Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962): Season 5, Episode 13 - An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge - full transcript
In the Civil War, Union soldiers are about to hang a defiant Confederate planter from a bridge, for sabotage. The noose is placed around his neck, but the rope breaks and he plummets from the bridge into a river. Dazed, he swims the rapids downstream, while the soldiers fire at him. He clambers on a river bank, and excitedly starts his journey back to his family plantation.
Good evening and welcome to
Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Please excuse me
if I speak rapidly.
I have a very short fuse.
Tonight's play is
a period piece
which takes place
when space travel
was limited to this
primitive means.
They say the trip is
very comfortable.
It's just the landing that
leaves something to be desired.
I shall be in orbit
for about 25 minutes,
during which you will be
able to watch our play.
I shall see you
at its conclusion...
I trust.
I'd known Owl Creek
all my life.
As a boy, I'd learned
to swim in it.
As a young man, I'd brought
my horses to it to drink.
And now, in this year of
1862, I was to die over it.
Further out. Another foot.
Now that's better. Now
tie down the other end.
I'm sorry, Mr. Farquhar,
we're not quite ready.
Well, I expect I can wait.
Thank you, Mr. Farquhar.
Today I die. Yet, last
night, just 12 hours ago,
I was safe and secure
in my own home.
Safe and secure.
You ain't touched your soup.
No. No, I'm not
really hungry, Hattie.
You got to eat anyhow.
First thing you know,
you won't have strength enough
to get out of bed
in the morning.
It isn't any good
being here on my own.
I know what it is.
I felt the same way
after Josh went.
And I tell you there's only
one way to get through it.
You got to make up your mind
you're going on.
Just like you always did.
Thank you, Hattie.
Anybody home?
Yes, sir. What can I do for you?
This well of yours looks mighty good.
I'm fightin' a powerful dry.
Well, I expect we can fix that.
Where did you get
that game leg?
Shiloh.
Home for keeps? I expect so.
Unless the army gets
awful hungry for men.
This your place here?
Yeah. 150 acres.
Got a dispatch for General Van
Dorn, can't seem to run him down.
Well, you're in the wrong neighborhood.
He left here a week ago.
Whole kit and caboodle? Yeah. Headed
for Holly Springs, last I heard.
What about the Yankees?
The onliest thing a man can say about
them is they ain't heading north,
not if they can help it.
Yeah, they're strung out
from luka to Memphis,
every one of 'em's nose is
pointed towards Vicksburg.
What about their communications?
Railroad.
Yeah, but I heard
the rail road was out.
Well, they're fixing it.
They got 2,000 men working.
Pushed all the way
to Owl Creek Bridge.
Owl Creek Bridge? Why,
that's only five miles away.
Yeah, within a week, you're likely to
have a whole yard full of them here
pestering you
for a drink like me.
Now they ain't gonna get
the same kind of service.
Yankees don't need no service.
They just help themselves.
Sergeant, suppose someone was to
burn down that bridge at Owl Creek?
That'd put 'em out, all right. Likely
to hold the move up on Vicksburg
till they got it fixed.
They don't intend on letting
anybody do it though.
They got a whole company of men
guarding that bridge alone.
Yeah, but suppose someone was to
figure a way to get past that company.
Somebody who knew the country.
Now look, mister, you find something
else to occupy your mind.
There's a notice
nailed on every tree
for a quarter mile
around that bridge.
Any civilian caught
prowlin' around the rail road
is gonna be hanged on the spot.
Now, you take my
advice and stay home
and take care of that bad knee.
No offense, mister. You get out
of this scrap with a bad knee,
you're a lucky man.
What all he want?
Hattie, you remember
when I was a boy,
you used to take me to the
piney woods around Owl Creek.
With Josh.
First, you'd pick me
a bunch of wild flowers,
then you and Josh'd go down to
the creek to catch crawfish.
There was an old trail that used
to lead past the turpentine still.
You remember that, Hattie?
'Course, I do.
It seems to me a man
could go up that trail
without ever coming
near the road.
