Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Everything seems to be in order, Matt.

The marshal always does things orderly.

I sure wish you'd take these cuffs off, Marshal.

So I could shake your hand.

You've earned your way in here, Dutton.

Someday I'll earn my way out.

You mind that.

Take him out.

You never get used to it, do you?

Well... I can ride out of here, Warden;

I don't have to get used to it.

Hmm, you ought to try my job.

No, thanks. Mine's bad enough.

They don't threaten me when they leave here.

They don't say they're gonna come back and get me someday.

You're the man that sent them in,

you're the man they're gunning for.

Yeah. Well, I hope I don't have to come back again too soon.

You sure bring in your share, Matt.

I know it.

Maybe that's what gives me the willies about this place.

Locking a man up here is like inching the life out of him.

You think on it too personal.

I'll see you next time around.

Right, Matt.

Marshal Dillon?

Sure, it's the marshal.

You remember me... Collie Patten?

Well, sure. How are you, Collie?

Well, I'm fine.

Eight years in a place like this

is just the right tonic for a man.

- I'm gonna hate to leave. - Oh, that's right.

You'll be getting out soon, won't you?

Today, Marshal. I get out today.

Good.

Francie know you're coming home?

She'll know when I get there.

Well, you are planning to come back to Dodge, aren't you?

What I'm planning, Marshal,

I'll let you worry about that.

Good luck to you, Collie.

My horse ready yet?

I got one shoe to go, Marshal.

Give me ten, 25 minutes.

You hungry, they got eats two doors down.

Saloon's across the street.

All right, thanks.

Glass of beer.

Hello, Collie.

Can I buy you a beer?

I want whiskey.

And I'll buy my own.

A bottle of whiskey.

Can I see your money?

I look like I don't have money?

No hard feelings, mister.

A lot of men get out, they want whiskey,

they ain't got a dime.

Nothing against you, mister.

Is that the way it's gonna be, Marshal?

Everybody takes a look, they don't know your name,

your face... they just know you've been in prison.

I don't know, Collie, maybe that's up to you.

That's something else I'm gonna have to add to what I owe you.

Eight years.

That's a hunk you took out of my life.

You can't put eight years back.

Wasn't me that took those eight years, Collie.

Well, we don't remember it the same way.

You rode me up here; you give me over to the warden.

I ain't forgetting that.

Seems to me, you kind of pick and choose

what you want to remember.

Do you happen to remember stealing Davis Henry's cattle?

Blowing his leg half off with a shotgun?

Tell you the truth, Marshal, all these years,

I hardly give Davis Henry a thought.

Mostly I been thinking about you.

Mm-hmm.

Now, it so happens, you got a wife and boy back home.

You been doing any thinking about them?

Rob was four years old when I left.

He's grown into a good boy.

He won't know me.

My own son won't know me.

That's something else I owe you.

When are you coming home?

Oh, they give me a stage ticket to Dodge,

but they didn't say when to use it.

You'll know when I'm home.

Collie, let me tell you something.

You made a mistake, you've paid for it...

The books are balanced.

Now, if you're smart, you'll forget about the past

and you'll go on home and start fresh.

Well, this must be my lucky day.

In a minute, I'm gonna look you straight in the face,

and I want you to look up and smile at me.

I don't mind smiling... if I got a reason.

Well, you got a reason.

I've been away a long time and now I'm back,

and, uh, you're glad to see me.

It don't matter I never laid eyes on you before?

It don't matter.

You smell like the prison.

That don't make me too smiley.

We drink a while, we'll both smell better.

Well, if it isn't old what's-his-name.

Welcome home.

Well, now, thank you, ma'am.

Thank you kindly.

♪♪

Marshal Dillon, good morning.

Hello, Francie.

Soon as I could get a ride, I was coming in to see you.

Well, I guess I saved you a trip, then.

It's time Collie's free, isn't it?

Yeah, he got out yesterday.

Well...

I didn't know how I'd hear.

Collie's no hand to write.

I been trying to get things ready

in case he just walked in someday.

I was up there yesterday.

When he got out?

