His Majesty O'Keefe (1954) Movie Script
1
The South Seas, 1870.
Center of the coconut and copra trade.
Sleepy islands suddenly became
prizes in a great international race.
For weeks, I'd driven south.
And now there was mutiny.
My crew, the sweepings of
the Hong Kong gutters...
... wanted to turn back.
Four days without sleep.
The sea kills more slowly than a bullet.
But my luck held.
On this tiny island began the legend,
the true legend, of David Dion O'Keefe.
But I was not the first white man there.
I am Alfred Tetens...
...agent of the Godeffroy
Company, Hamburg, Germany.
The island had an odd name, Yap...
... but there was nothing
odd about what I saw.
From that moment, Yap meant
coconuts. And coconuts meant copra.
Copra, the dried meat of the coconut...
... from which an oil could be
extracted worth its weight in gold.
For all you've done.
You have nothing that he wants.
Thank you.
In fact, you have nothing
that any of these people want.
Interesting, eh?
There must be a million dollars
in copra hanging on those trees.
Yes, all of that.
The German flag protected the
Godeffroy Trading Company...
... from all competition.
So you drove your crew to mutiny...
...for copra.
Sometimes it's a little hard to get.
And you were willing to die to get it?
What are you trying to prove?
Money, power...
...this driving ambition to reach the top.
Has it ever occurred to you
that everyone cannot be a king?
Why not?
I doubt if I could make you understand.
My grandfather spent his entire life,
founded a new school of philosophy...
...in an effort to teach this
single truth to you barbarians.
Seventy wasted years.
Johann Nicolai Tetens?
- You have read it?
- Enough to disagree with him.
No matter.
You shall learn to agree.
Learn to believe.
I have a complete collection of his works.
Forty-seven volumes.
My favorite is his dissertation...
...on the relationship of
man with the lower animals.
Why do I continue to live
on this miserable island?
What's wrong?
Boogulroo, the head chief, has
decided to see me for a few moments.
Tomorrow I shall get my consignment of copra.
Coconuts into copra.
Sometimes I wish they'd never discovered
how to take the oil out of the things.
The world might be a
better place without copra.
How much copra do you have in your sheds now?
Five tons.
If I'm lucky, I may have 7
when the company steamer calls.
Seven tons?
Why, there must be a thousand
on this end of the island alone.
On the trees, ja.
Suppose we make a deal.
I'll act as your foreman.
You give me $5 for every ton
of copra I put in your sheds.
I'll need some money when I get to Hong Kong.
I'll do better than that.
- I'll pay you $ 10 a ton.
- It's a deal.
Fine. Well, make yourself at home.
I will leave this volume for your
perusal while I see Boogulroo.
Herr Tetens, can I borrow your razor?
Of course. You'll find it in the other room.
Thanks.
She's all dressed up today. She
must have found herself a man.
These are just about ready to harvest.
Don't do that.
Why not?
This is fei, their sacred stone.
It should not be used as a nutcracker.
They leave it here untouched,
and you should do the same.
It is good to see you looking so well.
You speak English.
Thanks to my good friend, Herr Tetens.
Fatumak, our medicine man,
has many accomplishments.
He even makes rain during the rainy season.
Come.
Who's that?
Inifels, one of the chiefs of the island.
There is a man.
A very great man, Boogulroo.
The head chief of the island.
Boogulroo has just challenged
me to personal combat.
You?
I am the lone outlander here.
What did you say?
I have conceded that
Boogulroo is the head chief...
...and that I am here on sufferance.
In other words, I have gracefully
refused his challenge, as I do every year.
Accept it. In my name.
- But...
- Maybe I'll get a few coconuts.
Boogulroo says you are a great warrior.
He asks, what favor can he do for you?
Tell him I'd like a hundred
men at the coconut grove...
...in front of Herr Tetens'
house tomorrow morning.
- Shall we start the show?
- Whenever you're ready.
Boogulroo.
That music box came from the
home of Johann Nicolai Tetens.
You wanted copra.
Inifels, this is for you.
Fatumak, all these are theirs too.
In return, I will expect them
to fill our sheds with copra.
I will tell them.
That means another 100 tons by
the time the steamer arrives.
I suppose it's all in
knowing how to handle them.
Your gifts have been returned.
I should have told you this
before, it wasn't fair of me.
But after 20 years of frustration, I
wanted you to have just a taste of it.
Thanks.
Perhaps, my good friend,
you can now understand...
...why there's only 5
tons of copra in my sheds.
There's nothing the world can
offer that these people want.
There must be some way to make them work.
Bribery has been tried, it failed.
Force has been tried, it failed.
And now the great o'Keefe
has tried, he has failed.
Fei! Fei! Fei!
What's that all about?
The men who went to quarry
the fei have returned.
Fei! Fei! Fei!
Forty strong men left this
island. Ten have returned.
They travel to the quarries
in those frail canoes...
...across the open sea 250 miles from here.
I don't understand it.
You offer them a fortune for a few
coconuts and they refuse to work...
...yet they go out and kill
themselves for six pieces of stone.
I give up.
I thought you would.
I did 20 years ago.
In six weeks, the Godeffroy steamer arrived.
It would take me off the island.
Is the last of the copra aboard the steamer?
Just about.
And is Herr Weber and that other
representative of the Godeffroy Company...
...gathering up the last few crumbs?
- They're both down at the shed.
- Well, shall we go?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I thought I gave you five gold pieces.
- And underpaid you, at that.
- You gave me five.
And you were more than generous.
I shall be sorry to see you go, captain...
...but it will be a pleasure to
rid the island of Herr Weber...
...and that Prussian assistant of his.
At least you won't have
to see them for a year.
Would that it were 10 years.
Herr Weber.
We were just talking about you.
- Something pleasant, I suppose.
- Ready, Herr Weber.
Is the last of the copra loaded?
All 12 tons.
Not enough to make our visit here worthwhile.
You're right.
Were it not that England or
Spain would take this island...
...I would insist that the
company close the trading post.
You do that and I'll move in.
Don't be a fool.
Come along, Friedlander.
Do you really mean you'd move in?
I just didn't want them to
pick on a friend of mine.
Goodbye, Fatumak. Thank you for everything.
There are no goodbyes between friends.
This is the whale's tooth of remembrance.
Until we meet again.
I can't take this from you, Alfred.
Oh, I'm not giving it to you.
I'm only lending it to you.
Ready.
He will be back.
Ready?
Sure, I'd be back.
There had to be a way to
make these people work.
The Godeffroy steamer
brought me to Hong Kong...
... the key port of the copra trade.
A place where I was not unknown.
- Fits you quite well, captain.
- Couldn't be better.
Here is your change, sir.
What about your clothes, sir?
Burn them.
No, wait.
I wanna buy the Malayan Queen.
She's up for sale at ?30,000.
Let me understand you.
You want the South China
Bank to advance you ?30,000...
...for the purpose of
buying the Malayan Queen?
- That's right.
- Against what security?
These. Plus my reputation.
But, captain, things aren't done this way.
It simply isn't banking.
Why not?
I could never explain it to my stockholders.
It'd cost me my job.
Beldon, I'll tell you what you do.
You keep your job.
You retain ownership of the Malayan
Queen till she's paid in full.
Until then, she's your ship.
I can't run away with her.
The Godeffroy Company can.
