The Treasure of Pancho Villa

There are times when a man takes stock of himself,

he asks himself a question -

"Have I won or lost?

"Has my life made any sense?

"What's the pay-off?"

I was the richest man in the world, but I couldn't take it with me.

I'd no heir to leave it to.

The one man who should've had it wasn't there.

I wasn't alone. There was somebody with me - my friend Juan Castro.

He was quite a guy.

We'd gone through enough together to know each other pretty well.

It wasn't until that moment, right at the end, that I understood what made Juan do the things he did,

and what had made me go along with him.

All this happened in the days when Mexico was fighting for freedom.

There'd been two liberators, but one had turned dictator.

It's a habit liberators often get into, and it tends to confuse the people they've liberated.

Some of the liberated ones had been enslaved again,

blood had flowed, the enemy had taken savage reprisal.

"Death to Villa." It was not healthy then to be a friend of Villa's,

nor was Villa himself in good shape.

He'd been chased back into Northern Mexico, where he knew every foot of the terrain

and could fight brilliantly,

provided he had ammunition, guns and horses or money to buy them.

Money was his main problem and he wasn't too particular how he got it.

That's where I came in...

You might, er, say that I was in the finance business.

BOY SPEAKS SPANISH

Vamos! Vamos! Vamos!

GUNSHOT

Let's go! Let's get out of here!

There are many ways to sweat...

but steam is the best.

Better than digging ditches.

But too much is no good.

What would you like, senor?

Oh...thanks. Everything. The works!

Mmm! Wonderful, huh?

Paper.

Gracias.

Yes, senor? Tequila. Yes, senor.

Anything else, senor? Not right now.

Watch!Oh, senor, a thousand apologies.

OK.

I must buy you a new drink.

Waiter!

Si, senor? Two more, please.

Yes, senor.

You got what you wanted. Now, adios!

But I insist.

Anything else, senor? No, thanks.

Salud.

And my apology.

There's one more job to be done.

Sorry. I told the boys this was my last one.

You were paid well. This one will pay twice what you've ever received.

The answer's still no. Can you give me any reason? Yeah...

Smell me!

Senor! Go - get a good whiff of me!

What do you smell?

Perhaps some hair tonic and other things.

You said it! Other things. I smell like a perfume factory! Why?

Cos I'm tired of sweaty clothes, eating beans and hiding in cellars!

Sure you paid me well! You had to! I earned it!

But from here on in, I'm gonna smell sweet,

sleep good and live high on the hog!

Your revolution is washed up!

I'm looking for new comrades!

Juan will be disappointed.

Sorry. I have to meet somebody. Adios.

Juan? Juan who?

Juan Castro, your amigo.

Castro? What's he doing now, besides spoiling my afternoon?

Preparing another project in the district of Santo Tomas.

This one he'll have to do alone.

This is the place...

Castro's already there. He will conduct the start of the operation.

You will proceed... I'm not proceeding any place!

Tell Castro to stop interfering with my study of bird life.

But, senor...

This is a good place.

It will happen here.

The password?

Relax, hombre! It is I - Farolito!

So I see - but I still must know the password.

With a sentry, the rifle comes first, then the password!

Viva Pancho.Viva! Thank you, mi colonel.

Water the horses.

Si, mi colonel.

He is the colonel for the train operation. Juan Castro, senora.

I am Laria Morales. Did you have to wake him before he challenged you?

This is not guerilla discipline.

Excuse me, Colonel. You have

Where's the headquarters?This way, mi colonel.

This is my husband Capitan Pablo Morales. Colonel Castro.

Hello, Pablo!

So, it is you.

You know each other, then?

You did not tell me.

Your husband and I did a little work together once.

It was a long time ago...

You're not happy I was sent here, Pablo?

Not unhappy...

I didn't know - that is all.

Not much for an operation like the train. There'll be enough.

The train is in two parts.

An engine with soldiers, then another engine, then the train. Not easy.

You don't like the operation?How is one to like it?

We must do our best, that is all.

A little drop after your journey.

Thank you, senora.

Tell me, Pablo...

what else makes you unhappy?

What are your thoughts on the train?

All your thoughts...

Better now than later.

Much better.

Up to now, things have been good here, my colonel. Good!

Glad to hear it.Not that we do not work...

We have been freighters as much as soldiers. I have my mules and I pack the freight that Pancho needs.

I know the trails... None know them better than I.

If you did not know one trail in particular, you wouldn't be needed.

It's not for your handsome face you're needed - or for your courage.

Courage is good, my colonel. So is intelligence.

This plan needs more of the first because it lacks the second. What does it lack?

I have seen trains fly apart -Mm-hm.

I've seen them drop into canyons, roll off mountains...

I've seen them buried in tunnels - all satisfying things... Mmm...

But to capture a train?

A train with soldiers...

soldiers with rifles, perhaps also with artillery -

that takes more strength than we have here.

Suppose I told you there would be help at the train?

I would want to know what it was,

otherwise I'd say it's a bad plan.

I'd say it to Pancho Villa himself. You would, huh?

Well, Pancho Villa is not here...

and, not being here, Pancho Villa needs men who are loyal to him.

I, too, need such men.

He talks this way! Don't take it seriously.

When it comes to action, he is good.

You will see. This is just talk.

It's a good thing you know the trail across the mountains, Pablo...

it's a good thing.

Well, let's have a drink, huh? And let's be friends.

Salud!

To you, Colonel!

And to the train! To the train!

And to Pancho Villa! Good luck.

I'm full. Also I'm sleepy.

For this business tomorrow, we all need sleep. Good night, mi colonel. Good night, Pablo.

You coming, woman? In a minute.

The packs will stay where they are. Farolito, you take care of them.

He will not steal the packs.

How do you know?

The soldiers would pay 100,000 pesos for those packs and information.

You must believe me. He is cautious, but not treacherous.

Senora, I tell you something.

Traitors have a certain smell that I don't like.

Your husband has that smell.

He will do well - you will see.

Excuse me, Colonel, but there is someone else that must eat.

This person could not eat with us. She could, but I don't like the menAnother woman here?

An American. Her father ran a mine near here up in the mountains.

They were good to us. How?

They gave us medicine, also sometimes ammunition.

One day, our enemies attacked them.

Why?

They wanted the mine... also, I think, the woman.

They killed the father, all who worked there ran off...

We saved the girl. Would you like to see her?

Why not?

I would ask something for this girl, mi Colonel - take her with you after you've taken the train.

You ask too much.Take her. She will help.

Where you are going, she can find her way home. I cannot protect her here.

Does she want to go or is this yourShe will tell you herself.

I brought someone to see you.

Colonel Juan Castro of the Army of the Republic. Senorita Ruth Harris.

Pleasure, senorita. It's a great honour to meet you, Colonel.

Please sit down.

Have we disturbed your work?It's not really work.

I'm sort of keeping a record in this old ledger,

what I've seen in your country.

Oh? You a writer?

No, I'm afraid not. I came to Mexico with the idea of teaching school.

I speak a little Spanish and I like children, especially the ones here.

But teachers also learn and Mexico has been a very good school for me.

I have been to that school.

It's not an easy one.

It can be very terrible.But you are not against it?

I mean, the, er, revolution?

Shall I be against that which has given a purpose to my life?

Laria tells me you want to goOh, I do, Colonel, I do!

Will you take me? Maybe... But you must understand, there are certain conditions.

What are they?

It is very difficult for me to tell you because you are a woman,

but, er...

if you lose your courage, I leave you wherever you are.

If you turn traitor...

I kill you.

You still want to go?