Original subtitles

Who are you after?

I want your horse.

So do I.

I want it more.

You'll have to come and get him.

It's sure come up on blow, Major.

You've seen worse blows than this in Kansas.

What are you talking about?

Cold enough for you, Major?

Aw, sweatin' my life away, Pop.

Tie that canvas down the best you can.

If you can't tie it down good enough,

get some nails and nail strips on.

How many wagons blown away?

I stopped countin'.

If we was headed the other way

we'd sure be making time.

You know something?

I never saw a wind that could blow

as hard as a Texan can.

That's right,

and if I wasn't blowing against it,

this whole train'd be movin' backwards.

I'll see that you get a medal for it.

Later. Oh.

There's a feel of snow in it.

It's too early to snow in this country, mister.

How are all the folks up ahead, Major?

Same as you... bellyachin'.

How far up the line do you figure McCullough is?

I don't know, but he's far ahead enough

so he can know more than we do.

I bet wherever he is, he's hip-deep in snow.

It's too early to snow in this country.

Why, them Sierra passes are full of snow.

You can't tell me.

I'm telling you

it's too early to snow in this country,

and you better not say anything different.

Get all these people on the train panicked,

I'll stick your head

in the first snowdrift we come to.

Now what'd I say?

Too much!

I'm not too worried.

McCullough'll find us a way through, all right.

Why don't you bank it up on this side?

Wind blows so fast, it blows it all out.

I can't stop the wind, that's for sure.

Always build a high fire in a high wind.

Why don't you dig it down deeper?

Then it'll fall in.

Blockhead.

Most people digging like this

would think that ground's frozen.

That is, people not smart like me.

You know, Charlie, I wonder how I keep

forgetting how really smart you are.

I'd like to know that myself.

Well, in case you break the point off that shovel,

I'd suggest that you use something harder

and more pointed, like your head!

Now what did I say?

Too much!

Still sweatin', Major?

Yeah, Pop.

I was just about to peel my coat off.

You sure die hard, don't you, now?

Well, if you're so gol-durned cold,

why don't you go over there by the fire?

I said anything about being cold?

No, don't reckon you did.

I ain't got a reason on earth for being cold.

Just keep on jolting away at this,

and you've got your own fire.

Oh, thanks, Pop.

Thanks.

CLEVE: Hey, Major!

Ever spend much time in Texas?

Yeah, some.

You must know what a Norther is, huh?

Yeah, in every place else besides Texas,

it's just a wind, a big wind.

Freezing wind.

Right out of the north.

Comes roaring down the plains,

straight from Canada.

Turns everything to ice, snow.

I guess you've been over the high Sierra, huh?

No.

Well, I have, and so has Flint McCullough.

We both know darn well that some of those passes

are full of snow, but we also know

that some of the passes down south

are just as clear as Main Street,

and McCullough's gonna pick the right ones for us.

Yeah, well, I guess everybody's glad

to hear you say that, Major.

Why, I've seen these winds spring up a hundred times

and die down before the night was out.

Might be we're remembering that other train we passed,

what was left of it.

Might be that it kind of stuck in our minds.

Let me tell you something, mister.

This train is far ahead of where that other one was.

We got food, we got fuel, and we got clothes.

Our stock's in good condition, and we're not lost.

And as far as I know,

everybody on this train is in his right mind,

so if I was you folks,

I'd go get my belly full and keep warm.

And if you gotta think about wagon trains that came this way,

think about the ones that came through.

Snow clouds, sure as the devil.

Yeah, and there's no mistaking them.

What would you give to see old McCullough

come riding right out from under them right now?

A lot more than I got, I'll tell you that.

It'd ease the minds of these people here if he'd show up.

If he doesn't come in by tomorrow dawn,

I'm gonna send you and Charlie

out looking for him.

Figure he's lost?

No, he's not lost. He's never lost.

I figure he's snowbound. He's got to be.

This is the first real windbreak we've come across.

Yeah, and if we're on McCullough's trail,

he probably felt the same way when he got here.

Why do you keep saying if we was on his trail?

Ain't you sure? Aren't you?

No, but I'd feel a lot better if you was.

If somebody did come this way,

they possibly camped. I'll look for some water.

Wait a minute, Charlie.

Wait.

What is it?

It's blood.

