Original subtitles

The story of Grizzly Adams is big and powerful and beautiful.

They call me Mad Jack.

And me and my burro number seven been traipsing these slopes and valleys for a

long spell. So I know the story from the beginning. 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

of surviving were mighty slim.

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

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

Now, 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.

and everybody feels there's nothing higher in the sky or freer than a bird

the wing.

But there are times when it appears to me a mighty pine is as high as the sky

and a mountain man is as free as an eagle floating with the wind.

Now, being free don't mean we ain't got duties and responsibilities to our

friends and neighbors.

Grizzly Adams, for one.

Lives up to his every day.

Get this splint off your foot.

See how you walk on it.

You gotta go easy on it now for a little while.

There you go.

All the critters rely on Adams, and he never lets them down. In the wilderness,

that's the only kind of a friend to have.

Good morning,

Nekoma.

Jack, what's up, Kodak?

I was expecting Jack sometime today.

Uh -huh.

Listen, there's some bad weather down below, but that's never slowed him up

as I can remember.

That's a fact, Nekoma. Rain or snow has never kept old Jack from making a trip.

That's since Lombego's acting up on him.

Yes, he does, Nekoma.

You know, there's not a family or a prospector up in these mountains that

depend on Jack for their food and mail.

He sure does a lot of good for us.

You know, we ought to do something for him.

Give him a bath?

That's not far from what I was thinking.

I was thinking maybe we could build him one of your Indian sweat lodges.

You know, we ought to build it over here close to the stream.

Maybe we could even get it done before he gets here and surprise him.

That's a boy, Ben.

Bring it over here.

Well, that'll fit real good, Ben.

It looks just fine, Nekoma.

Jack's sure gonna be pleased.

Oh, Ben, I need this to keep the heat in.

That's part of the sweat lodge.

That's a good boy.

You know, Nekoma, there's not a gentler soul up in these mountains than old

Jack. Hey, nabbit number seven, you lop -eared, no -toed excuse for a burrow,

we're here.

So just relax.

Good morning, Ben.

Show the sheet, Nekoma.

Adam. Jack.

Where's he going?

Oh, he's probably just going out for his early morning berries.

Huh? What's that?

It's for you.

Adams, I told you a hundred times, us mountain men, we just sleep out under

stars. And who needs a fire this time of year?

Well, it's not to sleep in.

Nicole and I built it. We worked hard on it. It's a sweat lodge.

Look.

Ooh.

A sweat lodge.

Why for would I need a sweat lodge?

Well, it's for your miseries. That's what it's for.

Every time you come up here after every trip, that's all we hear. Complaining,

complaining. Isn't that right, Nekoma?

Well,

it appears to me that Nekoma needs it worse than me.

Jack, the steam from this is going to make you feel real good.

Make you feel as limber as a spring willow.

Put the stones in, Nekoma.

You know, Jack, Indians have been using sweat lodges for hundreds of years.

Purifies the body.

Takes away all sickness.

Well, I know that.

I've been in the sweat lodges of some of the greatest chiefs tricks here in

Canada. Well, then you know after you work up a good sweat that you go jump in

that cold stream.

Hop in the... Oh, no, no, no. Sweat's good for you. And I like to keep all

Yeah, I know.

Well, I'll go down and get the water and you take off your clothes.

Take off my clothes?

In front of Daniel and Mary Lou and everybody?

I'll ask them to close their eyes. I'll be right back.

Take your clothes off.

Mary Lou and Daniel?

Look the other way.

There you go, Jack.

I'll do this, but I ain't jumping in no creek.

What'd he say?

Anacoma says if you chant like an Indian medicine man, it'll help drive the evil

spirits out of you, make a new man out of you.

There ain't nothing wrong with the old one.

Looks like number seven knows better.

We didn't know it at the time, of course, but while we was a fussing with

sweat lodge, less than a mile away, a man was near starving to death.

His name was Isaac, and he was a runaway slave.

and them chains around his hands made it near impossible for him to do much

about improving his condition.

Now, fishing with your bare hands is a learned skill, and trying to fish with

bare hands that are all bound up ain't possible at all, as poor Isaac was of

finding out.

But giving up wasn't in his nature, so he kept moving along, looking and

hoping.

