Original subtitles

[%%%]

[men shouting and yelling]

Watch yourself, now, boys.

Henry, put out that quick fire.

Man: Look over there, by the still.

[%%%]

Damn mud on my wingtips.

Morning, Mr. Lynn.

Morning to you, sheriff.

Fine job you done on these 'shiners.

I reckon this here is the ugly rooster in charge.

You!

You're in violation of the Volstead Act.

How do you plead? Plead?

[shouting indistinctly]

[all laughing]

[wings fluttering]

Who set you up?

I just cook and deliver.

Man: Deliver to who?

[chuckles]

I reckon you ought to tell him.

Moonshiner: He already knows who to.

Man: If he did, he wouldn't be asking you.

You sorry-assed sack of chicken droppings.

Damn thing pulled to the left.

Well...

...Throw him in the hole.

[laughs]

[laughs]

Damn it to hell, Mr. Lynn.

[giggling] yeah, you had me goin' there, Mr. Lynn.

You really had me goin'.

I warned you, didn't I?

Uh-huh,

Yeah, you did, Mr. Lynn.

Go on, get outta here.

Go on, get!

And don't you ever

Show your face in Seminole County again.

Oh, no, sir.

Got my word on it.

Oh, hey, Birdie? Uh-huh?

[%%%]

[howls]

[gunshot]

[indistinct shouting]

[women screaming]

All right, all right, simmer down now.

Quit the shooting. Hold your horses.

Mr. Tilghman. Mr. Tilghman, say "cut."

Remember that's what they say. "cut."

You'd have thought I'd have it figured out by now,

Wouldn't you?

Cut. Cut!

Go get him.

Arkansas Tom!

What in the Sam hill do you think you're doin'?

Shootin' the marshals, like you told me.

I told you to shoot through the holes in the wall,

Not out the window.

The window kinda feels better for shooting outta.

Feels better, does it? Yes, sir, Mr. Tilghman.

Except for one thing. That's not what happened.

Now, get down out of there.

Sir, this way, please.

Yeah, thank you. Thank you.

See that fellow there?

He's an actor,

Pretending to be you, Tom.

You don't say.

Tell him what happened, will you? Go on.

I was shooting out the holes in the roof

So's nobody seen where I was or could tell who I was.

How come you didn't shoot out the window?

Well, sir, you see...

I was low-down and no good with no sense of honor,

And, uh...

Uh...

Shootin' a man in the back was nothin' to me.

Well, they give me 20 years

For my wickedness and evil doin's.

Which to my mind was a fair horse trade

On account of how many people I killed and maimed

They never even knew about.

The governor's breathing down our necks

To see this thing finished in two more weeks.

Oh, never mind, Trapp.

I'll talk to him. He'll come around.

Bill, there's no more cookies in the jar.

We got what we got, and that's it.

All right.

Tell 'em we're finished with it.

And there's one more thing.

I don't want one more thing, Evert.

Damn republicans.

No more I'm wearing this thing again.

[indistinct chatter]

[playing cheerful music]

I appreciate your springing me out of jail, marshal.

Only hope I was a help.

Actors don't know anything about being outlaws,

At least not real ones.

You got someplace to go, Tom?

My only kin's my little brother,

And he went and got himself killed

Down outside Ardmore last year,

And his wife, she never let them kids know I was alive.

You stick here tonight.

I'll find you something in the morning.

Marshal Bill, I--

Go on, now. Get yourself a slab of that beef.

Tom.

I gotta say...

You surely are one hell of a talker.

Dalton gang.

Doolin, Star, Jennings.

They was nasty sons of bitches.

Pardon my English.

Hollywood gives them big hats, fancy shooting irons,

And make 'em something they never was.

Reporter: Uh-huh, so a bunch of you old-- uh, um, no offense--

You Oklahoma lawmen got fed up

And raised your own money to make a picture that told

The true story, how it really was

Back in the early days, is that it?

Mister, there's only one story

Young folks in this country should understand.

And that's just how low and ornery and mean

The life of an outlaw was then and still is today.

Well, will you look what I got?

A real live motion-picture director.

Goodness, if he ain't the smartest thing.

The only smart one around here is you, Zoe.

Come on, Mr. Big shot, give me a twirl.

Where are the boys?

Never mind the boys, it's you I want, cowboy.

[%%%]

You gonna show me?

What?

Los Angeles won't book it?

No theater in the whole city?

Not a one.

You haven't even put it together yet.

You've gotta call them.

I did. And?

They said, "put Tom mix in it, we'll show it."

Well, what did you say?

Told them Tom mix was too damn pretty

To come from Oklahoma.

Maybe those people in Hollywood are right.

Right about what?

All those boys back from that terrible war.

[whispers] good night, mom.

They don't give two cents about what happened in the past,

How it really was.

All they care about is loud music and a cheap dance.

Is that what you think?

Doesn't matter what I think, it's what Hollywood thinks.

[%%%]

Pa?

Go to sleep now, Tench.

Tell me a story.