And he'd come out of the woods
just below the rail road bridge.
Wouldn't he, Hattie? What's
goin' on in your head?
Ah, nothing. I just got to wondering
if that trail would still be there.
Well, course it is. The field hands
from the Connolly place still use it.
Thank you, Hattie.
I wouldn't give you
a pass through our lines
for a thousand dollars in gold.
If we want that bridge, we'll
holler for Bedford Forrest
and get it done right and
not call in some amateur.
Now, sit down and have a drink and
let's talk about something sensible.
Now look, Jeff. Bedford Forrest
couldn't get near that bridge.
There's 40,000 Yankees strung
out along the rail road.
You figure you're better at
burning bridges than we are?
I didn't say that. But I
reckon I could get through
where a regiment
of cavalry couldn't.
You always were a dreamer.
I tell you,
I'm gonna try it, Jeff.
And I tell you, I'm
not going to let you.
Jeff, will you listen to...
No. Let me finish!
That country's swarming with Federal troops.
You told me so yourself.
And the odds are much too great
for me to let you take the risk.
Besides, you did
your part at Shiloh,
and Melissa needs you
worse than we do.
By the way, does she
know about this?
No, Jeff, you never let me explain.
You didn't tell her?
Don't you think
you owe it to her?
Don't you think you owe her that much?
What do you think she'll do?
Kiss you on both cheeks
and wish you luck?
Send you off with maybe one
chance in 10 of... Shut up, Jeff!
I won't shut up!
What about Melissy? And what about that
young one of yours she's carrying?
Seems to me her time
is almost here.
Well, ain't it?
Her time's come and gone.
What do you mean?
She died a week ago.
The baby, too.
Oh, Peyton. I'm sorry.
Now don't you see?
I have to do something.
I can't just live out the
war in that empty house.
I plan to take the Rienzi road.
There's a trail that leads off
it, through the piney woods...
You want to be killed?
Is that it?
Because you would be, you know.
I've had to send so many of my
friends to be killed already.
Jeff, please.
Don't move, mister!
I told you to stay at home.
You should've listened to me.
Throw that thing down.
Now come along.
The rope, it's worn and frayed.
Maybe it'll break.
Oh, but I'll drown then.
That's worse.
Unless, I could get
my hands free.
You've done very well up to
now, Mr. Farquhar. Keep it up.
Lift your eyes, Mr. Farquhar.
Look at the sky.
You've done very well up to
now, Mr. Farquhar. Keep it up.
Lift your eyes, Mr. Farquhar.
Look at the sky.
Maybe the rope will break.
Maybe the rope will break.
Maybe the rope will break.
Break. Break. Break.
Loosen the rope. Loosen it.
Loosen the rope, it's choking me.
Choking me. Choking.
There he is.
Come on!
That bank! Over there!
Downstream! Keep going!
Downstream!
The other side of the creek!
Dogs. Dogs. But how did they
get ahead of me?
He told the deputy
Josh.
Go out and bring me Laz'rus.
High Sheriff, he told
the deputy.
Go out and bring me Laz'rus.
Bring him dead or alive
Oh, Lord.
Just bring him in dead or alive
Josh.
Josh. You're alive!
Yes, Mr. Farquhar.
When the old mill burned down
we thought you went with it.
Hattie grieved herself sick.
Yes, Mr. Farquhar.
Josh, you've got to hide me.
Josh, please, they're
coming for me.
Who's that? The Yankees.
What they want with you?
They want to kill me.
That don't make no sense at all,
men wanting to kill each other.
That the most nonsensical
idea I ever heard of.
Men wanting to kill
all the time. What for?
Oh, Josh, please!
They're right over there.
Nobody's gonna kill nobody if I
got anything to say about it.
You come along
with me, Mr. Farquhar.
Where to, huh? Never mind.
Just follow me.
Po' Laz'rus,
he told the deputy.
Give me a cool drink of water.
Po' Laz'rus, he told the deputy.
Give me a cool drink of water
Josh, where are we going? You
wanna go home, don't you?
