Original subtitles

[ animal barking, distant ]

Now, you heard me.

I told you, we'’re taking over.

Come on out with your hands up.

We'’ll give you no trouble.

You got till I count ten!

You try to jump this mine, we'’ll blow it up.

These kegs are full of gunpowder.

That'’ll hold 'em, maybe, until Colonel Frémont gets here.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

The owner of this mine is none other than John C. Frémont,

the famous American explorer and army officer

who was instrumental in winning

California'’s independence from Mexico.

The Mexican War is over,

but Colonel Frémont is now in the thick

of a fierce personal battle--

fighting for title to the so-called Mariposa grant

in the wilds of the Sierra foothills where gold has been discovered.

His strongest weapon is his wife, Jessie.

Already, two of the mines on the land

have been jumped by another outfit who claim ownership.

Now, in spite of a ruling of the courts in favor of Frémont,

this same outfit, known as the Merced Mining Company,

has moved to take over his third and last mine,

the Pine Tree.

The bad news is just being brought to Frémont.

[ knocking on door ]

So it'’s happened? Wait for me outside.

What is it, John?

There'’s no cause for alarm.

Simply have to leave for a couple of hours. On business.

Business? At this time of the night?

What sort of business...

The Pine Tree, isn'’t it? They'’ve jumped the Pine Tree too.

How much more have we got to pay for this land?

A fortune in money, our home in San Francisco, and now this.

Riding out in the middle of the night, wearing a gun.

Please, Jessie.

You must go back to bed before you wake the children.

They'’ve had enough scares.

[ birds twittering ]

Morning, Mother. Your coffee'’s already poured.

Oh, good morning, Lily. Thank you, dear.

Are you feeling all right, Mother? You look tired.

Oh, I'’m fine.

I just didn'’t sleep very well last night,

for some reason or another.

Mornin'’, Mom.Good morning, Frank.

Morning, Mom.Good morning, Charles.

A tall stack, Lily.

A giant tall stack.Me too, Lily.

Quiet, you two.

Buenos días, señora.Good morning, José.

Good morning, José.Good morning.

Good morning, José.[ clicks tongue ] Good morning.

José, when you'’ve finished your breakfast,

I want you to hitch up the carriage for me.Oh, no, no, no, señora.

You must not go out. Not with the trouble at the mine.

What'’s wrong at the mine?Nothing, dear.

It is the Merced bunch.

Last night, they jumped the Pine Tree.

Your father, he goes to stop them.

But only, we-- we do not know what has happened yet.

There has been no word.

We'’ll fight them, Mother.

Frank and I can both handle a rifle.

José taught us.

Yes, Mother. We'’ll shoot 'em all dead.

Now stop it.

There was no need of them knowing.

I'’m sorry, señora,

but you are like my own family.

I cannot stand to see harm come to any one of you.

Mother, Douglas Fox is at the Pine Tree.

I know.But the trouble'’s most likely been settled by now, Lily.

Hitch up the carriage after breakfast, José.

Sí, señora.

Mother, I'’m going with you.BOYS: Us too.

No. You must all stay here.

And, José, you must stay with them.

Sí, señora. I will stay with them.

Now, you mustn'’t worry.

There'’s no cause.

Your father'’s handled much bigger problems

than the Merced Company.

Let'’s all sit down and have breakfast.

Ho!

Morning, Mrs. Frémont.

What are you doing way out here?

I'’m afraid I don'’t know you, sir.

These men and me, we work for the Merced Mining Company.

They call me Blaster, ma'’am, on account of that'’s my job.

Now maybe you'’ll answer my question.

What do you want out here?

I would like to see the Colonel.

Do you know his whereabouts?

Sure. He'’s inside the mine.

I wish to see him.

No, I'’m afraid you...

Yeah, I reckon you can see your husband if you want to.

Maybe you can talk some sense into that stubborn old warhorse.

Jessie!

You shouldn'’t have come here.

What in the name of heaven'’s going on?

Exactly what it looks like.

That Merced outfit is determined to take over the Pine Tree,

and we'’re just as determined to stop them.

This is insane. The courts will handle this.

The courts! Jessie, a recent ruling by the court states

that anyone can enter and take possession of an unoccupied mine

even though it was occupied five minutes before

and thousands of dollars were invested in it.

