Voila! Finally, the North Country
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Charlize Theron
movie. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of North Country. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
- Lady, you sit in your nice house...
- Karen.
... clean floors, your bottled water,your flowers on Valentine's Day...... and you think you're tough?
Wear my shoes. Tell me tough.
Work a day in the pit, tell me tough.
I'm sure we're all sufficiently impressed,
Mrs. Aimes.
There is no "Mrs." here.
- No. I didn't go to the police.
- What did you do?
What I had to.
- Karen, stop crying. Sammy, let's go!
- It's just gonna piss him off some more.
Look at my face.
Don't toss shoulders at me!
Sammy, goddamn it!
It's okay, it's okay. Okay, come on.
Come on, come on. You can do it, baby.
There you go. Good girl.
Who's a good girl, huh?
We're not coming back, right?
Come on.
Hey, Mom.
- Oh, dear God.
- I'm fine, I'm okay.
Say hi to your grandkids.
Oh, for heaven's sake.
Look at you beauties.
Hi, Grandma.
You working nights?
So...
...he catch you with another man?
Is that why he laid hands on you?
You're really asking me that?
This wasn't the first time
you'd disappointed your father, was it?
Wasn't the first time
he disappointed me either.
How old were you
when you had your first child?
Here you go.
Bobby Sharp!
I'm gonna beat you good.
Come on, you wanna blow out of here?
Who is Sammy's father?
I don't know who Sammy's father is.Is that because you've hadso many sexual partners?
The body of Christ.
The body of Christ.
The body of Christ.
Always was a beauty, your girl.
Boys, cut it out!
Poor Alice. That girl has been nothing
but trouble for her since day one.
Got two kids with two
different fathers already.
- Heck of a shame.
- Those kids are just...
...gobbling up my crispy bars.
Nobody makes them better.
I don't know what you put in those
things, but it just can't be legal.
Oh, yeah. Everybody seems to like them.
Ah, probably on a bender when he did it.
What I figured.
So you take him out to the shed,
give him a talking to. They'll work it out.
I mean, hell, Beth left me a dozen times
before we worked out the kinks.
Did she?
How did you first hear that Pearson
Taconite and Steel was hiring women?
- Wanna lean back there?
- Okay.
Oh, my... Glory?
Yeah?
No way. Josey? No way!
Look at you, all grown up.
Yeah, all grown up, washing hair.
And married? Who's the lucky?
Oh, jeez.
Okay. Who's the unlucky?
Me, I suppose.
You're a crap storyteller.
You left out the part where you tell
all his friends he likes to wear your panties.
How about I tell them the truth?
Beats his wife. Bad enough, ain't it?
- You weren't kidding. You're good.
- So I'm back living with my folks.
Only now I got
two more mouths to feed.
The mine's hiring, you know.
What do you even do up there?
You a secretary?
No. I drive truck.
- You drive truck?
- Yours truly, first woman ever.
Now, isn't that a heck of a?
That's weird.
Money isn't weird, I'll tell you that much.
Going for gold.
Shouldn't have put down the beer.
Balance. Everybody knows, can't throw
darts without a beer in the other hand.
Would a soda work?
Nope. Dart knows.
That's why it's never gonna be
an Olympic event.
They don't allow drinking.
Why don't we buy the girls
another round and test the theory?
Maybe later. Okay?
Jeez, Glory.
You come working up at the mine,
you gotta ignore that crap.
Who says I'm working at the mine?
Wouldn't you like to make the same
kind of money your dad does?
You wanna be a lesbian now?
I wanna be a lesbian.
How come I have to eat
if I'm not hungry?
Because people are starving in China.
People are starving right here.
Clean plates, both of you.
I haven't made a decision yet.
But the mine pays six times
what I'm making now.
Do you have any idea how many accidents
there've been since this started?
Somebody will be killed
because of them women.
I can't afford a place by washing hair.
So you stay here.
She's a grown woman with kids.
She's not gonna be living with her folks.
All clear.
- Clear of what?
- You're not pregnant.
I already told you that.
Well, company just wants to be sure
before they hire you.
It's to clean yourself with.
You submitted to the exam willingly,
correct?
Yeah. I submitted.
Before your law firm hired you, they put
your feet up and look around your insides?
- I got you.
- You got me?
I'm gonna get you then.
I'm gonna get you then.
Come here, baby.
Hey, Jo.
What are you doing here, Wayne?
Come to bring you back home.
Karen. In the house.
- Can't talk anymore. Get in the...
Come here!
Come by here
and think everything is okay?
- You know what?
- It's not okay.
- Get in the car!
- It's over!
So how about we let your
mom and dad talk in private?
- Get out of here!
- He's not my father.
He is your husband, you know.
He beat me, Mom.
More than once, more than lightly.
A man needs a job.
Wayne beat me because he was out
of work? That's what you're saying?
I'm just saying,
everyone needs a purpose.
Your purpose is those kids.
Your father's is that mine.
And if you take a job up there...
Well, it'll shame him.
You should think about that.
Sammy, open the glove box.
There's a piece of paper on top of the pile.
Hold it on the dash, would you?
- Hey!
- Hey! Sorry about this.
That's what guest rooms are for.
Come on, honey,
I'll show you where your room is.
- Hiya.
- This is Kyle.
Hiya.
Wow, look at this.
All right. So all right, there's...
We're doing a little work.
How long are they staying?
I don't know. Just a little while.
No such thing, and you know it.
Oh, come on.
She's kind of girlie to be a miner.
Okay, now, what are you?
Cowboy or a cowgirl?
- I'm a cowgirl.
- No, not up there, you're not.
Gotta get your cowboy on.
What's that?
I thought it was just your hand.
Yeah. That's the thing about arthritis.
It spreads like a nasty rumor.
You know they don't want us
up there. Right?
Yeah, I got that.
The mine is a shit pit.
Dirt everywhere. Loud as all get-out.
You'll be hauling, lifting...
...driving and all sorts of other things a
woman shouldn't be doing, if you ask me...
...but Supreme Court didn't ask me,
did they?
You must be Hank's daughter.
You're late. Got your paperwork?
Yeah. Yes, sir. I got my consent form.
Yeah. The doc says you look darn good
under those clothes.
Sense of humor, ladies.
Rule-o numero uno.
Okay, grab your gear
and meet me outside.
