Original subtitles

[FIGHTING]

♪ [SALOON MUSIC] ♪

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

MAN: Run mister!

[GUNSHOT]

♪

[COCKS GUN]

[GUNSHOT]

[LAUGHTER]

JAKE: Which one of you grass-bellied sons-of-guns

is treatin’ me to a shot of whiskey!?

♪

Do you not hear me?!

♪

[LAUGHTER]

[FOOTSTEPS]

♪

Making quite a story, am I, newsboy?

Front page...

Very well could be Jake.

JAKE: Yeah...

How’s about a little compensation for that

fine display of shooting,

hmm?

All right.

On the paper, then.

[JAKE GRUNTS]

Watch it, four eyes.

♪

Give me whiskey!

♪

ARTHUR: So...

what’s a New York reformer

doing in the Dakota territory?

Arthur Packard,

at your service.

Of The Bad Lands Cow Boy.

Well you’re...

assemblyman Roosevelt,

are you not?

Not anymore.

I see.

Done with New York then?

Off to bigger and better things, no doubt.

With statehood all but certain, a man like yourself

would be well-positioned for a senate run.

I’ve no interest in politics,

local or otherwise.

♪

I see.

Well then,

why are you here?

♪

Why don’t we schedule an interview...

sometime next week when...

I’m a little bit more settled.

Right,

of course.

On the record.

Oh, uh...

♪

we’ve reprinted that obituary

from the Times.

I just wanted to offer my deepest condolences,

I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult that must’ve been.

JAKE: Who’s your friend newsboy?

[JAKE LAUGHS]

Well, he seems well off.

Days are hard for us cowhands, Mister.

How’s ’bout you treat a hardworking fella

to a shot of whiskey.

ARTHUR: Hey, Jake how’s ’bout you call it a night?

Oh, he’s tenderfoot.

Huh?

Too good for me...

huh?

♪ [OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

[COCKS GUNS]

♪

Come on...

time to treat

Pumpkin Lilly.

♪

Well, if I’ve got to, I’ve got to.

[PUNCH] [GUNSHOTS]

♪

[PUNCH]

[PUNCH]

[PUNCH]

[JAKE FALLS AND HITS TABLE]

♪

ARTHUR: Oh my goodness,

Mr. Roosevelt, that was amazing.

I had no idea that you-

[DOOR SQUEAKS]

♪

[ROOSEVELT PANTING]

[PANTING CONTINUES]

♪

♪

♪

♪

JOE: That should be everything.

Though you might be wanting some ice for that hand.

Oh, didn’t realize you had any Joe.

JOE: I don’t, not since April.

Summer takes it real quick.

Just thought you might be wanting it, Mr. Roosevelt.

Whole town’s talking about your quarrel last night,

and Jake, well he’s,

he’s one of the nicer ones around here.

Well, I just thought it a shame to let the brute

mistake my silence for weakness.

Any word from your brother about my cattle?

JOE: Sylvane cleared Dickinson yesterday with the herd.

I reckon that puts him here ’round midday tomorrow.

Ah, He’s made good time from Minnesota.

JOE: Oh, they’re good stock too.

Better than them Texan Longhorns to be for sure.

A thousand strong, and he ain’t lost one of them.

Well,

then our adventure will be off to a swell start...

Morning, Merrifield!

Morning, Mr. Roosevelt.

I’m afraid we got a matter needs tending to.

Had a few boys survey the acreage, and it turns out,

there’s already a man on it.

A flea bitten fella, called Bennet.

And he’s built himself a bona fide shack, so...

he’s got claim.

I don’t suppose there’s any sense in convincing you

to change your mind.

Certainly not.

Did your men not make him a fair offer?

Well, they tried.

Once your name was invoked,

he wouldn’t speak to no one else.

I reckon he’s looking for a mighty pay out.

Figured you’d wanna handle it now,

before that herd arrives.

I’ll deal with this, Bennet.

But, I’ve got two men arriving by train.

Could you meet them in my absence?

I could.

I guess I didn’t realize we were going to have

outside help on this undertaking.

Bill Sewall and his nephew Wilmot Dow.

Lumberjacks from Maine.

Hardy...

kind of like yourself.

Seems mighty unlike between

riding horses and riding logs.

Bill, you’re a fine partner.

But we need managers,

and I trust these two men with my life.

♪

MERRIFIELD: I wasn’t questioning your judgment.

It’s just...

I don’t know what your boys are capable of.

And well, cattle ranchin’s hard business, Mr. Roosevelt.

Good! I have no interest in cultivated taste

and an easy life.

Though, I could do with more formal ways

of purchasing property.

MERRIFIELD: Territory is no place for contracts

and lawyers just yet.

Only the packs of men.

Now, what have we got here?

