01x38 - Gone to Texas

[bunniefuu]

♪ Jim Bowie

♪ Oh 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] In 1830, Nacogdoches was a sleepy little mission

town just across the border in the Mexican state of Texas.

I'd been through the town before,

but never stayed longer than it took to water my horse.

[speaking foreign language]

[g*ns firing]

- [Jim] A military execution in Nacogdoches

was something new.

And this was very strange,

but as a visiting American it was,

of course, none of my business.

[speaking foreign language]

- An American.

Then we shall converse in English.

I am Captain Hernando Sanchez,

of the garrison of Nacogdoches.

Your name, senor?

- I'm Jim Bowie, from New Orleans.

- You are passing through, or is this your destination?

If you will pardon my asking.

- I'm just passing through.

- And your business?

- My business happens to be my own, captain.

- This is a troubled year for my country, senor.

Fear and suspicion are everywhere.

If I could just but see your passport?

- My passport?

I didn't think I needed a passport,

I never did before.

- That is to be regretted.

You will please come with me

to the office of the [speaking foreign language].

- Well, I'm not sure I want a passport, Captain.

In fact, the way things seem to be around here,

I'm not sure I want to stay in Texas at all.

- But you are in Texas.

I am desolated,

but I must ask you to obey the military law,

even as I must obey it.

- You telling me I'm under arrest?

- Permit me to warn you against violence, senor.

I am myself a man of tender sensibilities,

but my soldiers, they feel no pain in k*lling.

- Well, I came to Mexico on friendly business, captain.

So, I guess there's no point

in getting off on the wrong foot.

Lead on.

- After you.

[speaking foreign language]

[gentle music]

- Oh Don Ignacio I am intruding,

but it's a matter of business.

- Come in captain.

- May I present Senor Bowie, a gentleman from New Orleans.

Don Ignacio Flores

El [speaking foreign language] of Nacogdoches.

- Senor.

- [speaking foreign language] senor.

- His daughter, Senorita Josefa.

- Hello senorita.

- His sister Senora Rodriguez.

- Senora.

- And Colonel Bradford of the Mexican Army,

our military governor.

- Colonel, I'm honored.

- When Senor Bowie found himself in our present country,

without the necessary passport,

he insisted on coming here to secure it.

- It will be swiftly arrange it.

- You are the Bowie who invented the knife?

- I have to plead guilty to that, Colonel.

Say, you're American too, aren't ya?

- Yes, I was born in Virginia, I am now in the service

of general Santa Anna.

- Oh.

- If you would step over here, Senor Bowie.

If I could see your credentials, some identification.

- Well, last time I was in Texas,

the only trouble I had was with a couple of Comanches.

- Well, there's been a change of policy Mr. Bowie,

we're now trying to keep out all undesirable foreigners.

- Well, I'm sure Senor Bowie, he's in now way undesirable.

- Well, I'm afraid I don't have a thing on me in

the way of identification.

Oh, wait a minute, I do have a letter from an old friend,

asking me to join him in Texas.

I'm sure you heard of him.

- I see, of course.

This will be quite satisfactory, senor.

- Excuse me, Don Ignacio.

This letter is from a friend?

- I'm proud to say he is, colonel.

- No passport, he's under arrest.

- Under arrest, what for?

- [Ignacio] What has he done?

- Not for what he's done, for what he is, a spy.

- I'm not a spy, I'm here to buy land.

- This letter is an invitation from Sam Huston

to meet him here in Texas.

- That's right, he's located the land for us.

- You don't know that Houston's ambition is to make

Texas an independent republic, with himself as president?

- Well, that's all news to me, colonel.

I never aimed to join Sam Houston

in anything stronger than a drink.

- Your reputation has preceded you, Mr. Bowie.

Disarm him, captain.

- I beg you to consider the presence of the ladies

and of my troupers.

- Please, senor.

- Nobody's gonna get hurt, I give you my word.

[knife thuds]

- The military prison, captain.

- After you Senor Bowie.

- Senora, senorita, my apologies.

[dramatic music]

[belt whacks]

[door rattles]

- Bowie, I want Houston.

You tell me where he is and you'll go free.

- I don't know where he is.

- Come now, that was a very friendly letter.

