Original subtitles

( carnival music playing )

( announcer speaking indistinctly )

( crowd yells )

( camera whirring )

ANNOUNCER ( over PA ): broken to saddle.

Today it's even tougher, for horses are bred and selected

for their ability to dislodge cowboys.

The rider must stay on top for ten seconds.

( dramatic theme playing )

For the rest, the judges will be looking for style

and degree of difficulty.

The luck of the draw plays an important part

in a cowboy's chances, and today,

Vern Osborne drew a little beauty called Smoke Dance.

Here he is, coming out of Chute 4.

Look at him ride that horse...

( crowd applauds )

He's getting a good ride out of this.

A good ride.

( clattering )

( dramatic theme playing )

No, please.

Howdy.

Why, I n... Mildred, shut up!

MILDRED: I'm sorry.

It just slipped out.

I won't tell anybody.

I give you my word of honor.

( telephone rings )

( carnival music playing )

( announcer speaking indistinctly )

( horn honks )

( ominous theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )

ANNOUNCER:

Starring William Conrad.

With guest stars:

Tom Skerritt.

Sharon Acker.

Vincent Van Patten.

ANNOUNCER:

( mellow theme playing )

( projector stops )

( sighs )

Roll it again. ( groans )

Frank... ( scoffs )

come on, we've run 'em all a dozen times.

We're wearing out the sprocket holes.

No, there's something here, something we're not seeing.

( sighs )

We don't even know what we're looking for.

We don't know who it was or how many.

They could've been waving at us.

Anything?

Yeah, stick around,

you're just in time for the second feature.

Sorry, Frank, we have to wrap this up.

I talked to the home office this afternoon.

They think we're just spinning our wheels.

And they're prepared to write off $110.000. huh?

We've got to be realistic.

The police have been on this thing for nine weeks.

They've come up with nothing.

The best private investigator around has been on it

for twelve, almost thirteen days.

You've tracked down thousands of feet of home movies.

What has it got you?

Come on, Arthur, there... There is an answer here

in this jumble of film somewhere, an answer.

I feel it, and... Give it time, it'll come.

Give us another week.

Somebody's gotta draw the line. I'm sorry.

( clicks tongue, sighs )

All right, okay.

No point blaming you.

Uh...

If I get any hot flashes, I'll give you a call.

Good night, gentlemen. Frank.

Yeah?

I hope we get a chance to work together again.

Yeah, so do I.

Hey, if I hurry, I can catch a late movie.

( chuckles )

( melancholy theme playing )

Clowns!

( upbeat theme playing )

CANNON: There. The two clowns. See 'em?

ROTHBERG: Those sacks, could be the money.

CANNON: Yeah.

[CANNON YELLS]

Another few frames, we might have had the getaway car.

I'm gonna want photographic blowups.

Right. I respect your hunches, Frank,

but there's no way you can be sure they're the ones...

Let's start with one hard fact, huh?

There was a phone call during the robbery.

The receiver was knocked off the hook,

and the caller pinpointed the time at 20 minutes after 3,

which was about the same time

the man recalled shooting that footage.

Now, you cross-check that with crowd movement

and length of shadows.

You remember where they were coming from?

The side entrance to the grandstand,

which is where the box office is.

Yes, but why the clowns?

The costumes. Look!

Here are the three real clowns, huh?

Moe Duncan, Gus Lindeman and Sonny Matlock.

Now, all three of them were in the arena

working at the time these pictures were shot.

And they were the only clowns working that day.

All right, all right, I buy all that,

but how does that help you?

We don't know what they look like

under all that makeup.

No, but maybe it's a start.

Jim, uh, in the footage we threw away as happening too early...

Yeah.

There was a picture of a clown who walked...

Straight into the camera like he didn't even see it.

Right. Here it is.

( chuckles )

Beautiful.

HAYDEN: Glass eye?

CANNON: Yeah, could be.

