Top cast:Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson,Earl Howell,Clara Williams
Director:Walter R. Booth&Theo Frenkel
Genre:Film-Noir
Region:Tunisia
Year:2000
Storyline:Pearl, you're curved in the flesh of temptation.Resistance is gonna be a darn sight harder for you than for females protected by the shape of sows.Yes siree, bob.You gotta sweeten yourself with prayer.Pray till you sweat, and you'll save yourself from eternal hell-fire.You understand me girl?Pearl: Yes sir.Jubal prays over his sultry convert as she gets on her knees:Oh Lord, look upon this thy creature.She's a weak vessel and a pauper as thou knowest, but she wants to be thy handmaiden.Give her the horse sense not to go wanderin' off in the tulies with worthless cowpokes.Amen.Jubal gives her a "hallowed medal" to wear (and taken off a "thievin' cardsharper") that he promises will keep her "sweet and clean as a first milkin'.The respected Jor-El then warned the elders, including First Elder (Trevor Howard), of their own suicidal (or genocidal) fate as a planet - but his cautionary fears were discredited as an "outlandish theory.We are informed about the setting - where we are and why.The elite of the theatrical world attend the annual presentation of the enviable Sarah Siddons Award for dramatic achievement in the heatre:This is the dining hall of the Sarah Siddons Society.An unmanned drone arrived to pick up Cross' blood work for analysis at the Sterisyn Morlanta lab.At the CIA's Anti-Terrorism division in NYC, head director Noah Vosen (David Strathairn) announced an "imminent hreat" - what he termed "a national security emergency, priority level five.His mother (Thelma Ritter in her film debut) leaned over and whispered: "Macy's ain't got any.Nobody's got any." It was Santa's first real test - would he follow Shellhammer's advice or not? He promised the boy that he would fulfill his wish: "You'll get your fire engine.