We're gonna take a tour.
- What?
- What a homo!
You know they do.
Cunts.
Ear protection, ladies!
Hank, I need a five-minute break.You took a coffee break an hour ago.
That's the point, Hank. She's been
drinking coffee like everyone else.
Hey, Glory, are you talkingas a union rep...... or just butting into anybody'sbusiness as usual?
All I'm saying is that you can
whip it out anytime, Hank.
We gotta pull the coveralls
all the way down, you know?
We start peeing in our seats...... I don't think the next shift'sgonna be too happy about it.
You got another load to get.
So pull them up and go get it.
This down here is taconite.
That's what pays bills.
We've taken to calling this area
the Powder Room.
Catchy, don't you think?
Especially since you girls
will be the ones cleaning it.
So. So, Arlen, which one of these girls
is gonna be my bitch?
Ladies, meet Bobby Sharp.
He runs the Powder Room,
where they're short one body.
And we want a nice body. No fatties.
Give me the one on the right.
Ladies.
Cock tease.
Fuck you.
Fuck! You don't have to eat my face.
It's cool.
Just take it easy.
Shit.
You two just bought yourselves
a Saturday in my classroom.
Let's go.
Let's go, guys.
At least they spelled it right this time.
So how'd it go?
Good. Yeah.
Heard you were in the Powder Room
with that Bobby Sharp.
Weren't you two friends
in high school or something?
We were never friends.
You should get that checked out.
My mom's got arthritis
and she never tapes her wrist up.
You should look in that first.
Ham and cheese.
What were you expecting?
You never know in this place.
Come on, let's sit with the girls.
Meet the ladies.
Ladies, ladies. Josey Aimes.
Oh, hey. Big Betty. Pleased to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- There used to be two Bettys.
- Big and Little. Little quit.
- Why?
Too little.
- I'm Peg.
- Hey, nice to meet you.
- Hey, you too.
- Hey.
- Guys.
- How you doing?
Hey! No getting off
in the lunchroom, ladies.
Well, it won't leave the toilet seat up.
It won't fart in bed. I might just marry it.
Right?
You don't mind, do you?
Okay, if there's nothing else,
I move to adjourn.
- There's one more thing.
- What's that?
- Porta-Johns.
- Here we go again.
I got one girl with a bladder infection
from holding it in all day.
Maybe Pete over there likes sitting
in his own pee, but I don't.
Like it or not, I represent members
of this union who happen to be female.
All right. Well, if we do get management
to give you girls Porta-Johns...
...what are you gonna do for us?
Didn't you hear, Pete?
Discount blowjobs,
for everybody but you.
Down here.
Found your way back?
I'm not retarded.
Come on in.
Take a look at this.
See that?
It's a Hamilton. It's about years old.
You mind if I go watch your TV?
No.
He's always in the basement with
his stupid watches. He's weird.
He's not weird. He's nice.
He used to work at Pearson
till he hurt his back or something.
- Good morning.
- Morning. Table for four, please.
Right this way.
Have you talked to Wayne yet?
No, Sammy,
I haven't talked to Wayne yet.
Maybe he'll call us tonight.
I don't think so, sweetheart.
Why not?
He's a little busy right now.
I think you're one of my girls, right?
Pardon me, I'm Donald Pearson.
I believe you work for me.
Yeah. Josey Aimes. Nice to meet you.
These are my kids, Sammy, Karen.
Hi. I was down to the plant this week
and I remembered your face.
Welcome aboard.
If you have any problems,
you make sure you come and see me.
Thank you.
Enjoy your meal.
Thanks.
Oh, jeez, that's my boss.
Okay, wait, wait, wait.
Before we eat, I wanna say something.
This is our first time in a nice restaurant.
And I just think...
- Are you gonna cry?
- Can you mind your mouth?
I know things have been hard.
But they're gonna get better, all right?
- They're gonna change.
- I knew you were gonna cry.
You know there's nothing
I wouldn't do for you two, right?
Nice. She can put her hands on the hose.
Come on, ladies!
Gotta appreciate the talent.
It's a pretty good likeness, I'd say.
Hi, I'm Earl. I don't think we've met yet.
How about a cigarette, then?
- Go fuck yourself.
- Oh, be nice now, darling.
Come on, how about the smoke?
No, it's okay. I'll get it myself.
- Come on, Earl.
- All right, fun's over.
Just trying to see if she's got
a full pack. She don't.
You're okay.
All right, back to work, slacker, come on.
Boy Scout.
- You okay?
- Yeah.
Do you even know
what's going on out there?
Sweetheart, this country's
elected a president...
...who's letting the world flood
our market with cheap steel.
We're knee-deep in layoffs.
Mines are closing left and right.
What's this got to do with Earl
laying hands on Sherry like that?
Are you hearing a word
of what I'm saying?
You're taking jobs
where there aren't any to take.
These boys aren't your friends.
I'm not your friend.
You got no business being here
and you damn well know it.
But you're not hearing that, are you?
So let's try something new.
How about: Work hard, keep your
mouth shut and take it like a man.
All right.
Maybe I'll go see Mr. Pearson.
He said come to him if I had a problem.
No, you don't see Pearson.
I see Pearson.
You know? When you've got a real
problem, take it up with me...
...and I'll be happy to help.
All right?
You know, it's a shame that
this stuff is toxic as hell.
Otherwise, it would be good
to put a little...
You know?
You like a little Boy Scout love,
don't you?
You know, the key is in the lube.
Otherwise, it's just a bunch
of squealing and moaning...
You should see your face, Josey.
Why, you...?
Why, you think I'm serious?
I'm just fucking with you.
Where's your sense of humor?
Honey, you gotta get a gator's skin on,
you're gonna work in this stinkhole.
Just promise me something,
do not go to Arlen with this one.
Keep whining and moaning.
We're doing the exact thing
they want us to do.
Screw that. We can take
any crap they dish out, can't we?
I just don't want them to have
any reason to get rid of you, is all.
Glory?
I don't know how
I'm ever gonna thank you.
- Oh, what for?
- For this.
First time in my life
I'm making my own money.
I can feed my kids.
I'm gonna get us our own place.
I just feel like for the first time
in my life, like I'm...
You're living?
Yeah. Living.
She asking for alimony?
No. She's offering to pay me alimony.
You taking it?
