Ethan Frome

1

Starkfield!

This stop is Starkfield!

This is Starkfield.

W-what is?

Reverend Smith!

Mr. Smith!

You're the only one who got off,

so it must be you.

Hale... ned hale.

I'm the sexton.

The snow...

it's so bright.

I'm sorry.

How do you do?

Yes.

No boots?

No.

Must be a relief getting out of the city.

I been to the city myself once,

and it sure was a relief getting out.

Was it?

I was there for nearly three days...

three and nearly the half the next day.

I figured two was more than enough.

Shouldn't we give him a ride?

Him? Nah,

he wouldn't take it.

Hello.

Good day!

The new minister.

Good day to you.

Did you see what he did to me?!

Wait.

Good.

Let's go.

The... the... the...

the poverty...

you would not believe your eyes in Boston

that... that people...

well, that we could allow

such degradation...

Reverend, if I could...

especially amongst the Irish.

May I introduce the reverend Smith?

Mr. and Mrs. howe.

How do you do?

How do you do, sir?

Reverend.

And their daughter, Sarah Anne.

It's a pleasure.

Hello.

Let me get you some tea.

Isn't this a beautiful dress, reverend?

It's, yeah, beautiful.

We never have so many visitors.

I was talking about Boston.

Would you like some more tea, reverend?

Perhaps. Yes.

Thank you.

Boston...

h-h-have any of you

ever been to Boston?

It's... Boston.

It's... To the east.

Good morning, reverend.

Morning.

Maybe, maybe, but I think

before I have any opinion,

I-I've only been here

a week, Mr. gow.

A week's enough for

anyone to know Starkfield.

If you spend too much time in Starkfield,

you begin to look like harmon.

Just the dumb ones are left, reverend Smith.

The smart ones get away.

But the importance of a church.

Surely is not the state of the building

but in the spiritual comfort it can offer.

Smith...

your new preacher.

Frome.

And everyone...

everyone... they just... it was

like the parting of the red sea.

Now, I-I-I don't want to

be too quick to judge,

but if we are to foster

a Christian community,

then everyone must play their part.

No one can be left in the cold.

I mean, if the man had a disease...

I wouldn't.

You wouldn't what?

You wouldn't try to talk to him?

You wouldn't try to ease his burden?

Wh... where...

where does he live?

Over the hill towards the flats,

on the back road.

It's a long way.

I-I'd like to see him.

Would you take me there?

We leave the fromes alone, reverend.

It's what's best.

Mother is here!

Mother is here!

Remember me?

We met the other day

at the post office window.

The new minister.

I-I-I was passing by.

I'm trying to visit all my parishioners...

In time.

I hadn't realized that you were

quite this far out of town.

I-I would have driven

had... had someone...

so, I-I guess

it's no wonder that...

I was told that you're not,

regular church on Sundays.

We met the other day?

That's right, at the...

what you want?

I-I'm... I'm

in need of a driver,

as you can see.

I can pay 50 cents a week.

Here.

I-I-I've got the...

I've got the first week's right here.

We can start tomorrow if you're free.

Goodbye. I-I hope

to see you on Sunday.

Wait!

Push.

It's not moving.

Easy.

I hate... Putting you out,

but you're...

you're very kind.

What other choice was there?

Mrs. hale is going to wonder

where I am.

Thank you.

This one is still warm.

This morning...

The sky was so clear,

you never would have imagined.

Is that your wife?

Please, I-I don't want her

to feel...

you can sleep in here.

It's warm till the fire's out.

The allens this afternoon...

good people.

Yep.

You could have come in with me.

I heard their whole life story.

People don't have anyone to talk to.

I think you can be too much on your own,

left alone.

Maybe that's how they like it.

Maybe.

That's how they've been treated for so long,

that's all they're used to.

"Let us now remind ourselves

"that charity never faileth.

"But whether there be prophecies,

"they shall fail.

"Whether there be tongues,

"they shall cease.

"Whether there be knowledge,

"it shall vanish away.

"For we know in part,

"and we prophesy in part,

"but when that which is perfect is come

"then that which is in part

shall be done away.

"When I was a child, I spake as a child.

"I understood as a child.

"I thought as a child.

But when I became a man,

I put away childish things."

"For now we see through a glass, darkly,

"but then, face to face.

"Now I know in part,

"but then shall I know,

even as also I am known.

"And now abideth

"faith, hope, and charity,

"these three.

"But the greatest of these...

Is charity."

It's not what you think,

Mr. Smith.

There isn't one of those men

who hasn't wrestled with his soul

about what was or wasn't

the right thing to do about Ethan frome.

What Mr. frome needs... who knows what Mr.

Frome needs, Mr. Smith?

Who can presume to know a thing like that?

In Boston, it is not

presumptuous to be charitable.

So perhaps it is in Boston

that I truly belong.

Someone should have just told you.

That's what we've done wrong.

Someone should just tell you.

We're going to lose you if someone doesn't.

I can see that.

And you're a good one.

Tell me what?

What do you know about Ethan, about zeena?

Who is zeena?

Ethan's wife, Mr. Smith.

You... you said you stayed there.

You didn't meet...

I stayed the night in the kitchen.

It was warmest there, Ethan said.

The door to the rest of the

house he kept closed, so...

then you don't know anything, reverend.

You can't.

I try to go out there once or twice a year.

Maybe the time's come 'round again.

Maybe we should go together.

Zeena and Ethan are distant cousins.

She grew up in a town...

I forget which one.

It's... it's a good ways

from here.

And she was sent for

to take care of Ethan's mother.

And then, after some time,

his mother died.

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes,

dust to dust,

in sure and certain hope

of the resurrection unto eternal life

through our lord Jesus Christ.

What were you, studying at, Hartford, Ethan?

Engineering.

I didn't get that far yet

in my studies, but,

people have said already they can

see I've got the feel for it.

But, I only just started,

and now mother...

she got ill and I come home,

but everyone says it's...

it's there waiting for me.

Wish I could have helped you more, zeena,

but you seem to be doing just fine.

I'm sure Ethan would want

to say how grateful he is

that you could come.

His mama would have been grateful, too.

Let me.

Then you're gonna sell the farm, Ethan?

Yep, I'm gonna sell the farm.

I plan to move out west.

Or Florida, maybe.

You don't have to leave yet.

You can stay for...

I came to take care of your mother, Ethan.

That's all my family expected.

My work is finished.

Would you like something?

I'll bet you didn't have

anything to eat yourself.

I'll make your supper in a minute, Ethan.

I w... I wasn't saying...

I'm not hungry.

I can't see how you could be

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