Heartland (1979) Movie Script
- Green
River Junction.
Green River Junction.
- Mr. Stewart?
Yes, hello, this is Jerrine.
- Hi.
- You take this list
to the mercantile.
We need, uh, 200
pounds of flour,
and the rest you can
read for yourself.
Tell him to put it on my bill.
I'll be back in half an hour.
- Whoa.
Little lady,
come on.
And Jack, this is Mrs. Randall.
- How you do, ma'am?
- Pleased to meet you.
- Bit of
trouble with the heifers?
- Missin' four is all.
I corralled the rest
up on the bench.
- Good.
- The north
fence is down.
- Yeah, I'll get to it tomorrow.
This'll be yours then.
The only stove's out there,
you'll be wantin'
to warm yourself.
- What'd
you hear in town?
- Old
Fraser's sellin' out.
Could've made it if he'd got rid
of the damn longhorns.
- That man'll
never figure out nothin'.
Who's buyin'?
- Didn't say.
See to the wagon, will you?
- Uh, sure, man.
- All the thing you've
got to do with's in here,
uh, flour, sugar, jerk.
The root cellar's out there.
You can take a look tomorrow.
It's been empty for
some time though.
You milk, Mrs. Randall?
- Yes, sir.
- Ah, butter'll be
a good thing again.
Jack and me for meals,
uh, you said you'd cooked
for railroad crews,
so, uh, the hayin' and brandin'
won't give ya much trouble.
- No, sir.
- For a washin',
the tub's in the storeroom.
As soon as the weather eases up,
you'll want to get
a garden started up.
I think we have some seeds left.
- Mr. Stewart,
in your letter you said
seven dollars a week.
In Denver, I got $1.80
a day just for washing.
- Well, I don't
guess Burnt Fork's
quite caught up to Denver.
I'll show you the chickens
and pigs tomorrow.
- I've always had my Sundays
free after breakfast.
- All right.
- Will that be all?
Good night, Mr. Stewart.
It's not ready yet, Mr. Stewart.
- Easy, easy now.
Hey, Bubba, easy now.
Easy.
Hey, easy, easy, boy.
That's it.
Easy.
Come on, boy.
Easy.
Hey, hey, hold it, hey!
Now, easy, easy, easy, easy.
Whoa.
Hold it, hold it.
Whoa.
- Goddamn kid in a cow cat.
- I've never seen the like.
- He don't scare me.
- Somethings are
sensible to be scared of.
He don't scare ya, I will.
You stay clear, you hear me?
Come on.
Easy, babe.
Okay now
just squeeze at the top
and then all the way down.
That's it, and then
pull, that's it.
That's a girl.
That's good.
Not too hard, just start
at the top and pull, good.
See?
That's it.
This can be your job.
Giddy-up!
Come on!
Come on, move over.
Whoa!
Hello.
- Hello.
Where's the Stewart?
- He's not here right now.
I'm Elinore Randall.
This is my daughter, Jerrine.
- I know who you are.
They call me Grandma Landauer,
'cause I have delivered so
many babies in this valley.
- I'm pleased to meet ya.
I was beginning to believe
I was the only woman
in this country.
- Well you are not.
My ranch is 10
miles north of here,
lots of cows, more than Stewart.
- Oh.
Coffee?
- Yeah, please.
- Do you take cream?
- Yeah.
I, uh, I come for Jack.
My cowboys always run out on me
when I need them.
We here you was coming, uh,
a long time now.
- The cups are in here now.
Come,
sit down.
- He bought this churner
for Annette, poor thing.
She died three years back now.
- Well, Jerrine and
I've put it to good use.
How long have you
lived in this country?
- Wyoming, oh,
since I was a young girl.
Working all the time.
- It does seem to
follow you around,
wherever you go.
- I've had my hands full,
since my Benny's
gone to his maker.
I do everything now.
Of course, you
know I always did.
You like cows?
I do.
- Cows?
Only about three I ever liked.
We've been churning butter
here til it come out our ears.
You don't anybody nearby
who'd like to buy it?
- Butter?
Most folks do it for
themselves out here.
- Well, how 'bout
you then, Grandma?
- I can see you'll do okay.
Why not?
I'll buy your butter.
Gonna get rich?
- Not on butter and spuds.
- Not working for the Stewart.
He's as stingy as my old hen.
- But at least you
can cook your old hen.
I do have quite a garden though.
- That's interesting.
- Lots of spuds,
beans, corn, cabbage.
- Well, Grandma.
- You come to my place now.
The same as Thursday.
He's agreed to it.
- Oh, hell yes,
I'll look after the heifers,
but none of that laying
around the saloons
like last July, you hear?
- Who me?
Those old mares'll
be on their way home
before the sale is finished.
Won't they, Grandma?
- Don't you Grandma me,
or I'll beat you with a whip.
Four days.
- Yep, four days.
Good, Grandma?
- Good.
- Boy that's hot.
- Clint, get the
gate, come on, mate.
- Ho!
- Ho!
- Ho!
- Ho!
- Ho, you send them
cows right back here.
- Ho!
- That's good, see how you
scared that one over there?
- Ho!
Mama, Dan and Rawhide
need some water.
Can I take it to 'em, huh?
- They do, huh?
Well what about Jack?
Doesn't he need any water today?
- Yeah, he needs some too.
- Well, you
did all right, Mrs. Randall.
- Thank you.
- Come
on, let's turn 'em out.
- I can't talk to that man.
- You'd better
learn before winter.
- Did you ever rope
with them, and all that?
- Well, sure, why not?
When I was younger.
- You, you want to rope?
- Well, not today.
I've done all kinds of
farm work all my life,
but nothin' like this.
- Now this is not farming.
This is ranching.
- Is that all they do up here,
run cattle?
- All it's good
for, that and sheep.
Thank God not so many sheep.
- I didn't pass one
place on the way up here.
You'd think there'd
be homesteads
with all this.
- Homesteads?
Seven feet of snow up
here in the winter.
Maybe snow tomorrow.
- So a person couldn't
make it up here?
Not even in the summer?
- How long did you
tell the Stewart
you'll work for him?
