Original subtitles

Over here, gentlemen.

I need help.

C 'est un homme.

Bonjour, monsieur.

Bonjour to you.

Parlez -vous English?

Non. Est -ce que monsieur parle français?

Yes, that means if I had to speak French, no.

C 'est une prison.

C 'est un criminel.

From the entertainment capital of the world, produced for television by Warner

Brothers.

This is a bayou country, somewhere along the Mississippi.

I say somewhere because I wasn't in any position to know exactly where at the

time.

Morning.

Morning.

Nice day.

Have you by any chance noticed that I'm bound hand and foot?

I noticed.

Aren't you going to untie me?

I'm thinking about it.

You're thinking about it?

Mister, I don't know who you are.

Well, I might still have some identification in my pocket.

I haven't had a chance to look since I came to you.

I'll look for you.

Nothing on you, mister, but this here cigar.

That cigar you're eyeing so hungrily might be my last for quite a spell.

Could be my first.

We're being spied on, I think.

Oh, that's my big sister, Victoria.

She's kind of shy.

I'm not in much shape to do her any harm.

You are going to untie me, aren't you?

What you got you can offer me in return?

That cigar.

Well, I already got that.

But you don't know what to do with it.

You'd probably smoke it and that'd be the end of it.

You know what that cigar's good for?

What?

Baked. You mean you take this here cigar and bait that hook and then you... No,

no. It's the aroma they go for.

You have to prepare a mixture.

How?

Well...

I can't talk anymore with my hands tied.

I wouldn't recommend this style of travel for any extended period of time.

How do you fix that mixture, mister?

Well, you dig you some worms and you put them in a pail with some dirt in it.

And you wet it down and put the cigar in the middle and cover the pail.

Uh -huh.

You leave it overnight, and the next morning, you just throw the cigar away

bait your hook with those worms.

That'll really get the big ones, huh?

Oh, yeah.

Nothing under 15 pounds will come near it.

Say, where are we?

Ellis Settlement.

Say, I reckon you're mighty hungry.

I sure am.

I've been in this boat for one day that I'm sure of.

Come on inside.

I reckon we got some gravy and rice and coffee to brew.

Well, the finest menu in St. Louis.

Wouldn't sound more attractive.

You'll like this here gravy rice.

Friends taught my granddaddy how to brew it when he first come here.

What's your sister's name again?

Victoria.

Have you ever seen anything but the top of her head?

We have.

Ain't no stranger likely ever to.

Here's your gravy rice.

Well, thank you.

Ah, red gravy.

Like a New Orleans sauce.

What'd you make this gravy out of, molten brimstone?

I reckon it is a little warmish till you get used to it.

Can't you breathe, mister?

Afraid to. Might set the house on fire.

Maybe you better try some plain rice and some dry shrimp, maybe.

Maybe you're right.

Uh -oh.

Here comes Daddy Herbert and Oliver.

What do you mean, uh -oh?

You'll find out soon enough.

We got a stranger here, Daddy.

Nice catch today.

You been hanging around Victoria?

No, you stop it, Oliver. He ain't been hanging around Victoria.

Why, he don't even know her. She's been hiding out ever since he got here. You

sure about that, Lady Bird? Sure I am.

We ain't been here but a few minutes.

Well, all right.

But that's just a sample of what's in store for you in case you do get notions

about Victoria.

All right.

If I should get any notions about Victoria, I think it's only fair that

both sides of the picture.

Just hold your fire, folks. Hold your fire.

Now, hold your fire, Oliver. Hold your fire. No man can talk like that to an

orphan. Now, no, Oliver, you started the whole thing. I want him in condition so

he can talk to us.

Hey, Herbert, if Oliver don't calm down, you drop that pole on his head, will

you? Yes, Daddy.

Now then, Lady Bird, where'd you find this stranger?

He drifted in, Daddy, in a rowboat.

Well, where's his boat at now?

