Sometimes a Great Notion (1970) Movie Script
He's been
over there a while.
Do you think
he's doing any good?
I got payments to make
on a Chevrolet.
God damn scabs over there.
Is that Floyd?
What's he running for?
Get your buggin' ass
out of here,
you buggin' socialist!
They're after him!
All of 'em.
What are they up to?
You union creep, get lost!
Whoa!
I'll blow your belly
right out of your dang head!
Hey, wait a minute,
Floyd--
None of you live bets
gonna tell me what he loves.
What are they--
They're trying
to kill him!
Sands!
What about that, Floyd?
Pansy socialists!
God damn traitors!
I'll get every last
one of ya! Whoo!
Hang in there!
Floyd, come on!
Easy, Floyd. Easy.
God damn,
strike-breaking bastards.
I got you, Floyd.
I got you, Floyd.
It'll be OK.
My God...
They could've killed me.
Did they get you?
Are you hurt?
You all right?
You lousy gypo
scabber bastards!
We'll get you!
We're gonna
pull you down.
Look!
...with the dynamite...
Boom! I though you put
it right in the boat!
God damn union freaks.
Teach you to go
snoopin' around.
And then someone
over there is yelling,
"Look out!"
How's he gonna look out,
if the boat's going
all over the damn river?
He's screaming
and yelling,
"What's happening to me?
What's happening to me? "
What'd I tell you?
The holy signals
are hanging over us
right now, Hank.
I mean,
everything's going
to be milk and honey.
We're in God's own
fat pocket.
Brother Walker
told us that.
He told us.
Yeah.
And he don't hand out
any crap
Iike some of them
other preachers do.
God damn, some people
would rather talk than eat.
Ah, it's washing out
down here, Joe.
Give me a hand, will ya?
Hank, Joe B.!
You boys planning on a stag
party here tonight?
We got women inside.
This ain't no party,
bub.
This here is
Mr. Jonathan Draeger.
Pleasure to meet you both.
He's the whole works,
bub. He's the president.
Not just Oregon.
The whole damn
freakin' union.
Yeah, I think
I know that, Floyd.
Boy, you sure picked
one hell of a night
for a moonlight cruise.
Yeah, it is that.
I was working over
in Portland today.
And I thought
I might stop by
and chat for a few
minutes before we left.
OK. Go ahead.
Well, is it asking
too much of an old buddy
if we get in
out of the rain?
Come on.
No sense in tracking
all of this water
into the house, Floyd.
We can talk out here.
Henry,
it's Jonathan Draeger.
How are you?
How you do, sir?
Viv, bring out
a couple of six-packs
of cold ones, will ya?
Oh, boy.
This weather up here
really plays hell
with my athlete's foot.
Seems like any time
I come up to Oregon,
it just crawls right up
to my privates.
Yeah. Well, I hope the
trip will be worth it.
Could we cut the fun and games
and get to the point?
Well, you got to think
I'm kind of arrogant
to barge in here
to plug up the holes, Hank.
Is it all right
if I call you Hank?
What do you think, Henry?
It's OK by me.
He's the boss.
Well, I was just wondering
if maybe you can hold on
to everything you've got now
and then sell it all later on.
Sell it
to somebody else maybe.
Sure.
Sure. We'll tell
the O'Connel Company
to go screw themselves.
I guess that gives us
the privilege
of selling our logs
to somebody else.
I get you.
Well then?
Well then what?
Can't do that, Floyd.
By God,
you've got to do it.
Look, we got a contract,
Mr. Draeger.
How do you handle that?
I mean, that's our word.
Shouldn't have
gave your word.
No, thanks. Listen, I know.
We've got nothing against
you independents.
We're not out to put
the family operations
out of business.
Thanks.
That clears that up.
I mean, they're
your friends and neighbors.
Don't you think
you owe 'em something?
That depends
on what they'd owe us
if they were
on the other end.
Oh, come on now. You know
what I'm talking about.
See, I don't think
I do know
what you're talking about.
You come on pretty folksy
with that athlete's foot
and those first names
and everything.
Why don't we cut through that
crap and get straight on it?
That suits me fine.
But what am I going to tell you?
You got a town full of people
here who are hurting.
Now somebody is going
to have to give up something
somewhere along the line.
Don't you agree?
Henry, you answer that.
Well, now,
it just so happens, see,
we get ourselves up
at 4:30 every morning,
go out and chop wood.
It's every morning
but Sunday for sure.
And Saturday maybe.
We've been doing that
for a hell of a lot of
years with no stink.
So when you or Floyd here
or General Motors
or some Commie-pinko
or my hound dog tells us
we're not going to get
up at 4:30, I tell you--
you haven't got a whisper
of a bare-ass clue what the hell
this family's all about.
Not a whisper.
Nothing.
Well, that's just about
as clear a statement
of 1 9th-century philosophy
as I've ever heard.
Fine. Give us a look
at the 20th.
Your slots and compartments
you stash people away in.
You gonna tell us
when to stop cutting
and when to start cutting.
and who to sell to,
and pat our little bottoms
and tell us
what good little boys we are.
Well, not yet, bub.
Not yet you don't.
I'm only asking you to hang onto
the logs you already have.
Let me tell you something.
Might gladden your heart
and dry up your
athlete's foot overnight.
We might not make that deadline.
We got three weeks of the worst
logging coming up.
And we're liable to fall short.
But let me tell you something.
We are going
to bust our humps trying.
I'm really sorry
you feel that way.
Every time you open up
a paper these days,
you read about violence.
It's almost as if nothing
gets done anymore without it.
So, if these people here--
Wait a minute.
I think we're down
to the gritty, Henry.
If you're talking threats,
I think you can make them
plainer than that.
Just what kind of violence
do you have in mind?
I'm just pointing out the facts,
that's all.
Your friends
and neighbors here,
they say
you're strike breaking.
You say, you're bound
to honor your word.
So that's the way it stands.
Well, I only speak
for the union.
We have no jurisdiction
over family operations.
So the union's out of it
from now on.
It's between you people.
Whatever happens from here
on out, the union's out of it.
I'm glad to have met you,
Mr. Stamper.
My father was a good friend
of your father
many long years ago.
Ah. What was his name?
Til Draeger.
Never heard of him.
Thanks for your hospitality.
Goodnight.
Well...
Hmm?
Yeah, we better get back
to work on that, Joe.
Tide'll be coming in
like hell tonight.
Oh, it's always coming
in like hell.
Like it or not,
it's going to carry us
all off someday.
This is it, buddy.
Huh?
OK. Thanks for the ride.
Bye bye.
Hey!
Joey. Good day, rigger.
Yeah, Hank, I get ya.
Who's doing all that
raging over there?
Oh, I can't tell
from here.
I'm going to go see
though.
What can I do for ya?
Wish I knew, Joe B.
Huh?
Oh, you sure haven't
changed much, Joe B.
All right, come on now.
Just who the hell are you?
I'm Lee, Joe B.
Leland.
You're Lee?
Can't believe it.
Huh!
My God...
Lee, what's all that crap
hanging down your head.
Can we go over now?
Why sure, boy.
Get in and we're off
and sailing, boy.
Hey, Hank!
Uncle Henry, I got Lee!
I got Leland Stamper!
I got Lee! Whoo-hoo!
What the hell is all
this shoutin' going on?
It's your kid, Uncle Henry.
What kid?
Your other kid. Lee.
Bullshit.
No. Come on.
Joe B.'s bringing him
across the river
right now.
Hey, girls,
come on...
Hi.
You?
Me.
I'm a son of a bitch.
I lost myself a son,
he comes back home
a daughter.
Where'd you get
all that hair?
It grows.
How you been, huh?
Getting by.
Good.
I tell ya, it's about
all you can ask for.
These damn fool socialists
running the country.
Come here, honey,
would you?
Lee, I want you
to meet my misses.
This here is Jan.
Hi. Pleased to meet you.
How do you do?
And this is Tita.
Hello, Tita.
Now tell me.
What do you think about
your old man up there,
huh?
He fell out of a tree
about four months ago.
Broke his whole
left side.
Hell, I've been hurt
worse than that.
Henry,
for goodness sake.
I don't think we ought
to keep Leland
standing here
on the dock. Hi.
I'm Viv. Hank's wife.
How you do?
Why don't you
come on up?
Hank's around
here someplace.
At least he was
a few minutes ago.
How are you, swinger?
Never thought you'd get
back here on your own.
Yeah.
Yeah, I guess it is
kinda strange.
What are you,
just passing through?
Maybe.
What do you think,
Henry?
Want to put this puppy
dog up for the night?
I don't know. Looks to me like
some kind of NewYork fairy.
Boy, damn if he don't.
If you two would just
stop it. Now come on.
Hey, Lee,
how does it look to you?
Pretty much the same.
Where's he going to sleep,
though?
Wherever you think.
Oh, I got it.
Hey, Lee, you can have
your old room back.
We'll just move
our kids out right now.
You don't mind doing that,
do you, honey?
Why no. Of course not.
Hey, Lee, see,
you're all set up.
Better get those kids
out pretty quick, Jan,
he looks kind of
shook up.
I've been on the road
three days.
Where you sure as hell
been on something, bub.
Want a beer?
No. No, thanks.
Come on in.
Sit down where we can talk.
No, really.
I am kind of tired.
If I could maybe
sack out for a while
and get myself together.
Well, sure,
you bet, Lee.
Come on upstairs.
I got your stuff.
Come on.
I think he's beautiful.
Yeah, the son...
the prodigal son returns.
That's me, right?
Question is why.
I think it's time for you
to know the answer.
You see, my dear boozy mother
used to get these letters
every month.
And who do you suppose
sent those letters?
Himself.
And what do you suppose
was in those letters?
Hmm?
Money.
Real, honest to goodness money.
I mean, it's really got
to make you wonder
his being so nice to us.
Hank. Not my old man.
Hank.
God only knows.
I owe him an awful lot.
So I just had to come up here
and give him my helping hand.
Now, ain't we lucky?
Bunch of dumb scabs.
Ignorant savages,
eat dirt and bugger raccoons
'cause they don't know
any better.
And then here comes
Leland Stamper.
Knows everything.
Yeah...
Well, I know this, Hank.
I know all there is to know
about ladies
who jump out of
six-story windows.
I'm a real expert at that.
So be it, bub.
Nobody pushed.
Please tell me about it.
She's dead and buried.
Nobody's business.
You know, I don't remember
seeing Hank at the funeral.
Would you believe it, Viv?
Nobody came.
Nobody.
Well, not even anybody
from her own family?
Disowned her.
