Original subtitles

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Thank you, gentlemen. I'll buy you drink.

Coming through, men, coming through, coming through.

Thank you.

There you are, Hoss. Thank you kind.

Mm-hm.

It's agreed that you and your company will furnish the men.

You'll have them at Ponderosa

by the time my little brother gets back with the equipment.

They will be there.

For the wages you Canwrights are paying,

I might just grab a shovel and go along myself.

Well, sir, you'd be welcome. Ha, ha.

Gentlemen...

your eyes are about to behold a vision.

A vision of angels' fluttering wings.

I present to you, Miss Kellie Conrad.

Hop to it before they wrap their hands around their glasses

and forget who we are.

Come on, fellas. Come on.

Who are they, anyhow?

Old Ned Conrad and his daughter, Kellie.

I can remember when they first started working the saloons.

She couldn't have been much more than around 10 years old.

Thank you. Thank you mostly.

Thank you. Thank you.

Evening, mister, enjoying yourself?

I always enjoy myself, Kellie, my love.

I can afford to. Ah.

What do I get for it?

Wasn't my dancing enough? No.

Time you and I get to know each other a lot better.

Wait a minute.

Mr. Blake, I like a crowd when I dance not when I kiss a man.

Now they don't bother me a bit.

Little kiss won't ruin your reputation. Mister, you'll hurt the lady.

Now, beat it.

Sorry, miss, he ain't gonna bother you no more.

Oh, you big clown! Who asked you to butt in?

I thought I-- I mean, all I did was--

All you did was drive away the best customer in here.

Look, mister, don't blame Kellie for what happened.

We don't even know him. Stay out of the way.

Ah, look, son, try to be reasonable. I said stay out of the way.

Oh.

Pa, you all right? No, I'm not all right.

I think I broke my wrist. Where's my fiddle?

Up. Here, let me help you.

The one thing we don't need is any more help from you.

Now just get away from us.

Pa, I'll get you to a doctor.

Broke? Cracked.

I won't be able to scratch my ear with it

for at least six weeks.

How much money we got in the kitty?

Not enough to last six weeks. Great. Just great.

Well, what are you standing around here for?

Oh...

I just wish there's something I can do to help out.

How about paying us for all the trouble you caused?

Now, Kellie, it ain't his fault it ended up the way it did.

Maybe not, but that still don't help us any.

Hey, I got an idea.

How about the two of you come on out to Ponderosa with me?

That's where I live and you can hang around out there

until you're able to work again. Forget it. We'll manage.

Not so fast, girl.

What would we have to do if we take you up on that offer?

Not a thing in the world. Just lay around,

eat three meals a day until you get to feeling better.

Well, that's mighty generous of you, boy.

Me and my daughter,

we're pleased to accept your invite.

Now, just one little minute.

I ain't about to go anywhere, especially with him.

And that's final.

Quite a place you got here, Mr. Cartwright.

Yes, sir, quite a place.

It take you a long time to build up?

Well, best pan of a lifetime, I guess.

It was worth it.

I can surely see where it would be.

What you do around here for excitement?

Well, play checkers and sometimes even have a song fest or two.

I don't think that's the kind of excitement

Miss Conrad was inquiring about.

It sure ain't.

I like the kind of excitement people make when they laugh

and drink and gamble.

Um, Hoss tells me that, uh, you dance beautifully.

She sure does, Pa. Doggone, you'd have to see it to believe it.

I certainly would like to, perhaps one evening.

I usually get paid when I dance.

All you're gonna get is a good tanning

if you don't apologize to them right now.

So I'm sorry.

I'm going to bed.

Must have been the trip. She's were down.

Of course.

I'm kind of wrung out myself. Guess, I'll turn in.

Good night. Good night.

Good night.

Kellie, see you for a minute? It's open.

These people have gone out of their way to be nice.

You have no cause to act the way you did.

I said I was sorry. Well, saying it isn't being it.

What is it, Funny Nose?

Pa, let's get out of here. Right now, tonight.

But why?

Because we don't belong here, that's why.

We never should have come here in the first place.

Pa, ever since ma died,

it's just been the two of us, just you and me.

Yes. Just you and me.

It's been enough for you, hasn't it? More than enough.

For me too.

So let's just keep it that way. We don't need anybody else.

We do now. Leastwise, until my arm is healed.

