Original subtitles

We're near the submarine zone, aren't we, sir?

Yes. The convoy will be with us at dawn.

That's fine. That'll give the men a feeling of security.

- Turning in? - No. I think I'll go below first and take a look around.

- Some of the men are feeling a bit jumpy. - You treat them like children, Mack.

They are children. Excuse me.

Fool. You know we're in the danger zone.

Nobody could see it. I had my hand over it.

Well, I saw it. We've got these men too close for us to lose them now.

If you want to bump yourself off, jump overboard.

[ Chattering ]

How many — How many cards do you want?

-I don't want any. - Oh, but you've gotta take some, brother.

- JW Harmonica] - [ Chattering Continues ]

What do you all want me to write in this now?

Dear Dinah, I'm sending you five dollars. But not this week.

I got hooked up in a crap game. You'll have to wait till wages for next month.

♪ [ Harmonica Continues ♪

- JW Harmonica Continues ♪ - [ Chattering Continues ]

Don't you fret yourself about her, brother.

She won't stay a widow very long.

Old bones, hear my plea.

Bring that bacon home to me.

[ Chattering ]

Read em and weep, boy. Boy, that ain't no point. That's a —

Jo [Continues I

- Play something lighter, boy. - Yeah.

♪ America, I love you ♪

Stop that moaning and whining or I'll shove that thing down your throat.

Ain'tit enough we gonna get drowned or blown to pieces...

without we got to listen to that funeral march all day and all night?

You keep that big mouth buttoned up tight. Do you hear?

I ain't gonna have one yellowbelly sissy running hog wild and gettin” everybody upset round here.

I'm watching you too, Andy. You acts mighty non-patriotic sometime.

Well, I only said “America, I love you.”

Uh, I don't want to die for my country. I want to live for it.

So does I! But they ain't asking us what does we choose. They don't care!

We gonna die. I knows it! I'm gonna be killed!

I dream every night about the black dog!

[Man] oJ Nobody knows what lies ahead ♪

♪ Right from the day they're born ♪

oJ Nobody knows what lies ahead ♪

♪ Beyond tomorrow's dawn ♪

♪ One way there's trouble and no mistake Jp

♪ One way a rainbow ♪

♪ Which will you take ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to good, green pastures ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to big, high mountains ♪

♪ Lonely road ♪

♪ With a heavy load ♪

♪ Brother, are you walking my way ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ 1s no field of clover ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Is no path of glory ♪

♪ Lonely road ♪

♪ With a heavy load ♪

♪ Brother, are you walking my way ♪

♪ When you start you're weary at heart ♪

♪ Maybe you're heavy with sin ♪

♪ Butas you go your strength will grow ♪

♪ And in the end you'll win ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to rosy dawnings ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to golden acres ♪

♪ Lonely road ♪

♪ With a heavy load ♪

♪ Brother, are you walking ♪

♪ My way

Well, I guess I've got you to thank for this, Captain Mack.

You're quite wrong. You had it coming to you.

Just remember. The noncom protects his men. The officer tries to protect them all.

Well, sir, I don't want the boys to think I'm a teacher's pet...

- just because you've known me a long time. -[ Chuckles]

They won't. They'll look up to you as they should.

And by the way, much as I'd like to keep you with me...

I'm trying to get you transferred to the medical corps where you belong...

make some use of that three years' training.

- Id sure like that. Thanks. - All right. Well, that's all, Corporal.

If you see anything wrong, just let me know, and I'll back you to the limit.

- Thank you, sir. - And see the men keep wearing their life belts.

And don't forget the boat drill.

- As you know, I'm a bit of a stickler for that. - Yes, sir.

Bull, they tell me them heinies got hooks on their bayonets...

so they can pull your backbone right straight through your tummy.

Boy, that must hurt nasty.

[Man #1] War sure ain't no place for softies.

Them heinies can spot a guy that's yellow, as far as they can see you.

And they goes right straight for him.

Boy, they sure is butchers. They just loves bisecting a man.

I know that you're trying to drive me crazy. But I won't go, I tell ya!

We can't helpitif you's yellow and scared to die.

Who's gonna die?

What you poking your nose in here for, Corporal Jackson?

You and this rat Jones are about the lowest, meanest lice I ever ran into.

And right now you're gonna stop this hazin'.

Hazin', huh? Suppose you're after my stripes.

You keep away from me, hear? Before I get you kicked out of this here army.

I don't want your stripes, and I'm not gonna turn you in.

But I'll turn you inside out if you don't stop picking on boys like this.

Get out of here!

- And you too! -[ Men Laughing ]

Don't let these cheap bullies get under your skin, kid.

You're braver than you think. I know it.

You wouldn't want that pretty little wife of yours to see you acting like this, would ya?

[ Mouths Word ]

Get up on deck. Forget it.