Now, ten minutes ago you gave me a red light.

What color is it flashing now?

Green.

( dramatic theme playing )

( chuckles )

ANNOUNCER ( over PA ): He'll be coming out of Chute Number 2

on a horse called Smoky.

Outside, he says, and here he comes.

( announcer speaking indistinctly )

( crowd clapping, whistling )

Gus Lindeman?

Can I talk to you?

Busy right now.

It's about the, uh, Salinas robbery.

The robbers were dressed in outfits like this.

I wouldn't know about that.

Here, take a look.

Maybe later. I'm working the next events.

Look, it'll only take a minute.

Will you take a look for me?

ANNOUNCER: Here he comes now.

Look at him...

Doesn't ring a bell, huh?

Sorry.

Hey, Jake!

That bronc you drew double-shuffles.

Careful he don't pitch you into the hospital.

ANNOUNCER: He'll be coming out of Chute 5.

( announcer speaking indistinctly )

( crowd cheers, whistles )

Every bronc has a style of his own, huh?

Some little thing he does just sets him apart

from all the rest of 'em, huh?

You might say.

How about you clowns?

You don't think it was real clowns

that done that in Salinas?

Maybe not, but they knew enough to fake the disguises.

You know, it occurred to me that, uh,

with the makeup and the costumes,

you might get some clues.

Well, you're wrong.

Rodeo folks wouldn't do that.

No, sir, not to our own kind.

Ah.

Then there's no such thing as a maverick?

A killer bronc, huh?

( chuckling )

Let me look at those again.

ANNOUNCER ( over PA ): will be the last finalist in saddle bronc riding...

( announcer continues speaking indistinctly )

GUS: Yeah, yeah, that could be Dude Donaldson.

That boiled shirt and flower are sort of his special trademark.

Have any idea where I can get in touch with him?

Well, he used to work the Texas circuit.

Had a wife, I think.

You might check with the R.C.A.

The what?

Ha. The Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Enjoy yourself, huh.

Okay.

( engine stops )

( ominous theme playing )

( cocks rifle )

Anybody home?

My husband's gone.

He was killed in Vietnam last April.

I didn't now. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry too.

He was the best.

What did you want with him?

Well, I wanted to give him a job.

Uh, Elmer Hopkins' my name. I'm a rodeo promoter.

I was in the neighborhood seeing Pete Llewellyn

about some Brahma bulls, and I figured I'd look him up

and, uh, see if he was going to be available this summer.

I'm surprised Pete didn't tell you about Dude.

CANNON: I guess I just didn't bring up the subject.

WOMAN: Oh. Well...

( quietly ): Uh, don't look now, but, uh, I have a feeling

we're right in the middle of somebody's gunsights.

Shawn, you quit that!

What you huntin' for, son? Elephants?

You're gonna need a bigger gun than that.

I don't like you pointing that thing, even in play.

Sorry you made the trip out here for nothing.

Well, that's the way it goes.

Uh, say, you know, maybe you could help me

with something after all, if you would.

I've got some pictures here of Dude with another man

that the boss wanted me to track down.

Uh, you might know who he is.

Where'd you get these from?

My boss had 'em, why?

Well, I don't exactly know.

Doesn't look like Dude somehow.

Where was they taken?

Beats me, but the other fella,

uh, you surely know him?

No, just don't know.

Hey, that's Howdy.

He's one of the guys my Dad used to play cards with

over in White Oaks.

Oh?

He's got this glass eye.

I never believed him, but he took it out and showed me.

( chuckles )

Uh, how about his other friends?

You probably know their names, huh?

Shawn, I left some coffee water on.

Run take it off before it boils dry.

Yeah, but the man wants to... Do like I say.

Right now.

He's a nice boy. Bright.

He likes you. ( scoffs )

Not so sure I do.

I may not be the world's smartest, Lord knows,

but I can tell when somebody's not being honest.

Sorry, you got me wrong. I...

