By Way of the Stars (1992) - full transcript

(gentle orchestral music)

(metal cranking)

(hammer tapping)

(hammer clanking)

(steam hissing)

- Whoa!

Lukas!

- Hello, Helmut!

- Helmut! Why have we stopped?

- The horse has come up lame, ma'am.

- Lukas, where's Piet?



- He's at the tavern with my father.

He'll be back soon.

What's the problem?

- What are you doing?

Where's the blacksmith?

- I'll get him, ma'am.

- Well, be quick about it, Helmut.

Don't you touch my horse.

- He's got a sore hoof.

- I know, that's why the valet is looking

for the blacksmith.

- But I'm his apprentice.

- [Ursula] So?

- Look, it's just some gravel.



I can dig that out in no time.

- I told you not to touch him!

- [Boy] Hey Lukas!

(slingshot rattling)

(tense music)

- [Ursula] Stop it!

You two go and play somewhere.

You're scaring the horses!

Get away there, you're
making the horse nervous!

(slingshot rattling)

(horse whinnying)
(screaming)

(crowd shouting)

- Yes!
- Stop the wagon!

- [Helmut] Help her, come on!

- Help!

- [Man] Hold on!

(horse whinnying)

- Are you all right, Excellency?

- [Piet] What happened?

- It was him!

He could have killed me!

Wait til my father hears about this.

You'll be sorry you
ever touched that horse.

- But I didn't do anything!

It was Franz!

- Helmut, take me home,
and be quick about it.

- But the horse, ma'am.

- Do as I say!

- Lukas.

- Father, I was only trying to help.

- You should have waited for Piet.

- But I could have done it.

- Don't argue.

- Never mind, Karl.

No harm done.

Come on, Lukas, there's still work to do.

- Yes, sir.

- Hey Lukas, I bet I get your job

after the Baron finds out.

- Bet not, Franz.

Piet might mistake you for a jackass!

- Oh, that's enough.

- [Franz] You won't have your father

to protect you all the time, Lukas.

- Why do you provoke them?

And remember, your mother expects you

to deliver the material
to the Baron's before six.

- I'm not eight years old, you know.

- How goes the paintings
for the Baron, Karl?

- Well, in fact better than I hoped.

The Baron saw some of my
landscapes and wants me

to do one of the castle grounds.

And I may do a portrait
of the Baroness Christina.

(sighs)

I'll talk to you later.

- Yes.

Don't worry, Lukas.

We all have bad days.

- [Lukas] With my luck,
Piet, I get them every day.

(dramatic, stately orchestral music)

(carriage rattling)

- [Maria] Master and
Lukas will be here shortly

with the rest of the material.

- The wedding is at the largest
church in New York City.

I know my sister Margaret will
be very pleased we're coming.

All the way to America.

I've never been before,

so this will be an
adventure for all of us.

- My father emigrated to the
Canadas several years ago

and is returning in a few days
for the birth of my child.

- Excuse me, ma'am, Ursula has arrived.

- Mother!

- Ursula!

Oh!

You've grown so much, I
can hardly recognize you.

- I know.

- You must sit down and tell me everything

about your school in
Geneva and your friends

and how was your trip?

- Tedious, until I got to Liebenberg.

There was a boy at the blacksmith's.

Well he frightened the horse
and it dashed down the street.

I was nearly thrown from the carriage.

I shall see that father has a word

with the blacksmith about him.

- Well, we'll discuss it later.

- What is this for?

- Margaret's wedding.

- Oh, mother, it's so old-fashioned.

- Ursula.

- Besides, I think that Aunt
Margaret should be disowned.

Marrying a common
merchant, what a scandal.

- Ursula, she loves him very much.

You should be happy for her.

Are you hungry?

- Not really.

It's not fashionable to
eat so much, you know.

- Pardon, ma'am, I hope Lukas won't

get into serious trouble
with your excellency.

- I'm sure not, Maria.

Ursula seems just fine.

Exhausted though, from the long
journey from Geneva. (sighs)

Don't you remember being her age?

A very difficult time.

Everything in extremes, and
all of it ultimately boring.

And I think your dress
design is perfectly lovely

for an old-fashioned
lady like me. (laughs)

- [Man] Look, there comes the mail cart.

(horses whinnying)

Come on, let's see if
there's anything for us!

(crowd chattering)

(speaking in foreign language)

(somber orchestral music)

- Halt, who goes there?

- Who do I look like, Mathias?

- Hello Lukas, what's that?

- Oh, it's for the Baroness,

some fancy materials for a dress!

I have to deliver it!

- Watch out for the Stieg Brothers.

- [Lukas] There's Jan!

Where's Hans and Franz?

- Probably looking for us.

- What's your plan?

- Not to get beat up
by the Stieg brothers.

- Good plan.

(upbeat music)

- Get 'em!
- Get 'em!

- Come on, after them!

Bienmann we want.

- Hey Bienmann!

(grunting)

(wood crunching)
(splashing)

- I'm sorry, your excellency.

Maybe he was kept late at work.

- Don't fret, so, Maria.

I'm sure he'll be here.

- Your pardon, your excellency.

- It was an accident ma'am, I'm sorry.

It was three against one.

- Lukas.

Oh, I'm so sorry, your excellency.

- It's all right, Maria.

- I'll replace it immediately.

- Your mother asked you
one simple little thing.

Just take the material from here to there.

What's wrong with you, Lukas?

- Karl, please.

- Mama, I'm sorry, it's not my fault.

- It's never your fault, Lukas.

If you hadn't stopped to
play with your friends,

none of this would have happened.

Am I right?

Well answer me.

Go to your room.

I said go to your room!

How many times do I have
to tell you to do something

before you do it!

- (sighs) Oh dear.

Maybe I can save some of it.

- I know Maria, all this work
is becoming too much for you.

- No, no, I promised this
dress to the Baroness.

I must see that it's done.

She's my best customer.

- Well, I could go back to carpentry

for a while, until the baby is here.

- No, Karl.

It's important you do what you do.

And besides, I don't want you to have

to go away to Danzig again to find work.

Lukas?

- I didn't mean to wreck the material.

I know, but you must think
before you do things.

You don't want to be in
trouble all your life, huh?

- No.

- It's been a very long day today.

Time for you to go to sleep.

- Are you too upset to sing to me?

- Close your eyes.

(singing in foreign language)

(gentle orchestral music)

(laughing)

Get your sleep.

Your grandfather's coming
from the Canadas tomorrow.

- But I don't understand.

Whenever I do something wrong,

everyone gets into a big uproar.

But whenever grownups do
something wrong, nothing happens.

- I wouldn't say that, Lukas.

We have laws and courts.

- You do those drawings
for Piet, and that's wrong.

- Only according to some people.

- Grandfather says it's wrong
that you paint pictures.

- Your grandfather thinks
everything I do is wrong.

And I thought we had an understanding

that you weren't to be
speaking about those drawings,

not to anyone, especially
not to your grandfather.

- If they're not wrong, why
can't you talk about them?

- It's not an easy
thing to explain, Lukas.

It's not like, well it's not like.

- Like ruining dress
material to be delivered

to the Baroness?

- No, it's not like that.

You made a promise to your
mother, but you didn't keep it.

- You always promise never
to argue with Grandfather.

You never keep it.

- Hurry up, young man.

You'll be late for work.

I'll take the water in.

(peaceful orchestral music)

- Hello, Milady.

- Lukas, like to feed her a treat?

- Oh, yes.

- All right, here's the glove,

and this is the treat.

And go over there, a little ways.

Come on Milady.

(falcon screeching)

Come on, Milady, come back.

(wings fluttering)

(falcon screeching)

- She's beautiful.

- Anything grab your fancy, Lukas?

- Well, I'd like to get
something for my mother.

I sort of ruined something
yesterday, and she got upset.

- I think she might like this.

- Oh, Nathan, she'd love it.

But it must be very expensive.

- How about you pay me
a little bit every week,

and I keep track of it in my book?

- All right, thank you, Nathan.

- Aren't you supposed
to be at work, Lukas?

- On my way.

(tense music)

- [Karl] Morning, Piet.

- Oh good.

We have lots to do today, Lukas.

And you can start over there.

- Yes sir, right away.

- [Karl] Everyday they tear 'em down.

- And every night we put them back up.

They can't silence us.

There are too many of us.

Lukas is a fine worker.

He's doing a good job, Karl.

- See you later at home, Lukas.

Remember, your grandfather
is coming today.

- I'll bet you're really
looking forward to that, Karl.

- Well I promised Maria,

no arguing with her father.

No paintings, no politics.

We'll talk about the weather.

It'll be fine.

- What do you mean it won't rain?

Look at that sky.

Dark as hades in the north.

- Friederich Brunneck, it
may be raining in the north,

but not here, is it?

- Maria!
- Father!

You're early. (sighs)

I have some fresh brewed
coffee and biscuits.

Come along, father.

- You look tired, my little girl.

She looks tired, Karl.

She's been working too hard.

You shouldn't bake just for me, my dear.

Anything will do, you know that.

- You're looking very well, Jurgen.

- Good to see you, Karl.

How is your painting?

- Oh, it's going well, I think.

But I promised not to talk about it.

- Ah well, he hasn't changed
at all, as you can see.

Although the Canadas
seems to agree with him.

With me, too.

(falcon screeching)

- How is fishing, Lukas Bienmann?

- I'm trying to catch a really big pike

for tonight's supper.

- Oh, you'll never catch
anything like that here.

- I won't?

- No, not with a flower
growing out of your ear.

(laughing)

I have a new trick.

Come, sit up here, I'll show it to you.

I learned it from a sailor in Danzig.

Now, will you tie my hands, please?

(grunting)

Tight as you can.

Is it tight enough?

- Yes.

- All right, hocus pocus, (blows).

- How did you do that?

Can you teach me?

It's a magician's secret.

But because Milady likes you so much,

I think we can share it with you.

All you have to do is
grab piece of the rope

before it's tied in your hands, secretly,

and then, after it's tied,
you just release the slack.

(splashing)

- I've got a bite, Nathan, help me!

- Release the slack!

(blows)
That's it!

(Lukas groaning)

Hold it, hold it!

(grunting)

(gentle, peaceful music)

- Grandfather!

- Oh, who is this?

- [Lukas] It's me, Lukas.

- It can't be.

Four years ago, I left a little boy,

and here's a handsome,
strapping young man.

What did you say was your name?

- Oh, Grandfather.

(laughing)

- [Karl] How come you
get so filthy, Lukas?

- Fishing!

(water splashing)

- Lukas, how you've grown!

Tell me what you've
been up to, everything.

- Well, I'm working now
with Piet, the blacksmith.

I get to take care of horses.

- Oh, the day is coming when
horses will be mere playthings.

The world is growing.

We must prepare for it.

You must look to the
future Lukas, like I did.

Become an engineer.

Industry is the wave of the future.

- I want to know about Niagara Falls

and the Canadas, Grandfather.

- A beautiful country, you
will see it for yourself.

- When do you go back?

- After the baby is born.

- He's gonna stay for a month?

- As soon as the child is born,

we all cross the Atlantic and
be together in Niagara Falls.

- Really, we're going to the Canadas?

- Yeah.

- Friedrich Brunneck, you're
sounding rather presumptuous.

- What are you talking about?

You're coming with me to Upper Canada.

It's all settled.

- We are not going to move.

- Nonsense, I can afford it.

And I want my daughter and
my grandchildren with me.

The New World is a marvelous
place to grow up in.

- Karl has been given an opportunity

to exhibit his paintings in Konigsberg.

If that is a success,
maybe we'll come then,

when we can afford to
pay for it ourselves.

- Are you looking for miracles?

Artists succeed after they are dead.

Give up this foolishness, Karl.

You have a family to consider.

Or do you expect to live

on my daughter's meager earnings forever?

(somber music)

- Karl, I need to mend your
shirt for the festival tomorrow.

(stately, triumphant classical music)

- I hear your name
everywhere at court, Otto.

- Soon you'll see me there.

- After our wedding, I hope.

- Not if duty calls.

- Don't worry, Charlotte.

I won't let the Austrians
ruin our wedding plans.

- Ah, young love!

Best left to the young, say I!

Run along now, Charlotte, the count and I

have things to discuss.

- Oh men, you make
everything so mysterious.

- Well Otto.

- I will not shirk my
responsibilities to you, Colonel.

- I expect your debt to be
paid in full and on time.

- It shall be.

I've given you my word on that.

- You have much at stake, Otto.

I don't take a gambling debt lightly.

I don't suppose any man of honor does.

- You'll get your money, Colonel.

Good day.

(tense orchestral music)

(hooves clopping)

(upbeat folk dance music)

- Any sign of 'em?

- Not yet.

(slingshot twanging)

Run!

- Forget about them, it's Bienmann I want!

(grunting)

- Oh, whoa there.

What's this?

- Not you again!

- There's a saying, Lukas Bienmann.

Discretion is the better part of valor.

- Oh!

Run along, boy, and do watch
where you're going, ha.

Oh!

- Friedrich, good to see you!
- Morning, morning.

- Dr. Weber.
- Good day, Karl.

(group chattering)

- So, how is life in Upper Canada?

- Invigorating.
- Yeah?

- Opportunities are endless for
a man who's willing to work.

- [Announcer] Make way
for the Baron von Knabig.

- The Baron von Knabig.

- [Announcer] Make way, make way.

(triumphant music)

(crowd chattering)

- Ladies and gentlemen.

Friends and citizens of Liebenberg.

I have great news.

The Baron von Knabig has
just returned from Berlin,

where by decree of his majesty,
our glorious King Wilhelm,

he was given this most special honor,

as a testament to his loyalty and service,

the Red Eagle Award.

(crowd cheering)

- On this day-
- Would you please.

I'd like to welcome you
all to this celebration,

but there is for another,

more appropriate reason for rejoicing.

A toast to Count von Lebrecht
and Charlotte von Brabent

on the most happy occasion
of their engagement.

(crowd cheering)

And another toast to our
glorious King Wilhelm of Prussia!

(crowd cheering)

(upbeat, cheerful folk music)

- So how was Berlin?

Tell us about it.

- Well, the king told me the
negotiation with the Austrians

aren't going well.

- Well, if they won't treat us fairly,

they could have a war on their hands.

- They'll lose, too.

- Bismarck's too clever for it.

- And for me.

Enough, politics makes me far too anxious.

- I agree, Baron.

I hear from my sister that
you've taken an interest

in horse breeding.

- Yes, I scored a coup, I
think, a beautiful Arabian.

- I hope you'll give me
a crack it him, Heinrich.

- Of course, although I expect you

to have him completely broken in

so that Ursula could ride him.

(laughing)

- Karl, there's talk about a railway

stretching right across the continent.

Lots of young men would jump at the chance

to become involved in such a venture.

- Not everyone wants to be an engineer

and build bridges and
railways, Herr Brunneck.

- Karl, I gave up
sculpting when I was young.

- And so you should have.

- Because I had mouths to feed!

That's what a man does!

- Listen, I don't intend
to give up anything

just because you did.

- Karl, Father, no arguing, please.

