26min | Adventure, Family, Western | TV Episode
Jonathan Banner and Pierre Falcon are sent to exhume the corpse of Moore (a mass murderer) and bring it back to their fort. They are accompanied by Kendricks, the man who killed and buried Moore. As they travel, they discover inconsistencies in Kendricks' story about Moore.
Director: Alvin Rakoff
Writers: Andy Lewis
Stars: Barry Nelson, George Tobias, Robert Goodier
Jonathan Banner and Pierre Falcon are sent to exhume the corpse of Moore (a mass murderer) and bring it back to their fort. They are accompanied by Kendricks, the man who killed and buried Moore. As they travel, they discover inconsistencies in Kendricks' story about Moore.
Director: Alvin Rakoff
Writers: Andy Lewis
Stars: Barry Nelson, George Tobias, Robert Goodier
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Hudson's Bay, the saga of the great Hudson's Bay fur company, and of the brave men who
00:18traveled the untracked wilderness from Labrador to California, from Minnesota to Alaska.
00:28Joining Barry Nelson as Jonathan Banner, Hudson's Bay man.
00:44George Tobias as Pierre Falcone.
01:05Working for the Hudson's Bay Company as a kind of ambassador in buckskins, I got used
01:10to almost any kind of assignment. Bringing a sick man in for treatment at a settlement,
01:15that was, of course, routine. Transporting a whole bevy of mail-order brides to prospective
01:22bridegrooms in the wilderness was a cheerful mission that once broke the routine.
01:38During the early days of my service with the Hudson's Bay Company,
01:42a most peculiar, and I will say a not very pleasant, duty fell to my lot.
01:48Pierre Falcone and I were to be accompanied on our return from a long overland trip by a corpse.
02:08So,
02:38so,
03:08first, we had to dig up our silent passenger and secure him in the box we had brought for that purpose.
03:29That ought to hold him till England, or doomsday. Banner, I bet you my life this is crazy.
03:34The craziest thing we ever do. The worst is over. Let's get him on the wagon and be on our way.
03:39The worst is over. It is not beginning. Oh, you think, you think we are rid of him? Oh, no.
03:47We have to spend five days and five nights before we get him on the boat and get rid of him.
03:51Goodbye. Oh, well, this is a surprise. Pierre Falcone the fearless, afraid of no living man,
03:58afraid of no woman, now it seems is afraid of a corpse, a rather long dead corpse at that.
04:05Me, afraid of this? Why? Oh, there was a tree.
04:12With a bee on it, maybe. Afraid of this? Me? I just don't like it, that's all.
04:20A man lie here two, three years, absolutely dead, and we dig him up. How I explain this to my own
04:26mother? I only know what I told you. A man named Moore accused of three murders in England,
04:32escaped to Canada, killed two more men, and somehow he wound up way out here.
04:37Kendricks befriended him and almost lost his life by way of thanks. He's such a good man,
04:43Kendricks. I bet you my life he didn't want to shoot him. He didn't want to shoot this fellow.
04:48Oh, excuse me. Even if this fellow tried to kill him. Well, he had no choice. But what I don't
04:54understand is, why was Moore buried with a dog? Or vice versa? Ask Kendricks. What I don't
05:05understand is why we dig this, dig up this wicked fellow and ship him back to England. Well, it's
05:09one of those strange things, Pierre. Wicked he may have been, but when the family heard what
05:13happened, why they, they wanted him shipped back so he could be buried where he was born.
05:19No good. Very bad. Good or bad, we got to be on our way. You get that gear loaded,
05:23while you're not, so Kendricks were ready.
05:36Ivor Kendricks himself was an odd sort of man. Almost a hermit. There was an old story in the
05:43company about an unhappy love affair in his youth. At any rate, he seemed content to live out his
05:49life in the spot. Sometimes a year or even two would go by without his seeing another trader.
05:55He'd married recently. His wife was a girl of the Shuswap tribes. Like him, she didn't talk much.
06:03We're ready to leave, Mr. Kendricks.
06:11These are Moore's belongings. The clippings are in there.
06:14Newspaper stories are saved about the murders.
06:19Now I'm ready to leave, too. Well, I imagine.
