Original subtitles

(Multicom Jingle)

- [Narrator] The following is based on a true story.

Some names have been changed.

(slow paced music)

(indistinct chatter)

- Ouch, that hurt!

I'm telling mom when we get home!

- Alright, let's keep it down to a dull roar back there!

- We're just having fun Edward.

- Y'all acting like a barrel full of monkeys.

(kid imitating monkey)

(laughing)

The monkey business gotta stop

or we're staying right here!

- You can't do that.

(children laughing)

- No more monkey business.

I'm the monkey in charge here okay?

Sit.

Stay.

You too.

(children laughing)

You too.

Okay.

(slow paced music)

- How much did we pay for this one?

- [Blonde] 350.

- I put 180 in so far,

what do you figure?

I say we ask 1,000 firm.

- Alright, that's what, $500 profit?

- [Blonde] If we sell it.

- Split three ways, that's nothing.

- Your folks home?

- I don't know, my grandma is though.

Why?

- I don't know.

What you gonna do tonight?

- I don't know, nothing I guess.

- [Narrator] Your mom and dad want us home for dinner.

- How much you figure we made this month?

- Not enough.

This isn't working too good.

These things just aren't moving.

- I need some money.

I need some money bad.

- What are you talking about?

Your parents got more money than God.

- Yeah, well my folks have had so much for so long

that they don't think much of money.

They live like dirt farmers.

- Yeah.

I guess 78 acres of dirt,

richest suburb of San Francisco.

This place is worth more than Rhode Island.

- I can hit up my grandma though.

I'd have to lie.

I could do that.

- Maybe if I got some money I could get

my parents off my back.

I'm supposed to be a podiatrist like dear old dad you know.

- You gonna live for now man.

Risk, daring, it all comes to the fast and the strong.

That is who makes it in this world.

The bold and the daring.

- Like you and your old cars huh?

You're very bold and daring.

(grunting)

- [Jim] What'd you do that for?

You okay?

- Okay, so the car thing ain't working out.

There's got to be way to score some big money.

(horn honking)

- Talk about it later, I gotta go.

- Yeah, go home to mommy and daddy.

(slow paced music)

- You know Odessa, sometimes I feel like I've got

all a man could ever need.

Take a look, it's not much, but it's ours.

Come here my darling Hannah.

We have a beautiful daughter,

and a beautiful grandchild.

Yes, and a beautiful wife.

- Oh, I told the girls down at work that if

you ever won the lottery,

you'd probably just buy a new battery for that old tractor.

- Maybe, and a new transmission for the old school bus.

- Look, Lee's coming by for Hannah in an hour

and they're gonna stay for dinner.

Now Hannah, you tell grandpa be sure to

get washed up and ready.

- Hannah, you tell her that I'll be done in 20 minutes.

- I think it's about time you started

putting your nose to the grindstone Fred.

Frankly, you're becoming an embarrassment

and I won't have it.

You've been given everything,

now do something with it

instead of squandering it away--

- You were giving everything too.

What do you do?

- What's that supposed to mean?

- You inherited everything from Grandma,

so why are you acting like you earned

everything on your own?

- Don't use that tone with me young man.

I've worked.

I run this quarry and I run this family.

Fred enough.

- You need to prove you're worthy of our family name.

It's an old name, a proud name.

We've been a part of the history of this state

since the gold rush and I won't have my only son

treat his heritage like the dole.

You just seem to have one harebrained,

worthless scheme after another.

(slow paced music)

(horse neighs)

- You're leaving again dad?

- Rodeo up at Calgary.

- Can I go?

- No, you got school and you gotta be man of the house

while I'm gone.

Well maybe I don't want to be the man of the house.

- Times gonna come when you gotta measure up

to being a man whether you're ready or not.

Life doesn't always wait on ya.

Here, why don't you load up that other horse for me

while I say goodbye to your mom.

Go on.

(horse neighs)

Whoa whoa Tim!

Come on Tim, you gotta show that horse who's boss.

- [Mom] Jack.

- He's spooked some dad!

- Spooked?

Easy.

- You're being a little hard on him aren't ya?

- Yeah well maybe you're being a little too soft on him.

- Come on mom.

- Still think we could renovate this place?

- Yeah we could.

