Original subtitles

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[GUNFIRE ROARS]

[PANICKED SCREAMS]

[IN SPANISH]

-He says shut up!

So shut up!

Unless you want to get killed!

He's Chucho Morales.

We are not banditos.

We are liberators.

So shut up.

[CRASH]

-I'm Chucho Morales.

We are not bandits.

We are liberators.

[GUNFIRE]

[GUNFIRE]

-I'll give you whatever you want.

Just jewels, money-- just take it.

-Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Boss, you,uh, you talk big, huh?

Are you somebody?

Huh?

Big man, huh?

-My name Parkinson.

I'm [INAUDIBLE] with this railroad.

Listen, I--

-No, no, no, no.

What you got in there, eh?

What are you hiding, huh?

-That's my daughter.

You leave her alone.

I've already said we'd give you all the money you want.

-Hey, linda.

You, uh-- your papa here, he kiss you good night, uh?

No?

Oh.

Maybe-- maybe you want I kiss you good night, eh, linda?

-You filthy animal.

[GUNSHOT]

[SCREAM]

-Very bad mistake, big man of the railroad.

Very bad.

Hey, Briggs-- get someone who can think in Spanish

and write in English.

-Hey, Chucho.

I got this kid.

He can write.

But more, he says he's a lawyer.

-Mm.

A lawyer, huh?

[IN SPANISH]

-A student.

-Ah, same thing.

Hey, you, ah, you hungry?

-No, gracias.

-Too bad.

Made very special, for one big man of the railroad.

But, uh, he ain't hungry, too.

Now, uh, we-- we write letter.

Come.

Now-- sit down, now.

Sit down.

Paper.

Pen.

Now, write letter, to the biggest man of the railroad.

El Presidente.

Write down his name--

-I don't know his name.

-You don't know his name, uh?

Then put down El Presidente, and any names

you know of the important men in Estados Unidos.

[TRAIN SOUNDS, TRAIN BELL RINGS]

[THUD]

DAVENPORT: Here's where they threw his body off the train.

With that note pinned to it.

His daughter, Beth, is like my own.

She was with him.

Now, I'm torn between hoping she's not dead,

and hoping she is.

-Hope is strong stuff, Mr. Davenport.

Let's keep it on the positive side.

-Tell me how, Major-- when you just told us officially

that we can't possibly deliver what those outlaws demand.

And yet, if we don't, they'll kill

every man, woman, and child on that train.

Now, on what basis, please, do we hold the positive thought?

-This message was addressed to you, and two other men--

Hank Brackett, and Johnny Reach.

Have you been in touch with them?

-They're not with this railroad.

I don't know who they are, or what they have to do with this.

-Neither does Morales.

But whoever wrote this letter for him, he knows who they are.

-And so do you, apparently.

-As a matter of fact, I do.

Used to soldier with Brackett.

And I've heard a lot about his partner.

Their names aren't here by accident.

Between the lines, whoever wrote this

was calling out to them for help.

-To them?

Why?

-Because he's in deep trouble, and that's their specialty.

-Hm.

What are they?

Hired guns?

-Well, they don't work for free.

At first, they did.

Cleaned up a couple of tough border towns,

just in self-defense.

Then, other towns, or folks in trouble,

took to coming to them for help.

So many, they had to get a bit mercenary

about putting their lives on the line.

-I see.

Well, what's their customary fee?

-A blank check, Mr. Davenport.

You see, they feel like this-- if you can put a price on it,

you don't need them bad enough.

-Are you trying to tell us, Major, that the United States

Army can't do the job here, but that two men possibly can?

-I've already told you, Mr. Davenport.

We can't move troops across the border.

I know that.

I don't know what they can do, if they take the job.

But whatever it is, it can't be much worse than what

Morales has in mind, now can it?

-Where can they be contacted?

-Casa Grande Hotel, Casa Grande, New Mexico.

-Miss Baker, get a telegram off to Mr. Hank Brackett,

Mr. Johnny Reach, that address.

Gentlemen.

Come at once.

Situation desperate.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

FOOTE: Them tarnation gas buggies

are an abomination to the Lord.

Yea, verily, the love a man beareth for his horse ain't

never going to be replaced by no bucket of bolts.

Noisy, smelly, newfangled contraptions.

You expect to leave that stack of smoke

and scrap iron here, to offend the noses of honest horses?

-Oh, yes, sir.

And we expect you to guard it tenderly.

With loving care.

-Me?

Them things is against nature.

And the opposite of all I stand for.

Yea, verily.

Thus they provoked Him to anger, with their inventions.

And the plague broke in upon them.

Psalms 106, verse 29.

-And the chariots shall rage in the streets,

they shall justle one against the other in the broad ways--

they shall seem like torches, and they

shall run like the lightnings.

Nahum two, verse four.

-Hey, you know your scriptures.

-If thou canst not lick them, join them.

Uh, Johnny Reach, 1914.

-And for your Christian kindness in taking her off the streets

and keeping her safe from prying eyes

and busy fingers, a love offer, brother.

$20.

Hard cash.

-Seeing you put it that way, I'll

look after her like she's pure-blooded horse flesh.

Expect you come to see the hanging, huh?

-Hanging?

-What hanging?

-You didn't know?

You must not have come in by the way of Main Street.

Why, the whole town's over there, fixing to hang a man,

right now.

-I was wondering how we got into town unnoticed.

-Maybe that's why Davenport sent for us.

Said it was urgent.

-Cyrus Davenport?

Well, he's president of the railroad.

Richest man in New Mexico.

-Well, I don't suppose they're gonna hang him.

-No.

Paco Morales.

The bandit.

You must have heard about it.

Why, him and his brother and his whole bunch

come blasting across the border.

They pulled a raid in this very town.

They killed men, women, kids-- it was awful.

This Paco fellow is the only one we got alive.

MISS BAKER: Mr. Brackett?

