Original subtitles

Uh, maybe we... Maybe we ought to talk about this some more.

I agree with Will.

Still some things to be said.

Not anymore.

The talking's all done.

First is...

I didn't ride in here looking for any trouble.

Look, I don't care what you're doing in this town.

Let me have my horse and I'll ride out of town. I'll forget everything.

I won't tell anybody.

Please.

Good afternoon.

I was just fixing myself a drink.

I seem to be as unexpected to you as you are to me.

I'm sorry.

We're pretty far away from everything up here.

We don't get many strangers.

Not many strangers at all.

Well, you have one now.

I'm going to need a room for the next couple of days.

There aren't any available.

In this hotel?

I'm sure you've made a mistake.

You're making the mistake.

I said we don't get many strangers here.

And those we do get usually have a drink, a bite to eat, and then move on.

Well, I'll be here a while.

My name's Calhoun, Ben Calhoun.

And from where, if I may be so bold?

I'm president of the BPSD Railroad.

Sure you are.

It's written all over you.

In dust.

Just another saddle bum, that's what you look like.

I guess I do.

Then I suppose it's been a while since clothes made man here in El Dorado.

Oh, to be sure. It is a sorry little town, but it is home to us.

And only to us.

Why don't you ride on out of here?

Well, I'm afraid I can't do that.

I'm building a railroad through this pass. As a matter of fact, right up the

main street of El Dorado here.

I'm here buying up land rights.

One of you might be able to tell me where I could find a...

J .D. Temple, an R .J. Hogan, and an R .F. Vega.

Why, this be Senor Vega right here.

Senor.

Pleased to meet you. The others are all gone.

Vail here has taken over the Hogan's land.

My name's McCrory. I work the temple claim.

I thought all of the mines were played out.

Oh, we still get bits and pieces.

It takes work and a bit of doing, but...

Will Bemis and his sister there who look after our creature comforts, and so we

manage.

Well, you're going to do more than just manage.

You're going to get rich.

You're going to be in on the birth of a new town.

Hey, well, gentlemen, we're going to buy Mr. Calhoun here a drink. We've got

something to celebrate.

I'll feel a whole lot more like having a drink after I've washed some of the

dust off of him. Fine, fine. I'll have...

Angie here show you to one of her better rooms, and then while we're having a

bite to eat, you can tell us about all that money that the railroad will be

showering upon us.

I'll do that, Mr. Crowley.

Oh, please call me Colin.

After all, can I be less than friendly to the man who'll be making me rich?

Thank you.

You don't suppose that since you found a room you didn't have that you might

also come up with some hot water that you don't have.

He knew all the right names.

Hogan, Templin, Vega.

He knows too much about us. We know too little about him. Well, he ain't no

saddle tramp.

Well, he ain't no railroad president.

The question is, what is he and what does he want?

Simple as that.

We'll build a station, the people will come, and the dead town will come to

again.

BPS indeed means progress and prosperity, gentlemen.

You'll all grow rich because you're in on the ground floor.

And it's too bad that Templin Hogan had to leave town.

By the way, where'd they go?

Oh, um, they're all together just outside of town in the cemetery.

All of them?

Every one.

And you're the lucky heirs.

Mm -hmm. We lucky few.

Well, then, here's to your good fortune.

And to you, Mr. Railroad President.

Now, shall we get down to business, and shall I deal with you as individuals or

as a group? Oh, we'd like a little time to decide on our price.

Good. I'll go out and look over the property.

You know where it is?

I've got a map. Thank you.

First, eh, gentlemen?

Hold it, Colin.

Worried, Jim?

Don't be.

Colin, we can't kill a man a day.

Remus, suppose you let me decide that, hmm?

Suppose you let us take a vote.

If you ever do that to me, I'll kill you.

That's why I'd never do it to you, Jim.

I agree with Will.

It'll be the end of these killings.

I'm not asking you to do anything.

