Original subtitles

[ whinnying ]Come on!

Yah! Yah!

[ yelling ]

Yah!

Once we get through this canyon, we'’ll be in sight of the corral.

[ horse whinnies ]

You think we'’ve lost them?

Not as long as the rebs are paying them to trail us.

[ gunfire ]

What'’d I tell you? They caught up with us.

You hold them off, and I'’ll push the horses

on through to the station. Too risky.

Listen, Sergeant, I'’m not losing these horses.

We need every one of them desperately.

Keep '’em moving! Yah! Yah!

Yah![ whinnies ]

Yah!

[ men shouting ][ horses whinnying ]

[ shouting continues ]

[ whinnying continues ]

Yah! Yah! Yah!

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

And this is the Taylor ranch,

the station they'’re heading for with this latest bunch of horses.

A "splinter station" it'’s called,

because it'’s an offshoot of a larger army remount station.

Now, Mary Taylor, the widow of a Union cavalry officer, runs the operation,

rounding up horses and delivering them to the Union forces.

She'’s right. The most desperate need of both sides in the Civil War struggle

is for horses to meet their terrific losses.

Every animal counts in a...

[ horses whinnying ] Yah! Hey!

Yah! Yah! Yah!

[ men shouting ]

[ shouting continues ]

[ knocking ]

Come in.

[ door opens, closes ]

Those Indians really had us boxed in.

Did you get any of them?

They all evaporated.

Same Indians that trailed us all the way from Santa Fe.

Well, the horses are safe in the corral.

You risked your neck, you know.

What'’s the difference, as long as it worked out all right?

There is a difference.

Your life is worth more than any number of horses.

What about the Union cause?

Anyway, they'’re fine horses, and Fort Riley'’ll be glad to get them.

Fort Riley is still a long ways off.

With that bunch that Edwards brought in,

we ought to deliver nearly a hundred.

If the trail'’s as hot ahead as it'’s been behind,

the rebs and the Indians both gunning for us,

we'’d be lucky to get a handful to them.

Maybe I'’d better go with you.

You'’re staying here, ma'am.

Would be an extra gun for you.

Sorry.

Say, who'’s the boss of this outfit anyway, you or me?

It'’s all right to have courage, ma'’am.

But sometimes, you'’ve got too much for your own good or anyone else'’s.

Whatever you say, Sergeant.

But you better get going.

As soon as possible.

[ door opens, closes ]

Whoa.

Looks like a new house.

Could be the splinter station.

You'’ll know the splinter station when we come to it.

Settlers. Don'’t let them see us.

Come on.

There she is.

Mary Taylor herself, the Blue-Belly Wench.

[ clucking ]

Hey, Ox.Ma'’am.

Hello, pretty.

About ready to foal, ain'’t she?

Yeah. That'’s why I wanted her here in the barn.

I don'’t know. Somehow I'm worried about her, Ox.

Oh, there'’s no reason to be, Miss Taylor.

She'’s a fine, healthy animal.

She just doesn'’t seem to be acting right.

Oh, it'’s the heat.

I hope so.

She'’s just like my own child.

I'’ve raised her from the hour she was born.

Well, you need me, I'’ll be right here to help.

After the drive starts, give you a hand.

Thanks, Ox.

Well, we'’re in luck. They'’re just starting a drive.

The place will be deserted soon.

The last drive they'’ll make from this station.

Just take a look at the horses she'’s sending to the Union army.

Our cavalry'’s down to Percherons and work animals.

Ooh, she'’s mighty pretty.

Got spirit.

I'’m leaving Otis and Gideon behind.

With Ox, that'’ll give you three hands you can count on, in case you need them.

That'’s more than enough. Once the horses are gone,

there'’s nothing here the rebs or anyone else wants.

Who'’s that fellow she'’s talking to?

Sergeant Laughlin.

Between them, they run things.

But she owns the shebang, huh?Mm-hmm.

I wonder if he'’s sweet on her.

She'’s a horse wrangler.

Yeah, but she caught herself one husband.

There must be a woman under all them ways of hers, too.

