Original subtitles

♪♪ [Trumpet]

Whenever Christmas time comes around,

it brings to mind familiar things.

Ornaments of all types and sizes,

gifts hidden behind colorful wrappings,

and, of course, the Christmas tree itself.

And the familiar sounds too.

The happy sounds of Carols, of children's laughter

and the joyful ringing of bells.

Even the rugged saints and sinners of California's gold rush mining camps

paused to think of Christmas, and of the sound of bells--

which leads to our story.

We call it, "a bell for volcano."

[Men singing] ♪ let me hide myself in thee

♪ when I rise through worlds unknown ♪

♪ and behold thee on thy throne ♪

♪ rock of ages cleft for me ♪

♪ let me hide myself in thee ♪

Well, folks, that concludes the services.

Oh, wait a minute! Wait a minute.

I got a few words to say yet.

"This is the day which the lord had wrought.

Let us rejoice, and be glad in it."

We used to call that shack a church.

Wasn't much, but at least it had a roof on it.

Now it's gone. We're all out here under God's blue heaven.

Now, I ain't complaining about his judgment--

Hey! Hey, you! Hey!

[Crowd muttering]

Get up! Get up, up, up!

It's a fine thing, bustin' up the Reverend's remarks.

You see that horse there? It's mine.

My brand and my saddle! Well, who's arguin'?

Well, didn't you see him trying to run off with it?

Horse-stealin'? That's a hangin' offense.

I didn't steal nothing!

[Australian man] Down under where I hail from,

you catch a thief, you find a tree.

I didn't do it! I just made a mistake.

Well, you made one mistake too many!

Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute!

You can't hang a man on Sunday.

He stole my horse on Sunday.

You got an answer to that?

I spent all my money last night buying whiskey in her saloon.

And I ain't over it yet.

I couldn't tell one horse from another.

Oh, you never owned a horse. Come on!

No, no! Just a minute, Floyd.

Look at him. Now where'd he ever get the gall

to steal a horse in broad daylight,

right out in front of god and everybody!

[Shouting] Let us pray!

Lord, you said let him who is without sin amongst you

cast the first stone.

And you well know, we got a camp full of sinners.

Some is worse than others.

You gave us a sign when all we had as a church went up in smoke.

Now you've sent us another sign.

But we're so busy digging for gold

and calling names, that we forgot that

a town ain't a town without a church for sinners to get cured in.

Lord, please forgive this scrawny skunk,

as much as possible.

And show us the way to get a church-- a real church,

between now and Christmas.

And there ain't much time. Amen.

Now, get goin', while you're able.

Well, that uses up my part of Sunday.

The rest is all yours, Maggy.

Okay. Come on, fellas!

I think the old Preacher did pretty good this morning.

Oh yeah. All right, fellas! Dry mornings, wet afternoons.

First drink is on the house! [Cheering]

You girls get on back here, and help me pour.

Hey, how come all of a sudden you're so generous, Maggy?

Oh, I don't know. You might say I got religion.

You? Me.

Now everybody drink up!

Another one? You'll have to wait till I make my speech.

Now, listen, everybody. You all heard Preacher Davidson,

how bad we need a church.

And we're gonna get him one.

Who's "we"?

Us! Including you, Whitey.

That is, unless you're heading back home to Australia,

which you ain't-- because if you do, you'll be back in that jail you busted out of.

[Whitey] I'm no jailbird, Maggy.

Well, I don't see any angel wings on your shoulders.

[All laugh]

All right. Now who's gonna be the first one to shower down?

Well, now, what's the matter?

You'd rather have Preacher Davidson go on down the pike

to hungry gulch?

Spread it around that we're too small and stingy here

to give the lord back a little bit about what he's given us?

[Man] Well, he ain't given me enough for the work I'm puttin' in.

You're eating and you're drinking, and you still got a chance

to strike it rich-- that's more than you had before.

Put it down, Jack. Put it down.

Now, here's my put-in.

Now, you-- dig, miner, dig.

Well, that's more like it.

Preacher Davidson saved your neck.

I ain't got a dime on me.

Yeah, and if you had, you wouldn't put in.

How much does that add up to, maggy?

Count it, reverend. It's all yours.