So like it or not, we stay here. You understand?

If you say so. I say so.

And from here on out, behave yourself.

No more sman talk. You hear? I hear.

Good. Now, kiss the old man good night.

And you go to bed.

And while we're here, don't use this room for sulking.

Get out and learn how to do something.

What for instance, milk a cow?

Why not? Might come in handy one day.

Night, Funny Nose.

Milk a cow.

Big deal.

Miss Kellie?

What's the matter? What happened?

Milk a cow, says Pa.

Look at me.

I got more on me than in the bucket. Yeah.

It takes quite a knack to milk old Bessie.

Sure must. That darned milk went every which way.

What happen, see, when you pull north, you gotta aim west.

I'll show you sometime. Come on, show me now.

No cow is gonna get the best of Kellie Conrad.

Oh, ooh! I'm sorry.

I should have looked where I was going.

Hi, Paul. Hello, Hoss.

I see you two have already met.

Well, not formally, but pleasantly.

Paul Mandel, this is Miss Kellie Conrad.

Hello, Kellie Conrad.

Hello.

Well, look, come on in, Paul.

Paul here is a gunsmith, Miss Kellie.

He is just about the best there is in the country.

There ain't no kind of weapon he can't fix.

Well, that must be interesting work.

Nope, just a living.

Pa's got the chess board all set up and waiting.

Well, chess takes a lot of concentration.

Ben will probably win every game.

Be the first dang time he ever has.

Paul, you go and make yourself at home.

Miss Kellie has got some chores we gotta do.

No, Hoss, that will wait till later.

I, um, gotta get cleaned up.

I think that ought to do it. Hm.

Three in a row. I know when I'm licked.

Ah.

Pa, Kellie fixed us some sandwiches

and brewed up a hot pot of coffee for us.

Mm.

Oh, it smells good and looks good too. Thank you, Kellie.

Just something I thought you might enjoy.

Well, that's awfully nice of you.

You and your father plan to stay in Virginia City?

Only until my fiddling arm heals up, then it's over the mountain we go.

Oh.

I hope you're enjoying your stay. Here.

I didn't at first, but I do now.

Remember this one, Funny Nose?

It's the first song you learned to dance to.

Heh, that was too long ago.

Oh, you were about 4.

Come on, show them what you can do.

Now you're under no obligation. Just if you want to.

I want to, and for free.

No, no, no. Not like that.

If you're going to attempt a ballet step, do it right.

Don't flop your hands around like they were wet mops.

I never had any complaints before, mister.

If you don't like it-- When you do a saute' en arabesque,

plié at the end of it with control, always control, and...

Oh, I'm sorry.

I had no right to criticize.

Forgive me.

It's late, Ben. I better be going.

No, that's all right, I can find my own way out.

And again,

my apologies.

Good night.

What do you know?

He didn't like the way you danced. He said so.

And you just took it.

He was right, Pa.

It was so easy for him.

Even with a bad leg.

Why?

Mr. Cartwright, why was it so easy for him?

At one time, Paul was one of the leading ballet dancers in this country.

You mean he was one of them fellas

who dances on a fancy stage in tight pants?

Yes, he was one of those fellas.

I met him when he came here to live in Virginia City.

We've become good friends.

But his leg, how did that happen?

We don't know. It's something he don't like to talk about.

Hello.

You could say something, I wouldn't feel so foolish standing here.

Heh, heh. Well, hello.

You busted up a good party the other night.

Yeah, it's a habit of mine. I'll try to do better next time.

I asked Mr. Cartwright about you. He told me a few things.

Nothing of interest to tell about me.

I thought there was. He said you're a ballet dancer.

One of the best.

I was once a ballet dancer, Ms. Conrad,

just as I was once a small boy.

Both are gone forever.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do.

Would you teach me to dance the ballet?

Would I what?

Oh, I know I got no right even thinking about it,

me being a saloon dancer and all,

but once, when I was small, my ma took me to see the ballet.

It was so beautiful it made my head ache.

I'll never forget it.

I'd give anything, just anything, to dance like that.

You came to the wrong person. I'm a gunsmith, not a dancing master.

I figured there was no use, but I had to try.

I'm sorry about what happened to you. I mean, your leg and all.

I know what it must be like not being able to dance.

Do you?

Like being hollow and empty inside.

Like almost being dead...

and still having to go on.

