Ultimate Life, The (2013)

[bunniefuu]

Jason,
if you're standing here now,

it means that not
only have you succeeded

in receiving all of my gifts,
but you have done so beyond

the boundaries that I have set.

I guess that means
that I have succeeded as well.

What I could not accomplish in life,
I've done in death.

As long as you're still alive,
I will be too.

I love you, son.

Goodbye, Jason.

- MAN: Are we on yet?
- WOMAN: Give me a level, Jason.

Testing, one, two, three.
I am Jason Stevens.

Can we get this thing rolling?

Mr. Stevens has meetings
backed up all day.

WOMAN: Quiet, please.

Whenever you're ready.

Hi, I'm Jason Stevens,
director of Stevens Foundation.

For the last two years...

[EXHALES]

You seem about a million
miles away, Lexi girl.

Mm. Trying to figure out
what my next move is.

Have you told Mr. Billionaire
boyfriend about your Haiti plans?

Not yet.
[CHUCKLES] I don't know.

It's a big decision, I'm just not
sure how he's going to react.

Well, it seems you have something
to react to.

You're being paged
at the nurse's station.

- For what?
- Don't worry about what for, just go.

OK, I'm here. What's the emergency?

Is that Miss Hastings back there?

[LAUGHTER]

Alexia Drummond, you have been
summoned to a night out on the town

- by a Mr. Jason...
- Stevens?

Stevens! Yes, yes.

Your wardrobe will be provided.

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, wow.
[GASPS] That's beautiful.

[SIGHS]

Lex, there's something I need to say
that I should have said a long time ago.

For the past two years,
when I first saw you and Emily...

I can't get your face,
your beautiful face, out of my mind.

- Your eyes... your smile...
- [CAR DOOR SHUTS]

There's something I need to say.
I should have said it a long time ago.

Ms. Drummond, I hope you
have a wonderful evening.

Thank you, Jim.

[CHUCKLES]

- Wow.
- "Wow" yourself.

Tonight's menu, spinach salad
with mangos and chutney.

Then the main course,
steamed broccoli with lobster,

specially flown in from Maine,
with lemon and drawn butter.

And ice cream sandwiches for dessert.

[LAUGHS]

[SIGHS] You picked all my favorites.

Oh.

To us.

Jason, thank you.

I love my dress,
and you've made me feel so special.

But you know you don't have to...

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYS]

...play our song? [LAUGHS]

Oh...

Oh, my gosh.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

Oh! [LAUGHS]

Get to work.

Lex, there's something I need to say
that I should have said a long time ago.

Not a day passes I don't think
about your beautiful face,

and your eyes and your smile.

You're so sweet.

Jason, there's something
I need to talk to you about.

- It's important. I was gonna...
- Let me finish, please.

Lex, you're...
you're my heart,

I can't imagine life
without you in it.

Jason!

- Jason Stevens?
- Yes?

You've been served.
Have a nice evening.

Mr. Stevens, I am so sorry.
I don't know how he got past me.

- That's perfect. Just perfect.
- What is it?

My family. Aunts, uncles,
the whole greedy bunch of them.

Suing me for breach of fiduciary trust
in the handling of Red's foundation.

I'm really sorry, Lex.
I wanted tonight to...

I just,
I have to deal with this.

Please have the limo
take Miss Drummond home.

So, Mr. Stevens, if the court were to
find evidence to support your claims,

what are you proposing be done?

Your Honor, on behalf
of my brother and my sister,

and the rest of the heirs
of Red Stevens,

we request that Jason be removed
as director of the foundation.

And who are you suggesting
would replace him?

- Me, Your Honor.
- Why, Uncle Bill?

You don't have enough money?

My grandfather wanted me
to have the foundation

because he knew his own children
couldn't be trusted.

And that just goes to show just
how far gone he was at the end,

that he left a billion dollar foundation
in the hands of this spoiled,

no-good, party boy who wants absolutely
nothing to do with his own family.

OK, that's enough of that.
Both of you sit down.

I'm taking the plaintiff's
discovery into chambers

and we'll reconvene tomorrow at ten to
determine whether we're going to trial.

Case adjourned.

[DIALING, LINE RINGING]

Miss Drummond, it's so nice
to hear back from you.

Dr. Lousand,
good to see your face.

Um, I had a few
questions for you.

[ELEVATOR DINGS]

- I'll be with you in a minute.
- Hi.

- Afternoon, Miss Drummond.
- Oh, hi.

Um, I just wanted to see if I could
get a moment with Mr. Stevens.

I don't know. Mr. Hamilton
said no interruptions.

I guess I'm interrupting.

Hi. I'm sorry.
I know you're really busy.

Yeah, no. Hamilton just wants us
to get all our ducks in a row

for the hearing tomorrow
with the vultures. So...

Uh, I just needed to...
needed to...

Uh...

I'm just going to say it.

There's this clinic in Haiti, and they
work with kids who have cancer...

it sounds terrific. That's definitely
a project we can take on.

Why don't you put together
some sort of proposal.

And once I'm through
with this stupid lawsuit...

- No, that's not what...
- ...we can do some great things.

That's not what I meant. I didn't come
here to pitch you for money.

I already made plans to go down there.
They really need experienced nurses,

- and I just thought that...
- Even better.

Once I get past this, we can both
jet down there and we can...

Mr. Stevens?
I apologize,

but Mr. Hamilton says we can't
continue prepping without you.

JASON: OK, thank you.

[SIGHS]

- I'm really sorry, Lex, I gotta...
- I know. Um...

- Just whenever you have a second.
- Yeah, sure.

[♪ MIKE SCHMID: "IS THIS IT"]

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Jason?

- What is it?
- She's gone, Hamilton.

- Who's gone?
- Alexia.

Six months in Haiti.

Why would she do this?

