Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 5, Episode 29 - The Companeros - full transcript

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Pretty fancy-looking rig.

What's it doing on our land?

Well, maybe they lost their way.

Let's go down and find out.

Whoa. Whoa.

If you're on your way to Virginia
City, you're off the main road here.

No, senor.

Senors, permit me.

I am Mateo Ybarra.



Perhaps you have heard of me.

Indeed we have.

From my nephew.

- Your nephew?
- Yes, Will Cartwright.

Guillermo? Ah,
then you must be...

Well, I'm Ben Cartwright.

Oh, senor, it is a
pleasure. It is a privilege.

Carla, come meet
Guillermo's uncle.

Senor, my wife.

Senora Ybarra.

And Guillermo, how is he?
- Fine.

Aah.

It will be wonderful
to see him again.

Well, I'm afraid you're in
for a bit of a disappointment.



He left on a cattle drive
just yesterday morning.

But I must see him, senor.

I'm going back to Mexico.

I have to be in El Paso del
Norte as soon as possible.

But, Mateo, if he's not here...

Carla, I must speak to him.

If he is not here, we
will go where he is.

If it's necessary and urgent...

Oh, it is urgent, senor.

Adam said he'd probably make
camp at Harker's Crossing tonight.

Why don't you ride over and
tell Will that Senor Ybarra's here.

And you stay with Hoss and Adam
and give them a hand with the herd.

Right, Pa.

Hyah!

Joseph, come back here! Joseph!

Come on back!

I want you to get into town.

Get Doc Martin to come
to the house right away.

- And then go after Will.
- Right, Pa.

We camp here tonight. No fires.

I could have you
shot for this, Vicente.

- Could you?
- My orders were to follow Ybarra

and to arrest him if
he crossed the border.

As long as I am in command,
you will obey those orders.

With the sedative I
gave him, he'll be all right,

except for a mighty
sore shoulder for a while.

How soon will he
be able to travel?

Right now, if he had to.

But I'd give him a few days.

Well, I'll be downstairs
if you want anything.

You'll find a bed and blankets in
the bunkhouse right through there.

So that's Mateo Ybarra.

You recognized him?

When I was in Texas
a few years ago.

He and his gang of Comancheros

used to practically run
the state of Chihuahua.

What's he doing here, Ben?

Oh, a friend of Will's.

Will rode with him
for a couple years.

Will rode with that bandit?

That bandit was fighting
for Juárez at the time.

Oh.

Luis.

Pacheco wants you. Come.

You made good time.

We only got as far
as Wolf Hill today.

Little Joe caught up with us
just as we were making camp.

How's Mateo, Ben?

You go on in.

Why didn't you write
me you were coming?

You know how
Mateo likes surprises.

Besides, we thought
our journey was a secret.

The Realistas have
probably been watching him

ever since he
landed in California.

The wonder is they waited
five years to try to kill him.

Because he was not a
threat to them in California.

Now he is.

Guillermo...

we are returning to Mexico.

That's what I hear.

We mustn't disturb him.

I wonder if I could
have a glass of sherry.

As Guillermo knows, it
takes money to raise an army.

And you have the money now?

Sí, waiting for us
in El Paso del Norte.

Enough money to arm
and equip 3,000 men.

Well, that should make
Juárez pretty happy.

From what we read in the papers
here, he needs help against the Realistas.

Juárez always needs help.

Maybe it's because
he promises too much.

You know, he's always
talking about law and justice

when all the people really
want is food and land.

Well, senora,

without law and justice,

what guarantee do the people have
that they'll be able to keep their land?

Well, I...

I'd better be getting upstairs.

Good night.

Your uncle is a very
charming man, Guillermo.

And this ranch, this hacienda,
it's called the Ponderosa, is it not?

Guillermo, are you happy here?

What does Mateo want?

When you ask me like
that, I think you know.

He wants me to go back to
Mexico with him, doesn't he?

He wants you very
badly, Guillermo.

You asked me if
I was happy here.

I am.

