord knows,
she's mean enough.
Officer,
am I glad to see you.
There's a very
suspicious-looking character
running around out there.
I was just on my way back in
to tell my wife to call
the police,
and I must have gone
into the wrong place
by mistake.
Honey, don't do that.
NADINE: Run for it.
Now why did you have to
do something like that?
I was doin' just...
(GUN FIRING)
(SCREAMS)
Give me the keys!
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
(NADINE SCREAMING)
Step on it, Vernon.
Step on it!
Watch out.
You picked a hell
of a time to stop!
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
Hang on, darlin'.
(NADINE EXCLAIMING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(WHOOPING)
(GUN FIRING)
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
You mind tellin' me what the
hell was goin' on back there?
Well, sort of like this.
One of the girls
down at the shop,
and don't ask who it is,
'cause I ain't gonna
tell ya.
Anyway, this guy Escobar
took some, uh, pic...
I mean, some
art studies of her...
What you mean
is this old boy talked her
into posin' bare-ass for
a bunch of pictures?
And that bitch's ass
is not all they've done.
Vernon Hightower,
you got a dirty mind.
For your information,
Mr. Escobar was in the Army
with Hugh Hefner of Playboy
magazine fame.
How about that?
He pulled that one on her?
He didn't pull nothin'.
I knew those gals in the shop
wasn't the smartest things
in the world,
but I did give 'em
more credit than that.
And I'll bet you,
that she's got
a husband
that's even dumber
than she is.
Hmm.
Are you tellin' me that
we nearly got ourselves
killed...
I swear,
I never saw anything
like the way you drove that
car tonight, Vernon. Never.
Uh, mostly luck.
I mean, the way you went
90 miles an hour backwards,
without gettin' us killed.
And then you
stopped the damn car.
I couldn't believe it.
"Goddamn, Vernon, what
a hell of a time to stop!"
I didn't say it like that.
(CHUCKLING)
Yeah, you did.
I did not.
Here I am,
sittin' around
like we was still...
(SIGHS) Listen,
you can't drive
the Ford on account of
the police
will be lookin' for it.
Oh, no, okay, I won't.
I know this,
this old boy
who owes me a favor
and I'll take it over
and have him paint it.
That'd be real nice.
I guess
I'd better be goin'.
You're lookin' real good.
(CLEARS THROAT)
No, I mean,
you know, it looks like,
you're eatin' real good.
Not too much or anything.
(STUTTERING)
What I mean is
that you look
real good.
You look real good, too.
Real good.
Well, I better
get on my horse.
Renee's gonna
be kinda worried.
Well, here.
Let me get you
some ice, okay?
I'll be right back.
(SIGHS)
Ugh.
(SIGHS)
Oh, boy.
Hmm.
(EXCLAIMING)
(CAR DOOR CLOSING)
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
(SIGHING)
(SNIFFLING)
It don't do no
good to cry whatsoever,
so you might as well quit.
(SIGHS)
It does you no good to
talk to yourself either.
(SCREAMING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(FROGS CROAKING)
BUFORD: Reverend,
I told you the last time
you were in this place
that I would not,
I repeat, not tolerate
any handlin' of snakes
on this premises.
(SNAKES RATTLING)
What the holy hell
is this?
Sir, we'd surely be grateful
if you wasn't to make
them mad.
What I mean is, that way
they ain't gonna be no
use to anybody.
Listen to me, you pinhead.
I'm gonna keep this box
right here in my office
under lock and key
until you pissants
are out of town.
Now get out!
(SNAKES RATTLING)
Miss Hightower,
I'm Buford Pope.
Would you please come in?
(DOOR CLOSING)
I want to apologize
for bringin' you here in
this crude and vulgar way,
but how come a nice
girl like you would let
a low-life like Ray Escobar
take some indecent pictures
of her?
Believe me,
I'm startin'
to regret it.
Nadine... You don't mind
if I call you Nadine,
do you?
Nadine, I've got reason to
believe that you were at
Ray Escobar's today,
lookin' for
these photographs.
I've also got
reason to believe
that you've come across
somethin' else while
you were there.
And I'm just about positive
that whatever it was that
you found,
it belongs to me.
Now, is it possible
that you have
that somethin' else
we're talkin' about on you?
Well, I might.
Floyd?
(SNAKES RATTLING)
Nadine,
we've got ourselves
a little problem.
(DOGS BARKING)
(DOORBELL RINGING)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Why, you miserable
son of a bitch.
You got some nerve
showin' up here.
If I wasn't otherwise
occupied right now,
I'd come out there,
and I'd whip your butt.
I swear... Dwight,
I don't see
why you're so hot under
the collar there, pard...
You owe me $450,
not countin' legal fees
of $370 and change.
You're lucky I don't
get the sheriff on you.
Yeah, Dwight?
I'm your own family.
Don't that count
for somethin'?
We are third cousins
once removed, period.
My mother
does not remember ever
layin' eyes on your daddy.
Well, I just thought
I'd come by to tell you
that your third cousin
once removed is gonna
be a jillionaire.
I just thought
you might want
to know that.
Vernon, you don't
have diddly-squat.
You owe me
$820 plus interest,
the bank is about to foreclose
on that chicken shit bar
of yours,
and now you're talkin'
about bein' a jillionaire.
Har-de-har-har.
(GRUNTS)
Where'd you
get this thing?
You wouldn't happen to have
a cold beer in the icebox,
would you?
I'll lay odds you didn't get
a hold of this by legal means.
I ought to
call the police.
You do that, pard.
WOMAN: Sweetheart?
Hey! Good for you, cousin.
(CLEARS THROAT)
How much you figure
land along that highway's
gonna be worth an acre, hmm?
A lot.
That sounds reasonable.
I figure, right now
it can't be worth more
than $500 to $600 an acre.
A few
thousand dollars
in the right place,
I might end up
with enough money to get
the Blue Bonnet on her feet.
Then watch my dust.
Can I have my
picture back,
please?
Now, Vernon,
that ain't gonna do
you the least bit of good
unless you can
afford to buy the land.
You don't have
a pot to piss in.
Well, that's why
I've come to see you.
I figured, with you being
a fancy lawyer and everything,
you might have some
designs in that direction.
Well, I'll tell you what.
You let me have
the rest of those maps,
I'll see how much cash
I can raise,
and whatever profit I make,
I'll cut you in for sure.
How about that?
Hmm.
No.
No, I don't think so.
Damn.
Let's try this on for size.
You're a lawyer,
you call up some of
your rich friends
and raise,
mmm, let's say, $50,000.
Then I'll let you
have these photos.
WOMAN: Dwight, hon?
I'll be right in, darlin'.
Vernon, this better not be
another one of your swindles.
Hey, Dwight, I swear,
this time everything's
strictly on the up and up.
(SIGHING)
No, sir. I ain't
telling you where Vernon is.
You can
break my arms, my legs,
it won't do a bit of good.
(RATTLESNAKES RATTLING)
The only Vernon Hightower
I know
runs a dump out
on South Lamar called
the Blue Bonnet Lounge.
He ain't the one.
Why don't you boys
go out there and
pick him up?
Don't shoot him,
unless you have to.
(VERNON WHISTLING)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Good evening there, Boyd.
Sorry I'm late.
How's business?
Not so hot,
Mr. Hightower.
We only took in $6
in change so far tonight.
Well, that's all right.
I got a feelin' we're about to
turn a financial corner here
any minute.
You want a beer? Hmm?
Sure.
(LAUGHS) You know,
I've been thinkin'.
You know what we
need around this place?
A new sign.
Somethin' in neon.
Vernon Hightower's famous
Blue Bonnet Bar and Lounge.
And then...
Mr. Hightower, sir?
I ought to tell you the
Lone Star people called.
They said if you don't
pay 'em what you owe 'em,
they're gonna stop
any more deliveries.
Why ain't nothin' ever easy?
Give me a nickel.
(SIGHS)
I was born
in a small town
Mama was a farmer's wife
We knew everyone for
miles around
We lived here
all our lives
Renee? It's me, Vernon.
Listen, the way it works out,
I'm not gonna be able to see
you tonight, hon.
No, nothing's the matter.
It's just that,
I'm in the middle of this
big financial transaction,
and I got these details
I gotta take care of.
You know how it is.
Listen, I'll tell you,
you could do me
a little favor.
Remember how you said that
you could get your boss to do
just about anything
you wanted?
Well, if you could get
him to fix it so these
Lone Star people
quit pesterin' me for the next
couple of weeks, I'd sure
appreciate it.
(STUTTERING) I mean,
I'm good for it and
everything,
it's just that,
all my money's
tied up in,
you know, assets,
that kind of stuff.
Yeah?
Sug, I knew
I could count on you.
Yeah. Sug?
Sug, I gotta go now.
I'll miss you, too.
Me, too.
Toodle-oo, now.
(SIGHS)
Tell me somethin', Boyd.
When was the last time
you had a raise, hmm?
A raise?
Mr. Hightower,
I ain't even been paid
in the last two months.
Oh, hell, boy.
(CAR APPROACHING)
I'm sorry about that.
(BRAKES SQUEALING)
Hey, I'll tell you what.
Startin' next week,
I'm gonna double
your salary.
Evenin', friends.
Came to the right place.
First drink's on me,
Vernon Hightower,
soon to be one of the
richest sons of bitches
you ever set your eyes on.
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(CRASHING)
What did you
do to him? Oh!
Don't worry, honey.
I fought like a tiger.
Mr. Hightower,
my name is Pope.
I've got good reason
to believe that you have
in your possession somethin'
I want a whole lot.
I might have, I might not.
(SCREAMS)
BUFORD:
Do yourself a favor, son.
Don't get smart with me.
Listen to the man.
He's real serious
about this.
I paid a whole bunch of
money for some information,
and the son of a bitch I was
dealin' with tried to
double-cross me.
And the short of it is that
you've got somethin' that
belongs to me.
Now then,
I'm asking you nicely.
Hand it over.
I can't do that.
I'll tell you
what I will do...
Mr. Hightower, if you think
you can deal yourself into
this, forget it.
