Original subtitles

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: THERE'S A REASON THEY CALLED IT

THE WILD WEST.

[PUNCH]

[CROWD EXCLAIMS]

MARY FIELDS GRABBED LIFE BY THE REINS.

CARRYING MAIL THROUGH SOME DANGEROUS COUNTRY.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

WHOA, NOW.

WELL, WELL.

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: THIS IS THE TRUE STORY

OF THE LEGENDARY STAGECOACH MARY.

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

I WAS JUST A YOUNG MAN WHEN I FIRST HEADED WEST.

IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED,

I BECAME A COWBOY, A GUNSLINGER,

AND EVEN SERVED AS SHERIFF OF DODGE CITY,

ONE OF THE MOST LAWLESS TOWNS IN THE COUNTRY.

MY NAME IS BAT MASTERSON.

AND NOW, I'M A REPORTER.

AND I'VE COME WEST AGAIN

TO CHRONICLE THE WORLD THAT I KNOW BEST.

THE AMERICAN WEST.

LURE OF GOLD, LAND, DESTINY...

FLOODED THE FRONTIER WITH MEN BOTH GOOD AND BAD.

THESE ARE THE INCREDIBLE TRUE TALES OF THE WILD WEST.

♪ ♪

IN THE WEST, THE HEROES THAT I KNEW WERE MOSTLY GOOD SOULS.

THAT DIDN'T MEAN THEY WERE ANGELS.

ONE OF THOSE LESS THAN ANGELIC HEROES WAS A WOMAN NAMED

STAGECOACH MARY.

AND GIVEN HER REPUTATION, YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED

TO LEARN WHO HER BEST FRIEND, AND MOST LOYAL SUPPORTER IS.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

YEP...

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

YES!

SISTER... COME IN.

♪ ♪

IT'S A PLEASURE TO... OOH...

NO, NO, IT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT, MR. MASTERSON.

WE'RE ALLOWED TO SHAKE HANDS.

WHEN WE'RE NOT USING THEM TO PRAY.

PLEASE SIT DOWN. PLEASE SIT DOWN.

OH, AND THANK YOU SO KINDLY FOR AGREEING TO SPEAK

WITH ME, SISTER AMADEUS.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I WAS TO HEAR

THAT YOU WERE COMING TO TOWN.

BEEN TRYING TO REACH AN ASSOCIATE OF YOURS,

FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

SHE'S A BIT ELUSIVE.

I ONLY KNOW ONE PERSON WHO WOULD INTEREST

A VERY FAMOUS REPORTER, SUCH AS YOURSELF,

MR. MASTERSON.

YOU MUST BE REFERRING TO MY DEAR FRIEND, MARY FIELDS.

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS STAGECOACH MARY.

YES, THOUGH I KNEW HER LONG BEFORE HER STAGECOACH DAYS.

I MUST SAY, WHEN I HEARD THAT MARY'S CLOSEST FRIEND

WAS A NUN, FROM TOLEDO, I JUST HAD TO HEAR

THE REST OF THAT STORY.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE ANYTHING I KNOW ABOUT MARY

BECAUSE I KNOW SHE DOESN'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HERSELF.

WELL... WHY DON'T WE START WITH

HOW THE TWO OF YOU BECAME ACQUAINTED.

♪ ♪

SISTER AMADEUS: I FIRST MET MARY IN THE CONVENT IN OHIO.

MY BROTHER ASKED ME TO

CARE FOR HIS FIVE YOUNG CHILDREN

AFTER HIS WIFE UNEXPECTEDLY PASSED AWAY.

MARY HAD CARED FOR THE CHILDREN

AND WAS THE PERSON MY BROTHER TRUSTED

THE MOST TO SAFELY DELIVER THE CHILDREN TO US.

THE CHILDREN HAVE ALL SETTLED IN NICELY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GETTING THEM

TO US SAFELY.

AND IT'S VERY NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU.

I'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT YOU.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU TOO,

MOTHER AMADEUS.

YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED AFTER SUCH A LONG JOURNEY.

SO, WE HAVE YOUR QUARTERS READY FOR YOU,

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A NAP BEFORE SUPPER.

THANK YA. BUT WHAT I NEED

IS A CIGAR AND A GOOD WHISKEY,

AND IN THAT ORDER.

WELL... AS YOU KNOW MARY,

THIS IS A CONVENT.

