Original subtitles

I'm telling you, Roger, best kind of life there is for a man. Army life.

What do you say?

How about joining?

But I work on the river. I don't know anything about the Army, Sergeant Phillips.

Well, you could learn. Now, if I was you, son,

I'd give my proposition a lot of thought. We need men, good men like yourself.

Help fill in that new company for General Scott's visit.

I only got room for three more.

I promise you, you won't be sorry.

Here's to General Winfield Scott, finest of them all, hero of Chippewa.

At your boat.

Much obliged for the drinks, but I have to unload her cargo when she comes in.

Oh, he's going down to the dock, Sam. We can't

let our friend go off by himself, can we?

Oh, no siree, we'll go right along.

Where's the doctor? Right down the street, Sergeant. Son.

Making a big mistake not joining the army.

I promised you, you won't be sorry.

Danny, I think we're taking a big chance.

What is he anyway? A poor dumb stoker, maybe?

Shifting from boat to boat and one saloon to the next?

Nobody will miss a riverboat, man.

Maybe not.

Two more recruits and I'll have made my quota.

I never missed it yet, and I'm not going to miss it this time.

There's only one thing to remember.

See, almost any boat on the river can haul cargo as well as any other boat.

So the only thing we have to sell when we go ashore is confidence. Yes, sir.

Maybe you better take somebody else, sir. Yeah, well,

if you haven't got any confidence. Oh, I got confidence. Oh, you have?

Oh, yes, sir. You think you can do the job? Oh, yes, sir. All right, then.

Oh, Bill, I'm taking Phil on the shore, breaking him into promoting cargo.

Well, good luck.

I'll pick you up in four days, Captain, after I unload a Carly film.

You and the cargo for Memphis. Yeah.

Uh...

Yes.

All right.

The wood will be loaded in about ten minutes, Mr. Blake.

Oh, look at the dandy. The girls at River Point are going to have a treat.

That's a fact. There'll be no time for girls.

You got four days, Captain.

Four days. If you don't come up with the cargo,

then I'm going to sell your uniform to pay expenses.

Latimer's cargo is good for $2,500. Gentlemen, I will return with the contract.

I'll believe that when I see it.

Well, like I sure picked a fine day to come into town to try to do any business.

Yes, sir, you sure did.

Yeah.

Yeah, we might as well get down to the hotel, check in,

and then get started on Latimer and daughter.

No, no, he has a daughter. The General's here already. You know him, don't you?

We used to serve together. How to say hello?

I'm sorry.

I'll break your head.

Any time you think they're big enough. No, no, just a minute. Boy,

now we're here to get a cargo, not to stage a boxing match.

See, Sergeant? He's just a kid. Come on, boy. What do you say, Sergeant?

Just a kid, huh?

Put him on the list.

Yeah, yeah, he's big enough.

I'm feeling everything depends on you. Now,

are you sure you got your story straight?

I think so.

But if he's already got a boat for his cargo, I...

You just say the words I told you to say.

Meet me back at the hotel, all right? Yes, sir. All right.

Well, come on, Mr. Latimer. Mr. Latimer?

Captain, if you hear about my cargo down the dock, you're too late.

It's waiting for the Arkansas Bell.

Well, haven't you heard about the Bell? Hmm?

Well, it's no business of mine. I'm looking for something to cover cargo with.

You, um, you know something about the Arkansas Bell?

Yes, I'll be strong enough.

Bet they gave you a cut price, didn't they? $2,200? Yeah.

Well, any sound, Riverboat, I have to charge you at least, uh... $25.

What do you mean, sound?

Do you got anything stronger than that? Yeah, well,

it's an upriver haul to Memphis, or boilers might hold out that long.

I've got $20,000 worth of perishable vegetables and dry goods on that shipment.

What's wrong with our boilers?

Oh, no, I never spread rumors.

Well, I guess this will do.

Can you send me about 20 yards of this down to the dock by tomorrow morning?

It'll be there. That's fine.

Good luck.

Mary.

Yes, Papa.

Go down to the freight office and ask them about the Arkansas belt.