And the Spanish Trading
Company, don't forget them.
They're not going to let an independent
trader cut into their territories.
- How will they stop me?
- With guns.
Let me take the ship this week.
Repairs can wait till I
bring my first load of copra.
- And I'll take 25 percent for my end.
- Sorry, no deal.
Wait, captain.
I do have a proposition that
may be of interest to you.
The Spanish Trading Company
intends to plant our flag...
...on some of the key
islands of the South Pacific.
The Germans have had the field long enough.
They may give you an argument.
We have the man who can take care of that.
The most feared man in the South Pacific.
Bully Hayes. You know Captain Hayes?
We've met.
Hello, Bully.
- So you want a ship.
- I want a ship.
- What have you got to offer?
- Copra.
From Yap?
Nice little island, ain't it?
Lots of coconuts on the trees.
Lots of natives with strong
backs sitting in the shade.
How you gonna get them to work?
- Let's talk about the ship.
- Let's talk about the natives.
That island's good for just
one thing: slaves, not copra.
If you want a ship from
me, there's your cargo.
I want a ship, but I'll name the cargo.
Not in my territory.
Your territory?
Not yet, Bully, not yet.
Spread the word around, o'Keefe.
Nobody's going down there but me.
Go beg yourself a rowboat.
Does the captain's tooth hurt?
No, it feels just great.
Dr. Sien Tang is a graduate of the
Peking College of Dental Surgery.
He is also my uncle. Come,
I shall take you to him.
Come, captain.
Now we may proceed to rebuild the tooth.
You would like gold, I presume?
How much?
One pound. The most
reasonable in all Hong Kong.
What else?
Tin will cost you 13 shillings.
Not as durable or
decorative, but satisfactory.
Tin, and drive it in to last.
Such bravery, admiral. Tin.
How wonderful to be a seafaring adventurer.
To cross the vast oceans and
visit distant corners of the globe.
Get on with the tooth.
Unfortunately for me, the ocean
is merely a sea of misty dreams.
Besides, I get seasick. Do you?
- No.
- I knew it.
You're the man of action.
I, the man of dreams.
Joined, we could be powerful.
- What are you talking about?
- I have a ship of some 70 tons.
She rides at anchor in the roadstead. There.
You can see her from here.
A magnificent ship.
Once the pride of Kao Chung, the
most notorious pirate in all China.
Which one?
The Cochin China junk, just
astern of the large ship.
You call that a ship?
A few strokes of paint, a pot
of tar and she'll be a fine ship.
Your ship.
- What's your offer?
- I will furnish crew and supplies.
- And we'll divide the profits between us.
- How do you know you can trust me?
Who is there in Hong Kong that
would not trust Captain o'Keefe?
A few bankers.
Men of little vision.
I have invaluable pearling charts.
Pearls?
Not interested.
Why do you suppose I want my own ship?
I know where there's a million
dollars in copra. I'm going to get it.
Then by all means gather it.
I'll form a company and...
No, the large companies will not
permit you to cut into their trade.
But, uncle, this is Captain o'Keefe.
- Worried about Godeffroy?
- Not only Godeffroy.
Bully Hayes is sailing for
the Spanish Trading Company.
And no one can stand up to Hayes.
Men of little vision. Fix the tooth.
Don't be hasty, captain.
I will accept your condition.
Sien Tang, you've got yourself a partner.
Get my hat.
And I've got myself a mate.
Out of Hong Kong and south toward Yap...
... but the wind dropped down to a whisper.
Again, the old story: no food and
the water going sour in the casks.
This time I couldn't afford a mutiny.
We put into a strange island for provisions.
Don't play. You've been
howling for fresh water.
Get the casks and let's get under way.
- All secured, captain.
- Every man got his rifle?
- Yes, captain.
- Let's get under way.
Give me those mirrors.
Cover me.
Who's that big fella chief?
These boys aren't as tough as they
look. Get me those water casks.
Haul away!
Throw us a line, get under way!
Yap seemed farther away than ever.
Still no supplies, and
my wound getting feverish.
We were forced to try another island.
Captain David o'Keefe at your service.
Welcome to Palau.
I'm Bart Harris, trader in
chief for Carruther and Sons.
My crew and I could use your help.
You look as though you need
it. Come into the house.
- I have some men aboard...
- of course.
Send a canoe-load of food
and water out to the ship.
Lend a hand. The captain needs help.
I'm afraid I haven't been a
very satisfactory host, captain.
Far from it.
Thanks to you and your daughter,
I've begun to feel human again.
You were a sorry-looking bloke when you
rolled in here with that ramshackle junk.
Careful, woman. Nicked me chin.
I'll never know how you got this
far with that slant-eyed crew.
The Kathleen's a tough little ship.
And don't underestimate my crew.
They saved my life in a scrape.
Dallie, what are you up to?
"Lancelot and Elaine."
The Idylls of the King.
Go ahead, Dalabo, read.
"High in her chamber,
up a tower to the east...
...guarded..."
Dalabo has a bit of trouble with her words.
I taught her.
Let me see it.
"Up a tower to the east, guarded..."
"The sacred shield of Lancelot...
...which first she placed where
morning's earliest ray might strike it...
...and awaken her with the gleam."
There are so many words I don't understand.
Perhaps we'd better go over it, page by page.
"And the new sun rose,
bringing the new year."
And so King Arthur died.
I wish he hadn't.
Never mind, we can go back
to the beginning again.
I'm afraid we haven't got
time for another reading.
- I'll be leaving tomorrow.
- Why?
I have work to do. I have to
bring in the copra to get money.
Is it so important?
Men will kill to get it, Dallie.
Steal, drive other men to their deaths.
It's so important that nations
will go to war to get their share.
- Or more than their share.
- Why?
Because out of the meat of this silly
- looking coconut...
...men grind an oil that's
worth its weight in gold.
And I mean to get my
share of that gold, Dallie.
What are you going to buy with it?
Whatever it is, you'll get it.
He's a lonely man, Dallie. You must
have seen things like that before.
Yes, but...
We bring in the baby fish from the
ocean and put them in these little pools.
So they grow and we can
have fish whenever we like.
Don't be so proud. We have
the same thing in Savannah.
Savannah. Your home?
In America.
I'm going to America when I get married.
- When does this happen?
- Oh, I don't know.
Papa says I mustn't wait much
longer because I'm 17 already.
You are getting old. Who
are you going to marry?
I don't know that either, but
Papa says he'll arrange that.
I see. You have anybody in mind?
Well, I've thought about a
planter, but they just plant.
Why don't you marry a
captain? You can see the world.
Yes, I think I'll do that.
What happens when you get married?
Well, you get a lot of beautiful presents,
lovely clothes and things like that.
And the groom, he stands
around looking silly.
And then?
And then you have the ceremony...
...and then everybody gets
to dance with the bride.
What's the matter? Doesn't
that sound exciting?
I can't dance.
Well, we can't let you turn
into an old maid because of that.
- I'll teach you to dance.
- Show me.
Show me.
Give me your hand. No, this
one. Put your arm around me.
Higher.
You can't dance without music.
I have a book about it.
I'll bring it tomorrow.
Let's get it now.
Come on.
What a beautiful ship.
Queen of the Pacific.
Once the pride of Kao Chung,
number one pirate of the China Sea.
- The natives think you're a pirate.
- They do?
- Do you think that?