- Grandma, I'm no piker.
I wouldn't run out on him.
It's just that,
all my life I've been
workin' for somebody else.
- Ah, you and me, we
got to look out for ourselves.
Did he tell you there's
a place next door to him?
- No.
- 240 acres, he
can't file on it.
He got all the
land he can claim.
Folks have been
out looking at it.
Got old Stewart worried.
- Oh, but I like this place,
here, right here.
- Listen to me, young woman.
Don't get any ideas
about living up here.
My Benny, he froze
to death one winter
up here.
You don't play
with these winters.
- Oh, Grandma, I--
- Oh, there's
nothing to be done.
- Mama, Mama!
- Come here.
- Jerrine, come help
me with this colt.
Come on.
Come on.
See if you can pet his nose.
Come on, go ahead.
Stay on the left here.
Keep her right next to me.
Here we go.
Come on, come on,
here, just over the side.
- I'll take a little
of that water.
Ooh.
- Ugh.
- Better than city
life, huh, huh?
- Oh!
- Give us some more.
Ah!
- I'll give you some more.
- Our
Father who art in Heaven,
hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day,
our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who
trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, glory
forever and ever.
Amen.
- All right.
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still
On the roses
And the voice I hear
Whispering in my ear
The Son of God
Discloses
And he walks with me
And he talks with me
And he tells me
I am his own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever
Known
- Look, Mama, a shoe.
- Put that back.
- I wanna keep it.
- Put it back, Jerrine,
it's not a toy.
Let's go.
Hello?
Hello, anybody home?
Are you all right?
Jerrine, go outside and play.
Go on.
- Well, hello there!
- Hey!
- Mornin', how are you today?
- Have you seen my
housekeeper, Mrs. Randall?
Ridin' my bay mare,
had a little girl with her.
- Yeah, she stopped
here yesterday.
I was a workin' in here.
Why, she was askin'
and inquirin' about
land and water
and everything and,
so I sent her up Great
Creek Valley way.
Thought that was the best.
- Whoa.
Hee.
- How'd you find us?
- Took half the night,
far enough for a Sunday ride.
Hee-ya!
Folks don't like newcomers
nosin' around out here.
- We weren't nosing
around, Mr. Stewart.
She needed help.
I apologize about the horse.
- Yah, that's not what I mean.
Did you see a lot of country?
- It's so big.
I'm not used to so much.
Mr. Stewart,
I'd like to have word with you.
- I hired a housekeeper.
I hired you to come out here
and take care of my place,
not get your own.
- I don't think you have any
complaints about my work.
- Oh, well your work,
just so we agree,
I paid your way out here,
I expect you to take care
of my house for one year,
that includes the kitchen
and garden and everything.
- Yes, sir.
Ah, come on, Bill.
- Have you ever
filed the forms in large today?
- Your name, please.
- Gene Collin, I'm from
Floyd County, Kentucky.
- Gene Collin.
- Are you a US citizen?
- Yes, I am.
- Next, please.
- You ever filed before
under the large Homestead Act?
- No.
- Where do
you want to file?
- Moose Creek.
- Next.
- Next.
The name, please.
- Elinore Pruitt Randall.
- Marital status?
- Widow.
- And where would
you like to file?
- Birch Creek,
next to Clyde Stewart's.
That's two miles
north of Burnt Fork.
It's not taken, is it?
- I don't know.
Uh, no,
you have to live on it
10 years, not just visit.
That'll be $12, please.
- Okay.
- Next.
Name, please.
A cowpoke were riding along
His hat was thrown back
And his spurs was a jinglin'
- I don't know the rest.
- Well.
As he was ridin'
he was singin' a song
Hey, diddle
- That's pretty good.
- Okay.
- When can we go see it?
- Ssh, don't say nothing.
Okay?
- Here.
Ah, that's a granny.
This ties a square.
Ah?
- Jerrine,
time to go to bed now.
- How much did they
charge ya for the spuds?
- 2.60 for a 100 pounds.
How's that?
- I don't know.
Saunder's fair.
- I just hope they bring
a profit this fall.
- I wouldn't count
on it the first year.
- Mr. Stewart, I didn't
have much choice.
- About what, Mrs. Randall?
- Homesteading the
place next door.
I had that piece for 12 years.
- Well, we're neighbors now.
And I'd like to make
it clear right off
that I'm open to working
on a fair arrangement.
I'm gonna need to
borrow some money
for seed and potatoes.
I thought you could
just hold my wages
til I caught up.
And I'm gonna need
a shack built.
And if you build me one,
I'll exchange it for the
hay and for the grazing.
- Well, I do not
make business deals
when I can't see a profit.
That beat all burnin' the wood
this late in the season.
I hope you like choppin'
wood, Mrs. Randall,
otherwise, what
are you gonna swap
for eight cords each winter?
- Well, I'll just have
to worry about that
when winter gets here.
You know, you haven't
lost your housekeeper.
- Well, you can always quit.
- Are you firing me?
- No.
How many hens are
layin' right now?
- I don't know.
- 17, you should know that.
I own 113 mother cows,
branded 91 calves.
I kept eight
replacement heifers.
We got 46 two-year-old steers,
11 three-year-olds,
oh, and a stud,
and Jack and me are
partners on the mares.
Now, do you know what that means
all together, Mrs. Randall?
That means that I get
a very small livin'
out of this place,
and your wages will
never get ya started,
not even started.
You would be an old woman,
and your daughter grown,
before ya approached the
poorest sort of sufficiency.
Where will ya get the water?
There's no well.
Will ya carry it from the creek?
- I'll do what I have to do.
I mean, at least you
haven't lost your land.
- Have I lost the land?
No, not if your name be Stewart.
Find me a 16 penny whip.
Since when don't
ya know a 16 penny?
Well, hell, haul the damn board,
I'll get the nail.
- No, I got it.
I don't know why you're
in such a flyin' hurry.
She don't care if it's
done today or tomorrow.
- A wedding present's
a wedding present.
Anyway, she's payin' me for it.
- I wouldn't give my horse
a homestead shack for
a wedding present.
- That's because you
haven't got a horse
worth speakin' of.
