Original subtitles

You got to hammer faster. Get going.

Yeah, hurry up there. I'm getting hungry.

Come on Roy!

Hey somebody is shooting.

No.

Why they are too, I heard 'em.

Sounds like it's over at the dam.

Let's get going.

What's that?

Yes follow my orders. Use all the forces necessary.

I'll have the sheriff over from his ranch right away.

Hello operator, give me 21, Pottingham.

- Hello. - Hello, sheriff.

There's another fight at the dam.

Those rangers have broken loose again.

Well, why don't you give 'em some water then?

That's our business.

Are you going to do your duty,

or do we have to kill some of those fools?

All right I'll get out there as soon as I can.

I bet that's Lamb and Hank,

they wasn't fooling when they said

they's gonna raid the dam.

I guess you're right.

Hey, there's a couple more of them company guards.

Yeah, well I'll stop them.

You might as well surrender.

Hold it!

- All right, keep 'em up. - Hey yo!

Come on, let's get to that bell.

Hey, wait a minute!

There's some horsemen coming down there.

It's probably the sheriff.

You got to go home and take care of that arm,

I'll get the water to you.

Alright, Roy.

Well we got to work fast.

Blow the lock and open that valve.

You boys, turn them guards loose.

Wait a minute Sheriff! Hold it.

Don't you point that gun at me, Roy.

I don't know how else to keep your waiting sheriff.

The old timers getting this water need it mighty bad.

I'm gonna have to take you in.

Take it easy, we'll go along to jail peaceably

as soon as we get enough water, but not until we do.

I said take it easy.

That's a fine way for you to act.

Roy Rogers, son of a congressman, fighting the water company.

If my dad had lived there wouldn't

have been any water company.

Just the same, the law is the law,

and property's property.

And there goes ours. 100 feet a second.

Make them turn off that water.

Hey! I dropped the valve wheel!

You fellas got any other way of shutting that water off?

There ain't another valve wheel like that in the whole county.

All right, Roy. There ain't no use in you holding us here any longer.

Don't be downhearted, Sheriff.

You won't be so chipper when you get behind bars, Roy.

Behind jail bars, huh? Well Sheriff, that reminds me.

Send my mail to the county jail

Send my mail to

the county jail.

Tell our saddle-pals tonight,

if they've got some news to write...

Send my mail to the county jail.

Say goodbye to your favorite gal.

Say goodbye to your special gal.

We're supposed to have a date

but we reckon we'll be late.

Say goodbye to your favorite gal.

Tonight when coyotes howl,

and mountain lions prowl.

I'll be watching the moon

and countin' the stars.

Can't you see me looking through the jail house bars?

Pass the hat and collect our bails,

if they ask you where I am, say I'm in an awful jam.

Send that bail to the county jail.

Ho, ho, whoo!

Whoa, Nelly, whoa!

Stop ringing that bell.

What do you want on here?

I said stop ringing that bell.

Huh?

I thought you said you was coming along peaceably?

Well I did, but Nelly didn't.

Once a fire horse, always a fire

horse, Doug.

You mean every time that knot-head hears a bell

- she's going to act like that? - That's right.

She ain't with me. I'll give her a

good sellin' 'fore anybody finds out about them tricks.

Stop this noise! You're disturbing the meeting.

Well, Roy, my boy I'm glad to see you.

- How are you mayor? - Fine.

I see you brought all your boys in town for the meeting. Come

right in boys.

They can't. They're under arrest.

What's the charge? I

don't want Roy to miss the meeting.

He's charged with

trespassing on the water company's property, fighting

with the guards and stealing their water.

Hooray for Roy!

Silence!

If that's the case, I'll hold court right here and now. I'm sorry boys,

but I'll have to punish you.

I fine you for disturbing the

peace. $1 in court cost.

No, no, you can pay the clerk later. Come

on, you're late already.

Before we criticize the congressman who has represented

us so bravely for two terms in Washington,

let us remember... Let us remember!

Just a moment. Just a moment!

