Approved | 30min | Adventure, Western | TV Series (1957)
Army payroll messengers are found dead, murdered by a gang of bandits, and the payroll stolen. In order to find the killers, Hawkeye and Chingachcook go undercover as managers of a local trading post.
Director: Sam Newfield
Writers: Louis Stevens
Stars: John Hart, Lon Chaney Jr., Rodney Bunker
Army payroll messengers are found dead, murdered by a gang of bandits, and the payroll stolen. In order to find the killers, Hawkeye and Chingachcook go undercover as managers of a local trading post.
Director: Sam Newfield
Writers: Louis Stevens
Stars: John Hart, Lon Chaney Jr., Rodney Bunker
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00From the immortal pen of James Fenimore Cooper came stirring tales of the early American frontier, when freedom-loving pioneers were carving a new nation out of an unknown, savage, and untamed wilderness.
00:14Stories of those exciting days, and of the courage, daring, and devotion of men like Hawkeye, the first of the Long Rifles, and his tribal brother Chingachgook, the last of the Mohicans.
00:44Hawkeye!
00:56Did you find him?
00:58There.
00:59Alive, I hope?
01:00Two men died.
01:01What about the third man?
01:02Not look. Come find you first.
01:29No doubt, whatever. These are the men we've been looking for. Army payroll messengers.
01:35Now, murdered.
01:42There's still another man left, Lieutenant. I'll be right back.
02:07Can you tell me about the men who attacked you?
02:10Five or six men, they...
02:13Did you ever see them before? Do you know who they might be?
02:15No. One of them, his hand.
02:20What about his hand?
02:21Burnt. Red scar. Ugly. My brother, Colonel Courtney.
02:32Your brother's Colonel Courtney?
02:33Tell him.
02:40A brutal slaying. But not the first of its kind. Like shadows, the high women vanish as though they'd never been.
03:09I've just sent word off to my brother's wife. I'm glad you heard his last words.
03:14If the Colonel doesn't...
03:15Here's something worth digesting. Two acts of violence, each ending in the death of an army payroll messenger, occur on roads leading out from Hudson Point.
03:28Have you ever been there?
03:30No, sir.
03:31The person's guilty of these murders must still be in that vicinity.
03:36Perhaps we could find out something, if a man like yourself could establish a legitimate reason for staying there.
03:43Me? I'm fit to be tied if I have to stay in the same place for a couple of days. I'd have to turn you down, Colonel.
03:50The Hudson Bay Company are establishing a trading post in this very spot. I shall order them to place you in charge.
03:56But Colonel...
03:58Would you do it? For me? I should be most grateful if you would.
04:06You've got me beat, Colonel.
04:22No!
04:28No!
04:47In hunting and trapping, a man has to take the bad with the good. Some seasons you get plenty of furs, other seasons aren't so good.
04:55But this is never good for the Indian.
05:05We've been here five days and haven't suspicioned one man yet.
05:13S'up maybe Jim Foster?
05:19Him always want by rifle.
05:21He's bought three rifles already. It takes money to buy rifles.
05:24For a man who only works for wages, hauling timber up and down the valley.
05:32Hello there.
05:33Hello, Jim.
05:37I thought you said you were leaving on a delivery haul.
05:39No, Mr. Don let me put off me leaving for about a week.
05:42I reckon I could be interested in buying another rifle.
05:46What you doing, Jim, collecting rifles for an army?
05:49I sell them.
05:52Is that so?
05:53Sure. I was somebody at a farm or a tiny hamlet in need of a rifle.
05:57And I sell it a profit to me.
06:01Get married. Bought me some farmland. Any extra money I could make, I'd put down a payment.
06:06I'll take it.
06:08Get married. Bought me some farmland. Any extra money I could make, I'd put down a payment.
06:14I'll take it.
06:15Only I won't have the cash for a couple of days.
06:17Oh, I guess the company will trust you.
06:28Just sign it right there.
06:38Say, Jim, do you know who those men are out there?
06:42They're surveyors for an outside big land company.
06:45Like this place, their base.
06:53That fellow driving is Sam Martin.
06:55He's surveyor in charge.
06:57And he's no good.
06:58Say you want some powder?
07:00I didn't say, but may as well now you've suggested it.
07:04Kind of a lonely life for a man in this place.
07:07Well, there's Brown's Tavern.
07:09It's a pretty girl there, I noticed.
07:11It's Mr. Brown's daughter, Sally.
07:13Fact is, me and Sally are married.
07:15Some folks turn up their noses on a girl just because their father runs a public place.
07:19Oh, I don't. I like people. Trust them.
07:22That's good.
07:23But don't trust Sam Martin.
07:26Well, that's for me to decide.
07:28I reckon it is.
07:29Well, thanks.
07:31Well, thanks.
07:32See you later.
07:33So long, Jim.
07:38Well, things are picking up.
