All language subtitles for Count (1984)

(woman over radio)
Now the latest market report.

Closing prices on the
Board of Trade today

show July soybeans
unchanged at 867.

November up 31/2 at 744.
July corn up 1/4 at 3533/4.

December corn down 11/4 at 3043/4.
July wheat down 11/4 at 3631/2.

December wheat down 11/4 at 3831/2.
July wheat fell down 60 at 199.80.

December up 120 at 191.

Chicago cattle up five cents at 65. 17...

(continues low)

(man over radio) The government today
came up with a new... (continues low)

Economic news just keeps on coming.

US automakers say it's showing up
as a great year... (continues low)

(man #2)... $ 10 million a year for the
next three years to help fund the center.

Legislating support for that
appropriation, never very strong

has been growing steadily. Figures
released today by the Labor Department

in lowa's unemployment rate
last December stood at 6.8%.

Now that's a bit higher than the
previous month of 21/2 points.

Better than the
December '82 jobless rate.

Recently adjusted lowa rate
takes into account

school closing, vacation,
weather and other factors.

(woman) Official KIOA
weather forecast for tonight:

Cloudy then milder
with low temperatures only dropping off

into the low to mid 30s
with a light southeast wind.

Mostly cloudy skies for Wednesday.

Showers and thunderstorms
developing.

- Temperatures still rather mild...
- Hey, Mom! Mom!

- Guess what, Mom?
- What?

- Guess what I found?
- What'd you find?

Close your eyes.

Oh, Marlene, I don't have time right now.

Oh, come on. Come on, Mom.
It'll only take a second.

Just close your eyes
and hold out your hand.

(man #2 over radio)
... details in 60 seconds on KIOA.

(chorus) ¶ Brownholt bread
makes it better!

(man #3) lmagine making bread
where every batch...

Where'd you get this?

In Carlisle's room.

You stay out of your
brother's room, all right?

No telling what else
he's hiding up there.

Carlisle's a big pain in the butt,
isn't he, Mom?

Carlisle! Carlisle!

Hamburgers, great.

Not just hamburgers you got
on your mind, is it, boy?

What?

Don't play dumb with me.
You know what I'm talking about.

- Dad.
- Thanks.

- What do you hear about the weather?
- About an 80°% chance of rain.

Well, you better tell Gil to kick it up.

I kick it any harder,
this thing's gonna fall apart.

- You eat your supper!
- All right. We will.

Looks like we're gonna
get one tonight, huh?

Well, Gil, we got more trouble
than just the weather.

What do you mean?

Look what Marlene found
in Carlisle's wallet.

- What is that?
- That's not funny, Gil.

I'm not laughing.

Well, you're smiling.
That's the same thing.

Darn, old Carlisle's finally
got himself a rubber, huh?

- Ah! That hurts.
- Gil, I want you to talk to him.

I know. I'll tell him his mom don't want
him using one of those things anymore.

OK? (chuckles)

Come on. Kid's carrying it
for show anyhow.

Imagine all his buddies
at school got one.

I remember I did.

- You did?
- Mm-hmm.

What'd you do with it?

Well, you remember that
little gal Wanda Fentress?

You know, the one with the big fanny?

You did not.

No, I finally just filled it full of water
and chucked it at a cow.

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma.

Look what we got.
We got some rouge. Yeah.

- Mom. Mom. Mama.
- And we have some blush.

And we have some lipstick.

Are you ready, Missy?
It's beauty shop time.

(giggles)

(wind howling)

(thunder rolling)

It's comin' up awfully fast.

(thunderclap)

Looks like we better get the tarps.

(thunderclap)

Gil!

- You OK?
- Yeah.

- Otis!
- Dad!

- Are you all right?
- You all right?

I'm all right!

Where's Carlisle?!

- Carlisle!
- Carlisle!

- (Gil) Carlisle!
- Carlisle!

- Carlisle!
- Carlisle!

Oh, my God.

(Jewell grunts)

Where is he?

(panting)

(Gil) Get his head out! Get his head.

Oh, God. Oh.

(Gil) Get his head up!

- (grunts)
- Oh, my God!

Carlisle?

(Carlisle coughs)

- You OK?
- (Otis) You all right, son?

Yeah.

(thunder rolling)

Mama. (crying)

More pancakes?

No, honey. I'm full as a tick.
Give 'em to string bean.

No, thanks.

Come on, you always eat
at least two stacks.

He's still in a state of shock.
You don't want to overstuff him.

- Gil?
- OK. Just one.

Can I've that butter?

- Did you almost die, Carlisle?
- I couldn't breathe.

- Please, I don't wanna think about that.
- Did he almost die, Mom?

Eat, Marlene.

- You told me you almost died.
- I did not.

- I almost died once. Did I tell you?
- (Marlene) You did?

Yeah. I almost died the first time
I saw your mom.

I almost had a heart attack
right there in history class.

- Gil.
- Is that true?

It's true. I fell out of my chair.
They had to call the ambulance.

What, is everybody
just gonna run off now?

Yep. You need anything from town?

- A sack of sugar.
- You got it.

Hey, don't you think you ought
to stay home and rest the day?

I'm OK.

- Take care of your mom now.
- (chuckles)

Bye, honey.

- (sighs)
- Can we roll my hair today, Mom?

Oh, we'll see, Marlene.

(¶ "I'll Find it Where I Can"
by Waylon Jennings)

(Gil) I still don't understand
this thing with the pig.