Gave up on her years ago,
when she ran away to Oregon
with this fast talking
old widower
by the name of Henry Stamper.
And if that wasn't bad enough
she even had a kid by him.
So nobody came. Nobody.
Hey, don't you worry, Hank.
We got your God damn flowers.
Hubba! Hubba!
Time for some whistle bunks.
Let's go! Let's go!
Gonna stay in bed all day?
Wag it and shag it, Stampers.
Contracts to fill.
Eggs to hatch
and cats to kill.
No sissy shits here.
Come on.
Let's wake it and shake it, bub.
Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is right.
Are they asleep?
I think Barina's awake.
Come on in here then.
Oh, yeah.
...waterfront areas are reminded
to check carefully.
"KRO, Number One"
Think he's going to make it?
I don't know. He was
laying in bed up there.
Looked just like
Rita Hayworth.
Morning.
Morning, Leland.
Over here.
Good morning.
You're late.
Waffles is all gone.
It's ok, Henry.
I saved some for him
in the oven.
You want some coffee?
Yes, thank you.
Come on, Leland
let's have the benefits
of some of that
university learning.
Give us something of
trigonometry.
Go on, say something in
trigonom.
Well, if you don't mind.
I'd like to wag it
and shag it first.
Thank you.
Lee, you going
to stick around?
The reason I ask is we're
kind of up against it.
We're a little
shorthanded.
See, we could use
every last Stamper
we can get a hold of.
What do you mean?
He's eating here, ain't he?
If he's gonna eat here,
he's gonna work here.
It's all. He's workin'.
Maybe Lee's got
to say something about that.
Me and Jan, we're going
to take you over
to the Church of God
and the Metaphysical
Science.
We gonna introduce you
to BrotherWalker.
What do you want
to do that for?
Hey, I can tell you
something, Lee.
Thank you.
You know what happened
as soon as Jan and me
got the call, the very
instant we got saved?
I mean the very instant.
You know what happened?
She got pregnant,
that's what.
The very instant like.
Incredible.
Bullshit.
Want some more syrup,
Lee?
Anything wrong?
No. Everything's fine.
I was just wondering,
don't the ladies get to say
anything at breakfast?
Get him some boots.
What?
Get some Clarks for him,
stop all this jawin'.
Wait a minute.
He hasn't even said
he's going to stay yet.
Get the God damn boots.
Get 'em.
Heh. Come on, Lee.
Try these on.
And don't step on
anybody, huh?
I'll get you a hat.
Why don't you back off,
old man?
Oh, mommy sissypants.
Years ago, when his mommy
took him with,
I knew he wasn't going
to cut it.
I knew he'd never cut it.
You might give him
a little room.
What for?
Well, you're old school.
He's only a half-brother to me
but as far as I've been told,
he's all your son.
Don't you boys go docking it
just 'cause I ain't there.
You keep Uncle John
nice and sober.
Should be a good day,
pretty good day for it.
Hey, Joe, hold it.
Hmm?
Hold it.
Just look at that.
Look at that up there.
Huh? What?
That's my old man.
Ain't he a handsome
looking devil?
No getting around that.
Sons of bitches.
Hey, you dare I leave
my unprotected wife alone
with a sheik like that?
Pretty risky, Hank.
My God, you Campfire Girls
going to get the hell
out of here?
Take it easy, Henry.
Hey, Leland,
get on down here!
Got no respect!
Here they are, Leland.
Ain't they beauties?
Huh?
Hey, come on, Andy.
What's happening?
Clyde ain't coming at all,
that's what's happening.
All right.
I'm Leland Stamper.
Billy Bejesus.
I'm your cousin Andy.
Must be about 1 0 years now.
I heard about your mother.
Yeah, well, she's dead.
Yeah. Sure am sorry, Lee.
Where'd you get all the hair?
It grows.
Hey, fellas,
can you come over here?
Can you take me across?
My boat's laid up.
Ah, thanks a lot, fellas.
I sure do thank you
for the lift.
Any of you fellas got
any smokes on you?
I'm clear out.
Got a match?
I see you got
a new hand here, Hank.
Yeah, it's my brother Leland.
Case you want to put that
in your union report.
Where'd you get
all that hair?
Well, it grows.
How's it going, Les?
Fine. It's great.
Could be a lot better,
of course.
Well, I'm just going
down the county line.
Going to pick
gooseberries.
Imagine that?
Me a logger.
You know,
some of the fellas
down at that union hall
are getting plenty
pissed off at you.
They said--
They said they're
going to kick your ass
'til your nose bleeds.
That's what they said.
Hey, wait,
you know what?
We got the lumberman's
field day coming up.
Boy, I sure bet the boys
would like to see
all you Stamper folks
out there when that gets underway.
That's swell.
You can build bleachers
and sell tickets.
Thanks a lot, fellas.
I sure do appreciate
the ride.
Hey, now look.
You make sure that
you fellas come out, you hear?
OK, Stampers,
up and at 'em.
Hey, girls,
we got an invitation
to the lumberman's
field day.
Neat work you guys do up here.
Well, Leland,
all you got to do
is find something else
for mommy to wipe her
little baby's butt with.
And all this neat works
out a business.
What's he going on,
Hank?
Setting the choker.
Well, you look at
the bright side of it, Lee.
It's going to make a man
out of you.
The fella down there.
Name's Hook.
He'll show you around.
And you see that
thin thing up there?
You stay away from that.
Flaps 30, 40 feet.
It's a haul back.
We don't want to waste
a lot of time
picking up
what's left of you.
Right down there.
I'm gonna go cut me a tail spar.
That first step's a bitch.
Hi, I'm Leland.
Hi. How are you? I'm Hook.
You get off on that side,
and I'll get off on this side.
And I'll show you
how to set one of these.
Okey doke.
You got her?
Where is it?
Find it?
Oh, yeah, I got it.
Insert it right
in that slot there.
Now let's get this one.
I'll let you get on the uphill
side and you can fix this one.
I get your fingers?
No.
Now what?
Just head uphill there.
We'll get out of the way.
You got it?
OK.
Now let's get this.
Oh, look out!
God damn!
Sorry.
Hold onto that.
Hey, Hooks.
Kid coming up?
I don't think so.
The little bastard done
all right this morning though.
Jesus Christ!
God damn!
Where'd you learn
the strip act? In college?
Some whore of a bug
bit me.
It's a carpenter ant.
Shit!
Well, listen to that.
He can cuss too.
Don't that beat everything.
Here.
I guess you done OK.
You'll get the hang of it.
You know what you can do
with this job, King Kong?
You can shove it.
Well...
You got a hell of
a good point there, bub.
It ain't a lot of fun.
But it's something
that we do pretty good.
And it's...
you know what's
gotten into me?
You know what's running
through my head right now?
What are you doing here?
What'd you come
back here for?
The old man's at The Snag.
Oh, yeah?
Really. John heard it in town.
The old man's down at The Snag.
Well, it ain't election day
so I suppose they're serving
booze down there.
Yeah.
You think he's going
to be all right, though?
The way things are in town?
Well, there's about
and one of Henry.
So I figure the odds
are in our favor.
Who's talking about
good ol' days?
...always talking
about good ol' days.
Hell. There weren't nothing good
about them except...
Hi, Hank.
How you doing, buddy?
Pretty good. Hi, Henry.
Can I buy you a beer?
Yeah.
OK.
Hey, get us a couple more beers.
Haven't seen you in a while.
Guess you been working
pretty hard though, huh?
Yeah.
Well, that's good.
Things were going pretty good
for me until about a month ago.
You know, I've had
Gregory Peck and Doris Day
all week down at the theater.
But nobody's coming down
to see 'em.
Bang up shows, too.
Guys keep on telling me
I should put on those
new sex movies.
Everything's all tit and butt.
But I just won't stoop that low.
I got a real special
down at the laundry too.
Three shirts for 99 cents.
A real special.
But people just can't afford it.
Not with the strike
going on, Hank.
You know what I mean.
Hell, you know what
I'm talking about.
I mean, God knows you wouldn't
want to do anything
to hurt anybody in this town.
We just want your help,
that's all.
Well, I've tried,
Willard.
But my wife won't let
anybody touch my shirts.
At least you know
who your friends were.
What'd you say?
In those days you could
trust your friends.
They didn't knife you
in the back.
Boy, if I was
a cut much younger,
I'd wrap that chair
across your fat gut.
Henry, be a sweet young
fellow and head on home.
Got to get my cane.
Oh!
Hey! Hey.
Sorry, Floyd. I didn't
mean to do that.
Be nice if that whole
God damn family dropped dead.
OK. She's set.
Look out! Look at that
son of a bitch come!
Who set that?
The kid set that one.
Ah, what I heard is you got
a big one loose today.
Who told you that?
Them things get around.
Hell,
even a dumb fool woman
can set up
a choker proper.
I wonder how she would make out
if someone sawed it through.
What does that mean?
Sawed it through, Hank.
Look,
I tell you something.
Get enough hair
in your eyes
you can see almost
anything.
Maybe we better keep
the kids home tomorrow, huh?
Why don't we all
stay home tomorrow?
Man the barricades.
We could make our stand on
the bend of the river.
The proud Stampers!
And never give
a God damn inch.
That's the old Stamper
motto, isn't it? Hmm?
Words to live by
for the ruling scabs of Oregon.
For a kid almost killed,
he's...
still got a sense of humor.
Come on, girls,
let's go.
Why didn't
you go hunting?
I don't know.
I guess I'd want
the fox to win.
Come on. Come on.
Let's go.
Don't you ever
get a day off?
Not very often.
What do they do
at a lumberman's
field day anyway?
They drink beer
and play grab ass
with each other's motorcycles.
Couldn't have been easy
for you coming back here.
Wasn't hard either.
Hell, it was the first trip
I'd had all year
on rubber tires.
I was just sitting there
one day,
sitting in my room staring
at the ceiling with the gas on.
Gas?
Yeah, it was going
for maybe 20 minutes or so.
I got this really
brilliant idea.
I was going to have this
last joint and go out high.
So rolled up this joint
and I lit up and boom.
You wouldn't
believe what happened.
I mean, the windows blew out,
the door caved in.
I found myself on the street.
Finally, the cops hauled me
off to the hospital.
Next thing I knew I was
getting sued by the landlord.
I couldn't
pay the hospital bill.
I mean, I had to split.
Why did you want to turn
on the gas?
Well, I was just
on a bummer for about a year.
There was nobody there.
Henry!
Reba!
Come on, girl.
Henry.
Henry, you can't go
chasing off like that.
When I need a wet nurse,
missy,
I'll go up to the county hospital.
What about you?
You never say anything.
Yeah, I know.