- I have no intention of standing idly by

and watch my daughter
and her children live

in such unhappiness while
you pursue your painting!

- Nobody's unhappy, but you.

If you don't like it, just go home!

But don't tell me how to run my life.

(Maria groans)

Maria?

- I ran right into the Count von Lebrecht.

He probably saved my
skin from the Stieg's.

Boy, we really showed them.

- Lukas.

- What's wrong?

- The baby's on it's way.

Go to bed, huh, go to bed.

(somber, gentle music)

- [Brunneck] The baby is coming too early.

It's all your fault Karl Beinmann.

- [Karl] You're the one
who got Maria all upset

by starting a fight.

I don't have time to argue with you now.

- (shushes) Hey, hey, hey,
Lukas, you mustn't cry.

I'm fine.

- You don't look fine.

- But I am.

The baby's just taking
it's own sweet time.

- Does it hurt?

- A little.

- Mama?

It's for you.

- Oh, it's beautiful.

Put it in my hair.

Huh?

I love you, Lukas.

- I love you too, Mama.

(gentle orchestral music)

(thunder roaring)

- Father, is the baby here yet?

Father?

- Your mother is gone,

and the baby, too.

- Gone where?

Mother, Mother!

- Lukas.

(thunder roaring)

(Lukas sobbing)

(speaking in foreign language)

- [Priest] Amen.

(wood creaking)

(hooves clopping)

- I don't find that helps, Christina.

- What is it, Otto?

We have no secrets.

I'm your sister.

- I'm not like you.

For you, the way is so clear.

You always know just what to do.

- What happened?

Something wrong between you and Charlotte?

I thought we had no secrets.

- I broke my promise to you.

Ah, Otto.

- I can't stand coming to you like this.

I need 30.000 talers.

This will be the last, I promise.

- What money do I have to give you?

In good conscience, I cannot
ask Heinrich again for more.

He will ask questions.

What am I to say?

He cannot learn of this.

He believes in you.

He has used every influence

to recommend you to the King's Guard.

Your honor, your whole future is at stake.

How will you solve this?

I'm frightened for you.

- I will settle this matter immediately,

and I swear, Christina,

this will never happen again, never.

(footsteps creaking)

(water splattering)

- I will see if I can get
Lukas to eat something.

Lukas?

- Go away.

- You should eat something.

- I'm not hungry.

- I'll leave the plate here.

- I said I'm not hungry, leave me alone!

- This isn't easy for you.

I know how you feel.

- No, you don't!

- Mama was tired and worried all the time.

You made her work!

It's your fault!

It's all your fault!

(dramatic music)

- The boy's right, you killed her!

- Take your hands off him.

- I'm taking Lukas to Upper Canada!

- He is my son, not yours!

(wood clattering)

- [Jurgen] Stop it!

Stop this, both of you!

- Get our things ready.

We are leaving immediately.

I will return to the Canadas.

I never want to see you again.

- [Lukas] Mama! (sobs)

Mama!

(horse whinnying)

(hooves clopping)

- All right, I'm here.

You'd better have the money.

What's this?

- Payment, they're worth a fortune.

- [Brabent] What am I
supposed to do with them?

Wear them?

Your sister's earrings, really Otto.

Don't be an idiot.

The Baroness's diamonds
are known all over Europe.

I want cash, not baubles.

- I need more time.

- There is no more time.

- Without more time, I can't
raise that kind of money.

You said yourself that-

- I don't believe that the
Baron would allow his name

to be sullied with your disgrace.

We'll go to him together and
ask him to set this matter

of your promissory note to rights.

- No, you can't do that.

- I don't care about your
honor, Count von Lebrecht.

Either I get my money now, or
you'll not marry my sister.

You'll never get her dowry
or your precious commission.

Not to mention dragging
the name of your sister

and her husband through the mud.

I'm going straight to the Baron.

What a great hero you are, Otto.

(tense orchestral music)

(grunting)

- Yah!
- Yah, yah!

You can't stop me, get away from me.

(grunting)

(splashing)

(grunting)

(coughing)

- You won't tell anyone
anything, von Brabent.

You hear me?

(grunting)
(coughing)

You'll never frighten me again! (grunts)

(splashing)

I'll have your sister and her money,

money to tale your place in
the King's Guard! (grunts)

(heavy breathing)

(dramatic music)

(somber music)

My note?

Where's my note, you pig?

Where'd you put my note?

What?

It was an accident, it was an accident!

Must be an accident.

Great cavalry officer, thrown
off his horse. (grunts)

(water splashing)

(horse whinnying)

(water splashing)

- Colonel!

Colonel?

Colonel von Brabent?

Come on!

Help!

(water splashing)

- [Otto] Yah, yah!

(hooves clopping)

(tense music)

(dramatic music)

(muffled grunting)

- [Karl] Lukas?

Lukas?

- You talk and I'm gonna kill you.

You and your father, you understand?

- [Karl] Lukas, who is with you?

- It's Count von Lebrecht.

Sorry to have frightened
you, Mr. Bienmann.

I found the boy out by himself,

and I thought he should be home.

- That's very kind of you.

- Think nothing of it.

I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Bienmann.

- Yeah.

- Good night.

(grunting)
(painting thudding)

(somber music)

- [Otto] Charlotte, darling.

- So sorry, Johanna.

- Yes, terrible accident.

- Yes, terrible.

- [Charlotte] I don't know
why he went out so late.

- It wasn't unusual, my dear, for Dietrich

to take some sport in town.

- I can't believe that.

- Really?

- Excuse me.

Excuse me, Count von Lebrecht.

There is a matter of some private business

we should discuss.

- Madam.

- A small matter of money,

a promissory note left
among my husband's things.

- What do you want, madam?

- The same thing Dietrich wanted,

repayment of the debt owed.

I have expenses.

Shall we join the others?

I should at least appear
to be the proper widow.

- I'm sorry, Lukas.

I promised to be at the von
Knabig's to paint the Baroness.

I have to honor my obligations.

Your mother would have wanted that.

- Will the Count von Lebrecht be there?

- Perhaps, why?

- Nothing.

Nothing.

(somber music)

- You may wait for the
Baroness here, Mr. Bienmann.

- Thank you.

- What do you think of him, Otto?

- Beautiful, Heinrich.

Very wild for Ursula, though.

- Oh Father, I can ride him.

- Absolutely not.

- Your excellency, Mr. Bienmann
is here for the portrait.

- Come along, Ursula.

- He can wait, Mother.

- I said now, Ursula!

(horse whinnying)

- Hey!

(grunting)

Hey, hey!

All right, horsey, yah!

(horse whinnying)

Hey!

(gentle orchestral music)

(metal clinking)

- Ursula, have you seen my earrings?

The czarina's diamonds?

- Oh, you're not going
to wear those, Mother.

And no, I haven't seen them

since you wore them to the festival.

- Are you sure?

- Yes, I'm sure.

Hopefully someone stole them.

- Get downstairs, everyone
is waiting for you.

- Ursula, you're sure

you didn't touch your mother's earrings.

- Yes, I already told
Mother that three times.

- Don't be saucy.

Otto, we'll have to conduct a search.

- I'll call all the servants.

- Heinrich, it couldn't
be one of our people.

- Don't worry, my dear.

I'm sure they're here.

(crowd chattering)

(creaking)

- Have any tradesmen been allowed

in the private rooms, Albert?

Anybody out of the ordinary?

- No sir, no one.

- When did you last see
the earrings, Christina?

- I wore them to the festival.

- Heinrich.

- There were two diamond earrings.

Where is the other one?

- Your excellency, I don't
know how this happened.

- Don't trifle with me, Karl Bienmann.

I can hardly believe you'd
taking advantage of me.

- But Baron-

- You've abused my
patronage, my good name!

- Never.
- Give it back.

- Well, I don't understand.

- You should order a search of his house.

- Where is the other one?
- My house?

- I don't care how it
happened, I want it back.

- [Karl] I don't have it.

Inform the Magistrate and the police.

- Well, I didn't take it, your excellency.

I didn't take it.

Your excellency, I didn't take it!

I didn't do it!

I'm innocent!

- Father!

- Go to Nathan.
- Father!

- [Karl] He'll take care of you.

(heavy breathing)

- No sign of the earring,

but these drawings are enough to put him

in jail for a long time.

I cannot understand Karl
Bienmann for insulting the King.

(tense music)

(wood clattering)

- You're under arrest
for insulting the king!

(thudding)

(wagon clattering)-

- Nathan!

- Lukas, I'm sorry for your troubles.

The Baron and I agree that you must stay

with us until this affair is sorted out.

There is nothing to fear, Lukas.

You'll be safe with us.

(dramatic music)

(tense, foreboding orchestral music)

- [Judge] For the crime of
theft, for seditious literature,

insulting the king, I hereby
sentence Karl Bienmann

of Liebenberg to five years in prison.

(gavel banging)

- But he didn't do anything!

- [Judge] Remove the prisoner.

- [Lukas] Father, Father!

- Time to leave, Lukas, come along!

- [Lukas] No, no!

- [Man] Captain.

- Father!

Father!

- Come on.

- Father!

Father!

(falcon screeching)

- [Officer] Come on, move!

Enjoy your new home! (laughs)

(somber music)

(door creaking)

- Oh Lukas.

(sighs)

(door creaking)

(paper rustling)

- Stop!
- Move it!

(horse whinnying)

- Father, make him stop, he's hurting him!

- Come on!

(horse snorting)

Ho, ah!

Ah!

Yah, whoa!

(screaming)

(horse whinnying)

- Lukas, get out of there, he'll kill you!

(horse whinnying)

- Whoa, Al-Jamil, whoa, whoa!

Al-Jamil, whoa!

- That devil.

- Steady, steady now, Al-Jamil.

- Whoa, easy boy!
- Lukas, Lukas!

Lukas!
- Whoa, steady boy.

- [Heinrich] Get out of there!

- Steady, there boy, it's all right.

Quiet.

Quiet now.

Nobody's gonna hurt you, I promise.

I know you don't like all
those loud noises, do you?

I thought so.

You just don't like anyone
yanking at your bit.

It hurts.

Tell me about it, boy.

It's a good boy.

Quiet.

Good boy.

That wasn't so bad.

Good boy, Al-Jamil.

How 'bout a walk?

(horse whinnying)

Just you and me.

Okay, quiet, quiet now,
boy, quiet, all right.

Just a walk, just a walk.

(peaceful music)

Come on.

- Lukas, that was most impressive.

- A fluke.

I think the horse is a
devil, you saw what he did.

- I saw that he saved your life.

You handled him wonderfully, my boy.

- Thank you, sir.

He's a good horse.

It's just that his mouth is tender.

It hurts him if you tug at the bit.

- How would you like to be a stableboy

and work with Al-Jamil?

- Me?

Oh, yes sir!

- Sir, I think he should
stay in the castle

so we can keep an eye on him.

(chuckles) I mean, you give
the boy this opportunity,

he could just ride off and vanish!

- Why would he do such a thing?

- Lukas, you know you are in my care

until we hear from our grandfather?

You must promise if I give you this chance

you will not disappoint me.

- I promise, your excellency.

- The matter is settled then.

Move your things to the stable.

You may train Al-Jamil
and ride him each day.

- Why should he be able to
ride Al-Jamil and not me?

I should be the one to ride him.

- Maybe one day, Ursula.

But until its perfectly safe,
you're not to go near him.

Do you understand?

- Yes Father.

- [Heinrich] Helmut, see to it

that Lukas has everything he needs.

- [Lukas] Yes, your excellency.

- Come along, Ursula.

- You remember our
agreement, Lukas Bienmann.

Not a word to anyone, understand.

(belt clinking)

That's enough, Albert.

You hover around me like my mother.

You may go.

- Sorry sir.

(metal clinking)

(wood creaking)

(somber music)

(horse whinnying)

- So, are you gonna tell
me what really happened?

- What do you mean?

- About the Baroness's earrings.

- Listen, no one around here believes

your father's really guilty.

You work here long enough,

you hear things.

I know how to keep my mouth shut.

All right, all right, so don't tell me.

(grunting)

- I'm gonna to get you!

(grunting)

- Stop this noise!

Helmut, Lukas!

Have you nothing better to do than gossip!

- Ma'am.

- We're only having fun.

- Wipe that stupid grin off
your face, Lukas Bienmann.

You're nothing but the son

of a common thief and probably worse.

My mother should never
have brought you here.

(somber music)

(falcon screeching)

- Hi, my beautiful Milady.

What a pleasant surprise.

What is it like out
there flying on the wind?

I must ask.

(falcon screeching)

Ah, my good friend Nathan.

Fly back to your master.

(falcon screeching)

Yeah, that is good, that is good, Lukas.

(sighs) Take good care
of my son, Baroness.

I rely on your kind heart.

(sighs)

That boy is so stupid.

- What boy?

- That boastful Lukas Bienmann.

He pretends that he can do anything.

Well, he's only trying
to impress you, Father,

so you'll be lenient with him.

I thought we might stay
in the United States

after the wedding.

Margaret has written
that the northern part

of New York state is quite beautiful.

Then we could travel
from there to Washington.

- Certainly, dear.

And Ursula shall have all the excitement

sorely lacking in Liedenberg.

By the way, no word from
the boy's grandfather?

- Nothing.

I don't understand it.

Lukas is such a nice boy.

I intend to undertake
writing to him myself.

(muffled grunting)

(light, cheerful music)

- Ah! (laughs)

(clicks tongue)

(singing in foreign language)

- Helmut, take over!

- I do hope this will
persuade Herr Brunneck.

- We've certainly done everything we can.

- If God wills it, the
boy shall remain here.

He seems quite capable.

- I will mail this directly.

(paper ripping)

- Pots and pans, silks and satins,

treasures from around the world,

even books for the curious ones.

- Nathan!

Nathan!

- Lukas, Lukas!

Are you all right?

Are they treating you well?

- Yes, yes, I'm training the horses.

Have you seen father?

How is he?

- No, I haven't seen him.

Come here, I have just the thing for you.

I haven't seen your
father, but Milady has.

You can send word to him with my falcon.

When you see her, you call her to you,

and she'll carry your message.

- Oh, Nathan, what a wonderful idea!

- But first, tell me,
what really happened?

- I don't know.

(tense music)

- You are lying.

I've never known you to lie to me.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe I shouldn't let
Milady get involved in this.

- No no, Nathan please!

- No no, let's forget about this.

I've been mistaken about you.

- What if someone saw something very bad.

- Who? Who did you see?

- I didn't say I saw anyone.

- What frightened you so boy?

Lukas, you must tell me.

- I don't think any of
these leads will do.

He's a very high-strung animal.

- What's going on in here?

Get back to the stables, boy,

or the Baron will hear about it.

And you, finish your business.

Dismount, boy!

I'll take over his training now, Lukas.

- But he's not ready!

- Don't argue with me, boy.

Just do as you're told, hm?

(somber music)

(horse whinnying)

- I don't understand it, Heinrich.

We've sent three letters to Herr Brunneck,

and we've had no reply.

- Well, there's no reason to believe

that Friedrich Brunneck
would want anything

to do with Karl or his family.

Try again.

By the way, I've given the boy permission

to visit his father.

