Original subtitles

(MOLLY NEIGHING)

(ELIZABETH SCREAMS)

MARY ELLEN: Elizabeth!

Look, do you think you could come back?

Right now, we've got Europe and the South Pacific to worry about.

I'm trying to tell you about an American citizen

who is in prison for something he didn't do.

And I'm telling you that there are channels for obtaining a pardon.

I heard President Roosevelt give a speech about justice and the common man.

I'm sorry. There's just no way I can get you in to see the President right now.

Sorry, John. Our deal was 24 hours and I've already given you more than that.

Listen, you're talking about sending a man away for God knows how long.

Another day's not gonna hurt.

Still standing up for that murderer, Walton?

SHERIFF: Gaines, keep out of this.

What's he doing here?

You see, John, it's not just my decision.

You're gonna have to tell me where Harley is.

I can't do that, Ep. I gave my word.

Well, John, you don't give me any choice. I'm putting you under arrest.

JOHN-BOY: In the closing months of World War Il,

the fighting, far from the serenity of Walton's Mountain,

was beginning to wind down.

On the home front, however, m my father found himself in the vanguard

of the battle for equality and freedom that was so long overdue in America.

You won't be getting any visitors up here.

This logging camp hasn't been used for years.

HARLEY: Nice quiet place for a man to do some thinking.

Now, you just stay put while Verdie and me figure out what to do next.

I won't take off on you if that's what you're thinking.

We're counting on that, Harley.

- John? - I've got to change, Rose.

Me and Verdie are going to the Bar Association in Richmond.

That's why I thought you'd want to see this.

You just got a phone call a minute ago.

That lawyer you're looking for lives in Petersburg.

Josh is coming here after school. Will you keep an eye on him?

Well, of course we will. You know, we're behind what you're doing, John.

You wouldn't take a stand unless you had good reason.

I appreciate that. I'll be down in a second.

Doesn't look like they're biting.

They will.

My grandpa used to be able to tell if they were going to bite in five minutes.

Oh, yeah? How did he do that?

He'd talk to them.

(CHUCKLING) Come on.

Oh, no, really. He taught me how. You wanna see?

Yeah.

(LAUGHING)

I suppose that's fish talk.

Yeah. You gotta be very quiet, they're hard to hear.

Uh, nope. It's too bad. They say they're not in the mood today.

Elizabeth, you're crazy.

Besides, it's not very nice to eat a fish you can talk to.

Hey, I think I got one. Come here, you're gonna have to help me.

Grab on. You see, I really did catch something.

You're pretty tricky.

Yeah. Well, you don't seem to be running away.

I always did like fishing.

(MOLLY NEIGHING)

DREW: Oh, now what?

I think Molly's jealous.

Elizabeth, are we gonna have to take this horse with us everywhere?

Easy. Why, do you mind?

Yeah, I mind.

We don't walk home from school anymore 'cause you're in such a hurry to feed her.

We don't go riding in Jim-Bob's car. We don't go to the library.

And all you ever talk about is this stupid horse.

I'm beginning to think she is smarter than you are.

Yeah, well, it figures.

You know, I don't like playing second fiddle to something that whinnies.

You're acting like an adolescent, do you know that?

Yeah, well, that's what I am, an adolescent.

If you don't like it, you can just lump it.

All right, I will.

- Which? - Lump it!

You forgot your picnic.

Feed it to the fish!

(CAR HORN HONKING)

Hey, come on, hurry it up, Ben. The show starts at 7:00, let's go!

BEN: Hold your horses, I'm coming.

Well, Norman, you seem to be coming up in the world.

Okay, let's get going.

I might have known you'd be mixed up in this.

It was my idea, Chief, not Ben's.

Just how did you acquire this vehicle?

Well, uh...

I sort of borrowed it from the motor pool.

I see, sort of borrowed, which means sort of scrounged,

which means, stole, right?

Nobody was using it.

And nobody is using it now!

Oh, come on, Chief. There's a new movie over at the Navy Depot.

All we get to see is old westerns.

Wrong, Walton. All you're going to see is the motor pool.

And since you two seem so attached to this jeep,

why don't you clean off that mud so it'll look nice for the Lieutenant tomorrow?

