Original subtitles

When a detachment of 4th Cavalry under the command of Lieutenant William

Torrance came to the relief of Fort Distress, there was only one man still

alive.

Me.

How did it happen, the soldiers wanted to know.

Why?

I had to tell them that what they were seeing was just a fraction of the

that had taken place in recent days.

As to the how and why, I kept coming back to a feedy -looking Indian

A Warner Brothers television production.

If I had a dollar for every life this necklace cost, Lieutenant, I'd never

to deal another card as long as I live.

Just about finished burying our own men, sir.

What do you want to do about the Indians?

Bury them too, Sergeant. Yes, sir.

You know, the one thing I can't figure out is how they got inside these walls

the first place.

This fort was supposed to be engine -proof.

Perhaps Mr. Maverick can explain.

Hmm? I said perhaps you can explain how the Apaches succeeded in storming Fort

Distress.

I was 50

miles

away.

tied to a stake in an Apache teepee with a man who could give a rattlesnake

lessons in treachery.

Lovable Luther Cannonball, the seedy, money -grubbing peddler who started all

troubles back at the fort by selling me a wagon that contained a load of illegal

whiskey, the Beartooth necklace, and Tawny, an Indian girl he'd kidnapped to

sell into slavery.

And the only hope I had of ever seeing my old pappy again rested with Tawny

being able to convince the chief that I was bringing her back.

when the Apaches captured me.

You're Bob Tallhorse, aren't you?

You ever heard of me?

Everyone's heard of Bob Tallhorse.

He alone of his tribe speaks the tongue of the White Eyes.

My name is Bart Maverick.

I'm a friend of the Apache.

So, honey, my betrothed has told us about you.

It is the ruling of her father, the chief, that you should go free.

Thank you, Tony.

But you will die.

Now, wait a minute.

Wait a minute, Maverick.

Unless you get me out of this, there'll be nobody to clear you of Fort Distress.

What do you expect me to do, Kenbo?

Well, tell them... Tell them what a nice fellow I am, why don't you?

I speak the truth, Bob Tallhorse.

If anyone deserves punishment, it's him.

But you must let me take him back to Fort Distress so he'll receive his

punishment from the White Eyes.

The chief has decided.

Tell the chief that he can't kill a white man. It'll break the treaty.

Just mean more war.

The time for words has passed.

The chief is wise. He'll understand.

Bob. Tall horse wants war, doesn't he?

Otherwise, you'd speak my words to the chief. Hold your tongue!

Or I will tell him you've insulted the Apaches.

And you will join the other white eyes at the stake.

You want to make a name for yourself in the world, don't you?

Well... I got a medicine that'll make you the greatest warrior that ever was.

More words.

There's a necklace made of bear teeth.

Now, think of that, Bob Tall Horse.

Everybody knows there's no medicine stronger than bear teeth.

Where is this necklace?

Well, you untie me, see, and I'll show you where it is.

Smash. What?

Kissing him.

Kissing him.

He's had these spells before.

We better get him out of this stuffy teepee.

I think it's his heart.

Your

medicine

was so strong you could cure the chief.

Sure I could.

Would you really want him cured?

Huh?

If he dies, the council will pick a new chief.

Maybe you.

It's the custom to choose an elder.

I'm too young.

None of your medicine is strong enough, you ain't. I can give you the strongest

medicine there is, Bob Tall Horse.

Why, with my medicine, they'd make you chief of you as a toddlin' child.

The death of the old chief put the camp into a state of mourning.

I'm sorry, Tony.

Where is the necklace made of bear teeth?

Right here.

There, right there. Look at that. See?

See?

How does Bob Tallhorse know these are the teeth of the sacred bear?

Oh, it's easy to prove what kind of medicine this necklace has.

Here, you go ahead and touch one of the teeth there. Just one now. That one

there. You'll see.

There, there. That's enough.

You savvy our language pretty good, don't you?

Can you read it?

But you would know a cartridge box when you saw one, wouldn't you?

Bob Tallhorse is not stupid.

Oh, no, no. Who said he was?

There we are now.

There. Now.

Cartridges.

Let me have your gun. Why do you want a gun?

Well, I just want to put fresh bullets in so there won't be any chance for a

misfire.

Listen, when Luther Cannonball tests a medicine, he does it fair.

Look, if I try anything foolish, that tribe of yours will just tear me apart,

and you know that.

There.

Now.

Yeah, let's see.

Two of them ought to do it. One and two.

Now, turn around.

Two cartridges, see?

This is going to be the kind of medicine that you have never seen before in

all your born days.

There, now.

Take the gun Take the gun

Go and take it now move back right

straight back

Probably using blanks in that revolver. Now you just tell your people no harm

can come to you as long as you wear the teeth of the sacred bear.

Cannon boy, you better warn him that that necklace

is not going to be any protection against cavalry bullets.

Sure, it'll protect him. If he believes that, he's up to start an all -out war.

Stop lying to him, cannon boy.

Lose your cannon, boss.

Ask me, I can prove to you that he's fooling.

He's shooting fake bullets in that gun.

Me friend!

There's nothing fake about that bullet.

You can see for yourself I wasn't trying to fool you when I said that that

necklace is what protects you.

I bet he'd be a wise fellow if he got the tribal council to meet right away.

They know how powerful your medicine is, so now is the time to get them to pick

you for the next chief.

And now, Maverick, maybe this will teach you to take advantage of a poor old

man.

It was the decision of the old chief that Maverick lived.

the council parlayed and all night long Tawny stayed at my side.

The head wound had left me feverish and babbling.

When the sun came up I still hadn't regained consciousness.

But a decision had been reached by the council.

said it would, didn't it?

Hey, now, if you'll just give me back my $2 ,048 .33, I'll just hop in my wagon.

Nosey along.

Bob Tallhorse did not say you were free to leave yet.

How long am I supposed to stay?

Until I learn if you have spoken truth.

If the necklace will protect me from the long guns of the white -eyed soldiers.

Oh, now, looky here.

Ain't fair keeping me prisoner here any longer now.

I'm Tallhorse's chief now.

He says what is fair and what is not.

Nagawasi!

That's all the thanks I get for being such a good -hearted cuss, huh?

One of the results of Luther's good -heartedness was the dismissal of my

Major Redinger as commandant of Fort Distress.

He had vouched for me, but the illegal whiskey and the Indian girl cannonball

had palmed off on me, not to mention the murder charge I faced had destroyed the

Major's career.

The stage was now set for Captain Score to pursue his ambitions.

All right, Lieutenant.

Well, they're gone, General.

So if it's all right with you, I'll start moving in.

Moving in, Captain?

Moving in where?

Into the Commandant's quarters.

Have I ever intimated that you would be the next Commandant?

Well, no, sir, but I thought, well, being I'm next in line, so to speak.

Captain, a good officer never jumps to conclusions.

Many would be the Indian tales of Bob Tallhorse's bravery that day.

You all right, Edith? Just fine, John.

Deliberately, he set out to test the power of his medicine.

It was strong, his medicine. The strongest ever known to an Apache.

I'd be no holding Bob Tallhorse now.

How come I always get gruel?

He gets the good meat. No, I'll eat it. I'll eat it.

It's better than nothing. It's not much better, though. Look at that. No sugar,

no nothing. Thank you.

Slops. I hope by tomorrow I'll be strong enough to do this for myself.

Sounds like a war party coming back.

Hope they had luck.

Cannonball doesn't make any difference to you that they're attacking U .S.

Cavalry. I got nothing against soldiers. It's just I like me a little bit better

than I like them.

If that bare -teeth medicine turns out to be bad medicine, no Luther Cannonball

may get his feet burned in the morning.

Empano.

What?

How'd it go?

Bob Tall Horse walked right into their guns, and their guns would not fire.

Never has there been such powerful medicine.

Well, I'll bet you're grateful to the man who gave it to you, aren't you?

You are free to go.

Thank you, Chief.

Thanks a lot.

Oh, whoa.

What do you aim to do about him?

As soon as he is well enough, he too can leave.

It was the decision of the old chief.

Yeah, but you're the new chief. You can change that decision.

Why should I?

Well, once Maverick's loose, he'll make nothing but trouble for poor old Luther

Cannonball. Nothing but trouble. The troubles between the white eyes are not

troubles of Bob Tallhorse.

Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute. There's something you should know.

Maverick here has been making up to your lady friend.

That's not so.

He's been playing up to her.

And furthermore, she likes him.

Cannonball, you're lying.

To honey.

You see, she don't like you anymore. But when it comes to Maverick, that's

different. At daybreak, you die.