Hush now.

Please?

Shhh...

It's late.

The one about the time you had that box,

And you snuck up on Bill Doolin in his birthday suit.

Wasn't a box.

Fiddle case is what it was.

Ol' Ned Elwood made it for me.

Finer hand never tooled a block of pine.

[indistinct chatter]

Tilghman: I heard Bill Doolin was hanging around

This eureka hot springs over in Arkansas.

[%%%]

Man: Throw some more water on them pots, please.

You know my name, Doolin.

Don't make me kill you, Bill.

Was anybody else but you, Tilghman.

[men whispering]

[soft suspenseful theme playing]

[suspenseful theme continues playing]

[applause]

[crowd gasping]

[applause]

[fast, thrilling theme playing]

[crack]

[wood cracking]

[wood cracks]

[applause]

[whispering] excuse me, Mr. Tilghman.

There's a man outside wanting to speak with you.

I'll be right back.

[crowd cheering and applauding]

Yes, sir?

Mr. Tilghman,

I'm awful sorry to bother you

Especially on your big night and all,

But we got an emergency.

I'm sorry. My name is John Sirmans,

I own the dry-goods store in Cromwell.

Cromwell? Yes, Seminole county.

North-end oil patch. Uh-huh.

We're not exactly incorporated yet,

But we got a vote on it next week, and it's sure to--

What's your emergency?

Well, I represent the citizen's committee for law and order.

Can I just show you...?

That's what they're callin' us back east.

What kind of wicked?

You name it: Dice, chippies, hijacking, moonshine.

Just last month, we had a county sheriff disappear

And a federal prohibition agent beat near half to death.

[crowd gasping]

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Sirmans,

But I'm out of the lawman business.

Sir, in or out of the business,

You are still the most respected lawman

In the entire state of Oklahoma.

Everybody knows your name.

With you as our first chief of police,

By God, it would send a message loud and clear.

I appreciate your troubles,

But I've got a position already at the governor's office.

You ever seen this?

Whiz-bang.

It's a mixture of cocaine and morphine.

And more of it's coming, sure as night follows day.

Coming from where?

Kansas city, most likely.

See, if we act now, we get rid of the Jake,

The chippies, dice joints.

Maybe it'll pass us by. If not...

...Decent folks might as well roll up their tents.

[%%%]

[whinnies]

Come on.

He's a beauty.

Yes, he is.

Hell, Madsen trained him. Thought maybe you'd like him.

He's mine?

If you like him.

You took that Cromwell job.

No, I didn't take the job.

Bill.

Look at me, Bill.

Just thought I'd take a ride up there,

Have a look's all.

It is no place for you.

I never seen a town I couldn't handle.

[scoffs] well, aren't you just God almighty.

Oh, now, simmer down, Zoe--

That's right, I forgot.

You rode with the Earps, partnered with Masterson,

Captured cattle Annie and little britches,

Brought in the wild bunch.

You're Bill Tilghman. You can do anything.

Well, I don't need another horse's ass

If I'm already living with one.

It's 400 a month.

Maybe five. That's more than I ever made doing anything.

You never worked for money a day in your life.

You don't know what's out there, Bill.

It's not the old days anymore, not like it used to be.

You've got no idea.

Woman: Hi!

[laughing] follow the car.

Alibi Joe to see a Mr. Wiley Lynn.

All right.

[festive music playing]

[laughter and chatter]

Well, hello, sir.

How you doing?

Come on.

Wait up.

Boom! I'm a federal agent!

And I'm always gentle.

Oh, no. She-- [women laughing]

Ambush.

He's backing up. He's in dire trouble.

Come on, girls. Harder now.

Harder now. Tell him.

Mr. Lynn, if you'll pardon--

Alibi Joe! Tilghman.

What does he know? Uh, he's coming.

Tilghman's comin'?

Tomorrow to the chamber of commerce meeting.

Well, here you go.

Oh, well, much obliged, mister.

Via, via!

Out! Via!

Via, via! Subito via.

[women chatter]

[Italian accent] you think you kill a county sheriff,

And everything now is gonna be hunky-dory?

[laughs]

"honky-dory," huh?

Now they got the United States to come and close me down.

Nobody's gonna close you down.

They haven't even voted yet.

Cromwell's not a town.

Besides, you're in my jurisdiction now.

[%%%]

[horn honks]

[playing lively music]

Dan, hey. You want something to eat?

[%%%]

Give it!

Woman: A dollar? I told you it was $3, you badger!

Get out! Go on, get out!

[grunts]

See there? Hey, good job.

Poke him again, Nelly.

I'm a she-wolf from bitter creek,

And it's my night to howl!

[man howls]

[gunshot]

I'm gonna get you!

You put that gun way, mister,

And go on home.

I never killed a man I didn't have to.

Just hate see'' a man's face

When he dies.

The way it changes from being a person to a thing.

You ever seen that?

Man: All right, let's settle down, folks.

Let's pretend we're civilized.

Folks?

