Original subtitles

[heart beating]

[gun fires]

[gentle music]

- My children, my brothers.

Judgment day is upon us.

Wickedness and hardship threaten the paths

of righteousness at every turn.

It is the will of the Lord that we prepare

to render our souls and bodies on to him.

That we may be worthy of his divine grace.

So that we may pass through the gates of heaven unashamed.

I will lead you first to refuge.

We will go to Eden where we would be cleansed

of all our sins.

Our trials will be over and our spirits ready

for the final day.

Our children will be delivered.

The world wallows in a swamp of sin.

Yes, my brothers, evil has pierced the hearts of men

and alienated him from the ways of truth.

A society of corruption and lust has become

the temple of men.

Tragedy, murder, drugs and fornication are his islands.

The great men of our nation are murdered.

Lincoln, Caufield, McKinley.

John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy,

Reverend Martin Luther King.

Our transgressions

and our crimes have numbed our hearts.

Here in this very state of California,

a house maid placed a new born babe in the oven

and served it to its parents at the dinner table.

Our young people, our children,

grovel in wantonness.

their souls laid to waste in orgies of drugs, lust

and fornication as in the days of [mumbles].

This is not the way of the Lord.

No, my brothers, for he in his infamous mercy

will lead us to salvation.

For he said, I am the resurrection

and the light

and in him we shall live forever.

Can we consider a society that condones

the existence of soldiers of evil

like the Klu Klux Klan?

No.

We are stricken, stricken by a disease of the spirit

that turns us away from God and brotherhood

and leads us down the holes of racism.

These are societies of Satan,

that will not allow us to live peacefully

and lovingly with our brothers.

Black or white and of all races.

For we are all his children and we were born

in his grace.

Are we in God's favor,

when our people respect institutions

of organized crime.

You may call [speaks foreign language] mafia

whichever name you choose.

And they hold in their ranks the vilest

of men and women who shamelessly have strayed

away from the words of God.

They become the heroes we and our children worship.

They have infiltrated our media, television,

movies, and literature.

They have set a horrible example for our people to follow.

What do we worship,

we worship hate.

Our angels?

Violence and lewdness.

Our ways?

The ways of inequity.

I ask you, God asks you,

do we continue?

Will our children be born and raised in this country?

- [Group] No!

- Is this the country you want your children

to live in, to raise their families in and die in?

- [Group] No!

- Is the promised land?

The land of milk and honey?

- [Group] No!

- Is this the land chosen by the Lord, our God,

for his children?

- [Group] No!

- No, brothers and sisters.

This is not the holy land.

It is a dwelling for immoral acts,

of contemptible values, of abuses

and drug addiction.

20 million of our children, of God's children,

are addicted to drugs.

This is the devil's land.

God has forsaken this country

of contaminated spirits, of souls and decay

and putrefaction.

This hand, God's hand,

is my hand and it will guide you

and you will be free and shall be

delivered into paradise and the wicked shall

be cast at sun down.

[triumphant music]

The Lord has instructed me

to lead you to this land.

Where we shall erect a settlement in his name.

And it shall be called Johnsontown

and it shall never, never be destroyed!

[cheering and clapping]

The Prime Minister of this fine socialist country

has given us 27,000 acres of land

for our settlement and our development.

In turn,

we shall help their economy through our labor.

Our dream has come true because of you,

my brothers and my children.

Your donations have helped made this moment possible.

I know that for some of you it has been difficult.

It is not an easy task to rid yourself

of your wealth and your earthly possessions

but that is the way of righteousness.

Because you have given with your hearts

to Johnston's Temple, you will be rewarded

with happiness and peace.

Not only in the here after you will have these gifts

of love but also on this earth for God is love

and I am love and I shall guide you to the land

where we will reap of these wondrous gifts

Our new home.

We must also thank our brothers and sisters

in prominent government positions who in many ways

have contributed significantly to our cause.

We are grateful to our First Lady and Vice President,

for their letters of support, as well as the

Secretary of the Department of Health,

Education and Welfare.

We have also to thank some of the top representatives

of the state.

The Lieutenant Governor of the state of California,

the mayor and the former mayor of the city

of San Francisco.

Among other whom we all know well.

Our friends in the Senate and our brothers

and sisters in Congress must also be thanked

for their unselfish dedication to our cause.

And now, let us pray.

[eerie organ music]

[grand orchestral music]

- I'm terribly sorry about your son.

You have my deepest sympathies, William.

- I'm positive it wasn't an accident, Lee.

Bill quit the sant headed by James Johnson

just the day before.

They did it, I'm sure of it.

- I've received many complaints about some

of Johnson's people.

I find it difficult to accept they're capable of murder.

There are more than 30,000 members

in Johnson's congregation and keep this in mind,

you are accusing a reverend who is preaching

the word of God.

- Bill told me he had quit.

They threatened him.

Those people are mad, possessed.

You've got to do something, Lee, please.

- I'll do whatever is possible, William.

If they've committed a crime, I promise you,

they'll be punished.

[orchestral music]

[gentle music]

[animals shrieking]

[siren blaring]

- There.

The next time you wanna go down to the river,

don't take your shoes off.

- Jenny, come on, gotta take you to the pavilion.

- Why is he gathering us at this time of the day?

- [Man] Isn't that what he usually does, Doc, come on.

- For the past several months since our arrival here,

we have toiled and sacrificed together

in love and in faith.

