Original subtitles

ANNOUNCER: Previously on Elkhorn...

Well, you’re

Assemblyman Roosevelt?

Not anymore.

Time to treat, Pumpkin-lily.

[PUNCH]

MARQUIS: I am the Marquis de Mores.

If you are to become a cattleman,

we will soon be in league.

ROOSEVELT: Bill, you’re a fine partner,

but we need managers.

COWBOY: New to town, boys? [GUNSHOT]

I ain’t decided whether I’m staying

not til you tell me what we’re doing here Mr. Roosevelt.

We are here to make cattle ranching our business.

We’ll build it here.

This will be Elkhorn Ranch.

♪

♪

O’DONALD: What say we pick up the pace, Riley?

Yeah, wanna be home by supper.

Let alone the first snow.

LUFFSEY: You know what your problem is, O’Donald?

You don’t appreciate leisure.

What’s the harm in taking things a little slow?

[GUNFIRE]

[GUNFIRE] [GROANING]

[GROANING]

♪

[GRUNTING]

[CLICKING TONGUE]

MARQUIS: Monsieur Luffsey.

Of what use is an empty gun?

♪

Ah...

So then...

have you given any thought to my offer?

There’s no deal to make with men like you.

[SPITS]

Au contraire.

I am nothing

if not a dealmaker.

♪

Allow me to show you.

♪

Come now.

Let us close our final deal

and conclude our business.

♪

♪

[GUNSHOT]

♪

[COCKS GUN]

No, no, no. Paddock, wait, I- - Stop.

But he’s a witness.

Amongst three others.

I-I-I won’t tell a soul.

I-I swear. I swear.

On the contrary.

I want you to tell everyone.

This is a mistake.

The only mistake

is violence without purpose.

Then, we are no better than the beasts.

Are we, Paddock?

♪

♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪

♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪

♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪

[BELL RINGING]

Joe?

As punctual as ever, Mr. Roosevelt.

Well, if only our mail carriage would be as kind.

I’ve gone too many days without a word of my daughter.

Today’s your day. I can feel it.

Well, you’ve said that every day this week, Joe.

JOE: But today I mean it.

I’ll just check and see if

the carriage has arrived.

♪

MEDORA: Seems I’ve caught the gentleman staring.

♪

My apologies, ma’am. It was your

purchase that caught my eye.

Is your husband an avid hunter?

Who said these were for my husband?

May I?

I had it custom made in New York.

Hmm.

It’s exquisite,

but a bit of a paradox,

isn’t it?

A thing of beauty

made to draw blood.

JOE: What did I tell you, Mr. Roosevelt?

Today’s your day.

Thank you, Joe.

This isn’t from New York.

It’s from the Marquis.

JOE: Ma’am. MEDORA: Joe.

JOE: Anything else for you today?

MEDORA: No thank you.

What the devil?

MEDORA: Mr. Roosevelt,

your paradox.

Ah, yes.

Thank you, Miss.

I’m sorry. I don’t believe I know your name.

Don’t be silly.

Of course you do.

♪

♪

ROOSEVELT: Who does the Marquis think he is?

I’ve never read such a ridiculous thing in all my life.

How can one claim land from the grazing of sheep?

Sheep that have not set foot there in an entire year.

I don’t think validity is the point, sir.

Bleeding idiots. Sheep!

Why no rancher with an ounce of self-respect

would ever consider raising such a ridiculous stock!

With respect, sir, the Marquis de Morés is not a man

to be trifled with.

Oh, I can deal with bullies.

It’s one of the first things my father ever taught me

and I dealt with my fair share in the state assembly.

The Marquis is not bound by the rules of a politician.

Nor has he the power of a king.

You’re right.

He’s not a king.

He’s a titan

of industry, that is.

With millions invested here

and millions more in reserves.

Heck, he owns practically every building in this town,

including this one.

And when money is no object,

what more is there to fight for but power?

I wonder,

if you wouldn’t mind sending a message to your landlord.

What about?

A meeting.

Just the two of us.

ARTHUR: There was a similar dispute,

not that long ago.

The Marquis had begun putting up fences

which is not to be done here on the open range.

Putting up fences on Riley Luffsey’s land and

Mr. Luffsey kept taking them down.

The dispute turned ugly and well-

If the Marquis killed Luffsey,

why has he not been brought to justice?

Marshals launched two separate inquiries.

The Marquis walked away from them both and-

I just don’t want you to have any illusions about

who it is you’re dealing with.