- Oh, no.
You're much different from the
other sailors who come to Palau.
How am I different?
You're a gentleman.
She's very strange.
Well, I've never been
aboard a pirate ship before.
Have a look around. I'll get your book.
Here it is. A real authority.
A description of the dancing
at President Lincoln's wedding.
Oh, music!
Now we can dance.
Oh, it stopped.
How does it play?
Let me do it.
I'm sorry, Dallie.
I'll take you home.
Walk down to the water.
Walk out to your waist.
- Why am I being killed?
- I'm an old South Sea hand, o'Keefe.
I've taken women aboard ships myself.
You're wrong, Harris. I wanna marry her.
To save your life.
If that's what you think,
you better pull that trigger.
- You do love her.
- And I'll make her a good husband.
Be good to her.
I've talked with your father, Dallie.
He's consented to our marriage.
I love you, Dallie.
Will you come with me?
If it's my father's wish.
You don't love me?
I don't know.
I can understand that.
But you, in turn, must
understand something about love.
It isn't always like a little spark
that bursts into a great flame.
Very often, love grows slowly, and
that's the very best kind of love.
I'll go with you.
- Dallie.
- That's the quarry.
The men from Yap.
Yes, they're very strange.
When the winds are right, they come
here to quarry these round stones.
Could this be the key for
which I had been looking?
The place where fei was quarried.
The stone that was worshiped on Yap.
Dallie, you can't understand,
but the whole world belongs to us.
Come along.
The man who saved my life.
The whale's tooth has brought
two friends together again.
I knew it would. What are you doing here?
The winds were favorable and
we have come to gather the fei.
How long will you be?
Oh, many weeks.
The stone is hard and our tools are poor.
The best were lost in a storm at sea.
But with what we have,
we will finish the work.
Perhaps I can help you.
In fact, I know I can help you.
Come, Dallie.
Got enough powder?
More than I like to carry.
Get it into the boat and let's get under way.
Shove off!
All clear!
All clear!
All clear!
With the powder and these tools, you
can do three weeks' work in hours.
You are truly a friend.
Let's see you work.
The O'Keefe luck was riding high.
First to Yap, to deliver
the shipload of fei...
... and then to Hong Kong...
... to marry Dalabo in style.
This fei, there's so much of it.
A gesture of friendship.
Does it surprise you?
Surprise is hardly the word for it.
- I may have one or two more.
- From you, I can expect anything.
- No matter. So you came back?
- I had to.
- I had to return your music box.
- My music box?
Dallie.
That wasn't all you brought back, eh?
Herr Tetens...
...may I present the future Mrs. o'Keefe.
No, my darling.
Now I know why they put the
music in that silly old cigar box.
Look out for him, Dallie.
Chou, get the rest of this fei ashore.
Leave it to Boogulroo.
He's ordered them to take
the best piece to his village.
Wait till he hears the price.
Fatumak!
Tell Boogulroo, Inifels and the others...
...they may not take the fei
until they have earned it.
I have saved many of your people...
...by bringing them here
in safety in my ship.
- They are bound in honor to repay me.
- And how must this be done?
When my ship and 10 sheds
are filled with copra...
...their debt to me will be paid.
He says you've tricked them.
Violated their way of life.
So they refuse to work?
The last word is with the
chiefs. It is for them to decide.
And Boogulroo has decided.
He's refused your terms.
I tried to tell you. I gave up 20 years ago.
Maybe you quit too soon.
You're not going to destroy it?
Of course not.
I can't understand it.
Then let me translate it for you.
Inifels has accepted the deal.
Their old way of life was forgotten.
I kept them at it round the clock.
It meant delaying my trip to Hong
Kong and my marriage to Dalabo...
... but I had to strike
while the iron was hot.
For weeks, they gathered the copra,
until the hold of my ship was filled.
How things have changed.
Wait till I get back from Hong Kong.
I built a storehouse for the fei where
all could see it while they worked.
When they're fishing, they're playing,
and especially when gathering copra.
So they'll know what they're working for.
Boogulroo may not agree with your plans.
He's calling his men to council.
Let him talk. I've got Inifels.
You'll need more than Inifels.
What will you do when the world moves in...
...to gather the harvest that you've planted?
Germany, Spain, England.
They will all want their share.
I'll handle them as they come. one by one.
Why all the presents?
They know that Dalabo will leave for
Hong Kong tonight to become Mrs. o'Keefe.
What did she say?
Oh, she says...
...you're a wonderful man.
I've got to learn this language.
Come along. The boys will
take care of your presents.
Why are you so happy?
He's thinking of what Weber will say
when the Godeffroy steamer arrives.
I wish you hadn't mentioned that.
- Why?
- Because I like it here, my darling.
Are you going to leave?
I'm going to be told to leave,
thanks to my good friend...
...who has shown what
a bad island trader I am.
- Oh, well. I suppose there's another island.
- You're not going anywhere.
Stay here and run things
for me till I get back.
- And when you get back?
- We'll tell Godeffroy to get another agent.
Fatumak, didn't I tell you
everything would work out fine?
Let us hope so.
Chou! Crack on all canvas, up anchor!
Set your course for Hong Kong.
With a fortune below decks,
we sailed north for Hong Kong.
But to me, this was only the beginning.
I was already thinking of the next
shipment, and the next, and the next.
This was a new world for Dalabo.
A child's fairyland.
But copra made it possible.
I couldn't forget that.
Two rooms connecting, away
from the racket on Queen's Road.
How would you like to sign for the
first and last time as Miss Harris?
- Where do I sign?
- Right there.
I have only a small single.
Your servants and the woman can
find quarters down the street.
I said, two rooms connecting.
I'm afraid I haven't made myself quite clear.
- The...
- only too clear.
Exactly, sir. Precisely.
Two rooms connecting.
Don't be afraid, Dallie.
I'm not afraid. I'm hungry.
A few presents for the bride.
Try this for size. I got a dozen of them.
Here. Grow a couple of inches.
This is yours too.
You can see through it.
All right, boys. Put them on the bed.
Out you go, all of you.
Sien Tang! Well, come
on in, don't stand there.
I want you to meet the future Mrs. o'Keefe.
Dallie, this is Dr. Sien Tang, my partner.
Hello.
I'm happy that fortune has smiled
upon you and my esteemed friend.
Fortune? That's not the word for it.
Try them all on, make yourself pretty.
May I say that never before in my life
have I seen such sweetness and rare...
Yes, she's a beauty.
Here's the ship's manifest. It's
loaded to the gunwales with copra.
I don't know what it's
bringing in, but you can check.
I already know.
- If it's the best grade, we can expect...
- It's the best.
Here's a sworn statement that our
company has established a post on Yap.
File it with the authorities.
Wonderful.
We should have our own company flag.
There it is.
Well!
Look what we've got here.
Well, show us the dress.
Oh, no, Dallie.
You've put on the negligee.
It's all right, I'll explain
it later, when we're married.
Yes, the marriage.
It will be my duty and my pleasure
to arrange for the ceremony...
...as the Hong Kong
representative of our company.
Suit yourself. As long
as it takes place tonight.
Well, Herr Weber.
You seem to be doing very well.
You don't know how well. But you'll find out.
Don't walk so fast. My high heels.
Hang on tight, Dallie. Here we go.
Merely the beginning of the wedding
ceremony. Does it please you?