And let me know when you're finished, so I can check it over for you.

There isn't one spark of humanity left in that jerk.

Sorry I got you into this, Ben.

We've got to get out of this outfit,

'cause it's going to be a long war with him around.

Harley, LeRoy Harley.

I do for sure recollect that case like it was yesterday.

Never could remember all the cases I've won, can't forget the cases I've lost.

Ah, there we are.

Harley, LeRoy.

A miscarriage of justice if ever I saw it.

Then why did you quit on him?

The dead man came from a very powerful family.

Everybody in town either worked for them

or owed them money or was married to one of them.

I get the picture.

But he'd been seen drinking in public that night.

Everybody knew that he was a mean drunk.

It saved Harley's life.

Thank God for that.

Some folks didn't take kindly to me defending him at all.

And they were for sure upset

when he didn't get the death penalty.

I began receiving threats in the mail, on the telephone,

but I was younger then and I shrugged them off.

Then word got out that I was putting together an appeal for a new trial.

Then they really got mean.

The day someone tried to force my wife's car off the road,

I closed up the office and left town.

Is there anything in that file that could help Harley now?

Well, there might be.

There's a transcript of the trial, short and sweet,

and crooked as a night-crawling worm.

There's a copy of the appeal.

And some personal papers.

This one is a commendation

from the US Navy where Harley served during World War I.

It states that he was responsible for the rescue of two men

when his ship was sunk after taking a torpedo.

He never told me about that.

Isn't there anything to be done for Harley now?

The first thing you'll need to do is get him a good lawyer.

Looks to me like Harley had himself a good lawyer.

No, sir. I'm sorry, but I can't.

Never would have retired if I hadn't had a heart attack couple of years back.

I wouldn't be any use to your man in the hospital.

Besides, I don't think this old ticker of

mine could stand another... Another failure.

You're saying it's hopeless, then?

Well, you can always try to fight extradition.

There's only a slight chance that it might succeed.

Most of the states around here are kind of automatic.

They never know when they might want one of their own back.

We'd be most grateful for anything you could do.

Tell you what.

I know my way around pretty well in Richmond.

I'll head up there tomorrow and see if I can remember how to practice law.

Rose, I hope you didn't wait up.

Oh, my, no! I picked up this mending after supper and I just can't put it down.

If a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done.

Did Josh behave himself?

Oh, like a perfect little gentleman. He's sound asleep upstairs. I'll go get him.

I'm most anxious to hear how you two got along.

I'll give you a ride home, Verdie. I want to make sure you get there safe.

Thank you, John. I'll just give Rose a hand with Josh.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

SHERIFF: John?

Hello, Ep.

I guess you know why I'm here.

Well, Ep, I'm gonna need a little more time.

I'm sorry, John. Our deal was 24 hours and I've already given you more than that.

Now, listen, you're talking about sending a man away for God knows how long.

Another day's not gonna hurt.

Still standing up for that murderer, Walton?

SHERIFF: Gaines, keep out of this.

What's he doing here?

Oh, he claims he's here to see that justice is done.

I know about his kind of justice.

SHERIFF: He's also eligible for a reward.

You see, John, it's not just my decision.

You're gonna have to tell me where Harley is.

I can't do that, Ep. I gave my word.

Well, John, you don't give me any choice. I'm putting you under arrest.

Well.

Good morning, Mary Ellen.

That's a matter of opinion. I'd like to see my father.

- Okay. - Would you like to check this for weapons?

Mary Ellen, let's not make it any harder than we have to, okay?

Come on, he's in here.

- Daddy. - Honey.

It's going to be all right.

Mary Ellen, you can stay as long as you want to.

- Ep? - What?

- You forgot to close the door again. - Oh, sorry.

Cinnamon rolls. Rose baked them fresh this morning.

Thank her for me, will you, honey?

Come on, honey. Sit down.

You don't appear to be suffering too much.

I think this hurts Ep worse than it hurts me.

I keep beating him at cribbage.

- What's going to happen? - I'm just waiting to find out.

Could be big trouble, couldn't it?

I just couldn't turn Harley over to the likes of that slimy deputy.

