Original subtitles

Whoa!

Well, here we are, by dawn'’s early light.

You'’d be surprised how much we used to check it

before the shift starts work.

[ yawns ]

And when you do things yourself, you know they'’re done right.

Mm-hmm!

JOHN: That'’s funny the mine'’s unlocked.

Who was the last one to leave last night?

I was. [ laughs ]

You see, even the boss forgets sometimes.

Bye, dear.

Take care. You too.

[ clicks tongue ] Git-up.

[ gate rattles ]

BILL: Good morning, John.

Groat, Bill Groat, what are you doing here at this hour?

BILL: Waiting for you.

You'’re after something, what is it?

BILL: Can'’t you guess?

No, I can'’t.

But I intent to find out.

Where are you?

Where are you, Groat?

Hiding won'’t do you any good.

[ explosion ]

♪♪ [ bugle ]

NARRATOR: Death Valley Days.

Howdy folks, I'’m the Old Ranger.

In frontier mining camps, sudden death found

so many victims with their boots on

that cemeteries were inevitably named Boot Hill.

On a spring morning in 1873, the one in Alta, Utah

witnessed the burial of its richest mine owner,

John B. Woods,

whose tragic death was ascribed to an accident.

Little did his mourners realize, however,

that the next time they'’d gather on that spot,

it would not be for a funeral, but for a startling...

Come on, Ella.

You'’ve been through enough.

I'’m gonna take you home, you need some rest.

[ Ella sighs ]Now, now, that'’s an order.

There is so much to attend to.

What else you think I'’m here for?

You'’ve been very kind.

I don'’t know what I'd done without you, Mr. Groats.

I still think Bill Groat had something on it.

Strong accusation, Herb,

especially when you haven'’t a shred of evidence.

The door to that mine

was already unlocked that morning

before John Woods even got there.

Yeah, I know, Ella told me.

All right.

The only person outside of John Woods

who had a key to that mine was his foreman, Bill Groat.

You notice he'’s wasting no time in taking over.

Seems to me I'’ve heard that you kinda liked her.

I never pretended otherwise.

I was in love with her before she even met John Woods.

Then maybe you killed him!

See how easy it is to dream up evidence?

I haven'’t said "no", Bill.

It'’s that I can't say "yes" this soon.

Soon?

Ella, there'’s been a decent interval.

Believe me, no one expects a woman

to observe a year of mourning out here.

It'’s not what other people think that bothers me.

It'’s that I still miss him.

Well, of course you do.

Living all alone in that great big house.

Ella...

I don'’t ever want you to be alone again.

I wanna take care of you,

if you give me that happy privilege.

Relieve you of all the responsibilities

that have fallen on you.

You'’ve been wonderfully kind advising me.

Well, take my advice now and marry me.

All right, Bill.

You will?

Yes.

Oh, that'’s wonderful, darling!

Well, let'’s make a toast to it.

I'’ll order some wine.

Oh no, what'’s happened to our waitress?

[ clinking ]

Service please!

[ clinking ]

BILL: Miss?

Oh, miss?

Bill, please don'’t make a scene.

Hey, how do you get some service around here?

What'’s the matter, is somebody hurt?

WAITRESS: A stranger.

And in that glorious moment,

the dead of yesterday shall become the living of today.

What is it, what'’s goin' on?

Shh, shh!

Don'’t interrupt, he'’s talkin'.

Who, who is?

Let him who ask be answered.

Let all the people of Alta know of the day that is at hand.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

A preacher?

No.

Nevertheless, I deal not only with words,

but with deeds.

The stranger here has offered to raise the dead.

Raise the dead?

That is my mission on Earth.

That'’s ridiculous!

Ridiculous?

To restore to the bosoms of their families...

all of Alta'’s dear departed.

All, he says.

Everybody what'’s buried in Boot Hill.

Well, that'’s a very beautiful idea of course, but...

[ chuckles ]

It'’s impossible and you know it.

All miracles are wrought in heaven.

In this world, dreams are.

Only you don'’t happen to be the Almighty.

