Original subtitles

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

this is the northern range country of

wyoming

the year is 1877.

what you were about to see actually

happened the only difference will be

that when the indians speak they will

speak in our language so that you can

understand them

[Music]

so

[Music]

[Applause]

uh

my name is josh tanner i'm taking a

shortcut to fort laramie

i shouldn't be here this is cheyenne

country

[Music]

oh boy

easy boy

[Music]

so

[Music]

[Music]

he is either a fool or he has courage

the blood is new he is a fool to think

we are gone

no he thinks we are here

and he wants us to know this

[Music]

this is a good game

but if he crosses our river shoot

[Music]

we will see if his gods are with him

[Music]

so

[Music]

it was a good game

perhaps next time he will not win

[Music]

my

look what's coming

uh

[Applause]

where did you find that body at 20 mile

creek

that's in cheyenne country i know that

what were you doing there i was on my

way here

take him to headquarters

oh are you i found these women

well anybody who's getting impatient

take a good look

he couldn't wait peace commission was

too slow for it

so he crossed over into indian territory

and got what he deserved

now i'm warning you from now on

any man who crosses over and gets back

will wish he hadn't the goal you're

after will still be there when the

treaty is signed

but until then the agreement is we stay

on our side of the river and they stay

on theirs

so far they've stayed on theirs but how

long they will if violations like this

go on i can't promise you

are any of your friends of his his name

is judge smith

take him and bury him

oh here's what he died for

anybody claiming it

[Applause]

yes

you can start explaining yourself

whatever you need to know sir is in here

there's uh not much to explain

for your information we're trying to get

a new treaty sign with the indians

the sioux the crow and the blackfeet are

discussing it with us the chief broken

hand and the cheyennes are holding out

i have no idea what they're gonna do

we're sitting on a powder keg here

and people like you and that prospector

seem to be doing your best to blow the

lid off

you can save the speeches colonel i'm

not a private in your army

no but you're at fort laramie and i'm in

charge here

josh tanner huh why did you come here mr

tanner it says there

answer the question

i have a contract with some businessmen

from st louis

you mean gamblers because i dress like

this

just happen to prefer it to buckskin you

uh can't judge a man by his clothes can

you

he should have had more sense than to

come alone through cheyenne country at a

time like this

i traveled at night until the last day

out i certainly didn't want to go north

and east down the missouri just to make

a big safe swing through pawnee country

you seem to know the territory one of

the reasons i got the contract

my father was with a training outfit

until i went east to school i walked

every foot of this country with it

you're authorized here to stake out

black hills country that's right

another gold syndicate real estate the

gentleman who hired me figured that

where there's gold there'll be a city

sooner or later

and you intend to bypass gold for real

estate

i'm not a prospector colonel i'm a

surveyor hired to lay out a town site

oh a town builder just a public-spirited

citizen is that it

not at all i'm being paid

well the for are waiting for you at the

council tree sir

any sign of broken hand or any of the

cheyennes not yet sir

are the government's new gifts on

display they are sir

all right i'll be right down

hope you enjoy your stay in laramie

maybe a long one

broken hand should have more

consideration for the gentleman from st

louis

yes and for the prospectors of thieves

and gamblers that are just waiting to

crawl all over his territory the minute

the treaty has signed

you blame him for staying away well i

never thought much about it colonel

to me indians are indians i have no

feeling about them

i envy you that mr tenner

good day mr tanner

the detail ready sergeant yes sir well

the colonel will be out in a minute

call mr tanner yes uh you know that all

civilians are restricted to this side of

the river until the

council is finished i believe the

colonel mentioned that fact

[Music]

