Original subtitles

♪♪ [ Piano ]

[ Choir ] ♪ Blessed assurance ♪

♪ Jesus is mine ♪

♪ O what a foretaste ♪

♪ Of glory divine ♪

♪ Heir of salvation ♪

♪ Purchase of God ♪

♪ Born of His spirit ♪

♪ Washed in His blood ♪

♪ This is my story ♪

♪ This is my song ♪

♪ Praising my Savior ♪

♪ All the day long ♪

♪ This is my story ♪

♪ This is my song ♪

♪ Praising my Savior ♪

♪ All the day long ♪

♪ This is my story ♪

♪ This is my song ♪

♪ Praising my Savior ♪

♪ All the day long ♪♪

[ Birds Chirping ]

Possum, put that up now.

Our heavenly Father, bless this meal...

and all those who are about to receive it.

Make us thankful for Your generous bounty and Your unceasing love.

[ Gunshot ] Please remind us in these hard times...

to be grateful for what we have been given...

and not to ask for what we cannot have.

And make us mindful of those less fortunate among us...

as we sit at this table with all of Thy bounty.

Amen.

[ All ] Amen.

Turn your plate over.

Put your napkin in your lap.

Frank, you wanna take some... [ Gunshot ]

okra and pass it to your pa? Yes, ma'am.

I forgot to tell you we got a letter from your Aunt Gladys yesterday.

She was hopin' we could come on up to Oklahoma and visit 'em...

during your vacation. [ Gunshot ]

But, I don't know, I was hopin' we could paint the house.

[ Knock At Door ]

I'll get it.

[ Knocking Continues ] Thank you.

Frank, one biscuit. Yes, ma'am.

[ Knocking ]

Right on my biscuit.

Oh, excuse me, Mrs. Spalding, is the sheriff home?

Yes, he is, but we just sat down to dinner. Can't this wait?

No, ma'am. It seems like we got a problem‒

It's all right. I'll be right there, Jack.

I'm sorry to bother you, Sheriff, but there's a drunk nigra down by the track.

I thought you ought to‒ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[ Train Whistle Blows In Distance ]

Frank, where do you think you're going?

I'm going with Pa. Royce?

Hey, no one excused you from the table, young man. You stay here.

I won't be gone long.

Who'd you say it was, Jack? It's that Wylie boy, Sheriff.

[ Chattering ]

Hey, you boys, get on back now, you hear me?

You hear?

Wylie?

Wylie!

Hi there, Mr. Royce. Nice day.

Wylie, you're drunk as a skunk.

[ Chuckles ] I sure am, Mr. Royce.

Now you oughta know better than that.

I'm sorry, Mr. Royce.

You ready to come with me now?

Just a minute.

[ Gunshots Continue ]

[ Gun Clicks ]

Wylie, are you done?

[ Grunts ]

[ Gasps ]

♪♪ [ Humming ]

[ Door Opens ]

Royce?

[ Sobbing ]

[ Chickens Clucking ]

Frank! Frank!

Frank, give me my doll!

[ Children Chattering ]

Frank. Possum.

Give me! Give me my doll! Frank. Possum.

Come here.

Come on.

Something's happened to your pa.

[ Horns Honking ]

[ Possum ] Ma? Ma!

Never you mind. Don't you look.

Come on.

For pity's sake, what do you think you're doing?

You get outta here. Right now.

Right now. Glen, I mean it.

Guess we can go now. [ Starts Engine ]

[ Trucks Driving Away ]

Oh, Sis.

Both of you go down. Inside, Possum.

Oh, Sis.

Sis, I'm so sorry.

I am so sorry.

Margaret, I don't want anybody to see me.

It's all right. I don't want anybody to see me.

I'm not gonna let anybody see you.

Nobody's gonna see you.

[ People Chattering ]

We woulda been married 15 years this October.

We had two children.

And I never knew till just now Royce had a scar right there.

[ Softly ] I never knew that.

I was afraid‒ I was afraid you wasn't gonna make it.

[ Moans ]

[ Sets Parking Brake ]

I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Spalding.

Thank you.

[ Murmuring ]

Just don't worry about anything.

[ Continues, Indistinct ]

Darling, I'm sorry. I just heard.

I got here as fast as I could. Are you all right?

Come here. It's all right. It's all right.

All right. Everything's gonna be all right.

I'm here now. I know how bad you feel.

[ Sobbing ] There now. I'm sorry.

All I could think of- It's okay.

when I saw that poor man in there‒ It's okay.

was what would I do if it was you.

[ Sobbing ] What would I do if something was to happen to you?

Ain't nothing's gonna happen to me.

I'm too ornery.

I don't think I could live without you.

I love you.

I love you so much.

I love you too.

[ Large Bell Tolling ]

Hey. Hi. How are you, boy?

Sorry to hear about things. Thank you. We appreciate it.

It's been a real shock.

Wayne. Viola.

Where's Edna? She's in the kitchen with Margaret.

All right.

Hi, Buddy. Hello, Wayne. How you doin'?

How's Mrs. Spalding? She's all right.

Excuse me.

Vi, you wanna take this for a minute? Hmm?

I'll be right back.

[ Children Chattering ]

[ Man ] Kids, kids, pipe down. No roughhousing. Settle down.

Here, sug.

Come on. You gotta eat something.

Marie Thornton made that.

It's real good. [ Laughs ] [ Laughs ]

[ Chuckles ]

Margaret,

what's gonna happen to us?

I can't support this family.

I don't have the least idea how to go about it.

It seems...

like I-I haven't done anything all my life...

but raise kids and take care of this house.

Royce paid all the bills.

I never even knew how much salary he made.

What's gonna happen to us?

♪♪ [ Man Singing, Indistinct ]

♪ And by faith ♪

♪ We can see it afar ♪

[ Women Sobbing ]

♪ For the Father waits ♪

♪ Over the way ♪

♪♪ [ Continues ] [ Preacher ] And thou shalt eat herbs of the field,

in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,

till thou return unto the ground,

for out of it was thou taken;

for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.

[ All ] Amen.