I'm sure she didn't just, on a whim,
decide to move to Haiti.

But somehow you're just
finding out about it now.

Yeah, well,
if you've not noticed,

I've been a little busy
at the foundation.

I haven't had a lot of "me"
time lately.

Or "we" time either, I gather.

Jason, your grandfather
had high expectations

when he left the
entire estate to you.

And I guess I've pushed you
a little too hard also.

The 12 gifts that Red taught you,
any idea where they came from?

- No.
- Well, you're about to find out.

See that box over there?

Take a look in there,
there's a book.

Only two people in the world knew that
your grandfather kept a journal

from the time he was 15.

One was me, and the other
was your grandmother.

Maybe you can find something
from his past

to help you here in the present,

or possibly in your future.

I'm gonna go back to bed now.

We've got court in the morning.

You're welcome to stay the night.

That's quite a story.

"February, 1941.

My ninth grade teacher, Mrs. Halpern,
gave me this book full of blank pages.

She said it might help
to put my ideas on paper.

Sounds a little girly to me,
but she said that's a diary.

Boys keep journals.
There's a difference.

September 3rd, 1941.

Someday, I swear to heaven,
I am going to be a billionaire."

YOUNG RED: February 23rd, 1941.

Finally quit school and got me
my own job today, delivering ice.

From sun up till sundown.

[HORN HONKS]

- Move! You're blocking the driveway!
- Sorry.

Come on! Let's go!

[HONKS HORN]

[LAUGHING]

RED: That snotty rich kid
did me a favor today

because I might not have ever seen
that newspaper on the ground.

It was right there in print.
This man, Andrew Carnegie,

had started out working
in a telegraph office at 12.

He didn't even go to school, just read
books whenever he could, just like me.

I bet he had to put up
with all those rich kids

turning up their
noses at him, too.

And he ended up a
billionaire anyway.

I swear to heaven, and to every one of
those snobs who look down on me,

so will I.

Soup's getting cold.

It would be nice to have
something else for a change.

There, now you got
something else.

[COUGHING IN ANOTHER ROOM]

- She sounds bad again, Pop.
- I know.

- She needs her medicine.
- What am I gonna do, huh?

I can't afford it right now.

Hospital's still after me
for last time she was there.

Well, someday I'm gonna
buy that whole darn hospital,

and they'll wish they treated
her better, I swear to heaven.

What are you babbling about?

I'm gonna be a billionaire,
like this man, Andrew Carnegie.

[MOTHER COUGHS]

Get it in your head, son.
You ain't ever gonna be rich.

Only thing you're ever gonna be able to
count on is coming up on the short end.

That's what was handed me by my daddy,
and I'm sorry,

but that's all you're
ever gonna get from me.

[COUGHING CONTINUES]

- What is it?
- Just going to work.

On, baby.

I'm sorry you have
to work so hard.

- It's not fair.
- It's OK.

No, it's not.

I'll be up out of
this bed soon...

[COUGHS]

...and then you can
quit that job,

and we'll get you enrolled
back in school.

I love you, Mama.

I love you, too, son.

Get some rest, OK?

Get some rest.

RED: September 4th, 1941.

I'm leaving home today.

I don't know for how long,
but it's one less mouth to feed,

and maybe Mama can
get her medicine now.

No matter what Daddy says,
I don't accept being poor as my destiny.

I know my fortune's
out there somewhere.

And the next time he sees me,
I'll be a rich man.

[GRUNTS]

[WHISPERING] You can't make your move
until the train leaves the yard.

Wait, wait.

Go on, scram!

- Get him!
- [PUNCHES LANDING]

Let's go. Let's go!

- Come on! Come on!
- [TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS]

Come on!

Come on! Come on! Come on!

Give me your hand! Jump!

Jump!

[TRAIN HORN BLOWS FAINTLY]

- What are you doing?
- I'm, uh... making my golden list.

- Your what?
- My golden list.

Something my ma taught me.

Every day, rain or shine,

I make a list of ten things
that I'm grateful to God for.

Things you're grateful for?
You're kidding, right?

I've got lots of things
to be grateful for.

Everybody got at least ten things
to be grateful for.

- I got nothing.
- You sure about that?

- Sure as I could be.
- You got your health, right?

- I'll be grateful someday.
- No, no. You gotta be grateful now.

You gotta be grateful
for the little things in life.

Otherwise, you'll never
be grateful for nothing.

You know what? Come on! We gotta get
off the train before we hit the yard.

Now you really got something
to be grateful for. We're in Texas!

- Wait!
- [MAN GRUNTS]

[TRAIN HORN BLOWS]

- [CAR HORN HONKS]
- Whoa!

- Morning, fellas.
- ALL: Morning.

Name's Jacob Early.

I'm looking for six strong backs
to put up some cattle fence.

- RED: Pick me! Pick me!
- [ALL CLAMORING]

Right here!

Mustache. Older guy.

- Out of the way, Slick!
- I don't think so!

Mister! Hey, I'm your man! I can carry


- [LAUGHTER]
- What the heck, kid?!

That's all right, young man.
That's all right.

I enjoy an eager beaver.
Come on.

Well, you've obviously put up
a few posts. You too, climb in.

Young and strong.

That's six. Let's go, fellas.

Howdy.

That's a good-looking
post there, Slick.

Thanks.

Think it'll hold up to 2,000 pounds
of heifer leaning against it?

It'll hold.

Maybe Mr. Early can have you
build him a rabbit fence next.

MAN: Got another one for you.

[BOY CHUCKLES]

You best water up, Slick. The sun will
lay you out flat if you're not careful.

Don't worry, I didn't spit in it.

I wasn't worried, but I am now.

You can trust me.

[SIGHS, GASPS]

That's good work.

Another week, you might
catch up with the rest of us.

[BOY CHUCKLES]

Just yanking your chain, Slick.

