Original subtitles

Say feller, can you tell me where

the telegraph office is at?

Morning, Reverend.

Good morning.

You seem to be having a little trouble there,

what with your hand now.

Yes, sir.

You know this here ain't gonna be easy for you to believe

but I was dumb enough to let my blamed mule

bite my hand the other day.

And I just never could cipher too good with my left.

Do let me help you, my friend.

Obliged to you.

Now I need to send me a telegraph to Marshall Matthew Dillon

in Dodge City.

And what do you want it to say?

Tell him that I have done went and delivered

that Moss Brundage to your sheriff here in Nescatunga

and tell him to tell Burt that I'll be back

quicker than amen to a dull sermon.

No offending meant, Reverend.

Tell him to tell Burt not to go to work

and get nobody else call that square dance

for that there big blowout and ballet they're having

in Dodge City, 'cause I'm...

Just tell him I'll be back directly.

And how shall I sign it?

Well, just make it say "Festus."

How do you spell that?

Spell it?

- Spell what? - Your name.

You mean you want me to spell Festus for you?

Oh, Festus, you mean like Biblical judge

in Acts 24 and 25.

Now if that there don't tie the pup,

there ain't many folks that knows that, you know?

Not even amongst preachers there ain't.

You recall, it was Festus who stood up for Paul

when the people demanded his life.

It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die

before he which is accused have the accusers

face to face and have license to answer for himself

concerning the crime laid against him.

And then, of course, King Agrippa subsequently freed Paul.

Your namesake was possessed with a strong sense of justice.

Here are those new hymn books from St. Louis, Reverend.

Thank you, Walt.

Festus, it's been a pleasure.

Likewise, Reverend.

I'm ever so much obliged to you.

You know another line of Festus comes to mind.

He said, "Paul, thou art beside thyself.

Too much learning doth make thee mad."

You strike me as a very sane man, Festus.

Ah foot, he probably never said nothing like that at all.

How much I owe you?

How much do I owe you?

You just better take you and your fancy ideas

right out of Nescatunga.

Reverend, the best thing for you to do

is climb up on that wagon and take it back

the direction you came in.

I came for lumber, nails and roofing.

I have the money to pay for it.

Now you're wasting my time and yours.

That wagon is waiting to be loaded.

Well, you ain't getting no lumber from me.

In fact you ain't getting nothing from me

or nobody else in this town.

You are a mindless, vindictive

You're a sad excuse for a preacher.

Come in here, calling an honest white businessman names,

favoring them red savages over your own kind.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.

But if you are a businessman

it shouldn't matter what I do

with the materials I buy from you.

Well, it does matter.

If I was to help you with what you're setting out to do,

why, they'd ride me out of town on a rail and I'd deserve it.

You would deny these people an opportunity?

If some of us here had our way

we'd be denying them a sight more than they got now.

Now, you just take you and your fancy ideas

out of Nescatunga.

Whoa back!

That'll be enough.

Who in the Sam Hill are you?

Festus Haggen, Deputy United States Marshall.

Well, Deputy United States Marshall Haggen,

this addle brained old...

That'll do with the name calling.

He's fixing to build a church up at Jacob's Woods.

Well I'd say that's gonna take a heap of doing.

I say that anyone that brings the Word

to them scurvy Comanches out on that reservation

is like spitting on the graves of every Christian they ever butchered.

I mean, it's bad enough we gotta see them

living free up there on government land,

eating government beef.

I am serving notice that I am bringing

more than the scriptures to the Comanches.

But we shall begin with a church.

- Revered I gotta say this... - Are you an officer of the law?

Yes, sir.

Then order this man to sell me

the merchandise I requested.

I can't afford to waste anymore of my time with him.

Now, Reverend.

Byrne, Arthur Byrne.

Reverend, I sure don't wanna say nothing

that's gonna set you off again,

but from what I see-ed and hear-ed

you kind of got a knack for rubbing folks the wrong way.

See only somebody that's had to fight them Injuns

for every breath they took,

knows why these folks feels the way they do.

I know hatred, and I intend to batter it down.

Well then, you're gonna have to

down this whole town of Nescatunga.

See, these folks lost a lot of their kin fighting them Comanches.

The Comanches lost a lot of their kin fighting too.

Their misfortune was that they lost

and that's the only difference.

