Original subtitles

♪ [ trumpet ]

The West spawned a lot of women like Amelia Monk,

tough, hardy, but female clear through.

They followed their men West,

a baby on one hip, a gun on the other,

and set up housekeeping wherever they camped.

When they settled, home was a log cabin

or an adobe ranch house,

and to them, it looked good.

If they lacked the fine manners of their eastern sisters,

they didn't lack for bold courage.

If they couldn't embroider initials on fine linen,

they could shoot and ride and skin a deer.

And if their noses were peeling instead of powdered,

their kind of beauty was made to go with

the plains and mountains and miles of sky.

Tonight, we will meet one of these women

in the heartwarming true story, we call...

Titus?

Yes, Amelia?

Did she have any freckles?

Who?

Your first wife.

No, she didn't.

Why?

Oh, I'm just being silly, I guess.

It's just that I want him to like me.

I don't think a handful of freckles

will make any difference.

Oh, I wish I'd worn that bonnet that you gave me

when we got married.

Oh, for Heaven's sake, Amelia,

you're not being introduced to royalty.

You're meeting a 15-year-old boy.

I'm meeting my stepson.

[ wagon approaching ]

Oh, I think I hear him coming now.

Whoa.

DRIVER: Yah!

Father!

[ laughs ]

Glad to see you, son! How was the trip?

Oh, it was fine. A little dusty.

[ chuckles ]

Well, here she is, Warren.

Uh, this is my wife--

well, your new mother, Warren-- well, your stepmother, I guess.

Oh, Amelia.

Just call me "Amelia," son.

Warren.

How do you do?How are ya?

The buckboard's this way.

Are these your bags?

Oh, yes, they are.

Uh, Amelia?Huh?

I think we can manage those.

Oh. Yeah, sure.

Well, son...

Well, here we are, Warren.

Not much like the old place in Philadelphia, is it?

No, it's not.

Whoa.

Oh, Titus, he's such a nice boy.

You two seemed to hit it off.

Oh, yeah.

It's good to see him again.

He's grown like a weed.

Oh, you've missed him a lot, haven't you?

Yes, I missed him,

and you knew it, didn't you?

We're an odd pair, you and me.

Gentleman from the East and a lady cowboy.

It's been a solid match, hasn't it?

Oh, yes,

and I've always known that the one thing

that'd make it even better

would be to have Warren out here with us,

so we could be a real family.

Oh, he's just got to be happy.

It's so big and clumsy.

It was built for comfort.

[ grunts ] You couldn't ride like we do out here,

in one of those eastern saddles.

This is Amelia's favorite saddle.

This is a man's saddle.

Uh-huh.

In order to ride a saddle like this,

she-she'd have to wear...

...pants!

[ chuckles ]

Warren's never seen a lady in pants before, Amelia.

[ chuckles ] Yeah?

Didn't your mother ride, Warren?

She rode very well...

sidesaddle.

Oh, sure. I keep forgetting they do things different back East.

That's one thing I never could get the hang of doing myself.

[ both chuckle ]

Well, I'll see you dudes out at the springs.

All right.

She rides like an Indian.

She's not at all like mother.

No, she's not.

She's part of this country.

She was raised here,

Kansas, Colorado, Arizona.

Why--Dad?

Yes?

Why didn't you ever come home?

I intended to, son.

I just came West for a change,

to ease the hurt of your mother's death,

but this country seems so open and so honest.

It just took hold of me.

I drifted for a year, and then, I met Amelia.

And she was like the country,

free and honest and open.

And since then, it's been my dream

to have you here with me,

and hope that you'd feel as I do about it...

and her.

I hope you're not sorry you came.

It's just different, that's all.

And Amelia...

Well, she's different.

but I'll get used to it.

Sure, you will.

And on top of that,

grandmother added on a wing

south where the rose garden used to be.

[ chuckles ]You know, I tried to grow roses here one time,

but it wasn't--Remember Howsie, the old gardener?

Mm, I should say.

Your mother hired him before you were born.

He was very upset,

'cause he put that rose garden in, himself, you know?

So, anyway, he came to grandmother

with that "over my dead body" look in his eye.

But, in the end, he gave in,

only, grandmother had to let him move the rose garden

down to the summer house.

The summer house...

I think I miss that old summer house more than anything.

In a hot day, it used to catch every breeze.

