? Davy, Davy Crockett
? The man who don't know fear
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? King of the Wild Frontier
? Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee
? Greenest state in the land of the free
? Raised in the woods
So's he knew every tree
? Killed him a bear
When he was only three
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? The buckskin pioneer
? In 18 1 3, the Creeks uprose
? Addin' redskin arrows
To the country's woes
? Now old Andrew Jackson
As everybody knows
? Is the general they sent
To fight the foes ?
[Jackson] Major. Major Norton.
- Yes, sir?
- Where's that scout I toId you to find?
They say the best man is one
of the voIunteers, Crockett.
- Where is he?
- Matter of fact, he's out hunting.
- Hunting?
- We need food. He's across the river.
That's enemy territory.
What you're short on is brains, not rations.
- He didn't take a gun, sir.
- I want this Crockett feIIow now.
- Fetch him.
- Yes, sir.
[Norton] Crockett.
Crockett.
Davy Crockett.
Where's Crockett?
Speak up, man.
Where is he?
- [growIing]
- What's he doing in there?
He's tryin' to grin down a bear.
Grin down a...
You backwoods buffoons think
the rest of us'II beIieve anything.
Crockett. Crockett, can't you hear me?
[growIing]
Come out of there.
I've got a message...
- [growIing]
- [grunting]
You sure spoiIed things good.
Now I gotta do it the oId-fashioned way.
Yee-haw. Give him what for, Davy.
[Crockett grunting]
Stick with him, Davy.
[growIing]
Now, Major, what was it
you wanted to see me about?
[panting] GeneraI Jackson
wants to see you.
As soon as we get that bear puIIed up.
It's a fair-to-middIin' size critter.
[cheering, indistinct chatter]
FuII beIIies tonight, boys.
- I hear you want to see me, GeneraI.
- That's right. Come inside.
Now, how'd you kiII that brute?
With my knife.
I was figurin' on grinnin' him to death,
but this stumbIe-footed major
busted my concentratin'.
Grinnin' him to death?
What in thunderation is that?
It's somethin' I've been
experimentin' with.
You see, there's nothin'
so absoIuteIy unresistabIe
as an oId-fashioned,
good-natured grin, Iike this.
I started on 'coons.
I got so good at it,
an oId 'coon throwed up his hands
the minute he seen my teeth.
''You got me,'' he hoIIered
and he skinned down that tree
and pIopped himseIf in my sack.
I figured the same thing ought to work on
bears, but I never got a chance to find out.
The major come aIong
and busted up my concentratin'.
I wound up havin' to wrestIe
this critter into tabIe meat.
- Why was you hankerin' to see me?
- We're on the edge of enemy territory.
I want a scouting party to see
what them redskins is up to.
Major Norton and a squad of reguIars
wiII accompany ya.
That wouIdn't make the chore no easier.
Be sure the major brings back
the information I want.
Come on, Major.
Some of your boys rode water pretty deep.
Better Iook to their powder.
Re-prime your pieces.
From here on, don't make
no more noise. No taIkin'.
Everybody keep cIose up.
Better stick cIoser to us, Major.
You've Ied us through swamps,
canebrakes, and briar patches aII day.
I see a traiI and
there's no sense in not taking it.
Has the generaI got your wife's address?
Take that traiI and he's apt
to write her a sad Ietter.
We're here to Iocate Indians and
I don't Iike the way you're doing it.
We'II cover more ground if we separate.
I'II take that traiI.
We'II be back here in this cIearing
by dawn. See that you are.
Better fix up a signaI to identify ourseIves.
Can you do an oId hoot owI?
CertainIy.
[hooting weakIy]
That ought to fooI the redskins just dandy.
[Iaughing]
Come on.
[Davy] War party, a big one.
Here comes another bunch.
Head for cover.
[speaking native Ianguage]
- That was Red Stick.
- What makes you so sure?
Creeks onIy got one young chief.
Gotta be him.
Let's Ieave the horses here.
[chanting]
[chanting, drums beating]
Looks Iike Red Stick's finaIIy
taIked the tribe into Iistening.
I don't know what he said,
but I sure don't Iike it.
I hope they keep that up a speII Ionger.
[shouting, chanting]
We'd better get back to the major fast.
[hooting]
[hooting]
[gunshots]
Everybody take cover.
Take cover, men.
Sounds Iike the major
got himseIf in troubIe.
- And we'II have to get him out.
- How?
- Surround 'em.
- Think there's enough of us?
We'II give 'em the oI' Crockett charge.
- [Crockett] Brigade, haIt.
- [RusseI] Company, haIt.
Brigade... charge.
Company... charge.
It's the generaI and the whoIe regiment.
[cheering]
AII together now. Fire at wiII.
Charge. Yee-haw.
Advance on the Iine of skirmish.
Dragoons, dismount.
[RusseI] Yippee. Yee-haw.
We got 'em on the run, men.
Company B, cIose up.
[indistinct shouting]
Charge.
Charge.
[RusseI shouting]
Company A reportin'.
[RusseI] Here's the rest of us, Major.
Company B reportin'.
- You mean, just two of ya?
- Two was enough, wasn't it?
- These varmints were just a IittIe party.
- The Creek nation is gatherin'.
Take care of your casuaIties.
We'II get the news to the generaI.
The generaI's expectin' me.
- Sorry to disturb you, GeneraI.
- Never mind. What did you find out?
They aim to fight.
They had a big war dance Iast night.
- Where?
- Back in the mountain.
Red Stick, sir.
Red Stick? I'd sure Iike
to get my hooks on him.
We gotta move fast.
He's whippin' 'em up quick.
- Where's Major Norton?
- He had a IittIe troubIe.
Sentry.
What kind of troubIe?
- Injun troubIe, Iost some men.
- Yes, sir?
TeII the sergeant major to order
the camp struck.
- Lookouts are accounted for.
- Good.
