Original subtitles

Hey!

Old lady!

Why don't you have 'em hang me now?

You be sleepin' a lot better!

Get a Coreyville trial talked about!

Can't anybody in this town do anything without that old hen's say so?!

Wonder you two breathin' without running up and askin' permission!

- Good morning, Miss Ellie. - Titus!

Hey, little sister.

When I need you, there you be.

Titus, what'd you go and do this time?

Nothin'. I ain't done nothin'.

Titus?

Ellie, I done wrong plenty of times before.

Stole, cheated.

Even that knifin' fight I had last week.

Half my fault, anyway.

But this time I'm tellin' you,

I never done nothin'.

What do folks here say you done?

That gal at the saloon, Mary Elizabeth...

they say I killed her.

- Holdin' trial tonight. - Killed?

Titus, you speakin' gospel? You never done it?

I never touched her.

Well, then they can't do nothin' to you.

Hey. They can do plenty.

All I'm facin' tonight is a rope

without some real law in here.

What I need is a sheriff or marshal.

I'll head out. I'll ride to Dodge. They got a marshal there.

If I don't get some water,

I won't be spittin' dust time you get back.

I'll get you some water.

Here you go, Titus.

Why, you half-growed mule! You ain't got no call to do that to my brother,

treating him like he was an animal!

Maybe that's just what he is.

You!

Don't you try that again, girl.

I'll be back, Titus, bringin' a marshal.

Gentlemen of the jury, I could stand here talkin' to you all night.

- And it's a hot one. - Yeah.

But the facts speak plain and the facts say

that this here Titus Wylie was seen goin' upstairs, the back stairs,

to Mary Elizabeth's room,

by no less than four honest and respected citizens of this town.

Nobody never said I never went up them stairs.

How come none of them honest, respectable citizens

never seen me come back down again?

Now, you keep your mouth shut until you're called on to speak.

And when'll that be? When I'm hung out to dry?

Now, accordin' to Miss Watson over at the saloon,

she heard that shot fired, she went up,

and she found Mary Elizabeth, that poor girl,

lyin' on the floor, her head bashed in.

What about the shot?

We gotta have everything clear here.

- Who shot a gun? - Mary Elizabeth did.

Tryin' to protect herself from him.

That ain't so! I hardly got past the door, she chased me out.

Now, I ain't gonna tell you again to keep your mouth shut.

Now, gentlemen of the jury, all we've been gettin' from this rawhider

is that he didn't do it.

Yet everybody knows that he'd been pesterin' Mary Elizabeth,

everybody knows there ain't a day goes by in this town

that he ain't drunk and fightin'.

Why, just last week, he went after that Crawford boy.

It was him that started it.

Something we can do for you, Marshal?

In case you're interested, we got our own charter

sayin' we can hold our own trial, elect our own judge.

Who's your judge?

Clel Wilson over there.

And if he ain't a sight to skin a frog!

Hey, Clel!

Hold up that county charter we got says we got the right

to elect our own law officers.

That piece of paper we read to this rawhider, Clel, hold it up!

Mumbled it. Didn't read nothin'.

You want us to read it to you too, Marshal?

I've seen 'em before. Who's your peace officer?

Well, you might say I fill that bill. I kinda run things in general.

Come on, Marshal.

Why don't you have a little drink and watch us hang that rawhider.

This your idea of a jury?

Well, I got no objection to a man drinkin',

just as long as he pays attention to what's bein' said.

This man have a lawyer?

Well, he's managin' pretty good at doin' his own lyin'.

- I'm declaring a mistrial. - You're declarin' a mistrial?

- That's right. - I wouldn't go stirrin' up

no still water if I was you, Marshal.

Marshal, I'd sure appreciate it if you'd

loosen these chains just a little bit.

- You got a key? - I swear I think that key got lost.

Anybody tries to stop me from taking this prisoner's

gonna be arrested for interfering with a US Marshal.

- You prepared to arrest the whole town? - If I have to.

All right, Marshal.

One thing we have here in Coreyville is fair law.

You say this trial ain't bein' run right, we're sure prepared to listen.

One, this man's gonna have a lawyer to defend his rights.

- Two... - Ain't no lawyers in town.

'Course anybody's got the right to speak for the defendant.

You want the job?

Two, we're gonna have a sober judge and jury to conduct the trial.

Not even the good Lord's gonna keep 12 men sober during a trial.

Well, that's the way it's gonna be or there isn't gonna be any trial.

