Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 9, Episode 10 - Showdown at Tahoe - full transcript

A hold up group including a crook posing as a minister follow a ruthless leader. During a practise holdup...

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Whoa.

Drop that rifle
and your gun belts.

Driver, climb down and
unload the shipment.

And, you, keep your hands up.

Three minutes
faster than last time.

Not good enough.

Now, put the bags
back on the coach.

MAN: All right, get
your hands up, all of you!

I been out hunting
table venison.

Looks like I found
something bigger than that.



You made a mistake,
Sheriff. We're not holdup men.

We've got a claim over the hill.

We're sending ore samples
to Virginia City for assay.

My name is Fillmore,
Jameson Fillmore, Sheriff.

Ore? Those don't look
like ore bags to me.

Reverend, kneel down and open up
those bags for the sheriff. Show him.

- He's dead.
- You and your rehearsals.

You fixed it this time,
Fillmore. You wrecked it good.

You're getting old, Testy.
You're losing your nerve.

You do exactly as I tell you.

Take the deputy, put him in the
coach, tie the horse behind him.

You saw him on a lonely road

and you're taking him into Virginia
City like the good citizens that you are.

[CHUCKLES]



That just might work.

It'll work.

You're right, that's gonna work.

But if we do get our hands
on that currency shipment,

we've got the Ponderosa
to cross, posses everywhere,

and the best trackers
in Nevada on our trail.

You're losing faith
in me, Reverend.

Oh, no, no, but I spent
four years in prison,

and I'm not particularly
anxious to go back.

Reverend, you're gonna
go on preaching the gospel

to these poor lost souls
until I tell you to stop.

For your information, there
won't be any trails to follow,

because we're going
straight across Lake Tahoe,

and we're going to do it in Ben
Cartwright's brand-new boat.

Boat 7,000 feet in the sky

and we're going to use it on
the biggest holdup ever pulled.

You hear about Sunday, Pa?

Comes once a week, I understand.

I mean next Sunday.

What about next Sunday, Julie?

Gonna be a picnic and a dance and
a barn raising over at the O.B. ranch.

Candy's going, and Hoss and
Joe, and... and just everybody.

I expect there'll be a few
who'll miss the happy occasion.

I know you're awful busy

with freight shipments practically
doubling every month, but even so...

Julie, do you realize that this is the
greatest opportunity a sailor ever had?

There's room on Lake Tahoe for a
whole fleet to open up this new country.

With the help of God and Ben
Cartwright, we can be part of it.

- I know, but...
- That's in the future.

And you're worried
about the present.

Julie, I think we
can go to that party.

Oh.

I'll take the wheel.

I'm sure that your social
activities will take up a lot of time.

Thank you, Papa.

[HOOTER BLARES]

Captain Larson's
got her right on time.

Pretty as a 40-dollar
colt, ain't she?

Little bit different from some of them
clipper ships you used to sail, huh, Pa?

[LAUGHS]

Yeah. I'll tell you,
she's gonna be all right.

Till we get some good roads,

that's the best way to carry
heavy freight around here.

She'll pay her way
and then some.

[DOOR OPENS]

No passengers permitted.

Good afternoon, Captain.

When did you come aboard?

Oh, I hopped aboard just
before you left the South Shore.

You were... You were busy, Nels.

Nice.

Almost as big as the place we
once shared together for so long.

Cell 241.

Cell block D, in
case you've forgotten.

- What do you want?
- An introduction to Ben Cartwright.

I am Jameson Fillmore,
lumberman from San Francisco.

Just introduce you, is that all?

- That's all.
- I'll think about it. Get out.

Let me dock this ship.

I'll tell you one thing, Candy,

it's a good thing I'm running
that cow camp instead of you.

Way you throw that rope, I don't
think you'd catch anything but a cold.

It's not a rope,
landlubber, it's a line.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Papa and I'll make a
sailor out of you yet, Candy.

I wouldn't count on that, Julie. I
still can't make a cowhand out of him.

Why, he handled the boat practically
all by himself last three times.

Three trips, only hit the dock twice.
One out of three. That's not too bad.

Don't try to explain
my skills to him, Julie.

