Original subtitles

May I help you?

I'd like to see the captain, please.

I'm the captain.

I want a chart of your boat.

I have to be at Red Bluff tomorrow.

Red Bluff?

There's nothing up there but an abandoned trading post.

We can make it if we leave right now.

Right now?

What's your hurry, Miss, uh... Langton.

Lorna Langton.

Lorna Langton.

The actress?

Yes.

And this is my manager, David Fields.

How do you do?

Yeah, how do you do? A great holding.

Well, Captain?

Oh, Miss Langton, two-thirds of my crew is ashore. I don't have a head of steam up,

and this isn't a rowboat.

I'll pay you $2,000.

Yes, what's the reason for this trip?

I'll tell you underway.

If you don't like it, you can turn back and keep the money.

All right, I'll go rouse up the crew.

I've done my part. The rest is up to you.

Oh, also, Mr. Carter! Look away, Mr. Carter!

What's the matter? We're sinking? I'll get out of it, Mr. Carney.

We need steam. We're going upriver.

What? What in blazes for, Captain? Why do we have to fill up a stoke?

To transport Miss Lorna Langton.

Lorna?

Arno Langton? Hey, is she as beautiful as they say? She's very pretty,

but she doesn't have your sunny disposition.

Now get busy!

Aye, aye, sir. Oh, Mr. Carney, there's a $50

bonus in this for you. Thank you, Captain.

What's all the excitement?

Well, we're transporting three people to Red Bluff. For what? For $2,000.

You got a crew? Yeah, ourselves and four men. Four? That's right.

I know we're not exactly overstaffed.

I only hope we have enough men to cast off and get underway. That's all. Now,

let's see how Travis and Smith can help Carney in the boiler room. Well,

there's nothing in Red Bluff.

Why go there?

I don't know.

You don't know? You know,

I think that girl would have started swimming

upriver if I hadn't charted the boat to her.

What girl?

Lorna Langton.

Lorna Langton?

Folks, oh, Smith! Let's get a move on!

There we are, Miss Langton.

And, sir, you'll be in the Tennessee cabin. Oh, thank you.

If you'll just put my bag inside. All right, sir.

Let's see, I'll put you farther down the passage.

Where's your bag? In Guttman, fella.

All right, it's this way.

Only Lorna Langton would get six men on a steamboat

going upriver in the middle of the night.

You didn't have to come along, you know, David.

Leave you alone with that cross between an ape and a savage.

I'm glad you did come, of course.

You know that nothing means as much to me as your happiness, Lorna.

You've always been so kind.

I think you must realize that this trip may be the most important thing in my life.

Yes, of course.

Good night, dear.

Oh, well, is everything all right? Yes, it's fine. Thank you. Excuse me, won't you?

Certainly.

Captain, satisfaction, ma'am?

You do nicely, thank you.

That's fine. We're getting up ahead of steam now. We'll be off in a little while.

Oh, incidentally, our cook's ashore. You're going to have to put up with Mr.

Travis's less than elegant fare.

Well, don't worry about the food, Captain.

Just see that we get underway as soon as possible, will you?

Yes, ma'am.

200 pounds, sir. All right, hold it at 200, Mr. Carney.

Steam's up. Gray ready to cast off.

All right, taking a line.

Four lines three, Ben. Let's go, Travis.

Steam hold at 200, Carney. Holding steady, sir. All right, stand by.

On his point, you know, I'm going down to see just what this trip's all about.

Well, while you're there, check the galley, will you? I'm getting hungry.

Yeah, so am I. Yeah, let's see how Travis is

making out down there. Please, thanks a lot.

That's the worst stock galley I've ever seen.

Well, we don't often take off in the middle of the

night like this without five minutes' notice.

And that cook, why doesn't he keep the salt where he should, near the oven?

Gets damp and won't pour it. He keeps it in the cupboard. Oh.

And that Travis, he doesn't know a teacup from a belaying pen. I threw him out.

Well.

Maybe you don't like the course we're steering.

Your helmsman is holding a very good heading.

Thank you. Well, at least one thing meets with your approval.

My husband's skipping a ship out of Chesapeake Bay.

Maybe some of it rubbed off.

Would you like some coffee?

Thank you.

And some information.

Why are we going to Red Bluff?

My boy Bobby may be there.

May be there?

My husband and I were taking him overland to San Francisco six years ago.

He'd be 11 years old now, if he's still alive.

And some Indians attacked us.

My husband was killed, and Bobby was taken prisoner.

Uh-huh.

