Original subtitles

NARRATOR: "Gunsmoke," starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

[saloon music]

[whistling]

And stay out till you sober up!

I shall take my business where I am appreciated.

[gunshots]

[chatter]

Giddy up!

Hey!

Hey!

This is rowdiest town that I have ever been in.

What's all the shooting about?

Oh, it's just some cowboys having fun, darling.

Uh, that's not important, Elsie.

I found him.

You found him?

Where?

Just now, as-- I was walking down the street,

and there he was, drunk as usual.

I called to him, but he ran away.

He got on the stage.

Oh, Tom, why didn't you catch him?

We can't let him get away again.

I tried, darling.

Believe me, I tried.

I guess heaven takes care of drunks out here.

Anyway, it doesn't matter.

I know where he's going.

Dodge City.

Dodge City.

[theme music]

SALLY FERGUS: [SINGING] No creature is denied.

I'll take my stand in wonderland with Worthless by my side.

[humming]

Whoa.

Whoa.

Well, look at that, Worthless.

[horse snorting]

Oh!

I see something that I want.

Probably dumped off of some stage.

Probably got penny-wonder and pound-foolish.

[scoffs]

Oh, he's a disgusting sight.

Hey.

Oh.

Good day to you, sir.

Or madam, as the case may be.

Do you want this bottle?

Bottle?

What bottle?

This, this here whiskey bottle.

Is it full?

No, it ain't, but you sure are.

Well, if it's empty, it's of no value to me.

Well, can I have it?

Eh, madam, you may have all the empty bottles you'll find.

Oh, thank you.

But if it should happen to be-- [burps]-- full,

I would wrestle you for it.

Nobody's gonna wrestle me for anything.

It was just a figure of speech.

Oh.

Are you heading towards a tavern by any chance?

In Kansas, we call them saloons.

No, I ain't.

I'm going home, where you should go.

Oh.

Would you-- would you give me a lift, madam?

My-- my legs seem to be paralyzed.

Well, you got yourself into this,

why look to me to get you out?

Please, madam.

Would you leave a cripple lying in the middle of the road?

I can't walk, I tell you.

He says he ain't got no legs, Worthless.

But don't you worry about him, buddy.

You watch me.

I got a good surprise for him.

[cackling]

See you, old timer!

[uncorking bottle]

Here's to ya!

Oh!

Oh, madam!

Oh.

[laughing] -I thought so.

Madam.

You can walk.

Could you spare me a small dollop, please?

You keep walking.

That'll get your pores nice and clean.

Madam!

Madam, you are no gentleman!

Get your circulation going!

[sally singing]

[lucius burping]

[knocking]

[pounding]

[whispering inaudibly]

[cocks rifle, knocking stops]

[knocking]

[gunshot]

LUCIUS: [inaudible], madam.

I am unarmed.

And we are acquainted.

We met on the road this afternoon.

I-- I am Lucius Prince, of Philadelphia.

What do you want?

I'm cold and hungry and miserable.

I would you allow me to warm my-- myself by your fire.

Nobody's gonna warm themselves by my anything.

Now, get!

Will you not offer refuge to a man in need?

I know what your need is, and I ain't got no whiskey for you.

So you better get out of there, or I'll blast

you just like I did before.

I-- I'm sorry to have troubled you, madam.

Good night.

Get my Worthless away [inaudible].

Hey, you.

Are you out there?

Shoot me if you wish, madam.

I'm so cold, I would not even feel the bullet.

Sobered up some, haven't you?

No, madam.

It's simply that the alcohol has frozen in my veins.

Lord, you know me for a fool.

Come on in!

Looks to me like you could use some of this.

Don't burn yourself.

I'll get you a cup and saucer.

Could I have another small portion?

Well, I-- I got more.

[gulping]

You stop that!

That was my emergency bottle.

That was delicious, madam.

For your collection.

[lucius burping]

Whoa.

That's a girl.

Wait right there.

Won't be long.

Come on, Mr. Prince of Philadelphia.

Get out of there.

I'll get a rise out of you.

Saloon! -Saloon!

[sally laughing]

Saloon?

Here's a saloon.

You wanted a saloon, you a got a saloon.

Come on, I'll be glad rid of you.

Allow me, madam.

