Original subtitles

NARRATOR: "Gunsmoke" with Milburn Stone as Doc,

Amanda Blake as Kitty, Ken Curtis as Festus,

Buck Taylor as Newly.

And starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

[snoring]

Ira?

Ira?

[snoring]

Honey?

Ira.

Oh.

You got to fix that pin this morning.

Quit grinding at me, can't you?

[shout]

[pounding outside]

Morning.

Why don't you put your boots and pants on, boy?

What for?

Well now, wouldn't it look funny for me

to kill a man in his underwear?

What did you say?

I said I don't fancy making myself look foolish.

About killing.

A man in his underwear don't look decent.

Mr.-- who are you?

He knows.

What all you going to do to him?

I'm going to hold judgment over him.

Broad public daylight.

Judgement?

It's a sacred American principle, ma'am.

Not only that justice be done, but that it be seen to be done.

What about after you done held judgment?

Oh, Judas he had the good grace to go hang himself.

But I reckon your old man, he's just going

to need a little encouragement.

Ira.

You must be thinking you married a man.

Ain't you even going to try and pick it up?

So you can shoot me in self defense?

Spratt, you are a mistake.

One of nature's mistakes.

Probably have to cremate you.

The good earth would more than likely

vomit you right back out.

Please [inaudible] mister.

I don't know what he done to you.

But I could raise cash money on this farm.

We'll give you anything.

All right.

You can start by giving me five years of living.

And while you're at it, a new patch of skin.

Spratt, you and me is going to town.

IRA SPRATT: [crying]

Well, it's a boy.

[cheering]

You know, for a while there I didn't

think you were ever going to quit having she male girls.

Sure.

Come on, Gideon.

Let's sit down.

What'll you have to drink?

None for me.

Sam, give them all what they want.

Where's Matt?

Oh, he's gone to Lawrence for two days.

[DRUNKENLY] You know if that baby had took any more time

getting born, I might have had to ask

old Sam for some of his coffee.

Well, now, if he's going to celebrate this early,

watch out for him along about sundown.

Miss Kitty, that there is [inaudible].

You can just about near smell the feet of the boys

that planted that corn.

[crowd laughs]

Oh, darn it, boy.

Aren't you even going to try and give me a show?

Here.

Here's your chance to go out in style.

You are bound and determined to embarrass me, ain't you?

I just hoped you'd have the gumption for your kids say

to die with iron in your hand, not

grovelling like some fish bait worm with his tail cut off.

I'll crawl.

Call me anything you want.

What I want is for all these people

to know what you really are.

Get away from that.

You, old man.

I'm a doctor.

Get him upstairs.

Newly.

I warned you, Old man.

I'm going to be all right, Doc.

Bring him up.

All right, now where'd he go?

No one's seen him.

Where is he?

[YELLING] Where is he?

Is he going to be all right, Doc?

Yes, he will.

But he's-- he's not going to be putting around for a few days,

I'll tell you that.

Should I sit with him till he comes around?

Oh, that'd be good. Thanks, Kitty.

Thank you.

Is he going to be all right, Doc?

Yeah, I think so, Newly.

Good.

Let's have a look at this here.

Went clean through.

What are we going to do?

What do you suggest, Burke?

Well, I don't know.

Festus shot.

Newly.

You want to put on a badge?

You saying it's up to me alone?

I didn't say anything, Burke.

You're doing the talking.

Well, we got to do something.

That fellow went in the telegraph

office, dumped all the batteries so we couldn't get help.

At least he ain't after none of us.

It's Ira Spratt he's gunning for.

Since when isn't Ira one of us?

Burke get out of here.

All of you.

Get out!

[inaudible] You lost a lot of blood here.

I'll be all right, Doc.

Just patch me up.

I'll show you how to stop that fellow.

You can't even hold a gun steady.

Well, somebody's got to.

Not you.

You're not in any shape for that.

Maybe I can catch up with Marshall Dillon

and get him back here.

Well, I'll tell you something.

You're in no condition to make a ride like that.