- Be careful, Heinrich.

You know the old saying,
like father, like son.

(whistling)

(falcon screeching)

(wings fluttering)

(falcon screeching)
(Lukas smacks lips)

- Take this to father, Milady.

He'll be happy to know I'll see him soon.

(upbeat music)

(falcon screeching)

(dramatic music)

- Come along, Lukas.

- The Baron said a servant
would be taking me.

- The Baron thinks more
highly of you than that.

(chuckles) Get in.

(door creaking)

(hooves clopping)

- The Baron's given me this.

It's your passage into the prison.

Now when we return,
you'll thank the Baron,

and you'll never ask again
to visit your father.

Do you understand me?

- Yes, sir.

- Good.

- No, you can't!

- I can do as I wish,
always remember that.

(knocking)

- What happened to my son!

What!

(metal clanking)

What have they done to my son!

You've got to tell me!

Where's Lukas?

(door creaking)

- We warned you, Bienmann.
- Tell me where!

Where's my son?

(thudding)

Where's my son?

He had permission to visit me!

Where is Lukas?

Lukas!

(heavy breathing)

(upbeat classical music)

- Splendid ball, your excellency.

- Thank you, Count Lyczinsky.

- So good of you to travel all
the way from Moscow, Tomas.

- Always willing to listen

to any new business proposition, Heinrich.

(crowd applauding)

(stately classical music)

(metal clinking)

- What do you want?

- I have some unexpected expenses.

I need ten thousand talers.

(upbeat classical music)

- I got your note, Count von Lebrecht.

- Shall we go upstairs?

- Yeah.

- 5.000 seems a bit steep.

- Not for Al-Jamil.

That is my price.

- Ah, he's a magnificent animal.

- Finest Arabian.

Why, the stud fees alone

will more than equal the sale price.

- Probably against my better judgment,

but all right, it's a deal.

- I will have to require a
small down payment, Baron.

Say, 1000 talers.

- You will guarantee
the animal on delivery.

I wouldn't want goods bruised in shipping.

- You have my word, sir.

- Or I'll break your neck. (laughs)

A pleasure doing business with you.

- Steady boy.

(soft grunting)

(horse whinnying)

- Who is out there?

Who is it?

(tense music)

Lukas?

Lukas, what in heaven's
name are you doing here?

- We have to get my father out of prison.

- Does anyone know you have that horse?

- No one saw me.

They're all at the ball.

Something bad will happen
to him there, I know it.

- Could you tell me what's going on?

- Can't you just trust me, Nathan?

I don't want you to get in trouble, too.

Look, if we can get father out of prison,

we can sail to my
grandfather's in Niagara Falls

in the Canadas.

We can't stay here, we
have to leave Prussia.

- I must be a fool.

- I knew you'd help.

I have no one else.

(horse whinnying)

(gentle, cheerful classical music)

- Sir, a word.

(tense music)

- Count von Lebrecht?

- You think I don't know
your little game, hm?

You're very much mistaken Lukas.

(groaning)

You're more trouble than you're worth.

(horses whinnying)

- Lebrecht, you here?

- Your Lyczinsky?

- Thought I'd take another look

at the prized beast before I leave.

- Oh, please do.

I've made arrangements to have the horse

delivered within two days,

and remember this is between you and I,

or I'll break your neck, Baron Lyczinsky.

(laughing)

(trumpet blaring)

Lukas, you'll join the
other men and go ahead.

(dogs barking)

- To the hunt!

- [Man] To the hunt!

(glass shattering)
(dogs barking)

(trumpet blaring)

- [Helmut] Here we go, here we go.

(boar snorting)

(angry shouting)

- Whoa, whoa.

(tense, eerie music)

(somber music)

(horse whinnying)
(dramatic music)

- Otto!

- Al-Jamil!

- Poor beast.

Looks like a bowed tendon.

He'll never race.

- [Otto] Surely, that can't be, Heinrich.

- It would be merciful
to do away with him.

- No, no you can't!

- Christina!

- [Ursula] Father please!

- The horse is in a great pain, Ursula.

You don't want him to suffer.

(sighing)

Do what is necessary.

Lukas, out of the way.

- But I can help him, sir.

It's not as bad as it looks.

- I know the horse means
a great deal to you, boy,

but we must face facts.

- Let him try, what's there to lose?

- Oh yes, please Father.

- Sir?

- Very well, then.

You shall try, but if the
animal remains in such distress,

he will be put down.

(horse snorting)

- Is he going to be all right?

- Could you do me a
favor, your excellency?

I can't hold his head
up and give him water

at the same time.

- (sighs) He doesn't like me.

- He doesn't know you.

Just be gentle.

Ho, ho.

Ho.

- Hello, Al-Jamil.

Here's some nice, cool water for you.

You want it, don't you?

- Ho, ho!

- See, he doesn't like me.

- Try it again.

Come on, boy.

- Come on, boy, here's some water.

(peaceful music)

(falcon screeching)

- No no, this is insane.

(falcon screeching)

It won't work.

Don't try it.

Lukas will be hurt.

(paper rustling)

(falcon squawking)

Fly back, Milady.

(falcon screeching)

(heavy breathing)

- But he doesn't understand!

- If I go through with this, and I say if,

your father has to be ready.

- Well, write him another message.

Tell him unless he flees Prussia,

both our lives are in danger.

- I wish you'd tell me
what this is all about.

I can help you.

- You're already helping, Nathan.

- Of course I am.

I have a plan worked out already.

I will pay my visit to the guards,

as usual, in five days.

Two days after that, you
must be ready to leave.

- I'll be ready.

- Nathan has a plan.

Soon you'll be as good as
new and out in the pasture.

And my father and I will be safe

with my Grandfather in the Canadas.

I need my grandfather's help now.

I know he'll give it.

All I want is to be together
with my grandfather.

- How is the horse?

- It's coming along fine, sir.

- That's good.

He's worth a great deal, you know.

- Yes sir.

- Where have you been this afternoon?

- Sir?

- Don't be coy, Lukas.

You're a very bad liar.

- (grunts) I went out
to look for some herbs

for the medicine.

- You'd better be telling
me the truth, boy.

(gasping)

If you think you can worm your way

into the Baron's good graces,
you're very much mistaken.

Remember who I am, hm?

- Gentleman, gentleman,
Nathan is here, ah!

All you need is money,
money, money, money.

You say you have no money?

What is this?

(coin clinking)

Oh, that's where you hide it.

(coins clinking)

(laughing)

His nose is full of it.

(snorts)

(keys jingling)

And what is this?

- You're a devil!

- Gentlemen, I have fine
tobacco, silk scarves

for the ladies, good
leather belts from Spain,

knives of English steel, what will it be?

Oh, just touch this
silk, just touch it, ha!

(horse whinnying)

(ducks quacking)

(child babbling)

- Hello Al-Jamil, ah.

I used to believe that you
were just like your father.

I don't believe that anymore.

- What changed your mind?

- I don't know.

- My father never stole anything.

- Well then, who did?

- I used to think that you
were a snot-nosed brat,

but I don't anymore.

- Thank you.

I assume you meant that as a compliment.

- Ha.

- [Otto] I'm glad to see
Al-Jamil is recovering.

Heinrich will be pleased.

- And I'm glad to see that
Ursula's so changed these days.

I was really terribly worried.

It just wasn't right she should
be so unhappy here with us.

One day she'll go away and marry.

- I just hope her change
of heart is for the horse,

not for the boy.

- Don't be ridiculous, they are friends.

Why don't you like him, Otto.

(wings flapping)

(falcon screeching)

(dramatic music)

- The boy exercises the
horse every morning at dawn.

Make sure there's no one
about when you get rid of him.

(coins jingling)

(grunting)
(blow thudding)

(cards rustling)

- If you have some oney, pull up a seat.

- No thanks, I'm broke.

Women, you know how it is.

(laughing)

- Hurry up Karl, hurry up!

Get in there, good.

(wood rattling)

- [Guard] Drunken sot!

- [Guard] Bienmann has escaped!

- Bienmann, get him!

(intense music)

- [Guard] Old man!

- What's the matter officer?

- [Guard] Did you see
anybody come past here?

- Oh yes, she was quite pretty.

Went that way.

- Out of the way.

Take a look inside.

- Sergeant, nothing here.

- All right, let's split up.

I want every section of these woods

searched before daybreak.

You look over there, I'll go this way.

- [Guard] He has to be here somewhere!

- Are you all right?

- Yes.

- You must stay in there
until things cool off a bit.

- How about Lukas?

- He knows what to do.

Okay.

(tense music)

- (sighs) Sorry, Mama, I have to leave.

Father and I are going to America.

I wish you could come with us.

I'll miss you, Mama.

I love you.

Come on! (clicks tongue)

(wagon chains jingling)

(dramatic music)

Whoa!

(groaning)

(grunting)

(muffled shouting)

(screaming)

(wagon rattling)

(chains rattling)

- Karl Bienmann may be
over there, you follow me!

(hooves clopping)

Over here!

Quickly!

(wood creaking)

(knocking)

- 7:00, we can't wait.

- I'm not leaving without him.

- Time is running out.

If the soldiers find you now,

you'll never see the light of day again.

- If my son said he'd be
here, he will be here.

- They won't give up.

You know that.

I'll get Lukas to you safely.

- He must be in trouble.

You've got to find him.

- You must reach Danzig immediately.

The ship sails for Hamburg at noon.

Everything is arranged.

From Hamburg, you get the
first ship out to America

and Lukas will meet you
at your father-in-law's.

- What if something goes wrong?

We can't leave him behind.

- They'll kill you if you don't.

(dramatic music)

(chains rattling)

(wood clanking)

- Stop.

Anything happens to that
horse, we don't get paid.

Take a look.

(grunting)

(somber music)

(horse whinnying)

(adventurous music)
(gun firing)

Stop that!

- Come on, come on!

(hooves clopping)

Come on!

- Lukas!

- Where's father?

- I made him go.

He's better off alive and in the Canadas

than dead here in Prussia.

- I can still make the port on Al-Jamil.

- No, every guard and
soldier in the area is going

to be looking for that horse

once the Von Knabigs find it missing.

- It's my only chance, Nathan.

I'll leave the horse for you at the port.

Return him to Ursula for
me, and tell her I'm sorry.

I meant no harm.

Thank you, Nathan.

(peaceful music)

- [Nathan] Your father's on a
fishing ship called Valkyrie

in the old port.

(smacks lips)

- I came to say goodbye to
Al-Jamil, but he was gone.

- Otto, I'm afraid you
were right about Lukas.

- I hope they catch him and hang him!

- Ursula!

- She'll get over it,
Heinrich, on the trip overseas.

I'll alert the authorities.

Sorry to be leaving like this, Otto.

- I just hope they
catch the little beggar.

A prize Arabian.

(somber music)

- Where's the Walkyrie?

- It sailed off hours ago, lad.

(sighs)

- How I will miss you, my darling.

Oh, I do wish you would
come with us, Heinrich.

- Once these meetings
in Berlin are finished,

I'll be on my way.

- Are we all ready?

- Ursula.

You'll have a wonderful time.

- Yes Father.

- But you'll tell me
if they find Al-Jamil?

I really do want him back.

I'm glad you bought him for me.

- Of course.

I'm sure we'll find him.

Now hurry along ad behave yourself.

- Goodbye Heinrich.

- Otto, take care of them.

(tense music)

(metal clacking)

- No, no Lukas.

I was the one who told your father

he couldn't afford to wait any longer.

- I'm going to follow
my father to America.

When I get to my grandfather's,

everything'll be all right.

Will you take the horse?

I've gotta get on the boat.

Goodbye.

- Goodbye Lukas Bienmann.

And Godspeed.

(dramatic music)

- It's Lukas Bienmann, get him!

- The boy, stop that boy!

He's a thief!

(wood clattering)

(thudding)

Where's that little brat?

He couldn't just disappear into thin air.

He must be here somewhere.

- Otto, don't be ridiculous.

He could have slipped into
the water and be long gone.

The poor boy has his troubles, let him go.

- [Sailor] All aboard!

- There, we must board.

- All aboard the Empire Sandy.

- What happens to Al-Jamil?

- Your father will see that
the authorities find him.

Come along, Ursula.

- [Sailor] This vessel
departing, all aboard!

(tense orchestral music)
(bell ringing)

(gentle, cheerful music)

- Have you made this voyage
to New York often, Captain?

- Oh yes, your excellency,
yes, of course, many times.

It's a thrilling city.

I'm sure that you and your
daughter will enjoy it very much.

- Let go of me!

- Cook caught a stowaway,
Captain Harris, down in the hold.

Ate up half a cheese and
a ham, bold as brass!

- Lukas!

Mother, it's Lukas!

- [Catherine] Good Lord.

- You know this boy, your Excellency?

- Yes, his name is Lukas Bienmann.

He worked in our stables.

- And he's a horse thief!

- I am not!

I only borrowed the horse,

and Nathan the peddler brought him back.

- You took it without permission.

That's no better than stealing!

- Ursula, please.

- Stowing away is a very
serious offense, Lukas Bienmann.

I have no choice but to
lock you away in the hold

until the return voyage.

- Really, Captain, putting a mere child

in the hold for an entire
voyage seems a trifle harsh,

don't you think?

Please allow him to stay with us.

I'll take care of him in my stateroom.

- No!
- Lukas, come on!

- I mean, I'll work my way over.

I'll do anything you say, Captain.

- Lukas, what is it?

If you say you borrowed
the horse, I believe you.

You needn't be afraid,

but you must return to
Danzig as the Captain says.

Then you will go back to
our stables in Liebenberg.

Captain, I would like a
moment alone with the boy.

- Very well, your excellency,
if that's what you wish.

- Christina, there's no reason

to involve yourself like this.

- Something is terribly wrong here.

Lukas, please come with me.

What is troubling you, my child?

I urge you to speak.

If you won't, then I must
say what is in my heart.

At the castle, I watched you.

I saw how nicely

you treated Ursula, how
gentle you were with Al-Jamil,

and I wondered why a child
with your kind nature

ended up in so much trouble.

I don't understand, Lukas.

What is it?

(dramatic music)

Your mother was a very gentle woman.

Then the difficulties with your father.

This is terrible for you.

I feel that you are afraid of my brother.

Why?

Why does Otto frighten you?

Lukas, why are you shouldering
such a dreadful burden?

If something unjust has happened,

God will help you.

He's listening.

- I know who took your earrings.

He killed a man, and he
swore if I ever told,

he'd do the same to me and my father.

It was your brother, Count von Lebrecht.

Are you sure?

- Yes.

- Wait for me below, Lukas.

Don't say a word to
anyone, not even Ursula.

Go, don't be afraid.

(eerie music)

(water splashing)

(door creaking)

- You've betrayed our trust!

How could you do this to Karl Bienmann?

(sighs) I'm horrified at
the lengths you've gone to!

Why, why, why did you do it?

Have you no conscience?

Put that down and answer me!

- You'd rather take that
brat's word over mine,

your own brother?

- Otto, I would do anything to protect

and defend you, but you will answer me.

In the name of God, why Otto?

- Don't tell me you believe him.

