She's awful dumb. - She's not dumb, Doll Baby.
Her basic intelligence is probably above average.
Then why does she act so dumb?
Daddy petrifies her so intensely, her brain blows a fuse.
And she doesn't like to think anyhow.
Son-of-bitch! What're you doing here?
Knock me out! Knock me out right here!
I got a loaded shotgun, so you better get outta here quick!
And don't come back. I'll blow your heads off!
You children go to bed.
Very good, Rose.
Waski would like some.
Give her your juice glass.
Waski, pass the syrup to your brother.
Doll, do you want some?
Well, Rose... my sleep was disturbed last night.
So was Mrs. Hillyer's and the children's. How about you?
Was your sleep disturbed, too?
Why, yes, it was. I heard strange voices.
Strange voices, Rose?
Rose, stop behaving as if you were Bo-Peep.
I'm not behaving as if I'm Bo-Peep, sir.
Those men had a fight because of some female in this house,
and it wasn't Dolly or Mrs. Hillyer.
Well, it's because...
I don't know them. They're strangers to me.
Darling?
I don't think Rose is well. She may have a fever.
It's not my fault if the girl has the Epizootics.
Rose, when I have to get up at night to defend my home,
against 2 scoundrels in the bushes...
They weren't scoundrels. They were just boys.
Boyfriends of Rose's And why shouldn't she have boyfriends?
Don't you think she's human, the same as you are yourself?
Just a moment, dear.
All I meant is, I wouldn't want any young woman living in my house,
traipsing out at night,
meeting strange orangutans to discuss the New Deal with 'em.
I'm not going to listen to this.
We're having a conversation, and you bring in orangutans?
Darling, please. Scrappers in the bushes, whatever.
It's the South with its horrible traditions of slavery
and oppression of women.
The South has nothing to do with this. Now, Rose...
You cannot fire this girl. Not for having boyfriends.
Not while I have strength in my finger,
to squeeze the trigger, and shoot you with the truth between the eyes.
I don't intend to fire her.
You don't'? - No, I don't.
Rose, I told you she's your friend, and would fight for you like a tiger?
Yes, sir.
Thanks to her, you get another chance. But don't try my patience again.
There are growing children here. You understand?
Yes, sir, I do.
I'm gonna tell Foster and Horton to stay away from here.
I'm playing a spectacular triple-combination.
Nine ball in the corner.
Read 'em and weep, boy. That's all she wrote.
Mr. Hillyer, the police Chief is on the telephone.
What exactly happened?
There was a brawl at the "Busy Beaver" last night.
The fur was flying, the gal was screeching. All hell broke loose.
You know Horton, the bootlegger? - I've heard of the scoundrel.
Scoundrel is right. He near killed a man with a beer bottle.
This girl was the cause of it all.
She bit a police officer's thumb down to the bone.
She was real upset. She didn't mean to bite me.
No, I didn't mean to bite him. I got an awful bad cold.
I believe she mite be sick. - She's as healthy as a horse.
No, I'm not, Mr. Hillyer. I'm as sick as a dog.
You wouldn't want her to have an arrest record.
She's your girl, Mr. Hillyer.
You want me to release her to you? - No, not really.
But I guess we'll have to do that.
Le t the crazy creature out and I'll take her home.
I didn't mean to bite him.
He was hitting Horton real mean,
and I just bit him accidental.
I have to get back to the hotel.
I'll speak to you later, Rose.
What is Rose going to do? Where can she go?
I don't know. They're still in there. I gotta find out what's going on.
Daddy will kill you, Buddy!
Who says that our morals are any better than hers?
The idea that one set of morals is as good as another is ridiculous.
Ridiculous!
Maybe so, but Rose has never hurt anybody, and she never would.
She bit a policeman's thumb to the bone!
I'm sure that in her heart, her intentions were good.
Good intentions are what the road to hell is paved with.
You can have a good heart and still do a lot of harm.
Excuse me.
I could have sworn I saw that boy.
Rascal.
I just don't understand how Rose could be a bad influence.
She has a loving nature.
You should want someone like that around the children.
Why do you think all men like her? - I've got a pretty good idea.
You mean sex? You couldn't be more wrong.
Anybody with common sense can be sexy. Rose likes those boys and men.
She has love in her heart. That's why they follow her.
