Original subtitles

What a beautiful view.

I wish you could have seen it before the cities came along.

You know, before the cars and the smokestacks.

Before the highways cut through the wetlands.

I remember when I first saw Earth and it was so green and beautiful.

You could drop a stone right in the middle of a lake and watch it fall all

way to the bottom.

The water was so clear, like it was in the beginning.

Were you there?

In the beginning, when God created Earth?

No.

Tess was, though.

I wish she was here to tell you all about the time on the sixth day when the

was setting and God looked out over all that he had created and he saw that it

was excellent in every way.

And then he gave the Earth to man.

Ren.

Hey, Carl, all the new quarterly earnings reports?

Global warming, ozone depletion, pollution index.

You're joking.

I hired this new kid in R &D. She wrote these up. I want you to read them.

She knows this is an oil company, right?

You're missing the big picture here, Bill.

You've got to have vision.

Read them and let me know what you think.

See ya.

You know, more damage has been done to the Earth in the last 150 years than in

all the centuries before.

But that man has the power to make a difference.

All the power in the world won't be enough for that inspiration and the

to turn it into reality.

I thought those reports would inspire him. Well, we're not here to inspire

We're here to make sure that Carl meets the genius.

Maybe the coupling devices.

But if I... If I'm immersed in you...

Meet Emma Travers.

Oh, my goodness.

Do you know what that is?

Yes, I do.

That could change the world.

Yes, it could make all the difference.

The problem is, it doesn't quite work.

Emma's been working on this project for 20 years.

But he hasn't quite figured out the missing piece of the puzzle, and he's

proud to ask for help.

So an invention that could save the Earth might not ever make it out of his

basement? That's why we have to make sure that he meets Carl.

And what about the boy?

When you walk down the road, heavy

burden, heavy load, I will rise

and I will walk with you.

I'll walk with you till the sun don't even shine.

Walk with you.

Every time I tell you I'll walk with you.

Walk with you.

Believe me, I'll walk with you.

What's he do down there?

Dad says he's trying to make a car that runs like chicken crap. I heard he eats

his pet.

Puts mustard on him and eats him.

I heard he's a cannibal.

That's why he always carries a Swiss Army knife around.

So he always has a fork handy.

And he keeps dead bodies in his basement.

And... Shut up! Shut up!

Who's that?

What are you doing, lady?

Hello, Mr. Rivers.

My name is Monica.

That's nice. What do you want?

I'm from the IRS.

I'm here for the audit.

What audit?

We sent you three notices.

Oh, that was you, huh?

What kind of gas mileage you get on that dinosaur?

Oh, actually... Yeah, I know, I know. It's comfortable, safe, fun to drive.

Let somebody else worry about the ozone layer.

You've all received copies of the projections for the quarter.

The watchword here is fluctuation.

Fluctuation makes shareholders nervous.

And nervous shareholders make stocks plummet. Exactly.

So, what can palace energy do to create stability in an unstable market?

Come on, don't be shy.

Yes, Gloria. Everybody, this is Gloria. She's new in R &D. You have a

suggestion?

Well, I was thinking maybe we could show the shareholders that we're broadening

our interests.

I knew it. Hold on, Bill.

Please, go ahead, Gloria.

If you'll take a look at the folders in front of you.

612 alternative energy proposals have been submitted to this company since

They've all been rejected.

Yes, we know. These are lunatics who want to spin straw into gold.

Actually, new technologies have made some of those...

Crazy ideas, not so crazy anymore.

There are five proposals here that I think Palace Energy should reconsider.

On page two, you have... Emmett Rivers.

Yes. In 1982, he proposed a method of extracting hydrogen from water using a

specialized metal alloy catalyst.

Electrolysis, Gloria. It's been around for years. It's totally inefficient.

Well, no, this is different.

According to his calculations, Mr. Rivers should be able to meet total

needs for a typical American home for one year with just a single glass of

water.

I read in your file that you're self -employed.

Well, I'm an inventor.

Most of my income comes from patent royalties.

Like what, for example?

Oh, you invented the screw. Well, this one I did, yeah. It's threaded backwards

for left -handed people.

Wasn't a big hit.

I'm going to need to see your receipts for the last five years.

Well, there they are. Twenty years worth. Just knock yourself up.

