Breakheart Pass (1975) - full transcript

* BREAKHEART PASS *

Esther. Jane-Marie.

Standing and dressed.

Get out now, ladies

Train ain't due for a damn week.

Where's Esther?

She's busy.

She's got an all-nighter.

Myrtle. Myrtle!...

"MYRTLE"

All right, fall in. Fall in.

Dress up, Madigan. Dress up.

Murphy, dress 'em up.

Come along.

How long you gonna be?

20 minutes, half an hour.

Howdy do, ma'am?

You could have a lot of fun

out of me, darlin', if you tried.

One thing about me, darlin',

I won't go to hell for not tryin'.

Message from Fort Humboldt

for the Governor, Mr.

I'll take it.

It's an army transport train.

No civilians on board.

Well, well, well,

this is an odd place to settle.

Ok, you heard him,

gentlemen. Line it up.

Major Claremont.

Sergeant, get me Captain Oakland.

Fall out the troops for exercise,

but keep them out of those tents.

Yes, sir.

Now you listen to me.

You will remain

hard by this train.

You ever see an Indian washing?

They're dirty, and they're ignorant.

Come on, watch out!...

Major Claremont.

How long will this take?

As long as necessary, Governor.

This train runs on steam.

That requires water.

Let's get it done,

as quickly as possible.

Of course.

Alright, come on.

There will be no skylarking...

Everything is in order,

Major

Bellew said you want

to see me.

Get your cipher book.

See what you can make of this.

It's for the Governor.

It's from the fort.

Maybe it'll tell

us what's going on.

Pissant politicians running

an army train. Yes, sir.

Havin' any problems?

No. We're just making sure we're

not gonna have any, Lieutenant.

Newell, come with me a minute.

For what, Captain?

Major gave me a message from

the fort to be deciphered.

Looks like you've got room

for one more.

No civilians, except by special

permission from Washington.

I'm a deputy US Marshall.

Indian agent for the territory.

The Governor can tell ya.

My orders are to accept no

unauthorised persons on this train.

Dr Molyneux and the Reverend

Peabody are posted to Fort Humboldt.

The young lady is a daughter

of the commandant at the fort.

Why do you want to go

to Humboldt?

Levi Calhoun.

He's in custody up there.

I wanna bring him back.

If ever a man deserved to hang.

And hang he will.

The sooner I can get up there,

the sooner he takes the drop.

We can have him sent

to you under armed escort.

You said that ain't

army business.

That way or no way.

Good day, Marshall.

Major Claremont.

Locomotive's ready, sir.

Very well, Sergeant.

Carry on. Major.

I can't find Lieutenant

Newell or Captain Oakland.

Corporal said Humboldt's

only two days up the line.

Something funny's goin' on.

Get the hell off here, son.

Wonder why we ain't movin' yet.

You sign up yesterday?

Hurry up and wait.

Hurry and wait.

Right, I need eight

volunteers right now.

You, you, you two.

You.

You, Murphy.

You too, Rafferty.

Here's what I want you to do.

Go up and scour this town.

Captain Oakland

and Lieutenant Newell are missin'.

See if you can find 'em.

Murphy and I will take

the small tent.

Have you found them?

Not yet.

Next time bring a nursemaid.

The train cannot be held

any longer.

You expect me

to leave my officers?

I'm very sorry.

You know the urgency

of our mission.

Just a goddamn minute.

Just once too often, friend.

Put the gun away, friend.

What's your problem?

Slippery Fingers here

took $120 off of me.

Maybe he's a good poker player.

Too good to be true.

Looks like a pretty fair hand

to me.

What's your name?

John Deakin.

Stand up.

I said stand up.

No gun?

I'm not a man of violence.

What's known as playing it

close to the chest.

That's not good enough, Marshall.

Outside.

I'm not a man of violence.

That's enough.

Not for me it's not.

Marshall, look at this.

"Wanted for theft, gambling

debts, arson and murder".

"John Murray, alias John Deakin,

alias Hayes".

