Original subtitles

♪ California ♪

- [Narrator] The city of San Francisco in 1851 was wicked.

The forty-niners who came to California

did not think of this port

beside the golden gate as anything but a way station

to easy riches.

They rushed off to Sutter's Creek, Grass Valley,

and other gold diggings

while the criminal gangs they left behind

started the most brutal uprising

against law and order in American history.

A hoodlum known as the Sydney Cove

gathered to him every escaped convict

from the British penal colony in Australia.

The Sydney Cove gang had a terrifying objective.

They meant to wipe out San Francisco's police force

and take over the town.

Police were shot from ambush in broad daylight

on the streets.

They were strangled and their bodies tossed into the bay.

1200 murders and only one man hanged for them.

- Go tell the Sydney Cove we got ourselves another copper

and threw him in the bay.

- [Narrator] In his campaign of terror against the police,

the Sydney Cove shanghaied them

and sold them into ships bound for China.

San Francisco then was a town of 15,000

without a police force.

♪ California ♪

♪ California ♪

- [Announcer] "The Californians."

♪ California ♪

♪ I've come to live where life is best ♪

♪ In the golden west ♪

♪ I'm going to strike it rich in California ♪

♪ California ♪

(gentle music)

- Now, you mind what I've told you

about this sinkhole of creation.

- I will, sir.

- I've watched you these many weeks

like a first mate watches good officer material.

'Tis a fine and decent lad you are.

Back to Boston you should be going.

There's plenty of other lads for the golden carousing.

Take my advice, son.

Sail back with us.

- Oh, my folks have had their bellyful of being poor.

They scrimped and saved and chipped in $250 for my stake.

Well, I'm the Patrick they all voted to come west.

And I'm gonna make 'em all rich, like I promised.

- Well, then, buy your equipment

and get on the trail this day.

Keep away from the crimps and the thugs.

Promise me.

- I will, sir.

Don't worry about me, sir.

- Aye.

The best of luck to you, Dion.

- The same to you, sir.

And when I get rich I'll buy you a ship of your own

and we'll sail her back together.

Till then, here's that tobacco pouch you wanted

but wouldn't buy in Rio.

Throw the old one away.

Compliments of a millionaire.

- Why, I...

(gentle music)

Aye.

(gentle music)

- Young man, are you lost?

- Oh, no, miss, I'm, uh...

Well, I'm looking for a mining outfit.

- I'm Mrs. McGivern.

And you'll find my husband inside.

- I see I shouldn't have called you miss.

The pretty darlings are always married.

- Why, thank you.

- It's been my pleasure, ma'am.

- Is that gold?

Is it real?

- A greenwood, just off the ship.

- I never saw real gold nuggets before.

- Well, dig in.

Heft a few up.

- Whew!

Oh, it's heavier than lead.

Ah, it's the prettiest yellow color I ever saw.

It'll be prettier when I get mine.

- Well, that makes just about 8,000, Mr. Thompson.

Now, that more than squares what you and Mr. Henley owe.

Now, you going to be outfitting again

or do you want to cash all this in?

- Got a new claim up in Grass Valley, Mr. McGivern.

- Ah.

- And one in Shirttail Gulch.

But we aim to have a little fun

before we start for the new digging.

- Yeah, yeah, you know, wine, women, song--

- Fine, fine, fine.

I'll put this in the safe for you.

And for heaven's sake, will you try and be careful

so you can live to enjoy all this, huh?

- Thanks.

See you later.

When you come in with your pile,

be sure you bank it with Jack McGivern.

- Well, thank you for the advice.

(Henley laughs)

- Where do you come from, son?

- Boston, sir.

The name is Dion Patrick.

I'd like a miner's outfit.

- You would, huh?

How much money you got?

- $250.

- Well, that's just about enough to buy you a pick,

a shovel, and a frying pan.

- What?

- [Jack] What are you going to do for an animal?

- Um...

An animal?

- Yes, you need something to get you

to the diggings, you know.

