Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 1, Episode 24 - The Stranger - full transcript

Can I help you?

Yes... couple of your newspapers

came into my hands
in New Orleans.

They mention a man
called Ben Cartwright. Aye.

Well, is he a rather
large man physically,

about my age?

He has two sons.

Three of them. MAN: Three?

Well, what do you want him for?

I'm Joe Cartwright.

Your father and I have
urgent business together.



Where is he?

Well, he's out of
town right now.

What kind of business?

Out of town, where?

Uh, Silver City.

At a reception they're
giving in his honor.

Look at this.

A whole newspaper
story about him.

We're grooming him for politics.

Fine man that he is,

he'll make a fine
governor, so he will.

Little Joe here is checking me

on the facts of his life.

Be in tomorrow's paper.



"Nevada and Ben Cartwright.

A great future together."

Well... I don't know
about Nevada, but...

Ben Cartwright has no future.

What did you mean by that?

When he gets back into town,

tell him I'm at the hotel.

Charles LeDuque.

I asked you a
question. All right, let go.

Now, look here...

All right, now, hold
it, Cole. Hey, no, no...

We'll smash Ben Cartwright

just like we've smashed
the story of his life.

Hi, Jack.

Joe Cartwright, how are you?

What can I do for you?

Listen, you got a fellow

named Charles
LeDuque registered here?

Yeah. Well, what room is he in?

He got anything to do with that?

Yeah, maybe.

218. All right, thanks.

Hey, Joe.

That's, uh, good news, isn't it?

I mean, about your
father running for governor.

Yeah, it's just fine, Jack.

Yeah?

All right, where is
that man of yours,

the one that hit me?

I'm sorry about that, son.

Why don't you come on in?

Mr. Cole will be back shortly.

Meanwhile, is there
anything I can do for you?

Yeah.

Yeah, you can
tell me who you are

and what you
want with my father.

Oh, I'd rather spare
you that ugly story.

Oh, what ugly story?

You know, it's
really remarkable,

the resemblance you
bear to your mother.

Oh, just leave my
mother out of this.

Ah, that's a little difficult,

considering the fact that
she and I were... good friends.

You said you had an ugly story.

Couldn't have been
about my mother.

You're right.

That story was about
the man she married.

You're lying, mister. All
right, take it easy, boy.

You got something
to say, say it! All right.

You take a message
to your father.

Tell him to stay
out of politics,

because the plans I have
for him are liable to interfere.

What kind of plans?

Inspector Charles LeDuque,

New Orleans Police Department.

Oh, and you came all the way

from New Orleans
for my father, huh?

2,000 miles and 20 years.

Oh, well, I don't
believe you, mister.

Go tell your father.

See if he believes me.

I'm going to tell him.

I'm going to tell him, then
I'll be back for your friend.

And in case you're curious...

the charge is murder.

Now I know you're lying.

Oh, Ben.

Whew!

I must tell you...

it's unusual in
these parts for a man

to be so graceful
on the dance floor.

Well, I must tell you,
I-I haven't danced

in such a long time, but...

so lovely a partner would
make any man graceful.

Your compliments are as
smooth as your dancing.

I'm sure you learned both arts

during your stay in New Orleans.

Perhaps.

Hello, Pa, Alice.

Hello, Adam.

Louise, your father is
a most generous host.

Well, it's not every day

we can entertain
the future governor.

Adam's been telling me
about his two brothers.

It's a shame they
can't be here tonight.

Well, the Ponderosa
demands a great deal of work.

I know.

And you're lucky to
have three sons to do it.

Too bad we have
to leave tonight.

Pa's got to get
around the territory

so that people can get
better acquainted with him.

I think everyone in Nevada
knows Ben Cartwright.

Folks, your attention, please.

You all know about
the fuss everyone's

been kicking up about
making Nevada a state.

So, it's time we
started thinking

about our first governor,

someone who'll
fight with all his heart

for the future of Nevada.

My friends... I give
you an able man...

a charitable man...

a humble man.

I give you Ben Cartwright
of the Ponderosa.