Blood?

Sure looks like blood.

Looks like they drug it off that way.

Whatever it was, it was bleeding

when they drug it away.

You ain't thinkin' McCullough?

I'm thinking it might be till we know different.

I've been telling myself all long,

if McCullough did come this way,

he ran into this snow, he'd cut back to the south passes.

If he was able.

Well, maybe he did come this way.

It's past midday, and if I know McCullough,

he'd be up riding by now.

Like I said, if he was able to.

Flint!

Flint McCullough!

You around here?

Charlie, I'm gonna follow those tracks.

Are you coming with me?

You know blame well I am.

What's the matter with you, Charlie?

Nothing. Just slipped, I guess.

Looks like this is it, Charlie.

Yeah.

Hey, you ain't thinking anybody

lives in this old shack, are you?

I'm through thinking for a while.

I want to find out a few things.

You're trespassing. You got no right.

What are you, as dumb as you look?

Or can't you hear good?

We're looking for a man.

Yeah, well, I ain't. I sure ain't.

Tell her about the tracks.

We've been following some tracks

way down from that clearing.

They lead right up here.

Well, what if they do?

Tell her about the blood.

What ails him?

Nothing ails me. Absolutely nothing.

I'm just as fit as a fiddle.

About the blood, ma'am.

There was blood all along the tracks,

and we figured our friend was hurt

and you had to drag him along.

Well, I don't know nothing about your friend,

and I don't aim to stand out here all day jawing with you.

That blood you saw's deer blood.

Maybe if you have some menfolks,

they might've seen him.

I've got more menfolks than you can handle,

and they're not far away.

We'd be much obliged, ma'am,

if you could tell us where they are.

Well, all right.

They're, uh, yonder

in that box canyon beyond the clearing.

How far yonder?

About a mile, even.

If your friend came nosing up here,

they might've got him.

Got him, ma'am?

You fool men,

you don't even know where you are.

Oughta let you find out, let 'em kill you.

What kind of menfolks you got?

This here's Shoshone country.

That box canyon's a Shoshone camp.

Now, git! It's not only us, ma'am.

There's a whole wagon train depending on our friend.

You're with a wagon train?

Yes, ma'am, and our friend Flint, he's a scout for us.

Where's your wagon train heading?

Why, west to California.

West. Always heading west.

Are you sure, ma'am, that you haven't seen Flint?

I ain't seen him.

I ain't seen him at all. Now, git!

We got a long, hard ride ahead of us, ma'am.

We'd sure appreciate it if we could warm ourselves by your fire.

I ain't got no fire.

I ain't got no fire at all. Now, git!

She ain't got no fire.

Go on, keep looking.

You'll get used to it after a while.

Come on, now. You slept around the clock.

That's enough. Here, wake up.

How did I get here?

I found you.

What went on before that'll have to come back to you.

I found you shot and fried with fever.

You were an awful mess. Awful.

But then I ain't never seen a man that wasn't.

Here now, lay back there.

Got some work to do on you.

Uhh...

Makes me feel real bad

to see a man helpless like this.

Real bad.

Work?

Yeah, I feel I owe it to you.

You've been so nice to me, gave me everything you owned.

Gave me your gun, your money,

everything you got in this world.

Or did I steal it from you?

Now, I wonder if I could've done a thing like that.

Who brought me here?

I brought you.

Don't think I wasn't able.

Women got strength that men don't even know about.

It's, uh, something she learns,

something that grows inside her.

Now, that ain't no pain.

Well, I got no whiskey.

I could clout you one on the head.

That's the best I can do.

You could've left me there.

You ain't much...

good to me dead.

You might be worth something to me alive,

even half alive.

You might be worth something to the Shoshones.

Shosho... ne?

Hold steady, now.

I ain't gonna stay perched up

on this mountainside another winter,

I'll tell you.

Are you breathing?

Thanks to you.

I told you you're no good to me dead.

Had a lot to bear lately,

and I don't want you dying on me.

I'll do what I can.

Put a dollop or two of this down you.

It might break up the fever.

No, I... I don't think I can eat.

Spoon yourself some.

Come on.

No more.

Maybe the little bit you had will do you some good.

Who are you?

A lady who has some reddin' up to do.

What's your name?

Annie. Griffith.

