Lilies of the Field (1963) Movie Script
My car's thirsty.
Can I please have some water?
God is good.
He has sent me a big, strong man.
He didn't say anything to me about it.
I was just passing.
But you did not pass.
That is your... your car?
That's my home.
You fix und dann habe ich...
I have something you do.
I thank you very kindly, ma'am, but
I got places to go. Thanks for the water.
If it's for hire,
you got yourself one man for one day.
- Hire?
- You want me to work for you?
For hire means for money. I could build
a better fence than your girls.
Schwester Gertrude. Schwester Albertine.
Schwester Elizabeth. Schwester Agnes.
I am Mother Maria.
Pleased to meet you all. You've got a nice
family, ma'am. My name is Homer Smith.
- Homer...?
- Homer Schmidt.
Oh, Schmidt!
Herr Schmidt, no fence.
We do that ourselves.
Up there. The roof.
- You fix?
- It couldn't be leaking on a day like this.
- Roof only leaks when it rains.
- Was?
I'm only kidding. I'll fix it good.
- You use this.
- No, thanks. I've got my own.
(exclaim in German)
Can't do good work without good tools
and if you hire me, you get good work.
Hire.
Schwester, das Bett in die Scheune.
- What's that?
- The bed you sleep.
- No. I got my own arrangements.
- You sleep in here?
Schwester, tragen Sie die Sachen zurck
ins Haus. Schmidt schlft in seinem Auto.
No, no, you got it just a little bit wrong.
The job is finished,
so you pay me and I take off.
- Take off?
- Thatta way.
You have such a hurry?
I'm hungry. I figured I'd find me a chilli
wagon and log another hundred miles.
We were not put on the earth
to hurry, Schmidt.
For supper, I ring the bell.
Schmidt!
Jesu Christ, sei unser Gast und segne,
was du bescheret hast.
Amen.
Himmlischer Vater...
Mge das Essen, das du uns gibst,
Homer Schmidt stark machen,
damit er deinen Willen erfllen kann.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Himmlischer Vater,
wir danken dir fr deinen Segen.
- Amen.
- Amen.
- You folks really eating off the land.
- Was?
Er sagt, wir leben
von den Frchten des Landes.
Oh, ja! Ja!
God sets a mighty poor table.
Soon we will have vegetables too.
And sometimes chicken.
- Well...
- You smoke?
- Yes, ma'am.
- You smoke is all right.
- I think I'd better be rolling.
- Do not make hurry.
We are from Germany,
from Austria and from Hungary.
We learn English.
Bitte senden Sie
den Diener auf mein Zimmer.
Please send the valet up to my room.
Please send the valet
up to my room.
Hier ist meine Wscheliste.
Here is my laundry list.
Here is my laundry list.
Fnf Paar Socken.
Five pairs of socks.
Five pairs of socks.
Zwei Nachtkleider.
Two pyjamas.
Two pyjamas!
- Pyjamas!
- Hold it.
I could speak English for you.
Warten Sie, Schwester.
Schmidt wird mit uns Englisch sprechen.
Oh, ja!
Sure. Anything you want to know,
just name it.
Fragen Sie ihn, was Sie wissen wollen.
What is name this?
- Phonograph.
- Phonograph.
Grammophon. Phonograph!
- Record.
- Record!
Phonograph record.
Phonograph record!
Phonograph record is black.
Phonograph record is black?
Black?
- Stove.
- Stove!
Stove is black.
Stove is black.
- My skin is black.
- My skin is black.
No. Her skin is white.
- My skin is black.
- White?
Wei. White is Wei.
Black is Schwarz!
Black is Schwarz.
No, we'd better get a... Watch me.
- Watch me!
- No watch. No watch. Sshh.
I stand up.
I stand up.
I stand up!
I sit down.
I sit down.
- I stands up, ya'll.
- I stands up, y'all!
We gotta get organised.
Everybody sit down.
Everybody sit down.
Everybody sit down.
Ah! Everybody sit down.
- You stand up!
- You stand up!
- You stand up.
- You sit down.
- You sit down.
- You sit down.
- We all stand up.
- We all stand up.
We all sit down!
We all sit down!
Please send a valet up to my room.
- Good night!
- Good n... Good night?
Good morning. Good morning!
Nein, nein. Guten Morgen.
Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen wollen. Ja?
Good night.
- You can turn around now.
- You sleep, sleep!
Sie... Sie Faulpelz Sie!
Wissen Sie, wie spt es ist?
Die anderen arbeiten schon seit Stunden
und Sie liegen da und schlafen!
Jetzt tummeln Sie sich aber
und machen schnell!
You hold on one minute.
You just hold on one minute.
I ain't no nun.
I'm nobody you can boss around. See?
I get up when I feel like getting up
and if I don't wanna work, I don't.
Now if you just pay me, I'll be gone.
You go? No. You go eat now.
- I'll get my own chow.
- Eat!
What are you doing in here?
How come she ain't got you
digging ditches and chopping wood
and moving mountains?
Please... you slow talk?
I'm sorry.
That old lady has got a mean streak.
People have got to sleep. People
have got to have some joy in living.
People gotta...
eat.
That's a Catholic breakfast.
One egg.
That old lady don't hand out grub like
she hands out orders. Can I have coffee?
Coffee? Nein.
Ve no coffee.
- Schmidt.
- Mama.
We ought to get this straightened out.
I'll deduct for the dinner...
- And what you call breakfast.
- Come! Follow me.
- We build a shapel.
- It's very nice. What's a "shapel"?
Eine kleine Kirche. A cha... pel.
- Ve build a chapel right here.
- Who's "ve"?
You.
- Lots of luck. I ain't building no "shapel".
- Ja, you.
Not only am I ain't building no "shapel",
I'm taking off! I ain't no contractor.
- That is for the beginning.
- No.
- I don't need all that work. No.
- No? All right.
- All right.
- We build it. We women.
- You do that little thing.
- We will. It's God's will.
Boy. Look, I'm checking out.
All right. I'll clean out some of that stuff.
I don't want those girls
to break their backs.
Just to work off that tremendous breakfast
you fed me this morning.
- Let's settle up.
- Ja, sind Sie denn nicht zufrieden?
Wenn wir das gewusst htten, htten wir
Ihnen das Frhstck ans Bett gebracht.
I hope you're not talking mean to me.
You wanted your breakfast in bed?
You talk like American millionaire!
- Yeah. That's me. A millionaire.
- Ja!
Wall Street!
"Us women, ve will build a chapel!"
Schmidt!
Schmidt!
Old Mother gonna feed the slave?
Jesu Christ, sei unser Gast...
...bescheret hast.
- Amen.
- Amen.
I milked the cow yesterday.
I milk the cow today.
I milk the cow tomorrow.
Very good. Very good.
- Very good, Schwester Elizabeth.
- Danke schn.
"Thank you." Thank you.
Danke schn. Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Beautiful.
Now you try it, Mama. "Thank you."
It's time.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night, Sister Elizabeth.
- Good night.
Good night, Sister Albertine.
Sister Agnes, you be up early.
You've got to milk that poor old cow.
I milk the poor old cow.
You like to make jokes, Schmidt?
This isn't exactly a joke.
Now I sit down.
I give you a bill.
You pay me for my services.
I've put in two good days here, Mother.
I'm for hire, remember? Hire.
I speak English not so good.
You want to take advantage
of a poor country boy like me?
OK.
OK. We'll play it your way.
Book of Luke, chapter ten, verse seven.
Your Bible is all in German.
I'll read it to you in English.
"And in the same house remain, eating
and drinking such things as they give,
for the labourer is worthy of his hire."
That's not exactly what I had in mind
but you get the idea.
What you got there? Proverbs 14.
"Cast in thy lot amongst us,
let us all have one purse... "
I am a poor man! I've got to work
for wages. I can't work for...
Matthew... chapter six.
Acht und zwanzig...
Two-eight-two-nine.
Matthew, chapter six, 28-29.
