Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

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

Today, if you found your home suddenly threatened

by people who wanted to move in and take over,

you'’d call the nearest law officer.

But back in the 1870'’s,

on the remote Wyoming ranch

where this story takes place,

John Gaunt and his family had no one to depend upon

but themselves against the menace of...

All right.

Get the wheel on the wagon.

[ sniffs ]Mundy,

where'’s that water?

I got the water.

You'’re gonna learn one thing, boy,

respect.

When you talk to your pa, you say "Sir."

[ chuckles ]

[ baby crying ]

All right, Oscar, let'’s get movin'.

Saw a ranch down the valley.

I seen it from the rise.

Got a barn, house,

corral, everything we need.

All right, come on, let'’s get movin'.

[ sighs ]

Pa, can I cut out that old piebald tomorrow?

You'’re about as stubborn as that horse is.

How do you intend to break him this time?

Well, I'’ll tell ya, first I'’m gonna hobble him.

Then I'’m gonna--

Well, then I'’m gonna blindfold him,

so he can'’t see anything. Then I'’m gonna stick his nose

in a feed bag. That'’ll keep him busy.

[ chuckles ]

Pa, it'’s gonna be easy as sittin'’ on a fence rail.

What'’s gonna happen when that fence rail

throws you 30 feet in the air, huh?

Oh, Chris,

will you take that hackamore in the house with you?

Your sister can stitch it up tonight.

Okay, Pa.

♪ I'’d rather hear ♪

♪ a rattler rattle

♪ I'’d rather be ♪

♪ in a barroom battle

[ grunts ]

♪ Than

♪ Than to

♪ Than to fight

BOTH: ♪ Than to fight

♪ The bloody Indians ♪

[ both chuckling ]

[ woman laughing ]

[ laughs ]

You never fought an Indian in your life.

I did, too.

I fought ten of them once

all by myself,

and I was killed.

Come on, supper'’s getting cold.

Oh, and Ann, you better fix that hackamore.

♪ I'’d rather hear a rattler rattle ♪♪

Well, I'’d rather hear a rattler sing.

[ woman screams ]

You stay here, Jessica.

[ woman screams ]

[ woman sobbing ]

We heard a woman scream.

[ baby crying ]

We heard a woman scream.

Oh, that was my step-ma.

She weren'’t feelin'’ too good.

She'’s all right now.

How far to the border?

Uh, about 150 miles.

Where'’d you come from?

Montana.

This a horse spread?

That'’s right.

Anything we can do for you?

All right if we make camp here for the night?

Our team is mighty tired.

Sure.

John, that was a woman screaming.

It'’s all right now. Let'’s go in the house.

Dear Lord, we are grateful

for your blessings and this food.

Amen.

[ knocking at door ]

Evening.

Evening.

I'’m sorry to bother you, folks,

when you'’re sittin' down to supper, but, uh...

my missus has got a babe out there

and, uh, you probably heared her cryin'’

and I wondered if you could spare a drop of milk?

Well, I think we could do that.

Why don'’t you ask your wife to come in here?

It'’s probably cold out there.

Well, thank you, ma'’am,

but she just as soon stay in the wagon.

All right, I'’ll get the milk.

Well, come in.

Uh, my name is John Gaunt.

I'’m sure pleased to know you, folks.

Aaron Taggert'’s my handle.

This my son, Mundy.

That fella out there by the wagon

is my--my brother, Oscar.

He don'’t talk much.

Wouldn'’t do him much good, I'’d just tell him to shut up.

Well, here'’s your milk.

AARON: Oh, thank you.

Aw, keep your eyes in your head, Mundy.

We'’re all going out to California.

We'’re gonna get Mundy a wife,

and get ourselves a new spread.

Bigger than the one we had.

Yes.

My, sure a nice place you got here.

Wouldn'’t be able to spare a little beef, would ya?

You mean you haven'’t got any beef on the ranch?

