Original subtitles

How does it feel to be home, son?

Kinda good, longest we've been away, 3 weeks.

Well, that's one vacation we were entitled to.

Won't be another stock show in these parts

Like that for a long time.

Mr. Mccain, I take it?

And that would be the young mccain I've heard so much about,

Well, quite a big boy.

Well, I know we haven't met, mister.

Oh, I'm sorry, judson, ben judson's my name.

Hello, mr. Judson.

I see you're wearing the north fork marshal's badge,

Micah outta town on business?

No, he's still in town, I believe.

Took the last of his personal belongings from the office

Less than an hour ago.

Micah moved?

Well, yes. I defeated him in the election for town marshal.

Defeated him?

You hadn't heard?

No, I hadn't heard.

But micah's been town marshal for 5 years.

Evidently the town felt it was time for a change.

Oh, you'll check that rifle with me while you're in town, mister.

Check the rifle?

Yes, I've invoked the ordinance related to the carrying

Of firearms while in town.

Well, mr. Judson, that ordinance was meant to be used

When trail hands came into town an' their celebrating

Got out o' hand. I don't... See any trouble around.

Enforcing that ordinance

Is at the discretion of the marshal, mr. Mccain.

Your rifle, please.

The rifle stays with me.

You in the habit of disobeying the law, mr. Mccain?

Are you the law, mr. Judson?

In this instance, I am.

Come on, son.

Heh, that's just about it, lucas.

Like you an' mark, a lot of folks were away

For the stock show, weren't here to vote.

Folks here in town, they didn't seem to care about the election.

Kinda figured micah would win hands down.

But whoever heard o' mr. Judson?

I mean, I've never seen him around before.

Came in town a couple o' weeks ago.

First I noticed him, he was in the saloon

Buyin' drinks for all the boys,

Up an' down the street, talking to all the ladies.

Lettin' everybody know he was runnin' for marshal.

He's got a smooth way about him all right.

Well, come on, son, we'd better go over an' pay a call on micah.

See you, nils.

Lucas: Micah!

Well, lucas boy, you're back just in time to bury the body.

Micah, if I knew you weren't gonna be supported

In the election, mark an' I would have postponed that trip.

Oh, that's all right, it's about time I retired anyway.

Now I'll be able to do some shootin' an' some fishin'

An' I'll be able to- you know what, lucas?

I didn't even bother to campaign this time,

Didn't even bother to let folks know

I was happy being their marshal.

I'm sorry, micah, real sorry.

Oh, that's all... Right, mark.

It's all right, I... I'm sorry you caught me without a shave,

I... I've been sleeping most o' the day an'-

Micah, what about this judson

Checkin' everybody's guns so quickly.

Oh, he posted that notice this mornin',

Then went around personally collectin'.

He even took my gun.

You know, lucas, I've been dealing with men

For a long time, an' I kinda got a nose for knowing

When a man is sayin' one thing an'... An' thinking another.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I wasn't with judson two minutes before I had the feelin'

That smooth front of his was rehearsed.

When they pinned that badge on him,

I could feel my temper goin' up an' up.

Oh, not because I lost the election,

But because I saw a man wearin' a badge who maybe shouldn't be.

You know, with me a badge is a more or less sacred thing,

When I see it on a man and it don't belong on 'im,

It's like waving a red flag in front of me-

Micah, come here. Judson's got himself a visitor.

Hmm?

Bob barrett!

The badge looks good on you, marshal, real good.

Just try to hold down that perverted sense o' humor

Of yours when torrance comes in here to face you with charges.

Gun.

Judson, north fork has a wanted poster of this man,

Dead or alive.

Yes, yes. So mr. Barrett was just tellin' me.

But he's placed himself in my custody, mr. Mccain.

He's asked for an immediate hearing in the hope

That the charges against him might be dismissed as unfounded.

Unfounded?! You-

Micah torrance himself was a witness that this man,

An' his partner, held up the noonday stage five months ago

An' killed the driver, an' the shotgun rider.

Now, what more do you want?

Well, like I was tellin' the marshal here,

I can understand the mistake, seeing as my brother an' I

We're like two peas in a pod, as the sayin' goes.