Hello, Worthless.

And may I thank you for your hospitality?

Morning, folks.

Welcome to Dodge City.

Thank you.

Darling.

Ma'am.

Yes, can you tell me where the sheriff's office, please?

Yes.

Uh, Marshal Dillon's office is right down the street, ma'am.

Marshal Dillon?

Right.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

LUCIUS: Let's see here.

Two of these.

One of those.

One of these.

Mister, all of this comes to quite a bit of money.

Oh, is that a bottle of Wild Peacock I see there?

I just love Wild Peacock.

I'll have two of those.

And we don't have any credit customers.

A very good policy for a business such as this.

But I always pay cash.

Can you describe him?

Yeah, he's an old drunk.

Tom, stay out of this.

Madam.

[glass clinking]

ELSIE: [inaudible] you living here

in Dodge City simply cannot know the-- the ridicule

or the humiliation.

He simply has got to be in this town,

because Tom saw him get on the stage at-- Belafonte?

Mmhm.

And we've checked every stop in between.

We have reason to believe that he dropped off

the stage before it arrived.

[grunting]

Giddy up! Giddy up!

-Hey! -Giddy up!

That there's the marshal's horse!

Ho!

Ho!

That's him, Marshal. That's him right there.

He's getting away, Marshal.

You've got to get him.

I want you to bring him back here, Marshal.

I want you to bring him back here and lock him up.

Who is that man? What's it to you?

I am ashamed to admit it, but he is my father.

[SINGING] Wonderland, no creature is denied.

I'll take my stand in wonderland with Worthless by my side.

[braying]

[sally singing inaudibly]

Gets busier here than the train depot.

Where'd you get that horse?

Madam, I'm sorry to impose upon you,

but-- having a bit of trouble.

Yeah.

That's Marshal Dillon's horse you're riding.

That, madam, is only part of the trouble.

Well, don't tell me about it.

I got trouble enough of my own.

Please, madam, I only need to rest for a little while,

and then I shall be off.

Well, I don't know as I got company for folks that

steal other folks' last drop.

For that, I beg your forgiveness.

And I'm here to make amends.

I suppose you stole that too.

You offend me, madam.

I did not steal it.

I paid for it with my own money.

Well, you be honest.

You'll only borrow horses?

Madam, I borrowed that horse as a last desperate measure.

And as soon as I reach a place of safety,

I shall return that magnificent level with, of course,

a generous rental fee.

I may be a drunkard, madam, but I am an honest man.

And it would give me great pleasure

if you would accept this bottle to replace the one I drank.

Plus, of course, an additional one for any damages that I may

have incurred.

Oh. Oh, thank you.

Of course, I would like to repay you

for that beautiful stew you made.

Would two more be sufficient?

[stuttering]

Just-- just come right in.

Thank you, madam.

Bring-- bring your things.

I knew you had a generous heart.

Just set them right down here on the table.

Course, this ain't no boarding house, you know.

Ah.

tell me, madam, wh-- what do you think of me?

Well, if you was ironed out and cleaned up,

you'd be near presentable.

Oh.

Well, I must say, you're more honest than I had anticipated.

Say, you'd better go easy on that.

You gotta ride that horse you stole.

Yes.

Ride the horse.

I must keep on running, mustn't I?

Well, one for the trail.

Well, of course, it's none of my business

what you're running from.

I am running away from myself, madam.

[laughing]

That's the funniest thing I ever heard.

You can't run away from yourself.

You go everywhere you go.

Yes.

I'm finding that out.

And it's a very painful discovery.

Well--

[pouring booze]

One more for the trail.

You already had one more to these trails.

Will you stop nagging me, madam?

Why, sure.

You're growed up enough to do anything you want.

Yes.

To you, madam.

A most re-- remarkable woman.

[inaudible].

Well, I must be off.

I have new worlds to conquer.

And may I thank you for your hospitality, Miss Ferguson.

Fergus!

My humble apologies, Miss Fergus.

Be careful with them bottles.

ELSIE: You have embarrassed me for the last time, Father.

I-- I never meant to embarrass anybody.

Least of all you.

Well, you are doing a very fine job of it.

Just look at yourself-- filthy, drunken animal.

Elsie.

