Original subtitles

[Horse neighs]

Any of you other blue bellies

wanna try knockin' this Confederate hat off

get at it.

[Sam growls]

Shut up, Sam.

All right, Hondo. You come with us.

Again, Lieutenant?

I'll have that iron.

Sure, Lieutenant.

You know

I'll just have to bust out of that toy jail of yours again.

You're not goin' to jail this time.

I'm not goin' to jail this time?

No

Captain Hondo Lane, late of the 7th Texas.

You been sent for.

Well

come on, Sam. Let's see who sent for us.

♪ ♪

Troop, ho!

Is that thing waitin' for us?

For you.

You'll want to take your hat off this time.

Well, we'll see about that.

I believe this belongs to you.

General Sheridan.

That is your rifle, isn't it?

It is.

The only one of its kind.

He won it at a shooting contest some years back.

But the Army took it away from me.

The Army is giving it back to you.

Colonel Crook, Hondo Lane.

Hondo.

Part panther, part Apache

and a man for what we've got in mind.

Begging, uh, the General's pardon, but isn't there some mistake?

You know I wasn't dipped in blue.

No, you certainly weren't.

But you were the best scout and spy on either side.

Right?

Well, I stayed alive.

He spent more time behind our lines than he did his own.

I've cursed that name a hundred times.

Hondo Lane of the 7th Texas.

Before the war he rode scout for the U.S. Cavalry.

and later he joined the Apaches and married an Indian girl named Destarte.

She was killed in a raid led by one of those West Point wonder boys.

Then he joined the Confederacy and hurt us plenty.

Since then he's spent his time hurting himself.

Disorderly, defiant, disinterested.

Does that about sum it up?

That sounds like one side of it.

But I still don't see where that brings me here.

Well, it does.

Hondo, I've been assigned to this territory.

The Apache treaty's blown sky-high.

There's no word for "lie" in Apache, but the Apaches have been lied to

and they're mad.

They're so mad that we're having difficulty getting through to their new chief.

That's where you come in.

Just halt right there, General.

What makes you think I'd do anything for the United States Army?

Not for the United States Army, Hondo.

But you've seen Indian wars

and I'm sure you'd never want to see another one.

All right. Second...

what makes you think I got any better chance

of getting through to their new chief?

Well, their new chief that we're having trouble getting through to

happens to be Vittoro

your father-in-law.

Column of twos on your command!

This'll be it.

Let's give the order to dismount.

Ho, hold there!

Troop, ho!

Dismount!

Savage country, Hondo, but rich and beautiful.

Well, I don't know about the rich part

but I'll float my stick with yours about the savage.

And the beauty?

Yeah, that, too.

Know what's out there?

I've been over most of it.

Desert, streams, and high country.

And underneath there's gold and silver.

Copper and coal.

And on top, land for grazing and farming.

Land for the plow.

You might have to plow through a bunch of Apaches first.

It's their land, too.

I want to be fair.

I know that.

How do you know?

You've been fair with the Indians before.

The Humboldts in California, the Columbia River tribe in Yakima

Paiutes in Idaho.

The Paiutes...

I went into their territory with a command

of forty troopers, my uniform, and a toothbrush.

Didn't see a house again for the next two years.

Paiutes saw plenty of you.

But the Apaches are different.

I know.

And they're not the only adversary.

What do you mean?

I mean as long as the Apaches are stirred up

there are contracts to be got.

The War Department disperses over

two million dollars a year inside the Arizona border.

Those contracts mean big profits to white men.

Those men don't want the Apaches to be too quiet.

Well...

here are your orders.

Report at Fort Lowell to Major Denton.

I'll wait for word at Fort Whipple.

Yes, sir.

Have you ever been to Fort Lowell before?

My wife's buried near there.

Uh-huh.

When you find Vittoro, tell him...

tell him if he'll live in peace I'll be the best friend he ever had.

But if he wants war, I'll be his worst enemy.

I can believe that.

I hope Vittoro does.

So do I.

Hondo...

Yes, sir?

