01x02 - The k*ll Floor

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "11.22.63..."

I need you to go in this closet.

Then I'll tell you everything.

[screams]

What the f*ck was that?

That was 1960.

Al, why did you show this to me?

I need you to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Never gotten an A-plus before.

Listen, you love Harry.

I love Harry. We all love Harry.

If you do something that really fucks with the past, the past fucks with you.

My son!

Sir, you shouldn't be here.

I can't do this.

We have a chance here to change people's lives.

The day that changed my life was Halloween night.

It was 1960.

I lived in Holden, Kentucky.

It was the night my father m*rder*d my mom, brother, and my sister.

Hey, mister, are you lost?

How far is Holden?

[mysterious music]

[panting]

Where are you going, Harry?

Come on, Harry, don't be like that.

We love you!

Come on, Harry!

Get back here.

Where you going, Harry Fairy?

Do it, Randy. Do the thing.

Yeah, Randy.

Oh, yeah?

All right, hold still, Harry.

Open up. [coughs up phlegm]

[laughter]

Grab his pants.

Come on.

[grunts]

Go get it, dumb ass.

[laughter]

Oh, there they go.

[scoffs]

See you around, Harry Fairy.

[gentle piano music]

[chuckles]

[somber pop music plays]

[doorbell jingles]

Oh, Jesus Christ on a crutch, Harry.

I did what you said.

I went through the woods, but they knew somehow.

You're gonna have to learn how to defend yourself.

I thought Frank would've taught you that by now.

Can I have the shorts, please?

I don't know if I'm doing you any favors by letting you stash them here.

I got to get to school.

All right, just hold your horses.

Thanks.

Bye.

[doorbell jingles]

Seems like a nice kid.

Yeah.

Anything else?

Um, actually I'm... I'm looking for a place to stay.

Well, Lexington's about an hour.

They got a lot of nice motels, Holiday Inn, Howard Johnson.

Actually maybe a place in Holden.

Nobody stays here.

Smell from the plant's enough to keep most folks from even stopping for gas.

Well, I just have a little business that I need to do before I go back east, so if you know of anything...

All right.

Right.

Thank you.

Um...

You maybe could try the Prices, Edna and Arliss over on Fulton.

They rent a room usually to fellows with wife problems.

They're good Christians.

Great, love Christians.

[ominous music]

[thunder rumbles]

A writer?

Yes, I'm actually working on a book about the common man.

Have you read "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men" by James Agee?

Are you a communist, Mr. Amberson?

What? No.

Aren't most writers communists?

I don't know; I certainly am not.

Because we are Baptists, so I prefer reading the "Saturday Evening Post," and Arliss is partial to "Field and Stream."

Those are both wonderful publications.

How long would you need the room?

I'll be leaving on the first.

Three nights.

I would have to charge you the full-week rate.

That's okay.

You understand you are in our home, so there are certain rules.

Is it necessary that I spell them out for you?

No, I think I get it.

Well, just for my own peace of mind, no girls or food upstairs.

Crystal clear.

Fine, $3.

Okay.

In advance.

[tense music]

It wasn't a day but a night.

The night that changed my life.

It was the night my father m*rder*d my mother and my brother and hurt me... bad.

He hurt my sister too, so bad she went into a coma.

[screams]

In two months, she d*ed without waking up.

Her name was Ellen, and I loved her very much.

We all loved Ellen. She was only seven, but she was a real Lucille Ball.

Harry!

She could make anybody laugh, even my father.

If he was sober, that is.

When he was drunk, he was always mad.

Harry!

When he was drunk.

Drunk.

Hey.

Day after tomorrow, you gonna have many trick-or-treaters?

Ah, a few.

Well, I might go see the sights.

Uh-huh.

Do you know if there's a, um, like a...

Sammy's Town House is what you're looking for, out on the Dixie Highway.

Sammy's, got it.

Word of warning, friend.

Edna's not to be trifled with.

Got it.

[bluesy rock plays]

Evening.

What can I get you?

Uh... beer on tap?

Falstaff in a bottle.

That'll work.

Quiet night.

We're just getting started.

Oh, ah...

35.

Um, do you happen to know a guy named Frank Dunning?

Who are you?

Oh, I'm Jake Amberson.