"Former lecturer at the

University of Iowa".

A lecturer in what, Mr Deakin?

Medicine. Medicine?

You don't expect us

to believe that?

Here. Listen to this.

"Convicted of embezzlement".

"Trapped in Lake's Crossing,

where he

escaped under cover

of a fire that he set".

The whole town burned down.

Seven people killed.

Seven people. My God,

Richard, that's awful.

He blew up a wagonload

of explosives in Sharps.

It's still not army business.

Those explosives was on the way

to the presidio in San Francisco.

That makes it army business.

I'm pretty sure Mr Deakin here's

gonna be my ticket to Humboldt.

So the governor here got hold of

some of his friends in Washington,

had me appointed Indian

agent for the territory.

More ways to pacify indians

than shooting holes in 'em.

But you did that, too.

In the line of duty, of course.

Even back in Ohio,

we knew about Nathan Pearce.

Notorious, was I?

No. Famous is more like it.

"Famous" is a better word,

Marshall.

I must admire your spunk,

young lady.

It's not an easy life out here.

How come you're making

this trip

if no civilians are supposed

to be aboard?

Oh!...

I have friends in high places.

Miss Scoville's joining her father,

at his urgent request.

Gentlemen,

I have a hard day tomorrow.

At my age, sleep is a necessity.

"A hard day tomorrow"?

I have to check

the medical supplies.

We're cut off from

the world now.

May I please just know

what in the hell is going on?

Governor...

these are all intelligent people.

I think they have a right

to know.

Dr Molyneux here is

a specialist.

Your troops are

not merely relief.

They're replacements

for soldiers who've died.

Died? God save us.

The indians.

Not indians.

Fort Humboldt is in the grip

of a diphtheria epidemic.

Oh, Richard. My father.

We're in daily contact with the fort,

Marica, and your father's fine.

Why wasn't I told?

Because we might have lost the rest

of your command, not only two officers.

They must have found out.

Governor,

how dare you expose a lady,

all of us,

to this dreadful pestilence?

We have provisions

for a month.

We'll remain aboard until Dr Molyneux

pronounces Humboldt clean.

He's got as good a chance

as any of catching the diphtheria.

I've already had

the disease. I'm immune.

Where'd you catch it?

In Mexico. Why?

Just curious.

How many troops are

available for duty?

Gentlemen. Doctor.

25 out of a garrison of 76.

The others are too sick

for duty, or dead.

White Hand must like that.

White Hand?

Paiute chief.

He needs watchin'.

25 men. That's not even

enough for patrols.

If you'll excuse me.

Marica. Are you all right?

Yes, of course.

It's been a long day.

Are you going to leave

him like this all night?

I reckon we could turn

him loose in the morning.

By then we'll be in snow country,

and he'll have no place to go.

You sure got a mighty poor

choice for your pity, ma'am.

Then you make a mighty poor

example of a lawman, Mr Pearce.

A man is innocent

until proved guilty.

But you've tried,

convicted and condemned.

Show me the law that says you,

can treat a man

like a wild animal.

You frightened me.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to.

Aren't you afraid of

someone seeing you?

I'm afraid we're not much

of a secret any more.

Fairchild? Hmm!...

You should have told me about

the epidemic at the fort.

Why?

You'd only have worried.

Or are you afraid I might

have deserted, too? No!...

No, I'd never think that.

Let's wait until we

get off the train.

Can I get you something?

There's some food left.

No, thanks.

A drink?

That I'll have.

Would you untie my legs?

Don't be silly.

I won't go anywhere, I promise.

I'm sure you won't.

I'm all cramped up and I

need the circulation.

I give you my word.

I'll only untie your legs.

And if you want to hop off the train,

it's a long hop to anywhere.

It is. Best?

Ah, give me a hand up?

Oh, my God.

You promised.

When a man is a killer, arsonist,

a cheat and a coward,

it's hardly surprising if he

turns out to be a liar as well.

Is your mother still alive?

Yes.

But what's that to do with you?

But she's not well.