So how do you folks work, anyway? You just sit around and you draw names out

a hat?

Until you find some poor old coot that you can go bother for a while, is that

it? Actually, we had some flags come up on your itemized deductions.

What flags?

Um... $312 for toothpicks.

You got that right.

As a business expense?

I'm sorry, but... What can you tell me about the working parts of a small...

Hansberg reverse -modulated non -conductivity device.

Absolutely nothing.

I rest my case.

Oh, but there is something else.

You wrote off $2 ,500 in hay.

There she is.

You wrote off hay for a horse?

Section 8, paragraph 6 of the United States Tax Law Handbook states, that

using their vehicle for business purposes can deduct a portion of the

the fuel that powers it.

Well, for most people, of course, that's gasoline. I happen to ride a horse and

it runs on hay.

And it converts the stuff directly to horsepower by a process known to those

us in the business as digestion.

And the only emissions is methane and fertilizer.

Now, if you commuters can get a tax break for destroying the environment and

supporting our dependency on foreign oil and terrorism, well, don't you think

that I should deserve the same break?

Well, yes, but... And so do I.

Good day to you, ma 'am.

Where are you going?

I'm out of toothpicks.

Turns out your Mr. Rivers was employed here for a short time in the early 80s.

Yes, I know.

Until my father fired him.

I'm not surprised, really.

What do you mean?

I had some of my scientists review some of Mr. Rivers' proposals.

Complete nonsense.

20 years ago, that is.

They tell me that today it just might work.

I want you to look in on this guy.

Pay him a friendly visit. See if you can find out what he's actually got, then

call me.

Hey.

Hey.

Who are you?

Andrew. And you would be?

Dan.

Where's Mickey?

Early vacation?

You're Stan Lewis, right? Because the boss was asking about you.

You wanted to know if Mr. Rivers took a subscription yet.

Old Man River?

You must be kidding. That guy's a freak.

What do you mean?

He keeps dead bodies in his basement.

I'm sure he does.

No, really.

He gets them from the morgue.

They're like dead bank robbers and stuff.

They're for reanimation experiments.

So have you, um...

You actually seen what's in his basement?

No.

I dare you double.

This is so stupid.

Well, the government ought to be paying me. I'm doing a lot more than they are

for the environment.

Mayday, mayday, he's back and he's got the woman with him.

I know, I'm right underneath them.

The hell was that?

How are you feeling?

I'm all right, Dad.

You wish you were when they arrest you for breaking and entering.

Take it slowly.

It's quite a bump on your head.

What is your name?

Stan.

I'm not a burglar.

I didn't steal anything.

No, you stole my privacy. You stole my peace of mind.

And a good 25 minutes that I could be using for something important.

Mr. Rivers, I don't think that Stan is a thief.

I think he's just a curious little boy.

I'm just a kid. He was just a dare.

Oh.

Well, that makes it all right, then. Yeah.

You think that I don't hear you kids?

I dare you to throw a rock through the old man's window.

I dare you to knock on his door.

I dare you to.

Break into crazy old Mr.

Rivers' house and find out what he's doing in there.

What do you do in here?

Mr. Rivers is an inventor.

Everybody knows that, but I mean... Where are the cadavers?

Where are the body parts that he secretly converts into

subatomic particles to blow up the planet Dolab?

That's what you're thinking, right?

That's kind of what the other guys think.

But I think you're inventing something really... Really what?

What did you see down there?

I don't know what I saw.

It looks like... I can't explain it.

I've seen it before.

Or imagined it, maybe.

It's impossible.

The kid is delusional.

He needs to see a doctor about that head of his.

Get out of here.

Come on. Get out of here. You're making me crazy. Get out.

I'm sorry. Really.

Fine.

Mind your own business.

I believe that water will one day be employed as fuel.

That hydrogen and oxygen, which constitute it, used singly or together,

furnish an inexhaustible source of heat for life.

Water will be the coal of the future.

We're knocking on doors now, huh?

Breaking new ground, are we?

You did it, didn't you?

You converted water into energy.

That's ridiculous.

Go away.

I hope you don't mind.

I thought you might like a nice cup of peppermint tea.

It'll soothe your tummy.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you.

And what do you know about my tummy, huh?

Well, I saw your medical deductions.

