(contemplative music playing)
(sighs heavily)
(surgical tools rattling)
(flies buzzing)
(groaning)
Kermit.
(exhales sharply)
♪
Rondon: Can you see the mist?
That's where the rapids are.
(snoring)
(dog barking)
(barking continues)
(Indian calling in distance)
Lobo.
(dog barking)
Teddy: Lobo!
(dog yelping, whining)
Lobo!
-Lobo! -(dog howls)
(dog whining)
(whimpering)
Lobo.
Rondon: Lobo!
-Lobo! -(dog whining)
Lobo!
(whining)
Lobo. Lobo.
Ah, Lobo...
Teddy: There was an Indian.
Lobo ran after him.
Same tribe again.
(speaking Portuguese)
♪
(flute playing)
♪
(Teddy snorts)
Oh...
What happened?
Coronel Rondon clearly doesn't have any easy rapport with these Indians.
(moaning)
We're all in danger.
"If it be now, 'tis not to come.
"If it be not to come, it will be now.
If it be not now, yet it will come."
"The readiness is all."
(cocks gun)
(sighs)
(Indians howling plaintively in unison)
Coronel, I must get food before we continue.
Nash is an excellent shot.
Why don't you take him along?
No, I will do this alone, but it will take a while.
With your permission, I'd like to deputize your son
to take charge of cutting through the forest.
It would be my, and I'm sure his, great honor.
(speaking Portuguese)
How much further do we have to go to get around these blasted rapids?
These rapids pass through a gorge with steep sides.
It's impossible to portage alongside the river,
so we have to hack our way around and back to the river.
It's going to take a good deal of time.
You're the lookout.
Vamos.
I bow and heed.
Lookout.
We must all look out.
(fly buzzing)
(birds calling)
(stick splashes)
(bird screeches)
(chuckles)
(distant thunder rumbling)
(thunder rumbling)
(splashing)
(groans)
That was delicious!
Tastes like catfish.
It is from the same family, no?
You map the river with such exactitude.
What do you see...
See...?
In what way, Colonel?
For this region.
The future.
I see it offering itself to Brazil.
I wish to bring civilization, education,
health, roads, industry
to this part of my country.
Fine sentiments all.
Though, in my experience, if you give a man a gun
and let him loose with three birds,
he won't kill just one and leave the other two to breed,
he'll kill them all.
Give a man an ax, he won't just cut down a few trees,
he'll cut them all down and leave nothing behind but dust.
Believe me when I say I wish this were not the case, but it is.
When civilization comes,
there will be farmers and miners
raping and killing the land
and the natives,
even as the state tries to educate them.
We come here with our ideas and they're splendid,
evolutionary ideas, but...
unless there's strong laws to protect all this,
I'm afraid...
Oh.
Listen to me.
Preaching on my high horse.
(chuckles)
Perhaps I'm talking about my own country, not yours, Cândido.
Please forgive me, bad manners.
Nothing to forgive, Colonel.
You are a great man,
and you honor us with your thoughts.
I just hope you are wrong.
(bird screeching)
(bird calling)
♪
(panting)
Teddy: "Blessed Kermit.
"Sometimes a man has no other option
"than to throw caution to the wind and roll the dice.
"I've run out of books and I am bored.
"I'm going to take my gun and give it a go.
"I don't think these rapids are as bad as they sound.
"And I'm going to ride 'em out
"before I lose that little strength I have
"thanks to that delightful fish of Rondon's.
"I've lived a good long life,
"during which I've pretty much led from the front
"and done what I wanted.
"And now here I am, perhaps towards the end,
"and I'm not changing course.
"If I make it past the rapids,
"I'll fire my rifle three times and you can all follow.
"And who knows...
"I have a feeling
"we are very close to the mouth of this river.
"This is my last chance to be a boy.
And I'm taking it."
J.P. Morgan: God damn you!
