All language subtitles for Half Way to Hell (1960)

(pleasant music)

- [Maria] The year is 1902.

My country, Mexico,

began to shake off her
shackles of oppression.

We began to rise up and revolt,

and to follow courageous
leaders who were brave enough

to resist Diaz, the self-styled dictator.

I, Maria San Carlos was
betrothed to one such patriarch,

Amendoza Escobar, who was
determined to liberate

the Mexicanos, my people,
from the chains of slavery

and give back to them that
which had been taken away.

(upbeat music)

- What's wrong now?

- Horse picked up a
stone in his foot, miss.

- All this trouble, it is very bad.

Perhaps even now,
Escobar knows about this.

He will be angry.

- You're honestly afraid
of him, aren't you?

- Oh Joann, you don't know him.

I am only running away from myself.

Now I... I even make my friends run with me.

That is not good, if
Escobar does not catch me,

my conscience will.

- We're over the border
now, once we cross the ferry

we'll be home safe and sound.

- Them armies aren't
guarding, they're sleeping.

All this heat ain't gonna stop
a bullet from blasting back.

- We're out of danger now.

- Man, you got a short memory.

They could be trailing us right now.

- Please hurry.

- Hey, come on, get
over here, yah, yah, ha.

(upbeat music)

- [Maria] Heroes leave from
Mexico into the United States.

So it was easy for Mr.
Wesson and these men,

who were infesting our country
because they were unwanted

in their own, to set up
this murderous ambush.

(suspenseful music)

- Now what?

- There's a stranger up ahead, miss.

- It's okay, ma'am, it's
just a cowboy or someone

looking for a ride.

- Don't you know who he is?

- [Mr. Wesson] Well, ma'am,
he says he's a cowboy.

- A stranger comes up
with a saddle on his back

armed to the teeth and a story

about his horse and you believe him?

Well, I don't.

- Shh, here he comes.

- Howdy, ma'am, mighty glad
to see you folks come along.

I hoped somebody would,
of course I didn't expect

anyone half so pretty.

- Who are you?

- Name's London, ma'am, Jeff London.

- I'm sorry we don't have any room.

- But this is desolate country.

Can't we make room?

- All right, we'll take
you to the nearest town.

- All right, hope it won't be too crowded.

- It won't be, you'll ride back there.

- What, in the back?

- Yes.

- Ya, ya.

(suspenseful music)

- They come.

(upbeat music)

(gun firing)

(horse neighing)

(gunshots firing)

(suspenseful music)

- [Joann] Manuel.

- Be at ease, ladies,
we're friends of Escobar.

- Hurry up, come on.

(upbeat music)

- Get back on your horse.

- Please, we have traveled all night.

- Just a few minutes, then.

Had Escobar thought to
supply me with side saddles,

or even boots, it would've
been so much better.

He was in such a hurry to
get back what belongs to him,

it must have slipped his mind.

- How many times must I tell
you, we are not married.

I am not his wife.

- Hey boy, we got a Hornata to cross.

(speaks in a foreign language)

- One of Mr. Wesson's little shortcuts.

We must cross miles of
desert without a stop.

If we are lucky, there will
be cool weather waiting.

- You repay my father well.

- [Manuel] It could not be helped.

- I suppose not, I suppose
it is what one must expect

when one becomes a rebel dog.

- [Manuel] Hold your tongue.

- Or you will shoot me too, perhaps?

- [Manuel] I shoot no one.

- No?

- One must sacrifice
many things for a cause.

- Then one should make certain first

that the cause is worth the sacrifice.

- That's a bit thin for the future wife

of a leader to say.

- The truth can come from even such a one.

The dreaded Hornata, feared
by all who had to cross it.

Mile after mile of desert wasteland,

with its valleys of
death curling, cracked,

caked mud, a hell conceived
by the devil himself.

Hopes of water greeted by
the dryness of dust and sand.

_ [Jeff] Bone dry.

- Oh, what's gonna happen
to us now, no water.