Why didn't you bring him home?

Well, they, uh, they gave him a stage ticket up there.

He'll be along in a day or two.

He's all right, isn't he?

I mean, he's... he's not sick or in trouble?

No, he's fine.

He's... well, he's changed some.

Well, I guess we all change.

Gonna take some patience, Francie.

I think I've learned patience these eight years, Marshal.

You know, if there's anything I can do to-to help you,

I'd be more than glad to.

You've already done more than your share, Marshal.

I don't know what would've come of Rob and me

if you and a lot of other folks hadn't been so helpful.

We just wouldn't have a home

for Collie to come to, I know that.

You've done a good job, Francie.

Nothing special.

Having Rob to think of and look after,

that made all the difference.

You can't love your boy with bitterness in your heart.

Francie, I still think that Collie's a good man.

I think that what it's gonna do is take some time

for him to get himself straightened around.

Well, we're long on time around here.

Hello, Marshal.

Hello, Rob. How are you?

I'll be fine if I can get rid of the potato bugs.

Plants out here are full of 'em.

Well, a little kerosene usually takes care of them.

Course, you got to be careful, or it'll take care

- of the plants, too. - Yeah.

Marshal's come with good news, Rob.

Rob, your pa's coming home.

Oh.

When?

Couple of days.

Seems kind of funny.

It's not like he remembers him, Marshal.

Rob, your pa's gonna be mighty proud of you.

Sure will seem strange...

having him around.

I better get back to those bugs.

Time and patience.

Yeah, Francie, a lot of it.

Well, I, uh, guess I better be getting back to town.

I'm much obliged to you for coming out to tell us, Marshal.

Sure.

Francie...

everything's gonna be all right, you wait and see.

Be nice if we were sure of that, wouldn't it?

So long.

♪♪

Well, I sure wouldn't want to be in his shoes

for anything in the world, tell you that.

Well, he's out of prison; that's something.

It's not enough, though.

People are not gonna forget.

Well, they should, Doc.

You know, I remember when...

Collie was courting Francie.

He'd never been in any kind of trouble.

I guess things just piled up on him.

It's not like as if he'd been a criminal all his life.

As far as I'm concerned,

he's made a mistake and he's paid for it.

People should leave him alone to start over.

It just don't work out that way every time,

you know that, Matt.

That's right, but...

you see, it's not the cattle stealing,

it's what he did to Davis Henry they're not gonna forget.

I mean, shooting him in the leg like that.

Horseman like that, a rancher, an active man,

shot in the leg.

Well, the law put a price on that, Doc... eight years.

Well, I'm not talking law, I'm talking people.

Sure, Collie paid with eight years of his life.

Davis Henry's gonna have to pay all the rest of his life.

Can't argue that.

No, he's got an awful lot to live down.

Well, you act like he's got nothing on his side.

Rob and Francie have done a wonderful job.

They've worked hard and held on to that farm,

and people aren't likely to forget that.

Well, I think you're right about that.

Doc, what would you do if you were Collie?

Golly, I'd leave town.

Well, you're not a man to run from a problem.

Think I'd run from this one.

I don't think there's any question about

what a fresh start someplace else

for the whole family would be the best thing in the world.

Maybe you're right.

You don't think so, though, do you?

I think it's good advice.

I don't think he'd take it.

Maybe if you talked to him.

If I made that suggestion to him,

he'd figure on staying here the rest of his life.

I'll see you later.

You know what I think?

I think Matt's worried.

Well, I think he is, too, and he's...

he's not much of a hand to worry about himself, you know that.

♪♪

All right, now push it up, just push it up.

- Now hold it steady there. - Yes, sir.

Only, you got company.

Aw, you'll take any excuse, won't you?

Now, just hold it steady there while I tie it.

Yes, sir, I hear you fine.

No, don't give me no hand.

Can't hold the fence, you can't hold me.

Hello, Davis. Nort.

- Marshal. - Howdy, Marshal.

Now, I want that fence fixed right, and today.

I couldn't have broke no law.

Ain't been off my land in a month.