What makes you think you can?

Just patch me up, Doc.

We'll find out.

Ab, would you like some coffee?

Oh no.

No, I've had coffee all night.

How's my son, huh?

I think he likes it here.

What are you girls doing here, huh?

School's waiting. Come on.

Scoot.

Scoot.

Scoot.

Good morning, Gunner.

There we go.

Now, this uh fellow, what did he want, Gideon?

A man named Spratt.

Who's he?

A hog farmer. Drinks like a goat.

Beats his wife.

Don't pay his bills.

What did he do this time?

I have no idea, but this fellow seems to carry

and awful powerful grudge.

Big enough to want to make him eat dirt before he killed him.

Did he?

Well, funny thing is, in all the shooting, Spratt got away.

I must say, I'm kind of glad about that.

Guess I'll go down see what's doing.

Abner be careful.

Don't poke your nose where it doesn't belong.

Who me?

[laughing]

You get some rest.

That's a nice looking son you got there, Gideon.

Thanks, Abner.

Oh, that one just doesn't ever seem to mind his own business.

Well, times like this, you could use a few more like him.

Let me try that.

Gideon, this um, stranger, is he gone?

Well, he was wounded.

I think he'd be a fool to hang around till Matt came back.

Come on, here.

Drink your coffee before it freezes over.

I want Spratt.

Bad.

So if this man is a friend of yours--

I seen him headed out the south road.

He was headed for Gideon's place.

[dog growling]

I'm going to go down and see what that's all about.

Anybody here?

Whoever's in there, come on out.

It's-- it's just me, Mr. Gideon, Ira Spratt.

What are you doing here?

Well, you seen him.

He's fixed to shoot me down in cold blood.

And bare handed too.

Why, he hit Newly and Festus like they was tin cans.

Ain't nobody but you can save me, Mr. Gideon.

What can I do?

[stuttering]

Hide me till he's gone or Marshall comes back, one.

Oh, you ain't going to send me out there to get gunned down

like a mad dog now, are you?

All right.

Go on, climb up there in the hay loft.

I swear, I'll never forget you for this.

I'll let you know when it's safe to come down.

What was it?

Somebody in the barn.

Who?

Some fellow.

Oh, you didn't eat your eggs, honey.

Who?

Well, it's nobody you know.

You don't mean Spratt?

What if it is?

What does he want here?

Well, he was half dead with terror.

He didn't know where else to turn.

So he elected you.

Kind of a tribute to something or other.

But you-- you can't let him stay.

What else can I do?

This man will kill him on site.

But that means he'll kill anyone who gets his way.

Fiona, all I've done--

Well, have you thought about us?

Have you?

I've got children in this house.

Not to mention a husband who's blinded by his own charity.

It's little enough to do for a fellow human being.

To gamble the lives of our children?

Oh, for pity sakes.

This stranger will never even know about it.

But I want him out of here.

Do you understand me?

Now.

You ought to have someone look at that wound of yours.

It'll keep.

Let's have him.

Who?

Spratt.

I understanding he was headed in this direction and I want him.

Look, if he's done you some kind of injury,

we have a travelling judge.

I'd be very much obliged if you'd hand him over.

Now.

[dramatic music]

FIONA: No.

He's in the barn.

Why don't you show me.

Now you go on up and you fetch him down.

He's not there.

That's where I told him to hide but he

must have seen you coming.

[chuckles]

That's, uh, too bad for you.

What do you mean?

I'm tired of chasing him.

I want Spratt delivered to me by your friends.

What makes you think they'll do that?

For you.

For your life.

Let's go.

Everybody, outside.

You stay.

Doc, Spratt got away.

Oh, well, that's good.

That fellow Musgrove, he took Gideon for a hostage.

Well, Newly's going after Matt now.

He'll never make it back before the deadline.

The deadline, what do you mean?

It's 8 o'clock tonight.

8 o'clock tonight?

BURKE: If he doesn't get Spratt, he'll kill Gideon.

Well, he certainly can't make it

unless he can catch up to him.