Now, you've been doin' a lot of talkin', Marshal.

I'm gonna do some of my own. You just remember one thing.

That badge you're wearin' don't give you the right to overrule our judge.

Now, this trial is still gonna be held right here in Coreyville,

tomorrow night.

You sure are some after my hide, ain't you?

There a jail or a lockup somewhere around here?

Been so peaceful around here, we never had a need for one.

Leastways, till that rawhider showed up.

All right, let's go.

Sure likes to barrel his way through, don't he?

Mr. Blake, my ma would like to see you, and Mr. Rankin too.

Come in!

You're a prize pair of fools!

Well, we didn't count on that marshal comin', Miss Agatha.

His presence wouldn't have made any difference

if you'd used your brains and stopped that drinking down there.

And why didn't you appoint somebody to speak for that rawhider?

Miss Agatha, nobody in this town would take on that job.

You could have done it! That marshal had every right to declare a mistrial.

Tomorrow, I want everybody on that jury sober,

and you tell Clel Wilson that the first drink that crosses his lips

before the trial is his resignation as a judge.

Well, you know it would have been a lot better

if I'd thrown that marshal out of this town the moment he spoke.

After all, I'm the law in this town and I...

You're the law?

I'm the law!

The Coreys have always been the law in this town.

And the next time you don't think so,

just think about the food and whiskey you put in that belly!

Miss Agatha, all Amos meant

was maybe we should have stopped that marshal

before he stepped in and took over.

He's not goin' to take over!

Tomorrow night, I want that rawhider

legally tried, legally convicted,

and legally sentenced!

Yes, ma'am.

Miss Agatha.

Listening at the door again, Billy Joe?

I was just getting afraid.

Billy Joe, there's nothing to be afraid of.

Yeah, but the marshal, he...

He'll be gone after the trial tomorrow.

But what if he finds out things?

I don't want you talking to him.

I... I'd never do that, Ma.

But what if he finds out things?

There's nothing to find out!

Now, go up to your room and go to bed.

Yes, Ma.

Say it again, Marshal.

The onliest way you're gonna keep old Titus

from lookin' up a limb is to get me out of here.

Now, wait. Let me tell you something.

Remember this. The people of this town have a right to try you.

Now, let's go back to the shot fired in that room.

It seems to me that, drunk or sober, you'd remember something like that.

I don't remember nothin',

except her chasin' me out of that room, slammin' the door.

I kinda woke up later in the alley,

people grabbin' me,

my head feelin' like it had been pounded in.

Whiskey drinkin' ain't somethin' Titus handles.

Been your whole trouble,

drinkin' and makin' no sense outta nothin' you're doin'.

My hangin' will fix that. Make them heel squatters real happy.

Don't keep sayin'... Don't keep talkin' about hangin'

like it's already happened or somethin'.

It's plain.

Folks around here simply don't take no shine to me.

That badge wearer in town just makes it one more at the party is all.

Just like all badge wearers everywhere I ever seen,

all lookin' out after themselfs.

If you quit feelin' sorry for yourself, it might make matters a little easier.

Are you sure you're tellin' me everything you can remember?

One thing you can bet on,

me killin' somebody, I'd remember it.

All right. How about this woman that discovered the body, this Flo Watson?

Owns the saloon.

Tries to make on, the way she paints herself up

and sashays around,

more like she was a filly than a brood mare what ought to be put to grass.

Ellie, you better get this plate back downstairs.

Ellie, wait a minute.

All right. Let's have it.

Titus!

Just, uh, tryin' to have something goin' for me if I got loose.

You better get something straight, Titus.

You try to leave this hotel without me, they'll shoot you down like a dog,

and they got every right to.

That'd be an easier way of dyin'.

Why don't you quit thinkin' about dyin' for once

and think of your chances of livin'?

Here. Don't let anybody in.

You're gonna trust me with this key?

I'm trustin' all those guns that are waitin' for you

outside the door of this hotel.

Well, Marshal.

Don't tell me you're a whiskey-drinkin' man.

Or did you just come in here for some branch water?

Miss Watson, could I talk to you for a minute?

- Sit down. - Thank you.

I understand you were the first person who entered the room

- the night that girl was murdered. - That's right.

Was this fella Wylie with her that night?

He was here earlier, drunk.

I had to have him thrown out because he grabbed Mary Elizabeth.

Was there anybody else with her during the night?

No, she was just stayin' friendly with the drinking customers.

What she was paid to do.

She keep regular company with anybody?