I'M AFRAID THAT DRINKING AND SMOKING

ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE GROUNDS.

WELL, THAT'S A CRYING SHAME.

I GUESS THAT MEANS I BEST BE ON MY WAY, THEN.

I'LL JUST GO SAY GOODBYE TO THE CHILDREN.

WELL NOW, WAIT A MINUTE, MARY.

I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO LEAVE, IT'S JUST THAT

THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES WE HAVE AT THE CONVENT HERE.

I DON'T MEAN NO DISRESPECT

BUT I'M A FREE WOMAN NOW AND THE DAYS

OF WHITE FOLKS TELLIN' ME WHAT TO DO ARE OVER.

NOW, I DO WHAT I LIKE, WHEN I LIKE,

WITH WHO I LIKE.

NOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU GOT YOUR RULES,

AND THAT'S FINE, BUT THEY AIN'T MINE.

AND IF THE GOOD LORD DISAPPROVES, WELL...

WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WORK THAT OUT

ONCE I REACH HIM AT THE PEARLY GATES.

[CHUCKLING]

SHE SURE PUT ME IN MY PLACE.

MARY HAD A GRUFF EXTERIOR,

BUT SHE HAD A HEART OF GOLD.

DO YOU KNOW, SHE WAS A SLAVE UNTIL

SHE WAS IN HER 30'S?

SO, I COULD SEE WHY SHE'D HAD IT

WITH PEOPLE TELLING HER WHAT TO DO.

AND YOU ASKED HER TO STAY THERE, AT THE CONVENT.

OH YES.

THE CHILDREN LOVED HER.

AND I NEEDED SOMEONE TO HELP WITH THE GROUNDS

AND TO DO THE COOKING AND CLEANING,

SO I GAVE HER A JOB.

HOW DID SHE WORK OUT AS AN EMPLOYEE?

SISTER AMADEUS: OH, SHE WAS A TREASURE.

THOUGH WE HAD TO GET USED TO SEEING A WOMAN

IN MEN'S CLOTHING. [CHUCKLING]

MARY WAS A HARD WORKER, ONLY NOW...

SHE WAS GETTING PAID FOR ALL HER HARD WORK.

♪ ♪

HOW DID YOU HANDLE MARY'S VICES?

HMM... I DIDN'T ALLOW HER TO SMOKE AND DRINK

AT THE CONVENT, BUT I TOLD HER

WHATEVER SHE WANTED TO DO IN HER OWN TIME

WAS HER BUSINESS.

"IT'S BETWEEN YOU AND THE LORD," I TOLD HER.

THINGS WERE GOING ALONG BEAUTIFULLY,

AND MARY AND I BECAME THE BEST OF FRIENDS.

BUT THEN, ONE DAY, I RECEIVED WORD

OF A NEW ASSIGNMENT.

THE BISHOP WAS SENDING ME TO OUR MISSION IN MONTANA.

ST. PETERS, NEAR CASCADE, TO OPEN A GIRLS SCHOOL.

♪ ♪

WHAT'S THE MATTER, SISTER?

YOU LOOK LIKE SOMETHING'S WEIGHING YOU DOWN.

THIS'LL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.

I JUST PICKED IT.

AH, THANK YOU MARY.

♪ ♪

AH.

I HOPE YOU KNOW JUST HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE

EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US AROUND HERE, MARY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'D DO WITHOUT YOU.

I DON'T KNOW EITHER.

[LAUGHTER]

BUT I'M SURE YOU, AND THE SISTERS,

WOULD DO JUST FINE WITHOUT ME.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT,

MOTHER AMADEUS.

BUT, MORE THAN THAT...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO WITHOUT YOUR FRIENDSHIP.

♪ ♪

I DON'T BELIEVE ANY WHITE PERSON'S

EVER CALLED ME THEIR FRIEND.

WELL, THAT'S THEIR LOSS.

YOU AND I ARE FRIENDS FOR LIFE, MARY.

♪ ♪

NOW THERE'S... THERE'S SOMETHING

I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.

THEY'RE SENDING ME OUT WEST.

TO MONTANA.

♪ ♪

SISTER AMADEUS: IT WAS HARD SAYING GOODBYE.

I COULD HAVE DONE WITH MARY'S HELP IN MONTANA,

BUT THE CHILDREN NEEDED HER MORE.

♪ ♪

AT FIRST, EVERYTHING WAS GOING

WONDERFULLY IN CASCADE.

