Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

...where Western history comes alive.

Stories of the Old West

are stories of hardships and adventure,

of dreams and of courage.

Stories of the American pioneer

are all a part of our past, our heritage.

One of the most controversial figures in the American West

was Orrin Porter Rockwell.

When he died, his friends eulogized him

as a great pioneer and a devout churchman.

Others called him a killer. Some even claimed he was a saint

and could not be killed by bullets, because he was the...

He'’s dead.

Hit his heart

dead center.

You got a light?

He'’s got a wife and three kids.

He never should'’ve accused me of cheating.

When I play poker, I like it friendly.

You'’re pretty fast with a gun.

You ain'’t never gonna see faster.

I'’ve seen faster.

Not here in California. Up in Utah on the Land of Zion.

Was passing through there once.

Saw this fella take a gunslinger faster than the eye can blink.

"The Destroying Angel" they call him.

Brigham Young'’s right hand.

Yes, sir, he'’s fast, all right.

Sometimes man can get lucky.

Maybe, but not this one.

They say he'’s killed over a hundred men.

A hundred?

Ain'’t no man put that many in pine boxes.

This one has.

Everybody in Utah knows about him.

Some call him saint. Some say he'’s a hard, cold-blooded killer.

Curious thing about him.

Story goes he can'’t be killed by a bullet--

that he'’s invincible.

Ain'’t no man can't be killed by a bullet.

That gunslinger I saw him kill, he got a shot off too.

Saw the hole where the bullet hit.

But the Destroying Angel,

he just shook that big old coat he wore.

The bullet dropped right down, fell to the ground.

[ chuckling ]Wasn'’t a scratch on him.

You sure must'’ve been liquored up.

I don'’t drink, mister. Never have.

I'’m telling you just what I saw.

That man you just gunned down?

He was just a plain old dirt farmer,

not much with a gun.

But the Avenging Angel?

The man who can take him would really have something to jaw about.

I always wanted to see Utah.

The one they call the Destroying Angel--

he lives just outside of Salt Lake.

What'’s his name?

Porter Rockwell.

And he can'’t be killed by a bullet, huh?

So the story goes.

Rockwell.

Porter Rockwell.

You were asked to leave two days ago.

You'’ve cheated my people and defiled one of our women.

Now it'’s too late to let you go.

The Lord waits His retribution.

[ gunshot ]

May the Lord have mercy on your black souls.

Mary Ann needs some things, Jess.

Sure, Porter.Two pounds of salt,

some sugar,

a side of bacon.

Coming right up.

And there was something else.

Those two strangers.

They came here more to provoke me

than they did to appease their own evil pleasures.

Three like them in the last six months.

One was only a boy of 19 years old.

Why?

Why do they seek me out?

Your name is known throughout every state west of Saint Louis.

You'’re a trophy to every budding gunslinger. A prize.

I did what had to be done.

Brigham Young himself weighed me with that obligation.

Is that not true, Jess?

Everyone in the Land of Zion knows that, Brother Porter.

Yet still they come.

One of those two men got off a shot at you.

Are you sure you'’re all right?

Not a scratch. See for yourself.

But I could have sworn...

Put this on my account, Jess.

Hear there was another killing.

Some of our women devote more time to gossip...

than they do to their duties.

Said there was two of them this time.

I brought the supplies.

You killed them both?

Both.

You all right?

You can see for yourself, can'’t you, woman?

Forgot the rice.

Afternoon.

Sure is quiet country.

Most of the time.

Not all the hullabaloo like California.

You got some jerky?

Just made it by a hair. I was just fixin'’ to close.

Kind of early for you to be closing up shop, ain'’t it?

Had us a funeral this afternoon.

Folks hereabout pay respect to the dead.

Don'’t like to do business on a day of death.

Hear a tale Porter Rockwell dug them two in the ground.

With his own hand.

What happened?

They defied him.

They'’d still be alive if they'’d had the sense to hightail it outta here.

They made the grave mistake of trying to face down Brother Rockwell.

Two against one ain'’t bad odds.

Maybe two ain'’t enough.

Maybe three ain'’t enough against Brother Rockwell, or four.

Not with guns, anyway.

Oh, I'’ve heard that story about him.

Supposed to be invincible, they say.

Can'’t be killed by bullets.

Never seen or been touched by a bullet.

Hogwash.

For what it'’s worth, mister,

I'’ve known Orrin Porter Rockwell ever since he came to Utah,

and I'’ve seen him maybe in a dozen gunfights and never get a scratch,

just the way Joseph Smith prophesied.

You believe it?

So far, ain'’t seen nothing to make me believe otherwise.

You got $20?Why?

Give it to me.

See this bullet?

$20 says I put one of these into Porter Rockwell

before I leave your Land of Zion.

[ coin clatters ]

I'’ll be back for that money tacked up there

after I'’ve destroyed your Destroying Angel.

[ door closes ]

[ whinnying ]Whoa now. Whoa, boy.

Whoa, boy. Hey.

Whoa. Whoa, boy.

[ whinnying continues ] Whoa now. Whoa, boy. Whoa, boy.

Whoa there. Whoa now.

Whoa. Whoa.[ whinnying stops ]

There now. Easy, boy.

Easy.

Hah!

[ sputtering ]

Pleased to see ya, Jess.

Porter, I'’ve gotta talk to you.

Brother Damien'’s been having trouble with his new horse here.

Threw him twice this week.It'’s important.

Promised the good brother I'’d gentle him down.

A stranger rode into town this afternoon.