(water flowing)

- [Maria] Nature was kind.

Cool, clear water spread its arms

to both the good and the bad of us.

The river had a twofold meaning.

This ribbon of water,
it was the dividing line

between the Hornata and my own country.

For better or worse,

we would soon be at
the end of ourjourney.

(suspenseful music)

I wonder what's keeping Joann.

(dramatic music)

(screaming)

(gun firing)

- Let her go, Blackie.

- What's the matter, boy, she wasn't yorn.

(laughing)

- He's right, there's no need

for our merchandise to get damaged.

Maria, get her something dry to put on.

- There is nothing, it is
all back at the carriage.

- Then get it from Diego,
it's on the back of his horse.

(gentle music)

- Well, go tell them,
proud little sentinel.

I was only going for a ride.

- It is beautiful here.

- For you, maybe, your
life is not in danger.

- Nor is yours, I came
along to protect you.

- For the slaughter?

- You imagine things to yourself.

No other men would protect you,

take care of you as Escobar will.

- No other?

But I do not love him.

- Love, who speaks of love?

Just because a marriage without love...

- It is.

- Maybe for the gringos,

but for us, marriage is responsibility.

Love is only an emotion.

- And you doubt the emotion?

- I only know they are beauties.

- Beauties, you're a
silly little schoolboy.

When will you ever grow up?

- Maria, I have emotions, desires too.

But there are certain
things that are right.

- And what is right,
murder maybe, pillaging?

You could have been a lawyer.

Instead you trail in the
blood of these great men

like a puppy d09-

- I have my reasons for it.

Maybe they were only dreams,

but when the rebellion began, I was sure

it was the only solution.

But after each fight, I
wake up feeling funny,

as though I left something behind.

I should not have.

- It is strange how men
can live, even die together

and yet not know one
another as a woman does.

- Hey, break it up, you
two, we're moving out.

(suspenseful music)

- Where's Blackie?

- He's here to shoe the horse.

- And the heavy saddle,
what did he do with it?

- He carried it.

- Oh, he carries it, si.

(laughing)

- Diego, keep your eyes
open while we're gone.

No siestas, sabe?

- Where are you going, Mr. Wesson?

- What do you think?

Shall we all ride to Escobar
and then just stand there

while he takes his
little chiquita from us?

Besides, we bring an extra prize.

It should be worth an additional
peso or two, right Slade?

- Right.

- Senor Slade, you go too?

- Just as protection,
with all those pesos,

Mr. Wesson shouldn't travel alone.

- Bring back something to drink.

- I'm afraid.

- Don't worry, Maria.

(suspenseful music)

(horse neighing)

- Up here, Blackie.

- You going for a trip, maybe?

- Suppose I am.

- You not take no trip, you
already killed one good horse.

What you got in the shirt, you stinking pig?

- I wouldn't do that.
Over there, don't move.

Drop the guns.

Go on, move.

(dramatic music)

(gun firing)

- Okay, drop it, drop it
or I'll cut her throat.

(grunting)

(gasping)

- Going someplace?

- YeP-

Where do you think you're going?

- Why, with you.

- No, no.

- But you followed us here, didn't you?

- I got what I came for.

- But senor, we have
come a long, hard way.

Our horses, they are not very
good and our food, it is...

- I appreciate your problem, ma'am,

but I'm no better off myself.

What do you think I could do?

- Once, we did you a favor.

You could lead us out of here.

- He knows the country as well as I do.

Escolada's over there,

he probably knows how far better than me.

The Concepcion River's off
that way someplace, I guess.

- But we seek to leave
Mexico, don't you understand?

- He doesn't understand
anything, anything but his gold.

- That's right, you
better stay away from me,

'cause I'm worse even than that.

I didn't even dig for my
gold, just plaster mining.

I just set my haunches in the cool water

and waded my pan out while the gold

came trickling down to me.

No real strikes, just trickles,

just enough to keep you
looking, starving, waiting,

week by week, month by month,

bide your time while I bide it.