Now, what do you prefer, a horse or a mule?

- Well, whichever is best, Mr. McGivern.

- A mule.

- Well, uh, don't they, uh...

Don't they kick and bite sometimes?

- Well, I never saw one yet

that didn't get along with us Irish fellas.

They, uh, they seem to like us, you know.

- Then I'd rather have a mule.

- Fair enough.

Now, I'll tell you what you do.

(tears paper)

Now, you just take this down

to my good friend, Jim O'Connor.

You'll find him in the Pacific Saloon.

Tell him to charge it on your account with me.

- If you'd like a reference,

I'll get one from my good friend Mr. Andrews.

He's a mate of the clipper Mary Anne.

- All right, son, all right, if it makes you feel better.

Oh, and incidentally, I, er,

I wouldn't be carrying all this money

around with me if I were you.

- (scoffs) Oh, I can take care of my money, all right.

They've been soaked in brine day and night for two months.

- Great protection against a gun or a knife, aren't they?

- Now, don't you worry at all.

I'll be back, all right, Mr. McGivern.

(gentle music)

- Hold on, Mr. Andrews.

We have some business with you.

10 good sailors.

Only $50 a head.

- I've told you before, I don't buy men from Shanghaiers.

Now, out of my way, crimp!

- Pigheaded Yank!

Teach him a lesson.

(punches landing)

(men scuffling)

- Mr. Andrews!

- Stay out of it, son!

Them's the Sydney Coves.

- He's my friend!

(men scuffling)

Police, police!

- Coves, Coves!

(dramatic music)

Quick, into the saloon with him.

Come on!

(dramatic music)

- How does it figure up, Ernie?

- Well, boss, should go about 20,000.

- Hmm.

Good bit of business for one day.

- Boss.

It's the Weasel.

- Let him in.

Well, did you get the gentlemen

who refused to do business with us?

- Don't I always?

First Mate Andrews is in a bunk down below

and he won't be saleable to the China trade

for about a week.

- Huh.

That'll teach these clipper ship officers

to go Holy Joe on us.

Anyone see you?

- A young Yank sailor butted in to help Andrews,

but we clobbered him and threw him in the cage.

- In the cage?

- Mm-hmm.

- Kill him and throw him in the bay.

- But he's worth $50.

- He's worth more dead, he's a witness.

There's talk in the papers of McGivern the merchant

raising up some vigilantes.

They'll try and put us out of business!

Ernie.

- Oh, now, boss, no, boss.

Please, don't! - Take care of it.

- Boss, don't now, really...

Oh!

- Now, you go down to the cage and kill that Yank.

You better take him along

to make sure you get the right one.

- Come on, Weasel.

- Where is our family physician?

Here.

Andrews is a navigator.

He's worth a thousand dollars to us in good condition.

Go and patch him up.

Carefully.

And the next one of you that acts careless

will get a nice little hole in his head.

See?

- Oh!

Oh, my head.

Where am I?

- You been shanghaied by the Sydney Coves.

- Coves.

Mr. Andrews.

What have they done with him, do you know?

- Well, the crimp named Weasel brought you both in here.

Then another crimp took your friend away.

- Away? Where?

- They didn't say, matey.

- I've been robbed.

They took all my money.

I'm getting outta here.

(door banging)

- Well, there's no sense in that.

They got crimp guards all around.

- Look, the two of us might--

- Not me, my boy.

I aim to stay alive till that clipper ship

reaches the Sandwich Islands.

Then I'll jump ship.

- Well, I can't wait that long.

I gotta find Mr. Andrews.

- Now, he's a big Yank.

You better watch yourself.

He hits hard, he does.

(gun clicks)

- You just point him out to me.

(key clicking lock)

Dead to the world all of 'em.

Which one's the Yank?

(blow lands)

- No, no, please!

- Come on, get us out of here.

(punch lands)

What'd you do that for?

- Well, I felt like it.

Go on, take the big one's coat and hat.

Move, they'll be down here with guns.

- You all finished, Weasel?