Yes, but will it end before the night's over?
To be sure.
My key, quick.
Out you go.
Had there been more time, the ceremony
would have been more elaborate.
- Under the circumstances...
- It was wonderful.
Get the ship ready. I want
to sail on tomorrow's tide.
We'll have to make it an ocean honeymoon.
To be sure. There is so much to be done.
Sien Tang's a wonderful fellow, but
I thought I'd never get rid of him.
Mrs. O'Keefe.
I was his wife now.
I had become part of the O'Keefe legend.
But was there really a place for me in it?
Fei, copra, dreams of empire,
these things were in it.
These were the things that filled his
mind on our honeymoon voyage back to Yap.
Chou!
Put over to those canoes.
It's Boogulroo. Ask him what he's doing here.
He is head chief, must earn more
fei than Inifels and the others.
He knows the winds are
unfavorable. Tell him that.
- He says he'll conquer the winds.
- He's a fool to try.
Chou!
Put her southeast and crack it on.
Boogulroo believed that only fei
gathered in the old way had any value.
In my heart, I felt he was right.
- Keep her on the south side and run close in.
- It's Alfred and Fatumak.
David. Dallie.
- It's Bully Hayes. He's burnt the villages.
- Bully Hayes?
Better go below, Dallie.
Chou!
- Go on.
- He's killed 50, 70, I don't know how many.
This time, he's after slaves.
Got Inifels and a hundred others. The
rest of them escaped into the bush.
- Where's his ship anchored?
- At the far end of the bay, round the cape.
- How many men has he got?
- Oh, 30, 40, with guns.
- Chou.
- Yes?
Arm the men. Rifles and
50 rounds of ammunition.
- Get the dory over the side.
- Yes.
- Well, move!
- Yes.
Chou. Take four men, cover that hut.
The rest, that one.
No matter what happens, don't fire till
Bully Hayes and his men make their charge.
What about you, captain?
I'm gonna pick me a few
coconuts. Now, get going.
There's the one for me.
Shut up. I don't want any talking out of you.
Hayes.
- This is the last island you'll ever sack.
- Well, if it ain't the great o'Keefe.
Send some of the crew out to Hayes' ship.
Strip his cannon.
? -Put them aboard the
Kathleen. - Yes, captain.
You men of Hayes' crew, I'm letting you go.
You're to leave this
island and never come back.
Quiet.
Men of Yap, hear me.
The defeat of Bully Hayes
will be told and retold...
...throughout the South Seas by his men.
That's why I set them free.
And each time the tale is told, the
power of this island will grow and grow.
You've seen the last of
scum like Bully Hayes...
...and pirates and slavers
will return no more.
The wisdom of a king.
A king without a crown.
Inifels acknowledges you to be the king.
He is now speaking for
the other chiefs as well.
Of all the men that left with
Boogulroo, only these have returned.
- They were caught in a hurricane.
- What's Inifels saying?
- Telling Boogulroo that you are king.
- What's Boogulroo's answer?
He says that Boogulroo has never
before missed with his spear.
He says the gods are protecting you,
therefore you must be their rightful king.
What shall be done with this man
who has dared to attack our king?
He's to be banished to
the hills with his men.
Forever.
The formalities are over.
Perhaps you would like to leave.
There is nothing left but
the dance of the maidens.
Alfred, take Mrs. o'Keefe
home. I'll come along later.
I demand to know what this is all about.
- Tell them.
- Me?
Why not? You've waited
a long time. Tell them.
As you can see, there have
been some changes made here.
The Godeffroy Company no longer has
exclusive trading rights on this island.
Did I tell them?
- Anything else?
- One thing more.
Have you confiscated the
Godeffroy Company's property?
You're a bigger fool than I thought, Weber.
I believe in free trade
and I like competition.
But know this:
As long as I'm king, no other
flag will fly above this island.
Chou, let's go see how much
copra we've got in our sheds.
So long, boys, enjoy yourselves.
Very well. If he wants
competition, I shall give it to him.
At Palau, where he gets his fei.
I will remain here with Friedlander.
Wait.
This belongs to you.
And now, get out.
Fatumak tells me that Weber left
to take over Palau. Is that right?
- Yes.
- Tell Inifels I want 50 of his warriors.
- We leave for Palau immediately.
- Yes, captain.
Why didn't you tell me he left?
Because I didn't want you to go.
Not with Brenner and
Friedlander still on the island.
If Weber grabs Palau, he can
keep me from getting any more fei.
What difference? David,
why don't you stay here?
We've more than enough
to make everyone happy.
There's a million dollars in copra
on this island. I intend to get it.
- But, David...
- I'll be back in two days.
If Brenner gives you trouble, run him off.
- David, please...
- Alfred.
Don't you know better than to stop
Captain o'Keefe when he's after money?
Kakofel returned this. You'd
better take it with you.
There goes our fish, off for Palau.
Herr Weber will not be at Palau.
- But...
- Where are the rifles?
Come, I will show you.
And tell him I will give
him many of these rifles.
They are strong magic.
They will help him regain
his position as head chief.
- Who is he?
- One of Inifels' men.
We must have been followed from the village.
He wants to know what you want in return.
Only as much copra as he wishes to give me.
You will have your answer tomorrow night.
Boogulroo!
Chou, the German flag is
flying over my fei bank.
That's why Weber tricked us off to Palau.
Stand by the halyards.
Hold it!
O'Keefe, in the name of
his imperial majesty...
...I place you under arrest.
Throw down your arms.
Dallie!
- Boogulroo.
- It's all right, Alfred.
We've driven them back.
Don't blame Boogulroo.
It isn't his fault.
I'll kill him and every one of his...
He's dead.
That shouldn't stop His Majesty o'Keefe.
Where did I go wrong, old man?
We all lose our way sometimes.
Where did I go wrong?
The whale that swallows
the dolphin chokes and dies.
But the whale who lives without greed...
...is king of the sea.
What shall I do?
When Bully Hayes came to this island...
...you saved our people.
But only for copra.
You are our king.
Weber. He landed at the far end
of the island with 60 marines.
We can't hold Boogulroo now.
Shall we...? Shall we get
aboard and make sail, captain?
Fatumak, send for Boogulroo.
Tell him I have asked for a truce.
He will take that as a sign of weakness.
I will meet him on the beach
where the fei is stored.
- What of Inifels?
- Tell him the same.
Better get your men aboard the Kathleen.
She's yours if you want to leave.
I will stay.
Fatumak!
Tell Boogulroo and Inifels...
...I talked with Herr Tetens,
their friend, before he died.
He taught me that a
people divided cannot live.
They must no longer be divided.
They must decide between
themselves and choose a new king.
- And what of you?
- I will not be here.
Herr Weber will see to that.
He will take me to Germany. I will
answer for the death of an officer.
They will demand your life.
Who knows?
Chou will see that you get to Hong
Kong. Sien Tang will provide for you.
They have made no decision.
When you are gone, the people
will still be divided...
...because of the fei.
Chou!
Clever, Captain o'Keefe.
That's right, Weber. I'm leaving
this island as I found it.
Fatumak, tell the people
that Boogulroo was right.
Only fei gathered in the
old way has any value.
Well, at least I will have the
satisfaction of watching you hang.
Our chiefs say, "Where are
you going with our king?"
Very well, Your Majesty.
- But I may return.
