Original subtitles

I came as soon as I could, Evelyn.

How is she?Going fast, Father.

You can'’t go in there, Father.

Pa-- He'’s been drinking

ever since Mama took a turn for the worse.

He has a gun.

Evelyn...

I'’ve never known your mother to fail God.

And he'’s not gonna fail her now.

She must receive the last sacrament before she goes.

But Father--

It'’s too late for your mumbo-jumbo now.

Is she--It'’s a matter of minutes.

No, stay away.

Anna don'’t need you now.

Did she say that, Mr. Jackson?

I know how you feel about me, but...

don'’t deprive your wife of making peace with her god.

She sent for me.

I'’ve got to go to her, Mr. Jackson.

I said stay out of there.

♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

In 1862 in Virginia City, Nevada

a priest, a former gold miner himself,

attempted to supply a badly needed necessity

to the West-- the word of God.

His name was Father Patrick Manogue.

He was a rugged, dedicated,

two-fisted disciple of...

MAN: Father Manogue.

MANOGUE: Oh, hello, Mr. Mackay.

Little something for your kitty, Father.

Well, thank you.

Uh, Father, I understand

you and one of my foreman had a little disagreement last night.

Yes, that we did.

Well you know, Father, boys will be boys.

Mr. Mackay, your foreman was bent in the night to sin.

And he was taking young Davey Bronson,

a 17-year-old boy with him.

Well now, Davey'’s gonna have to learn sooner or later.

Now look, Father.

My men work hard in the mines

and they need relaxation.

Oh, you think sin is relaxing, huh?

Well, what I mean...

A man of the cloth shouldn'’t--

Mr. Mackay, I think you'’d better take this back.

The church don'’t accept bribes.

All right, Father.

Maybe my man was leading some kid astray.

But you didn'’t have to bust his nose

to change his mind.

Well, I'’m sorry about that. I truly am.

But you see, he um...

Became a bit unruly and...

I had to persuade him to behave himself.

Persuade him?

He was out for two hours.

All right, maybe my man had it coming to him.

Davey is a nice lad.

That he is,

and he'’ll learn about life soon enough

without being pushed into it before his time.

Uh, I understand your ore'’s running about $400 a ton now.

Just about. Fine.

Yeah, the Good Lord hasn'’t forgot Virginia City.

Hope it don'’t forget him.

Good day, Mr. Mackay.

Good day, Father.

Oh, Father Pat.

Been waiting for you an hour now.

W-w-what'’s the trouble, Ursula?

Well, that man of mine. What else?

Oh, the Lord only knows

the terrible torment he puts me through.

And me skull dragging for him and that food of ours.

Well, Chris is a good man, Ursula.

A little weak at times, but he'’s a fine man.

Mm-hmm.

Only this morning he gets his paycheck,

and off to the Silver Eagle Saloon he goes

to throw away every last penny

on that 21 table.

Well now look, you run on home and I'’ll go see Chris.

Maybe he'’s not lost all the money yet.

We need that money, Father.

All right, all right. Now you run on home. Go on.

Hit it again, Pete.

I start to work tomorrow, that means no hooch for a week.

That'’s right. Gotta keep your wits about you

in your line of work.

You in town for a spell?

For a week, unless I blow outta here sooner.

[ both chuckling ]

Hello, Padre.Hello, Pete.

Hot day, isn'’t it?

That it is, yes.

How '’bout a nice, cool beer?

Well, uh, thank you, Pete,

but not when I'’m on duty.

I'’ll tell you, though. I would like

a nice, tall glass of Sassafras.

Coming right up.

Thank you, Pete.

What'’ll that there mean on the back bar there?

"Manogue'’s Kitty?"Oh, that.

Manogue'’s Kitty. It'’s for the church.

Our lady of the pines.

You see, Fath--"Our lady of the pines?"

With all the drunks in this town,

they ought to call it "our lady of the wines."

[ cackling ]

If you ever blaspheme the name of the Mother of God again,

I'’ll knock you down and I'’ll hammer on you

till you have to beg the Lord'’s forgiveness.

This is Father Pat Manogue.

Father, this is Jim Shuster.

The new dynamiter at the mines.

Father, I... Well, I mean like...

Well, I didn'’t know you were here.

I'’m sorry.

Well, you'’re-- You shouldn'’t be--

Saying those terrible things.

Fine man like you.You'’re right, Father.

I don'’t know why, but sometimes I just act like a bum.

Well thank you very much.

God Bless you.

Hello, boys.

Chris, come on. Let'’s go on home.

But Father, me luck'’s just beginning to turn.

DEALER: Padre, I'’ve spoken to you about this before.

You got no right to come in here and bust up the games.

Saloon'’s no place for a Holy Joe.

Mr. Manning...

I'’m neither holy

nor is me name Joe.

And this game'’s no place for honest card players

who are not familiar with dealing seconds.

You wouldn'’t say anything like that

if you weren'’t wearing that starched collar.

