These country boys can make a real mess.
Wait, wait, wait! My name's Jack Bondurant.
I come from Blackwater Station.
That's impressive.
I'll give you four dollars, but keep it to yourself.
Those boys out front, they only get but three and a half.
I was told five.
(chuckles quietly)
Let's get it unloaded.
I respect you Bondurants standing up to
that Commonwealth's District Attorney.
He's got everybody in his pocket.
He takes a shit and half of Virginia falls out his ass.
There's something you ought to know.
I heard what happened to your brother, Forrest.
Them cocksuckers that did it used to work for me.
- They work for you? - They left my outfit.
Got an offer from some slick-looking deputy. He wore perfume.
Charlie Rakes?
Yeah, that was him.
What happened to Forrest...
...had nothing to do with me.
Make sure you tell Forrest that.
Tell him Floyd Banner says hello.
(tears page)
Give him this.
Say it's a gift
from the Midnight Coal Company.
Yeah. Now I remember them Bondurant boys.
That boy's brother,
he's the one who walked 20 miles with his head out clear off.
They say he goes around drinking white mule through a hole in his throat.
I got every lawman in three fucking states up my ass!
The last thing I need is some hard-ass crackers
pulling a damn blood feud on me!
Now get this sack of shit out of here!
You're gonna hold on, Forrest. You gotta hear me out.
I sold your whole lot to Floyd Banner in one damn go.
Would have taken you a month to off-load that.
Not only that, I sold it for five dollars on the barrel.
That's twice what you get. Right here?
That's two thousand dollars, minus my commission.
Look at you.
You think you're so goddamn smart.
You're swanning around like you're Al Capone.
With your new best friend.
You take a good look, Jack. (groans)
That's your new best friend.
Yeah, you're wrong there, too.
Special Deputy Rakes was the one hired the men to do that to you.
- Who told you that? - Floyd Banner himself.
Oh, Floyd Banner himself.
Well, that must be gospel. What's that?
It's a gift. From Floyd Banner.
It's an address, Forrest.
For where you can find them bastards who cut your throat.
I say we get 'em tonight.
Anything else I can do for you, Forrest?
Sweep your fuckin' floors, maybe?
JACK: I got somewhere I gotta be.
JACK: Can I come in?
- Better be quick then. - I'll be quick.
Got me one of them cameras.
- Stand right here. - Here?
Lord, if my daddy caught me with one of those things, he'd murder me.
You gotta keep steady now, so as I can get it.
- All right. (chuckles)
Why'd you stop fooling around?
That's how the movie stars do it in California.
All right.
One, two, three.
(shutter clicks)
- Now you. - All right.
Ready?
(camera shutter clicks)
JACK: How'd I look?
WOMAN: Like trouble, Jack Bondurant.
(door opens, closes) JACK: - I got me a new car.
Forrest?
Hey.
Huh?
- It's nice, isn't it? - Yeah.
Where's Forrest?
- What? - Jack.
- Have they gone without me? - You don't have to be like...
Shit. I found out where they was.
(door opens, closes)
(screaming)
(distant screaming continues)
You know how they say you ain't got no balls, Jack?
They was wrong.
You send these to Rakes.
(muffled screaming)
You're looking real sharp there, kid.
RAKES: The trumpet has been blown,
the battlement stormed, and the walls have come tumbling down.
(woman whimpers)
(knock on door)
(quick shush)
Who's there?
(cocks gun)
(inhales) (woman screaming)
(♪ The Bootleggers featuring Mark Lanegan: "White Light/White Heat")
JACK: I kept hearing the country was in a real bad way.
Folks outta work, people dusted out,
losing their homes and their farms and all.
But from my perspective,
the situation was something different entirely.
Once we started shifting that liquor across the county line,
that money just started pouring in.
That don't mean the runs were easy.
Rakes was coming at us day and night.
(cocks gun) MAN: Go on, boy, gimme a reason.
Y'all get the fuck out of Franklin.
