Original subtitles

Soon it's gonna rain.

I can feel it.

Soon it's gonna rain. I can tell.

Soon it's gonna rain.

And what are we gonna do?

Soon it's gonna rain.

I can feel it.

Soon it's gonna rain. I can tell.

Soon. It's gonna rain, and what are we gonna do?

What are you doing here?

It's too hot for you.

Well, looky here.

Ah.

What next?

This man's at the end of his rope, and then he got rope burned.

Here, Dad, have some water.

Oh, thanks, hon.

It doesn't look much like rain, Tess.

Faith is a two -way street, baby. You send a prayer up to heaven, and what you

need drops back down on you.

Hey.

Where'd you come from?

Here,

have some water.

Well...

I better go in and get my ear full of the daily news.

And some water.

I'll come with you. I've got to call Gordon.

Gordon? Gordon who?

Oh, Daddy.

When is it going to rain, Ted?

Before they get the rain they want.

This little town is going to have to live through a storm.

Soon it's going to rain.

I can feel it. Soon it's going to rain. I can tell.

Soon it's going to rain. And what are we going to do?

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.

Believe me, I'll walk with you.

New said he was bipolar.

That's what they call nuts today, bipolar.

I figured it was the drought that drove him crazy.

Ran up into the Black Hills with just a loincloth fastened from a beach towel.

I guess he thought, bring a beach towel, it's going to rain.

Excuse me. Just a sec.

Rumford got half -inch last night?

It rains everywhere but in Clarion.

So, how do you want it cut?

Do you really need those clippers? Well, you don't want to leave all that

shrubbery on the side, do you? Well, yeah, as a matter of fact... No, no, no,

trust me.

You're going to love this.

Cotton, you always say that.

Fortunately, nobody believes it.

I've witnessed 30 years of customers escaping your flat top.

Looks like the heat got to his truck, too, Judge.

Look at his brain.

Tell him the drop's got everything else I own. Might as well take my truck, too.

No, it fell out.

How you doing, Stretch?

Andrew. Justinian Johns.

Can I have a quarter, Dad?

Oh.

Say hi to what's -his -name for me.

Dad.

Uh, so, what if we just forget the clippers? No, no, no. That just needs a

little tweak, Cap.

Isn't that... Anyone got a dime?

You know what?

I just gave Lila the last cent I have on Earth.

God's truth.

He thinks I'm wrong about that, too.

So you two don't speak.

She's talking to a dang fool.

You know what? I think that a little off the sides is fine.

All right, all right, your way.

No arguing with taste.

Mule -headed, just like his father. Plants soybeans and speaks Latin.

Stretch says get ready to be agitated.

Here comes our activist mayor.

Gentlemen. Madam Mayor.

Your weekly news.

Please pay attention to my editorial on page one.

This town has been through too much.

It's time to unite and accept Omnicrop's offer.

Good for you, Risa. It's about time somebody said what everyone's been

Yeah, sell our farms to a big conglomerate for pennies. Well, it is

can do.

She's right, Jonesy, and you know it. That's because you guys don't have

anything to lose.

Omnicrop wants all or nothing, and that is a raw deal, especially to us farmers

who have nothing left.

If you don't sell, we all lose and the drought will kill this whole town.

You've already half killed it. You got everybody at each other's throat.

You know, two men came to blows last night at the bar because of this.

Thick -headed, stubborn cotton.

Be civil.

Okay, look, you know, you can still work the land. It's just somebody else would

own it. Will you listen to me?

My great -grandfather broke this land with a steel plow and a horse, and he is

buried on it.

And so is my father, and so is my wife.

This Saturday, I am going to sell everything I own to be able to hold on

land. And if I have to go back with a horse and a plow, that's what I'll do.

if I have to sell that horse, I will pull that damn plow myself.

If God would just give me some rain and some seed, I'd do that.

Instead of having to sell out.

Drought's tearing the town apart.

Even unto the parents and children.

Fetch wants to know what your business is.

I'm an auctioneer.

I'm here to sell off whatever Justinian Jones puts on the block.

Hey.

You okay?

You want to go take a walk?

Just take a drive.

Yeah, right out of this state.

I can't wait to get out of here. As soon as that auction's over, I'm going to

borrow some money and just get on that bus.

Don't tell Dad, though. I haven't told him yet.

He said he's got jobs.

Clarion's got no jobs, no rain. He's got nothing.

Thanks a lot.