Mr. Reach?

-Yes, ma'am?

-Yes, indeed.

-I'm Miss Baker.

Mr. Davenport's secretary.

We assumed you had arrived.

Oh-- so that's a Stutz Bearcat.

Oh.

Isn't it beautiful?

-Gorgeous.

-My.

I bet it really travels, too.

-Yeah, I'll bet it really does.

-Well.

If you're ready now, we'll go straight to your hotel room.

-Fine.

-I mean, uh, it's all right with the management.

Arranged, that is.

Your accommodations at the Plaza.

-Hey, you're in luck.

You can look right out your window

there, and watch that fellow being hanged.

The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance.

Psalms 58, verse 10.

-Yeah, well, maybe we're not be all that righteous.

[CROWD NOISE]

-Hang him.

Hang him!

-Gringos!

Come and get me, why don't you?

I don't care.

Hey, Sheriff?

Let them in, I don't care.

Tonight, tomorrow, Friday-- Paco Morales ain't scared to die.

VOICE IN CROWD: Are we cowards?

[CROWD NOISE GROWS]

-Now, you listen.

Go on-- get out of here.

Go home.

What you're doing here don't even make sense.

This man's been sentenced by a court of law.

Now, you go on and get.

You want to see justice done, you can come back Friday.

-Well, it's too late for that, Sam.

-Come on!

Get it over with!

Gringos!

-What do you think, Hank?

-If they ever get organized, I wouldn't

like to be the one to try and stop them.

Is that the job, Miss Baker?

-Well, no.

Not exactly.

Well, I mean, the prisoner is a related problem.

But I'd rather you heard the details from Mr. Davenport.

He'll be here directly.

-Well, he'd better be, because this problem's

liable to become unrelated awful sudden.

-What about this Sheriff?

Just how many men has he got?

-Oh, [INAUDIBLE] five.

-Yeah?

-Five regular deputies, seven special.

-And just how many of them care whether Paco Morales is

hanged tonight, or some time Friday?

-They wouldn't let it happen, Mr. Brackett.

No matter how they felt about him.

Sheriff Lynch is a very good man.

-It's kind of an unfortunate name though, isn't it?

-Hey, there's a good sign.

A good fistfight's getting started.

A chance to work out some of that poison,

before it comes to a head.

-You know, my partner's an old hand at these necktie parties.

-Really?

-No, really.

The first one I attended, he was guest of honor.

That's where I found him.

I just plucked him off a cottonwood tree.

And he wasn't very ripe, either.

-I'd be swinging there yet, if old Hank hadn't happened by.

And spoke up from the other end of a double stack blow gun.

-Well, what were you doing?

-Oh, well, uh-- a little kicking, a little cussing.

-A lot of cussing.

-No, I, I mean, before the actual--

-Well, ma'am, just drifting.

Sat down to a camp fire for a cup of coffee

with some boys driving their beeves up to market.

Well, I come to find out those beeves didn't belong to them.

-Oh, and you were implicated by association.

-The association turned up shooting.

By the time the smoke cleared, none of my coffee drinking

friends were fit to be hanged.

But being alive, well, that made me the logical choice.

-Oh, well, you certainly have reason

to be grateful to Mr. Brackett.

-He certainly does.

But he's paid off.

[SOUNDS AT THE DOOR]

-Thanks for coming, gentlemen.

I'm Davenport.

-How are you, sir?

-Captain Brackett.

-Well, just plain Hank Brackett.

-Colonel Delgado.

-How are you?

-Senor.

-And of course, you know the Major.

-Hey, Billy.

How are you, buddy?

Long time between wars.

-Well, it certainly is.

The old sawbones let you loose, leg and all, eh?

-Oh, I got a new one.

-Oh, sorry about that.

Don't leave it laying around.

He was always losing something on [INAUDIBLE].

Except in battles.

-Right.

-I'm sorry, sir.

This is my partner, Johnny Reach.

-Hello, Johnny.

Edward.

The Colonel.

Bill Graham, our chief engineer. -How are you?

-How are you?

-Carlos Merida, our chief of maintenance.

-Gentlemen.

-And I think you all know Miss Baker.

Uh, this circus out here-- I wanted you to see it,

to be on top of it, if necessary.

That's why we're meeting here.

Tell me, uh, how do you estimate Morales' chances?

I mean, do you think he'll keep till Friday?

-Mm, if he can get through the next few hours.

You know how these things get stirred up at night,

and go sour in the sun.

-We've got a national guard unit coming in

to back up the Sheriff, if he needs it.

Should be here soon enough.

-We want to apologize again, Colonel,

for the inconvenience of your visit.

-[IN SPANISH].

It was my wish to come.

But as you see, senors, this is no longer

a safe place for Mexicans.

-Because of Paco Morales?

-Si.

-This means that you came up here unofficially.

-Not unofficially, but secretly.

Like a thief in the night.

-I hope you do understand, sir, that, uh, we're

not all like that mob out there.

-Just as you understand that we are not

all like that one across the way.

Still, we had to take certain precautions.

But this young man and I were not observed.

Otherwise, we would have been here sooner.

-Incidentally, you made fantastic time.

-Incidentally, you made a fantastic offer

just for getting here.

-Couldn't spell out all the details in the telegraph.

But that much is yours, in any case.

As far as the job is concerned, the Major

tells me your customary fee is a blank check.

Well, that one is signed and countersigned.

And it's my understanding you'll fill

it in, if you take the job.

-Yeah, well, let's just let this one settle in a while.

Because we're talking about a Friday deadline

for doing what has to be done before Paco hangs.

Is that right?

-Let's sit down, gentlemen.

Suppose you begin, Colonel.

-Well, as you know, this Paco Morales

is one of two brothers who command a force of,

well, what began as revolutionaries,

but go on as renegades, forgetting, after years

of bloodshed, what the beginning was.

-They used to ride with Pancho Villa.

