Original subtitles

A Warner Brothers television production.

Marshal Hacker, Sam Colt.

Oh, yeah ! Been expectin' you, captain.

I thought the army had placed High Card under martial law.

Well, it was supposed to first thing this morning

but there was some Indian trouble up north

and they had to pull out.

There's your army, right there.

'Lieutenant Perris.'

Oh, Captain Colt.

Every man was ordered into the field, sir.

I wouldn't even be here if this arm wasn't busted.

Colone Purdy left this for you.

"Captain Colt, you are hereby instructed

"to place the town of High Card under martial law immediately.

Edward J. Purdy Colonel."

Well, that makes it pretty tough.

Just the three of us to carry out the army's orders.

Whoa, just a second, Colt.

- 'What's the matter ?' - Look, captain.

You can ride into town, handle this job any way you have to

and ride right on out, nice and easy.

But it isn't quite that simple for me.

I have to live with these people.

I can't afford to take side in a thing of this kind.

This town is wide open.

Army personal have been robbed, cheated and murdered.

To soldiers were killed and I want the men who did it.

I don't know what I can do to help you.

And that's where you stand ?

That's where I have to stand.

I won't get in your way, Colt, but..

...outside of that..

Well, lieutenant, you heard the marshal.

Looks like we do this job by ourselves.

We can handle it, sir. What're my orders ?

Well, we post these.

After that it's up to the citizens of High Card.

I'm Captain Colt, United States army.

Post that over the bar.

"Until further notice, there will be no gambling

"within the city limits of High Card.

"Saloon will observe a 10:00 pm curfew.

Violators will be punished in accordance with Martial Law."

Do as he says.

Oh, now, wait a minute, Vinnie, you can't do that !

Now wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

The captain's only doing his duty.

Well, that's right, ma'am, and I appreciate your cooperation.

Cooperation is always the best way

to handle difficult situations.

- I'm Vinnie Berkeley. - Again, thanks.

Lieutenant.

Vinnie, are you gonna let him get away with that ?

That was only the opening hand, Wes.

It's not time yet to raise the bet.

Captain, be reasonable.

The ban on gambling and this ridiculous curfew

is bankrupting the saloon owners.

Sound like High Card exists on its entertainment facilities.

Do you call murdering United States soldiers

entertainment, Mayor Tullow ?

No, of course not.

See here, Colt, you seem like an intelligent man.

Try to see the other side of the coin.

Well, that seems to be the whole problem. Money.

I don't deny it.

High Card can't exist without it.

May I speak plainly ?

I've been asked by certain business interests

to mediate this problem

to everyone's best advantage.

Go on.

That includes you, captain.

Are you offering me a bribe ?

The town is prepared to pay you

a substantial cash sum for your cooperation.

Money of course to be used for any worthy cause you designate.

I see.

In what way am I to cooperate ?

All it's needed is your honest report

that High Card is quiet.

And that martial law is no longer required.

What can I tell 'em, captain.

You can tell 'em that as soon as I jail

whoever killed those two soldiers martial law will end.

And you can tell them another thing, mayor.

I can't be bought.

Captain, as mayor of High Card, I must inform you

that I intend to take the next stage for Washington.

We'll see who's giving the orders in this town.

Sorry, not possible.

But until I find out who killed those two soldiers

nobody, not even you, mayor

leaves High Card.

I don't know what else we could've done.

Colt's a bullheaded fool !

Turning down all that money.

Vinnie, Duke and I counted this weeks take.

And it was way less than last week.

'And that was pretty low. What can we do ?'

Well, whatever we do we better do it fast.

I made less last week than I used to make in an hour

before Colt took over.

You got any ideas, Vinnie ?

Well, I had hope to send Mayor Tullow to Washington.

He says he has some influential friends there

who might be able to help us.

Unfortunately Colt refuses to let him leave town.

Well, we better find a way to change Colt's mind.

I think it can be arranged.

With your help, Wes.

My help ?

Bu-but I'm in the same boat you are.

To be perfectly honest your boat's a a little

shakier than ours.

What do you mean ?

I'm just reminding you

that I own more than half

of your lady Chance saloon.

But, Vinnie, when you lent me that money you said...

I said there was no hurry in paying it back.

That was six months ago.

Things have changed.

Bu-but I couldn't possibly pay you back now

not now.

I think there's a way Wes.

I'll accept services in lieu of cash.

You mean..

...you want me to kill Sam Colt ?

But, Vinnie, that would be suicide !

The army would close us up permanently

if Colt were killed.

Not if we're not connected with it.

Our only hope is to get Mayor Tullow to Washington.

We can't as long as Colt runs this town.

But, Vinnie..

...I'm no good with a gun, I'll be killed myself.

Oh, there are other ways, Wes. A shot from ambush.

Or if you prefer, hire some else for the job.

How you do it or who pulls the trigger

makes no difference to me.

But I want Colt out of the way in the next 48 hours.

You know him ?

Jace Kirby.

I sent him to the penitentiary once.

? ?, lieutenant.

Give me a bottle.

Hello, Colt.

I want you out of town.

I got business here.

