Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider (1979) Movie Script
1
Nat, look at this.
Beer?
This pay for it?
I got no use for 'em.
Ah, for Christ sake, Mike.
Give the man a beer.
No, thanks.
Hey. Come on. No, thanks.
Come on. It's paid for.
So is this.
Okay.
Are you a flyer?
How long were you in?
Did you see any action?
How do you think he got all them medals?
Washin' the general's car?
Where are you headed?
Or are you just driftin',
like most of 'em?
- I'm heading for Moonbeam.
- Where's that at?
That's clean across the state.
Hey. I got a farm there. Eh?
Or I had one.
But, uh, Pa had
a stroke, and, uh,
well, he couldn't work
the place no more.
You know how it is.
Yeah, we know.
The goddamn bank
took it away from him.
Oh, no. Not yet, they didn't.
Not if I can get a hold
of $100, they won't.
How are you gonna do that?
Sell them medals of yours?
My bike. Yeah.
Saw it when you come in.
It's a beauty.
Yep. Everything on it's special.
Made most of her up myself
before I joined the Escadrille.
She's got a double overhead cam,
got an aluminum piston,
got a spring...
I'll let her go for just what
I need... a hundred dollars.
Might as well
be a thousand.
Nobody's got a hundred.
Sure have a nice machine.
Too bad we can't help you out.
Well, maybe, uh...
Nah. What? Maybe what?
Nah. Come on.
What were you gonna say?
Well,
a hundred dollars or a thousand
dollars, the same to us, but...
well, maybe there's a way that
one of you could get her
for, say, five dollars.
Now, how's that?
What about a raffle? A raffle!
Look, you pay the five dollars,
a chance to win the bike.
I get what I need, and, uh,
somebody'll get
a hell of a deal.
Shoot, for five bucks,
I'd watch monkeys do it.
- Everybody in that wants in?
- Yeah!
Let's draw.
Okay.
Owen Hazlett. Oh! That's me!
I won! I won!
I won!
Glad I knowed ya!
Let's go look at it!
Wait'll
the kids see this!
Oh, it was a lucky day
when you came into town!
Mr. Hazlett, congratulations.
Got yourself a real
fine piece of machinery.
Oh, I know. Treat her right,
she'll do the same for you.
Don't you worry, son.
I'll take good care of it.
Thank you again.
My own motorcycle!
How'd I do?
You did fine, Owen.
Just fine.
I owe you 25 bucks,
plus the five you put in.
Thirty in all.
Okay.
Always glad to help a veteran.
Giddyap.
No vacancies. I'm
looking for Al Barber.
He ain't here. Know where he is?
He's having breakfast.
Bottle of Jack Daniel's. 2.50.
"Versailles."
Hey, what the hell's goin' on?
- You haven't lost your touch, Sarge.
- I been savin' it for you.
- You got any more?
- All you can take.
Well, you might as well
get it out of your system.
What the hell you doin' here?
I want you with me.
Logistics and supply.
You set it up, you run it.
Just like in the army.
You left us hanging out there
to get our asses shot off!
- I couldn't get through.
- You didn't try.
I sent you to find out what was
happening, and you kept going.
You probably was halfway to
Paris when the Krauts hit us.
I ran into a patrol. Where?
Chalmette Road, a couple
miles before the cutoff.
I hope you break your neck.
Lester's my mechanic.
Floyd's working crew.
They'd throw in with you
after what you did to us?
Maybe they know the truth
when they hear it.
You wouldn't be doing a little
penance, would you, Charlie boy?
To prove something to your old
buddies why you're running this race?
You got anything better
to do, Al?
- That's over 2,000 miles.
- 2,126.
Well, you can ride clear around the world,
and it still won't change what happened!
Think of it, Al: $5,000,
and a chance to use everything the
army taught us riding dispatch.
Come on, Al.
Well, uh, you'll need, uh,
spare parts, extra tires...
That's your department.
Where did you get all that?
I sell motorcycles.
You be in St. Louis
no later than the third.
Charlie...
We made our way back
on Chalmette Road.
There were two things
we didn't run into:
You and Krauts.
A man can go crazy
living in the past, Al.
See you on the third.
Lester.
Lester Neal.
Who's that? Be quiet!
Ch... Ch... Ch-Charlie!
I'm gonna throw up a rope.
Ch... Uh, Ch-Charlie S-Swattle!
Tie it to the bars.
Grab it!
- Lester.
- Uh, uh, g-go away.
- Took a lot of trouble finding you.
- Yeah?
Well, that's tough sh-sh-shit.
I'm gonna get you out of here.
I don't...
I don't want to g-g-go.
You're facing two to five
for moonshining.
Well, I don't... uh, I don't...
I don't care, Ch-Charlie.
I don't believe this.
Lester, stop screwing around
and grab the goddamn rope!
Hey, hey, mister. If Lester don't
want to grab the goddamn rope,
I sure as hell do.
You got it.
When those bars come out, you're
gonna have exactly six seconds
to get your ass out of there,
you hear me, Lester?
No. No. Lester...
Uh, no. As far as
I'm concerned, Charlie,
you are d... uh, dead!
Like you were gonna be
when Krauts had you pinned down?
Except some crazy idiot cut right
across the cross-fire with a motorcycle?
Huh? Gave you a chance
to get out?
Ch-Charlie, you...
You-you left us out there!
Look, if I'd done
that, would I be here?
Would I be going through
all this bullshit?
Now, get ready to bail out. Okay?
Hey, you. Sheriff.
Hey, fatso.
What you doin'?
You're disturbing the peace
with that thing.
Goddamn it, you can't
ride that thing around here.
You son of a bitch,
you're under arrest!
Try and catch me!
Bye, bye.
Holy jumpin' Jesus!
Lester?
Jump!
Jailbreak.
It's a goddamn jailbreak.
Yahoo!
Watch out here!
I'm free now!
Yee-haw! You know, Charlie...
Oh, I've never seen
a bike like this, huh?
Well, you never will, Lester.
Listen, this is, uh...
This is a one of a kind.
This is the Moonbeam Special.
"Moonbeam"?
Where did you get
a name like that?
What's wrong with a name like that?
It's as good as any, isn't it?
Listen, I built it
in my old man's barn
back in Moonbeam, Oklahoma.
This is an Indian
trans, uh... trans, uh...
Uh... uh... gearbox.
And what kind of c...
Uh, carburetor is that?
It's a o-o-one of a kind.
I don't know, Charlie.
It looks like you've stolen
every part known to man, huh?
Look, lift the rear end here.
Now, that's high-tensile steel.
Twice as strong and light.
This primary cover here
is aluminum.
Back here,
cam cover is aluminum.
And you've got, uh...
Got metal pistons.
Double overhead cam.
Yeah, I know it.
Ch-Charlie...
I know. I can see.
You and a machine
like this, we could...
We could go all the way, Lester.
Sure could.
All the way!
Wait. Here. Now, look.
I want you to buy a bike.
Not, uh... Nothing fancy.
Doesn't have to be fast.
Just tough.
Everything you need. Okay.
Hey, Ch-Charlie,
you, uh... you really
think that, uh...
Uh, we can win?
Well, Lester, you never
know when Lady Luck's
just gonna walk right up and,
huh, drop her drawers?
Drop her d-drawers, huh?
See you on the third. All right.
On the third.
Sum... Sum-swee-dum, Ch-Charlie!
How would you like to make $25?
Here goes.
Grace Wolf.
I won!
That's me! I'm Grace Wolf!
- Don't get too carried away.
- I won!
You won, Gracie! I won! I won!
You won, Gracie! You won!
You won, Gracie! Okay.
I know. Hey, everybody.
Let's go out and take a look at
Gracie's motorcycle.
Bet I could learn to ride one of
these here things. Bet you could.
Congratulations, Miss Wolf. Got
yourself a real fine piece of machinery.
Treat her right, and
she'll do the same for you.
Just think, Gracie, you
and me, moonlight rides.
- Howard...
- Gracie!
I got orders pilin' up!
I'll be right there.
Maybe we could take a little
spin on it tonight, huh, Howard?
In the meantime, you wouldn't
mind taking my motorcycle
and putting it in your store
just for safekeeping?
Sure thing. Thanks, Mr. Twattle.
Great little girl, ain't she?
Uh...
We're thinking about
getting married.
At least, I'm talking.
I hope she's listening.
Well, good-bye, Mr. Twattle.
Hope your pappy's back
on his feet real soon.
What the hell
are you tryin' to pull?
Clam chowder,
meat loaf surprise...
You're not going anywhere on that bike.
We had a deal.
Shh! Ham, wasn't it?
I'll be right with you.
That's my motorcycle.
Look, I got your 25 bucks right here.
Would you keep quiet?
Will you slow down? I'm busy.
I'm very busy.
Miss, please take my order.
Yes.
What would you like?
What the hell you want
a motorcycle for?
I'll come back
when you've decided.
Uh, meat loaf surprise.
Look, don't you care about
that boyfriend of yours?
Anything else? You
want to see him killed?
Wait, I'm not finished
with my order yet.
Scrambled eggs and bacon.
I've seen guys get
their backs broke.
A side order of potato salad.
Side order?
Collarbones busted,
kidneys ruptured.
That's it...
A hot-fudge sundae.
And they knew what they were doing.
Want anything to drink?
