Original subtitles

What do you got? Two ladies.

Aces. Don't you ever lose?

Deal 'em.

Yes, sir. What'll you have?

Can I have a glass of water, please?

That's all? Yes.

If you don't mind.

Hey, you a lunger? You got consumption?

Yes, I have it.

What are you trying to do, ruin my business?

People see you in here, they'll run you out like the plague.

Get out, will ya?

You open? Yeah.

Howdy, folks. I'm the Old Ranger.

The cry of "lunger" made some of the bravest men of the West

back off in fear.

Now, the cold, clear mountain air of Colorado

was once thought to be a cure for lung fever,

or what folks called the great white plague, tuberculosis.

Many a man came West to struggle with the dread disease

and try to save his life.

Now, our story is really two stories in one.

About an ailing man who came to Colorado to die,

and the birth of...

Hey, mister. Yes, ma'am?

Let me buy you a drink.

Very kind of you, ma'am, but haven't you heard?

I'm a plague carrier.

Well, now, maybe I like the plague.

Better not, ma'am. Come on.

Over here.

Sit down.

Millie, I asked him to leave.

I know. Go on. Sit down.

Millie, he's a lunger.

I know.

We'll have two whiskeys, Mike.

Millie...

And the good stuff.

I'm Millie. What's your name?

John Stetson.

Where you from, John? New Jersey.

I got tired of people staring at me.

I thought it might be different out here, out in the mountains.

The mountains?

Oh, well, now, take my advice, John. Don't try it alone.

You know, a city man like you wouldn't last more than a week out in that wilderness.

I'd rather be alone.

Well, feeling sorry for yourself ain't gonna help none.

You know, I've seen a lot of lungers come out here to Colorado.

I don't know if it's the rot-gut whiskey or a miracle,

but some of them get cured.

Well, I've tried the rot-gut.

Where do you buy a miracle?

You buy miracles with faith.

Well, that's it.

Back to beans and skunk meat.

Looks like big Dan run smack out of miracles.

Blasted coonskin's more alive than dead.

Must be supporting a whole tribe of critters.

Millie, this is gonna... I know. Brogger cleaned you again.

Right down to my socks. Millie, this...

Dan, I'd like you to meet John Stetson. This is Dan Willis.

Howdy. Millie, this is gonna be the best season yet.

Here we go again.

Oh, now, Millie, there'll be more beaver than trout in the streams.

And I'm gonna bring you back, this time, a silver fox.

Stake me $200?

Oh, fur trapping's a lonely life.

Takes a man way up in the mountains, away from city folk.

What's that got to do with $200? Might have a lot.

Oh, Millie, please?

No.No.

I, uh... I have $200.

You have?

Well, Mr... What's your name again? Stetson.

It's always a pleasure to meet an intelligent man.

You'd get 40 percent of my take, and you don't do a lick of work.

Now, how's that?

I'll invest the money on one condition.

Sure. What's that? I go along.

A dude on the trail?

No, a working partner. That's more than you hoped for.

That ain't what I hoped for. We was talking about money. That's the deal.

If I don't go, it's no deal.

Well, but you'd just slow me up.

I'll try not to.

What do you wanna go for anyway?

I wanna get away from people.

Is it a deal?

Well, on, uh, one condition.

What's that?

You throw in that fancy headpiece.

My hat? His weakness... hats.

He's worse than a woman.

Well, is it a deal?

It's a deal. Let's go get the supplies.

Uh, but I warn you of one thing.

I have tuberculosis.

Why tell me? I can't cough for ya.

Come on. Let's go.

Why don't you try sitting in the middle of the saddle?

It's more comfortable that way.

It's mighty dangerous from here on up.

Many a man's fall to perdition.

You ain't worried?

I'm not worried.

Come on.

Watch out! You'll start a landslide!

You played it right smart to hold still.

Big cat'll spray ya if he knows you're panicky.

I was, uh, just taking a walk.

Always take a stroll at night.

Makes me think better.

What's the matter with you?

I was running out on ya, leaving you alone in this godforsaken wilderness.

And you don't say nothing. You just stand there.

When a man knows he's gonna die,

where it happens or when... that doesn't make much difference.

John?

John!

John!

John.

Where in blazes are you going?

Now, just where do you think you were going?

S-Someplace where I won't be in anybody's way.

You mean someplace where you can crawl into a hole and die?

Dan, I'm just holding you back.

I thought I could do it. I just can't.

Not sense enough in your head to take a knife or a gun or supplies?

Why, you wouldn't last a day. It doesn't matter.

Who said so?

Dan, I'm a sick man.

Now, don't go twisting the words around.

What you're really saying is you give up.

All right. Then I give up.

What in bull blazes gives you the right to give up and die?

Dan, the doctor said...

Don't go telling me what no doctor said!

They ain't God.

He's the only one tells you when your time has come.

Now, look. You still got blood in your veins.

That means you go on living, fighting for every breath.

You don't give up. Leave me alone.

All right. Maybe you wanna die. Is that it?

Be easier that way, huh?

Just lie down and die.

Yes, it would.

You gutless, lily-livered, sour excuse for a man.

Oh, it's easy for you to talk.

What do you know about dying?

I'm being torn apart, piece by piece, every day of my life.

Pains in my chest, like... like I'd swallowed hot coals.

Screaming at night for something quick to end it, but it never happens.

That's what it's like to die.

How would you like to be called a "lunger"?

A lunger! Treated like a leper.

Sure, I wanna live.

Life is the holiest treasure a man has.