By the way, name's not Slick.
It's Red. Red Stevens.

Gus Caldwell.
Girls call me Stud.

I'm gonna stick with Gus.

You seem to know your way
around a ranch.

Boy, howdy, my whole life.

- Till two year ago.
- What happened?

Stinking Depression.

Bank foreclosed on us.

Now my daddy's stuck working other men's
ranches, trying to make ends meet.

Me, too.

Had to quit school,
but least I'm doing something.

My daddy shovels coal back
in Baton Rouge, when there's work,

so I know what it means
to be on the short end.

Someday, I'm gonna have me
my own ranch,

and it'll be bigger than this one.

Then I'm gonna take over the bank.

Yeah?

Well, whatever I do,
it's gonna be big,

'cause I ain't stopping
till I'm a billionaire.

That's a big number.

Better plan on a different career
than ranching then.

You oughta head out to California.
They got plenty of jobs out there.

Hey! Maybe you
can get into the movies.

I hear The Three Stooges
are looking for a fourth one.

[CHUCKLES]

GUS: Ante up, gents.

Five-card stud. Like me.

[LAUGHTER]

You better give me something
I can work with this time, kid,

or I'll run your hind parts
back to nursery school.

RED: September 6th, 1941.

Working for my supper and few bucks
is just surviving.

I don't want to end up like
the fat man or the old guy,

digging holes when I'm their age.

They should be raking in the money
as their own bosses by now.

GUS: He's got what?

Well, so quick to the punch.

Come on, Red,
where you going?

There's too many old
guys at this table.

[CHUCKLES]

JACOB: Hey, Red.

- What can I do for you?
- Mr. Early...

- I'd like to know how I can be you.
- Be me?

I want to know everything
I can about how to be successful.

Just like you are. I want...
I wanna know how to get what you have.

Have a seat.

Success.

Hm...

Well...

Success takes a lot of things,
son.

A lot of things working together.

I guess you don't
want be a sheep.

You want to be the bellwether.

The bellwether?

The leader, son.

A leader of men.

To make things
successful for yourself.

If I get that fence finished a day
early, does that save you any money?

Sure. On feed.
Yeah, you bet.

You split those savings with me, I'll
have that fence finished by tomorrow.

[LAUGHS]

I do like you, son.
But it ain't gonna happen.

We'll see.

Hm...

- [BELL CLANGING]
- [MEN MOANING]

[GROANS]

Where's Red?
His bed's made.

That little son of a g*n!
Better not have quit on us.

We've only got two days left
to finish that fence.

GUS: What the heck, Red?

You've pushed this fence down
a hundred yards since yesterday.

- When did you come out here?
- 3:00.

- Three-what?
- Three in the morning.

- MAN: Why?
- RED: Why not?

Sooner we get this fence done,
sooner we get paid.

Yeah, but why would we want
to cut off another day of work?

Boss ain't paying us by the day.

He's paying us by
the finished fence.

Now, I figure if we work
in two groups of three,

we can move even faster.
One man measures and digs,

the next man places the post,
the third buries it,

they place the wire, and they move to
the next hole that's already been dug.

Like an assembly line.
All right? Let's go!

[MAN WHISTLES]

Big guy, here you are.
Thank you very much.

There you go.
Thank you very much.

There you are.
Thank you very much.

Oh, yeah.

And a little extra here.

Thank you very much.

I've never seen this much money
in one place in my life.

You were the bellwether, kid.

And you came in a day early.
Didn't think it could be done.

- Thank you.
- You bet now.

If you're still around these parts,
in a month or so, stop by.

I might have a job
to give you.

I don't begrudge you making
some extra money,

but that's the last time you'll
ever one up me, Slick.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[DOOR CLOSES, BELL JINGLES]

Dolly, bring me a big,
juicy hamburger, medium rare.

- Pack it up to go.
- DOLLY: Coming right up, Mr. Wescott.

Gonna catch flies with your trap open
like that, kid.

Sorry, I didn't mean to stare, sir.
It's just...

I've never seen a belt buckle
like that before.

- Had it custom made.
- Looks expensive.

Oh, you can be sure of it.

I'm headed to California
to seek my fortune.

California? What do you
wanna go all the way out there for?

More money here in Texas.

It's just cow pastures far
as I can see.

You're just not looking deep enough.

Trust me, there's more of it in Texas
than God knows what to do with.

DOLLY:
hat'll be $3.50, Mr. Wescott.

You're talking about oil,
aren't you, mister?

Keep the change, Dolly. Buy yourself
something to go with that pretty face.

Goodness. Thank you, Mr. Wescott.

Am I right? It's oil.

Oil...

- I cannot believe you broke it already.
- Sorry.

Howdy.

[BABBLES]

- [LAUGHS]
Did you say "gug-d?"

- Nuh-uh.
- [GIRL LAUGHS]

[WHISPERS] He's kind of
a strange talker, but he's cute.

Invite him to the dance.

There's a teen dance over
at the Tyler High School gym.

You're a teen, right?

Mm-hm.

[LAUGHS] That's swell.

Directions are on the flyer.

Hope to see you there.

OK, bye.

[GIRLS GIGGLE]

GIRL 1: Maybe he's
from a foreign country.

GIRL 22 I don't think that's it.

- GIRL 1: Maybe he's mentally...
- GIRL 2: Stop it. He's just shy.

[SWING MUSIC PLAYS]

Come on, Red. You can do this.

- You made it?
- Come on, doll, it's our song!

Hey, Gus... I think this
young man was here first.

You did want to ask me
to dance, right?

You?

You're like toe fungus, kid.

Just when I thought I got rid of you,
you show up again!

[SONG ENDS, APPLAUSE]

All right!

All right, everybody, grab your partner
because it is time to tag dance.

- [SLOW MUSIC PLAYS]
- Oh...

