1 00:00:26,540 --> 00:00:30,772 Good evening and welcome to Alfred Hitchcock Presents. 2 00:00:31,244 --> 00:00:33,804 Please excuse me if I speak rapidly. 3 00:00:34,114 --> 00:00:36,139 I have a very short fuse. 4 00:00:36,850 --> 00:00:39,375 Tonight's play is a period piece 5 00:00:39,586 --> 00:00:42,316 which takes place when space travel 6 00:00:42,389 --> 00:00:44,983 was limited to this primitive means. 7 00:00:45,659 --> 00:00:47,991 They say the trip is very comfortable. 8 00:00:48,428 --> 00:00:52,489 It's just the landing that leaves something to be desired. 9 00:00:52,699 --> 00:00:55,827 I shall be in orbit for about 25 minutes, 10 00:00:56,069 --> 00:00:59,061 during which you will be able to watch our play. 11 00:00:59,573 --> 00:01:01,973 I shall see you at its conclusion... 12 00:01:02,042 --> 00:01:03,805 ...I trust. 13 00:01:21,328 --> 00:01:23,353 I'd known Owl Creek all my life. 14 00:01:24,431 --> 00:01:26,331 As a boy, I'd learned to swim in it. 15 00:01:27,067 --> 00:01:29,831 As a young man, I'd brought my horses to it to drink. 16 00:01:31,505 --> 00:01:36,169 And now, in this year of 1862, I was to die over it. 17 00:01:37,144 --> 00:01:39,237 Further out. Another foot. 18 00:01:40,447 --> 00:01:42,881 Now that's better. Now tie down the other end. 19 00:01:51,558 --> 00:01:53,150 I'm sorry, Mr. Farquhar, we're not quite ready. 20 00:01:53,927 --> 00:01:55,861 Well, I expect I can wait. 21 00:01:56,363 --> 00:01:57,625 Thank you, Mr. Farquhar. 22 00:02:24,958 --> 00:02:29,395 Today I die. Yet, last night, just 12 hours ago, 23 00:02:31,832 --> 00:02:34,062 I was safe and secure in my own home. 24 00:02:34,401 --> 00:02:35,834 Safe and secure. 25 00:02:43,343 --> 00:02:44,640 You ain't touched your soup. 26 00:02:44,978 --> 00:02:48,379 No. No, I'm not really hungry, Hattie. 27 00:02:48,448 --> 00:02:50,040 You got to eat anyhow. 28 00:02:50,150 --> 00:02:52,209 First thing you know, you won't have strength enough 29 00:02:52,285 --> 00:02:53,912 to get out of bed in the morning. 30 00:03:00,894 --> 00:03:02,828 It isn't any good being here on my own. 31 00:03:03,663 --> 00:03:04,857 I know what it is. 32 00:03:05,765 --> 00:03:08,165 I felt the same way after Josh went. 33 00:03:09,069 --> 00:03:11,765 And I tell you there's only one way to get through it. 34 00:03:12,439 --> 00:03:14,634 You got to make up your mind you're going on. 35 00:03:15,275 --> 00:03:16,867 Just like you always did. 36 00:03:18,778 --> 00:03:19,938 Thank you, Hattie. 37 00:03:56,783 --> 00:03:58,045 Anybody home? 38 00:04:11,164 --> 00:04:13,223 Yes, sir. What can I do for you? 39 00:04:13,433 --> 00:04:15,993 This well of yours looks mighty good. I'm fightin' a powerful dry. 40 00:04:16,069 --> 00:04:17,696 Well, I expect we can fix that. 41 00:04:18,371 --> 00:04:19,804 Where did you get that game leg? 44 00:04:24,144 --> 00:04:26,510 Unless the army gets awful hungry for men. 45 00:04:27,047 --> 00:04:30,483 This your place here? Yeah. 150 acres. 46 00:04:31,284 --> 00:04:34,185 Got a dispatch for General Van Dorn, can't seem to run him down. 47 00:04:34,254 --> 00:04:36,984 Well, you're in the wrong neighborhood. He left here a week ago. 48 00:04:37,190 --> 00:04:41,183 Whole kit and caboodle? Yeah. Headed for Holly Springs, last I heard. 49 00:04:41,528 --> 00:04:42,688 What about the Yankees? 50 00:04:44,531 --> 00:04:46,965 The onliest thing a man can say about them is they ain't heading north, 51 00:04:47,033 --> 00:04:48,591 not if they can help it. 52 00:04:49,002 --> 00:04:51,129 Yeah, they're strung out from luka to Memphis, 53 00:04:51,638 --> 00:04:53,799 every one of 'em's nose is pointed towards Vicksburg. 