(upbeat punchy electronic music)
(cheery orchestral music)
(light orchestral xylophone music)
- On guard, Francisco!
(sword scraping)
(swords clangouring)
(sword clattering)
(clapping)
- Yes, yes, you won again, Martin.
- That's right.
You know, brother, you should understand
the important thing in fencing isn't sheer strength
but good balance and speed and skill.
- Portside, look!
- Huh?
- Looks like a fortress.
- That's the Fortress of St. George of Mina.
The Portuguese built it.
In fact, they just completed it.
- Do you think way out here they can spot us?
- [Martin] Oh, they can see us, all right,
but they don't know we're Spanish.
There's no flag on our mast.
Anyway, the Pinto's a very fast ship;
they'd never catch us if they tried.
- What's that ship?
A caravel, but not flying colors!
- Yeah, there are no markings on her side, either.
- Are they Spanish, you think?
- Nah, they wouldn't dare.
Must be a Portuguese merchant ship.
She's heading south.
- Over there!
(bird squawking)
(metal chinking)
The native people usually hide from us.
But they're honest, you'll see.
(heavy footsteps clopping)
(metal chinking)
(tusks clacking)
(bird squawking)
Head out to sea.
This'd be a bad time for us to be spotted by the Portuguese.
- Ship to port!
- Flying what colors?
- Can't make it out.
- They're smugglers!
Course, bear to port, all ahead.
We'll head them off.
Clear deck for action!
- Captain Hensen, Portuguese craft approaching!
- A Portuguese now about as fast as a snail,
but it is armed.
To port! All head to port!
All (mumbling), raise the sails aloft!
- That's good, stand ready.
They're in range, ready to fire.
We can't miss her.
Ready, fire!
(cannons booming)
Fire!
(cannons booming)
- [Martin] They're firing wild in all directions!
- [Francisco] You don't think we're in danger?
- Don't worry, we're safe now.
By the time they reload,
we'll be far outta range, you'll see.
- Look alive, you scurvy sons of sea dogs!
Put your backs in it, lily-livered land lubbers!
(grunting)
(cannon booming)
- Man overboard!
(laughing)
- I'll put that man in irons!
(laughing)
Put 'em in irons, everybody!
- [Sailors] Ooh.
- Now for a nice quiet trip home.
(seagulls squawking)
Here we are at Palos, brother.
It's good to be home.
I'd say our cargo of ivory must be worth 100,000 doubloons.
But, we won't pay custom duty on it.
- You're right, brother.
We'll unload the whole cargo tonight.
- All together, a toast to the best captains in Alo Velos!
- [Sailors] The best sea captains in all of Spain!
In the whole world!
(laughing)
- [Martin] Well, at dawn we set sail for Rome.
Father Perez is going to be sailing with us.
- Can I come along?
- Of course you can come.
- Yeah!
- Rome the eternal city.
Well, onto the Vatican.
- Father Juan Perez, how glad I am to see you.
I'll show you around.
But I should warn you the Vatican is a real mess these days.
We're redoing the entire basilica, and it's gonna be superb!
I've seen the architectural plans done by Bramanti
and Bueno del Teois and Michelangelo.
We're extending the library, the pope's idea.
As you can see, everything will be redone.
Have to keep up with the times.
Come, I'll show the Apostolic Vatican Library.
- Oh.
Hmm.
And just what is this, huh?
- That's the map that Paolo Toscanelli has just completed.
- Who's he?
- An astronomer who lives in Florence now.
- According to this, he says it's only 4,000 kilometers
from the Canary Islands to Asia.
You would just have to cross the ocean due west.
- That's what he says, but I'm not too sure.
Nobody's ever tried it, at least not yet.
- That reminds me of another map.
I wonder, would it be all right if I draw it?
- No problem.
- [Maestro] Meanwhile, near Madera,
a little-known island off in the Atlantic Ocean.
(waves roaring)
(groaning)
- Look, is he dead?
He was shipwrecked.
- Wonder if he's breathing.
He's alive!
(knocking on door)
- Near Columbus we just found this senor.
He was drowned unless we can save him, ma'am.
- Christopher, come!
- [Christopher] He'll be all right.
Put him on the bed.
Filipa, make that broth quick.
(groaning)
- What's your name?
- My name is Christopher Columbus.
You're in my home on Madera.
- A sailor as I am?
- Yes, I've sailed a great deal.
But you, where are you from?
