Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 11, Episode 19 - Is There Any Man Here? - full transcript

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Oh, what you said.
But I guess I deserved it.

Oh, excuse, please.

You understand Chinese?

Oaf is for dumb chicken.
Not for pretty lady.

Hop Sing, I'm Jennifer.
Jennifer Collier.

Oh, Jennifer.

- Oh, good to see you.
- Is Mr. Cartwright at home?

Mr. Cartwright, everybody
gone. They be back for supper.

Well, it's just as well. I'd like
to freshen up a bit anyway.

Freshen up?



Oh.

My trunk is still at the depot.
We'll have to send for it.

Oh. Nice to have
pretty visitor here again.

- It's nice to be here.
- Follow me, please.

Jennifer.

Welcome, Missee
Jennifer. Come in!

It's just the way I've
always remembered it.

Nothing change.

Missee Jennifer, how
is your father, Mr. Harry?

He's fine, thank you.

Mr. Cartwright look
forward to see him,

but he not tell Hop Sing to
expect such pretty bonus.

- I fix you number one guest room.
- Hop Sing.

Yes, missee?



These were Ben's
wives, weren't they?

Yes.

This mama of Adam, mama
of Hoss and mama of Little Joe.

- Very pretty, no?
- Oh, yes.

I fix you room chop
chop so you can...

- Higher.
- Yeah.

How come you all the time late?
Supper ready! You come chop chop!

Hop Sing, we've
had stock to work.

You better put that supper
on the back of the stove.

And maybe you like Hop
Sing put her on back of stove?

Who?

Pretty her. Missee Collier.

- Missee Collier?
- Yes.

Jennifer?

Hello, Ben.

My goodness.

My goodness. Ha!

Oh, how wonderful to see you.

Jennifer.

Oh, why didn't you let us
know you were coming?

I didn't wanna
cause any trouble.

Don't worry. Hop Sing
took care of me quite well.

Oh, I'm sure he did. He must
have been happy to see you.

Well, here you are all
grown up, an engineer.

Harry told me you were back
east at an engineering seminar.

That was six months ago.

And I'm so anxious to see
Harry's new mining pump.

Do you realize,
Jennifer, if it works,

how much property can
be saved, how many lives?

It'll work.

I came on ahead
to get things ready.

Papa will be here
day after tomorrow.

Good. Good.

Oh, you've gotta
come outside with me.

Hoss and Little Joe are
just putting up the horses.

I want to see the look on their
faces when they see little Jennifer.

Ben, you'll never know the
problems I had gettin' here.

Would you sit up,
please, Mr. Collier?

I can't understand why Jennifer
didn't tell you what happened.

Well, all she said was that she
was getting here a few days early

so she could help you.

Help me?

She left an angry groom and over
300 guests waiting at the church.

You saying that Jennifer
was gonna get married?

Sunday last. To Tuttle Ames.

Tuttle Ames?

You mean that... that banker, that
young tycoon I've been hearing about?

You should have seen him.
His face was as red as a lobster.

When that Jenny makes her mind
up, she's sure her mother's daughter.

Ben, Mr. Collier.

Dr. Crump wrote me to give
you a thorough examination.

Now, I can't do it if you're gonna
keep chattering like a magpie.

Sorry, Doctor.

Dr. Crump says I'm all right.
Heart's as strong as an ox.

As long as the ox
gets plenty of rest

and restricts his exercise
in this high altitude.

Now, do you have plenty of those
powders that your doctor prescribed?

- Yeah.
- All right, you can get dressed.

Don't worry, Doctor. I'll make very
sure that he takes good care of himself.

Thanks, Ben. And watch
his diet, will you? No fat foods.

Harry, your shirt.

Ah. Got everything
here on the list.

Take a look over there.

Tuttle Ames.

How did it go?

The devil knows.

She doesn't seem much inclined
to go back to San Francisco.

What about Tuttle Ames?

Didn't say much.

But she's only interested in gettin' the
presents back to those that sent them.