And I ain't throwing it all
away now, not by a long shot.

So like I said, I got what I came for.

- Nevermind, Maria.

We'll get out somehow, we don't need him.

He's not worth going back with.

(horse neighing)

- All right, if you can keep up,

I'll take you to the nearest town.

- That's big of you.

(gentle music)

(speaks in a foreign language)

- Escobar, take us to see
him, we have words with him.

- You are the gringos.

- Yes.

- But where's the senorita?

- We have to talk to him about that.

Say, Slade, what do we do
with these darned hombres?

- Easy, he can understand.

- Allow me to introduce myself.

I am General Von Miguel Jose Salvador

del Antonio la Pista Martinez.

Senor, you may call me El Chato for short.

We go.

(suspenseful music)

(speaks in a foreign language)

- [Maria] The presidente
desperately hung on

to his almost permanent rule.

Everywhere his power was felt.

Leaders of the revolution, like Escobar,

were searched out and ruthlessly killed.

(upbeat music)

(speaks in a foreign language)

Headquarters of these great crusaders

had to be remote and well-guarded.

Loved ones of these
patriarchs, women, children,

and the old ones who cared for them

were forced to live like animals.

(upbeat music)

- Senor Wesson.

- The prize is safe, senor.

There were difficulties,
yes, many of them.

It was a hard trip but
the merchandise is safe,

perhaps a little dusty and saddle-worn.

- If you refer to the
young lady, Senor Wesson,

please refer to her by name.

Otherwise you will confuse us both.

- You should say ladies.

An American, a young American.

We brought her with us
as a fitting companion

to the senorita, but naturally
it was twice as hard

with two ladies, so we left
the ladies behind to rest

and came ahead to make new terms.

This, of course, is American
business procedure.

You see, the more risk involved...

- Does Senor Wesson look weary
to you, El Chato?

- Si, senor.

- You even look weary to
El Chato, Senor Wesson.

As you say, you have had a hard trip.

I see how you rattle on
and on like an old woman.

I fear that perhaps your mind is groggy.

El Chato, go back with Senor Wesson

and help him find his way.

And see that he does not get lost,

and bring back the senoritas.

There is no need for
more bargaining, senor.

You have already made a good one.

(suspenseful music)

- These ladies must be dangerous,
killing people like these.

- I wonder how this happened.

- You sure botched this, Wesson.

- Me, why, I didn't do anything.

- That's what I mean.

Let's get going, they can't get far.

- All I want is to get
to the nearest town.

- I told you before, the
nearest point man's town

is 60 miles, and we
ain't ever gonna make it

unless we keep control of ourselves.

- Hey, gringos, vamos arriba.

- Who are you?

- I am General Don Miguel...

- Oh, you are only El
Chato, the flat nose.

Don't bother to give us any
of your fancy rebel airs.

If you have a job to do, do it,

so at least we may get
out of this horrible sun.

- Get on your horses, we
are going to see Escobar.

(gentle music)

Better leave while you can.

Escobar is a patient man.

If I was you, I'd not test
his patience too much.

- Maria, I have missed you.

Three months can be forever.

- Escobar, why can you
not leave things be?

- So, this is the senorita.

- Senor.

- Senor, El Chato tells me

that you have done us a great service.

- The flat nose exaggerates a lot.

- Si, still it will be hard to repay you.

You have done me a service.

- Look, you got the girls,

all I wanna do is get out of here.

- Seguro, sure.

- I wanna make some tracks
before camping tonight.

- Oh senor, you could not
leave this camp in daylight

without someone seeing you.

Besides, you look weary.

A little rest can't do you
no harm, can it, Chato?

- Si, senor.

Stay here, hombre.

- Maria, we must talk.

- [Maria] Birth and death
respects no time, nor place.

Escobar's crude camp was no exception.

(speaks in a foreign language)

- We must speak in English,

I do not want the men to understand.

- Men, gorillas is what they are,

seething dogs of the hillside,

swooping down like vultures on
innocent women and children.