What are you doing in Holden?

Oh, just writing a book.

About Frank Dunning?

No, no, no, no, I was just told to look him up if I was ever passing through.

Did I say something wrong?

If you want a table, you better get one.

Plant's about to let out.

All right.

Keep the change, huh?

Come on, boys!

No hard feelings, Dickie.

Billy boy, Billy boy, set 'em up, man.

Hit me, and beers are on Dickie tonight, okay?

Yeah, I'm starting a tab.

You can't run a tab. I don't own this dump.

Don't make me come around there, Billy.

Don't call me Billy.

All right, fine.

Well, well, Billy, you don't...

I warned you!

Don't you come around here.

Well, he's on his way around now.

Stay behind the bar. You stay behind the bar.

Hey, hey! All right!

Come on, Billy!

What are you having?

Give me a Fallstaff.

No, I'll...

Just take it easy, man.

There you go.

Thank you, Dickie.

It's not a big deal.

See, I got what I need now.

There you go.

Here's one for you.

35 on the go.

Got ya.

35 double.

Don't be an assh*le, Dickie.

Hey.

Come on.

You're still here?

Hey, Frank, drinks on me.

[laughs]

[mysterious music]

All right then, make it a double bourbon.

Don't you spare the horses.

How you doing, my man?

You guys good?

Yeah.

How is it over there?

You got a friend, Frank, someone says he knows you.

Who?

Jake Henderson. He's a writer.

How about a round for all my friends?

[all cheering]

Especially our new friend over here, Jake Henderson.

Frank Dunning, Dunning Butchers.

Hi, uh, Amberson. Jake Amberson.

Oh, hell, did I say Henderson?

God damn it, Bill gets everything wrong.

I'm sorry about that. This here is Calvin and Dickie.

[grunts]

Pleased to meet you.

So Bill tells me you're a writer, which means you're probably an astronaut.

No, he... he got that one right.

Ah, well, even a broken clock is right twice a day, huh?

Sure.

I don't get that.

You don't... he doesn't get it.

Yeah, see, this is the kind of sh*t that I get to deal with here in Holden, so maybe you could help a brother out.

Bring in a little light from the outside world, because I sure as hell need it.

Yeah, I can try.

That's the spirit, Jakey.

Cheers, boys, cheers.

Yeah.

Cheers, cheers, cheers.

Pleasure to meet you, Jake.

"How, looking thus into your eyes and seeing thus, how each of you is a creature that never in all time existed before and which will never in all time exist again..."

Preach it, brother.

"How am I to speak of thee as tenants, farmers, representatives of your class, social integers in a criminal economy, or as fathers, wives, sons, daughters, individuals, as my friends and as I know thee?"

Uh... [chuckles]

You sure are full of sh*t.

That is... you're full of sh*t.

That's Agee.

That's James Agee.

He knew what it was like to be a man.

He knew what made us great.

He saw guys like you.

You know, the little guys at the bottom, struggling in the dirt, because that's...

That's where the real stuff of life is.

Yeah, well, maybe you want to tell my wife that.

Yeah, or you can tell Frank's wife that, 'cause he is the one sleeping on my couch.

Not for long.

Yeah, Frank, I know it's hard, you know?

I'm divorced myself.

Yeah, I'm not divorced.

Yeah, not yet.

Why don't you shut your f*cking pie hole, Dickie?

I'm just saying, you know, maybe sometimes it's better to just walk away from your problems.

I ain't got no problems.

In fact, half of what you just said went right over my head.

But I figure every writer needs a great chapter one, am I right?

Oh, yeah, 100%, yeah.

Yeah.

I'm about to give you yours.

Come on.

[thunder rumbles]

[ominous music]

[singing] When I'm calling you.

[Slim Whitman's "When I'm Calling You" plays]

Where are we headed?

Oh, you'll see.

[humming melody]

You like Slim Whitman?

Sure.

Yeah?

Not exactly you're cup of tea, is that it?

No, it's fine.

Well, James Agee wouldn't like it.

No, I mean, I didn't...

So Bill tells me that you knew me.

How so? 'Cause I sure as sh*t don't know you.

Oh, no, I didn't tell him that I knew you.

I just... there's this guy in Lexington that told me if I ever passed through, I should look you up.

