Original subtitles

So this is where the guy out goes, huh, Jim? Right through the wilderness here.

Dead ahead, instead of going around the bend of the river. My goodness, Jim.

You mean riverboats are going to be sailing right

here where we're standing? That's right, Captain.

I don't believe it. And towns springing up and farms pushing the wilderness aside.

Look at this map.

The bend is 92 miles long. Huh? But we changed the course of the river.

From here to here, it's only 14 miles.

That's where we're cutting the canal.

My gosh, we gotta have a lot of these things in the Mississippi, you know?

It'll cut off hundreds of miles in a strip. Another thing,

this canal cuts off 10 miles of rapids, too. Yeah, I know.

Get off this land while you're still alive! Get off!

You'll never build that canal!

I don't understand what that government engineer was doing here last week.

He was supposed to pick out a campsite, arrange transportation for us.

You haven't got any work, Mr. Mendedeke.

I know, I know. We'll get them. I wouldn't worry about it, Captain.

If they don't show up, I'll take charge of them for you. You'll take charge?

Well, who do you think built the Erie Canal? Oh, if I cry it out, who did?

It was a man named Skinner, I think.

That's what I thought. You're going to have your hands full looking out

for sabotage or any more delays and government can withdraw support.

Surveyor murdered? Threats to sink our boat?

I'm wondering, is the canal really worth it?

Yes, Terry, the canal is really worth it. You see,

all the riverboatmen on the river are behind this.

That's why the government's given us money.

Yes, sir.

I don't see why you have to be on the firing line, Captain.

Well, the riverboatmen had it represented. I didn't want the job. They elected me.

Captain Holden!

Captain Holden!

Look what Mr. Pickelon and Mr. Carney made for me.

Chip?

What is that, Chip?

Look what Mr. Pickelon and Mr. Carney made for me.

What's that for?

It's for my dog.

Barney Jackson? What is it?

It's a dog house. He can live in it while we're at the camp.

Well, uh, you look at it with some respect, Skipper.

It took a little labor and a lot of love. Yeah, I can see that, but, uh, well,

can he get his tail in it?

All of itself goes in. I hit him. Oh, you did, huh?

Yeah, I'll show you. I'll get Andy.

Come on, Andy.

Where are you?

You boys got a job to do. You gotta give Terry any help that he needs.

And bring me back my supplies. I'm gonna need them. Aye, sir. And ditch the ears.

Would you want me to be hunting up some of me patties for you? No, no, no.

We'll find them here. Not so sure, sir.

Stopped in the saloon, heard some workmen came, but they were scared away.

Yeah, I heard that. I don't believe it. In the future,

I'll take care of them like they were my own lads. You mean they won't be?

You take credit for everything else in the Mississippi Valley.

I'll let you know that when I see them.

Come on, lad.

Well, I guess I'd better get changed, see if I can't find that government engineer.

Hello, my name's Captain Gray Holden. I'm looking for a man named Frank Paxton.

Is he in here? Yes, he is.

He checked in last Thursday.

Is he in?

Well, no, he isn't. He just stepped out for a while.

He said he'd be right back. Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Are you staring at anything in particular, Captain?

Yes, ma'am.

I like to look at a pretty woman.

You are a sailor, aren't you?

Don't tell me you've been away at sea and you

haven't seen a woman in five long years?

Mm-mm.

Five long weeks.

Will you be here long?

Indefinitely, ma'am.

Indefinitely.

I hope we'll meet again.

I hope so, too.

But I don't think we'd better. That looks an awful lot like a wedding ring to me.

Oh, you are an unusual man.

Oh, uh, Captain Holden. Yes. Here's the man you've been waiting for.

Oh, Mr. Paxton. Been out looking for you. I see you've met my wife, Reddy.

Your wife?

I always travel with my husband.

I think that's where a wife belongs, don't you, Captain?

Ma'am?

Well, you two have lots to talk about. I imagine

I'll see you back at the camp, Captain.