Gordon.

I didn't mean you.

What am I supposed to think?

Clarion's my home. I like it here.

It ain't so bad, Leela.

We've got hills painted with wildflowers.

You aren't going to find better stars at night.

They don't make the big dip of the same in Sioux City.

I've got to get out of here, Gordon.

Well, you can always settle up that old plow horse.

Farmers till the end.

The town built a statue and they put up a horse instead of a human being.

His daddy would just take that Omnicrop offer and... No.

No, your dad is right. They're trying to cheat us all.

He's got to hang on.

Till when? We starve?

No, till it rains.

That's why I love you, Gordon.

You believe in stars, crazy dreams, and the impossible.

And that's why I have to leave you.

That's why I have to stay.

The drought has dried up everything in this town, including love.

God's love has no drought.

And he'll water the gardens of their souls if they'll let him.

Justinian, meet your auctioneer.

In God we trust.

You believe in God, Mr. Auctioneer?

My name is Andrew, and yes, sir, I do.

Yeah, me too.

I'm a church -going man.

I trusted in God.

Cotton's father here, he started this shop because he trusted in God.

My grandfather, he took out the claims on our land because he did too.

God has forgotten about Clarion.

He has dried us up. He has burned us out.

God has let us down.

You have a deal with God? Insurance companies.

They don't pay on drop damage. They call it an act of God.

Well, if he caused this, maybe he ought to be held responsible.

Yeah, Stretch, I ought to do that.

Do what?

Sue God.

What? He's crazy.

Oh, it can't be done.

Can I judge?

You need to prove intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Well, just look around you.

Every little town around here is getting rain except us.

Buffalo Gap, Edgemont. We're the only ones who are dying here.

Well, what would you sue for?

Justice and an injunction. God's got to treat Clarion fairly.

That's blasphemy.

Imagine me issuing a permanent injunction.

And expecting God to obey.

We're supposed to obey God, not the other way around.

Sure get his attention now, wouldn't it? That's what prayer's for. Lord knows

we've tried that. Try harder.

Oh, we're at each other's throats we've tried so hard.

We've seeded the cloud.

Leonard Pape hired a rainmaker.

Stretch here has taken a vow of silence until it rains.

Guess you have tried everything.

But suing God, that makes a mockery of both religion and justice.

No, it doesn't.

It tells the world that Clarion, South Dakota is dying.

It'd make every paper in the country.

We'd be covered by every big shot reporter.

But it wouldn't bring you rain.

The first step in the legal process is gaining jurisdiction over the defendant.

It means showing the court that you have served notice on the guy you're suing.

Oh, sure.

Hire a process server.

Tell him, deliver this to God. Knock on his door.

Find him at home.

Actually, God is not all that difficult to find.

There's also such a thing as substituted service by publication.

Let us say, for one reason or another, you can't find the party you're bringing

suit against.

You announce it in a local newspaper, and that qualifies as serving notice.

And if the paper would publish an article, then at least somebody would

about Clarion before the dust covers it up.

What a scoop.

I'm gonna do it.

Lex loci.

Call God before the law of the land.

I got nothing to lose.

It's like an oven.

It's only wonder these people are at each other's throats. It's like living

pressure cooker.

It's getting hotter every day.

It sure is.

Is he going to show up?

What do you think?

Believe what has happened. God forgive us.

This is going to be awesome. It's not going to be awesome. It's going to be a

waste of time.

A shameful exercise that insults the Almighty in the process.

Madam Bayliss, would you please call the next matter?

Number two on the calendar, default prove -up hearing, Jones versus God,

known as I am, also known as Alpha, Omega, also known as Jehovah.

See attached.

Would you state your appearances, please?

Justinian Jones in pro se.

Representing himself.

And also with some help by my assistant here.

Mr. Jones, we've noticed your service by publication.

Now, the defendant.

Has God checked in with you?

In the case of Jones versus God, are there any other

appearances?

Yes.

I am representing God.

And I request a jury trial.

Who is she?

God, me.

You know her? I never saw her before.

Well, your papers seem to be in order. Thank you, sir.

I'm curious, counsel. Did your client select you personally?

He pointed his finger at me. I stood up, and here I am.

Yes, here you are.

Mr. Jones, this was supposed to be a default proof of hearing, but the

party has made an appearance.

And requested a jury trial.