[Music]

this is a white man's store and if i

never see another engine around here

it'll be soon enough for me

running off the land is what i say like

we should have run red cloud off eight

years ago

when he sat right in this room signing

that half fake

misforgotten treaty the one that's

keeping you prospect is tied down here

instead of out there where there's

enough

gold laying right out on the ground to

pay for the whole civil war

i beg your pardon i'm looking for a room

see the daughter at the back

if i was you i'd just buy repeaters

and enough ammunition

what are you doing here

i'm sorry get out get out of here

your father sent me he sent you yes it

was about a room he said to see the

daughter at the back

this is a store not a hotel we have no

rooms

well anything with a roof over my head

would do even a nice empty shelf

someplace

your pharaoh dealer you and the colonel

i'm a surveyor i'll even call myself a

topographical engineer if it'll uh get

me any closer to your

uh bathtub but uh

since there's no room i'll run along and

i apologize for breaking in on you like

this

there is the storeroom that's where the

tub is

bean sacks this is the best bunk in the

world

they shift when you turn over

say this is a beauty did my father say

anything to you about me

when you talk to him no no he didn't

only that i was to ask you about the

room

many days we have waited and broken hand

and these cheyennes have not come to sit

with us

i ask now that our friends the siouxs

the arapahos and the black feet sign the

treaty without it

[Music]

[Applause]

indians

[Music]

[Music]

colonel colonel those indians should be

hanged every last one of them should be

hanged

what charges would you file charges will

the the brazenness of this hole

the indignity of it is your lost dignity

worth of war

[Music]

oh i guess you're i guess you're right

we've lost so much face around here now

i guess there's a little bit more

i'll kill us

[Music]

so

[Applause]

[Music]

arapahoe black feet

and not a cheyenne in sight you come

here often

whenever i can

i feel sorry for them why because your

father hates them

it hasn't anything to do with him it's

the way they're pushed around

they haven't got a chance really i think

they know it

must be like being all alone

i guess you'd know about that

please behave naturally in and don't

feel too sorry for this outfit

the shy ends

so

don't turn around dan it'll mean we're

afraid

that's what he wants

hahaha

[Applause]

hey

thank you

[Music]

it looks better on him

[Music]

how are you called

josh tanner

[Music]

how is she called her name is anne

i am little dog this one

is my friend american horse

we are cheyenne

[Music]

i know this you know then

what this means

it means you have killed enemies and i

have killed white men too

she is your squad no

she is my friend

we'll go back to the fort now

it'll be all right a cheyenne is a

warrior he's too proud to attack us with

our bags turn

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

wow

[Music]

pleasure

stay where you are

huh

[Music]

it makes a young chief's hair shine like

the wing of the raven

he is welcome to it

[Music]

two times i have held your life here

two times you have won the game

i will remember both days with laughter

[Applause]

[Music]

i'm glad he thought it was funny i

didn't

i'm still scared you know something

so am i

you were a big hero this afternoon the

daughter tells me

not at all i was scared to death

while i were up there did she tell you

that

i'm telling you that you're the first

one she's like

since she was 13 years old you're the

first one

but you don't have nothing to do with

mancy i know i know

how do you know did you try something no

i didn't try anything

oh before you do i don't know how it is

with her

she ain't fit merchandise for marriage

happened back a long time ago and it

wasn't pretty

i killed a man you didn't have to tell

me that

it's true and there's lots more around

here knows it too

you make sure that don't you i tell

everybody

it starts getting ideas

she don't have nothing to do with men

if she sees many more like you i don't

blame her

oh man a message just came from the gate

there's a cheyenne warrior waiting to

see you

will you walk down to the gate with me

yeah thank you i'd like to

[Music]

josh tanner

have no fear it is only my sister

she is called appearing day

we have brought something for you

this is a very rich present it is a

small thing

i have come really to welcome you to our

village

little dog says welcome but uh would

chief broken hand say the same

is not my invitation good enough i

didn't mean that

chief broken hand is my father what i

wish

he will wish

[Music]

do not come if you do not want

or if you are afraid

look at this looks like you found a

friend

or should i say two you can say three if

you want

thank you you call him a friend

maybe so but i'd hate to have an enemy

that dangerous

[Music]