First of all, I wanna thank marshal Tilghman

For being so kind to come up all the way from Chandler.

[applause]

Man: Next week, after we've had our vote

And incorporated ourselves into a town,

We want somebody already in place

Who'll clean out the riffraff

And make our streets safe for women and children.

[cheering and applause]

Man: The chair recognizes Mr. Killian.

Oh, there's not a man here

Doesn't admire your good intentions, Crump.

But you're awful young.

No disrespect to Mr. Tilghman here,

Who isn't.

[laughter]

But the fact is, I moved here from Kansas city to do business.

And there are a thousand roughnecks out there

Who are willing to throw boom wages our way,

And we do not want to scare them off with a--

With a gun slinging lawman

Who thinks he's still living back in the olden days,

And that he can settle everything with a showdown

On Shawnee Avenue.

[applause]

Now, hang on.

Now, nobody's talking about--

Judge, if I might, please.

I think we're being served fine

By the Wewolca County sheriff's department.

And by courageous

Federal prohibition agents like Mr. Lynn,

Who got his head busted

And was nearly killed on our behalf.

Man: It's 14 miles to the county seat.

That don't make a lick of sense

To keep trucking prisoners all the way down there.

I say we get on with the vote for incorporation

And commission our own chief of police.

[cheering and applause]

Wiley: Everybody knows-- everybody knows

There's no finer reputation in Oklahoma law enforcement

Than Mr. Tilghman's.

But I do suppose a few things have changed since his day.

Automobiles for one thing.

Electric washing machines.

Rolled crapping paper.

[crowd laughs]

The most important...Change.

The most important difference

Is that these days we've got federal agents

Sworn to protect folks.

So they can better spend their hard-earned money

On things like...

Electric lamps,

Runnin' water,

Pavin' the streets.

And rolled crapping paper.

[laughter and applause]

[%%%]

Pa's home!

You shoot anybody, pa? Did you, did you?

I didn't shoot anybody.

What about you boys?

You nab any lowdowns while I was gone?

Trapped a rabbit is all.

Skin him yourself?

Made him puke. Did not.

Did too. Liar!

Woody: You're the liar!

Tench: Don't you ever call me a liar!

Bill: Boys!

Fighting's for wild things,

Not civilized young men.

Am I right?

Yes, sir, pa.

School work, boys. Tench, woody, in you--

We're helping pa. In you go.

Go on, Tench. Do as your mother says.

Well?

They offered me six months.

Remember him?

Yeah, that's Bill Doolin. Mm-hm.

A buckshot done that?

Yep. Double-aught.

Gosh!

Fool tried to draw down on old Hec Thomas.

Greatest lawman I ever knew.

And the best friend I ever had.

This one.

Dalton brothers.

Fools tried to rob two banks at one time.

Best thing about outlaws, boys.

Dumber than stinkbugs, most of them.

[both giggle]

[thunder rumbling]

All right, you better go on.

Wash up, climb into bed.

Go on.

Zoe: "'well,' amory considered,

"'I'm not sure that the war itself had any great effect

"'on either you or me,

"'but it certainly ruined the old backgrounds.

"'sort of killed individualism out of our generation.

"'I'm not sure it didn't kill it out of the whole world.

"'oh, Lord, what a pleasure it used to be to dream

"'that I might be a really great dictator or writer.

"'and now even Leonardo da Vinci

"'couldn't be a real old-fashioned bolt in the world.

"'life is too huge and complex.

"'the world is so overgrown

That it can't lift its own fingers.'"

There, you see?

See what?

There are no more heroes.

Is that a fact?

Yes, it's a fact.

He's talking about what the world's become

After that horrible war.

You ask me, he's talking about a couple of lazy bums

Who need a good kick in their royal Americans.

[chuckles] and you're just the man to do it,

Is that what you think?

I'll be home weekends.

You better be.

[indistinct chatter]

[cheering]

[horn honking]

Finish him off!

Man: Hey, you fight like an old lady!

Oh!

[horn honks]

Something I can do for you, son?

Holy moly!

Marshal til-- ti--

Can I be your deputy?

Not today, son. Why don't you run on home to your ma.

But you gotta have a deputy.

Just like you been in dodge when you same age as me.

And I'd do it for free, just so as I can learn,

And I'll learn quick.

Everybody says so.

Just ask anybody around here, and they'll tell you.

Why do you wanna do that? Why?

I seen your picture show.

The way you levered that winchester,

Even though it jammed some, and brung in all them outlaws.

Daltons, wild bunch, star gang, al Jennings.

And you rassled down little britches.

And that one part where you got Bill Doolin

Up there in eureka hot springs.

You wanna risk your life

Just on account of seeing a picture show?

No. No, sir, not just.

Well?

You see, sir,

Outlaws killed my folks and my baby sister.

And my old dog, heck.

You wanna even the score?

The hangman already done that.

Sir, I wanna be a lawman.

What's your name, son?

Sawyer.

It's h-Hugh Sawyer.