To build this colony, we have created Johnsontown.

A true paradise, a land of promise

through faith and me.

We have cleared the jungle and built roads.

In brotherhood, we have built our homes,

dining in recreational facilities.

Medical center, schools and playgrounds for our children.

We have electricity and a communication network

throughout the colony and radio contact

with the outside world.

We have, here, proof of my endless love.

Everything I promised you,

but despite this great deed, there are still those

who oppose us.

Who speak falsely of our church,

there are still those who would be enemies

to Johnson's Temple.

Mimes, we've had defectors, deserters from the ways

of love and truth.

They will wander the earth in retribute

and in disfavor with God.

Those who oppose Johnson's Temple, oppose me.

And those who oppose me oppose God

and they shall die in shame and sin

and feel the mighty pull of God's smite.

And on Judgment Day,

I shall make them pay.

- Christ is God!

- [Group] Christ is Johnson!

Christ is Johnson!

Christ is Johnson!

Christ is Johnson!

Christ is Johnson!

Christ is Johnson!

Christ is Johnson!

- There is no power on this earth

that can sway from our claim to glory.

We have enemies, enemies throughout the world,

enemies in the United States of America

who want to destroy us, but before they do,

I shall be a shield and your light

in a holy mission,

a true and pure revolutionary moment.

Where we will lay to rest our bodies

by our own hand, just as we agreed

to do in California and we will teach them.

We will be an example to the world.

[ominous music]

- [Woman] Joey finally fell asleep.

- If he shows up late again for our community

meeting I will have him punished for disobedience.

He must learn.

- Oh, John Paul is just a child.

- All of them, each and every one of them

must obey my word.

I will not be defied.

- Don't you think that all this punishment

will only increase their disillusionment?

A lot of people are very unhappy, Jim.

They're talking about going back to the States.

- No, they won't.

I will not allow infiltrators to betray those

who believe in me.

I gave them all of this, I can also take it away from them.

They're weak, without my guidance and protection,

they are lost.

If I should fall, woman, you, my children

all of them will fall with me.

- Jim, you're hurting me.

[animal howling]

[rumbling]

[rumbling]

- I was expecting you.

- How did it go?

Did you talk to Petrulia?

- Yes, he told me to pass the application

over to Moscow.

The entire community can make an exodus

towards the Soviet Union, but he hasn't

received an answer yet.

[sighs heavily]

- Well, I wanna save them,

I wanna save every one of them.

Stupid idiots, they don't answer.

- Petrulia thinks there's no problem getting visas

for a delegation to go to the Soviet Union,

analyze situation.

- You're going with me, Anna.

And you're gonna make whatever money transfers

are required for the exodus.

- I'll do anything you say.

Please, give me some.

- We found it, Anna.

We found nature to nature.

Without sin, corruption...

Without promises. [laughs]

Of joy and heaven, we found it right here,

right here on earth, Anna.

- Those who do not remember the past

are condemned to repeat it.

- Mm, my Anna.

My sweet Anna.

- [Anna] Will you stay with me tonight?

- Yes.

Because only I can love you.

You know that, Anna?

My wife knows that and the women and the men

they know that because I was meant for them.

[thunder rumbling] [rain pouring]

- [Voiceover] This way.

[ominous music]

[siren blaring]

- Your son, Fred.

Your son, Lida.

And your son, Thomas,

are also my sons, but they have failed me.

They have defied my laws, the laws of this Temple.

They have stolen that which is most precious

to all of us and belongs to all of us.

Food.

Tell me, Fred, what shall I do with your son Mark?

- Punish him.

[ominous music]

- And you, Lida?

What shall I do with your son, Samuel?

- Punish him.

[ominous music]

- Thomas Gees, what shall I do with your son, Tommy?

- Punish him.

[ominous music]

- [Reverend] All of you, what shall I do

with these children?

- [Group] Punish them!

- So be it.

Those who do not remember the past,

they are condemned to repeat it.

[child whimpering]

[screaming]

[screaming]

[screaming]

I forgive you because I love you.

And I will show you my true expression of love.

[speaks foreign language]

- [Voiceover] I am a free citizen.

[speaks foreign language]

I am a free citizen.

[speaks foreign language]

A brother who depend.

- Come on, get to work, hey!

You already had your 10 minutes.

- [Voiceover] Yes, sir.

[speaks foreign language]

- [Voiceover] A brotherhood of man.

- Hey, that bastard's running away!

[speaks foreign language]

- [Voiceover] A better man.

[speaks foreign language]

I love you.

[speaks foreign language]

I love you.

[speaks foreign language]

With love.

[group shouting]

[man grunting]

- Please, don't hurt him!

[woman shouting]

- San Francisco, do you have it?

- [Voiceover] Roger.

- It is urgent to solve the Jeremy case.

Weston, are you there?

Weston, we're on the air again at the same time.

- [Voiceover] Yes, Reverend Johnson.

- San Franciso, I'm cutting off, over and out.

Weston, I'm staying with you.

How's your photography?

- [Voiceover] Fine, Reverend, I'm learning more everyday.

- Well, then, you should accept my invitation

to Johnsontown.

You'd learn a lot of things here.

Some very interesting things you should see.

I assure you, my friend.

Johnsontown is a paradise.

- [Voiceover] I'll do whatever I can to visit

and meet your personally, Reverend Johnson.

