Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 5, Episode 16 - My Son, My Son - full transcript

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Hey!

- Hi, how are you?
- Hello.

Hey, Pa, uh, your horse
throw a shoe or something?

- Heh. Your father let me win that one.
- Oh, I did not.

We just about got
the fence finished.

You boys have done so
much for me since our return.

Seems like I'm always
saying thank you.

Ma'am, our pleasure.

Listen, we don't stop talking
around here, we'll never get it done.



Did a good job, boys.

They're wonderful, Ben.
I wish I could repay you.

Well, you could if you'd
have dinner with us tonight.

- Oh, Ben, I...
- It's been a long time, Katherine.

Too long.

How can I say no?

But I'll have to stop by
my house and change first.

Oh. We'll take the buckboard back.
We'll have the boys bring the horses.

All right. Heh.

Let's not be late for dinner,
boys. Mrs. Saunders is joining us.

Pa, how many times you ever
remember us being late for dinner?

Bring the other horses.

Hyah!

Hoss, you better get your
blue suit out of moth balls



and make sure it still fits.

- Why? Who died?
- Nobody.

I don't ever wear that blue suit
except to funerals. And to weddings.

- Weddings.
- Heh.

- You reckon?
- I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

Whoo.

That water is so blue.

So serene.

It makes me think
how small we really are.

Yeah. Even makes our troubles
kind of small too, doesn't it?

I'm glad you came
back, Katherine.

I thought maybe if I opened up
the ranch, Eden would come back.

That's been over three years
now, hasn't it? Since the trial.

He shouldn't have
run off like that.

- He was acquitted.
- By the jury.

But he never believed
that anyone around here

thought he was really innocent.

Not even his father.

And yet Charles drove himself
into ill health over that trial.

I know.

But I still love my son, want
him back, believe in him. Is...?

Is that so wrong, Ben?

I think it's kind of hard to
judge the right or wrong of love.

Thank you, Ben.

I can't tell you what it
means having you as a friend.

Well, then why didn't you
come to me sooner? As a friend.

I wanted to, Ben. You'll
never know how much.

After Charles died
and Eden left, I...

My whole world collapsed.

And now?

I don't know, Ben.

Well, Katherine, if, uh...

If I can help in any way, I...

Oh, Ben, you have!

You have.

- We'd better get going.
- Yeah. Hyah!

- Hop Sing.
- Missy Katherine.

Hop Sing, how
wonderful to see you.

Forgive me, Hop Sing
overwhelmed with happiness.

How I've missed all of you.

House cold and silent
until this very moment.

Hop Sing, I want you to prepare a very
special dinner for a very special guest.

For Missy Katherine,
Hop Sing prepare dinner

make banquet look
like picnic lunch.

You see.

Heh. Oh, this dependable old
desk. I always loved this desk.

Your house hasn't changed over
the years, Ben. It's still beautiful.

So much more beautiful, so
much more alive, with you here.

This house just needs
a woman's touch.

Oh, Ben. This is probably the
best-run household in all of Nevada.

- You don't need a woman to help you.
- That's not true.

You've done such a fine
job of raising your sons.

Oh, well, they've missed
not having a mother.

Why haven't you
married again, Ben?

Well, there's just no
one I wanted to ask.

What about you?

Same reason, I guess.

No, that isn't completely true.

I've had Eden so
completely on my mind,

I haven't been able to
think of anything else.

And since I've come back, I...

Oh, Ben, why do people still say
such horrible things about him?

You know, people talk.

He was acquitted of that killing.
Why can't they leave him alone?

They haven't even
seen him in three years.

Well, you know, people
like to gossip. They...

- Stories come back.
- Stories. Lies.

Katherine.

You can't go on forever building
your whole existence around Eden.

He's living his life and
you must live your life.

I'm the only one that ever
understood or protected him.

Charles was always
disappointed in him.

Katherine, Charles is dead.

Eden's gone.

You're here.

I'm here.

You have your sons. I'm alone.

You're alone because
you want to be alone.

You're living in the past.

One of these days, my
boys are going to be gone.

They're going to be off on their own,
building their own life, their own future.

That doesn't mean
my life is going to end.

And I hope I won't be alone.

Haven't the last few days
meant anything to you?

Oh, Ben.

Ben, you don't know how much.

For the first time in so
long, I've felt alive and happy.

Oh, laughing with
you and the boys, I...