Sweetheart, I'm sorry, but Rose has to go.
Well, let me talk to her.
What's happening?
Mother fought like a tiger, but... - Is Rose going to have to leave?
She might. - I don't think it's fair!
What did Rose do? - She bit a policeman's thumb.
She shouldn't have bitten anyone, but I don't see why she has to leave.
She didn't do anything really bad.
Dear, are you alright?
Rose, you're ill.
You're burning up!
I don't need to go to the hospital. I'll die if I go to the hospital!
No you won't. You listen. I promise you're not going to.
We're coming right behind you.
It's a safe place. The hospital is huge.
We're going to say a prayer for Rose.
It's going to be alright. We better say a prayer for her.
She's in here.
The girl's as strong as an ox. That is what's keeping her alive.
But not many people walk away from double-pneumonia.
She looks terrible. She looks awful.
Of course. And I am puzzled by your delay in bringing her here.
Her illness was grossly neglected, I don't understand why this occurred.
We didn't know she was so sick.
I think normal powers of observation night have suggested it to you.
Rose hid it from us. She's afraid of the hospital.
Afraid of the hospital?
Deathly afraid. Her people are poor farmers, she doesn't know medicine.
That girl is a product of the hookworm and pellagra belt?
Yes. She's from a poor dirt farm.
I find that unbelievable.
Aside from her illness at the moment, she is very strong.
and a splendid specimen of a young human female.
And a comely one.
She has the figure of a Venus do Milo.
She definitely got protein as a child.
Rose is an amazing girl.
We took her to our dentist. She had perfect teeth. No cavities!
Just so.
You don't get perfect teeth eating sorghum syrup and hoecake.
She had protein. Which also accounts for her superb aeriferous endowment.
Her what?
Lung capacity, sir.
That's why I believe she will survive, despite delay in medical treatment.
That's all I want to know.
Thank you for your discourse, Doctor. Very interesting, I'm sure.
Now let's get out of here before I get the epizootics myself.
Thank you, Doctor.
I beg you pardon..."Epi-zoo-tics"?
You mean "Epi-zo-o-tics"? An animal epidemic?
No, I mean epi-zoo-tics.
Telling me about epizootics! They oughtta hang that polecat!
You don't like him because he's a Yankee. - He's a polecat, dear.
Rosebud looked pitiful in that bed.
I hope she's alright. But I still think we should fire her.
How can you think of that at a time like this?
When she recovers, dear.
He's so smart and good inside.
And so unhappy with a rich wife not understanding, her being a southerner.
You're too uncritical of people.
But you don't know the bedside manner of that man.
He's so soothing, so smart, and do kind-hearted deep inside.
He practically gets tears in his eyes, listening to my heartbeat.
He says to me, "My dear,
you are beautiful."
Wasn't that a nice thing for a doctor to say to a patient?
What could cheer a girl up more?
Rose, I have doubts about that doctor. So does Daddy.
He has doubts about hisself. Isn't that sad?
The poor man thinks nobody likes him.
I'd believe it. - He wants justice in the world.
For everyone, especially the coloreds.
That's nice of him, 'cause the coloreds have a rough life.
Yes, they do, but that guy doesn't care.
Then why does he say it?
To look better than everyone else.
Dr. Martinson! Come in, please.
It's very damp outside.
Rose is feeling so much better. In fact, she's almost all well.
Let me be the judge of that, Madam. - Yes.
Her room is at the head of the stairs. Right on the right.
When is that polecat going to come down from her room?
Dr. Martinson is a very good doctor. He studied at Johns Hopkins.
I don't care if he studied at the North Pole
Anyway, I have a plan for Rose. I'm gonna start with clothes.
She dresses too provocatively, and we've talked about it.
Where are you going?
Everything all right, Doctor? - Oh, yes... fine.
She's getting healthy. A few more days.
Rose, you look so pretty.
You're sweet to make this dress for me.
Darling,
now she is a different person.
Being sick made an impression on her. I think she's learned her lesson.
Open this door, Rose! Open it this instant!
Open it or I'll break it down! - Who is it?
Open the door, damn you!
You got a man in there. I saw his shoes on the back porch.
Rose, open up immediately, You hear me?
Rose, procrastination won't help you!
Where is he? - Nobody is here.