I want to know all about it. Now hurry.

Can I help you?

No, I was looking for Captain Holden.

He was here a minute ago.

Something wrong?

No, no.

Say, he didn't agree to take on your cargo, did he?

No.

That's a relief.

I just talked to the man down the street and told him the captain would take his.

Wouldn't be room enough for both.

Man? What man?

What's his name?

George Reynolds.

Reynolds?

If his goods get to Memphis before mine, I'm ruined.

How much is he paying?

Oh, well, I wouldn't know about that.

How much?

You tell Captain Holden to see me before he closes a deal with Reynolds.

I'm an old-time customer. You remind him of that.

Well, I can't guarantee anything, but I'll tell him.

I'm an old-time customer. Are you reminding him of that?

I'm going, Papa.

Where?

To the shipping office to ask about the Arkansas bill.

Forget it, forget it. Hey, mister. You got a minute?

No, no, look, it's about what happened earlier.

Well, as a matter of fact, it is, sir.

I just, I just lost my temper. I'm sorry. Oh, well, that's all right. Well,

I was a little upset before, and I'd like to buy you a drink.

Get even.

Well, maybe later. I got to get down to the hotel now.

We're heading in the same direction. Let's go.

Good. We'll take him to the stable and put him in my room.

Whether you're quartered in a stable or a pigsty,

you're billets of military barracks.

Next time any man brings whiskey in here, I'll have his hide.

Now, do I make myself clear? All right, take them out and run them a while.

That's the only way they're going to learn anything.

All right, Rogers, you heard the orders.

I can't, Sergeant.

I'm sick.

I don't like slacker, soldier.

On your feet.

The next time you try something like this,

I'll put you on bread and water for a week.

I never joined up. I've got your signature on the enlistment papers. Come on,

outside. He signed his papers?

Yeah, Danny, he signed.

Oh, wait a minute. Phillips, I never signed anything.

Sergeant Phillips to you, on your feet.

Your term of enlistment is one year. For any attempt to desert,

that'll be raised to five years. For any second attempt,

you'll be sent to a military prison. That's all.

Join the others.

You make me join the others.

You just take it easy, Phelan.

Once you get used to the army, you'll find it's a good life. Just don't fight it.

You'll get along better that way.

You see, I trust you.

Oh, sure.

But if I run, you'll shoot me.

Come on, I'll set you.

Danny, I always do what you tell me to do,

but now I... Something bothering you, Sam?

I'm scared about what we're doing this time.

You think I like it?

I got a quota to fill. This is the first time I ever grabbed a man.

Look, Sam.

We've been together how long now? Ten years?

Yeah. And did I ever get you into trouble?

Nothing you couldn't get me out of. There'll be no trouble this time.

These recruits, all of them will make good soldiers once they get some training.

They'll get themselves some dogs.

I'll bet you they'll even end up going hunting with us.

Yeah, you're never wrong, Danny. Oh, before I forget,

we're shipping them inland tomorrow.

Well, Scott, let's go, man.

Mr. Wilkins. Yes, sir?

One of my crewmen, Mr. Phelan, was supposed to meet me here.

He's over an hour late now.

Is there any other entrance to this hotel that he could have used?

No, sir. This is our main entrance. Oh, I see.

Well, thank you. Glad to have you with us, sir.

All the riverboat captains stay here on layovers.

Yes.

Captain Holt. Yes, Mr. Lyle. I want to talk to you.

Yes, of course. Go right ahead.

You looking for somebody? Well, yes. As a matter of fact, I am.

One of my crewmen is missing.

Well, one came to my store. I gave him a message for you.

Well, he hasn't shown up around here. Well, maybe you better check the taverns.

I saw him walk away with two soldiers. Oh? Mike bought that cargo.

Was one of those soldiers a sergeant?

Come to think of it, I think he was. Oh, thank you.

Where are you going? I want to talk business with you, Captain.

I... Later, Mr. Latimer, later.

Why do you keep looking at me like that? Do you think it's easy being a sergeant?

You wait till you get to be one.

