Original subtitles

On behalf of the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine

Corps, I have the honor of returning the remains of Private First Class Jimmy

Blackhorse to his family for burial.

Ain't him?

He has the spirit of light.

This one is in darkness.

Ma 'am, with all due respect... This is not him.

Following in his father's footsteps as a naval aviator, Lieutenant Commander

Harmon Rabb, Jr. suffered a crash while landing his Tomcat on a storm -tossed

carrier at sea.

Diagnosed with night blindness, Harm transferred to the Navy's Judge Advocate

General Corps, which investigates, defends, and prosecutes the law of the

There, with fellow JAG lawyer Major Sarah McKenzie, he now fights in and out

the courtroom with the same daring and tenacity.

that made him a top gun in the air.

Excuse me.

Hey.

They gave up cigars last night.

Any words of encouragement?

Don't get fat.

Good point, sir.

Excuse me, gentlemen, ma 'am.

What is it, Lieutenant?

Is this a bad time, sir?

What? We were hoping that you could settle a disagreement that we're having.

As you know, we're having a full military wedding. He wants me to wear my

uniform instead of my dress.

Good God, Roberts. Let the woman wear a dress to her own wedding.

Yes, sir.

And while we're at it, might we get your position on the bunny hop, sir?

No.

Well, it looks like we have a quorum, sir.

Something you'd like to tell us?

I overheard you talking to Petty Officer Tyner about the dispute over the

remains of that Navajo code talker.

Oh, yeah, I just got off the phone with Admiral Drake.

What's a code talker?

Navajo field radio operators communicated with each other in the

during the Pacific campaign during WWII.

Japanese intelligence was never able to crack it.

March of 43, a PFC Jimmy Blackhorse disappeared while on R &R in New

one week before he was to be awarded the Navy Cross for valor.

Bone showed up two months ago. Press jumped all over it. Politicos climbed on

board. Down with families disputing the I .D. made by the Central Identification

Laboratory in Hawaii.

As if Silhai needed any more bad publicity after the Vietnam unknown

case. That's the problem.

The Pentagon's got a vested interest in defending the lab's rep, especially

since it helped an Arizona congressman push through a bill naming a new Austin

-class amphibious transport after private Black Horse.

Egg on the face, sir.

And we are the towel.

I want you to ride hurt on this, Commander.

Yes, sir. Bones are in safekeeping at Marine Corps Station in Yuma. Bear in

mind, NAVO code talkers are held in great reverence.

Be respectful.

Yes, sir.

Bud, you'll be my liaison with Still High on this. Aye, sir.

You can go as well, Ensign. You can assist the Major.

Me, sir?

Please.

Yes, sir.

Let's get to work. Yes, sir.

Sewer workers in Wellington Bay, New Zealand, found the remains at the bottom

a ravine. PFC Jimmy Blackhorse was stationed nearby at Camp McKay with the

Fighting Six Marines.

They were resting up after their engagement on Guadalcanal.

Eighteen bones and four teeth were discovered.

All of them are identified as being Native American in origin.

Navajo. Well, they weren't that specific, ma 'am, but the...

Teeth did match Private Black Horse's dental record.

Also uncovered was a marine -issue belt buckle and a watch with an inscription

that, when translated from the Navajo, read, Jimmy Black Horse Warrior.

When we were children, I used to steal Jimmy's pants while he was swimming and

tie them to the tail of his horse.

He never got mad.

No matter how many times I did it, it would always make him laugh.

Those bones belong to someone else.

But the watch.

Whoever it is could have found it.

Stolen it.

Maybe won it in a card game.

As for the teeth, that's four out of 32.

Ma 'am, we understand you are the medicine woman in the community, and we

no disrespect, but Syl High would not have made the ID if they hadn't been

Unknown soldier.

Identification procedure.

Considered suspect.

You have already shown disrespect by disturbing the remains of this man.

You must bury those bones.

Unfortunately, that's not going to happen, ma 'am, until both sides are

satisfied.