- Fine, when you make up your mind, let me know,

so I can send someone to pick you up

at the airport in Georgetown.

Oh, and don't forget to bring your camera.

There are many things to photograph here.

What's going on, Gary?

- [Gary] Susan Ames is here,

she just got into Georgetown.

- [Voiceover] Reverend Johnson,

are you there? - [Reverend] Let her in.

Okay, Weston, we'll be in touch again tomorrow.

Same channel at the usual time, over and out.

- [Voiceover] Roger, Johnsontown, UF 028, over and out.

- I sent for you a couple of days ago, Susan.

What held you up?

- I'm sorry, Reverend Johnson, but things

in Georgetown have become a little complicated.

- [Reverend] What's wrong?

- It's about John Paul Stern's legal custody.

The California courts have decided in favor

of the Stern's.

You see the case has reached the US Embassy.

That might mean trouble for you and the community.

Reverend, let me take the child to the embassy.

They'll send him back to the States.

In the meantime, I advise you not to go to Georgetown.

- Imbeciles, how dare they,

how dare they threaten me?

This is my land, my town, I drove it, it's mine,

it belongs to me.

And these people here, they're mine too.

I made them and the authority and the law

and they owe me justice.

1,000 cut wounds aren't going to take

that child away from me.

John Paul is my own flesh and blood.

That traitor, Glenda Stern, she can bear witness

to that fact.

Damn her soul.

If I wanna go to Georgetown,

then by God, I'll go to Georgetown!

Gary.

This case is being used against me by my enemies

in the States.

It's the CIA, they need an excuse to come here

to Johnsontown to wipe us out.

And Johnny is that excuse.

- Yes, it does look as if they're closing in.

[bell ringing]

[group chattering]

- No meat?

Rice and gravy again.

After working 13 hours under the burning sun.

Don't you think it's fair

that we get a little meat, Sam?

- Carl, I do what I can with what they give us,

so if you wanna complain,

go and see Father Johnson.

- It's the same stuff again.

- It's okay, Tina.

- We will have to cut expenses in food rices to a minimum,

if we're going to finance our journey to safety.

- Debbie Moore should've never been involved

in our money affairs.

She defected and betrayed us.

She spread lies and smeared the reputation

of our Temple all over the states.

Even the social security checks we get

from our old people are in jeopardy

because of her statements.

We're talking about $65,000 a month.

- That's why so many of them left

and stopped their contributions.

- Oh, Debbie isn't the only enemy we've got.

There are a lot of our members' relatives

who are an absolute opposition to us.

You ought to know that, Anna.

Your father's one of them.

- That's right, Albert Kazan's name is in the report

our lawyer Dave Cole sent us.

Do you realize in May,

75 relatives sent letters

to the Secretary of State accusing us

of making a concentration camp out of--

- That's enough, Susan.

Don't you ever repeat that word around here again.

Now you're in charge of Georgetown

and part of your job is to prevent lies

from getting in or out of Johnsontown.

We must not be contaminated.

Now I want you and every other capable member

of our community to write letters home.

To our relatives and to our friends

and tell them how well we're doing

and we're happy here.

We must stop those filthy lies.

I personally will inspect every one of those letters.

And also, we will include pictures.

All right, children, smile, smile, that's it.

- [Anna] You look beautiful, Mrs. Russell.

- [Reverend] Smile, come on.

[children giggling]

All right, smile, come on, let's see some teeth.

Say Johnson.

This is a nice one.

Okay.

- Smile, Billy, you look worse than a monkey.

[laughing]

- Okay, okay.

- Come on, cheer up.

- There you go.

Smile.

I want you to make sure that the cook doubles

the dosage of stimulants in the sandwiches

and the soft drinks.

Each one of our members has to be in condition.

By the time we call rehearsal for the white night again.

[somber music]

- Don.

How did we allow this to happen to us?

- Just trust James Johnson.

[ominous music]

[breathes heavily] [moaning]

[dramatic music]

- Father Johnson, please, I love Rebecca.

- Lazarus.

[ominous music]

You will perform the sex act with a man.

The entire community will be your witness.

- Mr. Gable.

Several former sect members have stated

that the Reverend James Johnson used arm guards

to repress his people?

- There are no bodyguards in Johnsontown, Mr. Harvey.

- And there are no guns in Johnsontown?

- I didn't see any guns.

- Well they say there's an armed squad

that patrols in and around Johnsontown.

Do you claim this is not true?

- You should go then.

See for yourself sometime.

Johnsontown is a,

gem, Mr. Harvey,

a gem that the whole world should see.

[siren blaring] - Alert, hello.

Everybody to the pavilion.

Alert, alert.

We have enemies in the United States, the CIA,

the human freedom movement.

There are mercenaries have us surrounded

and they're waiting for the right moment

to destroy us because we have achieved

true interracial love and freedom.

Just like the Nazis did with the Jews,

they slaughtered them.

That's what the United States is preparing.

The crematoriums,

they want to exterminate the blacks.

Oh, no.

We will not let them.

Because before they do,

we will give the world a moment to remember.

A true revolution

act for the salvation of humanity.

We shall have our white night,

our night of liberation in which we will,

we will gain forgiveness, peace,

and eternal, eternal joy.

First, the truth.

And then ourselves.

We have rehearsed this night many times before.

We must prepare for the final night!

I bleed for you.

I will die for you.