Well, she must
have said something.

Well, the fact is, she
did most of the talking.

But I've never been able to
make much sense out of that girl.

On the other hand,
she might listen to you.

Now, wait a minute, Harry.
Jennifer's your daughter.

Ben, you've got to do this for me.
You're the only one she'll listen to.

And I can't get on with the
water project till I have this settled.

Ben?

Well, all right,
Harry. I'll give it a try.

Sure wish you had three
sons instead of one daughter.

Come in.

Oh, I see Papa's sent you
to talk some sense to me.

Yes, yes, something like that.

Poor Papa. He'll just
never understand what I did.

Well, pre-marital jitters,

a common malady for the
groom as well as the bride.

Is... Is that how you see me?

A nervous young girl?

Well, no, no, I...

When I told Tuttle I
wasn't going to marry him,

it was no momentary
impulse, Ben.

Well, Jennifer, why did you go
through with it right up to the altar?

He kept after me and after me.

Tuttle is not a man to
take no for an answer.

Well, he sounds like he'd
make a perfect husband.

Not for me.

When we got to the church, I
just couldn't go through with it.

And I suppose
you're going to tell me

that you know exactly the
kind of man you wanna marry.

Yes.

Have you found him?

- Oh, yes.
- Does he know?

He should.

Pa, there's a fella
downstairs to see you.

Oh. Excuse me.

- Mr. Cartwright?
- Yes.

- Ben Cartwright?
- Yes.

Sam Morris is the name.

What's this?

On behalf of my client, Tuttle
Ames, I hereby inform you

you're to appear at the Virginia
City civil court two weeks hence.

- What's that he said?
- Two weeks hence.

Where you'll defend yourself
against the charge herein.

- What charge?
- It's on the paper.

Take a look and see.

Uh, good day, sir.

I'm sorry, Ben.

"The alienation of the affection
of one Jennifer Leslie Collier."

You knew about this?

But I should have.

Why?

Because you were the one I
told him I was going to marry.

Now, let's see.

Jennifer's trousseau.

Wedding gifts.

Dress for the bridesmaid.

I guess that does it.

You know, this'd
be a lot simpler

if you just got Jennifer
to go up to San Francisco.

I told you, the test is here.

If Mohammed won't come
to the mountain, then...

Yes?

- Oh, Mr. Collier.
- Hello, Bert.

- Tuttle.
- Father Collier.

This is Ben Cartwright.

Bert Taylor there
is my best man.

You see, I intend to marry
Jennifer before I leave this town.

Well, surely that would
be Jennifer's decision.

But if you are that confident,
what's the point of the suit?

I don't wish to discuss it.

It seems to me that you'd want to
keep the woman you intend marrying...

out of a messy situation.

That's my concern. I'm not
interested in your opinion.

Oh, blast it, boy. Ben's
trying to be reasonable.

Father Collier, my
fight isn't with you.

Mr. Cartwright,
I'll see you in court.

Tuttle, Ben here is
an old friend of mine.

It's all right, Harry.

Jim Wilson's my
attorney. He'll act for me.

I guess you'll be wearing
your wedding suit real soon.

I think you're right, Bert.

Come in.

- Oh.
- Jenny.

Before you come downstairs,
there's something I want you to know.

What's the matter?

Tuttle Ames is in Virginia City.

He means to cause Ben
trouble. And he's not bluffing.

Tuttle Ames never saw the day
he could frighten Ben Cartwright.

Frighten Ben he can't.

But he won't stop
trying until he's hurt Ben.

He's got power and he's got
money, and he might just do it.

Papa, do you want
me to marry Tuttle?

I want what will make you happy.

But you know how
I feel about Ben.

I want you to be fair with him.

- What's so funny?
- Nothing.

Except you have the most roundabout
way of giving a daughter your blessing.

Hey, that sure is a
pretty dress you got on.

- Thank you.
- Oh, Missee Jennifer.

Hop Sing have a special
treat. Fix duck just like you say.