We cannot be satisfied with your methods.

Records indicate that Jimmy Blackhorse has a living twin.

He's my husband.

Could we speak to him?

She says I'm not in harmony with my environment.

Mr. Blackhorse, if this is not a good time, sir, we...

I

hear they found a watch.

Yes, sir.

It was a gift from me.

I couldn't pass the physical.

So my brother enlisted by himself.

I wanted him to know there wasn't a minute that passed

when I wasn't thinking of him.

I got TB when I was seven.

He used to carry me around.

Protect me.

Never complained.

Margaret says it's not him.

What do you think, sir?

He trusts my judgment.

I know, but your scientists don't.

Spirit can't be killed.

We are to do the beauty way ceremony.

Ma 'am, in order for the Pentagon to accept that these are not the bones of

Jimmy Black Horse, they need scientific proof.

And Johnny needs to be alone.

We have to invite him. He's my uncle.

I thought you said he was the devil.

He's still my uncle.

Hey, Mac.

Is it too much to ask for a little company that's breathing?

Don't tell me dead bodies make you more comfortable.

Only when they move.

So you finally gave up the habit.

Yeah.

Why?

Well, it... It's becoming an addiction.

So, uh... You know what? I had to...

I had to wrestle with it. I mean, I was rushing my meals to get to the smoke. I

was counting my stash, forgetting my keys, remembering cigars.

Lieutenant Commander Colton, Lieutenant Commander Rapp, Major McKenzie,

Lieutenant J .J. Robert, and some teams.

Thanks for flying in.

Thank the Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab.

I didn't want to come.

My godson's playing King Arthur in his high school production of Camelot.

One performance only.

I've been out for six years working as a forensic biologist for the Memphis

Police Department.

I consult with Afton on a per case basis.

They must think a lot of you have a way with the dead.

The body reveals more about itself on a slab than when it was alive.

You can see the shape of the spine and whether a person stood tall or crawled

through life.

The wrinkles in the face tell you if a person was scared or happy. Legs and

show you if they jumped or stumbled over obstacles.

This was a stumbler.

Both the left tibia and femur are shattered, and there's considerable

the ilium.

The man in question fell from a great height, landed on his side.

These findings consistent with Phil High?

Phil High's overreached, in my opinion.

As we thought, we're going to have to do an RFLP.

A DNA matching procedure.

Dental records aren't enough for you, Commander?

The evidence in general is legally vulnerable.

The records are 57 years old, there are only two molars, and one of them is

cracked. If this is your boat, you better start bailing.

Your mother provides the most conclusive DNA match. Children will work. Father

sometimes. The parents are long gone, and there are no children that we know

What about a twin brother?

There's a twin?

Mm -hmm. Doesn't get any better than that.

Listen, why don't we grab some lunch? We can ride in one vehicle, and you can

talk us through it.

Commander Coulter!

Just missed you at the morgue.

Paul Begay.

I'll be representing the people in this matter.

What people?

That's the term the Navajo used to describe themselves.

We are Diné.

The people.

I'm Lieutenant Commander Rabb, Navy Judge Advocate General Court.

Can you clarify what you mean by represent?

The tribal council in Window Rock has secured my services in response to the

claims the military has refused to recognize the judgment of the people.

Begay, the military is only interested in determining the positive

identification of 55 -year -old remains. That's why I wanted to speak with

Commander Coulter.

Commander, how do you plan to make that determination?

You don't have to answer. With a DNA match.

That's unacceptable.

It's a sacrilege to tamper with the remains of the dead.

Counselor, be reasonable.

How can you expect us to prove anything with our hands tied?

I don't.

The proof has already been provided by the people themselves.

Those are not the remains of Jimmy Blackhorse.

They belong to someone else.

I don't understand.

This is the first ship in its class to be named after a Navajo. Isn't that an

honor? The people don't need the white world to affirm our status in the

Looks like the white world's done well by you, Counselor.

