Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 14, Episode 15 - The Hunter - full transcript
During a delivery run, Joe meets Cpl. Bill Tanner, who turns out to be a war-deranged madman who enjoys stalking down his helpless victims before killing them. After stealing Joe's horse and his supplies, the psychotic Tanner expl...
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Orville Tanner...
Do you have anything further to say
before we pronounce sentence?
I only did my duty.
Then you feel it was correct
to kill women and children?
My duty.
We sentence you...
My duty.
My duty, my duty, my duty.
How's that one look to you?
Yeah, all set to go.
How's the arithmetic coming?
Oh, Pa's gettin' the hang
of it pretty well, Joe.
Oh, very funny.
You just get those problems
finished, young man,
and I'll check 'em
- later. Make sure they're right.
- All right.
I don't remember having problems
as tough as that to do
when I was at school.
Well, it's like Jamie said, Pa,
don't worry, you'll get the hang of it.
Thank you for your confidence.
Oh.
- You have the bids on the horses.
- Right.
Tell the General we've cut the prices
right down to the bone.
- That's as low as we can go.
- Okay.
As soon as I hear anything,
I'll wire you.
- All right. Have a good trip.
- Will do.
Listen, uh, Jamie, when you
get done with the homework,
give Pa a hand with the books, huh?
Oh, right, Joe.
Uh, it'll take you a while
to get over to Fort Lowell, Joseph,
once you've gotten
on your horse, that is.
Well, I was just leaving.
Just leaving.
Take care. See you
in about a week, huh?
- Take care, Joe.
- Right.
Haven't you got enough work to do?
I'm all finished.
Ah.
Well, uh...
Bring them over here.
I'll check 'em out.
All right.
There you go.
Oh, well.
Hey, Pa, that should
be a three, not a five.
Oh. Oh, you found a mistake
by yourself, huh?
No... No, not my paper, Pa.
It's in your books here.
You see, under "feed cost,"
you have a three there.
It should be five.
Yeah, you're right.
Yeah, it should be... Well, thank you.
Thank you very much.
You're welcome.
Five...
Hey, didn't hear you ride up.
Saw your fire from the ridge.
You mind having company?
No, no. Please, be my guest.
Name's Joe Cartwright.
Bill Tanner.
Well, we got beans, but they're...
They're hot, and there's plenty of 'em.
Oh, much obliged.
I'll, uh, unsaddle my horse.
I'll dish up the beans.
You sure I ain't imposin' now?
No, not at all.
I was lucky to run into you.
Most folks ain't so friendly.
I'll be right with ya.
Ah.
Well, that was real fine.
That's the one thing I like
about beans.
It's hard to louse them up.
You in the Army?
Why'd you ask that?
Notice the Jefferson boots.
Thought you might be in the Army.
Yeah... I was.
Long time ago.
Glad to be out?
No. No, I...
I liked it, some of it.
I was a tracker.
Was a good one, too.
Yeah.
Lot of people think
Indians are the best trackers,
but that ain't so.
I was better than any of 'em.
I could smell 'em.
Wasn't one of them could
get away from me.
I'm not much
for huntin' people myself.
Oh, I wasn't at first, either.
Then it gets in your blood
after a while.
Hmm.
Anybody can track an animal down.
Cougar, deer...
I don't hold to killin' animals.
But a man's different.
That's the real test.
Real test to what?
Survival.
Intelligence.
Killin's natural to all animals.
Man's just the smartest animal,
that's all.
Come on, you don't believe that.
An animal doesn't kill for pleasure,
he kills for food.
It's all right to kill for food, then?
Oh, it's the way
nature planned it, I guess.
Yeah, I guess.
Well, I'm gonna get some sleep.
See you in the morning.
Well, I'll be glad
to cook breakfast in the morning.
That's the least I can do.
I'll take you up on it.
- See you in the mornin'.
- See you in the morning.
Orville Tanner, do you have
anything further to say
before we pronounce sentence?
I only did my duty.
Then you feel it was correct
to kill women and children?
My duty.
We sentence you...
My duty, my duty, my duty.