We forgot to tie it off.

Oh.

Your boat's long gone, stranger.

What you mean he drifted in?

He did. He was all tied up.

Then what'd you untie him for?

Never mind, never mind.

What's your tale of woe, stranger?

Well, I was on the River Queen down to St. Louis.

Passenger? Yeah.

I was walking back to my cabin and somebody hit me from behind and I guess

put me in one of the lifeboats and set me adrift.

You drifted into a bad spot, mister.

We generally don't take strangers around here.

Right now, you're just downright not welcome.

Look, I'm not going to be around long enough to cause you any bother.

I'll be on my way right now.

You ain't got no boat.

We ain't got none to spare.

You telling me I'm on an island?

Well, near as could be.

Could get to the mainland on foot if you walk south.

Ain't likely, though.

Ten miles of mud and foot underwater.

Full of mud holes, gators, moccasins.

Why can't someone just roll me to the mainland?

Because you saw it, that's why.

Shut up, Oliver.

You open your mouth too much.

I sure can't roll you now, stranger.

We owe it to the citizens of the colony to hold a vote on the measure.

But I didn't see it.

See, he saw it. I told you.

Confound it, Oliver. I told you to shut your mouth.

Let's go inside and grab a bite to eat while we cool off.

Herbert, give Oliver a pole and help him out.

What's your name, stranger?

Brett Maverick.

My name's David Forge.

This is my son, Herbert.

He's by my first wife, Isabel.

Lady Bird, you've acquainted yourself with.

She's by my last wife, Mary Penn.

And this is Oliver Offord.

He's moving around Victoria.

Where's Victoria?

She's hiding out behind the pig trough, Danny.

Oh.

Victoria!

She's got to learn to face strangers one of these days.

Victoria! You stop acting like a young 'un. I'll come out there in a switch and

treat you like one.

We're an English colony, mister.

America's now, but we've all got pure English blood in us.

We've got a family of plantagenets living here.

Not many times brag about having a plantagenet.

That's true. I I don't know many towns boasting the planet in it

Victoria

I'd appreciate if you wouldn't gawk at her when she comes in mister.

We got to break her into meeting strangers slow like Well, I'll try to

little as possible.

Oh It's my daughter Victoria

She's by my middle wife, Earlene.

Victoria, meet the stranger.

Pleasure, man.

Now, wasn't that nice?

Yours ain't got gravy.

Well, thank you.

Doggone all this excitement.

Getting a little tickling in my chest every now and then.

Been getting a little worse lately.

Don't worry about it. I knew a man that had that same tickle would live to be

over 70.

Oliver, what do you want to go and do that for?

You break a mirror, you bring on a man so he'll look.

Because he was using it to gawk at her? I saw him.

First I thought he was staring at himself.

Real pleased with himself, I thought.

But I snuck a look, and it was Victoria he was staring at.

Now, I warned you. Now, just hold on, Oliver. Cool down.

Cool down. You're a visitor in my home, and I demand respect.

Herbert, go outside and bring in that pole. I aim to eat this meal in peace.

Yes, Daddy.

Now, you've all heard the stranger's story.

Anyone having anything to say in favor of the stranger, please address the

court.

Just one thing, Daddy.

What is it, Lady Bird?

That boat he come up in had writing on the side of it and a number three.

Now, I can't read, but that writing was the same as the name on that big

riverboat passed by here just nine -four last.

Sounds like it could be a lifeboat.

Any comments?

Before you rest my case, I'd like to ask just one question.

Well, why is it a crime even if I did come here on purpose?

They'd keep shut if I had you, son.

Talk like that, you'd lose your case.

Any more comments?

Well, I've been sitting here listening, thinking.

Thinking about this thing from all four angles.

I asked myself, suppose I was a government spy and I want to do a little

sneaking around out on Ellis Settlement.

How would I set about it?

Did you answer yourself?

No. I just wouldn't row in there.

Because nobody would believe me if I told them who I was.

Not even if I said I was a preacher.

How would you get in here without causing no questions?

I'd tie myself up, set myself adrift, and let the rise of the water float me

Nobody could say I came in on purpose.

By an odd coincidence, that's exactly how I arrived on this island.

There's sure been a lot of questions asked since I got here.

That's true. True.

True. But could be we're just a grunt slyer and a government spy figured out.

True. Makes sense.

But even if I was a spy, which I'm not, I haven't seen anything, so what could I

report?

Depends on how good a spy you'd be, stranger.

There are things to be seen, and we ain't sure you ain't seen some of them.

am.

Is there any more comments?

I've spoke my piece.

Hey, exchangee.

If you kindly step in the store out of earshot, we'll try and reach a verdict

you.

Now, we're not going to put any guard on you.

Around here, stealing a boat will get you hung.

Well?

I say the spy set on ruining us.

I vote we get rid of him quick and easy.

I second the motion.

Now, there's another thing to consider.

Suppose he is a government spy.

And he don't go back sooner or later.

Others are going to come in looking for him.

That ain't so good.

That's true. That's true.

My boy don't speak very often.

When he does, he generally comes up with something real bright.

Stranger, you can come out now. We've reached an agreement.

It's the decision of this township.

We don't know no more about you now than we did when we first started out.

Therefore, it's not considered good thinking to let you leave here.

Therefore, we ain't gonna let you leave until we're sure about you one way or

another.

I give you my word, I didn't see what you think I saw. We don't all agree on

that. When we do, we'll let you go.

Meantime, since we ain't bad people at heart, being of pure English blood...

You can live among us, one of us. A free run of the island, free vittles.

So long as you don't try to escape.

If you try to escape, we'll have to lock you up.

Because we ain't got time to be fetching you back all the time. You understand?

All right, where do I eat and where do I sleep?

Oh, you sup with us and I'll show you where you sleep.

This court is hereby declared dismissed.

Just come over here. You bring him over.

They'll say we made a bad vote.

You can quarter here.

We break bread at daybreak.

Well, what time is that?

Well, it's a different time a few seconds each day.

Good night.

Good night.

Hello, Miss Victoria.

Miss Victoria?

Let's have your boots.

My boots? What for?

I figured even you wouldn't be foolish enough to try to cross that swamp

barefooted. Come on, let's have them.

Days dragged into a week. It started dragging for two.

I must have explored that island a hundred times.

It didn't take long to walk from one side to the other.

In fact, if you weren't careful, you'd walk right off of it.

Hello, Miss Victoria.

We hang men for stealing boats in this country, stranger.

Even if you managed to get out on the river, you'd just get lost.

Anyhow, we got the fastest boatman on the river.

You wouldn't get very far.

You find my boy don't speak very much, stranger.

When he does open his mouth, he gently comes up with something real bright.

Yeah, doesn't he?

Every day I could see civilization passing by, almost within calling

I finally gave up waving when I found that all I accomplished was they waved

back.

It's a land of no return.

Who are you?

I'm just a stranger that drifted in.

And I've stayed to become one of the oldest families on the island.

They just don't let outsiders leave here.

But they've already seen us when I anchored my launch out in the river.

But they won't bother me. You see, I'm the postman.

Postman? Well, some of them do receive mail.

And if you'll answer, I have a government contract to pick up and

Here, hop in.

Crawl under this top.

We'll smuggle you out to my lodge when we're ready to leave.

I'm grateful to you, sir.

There, you're hidden.

Throw on in before they get suspicious.

Lie still and keep covered. I won't be long.

Something wrong?

Yeah. Seen anything of a stranger in city clothes?

Not a thing.

If you do, give me a holler.

I'll do that.

An hour went by.

Seemed an awful long time for a man to deliver mail.

And another thing I didn't like.

I could just barely see it from the crack under the canvas.

I didn't like the tattoo on that boatman's hand.

robbing us. You know it.

Them garments sell for $75 or better on the open market.

$10 a piece.

Mighty fat markdown, ain't it?

This isn't the open market, Forge.

And consider the risk I take peddling these things in the city. In all, I get

some here $20 or $30 a piece.

Of course, if you'd like to try to peddle them yourself, it's your goods.

You know I can't do that.

Then $10 is my price.

Take it or let it pass.

We'll take it.

But I'm telling you, you're robbing us blind, and I know it.

See you next week.

Where you been?

Taking a bath.

Mr. Stranger?

Hmm? There is one way you can deal me out of this cigar.

That is, if you really want to.

How's that?

There's one thing I've always wanted to do.

Maybe... Maybe you could help me.

What?

I wouldn't even talk about it to people here.

But you being a stranger... What do you got on your mind, Lady Bird?

You can read and write, can't you?

Well, if the words aren't too big.

I can't.

Well, you got something you want me to read to you?

No, I want you to learn me so I can read myself.

Learn you?

To read and write.

We got books.

Pretty ones, too.

A red one, a blue one, and a speckled one.

Bet they're all good ones, too.

I'll bet this red one's the best one, though. It's the prettiest.

The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.

This one's hard even for a teacher to read.

And the blue one?

Oh, that's French. I can't even read that one myself.

And this one?

the speckled ones pay there at Lady Bird.

Poor Richard's almanac.

It's about people a lot like you.

Can you learn me to read it?

You really want to learn to read, don't you?

And write.

It's even more important to me than fishing.

I wish I could help you, but I can't.

Teaching is an art you have to train for.

I couldn't teach you to read. I wouldn't know where to start.

Then you can't help me?

I'm sorry.

Leastways, you're honest.

Guess that deserves something.

You giving it to me?

Wouldn't really bait the big ones anyway, would it?

No.

You still moonin' over them books, Lady Bird?

I reckon so.

Maybe one of these days you'll be able to read them all.

You reckon?

Maybe we'll have a schoolhouse right here on this mud box. When do you reckon

we'll come by this schoolhouse, Daddy?

Oh, by and by.

Got some bad news for you, stranger.

You mean things can get worse?

Gonna have to lock you up for a spell.

Why? Oh, reasons.

Take him away, Herbert.

I'll suffocate in here.

Had you rather we kill you fast?

You know, Oliver, you're the only man I know who can win a debate by asking a

question.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, us men folks have talked it over.

Money's nice. We like it.

But we decided to do something for our very own.

So this batch goes to the women folks and the young 'uns of the colony.

sort of with you.

Ain't that nice?

Yeah.

Lady Bird!

Lady Bird!

You know what this is?

It's a dress, Daddy.

Oh,

here, here's a real nice one.

Here's a real nice one.

I guess that was the big secret.

Shipping crates.

The place was a hotbed of Bayou Pirates.

Well, that's the last of it.

Maybe your mama can cut it down for you.

All right, Herbert.

You and Oliver go let the stranger out before his mother's dead.

Hey, you all right in there?

I'm still alive, that's about all.

Boy, it's sure hot in here.

Must be. You look like you've been running. I feel like it, too.

A day or so later, I was nailed into the hut again.

They were expecting visitors, and they didn't want them to visit me.

It's all right. It's all right, Lady Bird. They won't hurt you.

The settlement welcomes you Cajuns.

We are Cajuns come in peace to hear what you offer.

You the Cajun spokesman?

I speak for the Cajuns.

Why did they choose you?

Because I can speak your language.

Oh. Who ever told you that? Will you just come on in town and follow us? We

to do some fair trading with you.

Mr. Stranger?

Well, hi, Lady Bird.

I brought you back your shirt.

Oh, thank you.

Hey, how come you haven't been around to see me the last three nights?

Daddy's afraid you might siphon out on me what they're up to.

What are they up to?

They're trading the Cajuns out of some fishing boats.

Oh, well, you better run along before I do siphon that information out of you.

Good night.

Tu sais, je suis très content.

Le bateau était pourri.

Tant mieux pour toi, mon vieux.

Over here, gentlemen.

I need help.

C 'est un homme.

Bonjour, monsieur.

Bonjour to you.

Parlez -vous English?

Non. Est -ce que monsieur parle français?

If that means if I do speak French, no.

Parlez -vous...

When the trading ended, things became the same again.

Well, almost the same.

Hello, Miss Victoria.

Hello, Victoria.

It's a nice day.

Well,

I don't know.

I kind of got attached to a stranger.

I don't think he'd give us no harm.

Come, Father David.

We've allowed you to have your way for a coon's age. I tell you, he's a danger

to the whole colony.

Simon Teller is almost certain he saw him jump out of Samson's boat the other

day. And he's trying to get away as sure as sin.

Now, what if he'd made it?

Where'd we be?

Confounded, doing him in amounts to murder.

Sometimes a man's forced to kill, David.

And have you noticed the change in Victoria lately?

When we started this thing, it was for a good cause.

Murder seems to take all the good out of it.

Not murder, David. Self -defense.

I still don't like it.

Well, now, would you abide by popular vote?

If the rest feel like us, would you let us see it our way?

Yeah, yeah. I suppose I'll have to, to be fair, yeah.

I hated to be unfair, but I decided I'd better get out of this place fast.

dressed for a fancy New Orleans ball, and walking out into that stretch of

that even the roughest island men were edgy about going into.

Daddy Forge had said I'd have more sense than to go into this swamp barefooted.

I wonder what he meant.

Hello, Victoria.

Taking a little stroll, are you?

Well, it's a nice night for it.

Oh, is that the way we dress for walking in the marshes these days?

Very nice.

Well, what's this?

Looks like a boat, doesn't it?

Feels like a boat, too.

Don't hurt him, mister.

I don't want to hurt him. Then let him go.

Well, if I let him go, he might get up and hurt me. I wouldn't like that

Who is this great defender, anyway?

Allow me to introduce myself, monsieur.

I'm called Philippe Thériault.

Howdy, I'm Brett Maverick.

Now, what do you say let's get up and both shake hands? I would consider such

thing a pleasure.

Who's this person, chérie?

The stranger.

Oh, the prisoner.

Am I wrong in believing that you two were just about to run away together?

Monsieur, it was you in the time we were trading that I saw this beautiful

flower.

In time,

we met.

Which is more than I can say.

We fall in the love, and now we go live with my people.

How did you ever talk to her in the first place?

Monsieur.

I'm a pure French blood.

I think we better go now.

I hate to be a third party on a honeymoon, but we better get underway.

What do we do with him? We gotta take him, honey.

Even Daddy'd turn on him now.

Shh.

They are coming.

From which way, honey?

This way and from this way.

Many of them.

I don't hear anything.

I have an ear for this one, monsieur.

I even knew that my Cherie was not alone when you followed.

That is why I was not at the boat when she got here.

I'm convinced.

Let's go, Cherie.

They ain't taking to the deep.

Then they gotta have a boat.

Let's get ours.

now between us and the river.

There are very good swamps in this meadow, Jesus.

My brother's the best there is.

Oliver's second best.

We wait a while so they won't know exactly where we are.

I don't understand. How can they know where we are?

We haven't made a noise to speak of.

By the same way, I know where they are, monsieur.

They stopped.

That means they gotta be over in slum Mars.

And Oliver's got them headed off at the river.

It's real bright, son. Keep pulling.

We have no fool then.

They are getting closer.

And there is only one direction still open for us.

Honey, that's the way to Arkesh.

I'll go take a look.

What is this cash, Victoria?

Some time back in the last big storm, a freight boat washed up into the bayou

and wrecked.

It was just a plumb full of real valuable freight.

Clothes and silver, all kinds of things.

Well, our men found the boat, cashed the cargo.

We've been selling it little by little to Mr. Samson.

Was the name of this freighter by any chance the Maria?

You know about it?

Yeah, it was in the papers.

The crew got away in a lifeboat.

They gave them rehab and was lost.

We ain't as bad as we might sound if you look straight at us.

We didn't reckon on spending that money foolish.

We need a school on the island and lots of things.

Why, we ain't even got a church with a roof on it.

We must go to the cash.

You just stay in there. This is where I leave you.

They'll be here any second.

I know. You two run along.

I'll try to throw them off your trail.

Why does Monsieur sacrifice himself for us?

Because I am of pure maverick blood.

Now, you two go ahead.

I won't be able to sacrifice myself.

I hope someday we can repay you.

Godspeed, sir. Au revoir, Monsieur. Merci infiniment.

Yeah, same to you.

You're the case bring the torches with one foot from here

Green sleeves was my delight.

Light your torches and

let's get in there.

Green sleeves

was my heart.

Might need to hear him talk.

That boy of yours doesn't say much, but when he does... Where is Victoria at?

Victoria? Well, they left here over a half hour ago. Went back the same

direction you came from.

What do you mean, they?

Oh, she and a Frenchman named Philippe Thoreau.

Gone to get married.

There goes that tickle heart again.

I told you not to worry about that. Man, I knew had the same thing reached 70.

What in tarnation are you doing here anyway?

Taking inventory.

This fellow's got a bigger nerve than I ever crossed before.

Inventory of what?

Oh, to see if you had enough goods here to make it worth my while to throw in

with you.

You got a pretty fair cargo.

What makes you think we'd let you throw in with us?

Oh, because I can make you three times as much as anyone else.

You know, all of a sudden, I like the way this fellow talks.

Well, I don't.

Now, watch him, Herbert.

Oliver's getting up at you again.

Cool down, Oliver. The conversation was just getting interesting.

Keep talking, stranger.

The name is Maverick.

Keep talking, Mr. Maverick.

I'll be glad to, Mr. Offord.

Now, what kind of business you boys doing now?

I'll tell you.

You're selling garments worth $75 for 10.

That's a mighty big mark down there.

That's true.

How much do you allow you could sell them for?

Oh.

Anywhere upwards from $60.

That's mighty big talk, considering we stole these goods.

What'd you have in mind for yourself?

Well, 5%. Well, that's three times more than you're getting now.

And you could build a mighty pretty schoolhouse with profit like that.

Wouldn't it be nice to see Lady Bird and the others reading and writing like

they knew how?

It won't hurt to listen to what he's got to say. And the deal don't mean a thing

if he don't deliver.

We're with you, mister.

Now, how are you going to get more money for these goods?

Well, it's easy.

You've been operating illegally with vermin like Samson.

When what you've been doing isn't illegal.

What do you mean?

Well, the Maria was abandoned by her crew.

That means the Maria belongs to anyone who finds her. It's a law of the sea,

salvage.

And the insurance has already been paid on the cargo, so you can sell those

goods on the open market in New Orleans.

Is that a fact?

Yeah, true.

He'll be a cousin to a bull gator.

You know something, Maverick?

What's that, Mr. Offord?

We don't need you anymore, do we?

No, no, no, Anthony.

We made a deal with a stranger, and we gotta stick by it.

I'll tell you something, David.

We wouldn't have had the stomach to kill him in the first place.

A gingerbread boy, I am, I am.

I can run, I can, I can.

She's looking downright girlish lately, ain't she?

You know, I used to think Victoria was all there was in a woman.

I'm beginning to change my mind some lately.

Are you insulting my daughter?

Praising one.

You're determined to marry a forge one way or another, ain't you?

There goes that old tickle heart again.

The man I knew with the same thing lived to see 70.

I wish you'd stop saying that.

I am 70.