That's what it would be like for me.

You'd have to start at the beginning.

Forget everything you've learned.

There would be no pleasure, no joy, just brutal, agonizing work.

You'll dance on feet that are raw and bleeding.

And in the end, it could be nothing.

You still wanna learn?

When?

Tomorrow, here, in the afternoon.

All right, first position, hand on the bar.

Heels together, face the mirror, apart, apart, apart, way out.

Don't look at them, there're still there. Now relax, up, up. Arm up.

Look in the mirror. Now, relax here.

Oh!

First position.

Come on over here.

Just came in today.

Go ahead, open it, it's yours.

Time you were up on your toes. Try them on.

They're beautiful.

I never had a gift so wonderful.

They are not a gift, they're tools of your trade, something you need.

And, in time, you'll come to hate them.

And...

Up here, up here, tense, relax. That's it.

More. Relax up there.

Straight. Straight.

Out. Out.

Ugh. I'm sorry.

Don't be sorry, just do it right.

Now, again.

And...

All right, again. And...

Hello, Hoss.

Hi, Paul. That's it for today.

Find time tomorrow to work on what I've shown you.

Hoss, uh, bring her in earlier tomorrow.

She needs all the practice she can get.

Sure will, Paul.

Here, let me give you a hand.

Gracious, Kellie, you shouldn't even be on those feet, much less dancing.

Does Paul know about this?

He knows. Now, stop worrying, Hoss. I'm fine.

Are you sure?

Sometimes I do a step, and I know it's right,

it's like a happy bubble bursting inside me.

This really means a lot to you, doesn't it?

Means everything.

You sure it's just the dancing? What else is there?

Well, there's, uh, Paul, for example.

There's nothing else.

I'm the pupil, he's the teacher. That's it.

Here you are all tired and were out

and me asking a bunch of dang fool questions.

Come on, I'll take you home. I'll go change.

Straighten that knee.

No, no, no! Look.

You're not using your arms right.

Let your arms, your hands, tell a story as much as your legs.

All right, start the series again.

And...

Straighten that knee.

Don't lose the center.

Ain't that just about the prettiest sound you ever did hear?

Dang near it. How's the hand doing?

Oh, the fingers are still a little stiff, but they'll work out in time.

I just ain't got the words to thank you, Hoss.

Ned, you don't need to.

I was responsible for the other one getting busted.

The least I can do is buy you a new fiddle.

How do you think Kellie's gonna like it?

Like it? She'll climb up the walls and dance all over the place. Ha, ha.

Yeah. Has, uh, Kellie showed you any of the new stuff she's learning?

Nope, but I guess she's gonna surprise me.

You know, uh, it ain't like no dancing she's ever done before.

Dancing is dancing.

If it doesn't work out, we'll just throw it out of the act.

Not that Kellie ain't grateful like I am, Hoss.

But she's gonna be one happy little girl

when I tell her we're leaving out soon.

Yes, sir, I'll bet you she can hardly wait to get back to all that noise

and excitement.

You know something, boy, so am I. You coming in?

As soon as I stable the horses. See you in a while, then.

Whoop. Heh, heh. Giddyap.

Soften your arms a little more.

Keep your back straight.

Straighten that knee.

Ugh.

It's still not right.

When you do piqué turns, don't travel with them so much.

Keep your arms closer into your body.

All right, now start that again.

And...

Oh. That is still not right. You've got to spot more.

And keep those arms closer to your body.

Now, let's do that series again, right here.

Now maybe you've got all the bad ones out of your system,

you'll do it right.

Again. And...

Oh!

Oh, I can do it.

I'm sorry.

I guess I was just being envious of what you could do

and what I know I'll never be able to do again.

See, up until five years ago, the ballet was my life.

And it was a complete life.

And then, uh...

...a train wreck and this and my life was over.

Oh, I still went on, I still existed.

I even convinced myself that what I had here was enough.

And then I watched you dance.

All the memories came flooding back, all the torment.

Then why? Why did you teach me?

Because there's a greatness in you,

a wonderful gift that touches so few.

I couldn't deny that.

This is from the San Francisco Ballet Company.

You're to audition for the impresario.

Audition?

Oh, I can't. I'm not ready.

You're ready. You'll make it.

At first, you'll dance in the chorus,

but, in time, you'll be a ballerina, one of the finest.