He's jealous 'cause I get to
spend so much time with you.

Hey, wait for me, Captain
Kidd. I'll give you a hand.

Thanks a lot.

- Julie.
- Hi.

Well, Nels, have a good trip?

Fine, fine, thank
you, Mr. Cartwright.

- Got the mail, huh? Good.
- Yeah.

I'm afraid there's
bad news in the paper.

Friend of yours, wasn't he?

BEN: Yes, he was
a friend of mine.

Nels, did you hear
anything around the lake?

No, sir, not a thing.

This is shocking. I tell
you, this is just terrible.

I heard about this yesterday
on the South Shore.

What is this country coming to

when even the officers of the
law can't ride the roads in safety?

That's what a lot of
people are wondering, sir.

Mr. Cartwright, this is
Mr. Jameson Fillmore,

a lumberman from San Francisco.

- Mr. Fillmore.
- How do you do, Mr. Cartwright?

Cartwright? Owner of the Ponderosa
ranch and this fine stern-wheeler?

That's right.

That's quite an achievement, launching
a ship this big so high in the mountains.

Well, Mr. Fillmore, I consider
it a great achievement,

and I can say that
because I had nothing to do

with the building or
the launching of it.

It was brought up piece
by piece on mule back,

right up the side
of the mountain,

by the man who
had the vision to do it.

I merely bought it from him.

You're in the lumber
business, are you, sir?

Yes, I am, and I've spent a great
deal of time up here in Lake Tahoe.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

Frankly, when I saw your
Bear Ridge stand of timber,

I said to myself, "I
have just got to have it."

So I took the liberty of bringing
along two of my top timber cruisers.

Well, you don't waste
any time, do you, sir?

And with your permission I'd like to
have them cruise that stand of timber.

And after I get their reports,

I'd like to be able to make you
an offer that you cannot refuse.

[LAUGHS]

Well, I find no
objection in that, sir.

Good. We'll need some pack animals
and some horses and a place to camp.

No problem at all. You'll be
wanting to start immediately?

Yes, we will.

[CHUCKLES]

Nels, now, there is an
enthusiastic gentleman.

Business is picking up.

You made that introduction sound
legitimate, Nels... real legitimate.

Understand one thing. I
won't see Cartwright hurt.

You make one wrong
move and I'll tell him

you and all your
men are ex-convicts.

Well, you say anything and you'll go
back for consorting with ex-convicts.

You know, I was thinking, Nels,

maybe there's some way I can
help you raise enough money

to send Julie back
east to school.

I remember that's all
you used to talk about

when we were roommates
in apartment 214.

Think about it.

Everything you've ever wanted.

FILLMORE: At the
bottom of the grade,

the reverend will be waiting
in the middle of the road.

We stop the stagecoach,
take out the currency.

Remember, this time
it's a million dollars.

We load it into
the reverend's bag

among his hymn books
and his religious tracts.

Well spoken, brother.

Now, when the law
hears about the holdup,

they'll block the trail,

they'll search the
area, even for days.

- Yeah.
- Testy, what do you do?

Go right for the North Shore
boat landing across this hogback,

down this draw,
'cause that's the fastest,

and then... then that boat of
Cartwright's better be there.

The Dixie'll be there, 'cause
Fillmore and me are gonna make sure.

Reverend?

I ride through North Meadows.

If I meet somebody, I
start thumping my Bible.

If it's a posse, I tell
'em I saw three riders

headed away from the
lake into these mountains.

You're forgetting
something, Reverend.

Something absolutely essential.

You do not hurry. You are a
preacher with all the time in the world.

I don't sweat, I don't strain,
I don't lather my horse.

And if you ever again raise
your hand against me, I'll kill you.

I'll do my job and
I'll make it look good.

Good? Perfect!

Every man, every move.

MAN: Timber!

Timber!

Just got the mail off
the boat. Pa around?

- He's in there. Got some for me?
- No, Joe, nobody loves you, I reckon.

Course, anybody that loves
you couldn't read nor write nohow.

- You're funny.
- Anything there from San Francisco?

No, nothing. Why, you
expecting something?

Oh, I wrote to the bank in San Francisco
for some references on Mr. Fillmore.