- My name is Alonso Sanchez.
I piloted a ship.
I sailed far away, far away.
I sailed to where no Christian's ever been.
- [Christopher] Why don't you rest now?
You'll tell me later; just rest.
- No, no, I'll be dead very soon.
I want to tell the story.
Come closer.
- Are you sure, really, China, and Japan?
- Bring me a shock, quill, and a map.
I'll show you.
(map crinkling)
(soft choral music)
There, a terrible storm at sea, terrible fierce.
We were blown off course to the west,
seven, maybe eight leagues from the Canary Islands.
The Antilles in Asia, that's where we were.
(map crinkling)
(gasping)
- But, Sanchez!
- [Alonso] Here, take my purse.
Go on, take it.
(groaning)
Open it, open it!
Magnificent birds and gold.
Gold, 800 leagues!
(gasping)
(door creaking)
(soft choral music)
- At the time, that was over 500 years ago,
many sailors were lost at sea.
No one had any idea that America even existed.
This is how we imagined the world to be then.
Very different from what we know today.
- You see that, way back then, boy, was everybody dumb!
Didn't even know that America existed.
- You're right, they were stupid!
We know our geography a lot better than them.
- Yes, yes, but back then,
no one could simply learn about world geography.
It had to be discovered.
- And then what exactly did Columbus do?
- Bold in the knowledge of his secret,
he went to ask King Juan of Portugal
to send him on an expedition, but the king refused.
Columbus' brother, Bartholomew, went to see
King Henry VII of England with no better success.
Then he went to plead his case before Charles VIII of France
and his sister, Ann of Bourgeois.
But they were occupied with a war.
Columbus then tried his luck with the rulers of Spain,
Ferdinand and Isabella.
- Now, sir, your plan's quite an audacious one.
We shall have it examined by the scholars
of the University of Salamanca,
and his grace Bishop of Avila will preside over the--
- You want to go east by sailing to the west,
but no one has ever proven that the Earth is round.
- The ocean is much too vast for any ship ever to cross it.
- And St. Augustine himself denied
the very existence of the Antipodes!
- Nobody would be able to walk with
their feet on top and head at the bottom!
- Since the world was created we have explored
all the land that exists and their discoveries.
Come now.
- [Scholar] In short, we have decided that your project
is not a realistic one.
- All catholic kings will be so informed.
- "An unrealistic project!
"Your request is quite unacceptable!"
They told me I was mad, almost!
Father, I have seen those Indians with my own eyes!
And that's not all!
I'll show you.
Look at this.
Take a look, father, I brought this back, look.
Those Indians are there, just waiting for us.
They're waiting!
Now's the time to save their immortal souls.
Father, we have to!
- Yeah, there really is all them idiots at court.
I was once the queen's confessor.
I am welcome still at the palace.
We shall see what we shall see.
(upbeat suspenseful music)
(horse hooves clopping) (carriage wheels bumping)
- And in accordance with their majesties' decree,
the people of the City of Palos will provide
and equip two seaworthy ships and make them available
to Senor Columbus, here present.
To be accomplished within a period of 10 days.
(trumpet blowing)
- Two ships?
Why can't he get his own?
No, we supply him.
- Why do we have to give two ships up?
- Around here there ain't no ships. (chuckling)
Unless he wants that one over there.
(laughing)
- Yeah, well I wouldn't ship on his voyage.
- Here nobody would.
It's crazy!
- Oh, no, no, no.
- (mumbling) Martin?
- [Christopher] Here's my project.
Look at this map made by Toscanneli Senor Pinzon.
- [Martin] Oh, I know this map; I have the same one!
- Well, this one was drawn by--
- Behaim!
Martin Behaim, like this one here.
- Oh, it is!
Le Magomundi, Picture of the World
by Cardinal Pierre Veuillot!
It confirms the belief that we can sail the oceans.
They're navigable.
- They are!
That's exactly what Aristotle said!
- And we can divide the world into 24 sections of longitude.
That's 24 hours.
Each hour covers 15 degrees, 57 miles!
Which totals 20,000 miles circumference.
- Even more!
- I've heard you're a very good sailor.
I'm now in possession of information, it's secret,
but there's a fortune waiting there.
We could share it, take equally just like two brothers.
- In that case, I agree.
I'm ready to participate in this adventure all the way!
Don't worry, I'll muster the crews.
I know every sailor here.
I can tell the good ones from the bad ones.