But we don't even have enough for the down payment.

- Oh I think my grandma on cough up the dough.

But think about how much work it is.

I got a better idea.

- What?

Use grandma's money, make some big money.

- [Jim] Yeah right, how?

- A movie.

We come up with a story, produce it.

- What do we know about making movies?

- Nothing, who does?

I got a friend at film school says it's a breeze.

You know what they make.

People like stories about crime and violence.

- I saw this Clint Eastwood movie last week.

They hijacked this bunch of kids, it was great.

- Kids.

That's really smart.

People would pay ransom right away for kids.

- Yeah, but they blew it in the movie Fred.

- Yeah, yeah, but if you did it right,

really planned it.

See that's where they always screw up.

They're stupid, they don't plan it.

You remember that busload of kids that crashed?

How upset everyone was?

For a bus full of kids you could get a million dollars.

Easy.

- What the heck, two million.

- Three million huh?

- Five million.

Five million dollars from the state of California.

Let's plan it.

See if it can work.

- That's crazy.

- Yeah we are.

But what else you got to do?

It's just a game.

See if we can come up with something.

- Come up with what?

A movie on a crime?

(ominous music)

- A crime.

A perfect crime.

(ominous music)

(slow paced music)

- [Brunette] Just like clockwork.

- You did too!

I'm telling mom!

- I got your peanut butter fix for ya.

Kisses.

- Hey mom!

- You better not.

- No fighting.

You have homework?

- [Girl] I don't but Peter does!

- How would you know anyway?

- Mom, he hit me!

He's been a pest all day!

- She's lying!

She's just trying to get me in trouble!

- Stop it!

I come home from work and you two start it up,

the both of you, fight fight fight.

Just cool it.

- [Fred] All right Jim come on, you've got enough time.

What do you got for me?

- I've looked through hundreds of pages

of County section Maps,

I finally found the perfect place.

Chowchilla.

It's remote, it's got plenty of escape routes,

far from the law, and just the right size.

- Taking this a little bit serious for a game aren't you?

- This is excellent work Jim.

Attention to detail.

I like it.

How far is this place?

- It's only three hours from here.

- Let's go for a ride.

(bell ringing)

This is good.

- This is ridiculous.

Come on, let's go home.

- Come on, relax, what's the big deal?

Man can you believe this place is only

three hours from Portola Valley?

The kids though.

- Too many kids.

Too many people around here and way too much traffic.

- Summer school starts in two weeks.

There'll be a lot less kids then.

- Can we get out of here?

You guys are getting a little too serious.

(ominous music)

- We'd have to have him get pretty far from the school.

- He turns on road 16.

Map this on your chart there.

When he goes down road 12, he's as far from anyone possible.

(indistinct chatter)

- Look at that guy, dumb is a post I bet.

- This is the place.

- Place for what?

- What do you think we've been cruising this dump for?

We got this thing all damn near planned out.

Don't we?

- Damn near.

Damn near.

- Are you in?

'Cause it's a go.

(applauding)

- [Narrator] Now shooting down the chute

we've got Johnny Miller!

(loud horn honking)

Okay, Johnny takes his full eight seconds!

Nice job cowboy!

That's the way to go!

All righty now, up next we got

Tim Pearson out of chute number four.

He's riding Bambino.

And Tim's representing the Pearson Farms today!

So good luck to you Timmy!

- Okay son, make me proud.

- Good to go.

(loud ringing)

- [Narrator] Ooh, tough luck there.

Hang in next time there Timmy!

(indistinct speaking)

- Thanks.

- You're never gonna win a buckle that way.

- I think you did just fine.

You get a buckle from me anytime.

(slow paced music)

- Okay, we'll wait to register these things

until just before.

- [Rick] Why?

- In case anybody gets the license plates,

the information will get lost in the bureaucracy.

- Alright, we got to refit these interiors,

and we got to install the CBs,

and you guys have got to get a name

out of the phone book that we can register these things to.

- We're gonna do all this in a month?

- We gotta finish before summer school's out.

You got any better ideas?

- Hey, is it safe to do the work here at your folks?

- Let me worry about that.

Also, I got an old x-ray machine.

- An x-ray machine?

- Yeah, and some parachutes and some mannequins too.

