Original subtitles

[KNIFE LANDS]

[GUN COCKS] JOHN HUGHES?

WHO'S ASKIN'?

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: THERE'S A REASON THEY CALL IT THE WILD

WEST. [GUNSHOT, BOTTLE SHATTERS]

THIS TEXAS RANGER INSPIRED A LEGEND.

IRA: I CAME HERE TO PRESENT YOU WITH AN OPPORTUNITY ASSISTING

ME IN CAPTURING A DANGEROUS FUGITIVE.

[GUNSHOTS]

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: THIS IS THE TRUE STORY OF JOHN HUGHES,

THE REAL LONE STAR RANGER.

[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS]

I WAS JUST A YOUNG MAN WHEN I FIRST HEADED WEST.

IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, I BECAME

A COWBOY... A GUNSLINGER...

AND EVEN SERVED AS SHERIFF OF DODGE CITY,

ONE OF THE MOST LAWLESS TOWNS IN THE COUNTRY.

MY NAME IS BAT MASTERSON.

NOW I'M A REPORTER AND I'VE COME WEST AGAIN TO CHRONICLE

THE WORLD THAT I KNOW BEST...

THE AMERICAN WEST. [GUNSHOT]

THE LURE OF GOLD, LAND, AND DESTINY FLOODED THE FRONTIER

WITH MEN BOTH GOOD AND BAD.

THESE ARE THE INCREDIBLE TRUE TALES OF THE WILD WEST.

♪

AS A NEWSPAPER MAN,

IT'S MY JOB TO SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION IN THE WEST.

ZANE GREY'S STORY ABOUT A RENEGADE WHO TURNS INTO

A LAWMAN HAS BECOME A LITERARY SENSATION.

MY SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH HAS BROUGHT ME

ALL THE WAY TO CALIFORNIA TO MEET A MAN

WHO RODE WITH THE REAL LONE STAR RANGER.

MORNIN'!

CAN YOU POINT ME TO IRA ATEN?

YOU'RE LOOKIN'AT HIM.

GLAD TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE, I'M-

SPITTIN' IMAGE OF YOUR PHOTGRAPH,

MR. MASTERSON.

WELCOME.

BAT: YOU EARNED QUITE A REPUTATION WITH THE RANGERS.

IRA: THANK YOU, MY LAW DAYS ARE BEHIND ME NOW THOUGH I RECKON

I COULD STILL OUTDRAW THE OCCASIONAL CATTLE RUSTLER.

BAT: I'M QUICKER WITH A PEN THAN A COLT MYSELF THESE DAYS.

[FOOTSTEPS]

[POURING]

IRA: PLEASE HAVE A SEAT. BAT: THANK YOU.

I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS BOOK.

BUT HAVE YOU SEEN THE DEDICATION?

[READING] "TO CAPTAIN JOHN HUGHES AND HIS TEXAS RANGERS."

NOT MUCH IS KNOWN ABOUT JOHN HUGHES.

I'M TOLD YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIM JOINING THE RANGERS.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT TO ASK HIM DIRECTLY?

WELL, HE DOESN'T SEEM TOO KEEN TO SPEAK ON THE RECORD.

[SIGHS]

WELL, THAT'S JOHN'S WAY.

MR. ATEN, BOOKS LIKE TO PRESENT THE MYTH OF THE WEST.

I LIKE TO RECORD THE WAY IT REALLY WAS.

[BIRDS CHIRPING OUTSIDE]

I WAS ABOUT A YEAR IN THE RANGERS

THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THE NAME JOHN HUGHES.

INTERESTINGLY, HIS REPUTATION ALL STARTED

WITH A BAND OF HORSE THIEVES.

THE CRAVEN BROTHERS STOLE A HERD FROM LONG HOLLOW RANCH.

RODE SOME THOUSAND MILES

DEEP INTO THE NEW MEXICO TERRITORY,

CERTAIN NO POSSE COULD TRACK THEM THERE.

BUT THEY MADE JUST ONE MISTAKE...

THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS ON THEIR TRAIL.

JOHN HUGHES.

[LIGHTNING, THUNDER CLAPS]

[HORSES NEIGHING IN DISTANCE]

THE THUNDER'S GETTING 'EM PRETTY SPOOKED.

THEY AIN'T THE ONLY ONES.

QUIT YOUR WORRYING.

THAT POSSE GUNNIN' FOR US TURNED BACK WEEKS AGO.

WE'RE HOME FREE.

[GUNSHOT, BOTTLE SHATTERS]

♪ [TENSE MUSIC]

JOHN HUGHES: THAT WAS A WARNING SHOT.

THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER, GET YOUR HANDS UP!

♪ [TENSE MUSIC]

WHO GOES THERE?