When we catch Red Stick,
this war wiII be over.
There's onIy two ways he can escape.
I got him stoppered.
As soon as the reguIars are in position,
jump in and stir up them red hornets.
[yeIIing]
Give it to 'em, boys.
[gunshots]
Fire and faII back.
[shouting]
Fire.
Sound assembIy.
[bugIe]
I reckon Red Stick's tomahawk's
got an awfuI nick in it.
- Got away, didn't he?
- Yeah, but a Iot of 'em didn't.
Much obIiged for savin' my scaIp.
Mrs. Crockett might have
a kiss for ya when we get home.
- [man #1] FeeIin' better, boy?
- [man #2] I'II make it.
- Don't caII it a victory around me.
- Their casuaIties were enormous.
We captured three chiefs and they
want to discuss terms for a peace.
- Peace?
- Excuse me.
- What do you want?
- Dropped in to say good-bye.
Good-bye?
Where do you think you're goin'?
Home.
You're going after Red Stick
with the rest of my command.
We ain't quittin' the war.
We'II be back.
You see, GeneraI, we onIy voIunteered
for 60 days and that's Iong since up.
Catchin' Red Stick couId take
the rest of the year.
We gotta take care of our famiIies
before we start anything Iike that.
You're confined to this camp.
That's an order.
My missus'd worry about me.
Sorry, GeneraI.
If he Ieaves, it'II destroy
the discipIine of the whoIe camp.
- He's attached to your command, Major.
- Then I'm gonna stop him.
HaIt.
- I'm warning you. Turn back.
- You know we're goin' home.
Prepare to fire.
CarefuI, don't burn yourseIf.
Bring us some bear meat
when you come, Davy.
Sure. Anything you want, Major?
BIamedest bunch of voIunteers
I ever saw.
When they voIunteer to fight,
they fight.
When they voIunteer to go home,
they go home.
? Off through the woods
He's a-marchin' along
? Makin' up yarns
and a-singin' a song
Hey, Ma. Pa's back.
Davy, you're back.
- HeIIo, Pa.
- Hi, Pa.
Whee.
WeII, reckon now's as good a time
as any to coIIect what I got comin'.
Georgie RusseI, what happened to you
whiIe you been gone?
Davy aIIowed as how I had a kiss comin'
for savin' his Iife.
- He sure did.
- WeII, in that case.
You ain't never gonna
get a woman that way.
Reckon I gotta Iearn ya how.
Missed ya an awfuI Iot.
Missed you too.
The young'uns Iike
to pester me to death.
Not a mornin' passed they haven't said,
''Maybe Pa'II be home today.''
But now, thank the good Lord
you're home for good.
WeII, not perzactIy.
The war ain't quite over yet.
- You goin' back?
- WeII, not for a few days.
Not 'tiI I get in a suppIy of meat
for you and the young'uns this winter.
- You gonna be gone aII winter?
- WeII, I hope not.
- But I don't know how Iong it's gonna be.
- Oh, Davy.
Now don't take on. I had enough troubIe
with the Army over me comin' home.
My major and I didn't see quite
eye to eye on it.
But I figured I was right.
And you know me.
When I'm sure I'm right, I go ahead.
? Headed back to war
From the ol' home place
? But Red Stick was leadin'
A merry chase
? Fightin' and burnin' at a devil's pace
? South through the swamps
On the Florida trace
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Trackin' the redskins down ?
- HaIt. Who goes there?
- Just us, me and Davy.
How the deviI did you find us
way off down here?
You Ieft a good traiI: Army gear,
Iame horses, sick men aII the way.
- That's us, aII right.
- Reckon we better report to the generaI.
GeneraI Jackson ain't here.
He done been caIIed to New OrIeans.
- Who's in command?
- Major Norton.
If I'd knowed that,
I wouIdn't have come back.
Let's get it over with.
I have to admit I'm gIad
to see you, Crockett.
You too, RusseI.
I'm at my wit's end.
Most of my men have swamp fever.
I got a touch of it, too.
StiII chasin' Red Stick?
It's a question of who's chasing who.
Every patroI I've sent out
has faiIed to come back.
He can't have many warriors Ieft.
If we couId just Iocate them, but they
can hide forever in this infernaI swamp.
Me and RusseI are rested up a mite.
It's onIy fair we take a cut at it.
No, no, that Indian has cost us
enough Iives aIready.
I refuse to Iet you two go out aIone.
Looks Iike we'II have to start
disobeyin' orders again.
Baby 'gators.
Kinda cute, ain't they?
I'm more scared of snakes and 'gators
than I am of Injuns.
Two days oId, maybe more.
Moccasins just about wore out.
Headin' around the Iake.
Suppose we scout both sides,
meet at the other end?
If you see any fresh sign, whistIe Iike
a thrush. Like a Tennessee thrush.
[bird whistIe]
[bird whistIe]
[bird whistIe]
[speaking native Ianguage]
Where are others?
You not come aIone.
I come aIone.
Creek warriors. Hear me.
Any more of you varmints
think I ain't worth Iistenin' to?
Speak, white man.
I ain't a soIdier. I'm a settIer.
- I'm a hunter Iike you.
- Hunter? You hunt Indians.
OnIy because you made war on us.
Your chiefs, the smart ones,
have give up.
They've found out that war is no good.
White man taIk.
War no good because soIdiers aII die.
How many Creek warriors have died?
How many women
are crying for their men?
How many young'uns
ain't got no fathers?
- You taIk Iike woman.
- I'm taIkin' sense and you know it.
You're brave, Red Stick,
and your warriors is brave.
But in the end, they're aII gonna die
because you're a bad chief.
Because I take many white scaIps?
Because soon I burn white man's friend?
No, Red Stick, because you couId aII go
home in peace if you'd Iisten to reason.
But seein' as you won't,
I reckon I got to chaIIenge you
accordin' to Injun Iaw.
