Giant Page #7

he comes right back home and runs Reata.

I guess you were right about one thing.

Me?

On one thing.

We are getting old.

Who?

We are, Jordan.

We are the older generation.

Aren't we?

Suddenly?

I guess so.

"...unless oil or gas shall have been struck

at a lesser depth".

Is that about Vashti Hake's ranch?

Yes.

Good.

How about Reata?

No. That Benedict is a hard guy to crack.

Let's just keep punching, boys.

Hospital!

What's he covering up now?

He'll overstep the mark one of these days.

Give him enough rope.

Give him enough rope, and he'll hang you.

I'll get it.

Hello.

No, this is her daughter.

You'll have to find out for yourself.

- Take your social life on the other phone.

- It's for you.

I think he's nice.

- Who's nice?

- Jett Rink.

I don't want to talk to him.

What do I tell him?

Let me talk. I'll tell him.

I'll talk to him.

You've heard from me before on this, Jett.

Judge Whiteside told you, and I told you.

This is a cattle ranch, not an oil field.

That's the way it's gonna stay.

That's about the most expensive

phone call you ever made, Bick.

It'll cost you a billion dollars a year

for the next 50 years.

Couldn't we have just one little, itty-bitty

oil well, so I can get a private phone?

After reporting to President Roosevelt,

the Naval Secretary told the press...

that the battleship Arizona

and five other warships were lost...

in the Japanese air raid

on Pearl Harbor a fortnight ago.

He reported that 91 officers...

and 2,638 enlisted men were known dead.

That only makes me realize I'm losing you.

Here they are.

When did you two sneak in?

The honeymooners!

Judy, you're gonna get it.

You know Mom wanted a big wedding.

That's not true, Luz.

Not quite true.

We came for you to see ngel.

He's the first soldier from Reata.

- Merry Christmas, Polo.

- Merry Christmas.

Isn't he a fine-looking soldier?

Just a minute.

Merry Christmas, ngel.

Thank you.

Today the wish of all of us is

that the war ends quickly...

and that you, ngel,

return safely to Reata...

and to all of those

who love you very much.

I'll drink a toast to that.

Come on, now, and open it.

- Hello, Dr. Guerra.

- Hello, Dr. Benedict.

Just a little premature.

I know, it takes time.

Jordan, this is Juana.

She's been training out at the hospital.

It must be that darn north wind static.

Don't tell me you haven't learned that

dry wind, friction, and a heavy carpet...

are not the only means of creating

electricity between human beings.

Thank you.

Could you stay and give me the lowdown

on what it's like?

- Very nice to meet you.

- Nice meeting you.

- Goodbye.

- "Adis".

- Let's get some Christmas cheer.

- You talked me into it!

Friends, we're gonna have

a mighty triumphant Christmas.

I'm gonna drink a toast

to two young men of Reata.

My two sons.

Thank you, Mr. Benedict.

Better take it easy on the bourbon, Dad.

It's not good for you.

I'm not kidding you.

I hate to see ngel go.

That boy is the best dang man

on the place.

It's time for you to take your place here,

to produce beef for the war.

They need doctors, Dad.

They need doctors in war, too.

I want to finish medical school if I can.

You are being bull-headed.

I never would be any good

at running this place.

Any man on Reata can do it better.

You're the one.

You're the one with a responsibility

to Reata.

Your blood pressure is going up

just while we're talking here.

Please, it isn't good for you. Just relax.

Don't you get fresh with me.

We're talking.

Yes, I heard.

It's Christmas morning. Isn't this

something you could discuss tomorrow?

There's nothing to discuss.

When I come home,

I'll work with Dr. Guerra in Vientecito.

I love Texas as much as you do.

I want to work here.

I just want to work in a different way,

that's all.

Come on, Jordan.

Work with Guerra!

Here's to you, Mr. Benedict.

You look beat, Mr. Benedict.

Here's to you.

It's pretty good stuff.

Did you make that yourself?

Yes, I make it every year.

It's my Christmas special.

No, I mean the liquor.

Did you make the liquor yourself?

If not, it's about the only thing

you don't produce on Reata yourself.

Come here and sit down.

I've got some serious talk

to make with you.

I've been watching you pretty close

for a lot of years.

You're a ranchman.

And you're smart.

You're wondering why I'm talking to you.

Bob Dace...

look me right in the eye.

You could never be anything but a rancher,

could you?

- No, sir.

- That's my boy.

But somebody else thinks I could.

Not my Judy.

- No, sir, it's not Judy.

- Who?

President Roosevelt.

Listen to this:

"To Robert Haskell Dace.

"Greetings from the President

of the United States".

Let me see that.

"You are hereby notified to report

on December 28...

"5:
00 a.m. For induction".

It don't matter.

Your job won't let you leave this place.

It'll make you stay right here.

This is just as important as carrying a gun.

I appreciate your confidence, sir.

But this is one thing

I'm not gonna try to get out of.

Have it your way. You might as well...

everybody else does around here.

I'll show you my heart's in the right place.

When you come back

after the war is over...

the job's yours.

It'll be waiting for you.

I couldn't take it, sir.

Papa, Bob and I have plans.

We want a place, just our own.

You crazy kids, you!

Can you imagine you'll ever have

anything like this? Like Reata?

Gosh, no, sir. We just want a little place.

Just a little place that'll allow us time

for experimentation and progress.

See, sir, big stuff is old stuff now.

Big stuff is old stuff?

Bob didn't mean to upset you.

He just wants to be honest, that's all.

We just want something little

that's our own. That's all.

Just ours.

You see, Dad?

Yeah, honey, I see.

See you, Daddy.

Keeping it together all my life for them!

I battled mesquite, dust, and the wind...

to keep it this big.

And for who?

I might just as well give it back

to the dirty Comanches!

That's the Christmas spirit.

Give it all back to the poor old Indians.

Don't tell me, I know. You're Jett Rink.

You're Judy.

No, I'm Luz.

That I am.

Come on in.

Dad's over at the bar.

Feel free, it's Christmas.

Everybody gets one.

Christmas?

I thought that was next week.

Somebody ought to have told me.

Christmas greetings

from Mr. Jetexas himself.

Sit down.

I guess Christmas is as good a day as any

to talk business.

Run along, Luz.

We've got business to talk about.

'Bye, now.

'Bye, Mr. Rink.

Everybody calls me Jett, honey.

Bye-bye.

What's on your mind?

The country needs petroleum.

I'm going to Washington, Bick.

The reason I'm going

and the reason I'm here is oil.

I figured.

You want to talk a little business?

I'm ready.

It seems that every time we made a deal,

me and you...

it just turned out pretty lucky...

for somebody.

All this oil around here hasn't made

a lot of difference.

We live pretty much like we always have

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes