Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Dillon, narrating: Men die for a lot of reasons.

I've even heard of worthy ones,

like the man who's willing to face it for the good that might come after.

But he's a different breed than most of these Boot Hill trash.

These people died for fool's reasons.

Spilled drink. Wrong card.

Or maybe worst of all, the bull-headed stubbornness

that keeps a man from listening to reason.

To die like this is a waste,

for nothing is gained by their dying.

Matt Dillon, U.S. marshal.

Mmm.

You know, Mr. Dillon, a day like this will make you feel kind of perky.

Yeah.

Looks like it's gonna be a mighty fine day.

Yeah. Sun shinin'.

There's a nice breeze comin' up.

Breakfast just waitin' down the street.

I knew you'd get around to the food.

You can't blame a man for wantin' to eat now and then.

Bread and butter.

Yeah, but you get a hold of a knife and fork,

and you turn into a tiger.

Oh, it ain't that bad, just 'cause I like my vittles.

Hello, Carl.

Well, it's been a long time, Matt.

You know, that's funny. I just rode into town.

And the first man I run into is you.

Chester, this is Carl Killion.

How do you do?

Howdy, Chester.

A badge?

Yeah, I'm the marshal here.

Well, who'd ever have believed it?

That's funny, isn't it?

I guess we both wound up sellin' our guns.

I wouldn't know what you mean, Matt.

I'm just a drifter... Here today, gone tomorrow.

What happens between today and tomorrow, Carl?

Well, nobody ever knows that ahead of time.

Not when you hit town. That's not the way I hear it.

Oh, you know how easy stories get started, Matt.

A man don't have a regular trade, people make up things.

Carl, I've heard too much about you in the past few years.

Are you a lawman for real, Matt,

or are you just bronco-ing this town for what you can get out of it?

I'm a lawman.

That's funny. A man never knows who he'll run into

driftin' around the way I do.

You didn't drift into Dodge, Carl.

Somebody paid you to come in.

Am I right?

Well, now, if I was the kind of man them stories say,

you wouldn't figure me to answer that, would ya?

No, I guess not.

Not that I am that kind, of course.

Like I said, just stories.

Carl...

get out of Dodge right now.

Is that an order, Marshal?

No. Just good advice.

Well, then I reckon I'll stay a few days.

Take a look around.

See what kind of town you got.

I'll see ya again before I leave.

Good day.

You know, I think that's about a cold

a pair of eyes as I ever saw. Who is that fella?

His name's Carl Killion, Doc.

Knew him years ago down in the Pan Handle.

You did?

Yeah, he had a big spread down there.

Fence cutters burned him out one night, killed his wife.

He went out after 'em.

Killed about four of 'em, the way I remember it.

I guess he's just never been able to stop.

Or doesn't want to.

Hired killer, huh?

Gets $1,000 a job, the way I hear it.

Well, I wonder who he's after here, though, Mr. Dillon.

I sure wish I knew.

Let's go get some breakfast, huh?

Hiya, Doctor Adams.

How'd you know my name?

Friend of Matt Dillon's, ain't ya?

I reckon everybody in town knows who you are, Doc.

It's nice to see ya.

Matt, hold on a minute! I want to talk to you.

Doc.

Listen, you got to do somethin' about this Killion fella.

Why, what's he done?

Well, he's done nothin' yet.

That's the whole thing about it.

But he's got people in this town so doggone nervous and jumpy,

every time a door slams, they're jumpin' sideways.

There's not much I can do about that, Doc.

Well, you see, though they know who he is and what he's here for,

they just don't know who the mark's on 'til he makes a move.

Well, unfortunately there's not much I can do

'til he makes that move, Doc.

Come on in.

Golly, Matt, I... I just don't see why

you'd have to wait 'til Killion makes his move.

Well, Doc, he's not been convicted of any crime here.

And he's not wanted anywhere else.

Not wanted? Good heavens, he's a known killer.

He's never been convicted of it.

There ought to be some way to stop him.

Well, the only way I know of to stop him

is if he goes after somebody in particular.

Well, there's about 50 people around this town

that think he's gonna to go after them.

Old man Ross sittin' over there right now

in the back end of the store

with a shotgun across his lap

just 'cause that Killion walked up and took a look in the window.

I doubt if he's after old Ross.

Well, I don't think so, either.

But you don't know for sure, do ya?

No.

Oh, Mr. Dillon, there's a fella here that's lookin' for ya.

His name's Tex Bart. Here's the marshal there.

What's on your mind?

Marshal, there's a man here in Dodge that's fixin' to kill me.

Oh, is that so?

He calls himself Carl Killion.

He's been hired to come here and do me in.

Well, now, there's a lot of men here in Dodge

that seem to think Carl Killion is after 'em.

I don't care what they think. I know.

I seen him in Pueblo two weeks ago.

And now he's turned up here.

Pueblo?

I got in a bit of trouble there just before I come down here.

I killed a man in a fight.

It was a fair fight, but his father was a big rancher there.