Now, my first step is to build a church.

And if that is successful, my second step will be

to build a school.

And then a clinic.

Thing is, see, the Injun done got his believings.

Far as I can tell, he ain't in the market for nobody else's.

Are you going to give me the chance to try?

I want you to sell that reverend whatever it is he's came for.

What makes you think I'm gonna do that?

Well, this here badge for one thing.

That there's all I'm gonna need.

I've never seen such foolishness.

If those heathens want religion

all they gotta do is come into town.

We got a church here.

And I'm sure Reverend Atkins would be most happy

to set up a separate service for them.

Well, it looks like we got her did, Reverend.

I wanna thank you again, Marshall uh...

- Hagen, Festus Hagen. - Festus?

Festus, like that there judge in Acts 24 and 25.

People will insist on fetching obscure names

out of the Bible, won't they?

Well I must get on. The day is slipping by.

I reckon you've did yourself some carpentering

before you put that collar on, Reverend.

Well no, can't say as I have.

Well, who you figuring on to help you build your church?

Well, I had an idea.

I'd get some volunteers from here in Nescatunga.

Now that you've saw the way they feel

you got any other ideas?

Well, I don't know.

I do know that the first step

is to get this lumber to the reservation.

I'll worry about the second step after the first.

Now, I reckon you know how to get to wherever it is

- that you're going? - I'll find it.

Maybe I oughta just ride out yonder with you

so's you won't get lost nor get in no trouble.

No, no, no you've done enough already, Marshal.

Now you gotta have somebody help you unload that wagon,

set up camp... I'll give you a hand

then I'll head on back to Dodge.

You don't understand, I can't pay you.

I need the money for the church.

Well, I ain't expecting no wages.

Now, if I was you'd a known about it before now.

Well, now, now, don't get upset.

I just wanted to avoid a misunderstanding later on.

Whoa.

Well, this is it.

How do you know that?

I just know.

That's sure a bright pretty spot all right.

I'll bet you there's some catfish in that lake, too.

Wherever you want to unload.

Right here.

Under the trees.

You know, the thing I can't figure out about you, Reverend

how come you ain't never started picking at me

to find out what church I was baptized in?

That there's usual the first thing

that some preachers will do, see.

They wanna get to work to try and change your believings.

Then they start to try and make you feel guilty.

Once they get a feller to feeling guilty

then they can shove that collection plate up under your nose.

Don't you see?

But that there's one thing about you, too.

You ain't never asked me for a penny

for your collection plate.

And that there is plumb odd for a preacher

in these here parts.

Well, maybe that's what's wrong

with the preachers in these parts.

Ain't you kind of setting yourself up above

other folks there, Reverend?

Well, looks like we got her all did, Reverend.

You've been very generous with your time.

Marshall, I'd like to give you something.

No, I done told you once

I ain't doing nothing for no pay and I mean it.

This is a gift, a remembrance I'd like you to have.

Why, I couldn't take that reverend.

Onliest watch I ever saw that could hold a candle

to that there was in a mail order book

and it cost pretty nigh 30 dollars.

Well I'm sure this one cost much more than 30 dollars.

It was given to me by my bishop

on the occasion of my retirement.

The bishop was known for his refined taste.

And money was never in short supply in our diocese.

Here.

No sir, I ain't gonna do no such a thing, now.

And you oughta be ashamed of yourself

for trying to give me away a gift that was gave to you.

Why...

Wait here reverend.

Hey, here you go!

Now you're, simmer down.

Quit that, quit, quit!

Marshall are you trying to scare that child to death?

Oh I ain't hurting her none, now rest.

Simmer down, I ain't a hurting her.

Simmer down now.

Chances are she was just a sizing up your camp

to see what she could steal later.

There is nothing in this camp

that anybody, including Indians, would want to steal.

Well they is some...

Look at her, rags for clothes.

And nutrient deficiency.

Any fool could see that a proper diet

is the only starting point.

Here, eat it.

Here.

Eat it.

Look, like this.

Here.

Good. Eat it.

Onliest thing I can figure

is you must be part Injun, Reverend.

Tell you what, we still got us a couple hours of daylight.

I think I'll just take her home

and have a talk with her people.

Could be, they'd send down some young Comanche bucks

to help you out here.

Would you do that?

Of course I will.

And I'm fixing to head for Dodge for sure.