♪ We shall meet ♪

♪ On that beautiful shore ♪

♪ In the sweet ♪ ♪ In the sweet ♪

♪ By and by ♪ ♪ By and by ♪

♪ We shall meet ♪

♪ On that beautiful shore ♪♪

[ Clock Chiming ]

Lord, I thought those people were never gonna leave.

Margaret, let me get this now.

No, you go on in and rest. [ Knock At Door ]

I'll get that.

Evening, ma'am. Excuse me, but I was wondering...

if you have any work that need doing around here.

No. There's nothing here.

You go on now. Shoo. What is it?

I-I was just asking if you had any chores I can help with.

Oh, no, there's no work around here.

I can make you a plate of food.

Thank you, ma'am.

You wait out by the gate. Yes, ma'am.

[ Cows Mooing, Birds Chirping ]

[ Man Grunts ]

[ Man Grunts ]

[ Man Grunts ]

[ Man Grunts ]

[ Man Grunts ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Grunts ]

Excuse me!

Mornin'.

I thought I told you last night you can't stay round here.

Well, I seen you was mostly out of firewood,

so I thought I'd chop some for you.

Well, I can fix you some breakfast if you like, but after that, you got to go.

Thank you, ma'am.

You know, ma'am,

you got a nice henhouse over here.

Course, it's about ready to fall down.

Yeah, a mighty good-looking milk cow.

She sure need taking care of, though.

[ Clattering ]

There must be close to 40 acres out back.

I reckon, with the right kind of help,

you'd make yourself a handsome living just farming cotton.

All you need is somebody like me,

who knows most everything there is to know about farming cotton.

Now-Now I was thinkin' that maybe...

I can work around here for food and a place to stay.

No, I can't give you any work.

I could fix you some breakfast, and then you've got to leave.

Ain't no such thing as a job nowadays, ma'am.

I'm sorry. Now, I'll fix you a nice plate of food.

You go and wait out there, I'll bring it to you, okay?

Yes, ma'am.

You know, I can mend this fence with no trouble at all right after breakfast.

That'd be fine. Just fine.

Okay. I'll be right out here.

[ Children Playing ]

Oh, uh, good afternoon, Mrs. Spalding.

Mr. Denby. I hope I'm not bothering you.

No. Won't you come in? Thank you.

Please. Thank you.

Mrs. Spalding, I just wanted you to know,

on behalf of everyone down at the First Farmers Bank,

if there's ever anything we can do in this hour of need, all you have to do is ask.

Thank you.

Mrs. Spalding, I don't know how much your husband told you about his business...

but at the close of banking hours yesterday,

you had a balance of $116.72.

However, when your husband bought this place,

he did borrow money from the bank.

And at the time of his death,

he still owed $3,681,

to be paid twice a year.

What that means, Mrs. Spalding, is come October 15,

you will owe the bank $240.

We were wondering if you had any idea how you were going to make that payment.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.

I was thinking,

you know, Willa Langsford and her sister have that nice little gift shop,

and, well, I thought I could do the same thing.

I could get some real pretty little things, and I could set them out.

Mrs. Spalding, why would someone wanna come all the way out here...

when the Langsfords' place is right there on the square?

Oh.

Mrs. Spalding, what we at the bank suggest is that you sell this place.

Now, I know times are hard, but maybe we can get enough to pay off the loan...

and have a little extra to tide you over for a while.

But where would we live?

Well, uh, I believe you have a sister that resides here.

No. No, Margaret couldn't take us in.

She could‒ She couldn't afford it, and besides that, she hasn't got the room.

Mrs. Spalding, when tragedies like this happen,

sometimes we have to face up to things that are real hard.

Sometimes it's necessary to split families up...

temporarily.

Now, I believe your husband has some family up in Oklahoma.

I'm sure they'd be glad to take in one of your children.

Mr. Denby, I'm sorry. I can't talk about this right now.

If you'll excuse me, you can let yourself out.

[ Man On Radio, Indistinct ] There. That just about does the trick.

That'll be, uh‒ 25... 75 cents.

[ Man On Radio ] ...and admired in other women.

I repeat the name Angela's... Well, I'll be seeing you in a couple of weeks.

Right. Thank you, Ruby.

♪♪ [ Radio: Swing ] Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were busy.

That's all right, Mrs. Spalding. I was just leaving.

Bye, Ruby. Bye-bye.

Kids, come on in. Hi, Aunt Margaret.

Don't touch anything, Possum. Frank, watch your sister.

Don't let her touch anything. Mrs. Parks offered to buy five pounds of tomatoes from us,

if we bring them over this evening, so we thought we'd come by and say hello.

Where's Rosalie?

Oh, kids, I'm sorry. She's gone off with her daddy.

But if you go out in the kitchen, I got some Coca-Cola in the icebox.

Can we, Mama? Yeah, you can.

Just take one, Frank, and split it with your sister.

Okay, Mama. It's all right. You can each have one.

What do you say? [ Children ] Thank you, Aunt Margaret.

Margaret, I've been thinking.

Maybe I could come to work for you here.

I don't know very much about this kind of work, but I know I could learn.

I'm a real good worker.

Oh, hon...

I hardly got enough customers these days to support me and Wayne.

I understand. I understand, Margaret.

Don't you even think about it. Kids, come on, we got to go. It's gettin' dark.

Here, I got $28 saved. I don't want that.

Take it. If you don't, Wayne is just gonna spend it on some fool thing.

I don't need it. Come on, kids.

Good-bye, Aunt Margaret. Bye, Aunt Margaret.

I swear you are just like Daddy.

You'd have thought I was sawing off his leg just to ask for the least little thing.

I'll talk to you tomorrow.

[ Car Door Opens, Closes ]

I'm sorry to bother you so late, Mrs. Spalding.

We caught this nigger here with a bunch of things I think might belong to you.

Found him down by the tracks.

He claimed he's working for you, but it looked to me like he was trying to leave town.

No, he's working for me.

I needed somebody to help out around here and so I took on—

Moses. Moses Hadnot.

Moses. I took on Moses to do some chores around here till I get straightened away.