Does that mean you're
going to refuse him?

Yes.

I didn't want to come here.

I'm sure you are aware of that.

I told Mateo I thought it
would be a waste of time,

that you would refuse him.

He said, "Refuse?
How can he refuse?"

Guillermo, how
can you refuse him?

Have you changed that much?

I think so.

I wonder.

Good night, Guillermo.

We say Ybarra dies now.

But why, Vicente? Why?

Because, Luis, they are very young
and have all their lives yet to live

and are impatient
to get on with it.

What is the difference
if Ybarra dies here

or in Mexico in front
of a firing squad?

The difference is that we
are soldiers, not assassins.

And have you
forgotten what Ybarra is?

We were sent to arrest him.

Not to execute him.

Maximo is right.

Why do we argue?

You have made up your minds.

You are three. We are two.

We are outvoted.

But this is wrong.

We have our orders.

Pacheco's in command,
you cannot deny that.

All we want to do
is change the orders.

Only on the condition
that Ybarra does not die

until after we have
left the Ponderosa.

What difference does it make?

I will not argue
with you, Vicente.

Those are my terms.

Pacheco.

Guillermo.

Oh, wait, wait.

Just let me look at you.

You know, Mateo,
you should be in bed.

What? I do not walk on my hands.

Just the same, don't
wander too far, huh?

What, you're worried
about those pistoleros

- the Realistas sent to kill me?
- That's right.

You know the Realistas,
Guillermo. Shoot and run.

Well, don't count on it.

Hey, Guillermo.

Hey, you remember
that Realistas captain?

You remember Santa Rosalia?

The captain you spanked
with the flat of his sword?

- Huh?
- I remember.

With all the people
shouting, like at a bullfight. Olé

Heh, heh, heh. Remember?

Olé. Ha-ha-ha.

What is it, Guillermo?

Carla.

She...

She told me you want me to
go back to Mexico with you.

Guillermo, it will be
like the old days, huh?

Only better. Much better.

- Listen, Mateo...
- In a year, maybe less,

we'll ride into Mexico City,
right up to the presidential palace.

With 5,000, no, maybe 10,000
compañeros riding behind us, huh?

I'm not going with you, Mateo.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to stay here.

This is my home.

Uh... You mean you are going to
be a ranchero for the rest of your life?

Now I know you're
joking. Heh, heh, heh.

I need you.

I do.

All of our compañeros are gone.

You are the only one that
I have left that I can trust.

That I can listen to.

Like you listened
at San Lorenzo?

I shouldn't have said that.

No, no. Do not apologize.

No, you are right.

I did not listen to you at San
Lorenzo and 200 men were killed.

And the few of us that were
left had to run like whipped dogs.

I did not stop running
until I reached California.

Mateo, would you just forget it?

No, let us not forget.

But let us not pick and
choose what to remember, eh?

Yes, there was San Lorenzo.

But there were also
other places, other times.

We should not forget those. Hmm?

Like Rio Blanco.

Like Rio Blanco. Sí.

A gringo saddle tramp
sitting in a jail cell, drunk,

waiting to die in front of a Realistas
firing squad the next morning.

You needed me that night
in Rio Blanco, Guillermo.

I did not fail you.

Oh.

Well, you seem to have
made a speedy recovery.

Once, I rode all day and all night
with three holes like this one in me.

Remember, Guillermo?

My horse gave up before I did.

I'm going into town
to get some supplies.

- Anything that you might need?
- I'll check, Ben.

All right.

We'll talk later, Mateo.

Sí.

Oh, Senora Ybarra is
bringing up your breakfast.

If you still have an appetite.

- Ben.
- Yeah?

Whoa. Whoa, whoa.

Here's some leather
that needs fixing.

Well, throw it in the back. I'll
leave it at the harness shop.

Anything else?

No.

Ben.

Ben, I would
like to talk to you.

- Did you see Guillermo?
- Sí.

- And?
- He will come with us.

Did he say so?

- No, but I could tell in his eyes.
- Stop it. Stop it.