♪ [SUSPENSE MUSIC]

[GUNSHOT, GROANS]

[THUNDERCLAPS]

I'M CALLED "HUGHES."

YOU BOYS TOOK SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO ME.

IF YOU RETURN MY PROPERTY, THEN YOU MAYSEE DAYLIGHT.

♪ [SUSPENSE MUSIC]

[FIRES GUNSHOT, COCKS RIFLE AGAIN]

BAT MASTERSON: TO THINK ONE MAN COULD TRACK THOSE THIEVES

ACROSS CREATION ONLY TO TAKE 'EM ON ALONE.

WE RANGERS EVEN HEARD THE STORY.

BUT AT THE TIME WE WERE FACED WITH A MUCH MORE PRESSING ISSUE.

HUNTING DOWN A COLDBLOODED KILLER.

♪ [TENSE MUSIC]

GENTS, WE'RE CLOSED ALREADY.

COME BACK TOMORROW.

THERE'S PLENTY OF BEER AND WURST TO GO AROUND.

OUTLAW: WE DIDN'T COME FOR BEER YOU DUTCH MONGREL,

WE WANT THE CASH.

OH. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

[GUNSHOTS]

[GROANS, GUNSHOTS CONTINUE]

[UNCOCKS GUN]

GET THE CASH.

WESLEY COLLIER.

GALLOWS WERE MADE FOR MEN LIKE HIM.

I REMEMBER THE INCIDENT.

COLLIER WAS A SLIPPERY DEVIL TOO, WASN'T HE?

CAUGHT TWICE. JAILED TWICE.

FLEW THE COOP BOTH TIMES.

THE GOVERNOR TASKED ME PERSONALLY

WITH BRINGING HIM IN, DEAD OR ALIVE.

I WAS HARD ON HIM FOR A MOMENT BUT UH...

HE SLIPPED THROUGH MY FINGERS, AND THE TRAIL WENT COLD.

HOW DID HUGHES GET INVOLVED?

I WAS BUT THREE YEARS WITH THE RANGERS AT THE TIME.

I COULDN'T STOMACH RETURNING EMPTY-HANDED.

SO YOU TURNED TO A MAN YOU DIDN'T KNOW

WHO HAD NEVER WORN A STAR.

IF I KNEW ONE THING, I KNEW HUGHES COULD TRACK.

[TROTTING]

HELLO?

JOHN HUGHES?

[KNOCKS ON DOOR]

♪

[KNIFE LANDS]

[GUN COCKS]

STOW IT. BE SMART, KID.

♪

JOHN HUGHES?

WHO'S ASKIN'?

IRA ATEN.

SERGEANT.

TEXAS RANGERS.

♪ [TENSE MUSIC]

[UNCOCKS GUN]

IS THAT HOW THEY TEACH YOU FELLAS TO SNEAK UP ON YOUR MARK?

WELL IF ANYBODY'S DOING THE SNEAKIN', IT'S YOU SIR.

NOW I...

I CAME HERE TO PRESENT YOU WITH AN OPPORTUNITY.

[UNWEDGES KNIFE]

♪ [TENSE MUSIC]

IS THAT SO?

WESLEY COLLIER...

YOU HEARD OF HIM?

THE JAILBIRD?

YEAH HE GAVE US THE SLIP,

BEEN ON A DODGE EVER SINCE.

HE'S GOT A WEEK'S START ON US AND IS LIKELY

HEADED FOR THE BORDER.

IF I'M GONNA SHRINK THAT DEFICIT,

I'LL NEED A GIFTED TRACKER AT MY SIDE.

WHAT SAY YOU, HUGHES?

SADDLE UP WITH THE RANGER TROOP?

NO.

WAIT. PERHAPS I WAS UNCLEAR.

I GOT NO DESIRE TO SPEND WEEKS IN THE BRUSH

LOOKIN' AFTER A COLT.

OH, YOU MISTAKE ME SIR. I'M THE RANKING OFFICER.

YOU'D BE ASSISTING ME IN CAPTURING A DANGEROUS

FUGITIVE AND WOULD BE WELL PAID.

YOUR OFFER GETS LESS TEMPTING BY THE MINUTE, SERGEANT.

THANK YOU...

BUT GOODBYE.

YOU MADE NO QUALMS ABOUT SETTIN' AFTER THE CRAVENS...

THE HORSE THIEVES.

WELL, THAT WAS PERSONAL.

THEM BOYS TOOK SOMETHING THAT WAS LAWFULLY MINE.

YOUR MAN TOOK THE LIFE OF AN OLD GERMAN,

AND I GOT NO CLAIM ON THAT.

I SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED; YOU BEAR NO RESPECT FOR THE LAW.

