Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 7, Episode 3 - The Brass Box - full transcript

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And then, one day...
Ah, thank you, Sam.

Everybody runs down...

José's sure spinning
some fancy ones tonight.

As far as the eye would see.

But they're sure pretty to hear.

Even if they are
a bunch of lies.

Yeah.

A great fleet coming down
into the Valle de San Francisco.

Everywhere sails of
purple, crosses of gold.



The long flags of
El Rey de España

flying from every mast.

Hooray for El Rey!

- Hooray for El Rey!
- Hooray!

And on the deck

of the first ship stands
Almirante Ortega himself,

my great-great-great-great
grandfather.

Don José, you're really
going strong tonight.

Let me buy you another drink.

Gracias, muchacho. Gracias.

Viva, Don José Ortega!

- Viva, Don José Ortega!
- Yay!

Gracias.

And for all that,



a grateful king gave to the
Ortegas a great grant of land

so they could live from then on

like the grandeza of old Spain.

Yeah, yeah, we know.

And somewhere in your house,

you got a brass
box full of papers

proving you own the
whole blamed country.

Even the mine from which
you extract my silver is mine.

Your silver?

José, you're one
big lie, I think.

There is such a
box bound in brass

with a coat of arms of
the Ortegas on the lid.

And inside... there
are some papers...

And inside is the biggest
wind this side of Chihuahua.

That's what's inside.

The Ortega family
is very ancient.

In our veins flows the
blood of many a king!

In your veins, old man,

flows too much cheap tequila.

I think we'll fix that.

The last person who
slapped my face, old man,

was wearing a dress,

and she didn't
come out too good.

Leave him alone, Muller.

Why don't you stay out of this?

The old fool asked for it!

So did you.

Gracias, muchacho.

De nada. You all
right, Don José?

Ah, sure, I'm all right.

Those like him make
fun of me and laugh at me,

but one of these
days, they'll see.

Right. One of these days.

Right now, why don't we see
if we can't get you home, huh?

That's right. Yes, I'm tired.

Morning, Pa.

Hoss, how you doing?

- Fine.
- Morning.

- How are you doing, Little Joe?
- Hungry as a bear.

Mmm, that looks good.

Joseph... I understand

you had a little trouble
last night, in town.

How'd you know about that?

Oh, Don José came
by early this morning.

Well, I guess he told you
the fight wasn't my idea.

He did, as a matter of fact.

I'd watch that fella
Muller, though.

He seems like the kind of
man who'd carry a grudge.

Yeah, I'll keep an eye on him.

I can't help feeling
sorry for Don José.

You know, all
those stories he tells

about the ancient
glory of his family.

Then you look at him and see
how little he's ended up with.

I'm afraid most of
old Don José's stories

are just big, wild dreams.

He left you this, by the way.

Oh.

Yeah, he's a nice guy.

Whew!

Look at that.

Hmm.

Old chalice.

That's pure gold.

Could be worth a lot of money.

I-I can't accept a
gift like that. It's...

It's probably an heirloom

that's been in the
family all these years,

and he's hung onto it, even
though he's been penniless.

Maybe all old Don José's
stories ain't just wild dreams

after all, huh?

Whoa.

Buenos dias, Don José.

Buenos dias.

Don José, the, uh...

the gift you sent
me... I can't accept it.

But why not?

It's for you for last night.

For being my
protector, my salvador.

No. Uh-uh.

No. It's got to mean
an awful lot to you.

I don't want you to give it up

just because of a
little incident in a bar.

Hmm.

But I must express my
gratitude somehow. Please.

All right... being your
friend is gratitude enough.

Bueno.

At least come into my house
and have a cup of coffee.

- Now that I'll take you up on.
- Fine.

Bienvenido.

Please forgive my shabby house.

I no longer like to bring
my American friends here.

But you are different.

¿Sí, Señor?

You know, Don José, if
you'd have some of the folks

in Virginia City come out
and take a look at this place,

you wouldn't have anybody
laughing at your stories.

This is like a museum.

Even if they saw it,
they wouldn't believe it.

They would still
think I was lying.

Come, come, sit
down, have your coffee.

Gracias.

This place is really something.

I'm glad you like it.

Oh, Joe Cartwright,

I want you to meet my sobranito.

My little nephew.

The last of the clan, my
only hope, Miguel Ortega.

I guess I've only heard
your uncle talk about you

a couple of hundred times.

That a fact?