- Hey Jim.

We're gonna be late for dinner.

- Watch your step squirt.

- I will.

- Hey, I didn't know you could talk.

- Bye Tim.

- [Children] Ooh!

♪ Tim and Cindy, sitting in a tree ♪

♪ K-I-S-S-I-N-G ♪

♪ First comes love ♪

♪ Then comes marriage ♪

♪ Then comes the baby in a baby carriage ♪

(gun firing) (glass shattering)

- Alright, here's how I figure it.

The kids, after we transfer 'em into the vans,

we drive around till we get to the place

where we're gonna hide 'em,

and we do have to hide 'em.

Where's Rick?

- Mom made him stay at home, clean his room.

- We're gonna do this Jim, is he in?

(gun firing) (glass shattering)

- He'll do anything I tell him.

- Yeah?

I'm telling you,

he better.

- He will.

(loud gun firing) (glass shattering)

So where could you hide them.

I mean, where could you hold a bunch of kids

until the ransoms delivered?

How could you be sure that they're gonna

stay put unless you're there yourself?

- I am way ahead of you.

(loud gun firing) (glass shattering)

(slow paced music)

- Come on back!

Come on, come on back!

Alright, watch your side.

Watch it on the side!

Alright good form, good form!

Come on back!

Come on back!

- [Narrator] What's the matter darling?

You've been blue.

- It's nothing.

- It's been nothing for three weeks now.

Come on honey.

- I hurt Tim's feelings.

- [Mom] I thought you liked him?

- I do, he asked me to the movies.

- [Mom] That's nice.

- I couldn't give him an answer.

Bonnie and Wendy were there and they laughed at him.

- Well you can still say yes if you want.

- He's been avoiding me this whole time

and summer school's almost over anyway.

- You know, sometimes you feel like you'd never

get another chance at anything.

But you always do.

Hey, I promise.

- Thanks mom.

(loud clanking)

(creaking)

- [Narrator] What's that?

- The roof!

- Come on Rick, let's get out of here!

Get out!

Hold on!

Hold up, hold up!

The dirt's gonna collapse the trailer!

- What's the problem?

- The dirt's gonna collapse the trailer.

- Relax.

- Relax?

You go down there, I'm not going in there.

- Get my toolbox.

Go get some two-by-fours out of that lumber pile alright.

Hurry up!

(ominous music)

Strong son of a gun for an old guy.

I'll have to be on him.

All the time.

- You know, I'll be glad when summer school is out

so that I can put a little more time in on this place.

- You've been working it too hard on both ends.

Maybe you should think about cutting back on the driving.

- I hate to admit it but

those kids are beginning to get on my nerves.

They're getting sassier and louder every year.

- Well you're getting older every year.

- Older am I?

Older?

Come on, let's wrestle huh?

- No Edward.

(laughing)

(ominous music)

- [Little Boy] Oh you always get it!

- Nuh uh, you got it yesterday!

- Yeah, right after you took it from my hand.

My turn!

- No you got it yesterday!

- Would you two stop it?

- [Little Boy] Oh she started it!

- I got it first!

He's gonna take it away from me!

- You know what?

I have a good mind to take you both to the pound.

I don't want to hear another peep out of either one of you.

- Okay, shut the door.

Perfect.

Get those extra Jerry cans.

We are three hours away.

Man I can't taste the adrenaline.

This is it!

We can't miss!

Come on, let's do it!

We have planned it to perfection, it is foolproof.

- Yes, we're really gonna do this aren't we?

- Yes.

- Yes!

- Okay, he picks up those kids at the pool at 4 o'clock,

let's move!

You can't back out now.

We're counting on you.

You got your gun?

- George Hill here we come.

- Let's go.

Don't bunch up.

One at a time, one at a time, come on.

Alright, here we go.

Come on.

Get up.

There you are.

Alright, keep it down.

- It's almost over!

One more day of summer school!

- [Kids] One more day!

One more day!

One more day!

- Keep it down back there! - One more day!

- [Kids] One more day!

One more day!

- One more day.

- [Kids] One more day!

(slow paced music)

(ominous music)

- [Fred] Right on schedule.

- We're really gonna do this aren't we?

- Yeah we are.

