Some people hear their own inner voices...
with great clearness...
and they live by what they hear.
Such people become crazy...
or they become legends.
Tristan Ludlow was born in the Moon of the Falling Leaves.
lt was a terrible winter.
His mother almost died bringing him into this world.
His father, the Colonel, brought him to me.
l wrapped him in a bearskin and held him all that night.
As he grew into a man...
l taught him the great joy of the kill...
when the hunter cuts out its warm heart
and holds it in his hands...
setting its spirit free.
Colonel Ludlow had three sons...
but Tristan was his favorite.
l had had sons too.
But they were gone now...
forever.
lt was a very bad time.
The Colonel had tried to help the People...
but it was no use.
So he decided to go his own way.
He wanted to lose the madness over the mountains, he said...
and begin again.
''Lose the madness, ''he said.
And so we lived for many years...
and the boys grew strong.
Alfred was the older brother...
old even for his years.
Samuel was the youngest.
There was nothing these brothers would not do for him.
They watched over him like a treasure.
One year--
l am an old man and cannot remember the year.
But it was the Moon of the Red Grass...
when lsabel Ludlow, their mother...
went away for the winter.
She said the winters were too cruel for her.
She said she was afraid of the bears.
She was a strange woman anyway.
That spring, though, she did not return.
And, after that, she did not come much to see us.
Alfred wrote her many letters...
but Tristan refused to speak of her.
His world was here with me.
Every warrior hopes a good death will find him...
but Tristan couldn`t wait.
He went looking for his.
Tristan!
Here.
- Was it a bear? - Yes, sir.
- Can you breathe? - Yes.
Move your hand. Take it away.
You`re a stupid, half-brained jackass.
- Yes, sir. - One Stab put you up to this?
You deserve to be dead.
God knows how you`ve lived so long.
lt`ll be all right, son.
l have these letters...
many letters.
Read them.
They are from all of them.
Ludlow...
lsabel...
Samuel...
the whole family...
the whole story.
lt is all written here.
April 1 3, 1 9 1 3.
Dear lsabel:
l am not fool enough to try to reorder a life already lived...
but l fear l have not done well raising our sons alone in this wild place.
What did l know of children?
l was trained to lead men.
This is infinitely harder.
Dear William:
You take too much responsibility on yourself,as always.
Our sons are finding their own paths.
They are willful, certainly, but then...
who are you and l to complain of willfulness?
As for Samuel, l have big news.
At a Harvard tea for Amy Lowell...
he met and instantly loved Miss Susannah Finncannon.
l know it will surprise you greatly...
but they are engaged.
He will bring her to Montana this summer to meet his brothers...
and you.
So, William, please behave yourself...
and be as charming as only you can be.
There he is.
- How the hell are you? - Good. And you?
- Samuel. Good to see you, boy. - Father, how are you?
- Good to see you. - Hello.
This is my fiancee, Susannah.
- Hello. - Miss Finncannon.
- Nice to meet you. - lt`s an honor.
- This is Alfred. - How do you do?
- Here`s your dog, miss. - Thank you.
- lt`s a horse. - That`s a strange-looking animal.
This is Finn. He`s a champion.
You like exotic-looking dogs then, Miss Finncannon?
Very much, Mr. Ludlow.
- Please call me Susannah. - All right.
- He`s just plain old Alfred. - Shut up.
- Where`s Tristan? - He`s off somewhere. You know him.
He`ll welcome you home tonight or l`ll know the reason why.
Miss Finncannon, please. Did you have a good journey?
She is such a lovely creature.
But l fear the loss of her parents...
has given her a certain fragility.
l think she feels very alone in the world.
But she has found a new family now, hasn`t she?
The German military is ready to use chaos in Croatia...
to justify actions that could plunge the entire civilized world into--
The word ''civilized'' has no place in discussing the affairs of this world.
Mother told us of your sympathy for the social reformers.
You make it sound like a disease.
No, l`m in agreement.
You mother told me all about One Stab. She says he was a great warrior.
Yes.
He has a bag of scalps to prove it.
But don`t worry.
He`s devoted to Father now.
Rather, they`re devoted to each other.
Can he speak English?
Stab, speak English?
He wouldn`t lower himself to speak English.
But watch out because he understands it perfectly well.
There`s Tristan.
- Don`t they feed you? - Not much.
- You smell. - Miss me, did you?
