Original subtitles

(slow music)

- [Narrator] San Francisco, 1855,

the undisputed leader of America's new west

hammering the shape of empire,

where a Marshall's life opposing the corruption

of ruthless ambitions was sometimes

worth less than a pinch of gold dust.

100 barrels of human merchandise.

Only this time I proposed to turn the cargo

into a total loss to the importer.

(indistinct chatter)

(gun shot)

(gun shot)

(water splashing)

- Snider, get that body, see if you can identify it.

- Yes, sir.

- Let's get moving.

* California

* California

- [Narrator] The Californians

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

* In the golden west

* I'm gonna strike it rich in California *

- Shanghai Clipper, American registry all right.

- Who's the owner?

- Benjamin Bowden, civic leader, influential citizen.

- Mr. Bowden, smuggling aliens?

- Well, I can't be positive.

The Shanghai Clipper is in charter and Bowden

as the owner had nothing to do with the voyage.

So it's also possible he had nothing to do

with the way the ship was used.

- Well, the charter is something an owner could hide behind

if he wanted to.

- Argyll Trading Company E.M. Travers.

- Now that could be a dummy.

- Yes, but there is such a company.

Bowden has two other ships also in charter

with the Argyll Trading Company.

They're located on the 18 Front street.

I think I'll just to have a little look.

- If you believe a man of Mr. Bowden's importance as part

and parcel to a conspiracy, what did you do?

- Then I'll get in touch with Lee Sing.

Ship's Chandler.

Tell him I want the Shanghai Clipper (indistinct),

provisions for officers, crew, and 100 passenger guests,

and remind them not to stint on the rice wine.

The passengers have an uncommon fondness for it.

- How can you afford rice wine?

The city already owes us a months wages.

- Oh, I'm not paying for it.

- Well then who is?

- He doesn't know it yet, but Mr. Bowden is.

(gentle music)

(suspenseful music)

- Hey, you.

Bring another glass.

But water, not (indistinct).

And a full bottle.

And a deck of cards, and make it fast.

I'm in a fearful thirst.

- Yes, sir, Captain.

- Here now, just because you're the captain-

- That I am and you shut your face.

- I ain't open my mouth yet.

- Well, consider that a warning.

We're in trouble, boys.

Bad trouble.

Enough to make a man of my caliber forget his Tiffin.

- You've seen this here Marshall?

- Yeah, that I have.

And in the basement of his jail is 100 barrels

of our cargo sitting idle,

scratching their yellow (indistinct).

I had $400 a head.

We stand to lose $40,000.

Not to mention time out of pocket.

- And not to mention Mr. Travis,

they'll sack the blooming lot of us for this.

- Well, worse luck,

we'll be known as those blooming bunglers.

Brought themselves a ripe cargo all the way from Shanghai.

Only to hand it straight over to the Marshall

waiting on the dock.

Hear, who lot the like of us (indistinct), hey?

- And, a third mate dead.

- He was a fool.

He should never have fired on the Marshall.

- Not a fool.

- No?

Perhaps the silly blighters merely recuperating

at the bottom of the bay?

- What I mean is, he should have been a better shot.

Our cargo is here, anxious to buy up its freedom

and standing between us and our property,

is just one man, the Marshall.

I say we kill him.

(knock on door)

Come.

- Yes, sir, gentlemen.

Glass, bottle, and pack of cards.

Will there be anything else, sir?

- Yes, bring another bottle.

You heard me. The time you are back it will be consumed.

Come one, crank it now.

- Yes, sir.

- So as I was saying, we cut the cards.

(indistinct) will have the honor

of finishing off the Marshall.

- What if the Marshall don't altogether see it that way?

- He won't know any different.

- What I hear, he's walking around nicely.

Anyone that has any idea

to the contrary will be snugly tucked six feet under.

- Oh, I'll think of something.

When I do, it will be fair dinkem.

You matey, first cut.

(menacing music)

- I don't care if it's all over town.

I'm gonna confiscate that cargo.

- Don't you want to get along with anyone?

- Yes.

You.

So to settle everything,

why don't we simply get married?

- Oh, be serious, Matt.

Why make an example of Mr. Bowden?

- I didn't just think of marriage this moment, you know?

- Well, it's the wrong moment.