How do you know that?

If she were, the commander of the

fort would be visited by his wife,

and not his daughter.

It's strange, you coming out

here with diphtheria around,

and the Indians on the prod.

It must have been an urgent

invitation that brought you.

But not by letter.

Your invitation came by

telegraph, right?

You gonna marry the Governor?

Really. This is quite intolerable.

Before you leave, tie my hands again.

Not so tightly.

Why all this concern

and interest in me?

I should have thought you,

Mr Deakin, had enough worries.

Yes!...

I have.

Thank you.

Have Ferguson ready

with his telegraph

equipment when we stop

at 7.00.

And get Mr O'Brien.

Yes, sir.

Why are we stopping?

Morning, Governor.

My orders are to contact

the fort daily at this hour.

I hope you have no objection.

Make it short, please, Major.

Time's important.

Fall out, Fall out everybody.

Everybody out.

Nice fresh air out here, men.

Everybody outside.

Come on, get it out

of there, Bennett.

Guard mounts for everybody. Murphy,

you post guards on the other side.

And you, you, you and

you, up on the top.

Keep your eyes open, now.

White Hand's around here

somewhere, men,

waiting to pounce

on you little boys.

So stay awake, stay alert,

and keep your iron unbuckled.

I'll be right back.

I've gotten through to them, Major,

and they've acknowledged.

My regards to Colonel Scoville,

and congratulations on the

capture of Levi Calhoun. Yes sr.

That's the train, Calhoun.

What do I tell 'em?

How do I know you won't

pull no fancy tricks?

I swear I never would.

I don't believe you, soldier.

My God.

The fort's answering, sir.

As God is my witness, Calhoun,

I'll see you before

a firing squad.

Don't you give me no trouble,

Colonel.

I got your bluebellies

locked up.

By God, I'll skin 'em

alive, one by each.

Major Claremont.

The epidemic's worsened.

Is there news of my father?

It has his signature,

so he must be fine.

They're asking about

our time of arrival, sir.

O'Brien?

With this weather, I guess we'll be

at Breakheart Pass,

in about 20 hours.

Transmit that. Add my

compliments to Colonel Scoville.

Then get Myrtle City.

Request word on Captain Oakland

and Lieutenant Newell.

Yes, sir.

I can't get Myrtle City, Major.

Keep trying.

Dead, sir. I don't understand how

it could've gone.

Weather's been good.

It worked yesterday.

Sergeant Bellew,

board the troops. Yes, sir.

Troopers, fall in.

Board the train.

Murphy, get 'em aboard.

You be sure you take a roll call.

I don't wanna leave

anybody behind.

Seen Dr Molyneux this morning?

No, not yet.

Shall I send for him, Governor?

No, it isn't necessary.

Dr Molyneux had better

adjust to army schedules.

We don't run a restaurant.

Dr Molyneux.

The governor asked for you, sir.

Are you all right?

It looks like some sort

of seizure.

Apoplexy, I'd say.

You mind if I have a look?

What the devil for?

I do know something about medicine.

Why not, Major?

All right.

The skin's broken

above the left ear.

Of course. He fell.

Died before a bruise could form.

Apoplexy kills instantly.

No, a seizure like that would turn

the lips and the fingers blue.

It's lucky we have the law aboard.

Now, what does that mean?

There's a puncture.

Right there.

Just below the ribs.

Looks like somebody

knocked him out,

stuck a surgical probe

up under his ribs.

God save us.

It's hard to believe.

The fact is,

we have a killer aboard.

Yes, we have.

Move it along, men.

Murphy, keep an eye on that detail.

I'll check the drivers.

Sergeant...

as soon as the engineer is finished,

put the men back on the train.

We've got to move along.

Yes, sir.

Madigan, you and Bennett over

here, keep a sharp lookout.

Keep them logs moving, men.

Think how lucky you are.

You're warm.

On the double.

We don't have all day.

Get that wood up there.

It's colder than hell out here.

Can I help you? Oh!...

Where's Deakin?