You're a two-bit loser, son,
and you haven't got
the brains or balls for this.
First off, I won't have you
talkin' like that in front
of my wife.
Stop! Stop it!
Look, can I talk to
my husband in private?
Floyd,
the woman wants to
talk to her husband.
(GRUNTS)
(GROANING)
Now, hon, this is
not the time to start
one of your stubborn streaks.
Don't worry, darlin'.
I'm on a roll.
(GROANING)
Now, then,
whenever you're
ready to get serious,
I'm ready to do business.
You want to get serious?
All right, I'll get serious.
Unless you hand
over the goddamn map,
I'll kill the both of you.
(BUFORD CHUCKLING)
(CHUCKLES)
Well, if you was to kill us,
I expect you'd never
get your hands on that map.
That's a fact.
But I think I can fix it so
you'll be real anxious
to talk,
unless, of course, you've
got a fondness for
rattlesnakes.
Hon, he's not
kiddin' around.
Where'd he get
a bunch of rattlesnakes?
Well, by a strange
coincidence,
I happen to have
about five or six rattlers
right inside this box here.
He's tellin' the truth.
I swear.
(RATTLING)
You gonna
hand over that map?
Uh-uh.
No, sir, I'm afraid not.
Well, you sure you're not
goin' to change your mind?
(SIGHS)
Uh-uh.
Mountain?
(NADINE SCREAMING)
Oh, God! I'm snake bit!
I'm dead!
All right! Let me see.
All right! Let's see.
Let me see.
That's it there. Right there.
Oh, hell, you ain't snake bit.
That's a splinter!
Hold that box right there.
Floyd?
Come here and put somethin' on
top of these sons of bitches
so they don't get out.
Uh-uh! First one comes close
gonna get a face full of
rattlesnake.
Oh, goddamn it, man.
You lost your mind?
You let them snakes
out of there, they'll
go after you as well as us.
All right, you.
Get your car keys out, put 'em
on the desk and get against
the wall.
Floyd, you do that, boy,
you'll be
wrestling duckshit
come Thursday night.
Floyd, you don't get
those car keys out here,
you're gonna be wrestling
a diamondback in about
one minute.
(SNAKES RATTLING)
(KEYS JANGLING)
You're gonna pay for this.
Darlin', find the car,
start the motor and
honk the horn.
I'll be right along.
Okay.
(DOOR SLAMMING)
Well, Mr. Hightower,
let's us have
a little talk here.
I know you're in what
they call financial straits.
So, why don't you let my boys
here set fire to that dump
of yours?
That way, at least you'll
collect on the fire insurance.
All you
have to do in return
is hand over the map.
I appreciate that, Mr. Pope,
but that won't do me
no good now.
See, I let the
insurance lapse
about a month ago.
(LAUGHS)
All right, boys,
if I was you,
I'd head for high ground.
Get... Yikes!
FLOYD:
Let me out of here!
(MEN CLAMORING)
(MEN SCREAMING)
(SNAKES RATTLING)
(FROGS CROAKING)
VERNON: You know what
my problem has been
all this time?
I've been under-capitalized,
that's all.
You wait and see. We pull
this deal off, I'm home free.
Vernon, I don't know.
Buford Pope seems like the
real determined type to me.
Don't you worry about
Pope now.
I'm on top of that
whole situation.
Hey, wait a minute.
You don't believe what that
son of a bitch said, do you?
You don't think
I'm some sort of
a two-bit loser, do you?
No, hon.
I've known you
a real long time.
You can pretty much
do anything you want
once you set
your mind on it.
You mean that?
I'll always love you
You know, it's funny
how you forget things.
NADINE:
Like what?
Well, like,
sittin' in the kitchen,
drinkin' beer,
shootin' the shit with you.
Forgot how much I loved that.
I'll lay her down
Like this
Vernon, I think there's
something you should know.
Sure.
I'm...
You know, with your looks,
you could've married just
about anybody.
Hmm?
That's why I've been
bustin' my butt over
at the Blue Bonnet,
so you wouldn't feel
you made a mistake.
And also you'd feel that
you had something
to be proud about.
People like you and me,
we never get the breaks.
This time,
it's gonna be different.
This is the one chance
that I'm ever gonna get,
and I swear, I'm lettin'
nothin' get in my way.
There we go, runnin' off
at the mouth again.
What was it
you was gonna say?
Hmm, nothin'.
Wasn't important.
You fixin' your hair
different these days?
Uh, yeah, I copied it from
a picture in Modern Screen.
You like it?
Yeah,
it looks real nice.
What's that perfume
you're wearin'?
Evenin' in Paris. Why?
No reason.
Your life is
no longer my home
Without no news from home
I remember the first time
I set eyes on you.
It was a Friday night,
over at the Dairy Queen.
You was wearin'
a pink sweater.
Vernon,
don't do this to me.
I saw you standin' there
and I said to myself,
"Vernon Hightower,
you are a goner."
I can't be here
If you've got
the money, honey
I've got the time
We'll go honky-tonkin'
and dance to the music fine
Anytime
Dance to the music fine
If you've got the money
Honey, I've got the time
There ain't no use
to carry
Let's start out tonight
(COWS MOOING)
If you've got the money
Honey, I've got the time
Vernon!
Vernon.
(KNOCKING)
Sug, it's me, Renee Lomax.
Soon to be
Mrs. Vernon Hightower.
What the hell...
Renee, what are you
doin' here this early?
RENEE: I got
a surprise for you.
Oh, all right.
I'll be right there.
I talked to my boss.
Ow! God damn it!
What, is somethin'
the matter, honey?
No, no,
everything's fine.
Well, hurry up, sug.
I got to be to the
office by 9:00.
(WHISPERS)
Vernon Hightower.
Don't worry.
I'm on top of
this whole situation.
(MOANING)
Mornin', mornin'.
Good mornin'.
Oh, darlin',
what happened?
Huh? Oh,
it's a long story.
Uh, so what'd
your boss say, hmm?
Oh, Mr. Schmidt?
He said no.
He says as far as
he was concerned,
you were no-good,
shiftless white trash,
and you were getting
what you deserved.
Oh, God.
So this mornin',
I went to his office
real early,
and I snuck this bill
that shows all what you owe
out of his filing cabinet.
Uh-uh!
I think I'll keep it
just to be sure you
behave yourself.
Unless, of course,
you want to come
lookin' for it.
Honey, now come on.
You got to be
at work by 9:00, now.
I guess you're right.
(BOTH EXCLAIM)
Uh, hold on now.
I can explain everything.
It's from Scarborough's.
I swear, this has to be
the most beautiful thing
I've ever set my eyes on!
I'm gonna try it on
right now.
No, no. Uh, honey,
you don't wanna be
late for work, do you? Hmm?
Hey, I got an idea.
Why don't we leave
this here, hmm?
You can come back
later and try it on.
Uh-uh, I wanna
take this with me.
I'm not gonna let this
out of my sight. Mmm.
Baby, wait out
in the pickup, hmm...
All right.
...while I get my jacket.
Vernon Hightower,
I'm standin' back here
buck-naked.
If you
let that dimwit
walk outta here
with my
favorite nightgown,
you gotta be kiddin' me.
Trust me!
I got a plan.
(ROOSTER CROWING)
(DOG BARKING)
(RATTLING)
(SHRIEKING)
(GUN FIRES)
Hey, Dwight?
Yeah, it's me.
You got the money?
Great. Now then, I got
this little errand to run
and then
I'll get the map
and be right there.
Oh, Dwight?
I swear,
you won't regret this.
For the first time
in your life, Vernon,
you're probably right.
He's on his way.
Shouldn't be long now.
Vera, I gotta
ask a favor of you.
But you gotta
promise me one thing.
No questions, okay?
Okay. Now I know
payday ain't until
tomorrow and everything,
but I gotta
get out of town real fast.
So can I have
my money today? Please?
$5, $10, $15,
$16, $17, $18.
Does this have
anything to do
with Vernon?
As a matter of speakin'.
Well, did you tell
him about the baby?
Oh, Vera, please!
All right, all right.
$19, $20, $21...
VERNON: Nadine?
Damn it,
where the hell
have you been?
I been lookin'
all over town for you.
Please inform
Mr. Vernon Hightower
that how he spent his
morning is no concern
of mine?
I swear,
none of that
was my fault.
Would you please
tell my ex-husband
that I couldn't care less.
The man is tryin'
to explain.
If you'd just let him speak.
"Trust me," he said.
"I've a plan," he said.
Okay, I said I'm sorry.
Sorry just don't
get it done, Vernon.
Damn it, Nadine, that was
nothin' but business
back there.
Don't look like
no business I ever saw.
Well, whatever it was,
I'm sure the man has
a perfectly good reason.
You hit the nail
on the head.
Just listen to...
Where's my damn nightgown?
Look, here this poor man's
been traipsin' all around
town lookin' for you
just so he can settle
this little misunderstanding.
It ain't no little
misunderstanding, Vera.
Nadine, now the least
you can do is listen.
All right, Vernon.
Thank you, Vera.
Now, darlin', I swear,
that woman don't
mean a thing to me.
What woman?
His fiancee.
She is not
my fiancee!
Vernon, how dare you!
You got a hell of
a lot of nerve
chasin' around this
town with some floozy.
You got
a wife here
that's pregnant.
Vera!
How come?
I ain't ever
talkin' to you again.
How come everybody in the
whole goddamn world knows
I'm gonna be a daddy
except me?
If you hadn't been so busy
with that nymphomaniac
you're gonna marry...
Oh, damn it, Nadine,
I keep telling you...
Let me give
you some advice,
purely as a friend.
When you do tie
the knot with Renee,
don't plan on spendin'
your anniversary
at the Blue Bonnet.
She won't appreciate it
one bit.
I keep on
trying to tell you,
I am not gonna marry...
I am not the least bit
interested in your
future plans.
Doris Isabelle
and me are gonna...
Doris Isabelle?
My daughter.
Don't I get a say
in the matter?
I mean, I'm the daddy!
It's not the same.
Listen, you don't know
any more about being...