Ben!

Come on, Ben.

Say something.

I'm, uh... I'm deeply grateful.

Well, I, uh... I won't
make a speech.

Oh, no.

Uh, in this country, we, uh...

we don't talk much about things.

We... We get out and do them.

The things I want, I
believe you want also:

A free country where
we can raise our families

in safety, under God.

Now, Nevada is not yet a state,

but when that great day comes,

if you still want me,

I'll try to do everything
I can to be of service.

We'll want you.

Your father's a wonderful man.

He's going to make
a splendid governor.

Well, meet the next governor.

Hey, hooray!

There ain't nothing
to celebrate yet.

Not until Nevada
becomes a state.

Technicalities, Pa...
just technicalities.

Put it over there,
please, will you? Yes, sir.

What's the matter with Joe?

Pa, you've had a long ride.

Why don't you go on up and
get into some fresh clothes.

And we'll have somethin'
to eat, and then we'll talk

about it later. Sounds good.

Pa? What?

I don't think this can wait.

What?

There were a couple of
strangers in town today.

They came into the
Territorial Enterprise.

Made a few remarks
about you I didn't like.

Well, I imagine there
are quite a few people...

Well, what kind of remarks?

Well, first, I better
tell you who they are.

They say they're on the
New Orleans police force.

One of them is an
inspector named LeDuque.

LeDuque?

Charles LeDuque?

Then you know him.

Is he at the hotel?

Yeah.

Saddle my horse.

I'm Ben Cartwright.

Wow.

Come in, Cartwright.

Come in.

Huh.

Been 20 years.

You haven't changed much.

You remember me?

Yes.

I remember you.

I understand you're a
big man in these parts.

They're even thinking of
putting you up for political office.

Governor, isn't it?

I have a lot of good friends.

A lot of friends
and three fine sons.

Well... I haven't been
as fortunate as you have.

Of course, a policeman
doesn't have much chance

to accumulate family,
friends or admiration.

But most people admire
an honest man of the law.

Hmm...

Seems like you have
everything and I have nothing.

Of course... I have
always been handicapped

by this unfortunate infirmity.

I'm sorry.

Well, it's... a bullet
was responsible.

Hurts, every step.

Yeah, see, the... the
kneecap is shattered.

Happened 20 years ago.

I was on a murder case,

the murder case
of Simon LaRoche.

You remember?

I remember.

You should, because
you're going to hang for it.

Mr. LeDuque...

that charge against me
was dropped 20 years ago.

Was it?

Yes, it was.

I offered to return
to New Orleans

a month after I left.

My lawyer wrote, said
it was unnecessary

since three
witnesses had testified

that I had shot
LaRoche in self-defense.

Hmm.

Well, do you have
any, uh... any proof,

any, uh, documentary evidence?

Well... no, I...

I was to have received a letter

from the New
Orleans chief of police.

But you don't have that letter.

You know,
Cartwright, your lawyer

gave you some very bad advice.

You are a fugitive from justice.

You are still wanted for the
murder of Simon LaRoche.

Mr. LeDuque, that can't be.

No?

Here's a warrant
for your arrest.

Go ahead, look at it.

It's a true warrant.

It's on the right paper,
the right signatures,

the right language.

What more do you want?

The right motive.

What's yours?

You remember a
scuffle in the alley

the night I came to arrest you?

We, uh, we had a fight.

I knocked you down.

Do you remember hearing a shot?

LeDuque, you were after me.

You wanted to kill me.

I wasn't armed; I ran.

Yes, you ran.

I followed you.

In the dark, I fell and
the bullet entered my leg.

I'm sorry, I didn't know that.

I... I didn't look back.

You should have.

Because it gave me a very
special interest in your case.

I started following you that
night, crawling on my belly.

And I'm gonna continue
to follow you until you hang.

I can't hold myself responsible

for what happened
to you that night.

You're going back to
New Orleans with me

and stand trial.

This warrant of yours

is of no value out
here, you know.

You know, if you're innocent,

I think you'd be anxious to
go back and clear your name.