(footsteps clopping)
They're good seamen, those two.
You suppose I can have them?
- No, you can't.
These two are prisoners of the Holy Inquisition.
They are conversals, Jews, promised to the fire of God!
This bunch you can take.
They're all cutthroats and thieves.
Good for nothing but the gallows.
Take 'em!
- Hmm.
Well, you lads, what do you say?
The air and the food will be much better aboard ship.
And, even more important, remember, when you return,
if you return, naturally, you will be pardoned,
and you won't have to serve your sentences.
Well?
- [Sailor] All right,
but never with that foreigner, Columbus.
We won't sail with that one.
- He wants to sail to a place nobody's ever been
or ever returned from!
- Yes, traveler's have come back!
And besides, haven't you heard
about the traveler Marco Polo?
He, too, said there was gold there.
There's so much they make whole cities of gold!
Great domes in solid gold, do you realize?
And you won't be sailing with Columbus, the foreigner;
you'll sail with us, the Pinzons, in our ships.
We will pay you.
- Well, that's different.
- All right, Pinzons, I can't go wrong.
- He's right.
(woodwind music)
- [Martin] We've arms and munitions.
I was lucky I was able to buy good weapons.
(chains chinking)
- Take 'em all, captain.
Hope it's the last I see of 'em.
- When you do see them again they will all be free men.
You can send these men on the most dangerous mission.
It was the price of our liberating them.
Louie, I wanna talk to you, come here.
- Captain Pinzon.
- This one is Louie Torres.
The man's a bandit, but he's often very useful.
He can cook and turn the hourglass and call the time,
keep account of distance travel, and speaks five languages.
- Which languages do you speak, Louie?
- Well, Portuguese, Arab, Greek, Hebrew, Aramain,
better to serve your excellency.
- But we're going to India and to China.
- Don't worry, I'll pick up Chinese. (chuckling)
(optimistic percussive music)
- We're ready, we can go.
To the glory of God, cast off!
(women grunting)
(women shouting)
- [Christopher] Hey, that hurts!
(chuckling)
(seagulls squawking)
- [Martin] Take in the risen sail!
- [Sailors] Risen sail, risen sail, risen sail!
- [Martin] That will reduce our speed.
The Santa Maria is a slow ship.
We'll spend the whole voyage waiting
for Columbus in the Santa Maria.
Look here, Francisco,
there's grass growing down in the water.
Quickly, go and get Escoria.
- You wanted to see me?
- Yes.
You see the grass growing there?
- Yeah, looks like grass.
- I wanna know how deep it is.
Dive in, and find out.
- Me?
- You.
Was a condition of being given your freedom.
- Yeah, but that's really deep.
There could be some kind of sea monster, maybe.
- Uh huh.
Take this weight, and jump over.
That's an order.
(water splashing)
There was a monster!
(groaning)
Well?
- Five or six arm spans or so.
- Good work!
When you return you'll be a free man, no prison.
- Yeah, if we return.
(somber bass drums booming)
- The men won't take more, admiral.
And, last night again I caught them all plotting.
Truth is, they just wanna go home.
Now they're desperate.
They'd like to throw you overboard, and sail home.
They'd say you fell in the sea, an accident.
- I understand their complaints, father.
I may have pushed them too far.
Perhaps I'm too hard.
And there, this Martin Pinzon, he takes himself
for the master of our expedition now.
Yes, I know, if we're sailing today
it's largely because of him.
But I am admiral of this fleet.
I will speak to the crews.
You see this seaweed?
You know what it means; it means we are nearing our goal,
and soon all of you are going to get rich!
Gold, mountains of gold!
And to whet your appetites to spur your enthusiasm,
to the first man who sights land I'll give a prize
amounting to 10,000 doubloons!
10,000, what do you think of that?
- That's good!
- Look, Providence is with us, men!
With God's wind we sail!
Be ready to unfurl sails!
- [Lookout] All hands at your stations!
(wind gusting)
(waves roaring)
- Ah!
(grunting)
- Captain, our last barrel of water's broken.
Most of our provisions are soaking!
- Hoist the mainsail!
We'd better search for the other ships.
I'll go below, and have a look.
(water sploshing)
- On the horizon, another ship!
- Rats for sale, 10 doubloons apiece!
Who wants 'em?
(sailors clamoring)
- The captain don't know how to sail a ship.
- It's that Columbus.
He's a foreigner.
He knows nothing!
- Closed up in his cabin,
studying a lot of charts and things.