She was my hostess here, Marshal.

Well, that's... that's not exactly what I meant.

Oh, you mean did she have a steady fella? No.

- I'd like to see her room if I could. - Sure.

Right this way.

Outside entrance.

Just a room.

Miss Watson, you came around the corner

and up the stairway as soon as you heard the shot fired?

- Well, sort of. - What do you mean, sort of?

Well, it means I didn't see the rawhider leaving.

And the girl was dead when you got in here?

Mm-hmm. Lyin' on the floor like a rag doll.

Not even breathing.

You figure that was the bullet she fired?

It sure looks that way.

- Well, then that settles it. - Settles what?

She shot to save her life, but didn't do a very good job.

Well, thanks for showing me around.

Marshal.

You just go away and you leave us alone.

Leave who alone, son?

Just go away, that's all.

Why don't you put the gun down, son, we'll talk about it.

Don't...

Don't come near me, or I'll have to shoot you.

What's your name, son?

- Billy Joe Corey. - Oh, I see.

Then the woman they call Miss Agatha, that's your mother?

I'm not supposed to talk to you.

- Why not? - You just go away.

Why don't you put the gun down, son?

If you go away right now, I won't shoot you.

Well, I'm sorry, but I've got some work to do here, if you don't mind.

I'll...

Hey, look! Something's happened to the kid.

- Yeah. - He's bleedin'.

- Say, what'd he do to Billy Joe? - Don't know, but we better find out.

- What'd you do to that kid? - Get out of my way.

Who gave you the right to pick on a kid like Billy Joe?

- I said get out of my way. - Mister, you owe us an explanation!

- How bad is he? - Well, he had a gun on me.

- I had to take it away from him. - Is he hurt?

Well, he hit his head. I think we better go up to bed.

Oh. First door on the left.

Why would Billy Joe pull a gun on the marshal?

That marshal sure keeps walkin' all over this town.

I think he'll be comin' around in a minute or two.

He just stunned himself.

Now, Marshal, I want a clear explanation of what's happened here.

Just like I told you, ma'am. I had to take this gun away from him,

and he just fell back and knocked his head against a post.

I had that gun fixed so that it wouldn't fire.

It's nothing more than a toy.

Well, if I were you, I'd get him a little different type of toy.

Next man that comes along might not realize that's what it is.

Everybody in this town knows Billy Joe's more child than man.

It's all right. It's all right.

Ma, you... you get him away from me.

It would be better if you left.

I'll wait for you outside. I'd like to have a word with you.

You just lie back there and rest, Billy Joe.

Lie back.

I'm sorry.

Not only have you hurt that boy, but you've scared him half to death.

Why should he be so afraid of me?

He resents your presence here

as much as everyone else.

Frankly speaking, that resentment's another thing

that puzzles me just a little bit, if you're only looking for justice here.

We're perfectly capable of taking care of our own problems.

All right, getting back to Billy Joe,

he said something about leaving "us" alone. What'd he mean by that?

I've told you, he's simply frightened of you.

I don't think that's the whole answer.

It's your interference that's causing all this trouble.

We have a good town here, a town my husband built.

Well, that trial tonight wasn't exactly an example

of how a good town should be run.

That rawhider's caused trouble ever since he came here.

Well, that could be, but it doesn't mean that he should hang

for the murder of that girl.

There's too many unanswered questions here.

What questions?

Well, for one, the shot that was fired in that room wasn't a miss.

How do you know that?

Because I dug the bullet out of the wall

and there was traces of blood around it.

That bullet passed through somebody before it hit that wall.

Now, Titus Wiley wasn't injured.

It means that somebody else was either killed

or is nursing a wound around here somewhere.

You're simply complicating the situation.

A few questions are gonna have to be answered at that trial.

Billy Joe, what did you say to that marshal?

Nothing, Ma.

I... just told him to leave us alone.

Billy Joe.

You did a foolish thing threatening that marshal.

I... I was only tryin'...

I know what you were trying to do, but it was wrong.

Do you understand?

Seems like the marshal ain't gonna get a chance to watch my hangin'.

You lock this door again, Titus. Don't give them no excuse to get you.

Be a skinned frog if they need any excuse.

The people of this town figure it's time for you leavin'.

- They're sayin' it plain enough. - Move aside.

You've been giving orders long enough. Get his horse saddled.

Stop! Leave him! You're gonna kill him!

Leave him alone! Leave him alone! Get away from him!

You're killing him! Leave him alone!