My name is clear.

What do you think your
name would be worth

if people found out about
your wife and Simon LaRoche,

Governor Cartwright?

Cartwright...

before I'm through,
you're gonna beg me

to take you back to New Orleans.

You don't believe that, do you?

I swear it.

See you, Mr. Cartwright.

That's Ben Cartwright.

Gonna be first
Governor of Nevada

when she becomes a state.

Hi, hello there, Ben.

Dennis. How are you now?

Well, to be perfectly frank,
Dennis, uh, not too well.

Aye and I'll wager
it's on account of

them two, the two strangers.

Ah, you've seen them, have you?

Wasn't it right in front of
me that Little Joe was hit?

It was you they
were looking for.

And by the look of you, it
was bad news they brought.

Dennis, I suppose
you'll be reporting

what happened in Silver City.

Aye, it's right here.

I'd like to, I'd like to put
something in next to it.

Aye, just one moment.

Ready now.

To all of my
friends in Nevada...

my deepest appreciation

for the way you've honored me.

But, for personal reasons,

I hereby withdraw my name

from consideration
as a possible candidate

for Governor of
the State of Nevada.

Here, take a look at that.

So, he's withdrawn
his name. Uh-huh.

Seems like you've
already begun to reach him.

Yes, sir, things are

beginning to
fall right into line.

"But, for personal reasons,
I hereby withdraw my name

"from consideration
as a possible candidate

for Governor of the
State of Nevada."

But, Pa, there was no
reason to withdraw, not yet.

I didn't want to, Adam.

Believe me, I didn't want to.

Why then, Pa?

You can't just leave
your friends out on a limb

waiting to be sawed off.

Your friends
would've stuck by you.

You mean they'd have
been dragged down with me.

In a political campaign, if
there's just one weak spot,

one breath of scandal,
your opponents find it

and use it to destroy you.

But Pa, if you were
cleared of them charges...

If.

It would take weeks to get
word back from New Orleans.

If I remained a political
candidate all that time,

our names would be dragged

through every
pig sty in the state.

Pa, you're not
telling us everything.

It's not like you to run
out of New Orleans,

not without the trial.

The only thing I've ever
kept from you, isn't it?

It's one thing you can
still keep if you want to.

No, it's been too long already.

The truth is something

that always comes
back at you, doesn't it?

Joe, I've told you a great
deal about your mother.

You never really knew her,
she was a wonderful woman.

Beautiful, slender,
delicate, gentle.

Treated Adam and Hoss
like they were her own, hm?

She was like an angel

to everyone that ever
came into contact with her.

And then this... this
man, this LaRoche,

Simon LaRoche
came into our lives.

The man I killed.

Why'd you have to kill him?

Your mother came from a...

from a certain notorious
section of New Orleans.

A section the sailors
called "The Flats."

Pa, what difference does it
make where she came from?

No difference, no
difference, not to me.

But to a man like LaRoche,
it presented an opportunity

to cash in on her past

by threatening to
destroy her reputation.

Threatening her with what?

He blackmailed her to
keep her past a secret.

To keep what secret?

Joe, I... What secret?!

Joseph, I doubt...
To keep what secret?!

What your mother
did or did not do

before I met her
is of no importance.

I loved her and I married her.

'Cause she was a
wonderful person.

But your mother
was afraid of scandal.

Not for her sake but for mine.

For Hoss' and Adam's.

So, she... she paid LaRoche.

She paid him.

Until I found out about it.

I went to see him,

we talked, got into an argument,

a fight, he pulled
a knife and...

I killed him.

In self-defense,
but I killed him.

I felt I couldn't stand trial

because then everything that
your mother wanted to forget

would have come out.

So it comes out
now, 20 years later.

Yes.

That's why I feel that maybe

if I go to New Orleans,
I can put a stop to it.

There's another way.

Joseph!

Pa, let me go.

Not in the mood you're in.

Now remember,
LeDuque is doing his duty.

I want you to promise me

that you will do no harm
to him of any nature.

I want to go out for a while.

I'll go with you, Little Joe.