Although I don't really
think we need any.

He seems to be a gentleman, and he
certainly knows the lumbering business.

Maybe he knows it. I don't think too
much of the fellas that work for him.

Very hard to find good
workers these days.

You know, Hoss, even in
the bosom of one's own family,

it's difficult to find a
hard-working young man.

What's wrong, Papa?

Well, nothing's wrong.
Nothing. Why do you ask?

Papa, what are
you worried about?

Honey, I'm just doing some
heavy thinking, that's all.

Anything I can do?

You already have.

All the time that I was in prison, I
think I might have given up and died

if I hadn't known that two people on
the outside believed in my innocence,

you and Ben Cartwright.

Well, Nels, we were
just talking about you.

Step down. Say hello.

- What do you want?
- Settle a wager.

You know, we sit up here all day

watching all the activities
down on the water.

And who should
we see an hour ago

getting on a horse,
riding away from the dock,

but our old colleague, Nels.

And where should he be heading

but on the only road leading to
Ben Cartwright's logging camp.

I work for him. I can
talk to anyone I want.

But not say anything
you want, Nels.

So you've finally
decided to be a hero,

throw caution to the winds,
warn Mr. Cartwright, huh?

No. No, sir.

No, not anything like that.

You told me that you're
not planning anything.

I believe you.

I believe all of you.

Yeah, we're...
we're old friends.

We've been through the mill together.
Why should any one of us hurt anybody?

Where's Papa?

I haven't seen him.

Well, he was only
gonna be gone an hour.

I took a nap and
when I woke up, I...

Well, we're due to sail in 20
minutes, and Papa's never late.

Well, he and Ben Cartwright probably
got to talking and forgot the time.

I'll ride up there and meet
him if it'll make you feel better.

No, that's all right. I'll do it. You
gotta get the Dixie ready to sail.

- You're the captain now, right?
- Right.

Papa. I was so
worried about you.

Ten minutes before sailing
time and you sit here resting?

Hey, Papa.

Papa!

Please!

[SOBBING]

Papa loves the lake.

He... He'd like it here.

- Julie.
- I still can't believe it.

Now, Julie...

It's gonna be hard,

and the loneliness,
that'll be the hardest part.

We found plenty of tracks
but lost 'em up in the shale.

Still looks like
attempted robbery.

I think the killers saw
him riding up the trail

and thought he was bringing
you the money for your loggers.

- It's possible.
- I don't think it was robbery.

Nels Larson had been carrying
around a big load of trouble.

He was jumpy, nervous,
not himself at all.

How long had that been going on?

- A week.
- Maybe he was sick or something.

No, it was more than that.

At least, I think it was.

Do you know what he
wanted to see me about?

He didn't tell me. He
didn't even tell Julie.

If you hear anything,
tell me or Clem.

Meanwhile, you're the skipper.

Julie, you don't have to
do that. I'll take care of it.

No, I have to.

You have a lot
of friends, Julie.

We'll be glad to help.

I know that.

My... My aunt says I can come
and live with her in St. Louis

and... and I'll go
to boarding school,

and... and I know I'll make
a lot of new friends and...

and I'll hate it.

Oh, why, Candy? Why
did he have to be killed?

What was it? What
kind of trouble was he in?

[HOOTER BLARES]

Julie, I don't know who
killed your father or why.

But I'm gonna find
out... or die trying.

[DOOR KNOCKING]

- Howdy.
- Hi.

Do you mind if I come in?

Looks like you are in.

Hey, that's too bad
about Captain Larson.

Ironic, isn't it, killed for a payroll
that he wasn't even carrying?

Hey, notice you got your gun on.

Yeah, I feel kind of
out of balance without it.

And a nervous little man with
"banker" written all over his face

handed you a pouch at the dock.

If I were a betting man,
I'd say today was payday.

Funny you should
mention payroll.

When I was a kid, I used
to read about robbers.

I used to try to figure out
how I could do it better.

[LAUGHS]

Since I've been
working for Larson,

I bet I've figured a dozen
different ways to steal that payroll.

Just to pass the time.

- Just to pass the time?
- Yeah, sure.