Hey, I already feel like half a man,
I should wear a miniskirt too?
Come on!
Hey, don't drink them all yourself, huh?
Ah, don't dare me.
Ready to meet my girl yet?
- She's that one, blond, skinny one.
- One more time!
What do you think?
I'm taking a break
from women for a while.
"Taking a break."
What is that, New York talk?
- It's like, regroup.
- Re-what?
That's what old Bill here says
he's doing back in town. Regrouping.
They must have a whole
other language in New York.
Oh, yeah, I brought you
something back from New York.
Well, now we're having a conversation.
Shooters.
- No, I didn't order these.
- No, it's okay. Hal bought them.
- Why are we the only ones dancing?
- You call that dancing?
Last time I danced like that
I ended up with twins.
Here's to broad shoulders, leather skin,
and a belly I can rest my drink on.
Yeah!
Hey, I heard Glory's new friend
is living with you.
You got a three-way going or what?
Bitch is on my crew. If you ask me,
this shit's out of control.
Funny thing, I didn't ask you.
Come on. Let's go, come on.
Please, take it easy.
What are you gonna do? My taxes?
You shouldn't have done that, Earl.
Come on.
Hey!
Come on.
Take it easy.
Welcome home, pal.
- Thanks.
- What a fucking asshole.
- Yeah.
- Cheers.
Welcome back to the range.
Okay, come on, now.
Give me the bunny, give me the bunny,
give me the bunny.
Yes! I got a bunny!
I got a bunny, everyone!
Why haven't you asked me to dance?
Not much of a dancer.
Sherry.
Bill.
So I hear you're some kind
of hockey star up in Carlson.
High school. Long, long time ago.
So you wanna dance?
Sherry, you got a lot of guys
to choose from in this place.
I know you're not a homo.
- How old are you?
- Nineteen.
So you wanna dance or not?
I don't think you do.
I'm wearing underwear older than you.
You really are a homo.
Evening, ladies.
Evening, man.
Just one dance? Your friends here
will keep an eye on us.
All right, sure.
Are you nice, Ricky?
You seem nice.
Hurry. Get out, get out, get out.
You fucking suck.
You told me to have fun.
I didn't say do it till you puke.
Ah, great, where is Sammy?
Found him.
Where are your clothes?
Barfed on them.
Runs in the family.
All right, let's go. No more.
All right.
Stop singing that song, Sammy.
- Why not? It's a cool song.
- It's not a cool song.
- Will I get my own bedroom?
- Karen, please, no screaming.
- Seriously.
- Hey, nobody's talking to you.
- Then why am I even here?
- Because you're still a part of this family.
Oh, so now we're a family?
What the hell's the matter with you?
Karen, honey.
- It's pink, isn't it?
- Yeah.
It's great.
I just don't know if I can come up
with percent down.
Can you do ?
- How about ?
- We can work something out.
How about that, huh?
What do you guys think?
- Definitely. Take it.
- I think it sucks.
Someday you're gonna
beg me to forgive you...
...for being such a horse's ass
on the biggest day of my life. And I won't.
Holy crap.
Look at that long face.
Somebody thought I forgot
about her, huh? But I didn't.
There's a surprise outside.
Cover your eyes.
- You ready?
- Yeah.
- Keep them closed.
- Okay.
Okay?
There it is.
Well, I'm sure the neighbors heard.
- Come on, Sammy.
- Get on there.
Now you're gonna bounce really high.
Come on. Come on, Karen.
So, Josey, I know I've been
giving you a hard time.
But I want you to know that
I had a talk with the guys.
And I'm gonna give it a shot, okay?
Give what a shot?
You know, being cool with you
and whatnot.
Okay. All right.
As you can see, the conveyor's down.
So I need someone to get up there,
see if something's clogging the works.
If all's smooth in the tube,
you just come on home.
Think you can do it?
All right.
Go on. Nothing to be scared of.
All clear on number four.
I repeat, all clear on number four.
Oh, God.
Can you imagine falling down there?
Nobody would ever find you.
Two minutes, five ton of rock
would be on top of you.
Hello!
Oh, man. I remember the first
few times I came out here.
Oh, I hated it.
Then I realized, you know,
I could just stand out here, you know...
...and smoke a joint
and what have you...
...nobody'd be the wiser.
I mean, we're totally fucking alone.
So, what do you say, Josey,
you wanna, I don't know...
...kiss and make up?
- Come on, just one kiss.
- I'm going back.
Hey, come on, what's the matter
with you, Josey?
It's not like... Am I hurting you?
I ain't hurting you, am I?
All right, fine then.
Go on.
No, that was pretty typical behavior,
you wanna know the truth.
What do you mean, "typical"?
Josey made a lot
of mountains from molehills.
Always misconstruing things,
you know, paranoid stuff.
She was pretty emotional.
When she told you what happened out in
the number four conveyor, what did you do?
I yanked Bobby into my office
for a sit-down.
- He said she...
- Objection. Hearsay.
- Sustained.
- Mr. Pavich...
...how do you know who to believe
in a situation like that?
Your Honor, is she kidding
with that question?
Maybe she could ask if he likes
pina coladas and walks in the rain.
Are you kidding with that objection,
Mr. White?
Because it's denied.
The witness may answer.
Look, men will always walk the line.
It's when they cross over it...
...is when most gals
give them a slap on the hand...
...get them back on their side
of that line.
That's how men and women have been
handling problems since Adam and Eve.
Okay, guys, that's it.
I'm out of here.
- Hey, you want a ride?
- Josey, stay a moment, would you?
I'd like to have a word with you.
Later.
Don't stick me.
That looks great.
Okay. We'll get it straight this time.
Stand up straight.
Was that my dress?
- A little young for Communion, no?
- No, never too young to be with God.
You been watching this?
- He referred to the sizeof his own penis...
- Oh, dear God. Turn it off.
...as being larger than norm...
That poor man's family.
- Alice?
- Here.
Great. I'm not staying long.
Just wanna let you know Sammy's
got a game on Sunday.
We're busy Sunday.
Don't do this to him.
You're doing it to him.
You can quit anytime.
Pop. We got a house.
- We got the loan and everything.
- You want me to congratulate you?
You act like I'm stealing.
I work damn hard every day, same as you.
- Now you're the same as me.
- Oh, no. There's a few differences.
You don't go scared of what they
write about you on walls...
