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Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)
Are the flowers that I've seen
Growing in the fields so gay To brighten up our way. To brighten up our way. Red and yellow green and blue Growing in my garden too Flowers seem to smile with glee Just for you and me. Just for you and me. okay, give me another one Aw Bubba, look what you did. You ruined it. Don't squeeze it like that. Hold it by the stem like I showed you. Okay, find me another one. That's better! See you can do it! Look, Bubba, isn't it beautiful? It's a lei. Everybody gets one when they go to Hawaii. Here's one for you, Bubba. Beaut-i-ful Now I have to give you a kiss. Come on, Bubba! you have to, it's the custom. It comes with the flower. Then give it back. Okay then. Come on, Bubba. Red and yellow blue and green Are the flowers that I've seen Hey Otis. He's out there again. and he's got the Williams girl. uh, uh! You know what he's liable to do? - yes. Well, let's get down there and break it up then. Well what good would it do? Two days and he'd be back again just like before. Not this time. I'm gonna teach that moron a lesson. You're wasting your time. Just you wait and see. When I get through with him! You're wasting your time! He's an idiot. He can't remember. You ought to know that by now. Well what'll we do then? Nothin' - nothin'? Wait a minute. I don't understand this. It was your idea he's dangerous in the first place. You're the one who always wants to run down there and rub his face in the dirt. What happened all of the sudden? You changed your mind. He's a blight. Like stinkweed and cutworm that you spray and spray to get rid of but always keep coming back. No, I haven't changed my mind. Somethin's gotta be done. But it has to be permanent. Hey Otis, uh, I'll kick him around a little, have a little fun with him, but uh... that's as far as I'm gonna go. What would you do if somethin' happened out there? Well, that's different. You know what I'd do! There'd be a reason. Uh, huh. Say "Hello" to the Mrs. for me. for my friends, a chain that never ends, a chain that never ends. Bubba, look! The Renfro's got a fountain! Isn't it the most beautiful? - oh yes! Come on. Come on! - No! Why? Bubby can't go in yard. Just to look, we won't hurt anything. No, I'll get in trouble. Don't be such a scaredy cat. There's nobody home anyway. Okay, you stay here. I'll go by myself. Bubba...Bubba! Alright, alright, I'm coming! Bubba didn't do it! Thank you. Otis! It's happened! Bubba Ritter. He's done it! The Williams girl? - Just like you said! How bad? She's dead, Otis! The Sheriff's calling for volunteers. Everybody's gonna meet over at the courthouse. No! We'll do this ourselves. Let's get the dogs and the guns. Here they come! Darby, take over. Here we go! - This way! They're on to him! HARLESS, drive round to the other side. Let's catch him before he gets home! Alright. Let's go! You O.K., Mr. Philby? - I'm fine, Skeeter, go on, go on! Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama! - Bubba, what is it? MARYLEE got hurt... but I didn't do it, Mama! I told her not to! Bubba told her not to! - Not to? Not to what? Help me, Mama! They gonna hurt me! They gonna hurt, Bubba's scared, Mama! But I didn't do nothing bad! - I know, Sweetheart. You're a good boy. Now nobody's gonna hurt you, You hear?! Nobody's gonna hurt you! Mama's not gonna let 'em! Damn them! Anything happen in that town and they come blamin' you! Now get up here! Listen to me. Now you remember what we did the last time? We played the game... the hiding game. Remember? The hiding game? The hiding game! I remember! I remem' the hiding! I can play good, Mama! I know now, come on. We're gonna play it again! Come on. Come on! - hiding game! We're gonna play the game. - I'm going to play the hiding game. Yes, we're gonna play the game! Here! Take the dogs! You go on ahead. I've got 'em Mr. Hazelrigg! See anything? - No I haven't seen a thing. They're on to somethin' here. Come on boys, what is it? Come on! We've got him now! Let's go! Let's go! We got him! What are we