You see, I had a notion that I'd make some money for you.

If you would consider selling Dude's old costumes,

why I could hire a man that... Sorry.

Those costumes and a lot of good times is all Dude left us.

They're not for sale.

That's a shame.

Could I just look at those old costumes?

Mister, I got work.

Those bucking horses take looking after.

Yes'm.

( mellow theme playing )

( engine starts )

( mysterious theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )

Ma, there wasn't any water boiling.

( sighs ) How come you said there was?

Shawn, you been messing with your Daddy's costumes?

No, why?

They're gone.

Who was that that drove out of here?

I don't know.

Elmer somebody.

Hey, a weird thing.

He was asking to buy Dude's old clown costumes.

Yeah?

Got time for coffee?

Yes, I'll come by.

( slow country music playing )

Hi.

What's your pleasure?

Uh, tap beer, I think.

And a closer look at that Paterson Colt,

if you don't mind. Fancy guns, do you?

Yeah, it's kind of a hobby of mine.

I knew we was kindred souls. Ha, ha.

My great-granddaddy packed that as a Texas Ranger.

He did? Don't be bashful.

Thanks.

Ain't loaded. Ha.

That's because my customers often are.

Ha, ha. Hard to handle, huh?

Oh, no, when they get obstreperous,

I do just what you'd do.

Throw my weight around.

( both chuckle )

To kindred souls.

Hi, Myrtle Mae.

Hi, Bud. Heh, heh.

Connie Loftus called and left a message for you.

What'd she say?

Her husband got home.

Gonna stick around? Yeah, I ain't got much choice.

At the moment. Heh.

Yeah... ( sighs )

That's life, ain't it?

I beg your pardon?

I said that's life, ain't it, the old man coming home, huh?

Heh-heh. That's life. Yeah, that's life.

I noticed you kind of looking around.

You're looking for a lady friend,

the best place is Mickey's over in Sandoro.

Oh, thanks.

As a matter of fact, I was looking for a guy

I met in El Paso once.

As I remember, he come from right around here.

Is that right?

Yeah.

What's his name?

Howdy, uh... Howdy somethin'.

Howdy Briscoe. Yeah, that's it.

He used to come in, but I 86'd him for his sense of humor.

Yeah.

Putting a dead mouse in the popcorn

was his idea of great fun.

( chuckling )

That's Howdy all right, that's him.

A laugh a minute.

You, uh, have any idea where he hangs out?

Search me.

Bud, you know?

Maybe.

What I know is, that pool table's empty.

Hm?

Uh, that sounds suspiciously

like an invitation.

You bet your sweet life. Heh, heh.

Ever since I seen that movie, I always wanted to take on

a champion fat man.

Come on.

You got it.

A little eight ball?

Eight ball will be fine.

( grunts )

I, uh,

haven't played this too much, you understand.

There we are.

Why, uh...? Why don't you go first,

give me something to shoot at, huh?

How's that for a target?

Pretty good.

That's fine.

Old Abe Lincoln there, uh, looks kind of lonesome.

He doesn't have too much company, does he?

I didn't get your name.

Hopkins, Elmer Hopkins.

Elmer, huh? Yeah.

How about that? You got business around here, Elmer?

I'm just traveling through.

Just traveling, huh? I travel too, you might say.

Yeah? Yeah, I got myself

a propane gas route.

Woodward and Sandoro counties.

Mm, pretty profitable, huh?

Only if you're the boss.

Eh. Ah.

( mysterious theme playing )

Huh. You know,

that really ain't such a good shot, Elmer.

I know.

How about, uh...

ten on the side? Mm.

All right, how about, uh...?

How about 20?

I'd sure hate to leave here

without even getting Howdy's address.

Well, I'm a charitable man.

Twenty it is.

Ah.

( laughing )

Well, that's too bad.

Last time I, uh... ( clears throat )

heard, Howdy was out to the H and B Ranch.