06:23You see, you're ready to leave, Mr. Kendricks. You, uh, don't have any objections to taking me
06:28along, Mr. Banner? No, no, no. Of course, only I, well, I, I didn't realize you ever left this
06:33place. You have quite a reputation for being a hermit. Yes, I suppose I do. But, uh, good reason
06:40to take the opportunity to travel in good company. Well, Pierre and I'll be glad to have your company,
06:44too. I have a little business in Fort Kale, and I'd like to get a little present for my wife for
06:49the first time. Pierre? Pierre! Where are you? It was right here the sound came from. Indians?
07:04Not likely. Pierre?
07:15What happened? It spoke to me. I swear to you, it spoke to me. Who? That there.
07:27What did it say? Good morning?
07:29I swear to you. Don't make a fool of yourself, man. I'm not a fool of myself. It spoke to me.
07:36It must have been the horse. Can a horse speak? Well, it could have made some... Well, if the
07:43coffin spoke to you, what did it say? Well, well, we're going south with our talking coffin.
07:52Ready to leave? No. You want to stay here, then?
08:04Well, goodbye, girl. I'll be back in about a week.
08:22So
08:53do.
08:54So
09:15we made good time that first day. No signs of life. This was a remote, lonely region.
09:25Belonging to creatures other than man. The wind had begun to rise.
09:36I think we'd better stop here. Eh? I think we'd better stop here and shelter over there.
09:42Right. If this wind gets any worse, we may be in for it. It don't get very bad in this position.
09:48Over there, near the trees, Pierre. Unless you want to stay with our unseen friend here.
09:54What? I said, unless you want to stay with us.
10:01Hello! What are you doing? I heard someone coming.
10:09Hello!
10:09Hello!
10:13I didn't hear anything. Who else is being around here?
10:17No one, I hope. Could only be Indians, if it isn't anyone at all.
10:21Hello!
10:39I heard someone coming. Maybe wolves. But I heard someone call.
10:48Only the wind. The tree branches scraping against each other.
10:53Mr. Kennedy, didn't you hear it? I think you look worried.
10:57Worried? Not me, my friend. Just hungry. I think we should see to our supper. Yes,
11:02before one of Pierre's unseen friends gets to it first.
11:06And why the wolves are following us? And why on a nice day the wind she blows?
11:11I tell you, this Johnny is under a curse! Under a curse!
11:15Pretty to see what hunger can do to a man. I think we better eat right away. This thing may be catchy.
11:21Someone, something has come here to join us. Something right now is traveling with us.
11:27Mr. Falcon, would you be so kind as to stop indulging your ridiculous imagination?
11:31I'm not accustomed to spending my days listening to gibberish. I don't want to hear any more on
11:35the subject.
11:48That was a good supper. Now, why don't you play a little music for us, Pierre? Music?
11:54Put us in the mood for sleep. You think I can play the harmonica with him lying out there?
11:59It won't disturb him. But it disturbed me. I wish it was morning.
12:04I wish it was five mornings from tomorrow and we are back in Fort Cairn and goodbye to him.
12:09Poor fellow, he's as harmless now as the box he's in.
12:14Poor fellow? He murder how many people? And you say poor fellow?
12:18Well, Pierre, it's a wonderful world to be alive in if you live like a free man. Nothing to hide,
12:22nothing to run away from. Moore must have had a miserable time of it, take it all in all.
12:28I guess I could spur him a little pity. He got what he had coming to him.
12:33If you never suspected anything until the time he turned on you,
12:36there must have been many times he could have killed you easily.
12:40Mr. Kendricks, you're a very fortunate man to have escaped with your life.
12:46Well, he seemed like a good sort. I had no reason to suspect him at all.
12:50Until that day I turned just in time to see him raise his gun. Luckily, I drew first.
12:55Good, good. You've got to learn to think quickly when you live alone out here.
12:59The dog wasn't as lucky.
13:02Dog?
13:03The one that was buried with Moore. We found the skeleton and part of the hide.
13:08Must have been a powerful animal.
13:12He was that all right.
13:15How his dog come to die? Same time as this fellow Moore?
13:19It wasn't Moore's dog. It was my dog.
13:23Your dog, Mr. Kendricks?
13:24Yes. Moore shot the dog before he tried to kill me.
13:29Man tried to kill my dog. He don't have to try to kill me. I kill him first.
13:35Well, any man who would kill a harmless animal for no reason must be sick in the head, Pierre.