(Otis) Well, I mean, here's the problem.

If the pig drank a quart
of buttermilk before he started,

then ran a mile before he farted,
how far would he run before he shits?

- How far...
- How far?

- Well, you got me.
- Carlisle?

I don't know.

- Six miles.
- How do you get that?

Do you want some chew?

Sure.

Come on now. Take a big...
There you go. Come on. All right.

(Gil) What... I don't get the six miles.

(Otis) Well, it's a problem
in swine management...

- (Gil) Want some more?
- Mnh-mnh.

- (Otis)... is what it boils down to.
- (Gil chuckles) Swine management.

(Carlisle) What's wrong?

You want to spit, boy?

(chuckles)

Did you spit that out?

Heard you had a little wind
down at your place last night, Gil.

Yeah, we had a little breeze,
didn't we, Carlisle?

Yeah, a little one.

Come on. I'll buy you a soda.

Well, that's it. Somebody wanna
help me carry the money?

Morning, John.

- John.
- Hi, Gil.

- I hear John's about to go under.
- John? I thought he was a good farmer.

Well, you made 94 bushels
an acre corn, Gil.

- Even with the storm taking its share.
- Yeah, we were lucky to get that, too.

Maybe it'll be better next year, huh, Gil?

That's kind of what we
go on, isn't it? Next year?

Wait a second. Marvin?

- What's the FHA doin' on this check?
- They got you on the list.

What list?

This list here.

If you're on it, I gotta cut you
a two-party check.

- I never been on no list.
- Well, I'm just telling ya.

Telling me what?
Who are those people on that list?

FHA borrowers. I guess they just
wanna make sure these people

apply their grain checks to the law.

Why the hell wouldn't I?
What do they think I am, a thief?

I know I owe 'em the money.

Gil, you need to talk to the FHA people.

Now I just get an
updated list every month.

Well, I never been on no damn list
in my whole life.

Bob, come in and pick up your scale.

(barking)

(strumming guitar)

Louise.

Morning, Louise.

Morning, Cowboy. How ya doin'?

Make that one up yourself?

You got any words to go with it?

- Arlon, how ya' doin'?
- Gil.

- Connor, you forgot your paperwork.
- OK.

- Hi, Gil. How are ya?
- (Connor) I'll be in touch, Tom.

Come on in.

Heard you had a little bad luck
out at your place last night.

Yeah, it got a little rough.

This is Weyman Fordyce,
our District Director.

- This is Mr. Gilbert lvy.
- How ya doin'?

I was over at the elevator this morning.

They said I'm on some kinda list
you fellas are passing around.

Yeah, well, that's a new policy.

Your current operating loan
was reviewed, Mr. Ivy,

and we've noticed
several discrepancies.

What do you mean?

Well, on August the 2nd,
you took delivery

of 100 sacks of feed
from Longley's Feed store.

Oh, yeah, that was for the sheep.

You hadn't projected that purchase
on your operating budget.

I didn't know we'd go a month and a half
with no rain. The grass burned up.

I can't very well let the sheep
starve now, can I?

FHA procedure is to have
these purchases approved

before you make them.

Well, I know that.

Well, there's no record in your file
of this purchase being approved.

Tom, you wanna tell me
what's going on here?

Oh, your loans are being reviewed,
so there may be some questions.

- What kind of questions?
- Just routine really.

You wanna go ahead
and cosign that check for me?

Yeah, I'm gonna need a draw on this
though. I got bills to pay around town.

I told Longley I'd pay
him off this afternoon.

Well, we'll talk to you on Monday.

We'll see then about
paying your bills, OK?

No, that ain't OK.
These people been good enough

to wait till I got my corn in.
Now I gotta go ahead and pay 'em.

I'm sorry, but we can't release a dime
as long as there's any question

of mismanagement.

Mismanagement? We're talking
about 100 sacks of feed here.

You're coming in on Monday.

Why don't you just see that Jewell
has her bookkeeping in order.

We'll take care of it then.

Well, they're in order.

Well, good, there won't
be any problem then. OK?

- See you then.
- OK.

We gotta get tougher, Tom.

Tougher? The guy and his family's
barely hanging on the way it is,

farm prices being what they are.

The point is we need
to cut our losses, get what we can,

before these people are in so deep
there's nothing left to get.

You telling me to go ahead
and foreclose these people out?

40°% of your accounts are delinquent.

There's not much future
in the FHA for someone

with something like that
on their, uh, record.

You just show 'em they can't
make it farming anymore. They'll go.

(¶ folk)

Well, I tell you what. Those ewes I had
just about saved my hide last year.

- They all but doubled my lamb crop.
- Is that right?

You better believe it.
Never saw anything like it.

All of 'em but three
had twins standin' beside 'em.

Really?

Dad, Grandpa wants you
to cut in on him.

I can't dance.

That's what I told him,
but his feet are killing him.

Go ahead, Gil, give her a whirl.
I'll hold the baby for ya.

Well, OK. Here, you take her, son.

- I was gonna go and dance some more.
- I'll just be a minute.

- I saw you dancing, Carlisle.
- So what?

(¶ "I Overlooked an Orchid")

- You look so tired. Are you OK?
- Yeah.

- What's the matter?
- Nothing.

Do you remember us buying 100 sacks
of feed from Longley's last August?

Well, not exactly, but I'm sure
I've got it written down somewhere.

