Original subtitles

Prisoner at the bar, you've had your trial for robbery

for stealing $5,000 from the stagecoach office.

We've taken a vote.

We found you guilty.

As I call these numbers, step forward.

Five.

Eleven.

Eighteen, nineteen.

In a fair lottery, you men holding these numbers are appointed to the firing squad.

Ready.

This committee has found the criminal and punished him.

The men of this town stand for law and order.

We'll have no lawlessness here.

Drink up some of those empty crates and take the wood back to the garlic.

Yeah, Joshua, this is the strangest town I ever did see.

There's not a stick of wood to be found anywhere. And if we don't get some,

we don't move. Yeah, I know, I know.

But if we don't get to New Orleans by this weekend, we lose our big, fat cargo.

You know, the thing I don't understand is the way the people acted.

I guess they were scared to talk. What are they scared of?

I don't know. There's enough wood in the galley in there to fix up some hot food.

No, sir. Mr. Kearney went ashore to try to find some.

Well, there will be now. I just sent some back to the galley. All right,

you tell Cook to make me some lunch, eh?

Yes, sir.

Hey, you're the fool.

Take your man and get out of town. Move on.

We don't want any strangers around here. Your first and last warning.

Get this tub out of here.

You all right?

Oh, I'm all right.

Where'd you meet those two goblins? I was looking for wood,

and they snuck up behind me, stuck a gun in my back,

and rushed me back into the boat. Dressed like that?

Sure. You mean they were walking around the street with their hoods over their head?

Well, certainly. All the people ran.

Nobody stopped to help me.

This used to be a good town, but it's changed now.

They had a good law and order committee. Well, what happened to it? Well,

it seems these Knight Riders got control.

Knight Riders? Yeah, they want to do everything their way,

mostly to grab land and cheat people. I heard of them back in 1835. Look,

it's not history we'll be wanting, it's wood.

Now, isn't this the place that Joe Oliver set up in business?

Joe Oliver. I remember him. He does real neat card tricks.

Real neat card tricks? He's a card sharp.

You'll not be playing Pharaoh with him. You'll only be asking for his help, sir.

Yeah, yeah. No, no, Carney.

No, you're right. No.

Joshua, let's go into town. Maybe Joe Oliver can't help us, huh?

You know, if he's anywhere in town,

I'll bet my bottom dollar that you'll find Joe Oliver in a saloon.

Where'd I find Joe Oliver?

He's still afraid.

I don't care what you say. You have to go away.

We'll go together.

Got to sell out first.

Joe, every minute you stay here, it's dangerous.

They said they'd kill you, and they will.

I'm careful, darling.

I love you.

Joe?

Yeah, that's Joe.

Joe, the boat's on fire.

Joe, you got five aces.

Gray Holden.

Joshua, how are you?

Well, it's good to see old pals again.

You weren't such a good old pal when I threw

you off the boat for playing cookin' poker.

That must have been a long time ago.

Oh, I'd like to have you meet Eileen. Eileen Mason. How you doing?

She's going to be my wife.

Well, congratulations. I hope you know what you're getting yourself in for.

Thank you. I know what I'm getting in for.

I swear, I haven't trimmed a sucker in over a year.

I built this place on the straight and narrow. Come on, sit down.

Celebrate with the best wine.

Don't tell me he got this place honestly.

Yes.

Some men change, and Joe's one of them.

I know all about his reputation on the riverboat.

Really?

And you must know a great deal.

Well, now, suppose I told you that he built a school.

The next thing you'll be telling us is the leader of the choir in church.

No, not exactly that, but he did help build a new one.

Joe?

Well, I guess it is an age of miracles.

Now, what can I do for you?

Wood.

Oh.

Well, you said name it.

We need wood. I can't move my boat without it. I see.

Well, you're not on the payoff list then, huh? What payoff list?

Well, only the boats that pay extra get wood.

You see any men around with sacks over their faces? Yeah, we have.

We don't like it at all. What do they got to do about the wood?

They control it.

They run the town.

Joe Fulton.

Now they're after him.

They're forcing him to sell out.

Let's keep this cheerful, Eileen. I want my friends to drink a toast to you.

To the loveliest girl north and south of New Orleans.

Do you, Oliver?

We've come for you.

What's going on here?

You stay out of this.

We only want Oliver.

Very well.

No, John, no!

Take care of her, Grace.

Joshua!

They took him, too!

What do you mean, they took him?

They took him!

You all saw what happened? Let's go after them.

Oh, they wouldn't dare. They're scared of being killed.