And why shouldn't I?

He is a boy with
great education.

And a wonderful
horse wrangler, too.

He just arrived from Texas to
stay with his uncle for a while.

Come, come, have your coffee.

You mind if I look
around for a while?

Go ahead.

I see you're impressed.

Yeah. Who wouldn't be?

You don't believe my uncle is
such a liar anymore now, huh?

Miguel!

And you apologize to him...

Please forgive him.

It's all my fault.

I told him last night what
happened at the bar, and...

It's all right. It's
all right. Forget it.

How people laugh at me and...

Forget it. I understand.
I understand.

- Thank you.
- No hard feelings.

Gracias.-LITTLE JOE: I
think I better be on my way.

Thanks for showing me the place.

Nah, don't mention it.

Sí. Hasta luego.

Hasta luego.

Where are your manners?

You make me feel
ashamed I'm your uncle.

Why?

He comes swaggering in here.

The patrón visiting the peón.

He doesn't swagger.

Yes, the Cartwrights are
owners of a great big rancho.

But friends. Real friends.

When I was disabled,
they gave me work.

When I was sick, they
sent me their doctor,

paid my bills, sent me food.

It was to them I was
going to take you

so you could work on their
Ponderosa while you are here.

Wouldn't you like that?

Sure. Why not?

I haven't got any choice.

But I don't like to see my
Uncle Don José Ortega

fawning and telling
lies and being humbled

to the ones who stole
his land and his birthright.

Tell me something, Uncle...

that story I've
heard so many times

of a brass box with papers

about a big land
grant for the Ortegas...

Was that story
one of the lies, too?

What difference does it make?

Even if there was such a box,

it would only hold an
old man's memories.

Mementos.

Dreams of days gone by.

Stay with him, Joe!

¡Muy bien, muchacho! ¡Muy bien!

Huh? Oh.

Buenos dias.

- Hello, Don José.
- Oh.

- Sorry I'm late.
- That's all right.

I want you to meet my
nephew, Miguel Ortega.

Señor Cartwright.

Well, so this is your
favorite nephew, is it?

Your uncle has told me a
great deal about you, Miguel.

And he's the best horse
wrangler in the world.

- Oh...!
- I hope you give him the job here, huh?

Please.

Well, I guess with
my son Adam away,

I could use another hand.

Wonderful!

If he can handle it.

I can handle it.

Of course he can.

Show them, muchacho.

Do you mind? Let me have him.

Be my guest.

Okay, let him go.

Muchachos, siguele.

Eso es, eso es.

Ah.

Very good, very good.

Very good job of
horse wrangling.

Mike, you're on.

Muchas gracias, señor patrón.

- Muy agradecido, señor.
- Yeah. Pleasure, pleasure.

Hasta luego. Gracias.

Buenos tardes,
Mike. How's it going?

No complaints. You got any?

Uh... None, other
than a few achin' bones.

Drivin' them dang
ornery cattle all day.

Course, it's pretty
scenery out there.

What do you think of
the Ponderosa, Mike?

It's beautiful.

Especially if you
happen to own it.

Yeah.

Yeah. Es tierra... hermosa, huh?

Imagine that.

You know three words of Spanish.

Yeah.

Afraid that's about all.

Dad burn it, I wish
I knew that lingo.

Feel downright ignorant

when I get around some
of my Mexican friends.

You mean Mexican girls.

Yeah. Yeah. Them, too.

Hey, why don't you teach
me some Spanish, huh?

I hired on here as a horse
wrangler, not a Spanish teacher.

You find some other peon

to tell you what to
say to the muchachas.

Well, let's see... with my
brother Hoss, that makes, uh,

that make five, doesn't it?

Five what?

Five men who tried to
make friends with you

and you tried to
pick a fight with them.

Look, amigo, I do my work.

But I pick my own friends
and my own enemies.

You keep looking, amigo,
you're gonna find 'em.

Two guesses who'd
be sorry if I did.

Joseph...

You got things to
do, now's the time.

Well, Mike...

I think I understand why
your uncle was so worried

about you hanging
on to your job.

My uncle talks too much.

Yeah, maybe.

But, uh...

I don't know the
reason for your attitude,

but it might be an idea
if you were to change it.

Look, Mr. Cartwright,

I do my job and I do it right.

Yes.

You do a very good job.

Well, that's all
that should matter.

I don't bow and scrape
and say sí, señor for anyone.

Including people
named Cartwright.