Like the strike.
Doesn't it bother you?
Oh.
I don't think about it.
Why not?
Nobody asks me.
Well, I mean if anybody
should ask,
they don't listen anyway.
That's the way it is.
Did you know that
before you came here?
Ha. No.
I came here...
I came here on the back
of a green motorcycle.
All the way from
Rocky Ford, Colorado.
Rocky Ford.
Yep.
Nobody knows it,
but that's the watermelon
capital of the world.
I bet it is.
Well...
Hank came riding
through there one summer.
Just after cutting season.
Then...
my uncle threw him in jail
for disorderly conduct.
My uncle was the sheriff.
And he...
got out two nights later and...
There was you and Hank
and the watermelon
patch, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, sort of.
And so you took off.
No. I left.
I left
my aunt and uncle,
and the watermelon
patch, and the jail,
and...
God,
riding out of there...
on the back
of that thing,
hanging onto Hank.
So anyway, here I am.
I got a garden here.
I got flowers and...
got a German yellow
canary upstairs.
And they're all mine.
And if that river
ever comes up
and carts us all off,
they're still mine.
That's all there is.
Has it always
been everything?
No.
God no.
Not that first summer.
Had a baby in me then.
I had Hank's baby,
a Stamper...
Everybody was fussing over me
and doing for me.
Even the rain held off
till December.
We went off to Reed's Port
the first night it rained.
And he was born.
He was beautiful.
He had blue eyes
and lots of brown hair.
And he was dead.
And there wouldn't be
anymore.
Doesn't matter now
anyway.
I seem to give Hank what
he wants, what he needs.
He seems satisfied.
Are you?
Hey, hey. Go get him champ.
You bet.
Well, Henry, they sure
won't be expecting us.
I mean,
I really don't know why
we have to go through this.
Sure you do.
Yeah, I guess I do.
Let's get out there
and have some fun.
Hey!
Got these rules?
Yeah, Hank, keep it up!
Come on, Hank!
Keep it up!
Hey. Hey.
You ever seen anything
like that, huh?
Got a beer?
Don't you want some water?
You hungry?
Yeah.
How'd it go?
Oh, I don't know.
You win a few,
you lose a few.
Hey, Hank,
how about a hamburger?
Hamburger or hotdog?
Hamburger, I think.
All right. There you are.
Hank!
How about a little
touch football?
Oh, I don't know.
Stamper, you want
a little football?
Yeah, why not.
Ronny, Gene.
A little touch football.
Heya, fellas.
How you doing, guys?
A little touch football...
Hey, nice, nice.
My God, the kid's fast, Hank.
Going fast to sleep.
He's just like his big brother.
Remember that real
wet summer we had, kid?
Lot of beds got warmed up
that summer.
Hank and I, we know
which bed I'm talking about,
don't we?
It's pretty funny lately.
'Cause everybody knew
that Hank was balling
your mother.
Oh, boy.
Get him, Joe B.
Get in there, Hankus!
That wasn't a very good
landing there, Hank.
Do a job, man.
Oh, ha ha.
Come on, you guys.
You've had it.
Don't bother to park.
Ah, honey.
Sorry. But I was forced
to kick the crap
out of some friends
and neighbors.
Come on. Come on up.
I forgot something.
No, no. Hank.
Let got of me, Leland.
Hank, come on.
I'm--
Are you all right?
Whoo!
Whee! Whee!
Eight feet, Joe B.,
right on the mark!
We're in God's
fat little pocket.
Fun, huh?
Fun.
Let me know.
What?
If you want to leave.
Come on!
Come on, let's get 'em moving!
You know,
I'm sorry about that.
Sorry about what, Hank?
Well, the way you found out
about me and your mother.
Hey, let me tell you
something, Hank.
I didn't find out about
anything yesterday
that I didn't know
already.
Hey, how does that happen?
Who tells 1 0-year-old kids
about their mothers?
Their mothers?
Nobody had to tell me
anything, Hank.
I saw you.
OK, Stampers,
up and at 'em.
I don't know.
Hell, everything's coming
apart at the seams.
I tell you, Hank,
it's Orland's boys.
He says they all
got the flu or something.
Or something...
Yeah, he doesn't know
when he'll be back.
You know, he don't know
the difference
between a goose
and a Coos bay whore.
But he knows
when they're coming back.
He knows, all right.
It ain't easy, Hank.
The Davies boys are
Orland's boys.
Any of us.
My little girl comes
home crying every day
'cause there won't
nobody play with her.
We're all of us dirt.
Just a couple weeks
longer,
they could have waited
a little longer.
Maybe they just want
to get out while they still can.
Well,
we ain't making nothing
but shadows around here.
Let's get going.
Hi, Floyd. Hi, Marie.
My God, what the hell
do you want?
Well, I'll tell you.
It's kind of like this.
Hey, you stop!
Now, that ain't
no new truck.
But I sure do
feel better.
You bastard,
that was my daddy's desk!
Hey, Hank. Hank.
Listen, I got
to talk to you, Hank.
Now, it's in confidence, Hank.
I'm talking to you
in confidence.
Now, I've never told anybody
this before.
You know, Willard,
I don't think
I really want the honor.
Hank, now wait. Hank!
Hank, you listen
to me now, huh?
Remember last year
the girl that I hired on
to help Mildred in the laundry?
Well, that girl and me--
we sort of hit it off.
You know, the two of us.
Well, right now
she's up in Seattle.
She's living there.
She's got this kid, Hank.
My kid.
Understand me?
I didn't know you had it
in you, Willard.
Well, I'm supporting
the both of them, damn it.
She and the kid.
But I can't go on any longer.
Hey, Viv.
I just can't afford to.
Hank, you're going to kill
a lot of people in this town.
Get to the point,
will you, Willard?
Look, that kid
is my own flesh and blood.
And I don't intend
to give him up.
Well...
good for you, Willard.
Hang in there.
Now, listen to me,
Hank Stamper.
So help me God,
if you don't let up,
I'm going to do
something drastic.
I'm going
to kill myself.
That's no crap.
I'll kill myself.
I'll make it look like--
I'll make it look like
an accident
for the insurance money.
I'll do it, so help me God,
as sure as I'm standing
right here right now.
I'll do it.
Well...
good luck.
Good luck?
You don't believe me.
Yeah, I do.
Willard, I probably do.
It's just that I'm not
thinking too sharp now.
And "good luck's"
about the best
that I can come up with.
You got to admit,
it's better than
"have fun"
or "bon voyage."
So why don't we just
let it rest, huh?
Good luck, Willard.
Listen, Hank.
Hank, will you please
listen to me?
Don't you understand
what I'm saying to you?
No more deliveries.
What?
No more deliveries
and no more credit.
Hey, how do you feel
about that?
Hell with 'em.
Pick it up and pay cash.
No, I mean, what are you going
to do about Willard Eggelston?
Ah...
I don't pay much attention
to Willard Eggelston.
He's in show business.
Ha ha. All right, boys,
let's get down to business.
You back up and holler
if you see anybody coming.
Hey, the tide's
moving good.
They gonna be
eating these logs
for breakfast.
Come on with me, Biggie.
He ain't the second snake
in their log book.
We should've done this
a long time ago.
Come on over here.
Let me pull on this
then I can give you some slack.
Got a good find--
that's getting it.
He's coming up here.
Yeah, it's getting it here.
It's fine.
How you guys doing?
Going good.
That's great.
Try it now.
Hey, Les,
what are you doing?
Hey!
Les, watch out.
Help!
Biggie, get him!
Help me!
I got you, Les.
Help me! I can't swim!
Pull him in!
I don't have anything.
Well, we got to get him.
My God, they're going
to drift out to sea.
Well, we'll get a boat.
Don't just stand there,
I can't swim.
There's a phone
up in that shed.
I tell you you're not going
to call that bastard.
Are you
out of your mind?
They'll float by
that Stamper house.
They're going
to drown out there.
Come back here!
Yeah.
Hello, Hank.
This is Howie Elwood.
Who?
Howie Elwood.
Uh, wait a minute.
Hey, I hate to bust up
the concert,
but there's somebody
on the phone.
Yeah?
The thing is, Hank,
that we have a kind of
an emergency.
Uh, where are you guys?
Well, we're down around
your log rafts somewhere.
Oh, yeah?
What are you doing there?
We were having a little
party, log rolling.
Log rolling at night?
A log got away from us.
And Les and Biggie
are hung up on it.
If you could get
your boat out,
they should be floating
by pretty soon.
Can you do that, Hank?
I'll get on it.
He said he'd get on it.
I bet he's going to have
some funny questions
about that raft.
Let's get on down there
and put it together.
You boys look
kind of wasted.
Yeah. It's kind of cold.
And we've been--you know.
You don't have to explain
to us. Just get in.
We'll take you
back up to the raft.
Oh, thanks.
Whoa!
Hubba! Hubba!
Set me some whistle bunks.
Let's go!
Oh.
Wag it and shag it, Stampers!
Let's go!
Bless this day.
I forgot.
What?
Lessie's tooth.
She's going to be sore as hell
if she don't get something
for that tooth.
Hank, you got a quarter? Huh?
Damn it.
Here's 35 cents.
That fairy's
a big spender.
A fatal accident was reported
in the city ofWakonda.
Willard Eggelston, owner and
manager of the Wakonda theater,
was found dead
in front of the lobby.
Police say they believe
Mr. Eggelston
might have fallen from a ladder.
He was taken to Wakonda hospital
where he was pronounced
dead on arrival.
"The time and weather on KCOB"
Turning now to weather
along the Central Oregon coast--
wind, rain,
and high tide the outlook.
A high tide of 9.6 feet has
a predicted two-foot overtide
for 1 1.6 feet,
near the critical 1 2-foot level.
And all boat owners
in waterfront areas...
Hank? Hank?
He killed himself.
Well, a guy takes
his own life, honey,
he's got to be crazy.
Willard is dead.
Was I supposed
to keep him alive?
I didn't call him up
and say,
"Hey, Willard, jump!"
Don't you feel
anything about it?
What do you want me
to do?
Stay home.
You can do that.
Today, tomorrow.
Next week.
Just stay home.
Give it up.
We're not going to starve
for four log booms.
I never said we were.
Stay home. Give an inch.
Take off your boots.
We can make love
after breakfast.
We can make love after lunch.
And old Henry will get pissed
off at us like he used to.
And you just laugh,
close the door on him
Iike you used to.
And you'll hold me
Iike now.
Please stay home.
What you doing out there?
Come upstairs now.
Right now. Please.
...bum. We'll have it
for lunch.
Well, take a good look,
you son of a bitch.