Do you believe that men who fought against each other

tried to kill each other, can live in peace?

I fought against you.

Mm-hmm.

Troop, prepare to mount!

Mount!

Column, fall in, ho!

Sam, somebody's come to the territory.

[Sam barks]

[Sam barks]

Smell water, Sam?

What else do you smell?

[Yelling]

[Screams]

[Gunshots]

My name is Lane. Are you two all right?

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Lane.

My name's Angie Dow. This is Johnny.

Did they kill your man?

No. We were traveling alone to Fort Lowell.

Sounds interesting, and dumb.

Well, we'll have to camp here tonight.

I'll right your wagon. Have you got a shovel?

Shovel?

Yeah, to dig a hole. I want to bury 'em.

Otherwise they attract buzzards and...

buzzards attract more Indians.

There was a shovel in the wagon.

Johnny's asleep.

Good. Boys grow sleepin'.

Care for some more jerkey, Mrs. Dow?

No, thank you.

Don't pet the dog, ma'am. [Sam growls]

Is he hungry?

He don't take to pettin'.

When he's hungry enough he finds somethin'.

Don't you feed him?

No, I don't feed him.

Why?

Sam's independent. He doesn't need anybody.

I want him to stay that way.

It's a good way.

Everyone needs someone.

Yeah. Just about everyone does.

Just too bad.

[Coyote howls]

Still not sure we shouldn't have moved on tonight.

I am.

But I thought Indians didn't attack at night.

If dead men talk, some might tell you different.

[Coyote howls]

Look, ma'am

If we're moving along at night in a creaky wagon...

Well...

I understand.

Something I don't understand, Mrs. Dow.

What?

What you and that boy are doin' alone in Indian country.

My husband runs the store at Fort Lowell.

He was away and I promised to take some supplies

to the relay station just west of here.

Some troopers escorted us as far as the station

but they had to keep going.

[Coyote howls]

I was sure it was safe to go back alone.

Nice to be sure.

But we have a treaty with the Apaches.

Yes, ma'am, we do.

Sometimes we break it, sometimes they do.

Like those three broncos this afternoon.

Well, two of 'em are at peace anyway.

And the third?

Figure he'll make it.

By the time he gets back to his lodge we'll be at the fort.

You seem to know a great deal about the Apaches.

I do.

I suppose you would learn fighting them.

Partly fightin' 'em

partly livin' with 'em.

You lived with the Apaches?

When you're married to one it's better to live with her

than to have her live with you.

You have an Indian wife?

Wife, squaw...

I had one. Destarte's dead.

Oh, I'm sorry.

[Coyote howls]

Yeah, so am I.

You remind me of her some.

Of an Indian girl?

Was she fair?

No.

Her hair was dark as ten feet down.

Ever see a crow's wing black and gleamy?

Yes.

That's the way her hair shined.

You loved her?

I don't know. I needed her.

–But if she was... –Mrs. Dow.

The Apaches have a saying.

They say that the night time is for either loving or sleeping

not for talking.

You better get some sleep.

[Coyote howls]

–Good night, Mr. Lane. –Good night, ma'am.

Tell me some more about the Apaches, Emberato.

Tell me some more.

Since you told him your Indian name that's all he wants to call you.

I hope you don't mind.

Don't mind at all, ma'am.

Tell me some more.

Apaches teach their children while their young.

A boy your age has to take in a mouthful of water

run two miles through the desert and then spit out that whole mouthful of water.

Gosh!

And the Apache's the best rider in the world.

His ponies can outrun any one of ours.

How come?

Well, that pony knows that if he stops on him

that Apache'll eat him.

Eat him?

Of course, Apache prefers mule.

Army mule.

Really, Mr. Lane?

That's a fact, ma'am.

Mule and pony are Apache delicacies.

Then comes mutton and beef.

Apache won't eat pork or fish.

What else, Emberato?

Well, an Apache can tell things by looking at a man or a...

a woman.

You mean he can tell a bad man from a good man?

Sure can. More than that

why he can tell by your expression what you had for breakfast.