Well, we gotta check it
when we get back home.

Why?

There's some kind of FHA list.
I don't know.

They want us in there on Monday
to review our loans.

- What for?
- Discrepancies, they call it.

- When did all this come up?
- Just today.

Well, I know I got
a record of it somewhere.

I mean, there's no reason
to worry about it now.

- (Otis) Sleep tight, everybody.
- (Gil) Good night, Otis.

- (Otis) Good night.
- Good night, Dad.

(Otis) Good night.

- Good night.
- Good night, honey.

Any luck?

No, but I called Gil. I always do.

Whenever I have to buy something,
I call, and then I write it down.

You've been in my room.

Mom!

- There it is. I knew it.
- Mom!

August 2nd, 100 sacks of feed.
FHA. 250...

Mom, Carlisle just attacked me.

Make sure the rest
of your records are in order.

- Carlisle choked me!
- We'll take this along.

- Mother.
- What?

- Carlisle?
- Carlisle choked me.

- Carlisle, come on down here.
- What's all this yelling about?

Now what's the trouble?

She's been fooling around
in my room again.

Have you, Marlene?

What makes you think somebody's
been in your room?

- I just know.
- (Marlene) He said I stole something.

What is it you're missing, son?

Maybe I'm wrong. I'll keep looking.

Carlisle?

You need some help?
Gil, maybe you could help him look.

No, thanks. Just tell her
to stay out of my room.

Stay out of his room.

Go to bed.

(chuckles)

Gil, you will talk to Carlisle, won't you?

Yeah, maybe I'll give him
the "honor" speech.

- What's that?
- Get "on her" and stay "on her!"

Shh. You'll wake up all the kids.

- Gil.
- Get "on her" and stay "on her."

- Gil.
- You know that's funny.

Stop it now. Shh.

(sheep bleating)

¶ Faith of our fathers

¶ We will strive

¶ To win all nations

¶ Unto thee

¶ And through the truth

¶ That comes from God

¶ Mankind shall then

¶ Be truly free

- ¶ Faith of our fathers
- (laughing)

¶ Holy faith

¶ We will be true

¶ To thee till death

¶ Faith of our fathers

¶ We will love

¶ Both friend and foe

¶ In all our strife

¶ And preach thee, too

¶ As love knows how

¶ By kindly words and virtuous life...

Louise?

Go on. Get in the pickup.

- Is everything all right?
- I don't know what's gotten into him.

This last month, it's, uh... It's just...

- He may be a little off, but...
- Well, Louise, everybody understands.

No, they don't understand
what's happening here.

Well, what is it?

I can't talk about it because Arlon won't
let me say anything and I've got to go.

Louise? If there's anything I can do...

(man over TV)... between
the 19 and 20-yard line.

(Jewell) Take enough to eat.

Mark the football at the 19-yard line.

A gain of nearly 10 yards could be
very, very close to a first down.

I hope Fry knows the
"one for the Gipper" speech.

These are the guys
who beat Minnesota 85 to 3.

- Move.
- Nope. I got here first.

- Move.
- No! I got here first!

Hey, pipe down back there.
We're trying to watch this game!

(dog barking)

Gil? Arlon Brewer just drove in.

- I wonder what he wants.
- See if he wants to watch the game.

(laughs)

Just wait for me here.

- Arlon, how ya doin'?
- Hi, Gil.

Wanna come in and join us
for some chicken?

Uh, well, no. I just got a minute.

I was wondering if maybe
we could talk a little business.

Yeah, you bet.

- Hi, Jewell.
- Arlon.

Uh, this pasture you got out here,

I was wondering if maybe I could lease
that from you for a couple of months.

Lease it?

Yeah, I got some ewes
I'd like to put on it.

A little short of grass
over at my place.

Well, there ain't much grass
out there either, Arlon.

(sighs) Well, it'd really only be for,

say a couple of months,
you know, something like that.

I think that'd be all right
with us, wouldn't it, Gil?

Well, I'd need that
pasture again come spring.

Well, I'd be off there long before spring.

Yeah, I guess we could do that
for you, Arlon. A couple months.

Good. Well... a little chilly out here.
Better get back inside.

- Sure you won't come in and join us?
- No, I have some things to do.

- Sorry for the bother.
- No bother.

- Give our best to Louise.
- I'll do that.

Boy, I never seen Arlon like that.
It looked like he was almost begging.

¶ Fraulein, Fraulein

¶ Look down by

- (Otis) Our boys aren't doing well here.
- (Gil) They're gettin' hammered.

¶ By the same stars above you

¶ I swear that I love you

¶ I love my pretty Fraulein ¶

If Diana Bauers calls, tell her I'm gonna
try and make it out there this afternoon.

- Sorry to keep you waiting.
- (Gil) That's OK.

I'd forgotten my daughter had a recital
this morning. I didn't wanna miss it.

Tom, I found the notation where
I called on that 100 sacks of feed.

Oh, good. (clears throat)

We'll get into that later. I wanna talk
about some other things here first.

Sit down, please.
Would you like some coffee?

Oh, no, thanks. We already had coffee.

(Tom sighs)

You're losing money, Gil. Big money.

In 1980, your net worth
was right at, uh, $450,000.

Today, it's less than half that.

It was on that basis we
loaned you almost $100,000

for livestock and improvements
on your land.

Last year, you paid almost $18,000

in interest on those long-term loans.

You'll owe about
that much again this year.