(CAR BRAKES SCREECHING)
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(POUNDING ON DOOR)
MOUNTAIN:
Floyd, go around back.
See if you can get in.
FLOYD:
Come on, you little
rat shit! I want my car!
They didn't come out
the back,
so they must be
in here someplace!
All right, Hightower!
Might as well come on out.
Sooner or later,
we're gonna find you.
(STEPS CREAKING)
There ain't no sign
of 'em down here.
(FOOTSTEPS PATTERING)
Come on.
This is gonna be like
shootin' fish in a barrel.
Come on!
I'll be right back.
Where you goin'?
I'm gonna find us
a way out.
You comin'?
Mountain, in here!
Watch out, now.
We can't go down that way.
It won't reach that far.
We ain't goin' down.
Then where?
Uh-uh.
I ain't gettin'
on that thing. No.
No way! No way, Jose.
Vernon, I can't.
I'm afraid of heights.
Do you know that?
That ought to do the trick.
Uh-uh.
I'd just as soon
you shot me right here
and be done with it
than set foot on
that thing.
Nadine, you've got
a baby to think about.
Now haul ass.
Doris Isabelle, this whole
mother deal ain't workin'
out like I expected.
I got an idea.
Whatever you do,
don't look down.
(NADINE EXCLAIMS)
Oh, God, Vernon. Vernon!
You go first.
(GRUNTING)
Come on. It was easy.
Doris Isabelle, oh, if we
get out of this thing alive...
(NADINE PANTING)
Hon, whatever you do,
don't you ever fall in love
with a man on account of
his looks.
You learn from
your mama's mistakes.
(GRUNTS)
(EXCLAIMS)
(BOTH GRUNTING)
(BOTH PANTING)
(LADDER CREAKING)
No.
(SHRIEKS)
Oh! Oh, my God.
My God.
Oh, God.
(PANTING)
(SCREAMS)
(LADDER CREAKING)
Darlin',
if I don't make it...
God, don't talk like that.
But if anything
should happen...
Please don't
talk like that.
I love you.
I always have,
always will.
Damn it.
If I'd known you was
gonna quit on me
like this,
I wouldn't have fell in
love with you to start with.
If this is your idea of how
you're gonna get out of
this marriage,
you got
another thing comin'.
I ain't done with you yet,
Vernon Hightower.
We started off together,
and by God, as long
as I'm drawin' breath,
you're gonna
have me to deal with.
Now you got that?
Let me do it.
Well, look here.
All right, Hightower.
Now where's my car keys?
In my pocket.
Why don't you
come and get 'em?
No. I got
a better idea.
No!
Now, you wanna keep
on being a smart-ass,
you're gonna be pickin' your
teeth with wrought iron in
about one minute, buddy.
Vernon!
(SCREAMING)
(NADINE SHRIEKING)
(SOBBING)
Vernon! Vernon!
Vernon! Are you okay?
Come on, darlin'.
We ain't got all day.
If you think
I'm through being mad
at you on account of Renee...
All right, you first.
Go on.
(DOORBELL RINGS)
What's she doin' here?
Thrilled to see
you, too, Dwight.
Come on, Dwight,
we got business.
I swear, you two
are livin' testimony
to the fact that it's
better to be lucky
than smart.
Mr. Estes here
has seen fit to
throw in with me.
I guess he figures it's better
to have a small piece
of a sure thing
than half interest
in a cemetery plot.
That's right.
Me and Mr. Pope
are partners now.
But no hard feelings,
Vernon,
but you'd have just
screwed this up,
somehow.
I'll remember that, Dwight.
I don't suppose you happen
to have that map on you?
I didn't think you would.
I'll make you a deal,
all right?
You let my wife go, I'll see
to it you get that map back.
What about this?
You get me the map,
then I'll let your
wife go.
You don't have
a choice, Vernon.
All right.
You go with him, Estes.
Me? Why me?
'Cause I said so,
that's why.
South of town,
Old Highway 91,
there's a salvage
yard that belongs to me.
I'll leave the gate open.
Try not to be late.
You know what your
problem is, Vernon?
You don't ever look
at the big picture.
Now that map's
gotta be worth five,
ten million dollars.
That means raisin'
a lot of money fast.
So I went to Mr. Pope.
I mean,
everybody knows
he's a high roller.
You tell me something,
how much do you expect
to get on this deal?
Well, we haven't worked
out the exact figures yet.
I imagine
about $500,000.
What makes you think
Buford Pope's gonna
give you that money?
Because we
have an agreement.
Why wouldn't he?
Well, I guess $500,000
is reason enough.
I mean, Dwight,
once he's got his
hands on those photos,
what the hell's
he need you for, hmm?
Vernon, Vernon.
Where is the map?
Suit yourself, pal.
It's right here.
Uh-huh. Yeah. Uh-huh.
I saw that same TV show.
Now hand it over.
I'm warnin' you,
anything happens to Nadine,
you're as good as dead.
You got that?
Do you mind
if I have a beer? Hmm?
I usually don't drink
this early in the morning,
but this is an exception.
Be my guest.
Vernon Hightower, I'm so
mad at you I could bust!
Renee, Dwight.
Dwight, Renee.
I sincerely hope you are not
in business with Mr. Hightower
'cause he is nothin'
but a low-down scum!
Don't I know it.
Do you see this?
This is a size 6.
I wear a size 8.
You'd think, somebody
that's supposed to be
my fiance would know
a thing like that.
But I'm such
a trustin' person,
I thought it was
an honest mistake.
So what do I do?
I go down to the store
and try to exchange it.
And what do
they tell me?
They tell me they cannot
take it back
because it is
a used garment!
Used. Furthermore,
they hadn't had
this particular style
in the store in six months.
Well, I didn't even know
Vernon Hightower six
months ago.
Oho, if you're tryin' to
scare me with that thing,
it won't work.
You must've told me
a dozen times already
about how you keep that gun
in the ice chest
just for show.
About how
the firin' pin's jammed
and it won't shoot. Here!
As far as I'm concerned,
we are no longer engaged!
It was nice
to have met you.
(DOOR SLAMS)
(CHUCKLING)
I don't know, Vernon.
This just doesn't
seem to be your day.
Floyd?
Any sign of 'em yet?
Not yet.
I gotta be
frank with you.
I don't see you
gettin' away with this.
That's gonna be
the easiest part of it.
The hard part, the part
I'm not lookin' forward to...
Let me have that bottle.
The fact of the matter is,
I've never killed
a woman before.
FLOYD: Here they come.
You got that map?
DWIGHT:
It's right here.
Now I was wonderin'...
Floyd?
...if we...
BUFORD: Mountain?
Where's my damn car, huh?
BUFORD: And my pistol,
God damn it!
You and me gonna
have a little talk
later on, you hear me?
Now then, Mr. Pope,
there's a couple things
that we never did work out.
Now, not that
there's gonna be
any kind of problem,
but I was just wonderin'
if we could get somethin'
down on paper.
Some kind of
an informal agreement.
Hey!
I lived up to my end
of the bargain.
Let her go.
This place looks like
pure "D" dogshit,
don't it?
You may not think it,
but there's enough
explosives here,
if he was to put
a little gasoline
in the right place,
light a match
at the wrong time,
this dump would go up
like a Roman candle.
There'd be no way
they'd ever find
your bodies.
Take 'em on in
and shoot 'em.
Hey, hey!
Now he wasn't
talkin' about me.
I was especially
talkin' about you.
Hey, now, we had
an agreement, damn it.
You can't just back out
Dwight! Dwight!
I guess this just ain't
your day, is it, cousin?
Son of a bitch!
MOUNTAIN:
Now, move it! Come on!
Get in there!
Come on, go!
FLOYD: Move it!
Now go on over there
against that wall. Go on.
I guess
this is it for us.
And I gotta
get this said.
Now, I know I ain't been
the easiest person to
get along with.
I know I'm stubborn
and selfish...
All right,
that's far enough.
Now which one of y'all
wants to go first?
Hold on, Mountain.
I want to talk to that
son of a bitch over there.
But Mr. Pope told me...
I don't give a shit
what Mr. Pope says.
You finish up outside,
I'll take care of
these two.
(DOOR OPENS)
Now then,
where's my damn car?
You got about
as much chance of
gettin' that junk heap back...
Now, you look here,
shitface!
You don't tell me where
that car is in about
one second...
You even think
about tryin' anything,
you can
wave goodbye to
your private parts.
(PANTING)
All right,
we're goin' out that door,
and you're gonna tell your
friends to put down them guns.
You got that straight?
Yes, sir.
NADINE:
You mean to say to me,
you had that thing all along
and you didn't
tell me about it?
Mind if we talk
about this another time?
And all the time
I was just thinkin',
this is the end.
I'd never see you again.
Here we go.
Uh-oh.
Uh, Mr. Pope?
We got us
a small problem.
Floyd, goddamn it!
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(GUN FIRING)
Come on.
(SCREAMING)
Look at it this way.
Your share just got
a whole lot bigger.
Get on out there.
(CLANGING)
(CLANGS)
(NADINE SCREAMS)
(GASPING)
Hon, if you wasn't
to yell so much,
I'd sure appreciate it.
Understand?
Here.
Come on.
(GUN FIRING)
He's over there
by that rusted-out Chevy.
This ought to keep
'em busy long enough
for us to get outta here.
You got a match?
Do I look like
I have a match?
You know,
you could be
a hell of a lot
more help sometimes.
All right, here's
what we're gonna do.
I'm gonna start shootin'.
You're gonna throw this
as close as you can
to that car.
I'm gonna set it off
from here.
You ready?
Vernon,
is this gonna work?
No.
Oh!
You missed.
Hell, I know that much!
Listen, this is not
the easiest thing
in the world.
You didn't think
I could do it,
did you?
All right, come on,
let's get outta here.
All right.
Wait here.
I'm gonna
get the pickup.
I'll be right back.
Vernon Hightower,
you leave me
all alone here...
(GUN COCKING)
Mr. Hightower,
you're beginnin'
to get on my nerves.
Nadine?
That's right.