Take the old county highway, turn left at Lobo Canyon.

Lobo Canyon? Uh-huh.

Thanks, Bud.

Well, it's my pleasure, and thank you.

Bye.

Bye, fat man.

( door opens, shuts )

( mysterious theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )

( tires screeching )

( dramatic theme playing )

( tires screech )

( tires squeal )

( ominous theme playing )

( action theme playing )

All right, run him down.

I'm gonna stash the truck and meet you at the bridge.

Hey! Hey! Hey! ( horn honking )

( grunting )

Damn, he takes killing. Over there.

Hold it.

What's going on, Bud? Hi, Lamar.

Oh, Howdy just, uh, shooting a coyote down there.

Well, I wouldn't. You know,

kids fool around that creek sometimes and hikers too.

Yeah. Well, whatever you say, Lamar.

Not working today?

Well, no, I was just, uh, doing some...

collecting.

I don't wanna bring the rig out for that, you know?

Oh.

Connie Loftus lives out this way.

( chuckles lightly )

Yeah, yeah. So does, eh, Glenda Donaldson.

And don't you go pretending you ain't stopping by there

and sampling that morning coffee, now, Lamar, huh?

Ooh, how word gets around.

Yeah.

You take it easy, now.

I'll do that. You too, Lamar.

Bye, now.

Bye.

He got away.

BUD: Can't get far.

Bud, listen, maybe we ought to forget this whole thing,

just get the money and take off.

That's terrific, Howdy.

Just forget there's a man who knows us and what we done?

( ominous theme playing )

Maybe we ought to just call Lamar back

and turn ourselves in, huh?

( tense theme playing )

Don't be afraid.

Come here, son.

( breathing heavily )

The police.

I've gotta call 'em.

Where's your phone?

We haven't any.

Uh, where's the nearest one?

Over the hill there,

at the electric power station.

I'll never make it.

Your car.

Get the keys for me.

And hurry, son, will you?

Please, you gotta hurry.

Mom!

Mom!

I'm not gonna hurt you.

Shawn?

Here, you. What did...?

Oh. ( groans )

What happened?

He's bleeding. He needs a doctor.

I've gotta borrow your car.

What happened to yours?

Did you get in a wreck or something?

I can't explain, not now.

Please give me your keys.

It's on the blink.

Are you gonna tell me what's going on?

They ambushed me, shot me.

Ambushed?

( gasps )

Oh, you're talking crazy.

Are you drunk?

Who'd wanna hurt you?

Those two men I showed you pictures of.

Howdy Briscoe and Bud, the guy who drives a propane truck.

( gasps )

That's crazy.

( exhales )

Bud was right. He said you were probably a bit peculiar

when I told him you were trying to buy Dude's old costumes.

But why?

Why'd they wanna shoot at you?

Because...

No, it's better if you don't know.

Look, son, they... They're gonna be here in a minute.

Why don't you saddle up one of those horses, and...?

No, I made up my mind.

Please, let the boy go.

No.

You got drunk and wrecked your car.

Nobody's tried to shoot you at all.

Come on, son, we're going inside.

Listen to me, Mrs. Donaldson!

Those men are dangerous.

No.

No, now you leave us alone!

I got Dude's hunting rifles inside,

and I've given you fair warning.

( whimpering )

Mom, he wouldn't have hurt us. I know he wouldn't have.

I know what's best.

Now, we're gonna stay right here until he's gone.

Then we won't have anything more to worry about, you'll see.

( somber theme playing )

( mysterious theme playing )

It's just wrong.

Oh, you don't understand about these things.

Honey, your daddy was always reaching out to people,

borrowing their troubles, and look what it got us.

Always broke.

Aw, Mom.

Even over there in that jungle,

they wrote me he was taking on somebody else's job.

Yeah, but what if it's true

about Uncle Bud and Howdy?

It's not.

Nobody goes around shooting other people.

