Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

(spurs jangling)

(gun firing)

(adventurous music)

(fire crackling) (ominous music)

(horse hooves clomping)

(horse snorting)

- [Jess] Hello and fire.

Can we come in?

- Come on in.

- My name's Jess Jory, this is Charlie Sims.

What's your name, mister?

- [Tate] That's none of your business, son.

- You know him, Charlie?

- It's been a long time, been since before the war.

Step out where I can see you, mister.

(tense music)

I don't, I don't know.

- Are you goin' to a hangin', mister?

Are you the one?

- Take him away before he gets hurt, friend.

- Oh, then you are him.

- That's right, son.

I'm the one that's come to help Morty Taw

hang your brother.

- Yeah, yeah, Tate for sure.

I guess I was too young to remember when you went away.

I was only 15, I guess, I--

(guns firing) (dramatic music)

- No!

- All right, that's enough.

(gun firing)

- I knew you're a gunfighter.

I didn't want a fight.

I knew you'd kill him.

You got the looks of a man that likes it.

- Charlie, you know me better than that.

- You was a hard-nosed kid.

I never did like you.

You know how long you got to live now?

(dramatic music)

(somber music)

- [Tate] Morty.

- Tate.

You're as ugly as ever, twice as mean lookin'.

How long's it been?

- 10 years.

- The war and then some.

Where'd it happen?

- Vicksburg.

I didn't run fast enough, Morty.

- You're home, son.

What do you think of it?

- The same.

Little smaller, a little dirtier.

Just a memory, Morty.

It doesn't exist anymore.

- Mary's still here.

- Memories of her.

Jess Jory stopped me in the hills last night.

I had to kill him.

- Our telegraph operator's got a big mouth.

Come on, I'll show you where Mary is.

(gentle guitar music) (birds chirping)

- You gave me my life once.

I haven't forgotten.

I'd like to pay the debt and be on my way.

Let's go hang a man.

- You can kiss me goodbye tomorrow morning, boy.

That's when we hang him.

- There was a time I liked him.

(wagon rattling)

- I'm glad you come back, Morty.

I was getting kinda lonesome.

- Wanna go eat now?

- I kinda thought I'd go fishing.

- Any of 'em come yet?

- Nope.

I guess they're gathering up at Charlie Sim's place.

Funny thing, he ain't kin but he'll lead 'em in.

You remember him?

- Him and you both. (hammer pounding)

How are you?

- I'm gonna go fishing, Morty.

- Kinda late in the day for that.

- What do you want me to say

that I've got a wife and family?

I got a wife and family, Morty.

I wanna keep alive.

- Yeah, go crawl into your hole.

- Morty...

- You took your pay in the summer, mister.

Now, it's winter.

You either in it or crawl outta my sight.

I said crawl!

- All right, Morty.

- Even the Lord must hate a fair weather friend.

(gentle guitar music)

- I guess neither of us have changed, Morty.

We're still pretty mean inside.

(hammer pounding)

- We could've used him.

Another shotgun could've kept us alive.

Unless you decide to walk away too.

You know how many there's gonna be?

- No.

- Maybe six, maybe a dozen, there could be more.

Jory's got a lot of kinfolk.

They may not like him, nor what he's done,

but they ain't going to see him hang.

- Will they die for it?

- Them and us both.

- Well, how 'bout the rest of the town?

- Come on now.

I'll show you the pig.

- You're hatin' real good this week, ain't you, Morty?

- He killed two men, her boy, and the woman.

He had to reload his shotgun to do it.

Would you like to read what they said at the trial?

Or have you got a weak stomach?

(hammer pounding)

- Morty!

You know that hammering ain't music to my ears.

Can't you tell him to wait until I go to sleep or somethin'?

Well, bud, Tate?

- [Tate] Jory.

- You here to help him?

- [Tate] That's right.

- Take my life away, huh?

Well, what happened to your arm, cripple?

- Got shot.

You stay here, you'll get killed, old buddy.

- With a shotgun, like those others?

- [Jory] Ah, Curly.

- Been a long time since anybody called me that.