- Still hung over? - Still drunk.
lsn`t she amazing?
So this is Tristan.
And does he speak English?
For God`s sake.
Miss Finncannon, it`s a pleasure to meet you.
l hope you and Ugly here...
find every happiness together.
Don`t mind my brother. Your dog has more breeding than he has.
This is Mother`s room.
lt`s lovely.
- lt`s a pleasure to meet you, Pet. - And you, miss.
Thank you.
- Which one? - lt`s this one.
Angelica Susannah.
Hello.
You must be lsabel Two.
l`ve already met your mother and father.
- How old are you? - Thirteen.
When l was 1 3, l was sent away...
to boarding school.
l hated it.
May l help you?
You`re marrying Samuel.
That`s right, l am.
l`m marrying Tristan.
We`ll be sisters.
l see you two have met.
lsabel Two is letting me help.
Would you like a rest? You must be exhausted.
No, not at all. This is so refreshing...
all this grandeur, this unexpected...
gift from God.
lt doesn`t seem like much of a gift in a hard winter, l assure you.
Where`s Samuel?
lnside. l could tell your father wanted him all to himself.
- You`re very generous. - No,just happy.
Stop mooning over her and come in here.
Samuel wants to know about the calves from Cheyenne.
Get in here.
Please excuse my father.
lt makes him feel young and powerful to treat us like we`re idiot children.
For all His countless blessings, may God`s holy name be praised. Amen.
Tell Father what you were saying about Vienna.
- What`s that? - lt`s the Kaiser.
He won`t stop them from annihilating Serbia.
Let`s not talk about war, please.
Susannah hears that England`s mobilizing.
We`re stuck out here while all this is going on.
- Thank God. - You wouldn`t want us to evade a duty.
- Wouldn`t l? - Father, with respect--
Please excuse me for being late.
l packed so carefully, l couldn`t find anything.
Thank you.
Would you like some--
As evening fell a maiden stood
At the edge of a wood
ln her hands lay the reins
Of a stallion
And n`er l`d seen
A girl as fair
Heard a gentler voice anywhere
Whispered, alas
She belonged
Belonged to another
Another, forever
Yes, she belonged to
The twilight and mist
Dear lsabel:
How strange to have a cultivated woman in the house again...
and how intoxicating.
To have all three of my sons under my roof again...
fills me with such a deep, quiet satisfaction...
that l thank God.
There`s a friend of yours.
A dollar says he brings her back.
Whoa.
Easy.
You got it.
Nice work.
You all look like ice cream cones.
l know you would have.
Ready. Here we go.
Go easy on him, Susannah.
Alfred, you take over.
l must talk to Tristan.
You`ve disgraced the Colonel`s name.
- Nice shiner. - l hit her back.
She`s got me spinning.
l`ll bet.
She`s got these ideas and theories, and she`s so--
What?
Nothing. How`d you break the mare?
She`s what?
She`s sort of passionate.
- She a virgin? - Good Lord, Tristan.
- You brought it up. - Of course she is.
Are you?
- Yes, l am. - Going to wait till you`re married?
See, she says--
Susannah thinks that--
We won`t wait.
And you`re afraid you won`t meet her expectations?
l guess l am.
Sort of. l don`t know. Should l be?
Samuel, God bless you.
You are good at everything you try.
l`m sure it will be the same with fucking.
Tristan, really.
- She`s my future wife. - You`re not going to fuck her?
l`m planning to be with her.
l recommend fucking.
- You`re impossible. - You brought it up.
My point!
Good morning, Colonel Ludlow.
Tristan`s hunting. He didn`t do it.
You don`t have to worry about Tristan.
MeetJohn T. and James O`Banion. They own the mercantile store.
- Morning,James,John T., Sheriff. - Morning, Alfred.
We`re looking for a man we heard might be in this part of the country.
Name is Tom Cullen. Here`s a likeness.
What did he do?
Do you recognize him?
- Yeah, l recognize him. - We got him.
This fellow passed by here...
maybe four or five years ago.
Did some work here on his way to San Francisco.
He hoped to book passage to Australia.
Or Hong Kong. l can`t remember.
- Can you remember? - Hong Kong.
- What is he wanted for? - He--
That would be of a private nature.
'' Private nature''? You hold a public office, Sheriff.
Gentlemen.