Look, will you listen to me?
I am listening to you.
Meat loaf surprise,
scrambled eggs and bacon,
potato salad, a hot...
I got to be in St.
Louis in a couple days.
Now, be reasonable, will you?
My, I thought
you were gonna go home
and help save your poor,
sick daddy's farm.
Uh... Uh... I got to go
to St. Louis first.
I got some people
meeting me there.
They're gonna be very upset
if I don't show up.
Fudge?
Okay, how much.
Ninety-seven cents.
For the bike.
$200.
I haven't got $200. And if I
did, I wouldn't give it to you.
Then start walking.
Okay.
"Okay" what?
I'll send it to you as
soon as I get to St. Louis.
Your eggs are workin'.
Well, then, come with me.
You want me to come to you
to St. Louis to get it?
Five minutes out of town,
and you'd unload me.
Do I look like
that kind of a guy?
Sign it. Mm-hmm.
It's a bill of sale.
Lady, I'm not signing
my bike over to anybody.
Listen, mister, you haven't got a bike
unless you put your mark right there.
And if by the off chance
when we're in St. Louis
and there isn't all this
money you say there is,
then I can sell
your motorcycle for real.
Do you understand? Now,
this is the deal right here.
There it is. Sign it.
Very nice handwriting,
Mr. Charles Swattle.
"Charles," huh?
Um, hardware store, 6:30.
Just a second.
Ninety-seven cents.
No tip, huh?
- What the hell is that?
- Wesley Wolf ill.
Hey, wait a minute.
Our deal did not include
any goddamn kid.
He's my son.
And watch your goddamn language.
The only excess baggage
I'm carrying is you.
Fine.
I believe St. Louis is that way.
Look, how am I supposed to
handle two people and a suitcase?
I'm sure a person that won all
those medals could figure out a way.
It's a motorcycle,
not a moving van.
Well, Mr. Swattle, which is it?
Using a little smarts or...
When are we gonna stop?
Cut it out!
When are we gonna eat? When are we
gonna sleep? When are we gonna rest?
When we we gonna stop?
We have to stop!
Why don't you watch
where you're going?
Mommy! Mommy!
You still want to eat?
Yes! Then you're
gonna have to earn it.
I wonder if you could tell me how
far it is to, uh, Bonner Springs.
Seventy, 80 miles.
I wonder if these here medals
will buy us a little food.
If you ever touch my son
again that way and hurt him,
I think I might just...
Son of a bitch.
- What?
- A dollar. Somebody put a dollar in it.
Who'd do that to a veteran?
Why don't you just go out
and rob a bank?
At least people would know
you was an honest crook.
I make those people feel good.
By cheating them?
By letting them help me.
Look, I fought for 'em.
I risked my life.
Now I'm giving them a chance
to thank me for what I did.
I don't believe you were in the war,
much less the Lafayette Escadrille.
That's your trouble. You
don't believe in anything.
You probably stole those
medals, didn't you? Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
You think I got this
hanging around the officers'
club, throwing darts?
I'm sorry. Forget what
I said about the medals.
- I'd rather forget about the $200.
- No. I need that money.
What for? None of your business.
Uh, will there be
anything else, sir?
No. Check. Yes, sir.
Drink your milk, kid.
Shit!
You watered my gas tank.
You get an awfully early
start, Mr. Swattle.
What kind of life is this
for a kid anyhow...
Hanging on the back of a bike,
riding across the country
in the wind...
You said that you
wouldn't unload me.
You're a lousy mother, you know that?
And you're just lousy!
Look, why don't you just go
back where you belong
and marry Mr. Hardware Store
what's-his-name...
Because I'm still in love
with my husband,
and he's been dead two years,
so it's one-sided.
And I'm not gonna stick around
that town my whole life
serving meat loaf surprise
to losers like you!
Not any different in St. Louis. The
diners are just bigger, that's all.
I'm not going to St. Louis for that.
I'm going to get my money,
and then I'm going on
to Chicago!
What's in Chicago
that's worth $2007?
Business school.
- What?
- I said I'm going to business school in Chicago.
What's so funny?
It's not funny.
It's very respectable.
There's a lot of women
going to them.
And when you finish, you
can be a secretary in a bank
or in an office.
Whatever you say.
Whatever you say.
Yeah, we got a deal, Charlie,
and I'm gonna sleep with that
goddamn motorcycle if I have to.
Watch your goddamn language.
Okay, Wesley,
let's try it again.
All right, now, throw it.
Come on. Oh.
Hand me that wrench
there, will ya, please?
Okay, Charlie. Here it is.
Thank you.
Now, wait a minute here.
Know what this is? No.
Well, that's something the army
gives you for being stupid.
Only they call it "brave."
You've done some
pretty brave things.
Riding on my motorcycle
and all that.
Do you feel brave?
Neither do I.
Want it?
You're now a member
of the Lafayette Escadrille.
Hey. St. Louis is that way.
I got to see an old army buddy.
Get ready!
Go!
Hey! Hey, Bevins!
Yeah!
Some guy wants you on his pit crew.
Who?
I don't know.
I never saw him before.
He asked for me?
Yeah. Number 23.
Hey!
Better put in
a fresh plug, Floyd.
Bad crop out there. Amateurs.
Nothing like when you and
me were riding the express.
But for a $15 purse...
Hey, Floyd, wait a minute.
Goddamn it, Floyd!
Floyd, what the hell?
Cantankerous son of a bitch!
What the hell, Floyd? That's
a hell of a greeting, Floyd!
For all you knew,
I was lyin' on my back
with a Kraut bullet in me.
Listen, Charlie, you have a bad habit of
just leaving people in the middle of things.
I got to talk to my army buddy.
Now, if you come back to
apologize, I ain't gonna... Hey!
Oh, my God!
- He's shooting at Charlie!
- Get down, Wesley!
Mommy! Mommy!
Come on, Floyd. Goddamn it.
Come on, now.
Floyd, I'm warnin' ya...
- Wesley...
- Are you all right?
- No, I'm not!
- Aw, you're all right.
You bag of bones.
Baby...
Hey!
Stop that. You'll ruin the bike.
What the hell you tryin' to do anyhow?
If he's one of your buddies,
I'd hate to be around you when you
meet somebody that doesn't like you.
Floyd's just nervous,
that's all.
Floyd's nervous? Floyd's crazy.
He just tried to kill you.
Take Ace here and get him
a bottle of pop.
I'll just be a minute.
I'm gonna be real mad if he
kills you before I get my $200.
You always were
a lousy shot, Floyd.
Gimme my leg.
Relax a minute.
Catch up on your reading.
Look at it. I've seen it.
Well, I'm in it.
Lester's my mechanic,
Al's working supply.
Just like the old days, huh?
They got short memories.
Maybe they just know
the truth when they hear it.
I know the truth, Charlie!
You ran out on us!
You cost me a leg!
And I don't ride so good
without a leg, Charlie!
I sweep up. I work crew. Anything to
keep me around what I used to do good!
Still got your old bike, Floyd?
Have you even fired it up
since you've been back?
Oh, Floyd.
You're living in a pile of shit.
You wanna blame me for it, fine.
But I'm offering you
a chance to find out
if everything you ever were or ever wanted
to be is in that goddamn leg you lost.
You know the one thing
that kept me going
after they hacked off my leg?
You. You're all I thought about.
How we'd meet up again,
and I'd kill ya.
Well, Floyd, the only chance
you're gonna get
is if you come with me
to St. Louis.
That's the best reason
I can think of for going.
Think Wesley's safe
in there with Jesse James?
Hasn't Floyd passed out yet?
Said his cheek was numb.
Does that mean anything?
Means he's close.
Good night, Floyd.
What are you gonna do
when you get to St. Louis?
Try to get to San Francisco
just as fast as I can.
You sure are restless.
Your husband die in the war?
Influenza epidemic.
- And you can't forget him?
- I don't want to.
A person can go crazy
living in the past.
I don't live in the past.
I just visit it once in a while.
Well, I'd better go
find myself some more sleep.
How do you feel?
Great. You bastard!
Hey, there they are!
Hey, hey!
Motorcycle race. We come all
this way for a motorcycle race.
Look, uh, I meant to tell you
about it last night, but, uh...
You were too busy to talk.
It was set up
before you came along.
It isn't just me.
How the hell did I know you and
the kid were gonna come along?
I can't take you with me.
What makes you think I want to
go with you anyway, Charlie?
Thanks for the ride.
Charlie!
Lester, this grease is
coarser than buffalo hockey.
It's all right.
There's a lot of stuff in it.
You know, Sarge, uh,
bet me five bucks that, uh,
you wouldn't show up.
I figured the odds were with me.
See anyone you know?
Uh, everybody.
Harry Garr,
Murphy, Houston.
Who's the competition?
They're all tough.
Watch out for Harry Garr.
He'll let you get neck-and-neck,
then swing an arm out,
right across the Adam's apple.
Looks like a friendly bunch.
5,000 bucks don't bring out nuns.
Let's go check in. Yep.
Pop? Hey!
By God! I didn't think we'd
see you out here, Floyd.
Yeah, I'm workin' crew. I'll be doggoned.
We missed you.
We have sorely missed you.
OI' Floyd here
used to ride for me.
One of the best too. No kidding?
And this is the young man you're going
to help to fame and fortune, huh?