gonna do? Shut off the engine. Keep the dogs quiet, let me handle it. Bubba Ritter! Come on, Bubba, we know where you are! - Maybe he ain't here, Mr. Hazelrigg. Damnit, Bubba, I'm not gonna fool around with you. You hear me! Now you come on out of there! What are you men doing on my property? I asked you what you're doing? - We've come him, Mrs. Ritter! In a pig's eye! - This is official. Official? Who do you think you are? The only official you ever done is lick stamps, now get off my place! He's wanted, Miss Ritter. - I don't believe it! You're just out here to torment him again! What's he supposed to have done? What do you think? Frank Williams' daughter. - No! He wouldn't hurt nobody. Especially a child! Don't ya understand? He loves children. He plays with 'em because he's no older than them in his head. He's 36 years old, Mrs. Ritter. He's physically mature. Where is he? He ain't here. Dogs say different. - I ain't seen him! We'll tear this place apart if we have to. Over my dead body. I'm warning you, your obstructing justice. - And you ain't the law! You're obstructing justice and aiding a fugitive! You're trespassing and this is my property and you just get the hell off!I - you could be held as an accomplice! Mrs. Ritter! Mrs. Ritter! Mr. Hazelrigg, they've picked up on somethin' over here. Don't look like he was in the house. Maybe he's headed across the field. Same thing he did the last time we lost him. Not this time. We got dogs. We got dogs! Come on! They're on to somethin'! Mr. Hazelrigg, they're on to somethin' here! Come on boys, what is it? Come on! You can find him boys! Come on! What's the matter with 'em? - I don't know! Come on...come on! - Looks like they lost him! No, that's impossible! Same as they did last time! Aw, they think he's the scarecrow! Come on! Knock it off! Come on! Give me that! - No, don't! Don't, Mr. Hazelrigg! Damn Eggsuckers! - Don't kick 'em, Mr. Hazelrigg! He's okay. Easy Bubba didn't do it! Hello Harless? Hey Harless, do you copy? Come back. Hey Harless, you out there? Ya, Loomie go ahead. Hey where you at? - We out here at the Ritter place. What you doing out there? They called everything off a half hour ago. What the hell are you talking about? Hadn't you heard? Little girl's alright. It was all a mistake. HANK RENFRO'S dog jumper her. They've already released her from the clinic and sent her home. Funny part is... Ol' Bubba saved her life. Ain't that a laugh. Harless, Hey Harless you readin' me? Objection! Objection your Honor! Order. Order in this court! That point has been established, Your Honor! That's not the point at all. The men had no reason, no right to be out there. Legal or otherwise. Objection! Objection, Your Honor! The SHERIFF called for volunteers, and the District Attorney knows it! He is deliberately harrassing my clients! They're vigilantes. And anyone who doesn't understand that is either blind or incompetent. I mean the man was helpless for God's sake! That's a lie and you know it! I'm sorry, Your Honor. I almost forgot. He had a pitchfork. Against four men with guns. He might as well have had a featherduster against that firing squad. Objection! I object! Everybody get quiet now! Now that is the last time I'm gonna put up with that. Now either you people are gonna observe the quorum of this hearing or I'm gonna hold you in contempt. OTIS I want you to tell this court, whether you or these men, gave the deceased a chance to surrender himself. You're under oath. Yes, your Honor, we did. Several times. In fact we even fired shots in the air. We did everything we possibly could, not to hurt him. We had to defend ourselves. - Defend?! Defend yourselves?! The man had 21 bullet wounds in him! Objection...objection, Your Honor! Now once more and I'm gonna clear this room! Will the attorneys come on up here to the bench. Now gentlemen, We have got a very delicate situation on our hands here. Now we have to be extremely careful. Sam, these men are members of the community. They're not criminals. But, Your Honor, they went out... - Sam! I'll tell you the truth. After listening to the arguments, I