Original subtitles

The following program

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Joe?

Come on, it's time to get cleaned up.

All right.

You're pretty anxious to see

that cousin Matthew of yours, aren't you?

Oh, well, I haven't seen him for 17 years.

You know, I understand he's become

a very wealthy man back East.

Hey, Pa?

Ain't Cousin Matt...

Hey, here comes somebody now.

You fellas, now, keep on your toes.

These Easterners, they put a lot of stock in good manners.

Be sure to curtsy.

Whoa.

Ben.

Matthew. Oh, my goodness gracious!

Ben, it's so good to see you.

It's wonderful to see you, Matthew.

Ben, this is my ward Elizabeth Drew.

Miss Drew.

Welcome to the Ponderosa.

Matthew wrote that you were bringing your ward.

I-I thought you meant a child. Oh.

I hope I'm not too great a disappointment, Mr. Cartwright.

Miss Drew, you're a delightful surprise.

So, this is the fabled Ponderosa.

Well, it's a nice spot for a forest fire.

You two, get my luggage?

Um, Miss Drew, uh, Matthew, uh,

there are my sons--

Hoss, Little Joe.

Pleasure to meet you, ma'am.

Howdy.

You mean, these...

These rustics are the heirs to the famous Ponderosa?

Ben?

This is my son.

Matthew, how long do you think it'll take you

to organize your new branch office in San Francisco?

It'll take at least two months, I think.

You've done very well, Matthew.

You should be proud of your success.

This will be our third branch.

One in New York, one in New Orleans

and now San Francisco.

And I make an occasional trip to Europe.

Gave me my only chance to see Elizabeth

while she was in school there.

Oh, you went to school in Europe, huh?

Yes, finishing school in France.

What about you, Jamie?

You go to school in France, too?

Naturally.

Every one of them.

Then when we ran out of French schools,

Father started on the English ones.

But they wouldn't have any part of me.

So, you see me ignorant and ungraduated.

Took my last tutor three months to recover his health,

so Father is currently enduring me himself.

Why, this is a delicious dinner.

Uh, one wouldn't expect to find such food in this...

wilderness.

As a matter of fact, Jamie, we had this meal

prepared specially in your father's honor.

Back in the old days, he was quite a gourmet.

That was a long time ago, Ben.

After Mary died, I just...

I was sorry to hear about that, Matthew.

But in a way, you were fortunate, as I was.

Mary left you a son.

She did that all right.

She died having me. Did you know that?

This is a lovely place you have here, Mr. Cartwright.

Don't be embarrassed, Mr. Cartwright.

Just do as my father does.

Pretend that I don't exist.

Excuse me, please.

Jamie, your father...

Don't talk to me about my father!

Oh, Jamie.

If it hadn't have been for you, he'd left me to rot

in that prison they call a boarding school.

He wouldn't. He really loves you.

He doesn't care a thing about me.

You're the only person in my life who ever cared

whether I lived or died.

Liz, you...

you'll never stop caring about me, will you?

You're my friend, you know.

My only friend.

I'll never stop caring, Jamie.

You know I never will.

I don't know what I'd do

if I didn't have you to count on.

To arms.

The redcoats are coming.

Well, sure a good thing

the Indians around here are friendly.

They'd spot you a mile off in that outfit.

Very funny.

You two would be even funnier riding to hounds.

Yeah, you know, he's got a point, Hoss.

You'd look pretty funny riding a hound.

Yeah, I reckon I would at that.

Are you ready to take me for that ride, Joe?

Yes, indeed, ma'am.

I, uh, hope you don't mind

that I asked Jamie to go along, but, uh,

well, Matthew's taking a drive with Mr. Cartwright,

and, well, I knew Jamie would rather ride with us.

No, I don't mind at all.

Besides, I don't think he'd be safe out alone in that coat.

Hey, you can ride, can't you?

I can ride any spavin nag you can scare up

out of that flimsy excuse for a stable.

Sloppy clothes and a layer of dirt

never made a better rider out of anyone.

Before I'm through, I'll wear out

every bag of bones you have.

Shall we?

♪♪

Need any help?

Jamie, you weren't figuring on taking my horse

without asking me, were you?