I don't mind drawing obvious, you see.

What do you think you're doing?

You were going to kill him?

I can't have him asking any more of those questions.

You shoot him and you'll have a hundred men riding in here asking questions.

He is the president of the railroad.

Why, so he is.

You're right, Angie.

I can't just shoot him down now, can I?

Lucky McCrory doesn't mind drawing all the aces.

Well, we all can't be sensitive.

McCrory's doing what's necessary.

Maybe. But he enjoys it. It's taken so long.

Well, gentlemen.

Ready to negotiate?

Or shall we wait for Mr. McCrory?

We're all partners.

Equal partners?

Of course.

And, uh, friends.

All right.

Then I'll put my cards out on the table.

I'll give you $5 ,000 for the right -of -way across your plate.

I'll tell you the truth. To tell you the truth, I like playing my cards a little

more careful.

We'll make it $10 ,000, five in cash, five in BPS and D -star.

We're not selling, Mr. Calhoun.

Although knowing that you are indeed a genuine railroad president, we're most

flattered that you came all this long distance to make us so handsome an

Some hour or another, I get the feeling that you've played poker before, Mr.

McRory.

All right.

I'll make it $10 ,000, all in cash.

No. We're not interested.

$10 ,000 bore you?

Beams?

Well, no, we're not interested.

There you are.

No.

I would have thought $10 ,000 would have gone a long way in a place like El

Dorado. Oh, indeed it would.

But you've seen the town.

Where would we spend it?

That's right.

We're simple people.

You know those bits and pieces we told you about?

They take care of our little needs.

And a lot of quiet living.

Well, now you got me over a barrel.

It's been my experience that the most difficult man to deal with is one that's

satisfied with what he's got.

However, I'd like to try.

But $10 ,000 is as far as I can go.

Wouldn't do you a bit of good, even if you could go higher, Mr. Calhoun.

Sorry to disappoint you.

We have.

Offered me a challenge, perhaps.

However, I think it's only fair to warn you. The railroad is going through El

Dorado, one way or the other.

The hard way.

The easy way.

I'll put some towels in your room. Thank you.

Mandy.

What happened?

Why, Mr. Calhoun offered us $10 ,000 for a right -of -way across our claims.

And you refused?

We refused politely.

But with all the respect due a railroad president.

Save your Irish charm, McCrory.

When Will and I came into this, we agreed we'd all be partners.

And so we are.

Did you agree to any killing?

Nobody was killed, Angie.

And they're not going to be.

Will?

Well, we don't want no trouble, none of us.

God bless Calhoun forces it.

Well, that's not good enough.

Tell me, Bemis, would you say now that that was a threat?

Well, Angie, she ain't gonna cause no trouble. Angie doesn't know her place.

I may have to explain it to her carefully, hmm?

Lord, I smell coffee.

I'm still...

Something

else you wanted?

Yes.

I'm curious about you, Angie.

You're a young girl.

A very pretty one.

Why do you stay in El Dorado?

I've got no railroad to take me out.

My railroad brought me here, or almost here.

Why?

Because it's a living thing.

It has to grow and expand or it'll die.

But my railroad's not going to die.

Does it have to build in El Dorado?

Afraid so.

The past is the only way through the mountains.

Now you know why I'm here, but you still haven't said why you stay.

My story isn't as interesting as yours.

My father was a gambler with a talent for the wrong bet at the wrong odds. He

bet on El Dorado.

He put everything he had in his hotel one week before the town went bust.

We had one good week four years ago.

And then he died?

How did you know that?

I saw his grave in the cemetery.

He died when the town died.

I've been running this hotel since then. My brother's been working our team and

trying to put a stake together.

What about the others?

Ask them.

I'm asking you.

I offered them $10 ,000 and you thought I offered them the plane.

They're dreaming of a big gold strike.

Here? Why not?

There was gold here.

And they'd rather have a bird in the bush than $10 ,000 in the hand, huh?