[ Chattering ]

- Come on, six! And it ain't for no baby's shoes. -[ Chattering ]

Hah! That six up and bit "em. Let it ride.

[ Chattering ]

Here, bones! Natural for me now. Natural for me.

Seven! Shoot the works. Shoot the works.

Submarine off the port bow!

[ Blowing ]

Submarine!

- [Horn Continues I - Come on, boys. Get up there, boys. Topside.

[ Horn Continues I

Get with your boat checks. Come on. Speed it up!

Doggone that boat drill. Just when I'm trying to get hot.

[ Horn Continues ]

[ Bell Dinging]

[ Horn Continues I

[ Chattering ]

- Come on! We gotta get topside! -[ Chattering ]

- Fire! -[ Man] Fire!

- [Alarm Ringing] - [All Shouting ]

There's men in there!

[ Shouting Continues ]

Hang on, boys. we'll get you out.

[ Shouting Continues ]

Take it easy, boys. There's plenty of time.

[ All Shouting ]

Hey, you! Get out of there! Come on here.

- Please, please! Let me go! - Get back!

[ Shouting Continues ]

[Man] Man overboard! Man overboard!

[ Screaming ]

Get back!

Next man to break his ranks will get one of these.

[ Shouting Continues ]

[ Screaming ]

Sergeant Gamey, take a look below. If anyone's there, get 'em on deck.

- Stay there till the last man's up. - Aye, aye.

[ Screaming ]

Get up on deck. Get out of here. You too!

- Help me. There's some boys in here. - 1 will plug you if you don't get on deck.

-Come on! - 1 will shoot! - Don't shoot! You can't shoot!

[Screams]

[ Screaming ]

[ All Shouting ]

[Shouting ]

- Pumps going? - Yes, sir, but we're shipping a lot of water.

- Keep 'em going, and report any water in the engine room. - Aye, aye, sir.

You take care of your troops. I'll get you to Bordeaux. I never lost a ship yet.

[ Horn Blowing ]

Jo Bugle]

It appears that the situation was capably handled...

by both the officers of the ship and those of the military units aboard.

But there are one or two questions that have not yet been cleared up.

Major Barnes.

According to your report, Major...

you lost six men and one N.C.O. when the ship was torpedoed.

How exactly were these men killed?

- Five were killed by the actual explosion of the torpedo. - And the other two?

Private Face went crazy with fear and jumped overboard.

Well, naturally, it's impossible to maneuver a partially disabled ship to effect a rescue.

Captain Hammer rightly refused to stop.

That leaves one to be accounted for. A Sergeant Gamey.

Well, I — 1 don't exactly know how the sergeant lost his life.

When Gamey was brought to the deck, he was dead.

From his injuries, I gathered he was, uh...

wounded by the explosion and subsequently drowned.

Who were the two men who rescued those trapped belowdecks?

Corporal Jackson and Private Tag.

In order to ascertain the full facts, I think we should hear the stories of these two men.

Call them.

W-W-W-We — We was struggling away at the door, but it was stubborn as a mule.

We was having a hard time, when Sergeant Gamey came along with a gun in his hand...

and cussed and swore...

and slammed me up agin the wall and said, “Get out of there!”

- What did you do? - Most of my breath was knocked out of me. I didn't do nothin'.

If I had known this was gonna happen, I'd have thrown Tag overboard myself.

The sarge says, unless he got topside, he'd blast his black belly wide open.

Those was his words. He was tough and mean.

What did Jackson do? I want the truth now.

Well, he popped Gamey right in the kisser.

[Laughs]

- And then Jericho got the door. - Seems to me...

that there's been a deliberate attempt to suppress the facts in this matter.

That'll be all.

Corporal Jackson.

Is Private Tag's evidence substantially correct?

- Yes, sir, but I — - Then you've been guilty...

of two of the most heinous offenses known in the army:

disobedience of orders and striking your superior officer.

In this case, so viciously, that it resulted in death.

- Before you go on, sir, I'd like to tell you a few things about Corporal Jackson. - That is an order.

I've known Jackson for many years, sir.

At the college he had an excellent record as scholar and athlete.

And as a soldier his conduct has always been exemplary.

Another thing is, sir, he's very popular with the men.

So the moral effect on the Negro troops of prosecuting Jackson...

for an essentially heroic act would be —

Well, it would be very bad, to say the least.

It seems to me, sir, that Sergeant Gamey lost his head in a crisis...

or he wouldn't have ordered Jackson to abandon his attempt...

to rescue the imprisoned men, which he actually did.

- He saved several lives. - Your opinions, Captain Mack...

though commendable, are evidently biased, and I'm not in agreement with them.

Discipline must be maintained...

and I have no alternative but to recommend the arrest of Corporal Jackson for murder.