You gave me your word and he gave me his word
that he would not attack U.S. Steel, and now he has!
I was not in any way forewarned.
I have not spoken to President Taft in ages,
and I do not approve of what he's done, which is, as you say...
In other words, you're telling me you're powerless?
Currently.
Bloodied, but unbowed.
I never bow to anyone.
And that includes you.
Of course you don't, Theodore.
How's Edith? (chuckles)
Okay, well... one person.
Now, as I recall, one President Roosevelt
and a certain William Taft promised me
they would not attack U.S. Steel for being a monopoly,
and now one of them has,
and if you want a second source, ask Mr. Perkins here.
He speaks the truth.
The deal I made with you and U.S. Steel
was perfectly right, proper and reasonable
and in the best interest of the country at that time.
And I have an absolutely clean conscience about it.
♪
First, he fires almost all my cabinet,
which he swore he'd keep intact,
then he deviates from my policies, which he promised...
I was in this room when you promised
to continue absolutely unbroken the policies of President McKinley,
which you certainly did not.
Worst of all, he fires you.
Then he caves into the Senate
and weakens the protections on the parks we created.
He is more conservative than he let on.
It is starting to feel personal.
You should run against him.
You should not run against him.
Kermit: Who knows what he's going through, Father?
-He is our friend. -I think he should run.
I think it would be most amusing.
Kermit: You didn't play with his children. Me and Quentin did,
and Bill and Nellie were as nice and kind a couple as you could meet.
And you promised him and many others
that you would not seek a third term.
He wouldn't be seeking a third term.
He didn't seek his first term, it was handed to him on a plate.
It's true, I've only run for President once.
And when I made that promise, the clear implication was
that I wouldn't run for a third consecutive term.
♪
And off he goes.
It's bad form, Teedie.
You do not run against
the sitting President of your own party!
And your friend...
People across the country,
including more and more governors and senators,
are demanding that I do this!
That doesn't make it right.
I believe it is my duty.
Your duty? And have you given any thought...
to the kind of animosity you might bring upon yourself?
Yes, of course I have!
Has that ever stopped me before?
Are you saying what I think you're saying?
(door opens)
I am simply saying that your predecessor
met with an untimely end and...
dare I mention Garfield before him?
Please don't be morbid, Edie.
-I heard about the job. -What job?
The one I told you about three times already.
You got it?
I did.
Oh... Oh!
It seems so far away.
That's the idea.
With any luck, no one down there will care
one way or another about this nasty election.
I know you disapprove, Kermit,
but I was so hoping you'd join me on this journey.
I'd rather be building bridges in the worst jungles in Brazil
than have anything to do with this.
It isn't personal, Kermit.
It's funny all this compassion you have for...
Go on.
Have you no consideration for Mother?
-Have you no...? -Darling...
Have you even telephoned President Taft to tell him
why you're running against him?
No, but he will know soon enough.
I'm going to miss you, Kermit.
I really am.
And as ever, I wish you the best.
Could you connect me to the White House, please?
(knocking)
Telephone for you, sir.
It's Mr. Theodore Roosevelt.
Taft (on phone): Theodore?
Mr. President, how are you?
I'm enduring.
Hm, yes. And how is Nellie?
As you must know, she's not been well.
Yes. Yes, well...
send her my best.
At any rate, I am calling because I wanted
to speak frankly about the...
the reasoning behind my throwing my hat into the ring.
So, you feel you owe me that much?
This is not personal, Will.
But we were such good friends for so long.
We went through so much together.
I know, and that's...
Really, I have done far more as President than you acknowledge.
Not in your way. I don't have what you have.
But many good things, pushed through with care.
This running against me...
I just can't figure it out, Theodore, I just can't.
Well, I've made my opinion on a number of matters quite clear to you.
Yes, but the party and the country and the people will feel it.
It just doesn't make a lick of sense to me.
Doesn't it?
I warned you about tariff reform.