(clanking)

- Man, my head's pounding like crazy.

- Mine too.

Man this is looking good.

(ominous music)

♪ If you're happy and you know it clap your hands ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it shout hooray ♪

♪ Hooray ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it shout hooray ♪

♪ Hooray ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it ♪

♪ Then your face will surely show it ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it shout hooray ♪

♪ Hooray ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it clap your hands ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it clap your hands ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it ♪

♪ Then your face will surely show it ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it clap your hands ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it stomp your feet ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it stomp your feet ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it ♪

♪ Then your face will surely show it ♪

♪ If you're happy and you know it stomp your feet ♪

♪ If you're happy ♪

- [Fred] Open the door, now.

- What is this, some kind of a joke?

- Get in back.

- This is my bus, what's this all about?

- [Fred] I said get in back.

Do you want anybody hurt?

- No.

- [Fred] Do you want trouble?

- No, no.

- [Fred] Then get in back!

- Alright.

Alright.

- [Fred] Everybody shut up!

(screaming)

- [Narrator] I want my mommy!

(ominous music)

- Guys stay put, and you listen to instructions.

Alright alright, listen to me!

Everybody listen to me!

We are gonna move into these vans

and we're gonna go back row by row.

Does everybody understand?

Now get up!

Get up!

- Hey!

Hey I'm talking to you here!

Some of these kids got--

- Okay tough guy, you wanna be a tough guy huh?

You're going first, you understand me?

Get 'em in there, get 'em in there!

Move!

Go, go!

- [Narrator] Stay down.

- Sit down!

Come on, come on hurry it up!

Come on kids, jump down here.

Watch your head.

- Where are you taking us?

I need to know!

- You sit back and do nothing!

You understand me?

Nothing, until I tell you to do it!

Let's go!

Move!

(ominous music)

Come on, come on, come on, hurry up.

Come here.

Come on, get in!

- [Narrator] No, let me go!

- Just get in.

(screaming)

Yes, we did it.

Like clockwork.

4:35.

(loud sobbing)

- [Narrator] I'm scared Edward.

What are they gonna do to us?

- It's alright.

It's some kind of a joke I'm sure.

- [Narrator] What are they gonna do to us?

- It's not a joke is it?

They're going to kill us all aren't they?

- No, no, no, no, no they're not.

- What are they gonna do to us?

- [Narrator] I'm scared.

I'm scared Edward.

- At least I can depend on you Wrigley.

(solemn music)

(coughing)

(sobbing)

- Get some air back here.

(loud banging)

Can you hear me?

Speak to me, talk to me!

You've got to stop.

Get some air back here.

(loud banging)

(ominous music)

(ringing)

- Superintendent Tatum.

No, we haven't heard anything.

Well it's probably a breakdown.

Yes you see the drivers (ringing)

are instructed not to leave the bus..

Well that doesn't sound like Ed Gray.

Well I'll check into it

and I'll get back to you Mrs. Alanzo.

Yes, thank you.

Yes.

Superintendent Tatum.

No, no. (ringing)

We think it may be a breakout.

We're checking into it.

Yes sir.

Superintendent Tatum.

(ringing)

- Hello.

- [Narrator] Is Edward home yet?

- No he's not.

He was supposed to be here to bail hay but--

(dial tone)

- I couldn't find the bus on his route.

- [Narrator] What do you mean?

- What do you mean?

- Ed's bus.

Couldn't find it.

We covered the route twice.

- I've got my other two men looking everywhere.

Expanding out from the original route.

Right now, it's nowhere to be seen.

- Nowhere?

What do you mean nowhere?

It's a big yellow bus.

Where is it?

Where's my babies?

Where's our kids?

(coughing)

- Hey, hey, hey, hey, we're almost there.

It's gonna be okay.

- Almost where?

Back home?

- We'll sing a song.

♪ If you're happy and you know it ♪

- But I'm not happy.

- Then we'll sing if you're sad

and you know it clap your hands.

♪ If you're sad and you know it clap your hands ♪

♪ If you're sad and you know it clap your hands ♪

♪ If you're sad and you know it ♪

♪ Then your face will surely show it ♪

♪ If you're sad and you know it clap your hands ♪

- [Narrator] We've got it.

