Original subtitles

THE OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hyah! 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.

Tonight, I'’m going to tell you a story

how a piano and a beautiful song

unlocked a mystery in a small western town.

I call it...

♪♪ [ piano ]

It started in Stuttgart, Germany,

in the 1870s.

That'’s the best-sounding piano I ever heard.

I assure you, madam, there is nothing better made

anywhere in the world.

Why, we have been manufacturing pianos since 1790.

That'’s a mighty long time.

Say, that song you played.

"An den Sonnenschein."

That'’s my favorite.It is mine too.

Are you German, sir?

No. My grandfather was.

But me? I'’m New Mexican.

A New Mexican? I do not understand.

Oh, well, Papa means we live in the New Mexico Territory.

That'’s in the southwest part of the United States.

I don'’t suppose you ever heard of the Lovely Julie Silver Mine.

Me and my partner, Mike Forbes, we own it.

He'’s back there running it and I'’m over here, spending the profits.

[ laughs ]

Lovely Julie.

Yeah, I named it after my girl here.

It is a beautiful name.

This is our home.

A place like that deserves a piano like this.

Well, I don'’t know.

I was thinking something a little better.

Oh, I can assure you, sir, there is none better.

Well, I mean better-looking. You know, kind of fix it up.

Put silver all over the legs.

Silver trim and, uh, maybe my initials right about here.

I can have that done, sir.

Of course, there will be an additional charge.

And it will take several months.

Oh, time and money are no object.

Just as long as it'’s the best-looking piano you can make, boy.

It will be. All right, then I'’ll take it.

Papa?

Pardon me.

[ no audible dialogue ]

Say, on second thought, I won'’t take it.

Won'’t take it?

No. You see,

well, there ain'’t nobody back home

that could teach Julie how to play,

and, of course, that'’s the whole idea of getting the piano.

Nobody at all, sir?

No, nobody.

Now, uh, see, if we could find someone that, well,

could play like you and, uh, maybe look like you.

Say, are you married?No, sir.

And maybe, uh, well, single like you.

We, um-- Well?

I know just the man, sir.

He would consider it a great pleasure to come to your country

and play the piano with silver leggs.

Whoa.

Well, here we are.

You will be careful of the piano, please?

Like it was a box of eggs.

By the time you find these here folks,

I'’ll have that piano sitting right there on that platform.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

I am looking for the Braun residence, please.

Bronze? Braun.

Braun. Up the street, turn to your left.

You can'’t miss it.

Thank you.

Mr. Mahler!

Good day, Miss Julie.

I have just arrived at the town with your piano.

Didn'’t-- Well, didn't you get my letter?

Your letter?

Well, I wrote a month ago.

Oh, I left Germany more than a month ago.

Oh. Won'’t you please come in?

Isn'’t exactly what you expected, is it?

Why, it is very, very nice.

What is it about this letter you sent?

I wanted to try and stop you from coming.

I wanted to try to get our money back.

From the piano. Get it back?

Yes. When we got back from Europe,

we learned that my father'’s mine had run out of ore

and it was closed up.

Our debts had piled up so, it took everything we owned

to cover them.

My father couldn'’t stand it.

He-- Well, he--

He was killed.

Killed?

Yes. I'’m sure of it.

That'’s what Mother thinks.

But I can'’t believe it.

He left a farewell note.

I don'’t believe that he ever wrote that note.

Oh, my husband wasn'’t the kind of a man

to run away and leave his wife and daughter.

Mother, please.

Oh, you'’re right, Julie.

I shouldn'’t burden Mr. Mahler with our problem.

But you can see that under the circumstances,

piano lessons are out of the question.

I'’m only sorry that you had this long trip for nothing.

But I am so sorry you'’ve had such misfortune.

Is it possible that you could sell the piano to someone here?

Mother.

Oh, maybe we could.

Well, it is the only piano within 300 miles.

Pianos are that rare?

Perhaps the people around here would pay to hear me play.

I could give concerts.

Concerts. That'’s a wonderful idea.

Then I will try it.

I will need a place to stay.

Would you have room for another boarder?

With meals, if you please?

Oh, we'’d be very happy to have you stay with us.

Wunderbar.Then I will get my bags

and have the piano brought right out.