- Inviting me to come to Texas, land of opportunity,

nothing more.

- But you were to meet him.

- I was to look him up.

His movements are well known.

- Unfortunately, not quite well enough.

There is a price on him.

A rather high one.

I would be willing to pay it even to you.

- I don't think I understand an American like you,

or care to.

- Mr. Bowie, I have not been an American since

the Creek Campaign of '14, nor do I care to be.

- You were at the battle of Toapeka?

- I was.

- Well so was Houston.

Did you know him then?

- We were both under General Jackson's command.

- Hey, wait a minute,

[slaps knee] yeah, you're that Bradford.

Houston told me a little about you.

- Did he?

Just what did he tell you?

- He told me he was an ensign then,

and the he stormed the creek fortifications with

a handful of men and got himself surrounded,

and that Jackson ordered you to come to his rescue,

and you refused.

- Go to the aid of a glory seeking young fool

who had managed to get himself

and his men hopelessly entrapped?

I quite properly refused, on tactical grounds.

- Yeah but the court marshal said cowardice,

didn't it colonel?

- Jackson.

I despise President Jackson and all his works.

And I shall leave nothing undone to injure him

or his country.

So Bowie, you can see it's important to me to find Houston.

You have until tomorrow morning.

If by then you should still prove stubborn,

I will give you cause to regret it.

[dramatic music]

[door rattles]

♪ I have a long long way to go

♪ Gotta pack my horse

♪ Gotta find me a star

♪ And cross the desert

[door rattles]

♪ Waste

♪ And cross the desert waste

- I must apologize for the humble fare,

but the wine is passable.

- If you've come here to work on me about

the whereabouts of Houston you're wasting your time

and spoiling my appetite.

- Would you like the return of your weapon?

- Well now, look at this.

What's the price?

- The assassination of our military governor.

Your knife and your freedom

for the death of Colonel Bradford.

- Yeah I heard you the first time

and I'm probably not the only one.

- My guards do not speak English, and even if they did,

I'm not the only Mexican who hates this tyrant.

To see a man like Bradford use his military precision

to rob men like yourself, to humiliate his own countrymen,

it is a thing to make one sick.

- Yeah, I see what ya mean.

I'm not feeling too good myself.

- Then you will accept the honor?

- I'm afraid not, the price is too high.

- Let me put this matter to you from a different direction,

think of it as an act of patriotism,

performed in the name of liberty

for your country and mine.

- Let me put the matter to you

from another direction captain.

How do I know that Bradford isn't the patriot,

and you're not the tyrant?

- You have the rest of the night to reconsider Senor Bowie.

I have orders from my colonel, to flog you in the morning.

[dramatic music]

[whip snaps]

- He does not cry out, nor does he faint.

- Sanchez.

[speaking foreign language]

- Where is Houston, Bowie?

[dramatic music]

[speaking foreign language]

[whip snaps]

[speaking foreign language]

- Is there enough hate in you now senor?

- Enough for 10 men

and you're high on the list captain.

[dramatic music]

- Your servant, Don Ignacio.

- You are no servant of mine, Hernando.

You are a hypocrite.

- Senor.

- The American was flogged, and by you.

- By my orders, Don Ignacio.

- You dishonor my dearest friend,

you, the man engaged to marry my daughter.

- I will relieve Senorita Josefa of the contract

if that is your wish.

- That is not my wish.

The arrangement was made between your father and myself.

Have you thought of insurrection?

- I have.

- Then you better think harder.

The colonel asked me for the hand of Josefa.

- Why the pig.

I will call him out.

- No, you cannot risk it all.

I'm getting old, and if you are k*lled,

who is going to protect Josefa

from those grasping, dirty hands?

There must be another way.

- I will find a way, Don Ignacio,

I swear to this by the Holy Mother.

- May God be with you.

[dramatic music]

[door rattling]

- I persevere Bowie.

Once again, where is Houston?

- Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you.

- Your final word?

- No.

[whacking] [crying out]

- At dawn captain, you will execute him as a foreign spy.

- Yes colonel.

- When he comes to, inform him of his sentence.

- Yes colonel.

[dramatic music]

[knocking]

- Yes?

- With your permission colonel, a matter of importance.

- Come in, come in.

Did you tell him?