''There came a low hiss, a horrid sound...
that made Rikki Tikki Tavi jump back two clear feet.
And then out of the grass...
rose up the head and spread hood of Nag...
the big black cobra.``
l can read another story.
The Germans broke through at Armentieres.
The British are trapped in the Belgian lowlands.
- This paper is a week old! - Calm down.
With my fluent German, l could become an officer.
And lead other boys to the slaughter and be slaughtered yourself.
The men who served under you worshipped you.
They were all damn fools.
This is a turning point in history.
- How can we-- - What?
How can we not be part of this?
- You taught us-- - To think for yourselves.
- And to defend what`s ours. - Yes, what is ours!
We`ve already lost two cousins.
Don`t talk at me as though l`ve never seen a war!
Not a war like this.
They said that about the war of secession and the lndian wars.
They say it to sell newspapers.
These are not the lndian wars. We`re fighting against naked aggression!
There will be no more talk of wars in this house! Damn it!
l`m sorry, Susannah.
l`m going to Canada to enlist.
l`m going with him.
l`m sorry, my love.
l meant to tell you tonight.
l know you`ll understand. lt`s the only honorable thing to do.
What`s that?
lt`s a book my father wrote...
to try to convince the government to alter their policies...
towards the lndians in the Dakotas.
Samuel won`t change his mind.
Change it for him.
What happened between them?
Father says she never liked it here.
l think they loved mostly the idea of each other.
Don`t let him go.
l`ll take care of him.
October 1 4, 1 9 1 4.
My dear lsabel:
Today our sons are leaving home...
to defend an England they have never seen.
l am unable to stop them.
l have tried to shelter our sons from all the madness...
and now they go to seek it.
Be careful.
You don`t have to go.
Good-bye.
Don`t worry, Father.
Take care.
l`ll bring you the Kaiser`s helmet.
Bring yourself back. That would please me more.
Yes, sir.
- Take care of Samuel. - l will.
Colonel Ludlow told me:
''Ride with them to Calgary.
Bring back the horses. ``
''Damn fools, ''he called them.
The Colonel would not have his sons...
ride off to war on old nags...
damn fools or not.
Let`s join them.
Bring your plate.
He`ll be back.
May we join you? Sit down.
Feeling lonely in there.
Sit here.
What`s her name, Two?
Lady. Tristan`s Lady.
ln the story, Tristan`s lady was lsolde.
- Do you know who lsolde was? - No.
Your daughter needs an education.
She can read and write, Colonel. School might be awkward for her.
- l`ll teach her myself. - May l help?
Yeah. l`ll teach her history and mathematics.
With your permission, Decker, and yours, Pet.
What do you think?
What will she do with all this education?
She`ll live a richer, fuller life, of course.
She`s a half-breed.
Not in this house.
- Tristan calls me a half-breed. - He does?
He says l`m half gopher and half hawk.
- After her chores. - Yeah.
- To us all. - To you, sir.
- And you, miss. - And to the boys.
Get back to your unit.
Those boys are boring.
l`d rather have you watching my back.
Go, mate.
February 3, 1 9 1 5.
Dear Susannah:
The horror of this place is indescribable.
Nothing is as l thought it would be.
Keep your distance! Keep your spacing!
Tonight, as l prayed for the souls of those who died so terribly...
yet so bravely...
l admit that l also prayed for personal glory.
ls that wrong to want to distinguish myself gloriously...
in combat as my father did?
Tristan and Alfred watch over me so carefully...
l may never get the opportunity.
Charge!
Goddamn it!
- Where are you hit? - lt`s just a scratch.
Susannah, l see now...
not that my father was right, but that l was naive.
- Let me up, damn it! - Stay down!
Fall back!
Still, we place our bodies in God`s keeping.
We go into battle honorably...
full of confidence...
with His name on our lips.
- We`re pinned here. - We`ll wait.
- Give him a hand. - Help him down.
Goddamn.
Susannah: l try to guard against despair...
but there are moments when it seems that all human decency is broken down.
Alfred will recover from his wounds...
but he and Tristan seem to have drifted apart, or worse.
l cannot understand it.
l miss you more than you can imagine.
You are all that is clean and cool and pure.
l close my eyes and think of you.
l now regret that we listened to everyone and waited to marry.
Even more, l regret that l left before we could be together...
as we planned, my beloved.
Please stay on at the ranch and wait for me.