[Men] ♪ Oh, the sun shines bright ♪

♪ In my old Kentucky home ♪

♪ Tis summer the darkies are gay ♪

♪ Oh, the corn top's ripe

♪ And the meadows are in bloom ♪

♪ In my old Kentucky home

But they can't shoot Jericho for what he done.

Oh, they can't, huh? Boy, they can do anything in this man's army.

♪ Weep no more, my lady ♪

- ♪ Oh, weep no more today ♪ - ♪ Today ♪

♪ For we'll sing one song ♪

♪ For my old Kentucky home ♪

♪ For my old Kentucky home ♪

♪ Faraway ♪

♪ So far away ♪

That's just the trouble with having to submit everything through the proper military channels.

You guys act as if we'd lost the war. What's up?

Jackson. Looks bad.

Yes. Headquarters turned down our appeal for clemency...

although every officer in the battalion signed it.

That's tough.

- Hella good Christmas he'll have. - Mmm.

Jo Men Singing]

Major...

will you take a chance and send a cable to the secretary of war?

We might get a bit of action that way.

we'll try it. They can't no more than break us.

Thanks. I'll go and cheer the old devil up a bit.

He's probably feeling pretty low.

See you later.

I don't want anything to eat.

Come on now, Jericho. Snap out of it.

All right. At ease. At ease.

- Any news, Captain? - Yes. The major's sent a cable to Washington.

- That should do the trick. - Washington's a long ways off.

They're pretty busy now.

I'm grateful to you, Captain. I know you're doing everything.

Oh, I know it's tough, all right, but then, war is tough, isn't it?

Yes. War. Did I want to learn how to kill?

No. But they taught me and taught me until my arms ached with stickin' steel into sandbags.

These hands that I want to use to heal, to save life, to give life...

turned into hands for killing.

I didn't want to kill that rat Gamey.

I only wanted to help.

I know you did, Jericho.

And all we want to do is to help you.

Ju Men Singing In Distance]

Detail, halt.

Come on out, you guys. You're gonna see something.

Come on. Fallin there.

Well? Is there anything you need?

Nothing you can do for me, sir. Thanks.

All right.

- Chin up. - [Man] Quick march!

There is something you could do for me, Captain.

I'd — I'd like to go and sing with the boys.

♪ may be my last chance.

- Sergeant. - Yes, sir.

Detail, halt!

- You'll take Jackson with the rest of the prisoners. I'll be personally responsible for him. - Yes, sir.

Come on out, Jackson.

Fall in there.

Detail, quick march.

That guy's brain sure is in his feet!

Oh, man. That ain't nothin' when you know how.

If you're so hot, let me see you get up there and do somethin'.

-I don't feel like it. - I was afraid of that.

- Goon, John. Show him. - He couldn't show nothin'.

-I can't, huh? - You heard me.

[ Applause]

Hit it.

[Cheering]

Men, I'm going to inject a serious note into the evening's entertainment.

All over the world, people are gathered together on this night...

to pay homage to one who was born in a manger.

tis fitting that we, who are in foreign land...

on a mission to free the world from tyranny...

should reverence his birth night...

the master who died to make us free.

We all know the story of the wise men...

guided by a brilliant star...

wenading their way across the desert to find the Holy Child.

the apostle of truth and righteousness.

Tonight finds us gathered here as part of a gigantic crusade.

Millions of men fighting to prevent truth and justice...

from being driven from this earth.

Now Jet us sing “Holy Night.”

♪ Holy night ♪

♪ Holy night ♪

♪ Allis peaceful ♪

JAlls bright

♪ Round the virgin ♪

♪ Mother and child

♪ Holyinfant

♪ So gentle and mild

♪ Sleep in heavenly Jj

♪ Peace ♪

♪ Sleep

♪ In heavenly ♪

♪ Peace Jo

Men, take off your hats.

Let us pray. O lord God.

who hath today given thine only begotten son —

[Man] Prisoner escaped!

[ Shouts]

Here. Get out of my way.

- What does he look like? - Big colored guy, about 6 foot 3.

- Come on! - Which way did he go? - That way, sir.

[ All Shouting ]

[ Woman Speaking French]

[ French]

- [ Woman] Oui. Au revoir. - [Man] Au revoir.

[ French]

[Screams]

I guess he went in there, Sarge.

If he did, we got him. There isn't any way out of this dump.

Nose him out, boys. But, uh, don't take any chances.

And if he gets nasty, shoot to kill.

Come on.

Come on out, Jackson. We don't want to hurt you.

Halt.

- Who are you? - Moi?

- Yes, you. - [ Speaking French]

- Anatole France. - Ah, this is one of those African boogies, Sarge.

Did you see another big dinge around here?

[ French]

Bonsoir, monsieur.

♪ [Singing In French]

Captain, this is a glaring example of gross negligence.

You exceeded your duty in allowing Jackson to accompany the other prisoners.