- Hand me the ribbon.
- Ouch, you're hurting me.
- Well, Jerrine, if
you would stand still.
Okay.
Stay clean.
Jerrine, Jerrine,
stay out of the food.
Okay, take the quilts out
and put them on the table.
- Well, uh, lady, if
you won't be needin' me,
I'll be back tomorrow.
- You won't be staying?
- Well,
I never did care
much for weddings.
- Well, I never did care
much for 'em myself,
but they're a sight
better than funerals.
- Yeah.
- Hello there.
- Hi.
- Oh, you pretty
little thing you.
- Oh, I thought maybe
I should put that
one right over there.
- It'll have to do.
- Now, you come now.
They are all waiting for you.
- I burned the pies.
- Ah, forget the pies.
They are all waiting outside.
- Wait, Grandma,
Grandma, I can't do it.
- Oh, now you did it
once, you can do it again.
Now, come on.
- Mama!
- This
is such a thrill.
- Mrs. Randall?
Mrs. Randall,
you'd better come over
here and stand by me.
- Friends, we are
gathered here today
to join in matrimony
this man and this woman.
Clyde, will you have this woman
to be your lawful wedded wife,
and with her to live together
in holy matrimony?
- I will.
- Elinore,
will you have this man
to be your lawful
wedded husband,
and with him to live together
in sickness and in health,
and forsaking all others,
keep you only unto him
as long as you both shall live?
- I will.
- May I have the ring, please?
Will you please place
the ring on her finger
and repeat after me?
With this ring, I thee wed.
- With this ring, I thee wed.
- And with
my worldly goods,
I thee endow.
- And with my worldly
goods, I thee endow.
- Now by the virtue
of the authority
vested in me as
Justice of the Peace
for the state of Wyoming,
I now pronounce
you man and wife.
- All right,
thank ya, thank ya,
thank ya, thank ya.
- I got married in my
apron and my work boots.
- Hey, Sam!
- How are ya?
- Real fancy!
- Yeah, it's not even
good enough to suit me.
- Hi.
- Well, where's the new wife?
- Ah, you'll be seein' her soon.
- Ah, that serious, huh?
Well, if I'm not too pretty,
you can introduce me.
- I won't
worry about the pretty.
Come on.
- Well, Sam.
- Hey, Jack!
Stewart, damn it.
Excuse me, ma'am.
We've done this
a thousand times.
I guess we'll do
it a thousand more.
You know I can't give you more
than I offer the Landauer.
How the hell
could I offer you more?
Well, there's been no rain,
and the prices are so
far down this year.
- Well, we did
business last year,
and we'll do it again,
but not this time.
- Hay's sky high.
- Well, we'll
feed 'em through.
- Clyde, this don't
make any sense.
Those people in Omaha
are not gonna let
me give you more
than I give everybody
else in this country.
- Take the three year
olds, that'll help some.
But at two and three
quarter penny a pound.
Well,
I'll not let the
two year olds go.
Ah, prices'll come up,
if there's any justice
in this country.
- You do what ya see fit,
but I wouldn't put
my money on justice.
Well, we'll run those
three year olds in
with the Landauer bunch.
Ah, Miss Stewart,
meetin' you has been
the pleasure of my day.
Jack, see ya!
- Sam.
- See ya later, Clyde.
- All right, in a bit.
- Hey, Jack, how 'bout a game?
- Well, not now, kid.
- Thrashin' at
Needleson's tomorrow.
Loan 'em a team every
year for five years,
and the damn meadow burns up
before they get
here with our team.
- Well, we made her okay.
- Oh, I figure we need
about 70 ton of hay
this winter, minimum.
- Well, we only got 50.
You know, Stewart,
I've seen bad luck follow
its own nose to the grave.
- Is that right?
Why are folks always
afraid to try anything?
Well, old man, how 'bout working
with the yahoos tomorrow?
- We got enough cash
there for 20 ton of hay?
Well, that does put things
in a different light now.
I ain't spendin' the
winter out in the grub line
around here.
Nope.
I got some better things to do.
- What about the colts?
- Don't know, Stewart.
I'll see how things go
down in New Mexico.
Soon as I get my things,
I'll be up after my pay.
Shut your mouth, kid,
before the flies get in.
- I've got to feed the team.
You pay him.
- No.
Clean it up.
- You mind your mother, lassie.
Hah, that's a fine job.
- Jerrine, go to the bedroom,
and stay there until
I say come out.
She's yours, too, you know?
- If you do not mind,
I'll use a strap on her.
- She'll mind.
She's upset about Jack.
- Ellie, listen to me.
There were no wages.
Jack knew that,
that's why he left.
We'll make do.
- Jerrine, give me your hands.
- I feel it.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm okay.
- How 'bout some tea, hmm?
- Okay.
- Mama?
The coop's drifted in.
I can't get to it.
- Eggs must be about frozen.
- It's frozen
solid, the creek is.
- The coop's drifted in.
Jerrine can't get
to the chickens.
- Well there's a
shovel by the door.
- I can't.
- You can try, miss.
Where ya goin'?
- To do what no one else will.
- Stop.
You shut the door, please.
- You sure have your
black boots on today.
She's only seven years old.
- Everyone has to do their part.
- I'm tryin' to sleep.
- So am I.
Why don't ya put Jerrine
in the other bed?
- No.
She got frostbit today.
- Bad?
- What do you care?
It was you sent her out.
- What'd ya say?
- I said she shouldn't
have been outside.
- That's not what ya said.
You want to do it
all yourself, always,
but you won't let her.
- That's not true.
You're takin' this out on us.
The hay's runnin' out,
and there's no help,
I can't help ya.
It was you that
got us into this.
If Jack were still here.
- If Jack were here, it
wouldn't be any better.
You still do not see.
- Oh, I see plenty.
I didn't marry those cattle.
- You got what you wanted.
Now you gotta take
what comes with it.
- Mama?
- Go tell your father I
need Grandma Landauer.
It's okay, go on.
- When
will they be back?
- Don't you worry, honey.
He'll be here with Grandma
Landauer before you know it.
- Oh, Mama, let's sing a song.