Mike!

You know a lot about horses.

But you still have a lot
to learn about people.

Nobody around here
has to bow or scrape.

Aw, come on, you
know as well as I do...

You think you're doing me
a favor, letting me work here,

on the land my ancestors gave
their blood and their souls for.

And now their descendants,
like my poor uncle,

have to live on charity
from the people who stole it.

I'm not gonna argue the
point with you here, but...

- unless you change your att...
- Don't worry.

I'm clearing out of
this territory anyhow.

You can keep your job.

♪♪

¿Tío? ¿Tío?

To the Ortegas.

Ortegas.

♪♪

"In the name of His
Most Gracious Majesty,

"Fernando, King of Spain,

and all the dominions
of the New World..."

No, no, it was el
Duque de Toledo

who gave the Ortegas
their coat of arms,

by command of His Royal
Highness King Fernando.

All right, amigos,

the entertainment's
over for the night.

Miguelito, come
and meet my friends.

Your friends?

All right, listen
to me, all of you.

Listen to this Ortega.

Are any of you here
educated enough to know about

the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

Like uncle, like nephew.

Now we got to listen to a
lot of fancy stuff out of him.

You're not talking
to an old man now.

Well, Mr. Cartwright.

Maybe you can
tell these barflies

what the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo is.

Oh, I think most of them know.

But for those of them who
don't, it's the treaty that ended

the Mexican-American War.

And took away half of Mexico.

Do you know one provision
of that treaty, amigos?

All legitimate grants of ranchos

are to be recognized by
the American government.

Grants like this one,

to Juan Garcia Delgado y Ortega

and his heirs.

To this land in Nevada.

Come, Tío.

Make room for the
patrón of all this territory.

And that includes
your silver mine,

uh, Señor Muller.

If that's the real thing,

where's it been up till now?

Never mind where it's been.

You're looking at it now.

He's as full of wind
as the old man.

Come, Tío.

Let's get you away
from these barflies.

♪♪

You're a lawyer, Ira.

How serious is this?

The provisions of the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

were very specific, Ben.

All previous
landholdings and grants

have to be recognized as
valid under United States law.

There's no time
limit on them, either.

How big a piece of the Ponderosa
is this supposed to include?

All but one little corner, Ben.

What do you mean?

That-that somebody
can just come along

with a piece of paper
and then take away land

that people have lived
and built on all these years?

That's exactly what I mean.

Now, treaty or no treaty,
that's just plain robbery.

Not in the eyes
of the law, it isn't.

What do we do now, Pa?

I don't know yet.

Well... what's your
recommendation, Ira?

Well, first, I'll research
all the old records

and have a look at
those land grant papers

before we have to go to court.

All right, then, we'll...

wait till we hear from you.

Little brother,

what happens if it
goes against us in court?

I don't know... there's all
the work Pa's put in this place.

It's not fair, no matter what
those Spanish grants say.

He's spent his whole life
trying to build up this ranch.

I wish there was
more I could do, Ben.

Appreciate you trying.

Ben, we heard Ira
was coming out here

to talk things over with you.

We just couldn't wait no longer.

We got to know where we stand.

Well,

Don José's nephew is
gonna write to the courts.

Courts?

Ira, do you think he's
got a chance of winning?

If the grant is
genuine and clear,

yes, I'd say he'd have
a very good chance.

Well, that don't
make sense, Ira.

All these years I
spent working my place,

he come along with an old
claim and take it away from me.

Well, fellas, we might
as well face one fact:

with that old claim, he
can take everybody's place,

including the Ponderosa.

Well, what do you
plan to do about it, Ben?

Well, Harry, I guess
I'd be lying to you

if I said I wasn't
worried, but...

I don't see there's much you
can do except wait and see

if the claim is valid.

I'm telling you
something, Cartwright,

I'm not losing my Lucky
Star Mine to some old souse,

legal claim or not.

I guess we all
feel the same way,

but there's no point in getting
riled up... we just wait and see.

Don't you be telling me
what to do, Cartwright.

It wouldn't surprise me none
if you and Ira weren't cooking

something up to
protect the Ponderosa.

It wouldn't surprise me at all.

I'm sorry, Ben.

Pa.

Yes.

Me and Little Joe have
been doing some thinking.

What about?

Well, we decided that we
ought to settle this right now,

before it goes any further.

What would you suggest?

We got to think of something.

Like what?

