All language subtitles for Walking.Tall.1973.720p.BluRay.x264.YIFY.ENG

(CAR HORN HONKING)

(HONKING CONTINUES)

(HONKING CONTINUES)

Hey there!

(HONKING CONTINUES)

(HONKING CONTINUES)

Grandma!

(DOG WHINES)

(DOG BARKING)

Dwana! Oh, how
you've grown!

Grandpa! Grandpa!

Mikey!

Grandpa!

Oh, Dwana,
how are you?

Grandma! How are you?

Oh, that's my boy.

How are you?
You...

Pauline.

Grandpa. Oh.

Papa! How are you?

Hey, you're looking good.

Grandpa, we're getting
a house that doesn't move!

A regular house
with a solid foundation.

Where?

Well, right around
here somewhere

if you think you
can tolerate us.

Oh, Pauline, is it true?

It is, Grandma.

Are you trying to tell me
that you've given up wresting?

Yes, Grandpa, Buford the Bull is
officially retired.

Oh, Son,
that makes me so happy.

Pauline, I'll bet you had
something to do with this.

Mmm-mmm. It was Buford's
decision as always.

I just agreed immediately.

It was a one-way street
leading nowhere, Dad.

It was organized dishonesty.

It was a system.

You know, you win
when they let you win,

you climb the ladder
when they let you,

you breathe when they feel like
giving you air.

I just got fed up with other people
running my life their way.

Buford, it's all over now.
Don't relive it.

It weren't worth it.
Yeah, you're right.

Now, see what you did
with your fool questions?

They've come home.

Nothing else is important.

Oh, don't worry, Mama. I'm not
gonna fight with anybody anymore.

Buford's word.

By God, this calls for a drink.

With you, just about everything
calls for a drink.

Oh, well, anytime a man's son
returns to his senses,

it's celebrating time.

I wanna go see the cows.

That's for first graders.

I wanna see Dad's
solid gold football.

(COCKS GUN)

My granddaddy gave me
this gun when I was 9 years old.

And when you're 9 years old, Mike,
we just might talk about it.

Gee, I'm almost nine.

Grandma's making
cookies downstairs.

I get the bowl!

I get the scraper!

Thank you.

Nothing wrong with guns,
in the right hands.

You wondering
why you ever left this place?

We all make mistakes.

Of course,
the smart fella,

he don't make
the same mistake twice.

Now you take
Parker Forsythe.

You remember Parker?

He had 300 acres.

Only trouble was, he never did
learn that gasoline

and white lightning
just don't mix.

God reminded him one night,

right up there where state highway
meets Route 7...

Now old Parker's
allotted land is

back on the open market.
$6,000 down.

House, nice house,
almost new.

Furnished.

Got two catfish ponds on it.

The state even has
a timber lease.

Now if a fellow was
to get a partner,

and the partner had
some logging gear.

Dad, what time did you tell the
bank we'd come look at the place?

That does call for a drink.

Yeah.

(DOG BARKING)

There it is!

Oh, Buford.

Look, I see them coming up!
Do you?

The first thing we do

is sell the trailer so we won't
ever be tempted.

Knew you were
gonna say that.

That's why I sold
it this morning.

For me?
No, it's for us.

Oh, Buford! Oh.

I might just cry. Oh!

Watch the steps.

Honey, here's the deed and
the mortgage to your home.

You happy?

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Buford! It's Lutie!

Oh.

It's Lutie McVeigh!

He played end on our
football team. Remember, Mama?

I sure do.

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Are you crazy, Lutie?

He drives them all fast
and he's never caught,

but he's always
good for laughs.

He's gonna stop.

Yeah.

Grandma and I have
a lot of shopping to do.

You'd just be in the way.

Take your time.
I'll go home with her.

You sure?
Positive.

Come on, Grandma.

One thing, Buford.
What?

If you look around town,
you might see some changes.

But pay them no mind.

They've got nothing
to do with us.

Yes, ma'am.

I heard it,
but I didn't believe it.

"The old Forsythe place,"
they said.

"Nonsense," I said.
"Buford Pusser," they said.

"Must be another
Buford Pusser," I said.

"Nobody's gonna tame that
wild bull dog." No, sir.

Hey, Lutie!

Why, a man would have to be
crazy to give up

all them faraway places with them
strange-sounding dames.

You didn't, did you?

Afraid I did.
I come home to roost.

The old lady,
and a pretty one she is,

kinda leaned on you, huh?

Settle down, grow roots.

Her daddy ain't gonna have
no more fun, she said.

Now, come on, you can level
with old Lutie.

Nah, it ain't
nothing like that.

I just got tired of being a
trained animal in somebody else's circus.

Hey, come on,
let's get a beer.

Only refused
a drink once in my life

and that was offered
over the telephone.

Hey, remember Amy Dalton?
Yeah.

She's got seven kids now.

Two by her own husband.

(LAUGHING)

Grady Coker,
he's deputy sheriff,

in case you want
a ticket fixed.

Where we going,
Chuck and Babe's?

Man, you really are
out of touch.

Why, that place is nothing
but an old museum.

Strictly senior citizens.

Why, they even play
checkers on the bar.

Buford, we're a big city.

We got our own sin, gambling,
crime, vice, 24 hours a day.

A man like you'd feel right
at home. Come on, let's go!

Look, Buford, look!

LUTIE: How about that, huh?

A shopping center
for sinners.

You can lay a bet or a broad
or a base for a three-day drunk.

Brought more business to town
than anything since the cotton gin.

Mabel, how are you, baby?

How are you?

Come on, let's go.
Come on, go, go!

Oasis for the weary traveler.

Home for the wicked.

Soothing balm
for the frustrated husband.

And some of the gals
even give trading stamps

to keep the old lady from waking up
the kids when you come home.

Sodom and Gomorrah, here comes
Buford, the Wild Bull!

No holds barred.

(ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS)

Mercy, mercy,
look at the motor on that!