Wait a minute. Pardon me, but there happens to be a meeting

going on here.

I'm sorry, Richard.

As the son of a former

congressman, you should have more respect for a public

meeting. It seems to me that you should get here in time in order

to be posted.

Well, I'm already posted.

Oh, you are, are you?

Sure, Mayor Biggs started out by talking about high water rates.

Then he showed a picture of Congressman Scully and denounced

him plenty. And Mayor Jenkins of Hilton City, founded in 1848,

said the water was free then, that it ought to be free now. And

it was time the federal government did something about

it by gosh. And you as manager of the water company said I'd like

to lower the water rates, but we're losing money.

Marvelous Roy, marvelous. Practically word for word. But

- how did you know? - That's easy. You've

all been saying the same thing since my dad was Congressman.

Wait a minute. I still have the floor. As I was saying before I

was so rudely interrupted. Let me remind you that Congressman

Scully is the only man among us fitted to go to Washington and

- represent... - The Great Western Water and Power Company.

The Great Western...

I mean...

I still say that the best man fitted to represent you in

Washington is the man whose face you see on that poster!

The people's friend?

Folks, I

just held court for a man who really deserves that title.

He was brought before me for fighting the water company. Now,

are we going to send him to jail? Shall we send him to

Washington like we did his father?

Yes!

Take a wire. Mr. John B. Fairbanks, president the Great

Western Water and Power Company, Washington, DC.

Look at that, Admiral.

- Rogers for Congressman. He hasn't a chance. - What do you know

about Western politics? You're a Washington attorney. Why with

beating up our men and stealing our water, that boy is a hero to

those people out there.

They'll forget all about it before election

day. See no cause for alarm.

You don't, eh? Then you need glasses. We're

leaving for Saintsville tonight with Congressman Scully.

But dad, we can't leave tonight. Oh, we're just mailing out the

- invitation to our reception. - Postpone

it. Postpone it!?

- Helo, Richard. - How do you do, Mr. Pembley?

You know my daughter. Mr. Andrews and Congressman Scully

- of course. - Richard.

Welcome home, congressman. Your campaign is on

full blast.

Campaign my butt. Posters never elected anybody.

- A lot of votes he'll get that way. - You bet your life he will.

Don't forget there's plenty of Women Voters. What do you think

Eleanor? Would you vote for him?

He has a nice voice.

- And that's all he's got. - He can't campaign without advertising. He

has no money for that.

I know this western country and I promise to the throne... I'll

prove when he's elected that my steers are never wrong.

- You don't need money for advertising if you have brains. - Brains?

Yes, brains.

Get ahold of Rogers, tell him I want to see him at my hotel. Important and

- personal business. - Yes, sir.

- Now Roy, you're doing fine. - Thanks.

I'm out of a campaign manager.

Well, everything's under control.

- Hi. - Hello Rogers, can I speak to you privately for a

minute?

Anything you have to say to me is all right for my friends to

hear.

- Hello, boys. - Hi.- Hello, friend. -Hi-

Very funny, boys. Very funny. Mr. Fairbanks would like

to see you over at his hotel. He said it was very important and

personal.

Sure. Why not? Tell him I'll be over tomorrow.

Okay.

I bet that guy, Fairbanks is scared. He's gonna talk turkey,

you'll see.

Maybe.

Anyway, it'll give me a chance to tell him what I think

of him. And that'll be plenty. 50% cut on water rate. Don't

make me laugh. Mr. Fairbanks. Let me tell you something, you

cuckoo. You run this country into the ground long enough. 60%. Now

I didn't come here to haggle Mr. Fairbanks. It's 75% or nothing.

So, I'm driving a hard bargain am I? Well, that's too bad.

Here's my last word. If you don't knuckle down, we'll run

you and your cutthroat crowd right out of business.

Bravo! Bravissimo!

Keep going partner, you got him on the ropes.

Hello. I don't generally talk myself like this. I was just

sort of rehearsing.

And doing very well, too. But how about putting a little more

emphasis on your exit line? Because I presume that is your

exit line?