- We'll be waiting.
The South Seas, 1870.
Center of the coconut and copra trade.
Sleepy islands suddenly became
prizes in a great international race.
For weeks, I'd driven south.
And now there was mutiny.
My crew, the sweepings of
the Hong Kong gutters...
... wanted to turn back.
Four days without sleep.
The sea kills more slowly than a bullet.
But my luck held.
On this tiny island began the legend,
the true legend, of David Dion O'Keefe.
But I was not the first white man there.
I am Alfred Tetens...
...agent of the Godeffroy
Company, Hamburg, Germany.
The island had an odd name, Yap...
... but there was nothing
odd about what I saw.
From that moment, Yap meant
coconuts. And coconuts meant copra.
Copra, the dried meat of the coconut...
... from which an oil could be
extracted worth its weight in gold.
For all you've done.
You have nothing that he wants.
Thank you.
In fact, you have nothing
that any of these people want.
Interesting, eh?
There must be a million dollars
in copra hanging on those trees.
Yes, all of that.
The German flag protected the
Godeffroy Trading Company...
... from all competition.
So you drove your crew to mutiny...
...for copra.
Sometimes it's a little hard to get.
And you were willing to die to get it?
What are you trying to prove?
Money, power...
...this driving ambition to reach the top.
Has it ever occurred to you
that everyone cannot be a king?
Why not?
I doubt if I could make you understand.
My grandfather spent his entire life,
founded a new school of philosophy...
...in an effort to teach this
single truth to you barbarians.
Seventy wasted years.
Johann Nicolai Tetens?
- You have read it?
- Enough to disagree with him.
No matter.
You shall learn to agree.
Learn to believe.
I have a complete collection of his works.
Forty-seven volumes.
My favorite is his dissertation...
...on the relationship of
man with the lower animals.
Why do I continue to live
on this miserable island?
What's wrong?
Boogulroo, the head chief, has
decided to see me for a few moments.
Tomorrow I shall get my consignment of copra.
Coconuts into copra.
Sometimes I wish they'd never discovered
how to take the oil out of the things.
The world might be a
better place without copra.
How much copra do you have in your sheds now?
Five tons.
If I'm lucky, I may have 7
when the company steamer calls.
Seven tons?
Why, there must be a thousand
on this end of the island alone.
On the trees, ja.
Suppose we make a deal.
I'll act as your foreman.
You give me $5 for every ton
of copra I put in your sheds.
I'll need some money when I get to Hong Kong.
I'll do better than that.
- I'll pay you $ 10 a ton.
- It's a deal.
Fine. Well, make yourself at home.
I will leave this volume for your
perusal while I see Boogulroo.
Herr Tetens, can I borrow your razor?
Of course. You'll find it in the other room.
Thanks.
She's all dressed up today. She
must have found herself a man.
These are just about ready to harvest.
Don't do that.
Why not?
This is fei, their sacred stone.
It should not be used as a nutcracker.
They leave it here untouched,
and you should do the same.
It is good to see you looking so well.
You speak English.
Thanks to my good friend, Herr Tetens.
Fatumak, our medicine man,
has many accomplishments.
He even makes rain during the rainy season.
Come.
Who's that?
Inifels, one of the chiefs of the island.
There is a man.
A very great man, Boogulroo.
The head chief of the island.
Boogulroo has just challenged
me to personal combat.
You?
I am the lone outlander here.
What did you say?
I have conceded that
Boogulroo is the head chief...
...and that I am here on sufferance.
In other words, I have gracefully
refused his challenge, as I do every year.
Accept it. In my name.
- But...
- Maybe I'll get a few coconuts.
Boogulroo says you are a great warrior.
He asks, what favor can he do for you?
Tell him I'd like a hundred
men at the coconut grove...
...in front of Herr Tetens'
house tomorrow morning.
- Shall we start the show?
- Whenever you're ready.
Boogulroo.
That music box came from the
home of Johann Nicolai Tetens.
You wanted copra.
Inifels, this is for you.
Fatumak, all these are theirs too.
In return, I will expect them
to fill our sheds with copra.
I will tell them.
That means another 100 tons by
the time the steamer arrives.
I suppose it's all in
knowing how to handle them.
Your gifts have been returned.
I should have told you this
before, it wasn't fair of me.
But after 20 years of frustration, I
wanted you to have just a taste of it.
Thanks.
Perhaps, my good friend,
you can now understand...
...why there's only 5
tons of copra in my sheds.
There's nothing the world can
offer that these people want.
There must be some way to make them work.
Bribery has been tried, it failed.
Force has been tried, it failed.
And now the great o'Keefe
has tried, he has failed.
Fei! Fei! Fei!
What's that all about?
The men who went to quarry
the fei have returned.
Fei! Fei! Fei!
Forty strong men left this
island. Ten have returned.
They travel to the quarries
in those frail canoes...
...across the open sea 250 miles from here.
I don't understand it.
You offer them a fortune for a few
coconuts and they refuse to work...
...yet they go out and kill
themselves for six pieces of stone.
I give up.
I thought you would.
I did 20 years ago.
In six weeks, the Godeffroy steamer arrived.
It would take me off the island.
Is the last of the copra aboard the steamer?
Just about.
And is Herr Weber and that other
representative of the Godeffroy Company...
...gathering up the last few crumbs?
- They're both down at the shed.
- Well, shall we go?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I thought I gave you five gold pieces.
- And underpaid you, at that.
- You gave me five.
And you were more than generous.
I shall be sorry to see you go, captain...
...but it will be a pleasure to
rid the island of Herr Weber...
...and that Prussian assistant of his.
At least you won't have
to see them for a year.
Would that it were 10 years.
Herr Weber.
We were just talking about you.
- Something pleasant, I suppose.
- Ready, Herr Weber.
Is the last of the copra loaded?
All 12 tons.
Not enough to make our visit here worthwhile.
You're right.
Were it not that England or
Spain would take this island...
...I would insist that the
company close the trading post.
You do that and I'll move in.
Don't be a fool.
Come along, Friedlander.
Do you really mean you'd move in?
I just didn't want them to
pick on a friend of mine.
Goodbye, Fatumak. Thank you for everything.
There are no goodbyes between friends.
This is the whale's tooth of remembrance.
Until we meet again.
I can't take this from you, Alfred.
Oh, I'm not giving it to you.
I'm only lending it to you.
Ready.
He will be back.
Ready?
Sure, I'd be back.
There had to be a way to
make these people work.
The Godeffroy steamer
brought me to Hong Kong...
... the key port of the copra trade.
A place where I was not unknown.
- Fits you quite well, captain.
- Couldn't be better.
Here is your change, sir.
What about your clothes, sir?
Burn them.
No, wait.
I wanna buy the Malayan Queen.
She's up for sale at ?30,000.
Let me understand you.
You want the South China
Bank to advance you ?30,000...
...for the purpose of
buying the Malayan Queen?
- That's right.
- Against what security?
These. Plus my reputation.
But, captain, things aren't done this way.
It simply isn't banking.
Why not?
I could never explain it to my stockholders.
It'd cost me my job.
Beldon, I'll tell you what you do.
You keep your job.
You retain ownership of the Malayan
Queen till she's paid in full.
Until then, she's your ship.
I can't run away with her.
The Godeffroy Company can.
And the Spanish Trading
Company, don't forget them.