Like a bird.
Like a God damn bird.
Something just fell off
last night.
Come on, Henry.
He's been banging
on that thing
all night long with
a ball peen hammer.
Fix that saw
you fixing her.
Come on,
let's flap out of here.
I'm going down to
Doc Ivan this morning,
get the rest of this cast
darn booger yanked off.
And then finally maybe
when I'm back on
your dumbass crew again,
we just might
get some work done.
Well, don't just
stand there looking.
Let's wag it and shag it.
Hey...
Hank, please don't go.
What the hell's all this?
Henry, you tell him.
You tell him to stay home.
How the hell
can I do that?
Because there's no one
wants you to work. No one.
Well, I do. He does.
Joe B., Lee,
they do.
That's good enough.
For what? For what?
Hell, don't you know?
To keep on going,
that's what.
To work and sleep
and screw and eat,
drink and keep on going.
And that's all?
Honey sweet,
that's all there is.
That's the whole
ball of wax.
Come on, let's go.
I'll drop you boys off
at the show site.
Hank?
Joe Ben.
Yo!
John!
Yo!
Come out here.
Ya don't mean
to truck in your way.
With a 9-foot tide
running today,
they'll just float
down to the pond.
Yeah. Hey, we can
do that all right.
Ain't he a bitch.
That's going
to be a real ball breaker
But I got an idea
we can whop it.
What do you say, Hankus?
Well, we'll get 'em
started, Henry.
Then you can just
stomp 'em down.
Henry,
that tide's coming in.
Better get somebody down
to the mill pond.
No trick to that.
John here can take
the pickup down,
snag each one of them
coming by.
OK by me.
Here you are, Hank.
I'll get Andy
and get on it
right away.
Go ahead, Joe B.
Hank, it's slabbing!
Joe B.!
Oh!
Oh, God...
Go on, see about Joe B.
Joe B.
Hey, Lee.
Hey, don't worry.
It's all right.
Ain't nothing broke.
This old log come
barreling down,
sat right on my lap.
Soft mud saved me,
I guess.
Can't you move?
I don't think so.
Hold it. There's
something real hard
that's wedged right up
against my butt.
What the hell happened
up there?
The tree slabbed.
I think the old man
got hurt pretty badly.
Well, you go on.
You get him
to the hospital.
'Cause I'm OK.
Go on, Lee.
I'm all right.
OK.
Is he out?
Mostly.
Here, let me get a hold.
I better get him
into town real quick.
OK.
I'll give you a hand.
No, you better see
what you can do
about Joe Ben.
Looks like he's got
a ton full of logs
sitting on his lap
down there.
Don't worry.
I'll get him
to the hospital
all right.
You do what you can
for Joe B.
Hank.
There's a big ol'
piece of wood
that's wedged right up
against my butt.
It's got me stuck
real good.
Hey, Hank.
Didn't even bust
my radio.
What do you think
of that?
Let me haul you out of here.
Oh, no. Ain't much.
You just wasting
your time.
There's something hard
down there under my butt
that's holding me down.
I can feel it
down there.
I'll go get the saw
and cut you out.
Yeah, all right.
You do that.
Hey, and, Hank, you
don't worry about me.
I'll just sit here
and wait for you.
Jesus...
Let me walk.
Easy big boy.
I'm glad to see
you again, old sport.
Hey, you were going
real good, what happened?
It's got gas.
That water must've
drowned it.
It ain't gonna work, Hank.
Hey, Hank, just leave it.
It's all right. Look. Look.
All we got to do--
I tell you, all we got to do
is sit here and wait.
This here tide
is going to come in.
It's going to raise
this thing off of me.
Hell, it'll float
clean away.
It's got to do
some rising.
Well, all right.
We just got to do
some waiting then.
Good idea.
You bet.
It ain't gonna work, Hank.
My arm's coming off.
Why don't you be a nice
old son of a bitch
and lie still, huh?
Bastard.
Keep...you keep it here.
I don't know
what happened, Leland?
OK. Hang on, dad.
Damn it, Hank. Damn it.
It's ruined.
I forgot to take it off
my stupid neck.
Well, it'll dry out
most likely.
You feel it lightening any?
Can't tell you. I'm as
cold as a witch's tit.
Well, let me go on under
and take a look.
It's holding all right.
How far you think
it's come up, Hank?
I don't know, Joe B.
Couple of inches, maybe.
Hank, it's moving.
Oh, Jesus.
Hey, Hank, you ain't gonna
let this old river
up and drown me, are you?
It's holding, all right.
I can't budge it.
Son of a bitch.
I thought all you had to do
was ask your big buddy upstairs
and everything
would be all right.
Hank, I'd never
ask him for nothing
if I figure you and me
could handle it
ourselves.
Yeah, I suppose he's got his problems.
No greater problems
in Oklahoma.
Hank.
I don't like this water.
It's getting
over my chin.
Hey, if worse gets
to worse,
I could always give you
mouth to mouth
till this mother
floats off you.
Yeah, you could do that.
What?
God damn it.
What if old Henry saw us, huh?
Can you imagine
that old son of a bitch?
He'd be telling everybody
atThe Snag
you and me was kissing
before we went underwater.
I don't know
if I much care for that.
I don't know if I much
care for that either.
Hey, it's gonna be OK, Hank.
It was moving.
It's going to pop off
any time now.
Easy. Easy.
You know, I ought to maybe
put my arms around you
and just kiss you
a little bit first
so we get used to it, huh?
Sure wish I had a head
of hair like Leland.
Make out like it was
Rita Hayworth.
Hank, it's shifting, Hank!
Crazy son of a bitch.
Don't clown around.
Don't laugh. Oh!
Joe B. Joe B.
Ah, Joe B.
Joe B.
Get a stretcher, quick.
My arm fell off.
Hurry.
Lee telephoned me
from the hospital.
Let's get over there.
I want Lee to go over
to the mill pond.
What for?
To watch every log
that goes by
and grab the one
that's flagged.
Joe Ben's nailed to it.
He drowned.
There was an accident.
Henry was hurt real bad.
Joe B.'s...
What is it?
Hematocrit 28.
Hemoglobin 9.
Look, I think you'd better
recheck his hemoglobin
and his hematocrit again
in a couple of hours.
All right, yeah.
Viv.
Viv.
Up here.
Jan's going to be OK.
We had to wake her parents up.
She...
hasn't told the kids yet.
She's going to wait
until tomorrow.
Are you all right?
Viv...
are you all right?
What?
Close the door.
The old bitch is just
waiting for me to die.
She wants to change
the damn fool sheets.
Come here.
What?
You know what come
with the other arm?
I wasn't by God gonna
let them have it.
I'm gonna bury it
when I get home.
Tell Lee to put it
in the freezer.
Watch out Viv
don't fry it up for supper.
By God, if she ever sees that--
Easy. Easy.
Lie back. Lie back.
I can't lie back.
Got things to do.
Got a contract to fill.
Got eggs to hatch
and cats to kill.
In the morning,
you get Joe B.,
figure out where we stand.
OK.
Hey, we got Lee, too.
By God he really cut it today,
Hank, didn't he?
Yeah, he did.
Don't you believe 'em.
Who?
Them. They're trying
to put me in my grave.
I'm not even close.
Not even shoutin' distance.
Oh, Hank, it's just that quack
doctor to leave me...
Oh, Lordy! Lordy!
Son of a bitch!
Could you do that for me,
please?
I'd appreciate it.
Thank you.
Was that the hospital?
Yeah. Not good.
It's kind of hard
to believe, isn't it?
How you can just pack up
all those years
in one little suitcase.
I'm not even taking
the God damn canary.
Maybe I ought
to leave with you.
I thought about that.
That's not what
you're looking for.
That's not why
you came back here.
Where will you go?
Well, I want to stay
with Jan for a while.
And then I don't know.
I'll just get on
with the rest of my life.
Oh, I should've left
a long time ago.
Well, the old man
didn't make it.
I can't believe this day.
We'll get together
in a couple of days
and see where we stand.
Hey. We're finished.
Nobody's gonna be
staying with us.
Come on, kid.
Let's go home.
OK. But there's not much
there anymore.
Everyone's gone.
Viv too.
She's headed off
by herself.
She said she could've
picked a better day.
People do what they want, kid.
I don't tell 'em what to do.
Never give an inch, huh?
What do you want from me?
You want to see me crash?
You bet I would,
King Kong.
I'd love that.
I'd like to see you make
the same splat
my mother did when
she hit the pavement.
You're still
laying her off on me, huh?
Well, let me tell you
something, kid.
I was 1 4 and she was 30.
Maybe you're old enough now
to help me figure out
who the hell was banging who.
Your old man said you
really cut it today.
Yeah.
It's Ben, Hank.
We're having
a couple of drinks.
Listen.
Sorry things turned out
the way they did.
You're doing the right
thing, Hank, laying off.
Some people say you're
just on your knees.
But, hey, if there's
anything we can do for you,
just call anytime--
What?
I think Stamper just rented
a tugboat from Omomosa.
That son of a bitch aims
to run them God damn logs!
You want
to finish it now, Hank?
I haven't got time
to cold cock you
this morning, bub.
I got work to do.
You know, Hank,
I thought
all you dinosaurs were dead.
Well, if they want
this one,
they're gonna have
to shoot him.
Just like King Kong,
you got to knock him
down.
Get off them God damn
logs, bub.
They're half mine now, bub.
What are you doing?
I'm gonna hook on
those last two rafts.
You gonna take
all four of 'em?
I am now.
I know he can't!
I know he can't make it!
But he's out there trying,
damn it.
Now, you get Sorenson,
Evans, and Biggie Newton
and you tell them to get their
ass over to the Stamper house
right this minute!
You think you can handle
this tug, bub?
With my head in a sack.
Give me that rope
over there.
You better keep going
right down the middle, bub,
or I'm going to kick
your ass
from here to Dixie.
OK. I'll make the deal.
I don't kick the crap
out of you this year,
you don't kick the crap
out of me next year.
Tide's really running.
Let's get this mother
on the road.
Take it easy.
Yeah, I got a call.
What's going on?
Nothing.
I don't believe
any of it.
Anything happened?
Nothing.
Not a sign of 'em.
I'll go take a look.
OK.
I bet you he gets hung up
before he ever gets started.
Ain't I been telling you?
Nobody can make that run
by himself.
Suppose he does take off
with a couple of rafts.
Can anybody just show me
how he's going to make it
on his own?
Probably get hung up
on the first bend he'd come to.
Floyd.
Hey, Floyd.
Son of a bitch.
Jumpin' Jesus...
That's him.
He's got all four rafts.