Well, you know...

that sounds just like Palm Canyon, don't it?

That's where we rode to, today.

Well, on a hot day, you can be ringing

with sweat down here,

and up there, it's just as--

Tell me about your cousin, son.

Well, uh...

Porter got married. Huh?

Yeah. Aunt Justine was terribly upset.

He married a very common girl, you know.

No background at all.

You know the type.

China tea service,

no linens on the table--

[ gasps ]

Excuse me. I'm terribly sorry.

Oh, that's all right.

It's just a good thing I didn't have no linen on the table.

[ horse whinnies ]

[ horse whinnies ]

What is she doing?

A little landscaping, it looks like.

That's a man's work, father. Why do you let her do it?

Lether do it?

Son, I'd have to tie her up and sit on her,

to keep her from doing it.

Well, it's not a very pretty sight

to see a woman doing man's work

in man's clothes.

Well, she still looks mighty pretty to me.

Well, how was the ride?

It was all right.Yeah?

Oh, but it's almost dinner time, isn't it?

Gee, I completely forgot about it.

Uh, what are you up to?

Well, I figured, with a pinch of rain

and a little help from that well,

I'm going to have me a flower garden.

And I'm almost finished here.

I'll be in to fix you something to eat.

Oh, that's all right.

Warren and I can find our way around the kitchen.

Well, I don't know if you can or not.

It's still full up with breakfast.

Uh...

Save some paint for the rocks.

Oh![ laughs ]

Look at this mess.

Mother never would have left a mess like this.

Your mother never did a batch of dishes in her life.

At least, she would have seen to it that it was done.

Are you just going to stand there and complain,

or are you going to help?

You've got to stop comparing Amelia

with women back home.

Things are different out here.

Not so different, I hope,

that a woman can't act like a woman

and dress like a woman and talk like a woman.

Warren!

You're talking my wife and your stepmother.

Now, you've said enough, and I'll have no more of it.

[ door opens, closes ]

I thought maybe a few flowers

might make him feel more at home.

Amelia...

Amelia,

don't pay any attention to what he said.

Oh, I don't. I...

He's young and...

and he's homesick.

I guess just everything I do seems mighty strange to him.

Amelia...

Titus?

Yes?

Listen, when you go into Phoenix for supplies next week,

would you...

would you pick me up a couple of things?

Name it.

Well-- Well, I was thinking of a ribbon for my hair maybe,

and a cloth for the table,

and, you know, one of them lace collars.

It'd sure be nice if...

we could afford it.

Amelia.

Oh, I guess I thought he'd be just like you, Titus,

that he'd accept this life the way you did.

Oh, he's just got to be happy here.

I know how much it means to you.

It does to me, too,

seeing as how I never had a son of my own.

Oh, we've got to make a place here for him,

a real home, so as he'll stay.

Oh, I don't know.

Maybe some linen on the table

and a few flowers sticking out of the dirt

won't make no difference, but...

Well, I'll tell you something,

I'd even learn how to ride sidesaddle

if I thought that it'd help any.

[ chuckling] Amelia.

Titus! Amelia!

Well, howdy, Jack.

Hi.

Dust yourself off and come on in.

I'll fix you something.

No, thanks, Amelia. I've got to keep moving.

Jock, I'd like you to meet my son, Warren.

Warren, this is our good friend and neighbor, Jock Decker.

How do you do?

I'm very pleased to meet you, son.

Titus, I've been riding down the line.

The Apaches are stirring.

Is it bad, Jock?

They ran off with 20 head of my cattle,

raided the Lazy J this morning,

and Old Man Johnson took a bullet in his arm.

Someone go after them?

My men have been combing the hills all day.

Not a sign.

Oh, well, if they got your beef, they'll be feeding good, Jock.

They'll probably calm down now.

I hope so.

I don't look forward to any more Indian fighting,

but keep your guns loaded and your eyes on the horizon.

Thanks, Jock.

I'll see you later.

Well, looks like you came just in time, Warren.

Got to teach you how to handle a gun.

[ chuckles ]

All right. Now, bring in up easy.

Okay.Sight right down.

Yeah.Hold her steady.

All right.

Now.

Good!

You're a natural, son!

Handle a gun like you've been shooting all your life.

When can we go hunting, dad?

