Original subtitles

They call me Mad Jack.

And if there's anybody in these mountains that knows the real story of

Adams, that'd be me.

So I'm putting it down and writing just the way it happened in hopes of setting

the record straight.

Now, my friend Adams was accused of a crime he didn't commit.

So he escaped into the mountains, leaving behind the only life that he

knew.

Now that wilderness out there ain't no place for a greenhorn, and his chances

surviving were mighty slim.

There was no time at all, for he was beaten down, ragged, and nearly stopped.

Long about then, he come upon a grizzly bear cub, all alone and helpless.

Adams knew that little critter couldn't survive without his help, so he started

right down that cliff, risking his own life to save it.

Now that cub took to Adams right off.

And that was when he discovered he had a special kind of way with animals.

They just come right up to him like he was a natural part of the wilderness.

But that bear cub, he was extra special.

As he growed, he became the best friend Adams ever had. And together, they

became a legend.

There's a time we'll call our own. Living free in harmony and majesty.

Take me home.

Take me home.

Take me home.

Take me home.

When winter comes to the mountains, it can be the prettiest thing you've ever

seen. Or...

It can be a downright bitter cold experience that you'd just as soon

For some critters, it's pretty hard times.

And the young 'uns who've never seen snow before just don't know what to make

of.

Other critters find out that white stuff makes it kind of hard to catch food.

I mean, after all, if you can't see it, how are you going to catch it?

As our snowy blanket lies,

playful sounds will start to rise.

A frozen palace we will make with

each and every icy flame.

We'll build a castle to the sky.

The wind will sing a...

I personally know a 120 -year -old turtle that's faster than you are.

That's the rest of the spell.

Well, I imagine Adams is wondering what happened to us.

Sure looking forward to our annual celebrating feast. Yes, sir.

Lots of good vittles.

Adams and the coma band all hankering to hear me spin a yarn or two.

Well, they like it even if you don't.

Fire going in the fireplace.

Me getting the chill out of these old bums, my.

Sure hope Adams put in a good supply of killing.

I don't want to have to cut it myself.

Ben, you're sitting right where I'm going to fall to this tree.

You better get around to the other side here.

Well, come on.

Well, don't act like you know better than me where this tree's going to fall.

If you don't come around to this side, you're going to be smashed flat on the

rug. I mean it. Get your nose out of there.

At least give me the credit of knowing how to chop down a tree.

Well, next time I'll listen to you.

Well,

you don't have to rub it in.

I can't understand what's keeping Jack and Nakoma.

I ain't like him to be this late.

We'll give him a little bit longer.

Well, Nakoma was having his own problems getting to Adams' place.

Snow in the mountains sometimes can be blowed belly high to a tall horse.

I know you love it out here, Ben, but...

This ain't no place to be.

Not with a storm blowing in like this.

Look at those clouds banging into one another.

Come on inside.

I'll light us a fire.

Come on in here, Ben.

Use a little help getting ready for the feast.

Better shut that door.

Can't heat up the whole mountain.

One of us is keeping Jack in a coma.

It shouldn't be this late.

Just keep up with me.

Dang you, number seven.

You got all the worst features and my other six burros all rolled into one.

Having you for a companion is worse than being married.

All the pain and misery without the redeeming graces of a home -cooked meal

in a while and a pretty face.

That's a nasty spell.

Here we go.

Not much further.

Look at the size of these sweet potatoes, Ben.

Jack's favorite. He's going to love having these.

They're going to add a lot of spice and flavor to that stew.

You know, Ben, I think this is going to be the best holiday we've ever had.

It's a good idea, Jackhead, celebrating every year this time.

You know, we've got a lot to be thankful for, Ben.

We've got a good life.

Oh, Adam.

Oh, hello, Ben.

It's good to see you.

You're late.

Well, contrariness of the weather, number seven being so stubborn, I'm

be here at all.

There,

let's see what we got here.

Ah, Ben, you know what this is?

This here is flour.

With that secret recipe of mine, old Mad Jack's gonna make you one of the most

mouthwatering, delicious pies you ever had.

So I says to this feller,

I've been walking these mountains, man and boy, for nigh on to, well, for quite

a while, and I ain't never seen no buckler that could climb a tree.

However, there was a time down in the Oklahoma Territory when all the ranchers

was wondering what was spooking their herds.

I wonder what happened to Nekoma.

I don't know.

Maybe he forgot this is our annual celebration day.

You know better than that.

Nekoma don't forget.

There ain't like him to ever be late.

I sure wish he'd get here before that next storm hits.

Me too.

I need them hickory nuts to top off my pie.

And he's gonna bring the berries, Ben.