BUT THEN, I BECAME QUITE ILL.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

MARY.

WE'VE RECEIVED SOME TERRIBLE NEWS.

IT'S ABOUT SISTER AMADEUS.

WHAT IS IT, SISTER BERNADETTE?

SHE'S QUITE UNWELL. PNEUMONIA, THEY THINK.

THEY'RE AFRAID SHE MAY NOT MAKE IT, MARY.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MARY FOUND OUT YOU WERE ILL?

WELL, SHE DID WHAT SHE THOUGHT

ANY GOOD FRIEND WOULD DO.

♪ ♪

SHE PACKED HER BAG AND BEGAN A LONG,

ARDUOUS JOURNEY... WEST TO MONTANA.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?

WHAT IS SOMEBODY LIKE YOU DOIN' IN MONTANA?

IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN HELP YOU WITH?

I'M LOOKING FOR ST. PETER'S MISSION.

ST. PETERS?

YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE NO NUN I EVER SEEN.

[LAUGHTER]

ST. PETERS MISSION IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD.

THIS WAY? LET ME SHOW YOU THE WAY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

LONG, DUSTY ROAD. YES, IT IS.

DON'T MIND THAT FELLA. ALL RIGHT.

LOOKS LIKE A NICE TOWN.

♪ ♪

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

THANK YOU... KINDLY.

♪ ♪

MAY I HELP, YOU?

I'M MARY FIELDS. I'M HERE TO SEE MOTHER AMADEUS.

I'M SORRY, BUT SHE'S NOT SEEING VISITORS.

I'M NOT FUSSING WITH YOU, SISTER.

I CAME HERE TO SEE TO IT THAT MOTHER AMADEUS

IS TAKEN CARE OF.

NOW, WHERE IS SHE?

♪ ♪

MARY: EVENING, SISTERS.

I'M HERE NOW. GO ON, SCOOT.

MOTHER AMADEUS.

IT'S ME, MARY.

MOTHER AMADEUS, IT'S MARY.

[WEAKLY] MARY?

♪ ♪

YES, IT'S REALLY ME.

♪ ♪

DON'T YOU WORRY.

WE'RE GONNA FIX YOU RIGHT UP.

DO YOU KNOW THIS WOMAN, MOTHER AMADEUS?

[SIGHING] YES, I DO.

THIS IS MY DEAR FRIEND, MARY FIELDS, SISTER AGNES.

♪ ♪

AH! WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT?

MY OWN REMEDY.

PINE PITCH, HONEY, BARK,

A LITTLE TURPENTINE, JUNIPER BERRIES,

OOLA LEAVES.

IT'LL HELP BREAK THE FEVER.

HELP WITH THE BREATHING.

NOW, I NEED SOME COLD WATER, SOME TOWELS...

CHICKEN, SO I CAN MAKE SOME CLEAR BROTH.

LET'S GO!

♪ ♪

SISTER AMADEUS: MARY STAYED BY MY BEDSIDE

FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF.

♪ ♪

IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR HER, I HONESTLY DON'T BELIEVE

I WOULD'VE MADE IT.

♪ ♪

MOTHER AMADEUS YOU LOOK STRONGER EVERY DAY.

GOD SURELY DID ANSWER OUR PRAYERS.

YES SISTER... THE LORD DOES WORK IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.

I HEARD SHE EARNED QUITE THE REPUTATION THERE IN CASCADE.

YES, THAT'S TRUE.

AT FIRST THEY DIDN'T KNOW QUITE WHAT TO MAKE OF HER.

BUT SHE SOON WON OVER THE LOCALS.

[CHUCKLING]

SHE ENJOYED A GOOD BAR BRAWL TOO, I HEARD.

SISTER AMADEUS: MARY WAS AS KIND AND GENTLE

A SOUL AS YOU WOULD EVER WANT TO MEET.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE ACTUALLY ENJOYED

GETTING INTO BRAWLS,

BUT SHE WAS NOT ONE TO BACK DOWN IF A MAN CHALLENGED HER.

WHAT'S SHE DOING HERE?

SAME AS YOU, HAVING A DRINK!

NO, I HEAR SHE'S WILLING TO BET SHE CAN KNOCK OUT ANY MAN HERE

WITH JUST ONE PUNCH.

I WOULDN'T TEST HER IF I WERE YOU.

