Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

The Bible says, "It is not good that the man should be alone."

Jimmy Dayton was 55 years old

before the truth in those words hit home.

Jimmy was caretaker at the Greenland Ranch in Death Valley,

in the early 1890'’s.

Once in three months, he would hitch up

and drive into Daggett, 130 miles away,

to buy supplies and draw his pay.

On one such trip, began the strange story of...

A beer.

Who'’s she?

Florrie Wilkins. Sings here.

Darn, she'’s beautiful.

Dang, she'’s beautiful.

[ applause ]

Give me another whiskey,Whitey.

[ sighs ]

I told you not to say things like that to me.

Huh?Thad, stop it.

Who do you think you are?

You know who I am, baby.

I'’m lover boy.

I ought to slap your face.

But you won'’t, baby.

Will you?

[ coughs ]

What'’s the matter with you?

Just protecting your honor, ma'’am.

You lookin'’ for trouble?

You got no right botherin'’ a lady

when she don'’t want you to.

A lady?

[ laughter ]

What'’s so funny?

Oh, nothin'’, baby,but--

This old goat here

just trying to stick his nose in where it--

Now you can call me whatever you want to,

but you keep a civil tongue in your head

when you talk to this beautiful lady.

[ laughter ]

Aw, leave him alone. He'’s just an old man.

Well, he ought to be more careful.

Old fella like him, deciding to protect ladies.

[ laughter ]

Thad, come on. Let'’s get some air.

[ laughs ]

That'’ll learn ya, sashayin'’ around the ladies.

I'’ll sashay all I want to.

[ laughs ]

I got lots of life left in me, yet.

[ laughs ]

[ laughter ]

Oh, Jimmy, how are you?

Still alive, I guess.

Good. Good.

I'’ll take the usual, 15 cash.

Put the rest in my account.

You build up quite a large amount of money over the years.

Well, I'’m savin' for a rainy day.

It never rains in Death Valley. [ chuckles ]

I never thought of that.

I ain'’t that old a man,

and I ain'’t about to drop dead...

Huh?

Oh, nothin'’.

Thanks a lot, Jim.

What a woman...

[ train whistle blows ]

What train is that?

Number two, westbound.

Give me the rest of my money in cash, please.

You mind if I take a couple of days off?

Well, I guess so.

You'’ve got a vacation coming.

Where are you going?

Los Angeles.

What'’s the matter, baby?

[ sighs ] I'’m fed up. That'’s what's the matter,

and stop calling me baby.

I wish I was taking that train,

heading for New York and the bright lights.

What you need, baby,

is a good drink.

I'’m sick of drinking,

and I'’m sick of your drinking.

You'’re nothing but a rolling stone.

[ chuckles ] What'’s wrong with that?

Plenty.

Especially when it'’s hanging '’round my neck.

Oh, now wait a minute, baby.

I told you to stop calling me baby.

That'’s right, you ain'’t no baby.

Fact is, you ain'’t been no baby for a long, long time.

[ chuckles ] I'’ll bet--You get out, Thad Ryker!

I'’m buying no more of your liquor.

I'’ve taken all I'm gonna take from you.

Now, Florrie, wait a minute.

You don'’t mean that.

You know me and you, we were meant for one another.

Get out and leave me alone.

Florrie, you are gonna come crawling to me.

Crawl--Get out!

About time you told him off, Florrie.

Good riddance.

Yeah, I guess.

He was sure good-lookin'’.

[ sighs ] Now what happens?

Oh, he'’ll go off on another toot,

but at least this time it won'’t be with your money.

He'’ll be back,

if you want him back.

[ clears throat ]

Yes sir, what'’ll it be?

A whiskey, please.

Welcome, stranger.

Thank you, ma'’am.

First time in Daggett?

Not exactly,

I'’ve just come in from Los Angeles.

Staying a while?

Yes, ma'’am, I'’ve got a ranch out here.

Near here, not far.

[ clears throat ] Ma'’am, would you--Yes, I would.

Whitey, make mine a gin.

I didn'’t catch your name.

Uh--

Oh.

Uh-- my name is James Dayton, Esquire.

Mine'’s Florrie Wilkins.

[ sighs ] Here'’s luck.

My, that tasted just right.

You'’re a cattleman, Mr. Dayton?

Mr. Dayton?

[ sighs ] You'’re beautiful.

Thank you.

I was asking if you were a cattleman.

Oh, not entirely. Uh--

I have other interests.

Where is your ranch?

Death Valley.

How romantic.