I've been blind, haven't I?

To you. To me.

Oh, Ben, hold me.

I don't want to
be alone anymore.

- Oh, Hop Sing, that's magnificent!
- Thank you, Missy Katherine.

Mm.

Now, if that ain't the dag
burnedest thing I ever seen.

What's a man
supposed to do with that?

Eat it or stick it
in the fireplace?

Well, I'm going to serve it.

I'm sure sorry
Adam isn't here yet.

I thought he'd be
back from town by now.

Maybe he had a little
trouble with that load of timber.

Doggone, that looks good.

Chinese brandy.

Make angry man smile,
happy man grin. Heh.

I'm laughing all over, Hop Sing.

Mm.

Must be Adam.

Katherine.

Adam. How good to see you.

Good to see you. I'd forgotten
how lovely you looked at our table.

Sit down, sit down.

Hop Sing, get
some food for Adam.

Uh, never mind, I'm not
hungry. I ate before I left town.

Well, uh, at least
have some wine.

What kept you so late?

Oh, just some difficulty.

We can talk about
it later. Thank you.

- Well, here's to my favorite lady.
- Thank, you, Adam.

- Well, we'll all drink to that.
- Right.

Um...

Now that we're all together,
there's something that I...

There's something that Katherine
and I would like to tell you.

- Katherine and I have decided...
- What'd I tell you, Joe?

What do you mean what did
you tell me? What'd I tell you?

Well, I haven't finished
telling you anything yet.

Pa, everybody in the county
besides my mule and the fence posts

knew you and Katherine
was gonna get married.

I'm gonna be the first
one to kiss the bride.

- Congratulations, Pa.
- Congratulations, Mr. Cartwright.

- Thank you. Thank you.
- Congratulations to you both.

- My congratulations to you both.
- Thank you, Adam. Thank you.

- Pa, could I see you a minute?
- Yeah, sure.

- What is it?
- Eden's back.

They say he killed a woman.

They got a posse out
looking for him now.

He got back sometime yesterday

and he spent most of the
day drinking in the Silver Dollar

and telling a lot people what
he was gonna do to Frank Miller

for marrying his girl.

- You remember her? Linda Holms?
- Yes, yes.

Frank wasn't around. He's
been in San Francisco all week.

Linda was home alone.

Well, Miller's brother, Carl,
found her body this morning.

He's got the town all riled up
and they're out looking for blood.

What's Sheriff Coffee doing?

He was out of
town. I sent for him.

We're gonna have
to tell Katherine.

I know. I think we
should be in that posse.

Could you get our horses saddled
up? And I'll send the boys out after you.

Wonder what's taking Pa so long.

Well, I imagine it's a little
difficult to tell the woman you love

- that her son is a murderer.
- Yeah, I guess so.

Adam, you don't think
he really did it, do you?

If we believed everything
that's been said about him,

he'd have been dead long ago.

I don't know.

Miller said he saw somebody
riding off that looked like Eden.

- He took a shot at him.
- Ah. Carl Miller.

I wouldn't trust his word as far as
I could throw one of these horses.

I just wish Pa
wouldn't take so long.

Hate to think what would happen if that
posse found him and we weren't there.

Hoss, you wait for Pa. Joe
and I are gonna ride on ahead.

Right.

It isn't true.

I know it isn't true.

I don't care what
they say about him.

I know he didn't kill that girl!

Katherine, it's just
impossible to be that certain.

Ben...

- Ben, you don't think he...
- I don't think anything.

I just don't want
you to be hurt.

If that posse finds him...

what'll they do?

Uh... Well, it's hard to say.

Adam says that there's some
men in town who are pretty riled up.

Then he needs our help.

Ben, we've got to find him
first! We've got to find him!

Of course.

I'll find him.

- I'm going with you.
- No, you stay here.

It's not a woman's
work, it's too dangerous.

Ben, when you find him...

what will you do?

I'll see to it that no
harm comes to him.

I can't promise any more.

Miller!

Found his gun!

Now, what do you think of that?
Your wolf cub's lost his teeth.

Well, lookit here.

If it isn't big old Ben
Cartwright himself.

Oh, by the way, Ben,
I found your boy's gun.

He can't be too far.

You know, I'm a little surprised
to see you out here, Ben.

I sort of figured you'd be
busy holding the widow's hand.

