Original subtitles

♪ [ trumpet ]

Death Valley men were a unique breed.

Only the toughest prospectors

ventured into these alkali sands.

But they were men with dreams,

dreams of making one big strike.

Death Valley women had dreams, too,

but theirs were about things other women took for granted,

like having neighbors close by or going to a church social.

Cynthia Lane had her own special dream

about a dress made of silk trimmed with velvet.

It was the perfect...

You ever been in Los Angeles, Zeb?

Yeah, once, a long time ago.

Must be beautiful.

All those big houses and restaurants and theaters.

Oh, I didn't go to no place like that.

I was just there long enough to pick me up a grub steak.

They say San Francisco is a much finer city,

with the opera and all. What do you think?

I don't know what to think.

What is this about, Los Angeles and San Francisco?

Just making conversation.

Is that right?

I could have sworn you were working up to something.

Huh?

What is it? Come on, you can tell me.

We can work it out together. Huh?

That's just it.

About our being together.

Oh, Zeb,

I can't marry you.

What are you talking about?

We love each other.

I know but,

settling down here is different for you.

You've been all over.

I've never been any place.

Well, we'll go on a trip some time. Any place you want to go.

It's not just that, I want to live in a real town

where there are people and I can have friends

and go to parties sometimes.

I've never been to a dance.

Do you know I've never had anything but a calico dress?

You look beautiful in that calico.

Once I saw a picture of a dress.

A lady in San Francisco was wearing it to a ball.

It was silk, blue silk,

with purple velvet trimming.

If I could only have a dress like that,

I'd never want anything.

And what about the house?

It's almost finished. Don't you want that?

Oh, Zeb.

All right.

You go to some town,

and you wear your dresses and meet your fancy people...

but you just remember

that I love you.

Come on. Come on!

Zeb.

Zeb, wait.

Oh, Zeb, I do love you.

Everything's going to be all right, I promise.

I promise we're going to be happy.

We won't have to live here forever.

We'll go to town, and we'll get that blue dress you want.

Everything's going to be fine

just as soon as I make a strike.

[ whistling ]

Whoa.

Ah, home again.

Made good time.

Hey, I'll get that. You go on in.

Cynthia, I'm sorry...

about the dress. I...

It's all right.

The pay dirt that I've been scratching out,

we haven't even had enough to buy the things we've needed.

I know.

That dress in Ryan's window

was almost exactly like the one I've always wanted,

and you did--Promise. I know.

Five years ago.

But right now, honey, we, you know.

It's just impossible.

I guess this calico will have to do just as well...

for now.

That's my girl.

Oh, Zeb, aren't they turning pretty?

Not half as pretty as you.

Cynthie,

you know what we're going to do

first time I get any kind of a strike?

What?

We're going to go into town,

and we're going to have a real celebration.

I'll take you to Ryan's and I'll buy you

that blue dress you've been wanting.

Oh, Zeb.

And a new hat.

And then...dinner at the Palace Restaurant, huh?

They got dancing there, and I won't be very good at it, but--

You'll be wonderful once the music starts.

I'll say,

"Madame, may I have this waltz?"

And you'll be the prettiest girl in the whole room.

Go on.

Come on.

Pay dirt.

It's pay dirt.

[ excited yell ]

Nero, did you hear that?

We're rich, Nero.

We're rich, do you hear that, Nero, see?

[ laughing ]

ZEB: Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Cynthie? Cynthie.

Gold! Tons of it!

Aren't you going to say anything?

Are you sure?

I'm positive. Look.

Look, honey, it's the strike we've been waiting for.

We're rich. Look.Oh.

Oh, Zeb.

Now...

we'll go to town the first thing in the morning,

and we'll have the papers filled out and have it assayed,

and then you know what we're going to do?

We're going to sell it,

and we'll leave here for good.

Huh?

Move to town?

Any place you want to go, just like I promised. Huh?

Well, what happened?

Guess.

Uh...you sold the claim.

Uh-huh. But that's not all.

What else, huh?

Guess how much.

$10,000?

No, no, no.

15,000?

Nope.

Oh, Zeb.

$25,000.

25,000.

Come here, come here, let me tell you what happened.

I went to the claim's office,

and there was a man there from Consolidated Mining,

and as soon as he saw the samples, he was interested,

so I took him out to the claim and he filed the papers.

He-- just signed them, everything, right there.

Did he give you the money?

You don't just carry money like that around with you, but it's all right.

I go into Los Angeles and sign the papers,

and he gives me a check.

