Original subtitles

Good evening.

Our country welcomes you, and may I search your luggage?

I find the life of a border guard quite diverting. It's very much like working

at the checkout stand of a giant supermarket.

I also have a very lucrative sideline. I retouch passport photographs for men.

The women prefer to retouch their faces instead.

Since tonight's story is called...

Last seen wearing blue jeans, it was first suggested that I dress

accordingly. However, I demurred. I consider it undignified to appear in

women's clothes.

Our story concerns an English family on a tour of America.

Because of a strange happening, their tour becomes a detour, and they see more

of the continent than they had planned.

Their adventure follows in just one minute.

Stopping? What time is it, darling?

Midnight. Oh, it's still awfully hot.

You must be exhausted.

Not exactly. Just difficulty keeping awake.

I thought we could use a spot of tea.

That sounds like a wonderful idea.

Lauren! Wake up!

Lauren!

We're stopping for a cup of tea.

Yeah, I'll help you, darling. Thank you.

Where are we?

Some place called Slauson in Arizona.

Near the Mexican border.

Really?

Well, we must be in the desert.

That's where we're driving at night. It's too hot in the day.

Come on, Stevie. Come on.

I'll just sit any place you like, folks. Oh, thank you.

How about here, darling?

Good evening,

folks.

Hot enough for you?

Yes, it certainly is.

A little cool off in an hour or so.

What'll it be?

We'd like some tea, please.

Iced tea.

I think we'd rather have hot tea, please. With milk. Tea with milk?

You all must be Canadians.

No, English.

Oh, you making a trip?

Yes. On our holidays. A vacation.

I never dreamed it was so far.

New York to California.

We rented a car, you see, and we're driving across the country.

Best way to see it.

Say, we have some homemade apple pie. You all want some?

Apple pie? Yes, I'm sure I would.

Roberta? Sounds lovely.

Yes, please.

How about you, dear?

No, thank you. Just lemonade.

Coming right up.

We're here now.

We go through El Centro, on to San Diego, and then up to Los Angeles.

When shall we get there?

The day after tomorrow, I hope.

Oh, not at the table, dear.

I'm sorry, but I'm so sleepy.

I think I'll go back to the car and wait for you there.

All right. All right, dear. We won't be long.

No, Gatto's got him. He's expecting her.

How about the slip?

Yeah, I got that.

Let's go back in there.

We ought to be on our way.

It's almost 200 miles to our next stop.

Yes, I suppose we should.

Thank you.

Oh, dear.

We seem to have run out of stations.

I can't seem to get anything on the wireless.

Radio.

Americans say radio.

Oh, yes, of course.

Well, anyway, wireless or radio, there's nothing on it.

Shall I sing?

That's not quite fair. I'm a captive audience, you know. Oh, darling.

Oh, it gets cold so suddenly in the desert, doesn't it?

I think I'll get my sweater.

Slow down a minute, darling, will you, while I look?

David! What's wrong?

Lauren! She isn't in the back seat.

She's gone.

Now, just a minute before you get so upset.

But where is she? Where is she?

Perhaps she's back at that cafe.

You mean... Where we stopped for tea?

Right.

Remember, she left the table before we'd finished eating.

But she said she was going back to the car.

Yes.

Well, she must have changed her mind or gone for a walk or... But that was hours

ago.

Well, the cafe's open all night, no?

She'll be safe enough.

David, you don't think something's happened to her? That some man could

have picked her up? No, of course not.

No.

Lauren knows how to take care of herself.

How come you didn't show up at Kate's with the new plates?

I get them late.

You have to come here anyway.

You want me to strip it? The radio and heater?

No, no, no. It's too late.

I'll drive it in as is.

We've got a buyer waiting for it in Mexico City.

You going on through tonight?

That's right.

Before you roll, Gatto and me got something we want to talk to you about.

What?

$13,000 American.

That sounds interesting.

You've been holding out on us.

What's eating you?

I'm the guy who has to peddle them red hot.

You know what the deal was?

A four-way even split. I lift them and you get them with registration in place.

My garage is a good front, yes?

Strip, paint.

You think it's easy, huh?

Skip it.

Without my contacts, you couldn't get rid of them.

Forget it. Except I ain't forgetting the 13 Gs the rest of us got coming.

Okay, so I'll talk to you about it later.

I gotta get started.

You ain't going nowhere until...

Is he dead?

Very.

We gotta get him out of here.

Who's that?

I never seen her before.

I have.

Bueno?