My duty...
What?
Nothin'. I was just talkin' to myself.
See you in the mornin'.
Good night.
Why, that louse.
Stole my horse.
Mornin', Joe Cartwright.
Sleep well?
What is this? Some kind of a joke?
Jokes are supposed to be funny.
Do you, uh...
Do you find this funny, do you?
All right, you stole my
gear and my horse.
What else do you want?
It's not so much what I want.
It's what you're gonna want.
What are you talkin' bout?
Well, last night you said
an animal kills for food.
You're an animal, I've taken your food,
and if you want it back,
you're gonna have to kill me for it.
Look, you keep what you've taken.
I don't care.
Ah, but you will, Joe Cartwright.
You're gonna want to kill me.
Why you doin' this?
I don't even know you.
To prove two points...
Yours and mine.
I said I'm a great tracker,
and you said an animal
only kills for food.
Look, we're men, not animals.
We'll see, Joe Cartwright.
I'm gonna give you four hours
to get away.
Then I'm comin' after you.
Four hours.
Don't waste any more precious time.
Better get a start right now.
Four hours.
Four hours!
River.
Goes with the river.
One hour to go.
Picked a hell of a day to take a hike.
I can't stay here.
He'll still be comin'.
Got to keep movin'.
Make him think
you crossed the river. That's it.
Leave the jacket here.
That's it.
Left the jacket.
Try to make me think
he crossed the river.
And watched from up there.
He'll be running again now.
Like any frightened animal.
Track him on foot from here.
Now it really begins.
Thank God.
Thank God.
Help... me.
See if you can sit up.
I'd have brought you in the house,
but I couldn't move you.
- Listen, you got a gun?
- What?
There's a man chasin' me.
I can't explain it now. I need a gun.
Never had one.
- Is that a saddle horse?
- Yeah. He's old, but fast.
- Here's money. I'll buy it from you.
- Oh, he ain't worth this much.
He is to me. Just take it.
Well, there's a saddle in the shack.
The least I can do is throw that in.
- I'll go get it.
- Thanks.
Who'd want to go and do that?
That's cheatin', Joe Cartwright.
It's only supposed to be you and me.
Now we're gonna have to
start all over again.
I'm gonna only give you
an hour this time to get away.
That's the penalty for cheatin'.
Now, go on! Now, run!
As long as you run, you can stay alive!
Run!
Oh, my God.
Hell of a time to break your arm.
I gotta get it set.
Come on, pull.
Pull.
I got to make a splint.
Gotta get it set in a splint.
Come on.
Stinkin' knife.
I got to wrap it tight.
Gotta think.
Now...
Now, he's still comin'.
I got to get to high country.
Rock country when he can't track you.
Come on.
Bad fall.
Could be heading in the brush.
Take your time.
Take your time.
He cut this and then broke it off.
Needed it for something.
Not a weapon. Not strong enough.
He's got a knife.
Why did he cut this branch?
Why?
Wait a minute.
Hurt in a fall. That's it.
Broke something, needed a splint.
Better now, wounded animal
is more dangerous.
Much better.
Now...
Maybe he lost the trail.
Arm's killin' me.
Don't think about it.
Maybe he gave up.
Maybe he's not followin'.
No, you kiddin'?
I got to get to higher ground.
That's you only chance.
This way you've got plenty of food.
Keep movin'.
Keep movin' to higher ground.
You can rest.
It'll be dark soon.
Get a rest.
No, he can track me
in this kind of country.
Need some sleep.
How...
How can he track me?
How?
If only I had a gun.
Something. Anything to hurt him.
Wait a minute.
A trap.
That's it. A trap to slow him down.
Yeah.
Let him follow me.
Little further.
Only a little further.
Salt.
Sweat.
Cartwright sweat.
Hasn't dried out.
Not too far ahead.
Thought he could lose me
on the rocks.
Should have known better.
He's still runnin'.
But he'll turn.
Push him hard enough, he'll turn.
They all do.
There.
That's tight.
All right.
Get it set.
Easy.
That's it. Nice and easy.
Yeah... There.