...or what kind of disgusting thing
you might find in your locker.
You don't gotta be scared that one of these
days you'll come to work and get raped.
You done?
Yeah, I'm done.
Come on!
Faster!
What are you doing bringing him?
- I'll see you over there.
- Lf at first you don't succeed...
- Thanks, Bill.
- Thanks.
- What's that all about?
- He's famous.
They got a picture of him
in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bill. Bill. Josey, I don't think
you and Bill have met, have you?
No, we haven't.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Hi.
- Which one's yours?
- There he is, number .
Tell me he's not -for-cute.
Get a new project. I'm fine.
Well, look at that.
Good for him.
Oh, God!
- Inside, Sammy!
- Get off the board!
Oh, Jesus, I hate this game.
Kid's pretty quick on the ice.
Go, go, go.
- Pass it out! Pass it out!
- I'm open!
What?
Nobody passes anymore.
Why didn't you pass?
My dad would kill me
if I passed the puck to you.
You want some chili?
Yeah, I'll go with you.
But you said you weren't hungry.
Gotta be smart to be a lawyer, right?
You have a high opinion of lawyers.
Man, I love the sounds, you know?
Wood knocking on the ice.
The slush of the blades.
Figured hockey wouldn't
take care of me forever.
Thought a law degree might.
- What happened?
- Don't listen to me.
I'm in a bitter phase. What about you?
What do you do?
I work at Pearson's.
- In the mine?
- Yep.
You don't smell like a miner.
- You Josey Aimes?
- Yeah.
Stay the hell away from my husband.
Goddamn mining whores.
You keep away from Bobby,
you know what's good for you!
- Bobby? Bobby Sharp?
- Tossing your ass around lost your marriage.
Don't think I'm gonna
let you mess with mine.
You hear that?
Is it true?
Jesus Christ.
Everybody heard. My father, my kids.
I mean, can somebody say things like that?
You know, legally or whatever?
- In front of the whole goddamn world?
- Only if it's true.
Well, it's not. He came on to me.
- Then it's slander.
- What are you gonna do, sue him?
Well, could I?
Best thing you could do is just let it go.
Miss Aimes? Hi, I'm Stacey.
- Sammy's girlfriend?
- Sammy's got a girlfriend?
Sammy says to tell you that
he's gonna stay at my house tonight.
Is that so? And where is Sammy?
He's over there in my mom's car,
and she said it's fine.
- Really? Sammy's mom says it's not.
- Hey, Josey, come on.
Great job today.
Sammy. Get out of the car now!
- He's very upset, maybe...
- Don't tell me about my son.
- Get out.
- No!
- I said, get out of the car, now!
- Let go!
Get out of the car! Go to the truck.
- You're a whore, just like everyone says.
- Don't ever talk to me like that!
Hey, hey! Josey, stop it, now!
You're gonna tell me how to be a parent?
Glory, with all your personal experience?
Karen, get in the truck.
Now, get in the truck!
You want a show? Huh?
Is that what you want?
You can all go to hell!
After that she kind of lost it.
When you say "lost it"?
Ranting all the time about
how we shouldn't take it anymore...
...how the company wasn't protecting us,
the union wasn't protecting us.
What did she think
you needed protection from?
- Don't know.
- Did you have any problems getting along...
...with the men at the mine?
- I didn't bother them...
...they didn't bother me.
Hey, Peg! Three for a dollar.
Got change for a dollar?
You kill me. She was like:
It's what they've been talking about
on the news every day, sexual harassment.
- Hey, Sherry?
- Yeah?
- What's this one do?
- Exfoliator, . .
- Oh, gee.
- All right.
- Hello?
- It's me.
Glory can't make it. She's got a bad flu.
- Oh, no, I need her here.
- I told you, Josey, she's sick.
Well, can I talk to her?
Josey, she's not coming, all right?
What are you doing?
What I was saying was
I think we should go to Pearson.
- You know? Tell him what's going on.
- What do you get out of this?
Jeez, Peg, I'm just trying
to make things better.
Not you. I'm talking to Sherry. How much
do you get paid to sell this stuff?
Five percent of each sale.
Don't expect to get rich from me.
I'm not buying.
- What about what happened to you, Peg...?
- That's my business.
Actually, it's all of our business.
- It's happening to all of us.
- Tell you one thing...
...l'm sick of having my ass grabbed
by a bunch of old men.
Maybe you've been asking for it.
- Ever think of that?
- Up yours, Peg.
Hey, you could quit tomorrow.
Go sell your face cream.
- I need my job.
- You don't know shit about me.
I need this job just as much as you.
Okay, okay. Now, what would you
even say to Pearson?
That we've been sexually harassed?
- Honey, he'd laugh you out of his office.
- Not to mention what the guys would do.
- All that "never rat on a brother" crap.
- Yeah?
Union oath says, "Respect fellow members."
Where's our respect?
Where is it?
Come on, who's coming with me?
- What else you got there?
- A lot.
Will it get all the soot off my hands?
Sherry, Sherry, quite contraryKiss my ass, it's really hairy
Oh, a real funny guy.
What are you doing in the pit?
- Filling in for Glory while she's out.
- Just in time to use the new Porta-Jane?
You don't mind, we took
a big dump in that this morning.
Oh, how charming.
Sherry!
Hey, cut it out! Stop it!
Cut it out!
- What the hell's going on?
- They got Sherry in the crapper!
Stop it, guys!
Cut it out, it's not funny!
- Somebody's gonna get hurt.
- Knock it off!
Let her out! That's enough.
Turn this fucker over!
What the hell?
Send her in, please.
Miss Aimes. Sorry to keep you
waiting so long. Please, sit.
Gentlemen.
I asked some of my colleagues
to sit in, if you don't mind.
- No.
- I believe you know Mr. Pavich?
Yes, I do. Mr. Pavich was the one
who told me I had to take a day off work...
...to come and see you.
- I didn't want to waste your time, sir.
- Well, I appreciate that.
But it's not a waste at all.
Miss Aimes has a problem,
and we're gonna solve it.
Thank you, Mr. Pearson.
That's... That's really great.
I didn't want to forget anything,
so I wrote a couple of things down...
...on a piece of paper here.
Excuse me, Josey...
Do you mind if I call you Josey?
- No.
- I'd like to make this easier for you...