They're not going to let an independent
trader cut into their territories.
- How will they stop me?
- With guns.
Let me take the ship this week.
Repairs can wait till I
bring my first load of copra.
- And I'll take 25 percent for my end.
- Sorry, no deal.
Wait, captain.
I do have a proposition that
may be of interest to you.
The Spanish Trading Company
intends to plant our flag...
...on some of the key
islands of the South Pacific.
The Germans have had the field long enough.
They may give you an argument.
We have the man who can take care of that.
The most feared man in the South Pacific.
Bully Hayes. You know Captain Hayes?
We've met.
Hello, Bully.
- So you want a ship.
- I want a ship.
- What have you got to offer?
- Copra.
From Yap?
Nice little island, ain't it?
Lots of coconuts on the trees.
Lots of natives with strong
backs sitting in the shade.
How you gonna get them to work?
- Let's talk about the ship.
- Let's talk about the natives.
That island's good for just
one thing: slaves, not copra.
If you want a ship from
me, there's your cargo.
I want a ship, but I'll name the cargo.
Not in my territory.
Your territory?
Not yet, Bully, not yet.
Spread the word around, o'Keefe.
Nobody's going down there but me.
Go beg yourself a rowboat.
Does the captain's tooth hurt?
No, it feels just great.
Dr. Sien Tang is a graduate of the
Peking College of Dental Surgery.
He is also my uncle. Come,
I shall take you to him.
Come, captain.
Now we may proceed to rebuild the tooth.
You would like gold, I presume?
How much?
One pound. The most
reasonable in all Hong Kong.
What else?
Tin will cost you 13 shillings.
Not as durable or
decorative, but satisfactory.
Tin, and drive it in to last.
Such bravery, admiral. Tin.
How wonderful to be a seafaring adventurer.
To cross the vast oceans and
visit distant corners of the globe.
Get on with the tooth.
Unfortunately for me, the ocean
is merely a sea of misty dreams.
Besides, I get seasick. Do you?
- No.
- I knew it.
You're the man of action.
I, the man of dreams.
Joined, we could be powerful.
- What are you talking about?
- I have a ship of some 70 tons.
She rides at anchor in the roadstead. There.
You can see her from here.
A magnificent ship.
Once the pride of Kao Chung, the
most notorious pirate in all China.
Which one?
The Cochin China junk, just
astern of the large ship.
You call that a ship?
A few strokes of paint, a pot
of tar and she'll be a fine ship.
Your ship.
- What's your offer?
- I will furnish crew and supplies.
- And we'll divide the profits between us.
- How do you know you can trust me?
Who is there in Hong Kong that
would not trust Captain o'Keefe?
A few bankers.
Men of little vision.
I have invaluable pearling charts.
Pearls?
Not interested.
Why do you suppose I want my own ship?
I know where there's a million
dollars in copra. I'm going to get it.
Then by all means gather it.
I'll form a company and...
No, the large companies will not
permit you to cut into their trade.
But, uncle, this is Captain o'Keefe.
- Worried about Godeffroy?
- Not only Godeffroy.
Bully Hayes is sailing for
the Spanish Trading Company.
And no one can stand up to Hayes.
Men of little vision. Fix the tooth.
Don't be hasty, captain.
I will accept your condition.
Sien Tang, you've got yourself a partner.
Get my hat.
And I've got myself a mate.
Out of Hong Kong and south toward Yap...
... but the wind dropped down to a whisper.
Again, the old story: no food and
the water going sour in the casks.
This time I couldn't afford a mutiny.
We put into a strange island for provisions.
Don't play. You've been
howling for fresh water.
Get the casks and let's get under way.
- All secured, captain.
- Every man got his rifle?
- Yes, captain.
- Let's get under way.
Give me those mirrors.
Cover me.
Who's that big fella chief?
These boys aren't as tough as they
look. Get me those water casks.
Haul away!
Throw us a line, get under way!
Yap seemed farther away than ever.
Still no supplies, and
my wound getting feverish.
We were forced to try another island.
Captain David o'Keefe at your service.
Welcome to Palau.
I'm Bart Harris, trader in
chief for Carruther and Sons.
My crew and I could use your help.
You look as though you need
it. Come into the house.
- I have some men aboard...
- of course.
Send a canoe-load of food
and water out to the ship.
Lend a hand. The captain needs help.
I'm afraid I haven't been a
very satisfactory host, captain.
Far from it.
Thanks to you and your daughter,
I've begun to feel human again.
You were a sorry-looking bloke when you
rolled in here with that ramshackle junk.
Careful, woman. Nicked me chin.
I'll never know how you got this
far with that slant-eyed crew.
The Kathleen's a tough little ship.
And don't underestimate my crew.
They saved my life in a scrape.
Dallie, what are you up to?
"Lancelot and Elaine."
The Idylls of the King.
Go ahead, Dalabo, read.
"High in her chamber,
up a tower to the east...
...guarded..."
Dalabo has a bit of trouble with her words.
I taught her.
Let me see it.
"Up a tower to the east, guarded..."
"The sacred shield of Lancelot...
...which first she placed where
morning's earliest ray might strike it...
...and awaken her with the gleam."
There are so many words I don't understand.
Perhaps we'd better go over it, page by page.
"And the new sun rose,
bringing the new year."
And so King Arthur died.
I wish he hadn't.
Never mind, we can go back
to the beginning again.
I'm afraid we haven't got
time for another reading.
- I'll be leaving tomorrow.
- Why?
I have work to do. I have to
bring in the copra to get money.
Is it so important?
Men will kill to get it, Dallie.
Steal, drive other men to their deaths.
It's so important that nations
will go to war to get their share.
- Or more than their share.
- Why?
Because out of the meat of this silly
- looking coconut...
...men grind an oil that's
worth its weight in gold.
And I mean to get my
share of that gold, Dallie.
What are you going to buy with it?
Whatever it is, you'll get it.
He's a lonely man, Dallie. You must
have seen things like that before.
Yes, but...
We bring in the baby fish from the
ocean and put them in these little pools.
So they grow and we can
have fish whenever we like.
Don't be so proud. We have
the same thing in Savannah.
Savannah. Your home?
In America.
I'm going to America when I get married.
- When does this happen?
- Oh, I don't know.
Papa says I mustn't wait much
longer because I'm 17 already.
You are getting old. Who
are you going to marry?
I don't know that either, but
Papa says he'll arrange that.
I see. You have anybody in mind?
Well, I've thought about a
planter, but they just plant.
Why don't you marry a
captain? You can see the world.
Yes, I think I'll do that.
What happens when you get married?
Well, you get a lot of beautiful presents,
lovely clothes and things like that.
And the groom, he stands
around looking silly.
And then?
And then you have the ceremony...
...and then everybody gets
to dance with the bride.
What's the matter? Doesn't
that sound exciting?
I can't dance.
Well, we can't let you turn
into an old maid because of that.
- I'll teach you to dance.
- Show me.
Show me.
Give me your hand. No, this
one. Put your arm around me.
Higher.
You can't dance without music.
I have a book about it.
I'll bring it tomorrow.
Let's get it now.
Come on.
What a beautiful ship.
Queen of the Pacific.
Once the pride of Kao Chung,
number one pirate of the China Sea.
- The natives think you're a pirate.
- They do?
- Do you think that?
- Oh, no.