Probably. Old man Fairbanks is apt to kick me out when I get

that far.

I gather you're not exactly an admirer of John Fairbanks. He's

plenty tough.

Probably the kind of a man who beats his wife.

He does. I heard he schlags his daughter on occasion, then she

probably deserves it though.

No doubt she does. If I'm elected, I'll get federal water

for this state if I have to hog tie every politician in Washington.

- Good for you. I hope you're elected. - Thanks.

Well, I guess I'll be going.

I'm going that way too, we could ride along together.

Swell.

What is your daughter doing with Rogers?

How do I know?

Well, I don't like it.

Tell that to Eleanor and see what happens.

Gentlemen, may I present Mr. Rogers. This is Tom Andrews. Mr.

Richard, your worthy opponent, Congressman Scully. Oh, and my

father, Mr. Fairbanks.

- Your father? - Yes.

Oh, by the way, dad, Mr. Rogers considers you a skinflint, a

penny pinching pirate, and what was that?

Sounds to me like you just about covered the territory.

Beat it rat. We want to talk business.

Well, that reminds me Fairbanks. Is it true you beat your

daughter?

No.

But it's a darn good idea.

Well, sit down. You seem to have a lot of

common sense, Rogers. I think you're the man I need to look

after some of my business interests.

That would mean giving

- up my campaign for Congress, wouldn't it? - Well, yes, it

would. But your salary would be three times as much as you'd

make as a congressman.

Thanks, but I have a family weakness for going to

Washington. I'd like to see some of the places my dad told me

about.

- Would four times as much money interest you? - No, nor 10

- times as much. - You might regret passing up a mighty good

proposition young man.

Now I'll make you one. Either your company cuts water rates to the

bone or I'll get federal control of water in the state when I go to

Washington.

When you go to Washington? Well, you're not there yet Mr.

Rogers.

Imagine a congressman dressed like that.

Take off those

- clothes. - Well, what's the matter with them?

This for one thing...-Say- ...and this!

- What? - Even those

pretty spats. The voters want a man who represents them, not a

city dude. You're going to be a man of the people. You're going

to wear western clothes and ride a horse.

- A horse? -Yes! - I can't ride!

- You will ride! - What?!

Whoa, Nelly!

Just now pray, the people are giving Congressman

Scully a grand ovation. Just listen to all those cheers. You

know, two days ago, I thought that Rogers was their choice. But now

it looks like a landslide for Scully. And now ladies and

gentlemen, you will hear from your candidate for reelection,

William P Scully.

Friends,

my friends, it's great to get into these clothes again. I can

feel a horse beneath me once more.

Ladies and gentlemen,

here's a round by round description that Scully's

saddled horse has just run away with him and Congressman

Roy Rogers has rescued him from the horse trough.

What a mess we're in now with Rogers elected. Let a hick

- rancher out-smart us. - You insisted that I ride a horse. I

- told you I... - Shut up and get out of here.- Well if that's the way

- you feel about it. - Get out before I lose my temper! -

No you don't.

Whipped by a smart-aleck yoke.

How does it feel to take a licking dad?

Licking? This is only round one.

We're leaving for Washington too. Buck

him there at every turn.

- Here's a letter for you, Roy. - Thanks.

You know any cow-hands that uses

perfume?

Thanks for the send-off, folks. And don't worry, I'm gonna see that

that water bill goes through pronto. I figure I'll be back in

about a week.

Now me, being Congressman Roy Rogers' here personal execute,

even Secretary, I promise that if Roy...

Hey! Wait for me... wait for me!

Congressman Marlowe's office please. Good morning, Congressman

Rogers calling Congressman Marlowe again. Oh, when do you expect him?

Yes, please have him call me back... I don't know what Marlowe has

an office for, he's never in it.

Well, he's got to have some place where you can find out

- that he ain't in. -Anything important? - Oh, no, just the usual 4011

constitutions wanting to know where that federal water is you

- promised them. - So do I.- Ain't there nobody else you can see about

that water bill?