Sometimes you got to do things you don't want to do, but you go ahead and do them.

Forget about it.

Yeah, but how? Hunting.

You give me a good hunting dog and a gun, and I'm the happiest man in the world.

I will tell you about that old spotted dog. Ladies and gentlemen.

Who are you?

I'm Captain Gray Holden of the Riverwood Enterprise.

We met earlier.

Oh, I remember.

I'm looking for my crewman, Mr. Phelan.

He's the fellow that bumped into you.

Don't let me stop you.

Well, I was told that you and the corporal were with him this afternoon.

No, no, we weren't with him.

You mean you haven't seen him again since then? That's what I said.

Anything else I can do for you?

No. No, nothing your commanding officer can't do better.

What's that mean?

It means I think you're lying, and I'm gonna find out why.

Oh, Danny, he's trouble.

If he gets to the lieutenant, he won't. How are you going to stop it?

Make a soldier out of him.

Captain!

Captain, you win. You were right. Your man was with us. Well,

then why did you lie about it?

Well, we didn't want to see him get in any trouble,

and we thought if he could sleep it off, well, nobody would be any wiser.

Are you telling me that he got drunk?

And you're trying to protect him?

Yes, sir.

First time you saw him, you wanted to break his head.

That was before he bought me a drink.

We got to be pretty good buddies before he passed out.

Liquor doesn't seem to affect you any.

Captain, if I couldn't hold my liquor better than that man of yours,

I'd have lost these stripes a long time ago.

Yeah.

All right, where is he? This way, sir.

In here, Captain.

Where is he? Well, let's talk first. Don! I want my man back.

Palin!

Captain?

Captain Holden!

Get in here!

Stay where you are.

Are you out of your mind?

You're not going in there.

Now look, I want my man back.

Now either you get him for me, or I'll go in and

get him myself. He's in the army. He enlisted.

Enlisted? I've got his signature on the papers.

Oh, I see.

You forced him into the army. Impressment!

Is it? You know, there's a law against that, Sergeant. That's a crime,

in case you don't know it.

I do what I have to do, mister. They don't tell me how to fill my quota.

They just tell me to fill it. Nobody forced you to Shanghai, man off the streets.

Listen.

What's so wrong with the army anyway?

It's a good life.

You get food and clothing and a place to sleep.

And you got friends.

When I was a kid, I got kicked from pillar to post. Nobody wanted me.

I never had a home before I got in the army.

It's good for a man. It gives him a purpose.

I'm going to break you, Sergeant.

I'm going to get my man back,

and then I'm going to push until they break you for this.

Mister, I got a quote of the Phil.

I was in the Black Hawk Wars.

I served with officers and men, good men, but no one like you.

Look, maybe I went a little too far.

Maybe it was a mistake the way I got him.

Yeah, but I'm not a bad fella.

So just let me back away from this.

Back away from it?

I got a good record, and I earned it the hard way, and I don't want it spoiled.

So I'll... I'll make a deal with you.

Deal? What kind of a deal?

You promised to keep quiet.

And?

I'll let you have him back.

Like I said, I got a good record, and I mean to keep it that way.

All right, fine.

Just as long as I get my man back.

Let him in, Sam.

It is a deal, isn't it?

I swear you'll keep quiet.

What kind of a man do you think you're dealing with?

Danny, do you think you can trust him?

He could walk out of here and go straight to the lieutenant.

Captain, come out here.

What do you want?

Corporal Gallagher has something he wants to tell you, mister. Oh?

What?

You were right.

I couldn't take the chance.

Sorry, Susan.

The soldier. That's right.

Soldier, you're in the army now.

You signed up for a year. Yeah, a lot, yeah.

You want to see your signature on the papers?

Got my name on a piece of paper you forged. I signed nothing.

I want to see your commanding officer.

That's me. I'm the top ranked man here.

Where are we going?

You like the view?

We headed out of town two hours ago. I said, where are we going?

You're headed for Florida, soldier. Camp Stafford. You're a new recruit.

I'm bringing in my corps.

You're not bringing me in.

Oh, I got to, soldier.