Plus you got a $52,000
annual operating loan here.

Are you gonna be able to pay that off
in January, plus the interest?

Well, we may be a little short
on one or the other,

but we only got 280 corn this year.

Well, here's the problem I'm faced with.

Your net worth just doesn't
support loans of this size.

Wait a minute. We never said
we were worth $450,000.

I mean, you made those loans back then
when you were valuing land

way up there at $2500 an acre.

- Well, land's not bringing that anymore.
- But that...

We're not dealing in real estate.
We're trying to farm.

Yeah, I know you are.

All right. Let me ask you.

What are your annual
living expenses? How much?

(clears throat) We live on
about $9,000 a year

depending on whether
we have medical bills or not.

All right. Think about that for a minute.

Here you are with a worth of...
plus the $300,000

and you're not making a decent living.

We're doing the best we can.

I know you are.

But I, really, I think I'd be
doing us both a disservice

if I let you get in any deeper.

What exactly are you saying?

I'm saying you're carrying
too much loan debt.

If you've got a fairy godmother
to help you catch these loans up, terrific.

Otherwise I think you've
gotta partially liquidate.

I don't understand this.

Here we've been dealing with you
people here for six, seven years.

You know what farming's like.

I mean, we may have a couple of rough
years, but it always comes back around.

You can't look on this thing short-term.
I mean, hell, it's a way of life.

No, Gil, it's a business.

Farming is a business.
If you don't look at it that way...

I'll tell you who made it
a goddamn business!

You college boys with your numbers,
that's who made it a business!

- Gil.
- Well, am I wrong?

What do you mean when you say,

"catch these loans up
to a manageable size?"

You'll be notified.

I have to tell you though that until
this thing gets under control,

I've gotta keep a lid
on your operating funds.

What about all these
people we owe? Huh?

Are you telling me you're not gonna
release those funds out of that check...

to pay these people off?

Your office authorized those purchases!

The check's already been applied
to your loan. It's out of my hands.

(sheep bleating)

When are you coming to bed?

Lt'll be a little bit yet.

I thought you kept those
books kept up every day.

I do.

Why don't you go on up to bed, honey?
You're just worrying.

Numbers don't look too good, huh?

Counting the seed and lime, fertilizer,

our harvesting costs
and our interest payments.

Cost us $3.54 a bushel
to make our corn.

That's 73 cents a bushel
more than what we got for it.

It's as bad as last year.

(car approaching)

(dog barking)

(Arlon whistles) Go. Go. Go.

- Who is it?
- It's Arlon Brewer.

(sheep bleating)

Go!

(dog barking)

Bless us our Lord and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive

from thy bounty through
Christ, our Lord. Amen.

- (Gil) Amen.
- (Otis) Amen.

Amen.

I see where Arlon Brewer unloaded
some sheep in the east pasture.

I meant to tell you,
he brought 'em in last night.

- Last night?
- (phone ringing)

More like 3:00 this morning.

- Want some meat, honey?
- Thanks.

- Hello?
- Pink or brown?

- What?
- Just a minute.

- Pink.
- Gil... for you.

- Daddy, give me a piece.
- Oh, yeah.

I've gotta tell you this great joke.

OK. There once was this pig
and he had a peg leg, right?

- Hello?
- So his neighbors came over and said,

- "Why does your pig have a peg leg?"
- Who gave you my name?

...just a couple years ago, we had a fire

and he went and got the baby
and woke everybody up...

Well, somebody's
pulling your leg, Mister.

- Did you get that?
- I got it.

- Who was that?
- Oh, just somebody.

- What'd they want?
- Nothing.

Maybe Daddy's got a girlfriend.
You better watch it, Mom.

Yeah, maybe I better.

- Well, do you, Dad?
- What?

- Have a girlfriend?
- Just eat, all right.

I was just joking.

(sanding)

Gil?

What are you doing?

Nobody's gonna buy this thing
in the shape it's in.

We gotta start selling something.

- You know how late it is?
- Yeah, I know. Go on back to bed.

It's after midnight.

That call before...

That was some auctioneer guy.

FHA told him we were
gonna be selling out.

(crying)

(¶ country over car radio)

They're not buying a thing
down at the lot.

They got more than
they can sell already.

What's the matter?

What are they talking about?

We got 30 days to pay off every loan we
got? How the hell are we gonna do that?

Mr. McMullen, please?
Yes, this is Jewell lvy.

There's gotta be some mistake.
I mean, we were just in there.

Mr. McMullen? Jewell lvy.

Well, we just, uh...
got this letter from your office.

- Yeah, but I thought...
- Don't come in here now!

- What?
- Don't come in. You didn't hear me?

We're gonna catch
those loans up like we said.

Only, now we got this letter
from your office, and, well...

We really just don't understand.

Well, that's not right, Mr. McMullen.
That's just not right.

Couldn't we at least come in
and talk about it?

You said, catch 'em up.
I mean, we're gonna do that.

That'd be fine.

Yes, I understand.

What'd he say?

He said we can come in next Thursday,
but that the clock is running.

(knock at door)

Goddamn it, Carlisle!
Get away from that door!

He said we ought to go ahead
and get an auctioneer.

What are you yellin' at, Dad?

- Go on up to your room, Marlene.
- What'd I do?

Marlene, did you hear
what your mother said?

They must have decided to call those
notes before we even went in there.

Gil, those are 30-year notes.
They can't just do that.

Yeah, well, they just did.