Mila!

Mila!

Reverend, if I was you I wouldn't count on them

Comanches helping you build your church.

In that case, I'll have to do it myself.

Well reverend, you can't...

Thank you Marshall, but it's long past time you started home.

Well, supposing you do get some kind of a church throwed up.

How you gonna get them Indians to come to it?

Blamed old...

Reverend?

Reverend, I hate to say this

but it's the truth.

They ain't got no use for you.

Building the church is the first step.

- I'll worry... - How come the first step,

there's always the next step.

I never have saw a man that never does

get to the second step the way you don't.

Maybe that's the secret, Marshall.

Goodbye now.

All right boys, these are on the house.

- Thanks, hon. - Thank you, Hannah.

Sure wish you hadn't done it, though.

Why?

Well, every time I see a free drink I think of Festus.

Oh well, he must have been on your mind

an awful lot lately, then.

Are you trying to tell me I owe for drinks?

Who's keeping score?

Sounds to me like you are.

Matt, did I say a word?

I'm out of it.

Marshall, I gotta talk to you.

What is it, Burke?

Ms. Hannah, Doc.

Marshall, you know I'm chairman

of the entertainment committee for the annual square dance.

I believe you've told us that a time or two.

Yeah, well it's Festus, Marshall.

Now, is he gonna be here or isn't he to call out the square dance?

Now, if he isn't gonna be here,

well I gotta get a substitute.

Well Burke, all I can tell you is

his wire said he'd be here.

I can't depend on a wire, Marshall,

I've got a million things to do

and well I just don't have the time.

Well I'll tell you, Festus will be here.

Now he may stop and do a little fishing on the way

but if you think Festus is gonna miss a chance

to strut around in front of the whole town, you're mistaken.

I'll tell you Burke, it's a week off, anyway.

Now look, if Festus doesn't show up

I'll call the dance.

You?

I never heard of a woman calling a square dance.

It's not proper.

I got a million things to think about

and now I gotta worry about Festus.

Boy, he sure does bustle, doesn't he?

Well he's got a million things to think about,

and two's too dang many.

You know, if a feller ever was to get a church built

starting off this way,

chances are the first high wind would come along

would blow it down right around the preacher's ears.

Might even wake up the whole congregation.

Doesn't look like much, does it?

No sir, sure don't.

Don't you think it's just about time, reverend

for admitting that you can't do this all by your own self?

I'll do it.

Well, fiddle.

I knowed what you's gonna say 'fore I ever even

asked a question.

You know, I was thinking riding back here

it wouldn't do no good if a whole herd of angles

come right down from the pearly gate

and give you that same advice to harp music.

That's the kind of a stubborn old...

Beg your pardon reverend.

I got disrespectful-some there.

What do you think you're doing?

I'm fixing to help you build your church.

But you're a law man.

You have responsibilities.

Well fact is, there's a couple fellers back yonder

in Dodge that can fill in for me.

I don't like imposing on you.

Well, I'm up the creek this far with you reverend.

Might as well help you paddle the rest of the way.

I don't wanna hear no more.

My mind's done made up.

Well now, look at that plate of yourn there.

You ain't eat hardly nothing at all.

Well, as man gets older, he eats less.

That there don't look like the Bible

you're reading there, Reverend.

Well, it's not.

I study the Bible for the text to my sermons.

But I promised that I would give myself

an hour's reading for my own pleasure every night.

You know that there preacher I seen back yonder in Nescatunga,

he could spout off the Bible like it was a new well.

Marshal, I concluded a long time ago

that the time I'd use memorizing the Bible

would be better spent trying to do the good it recommended.

There I go putting myself over others again, eh?

I didn't wanna be the one to say that at all.

Well, what is that book you're reading, Reverend?

It's the story about a man named Ahab, a fisherman

who is trying to catch a whale.

A whale?

You mean one of them great old big fish

that lives in the ocean?

Yes.

A white one.

White?

Golly Bill.

Yes, maybe the biggest in the whole ocean.

Maybe in the whole universe.

Do tell.

Well, did he?

Did he what?

Did that feller Ahab catch that white whale

that he's a fishing for?

Oh yeah.

Yes.

But of course it killed him.

Appears to me like

preacher wants to read about whales

he oughta be satisfied to read about old Jonah

and his tribe in the Bible.