But, then, I suppose she, uh, figures
her young wolf pup's innocent, huh?

Too bad we know
different, ain't it?

We've had enough trouble as it is,
Miller, without you stirring up any more.

I didn't stir up any trouble, but
I sure aim to see it's finished.

- He'll face a jury, not a lynch mob.
- Yeah?

Well, I figure it's all according
to which one of us finds him first.

All right, boys, spread out. He
must be around here somewhere.

- Any other sign of the boy?
- No, but Miller's right.

He can't have gotten very far.

- He's on foot.
- On foot?

Yeah, we found his horse a
while back, pulled up lame.

Well, you boys
keep an eye on Miller.

He'll turn this into a
lynching party if he can.

- Where you going, Pa?
- I'm going back to the Ponderosa.

Katherine was awfully
upset at the news.

- I don't want to leave her alone.
- Cartwright.

They say you used to treat
Eden like one of your own sons.

So you know him pretty well.

Um...

This about the right neck size?

Just right, huh?

Like I said, keep
an eye on Miller.

Shh. Don't scream.

Eden.

Oh, Eden!

Oh, my son, my son.

Oh, Mom. It's you.

My baby.

- Is there anyone with you?
- No, it's all right now. You're safe now.

I'm never safe.

But you are.

Ben will be here soon.
He's out looking for you now.

Yeah, him and half
the rest of the country.

I guess I couldn't
expect anything else.

They never did give me
a chance around here.

Why should it be
any different now?

You don't understand.

Ben's trying to help
us. You can trust him.

I can't trust anybody.

Not even me, Eden?

Oh, I didn't mean
you. I trust you, Mom.

And I trust Ben.
With all my heart.

- Ben!
- Are you all right, Katherine?

Of course.

Ben, we found
him. My son is safe.

It's been a long
time, Mr. Cartwright.

You don't need that gun.

We better get inside the house.

- Yes, you must be starved.
- I am. I haven't eaten in two days.

We'll have to get
you fed. Oh, Ben.

Everything's going to
be all right now, isn't it?

Yeah, everything's
gonna be fine.

I'll have Hop Sing
rustle up some food.

No, Ben, don't bother
him. I'll fix it. I want to.

Well, it might be a good idea.
I'll have him stand guard outside.

Let me look at you
here in the light.

Oh. You look so
tired. My poor baby.

Mom, I'm a grown man.

Of course you are. And
a fine handsome one.

- But a dirty one!
- Mom.

- You don't think that I...
- No, of course not.

You go along now and get cleaned
up while I fix you something to eat.

Oh, yeah, and take that off.

And from there I went to Texas.

Now there's a
rough country. Texas.

You can ride all day and
never reach a horizon.

I mean, it's a big,
wide open country

with dust and heat and
snakes and tough men.

It's a man's country.

- How long were you there?
- Oh, uh, about a year, I guess.

I worked on a big cattle ranch.

About twice the size
of the Ponderosa.

I mean a really big ranch.

Must've covered a
hundred miles, maybe more.

What did you do on this ranch?

Oh, I, uh, worked as
a cowhand for a while.

The owner, Mr. Williams, he
wanted to make me foreman,

but I had the old wanderlust.

He begged me to stay, but...

You know, I still have the
prettiest mom in the whole world.

- Don't you think so, Mr. Cartwright?
- Yes.

Do you want some
more potatoes, son?

No, I'm full up to here.

- But I would like some more coffee.
- I'll fix it for you.

Eden, what happened
at Linda Miller's?

- Would you believe me?
- I want to help you.

- Why? Because of Mom?
- Yes, because of your mother.

And because of you,
if you're innocent.

- You think I'm not.
- I didn't say that. I don't know.

You haven't told us anything.

All I know is that you
threatened Frank Miller.

Oh, people are always making
a big thing out of nothing.

Sure, I was sore at Frank for
marrying my girl. Who wouldn't be?

And I was sore at her too.

I went over to her house to
tell her what I thought of her.

But when I got
there, she was dead.

Well, why did you run away
when Carl Miller saw you?

Why didn't you just stay
and tell him the truth?

Because they'd blame
me. You know how it is.

You get a little
reputation and pretty soon,

everything that happens,
they blame on you.

I've never believed anything
they said. Not for a minute.

Neither has Ben.

In that case,

how about you two figuring a
way for me to get out of here?

Just until all this
thing is cleared up.