When was the last time you were respectable?

Before your mother died.

Oh, of course. Of course.

Every time you need an excuse, you bring up Mother.

Elsie, you have your own life to live.

Why can't you let me live mine?

Father-- Father, as much as I would love to wash

my hands of you, I can't.

What would your friends think?

That's right, my friends.

And I am tired of going across the street to avoid

their questions about you.

Do you know that they come up to me

and they ask me, where is your father now, Elsie?

I can hear the snicker in their voice.

And what am I supposed to say?

Oh, he-- he's drunk, lying with a pig somewhere,

drunk as a skunk.

Elsie, please.

ELSIE: I am tired.

I am tired of being humiliated.

Now, I am going to take you back, and that's that.

I don't embarrass you more in Philadelphia.

No, you won't.

You will be at a nice, quiet hospital where

you will be well taken care of.

Hospital?

For incurable alcoholics.

No. No, no.

I won't go.

You'll go.

You'll go whether you like it or not.

Well, he is safe in jail.

And you're certain you want to take him back now?

What is that supposed to mean?

I don't know.

It's just that if we do take him back now,

there's gonna be all the trouble with the court appearances

and the attorneys and the-- Elsie,

we might not even win this thing.

Oh, Tom.

We'll win.

It would be so much easier, more humane,

too, if he'd just have a stroke or something.

Yes.

Well, he won't.

He is too stubborn for that.

Well, we could always help him a little.

What?

Darling.

Hey, I'm not serious.

Come here.

Hey.

It's just that I love you so much, Elsie.

Elsie, I want us to get married now.

No.

All right.

It's all right.

I just might not be around, though, when

you finally make up your mind.

Tom, I love you.

And I'd marry you in a minute if I could.

Would you stop thinking about Philadelphia for one second?

You don't understand.

Tom, you have never had it, so you don't

know how good it could be.

I mean, the-- the people and the-- the social life

and the-- and the parties.

When Mother was alive, everything-- everything

was so perfect.

I mean, we were somebody.

Elsie, I've heard all this before.

Yes, you've heard it, but you don't listen.

When my mother died and my father started drink,

it was the gossip of the town.

When Lucius Prince got so drunk that a club threw him out,

the newspapers printed it.

And everybody was laughing at me behind my back.

And then everything-- everything stopped coming

in-- invitations, everything.

But Tom, I am going to get back in.

You wait and you see.

Oh, honey.

Honey.

Hey, darling.

What do I care about all that Philadelphia society business?

My wedding is going to be at the cathedral in Philadelphia.

It is going to be the social event of the year.

And everybody-- everybody who I've ever hated

is going to be there to see it.

They're gonna have to be.

I mean, the wedding is going to cost a fortune.

Oh, and Tom-- Tom, everybody is gonna see you on my arm.

You're gonna be the handsomest bridegroom that

ever walked down that aisle.

I want that.

And Tom, I intend to have it.

All right.

All I want-- all I want's what's gonna make you happy, darling.

Well, Prince, since I got my horse back

and there's no harm done, I'm gonna let you go.

Well, thank you, Marshal.

I wish there was some way I could show my appreciation.

Well, there is.

See that you don't borrow any more horses.

Oh, I won't.

I promise.

Hey, do you suppose there's a stage leaving

this afternoon that I could--

[door opening]

Oh.

In any case, it's too late.

What is he doing out, Marshal?

I've released him.

But you can't do that.

Come on, Mr. Prince.

Marshal Dillon, you cannot let him go.

I have got a court order signed by Judge

Eldridge of Philadelphia giving me custody of my father.

And I insist that you obey it.

Miss Prince, it's like I told you before.

This is Kansas.

And all out of state warrants have to be

approved by Judge Brooker.

And how can I do that when he's not even in town?

He'll be back this afternoon.

He'll be staying at the Dodge House.

[sally singing]

Now, wait a minute, Worthless.

I'm going to get you something to eat

as soon as I get unhitched.

Now, [inaudible].

I'll be right back, honey.

[humming]

[SINGING] No creature is denied.

I'll take my stand in wonderland,

no-- with Worthless--

Good day, madam.

How did you get out here?

I rode out in one of the freight wagons.

Did the marshal let you out?

Or did you escape?