Mrs. Spalding, are you sure? I mean, I found all that silver on him.

Oh, it's-it's Mama's, and Margaret wanted to borrow it.

Now, if you had done like I said and gone straight there and straight back,

you wouldn't have gotten into all this trouble. Yes'm.

Mrs. Spalding, are you sure you're all right?

Well, good night.

Good night, Jack.

[ Train Whistle Blows In Distance ]

Uh, ma'am, I appreciate what you've done for me.

How much could I make if I was to plant cotton?

Cotton? Uh, well, last year, cotton fetched six cent a pound.

You got, say, 30 acres here, you figure, um...

that comes to $307.

Now if you take‒ You sure you can do it?

Oh, ma'am, I've been chopping cotton since I was five years old.

I know all there is to know about cotton. Okay.

All right, you stay in the shed beside the barn.

Uh, ma'am, I-I just wanted to say that I appreciate what you've done for me.

If you ever try and steal anything from me again, I'll shoot you myself.

You understand that?

[ Horns Honking, Phone Ringing ]

[ Man ] Thank you. See you next week. [ Man # 2 ] Good to see you.

Morning, Mrs. Spalding.

Well, hello, Mrs. Spalding. It's nice to see you again so soon.

Why don't you come right in here?

Why don't you take a seat right over there?

Mr. Denby, I was wondering...

if you would show me how to fill out a check.

I never did it before, and I thought I'd best learn how.

Why, certainly, Mrs. Spalding. Now, it's just the simplest thing in the world.

Now, up here, this is where you put the date.

Mr. Denby, I was thinking maybe...

it won't be necessary for me to sell my farm after all.

Well, of course it's necessary. Now, I explained all that to you yesterday.

Down here‒ Yes, but I was thinking if-

if I was to plant cotton‒ Mrs. Spalding,

you don't know the least thing about cotton farming.

Yes, I know, but Moses says‒ Moses? Who's Moses?

He's this Negro man. I don't know any Negro around here named Moses.

He was just passing through, and I gave him a job doing some chores.

You mean to tell me you're letting some Negro hobo talk you into planting cotton?

[ Phone Rings ] Did you ever hear of anything called the depression?

Now...

you see these?

These are all foreclosures, and that's just in the last three months.

And that's white men, been cotton farming all their lives and they can't make a go of it.

And you're listenin' to some no-account Negro.

If you'll excuse me, Mrs. Spalding,

but that's just about the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.

Mr. Denby, I'm not ignorant...

and I'm not selling my land...

and I'm not giving my children over to anyone else to raise.

I'm going out and I'm buying $15 worth of cottonseed,

so I would appreciate it if you would show me again how it is you write a check.

[ Man ] Okay, Mrs. Spalding, that's, uh‒

Let's see, 450 pounds of cotton seed at .03 cent a pound.

That comes to, uh, $13.50.

$13.50. Yes, ma'am.

You fellas load this stuff on Mrs. Spalding's wagon.

Mrs. Spalding. Yes.

Mrs. Spalding, that ain't the seed you paid for.

They're charging you for grade-A seed. That ain't nothing but gin-run quality.

Something wrong, ma'am?

Mr. Simmons,

I think maybe you gave us the wrong seed?

Well, so I did.

That-- That's just an honest mistake, isn't it, boy?

Isn't it, boy?

Yes, sir.

Now, you idiots give Mrs. Spalding the wrong seed.

We're lucky her nigger caught it.

That's a smart nigger you got there, Mrs. Spalding. He's a credit to his race.

[ Hammering ]

Why you have to go shooting your big mouth in front of that white man like that?

I swear, you ain't never gonna learn nothing.

Almost got yourself into a carload of trouble.

This ain't your land. You're just passin' through.

White woman ain't nothing to you.

People ain't no reason to get yourself killed.

Howdy.

Howdy.

What's your name? Moses.

My name's Frank.

My pa was killed.

I heard about it. I'm sure sorry.

He was shot.

It was a nigger killed 'im.

How old are you, child?

Nine and four months.

You mean to tell me you got to be nine years and four months old...

and didn't nobody never tell you it's the worse kind of bad luck...

to rock a rocking chair with nobody in it?

Don't do no good now. The damage is done.

I knew a man one time, he rocked an empty rocking chair.

Before nightfall, he got run over by a cotton wagon.

Here, take this rabbit foot.

And you do what I do and say what I say, you understand?

First thing is you turn around three times.

[ Both ] One, two...

three.

Next thing is you walk backwards.

[ Both ] Seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

Thank you, Lord Jesus! Amen!

Thank you, Lord Jesus! Amen!

Gimme back my rabbit foot.

Got too much to do around here to go around saving your life all the time.

Well, if you're just gonna stand around, you might as well be of some use.

Fetch me some of them nails over there.

What are you thinking about?

I grew up in a place just like this.

Boy, I hated it.

Used to run away every chance I got.

Sneak out of the house,

go out behind the barn.

Then, I'd... head out across the pasture...

and head down to this little grove of elm trees.

And right in the middle... was this little spot,

where I used to go and sit all the time.

[ Children Chattering ]

[ Man ] Mrs. Spalding!

Hello?

Watch your step here. And another one.

A little step up.

[ Knocks ]

[ Mr. Denby ] Mrs. Spalding!

Yes, Mr. Denby, I'm in the backyard!

I'll be right there.

Now put that thing away.

This woman may not like people smoking in her house.

Now, please, once in your life, just try and make a good impression.

Good afternoon, Mrs. Spalding. How are you?

I'm just fine.

I don't believe you know my brother-in-law Will.

How do you do?

Do you mind if we come in?

No, no, not at all.

Poor Will here lost his sight in the big war.

I believe it was the Battle of Somme, wasn't it, Will?

He was a real war hero. Weren't you, Will?

Well, [ Chuckles ]

Will, he doesn't like to talk about these things too much.

Do you, Will? No.

Will's been living with his mama, up until she passed away last year.

Since that time, he's been visiting with my wife and me.