Noted. I had planned to conduct an abbreviated hearing on the injunction,

defense counsel has requested a jury trial, and in view of the unusual and

important nature of this lawsuit, we're going to proceed to trial tomorrow.

Any objections?

Well, I'm here to try my case, and I don't know who you are or what you're up

to, lady, but if you're ready, so am I. So let's saddle up.

You know, I have seen a lot of people angry with God, but I've never seen

do something about it before. It's kind of shocking.

Well, the way I figure it, you gotta believe in God to sue him.

That's something, isn't it?

I just wonder what it is that I'm supposed to do.

Don't worry.

You will have your day in court.

Mr. Jones, do you wish to make an opening statement?

I'm not a lawyer.

I guess you know that.

I'm a farmer like a lot of you.

But I just figured an ordinary man can stand up for himself, even to God.

This is how I see it.

Clarion is in the middle of a terrible drought.

Farms are drying up.

Businesses are going bust. This town is dying.

Now, the insurance companies, they call it an act of God. Fair enough.

But it seems to me that God ought to be held responsible for his actions. And,

well, if you think he should be held responsible, then the judge will issue

injunction. That'll let God and the rest of the world know that Clarion cried

out for justice before it died.

That's about it.

Counsel, do you wish to make an opening statement on behalf of the defendant?

Thank you, Your Honor.

Good morning.

It's awfully nice to be here with all of you this beautiful morning.

This is the day that God has made.

He made them all, in fact.

That's why we're here.

I am here to defend God.

He has been accused of intentionally slighting and hurting Clarion.

God is on trial for not giving his children what they need in order to

Child endangerment, you might call it, or gross neglect.

I do not believe this is true.

I believe...

that God's hand holds us all up and showers us with blessings.

And when I'm finished, so will you.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you, Counsel.

Mr. Jones, you may call your first witness.

Um, Miss Reza Huygaard, please.

Ms. Hoygaard, you're the mayor here.

And I publish the Clarion Clarion.

Anything else?

I also run an insurance business, and I am a bonded locksmith.

How's the drought affected your business?

Two years ago, I ran 280 column inches of advertising in my paper.

Now I am lucky to run 50, and most of those are foreclosure announcements.

If these darn fools would just take Omnicrop's offer, we would be a lot

off. Talk about your insurance business.

Lots of people are behind in their payments.

So the drought has left these people without insurance.

Risa, you need to answer the question.

No.

I pitched a couple of dollars into their accounts. It keeps the company happy.

I have never actually dropped anyone's policy.

It's just, it's, it is not what a good neighbor does.

Oh, well.

I don't have any more questions.

Thank you, Risa.

Counsel?

Hi, Risa.

Did you wake up this morning?

Well, what does it look like?

Well, how long did it take you to hang the sun in the sky?

What? What time did you start the birds to singing?

Let's be sensible.

Yes, let's.

God has blessed you with many things, including common sense.

Gordon, you just graduated from high school, and you need work, right?

Most of the time I'd be out in the field by now, but with drought and

everything.

Let me know if you hear anything.

I will, Gordon, I will.

So, uh, are your friends staying in Clarion?

No, sir.

Yeah, the drought's running them all out of town, isn't it?

Please answer the question, Gordon.

Everyone, sir.

Well, not everyone.

The drought's driving every last one of them away.

Maybe I'm just supposed to pray for Tess, but it's so hot I can't even put

words together.

I think I'll step in there.

Well, it couldn't hurt to take a peek.

You may cross -examine the witness council.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Cotton, are you free to leave Clarion?

My whole family's here. Is your whole family free to leave Clarion?

Yes, but you just can't pick up and leave. Did God direct you to stay?

No.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Your Honor, I'd like to redirect.

Well, Cotton, whether we like it or not, I think we're going to be exchanging a

few more words here.

You said God isn't forcing you to stay.

So, um, why'd you go?

Well, this is my town.

I was born here.

I know just about everyone in this courtroom.

That's my grade school outside that window, and I remember playing town ball

with you and Stretch over there, and... Pardon me, Judge, but I still think you

should have caught that ball that cost us the state championship.

I fell in love here.

And I got married here.

And I intend to get old here.

My best friends in the whole world are here, isn't it? They are dang fools

sometimes.

If this town dies, my heart will die with it.

Thank you, God.

Plain depressants.

Counsel, you may call your first witness.

Thank you, Your Honor.

My first witness is a messenger from heaven.

I call Monica, an angel of God.

