Deliverance

You wanna talk about the vanishing wilderness?

Why are you so anxious about this?

Because they're building a dam across the Cahulawasse River.

They're gonna flood a whole valley, Bobby.

They're drowning the river, man.

- We're talkin' to you. - All right.

Just about the last wild, untamed, unpolluted, unfucked-up river in the South.

- Don't you understand? - We understand.

There ain't gonna be no more river. Just gonna be a big, dead lake.

It's a very clean way to make electric power.

Those lakes provide many people with recreation.

My father-in-law has a houseboat on Lake Bowie.

You push a little more power into Atlanta...

...a little more air conditioners for your smug little suburb...

...and you know what's gonna happen? They're gonna rape this whole landscape.

They're gonna rape it.

- That's an extreme point of view, Lewis. - It is.

Extremist.

We're gonna leave Friday from Atlanta.

I'm gonna have you back in your little suburban house...

...in time to see the football game on Sunday afternoon.

I know you'll be back in time to see the pompom girls at halftime.

I know that's all you care about.

Lewis, I wanna thank you.

Is there any hillbillies up here?

Yeah, there's some people up there that ain't never seen a town before.

No bigger than Aintry, anyway. Them, those woods, are real deep.

The river's inaccessible, except at a couple of points.

How we gonna get there, Lewis?

I'm gonna take you there.

What the hell do you know about canoein'?

I know enough about canoein' to handle the both of you.

I don't know what that means, but I'll go along with you.

This is the last chance we got to see this river.

Just wait until you feel that white water under you.

- Ain't that right? - I don't know if I'm ready.

If we are lost, I don't wanna hear about it.

I've never been lost in my life.

I'll have you in the water in another hour.

Christ, Drew!

Drew, look at the junk.

Look here.

I think this is where everything finishes up.

We just may be at the end of the line.

Hey, not so loud, Bobby. Let's not upset these people.

People?

What people?

This area may be evacuated already.

That's my '51 Dodge.

No, that's my car. That's my car.

All my youth and passion...

...spent in that back seat.

It's all gone you see.

All gone. Rust and dust.

Lewis...

...we got a live one here.

- Howdy. - Howdy.

Let me ask you something.

Are you from the power company?

Power company?

What power company?

About the dam.

No, no, no.

Look, come here a minute. See that car there?

We want somebody to drive 'em down to Aintry for us.

Hell, you're crazy.

No shit.

Fill that one up with gas, okay?

Say, mister...

I love the way you wear that hat.

You don't know nothin'.

Lewis, just ask him about his hat.

I don't think you understood me. I wanna get some drivers...

...to drive this car...

...and that car down to Aintry.

You understand?

You might get the Griner brothers.

- Who? - The Griner brothers.

Where do they live?

They live back over that way.

$4.99.

Right.

Talk about genetic deficiencies.

Isn't that pitiful?

Who's pickin' the banjo here?

Come on, I'm with you.

I'm lost.

I could play all day with that guy.

I believe you could, too. I believe you could.

- That's good. - That's very good, sir.

Goddamn, you play a mean banjo.

Hey, you wanna play another one?

Give him a couple of bucks.

Can that Chubby boy handle himself?

Who? Bobby?

He's rather well thought of in his field, Lewis.

Insurance?

I've never been insured in my life. I don't believe in insurance.

There's no risk.

I have some.

Over here.

Shit!

God almighty!

Anything we can do for you?

No. It ain't as bad as I thought.

Your name Griner?

What do you wanna know for?

Can you and your brother drive two cars down to Aintry for us?

Drive 'em down there for what?

Me and my buddy, we're gonna take a canoe trip down the Cahulawasse.

We'd like to have them cars in Aintry when we get there.

Be there by Sunday noon.

Canoe trip?

That's right, a canoe trip.

What the hell you wanna go fuck around in that river for?

Because it's there.

It's there all right.

You get in there and can't get out, you gonna wish it wasn't.

Listen, Lewis, let's go back to town and...

...play golf.

I'll give you $30 to take those cars down to Aintry.

I'd take $50.

$50, my ass.

Lewis, don't play games with these people.

What'd you say?

I said, "$50, my ass."

Lewis!

I'll do it for $40.

You good for $10?

Sure.

You got it.

Brando!

- Lewis, you guys all right? - All set.

Brando, come on out!

- We heard all this... - I said it's all set, Drew.

This river cruise gonna happen or not?

Just get in your car, huh?

Lewis, for God's sake!

You think we should let 'em show us to the river?

If I thought that, I would have let them go first, Ed.

We know about where it is.

Here we go.

Well, we fucked up.

You better let them show us.

You're missin' the whole point, Ed.

Where are you goin', city boy?

We'll find it.

It's only the biggest fuckin' river in the state.

We'll find it.

Lewis, you son of a bitch, why do we have to go so damn fast?

You're gonna like it.

When you see the river, you're gonna like it.

Jesus Christ!

- Lewis. - Are you all right?

Lewis, you are gonna kill us both, you son of a bitch...

...before we ever see any water.

Slow it down, Lewis, come on. Come on, don't fool around.

Listen, Ed.

Listen.

Hear it?

Sometimes you have to lose yourself before you can find anything.

Any snakes around here?

This is the one.

There she is.

Looks good.

A couple of more months and she'll all be gone.

Even up as far as here?

From Aintry on up.

One big, dead lake.

Over here!

Couldn't we have found a harder place to get in?

- This is steep here, now. - All right.

- Watch yourself. - I'm watchin'.

You're losin' glass on your bow.

It's freezin'!

Hell, it'll hold.

What the hell are we gonna do...

...if we come off this river and our cars aren't there?

They'll be there.

They're rough-lookin' boys, them hillbillies.

You judge people by the way they look. You can trust 'em.

I'm goin' with you, Ed, and not with Mr. Lewis Medlock.

I saw how he drives these country roads...

...he don't know nothin' about.

I guess you're gonna be with me, Chubby. Get them supplies up there.

It's cold!

Put this on.

Looks like my mama's corset or something.

Here you go.

Thank you.

- Okay, let's go. - I'm comin'.

Can't go in the water without your paddle, boy.

I coulda went up the river without my oar.

Shit!

If we hit any strong water...

- ...instead of bare-assin' through it... - I'm ready.

- Come on. - I'm comin' on.

I got myself a plump partner here.

We can save ourselves considerable hardship...

...if we just back water, talk it out before we make our move.