Wow!

Wow.

Giddy up, there.

Detail, open the gate!

Detail, close the gate!

Thank you very much, Mr. Lane.

You're welcome, ma'am.

See you later, Emberato.

Oh, please stop by the store. My husband will want to thank you.

I'll do that ma'am. I have to make my report.

...and so far there's two of us dead and another wounded.

That's how he's paid off on his promises.

Down here they got a ragtag bunch of soldiers

that don't even know how to shoot a gun.

and if they did they couldn't hit the side of the fort wall.

I'm sick and tired of this wishy-washy Army. Look at 'em!

Drill, drill, drill, all day long!

–That's right! –Yeah!

Now what we need is protection for the mines.

(All) Yeah!

And I say if we don't get that protection from the Army

we tell Gallagher we're all gonna pack up and go back to Denver.

–Yeah! –You're right!

–Lot of work in Colorado. –There is?

That's right.

And there won't be any Apaches lookin' for our scalps.

Clem's right. We ain't soldiers. We're miners!

(All) Yeah!

Sandy and Gunnerson are both dead.

Brigger's got a bullet in his leg.

And if we go back to that mine

we'll all get some of the same.

So I say if we don't get the proper protection

we don't go back!

What about Gallagher?

–Who said that? –I did!

–What about Gallagher? –He's always been fair to us.

If we leave him now he'll go bust. We owe him somethin'!

We don't owe him our heads, do we?

I'll tell you something else.

Well, you tell me, Krantz

since you've got such a flab mouth.

Well...

Well, what?

What'd he say? Is the Army gonna protect the mine?

He's studyin' on it.

But it looks like we might have to protect ourselves.

Not me.

Not you is right, you jelly spine. You're fired.

Why, you...

All right, listen, men.

Most of us have been together for a long time.

I'll keep you on the payroll until we get the mine going.

I'll work alongside of you.

I'll give you a percentage of what we dig out.

–What do you say? –(All) Yeah!

–All right, I'll stand you all to a drink. –(All) Hurray!

Be pleased to buy you a drink, too, mister.

Be pleased to have one later.

Mr. Gallagher.

Yeah, that's right.

Just got in from Valverde way. Wonder if I can talk to you.

Well, if you can talk in the cantina that's where I'm goin'.

Be there soon as get my critter took care of.

My name is Hondo Lane. Colonel Crook sent me to see Major Denton.

Can't see Major Denton.

Why?

Cause he's buried. Died of fever yesterday.

Captain Richards is in charge now.

Well, all right. I'll see Captain Richards.

I have to tell you, Mr. Lane, I disagree with Colonel Crook.

Well, that's between you and him.

There's a lot about the Army I disagree with, too.

Enough apparently to fight on the side of the Confederacy.

That's between me and me.

I see also that you were wanted in two territories.

That's right, I was.

Until Colonel Crook had me pardoned.

Oh, yes. So you could, uh...

bring peace to the territory.

I happen to believe you can't counsel with the Apache

you've got to conquer them.

They're not like other tribes.

That's a fact.

But they can be taught a hard lesson.

And they can do some teaching, too.

However, we won't debate our divergent points of view.

That's good.

You know some of Vittoro's broncos raided a mine near here yesterday.

Killed two men.

I heard.

They hit and run like rabbits.

They may run like rabbits but they hit like panthers.

They never stand and fight.

Inconsiderate.

Your orders are to find Vittoro and tell him...

Ask him.

You don't tell Vittoro anything.

Very well.

Ask him to come here for talks with Colonel Crook.

Now we haven't been able to find Vittoro. Do you think you can?

I'll find him or he'll find me.

Will he come?

Maybe.

You're not very committal, are you?

No.

A long time ago some Apache chiefs came to Camp Grant

to talk and they were massacred.

Before that Mangas Coloradas came to Gila to talk and he was murdered.

But I'll ask Vittoro.

After I have a few snorts and get some supplies.

Gratt won't be able to see out of that eye for a week.

The men will stick with you, Mr. Gallagher. I'm sure they will.