(LAUGHING)

Wanna break training, gents?

Just slightly.
Couple of beers.

Hiya, Lutie!

Hi, Margie Ann.

Hello, baby!

What is this?

Tarzan?

Superman?

Or King Kong?

LUTIE: This here's
my bodyguard, Buford.

There's enough here
for three of us.

Only if he gets
group rates, Margie Ann.

Bozo, these girls
are tinder dry.

Wet them down!

What's the matter, honey?
Come on, come on.

Come here, baby!
Oh, Lord!

A beer.

LUTIE: That's on me, Bozo!

You got a light?

I don't smoke.

Looking's for free.

What I mean is,
looking don't cost nothing.

LUTIE: Settle down, girls,
and drink your pacifiers.

I'll tell you when.

Now for the next
stop on our tour.

Bozo,
get the girls another drink.

Come on, Buford.
Come on, come on!

(MEN CHATTERING)

Ain't this something?

Watch me build this
into a big bundle!

LUTIE: Give me $10

There you go.

Once more.

That's it.
That's it, that's it.

Come on, come on.
Let it go!

Come on, come on!

Let's go! Come on, come on,
come on.

I sure could use $50
until we get back to town.

Come on, don't worry!

All right.
You're my partner.

Yeah, yeah.
Come on, come on.

Just a second.

Come on!

That's good. That's good.

Pit call.

There you go.

Four. Four's the number.
Hard way open.

Place your bets, gentlemen.

Lady Luck is
spreading her legs.

MAN 1:
Oh, that's all I gotta do.

MAN 2: Bring them out, hard way.
Hard way.

Hard way.
Hard way, you're on.

Two and two.

Oh, baby!
Ah, yeah, come on four!

Your point's 13.

You're not rolling, wise guy.

My money is!

Get the money
you lost, Lutie.

Give me my
thirty-five dollars.

Now, just a minute.

Look out, Buford!

(ALL CLAMORING)

(GRUNTING)

(SCREAMS)

(MEN SCREAMING)

(MEN GROANING)

...three!

Let me have him!

All right, Augie, show this bastard
who runs things around here.

(BUFORD GROANING)

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

(MOANING)

You should've called
a seamstress.

Took some 200
stitches in him.

Three years in
the Marine Corps,

five years in the ring.

He has to come home
to get half killed.

Ordinary man wouldn't have
made it through.

Where... Where can I wash up?

Pauline, did he mention
where it happened?

Some place called
the Lucky Spot.

I'd laugh if it
weren't so awful.

Pretty... Pretty obvious he was
all liquored up.

Dead drunk, huh, Doc?

Not obvious at all.

The important thing to you
should be who did it to him?

Yeah, Thurman.

Who throwed him in
that ravine to die?

And where's his
station wagon, huh?

I'm looking into that,
Mr. Pusser.

Yeah, well, let's hope
you don't look into it

like you been
looking into all the other

funny things going
on in this county.

Now, Carl, you know that men
just naturally gotta let off steam.

I try and keep it in bounds.

You better be remembering
one thing before election time.

People in this county
give you that badge,

and they can damn well
take it away from you!

Grandpa.

Not like you to
threaten a man, Carl.

He speaks for
more than himself.

Lunch time.

Pauline.
Hello.

Buford,
you feeling a bit better?

Yeah, physically, Grady.

I can't find tire nor bolt
of your station wagon, Buford.

Neither can the state police.

It can't just vanish.

Oh, it happens
all the time.

Professionals,
most likely.

They repaint them, file off
the numbers, you know.

Say, as far as that fracas
you got into over at the Lucky Spot,

I can't find a single witness
that saw it your way.

We got Lutie.

Now, Buford,
you know Lutie.

Crazy Lutie McVeigh!

Can't tell where the truth ends off
and the tall stories begins.

Nobody takes him serious.

I do.

Well, if that's your whole
case, you got none.

Look, I got
a chest full of stitches!

Well, if that's all, count
your blessings and drop the case.

Like hell I will!

Your funeral.

Thurman,

Thurman, I've known you
since I was a kid.

I always thought
you walked tall.

Looks like you done learned
how to crawl!

Buford, you've got stitches,
remember?

How can I forget? Hey,
Grady, what about you?

You just gonna let them throw me
in a hole and bury me?

Well, what am I supposed
to do, Buford?

He deals the cards.

I just play the hand I get.

Go find yourself
another game.

Grady!
Get over here and fast!

Oh, there it is again.

What?

The system.

You gotta live my way
or you don't live.

It's just like a clock.

Every time we get started,

that damn boy in
that beat-up truck

of his comes around
looking for a job.

Obra?

Buford!

Hey! You really filled out.

Yeah, well, you did, too.

We made a great tag team, huh?

Well, maybe we still can.

Can you use
a man and his truck?

I'm used to hard
work and low pay.

Well.

Can you get your
load in good shape?

Yeah, sure I can.

Well, we need men, and the pay's
the same for everybody.

You're on! Thanks.

Hey, I'll go tell the boss.

BUFORD: Pa!

Pa, you got
something against Obra?

I knowed him
since he was a pickaninny.

Hired his old daddy many times.

That doesn't
tell me anything.

Well, he got educated,
you see?

Then he come down with a raging case
of that new social disease

Black Power.

Is that all?

Now look,
hold on just a minute.

I believe in equality
just as much as anybody.

But I don't want it
forced on me, see?

Gonna be a lot of fun
working with the two of you.

Come on, man, give me a break,
will you? Slow down!

You say you want a job, huh?

Yeah!

That's lunch!

Oh!

(LAUGHING)

Touchdown!

You know, if you push
that wood any faster, man,

I'm gonna need six arms.

You can take it.
I got faith in you

Yeah.

Walk softly and
carry a big stick, huh?

You planning on
trying that somewhere?

I was thinking about it.

When I get well enough.

How does it feel to be part of
the oppressed minority?

Well, that's something
you ought to know about.

Any suggestions?

Yep.