Inside.

Don't worry yourself.

At least he has,

a good sense

Men on top, all aboard.

Back to your cars.

Dr Molyneux is dead.

Two of the Major's best

officers are missing.

And we can't get through

to Myrtle. Do you mind?

Go ahead.

Nobody heard anything.

Nobody saw anything.

And nobody knows anything.

It can only get better.

Well, you know, maybe they

were accidents after all.

We might have seen the end of it.

Have you gone crazy?

He fell. My fireman fell.

Well!...

He's dead.

You can't be sure.

Somebody better check on him.

Somebody that knows

somethin' about doctoring.

He might try to run off on us.

Looks like every bone

in his body is busted.

Move out!... Move out, men.

Can we make up the lost time?

Men are dying in that fort.

Sergeant Bellew? Sr.

Board the troops.

Yes, sir.

Troopers, fall in.

Vamos entrar!

Do you mind if I have a look

up there in that locomotive?

If it's all right with the Marshall,

it's all right with me.

Go ahead.

Whiskey.

He was reeking with it.

God is my witness, I never saw

Jackson touch that stuff.

Trooper Rafferty reporting, sir.

I'm your new fireman.

Hop up, young fella.

Morning, sir.

Good morning.

You must be Carlos the chef.

I am. And you must be

Mr Deakin, the murderer.

How about some coffee?

It's hot.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Marshall Pierce. Yeah!...

You're all mighty relaxed in the face

of what's transpired aboard this train.

What?

If Deakin's right,

Molyneux was killed.

The telegraph line

to Myrtle no longer works.

Yeah, it could be ice

or animals, even wind.

I think this bears investigation,

more than you're giving it.

Some little time ago

I had a choice, Colonel.

Major.

Keep your nose clean

and you'll get there.

What about it?

Never had no call to be a detective.

We're gonna all be

on this train for a while.

We just might find out what

happened before we have to get off.

Could be you did it all.

Could be.

Or you.

Oh, hell, we're stopping again.

Oh, no.

Oh, my God.

We're going backwards.

Oh, my God. Yeah!...

He's right. We're not stopping.

I know.

What's going on?

Come on, quickly.

Stay in your bunks. Down there

Move. Get in those

bunks and stay there.

Sarge, I'm scared.

What's going on?

Lay down, and stay there.

Get back in your bunks.

All of you, get back in your bunks.

It'll be all right.

Stay in your bunk'd.

Come on.

Troopers, troopers calm down.

Don't panic.

God. It's locked from

the outside.

What the hell is going

on here?

Where's that brakeman?

Where's that brakeman?

Open it.

It's broken.

The metal must have crystallised.

I don't know why the

brakes didn't hold.

Sounded like a gunshot to me.

Thank God we didn't lose

the medical supplies.

Not much good

without a doctor.

You're a doctor.

Least, so you said.

Not any more I'm not.

Simple charity to your fellow man.

My fellow man is about to hang me.

Major, we must try for

more replacements.

Major, you have to contact the fort.

The telegraph set's in the

front of the supply wagon.

Henry, telegraph set

in the supply wagon.

Sooner or later, me and sonny

boy are gonna need some sleep.

There's nothing you can do about that.

They're dead.

So am I. Or as good as.

It wasn't your fault, Major.

You were back there with us.

Nothing you could have done.

It ain't there, sir.

What? The spare telegraph set.

It's gone.

Mighty glad to see you, White Hand.

You made good time.

The train?

It's comin'.

Soldiers?

No word yet.

Me, too, sonny boy.

Me, too.

All right.

Six hours, no more.

Take a compartment

in the next car.

Who's gonna watch the steam?

I think we have someone

who can take care of that.

Feed in the fuel to keep

the needle between 100 and 130.

You got any questions?

Use the wood pile on the left.

The other's no good.

It's wet.

He says they didn't wreck

the troop cars. Son of a bitch.

He ain't done yet, Jebbo.

Hawkins, ask him what time

he gets to Breakheart Pass.

