EMPIRE FALLS {PART 2 OF 2} (TV)

Summary

Part two in this two-part miniseries, based on Richard Russo's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, about life in the small, decaying town of Empire Falls, Maine. Narrated by high school principal Otto Mayer, this part begins with Chapter Five: "The Kind of Attitude That Just Leads to Things," in which Miles again dreams of the for-sale bookstore in Martha's Vineyard. Miles sees Jimmy and apologizes to him for his past behavior before the two discuss whether Miles felt out of place when attending college. Jimmy gets angry at Miles for his thoughts on Empire Falls, eventually claiming he just wants to be friends with Miles, despite his "superior" attitude. Later, Miles recalls his childhood with his mother, Grace, and her suitor, Charlie Mayne -- ultimately realizing that Charlie was in fact C.B. Whiting. As a result of the pair's affair on Martha's Vineyard, "Old Man" Whiting came out of retirement to run the textiles factory, C.B. was sent off to Mexico and Grace was fired from her job. Grace made up for her "terrible wrong" by meeting with Francine Whiting, who offered her a position as nursemaid to Cindy. However, Grace was pregnant with C.B.'s child, which ultimately took form as David. Miles further recalls his mother's deathbed warnings about Francine, and how she would use him to get back at Grace by keeping him under her thumb in Empire Falls. In Chapter Six: "Big Doings," Miles meets with Bea, asking her questions about the bar business and how to improve it. Miles wants to work with Bea but she is worried that Francine will come after them. Miles discusses with Tick how to improve the decor of Bea's bar. He also convinces her to be a bridesmaid in her mother's wedding to Walt. Miles notices that Jimmy has been observing the Empire Grill every day, which he fears is part of a vendetta. Chief of Police Bill Daws tells Miles to work things out with Jimmy. Bill also reveals that he has cancer and that Jimmy will soon take over. That night, Zack breaks into John's house, finding it overrun with debris -- and without John's grandmother. Meanwhile, Miles receives a call from Francine, who ominously wants to discuss his and Tick's future. The next day, Janine learns from a bank officer that Walt is broke. Janine storms out of the bank just as Miles, Bea, and David enter to apply for a loan for the bar's improvements. The loan officer immediately tips off Francine once the troika leaves. That day in art class, Zack picks on John, eventually getting called to Otto's office. Otto claims Zack has broken into his office and left notes concerning the whereabouts of John's grandmother. After school, Tick gets in a fight with an angry Janine, who inadvertently injures Tick with the car. Elsewhere, Miles learns that David and Charlene are dating when he discovers them kissing in the back room. Later, Bea tells Miles that she got an offer to buy the bar, and that inspectors arrived to look at the wiring. Miles is not surprised, knowing it is all the machinations of Francine. Meanwhile, Bill and his officers inspect John's home, finding his grandmother dead and buried by the river. John is nowhere to be seen as he has gone into hiding. Chapter 7: "White Limos" opens at Janine and Walt's wedding, where Janine struggles to say "I do" but finally does. At the wedding, which Miles attends, Tick continues to feel resentment against her mother. That night, Max calls Miles from the Florida Keys, revealing that Father Tom is with him at the bar taking confessions. After hanging up, Miles recalls when Max finally returned home from jail. Miles calls his father back, questioning why he never told him about his mother and C.B. Max hangs up. The next day, white limos from Massachusetts arrive in town. Bea calls to tell Miles that their loan got turned down, as well as that the liquor control board is putting the squeeze on her. Miles is furious at Francine's actions, wanting to confront her. David and Walt try various ways to stop him, but neither are able. Marching over to the deserted mill, where Francine is holed up with the Massachusetts businessmen, Miles nearly gets stopped by Jimmy before punching him in the face. Soon, the two men are fighting, with the scrape ending just as the businessmen exit the mill with Francine. Miles confronts Francine on their pasts, at which point she admits to the pleasure of "payback." In narration, Otto wonders whether Francine was surprised when C.B. returned from exile simply to kill himself in Maine. Otto reveals that Francine had driven him mad and had caused him to accidentally back over Cindy's legs with his car. Back in the present, Cindy visits an injured and groggy Miles in the hospital. She reveals that she is soon to leave Empire Falls to be with a man that loves her. She tells Miles that she knows he never meant to hurt her. Meanwhile, a deranged John returns to school, coming into art class and shooting and killing several people. However, when John aims his gun at Tick, the bullet doesn't hit her. In Chapter Eight: "Boats Against the Current," Miles and a still-frazzled Tick return to Martha's Vineyard. There, Miles gets a job at a diner. Miles walks around town, recalling further memories of his time with his mother and Charlie. He comes to terms with being angry at Charlie for not attending his mother's funeral, and thinking he killed her. Miles also realizes that Charlie was angry at him for ruining the potential life he could have had with Grace. Miles calls Janine to discuss Tick's state of mind. Janine reveals that she has split up with Walt. Janine tries to convince Miles to return to Empire Falls, adding that Bea's loan was finally approved by a bank in Portland and that the liquor board's complaint has been dropped. In addition, Francine is selling her house and the shirt factory is becoming an outlet mall. Then, Miles is shocked by the arrival of his father. Max reveals that Jimmy has been thrown in jail for stealing VCRs. Max also notes that he won $3,000 as his share of a lottery. After finally discussing David's parentage, Max convinces Tick and Miles to head back to Empire Falls. En route, Tick tells her father that she now remembers some details about the shooting, such Otto jumping in front of her and saving her life. She tells Miles that she wants to see the imprisoned John and give them both the chance to apologize for the past. In the Epilogue: "How Things Turn Out," Otto reveals that C.B. wasn't a complete failure as one of his efforts helped prosperity return to Empire Falls, never mind washing away its Number One problem.