Charlie Swattle.
Charlie, Walter Bauer.
Everybody just calls me Pop.
Uh, Pop owns the Aero-American
Motorcycle Company.
Say hello to Calvin Hawk.
He's one of my riders. Cal.
What kind of bike you riding?
Moonbeam Special.
- Come again?
- One of a kind.
Barn job.
You know, this is
the age of the factory.
There's just
nothin' handmade anymore.
Guess I'm just behind the times.
- Ever been in competition?
- Charlie's seen his share of dirt tracks before the war.
Seems to me I'd remember
a name like Swattle.
That is, if there's
something to remember.
Now, Calvin, dad-gum it.
Don't you be picking on
this boy like that.
Just drawing a bead on the
competition, Pop.
The more I see,
the happier I get.
You want to try it?
It'll sharpen your reflexes.
Best of luck to
you boys, now, Floyd.
Charlie, nice to have met you.
Good luck, now.
Thanks, Pop.
What do you think?
He's an amateur.
His bike's a joke.
Some folks like a risk. They
like the goddamn danger involved.
Me, if there's anything in this
world I like, it's a sure thing.
Don't worry about it, Pop. I'm
gonna keep the wolves from the door.
They're worse than wolves!
They're goddamn stockholders!
OI' Hawk's gonna make 'em
forget all about
the red ink that you've
been splashing around.
You do that, Calvin,
any way you have to,
or I'll have your balls
for breakfast.
Hawk! Ha! Yeah, I
saw Hawk once before.
Playa del Rey Motordrome.
Playa del Rey?
Yeah, you been there?
Sure, I have.
Let me tell you something. He went down
on them boards. I thought he was dead.
He got up, he was nothin'
but blood and splinters.
Did he finish? Ha!
He won!
Not Susie. Lucille. That was it.
Charlie! Hey, Ace.
Hey, hey. What you doin'?
Ask Charlie.
I don't know. He don't know what?
Who is this guy?
- Got an awful lot of dents.
- What's he doin'?
Ask, uh, Ch-Charlie. Don't know
how much she'll need in repairs.
Hey, Charlie, what's this
guy doin' talkin' about repairs?
- Might cost more than it's worth.
- Charlie ain't answerin'.
All Charlie's great plans for the
race, he forgot to mention one thing.
Yeah? He don't own the bike.
What do you mean,
he don't own the bike?
Uh, uh, the lady owns
the, uh, bike.
- What do you mean, the lady...
- She's got the bill of sale.
- Signed by Ch-Charlie.
- I couldn't go any higher than $100.
What is this? We come all the way to St.
Louis to let some dame sell the motorcycle?
Did we, Mr. Swattle?
Al, is there some way we can
handle a couple of passengers?
Sure,
if they can fit in a can of gas.
Well, Mr. Swattle?
He back yet? Huh-uh.
Well, where'd he go?
Didn't, uh, uh, say.
Every time that guy's gone more than
five minutes, my leg starts to hurt.
Which one? The one I ain't got.
Eh. He'll be, uh...
Ugh... uh, back.
That's what you said right
before the Krauts hit us.
Uh, Charlie explained
all, uh, that.
Said he ran into a p...
Uh, a patrol.
I'll bet you still hang up
your Christmas stockings.
If you don't, uh, believe him,
why'd you... why'd you come, huh?
I ain't made up my mind yet.
Mm, yeah?
Well, you shouldn't, uh, s...
uh, sit on it all the t-time.
You don't like Charlie
either, do you?
I like him all right.
I just don't trust him.
- Then why are you here?
- Didn't have anything better to do.
Oh, that's not much of a reason.
Miss Grace,
I spent 25 years in the army.
I was told when to get up, when to
go to bed, and what to do in between.
When they pensioned me, it used to take me
all day to decide what to have for breakfast.
By then it was time for supper.
I want to ask you something.
Why is this race
so important to him?
Are you his girl? I'm not sure.
Don't let it bother you.
Nobody's sure with Charlie.
Were you in the Lafayette
Escadrille together?
Did he tell you that?
Same old Charlie.
It's not true?
Why, no, Miss Grace, it's not true.
We were dispatch riders,
messenger boys on motorcycles.
"Lafayette Escadrille.
Where did you get
that wheelchair?
Best I could do.
"Lafayette Escadrille.
"Influenza epidemic"?
What is that supposed to mean?
What is that supposed to mean? Are you
saying my husband didn't die of influenza?
Are you saying I didn't
even have a husband?
You're saying I made
all this up, aren't you?
Well... Well, I did.
How'd you know?
Was it that obvious?
If you wanna be a bereaved widow,
get yourself a wedding ring.
Carry a picture
of the lucky stiff.
I only thought of it on my way to the
hardware store. I had to think of something.
His father was a drummer.
He was just like you. Only he
sold dry goods instead of medals.
He stayed around for a couple of weeks. He was
talkin' about gettin' married, havin' kids.
He did the talkin'
and I did the havin'.
The kid know?
No. He's heard the words, but
he doesn't know what they mean.
Well, what's wrong with being
Mrs. Howard Hardware Store?
I don't love him.
Besides, it came time
to change things,
and you were my chance.
Would you really
have sold my motorcycle?
Would you really
have left me here?
Time to saddle up,
Miss Grace.
See you, uh, Charlie.
Ride easy!
Ladies and gentlemen,
the National Association
of Motorcycle Racers
is proud
to announce the beginning...
of the first transcontinental
motorcycle race.
All right, on your marks.
Gentlemen...
fire 'em up!
Come on! Come on, get
them planks up here.
Get them planks up here.
Put 'em down right there.
That's good. Right there.
All right, let's go.
Come on. Watch out. Here we go.
Hold on. Whee!
Watch out for these people.
Watch out.
Hey. Hey.
Here I come.
Mornin' to you. Mornin'.
Beautiful mornin' it is, too, isn't it?
Yep. Can I help ya?
Tell you the truth. I could
use somethin' cold to drink.
I feel like I swallowed about
half of Kansas. Sure thing.
Here ya go.
Hope you do a lot of business today.
Thank you.
Fill her up!
Fill her up quickly!
Just in time, Charlie.
Just in time.
Hell of a place
to run a business.
Well, well,
what do you need, Charlie?
Well, fuel, oil, plugs.
You got 'em.
What's it look like?
Shakin' down. The next few
miles oughta tell somethin'.
Thank you. Hey, Ace, come here.
What, Charlie?
I got a real important
mission for you.
I want you to go find me
some stones about yea big, okay?
Okay.
How you doin', Charlie?
You hungry?
Do I smell that bad?
I made you somethin' to eat.
Why don't you have a sandwich?
There's somethin' rattlin'
around in there. Now what is it?
I just wanna know what
happens when the race is over.
We'll be in San Francisco.
I'm chasin' you, but I'm not goin'
to chase you for the rest of my life.
Why not?
I needs roots.
I need to settle down.
Someone to hold on to. So does Wesley.
Grace...
I know it wasn't part of the deal.
I just want to know where I stand.
Well, can't we wait? Talk about
this after this thing's all over?
Will there be anything
different to say?
Here, Charlie.
Let's see.
Oh, those are fine.
We're comin' up to the desert.
Hundreds of miles
of sand and heat.
And thirst.
This is an old Indian trick.
You stick a stone under your
tongue, you never get thirsty.
While all those other guys are
stoppin' for water, tryin' to find it,
old Chief Crazy Horse will just be ridin'
along with a stone... All set, Charlie.
Come on, we got
a tr-tr-train to catch.
Ride easy, Crazy Horse.
Bye.
Time, Charlie. Time.
We're fightin' time.
Come on, hop on.
We'll give you a shove.
C-Come on.
Hop on.
Ready?
All right, let's go. Shove! Here we go!
That's it. Push!
All the way to San Francisco.
The Moonbeam rider!
Whee!
Hey!
You do that again, I'll kick
your back behind your ears.
Hey! Watch...
Shit!
God...
It's not fair.
It's my pitching arm here.
Hey, get away from my bike.
Hey!
The bike.
Hey, these yours?
Charlie?
Hey, hey, that him?
By God, good ridin', Calvin.
No competition. Who's left?
Nobody that really counts.
I got two for the price of one.
I took out McCall and that,
uh, shit-kicker in one shot.
Swattle?
Calvin, you're
a credit to the sport.
There's Lawson.
We're one and two.
There's Jesse right behind him.
Just as long as
we finish that way.
Like I said, no competition.
Is that the shit-kicker
that you took out?
He ought to be part
of the scenery by now.
Determined son of a bitch,
ain't he?
Who is that guy?
What's the matter?
You gettin' worried, Calvin?
Hey, I'm not even
breathin' hard.
Jesus Christ, Charlie,
we are fourth!
How'd you do it, C-Charlie, huh?
Let him rest.
Oh, hey, Lester, get...
We can do it!
We can go all the way!
You idiot! Come on, come on!
We got a lot of work to do here now.
These wheel bearings are shot.
How you doin', Charlie? How you doin'?
Gotta check the spark plugs.
Need some rest?
No, I want the wrench
for the carburetor.
I'll wake you
when the bike's ready.
Gimme the wrench for that,
uh... G-Get your own, uh, wrench.
Get the tools over here.
Check that tread. Okay.
And check those wheel lugs.
Wh-Where's your...
