Navajo Kid (1945) - full transcript

[ Laughs ]

White bear wrestle
better than navajo.

Don't forget, you and gray wolf
taught me all I know.

That's right.
You more navajo than navajo.

Me navajo.

[ Laughs ]

That looks like gray wolf.

White bear,
come quick to the agency.

What's the matter,
gray wolf?

They no tell me.
Tell me tell you come quick.

There was nothing
I could do, Tom.



What happened?

Robbery.
Cleaned the safe.

Cold-blooded murder.

They even took his ring
and his watch.

Tom, I've got
to tell you something.

Don't quite know
how to break this to you,

but, uh, kirk was not
your father.

What?

What do you mean?

When you were a baby,

your real folks
were wiped out by apaches.

Friendly navajos found you

and brought you up
until you were about five.

Then kirk became
Indian agent.



Took you in and raised you
as his own son.

Been meaning to tell you this
for a long time.

Always told me he dreaded
the day he'd have to.

When the navajos found you,
this was in your basket.

That's all there is
that connects up with your past.

Probably your mother, Tom.

Tom. Tom kirk.

That's not even
my real name.

But kirk's
a mighty fine handle,

unless you can find
a better one.

What do you aim to do?

Find out who killed
the only father I've ever known.

Gray wolf, saddle up for me.

[ Speaks navajo ]

Good navajo never forget.

Good navajo find men
that kill.

Men?
What did you see?

Maybe two,
maybe three.

Three navajo
better than one navajo.

We go with you.

Not this time, blackhawk.
This is a job I do alone.

If this is a holdup,
mister,

we're carrying
nothing but passengers.

Well, you're takin' on
another one.

[ Whistles ] Go!

Got the time, mister?

Much obliged.

Heading for canyon city?

Uh-huh.

Doing business there?

Maybe.

You must have walked
quite a ways, son.

What happened
to your horse?

He went lame.
I left him at a ranch.

When a man walks
in this country,

he must be mighty anxious
to get someplace, eh?

I am.
I'm lookin' for someone.

Oh.

Got the time, mister?

Much obliged.

What are you doin' up there?

Hopalong, if you could jump
in a straight line

like you jump straight up,

you'd win
the El dorado sweepstakes.

Yes, sir,
that's what you'd do.

He sure is a jumper.
What do you feed him?

Mexican jumping beans.
Ha ha ha!

Oh, I got to get back
to the telegraph ticker.

Yes, sir, he's the jumpingest
jumping frog

a man ever got ahold of.

Why, he can make this
whole counter in one leap.

Come on, hopalong,
now show them what you can do.

Go on, now. Jump.

Are you loco,crandall?

We don't want
any gunplay in here.

You darn fool,
what are you trying to do,

make frog soup
out of yourself?

You stay right here
at your own end of the counter,

and don't you even wiggle.

Give US a hunk of pie.

I got peach, apple,
pumpkin, strumberry,

lemon meringue,
chocolate meringue,

Berry huckle--

huckleberry.i didn't make any today.
I got some apple.

Strawberry.they're out of season.
I got some apple.

All right, make it apple.

Just like
in the blue moon saloon.

They put the bottle on the bar
and you help yourself.

Say, I'm gonna
let you gents in on something.

Now, if you've got
enough money,

you can clean up here
in canyon city,

'cause my frog here hopalong
can jump farther

than any frog
they got around here.

Of course, I gotta put him
through more training.

Are you interested?

Son, you'd better
come with me.

Who are you,
telling me what to do?

I'm Roy Landon,
sheriff of canyon city.

Well, what do you want
with me?

I'd like to have a little
friendly chat with you,

if you want it friendly-like.

My office is just
a piece up the street.

Take care of that saddle
for me, will you, please?

I'll pick it up later.

[ Laughing ]

Hello, murdock.

Well, honest John grogan.
Where have you been?

John!i thought the boys had
cleaned you out for keeps.

Did you ever see the day
I couldn't come back

with a new bankroll?

The game's open, boys.
No limit.

All right,
name your game, boys.

What'll it be?

Hey, folks,
I've got the red-hot news

you've all been waiting for
right off the telegraph ticker.

Grover Cleveland
has been elected

president of the United States.

[ Cheering ]

That was a foregone conclusion.
I voted for him.

Yeah?
How many times, grogan?

Once, murdock.
Only once.

And I don't deal
from the bottom of the deck.

No, sir.
Honest John grogan--

that's what they call him.
Yes, sirree.

By the way,
did you hear?

The Indian agent in rock Springs
was killed and robbed.

The killers got away
with 20-30,000.

Government money, too.

