Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:00 [no audio]
00:02 [music]
00:08 I'm relieving you early, I'll expect the same.
00:25 [music]
00:27 [rain]
00:29 [music]
00:58 [thunder]
01:00 [neighing]
01:05 [neighing]
01:19 [music]
01:26 [music]
01:28 [thunder]
01:53 Doctor says you didn't break anything last night, Randall.
01:56 No, I guess I'm lucky they didn't hit me in that hard head of mine.
01:59 How are you feeling otherwise?
02:01 Pretty good. Doctor says I can leave today.
02:03 Well, um, that's what I wanted to talk to you about.
02:06 Stolen horses?
02:09 Ten dollars a head for the return of the horses.
02:11 Standing price for the recovery of stolen army remounts.
02:14 Well, uh, couldn't you send a fourth keyhoe for a detachment?
02:17 No good. By the time anybody got there from keyhoe,
02:20 the horses would be sold and scattered.
02:22 I mean, if I went after those horses for you, it'd take a great deal of time.
02:25 And, uh, well, frankly, I've only got a couple of dollars left of my name.
02:29 Here's twenty dollars from the company fund.
02:31 We'll call it in advance.
02:33 Here's your authorization in case anybody asks you.
02:36 Now, what about this Davisville?
02:38 As far as I'm concerned, good riddance.
02:40 However, the army gives twenty-five dollars a head for the return of deserters.
02:44 If you can bring him in.
02:46 [music]
02:49 [music]
02:52 [music]
03:20 Howdy.
03:21 Howdy.
03:23 Uh, where's this place?
03:25 Town of Long Rope.
03:28 So, uh, don't get down.
03:31 Well, I just wanted to take a look at the horses.
03:33 You can look from where you are.
03:36 Yeah, I guess I can at that.
03:38 It's, uh, army brand.
03:40 Who do these horses belong to, mister?
03:42 Talk to the marshal. Maybe he can give you an answer to that.
03:45 Well, uh, who do you and that shotgun work for, mister?
03:48 - You?
03:48 Much obliged.
03:51 (dramatic music)
03:55 (horse neighing)
03:57 - Jay, anybody here?
04:20 - Back here.
04:24 - Now, who's that?
04:25 - It's you.
04:34 - Yeah, it's me, all right.
04:37 - You get me out, and I'll go back with you.
04:39 I'll go anywhere, so long as it's away from here, anywhere.
04:43 - Where's the marshal?
04:44 - I don't know, I suppose he's across the street,
04:46 in the general store.
04:47 - Mm-hmm.
04:47 (dramatic music)
04:50 (dramatic music)
04:53 - No, I think it'd be too expensive.
05:05 - Somebody can help you with?
05:10 - Yeah, I was looking for the marshal.
05:12 - His office is across the street.
05:14 - Yeah, I know, but he's not over there.
05:15 - Well, if you're a stranger in Long Rope,
05:17 I own the only hotel.
05:20 - Yep, I'm a stranger.
05:21 - Now, Curt, how about a little drink, huh?
05:25 - Go ahead.
05:26 - You got business here, son?
05:30 - Mm-hmm.
05:31 - Well, the marshal's around someplace,
05:33 you can depend on that.
05:34 - You a new deputy?
05:36 - No.
05:39 - That's too bad.
05:40 The marshal likes help, a lot of it.
05:42 (gun firing)
05:44 (footsteps tapping)
05:47 - I'll have that gun.
05:53 - Yes, hold on.
05:55 - No firearms to be carried on your person
05:57 in the city limits.
05:58 Here.
06:01 Give it over.
06:14 - Mr. Elkins, you were drinking alcoholic beverage
06:16 on unlicensed premises.
06:17 That'll be $10 fine.
06:19 You can pay in my office tomorrow.
06:20 - My whiskey in my store with her.
06:22 - $25 from you, Mr. Payne.
06:24 Well, now, you're a new boy,
06:27 and you must have a name and reason for being here.
06:30 - Yeah, my name's Randall.
06:32 - Mr. Randall's been looking for you, marshal.
06:35 - At your service.
06:36 - I understand you own those horses just outside of town.
06:38 - You come to buy 'em?
06:40 - No, I want to take 'em back with me.
06:44 - Well, now, that bears some discussion, doesn't it?
06:47 - They're Army remands, and they stole 'em.
06:49 - I know that.
06:50 Man has to be blind not to see cavalry brands all over 'em.
06:54 - The man in jail, too.