Well, I'm sick of riding that swaybacked nag

your brother foisted on me.

Around here, it's pretty serious business

taking a man's horse without asking him.

Well, then call the sheriff.

Let go of me!

Jamie,

you rode that horse till he's sweaty

and all lighted up.

Now you're gonna clean him.

The only thing I'm cleaning is me.

Jamie?

Young man, if it's a bath you want,

then it's a bath you'll get.

But it'll be my way.

Get your hands off me, you big baboon!

Stop it! Stop it! My father...!

All right, Jamie, it's either a rub down for the horse

or a bath for you. Hoss, put that boy down!

Stop it. Anything you say, Pa.

H-Hoss, what's going on?

Nothing I can't handle.

Nothing at all.

I, uh... I got a horse to take care of, Pa.

I'll see you later.

Matthew, I-I don't know what to say.

Hoss has never done anything like... Ben, please. Ben.

Whatever happened, it was probably Jamie's fault.

Oh, we don't know that.

Don't we?

What is it

between you and Jamie?

I know it's none of my business and I shouldn't...

Ben, really.

There's nothing you can do about it.

There's nothing anyone can do about it.

I'm afraid it's just too late for Jamie and me.

Now, if you don't mind, Ben, I'd...

I'd rather not talk about it.

Of course.

♪♪

Honey.

Honey?!

Honey all disappear last night.

No honey for breakfast.

Huh, I wonder what happened.

Don't know. Hop Sing put lock on pantry.

Oh, no more for me, my man.

I'm going to go riding.

Well, if you'll wait until I change, Jamie,

I'll go with you.

I don't need a keeper, Elizabeth.

Oh, no. ELIZABETH: But I want to go with you.

May I?

Your wish is my command, mademoiselle.

I shall await you in yon grim and dingy stable.

My apologies, gentlemen.

I'm ashamed to admit he's my son.

Matthew, Jamie didn't mean any harm.

He's just a boy.

And no harm done, Elizabeth.

If you'll all excuse me.

Jamie will be waiting.

Ben?

I've changed my mind.

I would like to talk to you about Jamie.

Sure.

Boys, uh, don't you have something you...

you ought to do?

Uh, yeah, Pa.

Yeah, excuse us. We have some work to do.

Ben, what am I gonna do with that boy?

Matthew, I...

I don't understand how you let it go this far.

Jamie's a... he's a bright boy.

But, uh...

you two sure don't get along, do you?

How come?

Well, I'm afraid Jamie

told you the crux of it the other night at dinner.

When his mother died,

God help me, I couldn't stand the sight of him, Ben.

Oh, I saw to it he was well taken care of,

but I stayed away from him.

I buried myself in my work.

By the time I came out of my fog, it was too late.

He was a spoiled,

tantrum-th rowing,

unbearable little...

You couldn't get through to him, Ben.

I quit trying.

I guess I kept hoping

that as he grew older, he'd...

Nah.

Hmm.

And yet, you don't seem to be doing very much

to discipline him.

Afraid to let myself go with him.

No telling what I might do if I ever got started, Ben.

So, I... I just ignore him.

Well, that's certainly not a solution.

Well, what is?

With this business deal on my mind, I just...

Ben?

Did you really mean it when you said

that you wanted to help me?

Of course, of course I meant it.

But, uh, what do you mean?

I need time, Ben. I need time to get this deal out of the way.

But more, I need time to think.

Hmm.

Ben, would you keep Jamie here while I go to San Francisco?

Gad, this is a dull place.

Certainly be glad to see the last of it tomorrow.

Uh, Jamie?

Jamie, I've got a surprise for you.

You're gonna stay here with the Cartwrights

while Elizabeth and I go to San Francisco.

Y-You must be joking.

No, Jamie, I'm not joking.

Here?

But, Father, I...

Jamie, I'm gonna be very busy in San Francisco.

I just think it would be... And you're gonna toss me

in somebody else's lap so you won't have

to be bothered with me-- is that it?

Well, I'm not gonna stay here, Father!

You hear me?! I won't stay!

Where will you go, Jamie?

Aren't you even going to tell us good-bye?

Stay here, please?

I can't, Jamie.