Uh, stealing it'd be a cinch,

but, well, getting away
with it is the tough part.

But I just might figure out a
way to do it. Just to pass the time.

Well, I'll have to... I'll have to
give that some thought myself.

Just to pass the time.

Hello, boy.

Come sit down,
share a meal with us.

Meat's tough, the biscuits are
like lead, but the coffee's hot.

Have you thought any more
about what we were talking about?

Well, as a matter
of fact, I have.

Well, looks like payroll day.

Bringing it this far was easy. Now
you tell me how to get away with it.

- Well, what's in it for me?
- Half.

Sorry. I don't trust you.

It's all too quick, too easy.

I think you're a
big bag of hot air.

I think you have no idea
how I can get away with that.

Your privilege, my friend.

- But I know how to do it.
- Go ahead.

I need your help. A robbery.
Somebody took it away from me.

[LAUGHS]

- Wouldn't believe you for a minute.
- I think they will.

If they find me with a lump on my head
and one of the robbers beside me, dead.

And just where do you think you're
gonna get yourself a dead robber?

Which one of those
two can you spare?

- You're not serious?
- Which one?

The one in the green coat.
Houston. He drinks too much anyway.

My congratulations, boy.
My sincere congratulations.

How would you like to make four
times what's in that payroll bag,

with no risk at all?

- Four times?
- Four times.

I'm listening very carefully.

Just take that payroll bag to the
Cartwright camp like you're supposed to.

What?

Then go back to the boat, stay there,
do your job until you hear from me.

All right. I guess I just
have to trust you, don't I?

He's a real hard-nose one.

About as friendly
as a porcupine.

How right you are,
Houston. How right you are.

Wait a minute. What's
this doing open?

It's all there. I opened it when I
offered Fillmore half the payroll.

- You what?
- Offered Fillmore half the payroll.

I think you heard him
right the first time, Pa.

All right, you start talking, and
you better start from the beginning.

Yeah, I better.

Julie and me done
some hard thinking,

and we're sure that her dad's trouble
started when Fillmore showed up.

What's that got to
do with this payroll?

Fillmore's been feeling
me out for a week.

I set up stealing the
payroll to test him,

and I offered him half.

Well, young man, don't you
think you ought to consult with me

before you start doing
anything like that?

Well, as it turned out,
Mr. Cartwright, there wasn't time.

If I'd have brought this up here
before I went to Fillmore's camp,

he'd have known I
was setting a trap.

- But he didn't take the money, did he?
- No, he's after something bigger.

He offered me four
times this amount

if I'd go back to the
Dixie and wait for orders.

Pa, don't you think it's about
time we get the law in on this?

What's the law got to do
with it? There's no evidence.

All we've got is
Candy's suspicions.

I wanna turn that
suspicion into evidence.

I'd like to go back
to the boat and wait.

All right, get going.

Candy.

- You be careful.
- I'll be careful.

Drop that rifle
and your gun belts.

Driver, climb down and
unload the shipment.

Hurry it up.

Fillmore tell you to do that?

He told me, Reverend.

He told me we don't
need 'em anymore.

Well, don't try it with me,
Testy. I don't surprise so easily.

Besides, I'm much
faster than you are.

Maybe, and one of these days you
might just have to prove that, Reverend.

[WHISTLES TUNE]

[WHISTLES TUNE]

What happened, Brother
Guy? You got a lame horse?

Why, no, Brother Foster. I'm
just relieving him of his burden.

Same as I lift the burdens
of sin from the hearts of man.

- Anything wrong?
- Plenty. Stage holdup. Double killing.

Oh, there's a heap of evil
loose in this world, brothers.

- That's why I preach!
- Brother...

I have seen the Sodoms and
the Gomorrahs of the west.

All the dens of iniquity.

Can any of you stand without
shame before the Almighty?

Brother, we haven't got time for
a sermon right now. No offense.

How long you been on the trail?

Well, I left Virginia
City early this morning.

I just been moseying along,

enjoying God's wonders
and the comfort of his word.

You see anybody? Anybody at all?

Well, I did see three
riders about a hour ago.

Soon as they saw me, they lit
out for that peak yonder, like...