Yes?

Kate speaking.

There's been a fight here at the garage.

Gross just knocked off Al.

You meatheads.

Now shut up and listen.

First... Get rid of him.

In the desert.

I understand.

Then get that girl.

No, I don't remember any young girl coming back in here tonight.

But you would recognize her, wouldn't you, Mr. Cates?

She's wearing blue jeans and a plaid shirt.

Oh, sure. I remember her now.

Of course, I wasn't out in front all the time. I had to be back in the kitchen.

Well, perhaps the waitress might remember her.

Rose? Can we ask her?

Well, of course. Rose?

What do you want, Vance?

These folks have lost their kid.

Our daughter.

You remember us, don't you? We were sitting at that table over there, and

she had a lemonade.

After we left... Did she come back in?

No.

Aren't you sure?

Well, yeah, I'm sure. I just had to think, that's all.

It's like I said.

Then we must talk to the police right away.

Bet you can tell us where to go. Be glad to. We have a very fine constable here.

His name is Batterman.

Where do you find him?

Well, the least I can do is take you there myself.

Well, that's very kind of you.

I'm sorry to hear about your trouble, spoiling your trip and all. I told these

folks you'd help them find their daughter.

Sure, Vince, sure.

Well, Mr. Batterman, where do we start?

Well, we start with what we know, which ain't very much, but it is something.

What's that?

Well, for instance, we know your daughter ain't in Slauson.

This is a little burg, and I know everything that goes on in it. That's

right.

And if she tried to hitchhike, say, into Los Angeles...

Well, she'd have been picked up by the highway patrol.

The boys would have notified me, so all we have... Wait, wait, wait.

You just gave me an idea.

Perhaps she did try to hitchhike and got a ride.

Is that a map of this territory?

Yes, it is.

There are many places she could go to.

If Lauren doesn't know this country, she might have...

lost her sense of direction and gone the wrong way.

Now, there's just this one main U.S. highway going through Slawson, and the

second road just crosses the border to Slawson from Mexico.

And here's a town, the nearest one in Mexico.

How do you pronounce that?

Dos Cacheros.

Well, that's better than 50 miles from here.

Now, it doesn't make much sense here getting a ride, crossing the border and

landing in Dos Cacheros, no, sir. But it wouldn't be until she got to Dos

Cacheros that she'd know she'd gone the wrong way.

Now, Tom's right, Mrs. Saunders. Your daughter would have been stopped at the

border. She'd know then, wouldn't she?

Yes, I hadn't thought of that.

Well, we'd better find a place to stay the night. I suppose so.

But we're very worried, Mr. Batterman.

Lauren's only 17, and if she should have been picked up by some man... Now, don't

you worry, Mrs.

Saunders. Your daughter's going to be all right.

Now, why don't you get some rest over at the motel, and Vince and me will keep in

touch with you.

Well, thank you very much.

David, I have a feeling something's wrong.

I think I know what you mean.

Those two are trying to stop us from going to Mexico.

Why would they do that?

I don't know.

But I'll tell you what we're going to do.

We're going to drive to Dos Cuchotas and talk to the police there ourselves. Come

on.

You know the head cop down there, don't you?

Alfalf? Sure.

Call him up and tip him off just in case they start crying over there.

Make up a good story. Tell him they're...

Foreigners troublemakers and he might end up in a lot of hot water.

Don't worry. I'll give him an earful Hello, I'll get

me seen your alpha the chief of police of dos Cacheros

Please wait.

Could you tell me where I am?

Hey, Americanita.

Estados Unidos.

Baby.

Very pretty.

Bonita.

No, please.

I'm in a hurry.

Plenty time.

Good time. Amigos. No, no, really. I must go. No, you come with us. Vino

rojo. Red wine.

Music.

Found her yet?

That's a stupid question. No.

Did you get rid of the stiff?

Six feet of sand.

All right.

Do you speak English?

Could you tell me where I am?

Town. Name of this town.

Mexico.

Mexico.

Where is the police station?

Police. Police station.

Yes.

Police station.

Please.

I don't think I have any money.

My parents have all... Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

It's very good, really. Just unexpected.

I tell you, man, we should make inquiries. This looking indoors.

You ask questions around for a young chick, somebody remembers it later.

She's in there.

Good, we get her. Wait a minute.

Who's the woman with her?

Maria Roca, a widow.

She runs the place.

Any drag?

The cops?

Mm, nah.

Still, she might scream her head off.

We gotta handle this right.