So when I heard about north fork wantin' me, bob barrett,

Instead o' harry barrett,

I decided to come in an' settle the problem.

Bob barrett, harry barrett,

Didn't your brother die in tucson about a month ago?

Yeah, it was a very sad day, we were very close.

Yeah, close as thieves probably.

Now, look, barrett, you can't get away with it.

You can't throw the guilt on a dead man.

There's no mistakin' you for your brother.

Mccain, please.

Wild accusations, gentlemen, aren't going to get us nowhere.

Now, as I understand it, the procedure here in north fork

Has been to hold a preliminary hearin' in the marshal's office,

With the marshal officiatin' before you ask a circuit judge

To come an' hold a trial, is that correct?

We don't bother judge evans until we're sure of our ground.

Well, exactly, but why don't we proceed without any delay,

We have the accused here.

So, mr. Torrance, mr. Mccain, if you'd care to be seated.

I don't think this'll take but a few minutes, I'll stand.

Barrett was identified,

There's no question he should be held for trial an' you know it!

Mr. Mccain, every man deserves some measure of justice.

Barrett, your defense then,

Is that this is simply a case o' mistaken identity.

Yeah, yeah, that's right,

I was 100 miles away in santa fe when that stage was robbed.

That's a bald-faced lie!

Mr. Torrance, please.

Any comments are to be addressed to the official

Conductin' the hearin'.

Now, you were a passenger on that stage, right?

I was!

Now, would I be wrong in assumin'

That both of those hold-up men wore masks?

They were masked at first,

Yes, but after the shootin' stopped, an' I was on the ground

Lookin' like I was dead, barrett here,

He figured he could pull his mask down, that it'd be safe,

An that's when I got a good look at 'im.

And you got a good look at 'im?

Yeah.

I'm curious how you accomplished that, you were wounded,

Lying sprawled face down the road, but just how?

When I got a chance, I opened my eyes, sneaked a look at 'im,

An' it's true I was lyin' face down, but how did you know that?

If you'd be lyin' face up, the sun would have been burnin'

Right down at you an' blindin' you.

Now, look, judson, this hearin' was to establish

Whether or not there was reasonable cause

To hold this man for the circuit judge.

Micah torrance was a witness to the killing,

An' that should be enough!

Not with that kind of an identification, mccain.

I just don't see it.

I'm declarin' bob barrett not a wanted man,

He's free to come an' go as he pleases. Now, he-

Now, I dunno who you are, or where you come from,

But we'll see what the circuit judge has to say about this,

An' if I know judge evans, barrett's gonna have to prove

He was somewhere else durin' that hold-up.

An' you can keep that smile on your face, barrett,

You'll need it for a jury in a few days.

Judson, I've always had a respect for the law,

But the sight of that badge on you sickens me.

If I was 20 years younger, I'd rip it off you

An' the devil take the consequences.

Micah, did you hear that slip o' the tongue he made about you

Lyin' face down?

You know, I'm beginnin' to wonder

If they don't have a common cause.

Yeah, all this could be prearranged.

I'm gonna get a wire off to judge evans,

When he gets here, he'll have barrett behind the bars

In three minutes, come on.

Sure.

They're headed for that telegraph office,

They're gonna wire that judge!

Well, the trial is the last thing in the world we want.

Torrance testifies against you,

Judge evans will get you twisted up in your own lies,

He'll have you on a scaffold within 48 hours.

Well, I thought you told me

Old man torrance was drinkin' himself into disgrace.

I expected it.

Can't you see mccain's keepin' him on his feet.

Hey, I got an idea, maybe you could be my witness,

Say you saw me up in santa fe durin' the time o' that hold up.

I can't place myself in santa fe at that time

Anymore than you can.

That's right, cuz you was busy puttin' a...

Bullet in that driver's head

Same time I was blowin' a hole in that shotgun rider.

That's right.

You know, the easiest way out of this

Is for you to get on your horse an' ride north for a while.

Oh, I'm not goin' any place!

Now, I want some place to go where I can come in an' go

Like I want to, like you do.