Where do they think we're gonna
get that money in one lump?

I mean, we'd have to sell everything.
Even the land.

They wouldn't make us
do that, would they, Gil?

We're not gonna sell the land.

This land's been in my family
for over 100 years.

We owe 'em the money.
It's their money.

They want it back. 96,000 bucks. Think
they care what we gotta do to get it?

- Well, we'll talk to 'em...
- Goddamn it, we just did talk to 'em

and that's their answer right there!
Can't you read?

What will you say to 'em anyway?
"Things will get better next year?"

That's what we've been saying
every year. It never does.

Well, we just gotta slow down
a minute and figure this out.

No, I gotta go somewhere and think.

Gil?

You got a broke arm?

- What?
- Go finish your chores.

I just wanted to see what's wrong, Dad.

Nothing's wrong.
I gotta run into town a minute.

Check in at Longley's.
You're almost out of feed for the sheep.

You're late, Dad. We already ate.

I'll get you a plate, Gil.

- Twerp.
- Jackass.

Hey!

Go clear that table.

You talk to Longley about the feed?

- No.
- Still need some.

I know we need some. You don't have
to tell me we need some feed.

(Missy cries)

- What are you looking at?
- Nothing.

Yeah, you are. You're looking at me.

Does somebody wanna tell me
what's going on around here?

- Did y'all have a fight or something?
- No, we didn't have a fight.

- Here. Now kiss and make up.
- Get away, Marlene.

- What are you doing?
- No, kiss and make up.

- I said get away from here!
- Gil.

Gil, you tell me
you wanna take your family

on a trip around the world at Christmas

or you tell me you wanna borrow
$40,000 for a new Mercedes Benz

and maybe I could loan you the money.

But if you're in here asking
for a farm loan, then, uh...

It's not that we don't have collateral for
you, Jim. I mean, I got over 180 acres.

Well, I know your place.
There's no better land in this country.

And none better cared for.

It'd be more than enough
collateral for me, but, uh...

If I don't get this FHA thing paid off,

there's a good chance
we might lose the whole thing.

Well, it's not up to me anyway, Gil.

We've got a loan board
up in Des Moines.

- Des Moines?
- We're part of a chain now, and, uh...

Jim.

The number just has to support
every loan that we make.

You make your numbers work
and I'll do everything I can to help you.

I can remember
when this bank used to...

Ioan money on the man,
not the numbers.

Yeah.

I don't like it either, Gil. But, there it is.

Thanks anyway, Jim.

- What's goin' on here?
- Hello, Jewell.

You're keeping sheep for Arlon Brewer?
This is a court order.

- I gotta pick up Brewer's sheep.
- Brewer's sheep?

The ones across the dive over there.
See that gate? Back on up to there.

Well, I think we better just
wait and give Arlon a call.

We don't have time.

I gotta take the sheep, Jewell.
They were pledged against his loans.

Well, now, McMullen, this is our land.

You can't just pull in here
like God Almighty.

Now, Jewell, I'd go on up
to the house if I were you.

- You're already implicated in this thing.
- Implicated in what?

I'm tellin' you, McMullen,
you're not taking those sheep

without the owner's say-so.

You better just tell your man to stop.

He doesn't own the sheep
anymore, we do.

You say he doesn't own 'em.
Maybe we'll see who owns 'em.

- They belong to the FHA.
- Call Arlon, Dad.

He's been movin' 'em around on us
for weeks. Hidin' 'em. He's a thief.

That's what you'll be
if you don't stay out of it.

Well, I'll tell you, I'd rather be a thief
than do what you do for a living!

Marlene, I want you to run up
to the house. Go on quickly.

Carlisle, go see if you can find
where your father is. Hurry up.

Come on, Nell. (whistles)
Come on. Nell.

(bleating)

(Jewell) Shoo. Go on.

Shoo.

Go. Shoo.

Shoo. Go on.

Shoo. Shoo.

Go on.

Shoo.

(panting)

(whistling) Here!

Here!

Get in there! Get up in there.

Yeah! Get in there. (whistling)

- Get up in there. Yeah!
- Go. Get up in there.

Get up in there. Get in. Go. Go. Up.

- Yeah!
- Go. Go.

Sheep! Get up in there, sheep!

I'm sorry for this trouble, Otis.
I had nowhere else to put 'em.

- Come up here.
- (whistles) Get up there!

- Load 'em up!
- Get up in there.

- Get in here.
- Get up in there.

- Get in there.
- (whistling)

Sheep, go! Sheep. Sheep.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Sheep!

- Get in there!
- Sheep! Sheep!

- Hey, dummy, give me that stick.
- No.

- Give me that stick, you goofy bastard!
- No!

Aah!

Hey! Now wait a minute, buddy.

Son?

You get that damn crazy nut outta here
or I'll call the sheriff.

Yeah! Get in here! (whistling)

(¶ "Crying My Heart Out
Over You" by Ricky Skaggs)

Hi, Conrad. Keep you waiting long?

Bring us a couple beers
over here, will ya?

OK.

- Who's that fella with McMullen?
- Conrad Doan. He's an auctioneer.

Thanks.

- What kind of advertising?
- Oh, just, you know, a farmyard sale.

We can always have people distribute it
through the community.

Hello, Gil.

What are you trying
to do to us, McMullen?

(sighs) Listen, you owe the money.
Nobody forced you to borrow it.

Yeah, that's right. He's right.