What kind of a guy? What was his name?

I don't remember.

What did he look like?

How did he know me?

[clears throat]

Guess he must've known you in the service.

He's short and wiry, uh, a joker.

Oh, yeah, that had to be Woody Nelson.

Sounds right.

Yeah.

So what's your book about, Jakey?

You ever written a book before?

Um, no, this is my first one.

So what's it about?

It's a ghost story.

Ooh, a ghost story.

So what's it gonna be called?

"Halloweentown."

"Halloweentown"? "Halloweentown."

Something like that.

That's dumb.

Why don't you shut up?

You assholes think you could write a book like Jakey here?

Huh?

Oh, here we go.

There it is, Jakey.

This is gonna be fun.

[thunder rumbles]

[ominous music]

Hey, uh, what are... What are we doing here?

Oh, we're gonna have a little fun.

You like fun, don't you, Jakey?

Sure.

Frank.

Clayton!

You boys ain't supposed to be here this time of night.

Yeah, I got a friend in from out of town.

I wanted to show him where his hamburger comes from.

I was thinking maybe you could take a little smoke break.

Say 30 minutes?

I'll need two.

You can keep them all. Thank you.

Right this way.

So my family's been in the meat business for three generations.

My granddaddy... my granddaddy used to travel from farm to farm butchering whatever they had handy, right there in the front yard.

Now, it doesn't get any fresher than that.

In fact, he's the one who taught me how to use a Kn*fe.

Come on, Jakey!

My old man?

He worked in this g*dd*mn building his whole life, but I tell you what, we never went hungry.

Sounds like a good man.

Well, Mama loved him.

Anyway, for as long as there have been slaughterhouses, the worst job that you could possibly have...

[flies buzzing]

Was to work the hide cellar.

[coughs]

Yeah, it's them flies that make the fellas down here go insane.

[flies buzzing]

There hadn't been no one who could last more than a month or two.

[groans]

The heat and the salt are one thing, but once them flies crawl up inside your ears and start to live there...

You can't be serious.

Oh, yeah, sometimes they lay eggs.

Welcome to the k*ll floor, Jakey.

This is where all the action happens.

Go get one.

Get... get what, a cow?

You know, when my daddy worked the k*ll floor, they used to call him the Bambino, you know, like Babe Ruth, because it only took him one swing.

[pops lips and chuckles]

When I was working down here, it was never quite that easy, but I got in a lot of practice.

Go on. Go on! [cattle prod buzzes]

Right in there. [cow bellows]

Come on now! Go on now!

Oh, there we go.

Right in there.

Don't be scared. Come on, come on, come on!

[mocking laugh]

[cow bellows]

Guys, I don't... I don't want to... I don't want to...

[cattle prod buzzes]

Ow!

Ohh!

Aww!

I say we put him in the next chute too!

Let's put him in there.

sh*t!

[laughs] Okay, okay, okay.

Oh, this is fun, ain't it?

Go ahead, Shakespeare.

[giggles]

Don't they use g*ns for this?

[Dickie and Calvin laugh]

Yeah, that's how the chicken-shits do it.

Special b*llet melts the brain nice and neat, but we wanted to see if you were one of us, you know, struggling in the dirt.

Go on, now.

Show us what you got, yankee.

Yeah, you're gonna... You're gonna like it.

You'll... you'll... You'll like it.

Right between the eyes, Jakey boy.

Put him out of his misery.

Maybe it would help if you thought of that bitch ex-wife of yours.

Jesus Christ, are you kidding me?

[laughs]

Oh, come on!

All right.

Here we go.

Frank!

[cow squeals]

[laughs]

[sledgehammer clatters on floor]

I guess some men just don't have what it takes, do they, boys?

[on radio] Congress also amended the National Labor Relations Act as part of the same piece of legislation that prohibits against secondary boycotts, prohibiting certain types of...

[clicking pen]

Uh, hate to bother you.

I ain't got any money, so...

Oh, no, no, this is not a sales call.

Actually you're a winner.

Doris Dunning, right?

Yeah.

Yeah? Great.

Well, I am J. Epping with the Howard Johnson organization.

Um, I'm here to deliver you a prize package.

We won something?

Hush, Harry.

You sure have.

Sorry to see your son's not feeling well.