Then they split off on their own,

and the elder one-- Chucho-- he's the boss.

Chucho Morales.

El libertador.

-What happened is this-- since Paco is very probably content

to die for his crimes on this side of the border,

his brother, Chucho, has seized and holding a passenger

train in the State of Chihuahua.

On board, as hostages, are some 73 civilians.

Mexican and Americans.

-What's he plan to do?

Kill them all, if we hang his brother?

-I see you've heard of his reputation.

It's not based on bluff.

-I tell you, so that you know.

In a place in Estados Unidos, they plan to hang my brother.

My brother.

My Paco.

My mano.

So I say, no!

I say, no.

You kill my brother, ah-- I kill many people.

All of you people on this train.

-Oh, no.

-Yeah.

All of you.

It is sad.

Very sad.

But it is my only way to keep my brother not to be hung.

-And they have agreed to this?

The Americanos-- to let him go?

-Yes.

They will have to.

-This man has often bargained for the lives of his prisoners.

Won his every demand.

And still, delivered them dead.

To deal with him, on any terms, is to invite death.

In this case, for 73 innocent people.

-And the key word, gentlemen, isn't 73.

It's people.

Like my friend Joe Parkinson, who's already dead.

Like his daughter, Beth, who's still on that train.

Joe's body was delivered with this note.

Which may have been written by a friend of yours.

-A friend of ours?

It's signed, Chucho Morales.

By Ricardo Sandoval.

-Ricardo?

-Then you do know him?

-Sure.

Through his father.

The old man worked with us, down in Mexico, on a lot of jobs.

Last time I heard of Ricardo, he was going to law school,

wasn't he?

-Mm.

-Officially, Hank, it's too hot to handle.

He'll shoot them on the spot if any attempt is made

to stop the train, or even get close to it.

-Which means that, if our soldiers made the attempt,

we could be responsible for the deaths of your people,

as well as our own.

-And if our boys cross the border, as they

shouldn't, your people are butchered.

-Either way, you see what would happen between our countries.

-You said any attempt to stop the train.

That means they're running it.

Where?

-Forward and back, between here, and here.

About 40 miles of wide open country.

At about 60 miles per hour.

-No, now wait a minute.

They've gotta stop for fuel and water.

Give me a look at this.

So where's the water?

-This is the water tower.

And this is the coal supply.

Both guarded by Morales' men.

-Oh, it's no great matter to seize them.

To cut the train off and surprise a few in order.

Or to block the track, and stop it altogether.

But if we do, those passengers are dead.

-Keeping on the move within that flat 40-mile stretch,

Morales can command 360 degrees of unobstructed view for miles.

And anything that moves out there

could trigger the killings.

-Wait a minute, now.

The train moves no further north than here, and no further south

than here?

-Well, not yet.

However, we're supposed to deliver Paco,

alone and alive, at 9 o'clock Friday

morning, precisely there.

Which is 20 miles closer to the border

than that stretch of track they're on now.

-Uh-huh.

And in the meantime, what you want Johnny and me to do

is pull 73 passengers off a moving

train, in wide open country, without being seen,

and if we are seen, they're all killed.

Is that the job?

-I told you.

It can't be done.

-I didn't say that.

-It, uh, might take a minute or two.

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

RICARDO: Senorita?

Senorita?

I think if they had meant to kill us,

they would have done so.

-And you're grateful for that one small favor?

Where are your police?

Have you no laws in this godforsaken country?

-Si, senorita.

We have laws.

And men to break them.

Thus in all countries which are called civilized.

I myself have studied law.

At Guadalajara.

Mm, perhaps I will live to practice it.

Perhaps not.

But all of these men will answer to it.

And I have reason to believe that a plan to rescue us

is, even now, in operation.

-What plan?

What reason to believe?

-Please-- how long do you expect to keep us here?

Aboard this train?

Running back and forth, going nowhere?

-What is it?

What is it?

You don't like?

Huh?

Something wrong?

You want to go someplace?

Maybe I send you someplace, huh?

[GUN COCK]

-Leave him alone.

-Oh, linda.

Little linda.

It is you who speak-- I obey.

You see, with you, I am like a-- like a little baby.

I am helpless.

What is your command?

Hm?

-If you want to rob and kill us all,

then why are you prolonging it?

-Patience.

You, you must have patience, and hope.

Hope.

I do not think you understand.

You must, you must come with me, I-- we will talk in private.

I will explain everything to you.

Eh?

There will be no secret between us.

Come.

Come.

I do not want to insist, but, uh,

I will shoot into this man's ear if you don't.

-Chucho Morales!

-No, no, no-- [IN SPANISH].

Amigos.

Here we have a great sight.

Like the first steps of a baby, this, uh, this fine muchacho,

this, this schoolboy, I, I didn't

know he had any legs to stand up on, I-- I just didn't know.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

-You were once a man of the people.

Your name was spoken with admiration.

Like that of Zapata.

You stood side by side with him.

How do you wish to be remembered?

As you were then?

Or for what you do now?

-And how do you wish to be remembered, uh?

With a bullet hole between your eyes?

-I'm just asking you to be the man

you could be, and have been.

[CLICK]

-Please.

I'll go with you.

-No, no, little linda, no.

You must want to go with me, hm?

You must beg me.

-Then I'm begging you.

I'm begging you.

-Hey.

Hey, schoolboy.

She beg me to go with her.

Do you want me to go with her, or-- or you want to die?

-I, I don't want to die.

-Then say, please let me live.

-Please, let me live.

-And go with her.

-And go with her.

-Hm.

Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm-- ha, ha, ha, ha, ha-- Ah, you see, amigos?

You see?

The schoolboy learned the lesson.

Yes.

A man is a man, or he ain't.

[LAUGHTER]

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

-Well, now.

Where's the [INAUDIBLE]?

Here.

Is that a spur track?

-At one time, senor.