I must go.

Come on, Elizabeth.

We'll miss the stage.

Good-bye, Jamie.

May I help you? Sure.

Jamie...

Now, Matthew, you two have a good trip.

And don't worry about Jamie; he'll be all right with us.

Thank you, Ben. This means a great deal to me.

Sure.

Giddyup. Giddyup.

♪♪

Well, think we ought to start looking for him yet?

Well, if he isn't back in an hour,

I'll start looking for him. I'll tell you that.

Ah!

Joe?

Howdy, Ben, Joe.

Ben, this boy tells me that you've been holding him

out here against his will.

Now, is there any truth in that?

Yeah, well, boy's telling you the truth all right.

But I haven't been doing too good a job, I guess.

And his daddy did leave him out here with you?

Yeah.

I might've known you'd own the whole town.

Even the sheriff.

Ben, how long's he gonna be out here with you?

About two months, if I can keep my eye on him that long.

Well, I don't envy you none.

But just do me a favor, will you?

Keep a tight reign on him.

Thanks for bringing him out, Roy.

Now, young fella, you listen to me.

I know what you think of us.

And I know what you think about staying here.

But you are here and you will be for two months.

So you might as well try to find some pleasure in it.

You might start by putting that horse up in the barn.

Now.

Likeable kid.

Ben Cartwright!

Hoss! Little Joe!

Come down here, will you?

It's Roy Coffee!

Get down, boy.

Get around there.

Come on, boy.

Get your hands off of me!

Oh, Stop, will you?!

Ben, here he is again.

I-I didn't even know he was gone.

Oh, he was gone all right.

And did he have himself a night.

He walked into the saloon there in town

and ordered whiskey just as big as you please.

When the bartender told him to "Go on outside, son,

play with your hoop," Jamie got mad.

He picked up a bottle off a table

and throwed it at the bartender.

Missed and busted that great big looking glass stand

back of the bar there into smithereens.

Oh, no.

And that ain't all.

A customer started laughing,

and Jamie took out after him.

And the customer jumped backwards

and knocked over a poker table with chips

and money and glasses on it.

It was a high-stake game, too.

And, oh, these players, they was really burning.

They got up and started swinging and this whole...

Oh, it was really a mess.

Somebody's gonna have to pay a bushel

full of money to the saloon.

Don't worry, my father will pay for it.

He's got more money than you got in your whole dirty little town.

Now, you just be quiet, young man.

I'll attend to you later.

Ben?

I'm just gonna say one thing more.

Now, you keep this kid out of my hair.

I got a town to take care of.

And I ain't got time to keep running

out here two, there times a day bringing him home!

I'll-I'll... Tell Charlie, I'll...

I'll come into town and settle up with those damages.

I'll do that. Good night.

You listen to me, young man.

Couple of things I want to say to you.

I don't know why you're getting so excited.

You-you told me to have a good time.

Now, you listen to me.

And you listen real well.

We're running a ranch here, not a home for wayward boys.

And we can't afford to spend the next two months

tracking you down every time you decide to light out.

I wasn't... So, you get this through your head.

If you give us any more trouble,

I will give you a tanning you will never forget.

And that is a promise.

Now, you get to bed.

Now, march!

Now, maybe we can all go up to bed and get some sleep.

Really like to hit that kid.

That calf gonna be ready for the stock show?

Yeah, I think so.

He's coming along real fine.

Yeah, it looks pretty good.

Well, let's get inside, young fella.

We got some book work to do.

Hmm, my favorite.

Hey, why so down in the mouth this morning?

What, are you still thinking about last night?

Oh, let's forget about last night and start fresh.

We don't mean for you to be unhappy here.

Anything special you'd like to do today?

Hey, tell you what.

Pa and me have to go over some branding records right now,

and Hess will be in town all day,

but I'll be free this afternoon.

You're still interested in learning about calf roping,

I'll teach you then.

Thanks, but I don't expect

I'll need a teacher for such elementary instruction.

Well, you suit yourself.

Joe will be ready around noon, in case you change your mind.

♪♪

I got 68 head in section eight.

Section eight.

Uh, Mr. Cartwright?

