Original subtitles

That's a nice fat one, Reverend.

I know you're a good fisherman,

but aren't you supposed to bait that hook before you throw it in?

I didn't load it up?

You've got something else on your mind besides hauling in catfish, Hank.

It'll be the first time I ever said the words over a grave, John.

The first time I ever buried a man.

In the fall of 1939, the people on Walton's Mountain

were becoming increasingly affected by the spreading war in Europe.

- Hey, Ike! - Ike!

It's not like Ike to go by without stopping to say hello.

He must be having an important delivery somewhere.

Why would he be wearing his air-raid helmet to make a delivery?

Oh, he was, wasn't he?

In our family and others, despite our rural isolation,

it was to cause immediate and profound change.

- Good morning, Ike. - Hello, Curt.

- Hi, Ike. - Oh, the baby's up.

- Yeah. - Has he been good?

Uh-huh.

What brings you by, Ike?

Well, a letter came for you. It's from the war department.

I hope it isn't what I think it is.

Thank you, Ike.

I appreciate you taking the trouble to come by.

If I can do anything for you, you let me know.

- Bye-bye, Ike. - Okay. Bye.

Well, they're calling me up to active duty.

What? How can they do that? You're a husband! With a baby!

Well, when you're in the reserves, they're bound to call you sooner or later.

Especially if you're a doctor.

Where are they sending you?

I'm going to Camp Lee. That's a lucky break.

That's only about 140 miles away.

- When? - Monday.

Well, they sure didn't give you much time to think about it.

Do they know you have a family, or don't they care?

Honey, I guess they need me.

I never saw such a cold, impersonal letter.

It's a form letter with your name filled in.

Mary Ellen, they have to send out hundreds of them.

So what does that make you? A statistic they pull out of a file?

You're a husband and a father, and a doctor who's needed here.

I hate this letter.

After the shock wore off, we realized that we're lucky in one way.

At least I'm gonna be close enough to get home on weekend passes.

Mmm-hmm. You never can tell with the Army.

Might have been sent to Texas, even Wyoming.

- You gonna get any rank? - Yep. First lieutenant.

You know, when I joined the ROTC in medical school,

we never thought it would come to this.

- What's the ROTC? - Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

A bunch of us would meet for a half hour on Saturdays,

we'd shoot the breeze and pick up our checks.

If I was old enough, I'd go to Canada and join the RAF.

- What's the RAF? - The Royal Air Force.

They'd probably start me off ferrying bombers across the Atlantic.

You'd do anything to fly a plane.

I'd do anything to fly one of their airplanes.

I can see myself flying around in one of those Spitfires.

They've got a cannon that fires through the propeller of the airplane.

I might even be Walton's Mountain's first air ace.

Come home with so many medals, I couldn't even walk straight.

Listen to that James Robert. He's half bird, half boy.

Jim-Bob, until now, I enjoyed your imagination.

Mama, it's a good chance to learn to fly for free.

I'd just as soon you paid for your lessons and stayed right here.

I'd never join up. They'd have to come and drag me.

With me, there isn't any choice, Ben.

You sound as if you want to go.

No. No, it's just gonna take some getting used to, Mary Ellen,

and you're gonna have your whole family.

I won't have my whole family. You won't be here.

Why is it that men like marching off to war?

I'm not gonna be marching off.

I'm gonna be taking care of people, the same as here,

except they'll be soldiers doing their duty.

I don't understand why a man can't stay home

and take care of his wife and baby, even if he is a doctor.

We're not even at war!

Not too far off, Livie.

England's at war with Germany.

They are not us.

England is being bombed.

Some say our days of peace are numbered.

Well, that's the feeling that I have, too.

And I know how short of doctors they were during the last war.

I just want to do whatever I can.

Well, Curt, I'll bet you'll look real good in your uniform.

Yeah, but not too good.

I don't want those nurses getting any ideas.

What are you talking about? What am I supposed to do if I get lonely?

Well, you could sit down and write a letter to me.

Curt, I hope you'll forgive me if I don't see you off.

I vowed I'd never see another member of this family off to war.

Here comes the bus, late as usual.

- Bye. - Bye.

- Good luck, Curt. - Bye. Okay. Thank you.

Okay, say goodbye, now. Let them say goodbye. Come on.

See you soon.

- Take care. - Goodbye, Zeb.

It's not the end of the world, honey.

It is to me.

You write to me.

- You, too. - I'll see you soon.

Bye.

- Bye-bye. - See you later, Curt.

- Hey, it's G.W. - Yeah. He looks good.

G.W.!

Hey, Erin.