Details

• NETWORK: HBO
• DATE: May 29, 2005 Sunday 9:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:26:02
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:86652
• GENRE: Drama
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
• SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 2005
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Fred Schepisi … Executive Producer, Director
• Marc Platt … Executive Producer
• Paul Newman … Executive Producer
• Scott Steindorff … Executive Producer
• William Teitler … Producer
• Richard Russo … Writer, Based on the novel by
• Paul Grabowsky … Music by
• Ed Harris … Cast, Miles Roby
• Philip Seymour Hoffman … Cast, Charlie Mayne
• Helen Hunt … Cast, Janine Roby
• Paul Newman … Cast, Max Roby
• Robin Wright Penn … Cast, Grace Roby
• Aidan Quinn … Cast, David Roby
• Joanne Woodward … Cast, Francine Whiting
• Dennis Farina … Cast, Walt Comeau
• William Fichtner … Cast, Jimmy Minty
• Estelle Parsons … Cast, Bea
• Theresa Russell … Cast, Charlene
• Kate Burton … Cast, Cindy Whiting
• Jeffrey DeMunn … Cast, Horace
• Trevor Morgan … Cast, Zack Minty
• Danielle Panabaker … Cast, Tick Roby
• Lou Taylor Pucci … Cast, John Voss
• Nesbitt Blaisdell … Cast, Father Tom
• Adam LeFevre … Cast, Father Mark
• Stephen Mendillo … Cast, Bill Daws
• Larry Pine … Cast, Otto Mayer/Narrator
• Miles Chandler … Cast, Young Miles
• Kortney Adams … Cast, Nurse
• David Altschuler … Cast, Inspector
• Doree A. Austin … Cast, Mrs. Rodrigue
• Matthew Blumm … Cast, Miles at 20 Years
• Michael Brockman … Cast, Justice of the Peace
• William Clark … Cast, Man at Bar
• Matthew Dixon … Cast, Banker
• Van Dussen, Bradley J. … Cast, Man on Beach
• Troy Faucher … Cast, Young Policeman
• Bryant R. Garrett … Cast, Thank You Patron
• Stephen E. Hodgdon … Cast, Strong Bagger #1
• Birdie Katz … Cast, Frowzy Woman
• Wilda Keem … Cast, Housekeeper
• Tina Konstantoulakis … Cast, Maud
• June Marie Krumholz … Cast, DMV Clerk
• Carey Lowell … Cast, Francine at 40 Years
• Josh Lucas … Cast, Young Max
• David Montgomery … Cast, Fisherman
• Vincent Lynne-O'Brien … Cast, Restaurant Manager
• Gail R. Pelotte … Cast, DMV Clerkette
• Dan Pleva … Cast, Slick Man
• Scott Riccio … Cast, DMV Patron
• Delia Robertson … Cast, Candace
• Timothy J. Ryan … Cast, Brian
• Linda Saulter … Cast, Secretary
• Adam L. Sirois … Cast, Officer Wynn
• James K. Small … Cast, Strong Bagger #2
• Tony Takacs … Cast, Justin
• Emily Wachtel … Cast, Florida Bartender
• Kaile R. Warren, Jr. … Cast, Workman
• Claire Winters … Cast, Young Cindy
• Harold Withee … Cast, Waiter