Plenty butter, plenty
honey. A number one good.

Oh, thank you, Hop Sing.

- Where's Mr. Cartwright?
- Oh, he outside in storage room.

- Something wrong?
- No, no, nothing's wrong.

You know, Hop Sing, if
you play your cards right,

Miss Jennifer might put
in a good word for you.

Get in the kitchen!

Ben.

I was waiting for you.

You've...

- You've talked to your father?
- Yes.

You heard about Tuttle, then?

Yes. Should that
make any difference?

Well, it will if you... if
you tell him the truth.

And that is?

That you weren't running after
me, you were running away from him.

Oh.

And that's the truth?

Well...

Jennifer, I... I don't pretend to know
what... what's going on in your mind,

but, well, I can understand
you saying certain things

that you don't necessarily
believe just to get out of a situation.

Then maybe you'll understand
the memory of a tall stranger...

who brought a young
girl her first flowers.

Who showed her San Francisco.

A city she'd lived in but
had really never known.

Jennifer, you were... you
were 12 years old at the time.

You were a child.

Yes, but I knew...

I would marry a man
like you, one day.

- Tuttle?
- It was a mistake.

It made me know that I
don't want a man like you.

If it were another time...

Well, let's...

Ben, this is our time.

I think it's silly to argue about it.
I'm the one that hitched up the team.

- I ought to be the one that takes it.
- I got the wagon ready.

It takes a lot longer
to hitch up a team.

I had to clean the whole thing. It
was a mess. Took me two hours.

I remembered the
most important thing.

I had Hop Sing fix
up a little lunch for us.

'Cause that's all you
think about's eatin'.

That's right. Why not?

- Howdy, ma'am.
- Ma'am.

- Good morning.
- How are you?

- Here you go.
- I hitched up the team.

- Thank you.
- I got the wagon ready.

Well, isn't this nice?

Uh, well, I hitched up the
team, got it... got it ready.

I think that's very considerate of
you. All of you. Thank you very much.

- See you later.
- Yeah.

The wagon...

Hop Sing, you got any
more of them sandwiches?

Yah!

Whoa, whoa.

Wow.

There's something
about this place.

Oh, Ben, this has to be the most
wonderful country in the world.

Well, it is. At
least I think it is.

Of course, you don't remember.
You were here once, oh, years ago.

Yeah. Matter of fact, I think
it was right under that tree.

I came looking for you because
you'd... you'd gone out by yourself,

and I found you right under that tree
chasing a whole bunch of squirrels.

I remember.

And I looked up, and there you
were sitting straight in the saddle,

tall and handsome.

- Oh, sure.
- And smiling. Always smiling.

As if you were really
pleased to see me.

Well, I was.

Oh, I feel so
light-headed today.

Well, it could be the altitude.

Could be the company.

It seems I remember
the feeling one other time.

A trip to Oceanside Park.

Well! Yeah, of course.

That was the time I tried to teach you
how to sail and we dumped in the water.

Oh, it was fun.

I suppose it's past my bedtime.

Good night, Papa.

Besides, tomorrow's a big day.

And Jenny's giving me that look.

Her mother used to stable
a team of mules with it.

Kind of an evil eye.

You better look out for it, Ben.

Very funny. It's getting
late. It's time you were in bed.

See what I mean?
And she's right.

I'd better get my rest.
Tomorrow's a big day.

- And don't forget, Ben...
- Good night, Papa.

- Good night, Ben.
- Good night, Harry.

Nightcap?

That would be very
nice. Thank you.

Now, you and I
must have a little talk.

You make it sound so serious.

- Sit down, young lady.
- Yes, sir.

Jennifer, you're young,

you're vital, you're beautiful.

And... yes, I'm... I'm flattered

that you might want to marry me.

That's the secret of
my success... flattery.

Jennifer, have you
thought this through?

A dozen times.

- Why?
- Why?

Well... Well, if only because
of the... the years between us.