You know, it makes me sad
that you do not like Guillermo.

Did you once make eyes at
him when he did not approve?

You forget, I am not a well man.

Oh, you are a fool.

A fool, Carla mia?

An ignorant man, perhaps.

But a fool?

No. And I will tell you why.

Because I know what I
am and what I am not.

I'm a bandido, a Comanchero.

I can hunt and I can hide.

I can raid a hacendado

and set fire to his
casa and his crops,

and steal his
cattle and his gold.

And once, his
beautiful daughter.

But I am not Guillermo.

I do not think like a general.

I cannot lead an army.

You did once.

To San Lorenzo, to be butchered.

That is why I need Guillermo.

With him, we can
go to Mexico City.

And then, perhaps...

you will not hate
me when I touch you.

Nor yourself for wanting me to.

Four of Mateo's men were killed

breaking me out of
that jail at Rio Blanca.

I know, I know.

Four men to save the life of
one worthless Norte Americano

who hit a Realista officer
who happened to spill my drink.

I know, you told me that.

Yeah, but what I
didn't tell you was this.

One of those four men
was Mateo's brother.

His brother?

His name was Esteban.

He was a couple of
years younger than Mateo.

But he was all the
family that Mateo had left.

- Look, Will...
- Ben, let me finish.

About a year later, we
rode back to Rio Blanco.

Mateo went to visit
Esteban's grave.

I went with him.

And that's where...

That's where he gave me this.

- Esteban's?
- Yes.

And that was when...

you took his brother's place.

Yes.

And for the first time in
years, Ben, I did not feel alone.

I meant something to someone,

belonged somewhere,
with Mateo and his men.

And now I've
started wondering...

maybe I still do.

No, Will, you don't.

You belong here.

You see, we're the
only family you have left.

Thanks, Ben. I thought so too.

For a while it seemed right.

But then when Little
Joe rode into that camp

and told me about Mateo, I
don't know, something happened.

I looked at him and
Adam and Hoss.

I was a stranger to them.

Like someone who came
to a party by mistake.

And I look around here,
Ben, and I don't see myself.

I see you and the boys.

It's yours. You built
it and you belong.

- I...
- Will, Will.

You've been here
such a short time.

You know, it takes getting
used to, a new place like this.

And particularly when you
start comparing your feelings

toward Mateo and toward us.

Well, you lived with
Mateo, you fought with him.

You risked your
lives one for the other.

Of course you feel
very close to him.

But still, we are your family.

I know it's just a word,

but it's a word which deserves
a chance for some meaning.

Time to gain some meaning.

You think about that
when you talk to Mateo.

I'll be back around suppertime.

Guillermo.

Mateo's asleep.

I wanna talk to him.

He's drunk. Let
him sleep, please.

Well, I wanted to ask
him a few questions.

Maybe you can answer them.

About the money waiting
in El Paso del Norte.

Where did it come from?

From friends. Why?

You mean the peons, the
vaqueros, the campesinos?

A peso here and a centavo there?

Why do you think
it took five years?

Well, what about Juárez?

What about him?

Well, doesn't he know
Mateo's coming back?

- Why should he?
- Well, he's still president of Mexico.

Juárez is president of nothing.

The Realistas have
him trapped at Veracruz.

Well, isn't that why
Mateo's going back?

To help him break
out of that trap?

He'll help him if he can.

Who'll decide that?

Mateo?

Or you?

I have always tried to help
Mateo with his decisions.

Like his decision to
attack San Lorenzo?

And we had to swim
the Rio Grande. Yeah.

It was spring and the river
was a mile wide from the flood.

When we got on
the other side, heh,

Guillermo, he poured
the water from his boots

and he looked up at me and he said,
"Hey, Mateo, what we need is a navy."

Well, maybe we
have one this time?

I still have a few things to do.

I'd better get started
before it gets too late.

Excuse me.

Will.

The way Mateo's talking, he
still thinks you're going with him.

When I left you,
I had the feeling

- you were gonna tell...
- I was, Ben.

