Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 13, Episode 18 - Frenzy - full transcript

Ben's friendship with the Kosovos, a young immigrant family from Serbia, puts him in danger when family patriarch Nick suffers a psychotic snap, goes on a rampage and barricades them in their home. Ben does all he can to reason with Nick, whose wife and son have become deathly afraid of him in the process - especially since the consequences could be deadly if Ben says the wrong thing.

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I think it work good now.

Thanks, Papa.

Sandor... come here.

Now, you stay here.

Come in here.

Wh...

I told you and I told you.

What you doing here this time of day?

Look at this house, all falling down.



You do nothing.

I fix harness.

Now is time to plow field.

You fix harness after supper.

It's too late to plow then.

You know I work hard.
All my life I work hard.

Excuse, excuse.

You think you fool me.

You don't.

What you try
is to keep me from my son.

You answer! Is truth?

Yes? No?

Anna.

Anna.



Why so much trouble, Anna?

Anna?

Anna?

Sandor?

What is it, Sandor?

Take it easy. Take it easy.
Now, what is it?

They're fighting.

They're breaking and smashing
everything in the house.

Come on, climb aboard.

Now, get your arms around me.

Ready?

Hyah!

- Hello, Nick.
- Mr. Cartwright, uh...

Come in. Come in.

Thank you.

You will excuse.
We had, uh, a small accident.

Oh, Sandor thought
there was some kind of trouble.

You said that, boy?

No, a little argument.
Uh, the tablecloth caught on,

uh, a few broken dishes.
A lot of noise, but...

Anna.

Mrs. Kosovo.

Hello.

Sandor told Mr. Cartwright
that we were having much trouble.

Oh. No, no trouble.

Uh...

The cloth got caught
on my basket. No trouble.

Sandor.

Children have such vivid imaginations.

Well, I'm glad it's nothing serious.

I wish I could say stay.

Have coffee, glass of wine, but...

Oh, it's all right.
Thanks just the same.

You cannot blame Anna.

Back in old country,
her papa is shopkeeper.

Mine only peasant. So much different.

So, Anna expect maybe castle.

I try.

I try hard, but it no work.

Nick... Nick not good enough man.

Oh, come on, you've had
a run of bad luck. It'll change.

No, it cannot.

Of course it'll change.

That's the nature of luck, it changes.

Luck? What is this luck?

Demons, witches, evil spirits.

I learn this from my grandmother.

Well, this is a different country,
so we have different spirits.

Now, you work hard,
and your luck will change.

No, is truth.

I'll do anything I can to help.

Nobody can help. It's not worth bother.

All right.

I'm glad Sandor was mistaken.

Mr. Cartwright, if it happens again,
let it go, please.

Fine.

You can help.

Pray for me.

Nicholas!

Where are you?

Nicholas?

Nick?

What you doing?

I'm looking at the flowers.

You got work to do.

You're supposed to split posts.
Go to town, buy wire.

Pretty.

So pretty.

You come out now.

You come out! Come out!

Anna, don't. They are so pretty.

Stop talking. Go!

Get on the wagon. Go!

Yes, Anna.

Get the wire for the fence,
and the seed.

Don't forget the seed.

Well, hello, Sandor.

Is your mother home?

Mama went down
the road to see Papa.

Oh.

Well... what are you making there?

It's a bow.

Huh.

Well, it looks like
it's gonna be a pretty good one.

Hey, Mr. Cartwright, do you know
anything about curses?

Well, what kind of curses
are you talking about, young fella?

You know, a curse like a witch.

Miss Griggs at school
says there's no such thing.

Oh, you mean the kind of curses
that people put on other people, huh?

Yeah, that's it.

Can... Can someone really do it?

Well, a lot of people talk about them.

A few even believe in them, but, uh...

I think I'll go along with Miss Griggs.

Oh, hello, Mrs. Kosovo.

Mr. Cartwright.

Won't you come in?

Uh, Mrs. Kosovo, I was, uh...

I was passing by, and I thought,

since I'm on my way
to Cotterville tomorrow

and you have some friends
in the Serbian community there,

perhaps you and Nick would like
to send a message or a letter with me.

No, no, no, thank you.
Mr. Cartwright, please. Sit down.

Well, just for a moment.

- How have you been?
- Good, thank you.

Mr. Cartwright... I ask you for help.

Yes, of course.

- I want you to take my husband.
- Hmm?

Lock him up.

He's not right.

He has a sickness in the head.

Well, what, uh...
What makes you think that?

I see the signs.

The flowers.

He stop work to look at the flowers.

Well, uh...

Mrs. Kosovo...

I look at flowers.

