Original subtitles

Deputy?

If it had been you and me on that trail out there alone,

you'd be crow bait by now.

This here's one hanging I'd sure like to see.

Don't count on it!

The rope's all ready, Dixon.

Tomorrow we start working on the gallows.

I come within a whisker of shooting him twice.

Well, I'm glad you didn't, Deputy.

All right, Dixon get back there.

Come on, come on, get!

He's escaping!

Come on.

Burke said it was important.

Gard Dixon killed the sheriff

over at Cottonwood and escaped.

Festus has gone after him.

Well, Festus has always been able to handle himself.

Yeah, well, as good a man as Festus is,

I'm worried about him this time.

This Gard Dixon is about the closest thing

to a vicious animal I ever saw.

Your turn to sweat, Deputy!

That horse coughs up until he drops!

I told you you'd end up crow bait!

It's his all right.

I fixed the hammer a month ago.

This Indian, where'd he find it?

He claims he found it on a dead horse

in the desert near Rimrock.

How far is that?

Mm, that's a good 60 miles or so,

but there's no water out there, Marshal.

There's not a tree or a blade of grass.

Them Badlands just ain't no place for a man, Marshal,

not even the likes of a man like Gard Dixon.

My name is Snow, Ben Snow.

Who am I addressing?

Festus, Festus Haggen.

Festus Haggen.

Festus Haggen.

Festus Haggen!

Ten Strike would have been a good place

for the likes of you.

Run all over with rats.

A good ratting dog was worth his weight in gold there.

Still hungry, are you?

Yeah.

Here you go, boy.

Oh.

Sorry to have waked you, Festus.

Homer, Homer!

Festus here is a guest!

You just pull them fangs in and get!

He's apologizing for his behavior.

He don't come out less'n he's hungry.

I've been fetching him mice for quite a spell now.

Put that down!

Put down my personals!

Here, here, here!

Sam Bristol shot me.

Took the gold, took the water...

left me on the desert to die.

Well, Ben, I reckon it's time for me to be a moving on.

Come first light, I'm setting out for Cottonwood.

You've seen my gold, ain't you?

Yeah, I seen it.

I know you did.

I got a fortune, Festus.

You help me get to Ten Strike,

I'll buy you a horse!

No, sir, Cottonwood's the closest,

and that's where I'm going.

I don't want to go to Cottonwood.

I've got to get to Ten Strike!

Ten more just like it if you help me get to Ten Strike,

maybe four, $5,000 worth, Festus!

I'll send somebody to fetch you, Ben?

No.

No need for that.

I'll think of a way.

I'll cut you, Festus.

I'll cut you good!

I'll take the gun.

Wasn't for me, you'd be dead by now,

buzzards pecking at your eyes.

If we get to Ten Strike, I figure us even.

Till we get to Ten Strike, you're a mule,

and you'll pack like a mule.

You don't, I'll shoot you like a mule gone lame!

Looks like somebody went down there.

Some blood stains.

Think it belonged to Festus?

Or Dixon.

Nobody else would have any business out here.

Look at the moccasin tracks.

Well, they came from over this way

and went back that way, too.

Except going back, he wasn't alone.

Those boot tracks belong to Festus.

That means he's still alive.

Let's go.

Get up!

Get up on your feet.

What do you figure to do to Sam Bristol

once you get there?

I'm gonna buy, and sell, and finagle Sam Bristol

till he's ruined, till he's nothing!

Just move out.

Go on, move out!

Gold has always been the cord of folks' foolishness.

Going way back...

Christians used to get slaughtered for it.

Temples got gutted for it,

and graves got robbed for it.

Mmhmm.

Now I got it.

I figure it'll be about a mile from here.

Yeah, about a mile,

but it ain't none of our business.

Move on!

Now I told you about that once!

I don't wanna tell you again.

I don't want you jabbing me with that there stick,

and I mean it!

I mean it!

This here is his horse, all right.

It's been rode pretty near to death,

broke leg.

Put him out of his misery.

Ah.

Festus, if you're thinking of following them tracks

Well, if you ain't a mind to, you can go on

to Ten Strike by yourself.

Go on!

Hold it or I'll kill you!

I'm not breaking direction for no scumsucking outlaw!

All right, then.

Go ahead on. Kill me!

Go on!

Then who's gonna tote your rotten gold for you?

Now think about that.

You stinkin' whiskered hard tail!

If I didn't need you to tote,

I'd shoot you in the back right now!

You gonna stand there squalling till your old tongue

gets so swolt up it chokes your wind off

or are you gonna come with me?

Oh!

Look at that water.

I can't believe it!

It's a cinch nobody from Cottonwood

knows about this place.

No white man, probably.

Just the Indians use this desert.

Well, maybe it's an Indian

who's been trying to help Festus.

- Been here a long time. - And alone.

Maybe he was an outcast from his tribe or something.

Well, at least we know Festus has been here

the last few days.