A place like this does strange things to people.

They've got a dream.

You're only offering them money for their land.

They want magic.

And you?

Who can't use a little magic?

Let me ask you another question.

Would you sell me your land?

No.

Why not?

Because the others would never agree to it.

That's that. I can't say that I'm not disappointed.

Fortunately, money is still magic to United Mining.

Now, I offered $10 ,000 for these few little claims.

That's more than double what I offered them for the rest of the town.

And when I don't exercise that option, you and your friends...

Better have a pretty good story about magic to tell.

I'm going to ride out and have another look at what I didn't get.

Vega, go on, go.

As you wish.

Will, speak with Angie. Point out what happened.

Is Calhoun leaving?

Yes.

But trouble's coming.

He's going to United Mining.

What do we answer when they ask why we won't sell?

We wouldn't need no answer if you hadn't stopped McCrory.

That would have been murder.

Look, we've got to protect ourselves. Calhoun is a threat to us, just like the

last one who comes snooping around here. The last one?

Will?

That saddle tramp.

Did he leave town?

You want to get out of this place just as bad as I do.

How badly is that?

Will, what are you doing?

What have you done?

I've done what I have to do.

To make us rich.

To keep us alive.

It says private property, Calhoun.

Yeah, you've got it all marked off there like it's valuable.

Point is, it's mine.

And it's not for sale.

You made an offer.

We refused.

You got no business being here.

I suppose not.

Except there's always a possibility you might change your mind.

We're all partners, Calhoun.

And none of us are going to change our minds.

It's true, if Calhoun goes to United Mining, they'll become very curious

So, we can't let him go.

Colin, you can't shoot him.

No, of course not.

Of course not.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

Why, Mr.

Calhoun, did you have a pleasant ride?

Pleasant enough.

Did you know your stable was full of rattlesnakes?

Oh, they're all around here.

That's terrible. Your horse might have been killed.

Yes, yes, he's still very nervous, and I'm quite disappointed.

So I guess there's nothing left for me to do but ride out of here the first

thing in the morning.

I'm sorry that we couldn't do business, Mr. Calhoun.

Yes, it's too bad.

Rattlesnakes.

Aces.

Well, you can deal me up.

Calhoun's going to ride out of here straight to United Minor.

All right, how are we going to stop him?

How indeed.

But why stop him?

Let's not be thick -headed.

We'll let Calhoun go.

We'll help the man on his way.

Did you forget something?

I came to warn you.

I guessed what?

They're waiting for you out there.

I figured they might be.

But why?

I offered them good money for dead real estate.

Why does that give them any reason to want to kill me?

Mr. Calhoun, I don't have any answers.

Call me Ben.

After all, you did come here to save my life.

Just to warn you, Ben.

McCrory set a trap, a way of killing you so that it'll look like an accident.

Where?

In the past, outside of town.

Your body will be found and look as though you never even rode in here.

There'll be no embarrassing questions to answer.

No threat to their secret.

You're going to find, Angie, that I'm not an easy man to kill.

But I am a very stubborn one.

And I'll keep probing around until I find that secret.

Now what? He never left the hotel.

I know that.

The question is why.

I have three answers.

Vail, Angie, Bemis. I don't know which one of them talked to him.

But I have every intention of finding out.

Hello.

Good morning, McCroy and Vega.

Y 'all come out to meet me? Julie, what are you doing here?

Well, I'm delivering my supplies like I get paid for.

And a week earlier, too.

Never thought I was going to get no greeting like this here.

Julie, you're the cap on my morning. I wasn't expecting you.

Haven't I got enough troubles? Get on with you.

Well, I hope I don't add none. Get up in there.

Get up.

We're going to settle this problem now.

Vega.

Now.

I told you, Angie, I don't want any part of it.

Look, the three of us have to stand up to McCrory and Baker.

How can we, Angie? I'm no gun hand.

Am I?

We don't have a choice.