13:41Sick? This man is more than sick. He is dead. And I'm glad. Excuse me.
13:52You see?
13:53You see? It doesn't pay to be rude.
13:57I meant no harm.
13:59No, it was just an owl.
14:02If it comes any nearer and sits high against the sky, I may be able to bring him down.
14:06Why? Why do that?
14:09He's perfectly harmless. Who's he gonna hurt?
14:12Well, he frightened your friend here. And if we expect to get any sleep tonight...
14:16No sleep, all right. At least nothing alive is gonna keep Pierre awake while he's sleeping.
14:23Well, I'm a very sound sleeper myself.
14:25And at your age, Mr. Banner, you certainly must be a sound sleeper.
14:29Well, usually, yes. But tonight, Pierre and I are gonna take turns staying awake.
14:34Staying awake, Mr. Banner?
14:35Well, I suppose Pierre is right. And something or someone is following us.
14:42Well, we can't take any chances.
14:45We look pretty foolish coming into Fort Kale with an empty coffin.
14:49I'll take the first watch. You two gentlemen get some sleep.
14:52I'll wake you, Pierre.
15:22♪
15:49What is it? What happened?
15:51I saw the dog.
15:53You saw him?
15:55He ran right past us and came out here.
15:57♪
16:05Kendricks, it's us!
16:06♪
16:09In the name of all the saints, what happened?
16:12What is it?
16:14I must have frightened him off, whatever it is.
16:16You shot low enough to frighten me.
16:18Now you are getting nervous, my friend.
16:21I shot way over your head, naturally, man.
16:23What was it you were out here after?
16:26Banner saw him. He was your dog.
16:28What kind of nonsense is this? I haven't got a dog.
16:30I think Pierre means the dog Moore killed. The big dog that you buried with Moore.
16:34Now, sit here, Banner.
16:35Oh, I... I know it sounds foolish and...
16:38I... I wouldn't swear to it, of course. I...
16:41I may have dozed off and dreamed that I saw this huge dog circling around us.
16:46Till it streaked under the wagon and...
16:49left no... no tracks.
16:51You see? He saw him. It was the dead dog.
16:54I wish I'd seen him. I'd have...
16:56Well, I... I mean, I would have been able to show you it wasn't.
17:00Well, let's not talk any more about it.
17:02Nothing to be frightened of, Pierre.
17:04I... I'm sure that if Mr. Kendricks' friend is following us,
17:07it's only because he... he wants to keep an eye on the man who killed his master.
17:13Well, the sooner we get underway, the better.
17:16I'll be glad when this job is over and done with.
17:19And he didn't even see him.
17:35By sunrise, we'd eaten, packed, and moved out of our camping place.
17:42I was growing suspicious of Kendricks.
17:45The story of his dog.
17:48♪♪
18:15By noon, we were 12 miles further south.
18:18But then the wind grew intolerable, blowing against us this time.
18:22♪♪
18:27What do you make of this, Mr. Kendricks?
18:29I'd say it may be a very bad storm.
18:31We'd be better off under shelter.
18:32Where'd we find these?
18:34Well, there's an old cabin on the river.
18:36Can't be far west. Saw it on the way up.
18:39I know the place.
18:40On a point of land, wild water on both sides.
18:43No, it's a terrible place.
18:44It's fairly close. Half a day's travel.
18:46With any luck.
18:47What's that, Pierre?
18:49It is no matter where we go. Bad luck travels with us.
18:52I agree that this package doesn't help us very much.
18:56Starting to believe in ghosts, Mr. Kendricks?
18:58I believe in a swift journey and a warm fire and less prattle from strangers.
19:02This is my original.
19:04We'll head upriver.
19:17♪♪
19:43It was already dark when we reached the river.
19:46We had difficulty finding the cabin.
19:48A grim, ruined place on a point of land surrounded by the noise of the water.
19:54The wind had increased against us.
19:57I'd never known such a wind that brought not a drop of rain.
20:01A dry, howling torrent of wind.
20:03♪♪
20:07Not the most cheerful place in the world,
20:09but it's a place to stay until the weather settles.
20:13Oh, Pierre!
20:15Play something for us.
20:17Huh?
20:19Who knows a story?
20:22Trouble is, you know, people...
