Original subtitles

Hyah!

[ cattle lowing ]

Looks like we are going to have company.

We'’re going to hook onto that wagon train.

Aw, you know them wagon trains.

Share and share alike in everything.

What do we got to share?

Nothing. That'’s why we're going to hook onto them. [ chuckles ]

Come on. Let'’s go.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

The Donner-Reed wagon train,

which started out with such high hopes,

has had trouble all the way.

Led astray by false guides,

ravaged by Indian attacks,

and preyed upon by leeches and drifters,

like the Kesebergs you'’ve just seen.

It is the year 1846.

The caravan has reached Utah Territory.

Food is low, tempers raw.

Little do they know that if any of them reach California alive,

it will be because of...

All right. Just ease it straight on.

Ah.

That do it, Pa?

Aw, just fine.

I don'’t know what I'd do without my little girl.[ chuckles ]

[ horse whinnying ]

Pa?

[ horse whinnies ]

Sure don'’t look friendly.

Drifters.

Who'’s the wagon boss here?I am.

Mind if we ride along?

Well, uh...

Got any food?Yeah. Food.

'’Cause nobody here can spare any.

We'’ve got plenty crop. All right?

You organized the party.

You'’re wagon boss.

Well, I guess it'’s all right.

Good.

My name is Keseberg.

Lou Keseberg.

That there is, uh,

John Schneider, my niece Mary, and--

They'’re gonna get married.

And them two is my cousins, Clem and Ralph.

Well, I'’m Frank Graves.

This is Jim Reed and his daughter Virginia.

Put your wagon over there.

I'’ll introduce you to the others in the train.Good.

They smell like trouble to me, Pa.

Aw, Graves will handle them.

I don'’t think Mr. Graves is very good at handling anything.

Except maybe a whiskey bottle.

Well, he'’s had a lot to contend with on this journey.

I guess you can'’t blame him for feeling kind of shaky.

But I promise to look after you

if you'’ll stop worrying.[ chuckles ]

Sure, Pa. I'’ll stop worrying.

But I think you better look out for yourself too.

OLD RANGER: Days turned into weeks,

as the wagons rolled westward with food and tempers

growing shorter and shorter.

You better watch that mush, or it'’ll burn sure as fate.

Don'’t worry, Ma. Pa says I'’m the best cook in the family.

Didn'’t you, Pa?

Yeah, I guess I did.

But I told your ma the same thing.

[ all laugh ]

Ah!

I fixed your bridle, Mr. Reed.

Oh, thanks, Milt. Thanks.

Yeah.

Hello, Milt.Hi.

The bacon sure smells good.

Uh, care to join us for a little supper?

Oh, no, thanks.

We got some grits over to the wagon.

Besides, food'’s too scarce for company.

You sure you got enough, Milt?Yeah.

Sure. I won'’t go hungry.

Pa! He'’s stealing our bacon!

Stop him!

I'’ll take that bacon, Schneider.

How do you know it'’s yours? Got your name on it?

I saw you take it.

All right. Let'’s-- Let'’s have it.

Nobody takes nothing from me.

You and that crowd of yours have been begging

and borrowing and stealing food

every since you fastened onto us, and it'’s gonna stop right now.

Now give me that bacon.

Aah![ gasps ]

MRS. REED: Oh!

[ whimpers ]

Stop it! Stop it!I'’ll stop you.

I'’ll stop y'all.

[ screams ]

[ murmuring ]

He'’s dead.What?

Reed murdered him. I seen him do it.

That'’s a lie. He stole our bacon.

He was gonna kill Daddy. He was gonna kill all of us.That'’s right.

He'’s a murderer, ain't he? Let'’s string him up!

Now, wait a minute.

Wait a minute for what? He'’s a murderer!

Let'’s hang him?Hang him?

That'’s what people usually get when they commit murder.

Seems to me a man also gets a fair hearing.

Hearing for what? You killed a man, didn'’t you?

Yes, murdered him in cold blood!That'’s a lie, I tell ya!

Well, go on! Let'’s get the hanging over with!Now, wait a minute. Hold on.

You'’re the one that should be hanged!You shut up!

I won'’t! You'’re bad people!

You'’ve always been trouble. Every one of you.

You'’re scared. That'’s what you are. Scared.

You go on back to your wagon.

We'’ll talk this over here.You'’re not hanging my pa!

Ya hear? You'’re not hanging him!Come on. Come on.

How long will it take '’em?

The longer, the better.

Give '’em a chance to cool off.

Maybe Graves can help.

I doubt it.

They can'’t do anything to you, Pa.

You'’re the best man in the whole wagon train.

In the whole world!