Chief, give me a chance to explain.

Bob Tallhorse has spoken.

Sure he has.

And he's never made a smarter decision.

Come on, Bobby, let's go.

Okay, Bobby Tallhorse.

What do you want?

My money, naturally.

With the $2 ,048 .33 that you took from me. I said you could leave. I promised

nothing else.

What about my wagon and stuff?

One horse you can take.

No more.

Well, that's a fine way to repay my friendship. Let me...

Lieutenant, rider coming in.

It's a trooper. Looks like he's hurt.

That's Pete Peterson.

Open the gate.

At ease, Captain.

How's Peterson doing, sir?

I'm sorry. It's a shame.

Oh, uh, General, here's where the Apache village is located. Now, tomorrow

morning, I'll take a column of troops and see... Uh, no.

I will lead the column, not you.

But, General, that's my job. As acting commandant, I should take... May I

you again that you are not commandant, nor even acting commandant, nor will you

ever be if my opinion carries any weight with the War Department. I see.

I didn't learn my manners at West Point, so I'm ruled out as far as you're

concerned. The trouble with you is you can't seem to get it through your head

that being a good officer isn't a matter of knowing what fork to use.

It's earning the respect of your men.

Which man said he didn't respect me? I dare him to tell me to my face.

You don't see the slightest difference between earning respect and demanding

do you?

There would be no use in carrying on this conversation, Captain.

But, General, I'm not here to discuss the situation. Are the reports ready for

me on supplies and personnel?

Yes, sir, they're right here, sir.

Captain, be sure you leave on my desk all maps you have of local terrain. As

I've told you, I will leave the column in the morning.

Good night.

Good night.

Alright.

Me friend, Tawny.

Tawny, you can't go with me.

Now try to understand.

When they find out what you did to that guard, your people will track you down

if it takes the rest of their lives.

Tawny, you must stay here.

You must stay with your people.

Tawny.

Bob Tallhorse do that to you?

messed up your life for you, haven't I?

All right.

You, me.

Tony, I can't go any further. You go on by yourself.

Me, friend?

No.

Tony, you go on and save yourself.

Somewhere behind us was a band of pursuing warriors.

Being an Apache herself, Tony knew what she could expect from them.

After she hid me, there was nothing to be gained by staying with me. Absolutely

nothing.

So she stayed.

When it comes to tracking, I'll take an Apache over a bloodhound any day.

Meanwhile, I'd done something helpful to Tony.

I'd started to babble in delirium.

Johnny knew it was only a question of time until they found our hiding place

unless unless something distracted

Ya

Apache, sir.

Suing a girl. How many of them?

About 18 or 20, I'd say.

We'll ride between them and the girl. Make a stand in Salido Canyon.

Pistols, halt!

Forward, gallop!

Halt!

Into the canyon, men!

Mountain prepare to fight on foot.

And a Greg.

Have all the horses and horse holders go to the back of the canyon. Keep this

open and covered. We'll go out that way if we have to retreat.

Yes, sir.

Take every shot count, men.

General Bessington.

What is it?

That map's wrong. There's no back way out of this canyon. We're boxed in.

I see.

Our only hope is that that Indian girl has sense enough to ride for

reinforcements. Even if she does, I doubt if Captain Skoll will apply.

One more concerted rush will do us in.

Let her pass the word to conserve ammunition.

Yes, sir.

Carver.

Yes, sir. When you get off duty, see if those barrels are filled with water.

Yes, sir.

Captain! Captain, look! Over there!

Oh, no, it's... it's Tawny. It's that Apache girl that escaped from the

guardhouse with Maverick. Shoot her!

But, Captain, it's only a girl, and she... She's an Apache, ain't she? I say

shoot her.

But, sir, I... I don't... Car, bro.

Well, that's one more Apache that won't cause us any trouble.

General Basington's plan was to wait until nightfall before attempting a

breakout. But there was to be no nightfall for the General or any of his

Bob Tallhorse would see to that.

Anyone else would have been content with a day's slaughter, but not Bob

Tallhorn.

Way back to his village, he had his Apaches make another search for me, this

time a thorough one.

How about this?

Get your hands off me now.

Get on.

Well, look at you, John. You're throwing my shirt, a perfectly good 75 -cent

shirt you're throwing.

You shouldn't have done it.

And I come here to help you. What can you do for Bob Tallhorse?