07:40Jim Foster buying rifles and selling them, he says.
07:43Now there's Sam Martin.
07:45I guess I better get to meet Sam.
07:48Take care of the store.
08:01Bye.
08:32Lucky guy, isn't he?
08:37It's my deal.
08:56Sally, I've been away a week and I ain't heard you mention you're happy to see me.
09:00Sure I am.
09:01Don't sound convincing. Try again, Sally.
09:04What would you like me to say?
09:06Well, all these yarns I've been hearing about highwaymen.
09:09Seems like you might have been worried about me.
09:11You can take care of yourself.
09:15How about calling on you like before Jim Foster?
09:18Hold your temper, boy.
09:19If Sam says anything improper, it is up to me, her father.
09:31Oh!
09:51Well, like I say, I'm grateful to you.
09:53But still, I'd like to know why you, a stranger, jumped in to help me.
09:58Well, let's just say I don't care for Jim Foster.
10:01Cut reasons of my own.
10:03Here's a nice copper kettle.
10:05Well, I reckon I didn't act exactly polite to Miss Sally.
10:07Fact is, I know her before Jim Foster did.
10:10We talked once at Marion.
10:12Maybe it's just her way of making you jealous.
10:14After all, you're a much more important man than Foster.
10:17Surveyor, in charge of the crew.
10:19Maybe you don't try to see her enough.
10:21Well, I get orders from the office in the capital and have to obey them.
10:24Lots of times, me and the men stay out surveying longer than any of us likes to.
10:28Well, the country's got to be surveyed.
10:30More folks moving out here to settle.
10:32Well, let me say much obliged once again.
10:34I'd like to think you're my friend, as I'd like to be yours.
10:37No reason why not.
10:38Goodbye.
10:45That surveying job may be true, all right.
10:47But for something else he's doing.
10:49We not know anything now.
10:51No, we don't.
10:54But maybe we'll find out who we're after pretty soon.
10:57How will we learn?
10:59We'll catch them in the act. We'll be witnesses.
11:04You'll be leaving in the morning to see Colonel Courtney at Fort McKenzie.
11:08It's been decided, then.
11:10We'll go ahead with the plan suggested by Hawkeye.
11:14Indian Cove.
11:16A wild and secluded place.
11:18Lieutenant, you and your five men can hide there.
11:21Yes, sir.
11:22It's now the 4th.
11:24Towards the evening of the 9th,
11:26two men of your choosing will appear at Hudson Point.
11:28Take lodgings for the night.
11:30They will let it be known that they're on their way to Fort Adams and to Fort Donaldson
11:33with army payroll currency.
11:36They will visit the tavern.
11:38Talk freely.
11:39I understand, sir.
11:45How about something to eat?
11:52Brown, you say it's dangerous riding these forests carrying so much money.
11:56But I say we ain't afraid.
11:58We got rifles and we know how to use them.
12:00Well, it's your lives.
12:12Do you note the way Sam Martin is listening to them army messengers?
12:16James, serious now.
12:18No matter what suspicions you may have, there's nothing you can do.
12:21A lot, if I can prove my suspicions.
12:25And maybe I can.
12:51Hello, Foster.
13:05You looking for something?
13:09You know what I'm looking for.
13:11You tell us.
13:12I will.
13:14You're the highwayman who's been robbing and killing all those...
13:15Sam, this man is out of his head.
13:17Let him talk.
13:19My brother up at the Capitol wrote me.
13:21He's seen the both of you when you was there
13:23gambling more money in one night than you were in a year.
13:25No, Swayze, don't shoot him.
13:27You heard what this polecat said, Sam.
13:29Sure, he thinks we're the highwaymen.
13:31It's more than think, I know.
13:33That's right, Foster, you know.
13:35Sure he does, that's why we gotta put an end to him.
13:37That's why we gotta convince some people different.
13:39Not me you can't.
13:41You don't bother me, Foster, it's the townspeople we're gonna convince.
13:43You're not making sense, Sam.
13:45It'll make sense if we prove someone else is guilty, won't it?
13:47Like Jim Foster, maybe?
13:49Me? You can't put this on me, Martin.
13:51Not when you're the guilty one.
13:53He talks too much, Swayze.
13:55Think maybe you can do something about that?
13:57Think maybe I can, Sam.
14:03Such a nice fella he seem to.
14:05Gonna be a shock to a lot of people in this town
14:07when they find out what he really was.
14:09A highwayman and a killer.
14:17Martin and his men not here.
14:19Notice that. Jim Foster's missing, too.
14:23Maybe trapped in that work?
14:25I don't know.
14:27The lieutenant and his men are due to leave in the morning.
14:29Martin and Foster should turn up somewhere before then.
14:35You're whatever law we have around here, aren't you?
14:37As head of the trading post, I guess I am.
14:39Then you know about those highwaymen,
14:41the ones that have been killing and robbing army payloads.