Nobody can ask my man. I'll go see the sheriff.

We haven't got a sheriff.

Well, then who's the law?

We don't have a law. We're not organized as a town yet.

We have a committee that runs it.

I'll see the committee.

Look, we don't trust them. Well, that's why they're scared of getting killed.

I want my man back safe and sound. Now, who do I see?

Well, you could try Mr. Rogers, the lawyer.

He has the room above MacLeish's hardware store.

Yeah.

It's right over there across the street.

Yes, sir, what can I do for you? I'm looking for Mr. Rogers.

Yeah, Sam Rogers.

You Mr. Rogers?

One of my men was just taken by a bunch of hooded men along with Joe Oliver. What?

When did this happen? Two minutes ago, right across the street in the saloon.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Captain,

but there's nothing we can do about it right now.

Now, wait a minute, boys. You're supposed to be the law and order in this town,

aren't you? That's right.

Mr. McLeish heads the committee.

Kidnapping on top of the Farley killing.

It's got to be those squatters. They're a very violent people.

I want my man found.

We'll get on it, Captain, but in our own way.

Now, don't worry about it.

Yes, we have law here.

In a pig's eye.

Let me tell you gentlemen something about the law of the river.

When one member of a riverboat crew is in trouble,

the rest of the members of that crew help out. Don't threaten us, Captain.

We'll help you, but we have to round up the committee first.

Committee? What committee?

A committee that tolerates hooded men snatching useful citizens off the street?

Captain, just let our law handle this, please.

I'll find my men if I have to turn this town inside out.

I'll use my own crew. Captain, keep your crew off our streets.

Why did they take Joshua? He's no enemy of theirs. Well, maybe to keep him quiet.

The note here says that we can get him back alive,

but I don't know whether to believe it or not. Well,

it's a trick to get us out of town. Yeah, it says if we sail by tonight,

we can get him back. Well,

then we'll sail tonight if we have to burn furniture in the boilers.

Well, now, it's not as simple as that, Mr. Carney. They've also got Joe Oliver.

Joe Oliver is not one of us, Captain, and Joshua is.

Yeah, I suppose all we got back with Joshua was dead body.

Captain, don't let him hurt Joshua.

Oh, no, no, I won't, Chip, I won't.

I'll do everything I can to get him back safe and sound.

Then we'll sail right now. That'll get him back.

Well, we can't be sure of that either.

See, and then there's the other man to consider.

We don't want anybody to get hurt, now do we?

No.

That's what I was hoping you'd say.

All right, boys, we've got the sun down.

I say we're going to take this town apart. That's exactly what we're going to do.

We're going to go through every barn, every house, every store.

Go right from the cellar up to the attic.

No rough stuff, but don't take no for an answer.

That's the kind of talk I like to hear.

Chip, you stay here.

That's right.

You can bet a sure thing Joshua isn't in that barn.

I have a couple more stores and barns down the street down there. All right,

you two men take the barbershop and the saloon. Keep going.

Captain Holden!

Your search seems to be making a lot of people unhappy.

I haven't begun to make people unhappy yet.

Well, you don't seem to be very lucky with your methods.

Sometimes a woman can help with another woman better than a man can.

That's doubtful.

I'd like to help you.

Come on, honey, I've never turned down any help yet.

Mrs. Pauley, this is Captain Holton.

We'd like to look through your house, ma'am.

Yes, I've heard of you and your high-handed ways. The missing men aren't in there.

Mind if I look for myself?

I can't stop you.

The captain can search all he wants,

but I don't want your kind of woman in my house.

My kind of woman isn't always as bad as you think, Mrs. Pawley.

Wait for him outside. Look, I'm in this because of Joe Oliver.

The saloon keeper.

A man who gave you a schoolhouse and a church.

I got nothing against him.

Well, I'm glad, because I think a great deal of him.

We're going to be married.

Oh.

Well.

Nobody here.

I told you that.

You know, you don't look to me to be the kind of

a woman who'd approve of those night riders.

I don't, and I never did. But what could I do about it?

They've got decent men in this town believing in them,

believing that they're backing up the law.

Is your husband one of these decent men?

Certainly not.

Has your husband fought against them?

There isn't a man in town that'd stand up to them.

Now, get out.

Why don't you women do it?

Oh, that's crazy. No, it isn't.

Find out who they are. Let people know.

Call them what they really are, highwaymen and killers.

Maybe that'll get the good men started thinking.

He's right, Mrs. Pauley.

The good men are being fooled by a few who

talk law and justice to get what they want.