...if you don't mind.
I know what you're going to tell me.
I've been well-briefed.
Great. I just thought
that a few of these...
Please, I think you'll be
pleasantly surprised.
Okay.
Well, the current union
contract requires...
...that an employee provide us
with two weeks' notice...
...before leaving his position.
However, given how obviously
emotional this has been for you...
...we're willing to do something
special in this case.
We've decided to waive
the two-week requirement...
...and allow you to tender your resignation
effective immediately.
No. I'm sorry, I'm not resigning.
- Mr. Pavich will take care of the details.
- Happy to.
No.
I'm not quitting.
I need this job.
Well, then I suggest you spend less time
stirring up your female co-workers...
...and less time in the beds
of your married male co-workers...
...and more time trying to find ways
to improve your job performance.
Does anyone else have anything to add?
That says it.
Josey, thank you again
for making the drive down here.
Now, if you don't mind,
we have other business.
- To teach at Oral Roberts Universityopened up.When I informed himthat I was leaving in July...... I recall that his responsewas that now I would no longer...... have an excusefor not going out with him.- I told him that I still preferred not to do so.
- Hey.
Where have you been?
He made a commentthat I will vividly remember.He said that if I ever told anyoneof his behavior that it would ruin his career.This was not an apology...
- Sammy, can I come in?
- Why?
I was only minutes late.
- Don't freak.
- You know, I'm still the mom here.
Yeah, right.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Nothing.
Just most people's mothers
cook and clean.
They don't work at the mine.
Remember you used to tell me you
want to be a doctor when you grew up?
- So?
- So.
I used to tell you
you could be anything you want.
Isn't it the same for me?
- Aren't I allowed to be anything I want?
- Not when you're doing someone else's job.
Bill White's signing some autographs
down at the rink on Saturday.
- We could go...
- I don't want an autograph...
...from one of your loser boyfriends.
- He's not my boyfriend.
And he's not a loser.
He broke some record
in high school or something.
- Yeah. A million years ago.
- Jesus, I'm just trying here, you know.
It was something we could do together.
- You love hockey...
- I quit the team.
You quit?
When?
Who cares?
I care.
You love that team.
Why didn't you talk to me about it?
Because I don't want to talk to you.
Don't you get it?
I'll get her to call you.
I'm not leaving till I see her.
She doesn't have the flu, Josey.
God.
Guess he told you, huh?
- How you feeling?
- Great.
I never heard of...
I mean, I've heard of Lou Gehrig.
- I just never knew about the disease.
- I know.
It's...
It's kind of like piece by piece,
your body quits listening to you.
Like a bullheaded teenager.
So how's Sammy doing?
Hates me.
I'd like to say time heals all, but...
Sure you should be drinking that?
Well, sooner or later, my liver's gonna
crash and burn on me, so until then...
...l'm still in the driver's seat.
You never could keep a secret.
Me? The whole town knows
I only have one ball because of you.
- You only got one what?
- Now the whole town knows.
Jeez.
- Does it...? I mean, can you...?
- Works great.
You only need one. A big one.
Oh, God.
Watch out.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
- Hey, you mind if I use your bathroom?
- No, go ahead.
But come back smiling, or I'll describe
to you what's gonna happen to my asshole.
- God, what's that smell?
- Toilets overflowed again.
I suggest you ladies
get some sponges and buckets...
...and get that room cleaned
before somebody gets sick.
- What's going on?
- Go in.
Look for yourself.
Oh, my God.
They can't do this to us.
Sure, they can.
They're gonna keep on doing it worse,
as long as you keep opening your mouth.
- Sherry, what they did to you...
- You didn't help any.
That's for sure.
Don't look at me.
This is our lives you're screwing with.
Your mess, start cleaning.
Hey, Josey, how you like
your new scratch-and-sniff wallpaper?
Was it him? Was it?
I give a piece of my check
to that union, like everyone else.
You fucked up.
What do you want me to say?
Hey, lovebirds, wanna get to work?
Or should I dim the lights for you?
Josey, get your ass down here.
I got a job for you in the Powder Room.
You're one crazy bitch, you know that?
- You said you had a job for me.
- Yeah.
You like that, don't you?
You like that.
To grab your pussy like that, don't you?
Forgot you like it a little rough.
You're gonna learn the goddamn rules
if I have to beat them into you myself.
Damn you, Josey.
He attacked me.
- Who attacked you?
- Bobby, in the Powder Room, just now.
- Bobby, you lay a hand on her?
- Sure you wanna ask that, Rick?
The answer's no.
I wasn't in the Powder Room all day.
He was working the concentrator
with me all afternoon.
See? You gonna call me and Earl
liars now? Come on.
Ricky.
Can somebody drive me home, please?
- Where's your dad?
- He's on nights.
- Just take my keys from my locker.
- Betty.
Don't.
Where do you think you're going?
I quit.
The rules are clear. Go around the union,
you broke your oath.
Period, the end.
Glory.
- What you doing here?
- What's it look like?
I'm here for the meeting.
Well, you're not an employee anymore.
You're not required to be here.
Yeah, well. Thought maybe
I could help you out.
Kind of out of control up there, isn't it?
I'm not saying Josey should've
gone to management or anything...
We were all sorry to hear you're sick.
- Glory...
- Don't. Don't help me.
I mean, if you help me, I'll cry.
Please don't.
Need an autographed hockey puck?
- Got a hundred of them out here.
- I need a lawyer.
I wanna sue the mine.
The company. All of them.
Well, good luck with that.
I'm saying I wanna hire you.
Sorry, don't do that anymore.
That sucks, because you're
the only lawyer I ever met.
Well, the good news is,
all roads lead to lawyers.
Tell you what.
I will buy you a beer, though.
I don't need a beer.
I need a lawyer.
Look, Josey, the illusion is that
all your problems are solved in a courtroom.
The reality is that even
when you win, you don't win.
I know, but I'm right.
I'm sure you are, but right
has nothing to do with the real world.
Look at Anita Hill. Because she's you.
You think you're outgunned at the mine,
wait till you get to a courtroom.
It's called the "nuts and sluts defense."
You're either nuts and you imagined it,
or a slut and you asked for it.
Either way, it's not pleasant.
Take my advice. Find another job.
Start over.
I don't have any start-over left.
- Look, you're a beautiful girl...