Don`t let Father worry.
l know God`s mercy will protect me...
aided considerably by Tristan...
who seems to be in France less to fight the Germans...
than to act as my nursemaid.
Be well, my love.
Your own, Samuel.
Captain needs me to translate this before tonight`s reconnaissance.
- Alfred will want to see you. - l`ll be there.
- Yeah? - Go on.
Where`s Samuel?
He`s translating. He`ll be here.
Boy, that`s a good one.
- Vino? - Put that away.
- They said you`ll get a medal. - Yes.
- They`re sending me home. - l`m glad for you.
l`m an officer. l belong with my men.
Horseshit.
What`s left of them.
MacKenzie was just brought in. His leg`s turned bad.
- He said-- - What?
What is it?
He said your brother volunteered to take his place...
on the reconnaissance with the captain.
Goddamn it! l told you to stay with him!
- l`m here! - Where? l can`t see.
l can`t move!
l`m coming!
l got you now.
You`re doing good.
We`re going home.
God, no!
Goddamn you, God!
Tristan, it`s me.
March 20, 1 9 1 5.
Dear Father and Susannah:
l am being discharged from the Army, but l cannot come home yet.
l will ask Grandfather Ludlow in Cornwall...
to let me join him at sea.
As for our beloved Samuel...
all l can send home is his heart.
Alfred will bring it back.
He should be buried up in the box canyon...
where he used to draw the birds.
Your son, Tristan.
He certainly was the best of all of us, wasn`t he?
Good night.
What you saw before Samuel left--
Please, don`t--
No, l want to.
lt is Samuel l loved.
All right.
Tristan will be back someday.
Your father will be pleased.
Susannah was to return to Boston on the morning train...
but a norther blew for three days...
and drifted over the tracks.
The Colonel insisted she stay on until spring.
The house was too empty, he said.
This was still her home, he told her.
He should have let her go.
But how could he have known what would happen?
She was not to blame.
She was like the water that freezes in the rock...
and splits it apart.
lt was no more her fault than it is the fault of the water...
when the rock shatters.
You know how much l--
You know how much l loved Samuel.
And l think you know--
Out of respect for him, l wanted to say it here.
l think you know that...
l`m in love with you.
From the first moment l saw you...
like in a novel.
That`s my mother`s overblown romantic imagination coming out in me.
You`re not making this very easy for me.
Sorry.
ls there any hope that you could learn to love me?
Not the way you love Samuel, of course...
but enough to--
We could make a life together.
A happy life.
l don`t think so.
Sounds like you`re not sure, though. Maybe there`s a chance?
- What? - l can only cause you pain, Alfred.
Why not let me be the judge of that?
l didn`t break it, but l can fix it.
l can put the damn wheel back on and take it off myself.
Go take a nap.
- What? - Look!
l`m going into town if--
Welcome home, son.
l couldn`t save him.
Of course you couldn`t.
lt`s all right.
Have a nice ride today?
Excuse me, Father.
Tristan, please.
When are you planning to be married?
Good morning.
Damn you.
You will marry her.
- Make an honest woman of her? - Yes!
God damn you to hell.
Yes, l will marry her, if she`ll have me.
lf she`ll have you?
Do you love her?
Or did you seduce her just to spite me?
That`s not what l did.
- What about Samuel? - What?
You tell me about Samuel.
We all loved Samuel. Samuel is dead.
How convenient for you.
Because you love her, l will forgive you for that.
Once. You say that again, and we`re not brothers.
You know you can`t make her happy.
l`m gonna try.
You will fail.
l`ll be leaving today.
l wish you both all the best.
- Good-bye, son. - Wish me luck.
Good luck.
September 7, 1 9 1 5.
Dearest Mother:
l think l may have found my place in this world.
Helena is a city turned modern overnight...
bursting with all the energy and vitality...
of our times.
l feel alive here.
There is much opportunity for anyone...
who dedicates himself to his labors.
Already, l have acquired a reputation for honesty and fair dealing...
and l am pleased to call some of Helena`s most influential citizens...
my friends.
They are determined to see this city grow, as am l.
We`re proud of you.
Mother, thank you for your kind letter.
You knew my hopes.
That you understand my disappointment is a great comfort to me.
Every night l pray for the grace to forgive Tristan.
l know you understand.
Your loving son, Alfred.
Quit it!
Goddamn it!