No, what happens to me happens to you, don't you forget that.

Well, torrance is the only witness against you.

We just get him out of the way, judge evans' hands will be tied.

That's right. I'll tell you,

I'll go to ol' man torrance an' I'll get him riled up, you know?

Then we'll scuffle around an' he'll get himself shot up.

It's a wonder to me you haven't been hanged before this.

You're gonna make me a deputy?

Yeah. I think when torrance sees this badge on you

He'll blow sky high, an' then you can start rilin' him.

An' you rile 'im any way you want,

Just you make sure he does the challenging,

An' you make sure we have witnesses that you were provoked

Into handling that gun.

Oh, don't you worry about it.

Oh, I'll rile 'im all right,

Cuz when it comes to antagonizin' somebody,

I guess I take top honors.

Door's open.

Pa's waitin' for a return wire from judge evans, micah.

Well, that's good, mark,

Judge evans will set things straight.

You know we... We got barrett dead to rights, we got-

You know, mark, I suddenly feel very old an' tired.

I guess it's about time I quit tryin' to be a lawman.

Oh, I think you're the best marshal we ever had, micah.

How many north fork marshals have you known, mark?

Well, none except you, but...

But I just know that you're the best.

You know, mark, I never really knew a bad marshal.

Oh, there was times when weaknesses showed up,

But all my friends, they were true an' good

An' all my friends.

It's funny how alive they all seem now, how close.

All dead, but close.

Like I could reach out an' touch 'em,

All my friends, real close...

Real close.

I... Must have dozed off here.

I think I'll get a breath of fresh air.

Oh, no, you didn't finish tellin' me about wyatt earp.

Huh?

You said that you knew 'im, then you fell asleep.

Funny I... I didn't know I was tellin' you about wyatt.

Well, let's see, where... Where was I?

Well, the first time you... You saw 'em.

Oh, oh, yeah.

What're you doin' with that gun, barrett?

Did you get the wire off to the judge all right?

Oh, he... He had his faults, but...But he was a brave man.

He brought law to some of the most forsaken parts

In the territory.

Why, I remember when the-

He put a badge on 'im? A north fork marshal's badge on barrett!

Must be a mistake, micah.

Yeah, a mistake. A mistake, yeah.

Now, I'm not askin' your advice on whom I deputize,

Barrett's a good man with a gun.

I'm sure he is, there's enough notches on the one he's wearin'.

I run the marshal's office as I see fit.

What're you lookin' for in this town, judson?

A chance to get your friend barrett off the hook?

Pa, micah's gettin' himself into some trouble.

I'll say it again, barrett,

You aren't fit to wipe a marshal's boots!

You better go back to that bottle, ol' man,

I think you'll find it safer than drinkin' yourself to sleep.

Micah, your turn will come tomorrow.

You got a big mouth, an' you do a lot o' talkin',

But you're not wearin' a gun,

So I guess you feel kinda safe, huh?

Oh, I'll face you any day, with or without a gun.

Micah, he's not worth losin' your temper over.

You're sure it's not the liquor talkin'?

Liquor talkin'?!

I'm askin' if he's throwin' a challenge in my face

Or a bottle o' red eye.

You can take it anyway you like-

Micah!

I wouldn't be much of a man if I backed down

From a challenge, would I?

You weren't challenged, barrett.

Well, torrance here, now, he can back down if he wants to,

I could understand that, so could everybody else.

What I said goes! There'll be no backin' down.

All right, I'll give you a couple o' hours to sober up,

Then any time you say.

Barrett! We don't allow gunfights in north fork.

We, mr. Mccain?

Now, much as I dislike seeing a gun battle in the street,

It's been my experience that it gives each man a fair chance.

You mean you're gonna allow this gunfight, judson?

Rather than have these men meet somewhere out of town,

Where one can take advantage of the other, yes.

Judson, I'm just beginning-

Now, never mind, never mind, lucas, this is my fight.

When, uh, first lights go on in town.

I'll be waitin'.

Agh.

You know, judson, we got somethin' to talk about.

If torrance doesn't die tonight,

Then I want you to jump in with both feet.

