Original subtitles

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: IN THE WANING DAYS OF THE WILD WEST,

ONE COWBOY WAS DETERMINED TO PRESERVE

A VANISHING WAY OF LIFE.

CHARLIE, THIS IS NANCY COOPER.

I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST, MR. RUSSELL.

TRULY, I HAVE NEVER SEEN THEIR LIKE.

THAT'S ALL YOU EVER SAW IN ME

WAS DOLLAR SIGNS.

[KNOCKING METAL CUP] [OPENING FLASK]

I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYONE LIKE YOU.

BUT I NEED YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT.

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

OF CHARLES RUSSELL, THE COWBOY ARTIST.

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

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.

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.

♪

♪

MRS. CHARLES RUSSELL, I PRESUME.

PLEASE, MR. MASTERSON, CALL ME NANCY.

I HOPE YOU DIDN'T DRAG THAT CRATE ALL THE WAY

FROM MONTANA ON MY ACCOUNT.

IT WAS NO PROBLEM.

GENTLE. GENTLE.

MAGNIFICENT.

NANCY: I'LL LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET.

THAT FELLOW ON THE HORSE...

THAT'S CHARLIE.

I HAD NO IDEA YOU'D GO TO SO MUCH TROUBLE

TO SHOW ME CHARLES' WORK... IN PERSON.

WE LIKE TO SAY "ON CANVAS".

MR. MASTERSON, THERE'S NOTHING

I WOULDN'T DO TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE

TO CHARLES RUSSELL, COWBOY ARTIST.

I LIKE THAT.

WHEN YOU REACHED OUT, ASKING ABOUT

DOING A PIECE ON CHARLIE AND HIS WORK,

WELL, I HAD TO MAKE SURE YOU SAW HIS ART

AND SEE HOW TRULY SPECIAL IT IS.

SO IS... MR. RUSSELL GONNA...

OH...

HIS WORK TAKES UP A GREAT DEAL OF HIS TIME.

WHEN YOU WROTE, ASKING ABOUT AN INTERVIEW,

WELL, I'M HAPPY TO STEP IN.

AS WHAT? A PROUD WIFE?

OR HIS AGENT?

DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?

I GUESS IT SHOULDN'T.

SO, HOW'D YOU COME BY THIS ARRANGEMENT?

IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE WORD I'D USE.

FAIR ENOUGH.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET ACQUAINTED?

IS THIS WHAT YOU INTEND TO WRITE ABOUT,

MR. MASTERSON?

BAT, PLEASE. INDULGE ME?

MOST ALL BOYS DREAM OF BEING A COWBOY.

BUT CHARLIE ACTUALLY DID IT.

[CATTLE MOOING]

HE LEFT THE COMFORTS OF ST. LOUIS FOR MONTANA

AND SPENT 10 YEARS RANCHING AND RIDING ROUND-UPS.

♪

BAT: CHARLES WAS STILL A YOUNG MAN

WHEN HE QUIT RANCH LIFE.

WHAT CHANGED?

DO YOU REMEMBER THE WINTER OF '87?

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CATTLE DIED IN THE SNOW,

FROZEN AND STARVING.

WHEN THE OWNERS WROTE, ASKING HOW BAD IT WAS,

WELL, CHARLIE KNEW WORDS WOULDN'T CUT IT.

SO, HE PAINTED THEM A PICTURE.

♪

WHEN THE SNOW FINALLY THAWED,

THE CARNAGE WAS UNSPEAKABLE.

THAT PAINTING WAS PASSED AROUND HELENA

AND SOON, ALL MONTANA KNEW THE NAME CHARLES RUSSELL.

I'VE SEEN HIS TALENTS, I'M STARTING TO DISCERN YOURS.

WHERE'D YOUR PATHS FINALLY CROSS?

NOW, WE'RE GETTIN' TO THE GOOD PART.

I WAS LIVING IN CASCADE,

WORKING FOR THE ROBERTS FAMILY.

GOOD PEOPLE.

THEY TOOK ME IN AFTER MY MOTHER DIED.

DID I TELL YOU THAT I KNEW THE RUSSELLS IN HELENA?

THEY MUST BE BESIDES THEMSELVES THAT CHARLES

HASN'T SETTLED DOWN BY NOW.

HOW MANY MORE POTATOES DO WE NEED AGAIN?

BUT I SAY IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME,

AND CIRCUMSTANCE...BEN: I'M BACK.

BROUGHT COMPANY.

CHARLES RUSSELL.

YOU'RE LOOKING MORE HANDSOME THAN EVER.

NANCY, COME ON OUT HERE.

SOMEONE I WANT YOU TO MEET.