Maybe.

I'd be killed if I knew anything and told you.

Do you really believe that?

I know that.

Well, thanks anyway.

Come here, Captain Holden, quickly.

Get it after, quick. Over there, Captain. Who is it?

My husband.

Your husband?

You said that he wasn't connected with these Knight Riders.

I was never sure.

Harry.

They killed him so he couldn't talk to you. Orson.

No, it was just the wind blowing those branches across the roof.

We're too far off the main road for horses.

Well, it's not a very big town,

but I hope I never see so many Barnes again as long as I live.

You sure you searched every house?

Positive.

Well, they couldn't have taken them out in the country.

Well, he disappeared before your lovely eyes. You know, you put two men in a wagon,

you can take them anywhere.

Oh, don't say it, Skipper.

I know you didn't have any better luck than the rest of us. No, we need more time,

more men to cover the countryside.

And I didn't see any law and order committee go to work.

And nobody talked?

Nobody.

It means a lot to me that you're trying. It kind of keeps me together.

See, when I first came to this town, I was broke.

Joe staked me and gave me a job.

Now he wants to marry me.

Very much, but I'd give it up if it meant his living.

I'd do anything.

Well, Captain, we haven't been idle.

Oh, we've run onto something now. It's just a rumor, but in fairness to you,

we thought you should hear about it. All right, let's hear it.

Well, according to this rumor,

the Knight Riders are gathering to pass judgment on the two men that they took.

Judgment for what?

Well, that wasn't mentioned. But according to the rumor,

there's no quarrel with your Mr. Joshua.

Seems that your man was just taken by mistake.

Are you gonna make a deal?

Oh, no, we can't do that.

Just some friendly advice. Now, according to this rumor, you can find Mr.

Joshua at Crawley's Wood Station, about 20 miles down river,

provided you sail right away.

What about Joe Oliver?

Haven't heard a thing about him.

Why should I believe the rumors?

A bunch of men who wear masks.

Well, maybe we're wasting our time coming here.

You do as you please.

But let me tell you one thing.

Those night riders will be watching your boat. And after sundown,

it'll be too late. They strike fast.

Well, boys, Josh is a member of the crew.

It's gonna be up to you to decide what we do.

How do you want it?

Do we go?

You got your answer, Skipper. We're shoving off right away.

Sorry, miss, we want Joshua.

You're fools to believe, McLeish. If you go, you'll never see Joshua again.

I've been in this town long enough to know how those men work.

Come on, Skipper, we're wasting time.

Well, see how saying things like that can help.

It's a lie, isn't it?

Yes, it is, but he's the only man who's strong enough to stand up to this town.

If we make him really mad, he'll stay and find his man and Joe.

You do love Joe, don't you?

Very much indeed.

All right, I'll do it.

Miss Polly, the cabin boy said that you wanted to see me.

Kevin, I feel it's my duty to tell you this.

That girl is using you to hide her own sin.

I'm afraid I don't understand.

Did she tell you that she gets the saloon if Joe Oliver doesn't come back?

I have that on a good authority.

Well, there's no crime in that.

It is.

If she set the trap to have Joe picked up.

I don't believe that. They were going to get married. She's in love with him.

Pretend in love.

To get him to name her in his will.

And who's to suspect her when he's dead and gone?

That's what she wants.

Why are you telling me this?

Well, I just felt it was my duty.

Good day, Captain.

I don't know.

Well, Chip, what's the matter?

You left Joshua. You didn't even save him.

Oh, now, wait a minute, Chip. Wait a minute. I'm still trying, boy.

But we're sailing away, and those men got him.

No, no, Chip, listen. When you like fighting one way, then you got to try another.

All I know is we're sailing away and leaving Joshua.

No, no, no. We're just going to Crawley's Wood Station.

At least that's what some people think.

Aren't we?

No, no, we're just going up the river, around the bend here a little bit,

and then pulling to shore. These are the people I want to take by surprise.

Suppose it doesn't work.

Well, well, Chip, we've still got the sundown.

Here you are. I misappropriated these.

Well, I guess we fooled them.

Steam it off like we own the river. How far can we go?

I chopped up ten cargo crates for the wood. Well,

we got enough left to keep the butters singing another three minutes. Oh,

that's fine. You know, somebody wanted us out of that town real bad.

I have a hunch they didn't want us to know where they hold the meetings. Well,

they got to leave their houses to go someplace.

We could have stayed and kept an eye on him.

That's exactly what we're going to do right now.

I don't think we'll be noticed wearing these civilian clothes.

