11x15 - Danger Road

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Bonanza". Aired: September 12, 1959 - January 16, 1973.*
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Set during and after the Civil w*r, "Bonanza" is the story of Ben and his 3 sons on the family's thousand-acre spread, known as the Ponderosa, near Virginia City.
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11x15 - Danger Road

Post by bunniefuu »

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

- Qué pasa?
- Bueno...

Get that wildcat
rig out of my way.

I can't. My wheel's gonna bust.

I can see that. Use your spare.

I ain't got no spare.

Well, then, you better
drag that rig out of my way.

I got a schedule to meet
and I'm gonna meet it.

Look, that wheel'll
cool off in a minute.

But I ain't gonna bust my axle.

You move them jugheads
or I'm gonna move 'em for ya.

Listen to me. Now, let me...
Let me tell you something, mister.

I know the feel of a whip,

and no man and no animal ain't
gonna feel a lash when I'm around.

You understand?

- Howdy.
- Howdy.

Looks like you're
having a little trouble.

No, no trouble. Box b*rned out.

I just gotta get this load into
Virginia City. Much obliged, though.

My name's Joe Cartwright.
This is Candy Canaday.

- Howdy.
- Howdy. You can just call me Gunny.

This here's my woman, Serafina.

Con mucho gusto, señora.

Virginia City, you
planning to stay long?

No reason to.

I'm headin' north to Canada
soon as I deliver this load.

There's only one freighter in Virginia
City. They sure could use another.

Well, thank you,
but I'll be moving on.

Well, if you run into any
trouble fixing that wagon,

we got a line shack a
couple of miles from here.

You're welcome to use it.

I ain't lookin' for
no charity, mister.

Well, I'm not offering you any.

Change your mind about hauling
that freight, just let me know.

I'm obliged.

Let me stay here and
give him a hand, huh?

Good enough.

You're ex-army.

What makes you say that?

The way this gear's stowed
and lashed. That's army.

So are the knots.

Yeah. You sound
like an authority.

Born and raised on an army post.

Well, anybody can
learn how to tie a knot.

You wanna pull that
log out of there, son?

Gunny. That's what
gunnery sergeants are called.

Yeah, well, it could
be for gunnysack,

what my pa stuffed me into
to throw me to the sharks.

I'm a freighter, mister.

The best.

All right, so I guessed
wrong. I'll help you with that.

We'll get you hitched up. I'll
show you that line shack. All right?

All right.

- Muchas gracias por todo.
- De nada, señora.

Gunny, I hope you'll
think on that freighting job.

It'll be worth your while.

Well, I'll study on it, mister,
but I think that's all I'll do, though.

Adiós.

All around, the land is good.

A man could taste it, know
when to plow, what to plant.

Serafina.

Maybe this place.

Serafina.

There ain't no
place in this country.

All these years, never one
piece of land to call our own.

It catches up, hijita. It
always catches up with ya.

But there is this pride
that I have for you.

Well, one man's pride
is another man's hate.

But I know you better
than anyone else.

And I cannot forget that in
my country you were a hero.

That's a long time ago,

and there ain't no place for me
here or in your country, all right?

The past. Always the past.

Now, listen, the past
is right here, hijita.

Right there where they branded my
face like a pariah dog. That's the past.

Maybe it was you
who branded them.

If you gave this
place a chance...

No.

No, not this place. Canada.

Up there we'll have a chance.

But after all this time,
people must forget.

No, there's always gonna
be somebody who remembers,

always, as long as
I'm in this country.

You are my country, mi mundo.

As long as I am with you,
that is country enough.

Whoa!

You wanna sell
your outfit, wildcatter?

No. You got a load
of freight goin' north?

- Why?
- I'll haul it for you.

Nothing moves in or out of Virginia
City that's not on Cambeau wagons.

You'd make out
better workin' for me.

I'm my own man, mister.

Give you 100 dollars for the
wagon, 50 apiece for the horses.

That's 100% more
than they're worth.

- I'm movin' on.
- Steady job, top pay.

Bet he's been out
to see Cartwright.

He offer you that timber
job that can't be done?

Better get your
foot off my wagon.

You can't pick up
work here, gypsy.

I got every business under
contract to Cambeau Freight.

Hey-up!

I like the way he
handles his rig.

Handles it better
than you handled him.

He'll come crawlin' back.

Him?

Yeah. Soon as his
empty belly tells him to.

- 30-footers.
- Hand hewn, Mr. Cambeau. Hand hewn.

There isn't a mill within a thousand
miles of here can cut beams this size.

Well, I can haul 'em
to Virginia City for ya.

All you have to do
is cut 'em in half.

Mr. Cambeau, our contract
with the opera house

calls for three 30-foot
beams, not... not six 15-footers.