Inasmuch as I hate to accuse you flatly...

it appears like collusion.

Well, sir, I've asked to be allowed to search for the man.

- I'm sure I can find him. - He'll be found, all right, but not by you.

You'll report to your quarters under close arrest.

Hey, froggy. Come on. Snap out of it. Where's Lubin?

Hey!

Wait a minute! Hey! Wait a minute!

I didn't mean to kick you so hard!

Heaven, make this guy understand some American!

Hey, look. I got dough. Beaucoup francs. Go on. Take 'em. They're yours.

Thanks. Guess we'll have plenty of use for this before we get through.

Hey. What's the idea? Trying to make me believe you didn't understand my lingo.

Say. Come on. Give me back my dough.

They're my francs, you know. You got 'em under false pretenses.

Maybe I'll split it with you if you're a good boy.

- Can you steer a boat? - Can steer a boat?

- Why? - There's the rudder.

The course is due south. I gotta get some sleep.

Hey. Who's the skipper of this ship?

Iam.

Yeah.

Boy, I guess you're right.

So, I won a lot of dough in a crap game, see?

So I take myself to Paris. That's the spot for me.

Everything goes swell till I get to Bordeaux last night.

The M.P.s are lookin' for a murderer. Ooh. Tough monkey, they tell me.

Guy without a pass ain't got a chance.

I meets a froggo. For a couple hundred francs, he'll get me out of town on his boat.

So we lay in a flock of these groceries, and here we are.

Hey. Where is that guy? Hey, Lubin.

-I got rid of him. - What do you mean you got rid of him?

Hey. Who are you anyway?

I'm that tough murderer the M.P.s were looking for.

Oh.

- So long. - Wait a minute. I'm not gonna hurt you.

Hey. Wh-Wh-Where you taking me anyway?

- Look. I'm not goin' anywheres. Honest. -I don't know.

The chaplain said the wise men found truth and righteousness in the desert.

Oh. The wise guys say that.

[ Chuckles] I get it. You're nuts.

Hey, look. We ain't got no desert lying around here, you know.

Maybe we'll find one.

[ Scoffs I

You're kiddin'. [ Chuckles]

You ain't no murderer, are ya?

Maybe you wouldn't think what I did was murder.

Accident anyway.

Oh. Was acc —

Oh.

Captain John Mack, you are dishonorably dismissed from the army of the United States...

and sentenced to serve five years in a military prison.

The severity of this sentence...

is largely due to the inability of this general court-martial...

to take testimony from the deserter Jackson...

which might have disproved the charge of aiding and abetting the prisoner's escape.

Have you anything to say?

- Nothing, sir. - Escort, quick march!

Boy, we're sunk. Or sinkin'. The faster you bail her out, the quicker she fills up.

Guess you're right. Well, we'd better beach her, take what we can carry and get onshore.

Yeah. That's as far as we're gonna go.

Well, you sure found something that looks like a desert anyway.

Give me the Riviera.

-Comeon. Let's get goin'. - Where to?

Well, we'll just walk until we find a town or a camp or somethin'.

Or nothin'. Boy, you sure got what it takes to travel, and that's no sense at all.

- Certainly lucky to find this first aid kit on board. - Yeah. We'll need it too.

[ Chattering ]

Okay, Jerry. Come on down. We got enough for a regiment.

Not bad, eh?

Better than that fish and hardtack anyway.

- Oh, I'll say. - Well, we're on our way, boy.

[ Chattering]

♪ Middle Eastern]

Ju Woman Singing In Foreign Language]

Yes, sir, ladies and gentlemen.

You are now gazing upon the world's most famous strongman...

the mighty Jericho!

Come a little closer, folks. Don't be afraid. This is absolutely a free demonstration!

Are you satisfied fully that that is a strong rope —

that there are no weak spots in it?

You are! That's what they all say.

I wanna give you a rough idea, ladies and gentlemen, just what he eats.

Nails, razor blades, secondhand streetcars, sledgehammers.

He even uses a coffee cup...

to drink out of the bathtub!

You watch me now, folks. Watch me very, very closely.

Around the torso first. You see?

I'll doit twice. Makes no difference to Jericho.

When he expands, it breaks like pieces of cotton.

All right now. Exhale. You get it, ladies and gentlemen?

Take it easy, big boy. I think I've cut the rope too deep.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, watch closely...

and the mighty Jericho will astound you.

Do your stuff, big boy.

Isn't it marvelous? Isn't it stupendous, colossal, astounding, astonishing?

Maybe there's a gent in the audience, thinks he can do the same thing!

If there is, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll make a very generous offer.

Any gent who'll come up on this stage now...

and do the same thing, 1] present with a huge bag of silver.

Uh-oh. Here's junior again.

All right, junior. Step right up.

Here we are, folks. Here's the real rope.

Now, once around the torso.