What's so strange about that?

Nick's very kind. He's a sensitive man.

- He loves flowers.
- I know. I know, I know.

You think Nick is very kind,
very gentle.

That is what you see.

All right.

If you don't want to help me,
please, Mr. Cartwright,

give me the name
of someone who might.

Well, just because
a man likes flowers...

I have proof! I cannot show it to you!

It's on my body!

In my country, it is not so unusual
for a man to beat his wife.

I am not talking about beating.

I am talking about killing.

Mrs. Kosovo.

It's more than just flowers.

I know Nick. I live with him.
I feel it!

Every day, it's getting
worse and worse.

Mr. Cartwright... I am afraid.

You really believe
that Nick would harm you?

Kill me!

Or my son!

Or both of us!

Mama! Mama!

Mama! Mama! Mama!

Mama, the house is on fire!

Hurry! Come on! Come on!

Luck.

What is luck?

Pretty.

So pretty.

What'll you... What'll you have?

Whiskey.

Huh?

Hey, don't you talk American?

Hey, listen to this.

What kind of talking is that?

Beats me.

Hey, why don't you shut up?

I said shut up!

You fault!

You got to listen.

What are you jawin' about?

No good Turk.

You wait.

You wait, you see!

Some day... Some day,
we drive you from my country!

Cool off.

Hey, stop it!

Slim, stop it!

You guys want to fight, take it outside.

What's this all about?

Okay, Cherokee, what happened?

You always blame me.

Ask anybody... He hit me with a bottle.

He's got that sodbuster sickness.

It comes from pushing a plow.

- Who started it?
- He did.

Called me a no-good Turk.

I'm a good American.

He did hit him with a bottle.

Half full, too.

You'd better lock him up, Clem.
He's wild.

I'm gonna do better than that.

You help Dave
bring him over to the jail.

I'm gonna lock you all up.

I work hard. All my life, I work hard.

I know what you try.

You try to take son away.

Answer is true... Yes? No?

Luck.

What is luck?
Demons, witches, evil spirits.

I learn from my grandmother.

I look at flowers.

Pretty.

So pretty.

I love you, Anna.

No, Anna.

No, Anna.

No!

Let me out! Let me out!

Will you be quiet and go back to bed?

Well, there ain't
no sign of them nowhere, Pa.

- Sure made a mess here.
- Yeah.

The fire could have been started

by a spark from the stove
or a kerosene lamp falling, or...

Yeah, or it could have been
started by Nick.

Well, that would explain

why Mrs. Kosovo
and the boy aren't here,

but I sure find it hard
to believe that a man would try

to burn up his wife and son. I...

That leaves her, then.

Well, think she'd set a fire
just to discredit her husband?

It's happened before, Pa.

On my way to Cotterville,

I'll drop by that Serbian community

and ask a few questions
about Nick and Anna.

Why don't you drop by here
later this afternoon?

I'll do it. See you later.

- Get up!
- I can't!

Get up or I punish you!

Please. Please, get up.
I can't carry you.

Just a little further. Come.

Well, where are we going?

To a friend.

Where's Papa?

I don't know.

- I want Papa.
- Hurry.

Shh! Get behind there! Quick!

Mr. Cartwright! Mr. Cartwright!

Whoa, whoa.

- Sandor, what are you doing here?
- You obey! You obey!

Now, Mrs. Kosovo,
there's no need for that.

He will get himself killed.

- What?
- I told you.

He tried to kill us.
He tried to burn down the house!

Who tried to kill us?

- Now, look, Mrs. Kosovo...
- Still you don't believe me.

Well, uh... Well, why...

Why don't you jump up
in the buckboard

and we'll talk about it?

- Come on.
- No.

- I want to ride.
- No!

Mr. Cartwright doesn't
really want to help us.

Are you gonna see your friends?

Yes. They will believe me.

Well, just take a look
at your boy, he's tired.

Think of him for a change.

All right. For a little while.

Come on.

That's it.

Let's give your mother
some room here. Mrs. Kosovo!

You might as well ride along with us.
It'll be faster that way.

No!

Well, then, put your bundles
back of the buckboard here.

All right, gentlemen,
come on, wake up.

You're going to court in an hour.

Now, get washed up, so as you'll make
a good impression on the judge.

All right, let's go,
one at a time.

What's the matter, Cherokee?
Got the whips and jangles?

It comes as no surprise.

Well, morning glory,
I guess you get to go first.

This bucket's for washing.
The soap's in the bottom.

Let's go, you two! Move!

Get them in court, Dave,
whenever they're ready.

Sure thing.

Hey, who's the judge?

Jack Chadney. Same as the last time
you two were here.