A horse can'’t think, but he feels.

Looks like a hard case.

You gotta handle '’em firmly but friendly-like.

He said he was going to kill you.

When will they stop coming? Stop trying?

He looks meaner than the others, more determined.

They'’re all mean and determined.

I could tell him you'’re not here, left to go north someplace.

He'’d just wait.

If he didn'’t wait, he'’d be back.

That'’s how it is with men like that.

What are you going to do? Pray.

I don'’t think my prayers would be heard.

Somehow it seems to be written in the book

that I'’m ordained to rid the world of men like that.

Where is he now?

I don'’t know.

He left the store about half an hour ago,

and I came right out to tell ya.

Thank you kindly, Jess.

Anything I can do?

Nothing.

Nothing anyone can do.

Well, what do you want?

I'’ve come to give you something every man cherishes.

Oh? What'’s that?

Your life.

You worried about your $20?

You can have it if you leave right now.

How come you'’re being so generous?

Any man'’s life is worth more than $20.

Even yours.

Oh, I see.

Rockwell. He a friend of yours?

He'’s a friend to everyone in this land, to the church.

The church?

A man who'’s supposed to have killed over a hundred men?

I don'’t know how many he'’s had to kill,

but I know that he'’s blazed trails for the church to move here,

helped Brigham Young to settle the Land of Zion,

protected people with his own life.

And all those killings-- what about them?

Only God who can judge such things.

God send you here? Or Rockwell?

What'’s your name?

Emmet Cashman. Remember it.

Everybody from Missouri to California will know it one day.

Soon.

I wanted to know what to put on your tombstone.

You'’re already dead.

God have mercy on you.

[ sputters ]

It'’s there again.

That look you get when you'’re fixin' to kill.

Tend to your chores, woman.

I heard Jess before.

You going after that stranger?

I'’ve got no choice.

Let it begin now, Porter.

A turning away from bloodshed to a gentle life.

I don'’t seek out violence. It finds me.

Are you sure?

Are you really certain you don'’t

look for a reason to kill?

Those two men yesterday. Now this one.

They came to kill me.

So you killed them.

That make you any better?

What should I do?

Let them all come in here and try their hand

at shoving me into the ground?

Joseph Smith said you could not be killed by bullets.

If you believe that prophecy, what worries you?

Why...

Why do you disquiet me like this?

Vex me with questions meant to provoke?

'’Cause there's no one else to do it.

These last few years,

all the killing--

they'’ve taken ahold of you.

I could almost believe you...

actually pleasure yourself by killing.

You blaspheme me.

Blaspheme you?

Only God can be blasphemed.

You think you'’re part of Him?

We'’re all part of God.

Which part are you?

I'’m warning you, woman.

You go too far.

"The Avenging Angel" they call you,

yet the Lord said, "Vengeance is mine."

I protect my people that Brother Brigham Young put under my obligation.

I'’ve heard stories.

Some say you killed just for the sake of killing.

Lies! Untruths.

Spread by my enemies.

But you,

my own wife,

can you believe such vicious lies?

I don'’t know what to believe anymore, Porter.

All I know is you'’ve changed.

With each new killing, you become

more of a stranger to me.

I think even to yourself.

Has your female tongue had enough

of its venomous exercise now?

Porter!

Hold it right there, Rockwell.

I'’ll give you time for a prayer. A short one.

You can'’t kill me.

Don'’t tell me even you believe them stories about yourself?

[ clicks ]I told you not to move.

You'’ve got guts, I'’ll say that for ya.

Go home, stranger.When I'’m finished.

"Those who live by the sword shall"--Don'’t Psalm sing me.

Besides, what about you? You'’re supposed to have killed a hundred men.

Me, I'’ve only tallied nine.

You'’ll make ten.

You, the rest of the jackals like you--

where do you get the gall to seek me out,

or even dare to dream that you can kill me?

I don'’t buy all them stories about you, Rockwell.

All that holy mumbo-jumbo about prophecies

don'’t ruffle my feathers one bit.

Even God couldn'’t protect Himself

against a .44 fired point-blank into His gut.

You blaspheme.

You fouled His very name with your filthy tongue.

I'’m gonna blow that prophecy and you full of holes.

[ gunshot ]

I was there up on the hill. I saw the whole thing.

He could'’ve shot you in the back, killed you.

No.

He wouldn'’t have killed me.

Tell me, Brother Porter,

do you believe in the prophecy of Joseph Smith

that you can'’t be killed by a bullet?

That God protects you?

Yesterday, when one of those two men shot you

and the bullet got lodged in your coat,

has it happened before?

There are two layers of wool on the outside.

Thick lining of sheepskin on the inside.

Maybe a bullet can'’t penetrate it.

Maybe.

Then you'’re not sure yourself how it happened.

I don'’t know when it started.

Two, maybe three years ago.

I felt something funny inside.

Something cold but strong like steel.

And then suddenly I knew.

They couldn'’t kill me.

None of them.

Then you do believe in the prophecy.

I know I'’m alive.

How else can you explain it?

How do we know what the Almighty has dained for us?

We cannot question what will be,

only what is and what has been.

A great controversy still surrounds

the legend of the Avenging Angel.

He is still revered by some,

disclaimed and despised by others.

Did Divine Providence really protect him from bullets?

Was Joseph Smith'’s prophecy true?

Well, one fact is certain.

Orrin Porter Rockwell, Mormon leader,

pioneers, scout, and accused assassin,

died of natural causes in Salt Lake City

in 1878 at the age of 65.