- Yeah, I'm a beautiful girl.
I could find a guy to take care of me.
I'm done looking to be taken care of.
I wanna take care of myself.
Take care of my kids.
You know it's happening to all of us.
Every woman up there.
But you don't give a shit, do you?
If somebody like her came to see me
back in New York with this dogshit case...
...you know what I'd do?
I'd take it.
Settle quick, pocket the contingency...
...make more money than her,
never see a courtroom.
Pearson would never settle.
- Sure he would.
- No.
It would be her word
against everybody else.
All the guys up there can't be bad,
which makes some of them witnesses.
That mine is bread and butter
for people around here.
Nobody wants to shit where they eat.
What is this place?
Like a pet cemetery or something?
Why, you got a lot of pet elk at home?
So they never picked on Glory, why?
Would you wanna
pick a fight with Glory?
No, Glory became a union rep early on.
She did some good things.
Got their respect.
Plus, she doesn't wanna
run with the herd.
- Keeps her head above the fray.
- Safety in numbers.
Herds. They stay together,
they have a chance.
They separate, they're easy prey.
Can you get the other women?
You know what a class action is?
It's when a bunch of plaintiffs
have the same issue.
File a claim on behalf
of the whole group, the class.
It's tough for the company
to argue that you're all lying.
You're all crazy.
It's why you have to get the others.
Why'd you change your mind?
It's never been done before.
Sexual harassment class action.
So you'd be doing this
just because it's never been done.
Yeah.
Can you live with that?
Sue them?
- Are you kidding?
- You know what's going on up there.
Life is too short, trust me.
Not too short
to do something good with it.
How do you know? You're still alive.
- So are you, you know.
- You call this alive?
Get out of here.
- I didn't...
- Get the hell...
...out of here.
It's not just one or two bad guys.
It takes a village
to do what's being done here.
I'm not saying all of them.
But enough of them.
In the plant, out in the pit,
and even up in the offices...
...all with the foot on the throat
of every woman in that mine.
It's not just my client who needs relief
from this court, Your Honor.
We are asking for an injunction
to protect all the women.
Further, we ask the court
to certify a class.
A class made up of every woman
working at Pearson...
...because every one of them
deserves protection under the law.
Doesn't a class actually require
more than one plaintiff?
This complaint was filed
on behalf of one Josey Aimes.
The key word being "one."
By comparison, we have affidavits
from women...
...all stating there have been
no incidents of abuse...
That is not true.
Hey.
Sit down.
- It's not true.
- Sit down.
Your Honor, are you as confused
as we are?
I don't think Miss Conlin is supposed
to be waving around a pile of paper...
...without letting us see it first, is she?
- No, she's not. Miss Conlin.
- They'll be submitted to the court today.
It doesn't matter what kind of document
they've been intimidated into signing...
- Give me a break.
- Please.
- Get me three plaintiffs.
- Your Honor, please.
Counselor, if those affidavits are legitimate,
you shouldn't have an objection.
I'll continue to hear evidence
on Aimes v. Pearson, et al.
If you find three plaintiffs with similar
grievances, I'll give you your class action.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Okay, then, here we go.
We'll just hold it against your throat.
Push the button.
Push the button.
- There you go. Give it a try now.
- Glory.
Ms. Dodge?
My name is Leslie Conlin. I'm an attorney.
I represent Pearson Taconite and Steel.
We know who you are.
What do you want?
The other women have signed
these affidavits on behalf of the mine.
I brought one for you to look at.
Get the hell out of here.
- I said, get out.
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
She's not represented by counsel.
I have the right...
She's represented by me.
I'll have to ask you to leave.
As long as you're alive,
you can be subpoenaed.
- Why, you...!
- Fuck you.
Bitch.
You keep this crap away from us,
you understand?
Glory.
The reason I'm here
is to ask you to reconsider.
Jesus, are you fucking kidding?
It's not your decision, Kyle. It's hers.
Glory, you know all this is not just
about Josey. This affects everybody.
She already decided.
You think I don't want to
stick it up their asses?
- Then why don't you do it?
- And what if we lost?
And I had to go back to that mine
every day and face those sons of bitches?
No way.
Who else you got so far?
Lt'd just be you and me.
Are you crazy?
You know what they did to me.
No way, man.
I got my own problems.
Hey, Mama. You okay?
If she gets any other women, they'llget their class and you'll lose this case.
Leslie, why do you think I hired you?
Because you're the smartest lawyer
I could find?
No. I hired you because you were
the smartest woman lawyer I could find.
But if you're getting soft,
I need to know now.
I'm not soft.
- But I am pragmatic.
- Do the Minnesota Vikings...
...have to put a girl in at quarterback?
Of course not.
Some things are for men
and some things are for women.
- Mining is men's work.
- Like lawyering.
See, a man would never
say something like that.
Women take everything too personally.
You're gonna take it personally
if she wins.
First of all, you're not insured
for punitive damages.
Plus, a loss here will change
the way you run your business.
Porta-Johns will be a blip on the radar.
There'll be paid leave for pregnancies.
Lawyers to draft sexual-harassment policy.
Not to mention
that you will have helped establish...
...a legal precedent that will affect
every single company in America...
...including the Minnesota Vikings.
- Except she's not going to win.
This woman is a single welfare mother
with two kids out of wedlock...
...a sordid sexual history...
- We don't know if that's true.
Send him in, please.
Mr. Sharp.
Would you share with Miss Conlin
what you told me today?
Mom?
Everything all right?
How are you and the kids supposed to eat
if you don't have a job?
I'm your mother, Josey.
I haven't always been
the best at it, I know.
But I'm here.
You give away my hard-earned money,
then you toss your shoulders at me?
I didn't give it away.
- I gave it to Josey.
- I work hard for that money, Alice.
Oh, and I don't?
Maybe I should charge you
for every load of laundry.
She said Bobby Sharp
attacked her at the mine.
- Not the story I heard.
- There's only one story, Hank.
- Your daughter's.
- Those girls are just asking for trouble.
Oh, are you saying Josey asked for it?
I'm saying I had to find some sandpaper
for the bathroom wall the other day.
Stuff was scratched right into the metal.
- What's going on up there?
- They don't belong.
- They never did, and you know it.
- I know she's our daughter.
Our daughter's brought nothing
but shame on this family.
And I'm so goddamn sick of her!