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

my brother and american horse are

waiting for you i will take you to them

i will walk with you

they are on the battleground they want

you to see it battleground

it is only practice they say the white

soldiers practice it is so

i'm afraid it is then that is why they

must practice little dog says

there you will see

[Music]

each arrow has a meaning now is the

signal to attack

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

now the arrow tells the braves to

retreat

[Music]

american horse little dog i see

tanner was not afraid i'm here

our practice does not please you i was

hoping to see someone practicing the

signing of a pastry

beast treaty we are cheyenne's

the treaty pen does not fit our hand as

well as the arrow

i've brought you something that i'm sure

you'll find will fit your hand

even better than the arrow

for my friend little dog and for my

friend american horse

ah it has the sting of the arrow

how is it called a bowie knife it is for

hunting

it could be or many

things

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

ah

appearing day we'll take the horses

i have things to show my friend

your sister has much beauty it is for

that reason she is very expensive

when a brave takes a bride he gives four

sometimes six ponies but

for appearing day my father asked 200.

well even at that price i'm sure they're

many offers

come now you will see the things i have

to show you

[Music]

did i scare you i just came down to wash

up for dinner

there will be a war dance in your eyes

oh

these berries are for the feast

[Music]

oh here smell

[Music]

[Applause]

it is like the force they call it fine

tree soap

you may have it keep it it's yours

[Music]

may i kiss you thank you

[Music]

what was that may i kiss you thank you

i'm not sure i understand when i was

little

there were sometimes white boys in the

camp and they would have a birthday and

we would make presents

they told me i must always kiss for each

present

did they tell you that was the custom of

the white man yes

is it not true well yes it is true many

people kiss when they receive presents

then please i will like it

[Music]

indian boys do not kiss indian girls

i do not know why not it is very nice

and feeling

i would like it again please but longer

so

[Music]

is

[Music]

is

josh wishes more thank you it's a feast

i won't forget

but i'd hope to meet broken hand my

father returns tomorrow

may i come back

do you come as a friend or do you come

to speak the cause of the white soldier

i come in friendship

then you are welcome i will be here

but now i must say good night we will

ride with you to the river

i can find my way no you must let them

the ride alone

is dangerous we must protect you from

the cheyennes

[Music]

i will say good night now

[Music]

and thank you and to you

for these

how are they called boeing eyes

we have given you nothing you've given

me your friendship

that is not enough tanner will hear from

[Music]

us

[Music]

[Applause]

i am thinking of horses little dog

and the fine ones in the crow village

come tanner will have his present

here's why i sent for you mr tanner he's

yours

two young cheyenne brought him in they

said you'd know what it was about

are they still here no they didn't stay

with hardly a second

almost seemed like they was in a hurry

boy he sure is a beauty isn't he

he sure is

[Music]

uh

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

do not be afraid you're only crows why

were they after me i was on my side of

the river

uh it is simple this horse we gave you

it is theirs thanks you almost got me

killed

you do not understand this american

horse and me they wish to kill

we stole the pony uh-huh well what are

we supposed to do now wait here while

they kill you or do we fight

right right crows

it is beneath cheyenne's to fight crows

but i will send them a challenge

we'll see if their horses match up

[Music]

wow

[Music]

wow

little dog up here

[Music]

you write a fine new home thanks to your

brother an american horse

we play the game with them it was good

sport

did you win the game who could lose to

crows

i almost did

[Music]

so

[Applause]

broken him

[Applause]

[Music]

what's the matter everyone else in the

village is happy and excited tonight

why aren't you tonight my father will

tell his decision

if it is war i will be sad

if it is peace we must move and i will

not like that

well if you if you do move you'll still

be with your father and your brother and

your friends

the lady who came to the fort gate with

you

she's your woman no i have no woman

she's very beautiful to marry her will

cost many horses as many as 200 do you

think

[Music]

my father asked to see you come with me

[Music]

my father chief brokenhead

my son has told me of you he has said

you

come as a friend is this true

that is true then you are welcome here

you will come to the council and sit

with us it is my wish

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

white one is here as our friend

my son little dog will tell those who

need to be told

it is the time of deciding

[Music]

