Original subtitles

Feeding time.

Oh.

Oh, wow, a waiter with my breakfast. [ chuckles ]

You sure treat your guests right here in Laramie.

Well, enjoy it while you can, Vance.

It'll be a lot tougher up at Fort Leavenworth.

Ah, so they tell me.

Oh, I'd just leave to serve my sentence out here

if it was up to me.

Well, it's not.

If I was in your spot,

I'd consider myself lucky to be spending the next few years

just as far away from here as I could get.

Hmm.

Even if it's behind bars, huh?

Especially behind bars,

where the Sanfords can't get at you.

You mean those scarecrows from up in the hills?

Listen, a jury should've given me a medal

for shooting one of them instead of--

[ gunshot ]

Someone's coming, Pa.

Been coming for quite a spell.

It's Carl.

What kept you?

I stayed around long enough to throw a shot at Joe Vance.

I almost got him too right through the bars.

I didn't say for you to do that.

Well, didn't anybody follow me, Pa,

didn't nobody even see me.

You know I got my mind set on seeing Joe Vance

at the end of a rope.

Well, I just figured

I could save everybody a lot of trouble as well--

Shut up.

Did you find out what I sent you to find out?

Yeah, they're shipping him to Leavenworth

Tuesday afternoon.

Tomorrow.

The stagecoach?

Yeah, just like you figured.

Then come tomorrow noon

we'll be riding into the Sherman Relay Station.

We'll take Mr. Joe Vance off that stage

and hang him to a tree.

Sounds good, Pa.

Mmm. Well, you really know how to start a morning off, Miss Daisy.

Well, thank you.

I certainly enjoy cooking

for the good appetites around here.

Milk?

I beg your pardon, Mike.

May I please have some more milk, Miss Daisy?

You know, if you could draw a gun that fast,

you'd have quite a reputation.

Oh, I'm sorry, Slim.

Did you want this?

There'll be plenty more for supper

if you hardworking men can ever

tear yourselves away from the breakfast table.

Mmm, I reckon.

I'll have to do a lot of riding to work off this breakfast.

You're gonna check those strays

in the canyon, aren't you, Jess?

Yeah.

Bout time I work Bess again.

Uh, we'll be back around noon, Miss Daisy.

Slim, you haven't forgotten our discussion, have you?

Of course not.

We better check and see if that bottom line's dry enough

before you turn those strays loose too.

I mean, our discussion about what has to be done.

Why, I know, Miss Daisy, yeah.

We're gonna tend to it too.

Uh, when?

We've got more important things to do now.

What's going on here?

She means painting, Jess.

And I can help.

I'm real good with a brush.

Oh, yeah.

Well, that's right, Daisy, I agree with you.

But if Slim doesn't get those fences fixed

and don't round up those strays,

we'll all be in a lot of trouble.

Oh-oh, what will happen?

Uh, poor animals are liable to wander off and die.

From what?

There's no sense in standing here talking about it

when there's so much work to be done.

Well, now don't you worry about the place, Miss Daisy.

We'll get that paint done.

Come on, Jess.

Why are they against painting so much?

Oh, they're not really against it, Mike.

They just need a little push.

I think I know how to give it to them.

Howdy, part.

[ Slim laughs ]

Those fences are in real good shape.

Yeah. They sure are.

Dad-gum I found a lot of strays in the canyon though.

You did? How many?

Three.

You know, Jess?

We're gonna have to get at that painting chore

one of these days.

You bet.

Sometime when we ain't got nothing else to do.

You know what the trouble is,

well, this is the busiest time of year around a ranch.

Yeah, that's right.

We've got to hustle plenty for the next 2 or 3 months

to keep that ranch in shape, you know, before the rainy season starts.

That's right.

You know man would be plumb loco to try anything then.

Yeah.

You know, Slim, we got to do it sometime now.

Miss Daisy's got her heart set on it.

Yeah, I know, Jess.

She's right.

But doggone it...

a man ought to decide

when he's gonna paint his own place!