- I guess so.

You're too ugly for that now.

But, I can remember a curly-headed kid,

I used to steal apples with

and go swimming with, fight with.

And, now you wanna hang me.

- You kill all those people?

- Yeah, sure as Old Glory did.

They flew around there like they was rag dolls.

Tate, it's not your war.

- No it ain't.

But, I owe a debt to Morty.

(somber music)

(tense music)

(hammer pounding)

Why didn't you just kill him?

(hammer pounding)

- Shot went a little high.

I don't know, maybe I been wearing this tin badge too long.

Maybe I took him in the shoulder on purpose.

You gonna stay?

- Why'd he do it?

- Love.

He wanted to marry the girl.

She turned him down.

So, he killed the whole family.

Twitched the trigger twice.

Three times.

It was a big buryin'.

Look here, I'm gonna swear you in.

It's just a dented tin star.

Don't look like much, does it?

A lot of good men have worn it, though.

Now raise your right hand.

(horse hooves clomping) (ominous music)

- [Tate] He one?

- Mmm hmm.

He's a cousin.

- I don't recollect him.

- Hold up your hand.

- You know what I am, Morty?

- Gunfighter.

- Now, I know you set a lot of store in that tin star.

You want me to wear it?

(hammer pounding)

- No.

- But, nobody else will and I owe you a debt.

- No more than he does.

I aimed for your heart.

The shot just went a little bit high.

- I was a punk kid.

I coulda killed you, Morty.

- You're a bad shot.

I hope you've improved.

You gonna raise your hand?

(hammer pounding)

You get $5 a day.

Tomorrow morning.

(hammer pounding) (dramatic music)

- Not finished yet, Joey?

- No.

It's just another job, Ike.

- You stink, Joey.

Maybe I'll kill you tonight.

- How much you get paid on this job, Morty?

- $200 a month.

- That's a lot of money these days.

Oh, your coffee.

You never did make good coffee.

- I put chicory in it.

Strong.

You gotta have a taste for it.

- I guess that goes for the job, too, huh, Morty?

- Yeah but, it's as rewarding as anything.

You ask yourself why you're here and what the Lord

wants you to do.

You know, most lives are a waste.

Doctor or a preacher, that's not a waste.

Maybe a peace officer.

You want me to read the Bible now?

- Well, it wouldn't hurt.

(cup clanking)

- Tate, I hope you can shoot that thing.

- Five times without reloading, Morty.

(somber guitar music)

(horse hooves clomping)

- You uh, you hear that outside?

- [Tate] Yeah, I hear.

- That's the pleasure of having a large family.

Like my pa who was an educated man used to say,

"A large family is a solace and a warmth to you

"in your time of trial."

Tate,

now get out.

It's not your job.

- [Tate] Jory, I had to kill your brother last night.

He tried to stop me on the way in.

Now, why don't you hang big and stop this slaughter.

- Jessie?

- [Tate] That's right.

(hammer pounding)

- Jessie?

- [Tate] Stop it before we have to do any more killing.

(cup clanking) - Crap on you!

Crap on!

(shouts)

- I'm hungry.

- I ain't no cook.

Going to be a long night.

Why don't you get some sandwiches?

(hammer pounding)

- At the Kansas City Steak Palace?

- It's still there.

It ain't gone no place.

There's a girl over there looks a lot like your Mary.

A third cousin I think.

(gentle music)

(hammer pounding)

- [Tate] Morty, this town should've stood by you.

- They're afraid.

You ever been afraid, gunfighter?

- All the time.

- Get outta the light.

You take care of yourself.

(somber music)

(horse hooves clomping)

(dramatic music)

- I guess you must feel mighty proud.

Has he ever done anything to you?

- I told Ike it was just a job.

- How much you gettin' paid?

- $5 plus the wood and the nails.

- Hmm.

That covers your time.

- [Joey] There's the wood and the nails.

- Pick it up, Joey.

- You go to hell.

- Mister, I come all the way from Colorado

to attend this hanging.

Now, I'm cold, I'm tired, and I'm hungry.

Now, I don't know you by your first name.

