Pancho Villa: The Centaur of the North (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 9 - Villa Contra Todos - full transcript

This story is inspired by real events.

The people and events shown

were created for artistic purposes.

Any similarity to reality
is purely coincidental.

Previously.

They say the Americans will recognize
Carranza as head of state.

Well, if that's true,
any support for us will be forbidden.

Damn American sons of bitches.

[Villa] Where's the gold?

[Villista] There's nothing, General.
It was so heavy, it all sank.

[Villa] Even though he betrayed me,
Fierro's death hurt me so much.



We can't allow
that bastard Calles to escape.

Give the order to attack.

First there was the electric barbed wire.

[soldiers screaming]

Then the spotlights.

When we attacked the gringos at Columbus,

people said I could no longer fear death

because I died long ago.

-[saws rattling fence]
-[hammers pounding wood]

Many said I ate gringos alive in Columbus...

Columbus, New Mexico U.S.A.

...but that's not what happened.

In Columbus, there was
a storekeeper named Samuel Ravel,

a bastard I gave a lot of money to
for weaponry,



but he took the money and gave me nothing.

I wanted to collect my money
and get him back for screwing me over.

But I couldn't even open the safe.

Even though we burned down the business,

they never found Ravel.

[distant gunfire, explosions]

That night, March 10, 1916,

some of my men attacked

and did some damage,

while confronting the 13th detachment
of the gringo army.

[soldier] Retreat!

The battle lasted six hours.

Some gringos and civilians died,

but more of our men did

because the light from the fires
gave us away.

[gunshot]

They're coming back.

[horse whinnies]

General.

Candelario,

while you were doing reconnaissance,

didn't you say they had few garrisons?

Well, yeah, but I think we miscounted.

That garrison was full.

What if they chase us here?

I don't think they will.

If the gringos crossed,
it'd be like declaring war.

It would be all right though,
to see what Carranza and his hounds do.

If even one gringo crosses,
fill him full of lead.

At your command, General.

Let's go.

[horse whinnies]

PANCHO VILLA
CENTAUR OF THE NORTH

The raid at Columbus
has been the only attack

on United States soil by a foreign entity.

The attack provoked a manhunt
for my capture.

The gringos called it the
"Punitive Expedition,"

to avoid saying "invasion."

10,000 men, under the command
of General John Pershing,

invaded Mexico

with cavalry, vehicles and even planes.

The Punitive Expedition was a threat
that lasted 11 months

and had unexpected ramifications
for Mexico and for the world.

Old Carranza found out
that gringo soldiers

started to cross the border
without permission.

This reflects very poorly on us.

As if we're twiddling our thumbs
while the United States invades.

Our officers are none too happy
about this either.

There's a treaty from last century

that allows them to catch outlaws
on this side of the border

within a few kilometers.

We can use that to justify it.

[Obregón] Hmm.

I ordered General Calles
to mobilize his troops in brigades

to catch Villa before the damn gringos do.

[chuckles] It won't be easy.

That bandit knows
every inch of his territory.

And he counts on many who are still loyal.

What worries me

is that people will begin to see him as
a hero who invaded the United States.

Well,

maybe this "Punitive Expedition"

will help us get rid of
this pain in the neck.

[Pershing, in English]
Put on the hood, Corporal.

[Villa narrates] Those captured
in Columbus were sentenced to death.

[in English] Excuse me, General,

but if Villa escapes more and more
towards the South,

are we going to chase him down
to Guatemala or beyond?

Patton, our government is expecting
to hang this bastard as soon as possible.

It's only one fugitive
versus the American army.

[convict choking]

Pershing ordered his soldiers in Mexico
to divide into small groups

to avoid detection.

[choking stops]

[in English] We should be able to clamp
down on Villa before he disappears.

We hid Pablo López so he could recover.

Parral, Chihuahua
April 12 1916.

I sent Jáuregui to mingle with the people

and get a feel for the territory
near the gringos.

[soldier, in English] Halt!

[soldier, in English] Company, at ease.

Mayor,

why has nothing been done
to remove these gringos?

Are there no real men in Parral?

Women don't know squat about politics.

Go home and play your piano,
Miss Griensen.