So have I, Kirby. And you're my first chore.

Look, Colt, I'm not gonna try you on for size.

You just give me time to rest and feed my horse.

Besides, you got nothin' on me.

This town's under martial law, and I'm in command.

You've got until midnight tonight.

Well, that's just fine.

It'll give me just time enough, Colt.

- Perris, you got a job. - Yes, sir.

Keep an eye on Jace Kirby for me.

Perris, he's in the saloon.

Yes, sir.

- Still there ? - Hadn't come out.

I could see him through the window for quite a while.

Can't see him anymore.

'Look out, captain !'

Must've snuck around from the back door.

Alright, Kirby, I wanna know who hired you.

There's no way you'll get it from me.

You're dying, Kirby.

You're not far behind me, Colt.

"You won't know who he is"

"or where he's waitint and hiding.'"

You bungled it !

Now, you finish Colt tonight.

And this time handle it personally.

He looks pretty worn out.

Yeah, sure hate to wake him up.

But it's time to make rounds.

Listen, Colt, I..

...maybe I spoke to hasty before.

- About what ? - Well, you know.

What I said about me keeping out of this situation.

Well, if you want me to make the rounds with you tonight

I'm willin'.

Well, I was hopin' you'd get around to it.

Well, I haven't changed my mind, it's just that

Perris looks plum worn out and so do you, that's all.

Well, whatever he reasons, marshal

I'm grateful.

He's passed help.

For a minute I thought it was you.

It was supposed to be you, you were the one

who was supposed to go out that door !

The shot came from across the street.

Come on.

Watch real close.

Stay here and cover me.

What seems to be the trouble, Captain Colt ?

Ms. Berkeley.

Someone used your saloon after curfew, that's all.

You have no right to break in here, Colt.

Let the captain explain, Duke.

After all he is the law in town now.

I found this right here under the window.

A shot from here killed Marshal Hacker.

Well, are you trying to accuse us ?

I'm not accusing anyone yet.

I'm just saying that Marshal Hacker was gunned down

from this window.

I'm afraid we can't help you, captain.

Duke and I just came in.

You didn't hear the shot ?

We didn't hear a thing.

Well, maybe you can hear this.

Marshal Hacker was murdered tonight.

And whoever did it is going to hang.

Find anything, captain ?

Just this.

Bullet from it killed Hacker.

Pretty big casing.

At least Hacker never knew what hit him.

Ms. Berkeley, I'd like to talk to you.

The man who tried to ambush me yesterday

Jace Kirby, he spent some time in here.

Did he ?

I'd like to know who he talked to.

I didn't pay much attention to him.

Well, he's the sort of man that people notice.

Sorry. I don't remember.

Well, maybe you should remember that a marshal was shot down

in cold blood yesterday.

Coffee ?

Any luck, captain ?

No.

Think the killer will try again tonight ?

- Why not ? - Oh, I'm sorry, captain.

Must be working too hard, lieutenant, your aim is bad.

I guess so.

Seems like everybody's got it in for you

for one reason or another.

Don't these people remember the way things used to be

the shootings, the brawls.

It was worth a soldiers life just to come into town.

Nobody like taking orders from the army.

The only people really getting hurt by the martial law

are the saloon owners and the gamblers

the rest of the people don't even seem to care.

Lieutenant !

I'm sorry, captain.

But what can we do ?

We can go on making our rounds.

Captain.

Aren't you supposed to be in the office, lieutenant ?

Yes, sir.

But if the killer tries again it'll be now

that it's turned dark, I've been out here

watching you for about half an hour.

Alright, lieutenant, keep your eyes open.

I'll take that side of the street.

Let's get on with it.

Oh, evening, Captain Colt.

After 10 o'clock, mister, get off the street.

Yes, sir.

Don't shoot ! Don't shoot !

Nobody's gonna shoot you, mister.

But the penalty for murder is hangin'.

Don't shoot ! Don't you hit me !

Talk, and talk fast. Who killed those two soldiers ?

Duke did it, the soldiers caught him cheating

and they were gonna tell the marshal.

And killing me was your idea,

No, Vinnie, Vinnie Berkeley

she, s-she made me do it !

Dispatch rider just brought this in.

It looks like your outfit is returning, lieutenant.

Now we don't need them anymore, Sir.

You dropped that last night.

That's the shell casing you had when Mason clopped you.

It saved my life, maybe bring you some luck.

Wow, thank you, sir.

Well, mission accomplished, lieutenant.

Let's go greet the colors.

♪ There was a gun that won the west ♪

♪ There was a man among the best ♪

♪ The fastest gun or man alive ♪

♪ A lightning bolt when he drew that Colt .45 ♪

♪ He carried the message of law and of order ♪

♪ Into a wicked land ♪

♪ With a Colt single action army revolver ♪

♪ Blazing from either hand ♪

♪ There was the right, there was the wrong ♪

♪ The gun was quick, the man was strong ♪

♪ And peace was made when they'd arrived ♪

♪ A lightning bolt when he drew that Colt .45 ♪

♪ Colt .45 ♪

♪ Colt .45 ♪