54 00:04:53,907 --> 00:04:56,341 What about their communications? Railroad. 55 00:04:56,509 --> 00:04:58,477 Yeah, but I heard the railroad was out. 56 00:04:59,179 --> 00:05:01,875 Well, they're fixing it. They got 2,000 men working. 57 00:05:01,948 --> 00:05:03,313 Pushed all the way to Owl Creek Bridge. 58 00:05:04,851 --> 00:05:07,376 Owl Creek Bridge? Why, that's only five miles away. 59 00:05:07,988 --> 00:05:10,456 Yeah, within a week, you're likely to have a whole yard full of them here 60 00:05:10,523 --> 00:05:11,922 pestering you for a drink like me. 61 00:05:13,159 --> 00:05:15,252 Now they ain't gonna get the same kind of service. 62 00:05:16,630 --> 00:05:19,758 Yankees don't need no service. They just help themselves. 63 00:05:20,834 --> 00:05:24,930 Sergeant, suppose someone was to burn down that bridge at Owl Creek? 64 00:05:26,239 --> 00:05:29,572 That'd put 'em out, all right. Likely to hold the move up on Vicksburg 65 00:05:29,643 --> 00:05:30,667 till they got it fixed. 66 00:05:31,277 --> 00:05:33,177 They don't intend on letting anybody do it though. 67 00:05:33,246 --> 00:05:35,180 They got a whole company of men guarding that bridge alone. 68 00:05:35,949 --> 00:05:39,248 Yeah, but suppose someone was to figure a way to get past that company. 69 00:05:40,286 --> 00:05:41,878 Somebody who knew the country. 70 00:05:42,255 --> 00:05:45,622 Now look, mister, you find something else to occupy your mind. 71 00:05:46,359 --> 00:05:47,656 There's a notice nailed on every tree 72 00:05:47,727 --> 00:05:49,285 for a quarter mile around that bridge. 73 00:05:49,829 --> 00:05:51,490 Any civilian caught prowlin' around the railroad 74 00:05:51,564 --> 00:05:52,826 is gonna be hanged on the spot. 75 00:05:54,300 --> 00:05:56,131 Now, you take my advice and stay home 76 00:05:56,202 --> 00:05:57,601 and take care of that bad knee. 77 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,508 No offense, mister. You get out of this scrap with a bad knee, 78 00:06:04,577 --> 00:06:06,010 you're a lucky man. 79 00:06:11,384 --> 00:06:12,578 What all he want? 80 00:06:13,853 --> 00:06:15,787 Hattie, you remember when I was a boy, 81 00:06:16,289 --> 00:06:18,780 you used to take me to the piney woods around Owl Creek. 82 00:06:18,858 --> 00:06:20,155 With Josh. 83 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,760 First, you'd pick me a bunch of wild flowers, 84 00:06:23,129 --> 00:06:26,223 then you and Josh'd go down to the creek to catch crawfish. 85 00:06:27,133 --> 00:06:30,591 There was an old trail that used to lead past the turpentine still. 86 00:06:30,937 --> 00:06:32,199 You remember that, Hattie? 87 00:06:32,338 --> 00:06:33,566 'Course, I do. 88 00:06:34,340 --> 00:06:36,535 It seems to me a man could go up that trail 89 00:06:36,609 --> 00:06:38,338 without ever coming near the road. 90 00:06:38,912 --> 00:06:41,642 And he'd come out of the woods just below the railroad bridge. 91 00:06:42,649 --> 00:06:44,947 Wouldn't he, Hattie? What's goin' on in your head? 92 00:06:45,018 --> 00:06:48,010 Ah, nothing. I just got to wondering if that trail would still be there. 93 00:06:48,254 --> 00:06:52,054 Well, course it is. The field hands from the Connolly place still use it. 94 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:55,827 Thank you, Hattie. 95 00:07:01,768 --> 00:07:03,565 I wouldn't give you a pass through our lines 96 00:07:03,636 --> 00:07:05,900 for a thousand dollars in gold. 97 00:07:06,439 --> 00:07:08,737 If we want that bridge, we'll holler for Bedford Forrest 98 00:07:08,808 --> 00:07:10,969 and get it done right and not call in some amateur. 