- Thanks, Brother Guy.
- All right, let's go!

Like the devil hisself
was chasing 'em!

You're all invited to the big revival
I'm holding down at the South Shore!

[LAUGHS]

I just came from Fillmore's
camp. Nobody there.

Well, they're probably
out timber cruising.

Not unless they can make a
boundary without a compass.

Let's ride.

- Mr. Fillmore.
- Well, ready to cast off, Captain?

Be ready to go in
about five, six minutes.

It'll be a little longer than that.
We're waiting for some passengers.

Remember, four times the
money that was in that pouch.

And today's the day you earn it.

Sorry, folks, we have engine
trouble. Everybody ashore.

We'll give a whistle blast
when the engine's fixed.

Shouldn't take too long.

Bless you, brothers.

Nicely done. Where's Fillmore?

Up in the wheelhouse.

All right, Captain, let's
get this tub underway.

[WHISTLES]

Go in reverse!

[HOOTER BLARES]

Mr. Cartwright, somebody
hijacked the Dixie!

- How long ago?
- About 15 minutes ago.

Let's ride.

I just stole old Ben
Cartwright's boat.

Don't you think it's about
time I knew what was going on?

Boy, you just became part
of one of the biggest holdups

in the history of Nevada.

How much?

A million.

[CHUCKLES]

They can run until they
drop. They'll never catch us.

Well, what do we do when
we get to the South Shore?

We don't.

We turn into a cove
before we get there.

There's a man waiting with
saddles and pack horses.

Beyond that, the Placerville
stage. Driver's bought and paid for.

From there to San Francisco,

and then a boat to Panama.

- How does that sound?
- Great.

I never been to Panama.

I like your style, boy.

We're gonna get along fine.

Fillmore, you better come down.
Found something you ought to see.

She was hiding.

We missed her when
we run the others off.

It's the young lady's
misfortune that she's here.

Of course, it's our good fortune that
Tahoe is the deepest lake in the world.

1600 feet straight down.

What's that fool doing?

He's trying to run her aground.

Testy, stop the engine!

He's got the wheelhouse.

Drop the gun or the girl dies.

Houston, tell Testy to start the
engines and get us out of here!

Guy, come up here!

You killed my father.

You better be careful of
that thing. It may be real.

Don't move!

A little girl...

She's turning in.

BEN: Hold it.

We make a charge at that boat,
we're running right into their rifle fire.

Cover me. Give me
some running room.

Joe, they'll kill you the minute
you set foot on that deck.

Not if I go in under the bow.

Take 'em from behind
where they won't be looking.

All right, wait. Wait
till I give you the word.

Hoss...

Now!

[GUNFIRE]

[GUNFIRE CONTINUES]

[GROANS]

Hey, you all right?

- Yeah, thanks.
- We got two more down below.

Get his gun.

CANDY: All right,
mister, drop it.

Stand up and drop it!

Now.

Son, I have sinned grievously.

Will you forgive me?

Will you be
merciful and forgive?

Oh, Lord, help this
poor sinner to repent!

Lead him back to the
paths of righteousness!

Now, now, son, you can't... you can't
fault a man for trying to save his neck,

now, can you?

[HOOTER BLARES]

Now, Julie, you remember,
now, we have an agreement.

You have to write a letter once a week,
and you have to keep your grades up,

and you have to spend your
summer vacations on the Ponderosa.

Oh, I'll sure try,
Mr. Cartwright.

I'll be writing too, Julie, to tell
you how things are on the lake.

Oh, Hoss.

Candy.

I'm sorry you're not gonna be
around to make a sailor out of me.

[HOOTER BLARES]

Hey, come on, now, you
landlubbers, get ashore!

We're heading for the south
end of this lake to meet the stage.

Well, that being
the case, Candy,

if I'm gonna make a cowboy out
of you again, we better get started.

What's the hurry? I got ten
minutes left on my lunch hour.

And you got 20 miles to
ride to where your work is,

so you gotta start
slapping leather.

Julie. You have a good trip now.

Mm-hm.

- Bye-bye.
- Bye, Julie.

- Bye.
- Bye.

[HOOTER BLARES]

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