Well, if you'’re hungry

there'’s some corn, potatoes,

and scraps you'’re welcome to.

No, thanks.

The Taggerts are meat eaters.

Come on, boy.

[ door closes ]

Why, they sure were spooky.

Eat your supper.

[ baby crying ]

John?Hm?

[ crying continues ]Come to bed.

In a little while.

Are the children asleep?Yeah, yeah.

John, why did that woman scream?

Well, the boy said that she was sick, but...

They'’ll be leaving in the morning.

Where are they going?Drifting.

The man said something about a spread.

No, I--I don'’t think so.

Not if they'’re like the others I'’ve known,

they have to keep moving. They--

They can'’t get their roots in the soil

because they don'’t have the will to plant them.

You'’re worried about having them around, aren'’t you, John?

Worried?

Tell me the truth.

They have got you worried, haven'’t they?

Not really.

You'’re afraid they might try to harm us.

Well, I know one thing for sure,

they don'’t like us.

But they don'’t even know us.

They know us well enough to hate us and resent us.

Why?

Well, maybe because we make them

hate and resent themselves so much.

People like that are--

Now, I'’ve got you worried.

A little.

For the children.

Especially about the way that boy looked at Nan.

Well, if I were that young fellow,

I would look at her in exactly the same way.

John!

No, he'’s-- he'’s all right.

But the others--

Well, I'’m gonna warn the children to be careful.

There'’s no point in alarming them.

And there'’s no point in alarming yourself now.

I'’m sure.[ sighs ]

I'’m sure they're gonna be leaving

first thing in the morning.

Now, will you go to sleep?

I'’m gonna take a look around.

John?

Have I ever stopped to tell you

how glad I am to be here with you?

Yes, you have.

Well, I just wanted to say it again.

Good night, John.

Good night.

[ gunshot ]

I heard a shot.

Who fired that shot?

I shot me a cougar.

It was sneakin'’ around your land.

Cougar? Where?

Right over there in the buckbrush.

Oscar here heard the critter and I blasted him.

Can'’t you men tell the difference between a cougar

and a yearling calf?

Well, now, look at that.

Gee, I'’m sure sorry, mister.

I really am sorry.

You stupid mulehead,

can'’t you tell the difference between a calf and a cougar?

I squeezed off a shot

in the direction that you pointed from.

Why I even put up with you, I don'’t know.

Pa, I told you, I--Aw, shut up your face!

I don'’t know why I did what he said, you can'’t tell me nothin'’.

Well, that calf was worth a lot of money.

Yeah, I bet it was.

And I'’d sure be willing to pay you the full cost.

As long as the poor, little old yearling is dead anyway,

and there'’s nothin' that anybody can do about it,

why don'’t me and my boys here butcher it for you,

so'’s it don't go to waste.

How did this happen?

Well, it was a terrible mistake, ma'’am,

and I sure beg your pardon.

I'’d like to make it up to you, if you let me and my boys

butcher the poor little fella for you.

We'’ll do it ourselves.

I think you'’ve done enough harm for one night.

John, let them butcher it.Jessica--

No, they'’re hungry.

Let them have the innard, that'’ll be nourishing.

All right. Take what you need.

Thank you, mister.

Thank you.

You'’re a very generous man.

I ain'’t never gonna forget you.

Never.

Right nice folks.

I think we might just stick around here for a while.

[ horses whinnying ]

Yeah. They'’re still here, Pa.

Well, so I see.

Better close the gate.

I come for the grain.

Did you ask my pa for it?

I don'’t ask nobody for nothin'’.

Get out of my way, it'’s for the horses.

They'’re hungry, they gotta eat.

Leave that alone!

We'’re just gonna borrow it. We'’ll give it back plenty.

Chris!

Hey, what are you-- what are you doin'’?

I'’m takin' grain.He didn'’t ask Pa.

Well, then, you can'’t have it.

I got it.

Now, you better get out of my way.