Well, it's nothing like that, I'm afraid, Davis.

As a matter of fact, uh...

came over here to ask your help on something.

Any man needs my help is in trouble.

I can't help myself.

Uh, sit down, Marshal.

I do every chance I get.

Davis...

Collie Patten's out of prison.

And you want me to help him?

Look, I know how you feel about Collie.

I don't blame you.

You got every right in the world to be bitter about him.

But I'm asking something of you, Davis.

I'm asking you to go easy on him.

Everybody in town's gonna follow your lead.

Well, now, Marshal, you get your leg messed up like mine,

go stumping around on it for eight years,

and then you come back and ask me that again.

Davis, you've done right well by Collie's wife and boy.

I know you think a lot of them; so do I.

I'm asking you to do this for their sake.

Rob hires out to me right often.

Francie does my washing, bakes my bread.

That can go on.

I won't hinder him, Marshal, but...

I got no mind to turn the other cheek.

I'll tell you something, Marshal,

if Francie and Rob belonged to me,

I wouldn't ask for any more help than that.

Thanks, Davis.

Thanks for hearing me out.

At least you didn't throw me off your place.

Take a look, Marshal.

I couldn't throw you off if I wanted to.

So long, Davis.

Marshal.

♪♪

- Much obliged. - No trouble at all.

What do you want?

Collie?

They didn't give me a razor.

You're thinner.

Took me a minute.

You don't change, Francie.

Some.

Everybody changes some, Collie.

It's been dry.

A good rain wouldn't hurt.

The marshal said you were coming.

He came here?

Yeah, day or two ago, he stopped on his way back...

uh, from after he saw you.

We had a talk.

He tell you about that?

No, he just said you were coming back.

Nothing but kindness.

Oh, he's full of that, all right.

I got hot bread in the oven, Collie.

Smells like it.

You still like eating fresh from the oven?

I think I do.

You change this?

No.

Well, it was red.

Had some life to it.

It's just fading, Collie.

I guess eight years of wear just took the life out of it.

Yeah, that's what it does, all right.

Where's the shotgun?

I sold it.

We ought to have a shotgun.

Not that one.

This bread's ready to eat.

An extra lot of bread, isn't it?

Well, I-I do some baking for folks that don't know how

or can't take the time... Brings in a little money.

Do you want some coffee to wash it down?

No, no, it's fine; I'm just not hungry, that's all.

Sometimes things just aren't as good as you remember.

I meant maybe the bread...

Sometimes they're not, Francie.

Uh...

I didn't mean that the way it sounded, Collie.

It just might be a while before we talk natural.

You, uh, keep any whiskey?

No.

It might ease me to have some.

Rob will be home soon.

What's he like, Francie?

Oh... h-he's just a boy.

He's...

22 now.

He's a good boy.

Takes after his mother, huh?

You mustn't expect too much of him, Collie.

I-I don't think he remembers you.

Does he know where I've been?

Yes.

As soon as he was old enough to understand, I told him.

You see, it wasn't fair not to; everybody else knew.

That's a devil of a way to meet your son.

Just give him time, Collie.

Sure.

I know you're gonna want to wash up and shave

before he gets here.

There's hot water.

Francie...

You got to give me time, too, Collie.

You think about how it'll be, coming home.

You're right, Francie,

sometimes things aren't as good as you remember.

♪♪

You'll kill yourself working, boy.

Won't never grow to be a man that way.

I'm almost through for today.

You like it...

hiring out to Mr. Davis Henry?

Sure.

He's a rich man, you know that?

I don't know.

I guess he is.

Why, we're working for him; that's how you tell, boy.

You and me and your ma.

Course, what I heard today might change that.

I better get on home.

Hey, I'm talking to you, boy!

Well, it's getting kind of late.

The marshal was here today.

He talked some to Mr. Davis Henry.

Guess you're gonna have big doings at your house.

What do you mean?

Marshal says your pa's most home.

I guess he is.

You know about your pa and Mr. Davis Henry?

Ma told me.

Bad blood between them, boy.

