The Bygone (2019)

1
I remember
an old Indian story my mom
used to tell me
before I went to sleep,
about a shadow,
that blanketed the land
in darkness.
I know it had a happy ending
of some sort but...
all I can remember
is the way it made me feel.
Seemed like it could just
swallow you up, the way
she told it,
like it was right
around the corner.
Never knew what it was
she was talking about.
At least I didn't used to.
I always wondered
if guys like Cassidy,
Crockett and Crazy Horse
came rising up from the holes
we dug for them if they'd
even recognize this place...
land they called home.
But the West...
it isn't dead yet.
It's just on fire
and no one seems to care.
Relax.
- Open it!
- Shut up!
Never been with a cowboy before.
Fucking whore!
I paid good money for you.
- Someone as gentle as you...
- I'm sorry.
Not again.
Don't know
about goddamn fucking whore.
You got no right telling me no.
Look at me,
what we getting in on here.
- We're getting hit off.
- Hey.
We're occupied.
Get the fuck out!
- Leave her be.
- -Get the hell out, Delmar!
What was that?
How about I carve some manners
in that pretty face of yours?
Hey. Hey, you alright?
You need a ride somewhere?
Just trying to help.
Can you buy me a new car?
Fly me some place nice?
Didn't think so.
No, you can stay at our ranch.
You need a place
to stay for the night.
Got a room?
Plenty of room.
Paris.
Where is Laura?
Was too busy getting hit on
my head with fucking telephone
to notice
which direction she went.
I should be asking you
for a recompense, truth be told.
Look what she'd done.
Alright then.
Much obliged.
Look, I didn't touch her
any more than normal.
Of course.
Ah! Fuck! Shit! Damn!
Fuck. Hold on, Paris.
Uh, God... no, no, no!
I hope this is okay.
You should get some rest.
Too bright in here for you?
You got back late.
Called my brother.
He agreed to hold
the ranch and trust,
help us out while we get
back on our feet.
You know we're gonna have
to sell that mare.
Laura!
Come on...
Come on! There you go.
Take it easy, take it easy.
- So, Kip, what's her name?
- Come on.
The reason you slept out
hangover off on the couch.
Come on, Kip, spill the beans.
Oh, shit.
You started,
you better finish it.
You're gonna help or just sit
there on your high horse?
Hugs bulls and bring them home.
Come on, boy.
Where is Laura?
She here?
Go inside, Bae.
Thought you didn't
believe in this sort of thing.
Get off my porch.
- Laura around?
- That's not her name.
You know it makes me sad
what you do, keeping them all
cooped up like that.
They come here freely.
You think you're helping them,
but you're not.
There is more in world than
the one you forced them into.
They'll be back,
one way or another.
If you do see Laura,
tell her we're looking for her.
- Sorry.
- So you can tell a lot
about a man by his bookshelf.
I was just looking.
- Where are you from?
- Bethel.
Which part?
Above the Missouri.
Mandory?
Used to fish in the river
just south of there.
I just got down
to check on the rus...
From Mandory.
Hm.
You sing to all your horses?
Morning.
She... was my mother's.
Car accident about a year ago.
Left a pretty scar.
Vet wanted
to put her down but...
I wouldn't give up on her.
Isn't that right?
I'll go saddle up another horse,
show you around a little bit.
- Hadley.
- Been a while, Beckett.
Sorry I couldn't make it
to the funeral.
You remember Kip?
My God. Kip.
- Uncle Beckett.
- -Looks just like grandpa.
Almost forgot.
Best gin in all Dakota.
Must have known I'm in oil
because they did
chose me accordingly.
Are you serious?
Come on in.
Never understood
your taste for gin.
It's to make an engine
quit drinking.
That survey
was twenty years ago.
It's about as detail as I got.
This is all of our land I own.
So it'll be fine.
Right.
Where did you learn
to ride like that?
We're a horse nation.
Surprised you kept up.
Thanks for letting me stay.
I'll leave the clothes.
Listen, I was thinking I might
go see a movie later.
Maybe you might wanna join?
I mean you don't have to leave.
Waniya.
My name is Waniya.
It's easy to get lost in, huh?
Not how I see it.
It can help you find your way if
you know what you're looking at.
Maybe
I should have stayed in school.
You gave it up?
Around here it's either
ranching or oil.
You end up in a field
one way or another.