14:43The whole town's been talking about that.
14:45Why are you asking?
14:47Because I found them for you. Caught them red-handed.
14:51Are you sure you know what you're talking about, Martin?
14:53Well, I can show you easy enough.
14:55Just come along with me to Jim Foster's cabin.
15:03Look.
15:05Crown currency. Army payroll money.
15:07And here's a bunch of government papers.
15:09And here's a bag belonging to the army.
15:11It's hard to believe that Jim Foster...
15:13It's not hard to believe when you see this and this.
15:15I told you, I always had doubts about him.
15:17And when he came to my room
15:19and wanted me to buy some of the land I'd been surveying,
15:21me using my name and him to be my secret partner,
15:23and he flashes money like this,
15:25well, suddenly I got suspicious and came here.
15:29Got anything to say for yourself, Jim?
15:31It's the first I've ever seen of it.
15:33It's a trick. It's Sam Martin's way of...
15:35The first time, sure.
15:37You're guilty of those army payroll robberies.
15:39Listen, men, when I went to Martin's room, I...
15:41I already told him why.
15:43So you could offer me some of this money to buy land for you.
15:45Don't listen. Don't believe him.
15:47It's not what I say that counts. It's this evidence.
15:49And it's up to you to take care of this.
15:51And Foster.
15:53Till you can turn him over to the military.
16:07Sam.
16:09They're carrying a lot of money.
16:11I don't care how much money they're carrying.
16:13We just proved Jim Foster guilty,
16:15and we ain't taking the guilt off him.
16:17All right, Sam.
16:19No, we sit this one out.
16:21Twice a week we go out surveying.
16:23Then the big prize will come along,
16:25and that's the one we're after. All right?
16:27Where's Jim Foster?
16:29He's locked in the back room.
16:31He still tell same story?
16:33Yeah, same story.
16:35Says Martin's a guilty man.
16:37What you believe?
16:39I don't know yet.
16:41Did you learn anything?
16:43No.
16:45Martin not follow messengers.
16:47Spoil plan.
16:49It sure does.
16:51Well, I guess we'll have to turn Foster over to the military.
17:13You'll come back. I know it.
17:15I'll pray for you.
17:17I'll pray for you.
17:19You'll come back. I know it.
17:21I'll pray for you.
17:23Thank you, Sally.
17:43Foster gone.
17:45But we not know if they have right man.
17:47Not yet, but we will.
17:49I want you to take a message to Lieutenant Trellway.
17:51Horse is ready.
17:53Be ready.
17:55Tell the lieutenant.
18:17How long you gonna go on brooding over a man that's liable to get hanged any day now?
18:37He never was any good, Sally.
18:39And you and I...
18:41That's what I like in a woman.
18:43Heart.
18:59We're as hungry as twin bears after a winter's famine.
19:01What about venison?
19:03Now that's talking.
19:05Ain't nothing better tasting in the world than good wild game.
19:07Good.
19:09Good.
19:29What did you find out?
19:33They leave early in the morning.
19:35I hear quite country.
19:37They've been mighty free with talk.
19:39They're charged with delivering their regular yearly token payments
19:42from the government to the Indian chiefs of the six nations.
19:45That's a young fortune, you all realize that.
19:48We'll give them an eight-hour start.
19:50They should be well on the Iroquois Trail by then.
19:52We can save a lot of country by cutting across Silver Lake.
19:55We'll meet them at Diamond Head.
20:07♪♪
20:33After it's over,
20:35we'll run our wagon into that canyon there and lose it.
20:38Then we'll divide the money as we agreed and scatter.
20:42♪♪
20:50Here they come. Every man knows what to do.
20:53♪♪
21:22You're surrounded on each side, so there's no use trying to resist.
21:26We want all the money you're carrying.
21:32All right, both of you, get down off that wagon, hands raised.
21:53Now!
21:55♪♪
22:10Stop, or I kill!
22:12Stop, or I kill!
22:42♪♪
22:52♪♪
23:02♪♪
23:22♪♪
23:34Come on, Martin.
23:36How did Foster get here?
23:38I thought he was in prison.
23:40He took a little holiday to help us catch you red-handed.
23:44If things hadn't turned out happy for them,
23:46I'd never forgiven myself.
23:50This not good life for us?
23:53Too many people.
23:55Too crowded.
23:57You're right.
23:59We'll lock the door, leave the key,
24:01and go back to the forest where we belong.
24:04You're right.
24:06We'll lock the door, leave the key,
24:08and go back to the forest where we belong.
24:34Join us again at this same time next week
24:36for another of James Fenimore Cooper's gripping tales
24:39of the early American frontier.
24:41Another exciting adventure of Hawkeye
24:44and his blood brother, Chingach Cook.
24:47Last of the Mohicans.
24:50♪♪
25:19♪♪