That's why I was remarking about how this might all change,

you working here and your ma, now that your pa is coming home.

I got to get.

Sure would be something...

I had that rich man all to myself.

I was a bigger man before.

Lots of ways bigger.

You look fine, Collie.

Just fine.

Uh, where's the boy?

Well, sometimes it's almost dark before he gets home.

Where's he been?

He hires out to a neighbor.

He does his chores around here, too,

but then he gets a little money hiring out.

Like you do, washing and baking and all.

It hadn't hurt us, Collie.

My goodness, you two ought to know each other.

Hello.

Hello.

I-I been telling your pa how we been expecting him.

Marshal said you'd be coming.

Marshal talks a lot, don't he?

No, sir, he...

You better wash up, Rob.

We're waiting supper.

Oh, here, Ma.

Sit down, Collie.

You been sick?

No.

You sure are white.

Like you been sick, I mean.

Well, you know where I been.

You don't get no sun in there.

See that you eat now while it's hot.

What are you staring at?

Nothing.

Yes, you are.

You're looking at your pa.

You get used to that.

Yes, sir.

He didn't mean nothing, Collie.

Tell your pa and me what you did today.

Nothing to tell.

Well, I mean, about your work.

I slopped hogs some.

Pitched hay.

Helped on the corral fence.

He works real good.

Mm-hmm.

Nort said the marshal was by, but I didn't get to see him.

Maybe your pa can help you with the potato bugs.

Sure have a raft of 'em.

What do you do for 'em?

Uh, well, you, uh...

you kick 'em off, stomp 'em.

Take some stomping.

Powerful lot of 'em.

Get 'em off the plants into a pile

and pour kerosene on 'em.

Marshal said that, right, Ma?

He said that, but I thought he was funning me.

The marshal!

Collie, he didn't mean anything.

I'd have been here these eight years

if it wasn't for the marshal.

Now, I got a craw full of him, you understand that?

Collie, just give him time.

What I'm saying don't take time.

He's no friend to us.

I don't want to hear his name not one more time out of you.

Ma, why? Ain't he been a good friend to us?

Now, don't you go to her... I'm the one who tells you now.

Collie!

I got a score to settle with your marshal.

We all of us do.

He's gonna pay for eight long years.

I... ain't quite sure how, but he's gonna pay.

♪♪

What'll it be, mister?

Whiskey, mister.

That enough?

Yeah. Just enough.

Whiskey prices don't change, hmm?

No. Not much.

You remember me, Sam... Collie Patten.

Yeah. Sure.

Yeah. Sure.

Welcome home, Collie Patten.

Hello, Abel.

Hello.

Maybe you don't remember...

I remember.

Well, you could look at me.

We were friends once!

All right, I'm looking at you, Collie.

I just got back in town yesterday.

Just yesterday.

Town's grown.

Yeah.

Lot of people don't remember me now.

Lot of people do remember you, too.

Now, listen to me, Abel.

Now, don't you force yourself on me, Collie.

Well, hello, Collie.

Now, you know me right enough, Miss Kitty.

You come right up and speak to me.

Well, sure! Sure.

You remember Abel... he's always grouchy when he's losing.

Now, how about a drink?

Sam, let's have a couple drinks.

I know what you're doing, Miss Kitty.

Now, you don't have to lay it on.

I'm just offering you a drink.

You're just stopping a fight.

Are you looking for one?

No.

If, uh, you really want to talk about it, I'll listen.

I come home to a bunch of faces,

faces that used to have names to 'em.

Now they just got looks...

Fear, disgust, pity.

I know it isn't easy.

Some of 'em I don't know at all, like...

Francie and Rob.

Well, this might be a good time to get to know 'em.

My own wife and boy?

I knew 'em once.

But eight years is a long time.

You can die in eight years almost.

Only, you don't quite get the dying done;

that's the worst of it.

Well, what's left is worth saving, if you'll do it.

You don't know what you're talking about, Miss Kitty.

Well, hello, Collie.

What are you doing in town?

I come to see about balancing the books, Marshal.

How about a cup of coffee?

"Come on home, Collie.