Annie Griffith.

Missus.

I'm a married lady.

What part of the South are you from?

Been so much going on here lately,

I haven't been able to do much reddin' up.

What do you know about the South?

The way it sounds, mostly.

The way it sounds.

"You're too plain, Annie.

No proper gentleman wants a plain woman..."

at least for a wife.

Out West now, marrying's easy.

Too easy.

And the marriage is hard.

You lose your husband?

I'm not looking for him.

When you lose someone, you try to find them.

If I was gonna look for something...

I'd look for those babies.

Three of them in three years...

all of them dead.

I'm sorry.

Sorry?

I did the burying alone.

Every time, alone.

The last one was...

was just a little while ago.

How long have you been alone?

You mean this time?

Well, when the trails opened last spring,

he was off.

After that first year,

Blade was only here when he wanted.

This time when he comes back,

I'm not gonna be here to meet him.

That's why I stole from you.

I'm goin' home.

It pleasures me that a man is paying for it.

He'd better come back before the winter sets in good.

He always does.

That's his way.

He likes to be warm in the winter.

What's he like?

He's a big man.

Got red hair.

Sight redder than yours.

He's got eyes that could...

that can gentle you with a look...

or they can cut you through.

He's not as easy to look at since I cut him.

Cut him right down the face.

Did you love him?

Well, that first year,

part of it, when we were new to each other.

But that was all a long time ago.

There's a lot to remember since then.

You'd think I had the fever, taking on like this.

You don't say you love him.

Eat your broth.

Gunner, I just wanted to find out

how your wife and kids were doing.

Mrs. Gunner isn't one to complain.

Yeah. 'Course, I'm not a family man.

I don't have any responsibility

towards anybody but myself,

but I got a feeling toward womenfolk.

Major says we'd best get plenty of firewood.

He sure enough wants us to keep busy.

He don't want us to take time to notice.

Notice?

Yeah, well, Hawkes, Wooster.

They've been gone for two days.

Gone? Where?

I don't know that, but they're gone.

Eh...

Major'd probably tell us that he was off

looking for Flint McCullough.

Well, all I can say is...

they're movin' somewhere, and we ain't.

We're stuck, Gunner.

You're not saying anything

I haven't been thinking night and day.

'Course, I'm not a man with a wife and kids

who's bound to be thinking,

worrying himself.

All I say is that we've gotta be moving.

Can't move into a storm, Cleve.

You can move away from it.

Makes sense, don't it?

We can't move ahead.

If we sit here, we freeze or worse.

Seems like that's all the major's been offering us.

You offerin' better, Cleve?

I'm going back.

I say that we know what's behind us.

We've been there.

You think about that, Gunner.

Hey, Pop!

That's no good to me now.

It's empty.

How's the fire in there?

Real toasty!

I'm fixing to lay on some fresh logs.

You ought to ride in here a while with me.

Smooth as silk!

Later, Pop.

Oh, I see it. You don't have to hide it.

Well, what about Flint? Did you find him?

No, we didn't find him.

We got an idea where he is, though.

Well, you'd better start talking, then.

Tell him about that coot-crazy female.

If you ask me, Flint'd be better off with the Shoshones.

Female? Shoshone?

What the devil are you talking about?

Did you get a little snow-blind up there?

I could've. There was enough snow.

There was a woman up there, all right.

It's a hard day's ride from here.

She's got a cabin.

'Bout a mile from there, there's a Shoshone camp.

We ran across a bunch of bloody tracks

that led right up to her place.

We figured it might be Flint's.

She claims she'd killed a deer.

With those Shoshones so close,

we didn't want to cause a fuss

and have them spot us

and sweep down on the train.

She was a little bit of a thing with a shotgun.

Never saw anything like it in my life.

Did she know anything about Flint?

Had she seen him?

She said not. Sure didn't want us around.

If we hadn't've left there when we did,

we'd be a couple of civs up in that snow this minute.

Well, that's just great.

Here we got a whole load of people

either gonna freeze to death

or starve to death or maybe both,

and I got two smart young boys working for me

that can't even handle a woman with a shotgun.

You never saw a woman like her.

We wouldn't be any good dead to you, would we?

You're not much good to me now, either!

Is the train in that bad of shape?

They're not good.