I just love the desert, don'’t you?

Yes, ma'’am, I sure do.

Let'’s toast that, shall we?

[ clink ]

To the desert.

What'’s this about Florrie gettin'’ married?

That'’s right.

Big Rancher.

Came in here and swept poor Florrie right off her feet.

[ laughs ]

At least that'’s what he thinks.

I don'’t believe it.

Ask the sheriff.

He hitched '’em.

But only three daysago--

That was three days ago.

Florrie'’s made hay since then.

They left for his ranch this morning.

I'’ll be out in just a moment, Jimmy.

Florrie.

Yes, Jimmy?

There'’s something I'’ve got to tell you.

What is it, Jimmy?

Jimmy, that didn'’t fool me.

I knew you were bald,

and it doesn'’t matter.

Welcome home, Mrs. Dayton.

It was quite a trip.

Uh-- is this the bunkhouse?

No, this is where I-- where we-- live.

Well, where are the ranch hands,

the wranglers, the cowboys?

Howdy, strangers.

Strangers?

Jumpin'’ jackrabbits.

Holy toledo.

Hi, Vic.

Well, you old coot.

Hey, what you all dressed up for?

[ sighs ] Vic, I'’d like you to meet Mrs. Dayton.

What?

You mean, you went and got hitched?

You?

Well, you don'’t think I would be out here with him,

if we weren'’t, do you?

FLORRIE: Jimmy, who is this man?

Florrie, this is Vic.

Uh-- he and I-- well--

And he works for you, right?

In a manner of speaking.

Well, I don'’t think a ranch hand should speak

to the owner of the ranch

the way this man has just spoken to you.

Owner?

Now, Florrie...

Now, you see, Florrie, that'’s what I was trying to tell you

that first night.

I'’m not really the owner.

You what?

Well, I am in charge.

That is, I take care of things,

but I'’m not really the owner of the ranch.

Well, I'’m practically my own boss.

You lied to me?

Well, I--You deliberately deceived me?

You pretended that you were a big cattleman.

JIMMY: Well, I didn'’t mean to.

You just--You deceived me into marrying you!

Florrie, listen, please.And I listened

to all that sloppy talk of yours, and I believed you.

I believed you!

You and your big ranch, your other interests.

The only other interest you had was me!

You-- you-- gigolo!

Florrie, I love you so much.

Getting me out here on false pretenses.

If it wasn'’t so late and me so tired,

I'’d make you turn right around and drive back into Daggett.

Now get my things into the house,

and then just keep out of my way!

Dang, what a woman!

[ sighs ]

Florrie--Don'’t talk to me!

I know how you feel.

Oh, no, you don'’t.

Well I only did it because the way I feel.

You'’re the most beautiful woman in the world.

[ sighs ]

Florrie, it'’s true.

I love you.

If you really loved me, you'’d never have lied to me,

making me think you had plenty of money when you don'’t have a red cent.

Now, that ain'’t true.

Well, now it'’s true I'’m only the caretaker here,

but it ain'’t true that I don'’t have any money.

What are you taking about?

Well, I got plenty of money.

Gold.Where?

Buried.

Buried?

Yeah. Buried right here on this ranch.

[ sighs ] Stop it.

Well, it is.

I buried my money right here on this ranch

'’cause I don't trust any bankers.

I like to have my money

where I can get my hands on it easy.

You know you'’re just saying this

to try and make me stay here with you?

Well, it won'’t work.

Please, Florrie.I don'’t believe you, so forget it.

I know it'’s true I lied to you once,

but you gotta believe this.

I got a whole lot of money buried out there,

under a date tree.

Which one?

There'’s a whole forest of '’em.

Well, I can'’t tell you.

Why not?

Well, because it'’s just better if nobody else knows.

I'’m your wife!

If there'’s gold buried out there,

it'’s your duty to tell me about it.

I can'’t tell you.

Because there isn'’t any!

There is!

There is so.

I got a whole pot full of gold buried out there

under one of them date trees.

[ sighs ]

I'’m going over to the alfalfa fields.

The fences need mendin'’.

[ clears throat ]

I'’m gonna take a ride into Daggett tomorrow.

I thought you went in just once every three months.

Well, somethin'’ came up.

Anyway I thought you ought to know,

so'’s you could get packed.

[ sighs ] I'’m not going,

at least not yet.

You mean, you might get to like it here?

I mean nothing of the kind,

FLORRIE:but-- well, I don'’t like the notion

of going back to Daggett so soon.

I don'’t want to look like a complete fool.