Uh, there's something wrong with that calf of yours outside.

Well?

His leg's busted.

How did this happen?

How did this happen?

Do you know?

Yeah, I did it.

How?

I was practicing with the rope.

I roped him, that's all.

I'll have to put a splint on his leg.

What's the big deal?

It's only a calf.

Joe, Joe, Joe! Let him go!

Let him alone.

Now get in the house.

Go on, get in the house.

Now!

Sorry, Joe.

Look, I'm sorry about hurting your calf, all right?

I didn't mean to.

Young man, you also lost us a morning's work in the books.

And there's the price of the calf!

Ah, you're always harping on money.

My father's got plenty of money.

He'll pay for it when he gets back.

He always does, doesn't he?

Not this time.

This time, you're gonna pay for it.

How?

By working it out as a hired hand on this ranch.

Oh, you won't be able to pay for all of it,

but it'll be a start in the right direction.

Let's see now, a tenderfoot like you?

I'll get maybe-- what?--

ten dollars a month and your keep

if, uh... if you're lucky.

"Ten dollars"?

My father gives me more than that every week.

Yeah.

Maybe that's one of the things that's wrong.

You start work right after lunch.

Wait a minute, wait a minute!

If you... if you think I'm gonna

swill your pigs and chase your calves

all over this stinking ranch, you can think again!

My father would never allow me...

Your father gave me permission

to do exactly as I saw fit with you.

And that, uh, brings me to another point.

Yeah.

I made you a promise.

And I'm gonna keep it now.

"Promise"?

Yeah.

Oh, no. No!

Y-You wouldn't!

Oh, yes, I would.

Ow!

Ow! Ow! Stop!

Ow! Wait till my fa... Ow!

Hey, Little... Ow!

Hold on. Ow, stop it! Ow!

Wait till my father hears... Ow!

You want your father, huh? Stop! Stop!

Ow! Ow! Ow, stop! Ow!

Ow! Ow! Ow!

Stop it! Ow! Stop! Ow! I don't what he done.

Ow! Stop! But ain't that the prettiest music you ever heard?

Oh, it sure is. Ooh! Stop! Ow!

Boys, I want you to meet our new ranch hand.

Hi.

Uh, allow me.

There, you think you got it?

Yes, I think so.

All right, try it one.

Very good.

Now, Pa says all he wants is a little pile

about three-feet wide and about three-feet high

before supper.

Don't look so disgusted.

Ain't gonna hurt you none and Hop Sing needs the kindling.

All right, all right.

Spare me the lecture, please.

A word to the wise.

I wouldn't leave here till I got that job finished.

Pa sure don't hold with doing jobs halfway.

I see you're not doing too well, huh?

I'm doing the best I can.

Oh.

Well, I'm afraid there won't be any supper

until this is piled three by three.

But I didn't have any lunch.

And-and besides, it'll be dark pretty soon.

How can I split logs in the dark?

Get you a lantern.

I thought you didn't like stew.

When a person's starving to death, he'll eat anything.

Mm, just remember how hungry you were tonight, Jamie,

because this is the last time you'll be allowed

to eat your meal after everybody else is finished.

Hop Sing can't be expected to serve meals

at all hours of the day and night.

From now on,

if you haven't finished your day's work

in time to eat with the rest of us,

you'll wait till the next meal.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Well, it didn't hurt saying "sir," did it?

Kid's plumb tuckered out, huh?

Yeah, he sure is.

Ah, I'll take his boot off.

I don't think that's gonna wake him up.

Oh, I don't imagine anything'll wake him up.

Hey, Jamie?

Jamie?

Hey, Jamie?

Wake up. Breakfast!

Must've fallen asleep.

Yeah, that'll... that'll happen to you after a hard day's work.

But better get a leg on it.

Breakfast'll be ready in a minute.

Okay.

"Breakfast"?

Oh, no!

Ah, it can't be morning!

Your sons have just informed me what I have to do today.

Now, listen, Ben, I'm telling...

Wait a minute, son.

Name is Mr. Cartwright.

All right, Mr. Cartwright.

I will not clean out that stable.

You're deliberately giving me the filthiest job

on this place just to see how far you can push me!

