TV-14 | 30min | Western, TV Series | Episode aired 23 December 1957
Rather than spend Christmas with friends as he planned, Hardie is sent to track gunrunners who are transporting weapons illegally across the Mexican border at Laredo to gangs who say they are insurrectionists.
Director: Earl Bellamy
Writer: Steve Fisher
Stars: Dale Robertson, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Penny Santon
Rather than spend Christmas with friends as he planned, Hardie is sent to track gunrunners who are transporting weapons illegally across the Mexican border at Laredo to gangs who say they are insurrectionists.
Director: Earl Bellamy
Writer: Steve Fisher
Stars: Dale Robertson, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Penny Santon
Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:00When a man works for a company as big and as vast as Wells Fargo, he can expect to be
00:18sent almost anywhere at any time, even when it's just a week before Christmas. That's
00:24what it was when I arrived in Corpus Christi, Texas. You could tell with the decorations
00:30and store windows and by the stillness in the air, and the way people nodded and smiled
00:34at one another, that it was a special time of year. Special for everybody, that is, except
00:41outlaws and criminals. They don't seem to take holidays. I didn't know who I was in
00:48Corpus Christi yet. The company hadn't told me. I'd find out when I arrived. Shipments
00:55of rifles and ammunition are being smuggled regularly from Laredo across the border into
01:00Mexico. To revolutionists? Insurrectionists, who don't have a chance. Ragged peons that
01:06are being led by opportunists. They loot, plunder, and terrorize the countryside, all
01:12in the name of a patriotic-sounding, hopeless cause. And you mean these Mexican leaders
01:17only use this cause as an excuse to cover up their plundering and looting, huh? That's it.
01:23They're not true insurrectionists. They're bandits. But the peasants who do the dirty work
01:28and the dying don't realize it. Why didn't somebody tell me? That isn't our job. I was just
01:33gonna ask you about that. What is our job? How does Wells Fargo fit into all of this? They think
01:38we're running the guns. Then our carriers have been taking them into Laredo as legitimate freight.
01:43That's ridiculous. Who is they? Lots of people. They've asked us to conduct our own investigation.
01:49Well, that we'll do. I'll let you know as soon as I find out something. Good day, sir.
01:55Are you the driver? That's right. All right, that's good enough. Get the rig rolling.
02:15You must be Morley. What's it to you, mister?
02:20I'm Jim Hardy, investigator for Wells Fargo. What do you want with me?
02:24According to the contract for delivery, those boxes should contain 12 shovels each. That's right.
02:31Open up one of those boxes. Just a minute, mister. You heard me.
02:36I'm canceling my contract as of now. Wells Fargo is a very conscientious company,
02:41Mr. Morley. We agreed to deliver shovels, if they are shovels. Stop that. Stop that
02:46right now until we get this thing settled. It is settled.
02:56You bring the sheriff? This is him here. I explained it to him,
03:00but the trouble is he can't charge Morley with gun running unless he...
03:05Unless what?
03:10Well, they got Morley under lock and key. That cleans up this end of the line.
03:14You're going on to Laredo? Undercover. As a driver for a Wells Fargo carrier.
03:19But we've stopped the gun running. Cut off their source of supply.
03:23No, we haven't. Morley was just a hired hand. The men we want are in Laredo.
03:27What about the rifles? You'll find them all in the warehouse. All I'm taking out of that
03:32original consignment are the boxes. With nothing in them? There'll be something in them. Shovels.
03:45We arrived in Laredo the day before Christmas. It looked quiet and peaceful, but I guess it wasn't
03:53that quiet or that peaceful a few miles away across the Mexican border, where innocent
03:58people were being murdered or robbed to satisfy the hunger of a greedy few.
04:07I delivered the usual crates to the usual place in Laredo, even helped unload them.
04:12Then I went across the street to get something to warm me up while I
04:15waited to see what happened when they opened the crates and didn't find the usual contents.
04:21You new in town? Yeah.
04:39One of Wells Fargo's drivers got sick in Corpus Christi. He asked me if I'd make the run.
04:44You work for Wells Fargo? Not regularly.
04:46Just picking up a little Christmas money. You get any kind of money on you,
04:50you better watch it careful. Why is that? Well, ain't you heard? Laredo's wide open.
04:55Where's the sheriff? Dead. Shot in the back. This is Mr. Ed Flavin. He ain't the mayor exactly, but
05:03next thing to it. Nice to meet you, Mr. Flavin. We lost three sheriffs in a row. Two got shot,
05:09one ran away. How are you with a gun? Fair to Midland, I suppose.
05:18You ain't going to try to hire him. Why not? Just get himself killed.
05:24Laredo's got to have law and order. There's got to be a man somewhere who can enforce it.
05:29Well, I'd like to oblige, but I'm afraid I got to pass. You try to hire just about
05:33every man who rides in here. That's no way to hire a sheriff. All right. You tell me your way then.
05:43Your conditions go on like they are. We're going to have the army in on us.
05:46Martial law. Laredo needs a law man, a good one. Well, I'd like to accept, Mr. Flavin.