(gunshot) (siren blaring)
(gunshots continue)
(grunting)
JACK: Then Cricket, he had one of his ideas.
He stuck a souped-up carburetor in that Ford.
It was thing of pure beauty.
He's gifted, that boy.
Me, well, ain't no one could say I couldn't drive a damn car.
(revving) (indistinct chatter)
- Forrest, dance with me! - I ain't dancing to this.
- Come on... (laughter)
(all laughing)
JACK: Meanwhile, Howard and me hammered out
four 300 gallon submarine stills.
They were the biggest stills Franklin had ever seen
and we hid them deep in the woods where Rakes could never find them.
Come on, you gotta look tough, Cricket.
Get off my property, boy!
I catch you near my daughter again,
God Himself won't be able to help you!
- You hear me?! - One, two, three.
(clucking) (both laughing)
JACK: By that time, Jimmy and them others caved in,
made deals with Wardell.
All except our cousin, Spoons.
(screaming)
JACK: But Rakes took him out of the picture altogether.
(screaming continues)
JACK: We Bondurants, we were the last ones standing.
(woman sings slow song)
(footsteps retreating)
You just gonna watch me forever?
Um...
Uh... What... What you doin'?
(Forrest groans)
Damned if you don't keep a girl waiting.
MAGGIE: Forrest?
(door opening) (footsteps)
(faint groaning)
(groaning)
(vehicle approaching)
(car horn honking)
Now hold on, Bertha, before you start talking about your soul,
vanity and all that sort of stuff, I wanna make sure you understand something.
This here vehicle, you know what that is?
That's a Rumbleseat Roadster. It's a Ford V8.
Not many in the world get a chance to drive in such a thing.
It's only fair of me to warn you before you open that door
and get inside, nothing's gonna be the same as it was before.
Your whole life is gonna change forever.
Now you can sit there on that gate and you can shake your head,
talking about "Daddy this" and "Daddy that" till you're blue in the face
or you can climb down off that gate, you can live a little bit,
- you can get inside my car... - Hey, Jack...
Hold on, Bertha, this is the best part.
- There's kudzu fields just up... - Jack.
Yeah?
You still got the price tag on your coat.
No, I don't.
- Come here. - Where?
Jeepers, Jack.
It sure goes fast.
Fast?
(Bertha giggles) (revving)
Now we're going fast.
(♪ The Bootleggers featuring Emmylou Harris: "Cosmonaut")
(chuckling)
Don't you like it?
It don't matter if I like it, I can't wear this.
I just wanted to get you something nice.
Where do you think I'd be able to wear something like that?
I'll take you somewhere so you can wear something like that every day.
Why don't you try it on?
(exhales) What? Here?
- Yeah, ain't nobody around. - You're around.
I... I'll just... listen to my radio, look out at this tree here.
I won't look, you can go back behind the car and put it on.
All right, seeing as you bought it and all.
(♪ Country song plays)
You better not look.
- You better not be looking. - I'm not looking.
Just over here at this woodpecker on a tree.
Well?
How do I look?
(music stops)
Come on.
(exhales slowly)
(distant, indistinct chatter)
HOWARD: Oh, shit, Jack. Goddamn.
RAKES: I got you, you dumb hick.
(indistinct chatter)
Watch your step, here. Whatcha think?
- What do I think about what? - My place of employment.
- Hey. - Hot socks, Jack.
What's she doing here?
Miss Bertha Minnix, meet my partner, the Cricket Pate.
Pleased to meet you, Cricket Pate.
The pleasure's all mine, miss.
(whispering) Boy, oh, boy, Jack, your brothers are gonna shit their grits.
Don't you worry about it.
This is it.
- It's a real hideout. CRICKET: - Howard's up in the look-out.
It's the biggest distillation set-up in these hills.
We're able to put out 1,000 gallons a week.
No one around here comes close to doing that.
You're an outlaw, Jack.
No, that's just a matter of perspective.