It's in Berenda Slough off road 14 and a half.

I don't see anybody there though, over.

(sirens blaring)

- It's the bus, they found the bus.

The kids, the kids are gone.

(ominous music)

(coughing)

- It smells.

It's making me sick.

- Gasoline, they're refilling the tanks.

- I'm gonna get sick.

- Alright.

Come here.

Come here.

- Edward.

Edward, I have to pee.

- [Kids] Me too.

- Just go ahead and do what you've done before.

Go ahead, go ahead and do it.

Do it.

(loud banging)

- Hey!

I want it quiet in there!

- [Narrator] Mommy, I wanna go home.

- A doll, nothing else.

Not a footprint, not a trace.

- Les, I've got a faint tire track here.

- Shoot it.

Yeah.

- Tire prints show a lot of weight.

- Looks like another set of wheels

got stuck a little over here.

- You think the kids might not have been

transferred into another bus?

- [Les] I think we're talking vans.

Small delivery types maybe.

(ominous music)

(faint crying)

- Let's get to work.

Okay, let's do it.

You, get out.

Come on, come on, get out.

Take your clothes off.

Take your clothes off.

The pants.

Take the pants off.

Come on, come on hurry up.

Get down.

- What is this?

Hey, just what do you fellas want?

Listen, those kids are suffocating in there.

They're dying of thirst.

They're sitting in their own waste.

- Get down the hole, now.

- It works.

(screaming)

- Give me a piece your clothing.

All he's got is a shirt.

- We got to get a piece from each kid, remember.

Give me your glasses.

- What's your name?

- Ricardo, Ricardo Alanzo.

- How old?

- Eight.

Are you gonna kill me?

- Maybe, give me your glasses.

- I need 'em to see.

- [Fred] Give me your glasses.

- Here, take them.

- What are you doing!

Go on, down in there.

- [Jim] He's got a flashlight in there okay.

(screaming)

What's your name?

- Peter Rogers.

- [Jim] How old?

- Nine.

- Alright, just give him your shirt.

Give it to him.

Go on, go on, go on.

Come on!

- [Jim] What's your name?

- Tim Pearson.

- This is tough guy.

Give me your belt tough guy.

Give me your belt.

- No I'm not gonna give you my belt.

No, no my mother gave it to me.

Let go of me.

- Oh look, we got the champ here.

Down the hole champ.

(screaming)

(indistinct chattering)

- I think Sheriff Holman's here.

Sheriff Holman, he's here.

- What took him so long?

- I don't know.

He'll be here any second now

and I'm sure he'll have something to tell us.

- Oh there.

- There she is.

Where's that damn husband of yours?

- What?

- [Narrator] Jack don't.

- Where is he?

He was always a little strange as far as I was concerned.

- What are you saying Jack?

My Edward would never do anything to harm a child.

Why he's driven you to school and your children.

- Yeah, well you don't have a kid missing.

You don't know how we feel.

- Oh yes I do.

I've got my husband missing.

And he's as good and decent as any man alive.

And you all better just pray to God

how lucky you are that those children are with Edward.

- [Jack] There he is.

- Please, I have a statement.

I've just been informed that the

President of the United States has dispatched

50 FBI agents to Chowchilla.

- What about you?

What are you doing?

- I know this is no ease to some of you,

but we and the federal government

are about to commence with the biggest manhunt

in California history.

- What have you found out?

They've been gone for eight hours.

Why?

Why have they taken our children?

Why?

- We're working with everything we have.

- [Narrator] They're doing nothing.

- Why hasn't anything happening?

- He'll be safe.

He'll be fine.

(screaming)

- [Narrator] I don't wanna go!

- Sally, how many more are your in your van?

- Just me and Wendy.

Where's my brother?

- I'm over here!

- [Edward] Come on Wendy.

- Edward, don't let them do this!

(screaming)

- [Narrator] Watch out!

- Go go go.

(loud thud)

(ominous music)

- You'll be alright.

We're gonna be alright.

(loud thudding)

(screaming)

- Hold up hold up, what are you doing?

It's not enough.

- Right, the plates, the batteries,

we've got almost 400 pounds on here.

I think it's enough.

- Do as I tell you.

- Fred, it's enough.

- Better be.