If this gol-darned wind doesn't quit pretty soon,

it's gonna blow snow down on us any minute.

We couldn't pull out of here now if we wanted to.

I don't think anybody saw us when we rode in.

That's why we holed up in here, knowing you'd come by.

I'm worried about that gol-darned Flint,

fooling around in Shoshone country.

We can't afford to send another party after him.

He still might be up there with that woman.

If he is, let the good Lord be with him.

If she's living that close to that Shoshone camp,

you can bet your bottom dollar she's living there

with their permission.

If she's got him corralled somehow,

he's just as good as a Shoshone prisoner.

We'd better round up all the men,

tell them to lay in some firewood.

Come on.

CLEVE: I've been in storms like this before.

I've seen 'em, I know what they're like,

and nobody's gonna tell me that we oughta sit here

and let that snow cover us over.

And nobody ever find us again?

Why, even dumb animals, they've got enough sense

to move out ahead of a storm.

You men with wives and children,

you think about that now.

And you listen to me.

No, sir, we're not smart if we don't act smart.

I'm telling you...

Just what do you call acting smart, Cleve?

Movin', Major.

Moving's smarter than sitting here.

There's no way we can move this train now.

Oh, yes, there is.

Maybe you'd better tell me about it.

I think maybe I'd better.

One safe way is moving back,

back where we come from.

We know what's back there.

We know the water.

We know the trails, forts.

You know the weather?

It's gotta be better than here.

Now you're just guessing.

I don't call that thinking.

It makes sense.

No, it just sounds good. It don't make sense.

You know what the weather was when we came through there,

but you don't know what it is now.

You sure don't want to talk about what's ahead,

do you, Major?

I know what's ahead.

I told you. Snow.

That's why we're not moving.

Ah! I keep forgetting.

And we've lost our scout, too, haven't we?

He's the only one who knows for sure what's ahead.

I've been through these Sierra passes

more times than you can count.

You're not answering me, Major.

Flint McCullough.

He's the only one who knows what we're in for.

He's lost.

Now, ain't that a fact?

I'd like to bet you he's not lost.

Is he dead?

That I don't know.

He don't know.

Seems to me there's a lot of things the major don't know.

We're obliged to do what he says.

As long as I'm wagon master of this outfit,

you're obliged,

and if I have to get tough with you to prove it,

I'll get tough.

Why, Major, you're talking mighty rough

to people you should accommodate.

I followed you when you was a reasonable man,

but you said something just now worth thinking about.

You said...

as long as I'm wagon master.

Are you figuring on taking over?

Did I say that?

I could tie you up for starting

a mutiny like this.

I got no papers, Major.

Nobody's gonna follow me or bend their will to mine,

but I can leave this train anytime I want to.

Whoever follows me, it'll be their business.

All right, you folks.

I'm just gonna ask you one thing,

and that's to use your heads.

You people signed on this train

because you wanted to go west.

Nobody told you it was gonna be easy.

I want you to remember

all the reasons that you had for going west,

and then figure out for yourselves

whether it's worthwhile to throw over all those reasons

after we've gotten two-thirds of the way to the coast.

Now, if it's humanly possible to get you to California,

I'll get the job done, and I'll guarantee you that.

Now, all you men, you better go gather firewood.

Gather all of it you can while you can,

'cause we're gonna be here a spell.

You've got no strength.

No sense to know it.

That was a Shoshone war party.

Is that a fact?

Dog soldiers.

Best fighters in the tribe.

They're friends of mine.

They brought me these.

How'd you get friendly with the Shoshone?

Teyaki says I'm good medicine.

Teyaki?

He knows what he's talking about.

Teyaki's the medicine man.

He brings me things that I need when he can.

You must've done Teyaki an awful big favor.

That first winter, I found Teyaki's son

in one of Blade's traps.

Seems like every young'un I meet up with

is in some kind of misery,

either hurt or dead.

I freed him, I nursed him, I saved him.

They've always been grateful.

You didn't tell them I was here.

Did they ask?

Wanna make something out of that?

Sure, they asked.

You could've...

turned me over to them.

They know that you're here.

They don't know just where.

But you could tell them.

Anytime they come up with some gold

or something like money that I can spend,

I'll tell them where you are, right quick.

Why did you kill Blade?

I had to.