Oh, no.

The marshal's a fine man.

He let me go.

So you made a beeline for her to bother me.

I needed a drinking partner.

You know, I never touched a drop all the years we were married.

I-- I never liked the taste of it, in fact.

I still don't.

But when she went away, I-- I took my first drink,

and-- [hiccup]-- and never stopped.

When she went away-- you mean she left you?

She died.

Well, that's death.

Lots of people die.

That's a very interesting observation.

But you can't spend your life grieving

and drinking for that fact.

You-- life is too short, even if it is full of blisters

sometimes.

What do you know about it, madam?

Well, you don't have to know nothing to have an opinion.

Folks is born and folks die, and somehow, things

just keep on going along.

And to what purpose?

So-- so that I can be here drink-- [hiccup]-- drinking?

And so that you can go around gathering up things

that other people throw away?

Is-- [hiccup]-- is that our purpose in life?

Well, that's life.

And that's what I like about it.

It takes life to look up and see old Sol, to see them mountains,

to know the trees, and to lie in a buffalo water,

and feel the cool sand.

That's life.

And it takes life to say I am gonna make her no matter what.

Oh.

Excuse me.

Oh.

Allow me, madam.

[hiccup]

Sally.

Marshal?

H-- hello, Marshal?

You here to arrest me again?

No, but I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, Prince.

Your daughter has a warrant to take you back to Philadelphia

for a sanity hearing.

Insanity?

Well, I may be drunk, but I'm not insane.

I-- do I have to be there?

I'm afraid so.

She'll win, Marshal.

She always does.

Ever-- ever since she was a little girl,

she always got her own way.

Well, maybe she shouldn't have.

Prince, I'm sorry about it.

It'll be tomorrow morning at 10.

Sally, eh--

I'll see that he's there, Marshal.

Thank you.

Eat your stew.

Come on.

Oh, no, madam, I cannot go another step.

You're gonna keep on walking until you sober up.

Oh, madam, it'll never work.

I'll never be able to face that judge in the morning.

Drink your coffee.

Oh, this is unfit to be called coffee.

You, drink it until it comes out of your ears.

Madam, it's already sticking to the roof of my mouth.

Go on, drink it.

Not another sip, madam.

Do you hear?

Not another sip.

Do for a while.

Now, get your clothes off.

I beg your pardon?

Go on, peel your clothes off.

Madam, if you do not stop this kind of talk,

I shall be forced to leave.

You give 'em here or I'll take 'em off of you myself.

Madam, you will not lay a finger on me.

Do you hear?

Not one finger.

[shivering]

Go ahead, I said.

Get your head down there, or I'll

clunk it down with this brush.

Madam, you are not-- you will pay for this.

Oh, stop your grumbling.

Now, give me your arm so I can lather it up good.

Madam, you are not my keeper.

I am till tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.

Then you can do what you please.

You don't want to be put away for your own good,

do you, Mr. Prince?

No.

Well, you ain't gonna be.

Cause by tomorrow morning at hearing time,

you gonna be stone sober and spit polished

and colored and dyed respectable,

or my name ain't Sally Fergus.

Madam, you are a very remarkable woman.

That's what folks say.

I'll drink to that.

JUDGE BROOKER: Now, this is not a trial, Mr. Prince.

It is merely an informal hearing to determine whether or not

the State of Kansas should honor these out of state

warrants presented to this court by your daughter, Miss Elsie

Prince.

Mr. Prince, I'd appreciate your attention.

[muttering]

Oh.

I-- I'm terribly sorry, Your Honor.

Yes, sir.

These, uh, affidavits are quite impressive, Miss Prince.

Judge Brooker, those affidavits state very well

the incompetency of my father.

But in no way can they tell you the way I feel.

You-- you living here in Dodge City simply cannot know

the-- the ridicule or the humiliation that I have

suffered by being his daughter.

My father is a sot.

And-- and those documents that you hold

give ample proof that my father is

not sane, nor competent to manage his affairs or himself.

There's no question that that warrant should be honored

and that I be given permission to take

my brother back to Philadelphia where he can get medical help.

Why, shame on you.

Isn't it true that drinking is a man's own business?

Not when it prejudices the public good.