Seems like he's feeling better all of a sudden.

Well, he should feel better, because it's not every day that his family wins an all-expense-paid weekend to the Landmark for Hungry Americans, and tickets to the Lexington Halloween Festival are included.

And Halloween's only a day away.

What's the catch?

No catch.

We just ask that you fill out our survey.

Be as detailed as possible.

We know we can always be improving.

They got 28 ice cream flavors.

Mama, I've seen it on TV.

They sure do, kiddo.

I just don't know what we did to deserve this.

Sometimes fate just steps in and deals you a good hand.

I like the sound of that.

So how many will be joining you?

Myself and three kids.

One adult, three children.

No other adults?

Nope, just me.

Great.

And I hear that there is a... costume contest in the lobby, if you're interested.

I'm gonna be Buffalo Bob.

That sounds swell.

Now, enjoy your visit, and don't worry.

Things are about to get a whole lot better, Harry.

[on TV] And the Nixon campaign, reaching an interesting point.

When "Time" magazine asked President Eisenhower for an example of a major idea of Nixon's that he had adopted as part of a decision-making process, the President's response was...

[on TV] If you give me a week, I might think of one.

I don't remember."

[on TV] At the same press conference, President Eisenhower said...

Mrs. Price, thank you for this food.

It's great.

I'm glad you like it.

I got the recipe right off the can.

Arliss, what do you think?

It tastes like cream of mushroom soup.

The paprika is supposed to give it that Hungarian flavor.

That's the Hungarian part of the gulash.

Soup.

He's a picky eater.

[on TV] President Eisenhower could not remember...

Oh, Ike.

I'd vote for Ike again if he ran.

Arliss served under him in WWII.

Everybody served under him, Edna.

It's no big deal.

It was a big deal.

Arliss got the Bronze Star for bravery.

Wow.

That's what I said.

I wanted to frame it and put it up in the house, but he won't let me.

You serve?

Uh, yeah, Korea, two tours.

That right? What unit?

MASH, 4077th.

A little coffee?

Yes.

All right.

This.

Thank you.

[sighs]

[sighs]

Then we both know the truth.

What's that?

There ain't no such thing as a w*r hero.

Oh, right.

Well, hell, sometimes people have to do terrible things in order to make the world a better place, and... that's a kind of heroism, right?

You want to hear about the Bronze Star?

Sure.

It was in Sicily, part of that whole mess.

Me and two fellas got separated from our squad, ended up pinned down behind some rocks.

Nazis were handing us our asses.

My pal, Fuzzy Bracowicz, he took a sh*t in the head just above the right eye.

Part of his scalp went down my shirt.

I tried everything I could.

I...I couldn't get it out.

Other fella, Ernie Calvert, he... he twisted his ankle when we took cover, so he was... He was completely useless.

When it got dark, they let off for some reason.

So I hauled Ernie onto my back and made a run for it.

Ended up down at the river.

Seemed like... seemed like we were in the clear.

That's when I saw him.

German kid.

Couldn't have been more than 17.

Asleep on the bank.

Wandered away from his unit, I don't know.

I could've just gone on, left him there...

But I kept thinking, "Maybe he's the one who pulled the trigger on Fuzzy."

After the fact, you always... tell yourself there was a good reason.

Anyway, I put Ernie down, went over and dragged the kid to the water's edge.

He was so sleepy... he didn't even wake up... till I put his head under the water.

Then his eyes opened.

Strange though, he...

He didn't struggle at all.

He just looked up, looked up through the mud and the silt, his face the color of a fish's belly.

Then he opened his mouth and said something just before he d*ed.

In German.

I don't know what. I don't speak Kraut.

After a while, I pushed him out into the river, let the current take him.

[papers clatter on table]

I picked up Ernie and headed off into the woods.

Hour later, we found the rest of the division.

Next morning, CO comes into my tent, tells me he's gonna put me up for the...

Put me up for the Bronze Star.

Last thing you can say about k*lling a man is that it's brave.

[knock at door]

I'll get it.

Edna, what a delight it is to see you.

Mr. Dunning.

Yeah, I'm looking for a buddy of mine who said he was staying here.

Mr. Amberson didn't inform me that he was expecting guests.

Yeah, I just figured I'd drop in.