Do not beat your head
against the wall

cause it'll
probably fall on you.

Two, lone wolves
are easy prey.

Organize.
There's strength in unity.

And, three,
you are a damn fool, Buford,

for trying to do
what I know you're going to.

MAN: Margie Ann, lie down,
I wanna talk to you.

Hey, Bozo,
don't give me no crap!

Help me get this bum up.

MAN: What's up, Bozo?

Bozo!

(SHOUTS)

(WOMEN SCREAMING)

Look, I'm, I'm just
the bookkeeper.

I didn't have
anything to do with it

Here's a receipt.

$3,630 you owe me.

3,300 for my station wagon,

280 for my and Lutie's money,

and about $50 for
the doctor's bill.

You sign it,
you give me my money.

No, just the $3,630
you owe me.

Sign it.

Mister,
your hands are shaking.

If you miss,
you'll never shoot again.

Pull.

Pull.

Pull.

(DOG BARKING)

Buford, you're under arrest.

What for?

Assault and battery
and armed robbery.

That dog moves, shoot him.

Shep, sit. Sit! Stay!

Cuff him.

Buford, I don't understand.

What happened?

He knocked over
the Lucky Spot.

I'll be all right, Pauline.

Just tell Daddy to
get me bail money.

My daddy wouldn't
rob anybody!

Looks like violence
runs in your family.

$50,000 for bail?

They don't set that much in
this state for premeditated murder!

What is this about only one day
to prepare for trial?

You're ignorant of the law, Pusser.
You refused to hire counsel,

so suffer the consequences
of your foolishness.

Do you have any
idea what you face?

Sure. Frame-up?

A possible sentence
of 30 years.

Now, whether
you want it or not,

I'm gonna give you the benefit of
my legal wisdom.

Don't go to trial.

Plead guilty to
the assault charge.

Make financial restitution,

and I'll personally consider
some kind of lesser sentence.

How much lesser?

I'll work that out
with Sheriff Thurman.

In that case, I'll take my chances
with the McNairy County jury.

You're a damn fool, Buford!

But then we've already
established that, haven't we?

All right, take him back.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

People of the State of Tennessee
v. Buford Pusser.

Honorable Judge
R. W. Clarke presiding

Against my advice,
the defendant

desires to act as
his own counsel.

Therefore he cannot claim
a mistrial on that basis.

Will the defendant
please challenge the jury?

It's fine with me.

CLARKE: The prosecutor
may challenge.

If it please the court, the jury
is satisfactory with the state.

They just fished Lutie McVeigh
and his car out of the river.

Then you may call
your first witness.

Call Buel Jaggers.

OFFICER: Buel Jaggers.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Go on, Mr. Pusser.

This morning my only witness,
Lutie McVeigh,

he was fished
out of the river.

(PEOPLE GASP)

Well, they've had their say.

Seems like they've had that kind
of say around here for too long.

Look, I had to stand
up for myself alone.

And I didn't go in to rob any
gambling house with just a stick.

I went in there to remind them
that somewhere in this world,

there's still a little
law and order left.

To let them know
in the only kind of terms

that their kind
understand is

that they can't buy,
bribe or threaten

their way out of
what they did to me!

They did this!

(PEOPLE MURMURING)

Oh, now hold it!
You're out of order!

You're out of order!

Stop it right now!
Stop it!

Your Honor,
the state objects to it.

You let them do this to me
and get away with it,

then you give me
the eternal right to do

the same damn thing
to any one of you!

You're out of order, sir!

And put on your shirt!

(GAVEL BANGING)

They've only been out
less than five minutes.

Mr. Foreman, have the jurors
reached a verdict?

Not guilty.

(CHEERING)

MAN: Congratulations, Buford.
Keep up the good work.

BUFORD: Thank you.
Hey, Buford!

Congratulations.
Buford. Hey!

Man, you really know
how to play the crowd.

You had that
jury ready to walk

barefoot over
hot coals for you.

That's something
they'd never do for him.

Hey, Buford.

Buford, why don't you try
this job on for size?

No, Buford, no!

We'll go someplace else.

Find a decent
town to live in.

Where?

And how?

Everything we've got's
sunk in this place.

Besides, I never turned tail
and run from nobody.

I'm not gonna start
with these people.

Is your pride worth the safety
of those children?

Of all of us?

Okay, then you leave.

You go to your mama's
and you take the kids

and you come
back when it's okay.

I don't want to leave you.

And I don't want you
to run for sheriff.

"No more fighting,
" you said.

You gave your word.

Wild Bull Buford's word.

On that you can bank.

I didn't know this
was gonna happen.

Oh, well, you're turning this

into some kind of senseless
life and death grudge fight.

It's not senseless, Pauline.

Listen to me.

Pauline,

this is my home.

You made it yours.

And you want me and you and the
kids just to go run, hide,

afraid to come home?

Just for a little while.

Only until all this
violence blows over.

It's not gonna
blow over by itself.

Now somebody's got
to huff and puff.

Oh, Buford, grow up.

(SIGHS)

Dad,

what do you think
my chances are?

Fair. Fair.

I'll tell you something,
though, Buford.

You run against
these people and lose,

you're gonna be
worse off than before.

'Cause you'll
never find anyone

to stand up against
them for you again.

Not ever.

Then we'll leave.
Only then.

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Punish me ♪

♪ Oh, make me feel the pain ♪

♪ So I'll know not to eve ♪
♪ r do you wrong again ♪

♪ Come on, punish me ♪

♪ Make me crawl back ♪
♪ to your world ♪

♪ But don't go and find ♪
♪ another girl ♪

♪ Oh, no, no, baby ♪

♪ I said I just couldn't ♪
♪ stand it now ♪

♪ Take my life into your hands ♪

♪ Come on, punish me ♪

♪ Oh, but don't ♪
♪ take your love away ♪

♪ 'Cause I couldn't make it ♪
♪ another single day ♪

♪ Come on, punish me ♪

♪ Make me crawl back ♪
♪ to your world ♪

♪ But don't go and find ♪
♪ another girl ♪

♪ Oh, come on, baby ♪

♪ Do what you want with me ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

Great.