Old 30 days or $30.

And me with 30 cents.

You're clean enough.

Hey, they'll hang you. They sure will.

Whoa.

Why are we stopping?

Get something to eat.

Then Sandor and I go on alone.

You're not going anywhere
until we've eaten.

Sandor, let's see what Hop Sing
has for us in this basket, huh?

There we go.

There we are.

Mrs. Kosovo, won't you join us?

How can you talk of eating
when our lives are in danger?

Sandor, I'll bet you anything

that there's a sandwich in here
especially for you.

Here you are.

You take that and eat it over there
by that wagon.

And you stay there, you hear me?

You think I'm foolish because
I want my son where I can see him?

I think you're letting your fears
run away with you.

You still believe my fears are nothing.

Fire... That is nothing?

I started that myself?

Well, I didn't say that.

Oh, I am a stupid, ignorant woman,
but I know what people think.

You like Nick. You don't like me.

But still, couldn't I
be telling the truth?

Of course.

I am not frightened for myself.

My life is over.

I am frightened for my son.

He must live.

He will live, and so will you.

Now, have a sandwich.

I'm not hungry.

Now, a man just doesn't
go crazy all of a sudden.

I know.

Now, how long have you known?

Maybe since before we were married.

Before?

Then why did you marry him?

Nick was strong, good-looking.

He always did funny things.

One day, he stole a...

A lamb that the Turks
were preparing for a feast,

and when they came after him, he...

He rolled the pots
and pans down the hill.

Did your parents
approve of this marriage?

Never.

Nick kidnapped me.

Yes. It was a custom in my country.

I was glad. I loved him.

Hmm. Well, seems to me
that you were both

young, and vital, and reckless, and...

Yes. I was a different woman then.

But Nick, he was always in trouble.

One day, the Turkish mayor
hit him over the head with a cane.

- Why?
- He was against the taxes.

Life is hard
for a peasant in my country.

We go now, yes?

Yes.

Go faster, Mr. Cartwright.

Plenty of time.

He's been here!

Hey! Stop! Whoa!

Whoa!

Hyah!

Hyah!

- Hyah! Whoa, whoa.
- Why do you go so slow?

Well, the horses have been
running for over a mile.

- They need some rest.
- I told you, Nick is here!

Here or two miles back?
I haven't seen a soul.

Now, look, Mrs. Kosovo,

you may be right about your fear,

but that doesn't give you
the right to whip my team.

To you, this is just another outing.

Another trip to Cotterville.

Well, yes, it is.
I haven't seen anybody.

Now, is this another
one of your feelings

or is it based on something
a little more substantial?

No, it's the flowers in the road.

Didn't you see them?

Well, ma'am, there are flowers
all over this place.

Before we were married, in our village,

Nick and I were not be allowed
to speak to each other.

He would come down
to the well to watch me,

or he'd come to the stream
to watch me wash clothes.

And often, he would leave flowers

in a place where
he thought I was going to be.

Well, the flowers... He used...

Hyah!

Hyah!

Whoa! Whoa!

Get off of here
and get behind those bushes.

- Mama?
- Shh! Keep him quiet.

Quiet. It's all right.

Do you see anyone?

No.

You stay here.

You stay out of sight.

I couldn't see anybody,

but whoever it was,
was shooting at me.

It was Nick.

No.

I'd have to see him
before I could say it's Nick.

But I can say it.

Let me stay here with him.
You take... Take Sandor.

No.

- Look, it doesn't matter.
- Shh.

Stay here.

Nick?

Nick, is that you?

You and I have no quarrel!

Stop shooting and let's talk!

Whoa up! Whoa up there!

Nick?

He's not listening anymore.

Nick?

Nick, come out of there!

No. Keep your head down.

He's gonna shoot Papa.
He's gonna kill him.

No, he's only trying to save our lives.

Papa wouldn't hurt me.
He wouldn't hurt anybody.

I won't let him shoot Papa! I won't!

No, you stay down.

You want Papa to die!
You put a curse on him!

Shh!

I heard the horse run.

Yeah, he rode out.

But he will come back.

How far is the Litrovich place
from here? About four miles?

- Yes, I think so.
- And the rest of the settlement?

It's north. The nearest house
is about two miles.

All right, let's get moving.

- Come on, Sandor.
- Sandor.

- I'll get it.
- Sounds like somebody in a hurry.

Hi, Clem, come on in.

Hello, Joe. Hello, Hoss.

Oh, howdy, Clem.
You want some chicken?

No. No, thanks. Your pa around?

No, he's on his way to Cotterville.

Left early this morning.
How about some coffee?

