Original subtitles

Howdy, folks, I'm the old Ranger.

Down through the ages

the world has seen all kinds of men...

great and small, heroes and scoundrels.

Among the great and heroic men of the West

was William Edgar Borah,

a man who often and willingly had risked his life

to see justice done.

And because of this,

he came to be known as...

You all right, Bill?

No bones broken, I guess.

Bill.

Get in, the fool,

the crazy, blasted fool.

Bill, are you hurt?

No, I'm fine, Mary. I just tore my coat a little bit.

Well, Mr. Borah did it, Judge.

He just proved that old Pete Williams wasn't lying

when he said he saw Sorenson jump off that cliff to get away.

Risking your life for a $13 fee,

which you probably won't see anyway.

Sorenson's whole defense was based on the claim

that nobody could jump off that cliff and walk away.

My client was being made to look like a liar

and was being charged with a murder.

It was the only way I could prove he was telling the truth.

You're sure you're all right?

I'm fine, Mary.

He's all right every place but the head.

Come along, Mary.

Mary, will I see you tonight?

Yes. MAN: All right, fellas, show's over.

Well, what's the matter with you?

Oh, not a thing.

Just that when I came out here, I was 35.

I'm about 42 now. That's all.

It was a long way down, wasn't it?

Why? Why do you do these things, Bill?

You know, I've been a newspaper reporter

in Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, points west.

I've never seen a man before that acted like a circus performer than a lawyer.

Well, Ben, maybe the judge is right.

Maybe I'm touched in the head.

Well, you won't win any blue ribbons with him by these antics.

It's not the judge I'm marrying. It's just his daughter.

You hope.

I shouldn't have worn my good coat.

You know, I hate to say this, but I've got to agree with the judge.

I think you're a brilliant man, but you're also an idiot.

Well, even an idiot gets hungry, and I haven't had breakfast.

Let's get some.

I would like to see the account books after you've worked on them, Miss Swanson.

Yes, Mr. Ludwig.

Hello, Mr. Borah.

Good morning, Miss Swanson.

I read all about it, Mr. Borah, what you did yesterday.

Mr. Holly calls you a hero.

Mr. Holly likes to exaggerate.

Oh, I think it was a wonderful thing to do.

Thank you, Miss Swanson.

Hey, Bill.

How do you like the piece I wrote about you?

Did you have to make me sound so much like Sir Galahad?

Makes news, Bill.

Good day, Miss Swanson.

What are you doing here, Zeke?

Yeah, hi. Got a problem, Mr. Borah.

Oh?

And a legal problem.

Well, what's the trouble?

You want to sue someone for defamation of character?

Somebody want to sue you for alienation of affection?

No, Mr. Borah,

Si Toomey... he wants me to pay for a window

that was busted over in the Golden Spike,

and he wants $30.

You broke it?

Uh...

yeah, kind of but...

Well, then you'll have to pay for it.

But Si Toomey... he's the one that threw me right through it.

Is that how you got that cut?

Oh, that's just a little scratch.

It's grounds enough to sue Toomey.

It is?

Maybe three or four hundred dollars.

Say five, huh?

On the other hand, Zeke,

when you're drunk, you're pretty mean.

You've got a nasty temper.

Well, that Si Toomey... he's got a pretty mean temper too.

Well, I figure you had one snort too many,

and Si asked you to leave, you probably refused

and provoked him, so he threw you out

through the window.

That's just about how it was, Mr. Borah.

Well, Zeke, I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll talk to Si, and I'll tell him you won't sue

if he'll forget about the window.

How does that suite you?

You mean, we ain't gonna sue?

Not this time.

Well, anything you say, Mr. Borah.

Fine, that'll be five dollars.

Five dollars?

You see, I'm kinda short of funds, Mr. Borah. I...

"I owe you five dollars.

Zeke."

Thank you, Mr. Borah. Well, Zeke,

try to stay out of trouble. Hm?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Come in.

Nancy.

I finished your coat, Mr. Borah.

Well, you're a miracle woman with a needle and thread, Nancy.

You can hardly see where it was torn.

I'm glad you let me do it because...

it makes me feel better about the money I owe you.

Aw, forget it.

I understand you're seeing Larry Collins?

Well, I've had dinner with him once.

But I don't know.

He seems nice enough when he's not drinking.

Well, Larry Collins and Art Ludwig own the most successful store in town.