She had a baby, Henry.
She didn't rob a bank.
Alice.
- Is Hank with you?
- No.
He's not.
I need a room, Tom.
You know, I can't help it
if she wants to get into my pants.
Oh, Jesus.
You okay?
I never did anything to this bitch.
That's right.
Now she wants to sue all of us?
You know what a class action is,
don't you?
It means it's all of them
against all of us!
That's right, this bitch wants to take...
...every single swinging dick
in this room to court.
Now, the other women have shown us
something here in the past few months.
Telling the truth for a change.
How about you? How about that, huh?
Who knew? Who knew?
How about you, ladies?
I just hope nobody's thinking
of breaking the ranks.
Okay, that's it, let's go.
Okay.
We all thank Mr. Sharp and the others
for their enthusiastic comments.
Before we take the oath, are there other
brothers who want a turn at the gavel?
Yeah, I'd like a turn at the gavel.
Oh, she's really lost it now.
Get the fuck out of here!
- Get your ass home!
- I asked if any brothers would like to speak.
Bylaws say no meeting can adjourn if
a member wants to speak his or her mind.
I got your gavel right here, bitch!
I am s...
I'm still a member of this union.
- Come on. Come on!
- Well?
- Say it!
- Yeah!
- My... My name is Josey Aimes, and...
- Hey, Josey!
Show us your tits!
Don't look at me, Hank!
I'm not the one can't control his family.
Listen... No. Rules say she gets to talk.
You can have the gavel next,
but right now she's got it.
- I'll take it next and...
- All right, but she's got it!
She's got it.
- Can't hear you.
- I can't hear you.
My father never wanted me to work here.
- That's right.
- Sit on this and talk.
Pretty much stopped talking to me
because of it.
Some of you here think
I wanna shut down the mine.
Don't worry, sweetheart,
we won't let it happen!
I don't wanna shut down the mine.
I just wanna go to work
like everyone else.
Get paid end of the week,
feed my kids, and hell...
...maybe now and then have enough
for a beer at Tee-Gees Saturday night.
And not a woman in that back row
don't know what I'm talking about.
You all know what's been done.
- Time's up!
- We need these jobs.
And it's not gonna stop
until we say stop!
- Three-minute rule!
- There's no three-minute rule!
You heard the man! Get the fuck out!
It's not gonna stop until we say stop!
- I have a right to say...
- Give me that, please.
- Three-minute rule.
- There's no three-minute rule!
- May I have it, please?
- Pop.
- I'm not done.
- I know. Please.
- Come on, Hank.
- Please.
Come here, baby.
Stay with me.
- Let her go, Hank.
- Come on, let her go.
My name is Hank Aimes.
- And I been a ranger all of my life.
- So have I!
But I ain't never
been ashamed of it till now.
When we take our wives and daughters
to the company barbecue...
...I don't ever hear anybody
calling them those names...
...like "bitches" and "whores"
and worse.
I don't ever see nobody grabbing them
by their privates or, you know...
...drawing pictures of them on
the bathroom walls doing unspeakables.
Unspeakables.
So, what's changed?
She's still my daughter.
Isn't she?
It's a heck of a thing...
...watch one of your own
get treated that way, you know.
You're all supposed to be my friends.
My brothers. Well...
Right now, I don't have a friend
in this room.
Fact, the only one here
that I'm not ashamed of...
...is my daughter.
Oh, it's tough stuff, getting up
in front of all those sons of bitches.
No. "Tough" is sticking this shit out
day after day...
...without bitching and moaning.
What are you doing in here?
That stuff really gets the soot
off your hands.
Doesn't it?
All I'm saying...
...it's easy for her to get up and say
whatever she wants when she already quit.
- The rest of us still gotta work here.
- Easy? I'd like to see you do it.
It's easy when you're crazy.
She's definitely crazy.
- Hey, let me borrow some of that cream.
- Buy your own.
- Creep took half of mine.
- So you're okay getting on that stand...
...and saying she's lying, right?
I'm gonna do what I gotta do.
Plus, we all signed
those affidavits already...
...which means we don't have
a choice anymore, right?
Right, Betty?
Oh, God.
Oh, fuck.
Who is Sammy's father?
I don't know who Sammy's father is.
Because you've had so many
sexual partners?
Objection. Plaintiff's sexual history
is irrelevant, Your Honor.
Overruled.
Miss Conlin, who is the gentleman
entering the courtroom?
Mr. Paul Lattavansky, Your Honor,
Miss Aimes' high school teacher.
We've subpoenaed him
as an impeachment witness.
I have so many objections,
I don't know where to start.
- Witness will answer.
- Again:
- Miss Aimes, who is Sammy's father...?
- My son...
...has got nothing to do with any of this.
Is it true that you and your teacher...
...Mr. Lattavansky, had a sexual
relationship at one time?
A "relationship"?
What the hell you been
telling them, Bobby?
Miss Aimes, did you not, at the age of
engage in a sexual relationship...
...with your high school teacher?
Oh, Josey, stay a moment, would you?
I'd like to have a word with you.
Later.
Okay.
What are you doing hanging around
a boy like Bobby Sharp?
You have so much more going for you...
...than a kid like that'll ever have.
Do you like me, Josey?
- Far as teachers go.
- Yeah.
You're my favorite student.
Did I ever tell you that?
- No.
- Yeah.
Frankly...
- Josey?
- Yeah?
I'd like to think of you
as more than that.
No, no, it's okay.
Maybe even as a friend.
- What are you doing?
- It's okay.
- What are you doing?
- No, it's okay.
- Please don't do this, Mr. L.
- No, it's okay.
It'll be our little secret, okay?
No, no, no!
No!
No! No, stop! Stop!Stop it! I don't wanna do this! Stop it!
- It's okay. It's okay.
- Stop!
Stop!
Are there any other witnesses
to this alleged rape?
Anybody besides Mr. Sharp
that can corroborate your testimony?
No.
Isn't it true that there was no rape?
In fact, you have a long history...
...of inappropriate sexual relationships...
- Objection.
At the very least,
we're talking statutory rape.
- It's outrageous.
- You raped my daughter...
- Hank!
- Order! Bailiff!
- Help!
- Remove that man!
- Remove that man! Remove him.
- Let go! Let go of me.
Everybody take your seats.