05:54I'm afraid I can't. Well, the trouble is that nobody helps. Collins here sells drinks to every
06:00cutthroat that walks in, no matter who he is. It's my saloon. I'll run it the way I see fit.
06:05Someday you won't.
06:35A different one. They send a different one every time. If they sent the same one,
06:40he might get smart after a while. I wish one of them, just one of them could speak English.
06:45I speak English, gentlemen. Gentlemen? Is that wrong? Did I misuse the word?
06:51No, you used it right. I'm studying English. I and my entire family.
06:55Don't let Rojo know that you're trying to educate yourself.
06:58Senor Rojo's a great man. If you follow his orders, he is. He's a powerful man in our town.
07:05So you haven't got much choice, have you? Someday he will be powerful through all Mexico.
07:10Sure he will. You bring the money? Do you have the merchandise?
07:14Right there. I have been instructed to look at it first.
07:18What's the matter? Rojo always got what he paid for.
07:20Doesn't he trust us? Would you ask me to disregard my
07:23instructions when Senor Rojo himself gave them to me?
07:35If you gentlemen excuse me. Are you sure that you won't reconsider?
07:41Afraid you're going to have to pin that badge on somebody else, Mr. Flavin. Thank you.
07:54Shovels! It's a mistake. Try one of the others.
07:57No, it's no mistake. I thought that they felt different. They didn't weigh the same.
08:01I'm sorry, gentlemen. Where are you going?
08:04Back to Mexico. What about that money?
08:07We'll take it. We'll deliver the guns later. No. I have instructions not to...
08:14Hold it!
08:23You're wasting your time, mister. Is that right?
08:27That's right. How long do you think we'll be in here? Another ten minutes, maybe?
08:32Yeah, I was going to be around to see that we stay locked up.
08:37Aye. Well, you can try and keep us locked up,
08:41but don't turn your back. And who do you think is going to get you out?
08:45The man who's Rojo's partner on this side of the border. The one you call boss.
08:50Ask a lot of questions, don't you? Yeah, but you don't get any answers.
08:55Mr. Hardy, he keeps muttering something, a name.
09:02Howard's chances. Pretty poor, I'm afraid.
09:06I'd better get a priest. Fine. I'll have to get some other
09:09instants to probe for the bullet. There, he said it again. Does that mean anything to you?
09:17No.
09:24Repeat. Repeat.
09:35A man always turns to his own in time of trouble.
09:39So I went to get a Spanish-speaking priest for the dying man.
09:54So
09:57do.
10:00So
10:22where are you headed? Across the river.
10:26You the Wells Fargo man? I've worked for Wells Fargo.
10:31I brought a load of freight in Laredo. I hear you've made a couple of arrests.
10:35A man that drives a freight wagon doesn't go around making arrests.
10:39Any citizen can make an arrest. Those fellows killed a man.
10:43You're a Wells Fargo detective. What gave you that idea?
10:46Well, if you're not a detective, you're sticking your nose into things that aren't your business.
10:51Climb down out of that buggy.
11:51To find my father.
11:56It is Christmas Eve, Mother. He belongs here.
12:03He asked us to speak it in order to practice and become perfect.
12:08He's a very fine man. You speak it now.
12:12Well, I try. You speak it good.
12:16No, say it in English.
12:19Tonight he works for Rojo. His duty.
12:22No duty. Rojo is bad.
12:27Everybody say so. I find my father.
12:32It is Christmas Eve. His duty is with us.
12:39I find him.
12:42Forbidden in English.
12:44I forbid you to go.
12:45I come back.
12:49I love you.
13:07You'll find him inside, Father.
13:09It was kind of you to fetch me.
13:11It's little enough for a man to do on Christmas Eve.
13:48Where is he?
13:51Who?
13:52Armando Ochoa. Where do I find him?
13:54Go on. Get out of here. Put that gun down.
13:56I look for my father. No, I will shoot.
14:02Will no one tell me the whereabouts of my father?
14:05If his name's Ochoa, I can tell you. Let go of him.
14:09Who's gonna make me? He came in here with a gun.
14:11I said let go of him. He'd have killed us.
14:15The way I hear it, there's some men in Laredo that need killing.
14:19You'd better hold on to your gun, little fella.
14:22My father?
14:23Come. I'll take you to him.
14:41Father, Father, these are last rites.
14:44My father, he is dying. He cannot die, Father.
14:48He's too good, too dear to all of us. He cannot die.
15:13Please, Father, do not tell her how bad he is.
15:17That he will die.
15:18But Pepito, she should know.
15:21Tonight, of all nights, she should know that?
15:27Perhaps you are right.
15:29At 12 years of age, Pepito, you are in some ways already a man.
15:33It is only the ways my father taught me.
15:37Oh, Pepito.
15:39I have returned, Mother.
15:41Padre.
15:42It is Christmas Eve. Only fitting that your priest should visit, no?
15:45Oh, si. You are welcome, Father. Please, come in.
15:49We have a friend.
15:51Señor Hardy.
15:55What is it you bring, Señor?
15:57Presents, Mama. Presents for all.
16:03Well, come in. Come in, everybody. Please, come in.