i have listened to all that has been

said

i have sought long thoughts

in the time of our fathers there were

two

great herd of buffalo across this land

then when we were young warriors

there became only one herd of buffalo

and now our sons for many moons

have hunted for the buffalo which is no

longer

as it was in this land

it is gone

our neighbors the zoo

the black feet and the arapahoe know

this

i have called this council to tell you

that on this day

they have agreed to take the offer of

the white man

and leave this country

[Music]

so if we stay in this our land

we will have to fight the white man

alone

and without meat in our bellies to give

us the strength to fight

our young men are brave we will fight

our young men are brave but if we stay

in these hills they will be killed

they will all die this i know

so the decision is made

we will sign this treaty with the white

we will leave this land for the new land

in the south

we will take our horses and our lodges

and our weapons

but we will never again use these

weapons to kill our indian enemies

or the white man that

is over the killing has ended

tanner you will wait for me in my lodge

i will speak with you there

it is best that he goes things must now

be said that cannot be said before him

it is my wish that you tell the leader

of the white soldiers

what you would have heard here i will

if he brings the paper saying the things

i have said

tell him i will put my mark on it is

that all

sit down my friend

little dog was angry his blood ran hot

at the council

does this mean that he'll refuse to go

with you when you move away

i do not know this

in the days of my use i would have

stayed

his blood is my blood

if little dog asks all the young

warriors not to go with you

but to stay and fight will they do this

i am chief of all the cheyenne

my son would have to kill me to prevent

me from leading my people south

he will not kill me

but tonight he will decide what he will

do

for he's gone to the lodge of the

medicine man alone

you are his friend would you go to him

there

his deciding may mean his whole life

i will go to little

[Music]

where's the lodge of the medicine man

josh little dog is my brother and i love

him

i pray he will listen to you

[Music]

so

[Music]

[Music]

why did you come here

i came to say goodbye to my friend

you should not have heard those words

spoken this night

that was not cheyenne tuck it was the

tuck of women

little dog doesn't have to prove his

courage it is known by the white man and

by the cheyenne

it is known as little bighorn and

amongst the sioux and the crow that

there is no warrior who has more bravery

than little dog

but he must now show that he is also

wise

as wise as the old warriors

my father has spoken of me to you

he doesn't want his son to die he would

die here if he were not old

i know this the chief of all the

cheyennes must think for all his people

little dog knows that it is not fear

that speaks within his father

but wisdom then i do not like

wisdom

would tanner go south with the women and

the old ones

i don't know little dog

[Applause]

yes i think i would go south if i were

you

sometimes there is a change we don't see

the reason for it but it's there

these things are easy for tanner to say

because he is a white man

and let the white man go south we are

not farmers we are cheyennes

and hunters and fighters

i will go into the hills by myself

the spirits will tell me what to do

they will not lie to me

so

[Music]

you went in the hills to speak with the

spirits

[Music]

josh would you tell me something

to help me understand i'll try

my father has said that if we stay here

we will die

the lady at the fort she can live in our

land and

she will not have to die no

and you will not have to die

i have thought of it and i cannot

understand

why there must be this difference i

don't think even the spirits have an

answer to that

[Music]

maybe if if we could live in the white

man's world

there would be no more talk of dying

many white people have come here behind

them

they must have left a great empty space

so if if they no longer want this place

maybe the cheyennes could go there and

live

you will tell me if this can be done

would you be happy in a white man's

world

i would try

[Music]

yes i would be happy

i'd give a great deal if i could help a

hearing day

i believe this

[Music]