When do I come into the picture?

I'll let you know, Mr. Carney. I'll let you know. You bring the man in.

Oh, good. I ain't been in a good brand again for two months. Oh, that's me.

All right, hard to harbor it now.

That's right. All right, reverse engines.

Reverse engines!

Gently now!

Reverse now!

My compliments on the landing.

Would you please reverse your engines? The engines were reversed.

It was just out of steam. Yeah, you better check your valves.

Come on, Dad.

I want to go, too.

Now, just a minute. Nothing doing, boy. We got a lot of walking to do out there.

I don't walk.

You're going to stay right here.

And you better get that button fixed, too.

Yes, sir.

Come on, then.

You're not here until about 8 o'clock.

You meet me at the saloon with the rest of the men. You can come.

Well, civilian?

Come on.

Open for business, Mr. Rogers?

Oh, no, no, we didn't sail away. We wanted a chance to talk to you alone.

I'm mighty glad you're still here, Captain. Yeah, well, I doubt that.

Now, where are the missing men?

I don't even know where the men are.

I thought I could handle this my way for the good of the town, but I failed.

I've even lost contact with McLeish.

You're one of them.

I know you think that, but I'm not.

I never have been. I let them think I was in

sympathy with them while I looked for proof, but I just got nowhere.

You know that McLeish is in it, don't you?

I believe he had something to do with taking $5,000 from the stagecoach office.

That means the man who was killed was innocent.

McLeish was like a madman this afternoon.

I tried to follow him, but I lost him.

I need your help, Captain.

You know, I'd like to believe you, but you confess too easily.

It's the truth.

I swear it.

Please, let your men patrol the streets. No one else will help me.

The townspeople are afraid.

You know, you're very convincing.

I'm afraid I can't take the chance. Tie him up, Danny. You know where to meet me.

McAleese is going to double-cross you.

Your man won't be at Crawford Station when you get there. In fact,

he won't even be alive when they get through with him.

You know where to meet me.

Captain said Joshua's only got till sundown.

He only took Dan, the rest of the crew here.

Boy, that old sun sure is moving fast.

You better stay here, Andy.

All right, let's knock off the loafers.

Let's grab some axes.

We'll cut wood while we're waiting.

Well, there should be enough time for you to open the safe now, shouldn't there?

I don't have the key.

There's nothing but records in it.

Now, be a good boy and give me the key, huh?

You know, I could shoot you first, and then search for it myself.

I think you'd be very happy in that closet right behind you.

Drop that gun.

I found the front door was locked.

I knew Sims wouldn't leave the store unattended not giving that money.

This man died for that money.

Find him!

Mrs. Pauling, did a man come in here? That Captain Holden?

I'm alone, Mr. MacLeish. No one came in.

You're quite sure?

Would you care to come in and search?

No. No, thanks.

Thank you.

You don't have to thank me. I never liked Mr. McLeish.

I'm gonna have to trust you, Miss Polly.

Here's $5,000. From the stagecoach robbery, I found McLeish's safe.

Poor Mr. Farley. We all thought he was innocent.

Did Mr. McLeish kill him?

Well, if he didn't, he's awful close to whoever did.

I want you to hang on to this money. If anything happens to me,

you know what to do with it.

No, the back way.

What was that? It was the finest little lad in the whole world.

Somebody from the boat?

A cabin boy.

I got a message to him. He'll bring help.

The boat's miles from here. He's halfway there.

Sam.

Didn't you get the message? I tried to see to you.

Sure, Joshua. Go get Captain Holden, but I couldn't leave you here.

The guard won't be back any minute.

Oh, he's out looking for someone.

That won't do any good. How'd you ever find us?

The captain beached the boat on the river.

I followed him, and that's when I saw the man with the hood.

Get back to the boat, Shepard. Tell the captain. That's an order.

Try to close the place and people keep coming in here as if nothing had happened.

You did come back.

Get the rest of the people out of here.

All right, everybody out of here. I'm closing the place up. Now get out, all of you.

Now close the curtains and sit down.

Hear anything from Jo?

Now you watch her, Dan. Don't let her out of your sight.

She may try to warn the others.

He's been watching this thought for a half hour.

Bring him to the meeting.

Please don't let me be scared.

This is awful important to Joshua and his friend.

I just gotta find the captain.

So don't let me get lost anymore.

Please?

Dan, why don't you believe me?

I had to let him think those things about me

so he'd be mad enough to stay and fight.

That's your story.

The captain heard another one.

Hasn't he come back?