Well, if no one is wearing the pants
around here,

there'll be more than enough petticoats.

Let him go. All right.

Ten more. Let's go!

[Villa] As was my custom...

[Candelario] Welcome.

...we dispersed, hiding our troops
while the dust settled.

But we had to prepare to continue
fighting the Carrancistas

and now the gringos too.

These are all the new recruits, General.

Well, we need more,

but it's a start.

Prepare two animals
so we can feed the men.

What do you mean, recruits?

That's my son. He's 15
and doesn't know a thing about killing.

And these animals are all we have.

Please, Mr. Villa.

[Villa] I'll have you know

the gringo soldiers
are about to cross the border

to invade our land...

[sobbing in crowd]

...in collusion with Carranza
and those damn traitors.

[parent] That's not our fault!

You can't just take our animals
and children.

Listen, I'm no bandit.

I'm only asking you to sacrifice
for the Revolution.

[cow mooing]

Plus, these youngsters
aren't kids anymore.

It's time for them to become men,

strong men,

who fight for noble causes.

I'm begging you. My son doesn't want...

Which one is your son?

Step forward.

[parent gasps]

[parent sobbing]

So, you don't want to fight by my side?
You're the good guy?

Would you rather fight for Carranza?

Or worse, for the gringo invaders?

[stutters] No. No, sir.

See, ma'am, he does want to.

I imagine the rest of you
think the same thing.

You're smart. Like this one.

But if any of you don't want to,
well, speak up.

I'll take you out
so you don't fight with us,

but not with anyone else either.

[sobbing continues]

That's how I like it.

Strong men.

Now, Candelario,

take two animals and prepare beef jerky
with lots of salt.

So it lasts for several days.

You all rest. We're leaving soon.

Those monkeys are already close.

-[Candelario] Well, you heard.
-[son pants]

[Candelario] At ease.

[sobs]

Prepare the two animals.

By God, don't play with that.

That's used to kill rebels.

I know how to use it. I had to learn.

-I killed many possums with one like this.
-That's right.

But shooting a person is
a different story.

Could you help us with
these threatening gringos?

No offense,
but I only came here for the food.

What's your name?

Elisa Griensen.

I'm a music teacher. What's your name?

I... I have to go.

Put that away, girl,
or you'll get into trouble.

[footsteps departing]

[riders approaching]

[Aristegui] Who's there?

I'm General Félix Aristegui.

Come out with your hands up
or we'll shoot.

[leaves crunching]

[Elisa] Come, come, come, come.

We're gonna crack
some gringo invaders' skulls

with these rocks. Got it?

[students] Yes, teacher, yes!

Listen up! The gringos are invaders!

[vendor] What's gotten into them?

We're going to run them
out of town! Get out!

[crowd] Get out!

[Elisa] Get out! Get out!

[crowd] Get out!

You're going
to ruin your delicate hands, girl.

Go, and take those brats.
You don't have the nerve.

You're not doing anything to defend us.

I'll give you this produce
if you kick out the gringos.

[crowd] Yeah! Get out!

[Tompkins, in English] Dangerous people!
Hold it.

[In Spanish] I'm Major Tompkins, US Army.

Hold the line!

-Get out of here, fucking gringos!
-[gunshot]

[crowd screaming, shouting]

[Elisa] Go on, get out!

[crowd] Leave!

Long live Villa, assholes!

[townspeople] Long live Villa!

[Villa] All right, Candelario,
we're leaving for La Ascensión.

[Candelario] Fine.

Let's see how many of them make it
to the meeting point, eh?

[Villa] Doesn't matter.
We'll get organized

and beat the shit out of the gringos.

[gunshot]

[Villa] The Carrancistas surprised us.

And got me in one leg.
That injury would change all my plans.

-[explosions]
-[gunshots]

-Let's go! Let's go! Hi-yah!
-[horse whinnies]

[Candelario] Come on! Let's go!

[Aristegui] Protect the townspeople.

[gunshots continue]

[gunshots stop]

[panting]

[gasps]

[sobbing]

[parent cries]

[crying continues]

If the gringos hadn't come looking
for you, this never would've happened.

[sobbing]

[breathing heavily] You're Yaqui.

Some say you heal people.

