I'm sitting near the track.
I got tears in my eyes.
I'm such a long, long way from home.
If that train run right, I might hear from home tonight
how I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
How I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
Now, I never supposed life in a hobo camp was this mean.
If the attorney who hired us is right,
it could turn into an arena for murder.
Honey, I wish you could have been more specific
as to why anyone would want to kill someone living here.
I do too, Carl.
I do too.
Hello, Mr. Chain.
Welcome to Limbo.
Ain't much.
That's all we got.
Oh, the buzzing of the bees and the cigarette bees
and the soda water fountain at the lemonade springs
where the bluebird sings on the big rock candy mountain.
You're welcome to our metropolis.
Obey a few rules and you'll make out all right.
You steal, don't steal here.
You cheat, don't cheat here.
If you kill, you kill.
If you kill, move on.
This here is dark.
You don't take nonsense.
Oakey calls this place Limbo.
Well, maybe it is.
In between the real and the dream.
You don't let the real in here,
but you won't find your dream here either.
What's your name, son?
Sills.
Jed Sills.
Jed Sills.
Oh, it's up in the morn before break of day.
Oh, the coffee is a-boiling and the stew's on the way.
Hallelujah, I'm a bum.
Hallelujah, bum again.
Hallelujah, give us a hand, I'll pay five us again.
So I ride boxcars and I ride fast, babe.
When it's cold in the winter, I sleep in the jay.
Hallelujah, I'm a bum.
Hallelujah, bum again.
Hallelujah, give us a hand, I'll pay five us again.
Hey, mister, where you going with my cup?
Your name Peaches?
Brothers, think before the sword is raised.
Give it back.
It belongs to the man.
It does, huh?
I said give it back.
You want coffee?
Find your own cup.
Which way's town?
Up there, son.
I think there's an older man I can tell you a few things about getting along with people and follow the word.
Say, listen to me, son.
Accept the faith.
You'll be better for it.
Now, look, I got things to do, so shove off, will you?
You looking for something?
Nothing in particular.
Hokey, I'm not going to be saved today, so leave me alone, will you?
You're up to no good.
I can feel it.
It's a gift I have.
All right, if you must know, I'm going to try and, if you'll excuse the expression, bum a few bucks off the local sport.
Now, you'll end in the pokey.
They don't like manhandling in this town.
Yeah, well, you just watch me with that dude with the car.
Now, don't spoil it for me.
Hey, mister.
You got a buck for a hungry sinner?
Oh, now, what for?
So you can blow it on some cheap wine?
Not a chance.
Tell you what I'll do, though.
I'll buy you some breakfast.
Come on.
Two coffees and give him a rope.
We got to make it fast.
My guardian angel is near.
Anybody out there look suspicious?
One man got here just before me, but I don't know how long he's going to stick around.
Well, let me know if he does.
What's all the mystery, Don?
I mean, what's going on?
All I know is somebody's trying to kill Doc.
And it could happen soon.
Why?
If I could discuss it with Doc, tell him why I'm here.
Wait, now, Jim.
That's one of the conditions of our assignment.
Doc must not know.
That's a hard way of making your point.
Hey.
Nice suit.
Thank you.
Say, uh, you got a buck for my friend?
See?
Surefire approach.
I don't need no help getting handouts the Lord provides for his own.
But I'll save this for you.
I tell you, Baines, he phoned that dollar just as easy as you please.
This boy's got talent.
Yeah.
He's got a talent for getting into trouble, too.
I'm going to make a new man out of him.
Or an old one.
I hope you saw it.
You want to talk to him?
Oh, sir.
That about ought to save him, I can stand for one day.
Yeah, he's been trying to save me since he came here.
A little each day.
How long you been here, Baines?
Oh, maybe 12, 13, 14 years.
I came a year after Doc.
That little speech he gives you when you first get here, where does he get off making all the rules?
They bad rules?
No.
Just, uh, how come he's a big shot?
We know he's smarter than us.
We trust him.
We like him.
Is that okay with you?
All right with me.
Where'd he come from?
You know, if anybody were to ask me, I'd have to tell them you're a mighty curious fellow.
Anybody ask you?
No.
Does he stay inside all the time?
No.
Sills, come in here a moment.
You want to see me, Doc?
Yeah, sit down.
I want to know the truth.
Truth.
You in some kind of trouble with the law?