Come on, Lester.
Stand back!
How many things did you bring here?
Charlie, Charlie, wake up.
Is the bike ready?
A man said to give you this.
He said he made it
special for you.
What man?
Him.
Aren't you goin' to eat it?
Later.
Ah, where ya goin', Charlie?
Gonna stretch my legs.
Want some company?
You lose your appetite?
You made a real good
showing out there today.
Done a hell of a lot better
than most people expected.
Were you in the war, son?
Well, this race is sort of...
Sort of like a war.
It's a war of stockholders
and dividends.
Your company's on its ass.
We've had some setbacks.
You win the race,
your company blooms.
You lose and, uh,
you fold your tent.
You're very perceptive.
Look, I'm in the business
of selling motorcycles.
The only way that I can be sure that
I sell a hell of a lot of motorcycles
is finish one, two and three.
Then that way there's no argument
about who's got the best machine.
Jesus Christ, there's no disgrace
for someone like you finish fourth.
- No money either.
- What's money compared to your health?
It's a long road out there, son.
There's a hell of a lot of things can
happen on it to you and your crew.
How much?
I think the figure's $5,000.
That was for winning.
For losing's,
it's more like, uh, 500.
I owe my people something.
Son, we're born alone,
and we die alone.
We just keep friends around
to take up the time.
Besides,
be a shame for that boy
to grow up without a father.
And you could be
a damn good one on $500.
Be a hell of a lot better
on 5,000.
My God, you strike
a hard bargain, son.
Of course, that's the sort of thing
that America's built on, wasn't it?
I'll put $2,000...
on the table free and easy
if you come in fourth.
It's a lot of money.
Sure.
Damn it!
1,800, 1,900, $2,000.
Quite a little nest egg
there, Mr. Swattle.
Here's your deposit book, and
as a token of our appreciation
for opening an account at
Eagle Bank and Trust Company...
You forgot
your gift, Mr. Swattle.
Excuse me. Pardon me a minute.
Mr. Swattle!
Mr. Swattle! Mr. Swattle,
you forgot your gift!
Mr. Swattle!
That's Charlie. He's my friend.
Well, would you give this
to him for me, please?
Sure. Good boy.
Where is he? Who?
Charlie. He, uh, went
to stretch his legs.
He'll be back. He'll be back, Floyd.
Now come on. Now what's eatin' you, huh?
See, here he is right now. Hey!
Hey, good as new. Good as new.
- Get this wheeled over to checkout.
- Number one!
Hey, come on, Charlie. We've
got two minutes to check out.
Where are you goin', Floyd?
What's your hurry? The train
doesn't leave for another hour.
Whoo! Where the h-hell
is he goin'?
Oh, Floyd's got a wild hair
up his ass about somethin'.
He'll be back. I'll bet my last
dollar he's hooked on this race.
What the hell are you doin'?
Keepin' you honest. I'm ridin'
your exhaust all the way to Frisco.
You'll never make it.
I'll make it.
I'm not gonna wait around for you.
Just ride, you bastard!
Ride! Ride!
Think you're gonna make it, Floyd?
Ride!
- Hey, Harold, watch it!
- Ohh!
Shit!
And whoa!
End of the line, Floyd.
Ah, bullshit.
We can't get through this.
Nobody can get through this.
You'd like that, wouldn't ya?
I saw you and Pop Bauer
come out of that hotel bar.
Pop Bauer's a nice fella.
Bought me a glass of ice tea.
Yeah? What else
did he buy, Charlie?
That's the trouble
with you, Floyd.
You don't believe in anything.
No, let's go this way.
Huh? Come on.
There's nothin' over there.
Push!
Oh, this damn thing's heavy.
Well, Pathfinder?
It's gotta be
around here some place.
Sure.
Come on! Let's go!
Throw me a line!
Watch that bike now! Be careful.
Somebody throw me a line.
Get me out of this mud down here!
What about my bike?
Why do I let you...
There it is.
Come on, Charlie.
You're nuts.
You got a better way
besides quittin'?
You gave us somethin', Charlie. Now you
ain't takin' it back, not without a fight.
Kiss your kidneys good-bye.
Why you stoppin', Charlie?
Suddenly I feel like walkin'...
if it's okay with you.
Yeah.
Run!
Charlie!
What? Pull the damn thing!
I am tryin'!
Clear the tracks!
Oh, shit!
Charlie!
Ch-Charlie?
Charlie!
Charlie!
What'd you do
with your other leg?
You look like
a goddamn flamingo.
Where is my spare leg?
Hey, Charlie! Floyd!
How are you guys doin'?
Um, wh-where ya been?
Where do we stand? Maybe,
uh, uh, uh, n-not good.
Hey, Lester,
you should have seen him.
He practically carried me
on his back.
If it hadn't been for Charlie, I'd
be spread halfway to Denver by now.
Where is everybody?
Uh, uh, uh, gone. Where?
Well, uh, Al took, uh, Grace and
the, uh, kid to the train station.
Well, why?
Beats the hell out... out of me.
Did she say anything?
Yeah, she, uh, said
she didn't want, uh,
Wesley to have anything,
uh, to do with that.
Wait, just...
You know, uh, Charlie...
Charlie, wait, wait!
Charlie, we gotta...
Lester, get over here! Goddamn
it, he's doin' it again!
W-What? He's runnin' out on us!
No, wait... I'll...
Stop it! Stay away from me!
I don't want to talk to you!
Let me explain. I wouldn't
believe anything you say.
Listen, damn it, listen.
- Hey, you're goin' the wrong way.
- So are you.
Get out. No.
I want to talk to ya.
Go to hell!
Charlie, take it easy.
You son of a bitch!
Let me alone!
No!
No, I don't wanna
talk to you. No.
Let go of me. Let go of me!
Where you goin'? Damn it.
Where the hell do you
think you're going? Away.
Why? You know why,
you son of a bitch.
You sold out to Pop Bauer. You
sold us all out to Pop Bauer.
How could you do it?
I came all this way believing
you wanted to win this race.
They all believed ya.
But you don't want
to win this race.
Because you're a quitter. You're a lousy
quitter. I hate you for doing this.
I hate you!
Be honest about it,
Charlie. Or can't ya?
You've been lying so long and so hard about
the war, about your father, about this race.
Why don't you tell me the truth?
You owe it to me!
The truth is,
I won those medals
in a crap game.
God... damn it!
The truth is I never tried
to get back to the unit.
I saw those Krauts,
and I froze
with my face in the mud.
I was afraid of gettin' hit.
God...
Now look, Pop Bauer
wants this race.
He needs this race.
This isn't a goddamn
kids' game, it's a war.
That's what he called it.
In a war, you win by crippling the
enemy's supply line. That's you, Floyd.
Al, Lester.
It's you, honey.
You took his money.
You went and opened
an account in a bank.
All that money bought...
is a chance...
for me to win this race.
Charlie! Charlie!
Hey, it's all over, kid.
You know what? Uh, what
he said, uh, made sense.
Charlie always makes sense.
He just never tells the truth.
Al? Well, what's the truth got
to do with the price of potatoes?
Come on, Lester.
Hey, what are you doin'?
We're goin' to San Francisco.
Why, you're nuts!
Charlie ain't gonna show!
Well, we'll never know unless
we're there, Floyd. You know what?
You're going to be waitin' at that finish line
with your thumb up your nose waitin' for him,
just like you did in France! Well,
you got anythin' better to do?
Hey! Hey, move over!
Down, down, down!
Let's land in front.
Hey, you guys,
all of ya, come here.
I've got a young son of a bitch
I want you to take out for me.
I don't care how you do it,
but take him out. Understand?
Uh-huh. He's up on
Bear Creek Road.
He's comin'.
Now!
- Where's my gun?
- Get him!
Shoot him!
God-darn it! He's gettin' away!
- Look out! Look out!
- Hey!
Hey!
Motorcycle!
Hey, what...
Wow! I'll be.
Let's get out of here!
Oh, you shit!
Who in the hell is that guy?
Hey, stop! Stop!
Stop!
All right!
Yeah!
That a boy!
I never doubted you
for a minute, Charlie.
What are you talkin' about?
In the name of sportsmanship
and fair play,
it gives me extreme pleasure
to present this trophy
to the winner of the first
transcontinental motorcycle race.
Along with this check
for $5,000.
Yeah, Charlie!
Money, yeah! Yeah!
Grab a hold of
that money, Charlie!
We did it!
Charlie! Charlie!
Did we win, Charlie?
You bet your goddamn ass we did, Ace.
Watch your goddamn language.
I wasn't sure
you were gonna show up.
That's the trouble with you, Charlie.
You don't believe in anything.
Swattle.
Charlie, you owe me $2,000.
Now, Pop, this may be the first
transcontinental motor race,
but it's not gonna be the last.
Listen, that $2,000
bought you a winnin' crew.
That's a winnin' crew.
Boy, you gonna bleed for this.
Pop, you and me got
a great future together.
Maybe.
Look at it.
The Aero-American Motorcycle
and Sidecar Company presents...
The Moonbeam Special.
It might work.
Listen, Pop,
I don't want there to be
any hard feelings.
General Black Jack Pershing...
pinned that on me.
Hold it, everybody. Hold it.
Picture. Let's gather around.
Love, love, love, pictures.
Pictures. Uh...