Well, like going over and
talking to José and Miguel.

We sure can't lose anything.

Can this be true, Don Felipe,

that all this land
belongs to me?

Adelante.

- Ah, muchachos Cartwright.
- Buenas tardes, Don José.

¿Qué tal? How are you?

- Hi, hi. Hello.
- Bienvenidos.

Uh... Mike ain't here?

Oh. It's Miguel you want to see?

No, Don José, actually,

we wanted to talk to both
of you at the same time.

Listen, maybe we
better come back later.

No, no, no, no. He'll
be back in a minute.

Uh, he went to town. Come on.

Sit down. Make
yourselves at home.

Can I offer you anything?
A little tequila, café?

- Oh, not for me. Thank you, sir.
- No, me either.

Me either, Don José. Thank you.

What brings you here?

We wanted to talk to both of you

about the Spanish land
grants that Miguel dug up.

Oh, yes, yes.

Miguel says that all
this land belongs to me.

And to him, after I'm gone.

Well...

Don José, I-I'm afraid
it ain't quite that simple.

You mean to tell
me that the paper

that Miguel dug up is no good?

No, no. No, Don José.

That's-that's not what
Hoss means. It's just that...

it's a matter that the courts
are gonna have to decide.

Oh, I see.

The court, see,
that's-that's the point...

It's got to go to court.

And, well...

well, Don José, do
you reckon that if...

if our pa were
to... make you a...

a fair offer... out
of court, mind you...

That you could see your
way clear to accept it?

Well.

Ah, here is Miguelito.

My uncle is suddenly
entertaining a big, big patrón.

Two patrones.

But of course! Why not?

The question is...

why do the grand
patrons Cartwright

come to visit my uncle?

What, no big red apples?

No bag full of silver coins?

No papers to sign?

Now, listen, Mike...

No, you listen,
young Cartwright.

I won't stand for you
sneaking into this house

- behind my back.
- First of all,

nobody snuck into this
house behind your back.

And I was under the impression
it was your uncle's house.

My uncle's, mine,
what's the difference?

It belongs to the Ortegas.

All this belongs to the Ortegas.

Now get out.

Miguel!

I won't let you speak
that way to my friends.

Your friends?

When are you going
to wake up, Tío?

The only friend
you've got around here

is what's in the brass box.

Now, wait a minute, Mike...

your uncle'll bear
me out in this.

Little Joe and I came
here for no other reason

than to talk to your uncle
about considering a...

a fair settlement,
and that's all.

Sure.

We'll consider
a fair settlement.

You're the one that wanted

to learn some
Spanish, aren't you?

Here's an old Spanish proverb:

Vivir bien es la mejor venganza.

"To live well is
the best revenge."

That's our settlement.

And after this,

my uncle will live very well.

Don José, you think
about what we talked about.

When you've
reached a decision...

I'll tell you right now what
my uncle has decided.

He's decided to
fight for his rights.

I'm leaving for
Carson City today

to see about starting
legal procedures.

Miguel.

Miguel... what has
happened to you?

I hardly know you.

You're behaving
like a wild animal.

That's only a sample
of what they'll all get

before I'm through, tío.

We'll pay them back for
the way they've treated us.

All the humiliation...
all these years.

- Ben, I've got some good news.
- Oh...

I came right over.

Oh, good, Ira, good. Come in.

I was just, uh... going
over these records...

Oh, forget it, forget it.

Uh... won't be necessary now.

In going over the old records,

I came across something
mighty interesting.

Hmm?

Ben, did you know

the area roughly
covered by the Ponderosa

was used as Army
land, temporarily,

back in the old days?

Well, yes, I had heard
something about that

when I first got
to the territory.

I, uh... What about it?

Well, Ben, this is what
I've been looking for.

I'll be able to drag
this case on forever.

We'll go over all
the old Army claims.

We'll claim public domain.

We'll drag it through
the courts so long

the Ortegas'll never
be able to see it through.

The cost'll keep
mounting up and up,

it'll go on and on...

Forget it.

Forget it?

I don't want to crawl in

through any loopholes, tricks.

Well, I...

I'm only trying to save your
Ponderosa for you, Ben.

Oh, I know that,
Ira. I'm sorry, I...

I know you mean well.

Ira, if I can't win
this legitimately,

then I don't want
to win it at all.

What about your sons?

Their rights?

What about 'em?

All right, if, uh...

that's the way you want it, Ben.

That's the way I want it, Ira.