She'’s a woman, all right.

And a dangerous one.

Look for us back the end of the week.

Good-bye. And good luck.

Open her up!

Hyah! Yah!

[ men shouting ]

Yah! Yah!

[ shouting continues ]

[ shouting continues ]

[ barks ]

Well, they'’ve gone.

See how many men you can find left down there.

A couple of wranglers and a blacksmith. That'’s all.

Where'’s Mary Taylor?She went in the barn.

Well?

You remember that settler'’s house we passed two, three miles back?

Yeah.

Well, you think if that house caught fire,

they could see the smoke down at the station?

I reckon.

All right. You go back there and set fire to it.

Set it on fire? Why?

When Mary Taylor sees that smoke,

she'’ll send those three ranch hands over there to help.

Well, how do you know she will?

Well, if she'’s half the woman everybody says she is, she'’ll do just that.

And then she'’ll be all alone.

That'’s right.

She'’ll be all alone.

[ whinnies softly ]

She won'’t foal today, ma'’am. I'm pretty sure.

But I'’ll stay with her tonight if you say.

Watch her, just in case.

Good.

You know, Ox, this mare'’s the only stake I'’ve got in the future.

Someday, this war'’s gonna be over.

And then I'’m gonna improve this place.

Starting with this mare and her colts.

I'’m gonna breed the finest horses in the West.

That'’s my dream.

It was my husband'’s dream, too.

I know, ma'’am.

He saw what was happening after the war started.

Horses being sacrificed by the thousands.

Just breaks my heart every time I see another bunch of them start for the front.

To think that--It'’s the only way we can win the war, ma'’am.

I know. And I'’m proud to be a part of it.

Well, I guess I'’d better--

Ox...

Is it true the Confederates have a nickname for me?

Could be.

What is it?

Uh...

Don'’t rightly want to repeat it, ma'’am.

Mean it'’s that vile?

Well, in a manner of speaking,

it'’s a compliment.

A compliment?

What I mean to say is that, uh,

the more they insult you, the more they'’re afraid of you.

Oh.

Well, I'’m not afraid of them.

Well, that'’s great.

Just as long as you ain'’t foolhardy.

[ chuckles ]

You sound just like Sergeant Laughlin.

Well, I'’ll be over in the blacksmith shed if you need me.

You be a good girl now.

Don'’t you worry the missus.

Fire!

Over yonder.

Oh, it'’s the Dodds' place.Yeah.

You saddle up and get over there as fast as you can.

Where'’s Otis and Gideon?

Over in the cook house eating supper.

I'’ll get them.

But--I'’ll be all right.

Saddle up.

[ chuckles ] I'’ve heard of yellow bellies and red bellies.

But never blue belly.Well, that'’s what they call her.

The Blue-Belly Wench.

[ laughs ][ chuckles ]

Ma'’am.

The Dodds'’ place is on fire.

Ox is saddling up. You two boys go with him.

Well, we can'’t all go and leave you here alone.

Don'’t worry about me. Those folks need help.

Well, that ain'’t right.

Will you get going before the place burns to the ground?

How do we know it wasn'’t Indians that set that?

That they'’ll be over here next?

Sergeant Laughlin'’d skin us alive if we left you alone.

Look, I'’m the boss of this outfit, and I'’m telling you to go.

Well, no woman'’s giving me orders.

Then you'’re fired. I'’ll go myself.

No. No, no, ma'’am.You can'’t do that.

Then do as I say.

[ dog barking ]

♪ For a good time, join the cavalry ♪

♪ Join the cavalry, join the cavalry ♪

♪ Wanna have a good time, join the cavalry ♪

[ dog barking ]

[ growling ] [ scratching on door ]

Oh, it'’s you, lazy bones. Just a minute.

Come on.

The Blue-Belly Wench.

What do you want?

First, I want a cup of that coffee.

Come on.

Then I'’m gonna burn this station.

And then I'’m gonna kill you.

It'’s your pleasure to kill women?

Not women. Just one.

Leave it alone.

Scared?

No.

I didn'’t think you would be.

That'’s too bad.