That was the fate of our Black Drift, of our Josephine mines.

But it'’ll not be the fate of the Pine Tree.

When they swooped down, my men threw up this barricade of gunpowder,

gave them exactly the same answer I did when I arrived.

That rather than surrender this mine to them, I'’d blow it up in their faces.

John!

All right, Jessie. There'’ll be no attack.

Help'’s on its way.

I managed to get men started for Stockton.

Wire the governor in Sacramento.

So, you go back to the children.

All will be well.

I won'’t leave without you.

Jessie, I give you my word.

Everything will be all right.

What about Douglas? He'’s only a boy.

This is not his fight.

Yes, you'’re right.

Douglas.

I want you to see to it that Mrs. Frémont returns home safely.

I want to remain here with you, sir.

No offense, ma'’am, but I want to stay here with the Colonel.

You'’ll go with Mrs. Frémont. She needs you, son.

Yes, I do need you, Douglas. I want you to come home with me.

Yes, ma'’am.

I love you, John. Please be careful.

You brought out the wrong one, Mrs. Frémont.

My husband refuses to surrender his mine.

Well, you had your chance.

Now he'’ll have to be forced out.Forced?

Starved.

Now, sooner or later, he and his men have gotta eat.

I got this whole area surrounded.

Anybody trying to get out for food,

or anybody trying to bring food in, they won'’t get through our guards.

They just won'’t get through, ma'’am.

Boys!

What are you doing?

Point that gun away!

We didn'’t mean to frighten you, Mother.

We were just preparing for an attack.

The Merced gang. Coming to lay siege to our place.

[ door closes ]

José, this is your doing.

Allowing these children to have guns!

And, Lily, I'’m very disappointed in you,

allowing José to do this.

I'’m sorry, Mother.[ sighs ]

Well, take the boys to their room,

and see that they stay in their room.

[ door opens, closes ]

[ door opens ]

[ door closes ]

Señora, there are three gentlemen in the parlor

who wish to have urgent words with you.

Good evening, Mrs. Frémont.

My name'’s Brown. This is Mr. Trundel.

As you may have guessed, we represent the Merced Mining Company.

And we'’ll waste neither your time nor ours, but come straight to the point.

The men your husband sent to Stockton didn'’t get through.

All roads are blocked, Mrs. Frémont.

The Colonel is completely cut off,

yet he stubbornly refuses to listen to reason.

He'’s forcing us to very drastic action.

That'’s my suggestion.

We'’re gonna burn this house down.

Of course, that'’s only to force the Colonel

to divert his men to fight the fire.

The Pine Tree can then be taken without further trouble or bloodshed.

We don'’t wanna make it any harder than we have to

on you or the children, Mrs. Frémont.

You'’ll be allowed 24 hours to vacate.

Before this time tomorrow,

you must appear in the tavern at Bear Valley.

From there, you'’ll be safely escorted off the Mariposa land.

Without your husband'’s knowledge, of course.

If you refuse to leave, we'’ll burn this house down anyway,

probably have to kill your husband.

I hope not, Mrs. Frémont. But you have 24 hours.

Good night, Mrs. Frémont.

[ door opens ]

[ door closes ]

We'’ll fight them, Mother. They can'’t run us off our land.

We'’ll fight them.No, we must leave.

[ hoofbeats departing ]

Leave? Yes, child, as quickly as possible.

I won'’t go.

Mother, don'’t you see

that the only way they can defeat Father now

is through us, his family?

Or through you and your fear.

We are leaving. All of us.

And you'’re to get the boys ready.

Well, at once, Lily!

Forgive me, John.

Forgive me for my weakness.

JOSé: Señora! Señora!

Señorita Lily and Douglas Fox are, at this moment, preparing to ride for help.

I cannot stop them, señora, but I managed to stop the boys from going along.

Come on. Inside.

Both of you go back to the house this instant!

You wouldn'’t stand a chance. Every road is blocked.

Hurry, Douglas.

Get down off that horse, Lily!

Douglas, stop her. Go after her. Bring her back.

[ hoofbeats departing ]

[ whinnies softly ]

Have Lily and Douglas gone for help?

We must finish packing.

All our personal belongings that we can carry

must be gotten into the carriage.

Clothes for you boys.