SISTER AMADEUS: AND OF COURSE THERE WERE ALWAYS THOSE

WHO COULDN'T GET PAST THE COLOR OF HER SKIN.

[SILENCE, CLEARS THROAT]

♪ [INTENSE] ♪

[SUBTLE CHEERS]

[CACKLING]

SHOW HER, MONTANA.

I DON'T WANT NO TROUBLE WITH YOU, MISTER.

[PUNCH]

SISTER AMADEUS: IT NEVER TURNED OUT WELL FOR A MAN WHO TESTED HER.

DRINKS ON ME, BOYS! [LAUGHTER, CHEERS]

SISTER AMADEUS: UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS INCIDENTS LIKE THIS

THAT GOT HER INTO HOT WATER WITH THE BISHOP.

I FOUGHT HARD TO KEEP HER BUT HE INSISTED I HAD TO LET HER GO.

IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER HAD TO DO.

IT WAS SO UNFAIR, MARY HAD BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING

OUR MISSION AND SEEING TO ALL OUR NEEDS.

AND NOW SHE WAS JUST BEING TURNED OUT.

IT BROKE MY HEART.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA BECOME OF HER.

♪ ♪

WE WERE ALL JUST KIND OF AT A LOSS WITHOUT MARY.

AND I WORRIED ABOUT HER CONSTANTLY.

I MEAN, SHE HAD VERY LITTLE MONEY AND NO JOB PROSPECTS

TO EARN ANY.

ONE OF HER FRIENDS FROM THE SALOON RENTED AN OLD SHACK ON

HIS PROPERTY SO AT LEAST SHE HAD A ROOF OVER HER HEAD,

FOOD AND I TRIED TO GIVE HER MONEY.

SHE WOULDN'T TAKE IT.

♪ ♪

SHE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH BUT SHE WOULD SHARE IT WITH ANYONE.

[FEET SCUFFLING, CLATTERING]

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU BEEN RODE HARD AND PUT AWAY WET.

WELL, THAT'S JUST ABOUT HOW I FEEL MARY.

I GOT HELD UP, ABOUT 10 MILES OUTSIDE OF TOWN.

I HAD TO WALK BACK.

MAY I?

THOSE TWO MEN BEAT ME UP, STOLE MY MONEY, STOLE MY HORSE.

STOLE YOUR HORSE?!

HORSE... THEY TOOK MY DAD'S GOLD WATCH THAT HE GOT

FROM THE RAILROAD.

THAT WATCH-- THAT WATCH WAS HIS PRIDE AND JOY.

♪ ♪

IT WAS MINE TOO. [SIGHS]

YOU LOOK THIRSTY.

♪ ♪

[SIPPING]

EAT THIS.

I JUST MADE SOME BEANS AND CORNBREAD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND THEN YOU WERE CALLED BACK EAST AGAIN.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YES.

THE BISHOP WAS SENDING ME BACK TO TOLEDO.

SO THE FIRST THING I DID WAS ASK MARY IF SHE

WANTED TO COME WITH ME.

AND...

TO MY SURPRISE AND SADNESS, SHE TOLD ME SHE WANTED

TO STAY IN MONTANA.

GOD'S COUNTRY, SHE CALLED IT.

I JUST HAD TO PRAY SHE'D BE OKAY.

BUT SHE NEEDED MONEY TO LIVE.

WHEN MARY LEARNED THE POSTAL SERVICE WAS LOOKING FOR

A STAGE COACH DRIVER...

SHE WANTED THE JOB.

MARY WAS AS COMFORTABLE WITH A TEAM OF HORSES AS ANY MAN.

AND SHE KNEW SHE WAS PERFECT FOR THE JOB.

THE POSTMASTER DIDN'T AGREE.

BUT MARY HAD A WAY OF BRINGING PEOPLE AROUND TO HER POINT

OF VIEW EVENTUALLY. [PAPER RIPS]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

BAT MASTERSON: I KNOW THAT AS FAR AS THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE

WAS CONCERNED DRIVERS AND HORSES WERE EXPENDABLE.

HYAH!

BAT MASTERSON: THE MAIL WAS NOT.

ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT.

HERE WE GO, HERE WE GO.

ALRIGHT.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

SISTER AMADEUS: AT THE TIME MARY BECAME ONLY THE SECOND WOMAN

EVER HIRED BY THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE TO DELIVER THE MAIL.

IT WAS DANGEROUS WORK BUT SHE WAS UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.