16:16Your father.
16:18He is delayed.
16:20The truth.
16:22He's been wounded, Señor.
16:24I just mean badly. I must go to him.
16:28There's a doctor with him.
16:29But I'm his wife, Señor.
16:31And these are your children on Christmas Eve. You can go to him later.
16:38Sit down in the middle of the floor.
16:39There is presents.
16:46Gracias.
16:54Mira, una muñeca bonita.
16:57I have a bell, too.
17:00Mira.
17:03Oh, Señor Hardy. He is magnificent.
17:06Oh, Señor. I don't know how I can ever thank you.
17:11There's a little something here for you, too.
17:13Oh, no.
17:14Pepito picked it up.
17:15Gracias, Señor.
17:17Mama, the ritual. Papa's ritual.
17:20I see. The song.
17:22We always sing it on Christmas Eve. All of us.
17:26What song is that?
17:27Silent Night.
17:28They will sing it in Spanish and you can sing it in English.
17:31Papa always lead us. Will you lead us, Señor Hardy?
17:34Golly, I'll try.
18:04The
18:34priest took his leave, and the little ones were put to bed. Even that big boy of twelve,
18:40Pepito. I had promised to take Mrs. Ocha to see her husband, and while she got herself
18:47ready, she told me about him.
18:58My husband is a very great scholar. You know, now he's making a history of the town, and
19:05all of the things that happen, he writes them all down.
19:07Everything?
19:08Si, senor. Whatever he sees and hears, he writes it all down. Someday it may be valuable.
19:18It might be valuable right now.
19:22What do you mean?
19:23The name of the man that he deals with across the border. Did you write that down?
19:27Seguro, senor. I'm sure he wrote about that.
19:30And is the book here?
19:31Si, senor.
19:32Show me the name of that man.
19:35Oh, no, I cannot, senor. It is dangerous. Rojo is a powerful man.
19:41Rojo is powerful only because of the man he deals with in Texas. The man who trades him
19:45guns for half of the profits of the pocketbooks of Mexico. Without him, Rojo is nothing. He's
19:51true. And Mexico will be well rid of him.
19:57I will show you the book of my husband, and with the name of the man in Texas. You know,
20:04Armando saw him one time, and he never forgot him.
20:37Armando! Armando, mi amor. Te duele mucho.
20:44How is he?
20:45Still alive. I just took this out of him.
20:47Oh, gracias a Dios.
20:50Oh, Harper and Finley were let out a few minutes ago.
20:52By who?
20:53A man who told them somebody over at the saloon wanted to see him.
20:58Armando, mi amor. Mi amor.
21:06He's coming.
21:37I warned you not to turn your back on me.
21:45So you're a wagon driver for Wells Fargo.
21:48Wrong. I'm an investigator.
21:50Interesting.
21:52If he's a lawman, why is he being treated like this?
21:54You stay out of this, Collins.
21:56Maybe I can tell you. Because Ed Flavin is Rojo's partner.
22:00But he, he tried to hire you.
22:02Certainly he wanted to hire me. He wanted to hire anybody that wasn't too good at the job, like the other three.
22:07Otherwise, like he said, the army would move in.
22:10Also, he wanted a man that he could murder just as soon as he learned too much.
22:14Who said I was a partner of that Mexican?
22:16Rojo did.
22:17You're lying.
22:19He's on his way here to kill you now.
22:21Go on, get him out of here.
22:22Don't you want to know why?
22:24All right. Why? Let's have another one of your lies.
22:28Because of these two.
22:30When Rojo's messenger wouldn't pay them for something he didn't get, they shot him down in cold blood.
22:34Is that true?
22:35My guess is that when they found shovels in those crates instead of rifles,
22:39they figured the gun-running business was about over.
22:41So why not get their hands on some money and run?
22:44Is he right?
22:45Of course it isn't. We can explain it.
22:48They knew you'd be in trouble with Rojo, but that didn't stop them.
22:51They didn't plan on being around for it.
22:53You two told me that he shot that Mexican.
22:55I don't shoot unarmed men.
22:56I do, Hardy.
22:57Not in here.
23:01Drop your guns.
23:07The U.S. government's going to be interested in you, men.
23:10I'll never stand trial for this.
23:11Yes, you will.
23:12And unless my guess is wrong, these two are going to be the star witnesses against you.
23:15And against themselves, for that matter.
23:17Come on. We'll walk down to the jail.
23:20You can think about the charges against you, Flavin.
23:23Murder. Smuggling.
23:25Get him up.
23:26I'll help you take him down to the jail.
23:28Get some citizens to stand voluntary guard.
23:32It's the least I can do for what you did for us in Laredo.
23:35Move out.
23:59But that's not all.
24:00I have brought the most beautiful Christmas present of all.
24:03Si, que es?
24:05Now you speak in Spanish?
24:07What is the best present?
24:09Your father is going to live.
24:11He will be home tomorrow.
24:13And Armando Ocha did live.
24:16He came home to raise his children in a Mexico that was soon to be quiet again.
24:21Yes.
24:22It was a merry Christmas after all.
24:25Just about the best I've known for many years.