They'll probably be very rich men some day.

But watch yourself, Nancy.

I understand Larry Collins has a bad reputation around women.

Well, I don't know if I ever want to get married again, Mr. Borah.

Now, Nancy, you listen to me.

Just because you've been divorced is no reason to stop living.

Get married again

and, I hope, find the happiness you deserve.

Oh, excuse me.

Oh, I was just leaving, Miss O'Connell.

Bye, Nancy. Good-bye, Mr. Borah.

Bill, not here. Not in your office.

What will she think?

She's blindfolded, isn't she?

Father sent me.

He wants to talk to you.

Oh?

He wants you to go over there right away.

Now, Bill, all you have to do is listen to him.

You know I'm behind you a hundred percent.

Just hear him out.

Maybe this time you two can even arrive at a compromise?

I don't like the word compromise.

Either you're right or you're wrong and you should stick to it.

Talk to him.

For me?

I never could say no to you.

But...

you're leading the lamb to the slaughter.

Come on.

I don't understand you, Bill.

I just don't understand you.

Jumping off of cliffs,

rolling off of freight trains.

I've watched you practice law for over a year now.

You're intelligent, clever, sometimes even brilliant.

But you've got a streak of stupidity in you a mile wide.

Pat on the back, sir?

Ah, no.

I'll come to the point.

I've been asked to recommend a promising young lawyer

to represent a new corporation...

Ranchers Consolidated.

Some of the biggest and most influential men

in the country are on the board.

You'll start out on a retainer of $150 a month.

Now, the men you'll be working for are very influential.

You'll be moving in the right circles,

and you'll be making money.

Well?

Thanks, no.

Blasted young man, you've got to be practical.

When they handed you that sheepskin,

it wasn't a mandate to...

to solve the world's problems for nothing.

You've got to be thinking of yourself, for Mary.

I'm not a paper lawyer.

I like working with people.

You think John H. Kimbrough of Boise Copper isn't people?

Oh, I didn't mean it that way, sir.

I told you to let me handle this, Mary.

I decided to bring myself in as a consultant.

It's a wonderful opportunity for us, Bill.

Now, Mary...

And I know you'll listen to reason and try it just for a month.

You knew all about this thing?

Yes, sir.

You will take the job, won't you?

Mary, I told you I want to keep my...

Please, Bill.

I think I've just been compromised.

Hi, Ben.

How's the big corporation lawyer?

Up to here with the enticing details of legal nitpicking.

Assets, liabilities, net worths.

Abstract titles of land ownerships going as far back

as the original Indian owners.

At $150 a month you should be enjoying those enticing details.

What are you doing up so late?

Haven't you heard the news?

What news?

About a half an hour ago they found Larry Collins murdered.

Shot five times.

Three of the bullets in the heart.

Larry Collins?

Naturally, while the suspects are still being rounded up,

a newspaper man has to stay on his feet.

Well, Bill, you'd better come with me right away.

I just had to arrest Mrs. Turner.

Nancy?

Some witnesses saw her running from the scene of the murder.

She's asking for you.

Well, wait a minute, Bill. You can't take this on.

You're on a retainer for a big corporation.

Let's go, Sheriff.

I didn't want to kill him.

Start from the beginning, Nancy.

He took me to dinner at the cafe.

He kept putting whiskey in his coffee

and getting drunk.

He began saying things that...

I wanted to go home.

Then Mr. Ludwig came in and...

he seemed upset about something.

So, they...

went outside to talk.

Go on, Nancy.

I was afraid of Mr. Collins when he was drinking, so I left.

Alone?

Yes, but he saw me, and he...

he shouted for me to wait for him,

but I pretended I didn't hear him, and I...

hurried away.

About... About half way home...

I realized he was following me.

I started to run but...

by the time I got to my door, he was right behind me.

I fumbled with the keys, and I...

I tried to keep him out, but he pushed his way in.

I remembered my husband's gun in the bureau drawer.

I could hardly lift it out, it was so heavy.

I didn't want to hurt him, so I...

I went out the window and I...

I ran into the thicket behind the house.

I begged him to keep back.

But he just kept coming at me.

I took the gun in both hands,

and I pleaded with him.

But he laughed and he just kept coming at me.

And then the gun went off.

Again and again.

And I turned and I ran.

I didn't mean to kill him.

Oh, God, believe me.

I didn't mean to kill him.