Okay. Everybody look here.
Nat, look at this.
Beer?
This pay for it?
I got no use for 'em.
Ah, for Christ sake, Mike.
Give the man a beer.
No, thanks.
Hey. Come on. No, thanks.
Come on. It's paid for.
So is this.
Okay.
Are you a flyer?
How long were you in?
Did you see any action?
How do you think he got all them medals?
Washin' the general's car?
Where are you headed?
Or are you just driftin',
like most of 'em?
- I'm heading for Moonbeam.
- Where's that at?
That's clean across the state.
Hey. I got a farm there. Eh?
Or I had one.
But, uh, Pa had
a stroke, and, uh,
well, he couldn't work
the place no more.
You know how it is.
Yeah, we know.
The goddamn bank
took it away from him.
Oh, no. Not yet, they didn't.
Not if I can get a hold
of $100, they won't.
How are you gonna do that?
Sell them medals of yours?
My bike. Yeah.
Saw it when you come in.
It's a beauty.
Yep. Everything on it's special.
Made most of her up myself
before I joined the Escadrille.
She's got a double overhead cam,
got an aluminum piston,
got a spring...
I'll let her go for just what
I need... a hundred dollars.
Might as well
be a thousand.
Nobody's got a hundred.
Sure have a nice machine.
Too bad we can't help you out.
Well, maybe, uh...
Nah. What? Maybe what?
Nah. Come on.
What were you gonna say?
Well,
a hundred dollars or a thousand
dollars, the same to us, but...
well, maybe there's a way that
one of you could get her
for, say, five dollars.
Now, how's that?
What about a raffle? A raffle!
Look, you pay the five dollars,
a chance to win the bike.
I get what I need, and, uh,
somebody'll get
a hell of a deal.
Shoot, for five bucks,
I'd watch monkeys do it.
- Everybody in that wants in?
- Yeah!
Let's draw.
Okay.
Owen Hazlett. Oh! That's me!
I won! I won!
I won!
Glad I knowed ya!
Let's go look at it!
Wait'll
the kids see this!
Oh, it was a lucky day
when you came into town!
Mr. Hazlett, congratulations.
Got yourself a real
fine piece of machinery.
Oh, I know. Treat her right,
she'll do the same for you.
Don't you worry, son.
I'll take good care of it.
Thank you again.
My own motorcycle!
How'd I do?
You did fine, Owen.
Just fine.
I owe you 25 bucks,
plus the five you put in.
Thirty in all.
Okay.
Always glad to help a veteran.
Giddyap.
No vacancies. I'm
looking for Al Barber.
He ain't here. Know where he is?
He's having breakfast.
Bottle of Jack Daniel's. 2.50.
"Versailles."
Hey, what the hell's goin' on?
- You haven't lost your touch, Sarge.
- I been savin' it for you.
- You got any more?
- All you can take.
Well, you might as well
get it out of your system.
What the hell you doin' here?
I want you with me.
Logistics and supply.
You set it up, you run it.
Just like in the army.
You left us hanging out there
to get our asses shot off!
- I couldn't get through.
- You didn't try.
I sent you to find out what was
happening, and you kept going.
You probably was halfway to
Paris when the Krauts hit us.
I ran into a patrol. Where?
Chalmette Road, a couple
miles before the cutoff.
I hope you break your neck.
Lester's my mechanic.
Floyd's working crew.
They'd throw in with you
after what you did to us?
Maybe they know the truth
when they hear it.
You wouldn't be doing a little
penance, would you, Charlie boy?
To prove something to your old
buddies why you're running this race?
You got anything better
to do, Al?
- That's over 2,000 miles.
- 2,126.
Well, you can ride clear around the world,
and it still won't change what happened!
Think of it, Al: $5,000,
and a chance to use everything the
army taught us riding dispatch.
Come on, Al.
Well, uh, you'll need, uh,
spare parts, extra tires...
That's your department.
Where did you get all that?
I sell motorcycles.
You be in St. Louis
no later than the third.
Charlie...
We made our way back
on Chalmette Road.
There were two things
we didn't run into:
You and Krauts.
A man can go crazy
living in the past, Al.
See you on the third.
Lester.
Lester Neal.
Who's that? Be quiet!
Ch... Ch... Ch-Charlie!
I'm gonna throw up a rope.
Ch... Uh, Ch-Charlie S-Swattle!
Tie it to the bars.
Grab it!
- Lester.
- Uh, uh, g-go away.
- Took a lot of trouble finding you.
- Yeah?
Well, that's tough sh-sh-shit.
I'm gonna get you out of here.
I don't...
I don't want to g-g-go.
You're facing two to five
for moonshining.
Well, I don't... uh, I don't...
I don't care, Ch-Charlie.
I don't believe this.
Lester, stop screwing around
and grab the goddamn rope!
Hey, hey, mister. If Lester don't
want to grab the goddamn rope,
I sure as hell do.
You got it.
When those bars come out, you're
gonna have exactly six seconds
to get your ass out of there,
you hear me, Lester?
No. No. Lester...
Uh, no. As far as
I'm concerned, Charlie,
you are d... uh, dead!
Like you were gonna be
when Krauts had you pinned down?
Except some crazy idiot cut right
across the cross-fire with a motorcycle?
Huh? Gave you a chance
to get out?
Ch-Charlie, you...
You-you left us out there!
Look, if I'd done
that, would I be here?
Would I be going through
all this bullshit?
Now, get ready to bail out. Okay?
Hey, you. Sheriff.
Hey, fatso.
What you doin'?
You're disturbing the peace
with that thing.
Goddamn it, you can't
ride that thing around here.
You son of a bitch,
you're under arrest!
Try and catch me!
Bye, bye.
Holy jumpin' Jesus!
Lester?
Jump!
Jailbreak.
It's a goddamn jailbreak.
Yahoo!
Watch out here!
I'm free now!
Yee-haw! You know, Charlie...
Oh, I've never seen
a bike like this, huh?
Well, you never will, Lester.
Listen, this is, uh...
This is a one of a kind.
This is the Moonbeam Special.
"Moonbeam"?
Where did you get
a name like that?
What's wrong with a name like that?
It's as good as any, isn't it?
Listen, I built it
in my old man's barn
back in Moonbeam, Oklahoma.
This is an Indian
trans, uh... trans, uh...
Uh... uh... gearbox.
And what kind of c...
Uh, carburetor is that?
It's a o-o-one of a kind.
I don't know, Charlie.
It looks like you've stolen
every part known to man, huh?
Look, lift the rear end here.
Now, that's high-tensile steel.
Twice as strong and light.
This primary cover here
is aluminum.
Back here,
cam cover is aluminum.
And you've got, uh...
Got metal pistons.
Double overhead cam.
Yeah, I know it.
Ch-Charlie...
I know. I can see.
You and a machine
like this, we could...
We could go all the way, Lester.
Sure could.
All the way!
Wait. Here. Now, look.
I want you to buy a bike.
Not, uh... Nothing fancy.
Doesn't have to be fast.
Just tough.
Everything you need. Okay.
Hey, Ch-Charlie,
you, uh... you really
think that, uh...
Uh, we can win?
Well, Lester, you never
know when Lady Luck's
just gonna walk right up and,
huh, drop her drawers?
Drop her d-drawers, huh?
See you on the third. All right.
On the third.
Sum... Sum-swee-dum, Ch-Charlie!
How would you like to make $25?
Here goes.
Grace Wolf.
I won!
That's me! I'm Grace Wolf!
- Don't get too carried away.
- I won!
You won, Gracie! I won! I won!
You won, Gracie! You won!
You won, Gracie! Okay.
I know. Hey, everybody.
Let's go out and take a look at
Gracie's motorcycle.
Bet I could learn to ride one of
these here things. Bet you could.
Congratulations, Miss Wolf. Got
yourself a real fine piece of machinery.
Treat her right, and
she'll do the same for you.
Just think, Gracie, you
and me, moonlight rides.
- Howard...
- Gracie!
I got orders pilin' up!
I'll be right there.
Maybe we could take a little
spin on it tonight, huh, Howard?
In the meantime, you wouldn't
mind taking my motorcycle
and putting it in your store
just for safekeeping?
Sure thing. Thanks, Mr. Twattle.
Great little girl, ain't she?
Uh...
We're thinking about
getting married.
At least, I'm talking.
I hope she's listening.
Well, good-bye, Mr. Twattle.
Hope your pappy's back
on his feet real soon.
What the hell
are you tryin' to pull?
Clam chowder,
meat loaf surprise...
You're not going anywhere on that bike.
We had a deal.
Shh! Ham, wasn't it?
I'll be right with you.
That's my motorcycle.
Look, I got your 25 bucks right here.
Would you keep quiet?
Will you slow down? I'm busy.
I'm very busy.
Miss, please take my order.
Yes.
What would you like?
What the hell you want
a motorcycle for?
I'll come back
when you've decided.
Uh, meat loaf surprise.
Look, don't you care about
that boyfriend of yours?
Anything else? You
want to see him killed?
Wait, I'm not finished
with my order yet.
Scrambled eggs and bacon.
I've seen guys get
their backs broke.
A side order of potato salad.
Side order?
Collarbones busted,
kidneys ruptured.
That's it...
A hot-fudge sundae.
And they knew what they were doing.
Want anything to drink?
Look, will you listen to me?