Would you be more comfortable if I painted my face and wore a flap over my

privates? Just making an observation.

Ah.

Cornell Law.

Third in my class, and damn proud of it.

And well you should be. You live on the reservation?

You know I don't.

Where, Tackle?

Marin County. Look, there was more than one code talker. Why doesn't the Navy

just pick another name?

This name's already been approved.

Ah, so you're asking my people to be flexible where you're not. We're asking

a fair chance.

You've got some Native American blood in you, Major.

Cherokee. I'm surprised you're not getting this.

Mr. Begay, according to my understanding of the history of Native America, The

Navajo were an adaptable people. The Cherokee had to be forced onto

reservations. Your instinct should be to accept, mind, or resist.

I'm surprised you're not getting that.

The people were forced to adapt to the physical world, but the beyond is

controlled by the spirits. The Navajo Nation Tribal Council supports the

medicine woman's position in this matter. But you're asking us to take her

for it. Isn't that what the Navy's doing with you? I have proven scientific

methods to support my claim.

And I have the creator to support mine.

Good day.

Paul Begay is a Silicon Valley attorney with a specialty in software liability.

I knew that my people stuff was a load. I wager this is the first time his

people have seen him since he left the reservation.

He is in our way, Commander.

Admiral Drake's seen the news. He likes the PR angle.

You want to stay with it?

Sir, have you explained the downside to his PR angle?

He expects you to make it go away.

I don't think that's going to happen through negotiations, sir.

Despite Navajo police, the Navy has a justifiable interest in identifying what

appears to be the remains of a deceased military member.

Can you hang on a second, Abel?

Lieutenant. Lieutenant!

Is there a problem?

Sit down over buffet, sir.

Buffet? Save your money.

All right. You were saying, sir? Go ahead with the DNA procedure.

Make it there a move.

I believe the Navajo Nation has a tribal court.

Once you get your match, you can petition them for official sanction.

Yes, sir. Keep me in the mix.

All right, sir.

Commander, you think you could come back with us?

How far did you say it was?

It's about four hours.

I have to.

You're looking stronger, Johnny.

Thank you.

These are our neighbors, Sammy and Adele Wheeler. Hi, this is Juliette Nanaba.

She's so cute.

How old is she? Three months.

You must be a giant cornstalk.

I beg your pardon?

That's what Margaret calls you.

Must be your height in a uniform.

Johnny, this is Lieutenant Commander Teresa Coulter. The commander is a

pathologist.

Those words are too big to hold in my mouth.

I investigate how people died, how they lived, who they were.

And you tell that from these bones?

Yes. How?

Johnny, you ever heard of DNA testing?

Bloody glove, Johnny.

They want to take stuff from the inside of those bones.

Don't let them do that.

Are they right?

Do you have to take something from these bones?

A marrow sample.

That's not good.

A closure, Johnny.

A closure for you and your brother.

I don't know.

I'll have to think about it.

If there are any questions, I can answer.

What do you think of insects?

Not much.

Then you better kick that scorpion off your shoe.

You find this funny.

No, she does.

This is the first time she's laughed.

Novel is our tradition. Whoever is the first to make a child laugh must throw a

feast in their honor.

You could use our plate.

When am I supposed to do this?

Today's cool.

What did you do?

I cut my thumb.

Let me look.

It's a wonder you didn't cut it off.

Yeah.

You're a very jittery person, you know.

Not usually.

A lot on your mind.

I quit smoking cigars.

Oh, I'm sorry.

You should have said something.

Well, at the time, it seemed to be the challenge I needed.

Besides, I didn't figure you to be all that sympathetic.

Is that the impression I give?

Do you want an honest answer?

Sure. You bet.

Why not?

Because it would be embarrassing. That's why. My sister had eight bridesmaids.

All I'm asking for is four. Come on. And they're all going to be wearing these

dresses with the big poofy shoulders.

You don't like those.

They look like flotation devices.

Hey.