I got to.

Once a man starts something, he's got to keep

going forward. He can't ever turn back.

Once you get that bit in your teeth, you gotta

keep running. Oh, well, talk. Talk, I'll yell.

I'll blow the sky high.

That's a long ways to Florida, soldier.

Sometimes not everybody gets there.

Oh, I get away.

You try it, and I'll have you shot for desertion.

You would, wouldn't you?

What difference does it make?

You don't intend having me reach anywhere alive anyway.

Look, soldier, I'm not a murderer. Only this time I made some mistakes,

and you won't let me back away from them.

Like I said before, once you get the bit in your teeth, you've got to keep running.

17 years I've been a good soldier. I've got to protect that.

A good soldier?

I am.

You're a pig, you're a killer, you're an animal in a uniform.

You all right, Danny?

Yeah.

Tie him up. Get him out.

We're camping here. Unload the wagons and get

those recruits in the shade. Up in the shade.

But not you, soldier. Not you.

Bring him over here.

Give me that canteen.

That's the last water you get, soldier. You're gonna start killing me now,

aren't you? Unless I can make a friend out of you.

I'm better for you as a friend.

Well, like you said, you may not get anywhere alive.

He needs a drink.

Two days without water.

I bet he's dreaming of rain.

Rain coming down in bucketful.

Listen, a sergeant will give you water, soldier, if you just holler for it.

He's a nice enough guy.

Just trying to teach a lesson.

You can have water all you want.

Tell him.

Tell him to go.

That he hollers for water. Mighty soon.

You think so?

I'll bet you two bits, Corporal.

Two bits he hollers for water.

I'll make it four bits, Corporal.

I ain't gonna holler. What's up?

A real hard man.

Denny, he's fainted.

Well, I don't want him dead... yet.

Bring him over here.

Danny, why don't we let him go? There's still time.

What if we do miss our quarter?

You know me better than that, Guy.

I'd never miss my quarter.

Hold him.

You hear me?

Animal.

Animal or man's uniform.

Here's water.

Not from you. Not from you.

Thalen, bring him over here.

Here, give him some water.

That's enough. That's enough.

All right, I'll get back where you belong.

Well?

Learn anything out there in that sun?

Yeah, I learned something.

What?

I learned that if I hold out long enough, I can beat you. You know,

you'd make a good soldier, mister.

Good as me.

Better.

You're the kind I like to serve with.

Listen, you cooperate with me and you'll move up fast in the army.

You'll have stripes in no time at all.

Listen, Holden, we could be friends.

We're alike.

Hard and tough and loyal to what we believe in.

Look, here's my hand.

Shake it and we'll be friends.

Listen, mister.

You talk and you take my whole life away. I think that'd be a great idea.

All right, mister.

You ask for it.

Tie him up and throw him in the wagon. We're moving out in half an hour. Standing.

Courier.

Message from General Scott. Fighting's broken out with the Seminoles.

You're to proceed to Florida double time.

Where'd this come from? The general was at the

Owens plantation when the word came through.

All right.

We're moving out. Mount up. Double time.

Come on, over here.

Come on, get up in there. Move!

Danny's got a way. Well, don't just stand there. Go after him.

Over there.

Boy, son, come here.

Don't be scared, boy.

Let me go, let me go.

Don't be scared. Now, just calm down, son. Calm down. Tell me,

where the Owens Plantation is, boy?

Which way is it?

Pop, pop!

Shh, son, quiet.

Now, where's the Owens Plantation? Which way is it? Okay, son, thank you.

Pa! Son, son.

I didn't do nothing, mister, I didn't.

Son, it's all right, it's all right.

Now, did you see anybody go by here? A man?

He deserted from the army. Did you see him?

He asked me which way your own plantation.

That's good, son.

You gonna shoot him, mister?

Yeah, that's for telling the truth. Come on.

Ma'am, don't be afraid. I didn't want to see General Scott, that's all.

I've got to see General Scott.

Nobody's here.

Look, ma'am, are you going to take me in there,

or am I going to have to force my way in?