Well, Mr. Sawyer, I don't need a deputy.

But I could use an assistant.

Long as you put these away

And don't ever let me catch you foolin' with them again.

�comprende...

Amigo?

Yes, sir.

[%%%]

[chattering]

Woman: Ooh, that one is cute!

Hey there, handsome.

Come on, Mr. Sawyer.

Woman: So long, honey.

Knock it off.

Uh, sorry, sir.

Um, marshal, can I ask you

What we're doing exactly, just so's I know?

Reading sign.

Sign?

Uh-huh. Right.

Man: Round and round she goes. Where she stops, nobody knows.

All bets down. How about you, sir?

Can I get you in this game? All right.

God almighty never made a crook, but he put his Mark on him.

Marshal Tilghman! Well, welcome.

Welcome to the city of Cromwell.

Welcome, welcome.

Welcome.

We sure are glad to see you. Mr. Sirmans.

You know Mr. Sawyer, here? Hugh, Hugh.

He's gonna be assisting me.

Oh, well, that's real nice.

Actually, uh,

There's been a slight complication.

It's just a slight one. Nothing we can't--

You see, the thing of it is, the county sheriff down Wewoka,

He won't sign off on a local police commission for us.

You know, red tape, paper work, all kinds of excuses.

Ways around that.

Well, as of today, commission or not,

You are on the payroll.

About expenses?

Your credit is good anywhere in this town. No limits.

Roll us out 100 feet of hay roll chain,

20 feet of barbed wire,

A couple dozen padlocks. Sturdy ones.

Yes, sir.

And...

Oh, say, 200 in cash.

[chuckles nervously]

[man panting]

[sniffs]

[phone rings]

Hello?

Oh, yeah, just a minute, I'll get him.

Wiley?

Wiley, honey.

Someone's calling you on the telephone.

Wiley?

[mumbling]

Snuck up on him.

And then he swings his gun up out of his holster.

"boom, boom. Boom, boom."

And little red riding hood

Never had to worry about that big old wolf again.

The end.

Here.

Ha! Back up, ma. Wiley--

Turned loose in that candy dish.

I got a powerful sweet tooth, and I'm liable to blow you away.

Wiley, let me clean him up for you.

Just-- ooh.

Here you go.

Go on, now.

Oh!

Go on, go on, go on.

What's the matter with you?

[giggles] I got a powerful sweet tooth.

Yep.

Alibi Joe: Mr. Lynn, it's, uh--

It's alibi.

Well, sir, he's just been walking

Up and down the streets with that Sawyer kid.

Well, he'd look at things.

Uh, no.

I-I do know one thing.

He went in to Sirmans'.

No, I...

I-I didn't see what he did there, but he came out,

And he came straight here.

Yeah.

He's just sitting here, eating a t-bone

With Ma Murphy herself.

There's not much I can do--

Come on, cutie pie. Get off the phone.

Get! Get! Buy a girl a dance.

Ooh.

I take care of my girls.

There's not one in the place under age

And dancin's all they do.

Hell, I warn them plenty about the other.

I been there.

Why, when I first come out here,

I throwed my fanny 21 times a night for 5 bucks a throw.

Never seen a man in any town that could throw it in my face

And make me back down.

Found religion, did you?

Praise God, how'd you know?

Ain't my first chew on that old bone.

[laughs]

My, my, Miss Murphy.

That's mighty fine pie.

Yeah, he's here.

He's sitting there.

He's probably listenin' to more lies than three men could tell.

Alibi Joe: You must be bull simple, mister.

Huh? Because you can't do this.

Imbibing liquor's contrary to the law of the land.

Oh, well, everybody takes a drink

Around these parts now and again.

Yeah, so how'd you like to make a few dollars

And tell me where they get it from?

[chuckles] you think I'm gonna tell you?

Well, that's--

That's wire.

Why that wire?

Huh?

Rope tends to burn through before the body's fully cooked.

Oh, w-- yeah.

You ever see a man burned alive?

Old timers say a horse can scream

Till it'll near burst your ears.

But a horse ain't nothing to a man.

Douse him.

Oh, no, no. No, no.

Sweet Jesus. Oh, sweet Jesus, no, no!

Hold it.

Believer, are you?

The Lord is my shepherd.

Even if he leads me down there into the valley of death,

I will fear no evil.

For I know he is with me and prepares a table for me

In the presence of my enemies.

Marshal Tilghman, sir?

Join in if you care to.

I know goodness and mercy will follow me

All the days of my life--

Marshal Tilghman, sir, I'm...

What I wanna do is--

I wanna tell you about anything that you--

That you might want to know about.

You know, just-- like anything at all, really.

Just-- well...

Anything at all.

[%%%]

[people laughing]

Get on out of there!

All right, you wicked, cussin', sons of bitches, listen here!

You're all under arrest!

[groaning] for cheating,

And swindling,

And being otherwise injurious to the health and welfare

Of the good people of Cromwell.

For that matter, most people hereabouts.

Oh, simmer down now!

