Original subtitles

♪ [ trumpet ]

Animas City, Colorado had a unique problem.

Plenty of rich goldmines, but so much lawlessness

there was no way to ship the gold out.

And the problem really became complicated

when a notorious gunman came to town.

It happened in 1880.

We call it...

Here we are, Emma.

Animas City.

Our new home. The beginning of a new life.

I hope so, Port.

It's been so long.

I know it has.

Now we can change all that.

It's not much of a town yet, but it's got a future,

and that's what we need.

Port, what if these people won't believe

that you've changed?

They will.

[ chuckles ]

Here we are, sitting here talking

when we should be doing.

Em...

It's going to be all right.

You ain't going to find nobody there, mister.

What?

I said you ain't going to find nobody there.

The Marshal's dead.

Got killed three weeks ago.

Oh, I'm sorry. Needn't be.

That happens to everybody that takes that job.

Takes a fool to do it.

You mean you don't have a marshal here now?

Nope. Not much chance of anyone applying for the job,

if you ask me.

Well, what if somebody was to apply?

Who would he apply to?

Oh, that'd be the Mayor. "Engley" is his name.

And where would somebody find him?

You mean right now?

Right now.

Oh, let me think.

He'll either be over there in the saloon,

having breakfast,

or he'll be down at the bank where his office is.

Much obliged, friend.

Mayor Engley?

That's right.

I'd like to talk to you, sir.

Would this be a public or a private matter?

Private.

Charlie, this has become my private office.

Sit down.

Now, sir, what can I do for you?

My name is Stockton, and I'd like to talk--

Did you say "Stockton"?

Yes, sir.

Porter Stockton?

The gunman?

The "Porter Stockton" part is correct.

A gunman...not anymore.

Go on.

Well, I understand you're looking for a marshal.

I'd like to apply for the job.

Isn't it a little strange

that you'd be looking for that kind of work?

Yeah, I can understand how that might strike you, sir.

I've been accused of a lot of things in the past,

generally bad things,

and I was guilty of most of them, but...

I've admitted that, paid the penalty.

Now, I'm just Porter Stockton, good citizen.

You've got to believe that, sir.

What makes you think that you could handle

a marshal's job?

Well, a couple of things.

First, I'd be dealing with lawbreakers.

I, uh, know most of them personally.

Having been one of them, I know how they think,

how they feel,

what they'll do next.

Second, I know that...

about the only thing they have any respect for

is a gun.

I...guess you've heard that I'm pretty familiar with guns.

Well, they know that, too. I don't think many of them

would try to test me.

Well, Mayor, you need a lawman, don't you?

Yes, we need a lawman,

and we need law.

Animas City, you might say, is a dream of mine,

and I believe we can build it into a big city.

We have gold and we have all the necessary resources

to become big and important,

but that same gold is drawing every outlaw in the West

towards us,

and we haven't found a way yet, to control them.

And until we do,

Animas City is going to be standing still

at the crossroads,

or...

perhaps, just fade away.

Then give me a chance to prove myself.

Nobody else wants the job, but I want it.

I want it bad.

Well, Mr. Stockton--

Mayor Engley, you impress me as--

All right!

All of you, get your hands up.

Get them up!

All right now,

get the money out of your pockets

and put it on that table.

Come on now, move!

Barkeep, get that cashbox

and dump it on the table.

All right, mister...

I said everybodyput their money on the table.

Now, look, young fella, I need my money

a lot more than you do.

You got a pretty good haul right there on the table now.

Why don't you just take their money

and forget about me?

Look, your money's no different from the rest.

Now, you get it out.

Well, gentlemen, it's your money.

Sir?

In my 30 years of military service,

I've never seen such a deed of sure courage.

Captain Hart, I agree with you completely.

George, will you lock that so-called bandit up

in the backroom for the time being?

I'm Captain Hart, sir, at your service.

Gentlemen, I have the honor of presenting to you

the new marshal of Animas City...

Well...

Porter Stockton!

Stockton?

Porter Stockton?

[ Hart mutters ]

Do you realize what this man is?

He's a gunman! A killer!