Miss Aimes? Miss Aimes,
return to the stand, please.
Return to the stand, Miss Aimes!
Your Honor, move for recess? Please.
- Josey, wait. Slow down.
- No, I can't. I've gotta get home to Sammy.
We're gonna stay here tonight.
That's crazy, Mom.
He's gonna come home.
All the same.
We're gonna stay here.
I'd rather give you money...
...if that's all right with you.
That's a pretty old watch.
Was just looking at it.
She's lying, you know.
She didn't get raped by that teacher.
She was just saying that
so she'll win her lawsuit.
It's illegal for her to say that
if it's not true.
She should go to jail.
I don't care.
She's a whore, just like everybody says.
I wonder if it's illegal to call
your own mother a whore.
- Sure sounds bad enough to be.
- She's a liar.
My father didn't die in the Army.
He's a scumbag raper.
- It's a hard truth to tell, Sammy.
- That's crap.
- I got a right.
- Yeah, you got a lot of rights...
...starting with the right to be pissed off.
In fact, you got a right to hate
the whole world right now.
I don't hate the whole world.
I just hate her.
Takes a lot of work to hate someone.
You ready to put in that kind of time?
To really hate your mom...
...you gotta think over and over again
about all the things you hate about her.
She's mean to you.
Never proud of you.
Never comes to watch
your hockey games.
- Leaves you hungry, never buys you clothes.
- I'm not stupid.
- I know what you're doing.
- What's that?
I know she does all those things.
Yeah.
But you hate her anyway.
Yeah.
I hate her guts.
Well, you're lucky.
She never gave up on you
as quick as you're giving up on her.
When she was a bit older
than you are now...
...she got pregnant in a way
nobody should get pregnant.
Would've been a lot easier...
...to give you up to someone else.
Nobody would've blamed her if she did,
but she didn't. She stuck by you.
And she's still sticking by you...
...even though she knows you hate her.
She's still there waiting...
...hoping you'll get your ass home.
- Take it.
- What?
Well, if you wanna run off,
you can sell it and use the money.
Or just put it on your wrist.
Either way, it's yours.
One friend to another.
Karen, go to bed.
I'll wake you when he comes back.
It's me.
I didn't want you, Sammy.
Something bad had happened to me,
and I just wanted it to be over.
But every day my belly grew,
and it just reminded me of it.
Never even occurred to me
that there was a baby in there.
That you were in there.
That day, what that man did to me...
...it made me into something different.
And I guess...
I guess I thought...
...it said something about
who you were too.
I was a girl who was raped,
and you were this...
...thing...
...that just kept reminding me of it.
Oh, God, I've dreaded this conversation
since the day you were born.
I don't want any more secrets
between us.
This one night...
...I was lying in bed...
...and you moved inside me...
...like this tiny little butterfly,
just fluttering around in there.
And all of a sudden, I realized...
I just knew...
I knew you weren't his.
You were mine.
You were my baby.
And we were gonna be in it together.
Just the two of us.
You had nothing to do with that ugliness,
you hear me? Nothing.
And there's nothing in this world
I wouldn't do to be your mom.
I should've told you.
It's over, isn't it?
Not yet.
Mr. Sharp, do you know the difference
between consensual sex and rape?
Oh, yeah.
But when you're having a good time
like she was...
...ain't no rape. That's for damn sure.
Are you a virgin?
- No. I ain't a virgin.
- Objection, Your Honor. Relevance?
She can ask about my client's sexual
history, but I can't ask this witness?
No, you can't. Sustained.
- Why didn't you help her?
- Objection.
You saw Josey being attacked.
Miss Aimes' testimony has not been
corroborated by evidence.
Neither has his. And my client
would like to prove that he's lying.
I'm allowing it. For now.
Bobby?
When you saw Josey being attacked,
why didn't you help her?
You know, you can use
all the lawyer mumbo-jumbo you want...
...this still was no attack.
- I asked around about you, Bobby.
- Folks say you're kind of soft.
- They ain't man enough...
...to say it to my face.
- Are you a red-ice player, then?
- How's that?
- I had a coach used to say:
"Win or lose,
leave your blood on the ice."
Good coach.
Yeah.
You're what coach would call...
...a yellow-ice player.
The kind that wets his pants
when things get rough.
- Objection. Argumentative.
- Denied.
She was your friend. You watched him put
his filthy hands on her, and you ran away.
- It wasn't like that.
- Your Honor.
- Sustained. Mr. White...
- What, he held her down, spread her legs...
...jammed himself up inside her...?
- Mr. White!
Rangers are hard as steel, huh?
Not this one.
This one's made of butter.
You gonna keep lying about your friend,
or you gonna stand up and be a man?
- Objection.
- I'm not lying.
- You wanna run right now, don't you?
- Fuck you.
- That's enough.
- You wanna run?
- I didn't run.
- Or you gonna put your guts on the ice?
What's it gonna be? Yellow?
Or red?
Yellow or red?
- Yellow or red?!
- What was I supposed to do?!
He was raping her, wasn't he?
Yeah.
And you ran.
What was I supposed to do?
What are you supposed to do...
...when the ones with all the power
are hurting those with none?
Well, for starters, you stand up.
You stand up and tell the truth.
You stand up...
...for your friends.
- Objection, Your Honor.
- You stand up...
...even when you're all alone.
- You stand up.
- All right.
- Mr. White, if you are through...
- Excuse me.
What is going on back there?
This is Glory.
She worked at Pearson's.
She wants to say:
"My name is Glory Dodge.
And I'm not fucking dead yet.
I stand with Josey."
- Your Honor?
- Your Honor said we needed three plaintiffs.
It's still only two.
Ready?
Yeah!
Nice.
- Yeah!
- Oh, yeah!
Hey, your son was just telling me
how rich you guys are now.
- Oh, really?
- You gonna buy me a car?
- No. You're not old enough to drive yet.
- So?
Why are we stopping?
Well, if you want a car someday,
you gotta know how to drive it, right?
First lesson:
Driver sits behind the wheel.
Come on, move your butt.
Seat belt.
All right.
- What do I do?
- Okay.
Put your foot on the accelerator.
Gently, okay?
And stay on the road if you can.
Go on, go on.
All right. Let's take a tiny
little bit at a time. Okay.
Slow down.
Slow down, racecar driver.
There you go. You're a natural.