I didn't know you were coming home.

Me and my buddy got a furlough.

I don't think they could stand us any longer at Camp Lee.

- Aren't you a good soldier? - Worst you ever saw.

- Your folks know you're coming home? - I'm going to surprise them.

Well, come on.

- Welcome home, G.W. - Good to see you, son.

- Put her there. - Good to see you.

Daddy, can I borrow the coupe to take G.W. home?

Fine with me. Hop in if you can find room.

All aboard.

I'm thinking of this road and remembering how pretty it is

sometimes when I'm falling off to sleep.

I haven't heard from you in weeks.

I'm not much of a hand at writing letters.

You got to write one in order to get one. You owe me.

Okay, here's a letter.

"Dear Erin, I'm sure glad you met me at the bus."

That's a letter?

"And that I'm away from Camp Lee."

You sure came back at a beautiful time.

It's always beautiful here.

- Bye-bye. - Thanks.

George.

- You'll be hungry. - Yes, ma'am.

Why, you look taller. Did you grow?

I believe I have. Yes, sir.

Come on, let's have some coffee.

Uh, I'll be in soon. I wanna get used to home again.

All right, Son.

There you go, sleeping again.

You don't care what's going on, do you?

Well, it's just you and me now, John Curtis Willard.

I'll tell you one thing,

I'm sure not gonna raise you to be any soldier.

What's the use of having a war anyway? They just finish one and start another.

And then all the men go marching off and they leave

people like you and me sitting around talking to ourselves.

But you and me,

we're gonna make out just fine.

Mary Ellen?

- Could you use a mama? - Sure could.

- How about a daddy to boot? - I'm not very proud of myself.

Until Curt gets back, you and my grandson are coming home with us.

I'd love that.

Mmm, sure do feel good, Sissy, darling. Just like a dog scratching fleas.

If you've got fleas, Yancy Tucker, our engagement's off.

How long has it been on and off?

It's been more on than off. Five or 10, give or take.

Hey, looky there.

There's G.W. Haines in his uniform. Come on over here and sit.

Hey, G.W.

- Howdy. - How are you? Good to see you.

What will you men have?

- Beer will be fine. - Yeah, beer.

Yeah, bring us four beers, Sissy. And I'm buying.

G.W., you look right fine in your uniform.

- Thanks. - And you, too.

- Thank you. - Now, you remember, Sissy, I'm buying.

You said that, Horace.

And Yancy here, he's buying the second round.

I didn't say that.

North Atlantic waters.

Jason, would you stop playing the music, so I can hear the news?

Despite England's protective move,

figures tonight reveal that German raiders

capture or sink cargo ships almost at will,

with thousands of tons of vital supplies lost at sea beyond the U.S. security zone.

The German U-boats are winning the Battle of the Atlantic.

Toda y, they were sighted off Iceland by a British patrol plane,

and depth charges were dropped.

Thus, the 1,000 year isolation of Iceland has been broken

by a war it did not bargain for.

Concerned that there could be U-boats lying off American shores,

President Roosevelt has issued naval orders to search and patrol.

This has been Arthur Wells, reporting...

It's getting close to home.

Iceland?

Ain't that on our side of the ocean?

Before you know it, they'll be shelling New York and Norfolk

and the whole East Coast!

- To our boys! - To our men!

This round's on me.

This country has been good to me.

I'm going to fight the Hun.

Oh, Yancy, that's just the beer talking.

No, no, it is not. I've given it a lot of thought.

I'm signing up!

Yancy, you'll come back a bigger hero than Ep Bridges.

Sissy, would you be proud to marry a soldier?

It's the patriotic thing to do. Yes.

Then we're going to do it right now!

We'll drive to Rockfish,

and Justice Farrell can marry us right now! In 10 minutes, he can do the job!

Oh, no, Yancy Tucker.

We're getting married in the Baptist church.

And Jason's going to be playing the wedding march,

and I'm going to be wearing a long, white trail

and be carrying mountain laurel and violets.

But, Sissy, I get nervous in a church.

Oh, precious, all bridegrooms get nervous.

You're hooked, Yancy.

Jason, play something for the bride and groom.

And drinks on the house.

- Come in. - I did.

Oh, I can't see yet, Ben.

That's okay.

Jason told me that you and Sissy are getting married on Sunday.

- When's Sunday? - Well, it's tomorrow!

Don't scream.

Congratulations.

Thank you, thank you.

I also came by to tell you that I'll take care

of all your animals when you're in the Army.

Oh, Ben, that was worrying me sick,

who'd take care of my pets while I was at camp and over there.

That's why I'm here.