Don't forget to vote.

♪ Since you caught me, ♪
♪ feel so ashamed ♪

♪ I never thought I'd see the day ♪
♪ I'd be down on my knees ♪

♪ Begging you, ♪
♪ please, baby, please ♪

♪ Won't you punish me? ♪

♪ Oh, just ♪
♪ take out your revenge ♪

♪ So I'll know not to ever ♪
♪ do you wrong again ♪

♪ Come on, punish me ♪

♪ Make me crawl back ♪
♪ to your world ♪

♪ But don't go and find ♪
♪ another girl ♪

Hey, Buford.

How'd you like a nice,
plush job as my deputy?

No brains required,
just brute animal force.

I ain't that desperate.

You will be, boy.

You sure as hell will be.

The day after elections.

Last chance, Buford.

If you can't lick them,
join them.

Now, Grady,
that's what I call

a pure case of
reckless driving.

That boy has got no respect
for law and order.

Hey, Al, let him go!

God damn it, Grady, you act like
you're gonna vote for him!

Now get in or I'll
dock you a day's pay!

We'll get him!

We'll get him, Grady, and we'll
nail his ass to the cross!

"Pusser for Sheriff."

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Now I got the bastard!

Hold it!

Damn it, Grady, that's more money
than you can make

in 20 years as a deputy.

And all you gotta
do is testify that

Buford deliberately
ran you off the road.

That's murder
and the end of him.

I'll think it over.

Don't give us
that crap, Grady.

You'll do it or else!

(GRUNTS)

I'd be dead if it
weren't for Buford.

Christ, can you ever
figure people?

Well, looks like our only
chance now is to elect a corpse

and gamble on getting our own man
appointed in his place.

We got only one
week before election.

We'll get us some big billboards,
radio, TV spots,

and call in all
favors owed us.

I swore that bastard
would have took a hot stove.

You're right, Callie.

We gotta throw everything
we can lay our hands on

behind our dead sheriff.

Another 10,
20,000 should do it.

My people just ain't got
that kind of money.

I ain't got but two girls
working for me

and I can't carry any more freight.

You pay your end, Hassie,
or get your ass out!

For God's sakes, Jaggers,
lay off the local suckers.

Wouldn't it be a hell of a lot
easier, Callie,

just to run that yokel
out of town?

Next time you meet up
with him, Jaggers,

you have my permission.

Oh!

(CAR HORNS HONKING)

Hey, Buford! Hey! Hey!

(CHEERING)

We won! We won!

Yeah, congratulations!

Where's Grandma?
Back there.

Hey, Mama! What they
got you arrested for, Mama?

Buford!

I won it, Ma! I won it.

(ALL CHEERING)

Morning.

All right, there's two rules,
and that's all.

But don't ever forget them.

Number one,
we enforce the law equally.

Number two,
any man who takes a bribe

is gonna get his head
knocked off by me.

Now Grady's gonna show me
the territory.

MAN ON POLICE RADIO:
This is 201 to 501.

201 to 501,
come in if you read me.

That's for you, Sheriff, 501.

501. Who are you?

This is Sheriff Tanner
over in Alcorn, Mississippi.

Welcome to
the shooting gallery.

First morning on the job,
I hate to give you a big one,

but we got
a multiple death case

over here that
should interest you.

I'll be there in an hour,
Sheriff Tanner.

No rush.
We got them on ice. Over.

A civil rights picnic, all young,
in their early twenties.

We got a dozen more
over at County Hospital.

All of them drinking
poisoned white lightning.

This here is Sheriff Pusser
from McNairy County.

Now tell the man where you
picked up that lot of moonshine,

and don't you lie.

From Willie Rae's bar
over near Salem.

Okay, thank you, Sheriff.
We'll take care of it. Grady.

GRADY: Thanks, Sheriff.

Now get him out of here.

Good morning, Sheriff!
Obra.

My, my, my.
You sure do look the part.

Hey, look, Obra,
your friend Willie Rae

runs a still back
up here somewhere.

You know where it is?

You are some
kind of quick study.

You got the talk,
the official manner,

and the coldness
down just like that.

Look, I just came
from the morgue at Alcorn.

They got eight dead niggers
stretched out over there,

all dead from
poisoned rotgut whiskey

made somewhere
up around here!

Let's not waste any time playing
these dumb word games.

Buford, don't you
talk to me like that.

You've been running around
all this county all the time

shooting your mouth off about
how you want to help your people.

Well, I'm trying to
give you a chance.

You know that last sheriff,

he wouldn't have given a damn
about those eight bodies,

they weren't
his favorite color.

I care, and whether
you help me or not,

I'm gonna do
something about it.

All right.

About seven miles
from here up in them hills,

near an old logging road.

Some boys from Arkansas.

I can show you.

Thank you.

I got something for you.

You got a new job.

You're Deputy Sheriff,
McNairy County.

Oh, no. Buford, now you've
been away for too long.

That just isn't done down here.

Is that right?

Well, it's okay for you to set up a
poor, white-trash ex-wrestler for sheriff,

but it's not good enough
for you, huh?

You're all under arrest.

Stay where you are.

Whose truck's this?

Jesus! Who
the hell's the son of a...

This truck is
hereby confiscated

for carrying
unlicensed liquor.

Whose car is this?

I don't know.
Never saw it before.

Well, whoever it belongs to,
they lost it now.

Oh, I forgot
to tell you, Augie,

Willie Rae,
you're under arrest.

Manslaughter. Eight counts.

I'll radio in and get
some deputies out here.

Take care of
this truck and car.

Don't lose anybody.

Sit down!

That's right, yeah, put your
hands over your heads.

Come on!

Sit down, Willie Rae.

You showed him up here,
didn't you, boy?

Sure hope you do
try something, Augie.