Government money?Yes, sirree.

Well, roll me out one
seeing as I'm here.

Give him a little whiskey.

All right, now,
what's your name?

If it means anything to you,

where I come from
they call me the navajo kid.

Navajo kid, eh?

Nope. I can't find you
in here.

Did you expect to,
sheriff?

You never can tell.

This little book lists
the names and descriptions

of killers, gunfighters,
horse thieves and such--

outlaws wanted in Texas

and not wanted here
in canyon city.

All right, now, navajo,
let's have it--your real name.

Kirk. Tom kirk.

Kirk?
You mean Joe kirk's son?

You were raised
with the navajos.

That's right.

And here I was looking for you
in the outlaw book.

So many strangers
in town lately,

it keeps me hopping
to check them all.

Say, you said you were
looking for somebody.

Why?

For a good reason, sheriff--

my father
was murdered and robbed.

I had a hunch
you were trailing somebody.

You're right, I am.

Now you listen to me,
Tom kirk.

I know you feel
pretty bad about what happened.

So do I.

But let me warn you,

don't take the law
in your own hands.

Maybe I won't have to,
with a little help from you.

That killing took place
in Indian territory.

That was a job
for a United States marshal.

You should have sent
for one.

And let a hot trail
get cold?

How hot?Red-hot.

Now look here.

I represent the law
in canyon city.

You step out of line,
and you'll wind up in a cell.

From there,
you may end up on a rope.

Do I make myself clear?

Clear enough.

You understand
the white man's law, sheriff,

but do you know
the law of the navajos?

Hey, what's the idea
of ruining those shells?

I'm gonna make a chump
out of that jumping frog.

I'm gonna feed him
these buckshot,

and he'll be so heavy,

he won't be able
to jump over his own shadow.

Hey there,
what do we owe you?

Oh, just a minute.

Now, let's see.

What's the idea?

I sell my pies
by the inch.

I charge
what the tape measure says.

Mm-hmm.

Now let's see.
Coffee and soup is 15.

15...30...45.

And yours was...

Seventy.

Yours was--
let's see...

[ Chuckling ]

Yeah, now I got it.
$2.80.

$2.80.

Keep the change, pardner.

Thanks.

Oh, fellas,

don't forget to put your money
on my jumping frog.

He's a humdinger.

I'll bet he is.

[ Laughing ]

Go.

[ Croaking ]

Why, hopalong,
what's the matter?

Don't you feel well?

[ Croaking ]

Are you sick?

[ Croaks ]

[ Player piano playing ]

I'm sorry, boys.

Well, Matt crandall.

Back for another cleaning,
are you?

At cards, yeah.

Lee hedges and Bo talley--
pals of mine.

Howdy, boys.

Give me a stack
of blues.

All right. Green money
gets blue chips.

Don't worry.
We got it.

I'll take a stack
of those blues myself.

Give me
a couple of reds.

You're just
a tinhorn, grogan.

It'll take more than you've got
to bank this game.

Maybe you're right,
crandall.

Pardon me.

I dropped a card.

Well, the ace of spades.

There it is--
my hole card.

New deal, grogan.

Just as you say, crandall.

Oh, by the way,
did you boys hear

that the Indian agent
over at rock Springs

was murdered
and robbed?

Yeah?

No, we didn't hear
nothing about it.

Got the time, mister?

Nighttime, I reckon.
Dark outside, ain't it?

I ain't got no watch.

Once the sun goes down,
I have to wait till sun comes up

before I find out
what time it is.

What'll it be, mister?

Pie and coffee.

Help yourself.

I don't know
what's wrong with hopalong.

He never acted
this way before.

You don't think
he's gonna die, do you?

Well, I wouldn't know.

No wonder he's sick
if that's what you feed him.

Lead poisoning usually is fatal,
even to a bullfrog.

But I never--

oh, now I know.

That fella that was sitting
right there.

Say, if you see a stranger

that's got a face
that looks like hopalong,

he's a no-good cheat.

You know, I-I bet
he was trying to frame

the jumping sweepstakes.

How about some coffee?

Oh, yeah, sure.

You know where a man
can buy a good horse?

You're looking at a man
that owns one.

You want to sell him?

Well, maybe,
all things being equal.

What's he like?

Mister, he's beautiful.

His coat is as sleek
and as shiny

and as nice and as sweet
as a chocolate pie.

And his tail and mane
are lemon meringue.

And his eyes
are like blueberry tarts.

And just as gentle as a lamb,
except when I try to ride him.

If he's all you say his is,
you've made a deal.

Good.

Quitting so soon, crandall?

Don't tell me
you're broke already.