- He saw you murder Colonel von Brabent.

I can just imagine you
threatening to kill Lukas

and his father if he told.

- Who can think when
you're in such a state?

- All the signs were there.

I was blind, I didn't want to see.

- What signs?

(slapping)

- For once in your life, face the truth!

(dramatic music)

The horrendous sums of money.

You lost your head, didn't you?

You took my jewels to pay
the debt to von Brabent.

God forgive me, you are guilty.

Oh Otto, you're not my brother anymore.

If I look away one more time,

I am as guilty as you are.

I must tell the Baron.

- And my life will be over.

- Yes.

(footsteps tapping)

(baby crying)

- Miss?

- Lukas, could you get me some water.

My throat is sore. (gasps)

- The pox.

The smallpox!

It's the smallpox!

(crowd shouting)

(crowd chattering)

- Order, order!

Ladies and gentleman, there
is no reason for panic.

One child, two adults in
steerage have become ill,

but the passageway has been sealed.

Nobody, I repeat, nobody from below will

be allowed above, so you are safe.

Above all, remain calm.

- Captain, where's Lukas?

- You heard the emergency,
your Excellency.

Please, find your mother
and go to your room.

- But I must speak to Lukas right away,

it's terribly important!

- With this outbreak of
smallpox in steerage,

Lukas won't be allowed above deck

until the quarantine is lifted.

(man shouting)

(hammering)

- I must go below, Captain.

- But your excellency,
you wouldn't even be

allowed back up on deck.

What would happen if
something happens to you?

- I'm perfectly capable
of looking after myself.

Those people need help, and you are going

to just leave them with nothing?

Excuse me, Captain, I have
a different point of view!

- But Mother, you can't go down there.

- Stay with Gerda,
everything will be fine.

- Well then let me help too.

Please, I want to come with you.

- No, no, no, you stay here.

Don't worry about me.

Gerda!

(tense, eerie music)

(door creaking)

(hammer tapping)

The dying here, the others over there.

Hear my prayer, O Lord,

and let my cry come unto thee.

Hide not thy face in the
day when I am in trouble.

Incline thy ear unto me.

In the day when I call,
answer me speedily.

(gentle orchestral music)

(men chattering)

(metal clinking)

- [Virgil] Boy, over here!

- Can I help you?

- Thank you, sir, but I can manage it.

- Come on, let me take it.

- Pardon sir, I just arrived.

Could you tell me how
far it is to the Canadas?

- The Canadas?

That's more than 2000 miles north.

- 2000 miles?

- Are you going to the Canadas, mister?

I can take you there.

- You hush up boy.

Don't tell this man no stories.

Go on, get outta here.

He thinks he gonna find
his salvation up north.

His mama used to tell him stories.

See that ship?

She sails for Boston in an hour.

- They taking on any hands?

- Not around here.

You looking for work,
Mr. Passlinger's hiring.

You best speak to the man, mister?

- Bienmann, Karl Bienmann

- Virgil Johnson.

The man in the bowler hat is the foreman.

The man standing next to
him is Mr. Passlinger.

He owns this here company.

- Thank you.

(crowd chattering)

- [Karl] Excuse me, Mr. Passlinger?

- Sir?

- [Karl] Virgil sent me
over, I'm looking for a job.

- He's the man to talk to.

- Yeah, well, talk to the man over there.

That's him over there.

- [Man] Leroy!

Pick up that bail right there!

- [Tully] Excuse me, sir?

- Yes.

- A word in your ear.

Let me give you a piece of advice.

You get back onto that ship and sail away.

- (sighs) I would if I could.

But I don't have the fare.

- No right-thinking man
will work for the likes

of Mr. Henry Passlinger and
his northern profiteers.

- As I say, no right-thinking men

will work for Mr. Passlinger,

just niggers who don't know no better.

And we know who they are.

We remember!

- Excuse me.

- I'm trying to be nice here, suh.

- You don't wanna make
trouble for yourself.

- We in the South have certain traditions.

- I'm afraid I don't understand.

- Only colored folk work
for Northern bottomfeeders.

I'm telling you this, as a courtesy, sir.

- Well thank you for your courtesy.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

- There a problem here, gentlemen?

- Ah no, no problem.

Is there?

- No, just asking directions.

- You insult us, sir.

- I have my business, why
don't you tend to yours.

- This is my business, Southern business.

You have no love or
understanding of our families,

traditions, and institutions.

- You lost the war, Tully. (blows nose)

- I know you!

I know all of you!

Remember that!

- Welcome to South Carolina.

(dramatic music)

- [Tully] I don't want no nigger water.

- [Tomorrow] But sir, you asked for it.

(bucket clattering)

- You watch your mouth, boy.

Don't go giving me none of your lip.

- The boy's all right, just let him be.

- You all right?

- Yeah.

- What happened?

- Don't nothing happened, I'm fine.

- Nevermind him.

I could use some of your water.

I'm Karl, what's your name?

- Tomorrow.

- Tomorrow?

What kind of name is that?

- My ma, she was gonna name me proper

when we got to the place
where men are free.

- The place where men are free?

But you are free.

- My mama told me it's the Canadas.

- Ah.

(men chattering)

(gentle, peaceful music)

- [Man] Pick that up, boy.

- What the hell do you think you're doing?

- Giving the boy lunch.

- Not at my table.

No colored's eating with me.

(metal clanking)

- Don't make no fuss.

- You'll stay.

Come on, you'll stay.

Mr. Howard, would you be
so kind and pass the bread.

- I said no nigger's
gonna eat at my table.

(dramatic music)
(clattering)

(grunting)

- [Man] Yeah.

- [Man] Yeah.

- [Man] Get him, yeah.

That's right.

- [Man] Just sit down
here and finish your food.

- [Man] I don't want none of this.

I just wanna eat, that's all.

(Virgil chuckles)

- [Man] Damn coons.

- [Man] Don't you worry about that.

- [Man] Just eat your food.

- Mr. Howard.

Would you kindly pass the bread.

It's lunch time, and the boy is hungry.

- You and Passlinger,
bloodsucking leeches.

- That's all.

Clear out.

You keep your distance Tully Howard,

or I'll have you all fired.

(knife clattering)

- Moving out.
- Yeah, me too.

- [Man] Get back to work.

(crowd chattering)

- I figure it'll take
two days to get there.

You'll get paid on delivery.

All right, Mr. Passlinger, don't worry.

- I'm not worried, Mr. Bienmann.

Good luck to you.

- What you doing here, boy, whoa!

- You really going to the Canadas?

- Yes, I must go there.

I'm working my way north
to earn enough money

to get my son.

- I was thinking, maybe
you'll let me come with you.

- Don't you have anyone here?

- What will you do up in the Canadas?

- Whatever I want.

- Ha, it's gotta be better than this.

- That means I can come with you?

- That what it means.

- Thank you, Mr. Karl.

- Now what you gon' do with him?

- Well, I'll take him to
the Canadas, as he wants.

- (laughs) It's just
a crazy notion of his.

- It ain't crazy!

- You listen here, boy.

The only thing you know is
right here in Charleston.

You don't know nothing about them Canadas,

nor the people way up there.

- Let me take the boy with me.

I think anywhere is
better for him than here,

and if I have enough money,
I'll buy us tickets north.

- You got to learn, Karl Bienmann, a lot.

(peaceful music)

- Who's that your drawing?

- My son.

His name is Lukas.

- Lukas? That's a fine name.

- Mm-hm.

- Is he big or little?

- He's a little taller than you are,

and smaller than I am.

(horse whinnying)

- [Tully] Get up.

(tense music)

- [Karl] What do you want?

- We're taking the wagons.

By my reckoning, the North owes us.

You got to the count
of three to disappear.

One.

- [Tomorrow] Come on, Mr.
Karl, they're letting us go.

- This ain't no business of ours, sir.

We're leaving, just like you asked.

If you was smart, Bienmann,
you would follow us.

- Two.

- You're going to kill me?

- Why not?

Those darkies won't say
anything. (chuckles)

(gun clicking)

- [Virgil] Won't need to say anything!

- You put that down, boy.

I ain't your boy anymore, Tully Howard.

Ain't nobody here your boy anymore.

- You can't kill all of us.

- No, just you.

Now put it down!

Drop it!

(gun clicking)

Put 'em down!

(gun thudding)

Rest of you, come on, git!

Git I said, come on!

- [Tully] You haven't seen the last of us.

- [Tomorrow] Mr. Karl, I thought
you were a goner for sure.

- Oh yeah, so did I.

I owe you.

(somber music)

- We're gon' make us a bonfire.

Teach Passlinger a lesson.

Send those carpetbaggers up north.

(lock clicking)

(gas splashing)

(tense music)

(match clicking)

(can clattering)

- [Man] What was that?

- [Man] Fire!

- Fire, fire!
- Fire!

(men shouting)

- That way!
- Come on!

- [Man] Let's get out of here!

(men shouting)

- [Karl] Window!

(glass shattering)

Come on, boy!

(men shouting)

- [Man] Come on, get out of here, come on!

- [Man] Go on, get the boy, get him!

- [Tomorrow] Mr. Karl, Mr. Karl!

- [Man] Get him, shoot!

Come on, get him, boy!

We got him!

(guns firing)

(men shouting)

(grunting)

(screaming)

(wood collapsing)

(wood rattling)

- Come on, get up, come on.

- Where's tomorrow?

- I don't know, let's get out of here.

- [Karl] Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, come on, boy.

- It ain't no use, Karl.

- Tomorrow?

- Don't worry, Mr. Karl.

I'll be free soon.

(dramatic music)

- No.

(sobbing)

(wood creaking)

You were right, Virgil.

If I'd left him in Charleston,
this wouldn't have happened.

- No.

It would have been the same for him there.

It's what he wanted.

Let's go.

- I'm not going back.

I'm afraid for my son.

He's all alone.

I must find him.

- I hope you find your boy,

and may God bless you.

- Goodbye Virgil.

I pray life is good to you.

(somber music)

(bell ringing)

(baby crying)

(murmurs softly)

- You must try to rest.

(coughing)

- Your Excellency?

(water splattering)

- Thank you.

- Lukas, please, come sit by me.

Lukas, take him.

(gasping)

(somber music)

- Baroness!

Baroness!

- But she is ill!

- But I can't.

- She's my sister.

I can't just leave her down there.

Please, I beg you to make an exception.

- I cannot!

I warned her not to go below!

If I allowed one case of
smallpox through that door,

I'd have a mutiny on my hands.

(sobbing)

- You mustn't cry, your Excellency.

I know people who got
the pox and got better..

- Oh Gerda, but what if she doesn't?

- I know what you need, some
company to distract you.

I'll invite the Count and some
other passengers in for tea,

would you like that?

- No.

Don't speak to my uncle.

- But why not?

I don't want to see him.

(sighing)

- Lukas.

You're a brave boy..

- Thank you, your Excellency..

- Never again be afraid
of telling the truth.

If you had spoken out from the start...

Lukas, promise me something.

- Yes, Excellency.

(dramatic music)

- See that Ursula is safe.

When you get to America,

stay with her at my sister's.

- You'll get well.

I know you will.

- Give her this.

Lukas, tell the Baron,

tell him everything you told me.

Ursula will vouch for you.

My husband will protect you.

Lukas.

I'm tired.

Hold my hand.

- Excellency.

- We commend their bodies to the deep.

May God have mercy on their souls, amen.

(splashing)

Thou ointest my head with oil.

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days

of my life, and I shall dwell

in the house of the Lord forever, amen.

(somber music)

- Let go of me!

I know what you did, I know all about you!

(dramatic music)

Lukas!

- Excellency!

- Don't touch her, get inside!

(locket clicking)

(peaceful music)

(bell ringing)

- 23 dead, some 15 more ill
but recovering, no new cases.

We need food and blankets and fresh water.

- Right away, Captain.

Now the ship will remain
under quarantine for 10 days.

(tense music)

(wood clattering)
(sighing)

- Lukas, Lukas Bienmann!

Are you down there?

(footsteps tapping)

- Your excellency, you shouldn't be here!

- We haven't got a minute to waste.

I know everything.

I heard Uncle Otto confess to my mother.

We have to get off the ship.

- Does he know you know?

- Yes, And I'm afraid
what lengths he'll go to.

We'll go to my aunt's house in New York.

We'll tell her everything.

She'll help us.

Are you alright?

- I'm fine.

I didn't get sick; I had
the pox when I was a baby.

Let's go, faster!

- I'm trying!

- [Lukas] Ow.

- Oh no, hurry!

- Stop!

(dramatic, adventurous music)

(screaming)
(splashing)

(metal clanking)

(paddles splashing)

(men chattering)

(grunting)

- [Gentleman] Hey, watch
where you are going, eh!

(man shouting)

- [Man] Look at them there!

- Where'd they go?

That boy's a kidnapper!

- Do you have a hairpin?

I need something sharp, anything!

(mysterious music)

Come on, get in!

- [Man] Hey look, over there!

Yeah, yeah!

Taxi!

(men shouting)

- [Sailor] This vessel
departing, all aboard!

(cork popping)
(champagne splattering)

- Have some bubbly, my lovely.

What a delight, running
into you aboard this scow.

- Don't try and sweet
talk me, you four flusher.

Florida gold.

Last time you pulled that one,

you got four years in the pokey.

- Your missionary to the leper colony scam

isn't exactly daisy fresh, my dear hezzy.

We should find something more suitable

to our combined talents.

What was the take?

Fess up.

- It's none of your business.

Mm, are you wearing lace
undergarments these days, dear?

- What the?

What the, who are you?

What are you doing in my steamer trunk?

- Lukas, we're moving!

- We're in terrible trouble, sir.

I'm Bienmann from Liebenberg, Prussia,

and this is the Baroness von Knabig.

- The Baroness von who?

- We must tell the captain.

We are escaping from my uncle.

He murdered a man.

He has to turn the ship
around immediately.

We have to get to Aunt
Margaret's in New York.

- Not so fast, not so fast.

You're stowaways, remember?

- I would suggest you sit tight

and let the Professor and me handle this.

- You need a little help
sorting this out, my boy.

Have a chocolate.

You leave the talking to the experts.

Professor Billby, and my lifelong
friend, Sister Evangeline.

Trust me, you couldn't be in better hands.

(tense music)

- And you say this girl is your niece.

- Her father is the Baron Von Knabig.

He's an extremely
important man in Prussia.

- You see that locket with
the girl's picture in it?

We need it.

- I can assure you, he'll be frantic.

(gasps)

- What is it, I'll get a doctor!

- No, no need, just a touch of vertigo.

Come, my sweet.

- Oh yeah.

- Disaster!

The count is on board, and
he's convinced the captain

that you've kidnapped the little Baroness.

- That's a lie!

- We shan't let the evil man near you.

You'll hide here, and we'll
write to the Baron for help

the moment we get to Montreal.

- But I'm supposed to be in New York.

- Oh, now calm down, lamby pie.

You're going wherever the ship goes.

(somber music)

- My locket, have you got it?

- No.

- Lukas.

Sometimes, I think that
it was all a dream,

that she's still alive.

- I know, I used to think
that about my mother, too.