Went to a mining camp.

Since abandoned.

-Well, that is about-- that's 15 miles from where

they're running the train, and about five miles from where

they were going to pick up Paco--

-That spur line is gone.

All that track has been taken up.

-How about the trestle?

Where's that?

Here-- this trestle bridge, over the gorge--

is that still standing?

-Yeah, at last reports.

-When?

-Nine, 10 months ago.

Why?

Is it important?

-Is it important?

That is probably the ballgame.

I'll take this, Mr. Davenport, if you

don't mind, and fill it in later.

Fair?

-Why, certainly.

What is your plan?

-Well, we don't like to talk about things like that,

because, uh, you'll probably think we're crazy,

and you might be right.

Senor Merida?

Get on the telegraph.

Get in touch with the best section gang you've got.

You get them down there, and they

can be working while we're getting ready.

-Putting that old spur back in?

-Right.

A good gang ought to do that an hour before lunch, easy.

But I want the main line torn up.

Track and ties, for at least a mile, north of the spur.

I don't want Morales rubbernecking out

of that train, and seeing he's been sidetracked.

-Sidetracked?

Well, what about the engineer?

Whoever's pushing that loco's bound to know the pike.

He's surely gonna--

-Yeah, well, you see, by that time,

Johnny will be running the train.

-Johnny?

-Well, don't worry about a thing, Mr. Davenport.

First job I ever did was railroad, with the Santa Fe.

I'll keep your kettle boiling.

-Well, even so, how you gonna get aboard?

Without being seen?

At 50 or 60 miles an hour?

-Don't know just yet.

We sort of touch those things up as we go along.

-This is absolute insanity.

-You know, I said you'd maybe say that.

Listen, can I have a plan of that trestle?

And I want a map of the train around the gorge,

and some photographs, if possible.

-I'll need, uh, specifications on the locomotive.

And blueprints.

-Give them anything they need to do the job.

And let's pray to God they know what they're doing.

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

-There's your boy, Bill.

-That's a welcome sight.

-Hank, what do you think?

This plan of yours-- will it work?

-What, that stuff in there?

Whoa, Billy.

Pretty hard to do sleight of hand with your fingers

crossed, I'll tell you.

-Hey, schoolboy.

If you're looking for federales, you

better hope you don't see one.

One federale out there, and a lot of dead people in here.

Maybe you dead already.

You don't move.

You don't speak.

Maybe you're thinking about your, ah, lady friend.

The gringo woman.

Huh?

Ah, forget it.

Chucho will take care of her.

Leave everything to him.

Hm?

-Ah.

Oh, little linda.

Why you look so sad, eh?

Hey, little linda, you, you ain't married, huh?

That's why you sad.

I think you want to marry, huh?

Not like the captain of the ship.

He do marriage.

I am the captain of the train-- presto-- we are married.

Heh, heh, heh, heh.

Happy?

No happy, eh?

So we don't get married.

We get drunk, huh?

Ah.

Now, you drink.

-Let me go back now.

-To what?

To the schoolboy?

-No, just back to the others.

-No.

I don't like them.

I don't like to look at them.

I like to look at you.

I look at them?

Maybe they don't live so long.

Now, if you stay here with me, maybe they stay alive, huh?

Now, you drink.

Drink.

Ta bueno.

You see, in the bottle, in the bottle there is hope.

Nowhere else.

No one to help you.

Poor little linda.

No one to help her.

-I'll have the carriage brought around the back.

-Bueno.

-Well, thanks again, Colonel, for coming,

and for all your help.

-We are neighbors, senor.

We do not close our doors to one another

because there's a mad dog in the streets.

Adios, amigo.

Plenty of men will be there when you need them.

-Not before.

-I understand.

Senorita.

God be with you both.

Vamanos.

-Abiento.

-I'll have those things you wanted brought over

as soon as we can dig them out.

-Fine.

-You have the list, Miss Baker?

-No.

I mean, yes.

I mean, well, if there's anything

else you want that I don't have--

-Not that I can think of.

Uh, you will be bringing those papers back personally, ma'am?

-Oh, no, I better not.

I mean, I couldn't possibly come back tonight, I--

I mean, I have so much to do that I

probably won't get to bed at all.

I mean, I won't get--

-Ahem.

Miss Baker?

-Yes, Mr. Davenport, I'm coming.

Excuse me.

-See you in the morning, gentlemen.

-Oh, yes, yes, Miss Baker.

Yes, indeed, and I mean--

-Listen, Bill-- you see that?

Now, I think we should move Paco to an inside cell, don't you?

Setting him up in a window like that

is kind of like flashing our ace in the hole.

-Yeah, I see what you mean.

-What's he keep looking for, I wonder?

-Same thing we are, I guess.

A miracle.

[TRAIN SOUND]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

-Whatever you need in the way of special equipment.

-Oh, listen, I got a whole list of stuff

I want from your arsenal.

But right now, let's get ourselves

outside some meat and potatoes.

HOTEL CLERK: Now, I've told you politely.

There's no room for you here.

-All the rooms are occupied?

-I didn't say that.

[LAUGHTER]

-We have money, senor.

-Sorry.

We don't take Mexican money.

-But this is American money.

-It's Mexican money.

[LAUGHTER]

-Senor?

My brother and I do not, uh, require a place

for ourselves, but for our sister.

-Por favor, Alfredo-- vamos a buscar otro hotel.

-Well, not in this town.

There ain't no hotel on the chili bean side.

-Relax, killer.

Perdoneme, Senorita.

Me permitira ayudar.

-Gracias, Senor.

But, uh, we do not wish to impose ourselves.

We will go.

-Oh, no, no, no-- no, no.

Don't do that.

Why don't you look again, and if you can't find a vacancy,

we'll make one.

The lady can have our room.

-Um, Mr. Brackett, we never had nothing against Mexicans.

Not until the Morales brothers hit this town.