When Isaac seen them bear cubs making a strike, he figured he needed that fish a

lot more than they did.

It weren't but a few seconds before Mama Bear come down to see who was scaring

her youngins, and she did a little scaring on her own.

Isaac was beginning to find out that the wilderness could be a strange and

fearful place, particularly when you don't know the ways of animals.

And you don't know what to eat.

Jack, you had enough?

Are you all right?

Whee!

Whee, that felt good.

Oh, I haven't felt this good since...

I was with old Stonecalf up in the Dakotas.

Nakoma, you took 20 years off my life.

Look at me.

Well, I reckon you're ready for that dip in the stream now.

Dip?

Nakoma, come on. I'll show you how I won the arm wrestling contest at Rondeville

just 20 years ago. Come on.

Come on, Nakoma.

I'm going to take it easy on you.

Ready? I'll say go.

Ready?

Go!

Well,

my hand was slippery from the sweat in my elbow.

We wouldn't have all been having ourselves such a fine old time if we had

what was happening not too far away.

Isaac's introduction to the wilderness was growing more grim by the minute.

It seemed that no matter where he turned, there was something to scare him

like them wolves.

Not knowing the ways of animals, he figured he'd give them wolves a wide

Who should he come upon but Ben?

Isaac didn't know Ben was just saying howdy.

Isaac was beginning to feel he was running away from one kind of slavery

another.

You know something?

While I was in there, I figured out a better way to do it. Better?

Yeah, yeah. Now, instead of lighting a fire out here and heating up the

Why don't you build a fire inside and heat them up in there, and then you

wouldn't have to carry them back and forth?

What do you mean it'd burn?

Nicoma's right, Jack.

The fire would burn down the lodge.

Not the way I do it.

What is it, Ben?

You got something on your mind?

It's your lodge, Jack. You do whatever you want with it. Ben's found something.

Burned down.

Isaac had never tasted watercress before, but hungry as he was, it were

feast.

Now, when Ben brought Adams to the stream, the last thing Adams expected to

was a human being in shackles.

Why, the very sight of it near broke Adams' heart.

He wanted to help that stranger, but to Isaac, the sight of man and bear could

only mean danger.

And so he took off.

Hey, wait!

He's afraid of us, Ben.

We gotta show him we're friends.

Tired and terrified, Isaac made his way up that mountain, figuring he was once

again running for his life.

Whoever you are, you don't have to run from us.

We're friends.

Isaac had no real intention of hurting Adams or Ben.

He was just... Hoping to slow down the pursuit a little, you might say.

Come on, Ben, let's go.

To Isaac, the one thing more important than his hunger or his fear was his

freedom. And even if he heard Adams, there was no way for Isaac to know that

Adams and Ben was only offered to help.

All Isaac knew was the instinct of a runaway slave.

To keep hidden.

To stay free.

When Isaac stopped for a drink, he was as near to total collapse as a soul

be. But the sound and the sight of that wolverine drove him on.

He stumbled along as best he could, but what little strength he had left finally

gave out.

And the fall he took left him unconscious.

now, fella.

We're not gonna hurt you.

I know we're in your territory.

We have a friend here that needs help.

I'd sure appreciate it if you let Ben and I do what we gotta do.

Thank you.

You all right, mister?

I'm not going to hurt you.

My name's James Adams.

I've got a cabin just on the other side of this hill.

This here is Ben.

He's the one that brought me here. He knew you needed help.

What's your name?

Name's Isaac.

Can I help you up?

No.

I've got plenty of food at the cabin.

It's not too far from here if you've got a mind to be eaten.

Is that all he told you?

His name?

Let's give him a little time, Jack.

I know you've never seen a man in chains before in a coma.

And it is a terrible thing.

I don't know why his skin's black.

Why is our skin the color it is?

People bring them from their own lands across the sea against their will.

Why'd he come up here?

He came up here to hide and get himself together, Jack. And we're gonna help

him.

I think you're crazy, Adams.

His owner probably has bounty hunters out looking for him.

What if they just settle for you?

We're just gonna take that chance.

Isaac, I want to use this axe on these chains you got.

You liable to get in a heap of trouble if you take these chains off me.

Well, I appreciate the warning.

Just wrap the chain over the top of the log.

