Into the West

Jedediah Smith:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and take hold of my boot!

Chow-Ping Yen:
You have a village?

Abe Wheeler:
Americans don't belong to any one place. As soon as they get settled, they get restless for something more.

Rachel Wheeler:
Wait! I'm going with you! There's nothing for us here - nothing for any of us. And we can help with the children.

Jacob Wheeler:
Who's we?

Rachel Wheeler:
[Naomi and Leah Wheeler come running up to the wagons] Naomi's fiance went and married someone else. She wants to disappear from the face of the earth... we figure that's where you're going.

Thunder Heart Woman:
[Jacob sees Jethro getting sick. He grabs a blanket and hurries to comfort Jethro] What are you doing?

Jacob Wheeler:
I'm gonna separate him from us. See to him. That's all I know to do.

Thunder Heart Woman:
Your family's here. You are the reason we are here, why we came!

Jethro Wheeler:
She's right. Let me be.

Jacob Wheeler:
If I get sick you'll be better off without me.

Thunder Heart Woman:
But you are not sick! He is.

Jacob Wheeler:
I'll know if I am soon enough. With cholera, if it don't get you in the first day, chances are you'll recover.

Thunder Heart Woman:
What if you do not? What if we do?

Jacob Wheeler:
Boil on your water before you drink it. Go without me. Catch up with the others.

Thunder Heart Woman:
They will not take us back!

Jacob Wheeler:
Then go on your own. Find your own people!

Thunder Heart Woman:
Is that why you brought me out here? To find my own people? What about your children?

Jacob Wheeler:
What do you want from me woman?

Thunder Heart Woman:
I want my husband!

Jethro Wheeler:
I've always been envious of you brother. You always had that spark, that sense of adventure. I always wished I could be like that... Like you.

Jacob Wheeler:
You are like me Jethro.

Jethro Wheeler:
That's the nicest thing you could say to me.

Dog Star:
[Running Fox and his clan return to the Lakota] [In Lakota] It has been many years my brother.

Running Fox:
Loved by the Buffalo came to us in a vision and told us to return. You were right, brother. The whites' handouts will not help our people. Only our ancient ways can be relied upon.

Dog Star:
You are welcome here. Share our tipis, our food... [Turns to look at his clan] My little brother has returned! [All let out whoops of joy]

Running Fox:
[Running Fox watches as Dog Star paints the winter count] Your paints always tell the same story. The whites become more plentiful and each year the earth grows a little smaller.

Dog Star:
When they have found all the yellow metal they need, they will leave.

Running Fox:
[Running Fox shakes his head] You can't even see what your eyes show you.

Drunken Mountain Man:
Fine looking squaw, ain't she? She got a good looking daughter too. I wouldn't mind making her acquaintance. Might even take me a bath. I never known an Injun gal do wash like her. Her husband must have clean britches everyday. Twice on Sunday. You don't need britches.

Thunder Heart Woman:
Move on.

Drunken Mountain Man:
Bet you ain't wearing none under that skirt. We're just gonna have to find out.

[Jacob reaches out and grabs ThunderHeart Woman's wrist]

Drunken Mountain Man:
Easy there, partner. Mind that scattergun, friend. She knows how to use it.

Jacob Jr.:
Just get along and leave us along, mister!

Drunken Mountain Man:
Look at that Indian half-breed! [grabs Jacob Jr]

Jacob Jr.:
Let go of me!

Jacob Wheeler:
[Knocks the men hassling them to the ground and takes his pistol] Hand over your pistols and clear on out!

Drunken Mountain Man:
Got no call to take our pistols.

Jacob Wheeler:
Lucky I ain't in the killing spirit.

Drunken Mountain Man:
Who might you be, friend?

Jacob Wheeler:
The man that's gonna wing you just so I can carve your scalps and show 'em to you before I kill you. [removes the other pistol] Jacob Jr., take this son. Get on up!

Drunken Mountain Man:
All right!

Jacob Wheeler:
Next time to you talk to a man's wife, you'll show her some respect. Come on, get out of here! [shoves them out of the cafeteria and fires the pistol] [the crowd laughs] M

Jacob Wheeler:
[fires a shotgun] My name's Jacob Wheeler! From now on, any of you sons of b*tches step out of line, you'll answer to me! Anybody wanna challenge that?

Voices That Carry:
[comes back to the reservation after going to the Carlisle boarding school for 9 years] I'm looking for Red Lance, son of White Crow, grandson of Running Fox.

Red Lance:
[In Lakota] Who looks for Red Lance?

Voices That Carry:
[in Lakota] His brother, Voices That Carry.

Red Lance:
[repeats name] Voices That Carry.

[in English]

Red Lance:
Little brother, look at you. Did they drink your blood and turn you into a wasichu?

[both laugh]

Mr. Royer:
[Sees the Lakota doing the Ghost Dance and grabs his pistol] This obscene display will cease immediately!

Wovoka:
This prayer. White people pray, go heaven. We go heaven too.

Mr. Royer:
You will stop dancing and disperse! [points pistol at him]

Wovoka:
[dancing and singing cease as all watch] [in Lakota] We should call him Young Man Afraid of Indians. [the Lakota begin to laugh]

Red Lance:
[comes back into the house] You let the fire go out.

Voices That Carry:
Didn't notice.

Red Lance:
What good are all these white man's books if you don't know when you're cold?

Voices That Carry:
It's not that cold.

Red Lance:
You... read all these books?

Voices That Carry:
There's much to learn from them.

Red Lance:
What good is this knowledge?

Voices That Carry:
You have many questions Red Lance, but you have no desire to hear the answers.

Red Lance:
And you do not wish to learn.