Now, Jamie,

in the first place, it's not a stable,

it's a barn.

In the second place,

before you're through, you're gonna take

a crack at every job there is to be done on this ranch.

And believe me, some of them will make cleaning a barn

seem like, uh, smelling a rose.

Now, in the third place,

you're not telling me what you're gonna do.

I'm telling you.

Well, you're not telling me what to do!

And I'm not gonna clean up...

Jamie, we're not gonna have any tantrums here.

I want you to listen carefully

to what I have to say.

And think about it.

Now, at this moment, you have two choices.

Now, either you can sit here,

eat your breakfast quietly, and then clean up the barn,

or you can go upstairs,

be locked in your room,

throw the loudest and longest tantrum of your life,

and then clean up the barn.

In which case, of course,

it'll be a long time before your next meal.

And...

if you raise your voice to me just one more time,

you'll have no choice.

Which is it going to be?

Good.

Now, let's have some breakfast.

Hop Sing?

Well, I see you're not finished yet, are you?

I'm not?

Why?

"Why?"

Well, well, look at those stalls.

They have to be shoveled out, don't they?

And the harness has to be hung up.

And this whole floor has to be swept clean.

Not just this little part of it.

The whole thing has to be done properly.

You better get a move on, young fella.

You don't want to miss your dinner, do you?

♪♪

Ow, ow!

Ow.

Ow!

Hey, you're, uh, pretty quiet tonight, Jamie.

Yes, sir.

You know, I thought you'd be jumping for joy

and busting out all over 'cause your father's coming back

and you're gonna be delivered up from this bondage.

You're worried about your father?

Yes, sir.

Why?

He hates me.

Oh, no, Jamie.

He doesn't hate you.

He doesn't hate you and you don't hate him.

Oh, you do a pretty good job of hurting each other.

You know, it's no longer a question

of why you hurt each other,

as who gets hurt the most.

And you know...

I think it's you.

It sure is.

He couldn't care less.

Oh, you're wrong, Jamie, you're wrong.

You're so wrong.

He wants things to be different.

But it-it's hard for him.

You know, it's easier to go along an old trail

than to carve out a new one.

But with you, it's different.

You're already on a new one.

What do you mean?

Jamie, have you had a good look at yourself lately?

You know, in the last couple of months,

you've grown up.

You've become a man.

It's true.

You've learned what it is to... to do a hard job.

And do it well.

You've learned to be respectful of others.

To want the respect of others.

And I think, for the first time,

you know what it is to live with people

instead of...

live in a running fight with people.

Am I right?

Yes, sir.

Thanks to you.

Oh... oh.

Maybe I started you on the way, but...

...you hold the reigns in your own hands now.

If you behave with your father

the way you behave with us, he can't help but respond.

Jamie?

Your father wants to love you.

Let him.

Hey, Hoss, give us a hand here with the luggage.

Whoa! Hey, I'll get Jamie.

All right, Pa.

Whoa.

Hey, Jamie?

Jamie, your father's here.

Yes, I-I know.

Well, what are you doing in here? Come on.

Hey, what's the matter?

I'm... kind of scared, I guess.

What, of your father?

I can't help it, Joe.

I-I want him to be proud of me, you know?

I want it to be different between us.

Look, when he left here, you were a lot...

well, you were a lot different than you are now.

You've grown up a heck of a lot, you know?

I-I thought I had.

I've learned a great deal, it's true.

But right now, I-I feel like jelly inside.

I'm scared because, for the first time,

I-I really want to be the kind of person he'll approve of.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Then, what do I do?

Well, I suggest you go out there and shake his hand.

You mean it's as simple as that?

Well, he can't be any tougher on you than my pa was.

Go on out there.

You know, Matthew,

the best time of the year in San Francisco is in the fall.

That's what everyone tells me, Ben.

But to tell you the truth, I think I'll take the Ponderosa.

It's just...

Jamie.

It's good to see you, Father.

It's good to see you, son.

Well, I'll get these bags inside.

Here, I'll-I'll help you with those, Mr. Cartwright.

Thank you, Jamie.

Heavy, easy.

Well, you're right, Ben.

He has changed.

Yes, he has.

Now it's up to you.