- Injun Iaw no good for white man.
- Why not?
White man's Iaw wouId be good for Injun
if you'd give it haIf a chance.
- How about it, Red Stick?
- Tomahawks.
[cheering]
[choking]
[growIing]
WeII, it worked on a bear.
Ready to Iisten to reason now,
Red Stick?
I Iisten.
Turn my friend Ioose
and Iay down your arms.
Join the other chiefs in a treaty.
Do that and I promise
the government'II Iet you
Iive in peace on your own Iands.
Promises no good.
White government Iie.
Davy Crockett don't Iie.
Here's my hand on it.
Why you no kiII me?
Maybe because of another Iaw.
We have troubIe Iivin' up to it.
It ain't bad for red man
or white man aIike.
Thou shaIt not kiII.
[speaks native Ianguage]
? Home for the winter with his family
? Happy as squirrels in the ol' gum tree
? 'Til spring set in and he started to be
? Restless for places he wanted to see
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Itchin' to move again ?
For foIks who've said good-bye as many
times as we have, it don't get easier.
I hope this is for the Iast time, Davy.
Now the Indian war's over,
try and find a piece of Iand
you'II be satisfied to settIe down on.
I aim to, PoIIy. They say
that new territory's a paradise.
Don't kiII aII the bears
'tiI we get there.
Guess I better get goin'.
- Keep your sights cIean, feIIas.
- You got pIenty of time.
Yeah, there's gonna be
a whoIe mess of kissin'.
You young'uns hoId the fort down now.
Take care of yourseIf, Davy.
You take care of yourseIf too, Georgie.
When you get back, I suppose you'II
have more outIandish songs about Davy.
FeeI one comin' on right now.
? Lookin' for a place
Where the air smells clean
? Where the trees is tall
And the grass is green
? Where the fish is fat
In an untouched stream
? And the teemin' woods
Is a hunter's dream
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Lookin' for paradise ?
- You goin' any further?
- Not me. I Iike it fine right here.
[mooing]
[barking]
HoId on there, mister.
Who do we see about fiIin' a cIaim
on some Iand?
Why, me. But you'II have to wait 'tiI
after I judge a shootin' match.
A shootin' match? Any objection
to a coupIe of strangers buyin' in?
Save your money.
You'II be shootin' against Big Foot Mason.
- Reckon we can risk a doIIar?
- [gunshot]
Sounds Iike they started without ya.
- You shouId have waited for me, Big Foot.
- You wasn't here.
Right in the notch, Big Foot.
- That's the Iast round. The beef's mine.
- Wait a minute.
This ain't fair judgin'.
Them's friends of yours.
Don't hear no compIaints
from the Iosers.
Hey, what do you figure
that beef you won's worth?
$1 5 cash money, why?
Never went to a shootin' match
without gettin' at Ieast one shot off.
One shot it is.
Hey, Bruno, charge up my other rifIe.
Give it two extra thimbIes.
Take care of these cartwheeIs.
This time you do the judgin'.
Mighty fancy shootin' iron
for this part of the woods.
Yeah, ain't it?
Dead center for Big Foot.
This one's dead center too.
You'II have to fire another round.
You was Iucky.
Less'n a finger off the notch.
Better save your powder, stranger.
Why, he didn't even cut paper.
That'II take the turpentine
out of your bark.
- I was a-fearin' you fired too fast.
- Let's take a Iook.
- He missed the whoIe bIamed board.
- [oId man] I ain't so sure.
Looky here.
One buIIet right on top of the other.
Yee-haw.
That's the kinda shootin' makes
the oI' possum squeaI.
Come on.
Here.
You're the first ones
in over to them parts.
Nearest neighbor's a Cherokee,
name of CharIey Two Shirts.
Nice foIks.
Thank you, Mr. RusseI.
Davy Croc... you Davy Crockett?
- Why, sure.
- Davy Crockett.
No wonder you won Big Foot's beef
away from him.
[RusseI] Didn't seem too happy about it.
No, Big Foot ain't used
to things goin' again' him.
Got foIks pretty weII
buffaIoed around here.
So I noticed.
We had the beginnin's
of a decent community here,
before him and his riffraff moved in.
- What are they doin' here?
- Nobody dares taIk much about it.
They been runnin' the Injuns off
their Iand, seIIin' it to newcomers.
Government guarantees the Indians
their Iands by treaty.
Treaties don't mean nothin' to Big Foot.
- Why don't somebody stop him?
- FeIIa that was magistrate here tried.
Went over to serve a warrant on him.
Never come back.
He had the prettiest rifIe
ever seen in these parts.
Nobody knows what happened to him,
but we know where his gun is.
Yeah, Big Foot was shootin'
with it against Davy today.
That's right. Crockett, you're the onIy one
I know that couId stand up to him.
WiII you take on the job as magistrate?
- What wouId I have to do?
- Get us some Iaw and order around here.
WeII, I ain't crawfishin',
but I kinda got my hands fuII.
We gotta finish our cabins,
so I can bring my famiIy.
It ain't no fit pIace for famiIies
as Iong as they're runnin' Ioose.
What do you say?
WeII, take some thinkin'.
- I'm drier than a powder horn.
- Fetch me some too.
[whistIing]
Hey. This what stood your hair up?
[speaking native Ianguage]
- I was sure I seen a man.
- Nobody's gonna hurt ya. Come on out.
Come out of there.
- Who are you?
- CharIey Two Shirts.
- He's our neighbor.
- What happened to you?
Three white men come to my farm.
TeII CharIey Two Shirts, ''Get off.''
I say, ''This my Iand.''
They say, ''Indian got no Iand.''
I show paper.
This Iand beIong Cherokee.
They tear paper up,
then CharIey Two Shirts fight.
Reckon I'm gonna take on that job
of magistrate right now.
Hey, Big Foot.
Lookin' for somebody?
Yeah, the man that run my friend here
off his Iand.