Not too many
you can see anymore.
The ranch suits you.
No matter how old you get,
there's that part
of growing up
you'll never forget.
I'm glad you said that, Owen.
Remember that when I'm gone.
Now.
- Got room for one more?
- Get on.
Cold?
Didn't know you meant
the drive-in.
Here.
Where did you get that?
It was my mother's.
My grandfather used to call it.
She did, too.
He used to laugh
at these old westerns.
Tell me how the Indians
were never saying
what you think.
His name is Dakota.
Look happy.
I noticed your tattoo
earlier... of the wolf.
No, I like it.
Why did you pick it?
I didn't.
Hope you weren't too bored.
Sucker for those old westerns.
Just take me north of Watson.
There is a house there
I could stay at.
You know you... we alright if you
stayed with us another night.
Why were you there last night?
Just a mistake. That's all.
Right.
I guess...
I just wanted to feel...
I don't know...
What the hell?
Shit.
Just a sec.
Car trouble?
Not my night, I guess.
I can't argue with that.
Sorry?
You have something of mine.
Kip!
Kip!
Come here.
Wait! Wait, Paris, please.
- I was coming back. I swear.
- Shut up!
I swear.
I swear. Help. Help!
Hmm.
Kip, son, are that you?
Ooh. Entire pub
running over your face?
No, sheriff.
I don't know who lost the fight.
Who was the other guy?
I don't know.
Never seen him before.
Smoke?
Dad smokes.
Yeah, well, I ain't him.
All got our vices.
Pretty girl.
Well, not going anywhere
with the wheel as flat as Fargo.
Poor Laura.
Poor little Laura.
You got a taste of the outside
world, didn't you?
World blind as a shit.
That world... it wasn't
made for us.
It's good to have you back.
That'll do it.
You sure it was a Volvo?
Yeah.
I'd put the word out.
Let you know what I find.
Probably you didn't turn off.
What are we gonna do with her?
Just what we were doing before.
She ain't gonna work anymore,
not like that.
Hey, why don't we just sell her?
You know where we can take her.
I mean more
than you'll make in a month.
I need you to get the word
out for tomorrow.
Jamie.
What I do with her
is got nothing to do with you.
You don't ever leave me again.
I know you.
Hey, get back in there.
Can I be of some assistance?
I'm looking for this girl.
She was here the other night.
Caused quite a stir.
- She inside?
- No.
No, she is one of his.
One of whose?
Blue-eyed wolf.
If I wanted to find him?
He does most of his hunting
up in "The Cloud".
You can't go after a wolf.
Not when you're a sheep.
So what is it?
Gout.
Hmm.
Disease of kings.
What they call it.
The disease of kings.
Ah! Lucky me.
How you drive?
Left foot, no clutch.
There you go.
How are your cattle?
Oh, they are dead,
most of them.
You mind?
Pity.
Anything?
The photo of the red-light
camera north of Harvey.
That him?
Dominic Chapel.
Goes by Paris.
Came here when the boom hit.
Traffics girls
up and down the oil camps.
- What about Waniya?
- What about her?
Best you leave this to me.
Used to be a saying, forty below
keeps out the riffraff.
Just ain't true no more.
Money is missing from my desk.
You brought her back
to this house.
It wasn't like that.
Who's telling you
about these places?
Is it Bear?
- I asked you a question.
- It wasn't Bear.
What would your mother say?
You don't have a damn clue.
The mare is going
to my brother's.
She's not yours to give.
I need you back, dear son.
Not fussing over
some damn horse we can't afford
and some girl
you don't even know.
That horse was mom's.
I need you back.
For what?
So we can scrape by?
Hold on a few more years?
And what?
There is nothing here
for us anymore.
Jamie is out tonight.
You stay with me.
Suspect is wanted
for trafficking
and assault
with a deadly weapon.
Suspect is known to go
by the name as Paris...
So this is him.
Just hoping
you could show your girls.
What did you think, knew him?
I know.
Wouldn't be asking
if I didn't have to.
Some of them,
they are doing real well.
Wish you could see them.
We still matter to them.
The ones I never found...
I want you to think
they matter to them.
Yeah.
Come on, girl.
Hey.
It's alright, girl.
This is a nice place.
They're gonna treat you
real good.
Come on, now.
My uncle home?
He's up at the house.