No, sir. Marlowe is the money man and he has to be seen.

Huh? Who's that from, Marlowe?

No, it's not even signed. Let's say, listen to this. If you want to

meet Congressman Marlowe, join the foxhunt near his country

estate next Saturday.

Hey, sounds like a jailbreak. We've got to get out of here.

Them bloodhounds is vicious.

The hunt's started. Come on.

All them hound dogs against one poor little fox. Ain't no justice.

Tally ho!

Hey, that horse is running away with her!

Tally ho!

Tally ho!

Are you alright?

What in the world do you think you're doing?

I thought your horse was running away.

No, but the fox is. I'd have won his brush in another 100 yards if

you hadn't played Lochinvar.

I'm awful sorry.

Doesn't matter.

So tell me,

how's this stinking Congressman making out in Washington?

Not so good. The only luck that I had so far is meeting you

again. I've tried to follow your advice about seeing Congressman

- Marlowe, but he dodges me like a wild mustang. - My advice? - Nobody

else I know uses perfumed writing paper. It's mighty nice of you

to show me the ropes, even if Marlowe is too busy crashing society.

Not crashing society. Congressman Marlowe gave this fox

hunt because he wanted a political favor from one of his

guests.

Like a medicine man putting on a show to get his customers in

line to buy.

Yes, that's it.

You see, here in Washington that's the trick to get the

ear of the right person.

Well I couldn't very well give a foxhunt.

No, no, but you can give a party.

Well, who'd come?

Oh... look!

Get these loud dogs outta here!

Go away!

Hey, what's happening?

Go on away! Get out of here.

Shew! Get on away from here. Get outta here!

Get these hound dogs out of here.

Dad, you remember Mr. Rogers, don't you?

What? Oh yeah, sure. How do you do?

Oh, Congressman Marlowe, this is Congressman Rogers.

- I'm glad to know you, Mr. Rogers. - How you do, Congressman?

I'd like a few words with you. I want to ask you to...

Oh, um, to be

his guest next Tuesday evening at the Fairview Country

Club. All of you... Mr. Rogers is giving a surprise party.

Doesn't that sound exciting? Oh, well, you'll be there won't you

Senator Wilson?

- Certainly Ms. Fairbanks. - And no party would be complete

without you and Mrs. Marlowe, Congressman.

A surprise party, of course we'll come, won't we Edward?

Why, I think it's perfectly sweet

of Mr. Rogers to invite us all. Don't you dear?

I don't know anything about these eastern parties.

Well, make it Western.

Swell, I'll send a wire to Larry and the boys.

All join

hands, circle down south. Another little moonshine in your mouth.

You're home and grant field back to the lady in the lead. The man to your left

and right. Your partner right and left in a hurry up boys. Don't be

slow, the chicken in the bedpan picking up dough. To meet your

partner, all's floor. Meet your honey and pat her on the head. And she

don't like biscuit, feed her cornbread and chew on tobacco

and squirt it on the wall. And swing that gal, lean and tall.

Rogers certainly has a peculiar idea of entertainment.

Yes, isn't it quaint?

I don't know when I've had such a good time.

So far, folks, all you've seen of ranch life has been a lot of

fun. But there's another side I want you to see. And that's a

surprise I promised.

These first scenes are the way our ranches

used to look. Every range had dress like that in the summer.

When winter covered it was snow. We had plenty of that good

alfalfa for feed. We flattened our beef on that green. Every

valley and every canyon had a stream of running water. Then

nature took a handle. Every year we had less and less rain. This is

what happened: dry spells, drought and dust storms. After the dust

storm, this is what is left. That's Glen Saunders' house, he

lost his two children from dust pneumonia. That's Luke Chalmers

place. He just gave up, moved away and never even stopped to dig

up his equipment... Those cattle are Dave Peters'; he lost 150 head

which meant every cent he owned.

All of this tragedy and ruin ladies and

gentlemen, because of lack of water. In times like these, folks

just naturally turn to prayer.

Dust... dust...