Do you solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the

whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I certainly do, and I'm sure that he will.

Please be seated.

Will you please state your name for the court?

Monica. And what is your profession, Monica?

I'm an angel.

And what are your duties as an angel?

Well, um, I used to be in the choir, but that didn't last too long.

And then I was in search and rescue. And that involved carrying people out of

burning buildings and catching falling window washers and that sort of thing.

And now I'm a caseworker. I carry messages for God.

Mr. Jones, I was expecting an objection from you.

Well, she hasn't said anything that I object to yet. Are you willing to accept

her testimony as an angel?

Why not?

Well, let me explain something.

Any witness...

had to establish a personal knowledge of his or her testimony.

That is, if she said something that only an angel could know, then that would be

credible proof that she is indeed an angel.

Mr. Jones, you tore the anterior cruciate ligament on your left knee June

1996. You told everybody you were roping a calf, but really you tripped.

And you haven't been able to afford the surgery to repair it, so every night

before you go to bed, you ice it with a packet of frozen peas and wish you had

health insurance.

That's right.

God gives me what I need to know when I need to know it.

Mrs. Jones, I'm still not satisfied with this young lady as an angel.

But if you are not going to object, court will hear her out.

No objections.

So, Miss... Uh, Monica, are you prepared to accept the jurisdiction of the

court? We certainly are, Your Honor.

Proceed. Monica, God has been charged with inflicting distress on these

people.

Do you have any facts, facts, that will show he did otherwise?

When Stretch was 14 years old, he knew he'd always be the shortest man in the

room, and he knew he would never get the girl, and he prepared himself for a

life of lonely humiliation.

He used to take long hikes to get away from his troubles, and one day, when he

was walking up near Buffalo Gap, he heard a commotion.

A little girl had wandered away and was trapped in a cave.

And you ran up to that cave, didn't you?

And you discovered...

God had made your body the perfect size to stretch through that tiny gap and get

the little girl out.

And ever since then, people around here have called you Stretch because they

know you're a hero.

Risa, one October day many years ago, you saw a sunset.

You know the one I mean.

The sky was lilac -colored and laced with clouds, and the air was...

So suddenly, sweet smelling, that you stopped sweeping your walk and you stood

and you stared at God's hand on the horizon.

And for the first time since your husband died, you knew that the world

and that you belonged here.

You felt peace.

I'd made all the difference.

Gordon, God made the Big Dipper over Clarion for you.

And yes, you're right.

Doesn't look the same in Sioux City.

Cotton, God made hair grow or you'd be out of a job.

Justinian Jones, your wife is gone, but God has given you a beautiful daughter

to be mother and father to, and the wisdom to be both.

And when you go to bed at night and tell Clara how much you miss her,

God comforts you that she's not far away.

He tells you, Huck's for Biscum.

Thank you so much, Monica.

Counsel?

I thank him every day for this miracle.

World's full of wonders.

You've shown us how God has created these wonders for a reason.

Sunset to ease Reese's pain.

Scratches stature to save a young girl.

Tell us.

Why has God given us this drought?

I don't know.

You're a messenger of God, aren't you?

Yes, I am. And you communicate with him?

I do, every day.

Well, this town has got a lot to lose.

So, uh, did you ask God why?

I could ask, but I don't know that I would get an answer.

He doesn't communicate with you?

Yes, he does, but in his time.

God's time is not your time.

Let me rephrase this question.

Can you explain what is happening here?

Well, we live in a world where accidents happen.

Floods and earthquakes, droughts, deaths. Bad things occur every day, sir,

but... That doesn't mean that God isn't good because he is.

Good?

God has maliciously withheld rain from Clarion. He has intentionally inflicted

distress. When will you stop condemning God and start commending him?

When there was rain, did you give God thanks for it?

No.

You said your crops were good because of your hybrid seed, and Stretch said it

was because of the fertilizer he sells. Everybody takes credit when things go

right, but when they go wrong, who gets the blame? God? Let me tell you

something. This trial is not about the good times.

It's about deprivation.

People are hurting here. Do you believe that?

Yes, I know that. You have appeared as a messenger from God.

What's your message?

Well...

God loves you. Well, if he loves us, why has he given us this drought?

I don't know. You don't know?

Would you care to hazard a guess as to why he's doing this?

That's not my job.

Maybe it's a lesson. Is it a lesson that we need to learn?

I don't know. Is it a lesson that's worth the price?