Simmer down! Save it for the judge.

Only problem is his court room's

All the way over at the Wewoka county seat.

That'd be a 14-mile walk, give or take.

[all clamoring]

Any one of you reckon he wants to hang around here,

Get his Justice the old-fashioned way,

Save yourself the walk.

[cheering and clamoring]

Ah, leave off.

Jeepers, alibi. Where'd you get all this?

Give me that!

You ever say anything,

And I'll split you like a sow's belly, huh?

You hear me? Yeah!

Yeah. Yeah.

I won't say nothing, alibi.

He's the...

First person that ever treated me square.

You know what he told me?

He said, "you're not a bad man, Joe.

You just got drove into a corner."

And that's the God's truth to it.

[%%%]

Give 'em hell, uncle Billy!

Man: You better get yourself down to Wewoka right away.

Because he's here is why.

And you ain't gonna like what he brung with him.

I'll be with you in just--

I don't mind waitin'.

It's like I was saying,

You better do what I was telling you before

And the sooner the better.

Looks like we got ourselves a situation.

You may be the famous Bill Tilghman and all,

But I'm the authority around here,

And I can't authorize you a police commission.

Beyond your powers, is it?

As a matter of fact, that's right.

It's out of my hands, and that's that.

Arlie, get me the governor's office, would you?

Tell that old muskrat it's Bill Tilghman calling.

Thanks.

No need to worry about a badge.

I brought my own.

So long, fellas.

Hey, Mr. Tilghman.

You know...

You might not be up to date on a few things.

So let me just...

Explain to you that...

The Volstead act and any violation of it

Is a federal matter.

And more than that,

You're not legally commissioned by the county, are you?

Beautiful day, don't you think, Mr. Lynn?

[chuckles] you know...

Bootleggers around these parts

Are just simple, decent folks trying to make a buck or two.

I understand them. I know how to handle them.

I got the only the authority to do it.

Is that a fact?

[laughs] you're damn right, that's a fact.

I'll tell you something else that's a fact.

You don't fool me.

Not a little bit.

I know why you're here.

Do you, now?

This ain't about the good folks of Cromwell.

This is about the name of Bill Tilghman.

Old geezer...

That got passed over for a United States marshal's job here

A few years back.

Out to prove he's still a big shot.

Ain't it?

You don't belong here.

Your time's passed.

I do admire your fine opinion, Mr. Lynn.

Yes, sir.

Popping up there like mushrooms on a manure pile.

There's a Lynn family lives down near Madill.

Now, if he's the same, he'd be a breed. Part Choctaw.

Is that a fact?

Some Lynns was involved in that interstate auto-theft thing.

Old fella. Nasty too.

He was a Lynn, sure as shootin'.

I'd watch my back in Cromwell, I was you, Bill.

Think I would not go to such a place.

Maybe we ought to go with him.

Yeah. Yeah.

They'd call us the three granddads.

[all laugh]

[knocking on door]

Can I help you, mister?

Morning, ma'am.

I'm Bill Tilghman, police chief over in Cromwell.

You Mrs. Lynn?

My husband ain't home.

You hurt yourself, there?

It's nothing.

I'll trade you an old Seminole poultice

For a cup of coffee.

Works.

Mrs. Lynn: Been around some injuns, have you?

Yeah, a fair bit.

Back in the territorial days.

Got on with most of 'em too.

Except the Kiowa.

Never could quite figure them.

What they'd do to a white man.

Gives me the ab-dabs just thinking about it.

Course, the Choctaw were never like that.

You know some Choctaw, do you?

Yeah, a few.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

[sniffling]

He hurt you much?

I never said he did.

No, ma'am, you didn't.

And I'd never say you did.

Matter of fact, I'd never say I even came by.

You wouldn't? No, ma'am.

But I sure would like to take a look around the place,

If you don't mind.

Why? What for?

You'll never tell?

You got my word.

My husband's got a likin' for John barleycorn.

I reckon he does.

[piano playing peaceful Melody]

[indistinct chatter]

Yeah.

[gunshot]

All right, folks.

Pick up your money and clear outta here.

As of now, this place is closed.

[%%%]

[woman shouting]

Hugh: Let me help you with that, miss.

There you are.

Woman: What's he doing here?

Man: He's got the fiddle case. There's a shotgun in there.

That's how he got Doolin.

[lively jazz music playing]

Marshal Tilghman.

Hello, sir.

Man: Let's get out of here.

You're swell, Rose. You know what I mean?

[music and chatter stop]

I can help you, mister?

Yes, ma'am, I reckon you can.

Bill Tilghman�s my name.

Rose Lutke. Your place, is it?

That's right, and there's nothing illegal about it.

Kind of like a church social.

[crowd laughs]

You got business here, or you look for pleasure?

Thank you all the same, ma'am, but I get my pleasure at home.

Then it is business, huh?

No, ma'am, it's, uh, more like Charity.

Folks...

I got my picture show coming to town a week Saturday.