Lily left.

Douglas has gone to bring her back...

I hope.

[ sighs ] I...

I will see to the loading of the carriage, señora.

This is Lily'’s.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

[ cocks gun ]

Blaster'’s men-- they caught me going for help.

They said if I did it again, they'’d kill me.

Where'’s Lily?

I don'’t know, Mrs. Frémont. [ hoofbeats departing ]

Before I could catch up to her, a Merced man spotted me.

Lily will make it, Mom.

I'’m sure she will, Mrs. Frémont.

We must finish loading the carriage.

But what if Lily isn'’t back before the 24 hours are up?

The carriage must be made ready.

[ crickets chirping ]

[ chiming ]

The last load is in the carriage.

Thank you, José.

We will hear soon, señora.

[ chiming ]

Some coffee, señora?

It will help.

[ crickets chirping ]

[ clock chiming ]

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

[ horse sputters, whinnies ]

Lily!

BOTH: Lily!

I'’ll get her horse outside.

Oh, Lily! Lily dear!

I got through, Mother. I stayed at the the dry creek beds

and worked my way to the thicket till I got to the Williams'’ house.

You know Mr. Williams,Mother.

I got him to ride to Stockton for help.

Help'’s on its way!

You hear, Frank? Lily'’s got help coming!

Hooray!

[ chuckles ]

Forgive me, Mother, for disobeying you.

You were right, dear.

I'’m afraid not.

Even if help does get through,

Father can'’t possibly hold out that long without food.

That Merced bunch is gonna win!

In that case...

Lily must have rest and breakfast.

Charles and Frank, you can see to that.

José, start unloading the carriage.

I'’ll need the space.

Sí, señora.

[ men chattering ]

[ chattering stops ]

Mrs. Frémont!

It isn'’t necessary for you to come into a place like this.

If you'’ll wait outside, your escort will join you.

I came to tell you gentlemen that we are not vacating our home.

That house belongs to us.

If you burn it, we'’ll camp there in tents.

The ground is ours too.

By right,

you can kill us-- all of us-- but you can'’t kill right.

You can'’t kill the law.

Mrs. Frémont, nobody'’s talking of killing you.

I'’m glad,

'’cause I'm on my way to the mine right now with food and water.

I'’m afraid we can't allow you to do that.

There'’s only one thing that can stop me. A bullet.

I mean it.

Mrs. Frémont, we can'’t control what men like Blaster will do.

If they kill me, they'’ll be held for murder,

and you gentlemen will be just as guilty as they.

Good day.

Whoa!

Where do you think you'’re going? To the mine.

I let you go in there once before, and it didn'’t do any good.

What do you got in the back, under that tarp?

Food and water for my husband and his men.

You turn this rig right around and go back where you came from.

Let go of that bridle.

I'’m going into the mine.

Huh! Over my dead body.

If necessary.

You can'’t even hold a gun.

If it'’s shoot or be shot, I'’ll shoot.

Jessie!

John, I'’m bringing you provisions!

I'’m warning her, Colonel.

She tries to go through with this, and I'’ll blast her.

Jessie, for heaven sakes, go back!

You hear what he says?

I'’m not afraid.

You'’ve got to go back!

One move'’s all you gotta make.

Jessie!

MAN: Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

Hold it, Blaster! Hah!

Get up!

You wanna hang for murder?

Go ahead, Mrs. Frémont.

Thank you.

There goes our chance.

We never had a chance

against a woman like that.

OLD RANGER: At that moment, in Stockton,

telegraph lines were humming Frémont'’s plea for help

to the governor in Sacramento.

Within a few hours, the California State militia was on its way.

The Merced army quickly disbanded

and vanished from the Sierras.

John Frémont, consequently, won his lawsuit

involving all three mines,

and the Mariposa War was over.

Jessie Frémont'’s devotion to her husband

expressed itself in many ways,

and here'’s one of them.

The escutcheon she made for him in 1841

from the silk of her wedding gown.

A Frémont carried it proudly

on his first campaign of exploration into the West,

along with the American flag.

You see this butterfly embroidered here?

It'’s the Frémont symbol.

Now, in Spanish, "butterfly" is "mariposa."

For the privilege of showing you this priceless memento,

we are indebted to the Southwest Museum

of Los Angeles, California.