Everybody's gonna forgive and forget."

Collie, as far as I'm concerned and the law is concerned,

the account is settled.

Now, the rest of it is up to you.

How's that?

You're the only one that can make people forget.

Why don't you go on back out to that farm

and start acting like a father and a husband.

That's not gonna change things.

It's the only thing that will.

It might even change you.

You know, you got a conscience about me, Marshal.

I saw it up at prison, the way you acted with me.

You got me on your mind.

Well, I plan to live right there.

Collie, this is gonna take time.

It's gonna take time and hard work.

Maybe you got too much to go up against here in Dodge.

Maybe you ought to take Francie and Rob,

and go somewhere else and get a new start.

Out of sight, out of mind?

Oh, no.

I'm not gonna let you off that easy, no, sir.

I can't accommodate you that way.

If that's all you got to say, I'm busy.

Might surprise you what I got in store for you, Marshal.

♪♪

Hey, ain't you Collie Patten?

Remember me? Nort Saffle.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, I remember.

I heard you was out.

Home, that is.

It's good to have you back.

Why?

Well, you was always square enough with me, Collie.

I don't bear you no hard feelings.

We hardly knew each other.

Now, that don't matter.

Uh, here. You... want a drink?

Much obliged.

- Yes, sir. - Go ahead.

Go ahead. Have another.

Well, just one. I-I got to get back to work.

That's aplenty now.

Oh, where do you work, Nort?

I supposed your boy told you.

We both work at the same place.

It's no secret.

We work for Mr. Davis Henry, Collie.

Is that so?

It's all right, my telling you that?

Oh, sure, sure.

Well, he thinks an awful lot of your boy, Mr. Davis Henry does.

Course, everybody does.

Yeah, I keep hearing that.

And your missus.

If it weren't for her baking and putting things up,

we wouldn't have a decent meal there ever.

He's mean, though.

Just 'cause he don't walk good, he takes it out on everybody.

Well, me mostly.

I don't want you to think he don't treat your boy

and your missus right enough.

What are you saying to me, Nort?

Well, nothing bad, Collie.

I-I just come along and saw you and give you a greeting.

You're just being friendly, huh?

That's all.

You ought to take kindly to it.

Not too many folks are gonna feel like me.

Well, like I said, good to have you back.

♪♪

Whose rig is this?

I borrowed it.

Now, I asked you a question... Whose rig is this?

It's a neighbor's.

You ever lie to your ma, Rob?

No, sir.

Do you hedge around with words,

not lying, but not telling all the truth with your ma?

No, sir, I don't do that.

Then are you doing it with me?

I don't know.

You afraid of me?

I don't know you.

Are you afraid of me?!

Collie, what are you doing?!

All I want is an answer, a straight-out answer from him.

Well, you got him scared to death, can't you see that?

All I want him to do is admit it!

He doesn't have to admit it; it's written all over his face.

I'm not afraid of him.

Not what he'll do to me, it's what he'll say,

how he'll take on, like he did about the marshal.

Just asking him whose rig this is.

It's Davis Henry's.

You couldn't have said that?

I should've.

Yeah.

This his food, his clothes?

Yes, sir.

It's how we've lived, Collie.

Working for Davis Henry?

And others.

But mostly him.

You stay right here.

Stay here.

Collie, what are you gonna do?

You like working for Davis Henry, Francie?

Collie, we were lucky.

We had to eat, can't you see that?

Man's wife and boy being taken care of,

I guess that's lucky.

Kind of depends on how far that care went.

We did our work and we got paid for it.

You grow to like him, Francie?

There was never anything, Collie.

He's a kind man, and he's been good to me and Rob.

But there was never anything.

Collie, whatever you're up to, don't do it.

Shouldn't take long.

Where you going with that gun?

I'm gonna ride over there with Rob.

You gonna drive over there, boy, or shall I?

- I'll drive. - Don't do it, Collie.

Don't go starting things all over again. Please!

- I'm just riding over, Francie. - I don't want you to,

not the way you are... We can't take any more trouble!

Now, let's go, boy!