Yeah, ma'am, I imagine.

It's a lovely woman you got there.

Yes, yes.

Better than I deserve.

I don't seem to have much time for her.

What a shame.

Well, what happened to you?

I was expecting you with horses and wagons down at the dock. So did I,

but I couldn't get them. You didn't get them?

Why not?

Well, the only place in town that has enough horses and

wagons for our needs is Harper's Stagecoach Company.

They won't lift a finger to help us.

But they've got to, do they?

Then you talk to Sam Harper. He's the owner.

I'll do just that.

I'm sorry, gentlemen.

I'd like to help you, but I can't. Why not?

We'll be frank.

If we help you, we'll be putting our company out of business.

Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Dunning, you're wrong.

This canal will mean prosperity for the entire peninsula.

Now, my partner's right, Captain.

Our stagecoaches carry all the cargo and passengers

that travel across the peninsula.

Now, how long do you think they'd ride with us

if they could go cheaper and faster by boat?

No, Mr. Harper, you're wrong.

New towns will spring up all the way along the canal.

You'll be needed more than ever.

I wish I could believe that, but I don't.

I can't.

You'd like to have this canal to increase your business.

But if we're going to survive, we want things to stay the way they are.

So why should we help you? Come on, Captain.

I guess we're going to have to get our horses wagging someplace else.

Yes, well, you may find some people to help you, but...

Are you sure it's worth the time and effort?

What do you mean?

Well, what he means is a government surveyor was murdered

last week. Yeah, I know. He took a shot at me.

Said we'd never build a canal.

I'm sorry to hear that, Captain. I don't believe in killing.

People are stirred up. They don't want a canal.

You'll have trouble from the hotheads.

Yeah. All right, boys. Watch it down tight. A lot of bumpy roads ahead.

Keep those guns handy, just in case.

Well, Captain, we'll soon be on our own.

No one to help us but each other. Yeah.

Me and Andy will be good in a fight.

Oh, stop talking nonsense. Now, Chip, you and Josh are gonna ride up front with me.

That's very friendly of you, Captain, but somebody got that ahead of us. Huh?

Well, Mrs. Paxton, I thought you went ahead with your husband's group.

On horseback?

I've never been on a horse in my life.

Oh, I see.

Well, in that case, ma'am, welcome aboard.

Thank you.

I bet she'd learn rather quickly if you were teaching her. Oh, don't be ridiculous,

Joshua. She's a married woman. Yeah, and a married woman's neglected by her husband.

That's trouble. Yeah, well, in that case, then you'd better watch out.

You know how irresistible you are to women.

All right, men, I need one more driver for that last wagon. Any volunteers?

I can handle it for you, Captain. Name's Bigsby. Clint Bigsby.

All right, Bigsby, you bring up the rear. Take that last wagon.

All right, let's get ready to fall out!

I hope you don't mind my riding with you, Captain.

I always like the best possible view.

Ma'am, the best possible view is right straight ahead.

Yeah!

Captain, you're not afraid of me, are you?

Afraid, Miss Paxton?

No, I'm not afraid. Just a little puzzled, though.

Puzzled by what?

By you.

By what it is you want.

What makes you think I want anything?

Oh, you want something, all right.

I only wanted you to like me, Captain.

I thought you rather did when we met in the hotel lobby.

Oh, I can't deny that.

But I didn't think you were a married woman then.

And that means we can't be friends.

Friends, yeah, sure, friends.

But you gotta look in your eyes, spells trouble.

And trouble's the one thing I don't want.

Not on this job.

Get him home!

What's wrong? What's the trouble here?

Reckon all them bumps must have jarred the wheel, those cattle, huh?

At least it's not broken. We can mend that.

Yeah, yeah, the hub's all right. All right, boys, come on.

Get a couple of poles here and jack up the rear end. Come on, get a move on, boys.

Get a move on.

All right, come on. One, two, up!

I'm keeping busy here, and I'm gonna go back and see about Chip and the woman.