Now, you weren't here.

You don't know what it was.

But we can't forget it.

And our kids can't forget it.

We don't want any part of them, huh?

Not now, not never.

VALLON: Yeah.

What do they want here anyway, huh?

-What do any of you want?

We've come to see a man die.

-Well, you got some special private reason?

-Si, Senor.

Both special and private.

-Well, in that case, maybe your "seester"

can find herself a bed over at the Hotel Del Sol.

[LAUGHTER]

-Mister?

This is a free country, and a man

ought to be able to say what he thinks.

That's the way it ought to be.

But if another man don't like what he says,

then he ought to be able to shut his fat mouth.

Now.

You were saying?

-It was all in fun, mister.

But say, what makes it so much business of yours?

You don't even belong here.

Now, who are you?

We don't know you.

What are you, friends of theirs?

-Uh, Mr. Vallon-- he's a friend of Mr. Davenport.

-Oh.

Well, that still don't give him no butt in rights.

-Well, that's right.

Mr. Davenport may own the railroad,

and the railroad may own the town,

but he don't have no rights to make rules for this hotel.

-Who does?

-I do.

-Are you the owner, sir?

-I am.

-Mind if we have a little talk, in private?

-Yes, I'd prefer it.

-Don't you run away, now.

-If you wish it, Senor.

-Gracias.

Johnny, keep an eye on the kettle.

-Just a short recess, folks.

Keep your places.

Con mucho gusto, Senorita.

I'm a friend of Mr. Davenport's friend.

-Senor.

-Now, Mr., uh--

-Ramsey.

-Ramsey.

What about this vacancy?

-Well, I'm sorry, but there's-- there

just isn't going to be one.

Even if you do move.

And really, Mr. Brackett, I wish you wouldn't.

And though you and Mr. Davenport are involved

in some very important deal, and Mr. Davenport's

a very important man, and I hate to be put in the middle, but--

-Yeah, well, you see, that's the trouble.

I'm in the middle, too.

I gave my word to a lady, and I'm out on a limb,

and I don't want to break it off.

-Why does it mean so much to you?

-Well, what if I told you it was love at first sight?

Naw-- don't believe that?

Well, what if I said I was just stubborn?

Now, let's register the lady, and that takes care of that.

-For you, maybe.

But what about me?

I have to live in this town.

I have to do business with the other people who live here.

You've seen their attitude.

-Do you go along with it?

-No.

It wouldn't be rational.

But I'm not dealing with a rational populace these days.

I can't fly in the face of public opinion.

-Why can't you?

-Ah, tell you the truth, I wish I could.

I wish I'd never left Philadelphia.

But here I am, and here I'm stuck.

-Mr. Ramsey, I see you got a problem.

But everything's got its price, so what's it worth?

-I couldn't sell you a room now for that lady, at any price.

-I'm not talking about a room, I'm talking about the hotel.

-You can't be serious.

-Would you sell for what you've got in it, plus 10%?

-At this point, ecstatically.

-That check any good?

-With Davenport's signature, that's better than cash.

-You fill in the amount, and if it's fair, I'll endorse it.

That's fair.

Mr. Ramsey, you're on your way to Philadelphia.

-I think I understand.

It's your meeting with Davenport--

that conference upstairs.

You must have been planning this.

-Well, you know, one thing leads to another.

Actually, we were planning something bigger,

but that's confidential.

By the way, so is this.

I don't want the change of ownership

to become public just yet, because I have

to explain things to my partner.

-Certainly.

I couldn't transfer the papers anyhow, before--

-Oh, that, that doesn't matter, because Mr. Reach and myself

are leaving town for a couple of days

to look into a, a big Mexican railroad tie-up.

Well, we've got some guests to register.

-Yes-- my pleasure.

-Ha, ha.

-All right, I'll handle this, Mr. Muncie.

You can, uh, just take these bags on up to suite 214.

You heard me.

Now, then.

If, uh, you'll just sign the register.

-Hey, what goes on here, Mr. Ramsey?

-Why, Mr. Vallon, it's very simple.

We've had a cancellation.

-So that's how it is, huh?

All right, Ramsey, you go ahead.

But you're finished in this town, you know that.

-Yes, isn't it wonderful?

The bags, Mr. Muncie, or do you have

another offer of employment?

-Uh, no, sir.

I just work here, folks.

-You see?

There's always a way.

-What'd I tell you?

-How'd you do it, Hank?

-Huh?

-How'd you do it?

-Johnny and me bought the hotel.

-You see, this-- you bought the hotel.

-Davenport's check.

-I see.

-I think he'll probably buy it back,

if we get those passengers off his train, though.

-A-- and if we don't?

-Well, we couldn't have spent the check anyhow, could we?

-That's true.

-Thank you.

Very well, Miss-- the, uh, top of the stairs

at the end of the hall.

Mr. Muncie will show you your rooms.

-May I ask, Senor, to whom we are indebted?

-Well, no one, really.

I'm Hank Brackett.

This is Johnny Reach, and that there's Major Buckner.

-Bien.

I am Alfredo Sierra-Perez.

Se muy commilda servidor.

At your most kind command.

My sister, Juanita.

My brother, Marcos.

-We admire you for what you did, Don Hank.

And your manner of doing it.

Should you ever come to our country,

we hope to reward you as you deserve.

But for now, gracias.

Mil gracias.

And very good night to you, Senors.

-All right, folks.

Town meeting's over.

-Well, all we have to do is have that steak.

-After you, Don Hank.

-You know, I've been standing here feeling stupid,

stepped upon, and ashamed of myself.

-Nothing happened.

Everybody makes a mistake.

-Yeah.

Only mine was in not calling your bluff the first time.

The next time you start talking tall to me,

be ready to back it up.

-You think I wasn't?

-I think I got to find out.

Ooh-- ooh--

-I, uh, was beginning to wonder how long it was gonna take you.