(SIGHING)
Why is it you work your
butt off all your life
just to get ahead,
and it takes a couple of
nitwits about 10 minutes
to screw
the whole thing up?
Honey, once I get
that shuffleboard in,
I can enlarge
the dance floor,
get a bandstand,
a crystal chandelier.
Aren't you countin' your
chickens just a little
early, sport?
Trust me, hon.
Now then,
about the new sign.
What new sign?
You think 40-foot
across is too small?
40-foot across?
Have you gone
out of your mind?
I guess you're right.
Anything bigger than
that would look gaudy.
If you think you're gonna
throw away all our money
on some...
Just trust me.
Vernon Hightower,
let's get one thing
straight right now.
The Blue Bonnet's
never gonna do squat.
I don't care
how much money
you put into it.
You know, I was thinking
somethin' in neon, that
sort of revolves...
The sound of my voice don't
seem to be reachin' your ears.
Hon, we gonna
have us a baby.
And you know
what that means?
That means we have to
start actin' responsibly.
And you know
what that means?
We'll put it high up
so people can see it
for miles around.
"Nadine Hightower's world
famous Blue Bonnet Bar
and Lounge."
(PHONE RINGING)
What color neon?
Royal blue.
Uh-uh, pink.
Pink's my lucky color.
Well, we'll talk about it.
Mmm, maybe we could
paint the outside
a little.
Put up
a big picture window,
somethin' like that.
I could hire some waitresses
with those little short
uniforms on,
you know, with the bows
in the back.
Now then,
Mr. Hightower,
we've listened
to Mr. Dwight Estes
and Ed "The Mountain" Hayes.
They both
corroborate your story.
Furthermore, the prints found
on the weapon used to kill
Mr. Floyd Simmons
belong to Buford Pope.
We're formally charging him
with the murders of
Raymond Escobar
and Floyd Simmons.
Well, if you'd listened
to me in the first place,
we'd all have
saved lots of time.
Mr. Hightower, just about the
only thing you're not guilty
of is murder.
First, we have
a resisting arrest.
Then we have
breaking and entering.
Then we have some
more resisting arrest.
And we have something here
we haven't quite figured
out what to call it yet.
And then,
according to Mr. Hayes,
you entered into a conspiracy
to defraud the state of Texas
by stealin' a map from
the Highway Department
for the purpose
of commercial gains.
Well, that is about the
damnedest thing that
I've ever heard of.
Isn't that about the
damnedest thing you
ever heard of?
Then you deny having
said map on your person?
You're damn-well right
we deny it.
Don't we now, honey?
Then you won't mind
if we search you.
Oh, hold on.
I didn't say that.
Good. Uh, Sam and Gerald.
Hey, now.
Hey, wait a minute, now.
Hey, I know my rights.
I'm supposed to be
able to call my lawyer.
All right. You can do
what you want with me.
My wife didn't know
anything about this.
Do you know what
the penalty is for
somethin' like this?
Six to twelve
in Huntsville.
Vernon, trust me.
No use looking for
a cheap joint, honey
Wastin' my time and money
Those days are through
Since I found you
Just a little love
in the morning light
Now I've got the feeling
that just one night won't do
Since I found you
Since I found you, honey,
I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
You don't miss nothin'
since I found you
No more walkin' down
lonely street
Wearin' holes
in both of my feet
And feelin' blue
Since I found you
Don't really matter
what the boys are doin'
All I really care
about is you and me
Stayin' true
Since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
(SINCE I FOUND YOU PLAYING)
No use lookin'
for a cheap joint, honey
Wastin' my time and money
Those days are through
Since I found you
Just a little love
in the morning light
Now I got the feeling
that just one night won't do
Since I found you
Since I found you, honey,
I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
No more walkin' down
lonely street
Wearin' holes
in both of my feet
And feelin' blue
Since I found you
Don't really matter
what the boys are doin'
All I really care about
is you and me stayin' true
Since I found you
Since I found you, honey,
I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
(GLASS SHATTERING)
Yeah?
Mr. Escobar?
Hi, uh, it's me,
Nadine Hightower.
I really hate
to bother you.
I just want to
ask a favor of you.
Listen, if it's money,
I can't help you.
Uh, no, sir, no, sir.
(STUTTERING) It's not.
Could I come in and talk
to you for just a minute?
Honey, I'd love to,
but I got an important
client on his way over.
Oh, this'll only take
a minute.
It's about those photos
that you took of me.
Art studies.
Those were art studies.
Yes, sir.
But to tell you the truth,
they were
lots more artistic
than I bargained for.
And the thing is,
I'd like to have
those photos back.
Did you get paid?
Yes, sir. $22.
Did I touch you?
Did I lay a hand on you?
Well, no, sir.
Then you got no gripe
with me, young lady.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I gotta go.
Mr. Escobar!
Now, that day
at the Five and Dime,
when you come up to me
and told me
you was a close
personal friend
of Hugh Hefner,
and then you asked me
to take those photos,
I mean, those art studies.
To tell you the truth,
the only reason I said yes
was because you told me that
Playboy was bound to pay me
lots of money.
Now I'll pay you back
however much you're out.
I'll give your wife free
manicures for the rest
of her life.
How about that?
I'll do anything.
I mean, almost anything.
Will you quit that?
I'm not leavin' until I get
those photos back, and
that's that!
Okay, come on in, then!
Come on, damn it!
Lucky for you, I'm about
to become a very rich man.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Damn.
You wait in the back.
Don't come out till
I holler.
Okay?
In the back?
Yeah. All right, I'm comin'!
I'm comin'!
(ESCOBAR GROANING)
(GASPING)
Lady, I got...
Oh, my God.
Mr. Escobar.
Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
CHARLEY: Mr. Escobar?
It's Charley Draper,
Photo Supply House.
I got that carton of
developer you asked for.
I'm real sorry about this.
CHARLEY:
Mr. Escobar?
Oh, hey,
are you the janitor?
JANITOR: Yeah.
What's the problem?
I got this
package for Mr. Escobar, and
I can't get nobody to answer.
Hang on. I got the key.
You can leave it inside.
(DOORKNOB CLICKING)
Hey, hey!
Call the police!
There's been
a murder up here!
MAN: What's goin' on?
Hey! Somebody
call the police!
There's been
a murder up here!
MAN: Right up there?
(PEOPLE CLAMORING)
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
(CAR TIRES SCREECHING)
Hey! He's upstairs!
MAN ON TV: And now,
Search for Tomorrow.
MICHELLE:
I think Roger's gonna
have an affair with Vanessa.
VERA: Are you crazy?
Vanessa's got
the hots for Brad.
You're late, Nadine.
You got about
umpteen calls
from Vernon.
(WOMAN CHATTERING ON TV)
VERA: Well?
"Well" what?
Are you gonna tell Vernon
you're pregnant?
Vera, I don't want
to talk about this
right now.
He is the daddy.
That just happens to be
a biological accident,
that's all.
Hon, that man
is your husband.
Ex-husband.
That's just as much
your fault as it is his.
Vernon loves you.
Vernon don't love
nothin' but himself
and that damn
Blue Bonnet bar of his.
That man is flat-out
irresponsible,
and I do not intend on
lettin' Doris Isabelle...
Doris Isabelle?
I'm namin' her after
Mama's favorite sisters.
What do you think?
(SIGHS)
Nadine, I love you like
you was my own flesh
and blood.
But I do not intend to stand
around and see that baby get
born without a daddy.
Then you sure better
rustle up somebody
real fast
on account
it ain't gonna
be Vernon Hightower.
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
Oh, you won't forget
about the garbage?
Of course not.
Are you sure
you don't mind closin' up?
Get outta here
and have a good time.
MICHELLE: Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
MAN: Good evening,
ladies and gentlemen.
The top story
on the 6:00 news tonight
involves the brutal slaying
of an Austin photographer,
Raymond Escobar.
Mr. Escobar was stabbed
to death in his studio
on East 6th Street
this afternoon.
The studio seems to have
served as a love nest
for Mr. Escobar
and the woman
who killed him.
Our reporter talked
to deputy sheriff,
Leon Rusk,
at the scene
of the crime.
What makes you suspect
the killer is a woman?
Well, we have
several leads
that point to the fact that
the killer's undoubtedly
a woman.
For one thing,
we found traces of
lipstick and cheap perfume
on the collar
of the deceased.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
REPORTER:
We now take you
back to the studio.
I knew sooner or later
you was gonna come
out of there.
What do you want, Vernon?
Now, did you,
or did you not sign
them divorce papers? Hmm?
You gotta be kiddin' me?
'Cause if you didn't, I swear,
I'm gonna strangle you
on the spot.
Don't provoke me, Vernon.
I got enough on my mind...
Damn it, woman,
I'm tryin' to get the
Blue Bonnet refinanced.
If you ask me,
the Blue Bonnet's nothin'...
I didn't ask you.
Fine!
Now, there is no way they're
ever gonna let me have
that money
unless you sign that paper
saying you agree to
the divorce
and promise to make
no claim on the Bonnet.
Do you see the keys
to a brand new
Buick convertible
with white sidewall tires,
radio and air conditioner?
'Cause when you see the keys
to that car in my hand,
you'll see my name on those
divorce papers and not until.
Now, you got that, slick?
Come here.
Don't mess with me...
You just come here
for a minute.
I'm warnin' ya!
You know I'm mighty
stronger than you are!
You see that Chevy? Hmm?
You see
that busted headlight?
You see that bailin' wire?
Now, you think
I'd be drivin' around
in a wreck like that
if I could afford
a brand new Buick?
And who might that be?
That happens
to be Renee Lomax.
She's the
Uvalde High School
Pecan Queen of 1947.
Vernon, darlin'?
Uh-oh, whoa, whoa.
I'm not in the
"Vernon darlin'"
business anymore.
Remember?
Vernon, darlin',
what if I was to sign
those papers of yours?
I told you before,
I'm not payin' for
any brand new Buick.
What if I was to forget
about the Buick altogether?
All right,
what's the deal?
I'd just like you to run
a little errand with me,
that's all.
What kind of
little errand?