What are you doing with that rifle? Keep your

hands off those guns, boy. Hey, hold it!

Oh, you all right, Mrs. Paxton?

Of course.

All that shooting made the horses run. Oh, no.

No, I started them.

I... The bullets made me nervous.

I don't know how to ride, but I do know how to drive a team.

But thank you for trying to save my life, Captain. It was...

It was very friendly of you.

Yeah.

Sounds like all the shooting's over. Excuse me, ma'am.

We drove them off, Captain. The other wagon will be fixed in no time.

All right, you take this wagon on to camp.

I'll take your horses on back, see if I can help the other men.

What's the damages?

One man's dead and three men are hurt pretty bad.

One man dead.

I told you I didn't want any killing.

We're playing for keeps.

Donegan, you're going to have to get a hold of yourself.

Hating the river people isn't going to happen.

You forget. They killed my wife.

If that was a boat accident, nobody could help it.

Mary's dead because of them.

Now they want to ruin me and my business.

They won't.

We've started a war.

I'm finishing it.

Come on. Hold it up. That's right. Hold it up there.

All right. Lasher down tight there.

Here, Andy. Come on, Andy. Supper's ready, Andy. Come on, boy.

Andy, come on, Andy. Supper's ready.

Chick, what are you doing there, boy?

Meat for Andy.

Don't ever leave food outside overnight here, now, you understand?

Well, not yet, Andy.

Well, this is wild animal country here. Sure they can smell that food.

And while off, there's no telling who we'd have crawling around here tonight.

I'll remember, Captain.

Well, Frank, how's it going?

Fine.

This waterfall's a godsend, Gray.

I'm going to divert this channel just enough so that we can use

the water power to help us wash away the dirt we excavate.

Well, we'll divert it in the wrong direction. If you do,

you'll have to wash away the can. When do we start the actual digging?

Well, that's my problem.

We haven't got enough men to dig a well. Well, we'll get them.

My boat's recruiting men all up and down the river. Good.

I'll go talk to the surveyor now.

Well, Mrs. Paxton.

Oh, I thought I told you to call me Tracy.

You gonna wear that dress outside again?

But why not?

Don't you like it?

Very much.

So do the men. You're creating much too much tension in that dress.

What do you suggest, Captain?

Wear something simpler. A shirt waist and a skirt.

The trouble with being a woman, Captain, is that we're

not permitted to be useful, just decorative.

More coffee, Mr. Paxman?

No, thanks. I got a lot of work to do.

Not again tonight.

Well, we've got a schedule. If I don't lay out tomorrow's work, we'll fall behind.

Well, I guess I'll go check around the camp. See if everything's quiet.

Why don't you take a night off, Frank?

You need a rest.

There'll be plenty of time to rest when the

job's done. We've got deadlines, remember?

Well, what about me, Frank?

I'm alone here all day long. Must I be alone at night too?

Tracy, I told you what it'd be like living out here.

And you know what this job means to me.

We have no life of our own.

Try and understand, please.

Tell me, Captain, if I were your wife,

would you neglect me as shamefully as Frank does?

Not me, Mrs. Paxton.

I'd be afraid to.

He's a diplomat.

I'll be back as soon as I give the orders for tomorrow's work.

What about you, Captain?

You have to work tonight, too.

Oh, yes.

Yes, ma'am, I'm afraid I do.

Please don't get away from me.

Can't we just talk?

Talk?

What about?

Anything.

Everything.

What's the trouble between you and your husband?

I'm married to a dedicated man, Captain.

His job comes first, and I come second.

Well, maybe it's time that he came second with me.

If your husband neglects you, he's a fool.

But don't ask me to be a bigger fool.

Chip, didn't you forget something?

No, sir, I did all my chores.

What about your lessons?

Yeah, all right, get your books. We'll start in.

You're giving him lessons now?

I never miss a day, ma'am.

All right, now then, what was it? Arithmetic, wasn't it?

No, geography and spelling. Geography and spelling.