don't think you have a case against 'em. - Henry Your Honor These men went out... with no legal right. They... Sam...Sam, You have produced no witnesses. You have produced no evidence You have not shown me one thing to prove that what happened is any different than what they say. Now, do you have anything else? Do you have anything else to present? No. Then alright. After reviewing the evidence and testimony in this hearing. I find it insufficient to establish probable cause. And I'm ordering the defendents released from custody immediately. No! No! They're murderers! They killed my son! They killed my son! They murdered him! They murdered him! It ain't right that you let 'em go free. They killed my boy! They killed my boy! You may think that you're getting off free but there's other justice in this world besides the law. Court is adjourned. Hazelrigg! Just a minute! I want to tell you... men, one thing. I think you executed that man, and I promise you this: If I ever find a single shred of evidence I'll see every one of you on death row. Am I keeping you, Mr. Hazelrigg?! Huh? Oh, well I was just noticing the time It's uh, Tuesday and Mrs. Bunch'll be havin' fried chicken over at the boardin' house right now. - Ha ha ha ha ha Fried Chicken! Ha ha ha ha ha! I thought he was gonna drop his teeth! Fried chicken! Ha ha ha ha ha ha How is she? Oh Frank, In these past few weeks I've never been so frightened in my life. I know, honey. It's over now. She's gonna be just fine. Try and relax. You know I never realized she was so attached to that man. What do you mean? It's the first one she asked about. Where's Bubba? What's happened to Bubba? I have to stop her from getting out of bed. She was going out to see him! Well, didn't you tell her? I didn't have the heart to. Especially in her condition. I just told her we'd talk about it another time. Oh Frank, what am I going to tell her? Don't tell her anything. Just let it lie. Bubba? Bubba, you asleep? Olly olly oxen free?! Bubba? Child! what on earth? Look at you What in the world are you doin' runnin' around this time of night? in your gown! Oh, Sweetheart, you should be home in bed. You're gonna get sick! We're gonna go down by the fire and get you warm. Where's Bubba? What? He's not in his room, I looked! Oh Child! Nobody told you... Bubba's gone. Gone? Where? Well, where they can't hurt him no more. Well..When is he coming back? He's not, Sweetheart. Never?! But he can't sing the flower song by himself. He only knows his ABC's up to G. I've got to find him, Mrs. Ritter! He was just about to learn to tie a bow-knot in his shoe laces. Oh, child... Don't cry Mrs. Ritter! I'll help you find him, really! I know all the places he likes to go, where he hides. Come on, I'll show you! I'll show you! - Marylee! Marylee, wait Child! - I'll show you! You don't understand! Marylee! Marylee! Marylee! Marylee! ...flowers that I've seen, Growing in the field so gay To brighten up our way, To brighten up our way. Red and yellow green and blue Growing in my garden too, Flowers seem to smile with glee, Just for you and me, Just for you and me. Don't worry, Mrs. Ritter. Bubba's not gone. He's just being silly. Don't you know what he's doing? He's playing the hiding game. Good morning, Mr. Hazelrigg. Good morning, Mrs. Whimberly. - How are you today? Never better, Mrs. Whimberly. - Thank you Come on! Keep it movin', you sucker! Hi Otis! - Hi Mrs. Hocker. See ya again. - Okay Harless! - What? We just got an invitation to the church Halloween carnival. Ya hear? What? To the church party. Can we go? - oh, I don't care. Well, I'd have to let 'em know before Saturday. Because they sure do want me. - Harless? - What now? Have you started planting? - What?! I said, have you started planting? What's the matter with you? Can't you see I'm busy? You ever seen me plantin' this time of year? No... Well, why do you ask a lame-brain thing like that? Well, I just thought it was strange I mean, if you're not plantin' Why would you put up a Scarecrow? Hey! Harless, over here! - Come on! Come on! We're three ahead of you already. Just what the