- I can't sing to you
right now, Jerrine.
How 'bout we make up a story?
What'll we make believe?
- I don't know.
- Well, come on.
How about
it's summer?
No, it's early spring
and there are some
colts, newborn,
runnin' in that field out there.
And the creeks are runnin'.
Hear 'em?
Listen.
You hear 'em?
And we ride up
into the mountains
and along about sundown
we build us the nicest fire,
and we roast our potatoes.
And then along comes
Old Man Tinker,
and he takes out his fiddle,
and we sit by the fire
and he plays and plays
and plays
and plays.
Clyde!
- She wasn't there.
- Don't talk.
Jerrine, get your
father a cup of coffee.
- Her boy, Deeton, froze up.
She took him to Green River.
- Here, take your son.
Come on, take him.
- Ah, James, you're a healthy
crier in the wilderness.
Easy now.
- You're never gonna
live this down, you know?
Clyde Stewart, who'd know
just what to do with a calf,
can't even spank his own baby.
What're you gonna
do with him now?
- Hey.
He's so tiny.
- Helps him to breathe
to yell right off.
- Don't need help right now.
- Maybe he takes
after his mother.
What was that?
- Just an old horse.
- An old horse?
He's so thin his
bones show through.
How'd he get here, Clyde?
- Probably saw the light,
come lookin' for food.
We've nothin' to spare.
Be better if I shot him.
Don't waste your tears, Ellie.
Your move, Jerrine.
And he walks with me
And he talks with me
And he tells me I am his own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever known
He's been convulsing.
- Well, wrap him up.
How long has he been like this?
- Just after you
left this morning.
Fever took him.
Oh, Clyde, I don't
know what else to do.
- We'll keep him warm.
He'll be all right.
Easy, man.
Hey.
Hey.
- Mama?
Mama?
One, two,
three, four, five,
seven.
- Where's your mother?
- I don't know.
- Ellie!
She's all right, lassie.
- Stewart is out
with the cattle?
Don't know how many
made it through?
No, stay, stay,
I know where the pot is.
In wintertime there's
nothing to do,
just wait.
- You can talk to me.
- I thought I was.
- You know what I mean.
- What the hell you starin' at?
- I came to see Clara Jane.
The baby, did it?
I lost mine in the winter.
- Her name's Clara Rose.
- How you do, Stewart?
- Howdy.
- I think the
weather's breakin' up.
- Yeah.
- How many you got left?
- I won't know til I
get 'em skinned out.
- How are the mares?
- Lost half.
Rest are fit,
but I had to let Bubba go.
- Hey, listen, old man,
you throw in an extra colt,
and we'll call it even
til you can pay me.
- All right.
- All right.
- Look, Mama, it's Jack.
Hi, Jack!
- Well, how ya been, kid?
- Just fine, we
got some new colts.
- Yeah?
- Come on, let's go see 'em.
- Welcome back.
- Got an extra
place at the table?
- Come on, Jack, come on.
- How are those babies?
- Oh, they're doin'
just fine, they're pretty.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
- What do ya have?
- Well,
there's different kinds.
- Yeah?
- Bless us, oh Lord,
and these thy gifts, which
we are about to receive
through thy bounty.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
I can't stand that bawling.
- Did you meet a lot
of cowboys down there?
- Ah, you bet, sister.
Some of them old boys down
there are pretty good.
- Did you see a lot of rodeos?
- Well, I, I did see a fellow
who could rope a
longhorn with one hand
and a Brahma with the other.
- Did you ride Diamond, Jack?
- Hush, Jerrine, let
the man eat his dinner.
- Well, I'll tell ya, Jerrine,
that horse don't ever
want to see me again.
Oh, I'm , I'm thinkin'
of quittin' them broncs
before I get myself
all ruptured again.
- What's ruptured?
- Be quiet, Jerrine, now.
- Rodeos are for fools
who don't give damn
about their animals.
- For Heaven sakes, did you
have to bring 'em down here?
- The came here on their own
lookin' for food.
- There's none here.
- You tell me
somethin' I don't know.
What am I to do about it?
- I figure they're
about half gone.
The grass is comin' green,
and as long as
they're on their feet
they'll make it.
- Half gone?
- Yeah.
Well,
I guess a man blame himself.
- Clyde, I'm sorry.
It's not your fault.
We'll just start over again.
Borrow.
- There's an end to borrowing.
- It can't be as
bad as you think.
- How bad do you think it is?
- I don't know,
you never told me.
- Well, I'll tell ya.
The truth is there's 18 heifers,
and 22 steers left.
The place is lost.
- I'll sell my place
to Grandma Landauer.
- You don't own the place yet,
and she ain't got the money.
- We still have the colts.
We sell what's
left of the stock.
We'll start over.
Clyde,
Clyde, I'm your wife.
- It'd be better for
ya if you weren't.
- But I am,
and I'm stayin' here.
I have a child
buried in this land.
- I've got everything
buried here.
My cows, my mother cows,
they're mostly dead
there, there, there.
10 years of buildin',
it's gone.
- At least we have the chickens.
13 of 'em layin'.
- 14, you should know that.
Ellie, Ellie are ya awake?
- Yes, Clyde, what is it?
- Ellie, I need your
help in the barn right away.
It's the heifer.
Can ya come right now?
- Yes, I'll be right there.
- Hang the lantern over there,
and come over here next to me.
See, it's upside down.
She's been at it
since she went to bed.
Ah, if I can get the
feet, but I can't.
Now come over easy over here.
Now put your arm right,
uh, here, I'll get the tail.
Ho, easy now.
See, ah, ya feel it now?
Okay, ah, you feel now,
now ya can feel the hooves.
Right?
- Ah, yeah.
- Good.
Try to put this
around the hooves.
I think I got one.
Now let's see if I
can get the other.
Okay.
Here, we'll pull.
- Yes, okay.
Come on, honey, come on.
Come on, that's a girl.
Okay.
Come on, push, that's it.
Ah, it's comin'.
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on,
open your mouth and breathe.
Come on, open that
mouth and breathe.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on,
you can do it, that's it!
Come on.
Come on, baby.
Come on.