I wish I was a boy.

I'’d fight 'em.

I'’m glad you're a girl.

Always was glad.

Here they come.

Uh, Reed, me and the folks here

talked the whole thing over, free and open,

and most of '’em, especially the Kesebergs,

think you oughta be hung.

No trial? No hearing? Nothing?

I did the best I could.

I told '’em if we hang a man,

the law'’s likely to be on us when we get to California.

So they'’ll settle for just running you out of camp.

And you'’re getting off easy, Reed.

But he hit me first!

He shoved my wife!

He would'’ve shot us all! I stopped him the only way I could!

The law of the trail says that any man that kills,

regardless, has gotta get run off.

If I was you, I'’d go.

Before something a lot worse happens to you and your family.

We'’re not afraid.

We'’ll be putting off right away.

Not "we." You. Alone.

Alone?

Alone. With nothing.

No horse? No gun?

You heard him. Nothing.

But he'’ll die out there with nothing to live on!

At least his blood won'’t be on our hands.

My little girl was right, Graves.

You are scared.

You'’re scared of this scum.

Well, I'’m telling you the kind of courage it takes

to get this train to California you won'’t find in a bottle.

And as for you, Keseberg,

I know why you want to get rid of me.

So you can lay your greedy hands on my supplies.

Why, you--I'’ve watched you.

Every time there'’s been a death, you and your leeches

have moved right in and helped yourselves.

You'’ve robbed every dead man'’s family

just as you'’d rob mine.

Keep on talking, Reed. You'’ll get yourself hung yet.

You drive my pa out, I'’m going with him. And you just try and stop me.

If my husband does go, what good will it do?

There'’ll be two men gone instead of one, and we need ever man we can muster

to get over these mountains.

We'’re almost out of food now.

If we don'’t get some help soon, we'’ll all starve.

If you'’re so set on driving him out,

why don'’t you do it with some purpose?

Give him a horse, a bedroll, some weapons, and a little food.

Let him ride ahead for some help. Help that'’ll save us all!

How do we know he'’d come back?

He has two very good reasons for coming back with help if he can--

his wife and his daughter.

No.

The law of the trail. Remember?

I don'’t expect you to believe this, Reed,

but I'’m the best friend you'’ve got right about now

for giving you any chance at all,

'’cause you'd sure never live to see another day around here.

Not with these folks feeling the way they do.

[ crying ]

[ crying continues ]

Bye, Ginnie.

I won'’t let you go, Pa! I won'’t! I won't!

Please, Ginnie, don'’t make it any harder for me than it already is.

We'’ll be together again, I promise.

But, Pa--Now, please...

Good-bye, Pa.

Bye, Margaret.[ crying ]

Oh, I'’ll make it somehow.

Better start walking.

Pa, over here, quick.

Yah!

Yah! Yah!

[ animal barking ]

[ animal yipping, howling ]

Seems like an awful lot of them critters hollering around tonight.

Them Indians also holler like that

to signal back and forth.

Don'’t take any chances. Shoot at anything that moves.

Yeah.

[ howling continues ]

Mrs. Reed?

Um...Yes?

I saw your light. I...

I just want you to know I did everything I could today.

I'’m sure you did.

The way those folks were feeling,

somebody would'’ve knifed him sure if he'’d stayed in camp.

I understand, Mr. Graves.

Well, I-- I just wanted you to know.

Thank you, Mr. Graves. Good night.

[ mutters ]

There. Now let'’s see. Have we forgotten anything?

[ mutters ]Oh, yes. Matches.

I wish we had room for more.

That'’s about as good as we can do.

No. Not quite.

This is all the money we got in the world.

It'’s no good to us here.

If he gets back to civilization, he'’s gonna need it to buy things and hire men and mules.

[ man imitating bird whistling ]

That'’s Milt.Bye, Ma.

Are you sure you'’re gonna be able to find him?

I'’m sure I can track Pepper Pot, and his tracks'’ll lead me to Dad,

wherever he is.In this dark...

That'’s what lanterns are for.

Bye, Ginnie.

Bye, Ma.

Now, here'’s a rifle and blankets.

Where'’d you get 'em?I borrowed '’em from Graves,

only he don'’t know it yet.We'’re all set, then?

Yeah. Now, we'’re gonna have to move out real slow and easy,

'’cause them guards are sure spooky tonight, and they'’ll shoot anything.

So we'’re gonna have to crawl out Indian style, all right?

Sure. Let'’s go.

[ animal yipping ]

[ howling ]

Now what?

Dad rode straight for those hills.

We'’ll follow this gully till we cut his trail.

Dad must'’ve crossed this wash right about here.