You know, that's a funny thing.

You start letting a woman make the decisions for you,

first thing you know, you can't think for yourself.

Sure isn't the work out of it.

I don't mind working.

Shucks, me neither.

Work keeps a man in shape.

Truer words never spoken, Jess.

Pa is looking for you.

We're getting ready to ride.

I'll be along as soon as I put the seed out.

Seems to me you ought to be working over your rifle

instead of messing around with these here birds.

I said I'd be ready when the time comes and I will.

I guess you know it was Pa's idea.

I mean, you're coming with us to nail Joe Vance.

If it was up to me I'd leave you out.

Look, Carl, I'll tell you something.

I'm not all that fond of you either,

especially when you spent the last couple of hours

nipping out of a jug.

Come on, boy, let's see how good you are.

Come on.

What's going on?

Well, uh, nothing.

Nothing, Pa, John boy here just tripped himself

over a bucket, that's all. [ chuckles ]

Sure he's wet, ain't he?

You've been fighting him again?

Why, of course not.

Well, go on and ask him. Have I?

Well.

Let's get saddled up, we got a long ride ahead of us.

JESS: Slim, look.

Easy, Mike, now be careful.

Look, what you made me do.

Come on, Mike.

Daisy, what are you trying to do, kill yourself?

What'd you say?

Come on down, Miss Daisy.

Nice and easy now, huh?

Uh, what'd you want to talk to me about?

Uh...

isn't it about time for lunch?

Oh, my goodness.

Well, I was so busy I'd never given it a thought.

But I've got some nice cold pork and beans.

I can rustle up in a hurry.

Cold pork and beans.

[ smirks ]

I'm gonna call you old painter.

How are you doing, Jess?

Not too good.

[ horse snorting ]

Hey, you're doing real well.

I bet you're enjoying it, too.

Sure we are!

I can't wait to see it finished.

I'll go along with that, Daisy.

We'll bring you back enough paint

to do the house, too.

Well, that's fine!

Anything else you want from town?

No, thanks.

All right.

Goodbye, now you be careful up there.

Bye, Slim. Bye, Jess.

Bye, Mike.

Slim, I want you to explain me one thing.

What?

What are we doing up here with paint brushes in our hand?

We're painting!

Now shut up and paint.

I figured it was something like that.

Things are gonna be a lot simpler

than I counted on.

They ain't wearing their guns.

They could have 'em close by, Pa.

I could pick 'em off real easy from here

just like squirrels on a pine branch.

Put it down, Carl.

You keep your hands off my gun

or I'll lay it alongside your head, boy.

There'd be no more squabbling, you hear?

You're old enough to quit playing games with that rifle,

or do I have to take it away from you?

If there's any shooting it'll be on my say so,

you hear, Carl?

Yeah, I hear, Pa.

Ha.

[ horses neighing ]

We got company, Slim.

Ben Sanford and his boys.

Let's take a break.

Howdy, Ben. Boys.

Just climbing down to rustle up some coffee.

Just stay where you are for spell.

Yeah, until the stage comes in.

What's the joke?

Hold it now.

No joke, Sherman.

They're moving Joe Vance to Fort Leavenworth

on the afternoon stage.

Only he ain't gonna get there.

This is as far as he goes.

You planning on bushwhacking him?

Call it whatever you want.

I say he's gonna hang for killing my son.

He was tried in court and found guilty of man slaughter.

He'll pay for it, Ben.

Five to ten years, he'll be free

before the grass is green on my boy Warne's grave.

There were witnesses, Ben.

Folks said Warne was drinking and he started that fight.

Vance killed him.

That's enough for me.

After today, if his kinfolk come gunning for us,

we'll be ready for them.

I'm coming down.

Carl, if he touches that ladder,

you give him a bullet in his leg.

Better ease off, Slim.

Old trigger-happy there looks like

he'd enjoy shooting you.

I would, I purely would.

Now listen to me, Ben--

I listened to you once.