I kept hoping that I'd
just see her one more time.

I have her picture, though.

Wanna see it?

(paper rustling)

- She was very beautiful.

- My father drew it.

- Lukas?

- Yes.

- Do you ever get scared.

- (sighs) All the time.

But I have to believe that everything

will work out for the best.

My mother, she used to say

that you can't predict the future.

Fate is in the stars.

(bell ringing)

(men chattering in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

- Secure down here!
- All right, that's good!

- There she is!

Stop 'em!

- My uncle, hurry!

(dramatic music)

- [Man] Hey!

- [Man] Watch where you're going, huh?

- [Man] Yes, indeed.

- [Man] Rack, okay, rack, okay!

- Well, what do you think, you excellency?

- It's lovely.

- Nothing but the best
for the little baroness.

- Professor, don't forget,

you've promised to write my
father as soon as we got here.

- Not to worry, a letter
to the Baron von Knabig

is number one on my agenda.

(sighs)

(bell ringing)

- [Man] This way.

There we go.

(somber music)

- Enclosed.

(metal clicking)

- Room 18, madame.

- Mail this immediately, my good fellow.

- [Concierge] Oui monsieur, promptly.

- Baroness, a letter to
you father is on its way.

As for you, my dear boy.

- [Lukas] Sir?

- What can we do for you?

You mentioned that your
grandfather lived in Niagara Falls?

Let's consult the railway schedule.

Look here, if we hurry,
we can have you on train

within the hour.

- An hour?

But that's so soon.

- Now now, Lukas is
anxious to see his family.

We mustn't detain him.

- [Lukas] Will you be all right?

- I'll be fine.

They seem like awfully nice people.

Besides, I'm old enough
to look after myself now.

- Lukas, tempus fugit.

- I'll tell my father
everything about Uncle Otto.

Don't worry, you and your
father will be safe, I promise.

- Thank you, your excellency.

- You may call me Ursula, Lukas.

I am greatly indebted to you.

My mother was right, you behaved nobly.

- Hurry Lukas, you don't
want to miss the train.

(door clicking)

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

- Oh drat, my laces.

I'll be along in a minutes, my boy.

(tense music)

- Wait a minute, isn't that Ursula's?

How did you get that?

(muffled shouted)

(dramatic music)
(grunting)

(carriage rattling)

(splashing)

(somber music)

(heavy breathing)

(man shouting)

(tense music)

(intense, adventurous music)

(door creaking)

(metal clinking)

(splashing)

(fire roaring)

- Fire!
(knocking)

Fire!

- [Man] Fire!

(crowd shouting)

- Fire!

Fire!

- Ursula!

- Run, Lukas!

- [Lukas] Ursula!

- [Ursula] Run, Lukas!

- [Lukas] Come on!

(wood clattering)

(grunting)

- Get in!
- It'll sink!

- [Lukas] We're sunk already!

(dramatic music)

(splashing)

- [Otto] Damn it!

(grunting)

- [Ursula] My hands are getting raw!

- [Lukas] We can't stop now.

We've gotta go as far as we can.

Your uncle will try to follow us.

We'll have to stay away
from the main river.

- What's that sound?

- Oh no.

(grunting)

(current rushing)

I can't stop!

Hold on!

(children screaming)

(dramatic music)

Ursula!

(screaming)

Ursula!

Ursula!

Ursula!

Ursula!

Come on!

(grunting)

Ursula!

You're alright.

You'll be alright.

(heavy breathing)

(sniffing)

Blow your nose.

Are you crying?

- When I get back to Liebenberg,

if I ever get back, my father
will be beside himself.

My mother won't be there. (sighs)

She won't be there for Christmas,

or for the harvest ball.

- I know.

- Or for my wedding.

- Your wedding?

You're getting married?

- Of course.

It's completely pre-arranged.

- Who'd wanna marry you?

- He comes from a very important family.

Christoph August von Rauch.

My father accepted him as a suitor

on my fourteenth birthday,
when we were betrothed.

(wolf howling)
(branch snapping)

- You've never met him?

- What's that got to do with anything?

(wolf howling)
(branch snapping)

(gentle, peaceful music)

- Lukas, are you sure you
know where we're going?

- Stop worrying.

My grandfather's is near Niagara Falls.

It can't be too far.

When we get there, we'll send
word to your Aunt Margaret.

Just keep going west.

- Lukas?

- What now?

- I'm starving.

- Eat berries.

- I'm sick of berries.

Besides, berries don't fill me up.

My stomach's growling.

- So's mine.

Don't think about it.

- All right.

Oh, I desperately crave some
cold pheasant and potato salad

with a large glass of cider.

- I said think about something else,

anything but your stomach.

- Apple cake with whipped cream.

- Bread and butter with jam.

- Roast goose with brown potatoes.

- (laughs) Cinnamon buns with butter!

(growling)

I didn't think you rich people

allowed your stomachs to growl.

- Lukas, that's not my stomach!

(bear growling)

(dramatic music)

- Ursula, run!

(screaming)

(growling)
(screaming)

(mysterious music)

(soft groaning)

(chanting in foreign language)

- Stop it, stop this nonsense!

Don't touch him!

I demand that you get a proper physician!

Why aren't you listening to me!

He needs a physician, a doctor!

You must do something!

Let go of me!

I demand to know who's in charge here?

(speaking in foreign language)

I insist you take this
boy to a real physician!

Let go of me, I'm talking to him.

- You sit.

- I can't sit, he's dying!

I demand you do something!

- Hush!

You sit, men talk.
- I will, I will not!

- Sit!

(speaking in foreign language)

- I command you take this boy to a doctor!

(speaking in foreign language)

- Let go of me!

Do you know who I am?

I'm the Baroness Ursula
Maria Christina von Knabig!

Get your hands off me, stop it!

(speaking in foreign language)

Let me go, what do you think you're doing?

Answer me, my father will be here soon.

He's a very influential man!

(speaking in foreign language)

- Hmm.

(mysterious music)

- [Chief] The claws of
the bear that attack you

protect you from your enemies, Lukas.

(Lukas moaning softly)

(dramatic music)

(wagon creaking)

(leaves rustling)

(knocking)

- Karl Bienmann! (speaks
in foreign language)

- [Karl] Jurgen Altmeir,
your face is a welcome sight.

- Come in, come in.

- I never thought I'd be standing here.

- What's happened to you?

Where have you come from?

- That's a long story.

- Let me get you some
clean clothes, some food.

- No, no, no, Lukas is here?

- Lukas, no?

- Is he in?

- Yes, he is.

- It's the the Count von
Lebrecht, he's my uncle.

He's a very dangerous man.

Back in Prussia, he owed another man

a great deal of money
but couldn't pay him,

so he killed him.

He then stole from my mother and lied.

Lukas's father went to jail because of it.

- And now this dangerous
man is looking for you?

- Yes, and I'm afraid that if
he finds us, he'll kill us.

(speaking in foreign language)

- [Chief] We will look after
this boy until he is well.

- It is decided.

You will hide here among us.

- How soon can we get
word to his Grandfather

at Niagara Falls.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Just write the words on
paper, and it'll be done.

- I know, I know what
you think of this tale.

I had no choice.

I must have Lukas here with me.

Will you help me?

- You've always lived by your own choices.

An artist, and Maria dies.

- You still believe that I-

- And then you are arrested
for stealing from the Baron,

and you jeopardize your son's wellbeing

by fleeing the country.

Now, you want Lukas here.

What other fiascos are you capable of?

How do you intend to support him?

Where will you live?

- I've managed so far.

With or without you, I'm
determined to do something.

- And on something, you are to
feed and clothe my grandson?

- That isn't what I mean, Brunneck.

- What trade are you fit for?

You'll barely support yourself
in the rough new world.

I can give him everything.

Lord knows what you are thinking about.

- Never mind, Friederich Brunneck.

Thanks for your cordial welcome.

I will get Lukas here on my own.

Don't want to trouble you any longer.

- Stop pouting like a child, Karl.

Come back here.

- More than anything I want Lukas here.

That's what I said to you all along,

but you never listen to reason.

I will bring Lukas to Canada,

and you'll leave him with me.

- If this is your intention.

- I don't see you have
other choices, Karl.

- He may stay with you for one year.

Until I get on my feet.

- You will leave him in my care
and not attempt to see him.

I will give him a proper education,

and then, if after a year, as you say,

he wants to go back to you,
I'll give him up, freely.

But you must keep away from him.

I won't tolerate any further
disputes in front of the boy.

It serves no purpose for either of us.

(somber music)

- I agree with you.

- Karl, this is a very sensible decision.

(knocking)

- Come in.

Sir, a wire.
- Thank you.

Excuse me.

- I'll let you know where I am.

Send me word when Lukas arrives.

- Karl, take care of yourself.

- I will make sure you
know how the boy is faring.

- Thank you, Jurgen.

I would be most grateful for that.

(paper rustling)

(upbeat orchestral music)

(door clicking)

- Lukas.

Oh.

Lukas.

- My father thinks that

I was caught.

(sighing)

- We almost drowned.

Otto tried to kill us.

He stole from my mother.

We have no idea where he is.

You must order the
authorities to take action.

- Excellency?

- Yes please.

Can you find soldiers?

- You are quite safe
here, your excellency.

Thank you.

I've wired your Aunt Margaret in New York.

She's on her honeymoon, but I was told

that your father will
be here in a few weeks.

In the meantime, I am honored

to offer you the refuge of my home.

- Grandfather, what about my father?

Why haven't we heard from him yet?

Can't we do something to try to find him?

- My boy, perhaps we should
discuss this privately.

- No, I have no secrets from Ursula.

- I'm very sorry, Lukas.

He was here,

but he decided not to stay.

- What do you mean?

What happened?

- He realizes he cannot
support you, Lukas.

He instructed me that
you are to remain here

with me for the next year.

In that time, your father will
try to get his life together.

- That can't be.

Why would he want that?

Where is he?

- I don't know.

He didn't tell me.

He has simply vanished.

I'm sorry.

- But why?

Did he leave no word for me at all?

- Karl tries to forget his old life.

And so must you.

(dramatic music)

You will have many opportunities
here under my care,

a fine education at a
distinguished college.

Trips with me.

Your own horse, if you wish.

You'll no longer
apprentice as a blacksmith.

You will be educated to
follow in my footsteps.

An engineer is a very lucrative
and unrivaled profession.

- Did he say he didn't want me with him?

- Maybe he can't face you.

He did run away without you.

- I know how hard this
must be for you, my boy.

You'll realize this is all for the best.

Your father has made the
best decision for you.

Your future lies here, Lukas.

(fabric rustling)

(door creaking)

- What are you doing?

- Go to bed.

- Lukas, this is silly and juvenile.

- And what would you know
about it, excellency?

Your father will be here in a few weeks

and you'll be going home

to your castle, your
servants, your betrothed.

- How dare you turn on me?

Your grandfather loves you very much.

He only wants what's best for you.

You could be going to a
good school far preferable

to a life as a peasant boy in a smithy.

Maybe that was your father's reasoning.

- I don't want to be a burden to anyone.

- Lukas, stop it.

(grunting)

(tense music)

(bag thudding)

I knew you'd never listen to reason.

- Ursula, I don't want
anybody coming with me.

- You don't know what you want.

Someone has to try and talk some sense

into that stubborn little
head of yours, Lukas Bienmann.

Do you realize what trouble
you're going to get me into

when my father arrives
all the way from Prussia

and finds that I'm not here?

(train chugging)

Why did I ever by these tickets?

If anything happens to me,

if I even get sick, my
father will have your head.

Do you understand?

- I'm not listening to
anything else you have to say.

- How can a boy like this
do such a stupid thing!

The boy won't get far.

I'm determined on that point.

(grand, triumphant music)

- [Ursula] I'm fed up, Lukas.

When we get to Chicago,

you're turning around and going back.

- You are, I'm going on.

- To where?

That's the most ridiculous statement

I've ever heard uttered in my long life.

- I don't know, I don't care.

But people on this train are going west

to make their fortune and so shall I.

- A boy with no skills, no connections.

It will take more than
those ridiculous bear claws

to keep you out of danger.

- You've been pampered all your life.

You couldn't survive on your own.

- Well, I'm hardly inept.

I've been on my own at school
in Switzerland for four years.

- Good for you!

Go home, Ursula, just go home.

You think you're superior to everyone.

- I came all this way to look out for you!

Well, if you don't need my
help, I don't need yours.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(wagon rattling)

(silverware clattering)

- I'm sorry to disturb you,

but I have news from the Canadas.

- Oh, please sit down, Baron.

- Thank you but what I have to say is...

Ursula is safe and sound

at Herr Brunneck's in Niagara Falls.

- It's wonderful news, Baron!

- And what of her uncle?

- The Count Von Lebrecht
murdered your brother.

- What?

Well, this is impossible.

- It was an accident.

- Otto stole the Czarina's earrings,

and he has tried on several occasions

to kill my own daughter.

All this from debts, debts
owed to your family, madam.

- No, no!

(footsteps thudding)

- I'm sorry.

- I knew there was something wrong

between Dietrich and Otto.

I never realized.

- Of course, I will
make good on that debt,

Madame von Brabent.

I'm leaving for Canada as
soon as I can arrange passage.

- Oh, thank you, Baron.

I know what courage it has taken for you

to come here with such news.

If you'll excuse me,
Charlotte seems overcome.

(train horn tooting)
(train rattling)

- This is the last civilized town.

I'm going back to your
grandfather's house.

You can stop all this right here, Lukas,

and get off the train.

Get off the train now!

This has gone on long enough.

(horn blowing)

Lucas, I'm not bluffing.

Are you defying me?

You just remember who I am.

(train chugging)

Oh, what an absolute dolt.

- Ouch!

(bright, cheerful orchestral music)

- I'm not running away.

I intend to live my life in
my own way without any burdens

except for the big fat opinionated one

sitting in front of me.

- I'll pretend I didn't hear that.

(sighs)

Well at least see if you can
find me something to eat.

(tense music)

- Uncle Otto, he's right behind me!

(nuns chattering)

(door clattering)

(door clattering)

- I should have killed you myself

in Prussia, you little snake.

(bags clattering)

- Jump!

- Are you crazy?

(screaming)

- You never stop to think!

If there's a dangerous way
to do something, you do it.

- What a mess!

Come on, let's get moving.

- Which way?

Where are we?

This is all your fault, Lukas Bienmann!

Forget about you.

My father will kill me if I don't

get back to your grandfather's.

- Ursula, can't you stop complaining?

This way, come on.

- We have no idea where we
are or where we're going.

I'll never forgive you as long as I live

for dragging me into this!

(somber music)

We're lost.

We're going to die out
here, just as you wanted.

- You wanted to die, not me.

- I'm starving.

- Too bad, you're always hungry.

- What's that?

(wagons creaking)

- [Lukas] Come on, we'll sneak up on them.

- [Ursula] Lukas, I'm not going along

with any more of your nonsense.

(triumphant orchestral music)

(metal clinking)

- [Lukas] Morning.

- Renaul, we've got company.

- Whoa, whoa!

- You get out of there!

You too!

- Oh, let go of me!