Leave him alone!

Marshal.

Marshal?

People got out of hand after they saw what happened to Billy Joe.

- Can't blame 'em. - What are you gonna do with him?

Well, I think that the people have every right to run him out of town.

Stop it! Leave him alone!

Now, you brought him in here. Now, you can take him out.

Yah!

I want that trial held immediately.

And make sure everybody's sober, and that rawhider is represented.

Clel Wilson won't be fit for another hour to do any judging.

I want my carriage in ten minutes in front of the house.

Yes, ma'am.

Figure in an hour you're getting invited to a dance.

So you figure out a few fancy steps while you're, uh,

kickin' up your heels.

You better be still a minute, Marshal. You had a bad beatin'.

They ran us outta town in a wagon.

- How'd I get in here? - Half-walked and I half-toted you.

Guess I ain't as scrawny as I look.

I'll be darned. What place is this?

Well, it's kinda mine. I sort of raise chickens.

Oh, I sell eggs and chickens in town, I mean.

How far out of town are we?

About a mile, I guess.

Marshal, you reckon they gonna be lynchin' Titus after all?

I don't know. I'm sure gonna find out.

You goin' back there?

Ellie, how much you know about this town?

Oh, been here in abouts two, three years now.

What about this Billy Joe? You know anything about him?

Nothing, just he ain't a bright boy, is all.

Well, he sure got somethin' against me.

Drew a gun on me today, tried to run me out of town.

Billy Joe drew a gun?

Yeah, he's scared to death of me.

You know any reason why he should be?

No. Why, Billy Joe's such a gentle boy.

He smiles all the time at people.

Him and Frank sure ain't cut out of the same cloth.

Shame. Frank's got all the smartness

and Billy Joe just sort of got short-changed, like they say.

Frank? Frank who?

Billy Joe's brother. He's growed up.

- Fella I don't much care for. - Brother?

Frank Corey. Miss Agatha's other boy.

Well, just where is this Frank now?

- Woman in this here picture you? - Yes.

You changed. A lot.

We all grow older.

- I brought you some supper. - I'm not hungry.

Well, you've lost a lot of blood. You need food in you.

I said I'm not hungry.

All right.

You're not hungry.

- How are you feeling? - Oh, don't bother me too much.

You did a real good job.

You know, I heard it said that, uh, my old man,

- he used to visit here at this saloon. - Yes.

He, uh, he liked his whiskey, just like all the others.

- Heard tell he also liked pretty women. - Yes.

Yes, in a way he was a lot like you.

- Except for one thing. - What?

- Ed Corey was a man. - Meanin'?

Meaning that outside of a clean shirt,

there's very little difference between you and that, uh, rawhider.

So why are you hidin' me, huh? Takin' care of me?

Why don't you just turn me over to the marshal?

Well, maybe because I think maybe there's still a chance for you.

Hm. Yeah.

I reckon with the marshal run outta town, they'll be hangin' that rawhider.

How do you think you'll be feeling about it when it's all over?

Oh, he don't mean nothin' to me.

I expect he's bushwhacked more than one man in these parts

to get his whiskey money.

Let's hope that's been the case.

Make it a lot easier sleepin'.

Don't you think?

- Well, this is quite an honor. - Where's my son?

He's in my room. Second door on the left.

Strange you don't ask how he is.

How is he?

He died.

Two hours ago.

Oh...

Uh... No, he's all right.

But he could be dead for all you care.

My carriage is ready. I'll bring it round back.

- You're leaving town. - Why can't I stay here?

- Because I say you're leaving. - You say.

You say. You do an awful lot of it, Ma.

But not enough, it seems to keep you from going around with saloon trash.

Make any difference if I told you I loved her?

Frank, I can't and I won't believe that.

Why? Because it wouldn't look right for the great Edward Corey's son

to fall in love with a saloon girl? You couldn't stand that, could you?

Frank, you couldn't love her. I know you couldn't.

I'm not sure whether I did or not.

How did this thing happen?

Oh, I saw that rawhider leave her room, I got mad.

I went up there. We had an argument.

I slapped her.

She took a gun from her bureau.

I tried to get it from her.

The gun went off as I was throwin' her aside.

She fell and... she didn't move.

You're leaving town.

You'll drive over to Red Creek. You were robbed on the way.

You were shot.

Don't it bother you none I killed that girl?

You said it was an accident. You'll say in Red Creek

that the man who robbed you, he shot you.

- You'll say that you... - Ma!