What happened?

It was something Luis
Hidalgo said to me about Carla.

About how she spreads her
greed around like a sickness.

Then I had a talk with Carla.
That's when I made up my mind.

I haven't told Mateo yet, but
I'm going back with him, Ben.

I just don't
understand you. Why?

Carla's hiding something.

I don't know what it is.

But I know this much.

Mateo may think he's
going back to help Juárez,

but Carla has
other plans for him.

What kind of plans?
What does she want?

Mexico.

That's quite an ambition.

What about Mateo?

Does he share this
ambition with her?

No, Ben. Mateo really
wants to help Juárez.

Tell me,

has he always been
a heavy drinker?

He always liked to drink,
but not like I've seen him here.

What's he afraid of?

I think he's afraid of Carla,

of what she may force him
to do someday to keep her.

He hasn't forgotten San Lorenzo.

Strange man.

He talks so big, so grandly about
war and the excitement of action,

the companionship of danger.

Yet in the couple of
days he's been here,

he strikes me as a man
who's afraid, unsure of himself.

Now you tell me he's
dominated by this woman.

Which man is he, Will?

I don't know anymore.

Maybe the years
have changed him.

Hmm.

Maybe they have.

And if they have...

is he worth what
he's asking you to do?

Was I worth what he
did for me at Rio Blanco?

And if those
pistoleros are watching,

they will think that Carla
and I are in the carriage.

I hope so.

And with three men guarding
it... Oh, ho-ho-ho. Very good.

Luis, you'll leave on
the carriage at daybreak.

If those men haven't
followed you or stopped you

by the time you get to Spring
River, turn around and come back.

We'll be waiting for
you in San Francisco.

Will.

Ben?

Are you sure you'll be able to
get a ship out of San Francisco?

I wired San Francisco.

The Westerner leaves
on Tuesday for San Diego.

From San Diego, we
take a coach to El Paso.

It's our bodyguards.

Luis.

Now do you see why I
want Guillermo with me?

He thinks of everything.
He does not take chances.

He's intelligent, experienced.

You're lucky to
have him as a friend.

Friend? More than
just a friend, senor.

I may not have another chance.

Let me thank you
for your hospitality.

Would you have a drink with me?

- Excuse me.
- Senor.

You are not happy I am
taking Guillermo with me.

Do you not know the
reason he is going?

I think I do.

Out of a sense
of loyalty to you.

Gratitude for what
you did at Rio Blanco.

That is only the excuse.
That is not the reason.

It is something else.

It is something inside.

Not here, not here.

Here.

It is a hunger, a thirst
that will never go away.

I know.

In California, the life
was good, very good.

The sun was warm,
the rain was gentle,

the earth was rich.

I looked at all that I
had and I asked myself:

"Why do I want to
leave this place?"

I had no answer.

Only the need, the hunger
to move on, to go somewhere.

It is the same with Guillermo.

Huh? He and I are
very much alike, senor.

So learn to say adios.

It is something you will
say often with your nephew.

Hmm.

Strange.

Your words are so eloquent.

Why don't I believe them?

I am a man of many words, senor.

Which of my words
do you not believe?

That word "hunger."

That my nephew has
this hunger, as you call it.

Maybe that was true
at one time, but not now.

Not now that he has
a home and a family.

No.

No, if he goes with you...

he'll go as I said, to
repay you for Rio Blanco.

Senor.

Which other of my
words do you not believe?

I don't know.

I just hope that what
my nephew is doing,

he's doing for the right man.

We'll return to tonight's
story of Bonanza

in a moment.

And now the exciting
conclusion of tonight's story.

Say goodbye to Adam,
Hoss and Little Joe for me.

Have you decided which
man you're doing this for?

It doesn't matter.

I've still got a debt to pay.

I was kind of hoping that
you thought you'd paid it.

Not yet.

Adios, uncle.

Vaya con Dios, nephew.

Guillermo...

I need rest.

There's a shack up
ahead. We can rest there.

- Take him inside. I'll get the water.
- Sí.

