Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Been a long time

since I was hustled out of a saloon.

Well, you'll just have to hustle yourself out.

Nobody else has got the strength.

Well, I can remember the days

when Dodge used to be a wide-open town.

People didn't just sleep.

Do you mind if I say something personal?

What's that?

Good night.

Good night, Miss Kitty.

Good night, Kitty.

I'll let you out, Marshal.

You, too, Sam?

Sam, lock it up tight.

Sure will. You turning in, Marshal?

Ah, as soon as I get through making my rounds.

- Good night. - Good night.

Don't shoot, Marshal! Don't shoot!

It's me, Louie, Louie.

Guess you heard the shooting.

Did you see anybody, Louie?

I don't see too good at night.

I'm right here, though, if you need me.

Yeah, well, thanks, Louie.

That's good to know.

Who was it, Marshal?

Well, I'd give a lot to know the answer to that one, Louie.

Bushwhackers, huh?

Well, did you get it done?

You never saw the like of it, Lucas.

He come walking into that back alley,

tall as a pine, and I cut him down to a scrub.

You saw him dead?

Saw him fall.

Saw some crates topple over on him.

Saw that before I rode off.

This is some day, Cleed.

I said I'd kill Matt Dillon.

Yeah, you said that right along.

That town's just waiting for us now.

You know, they ain't got locks enough

to put on that bank if the marshal's dead.

How much you figure is in it, Lucas?

$20,000, $20,000 easy.

There ain't no sense in talking about it, is there?

No, no sense, no time.

Hello, Kitty.

You make me sick.

Well, what's the matter now?

I haven't even seen you today.

You keep stalking around in the dead of night,

you won't be around to see me.

Oh, that. You heard about that, huh?

Well, I wouldn't have

if I hadn't stumbled over Louie Pheeters.

Well, now, you see, uh, I wasn't alone.

Louie was with me.

I just don't understand men.

Kitty, if you don't, I don't know who does.

It isn't brave, you know, running around by yourself.

It's kind of stupid.

You ought to get yourself some deputies.

You mean go running around in a crowd?

Who's after you? Do you know?

Kitty, when a man's trying to shoot you from ambush,

kind of hard to tell who he is.

He was riding a horse; that's all I know.

Well, that means he'll ride back and try it again.

Well, maybe he will.

You know he will.

Kitty, look, there's always gonna be somebody.

That's just the way this job is, and I can't run around and hide.

And believe me, there isn't a crowd big enough

to get lost in if somebody really wants to kill me.

You're very comforting.

You've known that all along.

But I don't have to like it.

You know, uh,

maybe what I need is a... is a woman deputy.

I'll pass the word around.

Don't you want the job?

I told you, you make me sick.

♪♪

Don't look like much of a town, does it?

No, it ain't a place I'd like to spend much time in.

Just enough time.

A couple turns?

Hmm.

- That can't be. - Mm.

I cut him down, dead.

Looked tall as a pine to me.

I cut him down, I tell you.

Well, he got up.

I ain't gonna stand for no goading.

If you think you can do better, you do it.

Oh, just settle down, Cleed.

It stands to reason somebody's got to do better.

Now, we'll just do a little more thinking, that's all.

Barkeep, a bottle of whiskey.

A man pounds on the bar, I move a little slower.

Don't you like business?

I don't like noise.

Well, just a matter of trying again, Cleed.

I was as close to him as here to that bar.

I most emptied my gun in him.

Keep your voice down.

I spun him around good.

Then that pile of crates come crashing down on him.

Why ain't he dead?

He will be.

You just tell me how.

There's a right way and a right time.

Now forget about it.

Lucas, I listen to you about most things,

but you just don't know nothing about this marshal.

Well, I know you missed him.

Wasn't only me.

I can count you five or six men who tried for him.

Five of them are lying stiff out in Boot Hill.

The other one ain't got no right hand.

It only takes one time, Cleed.