- Up. } [ Chattering]

Once!

Twice! Three times!

- Who are these men? - 1 don't know, Captain. They've been here for days.

- Order them to report to me with their papers. - Yes, sir.

Now we put the two arms together.

- There he js. - Hey, mister.

All he has to do js expand —

You are to report at once to the commandant with your papers. Both of you.

Now I'm gonna pass among you, ladies and gentlemen —

- They're asking for our papers. We gotta get going. - Again? Ain't we never gonna light nowheres?

-We got to go. - I'm just passing the hat!

- No time to waste! - Oh, let me pass it just once, will you?

- Come on! - Don't go away, folks.

Just one minute. There'll be another show. When you got to go, you gotta go.

[Sheep Bleats ]

- You are to report back this way. - Who says so? We're reporting back to the desert. Come on, Jericho!

Giddyap!

In the alley. Quick.

Hey! They went that way!

Come on. Back this way.

[ Bleating ]

- That looks like a girl down there. - Maybe she'll invite us in to dinner.

- Boy, could I eat a steak! - A small one?

Yes. No!

- Man, I could eat a half a cow. -Comeon. Let's get goin'.

[ Bleating ]

- Who are you? - A friend.

And who is with you?

Just Allah so far.

- We've traveled a long way. May we stop? - You may dismount.

Chook, chook. Looks like our luck's turned.

- You are no doubt hungry. -There's no doubt at all, madam.

- Take care of the camels, boy. - Huh?

Uh-oh. I get it. Not bad.

- Come on, Bessie. - [Camel Grumbling ]

Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.

- [Camel Snorting] - You are welcome to what food I have. Come.

Man, I haven't eaten so much since I quit the army.

No, thanks. I'm not hungry. [Clears Throat]

Oh, boy.

Now if] had a nice, big, fat, juicy cigar.

You're very kind to two strangers.

Hassan, my brother, would have it so.

- How far are you from your village? - Three day journey.

- Aren't you afraid to stay here alone? - I have been tending flock since I was a child.

[Dog Barking]

Don't shoot. It's my brother.

- Who are these men? - They came a great distance.

I gave them food. Why are you here?

Agouba was thrown from a camel. We're on our way to Torgo to find a doctor.

Sonny boy, you found your man. You're looking at the world's greatest doctor right here. Hiya, Doc.

- You're a physician? - Awhat? No, he's a surgeon. He can cure a cold or cut off your legs.

This may be the will of Allah. We fear our chief has broken his leg.

-It's a pleasure. If your chief will pay a little dough in advance — -Ishall be glad to do what I can.

- We'll saddle our camels at once. - A swell broken-down businessman you are.

Three days' traveling for what? A couple bananas if you cure this egg and a kick in the pants if you don't.

Oh, I think I'll go home.

[ Gong Clanging ]

- So this is Paris, huh? - Mike, I think I'm gonna like these people.

- Yeah, maybe they won't like us. - Follow me.

Pretty neat, eh, Sheikh?

-I shall walk again? -In a few weeks.

If what you save proves true, I will give you shelter and sustenance...

as long as you wish to stay.

Thank you. We've been hoping for just such an invitation.

Attaboy, Sheikh.

You hear that, Jerry? We're gonna settle down for once.

Come back tomorrow. In a week's time, you can throw that stick away.

[ Baby Crying ]

[Jericho ] We need more quinine, Gara, for this malarial fever.

For months we've gotten along with what I brought with me.

Now we need everything — instruments, drugs.

We can do so ittle for these people.

At present, it's impossible to get the supplies we need.

Someday, Gara, with your help, we'll build a real hospital here.

Then you'll understand why I complain.

Behold the warrior bold.

Listen. I was just learning how to handle one of these toothpicks.

Listen, big boy. From now on, I'll kill "em and you cure em.

- Jericho will cure more than you will ever kill. - Hey, listen, toots.

- See, I ain't doin' so badly, am I, Hassan? - Very good indeed.

Why don't you come on and learn to play darts with the gang?

- Sorry, Mike. I've got work to do. - Me too.

I've been teachin' Hassan and the boys bayonet drills with these babies.

- You should get married. - Huh? Married?

Not me. That's all right for you and Jerry. I'm already married to one.

A redheaded mama. Boy, was she hot. Course we're all busted up now.

But if she knew I was marrying someone else, she'd swim the ocean and scalp the dame.

Come on. I'll play you one more game of darts. No cheatin' this time.

In a way, Mack, I'll be sorry to lose you.

- You've been a model prisoner. - Thanks.

- Did you get a reply from the war office yet? - Yes.

I'm afraid Jackson vanished completely.

Isn't there any clue at all?

Nothing.

Not a trace of him has ever been found.

There you are, Mack. And that makes you a free man.

Thanks.

Any plans?

Yes. I'm gonna get that man ifit takes me the rest of my life.