That's just what we
plan to do, isn't it, Ben?

Mr. Cartwright, I hear
horses. Many, many horses!

- Get outside and keep watch.
- Yes, Mr. Cartwright.

- Give me a gun.
- You'll get your chance.

I've got a right
to defend myself.

- Mom...
- Be quiet!

We'll never get to the
stable to saddle our horses.

We'll have to go on foot.
We'll go out the back way.

Look, I'm going to take
him up to the lake by the mill.

As soon as you get a chance,
bring us food and horses. Come on.

Hurry up!

There's fresh horses in
the corral if you need them.

When you're saddled
up, we'll move out.

Hey, Cartwright,
where's your old man?

Hunting for Saunders,
like the rest of us.

If you want him, go find him.

But what makes you so sure
he's out hunting that killer?

If you ask me, it's more than likely
he's covering up the kid's tracks.

Well, if you think he's hiding
around here go look for him.

You Cartwrights are all alike.

You Cartwrights are
all in this together.

Saunders was your friend.

Your friend killed
my brother's wife!

You're out to help him escape!

- You're a liar.
- Am I?

Where's your Pa?
Why ain't he here?

Where's he been while we been
out busting our backs in the brush?

I'll tell you what I
think. I think he's got

that dirty little killer
hid out somewhere.

- You keep your mouth shut.
- Joe, no, no. Joe.

Yeah? Ask her. Go on.

Ask her where your
Pa's got that boy hid out.

- Everybody knows he's sweet on her.
- No, Joe.

- Where's he hiding, Katherine?
- Oh, Adam.

He's with your father.

Adam, you've got to help us.

You've got to lead the
posse away from the lake.

- Oh, that's where they are, huh?
- Yes. By the old mill.

Where we had that picnic a
long time ago. Do you remember?

Yes, I remember.

- What's Pa gonna do?
- I don't know.

All I know is that they're afoot

and I've got to bring the
horses as soon as I can.

But you must give them
time. Can you do that, Adam?

I don't know, Katherine.

Those men out there
are in a mean mood.

And a day and a night on a
trail that's suddenly gone cold

hasn't improved
their disposition any.

The men will listen
to you, won't they?

I hope so...

for your sake.

Well, did she tell you where she
hid that murdering son of hers?

All right, let's go. You still
telling us what to do, Cartwright?

You gonna stand around and
listen to him shoot his mouth off,

or are we gonna get this done

so we can go home
and get some sleep?

- Where we going, Adam?
- Back to the river.

Now, wait a minute.
We're moving up to the lake.

I think we'll have a better chance of
picking his tracks up back at the river.

We covered every inch of it.

That's where his horse went
lame, that's where we found his gun.

Now, we've had men
in that area all day.

He couldn't have gotten
out of there without us seeing.

He's gotta be hiding
out in the bushes.

He couldn't have
gotten through us.

Who do you think is
the boss of this posse?

I am, Mr. Miller.

Now, just what do you
men think you're doing

taking the law into your own hands,
running around like a lynch mob?

We been looking
for that woman killer.

That's right, sheriff.
What've you been doing?

I been doing my job,
and I been doing it proper.

I been making up a
warrant, looking up witnesses.

That's helped coming to find
out what you was up to, Mr. Miller.

We're not gonna wait
around for that legal stuff.

Now, that's just what you are
gonna do or wait in a jail cell.

From now on, this is a legally
constituted posse. You understand?

What's the difference?
Just so we get that killer.

Look, sheriff, I've got a plan.

Yeah, I know, I heard it.
And I heard Adam's too.

We gonna have another
look along that river,

then we'll go up to
the lake if needs be.

Now, if you wanna
join this posse,

you just go over there
and get up on your horse.

She's not coming.

Did you hear me? I
said, she's not coming.

She'll come.

But suppose something happened.
We haven't got a chance on foot.

That's right. We haven't.

So worrying isn't
gonna help any, is it?

I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright. I
guess I'm just a little nervous.

I never did like
running very much.

Mr. Cartwright?

Do you remember when we
were little kids, Joe and me?

And you used to bring
us up here hunting?

And sometimes, at night, we'd
sit around and talk things over.

Yeah, I remember.

I could always talk to you, even
when I couldn't talk to my Pa.

I guess he figured
I was no good.

Am I as bad as he figured?

I don't believe your Pa
figured you for being bad.