This is just a manuscript.

You never published it.

There are always consequences here, Mr. Roosevelt.

Even for the published word.

Perhaps I just

wasn’t ready to bear it.

I’ll set up your meeting,

under one condition.

You don’t wear a gun.

And leave myself defenseless?

That is preposterous.

♪

Why don’t we step outside, Mr. Roosevelt?

♪

ARTHUR: Hey, Jones!

BILL: What do you want, Packard?

ARTHUR: How about

a demonstration?

♪

[GUNSHOTS]

ARTHUR: Much obliged, Bill.

♪

You see, Hell-Roaring Bill Jones,

he’s good.

But the Marquis?

Well he may be the best shot in the entire territory.

Out here,

you wear a gun,

there’s some men that are going to make you use it.

Now if you think you can outgun the Marquis, well,

by all means go ahead.

But if not,

maybe you should try using something other than force

to topple a titan.

♪

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

MERRIFIELD: You know,

you needn’t have asked Arthur.

Shoot, every soul for a hundred miles

knows what happened to Luffsey.

And now here we are.

Walking headfirst into a range-war

with his executioner.

SEWALL: Well, we have to draw a line somewhere.

Arthur has set up a parlay with the Marquis this evening at his estate.

In the meantime, I’ve commissioned Hell-Roaring Bill Jones

to search the ground for sheep in case any remain.

SEWALL: Roarin’ who? - I just need to know

if the claim holds any kernel of truth.

SEWALL: Let me go with you Mr. Roosevelt.

No. That’ll be alright Bill.

MERRIFIELD: Mr. Roosevelt, look.

You know I ain’t afraid of no fight,

but in a situation like this,

we should consider sending word to Mandan.

Maybe get their sheriff involved.

Can’t speak for your back-country boys here.

No offense gentlemen,

but in Dakota,

in this territory, it ain’t exactly good practice

to just walk right into the wolves’ den,

and that’s exactly what you will be doing.

DOW: I say we keep it our business here.

We let that Frenchman come and try something.

Enough.

All of you.

I am going tonight,

I am going alone.

And until this affair is settled

there will be no more building.

Which will give you boys

some time for the saddle.

[SIGH] SEWALL: Mr. Roosevelt-

If you’re going to be cowboys,

you need to at least start mastering the horse.

[CHUCKLING]

I’d love to see that.

Oh, well.

Splendid you said so.

Because you are to teach them, Merrifield.

Wait a minute. That wasn’t a part of our agreement.

Ah, we have all our tasks at hand.

Ah, the rewards of a hardy life.

♪

♪ [OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ♪

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ♪

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ♪

♪[DRAMATIC MUSIC] ♪

PADDOCK: Mr. Roosevelt.

Pleasure to see you again.

Paddock, was it?

A shame you won’t be joining us.

PADDOCK: Oh, don’t worry.

I’ll keep myself busy.

You enjoy the grub, now.

Bit fancy for my taste.

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ♪

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ♪

♪ [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ♪

♪

MARQUIS: Monsieur Roosevelt.

♪

Marquis de Mores.

I trust I am not

interrupting.

Au contraire.

You are just in time.

I’ve prepared a little target practice.

Shooting.

Just for sport.

Will you join me?

♪

♪

[HOOFBEATS]

MERRIFIELD: Gentleman

this here is Jezebel

Sounds swee don’t it

Make no mistake, she’s a bronc.

Still half wild.

Heck... I’m the only one

that’s been able to saddle her.

[HORSE NICKERS]

Till now.

[HORSE NICKERS]

Don’t everybody get up at once.

What? Do I gotta make you wood-hicks draw straws?

SEWALL: Till you come up with a sensible idea.

We ain’t here to break broncos.

MERRIFIELD: No, Sewall.

You’re here to manage a ranch.

And come fall, that’ll include beef round up.

We’ll be wrangling cattle from across

the whole range to sell for winter.

Hopefully earn our keep.

You’ll be in that saddle for weeks, maybe more.

Now, it’d be ideal,

if one beautiful horse, like

Jezebel could do that, but

she can’t. It takes a string of ponies,

swapping them out.

Typically ten per cowboy.

Nine out of ten are easy.

That’s why we always train for the tenth horse.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Let’s go. Daylight’s a burning.

Come on.

Good boy.

♪

MERRIFIELD: Hey, hold up there cowboy.

You wanna mount that horse?