Well,

well, hello, young lady.

We certainly had quite a time finding you.

Maria. You don't seem very happy to see us.

Maria, don't let them. Please, you don't understand. He killed a man.

Maria, please, call the police. The policia.

Oh, policia.

Policia, usted?

Es un agente de policia.

That's right.

That's a lie.

I don't give the name the facts of life. I want to have a talk with the kid.

Maria, Maria, no.

Let me go.

I'll scream.

Maria. Maria, don't let them.

You're going out of here with us if we have to carry you.

No lo puedo creer. Calma, señora.

You know what he's telling her?

That I'm a juvenile officer from the United States.

It seems you've been a very bad girl who ran away from home. And I'm here to take

you back to your parents.

All right, let's go right out the back door.

Hey, Maria, tengo mucha hambre.

Muñeca, my little doll.

Hello. Vete.

Hey, she don't go with you, big fat pig.

Sugar daddy.

Tell these punks to get lost and stay there. I'll fix him.

No, we don't want any more trouble.

You take the street and I'll take the alley.

I just seen her.

She's got to be around here someplace.

Let's try over there.

Excuse me. We want to see the chief of police.

I'm Chief Alfau.

You're Mr. and Mrs. Saunders. I've been expecting you.

Thank you.

Won't you be seated, please?

Someone must have telephoned you. Yes, Senor Batterman. That gave us an

opportunity to get right to work.

And do you have any news?

Unfortunately, no.

But that can also be good news.

I've questioned my men, and your daughter was not seen in those cucharas

last night.

She wasn't. And you checked everywhere?

Certainly.

But doesn't that take more time than you had?

You forget, senor, we have only a small town.

And my men are very efficient. Your daughter isn't here.

What are we going to do now?

We can't just keep on waiting and hoping.

If we hear anything, I'll let you know through senor Batterman.

Then there doesn't seem much more to be done here.

You must remember, senor.

It is most probable your daughter never came to Los Cucharros. Or Mexico.

Perhaps if we stayed here for a while.

Our hotel, if you can call it that, is not good.

I think you would be much more comfortable in Slauson.

All right. Thank you.

Don't you think we should make a few more inquiries ourselves?

I don't see the point if the priest can't come up with anything.

Oh, look, there's a priest. Let's ask him. All right.

Father.

Perhaps you could help us.

Have you seen a young English girl either last night or this morning?

Thank you.

Buenos dias.

have reached the halfway point in your journey, and you must detour briefly to

the stations which carry this program.

I shall be on duty when you return.

In the theater, before the beginning of a new act, an expectant hush falls on

the audience.

In television, we take no chances. We drown you out with a commercial.

Here are your passports. Did you buy anything in Mexico?

No. And your luggage is already in the United States?

Yes. We've only been in Mexico for a few hours.

Okay. Go ahead.

Oh, Inspector.

My husband and I accidentally became separated from our daughter in Slauson

last night. We've been in Mexico looking for her.

This is a picture of her.

Her name's Lauren.

Lauren Saunders.

She's 17 years old, fair hair, blue eyes, and she's wearing blue jeans.

I thought perhaps you might have seen her. Has she by any chance crossed the

border?

No, I haven't seen her.

However, you understand we don't inspect cars leaving estates going into Mexico.

Oh?

Oh, no, keep the picture, please.

And if you should see her, would you tell her that we're waiting in Slauson?

At the Sunset Trail Motel.

I certainly will.

We'd be so very grateful, Mr... Henderson.

Mr. Henderson.

I say, are you driving to the States?

If Mabel can make it.

Mabel? Meet Mabel.

May I come with you?

Sure, hop in.

You sure are a mess.

Well, I don't usually look like this.

Well, what happened to you?

What?

I'm in the most awful trouble.

You don't have to start crying.

I've got a perfect right if I want to.

Suppose you tell me what's the matter.

You won't believe me.

Try me.

Last night we were driving, my mother and my father and I.

And now I don't know how to get back across the border into the States.

I don't have my British passport with me, you know.

So that's why you talk real far out?

Well, we were speaking at first.

Do I really sound odd?

Oh, it doesn't sound too bad once you get used to it.

Thanks. Oh, but you will help me to get across.

Oh, sure.

Gotta think about it first, though.

Can't you just continue to drive and think at the same time?

They wouldn't let you in a dog pound the way you look right now.

Better. See if you can't get some of that dirt off your face.

See if you can't do something with your hair.

I must look awful.

Well, you don't look like Miss America or Miss England either.