Merely His servant.

I was myself resurrected.

I don'’t know what your game is, stranger, but these people,

these are my friends and neighbors.

And I, for one, don'’t intent to stand idly by

and see '’em taken in by some charlatan.

So I advise you to move on

and practice your magic somewhere else!

Isn'’t that right?

Destiny has brought me to Alta.

In Alta I shall remain,

until my mission is accomplished.

Sir, I can let you have a room.

It'’s not exactly elegant,

but it'’s the best the house affords.

I carry neither purse nor script.

Oh, that'’s all right!

Come right this way.

There is something about him.

Like one of the Prophets of Old.

Oh, he'’s a faker and a crackpot.

And I'’m surprised at all of you being taken in by him.

Well, if you'’re going to stand by

and let him move in on us, I'’m not!

Sheriff!

Sheriff!

I wanna talk to you.

Sheriff, there'’s a man movin'’ into the hotel

and he'’s offerin' to raise the dead.

As long as you don'’t raise any Cain.

Sheriff, this is serious, you gotta get rid of him.

On what grounds?

Fleecin'’ the public.

Is he?

Well, I just told you he'’s offerin' to raise--

How much has he taken in so far?

Well, nothing yet, but any fool can see what he'’s up to.

I can'’t.

Till he gives me some reason,

I'’m not gonna raise a finger against that stranger.

Hanson!

Hanson, you hear that?

Yeah.

Well, if a lawman won'’t uphold the law,

that puts it right up to the leaders of the community, huh?

Oh, oh, now, look here, Bill,

I'’m the last fellow in town

who wants to see anybody raised from their graves,

but I ain'’t taking the law in my own hands.

No sir!

Hanson, wa--

Martin!

Martin, I gotta talk to you.

There'’s stranger here in town.

He says he'’s gonna raise the dead.

We gotta stop him.

Why?

Is there someone you'’re afraid to have brought back to life?

Someone out on Boot Hill who'’ll tell how you killed him?

Uh, good morning, Ella.

Good morning, Herbert.

I'’d like to see some yard goods, please.

Something nice for a dress.

I have some white material--

Oh no!

You only wear white the first time.

The second time you get married, you wear...

What'’s the matter?

Well, how can you do this, Ella?

Doesn'’t the memory of your husband mean anything to you?

No one will ever know how much.

But he'’s dead and I'm alive.

Sure, but why so soon and why to a man like Bill Groat?

What'’s the matter with Bill Groat?

[ sighs ]

Well, I, uh--

I know I probably shouldn'’t say this,

but I can'’t help feeling he'’s more interested

in the money from the mine--

I came in here for dress material,

not advice, Herb Driscoll.

But--

I'’d rather go to the altar in sackcloth

than listen to any more of your rotten insinuations!

Wait a minute.

Come on, giddy up.

HERB:Mel, the stranger'’s still here?

Yeah.

Bill Groat wasn'’t very successful in his efforts

to run him out of town.

What'’s his room number?

He'’s got somebody with him.

Had a slew of visitors all day.

Soon as one slips out, another one sneaks in.

Why don'’t you come back later?

No, I'’ll wait if I can just have a piece of stationery and a pen.

It'’d be pretty durned embarrassin'’,

I can tell you that.

My wife finding me married

to a woman half my age this time.

I'’ll pay anything you like to let Martha stay put.

When I think of being bound again, hand and foot,

to a cranky old invalid

who didn'’t have a thing wrong with him,

I just can'’t face it.

The money'’s legally mine, sir.

My uncle left it to me.

And if he comes back...

Whoof!

Oof!

[ knocks ]

Enter.

Ah!

Another suppliant on the eve of resurrection.

It'’s gonna happen so soon?

I'’m glad I got in when I did.

And whom do you wish to deprive of the miracle of rebirth?

I don'’t wanna deprive anybody anything,

but I wanna make absolutely sure

that a particular person is included in your plans.

You are the one exception.

Half this town disbelieves my powers.

The other half, one by one, has come to petition me--

oh, quite privately, of course--

to let those whom they profess to mourn

remain in the bonds of eternal sleep.