Leastwise, that there had a happy ending.

Reverend, who in the tarnation you talking at?

Oh, I'm sorry Marshall, I didn't mean to wake you.

I have this pamphlet from the Department of the Interior

about the Comanches.

It has a few simple phrases.

I couldn't sleep. So I...

Figured you'd learn yourself some Comanche, is that it?

Yes, I thought I'd try learning the language.

You go to sleep.

I'll quiet down.

If that don't beat all.

Spout off no words from the Bible and here he is,

trying to learn a whole nother language.

Oh, drat!

This time you get nothing.

We had a town meeting last night

and I got a lot of folks behind me.

Now, look here.

Just hold your taters, Reverend.

Now mister, I don't give a hoot if the whole blame

territories are backing you up.

We have came here for some lumber

and some nails and vittles, and we aim to get them.

Marshall or no Marshall, not another scrap of my lumber's

going up to that reservation.

Please, Mr. Dunbar.

We don't need that kind of trouble here.

Now, let's all just calm down for a bit.

You sir, might I have a word with you?

Certainly.

- Now, Reverend? - Byrne.

Reverend Byrne, then.

I wanted to ride out and talk with you.

Then why didn't you?

Well, my responsibilities here, of course.

I had hoped to try to dissuade you

from this business of building a church out there.

I shouldn't have to.

There already should be a church there.

And a school and a medical facility.

That's what happens when men such as you and I

take their vows, perform their duties

and live their faith.

I can understand that having recently

come from the East,

you might jump to certain conclusions.

But you don't understand the situation.

The Indian Wars have only been over for a few years.

Memories are fresh.

- Perhaps later, when the... - I have no later.

Now, I want to know,

were you at that meeting the shopkeeper talked about

where the residents of this town denied me my supplies?

I thought so.

They would want their prejudice sanctified

by the resident spokesman.

Now, stand out of my way.

You, storekeeper, I'm going to enter that building

and take the supplies I need for my work.

If you're going to use that weapon

you'd better start using it now.

Come along, Marshal.

Oh, this is in return for the apple, is it?

Not the way it's supposed to be.

Missionaries all wise in giving.

Oh.

Want me to eat it, eh?

Well.

Um, good, good.

Wait a minute, wait.

See, watch this now?

Don't be afraid.

Now you try it, here.

Sit right here.

Try it.

No, it needs help.

Now.

Pretty, isn't it?

Isn't that nice?

Here.

You can hang me from a tall oak.

When my wife died I assessed my life,

and I was not happy with what I came up with.

It seemed to me that I had not accomplished very much.

Now hold on, Reverend.

Just being a preacher and a herding folks

toward truth and light.

That there ought to count for something.

Yes, Marshal, if the folks are in need.

But each Sunday as I looked out over my congregation

of the richest merchants in town

it occurred to me that I was being maintained,

and maintained very well, let me tell you,

as a sort of spiritual bed warmer.

It was not the ideal I'd set up for myself

as a young man.

Then my sermons took on a sterner note.

Downright raspy, you might say.

I don't think my parishioners were unhappy to see me go.

My bishop received several letters

and he was not the sort of man

who'd enjoy letters of that nature.

Well then, you just sort of got fired.

Sort of.

Oh no!

Marshal!

Them there ornery, no good knot heads from town!

He wouldn't let this happen.

He wouldn't.

None of it mattered, did it?

Oh, Reverend.

Look at the hatred I've stirred up.

I turned ordinary citizens into night riders.

Maybe tonight they'll burn the child's village.

Oh, my God, what have I done?

No, they ain't gonna stir up no ruckus with Injuns, Reverend.

They don't want that kind of trouble.

Well, I'm gonna take me a ride into town, Reverend.

I'll be back before sundown.

What do you want?

Just for the time being, I'll figure that you don't know

about last night.

What are you talking about? What happened last night?

I'll guarantee you there's some of your flock here

knows what happened last night.

Whatever is bothering you,

this is neither the time nor the place.

I figure this here's the mainest place, Reverend.

You don't go tromping on a man's dreams

and not get called for it.

Now, I ain't no preacher.

I ain't had me no school learning at all.

Whatever I'm fixing to say here

might not be the fit and proper words

but I figure you'll all get what I'm meaning.

I wanna tell you about a man.