No, nothing like that.
Why?
I'm not pure enough for this place?
On the contrary, I figure you'd have grown from richer soil than the usual drifter.
You don't see such a man accepting this kind of life unless he's running from something.
From himself.
What he is.
Booze?
That's just a part of it.
You know, fast cars, girls without last name.
All the symptoms are just...
Too much money?
Too much money.
Think this is the answer?
You think you'll be better off spending the rest of your life in places like this?
Well, you're here, Doc.
You tell me.
Beats me, my friend.
I only arrived yesterday a few hours before you did.
It gets written in the good books every time you do that.
Do what?
It ain't like I'm stealing.
A man's got to practice or he gets slow.
Ah, Baines, you disappoint me.
Really, you do.
I thought you said that you were giving up the profession.
So what does it matter if you're slow?
You never know.
Things might get rough.
A man has to have something to fall back on.
Did you hear that?
He's falling.
I tell you, I know he's falling.
I can...
Give this man strength, O Lord.
Keep him upright.
If you keep hanging on to him like that, you'll both need help to stand up.
Let go, will you?
Let go.
What's your name, mister?
Stamper.
And a very good morning to you, sir.
I've been having a very enjoyable conversation with some of your colleagues here.
A very fine bunch of gentlemen, indeed.
Very fine.
As, of course, have you, sir.
You'll be leaving soon?
Oh, no, that's not my traveling bag.
That's my business case.
Yes, I may be leaving soon.
And incidentally, now that you mention it, perhaps you'd accept, as a token of my appreciation,
this small gift for the use of your most admirable country club.
The handy-dandy Stamper potato peeler, guaranteed not to bend, dull, or rust for five long years.
These bronze parts are decorations, then.
You're absolutely right, sir.
Decorations of a most unusual kind.
And as for this bottle, ah, gentlemen,
herein lies a remedy guaranteed to cure all the ills known to mankind.
Dr. Stamper's famous formula, with my compliments, sir.
I ain't heard such cons since I left the prison farm.
What's in it?
Oh, now, that's a secret I wouldn't want to share with anyone, except, of course, a fine gentleman like you.
Why?
Your perception astounds me, sir.
Why not practice lifting the coats from a few potatoes?
That'll keep your hand in where it counts.
Water? Plain water?
Sure, what did you figure?
You didn't.
Oh.
I thought you moved on.
Oh, the congenial atmosphere persuaded me to stay around and gather up a little moss.
I thought I'd give you a little lesson on behavior, huh?
Maybe.
I bet on that.
No, he doesn't.
Jet, you hold the stakes.
Isn't anyone afraid I'll run away with the money?
You don't look honest, but you don't look like a fast runner, either.
Now, that's what I call a special delivery, hmm?
Your molo, Stamper.
All right, all right.
You can't rush genius, Doc.
There's money involved here.
Doc?
What is it, son?
Could I get a little something to sweeten my guitarist's voice with?
You promised, Doc.
I'll bring you a change.
Pardon the seeming lack of manners, Doc, but do you share your wealth with everyone, huh?
So I'm the last of the big spenders.
Singer.
Play on those new strings you bought today.
Hallelujah, I'm a bum.
Hallelujah, bum again.
Hallelujah, give us a handout, revive us again.
Oh, why do I work like other men do?
Why the heck should I work when the sky is so blue?
Hallelujah, I'm a bum.
Hallelujah, bum again.
Hallelujah, give us a handout, revive us again.
Hallelujah, I'm a bum.
Hallelujah, bum again.
Hallelujah, give us a handout, revive us again.
Looking for something, Sonny?
This court will now come to order.
Audience, audience.
I asked the defendant to respond as to whether he's guilty or not guilty.
A little bit of both, Your Honor.
You see, I've been watching him all day, and I didn't like the way he...
You're pleading guilty, right?
Sort of.
Sort of?
Oh, come on now, you can do better than that.
Look, I saw him, Doc.
He had his hands on my business case, my stock and trade.
Are you missing anything?
Oh, yeah, yeah, he's missing something all right.
Oh, now look, he admits theft, Doc.
If you have this man's property, hand it over.
I plan to turn it over to you, Doc.
That's a very laudable intention, I'm sure.
But much as I...
I don't want to say this, but theft is theft, Doc, and that is my property.
What does a man need with a gun?