Well...

good luck to you.

[ Ship Horn Blowing ]

[ Horn Blowing ]

Excuse me. Uh, do you think there can be any possible connection...

between the disappearance of this man Jackson...

and the theft of this fishing boat?

How should I know? It was said he committed suicide.

Well, thanks very much.

[ Chattering ]

I have called you together...

so that Jericho may explain his project.

Speak, Jericho.

The time approaches for the annual trek to Dima.

In the past, we have been enemies, each tribe traveling alone.

And what has happened?

We have been at each other's mercy...

and easy prey for every band of robbers.

Let us now declare a truce...

come together for our mutual protection...

forming one mighty caravan...

safe, at least from each other.

So with much less danger, we shall obtain our yearly supply of salt...

and with more profit, barter our produce for supplies of all kinds.

They are the words of a wise man.

I am too old to go.

Jericho will take my place.

You will be under a brave and strong leader.

Ready now. On your marks.

- Who do you want in the first race, chief? - I'll take Whitey.

Whitey. We're on now. I'll take the winner.

- One, two, three, go! -[ Bleating ]

Dead heat. Hey, come on.

Second race.

- Who do you want, chief? Pick the winner. - Whitey again.

Whitey again. Change the position.

One, two, three, go!

-[ Laughing] - [Jericho Laughing ]

- Hey, hey! - [Jericho Laughs ]

Three strangers approach in this direction. They ride in petrol wagons.

- Describe these people. - They are white men.

- Like me? - Yes.

Send them here as soon as they arrive.

Gotta watch our steps, chief.

Look.

The great salt trek. What a bit of luck.

How many camels do you suppose there are?

Oh, I should say 12,000 or 15,000 at least.

- This is too good to miss. - Come along. Give me a hand with the camera.

Better wait till we get permission. We'll go down and ask someone.

- Lucky to find it, eh, Hall? - Yeah.

- [ Babbling, Indistinct ] - Come on. We're going down to the camp.

[ Mumbling, Indistinct ]

My name Crandle, leader of expedition.

Study desert and people for museum. England.

Uh, would like permission to join caravan and take photographs.

- This is Mr. Barton, our cameraman. - How do you do?

- Our scientist, Mr. Hall. - [ Babbling, Indistinct ]

Shut up. Shut up, you fool. I'm introducing you. This is, uh —

[ Babbling ]

I guess they're okay, chief.

- Oh, you're American, aren't you? - Uh, what do you think?

- Been here long? - Longer than that.

- Ah. What are you doing here? - Waiting for a streetcar.

You are welcome. You have my permission.

You'll never make it in those tin lizzies.

Tell Hassan to provide the white men with camels.

- Okay, chief. - Thank you.

We'll try not to get in the way.

Even the wildest rumors we heard about this salt trek couldn't touch the real thing.

- 1 found out a bit more about it this afternoon. - [ Babbling, Indistinct ]

Well, it seems that once a year, the natives gather all their produce —

millet chiefly — and go to the salt pits.

They have to have salt for their camels and cattle.

They can't do without it. It's called the “teflarum.”

- Where are these salt pits? - Dima.

There the natives have nothing but salt, and they barter it...

- for a year's supply of food and so on. -[ Babbles]

Oh, about 1,400 miles through the worst part of the desert.

They do about two miles an hour and something like 40 miles a day.

- And we're going with them? Charming. - Jd [Jazz On Gramophone I

♪ [Continues]

Wish we had some decent jazz records. I'm fed up with that lot.

Ah, that's because you don't understand good music.

Those records were specially chosen.

Not by me. I was sick of that tune years ago.

Then it should remind you of your happy middle age.

- Oh, good evening. - Good evening.

Here. Won't you sit down?

Jo [Continues I

Will you, um, have dinner?

Thank you. No.

You are an untidy devil, Nathaniel.

We should have brought along a Hoover for you.

Jo [Continues I

Jd [Humming]

Jd [ Humming Stops

Hello. Wonder why he went off like that.

I hope we haven't offended him.

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to good, green pastures ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to big, high mountains ♪

♪ Lonely road ♪

♪ With a heavy load ♪

♪ Brother, are you walking my way ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ 1s no field of clover ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Is no path of glory ♪

♪ Lonely road ♪

♪ With a heavy load ♪

♪ Brother, are you walking my way ♪

♪ When you start ♪

♪ You're weary at heart ♪

♪ Maybe you're heavy with sin ♪

♪ Butas you go ♪

♪ Your strength will grow ♪

JAndintheend p>

♪ You'll win ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to rosy dawnings ♪

♪ Myway ♪

♪ Leads to golden acres ♪

♪ Lonely road ♪

♪ With a heavy load ♪

♪ Brother, are you walking ♪

♪ Myway ♪

[ Camel Grunting ]

Come on, Violet. Now don't be so —

Hey, hey, Junior, get out of there. You've had enough.

