02x34 - A Night in Tennessee

[bunniefuu]

[knife thunk]

♪ 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 ♪

- [Narrator] This is the story of two American heroes

who died side by side at the Alamo.

It is not the record of their last hours of glory.

Rather, it is the account of their first meeting

one night in Tennessee.

Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie.

- Howdy.

- Shame, sir.

Not a bed in the house.

Big political meetin'.

Been going on for days.

- Oh, yeah?

Well, I don't need a room, I'm just passin' through.

But I could use a good square meal.

- No better food in Tennessee.

Step right inside, sir.

Boy'll help you.

- Fine, uh, can I leave these things here?

- Go on, certainly.

- The life of Davey Crockett, written by himself.

- Biggest pack of lies I ever read.

"I k*lled a bear" on every page. [laughs]

- Yeah, I know it.

[crowd conversation and laughter]

- Uh, drink and a meal, please.

I'm in kind of a hurry.

- Uh, George is taking care of some guests upstairs, sir,

but he'll be with you in a minute.

- All right.

- In the meantime, what're you drinking?

- Monongahela, straight.

- People in New York ain't used to my kinda talk,

but I said it anyway.

Ladies and gentlemen, I assess, get this straight.

Now, I'm not a man to sneeze when another man takes snuff,

even if that man is King Andrew the First

of these United States.

[laughter]

I say this, another year of Jackson's glory,

and the people'll be starved to their senses.

Then they'll let him know that he'll never elect

his little Flyin' Dutchman as his successor.

Jackson's bad enough, but Martin Van Buren?

Holy catfish!

[laughter]

- Isn't there some way to shut that fellow up?

- He's too much for me.

That's Davey Crockett.

[humming music] [laughter]

- Davey Crockett?

[humming music]

- 90, a dollar, a dollar-fifty, two dollars.

- Thanks.

Here you are, sir.

Can I get you another piece of pie?

- No thanks, boy, I'm full.

Now, you can keep the rest of this.

- Oh, thank you, sir!

Thank you very much!

- You're welcome.

- A man don't think himself a king

when he tries to name his own successor,

what does he think himself?

Hey, there, mister.

I was just tellin' my friends here

if Martin Van Buren ever becomes President,

I plan to leave the United States

and spend my dyin' days in Texas.

- What have you got against Texas?

- I don't exactly recollect your name.

Have I seen you somewhere?

- Most likely, I've been somewhere frequently.

- I've been thinkin', you may be in politics.

Maybe aimin' for Congress?

- That's the last thing I'd aim at

if folks like you are there.

- Lookin' for trouble, I take it, stranger.

- No, but I'm not steppin' aside if it comes up.

- Jackson man, I figure.

- Yeah, I electioneered for him.

- I guess you don't know you're in Tennessee,

where, despite the wishes of King Andrew,

the people elected me to Congress.

Not once, but twice!

- All I can say, Mr. Crockett, is there must be a lot

of uninformed, uneducated people in Tennessee.

- You seem to know my name.

What's yours?

- My name's Bowie, Jim Bowie.

- Oh, with the blade named after you.

How many men you figure you've k*lled with that--

pigsticker of yours, Bowie?

- Never a one that wasn't in self-defense.

And never a one that couldn't fight back

better than those bears that you brag about.

- I think I'd sleep a heap better tonight

if you was to give me satisfaction.

- Any way you choose.

- [Davey] All right, my r*fle against your knife.

- Oh, yeah, yeah, at a target half a mile away, maybe, huh?

That's just about as fair

as your remarks about the President.

- Name your distance.

What about right here?

The target at the end of the room.

Bring me Old Betsy.

Get my whiskey out of the way.

Bill, you can put up somethin'

the size of a quarter at the very end of the room.

Don't use a real quarter,

I'd only put it out of circulation.

- Bowie, get out of it.

He's uncanny with that r*fle.

- Come on, Bowie.

Or maybe you'd rather not risk it.

Would you like to crawl on out of Tennessee right now?

Now watch me, Bowie.

This b*llet hole's for King Andrew.

- That's enough talk, now sh**t the r*fle.

- Like I said, with my back turned.

[g*nsh*t]

Dead center, match it, Bowie!

[cheering and applause]

- Now hear this!

Your Crockett has said that Andy Jackson

has turned his back on the people,

a statement which I dispute.

