Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

with an exciting new story of real life in the Old West.

The news of President Lincoln'’s assassination in April of 1865

shocked the nation to its very depths.

No man in all our history was more universally mourned.

And no one more bitterly hated than the man who killed him.

Feeling was still running high six months later

in the mining camp of Downieville, California,

which is the scene of this story of...

Pick it up.

I said pick it up.

I'’m sorry. I was looking at the theatre.

I'’ve played here before.

This is a return engagement.

Allow me to present myself.

I know who you are.

It'’s best you get back on that stage and get out of here.

You'’re not wanted here.

You'’re speaking for yourself?

I'’m speaking for the whole town.

I live here.

Who is he, Pa?

And why does Mr. Rogan want him to leave?

Pa?

That'’s the brother of John Wilkes Booth.

The man who shot Abe Lincoln.

Sorry, sir. We'’re all filled up.

Perhaps later in the day

when the afternoon stage has left.

Not a chance, mister.

May I leave my bag while I attend to some business

down the street? Thank you.

It'’s all right, sheriff.

I'’ve rented the theatre for tomorrow evening.

My manager made the arrangements by mail.

Now look, Mr. Booth, there ain'’t no law says

you can'’t put on a show in this town.

But take my advice, don'’t try it.

Why not?

No use stirring up trouble.

Trouble?

As a peace officer, I aim to keep things peaceful.

Oh.

The man that came in with me on the stage

this morning has been talking.

Now, Hite Rogan swings a lot of weight around here.

Give it up, mister.

No show is that important.

To me, it is.

Well, don'’t say I didn'’t warn you.

I told you before, we'’re all filled up.

I came to get my bag.

It'’s over there.

I should think he'’d change his name.

I should think that--Come on, son.

MAN: Howdy, Mr. Booth.

Pa.

I'’m Jeb Hays.

This is my son, Calvin.

Mr. Hays, Calvin.

Is there another hotel in the town?

This is the only one.

I never knew this hotel to be filled up before.

You'’re welcome to stay out at our place.

We have plenty of room.

I'’m indebted to you, sir.

I just have to pick up some supplies.

ROGAN: Jeb!

I want to talk to you.

Well?

I always considered you were a smart man, Jeb.

I try to be.

Then you ought to know better than to get

mixed up with a man like Booth.

I'’ve got some supplies to pick up.

This is Hite Rogan you'’re talking to.

You'’re doing the talking.

You know who he is?

I know.

Is your memory so short, you don'’t remember

a president of these United States?

One of the greatest men who ever lived

that was shot down by--

By John Wilkes Booth.

And you would befriend a man from the same mold?

Edwin Booth never broke any laws or hurt anyone, Rogan.

And if he had, it'’s still not your problem.

I say it is.

I'’ve got a big stake in this town,

and I don'’t want it dirtied by a breed of murderers.

I'’m warning you, Jeb.

Don'’t mix in something you'’ll be sorry for.

I'’ll be the judge of that.

[ laughs ] Let'’s go, let's go.

It'’s gonna be hard on our backs and worse on the horses.

No other way, son.

Dig, spit, and pull.

I gotta talk to you, Jeb.

Calvin.Howdy, Mr. Dooley.

What'’s the trouble, Leif?

Hite Rogan, he'’s got the whole town stirred up.

It'’s about this Booth fella you got staying at your place.

They don'’t like it.

You mean Hite Rogan doesn'’t like it.

There'’s something eating inside of him, Jeb.

Those eyes of his, they stare clean through a man.

You got work to do, son.

Pa, maybe--You got land and cattle to tend.

Appreciate you ridin'’ out, Leif.

Jeb.

[ sighs ]

What'’s the matter, Calvin?

Pa, can I ask you something?

JEB: Go ahead.

Well...

Don'’t you feel kind of ashamed

having Mr. Booth right here at our place?

I'’m honored.

Edwin Booth is one of the greatest actors

this country'’s ever had.

Is that why you invited him?

I invited him because he had no place to go,

and no friends.

Well, you can'’t blame folks, Pa.

Well, you can'’t blame Mr. Booth either.

Well, John Wilkes was his own brother!

Remember that outlaw stallion Knute Wilson had?

Yeah.

Nobody could break that horse, was just bad clean through.

Knute finally had to shoot it.

But the mare that foaled that outlaw

was a good, gentle animal.

And the two colts she'’s had are just like she is.

But people don'’t like those two colts.

They don'’t trust them.

The same way Hite Rogan feels about Mr. Booth.

I see what you mean, Pa.

The only difference is

the colts don'’t know it.

That'’s right, son.

Getting pretty close to supper time.

I'’ll unhitch the team, Pa.

Mr. Booth.Yes?

[ sighs ] I'’m sorry to have to tell you this,

but Hite Rogan has been stirring up the town against you.

There'’s a Rogan in every town, Mr. Hays.

There always will be a Rogan someplace, somewhere

keeping the tragedy of Lincoln alive.

The name of Booth an infamous thing.

No man has the right to become another man'’s conscience.

No, the devil takes care of that.

I'’ve had my share of him.

"Like a dull actor,

now I have forgot my part,

and I'’m out,

even to a full disgrace." [ sighs ]

Shakespeare?

The Tragedy of Coriolanus.

Are you familiar with the work?

No.

I did see a performance of Hamletonce.

Right here in Downieville, back in '’52.

[ chuckles ]

I was a boy of 19.

I played here with my older brother, Junius.

The height of the Gold Rush.

If the miners liked your performance,

they showered you with gold pieces.

If you disappointed them, they tossed you in a blanket.

[ all chuckling ]

Downieville was good to me.

That'’s why I chose this place

to try and find myself again.