[pants]

Your tribe screwed us.

They fought for Obregón in Celaya.

[owl hoots]

My name is Francisco Bernal.

I've always fought on your side.

Just like among your men,
we have our differences among ours.

Even if we look similar, General.

A stray bullet ricocheted into me.

I think it's still in there.

-It hurts like hell.
-[knife clangs]

What are you gonna do with that?
Finish me off?

I need to open the wound
and drain the bad blood.

Then we'll see
if I can take out the bullet.

[scrapes ground]

What's that for?

To bite on because this is going to hurt.

[groans]

[Villa groans]

[groans]

[Villa narrates] That Yaqui Indian removed
the poison and healed the injury.

But he wasn't able
to remove the lodged bullet.

Knowing that General Pershing
was approaching,

we hid our horses,

and I guided my men to
a hidden location high up on the mountain,

a place I knew from my days as an outlaw.

Coscomate Cave.

-[Candelario] Easy, careful.
-[Villa exhales]

-Right here is fine. Right here.
-[Villa panting]

I'm only going to hide for a little while.

Until I get some movement back in my leg.

Be on the lookout for any gringos.

If they approach, fire at them.

Scare them off.

No fighting. Just scare them off.

[Candelario] As you command, General.

We'll make them go in circles
until their fat horses drop dead.

It's just... Are you sure you don't want us
to leave you with more men?

No, Candelario.

Sometimes to continue being great,

you have to make yourself small.

[Bernal laughs] Listen to you.

-You sound like an Apache chief.
-[Candelario laughs]

I think you still have
a high fever, General.

[Candelario laughs]

[Villa] Jáuregui, did you get my message?

I want to know everything
happening in Parral.

There's a lot to tell you, General.

All right. Well, get going, men.

Tell the others we'll see them in 30 days.

If anything changes, I'll send Jáuregui.

-[Candelario] Of course, General.
-Fine. We'll talk. Move on up.

[Candelario] Let's go.

[panting]

[pulley creaking]

[Villa breathing heavily]

[Villa narrates] Meanwhile,
the gringos advanced,

but they started to realize

that hunting Pancho Villa
wouldn't be that easy.

The gringos brought Apache guides
who understood mountains.

But American mountains.

Their maps had been drawn with their feet

so they were running around in circles
like idiots.

[in English] Company, halt.

[Patton, in English] Excuse me, sir.

Do you have any idea where we're going?

Release, Patton. We need some rest.

[Patton] At ease, soldiers.

[Tompkins, in English] Come on, boys.
Put your back into it.

Ah, you got the strength of buffaloes.

Come on, buffaloes, move it!

I don't want to be here
under the rain all night.

Get this truck out of the mud. Come on!

[Villa] Supposedly, they were very modern.

They brought trucks and even cars
covered in big cauldrons,

like the ones for soup.

Those who didn't get stuck,
ran out of gas.

And the further they got,
the harder it got.

[in English] What the hell!

[in Spanish] You.

Where's the water?

[Mexican guide, in Spanish] Your horses
must've finished it, idiot.

They're too fat for deserts and mountains.

I'll rent you my horse, if you want.
He can last longer than those. [laughs]

[quietly] Fucking gringo.

[in Spanish] How much
for your fucking horse?

Time passed
and they still hadn't found me.

-[in English] Patton.
-[horse whinnying]

Sir.

[Pershing] Look. Money.

[in Spanish] I have a lot of money.
I'm your friend.

Just tell me where Pancho Villa is.

[Villa narrates]
Pershing asked for a lot of money

to pay people to denounce me.

All right, mister, sure.

I know where Pancho Villa is.

[in English] Really?
[in Spanish] You're not tricking me?

No, man. I saw him injured
with my own two eyes.

He was in Ciudad Guerrero.

[Pershing, in English] Guerrero City?

Our reports confirm he was injured

by Carranza's soldiers in that zone.

It's not far from here.

Good.

Thank you, mister.

[Patton, in English] Come on, man.
[in Spanish] Where is Villa?

[peasant whispering] Shh. Quiet.

We're here.

He's down here.

[owl hoots]

[Patton, in English] Where is he?
[in Spanish] He's hiding here?

He's dead. I watched him being buried.