What makes you so sure that he's in Red Block?

We're not. We just hope so.

See, the third member of our party, this fellow Craig,

tells us that his family is holding a white boy that they took from the Sioux.

Maybe Bobby. Bobby.

And this is the fourth time in six years we've gone off on a trip like this.

Miss Langton keeps advertising in the St.

Louis papers for information about her son,

and of course every crank within a thousand miles tries to take advantage of her.

I see.

Coffee?

Yes, thank you.

Well, this isn't unusual, you know, it's happened to a lot of people.

But they usually resort to the authorities, the Office of Indian Affairs.

The authorities, they're useless.

What proof does this crag given you that the boy he's holding is your son?

They took this off the boy when they found him.

A watch fob, like the one her husband and a million

other men were wearing six years ago.

I have to be sure.

Of course.

Captain, you're a logical man.

What do you think?

Well, it is rather a long shot, Miss Langdon.

What are the chances of Bobby still being alive?

And if he is, what are the odds against this boy being him?

I don't care what the odds are.

Captain, if only she would learn to forget that boy and stop torturing herself.

She should... She should dedicate herself to her career.

That's what's important now.

I don't believe you two have been formally introduced. Mr. Craig,

this is Captain Holden. Captain.

How do you do?

Point of curiosity, why all the rush to Red Bluff?

Why did you charter my boat?

Wasn't time to go overland. Yours was the only vote available. Mr.

Craig insisted that we be there by tomorrow.

He says they won't wait past then.

Although my own guess is that he didn't want

to allow time to bring in the authorities.

She's already given him $500.

Now he's told her to bring all the money she can for expenses.

Expenses.

Ain't easy getting a boy back.

Naturally, there's expenses.

If you're expecting to get more money from her, it won't work.

Keeping it all for yourself?

What was that?

We know all about both of you.

The smartest thing you ever done was to latch onto her and her money.

Ridiculous.

You was never nothing but a broke-down actor who couldn't even get a job.

They're a liar.

Living off of females' earnings.

Taking bows for her when all they ever done was throw rocks at you.

Coffee, gentlemen?

Miss Langdon, I don't like being lied to.

I don't like the buying and the selling of a child.

I don't like my boat being used as part of a swindle.

Still hungry? Still hungry, yeah. All right, there's food down in the main salon,

courtesy of Miss Langton.

What's wrong with you? I don't trust about two-thirds of our passenger list.

Captain, please don't turn back.

Ma'am, would you mind if I steered around that sandbar?

Back in a minute. Yeah.

You're going on then?

I don't know. I'm not sure. I'm not sure at all. I guess I missed my guess.

You're walking into a mess of trouble.

That Craig doesn't look like a good Samaritan to me.

Captain, look at this.

It's all that I have left of the only man I ever really loved.

Was that your husband?

Yes.

The years I had with him and our boy are the only happiness I've ever known.

I'd give anything to recapture some of that love.

If there's any chance that...

Bobby's alive, it's worth any gamble.

If it is Bobby, I'll try and make up to him for all those lost years.

I'll try and bring him up the way a boy should be brought up.

It'll be a little difficult, won't it, between curtain calls?

There wouldn't be any more curtain calls.

No?

And what would Mr. Fields think about that?

He wants what's best for me.

Good. You know, the more I think about it,

the more curious I am to see what the rest of the Craig family looks like.

You're going on then?

I told you a mighty curious man is like him.

Take over our galley any time you want to, Miss Langley.

Thank you.

Yeah, boy, take over. Thanks.

You were in my way, Mr. Craig.

We're going on.

What did he say?

I guess you've got ways to make a man do what you want him to, haven't you?

Let me go. Now, don't make any noise.

I'll make sure you never see that kid again. Please.

You know, you and me have never been alone before.

Mr. Craig, passengers are not allowed on the Texas deck, sir, without permission.

We'll even that up, Captain.

Tie it off!

Secure those lines up there, Rob.

Well, where are they?

Nobody said nothing about fancy greetings.

You better go ashore first.

Lookie there.

I wonder if Luke drugged the whole dang U.S. Navy down on us. Now, Pa,

Luke wouldn't pull no stunt like that.

If he's brung in the law, I'll shoot him where he stands.

Pa!

Here.

You've got nothing to worry about, boy. How many men on that thing?

Six.

Six? Have a drink, son. You did real good.

Don't stand there, son. Invite them over.

Come on! Let's go.

Get them rifles away.

And get yourself presentable. Luke, help me get

the rifles. All right, hurry, boys. Hide them.