You got anything to eat here, or do you Yankees eat this swill?

You rebs doing any better?

Before the war, my family lived at York Landing.

A fine place. You may not believe that, but it was.

A real fine place.

And the Yankees burned it to the ground.

They left one chimney standing.

I'’d never killed a man before.

But I found out it wasn'’t hard to do.

And the more you kill, the easier it gets.

War'’s a terrible thing.

Nobody really wins.The South was winning.

Your army was no match for ours.

A bunch of store clerks and factory hands, city dudes.

Cavalrymen? Most of them doing all the charging from a mule.

They kill 500 horses a day. Slaughter them.

And who cares?

There are always plenty more, thanks to foragers like you.

We'’re fighting a war.

I saw those horses you sent to Fort Riley.

Fine young animals.

A man'’s horse can mean a man'’s life.

Yeah.

And that'’s why I'm gonna kill you.

[ horse whinnying ]

[ grunting ]

[ whinnying continues ]

[ whinnying continues ]

That'’s my mare. She'’s ready to foal.

Let me go to her. Let me by!

You can'’t stop me.[ clicks ]

A bullet can stop you.

Well, nothing else can!

[ whinnying softly ]

There you are, you Blue-Belly Wench.

[ whinnying continues ]

She'’s having trouble. Can you help me?

I can shoot her, too.

I think the colt'’s coming the wrong way.

One of the legs is bent sideways.

It'’s a breech birth.

She can'’t go on like this.

It'’ll kill her. Please!

I'’ll try to strengthen the foal'’s leg out.

It'’s her only chance.

Now, you stay at her head and hold her still.

It'’s all right, baby.Easy, girl. Easy.

Easy, girl.It'’s all right, baby.

It'’s all right.Easy, now. I'’m just gonna help you.

Easy, now. Lay still. Lay still.

[ breathing heavily, whinnies softly ]

Easy, now. Easy.

Easy, girl.

Easy.

[ grunts ]

[ horse breathing heavily ]

Easy, now. Easy.

I'’ve almost got it.

[ grunts ]

That'’s it. It'’s straightened out.

[ whinnies softly ][ sighs ]

The foal can come now.

She'’s so weak now, she can'’t exert herself.

Yeah. Girl'’s gonna need some help.

All right, fetch me a rope.

You think she'’ll make it?

I'’m not thinking about her, I'’m thinking about the foal too.

Well, go on, get the rope!

Easy. Easy, girl. Easy.

[ whinnies ]

[ high-pitched whinnying ]

She'’s a good girl. A real good girl.

[ sighs ] A little filly.

She'’s just arrived in the world, and already she'’s hungry.

[ chuckles ] Yeah, they'’re gonna be fine.

Life'’s a miracle, that'’s for sure.

You were wonderful.

I never will be able to thank you enough.

What'’s the mare's name?

War Cry. What'’s yours?

Caleb Luck.

Luck? Lucky for War Cry, maybe,

if not for me.

When I got here, I really would have enjoyed killing you.

Now, I can'’t.

War does things to a man.

A few years of it, like I said,

killing becomes easy.

You kinda glory in it.

This is the first time I ever helped bring life.

I don'’t think I'll ever feel the same about taking it again.

You got nothing to be afraid of, ma'’am.

Luck, come here, quick.

Those are my men.

They'’ll kill you.[ clicks ]

Get away.

All right, ma'’am.

Good-bye, Caleb Luck.

Good-bye, ma'’am.

Maybe when the war'’s over, I'’ll come back.

I'’d like to take another look at that filly.

I kind of feel she'’s part mine.

I'’ll name her Miss Lucky.

That'’s real nice of you, ma'’am.

Hurry.

Hyah! [ shouts ]

Nobody at the splinter station

ever knew of Mary Taylor'’s encounter

with the reb, Caleb Luck.

Or why the black filly out of War Cry should be named Miss Lucky.

But several months later, at Fort Riley,

Sergeant Laughlin heard a story

about a Confederate cavalryman

who knocked a fellow cavalryman down

because he referred to Mary Taylor as the Blue-Belly Wench.