06:55 The man stole 'em.
06:56 - He's got the Army brand, too.
06:58 - Deserter.
06:59 - I figured that out.
07:00 Don't you worry about it.
07:01 He's locked up tight in my jail.
07:03 - My Army authorization.
07:04 - We'll discuss terms later, Randall.
07:13 Plenty of time for that.
07:14 - That gives you a rough idea
07:21 of what we've been living with for more than a year.
07:23 That's the closest anybody's ever come to calling 'em.
07:27 Oh, I'm George Elkin.
07:29 - How do you do?
07:30 - Curtis Payne here owns the store.
07:32 This is Webb White, our local Rothschild.
07:35 - How do you do, sir?
07:36 - Sir.
07:37 - What a marshal you got there.
07:39 - Well, making friends is not the marshal's job.
07:41 He's here to keep a clean town and enforce the law.
07:44 - Oh, well, I don't know what you mean by law.
07:47 - You got a point there.
07:49 - Power law, Curtis.
07:50 We all wanted him.
07:51 You as much as anyone.
07:52 - Do you mind if I ask you a question?
07:56 - Hey, sure, go ahead.
07:58 Most of us have forgotten how.
08:00 - Well, if you don't like me, why don't you get rid of me?
08:03 - There's a difference of opinion.
08:05 - Well, I think Asa Winter is doing a fine job,
08:07 and I'm not afraid to say so.
08:10 - We brought him here to give us a clean town,
08:12 the first really clean town in this part of the country.
08:14 - We put an ad in the Eastern Papers,
08:16 and we picked Winter from the answers we got.
08:18 - Well, he's cleaned up Long Rope.
08:19 You can't deny that.
08:20 - Clean it out is more like it.
08:22 - He acts like we're working for him.
08:24 - Listen, why don't you people get together?
08:26 People like to watch the man's doing to your town.
08:28 - Fine.
08:30 - Mr. Randall, this is not your affair.
08:33 I suggest you keep out of it.
08:34 - Yeah, you're probably right, it isn't.
08:38 (door opens)
08:40 - Well, I've got a hunch there goes your precious piece.
08:46 (suspenseful music)
08:50 - Hi, that's Consuelo.
08:59 I named the place after her, Sidewinder Saloon.
09:04 Yeah, she's three feet long and six rattles.
09:07 - Yeah, pretty little thing.
09:08 - Ain't she though?
09:09 You know, there's something about a snake.
09:11 You never get tired watching her.
09:13 Oh, her name's Beasley, mister.
09:14 What can I get you?
09:15 - Just make it cold.
09:16 - Ice costs extra.
09:18 - Yeah.
09:18 (ice clinks)
09:22 - Say, uh, Marshall ever come in here?
09:25 - Oh yeah, he's due in today.
09:27 It's tax day.
09:28 I run the only licensed place in town.
09:30 If people want to take a drink,
09:31 they gotta come to the Sidewinder.
09:33 - Say, uh,
09:36 did Marshall, uh,
09:37 did he get a cut from you?
09:39 - There's some things you gotta live with.
09:42 (ice clinks)
09:51 (footsteps)
09:54 - Say, uh, remember me?
10:12 - Yeah, you're the nervy boy in Payne's store.
10:15 - You, uh, said something about discussing terms.
10:18 - I need time for that.
10:20 Let's do it now.
10:21 - Well, sit down, my boy.
10:24 I know the value of a good horse, boy.
10:28 It's legal and proper.
10:30 No arguments, boy.
10:31 But there's a few things,
10:34 like, uh,
10:35 costs, fees, fines, et cetera, et cetera.
10:39 - How much?
10:40 - Well, Davis's bill, it's 500.
10:43 - 500?
10:44 - And I caught you carrying a firearm
10:46 in the city limits.
10:47 That'll be $200 fine.
10:49 - Say, excuse me, but, uh,
10:50 who sets these fines and so forth?
10:53 - The Marshal, boy.
10:54 The Marshal decides.
10:55 All right?
10:58 Now, let's see.
10:59 30 head of horses feed and care,
11:01 that's $50 a head.
11:02 That's, uh, add it all up and it totals
11:06 $2,200 even.
11:09 - Excuse me for saying so, but, uh,
11:12 you know, you're not just dealing with me
11:14 when it comes to these horses.
11:15 You're dealing with the United States Army.
11:17 - $2,200 or get out, Randall.
11:20 Those are the terms all discussed.