- Come here, cutie.
- Thanks, but...

Listen, if you wanna dance
with her, follow me.

- EMCEE: Switch partners!
- She...

- [CHUCKLES] Hi.
- Hi.

That's good. An actual word.

Thought I'd try to lead with something
real simple to help you out.

I'm not always so tongue-tied.

I'm not sure whether I should take
that as a compliment or criticism.

Compliment.
Definitely compliment.

EMCEE: Switch partners!

You're not from around here, are you?

Baton Rouge.

So, what do you think
of Tyler, Texas?

I didn't like it at first.

But now it's starting
to grow on you?

I think I wanna marry you.

[LAUGHS]

Well, you're not
tongue-tied anymore.

- I'm Red.
- Yes, you are.

What? Oh, no, no, no, my name...
my name is Red. Red Stevens.

Well, Red Stevens,

my name is Hanna Roberts.

RED: September 8th, 1941.

Hanna, what a girl.

I feel paralyzed around her.

It's like my mouth
has a mind of its own.

Maybe I'll give Tyler, Texas
one more chance before I move on.

[SCHOOL BELL RINGS]

Red?

What are you doing here?

I was hoping I could walk you home.

- Come on, Hanna.
- Just a second.

Red, I'm flattered.

I had a really nice
time at the dance.

But I don't think my dad would
let me get serious with a boy

- who doesn't go to school.
- I was in school, back home.

But I don't need school
to make my fortune.

About done there, hayseed?
We got to go!

Hey, learn some manners, Ace! Someday,
this "hayseed's" gonna be a billionaire!

Hanna, we gotta go.
Maybe Daddy Warbucks there

can drive you home in his limousine.

Fine! Just go already!

Red, a billionaire?

So you think you can be
like Andrew "Carneegee"

and make a billion dollars
and not have to go to school?

Yeah, something like that.

OK, I'll let you walk me home,

but I want you to meet someone first.

- [LAUGHS] Is that a diary?
- Girls have diaries.

- It's a journal.
- Journal then.

Write anything in there about me
after the dance last night?

- Maybe.
- [CHUCKLES]

But he could take the freshman exam
and then be in my class, couldn't he?

Hang on a second.
I didn't say I wanted to do that.

In theory, yes,
but that's a tall order for someone

who didn't finish the ninth grade.

I could take that test and pass,
if I wanted to.

But there's been plenty
of self-made men

who didn't finish school.
Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin,

Andrew Carnegie,
they were all self-educated,

they did pretty good on their own.

You have ambition, Red.

But a proper education
is important for your future.

- Now, we have a janitor's room...
- A janitor's room?

...that's not being used.
you can stay there.

Give me a number,
at least five digits and a multiplier.

Um...



Four million four hundred fifty-seven
thousand, four hundred nineteen.

Now, as for science, I see you have
a little eczema on your hand there.

That's a ficus, also known as
Ficus benjamina.

The leaves produce an allergen
which can cause scratchy eyes,

the sniffles, and even eczema.

You're educated.
You make, what, $1700 a year?

In this little nowhere Texas town.
I'm sorry, sir, I want more.

Red, wait!

Hanna, I've made up my mind.
There's nothing more to talk about.

I just think school's
a waste of time.

Why do you have such a chip
on your shoulder?

- A chip?
- It's like you're afraid or something.

You don't know nothing about me.

You're right, I don't.

But I do know that everybody in this
world needs somebody to believe in them.

[SCOFFS]

I would have believed
in you, Red.

- [SCHOOL BELL RINGS]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Yes, you are. You're probably moping
all the time, like this.

All right, everyone,
quiet down, please.

Quiet down, please.

Ryan Hales, would you
please find your seat. Thank you.

Now, I would like to introduce you
to your newest classmate.

Red Stevens,
would you stand please?

Thank you, Red.

All right, open your textbooks
to page 57 and let's get started.

[♪ BILLIE HOLIDAY & HER ORCHESTRA:
"PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT"]

[INAUDIBLE]

[CHUCKLES]

So just what are you promising me,
Red Stevens?

Whatever you want. A fancy car,
big house, bigger ring...

What if I say I just want you?

- I'm turning red again.
- Yes, Red. You're red.

[BELL RINGS]

Turn the radio on! The Japanese
att*cked Pearl Harbor.

This means w*r!

RADIO ANNOUNCER: ...a special
news bulletin.

The Japanese have
att*cked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

by air, President Roosevelt
has just announced.

The att*ck also was made
on all naval and m*llitary activities

on the principle island of Oahu.

We take you now to Washington.

MAN: A Japanese att*ck upon Pearl
Harbor naturally would mean w*r.

RED: I didn't even know
where Pearl Harbor was,

or that the Hawaiian Islands
belong to us.

But what I do know is when someone
hits us, we hit back.

I'm going to be a pan' of that.
I have to.

MAN: ...that such a
declaration would be granted...

HANNA: You gonna walk in circles
all day or come see me?

RED: Hey.

Hanna, there's something
I need to...

Not really sure how
to tell you this, but...

What? What is it?

I signed up, Hanna.

- Signed up? For what?
- Mm-hm.

- The Army.
- What?

But, I don't... you're 15!
How could they let you?

- I convinced them I was 17.
- This is crazy. You're too young.

I don't care about that, OK?

It's not fair, all those other guys
getting to go off and fight

while I'm stuck in this lousy little
town listening to lectures

about Emily
who-the-heck-cares Dickinson!

I'm not gonna let you do this.
I'm gonna go down there

- and I'm gonna tell them you're 15.
- You will not!

How can I become my own man
if I don't go?

How can I ever be worthy
of getting my share

if I'm not willing
to go fight for it?

This is so selfish!

Selfish?

Look, you can say whatever you want,
but I am going, and I leave tomorrow.