Well, a couple of weeks ago,
Vera asked me to pick up
this stuff
that she keeps in
a storeroom on
6th Street
and I just keep forgettin'
and if it ain't there by
tomorrow mornin',
she's gonna
have a real shit fit.
And,
well, you know what
a 'fraidy cat I am
of the dark.
Nadine, it's me, Vernon.
Remember?
Your almost ex-husband?
Now I know how you are,
especially when you get
your mind set on somethin'.
I know you're not
gonna give up on
that Buick
out of the goodness
of your heart.
Vernon, be honest with me.
Are you
ever really and truly
gonna give me that Buick?
Hell, no!
Then what am I losin'?
(DOOR BANGING)
Sug, I'm pretty sure that
I got her convinced to
sign that paper.
(EXCLAIMS)
The thing is, though...
Mmm.
(CHUCKLES)
Uh, sug...
Oh.
The problem is that she's
got some kind of deal
goin' here.
I'm gonna
have to help her
straighten it out.
So, uh, I want you
to take the pickup,
go on back over to your place
and I'll call you later,
all right?
Vernon, just think.
As soon as she signs those
papers, we can get married.
Yeah. Mmm.
(HORN BLARING)
Honey, go on now.
Vernon's gotta go.
(CLEARS THROAT)
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
Nightie-night.
(PICKUP TRUCK SQUEAKING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
VERNON: Hey!
Goddamn it, woman.
(TIRES SCREECHING)
Are you tryin'
to get me killed?
(CAR RATTLING)
When was the last time
you cleaned the sparks
in this thing?
You know me, Vernon.
Live and let live.
They don't bother me.
I don't bother them.
Hey, slow down.
Huh?
Slow down.
NADINE: What?
VERNON: Look at that.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
What's that son of a bitch
doin' in there?
(CHUCKLING)
Givin' away free beer?
How's the
old Blue Bonnet
gettin' along anyway?
Fine. It's doin' just fine.
I heard you was
about to go bust.
Well, you heard wrong.
The Blue Bonnet's just
about to turn the corner.
It's just gonna
take a little longer
than I expected, that's all.
You mean, that jukebox
you bought with my money
just ain't doin' the
trick for you, is it?
I told you before,
that was a loan.
I'll pay you back.
I've got big plans
for the Blue Bonnet.
By the time I'm through,
it's gonna be
the showplace of Austin.
The first thing
I'm gonna do is
get me a new sign.
Mmm-hmm.
Then I'm gonna get
the dance floor fixed up.
I'm goin' to
get me a name band.
I'm not talkin' about one
of these low rent bands.
I'm talkin' big time.
The Blue Bonnet Lounge
ain't never gonna
be anything.
First of all, it's in the
worst location in all
of Austin.
I must have told you
I don't know how
many times...
I know
what you told me!
But you was wrong.
Then I must
have told you...
You was wrong! I don't
want to talk about it
anymore.
But, I...
Period!
Fine.
We'll talk about
something else.
Fine.
Okay.
Ain't she a little
on the cheap side
for you?
Who?
Miss Low Rent Lust back there.
Renee? Are you kiddin'?
She's got a good job
with the Lone Star
Beer Company.
She don't look
that smart to me.
Well, she's smart enough to
work in Accounts Receivable.
I don't know, Vernon.
She looks
a little on the chubby
side to be Pecan Queen.
Well, at least she doesn't
spend all her time findin'
fault with me.
Here we are.
(SIGHS)
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
VERNON: Why are we
goin' in the back door?
It's a lot quicker
this way.
I can't believe this.
I left the keys
at the beauty shop.
I guess we're just gonna
have to go back and get 'em.
What? We came
all the way out here
and you don't even
have the keys with you?
If you hadn't
been so obnoxious,
I might've remembered.
Now, come on, let's go.
Hold on, hold on, hold on.
I'm not ruinin' mine and
Renee's evenin'
because you ain't
completely put together.
Now, did you bring
a nail file?
Vernon, I don't have
the time to stand here
and play games with you.
It's gonna take
half the night
as it is.
Now, come on, let's go.
You forgot the night
we was in Tulsa,
we had
locked ourselves
out of the motel room.
Remember, I did that
little trick with the lock?
Ooh, Vernon,
aren't you the smart one?
(LOCK CLICKING)
There's no need to do that.
You know, Nadine, I'm way
ahead of you on this deal.
You always have been,
Vernon.
There ain't
no beauty supplies
in here, is there?
NADINE: Not exactly.
And this place don't
belong to Vera, does it?
Uh-uh.
You know
what kind of trouble
that we can get in...
Shh!
(WHISPERING) You wanna wake up
everybody between here and
El Paso?
Do you
have the least idea
what could happen to us
if the owner walked in
and found us like this? Hmm?
I'm talkin'
breakin' and enterin'.
I'm talking three
to seven in Huntsville.
Not to mention
me losin' my
liquor license.
Don't worry. That ain't
gonna happen. I swear.
You want to explain
why you're so sure?
Well, if you have to know,
he's dead.
Dead?
You mean, dead dead?
Hey!
Hold on.
I don't know
what's goin' on here,
but I'm not gettin' mixed up.
VERNON: Nadine,
we're gettin' out of here
right now and that's an order.
You comin'?
(FOOTSTEPS POUNDING)
Well, I'll visit you
in the jailhouse.
Adios.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
You know
what'd go down
real good right now?
A nice cold
bottle of beer.
You plannin' on us drivin' up
to a 7-Eleven in a police car
and askin'
the cashier
for a six-pack?
It just so happens
I hid a couple of
Lone Stars
up there in that
stiff's icebox.
You hold down the fort.
I'll be right back.
Hell, Cecil,
you're not as dumb
as the Captain said.
Nadine? I mean it now.
This is your last chance.
(PAPERS RUSTLING)
Forgive me.
(VERNON MUTTERING)
That woman is
dumb as a post.
I swear,
if she thinks
I'm goin' to prison
on account of some
dimwit idea of hers,
she's got
another thing comin'.
(CECIL WHISTLING)
VERNON: ...being around,
get her out of trouble,
there's no tellin'.
(DOORKNOB CLICKING)
Of course.
Nadine?
(SIGHS)
Damn it all,
will you let me in?
Nadine?
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Nadine, I mean it now.
I know you're in there.
I can hear you movin' around.
She don't
have the sense
that God gave a goose.
(SIGHS)
VERNON: Wait a minute.
We break into the place
in the middle of the night.
The poor son of a bitch
who owns it turns out
to be dead.
For all I know,
she probably
killed him herself.
Lord knows,
she's mean enough.
Officer,
am I glad to see you.
There's a very
suspicious-looking character
running around out there.
I was just on my way back in
to tell my wife to call
the police,
and I must have gone
into the wrong place
by mistake.
Honey, don't do that.
NADINE: Run for it.
Now why did you have to
do something like that?
I was doin' just...
(GUN FIRING)
(SCREAMS)
Give me the keys!
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
(NADINE SCREAMING)
Step on it, Vernon.
Step on it!
Watch out.
You picked a hell
of a time to stop!
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
Hang on, darlin'.
(NADINE EXCLAIMING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(WHOOPING)
(GUN FIRING)
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
You mind tellin' me what the
hell was goin' on back there?
Well, sort of like this.
One of the girls
down at the shop,
and don't ask who it is,
'cause I ain't gonna
tell ya.
Anyway, this guy Escobar
took some, uh, pic...
I mean, some
art studies of her...
What you mean
is this old boy talked her
into posin' bare-ass for
a bunch of pictures?
And that bitch's ass
is not all they've done.
Vernon Hightower,
you got a dirty mind.
For your information,
Mr. Escobar was in the Army
with Hugh Hefner of Playboy
magazine fame.
How about that?
He pulled that one on her?
He didn't pull nothin'.
I knew those gals in the shop
wasn't the smartest things
in the world,
but I did give 'em
more credit than that.
And I'll bet you,
that she's got
a husband
that's even dumber
than she is.
Hmm.
Are you tellin' me that
we nearly got ourselves
killed...
I swear,
I never saw anything
like the way you drove that
car tonight, Vernon. Never.
Uh, mostly luck.
I mean, the way you went
90 miles an hour backwards,
without gettin' us killed.
And then you
stopped the damn car.
I couldn't believe it.
"Goddamn, Vernon, what
a hell of a time to stop!"
I didn't say it like that.
(CHUCKLING)
Yeah, you did.
I did not.
Here I am,
sittin' around
like we was still...
(SIGHS) Listen,
you can't drive
the Ford on account of
the police
will be lookin' for it.
Oh, no, okay, I won't.
I know this,
this old boy
who owes me a favor
and I'll take it over
and have him paint it.
That'd be real nice.
I guess
I'd better be goin'.
You're lookin' real good.
(CLEARS THROAT)
No, I mean,
you know, it looks like,
you're eatin' real good.
Not too much or anything.
(STUTTERING)
What I mean is
that you look
real good.
You look real good, too.
Real good.
Well, I better
get on my horse.
Renee's gonna
be kinda worried.
Well, here.
Let me get you
some ice, okay?
I'll be right back.
(SIGHS)
Ugh.
(SIGHS)
Oh, boy.
Hmm.
(EXCLAIMING)
(CAR DOOR CLOSING)
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
(SIGHING)
(SNIFFLING)
It don't do no
good to cry whatsoever,
so you might as well quit.
(SIGHS)
It does you no good to
talk to yourself either.
(SCREAMING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(FROGS CROAKING)
BUFORD: Reverend,
I told you the last time
you were in this place
that I would not,
I repeat, not tolerate
any handlin' of snakes
on this premises.
(SNAKES RATTLING)
What the holy hell
is this?
Sir, we'd surely be grateful
if you wasn't to make
them mad.
What I mean is, that way
they ain't gonna be no
use to anybody.
Listen to me, you pinhead.
I'm gonna keep this box
right here in my office
under lock and key
until you pissants
are out of town.
Now get out!
(SNAKES RATTLING)
Miss Hightower,
I'm Buford Pope.
Would you please come in?