11:22 - I'm not gonna be able to keep this quiet.
11:24 - Maybe the Army will come and maybe it won't.
11:26 If they do come, those horses will be gone
11:30 and so will that deserter, Davis.
11:33 - Everybody knows about the horses
11:34 and, uh, they've seen Davis.
11:37 - Everybody has little to say about it
11:39 if they know what's good for them, and they do.
11:41 This is my town and I run it.
11:44 You see, boy, I ain't no more afraid of your Army
11:46 than I am that poor critter in that cage there.
11:49 - You know, I had the funniest feeling a minute ago
11:56 that, uh, well, you were a little bit scared of that snake.
11:59 - I didn't like him.
12:01 - You wouldn't want to bet on it, would you?
12:03 - It's your thing.
12:04 It wouldn't be a fair bet.
12:05 - Well, it's just a gentlemanly bet, you understand,
12:06 but I bet you can't put your hand on that glass
12:08 and let that snake strike from inside
12:10 and keep your hand laying on there.
12:15 - Well, don't worry, the glass won't break.
12:18 - Mm-hmm.
12:19 Where's the bet?
12:20 - Bet my horse, my saddle, and, uh,
12:22 $20 against all those fees and those fines, huh?
12:26 - Mm-hmm.
12:27 The snake's inside, the glass won't break.
12:30 You're pretty sure of yourself, boy.
12:33 - Nothing to be ashamed of, you know,
12:34 to be scared of a snake.
12:35 - All right.
12:39 You made a bet.
12:41 (dramatic music)
12:43 (footsteps thudding)
12:47 (cicadas chirping)
12:56 (dramatic music)
13:02 (fire crackling)
13:05 (dramatic music)
13:11 - Well, pay up, Marshal.
13:17 Don't feel bad, you know, that's an old greenhorn trick.
13:21 Only you ain't been around here long enough to know it.
13:23 - What do you mean?
13:24 - It's impossible to do.
13:26 It's just something about a snake.
13:28 Makes a man pull away, even with the glass there.
13:30 (footsteps thudding)
13:33 - Make a fool of me.
13:46 (dramatic music)
13:58 (fire crackling)
14:01 (gun firing)
14:07 (dramatic music)
14:09 - And gentlemen, I'm only carrying out my duties
14:17 as I see them for the good of the town.
14:19 - Then you understand, Mr. Winter,
14:21 we simply don't want any trouble with the army.
14:24 - We don't want any trouble with anybody.
14:26 - Well, neither do I, gentlemen, neither do I.
14:29 - Then you'll return the horses to Mr. Randall.
14:32 - Davis, and I'd like to get my gun back too.
14:34 - I'm afraid I can't do any such thing.
14:37 - Why not?
14:38 - Well, there's certain items of expense.
14:41 Mr. Randall here, he broke the law.
14:43 - He didn't know the law, he's a stranger in town.
14:46 - Well, ignorance of the law is no excuse.
14:48 - How about the horses?
14:50 - As I was saying, gentlemen,
14:51 carrying 30 head of horses is a lot of bees and honey.
14:54 - Money, gentlemen, a lot of money
14:56 for the town treasurer to spend.
14:58 - But we feel it's worth it to avoid scandal with the army.
15:01 - Well, there'll be few answers from this town,
15:03 unless you want scandal, gentlemen.
15:06 - Are you telling us to be a part of a swindle, Mr. Winter?
15:09 Well, we won't do it.
15:10 We have a quorum of the town council here.
15:13 We demand that you return the horses
15:14 and the prisoner to Mr. Randall.
15:16 - And my gun.
15:19 - Keep on demanding, gentlemen,
15:20 if it makes you feel any better,
15:21 but it's not gonna do you any good.
15:24 - What are you saying?
15:25 - I'm saying that I run this town
15:28 and there's nothing you can do about it.
15:30 I'm saying if you don't like it, then you can get out.
15:33 - I move we fire Winter as marshal.
15:35 In favor?
15:36 - Aye.
15:37 - Opposed?
15:38 Mister, you're fired.
15:41 - Well, I'll leave when I'm ready, gentlemen,
15:45 but not before.
15:46 - You satisfied with that?
15:48 We gonna stand here like a bunch of sheep
15:49 or we gonna throw 'em out?
15:51 I say ride 'em out on a rail.
15:53 (gun firing)
15:55 - Everybody, off the streets.
16:02 I'm declaring a curfew.
16:05 Go home.
16:07 Go.