If you live long enough,

you're gonna wish this day
never happened, smart ass!

Sit down, smart ass!

Sit down!

Sheriff Pusser, the court orders
you to set the prisoners free.

You don't mean that, Judge.

I do and I'm so ordering you.

Why?

Because you acted improperly.

You failed to get
search and seizure warrants

before you invaded
their privacy.

You failed to inform them
at the time of their arrest,

of their legal
rights to counsel,

to silence,
to access to a telephone.

These people were responsible
for eight deaths, Judge.

You can't just let them go because
of some little technicalities.

The United States Supreme Court
does not consider them

little technicalities,
Sheriff Pusser.

They are the law of the land.

There's more to upholding the law
than swinging a big stick

and kicking down doors.

Now you set them free,
or I'll hold you in contempt,

which I do anyway.

Remove those handcuffs.

Buford, there's a man,

Mr. Witter from Nashville
was here looking for you.

He's up there now,
talking to Judge Clarke.

Mr. Witter.

Sheriff, this is John Witter.

Very pleased to make
your acquaintance, Sheriff.

Judge Clarke's been
telling me all about you.

Well, that shouldn't
have taken him long.

I wonder if I can
talk to you in private?

I think it'd be
better in your office.

Oh, well, this is it.

Pusser,
you're a local sheriff.

A brand new one at that.

Now, maybe nobody
told you,

but this is a lot more than
just a local operation.

I mean, there are some important
people involved,

all the way up to the capital
and beyond, believe me.

Well, the only important people
to me are down there.

They built the county.
They have to live in it.

You know,
one of the first things

you gotta learn
to do in this life

is to take care of number one.

If you don't,
nobody else will.

You don't have to
commit any sins.

All you've gotta
do is let those

who want to pay
for their fun, do it.

I got nothing against
a little drink, a little fun,

but the law of the land
shouldn't be for sale.

Now if you let those people
that run those joints have an inch,

they'll steal
the whole state.

And it looks like they've already
got a leg up on it.

Well, I suggest you think it over
for a day or two.

Why don't you come
on up to Nashville

and you meet
some of the fellas.

You'll like them.

You'll find
them very generous.

Well, I already
thought it over,

long before I went after
this job, Mr. Witter.

So I heard.

You know, ideals and realities
are very far apart.

One day you're
gonna see that, son.

And if you don't,
someone's gonna point it out to you.

Clearly.

You already have.
Thank you.

Enjoy yourselves, boys,
these are two of the best.

Here comes that big stick.

Hi, Luan,
I see you moved your trailer.

And I see
you're still looking.

Hi, Callie.
Hello, Prentiss.

You know, Callie,

you've got one of the sexiest
track teams I've ever seen.

What's the record between
here and the trailer, huh?

Hmm?

Hey, Callie,
wanna open the storeroom?

The one with
the illegal liquor?

Prentiss, open the storeroom
for the sheriff.

Leave those there.

Put those
against the back wall.

All right,
if he won't buy off,

let's kill
the son of a bitch.

You know what Witter said.
"Go easy."

The Nashville papers are
playing up that big stick of his

like he was Sir
Lancelot or somebody.

We ought to take Sir Lancelot's
big stick and shove it up his ass!

We ought to do
what we're told to do.

Find some way to
teach him a lesson.

Then maybe Witter can talk
some sense into him.

You teach him
your kind of lesson.

I got a couple boys in Alabama
who'll teach him something

he won't live to remember.

Craps.

♪ Made a mistake ♪
♪ long time ago ♪

♪ 'Cause I wanted to see ♪
♪ the lights of the city ♪

♪ The big town called me ♪
♪ and I just had to go ♪

♪ But a fire behind the lights ♪
♪ is not too pretty ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm coming home ♪
♪ on the very next train, yes ♪

♪ I'm coming home and ♪
♪ I'll never leave again? ♪

This is the third time today
you've rousted me over.

Why the hell you working
to hurt me, brother?

I'm not working to
hurt you, Willie Rae.

I just wanna make sure
nobody else gets hurt.

Is that another way of saying
you wanna make a deal?

Okay.

I'm just a little deputy,
Willie Rae.

I don't have authority
to make deals.

(MEN LAUGHING)

Well, now,

we saw your car
parked outside,

and we thought we'd come in to say
hello to our new deputy.

Hey, fellas,
would you look

at the solid gold badge
this here boogie's wearing?

Obra, Obra, now that you've got
yourself a steady job, you gonna,

you gonna buy us
all a beer, huh?

Hold on.
Come over here, would you?

Now why don't you get
the hell out of the way

and let some men do
some drinking, huh?

Now, look, oh,
I was talking to you, boy.

You gotta show some more respect
for your betters, huh?

(LAUGHING)

Six beers!

I said give us six beers!

OBRA ON POLICE RADIO:
Calling 501, 501.

This is patrol car number three
calling Sheriff's car 501.

Calling 501, 501!

501, that's you, Obra?

Yeah, Buford.

Look, I'm down
at Willie Rae's,

and there's six
troublemakers down here.

Do you wanna come down
and pick them up?

No, you pick them up,
I haven't eaten yet.

But they're
white men, Buford.

Arno Purdy and
that bunch, you know?

Buford,
did you hear what I said?

I said they're white men!

Obra, now you're a deputy sheriff
for McNairy County,

not a shoeshine boy!

If they're out of line,
pick them up!

Let me tell you
about Saturday night.

I was down at this place.

And if you ever do...

You're under arrest.

(WOMEN SCREAMING)

Don't make me
have to kill you!

Well, now, that wasn't so hard now,
was it?

No, not from where
you were sitting.

Hi, Arno.
How's it hanging?

$10 or ten days.

(GAVEL BANGS)

You take your life
in your hands for $10.

It's not the fine
that's important.

It's the principle
of the thing.

You got public respect, Obra.

Come over to my house tonight
with public respect.

Watch the bonfire.

I've been thinking
this whole thing over.