Look, grogan, you ain't even
dented our roll.

We'll be back.

Right now I'm thirsty.

Talley and me will
look after the horses.

What'll it be, stranger?

Make it anything.

How about a little bourbon?
The first one's on the house.

Much obliged.

You got the time, mister?

I don't go in
for timepieces.

Uh, here's the time.

Thanks.

Where'd you get that ring?

That, my friend,
is none of your business.

I asked you a question.
Where'd you get that ring?

Say, what is this?

I'm doing things
your way, sheriff--

legal-like.

I want him
charged with murder.

Murder?

For the murder of Joe kirk,

the Indian agent
at rock Springs.

You're all wrong.
Grogan couldn't have done it.

He was on the stage
with me. Remember?

You joined US later.

He couldn't have been
within 50 miles

of the Indian agency.

Maybe not, but he's mixed up
in it somewhere,

or he wouldn't
have had this.

Whoever killed my dad
took this ring from his finger.

Are you sure
that's the same ring?

I made it myself.

Hammered it
out of a piece of silver.

Well, I don't know
just what to say.

Neither does grogan...
Right now.

Hey, grogan,
are you in there?

Yeah, I'm here.

Hey, I hear
they want to hang you

for the agency murder.

That was the old man's kid
you tackled with.

I'm not worryin'.

I wasn't anywhere near
the Indian territory.

The sheriff's my alibi.

No, I'm not worried,
crandall.

You see, I happen to know
who did kill Joe kirk.

Yeah?

Yeah, and I could talk.

Yeah? Go on,
keep talking.

What else?

Well, if you boys
would cut me in

on, say,
half of what you took

out of that agency safe,

my mouth
would be shut tight.

Sure. We'll cut you in,
grogan.

Thanks, Matt.

Right now.

Hey, you want
to take a look at coco

and see how nice he looks
all dressed up

with that saddle
of yours on him?

Bring him over here.

Oh.

[ Laughs ]

Is this the way
you always cinch up a saddle?

Sure. It hurts his breathing
when it's tight.

Sort of hurts your, uh, head
when it's loose, doesn't it?

You wouldn't want to wear
a size 15 collar

on a 17 neck,
would you?

Aw, that's hurtin' him.

There's room
for one more, happy.

Climb aboard.

Oh, no, not me.

It might take me
a little longer,

but I'll take the wear and tear
out on my two feet.

All right.
I'll see you in town.

Hey, kid, what are you
running away from?

That hot lead
you've been threatening.

What's the idea?Quit bluffing, kid.

I'm taking you in for the murder
of honest John grogan.

Grogan?yeah, grogan.

Let's go, and don't try
any of your fancy Indian tricks.

All right.

Looks pretty bad
for you, kirk.

You picked a fight with grogan
in the saloon over the ring.

You dragged him here
and you locked him up.

You still have the key.
I'll take it.

Why don't you listen
to reason, sheriff?

Maybe grogan
didn't do the actual killing,

but it's just like
I told you--

him having that ring proves that
he was close to whoever did.

Why, him being dead
is the last thing I wanted.

I'd have been crazy
to kill him.

Dead men can't talk.

Your argument's
got a lot of weight,

but no one was in this office
after you left last night.

That doesn't prove anything.

No, that's right.

Come with me.

During the night,
grogan was called to the window

and shot through the bars.

How about that, kid?

I told you,
I wanted him alive

so he could talk.

Hey, what's that?

Buckshot.

Buckshot.

Well, how about it, sheriff?
Are you gonna hold me?

No.

Can I have my gun?

Be careful how you use
that hardware, kid.

I'm careful about everything.

Morning, winifred.Hi, happy.

If you're going my way,
I'm going yours.Sure, jump in.

What you going into town
so early for?

I'm having a birthday soon,

and I want a cake
with candles on it.

Mom's making the cake,
but I gotta get the candles.

I'll bake you a pie, and you
can put the candles on that.

Oh, thanks so much, happy,
but I've tasted your pies.

Huh? Oh.

I never saw him before.

You haven't?
Why, he's bunkin' with me.

That's my coco I sold him.

Jumpin' Jupiter,
what you burnin' up leather for?

I came back to get you.

What you nudging me for,
winnie?

Oh, miss winifred mcmasters,
this is the navajo kid.

Glad to know you.

Climb up
behind me, happy.

Oh, no, I'm satisfied
with this seat right here.

I'll see you in town.

Happy tells me
that you're bunking with him.

If you haven't anything else
to do,

I'd like to have you come
to my birthday party.

I'd be glad to.

Oh, fine.

