Original subtitles

♪ [ trombone ]

Mr. Neal?

My father here always says I'’m a fool.

'’Cause I don't know the value of a dollar.

It'’s a shame to put a hole through those dollars.

Supposing I just nick '’em?

[ gunshots ]

You'’re hired.

Well.

Maybe you'’ll show me a little respect from now on.

Your brainless son just got himself a job.

Doing what?

Watchman.

I'’m gonna protect Mr. Neal'’s interests.

With a gun?

What'’s he paying you?

Four hundred a month.

Nobody pays a watchman $400 for just watching.

I still think you'’re brainless.

♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

Jim McKinney was raised on a farm.

But he soon discovered he could harvest more wealth

with a gun than a plow.

The farm boy developed a taste for wild and fancy living.

By 1885, at the age of 24,

he was known throughout California'’s San Joaquin Valley

for his display of violence.

But it was Steve McKinney, Jim'’s father,

who was forced to make the...

Jim!

Jim!

What'’s the matter, Matt?

He hit me, Jim. He hit me.

Who? Mr. Jonas.

He kept me after school.

Ah. [ chuckles ] What'’d you do?

I didn'’t do nothing. He'’s always picking on me.

I told him you'’d beat him up.

Called you some kind of names.

Like what?

I don'’t know. Sounded like he was cussing you out.

Come on.

Sit down, Jonas.

Sit down.

I'’m keeping you after school.

What do you want?

I hear tell you'’ve been calling me some pretty fancy names.

I wouldn'’t call them fancy.

You got something to say, you say it to my face.

Are you threatening me?

All I want is to learn them words you used.

An educated man like yourself

ought to be glad to smarten up

an ignorant cuss like me.

You know, I never got out of grade school.

Well, school'’s out for today.

Teach me them words.

I said you were a tyrant.

Is that what he said?

Yeah.

I heard of that one before.

Now teach me something I don'’t know.

I also said you were a mercenary.

Oh, that'’s a good one. What'’s it mean?

Means someone whose gun is for hire.

Mr. Jonas,

I got one for you.

You ever hear of "lily-livered"?

You know how to spell it?

I asked you if you knew how to spell it.

Now, supposing you write on that blackboard a hundred times,

"I am lily-livered."

I will not be intimidated.

Intimidated.

Now, that'’s another choice one.

Write.

[ clicking tongue ]

Well, you sure got lousy handwriting.

And you'’re forgetting to dot your "I"s.

What do you learn here?

Nothing much.

You mean to tell me you sit here all day long and you don'’t learn nothing?

Lots of fool things.

And if you forget '’em,

Mr. Jonas whacks us on the hand with a ruler.

He does?

So what are you gonna do?

Teach a teacher a lesson.

Mr. Jonas?

Why are fish smart?

Because they'’re in schools.

Ah!

[ grunts ]

Well?

Jonas won'’t press charges. He'’s no fool.

I'’m sorry, Ed.Don'’t make much difference.

Thirty days in jail ain'’t gonna straighten him out, Steve.

What am I gonna do with him, Ed?

Drinks, fights, gambles, he don'’t save a penny.

Half the time he'’s full of laughs and horseplay,

then quick as a wink, he'’ll stomp around like a raging bull.

I can'’t lay a switch to him. He ain'’t a boy anymore.

If he don'’t straighten out, it'’s gonna end bad. Real bad.

I don'’t want him to go, Pa.

I don'’t want him to go.I'’m sorry, Matt.

There'’s no excuse for what he done in that schoolhouse.

He stood up for me, Pa. He fixed that Mr. Jonas for me.

Mr. Jonas was just doing his job, Matt.

I hate Mr. Jonas. I hate him.

Now, you listen to me, son.

I done a bad job of raising your brother.

I ain'’t gonna make the same mistake twice.

And Mr. Jonas is trying to make something out of you.

Now, you pay attention to him, you hear?

Any more trouble in that schoolhouse

and I'’ll take you out in the woodshed, you understand?

The rest of your stuff'’ll be out front tomorrow.

I don'’t need you. Or this house.

Jim.

♪ [ piano, in saloon ]

♪ [ piano continues ]

You listen to me, boy.

What you did to Mr. Jonas, my hands are tied.[ piano stops ]

But I'’ve got a bellyful of your jokes.

If I was your father, I'’d whale the tar out of you.

The next time you put a gun at a man'’s head,

you'’d better pull the trigger.

[ gun cocks ]

[ clicks ]

[ clicks ]

[ laughs ]

[ laughing ]

Let'’s go.

[ laughing continues ]

Judge, that gun couldn'’t hurt a fly.

Unless you used it as a fly-swatter.

Bring me that bucket of sand.

Judge, look.

The firing pin'’s been filed. It can'’t fire.

Set it down there.

[ clicks ]

[ clicks ]

Like I told you, judge.

You can hardly call it assault with a deadly weapon.

Why in the world would you want such a gun?

Practical joke now and then.

Comes in handy when you'’re horsing around.

I'’m always playing practical jokes.

Really?

Well, I'’m as appreciative as the next fellow of a good laugh.

But striking fear into a man'’s heart ain'’t very funny.

I understand this isn'’t the first occasion.

I'’m fining you $200.

Judge? I ain'’t got $200.

Then you can spend two months in jail laughing yourself silly.

Court'’s adjourned.

Hello, Steve. Coffee?

I'’m sorry about what happened, Ed.