According to these, Mr. Prince, even your own doctor--

who must be counted as your friend, since you chose him--

states that allowing you continued

freedom could, and more than likely would,

result in disaster.

But before I rule on these warrants,

I'd, uh, like to hear your side of it.

Well-- well, Your Honor, there's nothing I can add

to it, except to say that all-- all

of these statements are true.

Yes, I-- I have been drink-- drinking for a long time.

It all started when-- when my wife died.

I started drinking.

And-- and then when Elsie got old enough to take over,

I-- I began to drink even more heavily.

I-- I know I-- I should have been stricter with her.

I should have taken the hickory rod to her.

But I couldn't bring myself to hurt her.

So I just listened and-- and kept on drinking.

A few months ago, she met Tom Rickaby here.

And-- and things began to close in on me.

I-- I knew something was up, but I didn't know--

so I-- I just disappeared.

And I've been running ever since.

You said that when she met Mr. Rickaby,

you knew something was up.

What was that?

Well, I got the feeling-- as a matter of fact,

I was certain that they were trying to get me committed

so they could get a hold of my estate.

The estate, Mr. Prince?

What does that consist of?

Oh, several parcels of land, a couple

of businesses-- meat packing, investment company,

and things of that sort.

Oh.

How much would you estimate these land

holdings and businesses of yours are worth?

Oh, eh-- well, right now, I would

say about, eh, about a million to a million

and a half dollars.

Why, shame on you.

Oh, I see.

And you believe that your daughter and her fiance

are trying to get you committed to a sanitarium,

so, uh, so they can get control?

I-- I regret to say this, Your Honor, but yes.

He is squandering away a fortune, Your Honor.

And for what?

I am merely looking out for his interests.

Are you, Elsie?

Yes.

And if you weren't so drunk all the time, you'd see that.

I see a lot more than you think I do.

Mr. Prince, if I should refuse to honor these warrants,

what would your plans be?

Well, I-- I don't know, Your Honor.

I-- I mean, I haven't given it much thought.

Will you promise this court that for a period of one year,

you will not drink and that you will return

to the jurisdiction of this court

every six months to verify that fact?

Um, I-- I can promise to try.

Then that's what I suggest you do-- try.

Because if I receive any unhappy reports, I'll reopen this case.

Your warrant is denied.

Madam, wait for me.

Don't leave without me.

Darling, let's get out of here.

Elsie, anything you wanted, you could have had.

I don't think we have anything more to say to each other.

Don't you think out of a lifetime,

you could spare me at least five minutes?

Please?

Elsie.

Go on.

All right.

I'll be waiting for you in front of the hotel.

Well, you won.

I might as well be nice to you.

I mean, maybe you'll remember me in your will.

I wrote this the day I ran away, but I never mailed it.

I was afraid to give you your freedom.

I guess I needed you then.

But I don't now.

You've had this all this time?

There's enough there to make you comfortable for the rest

of your life.

It isn't everything.

That, I won't give you.

Father, is this good?

I-- I mean-- I mean, you wouldn't trick me, would you?

Oh, it's good, all right.

You just present it at any bank.

I'm sorry.

Elsie, despite what you might think, I love you very much.

I-- I really don't want to interfere with your life,

but I'm afraid I-- I have to.

What do you mean?

Were you and Tom in Belafonte last week?

Yes.

That's how we knew you were in Dodge?

Why?

Well, didn't you ask yourself why I left

in the boot of the stagecoach?

I had plenty of money to buy a ticket.

I still have.

Well, Father, I just assumed that you were drunk,

and that he wouldn't let you on the stage.

Oh.

I was drunk, all right.

But that wasn't the reason.

Somebody was shooting at me.

Almost got me.

You were very close to being an heiress.

Are you saying that Tom did it?

Who else has something to gain by shooting an old drunk?

Oh, Father.

You carry so much money around, and you don't care who sees it.

Whoever shot at me wouldn't have dared to rob

me in the middle of the street.

If-- if you thought that Tom did it, why didn't you

say something to the judge?

Because you're engaged to him.

People might have thought you were his, uh-- his accomplice.

Good bye, Elsie.

[giggling]

Lose something, honey?

Yes.

Eh, did you see a tall man standing

out here about a minute ago?

Best looking man I ever saw.

