Original subtitles

There it is, hagen.

You can't get into this mine,

And we can't get out.

Stalemate.

Thank you very much, gentlemen.

I hope you all have exactly the same luck tomorrow night.

Thank you. Goodnight.

Leadhead.

You were trying to bluff me out of that last pot.

Yeah, I had you guessing for a minute.

Sounds like you're getting tired of the game.

It passes the time.

Say, you got another one of them?

Now you know what the doctor said.

Don't you start in with that foolishness.

What's the difference between dying at 75 or 80?

Ain't many pleasures left when you get to be my age.

Looks to me like you're doing fine.

Sure, I live in a plush hotel now,

Instead of a lean-to.

Bought me silk shirts and I eat fancy food.

Yeah, I've done fine since I found me a silver mine.

I can have just about anything I want.

Hey...

You ain't going just yet, are you?

It's 5:00 in the morning. We played all night.

I'll see you tomorrow night, huh?

Let's start earlier. 12:00 is a little late.

I'm going over to the music hall.

Again?

As long as I can keep on seeing millie annette.

Who?

Millie annette, the singer.

What's the matter with you?

You're the one that took me there the first time.

I always thought you had an eye for the ladies.

If you don't remember her...

What are you laughing at?

That's not her name, leadhead.

Not "millie." this is french.

Stands for mademoiselle annette vargas.

Oh.

Well, whatever it is they call her,

She's the prettiest thing I ever seen.

You've been going to the music hall every night

Just to see her? Why not?

She's living here at the carlton.

You could have met her. Ha!

You think she'd even stop to look at

An old desert rat like me?

I understand she's a very gracious woman.

At any rate, I'll see you tonight.

Oh, sure. 'bye leadhead.

Good night.

"with sincere appreciation

"for your enchanting performance at the music hall.

"and in hopes that you will have supper with me tonight.

"l. Kane."

I just can't get over it.

Me sitting here talking to you.

I never dreamed you'd have supper with me.

Your card and the beautiful flowers

Were most persuasive.

That's something I can't understand.

I don't recollect... Leadhead...

I believe mlle. Vargas is ready for more wine.

Sure. Hey boy.

Yes, mr. Kane?

Those glasses are no doggone use to us empty.

Leadhead?

Forgive me. Is that really your name?

Yeah!

I don't believe it.

Honest injun!

See, when I first started out prospectin',

I was an awful greenhorn.

Then one day I was workin' my way

Up through the tuscaroras, and I hit it.

You found your silver mine.

Now wait a minute. Wait just a minute now.

Hold your horses. No, sir.

You see, I got me a lot of rock samples.

And I head out for the survey office,

Just like there was a fire in my britches.

Oh, excuse me.

I understand.

Anyway, I busted into town

Yelling and whooping like a comanche.

Telling everybody that I'd made a big strike.

Some strike. It was lead.

not really?

Yeah, and that's when they started calling me "leadhead."

And it stuck to me.

I've just been jawing away

To a fare thee well, ain't I?

Gosh, somebody should have stuck a boot in my mouth.

Don't stop, your stories are enchanting.

You sure make it easy for me to tell them.

You know, it perks up an old man

To have a young lady like you pay him some mind.

But you've lived such a wonderfully full life.

Full?

Full of looking and never finding.

I want to hear more about you.

We'll do it again, won't we?

It can't happen too soon to suit me, ma'am.

You know...

This is the nicest night

I've ever spent in my whole life.

Say there, just something else.

It's kinda silly, I guess.

But I want to remember tonight.

I wonder if you'd sign this picture?

I would rather you remember me with this.

No, I couldn't.

I want you to have it.

Perhaps it'll keep you from being lonely again.

Good night.

Leadhead.

May I see you to your room, mademoiselle?

Thank you, mr. Paladin.

Good night. Good night, leadhead.

Gosh, almighty.

I knock on bedroom door

Like always when I bring his breakfast.

This time he not answer, so I open it.

And I see him there,

Lying so quiet.

I call doctor, and then you.

It happened during the night, while he slept.

He's an old man. His heart simply gave out.

Will you notify the next of kin?

There's nobody to notify. He was alone.

Someone has to make... I'll take care of it.

Very well.

Thank you, doctor.

Mr. Kane want you to have this.

He write it last night, after you leave with lady.

Also letter. Letter I mail.

That he want me to give you,

Say you will know what to do.

This is leadhead's will.

I know.

He asked me to write my name on it.

You see? I'm a witness.

Mademoiselle annette? Hmmm.

Oh no, mr. Paladin. I can't accept this.

The poor man had too much champagne that night.

He didn't know what he was doing.

Believe me, he did.

Leadhead kane was a lonely old man.