I mean, Sissy can take care of herself,

but what about Tiger and Earl here?

Down, Earl.

And the piglets and the little ducks.

They need a home. They need family.

Ben,

you're family.

I'm proud you feel that way, Yancy.

So we'll just crate them all up and take them down to your house.

I was gonna take care of them right here.

No, no, they need a home. They need a family.

Oh, confound it, Ben, you got a good heart.

Here are his blankets. Sun-dried, just like you said.

Mmm, they're still warm. He'll love them, Elizabeth.

Can I try? I used to practice on my dolls.

Why don't you let me show you first? And then you can do it.

See, you put your hand here between the cloth and the baby's skin.

So, that way, if you stick something, it'll be you instead of him.

Hi, Mama, here's the mail.

You know, it's much easier on my dolls.

But not half as satisfying. How is Curt?

Oh, he's fine. He misses us and sends his love.

It's your turn, Elizabeth.

Here you go.

He wrote it and mailed it to me on the way to Camp Lee.

Ow!

I'll get it right, don't worry.

- Hey, John. - Hi, Yancy.

Daddy, you know how I asked permission to take care of Yancy's pets?

Uh-huh.

Yancy is so grateful that they'll have family here with us,

I just couldn't turn him down.

You know Yancy's animals sleep in the house with him, Son?

I know, Daddy, but he's going into the service. I can't turn him down.

Well, I can. Yancy.

Now, you be a good little nipper until your daddy gets back from over there.

- Yancy. - Yeah, John?

Bring him along, he can stay with Chance.

Liv, you're sure you won't change your mind and come to the wedding?

I think I'll stay here with Mary Ellen.

Yancy and me been through a lot together. I got to see him through this.

I wouldn't miss seeing Yancy get hitched for anything. Serves him right.

- It just might straighten him out. - It straightened me out.

- Bye-bye, Mama. - Goodbye, Erin.

Erin!

- I thought I'd walk you to the wedding. - All right.

Weekends are the hardest.

I love you truly Truly dear

Life with its sorrow Life with its tear

Fades into dreams When I feel you are near

For I love you truly Truly dear

Marriage is an institution of divine appointment.

It is the most important step in life.

And as such, it should not be entered into unadvisedly or lightly,

but rather discreetly and soberly.

In this estate, these people come now to be joined.

If anyone present knows of any cause why they may not be lawfully joined,

let him speak now or else hereafter forever hold his peace.

Do you, sir, take this woman to be your lawful wife?

And do you promise, before God and witnesses,

to love her, honor her, comfort her, and keep her in sickness and in health,

and forsaking all others, keep thee only

unto her for as long as you both shall live?

I do.

From those trees to the fence over there. This is land my parents gave me.

This is rich land.

I wish you never had to go back to Camp Lee.

Are you scared?

We're all scared. But it's something we have to do.

The other day before furlough,

as bullets and grenades blew the land apart,

I thought, "This land will never be the same."

I wondered who first owned it, who first worked it.

Who used it as God wanted it to be used.

And what farmers, like my father and me, could do with it even now.

I've hunted since I was a boy. Put meat on the table.

Now I know what a bird or a rabbit feels like when it's hunted.

Now it's as if it's a real war.

G.W., do you ever wish you hadn't joined up?

I don't believe in war, but I want to do what's right.

I love my country.

You better hurry if you wanna see G.W. off on the bus.

I know, Mama.

It's kind of hard seeing him off again, isn't it?

Mama, have you noticed the way G.W. carries himself in his uniform?

- He sure changed a lot. - He's scared.

When I used to look at photographs of your daddy in uniform,

I was the one who was scared.

But Daddy signed up because he thought he had to.

- G.W. signed up because of me. - Now, don't you go feeling guilty.

- Boys join up for a lot of reasons. - He was trying to impress me, Mama.

He won't say it, but I know he wishes he hadn't joined up.

I heard Mr. Kaltenborn say on the radio that this is only gonna last six months.

I'm going to cling to that.

- Who's doing that? - Jim-Bob.

He says he's gonna drive you and G.W. to the bus, so you two can talk.

He'll do anything to drive a car.

- Jim-Bob, that's enough. - Sorry, Mama.

I'd drive you in my car, but it has three flats.

Say goodbye to G.W. for me. Wish him luck.

- I will, Mama. - Bye, Mama.

Mama, will you feed these to the pigs for me?

You're the one who volunteered to feed Yancy's pigs.

But I got to see Yancy off.

Today's the day he goes to Richmond to enlist.

Besides, Daddy said I could borrow the truck.