A man can't be ambushed, he can't be killed.

Now, that marshal is just a man.

He ain't no less and he ain't no more than that.

Well, he might just be more.

He might be just more than a man, Lucas.

Anybody can kill a marshal.

You go away.

Maybe you don't want him dead.

You didn't hear nothing, you understand?

I heard.

It don't matter, but I heard.

Listen,

that was a pretty odd thing you just said, mister.

"Anybody can kill a marshal"?

Yeah.

Anybody can.

I can.

He's crazy.

What do you got against the marshal?

Nothing.

I never laid eyes on him,

but I'll kill him... for money.

How much money?

Lucas...

$200.

That's a lot of money.

That's my price.

In advance.

How about $200?

I told you $200.

Well, $200 before and $200 after?

I said before.

I haven't changed my mind.

Uh, so it's gotta be your way or no way at all, is that it?

You can do it yourself. It won't cost you a cent.

How much money you got?

Nothing for him.

Think it through, Cleed.

He does the job, and it won't be us they're looking for.

But if I can't do it, he can't.

Yeah, but just look at him.

You know, he just don't care.

We give him a little money, he takes all the chance.

Yeah, but if he don't do it, we're out $200.

Something about him, though.

I think he'll do it.

And once he does, and there's no law in this town,

a woman could rob that bank.

Wouldn't have to stop there, either.

What's $200 against maybe $20,000 cash?

You don't know us, and we don't know you, understand?

That's true enough.

When you gonna do it?

Tomorrow.

Why not tonight?

Tonight's mine.

I'll do it tomorrow.

We don't want to see or hear of you again.

You won't.

♪♪

- Oh, hello. - Hello.

Is there something I can do for you?

I want some cigars, a suit of clothes and an envelope.

Cigars and suit of clothes and envelope.

Oh, and a gun. I want a gun.

Well, that's kind of a odd assortment of things, mister.

They're my needs.

Can we get started?

Oh, some cigars and a suit of clothes and envelope.

And a gun.

Oh, yes, and a gun, huh?

What do you say we start with a suit first, huh?

Just step over to the rack here.

Now if it's wear you're looking for...

Don't matter the wear. This one.

Well, if that's your size.

- Don't matter the size. - Yes.

Yeah, well, I'll help you on with this.

It might be right for you.

Yeah, see?

Now... Oh, yes! Oh, that'll just take a little fitting,

but take it in a little bit here and a little bit there...

we'll shorten the sleeves.

I ain't long on time. Can I try on the pants?

Oh, yes. Yes, you can.

There...

Oh...

Uh, if you try 'em on back there.

You never know when a lady will come in the store.

Say, is there any special kind of a gun you want?

No.

Well, if you could tell me what you mean to use it for...

For shooting.

Oh...

It's a good enough fit.

I'll take it.

Do I get any money back?

I was just figuring right now to see if you do.

Oh.

Thank you.

Well, by golly, you do get some money back.

You want to check my figures?

Right to the penny.

Well, sir, I want to thank you for your trade, sir.

You, uh, got a nice place of business here.

All right, break it up. That's enough.

You can cut it out or you can spend the night in jail.

Make up your mind.

Ain't your fight, Marshal.

I'm making it my fight.

Now go on, get out of here, both of you.

I'll see him again, Marshal.

You make it in some other town.

All right, folks, break it up. Go on. Fight's over.

Marshal, you took care of that fight good.

I guess maybe they just get tired of beating on each other.

It's kind of dangerous.

Do you have a family?

No, no family.

Well, you took care of that fight real good.

Thanks.

♪♪

Bottle of whiskey.

You think we could get to know each other?

That's a good start.

You want to sit down?

Always.

I ought to call you something, I guess.

I'll be right here.

This is a new suit of clothes.

It's perfectly beautiful.

First one I ever had.

Brand-new.

It isn't bad. It really isn't.

You get a new suit, someone ought to know.

Take in that sky, Cleed.