You gotta earn it.

Good luck.

Let’s see what you got.

DOW: Easy. Easy.

♪

MERRIFIELD: Let’s see what you got.

SEWALL: Let’s go Will. Come on.

MERRIFIELD: Nice try.

Whoa, whoa.

SEWALL: Come on.

Come on. - Come on now, come on.

Come on!

Let’s go Will.

You got it boy. You got it.

MERRIFIELD: Okay, easy now.

Easy girl.

Come on, Dow. Get up!

Easy.

Reel her in, Dow.

That’s it.

Okay, grab that saddle.

Throw it on up. Nice.

SEWALL: Let’s go! MERRIFIELD: Let’s go!

SEWALL: Get up there! Come on!

There it is.

MERRIFIELD: Easy. [HORSE WHINNIES]

There she goes. DOW: Whoa, whoa!

SEWALL: Come on, kid. MERRIFIELD: Don’t get too comfortable.

[DOW WHOOPING] MERRIFIELD: There she goes.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Whoa! Whoa. SEWALL: Will!

Come on!

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Anything broke?

No, it’s just my pride, Uncle.

Just my pride.

MERRIFIELD: Lesson one for your pride,

you gotta hang on.

She’ll tire herself out.

Okay? But you gotta hang on.

Nice work.

[GUNSHOT]

Forgive me, Monsieur Roosevelt.

I’m the curious sort.

How is the territory on your health?

Seems an unkind place for an asthmatic.

A doctor once told me I shouldn’t

run up a flight of steps

much less brave the outdoors.

A year later, I climbed the Matterhorn.

Throw!

[GUNSHOT]

MARQUIS: Ah, the Alps.

Some journey,

yet somehow I find that this place has more

effective ways of testing men.

You’ve done well for yourself here.

MARQUIS: Some men pass the tests.

I thrive on vision, Monsieur Roosevelt,

and the will to execute it.

Dakota will soon be a state

and Medora

its capital.

Lance!

[GUNSHOT]

I hear other capitals are in consideration.

Bismarck, perhaps.

The musings of men who

whisper the future with their lips

but do nothing to build it with their own blood.

Or money.

As a Roosevelt would surely appreciate,

your grandfather, one of the richest men in New York,

was he not?

And your father, well,

the profits he must have made

after the great fire in Chicago.

My father rebuilt that city

after an unthinkable tragedy.

He was a noble man.

We are here to discuss our business,

are we not?

Namely the $400 I paid

for the Elkhorn property, which legally-

MARQUIS: Lance!

[GUNSHOT]

Another miss.

Are you not a hunter?

A darn good one, given half the chance.

I always find that the best hunters anticipate,

know what their prey will do

even before it does.

♪

Another shot, if you please.

Certainement.

And for sport,

if you make this one,

we will call the match even.

♪

♪

Up there, towards the sky.

Throw!

[GUNSHOT]

I’ve always found the best hunters

adapt.

Now, I may not have the best sight,

but I’ve always known when to position myself

for the best shot.

Now.

Shall we discuss business?

Of course.

Over supper.

♪

Supper?

♪

MERRIFIELD: Well,

boys gave it a go.

That first ride is always the worst of it.

[CHUCKLING]

[HOOFBEATS]

SEWALL: Nope.

Worst is still to come.

♪

Home sweet home.

That’s a mighty fine piece of work.

Always fancied one similar for myself one day.

You build that, Woodsman?

For a one, Theodore Roosevelt.

PADDOCK: Well,

I’ll consider keeping you on

once we move him off our land.

Heck,

you could build my outhouse.

[LAUGHTER]

It’s time for you to be going, friend.

Cool your heels, kid. PADDOCK: You got it wrong

more ways than one.

I certainly ain’t your friend.

And it’s you who ought to be leaving!

This here is our property!

DOW: Not yet it ain’t.

♪

SEWALL: Everyone just calm down!

Long ride over I’m guessing.

Fellas must be hungry.

Why not join us for a bite?

We can talk things over.

Well, now that you mention it...

I am rather peckish.

MARQUIS: Napoleon Bonaparte.

A great man.

He certainly thought so.

S’il vous plaîît.

Sit.

MAID: Auriez vous besoin d’autres choses, messieurs?

No. Pas pour l’instant. Merci.

MARQUIS: Imported from Paris.

The champagne

and the servants.

Merci.

Monsieur, I forget myself.

You prefer not to drink.