I'd rather go by myself.

Joe?

I Prom... I promise.

♪ ♪

Your friend looks
kind of lonely.

Well, hello there, cutie.

Hey, what's your name? Dixie.

That's a pretty name.

Say, how'd you like to come over

to the hotel tonight and
have supper with me?

Ooh, that would be nice.

Is that all right
with you, Inspector?

Go right ahead.

You look like you
could be fun, Mister...

Mister, um... His
name is Charles.

Charlie, huh?

Charlie, betcha I could get
you out of that lonesome mood.

I like being alone; I
have a lot to think of.

Think?! You're wasting time.

Mister, it's against the law
to be alone in Virginia City.

I think I could like you.

Child, if you got to
know me, you'd hate me.

Hey, why's he so hard to get to?

He's got his reasons.

With that leg and all, I
feel kinda sorry for him.

Here, have a drink.

What about your friend?

Friend? He's not my
friend, he's my boss.

It's my job to look after him.

LeDuque!

LeDuque, I wanna talk to you.

I don't have anything
to say to you.

I said I wanna talk
to you, LeDuque.

And I told you I don't
have anything to say to you.

Pa told us the whole story.

When you say the whole story,

I figure you mean the
part about your mother, too.

I'm warning you,

keep my mother's name
out of your filthy mouth.

You know, you and I ought
to be on the same side.

You just get your father to
take that little trip with me

and your mother stays an angel.

You know, I gave Pa my
word I wouldn't kill you.

But if you drag my mother's
name through the dirt,

so help me, I will.

You'll have to kill me first.

Well, maybe that'll
be the best part.

He's dead.

It was self-defense.

Not the way I saw it.

You saw what happened!

You just got through doing
me the greatest favor of my life,

because now I can
tell my story under oath,

in a courtroom, where
everybody can hear.

The whole story
about your mother.

You just give me the chance,

that trial will be about
her, not about you!

Well, you're not
gonna get that chance.

Hey, what happened?

Go on, get the sheriff.

Young Cartwright just shot
this man down in cold blood.

Oh, Sheriff. Evenin'.

Anything wrong?

I'm afraid so, Ben.

We're lookin' for Little Joe.

Little Joe?

You ain't gonna like this.

He shot a fella
in Virginia City,

killed him.

Oh no, Sheriff.

No question about it, Ben.

Where is he?

Who was it he was
supposed to have shot?

One of them fellas
from New Orleans.

Name of Cole.

Oh.

This Inspector
LeDuque... He witnessed it.

He said Little Joe just
upped and did it in cold blood.

Oh, Sheriff Brady, you
know Little Joe better'n that!

All I know is he shot
a man and run away.

And we gotta find him.

Sheriff...

now I know Joe'll
be coming home.

Let us bring him
into town to ya.

All right, Ben.

Your word's good enough for me.

Come on.

I was hoping I'd find you here.

I thought you'd come.

I... I wanted to say good-bye.

Son, you're not going anywhere.

I got no choice.

Well, there's always a choice.

Here it's the choice
between running away

or facing up to what's happened.

What did happen in town?

Well, I went to see LeDuque.

In spite of what you promised?

I promised I wouldn't harm him.

I didn't say I wouldn't see him.

While I was talking
to him, Cole came in.

We got into a fight, he
drew his gun and I killed him.

Trouble is the...

the sheriff's wondering
why you ran away.

Yeah, a lot of choice

with Inspector LeDuque
the only witness?

Well, it's your
word against his.

People of Virginia City know you

and I-I know they trust you.

Pa, that's not the point.

What is the point?

LeDuque told me
what he'd do at the trial.

He said he'd get up in
front of that whole town,

and tell all those dirty lies...

about my mother.

You're running away to...

protect your mother's name?

Is that it?

Yes, that's it.

Your mother begged me to
stand trial in New Orleans,

no matter what the
consequences to her.

But, Pa, I can't do that.

I made a mistake, Joe.

I can't let you make
the same mistake.

Now you come home with me now,

and tomorrow morning

we'll ride into town together.

