Original subtitles

Yeah,

I agree, William. It's not quite right.

Oh, you gotta go.

No donuts, no water, George. It's time for bed, sweetheart.

Here's Chester.

Sleep tight, darling.

Don't let the bed bugs bite.

I'm scared of the bed bugs.

Don't worry.

I vacuumed today.

Good night, darling.

Good night.

I don't know, sweetheart. He's in his studio. Can you go out and get him? No,

he's working.

Good night, darling.

Good night.

How much time is left?

I don't know, baby, but God is the maker of time, and his timing is perfect, so

he will probably give you as much time as you need.

What has to be done here?

I want you to work with Sally and the boys.

And who's going to be Richard's angel?

I will.

This is not a man who will go gently, Andrew.

Not Teth. I never knew a great artist who did.

this is not about saving a life and this is not about making great art this is

about saving a great family and teaching them how to say goodbye saying goodbye

can be the hardest thing in the world no dying without saying goodbye that's

worse when you

walk down

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.

These are full -time jobs, more than full -time.

And the pay isn't great.

Our insurance won't cover for an art assistant.

I understand.

Our agency specializes in difficult cases.

Oh, well, the children won't be difficult.

I mean, they're really very sweet.

Well, they'll be in very good hands with Monica.

Yeah. Yeah.

Just don't let George talk you into donuts. If you let him, that's all he'll

eat.

So, when can I meet Richard?

Well, there are a couple things I want to tell you about him first.

There are two reasons why we need an assistant right now.

One is that he has an exhibit coming up, and the closer we get to these shows,

the harder it always is for him to finish the paintings.

And we also need an assistant now because I'm afraid that without help,

he won't finish the paintings at all.

Because he's dying.

We were told he has Lou Gehrig's disease.

I am sorry.

Richard's been told, too, but he doesn't believe it.

The disease is already affecting his legs, and pretty soon it'll start to

its way up his body until... Well, has your doctor told you

how long he has?

No, but I see him losing ground every day. I see it, but he can't, or he

You see, these days are very precious to us.

It's just a temporary job, okay? Just till I get back on my feet.

Okay?

Doctors.

Never tell you everything's fine. They want to run tests.

They want to run more tests.

They want to pay for all that expensive equipment.

Meanwhile, they're holding you hostage with a bunch of scary possibilities

that'll never happen.

I'm telling you, stay away from her.

So do you want me to make some fresh paint?

Yeah, thanks.

You want me to stretch a canvas?

Don't bother.

Do you want me to... You know, I never had an assistant before. I never wanted

one.

I'm not exactly sure what you're supposed to do.

Richard, I'm just here to help.

That's all.

You know, Sally said that you had this deadline coming up and that I have

trouble completing things.

Yeah.

Best work is never really done.

God keep me from ever completing anything.

Dr. Delivery!

George, what have you gotten into?

Let me just wipe it off.

You think I can open that? Sure.

Okay, good enough, George.

We'll reject.

Yeah, I'm going to copy a chapter of that into your dream book, John Henney.

I'll read it to you when we go whale watching in the spring.

Only, we won't use harpoons.

I'm making each of the boys books. I started them when they were born.

They're full of places we've been, all the things I love most in the world, and

places that we're going to travel to.

For instance, this represents... Wrigley Field.

Yeah, and then we're going to... Paris.

And then we'll travel to... The donut store?

Yes.

Every Sunday morning.

Ray.

Put that down.

What's it for?

Nothing. Your mother just likes to keep it in here.

You know, this is one of my favorite books.

God keep me from ever completing anything.

This whole book is but a draft. Nay.

but the draft of a draft.

Oh, time, strength, cash, and patience.

Educated assistant.

Hmm.

Excuse me, gentlemen, but there's a powdered donut missing from the box.

Andrew, anything you want to say?

Oh, if I were you, I would round up the usual suspect.

Hey, Dad.

Want to play?

Yeah. Me and George against you and Ray.

Help me, George.

I want to play a little.

Hey, Dad.

You're up.

Dad? Just warming up.

Here, you do over.

Dad?

You know, guys, uh...