He's got his kid brother.
That God damn family...
over there a while.
Do you think
he's doing any good?
I got payments to make
on a Chevrolet.
God damn scabs over there.
Is that Floyd?
What's he running for?
Get your buggin' ass
out of here,
you buggin' socialist!
They're after him!
All of 'em.
What are they up to?
You union creep, get lost!
Whoa!
I'll blow your belly
right out of your dang head!
Hey, wait a minute,
Floyd--
None of you live bets
gonna tell me what he loves.
What are they--
They're trying
to kill him!
Sands!
What about that, Floyd?
Pansy socialists!
God damn traitors!
I'll get every last
one of ya! Whoo!
Hang in there!
Floyd, come on!
Easy, Floyd. Easy.
God damn,
strike-breaking bastards.
I got you, Floyd.
I got you, Floyd.
It'll be OK.
My God...
They could've killed me.
Did they get you?
Are you hurt?
You all right?
You lousy gypo
scabber bastards!
We'll get you!
We're gonna
pull you down.
Look!
...with the dynamite...
Boom! I though you put
it right in the boat!
God damn union freaks.
Teach you to go
snoopin' around.
And then someone
over there is yelling,
"Look out!"
How's he gonna look out,
if the boat's going
all over the damn river?
He's screaming
and yelling,
"What's happening to me?
What's happening to me? "
What'd I tell you?
The holy signals
are hanging over us
right now, Hank.
I mean,
everything's going
to be milk and honey.
We're in God's own
fat pocket.
Brother Walker
told us that.
He told us.
Yeah.
And he don't hand out
any crap
Iike some of them
other preachers do.
God damn, some people
would rather talk than eat.
Ah, it's washing out
down here, Joe.
Give me a hand, will ya?
Hank, Joe B.!
You boys planning on a stag
party here tonight?
We got women inside.
This ain't no party,
bub.
This here is
Mr. Jonathan Draeger.
Pleasure to meet you both.
He's the whole works,
bub. He's the president.
Not just Oregon.
The whole damn
freakin' union.
Yeah, I think
I know that, Floyd.
Boy, you sure picked
one hell of a night
for a moonlight cruise.
Yeah, it is that.
I was working over
in Portland today.
And I thought
I might stop by
and chat for a few
minutes before we left.
OK. Go ahead.
Well, is it asking
too much of an old buddy
if we get in
out of the rain?
Come on.
No sense in tracking
all of this water
into the house, Floyd.
We can talk out here.
Henry,
it's Jonathan Draeger.
How are you?
How you do, sir?
Viv, bring out
a couple of six-packs
of cold ones, will ya?
Oh, boy.
This weather up here
really plays hell
with my athlete's foot.
Seems like any time
I come up to Oregon,
it just crawls right up
to my privates.
Yeah. Well, I hope the
trip will be worth it.
Could we cut the fun and games
and get to the point?
Well, you got to think
I'm kind of arrogant
to barge in here
to plug up the holes, Hank.
Is it all right
if I call you Hank?
What do you think, Henry?
It's OK by me.
He's the boss.
Well, I was just wondering
if maybe you can hold on
to everything you've got now
and then sell it all later on.
Sell it
to somebody else maybe.
Sure.
Sure. We'll tell
the O'Connel Company
to go screw themselves.
I guess that gives us
the privilege
of selling our logs
to somebody else.
I get you.
Well then?
Well then what?
Can't do that, Floyd.
By God,
you've got to do it.
Look, we got a contract,
Mr. Draeger.
How do you handle that?
I mean, that's our word.
Shouldn't have
gave your word.
No, thanks. Listen, I know.
We've got nothing against
you independents.
We're not out to put
the family operations
out of business.
Thanks.
That clears that up.
I mean, they're
your friends and neighbors.
Don't you think
you owe 'em something?
That depends
on what they'd owe us
if they were
on the other end.
Oh, come on now. You know
what I'm talking about.
See, I don't think
I do know
what you're talking about.
You come on pretty folksy
with that athlete's foot
and those first names
and everything.
Why don't we cut through that
crap and get straight on it?
That suits me fine.
But what am I going to tell you?
You got a town full of people
here who are hurting.
Now somebody is going
to have to give up something
somewhere along the line.
Don't you agree?
Henry, you answer that.
Well, now,
it just so happens, see,
we get ourselves up
at 4:30 every morning,
go out and chop wood.
It's every morning
but Sunday for sure.
And Saturday maybe.
We've been doing that
for a hell of a lot of
years with no stink.
So when you or Floyd here
or General Motors
or some Commie-pinko
or my hound dog tells us
we're not going to get
up at 4:30, I tell you--
you haven't got a whisper
of a bare-ass clue what the hell
this family's all about.
Not a whisper.
Nothing.
Well, that's just about
as clear a statement
of 1 9th-century philosophy
as I've ever heard.
Fine. Give us a look
at the 20th.
Your slots and compartments
you stash people away in.
You gonna tell us
when to stop cutting
and when to start cutting.
and who to sell to,
and pat our little bottoms
and tell us
what good little boys we are.
Well, not yet, bub.
Not yet you don't.
I'm only asking you to hang onto
the logs you already have.
Let me tell you something.
Might gladden your heart
and dry up your
athlete's foot overnight.
We might not make that deadline.
We got three weeks of the worst
logging coming up.
And we're liable to fall short.
But let me tell you something.
We are going
to bust our humps trying.
I'm really sorry
you feel that way.
Every time you open up
a paper these days,
you read about violence.
It's almost as if nothing
gets done anymore without it.
So, if these people here--
Wait a minute.
I think we're down
to the gritty, Henry.
If you're talking threats,
I think you can make them
plainer than that.
Just what kind of violence
do you have in mind?
I'm just pointing out the facts,
that's all.
Your friends
and neighbors here,
they say
you're strike breaking.
You say, you're bound
to honor your word.
So that's the way it stands.
Well, I only speak
for the union.
We have no jurisdiction
over family operations.
So the union's out of it
from now on.
It's between you people.
Whatever happens from here
on out, the union's out of it.
I'm glad to have met you,
Mr. Stamper.
My father was a good friend
of your father
many long years ago.
Ah. What was his name?
Til Draeger.
Never heard of him.
Thanks for your hospitality.
Goodnight.
Well...
Hmm?
Yeah, we better get back
to work on that, Joe.
Tide'll be coming in
like hell tonight.
Oh, it's always coming
in like hell.
Like it or not,
it's going to carry us
all off someday.
This is it, buddy.
Huh?
OK. Thanks for the ride.
Bye bye.
Hey!
Joey. Good day, rigger.
Yeah, Hank, I get ya.
Who's doing all that
raging over there?
Oh, I can't tell
from here.
I'm going to go see
though.
What can I do for ya?
Wish I knew, Joe B.
Huh?
Oh, you sure haven't
changed much, Joe B.
All right, come on now.
Just who the hell are you?
I'm Lee, Joe B.
Leland.
You're Lee?
Can't believe it.
Huh!
My God...
Lee, what's all that crap
hanging down your head.
Can we go over now?
Why sure, boy.
Get in and we're off
and sailing, boy.
Hey, Hank!
Uncle Henry, I got Lee!
I got Leland Stamper!
I got Lee! Whoo-hoo!
What the hell is all
this shoutin' going on?
It's your kid, Uncle Henry.
What kid?
Your other kid. Lee.
Bullshit.
No. Come on.
Joe B.'s bringing him
across the river
right now.
Hey, girls,
come on...
Hi.
You?
Me.
I'm a son of a bitch.
I lost myself a son,
he comes back home
a daughter.
Where'd you get
all that hair?
It grows.
How you been, huh?
Getting by.
Good.
I tell ya, it's about
all you can ask for.
These damn fool socialists
running the country.
Come here, honey,
would you?
Lee, I want you
to meet my misses.
This here is Jan.
Hi. Pleased to meet you.
How do you do?
And this is Tita.
Hello, Tita.
Now tell me.
What do you think about
your old man up there,
huh?
He fell out of a tree
about four months ago.
Broke his whole
left side.
Hell, I've been hurt
worse than that.
Henry,
for goodness sake.
I don't think we ought
to keep Leland
standing here
on the dock. Hi.
I'm Viv. Hank's wife.
How you do?
Why don't you
come on up?
Hank's around
here someplace.
At least he was
a few minutes ago.
How are you, swinger?
Never thought you'd get
back here on your own.
Yeah.
Yeah, I guess it is
kinda strange.
What are you,
just passing through?
Maybe.
What do you think,
Henry?
Want to put this puppy
dog up for the night?
I don't know. Looks to me like
some kind of NewYork fairy.
Boy, damn if he don't.
If you two would just
stop it. Now come on.
Hey, Lee,
how does it look to you?
Pretty much the same.
Where's he going to sleep,
though?
Wherever you think.
Oh, I got it.
Hey, Lee, you can have
your old room back.
We'll just move
our kids out right now.
You don't mind doing that,
do you, honey?
Why no. Of course not.
Hey, Lee, see,
you're all set up.
Better get those kids
out pretty quick, Jan,
he looks kind of
shook up.
I've been on the road
three days.
Where you sure as hell
been on something, bub.
Want a beer?
No. No, thanks.
Come on in.
Sit down where we can talk.
No, really.
I am kind of tired.
If I could maybe
sack out for a while
and get myself together.
Well, sure,
you bet, Lee.
Come on upstairs.
I got your stuff.
Come on.
I think he's beautiful.
Yeah, the son...
the prodigal son returns.
That's me, right?
Question is why.
I think it's time for you
to know the answer.
You see, my dear boozy mother
used to get these letters
every month.
And who do you suppose
sent those letters?
Himself.
And what do you suppose
was in those letters?
Hmm?
Money.
Real, honest to goodness money.
I mean, it's really got
to make you wonder
his being so nice to us.
Hank. Not my old man.
Hank.
God only knows.
I owe him an awful lot.
So I just had to come up here
and give him my helping hand.
Now, ain't we lucky?
Bunch of dumb scabs.
Ignorant savages,
eat dirt and bugger raccoons
'cause they don't know
any better.
And then here comes
Leland Stamper.
Knows everything.
Yeah...
Well, I know this, Hank.
I know all there is to know
about ladies
who jump out of
six-story windows.
I'm a real expert at that.
So be it, bub.
Nobody pushed.
Please tell me about it.
She's dead and buried.
Nobody's business.
You know, I don't remember
seeing Hank at the funeral.
Would you believe it, Viv?
Nobody came.
Nobody.
Well, not even anybody
from her own family?
Disowned her.
Gave up on her years ago,
when she ran away to Oregon
with this fast talking
old widower
by the name of Henry Stamper.