hard to believe that it's all over

he say how soon he'd be ready to sign i

imagine the sooner the better sir

yeah i suppose so some of the other

tribes have already started to move out

well i'll be glad to see the end of it

i'm sure it's been worse for broken hand

i know it has i feel sorry for it

you told me once you had no feeling

about the indians

you've changed

sometimes you learn things in spite of

yourselves huh

good night mr tanner

oh mr tanner thanks

maybe it was only your vest i didn't

like it

she's a promise to me my channel

you

sangri god

down there

came down to the guard house

you heard no i don't think so who was it

one of the cheyennes i can't understand

it

i don't know why there's a pawnee scout

dead sir

that shia knifed him

and it looked for a good three minutes

as though something might be settled

we'll have to hold the indian nothing

else we can do

josh that indian girl is here here

she's waiting for you appearing day is

here

she said you told her she should come i

told her but i didn't say anything about

so that's why american horse tried where

is she she's in your room

appearing day you shouldn't have come

here you wish to help you said

i think you meant it but you didn't tell

me you were promised to american horse

there's been much trouble

i did not tell you of american horse

because

what was in his heart was not in mine

the word of my father was given but not

my word but american horse thinks i

stole you he came here he tried to kill

me

and now they've locked him in a stockade

american horse was wrong to do this

i have chosen

[Music]

i will stay here this is where i will

make my life

bundle her up and i'll take her back to

her people i have no people

when i left our village i told my father

now i am dead to all of them

appearing day you don't just move in

like this

things aren't done that way josh she's

left her people you can't turn her out

get that squad out of here i'll decide

that

[Applause]

you can stay here at least for now i'll

find a place to sleep outside

go to sleep appearing day we'll talk

about it in the morning

we'll work this out somehow

[Music]

apparently i scare you

you told me to sleep but i could not

sleep

i have done wrong i have made much

trouble for you it wasn't your fault

i should have explained i should have

made you understand

no i do understand

[Music]

there is no love in your heart for me

[Music]

you're wrong appearing day there is much

love in my heart

for you

[Music]

you must go to bed now

[Music]

this time i will sleep

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

so

[Applause]

[Music]

so

[Music]

so

[Music]

so

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

ah

[Music]

[Music]

josh

appearing day you better stay here

inside

it'll be safer josh is going away

only for a little while i'm going to see

your father

is there anything you want me to say to

him

all has been said

[Music]

we know who the second killer was the

one who made the rescue

it was your friend little dog one of the

pawnee scouts recognized him

do you expect broken hand to turn his

son an american horse over to you

colonel

we can't very well ignore two killings

certainly we expected

then we may be making this trip for

nothing well let's make it and find out

with your permission mr tanner

[Music]

hello

well it started the first of the tribes

are moving south

those are the crow and the blackfeet

those are part of the sioux the arapaho

tribes

that means the others are probably

moving out too

except for the cheyennes

[Music]

heading for the promised land

i wonder how long they'll be able to

live on promises

you seem to become quite attached to the

investor county in one way or another

did this happen to you would you like it

colonel if he's to do any of the talking

with broken hand it might be wise to

keep his attitude in mind

i will sir as well as the fact that he's

entitled to his own opinion

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

uh

[Music]

i'd like to talk to him first sir if i

may

if he'll listen to you

chief broken hand i would like to speak

to you first of your daughter

of appearing daddy i have no daughter

she has chosen little dog put his trust

in me and because of that so did you we

will speak of her no more

i will sign this treaty because my word

has been given

he will wait before the council

[Applause]

mr ferguson

have your twos and fours face about

[Music]

ones and threes one length forward oh

maybe we should ask him to come to the

fort oh it's got to be now

they're right colonel we'll bind all

those warriors to broken hands word

if they can be held off to the signing

that's the chance we'll have to take

the colonel will give me the papers

two soldiers were killed at our fort one

by american horse and one by your son

little dog

are they here we will talk of them when

the paper is signed

[Music]

oh

[Applause]

hey

[Music]

good

the promises you asked for broken hand

are written there

i will read them with you if you want

[Applause]

[Music]

the treaty is now signed my people are

bound by it

in the name of the government of the

united states

white feather it is a challenge

my son an american horse are not bound

by your paper

they have chosen to fight and they wait

for you in the hills

just the two of them this is their

challenge

they expect you to honor it

you mean american horse and little dog

want to meet the troops in battle

two men yes this is true

they are waiting

[Music]

this is insanity well if you ask me the

whole thing's a trick

broken hand signed the treaty he gave us

his word

i'm inclined to trust broken hand but

not these young cheyenne warriors

i can't take a chance on treachery i'm

sending to the fort for the full

compliment

good shall i tell that to broken hand

it's only fair he knows it

he's being honest with us he won't take

offense if he isn't

it'll be a fair warning mr ferguson

that's it

send a dispatch writer to the fort call

out the full compliment yes

[Music]