Now, then, Mrs. Spalding,

in spite of the fact that I still have the gravest doubts...

about this misguided attempt of yours to hold onto this place,

nevertheless, as a Christian and as a deacon of the church,

it's my beholden duty to reach out the hand of charity to a human being in need.

And I got to thinking, now what better way...

to help out this poor woman than if she was to take in a boarder?

Someone who could move in here, and by paying a modest rent, help her out.

What I'm talking about is, what if my brother-in-law...

was to move in here and rent a room from you?

Move in here? Now, Will makes a fine living...

caning chairs and making brooms, so you don't have to worry.

Oh.

Mr. Denby, um,

I-I so appreciate your thoughtfulness.

This just isn't a good time.

Sit down, Will.

Will.

[ Train Whistle Blows In Distance ]

Mrs. Spalding,

speaking on behalf of the bank, we would surely take it as a sign...

that you were doing something to provide for your family.

When would you like your brother-in-law to move in?

As a matter of fact, I have his things out in the car right now.

Is there anything special you like to eat?

I'm not a very good cook, but I'm certainly willing to try.

Mrs. Spalding, I don't wanna be here any more than you want me to be.

Now, I'll try not to be any more trouble than is necessary.

And all I'll ask in return is to be left alone in peace and quiet.

Well, I just thought-- I know what you just thought.

But I don't need your help, and I don't need you to feel sorry for me.

[ Sets Parking Brake ]

♪♪ [ Whistling ]

♪♪ [ Radio ]

Honey? I'm in back, darlin'.

Where you been? We're real late for the dance.

Old Man Wilson oughta put that Studebaker of his out to pasture.

I swear there's not a week goes by without something going wrong with the fool thing.

The trouble is he thinks he can fix it all by himself,

so he goes in there and messes everything up,

and it just makes it worse than it ever was in the first place.

I think he does it on purpose just so I'll come out there and talk to him.

I mean, you know that carburetor I fixed for him last week?

He‒

Where's Rosalie?

Over at your mama's. She's gonna sleep there tonight.

You ought not to eat that. You'll get fat.

What about you? A lot you'd notice.

I'd notice.

Wayne, we gotta go. Everybody's waitin'.

Wayne, you gotta‒ [ Laughs ]

[ Both Snickering ]

[ Chattering ] ♪♪ [ Country Ballad ]

Hi.

Howdy. How you doin'?

Come on. Let's go inside and dance.

Come on, let's go dance.

I'll get it. I'll get it.

Thank you, baby.

You warm enough? I'm fine.

Are you sure?

Want my coat?

No. There's a nice table over there.

Hey, Wayne. Howdy, Hank.

Sure am glad Rosalie took that little trip today.

Why are you saying that?

Where were you two? We were getting worried.

[ All Talking At Once ]

Hi, Buddy. Come on out here. I wanna buy us a drink.

Hon, we're gonna go out and get a bottle of good-for-what-ails-ya.

We'll be right back. Be right back.

Just be a minute.

How you been, Buddy? I've been fine. Fine. Hey, I hear you‒

Where were you two?

♪♪ [ Country ]

♪ Don't you remember don't you know ♪

♪ Daddy worked a man called Cotton-eye Joe ♪

♪ Daddy worked a man called Cotton-eye Joe ♪

♪ Hadn't oughta been for Cotton-eye Joe, I'd been married long time ago ♪

♪ I'd been married long time ago ♪

♪♪ [ Continues ]

♪♪ [ Continues, Indistinct ]

♪ I know a little gal lives down below, used to go and see her but I don't no more ♪

♪ Used to go and see her but I don't no more ♪

♪ Hadn't oughta been for Cotton-eye Joe, I'd been married long time ago ♪

♪ I'd been married long time ago ♪♪

Frank, are you cra‒

That man catches us in here, he's gonna skin us alive.

I got something important to show you. Do you wanna see it or not?

Recordings for the Blind presents...

"Trent's Last Case," by E.C. Bentley.

Chapter one: "Bad News.

"Between what matters and what seems to matter,

"how should the world we know judge wisely?

"When the scheming, indomitable brain of Sigsbee Manderson...

was scattered by a shot‒" [ Edna ] Frank!

[ Scratches Record ]

Possum!

Coming, Mama!

♪♪ [ Country ]

Not ten minutes later, he comes out driving a brand-new Buick.

Are you through? Vi and me are gonna dance. Excuse us.

I don't wanna dance, Wayne. Go do it, do it.

Don't say no. You have to dance. Come on.

I haven't danced all night. Excuse me.

You look pretty tonight.

Let's go up to Dallas this weekend, all right?

Take in a picture show, then we'll have supper after, just like an old married couple.

And you can tell Buddy that you're visiting that aunt of yours up in Dallas.

No. Why not? I'll be there.

Wayne, I can't go on like this.

Honey, just be patient. There's no problem. We're gonna work everything out.

Don't worry about it. Just give me a little bit of time, that's all.

I'll think of something, all right?

What's the matter, Vi?

Look, we're gonna be fine. Just trust me.

Look, Wayne, we're not gonna see each other anymore.

What are you talking about, Vi? Not like we have been.

This is good-bye.

[ Door Slams ] Mrs. Spalding!

Mrs. Spalding!

Mrs. Spalding!

Mrs. Spalding.

Mrs. Spalding?

Yes, Mr. Will. I'm right here.

Mrs. Spalding, believe me,

if I had any other place to go tonight besides the State Home for the Infirm,

I would gladly leave right now.

Now, when I came here, all I asked was to be left alone.

I am not some kind of freak that is here on display...

for the amusement of those hooligans you call children.

What? I will not have them vandalizing my property.

Wait a minute. I will not have you come in my house and talk about my children like that.

It's ruined. They are not hooligans, and they are not vandals.

They are well brought up children. You can't just walk into my house‒

Fine!

Fine.

Whatever they are, you just keep them out of my room.

[ Clattering ]

That's all right. I'll get that.

The door's on your right.

Thank you.

Good night, Mrs. Spalding.

Good night, Mr. Will.