And if that wasn't bad enough
she even had a kid by him.
So nobody came. Nobody.
Hey, don't you worry, Hank.
We got your God damn flowers.
Hubba! Hubba!
Time for some whistle bunks.
Let's go! Let's go!
Gonna stay in bed all day?
Wag it and shag it, Stampers.
Contracts to fill.
Eggs to hatch
and cats to kill.
No sissy shits here.
Come on.
Let's wake it and shake it, bub.
Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is right.
Are they asleep?
I think Barina's awake.
Come on in here then.
Oh, yeah.
...waterfront areas are reminded
to check carefully.
"KRO, Number One"
Think he's going to make it?
I don't know. He was
laying in bed up there.
Looked just like
Rita Hayworth.
Morning.
Morning, Leland.
Over here.
Good morning.
You're late.
Waffles is all gone.
It's ok, Henry.
I saved some for him
in the oven.
You want some coffee?
Yes, thank you.
Come on, Leland
let's have the benefits
of some of that
university learning.
Give us something of
trigonometry.
Go on, say something in
trigonom.
Well, if you don't mind.
I'd like to wag it
and shag it first.
Thank you.
Lee, you going
to stick around?
The reason I ask is we're
kind of up against it.
We're a little
shorthanded.
See, we could use
every last Stamper
we can get a hold of.
What do you mean?
He's eating here, ain't he?
If he's gonna eat here,
he's gonna work here.
It's all. He's workin'.
Maybe Lee's got
to say something about that.
Me and Jan, we're going
to take you over
to the Church of God
and the Metaphysical
Science.
We gonna introduce you
to BrotherWalker.
What do you want
to do that for?
Hey, I can tell you
something, Lee.
Thank you.
You know what happened
as soon as Jan and me
got the call, the very
instant we got saved?
I mean the very instant.
You know what happened?
She got pregnant,
that's what.
The very instant like.
Incredible.
Bullshit.
Want some more syrup,
Lee?
Anything wrong?
No. Everything's fine.
I was just wondering,
don't the ladies get to say
anything at breakfast?
Get him some boots.
What?
Get some Clarks for him,
stop all this jawin'.
Wait a minute.
He hasn't even said
he's going to stay yet.
Get the God damn boots.
Get 'em.
Heh. Come on, Lee.
Try these on.
And don't step on
anybody, huh?
I'll get you a hat.
Why don't you back off,
old man?
Oh, mommy sissypants.
Years ago, when his mommy
took him with,
I knew he wasn't going
to cut it.
I knew he'd never cut it.
You might give him
a little room.
What for?
Well, you're old school.
He's only a half-brother to me
but as far as I've been told,
he's all your son.
Don't you boys go docking it
just 'cause I ain't there.
You keep Uncle John
nice and sober.
Should be a good day,
pretty good day for it.
Hey, Joe, hold it.
Hmm?
Hold it.
Just look at that.
Look at that up there.
Huh? What?
That's my old man.
Ain't he a handsome
looking devil?
No getting around that.
Sons of bitches.
Hey, you dare I leave
my unprotected wife alone
with a sheik like that?
Pretty risky, Hank.
My God, you Campfire Girls
going to get the hell
out of here?
Take it easy, Henry.
Hey, Leland,
get on down here!
Got no respect!
Here they are, Leland.
Ain't they beauties?
Huh?
Hey, come on, Andy.
What's happening?
Clyde ain't coming at all,
that's what's happening.
All right.
I'm Leland Stamper.
Billy Bejesus.
I'm your cousin Andy.
Must be about 1 0 years now.
I heard about your mother.
Yeah, well, she's dead.
Yeah. Sure am sorry, Lee.
Where'd you get all the hair?
It grows.
Hey, fellas,
can you come over here?
Can you take me across?
My boat's laid up.
Ah, thanks a lot, fellas.
I sure do thank you
for the lift.
Any of you fellas got
any smokes on you?
I'm clear out.
Got a match?
I see you got
a new hand here, Hank.
Yeah, it's my brother Leland.
Case you want to put that
in your union report.
Where'd you get
all that hair?
Well, it grows.
How's it going, Les?
Fine. It's great.
Could be a lot better,
of course.
Well, I'm just going
down the county line.
Going to pick
gooseberries.
Imagine that?
Me a logger.
You know,
some of the fellas
down at that union hall
are getting plenty
pissed off at you.
They said--
They said they're
going to kick your ass
'til your nose bleeds.
That's what they said.
Hey, wait,
you know what?
We got the lumberman's
field day coming up.
Boy, I sure bet the boys
would like to see
all you Stamper folks
out there when that gets underway.
That's swell.
You can build bleachers
and sell tickets.
Thanks a lot, fellas.
I sure do appreciate
the ride.
Hey, now look.
You make sure that
you fellas come out, you hear?
OK, Stampers,
up and at 'em.
Hey, girls,
we got an invitation
to the lumberman's
field day.
Neat work you guys do up here.
Well, Leland,
all you got to do
is find something else
for mommy to wipe her
little baby's butt with.
And all this neat works
out a business.
What's he going on,
Hank?
Setting the choker.
Well, you look at
the bright side of it, Lee.
It's going to make a man
out of you.
The fella down there.
Name's Hook.
He'll show you around.
And you see that
thin thing up there?
You stay away from that.
Flaps 30, 40 feet.
It's a haul back.
We don't want to waste
a lot of time
picking up
what's left of you.
Right down there.
I'm gonna go cut me a tail spar.
That first step's a bitch.
Hi, I'm Leland.
Hi. How are you? I'm Hook.
You get off on that side,
and I'll get off on this side.
And I'll show you
how to set one of these.
Okey doke.
You got her?
Where is it?
Find it?
Oh, yeah, I got it.
Insert it right
in that slot there.
Now let's get this one.
I'll let you get on the uphill
side and you can fix this one.
I get your fingers?
No.
Now what?
Just head uphill there.
We'll get out of the way.
You got it?
OK.
Now let's get this.
Oh, look out!
God damn!
Sorry.
Hold onto that.
Hey, Hooks.
Kid coming up?
I don't think so.
The little bastard done
all right this morning though.
Jesus Christ!
God damn!
Where'd you learn
the strip act? In college?
Some whore of a bug
bit me.
It's a carpenter ant.
Shit!
Well, listen to that.
He can cuss too.
Don't that beat everything.
Here.
I guess you done OK.
You'll get the hang of it.
You know what you can do
with this job, King Kong?
You can shove it.
Well...
You got a hell of
a good point there, bub.
It ain't a lot of fun.
But it's something
that we do pretty good.
And it's...
you know what's
gotten into me?
You know what's running
through my head right now?
What are you doing here?
What'd you come
back here for?
The old man's at The Snag.
Oh, yeah?
Really. John heard it in town.
The old man's down at The Snag.
Well, it ain't election day
so I suppose they're serving
booze down there.
Yeah.
You think he's going
to be all right, though?
The way things are in town?
Well, there's about
and one of Henry.
So I figure the odds
are in our favor.
Who's talking about
good ol' days?
...always talking
about good ol' days.
Hell. There weren't nothing good
about them except...
Hi, Hank.
How you doing, buddy?
Pretty good. Hi, Henry.
Can I buy you a beer?
Yeah.
OK.
Hey, get us a couple more beers.
Haven't seen you in a while.
Guess you been working
pretty hard though, huh?
Yeah.
Well, that's good.
Things were going pretty good
for me until about a month ago.
You know, I've had
Gregory Peck and Doris Day
all week down at the theater.
But nobody's coming down
to see 'em.
Bang up shows, too.
Guys keep on telling me
I should put on those
new sex movies.
Everything's all tit and butt.
But I just won't stoop that low.
I got a real special
down at the laundry too.
Three shirts for 99 cents.
A real special.
But people just can't afford it.
Not with the strike
going on, Hank.
You know what I mean.
Hell, you know what
I'm talking about.
I mean, God knows you wouldn't
want to do anything
to hurt anybody in this town.
We just want your help,
that's all.
Well, I've tried,
Willard.
But my wife won't let
anybody touch my shirts.
At least you know
who your friends were.
What'd you say?
In those days you could
trust your friends.
They didn't knife you
in the back.
Boy, if I was
a cut much younger,
I'd wrap that chair
across your fat gut.
Henry, be a sweet young
fellow and head on home.
Got to get my cane.
Oh!
Hey! Hey.
Sorry, Floyd. I didn't
mean to do that.
Be nice if that whole
God damn family dropped dead.
OK. She's set.
Look out! Look at that
son of a bitch come!
Who set that?
The kid set that one.
Ah, what I heard is you got
a big one loose today.
Who told you that?
Them things get around.
Hell,
even a dumb fool woman
can set up
a choker proper.
I wonder how she would make out
if someone sawed it through.
What does that mean?
Sawed it through, Hank.
Look,
I tell you something.
Get enough hair
in your eyes
you can see almost
anything.
Maybe we better keep
the kids home tomorrow, huh?
Why don't we all
stay home tomorrow?
Man the barricades.
We could make our stand on
the bend of the river.
The proud Stampers!
And never give
a God damn inch.
That's the old Stamper
motto, isn't it? Hmm?
Words to live by
for the ruling scabs of Oregon.
For a kid almost killed,
he's...
still got a sense of humor.
Come on, girls,
let's go.
Why didn't
you go hunting?
I don't know.
I guess I'd want
the fox to win.
Come on. Come on.
Let's go.
Don't you ever
get a day off?
Not very often.
What do they do
at a lumberman's
field day anyway?
They drink beer
and play grab ass
with each other's motorcycles.
Couldn't have been easy
for you coming back here.
Wasn't hard either.
Hell, it was the first trip
I'd had all year
on rubber tires.
I was just sitting there
one day,
sitting in my room staring
at the ceiling with the gas on.
Gas?
Yeah, it was going
for maybe 20 minutes or so.
I got this really
brilliant idea.
I was going to have this
last joint and go out high.
So rolled up this joint
and I lit up and boom.
You wouldn't
believe what happened.
I mean, the windows blew out,
the door caved in.
I found myself on the street.
Finally, the cops hauled me
off to the hospital.
Next thing I knew I was
getting sued by the landlord.
I couldn't
pay the hospital bill.
I mean, I had to split.
Why did you want to turn
on the gas?
Well, I was just
on a bummer for about a year.
There was nobody there.
Henry!
Reba!
Come on, girl.
Henry.
Henry, you can't go
chasing off like that.
When I need a wet nurse,
missy,
I'll go up to the county hospital.
What about you?
You never say anything.
Yeah, I know.
Like the strike.
