Original subtitles

OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hi-yah!

Yah!

Yah!

Yah!

Howdy, folks.

I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another interesting true story for you

about the historic Death Valley country.

What happens when a sinner,

and a real smart one,

joins up with a band of Saints?

Saints with a capital S.

That'’s the situation in the story you'’re about to hear.

A story I call...

It is the first week of April 1847.

In the back room of a lodging house

in the bustling frontier town of St. Joseph, Missouri,

James Reeves is busy at work behind locked doors

making counterfeit bank notes.

[ knock at door ]

Who is it?

MAN: Sheriff Mack.

[ knock on door again ]

SHERIFF: All right, come on. What'’s the idea?

Open up!

[ knock on door ]

Evening, Sheriff.

What a night.

To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit from the law?

Heard you were looking for a team and wagon.

Is that right?I sure am. Do you know of one?

Wasn'’t thinking of skipping town, was you?

You will have your little joke, now, Sheriff.

All right, Reeves.

Ain'’t got nothin' pinned on you, yet, Reeves.

So if you want this outfit

it'’ll cost you 800 bucks.

800 buck?

Brigham Young has bought up everything in sight.

Brigham Young?

He'’s leading his first party west

from Winter Quarters up the river,

to the "Promised Land."

When?

How soon?

Day after tomorrow they leave.

Hey, maybe you'’ll be thinking of joining '’em.

Yes, by gosh, I will.

Hey, you must be in an all fired hurry to leave town.

A slick article like you taking up

with the Latter Day Saints.

[ groans ] Lay off me, Sheriff.

I'’m in a hurry to get West.

All right, sonny.

Just fork over $800 for this wagon team

and you can leave town...

with my blessings.

Oh, no, no, no.

Good, hard, cold cash on the barrelhead.

Coin of the realm.

None of those pretty picture papers of yours, sonny.

Give me some time to get the money.Sure.

Daylight tomorrow morning.I'’ll have it.

Here.

Take your tools with you.

You don'’t think I'’d leave 'em here

for you to use, do you, Sheriff?

You know, boy? It makes me feel

real good to consign you

and your considerable talents to Brother Brigham.

Let'’s see what he'’ll make out of ya.

James Reeves?Yeah?

I spoke to Brigham Young.

He says it'’s all right

so long as you provide your own food.

I'’m well-stocked.

Because we'’ve got just enough to last.

Measured down to the last pound of flour.

Where is it you'’re bound for?

California? Oregon?

That is between Brigham Young...

and God.

Even you don'’t know?

MAN: I am only an elder in the Church.

You are an outsider.

Well, I trust I won'’t be regarded

as too much of an outsider.

Even though I haven'’t been baptized...

just yet.

ELDER: Then you are interested?

REEVES: I certainly am. ELDER: Good.

You can fall in line anywhere with your wagon.

Thank you, Elder Snow.

Is that farm implements you have here?

Under this tarpaulin?

Uh-- No...

Oh.

I was hoping it was.

We'’re taking along all we'’ve got room for.

Seeds, too. So that we can start planting

soon as we find the Promised Land.

You'’ll be expected to do your share of work.

We'’re letting you go along

because you'’ve got a good right arm.

I'’ve got two good arms.

For the service of the Lord.

Amen.

Uh, A-Amen.

It will be your duty to keep a record

of the distance covered each day

by counting the revolutions of your wagon wheel.

And no guesswork, either.

On the basis of your reports,

we will establish mileposts along the way

for the benefit of those who follow.

[ scoffs ]

James Reeves.

Oh, me?

You will gather buffalo chips.

Buffalo chips?

To use as fuel for our campfires.

Look, Elder, that'’s the lowest job

in the whole outfit.

If there is any trade at which you are proficient,

name it. I'’m a--

[ scoffs ] I'’d be very glad

to pay somebody to do the work for me.

Put your money away.

Every man in this company works for the common good.

You'’ve had your orders.

[ mutters ] That'’s what you think.

What'’s it worth to you to take over my job?

I'’ve already got a job.

What about you?

He has a job, too. Everybody has.

Yeah, but, look. Here'’s your chance

to make a little extra money.

Money has no place with us.

But it must have.

What do you do when you want to buy things?

Food, clothing?

The barter system works very well.

Barter?

ELDER SNOW: Reeves!

Get a basket and start gathering fuel.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

We'’ve been gathering roots

that we can use for dyes.

Uh-- This is "fuel."

You'’ve never pioneered before.

I can tell by your actions.

No, uh-- I'’m a city man.

What line of work?

Uh...printing.

Books, how wonderful.

And, um, general stuff.

Have you read the works

of our prophet, Joseph Smith?

No, I'’m afraid not.

Or the Discourses of Brigham Young?

But he doesn'’t have to.