I got to finish this painting. Why don't you go in the house and play with my

cook?

You know

how we work, Ted. He never finishes one painting at a time. He does them in twos

and threes. Shoot, he's got ten going right now, all in various stages.

They're incredible.

It's Beth yet.

Listen, let me come by the gallery and work out a time schedule for the next

exhibit.

You do have exhibit space opening up, don't you?

Wow.

That soon?

Yeah, sure.

How's tomorrow?

Great.

Great.

I'm just putting some things in very loosely.

I kind of...

evolve things, you know?

Could you hand me that standard, please?

Yeah.

You taking something out?

Yeah.

You know, I've noticed that you like to sort of build things up and then you

take them out.

It's like you're having a fight with a canvas.

Paintings that don't show much struggle aren't very interesting to me.

So art mirrors life, huh?

If it leaves out the boring part.

Richard. Oh, Richard, I have such wonderful news.

I'm going to go see Ted tomorrow. I told him you were almost done with the new

series. Richard.

I heard the word done and my arm cramped up.

Just give him something to sell.

Finish your paintings.

Richard.

Andrew,

why don't you...

Why don't you go?

You want to come in and say goodnight to the kids?

Later. Sure.

Yes.

I'm sure.

Sorry.

How many dolls equal one painting?

One inch?

Two inches?

Oh, Daddy drew a picture of me when I was a baby.

Here's your diaper.

Okay, gentlemen.

You've had your snack, you've had your story. Now it's time for bed. Just a

little more. Dad promised to come in and play airplane with us.

I don't remember him saying that.

He said it to me. He did.

Anyway, time to go upstairs. He did, he did. Let's go, let's go, let's go.

He means it.

Upstairs.

But Dad's a liar.

John Henry, you know that isn't true.

Now, upstairs, on the double.

I'll get them ready for bed.

Oh, thanks, Monica.

Sally, have you given much thought about what's going to happen to you and the

boys?

These bills are just the beginning.

All I really think about these days is how many days we have left with Richard.

We kissed in a field of white.

And stars fell on Alabama last night.

I can't forget the land of your eyes.

Come on.

Come on, boy.

Good job, man.

Go on, William.

It's okay.

Oh, God.

It's really true. I'm dying.

I'm really going to die.

The boys have been waiting all morning to share their surprises.

It took me that long to walk here from the studio.

Next time I'm going to take the bus.

Okay, cover Daddy's eyes.

Okay!

I saw an ad in the classifieds and thought, why not?

The things you use.

Do you pay Blue Book value?

Oh, no, no, no, no. This is previously owned.

Hey, Dad, why do you need this?

Uh... Come here, guys.

All right, now, don't be afraid, because there's nothing to be afraid of, okay?

But I have something called a disease.

Who knows what a disease is?

It's when you get sick.

That's right.

And this disease makes my legs weak, which is why I fell down last night.

So it's like a germ in your body?

Yeah, kind of.

Is the doctor going to do an operation?

No, no, they can't. It doesn't work that way.

Dad, you're not going to die, are you?

No. No,

John Henry. Not for a long, long time.

You know, I'm in a mood for a donut. Who wants to get me one? Me! Me!

I do!

Me!

We're going to have to tell them the truth.

I did.

Well, not the whole truth.

Richard, we're running out of time.

You know that, don't you?

I couldn't.

They're not ready to hear it, not yet.

Maybe you're not ready to say it.

Well, you know I love Richard's work.

And the reviews on his first show here were great.

The best work he's ever done.

But he's only finished two.

He's working on the others.

Sally, I have to fill this gallery. I need a dozen paintings.

I can't set aside a month for an artist with two.

And in his condition, how many more can he do?

Excuse me. Did he exhibit here two years ago big monumental canvases of planes

and trains?

Yes, that's him. I love his work. I've been trying to find it ever since.

I have a friend at the Whitney I think would flip over his paintings.

Uh, my name is Tess. Does he have representation?

No, he hasn't needed it before. Well, maybe he does now.

Uh, when can I come over?

Lux Perpetua.

Hmm, what?

Lux Perpetua.

Here on the candle.