Well, do you think you
can haul 'em as they are?

Well, it's an impossible job,

but... I think I can do it.

After you sign that contract.

You've doubled the
price in this contract.

Well, the old
contract's expired.

You've got a contract expirin'
too, ain't you, Mr. Cambeau?

You mean the government
mail and freight contract?

Well, I'll win that again.
Never lost a contract race yet.

No competition this time.
Nobody wants to race against me.

You may as well sign it.
I'm the only freighter around.

I wouldn't say that.

You... You talkin' about
that gypsy teamster?

- Mm-hm.
- I offered him a job.

He's thinkin'
about it right now.

Well, Mr. Cartwright, I
can't waste any more time.

Sign now or
we'll both forget it.

Mr. Cambeau, I
don't like ultimatums.

Your choice, Mr. Cartwright.
But you made a mistake.

You got more than beams to
haul. You got logs and lumber.

You haven't got the
rigs or the drivers to do it.

You're gonna have
to sign this contract.

And when you do, the
price may be higher still.

Hup!

You think this wildcatter
you found is good, huh?

Yeah, I think so.

Let's find out.

Está bueno.

Hi, señora. I'd like you to meet
my brother, Hoss, and my father.

Con mucho gusto, señora.

Is your husband around? We
wanna talk some business with him.

- Ah, hey, Gunny.
- Howdy.

I know the shack wasn't much. I
hope you found everything you needed.

Oh, she's fine. Thank you.

Gunny, I'd like you to meet
my father, Ben Cartwright.

This is the man I
was telling you about.

Get off my land, Riley.

Pa.

I think we ought to talk.

I'm sure you had a nice
long talk with Gunny.

That should be
sufficient for you.

Yeah, we talked to Gunny.

But he didn't tell us anything.
What's it all about, huh?

I have nothing to say.

I think you're gonna
have to say something.

There has to be a good reason to
kick a man and his wife off our land.

I'm sorry that I lost my
temper. Let's just leave it at that.

That's not enough.
What's it all about?

I'm sure you two have plenty to do
without standing around here talking.

Why don't you go do it?

Come in!

Come in, come in. Door's open.

What do you want?

I'll haul for you.

No, thank you.

We's old vets from a w*r
long forgot, Cartwright.

Not long enough for me to
forget that you're a traitor.

You got the wrong word. That's a
D tattooed on my cheek, not a T.

That's right. A D for deserter.

A deserter.

I spent 15 years in your army,

from milksop bugle
boy to gunnery sergeant,

the best the army ever had.

And you used those g*ns
leading the San Patricio Battalion

against the Americans
at Churubusco.

Blizzards we give ya.

Blizzards of grapnel from
the heights we give ya.

Yes, that's right.

And k*lled my men
for Santa Anna.

For my brave St. Pat
boys, that's what it was for.

Potato famine Irish.

They had reason enough to cross
the river over to the Mexican side.

Fresh off the boats, they was, lookin'
for freedom, and what did they get?

The army grabbed them.

The horses was treated
better. You saw it.

The horses wasn't tied
to stakes and whipped.

Yes, I saw it. I was there and I
said it was wrong and you know that.

- You said it was wrong at the time.
- I said it was wrong at the time.

But that's no excuse. You
were not born Irish immigrant.

You were born under
the stars and bars.

They was my men!

- What do you want?
- I told you, I'll haul for you.

Well, you've got some long timbers
up there that nobody can get down.

I'm the best freighter
around, man. You need me.

- I don't need you.
- I was just returnin' a favor.

What favor?

I been to town.

You didn't tell anybody
about me. I owed you for that.

Now we're even.

Saw Gunny ridin' out.

We found some fences
to fix. We worked on 'em.

Good.

You want some
coffee or something?

Something on your mind?

Something you'd like to ask?

No.

No, I figure you got all the
answers and all the questions, Pa.

Think I'll wash up for dinner.

Señora.

Is your husband around?

I am very, very grateful
to you, Señor Cartwright.

For what?

In other towns, when a man finds
out who my husband really is...

they make it a public
spectacle, a ritual.

They tie him in the public
square and shave off his beard,

so that all can see the D that
your army branded on his cheek.

Yeah, I'm not surprised.

He was a hero in my country.

Not in mine, señora.

Let me tell you a thing
about my husband.

He never deserted a friend.

He was loyal to
his men to the end.

If you come by to find out if
we're gettin' off your land, we are.

We'll be gone come mornin'.

Came to offer you a job.

What for? I was a
traitor five hours ago.

I'm the same man now.

That's right.

- You said you'd haul for me.
- You said no.

- Somethin' change your mind?
- Nothing's changed, Riley.