And this U.S. Steel chicanery.
Progressivism isn't just
a beer parlor slogan for me.
It's a system of belief that I intend--
Come off it, Theodore.
Please just come off it!
The party line might work elsewhere but not with me.
Now what's this about?
What's this whole godforsaken business really about?
Perhaps it's best we spoke another time.
My apologies for disturbing you.
Good night.
♪
There was a lot of ugliness all around,
and compromises and dirty deals on both sides.
How did Theodore like defeat?
Perkins: Not much.
He said the whole thing was a fraud, and many agree.
As they counted the votes, people made steamroller noises,
whistles and so on, fist fights broke out.
And after the convention, I saw him in his hotel,
in the lobby, and he looked quite crazed.
Outraged?
Yes, and I don't blame him.
Send Taft a big box of chocolates and a side of beef
and wish him luck in his second term.
It may be too early for that.
Really? Then send Wilson the same thing
and set up a friendly meeting.
No, I mean Roosevelt.
He's looking for a way to keep going.
What? How?
♪
He helped form a whole new party so he could keep on running?
Yes.
He's gonna run against Taft and Wilson,
the Republican and the Democrat?
He thinks he can win.
Don Quixote thought he could win!
He stopped by the Republican Club when I was there the other evening
and gave an impromptu speech to try to convert some of the members.
He made some very good points.
It was, in fact, a remarkable...
Performance.
Perkins: Perhaps not.
This is an addiction, George!
-Perkins: To what? -I don't know!
Applause? Adulation?
This benefits no one but him.
He'll split the Republican Party in half
and hand the Presidency to Wilson.
Perhaps.
Who's financing this Progressive Party?
I hear they're struggling.
Hah.
It would be interesting to see if he's more amenable...
now.
Of course, he wouldn't take money directly from me,
but if I were to send you up to Sagamore with a check...
he might find a way to overcome his pride...
as addicts tend to.
♪
-Teddy: How've you been, Mr. Perkins? -Very well.
I took my children to see the Grand Canyon this summer.
Ah. No longer seeking to blow the place apart, I hope?
No.
It's good to be reminded every now and then
what a great country we live in.
Now, Mr. Morgan asked me to bring something up to you.
Ah, still running errands for the great man.
As you know, I now have my own considerable fortune.
But when he asks me to do something, I oblige.
Teddy: Mm-hmm.
One hundred thousand dollars?
That is a very generous contribution.
Mr. Morgan has always been more fond of you than you think.
(chuckles)
As a cat is fond of a mouse.
He understands you're less well financed
than the other candidates, and he likes a fair fight.
What does he want in return?
-Perkins: Nothing. -Huh?
I mean, of course, we'd all like to see
less aggressive policies when it comes to business efficiency.
Nash: Aha.
There are no strings attached, Mr. Nash.
I was merely venturing to suggest
that if your candidate was less vocal about monopolies and so on,
he might have more luck raising money.
Take that to the party treasurer.
Make sure it is entered into the ledger
as a contribution to the party.
♪
(groaning)
♪
(birds calling)
-(gunshot) -(gasps)
-(gunshot) -(men murmuring)
(gunshot)
Let's go, that's him!
(Thomasz speaking Portuguese)
(birds calling)
♪
(man shouting in Portuguese)
Over here!
(sighs)
Kermit: Ha ha! Praise the Lord!
Ha ha! We made it!
(speaking Portuguese)
Father!
Kermit!
Good Lord!
Mr. President!
Colonel! (chuckles)
Go! Let's go! Fast!
(laughing)
Whoo!
(applause)
By order of the Brazilian government,
we formally christen
this great river
Rio Roosevelt.
(applause)
Three cheers
for the United States,
for Colonel Roosevelt and for his son, Kermit.
Viva!
(cheering, shouting "Viva!")