20:23people tell me stories and they just drift right out of my...
20:27Mr. Kendricks, there must be a story connected with that ring you're wearing around your throat.
20:40What?
20:41Oh, oh, you mean this ring?
20:43Well, yes, of course.
20:44Isn't there a story about every ring?
20:47There's not a particularly interesting story about this one, no.
20:51Did you hear that?
20:52Hear what?
20:58Sounded like the dog.
21:02You know, when I saw your dog last, Mr. Kendricks...
21:04Look, I have no objection to stories, but if you think...
21:06Shh!
21:11Shh!
21:14I thought I heard the dog scratching at the door.
21:18Oh, it was just a branch.
21:21For a moment, though, I...
21:25It's just that it's so vivid to me.
21:28I saw that dog so plainly.
21:31It was a beautiful animal.
21:33He walked around the campsite and he looked at me and he looked at Pierre
21:39and then he walked very slowly toward you, Mr. Kendricks,
21:42and then a most peculiar thing happened.
21:48He stood still and I heard him growl and his hackles rose
21:52and I could see the hair rise on his back, sharp like a saw.
21:55He bared his fangs and I thought he was going to go right at your throat.
22:00He has come, he is here!
22:01Shut up, man!
22:02Don't be an idiot, shut the door!
22:05Never mind, Pierre.
22:06I'll close the door.
22:10Pierre?
22:13Come here.
22:15What?
22:16What do you want me for?
22:17I want you to listen.
22:18See if you hear it, too.
22:20I don't hear.
22:21What do you hear now?
22:23Listen.
22:24The dog over there by the coffin.
22:27Yeah.
22:29No, I don't hear.
22:30Yes, you do.
22:32You hear it.
22:34Oh, yes, I do.
22:34I hear it.
22:35Yes.
22:36You didn't miss that.
22:37No, no, I didn't miss that.
22:39Look.
22:40Look.
22:41You can see the dog there now lying by the coffin.
22:44Hey, yes, I see him.
22:46I see.
22:48Let's close the door, Pierre, and leave him in peace.
22:53Unless Mr. Kendricks wants to come and see his dog.
23:00Yes, I'll take a look at that blasted dog
23:02and I'll show you your dog was nothing but a wolf at the most.
23:05Just a moment, Mr. Kendricks.
23:08I think you'd better be warned.
23:09This is no ordinary dog you're going to see.
23:12Of course it isn't.
23:14It's probably a coyote, not even a wolf.
23:16It's traitor Kendricks' dog.
23:19Bullet wound shows as clear as day.
23:22Doesn't it, Pierre?
23:23Yeah, clear as day.
23:25The bullet hole.
23:26Right between the eyes.
23:28Right between the eyes.
23:29Where you shot him when he tried to defend his master.
23:37Yes, I shot him.
23:38At last, I shot him.
23:40The sneaking beast.
23:41Watching me, watching me day and night.
23:43Never letting me out of his sight.
23:45It's enough to drive any man crazy.
23:48But I've got my gun and nobody can best me now.
23:51Where is he?
23:52Where is that devil beast?
23:55Where is that dog, that hound of the devil?
23:58Throw your dog back!
24:00Throw your dog back, Kendricks!
24:01Or two of the lions in time!
24:03Throw it back, you hear?
24:07He is mad!
24:10He called Kendricks and he is Kendricks!
24:12Oh, he isn't Kendricks, he's Moore.
24:13He killed Kendricks!
24:15Well, well, he is the man of the earth!
24:16Ah, sure he is.
24:17We're going to have to get him under control.
24:23Listen, Kendricks.
24:25I've took your place and I'm going to keep it.
24:28I'll give you one more chance, Kendricks.
24:30Just one!
24:37He killed himself with his own gun!
24:39He is dead!
24:40He's dead.
24:42Moore is dead.
24:44Now at last.
24:47Banner!
24:50Tell me, Banner.
24:52Did you see the dog?
24:55Yes or no?
24:56I see the dog.
24:58No.
25:00I take off my hat.
25:02You are a clever man.
25:04Oh, I don't know.
25:05Oh, I don't know.
25:07You gave me the idea with your superstitious imagination.
25:10No superstitious, no imagination.
25:13You yourself saw.
25:17The dog.
25:19You know, at time I probably would have come to believe it myself.