CHARLIE... THIS IS NANCY COOPER.

SHE'S THE ONE THAT'S BEEN HELPIN' LELA AROUND THE HOUSE.

♪♪

PLEASED TO MEET YOU, MR. RUSSELL.

I'VE HEARD A GOOD DEAL ABOUT YOU.

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM, I HOPE.

♪

OH... [CHUCKLING]

I COULD USE A SCRUB.

OF COURSE.

♪♪

HMM... CHARLIE.

YOU NEVER TOLD US WHAT YOU WERE UP TO OUT IN CANADA.

SOME WORK... LOT OF PAINTING.

LIVED WITH THE BLOOD TRIBE FOR A SPELL.

CHARLIE HERE'S GOT A SOFT SPOT FOR THE NATIVES. - OH MY.

BEN: HE PAINTS THEM MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE.

WELL, SOMEONE HAS TO.

BEFORE THEY'RE ALL GONE.

LELA: WELL, THAT'S A NOBLE SENTIMENT.

BUT IT'S HIGH TIME THAT YOU START LOOKIN' TO THE FUTURE.

START A FAMILY OF YOUR OWN?

[LAUGHTER]

WELL, I FIGURE THE GAL HAS TO ROPE ME.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE

AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST, MR. RUSSELL.

STARVIN' ARTIST MORE LIKE.

WELL, MAYBE I'VE SEEN YOUR WORK SOMEWHERE.

YOU'LL FIND MOST OF IT LINING THE WALLS

OF BARS AND BROTHELS.

BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE A PRETTY GIRL LIKE YOU

WOULD FREQUENT SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS.

[LAUGHTER]

LELA: REALLY, CHARLES!

[LAUGHTER]

BEN: NO. CHARLIE: IT'S TRUE.

NOW, HE'S HAD SIX PAINTINGS IN THE ST. LOUIS ART SOCIETY.

ALL HANDSOMELY MOUNTED.

AND NONE SOLD.

I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ART, BUT I DO ADMIRE

MR. REMINGTON'S WORK. [CHARLIE COUGHS]

THE PAINTINGS IN HARPER'S MAGAZINE?

[WHISPERING] HAVE I SAID SOMETHING WRONG?

WELL... APART FROM BEIN' AN ACADEMY SNOOT...

HE'S A FRAUD.

DOESN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE WEST.

TO HIM, THE WEST IS ALL JUST SAVAGERY.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SELLS.

NOTHING NOBLE ABOUT IT.

HMM. STILL, HE'S QUITE SUCCESSFUL.

THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN MAKIN' MONEY.

WELL, I BELIEVE ART IS A THING TO BE SHARED.

THE WAY YOU SEE THINGS DOESN'T MATTER

IF NO ONE ELSE GETS THE CHANCE TO SEE YOUR WORK.

♪♪

♪

BAT: OH, I LOVE THIS ONE.

IT'S CALLED "WATER HOLE".

♪♪

SEEMS TO ME, YOU MET CHARLES AT A CROSSROADS.

COWBOY LIFE WAS BEHIND HIM AND...

ARTIST LIFE HADN'T QUITE TAKEN OFF YET.

THE CROSSROADS IS A FINE PLACE TO MEET SOMEONE.

CHANCES ARE THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.

♪♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[STUMBLING]

CHARLIE: OH... [DRUNKEN LAUGHTER]

NANCY: WHAT IN THE WORLD?

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO SIT.

I WAS BETRAYED.

SHH. KEEP QUIET.

YOU'LL WAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE.

YEAH. AH...

I'D BE ASHAMED TO BE SEEN IN YOUR CONDITION.

AW, DON'T WORRY, MISS NANCY.

THE WORLD STILL SPINS...

SAME WITH THIS ROOM.

WELL, I SUGGEST YOU SLEEP IT OFF.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

UNHAND ME.

WHY?

BECAUSE I TOLD YOU TO.

YOU'RE AFRAID.

I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU, MR. RUSSELL.

OH, NOT OF ME?

OF EVERYTHING ELSE.

OF ALL THE OTHER NASTY SURPRISES LIFE'S GOT IN STORE FOR YOU.

YOU DON'T KNOW ME AT ALL.

I KNOW YOU'RE ALONE...

♪

NOT LONELY; WE ALL GET LONELY.

I MEAN WELL AND TRULY ALONE.

♪

WE GOT THAT IN COMMON.

AND WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO-

IS THIS YOUR IDEA OF A COURTSHIP?

IF YOU'VE SOMETHIN' TO SAY TO ME, SAY IT NOW.

♪

♪

THAT'S HOW I SAY IT.