- Let's hear it, this better be good.

- We were on the train,

and we got off at the wrong stop.

- Train doesn't stop around here.

- That's right.

- We fell off.

- You fell off the train?

- We thought we were
pulling into the next stop

and, well, anyway, we saw your wagon,

and we were so cold and tired but honest,

we didn't touch anything.

- What do you think?

Should we shoot 'em or feed 'em?

- Aww, Francoise, you shot the last ones.

Go ahead and feed them.

- All right, I'll fix
you somethin' to eat.

Now remember, nobody gets nothing

for nothing on the wagon train.

- [Lukas] Yes ma'am, we'd
be very glad to help out.

- Let's go!

- Wait, where are we going?

- About 500 miles north to Fort Garry.

- Lukas!

- You two brother and sister?

- Yes.
- No.

Why did you have to lie and tell them

that I was your sister?

- (shushes) Keep your voice down.

Look, just play along with this.

It'll only be for a
couple of days I'm sure.

Please?

- Why should I?

- As a friend I'm asking you.

- I give up.

- Thank you, Ursula.

(bright orchestral music)

- I don't mean to be nosy,

but you didn't get off any
train, you jumped, right?

- Ah, well, yes.

We ran out of money.

We're on our way west to find work.

- Work alone?

Where's your family?

- Our mother died.

- Oh, sorry to hear that.

What about your father?

- He's a trapper, a fur trapper.

We're on our way to meet him.

You eat this?

- Pemmican, of course we do, don't you?

- Oh, naturally.

- This batch is real
tasty, don't you think?

Renaud saw the buffalo a while back,

so we made enough to keep us for a while.

Here's a piece of tongue.

Tasty, ain't it?

- Of course, it's the best part.

- I'll just check the back.

- Oh careful.

Hello there.

- Hello.

- Ben Davis, from Chicago.

I said, my name's Ben Davis.

- I heard you.

I'm Ursula von...

I mean Ursula Shoeleder.

- I am pleased to meet
you, Miss Shoeleder.

That's German, isn't it?

Shoe leather.

That's what it means right?

Beautiful day, huh?

The kind of day you wake up and
thank the Lord you're alive.

So, where you hail from, Miss Shoeleather?

- I am not in the habit of
disgusting the intimate details

of my life with strangers.

If you'll excuse me.

(upbeat music)

- [Ben] Nice meeting
you, Miss Shoeleather.

- Lukas, I have to talk to you.

- Did you try this stuff?

Tastes like shoe leather!

- Precisely, and if anybody
asks, that's our name as well.

- What is?

- Shoeleder.

- Shoeleder?

Go on, Ursula, who'd believe that?

- Circle up!

Circle up!

Move!

Come on, move!

Circle up!

Yes!

(man speaking softly)

Move, circle up!

(people chattering)

(bucket rattling)

- Ursula, take coffee
round to the sentries.

- What? Serve people?

- Oui, you can't expect
them to leave their post.

Well then, get to it, girl.

(speaking in foreign language)

(metal clanking)

(somber harmonica music)

- Nice work, Lukas.

Where'd you learn about horses?

- Oh, I apprenticed with a blacksmith.

- Oh, I thought with the name Shoeleather,

your father might have been a cobbler.

- A cobbler? Oh no.

My father is an artist.

- That's funny.

Your sister said he's a trapper.

- Well, he's an artist
that became a trapper.

He's an old trapper.

A young artist, but an old trapper.

- Mm-hm, well if you don't find work

where you're headed, Lukas, you have a job

with me in Fort Garry.

I can sure use a good man.

- Mr. Davis, would you like some coffee?

- Miss Shoeleather, what
a pleasant surprise.

- Please don't call me that.

- Well, why not?

Didn't you say?

- I prefer Ursula.

- Ursula.

Well, that's a beautiful name.

It suits you, and now we're
on a first name basis.

You better call me Ben.

- Really, I couldn't. (sighs)

- Ben.

- Ben.

(cup clinking)

(coffee pouring)

- Thank you.

Well wait.

Don't go yet.

Can't we talk for a while?

- About what?

- About all the things we have in common.

- I'm sure we have nothing in common.

- Well, maybe.

But if we don't talk,
how we gonna find out?

Do you like walking?

- Walking? No.

- There, we have that in common.

Neither do I.

What abut music?

- What abut music?

- Well, what's your
favorite piece of music?

- I'm sure you wouldn't know it.

- Try me.

- Verdi's "La Traviata."

- Oh!

(laughs)

(melancholy harmonica music)

Well?

- That's correct.

- I bet you like to dance.

(can rattling)

Well good, so do I.

♪ Camptown ladies sing
this song, doo da, doo da ♪

- Mr. Davis, what are you doing?

♪ Went back home with my hat
caved in, oh the doo da day ♪

- I can't breath!

Let go of me, you brute!

(heavy breathing)

- Well, might as well hang
for a sheep as a lamb.

(lips smacking)

(grunting)

(sighs) Hey!

You forgot your coffee pot!

(metal clanking)

- What's wrong with you?

- Nothing! I don't want to talk to you.

Leave me alone!

Oh, men!

- Uh oh, leave them be
when they get like that.

- I don't understand.

What'd I do?

- It's not you, Lukas.

(soft sobbing)

Now, now, why the tears?

A young man dances with
you in the moonlight,

and you're sad?

- He's rude and willful,

and he's a cad!

- A cad?

I'm certain he told you about himself.

He's very well educated back east.

And he's a surveyor for the railroad.

Renaud and me, we took
quite a liking to him.

- I can't imagine why.

- Well, for one thing, he's honest.

He's got a good head on his shoulders.

He's nice looking, don't you think?

- No.

- [Francoise] Those green eyes.

- They're blue.

- I once loved such a boy
with blue eyes, before Renaud.

- You did?

- I was very young.

We had a child,

a little girl and he was killed.

- Where's the little girl?

- I don't know.

His family had money.

I didn't, and they took her from me.

She would have been about your age now.

She's probably a pretty
young lady somewhere.

- (sobs) Oh Francoise, I'm so confused.

He kissed me, and he's just a common boy.

I lied to you, and I lied to him.

I'm not who I said I was.

I'm the Baroness Ursula
Maria Christina von Knabig.

- And what about Lukas, what's he?

- Oh, he's nobody.

But he's the one who got me into this mess

in the first place.

Oh, I don't know why I ever followed

that wilful boy into this wilderness.

Please don't tell anyone.

- A Baroness on my wagon train!

Dry your tears.

I'll get us some coffee.

We'll talk our hearts out. (laughs)

(sniffs)

(wagons creaking)

- Ursula, can I talk to you?

- Perhaps.

- Please let me apologize.

It was terribly forward of me.

Can you forgive me?

- I've never known anyone
as bold and ill-mannered.

Why should I forgive you?

- You're so beautiful, Ursula.

I can't promise I won't be bold again.

- Mr. Davis, there's something
I have to say to you.

I'm not who you think I am.

What's wrong?

- Trouble, come on.

(hooves clopping)

- Whoo.

- Sioux war party.
- Circle up!

- [Soldier] About a quarter mile ahead!

- How many?

- About a hundred tipis.

Captain says you best take another route.

(wagons rattling)

- [Francoise] Pardon, corporal.

- Ma'am?

- I wonder, could you get a message

from the fort to the east?

- Well, I could try, Ma'am.

- Because we've got these two kids,

they're stowaways on our wagon train.

She's a baroness, her
dad is looking for her.

- Circle up, come on!

Hurry up, move up!

Unhook the carts!

Hide the horses down at the river.

- I don't like it, it's too quiet.

Where are they?

- They will come when they are ready.

(hooves clopping)

(tense music)

- Lukas, stop!

- [Ben] I know the Indians,
I can talk to them!

(grunting)

They saved my life once!

- What do you think you're doing, huh?

- I was good, I just wanna talk to them,

tell them why we're here!

They'll listen to me!

Ow!

Ow, let go of me, you're hurting me!

- You stupid jackass!

You get caught by the
Sioux, they'd as soon

as take your scalp as look at you!

You don't know them like I do.

So help me, if I ever
catch you pulling a stunt

like that again, I'll skin you alive!

You understand me?

- Let go of him, Ben Davis!

- Get off of me!

(groaning)

What's the matter, are you
stupid as your brother here?

- I am not stupid, and
he isn't my brother!

- [Ben] What?

- [Woman] Indians,
couple miles to the west!

- Dig in!
- What for!

- Dig!

- [Man] Indians are coming, over the hill!

(tense music)

(people chattering)

(metal clanking)

(coffee splattering)

- Please, please!
- I don't care

if he's sleeping, just wake him up!

- No!
- Wake him up!

Brunneck!

- What is all the commotion?

Karl?

- Where is my son?

- Were you ever gonna tell me?

What have you done to my son?

What have you done to my son?

- Get him out of my house!

Get the police!

- If anything happens to Lukas,

I'm just gonna kill you!

- Stop, have you both lost your minds?

Don't you know why the boy ran away?

Because of you.

You both drove him to it!

You and this eternal quarrel!

(dramatic music)
(men chattering)

- I'll take one here, thanks.

(gun clicking)

(tense music)

- Nobody panic, wait for them.

(guns firing)

(horse whinnying)

(adventurous music)

(screaming)

- Lukas, Lukas, no time to waste!

(men shouting)

- [Man] Vern, behind you!

(grunting)

(men shouting)

- [Man] Vern!

- Lukas, no!

- Take it!

- Ben, I'm so sorry I lied to you.

I'm sorry about everything.

- [Ben] It's all right.

(gun firing)

(screaming)

(grunting)

(metal clinking)

- [Man] Yeah, it still breaks.

(somber music)

- Ben Davis, come on!

- Lukas!

- Stop, go inside!

(carriages rattling)

- Karl.

(door thudding)

- Fort Garry?

How in God's name did he get there?

- This woman, Francoise Broissard,

she says Lukas and the Baroness von Knabig

stowed away on her husband's wagon train.

- I shall go west and find him myself.

You have done enough for me already.

- Travel costs money, Karl Bienmann.

I've purchased train
tickets for both of us.

- Always deciding what everyone will do.

I don't want you to come with me.

I don't need your help.

(door slamming)

(baby crying)

- Take him.

You'd better get moving.

Take him inside, he'll be all right.

(woman murmuring)

- Did you find him?

- He was in the trenches.

- He's not there now and
he's not among the wounded.

- We have to find him!

I saw him, he went out there.

He might be wounded.

- I'll go.

- But the Indians.

- They'll be long gone by now.

Probably running north into Rupert's Land.

- I wanna go.

- I'll go with you.

- There is nothing we can do right now.

Let's just get busy.

(somber music)

- Lukas?

What are you doing down here.

We've been searching everywhere..

(water splashing)

What are you doing?

- I can't get the blood out.

- Nevermind, throw it away.

I'll give you one of mine.

- I can't get the blood out.

- Luke, I said I'll give you one of mine.

- I can't get the blood out.

- Hey.

Come on, let's go.

It's been a long day.

(fire crackling)

- Lukas.

- Thanks.

Please Lukas.

(melancholy music)

(water splashing)

(upbeat, adventurous music)

(crowd chattering)

- [Renaud] Everybody start unloading.

Lukas, Ursula, help unload our supplies!

Our cabin is just outside the gates!

(train chugging)
(train whistling)

- I didn't know.

- What?

- I didn't know what he was planning.

- I never said you did.

- But you blame me.

- I blame myself.

I should have never have agreed.

I should have talked to him myself.

- That's probably so.

- I won't lose my son again.

I'm going to get some fresh air.

(train whistling)

(sighing)

(speaking in foreign language)

(laughs)

- Certain things, they never change, eh?

Think someday you're gonna
find yourself a nice girl?

- No.

- You're gonna be a bachelor, huh?

One of those miserable
old coots with no teat

and a dirty shirt, and you
can smell him a mile off.

(laughs)

(speaking in foreign language) I did it!

Getting a smile out of you

is like pulling teeth from a moose.

(metal clanking)

What's eating at you, Luke?

This kind of thing, it
eats into your bones.

Pretty soon, you can't
think of anything else.

It was that Sioux boy or you, Luke.

- Why?

- Don't know, guess you got lucky.

- Lucky to kill someone?

- Nah, I never said that, Luke.

You pick up a gun, you point it,

one man lives, the other one dies.

Francoise, she's been
real worried about you.

You know how women are.

If they see something
wrong, they can't rest

till they fix it.

Anyhow, she was thinking,

the way you've been feeling and all,

maybe you should go back east.

Your grandfather is
probably worried about you.

- I don't care if I ever see him again!

- My first trip up the
trail from St. Paul,

bad drought that year,
drove the wolves down.

They attacked one night,
a man, Andrew McNabb,

had a trading post.

He ran in amongst those wolves,

and his whole lives were those cattle.

He drove them off, all right.

One month later, he died of rabies.

We must make choices.

It's not an easy thing, and you never know

how it's going to turn out.

- I sent a message to Lukas's grandfather.

I'm sorry, but I figured
somebody should know.

They'd be concerned about you two.

- My father should be arriving soon.

He'll be worried at first,

but he'll be furious once he gets here.

He'll want me to return
home to Prussia immediately.

- Oh, things have a way of
working out for the best, Ursula.

- (sighs) You don't know my father.

- All fathers are the same when
it comes to their daughters.

Especially when their
little girls grow up.

(stately classical music)

(knocking)

- [Jurgen] I'm sorry, your excellency.

There was no way to get word to you.

- I can't believe this,
I just can't believe it!

- I assure you, Herr Brunneck
is a very determined man.

I am sure they have reached
and are on their way back home

even as we speak.

- Where is this Fort Garry?

How do I get there?

- I will make all the
arrangements, your excellency.

(people chattering)

- Get a move on!

You need to learn to do what I say.

- I'm trying!

- Keep your feet moving
and your mouth shut!

Watch them pelts!

(somber music)

(grunting)

- Are you alright?

- [White Feather] Go away!

- Let go of her.

- She's bleeding.

- You don't say.

- She didn't do anything wrong,

and even if she did, what
right have you hitting her

- Go chase yourself, Little General!

(grunting)

Pick them up.

(groaning)

(dramatic music)

(clattering)

- Alright, all right,
break it up, show's over.

On your way, go, out of here.

- You saw what he did to her!

- Mind your own business, Lukas.

- Keep that kid away from me,

or I'll tear him limb from limb.

- Lay a hand on him, and I'll
put a bullet in your skull.

- Pick 'em up.

- Hey, wait for me!

Look, I just wanna talk to you.

My name's Lukas.

I have an Indian name, Bear Claw, see?

What's yours?

Don't be frightened, can't
you tell me your name?

- White Feather.

Go, he'll see you.

- I don't care if he sees me.

Is it against the law for us to talk?

(sighs)

- Just leave me.

- Look.

That man, who is that man?

Why do you let him treat you like that?

- Go, leave me!

- [Man] Yeah, ha ha, sure.

(man laughing)

- [Man] My God!

(men chattering)

- I'm going to the dining car.

You should eat as well.

- No, thank you.

- When we find Lukas,
he's gonna stay with me.

You made an agreement.