You're much different from the
other sailors who come to Palau.
How am I different?
You're a gentleman.
She's very strange.
Well, I've never been
aboard a pirate ship before.
Have a look around. I'll get your book.
Here it is. A real authority.
A description of the dancing
at President Lincoln's wedding.
Oh, music!
Now we can dance.
Oh, it stopped.
How does it play?
Let me do it.
I'm sorry, Dallie.
I'll take you home.
Walk down to the water.
Walk out to your waist.
- Why am I being killed?
- I'm an old South Sea hand, o'Keefe.
I've taken women aboard ships myself.
You're wrong, Harris. I wanna marry her.
To save your life.
If that's what you think,
you better pull that trigger.
- You do love her.
- And I'll make her a good husband.
Be good to her.
I've talked with your father, Dallie.
He's consented to our marriage.
I love you, Dallie.
Will you come with me?
If it's my father's wish.
You don't love me?
I don't know.
I can understand that.
But you, in turn, must
understand something about love.
It isn't always like a little spark
that bursts into a great flame.
Very often, love grows slowly, and
that's the very best kind of love.
I'll go with you.
- Dallie.
- That's the quarry.
The men from Yap.
Yes, they're very strange.
When the winds are right, they come
here to quarry these round stones.
Could this be the key for
which I had been looking?
The place where fei was quarried.
The stone that was worshiped on Yap.
Dallie, you can't understand,
but the whole world belongs to us.
Come along.
The man who saved my life.
The whale's tooth has brought
two friends together again.
I knew it would. What are you doing here?
The winds were favorable and
we have come to gather the fei.
How long will you be?
Oh, many weeks.
The stone is hard and our tools are poor.
The best were lost in a storm at sea.
But with what we have,
we will finish the work.
Perhaps I can help you.
In fact, I know I can help you.
Come, Dallie.
Got enough powder?
More than I like to carry.
Get it into the boat and let's get under way.
Shove off!
All clear!
All clear!
All clear!
With the powder and these tools, you
can do three weeks' work in hours.
You are truly a friend.
Let's see you work.
The O'Keefe luck was riding high.
First to Yap, to deliver
the shipload of fei...
... and then to Hong Kong...
... to marry Dalabo in style.
This fei, there's so much of it.
A gesture of friendship.
Does it surprise you?
Surprise is hardly the word for it.
- I may have one or two more.
- From you, I can expect anything.
- No matter. So you came back?
- I had to.
- I had to return your music box.
- My music box?
Dallie.
That wasn't all you brought back, eh?
Herr Tetens...
...may I present the future Mrs. o'Keefe.
No, my darling.
Now I know why they put the
music in that silly old cigar box.
Look out for him, Dallie.
Chou, get the rest of this fei ashore.
Leave it to Boogulroo.
He's ordered them to take
the best piece to his village.
Wait till he hears the price.
Fatumak!
Tell Boogulroo, Inifels and the others...
...they may not take the fei
until they have earned it.
I have saved many of your people...
...by bringing them here
in safety in my ship.
- They are bound in honor to repay me.
- And how must this be done?
When my ship and 10 sheds
are filled with copra...
...their debt to me will be paid.
He says you've tricked them.
Violated their way of life.
So they refuse to work?
The last word is with the
chiefs. It is for them to decide.
And Boogulroo has decided.
He's refused your terms.
I tried to tell you. I gave up 20 years ago.
Maybe you quit too soon.
You're not going to destroy it?
Of course not.
I can't understand it.
Then let me translate it for you.
Inifels has accepted the deal.
Their old way of life was forgotten.
I kept them at it round the clock.
It meant delaying my trip to Hong
Kong and my marriage to Dalabo...
... but I had to strike
while the iron was hot.
For weeks, they gathered the copra,
until the hold of my ship was filled.
How things have changed.
Wait till I get back from Hong Kong.
I built a storehouse for the fei where
all could see it while they worked.
When they're fishing, they're playing,
and especially when gathering copra.
So they'll know what they're working for.
Boogulroo may not agree with your plans.
He's calling his men to council.
Let him talk. I've got Inifels.
You'll need more than Inifels.
What will you do when the world moves in...
...to gather the harvest that you've planted?
Germany, Spain, England.
They will all want their share.
I'll handle them as they come. one by one.
Why all the presents?
They know that Dalabo will leave for
Hong Kong tonight to become Mrs. o'Keefe.
What did she say?
Oh, she says...
...you're a wonderful man.
I've got to learn this language.
Come along. The boys will
take care of your presents.
Why are you so happy?
He's thinking of what Weber will say
when the Godeffroy steamer arrives.
I wish you hadn't mentioned that.
- Why?
- Because I like it here, my darling.
Are you going to leave?
I'm going to be told to leave,
thanks to my good friend...
...who has shown what
a bad island trader I am.
- Oh, well. I suppose there's another island.
- You're not going anywhere.
Stay here and run things
for me till I get back.
- And when you get back?
- We'll tell Godeffroy to get another agent.
Fatumak, didn't I tell you
everything would work out fine?
Let us hope so.
Chou! Crack on all canvas, up anchor!
Set your course for Hong Kong.
With a fortune below decks,
we sailed north for Hong Kong.
But to me, this was only the beginning.
I was already thinking of the next
shipment, and the next, and the next.
This was a new world for Dalabo.
A child's fairyland.
But copra made it possible.
I couldn't forget that.
Two rooms connecting, away
from the racket on Queen's Road.
How would you like to sign for the
first and last time as Miss Harris?
- Where do I sign?
- Right there.
I have only a small single.
Your servants and the woman can
find quarters down the street.
I said, two rooms connecting.
I'm afraid I haven't made myself quite clear.
- The...
- only too clear.
Exactly, sir. Precisely.
Two rooms connecting.
Don't be afraid, Dallie.
I'm not afraid. I'm hungry.
A few presents for the bride.
Try this for size. I got a dozen of them.
Here. Grow a couple of inches.
This is yours too.
You can see through it.
All right, boys. Put them on the bed.
Out you go, all of you.
Sien Tang! Well, come
on in, don't stand there.
I want you to meet the future Mrs. o'Keefe.
Dallie, this is Dr. Sien Tang, my partner.
Hello.
I'm happy that fortune has smiled
upon you and my esteemed friend.
Fortune? That's not the word for it.
Try them all on, make yourself pretty.
May I say that never before in my life
have I seen such sweetness and rare...
Yes, she's a beauty.
Here's the ship's manifest. It's
loaded to the gunwales with copra.
I don't know what it's
bringing in, but you can check.
I already know.
- If it's the best grade, we can expect...
- It's the best.
Here's a sworn statement that our
company has established a post on Yap.
File it with the authorities.
Wonderful.
We should have our own company flag.
There it is.
Well!
Look what we've got here.
Well, show us the dress.
Oh, no, Dallie.
You've put on the negligee.
It's all right, I'll explain
it later, when we're married.
Yes, the marriage.
It will be my duty and my pleasure
to arrange for the ceremony...
...as the Hong Kong
representative of our company.
Suit yourself. As long
as it takes place tonight.
Well, Herr Weber.
You seem to be doing very well.
You don't know how well. But you'll find out.
Don't walk so fast. My high heels.
Hang on tight, Dallie. Here we go.
Merely the beginning of the wedding
ceremony. Does it please you?