It better be.

(ominous music)

(loud thudding)

- It's okay, it's alright.

- [Narrator] I wanna go home.

- Edward, Edward look here.

Edward look here.

What is it?

- Air.

Some sort of fan system for fresh air.

Sounds weak.

Yeah it is weak.

(screaming)

(creaking)

Get back!

- [Rick] Is that a cop?

Oh my god, Jim there's a cop right behind us.

- [Fred] Shut up!

Just stay cool.

- Can't stop can we?

We couldn't just let them go could we?

- Just stay cool.

- Wait, wait.

We'll wait until the morning.

We'll call in the ransom.

I still think five millions the best.

- [Narrator] I'm scared.

- [Narrator] Water!

- [Tim] Edward, there's food in here!

Get out the water!

(indistinct yelling)

- Stay back!

Calm down!

Stop, get back!

This has to be rationed!

You have to share, do you know what share means?

We've got to share this!

Now we don't know how long...

All right.

- [Tim] Don't step on that.

- Okay line up.

Line up like you're doing waiting for the bus.

All of you line up.

(ringing)

(indistinct chatter)

- Les, there's 200 press types out there.

This one woman from from New York City

just took a cap from LA to get here.

A 200-mile cab ride.

She wants to report.

- Yeah?

To report what?

Kids have been gone 18 hours and no message.

Why don't think call?

(busy signal)

- Man.

There's not a phone in Chowchilla that's not busy.

- How're we supposed to phone in a ransom

if all the phones are busy man?

- Try again.

- We've been trying to get through for three hours.

(coughing)

- The airs getting awfully thin in here Edward.

I mean that fan's starting to get slower.

- Yeah.

I've been watching it for quite a while.

- What are we gonna do when it quits?

What are we gonna do if it quits Edward?

- Hold on now, none of that you understand?

None of that.

I'm gonna need your help.

You understand?

Good.

We've been here for about

almost 14 hours.

We got to get out.

- [Tim] How are we gonna do that Edward?

- I can help.

I'm little but let me help.

- Yeah yeah yeah.

I tell you what.

We want to take the mattresses

and pile them up.

Okay squirt, you're gonna help.

Help pile up the mattresses over here.

Come on, let's go.

- [Tim] Hey, come on get up.

We're gonna move these mattresses.

Let's go, we're gonna move this.

Let's move it over here.

(ringing)

- [Reporter] Mrs. Rogers, can you tell us about your kids?

- They're just kids.

Cats and dogs.

I miss them so much I could die.

How could anyone do such a thing?

They're just children.

If whoever out there is watching,

please,

my babies.

Please don't hurt my babies.

(loud sobbing)

- Hold on honey, hold on.

- [Mrs. Rogers] I'm sorry.

(coughing)

- I can't do it.

We need something, a crowbar or something.

That's would do it.

That's what we need.

- [Tim] Fine I'll get it.

- No, no, no.

- [Tim] It'll work.

- The roof.

- Edward we need, we need it--

- Don't touch it.

It could bring down the whole roof.

Kids, kids, get back.

Get back against the trailer.

Way back.

Get back of the trailer, back of the trailer.

Come on, come on.

Get back of the trailer.

That's it.

Let's get it up.

Get it up, that's it.

(scraping)

(suspenseful music)

Come on.

Give me that.

It moved a bit.

You see that?

- We gotta get back there Jim.

What if something happens to those kids?

- Nothing's gonna--

- Jim, you were in there!

And that roof could collapse at any second!

- Don't go chicken on us.

Fred finds out he'll be mad.

- You know, I never really dreamed we'd do this.

Did you hear those kids screaming Jim?

Did you?

- They're kids.

They'll get over it.

They're probably--

- Jim, have you been watching the news!

The whole federal government's involved!

There's reporters from all over the world in Chowchilla!

- Settle down damn it.

It is perfect.

It is perfect!

It has been pulled off perfectly.

- The hell it is.

Perfect.

- Okay.

Alright, we'll take them some food later on.

Not now.

Not until it's after dark.

It's too dangerous until then.

(coughing)

- Sally give me your hand.

Here.

You got it?

- Uh huh.

- Put that up.

- Yeah they put something on top of this.

Feels like a battery.

A big one.