You figure these townspeople are gonna just stand by

Idly while I shoot torrance down, huh?

I mean, I want you to put enough bullets in 'im

So we can bury 'im.

Because if he's alive tomorrow, then I'm finished.

That's why you're gonna back me all the way tonight,

Don't you forget that.

Go ahead an' light it, nils, it's gettin' about that time.

Yeah, we can do without light for a while.

All you have to do is walk out there an' tell barrett

You don't wanna fight, that's all it'd take to stop it.

An' after I do, in what town do I hold my head up?

You're not gonna have any head if barrett draws a gun on you!

An' you're completely ignorin' that trick arm of yours.

That's why I have to go out there tonight,

This trick arm of mine.

You know, maybe this arm isn't as disabled

As I an' some other folks think.

Go ahead an' look at me,

None of you ever had to wear a badge

In a desert hoodlum-filled cow town.

None of you ever had to wake up everyday,

Wonderin' what saddletramp was comin' to town,

Spoilin' to match his draw against yours.

30 years wearin' a badge.

All right, call me a coward if you like,

But maybe I needed somethin' to stay alive

And have those trigger-filled boys

Play their games with somebody else.

Nobody's callin' you a coward.

30 years, nobody can walk a tightrope that long, nobody.

A man needs something, a barrier, a shield.

So 25 years ago, when it was hurt, people...

Began to accept my bad arm.

Nobody figured to use me to let off steam

When they knew I'd be comin' out of that office

With a shotgun in my hand!

Every marshall has a lawful right to carry a shotgun,

An' you know it.

That may be true, but tonight I've got to prove somethin'

To myself, whether this arm is... As bad as I think it is.

I've gotta prove that I was usin' that shotgun

To live like a lawman, an' not to live like a coward.

Micah, everyone knows you're not a coward.

I don't know it, mark.

It's been botherin' me for a long time,

An' at my age, I'd kinda like to know the truth about myself.

Lights are startin' to go on.

Gimme your match, nils.

Takes a lot o' man to walk away from a challenge.

Have you ever walked away from one, lucas?

Pa, micah can't beat a gunfighter.

I know it, son.

Well, aren't you gonna do something?

There's nothing I can do, if I stood alongside 'im or...

Interfered, I'd only shame 'im.

Lucas, both those fellows out there are wearin' guns!

Both?!

Judson an' barrett!

Mr. Mccain, you remember my instructions regardin' guns.

I see you brought some help, torrance.

Lucas mccain will not interfere.

You're wearin' your gun on your right side.

Always heard you favored that arm.

I'm ready for you, barrett.

Take 'im out, judson! Take 'im out!

I warned you, if I'm goin' downhill,

I'm gonna take you with me!

You wanna know who my partner was on that stage hold-up?

There he stands!

Saddle yourself with a fool, you deserve whatever you get.

What makes you think you're any less of a fool?

Here, micah, this belongs to you.

I just voted you back into office.

Hello, lucas.

Well, don't you think you better hang up that gunbelt

An' go back to your shotgun?

Well, now, you saw me beat barrett to the draw,

You know this... This bad arm o' mine was all in the head,

Just a psychological thing like a doctor would say.

Well, one, you didn't beat barrett to the draw.

Two, you were slower than a banker agreeing to a cash loan,

An' three, the only thing you did beat 'im with, ol' friend,

Was a barrel full o' courage, somethin' you were born with,

Somethin' you're gonna die with.

Well, I... I got to admit my arm's been aching ever since

I started yankin' this gun.

You know, I guess maybe I will go back to my shotgun,

An' I'll still be able to look people square in the eye.

Good.

Hey, pa, look at this.

I got a real good paragraph for endin' my... My essay with.

Well, good, let's hear it.

"when people take the right to vote for granted,

"or when they leave it up to...

"to the other fellow to see they...

"to see they got good government,

"they're gonna get what they deserve, maybe bad government."

Well, it sounds fine, son, except, how many times

Have I told you to say "going to" an' not "gonna"?

Ah, but, pa, it means the same thing.

Well, I guess you're right. I ain't gonna argue about it.

Ain't?! Pa, that- that's worse than gonna.