I know who you are. Since when
is Davy Crockett a friend of Injuns?
AIways been a friend of the Cherokees.
Got no bones to pick with the others
since we made peace.
This Iand's too good for Injuns.
I'm fiIin' on it.
No, ya ain't. Injuns got rights.
They're foIks same as anybody eIse.
Take a powerfuI argument
to convince me of that.
- That's what I come for.
- I've ate better men than you whoIe.
- How'II you have it, Big Foot?
- Rough and tumbIe. No hoIds barred.
Now ya got him, Big Foot.
Oh.
[Big Foot screams]
[speaking Cherokee]
That goes for me too.
[RusseI] Give him what for, Davy.
[gunshot]
Get 'em, CharIey.
Come on.
Get up. I said, get up.
- Much obIiged, CharIey.
- Come on, get goin'.
- What you aimin' to do to us?
- Me? Nothin'.
But you're gonna stand triaI.
You two varmints got a Iot to answer for.
Now get.
[caIIer indistinct]
Davy Crockett.
- Howdy.
- Howdy.
- Howdy, Mr. RusseI.
- Quite a froIic you got.
Ain't it?
Since Davy's been magistrate here,
we can enjoy ourseIves
without it turnin' into a brawI.
I'II do the tradin' and meet ya out
by the dance. Save a pretty girI for me.
Before that fiddIe gets into your foot,
I got some tidings for ya.
Come over to my pIace.
I'II teII ya about it.
FoIks around here is pretty proud
of the job you done for us, Davy.
Since you got rid of Big Foot,
honest settIers is movin' in.
There's so many of 'em we're gonna
get us representation in NashviIIe.
That's what I want to taIk to you about.
We heId a meetin' Iast night to pick
who we want to run for state IegisIature.
- You won hands down.
- [chuckIing]
WeII, I'm pIumb fIutterated by the honor,
but I ain't no poIitician.
You got the wrong bear up a tree, Judge.
Better get somebody more fittin'.
Like Amos Thorpe?
That Iawyer who tried to get Big Foot off?
- You wouIdn't run him?
- We wouIdn't, but the opposition is.
Thorpe's got pIenty of money
to spend on a campaign.
Money he made off
them Injun Iand grabs.
We figure you're the onIy man
that's got a chance of beatin' him.
WiII ya run again' him?
The way you put it,
I ain't got much choice.
[cheering, appIauding]
Hey, I got a Ietter for ya.
Be right back.
It's onIy a month oId too.
This ain't PoIIy's hand.
It's mighty poor writin'.
See if you can make it out.
- From your sister-in-Iaw.
- Why'd she be writin'?
''Dear Davy, I take my pen in hand
to teII you some very sad news.''
''Your beIoved PoIIy was took...
was took down with a fever
and died in spite of aII we couId do.
The end was peacefuI.
We buried her on the knoII
near your cabin.
Don't worry about the boys.
They are Iiving with us
and getting aIong fine.
LittIe ones need a mother and
aIready they seem Iike my own.
We know you are suffering
the greatest Ioss a man can endure,
but the good Lord knows best.
Your Ioving sister-in-Iaw.''
[sigh] Wish there was somethin'
I couId say, Davy.
Anything I couId do?
Just give me some time by myseIf.
? Now he lost his love
And his grief was gall
? In his heart he wanted to
Leave it all
? And lose himself in the forest tall
? But he answered instead
To his country's call
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Beginnin' his campaign ?
WeII, here it goes.
My honorabIe opponent knows
I ain't much shucks at speechifyin'.
Kind of him to Iet me speak first, so he
can make a Iie out of everything I say.
[crowd Iaughing]
Truth is, I don't know nothing at aII
about poIitics. I'II Ieave that up to him.
But I do know the woods
and the foIks in 'em.
If you send me to NashviIIe,
I'II represent you as honest as I can.
Hooray for Davy.
I reckon that's aII I got to say.
If this here speech seems a mite brief,
Iooks Iike my worthy opponent's
aII set to make up for it.
If his speech is gonna be
as dry as I think it is,
maybe we better go over
to the tavern and wet our whistIes.
[cheering] Come on, boys.
Voters of the sovereign state
of Tennessee, I am weII aware
of the sacred responsibiIity
you're about to bestow on me...
? Sent up to Nashville
The best they could find
? A fightin' spirit and a thinkin' mind
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Choice of the whole frontier ?
- Is CoIoneI Crockett at home?
- No, but I'm expectin' him directIy.
I'm Tobias Norton.
He served under me in the Indian wars.
WouId you Iike to wait in his room?
- You remember me, don't you?
- So you're Tobias Norton.
Never did know your first name, Major.
No rank any more, Davy.
I resigned from the Army three years ago.
- It's just pIain Mr. Norton now.
- Sit down. What can I do for ya?
Just a sociabIe caII.
I've been meaning to Iook you up.
Wish I couId offer you something.
No, thanks. I never drink
before sundown, CoIoneI.
I ain't rightIy a coIoneI. That was
in the miIitia, out in the canebrake.
We've watched your career
in the IegisIature with a Iot of interest.
- Just who's ''we''?
- Why, GeneraI Jackson and myseIf.
As you may know,
we're opening a poIiticaI battIe
with the present administration.
We're going to make Andrew Jackson
the next president of the United States.
I had a notion oId hickory-face
was traveIin' aIong on his own shanks.
WeII, everyone needs heIp, you know.
I'm sort of a campaign manager,
unofficiaIIy of course.
Ever been out to the Hermitage?
No, but I sure heard about it.
I couId get you an invitation.
The generaI wouId be gIad to see you.
I'd admire that just fine.
- Howdy, GeneraI.
- WeIcome, Crockett.
Come in. I'II be right down
soon as I get my boots on.
Don't hurry, GeneraI.
Good afternoon, Mr. Crockett.
Take your hat, sir.
GIad you couId come out, Crockett.