Last April I announced that I was through.

I would never make another public stage appearance.

A man can'’t go on living and hiding forever...

while his debts accumulate.

I admire your courage.

That remains to be seen.

Tomorrow evening will be the test.

Whether I have what it takes

to face the Rogans of the world,

or give up the only thing I love:

the stage.

Well, you can count on one man

in your audience applauding.

Two.

[ all chuckling ]

Shakespeare, Calvin.

Folks around here don'’t have time for much book reading.

Education doesn'’t always come from books, Calvin.

We got a horse for you outside,

all saddled up.

Rogan sent you?

Yeah. Rogan sent us.

Escort you back to town, onto the stage

and out of this territory.

What if I choose not to leave?

MAN: That'’d be a bad choice.

Boy, when your old man gets back,

tell him he'’s got any complaints,

he can take them up with Hite Rogan.

You ain'’t the law.

You can'’t come in here and--

Boy'’s got too much sass.

That'’s the trouble with young'’uns these days.

Any objections, Mr. Booth?

Come on. Let'’s go.

Had to come back to get another axe.

What happened?

Where'’s Mr. Booth?

They'’re running him out of town.

Rogan?

Wade and another man.

Came here a short while after you left.

Did they take him with them?

Wasn'’t nothing I could do.

They had guns.

But I tried, Pa! I tried!

Did those men hit you?

I'’m all right. Did they?

Pa!

Please don'’t fight 'em.

Pa, they'’ll kill ya!

I'’m against violence.

Always have been.

But when somebody takes a guest by force

from my house,

abuses my son,

then it'’s time I did something about it.

Can'’t you understand that, son?

I'’m riding into town. You stay here.

All right, the stage leaves in a half an hour.

Mr. Rogan already paid your fare.

I'’m surprised he isn'’t here to see me off.

Well, now, he'’s a busy man.

We'’ll do our waiting in there.

Come on.

[ low chatter ]

[ glass shattering ]

[ chatter stops ]

To your exit, Mr. Booth.

If I had my way, you'’d go out on a rail...

in a pretty costume of tar and feathers.

What'’s the matter, play actor?

You forget your lines?

Fancy gold-plated words.

This some of the hogwash folks pay good money to hear you do?

A right-thinkin'’ man needs only the good book.

Nothing else, it'’ll make it lighter.

[ laughter ]Travel light. That'’s my motto.

That'’ll do, Wade.

You come for your guest, Mr. Hays?

I came to find the man who invaded my home

and assaulted my son.

[ chuckles ]

Invaded,

assaulted.

You talk like a bloody play actor yourself.

Hold it.

Now Rogan promised me there'’d be no rough stuff.

Now give me that gun.

You a party to this?

No, just aimin'’ to keep the peace...

till the stage comes.

You will be on it, Mr. Booth?

Do I have a choice?

Well, it'’s a free country.

I suppose it'’s up to you.

There will be a performance this evening at 8:00.

You'’re invited, Sheriff.

How'’s the house?

It'’s early yet.

Any sign of Rogan?

No.

Good. [sighs]

What is it?

Rogan.

Come on.

Well, what'’s your hurry?

Well, I wanna get a good seat.

Come on.There'’s plenty of time.

Good evening, Sheriff.

Beautiful night, isn'’t it?

What are you doing here?

No law against a man standing around is there?

Now look, Rogan, I don'’t want any trouble.

Why, Sheriff, there isn'’t any trouble.

Never seen the town quieter.

[ all chuckling ]

[ door opens ]

Well, it'’s no use, Mr. Booth.

You'’ll never get an audience the way things are.

You may as well give up and go home. I'’m sorry.

It'’s Hite Rogan, isn'’t it?

Stopping people from coming into the theatre.

He'’s not stoppin' anybody. He'’s not doing anything.

But if Hite Rogan and his boys are out there

then people are too scared to come in.

JEB: Can'’t you do something?

SHERIFF: What can I do, Jeb?

He ain'’t breakin' any laws.

Uh, I'’m leavin' town tonight on business.

If there'’s any trouble, you'’ll have to handle it yourselves.

Your gun'’s over in my office, if you want it.

JEB: Thanks, truly.

[ door closes ]

[ sighs ] I'’ll be right back.

No.

No. No shooting.

Anything but shooting.

There won'’t be.

[ muttering ]

The curtain'’s ready to go up, folks.

Mr. Booth is waiting.

He can wait until hell freezes over.

That seems to be a place you'’re well acquainted with, Mr. Rogan,

but you'’re not going to this town into one.

What do you mean by that?

A place where folks are afraid to call their souls their own.

Still meddlin'’, huh?

Are you going to let a bigot like Rogan here

bully and scare you--

[ crowd gasps ]

[ groans ]

[ crowd murmuring ]

[ groans ]

Theatre'’s open, folks.

Unless you'’re still afraid.

Well, I don'’t know about the rest of you, but we'’re going in.

Us too.

We are such stuff as dreams are made on.

And our little life

is rounded with a sleep.

[ applause ]

Now, I should like to

recite one more passage.

"We are not enemies,

but friends.

We must be friends,

Americans all...

We have sacred ties of affection

which, though strained by passions,

let us hope can never break.

I earnestly invoke the cooperation

of all good citizens

for the effective suppression

of unlawful violence.

And for the speediest possible restoration

of peace and order.

And through these,

of happiness

and prosperity

throughout the country."

This is not Shakespeare.

These words were written by

another great man.

Abraham Lincoln.

[ applause ]

On January 3rd, 1866,

Edwin Booth made his official return to the American stage

at the Winter Garden in New York City.

But the way was paved,

the real test met,

three thousand miles away

in a California mining town.