hell do you think you're pulling? What...? What's the matter? You got nobody better to kick around now that Bubba's gone? What the hell are you talking about? - Don't act dumb! You know damn well what I'm talking about. Puttin' that thing in my barn I What thing? - The SCARECROW. Well? Harless, we didn't do it. I swear to God, we didn't do it! It wasn't us! Mr. Hazelrigg... Mr. Hazelrigg... Yes, what is it? You have some visitors downstairs. Visitors? Yes. I told them you were taking a nap before dinner, but they insisted I wake you up. Okay Mrs Bunch, I'll be down in a minute. Fellas - Uh was wonderin' if we could see you, Otis. Well, uh Couldn't it.wait. I think we're gettin' ready to have dinner. Otis. Now! Well, alright. Come on up. What the hell is this? I told you never to come over here! Do you know how this looks? He seen it, Otis. - Seen what?! The scarecrow. The same one. Bullet holes, everything, just like before! Except now it's filled with straw. Where? - In my pasture. I figured they done it. - Wasn't us! I swear, Mr. Hazelrigg, I don't know nothin' about it. Somebody knows, Otis! - No! He didn't walk out there by itself! - Nobody knows. Somebody put it there? - Of course! Who? Now, who do you think? Oh my god! Yes. I don't understand... What is it? Who you talkin' about? - Sam Willock! The District Attorney? Why? Because he's tryin' to shake you! And you did just exactly what he expected. What do we do? - Nothin' Nothin?! Mr. Hazelrigg, we can't just sit around and do... Go home! You've done enough arleady, just go home and keep your mouth shut. For God's sake, don't bunch up like this... you got guilty written all over you. Go on. And one other thing, don't ever come over here again. For anything. Ever! Okay, you can come out now. Sam I know what you're up to! Sam, let's quick playin' games, I'm tired! Come on out, Sam! I gotta close this place up. Come on, Sam! Sam? More preserves, Mr. Hazelrigg? There you are. uh, a little more, please. - oh, my pleasure Thank you. - You're welcome. Bisquits please, Mr. Loomis. A lot of excitement this morning. - Yes, there was. - Did you hear all the sirens? - Sirens? Eggs, please. Must have been before you were up. Several of them went past, Guess it was about six o'clock wouldn't you say Mr. Loomis? 5:58 a.m. Uh...bacon, please? take my walk at 5:30, that's how I know. It was 5:58 when the sheriff went by. Sheriff? - Ya It was 6:00 straight up when the ambulance went past. And it was 6:09 when the District Attorney took out. District Attorney? Here Hazelrigg, you missed the flapjacks. Yep, went one right after the other. Went out of town like their tails were on fire. Say, Hazelrigg, that was Hocker over here last night, wasn't it? Uh huh. - Well, what do you know? You're here one minute And the the next one... Hocker ground himself up in his brush machine last night. He was not innocent. He would have hurt somebody. - He saved that girl's life! It could've been the other way around, couldn't it? Well what about Mr. Hocker? - What about Harless? - That was an accident. - Accident?! Accident?! I'm telling you what they said. - and you believe that?! Well what else? He was workin', grindin' brush all day. In the barn? In the middle of the night? He was drinkin'. They found a bottle out there. The judge ruled it an accident, as far as I'm concerned, that finishes it. Ya, but he don't know everythin', Mr. Hazelrigg. They don't know about that scarecrow. Scarecrow. There wasn't any scarecrow. I looked! There wasn't anything out there. - There was last night. Otis Harless was right. We're in trouble. Somebody knows! Not yet, but they will, if you don't drop it! You said it was Sam Willock, well it don't look like that now! Because, it was an accident! Now don't try to make something that isn't! Then who turned the machine off? - What? You said the machine was off when they found him. It ran out of gas. How do you know? Give me that hoe. I wonder why they didn't think of this. Maybe they did... Good God, it's almost full. Well then, who turned it off? The same person who turned it on. Marylee