Raise your hands

those who will die for me.

[ominous music]

[dramatic chord]

[grand orchestral music]

- Aren't you one of the lawyers who challenged

the commission with your reports

on the Kennedy assassination?

- That's right and other conspiracies.

Right now I'm being retained by Reverend Johnson

to check in on possible CIA infiltrations

under Johnsontown.

As a matter of fact, Congressman,

your interest in Reverend Johnson seems to me

to be turning into a political witch hunt.

I'm afraid if you continue to investigate,

you might cause considerable embarrassment

to the United States government.

- Nevertheless, we intend to proceed.

No persecution or witch hunt intended.

And also your reference to creating

an embarrassing political situation

for the United States government

does not impress me at all, good bye, Mister?

- Cole.

- Mr. Cole, we have some more work to do.

- Of course, I thought I just thought perhaps

I could...

Thanks for your time, Congressman.

- Now we're accused of witch hunts.

- I'm worried about the content of that lawyer's letter.

The one in answer to that telegram you sent Johnson.

- I liked that bit about Johnson ridiculing

the States by taking its people

to one of the other of two communist countries

that have granted him asylum.

- That's right, usual nasy threats.

Soviet Union or Cuba.

- Oh, come on.

If a congressman would pay attention

to all the threats and pressure he got,

he wouldn't have time to be a congressman.

- You know, sir, the state department people

are totally opposed to us taking this trip.

They say they don't have enough background on the sect.

Besides, our Embassy in Guyana is claiming

it knows nothing about what is happening there

in Johnsontown and they have reservations

about our visit.

- I'm obligated to go ahead with it.

I cannot ignore all the complaints

from worried parents.

Who state that their children are being held

by force in Johnsontown.

Oh, come on, you two.

Relax, will ya, this is just another mission.

Meanwhile, let us be nice to the...

Gentlemen of the press.

- What do you think, Leslie?

- I don't know.

- Good morning.

- [Group] Good morning.

- How are ya?

I'm very happy that you're all here.

Well, gentlemen, please sit down.

- [Group] Thank you, sir.

- [Lee] What can I do for you?

- Mr. Congressman, my name is Ron Harvey

from Indiana News.

My associate Albert Brook and I have been

chosen to go to Guyana with you.

- I'm please to meet you.

- I'm Bert Powers, sir, from the San Francisco World.

- How do you do?

- I'm George Karn, sir, Washington reporter.

- Hello, George.

- Ted Rutherford, Congressman,

from the San Francisco Post.

- [Lee] It's my pleasure, Ted.

- Cliff Robinson, sir.

I'm assigned to Ted to make this trip with you.

- Well, I'm thankful for all your company.

- Sir, is this going to be a dangerous assignment?

- I don't know, but if it is, I've got all of you around.

[laughing]

- Sir, we are all very glad to be taking this trip

with you but we would like to know,

is it true that Johnsontown is a kind

of concentration camp?

- Gentlemen, I've been getting all kinds of reports

about torture,

extortion, violation of human rights,

child abuse and what not, but we have absolutely

no evidence and that is precisely what we're going

down there to find out.

- I have heard reports, sir, that they confiscate

everyone's passports and valuables,

so that they can't leave.

That it's the birth of a new Hitler.

You know, all this, Mr. O'Brien,

isn't there some sort of political speculation?

- In what sense, Mr. Rutherford?

- A man able to convince thousands of people

that he's the Messiah but also tell them

both to so and so.

- I beg your pardon, Mr. Rutherford,

but I do not believe that James Johnson

is the Messiah.

- I agree, but how would you explain all those letters

James Johnson received from the First Lady,

the Vice President, and other government officials?

- Well, if Johnson received letters of thanks

from various political contenders

thanking him for his cooperation in their campaigns,

it doesn't necessarily mean that

those political figures support Johnson's Temple.

- Sir, we've been told that Mr. Johnson used

those letters to gain entrance into Guyana.

- Well, if the Minister of State of Guyana

chose to use these letters as high level references,

then it is his and his country's business.

- Have you been in touch with the leader

of Johnson's Temple?

- Yes, I have.

I have sent him a friendly letter stating

that I have heard all kinds of reports

about his commune and that I would like

to pay him a visit to ascertain for myself

if United States citizens are being held there

against their will.

- Mm-hm.

- Now, gentlemen, I know you have many questions to ask,

as do I, I've got a ton of them

and I'm sure we'll get the answers

when we leave Johnsontown.

Thank you very much for coming.

- [Group] Thank you.

- Tony Thompson's mother says

her son has served his time and should be released.

He was the boy caught stealing dope.

- Mm-hm.

Has he had enough?

- Oh, yes, everyday.

Until he became completely intoxicated.

- All right, tell them to let him go.

- Okay.

- [James] Is Stuart here?

- Oh?

What do you want him for?

- It's minor things, just go get him.

Nothing you have given me has helped.

Pain keeps growing more intense.

- Your illness has gotten worse, James.

There's nothing I can do.

- Funny how...

Faith can help people.

I used to help the people with just words alone.

I'd pretend to extract cancer from their bodies

and they would be healed.

I can't help myself.

My enemies have weakened my own faith.

It's my children, it's my children that

that's all as me.

They're helpless and monster.

They would really be lost without me

and you know how much I love them.

[solemn music]

- [cries] Oh, Tony.

Tony, Tony, what has he done to you?