Think you can follow a trail with this thing?

You got a better idea?No.

Then let'’s get at it.

Hold it. Look there.

Indian horses. At least a dozen.

Do you think they might'’ve gotten your dad?

No. These are all barefoot horses.

Pepper Pot was just fresh shod.

Hey, look there.

That'’s Pepper Pot's track.

Made since the Indians passed, for it'’s on top of the others.

Look there.

It'’s a campfire! It'’s Dad!

Or it might be them Indians. Put out that light.

[ blows ]

We'’d better sneak up and make sure.

[ sniffs ]

You leg it on back to camp.

I won'’t. I got you into this--Go on!

[ muffled gasp ]

Sorry, Ginnie. Had to do it. Afraid you'’d scream.

Follow me, both of you.

Had to hole up here because of the Indians.

I saw your light, but I couldn'’t make it in time.

Well, it doesn'’t matter now that we found you.

You think this'’ll see you through? Yes, amply.

I'’ll head straight for Captain Sutter in Sacramento.

Pick up a relief party there.

Thanks to this, I'’ll be able to pay for everything with money

instead of promises.

Your mother'’s a wise woman, Ginnie.

She'’s very wise.

And I think she happens to love you too.

Mr. Reed, Indians coming.

[ man speaks in native language ]

After I'’m gone, you follow straight down this canyon.

Bring you into plain sight of camp.

Be sure to holler who you are so they don'’t shoot you for Indians.

But what about these Indians?

Well, I'’ll take those along with me.

A safe distance, of course.

Well, Ginnie, I would say you'’re my right-hand man.

You certainly proved it tonight.

Sure you'’ll be all right?Yes, of course.

Keep a light in the window for me.

Window? Where?

Wherever you are.

Well, take care of yourselves, kids, till I get back.

Hyah! Hyah! Git!

[ Indians whooping ]

[ gunshots ]

[ whooping continues ]

[ gunshots continue ]

He did it!

Slick as a whistle.

Well, of course. Was there ever any doubt of it?

Let'’s go home.

[ wind whooshing ] OLD RANGER: Day after day,

the Donner party climbed higher and higher

into the Sierras.

Then, just as they were almost over the top,

a blizzard struck them during the night.

For five whole days and nights, the storm razed without mercy.

Lives were lost, the stocks scattered.

And when it was over...

there lay the snow, like a white shroud

over a dead land.

[ wind whooshing ]

GRAVES: Mrs. Reed?

With all our livestock froze to death

and no way outta here anyway,

it looks like we gotta hole up for the winter.

Now, most of the folks are building shelters.

But there'’s an old trapper'’s cabin down by the lake you can have.

I'’ll help you move.

[ wind continues whooshing ]

OLD RANGER: Virginia remembered her father'’s words:

"Keep a light in the window."

[ wind continues whooshing ] ♪ [ music box playing "Silent Night" ]

♪ [ continues ]

With Virginia'’s help, James Reed made it to California.

And with the money she had brought him,

he was able to buy fresh provisions and supplies.

The big question was:

could he make it back to them in time?

[ wind continues whooshing ]

[ knocking on door ]

Where is it? The food. You got to share.

We have no food, Mr. Keseberg.

You'’re lying.

Me and my folks-- we'’re eating rawhide.

Scraps of rawhide!

While you burn candles.

Don'’t you touch that candle!

That'’s tallow! That'’s food!I promised my father I'’d--

Get out of my way!Stop it!

[ shouting ]I'’ll kill you!

I'’ll kill you both![ coughing ]

[ grunts ]

Jim!

We'’re starving.

We got nothing to eat but rawhide.

Our own boots and rugs...

Here.

Oh, thank you!

There'’s plenty here, and there'’s more coming. There'’s men right behind me.

I-I'’m sorry. I'’m sorry about everything.

Aw, get out.[ muttering ]

Pa![ mutters ]

[ all laughing ]

Ah. It'’s a good thing you remembered to keep that light in the window for me.

It was a good thing for me too. Yeah.

It had taken Jim Reed three months of man-killing work

to break through to the Donner camp.

But he made it, with enough men

to take all the survivors out to safety.

More than a hundred years later, in January of 1952,

a westbound streamliner was trapped

in the snows of the High Sierras,

only a few miles from where the Donner party camped.

Ah, here'’s a photograph of it that appeared in Timemagazine.

It took a thousand men, with rotary plows

trucks, army Weasels,

and a helicopter, plus the ski patrol,

to rescue the marooned passengers from the train.

Small wonder that Jim Reed'’s rescue of his people

ranks as one of the greatest exploits in Western history.

But he never could'’ve done it,

except for a girl named Virginia.