Colt Single-Action
Army .45 cal.,
the gun that won the West...
used by Custer until his demise
at Little Bighorn.
See, he was warned
by one of his Crow scouts
about a massive
Native encampment ahead.
And fearing that
his enemy will scatter,
Custer... Custer charged on.
When he came over
the crest of that ridge,
he and his regiment
of six hundred came upon
eleven thousand Indians
just waiting for him.
- Must have been quite
the surprise.
Yes, sir.
Every damn one of them
wiped out by these savages.
Only American survivor...
a horse named Comanche.
Ironic. No?
I guess so.
Mmm...
Just got off the phone
with your father.
Indian girl, surely,
I can understand trouble.
Something I can help with?
It's just... the sheriff...
he said this man takes
these girls to the camps.
- Yeah, I just thought...
- She might be
on one of my fields?
Sure, could be.
Her name's Waniya.
And you feel compelled
to find her?
It's noble of you.
Most everything you see here...
belong
to your great-grandfather.
Well, he was obsessed with
the West, man that shaped it.
Discovered
a few miles from here.
Mine's abandoned now but I...
I still find reason to go
there from time to time
reflect upon what our ancestors
did to get me where I am.
You know, there's a world
outside that ranch
that your father has you want.
Wanted to be a cowboy since
as long as I can remember.
Now...
Yeah...
you can't be bound
by Hadley's choices.
And that way of life is dire.
Why'd you help?
Lands always serves me well.
I never had a son.
You can always come
and work for me.
This country's got everything
to offer someone like you.
I will put the word out
on all of my rigs.
I do hope that we
can track her down.
Deer.
Go on.
It was my sister's.
I'm gonna have to leave
this place.
Thinking I'd...
take you with me.
Saw the ads
of your picture in the news.
They even used
your Christian name.
Shit.
- Not bad, huh?
- Jim Bowie?
Because you're naive, you know.
- Kind of the same...
- I get it. I just don't like it.
I had to think of something.
Seems a little light.
I didn't just bring cash.
Ooh.
You sure about this, Kip?
Bear, the guy said
he hunts in "The Cloud".
- Hey.
- Watch where you're going.
No idea.
That's a nice necklace you got.
Does it look like I'm working?
That's not what I'm asking for.
Here you go, honey.
Where did you get it,
the necklace?
Fucking hell.
Would you just...
Jesus, someone sure
shit kicked you.
Why you drive that old Volvo,
I'll never guess.
It's a safety thing.
You know what it is?
Just like the way it looked.
Waniya did, too.
Where is she?
Oh, baby.
We're gonna have a good time.
What's wrong? Never got
what you paid for?
Oh, don't worry, I'll be gentle.
I know how special
you are to him.
Pretty.
Seems like you're always running
after some new young thing.
I just can't seem to keep
them tied down.
You're never gonna find her.
You tell me where she is.
You should have left
when you had the chance.
Have fun with him.
Hard to imagine
why they'd run from you.
Hey, don't you fucking get it?
He gave you to me.
I wouldn't.
You would.
No! Get off of me.
- Come back.
- No! Stop it.
Listen, I'm sorry.
Fuck you.
Hey, come back here. Ah!
- Hey!
- Stop it!
He gave you to me!
Let's go.
Come on, man. Hey.
Shit.
911, what's your emergency?
- I need help.
- Is this Cavalier County?
I don't know.
I don't know where I am.
I need to know which part
of the county so we can
route it to the proper dispatch.
Miss, is this Cavalier County?
Stay in line...
They say some faces
only a mother could love.
Is that true, White?
Said to be lost in boss's
field somewhere.
Heard she was with you.
I see a lot of girls
that look like her.
Keep it.
There was a fight.
- And the cops raided the club.
- What... what happened?
Kip, the one Laura was with,
he just showed up.
The girls?
They arrested almost everybody.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Tomorrow we go to the shelter.
We'll talk about this tomorrow.
Told me I should leave
the ranch.
Go work for him.
Seemed to think
we had something in common.
You don't.
You didn't help
me take care after...
Well, I ain't you.
I know that.
You know I remember the day
Bear showed up here.
He had a face of a young boy
but tall even then.
Told me he wanted to work.
Said he didn't have
a place to stay.
But I knew he just
run away from home.
I was gonna tell him no.
But then your mom showed up.
Boy, it was not my problem.