Light eternal.

Mm -hmm.

Never a candle burns away.

Most people...

I'm diagnosed with ALS.

Last three, maybe four years.

Thumb is going funny on me.

I have to hold the brush different.

What about thumb?

Like that?

Not bad.

You're breathing hard?

Mm -hmm.

When Matisse was an old man, his arthritis was so bad that he couldn't

brush anymore, and so his assistants had to tie one on.

You said it didn't matter.

Because you don't paint with your hands.

You paint with your heart.

That's you, Sally.

You're all my heart.

This is Pat.

He loves your work and wants to represent you. Yes, I do.

Nice to meet you, Jeff.

Oh, the pleasure is all mine. I feel like I just walked into Van Gogh's

Hardly. I was right about him, too.

I met Tess at the gallery, and I'm afraid Tess had some bad news.

When I told him only two paintings were done... He didn't want to commit to the

show because he was afraid I'd die before I could finish it. And if you've

got two paintings to sell, believe me, I will get them sold.

Two paintings, really.

Cover. Today's bills.

Richard.

Maybe it's time for the respirator. No.

No respirator.

We're approaching Paris. Oh, no, turbulence.

John Henry, keep it down. Daddy needs his rest.

If he's not that sick, why does he need to rest so much?

He's lazy, I guess.

John Henry, why don't we take a walk to the donut store?

Great, let's get going.

Richard, do you need anything else?

I want...

To see Paris.

Two paintings.

I'll never get them there.

But if I can finish all twelve, then... Richard, twelve paintings...

It's a lot of work.

It's a lot of time.

I'm going to do it.

It will take everything you have.

That's what I'll give it.

and I am ready to help you every step of the way.

Tomorrow's a new day Never forget

You reach a bit further

Take one more step One day

you will leave me That's the way it must be

The day will come

when I close my eyes

This lullaby promised me

Richard, tell me something.

What is it about all these tall buildings and these immense ships that

you so much?

I kind of like the idea of people making gigantic,

seemingly impossible things.

The ambition to make something so grand.

That's your dedication.

Makes me admire a man.

God, I understand. He can do anything.

But the things human beings can do are overwhelming.

Yes, my friend.

Some human beings are overwhelming.

Richard! Hey, Andrew.

I just got off the phone with Tess, and she convinced Ted that you could do it,

and the gallery is set for next month.

Congratulations.

Well, there's a happy end to the day.

That's great, Sally.

That's great.

Well, um, get some rest.

I will.

See you in the morning.

No, no, no.

It's worth nothing now. Oh, God.

It's him.

Oh, no.

It's all gone.

Sally?

Sally?

I want to escape.

Richard. It was up against this table.

John Henry moved it there.

And I only have escaped.

Okay.

You're back in business.

I never really believed there'd be a last painting.

But there it is.

That's got to count for so much.

You know something, Richard?

I'm very proud to be your friend.

Not just friend.

That'll keep a roof over my family's head.

Hey, where's my donut?

George, that was mine.

It's okay.

We'll get some more tomorrow. There's never enough for me.

Not in anything.

Dad's always working. He's taking over the living room now.

We never get to play anymore.

He gets tired all the time.

I hate painting.

I hate donut.

I hate that stupid disease.

I hate it.

I hate it.

Oh, darling.

Me too.

Me too.

It's okay to cry.

We're all crying with you.

Is Daddy going to die?

Yes.

Not today.

But yes, he's going to die.

Why would God want to take the best Daddy?

Well, um... Well, there's a time for everybody's Daddy to go and be

with God.

And soon it's going to be your Daddy's time.

Is there a baseball in heaven?

Yeah, I think there is.

Are you going to get the disease too, Mom?

No.

No, it doesn't work like that.

I'm going to stay right here.

Dad's going to die and go to heaven.

Maybe he won't hurt anymore.

He'll be able to walk okay again.

Your daddy's going to run in heaven.

Richard. I'll get the kids.

John Henry, we've got to get up, sweetheart.

We've got to take Daddy to the hospital.

He's having a hard time breathing, sweetheart. We're just going to take him

the hospital.