All right, we'll start with geography. Now, let's see here.

All right.

Where's Chattanooga?

I don't ever expect to go there.

That's got nothing to do with it, son. Now, where's Chattanooga?

But if I'm never going there... One lesson wrong.

All right, where's Philadelphia?

That's another city I never expect to see.

And you haven't studied your lessons, right?

Right.

All right.

Do all bears kill people?

No, not always.

Most of them run away if you shoot over their heads.

But don't get close enough to find out.

But I am close to one.

I saw one outside the window.

Honest, I did. He just went away.

You can see him right there.

Listen, young fella, that wasn't just an excuse

to get out of doing your lessons now, was it?

No, sir, I did see one.

Yeah, well, you better go to your room now.

We'll do today's lesson tomorrow.

Yes, sir.

Ed, didn't you forget something?

Yes, sir.

Spread food all around camp. It ought to track something wild.

That's no good.

Get on with the blasting powder.

But Harper said that we ought to... Never mind what Harper said.

Do what I say.

All right, boys, all right, the show's over. Go on to bed.

Go on to bed. Oh, when I was Paxton's age.

Say it again. Well, I didn't spend all my time working

when I had a lass like that to call my own.

Your wife just had a visitor.

Oh, that's what it was.

That's good shooting, Cotton. Yeah.

You know, somebody's been placing food all around the camp. Yeah,

planning an encampment to attract killer bears. I mean, who's behind it all? Well,

Harper and his crowd, most likely.

They're the ones who lose the most.

There's something else, too, they can use. A lot more dangerous.

Here.

You stay here.

How did you get away from the camp?

Baxter needed some supplies from town. He sent me in to pick them up.

How are things going out there?

Slow.

Did you get the stuff?

Real slow.

Stuff? What stuff?

Blasting powder.

Blasting powder? Yeah. I want to show you something.

That whole camp is situated at the base of a waterfall.

Now, something should happen to change the direction

of that waterfall while Paxton's men are over here.

The whole camp will be washed away. Supplies, equipment, everything.

When I say no, I'm no murderer.

Murderer?

Mr. Harper, a riverboat killed Mary. Done it, then. Use your head.

Captain Holden is no fool. They'd investigate. They'd find out.

They'd find out that it was an accident with their own blasting powder.

I'll go to the sheriff.

No, you won't, Sam.

We're too close. Been friends too long.

Thanks, Lee. I'll see you later.

Stop worrying.

Yeah, I can tell by the look on your face you had no luck finding it.

That powder was taking the damage, I'm sure of that.

It was stolen by one of our own men, too.

It can't help thinking every time I look at one of them, they see the thief.

Yeah, well, we got the powder stored in the shack now.

If you see anybody sneaking around there, don't be afraid to shoot them.

I'll do that gladly. Yeah, just don't shoot toward the powder.

Goodbye, Sarah.

You satisfied, Captain?

I didn't take any.

Ms. Paxton?

Gray, I want to thank you for last night.

Thank me for what?

Thank you for saving my life.

I was trying to protect the whole camp, Mrs. Paxton, not just you.

Was that all it meant to you?

You're not suggesting that it meant more than that to you, are you?

Well, I'm not sure.

I started off using you to try to make Frank jealous, but now...

You're acting like a schoolgirl.

Don't be foolish.

It's Frank you love, not me.

Frank doesn't know I'm alive.

Frank, it's not the way you think.

I'm telling the truth!

All right, we're pulling out of here. Now get your things together.

Well, look at that. The engineer and his wife have come to town.

They brought their luggage. Hmm.

Maybe they're quitting camp.

But why?

Well, Bixby said that the woman's been making a play for Holden all along.

Maybe Paxton found out.

Coming this way.

Something tells me we don't need to worry about

the canal anymore. It won't get built.

No, Harper.

Holden's too smart for that.

He loses one engineer, he gets another.

There's only one way to get rid of him.

Wipe him out.

No, Donegan, no.

There's a stage for Nash's leave. Above one hour, sir. I want two tickets, please.