♪♪ [ Country ]

♪ Don't you remember don't you know ♪

♪ Daddy worked a man called Cotton-eye Joe ♪

♪ Daddy worked a man called Cotton-eye Joe ♪

♪ Hadn't oughta been for Cotton-eye Joe ♪

♪ I'd a been married a long time ago ♪

♪ I'd a been married a long time ago ♪

♪ Down in the cotton patch down below ♪

♪ Everybody's singing the Cotton-eye Joe ♪ Ready, ma'am?

♪ Everybody's singing the Cotton-eye Joe ♪

Get along, mule. Get along!

♪ Hadn't oughta been for Cotton-eye Joe ♪

♪ I'd a been married a long time ago ♪ Get along, mule!

♪ I'd a been married a long time ago ♪

Get along there! Ha!

♪ Down in the cotton patch down below ♪

♪ Everybody's singing the Cotton-eye Joe ♪ That's fine.

♪ Everybody's singing the Cotton-eye Joe ♪ That's just fine.

♪ Hadn't oughta been for Cotton-eye Joe ♪

♪ I'd a been married a long time ago ♪

♪ I'd a been married a long time ago ♪♪

[ Horn Honks ]

[ Boy ] Frank Spalding, you don't know the first thing about smoking.

[ Frank ] I do so. I been smoking since I was little bitty.

Then how come you can't inhale? I can inhale real good.

Mr. Will! Mr. Will! Frank got caught smoking in school...

and the teacher told Ma and Frank's gonna catch it!

[ Footsteps Running Away ]

Frank, I'll see you at school tomorrow.

Well, young man, what would your pa do if he were here?

He'd spank me, I reckon.

I guess that's what we got to do, then.

[ Possum ] Frank, what's she gonna do to you? Frank?

Ma, what are you gonna do to him? It's okay.

Ma, what are you gonna do to Frank?

Are you gonna spank him? Can I watch? Can I?

Possum!

Frank, when your pa did this, how did he do it?

Most times, I'd lean on the table,

grab hold and he'd let me have it.

How many times?

Pa would be mad over something like this.

I reckon he'd give me ten good licks.

I'm ready.

Ma... I'm ready.

[ Loud Spanking Noises ]

[ Spanking Noises Continue ]

What's wrong? Frank's gettin' a lickin'.

- [ Sniffles ] - Frank, did it hurt?

Frank!

Frank!

Come on.

Let's let ol' Frank be by hisself for a bit.

Tell you what. Why don't you help me with my chores?

Mrs. Spalding?

I won't do that again... ever.

Are you all right?

God. I miss my husband. [ Sniffles ]

[ Church Bell Tolling ]

[ Wind Whistling ]

♪♪ [ Radio: Organ ]

Lord. It's gettin' so I can't hardly see my hand in front of my face.

Feels like rain.

Must be comin' up a real storm. Sure is.

[ Clacking ]

Help me wash dishes.

Now, don't be mad, baby. You're a good baby.

I made each of you some cookies too.

[ Thunder Rumbling ]

[ Thunder Grows Louder ]

Come on, boy. Let's git. Come on! Git! [ Braying ]

Get on, get on! Come on!

Come on! We gotta get inside, ma'am.

Storm's comin' from over there. Get on, boy!

[ Thunder Grows Louder ]

Come on! Let him be!

[ Grunting ] Come on, won't you? [ Brays ]

Hey. Let him go!

Come on! Run!

[ Children Yelling ]

[ Vi ] Oh, God.

I want you to go in the schoolroom right now.

Boys! Robert! Let's go!

Andrew, let's go. Come on, come on! No dawdling!

Sally! Come on. Move along.

Be careful getting up these stairs.

[ Ringing ]

Everybody get inside!

- Where's Frank? - [ Child ] I don't know.

Let's go.

Toby.

All right.

[ Man Speaking On Radio, Fades In And Out With Static ]

We've gotta get the windows open before the whole house blows! Get the ones in dining room.

I'll get these in here. Hurry up!

- [ Screams ] - [ House Creaking ]

You're a little baby.

[ Screams ]

Possum!

- Possum! - [ Shouting ]

Possum!

[ House Creaking ]

Possum! [ Wind Whistling ]

Possum!

Here. Give 'im here!

Come on! Come on!

Possum!

Possum!

Possum!

Possum!

Possum? Possum?

Possum!

Possum! Possum!

Possum. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Mr. Will! Mr. Will!

Aah!

Step down! Step down!

Step down! Step down!

Step down!

Frank! Frank Spalding! There's a tornado coming!

Get on in here! You're gonna get yourself killed! I can't!

I gotta get home!

Here!

I got him, ma'am.

Come on, Mr. Will.

It's all right. It's all right. Watch it, Mr. Will.

Okay, now get in there.

You take him now. Mr. Will! Mr. Will, step down.

Step down.

Watch your head.

[ Frank ] Mom!

Mom!

Mom! Oh, my God! It's Frank.

[ Moze ] Frank, stay there!

Frank! Frank!

Frank! Darlin'!

Hey, come on! Hey, come on! We gotta get inside!

Come on! Hurry up!

Okay. Get him in! Get him in!

[ Large Objects Crashing Above ]

[ Crashing Continues ]

Okay, come on, get in there! [ Screaming ]

[ Screaming Continues ]

Hurry up! Inside!

[ Large Objects Crashing Above ]

[ Wind Dying Down ]

[ Dog Barking ]

[ Wind Barely Audible ]

[ Siren ] [ Woman ] Where are you?

[ Children Crying ]

Get off.

- [ Crying Continues ] - It's okay now.

It's all over now. Come on. Come on out.

It's all right. It's all‒

[ Breathing Heavily ]

Vi? Vi?

Hey, baby. It's okay.

It's okay now. Everything's gonna be all right.

Oh, darlin', I was so scared.

I was so scared somethin'‒

I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you.

[ Siren ]

[ Woman Sobbing ]

[ Birds Chirping ]

Come on, ma'am.

Here. Give me your hand, Mr. Will.

[ Mr. Will ] How bad is it?

[ Moze ] Everything's a little bent, but it's still here.

[ Man ] Somebody! We need some help over here!

Oh, my God. Oh.