Well, you're young enough
to marry one of my sons.

Yes, I am. But I don't want
to marry one of your sons.

I want to marry you.

Me? Or that other man?

The one who taught you to ride,

tried to teach you how to
sail in the bay at San Francisco

and dumped you in the
water when you were a child.

The man you are now.

You don't know the man I am now.

Oh, Ben, I do.

No.

Ben...

I'm not that young.

It's true I had a dream,
a memory, if you prefer,

but I've tested that memory.

I've seen you, I've been
with you, I've talked to you.

I like...

I love what I've seen.

And I like what I see.

And I... I believe that you...
you feel what you're saying now.

- But in five years...
- If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be here.

If I wasn't sure that in five
years I'd feel the same way

that I could be a wife to you or a
help to you, a friend to your sons...

Let's talk about that. My sons.

Ben, be honest with me.
Have you changed your mind?

Jennifer, I haven't
made up my mind.

There are so many
problems to discuss. I mean...

Jennifer, this is a
masculine household.

I know that Hoss and Little
Joe won't show any resentment,

but there may be resentment
and you may feel it.

I'm not worried.

Well, there are other problems.

You'll be away from your
father, from your friends.

Ben, there are problems
in every marriage.

Problems that people
can and do solve.

This is not every marriage.

- You're trying to talk me out of it.
- Now, Jennifer...

It's time we both got some rest.
Tomorrow is an important day.

Every day is an
important day, Jennifer.

Oh, yes, Ben. Yes.

- Hey, Pa. How you doing?
- Mmm.

Uh... sit down. Sit down for
a couple of minutes, will you?

I've gotta talk to
you about something.

- Important?
- Well...

Shoot.

I've been...

I've been up most
of the night trying to...

Well, I've been
thinking about...

Well, I've been... I've had to try to
come to some kind of a decision.

It's been a...

Well, it's a very difficult
decision to have to make,

and I... I think perhaps
I've... I've reached it,

but... I just thought I had to
talk to both of you about it.

Yeah, well, what is it?

Since it affects both of you.

We've lived here together at
the Ponderosa for some time,

but I hope it won't
change anything.

Well, the fact of
the matter is I...

I've asked Jennifer to...

Well, the fact of
the matter is I've...

I've decided to ask
Jennifer to marry me.

Good.

What was it that you wanted
to talk about that was important?

It's not exactly a surprise, Pa.

How about some breakfast?
We've been up all morning too, huh?

How about a cup of
coffee, Mr. Collier?

Oh, no, thanks, Hoss.
Gonna check a few gauges.

- How's it going?
- Good. Real good.

This morning everything's good.

Wait. Let me give you a hand.

Oh.

- There you go.
- Ah, thank you, gentlemen.

Today I feel wonderful.

Just wonderful.

And to tell you the truth,

I think it's more because of you
and Jenny rather than the mine.

You know, it was a very difficult
thing raising a girl child all alone.

For a while there,
I had my worries.

But I got a feeling today her
mother would be very, very proud.

And with the pump ready to be
tested, how could I be a happier man?

Tuttle? Come here and look.

Looks like you were
right. Just a matter of time.

Good. Be just like the
taking of a general's sword.

- Go out in the hall and greet her.
- Right.

The volume's dropped
almost 50 percent.

Doing real good there
for a while, wasn't it?

Well, the lower the water drops
in the shaft, the longer it has to lift.

The harder the pump has to work.

It simply doesn't
have the capacity.

We're not even able to
keep up with the seepage.

Important thing is it works.

But not efficiently,
Ben. Not efficiently.

No, no, the... the mud's
already clogging the valves.

It'll take over a
month to redesign,

at least a month or two to
build and test a new one.

Harry, you've licked
other problems.

I'm sure you'll find a
way of licking this one too.

Oh, this way, Miss Collier.

Tuttle, I...

Yes, Jennifer?

Now that I'm here, I... find
it difficult to say what I want.

You might try apologizing.
That's a logical beginning.