Marylee? Marylee, wait! Marylee, did you forget somethin' honey? Marylee? What do you want!? Package for ya. - You got your nerve. Just doin' my job. Leave it in the box. - Cain't, gotta sign for it. Thank you. Get off my property. A friend of mine was killed the other night. So I heard. They all think it was an accident. I don't. Is that so? There's otherjustice in the world. - besides the law? It's a fact. What you sow, so shall you reap. An eye for an eye? Tooth for a tooth hand for a hand Foot for a foot a life for a life? Now, just a minute, You think that Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Hazelrigg. There ain't ten like you worth my son's life. Word to the wise, Mrs. Ritter. It's even now. Let it lie. Not hardly. It ain't even. Not so long as you're walkin'! You don't fool me, Hazelrigg, not for a minute. I seen how you look at that little girl. You may think that you've got the rest of them fooled, but I know exactly what you are! Stay away from her, Hazelrigg! This is a small town. Everybody talks! You just remember what I told you, Hazelrigg! Hey you guys, I've got a great idea! Let's go play hide and go seek! Okay! Come on, let's go! Let's go! Come on! 5,10,15,20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100 Here I come, ready or not! Now wait, wait a minute. I'm not gonna hurt you. Now you're not afraid of me? I'm the mail man. No one's afraid of the mail man. Let me see your costume. Isn't that pretty. Let me see if I can guess who you are...uh Fairy princes, no, no that's not it. I know who it is! Mommy, right? huh? Show your costume to Mrs. Ritter? Hmm? She's your friend, isn't she? ya, sure. She's mine, too. But you didn't know that, did ya? - huh? Do you know somethin'? I think Mrs. Ritter is tryin' to play a joke on me and some of my friends. I bet she told you about it, huh? Is it a secret? I bet that's what it is, it's a secret! Well, I can understand that. You can tell me, I won't say a word. Come on, I'm not gonna hurt you. You come whisper in my ear, and it will still be a secret. I know what you did to Bubba. And you lied about him. Where'd you hear that?! He told me. He told me everything. Marylee You know that's not true. It was Mrs. Ritter, wasn't it? She told you to say that. No. - Yes it was, now you tell the truth! Then who was it? - I told you it was Bubba. No it wasn't, dammit! Bubba didn't tell you that. Bubba didn't tell you anything. Bubba's dead! I know. Marylee! Marylee! Marylee The party's up front. Oh, hello Mr. Hazelrigg. Can I get you something? Something to drink, please. This one's plain and This one is "fixed". I forgot, You don't drink. I seen it! It was here. Right here! We've gone over this ground a dozen times. Well maybe it's just in another part of the field.. No! It was here! Dammit! Right before dark. I was right here, looking at it. It was right here! Don't you look at me that way! I'm not crazy. I saw it! Just like Harless. Okay, okay. Why don't we come back in the morning? - No! I can't wait until the morning. At least let's get inside, someone's gonna see us out here and wonder. For God's sake, Otis, Is that all you can worry about? Somebody gonna see us and wonder? that thing's pointin' at me! Maybe we should just go tell the sheriff. Are you crazy? You want to spend the rest of your life in prison?! Well it's better than dyin'. Now you listen to me, Otis. And you listen good! You got me into this, now you just think of somethin' to get me out, quick! Or I'm goin' in. I warned you. I warned you and I gave you a chance. and you wouldn't listen. Now, I'm warning you for the last time. Stop it! I know it was you! I'm not going to let you panick those men. Now, I'm willing to trade. An eye for an eye. We're even! okay?! Stop it! Stop it, damn you! You listen to me, I'm not going to hurt you! I'm going to let you go, Okay? okay? No tricks this time, alright? I'm going to let you go. okay? Now. There's no reason for you and I to be going on like... Mrs. Ritter? Mrs. Ritter?! What do you think, Ray? Well, pretty sure started here in the kitchen. You can tell by the way the flames blew