I knwo he's here. - There's nobody! - Where are you, you bastard?
Where have you got him hid? - There ain't nobody here.
And who, may I ask, is that?
Well...
That's Billy. - And what was Billy doing here?
Billy's very poor, ain't got no money. He had no place else to go.
Silly question.
He's nice. You'd like him. He wants to be a fireman.
Ye gods and little fishes, a fireman.
Put something on, You're naked.
I think your friend Billy is injured.
Where are his clothes?
Under the mattress.
I didn't want to be mad. He wants to marry me. He's sweet.
I can't marry him. He's got no money, no job, he's too young and all...
...but he loves me,
and I was thinking... You won't hurt him?
Oh, I won't hurt him, Rose. - Mr Hillyer, I know I was bad.
I hadn't ought to have done it.
But I am only a human girl person. I ain't always perfect.
Don't fire me. I love you all so much.
Rosebud, you break my heart.
But I am only a human man person, ...of the father variety.
Pack your bag, baby.
As of this moment you're hired, mired, and fired.
This country couldn't stand George I I I,
and I can't stand Rose! But liberation is at hand.
Hear ye, hear ye, I've got news. I called cousin Hop long distance,
and Rose, I found you a job in Tennessee.
Tennessee? - It's a lovely state.
What kind of job is it? - You'll like it. It's an outdoor job.
You mean a farm? - No, not exactly. It is a dairy establishment.
Honey, Rose has terrible memories of farm life.
Rose, this isn't a dirt farm like the one you were born on. It's nice.
Nieghbor of cousin Hop's. It isn't a farm, damn it.
It's a beautiful dairy establishment. Now stop crying, Rose.
It's ideal.
How can you call it ideal? You know what the word "farm" means to her.
It isn't a farm. - Calling it a dairy establishment is jiggery-pokery.
She's goin' there tomorrow.
And I must say, it is selfish of her to sit there and cry.
I'm crying for somebody else, not me.
Who?
I hate to think of the baby being born on a farm.
What baby is that?
Mine. I'm going to have one.
Good God Almighty!
This is a calamity! They won't hire her now, mama.
You poor thing. Don't cry, honey. Nobody's perfect.
Who's the father, dear? - Well...
I know this is embarrassing, but
who were you exposed to, dear?
Well, Mrs. Hillyer, it's kind of hard to say...
This is no good line of questioning. The problem is, what are we gonna do?
That's why I'm asking who he is.
It is the most vital question. Who is he, dear?
She doesn't know. - She must know, unless...
Unless... Rose!
Was there ore than one person?
It's kind of hard to think right now. - You shouldn't act like that.
Oh, I know. But I didn't really. There was only one, but
he's out of town and didn't leave me no forwarding address.
No forwarding address? No forwarding address? Hold the phone.
In the shock of this, I forgot something.
Rose will lie. She's no more pregnant than I am.
I am, too!
You are not! - Yes I am!
Tell us, Rose. Why do you think you're pregnant?
I hadn't had my period in 3 months and my stomach is getting big.
I don't believe it. - It's so, Mr. Hillyer.
All right.
You've had your clothes off enough.
Pull up your dress and let's take a look.
Honey!
She can keep her panties on. Pull up your dress, Rose.
You just won't believe me. - Rose you don't have to.
I don't mind. - Now you'll see she's lying.
See?
I'd say about three months. Are you satisfied?
What did you say she had? - An ovarian cyst.
What is that? - We thought she was pregnant.
I'm not surprised you thought that.
An ovarian cyst can look very much like pregnancy.
But that's just wishful thinking.
She's lost her reproductive capacity.
She had gonorrhea at age 15, and it was left untreated.
Gonorrhea? - Just so.
She also had tuberculosis. The X-rays plainly show scarring.
But the Gonorrhea caused irreparable damage to her fallopian tubes.
She can never have children.
That's very sad. Poor Rose. What a sad life she's had.
Just so. Now as to the malignancy...
I think it unlikely. I probably shouldn't have told her.
You're right. She thinks she has cancer and is going to die.
She is an adult, Mr. Hillyer. I merely gave her the facts.
If she survives the surgery, it's better than being pregnant.
No. It's a blessing, really.
And a stroke of luck for an other reason.