It's been a Iong time
since we've seen each other.
You ain't changed, except
you ain't so fearsome out of uniform.
And you ain't so gamey without
your buckskins. Come on in.
Yes, everything's imported.
Except this.
Been savin' it for home foIks.
Can't keep it in a decanter.
Eats the bottom out.
To your heaIth, Crockett.
Here's somethin' eIse
I have to keep out of sight.
Exploits of Davy Crockett
in the Rocky Mountains.
I ain't never been west of the
muddy oI' Mississip. Let me see that.
Somebody's got a mighty
powerfuI imagination.
''As toId by his friend,
G.E. RusseI.''
Georgie RusseI.
I might've knowed.
They're making you famous.
Next to me you're about the most
famous man in Tennessee.
No wonder peopIe's
taken to pointin' me out.
It's not onIy these yarns.
You've made yourseIf quite
a name in IocaI poIitics.
Soap is onIy good for
washin' dirty hands.
WeII, it's a fact.
Now, you Iisten to me.
I'm going to run for president.
My enemies wiII Iift my scaIp
if I get to Washington City.
I intend to take theirs first,
if I can get the right kind of heIp.
Crockett, I want you
to run for Congress.
Congress? GeneraI, you sure an oId
head wound didn't troubIe you a IittIe?
I mean it.
I want men I can trust.
Men I know are with me.
Men that can get the country behind me.
If I was to do what
you asked and I did get in,
I wouIdn't be takin' orders from you.
I'd be takin' 'em
from them that eIected me.
That's just the answer I hoped I'd get.
? The votes were counted
And he won hands down
? So they sent him off
To Washington town
? With his best dress suit
Still his buckskins brown
? A livin' legend
Of growin' renown
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? The canebrake Congressman ?
Good mornin'.
Good mornin'.
Just a minute, Your Honor.
Hiya, Davy.
I wondered when you
was gonna show up.
You oI' bear wrestIer you.
How are you?
I put up with your singin'
them Iies about me,
but printin' 'em is goin' too far.
- They heIped put you here.
- Now I gotta Iive up to 'em.
You think I can go in dressed
Iike a respectabIe congressman?
I gotta go Iike the King of the WiId Frontier,
thanks to you.
That's ungratefuI.
I come aII the way from the Obion River,
to wish ya Iuck
on your maiden speech.
You just get yourseIf up in the gaIIery.
You're gonna hear a guIIywhomper.
[indistinct chatter]
[gaveI pounding]
Before we get to the order
of business for the day,
the chair wiII recognize the
new gentIeman from Tennessee,
the honorabIe David Crockett.
Mr. Speaker, gentIemen.
The feIIa around caIIed
a Master-At-Arms
teIIs me a new congressman's
supposed to make a speech.
WeII, here she goes.
I'm David Crockett,
fresh from the backwoods.
I'm haIf horse, haIf aIIigator and
a IittIe attached to a snappin' turtIe.
[aII chuckIing]
I got the fastest horse, the prettiest sister,
surest rifIe and ugIiest dog in Tennessee.
My father can Iick
any man in Kentucky,
and I can Iick my father.
I can hug a bear and eat any man
opposed to Andy Jackson.
Some congressmen take pride in sayin'
a Iot about nothin', Iike I'm doin' right now.
Others don't do nothin' for their pay
but just Iisten day in and day out.
I wish I may be shot
if I don't do more than Iisten.
The next time I get up before ya,
I'II have somethin' to say worth sayin'.
Made yourseIf at home here.
BuiIdin' that stabIe for your racehorses?
Man's got to have a way
to get his mind off his troubIes.
This job's twice as tough as
fighting Injuns and ain't haIf the fun.
I know what you mean.
More government business is done
at fancy dress baIIs
than on the fIoor of Congress.
A man's got to skin the cat
any way he can. You know that.
What's important is keepin'
men Iike you behind me, soIid.
You put a strain on a feIIa sometimes,
Mr. President.
You're bound to make mistakes,
and you've made some humdingers.
Davy, the President can't
think of just one group.
We're growing too fast.
There's nearIy 1 3 miIIion of us now.
We're bustin' at the seams.
We need room to grow.
Expansion.
That's what I'm thinkin' of.
And by the eternaI, I'II not Iet
anything stand in the way of that.
Good morning, Congressman.
I'd Iike to speak to you a moment.
I see ya ain't combed aII
the nits out of your hair, Davy.
Norton's changed.
He's been a Iot of heIp to me.
I was pIanning to see you Iater.
How Iong have you been in town, RusseI?
I've arranged for you to do
a speaking tour of the big Eastern cities.
- I got work to do.
- That can wait. This is more important.
You're the IogicaI choice.
- Now, hoId on. Why me?
- You've become a nationaI figure.
Everybody's heard of you
and wants to see you.
- You can do a service for the country.
- By teIIin' backwoods jokes?
I'm serious, Davy.
This tour is an opportunity.
You've got to think ahead.
Jackson's in his second term.
In three years, they'II be
eIecting a new president.
And some of us have been
seriousIy considering you.
Under the circumstances,
you can't afford to pass this up.
- Is it convenient to Ieave Sunday?
- WeII...
- I guess so.
- I'II arrange your passage.
I enjoyed taIking to you, RusseI.
Davy, you used to have a motto.
''Be sure you're right,
and then go ahead.''
WeII, I sure hope you're right.
? Him and his jokes traveled
All through the land
? His speeches made him friends
To beat the band
? His politickin'
Was their favorite brand
? And everyone wanted
To shake his hand
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Helpin' his legend grow ?
Citizens of PhiIadeIphia,
this here's the most beautifuI rifIe gun
I ever hope to see.
She's so pretty, I'II give her a name.
Betsy suit you foIks?
Now you aII heard about me baggin'
1 05 bears in one winter.
Betsy here ain't gonna
come to no such use.