Howdy stranger,

you just ride on by

without so much as a good morning?

♪

[GUNSHOT]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Don’t touch that pistol.

Now I’m going to ask this once.

Remove that gun belt.

All right, all right...

MERRIFIELD: Nice and easy.

♪

Go on, dismount.

♪

Now,

kindly bring my associate here that fine horse

I went through to all that trouble purchasing for him.

♪

Easy...

Well...

shame to let a would-be thief

back into the world, but

we are occupied at present.

So git!

[GUNSHOT]

[RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]

[MERRIFIELD LAUGHS]

Yeah...

no lawyers here

and no law.

Not for a hundred miles.

I wouldn’t trust them boys from Deadwood to deliver anyhow.

Oh,

this here is Manitou.

Means great spirit,

wise, sure-footed...

fast.

Hello Manitou.

MERRIFIELD: Let’s get you loaded up.

You know...

it is a long ride.

Forty miles due North.

Yes, that’s exactly the point.

As far from any wagon trails as can be.

MERRIFIELD: Well...

Just pace yourself, is all.

Plenty-worse things out there than thieves

if you don’t keep an eye out.

Sometimes even if you do...

You pay off that squatter

and me and your lumberjacks will meet you

there tomorrow with the herd...

And...

welcome to The Badlands.

♪

♪

♪

ROOSEVELT: Heeyahh!

♪

♪

Heeyahh!

♪

♪

♪

This place sure is something,

ain’t it uncle?

Eh...

[GUNSHOT]

An excessively unattractive little hamlet.

Oh, hold on, no.

This is an adventure, you know?

Adventure’s for daredevils,

hot blood and no wits.

Well, then...

’ll probably fit right in, won’t I?

Yep.

Hey um,

I mean, we best enjoy it

while we can you know.

Mr. Roosevelt says the west is

gonna be gone before you even know it.

It’ll be lost, like the

city of Atlantis.

SEWALL: Well,

faster it gets to sinkin’ the better.

Uncle, you can’t just-

New to town boys?

Well,

then I’d say you’re due for a...

proper welcome.

Hmm?

♪

♪

[GUNSHOT] - DOW: No! Don’t!

[COCKS PISTOL]

♪

[GUNSHOT]

♪

[GUNSHOT]

[LAUGHTER] Nice shot Billy.

Hey, welcome to Medora boys!

[LAUGHTER]

This is pretty good, actually.

♪

♪

♪

Thanks for the welcome.

Hey, we don’t want no problems.

Come on boys.

Let’s get out of here.

SEWALL: That enough adventure for you?

DOW: Yeah, I’m full up for today.

♪

[CHILDREN PLAYING]

♪

[PUNCHING]

Stay down, you filthy mongrel.

♪

Hey you...

you must be the woodsmen then, hmm?

Not that anyone would know by your

interesting attire.

SEWALL: Yeah, that’s us.

Yeah, Mr. Roosevelt said to be expecting you.

Well...

let’s go.

Herd’s awaitin’.

♪

♪

[FIRE CRACKLING]

♪

♪

[PEOPLE CHEERFULLY LAUGHING]

ISAAC: A healthy baby girl,

Alice Lee Roosevelt, was delivered yesterday

with great love and care...

Theodore, what is this about your mother?

Is she ill?

Just a bug. She picked it up

going back into the city, I’m told.

Bamie wrote yesterday with the doctor’s assurances.

She is resting well,

nothing to fret about.

Then I’ll hold the fretting and be

only happy for you my friend.

A toast then!

♪

To Theodore Roosevelt,

fearless reformer,

shameless knickerbocker,

and now proud father!

Here, Here!

[TOASTING]

[CLINKING GLASSES]

♪

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Excuse me.

Another telegram for you, Mr. Roosevelt.

♪♪ [SOMBER MUSIC] ♪♪

ISAAC: Don’t tell me it’s twins.

[LAUGHTER]

♪

[FIRE CRACKLING]

[FRANTICALLY RIPPING PAGES]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

♪

♪

♪

MERRIFIELD: Come on. Let’s get a move on.

Should’ve been to the herd by now.

DOW: Sir!

Is it supposed to bounce this much? Because

I am bruising my hindcorners something awful.

MERRIFIELD: Really?

Now, why would you come all the way out here,

you can’t even ride?

You know, I’m in a bit of a conundrum here.

I can’t, for the life of me, figure why, Mr. Roosevelt,

in all his wisdom,

bring you two logs.

We’re to build his lodge, or start anyhow.

MERRIFIELD: There’s a dozen men here could build

a sturdy homestead, including myself.

So, it kind of begs the question,

why’d he hire you son?

- Well, I’d say- - I’ve been asking the same thing.