Mr. Bowden is only one

of the number of ship owners engaged in smuggling aliens.

- This light makes your hair look just beautiful.

- Oh, stop it, Matt.

For all you know, Mr. Borden could be completely innocent.

Why don't you live and let live?

- That's exactly what I'm asking you to do.

Come live with me.

I'll buy a suitable engagement ring.

We'll have the best ceremony San Francisco ever saw.

- Well, the ceremony you're insisting upon

almost didn't happen at the dock tonight.

What if that man had killed you?

- Wilma, will you marry me?

- I will not marry you, Matt.

I'd be a widow before I was a wife.

Look, this is a rough brawling town.

Whenever there's trouble.

And when isn't there, you're always in the middle of it.

I've never know whether you'd be coming home

or whether someone would come to notify me

and I couldn't stand that, Matt.

Oh, you used to be an honest, respectable gambler.

Why don't you go back to it?

It's safer.

Then we could talk marriage.

(knock on door)

- Ms. Fansler, they said the Marshall might be here.

- Yes. Come in.

- What is it, Willie?

- Three men, one the captain, the other two mates.

Australian they are, sir.

- What have they done?

- It's what they're gonna do.

They cut cards to see who was to kill you.

- Matt!

- Now wait, who are they?

- I don't know, sir.

- What ship?

- I didn't hear that either, sir, but they are rough man.

Big, the kind that would smash a whiskey bottle

and slash my throat.

I had to be very careful.

- Do you know which one is supposed to kill me?

- They were all laughing so much as to whoever it was,

(indistinct).

- Laughing?

- Did you hear how or when it is to be done?

- I was afraid to listen to any further.

- Alright, thanks Willie.

- Oh, not at all Marshall.

Ms. Fansler.

(gun shot)

(dramatic music)

- Is he dead?

- Yes.

You know, that was probably meant for me.

- Now can you see what I meant, Matt?

I've been in love with you for over a year,

but no marriage with you could be fair to any woman.

(bell rings)

- Howdy, I'm City Marshall Wayne.

Is Mr. Bowden in, please?

- You're a cop?

It's the side door you use calling upon the (indistinct).

(bell rings)

- What was that?

- A cop, sir. And at the front door no less.

As big as you please.

A Marshall something.

- A Marshall?

- Have I put my foot in it?

- In America, Ellen, the Marshall's

always come to the front door.

Open it quickly, please.

- Yes, sir.

- Come in, Marshall.

- I humbly request your pardon, sir.

It's a new custom.

The cop at the front.

- She means new to her, Marshall.

- Aye, I'm flesh over from Killiecrankie

and terrible green yet.

- I'll forgive you this once.

- Thank you, sir.

- Won't you come in, Marshall?

Sit down, Marshall.

- I better accept this

before telling you my business.

Afterwards, you may be less cordial.

- Terrible thing this muddling.

On my own ship, I can assure you, Marshall,

I shall never charter these people again.

- I know you won't.

After you hear the penalty to be imposed.

- They deserve what you give them.

Together with the loss of the cargo.

Also the forfeiture of the charter money.

- I certainly do, but what do you forfeit, Mr. Bowden?

- I? I had nothing to do with it.

- This time you will, I'm afraid.

- I don't understand.

- I'm putting a captain aboard the Shanghai Clifford.

Responsible only to me.

I'm provisioning the ship and returning the aliens

to their homeland.

- Rather an expensive gesture, isn't it, Marshall?

- You're paying for it.

- I am?

- The Shanghai Clipper's now the lawful prize

of the Marshall's office.

To get it back you'll have to pay for the voyage.

Otherwise, I'll have to put it on the block

to the highest bidder.

- A rather unusual procedure.

I'm not quite-

- Consult your attorneys, by all means.

They'll find the same seizure in prizes authorities,

I looked up.

Same law books.

- Yes, yes, of course.

Marshall, I will not oppose you.

- Thank you Mr. Bowden.

- However, since I am the innocent party

and with a standing in this community,

of which I am justified.

- I know, sir.

- I only ask that you will publicly declare

that I willingly, off of my fullest cooperation,

as an example to others.

- You make out the statement, I'll sign it.

Turn it over to the newspapers.

I have no wish to compromise your personal reputation.