Yes, but will it end before the night's over?
To be sure.
My key, quick.
Out you go.
Had there been more time, the ceremony
would have been more elaborate.
- Under the circumstances...
- It was wonderful.
Get the ship ready. I want
to sail on tomorrow's tide.
We'll have to make it an ocean honeymoon.
To be sure. There is so much to be done.
Sien Tang's a wonderful fellow, but
I thought I'd never get rid of him.
Mrs. O'Keefe.
I was his wife now.
I had become part of the O'Keefe legend.
But was there really a place for me in it?
Fei, copra, dreams of empire,
these things were in it.
These were the things that filled his
mind on our honeymoon voyage back to Yap.
Chou!
Put over to those canoes.
It's Boogulroo. Ask him what he's doing here.
He is head chief, must earn more
fei than Inifels and the others.
He knows the winds are
unfavorable. Tell him that.
- He says he'll conquer the winds.
- He's a fool to try.
Chou!
Put her southeast and crack it on.
Boogulroo believed that only fei
gathered in the old way had any value.
In my heart, I felt he was right.
- Keep her on the south side and run close in.
- It's Alfred and Fatumak.
David. Dallie.
- It's Bully Hayes. He's burnt the villages.
- Bully Hayes?
Better go below, Dallie.
Chou!
- Go on.
- He's killed 50, 70, I don't know how many.
This time, he's after slaves.
Got Inifels and a hundred others. The
rest of them escaped into the bush.
- Where's his ship anchored?
- At the far end of the bay, round the cape.
- How many men has he got?
- Oh, 30, 40, with guns.
- Chou.
- Yes?
Arm the men. Rifles and
50 rounds of ammunition.
- Get the dory over the side.
- Yes.
- Well, move!
- Yes.
Chou. Take four men, cover that hut.
The rest, that one.
No matter what happens, don't fire till
Bully Hayes and his men make their charge.
What about you, captain?
I'm gonna pick me a few
coconuts. Now, get going.
There's the one for me.
Shut up. I don't want any talking out of you.
Hayes.
- This is the last island you'll ever sack.
- Well, if it ain't the great o'Keefe.
Send some of the crew out to Hayes' ship.
Strip his cannon.
? -Put them aboard the
Kathleen. - Yes, captain.
You men of Hayes' crew, I'm letting you go.
You're to leave this
island and never come back.
Quiet.
Men of Yap, hear me.
The defeat of Bully Hayes
will be told and retold...
...throughout the South Seas by his men.
That's why I set them free.
And each time the tale is told, the
power of this island will grow and grow.
You've seen the last of
scum like Bully Hayes...
...and pirates and slavers
will return no more.
The wisdom of a king.
A king without a crown.
Inifels acknowledges you to be the king.
He is now speaking for
the other chiefs as well.
Of all the men that left with
Boogulroo, only these have returned.
- They were caught in a hurricane.
- What's Inifels saying?
- Telling Boogulroo that you are king.
- What's Boogulroo's answer?
He says that Boogulroo has never
before missed with his spear.
He says the gods are protecting you,
therefore you must be their rightful king.
What shall be done with this man
who has dared to attack our king?
He's to be banished to
the hills with his men.
Forever.
The formalities are over.
Perhaps you would like to leave.
There is nothing left but
the dance of the maidens.
Alfred, take Mrs. o'Keefe
home. I'll come along later.
I demand to know what this is all about.
- Tell them.
- Me?
Why not? You've waited
a long time. Tell them.
As you can see, there have
been some changes made here.
The Godeffroy Company no longer has
exclusive trading rights on this island.
Did I tell them?
- Anything else?
- One thing more.
Have you confiscated the
Godeffroy Company's property?
You're a bigger fool than I thought, Weber.
I believe in free trade
and I like competition.
But know this:
As long as I'm king, no other
flag will fly above this island.
Chou, let's go see how much
copra we've got in our sheds.
So long, boys, enjoy yourselves.
Very well. If he wants
competition, I shall give it to him.
At Palau, where he gets his fei.
I will remain here with Friedlander.
Wait.
This belongs to you.
And now, get out.
Fatumak tells me that Weber left
to take over Palau. Is that right?
- Yes.
- Tell Inifels I want 50 of his warriors.
- We leave for Palau immediately.
- Yes, captain.
Why didn't you tell me he left?
Because I didn't want you to go.
Not with Brenner and
Friedlander still on the island.
If Weber grabs Palau, he can
keep me from getting any more fei.
What difference? David,
why don't you stay here?
We've more than enough
to make everyone happy.
There's a million dollars in copra
on this island. I intend to get it.
- But, David...
- I'll be back in two days.
If Brenner gives you trouble, run him off.
- David, please...
- Alfred.
Don't you know better than to stop
Captain o'Keefe when he's after money?
Kakofel returned this. You'd
better take it with you.
There goes our fish, off for Palau.
Herr Weber will not be at Palau.
- But...
- Where are the rifles?
Come, I will show you.
And tell him I will give
him many of these rifles.
They are strong magic.
They will help him regain
his position as head chief.
- Who is he?
- One of Inifels' men.
We must have been followed from the village.
He wants to know what you want in return.
Only as much copra as he wishes to give me.
You will have your answer tomorrow night.
Boogulroo!
Chou, the German flag is
flying over my fei bank.
That's why Weber tricked us off to Palau.
Stand by the halyards.
Hold it!
O'Keefe, in the name of
his imperial majesty...
...I place you under arrest.
Throw down your arms.
Dallie!
- Boogulroo.
- It's all right, Alfred.
We've driven them back.
Don't blame Boogulroo.
It isn't his fault.
I'll kill him and every one of his...
He's dead.
That shouldn't stop His Majesty o'Keefe.
Where did I go wrong, old man?
We all lose our way sometimes.
Where did I go wrong?
The whale that swallows
the dolphin chokes and dies.
But the whale who lives without greed...
...is king of the sea.
What shall I do?
When Bully Hayes came to this island...
...you saved our people.
But only for copra.
You are our king.
Weber. He landed at the far end
of the island with 60 marines.
We can't hold Boogulroo now.
Shall we...? Shall we get
aboard and make sail, captain?
Fatumak, send for Boogulroo.
Tell him I have asked for a truce.
He will take that as a sign of weakness.
I will meet him on the beach
where the fei is stored.
- What of Inifels?
- Tell him the same.
Better get your men aboard the Kathleen.
She's yours if you want to leave.
I will stay.
Fatumak!
Tell Boogulroo and Inifels...
...I talked with Herr Tetens,
their friend, before he died.
He taught me that a
people divided cannot live.
They must no longer be divided.
They must decide between
themselves and choose a new king.
- And what of you?
- I will not be here.
Herr Weber will see to that.
He will take me to Germany. I will
answer for the death of an officer.
They will demand your life.
Who knows?
Chou will see that you get to Hong
Kong. Sien Tang will provide for you.
They have made no decision.
When you are gone, the people
will still be divided...
...because of the fei.
Chou!
Clever, Captain o'Keefe.
That's right, Weber. I'm leaving
this island as I found it.
Fatumak, tell the people
that Boogulroo was right.
Only fei gathered in the
old way has any value.
Well, at least I will have the
satisfaction of watching you hang.
Our chiefs say, "Where are
you going with our king?"
Very well, Your Majesty.
- But I may return.
- We'll be waiting.