Well, I won't wait for you,
you hear me?

Fine by me.

There's a hundred other boys out there
who'll want me,

- and I could have any one I want!
- Good!

- They can have you, for all I care.
- I don't want your promise ring anyway!

Hey, good for you! You hear me?

Get married!

I don't need a girl anyway.

[SOBBING] Oh, Red.

Oh, Red.

RED: Hanna! Hanna!

Hanna!

I'm sorry!

I love you, Hanna.

I'll wait for you.
I'll wait for you.

[BOMBS EXPLODING]

[MACHINE g*nf*re]

- Lieutenant!
- Yes, sir.

I need a runner.

You!

Run this message over
to Lt. Harris, First Platoon.

Five hundred yards up
over that tree line.

Private, did you hear me?

I got it, sir.

[BOMBS EXPLODING, g*nf*re]

Get down!

- Watch it, you idiot!
- I was just trying to take cover!

You gotta be kidding me!
Toe-fungus?!

Of all the stinking foxholes
I could have taken cover in!

- Well, get the heck out of mine!
- Be glad to.

I'm looking for Lieutenant Harris,
First Platoon.

Nah. Wrong hole. This is Second Platoon.
First is 200 yards that way.

Wish I could say,
"Nice to see you."

No, don't spoil the joy I'll feel
as I watch you leave.

[b*mb EXPLODES]

Ahh!

- Cover me!
- [g*nf*re]

Sarge, where's the medic?

Hey, Slick. Stay with me.

I'm not carrying your sorry self
just so you end up dead.

I can't believe I'm saying this,
but thank you.

Don't thank me yet.

Still, seems like we might
as well be friends.

Might as well. We always seem
to end up in the same place.

And when the w*r is over,
and this is all done...

[GRUNTS IN PAIN]

...you still thinking
about that ranch?

Oh, yeah, sure.
You still thinking about oil?

Just about all I think about.

[GRUNTING, MOANING]

[WHIRRING]

Red, we've gone down
another 35 feet today.

Sucker rod's completely dry.

- Could be another duster, Red.
- I don't wanna hear that.

You keep that
thought muzzled.

I spent the last dozen years learning
how to find other men oil,

and it's my turn now.

My gut says it's here.

I hope you boys weren't
planning on an early supper,

because we're going down another 35.
And we're gonna go down another 35

if we have to!

Oh, that's it! Enough! I quit!

I don't hire a man back
when he quits on me.

- We're running out of good men, Red.
- We'll find more good men.

Come on!
We're going another 35.

[SIGHS]

Get those rods down.

You wanna have a catch, Dad?

Sorry, Billy-boy,
I can't today.

It's OK, I'm making your milk right now.
It's all right.

Hey, Jackie. Jackie,
look what the cat dragged in.

- It's your daddy.
- [BABY CRYING]

Hey, Red, why don't you get washed up.
It's almost dinner time, OK?

Yeah, I know. Let me just
sit here for a minute.

You kids quit running
in the house!

- [BABY CRYING]
- Sh, sh, sh, sh!

All right, all right.

Let's go on, then.
Let's go on, my very good boy.

Did you wanna help momma?

What's wrong?

- Oh, good, good boy.
- What's wrong?

Is the hole still dry?

If we don't hit it soon,
I ain't gonna make payroll,

let alone be able to afford
to feed you guys.

All I keep hearing is my old man
in the back of my head

talking about
"once-poor-always-poor" crap.

You gotta let that go.

I don't get it.

I mean, I don't.
All the geology reports look right

and we hit the salt formations
in the right depth. I just don't...

Maybe Gus could help.
He's already hit a few.

No, I'm not gonna
ask Gus for advice.

[BABY CRYING]

Well, since there's nothing
you can do about it right now,

how about investing in us?

What are you talking about?

I know you think it's all
about bank accounts and oil wells.

But it's not.

It's right out there.

It's OK. It's all right.

It's OK, baby.

- Come on, son. Toss it in here.
- Are you serious, Dad?

Come on, kid.
Fire it in.

- Keep your eye on it.
- Can you teach me how to throw a curve?

I don't know how
to throw a curve.

Well, someone's gotta know.
What you call 'em?

- An expert.
- Yeah.

Can you find me one?

Yeah, we can find you one of them.

RED.' March 4th, 1955.

Out of the mouth of babes,
I went and found an expert.

From the looks of him,

he couldn't throw a curve ball
to save his life.

- Are you sure that we're...?
- Sh...

[CLICKING]

Whoo! [CHUCKLES]

Come on!

All right, bring it down...

All right, take some.

Hold it.

You, take that...
Stick it in quickly.

[CLICKS]

[FAINT STATIC, TAPPING]

So, what are you listening to?

Does "shhh" not mean the same
in Texas as it does in California?

- Sorry.
- [SIGHS]

[FAINT PULSATING TAPPING SOUND]

[EXHALES]
We agreed on three percent, right?

Yeah. Three percent.

- Here.
- Here what?

Drill here.

Good job! Can you think of something
else that adds up to ten?

- Good. You did it!
- BOY: Three plus seven.

- [RED LAUGHS]
- [GASPS]

Oh, Red!

- Red! Red!
- [SHOUTING, LAUGHING]

- We did it! We did it!
- Boys, come here!

- Come here!
- Oh, my goodness!

- Look at you!
- Can you believe it?!

Ruth! Ruth! Ruth!

- Come down here and look at your daddy!
- Ruth!

- Oh, my God.
- Are we gonna be rich now, Dad?

Oh, Billy-boy, are we gonna be rich?

We're gonna be stinking rich!
Stinking rich! [LAUGHS]

You won't have to worry
about anything, son, anything at all.

And you. Oh, baby.

I'm going to buy you
the biggest ring in Texas.

- Yeah, are you?
- Oh, yeah.