It was just that he found
it hard to understand you.

Understand me? I never could
do anything right for him, not once!

Sure, I made mistakes.
But what kid doesn't?

The only one who cared, I
mean, who really cared, was Mom.

Why didn't he ever give
me a chance, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, Eden, I...

I think he gave you a chance.

I think he gave you every chance
that a father can give his son...

until your credit ran out.

You mean that shooting?
It was self-defense.

I was acquitted.

It was him that taught me a
man has a right to defend himself.

So, what's so
different about me?

Look, how do you know it
wasn't Carl Miller killed Linda?

He wanted to marry her too,
even before his brother did.

Why is everybody
so sure I did it?

It's gonna be up to a judge
and a jury to decide who did it.

I loved her.

All my life, I loved that girl.

Do you think I could
kill someone I loved?

Eden...

do you know what
love really means?

I had trouble getting through.

They have men everywhere.

- Then we're trapped.
- No, the east road is clear.

Adam's kept the
posse down by the river.

- They won't be here for a while yet.
- Then we better start out right now.

Wait a minute.

There's no use you getting
further involved, Mr. Cartwright.

I'll make it alone. And having
Ma along would just slow me down.

Let me have a gun
and I'll be on my way.

I'm taking you
to Fort Churchill.

Wha...?

Fort Churchill. What for?

He'll be safe there, Katherine,

until we can arrange
a trial in Virginia City.

- Now get on your horse, boy.
- A trial?

What kind of a
trial would I get?

They'd as soon hang me
as look at me, you know that.

Give me a chance,
Mr. Cartwright.

I'm giving you a chance, Eden.
The only chance I can give you.

- Ben, we know he's innocent.
- Then he'll have a chance to prove it.

I'll never see a courtroom.

They'll tear down the jail
to get at me. You saw them.

They won't tear down
an Army stockade.

You'll be safe there. Now
get on your horse. Both of you!

With luck, we'll be able to
make Fort Churchill by daybreak.

Mom. Mom, talk
some sense into him.

He's as good as put a
rope around my neck.

No, he's right.

Don't you see, Eden?

After the trial, when your name is
clear, we'll be able to start a new life

with no more running away.

All right.

But I still think I won't
have a chance at any trial.

Let's get moving.

Let's ride out of here,
Carl. We're wasting our time.

No. It's not wasted yet.

I still don't see why we
had to leave the posse.

Supposing they find that kid down
by the river like Cartwright figured?

- You mean you swallowed all that?
- Yeah.

Well, you're even dumber
than I thought you were.

- Who you calling dumb?
- No. You. Look there.

Get down off your horses. Move.

Throw your gun away, Ben.

You ride back down the
trail and fetch the posse.

All right, kid, move away.

- I said, move away!
- Ben, he'll kill him!

You want to try me now, Ben?

Move.

You killed her! Why
don't you admit it?

It was him that
done it! I know it!

Shut up, you dirty
little killer. Shut up!

You loved her. You
loved your brother's wife!

Shut up, I said!

Oh, Ben.

Eden, put that down.

You don't need to do
that, Mom. Come on.

Mr. Cartwright
double-crossed us.

I told you we
couldn't trust him.

I had to have a
gun. You know that.

Hmm?

I mean, when I have a gun,

people sit up and
take notice, see?

When I have a gun in my hand,
why, they all give me a chance.

Because they're scared.

Now, come on, hon, give it here.

You just don't look right
with that thing in your hands.

Stay back.

Heh. Now, you know you
wouldn't use that on me, Mom.

I'm your son, remember?

Listen, I've got a plan.

That posse would never
shoot me if you were along.

They just wouldn't dare. Now...

What's the matter?

That's all any of us ever
meant to you, isn't it?

Just someone you could use.

Oh, you're wrong,
Mom. I love you.

You don't know the
meaning of the word.

You never have
and you never will.

You'll have to use
that gun on me, Eden.

You think I won't.

Oh, it's true. You
did kill that poor girl.

Eden!

No.

Oh, Eden! Eden! No! Eden.

Oh, my baby.

Take care of that arm, Ben.

I wish you weren't
going so soon.

You've done so
much, been so kind.

Ben...

I understand.

It just couldn't
work out for us now.

I loved him. No
matter what he did.

I know.

I'm sorry.

Goodbye, Ben.

Bye, Katherine.

Giddyup.

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