Tony, what have they done to you?

What have you done to my boy?

You killed him.

[muffled speaking drowned out by crying]

Tony.

[crying]

- I know things are difficult in Georgetown,

but I'd rather have you there with the congregation

than here.

You stick to your basketball.

- Father, is there anything I don't know about?

- No, son.

No, you know anything and if anything should happen,

you know what to do.

[dramatic music]

- Dad, are you gonna be long in Guyana?

- Guyana, darling.

- I don't know, Lin.

For the first time in my life,

I'm not that eager to take on an assignment.

- Is something bothering you, Ron?

- I've had some nightmares, Rommy.

- Well then don't go.

Let them send somebody else.

- I suppose I'm the best in the business.

That's why they're sending me.

- [Child] Come back soon, Dad.

We're gonna miss you an awful lot.

- So you want me to pack your jacket, Dad?

- No, thanks.

Guyana is a hot country.

- Yes, its capital city is Georgetown,

below sea level.

Its area is

214,945 square kilometers

and its population is 800,000 people.

- [laughs] How did you know about that?

- Well every time you go on a trip,

Mom and I do a little research.

- You're forgetting it's a socialist country.

- Well, well, well.

You seem to know more about it than I do,

maybe you should be going instead of me.

- [Son] Dad, can I go with you?

- No, you're the oldest, you're gonna have

to look out after everybody while I'm gone.

I won't be gone long.

I'll come back, we'll take a long vacation, okay?

- Okay.

- [Voiceover] Hello, Al.

- [Al] I was so afraid I wouldn't get here on time.

- What's wrong, Dad?

I've already said good bye.

- I just wanted to see you once more, Cliff.

- Come on, Dad.

It's just a job.

- Yes, I know, I know, but each time

I see you leave, I'm afraid I won't see you anymore.

- I've gotta go now, I don't wanna miss the plane.

- [Al] Take good care of yourself, Cliff.

[dramatic music]

- Congressman O'Brien, I'm Alex Dtressler

from the embassy.

- [Lee] How do you do?

- I wasn't expecting such a large group of people.

- Well, they're reporters and relatives

of Johnsontown commune members.

We're all here for the same reasons.

- I see.

- I'd like you to meet my secretary Leslie Stevens

and my aid Mike Lile.

- Hello, how are you?

I think I have enough transportation

to accomodate you all.

- Thank you.

- Good, this way.

[upbeat music]

- Christ, Cliff, I hope all those cameras are wielded.

- Of course, I'm a professional.

My camera.

[laughing]

You're a rat.

Very funny.

- Mr. Kazan, I'm Ron Harvey of MDM News,

I wanted to talk to you on the plane.

- Good to meet you.

This is my son Peter.

- [Ron] Hi. - Hi.

- [Ron] Mr. Kazan, you're Anna Kazan's father.

She's a very close friend of the Reverend Johnson.

Can you give me any idea about her,

her personality?

Why did she join this sect?

- Mr. Harvey, I beg you, wait a couple of days.

I'm in no condition right now to make

any statements.

- I understand, sir.

- Mr. O'Brien, I don't think you or your team

have taken the necessary precautions for this mission.

And those reporters, you shouldn't

have brought them.

- Mr. Dressler,

I don't care what you think, we're here.

- Forgive me if I insist, but the ambassador and I

consider your mission down here very dangerous

especially with all those reporters

and the others joining you.

They won't let you into Johnsontown.

- Dressler, you don't give a damn

whether I go in or out of Johnsontown,

you're just worried about diplomatic relations.

I'm taking everyone who wants to come back with me

to the States.

[upbeat music]

- Congressman O'Brien.

As you can see, over 100 of our members

have signed this paper stating that

they do not want you or your people in Johnsontown.

- I understand there are more than 1,000 people there.

- We've been visited occasionally

by friends and relatives, but we've never invited

them to come and we're not interested in their concern.

- Are you speaking for yourself, Mrs. Ames

or are you speaking for the Reverend too?

- Congressman, Reverend Johnson is unable

to authorize your visit to Johnsontown

because he's ill and unable to meet with you.

- I must go in.

Mrs. Ames if I discover that the testimonial reports

by the relatives about conditions here,

the bad conditions are untrue,

then there's no basis for the charges.

However, if you refuse me and my party entrance,

then I must assume that Johnsontown

is a prison.

Never has anybody from the Temple

in all of the letters and testimony

that I have received, ever mention anything

about God.

Now if this is not a religious institution,

why are you tax exempt?

Laws maybe being broken right now.

Income tax laws, social security laws,

passport irregularities and I intend to bring this

to every arm of the United States government

and you can tell Johnson that I am going

into Johnsontown with or without his authorization.

[triumphant orchestral music]

Mr. Ambassador, after what we've heard here

in Georgetown, the reason for my mission is confirmed.

We know now what can happen in Johnsontown.

We must prevent it.

- Congressman, at first I wasn't in agreement

with your mission but I have changed my mind.

We've definitely had reports

that rehearsals for mass suicide are under way.

- Those people down there are dangerous,

they're fanatics.

- That's why I've been cautious, waiting now

for instructions from the State Department.

I advise that you wait.

- We can't wait any longer.

I can't wait, I'll take the risk.

- Well I can't stop you, but I warn you,

we're in a socialist country and we have reliable

reports that Johnson has been in close contact

with the Russian embassy and he has a very

efficient army of his own.