Oh, Zeb.

It's more than I ever dreamed.Yeah. I know. Me, too.

Now look, you-- you go on and get ready, and we'll go.

Now? Why not? We'll go and we'll have that celebration

I've been promising you.

Oh.

What, what's wrong?

Zeb, I can't go into Los Angeles without a decent thing to wear.

Honey, we can pick something up on the way.

We're rich.

I tell you what.

You go on and sign the papers. You don't need me for that.

I'll stay here and pack.

By the time you get back, we'll be all ready to leave

for good.

But I thought you wanted to go?

I do but this way is better.

All right.

Oh...

Zeb, will you bring me the dress?

The blue silk one with the purple velvet trimming?

Sure I will.

Have a whiskey.

Keep the change.

Had some good luck.

I'll say you did.

Rob a bank?

Hey, that's a good one.

No,

I, uh, struck it rich. Gold.

I was a miner.

Is that right?

Yes, ma'am.

Why don't you tell me about it? Huh?

So where is your gold mine, miner?

It's not mine anymore. I said I "was" a miner.

[ singing ] ♪ Mine ain't mine anymore, anymore ♪

♪ Mine

Now, that's a good one.

It's all right, folks. Just a little too much to drink.

[ footsteps ]

Oh, I'm so glad you're back.

I expected you yesterday.

What's the matter?

Zeb?

You forgot my dress.

Oh, Zeb, don't worry.

It's all right--It's gone.

What's gone?

The money.

The money?

All of it?

Were you robbed?

Something like that.

Tell me, Zeb.

I cashed the check,

and just for once in my life

feel what it's like to have money in my pocket,

went to a bar.

Had to act like a big man,

kike the city folks do.

I wasn't drunk.

Then what?

I don't know.

They put something in my drink,

or a drug or something.

I...

woke up in an alley.

But how?I don't know how.

Oh, Zeb, I should have gone with you.

You wanted me to. It's all my fault.

Don't blame yourself.

I'm telling you one thing, though.

There's a lot more gold out there,

and I'm going to find it.

Don't matter how long it takes,

I'm going to find it.

You're back early.

Found me a strike.

No.

Ain't as big as the one before. Only worth a few thousand.

A few thousand?

Why that's a fortune.

We'll ride in town tomorrow and file the papers.

Zeb?

We could kind of celebrate.

Celebrate what?

We'll get an early start, pick up a few things we need,

be back early.

Sure you don't want to ride along?

I'm sort of tired. I'd just as soon stay home.

Okay, you suit yourself.

Should be back before dark.

Zeb?

Will you...will you bring me the dress?

What dress?

You remember, the blue silk one.

You still got that in your head?

There ain't no place out here to wear it.

Come on.

DREAM ZEB: Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Oh, Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Cynthie?

Oh, my God.

Is she going to be all right?

I don't know.

She's got to be.

It's not just exposure from the sun.

She's got no will to live.

What do you mean "will"?

She's given up.

That's not possible.

Well, maybe it's the monotony--

the days, the years, sameness.

Zeb?

Zeb?

Here, here, sweetie.

Zeb.

Where's your suit?

You looked so nice in your gray suit.

It was all green,

so cool and green.

I had on my blue dress.

I think it was heaven.

Cynthie?

My dress looked so beautiful in heaven.

Cynthie.

That dress.

That is the only thing she ever wanted,

and I never even gave her that.

She don't know what she's saying, Zeb.

All the same, I'm going to get it.

It might take a couple of days,

but I'm not coming back without it.

You stay here with her?

Might help with that.

Thanks, doc.

Cynthie.Zeb.

I'm fine.Not yet you're not.

Now you keep her in bed.

You know where I'll be if you need me.

Thanks, doc.

What's this?

Go ahead, open it.

Oh, Zeb.

I hope it's the right color.

It's perfect.

No, no, you stay here, now. You can't get out.

Oh, just for a minute, Zeb.

I want to see what it looks like.

You look beautiful, Cynthie.

As soon as you get well, you can wear it.

We'll go any place you want.

Won't come back till you've seen everything.

You don't mind coming back, do you?

I don't mind.

That gold I found, Cynthie.

It's nothing compared to what's waiting out there...

and I guess the desert's all I know.

It's all right, Zeb.

The desert's all I know, too.

[ laughs ]

Cynthie was part of the purple shadowed mountains and ridges.

She was a desert woman, and Zeb was a desert man,

and through all the years that followed,

Cynthia's dress was the most beautiful

ever seen in Death Valley.