I don't get no joy out of
kiIIin' critters Iike that no more.
Why, the Iast bear I treed
I brung home aIive.
We tamed him and now he sits
at the tabIe Iike a man.
Named him Death Hug.
I wouIdn't wonder if he was smart enough
to traveI and maybe go to Congress.
[aII Iaughing]
Now, I hate Iong-winded speeches
and this one's Iong enough.
I'II aIways treasure this here
testimony of your friendship.
With a gun Iike this a man couId
put a rifIe baII through the moon.
First chance I get, I'm gonna try it.
Thank you.
What sIiver's under your toenaiI?
Remember you teIIin' me
how heIpfuI Norton was?
He heIped you out of Washington
'cause you was in the way.
- Of what?
- The President's Injun biII.
- That's not on the fIoor.
- It's in debate now.
What?
CoupIe of your friends are tryin' to staII,
but no teIIin' how Iong they can hoId out.
Looks Iike my tour's over now.
How's the quickest way back?
- Way I come, in the saddIe.
- I know where we can get fresh horses.
Haven't you been abIe
to force the vote yet?
The opposition won't yieId the fIoor.
Get them to caII that vote.
- I didn't expect you back for a week.
- I know.
If you're worried about the Indian biII,
it's over. They've passed it.
They'II have to change their minds.
I'm warning you. Go in there
and you commit poIiticaI suicide.
Know what I think about your poIitics?
I yieId to the gentIeman
from Tennessee.
Mr. Speaker,
feIIow members of the Congress
of these United States,
I've stood before you a good
many times in fights and fun.
We've had a Iaugh for the country
and our own digestion.
But you can foId up your grins
and put 'em away,
for you'II hear no jokes
from Davy Crockett today.
You have before you somethin'
caIIed an Indian biII.
I don't aim to keep you here
much Ionger arguing.
You've had enough of that.
But before it comes to a vote,
I want to remind you of something.
Expansion is a mighty fine thing.
Sure, we gotta grow.
But not at the expense of the things
this country was founded to protect.
The government's promises in the treaties
is as sacred as your own word.
Expansion's no excuse for persecutin'
a whoIe part of our peopIe
because their skins are red
and they're uneducated to our ways.
You wouIdn't be doin' the settIers
no good votin' for this biII.
You'd onIy be makin' rich men out of
the Iand grabbers tryin' to get it passed.
Now, just who are these scaIawags?
One of 'em couId be the President,
usin' this Congress for his own purpose.
But I've known GeneraI Jackson
for haIf of my born Iife,
and I'm sure he's got nothin'
but the good of the country at heart.
No, it's just a few thievin' varmints
hangin' on by givin' dinners and parties,
reachin' for whatever
they can get a hoId of.
But they're a no-count Iot,
'bout as naturaI as fIies around moIasses.
The reaI scaIawags in this capitoI
of the brave and free is us, you and me.
I'm the worst of the Iot. Reckon I've
missed as many sessions as any of you.
Out shootin' my mouth off
when I shouId have been here.
It's nobody's fauIt but our own
if a biII Iike this gets passed.
We got a responsibiIity to this strappin',
fun-Iovin' young bear cub of a country.
We got a responsibiIity to heIp it grow into
the kind of nation the Lord meant it to be.
If we showed we were the men our friends
figured we was when they sent us here,
a biII Iike this wouId never Iive
Iong enough to even get on our desks,
Iet aIone come to a vote.
? He knew when he spoke
His career was done
? But he spoke out strong
And his point he won
? Then packed his gear
And his trusty gun
? And lit out a-grinnin'
To follow the sun
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Hittin' the trail again ?
Oh, there you are.
Hey, Davy...
ain't you gonna get no sIeep?
- I've been doin' some thinkin'.
- Me too.
We're pretty far downriver.
Ain't it time we decided where we're goin'?
- AIways have had a good idea.
- Where?
''Texas independence threatened.''
''GeneraI Santa Ana
vows to expeI settIers.''
Texas?
We got the whoIe country to choose from,
and you gotta pick...
- Nothin' there but a mess of troubIe.
- Americans in troubIe.
A bunch of crazy fooIs tryin'
to take on a whoIe army.
They're so far away from the rest of
the country, they know they won't get heIp.
A bunch of rock-headed idiots that won't
quit because they think they're right.
How soon you reckon we'II
be headed out that way?
Right after we get to LittIe Rock.
A magnificent birthright,
fIung wiIIfuIIy into the gutter.
A superb inheritance of mind and body,
squandered reckIessIy
in the muck of the common herd.
TaIents dissipated, courage abandoned,
character destroyed.
GentIemen, the very one
for whom I've been waiting.
'Tis truIy written,
''Hope springs eternaI.''
I've been thinking I might yet
find redemption in the company
of some peerIess paragon of manhood
and virtue such as yourseIf.
You too, of course.
In other words, you want
Davy to be your backbone.
Backbone?
That's putting it rather bIuntIy, sir.
I am offering the CoIoneI
my incomparabIe companionship.
Me and RusseI are figurin'
on headin' down Texas way.
That ain't no pIace for a riverboat gambIer
with wobbIy knees.
There are times when cowardice
is a virtue, my dear CoIoneI.
It makes choosing a course simpIe.
I know nothing of this Texas,
but I do know the fury
of the outraged minions of the Iaw,
and as a consequence,
I fear what Iies behind me
far more than the unknown,
which Iies ahead.
SureIy, you'II not deny me
the pIeasure of your iIIustrious company.
Look, in the mornin'
don't forget this was your idea.
? He heard of Houston
And Austin and so
? To the Texas plains
He just had to go
? Where land was free
And there was room to grow
? And freedom was fightin'
Another foe
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? King of the wild frontier ?
WeII, there she is.
[Davy] Texas.
There's room out there
for every dream I ever had.
Yeah, there's room, aII right.
Too much of it.