IT WAS A FOOLISH NOTION FOR ME

TO SHOW UP HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I'LL RETRIEVE COLLIER MYSELF, DEAD OR ALIVE.

NO DOUBT.

YOU KNOW, THINK ON IT THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, HUGHES.

THE LINE THAT SEPARATES YOUR KIND FROM HIS...

IS FINER THAN YOU IMAGINE.

♪ [TENSE MUSIC]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[GRUNTS]

♪ [ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

THERE'S TWO CONDITIONS TO MY JOINING THIS VENTURE.

JUST TWO?

FIRST...

YOU RIDE WHERE I RIDE, AND HEED MY INSTRUCTION.

AND THE SECOND?

DON'T FALL BEHIND.

HIYAH! [HORSE NEIGHS]

COME ON!

♪ [ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

BAT: YOU SAW NO HANDS ON HIS RANCH,

NO WIFE, SO IS IT FAIR TO SAY

HUGHES WASN'T THE TRUSTING SORT?

AS LONG AS HE LED ME TO COLLIER,

I DID NOT MIND THAT HE WAS A LONE WOLF.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

YOU REALLY SHOULD CONSIDER A CAREER WITH THE RANGERS...

YOU'VE GOT THE REQUISITE SKILLS AND

I HEAR YOU'RE A DEAD SHOT.

AND I MUST CONFESS, I'VE NEVER SEEN A MAN

AS GIFTED A TRACKER AS YOU.

WHERE'D YOU LEARN YOUR CRAFT, HUGHES?

DID ANYONE EVER TELL YOU THAT YOU USE 10 WORDS

WHEN 2 WOULD SUFFICE?

YEAH, MY DADDY.

HE WAS A MINISTER.

HE USED TO READ THE CLASSICS TO US BY THE CAMPFIRE.

SHAKESPEARE... MILTON...

MY LOVE OF THE LAND GREW HAND IN HAND

WITH THE LOVE OF THE KING'S ENGLISH.

IF YOU'RE GONNA CARRY ON LIKE THIS,

I MIGHT AS WELL FORTIFY.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

I DID NOT REALIZE YOU WERE A SOUTHPAW.

♪

WAS NOT ALWAYS.

REALLY?

WHEN I WAS 17...

I TOOK A SLUG TO THE RIGHT ARM.

SHATTERED THE BONE.

HAD TO LEARN...

HAD TO TEACH MYSELF HOW TO DO EVERYTHING WITH THE LEFT.

RIDE, ROPE, SHOOT.

WHAT MAN HAS ENEMIES AT 17?

I WAS YOUNGER THAN THAT WHEN I LEFT HOME.

I LEARNED EARLY...

THAT YOU'RE ALONE IN THIS WORLD.

AND THAT'S HOW YOU BETTER FACE IT.

SELF RELIANCE IS A VIRTUE AT THE RANGER CORE.

SO IS COMMON PURPOSE.

CAMARADERIE..

IF YOU CAN MANAGE THE REST OF THE NIGHT WITHOUT MENTIONING

YOUR PRECIOUS RANGERS...

I WILL PERSONALLY TRY AND HANG COLLIER FOR YOU MYSELF.

[LAUGHS]

COME TO THINK OF IT...

HOW DIDHE GIVE YOU THE SLIP?

♪

TREAD CAREFULLY, HUGHES.

HOW MANY MEN HAVE YOU KILLED?

HOW MANY MEN, SERGEANT?

♪ [TENSE MUSIC]

IT'S A LONG RIDE TOMORROW.

LET'S GET SOME SHUT EYE.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

♪ [SUSPENSE]

♪

♪

♪

[HORSE BLOWS]

♪

IRA: WATCHING HUGHES WORK THE TRAIL I KNEW I'D

CHOSEN MY PARTNER WELL.

EVERY SHOE PRINT, EVERY BROKEN BRANCH,

EVERY SMOLDERIN' FIRE

WAS A CLUE TO LEAD US TO COLLIER'S WHEREABOUTS.

MAN OBVIOUSLY HAD TALENT.

DID YOU SUSPECT HUGHES HAD NATIVE BLOOD IN HIM?

WHATEVER I THOUGHT I DIDN'T HOLD OUT MUCH HOPE FOR AN ANSWER.

FOR DAYS WE PRESSED ON.

IN SILENCE.

I WAS 14 WHEN I LEFT HOME.

NO MORE THAN A BOY.

MADE IT ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE INDIAN TERRITORY.

THE OSAGE AND THE COMANCHE TOOK ME IN FOR A WHILE.

♪

THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED HOW TO TRACK.

EVERY MAN IN THE TRIBE PULLS FOR THE OTHER.

THAT'S THEIR WAY.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY...

I JUST WASN'T ONE OF THEM.