Ah, the government. They ought to be paying more attention to topsoil

industrial pollution, global warming. I mean, these things are real.

Ocean levels are rising.

Coral reefs are disappearing.

Oh, it's happening.

And we know it.

Nobody seems to care.

You care.

Oh.

Are you cooking gingerbread?

Mm -hmm. And it's ready.

I told you.

Mr. Rivers?

No solicitors. Oh, no, I'm not a solicitor. My name's Gloria.

I'm with the Palace Energy Corporation.

I'm here to talk to you about your proposal from January 8th. Excuse me.

That was 1982.

Palace Energy is interested in my proposal now?

Mm -hmm.

Huh.

Huh.

I was hoping we could discuss your... Oh, what timing you people have.

Nobody was interested 20 years ago when all that I had was a theory.

They said that I was crazy and I was on a wild goose chase.

Yes, I know. But Mr. Carl Northam, the chief executive officer... Carl Northam?

The old man's son?

Yes, yes. Mr. Northam runs the company now, and he's very interested.

Now he's interested, yes.

That spineless father of his fired me and now the son wants me back.

Sure, of course.

Let old Emmett spend 20 years of his own money working it all out. Let old

Emmett make sure that the prototype is up and running and then they swoop in

want to steal it. No, no, nobody's swooping, Mr. Rivers.

You have a working prototype?

I mean, it's actually working?

Wouldn't you like to know?

Well, yes. Yes, I would, and so would Mr. Northam.

We're willing to offer you a substantial amount of money. Oh, I'll just bet that

you are.

Well, you go back and tell your boss that he's too late. You people had your

chance and you blew it. And if you think that I am going to cut you in on a

piece of the action, now you're crazy.

Now, you tell him that Emmett Rivers is not interested. No sale.

All 20 years of it.

Ta -da.

Who was at the door earlier?

Scavengers, vultures, spies.

Where's the powdered sugar and the little sprinkles?

If you don't like my bacon, you could always file a report with the IRS.

You know, I'm almost finished working, and if you like, later I could teach

how to make gingerbread.

I got the distinct impression

that he is very close to a working prototype.

Well, they're always close. That's the problem.

Nobody's ever made the leap to a real working fuel alternative that's

economically feasible in the larger market.

But if this old guy has actually done it, we're going to be the first ones in.

agree. That's why I think a visit from you just might... Emily, book me two

tickets to... Kearney, Nebraska.

Kearney, Nebraska.

Yeah.

We're going to hook this old guy and pull him in.

Hey, Stan.

Come here.

I got a call yesterday from Mr. Rivers.

Oh, really?

Yeah. He had these questions about, like, how we...

do business you know whether we use recycled paper and how many trucks are

involved in the delivery and i told him usually you guys just used your bikes

you know weather permitting anyway bottom line is i think that he's ready

subscription so maybe if you delivered one to him personally i can do that

cool oh man he's gonna radiate your brains out

Mr. Rivers, Dan is here.

I brought you a newspaper.

Since when is it the business of the IRS to let nosy kids into my workshop?

Since he's been knocking on the door for half an hour and neither one of us was

getting any work done.

Good night.

I was right, wasn't I?

You're converting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Then you're using the hydrogen to generate electricity.

So what? People have been doing that for years.

No.

This is different.

You put something in the water like a catalyst, and you're barely

using any power.

It's like you're almost doing it for free. I know what I'm doing, and I don't

have much time.

Why not?

Because I'm dying.

You're dying?

I mean, you're old, but you're not that old.

Well, tell it to the cancer.

It can fix it, right?

Mr.

Rivers has decided to discontinue treatment.

I got better things to do with my money.

But Lady Gloria said they'd give you a lot of money for your invention.

Oh, she did, huh?

How do you know that?

I listened through the window. Go ahead, arrest me.

You could get some big bucks probably for this thing that doesn't even work.

Well, it will work, and then maybe I'll sell it when it's finished and my name

alone is on the patent.

But you need the money now. You're dying.

So what?

When I finish this, I'll live forever.

He's not as bad as everyone says he is.

But he's still crazy.

He's not even trying to get better.

Well, that's a hard decision to make, but that doesn't make him crazy.

And that's not all.

This lady came to see him from some big company.