Standing right there alongside on the stage

Is gonna be the wickedest, cussin'est outlaw

You ever seen.

Man who rode with Bill Dalton.

[crowd gasps]

Snapping and snarling

And mean as a lobo.

[crowd chuckles]

In all my years, I ain't never seen a human

Been more apt to go to hell on a poker

Than Brandy-assed, mean, mad Arkansas Tom.

[crowd laughs]

[lively theme playing]

[cheering and applause]

[crowd booing]

[cheering]

[gasping]

[applause]

He won't come out. Says he's too scared.

He wants you should come talk to him.

[crowd cheering]

[knocks on door] Arkansas Tom?

Arkansas Tom: I ain't doing her.

Tom.

You've been so black a sinner,

I reckon they're just gonna stand right up and cheer.

You reckon?

[applause]

[cheering]

Go on, Tom, tell 'em.

I know you seen them Hollywood pictures come around lately.

[crowd murmurs in agreement]

Ones that make a-a bum---

He's good, Bill.

Maybe the best weapon I got.

But I'm here now to tell you

That being an outlaw...

Cheating and hurting folks,

It's about as smart a thing to do

As hunting skunks under water.

[laughter]

Evenin', ma'am.

How do you do, marshal? We're all so pleased you've come.

Man's got a knack for making his name known.

Wiley: Ever see a man's name buy a tank of gasoline?

Put side meat on a dinner table?

No, can't say that I have.

Man's name don't mean nothing.

Not no more.

Well, maybe not to you.

But it does to them good folks out there.

You know what this office means?

You know how high up it goes?

Huh? Do you?

Killian: Course I do, Wiley.

You just sure that that office

Can keep a hold on this town?

What do you think?

What I think is...

I've got some real nervous friends in Kansas city

Who wanna move some product down here.

They're none too happy to see their investment jeopardized.

Mr. Tilghman's a sitting duck, and he don't even know it.

Well...

My friends don't have the Patience for ducks.

Let alone some...

Half-breed doper who's thrown in with the feds.

[%%%]

You know, a few years back,

My great uncle... Once drank

A white settler woman's brains [muffled screaming]

Through her nose!

Her whole brain through her nose!

It's real simple.

All you got to do is press

And turn.

I'm feelin' thirsty.

Aagh! Ugh!

I'll take care of Bill Tilghman.

No, you won't!

Like I said, you let my friends handle him.

You tell me when, I'll make the call.

And, Wiley,

You ever turn injun on me again,

And I'll show you there's worse in a white man

Than your great uncle ever dreamed of.

Yeah.

[indistinct chatter]

[harmonica playing happy tune]

[Madsen singing in German]

What do you think?

Oh, I don't know,

Catch a crappie or bass,

Maybe a trout if we got lucky.

[children arguing]

Tench: All right, all right.

Here, have it your way.

Woody: Race you to the big one.

[bird chirps]

[%%%]

Pa?

Pa!

You okay, pa?

Uh-huh.

You seen something?

No, I was, uh...

I was just remembering.

What?

Whatcha remember, pa?

Well, a long time ago...

Back when my pa was at war,

And I was running the farm on my own.

Me and my sisters...

Were gathering blackberries off Atchison Road.

What happened, pa?

A lone rider...

Came up on an old government remount.

A big wide-brimmed hat,

Silver marshal's badge...

Pinned to his frock shirt.

Couple of long-barreled colts hung from his belt.

Big long, droopy mustache.

Funny how I can see it so clear,

Even today.

Well, what did he want?

Well, he said he was lookin' for a man with a span of mules.

Wondered if we'd seen him.

Well, did you?

Yep. Yep, we sure did.

And we told him so.

Seems this fella had stole these mules

All the way back to Fort Hayes.

Had the bad luck of being chased 400 Miles

By William B. Hickock.

That who it was?

Wild Bill himself.

The most expert pistol shot in the west.

He just tipped his hat...

And rode off on that old remount.

[harmonica playing fun tune]

[indistinct chatter]

Hold this.

[%%%]

By God, I do love this country, Zoe.

I know that, Bill.

I surely do know that.

[leaves crackle]

What?

Stay here.

Don't even draw a breath.

No, it's me, it's me. Alibi!

Yeah, sure.

Sorry if I spooked you.

I got what you're looking for, Bill.

The big one's comin' in.

Is that a fact? Yes, sir.

Thank you, ma'am.

He ever tell you about that time

He tried to lynch me with barbed wire?

Did he ever tell you about that one?

Tried to lynch me with barbed wire.

Him the whole time preaching like he's John the Baptist.

I bet he never tell you that one, did he?

No, he didn't.

Keeps a fair bit to himself, my Bill does.

Yeah. Well.

You live longer that way, I suppose.

I want you to stay out of it now, alibi.

Ah, hell, he don't know nothing, that breed.

He's too hopped up on that candy.

Just the same--

It's my worry.

Ain't it.

[%%%]

Pa! Pa!

You boys take care of your ma now, you hear?

Okay. Yes, sir.