Well, I can tell him I'll wipe out the rest of the cavalry at Fort Distress.

Of course, I expect a little something in return now.

More lies.

Am I lying?

Am I lying when I say that every Apache in the country will rally around you?

Yes, sir, rally around you. You pull off a raid like that?

Like Comanches, too, maybe.

Why, you'll be the biggest chief ever was.

And all thanks to Luther Cannonball.

Of course, like I say, old Luther just can't afford to hand out valuable

information that he gets his expenses back.

What do you want?

Just my money is all.

$2 ,048 .33.

And naturally, my own horses and my peddler's wagon.

My own gun.

Plus...

Plus, now, one of them gold bracelets I seen around, that's to pay for the

damage done to my shirt, you see.

You will have it all, but not until the flag has been brought down on Fort

Distress.

That's a deal. Now you listen, Bobby Tall Horse.

See how old Luther's worked out the details. Come on down here.

Hey, get your foot out of the way there. Move, that's a fort over there. All

right, now, there we are.

Now, there's the fort, see?

The entrance, you got that?

And so, for some money and a wagonload of cheap merchandise, Luther Cannonball

promised to sell out every man, woman, and child in the entire Southwest.

When the parlay was over, Cannonball went his way and the Apaches went

Back to the village for more ammunition.

And I went mine.

Of course, my way was a lot slower than anybody else's.

Somebody!

All right, boys, it's a rider coming in.

Hold it there, mister.

All right, all right, all right.

Just old Luther Cannonball.

Open the gate, boys, and let him in.

All right, close them gates now.

I see.

So poor old General Bassington's dead.

Oh, they don't come no deader.

No survivors at all?

Well, I didn't get there in time to be any help.

I looked through the bodies, though, just... to make sure that none was

breathing. Yes, I suppose the scavenger would make sure of that. Wait a minute.

You got no right to call Luther Cannonball a scavenger.

If I was you, I'd apologize.

Apologize? Yes, I would.

To a man charged with slave trading, selling illegal whiskey, and I don't

what other crimes.

That's right.

Apologize?

What's that?

A map I found in General Bassington's hand.

clutched like that in his poor dead fist.

You know, the funny thing about this map is that it shows Salida Canyon as

having an opening out in the back there. Now, you know as well as I do, there

ain't no back way out of Salida Canyon.

The general had a parcel of other maps in his pocket.

All of them, Bunko.

All of them signed by you.

Where are they now?

There where they'll cause you nothing but trouble anything happened to old

Luther.

He likes to keep a couple of aces in the hole, old Luther does.

All right, Cannonball.

What do you want?

Three things.

First, I'm charged against him. He's got to be dropped. But those papers were

signed by the general himself.

And he's gone now, the poor fellow. That leaves you in command.

All right.

I'll see that Maverick is blamed for the whole thing.

Next. Since I won't be going to the guardhouse, I'll need a place to sleep.

Yes, yes.

Settler has a room that he rents to people passing through.

No, no, no. Cost good money renting a room. Now, it appears to me that I ought

to be the honored guest of the acting commandant.

Now, you see here, Cannonball, don't you put...

All right.

You can move it in my quarters.

What else?

Luther Cannonball works himself to the bone for other people.

That's right, to the bone.

And all he gets is insults.

Time, things like that change.

What else?

You call me a scavenger.

Apologize?

Yes, I apologize.

We are going to get along right well.

You and me.

Cut and score.

I can remember falling off my mount and hitting the ground hard.

And that's all I remember.

Until I woke up next morning in the post infirmary.

The doctor had cleaned and bandaged my wound.

Captain Score wanted me healthy for the firing squad.

All right, hit me.

Well, he's coming around now.

Captain Score wanted to see him the moment that he came to. You better go

him.

Oh, Sean.

Sean, how did I get here?

Morning patrol found you. They brought you in.

Oh, what time is it?

Eight and ten o 'clock, I'd say.

That doesn't give us much time to spare. Now, just hold it there, Maverick.

Doctor says you're going to be all right.

Personally, I'd love a chance to prove him wrong.

In just a couple of minutes, Bob Tolos is going to make a raid on this fort.

Oh, is he now?

And I'm the Queen of the May.

Well, he is. I'm telling you the truth, Sean.

Maverick. This here is the best -equipped fort in the Southwest.