You mean you-- you folks, uh--

well, we had to do something to keep you from preaching at us day and night.

Go on, count it!

It comes to-- near as I can figure,

including the dust, $280.

Make that an even $300.

Well, that's mighty kind and generous of you all.

But it's not enough to build your church, huh?

Don't look at me, maggy. I'm down to nickel number one!

Maybe it's another sign.

Sign? The lord works in mysterious ways,

his wonders to perform.

A bell. That's it, a bell!

Ring out glad tidings, let all men hear!

The other camps have churches, but none of 'em has a bell!

We'll buy the bell first, and ring it and call in

every sinner from here to Sacramento!

Why, sure. Sure, the bell will bring 'em in,

and we'll shake 'em down, huh?

Oh, that is, just to get some contributions

to help you build your church!

Where are you going to find a bell for sale?

San Francisco, I guess.

[Whitey] Who's got time to leave his diggings,

and go all the way to San Francisco?

It will be Christmas by the time you get back.

[Man] Oh, I'll go.

Oh, you need what you can take out of your claim

worse than anybody else.

We'll draw cards.

Two low men go.

Knowing you all like I do, there isn't one of you

I'd leave out of my sight without another one to watch him.

Not with $300 in the kitty.

Okay, boys-- turn 'em over.

Six, eight,

ace, eight,

six, queen, ace,

eight, jack, five, four.

Little bitty two.

Who asked you in on this?

A free country, ain't it?

Well, it looks like you and me.

I wouldn't travel with him from here to the front door.

Well, then I'll go by myself.

Oh, no, you won't!

You lay your thievin' paws on the reverend's bell money

and I'll cut your arm off!

Right below your ears. I was only tryin' to help.

Just want you to know something, Maggy.

This is against my better judgment.

Well, what are you waitin' for? Come on!

We're gonna look for that bell

if we have to look all the way to Monterey!

Well, there she is. Hey, we heard you had a bell,

but nobody said it was anything like this!

How much? Well, now, I'm mighty fond of that bell.

Say, uh, $100? She cost me more than that in Boston.

Well, maybe we could go 150.

Mm...

All right, all right. Take all we've got. $300.

All right, she's yours.

Good.

We lugged that blasted thing all the way to the bay.

And then we rowed it across in a boat.

And tomorrow, we're supposed to load it on a steamer for Sacramento.

Look at the blisters on my hand, mister--

what did you say your name was?

Uh, my friends call me "honest Jim."

Go on, my friend.

Well, if that big, dumb ox Floyd Webster

thinks I'm going to kill myself for a bell,

he got another thing comin'.

I'm skippin' out tonight.

Now, I wouldn't be too hasty, my friend.

I don't think you realize the vast possibilities in this bell of yours.

With shovels selling at $20 each,

a bell of the dimensions you described

can be converted into cash-- lots of cash.

All we have to do is get the bell.

No, not a chance. If I know that Floyd Webster,

he won't sleep a wink tonight, guarding that bell

as though it was made of pure gold. All right. Then it's up to you.

Somehow, you'll have to lose the "big ox,"

and get the bell back here to San Francisco.

How do I do that? When you get to Sacramento,

get a wagon.

What then? I know a place here where it can be converted.

No questions asked. [Chuckles]

It's a deal! Ow! Oh.

[Moaning]

Well, I got the bell loaded on the wagon,

we're ready to leave for volcano any time you're well enough.

[Moaning] Oh, my.

Oh, my-- oh, my, your fever is worse.

You're a very sick man. I ain't that sick.

[Groaning]

My, this is terrible.

We ain't gonna be able to get that bell to the reverend in time for Christmas.

And that poor fellow just counting on it

till it just about break his heart. [Moans]

Unless-- unless I take it myself.

You?

Oh, well, I know it's gonna be a back-breaker, but...

I can manage somehow.

How come you got so helpful all of a sudden?

Well, I guess I got religion.

You-- you stay away from that bell, do you hear me?

[Cries out] Oh, now you just relax, Floyd.

Relax, and don't worry about a thing!

Hey! Hey, you-- you come back here!

You-- ohh...

[Bell tolls]

Come on, get goin'! Move!

[Bell rings] Move!