out. Any idea what caused it? - Gas leak. You can still smell it. Intentional? Na, I doubt it. Seen this kind of thing before. These old folks, they let their equipment run down. Their hoses dry rot, leak, come loose. This is what you get. I suppose so. So, tell you what though, I'd like for you to look around a little more. See if you find anything else. Well, now, we went over it pretty close, Sam. Lookin' for anything special? Just...one shred. What? Nothin', just wanna be sure. Red and yellow, blue and green, Are the flowers that I've seen, Growing in the fields of May Mr. Hazelrigg. Didn't hear you come in. Somethin's wrong. Philby. Let me go. Let me go! Stop it! - Let me go! It was an accident! - You're lyin'! He had a heart attack! Well which was it, accident or heart attack? It was both. They found him this morning bottom of the silo. The grain fell on him - no! Don't panick, dammit! They'll know! - I don't care! You listen to me! There's no reason to throw it all away now! No, no! I don't wanna hear it! - It was Bubba! No! - Yes! He's dead! - He's not! We killed him! I saw it! I was there. He's dead as a post! We don't know, we left him there! Please! Please! Stop! Don't say anymore! You twist everything around, I get so confused! The other night at the carnival, I saw the Williams girl. She told me then, I didn't believe it! She said that she still sees him. She still sees him, Skeeter! It's him, it's always been him! - They buried him! He's rotting under five yards ground. - He's not! He is! I'll make you a deal. - No! You give me a chance, don't run out! And I'll prove it to ya, huh? Come on, come on Come on, it's gonna be alright. There it is. Uh, Mr. Hazelrigg, Maybe we shouldn't We've got to We've got to know. Dig! Here. Open it. Open it! Mr. Hazelrigg If he's in there that don't leave nobody but his spirit. Open it! Oh my god! It's, it's him! Skeeter! Stop! Come back here! Let me go...let me go! You promised...you gave your word! - I don't care...let me go! You promised! You liar! Please, please, Hazelrigg, we gotta get out now! We cain't! - We've got to! There's no more excuses. There's no one left to blame but us! For god's sake! The writing's on the wall! I know who it is! - No! No! You listen to me! No, no more! It's her! It's the girl! No! I know what you're thinking! I don't want any part of it! But we have to! - No way! Now, we've come this far. It's almost over. No! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go. Okay, okay, okay, okay. You win, you win! Okay, Skeeter. We'll do it your way, okay. What are we fighting for? Here. I'm sorry. We have nothin' to fight for. Come on. We'll go to the police, if that's what you want. Here. We got nothin' to hide. The body's there, right? We got nothin' to hide. Okay. Now first, first we have to cover up, we have to cover up the body. If we're gonna go anywhere, we can't let the body be like that, right? Come on, then we'll go where ever you want. Come on, boy. Come on I'm sorry, Skeeter. I just lost my temper. Come on now, now we gotta do it. We gotta, can't leave him like that, Somebody see him like that, then we'd really be in trouble. You want me to do it? - No, no I'll do it. That's a good boy. You got it? - Ya. That's it. Did you know, Mr. Hazelrigg, that... I have a cousin, lives up in the hills in Arkansas? Just lives way back there in the woods, there's just, nobody around for miles. In fact, all's they got's a dirt road or the last 12 miles, getting' up there. When I was a kid, I spent the summer there, just beautiful country fishin, great huntin, Marylee? Marylee! Marylee? Marylee! Hey! Hey! Hey! Caught ya! You! It was you! Mommy! Mommy! - Quit yellin'! I mean it! Who's that?! Sam?! Listen, Sam! I know what this looks like. But I can explain! It was her, Sam! It was her all the time! Sam!? Sam!?!? Sam! Sam! No! No! Sam! No! No! No! No! Thank you, Bubba. You know what? Tomorrow, I think I'll teach you a new game. Did I ever show you how to play the chasing game? It's fun, you'll like it! It's sort of like playing tag. |
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