I might have some trouble getting those cuffs off your wrist.

Pry.

I could cut you.

It's my blood.

Pry.

A coma?

Isaac, put your wrist up here on the log.

You gotta pry these open.

All right.

It's coming.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Adams.

Man, ain't nobody gonna ever notice you done this for me. I want to thank you.

Isaac, this is free territory up here.

Our laws are just a little bit different.

Yeah, but the law of my own is it's gone.

I declare, sometimes I think Adams doesn't know enough to protect his own

Well, let's get to Lodge Finney so I can prove it'll work.

Isaac, how long you been on the run?

Oh, eight or nine days, I guess, altogether.

Well, how do you know that your owners are still trailing you? I seen him.

I was hiding in a loft way back there.

Saw him going into the farmhouse.

You know, that's been over a week ago.

Could have lost him by now.

Thinking I did.

That Mr. John, he a young man.

He don't give up too easy.

His father bought me when I was...

About seven to eight years old.

Mr. John was born that same year.

Gets you about 25 or so.

So Daddy promised to let me and my wife go when he died.

But then after he died, Mr. John claimed that he's out of his head when he made

that statement.

So he didn't let us go.

When I went and told my wife, it broke her heart.

She died.

So after I buried her,

I took off running.

Even with the chains on that Mr. John put on me.

You know, I really appreciate what you've done for me.

Taking off the chains and everything.

Sure would like to settle things between us.

Now, I'd be glad to do any kind of work around here you got for me.

There's no need for that, Isaac.

You're my guest.

Where are you headed?

Don't know and don't rightly care, long as I'm free.

I ain't gonna have no man tell me what I can and can't do no more.

Well, being free is just the first part of it.

Now you got to learn how to survive out here.

I can teach you how to survive.

You were having a hard time when I first met you, weren't you?

Yeah, I reckon you're right.

Hey, Adams.

Yeah, Jack.

I'll clean this area up right here.

Thank you, Isaac.

We're ready to light the fire.

Good. What'd you find out?

Well, he figures his owners follow him as far as the settlement, and then he

lost them.

Well, let's hope that he did, because if he didn't, you could be in a heap of

trouble. That owner of his might get some help, and that help might know

you. I'm not worried about that, Jack.

I'm just trying to figure out how we can keep Isaac here from leaving.

You know, he's not as ready for freedom as much as he thinks he is.

I'd like to help him.

She lit?

All right, you doubting Thomases, I'm going to show you how a mountain man

a sweat lodge without sweating.

Nicoma, get ready for a good sweat. When them rocks get hot in there, she's

gonna be steaming the blood.

Jack, I think you might be overdoing it.

That's awful hot.

The lodge is catching on fire.

Nicoma, see if you can beat it out. I'll get some water.

Stand back. I'm going to toss this water on it.

Now, just a minute.

Well, your beard was smoking, Jack.

You two might laugh now, but when I get this thing out, I'm starting over again.

Don't you think I'm litched?

Now, while Nicoma and me was fixing up that sweat lodge, Adams and Ben took

Isaac for a walk in the woods.

Adams began to teach Isaac about the wilderness and the different animals who

lived there.

Now, I knew Adams was right in wanting to help Isaac, but something was

happening not too far away that I was afeard of from the beginning.

Don't that beat all.

I ain't never seen no man play with no wolf before.

I've known him since he was a puppy, Isaac.

He's about a year and a half old now.

When he's full grown, he'll have a pack of his own.

And he'll raise them just as good as his mama raised him.

Looks like Ben's got something to show us.

Come on, son.

Thank you, Ben.

Isaac, Ben's invited us to join him in some of his berries.

That's all right.

He's a good eat, huh?

You sure are.

When I first run through here, I must have been so tired and hungry, I must

run right past him.

Isaac, why don't you stay with us for a while?

You must have forgot I'm on the run.

I was like you when I first came out here.

That's all the more reason you need a friend.

I was running.

The law claimed I killed a man and put a bounty on my head.

For all I know, they're still looking for me.

You sticking your neck out for me?

Now I don't even mean nothing to you.

I think you do, Isaac.

I think you're a friend.

That's what I needed when I came out here.

If it wasn't for Nokoma and Jack and the animals, I'd have never made it.