And even a crazy Indian wouldn't try to take this fort by storm. Unless somebody

on the inside would open the gates for him. Somebody would open the gates? Now,

just who would that be?

Luther Cannonball.

Cannonball's on the post, I'll bet.

Captain Score dropped the charges against him. Yes, that he did. Lack of

evidence, the captain said.

Well, now, how would you be knowing about that?

Because I overheard Cannonball discuss his plans with Bob Tallhorse.

He's got enough on Skor to make him hang.

For instance?

For instance, he has the maps that Skor prepared for General Bassington.

Rigged maps that gave the troops no more chance than minnows with a shark.

Oh, no. No, Maverick, you can't get away with it.

Captain Skor warned me. He warned me that you'd be talking against him when

woke up.

He told me to pay you no heed.

He told me just to remember what you did to Mrs. Skor.

I mean it, Sean. What happened to her? Maverick, you know what happened to her.

You killed her.

You knocked me out. And you stole my knife. And you stuck my knife in that

woman's back.

Maverick, I'll never forget how she looked as long as I live.

Sure, Scorer had to kill his wife.

Kill her and throw the blame on me.

Listen to me, Sean.

Tony, that Apache girl who was with me when I escaped, she can prove that...

Angel Scord was still alive when I left the guardhouse. No, she can't do that,

Maverick. But she can prove it to me. Maverick, the Indian girl is dead.

Dead?

Tawny.

Well, Captain Scord and I, we were inspecting the blockhouse walls.

We saw this Indian coming toward the fort.

Well, he shot her.

What a man. You can't blame him for that.

You were there. You didn't shoot.

Yes, I was there. I didn't shoot.

Well, he thought it was a trick or something.

Or something?

How much evidence do you need, John?

Well, Maverick, I... But he...

Maverick

giving you trouble, Corporal?

Well, some, Captain.

Like you warned me before, he has been talking against you.

That's your war cries.

Yeah.

You see what I mean, Corporal?

Yes, I see what you mean.

It means I've been listening to the wrong man.

Sounds like they mean business, huh?

Go away, Cannonball. Well, there's no harm in just standing here, is there?

What's going on?

This. Another minute you would have been wearing your back and he opened those

gates for his friends out there. Why, you... Hold it. We'll take care of it.

right. Come on.

She's got you here, too, huh?

Yeah. Well, I wouldn't worry about none if I was you. I'll put in a good word

for you with Bobby Tallworth.

What do you mean?

told me before you got him he killed the guard on the side gate. It's unbolded.

Good to see you, John.

Right.

You hear that, Maverick? They're inside the fort.

You're gonna need all the men you can get, and when it comes to Indian

there's not many in my class.

Now, come on. Let me out.

You're picking the wrong game, Storr.

I've been expecting you. The key's over there in the next cell door.

Now, wait a minute.

You fellas wouldn't be here if old Luther Cannonball hadn't schemed things

for you.

You ask Bob Tallhorse if he ain't the Apache's friend. You ask him!

Not many of us left. Our only chance is to get Bob Tallhorse over there.

Huh?

I know Apaches, Maverick. Lose a leader and they lose a fight.

All right.

Let me.

A hundred people lost their lives for every tooth on it.

Everyone connected with this necklace, Lieutenant, is now gone.

That everybody may soon include you, Mr. Maverick.

As far as the Army's concerned, you're still wanted for murder.

With only your unsupported word, you didn't kill Mr. Skor.

I see.

Take my advice, Lieutenant, and bury that thing somewhere. As long as it's

around, it's been nothing but trouble.

Hanson found a wounded engine over in that clump of trees, sir. Oh?

We better try and rig up a stretcher for her. Her?

An Indian girl?

Yeah. She looks like she's lost lots of blood, but Hanson says she's conscious

now. Hey, where do you think you're going?

Don't you see? It's got to be Tony. I'm going to go get her.

Open that gate!

Tony is the Apache girl he was telling us about. The one who can clear him of

all charges?

He has a lot to thank her for.

Me friend.

Smooth as a handle on a gun, Maverick is the

name.

Wild as the wind in Oregon, blowing up a canyon, easier to tame.

Riverboat, ring your bell.

Fare thee well, Annabelle. Luck is a lady that he loves the best.

Nice to see New Orleans,

living on Jackson Queens.

Maverick is a legend of the West.

Riverboat, ring your bell.

Maverick is the legend of the West.