I can't guarantee your safety

or the safety of the people that are traveling with you.

- You and Dave Cole must persuade their men

not to come.

I have no guarantee that there isn't a CIA agent

among all those newspaper men.

- Cole and I have done our best

to dissuade him.

But he's as stubborn about coming down there

as you are about not letting him come.

He's probably on his way there now.

- Oh, for God's sake, what kind of lawyers are you?

I told you to come directly to Guyana

to prevent this.

- You have two options.

One, you can tell the media and the United States

congressman to go to hell.

I assure you if you do that, you'll find it very difficult

to explain to the US government

and two, Mr. Johnson, you can allow

the media and anyone else who's interested

to come down there and take a look for themselves.

- Okay, Gabe, let him come,

but under no circumstances is Albert Kazan

to come with them.

That man is CIA and I don't want him here.

You and Dave come along with him.

We've got a lot to talk about, over and out.

Well let's get to the airport.

- You've done the right thing.

[honking]

- Well, Congressman.

You finally got permission to visit Johnsontown.

We're going along to help with the interviews.

- [Lee] Good, good.

- Mr. Kazan, I'm afraid you cannot go.

- Why, why can't I go?

My daughter's there.

- Frankly, Mr. Johnson doesn't want you there.

- Now, now, Gable, just a minute.

We don't want anymore trouble, do we?

Better do as he says.

I'm sorry, I'm very sorry.

- It's gonna be all right, don't worry.

- Come on, let's go.

Take this.

[dramatic music]

[group shouting]

- [Lee] What the hell is this?

- I never thought you reporters had such

a bad reputation.

- We'll see.

♪ Everyone is ready

♪ To feel

♪ To feel

- [Voiceover] Congressman O'Brien,

this is Mrs. Johnson.

- Welcome to Johnsontown.

- How do you do?

- Congressman O'Brien, [mumbles]

would you like to follow me to meet Father?

- Yes, thank you, thank you very much.

♪ That's the reason

♪ Has to be love

♪ That's the reason

♪ Has to be love

♪ That's the reason

♪ Has to be love

♪ That's the reason

- [Mrs. Johnson] Father.

- Mr. O'Brien

You wanted to see the truth about Johnsontown.

- Yes, the truth about Johnsontown.

- Here it is.

Welcome.

- Thank you.

- Follow me.

- Anna.

Anna, wait.

Anna?

- Why the hell did you come here?

I don't need you, my father,

or anybody.

Don't you understand I'm very happy here?

- But Anna, Dad and all of us, we all love you.

I've come to get you out of here.

Dad is waiting for you in Georgetown.

- You wasted your time.

I like it here and I'm happy.

I'll never desert.

♪ That's the reason

♪ Has to be love

- I'm very happy to be here.

I've got to tell you, I've received a lot

of negative criticism and charges

against Johnsontown.

However, I can tell you this,

by looking at your faces,

I can see that there are some people here today

who feel this is the greatest thing

that ever happened to them.

[cheering and clapping]

[whistles]

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

I didn't realize I'd be such a hit.

[laughing]

Look, I am your friend.

I come here to meet you, I wanna talk to you.

Is there anybody here who has something

to say to me?

Say it!

Well, I've got to level with you.

I don't want to deceive any of you.

This is a congressional inquiry.

- [James] I understand [mumbles],

they're very closely related.

- What can you tell us concerning

the punishment practice on your commune members?

- I reject violence.

I reject corporal and physical punishment.

- [Ron] What about this picture?

She's been whipped pretty badly.

- We don't practice physical punishment anymore.

We stopped that a couple of months ago, maybe a year.

- What do you do?

People are willing to turn over total control

of their lives to you.

- I'm a socialist, I believe in absolute democracy.

I hate power, I don't want money.

The only thing I want is to have never been born.

I realize that more and more everyday.

I'm not concerned about my image anymore.

- Mr. Johnson, what do you have to say

about Glenda Stern's case?

She states you're holding her son here

against his will.

- Glenda had no interest in that child,

none until she saw it in print.

Have Helen bring John Paul to me.

- Okay.

- You know, she's quite an actress.

She's a very seductive, terrible lady.

You know, she wanted me to marry her.

I said how can I, I've been married to Marilyn

for 27 years now.

She's a terrible lady.

I feel very guilty about our relationship.

Oh, John Paul, come.

Open your mouth and show your teeth.

You see?

See that?

Doesn't he look exactly like me?

Mm-hm.

John, tell me, would you like to live with Glenda?

- No.

- You see, you can't play with the lives of children.

Okay, John.

- [Ron] We've heard that sex is only your particular

privilege here in Johnsontown.

- Oh, that's bullshit.

How can you have babies without sex?

Do you know that we've had 30 babies born here

since the summer of '77?

Unfortunate for they are,

they would be the victims of our enemies.

Enemies who have formed a conspiracy.

Do you know that they have shot at me?

- Who is behind this conspiracy?

- Well the same people who conspired

to kill Martin Luther King, the Kennedy,

Malcom X.

I have tried to build a community here.

An alternative culture to the one

in the United States.

All I want for my people is peace and tranquility.

I want the fighting to stop,

otherwise I don't know what will happen

to the 1,200 lives that are living here.

[upbeat music]

- I want you to meet with them, talk to them,

I gotta know how they really feel.

- Mm-hm.