Yeah, but I don't
know this trail.
You just ain't seen it before.
Just stop and listen.
See there? The hounds are gone!
You just trust old Josh. I'll
get you home, safe and sound.
Feel death inside me a'burnin'
Feel death inside me a'burnin'
And then, they took po' Laz'rus.
They laid him on the counter.
And then, they took po' Laz'rus.
They laid him on the counter.
And they walked away,
oh, my Lord.
Look...
They're gone, Mr. Farquhar.
They're gone.
And then, po' Laz'rus' sister.
Run and told his woman.
And then, po' Laz'rus' sister.
Run and told his woman.
She come a'screamin'
and a'cryin'
And then, po' Laz'rus' woman.
She come a'screamin'
and a'cryin'
Says that was my only man...
Josh, look. That picket post.
They don't mean us no
harm, Mr. Farquhar.
Josh, those are Federal troops.
You remember when Mass Connolly
cotched you in his apple tree?
You thought he was gonna
tan your hide, remember?
What did he do?
He just laughed.
Now you unruffle your feathers.
Just keep going along with Josh.
Po' gal, po' Laz'rus woman.
She laid down her sewin'
Po' gal, po' Laz'rus woman.
She laid down her sewin'
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
Why didn't they see us, Josh?
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
High Sheriff, he told
the deputy.
Laz'rus he done gone home.
Gone home to stay at last, Lord.
Gone home to stay at last
Josh, I've got to rest.
You want to go home, don't you?
It ain't much further now.
Laz'rus he done gone home.
High Sheriff, he told
the deputy.
Laz'rus he done gone home.
Gone home to stay at last, Lord.
Gone home to stay at...
Josh!
Melissa!
All right, Corporal.
You can cut him down now.
My experience with the cannon
turned out to be a humiliating one.
How would you like to be
publicly labeled a "dud."
Well, here among the other war
surplus I have found this.
It contained the plans
for the defense of Atlanta,
and was given to a Union spy with
instructions to eat it if he were captured.
Those were formidable men.
However, the art of espionage
was a highly developed one
even back in Civil War days.
Preheat oven to 350°, bake
for 20 minutes and serve.
Now until next time,
good night.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Please excuse me
if I speak rapidly.
I have a very short fuse.
Tonight's play is
a period piece
which takes place
when space travel
was limited to this
primitive means.
They say the trip is
very comfortable.
It's just the landing that
leaves something to be desired.
I shall be in orbit
for about 25 minutes,
during which you will be
able to watch our play.
I shall see you
at its conclusion...
I trust.
I'd known Owl Creek
all my life.
As a boy, I'd learned
to swim in it.
As a young man, I'd brought
my horses to it to drink.
And now, in this year of
1862, I was to die over it.
Further out. Another foot.
Now that's better. Now
tie down the other end.
I'm sorry, Mr. Farquhar,
we're not quite ready.
Well, I expect I can wait.
Thank you, Mr. Farquhar.
Today I die. Yet, last
night, just 12 hours ago,
I was safe and secure
in my own home.
Safe and secure.
You ain't touched your soup.
No. No, I'm not
really hungry, Hattie.
You got to eat anyhow.
First thing you know,
you won't have strength enough
to get out of bed
in the morning.
It isn't any good
being here on my own.
I know what it is.
I felt the same way
after Josh went.
And I tell you there's only
one way to get through it.
You got to make up your mind
you're going on.
Just like you always did.
Thank you, Hattie.
Anybody home?
Yes, sir. What can I do for you?
This well of yours looks mighty good.
I'm fightin' a powerful dry.
Well, I expect we can fix that.
Where did you get
that game leg?
Shiloh.
Home for keeps? I expect so.
Unless the army gets
awful hungry for men.
This your place here?
Yeah. 150 acres.
Got a dispatch for General Van
Dorn, can't seem to run him down.
Well, you're in the wrong neighborhood.
He left here a week ago.
Whole kit and caboodle? Yeah. Headed
for Holly Springs, last I heard.