He swore he was gonna to get me one way or another.

How does Killion figure in this?

Well, he was there, and he seen the fight.

I didn't know who he was then, but I remember his face, all right.

Marshal, he's hired him. I know it.

I mean, Killion ain't here just by accident.

Well, if he was in Pueblo before he come here,

well, it must've been somebody in Pueblo that hired him.

Maybe.

Marshal, you got to lock him up.

It's the only way you're gonna stop him.

If you don't, he's gonna kill me.

Runnin' away ain't gonna help.

He's just gonna to follow me.

I've heard all about that man.

Where you stayin'?

At the Dodge House.

All right, I'll tell you what I want you to do.

You go back there and stay in your room.

Don't go out in the street at all.

Marshal, you think he can't find me there

if he comes lookin'?

I think if he's after you, he'll make his play in public.

That's the way he always works.

But if you stay out of his way

and don't let him push you into anything,

you'll be all right.

For how long?

Until I can figure somethin' out.

Well, I'll think about it, Marshal.

Don't think about it. Do it.

I ought to knowed better than come to the law.

Well, Killion's after somebody.

If he's not the one, there's just someone else

you might not have thought of.

Who's that?

You.

I've thought of it.

♪ She's got them big eyes, she... ♪

Miss Rusty, how are you tonight?

Fine. Thank you, Chester.

Well, you lookin' for anyone?

No.

I'm kind of glad that I caught you out here.

You are?

Yeah.

Well, you're all dressed up tonight.

Oh, well, yeah, I guess.

What's the occasion?

Um, well, truth of the matter is

I thought maybe if you'd get off early,

why, we could rent a buggy from Moss

and take a buggy ride down to Cluger Springs.

Now? At night?

Oh, nighttime's the best time to take a buggy ride.

Uh, well, it ain't near as hot.

I know.

Yeah?

Well, what do you think about the buggy ride, I mean?

I'm sorry, Chester.

I'm afraid I can't make it tonight.

Uh-huh.

Well, well, it was just that, you know, last week, you...

I know I did. But something came up.

Well... Oh, you mean workin'?

I mean, after you get off from work.

No, that's not it. It's...

Well, we'll take a buggy ride some other night, huh?

Sure.

You're not mad at me, are you?

Oh, no. Heaven's...

Well, would you like to come in and have a drink?

We could talk for a while.

Uh.

Well, no. No, I don't think so.

I think maybe I'll just dog it around town.

Maybe go over to the Lady Gay.

I'll see ya later.

Okay. Good night, Chester.

Night.

Hi, Kitty.

Hello, Matt.

How's business?

What business?

Sit ya down, Marshal.

Thanks, Clem.

Yeah, it does look a little bit slow around here.

Matt, if you don't do something

about running this man Killion out of town,

I might as well close up.

He's makin' this place his home.

Well, I can't say I blame him for that.

Every time he comes in here,

the rest of the boys start sweatin' under their collars

and edging toward the door.

If he'd only do something so I could throw him out of here.

But he's always a perfect gentleman.

You ought to tell him about it. Maybe he'll reform.

Well, here goes another night's business shot right in the head.

Evenin', Miss Kitty.

Mr. Killion.

- Matt. - How are ya?

That's a mighty pretty dress you're wearing, ma'am.

Thank you.

Law business coming along all right, Matthew?

The town's been pretty quiet the past few days.

Yeah, I've been noticin' that.

Don't seem to be hardly any people around at all.

Not around you anyway.

Oh, now people got no call to feel that way.

I don't mean no harm to 'em.

Carl, were you in Pueblo just before you came here?

Might've been. Why?

Is that where you took on this job?

I reckon you believe all them stories, Matt,

just like everybody else.

Miss Kitty.

What is it, Rusty?

- Evening, Marshal. - Hello, Rusty.

- Mr. Killion. - Evening Miss Fennel.

Excuse me for butting in, Miss Kitty, but Mabel and Susan wondered

if they could have the rest of the night off,

seeing that there's not much business anyway.

They want to wash their hair.

Yeah, sure. Tell 'em to go ahead.

I suppose you know you're ruinin' my business.

Well, then maybe I'd better make up for some of it right now,

if Miss Fennel will do me the honor of having a drink with me.

I'd be very happy to, Mr. Killion.

Good. I'm sure you'll excuse us.

Gives me the jeebies having him hanging around here.

Doesn't seem to bother Rusty much, does it?

Oh, she's crazy about him. All the girls are.

Yeah?

You know, with all the time he's been spendin' here,

maybe I'm the one he's after.

Matt.

That boy was aimin' to do me harm, Matt.

He's dead.

I didn't have much choice, the way he come at me.

Is this the job you came here to do, Carl?

No, Matt.

I've never seen that boy before in my life, to my knowledge.

Never even heard of him. Don't even know his name.

If I was really after somebody, I still am.

What is it, Mr. Killion?

I don't often see a town...

Any town... when it's quiet like this

and peaceful.