Well, I sure appreciate the offer.

But I ain't planning on staying around here much longer.

Well, wherever you go, it's going to be wilderness. You know that, don't you?

Yes, sir. Because I'll be free.

Isaac, being free just means that you have a choice.

A choice of work, where you work and who you work with.

That's what freedom means. A choice.

Yeah, I guess being a slave or free, you gotta take orders from somebody.

I sure would like to have a choice.

I know what you mean, Isaac.

Hi, Hawk.

Hawk, I'd like you to meet a friend of ours.

Say hi to Isaac.

All right, go on, Hawk.

Nobody will ever be as free as Hawk is, Isaac.

Well, we best get back to the cabin and see how they're doing on that sweat

lodge.

Now, this time, I'm stacking the wood inside.

The only reason it burned down the last time was because you stacked the wood

too high.

What do you mean heating the stones inside won't work? It will, too, work,

I'll prove it to you as soon as Adams gets back. Here, hold this.

It's dangerous.

It's got gypsum in it.

Water seeps up through the ground. It can blind you.

Never drink any water that smells like that.

I guess Ben's smarter than some things that I am.

Now, the point I'm trying to make is that if at first you don't succeed,

then try again.

Now, this sweat lodge will work this time, I guarantee you. If it don't, I'll

push a peanut right up them mountains with my nose. What do you think of that?

Uh -huh.

Well, it won't catch on fire if you didn't light the wood.

To prove my point, you know what I'm going to do?

I'm going to light that fire and get in there and stay in there.

Now, you watch.

Well,

I ain't afraid of nothing.

Close the flap.

Well, now that I know where to find them, I figured I'd go pick out some

berries, maybe even make a pie.

That's a good idea, Isaac.

Don't he know that wood won't burn for long without no air?

He's going to find out all it's going to do is smoke.

That's for sure.

Ben, you go with Isaac.

Those are bushes.

For a while there, I thought we was in the wrong place.

It must have been a wind of these bears for a while there.

That's one time your nose can't help you, huh?

Yeah.

That's how I got free of them dogs they set on me.

I fooled their noses.

Howdy, Isaac.

Come on, let's go.

Jack, take the high slope.

We can't run no more, Ben.

So now we got to hide.

Let's try up there.

Come on, let's go.

Come on.

Now, when they started up that hill, Ben took the lead, because when it come to

knowing where to hide, no one knew better than old Ben.

And for sure, he didn't want Isaac Dublin back.

When Adams and Nekoma reached the berry bush and seen the bucket, They began to

look for signs of Isaac.

But they wasn't the only ones interested in where Isaac had been or where he was

going.

You're right, Nekoma.

Isaac put this bucket down and ran.

Maybe he got away from whoever's chasing him on that horse.

Let's go.

Looks like you found a good place here, Ben.

If we can't see out, that means he can't see in. So we'll just lay low right

here.

Well, it don't feel like it's broken, but it sure does hurt.

He was going to make himself a decoy, but then he figured Isaac might need

Ransom had seen Ben, and tethering his horse, he started up that hill, taking

along the only thing he'd figured on needing, his rifle.

I ain't mad at you, Ben, but over there you can be seen.

Yeah. Yeah, I see it, Nekoma.

Sure, I wish I could get back to the cabin, Ben, but I don't think I can make

it.

Plus, we'd get Mr. Adams in trouble.

Easy there.

Isaac, it's a joke.

He won't owe you.

You're right, Nekoma. He's on Isaac's trail.

He's got his rifle with him.

A G -Wall weak.

All right, you go up around that way, but you be careful.

I'm going to go up this way.

Hey, Adam!

There weren't no sign of him in that direction.

Whose horse is this?

Is he a bounty hunter?

I think it's Isaac's owner's, Jack. Is he alone?

It seems that way.

Hey, he wants a showdown, huh?

Well, I'm primed and ready.

All right, I'm going to circle up around this way. You stay here in case he

comes back for the horse.

Easy number seven.

Well... Now, Nekoma was the best tracker in the forest, and he had picked up

Ranson's trail, but with the head start he had, Ranson was getting mighty close

to where Isaac and Ben was hiding.

Adams was moving as fast as he could up the other side, and Nekoma was doing his

best that he could.