-Hey, he's mean.

-Now, Mr. Brackett.

We have another small situation.

It's, uh, it's related to our previous discussion.

-Oh, no, it's fine, I, I told him.

-Oh.

Well, then, maybe it's none of my business.

After all, it's your hotel.

But, uh, what do you know about that lady?

-Not nearly enough.

Why?

-Uh, yes-- Senor Alfredo Sierra-Perez,

Senor Marcos Sierra-Perez, Senora Juanita Perez

de Morales, of, uh, parentheses--

-Boy, partner.

You can sure pick them.

-Uh-huh.

Mrs. Paco Morales.

-I do not expect you to understand, Senors.

Nor to approve.

But I've come to claim the body of my husband,

and take him home for burial.

Is that so wrong?

-Not so wrong, maybe, but a mistake.

And signing the hotel registry with your married name

was a worse mistake.

Senora, an hour ago, those people out there

would have torn the jail apart to get at your husband.

If they find out his wife is in this hotel, it--

-But I can hardly keep my name a secret, can I?

If I am to accomplish what I came here to do.

-Well, it might not matter so much after Friday.

But the way things are now, we--

-I just don't understand.

I'm sorry, Senora, I just don't understand

how you could have married him in the first place.

-That is a long story.

Not a pretty one.

And we have no time for it now.

We have had a long journey, and we're really tired.

We want to thank you again for your kindness,

and your concern.

But now, we must really say good night.

-Oh, look, this is no good-- excuse me.

Please, just do me a favor.

OK?

-Of course.

-Don't let it be known around town

that you're Mrs. Paco Morales.

Promise?

-I promise.

-If she's married to Paco Morales, I'm Teddy Roosevelt.

-If she isn't, why would she claim to be?

-That is what I want to know.

-Might be some kind of play to spring him.

-Or to see if we're gonna turn him loose to meet that train.

-You mean, if Paco's not on his way by tomorrow night,

and Chucho had some way of knowing it,

he wouldn't have to wait till Friday to kill those hostages.

-Now, I'm not saying that's it, but I cannot see any connection

between that lady and Paco or Chucho Morales.

As sure as God made little green apples,

it just ain't in the family.

Billy?

-Uh-huh?

-I want a surveillance put on that little lady,

and her brothers, every minute, until Friday night.

You understand me?

I don't want her using the telegraph to send messages,

I don't want her leaving town, and I don't want her even

talking to anybody who might leave town.

-I'll get some men on it.

Better eat without me.

BRACKETT: Eat?

I'm not even hungry now.

-Oh.

Oh, here's that stuff you asked for.

Sure hope you can use it. -Thanks, buddy.

Good night.

Scare up a big pot of coffee, Johnny.

Got a lot of work to do.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

-All quiet, now.

-Huh?

Oh, good.

Isis-- one, two, three--

-Hey, you figure we ordered enough dynamite?

-We got enough dynamite to blow two bridges this size.

But that ain't the trick, buddy.

The trick is not to blow it all at once, right?

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

-Good morning.

-Morning.

-Uh, we finally located these.

The plans you wanted, and specifications on engine 309.

-Well, thank you, ma'am.

Won't you come in?

-Oh, no, I better not.

-Oh.

Well, I'll put my shirt on.

-Oh, it's, it's all right.

I've seen men without their-- I mean, I've-- just for a minute.

-Excuse me.

-Good morning, Mr. Brackett.

-Good morning, Miss Baker.

-Oh, my.

You haven't been to sleep at all.

-Oh, Hank hasn't.

I stretched out on the floor for a spell.

-Why, those beds are perfectly good.

I tried them myself.

I mean, I--

-Well, if I'd have known that, ma'am--

-If you're thinking he was brought up

in a barn or something, ma'am, it was nothing that fancy.

It was a wikiup.

-You mean an Indian dwelling?

-He's not even quite civilized yet.

-Well, you certainly don't look like a savage.

-Oh, I'm tame.

My family came out of Kansas.

My stepmother raised me up.

She was pure-blooded Chiricahua.

-Oh.

And you lived with her.

-Her people, yes, ma'am.

After my pa passed away.

Still can't sit a horse with a saddle on it.

Or sleep in a bed.

Sorry.

-Oh, I'm sure it doesn't matter to me, where you sleep.

I mean, it doesn't matter--

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

-Come on in.

-Everything's set.

-Good, buddy.

-Oh.

Am I interrupting something?

-Come on.

-The test run is ready whenever you are, gentlemen.

Engine standing by.

[ENGINE THROBS]

-Now then, what's this all about, Mr. Brackett?

-Over here, sir.

-What is it?

-Well, you did ask Johnny how he was going to board that other

engine without being seen, now didn't you,sir?

-Yes.

Well, where is he?

-Johnny--

-Morning, Mr. Davenport.

-What the devil?

-Lots of things a man don't see in the desert, sir.

Like maybe a trap door spider?

-Well, uh, what say?

Shall we, uh, have a go at it?

-All right, ducks.

-All right, stand by.

Bring it up slow and steady.

All set?

-All set.

-Just don't try it if he's coming too fast.

-Mm-hm.

-You want me to do it?

-I'm all right.

-You're sure?

-I'm all right.

-Maybe I better do it.

-I'm all right.

-Ah, OK.

[TRAIN WHISTLE, BELL]

Did you see him?

-No.

What was wrong?

Was I going too fast?

-Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Well, what do you think?

-Amusing stunt.

-A what?

-Well, how does he propose to control

the speed of that other engine?

-Well, that's just another problem.

-Yes, mm-hm.

Well, as of this moment, gentlemen, it's academic.

Because I don't intend to let this insanity

go another step further.

-I'm afraid we don't have any alternative.

-Well, then, we'll make one.

I have some power.

Some influence.

I'm in constant communication with the governor.