Wasn't it you who was giving all these
speeches a few years back about...

"We're gonna feed the world.
We're gonna expand.

Plant fence post to fence post."
Wasn't that you?

Here comes the government
puttin' embargoes on foreign sales,

leaves all us poor fools out here
in the landscape with all this grain.

No place to get a fair price for it.

FMHA doesn't set government policy.
You know that, Gil.

If we were gettin' decent
prices for our crops,

there wouldn't be a damn FHA,
and you know that, don't you?

Oh, God, you wanna talk about grain
prices, go talk to somebody else...

I didn't come over here to talk
about grain prices, McMullen!

Well, what did you
come over here for, Gil?

Huh?

What do you want?
You want the FMHA to loan you money,

and then guarantee you a profit?
Is that what you're asking for?

You wanna know what's really got ya?
The fact that you've been sitting

on the most productive farmland
in this country for 100 years

and you can't make a living on it.

I didn't do that to you.

You did that to yourself, my friend.

Look at you, man, you're not a farmer.

You're a drunk looking for a fight.

(¶ rock over headphones)

What'd they say?

Gil?

We'll figure out something, Gil.

I could always get a job.

Maybe the FHA'd refinance
if they know we got something

comin' in on a regular basis.

Where are you gonna
get a job around here?

I'm not gonna have my wife
waitin' tables for tips.

Well, we're not talking
about your pride anymore, Gil.

We're talking about putting food
on the table for this family.

Couple more trips to the grocery store,
I won't be able to pay the electric bill.

We're flat broke, Gil.

I know! You don't think I don't goddamn
know what we're talking about!

Well, I don't hear you say
you're gonna fight it.

Fight it?

How are we gonna fight, it, huh?

I told you what happened to Brewer.

The same thing is gonna happen to us
if we don't do something about it now.

Yeah, well, I did do something about it.

I went and talked to that auctioneer.

He's gonna come out here in a couple
days and inventory the equipment.

It's coming. You know it's coming.

We might as well just go ahead
and get it done and over with.

You're a farmer, Gil.
Your whole life's been hard times.

Yeah.

I never wanted to be
anything but a farmer.

Maybe that's the mistake I made.

Well, if that's the way you're feeling,
then we've already lost.

Jewell!

How many hours on the combine?

Well, we bought that used
about five years ago.

Say, them harnesses ain't for sale.

Gil...

That's my dad's harness
and you know it.

They got it all on lien, Otis.

You know...

I wish you'd never set foot on this farm.

- Dad?
- I'm here.

- What are you doing?
- Just sittin' here.

I brought you some supper.

- Gil's feeling like a failure.
- By God, he is a failure.

We all had our problems. I had mine.

But hell, I didn't lose this farm.

You never had anybody
give you 30 days either, did you?

With nowhere to go for the money?

You got a solution for this,
why don't you tell me?

Never would've borrowed the goddamn
money from the FHA to start with!

Lord, Daddy, the FHA
is the government. It's us.

Everybody that farms borrows money.

The government don't just give you
30 days to pay up. They ain't that dumb.

They know this country
can't get along without farmers.

Gil's the one who messed it up.

Mismanaged it.

You don't believe that.

I don't know what I do believe anymore.

I know this is our land and you see
it stays that way, do you hear me?

And you'll tell Gil I said that?

I will.

You eat your supper now.

Honey, will you turn the light off?

(¶ country over radio)

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Gil! Gil!

Louise just called. The sheriff came
and took Cowboy last night.

Arlon's been in the barn since early
this morning and she's scared to death.

We gotta get over there.

- Gil? You hear what I'm saying?
- Yeah, I hear you.

We gotta get over there, Gil. Come on.

You go on ahead.

I gotta finish up in here.

You gotta finish?

I can't go down there, Jewell.

I can't.

Arlon?

Arlon?

Arlon, you hear me?

Arlon?

They took my boy away.

Goddamn 'em, Jewell.
Goddamn 'em to fiery hell.

You can't turn this thing on yourself,
Arlon. It don't make sense.

Nothing makes much
sense to me anymore.

I know. But we can't just lay down.

I mean, what's gonna happen
to us if we do that, Arlon?

We belong here. You know that.

- How long you been farmin' this land?
- 17 years.

- And how long your dad before you?
- I don't know. A long time.

So does that mean all this time's
been for nothing?

That we're just gonna walk away
from here like a bunch of sheep?

Arlon, why don't you
come up to the house?

And we can talk about it awhile.

Are you hearing me, Arlon?

- (sighs)
- (meows)

Tell Louise to put on
a pot of coffee. All right?

Are you sure?

I'll be right along.

It's all right.

All right.

(gunshot)

(minister) Let us pray.

Oh, God of pithy and compassion,
who art the comforter of thy children,

look down with thy tender love
and beseech thee upon thy servant.

In the stillness of our hearts (continues
indistinct to) thy sustaining grace.

These are their fates and strengths

(continues indistinct to)
They may know thy presence near.

And with the assurance of thy love
be delivered out of their distresses

through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

And now may the grace of our Lord,
Jesus Christ and the love of God

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all. Amen.

(Missy crying)

What do you want me
to tell Mr. Fordyce?

Tell him he...

Tell him I quit. Tell him it's just too hard.

(car approaching)

(dog barks)

(¶ rock over headphones)

(cow moos)

You better learn something
besides milking cows, boy.

What do you wanna be, a farmer?