It's coming.

Little by little it's coming.

- Here Edward.

(creaking)

- [Mrs. Rogers] Whoever is out there watching,

please, please don't hurt my babies.

- Ugh, turn off that TV.

I can't hear anymore of that terrible news.

Those poor children.

Isn't that awful?

- It's tragic.

It's terrible, it's just terrible.

- Who could do such a thing.

- This is what society's coming to.

- [Narrator] The police await more reinforcements

from the FBI as the manhunt

continues throughout the area.

Live from Chowchilla.

- [Mom] You're not eating much Rick.

- I'm just not hungry mom.

- You look tired too dear.

You get enough rest?

- Probably too much rest.

I want you boys to start doing more around here

to help your mother.

Is that understood?

- Yes.

Come on Rick, we gotta drive over to Fred's.

- Fred, that young man.

He's inherited everything from his family

except their brains if you ask me.

- Are you sure you're feeling all right darling?

- Yeah, I'll be all right.

I'm just feeling a little queasy.

Can I be excused?

- Excuse me.

(faint whirring)

- Get 'em on the ground.

Be careful, be careful.

It could still have some acid in it.

Alright, be careful.

- Edward, Edward, some of the little kids

are fainting from the heat.

(solemn music)

- All right.

All right.

Here, dampen this with water.

You dampen this with water

and then wipe their faces with it.

- But the water is going fast.

- It's okay, you just do what I told you.

Go ahead now.

Come on.

(solemn music)

(loud banging)

(solemn music)

We're done for kid.

I'm telling you we're done for.

- No we're not.

No you're not.

We're not done for Edward.

Listen to me, we're not done for.

Now don't give up.

We're gonna do it Edward alright.

You get up Edward, right now you get up!

You get up.

You get up.

You get up.

You get up Edward, don't you do this!

- [Jim] Man, what if they can trace my handwriting?

- They won't?

We have to write a note.

We can't get through on the phone's,

all the phones are busy, we can't get through.

- That's not how you spell ransom.

R-A-N-S-O-M?

- Yeah.

- No, there's an E at the end.

- No there isn't.

- Sign the note Beelzebub.

The name of the devil.

That will really throw them off.

- How you spell Beelzebub?

- B-E-A-L-S-A bub okay?

- Alright, "To whom it may concern,

"your bus has been kidnapped.

"We demand five million dollars in ransom

"to be put into suitcases.

"Use old bills, use a CHP plane,

"drop off the...

"We are Beelzebub."

This is great.

This is good.

- That's good, and then what?

- Okay, you guys will go up on top of the mountain.

No wait, Jim you'll go up on top of the mountain

and you'll hang out by those blinkers.

You have to hijack a private plane.

We'll throw out the dummies with the parachutes

and then you'll jump out later

over that airstrip at the mountain base.

The plane will be on autopilot.

They'll be tracking it on radar

but no one will be aboard.

- The note Fred.

- What, the note the note, it's perfect,

it's fine, it's great.

Don't worry about the note.

- If we're gonna give it to the governor,

I mean, what, are we gonna just walk up

and hand it to him?

How are we gonna deliver the note?

- We'll get it there.

We'll get it there.

(crickets chirping)

(coughing)

- [Narrator] My feet are sore.

- Listen, listen, I need your help okay?

Listen you get up.

Ricardo you get up.

Get up, you be careful.

Be careful alright.

Be careful.

Ricardo right here, I need you right here.

I need you to be shining this alright?

Be careful.

Hold this up.

Be careful alright.

- [Narrator] Let's get this down.

- We can do something with this.

(slow paced music)

Edward!

Edward!

(faint buzzing)

(screeching)

- Edward.

Edward, one of the fans stopped.

Help help us.

- Edward!

Edward!

(solemn music)

I got some light.

(screaming)

- It's alright.

- [Ricardo] Let me help.

- But be careful.

Come on.

- [Narrator] What's happening?

- [Rick] Are we going back there now or what?

- [Jim] Relax Rick.

- Relax?

Jim there's 26 kids in there.

He leaves enough food for five.

- We can't go back there now.

We got to send in the note.

- Send the note to who?

What are we, we walk up and hand it to some cop?

That's real smart.

A real work of genius.