Listen, we'll both be there,

even if I have to ride
sidesaddle on a mule.

Say, happy, I want you
to show me the man

who fed that buckshot
to your bullfrog.

Oh, sure, I will,

but right now I gotta get
some breakfast for hopalong.

You'd remember him,
wouldn't you?Who, hopalong?

No, the man who fed him
that buckshot.

Oh, sure,
you bet your life I will.

Hey, how about some coffee?

Well, you'll have to wait
for it to boil first.

I just got here myself.
But it won't take long.

How long?

J-Just a couple of minutes
and I'll have it for you.

How's your bullfrog,
pardner?

How far can he jump
this morning?

Yeah, you're the fella

that fed my bullfrog
buckshot, aren't you?

Now how'd you guess that?

Morning.howdy.

I'll be back.

Coffee, happy.

Yes, sheriff.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Looks like I broke
some of the candles

for your birthday cake.

That's all right.
There's still plenty left.

I'm, um, counting on you
coming to my party.

I'd sure like to, but--

now, no buts about it.

There aren't many young people
in canyon city,

and old people
aren't much fun.

I hope you won't
disappoint me.

I'll try not to.

Oh, Mr. Landon.

Mother wants me to remind you
to come to my birthday party.

I didn't know you were
giving a party, winnie.

It isn't really a party.

Cake and a few friends--
the usual thing.

I just invited Mr., um...

I can't think of his name.

You mean the navajo kid,
Tom kirk?Yes.

Maybe you shouldn't
have done that, winnie.

I've already
had a run-in with him.

He seems to bring trouble
wherever he goes.

Well, then, sheriff,
you must come to my party--

to protect me.

How long's that navajo kid
gonna stick around here?I never asked him.

He bunks with you,
don't he?

Sure, but if he talks
in his sleep,

I never listen
because I'm asleep myself.

Say, are you
as dumb as you look?

Oh, n-no. Dumber.

Excuse me.
I think my pies are burning.

We gotta get that kid,
and no missing this time.

Crandall: If you're so fancy
on the draw, you get him.

I will.

I-I gotta deliver a pie
in a hurry.

Well, who's stopping you?

N-Nobody, nobody.

We wouldn't have
nothing to worry about

if you hadn't lifted that ring
off the agent, crandall.

Well, I did.

Now you go on out and lift
that kid out of his boots.

You gotta be back here
in five minutes.

Less than that.

I don't know
what they're framing,

but that sidewinder Bo talley
was checking his gun.

I tell ya,
he's out gunnin' for ya.

I heard
you were looking for me.

You heard right, talley.

I'll take that gun.

Well, kid,
what have you got to say?

I was standing there
at the bar talking to happy.

That's right, sheriff.

I was telling him that talley
was out gunnin' for him.

I saw the whole thing,
Landon.

Self-defense I'd call it.

Anyone else
got anything to say?

The big feller
knocked the little feller

for a tail-twister,
then was gonna blast him

with his gun
while he was on the floor.

Yeah, but look who's
on the floor now.

You seem to have plenty
of witnesses backing you up,

but the law says
you've got to stand trial.

Come along.

Hey, that's the navajo kid
with the sheriff.

I wonder what happened
to Bo talley.

Kind of slow on the draw
if you ask me.

I don't like this.
We'd better get out of town.

Sure, we will.

But we'll be back
to get our dough

out of the blue moon's safe.

This time
I'll keep the key.

But you heard
what they all said, sheriff.

I shot him in self-defense.

Yeah, I heard it,

but you're still
going to stand trial.

I'll bet you would put
your own grandmother in jail.

Maybe, if she
committed a crime.

And I'll tell you
something else--

I'd see
that she got a fair trial.

So will you.

Happy: Hey, navajo,
are you there?

Sure, I'm in here.
Where'd you think I'd be?

You gotta be somewhere else
in an awful hurry, too.

Come on.

Come on, come on.
Come on, coco.

If you don't pull
on that rope,

I'm gonna put hopalong
in your feed bag.

Thataboy!
Whoa, now.

Nice going, happy.

Come on,
you gotta hurry now.

See if you
can find my gun.

I think it's
in the sheriff's office.I'll get it.

Here it is.
You gotta get out of here.

Wait a minute, happy.

I don't know what's gonna happen
or when I'll be back.

I want you
to take care of this for me.

Sure. What is it?

There's some things in there
that belonged to my mother.

Hey, look,
there's the sheriff.

Get your horses, men!

The navajo kid broke jail.
I want him.

Well, he's pulled off the trail.

Start searching both sides.

I want that kid,
dead or alive.

You seen murdock?

He ain't here
to give US that dough.