Nancy, no one could blame you.

It was self defense. Any woman would've done the same thing.

I didn't mean to do it.

I didn't mean it.

My wife's coming over to fix things

to make Mrs. Turner as comfortable as possible.

Thanks.

Who were the witnesses who saw her running from the scene?

Well, Mr. and Mrs. Koppenax... they were headed home from prayer meeting.

They saw Nancy running from the direction of the thicket holding a gun.

I'd like to have a look at that gun, Sheriff.

Sheriff, it seems to me she's got a pretty good case of self defense.

Yeah, I agree with you, but you know the feeling around town about Mrs. Turner.

She's a divorced woman.

Well, there's the gun she used.

It's quite a cannon.

Bill?

Excuse me, Sheriff.

I knew you'd be here.

Soon as I heard.

How is she?

It's a tragic thing, Mary.

Poor woman.

As if she didn't have enough grief already.

But everyone knows Larry Collins' reputation.

They'll never convict her.

Do you have to get involved?

Why, I'm her lawyer.

But if you take a murder case,

Consolidated Ranchers will be through with you.

What about you?

I love you.

Nothing can change that.

Go on home now, Mary.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Have you got any extra shells for this thing?

Oh, yeah.

Nancy fired five shots.

There was only one left. I took it out.

Thing is heavy, even for me.

She's such a small woman.

It's amazing what a person could do under the stress of fear.

Three shots right in the heart?

Kicks like a mule.

Sheriff, I want you to help me.

You're free to go home, Mrs. Turner.

Mr. Borah's arranged for your release

until the trial comes up.

Go home, Mrs. Turner.

I'd escort you but I'm expecting a Marshal any minute from Boise.

And I've got to be here.

There's nothing to be afraid of, Mrs. Turner.

I've loaded this gun. I want you to take it along.

No, I never want to see it again.

Some of Larry Collins' friends have been over at Tommy's,

drinking it up, talking up a storm.

Now, they're drunk, and they're mad.

I don't think anything's apt to happen,

but just in case.

Now, here, take it.

Now, you hurry straight home, Mrs. Turner, and lock your door.

You murdered Larry.

You ain't getting off with no self-defense excuse.

We're gonna kill you, divorced lady.

No, please...

I don't want to shoot you.

Please stop.

Nancy.

It's all right, Nancy.

Oh, Mr. Borah.

No one's going to hurt you.

I'm sorry to have to put you through this,

but I had to prove before witnesses that a small woman like you

couldn't have put three shots in Mr. Collins' heart with that gun.

You probably didn't even hit him at all.

What do you think, Mr. Ludwig?

She has already confessed, Mr. Borah.

It was in self defense.

You counted on that. Didn't you, Ludwig?

I managed to have a look at your books this evening

before I asked you out here.

Collins was robbing you blind, wasn't he?

No one blames her for killing Collins, Mr. Borah.

You followed Collins and Mrs. Turner back to her house, didn't you?

You saw her trying to protect herself with that gun,

closing her eyes and firing five shots wildly.

Just as she did, just now.

But Collins was alive when she ran away.

You killed your partner, Mr. Ludwig.

A new witness just showed up.

And he saw you with him, after Mrs. Turner fired and ran off.

I told him.

I warned him time and again, but he didn't listen.

It was my blood I put in that business.

He was fixing the books, stealing,

I had to do it.

I had to. Let's go, Mr. Ludwig.

I've got a story to write.

Oh, about that new witness,

you lied pretty good for a lawyer, Mr. Borah.

Nancy.

I didn't kill him.

No, you didn't kill him.

I just don't understand.

I'll explain all that to you on the way home.

Mr. Borah, thanks. Thanks for everything.

You're welcome, Nancy.

I have a hunch that seamstress business is going to pick up now.

Good luck!

Have a nice long honeymoon Mary.

We will, Father.

Lots of happiness, Bill.

You know, you may be right.

The practice of law doesn't always come out of a book.

Good luck, son.

Thank you, judge.

Toomey! This time I'm gonna sue you for this!

I...

Mr. Borah! Mr. Borah!

Mr. Borah!

William Edgar Borah was elected to the United States Senate

from Idaho in 1907.

He served our country for 33 years

before his death in 1940.

A great man in every way.

A statue in memory of the Lion of Idaho

was dedicated to him in 1947.

And,

may be seen today in the Capitol Building

in Washington D.C.