Schmidt, read it in English.
"Why take thee thought for raiment?"
"Consider the lilies of the field
and how they grow."
"They toil not, neither do they spin,
yet I say unto you,
not even Solomon in all his glories
was arrayed as one of these."
Consider the lilies.
- What's that?
- You go to bed.
Tomorrow Sunday is.
The mass in town is nine by the clock.
- I'm a Baptist. I don't go to mass.
- We go.
- How'd you get there before?
- We walk every Sunday. Now we got you.
Now dammit! You ain't got me!
- Good night, Schmidt.
- Get that straight!
- Schlafen Sie wohl.
- And cut that out.
Bless you, Schmidt.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
Morning.
- No breakfast?
- Never before mass.
Oh.
You guys look nice - lean, but nice.
- Where's it at?
- Was, Schmidt?
The church.
- Yeah, but where's it at?
- Er will wissen, wo die Kirche ist.
- That's not fair.
- Over there, Schmidt.
- Now come.
- No.
I'm gonna wait in here for you.
- Are you the man?
- I am the man.
- Can I get me some breakfast?
- Name it.
- A real breakfast?
- Whatever you say.
Double OJ and squeeze it fresh.
So?
A stack of wheatcakes with lots
of melted butter... maple syrup.
And fry me three, four, five eggs
with a mess of sausages
and a mountain of white toast
with strawberry marmalade
and... keep the coffee coming.
- No beans?
- You got beans?
- The most, seor.
- Them too.
You take milk?
- I said fresh.
- I squeezed it myself this morning.
OK.
Very nice.
Very nice. Now...
melt some cheese over those beans.
- What's the matter you're not in church?
- I'm a Baptist.
- Why are you working for the sisters?
- I work for myself.
- How come you're not in church?
- I got a business.
- But you're a Catholic.
- No! I was born one, but...
- Father Murphy...
- What's the matter with him?
- He drinks.
- He's a priest.
- He's Irish.
- Oh.
Holy, holy, holy, hm?
You pray hard enough and your stomach
doesn't feel empty any more.
Praying does not pay the rent
and praying does not fill up the gas.
God ain't gonna get behind
this counter and sling hash.
Me? I gotta fill my wallet.
- Hey.
- What?
- They pay you?
- Sure.
I just wondered.
I heard they don't have a cent.
Not a cent.
Crazy trying to farm that land.
They aren't mean enough.
That old Mother, she'll do.
Oh-h-h!
Old Gus Ritter -
he used to own the place.
He could grow potatoes on bare rock.
He left the place
to this religious order in Germany.
East Germany. The sisters
came over the Wall. They tell you that?
- No. Like in Berlin?
- S.
Over the Wall, across the ocean,
across the country to what? This.
- They can't even talk the language.
- I've been straightening them out.
- Yeah?
- Sho'nuff!
Hey, listen. You ain't
gonna hang around with the sisters?
- Nah. I'm just passing through.
- That's right!
The sisters ask you something,
you tell them no. Keep right on going.
- That pie there?
- Sure.
- The whole one. Can I have it?
- It's gonna cost you.
Wrap it. I'm a millionaire.
From Wall Street.
- My name is Homer Smith.
- Juan Aquilito.
Schmidt!
Schmidt!
- Schmidt!
- Looks like you're being paged.
Das ist Schmidt.
Schmidt, Father Murphy.
Father Murphy will talk with you.
Pleased to meet you.
Cuidado con los velos. Deprisa.
Can we get out of this heat?
I didn't know Catholics
had outdoor meetings.
I got five other country clubs like this.
I cover about 400 miles a week.
Welcome to the poor man's Vatican.
Oh.
Mother Superior tells me
she believes God sent you to her.
No. I don't think he sent
a black Baptist to a Catholic nun!
That's what she tells me.
She also says
you're gonna build her a chapel.
She asked me.
But you know how it is.
I got other fish to fry.
She believes there was a need
and she put her trust in prayer.
When I was ordained, how I prayed.
How I prayed for a call to a great majestic
cathedral in some wealthy diocese.
I sent the message up in English,
in Latin, and he answered.
He answered.
I baptise them,
christen them, confirm them,
hear their confessions, give absolution,
last rites, bless their remains,
fill the tank, check the oil and water,
take off again and pray.
Pray that I don't blow out
one of those old tyres.
- You staying with the sisters?
- I'm just passing through.
Well, I think that's for the best.
- Sing another.
- Was sollen wir singen?
"Ave Maris Stella".
# Ave Maris Stella
# Dei mater alma
# Atque semper virgo
# Felix coeli porta
# Amen
That's one you have to teach me.
- Now you sing.
- All right.
- What do you want to hear?
- We know Kirchen song only.
- Just sing, ja?
- All right.
# Frankie and Johnny were lovers
# Oh, Lordy, how they... could...
Erase that one.
Tell you what. I'll sing one of them
down home, go-to-meeting songs
and you join in with me, all right?
- All you have to sing is "Amen."
- Amen.
Nicht ah-men. Ay-men.
- Ay-men?
- Right. OK. Here we go.
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen...
Now come on.
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen,
Sing it over
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
- # Amen, amen
- # See the baby
- # Amen
- # Wrapped in a manger
- # Amen
- # On Christmas morning
# Amen, amen, amen
# See him in the temple
- # Amen
- # Talking with the elders
- # Amen
- # Who marvel at his wisdom
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Down at the Jordan
- # Amen
- # Where John was baptising
- # Amen
- # And saving all sinners
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him at the seaside
- # Amen
- # Talking with the fishermen
- # Amen
- # And makin' them disciples
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Marching in Jerusalem
- # Amen
- # Over palm branches
- # Amen
- # In pomp and splendour
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him in the garden
- # Amen
- # Praying to his father
- # Amen
- # In deepest sorrow
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Led before Pilate
- # Amen
- # Then they crucified him
- # Amen
- # But he rose on Easter
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
- # Amen
- # He died to save us
- # Amen
- # And he lives forever
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
- # Amen
- # He died to save us
- # Amen
- # And he lives forever
# Amen, amen
# Amen
Schmidt!
Two times I call you for breakfast!
I heard you. You can keep
the cup of milk and the one egg.
You sucker me into breakfast, I'm
obliged to work. Not me. I'm cutting out.
Was?
This little soul is leaving the roost.
I'm heading thatta way.
- Thatta way?
- I'm leaving.
Schwester Gertrude, schnell!
Hurry up! Schmidt will
take us to Northfolk!
- You take us to Northfolk.
- You got bus fare?
- Back?
- We'll get back. Don't worry about us.
Amen!
Well... it's been interesting.
Not profitable, but interesting.
Schmidt, where do you go?
I don't know. West?
LA, San Francisco.
Maybe I'll swing on up to...
So... goodbye.
- Schwester Gertrude.
- Leben Sie wohl.
Hey, boy.
Are you Schmidt?
Well, that's what they call me.
My name is Homer Smith.
Are you the fellow who's supposed
to build a chapel? They must be kidding.
- Why?
- They tell me you're their contractor.
- So?
- Are you a contractor?
- What's wrong with that?
- Well, what kind of contractor?
Independent.
You local?
I don't remember doing business before.
- I'm out of State.
- How did they get mixed up with you?
- How did they talk you into it?
- Nobody talked me into anything.
They conned me out of some adobe brick
and some lumber.
I figured I could write that off, but
if you're their contractor, like you say,
tell her to take her business someplace
else. My terms are strictly cash.
- You understand, boy?
- I understand. Hey, boy!
- You need a good man?
- A good man.
- I can give you two days a week.
- Doing what?
- Moving earth. Those.
- You got any experience?
I can handle any earth-moving
equipment you've got.
What are you gonna be doing
the rest of the time?
What have we been talking about?
I'm gonna build me a chapel.
OK, contractor. I'll pay you the going rate
for labour on the job you're assigned.
Seven o'clock, Thursday morning. But if
you're snowing me, you'll be out at 7.15.