What?

You wanna be a farmer?
Is that what you wanna be?

No.

(birds chirping)

- Look at these sparrows.
- What?

- Sparrows.
- Sparrows?

Yeah. They're pretty, huh?

Our sheep are starving, Dad.

- What'd you say?
- I said to hell with the sparrows.

- You said to hell with the sparrows?
- Just leave me alone, Dad.

You said to hell with the sparrows?

I said to hell with the sparrows and
I said to hell with you too. You're drunk.

What'd you say?

You don't talk to me like that.

You don't ever talk to me like that.

You look at me when I'm talking to you!

(moos)

You look at me!

I'm talking to you!

You listening now?

Gil!

Gil!

By God, get off of him! Get off him!

You get out! We don't need
you on this place anymore.

(Marlene) What's he doing?

Why is he just standing there?

(Jewell) Marlene, please come sit.

He got in his truck.

- That don't surprise me a damn bit.
- Me either.

Daddy, would you wait outside
just for a little while, please?

What's wrong?

I just need to talk to the kids
by myself for a few minutes.

- OK.
- Thank you.

Now I want you to listen
to me real close.

Your dad and me...

We're caught in the
middle of something

that we didn't even see coming.

It just hit us head on.

I don't even know how to explain it.

But, Carlisle... your dad just lost control.

That's all. He never meant to hurt you.

He just lost himself
and you were in the way of it.

And it's very frightening
when that happens to someone.

But we can't... worry about
what's already been done

because there's nothing
we can do to change that.

So, what we have to think about now

is how we're going to keep
this family going.

Do you understand me?

So let's just say our grace
and we'll have our dinner.

Bless us our Lord and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive

from thy bounty through
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

- (Carlisle) Amen.
- (Marlene) Amen.

Now, Marlene, you run,
get your grandpa.

Hello, Marvin.

Hello, Jewell. It's been a while
since I've seen you down here.

- Marvin, I need to see that list you got.
- What list is that?

That FHA list with those names on it.

Well, I'm not allowed to be
handing that around, Jewell.

- You mean it's secret?
- Well, no, not exactly, but...

You mean even if your name's on it,
you're not allowed to look at it?

No, it's just that there's other people's
names on that list besides...

- Besides ours, you mean.
- Yeah.

Well, I wanna know
who they are, Marvin.

I'm not allowed to let
that list out of this office.

You understand that now,
don't you, Jewell?

I understand.

I'm not really sure I can do
much good for you.

You being there would help, Norbert.

If we were all together...

If enough of us could get together,
maybe we could kick up a little dust.

But I'm not the kind of person
that likes to make trouble...

Come by around 10:00.

I would really appreciate it...

What I'd like you to do if you could
possibly do it is come by sometime...

Norma Jean, thanks a lot.
If you'd come by...

Well, we'll sure try
and see if we can make it.

Thanks a lot.

(Jewell) Well, can you try and come?

Well, will you...
will you talk to him about it?

I'd appreciate it very much
if you could be there, Paula.

OK.

Aren't they coming?

Who's next?

Philips Daniel. 356-9501.

- 356...
- 9501.

(chuckles)

Do you know these people
that are selling out here?

We know 'em.

Keep their equipment
in pretty good shape, do they?

Yes, they do.

(man over microphone) If you haven't
registered, step into the barn...

You tired?

... going to start the
auction in five minutes.

While we're talking, I'd like to explain
the terms and conditions of the sale.

As most of you know,
we're conducting the auction today.

The terms of the sale
will be cash, certified funds

or a letter of credit from the bank.

Conrad Doan will be your auctioneer.
Ann will be the clerk.

And once again, folks, if you've arrived
late, we'll give you a few more minutes

to inspect the merchandise here.
And step into the barn

- and get a bidding number. Thank you.
- Jewell.

I managed to talk the Millers
into coming, I think.

But, I don't know about John Taylor.

Well, at least there are a few of us.

People are so damn scared, Louise,
I just don't understand.

I know.

It's 11:00, ladies and gentlemen,
and it's time to start the auction sale.

The first item we're gonna offer
for sale this morning is...

Good to see you, Otis.

Jewell.

- Hi, Frank.
- So sorry about this.

(Doan) 20... (rapid bid calling)

$20. 20... (rapid bid calling)

Give me 15. Start it off. Let's go.
15... (rapid bid calling)

15. Give me 121 l2. 121 l2.
Give me $10. Let's get it started.

10... 10... 10... $10.

10... 10... $10.

10... 10... 10... 10.

- Yes.
- 10... 121 l2.

12... 15. And 15, 171 l2. 171 l2... $20.

20... 221 l2. 221 l2... 25.
25... 25... 271 l2.

271 l2... 30... 30... 321 l2.

321 l2... 321 l2... 321 l2? 321 l2?

Sold for $30. Number 16
is the buyer. 16 is the buyer.

The next item we're offering
for sale is the blowtorch.

Who gets the money from this sale?

These implements are being sold
by the, uh, FHA for nonpayment of debt.

The FHA gets the money.

Well, receipts of this auction
of, uh, land and equipment

go to retire the lvys debt.

The FHA gets the money,
that's what you're saying.

- That's correct.
- (crowd murmurs)

Give me $2 and go. 2... 2, 2, 2.

If the FHA gets the money,
I'll give you a nickel!

(man) Yeah!

Give me $2 and go. 2... 2...

2... 3... 4... 4...