Why, he looked like a pretty fair lawmen to me,

just now.

Believe me, Captain, that's all changed.

Your kind never changes.

I'm asking for a chance to be judged fairly.

I've made my decision, Captain.

You're the marshal. Take over.

Thank you, Mayor.

Well, the first thing is to remove temptation

from the hands of hotheads.

From now on, nobody in Animas City

wears a gun.

That's ridiculous.

I refuse to listen to such nonsense.

You boys are breaking the law.

Now, wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Men, don't listen to him!

He can't make you do this!

Remove your gun belt.

I use this gun, Stockton,

against the enemies of our country.

I consider you to be one of them.

You have one more minute, then I shoot you.

I'm going to kill you for this, Stockton.

The gun.

Good morning, Mayor.

Oh, good morning, Marshal. How are things going?

Oh, fine, I guess. We haven't had any trouble

for two days now.

No, and I don't think there will be.

Everybody in town,

except Captain Hart and some of his friends,

think you're doing a very good job.

Yes, sir. I think we're through with trouble for a while.

I'm not so sure about that.

I'll be back in a little while.

Well, if it don't look like my old friend Port Stockton.

Hello, Clay.

Yeah, but it can't be.

This dandy's wearing a lawman's badge.

Port'd as soon as shoot a lawman

than look at him.

Side arms are against the law in Animas City, Clay.

You can check them in at my office

up at the end of the street,

pick them up when you leave town.

[ laughs ]

Well, I'm sure you're the man I used to ride with,

but you used to think laws were made for breaking.

Well, that's all changed now.

Changed?

[ scoffs ]

I get it. You're a smart one, Port,

getting yourself made marshal,

but you got to cut me and the boys in.

On what?

[ chuckles ]

It's got to be the gold.

Sure.

They got a wagon added to their rail

that's 30 miles away,

and you're the marshal.

You'll be riding her to the wagonload of gold.

You think I became marshal so that I could get my hands

on that gold?

[ chuckles ]

I know it.

You're wrong.

I know you, Port.

I know how you operate.

If you're going to hang around Animas City,

you're going to obey the laws.

Now drop your gun belts.

Like I said...

we're declaring ourselves in.

Cutting you out.

You boys know better than that.

Get your hands away from them.

All right. You're not proving nothing.

There's 30 miles of badlands

you got to take that wagon through

to that rail sighting.

Somewhere along there, we'll be waiting for you.

You and the gold.

I'd think about that a long time, Clay.

You won't have a chance.

[ chuckles ]

Oh, Port...

we don't look worried, you do.

If you change your mind, you know where you can find me.

Stockton, as mayor of this town,

I'm not going to let you do it.

You try it alone, it'll be just plain suicide.

You worried about me or the gold?

I guess there's always that possibility.

If I could get that gold shipment through,

without the help of a single armed guard,

this town could begin to grow,

become important the way you want it to be.

Well, I don't know.

Maybe-- Maybe it could happen.

Have you talked with Palmer, the mine superintendent,

about your plan?

No, but he'll go along with me. He doesn't have any choice.

If the mine can't ship the gold out,

they might as well close down.

I guess I don't have any choice either, do I?

All right, go ahead.

All right, Stockton, keep moving.

I've got you covered. Keep moving, Stockton.

Were you followed?

No.

No, I came alone.

You invited me, remember?

You changed your mind. You're cutting us in?

You had it pretty well figured out the other day.

He's lying.

I say we get rid of him.

You shut up.

We'll listen to what he's got to say, then I decide.

You're making a big mistake.

You were right, Clay.

We've had the same dream ever since we first

started out together,

make one big haul.

Well, that dream's just about to come true.

Just me and the gold.

I told them it was a big idea I had

to get the shipment across the badlands.

You always were the smoothest, Port.

What do you want us to do?

Shut up!

Uh, what do you want us to do, Port?

Well, you fellas find yourselves

something to carry the box in,

and about halfway between Animas City and the railhead,

you meet me.

I'll be driving a rig with a single horse.

I just heard you're going to try to get

the gold shipment through by yourself.

People talk too much. It's a good plan, Em.