Just a second.
- Goodbye, Schmidt.
- Get in the car.
- We go to the bus stop.
- Don't be cute.
I don't want him to think
we're having a fuss.
- Fuss?
- Yes. Fuss.
You don't fuss with your contractor.
We can do it, Schmidt.
There are three ingredients to a job
like this. First, you need a plan. Check?
Two, you need labour.
But, three, you need materials.
That's for openers. You're gonna need 10,
20, 30, 40 times as many bricks as that.
Can you get them?
Ja!
OK.
OK. Let's get to work.
You still listening, Lord,
would you mind putting
a little meat on the table? Please?
The work goes well.
The problem is money.
I request to your organisation...
which is renowned for its...
- Philanthropics.
- Was?
Philanthropics.
- Was machen Sie da, Schwester?
- Das Mittagessen fr Herr Schmidt.
Lesen Sie mir das Ganze noch mal vor.
"The Maximillian Fund,
sieben elf, Fnf Avenue, New York City.
"Highly honoured
and respected gentlemen,
permit me to an appeal
for financing assistance... "
No. Wait. A better word.
Dollars!
- The Lions.
- Ja.
- The Elks.
- Ja.
- The Order of Moose.
- Ja.
Kiwanis. What kind of animal is that?
Americans.
Schmidt! You make knocking.
Like I told you.
- We saved for you supper.
- No more bread and milk.
A nice potato soup.
Oh, and that'll make me
nice and fat and strong?
- Ja.
- And you love me fat and strong!
Ja.
Oh, Schnuller!
Hey, hey. You like that.
What now?
Look your hands. Dirty!
Go wash your dirty hands and face.
OK, I will.
Then I come and give for you
the English lesson. Nein? Ja!
Ja!
Danke dir Gott, fr diesen Segen.
Ah, how about thanking me too, eh?
No. I thank Him.
You, you couldn't help yourself.
Oh, boy.
# Wrapped in the manger
- # Amen
- # On Christmas morning
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him in the temple
- # Amen
- # Talking with the elders
- # Amen
- # Who marvel at his wisdom
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Down at the Jordan
- # Amen
- # Where John was baptising
- # Amen
- # And saving all the sinners
# Amen, amen, amen...
- Come with us, Schmidt.
- No, ma'am.
- I'm gonna go feed my Baptist stomach.
- Come.
Good people of Piedras,
you have seen this man
who brings us now to the mass,
but you did not know who he was,
what he was.
I tell you now.
His name is Homer Schmidt.
He is not of our faith,
but he was sent to us by our God,
who is the God of all faiths.
He is building us a chapel.
It is true! And so we will
all see it. A miracle!
Hey, Mother!
- I laid my last brick.
- A good start.
- And I ran out of board.
- Everything works out.
- I'm ready to keep going but...
- Everything works out.
Yeah, you said that.
- Tomorrow you for Ashton work?
- Tomorrow and the next day. Why?
Then we see.
- Look, we had a bargain. I kept my end...
- Everything works out. It's God's will.
- That we get brick or that we don't?
- Whatever.
You would have made a great lawyer,
you know that?
Bobkin.
Sherman.
Good night.
Smith.
- Tell me, how's the contracting business?
- It's all right.
Just out of curiosity,
what are you using for materials?
We're expecting a new shipment.
No bricks?
Why do you buy things to eat
we do not need?
Now just a minute.
You are very large on religion
but you don't know
how to accept a gift from somebody
without making them feel small.
Small! You follow?
Poor man. His feelings is hurt!
I'm not twisting your arm for any big
thank-yous, but I'm through feeling small.
I got all the patience in the world!
Then why do you work on the road gang
when you should build the chapel?
Where are the bricks?
They will come. Maybe not tonight, but
there is other things you could be busy.
Raking and planting trees.
We had this contract.
You failed to keep your part.
I failed because I put my faith in people
instead of in God!
Forget it.
It was an invisible contract anyway.
- I don't believe you any more.
- Who are you not to believe me?
Hm?! Somebody
passing through thatta way?
Me, I come 8,000 miles to this place.
You cry about a few bricks
which are not here when you want them!
Do you know what we went through
to get to this place?
You will not
stand in the way of this chapel.
No. It will be done.
Well, good luck, Charlie,
and you deal me out.
Yeah. That stuff you wear,
you think it's a uniform
that makes you some kind of cop,
laying down the law,
throwing your weight around.
You sound like one of them
old war movies. A regular Hitler!
Well, you get yourself another boy.
Mutter Maria! Hat der Schmidt
seinen Hammer daeglassen?
Nein! He left nothing. Nothing!
Das haben wir ntig gehabt.
Zuerst beten wir fr ihn, dann kommt er
und dann shickt sie ihn weg.
Nothing.
- You haven't heard anything from Smith?
- Nein. Nothing.
- It's been three weeks.
- We thought at least he write postcard...
Schweigen Sie, Schwester.
He will return.
You're sure of that? Well, I wouldn't
get too upset about it, ma'am.
He's shiftless and irresponsible,
you know the type?
If he should come back,
tell him I'll hold his job open for a while.
He's a pretty good man with a bulldozer.
Smile at the people.
But don't say anything.
Go get your breakfast.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Such a beautiful morning.
Business Sunday morning
seems to have gotten better since I left.
A question. Why?
- Why did I take off?
- No. Why you come back?
What's it to you?
S. S. S. Gracias.
- Now you have done it.
- Hm?
That was a messenger. They
want to know if you are back to stay.
I have told them yes. I make them happy.
Now you have the big breakfast, eh?
What will it be?
A coke.
"Wash yourself, Schmidt.
Vash away ze stink."
Why didn't they ask me to build
a bath tub with nice hot water?
That'd make more sense.
"Wash yourself, Schmidt."
That's the first kind word I've had
since I got back.
What bugs me, she was so positive
I was coming back.
You wouldn't happen to have
a nice cold can of beer on you?
I must be out of my skull coming back.
Schmidt!
Schmidt!
Schmidt, look, all these bricks!
Isn't it glorious?
Gracias.
Faulpelz. Lassen Sie doch die...
- Don't work them by themselves.
- This isn't enough.
- All right.
- All right? What?
We pray some more!
- We have come to help you.
- Thanks.
I thank you very much,
but I don't need any help, thank you.
You are sure
you are doing the right thing?
You prayed up a lot of bricks, Mama,
but you only prayed for one man
to build your chapel.
Hey, amigo. I had to come see
the one-man cathedral.
This is all you have done in one week?
God made the whole world in that time.
And he was able to rest.
Hey. Notice your audience.
- I can't get rid of 'em.
- They heard it was the best show in town!
Est bien para un americano.
Move your foot off my adobe.
Where would you like us to bury you?
Under the altar?
Move your foot off my adobe.
You do not want it? Do not take it.
Step over it and go get another one.
A piece of pie?
I'm not hungry.
Was ist los mit dem? Was ist?
I wanted to build it myself.
Those people help you and all is well.
I don't want any help.
I wanted to build it myself.
That way it would be built
slowly and carefully.
So now it's fast and it's ready the sooner.
The Archbishop...
If he is busy, he will not come
but I think we should invite him.
Look...
You see, all my life,
I wanted to really build something.
Maybe if I had had an education I would
have been an architect or an engineer -
throw the Golden Gate Bridge
across San Francisco Bay.
And even maybe
build a rocket ship to Venus.
I'm not getting through to you.
Well, the chapel is being built
and that's all that matters.
I wanted to build it myself.
God is building out there the chapel
and you sit here feeling sorry for yourself
because you are not Him?
Ah.
He did not finish den Kaffee.
You build the walls too high.
Die Mauern. Die Mauern... zu hoch.
Der Balken - nicht dort, da anfangen.
Verstehen Sie mich?
Necesitamos para el marco de la ventana.
Es ist ja ganz egal, was Sie sagen.