I'm all right.

Vicente, we do this my way.

As long as it is done.

When my horse is rested, I
will ride it as far as it will take me.

Don Guillermo.

Don Guillermo.

It is I, Juan Pacheco.

Juan Pacheco?

What's he doing
with the Realistas?

I want to talk to you alone.

- Do you hear me?
- I hear you.

What do you want, Pacheco?

Please come out, Don Guillermo.

You can't go out there.

Can't you see it's a trap?

You know why Pacheco
is there, don't you?

Why does he want me dead?

Tell me.

What's this all about, Pacheco?

We want Mateo.

Who's we?

Vicente Morales, Alphonso Maximo,
Tomas Santos and Juan Pacheco.

Whose side are
you fighting for now?

Luis told us you thought
we were Realistas.

Is Luis with you too?

That's how we knew Mateo
would not be traveling south.

Luis is no Realista, Guillermo,
you know that. Nor am I.

It is they who are Realistas.

The ones who want to make
a foreigner emperor of Mexico.

I don't believe it.

Mateo Ybarra has an
agreement with the Realistas.

They will let him take Mexico City,
he will proclaim himself El Caudillo.

Pacheco, you rode with Mateo.

You can't believe that.

We have proof.

A warrant for Mateo's
arrest on a charge of treason

signed by Benito Juárez.

There must be some
mistake, Pacheco.

I was with the president
when he heard the evidence.

What evidence?

From a captured Realista
officer, General Arriaga,

who went to California to
negotiate the arrangements.

I can't believe it, Pacheco.

You know Mateo.

We can settle this right now.
- Senor.

It is settled.

Now, tell him.

I asked them to give you a
chance to save your life, Guillermo.

They agreed because you
once served Juárez well.

So did Mateo.

It is not we who have forgotten.

It is Mateo himself.

Get on your horse,
Guillermo, ride out.

Take the senora with you.

Leave Mateo to us.

- To be murdered.
- Executed.

And what are you
gonna say to Juárez?

That you shot him while
he was trying to escape?

There is no use arguing,
Guillermo. It is decided.

It's not decided.

Not until Mateo has a
chance to defend himself.

Then it's decided.

There is nothing I can
do, amigo. I'm sorry.

You're sorry.

He was your friend, Pacheco.

That was another
Mateo, Guillermo.

You have one hour to
decide what you want to do.

You're wasting an hour.

It is your life, senor.

The only way we had to
raise any money for the army.

If the Realistas were foolish
enough to think they could control you,

then why not use them?

- We could turn on them...
- Turn on them too.

Oh, you...

You really had this
figured out, didn't you?

Right down to that
last double cross.

Did you know anything
at all about this, Mateo?

No, he didn't.

I was the only one who
talked to the Realistas.

I planned it all myself.

Well, those Juáristas out
there, they don't believe this.

Mateo,

they called me out to tell me

that they were giving me a
chance to get out before they kill you.

Take it, Guillermo.

I can't. MATEO: Take it!

Carla is wrong.

I knew what she
was doing all the time.

How could you know?

I wasn't even gonna tell
you until we got to Mexico.

You think you had to tell me?

Do you think I could not guess?

I knew.

I was pretending I did not know.

I did not want to admit
it, not even to myself.

Not until Carla said it
herself a minute ago.

I knew.

I was for sale.

If the Realistas had enough money
to buy me, they could have me.

Why?

- Why?
- Why?

Because I was rotting
away in California.

But to turn your back on
everything you fought for?

What did I fight for,
Guillermo? Hmm?

- Liberty, justice, freedom?
- Yes!

You fought for those things.

We fought for them.

Maybe once.

But that was long ago.

Afterwards, I fought

because it was the only
thing that I knew how to do.

Why? What for? Who for? It
did not make any difference.

Heh. I fought for Juárez.

And before Juárez,
for Pedro Iribas.

And before Iribas,
for Santa Anna.