Yes, sir.

You want a little piece of dough?

Not now, number seven. I'm busy.

Close the

door, Jack.

That can all wait now. Just easy.

Get out of the way. She's trying to tell us something.

Now, now, wait a minute.

Woman. Now, wait a minute.

Easy, Jack.

Now, you just hush up. I know what I'm doing.

You don't know this dialect, and I do.

Her name is Natasha.

They're riding in the hills.

The horses and her granddaughter, they both ran away.

Something scared them.

She came here to get McCormick to help her.

Moloch!

Moloch?

Who?

Who's Moloch?

I thought he was dead.

He's a... He's a... Well, according to the Indian legends,

he's a spirit.

A monster ghost.

they call him that haunts this region.

My opinion is that he's just the biggest, golden, grizzly bear to

ever walk on the face of this earth.

That's just a legend.

You don't believe that, do you? Of course I believe it.

I tell you, I've seen these tracks. They was 18 inches long.

Sure they were.

I had them.

This is no tall tale, I'm telling you. He's real. He's as real as you or me.

What's more, he's mean. I mean, he's worse than mean. He's evil.

I think I know Talitha.

She's a little girl, only around ten years old.

She's been out all night.

Talitha! Talitha! Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Got the devil's own time trying to find her before that storm sets in. That is

if the devil himself hasn't found her first.

You coming, Ben?

Now, hold on, Adams.

You can't just... You coming?

Well, sure I am, but just listen a minute.

Well, on second thought, you stay here and take care of Netechuan. Wait for

Nekoma. Adams.

Take this.

I won't need it.

I have Ben with me. I just want to reach Talitha in time.

Now, I know you got away with critters, but Moloch's no ordinary critter. Now,

take it.

Maybe I got away with ghosts, too.

Come on, Ben.

Dumb greenhorn.

Now, to a weathered old mountain man like me, the winter can be a mighty

time, but to a little girl, it can be a downright fearsome thing.

These aren't any ghost bear prints, Ben.

This looks like one of Jack's stories with a little meat to it.

Those prints are an attached one's horse.

Look, Ben.

Those are Talitha's pony prints.

That bear was just sitting up yonder waiting for him.

And down he came on him.

Talitha!

Talitha!

That bear was chasing that pony.

I'm afraid Talitha was on him. Come on, Ben.

Here you go.

Now you just get some of old Jack's bean soup in the end.

You'll be... frisking around here in no time.

Here you go.

See there, you're getting the color back into your cheeks already.

Here, you can do this.

Go on.

That's right.

Want me to blow it for you?

Say, did I ever tell you about the time I was down in Oklahoma Territory?

I'll tell you something.

These ranchers was all wondering what it was.

It was a...

Spooking their cattle, see.

Now, a lot of them thought it was a big animal like a panther that lived up in

the trees and bellared smoke when it... But I didn't figure that.

I figured that probably had to be something else. So you know

what I did?

I went out on the other side of the herd and I set up a watch.

And I waited out there. I was out there, oh, six, seven hours.

And along about midnight, I heard this catawar.

I looked.

I waited.

After a while, up there in that tree, I was watching the clouds

cleared away from the moon.

There.

Now, come on.

Talitha, don't push me.

Moloch.

Moloch?

Yeah, yeah.

But Adam's gone out to get the little girl. He'll be back pretty soon.

Don't you worry none about it.

You don't never think about how really big the wilderness is till you get out

it looking for something.

That young girl was nowhere near Adams, but of course he didn't know that.

Most critters could sense a storm a -coming and they was already headed for

cover. They know better than to get caught out in a northerner with no

protection against the bitter cold.

The wind could get to whipping so as it felt like knives cutting your skin.

Boo!

Adams trailed that young girl's pony right up to the edge of the cliff.

But there weren't no sign that either one of them had gone over.

Then he seen them giant bear tracks again, still clear and fresh in the

he followed after them, not really knowing what he'd find.

About that time the storm come up, and there ain't no judging a mountain

blizzard. It'll throw wind and cold and lightning and thunder at you all at the

same time.

of them people down in the Oklahoma Territory ain't going to forget old Mad

very soon.

You know something?

Those folks, folks, why don't you just sit down and have a little something to

tide you over until Adams and the girl get back.

You walking back and forth there wearing a trench in the floor ain't going to

get them back any sooner.

Just sit down here.

Here you go.

This will do you until Adams gets back.

We can get at them birds.

I'm just getting the kinks out.

What do you think?

What do you think?

What do you think?

What do you think?

What do you think?

What do you think?

There's no use telling you how dumb it is to go out there in that weather, is

there?

