Original subtitles

- ♪ I see a land ♪

♪ With liberty for all ♪

- ♪ Yet still I know ♪

- ♪ The truth will rise and fall ♪

- ♪ Ooh yeah ♪

♪ That's just the way it goes ♪

- ♪ A word now to the wise ♪

♪ The world was made to change ♪

♪ Each day is a surprise ♪

♪ I'm looking at life through my own eyes ♪

♪ I'm searching for a hero to idolize ♪

♪ Feeling the pain as innocence dies ♪

♪ I'm looking at life through my own eyes ♪

- ♪ I'll take my heart into battle ♪

♪ Give that freedom bell a rattle ♪

♪ Get my independence signed ♪

♪ Declare it on the dotted line ♪

♪ Let Philadelphia freedom ring ♪

♪ And patriotic voices sing ♪

♪ Red, white and blue never give up ♪

♪ You represent America ♪

- ♪ I'm hoping and praying for a brighter day ♪

♪ I listen to my heart and I obey ♪

♪ How can I see it any other way? ♪

♪ I'm looking at life ♪

- ♪ Looking at life ♪

- ♪ Through my own eyes ♪♪

(announcer) - Here are some exciting scenes

from today's episode of "Liberty's Kids."

(man) - Have mercy, sir.

That Yankee beast Jones is on his way.

(Alec Spencer) - We're in danger, Sarah. We can't trust this pirate.

He'd as soon have our heads as breakfast.

When the time comes, you'll do what's right.

(John Paul Jones) - Whatever the cost of liberty, Miss Phillips, I will pay it.

It's win or die.

You have one more chance, Miss Phillips.

England or freedom.

(thundering)

- (grunts)

(gasps)

- Get below! Get below!

- Oh!

- Sir, we're carrying too much canvas.

- That fishing smack said John Paul Jones

is stalking these waters.

I'll weather a gale rather than cross that Yankee scoundrel.

- But sir! - We're a half day from England,

and by goodness, sir, I mean to get home.

Look out! It's coming down!

- (gasps) - Watch out!

♪♪

(people chattering, laughing)

- Doctor, I have amusing news of our captain, John Paul Jones.

- Indeed, Foreign Minister.

My sources say he is plucking the British lion's whiskers.

- Oui, at their very door.

He raids their towns and...

(snapping) ...snaps up their sheeps.

They call him le criminal.

- Let us hope that great crimes bring great rewards.

- What angers them most is the name he gave his ship.

He named her after the French name

of your amusing little book, "Poor Richard's Almanac."

- Ah, "Le Maximes du Bonhomme Richard."

- Wreckage in the water to larboard!

- Here you are, Miss.

- (coughing)

- How is our guest, Dr. Burke?

- A good deal better than when I arrived.

Captain...?

- John Paul Jones, at your service, Miss, uh...

- Sarah Phillips.

- Very well, Sarah Phillips.

We shall get you your dry clothes

and some hot food and discuss

just what I'm going to do with you.

- Ahh!

- Might you be a wee bit hungry

after your adventure, Miss Phillips?

- I feel badly about taking your cabin, Captain Jones.

- Oh, you've done me an honor, Miss Phillips.

It's not every first lieutenant

who has his captain as a roommate.

(all laugh)

- But I must caution you, my friends.

We've brought aboard Bonhomme Richard,

a daughter of our enemy.

- Bonhomme Richard?

You named your ship in honor of Benjamin Franklin?

- My friend and patron.

- And mine, sir.

- Sarah Phillips...

The journalist.

You've a keen way with a pen, young lady.

Perhaps you will honor our expedition with a story.

- Please forgive me, Captain Jones.

I've given up my writing.

- Indeed. May I ask why?

- You set a fine table, Captain.

(fork tapping plate)

(men chattering)

- So, the ship's an old East Indiaman.

900 tons of rotting timber.

These 18-pound cannons were condemned by the French Navy,

and I fear the crew's as cast off

as the ship and weapon.

There are Americans, Irish, Scot, French, Swede, Norwegian,

Portuguese, East Indian, Royal Navy deserters,

and a few not sure where they come from,

not to mention a hold full of British guests.

- You've English prisoners aboard?

- 200 of them.

These men were taken from captured ships, Miss Phillips.

- What do you intend to do with them?

- Sarah? Sarah Phillips?

- Alec!

- You know this man?

- Since I could barely walk.

Alec Spencer, son of my father's gamekeeper.

- I'm sure you two have much to discuss.

If you'll excuse me.