Be good boys.

Wash up when she says.

Don't bring no dead critters in the house. Understood?

Yes.

Get now.

See you.

When will you be back by?

Couple of days, I reckon.

If alibi's tip pans out, I suspect it'll be for good.

I know you'd never quit on a thing, Bill.

You're too proud and stubborn for that.

But you could.

You could leave off right now.

Tell the governor what you know and be done with it.

Only thing is, I have to sleep nights.

Oh... You'd sleep.

You better get yourself.

[whinnies]

[%%%]

Bye, pa!

So long, pa!

[neighs]

[indistinct shouting]

Stop!

Gangsters, that's never happened before,

And I don't know if we can stop that--

Man: What can we do against that?

Now, amerida tanks

Are about here, right here.

Just next to the Okfuskee line,

That's about halfway out there on the patch.

Any high ground nearby?

Yep, here. Footpath leads here.

That's right where the road

Comes up over from Keokuk Falls.

Wait. I don't know if my jurisdiction--

I'm gonna need some deputies tonight.

Either of you two know how to handle a gun?

I-I've got three little ones at home.

Six employees counting on me, a store to run.

See who you can round up for me.

Yes, sir. Right away.

Marshal.

This isn't about a picture show, Mr. Sawyer.

And it ain't about drawing down on a comic book.

No, sir.

No, I know it ain't.

Wiley: Whoa-ho-ho-ho.

Ho.

Ho!

[sniffs]

What?

Nothin'.

[laughs] what?

Nothin'.

[laughs]

Here, get happy.

No, I don't do that, Wiley.

Ah. Huh?

What's the matter with you?

Get some air.

Uh-huh.

Do that.

Ha!

Ah.

Sawyer: Yeah, looks like Lynn's car, all right.

There's a fella standin' near it.

It's maybe alibi.

No, I can't make him out.

Wait.

'nother fella's gettin' out right now.

Yeah, it's Lynn.

Hear anything?

[both laugh]

No.

You all right?

Yeah. Huh?

Anything you wanna tell me?

About what?

[laughs]

[propellers whirring]

[%%%]

Lynn: You think it's safe?

For what?

To give me a big old kiss.

The drop!

The drop.

Hell, yeah, it's safe.

What's the matter with you?

Wasn't thinkin'.

Tilghman's been lookin' for deputies.

He's out there somewhere. Must have got wind of it.

What the hell

Are they waitin' for?

[engine starts]

Tilghman: Now, that's it.

They're on to us.

Tracks here.

Three of 'em.

Sawyer: And draggin' another, looks like.

Watch my back, Mr. Sawyer.

[groans]

Damn you, Joe.

[men shouting]

This is alameda property.

By order of George Crump--

The state of Oklahoma is gonna pay for this,

You wait and see!

Let's just try and work this out.

Killian: Nothing to work out,

Except removin' you from office,

Which we fully intend to do.

You can't search it without draining it.

Yeah, what you gonna do?

You gonna drain the oil

Out of every tank on this patch

On some half-baked wild-goose chase?

Only goose I want, Mr. Killian, is gonna be cooked.

You got a problem with that,

I suggest you come take it up with me.

Yeah, why would I do that

When I'm gonna have your badge by sunset?

You're finished.

Man: There's three of 'em.

One here's old garland.

Disappeared couple months back.

He took a bullet, looks like.

Everybody listened to him, his big talk.

[speaks in Italian]

Pretty soon, nobody come here no more.

You say you take care of it, but you do nothing.

[speaks in Italian]

Well, I send telegram. My brothers come here.

They know what to do.

In my country, when a man make a promise,

He keep it, or else he's--

No, Wiley.

I said I'd take care of it.

No! Don't do crazy things.

Please don't do it. Calm down.

Huh? Huh?

No, you're joking, right?

I could, couldn't I? I could, couldn't I?

I could blow your brains out,

I could shoot you and nobody'd say "boo," huh?

Ain't that right, ain't that right?

Huh, ain't that right?

[speaks in Italian]

Ain't that right, huh?

Yes!

I said I'd take care of it. I said I'd take care of it.

[screams]

Do you see that? Do you see this?

Yes.

Do you see this? Yes!

Do you know what it means? Yes.

It means I stand for the highest office in the land.

I am the hand of the president of the United States of America.

The land of Lincoln.

And nobody can touch me, nobody!

This would have been in our streets if Bill Tilghman

Hadn't been there to stop it.

[all clamoring]

Killian: That's a lie.

That's a lie, and you know it!

Mr. Killian.

I have proof that our new police chief

Was in fact impeding an investigation

Already underway by a federal agency.

Yes, and in fact, he used his position

To thwart the very Justice

He claimed to defend.

All in a vain attempt

To draw attention to himself.

[crowd clamoring]

Folks.

We did not buy a new police chief.

What we have here is a--

Is a showboatin', rip-snortin' gunslinger!

[crowd clamoring]

Man: Oh, hey! Pull it up a little higher.

We'll get those splices done for you, marshal.