But my time has come.

It's not gonna help to deny it.

No, your time ain't come.

Not while you can still get hoppin' mad.

I just wanted to see. You got mad.

No, sir. You don't wanna die.

What did you say?

I was just talki" to this old pine.

You're talking to a tree?

Been talkin' to 'em every morning for years.

Real comfort.

Especially if you gotta get something off your chest.

He just takes up your troubles and bury 'em underneath his roots.

And gives you a sweet smell in return.

But it's only a tree.

Maybe so, but there ain't no church up here.

This old tree's kind of like my altar.

Been around here longer than any living thing in these parts.

And he's the closest to God I can get.

These beavers have been mighty busy.

A beaver did that?

Well, sure.

You ain't even breathing hard.

I guess I'm getting accustomed to this crisp mountain air.

It's wonderful.Good.

You all right?

I am now.

First time today.Yeah.

That sun'll scramble your brains.

You better wear this old coonskin of mine. Uh, no, thank you.

A man needs a hat in this country.

If it isn't the sun or rain, it's the fog.

You get caught in the night dampness, you'll cough out the rest of your lungs.

Maybe you're right. Better wear it.

No, that thing's alive. I'll make my own.

You make your own hat?

Yeah. Out of what?

I'll felt a few skins and shape it.

You see, my father owns a hat factory back East.

I've been making hats since I was five.

No.Yeah.

Come on. I'll show ya.

There.

That oughta do it.

How do you like it?

Well, that's the most elegant thing I ever did see.

I still can't believe you made it with fur.

Felting goes back to the time of Moses.

Moses wore a hat like that? No, no.

This is something I dreamed up. See, this is practical.

It's got a nice wide brim to ward off the sun.

Got a high crown with a pocket of air. That's to keep you cool.

And it's watertight to stay the rain.

And this way, you can carry feed and water in it.

Well, there ain't no end to things a man could figure for it.

C-Can I, uh... Can I try it on?

Sure.

Landslide.

The pelts. Gotta get those pelts!

Get the horses. I'll take care of the pelts.

Hurry.

Dan! Get outta there! Dan!

Aah!

Dan! Dan!

Dan! Stop shouting.

You'll bring that cantankerous mountain down on us again.

Gi... Give me your hand.

I'd like to throw every rock right back at that miserable mountain.

Standing there, waiting till we got all those pelts.

Then boom, four months' work...

Don't move, Dan.

Couldn't if I wanted to.

Anything broken?

Just my heart.

Why? Why?

Why?

Come on, Dan.

You better stay off that leg.

Gotta get it in shape to get back in town.

No sense hanging around here.

Fur's ruined. Traps all gone.

We aren't licked yet. We'll make our own traps.

You talk high and mighty for a dyin' man.

You're right, Dan. Something has changed.

I'm alive.

For the first time in years, I can breathe without coughing, without pain.

I am alive.

Thanks, John.

Horses all saddled? Yeah.

I still think we should've waited a few more days.

Oh, leg'll hold out.

Sooner we get back in town, quicker we get out.

I sure hope Millie will stake us.

Wait'll she sees this silver fox.

Her eyes'll light up.

Maybe light up her pocketbook too.

Oh, uh, Dan, a little, uh,

going-away present for ya.

Go on. Open it up.

Ohh!

So this is what you been doing for the past couple days.

Yep.

Hey, it fits! Mm.

How do I look? Well, uh...

Go ahead.

How about that?

Wait'll they see me back in town.

Us.

The next time you try that, I'm gonna stomp on you!

Hey, Millie!

Well, would ya look at the two dudes!

Oh!

Hey, Dan, where did you get that hat?

You like it? Yeah, I like it. Where'd you get it?

First, buy me a drink, and I'll tell ya. All right, Mike. Set 'em up.

Well? It's a long story.

Never mind the long story. I'll buy it.

Say, you look fine.

Ah, a little token of appreciation, Millie.

Oh, a silver fox!

You must've had a good season.

No. No, I couldn't raise a dollar if my life depended on it.

Well, what happened? Avalanche.

Wiped out everything we had.

Well, then, what are you grinning for? Oh, I feel wonderful, Millie,

for the first time in years.

I haven't coughed or had a chest pain for days.

It's a miracle.

So you finally bought a miracle, huh?

- Yes, I guess I did. - Twenty.

I should say not.

All right. Have another drink, you grizzled, old,

penny-pinching thief. I don't mind if I do.

I got to admit, I never seen the likes of that before.

I'm willing to pay you $40 and not a penny more.

Nope.

Brogger, any time a hat can provide an old coons-catcher like me

with free drinks,

capture the admiring glances of women,

and make an old goat like you jealous

just ain't for sale nohow.

- $50. - Uh...

No!

You can buy my hat, Mr. Brogger.

It's the same. I made them both.

Shut up!

It don't fit!

Dan, $100.

Not for $500.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

You're just trying to get me riled.

Well, now, maybe I am, and maybe I ain't.

Now, j-just a minute, please.

I'll make you a brand-new one. Tailor-made.

Guaranteed a perfect fit. What?

A special hat, just like this, but made for you.

How much?

$20?

It's a deal. I'll take one too.

I got me tailor-made pants and tailor-made boots, but never had me a tailor-made hat.

Not tailor-made, son. Stetson-made.

What he's got there is a genuine Stetson headpiece.

John B. Stetson came out west to die,

but instead found new life

and a famous hat.

One day, the Stetson factory

was to turn out four million Stetsons a year.

It became the symbol of the West,

and still is.