- Ah, okay.
River Junction.
Green River Junction.
- Mr. Stewart?
Yes, hello, this is Jerrine.
- Hi.
- You take this list
to the mercantile.
We need, uh, 200
pounds of flour,
and the rest you can
read for yourself.
Tell him to put it on my bill.
I'll be back in half an hour.
- Whoa.
Little lady,
come on.
And Jack, this is Mrs. Randall.
- How you do, ma'am?
- Pleased to meet you.
- Bit of
trouble with the heifers?
- Missin' four is all.
I corralled the rest
up on the bench.
- Good.
- The north
fence is down.
- Yeah, I'll get to it tomorrow.
This'll be yours then.
The only stove's out there,
you'll be wantin'
to warm yourself.
- What'd
you hear in town?
- Old
Fraser's sellin' out.
Could've made it if he'd got rid
of the damn longhorns.
- That man'll
never figure out nothin'.
Who's buyin'?
- Didn't say.
See to the wagon, will you?
- Uh, sure, man.
- All the thing you've
got to do with's in here,
uh, flour, sugar, jerk.
The root cellar's out there.
You can take a look tomorrow.
It's been empty for
some time though.
You milk, Mrs. Randall?
- Yes, sir.
- Ah, butter'll be
a good thing again.
Jack and me for meals,
uh, you said you'd cooked
for railroad crews,
so, uh, the hayin' and brandin'
won't give ya much trouble.
- No, sir.
- For a washin',
the tub's in the storeroom.
As soon as the weather eases up,
you'll want to get
a garden started up.
I think we have some seeds left.
- Mr. Stewart,
in your letter you said
seven dollars a week.
In Denver, I got $1.80
a day just for washing.
- Well, I don't
guess Burnt Fork's
quite caught up to Denver.
I'll show you the chickens
and pigs tomorrow.
- I've always had my Sundays
free after breakfast.
- All right.
- Will that be all?
Good night, Mr. Stewart.
It's not ready yet, Mr. Stewart.
- Easy, easy now.
Hey, Bubba, easy now.
Easy.
Hey, easy, easy, boy.
That's it.
Easy.
Come on, boy.
Easy.
Hey, hey, hold it, hey!
Now, easy, easy, easy, easy.
Whoa.
Hold it, hold it.
Whoa.
- Goddamn kid in a cow cat.
- I've never seen the like.
- He don't scare me.
- Somethings are
sensible to be scared of.
He don't scare ya, I will.
You stay clear, you hear me?
Come on.
Easy, babe.
Okay now
just squeeze at the top
and then all the way down.
That's it, and then
pull, that's it.
That's a girl.
That's good.
Not too hard, just start
at the top and pull, good.
See?
That's it.
This can be your job.
Giddy-up!
Come on!
Come on, move over.
Whoa!
Hello.
- Hello.
Where's the Stewart?
- He's not here right now.
I'm Elinore Randall.
This is my daughter, Jerrine.
- I know who you are.
They call me Grandma Landauer,
'cause I have delivered so
many babies in this valley.
- I'm pleased to meet ya.
I was beginning to believe
I was the only woman
in this country.
- Well you are not.
My ranch is 10
miles north of here,
lots of cows, more than Stewart.
- Oh.
Coffee?
- Yeah, please.
- Do you take cream?
- Yeah.
I, uh, I come for Jack.
My cowboys always run out on me
when I need them.
We here you was coming, uh,
a long time now.
- The cups are in here now.
Come,
sit down.
- He bought this churner
for Annette, poor thing.
She died three years back now.
- Well, Jerrine and
I've put it to good use.
How long have you
lived in this country?
- Wyoming, oh,
since I was a young girl.
Working all the time.
- It does seem to
follow you around,
wherever you go.
- I've had my hands full,
since my Benny's
gone to his maker.
I do everything now.
Of course, you
know I always did.
You like cows?
I do.
- Cows?
Only about three I ever liked.
We've been churning butter
here til it come out our ears.
You don't anybody nearby
who'd like to buy it?
- Butter?
Most folks do it for
themselves out here.
- Well, how 'bout
you then, Grandma?
- I can see you'll do okay.
Why not?
I'll buy your butter.
Gonna get rich?
- Not on butter and spuds.
- Not working for the Stewart.
He's as stingy as my old hen.
- But at least you
can cook your old hen.
I do have quite a garden though.
- That's interesting.
- Lots of spuds,
beans, corn, cabbage.
- Well, Grandma.
- You come to my place now.
The same as Thursday.
He's agreed to it.
- Oh, hell yes,
I'll look after the heifers,
but none of that laying
around the saloons
like last July, you hear?
- Who me?
Those old mares'll
be on their way home
before the sale is finished.
Won't they, Grandma?
- Don't you Grandma me,
or I'll beat you with a whip.
Four days.
- Yep, four days.
Good, Grandma?
- Good.
- Boy that's hot.
- Clint, get the
gate, come on, mate.
- Ho!
- Ho!
- Ho!
- Ho!
- Ho, you send them
cows right back here.
- Ho!
- That's good, see how you
scared that one over there?
- Ho!
Mama, Dan and Rawhide
need some water.
Can I take it to 'em, huh?
- They do, huh?
Well what about Jack?
Doesn't he need any water today?
- Yeah, he needs some too.
- Well, you
did all right, Mrs. Randall.
- Thank you.
- Come
on, let's turn 'em out.
- I can't talk to that man.
- You'd better
learn before winter.
- Did you ever rope
with them, and all that?
- Well, sure, why not?
When I was younger.
- You, you want to rope?
- Well, not today.
I've done all kinds of
farm work all my life,
but nothin' like this.
- Now this is not farming.
This is ranching.
- Is that all they do up here,
run cattle?
- All it's good
for, that and sheep.
Thank God not so many sheep.
- I didn't pass one
place on the way up here.
You'd think there'd
be homesteads
with all this.
- Homesteads?
Seven feet of snow up
here in the winter.
Maybe snow tomorrow.
- So a person couldn't
make it up here?
Not even in the summer?
- How long did you
tell the Stewart
you'll work for him?
- Grandma, I'm no piker.