Move! Come on, move!

Come on. Come on!

[Ringing] Come on, pull, blast you!

Come on! Giddyap!

Come on, pull!

Giddyap!

Giddyap, there! [Horse whinnying]

Giddyap, there!

[Whinnies]

[Bell clanging]

Ho!

Ho!

Ho! Ho!

[Crying out]

There! That's a good...

Gotcha.

[Bell tolls]

Buenos dias, Señor.

You have such a fine-looking bell, señor. [Chuckles]

A man who owns such a fine bell...

Must have other things of interest, eh?

Dinero, perhaps?

No es verdad, un poco dinero?

You want to hold "me" up?

Tell me, why not?

Hurry, give me. Vamos, hombre!

Come on!

So little? From the owner of such a beautiful bell?

Well-- ah, ha!

[Bell rings] Oh...

It much cost much money. Huh?

- How much?

You should know.

Is your bell. Oh, no, no, no.

I don't own the bell. I'm just taking it to volcano.

Volcano? It appears to me...

You are going the other way.

Oh, it's that crazy horse here, not me.

You see, there's a Preacher in volcano.

He's trying to build himself a church.

And they-- well, I mean "we,"

we promised him a bell before Christmas.

Christmas is tomorrow.

Is it? Well, I better be going!

Wait!

Wait a minute, Señor.

Here.

Perhaps, for the spirit of Christmas,

you will do me one small kindness.

As you see, I am without a horse.

Oh. Well, what happened to him?

The sheriff shot him.

The bullet was meant for me.

But I was on the other side of the horse. [Laughs]

Ah. Poor horse.

I, uh, will ride with you.

No, no, I'm in a hurry, and I've got--

I, too, am in a hurry. [Chuckles]

Por favor, señor.

[Clicks tongue] Giddyap.

This...man of god... In such a simple place.

Man of who?

This man, for whom you are taking the bell

to his church. Oh, oh!

Preacher Davidson. Davidson.

Preacher Davidson.

He works a mine in the Arroyo Coyote.

Yeah! How'd you know?

How I know? Stop here!

Whoa.

Giddyap, now. One moment, Señor!

Whoa.

You are a very lucky man. It was my intention to kill you.

Yeah. Kinda thought so.

You see, one time, when I was being hunted,

I was wounded.

And this, uh, Preacher Davidson,

he took me in-- took care of me.

He asked no questions.

He's a good man.

I will never forget this. Never. [Chuckles]

Vaya con dios, amigo.

Uh, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

What about the money you took from me?

Listen! I regret, Señor,

but even a thief must make a living. [Laugh]

Yeah, I guess so.

You need not have worried.

Once I saw all the trouble you go through,

all the hard work for this big, heavy bell,

I say to myself,

"there is a good man!"

One does not find many good men in this life.

Believe me.

Adios, amigo.

Wacko. Reminds me of when I was a nipper in Sydney.

Best tree we ever had.

How 'bout a cup of Christmas cheer, Maggy?

Well, I guess you've sure earned it. [Doors swing]

Floyd! You're back!

I knew you'd make it. Oh, well, never mind about him.

Where's the bell?

Yeah! Where's the bell?

In Frisco, by now.

Well, what happened? Where's Jack Harris?

Where do you think he is?

Oh, we bought a bell, all right. A beauty.

And I paid for it with the whole $300.

And we got it as far as Sacramento, and then I took sick.

And he ran off with the bell.

You know, you're always preaching at us

that there's some good in everybody--

well, let me tell you something, Reverend.

If you'd have let us hang him the day he stole my horse--

hey! What's that? [Bell ringing]

[Ringing continues]

Sounds like a bell!

It is a bell.

It is a bell!

I brought you your bell, Reverend.

I thought you said he stole it!

Lord, we thank thee for this gift,

which brings to this sinful camp...

Thy message of peace on earth to men of good will.

Amen.

I don't believe it!

I'm seeing it, and I just don't believe it!

Hey, reverend, I get to ring the bell, right?

Right. You've earned it.

And uh, take up the collection?

Oh-ho, no. No, sir.

You keep your thievin' paws off the church-buildin' money.

I think he's earned that right too.

Oh, go ahead and ring the bell.