That'll cover it up.
Cover it good so he can't see it.
That's it.
Easy does it. Slow. Don't set it off.
Now... Now, he's not goin' to see that.
Wait.
Yeah, it's gonna work.
Took the trail he's gonna follow.
He'll be comin' fast.
It's gonna work.
It worked.
It worked.
Go back now... You get...
No, wait.
No, it may be a trick.
Yeah, maybe he saw the trap
and he just yelled to fool you.
And he's smart. He's smart.
He could have done that.
No, got to keep movin'.
Gotta keep movin'.
Movin'.
Mmm.
Not too bad.
You're lucky, Tanner.
Should have been careful.
It's all right, though. Just...
It'll just slow you down a little.
The desert.
You got water, he doesn't.
Ah. He won't be able to
run much longer.
He'll turn again...
For the last time.
Can't run anymore.
Can't run anymore.
Town.
Town.
I'm all right.
I'm all right.
I'm all right.
God.
Somebody!
Anybody!
Anybody, help me!
Please, somebody!
Somebody help me!
Help me, please!
Somebody!
Gotta rest.
No.
No, no more running.
No more running.
Got to think.
Come on, think.
Think.
He's here.
This is it.
Let me out!
Let me out!
Don't lock me in here, please!
Don't...
Don't lock me in here, please.
Let me out!
Let me out!
Let me out of here!
Oh, you don't understand.
You weren't there.
You don't understand.
Let me out! Out!
Corporal Tanner...
Do you have anything further to say
before we pronounce sentence?
It was only my duty.
Then you felt it was correct
to kill women and children?
It was my duty.
It was my duty.
We sentence you...
No.
We sentence you...
We sentence you...
It was my duty!
Take it easy.
Take it easy, young fella.
Have a snort of whiskey here.
You'll be all right.
Tanner...
We... We got to get Tanner.
Well, if'n you mean
that feller in there...
There ain't no hurry.
He's dead.
- What?
- Couldn't find nothin' wrong with him.
There's plenty of food
and water with him.
Heart...
Just stopped, I guess.
Was, uh... Was he a friend of yours?
No.
I didn't even know him.
We sentence you...
brought to you in living color
on NBC.
Orville Tanner...
Do you have anything further to say
before we pronounce sentence?
I only did my duty.
Then you feel it was correct
to kill women and children?
My duty.
We sentence you...
My duty.
My duty, my duty, my duty.
How's that one look to you?
Yeah, all set to go.
How's the arithmetic coming?
Oh, Pa's gettin' the hang
of it pretty well, Joe.
Oh, very funny.
You just get those problems
finished, young man,
and I'll check 'em
- later. Make sure they're right.
- All right.
I don't remember having problems
as tough as that to do
when I was at school.
Well, it's like Jamie said, Pa,
don't worry, you'll get the hang of it.
Thank you for your confidence.
Oh.
- You have the bids on the horses.
- Right.
Tell the General we've cut the prices
right down to the bone.
- That's as low as we can go.
- Okay.
As soon as I hear anything,
I'll wire you.
- All right. Have a good trip.
- Will do.
Listen, uh, Jamie, when you
get done with the homework,
give Pa a hand with the books, huh?
Oh, right, Joe.
Uh, it'll take you a while
to get over to Fort Lowell, Joseph,
once you've gotten
on your horse, that is.
Well, I was just leaving.
Just leaving.
Take care. See you
in about a week, huh?
- Take care, Joe.
- Right.
Haven't you got enough work to do?
I'm all finished.
Ah.
Well, uh...
Bring them over here.
I'll check 'em out.
All right.
There you go.
Oh, well.
Hey, Pa, that should
be a three, not a five.
Oh. Oh, you found a mistake
by yourself, huh?
No... No, not my paper, Pa.
It's in your books here.
You see, under "feed cost,"
you have a three there.
It should be five.
Yeah, you're right.
Yeah, it should be... Well, thank you.
Thank you very much.
You're welcome.
Five...
Hey, didn't hear you ride up.
Saw your fire from the ridge.
You mind having company?