Well, no use lying.

I got drunk, and I made
a fool out of myself.

I had no business
being at Willie Rae's.

Obra, I...

I want you to know that...

I want you to know
I'm damn sorry.

Believe me,
I mean it, Sheriff.

I am.

Here's 20 bucks.

For the shirt.

Best I can do.

Don't you just hate
somebody like that?

What do you mean?

Well, he ruined our bonfire.

That fight yesterday
was for real.

Obra could have been killed,
and all you did was levy a $10 fine.

My prerogative.

You run the streets,
I run the courts.

If I bring them in
, you let them go,

the whole thing just
becomes a big joke.

And I don't care to
trade lies for lives.

From now on,
I want maximum penalties.

You want? You want?

Why,
you self-appointed dictator!

All you know is
force and violence.

You don't understand
the simplest things about the law.

I understand the difference
between a poor, honest judge

and a rich, dishonest one.

Tomorrow morning I'll learn
what's in this criminal code book

word for word.

And what you
gotta worry about, Your Honor,

is what part of this
I can use against you.

What the hell's going on here?

Oh, I read the book,
Your Honor,

and it clearly
states on Page 53, paragraph six,

that the sheriff has
the right to assign

courtrooms and
judges' chambers.

In view of your
past judgments,

I thought you'd feel
more at home here.

You have your own
choice of seats.

Of course,
there's no telephone yet,

but you won't
need one today.

Here's a list
of search and seizure warrants

that I want by 3:00 today.

I'll have your lunch sent in.

Oh, and by the way,
if any word of these warrants,

excuse the expression,
leaks out,

well, your distinguished
career is over.

Page 92, section four.

I'll be damned.
I'll be damned!

Okay,
the preliminaries are over.

We now all know each other,
we know the problem.

I was elected
sheriff on one issue,

that I bust every joint
in the whole county.

And we're gonna
start tomorrow.

First off,
I don't want any car, truck,

or driver that
even looks like

a moonshiner to
move on our roads.

Lonnie, you and Chris,
you handle Highways 45 and 64.

Okay, and I hear
there's four new stills operating.

Two of them up
near Big Mill Road, one in Donald Springs,

and one back up
in Pepper Hill.

Grady, that's your job.

Knock them all flat.

Alone?

Well, now if you was to look
over your shoulders,

it's just likely
you might see me

and four or
five other loggers a-standing there.

Okay, the rest of us wait until
the illegal liquor's flowing.

The girls are making
their trailer runs,

and the suckers are
crowding the tables.

And then we hit
fast and hard.

Obra, you're in charge
of the east half.

Virgil, I want you to make
the west half run.

Big job.

Well, you're a big man.

This whole thing rests
on one element.

Surprise.

♪ (UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING ♪
♪ OVER SPEAKERS) ♪

♪ ALL: Nobody knows ♪

♪ The trouble ♪

(ALL LAUGHING)

I know. We heard.

They knew.
God damn it, they knew!

Somebody tipped them.

We'll try again.
Tomorrow night.

No, not till we find out
who and why.

The why is simple, money.

Well, if I find him,
he won't live to spend it.

Well, I'm going home.

Good night, Grady.

Good night, Buford.
Go slow.

Take care.

(CAR HORN HONKING)

Look here, you dumb...

(SIREN WAILING)

All right, just what the hell
do you think you're doing, huh?

(GUN FIRES)

We can't get
him on the radio.

Every car is out.

He was going straight home.

Well, have they checked 22?

Sometimes he comes
home that way.

I'll double back.
I'm going with you.

(SIREN WAILING)

Oh!

Oh.

Honey.

Oh, Buford.

This is 505, emergency!

You get me an ambulance
out to Highway 22

near the old Carlson place.
Double quick.

I'm all right. Don't cry.

What's that for?

Oh, just something
to make you relax.

Help you get
your strength back.

I don't wanna relax.

You're going to.

And while you're doing it,

try to think of
a new profession.

You're not very
good at this one.

I'm learning.

Doc, I'm learning.

Just made a mistake.

Tried to fight clean.

Okay, thank you very much.

I appreciate that.

A man just doesn't know
how many friends he's got

until he's flat on his back.

Or how many people
are glad that he is?

See, Grady,
see these stacks of cards?

There's even one over there
from Augie McCullough.

I didn't know he could write.

Yeah, I got these chocolates
from all the girls,

and Tennessee sipping whiskey
from Callie,

and these dollar cigars
from Willie Rae.

Look at that.
This is from the Lucky Spot.

(DICE CLATTERING)

Rolls seven every time.

You see these flowers?

You see this big bunch?

You know where
that come from?

Nashville.
Mr. Witter, no less.

Grady, grab yourself
a big handful of cigars.

Pauline, get him
a couple of those bottles

and mix him up
a big highball, huh?

No, thanks,
I don't want anything!

Why not?

Grady,
it's the fruit of our labor.

You're afraid you're gonna get
corrupted again.

Are you going on the take,
Buford?

I sure am.

Well, in that case...

Yes, sir, Grady.

I'm gonna take
and take and take!

Till they ain't
got nothing to give but blood!

And I'm gonna take that
one drop at a time.

And I'm gonna start
with that informer.

You know who he is?

Yeah, a little bird
just told me.

I'm gonna go after him
with my bare hands.

Grady, we could have had
the whole county in one night

if he hadn't...

I don't know, Grady.

He's been like that
ever since the shooting.

Smoking their cigars,
drinking their whiskey,

smelling the flowers.

Just reminding himself
how much he hates them,

and then he works himself up
into that rage.

Well, Pauline, he seems
like he's earned the right.

But it's gone beyond reason.
It's a kind of madness.

Well, maybe that's gonna
be what's required,

a kind of madness
to clean out that snake pit.

That and this.

No!

You heard him, Pauline.

He said "bare hands."

They are no match for guns.

Grady, you know how
I feel about them.

Mmm-hmm.