- By heavens, Sarah. To see you here!

- Not the same knobby-kneed girl you taught to ride a horse.

- But how'd you end up in this nest of vipers?

- I was shipwrecked coming home from America.

- Had enough of those ruddy rebels, had you?

- Are they treating you well?

- Well enough.

But with your help, it could get better.

We're in spitting distance of home

with a hold full of able British seamen.

- You mean, help you escape? - Of course.

You want to strike a blow for England, don't you?

- Of course I do.

- Good lass.

When the time comes, you'll do what's right.

- Alec, I must go.

- All ships have answered our signal but one, sir.

- (chuckles) Aye, the lion's leaving us again.

- It's mutiny, sir.

Clap that captain in irons!

- I wish that I could, Mr. Dale,

but unfortunately, I command by consent.

He's within his rights.

- Sail ho!

Four points about the beam to larboard!

(John Paul Jones) - Mm, there's a pretty one.

Looks like a private yacht.

Sailing hard to meet us, too.

They must think we're British.

Let's aid his confusion.

Raise the British flag, Mr. Dale.

- What is it, Captain? What is happening?

- I'm about to turn my quarterdeck into a theater.

And you and that ballet costume, Miss Phillips,

had better get below.

Let me understand this.

Your master, Sir John Anstruther,

has sent you to borrow black powder.

- That's right, sir.

He's got cannon and shots, but no powder.

- Have mercy, sir.

That Yankee beast Jones is on his way.

- Is he now?

- You may depend on it, sir.

With a convoy stuck in Bridlington Bay,

waiting for the wind to shift.

- Mr. Dale.

Give this gentlemen what he needs to protect himself

from that pirate, Jones.

And get 'em off my ship and make for Bridlington Bay.

- We've got to save the convoy.

We're in danger, Sarah. We can't trust this pirate.

He'd as soon have our heads as breakfast.

- Captain Jones seems like a man of honor.

- (laughs) Honor?

Ask him about the towns he's attacked.

The merchant sailors.

English sailors like me who'll never see home again.

Ask him!

- By attacking England, I hope to make the British

even more weary of war,

so they will surrender to us our freedom,

and every ship looking for me

is one fewer to burn Boston or Philadelphia.

- But you were born British!

- I was born a Scot, Miss Phillips.

British by the point of a sword!

- The Royal Navy will hunt you with 100 ships!

They will hang you as a pirate.

- Aye, it may come to that.

But America has been my favorite country

since I first saw it at the age of 13.

It's a land that values people for themselves,

not how big their houses are,

or whether they have the title "Lord" before their names.

Whatever the cost of liberty, Miss Phillips, I will pay it.

But what of you, child?

Why were you headed back to England?

- It is my home, Captain Jones.

- Indeed, you were born there.

And why do you no longer wish to write

for Dr. Franklin's newspaper?

- I cannot write what I do not believe in.

- Forgive me, Miss Phillips, but you strike me as someone

who believes in liberty,

perhaps even as strongly as I do.

- You don't understand, Captain Jones.

My father and the violence... all the pain I've seen.

I'm so confused.

- I think I do understand, lass.

But there comes a time in every life

when one must decide what one stands for.

Consider yours wisely.

- Sir, we sighted the convoy!

- HMS Serapis.

How many guns on her, Mr. Dale?

- I make at least 50, sir.

About 20 18-pounders to our six.

She can out-shoot and out-sail us.

We can't fight that monster, sir.

- Make for Serapis, Mr. Dale.

I intend going into harm's way.

- Fly British colors, Mr. Dale.

We must get them to hold their fire as long as possible.

Signal our other ships to engage the convoy.

It'll be safer below, barely.

(drum rolling)

- Ready, lads! Get ready to run out!

(men) - Look lively! - Throw your backs into it!

(overlapping shouting)

- What ship is that?

Answer or I shall be forced to fire into you!

- Answer him, lads!

Raise our flag and open fire!

- What?!

- Fire!

(cannons firing)

- Fire!

(men shouting)

- That's it, lads! Look lively!

Show them what you're made of!

- (gasps)

(overlapping shouting continues)

- Mind that tackle! Run them out smartly!

Fire!

- Fire!

- Two other 18-pounders blew up, sir!

I fear for the others!

- Give the men small arms and get them on deck!

Steady now! We've got them on the run!

- Master-At-Arms, report.

- The guns are gone! Fire is spreading!

We're done for!

- For mercy's sake, surrender, Captain!

Strike our colors!