- It should be obvious, even to you,

that Lukas doesn't want to stay with you.

- Who left him alone in Prussia

suffering God knows what at the
hands of Count von Lebrecht?

- Just shut up about it, just shut up!

(door slamming)

(metal clinking)

(door creaking)

- No offense, Father, but no
red man's a brother of mine.

They're all a pack of
lying, thieving savages,

and I, for one, am through
with turning the other cheek.

- He's right, what do they want?

We give them land,
they've got no complaints.

- We gave them land.
- We gave them plenty.

That's what we got
ourselves a government for.

- Why would they need
anybody to give them land

when it was theirs to begin with, hmm?

Look, how many grains of sugar here?

Too many to count?

That's how many buffalo
roamed the prairie.

To the Sioux, the buffalo are their life.

They eat it, they wear the
hides, the make the tipi from it.

They use the bone, the hair,
they don't waste a speck,

and they never kill more than they need.

Ah, now along comes the white man, hm.

He takes one look at
the buffalo, (sniffs),

smells money, slaughter,
slaughter, slaughter, slaughter,

slaughter like no man has ever seen,

thousands and thousands and
thousands of buffalo, dead

for the price of their hides.

The few remaining buffalo,
huh, they stampede north.

So, where does this leave the Sioux?

It's a cold winter.

No meat to feed their children,
no hides to keep them warm.

Can any man stand by
while his children starve?

So the Sioux, they travel
north after the buffalo,

and what do they find their?

Ah, Ojibwe and Blackfoot who've been

pushed off their land by us,

and now they fear the Sioux as well,

so what do we have?

The Indian wars.

Ah, along comes the white
man to clean up the mess,

the mess he made in the
first place, mind you.

And what's his answer to this problem?

Simple, he's already
killed off the buffalos,

so now kill off the Indians.

Aw, but he can't kill them fast enough.

Sometimes, they fight back.

But they can't win.

Too many white men, too many guns,

and too much money at stake!

So now, we take the
money, we build the farms,

the cities, and the railways on lands

that weren't ours to build on.

Forget the buffalo, forget the Indians.

What will you tell your children?

How brave you were win you won the west?

- So you've made a fine
mess here, too, Father.

- So we take the buffalo,
and you take the souls.

Either way, they're history, aren't they?

(somber music)

(door clattering)

(metal clanking)

(White Feather groaning)

- I told you to keep your
bloody hands off her!

(grunting)

- Leave him alone!

- It's all right, you don't
have to go back to him!

(grunting)

- Stop, are you mad.

(grunting)

- Oh, oh sorry.

I'm terribly sorry.

I wasn't looking where I was going.

Here, let me help you up.

Are you hurt?

- Let go of me, priest.

(grunting)

- There you go, be careful.

(grunting)

(dramatic music)

- [Lukas] Father?

- Come in, come in.

It's Lukas, isn't it?

Sit down.

- Father?

- Yes.

- I couldn't help hearing what you said

about the land and the buffalo.

- Yes.

- I was in the wagon train
when the Sioux attacked.

I did something horrible.

(somber music)

A Sioux boy had a knife,

and he was coming straight for me.

It was all so fast, Father.

I killed him.

I can't stop thinking about him.

What do I do?

- You have great strength, Lukas.

- I do?

- And you have a good heart, my son.

You will make amends.

- Can God forgive me?

- In time, you may even forgive yourself.

(paddles splashing)

- You've got to get away from him.

He'll end up killing you, White Feather.

- What can I do?

If I run, he'll just hunt me down.

- How did you ever end up
with him in the first place?

- Well, there was a raiding party.

I was captured.

And Sam made a trade, rifles for me.

- But your family, don't they care?

- They hunt buffalo, they're far away.

- What about your baby?

You have to go to them.

You have to get away from here!

- [Sam] White Feather, where are you?

- Go!

If he sees you, he'll
just kill both of us!

- No, don't go back to him.

- Please go.

- Nobody does anything
about because she's Indian!

I wouldn't treat a dog
the way he treats her.

- Lukas, you're right,
but you mustn't interfere.

- She's going to have a baby!

- I know she has to get away from him,

but you don't know anything
about this country!

If she wants to leave him, she will.

- She's alone and frightened.

She should be with her own people!

- Lukas, you can't go traipsing
around this wilderness

like you're in Liebenberg.

What about the Indians or that trader?

Besides, you wouldn't know
how to reach her people.

- But White Feather does.

- Lukas, if anything happens to you...

- I have to.

- You hardly know her.

Why risk your own life to save hers?

- Because...

I risked my life to help you.

- I know.

Why do you think I followed
you all the way out here?

So that you wouldn't go and do stupid

and insane things like this.

- I have to do this, Ursula.

- Your father's coming.

- What?

- Francoise wrote your grandfather.

He and your father are on their way here.

Wait for them Lukas, please.

(hammer clanking)

- You've been playing with that harness

for the past two and a half hours.

- Oh. (laughs)

- Going to tell me about it?

- You knew my father was coming here.

- Oui.

- He left me in Prussia.

I followed him here,
halfway across the world,

and he left me at my grandfather's.

He disappeared, never
heard from him again.

- Did he say why?

- To live a new life or
some tripe like that.

- Maybe so you could
be well taken care of.

Better than he could in the old life.

- He never said he was coming back.

I came to be with him!

- Seems to me that he's coming
back to be with you now.

It's not an easy thing, this life, ha.

My brother, Jean-Pierre,
thought we'd make a fortune

with the wagons.

What did he know, huh?

It's mud and dust, stampedes and wars.

You don't know the future, so who knows

if you're making the right decisions?

We do what we must and hope for the best.

- Where's your brother now?

- Dead.

(steam hissing)

(dramatic music)

- Joining the priesthood?

- It's not what you think, Father.

- Oh, what is it then?

- I need your clothes.

- What, in the middle of the night?

- I'm taking White Feather
back to her people.

- Good God in heaven, you're
gonna pose as a priest?

- No.

She is.

- Ah.

Well, you'd better hurry.

- Thank you, Father.

(upbeat orchestral music)

(coughing)

- [White Feather] Lukas, are we there yet?

Okay.

(grunting)

(wheelbarrow rattling)

Oh, thanks.

- I prayed for our safety
to the Great Spirit

and to your God, too.

- Well, my God's got a lot on his mind,

so I hope to hell yours doesn't

because we need all the help we can get,

like guns and horses.

- I stole it from Sam while slept.

- What a genius. (laughs)

Here, let's look at you.

- I should put these up here.

- Someone's coming!

All right, keep your
head down and don't speak

unless you absolutely have to, all right?

Head down!

- Whoa, morning.

Father, where you headed?

- Down the trail ways.

- Well, me too.

Would you care for a ride?

- Thanks.

- Here, put it right up there, that's it.

- Come on, Father.

(grunting)

- You all right?

(man chuckles)

- All right.

- Yah.

(bright, triumphant music)

- Name's Ephraim
Brewster, Leda, Wisconsin,

heading west to British Columbia.

- [Lukas] Lukas Bienmann,
and this is Father Jesus.

- You don't say?

Glad to meet you, Father Jesus.

- I'm a praying man on occasion.

I figure it don't do no harm
and it might do some good.

I'm a fellow that likes
to hedge on his bets, ha.

Ain't that so, Girdy?

- God save the Queen!

- Oh, meet Girdy.

I won her in a poker game from a fellow

that hit gold in '49 and lost it in '50.

Bought hisself a pair
of these talking birds.

Girdy here, she's English.

Should've heard the other one.

- Vive Le France.

- He was a Frenchie.

Two of them birds used to
fight like cats and dogs.

- God save the Queen, Vive Le France.

God save the Queen, Vive Le France.

- Shut up, Girdy.

So, you headed for the gold fields, too.

- No, we're going to the mission.

- The Father, he's kind of quiet, huh.

- Oh, well he loves the Bible.

It's his favorite book.

- Is that so?

Then, how come he's
reading it upside-down.

- Upside-down, well.

Upside-down it's Spanish.

- The Father's Spanish?

- Right.

- And that's how Spanish looks?

Never knowed that.

Well, live and learn,
ain't that so, Gerdy, hm?

(smacks lips)

(bird squawking)

- White Feather!

(sighing)

Dumb squaw's never here when I need her!

Hey, have you seen her anywhere?

- No, I ain't seen her around.

- Where the hell is she?

White Feather.

(grunting)

Why that filthy, little...

She took my gun.

(metal clanking)

Where is she?

- Where's who?

- I'm missing something that
belongs to me, my Cree squaw.

I aim to get her back.

(metal clanking)

- Let me see.

- I should've seen that coming.

- When will his father be here?

- I've searched everywhere.

No one's seen them.

Someone has to go after them.

- Ursula, there's hundreds
of miles of open country

between here and the Cree camp.

We can't cover all of it.

- Well we just can't sit here.

- There is too much open country.

We'll let all traders know.

- What about Sam?

- He will do what he wants.

- Hope to Christ he doesn't find them.

- Go back to your people, Lukas.

- Not until you're safely home.

- It's too dangerous for you.

- (sighs) It doesn't matter.

- My people will be further
south and west of here.

(bird squawking)

- All fixed up and ready to go.

- We'll be taking our leave
of you now, Mr. Brewster.

This mission is south and west of here.

- Are you sure?

I hear that's pretty bad
country over that ways.

- We'll be all right.

- Well, you better take
care there, Father.

Wouldn't want anything to go amiss.

- Now, I don't mind driving
you up to the next fort.

- Oh no, we don't wanna
hold you up any longer.

We change directions here.

- Hup.

Well, suit yourselves.

- Good luck with your
prospecting, Mr. Brewster.

- Yah, same to you, same to you, Father.

(bright, cheerful orchestral music)

- Hi, you're just in
time for coffee, boys.

- We're looking for an
Indian girl, she run off

from Fort Garry.

She stole my gun.

- Mm, ain't seen nobody
fit that description.

Ain't seen nobody at all, 'cept priest

and his 'prentice awhile back.

They was Spanish.

You sure you won't have a coffee?

- No thanks. A priest?

His apprentice a boy?

- Mm.

- I think you know who I'm talking about.

Look, I'm offering real
money for the squaw.

I want back what she stole from me.

- Well, about how much money
we talking about, friend.

(coin jingling)

- Went due north.

- Let's go.

(peaceful music)

(bird squawking)

(grunting)

- What's wrong?

- Nothing.

Just the baby.

He moved.

- Just the baby?

Are you having your baby now?

- Not yet, but I think
it's going to come soon.

- Soon, what do I do.

- Nothing, I do it.

- We'll need water.

(grunting)

- There's a creek back
there we passed, remember.

- Yeah, a creek.

We don't have any pail.

What do I put it in, a cup, a pot, what?

- Water pouch?

- Water pouch, all
right, I'll go, you stay.

Are you all right?

(grunting)

Let me make you a pillow.

There.

(grunting)

Uh, here.

All right, you're sure you're all right?

All right, don't move.

- Just leave me.

- All right, you know
more than me about this.

I'll get the water, and then,
you're sure you're all right?

- Just go.

- I'll be right back.

(White Feather groaning)

(tense music)

- Hey, that squaw's Cree.

They ain't gonna be going north.

Buffalo moving south and west of here.

- I ain't real keen on moving around

with all them Blackfoot and Sioux, Sam.

- Well, I aim to catch up to 'em,

get back what's mine.

- Get the water, get
the water, don't panic.

(baby crying)

The baby!

(water splashing)

(baby crying)

- Isn't he beautiful?

- You did it, all by yourself.

He?

- A son.

- Oh, here's the water.

(baby crying)

He wants something, what does he want?

- I think he's talking to you.

(laughs)

Take him.

- Want me to hold him?

- Yeah.
- By myself.

- [White Feather] Just hold his head.

- He's so small and soft.

I think he likes me.

He stopped crying.

(branch snapping)

- Don't make a move, Little General.

I want my squaw back.
- Sam.

- [Lukas] She doesn't belong to you, Sam.

- [White Feather] Sam.

(bow twanging)

- I ain't losing my scalp over this!

(dramatic music)

(bow twanging)

- You all right?

- They're from my people.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Let go!

- White Feather, what's going on?

(speaking in foreign language)

- Quiet, Lukas.

I'll sort this out with my uncle

when I speak to him, I promise.

- Let go!

(Lukas grunts)

(peaceful music)
(horse whinnying)

(speaking in foreign language)

- What are you gonna do with me?

Wait a minute, White Feather!

(speaking in foreign language)

- Hey.

(gasping)

(speaking in foreign language)

- Let her go!

(speaking in foreign language)

(grunting)

(dramatic music)

- We should go with the Metis.

They know these woods.

they travel these routes all the time.

- They are too slow, must
be a couple hundred of them.

We are going with Mr. Slade.

We can travel light, more quickly.

He's been hunting in
these parts for years.

Or do you you want to
spend a month in a canoe?

Mr. Slade. We have a deal.

(spitting)

- Need supplies.

(money rustling)

(water rushing)

- Just how far are we
away from this Fort Garry?

- Hey, I said I'd get you there!

Should be only another 10 days!

- 10 days?

Listen, there'll be a bonus in it for you

if we make it faster.

- You got no worries with
Cobble Slade leading the way.

I know this here country
like the back of my hand!

- Mr. Slade, I think Mr. Bienmann and I

should have a couple pistols.

I've heard stories about
Indians in this region.

- Ah, don't you worry
about that, Mr. Brunneck.

Got a rifle over there
and plenty ammunition.

Indians is days from here, anyway.

Only cause trouble with the soldier boys.

No need for you to get yourself
all worked up about it!

Now you two gents, you man up,

and we'll be on our way!

(somber music)

- Things don't get too fancy out here.

Might get me a rabbit tomorrow though.

- Smells good, Mr. Slade.

- I'd hoped we'd make better time.

- Well, might do better tomorrow.

Indians can travel 200 miles a single day.

- I thought you said there
aren't any around here.

- Well, none as would do any harm.

It's big country, Mr. Bienmann,

man has a lot of space out here.

Where'd you say you was from again?

- Prussia.

In Europe.

- (laughs) Well don't that beat all.

You know, I reckon you're the
first one of them I ever met.

You too, Mr. Brunneck.

- I build bridges in Upper Canada.

- Well, by the look of you,

that must be a right profitable
occupation, Mr. Brunneck.

Now tell me, what brings you two gentleman

all the way out here, if
ya don't mind my asking.

- We're looking for my son.

- Lukas.

Lukas Bienmann.

- Don't recollect that name.

- We have word that
Lukas is at Fort Garry.

- Mm, they pay top dollar there, they do.

(laughing)

(metal clattering)

(tense music)

- Brunneck, wake up!

- What, what, what is it?

- Slade is gone.

- What do you mean, gone?

- Well, just look for yourself.

He left us stranded!

- Jesus Christ.

(dramatic music)

Slade!

(somber music)

- I thought you might be hungry.

- Thank you.

- I heard you wrote your father.

- Yes.

- [Ben] Think he'll come out here?

- I don't know.

I suppose.

- I never met a real baron before.

Is he like a king or something?

- No.

He's very strict and very proper.

He won't fit in here at all.