I don't have to tell you that man ain't giving empty threats.

Well, what do you want me to do?

Well, we though maybe you could go over there to Long Branch

where he's holed himself up and kind of humbug him,

you know, into thinking he's got a pretty bad injury there.

Better let you put a patch on it.

And you could slip him something.

A potion or something to put him to sleep.

Don't take but a split second to pull the trigger.

Well, there ain't nothing else we can do.

Give him Ira Spratt.

You don't know where he is.

No, but we could hunt him down with dogs

if we all put our minds to it.

Are you talking about a lynch mob?

Wouldn't be no resemblance to a lynch mob.

No comparison at all.

Gideon's my sister's husband.

A fat lot of fools we'd look like letting a capitol fellow

like get gunned down in place of that no account scum.

You know what you're saying?

I'm saying Ira Spratt's life ain't worth

one of Gideon's little fingers.

By whose scale?

Any decent citizen's.

Well, I'd do anything I could to save Gideon.

But at the expense of another man's life,

I'd have to be awful sure that Musgrove isn't bluffing.

I believe he means it.

And so does my sister.

We're going after Spratt.

Burke.

What are you going to do?

I don't know.

Sit down over there.

Yeah, she's bleeding some.

Don't get your hopes up.

If I felt like I was passing out, I'd take you with me.

Why?

Sort of makes us partners in my survival.

Look, there ain't no chance in the world to take him unawares.

Even if we did take a shot from out here,

we're liable to shoot Gideon as well as him.

Whoever he is, he ain't no fool.

I don't even see how Matt could take him this way.

Let's get going with the dogs and find Spratt.

Look, I don't know. It don't seem right.

To who?

Well, Matt ain't going to like it much.

Matt Dillon ain't here.

Well, he will be tomorrow.

Tomorrow wouldn't nothing help Gideon but resurrection.

What are you going to say to Matt?

Oh, what's he going to ask me?

How come I didn't hook my thumbs in my back pocket

and let my sister's husband get gunned down?

Are you coming or ain't you?

No.

You, go on over to Doc's and fetch

me some bandages and some alcohol to clean this wound.

You want Doc to take a look at that leg?

Ain't nothing he can see that I can't feel for myself.

Now move.

You want something for the pain?

Something to put me to sleep?

You wouldn't live to gloat on it.

Is there anything I can get for you, Gideon?

Yes, you might ask someone to stop by the house

and see that my wife's staying in bed.

And tell her--

Tell her what?

Tell her I don't want to be ransomed.

Not for a man's life.

You do that.

But first you check with the carpenter and make sure

he's got a box big enough to fit him.

[knock at door]

Ma'am.

What is it?

We're looking for your husband.

Why?

You know why.

Mr. Gideon's being held hostage for him.

My sister's husband.

Musgrove's going to kill him if we don't fetch Ira Spratt.

You're telling me you're going to hunt him down

and hand him over to be killed?

What happens to him is out of our hands.

Our only concern is to save Gideon's life.

Mr. Spratt ain't here.

If you'd just let us look around.

This one his?

Well, we'll just borrow it.

[crying]

Sure enough, honey.

These good folks is friends of your daddy's.

[dogs barking]

[dramatic music]

How's Festus doing?

Oh, he's holding his own, Gideon.

What's in this bottle?

Alcohol.

Like you wanted.

Nothing else?

You know, I don't believe you.

Then don't use it.

What did he do to you?

Like the Good Book says, old sins leave long shadows.

Good Book don't say no such thing.

I want to know what he done to you.

What did Judas do to our Lord?

Your man and me, we bled together.

We were comrades in arms.

You know what that means?

Soldiering.

I don't see nothing sacred about that.

It ain't like a man and a woman.

No, it surely ain't.

Nothing like four bare feet in a bed.

That don't tell me nothing.

I wouldn't expect a woman to understand.

You're bound and determined to kill my man.

I understand that much.

That's all you need to know.

I've got to know why.

Unless you some kind of an animal with a lust for killing.

Ain't no man got more tender feelings than I got.