Dust in the skies. Dust on the trail. Dust in my eyes. Dust. Can't see the sun can't

find my way. The dust has won. The cattle and the sheep put down to sleep, better

realize their pain. The vultures in the sky know the time is nigh, will

- it fly away? Away? - Oh no...

We were the home

where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play.

Here was a place where

the cattle would graze. The corn and alfalfa once waved. Where are

the ranches, the cow hunting crowd? What has become of the

range? Out of the blue came a threatening load causing this awful change.

Oh lord we're in your range and sunshine. Dust. Dust.

Must it be? Can it be? Can it be?

Oh lord have mercy on poor me.

- We've got to get busy on that bill, Marlowe. - I agree with you.

Rather unethical, but very effective. I'm going west in

about 10 days and I'll get you relief if I find those

conditions existing. Do you have my support on

that water bill too, Rogers?

Dad, it looks as though you've lost round two.

- You needn't rub it in. Think it's funny do you? - Fairbanks,

I had no idea that conditions in your state were so serious.

They aren't. I'll take you out there and show you that Rogers

- misrepresented things. - I hope you're right for your own good.

After all, it's your water company that's

on the spot, you know...

Young woman, you helped stage this entertainment. You realize it

might ruin my water company? Oh,

one of your water companies.

- Are you in love with this cowboy? - Oh,

I don't know.

Well, you tell him from me that he's in for the dog-gone-dest

- licking he ever had. - Oh, yes, I'll

tell him, but he won't believe me.

Say, that was swell. And the way you was calling them ranchers out

by their names you even had me fooled. You'd think they's neighbors

of ours.

Oh, weren't they?

No, those pictures were taken in another state, Eleanor. I

couldn't get a newsreel of our own dust storms.

Tell me my friend, is your middle name Barnum by any tune?

Oh no. His middle name's James.

Oh, I see after Jesse. Oh no.

Leaving soon Mr. Fairbanks

Yes. I'll wipe that grin off your face yet.

Nevermind, you were grand.

With your help. When will I see you? I'm leaving for the West

pretty soon.

Now what a coincidence. So are we... Oh yes daddy, I'm coming...

And so I take great pleasure in introducing to you the most

important man who ever hit old Sage County. And the only man who can

give us federal control of water. Congressman Marlowe.

Citizens, as chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I am

authorized to announce that we are here to make a study of the

drought conditions in this section... Better cover up fast

Congressman, before the newspapers get wind of this.

However, we have already learned that conditions are not as bad as

we were led to believe. And we find that existing utilities are

quite adequate for the present. Now that is, all thank you for

your kind welcome.

I said your methods were unethical but I underrated you.

You're nothing but a cheap trickster. I admit the film I

showed you wasn't taken in this state. But conditions here are

just as bad, if not worse. As far as I'm concerned young man, that

bill never will be passed.

I'll back you up on that, Marlowe.

I had a right to trick you when the lives of these folks depend

on water. If you don't think this country is dry, just look it

- over and see for yourself. - Sorry, but I'm not interested.

I came all this way to see the conditions of the dust storm. Don't

be silly dear, there aren't any.

I told you I'd wipe that smile off your face.

You've had very capable help. I should have known better than to

trust a woman with a secret.

Edward, I'm so hot and dusty. Perhaps we'd better not go any

farther after all.

Sorry dear, but it's too late now. You wanted to go, so I

promised Mr. Fairbanks I'd meet him at the dam.

But Edward...

- Get out, all of you. Set the drivers, we're taking the cars. - This is an

outrage, I'm Congressman Marlowe. You can't leave us out here on foot!

You can use our horses.

Well, there's only one thing to do. Take the horses and ride back to

Sageville.

My mercy, what a dry country. I don't see how people live here.

It wasn't always like this. Wouldn't be now if the farmers had water.

Evidently you still believe in motion pictures. Listen. Listen,

there must be a camp ahead. And that means a drink of water.

The old Chuck Wagon's rhythm starts about noon. Then you'll

hear those cow hen sipping soup very soon. And there's music,

music to the rhythm, music to the rhythm of the range.