I think that, pretty soon, the voters of Tennessee

will turn their backs on Crockett,

just like I'm turnin' my back right now.

[knife thunk]

[crowd muttering]

Now, Mr. Crockett, if you'll allow me, I'll say good night.

I think we've said about all we have to say to each other.

Take my advice, don't go to Texas.

It's too big a country for a man like you.

Goin' right back to that book, huh?

You must have a stronger stomach than I have.

- Congratulations, Mr. Bowie,

you sure put that Crockett in his place.

By the way, Mr. Bowie, I'd like to talk to you

about something.

My name's Purky, Jeff Purky.

- Howdy, Mr. Purky.

What do you want to talk about?

- Well, frankly, it's about that book.

You know, Crockett's own story, you read it?

- Yeah, I've read it.

When I finished it, I tossed it in the Rio Grande.

[laughing]

- Well, of course you know, Crockett didn't write it.

- He didn't?

- No, it was written by a man named Chilton,

and he was hired to write it by a man named Nicholas Biddle.

You ever hear of Biddle?

- Sure.

Nicholas Biddle?

Philadelphia, runs the Bank of the United States.

One of Andy Jackson's worst enemies.

- What would you say, Mr. Bowie,

if I told you that Nicholas Biddle

had already chosen a candidate for the Presidency?

A man he can handle.

- Uh, look, Mr. Purky, if you'll forgive me,

I've my belly full of politics tonight.

- Uh, just a moment.

What would you say if I told you

the man that Biddle had selected was Davey Crockett?

[laughs]

- Crockett for President?

- Don't you remember what he said

on every other page of his book?

"If I'm forced into the White House"?

[laughs] "Forced".

Mr. Bowie, if Davey Crockett winds up in the White House,

he'll be sitting right on the lap of Nicholas Biddle.

- You mean there's actually a chance they'll run that,

that clown for President?

- Biddle's tryin' to sell him as a frontier hero.

Another Andy Jackson.

And with Biddle's millions,

he's just liable to pull that trick.

Unless, of course, he's stopped by men like you and me?

- How?

- Mr. Bowie, I'd be delighted to take you upstairs

and introduce you to my associates.

We'll show you.

- Well, it looks like it'd be

next door to treason if I didn't.

- This way, Mr. Bowie.

[humming music]

- That was a good meal, George.

- Thank you, sir.

- That'll be another pot of coffee, boy.

- Right away, sir.

- And another bottle of whiskey.

- Yes, sir.

- Well, hello Georgie!

- Hello, sir.

- Gentlemen, I want you to meet Mr. Jim Bowie.

Mr. Bowie, this is Ralph Corlett and Doug Dawson.

- Mr. Bowie. - Corlett.

How do you do?

Mr. Dawson, howdy. - Ah, you shoulda seen him

make a fool out of Davey Crockett!

Sit down, sit down Mr. Bowie.

How 'bout a little drink?

- Uh, no, no thanks.

[laughs]

Hey, what's this you got here, some kind of w*r map?

- Yes, sir, that's exactly what it is.

You know, I never seen anything like it.

Crockett was asking for trouble,

and, boy, he sure got it served to him!

I thought he'd have a stroke! [laughs]

- Well, that's somethin' to pray for.

Might solve our problems.

- Ah, yesiree, gentlemen, history was made

in Three Bear Tavern tonight. [laughs]

Well, here's to a fallen star, Davey Crockett.

- Drink to that.

- You know, Mr. Bowie, as Crockett told you,

he was elected and re-elected in Congress.

Well, that's why my associates and I are here in Tennessee,

to see that that's his last victory.

'Cause if he was re-elected,

well, that might just give Nicholas Biddle his way.

You know what that would mean?

Crockett versus Van Buren, after Jackson goes.

You know Old Hickory wouldn't like that, huh?

- That he wouldn't, I can understand that.

- Well, that's why we're here in Tennessee.

To show the people the real Crockett.

Crockett the coward.

- Now, hold on.

Judging from his book, he sure exaggerates his own bravery,

but I, I wouldn't call Crockett a coward.

- Well, I dunno.

He might be or he might not be.

All I do know is Jackson wants him defeated.

And you wanna do a favor for Jackson, don't you?

- 'Course I do.

- Well, good!

Good, you're gonna get your chance.

Now, you see, Ralph Corlett here

is our representative with the press,

he writes all our political material.