Stretching out over the whole world.

Makes everything seem kind of small.

I have seen skies before.

Might just well look at the sky.

Ain't nothing else to do but set it out.

I ain't any good at setting.

I gotta be doing.

Nothing for you to do.

Waiting's easy enough...

if there's something worth waiting for.

And the marshal will be dead tomorrow.

Oh, something'll happen. Something'll go wrong.

That little man's gonna get the job done.

You're gonna see that.

I give him one chance. That's all.

That's all he needs.

Lucas, it ain't right you being so content.

Now, I stood close to that marshal,

as close as that tree,

and I shot him, only he didn't die.

He didn't even get hit!

You got to stop thinking about it.

That's all past now.

It's like you threw water on that fire.

Just like you stood right over it and poured water on it.

It didn't go out. It just kept right on burning.

Now, there ain't nothing special about that fire.

There ain't nothing special about the marshal.

You put enough bullets in him, and he's gonna die.

Hey, just about done.

We could drink to an old friend.

To an old friend.

- Old friend. - Mm.

You fixing to spend all your time with him, Molly?

He hasn't asked me to.

Well, how long you gonna be?

I want to see you.

As long as the gentleman wants.

That's how long I'm going to be.

Just a couple of minutes more.

I could've called you Molly.

Ah, it doesn't matter.

Can you write?

Like my name?

Or someone else's.

Oh, sure, I can write that much.

Put on it

"Miss Betsy Burgess."

"Betsy...

Burgess."

Then put

"Pretty Prairie, Kansas."

"Pretty Prairie...

Kansas."

There.

Well, I thank you very much.

Pleased to have made your acquaintance, Molly.

I-I kind of hoped you'd cheer up some.

You earned better than that.

Did you say "gentleman"?

That's right.

I said "gentleman."

About him.

♪♪

♪♪

You all right?

Not as bad off as he is.

Why'd you try to kill me?

You don't even know me.

Any of you men know him?

All right, get him up to Doc's.

Somebody better get you up there, too.

Come on.

Matt.

Hi, Quint.

How you feeling?

I don't know.

Where's Doc?

Well, he's back there with that other fella.

Oh, yeah.

I'd sure like to know who he is.

Well, I guess he's the same fella that tried to ambush you.

Maybe.

I wouldn't be in too big a hurry.

Uh, Doc took a couple of bullets out of your leg.

What did he do, take them out of there with a shovel?

Yeah, that's right.

Why don't you go ahead and flop around on that table,

maybe you can manage to fall off there and break your other leg.

Then you'll be in good shape.

How is he, Doc?

He's dead.

Dead?

Yup.

Oh. Did he say anything at all?

Nope. Here.

I went through his coat and everything.

I thought maybe we ought to try and find out who he is.

"Miss Betsy Burgess, Pretty Prairie, Kansas."

Just turn it over.

An "X"? What does that mean?

I figure a marshal ought to be able to figure that out.

That's, uh, an awful heavy envelope.

Now, there's a law against opening

other people's mail, you know.

Well, who said anything about opening it?

Quint, do me a favor, will you?

Keep your ears open around town.

See if you can find out anything about that fella.

Well, I always was a good listener.

I'll, uh, check in later.

No hurry, Quint, he's gonna be here quite a while.

Oh, don't pay any attention to him.

He doesn't know what he's talking about.

Well, I see you two are gonna get along fine, Doc.

Oh, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

Why don't you just go on now and lay back down there

like I told you to?

Doc, you know,

that fella couldn't have had anything against me.

Somebody must've paid him to do this.

Well, he don't look like a killer to me.

No, but he sure looked like he could use the money all right.

Well, he didn't have any money on him unless...

Yeah.

Unless that's what's making this envelope so heavy.

Well, Matt,

if he was hired to shoot you,

it sure looks like you've killed the only man

who could tell you anything about it.

Yeah.

You know who's dead, don't you?