- Just this once. - Thanks, Mama.

Mama, can I go, too?

Well, I guess I won't get too lonesome. I've always got Yancy's pigs.

Thank you. Ben, wait for me.

Hello, piggies.

Here we go. Are you hungry? Come on.

Come here. There you go.

You'll get your turn. Just hang on.

Come on.

Here.

Behave yourself. Come over there. Come on.

Come on.

It doesn't seem that long ago.

Your ninth birthday, when we gave you Red.

Yeah, he came right up to me on the field.

He probably remembers you slept in the barn with him for a full week.

He was the prettiest foal old Nellie ever gave us.

I can still see the two of them running, kicking up their heels together.

- Goodbye, Mama. - Goodbye, Son.

I'll be home on my next furlough.

Son, take care of yourself.

- I bet your folks were glad to see you. - It seemed awful short.

Hey, G.W., are there any secret military bases

down where you are?

I'm in the infantry. I wouldn't know.

But you got eyes. You must hear a lot.

Men in the service aren't supposed to talk about such things.

President Roosevelt says on the radio

that we're going to build 50,000 airplanes a year.

It's got to be for the war.

You must hear more than we do.

Don't you see a lot of airplanes flying over? Fighters, bombers?

They got an amphibian that can land on land and water.

They say it's for wildlife surveys, but I'll bet you it's for submarine lookout.

Did you see any of those flying over?

Jim-Bob, I don't think G.W. is as interested in airplanes as you are.

If we do go to war, when do you think you'll be shipping out?

We're not supposed to talk about such things.

Boy, that's really dumb.

Well, Yancy, you ought to have one more for the road!

For the road? One more for me.

Yancy, you've got to be sober when you get to Richmond.

Sissy, Richmond's 84 miles away.

Yancy, do you know how proud we are of you?

Wedding bells

Will ring so merrily Every tear

Will be a memory So we'll wait and pray

Each night for you Till we meet again

Horace, that's another war.

That's right, this is my war!

Yancy, you take care, you hear?

It's the Hun better take care!

Yeah!

I love you, Erin.

Hey, Yancy, I'll take pictures of your pets and send them to you.

Hey, you do that, Ben.

I'll put them in my wallet, right alongside of Sissy.

Not your pigs.

Okay, Sissy, I'll put you in a special spot. Right here over my heart.

I'm fine, I'm fine.

Are you writing her two letters?

For her father? Asking for her hand?

I've been looking all over for you.

Mama says it's time to come to supper.

I'll be along, Jim-Bob.

- Who you writing to? - G.W.

You just saw him. What's there to write about already?

I'll be along, Jim-Bob.

Besides, he's kind of dull.

He won't even talk about the airplanes he sees flying up and down the coast.

If you ask me, G.W. is just dumb.

I've never seen little pigs eat so much. And so often.

Them little pigs are just trying to make hogs of themselves.

Yancy's calf needs feeding too, Son.

Yeah, I'll do that after I separate the milk.

And don't forget to feed Yancy's chickens.

- And his dog! - You don't have to rub it in!

- Say goodbye to everybody for me. - We will. You give our love to Curt.

I will.

Mary Ellen, I thought Curt was gonna be able to come home on the weekends.

Does the Army break promises?

When I see his commanding officer, that's the first thing I'm gonna ask him.

I've never been away from him before.

Don't you worry, we'll take good care of him.

Bye, Mama.

Bye, honey.

Bye.

Bye, now.

Now, where have I seen this before?

I don't know whether to be sad for Mary Ellen or happy for me.

Well, be happy for Mary Ellen. She's probably with Curt by now.

It's been a long time since we had a baby in this room.

It certainly has.

Seems like old times.

Which feeding do you want? The 2:00 or the 6:00?

Oh, now, Liv, I'm not sure I still have the knack for it.

Don't worry, I won't let you have either one.

Look at that. Look at that.

Yancy!

What are you doing back so soon?

Can you get me out of town before anybody else sees me?

Hop in.

What happened, Yance?

I got turned down, that's what happened.

How come?

Said I was 4-F.

And if that wasn't bad enough,

that man in the White House and his social security numbers

claim I was over 32.

Yeah, you are over 32, aren't you, Yance?

What difference does that make, John, if a man wants to go fight for his country?

I'll never get in now.

Even if I get my flat feet fixed.

Well, now, Yance, I think you should be proud of yourself.

Trying to get in, even though you know you're over 32 and not in tip-top shape.

We wouldn't have to mention that part about

the flat feet to anybody, would we, John?

- Even to Sissy? - Not me, Yance.