What about the Yankees?
The onliest thing a man can say about
them is they ain't heading north,
not if they can help it.
Yeah, they're strung out
from luka to Memphis,
every one of 'em's nose is
pointed towards Vicksburg.
What about their communications?
Railroad.
Yeah, but I heard
the rail road was out.
Well, they're fixing it.
They got 2,000 men working.
Pushed all the way
to Owl Creek Bridge.
Owl Creek Bridge? Why,
that's only five miles away.
Yeah, within a week, you're likely to
have a whole yard full of them here
pestering you
for a drink like me.
Now they ain't gonna get
the same kind of service.
Yankees don't need no service.
They just help themselves.
Sergeant, suppose someone was to
burn down that bridge at Owl Creek?
That'd put 'em out, all right. Likely
to hold the move up on Vicksburg
till they got it fixed.
They don't intend on letting
anybody do it though.
They got a whole company of men
guarding that bridge alone.
Yeah, but suppose someone was to
figure a way to get past that company.
Somebody who knew the country.
Now look, mister, you find something
else to occupy your mind.
There's a notice
nailed on every tree
for a quarter mile
around that bridge.
Any civilian caught
prowlin' around the rail road
is gonna be hanged on the spot.
Now, you take my
advice and stay home
and take care of that bad knee.
No offense, mister. You get out
of this scrap with a bad knee,
you're a lucky man.
What all he want?
Hattie, you remember
when I was a boy,
you used to take me to the
piney woods around Owl Creek.
With Josh.
First, you'd pick me
a bunch of wild flowers,
then you and Josh'd go down to
the creek to catch crawfish.
There was an old trail that used
to lead past the turpentine still.
You remember that, Hattie?
'Course, I do.
It seems to me a man
could go up that trail
without ever coming
near the road.
And he'd come out of the woods
just below the rail road bridge.
Wouldn't he, Hattie? What's
goin' on in your head?
Ah, nothing. I just got to wondering
if that trail would still be there.
Well, course it is. The field hands
from the Connolly place still use it.
Thank you, Hattie.
I wouldn't give you
a pass through our lines
for a thousand dollars in gold.
If we want that bridge, we'll
holler for Bedford Forrest
and get it done right and
not call in some amateur.
Now, sit down and have a drink and
let's talk about something sensible.
Now look, Jeff. Bedford Forrest
couldn't get near that bridge.
There's 40,000 Yankees strung
out along the rail road.
You figure you're better at
burning bridges than we are?
I didn't say that. But I
reckon I could get through
where a regiment
of cavalry couldn't.
You always were a dreamer.
I tell you,
I'm gonna try it, Jeff.
And I tell you, I'm
not going to let you.
Jeff, will you listen to...
No. Let me finish!
That country's swarming with Federal troops.
You told me so yourself.
And the odds are much too great
for me to let you take the risk.
Besides, you did
your part at Shiloh,
and Melissa needs you
worse than we do.
By the way, does she
know about this?
No, Jeff, you never let me explain.
You didn't tell her?
Don't you think
you owe it to her?
Don't you think you owe her that much?
What do you think she'll do?
Kiss you on both cheeks
and wish you luck?
Send you off with maybe one
chance in 10 of... Shut up, Jeff!
I won't shut up!
What about Melissy? And what about that
young one of yours she's carrying?
Seems to me her time
is almost here.
Well, ain't it?
Her time's come and gone.
What do you mean?
She died a week ago.
The baby, too.
Oh, Peyton. I'm sorry.
Now don't you see?
I have to do something.
I can't just live out the
war in that empty house.
I plan to take the Rienzi road.
There's a trail that leads off
it, through the piney woods...
You want to be killed?
Is that it?
Because you would be, you know.
I've had to send so many of my
friends to be killed already.
Jeff, please.
Don't move, mister!
I told you to stay at home.
You should've listened to me.
Throw that thing down.
Now come along.
The rope, it's worn and frayed.
Maybe it'll break.
Oh, but I'll drown then.
That's worse.