Put them away. Fast, fast. Come on, boys. Hurry up.

Hurry up.

Welcome, welcome, come right in.

Well, I'm sure glad that my boy saw to it to

bring the dear mother of that poor child.

Why, ma'am, if you only knew how much good it did my old heart to be

in on getting a loving mother and child in each other's arms again.

I sure know how you feel, ma'am.

Why, if I was to lose any one of my boys, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John,

even for a little while, it'd kill me, sure.

Where is the boy? He's locked up.

What?

Oh, and ma'am, I just put him alone because he's just

a little bit excitable. Bet my leg, half off.

But his being excitable, a mother's love will change that just like magic, ma'am.

May I see him?

Why, you're his own flesh and blood. You sure can.

He's right in there.

Does he speak English?

Some, but not too good.

What with living with them heathen Indians.

Miss Langdon?

I speak a little Sioux, if I can be of any help.

We'll open the door.

Bobby?

It might be.

I don't know. Do you remember me?

Do you remember anything about me?

Do you remember any words?

English words?

What's your name?

Do you know?

Is it Bobby?

You don't understand me at all.

He's frightened half to death. He's nearly starved.

I want to help you.

Help you.

You might be my little boy. Do you know that?

If we could just talk and just be friends,

we might find out something that would prove that you were my little boy.

Wouldn't you like to be friends?

I wouldn't do anything to hurt you.

We can understand each other if we try.

Please try.

Good.

It's candy.

Peppermint candy. Come on. Come on now. Have a bite.

Have a bite of it.

Come on.

You have to understand that after seven years, why, he's mostly Indian.

He didn't know what I was trying to do. It's all right.

Come on.

It's good.

Take it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Here.

Here, you can have both pieces.

Monish poets, Monish. Ipots.

Monish.

He told me his tribe is small. They just called him the boy.

Do you remember him at all?

I don't know. I just can't be sure.

Well.

I see your mother-in-law got him tamed like a little puppy dog.

Well, we've got some talking to do.

Honey thoughts.

Not Bobby, is he?

I don't know.

Why, of course the little fella's yours, Miss Langdon. Why, you're spitting images.

For that matter, Chief Red Wolf himself told me that the little kid's

name was Bobby when they first took him in near seven years ago.

Of course, he would say anything in order to convince you.

I reckon you'd be the boy's grandpappy.

Certainly not.

I sure know how you'd feel about the little fellow, man.

Not wanting to go away without him.

And as a loving parent yourself,

you wouldn't want to do anything to stand in

the way of her getting her boy back now, would you?

Absolutely right, Captain.

Of course, we gotta get straightened up on the time and trouble we've gone through,

especially after all the expense and work and danger

to life and limb me and my boys went through. What's your price?

Now, you wouldn't want us to go off empty-handed, would you? I asked the price.

All right.

I guess it's time to talk business. Boys!

Now, my boy Luke tells me that Miss Langton's got $5,000. Well,

that's almost enough to clear expenses.

Almost?

That boy didn't cost you more than a bottle of whiskey or a few bullets.

My boy Luke tells me you ain't got but a handful of men on that vessel. You know,

I always thought a vessel like that would make an awful purdy fire.

I'll pay you.

Oh, and my boy tells me you gave the captain

$2,000 last night. We'll take that, too.

The devil you will.

You wouldn't want to fight us all by your lonesome?

I'll go get the money. Oh, no.

Once you get that big paddle wheel turning, there'd be no stopping you.

Cover him carefully, boys.

Luke, get the kid.

That's it, I'll get the money.

You oughtn't to be so stubborn.

Makes a man forget his manners.

Miss?

Misser?

Here they come, Carney. You all set?

Ready, Mr. Frazier.

Captain, you best tell your friends that if they as much as sneeze,

you get your head blowed off. What's this all about? Now, you be a smart fellow,

son, like your captain, and everything will be all right.

You better listen to him, Ben.

Let's go.

Yeah, well, you better throw them some lines. Fish them out before they drown.

They're like a fine work gang in the boiler room.

They'll get us to St. Louis, all right. What are you taking us to St. Louis for?

You ever heard of the word extortion? You ever heard of the law?

Of course, Miss Langton paid you to get her own son back.

Her own son, nothing. That's just some kid we picked up at a raiding party.

Thank you, Mr. Craig. That's the point that I was mighty curious about.

That's a tune I made up for my little boy.

Do you recognize it?

It's just a kiss. A kiss?