99 00:07:11,044 --> 00:07:13,842 Now, sit down and have a drink and let's talk about something sensible. 100 00:07:13,913 --> 00:07:16,814 Now look, Jeff. Bedford Forrest couldn't get near that bridge. 101 00:07:16,883 --> 00:07:19,181 There's 40,000 Yankees strung out along the railroad. 102 00:07:19,552 --> 00:07:21,213 You figure you're better at burning bridges than we are? 103 00:07:21,955 --> 00:07:24,082 I didn't say that. But I reckon I could get through 104 00:07:24,157 --> 00:07:25,488 where a regiment of cavalry couldn't. 105 00:07:25,992 --> 00:07:27,357 You always were a dreamer. 106 00:07:28,228 --> 00:07:29,786 I tell you, I'm gonna try it, Jeff. 107 00:07:29,863 --> 00:07:31,125 And I tell you, I'm not going to let you. 108 00:07:31,431 --> 00:07:33,296 Jeff, will you listen to... No. Let me finish! 109 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,597 That country's swarming with Federal troops. You told me so yourself. 110 00:07:38,204 --> 00:07:40,468 And the odds are much too great for me to let you take the risk. 111 00:07:42,142 --> 00:07:44,372 Besides, you did your part at Shiloh, 112 00:07:44,444 --> 00:07:46,241 and Melissa needs you worse than we do. 113 00:07:47,180 --> 00:07:48,704 By the way, does she know about this? 114 00:07:49,082 --> 00:07:52,051 No, Jeff, you never let me explain. You didn't tell her? 115 00:07:52,919 --> 00:07:54,443 Don't you think you owe it to her? 116 00:07:54,921 --> 00:07:58,084 Don't you think you owe her that much? What do you think she'll do? 117 00:07:58,158 --> 00:07:59,716 Kiss you on both cheeks and wish you luck? 118 00:07:59,793 --> 00:08:01,761 Send you off with maybe one chance in 10 of... Shut up, Jeff! 119 00:08:01,828 --> 00:08:03,625 I won't shut up! 120 00:08:03,830 --> 00:08:07,664 What about Melissy? And what about that young one of yours she's carrying? 121 00:08:08,935 --> 00:08:10,368 Seems to me her time is almost here. 122 00:08:11,104 --> 00:08:12,264 Well, ain't it? 123 00:08:12,972 --> 00:08:15,668 Her time's come and gone. What do you mean? 124 00:08:16,609 --> 00:08:19,043 She died a week ago. The baby, too. 125 00:08:28,521 --> 00:08:30,182 Oh, Peyton. I'm sorry. 126 00:08:31,891 --> 00:08:34,121 Now don't you see? I have to do something. 127 00:08:34,761 --> 00:08:36,956 I can't just live out the war in that empty house. 128 00:08:38,298 --> 00:08:39,822 I plan to take the Rienzi road. 129 00:08:40,433 --> 00:08:42,628 There's a trail that leads off it, through the piney woods... 130 00:08:42,769 --> 00:08:45,294 You want to be killed? Is that it? 131 00:08:47,841 --> 00:08:49,468 Because you would be, you know. 132 00:08:52,512 --> 00:08:55,572 I've had to send so many of my friends to be killed already. 133 00:08:57,450 --> 00:08:59,816 Jeff, please. 134 00:10:17,497 --> 00:10:19,089 Don't move, mister! 135 00:10:22,702 --> 00:10:24,897 I told you to stay at home. You should've listened to me. 136 00:10:26,439 --> 00:10:27,997 Throw that thing down. 137 00:10:31,945 --> 00:10:33,207 Now come along. 138 00:10:50,163 --> 00:10:52,495 The rope, it's worn and frayed. Maybe it'll break. 139 00:10:53,633 --> 00:10:55,601 Oh, but I'll drown then. That's worse. 