For protection, of course.
But what if he's a thief?
Well, you know, not everybody on the road comes with credentials,
and it isn't always that I'm privileged to meet such fine gentlemen as yourselves.
Pretty dangerous thing to have around.
But rightfully mine, nevertheless.
Oh, now, don't look at me as though I was something in a fishbowl.
Let me ask you something.
How many of you could afford to have your personal stuff open to the light of day, huh?
Well, how many?
Come on, answer me.
Not very many, I'll wager.
And what would we find, Hokey, huh?
That him who is without guilt cast the first stone.
I think the good book would have written beside Jed's name, Steel.
But in a good cause.
That's the way I figure it.
Then this herring is handed.
Wait a minute, Joggy.
You're not going to let this thief stay on here, are you?
Hello, Philip.
Harry.
You've changed.
Been a long time.
Your father wants you, Philip.
I can't go back there, Harry.
I can't.
He's dying, Philip.
He wants to see you before he does.
What he'd see wouldn't help him much.
He begs you, Philip.
Doc.
Would it help if I went along?
Yes.
I might make it if somebody helped.
Quite a place.
Yeah.
You know somebody that lives here, Doc?
Yeah.
Philip, your father's waiting.
You seem to find him, you.
How did you manage it?
I told him enough to remind him of himself at my age.
Hello, Papa.
You.
You all right, son?
Yes.
It's a shame we can't undo the past.
You did what you had to do.
I was a thief, a forger.
It was me you stole from.
But...
I was frightened.
I had to blame someone.
Sending an innocent man to jail...
You were right to do something.
Has been very bad.
First few years were...
I drifted.
Always downward.
Then I reached Shantytown.
I made a life there.
It was my fault.
Just as much as yours.
I spoiled you.
Never had enough time for you.
Philip.
Come back to us.
I couldn't, Papa.
I couldn't.
Money is a sickness with me.
I'll do it all over again.
I know I will.
Spend, own, buy, control.
Nothing is ever enough.
I'm afraid, don't you understand that?
I'm afraid.
I was afraid then.
I tried to buy all fear.
I bought a wall to keep fear out.
Wall of friends, cars, women, whiskey.
I didn't do it to hurt you, Papa.
I never meant to hurt you, you know that, don't you?
Say you'll forgive me.
Please say it.
You want to look over the suspect?
The family's in the study.
They bite?
No, but one of them may kill.
This is James Westbrook, cousin of Doc.
How do you do?
How do you do?
Not that.
Perhaps you'd like something a little more substantial.
Would you like to go to the kitchen?
No, thanks.
Did he tell you he was once married to me?
I threw him out when his father did.
I don't think Mr. Sill is interested in purgers, Barbara.
I'm Arthur Stanton.
Miss Walters?
Doc's niece.
She lives here with Uncle Theo.
I'm Jed Sill.
Nice to meet you.
Would you like a drink?
Thank you.
I get the feeling that they're viewing you like a sideshow.
Aren't you?
No.
I just feel sorry for you.
Well, living in a shack isn't too bad.
Oh, not for how you live, just what you are, you and Uncle Phillip.
What's that?
Afraid.
My father is dead.
I am sorry, Phillip.
There's no point in offering my sympathy.
I'm sure you don't feel a thing.
Hello, Barbara.
Phil, you know how I felt about Uncle Theo.
I'm sure there's no need to tell you.
No, I suppose not.
Jed, let's go.
I'm your niece, Gloria.
You were a little girl.
Before you go, I want you to know, I think I speak for the rest of us,
no matter what the conditions of the will,
we'll see to it you get your monthly check.
Just a minute.
Before you fall all over yourselves being so generous,
I have a little announcement to make.
Two weeks ago, Theodore had me draw up a new will.
It's all properly executed.
He leaves his entire estate to Phillip.
I couldn't, Phil.
Oh, I want to apologize for my good intentions.
Not only can I not assure you that we'll maintain your allowance,
you'll have to assure me that you'll maintain mine.
I don't want it, Harry.
I don't have to take it, do I?
I can turn it down.
Legally, you must accept it.
What you do with it afterwards is up to you.
I can't come back to this.
You all know that.
You know me.
You know what happens with me and money.
Harry, I want to give it away.
Are you sure?
Yes, I'll get the name of some charity.
It has to be fast.
It has to be fast.
♪♪♪