Thanks for the beer.

Straight to the jack.

Buffalo?

You own these cards?

–Mr. Gallagher. –Oh, hello there.

Can we have that talk now?

Care for a drink?

Thanks, no.

Start talking.

Could we go to some place a little more private?

Look, son, you lookin' for a job?

No, I have somethin' for you.

Well, there's a room in back.

Joe, give me a bottle, will you?

–Comin' right up, Mr. Gallagher. –Three ladies.

That's the first pot I've pulled in for an hour.

Hondo!

Hondo, you old son-of-a-cabin-robber, you.

–Buffalo! –I thought you was a long time dead.

No, no, not up to now.

–Come on over to the bar. I gotta talk to you. –Yeah.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I'm out fifty bucks.

I can believe that with Buffalo in the game.

–[Laughing] Yeah. –He ain't going anywhere.

Well, that's up to him.

Uh, you looky here, I'll...

I'll come back later and give you a chance to square up.

I ain't seen ol' Hondo for a long time.

Hey...

Hey, what do you think you're doin'?

Buffalo, what for do you play with bad losers?

Well, they do beat playin' with winners.

What are you doin' in these parts anyway, Hondo?

Lookin' up an old relative.

I need to talk to you about him.

Well, let's talk then.

Still like to buy you that drink later on.

Maybe we could talk some business, too.

Fine.

That, uh, that there relative you was talkin' about

he wouldn't be who I think it is?

Vittoro.

Oh, there's been lots of scalps took.

Mescaleros is ridin' with the Mimbreños.

The Tontos is sidin' in with the Chiricahuas.

There's bronco Apaches jumpin' the reservation everyday.

I know.

I thought you had your belly full of the Army.

Yeah, so did I.

I suppose you got your reasons for changin' your mind.

I do.

I don't suppose you care to tell me what they are.

I don't.

You ain't changed altogether.

What can I do?

Catch me up on everything that's been goin' on.

Well, since a certain feller showed up here again

I ain't had a chance to play much poker.

And I ain't had nothin' to drink.

Barkeep, bring a bottle.

Well, what do you got?

Somethin' from your wife.

Remember her?

What's your name?

Sean.

You haven't changed much.

We had a tintype of you and her that was taken on your weddin' day.

How is she?

She's dead.

She died the oldest 42-year- old woman in the world.

She wanted you to remember her like this.

I know why you left her.

I just wanna say I appreciate the money you sent every month.

Forget it.

Oh, it helped to get me through school and it

helped to supply her with a variety of the two things she liked best in the world

whiskey and men.

I've done worse to men who've said less about her.

But I had to say it to you just once.

All right, you said it.

That's why I left her before you were born.

Now get up.

I had one comin'. Just one.

Let me see your hands.

What?

Your hands. Let me see 'em.

You'll do for hauling.

You want a job?

I need men to work in the mine.

Well, I need a job.

You got one.

I don't want any preferred treatment.

You won't get any.

Come on outside. I want these men to meet my son.

[Bugler plays Signal to Horse]

What happend to him, Cap?

Apaches raiding the relay station. Burning it.

After horses and supplies.

I reckon we're after them.

Mr. Lane

you want to come along with us and start your

counseling of the Indians?

I'll come along.

Foward, ho!

[Yelling]

[Gunshots]

What's the strategy, Cap?

Charge!

[Bugler plays Cavalry Charge]

Charge.

He's gonna have that writ on his tombstone.

–Come on, Buffalo. –Hyah ho!

[Gunshots]

Sound recall!

Put out the fire.

You two, tend these wounded.

[Bugler plays Recall]

–You all right, Cap? –Yes.

Mr. Lane, that's the kind of lesson the Apache understands.

Yeah, this is one way to do it.

The only way to teach your friend Vittoro.

My friend Vittoro wasn't even here.

Do you still think you can talk peace to him?

Well that's what Colonel Crook sent me here for

to find out.

What do you think of our great Injun fighter now?

Well, I don't think you'll ever find any bullet holes in the back of him.