And they want to give him a ton of money for one of his inventions.

He said no.

Well, money isn't the answer to everything.

Yeah, it is.

If you have money, you can do whatever you want.

You know, there comes a time in everybody's life when you have to decide

most important.

And it usually isn't money.

I think Emmett just wants to be famous.

You know, Stan, I've met a lot of people at the end of their life.

You know what they want?

They want to know.

that their life mattered.

Emmett Rivers.

That depends on who's asking.

Carl Northam. My associate Gloria came to see you the other day.

Oh, yes, I remember.

Did she tell you I wasn't interested?

Yes, she did, but I wanted to be sure you heard my best offer.

So how's your old man these days?

He's doing quite well, thank you.

Do you mind if I come in for a minute?

I might as well. Come on. Everybody else does.

Mr. Rivers, as Gloria mentioned to you, Palace Energy is very interested in how

far your work has come.

I've read your proposal at least a dozen times.

The science has found.

I'm just ashamed to say that we didn't recognize it 20 years ago.

You're way ahead of your time.

Hey!

Whose limo is that?

Mr. Northam.

Cool, you're the guy from the oil company.

Yes, sir, that would be me. And who are you?

I'm his agent.

Hell, you're getting younger all the time.

So, dazzle me.

Mr. Rivers, do you have a working prototype?

Well, let's just say that I'm getting close.

Very close. I just need a little time.

You don't have time.

Would it be possible for me to see it?

Is this the only one?

Yeah. This one took me 20 years.

You see, the problem is the conductor cells.

They operate at incredibly tight tolerances.

The conductor cell.

Isn't that the only thing missing?

Oh, absolutely.

Absolutely. That and the patent, which I will get.

Emmett, why don't you let us help you?

There's no reason for you to slave away down here in the dark for another year.

With all the groundwork that you've laid, my engineers could have this done

couple of months. This could be on the market within a year.

No, I need to finish it myself.

Emmett, I'll be frank with you. We want this technology.

It's good for us, and it could be good for you. I'm willing to offer you $500

,000.

Mr. Northam, I don't need your money or your father's.

You think this is about money? This is not about money.

This is about the lives of our grandchildren. It's about leaving them a

where they can live healthy lives.

It's about creating a better world for all of us.

And it's about doing it before it's too late.

That's why I'm here.

I want to help you.

But if you want to just have to sit down here and die down here in the dark

because of an old grudge you've got against my father, well, that's your

But, Emmett, I am not my father.

And you, my friend, have a chance to be the next Edison.

wait upstairs for a minute while I discuss this with my advisors.

What do you think?

I think your invention could change the world. Oh, no question.

But I want to be the one to finish it.

But what if you can't?

You mean what if I die?

Oh, no,

you tell me.

Then it could be the invention that almost changed the world.

Or you could let Mr. Northam help you.

Take the money, share the credit.

They save the world.

It works for me.

You know, ever since I read Jules Verne when I was a kid, I wanted to

solve the energy problem, and I have. I think that I have.

I can't help it. I want... People to know that Emmett Rivers

was here.

Well, I'm going to miss seeing her in my basement every day.

Well, pretty soon you're going to be seeing her all over the place and people

are going to know your name.

You got my check?

Yeah. You got my prototype.

Maybe I should come up with you and help you set it up. No, no, I've got your

number. If we need any help, I'll give you a call.

This is it, huh? This is all your documentation?

Well, you got everything, except what's left up here, which I can't vouch for

much anymore.

Good, then.

You take good care of yourself.

Thank you.

I'll try.

It's a great day, Mr. Northam.

In a couple of years, this car and every other car on the road could be running

on hydrogen from plain old water.

Just imagine, blue skies again everywhere you look.

Who's next on your list?

Oh, wait, I thought that was the road to the airport.

We're going to make a little pit stop.

No! What are you doing?

The thing never existed, Gloria.

What?

Why are you doing this?

I'm protecting my interest.

That was the only one.

Emmett's the only guy who knows how the thing works.

Took him 20 years.

So?

Emmett is dying.

That's even better.

Forgive me.

No, I can't forgive you, Carl.

That's not my job.

God.

Gods?

Give me a break.

No. You messed up.

Here I'm thinking I'm the one that messed up.