You leaving the canal, Mr. Paxton?

The job here is through. The tickets, please.

Just how much do you love your wife, Mr. Paxton?

What?

You heard me.

I want an answer.

I love her enough to kill any man that tries to take her from me.

Put that gun away. Now, you stay right where you

are. Now, you're a reasonable man, Mr. Paxton.

I'm sure you want to help me.

Now, you just stay out of my way. My wife and I are leaving.

Not yet.

You shouldn't have interfered with my man Bixby.

Now the blasting powder's all locked up, but you're going to get me some more.

Bixby will finish the job.

Your wife here, she stays right here until it's done.

Joshua, you ought to reach the town just about the time the boat's docking.

I'll bring every available man with you.

Happened just because Paxton ran over on you. Look, I can't start without him.

But at least I can get the digging started. Time to meet the government deadline.

What's going to happen?

I don't know, Chip. I don't know. But I got an itch.

You mean you feel trouble coming?

I feel trouble.

Bring the men tonight, but don't bring them by the road.

Bring them down by the gully, the way the canal goes.

Yes, sir. We'll get cracking.

You stay here.

You have something to do, remember?

Yes, sir.

Such as?

School.

Get your books.

Good luck, Joshua, and don't get shot.

You're not helping anything the end of that tune.

Chattanooga. Capital C-H-A-T-T-A-N-O-O-G-A.

Chattanooga. Yeah, that's right. That's very good. That's fine.

How about Philadelphia?

Capital P-H-I-L-L-Y.

No, no, no, no.

One L, no Y. Don't they know how to spell it in Philadelphia?

What are you doing here?

I thought you'd be on your way back down the river by now. I decided to come back.

I signed a contract to finish the job.

Andy missed you, Mr. Paxton.

I missed him too, Chip. Where is Mrs. Paxton?

I left her in town.

All by yourself?

What's the matter, Holden? You miss her already?

Oh, please, come on, Frank. There's nothing between her and me.

I came here to dig a canal, not to discuss my wife. You mind if I get to work?

Please do. Take over.

That's why he came back.

Oh, no, it doesn't make sense. He wouldn't leave her in that town all by herself.

Well, uh, come on, let's get to bed.

Come on, Andy. Time to say prayers.

Hold it right there, Paxton.

Put that powder on the table.

Okay, a gunpowder, what's got into you anyway?

What are you gonna do, finish Bixby's job of blowing up the Falls?

All of us are asleep down here, and then you've

worked with... It's your wife, isn't it?

She's in danger, right?

Where is she?

Where is she?

Harper's got her.

He wants me to get some blasting powder for them.

Why, to blow us all up?

Oh, no.

It's my wife. I have no choice. Bixby's waiting outside for it.

If they don't hear an explosion, they're going to kill Tracy, and they mean it.

Who's they?

Harper and Dunnigan.

Yeah, I'm sure they mean it.

I thought I could do anything to save Tracy.

What happens after they hear the explosion?

I take Tracy and we leave.

Oh, Frank, you don't believe that, do you?

They wouldn't let you go. If they don't hear the explosion,

they'll come here to camp and they'll destroy the whole thing.

Why are you so sure?

Because they tipped their hand to you. They'll never let you go.

We got to make them come to us.

I gotta talk to them. Where are they? Harper's office.

You going there?

Well, I'll take you hostage, too. I know, I know, I

know. Bixby's waiting outside. Yeah, that's right.

All right, you tell him that the powder's in my room with me,

and I'm asleep beside it, and you can't get to it. We need some time. Chip!

Chip, boy, wake up!

Like he's not going to believe that?

Oh, I think he will. And I think Donegan and

Harper will, too, when he reports to them.

You go on outside. I'll cover you from in here.

Listen, Chip.

You listen to me carefully.

I need you tonight.

What do you want, Captain?

Paxton! All right, I understand?

Yes, sir. OK.

I need more time. You're lying.