Truth is,

can’t make much sense, Mr. Roosevelt’s actions of late.

He’s always had fire,

this is something different.

MERRIFIELD: Something else, indeed.

A lot of Easterners lining their pockets

out here as cattlemen,

Europeans too.

Ever since they cleared them Sioux,

Territory’s been prime for grazing.

Couse, lots of ranchers gettin’ rich off it.

Yeah.

And how many that ain’t?

Always some,

but mark my words gentlemen.

I don’t aim on letting Mr. Roosevelt being among them.

No matter what bumpkins he brings along.

- Here we go. - Come on!

We wasted enough time.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[FOOTSTEPS]

[RUNNING]

[RUNNING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[PANTING]

[PANTING]

[FOOTSTEPS]

[PANTING]

[THUNDER]

♪

[DOOR OPENS]

Brother. Elliot!

[DOOR CLOSES]

ELLIOT: There is a curse upon this house.

How are they?

♪

BAMIE: She’s beautiful isn’t she?

[BABY COOING]

♪

Your telegram...

Where’s Alice?

Upstairs.

She was fine at first.

And the birth always takes a toll, but

the doctor is with her now.

And what of our mother??

♪

♪

BAMIE: She’s gone... Theodore.

♪

It was typhoid.

She went peacefully

in her sleep.

♪

BAMIE: Theodore,

I need you to come with me.

Your wife needs you.

♪

DOCTOR: We’ve done everything we can, Mr. Roosevelt,

but your wife’s body is failing.

Then get another doctor.

Get every doctor!

I don’t care what the cost-

BAMIE: Theodore...

there’s not much time.

You need to go to Alice now.

You need to go to your wife.

♪

What are you saying?

BAMIE: I’m saying...

there might not be another chance to tell her goodbye.

♪

[PANTING]

You look all kinds of lost there, Mister.

♪

Don’t worry,

you’re in good hands now.

♪

[PANTING]

[PANTING]

PADDOCK: What’s the matter there four eyes?

You some kinda lung-er?

ROOSEVELT: Just a bout of asthma.

It’s nothing.

I’ll be all right.

Don’t speak too soon.

Lots of other bad things befall Rawheels this far out...

Lucky for you,

I’d be more than happy to offer my services.

What services might those be?

PADDOCK: Guidance,

a lendin’ of expertise...

E.G. Paddock,

at your service.

I long found that survival in this land requires a certain...

familiarity with its wickedness.

And I assume you’d expect a fee for these services?

Only what’s reasonable.

What you got on you, mister?

About twenty shells of buckshot.

[LAUGHTER]

Ain’t no self-respecting cowboy carries a shotgun.

We ain’t much into hunting small prey.

Well,

I find it quite effective on

large ones as well,

especially when they’re dumb enough to get

themselves too close.

[GUNSHOT]

MARQUIS: What is the meaning of this?!

Imbécile téméraire...

this is no way to treat a man of such esteem.

My apologies, Monsieur Roosevelt.

I’m afraid my associate here

has the temperament of a rattlesnake

and the manners to match.

I...

am the Marquis de Morés,

humbled to make your acquaintance.

And I assure you,

you are quite welcome here...

in my West.

Funny,

I didn’t know it was yours.

You will...

in enterprise I mean.

You are joining the beef bonanza are you not?

If you are to become a cattleman,

we will soon be in league.

My slaughter house, my train cars.

I think you will find me far easier to deal with

than those crooks in Chicago.

Well then...

good day gentlemen.

MARQUIS: It is inevitable we meet you know?

Fated.

Not just out here, I mean...

The world...

is too small for great men such as ourselves.

Let us dine together soon,

so much to discuss.

We can help each other here.

Help bring industry and

civility to the Badlands.

TR: I look forward to it,

after I’ve removed a squatter from my property.

Until then, I have business to attend to.

Ever on the hunt for greatness.

Au Revoir.

La prochaine fois choisseisez bein votre cible.

Quelqu’un qui ne parle pas Francais.

MARQUIS: Happy hunting, Monsieur Roosevelt.

♪

♪

[MERRIFIELD LAUGHS]

♪

MERRIFIELD: Well gentleman,

there’s your herd.

♪

[CATTLE LOWING]

[CATTLE LOWING]

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

You’re shorter than I thought.

♪

ROOSEVELT: That’s buffalo, I take it?

BENNET: Mhmm,

big one.

Lots of meat on them bones too.

I used to hunt ’em for the Union Pacific,

taste of the West for all you...

Eastern types.

[COUGHS]

Yeah, used to be teeming with buffalo up here.

Two, three years ago...

Couldn’t spit without hittin’ a herd.

Now?

Couldn’t tell you where to find a single one...

Not since you tenderfoots came and

mass-hunted them into the dirt.