And now what were you saying?

Come on, Chris. I'’ll walk on home with you.

[ knocking on door ]

[ knocking on door ]

Oh, Mr. Mackay. Come in.I hope I'’m not

disturbing you, Father.No, no. Not at all.

Please come in. I was just finishing me supper.

Having a cup of coffee. Would you join me?

Yes, I would. Thank you.

Sit down, won'’t you?Thank you, thank you.

It'’s uh, not very good coffee,

but-but it'’s strong.

I got used to drinking this strong miners coffee

when I was working in the ore pits.

Tell me, Mr. Mackay.

What brings an important man like yourself

to me humble house at such a late hour?

It'’s about your church.

I'’m here to offer you a handsome price for it.

Sell my church?

Let me show you something, Father.

As you know, the mine tunnels

all run underground

right below most of the town.

Now we'’ve been boring deeper and deeper in the tunnels.

And now the entrance shafts are becoming too spread out.

We'’re having to haul our equipment too far,

and it'’s not safe either.

If any of these entrances caved in or caught fire,

it would endanger the whole town.

I say-- I can understand that,

but what'’s that to do with me church?

Well, we want to sink another entrance shaft

closer in to the main network of tunnels.

And the land that your church sits on

is the most logical place to sink another entrance shaft.

Well, uh...

What-what about this dry goods store

next to me church?

Oh well, we could sink another shaft there.

But you see, the tunnel under the church

is only 40 feet down.

The tunnel under the store is 65 feet down.

Now you know old man Adleman, he isn'’t about to part

with that broken down old store of his.

What do you say, Father?

We'’ll give you $5,000 for it.

That'’s three times more than it'’s worth.

You don'’t judge the worth of a church by money, Mr. Mackay.

I didn'’t mean it that way, Father.

Mr. Mackay...

do you have any idea what that church represents?

Hmm?

I was only 14 years old when me parents died

and I came to this country

from Ireland to work in the mills.

I'’d-I'd always wanted to be a priest.

But I don'’t know, I...

I didn'’t know if I... I had the stuff for that lot.

You see, I used to have a terrible temper.

God forgive me.

Then I came out here to California,

Moores Flat,

went to work as a miner

working the claim.

And I saw men die,

trying to make peace with their god alone.

And I thought if I...

If I could just become a good priest of the church,

I'’d be the happiest man alive.

And fortune smiled at me.

Me labor was rewarded a competence.

Then I went to Paris to Saint Zeppola'’s Seminary.

Eight years later, I come back to me miners.

You know, in those first days

I used to say mass in a tent.

And back there in the beginning,

nobody seemed to want to help me.

They uh...They just didn'’t seem to want me around.

It was an unholy place then, Father.

You gave them a conscience.

It'’s taken a lot of work,

sweat, and prayer

to bring that church to Virginia City.

I couldn'’t sell it now.

Not for any amount of money.

But with that money, you could build another one.

A bigger one.

I don'’t know.

I'’ve tread on a...

in the interest of God and morality, I hope...

I'’ve tread on a lot of very important toes

in this town.

They could make it difficult for me to buy land

or material to build a new church.

I just couldn'’t chance it.

Well, I tried.

I'’ll go to work on old man Adleman again.

But we'’ve got to sink another escape shaft,

it'’s getting dangerous.

I'’ll say a prayer for you.

Thank you, Father.

[ all chattering ]

Are you out of your minds

insulting a house of God?

Get away from the church!

Oh, so this is your doing, Mr. Manning?

What'’s wrong, Padre?

Seems to me if you can preach where they gamble,

they can gamble where you preach.

Get out of here, the three miserable souls of you.

Now!

Or so help me...

I'’ll make you wish you had never seen

the sight of this church.

I mean it, Chris--Oh, hello, Chris. Ursula.

Father Pat, tell this man, will you?

He wants to go back to the 21 game again.

Just a little while, Father.

I feel lucky.

Oh, "lucky," he says.

He'’s going to throw away the whole thing, every cent.

You know, Ursula, I think it might be a good idea

for Chris to go to that game today.

Father Pat!

As a matter of fact, I'’ll go with you.

Come on.

Pete.

The kitty'’s getting fat, Father.

Oh, fine, fine.

Uh, Pete, could I have a deck of cards please?

Oh.

Thank you.

Come on, Chris. I want to show you something.

I uh...

Want to explain to you how you can

deal 21 and never lose.

That is, uh... Actually, it'’s very simple...

If you know how to deal seconds.

A nine and a three, right?

Right.

Naturally now, you'’d want to draw another card.

Well, I'’m going to break you.

22. You lose.

I sure do.

I'’ll show you something else.

You'’ve got 19, right?

Naturally, you'’d stay on that.

I'’m going to give myself an eight.

21.

It'’s the name of the game.

Well how do you do that?

Well actually, Chris,

you see I wasn'’t dealing off the top of the deck.

I was dealing seconds.

That'’s the card under the top one.