The little nobody.

He didn't shoot the marshal?

Sure he did.

Right in the leg.

Folks that seen it say he limps a little bit,

but he's doing just fine, thank you.

Now, you just settle a little and tell me the rest you know.

Oh, it was might fancy, Lucas.

Our little hired killer, he rode him down

right there on Front Street.

The marshal was walking.

Our fella rode right up to him and fired point-blank.

And all he could hit was his leg.

Well, now, he was hit, that's something.

You're dying mighty hard on this, Lucas.

I tell you, there ain't nobody can kill that man.

Oh, you're gone loco, Cleed.

Well, that might be.

I sure feel real spooked.

You just get over feeling spooked.

He was born, he'll die.

I don't know that... I don't know that he was born.

He could've just come up full-growed one day.

- It makes me sick. - Well, you're making me sick.

You're whimpering around here like a woman.

You know it, too, don't you?

That marshal's gonna live forever.

Don't you never say that again.

Ain't it about your turn?

Everybody else has took a try.

I was just coming to that.

I'm gonna kill him for you, Cleed.

I'm gonna kill him to shut your mouth.

Hello, Moss.

Oh, hello, Marshal.

Oh, how's your leg?

Oh, it's a little bit gimpy.

That's all right, I don't plan on doing much walking on it.

Here, let me help you.

Oh, that's all right, I can manage.

Well, I figured I'd find you here,

getting ready to do something foolish.

By golly, you must be part hunting hound.

You figure he shouldn't do it, Doc, huh?

Well, I told him he shouldn't and of course I knew he would.

A little ride isn't gonna hurt me, you know.

Well, you're gonna find out about that right away.

And you're gonna find out about it the second

you get up on that horse.

All right, I'll let you know.

All right, how does it feel to be right?

Oh, I'm used to being right.

How's it feel to be stubborn?

I'm used to it.

I suppose you're stubborn enough that you're gonna ride all

the way over to Pretty Prairie and deliver that letter, huh?

I have to... It's the only link I've got.

Did it ever occur to you,

you might just be riding into a trap?

Yeah.

Nothing else I can do.

You want me to get your buggy, Doc?

Oh, no, no.

No, I just came over here for the exercise.

♪♪

Hello.

Hello, miss.

Are you, uh, Betsy Burgess?

Yes. Who-who are you?

My name's Matt Dillon... I'm the United States Marshal

from over Dodge City way.

Oh.

I, uh, kind of like to talk to you for a minute.

May I come in?

Y-Yes, of course, p-please do.

Thank you.

Your folks at home?

Oh, oh, I only got Papa and he hires out.

Oh, it's all right if you sit down, please.

Well, thank you.

You, uh, you walk real good without a crutch.

Sure.

Well, Betsy, I guess this is for you.

For me?

Oh, it must be from Painter.

It's been a long time since I heard from him.

All that money.

H-how much is it?

Let's see.

It's $250.

Oh...

Th-That's a lot, isn't it?

Sure is.

Well, he said he'd do it.

He just most promised he would, but...

but I never dreamed...

Papa told me I shouldn't count on it.

Count on what?

Didn't he tell you?

No.

Oh, well, well...

Painter used to live near here, you know.

And... and ever since I was, oh, a little girl,

we've been friends.

Papa and... and Painter and me.

Painter ain't got nobody but us, you know.

He said my leg could be fixed,

and that all it took was money.

He said one day there'd be enough money.

Oh, isn't he the nicest man?

Yes, I guess he sure enough was.

Oh, and here I been so worried about him.

Papa says he's sick and that I shouldn't count

on seeing him again.

Oh, tell me, where is he?

Well, Betsy...

your pa was right.

Painter was awful sick, and...

well, I hate to tell you this, but...

he's dead, Betsy.

Oh.

I'm awful sorry.

Well...

He... he was thinking of me, though, wasn't he?

You bet he was.

Well...

look, uh...