(DOOR CLOSING)
I want to apologize
for bringin' you here in
this crude and vulgar way,
but how come a nice
girl like you would let
a low-life like Ray Escobar
take some indecent pictures
of her?
Believe me,
I'm startin'
to regret it.
Nadine... You don't mind
if I call you Nadine,
do you?
Nadine, I've got reason to
believe that you were at
Ray Escobar's today,
lookin' for
these photographs.
I've also got
reason to believe
that you've come across
somethin' else while
you were there.
And I'm just about positive
that whatever it was that
you found,
it belongs to me.
Now, is it possible
that you have
that somethin' else
we're talkin' about on you?
Well, I might.
Floyd?
(SNAKES RATTLING)
Nadine,
we've got ourselves
a little problem.
(DOGS BARKING)
(DOORBELL RINGING)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Why, you miserable
son of a bitch.
You got some nerve
showin' up here.
If I wasn't otherwise
occupied right now,
I'd come out there,
and I'd whip your butt.
I swear... Dwight,
I don't see
why you're so hot under
the collar there, pard...
You owe me $450,
not countin' legal fees
of $370 and change.
You're lucky I don't
get the sheriff on you.
Yeah, Dwight?
I'm your own family.
Don't that count
for somethin'?
We are third cousins
once removed, period.
My mother
does not remember ever
layin' eyes on your daddy.
Well, I just thought
I'd come by to tell you
that your third cousin
once removed is gonna
be a jillionaire.
I just thought
you might want
to know that.
Vernon, you don't
have diddly-squat.
You owe me
$820 plus interest,
the bank is about to foreclose
on that chicken shit bar
of yours,
and now you're talkin'
about bein' a jillionaire.
Har-de-har-har.
(GRUNTS)
Where'd you
get this thing?
You wouldn't happen to have
a cold beer in the icebox,
would you?
I'll lay odds you didn't get
a hold of this by legal means.
I ought to
call the police.
You do that, pard.
WOMAN: Sweetheart?
Hey! Good for you, cousin.
(CLEARS THROAT)
How much you figure
land along that highway's
gonna be worth an acre, hmm?
A lot.
That sounds reasonable.
I figure, right now
it can't be worth more
than $500 to $600 an acre.
A few
thousand dollars
in the right place,
I might end up
with enough money to get
the Blue Bonnet on her feet.
Then watch my dust.
Can I have my
picture back,
please?
Now, Vernon,
that ain't gonna do
you the least bit of good
unless you can
afford to buy the land.
You don't have
a pot to piss in.
Well, that's why
I've come to see you.
I figured, with you being
a fancy lawyer and everything,
you might have some
designs in that direction.
Well, I'll tell you what.
You let me have
the rest of those maps,
I'll see how much cash
I can raise,
and whatever profit I make,
I'll cut you in for sure.
How about that?
Hmm.
No.
No, I don't think so.
Damn.
Let's try this on for size.
You're a lawyer,
you call up some of
your rich friends
and raise,
mmm, let's say, $50,000.
Then I'll let you
have these photos.
WOMAN: Dwight, hon?
I'll be right in, darlin'.
Vernon, this better not be
another one of your swindles.
Hey, Dwight, I swear,
this time everything's
strictly on the up and up.
(SIGHING)
No, sir. I ain't
telling you where Vernon is.
You can
break my arms, my legs,
it won't do a bit of good.
(RATTLESNAKES RATTLING)
The only Vernon Hightower
I know
runs a dump out
on South Lamar called
the Blue Bonnet Lounge.
He ain't the one.
Why don't you boys
go out there and
pick him up?
Don't shoot him,
unless you have to.
(VERNON WHISTLING)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Good evening there, Boyd.
Sorry I'm late.
How's business?
Not so hot,
Mr. Hightower.
We only took in $6
in change so far tonight.
Well, that's all right.
I got a feelin' we're about to
turn a financial corner here
any minute.
You want a beer? Hmm?
Sure.
(LAUGHS) You know,
I've been thinkin'.
You know what we
need around this place?
A new sign.
Somethin' in neon.
Vernon Hightower's famous
Blue Bonnet Bar and Lounge.
And then...
Mr. Hightower, sir?
I ought to tell you the
Lone Star people called.
They said if you don't
pay 'em what you owe 'em,
they're gonna stop
any more deliveries.
Why ain't nothin' ever easy?
Give me a nickel.
(SIGHS)
I was born
in a small town
Mama was a farmer's wife
We knew everyone for
miles around
We lived here
all our lives
Renee? It's me, Vernon.
Listen, the way it works out,
I'm not gonna be able to see
you tonight, hon.
No, nothing's the matter.
It's just that,
I'm in the middle of this
big financial transaction,
and I got these details
I gotta take care of.
You know how it is.
Listen, I'll tell you,
you could do me
a little favor.
Remember how you said that
you could get your boss to do
just about anything
you wanted?
Well, if you could get
him to fix it so these
Lone Star people
quit pesterin' me for the next
couple of weeks, I'd sure
appreciate it.
(STUTTERING) I mean,
I'm good for it and
everything,
it's just that,
all my money's
tied up in,
you know, assets,
that kind of stuff.
Yeah?
Sug, I knew
I could count on you.
Yeah. Sug?
Sug, I gotta go now.
I'll miss you, too.
Me, too.
Toodle-oo, now.
(SIGHS)
Tell me somethin', Boyd.
When was the last time
you had a raise, hmm?
A raise?
Mr. Hightower,
I ain't even been paid
in the last two months.
Oh, hell, boy.
(CAR APPROACHING)
I'm sorry about that.
(BRAKES SQUEALING)
Hey, I'll tell you what.
Startin' next week,
I'm gonna double
your salary.
Evenin', friends.
Came to the right place.
First drink's on me,
Vernon Hightower,
soon to be one of the
richest sons of bitches
you ever set your eyes on.
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(CRASHING)
What did you
do to him? Oh!
Don't worry, honey.
I fought like a tiger.
Mr. Hightower,
my name is Pope.
I've got good reason
to believe that you have
in your possession somethin'
I want a whole lot.
I might have, I might not.
(SCREAMS)
BUFORD:
Do yourself a favor, son.
Don't get smart with me.
Listen to the man.
He's real serious
about this.
I paid a whole bunch of
money for some information,
and the son of a bitch I was
dealin' with tried to
double-cross me.
And the short of it is that
you've got somethin' that
belongs to me.
Now then,
I'm asking you nicely.
Hand it over.
I can't do that.
I'll tell you
what I will do...
Mr. Hightower, if you think
you can deal yourself into
this, forget it.
You're a two-bit loser, son,
and you haven't got
the brains or balls for this.
First off, I won't have you
talkin' like that in front
of my wife.
Stop! Stop it!
Look, can I talk to
my husband in private?
Floyd,
the woman wants to
talk to her husband.
(GRUNTS)
(GROANING)
Now, hon, this is
not the time to start
one of your stubborn streaks.
Don't worry, darlin'.
I'm on a roll.
(GROANING)
Now, then,
whenever you're
ready to get serious,
I'm ready to do business.
You want to get serious?
All right, I'll get serious.
Unless you hand
over the goddamn map,
I'll kill the both of you.
(BUFORD CHUCKLING)
(CHUCKLES)
Well, if you was to kill us,
I expect you'd never
get your hands on that map.
That's a fact.
But I think I can fix it so
you'll be real anxious
to talk,
unless, of course, you've
got a fondness for
rattlesnakes.
Hon, he's not
kiddin' around.
Where'd he get
a bunch of rattlesnakes?
Well, by a strange
coincidence,
I happen to have
about five or six rattlers
right inside this box here.
He's tellin' the truth.
I swear.
(RATTLING)
You gonna
hand over that map?
Uh-uh.
No, sir, I'm afraid not.
Well, you sure you're not
goin' to change your mind?
(SIGHS)
Uh-uh.
Mountain?
(NADINE SCREAMING)
Oh, God! I'm snake bit!
I'm dead!
All right! Let me see.
All right! Let's see.
Let me see.
That's it there. Right there.
Oh, hell, you ain't snake bit.
That's a splinter!
Hold that box right there.
Floyd?
Come here and put somethin' on
top of these sons of bitches
so they don't get out.
Uh-uh! First one comes close
gonna get a face full of
rattlesnake.
Oh, goddamn it, man.
You lost your mind?
You let them snakes
out of there, they'll
go after you as well as us.
All right, you.
Get your car keys out, put 'em
on the desk and get against
the wall.
Floyd, you do that, boy,
you'll be
wrestling duckshit
come Thursday night.
Floyd, you don't get
those car keys out here,
you're gonna be wrestling
a diamondback in about
one minute.
(SNAKES RATTLING)
(KEYS JANGLING)
You're gonna pay for this.
Darlin', find the car,
start the motor and
honk the horn.
I'll be right along.
Okay.
(DOOR SLAMMING)
Well, Mr. Hightower,
let's us have
a little talk here.
I know you're in what
they call financial straits.
So, why don't you let my boys
here set fire to that dump
of yours?
That way, at least you'll
collect on the fire insurance.
All you
have to do in return
is hand over the map.
I appreciate that, Mr. Pope,
but that won't do me
no good now.
See, I let the
insurance lapse
about a month ago.
(LAUGHS)
All right, boys,
if I was you,
I'd head for high ground.
Get... Yikes!
FLOYD:
Let me out of here!
(MEN CLAMORING)
(MEN SCREAMING)
(SNAKES RATTLING)
(FROGS CROAKING)
VERNON: You know what
my problem has been
all this time?
I've been under-capitalized,
that's all.
You wait and see. We pull
this deal off, I'm home free.
Vernon, I don't know.
Buford Pope seems like the
real determined type to me.
Don't you worry about
Pope now.
I'm on top of that
whole situation.
Hey, wait a minute.
You don't believe what that
son of a bitch said, do you?
You don't think
I'm some sort of
a two-bit loser, do you?
No, hon.
I've known you
a real long time.
You can pretty much
do anything you want
once you set
your mind on it.
You mean that?
I'll always love you
You know, it's funny
how you forget things.