[ Siren ] [ Men Shouting, Indistinct ]

Come on.

Come on, Vi. Oh, Bud, let's leave this town.

There's always gonna be tornadoes. Everybody'll always be poor.

Nothin' can work out here.

I wanna move, Buddy. Please! I wanna‒ Sure, we can. Sure.

[ Crying ] Please.

[ Church Bell Tolling ]

[ Clang ]

[ Clang ]

[ Rooster Crows ]

♪♪ [ Woman Singing On Radio ]

Morning, Mr. Will. Morning.

Morning, Mr. Will. Good morning.

Morning, Mr. Will. Morning.

[ Woman ] ♪ Good morning ♪♪

[ Mr. Will Scanning Through Radio Stations ]

[ Man ] Cotton held steady after dropping to a record low...

of 31/2 cents a pound over the last 4 days.

Poultry and eggs are down to a seasonal low.

Corn remains unchanged. Soy beans‒

So let me see. At 31/2 cents a pound...

and 30 acres, that would be‒

That comes to $175.

You think there's any chance cotton prices will go back up?

How much money you got left in your account?

Twenty-four dollars. That's all.

That's not nearly enough to make your next payment. I know.

I was wondering.

If I was to give you what I made from my cotton,

it would cover most of the payment.

Could you all maybe wait for the rest?

Of course that's something only the president of the bank can decide, but...

I don't think you should get your hopes up. Could you ask?

[ Moze ] I'm telling you now, there ain't no chance you gonna ever get that prize money.

Nosum. It ain't gonna work. It's $100.

And that plus a crop would be enough to make the payment.

[ Mr. Will ] You cannot begin to get that cotton picked on time.

Why? Moses has said that it's ready.

Well, Moses is always sayin' things‒ Okay, ma'am.

I did say the cotton come in a touch early hereabouts.

but in a couple, three days, pickers from down south are gonna get up far as this county.

They can go through a field of cotton quicker than you can say "Jack Robinson."

We'll start now. [ Mr. Will ] You got 30 acres to pick.

Frank and Possum can help. That's not gonna be nearly enough.

I'll pick 24 hours a day! Did you ever pick cotton before?

After an hour, the hulls cut your fingers. By noon, both hands is bleeding.

Moze, I‒ Later, your fingers start to swell.

And after time, there ain't no feeling in your hands whatsoever.

And I ain't speakin' about what it does to your knees.

Ain't talking about what it does to your back.

We can't do it. Get that through your head once and for all. We can't!

Stop thinking about it before you end up killing yourself.

You listen to me.

If we lose this place, you're going back to beggin' for every meal.

Mr. Will, they're gonna put you in a state home, and I'm gonna lose my family.

I'm not gonna let that happen. I don't care what it takes. I don't care if it kills me.

I don't care if it kills you. I'm not gonna give up.

And if the two of you do, you can go straight to hell.

Careful with that now, hon.

I'll bet she isn't ready. All the time we been coming, not one time she been ready.

I'm here. I'm coming.

I swear I start an hour early, always end up half hour late.

What can I do to help? Honey, wanna get the cards on top of the drawers?

That looks good. Want me to do something?

Set up the table, would you, Buddy?

♪♪ [ Radio: Big Band ]

[ Buddy ] Here. Let me help you with that, Margaret.

[ Whispers ] Hi.

Can you find 'em? Here. Let me get the light.

Right here.

♪♪ [ Big Band Continues ]

Hmm.

Want my peanuts, honey?

I'll take your six, honey.

Discard, and rummy. [ Chuckles ]

- I don't believe it. - Thirty-two here.

[ Buddy ] Mm. Thirty-two. What's the damage, Margaret?

[ Sighs ] Seventy-three.

Seventy-three? [ Chuckles ]

Listen, you two. Vi and me got a little announcement we wanna make.

The next time you two wanna play cards with us, you're gonna have to go to Houston to do it.

I got an offer from an oil company down there. It's too good to pass up.

- You lived here all your lives. - Don't look at me. It was Vi's idea.

You know how hard it is to change her mind when she gets it set on something.

We're gonna miss you, Margaret.

It's just such a wonderful opportunity for Bud.

We just can't pass it up.

We're gonna miss you a lot more than you're gonna miss us, I bet.

Congratulations. [ Sighs ]

Congratulations, Buddy. We're real happy for you.

Yeah. I'm gonna get another drink. You want one?

Sure.

It's my deal.

Whatever happened between you and Vi, I don't wanna know about it.

I don't ever wanna hear about it.

Am I right?

Am I right?

Yes.

Maybe you didn't notice, but I'm not the same dumb beauty operator...

you married eight years ago.

What are you gonna do?

I don't know.

I got the shop.

Rosalie and me can get along without you.

I'm never gonna see Viola again.

It's over between us. It's too late for that.

I don't think I could live with you anymore.

I don't think I love you anymore.

Please don't say that.

[ Groans ]

[ Insects Chirping Loudly ]

[ Insects Buzzing ]

Aah. Oh.

Ow.

[ Muttering Softly ] Lord, this ain't gonna work.

There ain't no way nobody get all the cotton picking that you sent us anyway.

I swear, sometimes I don't know what's gotten into you.

Mr. Will, you gotta talk to that woman.

She won't pay me no mind, but she'd listen to you. It won't do any good.

We's only got us two acres picked today-- shoulda done at least four.

And we're fresh. What's it gonna be in a week when we ain't in good shape?

How many pickers would it take to get the cotton in on time?

Nine to ten, at least.

Okay. We better hire 'em then.

Hire pickers? With what, Mrs. Spalding?

You said yourself you had $24 in the bank.

- That ain't near enough. - I'll pay 'em out of the money I get for the first bale.

What if you don't get the first bale in?

Then I pay 'em outta what I get from the gin.

Ma'am, if you do that, you won't have hardly any money left.

I'll take that chance.

[ Rooster Crowing ]

We ain't got much time before those pickers from the south get here. MoZe?

All right, ma'am. You got what you asked for.

Have they had their breakfast yet?

I doubt it.