[Playing harmonica]

Emberato!

Emberato!

Come on in. We've been waiting for you.

Mommy, Emberato's here.

–He's here. –All right, Johnny.

That's enough. Don't hang on the man like that.

Ed? Ed, can you come out here?

There's someone I want you to meet.

I told my husband about you.

We met this morning in the saloon.

Johnny, get out of here.

But, Pa!

Now get 'fore I take a switch to you.

Do you know who this man is?

Well of course I do. I told you. It's Mr. Lane.

–He saved us... –Yeah, Mr. Hondo Lane.

Wanted for murder.

Your Hondo Lane, the gunman?

I carry a gun.

And you spent the night with him.

Ed, please...

I'd better say goodbye, Mrs. Dow.

You ain't heard the last of this, Mr. Hondo Lane.

I'm gonna open that mine with or without the Captain's protection.

Good fortune.

Good luck.

Heard a lot about you, Hondo.

I want to hire you.

I don't know anything about mining.

But you do know all about Indians.

Well, nobody knows all about Indians.

Not even Indians.

What do you want me to do?

You scouted for the Army. I want you to scout for me.

Hire whatever men you need and keep your eyes open for Indians.

If they're gonna come I want to be ready for 'em.

It's good to be ready.

Will you do it?

Nope, but like I said, I wish you luck.

Why not?

Already got a job.

With the Captain here?

No, with a fella named Crook.

Good evening, Mr. Lane, Mr. Gallagher.

Captain, this is my son.

He'll be working with me from now on.

I understand you had a run-in with Mr. Dow this afternoon.

Nothing to speak of.

I happened to witness that little fracas, Captain.

The, uh, the fault was entirely Ed Dow's.

Not entirely.

We haven't been introduced, Mr. Lane. I'm Randall Tribolet.

Control most of the trading posts and freight lines in this district.

I do a lot of business with the Army.

Yeah, I think the Colonel told me about you.

Oh, did the Colonel mention my name?

No, he didn't. Just your kind.

You know, Captain, Dow is completely unreliable.

He's a drinker, gambler, troublemaker.

His franchise should be...

Do you want to press charges, Mr. Lane?

No, I just want to forget about it.

–You're leaving in the morning? –That's right.

Would you like a drink, Captain?

Thank you. I don't drink.

Good evening, gentlemen.

Proper young fellow, isn't he?

No...

You haven't heard the last from me, mister gunman.

Did you say something, Ed?

Yeah, I said somethin'.

–Well, what is it? –Nevermind.

You'll find out what is it...

You'll find out when I get ready to tell you.

All right, Ed.

I'm going to sleep. I'm tired.

Were you tired last night, too?

–You're drunk. –Yeah, I'm drunk.

I'm drunk and you don't like the smell of whiskey.

–Good night. –Mrs. Dow.

What did he smell like?

You're going to smell dead, Mr. Hondo Lane.

Giddy up.

[Sam barking]

Dow.

I'd like to talk to you in private.

–About the store? –That's right.

I told you the post franchise is in my wife's name.

I'm prepared to better my last offer.

I'll make it four thousand.

Well, I, uh...

Look, Dow, I've got most of the franchises from Prescott to the border.

I want this one.

It's my line that freights the stuff anyhow.

Well, I'd just as soon sell out.

I wasn't brought up to be no storekeeper.

Well, then...

Tell you what, Mr. Tribolet.

Reese and I have got something to take care of.

When we come back, I'll talk to Angie again.

All right.

Come on, Reese.

[Sam barking]

You stay here, Sam.

Hello, Destarte.

I haven't come to see you in a long time.

Destarte, I'm workin' for the United States Army now.

I've been thinkin' of you, alone out here.

But then you're not alone, are you?

There was a baby we were gonna have. He'd be about seven...

closer to eight years old now.

What's he doin' now?

I don't know.

But now's our chance.

That suits me. Before he gets too deep into Indian country.

Hey, Dow.

We split fifty-fifty, right?

That's what I said.