- Aye.

- Hey, wait a minute.

You ain't The Weasel.

And you ain't Ernie.

(men scuffling)

- Now I'm gonna find Mr. Andrews.

- Are you crazy?

You haven't got time.

- I'll take time.

(dramatic music)

- I need some police.

Are you the chief?

- I was the chief.

- Well, I've been slugged and robbed.

My best friend was beat up by that Sydney Cove gang.

He may be dead for all I know.

I gotta find him.

- That's too bad.

- Too bad?

Come on, get some of your men.

I know where the Cove's hideout is.

I'll take 'em straight there.

- Son, I haven't any men.

They all quit.

I'm the last policemen left in San Francisco.

And I'm getting out right now.

- Well, what kind of a city is this?

- Right now, awful.

- So what does a man do now?

Fight the Coves all by himself?

- Tell your troubles to Jack McGivern.

I leave the whole mess right in his lap.

- Hold on, I know Mr. McGivern.

What's he doing about this?

- Why don't you ask him?

And tell him that my men were brave enough,

but the Cove shanghaied or murdered them

and those that were left, the city wouldn't pay.

So there's no more police.

(dramatic music)

- Our whole community has been terrorized, gentlemen.

Safety of life and property can no longer be depended upon.

Our do-nothing governor refuses to proclaim martial law.

Now, we can turn this entire city over to the criminals

or we can organize a vigilance committee.

We must fight fire with fire, gentlemen.

We must throw these criminals out

and restore law and order to this city.

- Hear, hear. - Hear, hear.

- And we can afford to wait no longer, gentlemen.

Yes, Mr. Pelham?

- I don't like the vigilante idea, Mr. McGivern.

It draws a lot of hotheads,

men full of whisky and hate.

- Mob rule and lynch law, that's what it comes to.

It's barbarous.

- Mr. Coleman here supports us.

If you think a man like Mr. Coleman supports lynch law,

then I'm afraid you don't know Mr. Coleman.

- Enough talk.

Vote, I say, vote.

- We must, gentlemen, set an example.

Now, I move that we organize a vigilance committee

to clean out the Sydney Cove and his entire gang

and to serve until such time

as we can organize another police force.

All in favor now.

- Aye.

- Aye. - Aye.

- It's too dangerous to let men take law in their own hands.

Unless we operate carefully, we'll be discredited

before we start.

- You talk about cleaning up the Sydney Coves.

How are you gonna do it?

- How are you going to make it a legal case?

How are you going to get your evidence?

- We'll get the evidence, Mr. Pelham

and we'll give them a fair trial, too.

- I'm sorry to barge in on you, Mr. McGivern,

but what's left of your police force

told me to see you about finding the Sydney Coves.

- What's the matter with you, lad?

What's the matter?

- Oh, Mr. Andrews and I were strong-armed

by the Coves men.

I was thrown in the China cage.

- Where's Mr. Andrews now?

- I don't know, sir.

I was told to come here for help.

Decent man set upon with those bully boys from Australia.

And me, who tried to help him,

bashed on the head by a gang of crimps!

If they've done any harm to Mr. Andrews, I'll...

- Easy, lad, easy now.

- Easy, is it?

What kind of a miserable town do you name

after a good man like Saint Francis?

- How can you answer that, Mr. Pelham?

- Well, if this impatient young man will identify

the Coves who attacked him and lead us to their hideout,

we may have a real case.

- I'm begging no man for help!

I'll get Captain Dorset and the crew of the Mary Anne.

We'll find Mr. Andrews.

- Dion, Dion.

Gentlemen, we'll meet here tomorrow morning at six o'clock.

Now, if you'll excuse us,

I want to have a talk with Mr. Patrick here.

(dramatic music)

I wish you'd try to understand

that this is not just a simple brawl

between your shipmates and the Sydney Cove gang, you know.

- Thanks, ma'am.

- Jack, stop badgering the boy.

- Martha, would you...

Would you please stay out of it?

Please, huh?