But, you do as friend Charlie here tells you to

or I'm gonna shoot you where you stand.

- Pick up that money!

(moving to dramatic music)

- You're taking too long.

(gun firing)

- I won't tell you a third time now!

- Tate, you tidy up some.

You don't kill him for trying to stop

the building of a gallows.

Now, go on, Charlie.

(tense music)

- The job's finished, Morty.

It's for free.

Thank ya.

- Who were the other two?

- Lord knows, nephew, cousin.

- Well, I'll get some food.

(somber music)

- I was watching.

Want something?

- Yeah.

Gimme about a half a dozen sandwiches.

That ham's all right.

- Sure.

I heard somebody was coming to help Morty.

I didn't believe it though.

- Why not?

- I don't know, I just didn't believe it.

I never saw a gunfighter before.

- You Mary Eden's cousin?

- That's right.

Married name was Tate.

She's been dead 10 years.

- You look like her.

- That's what they say.

Did you know her?

- Mmm hmm.

- I never saw her.

I didn't move here till I was 15.

We act alike, too?

- Well, I can't say.

It's been so long since, since then,

I can't remember anything about her

except the way she looked.

Sometimes I can't even remember that.

- You know, it's a funny thing looking like somebody else.

Makes you wonder about them.

You don't remember her?

I mean, do we smile alike or talk alike?

You know what I mean.

- Well, I'd say you were just a shade prettier.

- You're flimflamming me.

- No.

- You owe me a dollar.

(coin clattering)

- [Morty] It's almost time.

Do you want some coffee?

- No.

They'll be here any time now.

Gonna come through that door.

They'll kill you.

Friend there, he's a, he's a dead man.

You still got a chance live though, you walk away from it.

- [Morty] Do you want the coffee?

- Morty (panting).

I was drunk.

I didn't know what I was doing to those people.

- [Morty] You sorry for it?

- Well, in my soul, sure I'm sorry for it.

- [Morty] That's gonna make 'em breathe and live

and love and walk again?

- No!

I was drunk.

(somber music)

Morty.

- You were right, I shoulda killed him.

Saved a lot of blood on the streets tonight.

Can almost smell it.

It's going to be soon.

Well, may as well get used to the dark.

(rifle clicking)

- In here?

- It's built like a fort, but I'd hate to get caught inside.

You know, there's a notion going round nowadays

that punishment is to cleanse the soul,

make a man over again.

But, it's more than that.

It's retribution.

It's an eye for an eye.

That's why I'm going to hang him, son.

That a gunfighter's tool?

- I use it for the same reason you do, Morty,

to cut down the odds.

Inside or out?

- You say.

- Outside.

- All right, through the alley.

(ominous music)

I'll wait on the other side of the building.

Don't blow my head off.

(dramatic music)

- Morty, Morty!

- Go home, Ike.

- Come out from hidin', old man.

- [Morty] You keep talking like that, son,

you're liable to lose my good will.

- Where's the gunfighter?

- [Morty] Hiding.

- Cripple!

(gun clicking)

(ominous music)

- You've got a dirty mouth, boy.

- I've knowed you since I wore knee britches

and I don't wanna kill you.

Funny thing, I never even liked him.

Kin or no, I never liked him.

(rifle firing)

(guns firing)

(dramatic music)

(man clattering)

- Morty.

You're an old fool.

- Least I don't work for $5 a day.

Charlie Sims is still around here, least I think he is.

Flush him out.

(somber music)

(ominous music)

(stick clattering)

(guns firing)

(Charlie grunts) (dramatic music)

(somber music)

- [Jory] Some day, some day--

- Some day, nothing.

You tell me something.

You figure you were worth it?

(dramatic music)

(gentle music)

- You be all right?

- Why don't you stay around awhile?

I'm getting a little too old to have people shooting at me

and $5 a day ain't nothin' to be sneezed at.

- Well thank you, Morty, but that chicory in your coffee

would like to kill me if I took it too often.

You take care, huh?

- Son.

$5.

You earned it.

- Thank you, Morty.

(adventurous music)