Otherwise everything is just about the same.

It's still me, Sam... [Sam growling]

Sam, I told you...

All right, Sam. I got you.

[Gunshots]

[Speaking Apache]

You speak our language, tall one.

I lived with the Chiricahua.

Maybe you will die with them.

Maybe.

After I speak to Vittoro.

[Speaking Apache and Spanish]

Did you understand that?

He said I killed your brother.

Is that true?

Yesterday I killed some Apaches.

Your dying will be slow and hard.

Today two white dogs will die.

Beat it, Sam! [Sam barks]

Then you will die two times as slow.

Untie my son!

Untie my son!

¡Suéltenlo!

I will kill this dog.

I have sworn it.

And I have sworn to protect him.

His blood is mixed with mine.

He comes to kill Apaches.

Is this true?

Came to talk about living, not killing.

We will listen.

Por nada.

There are new leaders in the white land.

Grant, Sheridan, Crook.

They are soldiers from the Great War.

You fought against them in the Great War, my son.

That's right, I did.

Now these men are just as sick of war as you are, Vittoro.

The whites are learning to live with each other.

The red man and white man must do the same thing.

This is our land.

Apache land.

That's right, it is, for 200 years.

But before that it was Pima land.

Apaches took it away from the Pimas because they were stronger.

Now the soldiers are stronger.

Many men will die in the taking.

That doesn't have to be. There's land enough for both.

The whites have broken their word.

No, not these whites. They're good men.

Their word is as good as yours or mine.

Make a beginning, Vittoro

so that your nation and your people will survive.

Talk to them.

My son speaks what is in my heart.

Vittoro will make a beginning.

[Speaking Apache]

¡Venganza!

You know what Silva says?

I do. He claims the blood rite.

It is ancient law.

Greater than Vittoro.

You have killed his brother.

Will you fight him to the death?

I have to live by Apache law.

Rindes o muere.

Rindo.

Vittoro makes a beginning.

We will see how the end comes.

I knew you would come back.

He who has drunk of the waters of the Hasiyampa must return.

You've been taking good care of her grave.

She was yours for a little while.

She belonged to me for much longer.

The claw of the eagle.

Vittoro will not strike at the white man.

My son will return this when we talk.

My word.

And mine, too.

Will you take these men with you?

No, they don't look so pretty. I think I'll bury 'em out here.

But not too close to her.

Well, what kept you?

You can send a rider to Fort Whipple

and tell Crook Vittoro will meet him here.

Not a rider, a troop.

So they'll get through.

They'll get through, Captain. Vittoro's given his word.

You'll pardon my skepticism.

You go ahead and be skeptical, Captain.

Somethin' I gotta do.

There wasn't anything else I could do.

Both of 'em came at me blazin' away.

I believe you.

I knew Ed too well not to believe you.

He wanted the money.

That dodger's no good. I've been pardoned.

Now I've got to tell the boy I killed his father. [Bugler plays Signal to Horse]

–Hondo... –Someday he might hear it from somebody.

I'd rather it was from me.

Emberato!

Emberato!

Emberato, the soldiers are leaving.

Come on and watch! Come on!

Son...

No, Hondo.

He's my son.

I'll tell him in my own way.

Tell me what, Mommy?

Please leave us alone.

Yes, ma'am.

They take Reese and Dow's hair?

What happened to 'em?

Well, I expect ol' Hondo, he planted 'em...

Oh, hello there, Hondo.

You know, it's all over the fort what happened to Dow and Reese.

Had to go into the report. Can't keep a thing like that quiet.

Didn't expect to.

–You gonna do some drinkin'? –Yep.

–Want some company? –Nope.

–Adios, brother.

Say, Hondo, I heard about what happened to Dow.

[Soldiers laughing]

Now what'd he do that for? I didn't even like Dow

and I was gonna tell him so.

Them Apaches sure knowed what they was doin' when they named him.

What did the Indians name him?

Emberato.

That means "bad temper."

And that's the man that's gonna bring peace to this territory?

That's the man.

♪ ♪