A ballerina? Oh, I wanna believe that, but I'm afraid.

You believe it.

You'll travel the world over. Paris, London, Rome.

You'll dance before presidents and kings.

Paul, what about you?

I've been offered a job with the company

as dancing master. I've decided to accept.

Would that mean you'd travel with the company?

Yes, I'd go along.

Does it make you happy or doesn't it?

I'm happy. Very happy.

Hello, Paul, Funny Nose. Surprised to see the old man?

It's a nice surprise. I just rode into town with Hoss.

Look.

Good as the day I bought them. That's great, Pa. Just great.

And look what else I got here. Hoss give it to me tonight. A present.

Now, listen to this.

Ha, ha. Yes, sir, isn't she a fine dandy?

This here little old violin is gonna make us a heap of money.

Pa, I gotta tell you something.

I hear tell that they hit a vein of silver are in Concho.

That means that the whole town is gonna be jumping with miners

just waiting to fill our pockets with money.

Pa, I've got to tell you this.

You know, son, ever since Kellie and I have been putting on our act,

I always told her that I was the star

and that she just went along for the ride.

But she's a grown woman now.

And I can tell her, you're the star, Funny Nose.

You always were.

And the fiddle and me, well, it was us went along for the ride.

We need you.

Without you, we ain't nothing at all.

I wanted you to know.

I'll be out when I've changed.

I appreciate what you've done for my daughter.

As soon as we get a few dollars ahead,

I'd like to pay you for your time and eff on.

I've already been paid, Mr. Conrad. Many times over.

Be great to get back into harness again.

It'll be just like before, you and me.

Like you said, we don't need anyone else.

That's right, ain't it, Funny Nose?

We don't need anyone else, do we?

That's right, Pa. Just you and me like before.

Let's go try out my new violin, huh?

Why not?

Only don't get too fancy with those introductions. Heh.

Hoss. Hi, Ned.

Buy you a drink? No, thank you, Hoss.

Kellie and me, we're-- I know.

Paul told me all about it.

No point in staying any longer.

Ned, has Kellie told you about the offer she got?

No. What was that?

They want her to try out for the San Francisco Ballet.

And Paul said she could have made it.

And maybe she couldn't have made it.

And it would all been a waste of time. It's a bunch of foolishness anyway.

How do you know?

You've never seen her dance the ballet.

It's like I said before, dancing is dancing. It's all the same.

Besides, she told him she was through with it.

Hi. Hi, yourself.

I'm sure gonna miss you, Ms. Kellie.

I'll miss you too.

I wonder if you'd do me one favor before you leave.

Name it. Anything you ask, boy.

Well, I'd like to see you dance one more time.

Well, that ain't asking for much, but surely we'll do it.

Any special tune you'd like to hear?

No.

But I'd like to see you do it in these.

No, I don't want to.

I can't.

Now, look, girl,

Hoss asked for one small favor.

We owe him that much.

Go ahead.

I've never seen her look so beautiful.

I didn't know.

I didn't know.

Bye, ballerina.

Thank you, ma'am.

That's the nicest gift anybody ever got.

I'll give you these back.

Kellie, look at me.

You love the old man?

That's a foolish question.

Then humor a foolish old man and answer it.

All right, I love you.

And you'll believe me when I tell you something?

I never had reason to believe othenNise.

What's this all about, Pa?

You don't belong in these places anymore.

You don't belong with me anymore.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about Rome, Paris, London, big beautiful theaters,

places where you do belong.

Dancing in the way you were meant to dance.

Pa, I won't listen to talk like that.

You will listen.

There's a man out there who loves you and you love him.

You've got something good together, like your me and I had.

Don't lose it.

I wanna be with you.

Because you think I want you to.

Idid.

But I don't anymore.

Most of my life is behind me. I've got no regrets.

It was a good life.

But yours is up front.

I want you to have it, Funny Nose.

I want you to have your life.

Go to him. Tell him.

Pa, what'll I say?

You'll find a way. Get going.

Should open some windows. Smoke in here is likely to blind a man.

How about that drink now?

Could use one.

That ballet company,

does it visit San Francisco much?

Three times a year.

One thing about San Francisco,

with all those saloons,

they can always use another fiddle player.

Yep, they sure can.

Paul?

Paul.

This has been a color presentation

of the NBC Television Network.