- Nice of you to drop in. - Hello, Congressman.- Don't tell me

you're making an official tour of the drought section after all.

We're making a tour, all right, but not an official one.

We were held up by bandits and they took our cars away from us

and made us ride these horrible, bumpy horses.

We'll tell you about that later. Right now we are too thirsty to

- talk. - That's too bad.

Yeah, ain't that tough.

We only got about a pint of water left. We done

give it to the horses.

You see, we didn't expect to have any visitors. You mean you can't even

give us a drink. Well, we might find enough for the ladies but

the men will have to wait till we reach Larkins place tomorrow.

Get the canteen Frog. You folks just make yourself at home. Boys

go saddle the horses and fix them a bite to eat.

That's all there is.

Much farther to this lock and ranch?

- Not so much, just the other side of the river. - River.

Did you say River?

- Where? - Right there. Used to run bank full when everybody got the

water from it.

- But what happened? - Your company built the dam and dried it

- up. - Dried it up? Well everything seems dried up in this country.

That's what I tried to tell you.

Looks like a water wagon. Hey stop!

Can we have some water?

I reckon you can, mister.

- Right around behind. - Come on.

For Mrs. Marlowe. Marlowe?

Ain't you the Congressman that was going to do so much for us

- ranchers and then change your mind? - Yes, but

then conditions were misrepresented and...

You sure fixed it so I got to haul water 20 Miles. None of you

get a drop.

Listen, that's not right.

We've got to have water.

Why didn't you help me

- stop him? - He has no right...

As much right as your company had to refuse the ranchers water.

Look, what is it? A cyclone?

- It's a dust storm and it's coming our way. - What do we do? - You saw

pictures of one, Mr. Marlowe. Now you're gonna see the real thing.

We've got to find shelter, come on!

Get the horses in the shed.

- Howdy, Roy. - Where's your husband, Mrs. Larkin?

He's going to town for grub, he ought to be back pretty soon.

Have you any water?

We have some now Mister, but the cistern will be full of dust

after the storm.

Cistern? I thought you said the Great Western pipeline ran

through here. Well, I had been informed...

Of course, the water company wouldn't misinform anybody would

- it? - And

the pump's in the corner right over there. Help yourselves.

Anything we got here you're welcome to.

You have dust pneumonia out here Rogers?

No, you needn't worry. We don't even have dust storms here. They

haave them in another state.

You needn't rub it in.

I can't stand much more of this!

I thought you were the one who wanted to see the dust storm?

Oh!

Folks, the dust storm's over.

What do we owe you, Mrs. Larkin?

Nay, sakes Mister. You don't owe me nothing. Roy paid me yesterday.

But we weren't here yesterday.

So the whole thing was a frame up, eh?

Everything but the dust storm. That was an added attraction.

- You mean the hold up and the water wagon were planned? - That's

right.

I see nothing to laugh at.

Young man, I want to shake you by the hand. Your methods are

not only unethical, they're phenomenal. But don't you worry.

- I'll okay that water bill. - Thanks!

- Roy, the ranchers are headed to blow up the dam! - Rogers,

- if they blast that damn, they lose government support. - I'll

stop them!

Find Congressman Marlowe. Head for the dam and step on it.

All right, Richars, thanks for the warning. We'll teach them a

lesson.

- There they are! - Be smart and take cover!

Turn back! Get behind that hill!

- Now that stopped them. - We better stay

- here a while and make sure. - Yeah. Now that stopped them. - We better stay

Did you see them?

Yes, we turned them back. They've gone over the hill. Man get back

here and get down.

They'll never get to the dam now. Unhook that horse...

All we got to

do is turn that dynamite right loose on that hill. Blast the dicks and

the water can't get to the dam. Get that wagon in the road.

That's the dynamite wagon.

- We've got to get out of here. - No, wait.

- "I'm out to win a bigger stake and you can show me how." - If you

want a happy life, just say yes and be the wife of Rogers, the congressman!

Hey! Halt!