That only happens in the movies.

And besides, Bud was your daddy's friend.

They was boys together.

I don't like that Uncle Bud.

He smiles a lot, but he doesn't mean it.

Shame on you.

What would your daddy think

if he heard you saying a thing like that?

He would have helped the man.

Oh, that lunch.

It's stale already.

I'm gonna throw it out and make us a nice hot one.

How about some chicken and noodles?

I got a can right here.

That sound good? I'm gonna.

Shawn!

( suspenseful theme playing )

There, you see?

He's gone.

I told you trouble always goes away.

( somber theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

HOWDY: Bud, over here.

He must have stopped here.

BUD: Heh.

Yeah.

Yeah, then what would he do?

Would he run or, uh, find a place to crawl into and hide?

Couldn't go too far, not with his crankcase draining.

Yeah, but where?

What's going on in Elmer's mind?

( sucks teeth )

Where would you run?

To get help.

Yeah.

Nearest phone to here is the Ferguson Ranch, power station.

How would he know that?

The fact is, he doesn't know where nothing is hereabouts.

Well, he knows where one place is.

( grunts )

Glenda's. Yeah.

( suspensefultheme playing )

( melancholy theme playing )

How long ago was he here?

Twenty minutes.

Big, dangerous-looking fella.

Be careful, now, you hear?

All right, I'll get on it. Don't forget, now.

Saturday night I'm gonna take you to the drive-in movie.

And Shawn too,

unless you think he'd have more fun

spending the night with a friend.

( sultry saxophone theme playing )

( somber theme playing )

( clatters )

Thought you had left.

No, I've... Son. Son.

( action theme playing )

SHAWN: Lamar, wait!

No!

Wait!

( melancholy theme playing )

What was you so anxious to talk to Lamar about?

Nothing.

Just that man.

Oh, I already told him all about that.

He's gonna keep on the lookout.

But... Aw, nothing.

Shawn?

Honey, you cross at your mama?

Uh-uh.

( sighs )

Yes, you are.

Look, it's all over with.

And besides, I plain didn't know what to do about that man.

I gotta finish my chores, okay?

Guess I'm not very good when things take me by surprise.

Honey, I'm sorry.

I just can't take hold of any more troubles.

I don't want you to be cross at...

( tsks, sighs )

SHAWN: I didn't tell her.

She'd just have another cat fit.

You'd better get away from here, son.

What are you doing?

Amusing myself.

You're making that gun so it'll really shoot.

That's a good idea.

Yeah, but it might not be necessary

if you can find me a real one, one of your father's.

Ah, Ma was just fibbing about that.

She sold them to some guy for money.

Ah.

I'm gonna need a nail or something

to use as a firing pin.

Yeah, okay.

( metallic clanking )

That gun'll only shoot one bullet at a time, won't it?

Yeah.

But if there's two guys...

You get A in Arithmetic.

Be careful.

I got it.

Here you go.

You mustn't blame Ma too much.

She's not very good when things catch her by surprise.

She wasn't always that way.

Before Dad died, she used to make jokes and laugh

all the time.

Nothing never bothered her.

I know, son.

Look, we're gonna have to figure some way

to get her out of here quick,

before Bud and Howdy come back.

They wouldn't hurt us.

They've already killed four innocent people, son.

Maybe Lamar will come by.

He's that deputy sheriff.

Yeah.

( vehicle approaching )

( suspenseful theme playing )

Go on. Out the back, go on.

Hurry. Hurry!

( clatter )

( suspenseful theme swells )

( indistinct shouting )

You're too late.

He's gone. I-I... I sent him packing hours ago.

Well, ha,

sure got a lot of answers before I even ask any questions.

( guffaws )

What'd he tell you?

Nothing.

Well, some wild talk about you being after him.

He wouldn't say why.

Anyhow, I... I shut my ears and sent him packing.

I wish you'd do the same.