Es ist kein Platz fr den Beichtstuhl
und das Weihwasser vorgesehen.
Mother Maria, no comprende
sus instrucionnes.
Das ist nicht richtig. Verstehen Sie?
Aber das ist nicht richtig.
Verstehen Sie?
Deswegen hat die Mutter Maria gesagt,
wir mssen...
Ah, Francesco.
Der Wanden is for support. The wall.
Madre mia! What am I doing here?
Amigo!
Everybody. Everybody! Everybody!
It is wrong... was ihr macht.
Eine Kirche is for Beten. Beten.
Look, you promised them a chapel,
now they will have nothing. Nada.
...with practically application.
So... Oh, do not stop now.
OK, OK. I thought you was loco.
I was wrong. You was right.
See, I have the big humility, amigo.
How about you?
The walls are high too much.
The padre was right.
You quit, they go home,
the walls fall down,
the rain, she melts the bricks,
the wind, she blows away the dust.
They will be back
getting their spiritual comfort
from the back end of a pie wagon.
Come!
Please come back like it was.
Everyone working together
and laughing and singing!
And that's the way how it should be!
Hold it!
Everything is cockeyed.
That beam - Mario, Pedro -
it belongs there.
Here's the way it goes. That beam
sits on a joist and it supports the roof.
- You got it?
- S.
And the walls are not high enough.
- Jesus, we need more adobe all around.
- S, seor.
- Some boss, eh?
- S.
A job needs a boss
who knows what he's doing.
I'm no boss, but I just know
how I want my chapel built.
Felipe, once we get that beam in place,
we're gonna pitch the roof, yeah?
- Like this. You follow?
- El boss!
All right. Vamanos.
Let's get this show on the road.
Let's go. Girls, these men
are gonna need food - lots of it.
So start squeezing that cow
and buttering up those sandwiches.
More adobe in here! Let's go!
You too, Mama. Macht schnell!
A Hitler.
Adobe.
This was made for ten thousand years.
- Feel good!
- Ja!
- Boss wants more adobe.
- Ja.
Where is the boss?
Hey, put another man on this beam!
Miguel!
I need you topside to tie off this truss.
Easy does it. Hold it there.
Hold it there.
Oh, hello... Get up there and tie off
that side. He'll be up in a second.
- I heard about this in town.
- Yeah, you did?
- Juan, think the barbecue's ready?
- Oh, s. S, seor.
- Let them tie off this, then call lunch.
- OK, boss.
Some boss!
Muchachos! Lunch! Lunch!
Lunch! Lunch!
Say, where'd you get all the materials?
- The people give them, seor.
- What for?
A man he gives wood, bricks.
This time, what does he get? A chapel.
A place where his children
can receive the sacraments.
For their children to have faith,
it is important.
- Is that why you're here?
- To me, it is insurance.
To me, life is here on this earth. I cannot
see further so I cannot believe further.
But if they are right about the hereafter,
I have paid my insurance, seor.
Hey, boss!
- Is there something I can do for you?
- Well, I'm kind of short-handed.
Getting good labour is always a problem.
Oh, really?
Er, I've got a new freeway deal.
Sorry, Mr Ashton,
but I've got a church contract.
Well, when you're finished,
I could use a foreman, Mr Smith.
Thanks, Mr Ashton. But when
I'm finished here, I'll be moving on.
- But thanks.
- Seor Homer?
Oh.
Well, we're gonna have to find
a very special place to put that!
Thank you. Thank you.
You'd better take this to Mother Maria.
Everybody wants to give.
Hey, mister. Mister.
Today we raise the roof.
We have fiesta. You come?
Oh. No. No, thanks.
I've got something I have to do,
but thanks.
De nada. Adios.
"Und Gott war das Wort... "
Dieser verrckte Schmidt
und seine verrckten Freunde.
Perdnelos, madre,
que todos son unos borrachos.
They build a house, a barn,
there's always a fiesta.
Fiesta! In my chapel!
Gringo man!
Gringo! I don't know
if that's a step up or a step down
from somethin' else
I've been called all my life!
- Well, you are awake?
- I guess so.
Good.
Why'd you do that?
The women last night
say that is the only thing
when a man has been mixing wine
with tequila.
I'm gonna mix you... With tequila!
Por favor, shut that thing off!
Morning! I've brought
something over for your chapel.
They're seconds but I figured
you could use them somewhere.
- They were taking up space at the yard.
- What do you think?
We could crush 'em.
Use them for gravel for the wall.
But those are worth... I mean...
Well, they've been fired good and strong.
- Thanks.
- Mr Ashton!
Mr Ashton!
I should have sent those bricks over
anonymously.
He's very generous - he sees we're
building with adobe, he gives us bricks.
They're very expensive.
I wonder what made him do it.
- Insurance.
- What?
Forget it.
Mr Ashton, we need bricks,
we need lumber,
we need shingles and plenty of cement.
Because we will build a school
and a hospital.
And we need beams please, Mr Ashton.
Do you understand?
Hey, Smith.
You and getting everybody involved.
You've been making a lot of mischief.
- What's the matter?
- She's really after me.
- But the chapel's almost finished.
- Oh, no. She's just beginning.
Next she'll want a school, then a hospital
and only God knows - and she -
what comes next.
Only so much is deductible.
She's gonna be on my back from now on!
That sweet old lady?
- Seor Boss, can I help you?
- No, gracias. This part is mine.
This part is mine.
Seor Smith? Will it have bells?
Sure. Some day.
So...
So.
Tomorrow, the first masses.
See...
Seat in the front. You.
Where all the people can see you.
And every one of these bricks
over the door I put in myself.
A real church for you to say the mass.
Es verdad, padre?
There is so much to do. So much to do.
Tomorrow from Northfolk
the town choir is coming.
The boys and girls. Such beautiful voices
you never have heard.
Forgive me.
They will stand over there
and up there flowers.
On both sides of the altar, flowers.
Nothing but flowers.
I have much to do. Much to do.
Many years ago, I made
a very vain and selfish prayer.
Now He has answered my prayer
through you, through many people.
I... I pray now I become worthy
of His trust and yours.
I have so much to do. So much to do.
# Ave Maris Stella
# Dei Mater alma
# Atque semper virgo
# Felix coeli porta
# Amen
Do you feel all right?
- Tonight you not smile, Herr Schmidt.
- Come on, smile.
This is like the first night you come, ja?
- Schmidt!
- Nothing's changed.
Schmidt.
You did not fasten the pews to the floor...
It's done.
You must oil the doors
so they will not squeak in the mass.
It's done.
- But the rail of the altar you did not fix.
- Everything is done.
- Ja?
- Ja.
Then it is all finished.
It's all finished.
I done builded you a "shapel".
You built me a... cha-pel.
Correction. S-ank you.
Correction. Th-ank you...
That's very nice.
Well, it's English lesson time.
- I built a chapel.
- I built a chapel.
- You built a chapel.
- You built a chapel.
- Oh, we built a chapel.
- We built a chapel.
He built the chapel.
Amen!
Amen.
Ay-men.
Ay-men!
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen
Sing it over
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen
See the baby
- # Amen
- # Wrapped in a manger
- # Amen
- # On Christmas morning
# Amen, amen
- # Amen
- # See him in the temple
- # Amen
- # Talking with the elders
- # Amen
- # Who marvel at his wisdom
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Down at the Jordan
- # Amen
- # Where John was baptising
- # Amen
- # And saving all sinners
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him at the seaside
- # Amen
- # Talking with the fishermen
- # Amen
- # And making them disciples
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Marching in Jerusalem
- # Amen
- # Over palm branches
- # Amen
- # In pomp and splendour
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him in the garden
- # Amen
- # Praying to his father
- # Amen
- # In deepest sorrow
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Led before Pilate
- # Amen
- # Then they crucified him
- # Amen
- # But he rose on Easter
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
- # Amen
- # He died to save us
- # Amen
- # And he lives forever
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen!
ENHOH
Can I please have some water?
