North and South

This is John Jakes. Before the Civil War...

northerner George Hazard and southerner Orry Main...

met as cadets at West Point.

They and their families became lifelong friends...

but they made an enemy of the evil and sadistic Elkanah Bent.

Bent also came to hate Orry's young cousin...

Charles Main, who served under him.

George married Constance Flynn...

while Orry fell in love with and married Madeline Fabray.

The two families remained close until the Civil War divided them.

Fire!

George and Orry fought on opposite sides, both rising to the rank of General...

while secretly maintaining their friendship.

Maybe it's up to us...

to start healing the wounds of this nation.

Charles Main served the Confederacy as a scout behind enemy lines.

Elkanah Bent spent the war...

smuggling black-market food and arms into the South...

while having an affair with Orry's cunning sister, Ashton.

She was jealous of her brother and hated his wife, Madeline.

Toward the war's end...

Orry and Charles destroyed all of Bent and Ashton's evil plans...

and Bent was killed.

Now the war is over...

and Mont Royal has been burned to the ground by renegades.

Orry and Madeline have lost everything...

and they're staying at a wealthy friend's home in Richmond...

while trying to find food for the hungry all across the defeated South.

Now Ashton and Bent, alive through some bitter quirk of fate...

come to seek Orry out...

Stop, right here.

Each with a different plan in mind.

Look at what we have here.

My good old friend, Orry Main.

I've waited a long time for this.

Now you be careful. Remember the plan, El.

I couldn't bargain money out of Orry, him being angry at me and all...

but I'm sure that you could do such a nice job of it.

Don't you worry your pretty little feet about that.

It's going to be business, pure and simple.

Your brother wants to feed the South.

Since Yankee conquerors can't be bothered with such trivialities...

I'm the man he has to deal with.

He thinks I have what he needs.

I will prevail.

I know where you're going to be and I will meet you there...

however, I'd like to have a few words with Madeline first.

So you go on and do the best that you can.

That's just what I'm going to do.

Move!

Ashton?

- Miss Ashton to you, Jane. - I'll get Madeline.

Uppity. Far too uppity.

I could scarcely believe it when Jane told me.

Why, yes, of course.

Those Negroes do tell strange tales, don't they?

What are you doing here?

Laying claim, I believe they call it.

Mr. Main never did show me proper respect.

He ruined my reputation with lies and slander.

I'll see him in hell before I deal with him.

- Mr. Bent, Miss Ashton... - Shut your mouth!

Stop. Right here.

- Get out of here. - Yes, sir.

Get out!

Orry Main!

Your life is over, Main.

I paid you back for your arrogance.

Now I'm going to take care of your good friend, George Hazard...

and your precious cousin, Charlie Main.

Charlie ever tell you what he did to me down in Texas Way?

And you crippled me...

just like yourself.

You thought you burned me all up...

but you just got a piece of me.

You want to see what you did to me?

Here.

I intend to take back everything that you and Orry have taken from me.

- We've done no such... - Your home...

the land, Mont Royal, all of it back.

- Ashton, you can't do that. - I can't?

But of course I can, and I will.

And I will use your little secret as the key to it all.

I'll bring you both down so hard...

you'll think the great horned God of Hades has descended upon you.

Ashton, please.

So, my dear Madeline, my advice to you is:

Enjoy what you have while you still have it.

My Lord.

Don't tell me you're going to act the grieving sister now.

What in God's name have you done, you fool?

I've righted a grievous wrong.

Where's the money? It was supposed to just be about the money.

Money? What the hell is money?

I never intended to do business with your brother.

And he never would have dealt with me with his antiquated sense of honor.

And now he's dead.

- What about me? - You?

I don't need you to do what I'm going to do.

I never needed you.

Lord.

George, you know dwelling on dark memories creates a darkened heart.

I guess Orry's death has brought back some memories too recent to bury.

I had to search for this.

That old half-dollar that you and Orry split so many years ago.

We each kept a half and pledged to mend it together someday.

And now that day will never come.

Darling, I know you miss him terribly.

I can't believe he's gone.

My God, Constance, he survived it all, the wars, the wounds.

Only to have some coward knife him dead. Where's the sense in that?

Poor Madeline and the baby must be suffering so.

Yes.

Things are so grim in the South right now...

and she's all alone now.

I know.

Have you thought about going there?

Yes, I have, but...

I'm sure it would be a great comfort to her, George.

And perhaps it would help ease the pain that you're suffering.

The foundries and the ironworks do well under Mr. Ouinlan.

We're more than comfortable.

I don't know, Constance.

George, I know you.

I trust you and your love.

Go to Mont Royal. Help ease the pain and suffering there.

Orry would've done the same for you.

St. Louis. Next stop, two hours.

Porter, some help, please?

May I be of assistance, ma'am? Charles Main.

Gallant.

- Captain? Lieutenant? - Private.

New to the cavalry.

Truly?

I do not have a mind for uniforms...

but your manner is most deceptively genteel.

I'm a southerner, ma'am. Manners count a great deal down there.

- If you'll allow me... - Yes.

- You know Trump's playhouse? - Yes.

- Take the lady there. - Yes, sir.

If you please.

- You're an actress? - I am, indeed.

You know the theater?

No. I've seen Edwin Booth. That's about it.

You will hear of Willa Parker, and perhaps come to watch.

Driver.

Squad, on my command you'll mount and move into formation.

Squad, prepare to mount.

Squad, mount!

Cpl. Main.

Squad, rest.

I see progress with the recruits, Corporal.

Not much, but progress.

Give these horses a rest before they get confused and go wild.

Yes, sir. Right away.

Main.

Squad, dismissed!

Major Shagrue, I know that corporal, Major.

He was at West Point, sir.

Graduates of the Point who fought for the South...

should be excluded from the amnesty.

Perhaps, Captain. But he's in my unit now, and Cpl. May...

His name is Main, sir. Charles Main.

He was an underclassman at the Point.

I had to put him on report many times for actions bordering on insubordination.

As far as I'm concerned...

Cpl. Charles May is one of the best damn horse trainers I've ever seen...

including me, and I'm pretty good.

You leave him be, Captain. Do I make myself clear?

Yes, sir.

"Be the attorney of my love to her:."

"Plead what I will be, not what I have been."

"Not my deserts, but what I will deserve:."

Damn!

"Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?"

And is this Elizabeth come to torment Richard?

Yes. I'm Willa Parker, Mr. Trump.

Eddie Booth wrote to you on my behalf.

- Booth? - Yes.

Yes, I've heard of him.

He thinks he's great, but he's really quite second-rate.

His brother was quite a marksman, though, particularly at close range.

I've never heard of you, my dear.

- I've played Portia and Beatrice... - Can you do arithmetic?

- Arithmetic? - I don't need an actress.

I need someone to manage the books before I go bankrupt.

I also need someone to keep me sober till after the performances.

But I'm an actress.

Of course, and I'm sober as a church warden sometimes.

Mr. Booth told me that if I arrived...

Blast Mr. Booth.

He says you have talent, that you are bright and clever.

Then you can use me.

As I said before, I need a caretaker.

I'm the star. I'm the person people pay money to see.

Take care of me, and I'll try to fit you into some rather minor roles in time.

- No. - No.

What do you want, child?

I will keep your books for you...

and tuck you into bed when you fall into your cups.