But your mother, she, uh...
She didn't see it
that way at all.
You've got her heart, kid.
I see her in you every day
and it makes
me both sad and happy
in ways
I never thought possible.
I know I can't tell you
what to do anymore, kid.
Maybe it's selfish,
'cause I can't lose you too.
Son...
I sure wish you let this one go.
Kip.
Remember when we were little...
we used to play
cowboys and Indians?
Yeah.
I remember.
You always wanted to be
the cowboy.
How was that?
Cowboys always won.
Got tired of losing, huh?
I guess it doesn't matter now.
Both disappeared just the same.
You can't give up.
It's not how she raised you.
You can't hide from who you are.
Besides... who is to say cowboys
and Indians all disappeared?
We're still here, my brother.
I asked around back home.
People from Mandory
remember Waniya.
It's where the grandfather
used to train wild horses.
No one seen him in a while.
Hello. Anybody home?
January 8th, today I got to help
grandpa with the wild horses.
What you have to do
is pass the attention.
April 3rd, today Grampie took me
on a ride
to see the old cutouts.
July 4th... April 14th...
I met a man
today after school...
I loved his eyes...
He offered to take
me to the city...
He gave me his number...
he's different.
I'm sorry to have
to ask you this, Bae,
but do you recognize him?
It's two years ago.
He came to my school
with gifts, a car.
Gave me his number.
Thought I was special.
You are special.
You couldn't have known.
I was with him
for about a year when I...
noticed a couple of girls
had disappeared.
He'd take one away and...
And they'd never come back.
I began to hear rumors.
- Rumors?
- Hold on, they were going home.
I'll be right back.
Easy, Jamie.
Move, come on.
Where are we going?
Let's get the fuck move out.
No. No. No. Stop!
Look here, girls.
Ms. Do-goody left her rifle.
Where is he?
I tried to warn you.
No way.
Hmm.
Ain't exactly Rembrandt.
We... goddamn it.
I know it's him.
Okay.
Let's call this twisted fucker.
Me?
I got a radio voice, son.
It might spook.
Yeah?
- I heard you have girls.
- How did you get this number?
One of the guys on the rig.
Yeah.
The wolf's eyes,
what color are they?
Blue.
The eyes are blue.
Thirty-two Reservation Way.
We don't leave
until every rig pig's paid.
What the fuck
are you looking at?
Hey, hey, hey. Easy.
Where is the sixty? Huh?
Watch the exits.
Cops!
Everybody get yourselves
on the fucking ground!
- Where is Jamie?
- I don't know.
- Back up.
- Drop the knife, Paris.
Drop it.
You alright?
Shit.
Freeze!
Fuck!
Fuck.
You're under arrest.
Move.
Fuck you.
I said move.
Paris! Paris!
Stop right there!
- You're bleeding.
- Be quiet.
Where are we going?
Home.
- Paris, where are you taking me?
- Shut up!
I said shut up!
You shut your fucking mouth!
- Beckett.
- Hadley.
She hasn't changed much.
You could've called.
Never understood this room.
Seems sadness to it.
I... didn't have a chance
to ride the mare yet.
- I thought...
- It wasn't mine to give.
Mm-hmm.
Drove to Williston.
Found a bank.
Agreed to loan me some.
I told you,
there is no need to get a bank...
I'll take the ranch back.
Huh, Hadley.
-I don't think
you thought this through.
-I really do appreciate
you trying to help us.
Really wanna scrape
through another winter?
Take on that.
And by all means,
have the horse.
But I'm gonna do you
a favor by saying no.
I ain't asking.
What the hell is this?
You ain't putting
a pipe plant to my home.
Well...
You made sure I can.
That is my fucking land!
Land, there is no loyalty.
Where did you go, Beckett? Huh?
That boy I grew up with...
I don't know where he went.
- You just don't give up.
- Where did he take her?
Please.
He's taking her to the only
place they have to go.
Where is she?
Here.
Something to remember her by.
- Let's talk.
- Get inside.
- What are you doing here?
- Sh.
Hang on, it's alright.
It's okay. They are chatting.
- Where is Kip?
- He's alright.
I just missed him.
Come on.
You don't understand.
He'll kill you.
- Goddamn it, come on.
- He'll kill you, I swear.
Come on. It's okay, it's okay.
Here we go. Get you out of here.
Okay, come on.