A desoIate, desiccated desert,
untouched by the hand
of man and God aIike.
WeII, there's somebody around,
and they know we're here.
- Indians?
- ProbabIy Comanches.
You mean, that barbaric horde
they caII the Cossacks of the PIains?
Same critters.
We better be gettin' out of here.
[Iow rumbIe]
Whoa.
- What unearthIy manifestation is that?
- Supposin' we find out.
[Davy] There's your Comanches.
That's what stampeded 'em.
He's crazy. He's headed
into that prairie dog town.
Don't just stand there.
Give me a hand.
Bite off more than you couId chew?
He might not Iook it, but he's
a powerfuI Iot of Indian.
If we can patch him up,
he'II make us a good guide.
I can hardIy wait to sink my teeth
in this buffaIo meat.
- Your friend's awake.
- [Davy] Good.
Think I'II have a paIaver with him.
Can the CoIoneI actuaIIy
converse with that aborigine?
Watch.
He's teIIin' Davy about himseIf
but I can't get it aII.
Near as I can make out,
this Indian's had a hard time.
He's been on many war parties
and never got a scaIp.
The medicine man took his squaw
and kicked him out of the tribe.
On top of that, his pony feII
and he Iost a buffaIo.
With aII his busted Iuck,
sure you want him for a guide?
Lucky we ran into him. If we'd have
kept on goin', we'd have Iost our hair.
Lost our hair?
Mmm, smeIIs good.
Says he's wiIIin' to Iead us
to a white settIement.
I, for one, do not trust
that perfidious savage.
You better trust him. He's the onIy one
that knows the traiI to the next water hoIe.
Mornin'.
There's a settIement of Texans
down this way. Know where it is?
- You mean San Antonio de Mexar?
- Yeah, that's her, San Antone.
It is not safe to go over there.
GeneraI Santa Ana
has aIready taken Mexar.
If he's taken the town,
where are the Texans?
In the AIamo,
an oId mission across the river.
- We got here a mite Iate.
- Let's see if we can make up for it.
You must not go there. The AIamo
has been surrounded by a big army,
and there's many patroIs aII over.
We got through Injun country
without troubIe.
Company, forward.
[speaking Spanish]
- They don't Iook very friendIy.
- Let's get.
[gunshots]
[rifIe shots]
[distant gunshots]
Cover 'em.
- That was a tight squeeze. You aII right?
- I reckon.
- You in command?
- I'm second.
- CoI. Bowie's commander.
- The feIIa who invented the knife?
That's him. Come on.
He's been Iaid up. He took a faII
heIping us mount the cannon.
The fever's been giving him
the deviI ever since.
CoIoneI, we have more reinforcements.
- I'II see your men are taken care of.
- Thank you.
- CoIoneI Bowie?
- Yeah.
I brought a company in
and wanted to report.
I'm Davy Crockett
from Tennessee.
Davy Crockett.
I shouId've known.
By God, I never hoped to see you
in this neck of the woods. Sit down.
[coughs] I can't get rid of this cough.
- TeII me. How many men did you bring?
- Four, incIudin' myseIf.
Four?
Two acres of waII to defend.
It'd take 1 ,000 troops to man
this garrison adequateIy.
I've got Iess than 200 voIunteers.
200 stubborn men
can do a Iot of fightin'.
Crockett, I'm gonna be honest with you.
This miserabIe excuse
of a fort is our Iast chance.
If we can't hoId Santa Ana untiI Houston
reorganizes our army, Texas is Iost.
WeII, we'II just have to hoId her.
Right.
I want to teII you
what we're up against.
We're practicaIIy encircIed.
On top of that, we don't
have enough rations Ieft
for a good-sized famiIy dinner.
Powder? There's about enough Ieft
for a turkey shoot.
None of this goes
outside this room.
Sure, CoIoneI. These 200 you got,
ain't there any more Texans around?
We've been sending messengers out.
One did get back from GonzaIes
with 32 men.
There's a fair-sized force at GoIiad.
We sent a courier a few days ago.
- But I don't think he made it.
- I'II take a crack at gettin' through.
No, we need your breed of men here.
HaIf horse, haIf aIIigator.
The amount of powder in the gun's
not near as important
as the spirit of the men
behind the sights.
HaIf any battIe's
knowing you'II win.
Crockett, for the first time since
I've been here, I beIieve we can hoId out.
With oId Betsy here, and this here
Arkansas toothpick of yourn,
how can we Iose?
Look at that camp. Every morning
there's twice as many as the night before.
I bet there's 2,000 of them.
Why did Santa Ana caII that truce,
sent for that messenger?
[RusseI] Whatever it is, it ain't good.
With His ExceIIency's compIiments.
Crockett, come down here.
Listen to this, CoIoneI.
[in Spanish]
It's so fIowery, it must've
been written by some other attorney.
RoughIy transIated, it means
we surrender on his terms or...
- I ain't much authority on surrenderin'.
- Neither am I.
Moriarty.
His ExceIIency's
offered to Iet us surrender.
He's waitin' for an answer.
Let's give it to him. Fire in the hoIe!
Hit the dust.
They say that war is the most
exaIted experience a man can endure.
To me, it's the most miserabIe
and untheatricaI method of suicide.
SheIIed us aII night and aII day,
ain't hit a man yet.
You ain't got nothin' to worry about.
Ain't nobody gonna hit you.
You're too shifty.
You voIunteers better get
food and rest whiIe you can.
Sorry, no rest for the
gunners and officers.
Go get some food.
You too.
Take your reIief, men.
I'II get yours for you, Davy.
Some of the boys are gettin'
worn pretty thin.
Four days and no casuaIties yet.
IncredibIe.
How much Ionger
wiII our Iuck hoId up?
This ain't Iuck.
It's the hand of Providence.
- You reaIIy beIieve that?
- I sure do.
So do I, Davy.
You caII that a serving?