Doug Dawson over there, well, he takes care of our trouble.

I don't mind telling you, Mr. Bowie,

we anticipate a little trouble in Crockett's own state.

Look, see these towns circled over here?

Well, our work is done in those.

But our real work is just beginnin'.

Oh, George, gimme a little touch there.

Mr. Bowie, have a drink!

- No, thank you.

- Well, what we've planned

is visiting every town in Crockett's Congressional District,

and takin' the stand for Old Hickory.

Now, you can take it with us if you want.

- Well, I could make a few stops on my way south,

that is, if you plan your tour that way.

- Well, we'll suit it to your convenience!

The main thing is to destroy Davey Crockett, huh?

Ralph, Ralph, tell him how it happens.

- Well, it's remarkably simple.

You see, I go into a town, say, like,

like Huntsville.

And I go to the newspaper with a story

that my friend Crockett is coming into Huntsville

to publicly defend his views on Jackson.

- Newspaper prints the story, and we just sit and wait.

- And when Crockett doesn't show to the meeting,

then we get in our licks.

- Who's behind this idea?

- Well, well what's the difference,

as long as we elect Jackson's friends

and defeat his enemies?

- Why, there's a lot of difference!

It's the way you're doin' it that counts.

- Oh, now, come on, come on, Mr. Bowie,

are you a Jackson man or aren't ya?

- Well, yes, I am.

And I don't like Davey Crockett any better than he does.

But I don't believe Mr. Jackson would take kindly

to these tactics.

Oh, no, he'd match Crockett with swords, with pistols.

Not this way, underhand.

No, gentlemen, I'm,

I'm afraid I'm not gonna be any help to you at all.

- Where you goin', Bowie?

- Now, you wouldn't like it if I told you.

- I asked you where you goin'.

- I'm goin' downstairs to have a little talk with Crockett.

- What about?

- I'm gonna put him on his guard.

- George, get outta here.

- Now, look, look, Bowie, use your head.

Use your head.

After all, maybe Jackson doesn't know anything about it.

He'd never understand.

He's a soldier, not a politician.

- We know what we're doin', Bowie.

- Yeah, and Andy Jackson doesn't,

and that's enough for me.

Now unbolt the door, come on.

- I wanna warn you, Bowie, you'd better play it our way.

- That's our final word, Bowie.

- And my final word is unbolt the door!

- Get him.

[chair crashes]

- Misjudged a man, hey, Jeff?

What do we do now?

- If he's still conscious, hit him again.

Now, I'll haul him.

[humming music]

All right, I'll tidy up.

Let's get Mr. Bowie to his horse on the way to Texas

via the hereafter.

[humming music]

Gentlemen!

Hold it, hold it, just a minute, gentlemen!

May I have your attention?

You know folks say Jim Bowie is quite a man.

That he can out-drink and out-fight the best of 'em, huh?

Well, I'm gonna show you, he's no Davey Crockett.

Take a look at how Bowie holds his liquor!

[laughs]

Boys, bring in our knife-throwin' friend.

- He tried to drink it to the table, look what happened.

[laughter]

- Will you look at that, drinks, Jim Bowie!

- He may be great in Louisiana, but this is Tennessee!

- Oh, oh don't drop him, boys!

You see, gentlemen, we promised Mr. Bowie,

just before he passed out,

we'd see him on his way to Texas!

[laughter]

Get him out, boys!

♪ On his way to Texas!

- Oh, gentlemen, we'll rejoin you,

as soon as we see Mr. Bowie on his way!

[laughing]

[humming music]

[snoring]

- Five o'clock already?

- Wake up, Mr. Davey.

- Who is it?

- George Washington, Mr. Davey, wake up.

- George Washington come to call on Davey Crockett?

Go away, boy, this is no time for jokes.

- You got to wake up, Mr. Davey.

- Who are you, boy?

- I work here.

George Washington's my name.

Mr. Jim Bowie's in trouble.

- Bowie?

I hope it's nothing he can get himself out of.

- They're gonna k*ll him, Mr. Davey.

He was sticking up for Mr. Jackson.

- Lad, James Bowie's a disagreeable man.

Fractious and disrespectful.

Now, he's gotta die sometime,

and if he was stickin' up for Andy Jackson,

what's the matter with tonight?

- But he was sticking up for you too, Mr. Davey!