No more promise ring for Mrs. Stevens.
No, ma'am. No, ma'am.

You can have anything you want.
Anything you want.

OK, wait. Hold that thought. Hold that
thought. I got one more person to tell.

- No! Red! Red!
- I gotta go tell Gus!

Ha! Whoo-hoo! Ah! [LAUGHS]

I hit it! I hit it! I hit it!

Whoo!

- Took you long enough, kid.
- Oh, I hit it! I hit it big, baby!

[CHUCKLES] Well... Yeah, you just
remember, you're still one to my three.

Oh, don't worry about that, Gus.
Don't worry, I'm going way past three.

Pretty soon you're gonna
be dust in my rearview mirror.

We'll see about that.

We're up to 500 barrels a day, boss.



At two bucks a barrel, that's a thousand
a day on that well alone.

According to college boy,
the reserve underneath this land

is at least 50 million barrels.

How fast can we drill
and set up another derrick?

About two weeks.

Make it one, and it'll be a bonus.

I want big, beautiful,
grasshoppers

bobbing up and down
as far the eye can see.

You got it, boss.

[ENGINES HUMMING]

What's this?

That's him.
That's him right there.

That there's a delivered subpoena,
Red Stevens.

I got proof you been cheating me out
of my mineral rights on this land.

I got a lawyer, so you better start
to figure out my cut of this operation.

Well, I hope you got a good lawyer,
'cause I got a better one,

and he's gonna
take you to school.

- I'll see you in court!
- Oh, I'll see you in court!

Yeah, I'll be there, Red!

Oh, I'll be there!
I'll see ya!

I'll see ya!

So who's our lawyer, boss?

That's a good question.

- MAN: Theophilus Hamilton.
- You a lawyer?

- Yes, sir.
- My name's Red Stevens.

I got served a subpoena
and I need a lawyer

to meet me at the courthouse
next Tuesday. You any good?

First in my class at Howard
University School of Law.

Editor of the law review,
four years running.

Would you like a list
of peer-reviewed articles?

Nope. Good enough.
I'll see you next Tuesday at ten.

What you gonna do,
represent yourself?

[CHUCKLES]

[CLEARS THROAT]

- Mr. Stevens?
- Mr. Hamilton?

- Yes, sir.
- Good to see you.

It's been a long time.
How's your wife?

Actually, she d*ed,
not too long ago.

I'm sorry to hear that.

I'm not sure his kind
is even allowed in this courthouse.

Here's what they
are claiming.

How fast would you
like this to be over?

Real fast.

The subpoena appears
to be in order, but...

Of course it's in order.
What do you think I am, an amateur?

Actually, sir, I have no idea
what type of lawyer you are.

Before you interrupted me,
I was saying the subpoena is fine.

The problem is the
deed of trust.

I took the liberty of pulling it
from the County Hall of Records.

You didn't know what
I'd be asking you to be doing.

How did you know
what to look for?

Well, I looked up the subpoena
and it's public record, too.

Don't worry about it.

As I was saying, in pulling the records
I noticed my client purchased the land

and mineral rights from your client
in a land-swap more than two years ago.

So?

Maybe we should wait till
the judge gets here before we...

Just answer the question.

All right, if you insist.

The deed was recorded
exactly two years and two months ago.

Texas law says that the statute of
limitation on mineral rights dispute

is two years... on the nose.

Please tell me
you knew that.

- Well, I, uh...
- Well, how could you let this happen?

I told you,
I'm a divorce lawyer.

Come back here!

You told me this was a sure thing.
You said we'd get a settlement.

Tens of thousands
of dollars, easy!

I'll be! Mr. Hamilton, how'd you like
to work for me full-time?

My business is going
through the roof

and I could use a good man
like you around me.

Well, Mr. Stevens, I'm honored,
but I do have other clients.

OK, OK. Hey, we'll call it
part-time then. Everybody wins.

Somehow, "everybody wins"
means you win first?

Excellent.
We understand each other.

- I guess so.
- What do you know about oil?

Well, it's messy.

Texas gold!

RED: So let me get this straight.

What you're telling me is, there's a
bigger deposit on adjacent acreage.

MAN: Yeah, at least


And we can't get it?

Wow.

That's twice as much
as on this patch.

That's 600 hundred million
worth of crude.

Why ain't this rancher selling?

- Red...
- I want this land!

We have offered him triple the
going rate. He's just not selling.

- So why's he being stubborn?
- Because not everything is about money.

Well, that's a lie.
Everything is about money.

HAMILTON: Not for this guy.

Last name, Early.

- Jacob Early?
- HAMILTON: Same family tree.

Nephew Andy, the land's been
passed down for five generations.

Cattle is... his legacy.

How come
I didn't know about this?

Come on, now, Red.
All these years, in all the land deals,

as long as the price was right,
when did it ever matter

who was selling, as
long as they sold?

Tell me again about
this horizontal drilling.

Oh, yeah,
thought you'd never ask.

Now...

[RED CLEARS THROAT]

Yeah, um, so...

It's a cow.

Now, they've tried it elsewhere
with success,

and I think I can make it work here.

Theoretically, a well on our land

could... tap into a
neighbor's reserve,

provided, of course,
that you owned the mineral rights.

- What's the downside?
- It's new.

It'll be expensive.

But I think we can get the oil

with minimal environmental damage
to the cow pastures.

How minimal?

No idea, actually,
but I just think that

"minimal" is a more positive way
to sell it.

Jimmy, when I promoted you
to acquisitions,

you told me you'd get your mother
to jump off a bridge.

I want you to go see this
Andy Early and get this deal done.

What if I can't convince him?

I want this land!

This is our next play, Hamilton.
We get our hands on that refinery,

we start competing
with the big boys.

We control both sides
of the supply chain.

Look, it's risky, Red.
I mean, you heard the geologist.