God is good.
He has sent me a big, strong man.
He didn't say anything to me about it.
I was just passing.
But you did not pass.
That is your... your car?
That's my home.
You fix und dann habe ich...
I have something you do.
I thank you very kindly, ma'am, but
I got places to go. Thanks for the water.
If it's for hire,
you got yourself one man for one day.
- Hire?
- You want me to work for you?
For hire means for money. I could build
a better fence than your girls.
Schwester Gertrude. Schwester Albertine.
Schwester Elizabeth. Schwester Agnes.
I am Mother Maria.
Pleased to meet you all. You've got a nice
family, ma'am. My name is Homer Smith.
- Homer...?
- Homer Schmidt.
Oh, Schmidt!
Herr Schmidt, no fence.
We do that ourselves.
Up there. The roof.
- You fix?
- It couldn't be leaking on a day like this.
- Roof only leaks when it rains.
- Was?
I'm only kidding. I'll fix it good.
- You use this.
- No, thanks. I've got my own.
(exclaim in German)
Can't do good work without good tools
and if you hire me, you get good work.
Hire.
Schwester, das Bett in die Scheune.
- What's that?
- The bed you sleep.
- No. I got my own arrangements.
- You sleep in here?
Schwester, tragen Sie die Sachen zurck
ins Haus. Schmidt schlft in seinem Auto.
No, no, you got it just a little bit wrong.
The job is finished,
so you pay me and I take off.
- Take off?
- Thatta way.
You have such a hurry?
I'm hungry. I figured I'd find me a chilli
wagon and log another hundred miles.
We were not put on the earth
to hurry, Schmidt.
For supper, I ring the bell.
Schmidt!
Jesu Christ, sei unser Gast und segne,
was du bescheret hast.
Amen.
Himmlischer Vater...
Mge das Essen, das du uns gibst,
Homer Schmidt stark machen,
damit er deinen Willen erfllen kann.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Himmlischer Vater,
wir danken dir fr deinen Segen.
- Amen.
- Amen.
- You folks really eating off the land.
- Was?
Er sagt, wir leben
von den Frchten des Landes.
Oh, ja! Ja!
God sets a mighty poor table.
Soon we will have vegetables too.
And sometimes chicken.
- Well...
- You smoke?
- Yes, ma'am.
- You smoke is all right.
- I think I'd better be rolling.
- Do not make hurry.
We are from Germany,
from Austria and from Hungary.
We learn English.
Bitte senden Sie
den Diener auf mein Zimmer.
Please send the valet up to my room.
Please send the valet
up to my room.
Hier ist meine Wscheliste.
Here is my laundry list.
Here is my laundry list.
Fnf Paar Socken.
Five pairs of socks.
Five pairs of socks.
Zwei Nachtkleider.
Two pyjamas.
Two pyjamas!
- Pyjamas!
- Hold it.
I could speak English for you.
Warten Sie, Schwester.
Schmidt wird mit uns Englisch sprechen.
Oh, ja!
Sure. Anything you want to know,
just name it.
Fragen Sie ihn, was Sie wissen wollen.
What is name this?
- Phonograph.
- Phonograph.
Grammophon. Phonograph!
- Record.
- Record!
Phonograph record.
Phonograph record!
Phonograph record is black.
Phonograph record is black?
Black?
- Stove.
- Stove!
Stove is black.
Stove is black.
- My skin is black.
- My skin is black.
No. Her skin is white.
- My skin is black.
- White?
Wei. White is Wei.
Black is Schwarz!
Black is Schwarz.
No, we'd better get a... Watch me.
- Watch me!
- No watch. No watch. Sshh.
I stand up.
I stand up.
I stand up!
I sit down.
I sit down.
- I stands up, ya'll.
- I stands up, y'all!
We gotta get organised.
Everybody sit down.
Everybody sit down.
Everybody sit down.
Ah! Everybody sit down.
- You stand up!
- You stand up!
- You stand up.
- You sit down.
- You sit down.
- You sit down.
- We all stand up.
- We all stand up.
We all sit down!
We all sit down!
Please send a valet up to my room.
- Good night!
- Good n... Good night?
Good morning. Good morning!
Nein, nein. Guten Morgen.
Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen wollen. Ja?
Good night.
- You can turn around now.
- You sleep, sleep!
Sie... Sie Faulpelz Sie!
Wissen Sie, wie spt es ist?
Die anderen arbeiten schon seit Stunden
und Sie liegen da und schlafen!
Jetzt tummeln Sie sich aber
und machen schnell!
You hold on one minute.
You just hold on one minute.
I ain't no nun.
I'm nobody you can boss around. See?
I get up when I feel like getting up
and if I don't wanna work, I don't.
Now if you just pay me, I'll be gone.
You go? No. You go eat now.
- I'll get my own chow.
- Eat!
What are you doing in here?
How come she ain't got you
digging ditches and chopping wood
and moving mountains?
Please... you slow talk?
I'm sorry.
That old lady has got a mean streak.
People have got to sleep. People
have got to have some joy in living.
People gotta...
eat.
That's a Catholic breakfast.
One egg.
That old lady don't hand out grub like
she hands out orders. Can I have coffee?
Coffee? Nein.
Ve no coffee.
- Schmidt.
- Mama.
We ought to get this straightened out.
I'll deduct for the dinner...
- And what you call breakfast.
- Come! Follow me.
- We build a shapel.
- It's very nice. What's a "shapel"?
Eine kleine Kirche. A cha... pel.
- Ve build a chapel right here.
- Who's "ve"?
You.
- Lots of luck. I ain't building no "shapel".
- Ja, you.
Not only am I ain't building no "shapel",
I'm taking off! I ain't no contractor.
- That is for the beginning.
- No.
- I don't need all that work. No.
- No? All right.
- All right.
- We build it. We women.
- You do that little thing.
- We will. It's God's will.
Boy. Look, I'm checking out.
All right. I'll clean out some of that stuff.
I don't want those girls
to break their backs.
Just to work off that tremendous breakfast
you fed me this morning.
- Let's settle up.
- Ja, sind Sie denn nicht zufrieden?
Wenn wir das gewusst htten, htten wir
Ihnen das Frhstck ans Bett gebracht.
I hope you're not talking mean to me.
You wanted your breakfast in bed?
You talk like American millionaire!
- Yeah. That's me. A millionaire.
- Ja!
Wall Street!
"Us women, ve will build a chapel!"
Schmidt!
Schmidt!
Old Mother gonna feed the slave?
Jesu Christ, sei unser Gast...
...bescheret hast.
- Amen.
- Amen.
I milked the cow yesterday.
I milk the cow today.
I milk the cow tomorrow.
Very good. Very good.
- Very good, Schwester Elizabeth.
- Danke schn.
"Thank you." Thank you.
Danke schn. Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Beautiful.
Now you try it, Mama. "Thank you."
It's time.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night, Sister Elizabeth.
- Good night.
Good night, Sister Albertine.
Sister Agnes, you be up early.
You've got to milk that poor old cow.
I milk the poor old cow.
You like to make jokes, Schmidt?
This isn't exactly a joke.
Now I sit down.
I give you a bill.
You pay me for my services.
I've put in two good days here, Mother.
I'm for hire, remember? Hire.
I speak English not so good.
You want to take advantage
of a poor country boy like me?
OK.
OK. We'll play it your way.
Book of Luke, chapter ten, verse seven.
Your Bible is all in German.
I'll read it to you in English.
"And in the same house remain, eating
and drinking such things as they give,
for the labourer is worthy of his hire."
That's not exactly what I had in mind
but you get the idea.
What you got there? Proverbs 14.
"Cast in thy lot amongst us,
let us all have one purse... "
I am a poor man! I've got to work
for wages. I can't work for...
Matthew... chapter six.
Acht und zwanzig...
Two-eight-two-nine.
Matthew, chapter six, 28-29.
Schmidt, read it in English.
"Why take thee thought for raiment?"