He left for town, for his hotel, sir.

I swear it. There's nobody here. They're all gone.

Go ahead, mister.

You can't run forever.

Seems like we'll never get to River Point.

Dead ahead.

We'll be there in about an hour if Carney can keep the boiler pressure up.

You think he's got anything? Who?

Captain Holden.

Think he'll have a cargo waiting in the dock? He'll have a cargo.

Don't you worry about him.

Only the good Lord knows what it'll be.

Just hold it.

Mr. Wilkins, I want to see General Scott. What happened to you? Did you hear me?

I want to see General Scott.

And what's his room number?

You tell me fast, or I'll knock down every door in this hotel.

You can't. You want to bet?

You can't. The General's retired for the night. I'm gonna wake him up.

He's left orders not to be disturbed.

Mr. Wilkins, I've been beaten up, fired upon,

and chased by army patrols just so I could get to see General Scott,

and you're not gonna stop me now. What's his room number?

He's not up there.

Well, then where is he?

He's sleeping back there.

Come this way.

General Scott.

Welcome home, soldier.

Welcome home.

I couldn't let you see the general now, could I?

You can't let me see anybody.

That's right.

I can't unless you get reasonable and change your mind.

Then you can see anybody you want to.

Mister, I got no other life than what I got in the army.

And I'm fighting for it.

I'm fighting for my life, too.

By talking?

That's right.

Then, mister, you leave me no choice at all.

Start walking.

So you can shoot me in the back?

You're a deserter.

Nobody would hold it against me.

Go ahead, shoot. What?

Shoot!

You can't do it here, can you?

You're afraid you'll disturb the general.

My boat's due here any minute now.

My boat and my crew. You see, dead or alive,

I can still make trouble for you because somebody is bound to identify me,

so you can't do it here, not around the hotel.

You're going to have to probably do it somewhere on the trail,

on the trail to Florida. Walker.

I said walk. Walk?

Mr. Sergeant?

I'll run.

What in blazes is going on out there, Lieutenant? I don't know, sir.

I don't see anything, sir.

Guess it was some drunk letting off steam.

Good night, General. Sorry you were disturbed.

Good night, Lieutenant.

Don't worry, Holden.

I got eyes and ears like a cat.

He won't get away.

Bill Blake, I could kiss you.

No sign of any cargo.

Don't you worry about the captain. He'll have something.

There's no sign of him either.

It's a mighty funny thing, too.

A whistle should have flushed him out if he was within hearing distance.

Hey, Bryce!

Enterprise, ahoy!

What's the captain?

Enterprise! All right, below! Break out some guns!

Hold it!

I don't know who you are, mister, but you take one more step, I'm gonna kill you.

Captains hurt bad, I'm gonna kill you anyway.

You all right, Captain? Yeah, he winged me, that's all. He just winged me.

What's going on here, anyway?

I was impressed you ain't got any of the army

coming to me by that sergeant out there.

You're beaten, Phillips! You're beaten! And you'll talk, won't you?

Talk?

I already have!

You shouldn't have done that, Holden.

You shouldn't have.

That man must have been deaf.

I got caught, and I had to save myself.

I had to think like I'd never thought before.

You know, Mr. Holden, you'd have made a good soldier.

We could have used you.

You got the guts.

He wanted us to fire on him.

He was finished and he knew it.

Whatever restitutions are due will be made.

And whatever further punishments are justified will be carried out.

Gentlemen, this has been a most shocking thing to me.

All I can hope for is that you will accept my deepest and most humble apologies.

Oh, of course we do, General, of course.

Thank you, sir.

Sergeant Daniel Phillips.

Length of service, 17 years.

Engagements, Mexican War, the Black Hawk War, the Seminole Troubles,

five expeditions to the Indian frontier.

That's quite a record, General.

Yes, I knew the man, Captain.

He was a good soldier.

Lieutenant.

Yes, sir.

Enter it.

Illegal impressment of American citizens through fraud and violence.

Lieutenant.

General, don't put it in his record.

He's dead now. What difference can it make?

Let the first 17 years speak for him.