- I did.

- Is he scared?

Do you think he'll crack?

- It is my considered opinion colonel,

that you will never break this man.

- He leaves me no alternative.

- Colonel, permit me to differ with you,

it is for this that I have come.

- Differ?

With me?

- In your own interest, sir.

Despite Senor Bowie's notorious character

and infamous reputation,

he does have friends in high places.

To execute such a man at a time like this,

it is sure to bring inquiries.

Perhaps even damage your relations with General Santa Anna.

- Are you suggesting that I let him go?

- There are more ways that one to k*ll a man, Colonel.

- Suicide?

- It is not in the character Senor Bowie

to take his own life.

But it is in his character to, ah, to try to escape?

[glass clinking]

- Glass of wine Sanchez?

- Thank you colonel.

Salute.

[dramatic music]

- Buenas noches Senor Bowie.

- Wine and fruit senor, to visit the imprisoned,

it is one of the seven corporal works of mercy.

- You mean paying your last respects,

is that what you mean?

- Our visit is a work of mercy yes,

but it's also more than that.

We come as friends.

- [Josefa] You must of course

peel the fruit before eating it senor.

- So you may continue to have good health.

- Thank you.

- Tomorrow morning, one half hour before your execution,

a priest will visit you.

When he leaves, the door will remain unlocked.

In the courtyard, just inside the open gate,

there will be the priest's white horse.

Good luck.

- The priest is with him now and all is ready.

The guards will not sh**t until ordered to do so.

- Good.

- For an occasion such as this colonel,

why not the hunting r*fle?

The gift from General Santa Anna.

- Excellent Sanchez, why not indeed.

- With your permission colonel,

it would please me to load it.

- Well, thank you captain.

You've become most considerate the past few days.

Promotions do not come through sulking

and resistance you know?

- I am learning a man can grow in many ways colonel,

even through patience.

- Well you stick with me and you'll go far.

- Always close behind you colonel, even to the death.

[dramatic music]

- Thank you father.

[dramatic music]

[g*n firing]

- Coulda sworn I had him.

Guards.

I've only to say the word

and six b*ll*ts will shatter your heart.

- Well, what's holding you back, Colonel,

am I too lose to the horse,

is that what's wrong?

- Stay where you are!

I'll give you another chance Bowie,

I'd still rather have Houston.

You have exactly five seconds.

- Well, you're getting monotonous colonel.

[metal clinking]

[grunting]

[metal clinking]

[pot shatters]

[metal clinking]

- [Bradford] Guards, sh**t!

[g*ns firing]

[Bradford grunts]

[speaking foreign language]

- A most unfortunate accident senor,

which leaves me in command of the garrison.

As one however who has never been

in complete procession of your case,

I must ask you to return to your cell.

Please do as I say senor.

This time the muskets are being loaded by

the troupers themselves,

and they seldom make the mistake

of forgetting to include the load.

[dramatic music]

- I find you Senor Bowie, to be a man of honor and goodwill.

I therefore return to you your baggage,

your rams, and your gold.

Together with this passport.

- Well, thank you sir.

And if I'm to buy land in Texas,

I have to become a Mexican citizen, is that right?

- This is the law senor.

- Well, I'll think about it.

- We are sorry your visit in our town was not more pleasant.

- There's more to life than just pleasure senorita.

And my visit here has been a rich and rewarding one.

- You will love Texas Senor Bowie, and Texas will love you.

- Thank you.

Best wishes, Don Ignacio.

- Adios senor, [speaking foreign language].

- I will see you to your horse.

- Hello Pete boy!

- I wish to thank you for all you have done for me.

- It seems to me I'm the one should be thanking you captain.

- No senor, my country and I lost a bad friend

but gained a good one.

Without you nothing would have changed.

- Well, I'll be seeing you again soon.

- Yes, on the fifth of May,

the day of my wedding to Senorita Josefa.

- Oh, congratulations.

Say, what makes you so sure I'll be back then?

- That is the day your passport expires,

you must be here to renew it.

- Oh.

[men laughing]

Goodbye captain.

- Adios amigo.

♪ Sometime somewhere

♪ I know we will meet again

♪ Jim Bowie Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter

♪ A fearless and mighty adventurin' man ♪