Stood here for a minute, then lick-tailed it to the stable.

You get tired of him, you bring him right back here to me,

you hear?

[laughing]

Marshal. I don't know.

I could be wrong. But-- I hope so.

But it-- it's Tom. Tom Rickaby.

I think he's gonna kill my father.

Why would he do that?

It-- it's too long to go into.

Please, Marshal.

Hurry.

Where is he now?

The [inaudible].

And my Father's with that old woman.

I don't know.

Probably wherever-- wherever she's living.

You're very quiet.

Oh, that's my nature.

You know, I was thinking, here we are,

two people in the twilight of our lives,

living alone and not--

I don't live alone.

I've got my Worthless.

[braying]

Come on, [inaudible].

Well, that's not quite the same, is it, madam?

After all, a mule is not the same as a human being.

As what?

Madam, will you stop interrupting?

Well, why don't you stop asking me questions.

What I'm trying to say, madam, is if you

had a brain in your head, you--

Oh!

Look!

Oh!

Lookie there!

[squealing]

LUCIUS: Madam, wait!

SALLY: Look at that! LUCIUS: Madam!

SALLY: Did you ever see a thing like that.

LUCIUS: Will you come back?

I am proposing.

You see that?

Why, there.

Look at that!

Oh, my God.

You ever see anything as pretty as that?

And what on earth are you going to do with this?

I may even keep this for myself.

Oh, for heaven's sakes, madam.

This thing is worthless.

Absolutely worthless.

Now, now--

Oh, ain't that something?

Now, help me.

Be very careful, please.

You may strain something.

Well, help me.

I will not.

Absolutely not.

Well, if-- if you help me a little, I'll give you a little

listen.

Well, very well.

Oh, good. All right.

Now.

Now, drag it your way a little bit.

What I am trying to say--

Oh, she's heavy.

As I've said before on numerous occasions,

you are a remarkable woman.

Oh!

[inaudible]

Now, you and I are approximately the same age.

Well, at least, I suspect so.

The past few days, I have begun to realize that I don't

want to grow any older alone.

Just having to be able to look up and see you there-- oh,

this is ludicrous.

While I'm proposing, I am getting a hernia.

Huh?

Now, madam, you will sit down, and I will talk,

and you will listen.

Do you understand?

Now, what I'm trying to say, and very badly, I'm afraid,

is that you and I could spend our remaining years together.

Mr. Prince, when I was a lot younger,

I used to dream about a fine gentleman

making to propose to me.

And I'd think what I would say to him,

and what he would say to me, and all like that.

But that never happened till now.

Well, then as an act of mercy, will

you give me a plain yes or no?

Thank you very much, Mr. Prince.

But I can't.

And it ain't because I don't the sky high of you.

Because I do.

But we got different lives to lead.

You couldn't come live at my old shack

and pick bottles and junk.

I-- and I-- I couldn't live no other way.

But couldn't we try?

Well, no-- I-- you really wanna know

what the downright truth is?

Yes.

Well, I'm looking for something younger.

There's still a lot of them bucks in the woods.

I understand.

Well, I hope you don't hold it against me because I'm

looking for younger stuff.

I know what you're saying, madam.

And you're absolutely wrong.

You may think I'm a Philadelphia gentleman, but I'm not.

Oh, yes, you are, Mr. Prince.

You're the finest gentleman I ever seen.

Philadelphia or any other place.

[gunshot]

Go down!

Go down!

[gunshots]

Hold it!

[gunshots]

Good for you, Marshal!

You got him!

Oh.

Oh, honey.

Oh, I can't look.

Am I bleeding?

Oh, let me see.

Oh, yeah, some.

But don't worry, honey.

Your blood is pure whiskey.

Let me help you back to the wagon.

Come on.

I'll give you a lift.

Now, just bear down on my shoulder.

Oh, here.

Well, you better get on now, Mr. Prince.

The stage is about ready to pull out.

Miss Sally.

Mr. Burke.

That's Burke.

I shall miss you, madam.

Oh, don't give me none of your sweet talk.

BURKE: Hey!

Ho!

Good bye, Mr. Prince.

NARRATOR: Stay tuned for exciting scenes

from our next "Gunsmoke."

[theme music]