Dion, don't you realize that the committee

is on trial before the whole town?

- Sure, sure.

Where's Mr. Andrews?

Dying in some filthy cage or is he already dead

and his body floating in the bay?

Why shouldn't Captain Dorset string 'em by their heels

to a yardarm till they squeal on the Cove and

lead us to Mr. Andrews?

- That's what I'm trying to explain to you.

One on act of injustice or foolish violence

and our whole entire cause is lost.

Now, you've told me your plan.

Let me tell you mine, huh?

Now, I think that the two of us

should take a walk down Montgomery Street.

The Cove knows that I'm organizing the vigilantes,

I am certain of that.

Now, if he were to see the two of us together,

I think that he might want to bring you in for questioning.

- Jack, do you want to risk the boy's life?

- Please, ma'am.

I can take care of myself.

- You didn't do so well before.

- Oh, Martha.

Now, you and I have a fight together near the saloon

where The Weasel hangs out.

Undoubtedly, some of his men are going to be about.

They're going to grab you and bring you to the hideout.

We'll trail them and in that way,

we'll be able to capture the whole gang.

But we must get the Cove alive,

otherwise we can't try 'em.

Now, would you dare that, Dion?

- Of course I would.

- What if they shoot, Dion?

- Well, yes, that is possible.

Well, I...

I guess we'd best forget the whole thing then.

- I can't forget it.

- (sighs) Men and fighting!

- Oh, Martha, this is not just a waterfront brawl, you know.

The whole town's at stake.

- I know, I know.

Well, may the good Lord keep you safe, Dion.

Goodnight.

- Goodnight, ma'am.

- I've trimmed the lamps, Jack.

Just turn the wicks down, don't blow them out.

- Goodnight.

Well, I...

I suppose she's right.

The whole business is too risky.

- Ah!

The time has come to mash some heads and you know it.

I put it to you honest, sir.

Either I follow your plan

or a couple hundred sailors'll take this town apart.

Every stick and stone till we find Mr. Andrews.

Now, do we go or not?

(dramatic music)

- (laughs) Easy, lad, easy.

When you spot one of them,

call over and clod me one.

And make it real.

- You better fall away from the punch,

I don't want to hurt you.

- Thanks.

Now, when you get in, son, don't let the Cove frighten you.

You frighten them.

- There's one of them now.

- Now, look, son!

We intend to gate this town law-abiding

with or without your help.

You understand, huh?

(punch lands)

- [Dion] I want nothing to do with you

or your smelly vigilantes, copper!

(dramatic music)

- Inside.

(dramatic music)

- Tell our men with the horses

to pick them up at the end of the alley

and don't let them know they're being followed.

(dramatic music)

- McGivern's formed his vigilantes

and not one of you idiots can even tell me

when they're coming after us!

- Oh, now, take it easy, boss.

- You ruddy numskull, you!

Didn't I tell you and Weasel to get that Yank?

By rights, I ought to...

Who's that?

- It's the Weasel!

And he's got the Yank what gave us the slip.

- Let him in.

- He had a fight with Jack McGivern, boss.

He knows plenty about the vigilantes.

- Ah, plague on the vigilantes!

- Why are you so fired up against 'em, Yank?

- Untie me or I don't talk.

- Independent, aren't you?

- I've got some information about the vigilantes and you...

Look, I said untie me or I don't talk.

- All right.

Talk.

- Where's Mr. Andrews?

- Mr. Andrews is nursing a sore head below.

- Turn him loose.

And, uh, (snaps fingers) my money.

That 250 you stole.

(dramatic music)

- Now, then.

Talk.

- The vigilantes are aiming to bust up the Sydney Coves,

try you for robbery and murder.

Maybe hang you, too.

They asked me to help.

- And why didn't you?

- I hate coppers.

- You know, Yank,

I don't believe a ruddy word you've said.

Take him below!

(dramatic music)

(guns firing nearby)

- Wait! Shh!

(guns firing)

- Boss, it's McGivern with the vigilantes.