I suppose I do owe
you an apology.

I'm sorry if I hurt you, Tuttle.

Good.

That's done.

I must admit there was a
time you had me worried

with this Cartwright
foolishness.

If you had listened to
me in San Francisco,

there wouldn't be
any need for this.

Of course we'll be married
here. I've already made inquiries.

This suite will do nicely.

Bert, I'm sure, can
find a handsome lady

to act as your maid
or a matron of honor.

- What are you talking about?
- Our wedding.

And this time there'll
be no running off.

You made a fool of me once.
It's not going to happen again.

I am not going to
marry you, Tuttle.

Surely you don't expect
me to give up that easily.

After all, you made me a
laughing stock in San Francisco.

You owe me, Jennifer.

I told you in plenty of time. You
could have called off that wedding.

- Such consideration.
- It wouldn't have worked anyway.

- You know that.
- And Cartwright?

Ben Cartwright is
a wonderful man.

He's kind and gentle,
and he cares about people,

which is something
you'd never understand.

You admire him, eh,
this builder of empires?

Well, let me tell you something.
It's a backwoods empire.

Your Mr. Cartwright is not so
invulnerable as you might think.

- What do you mean?
- Sit down, my dear.

Now it's your turn
to listen to me.

Lumber, for example.

A third of Mr. Cartwright's
income is derived from lumber.

I can go into the lumber
business, acquire a stumpage,

build mills and sell lumber
for far less than Mr. Cartwright,

30 or 50 percent less.

You'd deliberately
lose money to hurt him?

It will be my pleasure.

And I'll get the money back after
he goes broke and I raise the prices.

Cattle. He needs cars at the
railheads to ship his cattle to market.

I own railroad stock.

He'll have trouble getting
cars, lots of trouble.

Always the perfect gentlemen.

Horses. I can bring in
horses from California.

- And corner the market.
- That's right.

Now you're getting the idea.

I may not sink Cartwright,
but I'll hurt him badly.

In two years, he'll be selling
the Ponderosa piecemeal

to pay his debts
and stay afloat.

And if you're successful, what kind
of a marriage do you think it will be?

A splendid one.

You'll understand
who's running things.

That's the foundation
of all good marriages.

You'll see it my way, Jennifer.

There are no alternatives.

Mr. Collier, there must be a hundred
or so of these old flooded mines around.

If this thing works good,
it'll be worth a fortune to you.

Now, hold on, Hoss. Hold on. Each
mine presents a different problem.

We'll have to check this one out
first before we start talking about the...

Ben. Ben.

Lay down.

The powders, Ben.

Here, here, I got it.

Okay.

Easy, easy, now. Easy.

I'll be all right,
Ben. I'll be all right.

Those powders work faster
and better than dynamite.

Makes a nervous ticker
like mine sing like a bird.

I'll bet it does.
Now, up, come on.

Though the doc says it'll give a
good one a bad case of the hiccups.

True. Now, let's
get you back, huh?

Up.

Easy.

All right?

All right, now, just be careful.

There's no reason for me to be flat
on my back when I still have work to do.

After all, I don't
have a broken leg.

When did you get your diploma?

- I got a degree in engineering in...
- I'm not talking about engineering.

- I mean your medical diploma.
- Medical diploma?

- I don't have a medical...
- That's what I thought.

Then I suggest you don't try to tell
the doctor what's good for the patient.

You see that he stays in
bed for at least 24 hours.

We will, Doctor.

Harry, we'll look after the pump and
keep an eye on that water level for you.

There'll be two of you down if you
don't stop talking about the mine.

A shrew. That's what
I'm raising, a shrew.

My glasses. Where
are my glasses?

Papa.

There's nothing worse
than a know-it-all woman.

Jennifer.

Yes, Ben?

Hmm.

You know, with... with everything
happening so quickly, I...

I'm afraid I overlooked...
one important formality.

It's... It's lovely.

But...

Jennifer?

What is it?

Well...

Don't ask me. Not now.