For yourself, maybe.

Myself is all I got.

You know why.

I've been passed over for promotion.

Spratt he had some gripe of his own.

One night we got us good and drunk

and we set out to go over the hill.

Mr. Spratt never deserted the US Army.

No, he surely did not.

Craw-fished out of it.

And that's your grievance?

Truth be known, I was glad to be shut of this company.

He done went and turned me in.

For the bounty, 25 pieces of silver.

For that, I got this brand and five years on a rock pile.

Mr. Spratt never gave that to you.

Some judge give it to you.

Yes, ma'am.

They buried him a week ago.

Prosecutor four days ago.

That just leaves one man to settle accounts with.

Your friends and neighbors, they're going

to bring him right here to me.

You know why?

Because they agree with me.

The man ain't fit to live.

No, they won't.

Because it's wrong and they know it.

Folks won't stand for that.

They out hunting him now?

You see?

They admire you too much to let you die.

What if they don't find him by the time you say?

That's too bad for him.

Then you go away from here?

Maybe.

But you ain't sure.

Ain't nothing sure as long as Spratt's alive.

May go hunt for him myself.

Or maybe I might take myself another hostage.

Best go on home.

Ain't nothing on earth or in heaven going to save your man.

[dogs barking]

Thank you, Martha.

You're Mrs. Spratt.

Please, sit down.

Is there-- there anything I can do for you?

I know folks believe I ought to be

thankful that I'm shut of him.

Maybe they're right.

All I know is I feel like to shrivel up and die inside

of me if they kill my man.

They?

Your brother.

Your friends.

If they catch my man, and bring him in,

won't that be just like they have to kill him.

Sure, he don't support me.

Drinks up what money does come in.

He beats me when he's drunk.

Still, I'd do anything to keep him.

Can you understand that?

Oh.

I know he ain't worth much as men go.

I got eyes in my head.

I got ears.

But once upon a time, when no other man

would look at me twice, he's all the love

I ever had or ever wanted.

You think I'm in any position to help?

Ma'am, I don't know.

Mrs. Spratt, I don't know what your husband did.

And I don't want to know.

But if he doesn't come and face up to it,

my husband's going to die.

Ma'am, I don't ask you to do nothing.

Just understand.

What's there to understand?

Even Ira Spratt, even he's a man with feelings and rights

to have his day in court like other men.

Not something to be shot down like a mad dog.

I surely do thank you for listening to me.

What about Festus?

Well, Doc patched him up, but he's in pretty bad shape.

The stranger, he come into town looking for Ira Spratt,

said he wants to kill him.

Newly, you stay here.

I'll send a doctor up.

Don't head back to Dodge till you're rested.

[dogs barking]

Over there.

Spratt.

Spratt.

Come on out or we'll set the dogs on you.

Ira.

You know me.

Halligan.

I ain't never had nothing against you.

We want you to live.

Stands to reason though, not if Gideon's got to croak for it.

Understand?

Ira, come out and I swear to you,

we'll wait until the last minute.

Then if Marshall Dillon gets back in time, we'll let you go.

You coming out or are we coming in to get you?

Your clock is five minutes slow.

What's five minutes?

Could be a world of difference to him.

They're going to bring you Ira Spratt.

I don't know exactly when.

The deadline is 8 o'clock without no plus or minus.

What if they're an extra two minutes?

That's fine, but he's going to be two minutes dead.

For a man that's been dreaming on revenge for five

whole years, what kind of satisfaction

can it give you to kill me instead?

None.

Then why do you do it?

Because I said I would.

Because I said it.

And a man has got to be as good as his word or pretty soon,

don't nobody pay him no mind.

But I have a newborn son, three daughters.

I have a wife that's just out of child-bed.

No use you telling me all that truck.

No way you going to make me feel what

it's like to be in your shoes.

You ain't never been in my shoes.

Never know what it felt like to me

to be marched in front of that whole regiment

and branded like a steer.

Well, that wound healed up years ago.

It never healed.

I loved my regiment.