NADINE:
Like what?
Well, like,
sittin' in the kitchen,
drinkin' beer,
shootin' the shit with you.
Forgot how much I loved that.
I'll lay her down
Like this
Vernon, I think there's
something you should know.
Sure.
I'm...
You know, with your looks,
you could've married just
about anybody.
Hmm?
That's why I've been
bustin' my butt over
at the Blue Bonnet,
so you wouldn't feel
you made a mistake.
And also you'd feel that
you had something
to be proud about.
People like you and me,
we never get the breaks.
This time,
it's gonna be different.
This is the one chance
that I'm ever gonna get,
and I swear, I'm lettin'
nothin' get in my way.
There we go, runnin' off
at the mouth again.
What was it
you was gonna say?
Hmm, nothin'.
Wasn't important.
You fixin' your hair
different these days?
Uh, yeah, I copied it from
a picture in Modern Screen.
You like it?
Yeah,
it looks real nice.
What's that perfume
you're wearin'?
Evenin' in Paris. Why?
No reason.
Your life is
no longer my home
Without no news from home
I remember the first time
I set eyes on you.
It was a Friday night,
over at the Dairy Queen.
You was wearin'
a pink sweater.
Vernon,
don't do this to me.
I saw you standin' there
and I said to myself,
"Vernon Hightower,
you are a goner."
I can't be here
If you've got
the money, honey
I've got the time
We'll go honky-tonkin'
and dance to the music fine
Anytime
Dance to the music fine
If you've got the money
Honey, I've got the time
There ain't no use
to carry
Let's start out tonight
(COWS MOOING)
If you've got the money
Honey, I've got the time
Vernon!
Vernon.
(KNOCKING)
Sug, it's me, Renee Lomax.
Soon to be
Mrs. Vernon Hightower.
What the hell...
Renee, what are you
doin' here this early?
RENEE: I got
a surprise for you.
Oh, all right.
I'll be right there.
I talked to my boss.
Ow! God damn it!
What, is somethin'
the matter, honey?
No, no,
everything's fine.
Well, hurry up, sug.
I got to be to the
office by 9:00.
(WHISPERS)
Vernon Hightower.
Don't worry.
I'm on top of
this whole situation.
(MOANING)
Mornin', mornin'.
Good mornin'.
Oh, darlin',
what happened?
Huh? Oh,
it's a long story.
Uh, so what'd
your boss say, hmm?
Oh, Mr. Schmidt?
He said no.
He says as far as
he was concerned,
you were no-good,
shiftless white trash,
and you were getting
what you deserved.
Oh, God.
So this mornin',
I went to his office
real early,
and I snuck this bill
that shows all what you owe
out of his filing cabinet.
Uh-uh!
I think I'll keep it
just to be sure you
behave yourself.
Unless, of course,
you want to come
lookin' for it.
Honey, now come on.
You got to be
at work by 9:00, now.
I guess you're right.
(BOTH EXCLAIM)
Uh, hold on now.
I can explain everything.
It's from Scarborough's.
I swear, this has to be
the most beautiful thing
I've ever set my eyes on!
I'm gonna try it on
right now.
No, no. Uh, honey,
you don't wanna be
late for work, do you? Hmm?
Hey, I got an idea.
Why don't we leave
this here, hmm?
You can come back
later and try it on.
Uh-uh, I wanna
take this with me.
I'm not gonna let this
out of my sight. Mmm.
Baby, wait out
in the pickup, hmm...
All right.
...while I get my jacket.
Vernon Hightower,
I'm standin' back here
buck-naked.
If you
let that dimwit
walk outta here
with my
favorite nightgown,
you gotta be kiddin' me.
Trust me!
I got a plan.
(ROOSTER CROWING)
(DOG BARKING)
(RATTLING)
(SHRIEKING)
(GUN FIRES)
Hey, Dwight?
Yeah, it's me.
You got the money?
Great. Now then, I got
this little errand to run
and then
I'll get the map
and be right there.
Oh, Dwight?
I swear,
you won't regret this.
For the first time
in your life, Vernon,
you're probably right.
He's on his way.
Shouldn't be long now.
Vera, I gotta
ask a favor of you.
But you gotta
promise me one thing.
No questions, okay?
Okay. Now I know
payday ain't until
tomorrow and everything,
but I gotta
get out of town real fast.
So can I have
my money today? Please?
$5, $10, $15,
$16, $17, $18.
Does this have
anything to do
with Vernon?
As a matter of speakin'.
Well, did you tell
him about the baby?
Oh, Vera, please!
All right, all right.
$19, $20, $21...
VERNON: Nadine?
Damn it,
where the hell
have you been?
I been lookin'
all over town for you.
Please inform
Mr. Vernon Hightower
that how he spent his
morning is no concern
of mine?
I swear,
none of that
was my fault.
Would you please
tell my ex-husband
that I couldn't care less.
The man is tryin'
to explain.
If you'd just let him speak.
"Trust me," he said.
"I've a plan," he said.
Okay, I said I'm sorry.
Sorry just don't
get it done, Vernon.
Damn it, Nadine, that was
nothin' but business
back there.
Don't look like
no business I ever saw.
Well, whatever it was,
I'm sure the man has
a perfectly good reason.
You hit the nail
on the head.
Just listen to...
Where's my damn nightgown?
Look, here this poor man's
been traipsin' all around
town lookin' for you
just so he can settle
this little misunderstanding.
It ain't no little
misunderstanding, Vera.
Nadine, now the least
you can do is listen.
All right, Vernon.
Thank you, Vera.
Now, darlin', I swear,
that woman don't
mean a thing to me.
What woman?
His fiancee.
She is not
my fiancee!
Vernon, how dare you!
You got a hell of
a lot of nerve
chasin' around this
town with some floozy.
You got
a wife here
that's pregnant.
Vera!
How come?
I ain't ever
talkin' to you again.
How come everybody in the
whole goddamn world knows
I'm gonna be a daddy
except me?
If you hadn't been so busy
with that nymphomaniac
you're gonna marry...
Oh, damn it, Nadine,
I keep telling you...
Let me give
you some advice,
purely as a friend.
When you do tie
the knot with Renee,
don't plan on spendin'
your anniversary
at the Blue Bonnet.
She won't appreciate it
one bit.
I keep on
trying to tell you,
I am not gonna marry...
I am not the least bit
interested in your
future plans.
Doris Isabelle
and me are gonna...
Doris Isabelle?
My daughter.
Don't I get a say
in the matter?
I mean, I'm the daddy!
It's not the same.
Listen, you don't know
any more about being...
(CAR BRAKES SCREECHING)
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(POUNDING ON DOOR)
MOUNTAIN:
Floyd, go around back.
See if you can get in.
FLOYD:
Come on, you little
rat shit! I want my car!
They didn't come out
the back,
so they must be
in here someplace!
All right, Hightower!
Might as well come on out.
Sooner or later,
we're gonna find you.
(STEPS CREAKING)
There ain't no sign
of 'em down here.
(FOOTSTEPS PATTERING)
Come on.
This is gonna be like
shootin' fish in a barrel.
Come on!
I'll be right back.
Where you goin'?
I'm gonna find us
a way out.
You comin'?
Mountain, in here!
Watch out, now.
We can't go down that way.
It won't reach that far.
We ain't goin' down.
Then where?
Uh-uh.
I ain't gettin'
on that thing. No.
No way! No way, Jose.
Vernon, I can't.
I'm afraid of heights.
Do you know that?
That ought to do the trick.
Uh-uh.
I'd just as soon
you shot me right here
and be done with it
than set foot on
that thing.
Nadine, you've got
a baby to think about.
Now haul ass.
Doris Isabelle, this whole
mother deal ain't workin'
out like I expected.
I got an idea.
Whatever you do,
don't look down.
(NADINE EXCLAIMS)
Oh, God, Vernon. Vernon!
You go first.
(GRUNTING)
Come on. It was easy.
Doris Isabelle, oh, if we
get out of this thing alive...
(NADINE PANTING)
Hon, whatever you do,
don't you ever fall in love
with a man on account of
his looks.
You learn from
your mama's mistakes.
(GRUNTS)
(EXCLAIMS)
(BOTH GRUNTING)
(BOTH PANTING)
(LADDER CREAKING)
No.
(SHRIEKS)
Oh! Oh, my God.
My God.
Oh, God.
(PANTING)
(SCREAMS)
(LADDER CREAKING)
Darlin',
if I don't make it...
God, don't talk like that.
But if anything
should happen...
Please don't
talk like that.
I love you.
I always have,
always will.
Damn it.
If I'd known you was
gonna quit on me
like this,
I wouldn't have fell in
love with you to start with.
If this is your idea of how
you're gonna get out of
this marriage,
you got
another thing comin'.
I ain't done with you yet,
Vernon Hightower.
We started off together,
and by God, as long
as I'm drawin' breath,
you're gonna
have me to deal with.
Now you got that?
Let me do it.
Well, look here.
All right, Hightower.
Now where's my car keys?
In my pocket.
Why don't you
come and get 'em?
No. I got
a better idea.
No!
Now, you wanna keep
on being a smart-ass,
you're gonna be pickin' your
teeth with wrought iron in
about one minute, buddy.
Vernon!
(SCREAMING)
(NADINE SHRIEKING)
(SOBBING)
Vernon! Vernon!
Vernon! Are you okay?
Come on, darlin'.
We ain't got all day.
If you think
I'm through being mad
at you on account of Renee...
All right, you first.
Go on.
(DOORBELL RINGS)
What's she doin' here?
Thrilled to see
you, too, Dwight.
Come on, Dwight,
we got business.
I swear, you two
are livin' testimony
to the fact that it's
better to be lucky
than smart.
Mr. Estes here
has seen fit to
throw in with me.
I guess he figures it's better
to have a small piece
of a sure thing
than half interest
in a cemetery plot.
That's right.
Me and Mr. Pope
are partners now.
But no hard feelings,
Vernon,
but you'd have just
screwed this up,
somehow.
I'll remember that, Dwight.
I don't suppose you happen
to have that map on you?
I didn't think you would.