Now, do you want a cr*ck at bringing
those beams down or don't you?

Why? 'Cause Cambeau
Freight can't do it?

You're just too stiff-necked to
admit you need me, Cartwright.

All right, if it'll make
you feel any better...

we need each other.

Need each other.

You can't saw them beams.
You can't put drill holes in 'em.

Can't put spikes in
'em. That'd weaken 'em.

You're not gonna balance
a 30-foot beam on a wagon.

You ain't got the rig to
do it if you knew how.

Cambeau knows he can't do it.

What makes you
think I can do it?

'Cause I saw you do it.

You had cannon on the
heights at Churusbusco.

I saw that road.

There was no way to get those long
g*ns around those turns, but you did it.

Yeah, I did it.

In that w*r we were in.

I'll haul your beams for you
and deliver 'em unscratched.

Startin' when?

Come mornin'.

If you ain't got no special fondness
for that buckboard I saw at your place.

How are you gonna
use that buckboard?

Not the whole buckboard, just the
front wheels and the wagon tongue.

Well, I don't see how...

Yeah... Yeah, I think I do.

Why don't you come by in
the mornin', see if you're right?

Yeah.

50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100
dollars. There you go.

I think before you decide for sure,
you ought to know what the rules say.

Now, the first wagon
to cross the finish line

will be awarded a
two-year contract.

No wagon crosses
the line, no contract.

Gunny, Gunny'll finish.

- In that wagon, huh?
- Mm-hm.

Now, each wagon will be loaded
with one ton of mixed freight.

- Clem, we know the rules.
- Hold on.

This is over 15 of the toughest,
steepest miles we could find.

- It'll be an easy day for Gunny.
- Here's the 100 dollars entrance fee.

Well, all right, you're the boss.
Hang on. Don't you want a receipt?

You try and leave town with
the money, I'll call the sheriff.

- Take care.
- You take care.

Them boys just
wastin' their money.

Gunny's rig won't last
five miles, let alone 50.

Yeah, I got money
here says you're wrong.

You're wrong.

Hey, Willard. How come
you ain't home oilin' that whip?

Ain't no need for that.

You know, Joe and Candy
just paid Gunny's entry fee.

Looks like you and your boss
got some real competition now.

- I'm bettin' Gunny takes it.
- Willard'll be drivin'.

Him and Cambeau's been
rollin' freight all their lives.

I got 20 dollars here that
says Gunny wins the race.

You got a bet.

You mean you two put up
100 dollars entry fee for me?

That's right. You're gonna
race Cambeau tomorrow.

No, I'm not. You just
wasted yourself 100 dollars.

Well, what's the matter, man?
You afraid you can't b*at him?

I'm the best, and so's
my team, but I ain't racin'.

If this has got something
to do with the problem

between you and
my pa, forget it.

The answer's no. Now, you just
get away from here and leave me be.


All right, I did a job that nobody
else could do. I got paid for it.

I don't owe nobody nothin'.

Up till now, querido.

- But you could win from Cambeau.
- Why? What for?

Perhaps for Ben Cartwright.

Ben Cartwright?

You think he's changed?
No more than me, he hasn't.

But that did not stop
him from giving you work.

As much as he hated
the thing you did.

And he did not tell
the others about you.

Well, another man will,
won't he? They always do.

But not Ben Cartwright.

I don't owe him nothin'!

I have a feeling in
my heart that you do.

Hijo de perro. Váyanse!

Easy, señora.

Now, you only have one
sh*t left in that scattergun.

- And there's four of us.
- Eso primero.

That's far enough.

Now, come on, move out. Move
out before somebody gets hurt.

You're gonna pay
for this, Cartwright.

Cambeau's gonna squeeze you dry.

- The gunny isn't gonna run that race.
- I've changed my mind.

- You can't run that race!
- I said I changed my mind.

I'm better than you are.
I am better than he is.

You're gonna eat my dust
tomorrow, so now you get!

- Now, Gunny...
- You save your breath.

I'm runnin' that race tomorrow.

Why? You wanna show
me how good you are?

I'm my own man, Ben Cartwright.
I got my own reasons for what I do.

Well, you may win, but
you'll never get that contract.

- Why? You gonna stop me?
- No. The government will.

Before they give you a
contract, they'll investigate you.

They'll find out you fought with the
Mexicans, k*lled American soldiers.

You'll never get the contract.
Then the newspapers'll find out

and everybody around town will
know who you are and what you did.

I don't want the contract,

but I'm not gonna let
Cambeau get it without a fight.

Well... you can't
run that race alone.

I'll help you, swamper,
brakeman, anything you need.

Cartwright, I plan to run my team
down that mountain flat out tomorrow

from giddy-up to whoa.

You got the belly for that?