I'm just doing what any man around here would do
if he had the same strength of character.
You got it all figured out?
Yeah.
Damned if your face don't belong on a coin, Bertha.
- Jack. - I mean it.
I ain't never seen nothing as beautiful as you right here.
Not never.
I wish I had the damn words to tell you.
You're doing just fine.
(men shouting)
You're a damn fool, Jack.
(Sniffs)
(howling)
- Jack! - What?
- It's the law! - What?
The law! The ATU! It's the law!
Come here, come here.
(howling continues)
- What the hell was that? - We gotta go!
All right, look. You take her. Take her.
- Go to the Station, I'll meet you there. - Jack...
Go. Go, go, goddamn it, go!
(men shouting) (gunshots)
(howling)
RAKES: - Keep moving! - Where the fuck is that coming from?
JACK: - Mm... (gunshots continue)
(men continue shouting)
MAN: Go, go, go!
- Do you think we scared them off? - I don't know.
(metal clanging) - What the hell's that?
- Goddamn it, listen! - Shit.
(clattering)
(slow, quiet creaking)
HOWARD: Huh?
(screams) Fuck!
(screaming continues)
- I'm gonna kill you, motherfucker. JACK: - Hey, Rakes!
Remember me? (panting)
(man grunting in pain)
- You're not gonna shoot me. - Oh, yeah?
Look at you. Boo-hoo.
(man in distance) OK, let's go. Close in!
- Goddamn nance. (grunting)
MAN: - Move in! HOWARD: - Come on, Jack!
MAN: Go, go, go!
(shouting overlaps)
Get those sons of bitches! Fuck!
(grunts)
- Good job, boys. - Thank you, sir.
They found Cricket Pate and some gal.
- The cripple boy? - Yep.
- Hiding out in the woods. - You all right?
Come on, miss, let's get you home, now.
Come on.
Don't worry, miss, he'll be fine.
Keep on going.
That friend of yours, he called me a nance.
Why would he say that?
I don't know, sir.
Maybe 'cause you smell funny.
RAKES: What's wrong with your damn legs, anyway?
I got rickets when I was a kid.
Left me a little hinky.
That's it. Down a bit.
Here, just go in here.
What are we... Why do you want me to go in there?
It's fine. Come on.
(muffled screaming)
(Rakes straining)
RAKES: He makes a goddamn mess on Charlie Rakes' shirt!
- He called me a fucking nance! (crack)
(♪ The Bootleggers featuring Emmylou Harris: "Fire In The Blood")
JACK: Forrest, I never meant to...
Go on, you never meant what?
To walk around like you own the place?
Or like you're...
...you're public enemy number one now?
Forrest, I was just trying to make sure...
Letting you in was a mistake.
JACK: - I'm sorry. FORREST: - Hm?
I said I'm sorry. I'm sorry they damn blew up your stills.
I'm sorry they got the car.
- I'm sorry they took your money. FORREST: - My money?
Hold on. My money?
This ain't about the goddamn money.
This is about a goddamn principle.
HOWARD: Might be he's had enough, Forrest.
Yeah, as for you, you dumb son of a bitch...
I just heard...
They got Cricket.
JACK: - What do you mean? - They killed him.
Cricket's dead, Jack.
That boy never hurt a... fly.
(sobbing softly) He was a good boy.
(sobbing)
(♪ The Bootleggers featuring Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris:
"Fire in the Blood Snake Song")
JACK: (sobbing) Them bastards!
(quiet chatter)
MAN: Forrest.
Uh, we just want to say how...
How sorry we are about Cricket.
We all liked that boy.
And whatever was done to him goes beyond the point of forgiveness.
Yeah, well there's a lot that can't be forgiven.
All right, Forrest, I know what we done wasn't right...
You sold us out, Jimmy.
It's time y'all picked a side.
Jack.
(car horn honking) (engine revving)
- What do you want? - I need to talk to Forrest.
- No you don't. - Ja...