What do you think?

Come on, they're weak.

Adams will be back with a girl if you just wait a while.

Hold up a minute, Nicoma. I'll go with you.

I ain't quite.

Baja Lee up here.

Watch after the old lady, he says.

Why couldn't he have good sense like me?

Tracks just stop.

They don't go anywhere, Ben.

Like he just disappeared.

I'm sure there's got to be an explanation for it.

I know there's an explanation for it.

There's just got to be, huh, Ben?

Yeah.

Well, we ain't got time to be worrying about this.

Them clouds are getting black and meaner by the minute.

We're gonna split up here. All right, I want you to go off that way I'm gonna go

straight ahead I'll be all right without you You be careful, too If you find

anything you come back double quick you hear

Tracks just don't stop.

Not like that.

And giant bears just don't disappear.

Well, maybe he's halfway to St. Louis by now.

What Adams didn't realize was how close St. Louis was at that very moment.

The coma was making his way through that deep snow, trying to pick up Adam's

trail. Weren't that easy, since the blizzard had laid down a whole new

of white.

Adam's meantime was searching hard to find any sign of the little Indian girl,

Talitha.

Not having a whole lot of luck, but that giant bear, Moloch, he was a natural

-born tracker.

Ben! I thought I saw something.

I'll sure feel a lot better until we get this back to the cabin.

Listening to those old stories of Jack's again.

Nekoma saw something moving in the woods.

He figured it might be Mola.

About that time, I'd have been headed off in the other direction, but not

Nekoma. His curiosity seemed to overcome his good sense.

It was Talitha's pony.

There were scratches and claw marks on its flanks.

The pony had managed to get away from that bear.

Nekoma just hoped the little girl had been able to escape, too.

There was nothing to show whether she had or hadn't.

The only

thing

Nokoma could do was to just keep on looking.

Sooner or later, he knew he'd have to cross trails with either Adams or

Or mola.

Adams calling to her, but she just didn't have the strength to answer.

It was getting harder for Nokoma to find any trail signs in the snow.

That mountain storm was the worst of its kind.

Lightning and thunder mixed with snow always is.

Nekoma weren't dead, but he sure felt like it. That horse of his lit out

the hills and just kept on a -going, leaving him afoot.

I bet about that time Nekoma was wishing he'd stayed back at the cabin with me.

Did you find something?

What is it?

Good, Ben.

Good.

This is Talitha's legging.

She had to pass through here.

Come on.

See anything, Ben?

Reaper!

Ben?

Ben?

Good, Ben. Good.

frozen, Ben.

We gotta build a fire for her.

Get some heat back into her.

Get her blood moving again.

It sure would help if these twigs were dry, Ben.

Ben?

I want you to go to the cabin and get Jack.

Get Jack and Number 7 and tell them we need some help.

Tell them to get back here.

Here we go.

I told you you'd get some of old Mad Jack's stew in your innards.

You'd be feeling fine in no time.

Here you are, Number 7.

A little more for you.

Did I ever tell you the story about when I was down in the Oklahoma Territory?

I told you that story, huh?

Well, now don't you be giving me none of your sass.

You know, you could be waiting out there in that storm.

You

seem

to be letting up a bit.

Do you suppose you'd be all right to...

Here by yourself for a little while Oh Gonna It

ain't like Adams and the coma to be gone this long

So I went out after that greenhorn only I took my rifle with me I

may be crazy, but I sure ain't stupid I Can just get her warm

I told you to go get Jack.

Adams had himself a pack of trouble.

And Nicoma, he wasn't being much help either.

Not for the lack of trying.

But without a horse and on foot, there wasn't a whole lot he could do.

Now, me, being a seasoned mountain man and all, I was doing just fine.

Well, I did have some problems.

Now, I don't think Ben quite understood how serious the situation really was.

Of course, even I couldn't pass up a good back scratching on a rough tree.

when you got friends around and plenty of snow to drop in, well, I guess I

couldn't blame it.

He won't come in here as long as we got that fire going.

That's got to be the biggest grizzly I've ever seen.

I sure hope Ben understood what I was saying to him.

He's got to find Jack and Nekoma before we run out of dry canneling.

Nekoma was following along the river looking for tracks.

Hoping to find his horse.

Now, it ain't like Nicoma to be jumpy out in the wilds, but when he heard

another sound from back in the brush, he grabbed his knife.

Sure that Moloch was a -coming for him.

Well, it was a bear, all right.

But it was one he knew.

It was Ben.

That's Moloch.

You better make your first shot good, because there ain't gonna be two.

That was Nicola's horse.

Well, looks like I'm a one -man search party.