Ah, I merely prefer to keep a clear head

but when in Rome.

MARQUIS: Ah, Rome.

Hmm.

Napoleon held it for only a year.

Then he returned it to its people,

and they were so grateful.

Ah, Monsieur Roosevelt,

you must partake.

♪

♪

[CLEARING THROAT]

And?

[CLEARING THROAT]

It’s-

it’s delightful.

MARQUIS: Hmm,

then you must take some with you.

It’s a

recent invention of mine.

Uh a gift of sorts for the French army.

Can last for months on the frontline and

still maintain its flavor.

ROOSEVELT: Well, it certainly tastes

long lasting.

Tres bien.

Now, Sir.

We have a matter at hand.

So direct, you Americans.

No appreciation for polite conversation.

Very well...

regarding my land.

I believe you mean

my ranch.

If the cabin does not claim it,

the receipt of purchase certainly shall.

MARQUIS: You could have a hundred receipts.

It would change nothing.

We are all squatters in the Badlands

until your government says otherwise.

And I don’t write laws, like you,

but I do understand them quite well.

And out here, it comes down to something very simple.

Who got there first?

And in that regard, the grazing rights of my sheep,

predate your claim,

I’m afraid.

I’m afraid the grazing days of your sheep

are well behind them.

That ain’t half bad.

Famous to Maine and back.

PADDOCK: I’ve reconsidered.

Forget the outhouse,

how bout you work my kitchen instead?

Ah, it’s a big territory.

One might think we could settle on being neighbors.

That ain’t up to men like us.

We follow the dollar.

I follow my friend.

PADDOCK: I used to have the run of the lot here, you know,

before all this beef bonanza talk.

Then the Frenchman showed up.

Money like that, well,

it’ll make your problems disappear

or at least hire men to make them disappear.

Men like you?

He’s a tornado.

You don’t beat a tornado. You join it.

Get to the center.

Enjoy the peace in the eye of the storm

while everyone else is blown away.

♪

But tornadoes pass,

and when it does,

I’ll still be holding on.

♪

GUNSLINGER: You lookin’ for trouble, kid?

Found you, didn’t I?

Hey, hey! Hey!

[GUNSHOT]

Now. Now.

There’ll be no violence without purpose.

Then we’re no better than the beasts, are we?

That’s why we’ll make a wager of it.

What are you talking about?

Your man against mine.

He wins,

we’ll clear out.

If we lose?

PADDOCK: Then we’re gonna get real comfortable here.

DOW: I ain’t gonna lose. You let me at this guy right now.

Not him.

Him.

♪

Bones won’t hold your claim.

Though you strike me as a man who’d prefer to hold it with blood instead.

Some things can only be held with blood,

I’m afraid.

The front lines of Algeria

for example.

You never served your country,

did you?

I served in the statehouse.

[MARQUIS LAUGHS]

A politician

is no substitute

for a soldier.

As your father could certainly attest.

See, I once heard the most terrible rumor.

That when it came time to serve in your Civil War,

your father

paid a replacement

to fight in his stead.

That’s enough.

Forgive me, but I’m the curious sort.

What was it like

to be raised

by a coward?

Take it back! This instant!

MARQUIS: Or what, Monsieur Roosevelt?

Or I’ll-

Everything all right, my love?

Just a spirited debate.

Mr. Roosevelt,

allow me to introduce my wife,

Madame de Vallambrosa,

la Marquise de Mores.

Medora.

Just Medora.

♪

♪

Medora.

♪

See, I told you that you knew my name.

It wasn’t my idea to name the town, I assure you.

My husband is a hopeless romantic.

You deserve nothing less, cheri.

Our conversation before was so brief, sir,

that I didn’t get to offer my condolences

for your recent losses.

My father attended the funeral,

a moving affair, he said.

To lose one’s wife and mother on the same day

and Valentine’s day no less.

My heart breaks for you, Mr. Roosevelt.

Thank you,

madam.

Oh, did you bring your dagger?

You must show my husband.

It’s quite the paradox.

Yes,

a thing of beauty

made to draw blood.

I’m afraid I left it at home.

Ah, shame.

Wait... Medora,

would your maiden name be

Van Hoffman

as in the daughter of Louis Van Hoffman,

the banker?

Indeed.

My father has been most supportive

of our western venture.

Well,

how kind of you to

invest in your husband’s

fanciful

ideas.

Have you tried the soup?