140 00:10:56,402 --> 00:10:58,927 Unless, I could get my hands free. 141 00:11:17,890 --> 00:11:20,859 You've done very well up to now, Mr. Farquhar. Keep it up. 142 00:11:29,002 --> 00:11:31,732 Lift your eyes, Mr. Farquhar. Look at the sky. 143 00:11:58,598 --> 00:12:01,499 You've done very well up to now, Mr. Farquhar. Keep it up. 144 00:12:09,409 --> 00:12:12,572 Lift your eyes, Mr. Farquhar. Look at the sky. 145 00:12:15,448 --> 00:12:19,680 Maybe the rope will break. Maybe the rope will break. Maybe the rope will break. 146 00:12:19,752 --> 00:12:21,720 Break. Break. Break. 147 00:12:34,700 --> 00:12:36,895 Loosen the rope. Loosen it. 148 00:12:36,969 --> 00:12:40,370 Loosen the rope, it's choking me. Choking me. Choking. 149 00:12:41,774 --> 00:12:43,036 There he is. 150 00:13:01,294 --> 00:13:02,556 Come on! 151 00:13:17,477 --> 00:13:19,411 That bank! Over there! 152 00:13:58,050 --> 00:14:00,541 Downstream! Keep going! Downstream! 153 00:14:37,590 --> 00:14:39,751 The other side of the creek! 154 00:15:10,289 --> 00:15:13,850 Dogs. Dogs. But how did they get ahead of me? 155 00:15:33,846 --> 00:15:35,245 ... he told the deputy 156 00:15:35,848 --> 00:15:37,008 Josh. 157 00:15:37,550 --> 00:15:40,747 Go out and bring me Laz'rus 158 00:15:42,355 --> 00:15:46,052 High Sheriff, he told the deputy 159 00:15:46,626 --> 00:15:50,687 Go out and bring me Laz'rus 160 00:15:51,297 --> 00:15:55,563 Bring him dead or alive Oh, Lord 161 00:15:55,901 --> 00:15:59,803 Just bring him in dead or alive 162 00:16:04,477 --> 00:16:05,569 Josh. 163 00:16:10,216 --> 00:16:13,083 Josh. You're alive! Yes, Mr. Farquhar. 164 00:16:13,152 --> 00:16:15,347 When the old mill burned down we thought you went with it. 165 00:16:15,421 --> 00:16:18,879 Hattie grieved herself sick. Yes, Mr. Farquhar. 166 00:16:18,958 --> 00:16:20,619 Josh, you've got to hide me. 167 00:16:22,128 --> 00:16:24,358 Josh, please, they're coming for me. 168 00:16:24,430 --> 00:16:25,590 Who's that? The Yankees. 169 00:16:25,665 --> 00:16:27,292 What they want with you? They want to kill me. 170 00:16:27,366 --> 00:16:29,926 That don't make no sense at all, men wanting to kill each other. 171 00:16:30,002 --> 00:16:32,664 That the most nonsensical idea I ever heard of. 172 00:16:32,738 --> 00:16:35,229 Men wanting to kill all the time. What for? 173 00:16:35,308 --> 00:16:37,868 Oh, Josh, please! They're right over there. 174 00:16:37,943 --> 00:16:40,707 Nobody's gonna kill nobody if I got anything to say about it. 175 00:16:40,780 --> 00:16:42,509 You come along with me, Mr. Farquhar. 176 00:16:42,581 --> 00:16:45,379 Where to, huh? Never mind. Just follow me. 177 00:16:45,918 --> 00:16:49,718 Po' Laz'rus, he told the deputy 178 00:16:50,256 --> 00:16:53,623 Give me a cool drink of water 179 00:16:55,027 --> 00:16:58,394 Po' Laz'rus, he told the deputy 180 00:16:58,831 --> 00:17:01,891 Give me a cool drink of water 181 00:17:01,967 --> 00:17:03,958 Josh, where are we going? You wanna go home, don't you? 182 00:17:04,036 --> 00:17:05,298 Yeah, but I don't know this trail. 183 00:17:05,371 --> 00:17:08,602 You just ain't seen it before. Just stop and listen. 184 00:17:10,142 --> 00:17:12,940 See there? The hounds are gone! 185 00:17:13,012 --> 00:17:16,709 You just trust old Josh. I'll get you home, safe and sound. 