Look, Mundy, I-- I think if you'’d ask my pa,

he'’d let you have that grain.

My pa tells me when you want somethin'’, you take it.

Now, move!

[ sighs ]

We had a place once,

bigger than this one

and better!

[ knocking at door ]

Oh, come in, won'’t you?

Please, sit down.

Can I pour you a nice cup of coffee?

Here we are.

There, now, you sit right down.

[ sighs ] Oh, that'’s all right.

No harm done.

I'’ll just get you another cup.No!

[ baby whimpering ]

Oh, isn'’t he sweet?

May I look at him?

[ smacks ]

You--

You'’ve got so many pretty things,

so many nice pretty things.

But this baby'’s mine.

Do you hear? He'’s my baby,

and he'’s the only thingI got.

I was just lookin'’ at your horses.

I might buy me a couple.

You know, them two geldings are pretty good lookers.

They'’re strong, you know, got meat on them flanks.

How much you want for '’em?

Bay'’s worth 50, and the sorrel 65.

That'’s a right good price.

That'’s a right good price.

I'’m gonna go see what they'’re worth.

[ horse whinnying ]

Leave that animal alone!

What call you got to push me?

You know, I might buy one of them horses.

And you might not.

What do you mean by that?

I'’ve seen the way you treat your animals.

I wouldn'’t let you touch one of mine.

I treat my animals fine, just like they'’re human bein'.

They'’d be a lot better off if you treat them like horses.

You know, I don'’t like the way you talk to me.

Where I come from Aaron Taggert'’s a respected name.

I demand respect,

and I get it.

This is not where you come from, Mr. Taggert.

Around here you demand nothing.

No?

Well, I got things that are due me.

Things that are my right.

They took my farm away from me

just for a few small dollars.

That'’s the way you get things,

you just take '’em.

Well, you got horses and I need '’em.

But I ain'’t gonna buy 'em,

'’cause I ain't got but about $2 left.

You'’re gonna give '’em to me.

You'’re getting nothing from me, Taggert.

And what'’s more, you're getting off my land now!

All right, I'’m goin'.

I'’m leavin'.

But I'’m taking me them horses,

and everything else that I can find.

And what I leave behind me ain'’t gonna be worth havin'.

Pa, there'’s a fire out in the west field!

It'’s burnin' up!

Oh, why?

I'’ll set a backfire.

You stay here.

[ door opens, closes ]All right, Pa.

[ glass breaks ]

MUNDY: You open this door

or Oscar'’s gonna blow your heads off.

Open it up!

Ma. Ma.

Put down that rifle.

Now, I don'’t want to have to kill anybody,

so you folks stay quiet.

Oscar, you go help Pa in the corral.

Now, stand together!

We'’re gonna finish this place,

that'’s what my pa says.

We'’re gonna take it away from you,

that'’s what he wants. Just like they done to us!

Now, you'’re gonna know what it'’s like.

[ gasps ]

Ma. Ma, please.

[ sobbing ]

[ grunts ]

[ grunts ]

[ grunts ]

[ grunts ]

[ man shouting ]

[ horse neighs ]

[ shouting ]

[ horse whinnying ]

[ gunshots ]

Mundy!

Mundy!

Kill him, Mundy!

Kill him!

He shot me!

He shot me! He shot your pa!

What are you waitin'’ for?

Kill him!

Kill him!

MUNDY: Thanks for not killin'’ my pa.

You think they'’ll change, Pa?

Do you think they'’ll be different now?

Well, let'’s hope so, Nan.

♪ Rather hear a rattler rattle ♪♪

You know somethin'’, Pa?

I think I'’d rather fight those bloody In-ji-ans

than fight those Taggerts.

You know somethin'’, Chris?

I think I would, too.

And so, the Taggerts rolled away

and disappeared like tumbleweed,

leaving John Gaunt and his family

in possession of the home they had carved out

of the wilderness.

That'’s what it took in those days,

a family working together.

Really together.

And it still does.