Son... You've always trusted me.

And running away
will ruin your life.

And it won't help her.

Come home.

I'm asking you.

Sheriff... I brought
you your prisoner.

Thanks, Ben.

What have you got to say?

Shot him in self-defense.

Cole's gun was in his holster.

That's impossible.

He drew first. It was there.

Why'd you run away?

Maybe he figured he'd be framed,

like what's happening now.

Now you know
better than that, Adam.

He'll get a fair trial.

Gotta lock you up, son.

You boys wait here.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

I saw you riding into
town with your son.

If you've come to plead for him,

you're wasting your time.

LeDuque...

you didn't come to
Virginia City for my son.

You came for me.

I rather admire you
for bringing him in.

Shows a certain
respect for the law.

Respect?

My son tells me
you saw the shooting.

Mm-hmm.

He also tells me
you can clear him.

Every criminal
claims he's innocent.

Don't call my son a criminal.

And let's stop beating
around the bush.

You came to Virginia City to
close the LaRoche murder case.

Well, I'm gonna give you
a chance to do just that.

Are you offering me a deal?

I'm offering you a deal.

Now, you clear my boy,

and I'll go back to
New Orleans with you.

Well...

Well, I don't know, though,

you're... you're asking
me to perjure myself.

I'm an officer of the law;

the truth isn't open to whim.

But... uh...

Now, suppose I do
make this... compromise.

Would you return
with me unarmed?

Yes. And alone.

Just you and me.

On horse.

Yes, I would.

And would you give
me your promise,

your word,

that you'd make no
attempt to escape?

I give you my word.

How long would it
take you to get horses

and provisions ready?

An hour.

Make it an hour and a half.

I'll have time to get outfitted.

I'll meet you at the
jail and clear your son.

We'll leave directly from there.

And Cartwright... you
should feel relieved.

Every criminal always is

who finally surrenders
himself to justice.

Pa, he's comin'.

Pa, who's comin'?

Inspector LeDuque.

He's agreed to tell the
truth about the shooting.

Tell the truth.

Why?

I'm going back to
New Orleans with him.

Now, I'll be back.

I'll be back soon.

Sheriff.

Inspector.

Ben says you've got
something you want to tell me.

Yes. About the-the
death of my associate,

Mr. Tom Cole.

Step over the desk, please.

You see, I was rather dazed

by what happened.

And so, I-I rather
confused the facts.

Unconfuse 'em.

Well, as I recall now,

Cole was drunk, he drew first.

Joe Cartwright
fired in self-defense.

What about the gun
in Cole's holster?

He put it there
himself before he died.

Sort of a reflex.

Mister, you really was
confused, wasn't ya?

May be the strange climate.

I rarely bungle the facts
like this in New Orleans.

Mister, from now on,
stay in New Orleans.

We need you around here
like we need the plague.

You belong in that
cell instead of Little Joe.

Now, Sheriff, everybody
makes mistakes.

Ask Ben Cartwright.

All I want to ask Ben is
will he accept my apologies.

Thank you, Sheriff.

Uh... don't let Little
Joe out of his cell

until I'm well away.

Why not? Where you goin'?

Just do me the favor.

See ya when I get back.

Well, Little Joe will
be out pretty soon now.

Pa, I know you told us not to,

but how come me
and Adam can't ride out

about ten miles
and intercept you.

A couple outlaws rode up on you,

it wouldn't be
your fault, would it?

Forget it, Hoss.

Well, at least we can
ride along with you.

He can't object to that.

Oh, he does object.

I said I'd go alone.

Well, now why's
that so important?

What's his motive?

I don't know.

Anyway, I gave my word.

I'm waiting.

Adam.

I'll get your packhorse, Pa.

You're not a bad cook.

You know,

reminds me of something
happened recently.

There was a case
where a condemned man

wanted to cook
his own last meal.

Then he didn't
have time to eat it.

So I did.

You know, it was very good.

I'm sure it was.

LeDuque, why did you wait

20 years to come after me?

I'm an officer of the law.