sir

broken hand the colonel's sending for

the full complement of cavalry

[Music]

it is well i will come out to see my son

die

the family of american horse will want

to see also that he dies well

all of my people will have a right to be

there

to see this and remember it

perhaps the white man will have

something to remember too

[Music]

so

little dog has gone into the hills to

die american horse is with him

and josh he's going out there there may

be much killing i must go to them

if you can help then you'll keep out of

this ain't no daughter of mine helping

any squad

here come on appearing day

i'm going with you

wow

[Music]

halloween

[Music]

um if they're picking a place for an

ambush they could do worse

they'll be waiting there broken hand

said they call it the valley of the dead

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

oh

we'll stay on the right side and keep

the wash between us

just in case

[Music]

so

[Music]

[Music]

well there's the enemy

[Music]

i don't remember anything in the book

that tells you how to draw up a battle

line for a war like this

[Music]

[Music]

oh

[Music]

[Music]

mr ferguson

[Applause]

sir take your first rank up the hill and

bring them in

yes quietly no shooting please

[Music]

[Applause]

oh

you're thinking of his father broken him

and the warriors

you mustn't fire that gun

[Music]

yes

[Applause]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

builder sound recall

what else could i do sir if i fired them

i know that's what they wanted you to do

well maybe they'll stop playing in a

minute i hope so

if this keeps up it may have the whole

tribe joining them

it won't be a game anymore all right

i don't want to use guns we can't fire

first and we'll have a war on our hands

i'm going out there and talk to little

dog colonel i doubt if american horse

will let you get within talking distance

i think it's worth the chance they still

want us to make the first move

wait

tanner comes to speak for the white

soldier

i'm here to speak for myself i am here

to fight

not to talk get your rifle tanner

i will fight little dog if that's what

he wishes with a rifle or with a lance

but i will talk first this is a time for

dying

get your rifle tanner what i have talked

little dog and american horse are still

my friends i've done nothing to change

that

words have too many shadows i want no

more words

as your friend little dog i'm here to

ask you not to die

i will not go with the soldiers i will

die here

but i will not die alone is it your wish

that many others die too

is it your wish that you dishonor your

father

you dare say this broken hand has given

us word that there'll be no more

fighting by his people

yet it is your wish that the cheyenne

warriors break your father's word

it is better that cheyennes die like

cheyennes

the soldiers will not fire first but i

will go and get my rifle

and i'll come back to fight you but

there'll be no glory in it for you

little dog

because i'll be one against two

[Applause]

well mr tanner i think the only solution

is for me to goad them into firing first

and hope that their first shot's missed

you american horse last night you wanted

to kill me

what are you afraid of now or do you

only kill at night

stop this is what the white ones want

tanner we are two against one

send your soldiers to help you and we

will

shoot i need no help

does american horse think i fear him he

is not a warrior

he's a woman and afraid

what do i need with a rifle

i throw it away i do not need it

american horse has shamed us before the

white man

little dog will not do so

pick up your gun tanner you will pick up

your gun or i will throw mine away also

and we will fight before them all to the

death

the scout to the winner

you ask for death for yourself and that

is your right

but to pronounce it on others is wrong

he has always spoken with one heart and

one tongue

and he has been faithful to your

friendship can you not be as faithful to

[Music]

him

foreign

[Music]

[Applause]

here he comes

[Music]

[Music]

wheel about in the line boom

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

um

[Music]

[Music]

oh

[Music]

ah

[Music]

hey

[Music]

hmm

[Music]

well mr tanner it's all over i think

we've seen the last of the indian wars

they'll be wanting to bury their dead

before they go

what about her she won't be going with

him

no she won't be

she's going with me

appearing they will be my wife

good luck mr tanner thank you

[Music]

[Music]

as i told you in the beginning this is a

true story

we were married in the methodist church

in council bluffs

broken hand lived to see his grandson

enter the military academy at west point

you