It shows somebody you love them.

My husband and I used to kiss our little boy goodnight every night.

Do you remember your father?

Your father. Father.

It's all right.

Good night.

All right?

Now.

That looks better, doesn't it? It's all right. It's only a mirror. Now look.

See?

That's you.

And that's me.

Lady.

Yes, that's right, lady.

Come in.

Lady!

Well, I guess they've been calling everything now.

Life is certainly filled with new things for him.

Yes, including these clothes.

Smallest I could find in the cruise quarters. Well, that's quite a haircut you got.

What a fuss he made getting it.

Well, you see, a Sioux warrior thinks like Samson.

You cut his hair and you cut his strength.

Really?

Well, I finally put the winning point across. That you have short hair,

and you're not too bad a specimen.

Why, thank you, ma'am.

Well, I got everything for him except a pair of shoes.

Oh, I think I can fix that.

There.

Well, they're very pretty.

Yes, sir.

Now then... Oh, I'll wait outside.

Lady!

Hey, hey, hey, now you're starting to slip

back into Sue. Say it in English. English.

Go away, no.

It's all right.

I'll be right here.

I'll wait outside.

She won't go away.

Well, you know, you may not be the best dressed young man in St. Louis,

but you'll be the most dressed.

Oh, you're going to like this. Look, this is a buckle. See,

it's to hold your trousers up. Buckle.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Don't say it in

Sioux. Say it in English. Now, buck, buck.

Buck.

Cool.

Cool.

Buck.

Buck.

Cool. Cool. That's right.

Big, big buckle.

Pretty.

I'm going to give you a couple of days,

and you're going to be more eloquent than my first mate. Now,

what do we get on first here? Well, here.

Attaboy.

There we go.

Now, we'll get the shirt on first here.

Time for the fashion show.

Fuck a lady! Big mother!

Hey, hey, hey, remember what that's for, huh?

You like lady?

You look very handsome.

Handsome?

Maricua.

Maricua.

I call him Little Chief Big Buckle.

Well, you certainly have changed since yesterday. Oh, handsome.

Lorna, remember I talk.

Hola.

I don't have to stop seeing him or talking to him.

Why should you?

Captain, I've been a little afraid that for the child's sake as well as for Lorna's,

they've become too fond of each other since the boy is obviously not Bobby.

Oh, I see. You're absolutely positive of that. Are you, Mr. Fields?

Yes, I'm sure.

Boy remembers nothing, can't answer any questions. We'll give him time.

You can't expect him to remember everything all at once.

Things will come back slowly to him.

Then all of a sudden, it may all come back in a rush. I've seen it happen.

Meantime, as I pointed out to Lorna,

we owe it to the boy's real parents to turn him

over to the authorities the moment we reach St.

Louis. Yes, I suppose so, I suppose so.

But I doubt if there's anybody who can prove that the boy is or isn't Bobby.

Captain, I don't know how much proof you require.

The Craggs admit that it was a hoax.

Yeah.

Well, then we have at least until St. Louis to see if he remembers anything.

Well, certainly, Lorna. Ask him as many questions as you please,

but keep it on a friendly, though impersonal basis.

Oh, that's fine. That's just great.

Pass to the boy with questions, but don't bother being nice to him.

He might be somebody else's child. Captain, I've pointed out to you,

I have Lorna booked into New Orleans.

This child certainly furnishes no reason not to keep that engagement.

Lady, remember something.

What?

What do you remember?

Remember man.

Father.

He said that he remembers his father,

a man of dark hair and wore shiny buttons on his coat.

Buttons?

He does remember.

I remember that.

Now, let's see if you remember this ladder.

You ever remember seeing a ladder before? Now,

now, hold on, now, now, just take it easy.

Now, don't tell me you remember seeing it if you don't.

You see, you made the lady feel bad because you didn't tell her the truth.

You see, son, if you love someone, you believe them.

Now, she wanted to believe you, but you lied to her. Just tell the truth.

Now, you ever remember seeing a ladder before?

Well, that's fine.

All right, come on. We'll see what else we can see. Let's go down below.

Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of the noise.

Now, do you remember anything like this?

You better stay awake with a crew like this down here.

Wide awake, sir. Wide awake. Wide awake.

I can see that.

Hey!

With that emergency valve, you'll release enough steam in here to parboil all of us.

I'm talking to you.

Look alive, Connie. Aye, aye, sir.

All right, now do you ever remember having seen a thing like this?

Do you ever remember seeing a place like this? Captain's cabin.