John Henry, get up on the bed.

I don't know what to do. What do I do? Help me lift him.

The candy's too heavy. Just lift.

Mommy, is Daddy going to die now?

No, not now.

Well, if he isn't going to die, can we stop for donuts?

An artist draws a line, and it moves, and it soars, and it grows,

and it ends.

It takes a journey.

Each line has a life.

Father, please.

Please tell me when the line that you've drawn for Richard will end.

Hi, Andrew.

Richard.

How you feeling?

Okay.

Pretty big scare last night.

Yeah, I heard.

Turned out okay.

On the way home, we even stopped for some donuts.

What?

They're alive.

Oh, my God.

It's radiant.

What is it? Where is it coming from?

From God.

I'm an angel, Richard.

An angel?

Yeah.

God sent me here to help you finish your work and then to bring you home.

Oh, no.

Oh, no.

No, not yet.

Please, not now.

I have to finish this.

I wanted to see my sons play baseball this spring.

You only have tonight left.

But I have to finish the painting. You know that?

Tell him.

Tell God.

I have to finish it.

Or my family will be left with nothing.

Don't put your trust in a piece of canvas.

Or in the work of your own hands. Put your family in the hands of God.

Richard, God loves you.

And he doesn't want you to worry about Sally and the boys.

But I let them down.

I could have left them so much more.

There's only one thing now for you to leave them.

And it's the most important thing of all.

God doesn't want you to spend this night working on the painting.

He wants you to spend these last hours finishing the work that matters the

The painting, Richard, is... It's beautiful.

But it's just a painting.

Finish these for those boys.

Give them a scrapbook of your heart.

A remembrance of all the things that their father loved on this earth.

I can't. There isn't.

Enough time.

Don't work all night.

I'll do the painting.

And I'll finish the boy's book, too.

That's all the time enough.

For what?

Which do you choose?

It's done.

It's done.

Is it time?

Are you taking me?

Would you like to say goodbye?

Raise book under his pillow.

Oh, little man.

So tiny.

I want to kiss him, Andrew, but I can't.

That's why God sends angels.

I think I can do that for you.

Take me to see John Henry, please.

There's not much time left.

You're going to be the man of the house now.

Come on, Henry.

Poor kid is going to be rough on you.

Richard.

Richard.

When it gets rough on him, he's going to have this book to remember your

strength.

What's going on?

I came... I came to say goodbye.

Goodbye?

I hate you.

No, no. Be brave now. Be strong.

I know you are.

I'm gonna miss you.

Oh, no. No.

Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.

Listen. Listen.

No.

There are angels.

They're here.

And God's here too.

I'm leaving.

Candace, say goodbye.

Oh, Richard, no.

It's not okay.

It's okay.

Tell her, Andrew.

Andrew's not here, Richard. Oh, please.

I gave the boys their books.

But I... I have nothing for you. Oh, I don't want anything.

I just want you.

I love you.

I love you.

Richard, let's go.

Let's walk together.

It's all right, baby.

He's in God's hands now.

Thank you.

And I had such good news today.

I found a buyer for Richard's painting.

Oh, Dad.

He didn't complete the painting.

But he completed his life.

And that's what counts.

I could sit with you for a while if you want some company. Oh, yeah, I'd like

that.

Hello, Tess. Hi, baby.

The children are okay.

Oh. John Henry's looking after his little brother.

He's a remarkable young man.

Thanks.

Just take one thing at a time.

Yeah.

What do you do with all that stuff?

You know, his socks, his hairbrush, his paint.

I'm dreaming.

It's all a dream. No, baby, it's very real.

We're angels, Sally.

Angels?

Sent by God.

The God who loves you and your children.

The God who gave Richard his creative gift.

The gift has always belonged to God.

And now it's his to give again.

And so he has.

God finishes everything he begins.

And he finished this for you.

It's incredible.

Well, God does good work.

Sometimes all by himself.

And sometimes through people like Richard.

Yes.

Yes, he did.

You know, the thing I can't stand is that there won't be any more paintings.

I just can't...

I can't believe that.

There will be more, Sally.

Many more.