I am listening to you.
Meat loaf surprise,
scrambled eggs and bacon,
potato salad, a hot...
I got to be in St.
Louis in a couple days.
Now, be reasonable, will you?
My, I thought
you were gonna go home
and help save your poor,
sick daddy's farm.
Uh... Uh... I got to go
to St. Louis first.
I got some people
meeting me there.
They're gonna be very upset
if I don't show up.
Fudge?
Okay, how much.
Ninety-seven cents.
For the bike.
$200.
I haven't got $200. And if I
did, I wouldn't give it to you.
Then start walking.
Okay.
"Okay" what?
I'll send it to you as
soon as I get to St. Louis.
Your eggs are workin'.
Well, then, come with me.
You want me to come to you
to St. Louis to get it?
Five minutes out of town,
and you'd unload me.
Do I look like
that kind of a guy?
Sign it. Mm-hmm.
It's a bill of sale.
Lady, I'm not signing
my bike over to anybody.
Listen, mister, you haven't got a bike
unless you put your mark right there.
And if by the off chance
when we're in St. Louis
and there isn't all this
money you say there is,
then I can sell
your motorcycle for real.
Do you understand? Now,
this is the deal right here.
There it is. Sign it.
Very nice handwriting,
Mr. Charles Swattle.
"Charles," huh?
Um, hardware store, 6:30.
Just a second.
Ninety-seven cents.
No tip, huh?
- What the hell is that?
- Wesley Wolf ill.
Hey, wait a minute.
Our deal did not include
any goddamn kid.
He's my son.
And watch your goddamn language.
The only excess baggage
I'm carrying is you.
Fine.
I believe St. Louis is that way.
Look, how am I supposed to
handle two people and a suitcase?
I'm sure a person that won all
those medals could figure out a way.
It's a motorcycle,
not a moving van.
Well, Mr. Swattle, which is it?
Using a little smarts or...
When are we gonna stop?
Cut it out!
When are we gonna eat? When are we
gonna sleep? When are we gonna rest?
When we we gonna stop?
We have to stop!
Why don't you watch
where you're going?
Mommy! Mommy!
You still want to eat?
Yes! Then you're
gonna have to earn it.
I wonder if you could tell me how
far it is to, uh, Bonner Springs.
Seventy, 80 miles.
I wonder if these here medals
will buy us a little food.
If you ever touch my son
again that way and hurt him,
I think I might just...
Son of a bitch.
- What?
- A dollar. Somebody put a dollar in it.
Who'd do that to a veteran?
Why don't you just go out
and rob a bank?
At least people would know
you was an honest crook.
I make those people feel good.
By cheating them?
By letting them help me.
Look, I fought for 'em.
I risked my life.
Now I'm giving them a chance
to thank me for what I did.
I don't believe you were in the war,
much less the Lafayette Escadrille.
That's your trouble. You
don't believe in anything.
You probably stole those
medals, didn't you? Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
You think I got this
hanging around the officers'
club, throwing darts?
I'm sorry. Forget what
I said about the medals.
- I'd rather forget about the $200.
- No. I need that money.
What for? None of your business.
Uh, will there be
anything else, sir?
No. Check. Yes, sir.
Drink your milk, kid.
Shit!
You watered my gas tank.
You get an awfully early
start, Mr. Swattle.
What kind of life is this
for a kid anyhow...
Hanging on the back of a bike,
riding across the country
in the wind...
You said that you
wouldn't unload me.
You're a lousy mother, you know that?
And you're just lousy!
Look, why don't you just go
back where you belong
and marry Mr. Hardware Store
what's-his-name...
Because I'm still in love
with my husband,
and he's been dead two years,
so it's one-sided.
And I'm not gonna stick around
that town my whole life
serving meat loaf surprise
to losers like you!
Not any different in St. Louis. The
diners are just bigger, that's all.
I'm not going to St. Louis for that.
I'm going to get my money,
and then I'm going on
to Chicago!
What's in Chicago
that's worth $2007?
Business school.
- What?
- I said I'm going to business school in Chicago.
What's so funny?
It's not funny.
It's very respectable.
There's a lot of women
going to them.
And when you finish, you
can be a secretary in a bank
or in an office.
Whatever you say.
Whatever you say.
Yeah, we got a deal, Charlie,
and I'm gonna sleep with that
goddamn motorcycle if I have to.
Watch your goddamn language.
Okay, Wesley,
let's try it again.
All right, now, throw it.
Come on. Oh.
Hand me that wrench
there, will ya, please?
Okay, Charlie. Here it is.
Thank you.
Now, wait a minute here.
Know what this is? No.
Well, that's something the army
gives you for being stupid.
Only they call it "brave."
You've done some
pretty brave things.
Riding on my motorcycle
and all that.
Do you feel brave?
Neither do I.
Want it?
You're now a member
of the Lafayette Escadrille.
Hey. St. Louis is that way.
I got to see an old army buddy.
Get ready!
Go!
Hey! Hey, Bevins!
Yeah!
Some guy wants you on his pit crew.
Who?
I don't know.
I never saw him before.
He asked for me?
Yeah. Number 23.
Hey!
Better put in
a fresh plug, Floyd.
Bad crop out there. Amateurs.
Nothing like when you and
me were riding the express.
But for a $15 purse...
Hey, Floyd, wait a minute.
Goddamn it, Floyd!
Floyd, what the hell?
Cantankerous son of a bitch!
What the hell, Floyd? That's
a hell of a greeting, Floyd!
For all you knew,
I was lyin' on my back
with a Kraut bullet in me.
Listen, Charlie, you have a bad habit of
just leaving people in the middle of things.
I got to talk to my army buddy.
Now, if you come back to
apologize, I ain't gonna... Hey!
Oh, my God!
- He's shooting at Charlie!
- Get down, Wesley!
Mommy! Mommy!
Come on, Floyd. Goddamn it.
Come on, now.
Floyd, I'm warnin' ya...
- Wesley...
- Are you all right?
- No, I'm not!
- Aw, you're all right.
You bag of bones.
Baby...
Hey!
Stop that. You'll ruin the bike.
What the hell you tryin' to do anyhow?
If he's one of your buddies,
I'd hate to be around you when you
meet somebody that doesn't like you.
Floyd's just nervous,
that's all.
Floyd's nervous? Floyd's crazy.
He just tried to kill you.
Take Ace here and get him
a bottle of pop.
I'll just be a minute.
I'm gonna be real mad if he
kills you before I get my $200.
You always were
a lousy shot, Floyd.
Gimme my leg.
Relax a minute.
Catch up on your reading.
Look at it. I've seen it.
Well, I'm in it.
Lester's my mechanic,
Al's working supply.
Just like the old days, huh?
They got short memories.
Maybe they just know
the truth when they hear it.
I know the truth, Charlie!
You ran out on us!
You cost me a leg!
And I don't ride so good
without a leg, Charlie!
I sweep up. I work crew. Anything to
keep me around what I used to do good!
Still got your old bike, Floyd?
Have you even fired it up
since you've been back?
Oh, Floyd.
You're living in a pile of shit.
You wanna blame me for it, fine.
But I'm offering you
a chance to find out
if everything you ever were or ever wanted
to be is in that goddamn leg you lost.
You know the one thing
that kept me going
after they hacked off my leg?
You. You're all I thought about.
How we'd meet up again,
and I'd kill ya.
Well, Floyd, the only chance
you're gonna get
is if you come with me
to St. Louis.
That's the best reason
I can think of for going.
Think Wesley's safe
in there with Jesse James?
Hasn't Floyd passed out yet?
Said his cheek was numb.
Does that mean anything?
Means he's close.
Good night, Floyd.
What are you gonna do
when you get to St. Louis?
Try to get to San Francisco
just as fast as I can.
You sure are restless.
Your husband die in the war?
Influenza epidemic.
- And you can't forget him?
- I don't want to.
A person can go crazy
living in the past.
I don't live in the past.
I just visit it once in a while.
Well, I'd better go
find myself some more sleep.
How do you feel?
Great. You bastard!
Hey, there they are!
Hey, hey!
Motorcycle race. We come all
this way for a motorcycle race.
Look, uh, I meant to tell you
about it last night, but, uh...
You were too busy to talk.
It was set up
before you came along.
It isn't just me.
How the hell did I know you and
the kid were gonna come along?
I can't take you with me.
What makes you think I want to
go with you anyway, Charlie?
Thanks for the ride.
Charlie!
Lester, this grease is
coarser than buffalo hockey.
It's all right.
There's a lot of stuff in it.
You know, Sarge, uh,
bet me five bucks that, uh,
you wouldn't show up.
I figured the odds were with me.
See anyone you know?
Uh, everybody.
Harry Garr,
Murphy, Houston.
Who's the competition?
They're all tough.
Watch out for Harry Garr.
He'll let you get neck-and-neck,
then swing an arm out,
right across the Adam's apple.
Looks like a friendly bunch.
5,000 bucks don't bring out nuns.
Let's go check in. Yep.
Pop? Hey!
By God! I didn't think we'd
see you out here, Floyd.
Yeah, I'm workin' crew. I'll be doggoned.
We missed you.
We have sorely missed you.
OI' Floyd here
used to ride for me.
One of the best too. No kidding?
And this is the young man you're going
to help to fame and fortune, huh?
Charlie Swattle.