I'll make you a deal,
all right?
You let my wife go, I'll see
to it you get that map back.
What about this?
You get me the map,
then I'll let your
wife go.
You don't have
a choice, Vernon.
All right.
You go with him, Estes.
Me? Why me?
'Cause I said so,
that's why.
South of town,
Old Highway 91,
there's a salvage
yard that belongs to me.
I'll leave the gate open.
Try not to be late.
You know what your
problem is, Vernon?
You don't ever look
at the big picture.
Now that map's
gotta be worth five,
ten million dollars.
That means raisin'
a lot of money fast.
So I went to Mr. Pope.
I mean,
everybody knows
he's a high roller.
You tell me something,
how much do you expect
to get on this deal?
Well, we haven't worked
out the exact figures yet.
I imagine
about $500,000.
What makes you think
Buford Pope's gonna
give you that money?
Because we
have an agreement.
Why wouldn't he?
Well, I guess $500,000
is reason enough.
I mean, Dwight,
once he's got his
hands on those photos,
what the hell's
he need you for, hmm?
Vernon, Vernon.
Where is the map?
Suit yourself, pal.
It's right here.
Uh-huh. Yeah. Uh-huh.
I saw that same TV show.
Now hand it over.
I'm warnin' you,
anything happens to Nadine,
you're as good as dead.
You got that?
Do you mind
if I have a beer? Hmm?
I usually don't drink
this early in the morning,
but this is an exception.
Be my guest.
Vernon Hightower, I'm so
mad at you I could bust!
Renee, Dwight.
Dwight, Renee.
I sincerely hope you are not
in business with Mr. Hightower
'cause he is nothin'
but a low-down scum!
Don't I know it.
Do you see this?
This is a size 6.
I wear a size 8.
You'd think, somebody
that's supposed to be
my fiance would know
a thing like that.
But I'm such
a trustin' person,
I thought it was
an honest mistake.
So what do I do?
I go down to the store
and try to exchange it.
And what do
they tell me?
They tell me they cannot
take it back
because it is
a used garment!
Used. Furthermore,
they hadn't had
this particular style
in the store in six months.
Well, I didn't even know
Vernon Hightower six
months ago.
Oho, if you're tryin' to
scare me with that thing,
it won't work.
You must've told me
a dozen times already
about how you keep that gun
in the ice chest
just for show.
About how
the firin' pin's jammed
and it won't shoot. Here!
As far as I'm concerned,
we are no longer engaged!
It was nice
to have met you.
(DOOR SLAMS)
(CHUCKLING)
I don't know, Vernon.
This just doesn't
seem to be your day.
Floyd?
Any sign of 'em yet?
Not yet.
I gotta be
frank with you.
I don't see you
gettin' away with this.
That's gonna be
the easiest part of it.
The hard part, the part
I'm not lookin' forward to...
Let me have that bottle.
The fact of the matter is,
I've never killed
a woman before.
FLOYD: Here they come.
You got that map?
DWIGHT:
It's right here.
Now I was wonderin'...
Floyd?
...if we...
BUFORD: Mountain?
Where's my damn car, huh?
BUFORD: And my pistol,
God damn it!
You and me gonna
have a little talk
later on, you hear me?
Now then, Mr. Pope,
there's a couple things
that we never did work out.
Now, not that
there's gonna be
any kind of problem,
but I was just wonderin'
if we could get somethin'
down on paper.
Some kind of
an informal agreement.
Hey!
I lived up to my end
of the bargain.
Let her go.
This place looks like
pure "D" dogshit,
don't it?
You may not think it,
but there's enough
explosives here,
if he was to put
a little gasoline
in the right place,
light a match
at the wrong time,
this dump would go up
like a Roman candle.
There'd be no way
they'd ever find
your bodies.
Take 'em on in
and shoot 'em.
Hey, hey!
Now he wasn't
talkin' about me.
I was especially
talkin' about you.
Hey, now, we had
an agreement, damn it.
You can't just back out
Dwight! Dwight!
I guess this just ain't
your day, is it, cousin?
Son of a bitch!
MOUNTAIN:
Now, move it! Come on!
Get in there!
Come on, go!
FLOYD: Move it!
Now go on over there
against that wall. Go on.
I guess
this is it for us.
And I gotta
get this said.
Now, I know I ain't been
the easiest person to
get along with.
I know I'm stubborn
and selfish...
All right,
that's far enough.
Now which one of y'all
wants to go first?
Hold on, Mountain.
I want to talk to that
son of a bitch over there.
But Mr. Pope told me...
I don't give a shit
what Mr. Pope says.
You finish up outside,
I'll take care of
these two.
(DOOR OPENS)
Now then,
where's my damn car?
You got about
as much chance of
gettin' that junk heap back...
Now, you look here,
shitface!
You don't tell me where
that car is in about
one second...
You even think
about tryin' anything,
you can
wave goodbye to
your private parts.
(PANTING)
All right,
we're goin' out that door,
and you're gonna tell your
friends to put down them guns.
You got that straight?
Yes, sir.
NADINE:
You mean to say to me,
you had that thing all along
and you didn't
tell me about it?
Mind if we talk
about this another time?
And all the time
I was just thinkin',
this is the end.
I'd never see you again.
Here we go.
Uh-oh.
Uh, Mr. Pope?
We got us
a small problem.
Floyd, goddamn it!
(NADINE SCREAMING)
(GUN FIRING)
Come on.
(SCREAMING)
Look at it this way.
Your share just got
a whole lot bigger.
Get on out there.
(CLANGING)
(CLANGS)
(NADINE SCREAMS)
(GASPING)
Hon, if you wasn't
to yell so much,
I'd sure appreciate it.
Understand?
Here.
Come on.
(GUN FIRING)
He's over there
by that rusted-out Chevy.
This ought to keep
'em busy long enough
for us to get outta here.
You got a match?
Do I look like
I have a match?
You know,
you could be
a hell of a lot
more help sometimes.
All right, here's
what we're gonna do.
I'm gonna start shootin'.
You're gonna throw this
as close as you can
to that car.
I'm gonna set it off
from here.
You ready?
Vernon,
is this gonna work?
No.
Oh!
You missed.
Hell, I know that much!
Listen, this is not
the easiest thing
in the world.
You didn't think
I could do it,
did you?
All right, come on,
let's get outta here.
All right.
Wait here.
I'm gonna
get the pickup.
I'll be right back.
Vernon Hightower,
you leave me
all alone here...
(GUN COCKING)
Mr. Hightower,
you're beginnin'
to get on my nerves.
Nadine?
That's right.
(SIGHING)
Why is it you work your
butt off all your life
just to get ahead,
and it takes a couple of
nitwits about 10 minutes
to screw
the whole thing up?
Honey, once I get
that shuffleboard in,
I can enlarge
the dance floor,
get a bandstand,
a crystal chandelier.
Aren't you countin' your
chickens just a little
early, sport?
Trust me, hon.
Now then,
about the new sign.
What new sign?
You think 40-foot
across is too small?
40-foot across?
Have you gone
out of your mind?
I guess you're right.
Anything bigger than
that would look gaudy.
If you think you're gonna
throw away all our money
on some...
Just trust me.
Vernon Hightower,
let's get one thing
straight right now.
The Blue Bonnet's
never gonna do squat.
I don't care
how much money
you put into it.
You know, I was thinking
somethin' in neon, that
sort of revolves...
The sound of my voice don't
seem to be reachin' your ears.
Hon, we gonna
have us a baby.
And you know
what that means?
That means we have to
start actin' responsibly.
And you know
what that means?
We'll put it high up
so people can see it
for miles around.
"Nadine Hightower's world
famous Blue Bonnet Bar
and Lounge."
(PHONE RINGING)
What color neon?
Royal blue.
Uh-uh, pink.
Pink's my lucky color.
Well, we'll talk about it.
Mmm, maybe we could
paint the outside
a little.
Put up
a big picture window,
somethin' like that.
I could hire some waitresses
with those little short
uniforms on,
you know, with the bows
in the back.
Now then,
Mr. Hightower,
we've listened
to Mr. Dwight Estes
and Ed "The Mountain" Hayes.
They both
corroborate your story.
Furthermore, the prints found
on the weapon used to kill
Mr. Floyd Simmons
belong to Buford Pope.
We're formally charging him
with the murders of
Raymond Escobar
and Floyd Simmons.
Well, if you'd listened
to me in the first place,
we'd all have
saved lots of time.
Mr. Hightower, just about the
only thing you're not guilty
of is murder.
First, we have
a resisting arrest.
Then we have
breaking and entering.
Then we have some
more resisting arrest.
And we have something here
we haven't quite figured
out what to call it yet.
And then,
according to Mr. Hayes,
you entered into a conspiracy
to defraud the state of Texas
by stealin' a map from
the Highway Department
for the purpose
of commercial gains.
Well, that is about the
damnedest thing that
I've ever heard of.
Isn't that about the
damnedest thing you
ever heard of?
Then you deny having
said map on your person?
You're damn-well right
we deny it.
Don't we now, honey?
Then you won't mind
if we search you.
Oh, hold on.
I didn't say that.
Good. Uh, Sam and Gerald.
Hey, now.
Hey, wait a minute, now.
Hey, I know my rights.
I'm supposed to be
able to call my lawyer.
All right. You can do
what you want with me.
My wife didn't know
anything about this.
Do you know what
the penalty is for
somethin' like this?
Six to twelve
in Huntsville.
Vernon, trust me.
No use looking for
a cheap joint, honey
Wastin' my time and money
Those days are through
Since I found you
Just a little love
in the morning light
Now I've got the feeling
that just one night won't do
Since I found you
Since I found you, honey,
I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
You don't miss nothin'
since I found you
No more walkin' down
lonely street
Wearin' holes
in both of my feet
And feelin' blue
Since I found you
Don't really matter
what the boys are doin'
All I really care
about is you and me
Stayin' true
Since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do
I don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Don't miss nothin'
since I found you
Since I found you,
honey, I found love
You're the only one
that I'm dreamin' of
I don't miss doin'
what I used to do