Hello, Margaret.

You cannot do the test.

Is it Johnny's decision, Mrs. Blackhorse?

It's against our faith.

I'd like to talk to Johnny.

Johnny's sick.

Are you the scientist?

Yes.

An owl.

Owls are bad luck, Commander.

She means to keep you away.

Thank you.

It's to teach your sharing.

Just rocks all in bits of food, but rituals like this promote unity.

In my house, if you reach for food, you get a fork stuck in your hand.

Commander, you scared?

No.

I'll put it here for a change of mind. Mind if I sit down?

I'm going to take a bus back to the base in the morning.

Without a blood sample from Johnny, I can't make a conclusive ID on the

of his twin brother.

Commander, what do you think Johnny's suffering from?

Well, asthma would be my guess.

TB. He's had it his whole life.

Lungs are shut.

He's probably coughing up blood.

Great. We can rifle through his garbage for used tissues.

Just trying to find an angle, Commander.

How important is this to you? Well, it's important to the Navy.

We're her representatives.

But what's your opinion?

Like you, I believe in tangible evidence.

It's all about evidence.

We believe it when we see it.

Do you know what I've noticed?

These people think differently.

They rely more on faith.

They trust in the universe and its mysteries.

They see it when they believe it.

And you and I, we rely on order and discipline.

Well,

I loosen up a little when I go home. I do have a life outside the military.

I bet your apartment is immaculate.

Yeah, it might be.

So is mine.

So you come from a broken family?

Well, I'm from a different home.

Haven't seen my father since I was a kid.

Wish that were my story.

My dad's in the eighth year of a life sentence for murdering my mother.

I have reasons for being the way I am.

You don't owe me any explanations, Commander. I have not passed judgment on

I have.

It killed my marriage.

Look at them.

They don't have a lot, but what they've got is good.

Racial pride, self -esteem, each other.

have a band or a dj i don't care because you know my college roommate he was an

eldest impersonator whatever i just don't want to fight about it anymore

all you know actually there's no rules saying that we have to have any music at

all or a wedding what i didn't say a marriage i said a wedding well what are

saying how far is las vegas from here vegas

I've got a question for you, Major.

What do you think of the two -step?

Uh, too many steps.

Sir?

Since we really haven't been needed for anything, Harriet and I were wondering

if we could get a day of leave tomorrow.

Permission granted.

Thank you, sir.

Hi, Johnny.

Come to my house.

You can use my blood.

And my wife has nothing to say about it.

Are you sure, Johnny? Because if we're forcing you to go against your belief...

I don't want to go to my grave without knowing what happened to my brother.

He is the other half of my soul.

Then you must pray.

We must all pray because it is wrong.

How many do you think are out there?

I don't know.

I wouldn't let them bother you, though.

It's all too spooky for me.

Yeah.

So, uh, how does this work, anyway?

In simple terms?

Please.

Well, first you use one of these to scoop out a sample.

Then I form a supernatant of cells.

I extract the DNA.

Then I alter the temperature to separate the double helix into single strands.

An enzyme breaks it down.

They're polarized through a process called electrophoresis.

The gene probes locate their complements and...

And I wish I wasn't so attracted to you.

Excuse me?

It's influencing me.

I'm less comfortable than you with what we're doing here.

I'm sorry, Commander. I didn't know.

I mean, I had no idea how you felt about me or this case.

It's okay.

I can tell you don't feel the same way.

I just need you to back away so that I can think clearly.

All right.

Are you going to be okay?

I've done dozens of these procedures and this is the first time it hasn't felt

right.

Well, you have the donor's permission.

Yeah, but are his reasons good?

Well, he thinks so.

Do it for Johnny.

Can I?

Help in any way?

Don't break on my neck.

Oh, my God.

I can't believe I did that.

Can you still use these?

They're all contaminated now.

That means we'll have to go back and do it again.

It wasn't on purpose.

You have any cigars?

Let me see what's up.

Must admit, I feel relief.