You talk to me now.
Now, looky here, Jack.
I just want y'all to know that neither me nor my officers
had anything to do with what happened to Cricket.
- He was a good boy... - Just your best buddy, Rakes.
He ain't my buddy.
What he done to that boy...
...there can be no absolution.
You come all the way out here to tell me that?
I'm risking something being here, Jack.
Now... I come here to tell you that what happened to Cricket
ain't the end of something, but the start of something. You understand me?
Mason Wardell, he's gotten Rakes to bring in
extra ATU officers from the city.
They're gonna shut down the whole damn county.
They already got me and my deputies close down the bridge.
No one's getting in and no one's getting out.
- Where is Rakes? - Never you mind.
- I asked you a question. - I'm warning you, son.
You keep your voice down.
You better lay low.
At least till this blows over. This is a war they is waging.
You ain't gonna survive.
You best get out of here now.
(engine starts)
Go on.
(breathing heavy)
Jack!
Forrest!
- Ah, shit. HOWARD: - Hey, wake up!
Damn it, Jack.
What are you doing?
Well, Jack's gone off half-cocked.
(Howard shouting) - That's it, then.
Forrest, Jack done took off in Cricket's car!
Calm down, Howard. Go fetch the car.
He got trouble written all over him.
HOWARD: Come on, Danny, I said get up!
I gotta watch you die all over again.
What you talkin' about?
I gotta find you lying in a pool of your own blood?
Drag your damn body into my car?
Drive you down to the hospital, your throat cut from ear to ear?
You did that?
I'm not doing it again.
I thought I walked.
Isn't that just like you
to believe your own damn legend?
HOWARD: Come on, Forrest, get a move on!
Wait a minute. You came back here that night?
They see you?
HOWARD: Forrest, come on!
- Then what happened? - Nothing.
I asked you a question.
I told you.
(car horn honks)
Look at me.
(door closes)
Maggie, look at me.
(distant clattering)
- What happened when you got back? - Not a damn thing.
Now you know.
Not a goddamn one of them bastards
ever did a damn thing to me.
(car horn honking)
HOWARD: Forrest, come on!
- Son of a bitch. (cocks gun)
- Wasn't that Jack Bondurant? - Shit!
(vehicle approaching)
It's that Bondurant boy!
(tires screeching)
Where's that murdering piece of shit?!
MAN: He's got a gun.
Rakes! You motherfucker, where are you?!
- Where are you?! PETE: - Just hold it right there, Jack.
- Rakes, you bastard! - You looking for me, son?
(steam hissing) PETE: - Stop!
(grunts) PETE: - Rakes!
Deputy! Stand down, deputy!
- You are one stupid boy! - Put down your weapon.
(groaning) Forrest.
MAN: Hey!
Kill those sons of bitches!
(man shouts)
(grunts)
(screaming)
Hold your fire!
HOWARD: Huh? How's that feel?
(grunts) HOWARD: - Come on, Danny.
(gunfire continues) PETE: - Ceasefire!
(gunfire continues) (men grunting)
Cease fire, deputies!
Take that, you shit-kicking rubes!
(groaning) (men shouting indistinctly)
Jack!
- Get him out of there! JACK: - Howard!
I'll teach you to mess with Special Deputy Charlie Rakes.
MAN: Sheriff?
You are nothing now!
That goes for all you hicks!
(brakes squealing)
PETE: Stand down, everybody! Stand down!
- Cease fire! (indistinct shouts)
PETE: Hold your fire. Jimmy, please.
Let's stop this right here. No one else needs to get hurt.
Time to die, you chicken-shit sons of bitches!
Stand down, deputy!
It's time for me to take out the garbage!
PETE: - Goddamn it, Rakes, stand down! - Immortal?
- Immortal?! What a fucking laugh! - Deputy!
(grunts) Fuck!
(indistinct chatter) (groaning)
JACK: Someone help Forrest!