Whatever you do, Daddy, we're behind you.

And I'm not real proud to have you see me in a place like this.

All my life, I've obeyed the law and I've taught my children to do the same.

But there's a higher law involved here and I just can't turn my back on it.

We wouldn't want you to.

John?

Ep, I thought you were going to give us some more time.

Take it easy, John. I got somebody else here who wants to see you.

Harley, I thought you'd be long gone by now.

Almost was, last night.

But being up there alone, listening to every noise,

wondering if it was somebody coming after me,

I knew that running was no kind of life for me now.

And Verdie came up this morning and told me about you.

Verdie, you shouldn't have done that.

Harley had a right to know.

I got Josh to think about.

It's bad enough he knows his daddy is a wanted man,

couldn't let him find out somebody else was in jail on my account.

We can still fight extradition. Nathan Moore's working on it right now.

I just want to get this over with.

Finish serving out my sentence.

Harley, that doesn't make any sense.

John's right. Beating extradition is your only hope.

That's false hope, Ep, and you know it.

I won't put Verdie and Josh through that.

I'm not looking forward to going back to prison,

but the sooner I do it, the sooner I can get it behind me.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Come in.

I'm kind of dirty. I don't wanna to track up a clean floor.

That's all right. Track it up. I'd welcome something to do.

I came to tell you that you should have your tire fixed tomorrow.

I saw that you had a flat, so I put the spare on for you.

Well, I was gonna do that. I'm not helpless, you know.

Oh, Cindy, don't worry about it. I just did you a favor.

You know, it's having someone take the hoe out of my hands

when I'm trying to do the gardening,

or shooing me out of the chicken coop when I'm trying to clean it.

Nobody lets me do anything around here.

You can't do the dirty work.

Well, how do you think I'm going to feel

when you guys collapse from exhaustion?

Now, come on, who do I see about getting a job around here?

Cindy, we've been doing this stuff ever since we were little.

We can't expect you to be capable of it.

(SCOFFS)

Well, thanks for the confidence, Erin.

Now get out of here before I forget that I'm so dainty and I throw you out.

ERIN: Cindy!

Antoinette!

Jason!

I'd almost given up trying to find you. Glad I didn't.

They lost my records.

A few million GIs come to France and they lose your records.

Just lucky, I guess.

I have to get the Colonel's car back.

Take me away from all this.

I wish I could. John-Boy's looking for you, too.

I haven't had a chance to call him yet.

But I'm getting a three-day pass next Thursday.

So I can go to Paris if they haven't shipped me out by then.

Great! I'll let you know where to meet us.

Do you really have to leave?

In two minutes or I'll get shot.

Then stop talking.

Sounds like you didn't get anywhere in Richmond.

Old has its rewards, being listened to isn't one of them.

There's just got to be someone.

Look, you've... You've got to get yourself a younger attorney.

Someone who doesn't mind that this case is not in the public interest,

and he's not going to be politically useful.

Or who doesn't mind defending a black man.

Someone who wants to see simple justice being done.

If you find this man, give him these.

There's strong stuff in there.

The problem is getting somebody to review it.

I'm the one who talked Harley into not running off.

I figured if the law made a mistake, there must be some way to make it right.

Son,

I lived all my life believing that.

But I ran once,

and I'm white, educated, reasonably well-to-do.

Oh, I'm not proud of running,

but sometimes there doesn't seem to be anything else you can do,

short of some kind of miracle from a higher power.

When things go wrong, they really go wrong, don't they?

Troubles do come in bunches, but then good things do, too, sometimes.

Could you point it out to me the next time it happens?

What seems to be the problem, Elizabeth?

Well, it's Molly. Drew hates her.

Oh, well, then maybe he's just jealous of the time you spend with her.

It's silly to be jealous of a horse.

Listen, I was jealous of a car once.

Bert bought a brand new Model T

and all he did was polish that thing and work on it

and drive it all over the countryside.

- What did you do? - Well, it was more what he did.

He got me interested in polishing the tin lizzie and then he took me with him.

Two could be kind of cozy on a horse, you know.

I'll think about it. Thanks, Rose.

Anytime, Elizabeth. I'm not lovelorn anymore,

but I can still give advice.