- [Child] Hello.

- Hi.

Will you come here, I'd like to talk to you.

You like it here?

- [Child] Yes.

- You do, huh?

- Yes.

- And you?

- Yes.

- What don't you like about it?

- The food.

- Oh, the food, huh?

And you, what don't you like?

- School.

- Well no little girl your age likes school.

Where's your mommy?

- She's over there.

- And yours?

- Over there.

- Over there, I see.

And who's your father?

- Father Johnson.

- Father Johnson, and yours?

- [Girl] Dad.

- Oh, Reverend Johnson.

Would you like to come back with me to the States?

- [Child] No.

- And you?

- [Girl] No.

- Why not?

- [Girl] 'Cause I'm very happy here, because I'm happy.

- [Child] 'Cause I'm happy.

- I'm glad they're happy here.

Would you look at that man's face?

- Get him out of here.

I will not have them staying over night.

[ominous music]

- Ma'am, we wanna stay over night,

simply to get a better perspective

of the commune.

- I'm sorry, that is impossible.

Father Johnson is unable to assist you

and we don't have any place for you to stay here.

You'll just have to go to a hotel in Port Kaltuma.

- But we have no reservations there.

- Oh, yes, you do.

We made them for you.

Only Congressman O'Brien and his staff

are allowed to stay here.

- Well, it'd be better to do what Johnson wants, fellas.

I'll be waiting for you here early in the morning.

You better go.

- [Reporter] See you later.

- Yep.

- Congressman O'Brien, would you like to come

with me to your room, please.

- [Lee] Thank you.

- [Woman] Sir.

[solemn music]

Here.

- What do you think of all of this, Harvey?

- I think this whole thing is falling apart.

Take a look at this.

- That's pretty heavy.

- Your fever's disappeared, I think you're all right.

- I feel better, thank you, Gary.

- Well, I'm going to bed, it's been a hard day.

- [David] Yeah, me too, I'm gonna get some sleep.

- [James] Good night.

- [David] Good night.

- I think we made it.

The congressman seems very impressed.

- Hm, I won't feel at ease

until they leave the commune, all of them.

[ominous music]

[gentle music]

[rooster crowing]

- Over there.

- Gentlemen, good morning.

- [Ron] Congressman, how are you?

- Pretty good, how about some breakfast?

- Hi.

- [Man] Hello.

- Hey, where do you think you're going, man?

Nobody goes in there.

- [Man] I'm a reporter and I wanna see

what's inside.

- Yeah, well you can't go in.

Once more and I'm gonna blow you away.

- [David] Hey, wait a minute, hold it,

what's the problem here?

- This man won't let us inside that place.

I think I heard some moaning.

- You've got to let us take a look.

That's why we're here.

- I can't let them in, you know I got orders.

- If you don't wanna get in trouble

with Reverend Johnson, you better let them in.

He said they could look at whatever they wanted to.

Okay?

Okay. - [Bearded Man] All right.

- [David] Come on.

[ominous music] [coughing]

- My Lord, what is this?

- My God, it looks like a slave galley.

- I'm determined to leave.

I've already notified the newspaper men.

- I'm leaving too, I can't stay here anymore.

I've been deceived.

I see everything clearly now.

- You've got to come with us, Mrs. Millard.

- Yes, Catherine, that man is our only hope.

If we don't try for it now,

we might never have another chance.

- I don't know, I'd like to,

but I still have faith in Father Johnson.

[ominous music]

- Well, suit yourself but we're leaving with Mr. O'Brien.

- Let's go.

- We hear that you're always armed.

- That's a bold face lie, just look around you.

- What can you say about that?

- People play games, friend.

It's a lie, what can I do about liars?

Look, would you people please leave us?

Please, I beg you, just leave us.

- Would you allow some of your members to leave?

- Anybody is free to go.

They come and go all the time.

- Reverend Johnson,

those seven people wanna leave.

- I've been betrayed, it never stops.

Go away, get out of my village.

I don't wanna hear you anymore, see you,

you're traitors, liars.

You're all traitors and liars.

- Let them go, who cares if seven or 71 will leave.

You can't change what you've accomplished here.

- I feel like I've been stabbed in the back.

- Sir, I wanna get out of here with my daughter, please.

- No, you're not going to take away my daughter.

- [David] Please, folks, please, this argument

will get you nowhere.

Only a court of law can decide who will

get custody of the child.

- Sir, help me get her out of here, please.

- All American citizens who wish to leave with me,

are welcome to do so!

- It's a plot.

They want to destroy us.

- Don't you worry, Reverend, nobody wants

to hurt you, I assure you.

This does not have to develop into a full scale

congressional investigation.

I only want to take with me those people

who want to come back to the United States.

- Congressman O'Brien.

- [Lee] Yes?

- You are a pig.

[dramatic music] [shouting]

- Mr. O'Brien.

Does this change everything?

- It doesn't change everything but it changes things.

[dramatic music]

All right, let's go, hurry.

Get these people to the plane.

- [Voiceover] Mr. O'Brien.

- Mr. O'Brien.

The number of families that are wanting to leave

is increasing.

- I'll wait for the next load.

Tell them at the airport, I [mumbles].

All right, get going.

Leslie, go on, go.

- [Leslie] Lee.

- That one is not really leaving.

He's one of them, it's a plot.

Something is going to happen.

Come on, we've got to get going.