- You mean to say Diaz's armed men

are actually women and children?

- They are the rightful
arms, the government.

When you fight them, you
fight your own people.

(speaks in a foreign language)

- They are the government.

But I claim none of them, my
people deserve something better,

and they shall have it.

- Escobar, in the days of Maximillian,

my father fought to
drive the foreigners out.

There was a reason to rebel
then, there was a plan.

Every honorable Mexicano
was part of that plan.

Today, that plan has come true.

Oh, not perfectly, perhaps
perfection takes time.

Still, we are a democracy
and whatever our faults,

they are at least our own.

You have come such a long way down.

These men are not the
army you led at Taxicalo.

These men are banditos, ruffians.

One man cannot be all things, even you.

This is not the way.

- And what is, my pretty one?

Should I go quietly back to my hacienda

and cultivate sugar cane, while
a man becomes a dictator?

Already he is living out his second term,

and speaking of a third.

You speak of clans, I was young

when Diaz proclaimed this clan.

There was to be no re-election
of the president of Mexico.

Maria, I need you now.

I will need you even more in the future.

Tu, show me how to act, how to be someone.

Si, a gentleman, a statesman.

And you Maria, you will be
the first lady of Mexico.

- You think you talk of love to me?

You think this is love,
this, this is a bargain,

a business arrangement.

I am to make you happy
now and a gentleman later.

And in return you will see
that I live as a fine lady.

You speak of compromise, this,

this is the worst kind of compromise.

I will not be part of
it, or your fine lady.

I will not be the one...

(hand landing)

- My little angel, forgive me.

- Once, and with just a knife and a rope,

I climbed the tower of the
Convent of Santo Domingo

to make help the escape

of the greatest patriot in all of Mexico.

Now I am ready to fight this same man.

- And what weapon do you choose to fight

the greatest patriot in Mexico?

- I will use my bare hands.

- Bare hands are for babies.

We will use something more noble.

Am I to take this as a traitorous assault?

Or is it something more personal?

- Escobar, success in
all things, even you,

should take the pains to come to count.

- Do I hear teeth chattering so soon?

- You hear whatever you
want to hear, senor.

You hear that... that I love Maria.

I cannot stand by and
watch her pitifully pawed

by an old man, in the mistaken belief

he is making love to her.

- Do not falter, chico.

You chose to fight with me, now get ready.

Jose,Juan.

(dramatic music)

- Joann, help, they're going to fight.

' Who?

- Manuel, Escobar, they are
going to duel with the whips.

Please come.

(suspenseful music)

(speaks in a foreign language)

(whips snapping)

(people cheering)

- It's no use, Maria.

(dramatic music)

(laughing)

(speaks in a foreign language)

(whips snapping)

(speaks in a foreign language)

(laughing)

(speaks in a foreign language)

- Stop it, for heaven's sakes,
stop it, you will kill him.

Stop, Escobar, he has had enough.

(gentle music)

(speaks in a foreign language)

(dramatic music)

Stop.

(screaming)

- Can't you see she loves that boy

enough to kill herself for him?

- That is no concern
of yours, senor gringo.

But this, a matter of honor.

- Where I come from we fight men.

- Here we fight for a reason.

What one can you give?

- What you did to that kid
is reason enough for me.

- As you wish, senor.

(suspenseful music)

(whips snapping)

(people cheering)

- Alto, alto.

You are a brave man, senor.

Sometimes a man can be
blind to many things.

You have thrown me in the
dust before my own people.

My cause needs me here.

You may go, senor, and please,

see that they get back safely.

(upbeat music)

- You could have had that little senorita

for your little wife.

- My faithful muchacho, do
you think it is possible

for a man, even at my age, to change?

You know, I never thought I'd see it.

But now even for me, my
cause is more important

than my own selfishness.

Come, mi general.

- Si, senor.

- [Jeff] Wait up, wait up, ho.