I shouldn't have thought you liked quiet, peaceful things.

Been a long time since I've known any.

Are they true, all those stories about you?

Most of 'em. Ah, people add on a lot.

But, uh, most of 'em is true.

I'd hoped they weren't.

Well, things happen sometimes when a man gets pushed,

further and further,

where he don't mean to go.

Who pushes them, Mr. Killion?

Why, nobody I guess, when you come right down to it.

Except himself.

Then a man could stop any time he wanted to, couldn't he?

It just ain't that easy, Miss Fennel.

Why not?

A man makes a bargain.

He gives his word.

He's got to keep it.

Not when it's a vicious, cold-blooded bargain to kill a man.

Let's forget about it.

That's what I'm asking you to do... Forget about it.

Why do you care so much, Miss Fennel?

What difference does it make to you?

I just don't want to see anyone die.

I don't want to think of you as a killer anymore.

I don't know why, exactly.

But if you go through with this, don't ever come near me again.

I mean that.

You don't understand.

I don't want to understand.

Well, then...

Reckon I'd better take you on home, Miss Fennel.

Oh, hi, Mr. Dillon.

Hello, Chester. What are you doin' back here?

I didn't figure to see you 'til tomorrow morning.

Oh, might as well just give up.

I'm about ready to go to bed, I think.

Can't have no fun at all around this gol-dang town

with that Killion hanging around.

Yeah, I guess he does kind of slow things up, doesn't he?

Why, just terrible!

I mean, there ain't hardly anybody out at all.

And them that is is so busy lookin' over their shoulder,

jumpin' sideways at their shadows.

It don't matter how hard you try,

you just can't put your mind at ease.

It sure is a shame to waste

all that hair grease and that boiled shirt you got there.

I kind of figured you'd be king of the Long Branch tonight.

You know, Mr. Dillon, now there's another thing.

You know, that little girl over there, uh, that I was kind of sweet on?

- Rusty? - Yeah.

Yeah?

Well, she just can't see me for dust.

She keeps hanging around him all the time.

Well, I wouldn't get too worked up

over a dance hall girl anyway, Chester.

Well, she ain't just no ordinary dance hall girl, Mr. Dillon.

She comes from a real nice family.

Is that so?

Yeah. Well, I mean, her ma and pa, they're dead.

But she's got an uncle

that's a real important man worth a lot of money.

And his health ain't been too good the last couple of years, either.

And here I thought it was true love.

Well, Mr. Dillon, you know

that I don't care too much about money.

But it sure don't hurt none to know that she's an only heir,

along with this cousin of hers in Pueblo.

Where?

In Pueblo.

That's where this uncle and cousin of hers live.

Why? What difference does it make where they live?

I'm gonna over to have a little talk with Rusty.

Well, she's not there, Mr. Dillon.

She went home with Killion.

Last door on the left, the clerk said.

Yeah.

You'd probably better stay here, Chester.

Yeah.

Rusty: Who is it?

It's Marshal Dillon.

I want to talk with you for a minute, Rusty.

It's awful late, Marshal.

This is important, Rusty.

All right, what is it?

Can I come in?

I guess it's all right.

Thank you.

Don't look at the room. It's a mess.

That's all right.

Now, what is it, Marshal?

What did you want to talk to me about?

Well, I understand you've been seeing a lot of Carl Killion lately.

Well, I... Suppose I have.

I like him.

I think people are wrong about him.

How'd you meet him, Rusty?

What do you mean?

Well, I mean, did he come up and introduce himself to ya, or...

Well, he came to the Long Branch a few times.

He talked to all of the girls, of course.

Well, he seemed to like me best.

Marshal, can't we talk about something else?

Now, Rusty, it's Carl Killion I came here to talk about.

Well, I'm sorry. I don't wish to discuss him.

Why not?

It doesn't matter why not.

And if you insist on talking about him,

I'll have to ask you to come back tomorrow.

Well, of course, I can't force you to talk about him, Rusty.

What's the matter? Don't you like fresh air?

Rusty: I usually open them,

I just hadn't gotten around to it.

I see. Nice view of the street you got here.

That's one of the reasons I took the place.

Mm-hmm.

Quite a town, Dodge.

Always somethin' going on there, day and night.

Now, Rusty, I'm not gonna bother you any longer.

I just wanted to show you I could talk about something besides Killion.

Sorry I bothered you.

You all right, Mr. Dillon?

Yeah, I'm all right, Chester.

Can you hear me, Carl?

That was a fast draw, Matt.

Just as well.

Cousin in Pueblo, he just...

give me the name.

Rusty Fennel, I...

I didn't know it was a woman.

Not 'til after I'd agreed to take the job.

Then... I had to go through with it.

Matter of honor, I guess.

Honor?

A woman... I liked her too much.

Tell her.

Tell...

I thought maybe we...

He was only waiting for a chance to kill me.

Well, there's one thing, Rusty.

He was here for four days.

He had plenty of chances and he never tried.

Come on, I'll take you out of here.