- There's a great deal of resentment against you two.

I don't know what will happen.

Get one of the guest houses.

There's no doubt in my mind

that it's better to choose to die

than to be harassed from one continent to another.

Congressman O'Brien's plane

will fall from the sky.

- Come on.

Line up over here.

Open your bags.

That's fine.

Get them loaded.

- It's gonna be tight, look at that.

Hold it.

- Congressman O'Brien said I could go

on the first plane.

- All right, but hurry up.

- Thanks.

- [Man] Look out, he's got a gun.

[screaming] [guns firing]

- [Voiceover] Shoot, shoot them, kill them!

[guns firing] [screaming]

- Do something!

Somebody help!

Help us, help us!

Someone, please do something!

[guns firing]

[gun firing]

[gun firing]

[guns firing]

[crying]

[crying]

- [Man] All of them were killed.

[ominous music]

[James whispering]

- Congressman O'Brien is dead and all the churchlings.

Guyanese defense force will be here in 45 minutes.

Now we must die with dignity.

This is our time.

My time.

We can't live in peace

then we must die in peace.

My sisters, bring me my babies.

- [Doctor] Get the other back.

- [James] They go first, then my children.

- [Doctor] Is everything there?

Keep stirring. - [James] And you my brothers

and sisters, we will die with dignity.

There is no other choice.

They'll pay for it, they'll pay for it.

It's the revolutionists.

- [Man] We're going to die.

This is a great moment, we're going to die.

- [James] They'll pay for this.

- Why, what's going on out there?

- James Johnson has ordered a revolutionary suicide.

It's a protest against facism and racism.

- Isn't there any other alternative?

- [Man] No, there is not.

We're all going to die for our cause.

- Richard and I are going to write about this,

the world has to know about this great moment.

You will be in history.

Johnson was right to tell us to write about this.

- Yeah.

- It will be a great historical moment.

We better get out of here before the troops arrive.

So they won't keep us from writing the truth.

Which is the fastest way out of here?

- [James] And we will be free.

We are ready now, now to die with dignity.

- [Voiceover] Hey, kids, I'm home.

Where are you?

[dramatic music]

[screaming]

- I've got the right to choose and I choose not to die.

Who made this decision for the children?

They have a right to life and happiness.

- When I die,

no one else will be happy.

- You ungrateful bitch, when we all die,

you'll go first, you'll die for sure.

- Without James Johnson, you have no life.

- Come.

[ominous music]

Gary, administer the potion.

The troops are coming, they're gonna torture

the children and kill us all, but we must die with dignity.

[baby crying]

Hurry, hurry, children first.

Dying today now is better than 20 years later

lying in somewhere rotten.

They take us.

- No, no, no!

[baby crying]

- They robbed us of our land.

They've taken us and driven us 'til we're tired.

[baby crying]

But it's too late, you can't separate yourself

from your brothers and your sisters.

No way, no way am I going to do it,

I refuse, I refuse.

I don't know who fired the shot that killed

the Congressman, but as far as I'm concerned,

I killed him.

You understand what I'm saying?

I killed him.

Children, it's definitely--

- Don't!

No, don't!

- [James] Oh, God, Mother.

Mother, Mother, please, please don't do this.

Don't do this, lay down your life for your child,

but don't do this.

- [Nurse] Lay it all down.

[coughing]

- [James] I call on you to stop this nonsense.

I call on you to quit exciting your children,

when all they're doing is--

[crying] [screaming]

If you have any respect at all, it's all over now.

It's good.

Don't carry on this way anymore.

You're exciting your children, don't carry on

this way anymore.

I never lied to you, you think I lied to you?

[screaming and crying]

It's all over.

Hurry, hurry, hurry, my children, hurry.

All I ask is don't fall into the hands of the enemy.

Keep your emotions down, children, it will not hurt.

If you will be quiet, it's never been done before.

It's been done by every tribe in history.

Every tribe facing annihilation.

All the Indians of the Amazon are doing it right now.

They kill every child that comes into the world

because they don't want to live in this kind of a world.

Be patient, be patient, my children.

We're trying.

Quit crying, buddy, relax.

The best thing you can do is relax.

You'll have no problem.

You'll have no problems with the thing

if you just relax.

There's not to be feared, not be feared.

It's a friend, it's a friend.

Calm, just keep calm, we've got nothing we can do.

We can't separate ourselves from our own people.

Embrace death as a friend.

- I don't wanna die!

I don't wanna die!

- [James] Stop these hysterics.

- I don't wanna die!

I don't wanna die!

I don't wanna die!

[shouting]

- [Woman] There she'll be all right, Norma.

- I don't wanna die.

[shouting]

[ominous music]

- [James] Kiss each other.

Embrace your last earthly embrace.

We'll all go together.

We will meet again in the next life.

Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet.

Lie to me, lie to me.

Stop crying, stop crying.

Because noone's going to [mumbles].

Faster, faster, faster,

faster, faster, faster.

Get them good, get them good.

It's good to die, it's good to die.

This is a good cause, this is a good cause.

[baby crying]

When I rest, when I rest.

[mumbles]

- [Voiceover] I need a stethoscope.

- [Man] I'll get it, Doc.

Yeah, yeah, I'll get it.

- Take this, hurry.

[dramatic music]

[gun fires]

[ominous music]

- [Marilyn] Here.

[guns firing]

[gentle music]