But they were still a long way behind Ransom.

Maybe too long.

Into the line, Isaac.

End of the line.

You want to take me back, Mr. John, it's going to have to be feet up.

I have to set an example for the others, Isaac.

Whatever way.

Run me a merry race.

That poison water was starting to take its toll on Ransom. Don't move.

Behave yourself, Isaac.

I'll give you freedom in ten years.

Seemed like I heard that somewhere before.

Think your daddy said it before he died? Yeah.

Yeah, say when he died, he's gonna set us all free. Well, you sure fixed that,

didn't you?

Something wrong.

Isaac?

You don't move, Isaac.

I don't want to hurt you.

I can't see.

Isaac?

Isaac?

I can't see, Isaac!

I can't see!

Isaac!

I can't see!

I can't see!

to put home this sedan.

I can't.

I can't do it.

You got a track?

Ah!

Oh, my God.

Can you hang on to him? I can't.

It's all right.

Help me.

Isaac. Isaac, help me.

Isaac. I can't see.

Help me.

Look at me, mister.

Look at me.

You drank bad water, Nokoma.

All right.

We're going to take him back to the cabin, Isaac.

Nokoma's going to make some medicine for him.

You'll be all right.

Ben, it's going to take a mite more peppermint.

Would you fetch it?

You got the service berries ready, Jack?

It's cooling off inside.

I'll send the comb in with the peppermint tea.

Give me your arm, Vince.

Easy, Vince. I got you.

That's it.

There's a step right here.

Step up.

We'll soon find out, Isaac.

Hey, will you let me know as soon as you can, won't you? So I can get a head

start.

Isaac, how are you going to make out?

I don't know.

I can do a little carpenting.

I just don't know nothing about numbers and reading.

Why don't you stay here with me?

I'll teach you.

Jack will get you a job at the settlement, I promise.

No. That Mr. John, he ain't going to leave here without me.

I know it.

I'm going to check on him.

Who's that?

It's Adam, Ranson.

Came in to take off your bandages.

I can see.

I'm going to be all right.

I figured you'd be all right.

Don't thank me, Rance.

Isaac's the one that saved your life.

How much head start he got on me?

He's still here.

I figure you owe him something.

He's still here?

He wouldn't leave until he found out that you were all right.

You know, if he wanted to run, he'd have done it when you were hanging over that

cliff.

But he didn't.

I know what kind of man Isaac is.

What kind of man are you, Ray?

I want to talk to him.

He's outside.

Come back with me, Isaac.

I'll give you freedom.

Now, sir, I've got to find a new life for myself.

I've got friends here who want to help me.

Isaac, you're a free man.

Thank you, sir.

I'd better get back home.

Got a lot of work to catch up on.

Bye, Isaac.

Good morning, Ben.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Why are you feeling shipper this morning?

These old bones never felt better in my life.

I know why you're saying that.

It's because of what you did to that sweat lodge, isn't it? You didn't change

it, did you? I didn't touch it.

Good. Oh, Isaac says to say howdy.

How's Isaac doing? Oh, old Ken Thompson. He says he's making the best

carpenter's apprentice he's ever had.

And guess what?

Why give up? What?

He's calling himself Isaac Adams.

Isaac Adams.

That's right.

And he asked me to ask you if it would be all right.

Well, the next time you see Isaac, you tell him that I'm right proud he's using

my name.

Isaac Adams.

Oh,

I can't wait to check it.

Isaac.

I'm proud of Isaac, too, Nakoma.

You know, before he left, he was telling me a lot about himself and how it felt

being free.

Yeah, I'm afraid there still are a lot of men that are slaves in the coma.

But there's that lawyer fella up Illinois way.

Call him Abraham Lincoln.

They say he's quite a man.

He said someday there won't be any more slaves ever again.

You know, I believe him.

He said we all got to work together and help one another.

Make it so.

Adam, a coma?

He's ready.

Yes, sirree, Bob.

I told you she'd work better this way.

Well, she's all ready to try.

You all right?

Look at that.

Just done to a turn.

Yes, sir.

Anytime you want to know how to build a smokehouse, you just come and get old

Mad Jack, because he's the best smokehouse builder in all these

Ain't that right, man?

Here.

Take one of these.

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