So does Buford,

well, he's just never gonna put
one on unless you say,

"It's all right."

Well, you're just
gonna have to decide.

If you wanna spend your
old age with your fear,

or with your husband.

I see we all had a nice,
long vacation with pay.

Now we're gonna
go back to the war.

We're gonna take up
exactly where we left off,

only this time we're
not gonna separate.

We're gonna hit them as a team,
everywhere in force.

Any questions?

I'd like to call home
to tell them I'll be late.

No calls,
no radio communications

and nobody gets
out of my sight.

Okay,
we'll start with the stills.

Follow me.

BUFORD: Virgil?
Hmm?

I don't like the way the dynamite
charges are wired.

They don't look
right to me.

I don't see nothing
wrong with them.

Well, you're new at this.
Come on, let's go check them.

Virgil?

Hey?

No!

Buford,
what's wrong with you?

No! Don't!

Buford, no!

Get away from me!
I know what I'm doing!

Buford,
don't, for God's sake!

No, Buford, don't do it!
Don't!

Tell them, Virgil.

Don't... No.

No, Buford, don't do it!
Don't!

Don't run, Virgil,
you'll never make it.

Don't do it!

For God's sake!
BUFORD: All right, tell them, Virgil.

No.

Tell everybody
who tipped them off!

Tell them, Virgil!

Tell them how they knew
I took the back way home at night.

VIRGIL: No, Buford, don't.
You tell them!

Okay!

Okay, it was me, okay?

But they made me do it.

Get down on
your knees, Virgil.

I didn't do it!
Get on your knees!

Oh, no, Buford.

That's cold-blooded murderer,
you can't do it.

Buford, Buford, don't!

Come on, Virgil. Crawl.

Oh, no, Buford, no!

Okay, Virgil, crawl to me!

Crawl over here! Faster!

You ain't got much time!

Come on, faster.

You ain't got
much time, Virgil!

Virgil, crawl,
you ain't got much time.

Buford, don't!
Faster!

(SOBBING)

Stand up.

Get up!

You walk home.

Git!

Stick them up.
Outside.

Stick them up.

You're under arrest.

What the hell do you
think you're doing?

All right, Callie, let's go
for a walk. Come on.

I wanna talk to you.
Get your hands off her!

All right, come on,
come on, come on!

All right, Callie, you got the key.
Open it up.

You got a warrant?

Yeah, I keep it in my shoe.

OFFICER: Get them in.
Get them all. Come on.

He knew exactly where everything
was and when to hit.

I tell you, he's got someone
down here working from the inside.

Yeah, but not from my group.

My people are solid.

Oh, your people
are real solid!

Like that bunch
you sent over from Alabama?

Couldn't even put him away
when they were two feet from him.

That really
started something.

What the hell help
you and Prentiss been?

Those tramps and
that pimp of yours

have been robbing everybody passed
through town.

You better get off it, Augie.

You run your store.
I'll run mine.

I talked to
Witter this morning.

He said to put him away.

Believe me, I'll take care
of that son of a bitch.

I don't care what it costs.

And I wanna.
Tell you something

I've operated down
here for 20 years.

Before you was even
one of the girls, Callie.

Now you get this straight,
you're not running my show.

If I want to do any killing,

I'll do it without
a board meeting!

Count me out.

Augie...
Lay off, Jaggers!

Why do you wanna bring in
an outsider to do a job

I've done half a dozen times?

You also did four years
for the last one.

But the guy's still dead.

Pa!

(SOBBING)

PAULINE: Just stay now.

Everybody just stay with me.
All right?

Buford?

(SCREAMING)

Dad!

DWANA: They killed Shep! Oh!

PAULINE: It's all right.

Mama, they killed Shep!

(PHONE RINGING)

Buford? Geez, I've been
trying to reach you for over an hour.

Listen, Prentiss has Margie Ann
in Callie's trailer.

She used to be
one of Grady's playmates,

so they figure
she's your informer.

You gotta get over
there quick, Buford.

Please!

Go ahead!
Give me an excuse! Go on!

Sit!

Stay!

Get up, pretty boy.

Come on, get up.
Come on, get up!

Let's go. Come on!

Mister, you got
a right to a phone call.

You hear me, mister?

CALLIE: Stop that!

You got a right to
make one phone call.

You bastard,
you're gonna kill him!

You got a right not to make
a statement without a lawyer.

Stop it!

Buford!
I'll get you for this.

Come on up.

You're under arrest
for white slavery,

for assault and battery,
for kidnapping

and any other
goddamn thing I think of!

Get up. Get up. Get up!

Come on, Callie!

It's payday.

Payday?

A gift from me to you.

All warrants and
charges against you

have been taken
off the books.

Luan, I don't know why you
risked your life to help me,

but I appreciate it.

Let's just say
I have a soft spot

for big, strong,
good-looking ex-Marines.

My husband would
have been an ex,

but he didn't
live through Vietnam.

I'm sorry.

Luan, you gotta
get out of town now.

You gotta go far away
and get a new job...

Not that kind of job.

With what?

Special funds account.

From your piggy bank?

No, it's from the dice table
at the Lucky Spot.

I wish I could
do more, but...

So do I,

but then you wouldn't be the kind
of man that you are, would you?

I think I better take you
to the bus station.

Thanks.

Michael, put it down.

Wonder what it is.

Yes, I wonder.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, everybody.

Look in the basket!

Grandma! A little dog!

Yeah.
Santa Claus bring this, huh?

Yeah, what do you know?

Oh, thank you, Grandma.

You're very welcome.

Son, go out in the car.

Bring in
the turkey and the pies.

And, mind you, be sure you keep
the turkey covered.

Oh, my darling.
Oh, darling.

Merry Christmas!

Oh!

Do you like it?

Beautiful.

It only took us two days.

(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS)

Merry Christmas! Hi.

Hi, George.

The place is swinging tonight.
Sure is.

Hey, where's Prentiss?

Oh, he's still in the can.