Not that I wanted him to die, but it just seems right somehow.

We were messing with something much bigger than the Navy or politics.

Don't even think about exhumation.

I won't get involved with that.

Neither will we, Commander.

We just got back, sir. Sammy filled us in.

What happened to you two?

Well, sir, we've been arguing so much about the wedding that we felt that it

going to ruin our relationship. So we just...

Went to Las Vegas to elope.

You're married?

No, Major.

As we were walking up to the altar at the Blue Hawaii Chapel, the eternal

exploded. It was a gas leak.

So we're just going to go ahead with the regular wedding.

Yeah, everything's going to be fine. And I got Mr.

Tom Jones' autograph.

Wow.

Did you do the test?

No, Margaret. We had an accident with blood samples.

We'll suggest that the Marine Corps inter the remains in a national cemetery

buried Johnny with the watch he gave Jimmy he had put it in a cigar box

Inside was a package of old letters.

I think you'll want to look at them

It's funny, Johnny. She keeps calling me Yank, not Injun or Redface or Crazy

Horse. I like that about Frances. She just thinks of me as an American.

She's a good woman. Too good for me.

Until next time, Jimmy.

Sounds like Jimmy Blackhorse didn't like himself very much.

He was drinking.

He right that?

No, he didn't have to.

Sure, according to this letter, they've never seen each other for about two and

a half months.

Frances Rowland.

Anyone find out how old she was?

She was 20 in 1943.

I'll make her, what, 74.

Could still be alive.

You're not thinking about looking for this woman, are you? What's in your

letter, Commander?

I think we should stop here.

You didn't answer my question.

What difference does it make whether a ship is named after this man or not?

not our place to make those judgments. This is our job.

Is it your job to contradict thousands of years of tribal wisdom?

Excuse me, Commander, but isn't your field of expertise forensic pathology?

you trying to tell us that science is less important to the species than

tradition? Maybe.

All I know is these people are more comfortable in their skin than any of us

standing here, including me.

Do you have an address in that letter?

Commander, finding Frances Rowland could help us answer all these questions

without us having to defile the sacred.

What if we do find her, and it turns out that Margaret was wrong about the

bones? She'll lose her credibility.

You're still tampering with the faith of these people.

You see that woman over there?

She prescribed a chant to help heal Johnny.

You don't see anybody blaming her for his death, do you?

Now, I don't know much about the Navajo people, but I can't believe they

consider themselves any less fallible than the rest of us.

Excuse me.

Excuse me, ma 'am. Are you Francis Rowland? Used to be, mate.

She hasn't spoken for three and a half years.

Encephalitis.

Sir, I'm Lieutenant Commander Rabb. My colleague and I are from the United

States Judge Advocate General Corps.

Please excuse this intrusion. We tried to reach you by phone, but... I don't

have one.

Same goes for TV, radios, the like. Are you Francis Rowland's caregiver?

I'm her son.

Do you know anything about a man named Jimmy Blackhorse?

I bet I... I'm Jimmy Blackhorse.

The United States Navy thanks the Navajo Nation for the privilege to argue

before its tribal court.

Our intent is simple. We will provide evidence that will identify the remains

found in Wellington Bay, New Zealand as belonging to Marine PFC Jimmy

Blackhorse.

The community of Blue Canyon believes this issue has more to do with integrity

than identity.

We ask a simple question.

Does the Navy honestly feel that a Navajo name on the hull of a ship means

to the people than the wisdom of their forefathers?

A question I'm eager to hear answered.

Thank you.

This is a photograph of Jimmy Blackhorse taken just prior to his tour of duty in

1942.

I asked the court to take note of the difference in appearance between the

PFC Blackhorse, like his twin brother Johnny, had a wide face, dark eyes,

complexion. The man who claims to be his son has blue eyes, a thin face, pink

complexion. He could have been named after Jimmy Blackhorse, but conceived by

someone else.