This operation provides a therapeutic opportunity,
important in the case of this girl,
who suffers not only from a cyst, but also from a neurotic condition.
Neurotic condition?
Go ahead, Doctor. I'm following you.
Evidently, she has been quite promiscuous since childhood.
She has absolutely no control over her sexual impulses.
Pray continue, Doctor.
As a rule, I don't believe in radical hysterectomy.
The woman's hormonal system can be profoundly disturbed.
She may become depressed,
and certain secondary sexual characteristics can be affected.
Her breasts may shrink and become flabby.
Facial hair may appear, along with a certain coarsening of the features.
And of course, her sexual drive would be greatly diminished.
For these reasons I am opposed
to removing the womb and other ovary.
As a rule. Do you follow me, sir?
I'm ahead of you.
I think we both know her.
Yes, we do.
I don't understand this bushy talk.
Mrs. Hillyer, this girl is sick, in more ways than one.
She is an extreme psychoneurotic with uncontrolled sexual impulses.
We can spare her the suffering she causes herself...
...and others.
Therefore, I recommend,
as a theraputic measure, removing her second ovary.
I feel it is the medically proper decision.
And I suspect that your husband
agrees with me.
Reluctantly, I do. It would be a kindness to her, and everyone else.
But the girl is oversexed.
And I say,
spay her.
Over my dead body!
Are you human beings?
Or some kind of male monsters?
Is there no limit to what you'll do to keep your illusions about yourselves?
Illusions?
You'd go so far as to mutilate a helpless girl,
with no means of defending herself?
I know what you just said.
Do you think I don't understand
the dreadful, revolting crime you just conspired to commit?
I thought I knew you better.
I thought... in your heart... you were a good and kind man.
A defenseless girl, trusting you
to protect her, and you propose to destroy her?
Well, now...
I thought it sounded reasonable. I thought she might be better off.
If I thought that you meant it,
I wouldn't want to live.
You look me in the eye.
Could you really take Rose's womanhood from her, when it's all she has got?
May I say, that I am against this as a rule,
but in the case of near-nymphomania...
I must admit, in Rose's case it would be cruel.
She's so attractive and pretty...
But...
...no... no.
It would be bad for any young woman,
whether it be Rose,
or our Doll Baby growing up, or whoever.
I was wrong, and you're right.
And you are wrong.
I'm sorry, darling. Please forgive me.
I was dead wrong.
I will not cry like a woman.
Now you get this straight.
I don't have very much money any more,
but I can raise quite a few thousand dollars if I have to.
And if you hurt that girl,
I'll hire lawyers, and sue you from here to kingdom come.
I'll ruin you.
Just so.
Actually, I won't operate.
I don't do major surgery. Dr. Hardy will operate,
and of course, he shall be guided by your wishes, dear lady.
Let him be guided not by my wishes,
nor by Rose's wishes, thought I'm sure they are identical.
Let him be guided
by the wishes of the creative power of life itself,
because that is what has spoken through me here today.
I thought I'd seen it all, but this is the biggest epizootic she's ever had.
How is she? - She's fine. Rose is fine.
You're looking chipper, Rose.
I feel perfect. Except for the scar, I wouldn't know I was in the hospital.
Well, we know you been there. We got the hospital bill
and it's pretty blood-curdling.
I'm going to pay you back. - I didn't mean that. Forget about it.
I could take a job as a waitress.
Absolutely not, Rose.
You're not working in any honky-tonk place. Just a touch.
Well, I have a hotel to run. Bye, darling. - Have fun.
"Room and a bath for a dollar and a half."
I married a rich woman, and now I'm running a jack-leg hotel.
Morning, ladies.
Buddy?
I'm going to have to leave here.
I have to go.
Why do you say that, Rose?
I got to, Buddy.
Why did you get rid of all your rabbits?
I don't know. I just got tired of them.
When I was a child, we had more than 500 rabbits.
Five hundred rabbits??
At least.
We had them in orange crates.
Daddy thought we could sell them.
but only country folk eat rabbit. And they ain't got mo money.
We had to eat them all our ownselves.
It took four years to eat them all.
The doctor said you got protein. He was right.
Later on, after Momma and Lunette died,
all Daddy was doing was killing himself and chasing after me,
It would have beed good to have had some rabbit stew.
That was when I run off to Birmingham.