4... (rapid bid calling)

$5. 5... $2 and go.

3 and 5 and 71 l2 and 10... 121 l2.

121 l2... 121 l2... 15. 171 l2. 171 l2...

21 l2... $3. 3... 3... 3... $3?

Sold for 21 l2. Number 121 is the buyer.

OK, ladies and gentlemen,
the last item on the hayrack

this afternoon is this set of harnesses.

Complete with the traces
of (indistinct) in the bridle

and all to go for one money.
And what are you gonna do?

Let's start it off. Let's go.
Give me a $20 bid and go.

20... 20. 20... 20... $20.

Give me $15. 15... 15, 15, 15, $15.

Give me 121 l2. $10. Start it off.

Give me a $5 bid. 5... 5. 5... 5. 5... $5.

- Give me $2. Let's get it started.
- All right, 2. Let's move on.

2... 3. 3... (rapid bid calling)

3... 3. $3.

(Carlisle) $28.65.

28.6... 20... sold. $28.65.

What's your number, son?

OK, folks, we're gonna move
right down the line here.

We're gonna start on this machinery.

Here we go. Right over here
to the field cultivator.

Here we got this field cultivator
and she's in good shape.

What are you gonna
give for her? Let's go.

Here we go with the field cultivator
and what are you gonna go?

Give me a $50 bid and go.

50... (rapid bid calling)

Give me 25. Let's go! $25.

25... 25... 25... 25.

Gentlemen, the hookups are complete
on this piece of machinery.

Ready to go. Take her home.
It's in good condition.

Take her home
and put her to work for ya.

Take her home. Let's go. Give me 25.

25... (rapid bid calling)

25... 25... 25... 25.

Well, give me a $10 bid. 10... 10.

- Let's go!
- 10... 10... $10.

We're gonna pass on the field cultivator
and move on to the combine. Let's go.

And what are you gonna do? We're
gonna sell all three pieces together.

The whole works for one money.
What are you gonna give?

Give me 2,000. 2,000... 2... 2... $2,000.

Well, give me 1500.
15... 15... 15... 1500.

- I'll give you a nickel for it!
- 1500... 15... 1500... 15.

Take it on the chin. How do you
like that, Fordyce, ya vulture?

- I'll give you 7 cents!
- (man) How about 1 cent?

- (man #2) Don't you get the message?
- Start it off. Give me a reasonable bid.

Somebody give me $1500
for this combine.

- (crowd jeering)
- Let's be reasonable.

Ask him to be reasonable. Ask him
to work out something with the lvys.

When is it gonna stop, Fordyce?
Who's gonna be next?

You don't have to sell these people out!

(crowd yelling)

No sale!

No sale!

No sale!

(crowd chanting "No sale!")

(chanting "No sale!" continues)

Gentlemen, this auction sale
has been terminated until further notice.

Mrs. Ivy, you must realize that
a government foreclosure is a legal act.

This little show you people
put on here this morning

isn't gonna stop the wheel from turning.

All I have to do is get a court order
to have your machinery transported

to another county
for a legitimate auction.

And that's exactly what we're gonna do,
Mrs. Ivy. And there's no way to stop it.

Mister, you can take our equipment.

Tomorrow, you can come out here
and you can haul off all our stock.

But when you come out
to pull us off this land,

you better come with more
than a piece of paper!

'Cause we're staying!
We're staying right here!

Jewell?

If you'll let me, I'd like
to help you file for an appeal.

You go into court and push for a
deferral, I think you can win this thing.

Marlene?

Take Missy, honey,
and put her down for a nap.

- (Missy crying)
- Where are you going, Mom?

I gotta go out there, Carlisle.

Even after what he's done,
I still gotta go out there.

- You understand that?
- Yeah.

Do you?

Now I'm gonna ask him
to come back up here.

So you can either wait down here
or you can go upstairs.

That's up to you.

All right?

Yeah.

(door opens/closes)

Not much point in you standing
out here in the cold, is there?

I don't expect you to say much to me,
but that boy in there

might need to hear something.

That was a good thing you did for Otis.

That was a real good thing.

I got no excuses for what I did.

I don't even know how I let it happen.

I just want you...
both to know something.

I need this family.

I need you more than
anything else in the world.

(door opens)

Goddamn it, are we gonna stand around

and pretend we ain't
in the same house together?

Come on. What's the
worst thing can happen?

They ain't gonna come
cart us off, you know.

We ain't in the hoosegow.

I tell you what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna make myself a pot of coffee.

Stand there by the sink
and drink it like I usually do.

And when I'm done,
I'm going to my place, light a fire,

maybe read a little,
then I'm going to bed.

In the morning,
I'm goin' about my business.

Now they ain't sold the coffeepot,
have they, Gil?

- No.
- Good.

(woman) In national news today,
a federal judge

ordered the US government
to stop all FHA farm foreclosures

until such time as the farmers
and their families have received

their constitutionally guaranteed rights
of due process under the law.

The class action suit involved
some 230,000 farmers in 44 states.

The judge enjoined the FHA
from foreclosing on borrowers

or from cutting off family living
and farm operating expenses

unless the farmers
are given an opportunity

to apply for loan extensions
and deferrals.

The judge ruled that if application
for these services is rejected,

the farmer may seek a hearing
before a higher FHA official

who was not involved
in the original decision.

In cases of voluntary liquidation,

the ruling states that the FHA
is required to... (continues low)