[ Man On Radio ] Governor S.C. Johnson appealed to President Roosevelt--

[ Alarm Clock Ringing ]

[ Ringing Stops ]

The governor had asked the Relief Administration...

for one million dollars in direct relief in the state.

Texas was allotted $500,000 instead.

Governor Johnson said the situation was becoming critical.

Meanwhile, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,

Huey Long's last legislative--

[ Sniffs ]

...last Tuesday, as the administration he left behind him...

pushed its investigation of his assassination ten days ago...

by Dr. Carl A. Weiss, Jr.

In baseball yesterday, the Chicago Cubs retain their two-game lead...

in the National League pennant race by defeating the New York Giants, 8-3,

before a crowd of 29,740 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

It was the Cubs' 13th straight victory.

The second place St. Louis Cardinals won over Brooklyn, 1-0.

The Giants are now 41/2 games behind the league-leading Cubs. [ Motors Rumbling ]

The weather in the central Texas today will be clear-- no sign of rain.

[ Motors Rumbling ]

Moze! Moze!

Hey. Over here, Mr. Will!

Moze, the pickers are here.

How you know that? I just heard 11 trucks pass by the house...

and from the direction they were headed, they were pickers going to the Rapp place.

Damn. How much land the Rapps have? Four hundred acres.

We got three days at the most left.

All right, y'all! We ain't got no time to waste! Let's get to work!

♪♪ [ Country Ballad ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

[ Music Fades Out ] [ Moze ] Get along there.

[ Mule Braying, Cart Wheels Rattling ] Get along.

You ain't no more tired than I am. Get along.

[ Groans ]

[ Rooster Crowing ]

Morning, ma'am.

♪♪ [ Country Ballad ]

Mrs. Spalding, I hate to be the one to tell you this,

but that sister of yours doesn't have a natural talent for cooking.

So I got to thinking if we all weren't gonna die of ptomaine poisoning,

I was gonna have to do something about it.

[ Groans ]

So I'm fixin' us some green beans like my mother used to make.

Mrs. Spalding?

Mrs. Spalding, are you okay?

I was rememberin' a dream.

What day is this?

It's Friday, ma'am.

When do we have to be at the gin?

Tomorrow morning.

[ Insects Chirping Loudly ]

[ Exhales Deeply ]

[ Breathing Heavily ]

[ Man ] Recordings for the blind...

presents "Trent's Last Case..."

by E.C. Bentley.

Chapter one: "Bad News."

"Between what matters and what seems to matter,

how should the world we know judge--"

[ Recording Continues, Indistinct ]

Ow. Ah. You all right?

[ Groans ]

"The End."

[ Groans ]

[ Moze ] Ma'am?

Mrs. Spalding.

Hey, Mrs. Spalding.

Hey.

We're finished.

We done it.

He'll be here any minute. Try and get this straight.

He's gonna start by trying to charge you for using the gin. I tell him, "For the seed."

Yes. He's gonna say he'll take all the seed. I say he can only have half.

Nosum. We offer a third, settle for a half.

Ma'am, we gotta get 31/2 cents a pound even with the prize money.

Now, you gotta remember that, 'cause‒ [ Motor Rumbling ]

Here he comes.

Howdy, Mrs. Spalding. Howdy, Mr. Simmons.

Nice little load of cotton you got there. You oughta be real proud. Real proud.

Let's go into my office and see if we can do some business.

Well, look who's here. [ Chuckles ]

Go on and take a seat.

Now then, I ought to explain to you how things work around here.

First of all, I gin the cotton for a fee,

and then I buy the cotton from you if we can agree on a price.

For ginning, it's customary to charge five dollars on the ton.

Excuse me. I was told that you sometimes gin the cotton for the seed.

Well, yes'm. That's another way of working it.

I gin the cotton and keep the seed.

Well, the way it was explained to me,

you're supposed to keep a third.

I can tell you right now I'm not gonna pay that. Excuse me.

Little too much sun.

Now, out of respect for your late husband, I am prepared to go 50-50.

Fine. Now then, Mrs. Spalding,

I expect you realize that the bottom dropped out of the cotton market.

I pretty much doing you a favor taking it off your hands.

Mr. Simmons, I want 41/2 cents a pound for my cotton.

God Almighty, lady, you don't want me, you want Santa Claus.

I'll pay you 2.75 and not a red cent more.

Four?

Ma'am, maybe you haven't heard, but we're in the middle of a depression.

I can't pay anything close to that.

I'll give you three cents a pound, take it or leave it.

Know what your trouble is, Mrs. Spalding? You are the victim of unbridled greed.

3.5.

No. Ma'am, that is the honest price.

That's it.

I did my best. I tried to help.

You can't blame me. I can't do no more for you.

Now, you just go on down to the square and see how much you get for that cotton.

Mr. Simmons.

It just occurred to me. I was looking at the pictures here on your wall,

and I remember how much store your daddy set...

in ginning the first bale of cotton each year.

Guess this'll be the first year since I don't remember when...

that y'all haven't been the first.

But I guess Mr. Wheeler down at Wheeler's gin...

would be real pleased to meet my price...

just so he could show off all next year at the Masons.

Mrs. Spalding.

Come back and sit down.

[ Door Opens ]

Thank you. Thank you.

All right, let's get this wagon over to the loading bay.

Well?

What happened? How much did you get?

3.75 cents per pound.

That's more than the market price.

You know, if we'd planted them other ten acres in cotton, think what we would've made.

We would've been dead, that's what we would've been. I've been thinking.

Mr. Esters is lookin' to sell off 12 acres of his land.

Now, let me‒ You can't afford to buy any land. We'd have almost 60 acres of land.

All we'd need is one good crop of cotton. Thirty acres liked to kill us.

We could afford to buy us a tractor.

A tractor.

I always wanted to have me a tractor.

I always thought that if I had me a tractor,

ain't no tellin' what I could do. [ Laughs ]

[ Train Whistle Blows ]

- Mrs. Spalding? - Yes.

Could I trouble you for a cup of tea?

Oh. Of course. I'll put the water on for you.