John.

Ep.

It's a warm night, huh?

Quiet.

Hard to believe there's so much trouble going on out there.

I stopped by to tell you that

a couple of marshals are coming tomorrow to take Harley back.

Does Verdie know that?

Yeah, she was there when I got the word.

You know, I was the one who talked Harley into staying,

otherwise he'd be 1,000 miles away by now.

John, you can't blame yourself. It's just the way things are.

Damn the way things are.

Yeah.

You know, I spend a lot of time thinking about duty.

It was duty that had me shooting at other men in World War I.

It's what gets me up in the middle of the night so I can go tell some woman

that her daughter's been killed in a wreck on Route 29,

and duty forces me to lock up good men like Harley.

Some days I'd just like to put a closed sign on the jailhouse door,

and just take off, go fishing.

I ever tell you I voted for you?

Yeah. I figured you might have.

But I tell you, John, tonight I...

- I don't feel much like thanking you. - Hmm.

And I'm not giving up. There's just got to be a way.

Well, John,

just don't break your heart over it.

Is this light bothering you, Ike?

Oh, no.

No, I was just laying here thinking about the old days.

How old?

Well, I was just thinking about when we'd go down to the store on a cold morning

and I'd make up a good fire in the stove.

I never could persuade you to put in central heating.

And then you'd... You'd clean up the fruit.

Boy, and you... Nobody got a shine on an apple the way you could.

Well, that's very kind of you, Ike.

And do you remember the time that Maude Gormley came in

and she broke the bottom of her bag and the groceries fell all over...

We were walking in molasses for a week.

And then you came up with that idea to have a one-cent sale?

(IKE LAUGHING)

And we made exactly one cent!

I had no part of that fiasco.

Where are you going?

Healthy hair requires 100 strokes a night.

It says so in the La dies' Home Companion.

Yeah, I really miss those old days. But you know what I miss most of all?

- What? - I miss the arguments.

We sure had some rousing ones, didn't we?

I didn't think you remembered.

That a good book?

Oh, yes, very. Very romantic.

Yeah.

You always liked romantic things, didn't you, Corabeth?

Sweet dreams, honey.

I find this procedure a bit unusual, Sheriff Bridges.

Well, I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you.

You're gonna get your man.

(VERDIE SNIFFLING)

Now, now, Verdie Foster.

None of your tears.

I know we haven't got much to fight with,

but we don't have to show it.

I... I just keep thinking about all the empty days ahead.

You just try and live them a day at a time.

Before you know it, I'll be back home.

(CRYING) Oh, Harley, I wish I could believe that.

You've got to, Verdie.

I've got to.

Come on, now.

I've got to go.

Come on, now. I've got to go.

(SIGHS)

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

John! What are you doing out this time of night?

I'm sorry to bother you so late, Verdie.

I wasn't sleeping. Is something wrong?

I'm gonna be gone for a couple of days. It was too complicated to leave you a note.

Where are you going, John?

Going to Warm Springs, Georgia.

Oh, that's a long drive. You better let me make you some coffee.

No, Verdie.

Warm Springs?

Listen to me.

I'm gonna go see the President.

(EXCLAIMS)

Now I've heard everything.

I've been going through Harley's papers and one thing keeps springing up at me.

His war commendation.

He was a war hero at the very same time

when F.D.R. was Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

There's got to be a way to use that to get his case reviewed.

If there's anyone who might be inclined to help Harley, it's that man.

Can I come with you?

No, Verdie. You got Josh to worry about and I'm on my way.

I thought twice about telling you. I don't want you to get your hopes up.

The hardest thing is not being able to help.

Remember what that lawyer, Nathan Moore, said about,

it'd take a higher power to get Harley off?

Well, I don't know a higher power on Earth than F.D.R.

Of course, there's a higher power, we all know that.

Maybe you can put a word in with Him while I'm gone.

My prayers don't seem to be reaching far enough lately.

- But I'll keep on trying. - All right, Verdie. Bye.

(BANGING)

IKE: Corabeth!

Really, Mr. Godsey, you're being awfully noisy this morning.

Corabeth, I have been doing a lot of thinking

and I have come to some conclusions.