The only way out's that pass we just came through.

Well, maybe the Indian's trying to help him

find a way back to Cottonwood.

Yeah, maybe.

Except, I don't think this was an Indian.

I think it was somebody living like an Indian,

either because he had to or wanted to.

Look at this pottery.

No Indian makes stuff as crude as that.

You know, they've been prospecting for gold here.

That's why he was making these,

making these bags to hold it.

Look at that.

I bet that waterfall has got its share.

There's almost two hours of daylight left.

- Are we gonna go on? - No, Newly.

We've pushed the horses as hard as we can for one day.

We better rest some and get an early start in the morning.

At least we know Festus has water now,

so he might be all right.

Get his gun, Festus, and throw it at me.

Why are you bothering?

He's dead or about to be!

Is he still living?

Just by a hair.

What?

What are you doing?

He's got to have some water

or he's a gone gosling.

Well, what do you care?

He bushwhacked you, didn't he?

Left you to die.

He's gonna live long enough to hang.

What difference does it make

if he dies out here or later?

It makes a heap of difference to me!

Here, open your mouth.

You're fixing to take him with us.

How else is he gonna hang?

You are the stubbornest human I ever seen.

I bet your head bent that bullet!

He'll slow us down.

You cut into our water.

He stays here.

Ben, I took you to be a might smarter than that.

What do you mean?

Well, for just a little bit of water,

you got yourself another pack mule, don't you see?

That old leg of yours acting up like it is,

I figure that's a pretty fair price.

More savvy than a bunkhouse rat.

I got another pack mule.

But if you're fixed on him facing the noose,

he's gonna share your half of the water.

No, you ain't dead,

but you gonna wish that you was.

Seeing you, he jumped like he had a scorpion down his back.

Don't get your hopes up, bushwhack.

You're in the same fix as he is.

- Water. - Ah, just hold your tater.

I'll get it for you.

If I was you, I'd plant him right now

without even a wreath.

All right, all right!

You're gonna have to get used to taking one swallow at a time.

What's going on?

All right, I'll tell you about that.

You and me's fixing to take this old feller

to where it is he wants to go,

and then you and me's going on to Cottonwood.

And this time, I'm gonna lead you up them steps,

and I'm gonna stand there and watch

while you swing on a rope.

You got about as much chance as a rabbit

between a dog's teeth.

You better get your rest, you two,

'cause we're starting first thing in the morning.

Bushwhacker, roll over on your belly.

Put your hands behind your back.

Go on, roll!

Festus, tie him up.

Old man?

You'd save yourself a heap of grief...

by handing over that gun right now.

Colder than a witch's kiss, ain't you?

Better get your sleep, both of you.

You'll need your strength.

Get back over to your place, Festus.

What do you got in these bags, rocks?

Just tote 'em.

What's in 'em is none of your business.

Unh-uh, your water's at the other end.

Come on.

Now hold it to one swallow.

That's it!

I told you, just one swallow.

Besides that, you spilled some.

Your ration's getting low, Festus.

Before long, you're gonna be sorry you took him in.

Hey, old man...

are you sure you know where you're going?

About another day's steady walkin'.

Four would be more like it.

Traveling day and night, we'll make it in one!

All right, let's move out before the shade spoils you.

Go on!

Well, get up, bushwhack!

Up on your feet!

Up on your feet!

I can't.

Festus, this one's made of butter.

He ain't nothing unless he's on the working end of a gun!

- Finished? - Let me tell you something.

You better give both of us a good rest

or you're liable to wind up toting all this your own self.

All right, you got one of two choices.

Up on your feet, or you can stay here and collect ants.

Come on!

Ten Strikes awaits!

Cold beer brimming with foam,

saloon gals making a fuss...

and the look in Sam Bristol's eyes.

Up on your feet, you milk fed, soft bellied lapdog!

Get back!

Get back!

Get your knife out.

Cut this.

Easy!

Give me the knife, handle first!

Oh, jeez!

Get over there!

Get your head down, get your head down!

So that's water?

I near forgot what it tasted like.

Now I'm gonna see what you had us packing, old man.

Get your head down, get your head down!

Down!

Your head down, I said!

It's gold.

It's gold!

Who'd have guessed?

A crazy, mangy old fool look you would have gold?

I was heading for Mexico.

My horse gave out.

I had nothing but the clothes on my back.

Now I'm going rich, rich!

My guess is two days.

One canteen ought to do it.

What am I gonna do with you two, hm?

Kill ya?

Oh, no.

Hey, old man, you gave me a swallow.

I'm gonna let you take a drink before I bust the other jugs.

Go ahead.

Ain't thirsty.

Ain't thirsty?

Last call.

How about you, Deputy?

Quit your badgering.

Bust 'em or leave 'em!

Take your time dying.

Please, mister.

There's no gold in that bag.

It feels like gold.

Please.

They're just personal things.