- Thank you.

I only hope that through this plan, the wretched traffic

in human beings will be ended once and for all.

- Yes, sir?

- Ellen, will you show the Marshall out, please?

- Yes, sir.

- Good day, sir.

- Good day, Marshall

- If I may say so, sir.

I didn't mean any disrespect saying cop instead of Marshall.

- Oh?

- It's simply an old Scottish term.

Meaning Constable On Patrol.

- Constable On Patrol?

I always wondered where the word cop came from.

- From the Scots,

but of course the English are claiming credit.

- Oh, of course.

You're from Killie...

What was it?

- Killiecrankie.

It's a wee village of no consequences, except it lies

within short spitting distance of Loche Argyll

which is a bonnie place.

- Argyll?

What did you say your name was?

- Ellen.

- Ellen, what?

- Ellen Mary. - Ellen Mary what?

- Ellen Mary Travers.

It's impossible.

- Sir, are you making sport of me?

If you are, I'll have you know, I'm to be a proud citizen.

Mr. Bowden himself is sending me

to grown-ups school to learn the reading and writing.

- So your E.M. Travers,

the mysterious Argyll Trading Company.

- Huh?

Whatever has come over the man,

asking the mouth full of nonsense.

- Ellie, I could kiss you.

- Aye, but you didn't.

- We'll have no chance shooting it out with this Marshall.

Unless by surprise advantage,

such as being where he'd never expect an assassin to be.

- Where's that?

- In his own jail.

- Governor you're a fair dingem.

How do you like that?

In his own jail, I hear.

- God blimmy there'll be no moving problems to worry about

if anything goes wrong.

- Wrong, we'll give him a proper burial at sea,

that's what we'll do.

(knock on door)

- Oh, another visit from the Marshall so soon.

- There are two things that I'd appreciate you doing for me,

Wilma.

- All right, provided they're provided not within reason.

I'm sorry. What were you saying?

- I found E.M. Travers.

- The Argyll Trading Company?

Who is he?

- Not he. She.

An innocent little Scottish immigrant girl.

She's working as a servant in the Bowden household.

- A servant?

- A dummy company behind which Mr. Bowden can operate

his ships without the slightest loss of control.

- But, how could she be innocent?

They'd have to draw up an agreement?

You said you have the charter records in your office.

- That's what I want you to help me find out.

See, Mr. Bowden is sending her to school in the afternoon.

How much education he wants her to have, I don't know.

- Just enough to sign her name.

- The school is on Market and Geary.

Would you go and bring her back here?

I'll be back in an hour to question her.

That's a good girl.

- Oh, wait a minute.

You said there were two things.

An engagement ring.

Matt, I firmly told you.

- Oh, I didn't ask you to wear it,

I just, you know,

thought you might wanna hold it for a while.

- You've been a bit generous with the rice and salt pork

I should think.

Still you know your passengers pallets better than I.

- Your papers, Kevin.

- Thank you, Marshall.

If there are no further instructions,

I should prepare my ship for sailing with the tide tonight.

- Good. I'll be along later with your passengers.

- 'Til later then.

- An excellent man, this captain.

- There's never any trouble aboard any ship he commands.

Or do you have some reservations about that?

- No, sir, but sometimes the other officers,

the mates are less considerate of passengers of this nature.

If there should be an incident-

- Captain Keith rules a tight ship.

There are no incidents when he walks at quarterdeck.

- I am relieved to know this, Marshall.

- Hands off. Hands off me person, I say!

Before I lose my ruddy temper.

- Drunk and disorderly, sir, with intent to

remove an entire salon piece by piece.

- I was drunk.

Oh yes.

I put it to you.

Who's drunk?

Well, I ain't had scarcely more than two bottles.

- Search him.

- We have, he's unarmed, sir.

- Well, lock him up and let him sleep it off.

- Sleep it off? Sleep it off, he says, what a waste!

- Come on.

(indistinct)

- I will see to the loading of the provisions, Marshall.

(lock clicks)

(menacing music)

- Now here are the charter papers, Ellen.

- Oh it cannot be so, Marshall Wayne.

I am not a charter person.

I wouldn't have had the least idea

how to go about the smuggling.

- But you signed these didn't you?

- No, I did not.

- Then these are not your signatures.