"Consider the lilies of the field
and how they grow."
"They toil not, neither do they spin,
yet I say unto you,
not even Solomon in all his glories
was arrayed as one of these."
Consider the lilies.
- What's that?
- You go to bed.
Tomorrow Sunday is.
The mass in town is nine by the clock.
- I'm a Baptist. I don't go to mass.
- We go.
- How'd you get there before?
- We walk every Sunday. Now we got you.
Now dammit! You ain't got me!
- Good night, Schmidt.
- Get that straight!
- Schlafen Sie wohl.
- And cut that out.
Bless you, Schmidt.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
Morning.
- No breakfast?
- Never before mass.
Oh.
You guys look nice - lean, but nice.
- Where's it at?
- Was, Schmidt?
The church.
- Yeah, but where's it at?
- Er will wissen, wo die Kirche ist.
- That's not fair.
- Over there, Schmidt.
- Now come.
- No.
I'm gonna wait in here for you.
- Are you the man?
- I am the man.
- Can I get me some breakfast?
- Name it.
- A real breakfast?
- Whatever you say.
Double OJ and squeeze it fresh.
So?
A stack of wheatcakes with lots
of melted butter... maple syrup.
And fry me three, four, five eggs
with a mess of sausages
and a mountain of white toast
with strawberry marmalade
and... keep the coffee coming.
- No beans?
- You got beans?
- The most, seor.
- Them too.
You take milk?
- I said fresh.
- I squeezed it myself this morning.
OK.
Very nice.
Very nice. Now...
melt some cheese over those beans.
- What's the matter you're not in church?
- I'm a Baptist.
- Why are you working for the sisters?
- I work for myself.
- How come you're not in church?
- I got a business.
- But you're a Catholic.
- No! I was born one, but...
- Father Murphy...
- What's the matter with him?
- He drinks.
- He's a priest.
- He's Irish.
- Oh.
Holy, holy, holy, hm?
You pray hard enough and your stomach
doesn't feel empty any more.
Praying does not pay the rent
and praying does not fill up the gas.
God ain't gonna get behind
this counter and sling hash.
Me? I gotta fill my wallet.
- Hey.
- What?
- They pay you?
- Sure.
I just wondered.
I heard they don't have a cent.
Not a cent.
Crazy trying to farm that land.
They aren't mean enough.
That old Mother, she'll do.
Oh-h-h!
Old Gus Ritter -
he used to own the place.
He could grow potatoes on bare rock.
He left the place
to this religious order in Germany.
East Germany. The sisters
came over the Wall. They tell you that?
- No. Like in Berlin?
- S.
Over the Wall, across the ocean,
across the country to what? This.
- They can't even talk the language.
- I've been straightening them out.
- Yeah?
- Sho'nuff!
Hey, listen. You ain't
gonna hang around with the sisters?
- Nah. I'm just passing through.
- That's right!
The sisters ask you something,
you tell them no. Keep right on going.
- That pie there?
- Sure.
- The whole one. Can I have it?
- It's gonna cost you.
Wrap it. I'm a millionaire.
From Wall Street.
- My name is Homer Smith.
- Juan Aquilito.
Schmidt!
Schmidt!
- Schmidt!
- Looks like you're being paged.
Das ist Schmidt.
Schmidt, Father Murphy.
Father Murphy will talk with you.
Pleased to meet you.
Cuidado con los velos. Deprisa.
Can we get out of this heat?
I didn't know Catholics
had outdoor meetings.
I got five other country clubs like this.
I cover about 400 miles a week.
Welcome to the poor man's Vatican.
Oh.
Mother Superior tells me
she believes God sent you to her.
No. I don't think he sent
a black Baptist to a Catholic nun!
That's what she tells me.
She also says
you're gonna build her a chapel.
She asked me.
But you know how it is.
I got other fish to fry.
She believes there was a need
and she put her trust in prayer.
When I was ordained, how I prayed.
How I prayed for a call to a great majestic
cathedral in some wealthy diocese.
I sent the message up in English,
in Latin, and he answered.
He answered.
I baptise them,
christen them, confirm them,
hear their confessions, give absolution,
last rites, bless their remains,
fill the tank, check the oil and water,
take off again and pray.
Pray that I don't blow out
one of those old tyres.
- You staying with the sisters?
- I'm just passing through.
Well, I think that's for the best.
- Sing another.
- Was sollen wir singen?
"Ave Maris Stella".
# Ave Maris Stella
# Dei mater alma
# Atque semper virgo
# Felix coeli porta
# Amen
That's one you have to teach me.
- Now you sing.
- All right.
- What do you want to hear?
- We know Kirchen song only.
- Just sing, ja?
- All right.
# Frankie and Johnny were lovers
# Oh, Lordy, how they... could...
Erase that one.
Tell you what. I'll sing one of them
down home, go-to-meeting songs
and you join in with me, all right?
- All you have to sing is "Amen."
- Amen.
Nicht ah-men. Ay-men.
- Ay-men?
- Right. OK. Here we go.
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen...
Now come on.
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen,
Sing it over
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
- # Amen, amen
- # See the baby
- # Amen
- # Wrapped in a manger
- # Amen
- # On Christmas morning
# Amen, amen, amen
# See him in the temple
- # Amen
- # Talking with the elders
- # Amen
- # Who marvel at his wisdom
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Down at the Jordan
- # Amen
- # Where John was baptising
- # Amen
- # And saving all sinners
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him at the seaside
- # Amen
- # Talking with the fishermen
- # Amen
- # And makin' them disciples
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Marching in Jerusalem
- # Amen
- # Over palm branches
- # Amen
- # In pomp and splendour
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him in the garden
- # Amen
- # Praying to his father
- # Amen
- # In deepest sorrow
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Led before Pilate
- # Amen
- # Then they crucified him
- # Amen
- # But he rose on Easter
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
- # Amen
- # He died to save us
- # Amen
- # And he lives forever
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
- # Amen
- # He died to save us
- # Amen
- # And he lives forever
# Amen, amen
# Amen
Schmidt!
Two times I call you for breakfast!
I heard you. You can keep
the cup of milk and the one egg.
You sucker me into breakfast, I'm
obliged to work. Not me. I'm cutting out.
Was?
This little soul is leaving the roost.
I'm heading thatta way.
- Thatta way?
- I'm leaving.
Schwester Gertrude, schnell!
Hurry up! Schmidt will
take us to Northfolk!
- You take us to Northfolk.
- You got bus fare?
- Back?
- We'll get back. Don't worry about us.
Amen!
Well... it's been interesting.
Not profitable, but interesting.
Schmidt, where do you go?
I don't know. West?
LA, San Francisco.
Maybe I'll swing on up to...
So... goodbye.
- Schwester Gertrude.
- Leben Sie wohl.
Hey, boy.
Are you Schmidt?
Well, that's what they call me.
My name is Homer Smith.
Are you the fellow who's supposed
to build a chapel? They must be kidding.
- Why?
- They tell me you're their contractor.
- So?
- Are you a contractor?
- What's wrong with that?
- Well, what kind of contractor?
Independent.
You local?
I don't remember doing business before.
- I'm out of State.
- How did they get mixed up with you?
- How did they talk you into it?
- Nobody talked me into anything.
They conned me out of some adobe brick
and some lumber.
I figured I could write that off, but
if you're their contractor, like you say,
tell her to take her business someplace
else. My terms are strictly cash.
- You understand, boy?
- I understand. Hey, boy!
- You need a good man?
- A good man.
- I can give you two days a week.
- Doing what?
- Moving earth. Those.
- You got any experience?
I can handle any earth-moving
equipment you've got.
What are you gonna be doing
the rest of the time?
What have we been talking about?
I'm gonna build me a chapel.
OK, contractor. I'll pay you the going rate
for labour on the job you're assigned.
Seven o'clock, Thursday morning. But if
you're snowing me, you'll be out at 7.15.
Just a second.
- Goodbye, Schmidt.