Charlie, Walter Bauer.
Everybody just calls me Pop.
Uh, Pop owns the Aero-American
Motorcycle Company.
Say hello to Calvin Hawk.
He's one of my riders. Cal.
What kind of bike you riding?
Moonbeam Special.
- Come again?
- One of a kind.
Barn job.
You know, this is
the age of the factory.
There's just
nothin' handmade anymore.
Guess I'm just behind the times.
- Ever been in competition?
- Charlie's seen his share of dirt tracks before the war.
Seems to me I'd remember
a name like Swattle.
That is, if there's
something to remember.
Now, Calvin, dad-gum it.
Don't you be picking on
this boy like that.
Just drawing a bead on the
competition, Pop.
The more I see,
the happier I get.
You want to try it?
It'll sharpen your reflexes.
Best of luck to
you boys, now, Floyd.
Charlie, nice to have met you.
Good luck, now.
Thanks, Pop.
What do you think?
He's an amateur.
His bike's a joke.
Some folks like a risk. They
like the goddamn danger involved.
Me, if there's anything in this
world I like, it's a sure thing.
Don't worry about it, Pop. I'm
gonna keep the wolves from the door.
They're worse than wolves!
They're goddamn stockholders!
OI' Hawk's gonna make 'em
forget all about
the red ink that you've
been splashing around.
You do that, Calvin,
any way you have to,
or I'll have your balls
for breakfast.
Hawk! Ha! Yeah, I
saw Hawk once before.
Playa del Rey Motordrome.
Playa del Rey?
Yeah, you been there?
Sure, I have.
Let me tell you something. He went down
on them boards. I thought he was dead.
He got up, he was nothin'
but blood and splinters.
Did he finish? Ha!
He won!
Not Susie. Lucille. That was it.
Charlie! Hey, Ace.
Hey, hey. What you doin'?
Ask Charlie.
I don't know. He don't know what?
Who is this guy?
- Got an awful lot of dents.
- What's he doin'?
Ask, uh, Ch-Charlie. Don't know
how much she'll need in repairs.
Hey, Charlie, what's this
guy doin' talkin' about repairs?
- Might cost more than it's worth.
- Charlie ain't answerin'.
All Charlie's great plans for the
race, he forgot to mention one thing.
Yeah? He don't own the bike.
What do you mean,
he don't own the bike?
Uh, uh, the lady owns
the, uh, bike.
- What do you mean, the lady...
- She's got the bill of sale.
- Signed by Ch-Charlie.
- I couldn't go any higher than $100.
What is this? We come all the way to St.
Louis to let some dame sell the motorcycle?
Did we, Mr. Swattle?
Al, is there some way we can
handle a couple of passengers?
Sure,
if they can fit in a can of gas.
Well, Mr. Swattle?
He back yet? Huh-uh.
Well, where'd he go?
Didn't, uh, uh, say.
Every time that guy's gone more than
five minutes, my leg starts to hurt.
Which one? The one I ain't got.
Eh. He'll be, uh...
Ugh... uh, back.
That's what you said right
before the Krauts hit us.
Uh, Charlie explained
all, uh, that.
Said he ran into a p...
Uh, a patrol.
I'll bet you still hang up
your Christmas stockings.
If you don't, uh, believe him,
why'd you... why'd you come, huh?
I ain't made up my mind yet.
Mm, yeah?
Well, you shouldn't, uh, s...
uh, sit on it all the t-time.
You don't like Charlie
either, do you?
I like him all right.
I just don't trust him.
- Then why are you here?
- Didn't have anything better to do.
Oh, that's not much of a reason.
Miss Grace,
I spent 25 years in the army.
I was told when to get up, when to
go to bed, and what to do in between.
When they pensioned me, it used to take me
all day to decide what to have for breakfast.
By then it was time for supper.
I want to ask you something.
Why is this race
so important to him?
Are you his girl? I'm not sure.
Don't let it bother you.
Nobody's sure with Charlie.
Were you in the Lafayette
Escadrille together?
Did he tell you that?
Same old Charlie.
It's not true?
Why, no, Miss Grace, it's not true.
We were dispatch riders,
messenger boys on motorcycles.
"Lafayette Escadrille.
Where did you get
that wheelchair?
Best I could do.
"Lafayette Escadrille.
"Influenza epidemic"?
What is that supposed to mean?
What is that supposed to mean? Are you
saying my husband didn't die of influenza?
Are you saying I didn't
even have a husband?
You're saying I made
all this up, aren't you?
Well... Well, I did.
How'd you know?
Was it that obvious?
If you wanna be a bereaved widow,
get yourself a wedding ring.
Carry a picture
of the lucky stiff.
I only thought of it on my way to the
hardware store. I had to think of something.
His father was a drummer.
He was just like you. Only he
sold dry goods instead of medals.
He stayed around for a couple of weeks. He was
talkin' about gettin' married, havin' kids.
He did the talkin'
and I did the havin'.
The kid know?
No. He's heard the words, but
he doesn't know what they mean.
Well, what's wrong with being
Mrs. Howard Hardware Store?
I don't love him.
Besides, it came time
to change things,
and you were my chance.
Would you really
have sold my motorcycle?
Would you really
have left me here?
Time to saddle up,
Miss Grace.
See you, uh, Charlie.
Ride easy!
Ladies and gentlemen,
the National Association
of Motorcycle Racers
is proud
to announce the beginning...
of the first transcontinental
motorcycle race.
All right, on your marks.
Gentlemen...
fire 'em up!
Come on! Come on, get
them planks up here.
Get them planks up here.
Put 'em down right there.
That's good. Right there.
All right, let's go.
Come on. Watch out. Here we go.
Hold on. Whee!
Watch out for these people.
Watch out.
Hey. Hey.
Here I come.
Mornin' to you. Mornin'.
Beautiful mornin' it is, too, isn't it?
Yep. Can I help ya?
Tell you the truth. I could
use somethin' cold to drink.
I feel like I swallowed about
half of Kansas. Sure thing.
Here ya go.
Hope you do a lot of business today.
Thank you.
Fill her up!
Fill her up quickly!
Just in time, Charlie.
Just in time.
Hell of a place
to run a business.
Well, well,
what do you need, Charlie?
Well, fuel, oil, plugs.
You got 'em.
What's it look like?
Shakin' down. The next few
miles oughta tell somethin'.
Thank you. Hey, Ace, come here.
What, Charlie?
I got a real important
mission for you.
I want you to go find me
some stones about yea big, okay?
Okay.
How you doin', Charlie?
You hungry?
Do I smell that bad?
I made you somethin' to eat.
Why don't you have a sandwich?
There's somethin' rattlin'
around in there. Now what is it?
I just wanna know what
happens when the race is over.
We'll be in San Francisco.
I'm chasin' you, but I'm not goin'
to chase you for the rest of my life.
Why not?
I needs roots.
I need to settle down.
Someone to hold on to. So does Wesley.
Grace...
I know it wasn't part of the deal.
I just want to know where I stand.
Well, can't we wait? Talk about
this after this thing's all over?
Will there be anything
different to say?
Here, Charlie.
Let's see.
Oh, those are fine.
We're comin' up to the desert.
Hundreds of miles
of sand and heat.
And thirst.
This is an old Indian trick.
You stick a stone under your
tongue, you never get thirsty.
While all those other guys are
stoppin' for water, tryin' to find it,
old Chief Crazy Horse will just be ridin'
along with a stone... All set, Charlie.
Come on, we got
a tr-tr-train to catch.
Ride easy, Crazy Horse.
Bye.
Time, Charlie. Time.
We're fightin' time.
Come on, hop on.
We'll give you a shove.
C-Come on.
Hop on.
Ready?
All right, let's go. Shove! Here we go!
That's it. Push!
All the way to San Francisco.
The Moonbeam rider!
Whee!
Hey!
You do that again, I'll kick
your back behind your ears.
Hey! Watch...
Shit!
God...
It's not fair.
It's my pitching arm here.
Hey, get away from my bike.
Hey!
The bike.
Hey, these yours?
Charlie?
Hey, hey, that him?
By God, good ridin', Calvin.
No competition. Who's left?
Nobody that really counts.
I got two for the price of one.
I took out McCall and that,
uh, shit-kicker in one shot.
Swattle?
Calvin, you're
a credit to the sport.
There's Lawson.
We're one and two.
There's Jesse right behind him.
Just as long as
we finish that way.
Like I said, no competition.
Is that the shit-kicker
that you took out?
He ought to be part
of the scenery by now.
Determined son of a bitch,
ain't he?
Who is that guy?
What's the matter?
You gettin' worried, Calvin?
Hey, I'm not even
breathin' hard.
Jesus Christ, Charlie,
we are fourth!
How'd you do it, C-Charlie, huh?
Let him rest.
Oh, hey, Lester, get...
We can do it!
We can go all the way!
You idiot! Come on, come on!
We got a lot of work to do here now.
These wheel bearings are shot.
How you doin', Charlie? How you doin'?
Gotta check the spark plugs.
Need some rest?
No, I want the wrench
for the carburetor.
I'll wake you
when the bike's ready.
Gimme the wrench for that,
uh... G-Get your own, uh, wrench.
Get the tools over here.
Check that tread. Okay.
And check those wheel lugs.
Wh-Where's your...
Come on, Lester.