Perfect crime.

I'm just saying we got to go back there now.

- We will, later.

You think I want them to die?

They're worth nothing dead.

- You go through, you look around.

But be careful.

Make sure that there's nobody around.

Okay?

Did you see anyone?

- [Tim] No, I don't see anyone.

- You sure?

- [Tim] Yes I'm sure.

- Well we're getting out.

We're getting out.

- We're getting out.

- We're getting out of here.

We're getting out of here kids.

Hurry up, come on.

We're going home.

We're going home, come on.

Come on, let's go.

(light music)

Okay.

The monkeys coming up next.

They gave their name on the way going down.

Let 'em give their name on the way going up.

Say your name Peter.

- Peter, Peter Rogers.

- That's right.

Come on Wendy.

Say your name.

- [Wendy] Wendy.

- [Narrator] Julie Smith.

- [Narrator] Kylie Spencer.

- Come on Sal.

Come on.

Jump up.

(slow paced music)

- [Narrator] Where are we Edward?

- [Narrator] It sure doesn't look much like Chowchilla.

- It sure doesn't.

No, I don't know where we are,

but I want you all to stick together.

Now stick together.

Come on, follow me.

(ominous music)

Come on, come on.

Shh, I see a car.

Hide, come over here.

Come over here, come on.

Get moving get moving.

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey you!

Hey hey!

(children shouting)

Hey wait.

(melancholy music)

- They've been found.

All of them.

Safe and sound.

- No no no no, there's plenty of weight on top,

they'll never get out.

I'd kill ya.

- I can't believe it.

This is crazy.

- You're coming with me?

- Yeah.

I can't believe it.

- All right I'm gonna go north to Canada.

You guys go south.

- I'm not going.

- You gonna stay?

That's good, you stay here.

You get rid of everything.

You get rid of all the evidence.

- I don't believe this.

- They got nothing though.

They don't have a clue, they got nothing!

We have contingency plans.

- What contingency plans?

- I've got to talk to mom.

(solemn music)

- Tell them,

tell them that I'm sorry.

I don't want them to think that they failed with us.

I'm sorry Rick.

- Tell me that this is just a dream.

(sirens blaring) (applauding)

- I love you.

I love you so much.

(coughing)

- I don't know how they stayed alive down there.

It was like a sewer.

- Trailer was bought by one Frederick Woods the fourth.

- [Narrator] That's the name of the quarry owner.

- Yeah that's right, his son.

A very wealthy son from Portola Valley.

We're running a check on him now.

- Not too many kids from Portola Valley

have rap sheets on them.

- This one did.

Fred Woods prior, tampering with vehicles.

And he had accomplices.

Two other kids James and Richard Schoenfeld.

- [Narrator] Really?

- Pull the mug shots and release them to the press.

I want everyone in the country looking for these bastards.

- Oh my god.

You didn't Ricky.

- I did it.

- My god.

And Jim?

- Jim too.

- Oh.

(sobbing)

- What should I do mom?

- [Father] Tim!

Tim get on out here.

- [Tim] Yeah?

- You lost that buckle your mama made for you huh?

- Yes sir.

I mean sorta.

I mean, I mean, I mean sorta the guys--

- It's yours son.

Edward told me what you did down there and,

and you're more a man than I'll ever be.

This is yours champ.

- How'd it get started?

- Money, a game, a joke.

That's how the whole thing got started.

- That's where the idea came from?

- It's just a crazy idea.

I never thought we'd really do anything.

And then, then Fred comes up.

"Let's do some preliminary stuff.

"That wouldn't hurt.

"Buy a trailer and stuff."

Now he says you won't be taken alive.

(solemn music)

(sirens blaring)

(indistinct yelling)

(ominous music)

(slow paced music)

(birds chirping)

- Ed.

What is it?

(slow paced music)

What is it?

- I ain't no hero.

They keep calling me a hero.

- If you're not a hero then nobody is.

You're as good as they come.

- I thought I'd failed.

I thought we were all going to die.

Odessa,

I was afraid.

- Oh we're all afraid,

but you didn't die Edward.

We're all safe.

And this just makes us know what's important.

Every precious moment we have together

with the ones we love.

(slow paced music)

(slow paced music)

(light music)