No, no. Please, be my guest.
Name's Joe Cartwright.
Bill Tanner.
Well, we got beans, but they're...
They're hot, and there's plenty of 'em.
Oh, much obliged.
I'll, uh, unsaddle my horse.
I'll dish up the beans.
You sure I ain't imposin' now?
No, not at all.
I was lucky to run into you.
Most folks ain't so friendly.
I'll be right with ya.
Ah.
Well, that was real fine.
That's the one thing I like
about beans.
It's hard to louse them up.
You in the Army?
Why'd you ask that?
Notice the Jefferson boots.
Thought you might be in the Army.
Yeah... I was.
Long time ago.
Glad to be out?
No. No, I...
I liked it, some of it.
I was a tracker.
Was a good one, too.
Yeah.
Lot of people think
Indians are the best trackers,
but that ain't so.
I was better than any of 'em.
I could smell 'em.
Wasn't one of them could
get away from me.
I'm not much
for huntin' people myself.
Oh, I wasn't at first, either.
Then it gets in your blood
after a while.
Hmm.
Anybody can track an animal down.
Cougar, deer...
I don't hold to killin' animals.
But a man's different.
That's the real test.
Real test to what?
Survival.
Intelligence.
Killin's natural to all animals.
Man's just the smartest animal,
that's all.
Come on, you don't believe that.
An animal doesn't kill for pleasure,
he kills for food.
It's all right to kill for food, then?
Oh, it's the way
nature planned it, I guess.
Yeah, I guess.
Well, I'm gonna get some sleep.
See you in the morning.
Well, I'll be glad
to cook breakfast in the morning.
That's the least I can do.
I'll take you up on it.
- See you in the mornin'.
- See you in the morning.
Orville Tanner, do you have
anything further to say
before we pronounce sentence?
I only did my duty.
Then you feel it was correct
to kill women and children?
My duty.
We sentence you...
My duty, my duty, my duty.
My duty...
What?
Nothin'. I was just talkin' to myself.
See you in the mornin'.
Good night.
Why, that louse.
Stole my horse.
Mornin', Joe Cartwright.
Sleep well?
What is this? Some kind of a joke?
Jokes are supposed to be funny.
Do you, uh...
Do you find this funny, do you?
All right, you stole my
gear and my horse.
What else do you want?
It's not so much what I want.
It's what you're gonna want.
What are you talkin' bout?
Well, last night you said
an animal kills for food.
You're an animal, I've taken your food,
and if you want it back,
you're gonna have to kill me for it.
Look, you keep what you've taken.
I don't care.
Ah, but you will, Joe Cartwright.
You're gonna want to kill me.
Why you doin' this?
I don't even know you.
To prove two points...
Yours and mine.
I said I'm a great tracker,
and you said an animal
only kills for food.
Look, we're men, not animals.
We'll see, Joe Cartwright.
I'm gonna give you four hours
to get away.
Then I'm comin' after you.
Four hours.
Don't waste any more precious time.
Better get a start right now.
Four hours.
Four hours!
River.
Goes with the river.
One hour to go.
Picked a hell of a day to take a hike.
I can't stay here.
He'll still be comin'.
Got to keep movin'.
Make him think
you crossed the river. That's it.
Leave the jacket here.
That's it.
Left the jacket.
Try to make me think
he crossed the river.
And watched from up there.
He'll be running again now.
Like any frightened animal.
Track him on foot from here.
Now it really begins.
Thank God.
Thank God.
Help... me.
See if you can sit up.
I'd have brought you in the house,
but I couldn't move you.
- Listen, you got a gun?
- What?
There's a man chasin' me.
I can't explain it now. I need a gun.
Never had one.
- Is that a saddle horse?
- Yeah. He's old, but fast.
- Here's money. I'll buy it from you.
- Oh, he ain't worth this much.
He is to me. Just take it.
Well, there's a saddle in the shack.
The least I can do is throw that in.
- I'll go get it.
- Thanks.
Who'd want to go and do that?
That's cheatin', Joe Cartwright.
It's only supposed to be you and me.