Thank you.

♪♪

Where you headin', Pa?

Oh, thought I'd see Don José.

Gotta come to some kind
of an understanding with him.

I don't think he'll listen, Pa.

How come?

I don't know, I just...

just got a feeling he won't
listen to you, that's all.

Last chance, old man.

You gonna sign this release
to all your claims or ain't ya?

Even if you kill me, señores,

I'll never sign that paper.

Sign it, José.

It's for your own good.

Never.

You stupid old man.

Leave him be!

That ain't doing no good.

He won't sign that paper.

Let's get out of here.

What's the matter with you?

Are you ready to lose
everything you ever worked for

because of a crazy old fool?

Well, I'm not!

Don José, will you
please sign that paper?

We don't want to
hurt you no more.

All we want is our land.

Don José, will you
sign that paper?!

Mmm...

Take a good look, old man.

I thought that would get to you.

You're gonna sign that paper?

You're sure?

No!

No!

Oh!

It's just the start, old man.

I'm gonna go inside
and get your junk.

We're gonna build
ourselves a fire.

We're gonna burn
it, piece by piece,

until you say you'll sign.

Oh.

José!

José?

José?

Wait! José!

Here... Here, sit.

What are you doing to my uncle?

What's the matter with you?

Can't you see that he's hurt?

You did this to him.

Don't be a fool.

Now, you get on your horse,
and you get a doctor here quick!

And tell Little Joe
to come over here!

You better be telling
the truth, Mr. Cartwright.

That should do it, José.

Main thing now is rest.

What about him?

His hands should
heal soon enough,

but, uh... a broken
heart, you never know.

Who did this to you, Tío?

Tell me, who did this to you?

It doesn't matter now.

You were right.

You were right!

My nephew was right!

All of you are my enemies!

I've never done anything to you,

and you come and burn
and destroy everything I have.

Not everything, Tío.

We still have the land grant.

Come, sit down.

You haven't told me.

Who are the men
that did this to you?

Muller. Muller.

Joe, better go after him.

And, uh, if he
goes after Muller,

you go to the sheriff.

Will do.

Miguel, don't try
anything by yourself.

Let Sheriff Coffee handle it.

I don't need any
help from any sheriff,

from you, from any gringo.

Look, will you listen to reason?

How do you think
your uncle's gonna feel

if you get yourself killed?

Don José is an Ortega.

Whatever happens,
he will accept it.

Hah!

Hah!

All right, now you can
tell me where Muller is.

The last time I seen him, he...
he was... he was in the saloon.

You better be telling the truth.

What's going on here, Joe?

Where's Sheriff Coffee?

He's in Carson City.

I told you before...

I don't need any
help from any sheriff.

Charlie, take him
on down to jail.

- I'll explain it to you later.
- All right.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Hold it, Muller.

♪♪

You saved my life.

Thank you, amigo.

Hey!

Come on, you thank me later.

Get you to a doctor.

Yeah, Doc Martin said
that Miguel must've had

his lucky angel on his shoulder,

'cause the wound
isn't even serious.

He's gonna be fine.

How can I ever thank you?

Well, Miguel thanked me,
and that's thanks enough.

Just want you to
take care of yourself

and not worry about a thing.

Pa, I'll see you at home.

- Hasta luego.
- Hasta luego.

Here is the One
we should all thank

that your son wasn't killed.

Ah, Don José.

Everything will be all right.

It'll be all right.

No, no.

So much hate.

And all on account
of my foolish talk.

I wish Miguel had
never found out

about that brass box.

Well, you knew what was in it.

And a man... must
stand up for his rights.

Don't you hate me for all this?

What will you do
without your Ponderosa,

that you worked so hard for?

Well, I can't say that, uh,

I'm looking forward to
what might happen but...

we're still friends, aren't we?

Yes, we are.

"In the name of His
Most Gracious Majesty,

"Fernando, King of Spain,

and all the dominions
of the New World..."

Hey, what are you...?

If it hadn't been for
you and your son,

Miguel wouldn't be alive.

Yes, but what...?

Besides... I'll
tell you a secret.

The grant was no good.

My family sold it

back to the Mexican
government many years ago.

So, you see? We've lost nothing.

You sure about that now?

That's what I said.

You wouldn't lie to me?

I, Don Jose Ortega y Sequeros,

you accuse me of lying?

Don Jose Ortega y Sequeros...

I wouldn't think of it.

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