- I will sink before I lower our flag, sir.

- Has your ship surrendered?

- Please, Captain Jones, stop this madness!

- I have not yet begun to fight!

- Fire!

- Fire!

(cannon firing)

- He's hammering us to pieces.

We must get close to him.

- But how? She can sail circles around us.

- We'll use our wits, Mr. Dale.

Lay on all the canvas she'll carrying.

- He's running away! After him!

- He took the bait!

Hard over!

- Blast it! Hard alee!

- Well done, my brave lads.

We have her now! Throw grappling irons!

Run her out, lads, then aim for her main mast!

(cannon firing)

- Over three hours and still at it!

- If that Yankee pirate isn't stopped,

no town on the coast will be safe.

- Well, safety, sir, will come with peace.

If these wretches want liberty,

let them go and be done with it.

- Hello. What's that?

- The alliance is back, sir! She's coming to our aid!

- We've got them now, lads!

(men cheering)

She's turning broadside! She's attacking us!

(man) - The alliance is sailing away!

- Sir! Water's rising down below!

- Alec!

- Sarah, I knew you'd come.

- We're in sight of England.

But Alec, the battle is horrible!

- We'll put an end to Captain Jones.

There! Go!

Let us out!

England needs your help, Sarah.

Don't let her down.

Come on, men! The ship is ours!

(men cheering) - Let's take it!

- We'll show that pirate!

- Now it's our turn!

- All right, men! - For England!

- The first man out of that hatch deals with me.

Did you do this?

- You said I'd have to choose.

- I fight for freedom and liberty.

Is your heart truly on the side of the oppressors?

- Fight? Your guns are gone

and what's left of this ship's sinking right under you.

- Then man the pumps. It's win or die.

You have one more chance, Miss Phillips.

England or freedom.

Choose.

- Sarah!

- I'm sorry, Alec!

But I must stand for freedom.

I know that now.

- Think about it, Sarah, because there's no turning back.

- Captain Jones, I would like to help with the pumps.

And if you want to survive, you'll help, too.

- Take her to the pumps, Mr. Dale.

- We are beaten, men.

- The first five men come with me.

The rest of you, stay below.

- Now, serve our cause with your eyes and your pen.

(men shouting excitedly)

(splash)

- "British sailors fled as the brave crew of the Bonhomme Richard

"poured musket fire into the Serapis gun port.

"The ship's carpenter, his face blackened by gunpowder,

"dodged flying splinters and gunfire

to reach Jones and screamed..."

- Water's rising fast in the hold!

I beg you, sir, surrender!

- Sir, did you surrender?

- No, sir.

I haven't as yet thought of it.

But I'm determined to make you strike your colors.

- "An American lad climbed from the rigging

"of the Bonhomme Richard to the rigging of the Serapis.

"Directly above the enemy, he tossed a grenade

"into an open hatch of the Serapis' deck.

The grenade landed where the Serapis stored her gunpowder."

- Oh... - Oh, no!

(all reacting)

- "The main mast of the Serapis splintered,

"crippling the great warship.

Finally, the captain of the British ship had had enough."

- Cease-fire! (men cheering)

- "The great battle between the Bonhomme Richard

and Serapis was over."

- I could not take a sword from one who fought so gallantly.

- Sorry to report, sir.

The water's rising.

We can't save the Bonhomme Richard.

- She was a cast-off ship with a cast-off crew, Miss Phillips.

Yet she beat the best.

And she was mine.

♪♪

♪♪

(people chatter)

- They say that Captain Pearson might be knighted

for his gallant fight.

- If I have the good fortune to fall in with him again,

I'll make him a lord.

What will you do now, Miss Phillips?

- The hardest thing I've ever done--

face my mother and tell her I'm an American.

And you, Captain Jones, helped me decide to do that.

You wouldn't give up, like General Washington,

Dr. Franklin, and so many others devoted to freedom.

You inspired me, Captain Jones.

- Miss Phillips, I shall look forward

to many new articles under your name.

♪♪

♪♪

- ♪ Looking at life through my own eyes ♪

♪ I'm searching for a hero to idolize ♪

♪ Feeling the pain as innocence dies ♪

♪ I'm looking at life through my own eyes ♪

- ♪ I take my heart into battle ♪

♪ Give that freedom bell a rattle ♪

♪ Get my independence signed ♪

♪ Declare it on the dotted line ♪

♪ Red, white and blue never give up ♪

♪ You represent America ♪♪

(children) Cookie Jar!

(children giggling)