All right, I'll try to talk some sense into Colin.

He won't listen.

I'll make him.

Good morning, Angie.

Should I see you?

Muley. Oh, now, this here just does it.

This is the last time I'm going to hurry up my schedule.

Why, you're always happy to see me as the plague.

I was just surprised. I'm glad to see you, Muley. Well, I accept that from

Angie.

Well, it looks like I'm just in time for breakfast.

Yeah, you always are.

Good morning.

You're all bright and cheerful this morning.

Don't believe we've met.

My name's Calhoun, Ben Calhoun.

Well, I don't know if this is a pleasure or not, Mr. Calhoun.

You know, I'm in the freight and business, too.

My name is Mutey Sims.

You figuring on running a railroad through here?

Right up the main street of El Dorado.

Well,

I sure hope you don't run me out of business.

There's plenty to go around.

Live and let live.

That's my motto.

It's morning, Calhoun.

When do you plan to leave?

My plans have changed some.

I could leave with this gentleman, but I'll probably stick around a couple of

days.

You're not wanted around here.

I gathered that all right.

Angie, when you get around fixing my breakfast, would you fix my eggs

up and smiling at me, please?

That's my chair you're sitting in, Calhoun.

Back off, Vega.

Uh, tis an argument between these two gentlemen.

Why don't you keep out of it, Vale?

If Mr. Calhoun here doesn't like our manners, he's always perfectly free to

leave.

Vega, you sure got a burn in your saddle this morning.

I think you got up on the wrong side of the bed.

No offense, Lieutenant.

Your chair.

That's Bemis' chair.

You mind if I sit and be Mrs. Chair?

You're talking to me, Calhoun.

But right there.

It's been a nice, friendly fight up to this point.

Let's just keep it that way.

Angie, uh, looks as if you'll be needing some water.

I'll come and help you.

You handle yourself pretty good for a railroad president.

Thank you.

I don't think I'm going to eat no breakfast.

I'll ought to get the wrong chair.

You're hurting me.

Not as much as I'm going to. What did you tell Calhoun?

Nothing.

You're lying to me. Did you tell him about the mine, too?

I didn't say anything.

What are you going to do?

My plans haven't changed.

I told you this thing was snowballing.

You kill Calhoun now and you'll have to kill Muley too.

We have no choice.

I do.

You really mean it, Mr. Calhoun?

I'm on the BP and SD payroll?

That's right, Muley.

If you want it. Well, I'm going to tell you, sure. It's going to be a lot better

than hauling these supplies around these ghost towns.

You know, there ain't no money in this hill.

When did I start my first job?

Right now.

I want some information.

You say you used to work all these mines?

I swung a minute picking all these mines.

Of course, I was just getting paid a day's wages.

I never even saw the main vein. I guess it lost before I got here.

What'd they pay you for?

Well, to try to find again, I reckon.

You know, right there at the last, United put more gold in the ground than

took out of it.

What about Hogan, Temple?

Their claims run parallel to one of the big company shafts. They had a lot of

high hopes going, boss.

But it all proved worthless.

They left town the last I heard.

Did I say something?

Something interesting, as a matter of fact.

Like the saying goes, Muley.

Gold is where you find it, hmm?

Easy, Jim, boy, easy.

If you'd spent some of that bad temper on Calhoun, we'd have been rid of him by

now.

I'll be rid of him in an hour, Cullen. I'm leaving and I'm taking my share.

But what's chewing at you?

You changed your mind about getting rich?

The odds are getting too long.

All bets are off after you kill Calhoun.

Oh, no, it's still a worthwhile wager.

We haven't taken 10 % of what's still here waiting for us.

Jim, have you forgotten all about it?

We're that far from a fortune.

Now, I'll spend Calhoun's life for that kind of money, sure. And Muley's life,

too. And anyone else that gets in the way.

Including mine?

Oh, Vale.

A chance like this comes but once.

Do you know what's waiting right here for me?