- Aye, I believe that.

I can tell by the beginning flourish,

I start off bold as a fire horse dash into the

smoke and ruin, who then decides it's too late.

So it gives up.

It's the best I've been learning so far.

- How much can you read, Ellen?

- Not. They constantly bunch the words

too close together in the printing.

- Did Mr. Bowden bring you these?

- No, it was the Letterman.

Come to the door with a fine big envelope

and told me it's the application for my citizenship.

"For me," I says.

"Aye," he says, "And let me be the first to welcome you,

and your red hair into the fold."

- But, how did Mr. Bowden know about the papers then?

- Oh, he witnessed my signing the study.

- Then he mailed them back for you?

- I presume so.

He put them in the desk for the moment.

- The old switch game.

(sad music)

- Ellen. I know you can't read yet, but is there some way

that you could identify those naturalization

papers the letter man brought you?

- Aye. A grand seal there was.

Up top.

- Good.

Now here's what I want you to do.

(suspenseful music)

- Now then, gentlemen, the Shanghai Clipper, as you know,

sales westward tonight at high tide.

On board will be our valuable dead weight cargo,

presumably being returned to the orient.

- Which hurts my deep sense of propriety, sir.

- And mine too.

But sailing eastward, and mind this, is the Orient Clipper.

Three days out of Hawaii with another profitable cargo.

- Hear, hear.

Now, what I have in mind is that after our captain

is put aboard secretly the Shanghai Clipper tonight,

you three will regain command of the ship.

And thereafter, rendezvous with the Orient Clipper

at this point,

and transfer over the cargo for pump returned to port.

And, no Marshall waiting to interfere.

- Governor, it's such a pleasure to be associated with a man

of your brains and principles.

- And my heart bleeds for the bongo Marshall.

The poor blighter.

(suspenseful music)

- Marshall, would you (indistinct)

some of your passengers to load the provisions?

- Yes, sure, if you can explain what you wanted.

- Surely.

(speaks foreign language)

- Captain, I'll get back to get the rest of the passengers.

- These are your naturalization papers, unsigned.

- Then Mr. Bowden is the villain, him and the other two.

The Marshall must be warned.

- Warnings do him no good.

That's why I don't marry him.

- But I heard them say they're

to put aboard a secret captain.

- Oh, you care not for this Marshall man.

I saw his ring and the looks between you,

you've rejected him.

I think you're daft.

- Suppose you let me decide, huh?

- Ooh. If a man as he would so much as look at me,

I would surely forget my porridge.

And you've turned him down.

Very well, I'll accept my opportunity.

- Ellen.

- Marshall! Marshall!

Oh, it's me. Ellen Mary.

Do you know of a secret captain?

- Secret captain?

Aye, they are to seize the ship this night.

- Right she is, Marshall.

And now that you've conveniently released our cargo

from your (indistinct) basement.

You can release me from this first class brig.

Easy now. One wrong move and you get it.

Or she does.

Now, turn your back to me.

Draw your gun slowly, with your left hand,

and place it gently on the desk.

Now, walk backwards towards me.

Easy.

Now, unlock this door.

- Marshall, here.

(gun shot)

(upbeat music)

- Get a doctor.

- Here, lets give these blokes a helping hand.

- Right you are, Mr. Mate.

- Bowden.

- Marshall, here?

- I'm here, yes.

And you're under arrest.

- Well, I don't understand.

I agreed to give you my fullest cooperation, didn't I?

- I found your Argyle Trading Company.

You're through, Bowden.

Take him away, Sergeant.

Another captain, a big man.

Did he come here?

- No. And I've been keeping a close watch.

- Easy, you blundering fools.

- Well, mate's acting as stevedores.

Since when do officers handle cargo?

Stand at attention when the Captain addresses you!

(shouting)

(water splashing)

- We put him in the barrel that can't float.

And he can't swim.

- Old Harry, always showing off, he is.

- You see what I mean, marriage with a Marshall

wouldn't be fair to any woman.

- I'm beginning to see that myself.

* California

* Oh, I've traveled here

* I've traveled there

* I guess I've almost 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 there them hills in California *

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

* In the golden west

* I'm gonna strike as rich in California *

* California

* California

* There's gold in them there hills *

* In California

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0