Zorro (1957–1959): Season 1, Episode 31 - The Man with the Whip - full transcript

Carlos Murrieta arrives in Los Angeles, but when he makes advances on Maria Crespo, young Don Rodolfo becomes jealous and challenges him to a duel. Zorro intervenes, and discovers Murrieta is an agent of the Eagle Brotherhood.

♪ Out of the night when
the full moon is bright

♪ Comes a horseman
known as Zorro

♪ This bold renegade
carves a "Z" with his blade

♪ A "Z" that stands for Zorro

♪ Zorro!

♪ The Fox so cunning and free

♪ Zorro!

♪ Who makes the sign of the "Z"!

♪ Zorro!

♪ The Fox so cunning and free

♪ Zorro!



♪ Who makes the sign of the "Z"!

♪ Zorro, Zorro, Zorro

♪ Zorro, Zorro ♪

Take my horse to the stable.
Feed and water him well.

Si, Senor.

Greetings, Senor.
Are you the innkeeper?

I'd like your best room.

Of course. Welcome
to Los Angeles.

My baggage.

One moment, Senor.

It is necessary for
you to sign the register.

Carlos? That is your
first name, Senor?

No, Sergeant. That is
the name of my horse.

Your horse? He is a
very uneducated horse.



Cannot read or write.

Therefore, I must
sign the register for him

at the inn where
he is the guest.

You must be joking, Senor.

Aren't you?

Murietta. Carlos Murietta.
Welcome to Los Angeles, Senor.

Where are you from?

I come from a city called
Noplace in the country of Anywhere.

Noplace in...

Please, Senor.
Do not make jokes.

As acting Comandante, it is
my duty to ask these questions.

You are a stranger, therefore I
must know where you are from

and what business
brings you to our city.

City?

You call this miserable
hovel of mud huts a city?

It's more like a pigsty.

Senor, I must protest!

Are all your guests subjected to
questioning by this small town tin soldier?

One moment, Senor!

Please?

Sergeant Garcia.

Senor Murietta is not very
cooperative, Don Diego.

I ask him simple questions
and got back senseless replies.

Well, exactly what is it you
must know about Senor Murietta?

Where he comes from and
what business brings him here.

Possibly, Sergeant, we can
deduce the answers for ourselves.

Won't you join me?

I'm afraid not. I
have many duties.

Barracks must be
inspected, the lancers drilled,

I have a sentry
list to post and...

But of course, all
these things can wait.

Maria! Bring me
some wine, please.

Now, about the answers, Don
Diego. How do we deduce them?

How are your powers
of observation?

Good. My vision is excellent.

Then you noticed the hat that
Senor Murietta was wearing?

Si.

The hat of an Argentine gaucho.

Argentine? Then he
must be a South American.

We do not know that
he is a South American.

The evidence only suggests
that he recently came from there.

Gracias, Maria.

However, his accent is not
that of a South American,

so I suspect that he
was merely visiting there.

Well, at least I know his name
and where he is from for my report.

Now if I only knew what
business brought him here.

Innkeeper? What
do you wish, Senor?

There's a Jose Mordante
living in this village?

Si, Senor.

He operates a tannery
outside the pueblo.

Fetch him. I have
business with him.

Immediately, Senor.

Well, Sergeant, I believe
that answers your question.

Enter.

Close the door.

You are Jose Mordante?
Si, Senor, that is my name.

You are Carlos Murietta? Yes.

I received word that
you were to arrive here.

When did your ship
dock in San Pedro?

This morning. I want to
see your identification.

Good hunting, Senor?

I plundered the churches of
South America of a fortune in gems.

That should refill the
Eagle's coffers, eh?

Here is a sample of my hunting.

The famous Cross of the Andes.

Ah...

Beautiful. And valuable, huh?

It has a greater symbolic
value than a material one.

Still, the gems encrusted
on it would bring a good price.

The rest of the gems, they
are here with you, Senor?

Half of them came
on the ship with me.

They're going through
the routine process

of being cleared by the
customs at the port of San Pedro.

But Senor, they are stolen
gems. If the authorities find...

The authorities will not
even know of their existence.

The gems are concealed
in a box of boots,

which I, as an importer,

am bringing to you, a tanner of
leather, for distribution and sale.

But, Senor, I would think...

Suppose you let
me do the thinking?

I haven't come all this way to allow
the tanner the luxury of criticizing me.

I was merely thinking on
the side of caution, Senor.

Caution is for
fools and cowards.