(grunts)
MAN: Now get the fuck out of Franklin.
(Rakes continues grunting)
MAN: You gonna let him walk away?
Get out of my way! All of you!
PETE: - Now, everybody... RAKES: - Fuck!
PETE: - Just stay calm. - Come on, just take it easy.
I work for the Commonwealth's attorney!
PETE: Stay where you are, Jimmy.
You're candy-assed motherfuckers!
- Every single one of you! (screams)
MAN: - You bastard! (gunfire)
(men shouting)
- Forrest! Forrest! PETE: - Goddamn it, stop shooting!
- Holster your weapons! - No!
JACK: Get some help! Somebody get some help!
MAN: What was he thinking?
MAN 2: You fucking bastards are gonna pay for this!
HOWARD: Rakes!
PETE: Jack! Now just hold it right there, Jack!
Gimme the gun.
(groans)
PETE: Now, everybody just stay calm.
Let it be, Jimmy.
FORREST: Jack.
HOWARD: Jack!
(Rakes grunting) Fuck.
(Jack grunting)
(cocks gun)
Christ.
(panting)
(Rakes grunting)
(slow breath)
HOWARD: Son of a bitch.
(Rakes groaning)
(labored breaths)
(breaths stop)
(Jack breathing heavily)
All right then.
(♪ The Bootleggers featuring Emmylou Harris: "Fire In The Blood")
JACK: In December 1933, Prohibition finished.
So ended the great Franklin County Moonshine Conspiracy,
as it became known.
(people shouting, laughing)
That same year, Commonwealth Attorney Mason Wardell
was arrested on charges of corruption.
(man laughing)
JACK: A couple years later, Howard moved to Martinville,
found work in the textile mills there.
Surprised us all by getting hitched, having a whole bunch of children.
(indistinct chatter)
JACK: Bertha Minnix,
the preacher's daughter, well,
that gal always had a rebellious streak in her.
We got married the following year.
I ran my daddy's farm. Raised cattle,
grew tobacco.
HOWARD: All right, then, here we go.
JACK: After he got shot at the bridge,
Forrest spent two weeks recuperating in the hospital.
Then he walked out of there and married Maggie.
- You gonna toast, Howard? - Yeah.
JACK: Neither of them told no one.
I only found out years later.
- Cheers. - Cheers.
JACK: He was like that, Forrest.
Don't you boys be making a commotion
when you come upstairs, all right?
- Yes, ma'am. - I'm going to bed.
BERTHA: Come on, you, up to bed.
Night.
MAGGIE: Good night, boys.
(music playing)
Hey, come on, Forrest. Come on.
Why don't you show us a dance?
Come on, Uncle Forrest, get up. Come on!
- Come on. - I ain't dancing for you two jackasses.
(laughing) - Come on, huh?
I'm gonna go get me some air.
- Do one move. - No.
- Here we go, here we go! Oh, oh... - Come on...
FORREST: - There ain't enough space. (laughter)
HOWARD: Let him walk it off.
Yep, I'm gonna... I'm going to bed, too.
It's too damn cold to be sitting out here on this porch.
Midnight's upon us already.
Night, Forrest.
- Night, Jack. JACK: - Good night.
JACK: Forrest once said nothing could kill us,
that we could never die.
And back then I think I actually believed it.
Hell, I know Forrest did.
'Cause no matter what this world flung at him
he seemed to be able to just stand up and keep on going.
Getting a little more bent,
a little more twisted each time.
But nobody leaves this world alive.
- Not even Forrest. (ice cracking)
(groaning)
JACK: And in the end,
it was dumb luck and pneumonia that got him.
It was as simple and indifferent as that.
Nowadays, we Bondurants abide by the law.
People ain't trying to cut our throats, stab us, shoot us no more.
Them days are long gone.
Sometimes when I'm out on the porch,
just sitting around doing nothing,
hell...
...it sure does get real quiet around here.
(♪ Ralph Stanley: "White Light/White Heat")