I'll have Paco Morales taken out of that cell

and delivered across the border if it takes the entire state

militia to get him there alive.

-You can't deal with Morales-- don't you understand?

Either way, those people are dead the minute

they serve his purpose.

Their only hope is that something

can be done before the deadline.

-Ah, you may be right.

But if we give him what he wants and he kills them anyway,

at least their blood will be on his hands, and not on ours.

You going back with me, Major?

-I'll be along later, sir.

-Hey, partner.

You, uh, forgot to ask him if he wants to buy a hotel.

-What?

Let's go.

-Hey, I'm sorry, I, uh, really am.

-Forget it.

-OK, let's put it all back the way it was.

-Well, now, Paco's wife can cancel her plans, too.

-Plans?

-Yeah.

She's sure not one for staying put, or keeping

shut, like you especially told her to.

-What are you talking about?

What's she been up to?

-Had a busy morning.

Down to the undertakers bright and early,

to pick out a casket.

Then over to the church to light some candles.

Then on to the jailhouse, for a powow with Paco.

-She's been talking to him?

-Well, she was talking to the Sheriff,

who allows as how he rightly can't deny

the condemned man a last--

-Get in.

Johnny, hop in the back.

-What's up, Hank?

-I don't know.

But something is.

-But Sheriff, if I could only speak to him,

I know I could convince him to confess his many sins,

and ask for absolution.

-Well, I sure can't object to that,

Mrs. Morales, only, uh, well, you've

given me an extra problem coming here like this.

If folks in town find out, I ain't

so sure I could guarantee your safety.

-Why must anyone be informed?

It only concerns those of us here.

-Surely, a man of your authority--

-Por favor, Alfredo.

I know the Sheriff is a man who makes his own decisions.

-Well, uh, yeah, that's so.

All right, ma'am.

But you go in alone.

Take nothing in with you.

And your brothers stay out.

-Of course.

You will wait here for me.

-Grant, give the lady five minutes.

-This way, ma'am.

Your wife's here to see you, Paco.

-My wife?

Ah, si, my wife, my beloved.

Ah, carita.

My darling.

My own sweet wife.

Mm, ha, ha.

-Senor, por favor, can we be left alone?

-Huh?

Uh, oh.

Yes, ma'am.

Sorry.

-And how are the little ones, uh?

Now tell me, pronto.

You come from Chucho?

You have plan to get me out?

When?

How?

-I've heard that he has a plan.

I do not know what it is.

But I have a plan of my own.

-You?

But why?

I don't know you.

Who are you?

-First, listen to me.

Listen to me well, and you will not be hanged.

I have planned this carefully.

Now, you see this?

-What is it?

-A woman's weapon.

Easy to conceal.

When the guard comes back.

-Ah, si.

When the guard comes back.

-Quiet.

I think he's coming.

Embrace me, quickly.

-Ah-- tell me.

What is your name?

-Si.

I want you to know it.

I'm Juanita Sierra-Perez.

-Sierra-Perez?

-Remember?

Diaz Ciendo Sierra-Perez?

-Si.

I remember.

-It is good that you remember.

-Oh--

JUANITA: Guard?

Guard?

I'm ready to go.

He repents.

He wishes to be alone, to make his peace.

-Well, ma'am, uh, did he, uh, well, I mean,

is he ready for the priest?

-Si.

He is ready.

Mil gracias.

[CAR HORN HONKS]

-Hold it, ma'am.

I said, ma'am-- now, you made me a promise, remember?

-Hey, what's going on?

-That's what I'm going to find out.

-By whose authority?

-Mine, Sheriff.

-We want to know exactly what this woman was doing here.

-Well, uh-- she was seeing her husband.

-Well now, I want to see him.

-More visitors, Paco.

Paco.

-Come on, Paco.

You heard him.

Well, this man is dead, but I can't see a mark on him.

What did you use, lady?

A hat pin?

Huh?

-Marcos, Alfredo, and I were going

to visit the shrine of Guadalupe when the Morales brothers

and their men came to our hacienda.

They came for coal, for guns, for horses.

All this they got, but it wasn't enough.

This [IN SPANISH] and his brother

believed my father had more money hidden.

To make him tell the hiding place, which did not exist,

my mother-- my sisters-- every member of my family who they

could lay their hands upon-- were killed, one by one--

before his eyes.

Until--

-Easy.

Come on.

That's enough.

-But why now?

Couldn't you have waited one more day to see him die?

-I heard that boast of Chucho Morales

that he would prevent it.

He has kept such promises before.

But this one-- he will not keep.

-Lady, you just don't know what you've done.

-I know exactly what I've done.

What I came here to do.

And I'm prepared to answer for it.

-Are you?

If word of this gets out, you'll have killed 73 people.

Are you prepared to answer for them?

-I-- I don't understand.

-I'll tell you something, Miss.

You're going to stay right here.

And if I ever get back, I'll explain it to you.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

-Less than five minutes ago, I got permission

from the governor to attempt the exchange.

But perhaps you were right, Major.

Perhaps we've been given a sign.

Has anyone else been told?

-No, sir.

We've put a lid on it.

-We'll be holding that lady and her brothers incommunicado.

We'll carry on here like it never happened.

-Well, I hope you can forgive an old man's hesitation.

-Yes, sir.

-We'll get a telegram off to Chihuahua,

and let that section gang know you'll be there after all.

-We'll be there before they deliver a telegram.

-80 miles?

-80 miles-- that'll take us about, oh, 60 minutes.

-But Hank, there's no road.

-Sure there is.

-Good luck, and Godspeed.

-Don't I get a kiss goodbye?

-Well, we hardly know each other, I mean, I--

-Well, then we'll make it a hello kiss.

I could do that without touching you.

-No, you can't.

I mean, that's not possible.

-I'll bet you five dollars.

-All right.

Mm.

You touched me.

-I warned you about them sneaky Indian tricks, now didn't I?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

-Just let me know as soon as Ricardo's father arrives, OK?