Matthew, I got to tell you this.

You can be real proud of your boy.

Sure can.

He'll fix fences, pitch hay and everything.

Yeah, not to mention splitting kindling.

He's real, real good at that.

Jamie, just wait until you see San Francisco.

It's...

All right, Elizabeth.

I'll spring our surprise.

I had a reason for asking for this champagne.

I've got wonderful news.

Elizabeth and I are going to be married.

"Married"?

You and Elizabeth?

You'd do this to me?

Do what to you, Jamie?

What I've done is to ask

someone we both love to be my wife.

But you never said one word to me.

Jamie, listen to me. I had no...

So, that's why you left me here.

Jamie, believe me, we did... Believe you?

Does it make any difference what I believe?

Neither of you care; you made that clear enough.

Elizabeth, wait!

Jamie?

I know this is hard for you to understand.

No, it's not at all hard.

But, Jamie, if you'd just let me explain.

Don't bother.

I'm quite used to treatment like this.

I suppose I've even come to expect it.

I don't know what I'd do if anyone ever treated me fairly.

Jamie, we don't ever mean to be unfair.

It's just that...

Just what, Elizabeth?

An accident?

You mean, you and he weren't planning this

all the time behind my back?

You're just like he is.

You never wanted to be my friend.

You just wanted to be his wife.

Jamie, that's not true.

What can I do to prove to you it's not so?

Don't marry him.

Is that really what you want?

Yes, that's what I want.

Matthew, I tried to talk to him.

I tried to explain, but...

I can imagine the reception you got.

Maybe if we gave him a little more time.

If-if we postponed the wedding.

Postpone the wedding?

Wait a minute.

I know the way Jamie feels.

I think you do, too.

This has come as a shock to him.

But you're entitled to your happiness, both of you.

And Jamie's no longer a little boy.

He's a... he's a young man now.

Let me talk to him. I think he'll understand.

I want to talk to you, Jamie.

I've got nothing to say to you.

Fine, that'll make it a lot easier for you to listen.

Jamie...

for a while there,

just a little while,

I thought to myself,

that boy's really coming along.

He's getting to be a man.

But I guess it's easier to pretend you're a man

until that first test comes along.

And I failed?

So I'm a child-- is that it?

Yeah.

Yes, that's it.

You failed.

You failed yourself, you failed your father,

you failed that young woman who needs your acceptance

just as much as you need hers.

You failed.

I wanted to prove myself, I tried!

Did you?

You caved in the very first time

your father tried to meet you halfway, man to man.

Oh, yes, Jamie. That's what he was trying to do,

meet you halfway, treat you as an equal.

Isn't that what you always wanted from him?

Love? Respect?

Understanding?

Well, he needs understanding, too.

Everybody does. But he needs his now!

So, what are you gonna do?

Fold up? Cry?

I did wrong, didn't I, Mr. Cartwright?

Yes, you did wrong.

That takes courage, too.

To say that you did wrong.

Jamie...

why don't you say it to them?

They're the ones who should hear it.

Father?

I guess, 16 years

of feeling sorry for myself...

I'm sorry, Father.

Jamie, thank you.

Let's not let that good champagne go to waste, huh?

Absolutely not.

Get the glasses.

Thank you so much, Ben.

Ah, you're more than welcome. For everything.

You're more than welcome.

Well, that pays for everything.

Ben, I can never thank you enough.

Well, Matthew, just, uh, keep that boy of yours in line,

make sure we don't have to do it all over again.

Come on, Jamie.

Mr. Cartwright...

Oh, uh, Jamie?

The name is Ben.

You're a man now.

Ben...

I-I'll miss you.

I'll never forget you.

You're darn right you won't.

You're gonna be living in San Francisco

and we'll see a lot of each other.

And listen, any time you feel that that roping technique

of yours is getting a little rusty,

you come here, sharpen up, you hear?

Right. 0ff you go.

Hey, Jamie?

It's, uh, kind of a bumpy ride

to Virginia City.

I thought you might need this.

Thanks.

Thanks for everything, Joe.

Good luck.

So long. All set, Hoss.

Here we go.

Giddyup!

So long. Off you go.

This has been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.