In that one night, you showed him

More honest affection and friendship than he'd ever known.

No, it's not right. There are others to think of.

His friends, family. They deserve...

He had no family.

And he considered you his close friend.

His share in that mine's worth $250,000.

$250,000?

Ten minutes, miss vargas. Somebody waiting to see you.

One minute, please.

Let me know what you decide. I'll be at the carlton.

Thank you for coming.

My pleasure, goodbye. Good night.

Miss vargas? Yes.

My name's vance crawford. I'm leadhead kane's partner.

Or rather, I was.

Come in, won't you?

Please, sit down.

No, thank you. I'll only be a minute.

I received an unusual letter from leadhead yesterday.

It was apparently written the night before he died.

He stated he'd just made out a will

Leaving his share of the rimrock mine to you.

Is this true? Yes, it's true.

You didn't know leadhead very long, did you?

I never heard him speak of you.

No, I had just met him that evening.

We had supper together. I liked him.

Of course you did.

But I'm sure that $1,000

Will make you feel a lot better.

$1,000?

For the will. You don't think it's any good, do you?

Mr. Paladin said - believe me, it'll never stand up in court.

Especially under the circumstances.

What do you mean "the circumstances"?

You know, ms. Vargas, you really are a talented actress.

Now I can understand why leadhead was taken in.

"taken in"?

Let's not carry this too far.

You don't have to put on a show for my benefit.

I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about.

All right, I'll spell it out for you.

It's $1,000 or nothing.

You can't collect on that will and you know it.

Why can't I?

The judge'd laugh it out of court.

Anyone can tell what happened that night.

You picked the old man up in a saloon.

Got him drunk, then you tricked him into writing that will.

You've said enough. Will you please leave?

You tried one of the oldest tricks, it just didn't work.

The estate'll be settled when the judge hits rimrock next week.

You don't stand a chance at collecting. I asked you to leave.

I'm not going to offer it again. $1,000 cash, now.

Will you go?

That's funny.

I always thought women like you were sensible about money.

I could hardly perform.

You've made up your mind about the will.

Yes, mr. Paladin.

I don't care about the money for myself.

But I can't let crawford get what belonged to leadhead.

You're going to need some help.

May I offer my assistance?

Would you check in for both of us?

I want to get a buckboard.

Of course.

Where are we going?

We should go to the mine soon. You should post a notice of the new partnership.

That's a law in the silver counties. We have to do it before the court convenes.

See you soon.

So that's leadhead's filly?

He wasn't as old as I thought he was.

I don't want her in court tomorrow.

Room seven and nine.

Ms. Vargas and mr. Paladin.

Want me to take your bags up? Please.

I'll wait for mr. Paladin.

Welcome to rimrock.

Thank you.

You have to leave soon, do you?

I'd like to get acquainted. I'm jess hagen.

You'll be seeing a lot of me if you stay.

I look forward to that. Good.

I'd like to take you to supper tonight.

Okay? Will you let me pass, please?

Soon as you tell me about supper. Don't touch me.

Don't use that tone to me.

Apparently, the lady's not interested in your attentions.

Oh, my, you're slow.

I assume you're mr. Crawford.

And you were expecting us, I trust.

You take that look off your face.

There's no look on my face. You're seeing things.

Paladin just ordered a buckboard. Obviously, they're going to the mine.

They have to post a new partnership notice.

That's the time. Get everybody away-

Why don't you draw me a picture.

How does it feel to be a lady of property?

Is this all there is to it? This hole in the ground?

The mine's only a year old, but there's over $500,000 in that hole.

Why aren't there people working here?

At least someone should make sure no one steals any silver.

It's not quite that simple, but it does seem strange, doesn't it?

Now we know why there weren't any people around.

Witnesses would be embarrassing.

I don't understand why anyone would shoot at us.

It's your friend from the hotel.

The one who was so rude, hagen.

That's right. He doesn't discourage easily, does he?

That can't be.

To try to kill me 'cause I wouldn't dine with him?

Get back in the mine.

You have a gun. Shoot back!

It'd be a waste of lead.

Rifles have twice the range of this gun.

We're just going to stay here?

Looks like we don't have a choice.

What are you waiting for, hagen?

Come and get us.

No hurry, I'm not going anywhere. Neither are you.

Well, that's it.

They can't get in and we can't get out.

Stalemate.

Paladin, you were gone so long, and that light...

I found the shaft. There's no other way to get out of the mine.

Some air shafts, but they're too small to crawl through.

Why are they keeping us here?

What can they gain? Time.

It's almost dawn.

Leadhead's estate will be settled in a few hours.

If we're not there with the will...

To think of that man getting leadhead's money...