Just so long as you take back your calf and your pigs

and your chickens and your dog.

Oh, I fully intend to do that, John. I sure miss them critters.

Tell me, how's old Tiger?

Getting along fine, Yance.

You just can't get over what Ben and I have done, can you?

It'll take a little getting used to, Sissy, dear.

I tried to fix it up like a picture I saw in House Beautiful.

It sounds like my little baby calf is cold outside.

He'll be a cow before you know it.

Be a cow before you know it.

That's funny, Sissy.

Do you know how long Tiger and I have been sleeping together?

Yancy Tucker, it's either me or that dog.

I just can't leave Tiger out on a cold night like this!

Oh, no, you don't. Oh, no.

Wait a minute, Sissy, dear, wait a minute.

Now, I've heard that a good marriage is a pack of compromise.

How about if Tiger sleeps under the bed, huh?

Come on, Tiger, under the bed. Go on, Tiger.

I'll settle for that.

Mary Ellen, what are you doing home so soon?

What's the matter? Is Curt all right?

Daddy, can you take the van and meet Curt at the train station in Charlottesville?

What's wrong?

G.W. was killed in a training accident at Camp Lee.

- What? - Curt has to bring him home.

I brought G.W. home.

It was early morning.

Hand grenade drill, one at a time.

G.W.'s turn first, with other personnel 50 yards away from where he was,

to throw the grenade over this fence where the enemy was.

They'd practiced for days with bottles filled with water.

But that particular morning, it was live.

Offensive grenade.

So, he pulled the pin,

and he stepped up out of the shell hole, and he swung his arm back,

and there was a rabbit, feeding along the fence.

G.W. hesitated just for a split second,

and then he threw the grenade high, far up into the air

where it exploded.

He was just a baby.

I remember him just as he was.

I'm going to bed.

John, you said to tell how it happened.

That's right. I want it out in the open.

There's a lot of young, impressionable minds here.

I don't like hiding the truth from them.

- Good night. - Good night.

You know, I taught G.W. to dance.

That was a little before my time.

He seemed like a fine boy.

Boy. Yeah, that's all he was.

He never even got a chance to be a man.

Jim-Bob, I think I'd like to ride with you.

You were all mighty quiet at breakfast this morning.

I feel awful.

I think all of us feel awful at a time like this.

Grandpa, I called G.W. dumb and now I can't take it back.

Mmm.

When somebody dies, we're racked with regret

for fear we've said something we hadn't ought to have said.

Or left unsaid.

Or wish we had said. A word of praise or love.

If you love, admire and respect someone,

it's not a bad idea to tell them so from time to time.

That way it makes living a lot better for them and for you.

What I said was awful. And I really liked him.

I think G.W. knew that.

- You think so? - Oh, I know so.

Don't worry about John Curtis. He'll be just fine.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Mama, who's riding with who?

I'm riding with your daddy. Erin, you come with us.

Mama, Daddy, I can't go.

- Erin. - Let her go, Liv.

We find it hard to accept the loss of one so young.

One whose life had just begun, at the threshold of his years.

He was a kind and gentle person,

who felt deeply his love for all living things.

And we who mourn him can find strength in the knowledge

that he will be warmly accepted into the sheltering arms of his Lord and Creator.

Loving, grieving parents, and dear friends,

Walton's Mountain has given one of its finest young men.

Let us thank God the war has not reached our shores.

It is happening in England, France, and throughout Europe.

I'll be back.

Let this loss not be in vain,

may it open our eyes to realities.

Let us take a moment in silent prayer.

I thought I'd find you here.

Daddy, he was so scared. Did Mama tell you that?

There's not much your mama and me keep from each other, honey.

Erin, there is a letter I've been keeping for you.

He asked me to give it to you, in case anything happened to him.

Will you read it to me?

Sure I will, honey.

"Dear Erin, I am writing this on the bus after we said goodbye at Rockfish.

"I am returning to Camp Lee and whatever fate may bring.

"This, for legal purposes, is a will.

"I, George William Haines, on this date, do bequeath to you, Erin Walton,

"the bottom land acreage

"given to me by my parents

"and recorded in the Jefferson County Hall of Records.

"I know you will love it and protect it.

"Thank you for sharing my thoughts and my dreams. G.W."

Oh, Daddy.

That first casualty brought the war home to our Mountain.

There were to be many more sacrifices during the long war years ahead.

But G. W. Haines was remembered most especially because he was the first

from our area to give the fullest measure of his devotion.

Where's Erin? - She's outside.

- Is she alone? - I don't think so.

- Good night, Elizabeth. - Good night, Mama.

English -SDH