Worked hard all his life preaching the gospel.

Mostly to a bunch of folks that never done

no practicing on it, except on Sunday.

Just like I figure a lot of you folks does.

Now, this here man tried to do good all of his life.

One day he got old.

And them that run his church

figured he wasn't worth a hoot to nobody

so they run him off.

Well, he didn't figure he was done by a long shot.

So he went to looking around every place,

trying to figure out somebody that he could help.

Finally come clean out here wanting to build a church

for the Injuns.

Whether he was crazy or whether he wasn't,

that's what he wanted to do.

He done it all by his own self.

Spent every last penny he had a doing it.

And I figure he had the right to give it a whirl.

To try it.

Come right here to your town in Nescatunga

wanting to do good.

He got hisself good and tromped on

by some of you righteous, God-fearing Christians.

Now, all of you didn't strike them matches

that set his church on fire last night,

but you was egging on the ones that done it.

The mainest one is your preacher Atkins here.

Marshal, I want you to understand

I had nothing to do with whatever happened last night.

I didn't even know about it until right now.

Reverend, I figure there's a right

and there's a wrong.

Appears to me a lot of your flock here

don't know which is which.

Helping them decided which is which

is the preacher's job.

Or ain't nobody never told you that?

That's all I got to say.

What do you think you're doing?

They's some of these here boards we can still use.

Then we got all them good boards we brung from Nescatunga.

It's not worth it, Marshal.

Nothing's worth it.

I don't know whether it is or whether it ain't.

Onliest thing I know is, Reverend,

the first step is to get a church built.

Reverend!

- I'm all right, I'm all right. - My foot, you're all right.

I've had trouble with my heart

but it always passes.

Well, that's why you've been in such an all fired hurry

to get your church built.

It's almost done.

And now that there's a church,

the first step is to find a congregation.

I kind of figured that there'd be the next first step.

Reverend, you get yourself some rest now.

I'll be back directly.

No.

You ain't even hear-ed me out yet

and you've done went and said no.

There's no need to hear you out.

Onliest thing I'm asking you, Chief,

is to come down and listen to him once.

Maybe talk to him a little.

But we have no need for what he offers.

We have our own ways.

Them old days is gone, Chief.

But as many of the old ways as we can keep alive

we will, no matter how we are forced to live.

Tonkawa, it's just one old man.

Leave us alone!

This here ain't the pony soldiers, don't you see?

It's just a tired, sick old man.

Only our own way.

As many of them as we can keep.

There's no more need to talk.

I forgot my manners there, Chief.

Them old ways you was talking about,

see, I come here in peace.

You let me come in peace

and my gift to you is my mule, Ruth, here.

Yes.

We met in peace.

Your gift is a very generous one.

I have nothing so generous to give you in return.

Yes you have, Chief.

Reverend you sure look spiffy in your get up.

Just the way a preacher ought to look.

Good book in your hand.

You were worried about that, weren't you Marshal?

Well, I...

- You think he'll come? - Oh course he'll come.

Maybe not all of them.

Maybe not even most of them.

But they'll be enough to...

Enough to what?

They'll come.

I am sorry that I cannot speak your native tongue.

But, perhaps those who do understand me

will tell the others what I have to say.

I cannot pretend that I am one of you.

Or hope that I ever can be.

But although we are different,

in many ways we are the same.

I am told that the Comanche believes that

death is not the end.

But that there is another life beyond the sun

that sets in the west.

I too believe this.

I also believe that the Comanche

when he wants to speak with his God,

goes out and seeks a vision.

I want to tell you today about a man

who lived many years ago.

And when he wanted to speak to his God

he too went out into the wilderness

and ate nothing for 40 days.

Oh not yet. Oh, dear God not yet.

- Reverend. - There's so much left to do.

He's dead?

He was a strange man to come here and die.

So far away from his own people.

But, I do believe he was a good man.

Wasn't none better.

You and he gave a generous gift to my people.

I have nothing else of value to give you.

Whoa.

He was right, about everything.

We should have come here before.

I wanted to talk with him.

He wasn't much for talking.

Mostly for doing.

He was right about me, too.

We came to help him rebuild.

We will.

I am going to try and follow his path, Marshal.

First step is to finish the church.

- Second step... - I know.

Be mighty proud to hear that too.

Was it worth it, Reverend?

You bet.