He can hear him preach.

WOMAN: If he attends the meetings.

Would you like to?

There'’s a hymn sing this evening.

Why, thank you. I should be delighted.

♪ ...then are free from toil and sorrow, too ♪

♪ With the just we shall dwell ♪

♪ But if our lives are spared again ♪

♪ To see the Saints their rest obtain ♪

♪ Oh, how we'’ll make this chorus swell ♪

♪ All is well

♪ All is well ♪

You weren'’t singing.

I didn'’t know the words.

I'’ll teach them to you.

When?

Tomorrow when we make camp.

I'’ll be there with my best voice.

"The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.

"The latter day glory begins to come forth."

Now, repeat after me.

You have the longest eyelashes I'’ve ever seen.

Why, Brother James. You'’re being irreverent.

I'’m sorry.

How did you ever happen to join this company?

I was in a hurry to get West.

What are you going to do when you get there?

Make a fortune.

You'’re very sure of yourself, aren'’t you?

[ scoffs ] I'’ve already made quite a pile.

You ever seen money?

Come on, touch it. It won'’t bite you.

[ laughs ]

I love to see you laugh.

You have a dimple that comes and goes.

Why, I believe you'’re flirting with me.

You do it with every girl?

You'’re the first Mormon, I swear.

[ laughs ]

What'’s the matter?

Lot of folks claim you Mormons have horns.

Well, look and see.

MAN: Sister Judith!

Brother Lorenzo! [ stutters ]

I was just teaching Brother James

the words of our hymns.

There'’s work to be done--

the evening meal to prepare

and fuel needed for the fires to cook it.

There are no buffalo along this part of the trail.

I'’ve looked.

Then find a substitute.

Why are we taking this cut through the mountains?

I thought we were sticking to the Oregon Trail.

We'’re not going to Oregon.

Well, where are we going?

To the Promised Land.And where'’s that?

The Lord is directing us.You don'’t know.

We'’re just wandering around through the wilderness.

Brigham Young will recognize the place.

Then I'’ll go and ask him.

Brigham Young is sick.

Stricken with mountain fever.

He can talk to no one.

Stop it here.

Whoa!

Brother Brigham,

we'’re out of the Canyon.

We'’re on a high plateau.

Off there is the West.

It is enough.

This is the place.

We will settle in that valley.

Here on this campsite,

we will build a city of Zion...

according to these plans which I have drawn up.

To the North, between the two creeks,

will stand the Temple of our God.

YOUNG: On a lot of 40 acres, adorned with trees,

the city will be divided into blocks of ten acres each,

with eight lots in a block of one and a quarter acre each.

Each man will be apportioned a lot.

The streets will be wide.

No house will be permitted--

You fellas don'’t need a whole acre and a quarter

to build a house on.

Take an acre of it off your hands.

The same offer goes to you.

YOUNG: No man will be proffered to cut up his lot

and sell a part of it,

to speculate out of his brethren.

Every man must keep his lot whole...

for the Lord hath given it to us without price.

The same is true of the land outside the city.

It will be farmed cooperatively

and neither bought nor sold.

Doesn'’t look like anything would grow in this soil.

Dry as a bone.

I thought the Promised Land would be cool and green.

There must be springs.

There'’s certainly water up there in those mountains.

And the man who owns the water rights

will make a fortune.

I'’ll ride up there the first chance I get and locate.

Pick up the timber rights, too.

Behold, the future Lumber King

of the Salt Lake Valley.[ laughs ]

Ah, there you are.

I was looking for you.

You'’ve been assigned to a party to go

up into the mountains to cut timber.

Timber?

For the stockade. Later on, for houses.

We'’ll need plenty.

Well, man, what are you gawping at?

Would you mind telling me who got there first?

Why, the Lord, of course.

It'’s him we have to thank

for the trees, the streams.

We'’ll bring water down, too,

for irrigation.

We?

The Mormon Church.

I see.

[ gasps ]

You'’re back.

A receipt for my services cutting timber,

which I'’m about to present in exchange for food.

You Mormons certainly fix it so nobody ever gets rich.

Food is worth it'’s weight in gold, at this point.

Brigham Young put us on strict rations when he left.

He'’s gone?Back East.

To bring out another party in the Spring.

He...made some other things

rather plain, too, before he left.

A single woman has no place

in a community like this.

I quite agree.

I must select a husband.That'’s easy.

Marry me.

But you'’re not of our faith.

What difference does that make?

I love you and you love me.

But you don'’t understand.

Our laws are very strict.

All right, then.

We'’ll move on to California.

I'’ve got plenty of money,

and there'’s lots more where this came from.

Why do you always think you can buy whatever you want?

It isn'’t a question of money.

These are my people.

I belong here.How can we get around them, then?

There'’s only one way.