That daddy of yours must have been pretty awful.
Yeah, I guess he was.
How old were you when you ran away? - Fourteen.
Fourteen? How did you live?
I looked a lot older, so I worked as a waitress.
Your daddy killed himself?
He fell in the river drunk.
What was your momma like?
A saint. Just like your own.
What did she die of?
Same thing as Lunette, typhoid and TB.
Was Lunette like you? - No, she was a lot nicer than me.
Lunette was the sweetest girl who ever lived.
Mother says it's a miracle you are like you are. - Like I am?
That your bad environment didn't drag you down.
Buddy, life ain't a picnic for nobody.
Don't you guess them millionaires up there have troubles, too?
500 rabbits... - Yeah.
Maybe it was eating all them rabbits that made you so sexy.
Sex don't mean nothing to me. It ain't nothing but a mosquito bite.
A mosquito bite?
Buddy, I'll tell you a secret.
Girls don't want sex.
Girls want love.
Mother says that. - Then it must be true. When was your mum ever wrong?
I want to thank you for a wonderful afternoon and evening.
Can I see you in the morning?
You sure can.
You'll never guess what happened. I have met Mr. Right.
Who do you suppose he is?
The policeman whose thumb I bit.
He's Mr. Right. I been with him.
Knowing the seriousness of marriage, are you resolved to take your vows
before God and these people?
We are. - Who gives this woman to be married?
You can sit down now.
Would you join your right hands?
David, repeat after me. "I, David,
promise with God's help to be your faithful husband,
to love and to serve you as Christ commands,
as long as we both shall live."
Rose?
"I, Rose,
promise with God's help to be your faithful wife,
to love and to serve you as Christ commands,
as long as we both shall live."
Do I see a monkey?
You three want ice-cream?
Do you like picnics now? I love them!
It isn't a picnic, it's a barbecue.
A picnic doesn't involve roast meats.
At a barbecue you have a lot of roast meats.
Well...
these kids still want ice-cream.
Come on.
We love you. We'll miss you. - I love you guys.
We all love you.
Behave yourself, you hear?
I love you. - I love you.
Did you give her a suitable goodbye?
Bye, Buddy.
I love you, Buddy.
I love you, too. I'll miss you so much.
I love you all.
Thank God we're rid of her at last.
And she's happy, that's the main thing.
Yes, she's happy.
Of course, Dave doesn't have her life force.
Ain't much furniture in his house. Her furniture comes out the windows.
Now, honey, he is Mr. Right.
Well, he adores her.
I hope she ain't too much for him. What do you think, Brother?
He's crying, Mother.
Of course Dave wasn't Mr. Right. He was Mr. Wrong.
It took her 4 husbands to find him. They've been married for 25 years.
And I do believe she has been a faithful wife.
Some people might not believe it, but I think so.
I knew from the way Daddy talked on the telephone...
...there was sad news about Rose.
Maybe that's why she had been so much on my mind.
Daddy?
Hello, old man. How you doing?
I'll be damned. Look who's here.
Good to see you, son. - You too, sir.
You're looking chipper. - You, too, how do you feel?
You bring any Yankee whiskey with you?
I don't mind. I'm only 133.
Now what's this about Rose? You said you "sort of" heard from her?
There is some sad news.
I would have written, but I thought I'd wait until you were here.
When I look at the river, I feel like I'm a boy again.
I was 13 when I saw Rose coming across the bridge
carrying that suitcase. I remember that suitcase.
Well?
We have our drinks. We're out here on the porch.
You have prepared me for it.
Rose isn't well. Isn't that it? She's sick again?
No, son. She's dead.
Rose is dead?
I'm afraid so.
About a week ago.
Her husband phoned me. She asked him to if anything happened to her.
You have knocked me for a loop, old man.
I know.
You loved her.
You loved her, and so did I.
It was an awful shock to me, too, son.
Rose was so alive...
It's hard to believe.
Nobody lives forever, and who'd want to?
That's a horrible thing to say.
Get a grip, boy. She had a good life. She met Mr. Right.
What are you blubbering about?
I'm not blubbering.
Rose isn't dead, son, not really.
Some of us die, and some of us don't.
Rose lives.
Don't worry about it, boy.
She's at rest with mother in the creative universe.
She's at rest with mother.