He won't understand this country.

- He loves you though, doesn't he?.

- Yes.

In truth, I miss him.

I shall have to go home to Liebenberg.

- I suppose so.

- Because...

Because I am betrothed.

- Betrothed?

That's like being engaged?

Hm.

Do you love the fella?

- I can't tell you.

We'll be introduced when I'm 18.

- You don't even know him,
and you're going to marry him?

That's ridiculous.

- It was a marriage arranged by my father

when I was 14 years old.

(bright, upbeat music)

- Get some water.

(Ursula laughs)

See you later.

- All right.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Oui.

- Ben, maybe we should
have a talk about Ursula.

- Oh.

- I feel responsible for her.

At least, until somebody
from the East arrives.

- Oh.

- It seems to me and to Francoise,

that you're mighty
interested in this girl.

- Oh.

- That's all you're
gonna say to me, oh, oh.

- Well I, kinda thought.

(sighs) I don't rightly
know what I thought Renaud.

- Take a load off.

She's practically royalty, you know.

I mean, she's betrothed.

I can't ask her.

Can I?

- You can always ask, Ben.

- Back home, when we
would return from the hunt

or have an afternoon
party, there would always

be tables and tables
full of breads and meats

and salads and cakes, and I
would always get my favorite.

Mother made sure.

- She would be very proud of you, Ursula.

You're a fine young woman.

- Not always, Francoise.

- Both you and Lukas.

- I've tried not to think about him.

Why isn't he back by now?

- Oh, it should be at least another week

before he returns, I'm sure.

- Lukas, Lukas, Lukas!

(somber music)

(speaking in foreign language)

- Sit down, Lukas Bienmann.

I have heard many stories tonight.

- What are you gonna do with me?

- The Sioux believe you possess magic.

- Magic?

- They saw you walk through the battle,

and no bullets, no
warriors could touch you.

- I don't remember.

(somber music)

- Thank you for the
return of White Feather.

You have made my sister very happy.

It's good that this
family is together again.

And your people, where could they be?

- I don't know.

- They don't worry about you?

- (sighs) My Father
will come from the East.

Your father must be a great warrior

to have raised a son like you.

- What will happen to White Feather?

And to her baby?

- She will resume her life with us.

She hopes your spirit will
remain with the child,

and he will be a member of our tribe.

And we'll continue following the buffalo.

- There won't be enough.

- I know.

- Why do you do it?

- It is our way.

I cannot predict the future.

It's beyond us.

It's in the land.

It's in the stars.

(horse whinnying)

You're free to go, Lukas.

(speaking in foreign language)

- [White Feather] Lukas, thanks.

- [Lukas] Oh, I hope some
day we'll meet again.

(laughing)

- And may good spirits
take you to your people.

- Thank you.

(horse whinnying)

- And the horse is a gift.

We have paid our debt to you.

Kuskitiw Pehewsiw will show
you the way to Fort Garry.

(speaking in foreign language)

- He will do as I tell him.

You've nothing to fear.

(leather squeaking)

(bold, adventurous music)

- Let's see how well
you can ride, white boy!

If you can't, we might
just leave you here.

You ride well.

- I've worked with horses a long time.

- So what will you tell them?

- That White Feather got home safely.

- For how long?

The chief believes that not
all white men are like you.

- What's he so busy about this morning?

- He wants to teach me how to shoot.

- Oh, that's nice of him..

- The thing is, I've been
shooting all my life.

My father has a hunting lodge.

- Oh, uh-oh.

- Exactly.

- In a situation like this,

the best thing a woman
can do is play dumb.

- You think so?

- Take it from me.

He thinks he's going
to teach you something?

Make him happy.

Go.

- (laughs) No, hold it
snug in your shoulder.

- Like this?

- Careful, it has a kickback.

- Can I shoot now?

- Well, I guess.

Now, don't pull back on the
trigger, squeeze gently.

- All right.

(gun firing)

Oh dear.

- Never mind.

It takes practice.

(gun clicking)

Like this.

(gun firing)
(glass shattering)

- Ben, you're so god at this!

I'll never be as good as you.

(gun clicking)

Shall we try again?

- No, better get moving.

Renaud says we're short on meat.

Come on, I'll show you how to really hunt.

(tense music)

One shot, that's all I need.

(dramatic music)

(wolf barking)

(gun firing)

Ursula!

Must be rabid.

- Lucky shot.

Are you angry with me?

- Angry?

Why didn't you tell me
you could shoot like that!

Come here.

(dreamy, dramatic music)

Closer.

I don't care if you're smarter
than me or better than me.

For sure you're prettier!

You understand?

(tense music)

(branch snapping)

(men shouting)

(grunting)
(splashing)

- Black Thunder!

- Blackfoot, enemies!

(grunting)

(screaming)

(shouting)

Go!

(grunting)

- It's okay, it's all right.

I'm alright, go on, go on!

- Go on where?

I swear to God, we've gone in circles.

- [Brunneck] Just like you to quit.

- What?

- You heard me.

- If it weren't for you
we wouldn't be here,

so just shut up for once.

- Why, go on or stay here,

doesn't matter to me.

I'll find Lukas anyhow.

- The only thing that matters

to Friederich Brunneck
is Friederich Brunneck.

Not Maria, not me, not Lukas.

Just Friederich Brunneck,
how successful he is,

how wealthy and buy, buy buy!

You wanted to buy Lukas, buy his love.

Only, Lukas isn't like you, he's like me.

And that drives you crazy.

Just get your hands off!

- You and your dreams and your whining.

Get out of my sight!

- Fine, fine.

You can't buy your way out
of this place, Brunneck!

What good is your money now?

(branches snapping)

(sighs)

Oh hell.

(birds chirping)
(tense music)

(rumbling)

(dramatic music)

Friedrich!

- [Brunneck] Karl!

What's going on?

- Fire, we'll have to move upwind!

(flames roaring)

(coughing)

- [Brunneck] Karl, I'm sorry.

- [Karl] Not now.

- No, it's got to be said now.

Karl, we are too much alike.

Maria knew that.

Two stubborn men she called us.

- And if we don't hurry up,

that's the way we'll finish, hey come on.

Get up.

- [Brunneck] No, go on, go on!

- [Karl] Get up.

- [Brunneck] I can not.

- Oh yes, you can, and you will.

. You're Friederich Brunneck.

You've built bridges and railways.

You're gonna make it.

- Karl.

- The fire has taken over the bush.

Quick, we've got to get out of here.

- Anyone hurt?

Watch out, the fire's spreading.

- My God, it's Karl Bienmann!

Karl Bienmann!

- Your excellency.

- Herr Brunneck.

- What a coincidence.

- Thank you, thank you, your Excellency.

- Where are we?

- On our way to Fort Garry,

but we need to go due
south to avoid disaster.

(flames roaring)
(dramatic music)

(peaceful music)

- [Ursula] Father!

- [Heinrich] Ursula!

- [Ursula] Father!

(speaking in foreign language)

I can't believe I found
you in this wilderness.

- [Ursula] Uncle Otto tried to kill us.

Thank God you're here.

- But you're all right,

that's what's important to me now.

We'll be home before you know it.

Everything will be fine.

- I know.

- How long ago did he leave?

- At least two weeks.

- He's just a boy.

How could you let him go out there alone?

No one has even been looking for him.

- I'll go after him.

- I could've gone myself,
but it's impossible

to know where the Cree
have camped for the summer.

Someone like yourself would have no hope

in finding him now.

The next wagon train back
east leaves tomorrow.

(heavy breathing)

(thunder roaring)

(soft grunting)

- Ow!

- When did you last see him?

- Two days ago.

- There was a Blackfoot raid.

Lukas was with us.

He was wounded.

I went back there, but he wasn't there.

I don't know what happened to him.

The Sioux think Lukas has magic.

I believe them.

I'm sure he's still alive.

I'm leaving in the morning
to return to our camp.

You may come with me.

- Ben!

Do you love me?

- What?

- [Ursula] Do you love me?

- Yes.

- Good, then we'd better leave.

- Ursula, what are you talking about?

Run away, like Lukas.

My father intends to
return east immediately.

He's determined to find my Uncle Otto.

Ben, I've decided I don't
want to go with him.

- Have you told him?

About me, I mean.

- I wanted to, but he's so excited.

He has so many plans.

I can't disappoint him.

I'm all he has now,

but it's not in my heart anymore
to go back to Liebenberg.

(somber music)

- Ursula!

You have something to say to me, sir?

- Yes sir, I certainly do.

- Papa, it's all my fault.

- I'm Ben Davis.

I may not be a count or anything,

but I know I love your daughter,

and she loves me, sir.

I come from good English stock.

My mother lives in
Chicago, my father's dead.

He was a land surveyor and so am I.

It's an honorable profession
and earns me a decent income.

I know you promised
Ursula to somebody else,

but you can't rightly
expect her to marry someone

she hasn't seen, who she's never even met.

I promise to do right by your daughter,

if you'll let me, sir.

- Ursula is betrothed.

What you are asking goes
against all conventions.

Our Prussian traditions are
not so easily put aside.

But, I'll hold you to
your word, Mr. Ben Davis.

You must show you how you
intend to prove yourself worthy,

if you are to change my point of view.

- Well, you look like
you've come a long way.

- That I have.

Smelled that coffee.

Mind if I buy some breakfast?

- Oh, no need.

No need, help yourself.

Clayton Pyle's the name, from Kentucky.

- Otto, Otto Schmidt.

- Well, It's a real pleasure
to meet you there, Mr. Schmidt.

Seems a lot of folks are on
their way west these days.

- Yeah.

- You headed anyplace in particular?

- Not really.

Just looking for a place
to settle, I suppose.

How about you, Mr. Pyle?

- Oh, tell ya I'm real lucky.

I got a share in a gold mine.

- Oh really? Congratulations.

- My uncle's mine.

He came west about 30 years ago,

was flat broke for 29 of them,

then he hit it big.

Never did get a chance
to enjoy it, though.

- My condolences.

So now you've come to
collect the inheritance.

- Well, half.

T'other half goes to Aunt Annie.

- I'm sure she'll be
very happy to see you.

- Oh, that's a fact.

We've never met!

She'll only recognize
me from this here hat

she sent me.

She's never even seen my face!

(tense music)

(grunts) Smell that rabbit stew!

I tell you, I could get used to this!

Fresh air, ain't nothing like it!

I feel like a million!

- That's nice.

- So Otto, what brings
you out west anyway?

- Same as you, Clayton, gold.

(dramatic music)

Your gold.

(wood thudding)

(paper rustling)

(metal rattling)

Evening.

(metal clinking)

(grunting)

- Ah, giddy-up, Nugget!

Come on, giddy-up!

Come on, come on! (grunts)

What in tarnation are you supposed to be?

- Lukas Bienmann.

- Annie Pyle, and this here is Nugget.

- [Lukas] Can I give you a hand?

- Hell, do you think you can
you give Nugget a bit of a tug?

(horse whinnying)

On the count of three.

One, two, three!

(grunting)

Great guns and halleluah, we did it!

Boy, I could'a been out here a week 'fore

anyone come to find me.

Well, where you headed?

- Fort Garry.

- That's a good two days' ride.

Not a sound idea on foot,
unless you're an Injun.

I got a mine's that's not far from here.

Least I can do is give you a hot meal

and a bed at night, huh?

Come on.

- Thank you.

(bright, cheerful orchestral music)

- [Annie] You sure one big mess.

You look like you been dead
and buried and back to life.

- Sorta like that.

You run the goldmine all by yourself?

- Oh, I did.

My nephew, Clayton,
showed up to help me out.

He's probably in there working.

Took to it like a fish out of water.

Want to take a look?

- [Lukas] Never seen a gold mine before.

- Come on.

(grunting)
(metal rattling)

(match clicking)

(metal clinking)

Come on.

Clayton!

Clayton, Clayton!

- Is that it?

Is that gold?

- Sure is.

Hey Clayton, we have a visitor.

Saved my bacon on the road from town.

(tense music)

(pickaxe clanking)

What's going on here?

- He's not your nephew!

(gun firing)
(rocks crashing)

- [Annie] Oh my God, run!

- Ah!

(rocks crumbling)

- [Annie] We're finished, Lukas.

(coughing)

- There has to be a way out of here.

Come on, Annie.

- Lukas, Lukas, it's going to collapse!

Lukas!

(dirt crumbling)

Lukas!

It's all coming down!

- Annie, come on!

- [Annie] Here.

- Come on, Annie!

Annie, look!

We can get out!

(water splashing)

- Ah, it's no good.

I can't make it.

No ginger left in the old girl.

Lukas!

(dramatic music)

(splashing)

Oh my God!

- [Otto] This time I'll
make sure, Lukas Bienmann.

(Lukas grunting)

- Stop it!

Stop it, let go of him!

Lukas!

Let him go!

(ax thudding)

- Come.

Your trail wasn't easy to follow, Lukas.

- Who was that son of a bee hive?

- He was Otto von Lebrecht,

and he murdered a man in Prussia.

- Ah, I guess my nephew Clayton
won't be coming to see me.

You saved my bacon again, Lukas.

I got a little something for you,

and I want you to know your
welcome to stay on, Lukas.

But if you're dead set
on getting to Fort Garry,

that there horse was Otto's.

I reckon it's yours now.

- Thank you.

Kuskitiw Pehewsiw.

- Lukas Bienmann, I need to
carry out my uncle's wishes.

- You've done enough for me already.

- It was my promise to the
chief and to your father.

- My father.

I will take you to them,
if you're ready to go back.

- My father.

(gentle music)

- [Brunneck] Forget about the Indian.

You can not trust anyone.

I must find the boy myself.

- It's too late.

Everything is too late!

- [Brunneck] It's all my fault.

I drove him away.

- [Karl] Nothing matters anymore.

- [Brunneck] Look Karl, company!

(dramatic music)

- Father!

- Lukas!

- Father.

Father!

- Lukas.

I'm sorry.

Oh God, Lukas.

I never thought I gonna find you.

Why did you run away?

- Father, I thought you didn't want me.

(laughs)

- Nothing will come
between us anymore, Lukas.

- Look at you.

Why did you do this Lukas Bienmann?

You are as stubborn as your father.

- Because he's independent.

He doesn't need us anymore.

- I want to go home with you father,

with my family.

- Home?

Where is that Lukas?

- Wherever you are.

But we should stay here, father.

- You will have many
opportunities under my care.

You will be educated to
follow in my footsteps.

- [Karl] Lukas is gonna
make his own way in life.

- What do you know about
an education, Karl?

What do you know about this
country, for that matter?

You just got here.

You must listen to what I'm telling you.

- You remember, that's how we got

into this mess in the first place.

- You showed up at my
door asking for my help.

Or has that moment escaped you?

(chuckles)

- No, Grandfather you are right.

- About what?

- The New World is a
marvelous place to grow up in.

- Yes, we wouldn't even be here

if it weren't for you, Friedrich Brunneck.

(triumphant orchestral music)

- (laughs) I'm right about many things.

- Don't let it go to your
head, Friedrich Brunneck!

(bright orchestral music)

(insects chirping)

(bird squawking)

(dramatic music)