- For me?

I don't believe it.

- He went to warn you, but they wouldn't let him.

- Warn me?

About what?

- It was something about arranging speeches for you to make,

and then you not showing up to make 'em.

- Speeches?

Wait a minute, that's what happened in Harrisburg

two weeks ago, and Paris last week.

Are you sure, boy?

- Yes, sir!

Those places had rings around them on their map.

- You can read, boy?

Where did you learn to read?

- At the hermitage.

I was born there.

Mr. Jackson's plantation.

- Jackson?

You too?

You wouldn't be lyin' to me, would you?

Bowie was standin' up for me?

- I was not lying, and yessir, he stood up for you.

And they knocked him down

and took him out of here unconscious,

made like he was drunk.

- Those scoundrels!

- Three of them, Mr. Davey!

They're gonna leave Mr. Bowie's body

in that old barn down the pike,

make it look like an accident!

Can't you get help and go save him?

- Davey Crockett fights his own battles!

What do I need with help when I got Old Betsy?

Come on, boy!

[humming music]

- All right, you two, now listen to me,

we're gonna be questioned, we're bound to be.

Here's what I want you to say.

We rode this far with Bowie.

He insisted upon comin' in here and sleepin' for a while.

Tied his horse up outside, and, yeah,

yeah, he decided to sleep up there in that loft.

Fell off and broke his neck.

- What's that?

- Ah, it's nothin' but a horse, you fool.

Probably some drunk from the tavern.

All right, all right, get him up here on these sacks

and roll him over on his belly.

We gotta make this look like an accident.

- Never see anybody so reluctant to have his neck broken.

- Wish I could do this

and make it look like Crockett did it.

- What if I went back and stole Crockett's cap,

then left it by his body?

- Oh, now that's subtle.

Subtle like a ton of bricks!

Here, take this.

Now, wait a minute!

There, now that blow won't show.

Goodbye, you...! [g*nsh*t]

Get his r*fle and powder!

- There's a man up there on the hill.

- Well, get him, you fool!

[g*nsh*t]

- Missed!

- Here, here take this!

[humming music]

- Behind the rock.

[humming music]

[g*nsh*t]

[humming music]

[g*nsh*t]

Hurry with that r*fle!

[humming music]

I tied those knots myself,

he's safe till I untie 'em!

[g*nsh*t]

[humming music]

He's comin' toward us!

It's Davey Crockett!

Hurry!

[g*nsh*t]

[humming music]

- Go over there!

- Here!

[knife thunk]

[r*fle dropping]

[face punch]

- Take that one, Mr. Davey, it's loaded!

[g*nsh*t]

- See that, Bowie?

Just like shootin' b'ar when they climb a tree!

[face punch]

Now let me k*ll that varmint!

- Hold it, Crockett!

Dead men can't confess.

- Reckon you're right, Bowie.

- This fellow represents a lot of votes here!

- If you can get them to confess what they've been doin'.

- Fair to middlin' idea, Bowie.

George?

George Washington!

- Yes, sir!

Scoot out to the horse and fetch that bottle.

Me and Bowie's gotta have a horn to celebrate the occasion.

- Never mind, George, you stay here.

- Why not, Bowie?

- 'Cause I don't like to drink

with men who go around the country

tellin' lies about Andy Jackson.

- Not even after I saved your life?

- Well, I saved your reputation.

That makes us just about even.

- Well, I reckon my first impression was the right one.

I just plain don't like you, Bowie!

- Well that goes double,

because as sure as all get-out, I don't like you!

[humming music]

- Here on, you take him.

Good luck, George Washington.

- Thank you, sir!

- Anybody who follows Jackson is a lickspittle,

nothin' else!

Greatest sin a man can commit is to support

either him or his party.

- Well, time will tell, Crockett,

which one of us is right.

All I can say is I hope I never set eyes on you again!

- You won't, Bowie, not if I can help it!

- Is that a fact?

- That's a fact!

[humming music]

- [Narrator] Thus Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett

met one night in Tennessee,

not to meet again until Texas.

For when Crockett met defeat in politics,

he kept his word that he'd no longer live in a country

that believed in Andrew Jackson.

One night in Tennessee, facing the morrow.

One night at the Alamo, facing eternity.

Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett.

♪ One night in Tennessee

♪ Long, long ago

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty adventurin' man ♪