I delivered this amazing technology to the wrong guy. But you're not the wrong

guy, Carl. You're the right guy. You just don't want to be.

I just saved our shareholders millions of dollars.

That machine would have revolutionized everything overnight.

People would be making electricity in their backyards for free.

I can't allow that to happen.

I have responsibility here.

Yes, you do.

You have a responsibility to think about the future of this planet.

But you didn't.

You just thought about the money.

But you didn't stop anything, Carl, because you can't stop God.

And you didn't mess up his plan.

You just messed up your chance to be a part of it.

Are you crazy?

I'm not.

I'm just a little angry.

And you know what? You will be too one day when you realize an angel came to

with a chance.

to make a real difference.

And you blew it.

A million bucks.

Now, how much is that going to be after taxes?

Well, it's enough to cover your medical expenses, if that's what you want.

Nobody's knocked for 20 years.

All of a sudden, I'm a popular guy.

Ah, come in.

What do you want, my dear?

My autograph or something?

No, no, I... I don't quite know how to say this.

Mr. Rivers, Carl Northam didn't want your invention to develop it.

He wanted to stop it.

What are you talking about?

He destroyed it in a trash compactor.

Oh, sorry.

It's gone?

Oh,

my God.

Oh, my God.

But I told him the plan hadn't changed.

What plan?

God's plan.

What?

Gloria, there's still someone you need to talk to.

He's waiting outside.

Emmett.

I should never have listened to you.

I never trusted anyone as far as I could throw them until you came along.

You have to trust someone.

Why?

Why should I?

Because you're going to die.

So?

It's all been for nothing.

No.

God still has a plan for you, Emmett.

Oh.

What?

What's happening?

I'm an angel.

Oh, my God.

It's true?

Yes. Then... Then I'm going to die now.

It's too late. It's too late.

No, it's not too late. There's still time to prepare someone else to continue

your work.

Emmett?

Do you remember the story of Moses?

The Bible?

Why? Moses led God's people for 40 years before he made it to the promised land.

And then he was told that he couldn't enter in.

But from high on a mountaintop, before he died, he looked out and he saw the

promise from afar.

And he saw the promise fulfilled in a young man that God had chosen to succeed

him.

The young man was named Joshua.

And he would lead the people into the future, into a beautiful new land.

And you are seeing that promise now, too.

Stan?

He's just a kid.

He has a smart mind and a pure heart, and he has all the time in the world.

How much time do I have?

Enough time to teach Stan what he needs to know before you die.

Your invention won't be rebuilt in your lifetime.

Emmett, you won't live to see that.

But this is God's promise to you.

It will happen.

And it will change the world.

You have done a wonderful thing in your life.

And God is so pleased with your work. He is so pleased that you love the world.

This beautiful earth that he has created because he loves it too.

And Emmett, he loves you so much.

And now you have to open your heart to another.

Because there is still work for you to do.

Can you teach me?

Maybe if we get to work together, you can have the time to go get your

and not die when I'm kind of getting to like you.

Well, we can give it a try, but without the prototype.

But you know how it works, though, right?

I mean, you said it was all up here.

Well, some of it is, but Carl took everything else, all the plans.

He didn't take this?

Do you remember when this first came to you?

In a diner on Highway 6.

This is my original idea.

Yes. It was hidden here among the receipts.

This is how it started all those years ago.

And now it's time to start again, Emmett.

Teach Stan.

I think you'll be surprised at how much you do remember.

Gingerbread.

What are you doing?

You ever been just in there and all of a sudden you realize you can actually see

your own nose?

No.

All right, let's go over the specs on the conductor cells again. They're still

not right.

Do you ever wish you could just sort of snap your fingers and fix it all for

them? Sometimes I do.

Not our job.

If it's not our home, Gloria, it's theirs.

And God gave the task of caring for it to them, not to angels.

See your own nose.

Know the future of the world's in your hands.

Ah, quit being so melodramatic.

We'll figure it out.

It's going to be okay now, isn't it?

Yeah.

Oh, I have something I want to show you guys.

What is it?

It's an electric assist motor.

You turned Tess's car into a hybrid?

Well, yeah, sort of. I think it's great.

Tess may have some questions about it, but I think it's really great.

Oh, what a beautiful morning.

Yes, and what a beautiful world