They're holding
him without bail.

Oh, that's too bad.

Ho, ho, ho, and a Merry Christmas,
Callie.

This watch was made
for a woman like you

with elegance and good taste.

Haven't you heard, Sheldon,
we're in the middle of a depression.

Everybody needs
a good watch, Callie.

All it's good for is to remind me
I'm sitting here on my ass

losing money
every time it ticks.

And I'm getting
goddamned mad about it.

(GLASS SHATTERS)

SHELDON:
Merry Christmas, everybody!

George, set them up on me,
will you?

I'll be sitting over there.

Girls, drinks are on Sheldon.

Merry Christmas.

Cindy, how are you?

I got some
beautiful things here.

I can show you
a beautiful watch.

George.

Buford, I've got a Mr. Sheldon Levine
down here, jewelry salesman.

He claims some
$60,000 in jewelry

was heisted from
the trunk of his car

over at the Pine Ridge Club.

Okay, I'll meet you.

Don't open
the presents till I get back.

Oh, Buford,
not Christmas Eve.

Oh, it's just a little burglary.
It won't take long. Come on.

I'll be right back
. Don't worry, Mama.

Yeah,
keep them coming, George.

Merry Christmas, Callie!

Santa Claus is on his way.

Merry Christmas, Suzanne.
Merry Christmas, George.

What do you want, honey?
It's from the house.

Something strong.

SHELDON: Merry Christmas.

Yeah.

Sheriff Pusser.

Sheldon Levine, sir.

(GUN FIRES)

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

I heard.

Merry Christmas.

Mike caught a fish already.

He always gets
everything first.

Patience, honey.
Patience.

We could have a lot more days like this
if you weren't the sheriff.

Well, maybe in a small way
my being sheriff lets

a lot of people
have days like this.

Small way?

You gambled your life.

And no one has come
to say thank you.

Well, maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe nobody really
does give a damn.

You know,
I'm beginning to realize this job's

a lot more important
than I first thought.

I'm proud of you, Buford.

And I'm not so
scared anymore.

(KIDS LAUGHING)

I'm gonna drown them kids.

Buford, come on, don't!

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello.

(MAN CHATTERING)

Who's this?

(MAN CHATTERING)

(PHONE DISCONNECTS)

Ellie Mae,
this is the sheriff.

You have any idea where that call
came from just now?

How many parties
on that line?

Thank you.

Who was that?

Oh. A party line
down at Donald Springs.

Some neighbor overheard of a plan
to set up a new still.

I gotta go down and read
the riot act to them.

It's gonna be a lot of work
tearing it down.

You go back to sleep.

Buford, I'm going with you.

What'd you say?

I'm wide awake.

Grandma gets up early.

She'll take care of the kids.

I think it's time I found out how
my husband earns his living.

I'm hurrying!

You're like a breath of spring.

It's probably
just a false alarm.

We'll probably
end up just taking

a nice, long,
early morning drive.

Good, you can buy me breakfast
on the way back.

Oh, Buford,
it's such a beautiful day!

Hey, thank you
for taking me along.

Come here, I wanna
talk to you a second.

No, you're driving.
Come here.

I know where I'm going.

Come here, I want to give you a kiss.
No!

Give me a good kiss.
Come on.

(GUN FIRES)

Pauline?

501, it's an emergency!

GRADY:
Yeah, Buford, Grady here.

Better get me an ambulance
about half a mile up Pike Creek Road

past the church.

Hurry up, it's an emergency!
I'm out in a field.

We're coming, Buford!

Pauline.

Pauline.

Oh, please, God, no! No.

Pauline, Pauline.

Don't let her die!

Pauline...

(SIRENS WAILING)

Keep that road clear!

Keep it clear!
Get that traffic back!

Hold the traffic!
Hold the traffic!

Hold the traffic down there!

For the love of God, get that
stretcher over here now, quick!

(BUFORD SOBBING)

Obra, come on, let it go!

WOMAN ON PA:
Dr. Ward, go to 561 west.

Dr. Ward, 561 west, please.

GRADY: Get out of here!
MAN: Wait a minute.

Get out of here!
Keep those people out!

Let's go. Step back.
Move over, please.

Let's go.

Grady, the governor has turned over
his entire investigating staff

to work on this case.
Shall we start?

You're all a little late,
aren't you?

I'll take you out
to where he was ambushed.

We picked up over
125 shells on the road.

How many men
were in the cars?

Surely you recognized one
or two of them.

Everybody in the capital
isn't on the take.

We only want to help.

Don't you trust us?

Do you know who
they are, Buford?

(BELLS TOLLING)

Dad.

Mike...

Big stick.

Here you go.

(SCREAMS)

(MEN GROANING)

Come on, Buford,
let's get on back to the hospital.

Please.

We'll get
the rest of them, Buford.

Every last one of them.

I swear we will, Buford.
Come on.

(CAR HORNS HONKING)

(PEOPLE CLAMORING)

♪ The world's begun ♪
♪ to look her age ♪

♪ I'll tell you why ♪
♪ she's lined and gray ♪

♪ We read of hate ♪
♪ on every page ♪

♪ Then turn our backs ♪
♪ and walk away ♪

♪ Why can't we stand ♪

♪ Joined hand to hand? ♪

♪ It's time to care ♪

♪ We dare not wait ♪

♪ And watch too long ♪

♪ Become too late ♪

♪ There's so much ♪
♪ hatred all around ♪

♪ Let's end it now ♪
♪ or it will roam ♪

♪ There's lots of heroes ♪
♪ in the ground ♪

♪ But not enough ♪
♪ are in the home ♪

♪ Let's start again ♪

♪ Don't say, "Amen" ♪

♪ Open your eyes ♪

♪ And lift your head ♪

♪ Let's help to right ♪

♪ The wrongs we bred ♪

♪ Let us pray loudly ♪

♪ Let us live proudly ♪

♪ And soon we'll all ♪

♪ Be walking tall ♪