Stand back!
How many things did you bring here?
Charlie, Charlie, wake up.
Is the bike ready?
A man said to give you this.
He said he made it
special for you.
What man?
Him.
Aren't you goin' to eat it?
Later.
Ah, where ya goin', Charlie?
Gonna stretch my legs.
Want some company?
You lose your appetite?
You made a real good
showing out there today.
Done a hell of a lot better
than most people expected.
Were you in the war, son?
Well, this race is sort of...
Sort of like a war.
It's a war of stockholders
and dividends.
Your company's on its ass.
We've had some setbacks.
You win the race,
your company blooms.
You lose and, uh,
you fold your tent.
You're very perceptive.
Look, I'm in the business
of selling motorcycles.
The only way that I can be sure that
I sell a hell of a lot of motorcycles
is finish one, two and three.
Then that way there's no argument
about who's got the best machine.
Jesus Christ, there's no disgrace
for someone like you finish fourth.
- No money either.
- What's money compared to your health?
It's a long road out there, son.
There's a hell of a lot of things can
happen on it to you and your crew.
How much?
I think the figure's $5,000.
That was for winning.
For losing's,
it's more like, uh, 500.
I owe my people something.
Son, we're born alone,
and we die alone.
We just keep friends around
to take up the time.
Besides,
be a shame for that boy
to grow up without a father.
And you could be
a damn good one on $500.
Be a hell of a lot better
on 5,000.
My God, you strike
a hard bargain, son.
Of course, that's the sort of thing
that America's built on, wasn't it?
I'll put $2,000...
on the table free and easy
if you come in fourth.
It's a lot of money.
Sure.
Damn it!
1,800, 1,900, $2,000.
Quite a little nest egg
there, Mr. Swattle.
Here's your deposit book, and
as a token of our appreciation
for opening an account at
Eagle Bank and Trust Company...
You forgot
your gift, Mr. Swattle.
Excuse me. Pardon me a minute.
Mr. Swattle!
Mr. Swattle! Mr. Swattle,
you forgot your gift!
Mr. Swattle!
That's Charlie. He's my friend.
Well, would you give this
to him for me, please?
Sure. Good boy.
Where is he? Who?
Charlie. He, uh, went
to stretch his legs.
He'll be back. He'll be back, Floyd.
Now come on. Now what's eatin' you, huh?
See, here he is right now. Hey!
Hey, good as new. Good as new.
- Get this wheeled over to checkout.
- Number one!
Hey, come on, Charlie. We've
got two minutes to check out.
Where are you goin', Floyd?
What's your hurry? The train
doesn't leave for another hour.
Whoo! Where the h-hell
is he goin'?
Oh, Floyd's got a wild hair
up his ass about somethin'.
He'll be back. I'll bet my last
dollar he's hooked on this race.
What the hell are you doin'?
Keepin' you honest. I'm ridin'
your exhaust all the way to Frisco.
You'll never make it.
I'll make it.
I'm not gonna wait around for you.
Just ride, you bastard!
Ride! Ride!
Think you're gonna make it, Floyd?
Ride!
- Hey, Harold, watch it!
- Ohh!
Shit!
And whoa!
End of the line, Floyd.
Ah, bullshit.
We can't get through this.
Nobody can get through this.
You'd like that, wouldn't ya?
I saw you and Pop Bauer
come out of that hotel bar.
Pop Bauer's a nice fella.
Bought me a glass of ice tea.
Yeah? What else
did he buy, Charlie?
That's the trouble
with you, Floyd.
You don't believe in anything.
No, let's go this way.
Huh? Come on.
There's nothin' over there.
Push!
Oh, this damn thing's heavy.
Well, Pathfinder?
It's gotta be
around here some place.
Sure.
Come on! Let's go!
Throw me a line!
Watch that bike now! Be careful.
Somebody throw me a line.
Get me out of this mud down here!
What about my bike?
Why do I let you...
There it is.
Come on, Charlie.
You're nuts.
You got a better way
besides quittin'?
You gave us somethin', Charlie. Now you
ain't takin' it back, not without a fight.
Kiss your kidneys good-bye.
Why you stoppin', Charlie?
Suddenly I feel like walkin'...
if it's okay with you.
Yeah.
Run!
Charlie!
What? Pull the damn thing!
I am tryin'!
Clear the tracks!
Oh, shit!
Charlie!
Ch-Charlie?
Charlie!
Charlie!
What'd you do
with your other leg?
You look like
a goddamn flamingo.
Where is my spare leg?
Hey, Charlie! Floyd!
How are you guys doin'?
Um, wh-where ya been?
Where do we stand? Maybe,
uh, uh, uh, n-not good.
Hey, Lester,
you should have seen him.
He practically carried me
on his back.
If it hadn't been for Charlie, I'd
be spread halfway to Denver by now.
Where is everybody?
Uh, uh, uh, gone. Where?
Well, uh, Al took, uh, Grace and
the, uh, kid to the train station.
Well, why?
Beats the hell out... out of me.
Did she say anything?
Yeah, she, uh, said
she didn't want, uh,
Wesley to have anything,
uh, to do with that.
Wait, just...
You know, uh, Charlie...
Charlie, wait, wait!
Charlie, we gotta...
Lester, get over here! Goddamn
it, he's doin' it again!
W-What? He's runnin' out on us!
No, wait... I'll...
Stop it! Stay away from me!
I don't want to talk to you!
Let me explain. I wouldn't
believe anything you say.
Listen, damn it, listen.
- Hey, you're goin' the wrong way.
- So are you.
Get out. No.
I want to talk to ya.
Go to hell!
Charlie, take it easy.
You son of a bitch!
Let me alone!
No!
No, I don't wanna
talk to you. No.
Let go of me. Let go of me!
Where you goin'? Damn it.
Where the hell do you
think you're going? Away.
Why? You know why,
you son of a bitch.
You sold out to Pop Bauer. You
sold us all out to Pop Bauer.
How could you do it?
I came all this way believing
you wanted to win this race.
They all believed ya.
But you don't want
to win this race.
Because you're a quitter. You're a lousy
quitter. I hate you for doing this.
I hate you!
Be honest about it,
Charlie. Or can't ya?
You've been lying so long and so hard about
the war, about your father, about this race.
Why don't you tell me the truth?
You owe it to me!
The truth is,
I won those medals
in a crap game.
God... damn it!
The truth is I never tried
to get back to the unit.
I saw those Krauts,
and I froze
with my face in the mud.
I was afraid of gettin' hit.
God...
Now look, Pop Bauer
wants this race.
He needs this race.
This isn't a goddamn
kids' game, it's a war.
That's what he called it.
In a war, you win by crippling the
enemy's supply line. That's you, Floyd.
Al, Lester.
It's you, honey.
You took his money.
You went and opened
an account in a bank.
All that money bought...
is a chance...
for me to win this race.
Charlie! Charlie!
Hey, it's all over, kid.
You know what? Uh, what
he said, uh, made sense.
Charlie always makes sense.
He just never tells the truth.
Al? Well, what's the truth got
to do with the price of potatoes?
Come on, Lester.
Hey, what are you doin'?
We're goin' to San Francisco.
Why, you're nuts!
Charlie ain't gonna show!
Well, we'll never know unless
we're there, Floyd. You know what?
You're going to be waitin' at that finish line
with your thumb up your nose waitin' for him,
just like you did in France! Well,
you got anythin' better to do?
Hey! Hey, move over!
Down, down, down!
Let's land in front.
Hey, you guys,
all of ya, come here.
I've got a young son of a bitch
I want you to take out for me.
I don't care how you do it,
but take him out. Understand?
Uh-huh. He's up on
Bear Creek Road.
He's comin'.
Now!
- Where's my gun?
- Get him!
Shoot him!
God-darn it! He's gettin' away!
- Look out! Look out!
- Hey!
Hey!
Motorcycle!
Hey, what...
Wow! I'll be.
Let's get out of here!
Oh, you shit!
Who in the hell is that guy?
Hey, stop! Stop!
Stop!
All right!
Yeah!
That a boy!
I never doubted you
for a minute, Charlie.
What are you talkin' about?
In the name of sportsmanship
and fair play,
it gives me extreme pleasure
to present this trophy
to the winner of the first
transcontinental motorcycle race.
Along with this check
for $5,000.
Yeah, Charlie!
Money, yeah! Yeah!
Grab a hold of
that money, Charlie!
We did it!
Charlie! Charlie!
Did we win, Charlie?
You bet your goddamn ass we did, Ace.
Watch your goddamn language.
I wasn't sure
you were gonna show up.
That's the trouble with you, Charlie.
You don't believe in anything.
Swattle.
Charlie, you owe me $2,000.
Now, Pop, this may be the first
transcontinental motor race,
but it's not gonna be the last.
Listen, that $2,000
bought you a winnin' crew.
That's a winnin' crew.
Boy, you gonna bleed for this.
Pop, you and me got
a great future together.
Maybe.
Look at it.
The Aero-American Motorcycle
and Sidecar Company presents...
The Moonbeam Special.
It might work.
Listen, Pop,
I don't want there to be
any hard feelings.
General Black Jack Pershing...
pinned that on me.
Hold it, everybody. Hold it.
Picture. Let's gather around.
Love, love, love, pictures.
Pictures. Uh...
Okay. Everybody look here.