02x31 - The Brothers

[bunniefuu]

[thud]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a bold adventurin' man ♪

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ Battled for right with a powerful hand ♪

♪ His blade was tempered and so was he ♪

♪ Indestructible steel was he

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie,

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless

♪ And mighty adventurin' man

- [Jim] Late in 1832, I rode back from Texas

to my old stamping grounds along the Mississippi.

My aim was to raise men and money

for the capture and development

of the Great Silver Mine on the San Saba.

At first, it was like trying to build a fire

with green tinder.

But then I reached Palmyra,

and things began to warm up.

- Come and warm yourself, James.

Four mile walk to Hurricane.

- I reckon I won't tarry, sir.

The fight at home will warm me quick enough.

I'll be back as soon as maybe with the horses.

- Hey, you!

You acquainted with the folks

at the Hurricane Plantation, eh?

- I am.

- Hmm.

Kinfolks, maybe, hm?

Yeah!

Joe Davis got a baby brother in the army.

Are you him?

- Are you acquainted with Mr. Davis?

- Oh, yes, I'm acquainted with Mr. Davis.

I know him.

I know the high-nose, money-grubbin' Judas!

[smacks]

- Hold it!

Stop it!

[fire poker clangs]

- You tell Joe Davis that he ain't shed of me,

and he won't be!

'Til one of us is dead!

- Obliged to you, sir, thank you.

- You're welcome, Lieutenant.

You know that fella?

- No more than I know you.

- My name's Bowie, Jim Bowie.

- Lieutenant Davis.

Jefferson Davis.

- For almost a hundred years, now,

those Apaches have been taking silver

out of that San Saba mountain.

And they haven't made a dent in it yet.

I've seen it.

The stack of silver ingots

would fill this room.

And it's mine for the taking.

- How did you happen to see it?

- I was shown it.

By their chief.

Old Chief Xolic.

He's dead now.

They got a new chief.

Name of Three Hens.

He's turned those Apaches into mean, murdering savages.

You know what they're using the silver for, now?

To buy g*ns and ammunition.

And somebody's gotta stop 'em.

- Mr. Bowie, I'd back you against the Apaches

with everything I possess.

- Now you say you're fresh from Wisconsin territory.

You must've seen some of the Black Hawk w*r.

- Indeed I did, sir.

If glory and advancement have to be one in such a cause,

I want no part of either.

- Jeff!

- Joe!

It's good to see you!

- Jeff, are you well?

- Yes, I am!

How are you though?

And Eliza, and the girls?

- All well.

They're in New Orleans, I'll send for them at once.

- No, don't do that, I've only got three days.

- Three days?

Well that's no time at all!

- Time enough.

Too much, perhaps.

Mr. Bowie?

- Jeff, what is this?

Are you in some scrape?

- You see, Mr. Bowie, my brother's high opinion of me?

May I present, Mr. Bowie,

my brother, Joseph Davis.

- Mr. Davis.

- Not the celebrated Jim Bowie?

- Well that depends what you mean by celebrated.

- Mr. Bowie is taking the Vicksburg Packet tomorrow.

I've offered him the hospitality

of Hurricane for the night.

- Why thank you.

- Jeff's career, Mr. Bowie, is slowly but surely

building on a stone foundation.

We Davises consider the spectacular,

rather what you might call--

- Joe, can't we table this discussion

of my so-called exploits?

- Don't talk like a schoolboy, Jeff.

I assume you desire to advance in the army?

- I'm leaving the army, Joe.

- Indeed?

- [Jeff] I'm quite serious.

- I know, Jeff, I know.

And I appreciate your making this long journey

to consult me.

- I'm not consulting you.

Not this time.

I'm telling you.

I'm sorry, Mr. Bowie, shall we continue?

- [Lawrence] Leave Mr. Davis, now,

you come back in the morning!

- [Team] You tell him I'm here, that's all.

Tell him if he don't come out to me,

I go in to him!

- Mr. Joe, I tried to send him off.

- It's alright, Lawrence.

You may go.

- There's something that I want you to see, Mr. Davis.

It's from my old woman.

She must've had the boy put it down.

- You want me to read it to you?

- No, I just want you to read it.

- Bring it here.

She and the boy arrived safely,

she writes that she's found work as a laundress.

They won't be coming back to Palmyra for some time.

- This is your doin', Mr. Davis.

You sent her away!

Her and the boy, both!

Now you gotta fetch her home!

- That boy has intelligence.

He has quickness and ambition,

and God's gift of curiosity.

His mother herself applied to me

for helping getting him an education,

and a start in life.

Most men would be proud to have a scholar

in the family.

- Yeah, the family.

Well I ain't got no family!

Now you just mind that, Mr. Davis.

- Joe, call him back!

- I think we've had enough of Mr. Team for one evening.