Your Honor, the man who claims to be Jimmy's son bears the physical features

his mother. His father's genetic information could simply have been

this case.

If physical similarity is the only basis for Mr. Begay's thesis, then I would

argue that he himself is Jimmy Blackhorse's offspring.

And how were you able to make that conclusion?

The spirit of this being was darkened.

Like Ash, Jimmy Black Horse's was the color of cornmeal.

Thank you.

Margaret Black Horse is a renowned practitioner of the Navajo healing art,

published journals are presently archived in the Library of Congress.

This is more than just the testimony of a medicine woman.

It's the testimony of an esteemed professional.

Margaret.

Can you show us the difference between these two souls?

Can you show me your God?

No further questions, Your Honor.

And given that explanation, what have you determined?

That there's conclusive homology in the DNA samples.

They are without question father and son.

Thank you, Commander.

Commander!

Have you expressed any doubt at any time in what you were sent here to do?

Yes. Can you tell us what fueled your doubt?

I've developed a respect for the metaphysical world.

Thank you.

And so might I add to Albert Einstein.

We'll take a recess and return at 3 .15.

These are my people, aren't they?

If we win, you could even live here.

Mum would like that.

How can you tell, sir?

It's in her eyes.

She's looking for completion.

See, naming me after my father was her way of forgiving him.

I don't think she ever let go of her pain.

Why would she need to forgive him?

When I say that, it's funny how it's promising myself for her sake I wouldn't

mention it.

She can hear, you know.

Can't react.

She can hear.

What's on your mind, Jimmy?

I haven't told you everything.

Jimmy, according to your mother's account of her relationship...

hearsay. Your Honor, aren't tribal legends hearsay? I don't see anybody

their veracity.

Continue.

Thank you.

Jimmy.

Will you share with the court what your mother told you about her relationship

with PFC Jimmy Blackhorse?

The campaign on Guadalcanal had been hard on him.

He was shell -shocked.

He'd lost most of his hearing.

He couldn't sleep, and this made him glum and weary.

But Mum saw a happy spirit buried within him.

She loved him to her very being.

She wouldn't bed him unless he married her first.

He resisted this. He kept on telling her that she could do better than him.

What happened the night he disappeared, Jimmy?

He was pickled on ale.

Mum was trying to sober him up and he went for her.

She said it was a combination of the alcohol on his brain and the pain in his

heart. He left soon after.

That ravine was nearby and, well, he was still drunk.

It was dark.

Are you the product of that night, Jimmy?

Yeah.

I feel Jimmy in him.

The Jimmy I remember.

Your Honor, I think you have your evidence.

Both spiritual and scientific.

And as it turns out, both were necessary in revealing the truth.

But not only do the remains belong to PFC Jimmy Blackhorse, but they reflect

spirit of a different man.

A man whose bright essence would have turned to ashes by the violence of war.

And only, only in his son does his true spirit live.

The community of Blue Canyon deeply resents these portrayals of code talkers

rapists and drunks.

Haven't we heard enough of these tired and offensive cliches? Your Honor, I

don't think Jimmy Black Horse was a drunk or a rapist.

I think he was a human being in crisis.

Sir, in light of these findings, I propose a change.

With your blessing, I will suggest that the Navy name its ship after Arsenio

Price, Jimmy's co -talking partner.

Mr. Price, a Bronze Star recipient, died three years ago.

Sir, we think that his proud spirit would bless the officers and crew of the

Navy's newest vessel, while the spirit of Jimmy Blackhorse.

be allowed to finally find peace in a resting place of his family's choosing.

How does opposing counsel respond?

The community of Blue Canyon accepts this offer.

Mr. Blackhorse.

Do we have your approval?

I'll build a casket, sir.

We welcome you to the Navajo Nation.

You are our brother.

And we are adjourned.

Cool words, sir. Thanks, bud.

Welcome home.

Welcome home.

You did the right thing.

As long as I have your approval, Commander.

You have my congratulations.

Calm down.

Chocolate?