You join the church.

Me? Become a Mormon? Never.

I didn'’t realize you felt that strongly about it.

I'’m sorry, but I just can'’t go along

with all these things you Mormons believe in,

these signs and miracles and revelations.

They'’re ridiculous.

Then I'’ll marry someone who does.Who?

Not that old blue-nose, Brother Lorenzo.

He'’s old enough to be your father.

Judith, you couldn'’t love him.

Brother Lorenzo'’s a fine man.

And I respect him.

You don'’t know anything at all about love.

But I could teach you.

How dare you,

you-- you infidel!

I hate you. I despise you.

I don'’t ever want to see you again.

You won'’t. I'’m packing up and pulling out of here today,

shaking the dust

of you Mormons off my feet forever.

All I need is enough supplies

to last me till I get to Fort Pritchard.

I'’ll pay you well.

We don'’t want your money.

Stop telling me that.

This once you'’ve got to take it.

But we do need you.

We'’re facing privations.

Hunger.

Dangers we know nothing about.

We need all the help we can get

till this year'’s crops are in.

Then I have no choice?

You'’ve ridden along on our coattails

this far, Brother Reeves.

You can'’t run out on us now.

Seems to me she ought to be on her feet by now.

These low fevers hang on.

She'’s been sick all winter.

Three times I'’ve posted our marriage banns,

and each time she'’s had a relapse.

You can'’t go against nature.

That soup you'’re making ought to put strength into her.

Mmm.

Has a powerful smell.

It'’s a piece of buffalo-hide quilt

I scraped the hair off of and boiled up.

[ knock on door ]

Ah, Reeves.

I brought you some more firewood.

Thank you very much.

You'’re just the fellow I wanted to see, Brother James.

What for?

The Church has given me a consignment of lumber,

at last, to build my new house.

Our new house.

And your services to help build it.

My services?I'’d like to get started at once

so it'’ll be ready to move into after we'’re married.

Why the devil should I build your house?

You haven'’t a word to say about it, Brother,

as long as you'’re a member of this community.

The lumber will be delivered to my lot tomorrow morning.

I'’ll see you there.

[ exhales ]

Brigham Young will be gratified

with what we'’ve accomplished during his absence.

A score of babies born, more than a hundred houses built,

crops planted, and first grain heading up.

Just in time to save us all from starvation.

I knew we'’d make out.

Look, there'’s another.

Look!

The sky'’s full of them!

[ loud buzzing ]

Quick, to the fields!

Before they attack our crops!

Round up everybody.

Tell them to bring rakes, shovels,

anything they can fight with.

[ loud buzzing ]

Hurry up!

Flank them in the irrigation ditches! Drown them!

It'’s no use.

For every one we kill,

two more come to bear it.

Where'’s that "God" of yours now,

who brought us to this "Promised Land?"

You mustn'’t lose faith, Jim.

I never had it. How right I was.

A lot of good your preaching and praying

and singing has done you.

It'’s the only thing left for us, now.

Pray.

Sistren and brethren!

Let us all unite in prayer.

Is he crazy? Stopping to pray at a time like this?

Old fool.

Almighty God...

look down upon these, thy children,

we beseech thee.

Hear our prayer.

We have worked hard and endured much, O Lord,

to build a kingdom here,

where we could worship thee according to our lights...

and preach thy gospel.

Judith, you look so tired, so worn.

Pray, Jim. Pray.

Rid us of these varmints, Lord!

Even as thou didst rid the land of Egypt

of it'’s plague of locusts in the days of Moses--

Save this land.

Don'’t let these people starve.

Not for myself, but for her, O Lord.

Amen.

We ask it in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

[ seagulls cawing ]

[ loud cawing ]

Seagulls!

They can'’t be!

Here? In the middle of the desert?

They'’re coming down.

Look!

They'’re after the crickets!

They'’re devouring them!

They'’re eating them!

They'’re eating them!

[ loud cawing ]

It'’s a miracle.

Yes. Straight from heaven.

Thank you, Lord.

No man could live through such an experience

and not come to believe.

If it'’s done that for you,

then it was worth all we went through.

The first time in my life I ever prayed for something

instead of trying to buy it.

You'’ve come a long way, Jim.

You don'’t know how far.

I'’ve always been a fake.

I don'’t believe that.It'’s true.

Instead of going after the real thing,

I'’d settle for imitations.

Cheap counterfeit.

I'’m real.

Judith.

Is there any hope for me?

Miracles have happened.

OLD RANGER: In Temple Square, Salt Lake City,

is this monument to a seagull,

the only monument in the United States

in honor of a bird.

It'’s a state crime, out there, to kill a seagull.

For, to this day, whenever the scourge

of crickets threatens,

the seagulls are ready and waiting

to save the crops of Utah.