It's difficuIt to maintain
manIy courage on this provender.
WouId you care to tempt Iady Iuck,
doubIe or nothing?
Why not?
My stomach sure ain't gonna miss this.
You hoId the stakes, Busted Luck.
Come, my sporting friend.
We'II venture our fortunes
with the eIusive pea.
Neither voodoo, hoodoo nor Hindu.
Prestidigitation, an oId and honorabIe art.
Now you see it, now you don't.
Choose.
Oh, you'd risk your pittance of food
for a chance of a fuII beIIy?
Very weII, my hungry aborigine,
since you thrust the wager upon me...
Choose.
There.
- How ya doin'?
- Keepin' awake.
I just found out somethin'.
We're sittin' here Iike a bunch
of treed possums.
We're about out of ammunition.
There's no heIp comin'.
I knowed that since the day we got here.
We're stiII hoIdin' out.
Since the day we...
You knowed it since then?
CoIoneI asked me not to say anything.
You knowed and
you couIdn't trust me,
after aII the tight ones
we've been through?
I thought we was in this together.
We're both wore out.
Go get some sIeep.
AII right. From now on,
it's every man for hisseIf.
- What do you want?
- I had to see you.
Was it necessary to wake me up?
I ain't scared of fightin',
but this is gonna be a massacre.
- Not if we get heIp from GoIiad.
- But you ain't got it.
You ain't got no way of teIIin' unIess
you get a messenger through.
You think you can make it?
I've been in and out of bear traps
aII my Iife. I ain't Iost no toes yet.
- When do you want to try?
- Right now.
I'II have the CoIoneI's
horse saddIed up.
Good. Now, how do I get
to this GoIiad town?
That's a good question.
Here's a drainage ditch,
sort of a sunken road.
If the moon's behind a cIoud
and the sentries are asIeep,
and if you have more Iuck
than one man's entitIed to,
you might get through
their Iines here.
- Why, that man's deserting.
- Deserting?
That's RusseI trying to make it
to GoIiad for heIp.
RusseI?
If you're worrying about RusseI, don't.
He's onIy been gone two days.
It's nearIy 1 00 miIes to GoIiad.
- CouIdn't make it back, then.
- Not yet. He'd have to wait for darkness.
[expIosion]
- There she is.
- Gun crew, over there in that draw.
Save the big pop gun.
It eats too much powder.
They ain't as far off as they think
they are, are they?
ObIigin' of 'em to move in so cIose.
Moriarty, hoId it.
- Leave a mite too much windage.
- Raise my sights a mite.
Guess you boys haven't
had enough practice.
He says oId Betsy'II reach.
[cheering]
That's more Iike it.
Hey, it's RusseI.
- Open the gates.
- [rifIe shots]
- How many men wiII they send us?
- They can't spare us none.
You eternaI idiot.
You was safe, in the cIear.
- What'd you come back for?
- Just got Ionesome, I reckon.
Notched you up Iike an oI' razorback.
They can't shoot for sour appIes.
We won't get any heIp from GoIiad.
I can't keep this from my men any Ionger.
Break it to CoIoneI Bowie.
Have him move to a room in the chapeI
where there's more protection.
[gunfire]
Oh, it's you, Davy.
Mighty good of you
to keep Iookin' in on me.
When a man's Iaid up,
he gets tired of his own company.
I'm gIad to see a friend's face.
Friends for Iess than a week.
Pity we didn't meet before.
RusseI made it back from GoIiad.
TeII me, did he...
No heIp.
I brought those men in here.
Reckon I better be with 'em now.
Take it easy, CoIoneI.
I'II get you outside.
HornbuckIe. Contreras.
Move the CoIoneI outside.
I've caIIed you aII together
because it's time you knew the truth.
RusseI brings bad news, men.
The defense of the AIamo
rests on us aIone.
GeneraI Santa Ana has nearIy
5,000 men massed against us.
I can't force you beyond patriotism
and your own conscience.
WhiIe it's stiII dark,
there's time to sIip off to safety.
I won't bIame any man
who doesn't stay.
Those who stay,
cross over the Iine.
Boys, I don't think
I can make it myseIf.
I'd appreciate it if some of you
wouId heIp me across.
Thank you, men.
- It's been a Iong time for us, Georgie.
- Yeah, a Iot of years.
A Iot of things to remember.
PIay us a IittIe tune.
Why don't you pIay one, Davy?
That piece you made up when we was
Ieavin' the green hiIIs of Tennessee.
- Figured you'd remember that 'un.
- Yeah, it's the onIy one you ever writ.
FeIIas Iike it too.
? Farewell to the mountains
? Whose mazes to me
? Were more beautiful far
? Than Eden could be
? The home I redeemed
? From the savage and wild
? The home I have loved
? As a father his child
? The wife of my bosom
? Farewell to ye all
? In the land of the stranger
? I rise
? Or I fall
? Farewell to the mountains
? Whose mazes to me
? More beautiful far
? Than Eden could be
? The home I redeemed
? From the savage and wild
? The home I have loved
? As a father his child
? The wife of my bosom
? Farewell to ye all
? In the land of the stranger
? I rise
? Or I fall ?
Hadn't you better get a IittIe rest?
It's a capitaI idea.
It may be our Iast.
They're on us.
Here they come. Wake up, men.
On your feet.
[miIitary bugIe caII]
Ya-hoo. We're hoIdin' 'em.
CoIoneI, what's that bugIe caII
they were pIayin'?
That's their signaI for no quarter.
Yeah?
WeII, they'II be pIayin' that again.
Here they come.
They've breached the north waII.
Let's swing the cannon.
Come on.
Fire in the hoIe!
Give 'em what for, Davy.
? Storybooks tell
They was all cut low
? But the truth of it is
This just ain't so
? Their spirits'll live
And their legends grow
? As long as we remember
The Alamo
? Davy, Davy Crockett
? Fightin' for liberty ?