The Dollmaker

It's all right.

Come on, don't be afeared. Come on.

They're gonna stop.

Yeah, but they're staying left.

Get outta the way, you damn fool!

Hurry up, go on now, get up.

What do you think you're doing? You coulda killed us!

It's my young'un.

I gotta get him to a doctor quick.

Well, not in this car.

I'm on urgent Army business.

20 mile on, and you're headed thatta way.

Please, he's real bad sick.

Get off or I'll have you arrested.

Hatcher, drive on.

- We're stuck, sir. - No, don't, you'll go over the bluff.

Here.

Hatcher, I gave you an order!

Now see here, woman, you...

Your tire's caught up!

I gotta cut away some of these saplings.

I'll get me some rocks for under the tire.

Be careful back there, lady.

Try her now.

I'll push, you give her the gas.

Okay. Hope we go.

That's better. Now, take your child.

Hatcher, drive on.

- Amos? - How's the little one?

- Amos? - He's turning blue.

He's choking to death.

Ain't no time for doctors now.

Oh, here! Help me!

Give me a rock.

Flat-like for a pillow.

Under 'im. Now hold his head, tight.

Hold his hands and feet down.

He can't fight it much.

He's past feeling anything.

Hold him tight now.

- What are you doing? You'll kill him! - My god.

Now we gotta keep it open.

Hold this here.

Gonna get something better.

How'd you know what to?

Oh, it's dipthery, they choke.

My Pa saved a cow once that choked,

cut a windpipe and put in a piece of tin can.

There we go.

You're very skillful with a knife.

I've always whittled.

Ax handles and such-like.

But you shouldn't have cut down that poster.

That's government property.

They need factory workers as badly as soldiers.

Ain't a man in our settlement left for him to take,

excepting my man, and oh, they've called him now.

Well, they can't exempt every little farmer,

only those who produce a lot.

There's a war on.

I know there's a war on.

Kilt my brother yesterday.

Kilt in action is what the telegram said.

I'm sorry.

He was a farmer?

One of them little 'uns.

Hold on, honey.

We'll be there soon.

What do they grow around here?

Young'uns, for the wars and them factories.

- Do you farm? - Some.

My man hauls coal in his truck.

When he can get gas.

And we rent a place, give back half what we grow,

keep the rest.

But I'm saving real hard.

We're gonna have a place of our own one day.

Here, for the ride.

- No, I couldn't think of... - I always aim to pay.

Well, a dollar will do, I guess.

Here, I'll make you change.

Much obliged.

Good luck.

I ain't never been to a doctor afore.

Lady, you can't be afraid of nothing.

Just walk in.

Okay, just quiet down.

I swear.

I gotta see a doctor quick!

You'll have to wait your turn, ma'am, have a chair there.

Oh my Lord, come with me.

Did I do wrong?

I couldn't just stand by.

I believe that you've done all right.

Mrs. Nevels, your husband's here.

You tired?

You'll have to stay up all night and watch that tube.

If it clogs, he'll choke.

I'll look in again around midnight.

Mr. Nevels.

Doctor.

He's gonna be all right.

I knowed he was bad sick or you wouldn't have gone off

with your mama needing ya so.

Hope you didn't have to watch him get cut.

No.

I didn't have a heart to tell her.

She's so low.

Just lays there with that telegram in her hand.

We all had to beg her to eat.

Cleaned up her plate pretty good, though.

She ain't so bad off, then.

Oh honey, you know how weakly she is.

She's wondering when you come over and do the washing.

How's Pa?

Poor woman just can't get reconciled

to Henley going without salvation.

Wants to get the preacher in to pray to give her peace.

Says she can't meet Henley in heaven if he ain't been saved.

Ma could backslide and go to hell

if'n she's so sure Henley would be there.

Oh, Gertie, you so tore up, you don't know

what you're saying.

Henley ain't damned just 'cause he went square dancing

with me and Pa 15 year ago.

Besides, you was there too.

Well.

Why don't I get you some good hot coffee and a hamburger?

You ain't never had a hamburger in your life.

Don't go wasting good money.

I'll be on Uncle Sam's payroll in a few weeks.

You'll be getting money regular then, every month.

More than I ever earned around here.

I don't know why they're calling a man your age.

What's this settlement gonna do without your tinkering?

I wish to goodness you wouldn't call it tinkering.

People that can fix machines as good as me

makes real money in them war jobs.

More than any farmer.

We was livin' in Will'er Run or Detroit,

there'd have been an ambulance to take him to hospital too.

You reckon the doctor'd miss a board or two from this?

I could make Cassie a jumping jack doll.

Pass the time.

Jumping jacks.

Why don't you make something a body can use?

Oh, this wood's only fitting for dolls.

I better get back to the kids.

You need cash?

I got some.

40 dollars?

There.

Amos, look.

Ain't nobody seen it but you.

That's the money for our farm.

You ain't gonna work your life away

plowing another man's land.

That's molasses money and...

The eggs I sold to Samuels.

Them two sholts I butchered last fall.

310 dollars.

And now...

350.

Soon as your poor pa gets in the Army,

we're gonna buy us a place of our own!

Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.

Honor thy father and thy mother,

that thy days may be long upon the land

in which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Thou shout not kill.

But they killed uncle Henley.

Yes, they did, honey, but that don't change the rules.

Now stop that, you bad young'un!

Don't do that, Cassie Marie, you'll be ruining it.

It wasn't me, Ma, it was Callie Lou.

Make her behave, Ma.

She won't never pay no mind

when she's got that Callie Lou in her head.

Cassie.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to hurt ya.

You'uns have lessons to finish.

Reuben, you got copying to do?

Yes, ma'am.

Cassie Marie, come here, honey, bring your primmer.

Oh, my girl.

Oh, you remember where we were?

No.

There it is.

Oh, honey, don't get so far away, you can't see.

"Here, Bobby, you can play.

You can play with my kitten.

Look, Bobby..."

Here, now, that'll do, now.

What's this word?

Ball?

No, honey. No, that's play.

This 'un?

Come?

Awe, Cassie Marie, you got the whole primer by heart.