"Let the law handle it," you said.

And I was right and I'm still right.

Now you shoot Vance and the law will hunt you down

like snakes.

The law can try.

It'll take a powerful lot of 'em

to fetch us down out of them hills.

What about you, John?

You going along with this?

Tell him, son.

Warne was my brother and Pa says we got to do it and...

and he's right.

You know better than that.

[ horses neighing ]

Riders coming.

See if we can make out who it is.

Two men with badges, Pa.

You know what's the most powerful influence

in the west --

A six-gun?

A woman.

You couldn't get those two up there

with a whole regiment of guns.

What's on your mind, Mort?

You know that pigpen out at my place,

lately the hogs have been complaining

about the way it looks.

Why don't you let 'em move in the house?

Tried that, they moved right out.

Now the whole place needs painting, boys.

I figured maybe you'd give me a little estimate on the job.

Sorry, Mort.

We're retired right after we finish this.

Like to chat with you but this isn't the time.

Kind of edgy, aren't they?

Maybe they ain't happy with their work.

Sure they are.

Why, these boys were born house painters.

You can see it all over 'em.

Yeah, I noticed that.

A real colorful pair.

Anymore wisecracks and you're gonna be using this

paint brush for a toothpick.

You see anything of the Sanfords?

Can't say I have.

Somebody took a shot at Joe Vance.

I've been looking for Carl Sanford.

You try their cabin?

They've let out.

Maybe they're trapping.

Maybe.

Something else you boys ought to know,

Joe Vance will be passing through here

this afternoon by stage.

They're moving him to Leavenworth.

Good for him.

I ain't expecting any trouble here,

but no way of figuring when it comes to those mountain men.

You see any signs of them, you better let that stage know,

it could get a little rough.

Yeah, John is kind of civilized.

But old Ben, he's tougher than a chuck wagon steak.

Ben's a good man, just kind of set in his ways.

Carl, now there's a sidewinder

I wouldn't turn my back on.

We'll keep our eyes open.

Like I say I'm not expecting any trouble.

But if there is,

the guards ought to be able to handle it all right.

There's guards on the stage?

Four of them, come in from Leavenworth yesterday.

I'll see you, boys.

Keep up the good work.

Get back to work till they're out of sight.

We should have done something, Slim.

Like what?

Get Mort and Cal killed?

Quiet up there, that could still happen.

All right, Sherman...

you come on down, slow.

Bring your bucket.

John, collect all those guns in there, you hear?

Yeah, Pa.

Watch Harper.

Let me know if anyone turns up.

Go on in the house.

I'll be right behind you.

Hold it.

It won't work, Harper.

Now toss that gun away and come on out.

You want this gun, you come and get it, Ben.

I don't have to.

There's a rig coming from Laramie way,

With a woman and a boy.

No need for anybody to get hurt, is there?

Now get shucking that gun.

That's enough, Harper.

Get up and get your gun.

I'm gonna kill him.

You're gonna leave him be.

If'n you kept your eyes open,

nothing would have happened.

Inside.

Go on, Carl.

Seems like I got to keep my eyes on you too, huh?

Go on in there.

And keep your gun on these two,

take their iron with you.

Help him, Carl.

Sit over there and lean your rifle

against the fireplace candlelight.

DAISY: Slim, Jess, we're back.

They'd be expecting us to unload the wagon.

Stay where you are.

They're coming in.

Daisy let me drive most of the way home.

Oh, hello.

Oh, I didn't know we had company.

Well, I hope you'll stop for a cup of coffee

and a piece of pie.

Pie was baked fresh this morning.

No, thank you, ma'am.

Oh, nice, no trouble at all, Mr. Sanford.

Uh, Slim, Jess, would you bring in the other packages

from the wagon, please?

You can do that later.

I was so sorry to hear about what happened to your son,

Mr. Sanford.

I know how you must feel.

Afternoon, Mrs. Cooper.

All right for her to go in the kitchen, Pa?