Voices That Carry:
I've told you. The Ghost Dance is only superstition. Spirits can't help our people. Only we can do that for ourselves.

Red Lance:
You do not have ears. You will not listen.

Rachel Wheeler:
[Jacob, ThunderHeart Woman, and Jethro are riding out to head west to Califorinia] Wait! I'm going with you! There's nothing for us here - nothing for any of us. And we can help with the children.

Jacob Wheeler:
Who's we?

Rachel Wheeler:
[Naomi and Leah Wheeler come running up to the wagons] Naomi's fiance went and married someone else. She wants to disappear from the face of the earth... we figure that's where you're going.

Indian woman kanto:
[Naomi chants nursery rhymes to avoid going to bed with Praire Fire as the Cheyenne look on in confusion] He believes you chant evil spirits with these rhymes

Naomi Wheeler:
More like keeping evil spirits away... [Looks at Praire Fire] Old Mother Hubbard went to her cupboard to fetch her poor dog a bone, But when she got there her cupboard was bare, So the poor dog had none.

Thunder Heart Woman:
[after Jacob was injured by an arrow to the chest, he asks them to leave him behind] Thank you... for finding me... for saving me... and for loving me.

Jacob Wheeler:
Loving you is easy it always has been. But I'll see you again. I know it... Jacob, Young Margaret Light Shines you mind your mother. And never forget who you are. You're one part Lakota, one part Virginia. Abraham High Wolf, remember who you are always and remind your brother Jacob.

Thunder Heart Woman:
[In Lakota] I love you.

David Wheeler:
[after finding a huge chunk of gold] I think I'll buy me a grand city house with servants to wait on me, like those plantations back home... What about you, Jethro? What are you gonna do with your half?

Jethro Wheeler:
[Laughs] Half? What are you talking about, half? That was my claim. Oh, you'll get your reward but you ain't getting half. I'd say your take is a quarter.

David Wheeler:
I found it.

Jethro Wheeler:
Mmm-Hmm...

David Wheeler:
I found it! You owe me half, you son of a b*tch! [Both draw their guns]

Jethro Wheeler:
You being family, I'll make it a third. Take it or leave it. Now sit down and have a drink. [Both reholster guns and sit down]

David Wheeler:
I found it.

Jacob Wheeler:
[Margaret Light Shines and Ethan Biggs look around the place of a mountain man that could be Margaret's father] Don't you move. I'll blast your guts down your backside.

Ethan Biggs:
I'm not a thief.

Jacob Wheeler:
Shut up! You don't look like a thief. You don't know the woods. You announced yourself a mile away.

Ethan Biggs:
We're looking for someone.

Margaret Light Shines:
We're looking for Jacob Wheeler. [Shows him her wheel necklace]

Jacob Wheeler:
[In Lakota] Light Shines?

[nods and responds in Lakota]

Jacob Wheeler:
Margaret, is that you?

Margaret Light Shines:
Daddy?

Jacob Wheeler:
[Thrusts his rifle at Ethan Biggs] Hold that, young man. [Embraces Margaret Light Shines]

Margaret Light Shines:
[crying] Daddy!

Drunken Mountain Man:
[Jacob walks into Thunder Heart Woman's cafe] Fine looking squaw, ain't she? She got a good looking daughter too. I wouldn't mind making her acquaintance. Might even take me a bath. I never known an Injun gal do wash like her. Her husband must have clean britches everyday. Twice on Sunday. [to ThunderHeart Woman] You don't need britches.

Thunder Heart Woman:
Move on.

Drunken Mountain Man:
Bet you ain't wearing none under that skirt. We're just gonna have to find out.

[Jacob reaches out and grabs ThunderHeart Woman's wrist]

Drunken Mountain Man:
Easy there, partner. Mind that scattergun, friend. She knows how to use it.

Jacob Jr.:
[Jacob Jr. jumps on Jacob to defend his mother] Just get along and leave us alone, mister!

Drunken Mountain Man:
Look at that Indian half-breed! [grabs Jacob Jr]

Jacob Jr.:
[struggles] Let go of me!

Jacob Wheeler:
[Knocks the men hassling them to the ground and takes one of the man's pistol] Hand over your pistols and clear on out!

Drunken Mountain Man:
Got no call to take our pistols.

Jacob Wheeler:
Lucky I ain't in the killing spirit.

Drunken Mountain Man:
Who might you be, friend?

Jacob Wheeler:
The man that's gonna wing you just so I can carve your scalps and show 'em to you before I kill you. [removes the other pistol] Jacob Jr., take this son. Get on up!

Drunken Mountain Man:
All right!

Jacob Wheeler:
Next time to you talk to a man's wife, you'll show her some respect. Come on, get out of here! [shoves them out of the cafeteria and fires the pistol] [the crowd laughs]

Jacob Wheeler:
[fires a shotgun and quiets the crowd] My name's Jacob Wheeler! From now on, any of you sons of b*tches step out of line, you'll answer to me! Anybody wanna challenge that?

Naomi Wheeler:
What is that?

Indian woman kanto:
Special oils that make Prairie Fire burn all night.

Jacob Wheeler:
I took my heartbreak to the mountains. Only they could understand the immensity.

Young Margaret Light Shines:
The ways of our people must change, or they will die.

Older Jacob Wheeler:
The only history a man knows for certain is that small part he owns for himself.

Jacob Wheeler:
Grief was a luxury none of us could afford.

Jedediah Smith:
The west is a place on the map, not a way to live.

Johnny Fox:
Do you even know what to do with her?

Jacob Wheeler:
I'm going to set her free and send her back to her people.

Ben Franklin:
Set her free? Why?

Jacob Wheeler:
You of all people know why. It i'd thought different, you'd be back on that plantation.