186 00:17:17,450 --> 00:17:20,647 Feel death inside me a'burnin' 187 00:17:22,154 --> 00:17:24,918 Feel death inside me a'burnin' 188 00:17:26,659 --> 00:17:31,562 And then, they took po' Laz'rus 189 00:17:32,932 --> 00:17:36,993 They laid him on the counter 190 00:17:38,170 --> 00:17:42,971 And then, they took po' Laz'rus 191 00:17:43,509 --> 00:17:47,343 They laid him on the counter 192 00:17:48,447 --> 00:17:53,248 And they walked away, oh, my Lord 193 00:17:53,319 --> 00:17:54,343 Look... 194 00:19:04,023 --> 00:19:06,753 They're gone, Mr. Farquhar. They're gone. 195 00:19:07,693 --> 00:19:12,562 And then, po' Laz'rus' sister 196 00:19:13,132 --> 00:19:16,829 Run and told his woman 197 00:19:18,437 --> 00:19:22,897 And then, po' Laz'rus' sister 198 00:19:23,609 --> 00:19:27,705 Run and told his woman 199 00:19:28,247 --> 00:19:32,240 She come a'screamin' and a'cryin' 200 00:19:32,718 --> 00:19:37,246 And then, po' Laz'rus' woman 201 00:19:37,656 --> 00:19:41,490 She come a'screamin' and a'cryin' 202 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,996 Says that was my only man... 203 00:19:45,164 --> 00:19:48,065 Josh, look. That picket post. 204 00:19:48,133 --> 00:19:50,499 They don't mean us no harm, Mr. Farquhar. 205 00:19:50,903 --> 00:19:53,394 Josh, those are Federal troops. 206 00:19:54,974 --> 00:19:58,535 You remember when Mass Connolly cotched you in his apple tree? 207 00:19:58,611 --> 00:20:01,580 You thought he was gonna tan your hide, remember? 208 00:20:01,647 --> 00:20:03,581 What did he do? He just laughed. 209 00:20:04,550 --> 00:20:08,452 Now you unruffle your feathers. Just keep going along with Josh. 210 00:20:09,522 --> 00:20:14,152 Po' gal, po' Laz'rus woman 211 00:20:14,894 --> 00:20:18,796 She laid down her sewin' 212 00:20:19,164 --> 00:20:23,601 Po' gal, po' Laz'rus woman 213 00:20:24,603 --> 00:20:28,300 She laid down her sewin' 214 00:20:28,574 --> 00:20:33,102 Her heart full of trouble and pain 215 00:20:33,846 --> 00:20:38,010 Her heart full of trouble and pain 216 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:43,715 Why didn't they see us, Josh? 217 00:20:49,695 --> 00:20:54,132 Her heart full of trouble and pain 218 00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:58,830 Her heart full of trouble and pain 219 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:05,170 High Sheriff, he told the deputy 220 00:21:06,779 --> 00:21:10,806 Laz'rus he done gone home 221 00:21:11,317 --> 00:21:16,721 Gone home to stay at last, Lord 222 00:21:16,989 --> 00:21:21,858 Gone home to stay at last 223 00:21:23,495 --> 00:21:25,429 Josh, I've got to rest. 224 00:21:26,632 --> 00:21:30,227 You want to go home, don't you? It ain't much further now. 225 00:21:32,237 --> 00:21:35,832 Laz'rus he done gone home 226 00:21:36,775 --> 00:21:41,269 High Sheriff, he told the deputy 227 00:21:41,447 --> 00:21:45,247 Laz'rus he done gone home 228 00:21:45,584 --> 00:21:51,113 Gone home to stay at last, Lord 229 00:21:51,190 --> 00:21:55,024 Gone home to stay at... 230 00:21:55,094 --> 00:21:56,254 Josh! 231 00:22:24,356 --> 00:22:25,414 Melissa! 232 00:23:08,267 --> 00:23:11,293 All right, Corporal. You can cut him down now. 233 00:23:22,715 --> 00:23:27,175 My experience with the cannon turned out to be a humiliating one. 234 00:23:27,753 --> 00:23:31,052 How would you like to be publicly labeled a "dud." 235 00:23:31,924 --> 00:23:36,657 Well, here among the other war surplus I have found this. 236 00:23:37,196 --> 00:23:40,859 It contained the plans for the defense of Atlanta, 237 00:23:40,933 --> 00:23:46,872 and was given to a Union spy with instructions to eat it if he were captured. 238 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:50,670 Those were formidable men. 239 00:23:50,743 --> 00:23:55,009 However, the art of espionage was a highly developed one 240 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,571 even back in Civil War days. 241 00:24:01,120 --> 00:24:07,252 Preheat oven to 350, bake for 20 minutes and serve. 242 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,890 Now until next time, good night.