Then tell him to stop the

train when he gets there.

We'll have to get rid

of those soldiers.

White Hand's gonna have to work

a mite harder than he figured.

It's about time.

It's almost morning.

I'm hungry.

Pressure's right up there.

Go back and go to bed.

You can sleep the rest of the way.

Mind if I help myself?

Of course not, Major.

What is it, Henry?

I can't find the reverend.

He can't be far.

Only ten minutes ago he

was trying to save my soul.

Could he have fallen off?

We could back up

and look for him.

Where's O'Brien?

We'll back up.

No.

My God, Richard.

Why not? Someone is trying

to stop this train.

I will not allow

that to happen.

I can't believe you

won't stop to look.

Marica, darling,

there are men dying at that fort

who desperately need our help.

It's my responsibility

to get us there.

If the reverend was stupid

or unlucky enough to have

allen off, I'm sorry.

We're going through.

Governor.

You are one superior son

of a bitch.

We'll search what's

left of this train.

Who are you?

John Deakin.

What are you?

He must have fallen off.

If we back up maybe five miles...

He certainly wouldn't

have jumped off.

Reverend Peabody was small.

A big, strong man could

have thrown him off.

Me, I have an alibi.

Miss Scoville obviously

is not a strong man.

But the rest of you are big,

strong men.

What the hell are

you talking about?

You're pretty free

with your theories, Mr Deakin.

And my whiskey.

A damn sight better than

that whiskey back in Myrtle.

Yes!...

Marshal.

Marshal, there's no need for that.

Mr Deakin is not

a man of violence.

He told us what he's not,

but not what he is.

Carlos?

Are you in there?

They're all gone.

Carlos is gone, Deakin's gone.

The place is a goddamn mess.

What are you talking about?

Talk sense, man.

The ammunition boxes are open.

The coffins are open.

They're gone.

You're drunk.

Drunk?

I wish to hell I was drunk.

Ah!...

Don't. You'll die if you do.

No, not me.

Your friends out there.

I'm gonna take my hand away.

Don't scream. You promise?

You damn fool.

You'll get us both killed.

There's no help for you

out there.

Especially not from your

friend the governor.

Don't scream.

I want you to hide me.

Why should I?

To save both our lives.

I asked you this once before,

and you didn't tell me.

You'd better tell me now.

Who are you?

My name is John Deakin.

That's my real name.

I work for the US Secret Service.

I don't believe you.

Do you believe I'm a killer?

You've got about a minute

to make up your mind.

Who is it?

O'Brien, ma'am.

Come in.

The door's not locked.

What is it?

The prisoner, Deakin.

He's escaped.

Where could a man escape

to in this wilderness?

That's the point, there is

no place.

That's why we think

he's still on the train.

And you think perhaps I had?

No, no, no.

Just he could have entered,

while you were sleeping

I can assure you he isn't

hiding under my bed.

Please excuse me.

Tight squeeze.

I'm a damn fool.

Now please get out.

I want you to do one

more thing for me.

Go along and bring

back the Major.

Ah!...

Nobody else.

Just the Major.

Don't even talk to anybody.

But Governor Fairchild...

Especially not Governor Fairchild.

Go now.

What in God's name?

Put it away.

You'll use it later.

I don't believe a word of it.

What if I showed you

400 Winchester rifles

that were stolen

from the factory?

We've been tracking them

halfway across the country.

They're on the train now,

in the supply car.

All those men killed.

The train half wrecked.

All that over stolen rifles?

There's more to it than that.

And the governor? Surely he'd

have nothing to do with it.

I intend to see that Governor

Fairchild stands trial for murder.

Major Claremont.

Major Claremont.

Deakin must have got

to him.

Where in God's name can

they be?

In the supply wagon.

We've looked everywhere else.

Find 'em and kill 'em. Both.

I'm sorry.

I want to see those rifles.

You will.

Miss Scoville,

stay in the compartment,

and keep your door

looked after we leave.

Understand?

All right, stolen rifles.

Not worth all that killing.