Come on, Rudy!

♪♪

Well?

What do you want me to do?

Do what you get paid for.

Hello, Collie.

Never figured to see you here.

I'm full of surprises.

Mr. Davis Henry know you're here?

I expect he will.

You don't mean no trouble, Collie?

What ails you, anyway?

I'm just looking at the only friend I got.

You mean me?

I call that a sad thing.

I was just remarking how he had a nerve coming here.

You got chores, Nort.

You must've come here for a reason.

I did.

I wouldn't think you could look me in the eye.

I see you just fine.

Rob, bring the rest of his things in the house.

You hear me?!

You'll be all right, Mr. Henry?

Best you go along, boy.

I don't see we got much to say to each other.

It don't set with me, you being here.

It don't set with me.

Rob and Francie working for you...

I'd like to know why.

I need the work done, they need the money.

Nothing's that simple.

You keep your distance, no reason it can't go on.

Just like I wasn't around, huh?

Just exactly like that.

My being around, that doesn't bother you any?

Long as I don't lay eyes on you.

My boy looks to you more than me.

Not my fault he's been around me more.

I'm asking you what my wife and boy

meant to you while I was gone.

Just this much:

I'd be proud to claim them if they were mine.

But they're not.

They never were.

Well, that's all over now!

They do their work for me at home!

I catch one of 'em over here,

you won't have one leg to stand on!

Ma's right, you are causing trouble!

Now, they belong to me!

I don't care what you been paying them...

They ain't for sale!

You're talking like a loon all of a sudden.

Now, you go on home, Rob.

No, I don't want to.

Well, you're going!

Let go of the boy.

Talk's not gonna get the job done.

You asking for a settling?

That's got to be.

Go on!

No, I want to stay.

I want you to go, boy.

I can't figure you out.

You act one way with the boy and one way with me.

Just what do you want?

You'll find out soon enough.

You come out here to kill me?

You better go for the marshal, Rob.

I don't know what to do; there's gonna be trouble.

I told you there was bad blood between them.

I'll do what I can, but you better get the marshal out here.

Why'd he have to come back and spoil everything?

A lot of folks are gonna be asking that.

There's a saddled horse back there.

- You all right? - Yeah.

I'm just not used to riding.

We can rest a while.

No, I'm all right.

Go! Go!

You better hurry, Marshal.

They sent me away, but I'm afraid for Mr. Henry.

Your pa hasn't hurt him, has he?

They fought over me, but I don't know what's happened by now.

I'll ride on. You stay here with your ma.

Come on, Rob, we can't waste any more time.

Now, I might want that mare.

I could ride a long way out of here on that mare.

A long way.

You gonna leave them?

Sure can't ride three on a mare.

No, sir.

Rob and Francie, they'd just be in the way.

All they done for you, and you don't want them now?

Seems like I just want that mare.

You want to stand aside, Collie?

Uh, no need for that gun, Nort.

What's the idea?

Idea is that you and me are both gonna get away, Collie.

And we're gonna take his money with us when we go.

Now, wait a minute.

Nothing like that is...

It don't matter if you come with me or not.

Folks are gonna think you done it.

Step aside now, Collie.

You're talking like a fool, Nort.

I'm tired of you talking like that!

Shaming me in front of folks!

Well, I ain't no fool.

The minute Collie got back, I planned how this'd be.

You're in the way, Collie.

That's what I've been trying to tell you!

Now, you better make some sense, Nort.

It's him I want.

Well, it's me you got.

♪♪

What happened?

There was a fight, Marshal.

Nort tried to kill me.

Collie stepped in to save my life.

He's crazy, Marshal.

Don't believe him.

Collie?

Try to understand, Francie.

It's... better this way for...

for everybody.

Francie... I...

He's dead, Marshal.

He didn't have to get killed.

He could've stepped aside when Nort come at me.

I told him he was in the way, and he said something funny.

He said, "That's what I've been trying to tell you."

Rob, I'm gonna tell you something.

No matter how your pa lived, he was a brave man when he died.

If he'd only given hisself a little more time.

Just a little more time.