Well...

world’s changing.

Time to move on.

Let you have a go four-eyes.

Surely, I cannot be the only man

in the Territory who wears glasses.

The blind don’t survive in the Badlands...

Now...

something you need to know...

before we get to dealin’.

I ain’t no fool, Roosevelt.

This here’s my property,

and I expect to be compensated

a fair price.

Name it, Mr. Bennet.

BENNET: Well...

I figure uh,

I couldn’t take less than uh...

$300.

ROOSEVELT: How about four?

For any expenses you may incur

while relocating your...

possessions.

Well...

seems she’s all yours.

♪

♪

Whoa.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[DOOR SQUEAKS OPEN]

♪

[FOOTSTEPS]

[DOOR SQUEAKS CLOSED]

♪

♪

Teddy!

I’m here,

Alice.

Don’t you know...

that our lives have just begun.

Years spent were so wonderful, but the ones ahead

are ever so much brighter.

We have a beautiful baby girl now,

little Alice Lee.

We’ll take her to the house

on Coveneck in the summer,

when it’s finished.

And she’ll play in the rolling woodlands

and catch frogs near the bay...

We’ll watch the sunrise over the sound,

and we’ll take her to Tranquility

just down the way,

and we’ll tell her about the summers that we spent there,

and how we fell in love.

And when she’s older,

we’ll tell her ghost stories

and take her on adventures...

the other children as well.

Sons and daughters,

we’ve not yet named.

And they’ll be filled with laughter

and life

and light

like their mother.

No man

ever deserved your love,

but how I tried...

how I will keep trying.

No. Alice. Please.

Alice stay with me.

You must fight,

fight Alice please...

Alice...

[SOBBING]

Alice..

Alice, no.

[SOBBING]

♪

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

♪

♪

♪

MERRIFIELD: Dow, get up here.

Dow, come on.

Will...

♪

Oh, easy now. Easy.

♪

♪

♪

♪

Next. Get up here.

♪

ROOSEVELT: They’re of extraordinary stock,

aren’t they?

MERRIFIELD: Well, you get what you pay for.

I’d say that 26,000 got you one heck of a herd, Mr. Roosevelt.

26,000?

TR: Yes, Bill.

I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.

This will be quite the endeavor.

DOW: But, it won’t be without some gettin’ used to.

[GROANING]

May we have a word in private, Mr. Roosevelt.

Yes, of course.

In fact, there’s something I’d like to show you.

♪

It’s magnificent, don’t you think?

SEWALL: I think, the man that christened this place

the "Badlands" hit it about right.

It don’t look much like cattle country to me.

Well, everyone here says it is.

And you don’t know a thing about it.

That’s a fact.

I don’t know nothing.

Don’t change that that’s the way it looks to me.

TR: I told you when I wrote,

If you were afraid of privations and discouragements, don’t come.

And I came.

Yes, you did.

I came at your whim,

with Mary’s blessing.

I ain’t decided whether I’m staying.

Not yet.

Not till you tell me what we’re doing here Mr. Roosevelt.

I’ve been quite clear, Bill.

We are here to make cattle ranching, our business.

And what of your life back East?

What are these questions?

You know I didn’t seek a fourth term.

Politics

are well behind me...

Now...

why are we here?

Why, to feel the beat of a hardy life in our veins!

To find the glory of work and the joy of living!

There’s an unlimited rise ahead of us, Bill!

A future as bright as we ourselves

choose to make it! - Theodore!

What about your daughter?

♪

Bamie can take care of her a great deal better than I could.

Keep her happy, healthy.

Why...

baby Lee,

her life will be better without me.

♪

What child is better off

without their father?

TR: Her father is gone,

Bill.

She’ll never know him.

♪

The past is the past.

And to dwell on it would be...

weak.

You know, I...

I met a boy once.

First huntin’ trip to Maine.

Scrawny little kid,

sick all his life.

His cousin warned me,

said that the boy was

gifted with great ambition.

Cursed with a weak heart.

That even if he’s ailing,

he won’t tell ya.

Not till he falls dead...

That scrawny kid

walked 20 miles on that hunt.

Wore clean through his shoes and

bloodied his feet something awful.

Never said a word.

We can play at cowboys if you want to.

Heck,

we may even become em.

One day or another

you won’t feel as you do now.

When that day comes, well...

you’re gonna wanna be back there somewhere

where you could be more of a benefit to the world,

and your daughter...

But for now,

well...

I guess it’s the business of ranching for us.

♪

- This way. - Yeah.

♪

We’re here.

Theirs’s certainly was a duel to the death.

Neither one yielding,

until the very end.

We’ll build it here.

This will be Elkhorn Ranch!

♪

♪

[CLOSES TELESCOPE]