- I say let's get him!
- I am still the captain of this ship.
Notary, write down each and every name.
At the smallest hint of any trouble,
they'll be hanged from the highest yardarm!
Is that understood?
- The ship's not making any headway.
- We have to wait, but if it goes on too long,
we might have a mutiny on our hands.
When we can, we'll visit Columbus on the flagship.
- [Sailor] Bleh!
The food's rotten, worse than rotten.
Things aren't getting any better.
We're going noplace!
- [Sailor] That's right, we're stuck, becall!
- It's that Columbus.
The man's no captain.
What good is he?
- And what if he just fell overboard one night?
- Watch it, guys, the Pinta's coming alongside.
- Look alive, men.
No violence, understand?
- Every one of us wants to go home now.
- We don't even know where we're going!
- We're going noplace, no movement!
- Your friend, Captain Columbus, he knows nothing!
- All right, stay calm.
I'll have a talk with him.
Columbus, the men won't take anymore.
It's been a whole month at sea.
This land of yours, where is it?
- Surely you're not like those men,
so I recommend a little calm, captain.
- You continue to deceive us regarding
the distance we have traveled.
I am certain we have come more than 700 leagues!
That is more than the 500 you claim.
This land, where on Earth is it?
- Just a little more patience, captain.
The birds that we are seeing,
the seaweed that we saw under the ship,
all this is proof that we are very near our objective.
- You have deceived us, senor, I know.
You have no idea about a route to the Indies.
It's very clear that you made up the story
to dupe their majesties!
And we ever return, you may be sure that they will find out!
- I am admiral of this fleet, Senor Pinzon.
It's your duty to obey orders!
- You didn't talk like this before we left.
I am the captain aboard my own ship.
You are on my ship!
- [Christopher] This is insubordination!
Be careful, you risk your life, captain.
- If we go on this way, with the crews ready to mutiny
at any time, it is you who's going to die, captain!
On the first sign of wind, I suggest we set a course west,
west-southwest, admiral.
That's where your birds are coming from.
- [Christopher] No, we continue sailing our course due west!
- One thing, he is stubborn.
- Perhaps not. Look!
Isn't he changing course?
- Captain!
(boards crashing)
- What?
What's the matter?
What's got into you, Rodriguez,
waking me up in the middle of the night?
(stammering)
What I saw was land, captain!
- Ouch!
If this is another false alarm.
Better see this.
My toe!
Francisco, here, here, have a look.
It must be land.
Those lights have to be fires.
Land!
We have finally reached our goal!
- I was the first one to see land,
wasn't that right, captain?
- You were, Rodriguez, and you're entitled to the reward,
as promised: 10,000 gold doubloons!
- Hooray, 10,000!
I can buy a farm in Santa Lucia for me and my family!
We'll have cows and chickens and goats--
(laughing)
I'll ride to town on my horse!
(sailors cheering)
- Go ahead and fire a cannon to announce the good news!
(cannon booming)
Admiral, we have just sighted land!
Off the bow, straight ahead!
- [Christopher] Are you sure?
- [Martin] Yes!
- We'll see it a lot better in the morning!
- Well, Rodriguez was right.
He's earned all those doubloons.
- Earned what doubloons?
- The reward for first sighting land, as you promised.
- But captain, I was the first
to spot those flickering lights on shore.
- You're being dishonest.
(optimistic percussive music)
Well, as far as history is concerned,
we will be considered the first!
(optimistic percussive music)
- They are the people of India?
It's very strange.
Where are the cities of gold and all the robes of silk?
- Columbus thinks that we're someplace in India,
but it seems clear we're in the Antilles.
(woman cooing)
(optimistic percussive music)
(sword scraping)
- Go ahead.
- In the name of their majesties, Isabella and Ferdinand,
we take possession of all these lands.
(optimistic percussive music)
- Are you sure that's how all that really happened?
- At school we learned about Columbus discovering America,
but not about the Pinzons.
- I must admit, it does raise some interesting questions,
but you know history is rewritten with each generation.
Certain personalities are brought to the fore
and others are forgotten.
Columbus was in on the discovery of America,
but the story's not quite so simple.
For many years the Pinzon family went to court to establish
that some of the glory was rightfully theirs.
Today, in the small City of Palos in the south of Spain,
they don't have a statue to Christopher Columbus,
but rather of Martin Alonso Pinzon.
(adventuresome mysterious music)