♪ [SUSPENSE] ♪

[HORSES NEIGH]

WHOA, WHOA NOW.

♪ ♪

[COCKS GUN] STICK 'EM UP!

WELL, WELL...

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

LOOKS LIKE YOU AIN'T A TALL TALE AFTER ALL.

I HEARD ABOUT YOU, BUT I NEVER WOULD'VE BELIEVED

IT TILL I SEEN IT MYSELF.

SHE'S A BIG ONE TOO, AIN'T SHE?

YEAH, NOT QUITE NEAR AS TOUGH AS FOLKS BEEN SAYIN'.

WHY DON'T YOU HAND OVER THAT RIFLE NOW?

YES SIR.

LIKE I SAY, I DON'T WANT NO TROUBLE WITH YOU.

TAKE WHAT YOU NEED AND I'LL BE ON MY WAY.

WHATCHA HAULIN' TODAY?

SEEIN' AS HOW IT'S FRIDAY, I BET YOU HAVE SOME

PAYCHECKS IN THERE.

I AIN'T GOT NO IDEA WHAT'S IN THERE MISTER.

ALL I DO IS HAUL THAT TRUNK TO THE POST OFFICE, HAND IT

OVER AND THEN COLLECT MY PAY.

YOU GOT A KEY FOR THAT TRUNK?

NO SIR.

BUT I'M SURE CAN YOU SHOOT THAT LOCK RIGHT OFF

ONCE WE GET IT DOWN.

BUT I'M GONNA NEED SOME HELP.

ALRIGHT, WELL HAND IT OVER THEN.

ALRIGHT.

COME ON NOW.

COME AND GET IT.

[THUNK, GROAN]

[GUN COCKS]

DROP THAT RIFLE OR YOU'RE A DEAD MAN.

♪ ♪

[GRUNTS, TIGHTENING]

[GIGGLING]

WHAT HAPPENED?

WELL QUITE A LOT HAPPENED WHILE YOU WAS NAPPIN'.

WELL LOOKY HERE.

IN APPRECIATION OF 30 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE

OF THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.

WELL YOU TWO DON'T LOOK LIKE RAILROAD WORKERS TO ME.

WHERE'D YOU GET THIS?

FOUND IT ON THE ROAD.

REALLY, THAT'S THE BEST YOU CAN DO -- I FOUND IT?

♪ ♪

EVENIN' SHERIFF.

EVENIN' MARY.

I BROUGHT YOU A LITTLE SOMETHIN'.

TAKE A LOOK.

♪ ♪

[CHUCKLING]

WELL WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?

THESE TWO FOOLS THOUGHT THEY'D TRY TO ROB ME.

WELL THAT WAS MIGHTY STUPID.

I GUESS YOU BOYS NEVER HEARD OF STAGECOACH MARY.

[LAUGHTER]

SO ARE YOU AND MARY STILL IN TOUCH?

OH YES, SHE'S RETIRED NOW.

STILL ENJOYING HER LIFE IN CASCADE.

AND HER WHISKEY AND CIGARS.

I THINK SHE'S GIVEN UP THE BRAWLING THOUGH.

[CHUCKLING]

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE MY READERS TO KNOW MOST ABOUT YOUR FRIEND?

I GUESS I WOULD LIKE THEM TO KNOW THAT...

MARY IS A FRIEND IN THE TRUEST SENSE OF THE WORD.

SHE HAS SHOWN SO MUCH LOVE AND KINDNESS TO ME

AND TO SO MANY OTHERS, DESPITE RECEIVING SO LITTLE

HERSELF AS A SLAVE.

OR EVEN AFTER BECOMING A FREE WOMAN.

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: MARY FIELDS WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN

EVER HIRED BY THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE.

SHE NEVER LOST A SINGLE LETTER.

SISTER AMADEUS DUNNE HELPED ESTABLISH NUMEROUS URSULINE

CONVENTS AND SCHOOLS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN

THROUGHOUT THE WEST.

♪ ♪

[CHUCKLING]

MARY.

DOES THIS LOOK FAMILIAR?

IT'S MY DADDY'S WATCH.

WHERE'D YOU GET IT?

WELL THAT'S KIND OF A LONG STORY.

I WAS DRIVING MY COACH, DOIN' THE MAIL YOU KNOW,

AND THE SAME TWO GUYS THAT PULLED YOU OVER TRIEDTO HIT ME UP.