This new way of drilling is...
it's not gonna come cheap.

And I gotta be honest with you,
I don't think we can afford

to leverage both deals
at the same time.

Carnegie believed
in investing in new technology,

new facilities, hard-driving,
pushing the limits.

We gotta start thinking
the same way, Hamilton.

If we develop new technology,
it gives us an advantage.

I just hope we're not soaring
off a cliff, that's all.

I'm not going around and around
about this anymore.

I'll see what I can do.

Red, it's almost Christmas,
you know.

I want this meeting with
Carlton Strang. Now.

Why aren't you eating, Ruth?

I told Sylvia last week,
I don't eat meat.

- Since when?
- I saw you eat bacon two days ago.

I said, I don't eat meat!

Well, these are vegetables, right?
So you can have some of mine.

Stop!
I don't want your asparagus!

You are so immature.

I swear, it's the last time I
come home for Christmas break.

It's not too late.
You can leave.

Why don't you grow up?

- You're not even finished yet.
- I'm just tired.

He'd rather be smoking
cigs in his room.

Dad, I'm meeting the guys
at the country club.

I sure could use
a few bills.

- What do you need?
- Forty... sixty?

Thanks, Dad.

Hey, Dad,
can you spot me some cash, too?

I'm going to the arcade
with some friends.

Look what you started.

- Here.
- Thanks!

So... there are these really, really,
really cute boots

that I'm dying for.

Yeah? How much?

Let's see...

That'll do.
Thanks so much. You're the best.

They never see you.

And when they do,
you just throw cash at them.

I came home to repack. I've got
a meeting in Tulsa about the refinery.

I should be home before Christmas.

Gentlemen, have a seat.

I know you wanted this meeting
quickly, Mr. Stevens.

Right before Christmas.

Well, let's cut to the chase here.

- You want the Tulsa refinery.
- Yes, I do.

And we trust that you've
reviewed our proposal.

I did.

Does that mean you accepted it?

Or are we just sitting around here
twiddling our thumbs for nothing?

The question is whether or not
I want to sell to you.

- It's that simple.
- That's just ridiculous.

- You don't have another buyer.
- Red...

You're starting to
tick me off.

You're here because
you want this deal.

Some sort of race to
grab all you can.

Seems we both have needs,
Mr. Stevens.

And usually I need to meet the people
I'm doing business with

in order to make my determination.

Problem is, you don't
personally impress me.

You're rude, self-serving and greedy.

I will consider your proposal,

and I'll get back to you just
as quickly as I can.

All right.

I expect to have your decision
by tomorrow. That's it. Let's go.

The deal is it.

And right now that's in my hands,
not yours.

We both know
you're still trying to recover

from that expl*si*n
at the plant 18 months ago.

- Red!
- Mm-mm.

Took 11 lives.

Your liability went sky high and the
publicity practically crippled you.

Red...

Your profits...

...are down 22 percent
from last quarter.

Where did you get
that information?

[CHUCKLES]

I want to buy your refinery,

and you need to sell it.

And that makes you... needing me.

And that...

That just makes your blood boil.

Let's go.

See you later, Red.

[♪ MIKE SCHNHD:
"ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH"]

- [KNOCKING ON DOOR]
- MAN: Room service.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

- Anything?
- No, it's Christmas Eve.

What kind of game is he playing?

[SIGHS] Red,
do you consider me a friend?

'Course I do.

Well, as your friend,
let's fly home tonight.

You could be with Hanna,
with the kids, enjoy Christmas.

I told you, I'm not leaving
till I get that refinery.

Look, you could wait
till the cows come home,

but I'm not missing Christmas
with my family.

Now, you can dock my pay,
you can fire me,

you can do whatever you want,

but I'm heading to the airport
and taking the company plane home.

And if you're smart, Red,
you'd come with me.

Hm...

You're right.

You're right. Go home.
Go be with your family.

I'll take a charter plane home.

Go on.

Merry Christmas, Red.

Merry Christmas, Hamilton.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Can't anybody read
the "do not disturb" sign?

Strang?

You gonna invite me in, Stevens?

The docs are signed.

I actually made my decision last night,
put out a press release.

Panhandle Oil is now the proud owner
of its own refinery.

You're welcome.

I'll be on my way, then.

Nice doing business
with you, Stevens.

I'm curious, Mr. Strang.

Why did you wait till Christmas
to give me this news?

'Cause I knew I could.

How?

Because you remind me of myself,
you know, 20 years ago.

[CHUCKLES]

[AIRPLANES WHIRRING]

"Panhandle Gas & Oil is now
a billion-dollar operation..."

I'm a...

I'm a billionaire.

I'm a billionaire.

♪ I wonder as I wander... ♪

[MAN HUMS]

When I became a billionaire.

Mr. Stevens, you have a phone call.

Yeah?

Line five.

This is Red Stevens.

Hanna? What?

Pilot!

[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]

He was headed straight from the
airport to his mother's nursing home

for Christmas Eve dinner.

A trucker fell asleep,
and hit him head-on.

The doctor said
he had severe internal damage.

Both of his kidneys are ruptured.
He's gonna lose them.

If he survives,
they're gonna put him on dialysis,

but he'll go to the end
of a very long waiting list

for a kidney donor.

It's gonna be a long night.

- You want some coffee?
- Yeah.

[MONITOR BEEPING]

[RED WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY]

You've been with me
for such a long time.

I owe you so much of
everything I got.

You been a friend to me...

...even when I didn't
even deserve it.

[♪ DREW HOLCOMB &
THE NEIGHBORS: "HOURGLASS"]

O-positive. Nurse!

Hey, Red.

What's this?

[MOANS]
What's going on?

[RED MOANS]

Christmas Eve, you met the
business end of a semi on the 205.

What day is it?

Happy New Year.

Welcome to 1969.