No.

No.

No sea.

No sea. All right, you sit down right over here.

Let's see if you remember anything about ships.

All right.

Now, how's the schooner?

Schooner?

No. Sloop?

Sloop.

No.

No.

All right, let's go topside to the pilot house.

How do we stand, Mr. Frazier? We'll be in St. Louis in about two or three hours.

That'll pile us up on the way. Keep your eyes open, boy.

Remember this? It's a helm.

A wheel. A ship's wheel. Huh?

Huh?

Bend ahead.

You like that, huh? Do it again.

Well, you don't remember anything up here in the pilot house, huh?

All right, let's call it a day. Come on.

I do bad?

Not want hurt lady?

Not want make her feel bad?

You did just fine, son, just fine. Come on.

The New Orleans engagement to be a tremendous success.

Those weeks of advance publicity.

Merritt promises us a three-week sell-off.

I don't want to talk about it, David.

Of course, dear. I was merely trying to point

out that things have worked out for the best, in a way.

Lorna, this is our last try.

Thank you, Captain.

No more?

No more.

All right.

You sit right down here and wait. I'll be right back.

I'd give anything if he were my boy.

Well, he doesn't remember anything about a boat, but I discovered one thing.

What?

He's a heck of a nice kid.

Remember.

Remember boat.

Big boat.

Yellow, with big pieces of cloth.

I remember.

Lady! Lady!

Lady!

Whoa! Yellow! Big pieces of cloth!

White!

That's it! He remembers! That's our ship! That's my husband's ship!

Oh, darling, darling! Stop it!

Stop lying.

Lorna, he asked me, and I just told him.

Your husband's ship was yellow with white sails.

Oh.

So I did remember.

Caddis, lock him in his room, will you?

Why should he want to get away?

Why?

Because he's afraid and alone and unloved, that's why.

Because he's not an actor like you are, able to

turn love off and on. He's just a little boy.

Yes, but he's not my little boy.

What the devil's the difference?

So he can't answer questions, so he can't come up with proof. What are you,

a mother or a magistrate?

I'm a mother.

Are you really now? Are you really?

Or are you just the great Lorna Langton playing the role of a mother? Now,

just admit it. Look properly sad.

Make sure that he is your little boy before you accidentally love him.

Check on his birthmarks and see if he remembers Uncle Joe's middle names.

And if he does prove up, as he will in any good stage play,

then love him and do anything you can for him.

But if he's not, then boot him out.

Doesn't matter that he's a nice kid crying his heart out.

Doesn't matter that he loves you.

You know, I guess, I guess the only real proof,

the only real truth between a mother and a son is in loving each other.

Absolutely no right to talk to you like that.

Oh yes, he did.

Doesn't make any sense.

Makes wonderful sense.

I took a lonely boy...

And a riverboat captain to pound that sense into me. I'm going to take that boy,

and I'm going to raise him as if he were my own.

But he's not your own.

He lied to you deliberately.

He lied to me because he needed me.

And I need him.

I don't care that he isn't my boy.

Now, Lorna, do you just think that over?

I don't have to think it over. It's what I want to do.

I'm not going to let you do it to yourself.

Now, don't be upset, David.

What about New Orleans?

We have to be in New Orleans on the 15th. Thousands

of people waiting for us, expecting us.

Just have to be cancelled.

Cancelled?

Just cancelled?

I suppose I'm to be cancelled too.

I've devoted my whole life to you.

Now that's not true, David.

Everything is wrapped up in you.

You're my success. You're my life.

I won't let you do this to yourself.

David! Let go of my arm.

I want you to be my little boy.

I want to take care of you.

Would you like that?

Would you let me?

When you love somebody, you believe them.

I tell you truth.

You don't believe me.

You don't love me.

I do.

I do love you.

I want you to be my own little boy.

You believe that?

They're all yours.

Fine.

Go. Oh, hello, Mr. Fields. What can I do for you?

Just curious. Mind if I look around? Oh, go right ahead. Help yourself.

Hey, come on, you baby. Start heaving that wood.

You can have that $5,000 you wanted before. You

can wreck the boat, do anything you want.

What do you want out of it? Get rid of that boy.

Unlock it.

Get him out of the wagon, scum! Get off of me!

We'll sail the seven seas We'll sail to France and

China Wherever else we please Have you been... No, not the words.

Bobby?

We'll all be captains We'll sail the seven seas We'll

go to France and China Wherever else we please

It doesn't matter however far we roam We'll always

chart our final course that takes us safely home.