And when the fighting was
finished, and they had won,

and they did not need
Mateo Ybarra any longer,

they said that I was a
thief and a murderer,

and they sent out their soldiers
to hunt me down. Heh, heh.

And I laughed, and I
said it did not matter.

But it was a lie, Guillermo.

It was a lie.

Because all the while, I wanted to
be the one who rode into Mexico City

to sit in the
presidential palace

and be the hunter
instead of the hunted.

Hmm.

And she knew.

And she wanted it for me.

Go with him, Carla.

Take her, Guillermo.

If they want to arrest you,
Mateo, that's one thing...

but to kill you, they're
going to have to work for it.

If fighting was all you ever lived
for, here's our chance to die happy.

I can't let you do this for me.

I'm not doing this
for you, Mateo.

Not anymore.

Mateo, no.

No, please. I don't
want you to do this thing.

Listen.

Darling, we can
make our lives again.

Mateo, I don't want you to go out
there. Please, I don't want you to.

Mateo!

No!

Kill me. Kill me too.

You will have many
opportunities to die, Vicente.

Don't be in a hurry
to take this one.

So you found out which
man he was, didn't you, Will?

I think I knew all along, Ben.

Strange, huh? Mateo didn't
really do anything treasonous.

I don't think he
could be convicted.

He found himself
guilty in his own mind.

That's all that's
important to him.

Well, I'd better
be getting to bed.

I'll be leaving early
in the morning.

Good night, Ben.

Wait a minute.

What do you mean leaving?

Well, I can't stay here now.

Why not? I mean,
where would you go?

Well, I figure on making
Shoshone Falls by tomorrow night.

I bet the boys could
use another hand.

You know, I forgot all about
that cattle drive. Ha, ha.

Ben, I was only
gone a short while,

but while I was gone,
I got a strange feeling

for the Ponderosa.

Would you say
it was sort of a...

hunger?

Yeah.

A good hunger? Hmm?

I'm glad you got it.
See you in the morning.

- Good night, Ben.
- Night.

♪♪

You ready for that trip?

Big country.

Big.

Across that plain
came the pioneers,

in search of new
life and adventure,

over a hundred years ago.

The country hasn't changed
much, nor has its people.

The thirst for
adventure is still strong.

Everybody wonders...

what's over the next hill?

What's beyond that next curve?

The wonders of this
great land are waiting

to be discovered
by you, so let's soar.

Let's travel kaleidoscopically,
every which way...

To where it's busy,
quiet, turbulent, dry,

wet, low, high.

Now, because it's
your Chevrolet dealers'

Trade 'N' Travel
Time, let's see the USA.

♪♪

And now, America's cities.

New York, largest city.

With endless sights to see.

This year, host for
the 1964 World's Fair.

Below you is Chicago
and its lakefront.

Chicago... bustling
metropolis of the Midwest.

San Francisco, with its cable
cars and Fisherman's Wharf,

on the old Barbary Coast.

The nation's capitol.

The Capitol dome,

and the monuments
to our great presidents:

Lincoln... Jefferson.

How much like his own design

for the rotunda of the
University of Virginia.

Ride the open roads
of the towns and villages

of America's heartland.

To Niagra Falls.

The street in front of your
house leads anywhere.

To all the great national parks.

To the land of the
world's oldest living trees...

The Bristlecone Pines in
Inyo National Forest, California.

To tall forests and
rushing streams.

To quiet places.

Your Chevrolet is a time machine

that can take you
to the coastlines

of two mighty oceans.

Or to the stunning
silence of great deserts.

Or to river-carved canyons.

Or to green countrysides.

Now wasn't that a great trip?

Why don't you make
it soon, yourself.

Be on your way, see the USA.

It's a big, wonderful country,

marvelous to see,
and easy to see...

in the new
Corvette... Chevelle...

Corvair... Chevy
Il... or Chevrolet.

Five great highway performers.

Visit your Chevrolet dealer.

It's a good time to trade
and a good time to travel.

In fact, it is Trade
'N' Travel Time.

This has been a
color presentation

of the NBC Television Network.