- Get in the car.
- We go to the bus stop.
- Don't be cute.
I don't want him to think
we're having a fuss.
- Fuss?
- Yes. Fuss.
You don't fuss with your contractor.
We can do it, Schmidt.
There are three ingredients to a job
like this. First, you need a plan. Check?
Two, you need labour.
But, three, you need materials.
That's for openers. You're gonna need 10,
20, 30, 40 times as many bricks as that.
Can you get them?
Ja!
OK.
OK. Let's get to work.
You still listening, Lord,
would you mind putting
a little meat on the table? Please?
The work goes well.
The problem is money.
I request to your organisation...
which is renowned for its...
- Philanthropics.
- Was?
Philanthropics.
- Was machen Sie da, Schwester?
- Das Mittagessen fr Herr Schmidt.
Lesen Sie mir das Ganze noch mal vor.
"The Maximillian Fund,
sieben elf, Fnf Avenue, New York City.
"Highly honoured
and respected gentlemen,
permit me to an appeal
for financing assistance... "
No. Wait. A better word.
Dollars!
- The Lions.
- Ja.
- The Elks.
- Ja.
- The Order of Moose.
- Ja.
Kiwanis. What kind of animal is that?
Americans.
Schmidt! You make knocking.
Like I told you.
- We saved for you supper.
- No more bread and milk.
A nice potato soup.
Oh, and that'll make me
nice and fat and strong?
- Ja.
- And you love me fat and strong!
Ja.
Oh, Schnuller!
Hey, hey. You like that.
What now?
Look your hands. Dirty!
Go wash your dirty hands and face.
OK, I will.
Then I come and give for you
the English lesson. Nein? Ja!
Ja!
Danke dir Gott, fr diesen Segen.
Ah, how about thanking me too, eh?
No. I thank Him.
You, you couldn't help yourself.
Oh, boy.
# Wrapped in the manger
- # Amen
- # On Christmas morning
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him in the temple
- # Amen
- # Talking with the elders
- # Amen
- # Who marvel at his wisdom
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Down at the Jordan
- # Amen
- # Where John was baptising
- # Amen
- # And saving all the sinners
# Amen, amen, amen...
- Come with us, Schmidt.
- No, ma'am.
- I'm gonna go feed my Baptist stomach.
- Come.
Good people of Piedras,
you have seen this man
who brings us now to the mass,
but you did not know who he was,
what he was.
I tell you now.
His name is Homer Schmidt.
He is not of our faith,
but he was sent to us by our God,
who is the God of all faiths.
He is building us a chapel.
It is true! And so we will
all see it. A miracle!
Hey, Mother!
- I laid my last brick.
- A good start.
- And I ran out of board.
- Everything works out.
- I'm ready to keep going but...
- Everything works out.
Yeah, you said that.
- Tomorrow you for Ashton work?
- Tomorrow and the next day. Why?
Then we see.
- Look, we had a bargain. I kept my end...
- Everything works out. It's God's will.
- That we get brick or that we don't?
- Whatever.
You would have made a great lawyer,
you know that?
Bobkin.
Sherman.
Good night.
Smith.
- Tell me, how's the contracting business?
- It's all right.
Just out of curiosity,
what are you using for materials?
We're expecting a new shipment.
No bricks?
Why do you buy things to eat
we do not need?
Now just a minute.
You are very large on religion
but you don't know
how to accept a gift from somebody
without making them feel small.
Small! You follow?
Poor man. His feelings is hurt!
I'm not twisting your arm for any big
thank-yous, but I'm through feeling small.
I got all the patience in the world!
Then why do you work on the road gang
when you should build the chapel?
Where are the bricks?
They will come. Maybe not tonight, but
there is other things you could be busy.
Raking and planting trees.
We had this contract.
You failed to keep your part.
I failed because I put my faith in people
instead of in God!
Forget it.
It was an invisible contract anyway.
- I don't believe you any more.
- Who are you not to believe me?
Hm?! Somebody
passing through thatta way?
Me, I come 8,000 miles to this place.
You cry about a few bricks
which are not here when you want them!
Do you know what we went through
to get to this place?
You will not
stand in the way of this chapel.
No. It will be done.
Well, good luck, Charlie,
and you deal me out.
Yeah. That stuff you wear,
you think it's a uniform
that makes you some kind of cop,
laying down the law,
throwing your weight around.
You sound like one of them
old war movies. A regular Hitler!
Well, you get yourself another boy.
Mutter Maria! Hat der Schmidt
seinen Hammer daeglassen?
Nein! He left nothing. Nothing!
Das haben wir ntig gehabt.
Zuerst beten wir fr ihn, dann kommt er
und dann shickt sie ihn weg.
Nothing.
- You haven't heard anything from Smith?
- Nein. Nothing.
- It's been three weeks.
- We thought at least he write postcard...
Schweigen Sie, Schwester.
He will return.
You're sure of that? Well, I wouldn't
get too upset about it, ma'am.
He's shiftless and irresponsible,
you know the type?
If he should come back,
tell him I'll hold his job open for a while.
He's a pretty good man with a bulldozer.
Smile at the people.
But don't say anything.
Go get your breakfast.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Such a beautiful morning.
Business Sunday morning
seems to have gotten better since I left.
A question. Why?
- Why did I take off?
- No. Why you come back?
What's it to you?
S. S. S. Gracias.
- Now you have done it.
- Hm?
That was a messenger. They
want to know if you are back to stay.
I have told them yes. I make them happy.
Now you have the big breakfast, eh?
What will it be?
A coke.
"Wash yourself, Schmidt.
Vash away ze stink."
Why didn't they ask me to build
a bath tub with nice hot water?
That'd make more sense.
"Wash yourself, Schmidt."
That's the first kind word I've had
since I got back.
What bugs me, she was so positive
I was coming back.
You wouldn't happen to have
a nice cold can of beer on you?
I must be out of my skull coming back.
Schmidt!
Schmidt!
Schmidt, look, all these bricks!
Isn't it glorious?
Gracias.
Faulpelz. Lassen Sie doch die...
- Don't work them by themselves.
- This isn't enough.
- All right.
- All right? What?
We pray some more!
- We have come to help you.
- Thanks.
I thank you very much,
but I don't need any help, thank you.
You are sure
you are doing the right thing?
You prayed up a lot of bricks, Mama,
but you only prayed for one man
to build your chapel.
Hey, amigo. I had to come see
the one-man cathedral.
This is all you have done in one week?
God made the whole world in that time.
And he was able to rest.
Hey. Notice your audience.
- I can't get rid of 'em.
- They heard it was the best show in town!
Est bien para un americano.
Move your foot off my adobe.
Where would you like us to bury you?
Under the altar?
Move your foot off my adobe.
You do not want it? Do not take it.
Step over it and go get another one.
A piece of pie?
I'm not hungry.
Was ist los mit dem? Was ist?
I wanted to build it myself.
Those people help you and all is well.
I don't want any help.
I wanted to build it myself.
That way it would be built
slowly and carefully.
So now it's fast and it's ready the sooner.
The Archbishop...
If he is busy, he will not come
but I think we should invite him.
Look...
You see, all my life,
I wanted to really build something.
Maybe if I had had an education I would
have been an architect or an engineer -
throw the Golden Gate Bridge
across San Francisco Bay.
And even maybe
build a rocket ship to Venus.
I'm not getting through to you.
Well, the chapel is being built
and that's all that matters.
I wanted to build it myself.
God is building out there the chapel
and you sit here feeling sorry for yourself
because you are not Him?
Ah.
He did not finish den Kaffee.
You build the walls too high.
Die Mauern. Die Mauern... zu hoch.
Der Balken - nicht dort, da anfangen.
Verstehen Sie mich?
Necesitamos para el marco de la ventana.
Es ist ja ganz egal, was Sie sagen.
Es ist kein Platz fr den Beichtstuhl
und das Weihwasser vorgesehen.