♪

♪

I SUPPOSE YOU TWO DIDN'T WASTE ANY TIME

GETTIN' HITCHED.

WE RENTED A PLACE IN GREAT FALLS.

OUR BASEMENT LEAKED

AND MY KITCHEN GOT TURNED INTO A STUDIO.

[LAUGHTER]

AH, TWO NEWLYWEDS LIVING OFF PAINTING...

TIMES MUST HAVE BEEN TOUGH.

WE WERE HAPPY THERE.

BUT CHARLIE STILL HADN'T LEARNED

HIS OWN WORTH.

♪

COFFEE? MR. CAMERON?

MY THANKS, MRS. RUSSELL.

I MUST CONFESS, I FIND MYSELF TRANSPORTED

BY YOUR HUSBAND'S RUSTIC CORNUCOPIA.

A SPIRIT OF MANIFEST DESTINY IS ALIVE AND WELL

IN THIS STUDIO.

YES, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF CHARLIE'S WORK

AND WE'RE ANXIOUS TO SHARE IT WITH FOLKS.

AS AM I, MADAM.

TRULY, I'VE NEVER SEEN THEIR LIKE.

YEAH?

WELL WHAT ABOUT THEM STRIKES YOUR FANCY?

IN A WORD, SIR...

FIDELITY.

THESE SCENES OF A LAWLESS WEST LONG GONE...

AND THE CHARACTERS WHO MADE UP ITS POPULOUS.

THE STEADFAST COWBOY...

THE RUSTLING HORSES...

AND THE RUGGED TERRAIN.

THEY ARE VIVID BECAUSE THEY'RE TRUE.

YOU HAVE WOVEN INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF THESE CANVASES

THE ELUSIVE SPIRIT OF THE OLD WEST.

MR. CAMERON.

CHARLIE AND I ARE MIGHTY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR MAGAZINE.

QUITE RIGHT.

MR. RUSSELL, I'LL ARRIVE AT THE POINT

AND LET US NEITHER DITHER NOR DELAY.

ALL RIGHT.

NO, NO DITHERIN'.

I WOULD LIKE TO PRINT THIS PIECE

IN FIELD AND STREAM.

WHAT IS YOUR PRICE?

AW, I DON'T KNOW.

WHATEVER YOU THINK IT'S WORTH.

HMM.

THOUGH IT SEEMS GARISH TO PLACE A PRICE ON ART...

WE MUST...$40!

♪

[CHUCKLING]

FORGIVE ME.

I'M NOT SURE WHICH PARTY I'M NEGOTIATING WITH.

YOU SAID NAME YOUR PRICE.

AS A SHOW OF GOOD FAITH, MRS. RUSSELL,

BUT DO LET'S BE REASONABLE.

$40 SEEMS MORE THAN REASONABLE

FOR A PAINTING THAT'S GOT SUCH...

FIDELITY... AND VIVIDNESS.

♪♪

MR. RUSSELL...

I'M AFRAID YOU'VE HITCHED YOUR PROVERBIAL WAGON TO A...

JESTER.

♪♪

GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

♪

♪

35.

I BEG PARDON?

NANCY: $35 AND THE PAINTING'S ALL YOURS.

♪

15.

30.

20.

30.

♪

30.

♪♪

I'LL SEND A COURIER TO COLLECT IT WITHIN A WEEK.

GREAT.

GOOD DAY, MR. CAMERON.

♪

NOW CHARLIE... DON'T BE CROSS.

IT'S HIGH TIME SOMEBODY PAID YOU WHAT YOU'RE WORTH

AND IF YOU THINK I'M GONNA STAND HERE AND FEEL GUILTY,

WELL I'M NOT.

[LAUGHTER]

30 DOLLARS!

[LAUGHTER]

NO GOIN' BACK AFTER THAT WAS THERE?

WELL, I ALREADY HAD A PERSONAL STAKE

IN THE CHARLES RUSSELL BUSINESS.

I JUST KNEW BUSINESS COULD BE BETTER.

I GUESS YOU HAD TO LEARN ON THE JOB.

WELL, FIRST THING I LEARNED

WAS THAT CHARLIE WAS AS KNOWN

AS HE'D EVER BE IN MONTANA.

SO, I HAD TO GET HIS WORK ONTO A BIGGER STAGE.

♪♪

THIS IS IT, CHARLIE!

THIS IS THE CHANCE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.

THE FAIR?

NOT JUST A FAIR.

THE ST. LOUIS WORLD'S FAIR!

THE GATEWAY TO THE WEST.

THERE'S GONNA BE A MONTANA PAVILION.

AND THE PALACE OF FINE ARTS WILL SHOW THE BEST PIECES

OF WESTERN ART FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

NANCY?