Now, I love the fact that my buttons are all in place

and I have nice, sharp creases in my pants

and I love the suppers you've been making for me.

But there's one thing I've been missing.

Oh, really? Well, now, what is that?

You!

I beg your pardon?

We've been very lucky all these years.

It's been more than a partnership in business,

we've been doing the things we like, together.

Well, but what about all those things you said about your mother,

all those little things she did for your father?

Well, my folks had their kind of marriage and it was good for them.

But, uh... And I don't say that I don't, you know, miss that sometimes,

but we started with a different set of rules

and we tried to change them and it didn't work.

Now, what you need is a challenge.

And what I need, well, it's you.

Why, Mr. Godsey,

that's the nicest thing you ever said to me.

I mean it, honey.

Corabeth, look.

Of course, it's just the beginning.

Oh, well. I shall need a larger sign, of course, and a more imposing desk.

Well, to pay for this, would you be willing to take a part-time job,

perhaps in the store?

Well, now, I don't know if Godsey's Mercantile

can afford a professional woman.

Well, of course, that's always open to negotiation.

Oh, Mr. Godsey!

It's like a dream come true.

You know, I think you ought to get a book on real estate.

So that you can study up for your exam.

Oh! What a splendid idea. I know just the very book.

Partners again, Mr. Godsey?

Partners again, Mrs. Godsey.

And a little bit more.

- Commander Collins? - Yes.

My name's Walton, Commander. It's real important I talk to you.

Do you have an appointment, Mr. Walton?

Well, it's been hard getting this far, Commander.

You see, I was wondering if you could help me see President Roosevelt.

Who did you say you are?

Name's Walton, John Walton. I run a lumber co-op over in Virginia.

Fine, I'll schedule you in, right after Mr. Churchill.

Now hold on, now, Commander.

I'm here to talk to you about a man who's been put in prison

for something he didn't do.

Look, do you think you could come back?

Right now, we've got Europe and the South Pacific to worry about.

I'm trying to tell you about an American citizen

who is in prison for something he didn't do.

Now, that's got to be just as important as fighting to free those others overseas.

And I'm telling you that there are channels for obtaining a pardon.

Well, yes, sir, I know. There are channels for everything.

I heard President Roosevelt give a speech about justice and the common man.

I'm sorry. There's just no way I can get you in to see the President right now.

You're trying to tell me that

President Roosevelt's words don't mean nothing?

What can you tell me about the man?

I've got it right here, Commander. If you'll just take a minute to look at it.

(SIGHS)

Now, stay there.

Elizabeth looks like a real equestrian in those new jodhpurs.

Ever since her love life went sour,

she's been spending more time than ever with Molly.

Neither of those young people will give an inch.

Excuse me.

- Hi. - Hi.

Cindy still giving everybody the cold shoulder?

Well, for good reason, it seems to me.

ELIZABETH: Easy, Molly, easy now.

Steady.

Whoa! No, Molly!

(MOLLY NEIGHING)

(ELIZABETH SCREAMS)

MARY ELLEN: Elizabeth!

- Elizabeth! - ERIN: Elizabeth, are you all right?

Come on, come on, come on, get up.

Come on, come on, come on.

- (CRYING) Let me go! - No!

Elizabeth, it's her leg. It's broken.

It's bad. We're gonna have to put her out of her misery.

No!

MARY ELLEN: Erin?

No, Mary Ellen, I can't do it. You have to.

I'm supposed to save lives.

Erin, get the gun.

I said, get the gun.

ELIZABETH: (CRYING) Erin, no!

ROSE: Come on, Elizabeth.

Cindy, are you sure?

My father was in the army, remember?

(GUN FIRING)

I wish we could get those two to eat something.

What for? I don't think any of us are very hungry.

We were supposed to be the strong ones.

I'm going to go see Cindy.

(DOOR OPENING)

Cindy, can I spend the night here?

(SNIFFLING)

Come on in. I'll go get her.

Elizabeth!

Who is it?

Well, you better go see. I'll take these things upstairs.

Hi.

Hi.

I heard about what happened.

You want to go for a walk or something?

No, thanks.

I'm real sorry about what happened to Molly.