Mother Maria, no comprende
sus instrucionnes.
Das ist nicht richtig. Verstehen Sie?
Aber das ist nicht richtig.
Verstehen Sie?
Deswegen hat die Mutter Maria gesagt,
wir mssen...
Ah, Francesco.
Der Wanden is for support. The wall.
Madre mia! What am I doing here?
Amigo!
Everybody. Everybody! Everybody!
It is wrong... was ihr macht.
Eine Kirche is for Beten. Beten.
Look, you promised them a chapel,
now they will have nothing. Nada.
...with practically application.
So... Oh, do not stop now.
OK, OK. I thought you was loco.
I was wrong. You was right.
See, I have the big humility, amigo.
How about you?
The walls are high too much.
The padre was right.
You quit, they go home,
the walls fall down,
the rain, she melts the bricks,
the wind, she blows away the dust.
They will be back
getting their spiritual comfort
from the back end of a pie wagon.
Come!
Please come back like it was.
Everyone working together
and laughing and singing!
And that's the way how it should be!
Hold it!
Everything is cockeyed.
That beam - Mario, Pedro -
it belongs there.
Here's the way it goes. That beam
sits on a joist and it supports the roof.
- You got it?
- S.
And the walls are not high enough.
- Jesus, we need more adobe all around.
- S, seor.
- Some boss, eh?
- S.
A job needs a boss
who knows what he's doing.
I'm no boss, but I just know
how I want my chapel built.
Felipe, once we get that beam in place,
we're gonna pitch the roof, yeah?
- Like this. You follow?
- El boss!
All right. Vamanos.
Let's get this show on the road.
Let's go. Girls, these men
are gonna need food - lots of it.
So start squeezing that cow
and buttering up those sandwiches.
More adobe in here! Let's go!
You too, Mama. Macht schnell!
A Hitler.
Adobe.
This was made for ten thousand years.
- Feel good!
- Ja!
- Boss wants more adobe.
- Ja.
Where is the boss?
Hey, put another man on this beam!
Miguel!
I need you topside to tie off this truss.
Easy does it. Hold it there.
Hold it there.
Oh, hello... Get up there and tie off
that side. He'll be up in a second.
- I heard about this in town.
- Yeah, you did?
- Juan, think the barbecue's ready?
- Oh, s. S, seor.
- Let them tie off this, then call lunch.
- OK, boss.
Some boss!
Muchachos! Lunch! Lunch!
Lunch! Lunch!
Say, where'd you get all the materials?
- The people give them, seor.
- What for?
A man he gives wood, bricks.
This time, what does he get? A chapel.
A place where his children
can receive the sacraments.
For their children to have faith,
it is important.
- Is that why you're here?
- To me, it is insurance.
To me, life is here on this earth. I cannot
see further so I cannot believe further.
But if they are right about the hereafter,
I have paid my insurance, seor.
Hey, boss!
- Is there something I can do for you?
- Well, I'm kind of short-handed.
Getting good labour is always a problem.
Oh, really?
Er, I've got a new freeway deal.
Sorry, Mr Ashton,
but I've got a church contract.
Well, when you're finished,
I could use a foreman, Mr Smith.
Thanks, Mr Ashton. But when
I'm finished here, I'll be moving on.
- But thanks.
- Seor Homer?
Oh.
Well, we're gonna have to find
a very special place to put that!
Thank you. Thank you.
You'd better take this to Mother Maria.
Everybody wants to give.
Hey, mister. Mister.
Today we raise the roof.
We have fiesta. You come?
Oh. No. No, thanks.
I've got something I have to do,
but thanks.
De nada. Adios.
"Und Gott war das Wort... "
Dieser verrckte Schmidt
und seine verrckten Freunde.
Perdnelos, madre,
que todos son unos borrachos.
They build a house, a barn,
there's always a fiesta.
Fiesta! In my chapel!
Gringo man!
Gringo! I don't know
if that's a step up or a step down
from somethin' else
I've been called all my life!
- Well, you are awake?
- I guess so.
Good.
Why'd you do that?
The women last night
say that is the only thing
when a man has been mixing wine
with tequila.
I'm gonna mix you... With tequila!
Por favor, shut that thing off!
Morning! I've brought
something over for your chapel.
They're seconds but I figured
you could use them somewhere.
- They were taking up space at the yard.
- What do you think?
We could crush 'em.
Use them for gravel for the wall.
But those are worth... I mean...
Well, they've been fired good and strong.
- Thanks.
- Mr Ashton!
Mr Ashton!
I should have sent those bricks over
anonymously.
He's very generous - he sees we're
building with adobe, he gives us bricks.
They're very expensive.
I wonder what made him do it.
- Insurance.
- What?
Forget it.
Mr Ashton, we need bricks,
we need lumber,
we need shingles and plenty of cement.
Because we will build a school
and a hospital.
And we need beams please, Mr Ashton.
Do you understand?
Hey, Smith.
You and getting everybody involved.
You've been making a lot of mischief.
- What's the matter?
- She's really after me.
- But the chapel's almost finished.
- Oh, no. She's just beginning.
Next she'll want a school, then a hospital
and only God knows - and she -
what comes next.
Only so much is deductible.
She's gonna be on my back from now on!
That sweet old lady?
- Seor Boss, can I help you?
- No, gracias. This part is mine.
This part is mine.
Seor Smith? Will it have bells?
Sure. Some day.
So...
So.
Tomorrow, the first masses.
See...
Seat in the front. You.
Where all the people can see you.
And every one of these bricks
over the door I put in myself.
A real church for you to say the mass.
Es verdad, padre?
There is so much to do. So much to do.
Tomorrow from Northfolk
the town choir is coming.
The boys and girls. Such beautiful voices
you never have heard.
Forgive me.
They will stand over there
and up there flowers.
On both sides of the altar, flowers.
Nothing but flowers.
I have much to do. Much to do.
Many years ago, I made
a very vain and selfish prayer.
Now He has answered my prayer
through you, through many people.
I... I pray now I become worthy
of His trust and yours.
I have so much to do. So much to do.
# Ave Maris Stella
# Dei Mater alma
# Atque semper virgo
# Felix coeli porta
# Amen
Do you feel all right?
- Tonight you not smile, Herr Schmidt.
- Come on, smile.
This is like the first night you come, ja?
- Schmidt!
- Nothing's changed.
Schmidt.
You did not fasten the pews to the floor...
It's done.
You must oil the doors
so they will not squeak in the mass.
It's done.
- But the rail of the altar you did not fix.
- Everything is done.
- Ja?
- Ja.
Then it is all finished.
It's all finished.
I done builded you a "shapel".
You built me a... cha-pel.
Correction. S-ank you.
Correction. Th-ank you...
That's very nice.
Well, it's English lesson time.
- I built a chapel.
- I built a chapel.
- You built a chapel.
- You built a chapel.
- Oh, we built a chapel.
- We built a chapel.
He built the chapel.
Amen!
Amen.
Ay-men.
Ay-men!
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen
Sing it over
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen, amen
See the baby
- # Amen
- # Wrapped in a manger
- # Amen
- # On Christmas morning
# Amen, amen
- # Amen
- # See him in the temple
- # Amen
- # Talking with the elders
- # Amen
- # Who marvel at his wisdom
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Down at the Jordan
- # Amen
- # Where John was baptising
- # Amen
- # And saving all sinners
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him at the seaside
- # Amen
- # Talking with the fishermen
- # Amen
- # And making them disciples
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Marching in Jerusalem
- # Amen
- # Over palm branches
- # Amen
- # In pomp and splendour
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # See him in the garden
- # Amen
- # Praying to his father
- # Amen
- # In deepest sorrow
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Led before Pilate
- # Amen
- # Then they crucified him
- # Amen
- # But he rose on Easter
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
- # Amen
- # He died to save us
- # Amen
- # And he lives forever
- # Amen, amen, amen
- # Hallelujah!
# Amen
# Amen
# Amen!
ENHOH