What's going on?

Mike, you better go in your bedroom.

Why? What'd I do?

Nothing.

But go on in your bedroom and close the door.

But I don't want to go into my room.

I've got things to do out front.

Mike!

Go on, better do as you're told.

We'll explain all about this later on.

That's the trouble with grownups.

They don't give you credit for knowing anything at all.

[ screeching ]

If we had a gun we'd show 'em, wouldn't it, Chip?

They're waiting for the stage, Daisy.

Joe Vance will be on it.

Joe Vance.

The man who is going to prison

for what he did to your son?

Yes, ma'am.

Only he ain't going to prison.

We're gonna take him off that stage

and put a rope around his neck

and hang him to the highest cottonwood we can find.

Ain't nobody gonna stop us, Miss Cooper.

Nobody.

You and Harper, get back up on that roof

and keep painting.

Have 'em put the buckboard in the barn out of the way.

There's shooting to be done.

Move!

There's no need to upset yourself, ma'am.

I don't mean you no harm whatever.

What you are planning is cruel,

deliberate murder, Mr. Sanford.

Not to me.

I realize that.

But in the eyes of the law--

The law's eyes looked on my boy's killing

like it didn't matter.

Just another mountain man...

eye for eye, burning for burning, life for life,

that's the law I believe in.

The book you are quoting has

a great many other things in it, Mr. Sanford.

For example, "Do unto others

as you would they should do unto you."

Joe Vance should have read that part.

[ screeching ]

Shh!

You want to spoil everything?

I'd take you along,

only you might get bad and bite somebody.

Pa, come on out a minute!

No, no, boy.

This cub must have come out through the window, Pa.

And just where was you heading, boy?

To get help.

Rest easy, ma'am.

He ain't hurt.

Nail the boy's window shut, John.

You can't blame the young one for trying.

Now everybody does just as they're told

and nobody gets hurt.

You understand?

Yes, sir.

Stage is coming, Pa!

Inside with the boy, ma'am, and no noise.

John, stay with these folks and see they keep quiet.

Sherman, you keep painting

till that stage turns off the road,

then get a fresh team.

Harper, stay right where you are.

Come on, get going!

I see no guards.

They're probably inside.

Take it easy, Jess.

Carl's just aching to put a bullet in you.

I got kind of an ache myself.

Whoa!

Hiya, Slim.

Mose.

MOSE: Sherman Relay Station, folks.

Like to stretch.

Hey, Slim, get them crowbait out of the customers' way.

Hank, you take care of the team.

Our boss and barn painter don't seem to know

what to do with them.

This is all the passengers you got?

Yeah.

Almost had another one

but there wasn't room enough for him and his friends.

You know who it was?

I better give Hank a hand with the team.

Joe Vance.

They're sending through a special stage at 5 o'clock

for just him and his guards.

You know something?

I sure do.

Elby King's driving and he's getting double pay.

Well, he can have it.

I wouldn't trade places with him for triple pay.

I got a bad feeling when it comes to shipping prisoners

and especially that one.

You know why, don't you?

No, why?

The Sanfords.

I wouldn't put it past them to make a try to take Vance.

You better keep your eyes peeled too, Slim.

Yeah, I'll do that, Mose.

You all set there, Hank?

Yeah.

All right, folks!

Let's go, get aboard.

Stay where you are, Harper.

Hey, Jess!

That looks real pretty!

Hyah!

Come on, Jess, let's finish this.

What's your hurry?

Since we get through they're gonna have to

let us get off of here.

It'd be kind of strange if they didn't.

Yeah, you're right.

We're sitting ducks up here.

On the ground or in the house,

we might have a chance.

That's a general idea.

Sit down!

Don't you dare speak to me like that.

I'll speak to you anyway I want to.

Carl!

If you lay a hand on Miss Cooper,

you won't have a tooth left in your head.

Thank you.

Would you care for a cup of coffee, Mr. Sanford?

No, thank you kindly, ma'am.