- Really? - Yeah, really.

I know I acted stupid, but I never wanted anything to happen to her.

Well, thanks for coming over.

Yeah. Did I ever tell you about my dog?

This old mutt named Doc. He used to follow me around everywhere.

Even a long time after he died, I still kept looking behind me,

forgetting he wouldn't be there.

Rose says time heals all wounds.

I know someone who's hurting even worse than you are right now.

Who?

Come here and I'll show you.

(SIGHS)

No. Daddy's gonna sell her.

Yeah. Well, he already has.

See, I decided I don't want a car.

You were having so much fun with Molly, I figured if I had a horse of my own,

maybe we could go riding together someday.

Your daddy gave me a good deal on her.

Elizabeth, we could raise her together.

It's a relief to know that you and Drew are friends again.

As soon as Pepper is old enough, we're going to train her.

Verdie's coming. It looks like she's in a hurry.

Oh! She must have heard something from your daddy.

Good news, I hope!

What is it, Verdie?

I was at Ike's when the news was flashed over the radio.

President Roosevelt died this afternoon in Warm Springs.

(MELANCHOLY Y MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)

It's been a real exciting evening, hasn't it?

I'm real sorry, John-Boy.

I just hope he hasn't been shipped out.

That would mean Germany, right?

Maybe I'll be seeing him there.

(DOOR OPENING)

Well, hey. Who's this?

- John-Boy. - TONI: Oh, Jason.

JOHN-BOY: You're in good shape, boy.

We didn't think you were gonna make it.

- You owe me a bottle of champagne! - I know, I know.

I guess nobody here has heard.

What're you talking about? Hey, cheer up, for goodness sake.

I've got bad news.

What news?

There was a BBC broadcast.

President Roosevelt is dead.

(MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)

Is he gonna keep us waiting all day?

He probably knows we're gonna ask for transfers. Half the outfit has.

A bunch of transfer requests won't look good on his record.

MAN ON RADIO: We interrupt this program to bring you a special bulletin

from the newsroom of the Armed Forces Radio Network.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt has died in Warm Springs, Georgia.

The cause of death has been announced as a cerebral hemorrhage.

Vice President Harry S. Truman

has been sworn in as the 33rd President of the United States.

More details will follow.

Seems only... Seems only

yesterday

the President came to Camp Perry where we were training.

I remember him there, standing there hanging on to Jimmy's arm.

Standing straight as if nothing in this world could bend him.

When I saw him there, fighting all his troubles and his pains

and still being the best damn Commander-in-Chief we ever had,

I made up my mind

I was gonna be the best damn CPO in the Seabees.

But he's gone

and I sure ain't what I set out to be.

Chief, don't you think we should do something about the flag?

Good idea, Walton. Let's do it.

You know, a lot of the business places have closed.

They shut the plant down.

There wasn't anything happening anywhere.

Just that music, that's all you hear.

This is one day I'd rather not have off.

The radio said that the funeral train

will be coming through Charlottesville tomorrow morning.

But it'll be real early, before sunup. I think I'd like to go anyways.

Well, maybe we all can. You know, it would help to be able to say goodbye.

Never seen a boy so down in the dumps with school let out.

There's not much to be happy about.

That's true, Josh,

but your dad wouldn't want you to mope around all day.

And neither would the President.

Was he a great man, Mama?

Yes, he was, Josh.

He was a very great man.

He cared about everyone, rich or poor.

Even about us?

Yes, Josh, even about us.

(CAR HORN HONKING)

Harley! Oh, Harley! Oh, God, you're home.

Daddy!

Oh, John, thank you.

Almost the last thing that President Roosevelt did

was sign Harley's pardon.

I still don't believe it.

Oh, I do! You're here, Harley. You're really here.

JOHN-BOY: The train bearing the body of Franklin Delano Roosevelt

moved slowly from Warm Springs, Georgia, toward the nation's capital.

Wherever it went, the people who loved him gathered to mark its passing,

remembering the man who led the nation out of its must crippling depression

and toward victory in its greatest war,

planting seeds of brotherhood along the way.

When it passed through Charlottesville,

m y family was there to pay their last respects.

Good night, Mr. President.

English -SDH