16:09 I'll let you know when you can come out again.
16:11 (dramatic music)
16:14 (dramatic music)
16:17 - Keep moving.
16:39 Keep everybody off the streets.
16:40 - Right.
16:41 (dramatic music)
17:10 - Alvis must be making a curfew stick.
17:12 - Well, we've gotta figure out some kind of a move.
17:15 - Maybe we should wait, let things cool off.
17:17 - No, you wait, Stone, Winter gets.
17:19 - Well, what can we do?
17:20 We're not gunmen.
17:21 - Good, then he won't be expecting a fight.
17:23 - When?
17:23 - Now, tonight.
17:25 - But we're not ready.
17:26 - Neither is he.
17:27 - Well, what about guns?
17:28 We don't have any and the marshal confiscated all of ours.
17:30 - And he has three armed deputies.
17:33 - We can count on 25, 30 men at least.
17:35 - Family men.
17:36 Some of them are bound to get hurt.
17:38 - I don't think so.
17:39 Like you said, 25 or 30 men.
17:41 Only takes one man and one gun.
17:43 - Are you thinking of doing this alone?
17:45 - Well, it's the only way it can be done.
17:46 You get all those men together in the dark like that
17:48 and well, you can't tell one from another.
17:50 It'd be like a blind man on a rabbit hunt.
17:53 They'd be shooting at everything that moves.
17:54 - What are you gonna do?
17:55 - Well, I'd kinda like to try and get my gun back.
17:59 (dramatic music)
18:08 - We can handle this.
18:09 You go get the marshal.
18:10 (dramatic music)
18:13 (dramatic music)
18:16 - Hey, what's happening?
18:42 (dramatic music)
18:45 What's going on out there?
18:47 - Just be quiet.
18:47 - Don't leave me here.
18:55 - Shut up, you're in the safest place in town.
18:56 You don't know it.
18:57 - Let me out of here and I can help you.
19:06 I'm on your side.
19:07 (dramatic music)
19:10 - Hold it right where you are.
19:21 (gun firing)
19:23 - Where's Randall?
19:26 - Back inside.
19:28 - You, stay here.
19:37 First one that shows himself,
19:38 even if they want to kill him, come with me.
19:41 (dramatic music)
19:44 (dramatic music)
19:47 (dramatic music)
19:49 (dramatic music)
19:52 (dramatic music)
19:55 (dramatic music)
19:58 (dramatic music)
20:00 (dramatic music)
20:03 (dramatic music)
20:06 (dramatic music)
20:09 (dramatic music)
20:11 (dramatic music)
20:14 (dramatic music)
20:17 (dramatic music)
20:20 (dramatic music)
20:22 (dramatic music)
20:25 (dramatic music)
20:29 (dramatic music)
20:32 (dramatic music)
20:35 (dramatic music)
20:38 (dramatic music)
20:41 - One sound and I'll kill you.
21:07 - I'm sure.
21:09 We understand each other, don't we?
21:10 All right, take her out.
21:14 (Randall screaming)
21:17 (dramatic music)
21:24 (dramatic music)
21:27 (dramatic music)
21:55 (dramatic music)
21:58 - I don't like killing, Winter.
22:05 - You don't kill me, I'm gonna kill you.
22:08 It's that simple.
22:11 (dramatic music)
22:16 (gun firing)
22:23 (dramatic music)
22:26 (horse neighing)
22:41 - Where you going?
22:52 - I got right up near the Salt River.
22:54 - What are your plans when you finish up?
22:56 - I don't know, I haven't given them a start.
22:58 - Well, we were wondering if you'd consider
22:59 coming back here.
23:01 We'd like to offer you the job of marshal.
23:03 - No, I don't think so.
23:05 - Pay you real good, $50 a month.
23:08 - 60?
23:10 - After all, Mr. Randall, Long Rope's more than just
23:15 a wide spot in the road.
23:17 We're just liable to end up being in a county seat.
23:19 This town's got a real future.
23:21 We'd like you to be a part of it.
23:23 - Well, I'm much obliged to you for asking me, but
23:25 wearing a badge is kind of like being married, isn't it?
23:29 - I don't understand.
23:33 What's wrong with being married?
23:35 - Well, how long's it been since you've been a bachelor?
23:38 (dramatic music)
23:48 (whistles)
23:50 (dramatic music)
23:59 (dramatic music)
24:28 (dramatic music)
24:31 - This has been a four star production.
24:37 (audience cheering)