Doesn't it bother you?
Oh.
I don't think about it.
Why not?
Nobody asks me.
Well, I mean if anybody
should ask,
they don't listen anyway.
That's the way it is.
Did you know that
before you came here?
Ha. No.
I came here...
I came here on the back
of a green motorcycle.
All the way from
Rocky Ford, Colorado.
Rocky Ford.
Yep.
Nobody knows it,
but that's the watermelon
capital of the world.
I bet it is.
Well...
Hank came riding
through there one summer.
Just after cutting season.
Then...
my uncle threw him in jail
for disorderly conduct.
My uncle was the sheriff.
And he...
got out two nights later and...
There was you and Hank
and the watermelon
patch, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, sort of.
And so you took off.
No. I left.
I left
my aunt and uncle,
and the watermelon
patch, and the jail,
and...
God,
riding out of there...
on the back
of that thing,
hanging onto Hank.
So anyway, here I am.
I got a garden here.
I got flowers and...
got a German yellow
canary upstairs.
And they're all mine.
And if that river
ever comes up
and carts us all off,
they're still mine.
That's all there is.
Has it always
been everything?
No.
God no.
Not that first summer.
Had a baby in me then.
I had Hank's baby,
a Stamper...
Everybody was fussing over me
and doing for me.
Even the rain held off
till December.
We went off to Reed's Port
the first night it rained.
And he was born.
He was beautiful.
He had blue eyes
and lots of brown hair.
And he was dead.
And there wouldn't be
anymore.
Doesn't matter now
anyway.
I seem to give Hank what
he wants, what he needs.
He seems satisfied.
Are you?
Hey, hey. Go get him champ.
You bet.
Well, Henry, they sure
won't be expecting us.
I mean,
I really don't know why
we have to go through this.
Sure you do.
Yeah, I guess I do.
Let's get out there
and have some fun.
Hey!
Got these rules?
Yeah, Hank, keep it up!
Come on, Hank!
Keep it up!
Hey. Hey.
You ever seen anything
like that, huh?
Got a beer?
Don't you want some water?
You hungry?
Yeah.
How'd it go?
Oh, I don't know.
You win a few,
you lose a few.
Hey, Hank,
how about a hamburger?
Hamburger or hotdog?
Hamburger, I think.
All right. There you are.
Hank!
How about a little
touch football?
Oh, I don't know.
Stamper, you want
a little football?
Yeah, why not.
Ronny, Gene.
A little touch football.
Heya, fellas.
How you doing, guys?
A little touch football...
Hey, nice, nice.
My God, the kid's fast, Hank.
Going fast to sleep.
He's just like his big brother.
Remember that real
wet summer we had, kid?
Lot of beds got warmed up
that summer.
Hank and I, we know
which bed I'm talking about,
don't we?
It's pretty funny lately.
'Cause everybody knew
that Hank was balling
your mother.
Oh, boy.
Get him, Joe B.
Get in there, Hankus!
That wasn't a very good
landing there, Hank.
Do a job, man.
Oh, ha ha.
Come on, you guys.
You've had it.
Don't bother to park.
Ah, honey.
Sorry. But I was forced
to kick the crap
out of some friends
and neighbors.
Come on. Come on up.
I forgot something.
No, no. Hank.
Let got of me, Leland.
Hank, come on.
I'm--
Are you all right?
Whoo!
Whee! Whee!
Eight feet, Joe B.,
right on the mark!
We're in God's
fat little pocket.
Fun, huh?
Fun.
Let me know.
What?
If you want to leave.
Come on!
Come on, let's get 'em moving!
You know,
I'm sorry about that.
Sorry about what, Hank?
Well, the way you found out
about me and your mother.
Hey, let me tell you
something, Hank.
I didn't find out about
anything yesterday
that I didn't know
already.
Hey, how does that happen?
Who tells 1 0-year-old kids
about their mothers?
Their mothers?
Nobody had to tell me
anything, Hank.
I saw you.
OK, Stampers,
up and at 'em.
I don't know.
Hell, everything's coming
apart at the seams.
I tell you, Hank,
it's Orland's boys.
He says they all
got the flu or something.
Or something...
Yeah, he doesn't know
when he'll be back.
You know, he don't know
the difference
between a goose
and a Coos bay whore.
But he knows
when they're coming back.
He knows, all right.
It ain't easy, Hank.
The Davies boys are
Orland's boys.
Any of us.
My little girl comes
home crying every day
'cause there won't
nobody play with her.
We're all of us dirt.
Just a couple weeks
longer,
they could have waited
a little longer.
Maybe they just want
to get out while they still can.
Well,
we ain't making nothing
but shadows around here.
Let's get going.
Hi, Floyd. Hi, Marie.
My God, what the hell
do you want?
Well, I'll tell you.
It's kind of like this.
Hey, you stop!
Now, that ain't
no new truck.
But I sure do
feel better.
You bastard,
that was my daddy's desk!
Hey, Hank. Hank.
Listen, I got
to talk to you, Hank.
Now, it's in confidence, Hank.
I'm talking to you
in confidence.
Now, I've never told anybody
this before.
You know, Willard,
I don't think
I really want the honor.
Hank, now wait. Hank!
Hank, you listen
to me now, huh?
Remember last year
the girl that I hired on
to help Mildred in the laundry?
Well, that girl and me--
we sort of hit it off.
You know, the two of us.
Well, right now
she's up in Seattle.
She's living there.
She's got this kid, Hank.
My kid.
Understand me?
I didn't know you had it
in you, Willard.
Well, I'm supporting
the both of them, damn it.
She and the kid.
But I can't go on any longer.
Hey, Viv.
I just can't afford to.
Hank, you're going to kill
a lot of people in this town.
Get to the point,
will you, Willard?
Look, that kid
is my own flesh and blood.
And I don't intend
to give him up.
Well...
good for you, Willard.
Hang in there.
Now, listen to me,
Hank Stamper.
So help me God,
if you don't let up,
I'm going to do
something drastic.
I'm going
to kill myself.
That's no crap.
I'll kill myself.
I'll make it look like--
I'll make it look like
an accident
for the insurance money.
I'll do it, so help me God,
as sure as I'm standing
right here right now.
I'll do it.
Well...
good luck.
Good luck?
You don't believe me.
Yeah, I do.
Willard, I probably do.
It's just that I'm not
thinking too sharp now.
And "good luck's"
about the best
that I can come up with.
You got to admit,
it's better than
"have fun"
or "bon voyage."
So why don't we just
let it rest, huh?
Good luck, Willard.
Listen, Hank.
Hank, will you please
listen to me?
Don't you understand
what I'm saying to you?
No more deliveries.
What?
No more deliveries
and no more credit.
Hey, how do you feel
about that?
Hell with 'em.
Pick it up and pay cash.
No, I mean, what are you going
to do about Willard Eggelston?
Ah...
I don't pay much attention
to Willard Eggelston.
He's in show business.
Ha ha. All right, boys,
let's get down to business.
You back up and holler
if you see anybody coming.
Hey, the tide's
moving good.
They gonna be
eating these logs
for breakfast.
Come on with me, Biggie.
He ain't the second snake
in their log book.
We should've done this
a long time ago.
Come on over here.
Let me pull on this
then I can give you some slack.
Got a good find--
that's getting it.
He's coming up here.
Yeah, it's getting it here.
It's fine.
How you guys doing?
Going good.
That's great.
Try it now.
Hey, Les,
what are you doing?
Hey!
Les, watch out.
Help!
Biggie, get him!
Help me!
I got you, Les.
Help me! I can't swim!
Pull him in!
I don't have anything.
Well, we got to get him.
My God, they're going
to drift out to sea.
Well, we'll get a boat.
Don't just stand there,
I can't swim.
There's a phone
up in that shed.
I tell you you're not going
to call that bastard.
Are you
out of your mind?
They'll float by
that Stamper house.
They're going
to drown out there.
Come back here!
Yeah.
Hello, Hank.
This is Howie Elwood.
Who?
Howie Elwood.
Uh, wait a minute.
Hey, I hate to bust up
the concert,
but there's somebody
on the phone.
Yeah?
The thing is, Hank,
that we have a kind of
an emergency.
Uh, where are you guys?
Well, we're down around
your log rafts somewhere.
Oh, yeah?
What are you doing there?
We were having a little
party, log rolling.
Log rolling at night?
A log got away from us.
And Les and Biggie
are hung up on it.
If you could get
your boat out,
they should be floating
by pretty soon.
Can you do that, Hank?
I'll get on it.
He said he'd get on it.
I bet he's going to have
some funny questions
about that raft.
Let's get on down there
and put it together.
You boys look
kind of wasted.
Yeah. It's kind of cold.
And we've been--you know.
You don't have to explain
to us. Just get in.
We'll take you
back up to the raft.
Oh, thanks.
Whoa!
Hubba! Hubba!
Set me some whistle bunks.
Let's go!
Oh.
Wag it and shag it, Stampers!
Let's go!
Bless this day.
I forgot.
What?
Lessie's tooth.
She's going to be sore as hell
if she don't get something
for that tooth.
Hank, you got a quarter? Huh?
Damn it.
Here's 35 cents.
That fairy's
a big spender.
A fatal accident was reported
in the city ofWakonda.
Willard Eggelston, owner and
manager of the Wakonda theater,
was found dead
in front of the lobby.
Police say they believe
Mr. Eggelston
might have fallen from a ladder.
He was taken to Wakonda hospital
where he was pronounced
dead on arrival.
"The time and weather on KCOB"
Turning now to weather
along the Central Oregon coast--
wind, rain,
and high tide the outlook.
A high tide of 9.6 feet has
a predicted two-foot overtide
for 1 1.6 feet,
near the critical 1 2-foot level.
And all boat owners
in waterfront areas...
Hank? Hank?
He killed himself.
Well, a guy takes
his own life, honey,
he's got to be crazy.
Willard is dead.
Was I supposed
to keep him alive?
I didn't call him up
and say,
"Hey, Willard, jump!"
Don't you feel
anything about it?
What do you want me
to do?
Stay home.
You can do that.
Today, tomorrow.
Next week.
Just stay home.
Give it up.
We're not going to starve
for four log booms.
I never said we were.
Stay home. Give an inch.
Take off your boots.
We can make love
after breakfast.
We can make love after lunch.
And old Henry will get pissed
off at us like he used to.
And you just laugh,
close the door on him
Iike you used to.
And you'll hold me
Iike now.
Please stay home.
What you doing out there?
Come upstairs now.
Right now. Please.
...bum. We'll have it
for lunch.
Well, take a good look,
you son of a bitch.
Like a bird.
Like a God damn bird.