First Talitha.

Greenhorn's probably got himself lost.

Looks like Nicoma could use some help.

I'll backtrack his horse.

in one piece. That's some storm to get caught in.

Come on, Irima.

What you doing here, Ben?

You seen Adams?

Talitha?

No, I ain't seen her.

Let's hope she's with Adams somewhere holed up and that this storm drove

off. Looks like Ben came from that way.

I'll backtrack him and find Adams.

I better get on it while...

The tracks are still there.

Now, you just stay here and rest.

I can travel faster without you.

Wait a minute.

Sometimes I think you've been around Adams too long. You're getting to be as

stubborn as he.

Don't give it much of a chance.

Come on, let's go down a little bit.

Easy.

Okay.

It's okay.

Fire's still going. He ain't partial to him.

It's all right.

He's going to get fed up and go away.

Don't worry.

When he does, I'm going to pick you up and I'm going to carry you home.

I'm gonna get you some nice hot food, okay?

They're up on that ridge somewhere.

We started up the side of that cliff, and I had an uneasy feeling that we was

getting into something more than we expected.

It's hard enough to climb up a sheer face of rock when there ain't no snow,

when there is, why, you gotta be a mountain goat.

Every inch of the way was like trying to climb up an icicle, slipping backwards

more than you're going forwards.

When the coma started to fall, I reached back to help him. My first mistake was

handing him the wrong end of the gun.

If it had gone off, I'd have been finished.

My second mistake was letting go the other end.

Take my hand.

Grab onto something.

Take it slow.

See it.

I see, Adams.

Don't move a muscle.

Stay right where you are. It's good to see you, Jack.

What brings you this way?

Oh, I enjoy sloshing around through a blizzard, climbing a mile -high cliff,

then discovering the biggest monster I've ever seen in my life.

Yeah, especially on the day we're supposed to be having our celebration.

Don't you call this a celebration?

So that's Talitha.

How is she?

It might have frozen.

She's been out here a long time.

Might be a bit scared, too, I reckon.

Sure wished I hadn't lost my rifle.

There's only one thing to do, Jack.

I got to lead them out of here.

Then you can get to Letha.

You're loco, Adams.

I ain't loco.

He'll follow me. He's been following me most of the day.

Don't try it.

Jack, please yell at him, will ya?

Come on, Talisa, I got you.

they were both goners for sure.

But as usual, the greenhorn atoms latched onto another piece of good luck

sizable chunk of rock.

It's too bad about Moloch.

I wish he could have gotten away with it. All right.

Not that happening. Yeah?

That canyon's so deep that Moloch is still going.

Be careful you don't fall in there, Ed.

Well, that's the entertainment part of our year in celebration.

Now let's go home and eat.

You want to know something, Adam?

This bear sitting right here is smarter than you are.

Did you hear that, Ben?

You're smarter than me.

That's high praise come from a man that knows.

He wouldn't have gone out after Moloch with no rifle.

I told you I wasn't looking for Moloch. I went looking for Talitha.

I hope you learned your lesson.

That was just plumb foolish.

You could have saved yourself a pack of trouble.

If you'd have just taken the rifle.

Well, I ain't got no oil feelings towards that bear.

Something had to make him awful mean.

He's just acting his natural way.

Well, that would have been a lot of comfort while he's chewing you up like a

piece of jerky. I tell you, it's a miracle.

Just a pure D miracle that he went over that ledge like he did.

Well, in the long run, nature's always got a way of evening things out.

Well... There was some justice in the way it turned out. Could be you're

Uh, Talitha, could I have just a smidgen more?

Uh, Talitha, that there is a dab.

A smidgen is about two of them.

Thank you.

You've been the greenhorn all life.

I suppose you think this is a big storm we just had.

That's the biggest I've ever seen.

That was a baby, a cub. I told you I saw the granddaddy of all storms. Why,

one time, me and my partner old... This ain't one of your long stories, is it?

Well, it does go on for a spell.

But it's interesting, though.

Well, sir, there we was running the whole live long.

Well, dang you, Ben.

Well, you just said he was smart.

Well, he is smart.

But he don't have no manners.

Listen, I got stories that last us all winter long.

I was afraid of that.

No, these are like the time I wrestled a tornado.

You know that?

Now, let's see, where was I?

Oh, so... For the whole live long day, me and Sam kept on running south with

that tornado nipping right at our heels and freezing everything inside

instantly. Why, it even froze birds.

Deep inside the forest is a door into

another land.

Here is our life and home.

We are staying here forever in the beauty of this place.

All alone, we keep on hoping.

Maybe there's a world where we don't have to run. Maybe

there's a time...