You will see. Everything will be fine.

♪♪ [ random piano notes ]

[ chatter ] MAN: How am I doing?

♪♪ [ picking out melody ]

Now, wait a minute, young fellow.

Who brought this piano in here?

I did.

By what right? This piano belongs to the Brauns.

Not anymore it don'’t. This happens to be my piano now.

Your piano? I do not understand.

Sheriff, maybe you better explain it to him.

Well, the law'’s on his side, son.

This is Mr. Forbes.

He was Braun'’s partner, and he'’s got a lien on Braun'’s property

to pay off all debts.

Mr. Braun'’s partner?

You must be that Dutchman who brought this thing over.

Can you play it?

Ja,I can.

Well, fine.

You know, piano players are a little scarce

out in this territory.

How'’d you like a job playing it?

In here?

[ exclaiming ][ chattering, laughing ]

And the sheriff said he had a legal right to take it.

He took the piano like he'’s taken everything else we'’ve owned.

He seems to have benefited a great deal by your father'’s disappearance.

It does seem that way, doesn'’t it?

What-What happened the day your father disappeared?

Well, Pa and Mr. Forbes

had been together all day,

going over their business affairs.

He was very upset, and hardly touched his supper.

The next morning, we found a note saying he'’d gone away to make a new start

and would send for us.

And you have never found anything that might connect him

with your father'’s disappearance?

No. We'’ve never found out anything.

Perhaps I can.

With the help of your piano.

♪♪ [ piano ]

[ piano stops ]

How do you like that, folks?[ clapping ]

The only piano in New Mexico.

And a piano player imported all the way from Germany.

Can'’t beat that, can you?

MAN: Hard to beat.

Come on, Mahler, play some more, huh?

♪♪ [ piano ]

[ no audible dialogue ]

♪♪ [ piano continues ]

There, there, Ellen. There'’s nothing to get excited about.

Everything'’s all right.

Music. I hear music.

That'’s my new piano. Sounds nice, doesn'’t it?

You must get dressed for our guests.

There'’s plenty of time for that.

I'’ve put out the best china for the occasion.

Doesn'’t it look nice?

It looks real pretty, Ellen.

Real pretty.

Hank will like that music.

Hank isn'’t gonna be there. I told you that. Now forget him.

But Mary'’s my best friend.

I'’d better hurry. We're going riding in the hills.

♪♪ [ piano exercises ]

♪♪ [ piano continues ]

♪♪ [ loud, discordant notes ]

♪♪ [ exercise resumes ]

Hello, Ling.

How is Mrs. Forbes?

Not good. Very sick.

That'’s too bad.

We haven'’t seen her in such a long time.

Got to stay in bed all the time.

Very sick.

[ piano stops ]

Did you find out anything?

I went through his desk.

If he has anything incriminating,

then he must keep it in the safe.

That is beyond my humble talents.

I don'’t think we'll ever find out what really happened.

Please, do not give up hope, liebchen.

My father'’s one hope was that I would learn to play piano well.

He loved music. Ja,I know.

Please, Kurt, just for me,

would you play his favorite song?

"An den Sonnenschein"?Certainly.

♪♪ [ piano ]

[ piano stops ] Please don'’t stop.

Mrs. Forbes.

We heard you were ill.

But your hair-- it'’s white.

What happened?

Why didn'’t they tell me we had guests?

Mrs. Forbes, don'’t you recognize me?

I'’m Julie.

Julie Braun.

Won'’t you please play some more? An encore?

I'’d be willing to pay.

I would be very happy to.

Ellen, try to remember.

Julie. Julie Braun.♪♪ [ piano ]

Julie Braun.

Julie Braun.

You must remember. Hank Braun'’s daughter?

Hank? Hank Braun? That song.

It was his favorite.

Why doesn'’t he come to see us anymore?

He should never have gone there.

Poor Hank.

Where did he go, Ellen?

Tell us.

I would like to attend

all of the concerts this season.

I'’ll get a new dress.

Maybe there'’ll be a dance or two.

Oh, Ellen, Ellen, please.

You said that Hank went someplace.

Where? Where? Try to remember.

Missy Forbes, you bad girl, go down here.

Come, you go up.