Hi.
Not yours.
It's not yours either.
Tell me you got
an explanation for this.
Alright... we're leaving.
Afraid... I can't
let you do that.
Beckett.
Don't worry.
I'll take care of Kip.
Don't you walk away.
Beckett!
She's just a girl.
She's just a goddamn girl!
Beckett!
Oh...
There's no need for that.
Don't do this, please!
I'll just go.
I'll come with you.
You stay there.
I can pay whatever you want.
Please.
I buy her.
You ain't got the pocket.
I can get it.
Laura.
Oh, God.
Yes, Pop, what happened to you?
They took her.
- What?
- The mine.
- My brother... the mine.
- Pop...
You stay with him.
911, what's your emergency?
I need ambulance
to 27 Red Bridge.
My dad's been shot.
- Twenty seven Red Bridge?
- Yeah.
EMS will take an hour to arrive.
- Hour?
- I know. I'm very sorry...
Most of what you see belong
to your great-grandfather.
Well,
he was obsessed with the West.
Discovered
a few miles from here.
Mine's abandoned now but I still
find reason to go there
from time to time and reflect
upon what our ancestors did
to get me where I am.
- Kip.
- The ambulance
is gonna take too long.
He won't make it.
You need to take him
to the hospital, Bear.
- Kip, what are you doing?
- I know where she is.
Pop, Bear's gonna
get you out of here, alright?
- Kip...
- Okay?
The mine, how do I get there?
Follow the river east.
It's four miles.
- Okay.
- Son...
Pop...
I love you, Pop.
- You gotta go.
- Where are you going?
- Kip. Kip. Wait.
- Get him out of here!
Easy. It's alright.
Sh.
Jesus, look what he did to you.
She is in trouble. Okay?
And I can't get there alone.
Stay with me...
We're almost there.
Yeah!
Yeah!
Laura... Let's go!
You want her or no?
Wait. Please. Don't leave me.
Please, don't leave.
Don't do this.
We were close, you and me.
We were so close.
Come on, let's go.
Move.
After my nephew
gave me your picture,
I just couldn't get the image
of you out of my mind.
This face.
So when I found out who
it was you belonged to...
naturally, I just couldn't
believe my own luck.
Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me.
So just like
my grandfather left me.
First I couldn't...
understand this place.
Secrets.
What I realized ran in my blood
and my grandfather's,
and Kip's...
little by little...
I've been able to add
to his collection.
Here.
See?
Washington
called you people beasts.
Lincoln, I believe,
used the term half-breeds.
Myself,
I was always partial to...
the term Jackson used
in his letters to Congress...
savages.
But I reckon anyone
of them saw you,
they might be given pause
for saying such things.
Even just a second.
- Help! Help!
- Sh!
Help her! Someone help her!
You believe us to be a sickness,
disease, uninvited, forever
hopping on about all possession
of stolen lands.
That all dominance
equates to greed.
You have sat here now unchecked
for over a thousand years.
Tell me what do you have
to show for him.
He won't.
Still cowering among us.
And you say we're the disease.
This land no longer caters
to your survival.
Here you can hide.
You son of a bitch.
- You fucking whore.
- I'm not your whore!
I'm not your savage.
I'm not your anything.
I have a name.
We all have names.
Jesus.
- Waniya.
- Get away from me!
Stay away!
It's alright... I'm not him.
I'm not here to hurt you. Okay?
I'm just trying
to get you out of here.
Come home.
Come on, let's go, alright?
Let's get out of this place.
Get down.
Laura?
Laura.
This way.
Go. Go.
Kip!
- Kip!
- Waniya, run!
Keys. Keys.
Ah!
- Shit.
- Goddamn it, Laura.
I'm gonna kill you.
Come here.
I came back for you, Laura.
That's not my name.
Paris!
Shit.
Fuck.
So long...
Kip.
Don't move.
You're gonna be okay.
Easy.
I'm right here.
- Stay with me, Kip.
- I'm sorry.
It's okay. It's okay.
There was once a shadow,
nameless,
that came down from the north
wreaking havoc on the tribes
it preyed upon.
The devastation,
the pain that was suffered
angered many.
They were hopeless
against such evil.
It's a shame.
This outraged
the Thunder Beings, Wakinyan.
They came down
from the clouds and fought
back against the darkness,
shooting a thunderbolt
through its heart.