I hope you'll pardon our rudeness, Mr. Bowie.

- Joe.

I think you're being entirely too severe with Team.

He's not a log of wood.

I'm sorry, I had no right to speak to you like that.

I know how much I owe you.

Ever since I can remember, you've been my mainstay.

You've fed me, clothed me,

made my decisions.

- I only want what's best for you, Jeff.

And you know I never looked on the army

as anything but a stepping stone in your career.

- A stepping stone to what?

- A military record is a very valuable asset, always,

to a young man entering politics.

- [Jeff] Politics isn't exactly what I had in mind.

- Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll--

- No, please Mr. Bowie, don't go.

This concerns you, too.

- If you want the planter vote,

you'll need to be a planter yourself.

There's attractive land on the point that I've kept for you.

And I flatter myself that my name

will have a certain influence.

- You think your name means anything in Texas?

- Texas?

- I mean to join Mr. Bowie's San Saba expedition.

If he'll have me.

- Jeff, I can't believe this.

- [Jeff] You will!

- Jeff, you can't do it!

- Remember when I wanted

to finish my studies at Transylvania?

And you pushed me into West Point instead?

Remember when I wanted to quit the army,

and buy into that railroad company?

And you talked me out of that, too.

Joe, I'm grateful to you.

I respect and admire you more than any man I know.

But I can't live in your shadow any longer!

- In my shadow?

- You say you only want what's best for me,

but I don't want to end like Team,

destroyed by your good intentions.

I want to choose my own road,

to stand or fall as myself, Jeff Davis,

and not as Joe Davis' baby brother.

- I believe we've aired our personal affairs

sufficiently for the moment.

And now, if you gentlemen will excuse me.

- So, Jeff,

this is the road you've chosen.

A fantasy about a mountain of silver.

- Well the silver is real enough, sir.

I've seen it.

- Mr. Bowie,

I've already examined your prospectus,

and found it lacking in every particular

that could carry any weight with a man of sense.

- Joe!

- Well, I don't recall having discussed

the matter with you, Mr. Davis.

- You approached Judge Harrison,

my neighbor and friend.

He solicited my advice, which I gave.

- No, I didn't approach Judge Harrison.

He approached me.

He offered to invest $10,000 in this,

this fantasy, as you call it.

Mr. Davis, goes against my grain

to challenge a man in his own house.

- Don't waste your gallantry on me, sir.

I shall not fight you.

- Why, you.

You pompous,

pea-brained jackass.

- I'll answer for my brother!

- Jeff, sit down Jeff.

I'm sure Mr. Bowie will forgive my outspokenness.

- Well, now, that's mighty nice of Mr. Bowie,

considering your outspokenness cost him $10,000.

- Obviously, Mr. Bowie, you're entitled to satisfaction.

- Jeff.

It seems that I've failed to understand

a number of things.

If I've offended you, sir,

I ask your pardon.

- I accept your apology, sir.

- Well.

I suppose we turn our attention to dinner.

Shall we?

[bell jingles]

- Well, Mr. Bowie.

I must say, you live up to your reputation.

Jeff seems to be completely under your spell.

- Why don't you give Jeff the credit

for having a mind of his own?

- I don't underestimate Jeff, Mr. Bowie.

Nor do I underestimate you.

I'll contribute $10,000 toward your expedition.

Provided Jeff doesn't join it.

I believe $10,000 was the amount

Judge Harrison promised you?

Call it a debt of honor.

- Mr. Davis.

I can't accept money for something that isn't mine,

something that doesn't belong to me, isn't mine to sell.

Jeff is not my property,

any more than he is yours.

- That was a deliberately offensive remark.

- I meant it to be.

- Then I take it we can consider the subject closed.

- As far as I'm concerned, it was never opened.

- I'd rather Jeff didn't hear about this discussion.

- I should think not.

- [James] Mr. Bowie.

It's James, sir.

James Pemberton.

I just seen Mr. Jeff off to sleep,

I reckon we'll be makin' a early stop in the mornin'.

- [Jim] That's right.

- Yeah, Mr. Jeff say we're goin' to Texas, with you.

- What do you think of the idea?

- Well I don't think or not think, sir.

Where Mr. Jeff go, I go.

But I feel sorry for Mr. Joe.

- Oh, I reckon Mr. Joe'll bare up.

- Yeah, he will.

Same as the wall of a house that's burned down.

There that wall stands,

even though it ain't holding up nothin' no more.

- Mr. Joe send you out here to talk me around?

- Nobody sent me, sir,

I belong to Mr. Jeff,

but I care for Mr. Joe, too.

When Mr. Jeff was born, Mr. Bowie,

Mr. Joe was a man grown.

Those two was a sight of children, between 'em,

brothers and sisters both,

but them two's always been born just brothers.