I want to stay and listen to the music.

No. Mr. Forbes come. You stay here, make very big trouble.

Why can she not stay?

Please leave alone. She'’s sick.

I want my handkerchief.

Thank you. Good-bye.

Do come and visit me again.

You wouldn'’t believe it was the same woman, Mother.

Her hair is white and, oh, she must have suffered a dreadful shock.

And she said that Hank was coming?

She was not very clear.

Her mind wandered.

She spoke as if Papa were still here.

Oh, poor Ellen.

She said one thing, though, that might be important.

That is, if it wasn'’t another one of her hallucinations.

She said that Papa shouldn'’t have gone somewhere.

As though he were in some kind of danger.

She knows something, Mother, I'’m sure.

Is it possible that the shock she suffered

has something to do with your father'’s disappearance?

Come to think of it,

it was just about the same time that Ellen dropped out of sight,

and Mike Forbes spread the story that she was too sick to see anyone.

There'’s something locked up in her mind, I'’m sure.

Ja,and I think I have the key to unlock it.

♪♪ [ piano ]

Isn'’t she ever going to come down?

She must.

♪♪ [ piano continues ]

That'’s "An den Sonnenschein," by Schumann.

Do you like this song, Mrs. Forbes?

Isn'’t that silly of me?

I forgot my gloves.

The song, Mrs. Forbes. What does it remind you of?

You came back to see me. How nice.

I must see about the champagne before the other guests arrive.

He used to sing that song all the time.

He loved it.Who, Mrs. Forbes?

♪♪ [ vocalizing ]Who, Mrs. Forbes? Who used to sing that song?

Hank. You must know Hank Braun.

When was the last time you saw him?

When was it, Mrs. Forbes?

When was the last time you saw Hank Braun?

He had such a nice voice.

He came to see Mike.

They began to talk, and...

then they began to argue.

Hank was very angry.

I never saw him angry before.

What were they arguing about?

Arguing? Who was arguing?

Your husband and Hank.

You said they were arguing.

Yes.

Yes, they were.

It was about the mine.

Something about the mine.

[ piano stops ]

Hank was shouting, "You'’ve been cheating me.

You'’ve been cheating me. I'’ll prove it."

And then what happened?

They went out.

Mike took his gun.

I saw him.

He got it when Hank wasn'’t looking.

I was frightened.

I followed them to the mine.

They went in number three tunnel at the--

Don'’t. Mike, don't shoot him!

Don'’t!Mrs. Forbes!

What did you tell them?

He was playing one of Hank'’s songs.

Answer me. What did you tell them?

You no hurt Missy Forbes.

Stay out of this.

What did you say to them?

I told them about poor Hank.

He'’s in number three tunnel. They'’re going to help him.

Whoa. Whoa.

MAHLER: But it'’s Forbes' horse.

Well, hello.

What are you doing here, Forbes?

We thought the mine was closed.

Well, I'’m thinking of reopening it.

New assay report indicates there'’s enough silver left

to make it pay.

Well, we'’d like to look at the inside of tunnel number three.

Of course.

What'’s it all about?

Your wife told us all about tunnel number three.

You mean about my shooting Hank?

Oh, poor Ellen.

She'’s had this wild idea ever since--

Well, ever since she'’s been sick.

I'’ve tried to reason with her but, well, it'’s hopeless.

I still think we ought to look.

I think you should too, Julie.

It might even help convince Ellen.

Let me have that.

Well, there'’s nothing in there.

I told you.

It'’s too bad Ellen has those crazy ideas.

I think I owe you an apology, Mr. Forbes.

Oh, forget it, Mr. Mahler.

You had no way of knowing about my wife.

I guess I owe you an apology too, Mr. Forbes.

I'’m glad you said that, Miss Julie.

After all, your father was a friend as well as a partner.

I felt pretty bad when you and your mother held it against me

for all the things I had to do to straighten things out.

What'’s that?

No. No!

Just a minute, Mike.

Well, Mike, you almost got away with it.

It'’s simply wonderful what this music is doing for her, Mrs. Braun.

I can see improvement every day.

This piano'’s turned out to be a blessing for all of us.

Excuse me.

More tea, Ellen?

Yes. Thank you, Mary.