- You filthy murdering sod!

(guns firing)

(men scuffling)

I'm gonna throw you in the bay like you threw the others!

- Stop it, Dion!

Stop it!

Put him down!

Let him go! - Drowning's too good

for this dirty pig! - Put him down!

We've got to keep him alive for the trial.

Come on, take him away.

(gavel banging)

- Alfred Perkins, alias The Sydney Cove, stand up.

- Yes, sir.

- This committee is satisfied that Mr. Andrews

and Mr. Patrick are telling the absolute truth.

Therefore, you and your men are guilty

of assault and robbery.

(men clamoring)

(gavel banging)

Please, gentlemen, please!

Alfred Perkins.

- Yes, sir?

- You and your men escaped from a penal colony in Australia.

It is the sentence of this committee

that all of you be deported to Australia

on the very next ship.

(all chattering)

(gavel bangs)

Please, gentlemen, please!

The vigilantes must prove that they can act with justice.

Now, many citizens oppose us,

therefore we cannot start our work by hanging people.

No matter how much they might deserve it.

(men chattering)

This meeting stands adjourned, gentlemen.

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] The deportation of the Sydney Cove gang

did not end crime in San Francisco.

Many more dangerous criminals were untouched.

Crimes were to become more numerous and brazen than ever.

The vigilance committee would have to remain in action

because a constant supply of fresh victims

made the city of gold the criminals happy hunting ground.

The vigilance committee was so impressed

with the courage of Dion Patrick

that they instructed me to keep him here.

- The answer's no, Mr. McGivern.

I'm heading for the gold.

- You think that every rock you turn over

is going to be yellow with ore.

Well, it won't be.

I know, I was there.

- He's really trying to tempt me, isn't he?

Why?

- We want to make San Francisco a law abiding city.

Now, if any more trouble starts,

and I'm afraid it will,

the committee would like you to help us.

- A plague on San Francisco and its committee!

I didn't come here to play copper

in this miserable little town!

Now, I'm sorry, sir, for getting angry,

but I came here for gold and I aim to get it.

Lots of it.

- You'll come back hungry, Dion.

And with nothing.

Now, if it's gold you want, why don't you stay here?

Look, I'll make you a partner in my business.

And I guarantee you that you'll make more money

selling shovels here than digging with them out there.

- Now, give up, will you, Jack?

You had your bout with the gold fever.

Let the boy have his.

He may be luckier.

- Me and my mule, both.

I promised him 18 karat shoes on all four hoofs.

- He should get everything you'll make.

He does all your thinking for you.

- Here, Dion, take this quilt with you.

It may be cold out there.

- Well!

I thank you, Mrs. McGivern.

I'll fill it full of gold nuggets just for you.

- Well, may as well take this, too.

It may stop thieves from stealing your mule.

Here's an extra cylinder.

That gives you 12 shots.

May the saints spare you, laddie.

- May the saints spare you, too, sir.

Look after him till I get back.

- I will.

(horse nickers)

All ready, Goldie?

Old nuggets to California.

Let's go find some color.

- Alrighty!

- Steve, try and keep that child from starving, will you?

- Ah, I'll be back in time to feed you through the winter.

On lobster and champagne!

- Eh.

- Compliments of a millionaire.

Ha!

(dramatic music)

♪ California ♪

♪ California ♪

♪ Oh, I've traveled here, I've traveled there ♪

♪ I guess I've been most everywhere ♪

♪ But I like where I am today ♪

♪ And here is where I'll stay ♪

♪ Now, one thing I just can't endure ♪

♪ Is being broke and being poor ♪

♪ So I come west to take the cure ♪

♪ And here is where I'll stay ♪

♪ I've come to California ♪

♪ California ♪

♪ There's gold in them thar hills in California ♪

♪ I've come to live where life is best ♪

♪ In the golden west ♪

♪ I'm going to strike it rich in California ♪

♪ California ♪

♪ California ♪

♪ There's gold in them thar hills ♪

♪ In California ♪

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