No. I'm looking for your tenant,
Nick Kosovo.

He tried to kill one of my deputies.

- Nick?
- That's right.

Two witnesses saw him do it.

He tried to break up
the Golden Nugget.

Almost killed a man
to beat a drunk charge.

He's got to be crazy.

- He must have set that fire.
- Yeah.

Fire? What fire?

Over at the Kosovos'.

Me and Pa
went over there this morning,

and there'd been a fire in the kitchen.

Did you talk to Mrs. Kosovo?

No. She and the boy were gone.

They were probably headed
for that Serbian settlement

- over by Cotterville.
- Is Nick armed?

Yes. He took a rifle,

and he's got
a pocketful of ammunition.

You don't think he'd harm his family?

Yeah.

Joe, you and me better
ride for Cotterville.

- I'll saddle the horses.
- All right, good.

I'll keep an eye on the Kosovo place.

If he's not following Mrs. Kosovo,
he'll probably come back there.

Yeah. We'll see you later, Clem.

Right.

The house is at the bottom
of the hill.

Wait here.

I'll make sure it's all clear.

Get down! Now, stay down.

I told you to wait.

I know, but I could see.
I had to know.

Oh, it... It's Janos,

our good friend
since we come to America.

Is he the man
you were coming to see?

Yes.

Such a good friend.

How many people
live in that house?

Just Janos.

He live alone since his wife died.

Now, you wait here. I mean that.

Don't even think of moving
until I give a signal.

Now, when I wave,

you run around that wagon
just as quickly as you can,

onto the porch and into the house.

Yes.

Into the house!

Move!

Oh!

Keep clear of the window.

Sandor, do you feel any better?

No.

Neither do I.

Mr. Cartwright.

I have decided.

You and Sandor
must get to the settlement.

Now, look...

I couldn't possibly get that far
with this bullet in my leg.

What's on your mind?

Perhaps if he kill me,
his anger will be stopped.

Oh, don't be ridiculous.

Now, we'll figure something out.

What? What will we figure out?

- He's out there. He's waiting.
- Shh, shh, shh.

Nick?

Nick?

- Was that Papa?
- Yes.

Why is Papa shooting at us?

Shh, quiet.

You've got to keep the boy quiet.
I'll check this other window.

Papa loves me. He wouldn't hurt me.

Papa doesn't know what he's doing.

Papa is sick.

Why is he sick?

Remember when I tell you
about the old country long ago

and why we come here
because we are hungry?

Well, we think that
if we come to America,

and we work hard...

We not be hungry anymore.

But you do work hard,
and so did Papa.

We had bad luck.

You mean curses?

No, no.

Not like you think.

First, there was the floods,
and then, no water.

And then...
Then the locusts, remember?

Yeah, I remember the locusts.

Your father was far away
from his land, from his people,

and he felt alone and frightened.

Papa was frightened?

Sandor...

Even... a very strong man

can become frightened when...

When problems become so big

and... he doesn't know
what to do about them,

and he feels all alone, and...

And sometimes he...

He becomes frustrated

because he can't do anything
about them,

and he becomes angry,

and sometimes
he does the wrong things.

Wet down that blanket!

Hurry up!

Get inside there.

Get inside.

It's all right.
We put out the fire. Stop crying.

It's all right, Sandor.
It's all right now.

Pa?

Looks like Pa caught up with them.

Yeah.

Anna?

Anna?

On the floor, both of you.

Anna?

Anna?

Anna?

Anna?

Before we were married, in our village,

he would sometimes
come to my father's house

and call my name like that.

Anna!

Anna!

Anna?

Anna.

Ah, did you find them?

Yeah. They're a real nice family.

- Old friends of the Kosovos.
- Yeah?

They'll be more than happy
to take them in.

Great. Great.

I see Hoss has the team all hitched up.

Everything's all set.

- Climb aboard, Sandor.
- Good, good.

Well, Mrs. Kosovo,
I guess it's time we...

Mr. Cartwright...

I... I want to thank you.

I know that I have been
very difficult... strange...

But for a long time,
I have felt so frozen, afraid to feel.

Well, I was kinda slow myself,
figuring things out.

It's my fault, the way I am.

It's very hard for me to tell you
how grateful I am,

for our lives and for your friendship.

I wish there was something
that I could do for you.

Well, you, uh...

You make a new life for yourself
and for Sandor,

with your old friends.

I will try.

For a long time, I have felt so afraid.

Now there is no reason to feel afraid.

I have been remembering Nick
as he was long ago in our village.

I loved him then.

You keep thinking of him that way.

Sandor, take care of your mother now.

See you, Pa. Giddy-up.