Would it be safe for me to ask a question?

If'n it's one I can answer.

How long ago did you come to this part of the country?

Forty years, closer to forty-one, I reckon.

Why, you must have been among the very first settlers.

Yes, ma'am.

Me and my wife was the first whites

to live on the mountain.

Before us, there was just the Cheyenne.

You must have been very young.

Nineteen.

Them was good days.

What courage you and Mrs. Sanford must have had

to be among the first, I mean.

Maybe it was that, maybe just foolhardiness.

It ain't easy to tell 'em apart at that age.

The day I felled the first tree for our cabin,

it was her 17th birthday.

You miss her, don't you?

I do, ma'am, very much.

But it's good she ain't here to see this day.

Perhaps she knows about it anyway.

For her memory's sake, couldn't you--

She didn't like killing no more than I do, Miss Cooper.

But if she was here, she wouldn't try to stop me.

She'd know it was something that had to be done.

You don't understand why, do you, ma'am?

No.

And I can't believe either that a good man

would throw away his life and his sons' lives

with a single act of vengeance that can't help anyone.

Thank you for the name, ma'am.

I've tried to be a good man, in my own way,

and a just one.

Is this your idea of justice?

It is.

John's bringing in Sherman and Harper.

All right, let them come.

They finished the job, Pa.

I figured it'd look funny if they stayed up there.

Light over yonder and stay put.

DAISY: Slim?

Something I can do for you?

Thanks, Miss Daisy.

You've done plenty.

John, you're getting a might careless with your iron,

watch that.

Yeah, Pa.

Sit down, Harper!

You don't hear so good, do you?

[ Jess groans ]

What's wrong with you, Carl?

I'll tell you what's wrong with him.

He's a dirty yellow coward.

Hold it!

All right, before you ruin things for me,

I'm gonna let you work off some of that steam.

You inclined toward a plain old fashioned set-to

with my boy Carl?

Anytime.

I don't think that's a good idea at all, Mr. Sanford.

I think it's a fine idea, Daisy.

Just fine.

Outside.

I'll take that knife.

You're being watched close, Sherman.

Don't try nothing foolish now.

Tear his head off, Jess.

You bet.

[ grunting ]

Go get some water for your brother.

It was a good match, you whooped him fair.

Oh, Jess.

I'm all right, Daisy.

Carl ain't hurt bad either, ma'am.

Fact is he's happiest when he's fighting.

[ groans ]

Rather pointless though, wasn't it, Mr. Sanford?

Hasn't really changed anything, has it?

No, ma'am.

Coming on close to 5 o'clock,

time it was tying you boys up.

Inside.

Thanks.

You want a drink, John?

Uh, no.

Thank you kindly.

What are you thinking on?

Nothing much.

Me, I'm thinking about Joe Vance.

He never was much of a man.

Maybe he isn't even worth saving...

but I know a man who is.

Who's that?

You, John.

You could amount to something

if you just set your mind to it.

Don't you worry about me.

I can't help it.

Now your pa could stop this at anytime.

Your brother Carl isn't worth as much as a bullet

that's likely to finish him.

But you...

makes me feel kind of sick about the way

you're gonna be wasted.

That's enough of that, Sherman.

John's gonna be all right.

Is he?

He'll spend the rest of his life

running away from a murder charge

and that's the best he can hope for.

He's full grown and a Sanford.

He wouldn't know more thinking letting

Joe Vance get away than I would.

That's so, ain't it, son?

I'm gonna do what you want me to do, Pa.

That's not exactly what you meant, is it, Ben?

John?

You never lied to me.

I'm gonna ask you a question,

I don't want you lying to me now.

I won't lie, Pa.

You are doing this 'cause it's the right thing,

ain't that so?

I better spell Carl outside.

Wait!

I asked you a question.

No.

It ain't right, Pa.

But I'll do it because you want me to.

Mr. Sanford, you can't do this to him.

Oh, please, forget this terrible thing.

He's soft, all the way through.