Hungry? Oh, yes, I am, rather.

I say, are there any cowboys around here?

Are there any dukes in England?

Don't be silly, of course.

No one over here.

Do you?

Who?

Duke Snyder.

Oh, I don't think I've ever heard of him.

Well, maybe not, but the whole National League has.

Is this better?

You don't look so bad cleaned up.

Here's some crackers and some cheese.

Crackers?

They look more like biscuits to me.

I don't know what y'all call them, but they still taste like crackers.

Which reminds me, the way you say things, you know, when we get to the

border, don't talk any more than you have to.

Well, I can speak a little French.

That'll be a big help.

Of course, you do sound like an Easterner.

I could see a cousin of mine from Boston. What do you know about Boston?

Oh, loads. Um, uh, Bunker Hill.

And, oh, the Boston Tea Party.

And, uh... Great, just great.

All they have to do is ask you one question and you'll be through.

Do you think you could learn to talk like an American?

Yes, of course I can.

Don't say yes. Say yep.

Yep?

You know, more through your nose and sort of cut it off and just yep.

Yep.

That'll have to do. Now try nope.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

No. All I can say is maybe if we're lucky, the inspector will be deaf.

What are you going to tell him?

Just leave it to me.

Resist.

Where were you born, son?

In the States, near Slauson.

Is that where you live?

On a ranch outside it.

All this stuff belong to you?

Yes, sir.

What's your name?

Pete Tanner.

Well, what were you doing in Mexico?

I was on a camping trip about three days.

Who are you?

This is my sister, Mary.

Yep. She lives in... I didn't ask you.

Let her answer.

Where's your home?

Oh, I live on the ranch as well.

What was that?

I live on the ranch with my brother.

Wait here. I'll be right back.

I'm worried.

I don't think they're going to let me through.

We'll see about that. Hang on.

I'm sure glad you had sense enough to come in and see me, Pete.

Because I know right where this young lady's ma and pa are waiting.

Well, what about her getting kidnapped and them two thugs killing a man? Don't

you think you'd better get... I know very well what I'd better do.

Sometimes kids run away and make up their stories afterward.

She may want to change her story tomorrow.

I am not making up any story.

They killed a man.

Meanwhile, your ma and pa are worrying and fretting. So, come on, let's go see

them.

Me too. I gotta be getting home.

You too. I guess perhaps her parents would like to thank you in person.

I ought to kick out of here in your fat seat right now.

Well, you told me to bring the girl along when she showed up with the Tanner

kid. I had to bring him too.

Try that again and I'll slap your ciller.

Hold on, no noise.

Over there and sit down.

You knucklehead, I pay you to use a little sense.

Now I've got two of them.

All right, get back to your office in case Simon has come snooping again.

What are you going to do with them, Cates?

Get out of here.

Laura, and us tanners are related to half the people in this county. You talk

too much, kid.

I... I'm not worried.

There's some beer out there. Get it.

Mr. Gates.

Let us go, please.

We won't say anything to anyone.

It wasn't my fault. It was a mistake. I just got into the wrong car.

She's just a girl. She doesn't know one kind of car from another.

You told Tom Batterman you picked her up at the border?

Yeah.

Where's your car now?

It's out in the parking lot. Batterman told me to follow him over.

You idiots. I gotta do all the figuring.

Drive his car around and back out of sight.

Now, what were you doing in Mexico, kid?

None of your business.

What were you doing in Mexico, kid?

Still none of your... Pete, tell him!

I was on a camping trip.

Oh, a camping trip, huh?

That's very interesting.

I hear, though, they have accidents on camping trips.

Well, I'm not camping tonight, and I'm supposed to be back at the ranch right

now. Maybe you decided to camp out one more night near Slauson with your...

With your friend.

Your car turned over, you had an accident.

Fatal.

Yes, I understand.

Yes, of course.

Yes, thank you, sir. I'll do that.

Well, that was the British consul in Los Angeles.

What did he say?

He said we should ask Batterman to... to call in the FBI.

The FBI?

David.

That means he thinks... he thinks Lauren may have been kidnapped.

Yes, darling, I'm afraid so.

Well, I suppose we should drive on to Los Angeles and talk to the FBI there.

No.

No, I'm staying here.

But you've done all we can in Slauson.

Look, how about a drink? I don't want a drink. Well, just a little one.

All right, just a short one.

Yes. Yes, this is Mrs. Saunders.

Who?

Oh, Mr. Henderson, yes.