Stay inside or I'll have to tie you to a chair.

Don't worry, I said I wouldn't go out.

The sun's getting awful low. The skipper should have sent for us by now.

Where's that ship with the coffee? I yelled loud enough.

I can't find the lad.

Well, he's in his cabin.

I looked. He ain't on this boat.

Any of you see him go ashore?

Not me.

Oh, Skipper and Keel haul me for this.

Well, don't just stand there. Search this tub from her stacks to her bottom.

Move!

Chip, what are you doing here?

Oh, I got lost coming back from Joshua because I couldn't cut in time.

Joshua?

Yeah. Did you see Joe Oliver? Oh, yes. I talked to him, but they made me go away.

Wait a minute, Chip. One thing at a time now. Where are they?

Well, when you all had such bad luck, I decided to help, too.

They're guarded by a man with a hood, but he didn't catch me.

Where are they?

Well, it's sort of like a barn with brush all around it. Yes, I know,

about a mile south from here, down on the old wagon

road. Yeah, that's it. You can't miss it.

I'll get Carney and the crew.

I want to come, too.

No, Chip, you stay right here. The captain would want it that way.

Yes, ma'am.

Chip, you did see Joe Oliver?

Yes, ma'am. I said I'd talk to him.

Is he all right?

Yes.

Take Dan about an hour to get the crew together.

Listen to me.

You stay here.

Right here.

Yes, ma'am.

But we couldn't do a thing like that.

The women, they'd laugh at us.

I don't think they would.

You must get some of the women to help us.

No, it's the craziest thing I ever heard of.

And they'd shoot us.

Their own wives and daughters?

No.

Mrs. Pauling, your husband was killed in cold blood.

You want that to happen to other women's husbands.

No.

Oh, no.

But we can't just march on them like an army.

But we'd be an army.

We could cause enough confusion to hold them up till the captain's crew got there.

I don't think I could get any women to listen to me.

You could try.

Please try. Well, I don't know.

The word's been passed. The jury's been assembled.

We'll wait here for the verdict.

Captain.

Captain Holden.

Joshua.

Well, I said I'd find you. Does anybody in town know they got you?

Nobody at all.

Yeah, they are, Captain.

Local law and order.

Fine specimens of men.

What are we waiting for?

They're waiting for their leader, probably. I don't see him here.

What's up? Mr. Kearney!

Mr. Kearney!

Yes, that's what I said. We found him.

That is Chip did. The saints we praise. The lad is safe. He is.

Get the men together. I'll show you where the warehouse is. All right.

Hit the cargo deck, you swabs!

We found them!

Follow me!

¶¶

There he is, that's the one.

The prisoners have been tried and found guilty.

Have you anything to say?

Yeah, when was the trial? Your presence was not required. But yours was, wasn't it?

Why don't you take off that mask and face us, McLeish?

Mac, what kind of a joke is this? It's no joke, Oliver.

You had a fair trial.

You've gotten away, Joe.

You're getting out of it right now.

Oh, there's enough land in this valley for a hundred times as many people.

Well, you're greedy.

You want it all.

Then we're going to have it.

Prepare for the execution. Joe Oliver first.

As I call your numbers, step forward.

Three.

Six.

As a result of a fair lottery, you men have been

appointed to the firing squad. Take your places.

Ready.

Aim.

You wouldn't dare.

Joe!

Listen, you hear that? Those are your women out there, and they're all armed.

They intend to see justice done.

Don't listen to her!

You want to fight your own womenfolk? Want them to see your faces,

see what you're really like?

Caleb Johnson, I know you.

And Matthew, you have two little children at home.

And Zeke, your wife is waiting for you outside.

All of your wives!

When the circuit judge gets here, there'll be a trial.

I can't think of a better place to hold it than right here.

All right, Joshua, get him out of here. With pleasure.

Captain Holden, what I told you, it wasn't true.

What do you mean it wasn't true?

She told me to say that so you'd stay here and help us.

What do you mean, so I'd stay here? Cut!

Don't tell me I missed out on another Brannigan. Of course you didn't, Carney.

And what are all the women doing out there?

The women out there?

Well, we're having a square dance, of course.

Square dance? And you can bet your life the skipper was calling the tune.

And away we go with the doozy doo.

Where did you get this?

Mr. Joshua gave it to me.

Joshua, Joshua!

I said... Joshua, where did you... What is this?

Well, don't you know?

October 31st. So? Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween.

Oh, that's a nice mask you're wearing, Mr. Carney.

What did you say?

I said that's an... Happy Halloween!