Winter sunshine in the south of France.

A castle in Dublin.

Take in the air in Hyde Park of a Sunday morning with royal nods for the likes

of Colin McCrory, gentleman adventurer.

I'm not standing in your way, Colin.

You keep on gambling.

But I'm telling you, that man Calhoun has taken an edge off my greed.

You're settling for half a loaf.

That's the real difference between you and me.

I'd rather have half a loaf than none.

Now we're going to split it up my way or yours.

I'm genuinely sorry to see you go, Vail.

I'm genuinely sorry.

Why not?

We've had a good run together.

See you back in Scalp Lock. Tell Dave I'll be back in a day or two.

Yes, sir.

Get up in there.

You could have left with me.

And gotten out far.

I don't believe you're afraid, Ben Calhoun.

I think you're just stubborn.

Right.

But I think mostly curious.

And the reason behind it.

What is it?

Tell me.

All right, I'll tell you.

I'm not afraid anymore.

Not of McCrory or the others.

I'm so sick of threats and violence.

What about your brother?

My brother's a grown man, or he should be. I can't spend my life worrying about

him. And you?

What'll happen to you?

It's already happened to me.

Now all I want is to get out.

Our fortune.

And it all belongs to United Mining, huh?

I was raised on the dream of one great golden discovery.

And on the princess who lived happily ever after.

But I'm not a princess.

There are a lot of dead men who never got a chance to live happily ever after.

I didn't know about the killing.

That was goodbye.

To Eldoretta?

No, to you.

Ben, get out of here.

This is a trap.

I brought you here, but I'm supposed to signal them.

McCrory has my brother.

I made a trade.

Your life for his.

But I can't do it.

But you did do it, Angie, darling.

Will. True.

He's not a prisoner. As a matter of fact, he's a liar.

Angie, I had to lie to you or you wouldn't have brought Calhoun down here.

And here we are all together again, partners.

And what with Calhoun dead and gone, we'll be back on the high road to

Not that I enjoy shooting you down, but you do understand our problem.

You sound like you're trying to get into my good graces before you kill me.

Calhoun, you unlikable man.

I don't suppose I could bribe you now, huh?

We've had an opening in our little group.

No, no, that'd be too chancy.

You never appeared to me to be the type of man who'd be afraid to take a chance.

I do pick my bets carefully, however.

And I never risk the odds with a gambler as good as myself. We bet our sweat

against this fortune.

And we're not going to lose it.

We found a vein, pure.

A great drift of gold running right through the gut of this mountain.

Except it belonged to United Mining, huh?

To be sure.

And we could have gone to them, tis true.

Excuse me, sirs, but we've discovered a fortune in gold you didn't know you had.

We'd have gotten a thin thank you and that's all. But instead, you see, we're

rich men.

And you're a dead one.

Angie, get away from him.

They'll kill me, too.

I've proved I can't be trusted.

Hello.

You've no way out.

At least let the girl go.

Benji. No.

They'll shoot me in a second. They just want me away from you because I know

these tunnels.

Ben.

Follow this tunnel.

Keep bearing left.

Lead right into another that comes out the other side of this tunnel.

We can strike a bargain.

There's truly a fortune here.

Enough for all of us.

I'm not greedy.

And he talked to Calhoun.

There's gratitude.

United Mining was giving them their entire 90 % free of charge, except for

minimum rights.

How did you talk them into letting you go free?

I threw them completely off guard.

Told them a story they didn't expect.

The truth.

Now then.

I think you were completely wrong about your gold mine.

Why? Because your hotel is a gold mine.

It'll be worth a fortune again as soon as the town comes alive.

And that won't be long.

Too many memories for me in El Dorado.

All right.

Then I'll buy it off of you.

You're going to need the stake when you get to Kansas City.

Charity? Not at all.

Gratitude, perhaps.

But a good sound investment as well.

Thank you.

So, goodbye to El Dorado.

Aloha.