- No good to you. - Is that so?

Just things I collected.

Thing-a-ma-jigs.

Thing-a-ma-jigs?

Get him, Homer!

Bite him good!

Greed, boy, greed!

Greed is what got you bit!

Stealing from a crazy, mangy old man!

You learn hard, boy, hard!

And the wages of sin is dying!

Snake bite is nothing to what you deserve.

In the gold camp, you got your ears cut off,

you got branded, and you got hung.

Dixon, you got any sense, you'll lay still.

Get away from me!

Leave him alone, Festus.

Now you know how a sick coyote feels

when he's out of luck and friendless!

That's it, that's it!

Just keep thrashing around.

Get that blood to circulating

so that snake poison goes right to the brain.

I shoulda killed ya!

I shoulda killed ya.

Throw me the gun, Festus.

Sorry to cheat you out of your hanging.

When it comes to your gold,

you don't miss a trick, do you?

Only reason I'm alive.

Let's move out.

I'm burying him.

You've already wasted water on him.

Now you're willing to waste sweat on him.

You're a fool.

Yeah, it could be, but I told ya, I'm burying him,

like it or not.

He's under.

Let's move out.

I see it.

Whoa.

Dixon's.

I was right.

That was his horse back there.

I wonder how he died?

Looks like broken water bottles here.

Must have been some kind of struggle.

Maybe Dixon made a play for it and lost.

Those tracks are still weaving

and they're cutting pretty deep,

which means we're probably right

about what they're carrying, too.

If they're in as bad a shape as those tracks indicate,

I wonder why Festus just doesn't leave the gold

instead of toting it?

And Newly, I've known Festus a lot of years.

Never knew a man who cared less for material things.

If he's still toting that gold,

it's because somebody is making him do it.

I'll tell you something else...

they're gonna be low on water.

If we don't catch up with 'em soon, it's gonna be too late.

Festus!

Gotta have water.

Just enough for one more swallow apiece.

You're sneaky, Festus.

I didn't count on you for that.

It took me long enough.

The key.

What are you gonna do?

The onliest thing I can do,

go on into Ten Strike.

Both of us?

Both of us without the gold.

We can't get there toting that gold!

I ain't going back to Ten Strike without it!

Ben, I'm talking about living or dying.

Gold stays!

So do I!

You're a mighty man, Ben Snow,

but you ain't got sense enough to holler sooie

if the hogs is eating you up!

All right, you and your gold stay here.

Stay here and die!

I don't give a hoot, you stubborn old...

I'd rather die than be without it!

Festus.

Just don't say nothing.

Festus, bring me my cane.

Festus, Festus!

Oh, there it is, Festus!

Just the way I recollected!

I'm home.

I'm home.

Ben, there ain't nothing down there.

Come on, Festus.

Town's waiting and I'm buying!

Ben!

Come on, Festus!

This is my town, my town!

Ben, it's good to see ya.

How's your diggin's. You get anything?

He looks like a careless soul.

Ben Snow's in town!

Hey folk, Ben Snow's in town!

Ben Snow is back, Ben Snow is back!

Welcome back, Ben!

I'm home!

I'm back!

It's good to see you.

- Drinks are on Ben Snow! - Drinks are on Ben Snow.

Set 'em up for Ben Snow!

Whiskey for the house!

Ben snow is back, and he's rich!

Well, that's lucky, Ben.

Where is the proprietor?

Where is the proprietor?

Where is that bushwhacking cur?

Where is Sam Bristol?

Is he hiding from me?

Tell him Ben Snow is back!

Festus, Festus!

He's hiding from me!

Ben, he ain't here.

There ain't nobody here.

Can't you see?

The town's empty!

Sam Bristol!

I'm gonna break you, Sam Bristol.

I come home to finish you.

Sam Bristol!

Sam Bristol!

Sam Bristol!

Where are you, Sam?

He's got to be here!

He's got to be here!

Sam Bristol, where are you?

Bristol.

He's dead.

- Bristol? - Dead.

When?

'59.

'59?

This year is 1873.

You've been out yonder in the desert for all these years,

a-hating a dead man.

Help me, Festus!

Help.

I'm going a-looking for some water.

There's green around here.

There's gotta be water someplace.

You're dead.

I come all this way for just one reason,

and now you're dead!

All this gold.

Look at it, look at it, look at it,

and now there's no reason for it!

It don't mean nothing!

Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing!

The gold don't mean nothing.

Oh, oh!

Newly.

Festus?

Festus?

Matthew?

Easy, Festus.

Newly.

Ben.

Is that the man that was with you?

Ben Snow.

Ben Snow!

- Ben? - Festus, there's nobody here.

Easy now, easy.

That's enough, that's enough.

I got to help him, Matt.

Please, Ben!

Please, Matthew. I gotta...

- There's nobody here, Festus. - I gotta help him, please!

Ben, I got you some water.

Ben?

Oh, Ben.