Yes, we've been out all the afternoon.

You think it was?

Was she all right?

Oh, thank heaven.

Yes.

What was that name again?

Yes. Yes, I have it.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Who was that?

Darling, that was Mr. Henderson.

You remember the customs officer.

He thinks he saw Lauren. She was with a boy.

A boy?

He seemed to think she was all right.

The boy's name is Tanner.

He lives on a ranch quite near here.

Apparently, he must have met Lauren somewhere in Mexico and he brought her

back over the border. And they drove through customs before Mr. Henderson

could stop them. T.T.

Tanner. Here's a Mel Tanner.

Rural Route 3.

Is that you, Pete?

My name's Saunders. Are you Mr. Tanner?

Yeah.

Do you have a son called Pete?

That's right.

My wife and I are looking for our daughter, Lauren.

We missed her last night at Kate's Cafe, and we heard just now from the customs

officer that she'd crossed back over the border this afternoon with your son.

Well, maybe.

My boy's been down to Mexico.

He promised to be back and help with the chores tonight.

Not like Pete to be so late.

Well, is it possible that he could have called your wife?

Mrs. died some years back.

Oh, I'm sorry.

But we're terribly worried, Mr. Tanner.

Don't blame you.

You say you missed your girl at Kate's Cafe?

That's right.

Well, maybe after Pete picked her up, he drove her back there.

But Mr. Kate's promised to let us know if she came back.

Well, if it was me, I ain't sure I'd depend on Vince Kate's promises.

What do you mean by that?

Well, he's kind of shifty. I don't trust him.

Besides, I'd like to know what happened to Pete, too.

Why don't we go and see Cates and let me talk to him? Go.

Cates, are you in there?

That's my dad.

Open up, Cates.

Keep him quiet.

Go and squeak out of you, kid, and I'll give it to your old man.

It'll wake the whole blasted town.

Hold it. I'm coming.

Meliton. Don't let them understand this.

You keep quiet.

Once I'm out of you, and I'll kill you all my part, too.

We still haven't found Lauren. Both of them.

My boy's missing, too.

Seen she hitched a ride with Pete from Mexico.

You heard from your daughter, huh? And she's with Mel's son?

We just had a message from the customs officer on the border.

They drove right past him.

Thought maybe the kids dropped by here to get a bite.

No, no, no, no.

They didn't come in here.

I ain't seen your daughter, Saunders.

Or your son either, Mel.

Seems odd that Pete didn't try and contact his father.

Well, sometimes kids just don't stop to think.

Well, they couldn't have come in here no higher.

I've been closed up since about six.

The cook went home sick.

And Rose went a night off, so I figured it'd be a good time to go with my books.

Never knew you'd have closed down before, Kate.

Thought you were open day and night.

I gotta pay my taxes.

They don't pay to argue with the collectors.

Just can't figure Pete taking off without saying nothing about it. Now,

look, I can't help what the two kids did.

They'll turn up.

Badminton will find them. Just give them a little more time.

Seems to me he's had enough time.

What kind of car was your son driving, Mel?

You've seen it often enough. A Jeep.

Well, now, it shouldn't be too hard to spot that old Jeep.

Or your daughter either, son. Is a pretty girl like that?

I can't see how they can both disappear in a small town like this.

Well, maybe I'm lucky I don't have no kids. But I'm telling you, if I did, I'd

be hard put to know what they're up to.

Depends on how you raise them.

There's no offense intended.

They're nice enough kids.

Well, there's no point in hanging around here.

I'm sorry, folks. I'm real sorry.

If you ever come through Slauson again, drop in.

Well,

that shirt doesn't look bad on you. It looks good.

Really? Well, I'll wash and iron it and send it back to you.

You're welcome to keep it as a souvenir.

And I'll send you a souvenir from London.

Or perhaps you'll have a chance to pick it out yourself.

Meaning what?

Well, I've been working on my mother to have you come visit us next summer.

Hey now that sounds like a great idea It

was

very nice knowing you Well, don't go getting lost again nope

Goodbye. Perhaps next summer Pete can come over and visit us.

Could you, Pete?

Mind if I miss some more chores next summer, Dad?

Might be arranged, son.

Let me go, darling.

Come on, Lauren.

So long, Pete.

And so, as the sun begins sinking in the west, we take leave of charming,

larcenous Slauson, Arizona.

By the way, you may proceed on through. I can now reveal that this is not

actually the border of anything, just a device to keep the audience until the

play is over. Good night.