I wouldn't run out on him.
It's just that,
all my life I've been
workin' for somebody else.
- Ah, you and me, we
got to look out for ourselves.
Did he tell you there's
a place next door to him?
- No.
- 240 acres, he
can't file on it.
He got all the
land he can claim.
Folks have been
out looking at it.
Got old Stewart worried.
- Oh, but I like this place,
here, right here.
- Listen to me, young woman.
Don't get any ideas
about living up here.
My Benny, he froze
to death one winter
up here.
You don't play
with these winters.
- Oh, Grandma, I--
- Oh, there's
nothing to be done.
- Mama, Mama!
- Come here.
- Jerrine, come help
me with this colt.
Come on.
Come on.
See if you can pet his nose.
Come on, go ahead.
Stay on the left here.
Keep her right next to me.
Here we go.
Come on, come on,
here, just over the side.
- I'll take a little
of that water.
Ooh.
- Ugh.
- Better than city
life, huh, huh?
- Oh!
- Give us some more.
Ah!
- I'll give you some more.
- Our
Father who art in Heaven,
hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day,
our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who
trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, glory
forever and ever.
Amen.
- All right.
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still
On the roses
And the voice I hear
Whispering in my ear
The Son of God
Discloses
And he walks with me
And he talks with me
And he tells me
I am his own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever
Known
- Look, Mama, a shoe.
- Put that back.
- I wanna keep it.
- Put it back, Jerrine,
it's not a toy.
Let's go.
Hello?
Hello, anybody home?
Are you all right?
Jerrine, go outside and play.
Go on.
- Well, hello there!
- Hey!
- Mornin', how are you today?
- Have you seen my
housekeeper, Mrs. Randall?
Ridin' my bay mare,
had a little girl with her.
- Yeah, she stopped
here yesterday.
I was a workin' in here.
Why, she was askin'
and inquirin' about
land and water
and everything and,
so I sent her up Great
Creek Valley way.
Thought that was the best.
- Whoa.
Hee.
- How'd you find us?
- Took half the night,
far enough for a Sunday ride.
Hee-ya!
Folks don't like newcomers
nosin' around out here.
- We weren't nosing
around, Mr. Stewart.
She needed help.
I apologize about the horse.
- Yah, that's not what I mean.
Did you see a lot of country?
- It's so big.
I'm not used to so much.
Mr. Stewart,
I'd like to have word with you.
- I hired a housekeeper.
I hired you to come out here
and take care of my place,
not get your own.
- I don't think you have any
complaints about my work.
- Oh, well your work,
just so we agree,
I paid your way out here,
I expect you to take care
of my house for one year,
that includes the kitchen
and garden and everything.
- Yes, sir.
Ah, come on, Bill.
- Have you ever
filed the forms in large today?
- Your name, please.
- Gene Collin, I'm from
Floyd County, Kentucky.
- Gene Collin.
- Are you a US citizen?
- Yes, I am.
- Next, please.
- You ever filed before
under the large Homestead Act?
- No.
- Where do
you want to file?
- Moose Creek.
- Next.
- Next.
The name, please.
- Elinore Pruitt Randall.
- Marital status?
- Widow.
- And where would
you like to file?
- Birch Creek,
next to Clyde Stewart's.
That's two miles
north of Burnt Fork.
It's not taken, is it?
- I don't know.
Uh, no,
you have to live on it
10 years, not just visit.
That'll be $12, please.
- Okay.
- Next.
Name, please.
A cowpoke were riding along
His hat was thrown back
And his spurs was a jinglin'
- I don't know the rest.
- Well.
As he was ridin'
he was singin' a song
Hey, diddle
- That's pretty good.
- Okay.
- When can we go see it?
- Ssh, don't say nothing.
Okay?
- Here.
Ah, that's a granny.
This ties a square.
Ah?
- Jerrine,
time to go to bed now.
- How much did they
charge ya for the spuds?
- 2.60 for a 100 pounds.
How's that?
- I don't know.
Saunder's fair.
- I just hope they bring
a profit this fall.
- I wouldn't count
on it the first year.
- Mr. Stewart, I didn't
have much choice.
- About what, Mrs. Randall?
- Homesteading the
place next door.
I had that piece for 12 years.
- Well, we're neighbors now.
And I'd like to make
it clear right off
that I'm open to working
on a fair arrangement.
I'm gonna need to
borrow some money
for seed and potatoes.
I thought you could
just hold my wages
til I caught up.
And I'm gonna need
a shack built.
And if you build me one,
I'll exchange it for the
hay and for the grazing.
- Well, I do not
make business deals
when I can't see a profit.
That beat all burnin' the wood
this late in the season.
I hope you like choppin'
wood, Mrs. Randall,
otherwise, what
are you gonna swap
for eight cords each winter?
- Well, I'll just have
to worry about that
when winter gets here.
You know, you haven't
lost your housekeeper.
- Well, you can always quit.
- Are you firing me?
- No.
How many hens are
layin' right now?
- I don't know.
- 17, you should know that.
I own 113 mother cows,
branded 91 calves.
I kept eight
replacement heifers.
We got 46 two-year-old steers,
11 three-year-olds,
oh, and a stud,
and Jack and me are
partners on the mares.
Now, do you know what that means
all together, Mrs. Randall?
That means that I get
a very small livin'
out of this place,
and your wages will
never get ya started,
not even started.
You would be an old woman,
and your daughter grown,
before ya approached the
poorest sort of sufficiency.
Where will ya get the water?
There's no well.
Will ya carry it from the creek?
- I'll do what I have to do.
I mean, at least you
haven't lost your land.
- Have I lost the land?
No, not if your name be Stewart.
Find me a 16 penny whip.
Since when don't
ya know a 16 penny?
Well, hell, haul the damn board,
I'll get the nail.
- No, I got it.
I don't know why you're
in such a flyin' hurry.
She don't care if it's
done today or tomorrow.
- A wedding present's
a wedding present.
Anyway, she's payin' me for it.
- I wouldn't give my horse
a homestead shack for
a wedding present.
- That's because you
haven't got a horse
worth speakin' of.
- Hand me the ribbon.