The Eagle sent me to do a job.

Your job is to do
whatever I wish.

Those are my
instructions, Senor.

In a few days a box of boots
will arrive from San Pedro.

We will keep it on the
premises of your tannery.

Very well, Senor.

My brother, Pietro,

is a passenger on another
boat from South America,

which will arrive soon.

With him are the
remainder of the gems.

Gracias, Don Diego.

I have enjoyed your
hospitality, but I must go now.

Please do not ask me to
stay and have another glass.

Oh, I have no intention
of doing so, Sergeant.

On the contrary, I must
insist that you leave right now.

Is it necessary to be so
emphatic, Don Diego?

Would it not be wiser, Senor,

to send the gems on to
Monterey on another ship?

In the entire western world,

no port is so closely
guarded as Monterey's.

I'm sorry, Senor. I
did not know that.

This conversation bores me.

Let's go downstairs
and have a bottle of wine.

You have your duty
to perform, Sergeant.

As acting Comandante,
well, it's just not fitting

that you sit here and idle
away your time in the tavern.

Not fitting perhaps,
but very pleasant.

Did the whip touch you, Senor?

It only came close.

You find no offense in
my trick with the whip?

To the contrary, Senor.

I admire your skill with
that remarkable weapon.

Adios, Sergeant.

Adios, Don Diego.

Muchacha, a bottle of your best.

Si, Senor.

Don Rudolfo, what are
you doing in the tavern?

I was just passing by and...

Perhaps I am a
customer, Sergeant.

At your age?

Does your father
know you came here?

I have just had
my 18th birthday.

Eighteen? It is not possible.

And I have started
to shave. See?

Oh, yes. The fuzz
has disappeared.

Amazing, Don Rudolfo.

It seems only yesterday that you
were playing caballeros and bandidos,

running around our pueblo and
shouting like a bunch of wild Indians,

riding imaginary
horses and shooting

wooden guns with
incredible accuracy.

That life is behind
me, Sergeant.

Si.

And it will be years
before you regret leaving it.

But welcome. Welcome,
caballero, to a man's position in life

and to a man's responsibilities.

Please, Senor, be
seated. It attracts attention.

Of course. My apologies.

Maria, is that young man going to
again spend the day just staring at you?

Well, I...

It is bad for business,

especially when he occupies
a table and spends no money.

Perhaps today he
will buy something.

Do you not think you're a little
too young to come into the tavern?

I'm sorry, Senorita.

I shall leave if you wish me to.

No, you need not go, but
could you not buy something?

Perhaps something
not too expensive.

A small bottle of wine?

I do not drink wine, but of
course, bring me a bottle.

I need not drink it
just because I buy it.

Hello, Don Diego. Hello.

Your father informs me that
you've commenced shaving.

Welcome to a man's
estate. Gracias.

Losing one's youth has its
compensations, eh, Rudolfo?

♪ Young man here's
a friendly reminder

♪ Though this be
the face you adore

♪ You must realize
at the age of 18

♪ There are lots
of surprises in store

♪ Quien sabe?

♪ Who knows what
your fate will be?

♪ For the gardens are
full of the loveliest flowers

♪ There are plenty
of fish in the sea

♪ Si, si

♪ Young man though
you're certain you love her

♪ Without her,
you'd rather be dead

♪ Recall that just 18
short years lie behind

♪ And that a great
many more lie ahead

♪ Quien sabe?

♪ Who knows what
your fate will be?

♪ For the gardens are
full of the loveliest flowers

♪ There are plenty
of fish in the sea

♪ Si, si

♪ Young man when
you look in your mirror

♪ To shave the soft
down from your cheek

♪ Say this to yourself
"Many times will I shave

♪ "E'er I find the
true love that I seek"

♪ Quien sabe?

♪ Who knows what
your fate will be?

♪ For the gardens are
full of the loveliest flowers

♪ There are plenty
of fish in the sea

♪ Quien sabe?

♪ Who knows what
your fate will be?

♪ For the gardens are
full of the loveliest flowers

♪ There are plenty
of fish in the sea

♪ Si, si ♪

Senorita?

My cup is empty.

It gives me great pleasure to
find a beauty like you in this village.

You are very flattering, Senor.

Skin as white as the
snow of the Andes.

Senor, please.

Senor, have you ever
seen more beautiful lips?

Never. Lips like those
should be kissed.

Only a coward
would think otherwise.

You hear that, Senorita?