I didn'’t exactly mourn this fellow.

But...

But I have a store, right across the street.

The inventory amounts to about $6,000

and I'’ve written an agreement here

giving you half if you'’ll bring John B. Woods back to life.

You-- you-- you'’ve got to take it!

Even if you don'’t bring anybody else back from the grave,

you have to bring Mr. Woods back,

at least you gotta try.

As a token of your esteem for Mrs. Woods?

What?

Oh, I hear human voices as well as heavenly ones.

But the lady herself, how does she feel about all this?

She...

She thinks you'’re cruel to raise people'’s hopes

and then dash them.

But I know you can do what you say you can do.

Yet we must consider, were I to follow your bidding,

Mrs. Woods would no longer be an eligible widow,

but once again a wife.

I don'’t stand much of a chance with her anyway.

But I can'’t let her marry a murderer.

Dawn, tomorrow.

[ gun cocks ]

[ gunshot ]

Thank heaven you'’re all right.

Yes.

Heaven did indeed direct the aim of my assailant.

Did you get a look at him?

Somebody tried to shoot him, sheriff.

Hmm, any idea who?

The bullet bore no more identification

and did that written threat

that was slipped under my door earlier this evening.

Don'’t recognize the writin'.

It'’s been disguised.

Could be Bill Groats, he'’s been soundin' off enough.

I'’ll put a guard outside for the rest of the night.

Thank you.

As I understand it, you'’ll be leavin' town

after tomorrow morning anyway.

For you.

Somebody must have slipped it into your box

while I wasn'’t here.

I thought it was just another one of those threat notes.

I had no way of knowin'’ that...

That it has $5,000 in it, as well as the note?

You'’re not gonna pay any more attention

to a bribe than to a threat, are you?

I mean people who haven'’t even got the courage

to sign their own names,

can'’t influence a great man like you, can they?

You'’re not gonna let us down, are you,

all of us who believe in you?

Everybody'’s goin' as I thought.

I wouldn'’t miss it for the world.

Come on.Uh-unh.

I'’m with them what'’s not goin'.

Well, there ain'’t ever been anything like this.

Here or anywhere else.

You run along if you want,

but wild horses wouldn'’t drag me to Boot Hill.

If Martha'’s climbing out of that there grave,

let her find me.

Now look, as I get it,

the only one he'’s bringing back to life is John Woods.

And I intend witnessin'’ a miracle like that.

Well, not me.

[ grunts ]

You neither, eh, Groat?

Stop it!

Stop it.

You can'’t do this!

You hear me?

Look, if $5,000 isn'’t enough, you name it.

But for God'’s sake, don'’t bring him back to life!

Please don'’t!

[ screams ]

You'’re dead, and you'’re stayin' dead

if I have to do it all over again.

[ gunshots ]

You'’re never coming back, you'’re not.

You'’re not.

I reckon he won'’t have to now.

He...

You mean, you ain'’t gonna do it?

As your sheriff said,

nothing would now be gained

by bringing back any of those who lie buried here.

You people of Alta have made that all too plain for me.

Oh, you need not feel ashamed.

This is the way God meant it to be.

I see that now.

Those whom He hath taken, should remain with Him.

Under the circumstances,

I'’d like to return the promissory note

for a one-half interest in your store

that you offered me

for the resurrection of Mr. Woods.

Thank you.

You were willing to give away half of your store

to bring John back to life?

Well, I never believed he could do it.

I just figured it'’ll bring Groat out in the open anyway.

I couldn'’t have you marryin'’ him.

I'’d still be married to John if it had happened.

Well, I loved you enough to give you up, Ella.

I still do.

I wonder if he could'’ve performed a miracle.

Well, I-- I think he did.

That was back in 1873.

Soon afterward, with the devaluation of silver,

the mining camp of Alta died--

but as though through some prankish miracle of nature,

was restored to life as a ski resort in 1937,

and is today one of the most popular winter-sports areas

in the United States.

Boot Hill?

Here is the modern version at Alta.