That way I can control your hand and mine.

How much money, Chris,

do you feel you'’ve lost to Mr. Manning here?

About $80.

$80. Oh, that'’s about a months pay, isn'’t it?

Tell you what, you'’ve got your money

with you now.

Why don'’t you play Mr. Manning one hand for $80, huh?

Come on, we'’ll all watch. Won'’t we, boys?

[ all agreeing ]

He'’s busted.

I win! Let'’s do it again.

Another 80--Th-th-th-th--

That'’s enough, Chris. Let'’s go.

But Father, it'’s me streak.

Now, Chris.

Padre.

I'’d like to have a little talk with you.

About a business deal.

Now wait a minute.

Look, we'’re both businessmen.

You get people to kick in to your kitty,

and I get '’em to kick into mine.

Now maybe we can make a deal.

You keep off my neck,

and I'’ll see that Manogue'’s Kitty

gets a sizable donation every Sunday.

Now you listen to me, Mr. Manning.

Gambling'’s one thing, but cheating'’s another.

Now if you'’ve got to gamble, be honest.

Because if you don'’t, I'’ll have you run out of Virginia City.

Now wait a minute.

I'’m making you a wonderful proposition, Padre.

You wanna fix up that church of yours, don'’t you?

That'’s why you've got these kitties all over town.

Want a big cross right over the door, don'’t you?

Well those things are awfully expensive.

But I'’ll see that you get a real fancy one.

[ grunts ]

Cross is expensive,

but they'’re all paid for...

By the man that hung on the first one

in cavalry.

He paid for '’em all with his own, precious blood.

Now if you ever open your heathen mouth

to blaspheme the Holy Cross again I'’ll--

MAN: Fire! Fire!

ALL: Fire! [ screaming ]

Chris, where is it?

The main tunnel, number three.

It runs right down to the center of town.

It'’s an inferno.

Keep that water moving!

[ all chattering ]

Start a line on the other side!

How bad is it?

Oh, the fire'’s spreading right through the main shaft

but we can'’t get at it.

The hot spot'’s moving closer into our town.

We can'’t break through to it.

If we only had an entrance shaft a little closer in...

Oh, Mr. Mackay.

It'’s Shuster.

I think the smoke'’s done him in.

Well let'’s get him out of there!

[ coughing ]

It'’s no use.

No use fighting the fire from this end, it'’s too hot.

Maybe if you'’d let me dynamite the hot spot,

that might do it.

It'’ll do it, Mr. Mackay.

Let Shuster dynamite.

before the mine caves in the whole town.

The hot spot, where is it?

Right underneath the church.

Father Manogue would never let you dynamite the church.

He'’d be out of a job.

[ coughing ]

Father. Father, I'’ve gotta talk to you.

Close up the line here, fellas.

The fire'’s out of control, Father.

The only chance we'’ve got is to dynamite the hotspot

and hope that the debris will smother out the flames.

If we don'’t,

Virginia City could be destroyed.

If all those wooden beams and wooden shafts underground

burn up, there'’ll be a tremendous cave in.

That'’s what you're gonna do then. Dynamite.

That'’s up to you, Father.

The hotspot is directly under your church.

You'’re asking me to...

to destroy 20 years of me life.

That Holy Joe'’s no fool.

He won'’t blow up that church, town or no town.

God moves in strange ways sometimes.

Dynamite the church.

I'’ll get a couple of men to help you salvage

some things from it, Father.

Bet the good Father told you to forget it, didn'’t he?

Suppose it was your ranch we had to destroy, Jackson.

Would you be man enough to permit us to dynamite it?

Well, Father Pat is.

You actually mean he'’s willing to let you destroy his church?

Yes.

Shuster, get your dynamite rig.

Right.Chris, Pete.

Give the father a hand.

[ people chattering ]

Thank you.

[ people chattering]

All set.

Let her go.

[ explosion ]

Mr. Mackay!

Mr. Mackay!

It did it! It did it!

It smothered the fire! It'’s out!

[ all cheering ]

Your church, Father.

It saved the whole town.

We'’re grateful.

We'’ll build you another church, Father.

A bigger one.

More beautiful and glorious than the other.

Even if I have to build it myself, so help me.

That'’s right, Father.

We'’ll pass Manogue's Kitty around and start it right now.

Here it is. What'’re we waiting for?

Everybody pony up.

What do you want me to do with this, Father?

Just keep it for me a little while, would you?

Me? Please.

Sure.

Father loved this church.

Now it'’s gone.

No it'’s not, Evelyn.

It'’s bigger and stronger tonight

than it'’s ever been.

I used to be a carpenter, Father.

I'’d like to help if I could.

I'’d be most grateful, Mr. Jackson.

I have great respect for carpenters.

My own Lord was a carpenter.

Father Manogue'’s church was rebuilt

and till this very day it still stands in Virginia City.

Father Pat went on to build

more churches throughout the West.

And he was appointed the first Bishop of Sacramento.