Let me say it!

For once in my life, Ma...

you let me say it.

Get dressed.

So you're takin' him out of here.

He's capable of being moved, yes.

- The final corruption. - What?

Something you wouldn't understand.

Gotta give you credit, though, the way you keep that nose up in the air.

What do you mean by that?

That you're like this town, half-dyin'.

People run around playin' a game like there's anything here with any meanin'.

If it's half-dying, why don't you sell out to me?

Why do you keep turning down my offers?

Sticks in your craw, doesn't it?

A piece of this town you don't own.

You haven't answered my question.

Fifteen years, and still stickin' in your craw,

Ed Corey givin' me this place.

I've offered you three times what this place is worth.

Take it and get out!

You know, you're a real charmer, Agatha.

How I despise you.

Well, that's the first truthful statement you've said

since I've known you.

I may not give you an opportunity about the selling.

I may just put a padlock on that door!

You do that, Agatha,

and you leave me a soapbox in the center of that street.

- What do you mean by that? - You know what I mean.

You're like this town, lyin'. Lyin' to yourself.

Why, you haven't had an honest emotion since your husband died

and you thanked God for it.

How dare you talk to me like that?

How dare I?

The truth is easy.

It's the lies I have trouble with, the lies I fed the marshal.

Why did you lie for me if you hate me so much?

Why did you protect my son?

Your son.

Now, how can you say those words without chokin' on 'em?

Aren't you even honest to yourself?

For 20 years,

you've been starin' out of that window of yours

lookin' down here at my saloon,

knowing that Flo Watson placed in your hands

the only healthy thing in your life.

For 20 years, it's never left your mind that I gave birth to Frank,

and that Ed concocted that story about his first wife dying.

Don't you ever call Frank your son, not to my face.

Agatha Corey, I think the first honest breath you draw will be your last,

when you ask God for his forgiveness.

Mother Flo!

Well, now, it's gonna take some gettin' used to.

May as well have the best, seein' as it's now in the family.

So that's why you hid me out?

I kept thinkin' about it all the time up there in the room.

Why?

And I came up with some answers, but...

none of 'em... none of 'em wild as this.

The situation hasn't changed. The carriage is still waiting.

Now, I've got to figure out why you're so concerned.

No, but that's easy.

My name's Corey.

And long may the Coreys reign.

Over what, though, I'm not real sure.

- Don't mock me, son. - I'm not mocking you, Mother.

B...

You see, it's gonna take some gettin' used to.

Well...

You ladies...

You may be a little surprised at this. I know I am.

But suddenly... suddenly runnin'...

just don't seem so important.

Where's your brother, son?

- Did you come back to arrest Frank? - Well, I don't know.

That depends on what your brother tells me happened in that room.

- You know where your mother is? - No.

All right, now, hold it, now.

Now, anybody that takes a drink's got me to deal with.

Rankin here will speak for the defendant.

You're all going to pay very close attention to what he says.

All right, Judge, let's get started.

You know, Frank didn't mean to do anything, Marshal.

He wouldn't hurt anybody on purpose.

It was an accident, is all.

Did you see it, Billy Joe?

Frank was bleedin'

and Miss Watson was helpin' him down the stairs.

And I was afraid for Frank.

And... well, it was an accident.

Frank said so. He was bleedin'.

Thank you, Billy Joe.

The marshal's coming this way.

You just arrived in town. You were shot out on the road.

Don't be a fool, son. You could be hanged.

You're sure one woman who never gives up, do you?

How do you see it, Flo?

- How do I see it? - Yeah.

Your father was a man.

You could prove you're his son.

You're doing this to spite me!

You're doing this because you hate me, you're do...

You Frank Corey?

Yeah, I'm Frank Corey.

There's a trial down the street.

There are a few questions you're gonna have to answer.

I'm not sure Coreyville will survive the night, Marshal.

Not sure it...

Not sure it should.

He's Ed's son, all right.

Well, Marshal, you did a passable job.

Proof of that, I'm stoppin' callin' you just a badge wearer.

Well, thanks. I hope you can keep out of trouble from here on.

Well, you sure got my thanks, Marshal.

Sure never figured this town'd convict a Corey,

sentence him to five years.

Well, you got a drink comin', we ever get up Dodge way.

So long, Ellie.

Well, it took me the night, but I finally figured something else.

You weren't lettin' that rawhider hang.

It took you the night?

You got your father's good looks, all right,

but it'll take a little while till you get half his brains.