Come on, Violet. Come on now. Hey!

Aw, cut it out, Violet. We gotta have milk on this trip.

Come on, Violet. Come on now.

Help me up a little bit. Back up.

Come on. Come on now. Will you cut that out?

Now there you are.

Mahmoud, Abdul, Galal, the tent!

You suppose the trucks will be here when we get back?

We shall have to chance it.

[ Babbling, Indistinct ]

-I should if I were you. -[ Babbling]

The Morrockish, 500 strong, have burnt Torgo, and are now marching...

- to ambush the salt caravan in Tarib Pass. - Why weren't we warned of this before?

The Morrockish attacked swiftly. No messenger could make way through their camels.

- / alone escaped. - You've done well.

We have 200 horses. We could get there ahead of the Morrockish.

Good. Let the caravan go ahead without knowing this.

Assemble the fighting men at once.

We'll beat the raiders to Tarib Pass and clear the way.

We await the caravan here.

Stand by to barrack camels.

All right, boys, let it go!

Form a circle! Barrack your camels and start firing!

They are not strong! They are firing from the ridge!

Get ready to charge!

Come on!

Come on! Down this way!

Jerry, look out!

- Hey, that was a close shave. - [Gunshot]

How are you, kid?

- How we doin', pal? - We got 'em licked, boy.

- Attaboy, chief. - Can help you up?

No. I'm all right.

Ain't nothin' the matter with me.

I'mo—

[ Chattering, Shouting ]

Take the prisoners back to Fardu, and clear the pass for the caravan.

- All ready to shoot? - All ready.

Good. Right. Here they go.

♪ Sahara ♪

♪ Older than all the ages ♪

♪ Sahara ♪

♪ Wiser than all the sages

♪ Teach me to read your history ♪

♪ Holding me with

♪ Your mystery ♪

♪ Deep desert

♪ Into your heart I'm driftin' ;

♪ Dark clouds are slowly liftin' ♪

♪ see a brighter dawn ♪

♪ Deep desert

♪ Heavy with care you found me ♪

♪ Now you put arms around me

♪ Making me part of you

♪ I'm finding a new world ♪

♪ Far from my native land ♪

♪ I buried my old world ♪

♪ Inyour shifting sands ♪

♪ Oh, deep desert ♪

♪ Now I know where my place is ♪

♪ Herein your silent spaces ♪

♪ This is my home ♪

♪ Deep desert

♪ Deep desert

♪ Now I know where my place is ♪

♪ Herein your silent spaces ♪

♪ This is my home ♪

♪ Deep desert ♪

[ Crandle Narrating ] Different phases of the trip...

succeeded each other like a series of dramatic episodes.

The concentration of the great horde of camels from all over the Sahara...

commissariat, the celebration dances...

culminating in the ancient practice of barter.

Millet, grain, foodstuffs and cloth...

for that most vital necessity of desert Jands — salt.

The journey back was 30 days across a region of indescribable desolation...

with a camel Joad of 2,000 tons.

Thousands of animals in a string 72 miles long, 20 hours a day.

The leaders on their way again before the end of the caravan had even come to camp.

♪ was our first experience of along voyage on a ship of the desert.

And when we dismounted at the end of each weary day...

we found that camel riding had brought into being a hundred muscles that we never knew we had.

Without a moment's notice, the wind may change a still desert.

into a screaming volcano of piercing needles...

50 Joad's of salt were piled into an impromptu windbreak.

We used our camera cases and the needs of civilization to achieve the same result.

AS you can imagine, some of these crates brought us much comfort.

With no hitching post handy, every camel must be hobbled at nightfall...

for of all the creatures which serve mankina, there js none so perverse and infuriating...

as that hunchbacked, knock-kneeq, slobbering son of a cross-eyed camel.

Junior's style js also cramped a bit.

To see them chewing over the evening meal...

they might be a bunch of old gentlemen in a London club.

But, at heart, they're just as awkward as nature could make them.

Babies are babies, no matter what the breed.

And like all babies, they're always ready for a meal.

After 14 days on a lofloping, grunting, sweating came...

I used some of our precious drinking water for washing.

I should have washed the camel.

Now the barefoot tribesmen stamped out our fires, and we prepared to feave...

with the usual squeals and grunts of protest from the camels.

One js refusing to get down to be refoaded.

One js refusing to get up for some other reason...

or for no reason at all, except that he js a camel.

When we were all ready to leave, we found that Holt...

our bug hunter, was missing.

But it turned out that he was just doing a bit of overtime.

What he caught came off the camel, but the camel won't miss just one.

He's got a million of them.

Now the caravan is really under way once more.

Centuries ago in some era long forgotten...

Just such caravans as these pursued their Jaborious way across the scorching sand.