Unless, I could get
my hands free.
You've done very well up to
now, Mr. Farquhar. Keep it up.
Lift your eyes, Mr. Farquhar.
Look at the sky.
You've done very well up to
now, Mr. Farquhar. Keep it up.
Lift your eyes, Mr. Farquhar.
Look at the sky.
Maybe the rope will break.
Maybe the rope will break.
Maybe the rope will break.
Break. Break. Break.
Loosen the rope. Loosen it.
Loosen the rope, it's choking me.
Choking me. Choking.
There he is.
Come on!
That bank! Over there!
Downstream! Keep going!
Downstream!
The other side of the creek!
Dogs. Dogs. But how did they
get ahead of me?
He told the deputy
Josh.
Go out and bring me Laz'rus.
High Sheriff, he told
the deputy.
Go out and bring me Laz'rus.
Bring him dead or alive
Oh, Lord.
Just bring him in dead or alive
Josh.
Josh. You're alive!
Yes, Mr. Farquhar.
When the old mill burned down
we thought you went with it.
Hattie grieved herself sick.
Yes, Mr. Farquhar.
Josh, you've got to hide me.
Josh, please, they're
coming for me.
Who's that? The Yankees.
What they want with you?
They want to kill me.
That don't make no sense at all,
men wanting to kill each other.
That the most nonsensical
idea I ever heard of.
Men wanting to kill
all the time. What for?
Oh, Josh, please!
They're right over there.
Nobody's gonna kill nobody if I
got anything to say about it.
You come along
with me, Mr. Farquhar.
Where to, huh? Never mind.
Just follow me.
Po' Laz'rus,
he told the deputy.
Give me a cool drink of water.
Po' Laz'rus, he told the deputy.
Give me a cool drink of water
Josh, where are we going? You
wanna go home, don't you?
Yeah, but I don't
know this trail.
You just ain't seen it before.
Just stop and listen.
See there? The hounds are gone!
You just trust old Josh. I'll
get you home, safe and sound.
Feel death inside me a'burnin'
Feel death inside me a'burnin'
And then, they took po' Laz'rus.
They laid him on the counter.
And then, they took po' Laz'rus.
They laid him on the counter.
And they walked away,
oh, my Lord.
Look...
They're gone, Mr. Farquhar.
They're gone.
And then, po' Laz'rus' sister.
Run and told his woman.
And then, po' Laz'rus' sister.
Run and told his woman.
She come a'screamin'
and a'cryin'
And then, po' Laz'rus' woman.
She come a'screamin'
and a'cryin'
Says that was my only man...
Josh, look. That picket post.
They don't mean us no
harm, Mr. Farquhar.
Josh, those are Federal troops.
You remember when Mass Connolly
cotched you in his apple tree?
You thought he was gonna
tan your hide, remember?
What did he do?
He just laughed.
Now you unruffle your feathers.
Just keep going along with Josh.
Po' gal, po' Laz'rus woman.
She laid down her sewin'
Po' gal, po' Laz'rus woman.
She laid down her sewin'
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
Why didn't they see us, Josh?
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
Her heart full
of trouble and pain.
High Sheriff, he told
the deputy.
Laz'rus he done gone home.
Gone home to stay at last, Lord.
Gone home to stay at last
Josh, I've got to rest.
You want to go home, don't you?
It ain't much further now.
Laz'rus he done gone home.
High Sheriff, he told
the deputy.
Laz'rus he done gone home.
Gone home to stay at last, Lord.
Gone home to stay at...
Josh!
Melissa!
All right, Corporal.
You can cut him down now.
My experience with the cannon
turned out to be a humiliating one.
How would you like to be
publicly labeled a "dud."
Well, here among the other war
surplus I have found this.
It contained the plans
for the defense of Atlanta,
and was given to a Union spy with
instructions to eat it if he were captured.
Those were formidable men.
However, the art of espionage
was a highly developed one
even back in Civil War days.
Preheat oven to 350°, bake
for 20 minutes and serve.
Now until next time,
good night.