I can't get out the powder till he's out of the shack.

All right.

I'll be back.

Just remember, remember where your wife is at.

Get dressed.

For your sake, Mr. Paxton, I hope everything turns out all right.

We still haven't heard that explosion.

See who's in the street.

Hold it right there.

What's this? Inside the stage office.

Well, Captain Holden. That's right.

Captain Holden.

I caught Paxton.

Is Frank all right?

Captain, did you hurt him?

No. No, not after I made him talk.

Harper, you've always been a law-abiding man.

You're not going to give it all up just for this, are you?

Sorry.

There's no turning back for any of us.

Oh, I think there is. I give up. I'm calling my men back.

I'm listening.

Talk fast, Captain.

All right, they're ready to leave camp. Any minute, you'll see them riding by here.

You're a liar.

You'd never close down the camp. Wait a minute.

He might, to save her. Go on.

When you see those wagons roll by, you give her a horse and let her follow them.

You're giving up mighty easy, Holden. Why?

I know when I'm licked, Harper.

You were right. The canal isn't worth what it's costing.

I still think he's lying. It's a trap.

Well, we'll soon find out.

You might as well sit down.

Gray, I'm afraid.

You're not alone.

Just keep one thing in mind.

Your husband risked his life and his reputation just to save your neck.

River people.

They're killers, all of them.

We've got to destroy that camp, all of it.

None of them left to talk.

The wagon's from the camp.

Are you satisfied now?

I'm satisfied.

All right, then let the girl go. Not a chance.

She goes with us.

What kind of a fool do you take me for, Holden?

The camp's empty. You saw the men go by. Yeah,

I saw the ones that you wanted us to see.

How many did you leave behind to ambush us?

The camp's empty, I tell you.

All right.

We'll go back to the camp and destroy it.

Right now.

I'm going to have a gun on you and her every foot of the way.

If anyone's waiting for us, she gets the first bullet, you get the second.

I'm not going. All right, Donegan, if that's the way it's got to be,

that's the way it's got to be.

Let's go. There's the road.

The F2's head right straight down.

You're mighty anxious for us to get on that road, aren't you? Why?

Because you've got some men waiting at the other end?

We won't take that road, Holden. Well, what are the

ways? Well, go in the back way, through the gully.

Hold it.

Donegan! Mr. Donegan!

What's that lamp?

I don't know. One of the boys must have forgotten.

Might be some sort of a signal.

Next time you hear an owl hoot, trip and fall down, sprain your ankle.

All right, let's get going.

What happened? She tripped and fell.

What do you expect walking over terrain like this? Can you walk?

No. Because her ankle's beginning to swell.

There's nothing wrong with her ankle.

It's a good day's work, Captain. We got everybody except Harper. Yeah,

and I know where I can find him.

Hey, Captain. Jack. I did everything like you said.

I told Joshua what to do when he came with the crew.

Yeah, but you weren't supposed to come with him. I had to tell Josh.

What am I going to do with you?

I'll never finish the canal now, not after what I did.

But I'm never going to let you out of my sight again.

Wait a minute. What do you mean you're not going to finish the canal? You've got to.

Listen, what happened here today, no one has to know about. What you did, well,

I might have done myself.

Her man was gone, now he's came back.

Her man was gone, now he came back.

No tears no more, no tears today. Her man came back, came back.

Listen.

Hey, man, listen to this. I just got a letter from the Paxons.

They tell me the canal has grown fast.

Dunnigan was hanged for murder, and the others got five years, including Mr.

Harper. So happy days, huh? They got what they were looking for.

Yeah, that's about right. I'm glad I got there for

the Brannigan. It was a dilly. Yeah, Carney.

Hey, Chip.

What are you doing there, boy?

Well, I'm writing a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Paxton.

You're writing a letter? Why, son, you can't even spell yet.

I can, too.

All right, spell Philadelphia.

Capital P-H-I-L-A-D-E-L-F-I-A. That's right.

You see what you get from book learning, huh? Huh?