YOU MISS THAT LIFE?

♪

♪

AFTER THAT I SAW HUGHES IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.

WHERE'D THE TRAIL WIND UP?

[SIGHS] WELL...

WE FINALLY STALKED COLLIER, A HOUSE ON A PRAIRIE.

BELONGED TO A MAN CALLED DAYTON.

TURNS OUT OLD WEST WAS SWEET FOR THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER.

ABIGAIL.

[WHISPERS] IRA: HE'S HERE.

HEY...

HEY...

HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

GETTING YOUR MAN.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE IS DOWN THERE

OR WHAT MIGHT BE WAITING FOR US.

WE WAIT FOR NIGHT FALL.

AND GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO SLIP THROUGH YOUR FINGERS AGAIN?

NO.

MY AIM IS TO DO IT RIGHT THIS TIME.

THE RANGER WAY.

NOW YOU'VE LED US THIS FAR, BUT I'M IN CHARGE NOW.

ALRIGHT, SERGEANT.

THE RANGER WAY IT IS.

[COYOTES HOWL]

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

NONE...

HOW'S THAT?

THE NUMBER OF MEN I'VE KILLED.

NONE.

NOT FROM A LACK OF TRYING.

I HAD COLLIER...

EVEN CLOSER THAN WE'VE GOT HIM NOW.

I TOOK MY SHOT AND IT WAS OFF.

ONLY GOT HIM IN THE HAND.

AND HE GOT AWAY.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE?

[LAUGHS] NO.

YOU WOULDN'T KNOW.

HE WOULDN'T HAVE DODGED YOU.

NOT THE FABLED JOHN HUGHES.

[LAUGHS]

IS THAT AMUSING?

FELLA THAT TURNED ME INTO A LEFTY WOULD SAY SO.

I CAUGHT HIM RUSTLIN' MY CATTLE.

I PULLED FIRST.

SURE WISH I'D GOT HIMIN THE HAND.

BUT NOW... BEEN A WHILE NOW AND I'VE PAID FOR IT.

YOU WON'T HEAR ME GROUSIN'.

YOU TAKE THE SHOT YOU HAVE

AND YOU DON'T DWELL.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

YOU JUST BE READY FOR THE NEXT ONE.

LOOK.

OLD MAJOR WEST, IS HOLED UP IN THE BACK THERE.

ALRIGHT, YOU TAKE THE FRONT DOOR.

I'LL DRIVE HIM OUT TO YOU.

WE PUT HIM DOWN...

TOGETHER.

♪

YOU SAY THE WORD, SERGEANT.

♪

♪

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

♪

YOU SAID WE WERE GONNA GET MARRIED.

GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT, SWEETHEART.

HANDS UP, COLLIER. [GASPS]

[GUN SHOT] [SCREAM]

[GRUNTING]

[DOOR SLAMS OPEN]

DROP IT!

WESLEY! [CRYING]IRA: TEXAS RANGERS!

BE STILL!

TEXAS RANGERS, DROP THE GUN.

♪

THAT'S ENOUGH, COWBOY.

I'M WALKING OUT THAT DOOR.

ABBY!

GET BACK!

DROP THE GUN, COLLIER.

LET'S TAKE IT NICE AND SLOW...

BEST DO WHAT I SAY!

DROP IT.

PUT IT DOWN...

OR I'LL KILL HER.

YOU HEAR ME COWBOY.

THAT HAND DON'T LOOK TOO GOOD.

YOU'RE NOT A LEFTY ARE YOU WES?

[PUNCH, GRUNT]

[GUN SHOT]

[ABBY CRYING]

[EXCLAIMS]

[SOBBING]

[GAGGING]

♪

IS THAT WHAT IT'S LIKE?

THAT- THAT PERSON? THAT AWFUL?

YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO DO.

THERE'S NO SHAME IN THAT.

DOES IT GET ANY EASIER?

YOU DON'T WANT IT TO.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

YOU'RE A GOOD LAWMAN, IRA.

♪

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: IRA ATEN ONLY SERVED IN THE TEXAS RANGERS

FOR EIGHT YEARS.

BUT HE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST RANGERS OF ALL TIME.

JOHN HUGHES SERVED FOR THIRTY YEARS IN THE TEXAS RANGERS AND

RETIRED WITH THE HIGHEST OF RANKS -- CAPTAIN.

♪

YOU THINK HUGHES FINALLY FOUND HIS FAMILY IN THE RANGER CORPS?

I DO NOT KNOW.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR JOHN.

BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS, HE WAS AN OUTSTANDING RANGER.

AND TO ZANE GREY.

THIS IS FOR YOU.

I GOT THE REAL STORY NOW.

NO NEED, SIR.

♪♪

I LIVED IT.