It was as if Mr. Jeff was

Mr. Joe's own son.

The one he'd never had.

Now, everything Mr. Joe ever done,

the money he made,

the land he bought,

all fine folks he got to know,

everything he ever done,

he done it just in case Mr. Jeff

might have use for it some day.

Mr. Bowie, can I show you something?

- Of course.

- It's here in the study, sir.

All these books, he read 'em just so's not to fall behind

Mr. Jeff in learnin' and talkin'.

Ever since the day Mr. Jeff was born,

he's lived just for one thing.

To see that baby brother a man grown,

sittin' amongst the highest in the land.

- Seems to me he's taken an awful lot for granted.

- Mr. Jeff is the glory of his life.

Mr. Jeff say he's goin' to Texas.

With you.

- Well, I don't believe Jeff has any idea of all this.

I think he's the one you should speak--

[g*nsh*t]

[gasps]

- I done it!

I done it, didn't I?

I told him I'd do it,

I told him, I told him!

Joe Davis took the only thing in the world

that I set store by,

and now I done the same thing to him.

I shot Jeff Davis!

- Calm down, calm down!

You didn't k*ll anybody, nobody's dead.

- Here comes Mr. Joe.

Now don't you let on you shootin' at Mr. Jeff.

He'll have your hide.

- Team!

You were in the study,

he must have mistaken you for me.

I never dreamed he'd do such a thing.

- I don't care!

I don't care what you do to me!

Just as long as nobody is dead,

just as long as nobody is dead!

[sobs]

- James, find a place for him.

We'll talk about this in the morning.

- Well, Jeff,

are you still minded to come with me?

- I am.

- In that case,

let me wish you both a safe and profitable journey.

- Joe!

You'll see us off?

- No, Jeff.

You've chosen your road.

What more is there to say?

Good bye, Jeff.

- Fine morning for a boat ride, eh, Jeff?

By the way, I just ran into that fella Team

down by the stables.

It seems he's planning a voyage, too.

- Team?

- [Jim] Mm-hmm, didn't your brother tell you,

he's fixing to send him to Naches?

In charge of a shipment.

That way, he'll have a chance to

see his wife and son.

- That's good of Joe.

- Yes, it is.

Considering what happened last night.

Well I suppose your big brother

told you what happened last night?

- No.

- He didn't, huh?

Well the whole story's in the study.

Interested?

- Very!

- Well, Mr. Bowie?

- Let's take a look at the window, shall we?

Mr. Team's calling card.

- I thought I heard a shot last night.

Why, he tried to k*ll Joe!

- Just killin' Joe wasn't good enough.

He aimed to break his heart.

- I don't understand.

- [Jim] That b*llet was meant for you.

- You're speakin' in riddles, Mr. Bowie.

- Team aimed to k*ll you

because he knew something that you've never realized, Jeff.

Your life is more important to Joe

than his own.

- I don't care to discuss my brother with you, sir.

- Well that's fine with me,

because I aim to do the talkin'.

Now, sit down, Jeff, will you?

Please?

You Davises.

You're a pair.

Mule-stubborn, pig-pride,

look at you, for example.

You're fixing to go clear to Texas,

just to prove to Joe who's boss.

- Very flattering.

- It's the truth, it's the plain truth.

And I'll tell you a little more plain truth.

Big brother Joe, for all his big talk,

will never be the man that you are.

And what's more, he knows it.

- I'm not blind to Joe's virtues, Mr. Bowie.

But humility isn't one of them.

- Oh man, you fret about living in his shadow.

Fact is, he asks nothing better of life,

than to rest content in yours.

- He expects too much of me.

He always has.

- I know it's hard to live up to that kind of faith.

But instead of accepting it,

instead of taking it on,

you're just runnin' away.

Runnin' away to San Saba.

- I don't care to hear any more about this, Mr. Bowie!

- Alright then, run!

Go ahead and run!

Only one thing, Jeff.

You think you're runnin' far enough?

- Allow me, Mr. Bowie.

My bank draft for $10,000.

I must say, you've earned your fee.

- Well I can't say I agree with you, Mr. Davis, but

thanks, just the same.

- Frankly, after last night's conversation,

I had no hope that you could persuade Jeff

to give up this Texas scheme,

but you did.

- For $10,000.

- A very profitable good deed, I'd say.

- Well I'm real sorry to forfeit

your good opinion of me, sir.

But,

this will salve the wound.

- Not being under obligation to you, Mr. Bowie,

gives me a distinct feeling of pleasure.

And now, good bye.

Meeting you has been a memorable experience.

[chuckles]

- You still don't put any stock in my silver mine, do you?

- Anything is possible.

- Well quite, quite.

Why, some day, Jeff might even get to be president!

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless

♪ And mighty adventurin' man