Dr Molyneux...

there was no reason.

If you remember,

Molyneux said he was going

to inspect the medical supplies.

Rifles, dynamite, ammunition...

not much a doctor

would be interested in.

My God. The diphtheria,

those men at the fort.

There is no diphtheria.

Reverend Peabody didn't

go into the supplies.

I don't think he went

to church, either.

Mr Peabody was a secret service

operative for 15 years,

the last five of them with me.

Don't touch that gun.

Hey,

point that thing the other way.

I'm just a working stiff.

The major's just in back.

Bring him over here.

Get down.

Where's your gun?

I don't have a gun.

I'm just the engineer.

No. Jump. No, no.

Where's the gun?

It's in the box.

Underneath the seat.

I don't know who you are,

but the law says...

The law's who I am.

Have a look behind that wood.

They got onto something back

there in Myrtle, and died for it.

Then when Jackson,

the fireman spotted the bodies,

Banlon threw him off the train.

Are you gonna listen

to this murderer?

I looked at Jackson,

at the bottom of the trestle...

a head wound with

a lot of blood.

A dead man doesn't bleed.

You probably hit him with a

wrench before you threw him off.

Captain!...

Before God, Major,

I don't know what

he's talking about.

Major, sir, what do I do?

Keep your gun on Banlon.

If he moves, kill him.

We'll have to crawl forward,

on the roof and shoot him out.

What for? He's driving us

right where we wanna go.

Let's agree that Deakin is no idiot.

Why is he taking us there?

Let's get 'er done.

My job was to arrange a train.

I'm no gunman.

That's true, O'Brien.

But a noose would fit your neck

just as neatly as it would fit ours.

Hey, sonny boy.

Give me the wrench there.

The nut on the brake handle's loose.

Give me the wrench.

You know how to run this thing?

I think so.

You suspected everybody else.

Why not me?

The Marshall Pearce,

was our number one suspect.

You didn't want him on the train.

That put you in the clear.

What's ahead of us at the fort?

What's wrong there?

Yeah, Calhoun's not in custody.

He's probably with White Hand,

and they're in control of the fort.

My God, what for?

Humboldt's a shipping

point for all gold

and silver from

California and Nevada.

That's why everybody's involved...

except the girl.

The indians want the rifles

and ammunition back there.

I figure they were

gonna put the gold

and silver in the coffins

and ship it back.

There's a gun lined

up on you gents.

Now stop the train.

You hurt?

Only my dignity.

Breakheart Pass coming up.

Where are the soldiers?

Where are they, Deakin?

Here they come.

Look.

Hang on.

That son of a bitch.

Why'd he stop now?

This is where we get off.

You know anything about dynamite?

Of course.

Set this to blow the rails, but don't

light the fuse until I get back.

Why the hell are they shooting?

Tell an indian

things'll be one way

and they're not,

he'll think you crossed him.

They know you, Marshall.

Show yourself.

Like hell.

You son of a bitch.

What's going on?

A man's aboard.

He's got the engine.

You dumb pilgrims.

Ain't nobody in that engine.

Get the troopers at the fort,

but watch out for Calhoun.

When these blow,

he'll ride out here.

Right.

If we get the pressure back

up, I can take her on in.

Let's stoke her up.

That's the train.

Let's ride.

Tell the indians

to form a work party

and replace that track

with one from behind.

Take the claw, put it in like this,

and pull down.

Over here.

Put it here, like that,

and pull it down.

All right, take it away.

Where's Fairchild?

The Palace car.

Fairchild.

Maybe you know what's

going on around here.

No.

Keep 'em working, O'Brien.

Let me go. Oh!...

Help.

Ah, ah!... No!...

OH, help.

Ah, help!...

Ah!... Tchauhome? Ah!...

Let her go.

The hell I will.

Fairchild!... Fairchild!...

I reckon we've come

down to it, Deakin.

You have a choice.

You could throw that gun down.

I don't think I can do that.

Are you all right?

Your father's waiting

for you out there.