Yesterday or...

maybe two or three days ago, I don't know...

he tried to bushwhack me in the pass.

He was ready to kill me for my horse.

It was either him or me.

He was coming back.

Like all the other times, he was coming back.

You killed the only living thing that was still mine.

Now I'm nursing you back to health.

It's sort of funny, mm?

I'm sorry.

You always gonna be sorry about everything?

Hear that?

Might be a long winter.

I told you, I don't aim to stay up here another winter.

Maybe I'll tell the Shoshone about you sooner than I thought.

If you'll recollect,

I'm the one that told him what we was in for.

Now, the first sign of a let-up,

I'm heading back,

and the smart ones will follow.

MAN: Major didn't bring the storm.

You'd better get back in the wagon.

It's warmer in there.

I was just going out to check on the stock.

Well, I was back there, and they're doing fine.

Somehow I always feel sorrier for animals

than I do for people when it's gonna storm.

They always feel it.

They worry more.

Yeah, seems like a man can take care of himself, somehow.

Yep.

Annie?

There now.

You're gonna make out.

You're gonna make out all right,

unless you go stealing off again.

Teyaki says that you'll be ready to travel in a little while.

Teyaki?

It's his medicine that saved you.

Why did you go to him?

To get you safe passage to the wagon train.

Why, Annie?

You worried about me?

Nothing of the sort.

I couldn't let the Shoshone get you

after all my nursing, now, could I?

You know, you're pretty.

All you have to do is set your mind to it.

Teyaki said that the spirit devils

would be talking in you for a little while.

I declare, you're just out of your head!

You might as well get used to the fact.

You're pretty.

If you ever get out of here,

well, some proper gentleman will tell you.

You'll see.

Now, you better not go to sleep,

'cause supper's nearly ready.

You're pretty.

I declare, if another living thing had died on me,

I'd just've given in.

Get your stuff loaded up.

Get all your teams harnessed.

We're gonna roll.

Good luck, Cotter.

You're gonna need it.

Get your teams harnessed up, boys.

We're gonna roll.

Come on, Charlie, haven't you got

your team hitched up yet? Won't be long now.

Move!

Let's get ready to roll, folks.

Well, I'll be.

Major.

Howdy.

Sorry I held you up, Major, but I ran into a little trouble.

Wasn't you that held us up.

We was getting ready to go on without you anyhow.

I see. Annie, this is the major.

Major, this is Mrs. Annie Griffith.

Howdy, ma'am.

Never thought I'd live to see the day

when I'd accept hospitality from a Yankee officer.

Well, Major, what Annie means is

she'd be very happy if she could travel with you.

Where you headin', ma'am?

She's headed for the South again,

but by way of the Sierras.

What are you, her interpreter?

Yeah, you might say that.

You listen to me, boy.

I don't know whether we're gonna

get through the Sierra or not.

We got trouble enough as it is

without some strange female coming along,

complicatin' matters worse than they are.

Now, aren't you ashamed getting all riled up in front of a lady?

I've a mind not to point out that trail Teyaki told me about.

That's right, Major, Annie's guaranteed us

safe passage through the Shoshone country,

so I thought maybe you'd be, uh...

obliged and happy if she could ride in your wagon with you.

My wag...!

Yes, Major.

Thank you very much, Major.

Come this way, Annie.

I'll show you the major's wagon.

Seems like you got your strength back.

I don't know.

I might need some special care anytime now.

Flint McCullough, dad-blast your hide!

The major's been worried sick about you.

He didn't have to. I had very good medicine.

Oh, Charlie? This is Mrs. Griffith.

Howdy, ma'am.

McCullough!

Does the major know you're dragging her along?

Quit bellowing in my ear, hmm? Yes, ma'am.

Thanks a lot, Annie.

Better put that hat back on.

Might catch cold.

The Shoshone say she's good medicine.

What's the matter with you, did she bite you?

I'll tell you all about it someday, Major.

Well, don't bother.

I probably wouldn't believe you anyhow.

Come on, let's get rolling!

Get that team hitched up!

What the devil's the matter with you?

Come on, move, will you?

Ready to roll, Charlie? Yes, sir.

Major?

Changed my mind.

Going with you.

Then you're finally talking some sense.

Go way at the end of the line.

Hi, let's roll. Wagons, ho!