The army was all the mother and father

and wife and child I ever had.

It fed me.

It taught me, punished me and sheltered me.

Why did you desert then?

One disappointment?

What kind of a man are you?

They did a previous wrong to pass me by for promotion.

When Spratt and me decided to abscond, that was just impulse.

I was brass eyed drunk.

I'd have come back but I didn't get a chance.

He stayed back there and turned me on for a runaway.

Suddenly I was lower than dirt, fit

for nothing but a stockade, a rock

pile, and a brand on my chest.

Would you let a man live that tore up your reason for living?

What do you want?

Ab, you can't do it?

Who says?

Look, it's wrong and you know it's wrong.

You get out of my way.

Now, look.

I'm telling you to let him go.

On your say so?

A man too yellow to even put on a deputy's badge?

Well, I've never seen a more distinguished

looking lynch mob.

I guess you must be proud of yourselves.

Don't you start preaching at us.

We ain't got time to listen.

Don't you know that if you go through with this,

Matt Dillon will find you no matter where you are?

Now what are you going to tell him?

Well, what are you going to tell him if Gideon's killed?

Well, I'd be grieved about that.

But Gideon doesn't want that man killed.

He said so.

We ain't doing it for him them.

We're doing it for my sister.

Now what do you think she'd say?

Why don't you ask her?

She's in Matt Dillon's office right now.

Go in and ask her if she wants this man's blood on her hands.

Well, go on.

You afraid to ask her?

All right, all right.

We've got a couple of minutes to spare if that will

satisfy you and the Marshall. Come on Spratt.

What's the good of sending them to ask Gideon's wife, Doc?

You know what she's going to say.

Might gain us some time, if even a few minutes.

For Matt?

It might.

I told you, we're going by my watch.

They're bound to be here anytime.

Anytime ain't good enough.

I told you that too.

If you kill Gideon, you'll never get Spratt.

Not even if I take me another hostage?

You, for instance.

You're just feisty enough to make good company.

We got ten minutes to spare here.

We'll have Gideon home in time for supper tonight.

We sure had us a job finding him.

We wasn't going to let your husband

bite the dirt for this here puny, no account weasel.

It was-- it was real good of you.

Um, I don't think you understand, Fiona.

It's all over now.

We got Gideon back for you.

What do you expect me to say?

Well, just uh, do you want us to hand him over or don't you?

I can't be your conscience.

We're doing this for you.

You have no right to lay it on me.

Do you want your husband back alive or don't you?

Of course I do.

But not this way.

How could I ever face him after--

after telling you to go ahead.

You ain't exactly Pontius Pilate standing there,

you know.

You can't just wash your hands and they'll

be no blood on them.

You're in this with us.

It's wrong.

Let him go.

What?

I want my husband, not enough to kill another man for him.

This ain't no man, least wise not like Gideon.

This one here ain't even fit for [inaudible]

Who appointed you or me his judge and jury?

We're saving your husband's life.

FIONA: But not that way.

Because he wouldn't want it that way.

I might because I'm weak and I'm selfish

and I'm most willing do anything to keep what I have.

But not him.

Not my husband.

I don't know anything else, I know that.

Why even his wife would be tickled.

Mrs. Spratt was at my house.

I talked to her.

She loves her man just the same as I do mine.

I wish it weren't so, but it is.

Well, that's too deep for me.

Leave it to a female to start spouting foolishness

at a time like this.

Let's go, we ain't got too much time.

IRA SPRATT: [YELLING] Now Musgrove, I'm calling you out.

All of you, move over there in the corner.

[dramatic music]

You said you'd give me a show.

All right, I'm taking you up on that right now.

Just throw me that there piece.

You couldn't stand up to me in a gunfight

if I was crippled in both eyes.

You just toss it over here [STUTTERING] nice and easy.

You really going to give me a chance

to kill you in a fair fight?

Now let's see if you've got the gumption to pick it up.

[gun shot]

[woman screaming]

NARRATOR: Stay tuned for exciting scenes

from our next "Gunsmoke."

[music playing]