- Ouch, you're hurting me.
- Well, Jerrine, if
you would stand still.
Okay.
Stay clean.
Jerrine, Jerrine,
stay out of the food.
Okay, take the quilts out
and put them on the table.
- Well, uh, lady, if
you won't be needin' me,
I'll be back tomorrow.
- You won't be staying?
- Well,
I never did care
much for weddings.
- Well, I never did care
much for 'em myself,
but they're a sight
better than funerals.
- Yeah.
- Hello there.
- Hi.
- Oh, you pretty
little thing you.
- Oh, I thought maybe
I should put that
one right over there.
- It'll have to do.
- Now, you come now.
They are all waiting for you.
- I burned the pies.
- Ah, forget the pies.
They are all waiting outside.
- Wait, Grandma,
Grandma, I can't do it.
- Oh, now you did it
once, you can do it again.
Now, come on.
- Mama!
- This
is such a thrill.
- Mrs. Randall?
Mrs. Randall,
you'd better come over
here and stand by me.
- Friends, we are
gathered here today
to join in matrimony
this man and this woman.
Clyde, will you have this woman
to be your lawful wedded wife,
and with her to live together
in holy matrimony?
- I will.
- Elinore,
will you have this man
to be your lawful
wedded husband,
and with him to live together
in sickness and in health,
and forsaking all others,
keep you only unto him
as long as you both shall live?
- I will.
- May I have the ring, please?
Will you please place
the ring on her finger
and repeat after me?
With this ring, I thee wed.
- With this ring, I thee wed.
- And with
my worldly goods,
I thee endow.
- And with my worldly
goods, I thee endow.
- Now by the virtue
of the authority
vested in me as
Justice of the Peace
for the state of Wyoming,
I now pronounce
you man and wife.
- All right,
thank ya, thank ya,
thank ya, thank ya.
- I got married in my
apron and my work boots.
- Hey, Sam!
- How are ya?
- Real fancy!
- Yeah, it's not even
good enough to suit me.
- Hi.
- Well, where's the new wife?
- Ah, you'll be seein' her soon.
- Ah, that serious, huh?
Well, if I'm not too pretty,
you can introduce me.
- I won't
worry about the pretty.
Come on.
- Well, Sam.
- Hey, Jack!
Stewart, damn it.
Excuse me, ma'am.
We've done this
a thousand times.
I guess we'll do
it a thousand more.
You know I can't give you more
than I offer the Landauer.
How the hell
could I offer you more?
Well, there's been no rain,
and the prices are so
far down this year.
- Well, we did
business last year,
and we'll do it again,
but not this time.
- Hay's sky high.
- Well, we'll
feed 'em through.
- Clyde, this don't
make any sense.
Those people in Omaha
are not gonna let
me give you more
than I give everybody
else in this country.
- Take the three year
olds, that'll help some.
But at two and three
quarter penny a pound.
Well,
I'll not let the
two year olds go.
Ah, prices'll come up,
if there's any justice
in this country.
- You do what ya see fit,
but I wouldn't put
my money on justice.
Well, we'll run those
three year olds in
with the Landauer bunch.
Ah, Miss Stewart,
meetin' you has been
the pleasure of my day.
Jack, see ya!
- Sam.
- See ya later, Clyde.
- All right, in a bit.
- Hey, Jack, how 'bout a game?
- Well, not now, kid.
- Thrashin' at
Needleson's tomorrow.
Loan 'em a team every
year for five years,
and the damn meadow burns up
before they get
here with our team.
- Well, we made her okay.
- Oh, I figure we need
about 70 ton of hay
this winter, minimum.
- Well, we only got 50.
You know, Stewart,
I've seen bad luck follow
its own nose to the grave.
- Is that right?
Why are folks always
afraid to try anything?
Well, old man, how 'bout working
with the yahoos tomorrow?
- We got enough cash
there for 20 ton of hay?
Well, that does put things
in a different light now.
I ain't spendin' the
winter out in the grub line
around here.
Nope.
I got some better things to do.
- What about the colts?
- Don't know, Stewart.
I'll see how things go
down in New Mexico.
Soon as I get my things,
I'll be up after my pay.
Shut your mouth, kid,
before the flies get in.
- I've got to feed the team.
You pay him.
- No.
Clean it up.
- You mind your mother, lassie.
Hah, that's a fine job.
- Jerrine, go to the bedroom,
and stay there until
I say come out.
She's yours, too, you know?
- If you do not mind,
I'll use a strap on her.
- She'll mind.
She's upset about Jack.
- Ellie, listen to me.
There were no wages.
Jack knew that,
that's why he left.
We'll make do.
- Jerrine, give me your hands.
- I feel it.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm okay.
- How 'bout some tea, hmm?
- Okay.
- Mama?
The coop's drifted in.
I can't get to it.
- Eggs must be about frozen.
- It's frozen
solid, the creek is.
- The coop's drifted in.
Jerrine can't get
to the chickens.
- Well there's a
shovel by the door.
- I can't.
- You can try, miss.
Where ya goin'?
- To do what no one else will.
- Stop.
You shut the door, please.
- You sure have your
black boots on today.
She's only seven years old.
- Everyone has to do their part.
- I'm tryin' to sleep.
- So am I.
Why don't ya put Jerrine
in the other bed?
- No.
She got frostbit today.
- Bad?
- What do you care?
It was you sent her out.
- What'd ya say?
- I said she shouldn't
have been outside.
- That's not what ya said.
You want to do it
all yourself, always,
but you won't let her.
- That's not true.
You're takin' this out on us.
The hay's runnin' out,
and there's no help,
I can't help ya.
It was you that
got us into this.
If Jack were still here.
- If Jack were here, it
wouldn't be any better.
You still do not see.
- Oh, I see plenty.
I didn't marry those cattle.
- You got what you wanted.
Now you gotta take
what comes with it.
- Mama?
- Go tell your father I
need Grandma Landauer.
It's okay, go on.
- When
will they be back?
- Don't you worry, honey.
He'll be here with Grandma
Landauer before you know it.
- Oh, Mama, let's sing a song.
- I can't sing to you
right now, Jerrine.