You're right, hedges.

I shouldn't have given it to him
to keep for US.

I told you that.

And I'm telling you now,
we came back here too soon.

It ain't healthy for US
around here, and you know it.

The kid got Bo talley.
How do we know who's next?

Why, it might even be you.

It ain't gonna be me.

His horse isn't here,

but that doesn't mean
that he isn't inside.

You cover
the back door, Steve.

Come on, winnie, hurry up
and blow out the candles

so we can eat the cake.

Good!

Here we go.

Winnie:
I get the first cut.

I want
to make a wish.

Oh, sure.

Happy birthday, winnie.

Oh, thanks,
Mr. Landon.

Sorry to spoil your party
by taking so many of the boys

out of town,
but it couldn't be helped.

We're having loads of fun.
You want a piece of cake?

No, thank you,
not right now.

I want to talk to happy.

Oh, of course.

You wouldn't by any chance

be knowing where
the navajo kid is, would you?

Why, he's in jail,
isn't he?

No, he's not in jail.

Of course, you didn't have
anything to do

with helping him break jail,
did you?

Oh, no, sheriff, you know
I wouldn't do anything--

look, you don't need to worry.
He'll be back all right.

What makes you think
he'll be back?

Well, because he gave me
a little package

and told me
to take care of it for him.

You mind letting me see it?

Well, I guess it's all right.

You be sure
and give it back, now.

He said that
it belonged to his mother.

He left this
with you, happy?

Yes, sir.

I gave this to my wife
just before we were married.

Happy, if you know
where the navajo kid is, talk.

I've gotta find that boy
before my men do.

You mean he's your son?There's no doubt about it.

Come along with me, happy.

I'm telling you, Matt,
I don't like this hiding out.

There's no telling
where that infernal kid is.

If it wasn't
for that dough,

we could put distance
between US and canyon city.

Oh, stop bellyaching.

We'll get that dough
out of murdock's safe and blow.

Shouldn't have been in there
in the first place.

We should have kept it
on ourselves.

Yeah, well, don't worry.
We'll go get it--

as soon as I find out
we've lost the kid.

Hey, your horse
must have wandered off.

You better go find him

if you don't want
to walk back to canyon city.

It wouldn't be me.

Now start talkin'.

Which one of you
killed kirk?

I ain't gonna say nothin'.

No? The navajo showed me a way
to make a man talk.

Well?

All right, I'll talk.

It was Matt crandall.

Matt crandall fired the shot
that got him,

and talley and me
robbed the safe.

That's all I want to know.

[ Gunshots ]

[ Gunshots continue ]

Whoever they were, their horses
are headed for town.

I've come
for that little package

you put in the safe for me,
murdock.

Come back tomorrow, crandall.
I'm closed for the night.

I won't be here tomorrow.
Open that safe.

Say, what is this,
a holdup?

You heard what I said.
Open that safe.

Got the time, crandall?

I'm over here, crandall.

You missed me
by six feet.

Your time's run out,
crandall.

Don't get the wrong idea,
mister.

This money belongs
to the government.

Hey, kid!

Put up your guns.
That's an order.

The kid is mine.

Drop your gun, kid.

I want you.

It's the other way around,
sheriff.

Drop yours.

Do as I tell you.
I've got to talk to you.

Go ahead.

If you've got something to say,
I'm listening.

D-Don't do it.
Don't do it, kid. You can't.

He's your father.What?

What did you say, happy?

I was trying to tell you
that he's your old man.

He's right, kid.

I didn't mean to wing you.
I was trying to get your gun.

I had to tell you this.

Happy showed me that locket
that you left with him.

I gave that locket
to your mother

just before we were married.

Look, those are our pictures--
your mother and myself.

It all ties in now.

You are my son.

Crandall:
Take your hands off me.

You got nothing on me.

Well, you're
a pretty good shot, kid,

but you didn't figure
on my watch stopping it.

This is the watch
he took from Joe kirk

after he killed him.

Strange that this timepiece

should have saved you
from killing him.

Got the time,
mister?

Where he's going, happy,
he'll have plenty of time.

I'm holding him
for the United States marshal.

You know, winnie,
if it hadn't been

for that birthday party
of yours that I spoiled...

You mean if the kid
hadn't given happy

that locket and the ring,
we might never have known.

Son, if you ever need
a wedding ring,

you couldn't find
a better one than this.

Folks.
Oh, folks.

What are you
doing here, happy?

I thought you had taken
hopalong to the sweepstakes.

Hopalong
has been scratched.

He's got too many
responsibilities now.

And if you don't believe it,
just take a look at this.

[ All laughing ]