And we, in our modern kit, felt strangely out of place...

in a setting that seemed to belong to the days when the world was young.

The same primitive rules of the caravan still hold good today.

Sometimes one unfortunate beast would drop in its tracks, exhausted.

For itis the survival of the fittest.

Quickly the Joad was shifted over to a spare camel...

and the casualty left to get back home as best he might.

or die beneath the pitiless sun.

The leader of the trek was a giant Negro.

When first we encountered this strange man of the desert...

he was attended by a white lieutenant —

an American who disappeared somewhat mysteriously shortly after our arrival.

In fact, the leader himself left the caravan for two weeks...

rejoining us only when we were about to leave Dima, the city of salt.

Then it was that we learned of the great desert battle...

that had taken place a little distance from the route of the caravan.

Led by the giant Negro...

the warriors had defeated a marauding tribe of Morrockish bandits.

At first, our leader was a bit camera shy, but eventually we succeeded.

in winning him over by presenting him with our portable gramophone.

And I, for one, was glad to see jt go.

♪ was a poor reward for the thrill we had had in becoming part of this amazing caravan.

And it seems incredible that the outside world would have known nothing...

of this epic journey across the limitless desert...

but for this photographic record.

You've gotta help me to get down there, Major. Give me a chance to wash up my record.

The Sahara is a mighty big place, Mack.

I'll find him all right.

I'll bring him back, king or no king.

But just think what it means to me.

Complete pardon, honorable discharge.

I'd sure like to help you, but —

Well, I don't care what sort of plane it is, so long as it hangs together.

Well, what do you say?

[ Chattering, Shouting ]

[Jericho] ♪ Fut on the skillet Fut on the lid

♪ Mammy's gonna bake a little shortenin' bread

♪ That ain't all she's going to do

♪ Mammy's gonna make a little coffee too ♪

♪ Mammy's little baby loves shortenin', shortenin' ♪

♪ Mammy's little baby loves shortenin' bread ♪

♪ Mammy's little baby loves shortenin', shortenin' ♪

♪ Mammy's little baby loves shortenin' bread ♪

[Laughs]

[Airplane Approaching ]

♪ Stole the skillet Stole the lid

♪ Stole the little girl to make shortenin' bread ♪

[Airplane Passing Overhead]

If the stranger lands, bring him to me.

Stranger, our leader wishes to speak with you.

Come.

[ Chattering, Shouting ]

Captain Mack! well! What are you doing here?

- I've come to take you back. - All right!

Let him go.

Leave us alone.

I wouldn't try to use this.

These people will tear you to bits.

All right. But I don't happen to value my life very highly.

Evidently. You were mad to try to take me single-handed.

You haven't got a chance, Captain Mack.

I suppose it'd be easy to destroy all evidence of my visit, eh?

Very easy. You'd better go back.

- Forget about me. - I'm not going back without you.

Yes, you are.

I'm gonna give you a chance to get away.

That's very kind of you.

I seem to remember my giving you a chance once.

In my place, wouldn't you have done what I did?

No.

Maybe I was wrong.

Why do you want to take me back?

Because you ruined me. Because the army was my life, the only life I know.

And because of you, I was kicked out of it, disgraced and sent to prison.

I never thought for a moment they'd blame you.

Well, they did.

You mean you were court-martialed, cashiered?

For aiding and abetting your escape.

- They sent you to prison? - Right. Leavenworth, five years.

That's terrible, Captain Mack.

I can't tell you how sorry I am.

There's nothing I can do now.

- These people need me. I — -[Giggling ]

Gara. Captain Mack, my wife.

Captain Mack's from my old home. We've known each other for some time.

My son, Mike.

You know, I've hated your guts for years.

Ive just waited for the time when I could drag you back to clear me.

I've thought and planned of what I should do when I eventually found you.

Now, well — [ Chuckles]

- Oh, I don't know. - You understand why I can't go.

- Yeah. -I'm glad.

Well, I guess I'm just about all in.

Of course. You must have had a tough trip.

Come. I'll take you to your room.

Fear not. The stranger will not take Jericho away. He'll leave here alone.

- No. He will return with many Arabs. - Then he must not go.

- Come on, Captain Mack. - What?

You've gotta get out of here. You're in great danger.

I gathered I didn't make much of a hit. What's the trouble?

My people have found out you've come to take me away.

Once they are roused, I'll never be able to control them.

-Isitlight enough to take off? -I think so.

-I may need a little help getting started though. - I'll help you.

The stranger must never leave here! Get your horses!

[Gong Clanging]

[ All Shouting ]

- Well, good-bye, Jericho. - I'm going with you.

Oh, no, you're not. I got a different slant on things now.

So have I, and I'm gonna take what's coming to me.

All right.

[ Engine Stops I

Ah, she's stalled. Can you swing the prop again for me?

So long, Jericho!