I thought...

I thought you were in Tulsa.

You needed some new plumbing,

so I gave you some of mine.

[HAMILTON SIGHS]

You know what? I think
I need to go back to sleep.

Maybe this could all
be a bad dream.

Starting over...

...is not the easiest
thing to do.

[GROANS]

I'm sorry.
Hope I didn't wake you.

I'm just glad that I can wake up.

So do we have a refinery?

We do.

I think that means
you're a billionaire.

[RED CHUCKLES]

Yeah. It does.

How does that feel?

Not a stitch different.

I thought it would, though.
I really did.

All that time thinking about it
and dreaming about it,

and when it finally happened,
it just happened.

The world kept
moving on forward...

...and there was no one there
to share it with me.

But you did what you
said you would.

You should take pride in that, Red.

I got all the money in the world.

I traded everything that
was important to me for it.

It's not too late, Red.

What if it is, Hamilton?

My kids are a mess.

My wife thinks I'm lost.

You can change that.

You can change that, Red.

See, money's been your dream.

But your legacy...

Your legacy is your family.

Your fortune is your wife,
your kids

and all the little Stevens
that comes along.

You still got time, Red.

- BOY: What's this all about, Dad?
- RUTH: Yeah, is this gonna take long?

Are you guys
getting divorced?

No, that's not what
this is about.

Well, what are we here for?
You're kinda freaking me out!

- That doesn't take much.
- HANNA: All right, that's enough!

Your father has something
that he would like to say to you.

So you will sit there
with your mouths shut and listen.

Go ahead, Red.

[CLEARS THROAT]

I wanted you kids
here because...

Well, I want to
apologize to you.

- Apologize?
- For what?

For neglecting you
over two decades.

I made my work more important...
over you and...

...more important
over your mom.

I learned a lot of lessons
along the way.

But I ended up burying them in
pursuit of the almighty dollar.

Is there a bottom line here, Dad?

I got a plane to catch back
to Princeton.

Your mom and I decided we're gonna start
living life a little bit different.

So future profit
from Panhandle Oil

will go into a new
fund that we started.

We're gonna start doing
some good in the world.

And we're gonna stop living
for ourselves.

We're gonna to try to learn
how to help others.

Tell me you're not giving our trust
funds away to the poor or something?

I'm not giving your
money away, son.

In fact...

...your mother and I are
going to give each of you

$10,000 right now.

Ruth.

For what?

For the chance to learn
the gift of giving.

No strings attached?

[CLEARS THROAT] We... We hope that
you'll use this money to help others.

So we're done here?
We can go?

- Yeah, ya'll can go.
- [CHUCKLING]

- I'm gonna put this in the bank.
- It's a lot of money.

I'm gonna spend it.

All we can do is try and hope
that their hearts change.

It will take patience.

Hm... I've never been very patient.

Dad?

Yeah, Jay?

Here you go.

I don't need it.
Put it in the foundation.

You sure, son?

- This is your money.
- I have enough.

Thank you.

Thank you, son.

My dad got it.

And when my dad d*ed...

...Red knew that I would get it, too.

HAMILTON: That's right, Jason.

The monetary inheritance that we
accumulate to pass on to our children

is not nearly as important
as the personal legacy we pass on.

I almost forgot.
We have the hearing at ten.

Are you sure that's
where you want to be this morning?

I thought that's where I had to be.

Naw, I can deal
with those hyenas in court.

What you need to do
is find that special someone

who's gonna help you
pass your legacy on.

[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

Excuse me.

Jason, what are you doing here?

I was hoping you
could give me a job.

I could empty the trash,
mop the floors.

If... well, if there were floors,
I'd mop them.

- Anything you need.
- What about the foundation?

Decided to take a leave of absence
for a few months... maybe six.

Place isn't gonna fall apart
with Hamilton in charge.

I tried to tell you.
I wanted to tell you in person...

I understand. I understand
why you did it the way you did.

It would have taken a b*mb
to get my attention.

And I'm sorry for that.

Forgive me for not putting you
first in my life.

I want to shut up and let you talk.
I want to turn the cell off

and just be with you.

And help you with the things
that are most important to you.

But what if I'm not enough for you?

I... I can't promise to be perfect.

I know I'll fail from time to time.
But I promise...

...that I'll try as hard as I can.

I realized something

that took my grandpa
a lot of hard knocks to learn.

Life's greatest fortunes
are the ones closest to you.

You're my fortune, Lex.

You're worth more to me
than all the money in the world.

And without you,
I'm a very poor man.

So I come to you as a poor man,

in need of a fortune
that only you can give me.

I don't want to ask you to do
anything that you're not ready to do.

But this very expensive ring from
the little market down the street...

...is my promise that I'll never
stop trying to be the man

that you deserve and need.

And my promise that I will wait
as long as I have to

for you to be my wife.

OK, under God's laws,

you two are Mr. and
Mrs. Jason Stevens,

husband and wife.

You can kiss her.

[BOTH LAUGH]

- What are you doing?
- Making my golden list.

The ten things I'm grateful
to God for today.

Number one,

that we're both young and healthy.

And what else?

- That you love me.
- [LAUGHS]

- And what else?
- You want the whole list?

I want the whole list. [LAUGHS]

I'm grateful that Emily
brought us together.

Me, too.

Maybe... we can add

- a little Stevens to the list.
- [CHUCKLES]

Maybe. Maybe someday soon.

- JASON: Well, maybe, a couple of dogs.
- HANNA: Yes. [LAUGHS]

JASON: Yeah? And a house?
A white picket fence?

- HANNA: Mm-hm. Two stories.
- JASON: Two stories.

- HANNA: Shutters on the windows.
- JASON: Shutters.

HANNA: Oh, I have
a longer list than you.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

[♪ TAMELA MANN: "ONE LIFE"]