And I want to propose
three cheers for Brazil,
the great Coronel Rondon,
Dr. Cajazeira,
all his fine men,
and all of the kind and hardworking camaradas.
Hip-hip hurray!
Hip-hip hurrah!
Hip-hip hurray!
You got your river.
(Thomasz speaking Portuguese)
(chickens squawking)
-(speaking Portuguese) -(rooster crowing)
Rondon: Gentlemen, a toast
to the Roosevelt and Rondon
geographical and scientific expedition.
To our American guest.
Ah, and to our brave and fearless leader, Coronel Rondon,
and all our fine Brazilian friends.
-Rondon: Viva! -All: Viva!
(indistinct chatter)
(men laughing)
♪
(ship horn blows)
(playing "The Stars and Stripes Forever")
(chuckles)
(speaking Portuguese)
Colonel, we have a surprise.
Oh.
(speaking Portuguese)
A map of our trip.
Almost every twist and turn of Rio Roosevelt,
with each place we camped marked with a number and the date.
Teddy: I'm overwhelmed!
It gets a little vague toward the end,
but only you and I will know that.
(chuckles) Thank you.
So perfect. Thank you.
I actually have something to give to you.
I noticed that on occasion
time seemed to slip by unnoticed,
making our departures less punctual
than I know you wanted them to be.
This was given to me when I was governor.
I wore it through the Presidency, my trip to Africa,
and amazingly, it survived this trip
and it still keeps excellent time.
No... I cannot accept this, Colonel.
Cândido, I am getting old.
And watching the minutes race by gives me no pleasure,
whereas to imagine this watch
crashing through jungles and rivers,
encountering strange tribes
while all the while attached to you,
my dear friend,
will make me feel as if I am still out there,
adventuring.
No, really.
It is your history, it's part of your life.
No, no, please. As a favor to me.
-I mean it. Please. -Well...
in that case, you leave me with no choice.
I will wear it with great pride, Colonel. Thank you.
Teddy: Good luck, my dear friend.
To you too.
Thank you.
Coronel...
Coronel!
(ship horn blowing)
(Edith laughing)
I'll never leave you again, Edith.
Good!
Kermit darling...
(door opens)
(footsteps approaching slowly)
"Sanford Davison, explorer
"and National Geographic member,
"joins others in disputing
Colonel Roosevelt's alleged achievement"?
Alleged?
Well...
(audience murmuring)
Thank you, Kermit.
(audience murmuring in surprise)
Woman: (whispering) Oh, my God. It's President Taft!
(camera shutter clicks)
Ladies and Gentlemen, as you all know,
Sanford Davison over there and others,
including fellow Americans who should know better,
have questioned our achievements in Brazil.
It is true that I did not discover a river
that is a thousand miles long.
The great Brazilian explorer,
Coronel Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon,
one of the bravest men
I ever met,
discovered the source, which is here.
And though I never expected it,
it is now called Rio Roosevelt.
No one knew where it went, how it got there nor how long it was.
And I, and my brave son Kermit,
my loyal friend and colleague Farrel Nash,
the hardy Colonel Rondon,
and many other fine Brazilians,
well, we did go down it
and we did chart it
and it is a thousand miles long.
I simply will not accept these attacks
from low-down mediocrities
and feel dutybound to defend our journey.
And so, the idea
that after starvation,
malaria, Indian attacks,
death by accident, death by murder,
death of the murderer by God-knows-what...
the idea
that my companions...
(pounds podium)
...brave Americans, brave Brazilians,
-that they and I lied about this... -(pounding podium)
...is an evil accusation and I won't stand for it!
Shame on you, Davison!
Shame on you!
Get out of my sight.
-Man: Get out! -Woman: Get out!
-Davison! -Get out!
(audience shouting "Get out!")
Taft: Get out, you lying no-good dog!
Bravo, Theodore Roosevelt, bravo!
Woman: Bravo!
Oh, please.
(indistinct conversation)
(indistinct dialogue)