That'’s the only reason?

That'’s the only reason.

No handouts, young man,

only jobs.

Working in a mine'’s $4.00 a day.

For muckers like you, $3.50.

Jimmy,

what brings you back so soon?

I want to draw my back pay, Mr. Geary.

MR. GEARY: Oh, how much of it?

JIMMY: All of it. The whole shebang.

In gold, please.

But Jimmy, these are your life savings.

I don'’t mean to pry,

but are you putting them into something--

something solid?

pretty solid, Mr. Geary.

Gonna put it in the ground.

In the ground?

Yeah, Florrie--

That'’s my wife, you know.

I told her that I'’d buried a pot of gold

out at the ranch.

JIMMY: It'’s the only way I could keep her there.

Now she'’s started to diggin'’ around for it,

lookin'’ for it.

And you'’re gonna bury the gold?

Yeah, I don'’t want her to think I lied again.

[ sighs ] You sure look awful good,

even when you'’re workin'.

I saw an old friend of yours in Daggett,

that young fella.

Thad?

How is he?

Did he ask about me?

No, I just passed him when he was comin'’ out of an office.

[ sighs ] He really was handsome,

but not worth a darn.

The flowers sure are pretty.

You made the garden very nice.

Just something to do.

This desert gives me the willies.

I thought you liked the desert.

That must have been when I was very young.

I'’m gonna turn in.

Do you want me to leave the lamp on?

No, it only attracts bugs.

It makes the room hot.

Are you gonna sit up a while?

FLORRIE: Yes.

Vic, is that you?

Is that you, Vic?

Who is it?

Thad.

Hello, baby.

What on earth are you doing here?

Well, I came to see you, baby.

Thad, you'’re crazy, Jimmy'’s in the house.

Oh, that old, dried up mummy. Don'’t worry about him.

I'’d enjoy bending that bald head of his,

but don'’t worry, baby, it'’s you I came to see.

What'’s that behind your back?

Oh, that is gold.

That is a sack of gold!

Jimmy'’s pot of gold.

You mean there really was gold buried out here?

[ chuckles ] Since last night.

I heard him making his plans in Daggett, so I--

I just followed him out here on my horse,

and watched him bury it.

[ clinking ]Here it is.

So that'’s it.

Come on, baby. Let'’s go.

Thad, wait, I can'’t just leave.

Why not?

Listen, you'’ve got everything.

You don'’t need to take nothin'’ with ya.

Listen.

This here will buy everything your little heart desires.

[ gasps ]Now come on. Let'’s go.

but Jimmy--

Never mind him.

If he bothers us, I'’ll hit him in the head.

Now, let'’s get out of here.

[ chatter ]

I thought you went home.

Thad, I just overheard a couple of shoppers outside.

They'’re laying for you,

and they must have seen your money.

Where?Don'’t-- Don'’t turn around.

They just came in.

Quick-- put your money in my bag.

Quick, while they'’re not looking.

[ clears throat ]

I'’ll wait for you at the hotel.

You stay here for about an hour,

then look in your pocket and shout, "I'’ve been robbed!"

Make sure they hear you.

Otherwise they might beat your head in.

We wouldn'’t want that, would we?

[ chuckles ]

That'’s right, baby.

You look after old Thad, baby.

Shh.

Shh!

We don'’t want anybody to know, right?

Now, you run along.

[ sighs ]

Time was when things didn'’t seem so bad around here.

Now it sure is lonesome.

JIMMY: Florrie!

Land sakes, it'’s Florrie!

Come down out of there!

Oh!

Florrie, I thought I'’d never see you again!

I brought your pot of gold back, Jimmy,

your buried treasure.

I decided I like the desert after all.

Jimmy, you'’re the only man

who ever treated me like-- like a lady.

If you still want me, I want to stay.

In fact, if you hadn'’t been such a big liar,

I never would have been so mad at you.

But I thought, with all that diggin'’...

Digging?

For the gold.

I saw where you dug up under the palm trees.

[ laughs ] You thought I was digging for the treasure.

Jimmy, dear, I was planting flowers.

I never believed there was any treasure.

I just wanted something to do,

and I'’m not much good around the house.

At least, not yet.

Jimmy Dayton and Florrie lived happily

at the Greenland Ranch,

which later became Furnace Creek Ranch,

and one day in 1899 Jimmy Dayton died--

a victim of the desert he loved.

Years later, a stone monument and a bronze plaque

was dedicated to Jimmy Dayton,

a true Death Valley pioneer.