Okay, bob, thanks.

You're welcome.

Excuse me, mister. Marshal nix.

You gotta get over there, marshal. They want you fired.

Is that a fact?

Yes, sir.

I'll tell you what, Mr. Sawyer.

How 'bout you go ahead and patrol the street

Like I asked you to in the first place.

But-- go on now.

Go on.

You gotta get outta this, Bill.

Now, I've smelled stinkers in my time,

And this one is higher than a mad dog's privates.

Bill, you hearin' me?

Go on home to Zoe and the boys.

Man's gotta stick up for who he's been, Evert.

Things he believes in.

Otherwise, what did God put him here for?

[%%%]

[all clamoring]

Man: There's Tilghman!

You all know me by now.

What I stand for.

I feel blessed

To have played a small part in the building

Of this great land of ours.

And I'll be damned in hell

Before I'm gonna let anybody tear it down.

[sparse applause]

Some of you may not like how I do business.

[crowd muttering]

That's your right.

No matter how I do things,

It's you all who gotta decide

About what kind of country

You want your children to grow up in.

[crowd muttering]

Let the man have his say. Let him speak.

Way I see it, you can either

Start standing up for yourselves,

Or you can keep living on your knees...

Till this town just blows away like it was never here.

[crowd clamoring]

Man: Let the man speak!

To you I say, your day is done.

You best pack up and move on.

The future of Cromwell�s got no room for you.

As far as my own situation's concerned

I'm headed over there to Ma Murphy's,

And I expect

A clear "yes or no" answer

Before I finish my steak.

[crowd clamoring]

[engine starts]

Oh!

[indistinct chatter]

We gotta go tell Bill.

Whoa! Hey, hey.

[horn honks] keep goin'.

[%%%]

Folks behind you all the way, marsh.

Not just what you do, but the way you do it.

Man: We're here to stay. Thanks to you.

You will stay on, won't you?

Till we get to the bottom of this?

On one condition.

Yes, sir. You name it.

You set yourselves down here,

And have a piece of Ma Murphy's pie.

[chuckles] yes, sir.

[%%%]

[band playing pleasant Melody]

Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?

I been doin' what you told me, readin' sign.

I just saw Lynn pull up there in front of Killian.

[gunshot]

Those shooters were from Kansas too, weren't they?

There's no proof Killian had anything to do with it.

Man: You can't touch a fed.

[screams]

Man 2: Get outta here!

Get away from the windows.

Got a search warrant.

Legal right to come in there.

Put the gun away.

Just doing my job. Young girls in there.

Violation of the Mann act. Federal matter.

Easy now, Mr. Lynn.

Outta my way!

Put the gun away, or I'm gonna have to take it from you.

You know who I am?

Yes, sir, I do.

I see the Mark he put on you.

Huh? Mark? What?

Take his gun.

Take his gun!

You're a fool.

[gunshot]

[gunshot] [grunts]

[woman gasps]

Lynn: Give it back, son,

Or I'll shoot your ears off.

Get back inside, old timer!

Ah-ah.

It's all right. It's a federal matter.

Federal matter.

[crowd chattering]

Get the doctor!

Man: I'll get him!

Woo-hoo! All right.

[mumbles]

[%%%]

[typewriter clicking]

[knocks on door]

[typing stops]

[knocks on door]

[typing resumes]

[knocks on door]

[typing stops]

Man: You hear? Tilghman's been shot!

Woman: That Lynn fellow done it.

Woman 2: Helen, Helen! Somebody shot the marshal.

[people clamoring]

Let's go. Come on.

Come on, let's go.

Kick all them crooks outta Cromwell!

Everybody!

Man: You girls get outta Cromwell! Outta Oklahoma for that matter!

Go on, get!

Man 2: Clear out the dice joints,

Or we'll burn you out!

Man 3: No more gambling!

I'll talk to you later.

Gentlemen!

Uh, little late for land leasing,

But I'm a businessman. How can I help you?

You can leave Cromwell and never come back.

Hey, just hold on a minute.

No, I'll help you pack. All right, you need this?

There, what about these? You got no right

Coming in here, accusing me,

Messing up my place.

Nobody's accusing you, Killian.

You know what we're doing? Huh?

We're being generous.

Trying to save your big, fat rear end

Before it gets shot off.

Take a look!

He's been asking for you and the boys.

How bad?

Take my hand now. Both of you.

Hey.

[grunts]

Where are the boys?

They're here, Bill.

They're right here.

There's my boys.

Pa.

Woody: Hello, pa.

You boys be good.

Yes, sir.

Take care of your ma.

Promise me...

You'll make men of yourselves.

Promise, pa.

Promise.

Oh, Bill.

Don't you go.

Please don't.

You and me...

...We had a time.

[laughs]

We did.

It was good.

Oh, yeah.

So good.

[%%%]

Cover me now.

Remember me alive.

It's okay.

It's okay.

[sobbing]

[%%%]

[film projector whirring]

[%%%]

---the end---