Right here under this tree
there's a grave with his name.

[owl hoots]

[in English] You.
[in Spanish] Come with us.

Are you crazy?
There could be Villa men watching!

If they see me with you, they'll
kill my family for being a traitor.

I'm staying here.

[owl hoots]

HERE LIES PANCHO VILLA
1878 - 1916

[soldiers shoveling earth]

[hollow tap]

I told you. I saw him.

-[in English] Motherfuck...
-[cocks gun]

Hold your fire, Patton.

[Villa narrates] I ordered graves
with my name to be placed all over.

So the poor gringos wouldn't get bored.

[in English] Fucking shit!

$50,000 REWARD
FRANCISCO [PANCHO] VILLA

Thank you, Valentina.

[horse approaching]

I like how you shoot.

I brought you something.

I don't believe it at all.

They say they're selling his head
and it talks. [chuckles]

[Jáuregui] Pancho Villa wants to meet you.

I told him what you did.

He admires you.

General Villa?

And are you one of his men, Mr...

Marcos Jáuregui. I'm his secretary.

Mr. Jáuregui, uh,
well, tell General Villa to come here.

Or is he afraid of Carrancista looters?

He's unable to travel right now.

So?

You should come with me.

We'll leave early tomorrow.

Half a day on horse, you'll meet with him,

and we'll be back before nightfall.

There he is.

[mice squeaking]

[voice echoes] Many say you're dead.

[Villa] Pancho Villa, alive and kicking.

Still.

Miss Griensen...

I didn't think you'd dare come.

Please, have a seat.

Thank you.

I came out of curiosity.

-You're not easy to find.
-[stool clanks]

You took a risk bringing me here.

And you drove out a regiment.

One that was looking for me.

I didn't do it alone.

My students from School 99. Just kids.

And all the people of Parral.

When my spy told me you were very young,
I didn't believe him.

Your spy?

Ah.

Young Marcos.

What if I were a spy for Carranza?

[laughs] I'd already have shot you.

But you're a teacher.

Education is the most important thing.

Keep on going in Parral.

I'm going to Ciudad Juárez.
My family is there.

Ah. Well,

I recommend
you get a milkshake in El Paso.

Have a strawberry one
and toast me with it.

Of course.

Listen.

Come with me.

Let me show you something.

Hear that?

[airplane passes overhead]

Sometimes I see gringo planes fly by,

fighting with these mountain winds.

I like to think they're protecting me.

I also hear soldiers chanting,
looking for me,

but they can't see me.

[birds chirping]

The trees won't let them.

They're also protecting us.

When Jáuregui told me what you did,

I wondered how a girl could raise our flag

and confront the gringos.

That's what you want to know?

Yes.

I did it for my country.

It's thanks to people like you
that I don't give up.

[laughs]

By order of our Minister of War,
General Álvaro Obregón,

I present this official correspondence.

He urges you to stop your troops
from advancing further south.

[in American accent] My government
gave orders to catch Villa at any cost.

[in English] I'm sorry, General Calles.

[Calles, in Spanish] The treaty states
a limit of 600 km.

General Tompkins has crossed it.

If something should happen,
it will be your responsibility.

[in English] So,

what are we going to do, General?

What else, Lieutenant Patton?

We are the United States Army.

Keep going south.

El Carrizal, Chihuahua
June 20 1916.

[Tompkins, in English] What the hell?

And who are you?

[in English] We are the Mexican army.

[in Spanish] Let us pass.

[in Spanish] I am General Félix Aristegui.

I have orders from the Mexican government.
You cannot go further south.

[Tompkins, in English] Oh, yeah?

[in Spanish] I have orders
to find Pancho Villa.

[in English] So, we will continue.

How dare you!

-On guard!
-[soldier shouts orders]

-[breathing heavily]
-[bolt locks]

Let us pass now!

[in Spanish] I'm warning you.

My men are ready to fight to the death.

Mexicans also know how to die.

-[gunfire]
-[soldiers shouting]

[soldiers screaming]

I've been told

more than 20 Mexicans died in El Carrizal.

They say there are twice as many
dead and imprisoned gringos.

That many?

We'll see if Wilson and Carranza
pretend they're dead.