I don't know. You don't know much of anything now, do you? Our understanding

but a grain on the beach of God's understanding.

Oh, great.

Ignorance. Ignorance is bliss, huh? Well, that's a tired old excuse, isn't

And it's not good enough.

God works in mysterious ways.

These people are hurting here.

They want to hear something that makes sense.

Why? Why?

Is God giving us this drought?

Tess? God always gives me the words that I need. Why doesn't he give them to me

now? Maybe these are the right ones, baby.

I'm sorry.

Well, God's messenger is spoken.

Let's take a ten -minute reset.

Please, God, please have mercy on our town.

Please open up your skies and your heavens to refresh our land.

If we don't get any rain, this town's going to die.

Sorry for my anger and my frustration.

But I wanted to thank you for this day.

This horrible, awful, hot, sticky, terrible day in which I've been totally,

totally humiliated.

Because if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have had any day at all.

So I thank you.

Love, Monica.

Monica, during this little reset, did you communicate with God?

Yes, I did.

And what was the result of that conversation?

I have information for Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones, you prayed for rain, and God has answered your prayer.

The answer is no.

No?

God said no.

Who asked God, what can I do about this?

Has anyone asked God for guidance or direction?

Or was the only thing you asked him for was rain?

God allowed the drought, yes.

But you were all responsible for your faith.

God answered your prayers for rain.

No.

But there are so many gifts God wants to give you, if you're just willing to

ask.

Thank you very much, angel girl.

Judge. Yes, Justinian?

I always believed in God. I always prayed to him.

And I wouldn't have been surprised if he had sent a messenger.

All I wanted was an answer from God.

And now God has spoken.

You know what, people?

I've learned some things about this town in the last few days.

We got a lot of good folk here.

Old friends that I didn't really know.

And old enemies have become good friends.

This is a really good town.

And it's a crying shame.

Judge, I want to drop my suit.

I mean, what's the point?

God has spoken. We're not going to get any rain.

This town's going to die.

Thy will be done.

Plaintiff has requested dismissal. Counsel, do you have any objection to

request? No, sir, your honor. The plaintiff has moved for dismissal.

The motion is granted and the case is dismissed.

The clerk will prepare an order for my signature.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, thank you for your patience.

You are excused.

Sorry, Daddy.

Oh, that's all right, honey.

Work out.

I've got to find that auctioneer.

Right here, Mr. Jones.

Look, my machinery will be auctioned off in Town Square tomorrow.

You'll be able to bring me at least enough to be able to hold on to my land

a while.

And we'll just accept whatever you can get, all right?

Judge, can I say something?

I would like to invite everyone to a potluck picnic tomorrow before the

of Justinian's goods. It can be a sort of memorial lunch for the town. And

anybody who can't afford a pot, there will be extras.

It will also salute a good man.

He did his very best.

Thank you, Mr. Jones.

The town grew up.

The crops did grow.

The crops grew well.

The town did grow.

It's dying now.

There ain't a thing we can do.

Wait! Calm down!

Well,

there's a lot of good quitting.

enough to buy a bus ticket to just about any place you want to go daddy you

know those eyes of yours are the only thing left of your mom is in this

whole world now don't make me go too long without seeing him all right i

i'm gonna miss you daddy

Honey, let's eat.

Before we dish it out, let's everyone take a minute.

No is one of my favorite words.

You are an angel.

I am.

Well, you've come an awful long way to deliver a real short message.

It's not as short as you might think.

No can be one of the most positive words in the world.

No, I have not surrendered.

No, I will not give up.

Your saying no brought all these people together.

Your statue should be up there overlooking Clarion like a hero.

No, you have not failed.

Yes, God is very proud of you.

You see, God did have a plan after all.

You needed rain, but you needed each other even more.

Justinian?

You know, it's funny.

For months now, we've been too busy fighting to talk, and we just realized

if we put together all we got, we could loan you enough to get through the

winter. And, you know, and then when the spring came, we could pitch in and...

I don't know what to say.

Say thanks.

Maybe I should do that over there.

Well, it wasn't doing any good just hanging on the wall.

I don't know what to say, friends.

Why don't we hold hands?

rain, and I'm the only one that brought an umbrella.

I guess the auction's off then, Andrew.

It's too bad. I've been practicing.

Ten, ten, ten, ten, ten, ten. Who's going to give me ten? Who's going to

ten? I got five!

Hey!

Thank you.