We better fix that wheel
and get the wagon ready.

All right, gentlemen, you've
got four minutes till starting time!

I'm gonna run 'em right in
the ground, Mr. Cambeau.

Way I figure, I ought to
finish at least a mile ahead.

- I'm gonna tell you...
- Why don't you...

Now, listen to me!

You try usin' that whip on
me today like you did last night

and I'm gonna do two things.

First of all, I'm gonna
wreck that wagon.

And second of all, I'm gonna
shove that whip down your throat.

Do you understand me?

That's mighty big talk, mister.

I'm through.

Now, wait a minute.
What's this about last night?

He's your man. I
figure you knew.

Well, if I knew, I wouldn't
be asking. What happened?

He come visitin' me and my woman,
with that whip and some of his friends.

- Is that true?
- I was just talkin', Mr. Cambeau.

He was just tryin' to run me out
of town so he could win the race.

That's what he was doin'.

That's the truth,
Cambeau. I was there.

- Ed?
- Yes, sir?

- You're drivin' for me. You're fired.
- Wait a minute.

Get out of here!

Well, Willard's idea, not mine.

I don't have to do things like
that to win. And I'm gonna win.

Ed's just as good a driver
as Willard, maybe better.

Ten seconds, gentlemen.

- Go!
- Hah!

Yah!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Yah! Yah!

Whoa!

Yah!

- Hey, brother, you wanna take a ride?
- Come on.

Where you two goin'? Ain't you
gonna wait for the finish of the race?

I can't wait to find out who's in the
lead. We're gonna ride out and meet 'em.

They ought to be halfway
down that mountain by now.

I think I'll hang around here and have
me a beer and see it on the finish line.

- I'll see you later.
- See you later.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa!

Come on! Ha!

Give Pa a hand. I'll get him.

- Are you all right?
- Blast. Yes, I'm all right.

I'm gonna need something
to lift this up, Gunny.

All right. I got a
spare wagon spindle.

Get that.

All right, you can
let it down now.

Yah! Yah!

Well, here he comes.

- All right, all right.
- Clear the street!

They're coming out of the
mountains! Get out of their way!

- Get that rig out of here.
- Get that buggy out!

They're coming,
Clem. Clear the street.

- Clear it!
- They're coming out of the hills.

Clear the street! Get that buggy out of
there! They're gonna run right over you!

Yah! Yah!

Yay-up, dammit! Yay-up, dammit!

They're gaining! Faster!

Yah! Yah!

- Come on, we're gaining! We got 'em!
- Yay-up!

- Come on!
- Come on, dammit!

That's it!

That's it!

Hey! Come on, boys!

- Your lead line's gone, Gunny!
- I know it.

- You got 'em?
- Got 'em!

Hold 'em steady.

- Right.
- Got it?

Come on, baby!

Yah!

Come on, dammit!

Yah! Yah!

Yah!

Come on, dammit! Let's go!

Ride, dammit!

Hang on, Gunny!

Hang on! We got this!

Yah!

Wha-ha! We're gonna
do it! We're gonna do it!

Come on, dammit!

Congratulations, buddy.

What are you doing
setting down here?

You're supposed to be
up there on the rocks.

Well, here's the contract.

It just has to be filled out with
the names signed and witnessed.

But it's yours. You won.

That's a lot of work for a
little bitty piece of paper.

Come on, boys. The beer's on me!

It was a fine piece of drivin'.

Gunny, you're the first man to
ever b*at me in a contract race.

I guess this kind of puts
you out of business, huh?

Probably.

I'll try, but you can't show
a profit without that contract.

Well, I... I might talk a trade.

What, partnership?

What? You name it.

New wagon, new harness, and
a load of freight to haul up north.

- Is that all?
- No. No, that ain't all.

I didn't b*at you by myself.

Ben Cartwright and
me, we's old vets.

I guess he had a
stake in this race too.

I tell you what,
you write a contract

to haul freight for the
Ponderosa for a fair price,

you guarantee the same for
all comers, and she's yours.

You got a deal. I'll have
it in writing in 20 minutes.

You can pick out your wagon
and harness whenever you like.

All right.

In case you're wonderin', Willard's
the one that dropped the tree in the road.

- You sure?
- I'm sure. We got two witnesses.

You could have wrecked
both wagons and k*lled us all!

I'll sign a complaint.

Get down off of there.

Sheriff, hold up.

You ain't by any chance the same
fella who cut my lead line, are you?

Well, Willard, looks like your
rent's paid for a long while.

Well...

Guess you'll be
moving along now.

Givin' me a hand
the way you did, that...

that was a decent thing.

It was a good ride.

I'm obliged.

Good luck.

Well, pick up my
woman, I'll be on my way.

Yah!
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