You know, that's the kind of guy I am.

And which kind is that?

It's all right, Mrs. Price.

Jakey, how you doing, buddy?

Yeah, I feel like maybe we got off on the wrong foot last night.

I'm fine.

No, no, I'd like to make it up to you.

Come on, pal.

Come on, it'll be fun.

Okay.

All right.

Edna, always a pleasure.

You men think I don't know what's going on, but I know.

And don't you go spitting that out.

I made it fresh this morning.

I hope you cleaned the bathtub out beforehand.

[laughs]

That's what I like about you, Jake.

You're a funny guy.

Sense of humor's important, don't you think?

I do.

You know, we're not all rubes down here, you know?

Some of us have good qualities, values.

I never thought otherwise.

That's good to hear.

Hey, you like steak?

Yeah.

Then I got something for you.

My pride and joy.

Best g*dd*mn butcher shop in the county.

Finally worked my way out of the slaughterhouse with this baby.

Never looked back.

Nice.

Yeah.

Yup.

You know what I like most about it?

What?

It's my place, my rules.

It's rules that hold the universe together.

Am I right?

I guess.

Yeah, yeah, so you understand how this world works.

When rules are broken, there's a price, right?

Without that, everything else just falls apart.

Yeah, sure.

Yeah.

A price must be paid to set things right.

All right, come on out now.

Come on!

Oh, no, Frank...

Come on, don't be shy. Get over here.

Frank, please.

Show him.

Show him.

No, no, look, Frank.

Frank, this is... It's not what you think.

No?

Because it looks to me like you're trying to f*ck my wife.

Okay, it's what I was doing, but she didn't know anything about it, okay?

She had nothing to do with it.

Ah! [grunting]

Frank, please!

Grand prize winner.

Take it from me.

She ain't worth it. Now, get up.

[ominous music]

Now, if I were you, I'd get in that f*gg*t yellow car of yours, drive away from this town, and don't ever look back.

Doris, I'm...

I'm sorry.

Oh, hey, hey, hey, hey, I just need a minute.

Just a minute.

Closed.

Look, I'll make it worth your while... cash.

Cash money, okay?

I need a g*n, just a little g*n.

I'll take that g*n. That's it.

What you planning to do with it?

sh**t cans.

That'd be an awful waste of $20.

$20.

How about two 20s?

No.

No?

I don't think I will.

Man looking like you do coming around at night looking to buy a firearm?

Nothing good can come of it.

You're not gonna sell me the g*n?

God damn it. Look, I need this g*n.

[laughs] Hell, son.

What?

Can't you take a joke?

I'll sell you five g*ns.

Come on.

Happy f*cking Halloween, Frank Dunning.

I'm coming for you.

Al, I've got a question.

What's this thing about the past doesn't want to be changed?

Like, it pushes back?

How do you know?

You feel it.

When I first started going through the rabbit hole, I saw a news story about a girl in Lisbon who got sh*t and crippled in a random hunting accident, and I thought, "Hell, there's no harm.

Let me try to keep this from happening."

And every time I tried, something would come up.

I'd get a flat tire, a fender bender, a little tree in the road.

Lost count of the times I tried.

[tense music]

I know it sounds strange, like mysticism or some horseshit, but things would happen, and they were both random and, oh... not random at all.

Violent.

Are you sure?

I mean, don't you think we see what we want to see?

Listen, I didn't have cancer before I went in.

You... are you telling me that the past gave you cancer?

All I can tell you is I got a full check-up the month before my last trip, and nothing was wrong with me.

[breathing heavily and groaning]

[coughs]

[vomits]

[groans] The past.

Think a little food poisoning, a little flu is gonna stop me?

You coming for me?

Not today.

Okay.

Uh, right.

Uh, hey, do you have any... Do you have Gatorade?

Gate or... I'm sorry, what was it?

No, forget it, forget it, forget it.

Just this. This will be fine. This will be fine.

You feeling a little under the weather?

Yes, sir. Yes, I am.

Well, I suggest a diet of white foods.

What?

Bananas, breads, rice.

I suggest we just hurry this up, or I'm gonna have to put these on right here, right now.

Please, thank you. Please, thank you.

All right then, come on.

Thank you, thank you.

