In Dubious Battle Page #8

They'll have grounds

to call in the national guard.

You're all just gonna sit here

and wait for whatever

they have to bring down on us.

Coward, coward, coward, coward.

Fine.

Where the hell

do you think you're going?

I can't stand being cooped up

in here with you cowards.

I'd like to burn

that whole goddamn valley down.

Vera, come on.

London?

What is it?

We caught a guy sneaking around

behind the barn and the camp.

He had a gun.

Bring him in here.

Get in here. Get in.

Did good bringing him in here.

Sure thing, Mac.

I got it.

We let you out there, they're

gonna kill you. You know that?

Now, who sent you?

Nobody.

Who sent you?

I don't know, some kid from

the village sent me out.

Who?

I don't know, please.

This is too... I'm sorry,

I can't be part of this.

Please.

I can't.

I'll do it.

Please. Please, no. Please.

Please.

Oh, my baby!

Please!

Mommy!

Hey.

I went into town

and turned you in.

Sheriff's gonna kick

the whole lot of you

off my land.

I just wanted to say I'm sorry.

We didn't want this to happen.

You know what your problem is?

You never own anything.

You never planted any trees,

watched them grow,

touched them

with your own hands.

You bastards

never owned anything.

You never put your hands

in your own dirt.

With respect, we never

had a chance to own nothing.

Yeah, I listened

to all your promises.

Now the whole crop's burnt up,

just a matter of time

before the bank takes it all.

The pointers?

Are the dogs all right?

What do you think?

Kennel was slap

in the middle of the barn.

We have received

a trespassing complaint

from the owner of this land.

The governor has been left

with no recourse

but to call in

the national guard.

We will be coming through

this camp at sunrise tomorrow.

With 200 guns and 10 more trucks

just like this one.

Anyone remaining

will be forcibly removed.

Any resistance will be met

with swift and permanent force.

Just slow down, slow down.

All y'all, just slow down

with them guns.

Just because you have

a trespassing charge

don't give none of you

the right to be shooting guys.

- Right.

- Yeah.

Well, now

you're right about that.

But incitement of violence,

destruction of private property,

vandalism, rioting,

resisting arrest, and murder?

Well, now, that's another

question entirely.

Murder?

Only murdering done here

is by Bolton and his guys.

Oh!

Not us! Not us!

Last night, a man's

home was burned to the ground.

His son died in that fire.

You turn in the man responsible

for this atrocity,

otherwise, we will consider

each and every one of you

to be an accomplice

to this crime.

You got no proof that any of us

had anything to do with that.

You ungrateful

little shitheels!

We gave you work,

you threw it in our face.

We let you play at politics,

parleyed with you

like businessmen,

and how do you respond?

Unprovoked, wanton destruction!

- Bolton, that's a lie!

- No, shut up!

- That's a goddamn lie!

- Shut up!

This game is over. Get out.

Daybreak, gentlemen.

All right, come on.

Let's go.

Oh, come on, London.

He's bluffing,

can't you see that?

That line about

the kid getting burned.

That's just a bunch of bull

to shake us.

I can't believe one word

that sheriff said.

I mean, that kid

really got killed,

it would've been

in all the papers.

Vera?

It was dark.

It's hard to see

much of anything.

And they keep talking about all

those guns and trucks they have.

If they had

all those guns and trucks,

they wouldn't talk about them,

they'd just roll right in.

That sheriff's just trying

to get us to scatter

so we don't put up a fight.

Is he telling it straight, Mac?

He knows

what he's talking about.

If we fold right now,

without a scrap,

everything we've been through

been for nothing.

I know that's a hell

of a responsibility,

London, but come on.

If they find out that Vera

burned down that house...

We didn't tell her

to do anything.

Don't use me as an excuse.

I knew full well

what I was doing.

This is my decision.

Not yours, mine.

Should we fight it out?

Should we?

It's up to you, London.

You know what

Mac and I think.

London, you're the boss man,

so if you want to put it

to a vote...

Put it to a vote.

I'll talk to the boys.

We'll vote tonight.

Get what you're saying.

We didn't know

it was gonna be like this.

We got women.

We got old men.

We aren't an army.

We can't win this fight.

It's over.

This valley is too organized.

All the property's

owned by three men.

They own the banks,

they control the courts.

What'd you tell me once?

Every time a guardsman

jabs a fruit tramp

with a bayonet, a thousand men

come on our side?

If we fight this out...

The whole country

will know about it.

We can make some real change.

I want you to get out of here.

Tonight.

Take Lisa and the baby and go.

Save yourself for another fight.

Do you understand?

People that want a vote

go on out!

We need a vote.

Let's get a vote in.

I want to vote!

How's it that you're

always so warm?

Maybe you're just so cold.

I deserve that.

I don't know what's

gonna happen tonight,

I just want to say that...

Then don't.

I'm not gonna try

and argue out of fighting.

Because I know you won't listen.

So in that case,

don't say anything.

I've already lost

one man this year.

I can't do it again.

I just don't want to leave

things between us this way.

Shh.

Can I hold him?

Shh. Shh.

Shh, don't cry.

Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.

He stopped crying.

Hey, hey.

Remember that farm with the dog,

cow, and the goats?

Is there a spot for me there?

Yes,

in another life.

- Jim!

- Yeah?

There's some guy over

in the orchard lying in a ditch.

He's hurt real bad.

I think it's the doctor.

Who? Doc Burton?

Yeah. He said he needs you.

Hey, Mac?

Mac, the doc's still here,

but he's hurt real bad.

According to who?

Some kid told me.

He's over in the orchard.

Come on, let's go.

All right, I'll...

I'll go, all right?

You stay here.

No, what are you talking about?

We're both going.

Edie needs you right now.

Edie needs me?

What are you talk...

Jim!

Will you just listen to me,

for Christ's sake?

Just go see her, okay?

Will you just listen to me?

Fine, I'll go get Edie.

You go get doc, all right?

Yeah.

Edie?

Jim.

Mac said you need me.

Oh-uh, he did.

Yeah, of course.

Where is he?

Well, some kid came in

and said the doc was hurt,

in the orchard.

And I was gonna go get him,

but then Mac said

that you needed me,

so then he went to find him.

Goddamn it.

It's a setup.

Listen, Jim.

It was meant for me.

Jim? Jim!

Jim, leave them be!

Mac! Mac!

A dollar a day is better than

getting these people killed.

You can't live

on a dollar a day.

Mac! Mac!

You saw what was

down there today.

Don't just sit here and

argue with each other.

I understand...

I say 3 dollars a day!

You saw what happened!

I don't know,

maybe that's right.

Listen, folks,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes