All language subtitles for Death.Valley.Days.S04E02.The.Valencia.Cake.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-bigworm_track3_[eng]

THE OLD RANGER:
And now,

Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [trumpet]

Howdy, folks.

I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have
another interesting,

true story for you

about the historic
Death Valley country.

Tonight I'’m going to take
you inside the walled garden

of one of the famous
old haciendas of New Mexico.

And there,
let you hear from the lips
of a distinguished lady

who'’s far more qualified
to tell it than I.

The story of...

It looks like
any simple cake.

Not even iced.

Yet, I suppose this
is the most priceless cake
in history.

Worth half a million dollars,
at least--

American dollars.

At the time
this story begins, however,

none of us had ever seen
an American dollar.

It is the year 1818,
a night in spring.

Here, in this very place,
a great tithing is being held,

to welcome home
Don Antonio Fernández,

and his bride,

Isabella de Castillo.

You may find it difficult
to recognize me,

the old lady of today,

as that bride.

♪♪

My beloved,

I am the happiest man
in all New Spain.

And I am the most
fortunate girl.

When I think that my father
could have married me

to anyone he chose,

and he chose
a man I love.

A man?

The man.

The only man
in the world.

Querida mía.

How wonderful,
at long last,

to be rid of
that dueñaof yours.

Isn'’t it?

Whenever we tried
to steal a moment together,

bursting in on us
with that booming voice.

WOMAN:
Isabella!

Isabella!I'’m here Doña Elena,

With her husband.

The air was close inside.

The governor arriving,
and neither one
of you on hand.

Don Facundo!

Your Excellency.My compliments,
Doña Isabel.

A thousand pardons
for not being present
to welcome you.

It is I who should apologize
for arriving so late.

But perhaps, when you see
what I have brought for you,

I will be forgiven.

A wedding present.

From His Majesty
Ferdinand VII.

The king!

It was delivered today,
in Santa Fé,

by fast courier
from México City.

My request
has been granted?

DON FACUNDO:
Even greater
than we had hoped.

As governor of the royal
province of New México,

it gives me a great happiness
to present this to you.

What is it, Antonio?

An appointment?

WOMAN:
A title!

A grant of land.

One of the greatest
grant ever bestowed

by the crown
upon a single individual.

A million acres,

in reward for his services
as a soldier and a statesmen.

And in recognition
of his distinguished
family name.

This land, Antonio--

Lies all around us.

There was the reason
for building the house

where I did.

And you never told me?

Well, the royal seal
is on it, now.

So, guard that paper well,
Don Antonio.

Never fear.

There is no need to keep
the news a secret?

No, none forever.

Your Excellency.

Were there
any other grants

among the dispatchers,
your Excellency?

No.

This was the only one.

My request went to Spain
nearly a year ago.

Well, in due course.
Perhaps.

With acres being
given away by the millions,
I wonder.

The Valencia Grant.

The finest tract of land

in the province
of New México.

It has everything.

Wooded hills,
fine springs,

rich valleys
for pasturage.

It sounds
like a kingdom.

A kingdom for us.

And our children.

And our
children'’s children.

And you, you beloved...

shall be its first queen.

Of all
those million acres

that we now own,

I myself,
saw a near small portion

during the years
that immediately followed.

But I had
my own responsibilities

as mistress
at the household.

And as mother
of a young son.

And when one day
in the autumn of 1821,

my husband
took me with him

on a ride of inspection...

I can'’t
believe my eyes.

The improvements
you'’ve made.

This is only
the beginning.

I have plans
for vineyards and orchards.

An irrigation system.

And they say that
the great land owners

are a lazy, selfish lot.

I don'’t think
any of your peons

work as hard
as you do, darling.

That is another thing
I want to do.

Make life better
for our workers.

[horse neighing]

Don José.

DON JOSEÉ:
Don Antonio.

My compliments,
Doña Isabella.

Enjoying a look

at your royal grant,
I see.

I'’m glad you have
ridden this way, Don José.

We are giving
a small dinner party

this Saturday evening.

And I hope you will
honor us with your presence.

I'’m afraid not,
Doña Isabella.

Governor Melgares
is riding up

from Santa Fé
for the occasion.

Don Facundo?

Of course.

Only he happens no longer
to be governor.

You have not heard?

The viceroy has appointed
another man in his place?

There is no longer
a viceroy.

New Spain
has thrown off the yoke.

Declared
its independence.

It is now México.

And the king?

Your royal
benefactor, Doña,

has been repudiated.

He refused
to meet the demands

of the Revolutionaries.

When did this happen?

The news
just reached Santa Fé.

Then it was
a month ago, at least.

But already,
I understand,

the new government
is turning things
inside out.

Making appointments,

restoring titles,
redistributing land.

[sighs]
My sincere regrets,
Doña Isabella,

about the dinner.

But I should be well
on my way to México City
by Saturday night.

God-willing.

Adiós.

What do
this mean, Antonio?

[horses galloping]

A better government,
let'’s hope.

Shall we leave
the gentlemen

to their brandy
and cigars?

Our host has been
very silent this evening.

I have been listening,
and thinking.

Don'’t be too long
about it, amigo.

There'’s no time
to be lost.

The warning I just gave,

it applies to you
more than anyone else

as owner of the greatest
land grant in New México.

You have the paper
with the key seal on it?

Where you can lay
your hand on it?

Of course.

In my strongbox
with my other papers.

Then take it
to México City at once

and have it ratified

before somebody
seizes your land

and parcels it out.

Don'’t they realize
that it is men
like myself

who are developing
this country?

Point it out to them,

and the chances are
you might persuade them.

And they will
confirm the grant.

There are a few matters
to attend to here.

Wait for nothing.

It will be a month

before you reach
the capital, at best.

And in that time,
anything can happen.

I leave tomorrow.

Excellent.

Ah, yes.
The Valencia Grant.

A remarkable instrument,
the pen.

Is it not?

A few strokes with it

can mean life to a man...

or death.

Or riches, or ruin.

That is true.

It sounds like
a pleasant life.

Over more than
a million acres

with slaves
to do one'’s bidding.

[dry chuckle]

I envy you, señor.

My peons
are not slaves, señor.

No?

The Valencia Grant,
Don Antonio.

Confirmed by
the government of México.

Thank you, Señor Chávez.

And so our great domain

continued under
the flag of México.

The land flourished.
Our son grew to manhood.

Then came war.
Brief but bitter.

The Treaty
of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

And in 1848, a new flag

flew over the hacienda.

A flag for which our son
had chosen to fight.

There was another choice
he had also made.

Without telling.

Oh, Tony.

Tony, let me look at you.

If you knew how I prayed
you would come back safely.

And here I am.

So, now, darling,
you have only to pray

that my father
will give us his blessing.

You have not
told him yet?

I'’m just on my way home.

But I had
to stop here first

and make sure
you still loved me.

Oh, more
than ever, querido.

A thousand times more.

It is good
to have you home, Antonio.

[chuckling]
Antonio.

It sounds so formal.

I'’m used to being
called Tony, now.

By your Army friends?

And others.

And you prefer it?Sure.

Mm. And more American.

It makes for less confusion
in the family.

Where we both
have the same name.

And better
than being known

as Young Antonio
and Old Antonio.

I didn'’t mean that, sir.

It is quite true.

I am beginning to feel
the years a bit.

I'’m proud to have a son

on whom I can shift
some of the responsibility.

I'’ll be glad to take over
as much as you want.

I have
all kinds of ideas.

I am sure, I'’m sure.

More modern methods
of agriculture,

stock breeding, that is,
with your approval, sir.

Why not?

I was no older than you

when I received
the Valencia Grant.

[sighs]

I had just brought
your mother home here...

as my bride.

Speaking
of marriage, sir.

I was just
in the point of it.

So was I.

It is time
you will marry, my son.

I agree with you.

Good.

For I have a wife
all picked out for you.

No.Yes.

In fact,
I have sent for her

to come here today.

Father, I'’m sorry, but--

She'’s suitable
in every way.

Young, of a good family,
convent-bred.

With a large dowry,
I suppose.

Well, that is generally
taken into consideration.

Well, I think
it'’s barbaric.

This whole business
of arranging a marriage.

I'’m going to marry
whom I please.

You have a duty, Antonio.

But I'’ve already
found the girl

I want to marry.

An American?

We'’re all Americans now.

Perhaps
I'’m an old-fashioned--

You married
the girl you loved.

This girl?

You will
soon grow to love.

WOMAN #2:
Don Antonio'’s

in the garden,
Señorita Charlita.

There she is now.

TONY:
Charlita?

Yes.

It is she that you--

Arranged for.

But of course.

Father.

Charlita.

Soon, there were
three generations

of the Fernández family

under the roof
of the old hacienda.

The years flowed along

so happily
and prosperously

that I never thought
about growing old.

But Antonio realized

that time for him
was running out.

And made
his preparations.

On the day of my funeral,

see to it

that 50 measures of corn

and 12 head of cattle

are distributed
to all the poor

upon my land.

You sent for us, Father?

Yes, yes.

I have been dictating my will
to Father Olivares, here,

disposing of
all my possessions.

Including my soul,[gasps]

[chuckles]
which I commended to God.

Oh.

But there remains one matter.

And for this,
I wished you both present.

Yes, Father.

Yes, Grandfather.

[sighs]
Uh, bring me my
strongbox, Tony.

The one with the,
uh, mortgages in it.

What are mortgages?

Just pieces of paper.

Goodness. There'’s
hundreds of them.

From people all over
New México to whom

your grandfather
has loaned money.

I had forgotten,
myself, how many.

It'’s been so long
since I looked at them.

Much less collected
interest on them.

Why should I?

When I don'’t need it?

A mortgage is
a business arrangement, sir.Mm.

Sometimes. Sometimes.

And, again, it is simply
a means of helping someone

without letting
his pride suffer.

[sighs]
Put them in the fire.

You want me to burn them?

To ashes.

These papers represent

only a tiny fraction
of my property.

But, to the men
against whom they'’re drawn,

they represent possibly
the difference between

human comfort
and actual want.

Wealth is a great privilege
and an obligation.

Remember that, both of you.

And try, always,
to live up to it.

And to the name
of Fernández.

Yes, Father.

♪♪ [Spanish guitar]

♪♪ [guitar intensifies]

Grandfather, you'’re not
even watching them burn.

I'’m watching
the reflection on the wall.

The reflection
from hundreds of hearts

all over New México.

While fires burn a little
more brightly tonight.

ISABELLA:
With the death
of my dear husband,

an era came to an end.

And trouble began
for the Fernández family.

I'’m sorry, Mr. Fernández,
but you have no leg to stand on.

My family has lived on the
Valencia Estate since 1818.

Oh, you'’re entitled to
squatter'’s rights, of course.

Squatters? The Fernández?

Doesn'’t make any
difference who you are.

St. Peter himself
would have to prove title

to a million acres.

I already told you.
The land was given to us

by the King of Spain.

I have here an affidavit
signed by my mother.

That means nothing.

I have here, also, a map.

Hand-drawn.

Land was never surveyed?No, sir.

Then it'’s all just guesswork.

No. The boundaries were clearly
stated in the original grant.

"On the south,
from Crow Springs,

"so many cigarettes westward
along the Cordillera."

So many cigarettes?

The length of time
that it takes to smoke

a certain number
of cigarettes

while riding
slowly on horseback.

[laughs]

You really measured
distance that way?

We did.[sighs]

You Mexicans. No wonder
you couldn'’t hang on

to what you had.

You are talking, sir,
to a man who fought

in the United States Army.

You'’re talking to a man
who'’s very busy.

There'’s only one thing
that'’ll convince Uncle Sam

that you own that land.

That'’s the original grant.

But I'’ve explained.
The paper'’s been misplaced.

[scoffs]
I have other folks waiting
to see me, Mr. Fernández.

We'’ll make another search.

But if we don'’t find it?

Then the Fernández Estate
will be put up for public sale.

I see.

Thank you.

It'’s no use, Mother.
I'’ve ransacked the whole house.

The paper is lost.

How could it have happened?
Anything so valuable.

I have a horrible feeling
that it was burned up.

Along with the mortgages.

Tony.

I probably threw it
into the fire with my own hands.

Surely you would have noticed.

Among all those papers?
There were hundreds in that box.

I could kick myself.

You looked in the
box, of course.

The box was thrown out
right afterwards.

No place to keep
valuable papers in, anyway.

I'’d been telling Father
for years he should use a safe.

A lot of good
the safe is doing me now.

What is done, is done, Tony.

It'’s for you, Mother,
that I feel the worst.

The rest of us, we can
adjust. Find a new way of life.

If only Governor Melgares
was still living.

Thank you, my darlings.

Fetch us some wine, Maria.

Yes, Señora.

The Amontillado!

Yes, Señor.

And some cake.
Some nice, fresh cake.

What made you think
that, every day,

old Maria can find
time to bake cake?

Because I smelled it
as I came in.

Hmm.And hurry up with it.

I'’m starving.

Young beggar.

You have been riding?Yes, Grandmother.

And what do you
think happened, Father?

A man came up to me
and said I was

trespassing on his
property. His!

Perhaps you were.

He ordered me off
with a shotgun.

It wasn'’t his property.
I was only over at the Arroyo.

Antonio, you are
the youngest person present

and you are doing
all the talking.

I'’m sorry.
Excuse me, Grandmother.

Thank you, Maria.

Just what will
the Land Office

allow us to hold

as squatters?

The house. A few acres
surrounding it.

Where once we had a million.

Tempora mutantum.

What does that mean?

Times change.

And we must
change with them.

It'’s not fair, Mother.

I will not pretend
to be happy about it.

I loved the old order.

But, I suppose, no man
really needs a million acres.

You'’re not turning democratic,
are you, Grandmother?

Your grandfather
felt the same.

Look how much he gave
away during his lifetime.

That proves this land
belonged to him.

You cannot give away
what is not yours.

I'’ve told all that
to the land officials,

but they always come back
with the same thing.

The grant. The original
grant is the only proof.

You will be served
last, young boy.

No cake for me.
I must watch my figure.Nor for me.

I'’ll take their share.

Young pig.

Eating too fast.

You deserve
to be choked.

[chokes]

You see?

What'’s the idea of leaving
paper on the bottom of the cake?

Cakes always
are baked on paper.

But does it have
to be such filthy paper?

"Filthy?" He calls
my cooking "filthy?"

Well, look at it.

It'’s got writing
on it. And it'’s--

That'’s funny.
It'’s Grandfather's signature.

Father, look.

See? "Don Antonio Fernández."

You are right. It is.

Nobody else ever made
his F'’s like that.

But the rest
of the writing is not his.

No. This is something
he has signed.

My cake!
My wonderful cake!

Devil take your cake!

This is the thanks
that poor old Maria gets
for hours of baking.

Maria, where did
you find this paper?

I didn'’t steal it, Señor.

It was in an old box
that you threw out

that I saved.

The paper we have been
searching for all this time.

Tony--You mean--

The Valencia grant!

The paper is badly spotted

and the ink is faded, but you
can still read the writing.

But it is only part of it.Maria!

The rest is in the kitchen.

Thank heaven
you didn'’t destroy it.

Would I, then, be so shiftless
as to destroy good paper?

Bring it here,
Maria, at once!

At once!At once, Maria!

At once!

Antonio, beloved.

Yes, Grandmother?

She'’s not speaking
to you, my son.

"A kingdom for our children.

And our children'’s children."

May they prove as worthy
of their trust as you were.

One corner of the famous paper
never could be found.

That corner, it so happened,
which contained part

of the signature
of Governor Melgares

approving the original
Spanish grant.

The Court of Land Claims
did allow us, though,

the maximum amount of land
under a grant Méxicano.

Which was considerable.

After all, who needs
a million acres?

Isn'’t that
a wonderful story?

Just going to prove
that some folks

can have their cake
and eat it, too.

♪♪ [trumpet]