You wouldn't lie to me, would you?

Leave go, please.

No, you don't have the brains to lie.

What direction the fat man go in?

I didn't see.

Bud, I swear, I went inside.

( sobs )

Over toward the power station, I think. I...

Shawn told him...

I mean, I told him there's a phone there.

Yeah.

You just think about what might happen to Shawn.

( sobbing )

HOWDY: Bud?

Hey, Bud, lookie here.

Caught him sneaking along the back of the barn

up toward the road.

Yeah?

Where you going, Shawn?

What's it to you?

Oh, hey, come on, don't do that, Howdy.

I don't want anybody messing around

with my unofficial nephew like that.

How about a little bit of jerky?

I don't like jerky. Come on, it's good for you, now.

Come on, here, take half of that.

Make you strong.

Hey, come on.

Relax a little bit.

Hey, how come you, uh...? You were so scared?

Well, you'd be scared too

if some guy jumped out and grabbed you.

Yeah, I guess that's true.

Second time you've been scared today,

including that fat man.

What fat man? Heh.

Don't lie to me, now.

I'm not lying, honest.

Where's he hiding, kid?

Oh, Glenda said she run him off, now you're making me believe

maybe, uh, he's still around here somewhere, huh?

I checked out everything but the old house and the trailer.

( ominous theme playing )

Go on, look.

He's not there.

Not any more, he isn't.

He was, but he left soon as he saw you coming.

I'm sorry, Uncle Bud, but he said he'd come back and hurt me if I told on him.

( pats Shawn )

Check it out anyway.

( dramatic theme playing )

I think he said he had some matches.

You know, to set a fire up on the hill,

for a signal or something.

( suspenseful theme playing )

He's not here. Come on.

HOWDY: Bud, it's gone sour.

I ain't quitting when there's only one man

between me and a rich man's life.

( truck engine accelerating )

( dramatic theme playing )

( quiet theme playing )

Boy, I sure fooled them.

They'll be back.

You and your mother are gonna have to get away from here fast

and send the police.

No, you come too.

( door opens )

What are you doing here?

Ma, don't get excited. It'll be okay if you don't.

You can't still be here.

I-I swore to Bud that you'd...

Listen to me, Mrs. Donaldson.

Will you please listen to me?

I'm a private investigator, and I'm working on the Salinas rodeo robbery.

You lied to me. The job was done

by two men dressed in clown costumes, Bud and Howdy.

They shot four witnesses.

No! No, that's crazy! Bud and Howdy are killers.

Now, I know about them, so they're out to kill me.

If you don't get ahold of yourself

and get out of here fast,

they'll kill you too.

Please, Ma, believe him.

I don't know.

Everything's flying all to pieces.

Uh, I don't know where I'm at anymore.

Please, come on.

You gotta come too.

No, I'm better off here.

Don't worry about me. I'll be all right.

You just get out of here.

But you said... But... But... Hey, kid!

No buts.

Get outta here.

I said, get outta here.

( melancholy theme playing )

SHAWN: Wait a second, they're coming back.

Come on.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

No!

Shawn! Oh.

( action theme playing )

( grunts )

( melancholy theme playing )

I guess I should have done something.

Yeah.

( car door closes )

( vehicle departs )

Ambulance has to come over from Sandoro.

It shouldn't be too long.

Lucky you came by.

You gonna be all right?

I'll see you Saturday.

You know, sh-she's not too proud of herself.

( car starts )

Hey, kid.

( vehicle departs )

( tender theme playing )

Listen,

you shouldn't blame her.

Not everybody knows how to handle emergencies.

You do. Yeah, that's part of my job.

But still, she...

But still, she came to protect you.

That's how mothers are.

When the time comes when nature switches things around

and the child becomes stronger,

then he has to do the protecting.

You understand?

Yeah, guess so.

Your time's come a little early.

But it's here now.

( melancholy theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )

( upbeat theme playing )