Why alone, Port?

After all these years that we've been married,

you're still a puzzle.

That's why you married me,

the farm boy who wanted to be king of the mountain.

I thought you changed when you took this marshal's job.

I did.

If only I could be sure.

You're not sure whether my plan means getting the gold through

or running away with it myself, huh?

Trust me, Em.

I love you, Port.

Right now, I'm asking for trust.

Don't go, Port!

Em...

I can't believe what I just heard, Engley.

Now, you're responsible for that gold

more than anyone else in this town.

You certainly can't turn it over to a bandit like Stockton!

What's a matter with you people?

Are you all so blind you can't see that he's--

Will you calm down, Captain?

You're talking about the Marshal.

[ scoffs ]

I wouldn't trust him with a Confederate dollar,

much less a fortune in gold!

Now, listen to me, all of you!

If the law won't protect decent people...

from thieves like Stockton,

I say we take the law into our own hands!

I can lock you up for that.

You better get in out of the sun till you cool off.

Now get out of here!

I'm warning ya!

You'll never see your gold or him again!

I've told ya!

Pay no attention to his ranting, Stockton.

We all trust you.

Thank you.

No thanks necessary. You've earned it,

but don't throw that trust away.

Can't buy it with gold.

Good luck.

[ clicks tongue ]

Mayor Engley, I'm so glad you're here.

I'm frightened.

Oh, now, now, Mrs. Stockton.

Everything's going to be all right.

I'm not sure.

A few minutes ago,

just after Port drove through town,

that man...

Captain somebody...

he was watching Port leave,

and then he ran to his horse, and he road into the alley,

and then he turned behind the buildings

the same direction Port went.

He acted very strange,

and he frightens me.

Oh, I'm sure it's nothing, but...

I'd better have a look.

Now, you wait right here and don't you worry.

Whoa.

We'll meet you back at the cabin, Port.

Anybody got any ideas about opening that box

before I get back,

will have me to face.

We'll wait.

That's right. You wait.

All right.

Oh!

The lock broke.

Go ahead, George. Open it up.

There's nothing but stones.

But where? There was nothing in the wagon.

I don't know, but let's find out.

Come on!

Come on! Giddyup!

Yah! Giddyup!

Whoa.

[ horses approaching ]

[ footsteps over gravel ]

Now they'll believe when I tell them

a leopard doesn't change his spots.

Once a thief, always a thief.

You don't understand.

I tricked Clay Allison. and his boys.

They think I gave them the gold, but I didn't.

Liar.

I saw you switch those boxes with Allison.

You're going to meet the gang later.

There was nothing in that box I gave them

but rocks.

They were the riders you heard go by down below.

Probably found out about the trick

and came out looking for me.

Well, you're not going to pull any tricks

on anyone anymore, Stockton.

You're making a big mistake and wasting a lot of time.

Next time, I'll shoot to kill.

I didn't give that gold to Clay Allison

no matter what you think you saw.

Oh? Then where is it?

Under the seat.

More tricks. There's nothing there

but the fake box Allison gave you.

All right, I'll show you.

[ horse approaching ]

He's dead.

Mm-hmm.

Stockton was one bad man who never changed.

I saw him give that gold away to his gang.

You fool.

That was only part of his plan.

But I saw them!

What you saw was nothing more

than a strong box full of rocks being loaded,

and that's what he gave Allison.

The gold is under the front seat.

We put it there last night.

There you are.

But...

But why?

Stockton wasa changed man,

and he wanted to get the gold through,

and that's what he was doing,

until you came along.

Well, I...

I didn't know. No one told me!

I feel sorry for you, Captain Hart.

That shot made you famous,

because every fast gun and boy in the country

that wants to build himself a reputation,

will be gunning for you...

the man who shot Porter Stockton.

I didn't know.

I...

I didn't know.

Thus, the violent death of a gunman.

While no one will ever know what was in Porter Stockton's mind

the day he was killed,

this much we do know.

The Denver and Rio Grande railway bypassed Animas City

and built a line through Durango.

Durango became the county seat.

Animas City faded into obscurity.

Next week, another true drama

from our American past.