Something just fell off
last night.
Come on, Henry.
He's been banging
on that thing
all night long with
a ball peen hammer.
Fix that saw
you fixing her.
Come on,
let's flap out of here.
I'm going down to
Doc Ivan this morning,
get the rest of this cast
darn booger yanked off.
And then finally maybe
when I'm back on
your dumbass crew again,
we just might
get some work done.
Well, don't just
stand there looking.
Let's wag it and shag it.
Hey...
Hank, please don't go.
What the hell's all this?
Henry, you tell him.
You tell him to stay home.
How the hell
can I do that?
Because there's no one
wants you to work. No one.
Well, I do. He does.
Joe B., Lee,
they do.
That's good enough.
For what? For what?
Hell, don't you know?
To keep on going,
that's what.
To work and sleep
and screw and eat,
drink and keep on going.
And that's all?
Honey sweet,
that's all there is.
That's the whole
ball of wax.
Come on, let's go.
I'll drop you boys off
at the show site.
Hank?
Joe Ben.
Yo!
John!
Yo!
Come out here.
Ya don't mean
to truck in your way.
With a 9-foot tide
running today,
they'll just float
down to the pond.
Yeah. Hey, we can
do that all right.
Ain't he a bitch.
That's going
to be a real ball breaker
But I got an idea
we can whop it.
What do you say, Hankus?
Well, we'll get 'em
started, Henry.
Then you can just
stomp 'em down.
Henry,
that tide's coming in.
Better get somebody down
to the mill pond.
No trick to that.
John here can take
the pickup down,
snag each one of them
coming by.
OK by me.
Here you are, Hank.
I'll get Andy
and get on it
right away.
Go ahead, Joe B.
Hank, it's slabbing!
Joe B.!
Oh!
Oh, God...
Go on, see about Joe B.
Joe B.
Hey, Lee.
Hey, don't worry.
It's all right.
Ain't nothing broke.
This old log come
barreling down,
sat right on my lap.
Soft mud saved me,
I guess.
Can't you move?
I don't think so.
Hold it. There's
something real hard
that's wedged right up
against my butt.
What the hell happened
up there?
The tree slabbed.
I think the old man
got hurt pretty badly.
Well, you go on.
You get him
to the hospital.
'Cause I'm OK.
Go on, Lee.
I'm all right.
OK.
Is he out?
Mostly.
Here, let me get a hold.
I better get him
into town real quick.
OK.
I'll give you a hand.
No, you better see
what you can do
about Joe Ben.
Looks like he's got
a ton full of logs
sitting on his lap
down there.
Don't worry.
I'll get him
to the hospital
all right.
You do what you can
for Joe B.
Hank.
There's a big ol'
piece of wood
that's wedged right up
against my butt.
It's got me stuck
real good.
Hey, Hank.
Didn't even bust
my radio.
What do you think
of that?
Let me haul you out of here.
Oh, no. Ain't much.
You just wasting
your time.
There's something hard
down there under my butt
that's holding me down.
I can feel it
down there.
I'll go get the saw
and cut you out.
Yeah, all right.
You do that.
Hey, and, Hank, you
don't worry about me.
I'll just sit here
and wait for you.
Jesus...
Let me walk.
Easy big boy.
I'm glad to see
you again, old sport.
Hey, you were going
real good, what happened?
It's got gas.
That water must've
drowned it.
It ain't gonna work, Hank.
Hey, Hank, just leave it.
It's all right. Look. Look.
All we got to do--
I tell you, all we got to do
is sit here and wait.
This here tide
is going to come in.
It's going to raise
this thing off of me.
Hell, it'll float
clean away.
It's got to do
some rising.
Well, all right.
We just got to do
some waiting then.
Good idea.
You bet.
It ain't gonna work, Hank.
My arm's coming off.
Why don't you be a nice
old son of a bitch
and lie still, huh?
Bastard.
Keep...you keep it here.
I don't know
what happened, Leland?
OK. Hang on, dad.
Damn it, Hank. Damn it.
It's ruined.
I forgot to take it off
my stupid neck.
Well, it'll dry out
most likely.
You feel it lightening any?
Can't tell you. I'm as
cold as a witch's tit.
Well, let me go on under
and take a look.
It's holding all right.
How far you think
it's come up, Hank?
I don't know, Joe B.
Couple of inches, maybe.
Hank, it's moving.
Oh, Jesus.
Hey, Hank, you ain't gonna
let this old river
up and drown me, are you?
It's holding, all right.
I can't budge it.
Son of a bitch.
I thought all you had to do
was ask your big buddy upstairs
and everything
would be all right.
Hank, I'd never
ask him for nothing
if I figure you and me
could handle it
ourselves.
Yeah, I suppose he's got his problems.
No greater problems
in Oklahoma.
Hank.
I don't like this water.
It's getting
over my chin.
Hey, if worse gets
to worse,
I could always give you
mouth to mouth
till this mother
floats off you.
Yeah, you could do that.
What?
God damn it.
What if old Henry saw us, huh?
Can you imagine
that old son of a bitch?
He'd be telling everybody
atThe Snag
you and me was kissing
before we went underwater.
I don't know
if I much care for that.
I don't know if I much
care for that either.
Hey, it's gonna be OK, Hank.
It was moving.
It's going to pop off
any time now.
Easy. Easy.
You know, I ought to maybe
put my arms around you
and just kiss you
a little bit first
so we get used to it, huh?
Sure wish I had a head
of hair like Leland.
Make out like it was
Rita Hayworth.
Hank, it's shifting, Hank!
Crazy son of a bitch.
Don't clown around.
Don't laugh. Oh!
Joe B. Joe B.
Ah, Joe B.
Joe B.
Get a stretcher, quick.
My arm fell off.
Hurry.
Lee telephoned me
from the hospital.
Let's get over there.
I want Lee to go over
to the mill pond.
What for?
To watch every log
that goes by
and grab the one
that's flagged.
Joe Ben's nailed to it.
He drowned.
There was an accident.
Henry was hurt real bad.
Joe B.'s...
What is it?
Hematocrit 28.
Hemoglobin 9.
Look, I think you'd better
recheck his hemoglobin
and his hematocrit again
in a couple of hours.
All right, yeah.
Viv.
Viv.
Up here.
Jan's going to be OK.
We had to wake her parents up.
She...
hasn't told the kids yet.
She's going to wait
until tomorrow.
Are you all right?
Viv...
are you all right?
What?
Close the door.
The old bitch is just
waiting for me to die.
She wants to change
the damn fool sheets.
Come here.
What?
You know what come
with the other arm?
I wasn't by God gonna
let them have it.
I'm gonna bury it
when I get home.
Tell Lee to put it
in the freezer.
Watch out Viv
don't fry it up for supper.
By God, if she ever sees that--
Easy. Easy.
Lie back. Lie back.
I can't lie back.
Got things to do.
Got a contract to fill.
Got eggs to hatch
and cats to kill.
In the morning,
you get Joe B.,
figure out where we stand.
OK.
Hey, we got Lee, too.
By God he really cut it today,
Hank, didn't he?
Yeah, he did.
Don't you believe 'em.
Who?
Them. They're trying
to put me in my grave.
I'm not even close.
Not even shoutin' distance.
Oh, Hank, it's just that quack
doctor to leave me...
Oh, Lordy! Lordy!
Son of a bitch!
Could you do that for me,
please?
I'd appreciate it.
Thank you.
Was that the hospital?
Yeah. Not good.
It's kind of hard
to believe, isn't it?
How you can just pack up
all those years
in one little suitcase.
I'm not even taking
the God damn canary.
Maybe I ought
to leave with you.
I thought about that.
That's not what
you're looking for.
That's not why
you came back here.
Where will you go?
Well, I want to stay
with Jan for a while.
And then I don't know.
I'll just get on
with the rest of my life.
Oh, I should've left
a long time ago.
Well, the old man
didn't make it.
I can't believe this day.
We'll get together
in a couple of days
and see where we stand.
Hey. We're finished.
Nobody's gonna be
staying with us.
Come on, kid.
Let's go home.
OK. But there's not much
there anymore.
Everyone's gone.
Viv too.
She's headed off
by herself.
She said she could've
picked a better day.
People do what they want, kid.
I don't tell 'em what to do.
Never give an inch, huh?
What do you want from me?
You want to see me crash?
You bet I would,
King Kong.
I'd love that.
I'd like to see you make
the same splat
my mother did when
she hit the pavement.
You're still
laying her off on me, huh?
Well, let me tell you
something, kid.
I was 1 4 and she was 30.
Maybe you're old enough now
to help me figure out
who the hell was banging who.
Your old man said you
really cut it today.
Yeah.
It's Ben, Hank.
We're having
a couple of drinks.
Listen.
Sorry things turned out
the way they did.
You're doing the right
thing, Hank, laying off.
Some people say you're
just on your knees.
But, hey, if there's
anything we can do for you,
just call anytime--
What?
I think Stamper just rented
a tugboat from Omomosa.
That son of a bitch aims
to run them God damn logs!
You want
to finish it now, Hank?
I haven't got time
to cold cock you
this morning, bub.
I got work to do.
You know, Hank,
I thought
all you dinosaurs were dead.
Well, if they want
this one,
they're gonna have
to shoot him.
Just like King Kong,
you got to knock him
down.
Get off them God damn
logs, bub.
They're half mine now, bub.
What are you doing?
I'm gonna hook on
those last two rafts.
You gonna take
all four of 'em?
I am now.
I know he can't!
I know he can't make it!
But he's out there trying,
damn it.
Now, you get Sorenson,
Evans, and Biggie Newton
and you tell them to get their
ass over to the Stamper house
right this minute!
You think you can handle
this tug, bub?
With my head in a sack.
Give me that rope
over there.
You better keep going
right down the middle, bub,
or I'm going to kick
your ass
from here to Dixie.
OK. I'll make the deal.
I don't kick the crap
out of you this year,
you don't kick the crap
out of me next year.
Tide's really running.
Let's get this mother
on the road.
Take it easy.
Yeah, I got a call.
What's going on?
Nothing.
I don't believe
any of it.
Anything happened?
Nothing.
Not a sign of 'em.
I'll go take a look.
OK.
I bet you he gets hung up
before he ever gets started.
Ain't I been telling you?
Nobody can make that run
by himself.
Suppose he does take off
with a couple of rafts.
Can anybody just show me
how he's going to make it
on his own?
Probably get hung up
on the first bend he'd come to.
Floyd.
Hey, Floyd.
Son of a bitch.
Jumpin' Jesus...
That's him.
He's got all four rafts.
He's got his kid brother.
That God damn family...