How 'bout we make up a story?
What'll we make believe?
- I don't know.
- Well, come on.
How about
it's summer?
No, it's early spring
and there are some
colts, newborn,
runnin' in that field out there.
And the creeks are runnin'.
Hear 'em?
Listen.
You hear 'em?
And we ride up
into the mountains
and along about sundown
we build us the nicest fire,
and we roast our potatoes.
And then along comes
Old Man Tinker,
and he takes out his fiddle,
and we sit by the fire
and he plays and plays
and plays
and plays.
Clyde!
- She wasn't there.
- Don't talk.
Jerrine, get your
father a cup of coffee.
- Her boy, Deeton, froze up.
She took him to Green River.
- Here, take your son.
Come on, take him.
- Ah, James, you're a healthy
crier in the wilderness.
Easy now.
- You're never gonna
live this down, you know?
Clyde Stewart, who'd know
just what to do with a calf,
can't even spank his own baby.
What're you gonna
do with him now?
- Hey.
He's so tiny.
- Helps him to breathe
to yell right off.
- Don't need help right now.
- Maybe he takes
after his mother.
What was that?
- Just an old horse.
- An old horse?
He's so thin his
bones show through.
How'd he get here, Clyde?
- Probably saw the light,
come lookin' for food.
We've nothin' to spare.
Be better if I shot him.
Don't waste your tears, Ellie.
Your move, Jerrine.
And he walks with me
And he talks with me
And he tells me I am his own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever known
He's been convulsing.
- Well, wrap him up.
How long has he been like this?
- Just after you
left this morning.
Fever took him.
Oh, Clyde, I don't
know what else to do.
- We'll keep him warm.
He'll be all right.
Easy, man.
Hey.
Hey.
- Mama?
Mama?
One, two,
three, four, five,
seven.
- Where's your mother?
- I don't know.
- Ellie!
She's all right, lassie.
- Stewart is out
with the cattle?
Don't know how many
made it through?
No, stay, stay,
I know where the pot is.
In wintertime there's
nothing to do,
just wait.
- You can talk to me.
- I thought I was.
- You know what I mean.
- What the hell you starin' at?
- I came to see Clara Jane.
The baby, did it?
I lost mine in the winter.
- Her name's Clara Rose.
- How you do, Stewart?
- Howdy.
- I think the
weather's breakin' up.
- Yeah.
- How many you got left?
- I won't know til I
get 'em skinned out.
- How are the mares?
- Lost half.
Rest are fit,
but I had to let Bubba go.
- Hey, listen, old man,
you throw in an extra colt,
and we'll call it even
til you can pay me.
- All right.
- All right.
- Look, Mama, it's Jack.
Hi, Jack!
- Well, how ya been, kid?
- Just fine, we
got some new colts.
- Yeah?
- Come on, let's go see 'em.
- Welcome back.
- Got an extra
place at the table?
- Come on, Jack, come on.
- How are those babies?
- Oh, they're doin'
just fine, they're pretty.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
- What do ya have?
- Well,
there's different kinds.
- Yeah?
- Bless us, oh Lord,
and these thy gifts, which
we are about to receive
through thy bounty.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
I can't stand that bawling.
- Did you meet a lot
of cowboys down there?
- Ah, you bet, sister.
Some of them old boys down
there are pretty good.
- Did you see a lot of rodeos?
- Well, I, I did see a fellow
who could rope a
longhorn with one hand
and a Brahma with the other.
- Did you ride Diamond, Jack?
- Hush, Jerrine, let
the man eat his dinner.
- Well, I'll tell ya, Jerrine,
that horse don't ever
want to see me again.
Oh, I'm , I'm thinkin'
of quittin' them broncs
before I get myself
all ruptured again.
- What's ruptured?
- Be quiet, Jerrine, now.
- Rodeos are for fools
who don't give damn
about their animals.
- For Heaven sakes, did you
have to bring 'em down here?
- The came here on their own
lookin' for food.
- There's none here.
- You tell me
somethin' I don't know.
What am I to do about it?
- I figure they're
about half gone.
The grass is comin' green,
and as long as
they're on their feet
they'll make it.
- Half gone?
- Yeah.
Well,
I guess a man blame himself.
- Clyde, I'm sorry.
It's not your fault.
We'll just start over again.
Borrow.
- There's an end to borrowing.
- It can't be as
bad as you think.
- How bad do you think it is?
- I don't know,
you never told me.
- Well, I'll tell ya.
The truth is there's 18 heifers,
and 22 steers left.
The place is lost.
- I'll sell my place
to Grandma Landauer.
- You don't own the place yet,
and she ain't got the money.
- We still have the colts.
We sell what's
left of the stock.
We'll start over.
Clyde,
Clyde, I'm your wife.
- It'd be better for
ya if you weren't.
- But I am,
and I'm stayin' here.
I have a child
buried in this land.
- I've got everything
buried here.
My cows, my mother cows,
they're mostly dead
there, there, there.
10 years of buildin',
it's gone.
- At least we have the chickens.
13 of 'em layin'.
- 14, you should know that.
Ellie, Ellie are ya awake?
- Yes, Clyde, what is it?
- Ellie, I need your
help in the barn right away.
It's the heifer.
Can ya come right now?
- Yes, I'll be right there.
- Hang the lantern over there,
and come over here next to me.
See, it's upside down.
She's been at it
since she went to bed.
Ah, if I can get the
feet, but I can't.
Now come over easy over here.
Now put your arm right,
uh, here, I'll get the tail.
Ho, easy now.
See, ah, ya feel it now?
Okay, ah, you feel now,
now ya can feel the hooves.
Right?
- Ah, yeah.
- Good.
Try to put this
around the hooves.
I think I got one.
Now let's see if I
can get the other.
Okay.
Here, we'll pull.
- Yes, okay.
Come on, honey, come on.
Come on, that's a girl.
Okay.
Come on, push, that's it.
Ah, it's comin'.
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on,
open your mouth and breathe.
Come on, open that
mouth and breathe.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on,
you can do it, that's it!
Come on.
Come on, baby.
Come on.
- Ah, okay.