[MEDORA GIGGLES]

[MARQUIS CLEARS HIS THROAT]

I’ve interrupted.

You two had a

business matter to resolve,

hmm?

I’m afraid our guest is proving

intractable.

MEDORA: Well,

I trust you will find

an agreeable path forward.

I merely seek to find a better path

than those you’ve dealt with.

Forgive me, Marquis,

but I am the curious sort.

Whatever happened to a man by the name of Luffsey?

Tragic circumstances befitting of a fool,

I’m afraid.

I was fair in all dealings with him.

[MEDORA CLEARS HER THROAT]

[MEDORA CLINKS HER GLASS]

We’re here as dealmakers,

are we not?

♪

So, let’s make a deal.

♪

DOW: I don’t know Uncle.

I think I might have really stepped in it this time.

SEWALL: He was the first one in my beans. He’s big,

short-breathed.

Hey...

you can take him.

He’s a bronc, kid.

Break him.

Let’s go.

♪

♪

[FIGHTING]

[MEN TALKING]

[FIGHTING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

- Take him down. - Get back in there.

[YELLING]

[GRUNTING]

Stay on your feet.

[MEN TALKING]

[GRUNTING]

[FIGHTING]

[MAN SHOUTING] - PADDOCK: Stay down, boy.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

Get up.

♪

Okay. Okay.

[PANTING]

[YELLING IN EXERTION]

[PUNCH] [COUGHING]

♪

Ah!

[PUNCH] [COUGHING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[PUNCH]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[STRUGGLING]

[STRUGGLING] [MEN SHOUTING]

[COUGHING]

[YELLING]

[PUNCH]

♪

MERRIFIELD: That’s it!

[COCKS GUN]

Oh! Hey! [GUNSHOT]

SEWALL: All that excitement, it’s a mighty good

time to arm yourselves.

Wouldn’t you agree, sir?

♪

Suppose, I would agree.

♪

Let’s go boys.

♪

[WHISTLES]

You’re welcome for the beans!

Now, you were right, Merrifield.

Someone ought to teach these boys

not to walk into wolves’ dens.

SERVANT: Merci, Monsieur. - Merci.

MEDORA: This business is only good to those

with the stomach to endure.

MARQUIS: Very well.

A compromise then.

I will revoke my claim on your little ranch.

And in return?

And in return,

you will make me

sole distributor of your stock.

You will sell exclusively to me,

at my prescribed price

with cattle to be delivered

after the beef round up.

♪

Shall we be partners then Roosevelt?

What do you think?

I think...

this feels like a silly little game

and to even consider playing it

would be to lose.

What are you doing?

Thank you

for your hospitality.

Ma’am.

♪ [OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

That should have been easy.

♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪

♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪

♪

♪

SEWALL: They’ll be back, you know?

You may have just made it even worse.

You know, I didn’t come here to make enemies.

SEWALL: You’re provin’ darn good at making them.

♪

♪

Might I have a word?

♪

You left in such a hurry that you missed dessert.

I appreciate you coming all the way out here but.

I’d like you to reconsider my husband’s offer.

That was not an offer.

That was an ultimatum.

You are well acquainted with the tenement slums

in New York, yes?

I- beg your pardon?

MEDORA: In your duties as a reformer,

I mean.

The immigrants were working themselves to the bone,

and you became their champion.

Well,

someone had to.

Then as champions for the poor,

we must work together.

Would it surprise you that it’s our distribution

that makes beef affordable for those very same constituents,

but...

doing so requires us to bypass Chicago

and their corrupt industry.

You and my husband are reformers

in your own ways.

No. The Marquis and I have nothing in common.

But you do.

Right down to your stubbornness

not to see your commonalities.

You men may think that you can tame the west,

but it is us women who will make it a place worth living.

I will guarantee six cents a pound.

Anyone worth their salt can tell you,

that’s a generous offer.

♪

You have yourself a deal.

♪

Enjoy your ranch, Theodore.

♪

And your cake as well.

♪

♪

It seems Mr. Packard has been prying into our affairs.

See to it that is never published.

♪ [OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

[DOOR CLOSES]

♪ [OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

♪ [SALOON MUSIC] ♪

[SLAMS DOOR OPEN]

Paddock?

Can I help you?

Got something that belongs to you, Arthur.

♪

♪ [OMINOUS MUSIC] ♪

ARTHUR: Paddock. Don’t. Don’t

[PUNCHING] [GROANING]