Oh, soon as Indians quiet down and it's safe in the hills.

We'll get us a little venison.Okay.

You get mighty tired of beef after a while.

Hey, let me have a turn, huh?

Oh, it kicks awful hard.

Yeah, I know it does. It's my gun.

Titus, you've been getting altogether too good lately.

It's time I cut you down to size.

You might be sorry, Amelia.

You're a pretty good teacher. I'm getting better.

Well, you go first.

All right.

Say, you are getting better.

[ laughs ]

You know, Amelia, if those cans had been Indians,

you'd have wiped out half a tribe.

Oh, Titus.

Indians! I plumb forgot.

I left me a pan of Indian pudding in the oven.

She's still the best shot in the territory.

I suppose that makes you second best, huh?

Dad, she rides better,

shoots better, and cusses better than you.

Why do you take it? Warren--

Why do you let her humiliate you like that?

Warren-- And don't you tell me

not to compare her with the women back East

'cause, don't worry, I won't.

There is no comparison.

That's enough, Warren!

I've taken all I'm going to, from you.

Now, go to your room.

[ horse whinnies ]

I can handle it myself, Amelia.

Well, you got a good day to go into town.

Not too hot.

When you figure to get back?

Sometime tomorrow.

Titus?

Will you get those things I ask you for?

Of course, Amelia.

More coffee?

No, thanks.

Warren...

Warren, I never wanted to take the place of your mother.

I just wanted you to be my friend.

I know.

I wish it could've been different.

It's not the country, is it?

You could get used to the desert

and the mountains, the loneliness.

It's just me, isn't it?

It's just I...

I don't understand your type of woman.

Excuse me, please.

I think I'll go do some target shooting.

Wait.

What's a matter?Stay back.

What is it?

Warren, I think you're going to get

all the target shooting you can use, right here.

Now, you go up and take that window,

and do just as I do.

[ Amelia cocks gun ]

[ groans ]

I-I can't even see them out there.

Oh, they sneak up

as stealthy as a tomcat stalking a lizard.

Those-those bushes give them plenty of cover.

Yeah.

There's a lot of open space between us and them, though.

You just pick them off as you see them.

There's one on your side.

Get him.

[ groans ]

[ shouts ]

[ gun clicks ]

[ shotgun clicking ]

I can see why you don't have time to crochet.

[ sighs ]

[ out of breath ] Oh.

Well, I'll tell ya,

I'd rather do this than face

some of them fancy balls your father talks about.

To tell you the truth, I always kind of wished

I'd learned how to dress proper

and talk proper,

be a real lady,

but I'll tell you something, Warren.

Here in Arizona Territory, it just seems like

manners have got to take a backseat to survival.

Amelia?

Yeah?

I'd just like you to know...

I'd like you to be my friend.

That'd make me mighty proud.

Warren...

[ Indians shouting ]

JOCK: You all right, Amelia?

Fine, Jock, yeah.

Well, me and the boys were backtracking

when we heard the shooting.

I'd figured it was more than a bobcat in a chicken coop.

I'm sending a couple of boys back to town, Amelia,

and the rest of us are going to tail those redskins.

Do you want them to take a message to Titus?

Yeah, tell him--

Tell him we're doing just fine.

I'll do that, Amelia.

Crying?

Well, haven't you ever seen a woman crying before?

I'll tell you, Warren, I was plumb scared

that whole time.

Don't cry.

Oh, thanks, Warren.

You know, at a time like this,

it's sure nice to have a man around.

How's that?

Why, it's just as good as new.

I didn't know you was so handy.

I didn't know it myself.

[ chuckles ] Oh, here's your father.

Whoa.

Are you all right?

Oh, fiddle fit, the two of us.

You should've seen her, dad. She's some woman.

With a whole yard full of Apaches, she's out there--

I know. I heard all about it.

You're something of a hero, yourself.

I'm proud of you, son.

Oh, this is for your mother.

Here, hold this.

What is this?

Oh, well, that's my fancy work.

I figure if Warren can learn to fight Apaches,

I can learn how to crochet.

When the West was finally won,

men took a fresh look at those fragile creatures

like Amelia Monk,

and old ideas toppled.

The women went on making bread and watering their plants,

but they knew there was something

behind the picket fence.

Somehow, for these people and their children,

the world was never quite the same again,

and it all started during Death Valley days.