Paladin, why don't we try to sneak out?

Perhaps we could make it.

What then? Walk back to town?

Besides, they'd come after us.

Unless they thought we were still here.

You can loose the top of your head that way.

How'd you get out of there?

On my belly.

It was a dirty trip, but worth it.

You tell your men to get dynamite to blow us out of that cave.

No.

All right.

Shauny, joe.

Go back to town.

What's going on, jess?

Dynamite.

Get some dynamite.

We're going to blow them out of the cave.

ain't there some in the shack?

No, do what I tell you!

Well, jess, that was perfect.

To show you how much I appreciate what you did...

All right, paladin, he won't escape now.

Let me have the hat.

Mr. Hagen, if I were you, I'd sit still.

Your friends'll be looking for a target when they return.

Come on.

All right, now.

Come to order, boys.

First order of business before this court is to settle the estate of mr. Kane.

All the interested parties present?

I believe I'm the only one, judge.

Well, I can't see anything to settle.

Leadhead didn't leave any heirs.

So I guess we'll-

Your honor.

If the court pleases...

Before you decide this, I'd like to be heard.

Who are you? My name is paladin.

I represent mlle. Vargas

Who, by virtue of this document, is entitled to kane's entire estate.

It's a fraud. That will doesn't mean anything.

You can't come in with a piece of paper-

That is a holographic will.

What?

A holographic will is one made out in a man's own handwriting

On a single sheet of paper and dated.

As your honor knows, it's legal

Since many people here recognize kane's writing.

All right, so he did sign it.

But he was tricked.

You all know leadhead.

How many of you heard him talk about mlle. Vargas?

Of course you didn't. He only knew her one night.

Mlle. Vargas was nothing but a cheap entertainer.

She caught poor leadhead in a trap.

That's why I say this will is a fraud.

Coercion. It ought to be thrown out.

I can't see any argument against that.

So, I hereby declare- just a minute.

Aren't you going to hear my side? Don't look like you've got one.

The court's question is whether or not kane made this will.

And if he did make it,

Was he unduly forced, urged, coerced, bribed or even seduced into making it.

It's up to you to answer that question to my satisfaction.

It's be happy to, your honor, but to a jury.

Look here, this is not a trial.

We don't use juries in this kind of case.

It's not a criminal case. I think it is.

If mr. Crawford's charges are true,

Ms. Vargas and I are guilty of extortion.

Extortion is a criminal offense.

You willing to stand on that?

A jury finds against you, you willing to admit to extortion?

I am. You'll go to jail.

You and the mademoiselle, too. I realize that.

All right.

It'll take time to get the jury-

Your honor, it needn't be a full panel.

Any six men.

Any four men.

You, sir?

You, sir.

You, at the bar.

And you, sir.

All right, all of you, come over.

Stand up here.

Listen smart.

Go ahead, mr. Paladin.

Your honor.

Gentlemen, I'll be as brief as possible.

I'll simply present a set of circumstances.

And I'll ask you one question.

Your answer will be your verdict.

I don't know anything about you.

But in each of you, I see something of leadhead kane.

A loneliness that comes from the dream of the big strike.

You never had time for companionship, warmth, laughter.

And now it's too late.

You're too old.

That same look was in kane's eyes.

Sure.

Leadhead hit it rich. He could buy anything in the world.

Anything except what he really wanted.

Friendship, warmth, understanding.

Then one night he went to a music hall to pass the time.

There he saw a young woman, a singer.

He was charmed by her.

He attended every performance.

Until one night, a friend arranged a supper party.

And he met her for the first time.

He saw her face to face.

As you see her now.

Mademoiselle?

This, gentlemen, is the cheap entertainer who tricked leadhead.

Will you sit there, please?

Gentlemen.

I ask you to put yourself in kane's place that night.

You had a wonderful supper.

You had someone to talk to.

Someone who listened, understood you.

Someone who laughed at your jokes and sympathized with your loneliness.

Someone who gave you a locket to remember her by.

Just before she said good night.

A few hours later, leadhead kane died.

But before he died, he had done something.

Something to show his appreciation

For the only night in his life when he didn't feel alone.

He made out a will and left his entire estate to her.

Now, gentlemen, I ask each of you for one second...

Be leadhead kane.

Then tell me what you would have done.

I'd have done the same thing.

No, they can't do that.

Hold on a minute.

This is highly irregular. A jury can't be just four men.

It's not legal.

I hereby declare the verdict to be - your honor.

The jury was legal when you and crawford thought I'd be convicted of extortion.

You can't change a verdict. I have a room full of witnesses to prove it.

Judge! A verdict is a verdict.

I hereby declare the will of leadhead kane to be proper and valid.