I will be branded a
coward if I do not kiss you,

and if there is one thing
I am not, it is a coward.

Please, Senor.

Your manners need
improving, Senor.

Why, you beardless pup!

Don Rudolfo, please
don't fight over me.

Senor, he is unarmed.

How fortunate.

That gives him a stay of
execution until dawn tomorrow.

Providing he thinks a
barmaid is worth fighting over.

That is my answer, Senor.

You've just dug your own grave.

Oh, Senor, surely you would not
take advantage of this young man.

It is obvious he has not had the
experience with the sword that you have.

Don Diego, please
do not interfere.

We meet at dawn in the
plaza, just outside the door.

I shall be there.

Rudolfo, that man is
probably a good swordsman.

Now, how much experience
have you had with a blade?

Very little, but it matters not.

Your newly acquired manhood will
be short-lived unless we do something.

Come.

Since you are determined
to go through with this duel...

I have no alternative.

Don't want to be
known as a coward?

There are some things
worse than dying, Don Diego.

But there is nothing quite
so permanent, my friend.

Wait, I will get the rapiers
and we will practice.

Oh, do you fence, Don Diego?

Me? Hardly ever,

but Bernardo, my servant,
he's quite skilled with a blade.

He will test your mettle
and fence with you.

Our young friend has
been challenged to a duel.

And unless he's more skillful
with a blade than I suspect,

I'm afraid he'll be killed.

Bernardo, you will fence
with him. Test his ability.

Get the rapiers.

Rudolfo, I'm certainly no
expert in these matters,

but when I was in Spain, I often
witnessed young caballeros fencing.

Watch.

Now, when they
would thrust thusly,

they would keep the knee
bent and feet on the ground,

with the weight forward.

This allows the fencer to move
quickly either backwards or forward.

And better to parry
your opponent's blade.

Well, I did that rather well for
an amateur, don't you think?

Let me try it again.

Rudolfo, considering your
age and your inexperience,

it would be no dishonor for you
to refuse to fight Senor Murietta.

I would not be able to
hold my head up again.

You are worried that Maria
would be ashamed of you?

Is that it?

That is partly the reason.

I think you do the
Senorita injustice.

Even so, would not
her shame be preferable

to her sadness at your funeral?

It is not only what
Maria would think.

It is what I would
think of myself.

Don Diego, do you still
agree to act as my second?

If you wish. Then I
expect to see you at dawn.

I will be there.

Hasta manana.

Well, Bernardo, it seems our young
friend is determined to die at dawn.

What can we do?

Yes. This is a job for Zorro.

Buenas noches, Senor,
and welcome to Los Angeles.

Who are you?

I am known by many names,

but you can call me Zorro.

What are you doing
here in my room?

Let's just say that I
am an unofficial greeter.

That I've come to tell you what a
stranger might expect in Los Angeles.

Now...

We have a glorious country here.

The sun shines every day,
the air is sweet and clean,

fruit grows on every tree
and is yours for the picking.

On the other hand, Senor,

you might say that I came
here to give you some advice.

It's easy to give advice
at the point of a sword.

Since arriving here, you've insulted
a young lady of our community

and you have acted
the part of a coward

in challenging an
inexperienced youth.

You call me a coward?
You hear me well.

Let me cross swords
with you, Senor Zorro,

and we shall soon see
which is the coward.

Oh? As you wish.

Your hat, Senor.

I'm no coward,
Senor. Do as you wish.

I believe I shall save you,
Senor, for another time.

Senor.

Morning, Rudolfo.
Buenos dias, Senores.

Don Rudolfo, I could not
sleep worrying about you.

You must not fight this man.

I am sorry, Senorita.

Please, you must not do
this thing. He might kill you.

Rudolfo, there is much wisdom
in what the Senorita says.

Please. I would always feel
responsible for your death.

Don Diego, you are, uh,
Don Rudolfo's second?

I am.

As Senor Murietta's second,
I am the bearer of bad news.

Oh? Of what nature, Senor?

He has injured his hand
and is unable to wield a sword.

That is indeed tragic news.
Just how did the accident occur?

Oh, he cut himself while
trimming his moustache.

Don Rudolfo, you have heard.

It is impossible
for Senor Murietta

to meet with you
on the field of honor.

He apologizes for
inconveniencing you, Senor,

and his apologies
to you, Senorita.

Next week, to save
the life of his friend,

Zorro pays a heavy
price for his heroism.

Zorro!

Be with us next week for action
and adventure that comes only

in the exciting life of Zorro!