I THINK WE SHOULD SEND FIVE...

NO 10 PAINTINGS.

CHARLIE?

YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO CREATE SOME NEW WORK.

AND I MEAN PAINT LIKE YOU'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.

NANCY.

I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT.

BUT... THIS...

IS A FARCE.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

I MEAN, THESE CITY FATHERS WANT TO PUT ON A SHOW!

SELL PEOPLE A WEST THAT WASN'T REAL.

WELL THEN GIVE THEM SOMETHING REAL.

WELL, I GUESS THEY'LL FILL UP THE GALLERY SOMEHOW.

I CAN ONLY GUESS HOW MANY PAINTINGS REMINGTON WILL SUBMIT.

[SIGH]

♪♪

♪

♪

♪

WE SUBMITTED SIX PAINTINGS.

I'D NEVER SEEN HIM WORK SO HARD.

HOW LONG DID THE WAITING LAST?

WEEKS.

WE KNEW OTHER ARTISTS WERE GETTIN' IN,

BUT NOT A WORD ABOUT CHARLIE.

THAT MUST HAVE PUT A STRAIN ON THINGS.

LOOKIN' BACK...

I DIDN'T REALIZE THE PRESSURE I'D PLACED ON HIS SHOULDERS.

♪

♪

♪

♪

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

NANCY, DARLIN'.

NOT SO LOUD.

I SAT UP HALF THE NIGHT SCARED TO DEATH.

YOU HAVE THE GALL TO COME HOME DRUNK?

WELL...

I WANT TO SET IT RIGHT.

I'VE HAD AN EPIPHANY, YOU SEE.

CHARLIE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA PAINT RIGHT NOW.

YOU'RE GONNA TALK TO ME.

I'M NOT GONNA PAINT.

NOT TONIGHT.

NOT EVER.

[SCREAM]

♪

NO! NO!

WHAT'S THE POINT OF ALL THIS, HUH?

THIS WHOLE ROOM REEKS OF...

DEATH.

BEAT YOURSELF UP, IF YOU LIKE.

BUT YOU WILL NOT DO THIS.

THAT'S OUR FUTURE!

THAT'S ALL I AM TO YOU.

ISN'T THAT RIGHT?

CHARLIE.

THAT'S ALL YOU EVER SAW IN ME...

WAS DOLLAR SIGNS.

WELL, THIS IS WHAT YOU GOT.

[KNOCKING ASIDE METAL CUP]

♪

[OPENING FLASK]

♪

CHARLIE.

I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYONE LIKE YOU.

I LOVE YOU.

AND I BELIEVE IN YOUR TALENT.

BUT I NEED YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT.

I'D RATHER BE ALONE THAN LIVE LIKE THIS.

♪

♪

[FLASK CLATTERS TO FLOOR]

♪

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[DOOR OPENS]

I DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK.

I'VE...

LIVED TOO LONG IN THE PAST

TRYING TO KEEP HOLD OF SOMETHING I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S REAL.

THIS...

♪

THIS IS REAL.

WHATEVER ELSE I DO, I WANT YOU RIGHT THERE BESIDE ME.

♪♪

THIS JUST ARRIVED.

IT'S FROM THE FAIR.

YOU READ IT?

NO, GO AHEAD.

♪♪

♪

NANCE?

♪♪

FOUR.

♪♪

THEY'RE TAKING FOUR PAINTINGS.

THEY'RE GONNA HANG THEM IN THE PALACE OF FINE ARTS.

CHARLIE, YOU'VE DONE IT!

NO, NO.

♪♪

WE DID IT.

♪

BAT MASTERSON, V/O: CHARLES RUSSELL,

"THE COWBOY ARTIST" PRODUCED CLOSE TO 4,000

WORKS OF ART IN HIS LIFETIME.

NANCY RUSSELL WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROMOTE HER HUSBAND

AND HIS WESTERN ART, MAKING THE NAME

CHARLES M. RUSSELL WORLD FAMOUS.

♪

♪

THANKS AGAIN, MRS. RUSSELL.

SEEING YOUR HUSBAND'S WORK IN PERSON-

ON CANVAS

[LAUGHTER]

WAS A RARE TREAT.

WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR SHARING CHARLIE'S WORK

WITH YOUR READERS.

MY READERS...

WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE TRUE WEST.

WHICH WE BOTH KNOW IS... DISAPPEARING.

BUT I NOW KNOW,

THANKS IN PART TO YOUR UNWAVERING

BELIEF IN YOUR HUSBAND,

CHARLES RUSSELL'S PRESERVING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT REAL WEST.

FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.