[Jáuregui laughs] I don't think so.

They sent a peace commission
to collect their dead.

But they only wanted to take
their white men...

even though most of them were Black.

"Buffalo soldiers," they call them.

What was the name of
the Carrancista general?

Félix Aristegui.

He died.

What a shame.

There's always honorable men
on both sides.

If I'd had him in front of me...

I wouldn't have shot him.

[groans]

General, it doesn't look good.

Let me get you another doctor.

No.

I don't want them to know where I am.

[sighs]

[clicks tongue] Many countries support
the defense of our sovereignty.

Thanks to General Aristegui's sacrifice,

even though the order was to warn,
not confront.

[Carranza] Ah, it's all the same now.

I demanded Wilson have
the Punitive Expedition leave our country.

He wants to impose conditions.

That we leave their mines
and oil companies alone.

Will we accept the terms?

[Carranza taps papers]

The question is, what will Wilson accept?

[Villa] The old goat hesitated

because during those months
a complicated and deadly spy game began.

With the war in Europe raging,

the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II,

had an interest in
the Gulf of Mexico ports.

There, he could avail himself of our oil

and direct his submarine attacks
against the United States.

A fight with Mexico as an ally
would keep the gringos plenty busy.

They had the German Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Arthur Zimmerman,

send an encrypted telegram
to his contacts in Mexico

via the German embassy.

"We intend on starting
an unrestricted submarine war

against the United States of America
on February 1.

We propose a wartime alliance with Mexico

with financial support
and our consent for Mexico to recover

its lost territories in Texas,
New Mexico and Arizona."

[telegram paper crackles]

[clicks tongue]

Mr. Kloss,

I trust your good intentions,

but I ask you,

why would I want to go to war
with the United States?

[inhales] As a German, I can assure you
a joyful triumph.

You would go down in history
as a great Mexican hero.

The president that regained half
of the land

the United States robbed from you
last century.

-[paper rustles]
-[Carranza sniffs]

[clicks tongue]

Trust in my discretion.

And please thank the German Ambassador
on my behalf.

Let me discuss this with my ministers.

England,
British Admiralty Room 40.

[Villa narrates]
What the Germans didn't know

was that the British could decipher
the code in Zimmerman's telegram,

and that they later leaked the information
to President Wilson.

Carranza presented a new constitution
on February 5, 1917.

The following day,

the Punitive Expedition left our country.

POLITICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED MEXICAN STATES - 1917

[Mexican person] Mister. Mister. Gringo.

[cackling]

See what happens
when you don't rent my horse?

[Villa] The United States
declared war on Germany

and Pershing had to return home.

He arrived like an eagle

and left like a wet chicken.

[person laughing]

Who goes there?

-[laughing continues]
-[gunshot]

-[laughing stops]
-[person] You can't hide from me.

I know all your hiding spots.

-[walking stick clanks]
-[Villa] I can't run. I'm still fucked.

[person] Quit complaining.

Imagine if I were a buffalo soldier.

You'd be falling off a cliff.

-[sloshes drink]
-[Villa] Don't make fun of me.

Even if it hurts,
I'll still kick your ass.

Don't get all worked up.

You don't have that so-called
"revolution" in you any more.

-[Villa breathes heavily]
-[stick clanks]

[horse whinnies]

[horse blusters]

[Villa] Emiliano Zapata,

what are you doing here?

That's exactly what I'm saying, Pancho.

What are you doing here?

You should be fighting like I am
in the south.

I'm still holding back
Carranza and Obregón there.

[spits]

[Villa] Well,
we have to join forces again...

to finish off those perfumed traitors.

I just need to heal.

Your problems aren't in your leg, Pancho.

They're in your head.

You need to get killing soon.

If not, you'll die.

-[owl hoots]
-[gunshot]

-We're back!
-[Villistas cheer]

[cheering continues]

[Villa] Dear Mr. President Venustiano
Carranza,

[telegraph machine clicking]

Minister of War, Álvaro Obregón,

I am pleased to inform you that...

MAIL AND TELEGRAMS

...I can confirm without a doubt
that Pancho Villa is alive.

He is everywhere and nowhere.

Bernal.

Let's get out of here.

[Bernal] Let's go!