Meantime, I got a little climbing.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

[CLANK] [CLANK] [CLANK] [CLANK]

-Is he satisfied with the plan?

With your part of it?

-We'll see.

I will not say.

-You never have, old Pablo.

-This time, I must not.

My son is on that train.

I-- I am proud and grateful to be of help.

I'm prouder still of my Ricardo, for having the wisdom to,

to get a message out to you.

-You can tell him that tomorrow.

I guarantee it.

-Ah, little linda.

Manana, we must say goodbye.

That make you unhappy?

Huh?

No tears, eh?

Heh, heh.

All dried up, like a prune.

Heh, heh, heh.

-Wish we didn't have to wait till morning.

-Well, now.

I set it up that way, Johnny.

Just for you.

-For me?

-You know how you Apaches never attack at night?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

-So, amigo.

You'll meet my brother.

No more stopping and, and starting, and-- and backing up.

You see, now we, we go north, to pick up Paco.

-And if he isn't there?

-If he ain't there, he, he will be saying his prayers,

because-- because he will be dead within the hour.

And you, you people, you, you will

be saying your prayers, too.

What?

What, what-- why, why train slow up, eh?

Why?

Why, what, what is it?

Ahh-- [SPEAKING SPANISH]

[SHEEP BLEAT]

-Stop train!

Stop train!

-[INAUDIBLE], Senor.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

-You are-- you know what I think?

I think that you, if you would have got this gun?

You would have killed me.

-No.

-Heh, heh, heh.

I, uh, I think I cannot turn my back on you.

But, eh, I do not kill you yet.

You know why?

Because you are so beautiful.

[CRACK]

-Oh-- hola-- ow--

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

-What's going on?

Where are we?

Bueno-- [INAUDIBLE]

-Get them off the train!

Get them off the train-- we gonna kill them all!

[GATLING GUN FIRE]

No, no, no, look--

-Chucho Morales-- if just one of those passengers die,

you and all your men are dead.

-We do not kill them here.

Rex--

-Up here, Morales.

And don't even think about going for those guns.

[GUNFIRE]

-Hey, gringo!

You think you got me into a trap, huh?

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

You don't.

I have the train and the passengers.

And you're gonna let us go.

Or I will kill them all.

-Can't stop that, but I can sure stop you, Morales.

Now, you come off that bridge together,

or you all die together.

-Gringo, I mean it!

I tell you, I will kill them all!

-Morales, you've got just three minutes to unload that train.

Then I'm gonna dynamite the whole bridge.

You understand me?

Now, let the passengers come off towards me.

Then you and your men come off with your hands up, and empty.

Three minutes.

Then we blow the bridge.

-A ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

You're lying, gringo, you're lying.

You would not kill the passengers.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

[CRACK]

[BOOM]

[SIZZLE]

-Get back in that car.

-The first half of that bridge is gonna blow in 60 seconds.

Now, let those passengers come off towards me, amigo.

Here it comes, Morales.

-Ah-- you're bluffing, gringo.

-No, Chucho.

He means it.

-All right.

Let the passengers come out.

Get them out.

[SHOUTS, SCREAMS]

-They're coming out!

Go back!

-20 seconds.

-Get the people where you can watch them.

Get them on the bridge.

[EXPLOSIONS]

-That leaves only one way off the bridge, amigo.

Now, let the passengers come off.

Let's move.

-You only blew up the end of the bridge.

-You're hard to convince, Morales.

[CRACK]

[BOOM]

-Here it comes.

I can't stop it-- nothing can.

Morales-- 120 seconds, and the whole bridge goes up.

-Now, that's far enough!

Stay where you are.

Anybody moves, I will kill them.

[GUNSHOT]

Ahh--

-Now!

Passengers to the left.

Morales' men, right here in front of me.

Move!

And keep together.

-You-- you didn't blow the bridge!

-I lied.

-You called him Ricardo.

He's a friend of yours?

-Yes, ma'am.

He's the one who got the message out, or we wouldn't be here.

[GUNSHOT]

-Well, she ain't here, Mr. Brackett.

-Uh, where is she?

-Well, sir, after we got the good word back from you,

we turned her loose.

On her promise that she'd stay available for the trial.

-Then she didn't leave town.

-Not that lady.

Just moved back to the hotel.

-The hotel.

Thanks.

Oh, by the way, about the trial--

how bad a time do you think they're gonna give her?

-In this town?

For doing what they were all fixing to do?

-You think they're gonna remember

what they were all fixing to do?

-They'll remember.

I'm here to remind them.

She'll get a fair trial.

-Oh.

Evening.

-Looking pretty dapper.

Hey, guess what?

-What?

-She's out of jail.

-No.

-No, she's in the hotel, I just talked to her brothers

in the lobby.

-Ah.

-Hey, uh, you want to buy me a drink?

They're up the street, waiting.

-Yeah, well, I really think one of us should go up

and say goodbye to her.

You know, since we're leaving so early in the morning?

-Yeah.

The trouble is, I'm occupied.

-That's all right.

-They wanna buy me a drink, and then I'll have to buy them one,

and-- it may turn out to be a long evening.

-Well, look, I'll, I'll tell you what.

What say, I go up there, and I'll

say goodbye for both of us?

-Oh, buddy, I knew you'd see it my way.

-All right.

Girlfriend?

On our way again.

-Yea, verily, the Lord worketh in strange ways, his wonders

to perform.

-Amen to that, brother.

-Morning.

-Morning.

-Morning.

What kept you?

-Saw [INAUDIBLE].

I, uh, got your $5 back from Miss Baker.

-How'd you do that?

-Oh, she, uh, she bet she could kiss me without touching me.

-She bet you that?

-Yeah.

A born loser.

But an awful good sport.

[BRACKETT SINGS NONSENSE, LOUDLY]

[MUSIC PLAYING]