Do you mind if I wait in here? Not at all.

Trying to fix Frank's shoe. It's got a big hole in it.

M-Mrs. Spalding, can I ask you a question?

Yes.

What do you look like?

Hmm.

I have long hair and I tie it up in the back.

And I have brown eyes.

I always wanted to have blue eyes like my mama,

but Margaret got those.

And my teeth stick out in front.

Uh...

'cause I sucked my thumb a long time when I was a little girl.

Well...

no real beauty.

I'm all right.

[ Tea Kettle Whistling ] Thank you.

Your tea's ready.

♪♪ [ Country ]

[ Applause ]

All right, friends. One of our all-time favorites.

"Our Golden Dream."

♪♪ [ Country Ballad ]

Frank, you go on.

Yes'm.

[ Chattering, Indistinct ]

Mama. [ Clears Throat ] May I please have this dance?

Frank Spalding,

I'd be most pleased.

♪♪ [ Continues ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

Twenty-five dollars.

Mrs. Spalding give me $25.

She oughtn't had to do that.

She can't afford to go around‒ What's the matter?

I thought I heard someone.

Humph. Of course you heard someone. You heard me talking.

Anyways, you oughta speak to her, on a account of if she goes around spendin'‒

Moze, there's somebody out there.

I don't suspect so, but I'll go and see just to make you feel better.

Light's on in the barn. Be right back.

[ Twig Snaps ]

Get him!

[ Grunting ]

Moze? Moze?

[ Grunting ]

Hold him! Aah.

Dirty-- Aah.

[ Men Muttering, Grunting ]

Grab him. Get up, God damn you. You son of a bitch!

- Aah! - [ Gunshot ] Moze?

Keep outta this, Mr. Will. This ain't none of your business.

You move away from him right now.

Put that thing away, Mr. Will, before you hurt someone.

- Oh, Goddamn. - Shit.

Now‒

[ Clack ] [ Gunshot ]

[ Clang ]

[ Object Tumbles ]

MoZe?

[ Click ]

[ Click ]

Ooh! Hold it, Mr. Will.

We don't have any quarrel with you.

Mr. Thompson, why you doing this to him?

You got the wrong man, Mr. Will. That ain't Thompson.

That's Mr. Thompson. I've been selling him brooms for years.

As sure as you're Mr. Shaw,

and that's Mr. Simmons over there by the barn.

All right, boys. Let's us go on home.

[ Coughs, Grunts ]

[ Grunts ]

All right, nigger,

but I ain't through with you yet.

[ Weeping ]

[ Weeping Continues ]

♪♪ [ Country Ballad ]

Want a Coke? No.

You rather just go on home?

Wanna dance with me?

I guess.

You sure?

[ Man ] Howdy, Wayne, Margaret.

Hi, Mr. Cheeves. Evenin'.

Don't you two look nice together.

Thank you, ma'am.

Been a long time since we've been dancing together.

Dress sure looks pretty.

It's new.

Yeah. The color. I really like the color.

Margaret, what do I have to do to tell you I'm sorry?

[ Mr. Will Speaking, Indistinct ]

Moze? Moze?

Yes, ma'am.

Oh, Moze.

Ma'am, I'm gonna have to be movin' along.

Ain't gonna be long 'fore that bunch decide to come back,

and I best be gone by then.

What am I gonna do without you?

Uh, I'd appreciate it if you'd say good-bye to Frank and Possum for me.

I'd soon as not have them see me like this.

I been makin' on this doll for Possum.

If you could give it to her, I'd be most grateful.

And old Frank, he had his eye on this rabbit foot of mine for a spell,

so I 'spect he might as well have it.

Here.

This is for you.

It's a handkerchief belonged to my mama.

I thought maybe you could use it.

Well, reckon I got a bit more attached to this place...

than I intended to.

Well, Mrs. Spalding.

I'm gonna miss you.

Moze.

Yes, ma'am?

You took a no-account piece of land...

and a buncha people that didn't know what they were doing...

and you farmed that land better than anybody could‒ colored or white.

You're the one that brought in the first bale of cotton this year.

Don't you ever forget that.

Yes, ma'am.

Reckon I did that.

I reckon I did.

[ Choir ] ♪ This is my story ♪

♪ This is my song ♪

♪ Praising my Savior ♪

♪ All the day long ♪

♪ This is my story ♪

♪ This is my song ♪

♪ Praising my Savior ♪

♪ All the day long ♪♪

This morning we take our text from First Corinthians,

the 13th chapter, verses 1 through 8.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels...

"and have not love,

"I am become as a sounding brass...

"or a tinkling cymbal.

"And though I have the gift of prophesy...

"and all knowledge and have not love,

"I am nothing.

"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor...

"and have not love,

"it profit me nothing.

"Love is patient, kind.

"Love is not jealous or boastful.

Love never ends."

♪♪ [ Piano ]

♪ I come to my garden ♪

♪ Alone ♪♪

♪♪ [ Continues, Indistinct ]

On the night before His crucifixion,

our Lord gathered with His disciples.

He broke the bread and blessed it, saying,

"Take, eat. This is my body."

And He took the cup and said,

"Drink. This is my blood, which I shed for thee."

[ Choir ] ♪ And He walks with me ♪

♪ And He talks with me ♪ Peace of God.

♪ And He tells me ♪

♪ I am His own ♪

♪ And the joy we share ♪

♪ As we tarry there ♪

♪ None other ♪

♪ Has ever known ♪ Peace of God.

[ Men ] ♪ He speaks and the sound ♪

♪ Of his voice ♪

♪ Is so sweet ♪

♪ The birds hush their singing ♪

♪ And the melody ♪

♪ That He gave to me ♪

♪ Within my heart ♪

♪ Is ringing ♪ Peace of God.

Peace of God. ♪ And ♪

♪ He walks with me ♪

♪ And He talks with me ♪

Peace of God. ♪ And He tells me ♪

♪ I am His own ♪

Peace of God. ♪ And the joy ♪

♪ We share ♪

♪ As we tarry there ♪

♪ Like none other ♪

♪ Has ever known ♪♪