I'm subject to the
orders of my superiors.

I just can't believe
that your superiors

suddenly decided after 20 years

that I should be brought back.

Oh, I made that decision myself.

Of course, I had to become an
Inspector before I could do so.

The fact that it took 20
years is your fault, not mine.

My fault?

Yes, I've already told you.

A man with a physical handicap

doesn't rise fast
in police work.

I told you before,
I don't hold myself

responsible for that accident.

It was an accident

that happened
in the line of duty.

Now, when you
became a police officer,

you must have figured

that you'd have to
take certain risks.

Well, strangely enough,

I used to use those same
arguments with myself.

I knew that my hatred of you
might become an obsession.

I wanted to control it.

I wish you'd been successful.

Oh, I was for a while.

But then as I watched inferior
men being promoted over my head,

I began to wonder
whether I wasn't being

too charitable in my
thoughts about you.

Is that when you started
to think about vengeance

instead of justice?

Well, didn't I have
it coming to me,

after all the misery
you've caused me?

I don't believe that
any man is justified

in using a badge to
satisfy his personal hatreds.

You're so cold-blooded
in your thinking, Cartwright.

No, I've hated men in my time

but I've been able
to control myself

and not allow that
hatred to influence my life.

Well, why not?

You're a rich man,
you have sons,

you've loved women
and been loved by them.

Oh, that smashed
knee of yours, huh?

It's really been of
help to you, hasn't it?

What do you mean?

The way you use it
to lean on like a crutch

to explain away your
personal little failures

in your police work, with women

and your relations
with other people.

Stop it.

Well, face it.

It's not your knee, it's you!

You stop it or I'll
shoot you now!

Now.

Now it's true, isn't it?

You never intended to take me

all the way back to
New Orleans, did you?

Got it all figured
out, haven't you?

How was it to happen?

I was to be killed
while trying to escape.

Is that it?

You'd like me to say
yes, wouldn't you?

So you'd be free
to break your word.

No...

I don't intend to break my word.

I don't intend to try to escape.

Because I'm going to get
all the way to New Orleans.

Just in case you have
any idea of killing me first...

No, no, no.

I don't want to kill you.

Good night.

I'm not gonna sleep
tonight, Ben Cartwright.

I'm not gonna sleep any
night while you're alive.

It looks like a warm one today.

What are you
waiting for? Mount up!

Get away from me!

You heard me! Get
away from me, Cartwright!

I think I'll put a bullet
through your leg,

so you'll know how it feels.

All right, get over.

You have another gun?

This'll do it.

Ah, they've had enough.

They weren't after scalps.

They were after horses.

How far is the
nearest settlement?

About... uh, there's a
weigh station up ahead.

How far?

About 20 miles.

20 miles.

Over those hills.

Without horses.

And without water.

Come on.

Stay ahead of me.

Wait, wait, wait.

Let's rest a while.

Gotta keep moving.

This sun will kill you.

I can't walk anymore.

Gotta get to water.

Let me help you.

You stay away.

I don't need your help.

Well, now, let me help you...

I said stay away!

Go ahead.

Pull the trigger.

Been waiting 20 years for this.

Let me get him some water.

Easy, easy.

That's enough.

You brought me in.

Mm-hmm.

Why didn't you leave
me out there to die?

Couldn't let you die out there.

Why not?

We'd have both been better off.

When's the next stage
leave for the East?

Uh, it's due in
sometime tonight.

Where are we going?

New Orleans.

There's nothing in
New Orleans for you.

You have a warrant
for my arrest, don't you?

You were right.

I intended to kill you
before we ever got there.

But you can't kill without hate,

and now the hate is gone.

Sort of a relief.

This warrant was
never any good, was it?

You were cleared 20 years ago

by everybody except me.

That letter the judge
sent you, I intercepted it.

Why didn't you leave
me out there to die?

Can you rustle up some food
for a couple of hungry men?

Him, too?!

Well, we come in here
together, didn't we?

You betcha, mister. Just
give me a couple minutes.

Come on, let's wash up.

Gimme a hand.