"Anyway, he came in the door. I was in my bedroom, and then I heard my mother say... 'Get out of here with that thing. You're not supposed to be here.' The next thing was she was screaming, and then they were all screaming."

[ominous music]

[children chatter]

Trick or treat!

[dramatic music]

Trick or treat!

[wind chimes jingling]

Hurry up, it's dark already.

We got to get started.

Hold your horses.

I got to get Ellen in her costume, and then we'll go.

Why can't I just take Tugga and y'all catch up?

Ellen, honey, help your brother with his costume.

You can take your...

both: Toy r*fle if you want to, Harry.

It's not a real g*n...

Or even sh**t pretend b*ll*ts.

Buffalo Bob wouldn't mind.

"It was the last thing she ever said to me.

I'm glad it was a nice thing, because she was real strict."

Let's go, baby.

Halloween only comes but once a year.

You ain't going nowhere.

What are you doing?

I'm asking you the same thing.

I'm trying to help them.

What are you, Frank's watchdog?

Hardly. I hate that son of a bitch.

All right, so do I. Listen, so do I.

You got to listen to me, okay?

Frank Dunning is coming here to k*ll Doris and the kids at 8:00, okay?

They're gonna die at 8:00, and I'm trying to stop him.

Did he tell you that?

No, no, it's complicated.

'Cause he k*lled my sister.

What?

Frank was married to my older sister Clara.

He k*lled her 12 years ago and buried her body somewhere, her and the baby.

Nobody believes me 'cause I was just a kid at the time, but I know it's true.

I believe you.

Listen to me, he's gonna do it again.

He's gonna do it again.

Now, you want to stop him, okay?

Now, you don't just walk up and k*ll a man.

Sometimes you do, and right now is the time.

You don't know what's gonna happen.

I do. I know.

How? How?

You said you knew Frank, but I don't believe you for a minute.

How do you know anything's gonna happen to Doris?

I'm from the future, okay?

I know Harry Dunning in the future, okay?

Well, that's it.

You're just bat-sh*t crazy.

Okay, okay, stay down.

Okay, all right.

Stay down.

Okay, time travel man, no need for that.

You want to k*ll Frank? k*ll Frank.

I won't stop you.

It seems to me like maybe you got something wrong in your story.

What?

It's 8:05.

What?

Maybe I fixed it... just by being here.

[Doris screams]

No.

Get that thing out of here!

He went through the back door.

[upbeat western music plays on TV]

[on TV] "The Cheyenne Show."

Starring Clint Walker as Cheyenne...

[Doris screams]

You're hurting me!

[whispers] Harry.

[ominous music]

Hey.

You all right? Yeah?

All right, Harry, listen to me.

You have to promise me, no matter what happens, you will not come out of there, okay?

[Doris screams]

Shh, stay here.

No, please!

[screaming]

[glass shatters]

Frank!

You shouldn't be here.

[g*nsh*t]

[groans and shouts]

[both grunting]

Run! Run, run!

Don't you run!

Run!

God damn it, get back here!

Harry, Harry, why don't you bring me that hammer.

Run, Harry!

Give me that f*cking hammer!

Harry! Give me that f*cking hammer!

Give me that... [grunts]

Give me that f*cking hammer, boy!

Come here, Harry!

You give me that f*cking hammer, you little sh*t!

[both grunting]

Bill, help me!

Aah!

[screaming]

Ah!

[panting]

[ominous music]

Shh.

Don't go in the bedroom.

[dialogue echoing]

Everything okay in here?

Where's Doris?

Somebody thought they heard sh*ts.

Is that real blood?

Mr. Amberson.

Mrs. Price.

You done trick-or-treating?

I just want to leave.

Looks like I might owe the sheriff a call.

Please don't.

No matter what this looks like, I didn't do a bad thing.

God knows what's in your heart, Mr. Amberson.

He'll be the final judge.

I hope you're prepared for that.

[siren wails in distance]

[engine turns over]

[thunder rumbles]

[ominous music]

Doris.

Tugga.

Ellen.

They're still alive. They're still alive.

They're still alive.

Doris, Tugga, and Ellen.

[dramatic music]

It worked.

It worked.

Hey!

What the hell is this?

[Elvis Presley's "It's Now Or Never" plays on radio]

Get in.