I'’ve run him out of the house.

What else can I do?

Far as I'’m concerned, Jim'’s a lost cause.

Right now, it'’s Matt I'’m worried about.

He'’s crying his heart out because his brother'’s in jail.

Oh, he'’ll get over it.

Not so sure. The two of them are real close.

Too close.

It'’s 200.

Take a heap of plowing, weeding and backaches

to earn $200.

Steve, two months in jail ain'’t gonna hurt him none.

I want it this way, Ed.

Wait.

Might as well have these.

Hey, Mr. Neal.

I, uh, I want to thank you for paying my fine.

You can-you can take it out of my salary.

I didn'’t pay your fine.

And, Jim, there isn'’t going to be any more salary.

What?

I hired you as a troubleshooter, not to bring me trouble.

I don'’t need you anymore.

Yeah, but Mr. Neal--

Matt.

Every day you come chasing down here like all get-out.

You expecting a letter?

From your brother maybe?

[ horse neighs ]

Ed, Matt'’s gone.

I'’ve looked all over, but nobody'’s seen him since school.

Maybe he'’s run away.

Maybe I'’ve been too hard on him, Ed. Maybe I--

Easy, easy. Matt'’s all right.

I saw him half an hour ago.

Where? Saloon.

Well, what in the Sam Hill is he doing in there?

You better ask your son Jim.

He'’s back?Rode in this afternoon.

Steve.

That boy of yours killed two men over in Mandeville.

No.

He got away with it, calling it self-defense.

I'’m not gonna stand for any shooting in this town.

♪ [ piano ]

Three queens. [ chuckles ]

Well, Matt, you bring me good luck.

You too, Viola. Stay by me.

I don'’t pay her to watch poker games, Jim.

Come on. JIM: Stay.

Go to the farm.

You steer clear of Matt.

You keep away from him.

Or so help me, I'’ll break your head in.

[ crowd chatters ]

Sorry about that mirror, Sears.

Here.

This ought to take care of the damages.

No hard feelings?Forget it.

I understand how a man'’s gotta get something off his chest once in a while.

You want a job?

No. I'’m heading to Frisco.

Besides, I don'’t think you could pay my price.

Well, I couldn'’t pay you what Neal did, but I'’ll make it worthwhile.

You play good poker, and with that gun, nobody'’s gonna argue with you.

I'’ll stake you. We'’ll be partners.

Yeah.

Might be fun working for you, Sears.

Viola doesn'’t go with the job.

[ gun clicks ]

[ gun clicks ]

We'’ll have none of that in this house.

Now go on about your chores.

Will you lock up tonight?

[ Woman laughing ]

[ laughing ]

Oh.

Jim and I was just having a little drink.

I warned you once before, Viola.

Oh, Tom, listen.

Hey, look, Tom.

I know what you'’re thinking, but you'’re wrong.

Wait outside.

I wouldn'’t cross you.

Not after all you'’ve done for me.

Oh!

Out.

You feel kinda naked without your gun, kid?

I told you Viola didn'’t go with the job.

Real beauty, ain'’t it?

It holds two shots.

That'’s plenty.

Right through the heart.

[ laughing ]

You ought to see your face.

You'’re really scared.

[ laughs ] What'’s so funny?

Well, I wouldn'’t kill you, kid.

We got a good thing going.

You'’re real good at cards.

I heard you liked a joke.

So I pulled a gun.

[ laughs ]

Oh, is your face purple. [ laughing ]

[ gun cocks ]

[ laughing ]

[ both laugh ]

[ knocking ]

[ knocking ]

What is it?

What'’s the matter?

I need a gun and money quick.

What happened?Well, I ain'’t got time for questions.

I want to know what happened.

Pa, they'’re on my heels.

You ain'’t getting a red cent till I know.

Look, I shot Long Tom Sears.

You really shoot him, Jim?

You'’re doomed, Jim.

First them two men at Mandeville.

Now Sears. You'’ll go on killing like a wild animal

with a taste for blood.Look, save the lecture.

Look, Pa,

all I want from you

is a gun and enough money to get to Mexico.

Huh? Are you gonna help me?

If you don'’t come back.

All I want from you is to keep away from Matt for good.

Sure. Sure, sure, okay.

You gotta swear to that.Sure. I swear. I swear.

Jim, take me with you.

No. Please.

I can'’t. Why?

I'’ll come back, Matt. You can count on it.

MATT: You promise? JIM: Sure.

I gotta teach you to fan, don'’t I?

Thanks.

Where is he?

We know he came this way, Steve.

He killed a man. Where is he?

South. Toward Mexico.

Pa--

Come on, Matt.

You two, fan out.

Fire a shot if you spot him.

He won'’t get far. His horse has gone lame.

[ gunshot ]

[ gun clicks ]

[ gunshot ]

[Sheriff] Hit!

[ sobbing ]

Come on, Matt.

I think this belongs to you.

He was twisting Matt before my eyes.

Bending him to his ways.

I failed with one son, Ed.

I had to do something. I had to.

You did what you had to, Steve.

You did it for Matt.

[ coughs ]

Matt, you'’re young, son.

One day, someday,

you'’ll understand.

[ gun clicks ]

The way of justice is seldom easy,

and often takes strange turns.

Young Matt McKinney grew up to be a credit

to his father and the community.

And in Kern County, California,

his older brother Jim was buried without a headstone,

as his father had requested,

in a forgotten grave.

♪ [ trumpet ]