(speaks in a foreign language)

- [Maria] Escobafs camp

was in a constant state of alertness.

He had informants everywhere.

They kept him advised
constantly of enemy movements.

Through the efforts of men like these,

it was destined that the
Diaz regime would soon fall.

(speaks in a foreign language)

(stately music)

Injuries and personal pride go unheeded

when a battle is in the making,

the battle that will bring equality

that much closer for the Mexicano people.

(people cheering)

- [Manuel] Get down, Maria,
we will rest for awhile.

(gentle music)

- Here, let me do that.

Jeff?

- Mm-hmm?

- Where were you brought up?

- On the road.

- The road?

- The road to Denver. Father ran a

stop over house halfway between.

- Between?

- Between Big Sandy
and Denver, stage town.

In those days they were mostly caravans,

covered wagon people
headed for California.

- What was it like?

- What?

- The stop over house.

I imagine it was pretty
exciting, wasn't it?

- Yeah, it was real exciting.

- Do you have any brothers and sisters?

- Mm-hmm.

- Where are they now?

- Back there.

- With your parents?

- YeP-

- How long has it been?

I mean, when did you see them last?

- When I was eight years old.

- I see, a little boy
with lots of superiority

was already a man and set
out to conquer the wild west.

- Well, not exactly.

That was in 1864, and Black
Kettle was still big chief

of the Cheyenne and the Sioux then.

One day in August, my uncle took me

and a boy of his own for a fishing trip.

We come back, we were loaded
down whooping and hollering.

We got to the stop over house,
stood out there in the plains,

hollow looking and empty,
there was nobody around.

So my uncle told us boys to
wait and he went on ahead.

When he came back, he
took me off to one side

and told me all my family was
back there in the house dead.

- Jeff, I don't know what to say.

- Nothing to say, it was
25 years ago, so here I am.

(romantic music)

If I'd have known what trouble
this gold was gonna cost me

I might have passed it up.

- You don't mean that.

- No, I guess I don't.

(dramatic music)

(gun firing)

- Freeze.

Get 'em up.

Higher, come on, get 'em up.

- See, Wesson, I told you if
we watched them long enough

things would pay off.

Now we got the gold and the girl.

Keep 'em covered, I'll get the horses.

- Slade, I'll take the gold.

(guns firing)

(suspenseful music)

(gun firing)

- Vamanos.

(speaks in a foreign language)

- [Maria] Even friends
that tried to help us

paid with their lives.

- Mira. It's too bad, he was a brave man.

(suspenseful music)

- [Maria] This man, like
many early pioneers,

gave his life to save his friends.

His memory will always remain with us.

It is a hope that we shall all
meet again in another world.

- The gold, he has it.

- Well Chato, vetese.

(suspenseful music)

- Senor Slade, drop the pistola.

(punch thudding)

- Senor, it is unfortunate

that you did not hear Chato's warning.

Here, protect yourself.

(gun firing)

(speaks in a foreign language)

- Why did you stay here for me, senor?

- It was a matter that
needed immediate attention.

(laughing)

My little chiquita, I am
glad to see you are safe.

Once I had position and wealth and honor.

Now Diaz has confiscated my land.

And in the eyes of many, I am but a rebel.

- Escobar.

- I free you of your promise,
not of my own choosing,

but as a soldier, our country needs me.

Please, go back to your father's hacienda.

- But Escobar.

- No, Maria, it is better this way.

Some day perhaps, we shall meet again.

(gentle music)

- Until now, I did not know you.

He is so alone.

(upbeat music)

Manuel, I...

- Do you love him after all?

You should never have left him.

Go to him now, I will
take Joann to her home.

And tell Escobar I will soon rejoin him

in our fight for freedom.

(upbeat music)

- Alto.

- [Maria] Perhaps my actions were not

what my father would have desired,

but I have never regretted
it for one moment.

Yes, I rode with Escobar,

rode into his dreams of a new world,

a new freedom for his
family and his people,

the people of our country, Mexico.

(upbeat music)