Now we're gonna have to
start all over again.
I'm gonna only give you
an hour this time to get away.
That's the penalty for cheatin'.
Now, go on! Now, run!
As long as you run, you can stay alive!
Run!
Oh, my God.
Hell of a time to break your arm.
I gotta get it set.
Come on, pull.
Pull.
I got to make a splint.
Gotta get it set in a splint.
Come on.
Stinkin' knife.
I got to wrap it tight.
Gotta think.
Now...
Now, he's still comin'.
I got to get to high country.
Rock country when he can't track you.
Come on.
Bad fall.
Could be heading in the brush.
Take your time.
Take your time.
He cut this and then broke it off.
Needed it for something.
Not a weapon. Not strong enough.
He's got a knife.
Why did he cut this branch?
Why?
Wait a minute.
Hurt in a fall. That's it.
Broke something, needed a splint.
Better now, wounded animal
is more dangerous.
Much better.
Now...
Maybe he lost the trail.
Arm's killin' me.
Don't think about it.
Maybe he gave up.
Maybe he's not followin'.
No, you kiddin'?
I got to get to higher ground.
That's you only chance.
This way you've got plenty of food.
Keep movin'.
Keep movin' to higher ground.
You can rest.
It'll be dark soon.
Get a rest.
No, he can track me
in this kind of country.
Need some sleep.
How...
How can he track me?
How?
If only I had a gun.
Something. Anything to hurt him.
Wait a minute.
A trap.
That's it. A trap to slow him down.
Yeah.
Let him follow me.
Little further.
Only a little further.
Salt.
Sweat.
Cartwright sweat.
Hasn't dried out.
Not too far ahead.
Thought he could lose me
on the rocks.
Should have known better.
He's still runnin'.
But he'll turn.
Push him hard enough, he'll turn.
They all do.
There.
That's tight.
All right.
Get it set.
Easy.
That's it. Nice and easy.
Yeah... There.
That'll cover it up.
Cover it good so he can't see it.
That's it.
Easy does it. Slow. Don't set it off.
Now... Now, he's not goin' to see that.
Wait.
Yeah, it's gonna work.
Took the trail he's gonna follow.
He'll be comin' fast.
It's gonna work.
It worked.
It worked.
Go back now... You get...
No, wait.
No, it may be a trick.
Yeah, maybe he saw the trap
and he just yelled to fool you.
And he's smart. He's smart.
He could have done that.
No, got to keep movin'.
Gotta keep movin'.
Movin'.
Mmm.
Not too bad.
You're lucky, Tanner.
Should have been careful.
It's all right, though. Just...
It'll just slow you down a little.
The desert.
You got water, he doesn't.
Ah. He won't be able to
run much longer.
He'll turn again...
For the last time.
Can't run anymore.
Can't run anymore.
Town.
Town.
I'm all right.
I'm all right.
I'm all right.
God.
Somebody!
Anybody!
Anybody, help me!
Please, somebody!
Somebody help me!
Help me, please!
Somebody!
Gotta rest.
No.
No, no more running.
No more running.
Got to think.
Come on, think.
Think.
He's here.
This is it.
Let me out!
Let me out!
Don't lock me in here, please!
Don't...
Don't lock me in here, please.
Let me out!
Let me out!
Let me out of here!
Oh, you don't understand.
You weren't there.
You don't understand.
Let me out! Out!
Corporal Tanner...
Do you have anything further to say
before we pronounce sentence?
It was only my duty.
Then you felt it was correct
to kill women and children?
It was my duty.
It was my duty.
We sentence you...
No.
We sentence you...
We sentence you...
It was my duty!
Take it easy.
Take it easy, young fella.
Have a snort of whiskey here.
You'll be all right.
Tanner...
We... We got to get Tanner.
Well, if'n you mean
that feller in there...
There ain't no hurry.
He's dead.
- What?
- Couldn't find nothin' wrong with him.
There's plenty of food
and water with him.
Heart...
Just stopped, I guess.
Was, uh... Was he a friend of yours?
No.
I didn't even know him.
We sentence you...