I'm going to have to go now, Betsy.

Oh...

Oh, will your leg get better, too?

Sure, it'll be fine.

Well, I... I'm glad you came.

So am I, Betsy.

Bye.

Good-bye.

♪♪

Well, he lost a nail.

There's a rock under his shoe.

I'd think he'd favor it.

Yeah, we were quite a pair out there,

both of us limping around.

It was worth the trip, wasn't it?

I guess so.

If a fella was hired to kill me,

I'd take a rough ride to find out about it.

Well, I'm satisfied that Painter was paid to do it,

and I know why he wanted the money.

You just don't know who wants you dead that much.

Good chance I never will know.

What are you going to do about it?

Well, first I'm going home to get a few hours' sleep.

Then I'll start looking into it again.

I'll see you later, Quint.

Right.

Funny, ain't it?

That marshal not being around today?

Well, I looked for him.

I asked what questions I could.

He'll be back in Dodge by tomorrow.

You went in there to kill him...

he just wasn't there to be killed.

You twist that into something, do you?

You've got to kill him...

to shut my mouth.

Y-You said that, Lucas.

You know what I ought to do, don't you?

I ought to go it alone from here on

and leave you talking into a bottle.

You're feared of it, too, ain't you?

Like me.

There ain't no fear about it.

You ought to admit it, Lucas.

That marshal just... just ain't-ain't...

ain't never gonna be killed.

No shame in admittin' that.

You calling me afraid to try for him?

Now ain't you?

No.

Tomorrow, I'll show you.

Now I'm goin' to sleep and I don't want no more talk.

Hello, Molly.

I couldn't be in any trouble, Marshal, I just came to work.

No, I just want to ask you a few questions about a man.

They're all bums.

Well, Molly, this one was...

as I understand it, you spent

most of your time with him,

oh, two, three nights ago in here.

The name was Painter.

Is that all there is to it?

Well, that's all I know.

Hmm... I don't know anyone named Painter.

Of course, I don't always catch their names.

Wait!

Was he-was he kind of a-a strange fellow?

Sort of a... a sad man?

Yeah, that sounds like him.

Oh, yes.

Well, he-he bought a bottle of whiskey.

He had a new suit.

The first brand-new suit he ever owned.

Well, what else can you tell me about him, Molly?

He couldn't read or write.

I wrote on an envelope for him.

Well, did he... did he talk to anybody else in here,

or did he mention any other names?

No.

No, he hardly talked to me.

He just wanted someone to sit with.

He couldn't be in any trouble, Marshal.

No anymore, he's not.

He's dead.

Oh...

I guess that was it, huh?

I guess he knew that he was gonna die.

Well, I don't know about that.

I had to shoot him.

He tried to kill me.

Oh, no.

Not only that,

but I think that somebody hired him to do it.

Well, then, maybe you won't believe

what I'm going to tell you, Marshal.

What's that?

He was decent.

I know.

He was a gentleman.

Thanks, Molly.

Marshal!

Why can't you die?

I said, why can't you die?!

You hear me, Marshal?

I said, why can't you die?

I've got a right to know.

If I could just see it happen once...

I'd believe!

You've tried before, haven't you?

I told him...

I don't know how many times.

He wouldn't believe me.

I told him...

ain't nobody can kill that marshal.

I told him.

Who is he? What's his name?

You go find old Lucas, Marshal.

Tell him...

Cleed was right.

We couldn't...

buy you dead...

we couldn't...

shoot you dead.

He'll... he's gonna have to believe me...

now...

ain't he?

Where is he?

Where?

You know him?

Just that he wanted to kill me, that's all.

Well, everybody wants you dead...

Nobody gets the job done.

If only I knew who he was, or why he wanted to do it.

You looking for somebody?

Yeah, I guess so.

I don't know who he is or what he looks like.

Could be in any window, behind any door.

Well... I guess there's a lot of men that'd like to kill me.

One of them's named Lucas.