The Neon Bible

- People came to see us that Christmas.

But there was no snow.

- Then that spring, Aunt Mae came to live with us.

Mae!

I don't want her here.

- Frank, she's got no place else to go!

- She was my only playmate,

Georgie!

- Come on out here with us tonight.

- Oh right back, I got your arm.

- You mean those little holes there?

- He carried on with Aunt Mae

Frank?

- Come on, burn that nigger, burn him!

- I ain't goin' in there, it's hotter than hell!

We got no money.

- I'm gonna plant those seeds, you hear me?

Amen.

- It has been wonderful to be in this town

Everybody loves

Amen!

- He don't care if you're a little baby,

Amen!

That is all.

Say it, Bobbie Lee.

He wants for nothing.

Amen.

Praise the lord!

Amen.

- Let Jesus know your soul.

Amen.

- My name is Billy Sunday Thompson and,

- Yesterday, December 7, 1941,

a date which will live in infamy,

the United States of America

was suddenly and deliberately attacked

by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

And our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces,

with the unbounding determination of our people,

we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.

Look at those two go.

Swing her, Aunt Mae!

- You've seen how Ms. Morgan can dance.

Well, she can sing too.

- I haven't sung in 100 years now.

- So, she's gonna sing for us right now, Ms. Mae Morgan!

You guys know "My Romance?"

Sure.

Okay, oh thank you.

Thank you.

Well, I'll tell you one thing,

it ain't gonna be "God Bless America."

Okay, let's do it.

Thank you, thank you.

You're good.

We should talk.

Oh, thank you.

You know, I never thought I'd be happy here.

- The sun isn't prettier anywhere else

than it is here in Italy.

It's the brightest and yellowest I ever saw.

I'm staying in a farmhouse 1.000 years old.

They've got olives, too.

There's been some pretty heavy fighting.

I marched along the Appian Way.

That's a very famous road in history,

so tell your teacher.

And oh, I saw where the Pope lives, too.

I miss every one of you,

more than I ever thought I would.

But most of the fighting's over now.

Frank.

No.

Oh no.

Then the war was over.

And all the soldiers came home.

- I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America,

and to the Republic, for which it stands,

one nation, indivisible--

- I thank the Lord that I have a struggle coming up.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

I think, I think I can appreciate another man's position,

but I think I can do more for my fellow man

having experienced the Christian power of God's love.

His love is not like human love.

His love is straight, and true.

All God fearing people know his way.

And live by his will.

- If you were different from anybody in town,

you had to get out.

That's why everybody was so much alike.

They used to tell us in school

to think for yourselves, but you couldn't do that in town.

You had to think what your father thought all his life,

and that was the way everybody thought.

They're the ones.

Then there are those damn politicians.

- Don't go to the union meeting, Frank.

You can't lose this job, too.

- Sarah, we're fighting for our lives.

I'm fighting for you.

They're the people that are keeping us poor,

those damn, rich bastards.

Oh David, just look.

Big cabbages, big, big cabbages your papa grew!

Say it again, David.

It's so beautiful.

- Read from some humbler poet,

whose songs gushed from his heart,

as showers from the clouds of summer,

or tears from the eyelids start.

Who through long days of labor,

and nights devoid of ease,