I never knew that.

He's good.

He's trying to be a civilized human being.

Civilized?

It's my fault.

I let him spend too much time in the town, spoiled him.

There's one you didn't spoil, Ben.

You proud of him?

Don't be crowding me, Harper.

Pa, I've been thinking on the way

we're gonna go about this.

The thinking's been done.

We can lay low while that stage pulls in

and Sherman unhitches the team.

We're gonna get the drop on the guards

and run off all the horses.

Then we deal with Joe Vance.

And we high tail out, leaving half a dozen people here

could put a rope around our necks?

Just what are you saying exactly?

You know.

I reckon.

Now you listen to me.

Joe Vance gets what the law should've given him.

Anybody tries to stop us gets shot, that's all.

Ain't enough, Pa, you know it ain't.

There's a good country in the north, Canada,

where there's still fur to be trapped and buffalo to hunt.

It ain't overrun with towns and people yet.

Pa, listen to me, it's too late.

For me, oh, no, boy.

I got a good many years left, enough to straighten out John

and make a Sanford out of him.

Pa, you're dreaming.

It ain't like it was no more and never will be again anyplace.

The law will track us down no matter how far we run.

You ain't saying we should give up?

No.

What I'm saying is we don't have no chance at all

if then we leave one single witness here

who could testify against us.

Now you quit talking like that, boy.

Let me worry about the law following.

I'll lead you places where no lawman

will find you in a hundred years.

I told you, Pa, there ain't no such places no more.

All right, you told me!

Now there'll be no more talk about

killing innocent folk, you hear?

I ain't running the rest of my days,

I'm not leaving behind any witnesses!

As long as I'm alive, you will do as I say,

you understand?

John! Inside!

You'll be out there waiting for the stage.

Get over by that window and keep it covered.

See anything, Chip?

See any sign of the stage?

Don't, Jess.

Don't make me shoot you.

Don't make any difference

whether it's you or your brother.

Carl don't want to leave any witnesses anyway.

Pa wouldn't let him do that.

BEN: John, look sharp, stage is coming.

Don't try to warn them, Sherman.

If you do, a lot of lives are gonna end right here.

[ gunshot ]

If John sold us out, I'm gonna get him.

Leave him be.

Go get the horses.

Are we going after the stage?

No.

Just going.

Get the horses like I told you.

Pa.

Stay in here, Miss Daisy.

[ gunshot ]

You all right?

Yeah.

You got him?

Yeah.

Not before he had a chance to crease you, though.

I'm just glad that's all he had a chance to do.

Jess?

Yeah, Mike?

How long are they gonna keep

John Sanford and his pa in jail?

Oh, I reckon they'll keep Mr. Sanford in

for quite a spell.

But young John, he's all healed up

and back on the farm.

Judge gave him a suspended sentence.

I'm glad.

Yeah, so am I.

If it hadn't been for him, we wouldn't be here right now.

Come to think of it, I wish I weren't here now anyway.

What?

Nothing, Mike, just complaining.

It's a little messy over there, Jess,

better go over it again.

You think so, huh?

Yeah.

That little scratch you got has been healed up for 3 days.

Why don't you take that phony bandage off

and come out here and help me?

Sorry, Jess, you know I can't do that.

Why, I'm confined to bed.

Miss Daisy'd be mighty upset

if she even knew I was on my feet.

Yeah, that's right, I reckon she would.

Hey, hey!

Hey, Daisy!

You called me, Jess?Slim, you better come out here

and show Miss Daisy that stuff you got all over you.

SLIM: Never mind, I'm getting dressed.Getting dressed?

Oh, yes, ma'am, old Slim's all better.

I think I'll get a paintbrush for him.I brought one.

Way ahead of me again, huh?

[ chuckles ]

You know, Miss Daisy, I'm not sure

whether I want to grow up like Slim or Jess.

Well, look here, you could do a lot worse.

I could do a lot better too.

I could grow up smart like you.

Why you--[ Mike tripping ]