Is something wrong? What is it?

Ben...

I'm not going to marry you.

I wanted to tell you
sooner, but with Papa ill...

You've changed your mind again?

You're gonna marry Tuttle Ames?

Yes.

He offered to take me back in
spite of the hurt I caused him.

I'll be moving into
town tomorrow morning.

And that's all there is to it?

Excuse me. I have to pack.

Excellent. Now, if the piano
could be just a little softer.

Now, the bride and her father
will enter from this corridor.

Everything is going very
smoothly, just as expected.

Good. The guests are arriving.

I think you'd better be
downstairs to meet them.

I was just going.

- I'll greet them in the corridor.
- Yes.

Yes. It's so nice to see you.

Second floor, first
door on your right.

Oh... Cartwright.

- Yes?
- I expect you know the way.

Oh, yes. How are
you? Nice to see you.

So glad that you could
come. Right in here.

- Mr. Cartwright.
- Mr. Ames.

Mr. Collier told me
that he'd invited you.

- Of course you're welcome.
- Thank you.

I wanted you to know that I've
dropped the legal action against you.

That's very
considerate, Mr. Ames.

Of course, it would be rather
pointless now anyway, wouldn't it?

Yes.

And Jennifer has assured me that there
was never really anything between you.

Then you won't
mind if I speak to her.

Not at all. But make it brief.

The ceremony is due to
begin in just a few minutes.

Well, this won't take long.
Uh, where's her room?

Oh, just down the hall.

Thank you.

Come in.

Oh, Ben, I'm glad you came.

I... I didn't wanna wait
till after the ceremony.

I was afraid I... I
might miss you.

Um, there's... something
I wanted you to have.

Oh, Ben, it's lovely.

It's been in the
family for a long time.

Well, I guess I'd... I'd best be getting
along, but I did want you to have that.

Ben, would you put it on me?

If I'm not all thumbs.

Then you forgive me?

Of course I forgive you.

My best wishes.

We'd better hurry. They're
almost ready to begin.

Friends, we are gathered here to
join this couple in holy matrimony,

the most binding of all
contracts here upon earth.

For that reason, it is to be taken
as seriously by those in attendance

as it is by the pair
who take these vows.

Therefore, I ask now,
is there any man here

who can give just cause this
couple should not be joined together?

Do you, Tuttle, take Jennifer,

to love and protect, to
honor and cherish, to obey...

- Miss Collier.
- Jennifer, what's the matter?

I'm a doctor.

Her pulse is racing a mile a minute.
We'd better take her up to her room.

Easy, now.

- What's wrong with her, Doctor?
- She's a very sick girl just now.

But she's going to be all right.

I thought at first she
had a heart problem.

Then I found this was the cause.

- It's one of my powders.
- Mmm.

And naturally it speeded
up her heartbeat.

Her pulse is still very fast, and
she has a thunderous headache.

But in a few days
she'll be back to normal.

- Thank you, Doctor.
- Tuttle.

You don't wanna marry me?

You're not gonna marry
Ben Cartwright either,

because if you try, I will
destroy him absolutely.

You've got my
solemn word on that.

Oh, Ben.

- I'm sorry.
- Oh, Jennifer.

You'll be up and
around in no time.

It's going to be a
long time, I'm afraid.

No. No.

It may seem that way
now, but it won't be.

We'll get you down
to the proper sea level

and I'll come to see
you in San Francisco.

I'd like that.

But I...

I think a... a different
climate would be best.

A place that's
warm and... and dry.

I'll write.

Yes... you do that.

Well, no wedding, that's for sure.
Tuttle couldn't even wait for the stage.

Yeah. That doesn't tell us
how Jenny is, though, does it?

Let's go on over
and find out, huh?

We heard about it over at
the restaurant. How's Jenny?

She'll... She'll
be fine in time.

I'm sure she will be.

Well, meanwhile we've got
a... we've got a ranch to run.

- I suggest we get back to it.
- Yeah.