Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

They're gonna show any minute.

They're getting closer every mile, Joe.

I know it.

We keep on this way,

they're gonna ride us down.

You want to stand and make a fight?

No, they're too many for us. Here.

What's this for?

My share of the holdup money. You take it and ride.

I'll handle the posse.

You can't do it alone.

Joe, I'm an old hand at this game.

I know every trick there is.

Even if they catch me, I'll be clean.

Nobody's got close enough to recognize us.

Now get moving.

Where'll we meet?

Dodge City... it's a couple hundred miles south of here.

All right, Polk.

But you take your time, see?

Head west for a day or two, then ride for Dodge.

It'll help throw 'em off the trail.

See you in Dodge.

One more thing, Joe.

No man's ever crossed me yet and lived.

I'll be there.

- Get moving. - Right.

Clara!

Clara!

I'm leaving.

Here's your food.

When'll you be back?

I don't know.

A few days, maybe a week.

How far north you plan to ride?

When you're looking for land with water on it,

you ride till you find it, Clara.

You're sure you're right about wanting us to move?

Now what's your idea...

Sit here and pray for rain for the rest of your life?

No, but...

I'm sick of this place, Clara.

I'm sick of working my head off for nothing.

I want land with water on it, and I'm gonna find it.

Get away from there!

You didn't have to do that!

How often have I told that kid

not to be fooling around all the time?!

Quit blubbering.

Take care of things here.

Keep her in line and see that she does her chores.

Letty, get up.

Letty, I want you to do something for me.

I want you to go up there and hide in that brush.

Hide real good, and don't say a word until I call.

You understand?

What's wrong, Mommy?

Nothing, dear.

There's a stranger riding in from the prairie.

We have to be careful.

Now you run on.

That's a good girl.

Hurry, Letty, hurry!

Morning, ma'am.

Hello.

I was hoping maybe you'd have some water around here.

There's a water hole about five miles south.

Not for my horse, for me.

I'm sorry, mister, but we're kind of low on water.

Maybe I ought to talk to your husband about it.

Well, he's not...

Not here, huh?

Well, that's all right.

What I could really use is a little glass of whiskey.

I know you got a bottle around here somewhere.

No, I don't.

And please, mister, I'm busy.

You need a little rest.

Come on, have a drink with me.

I'll be real good to you.

Listen, mister, you get back on your horse and you...

I ain't some little old farm boy, lady.

I get what I want.

Now you gonna be nice about it or not?

All right.

But you wait here for me.

Not hardly.

Allow me.

Look! My husband!

That was a fool thing to do, lady.

♪♪

Who are you?!

The name's Festus Haggen, ma'am.

Go away!

Well, you go away yourself.

I can't.

- Why can't you? - I'm lost.

Then how'd you ever get way out here in the first place?

I ran most of the way.

Where from?

If I knew that, I'd go back, wouldn't I?

Well, that's kind of a smart-alecky way of putting it,

but I reckon you're right.

Here, give me your hand and I'll help you up

and we'll see if we can't get you found.

No.

Well, don't be a dumbbell now.

I'm just trying to help you out.

No!

I always said kids ought to be penned up in cages.

Now I've been getting plumb tired of this game.

Come on, now, I'm trying to be your friend.

Just hold on tight... here we go.

♪♪

Letty, I think your ma would like

the place we picked out for her, don't you?

I think so.

Well... everybody's got to die, Letty,

even you and me, someday.

I know.

You figure she's went to heaven, do you?

Course she has.

They say it's a real fine place,

so you'd ought to be pleased for your ma.

Ain't that true?

Just real happy that's she's went to such a pretty place.

You got your doll and stuff ready?

Well, we'd better fetch it and get started for Dodge.

Festus...

Yes'm?

I've never been to Dodge.

What am I gonna do there?

Well, I don't rightly know offhand.

I... I got me a friend there that might help us out.

Let's get started,

and you leave word for your pa, so he'll know where you're at.

Festus?

Yes'm?

Do you think he likes me?

Well, are you a good girl or a bad girl?

I'm a good girl.

Most folk like good girls.

But what about him?

We'll ask him.

Don't you dare.

I'm telling you, Charlie,

one more complaint out of you,

I'll put you on bread and water for a week.

That's the worst part of this job... is being a jailer.

That's what you get for taking prisoners alive.

I just might come after you someday,

you might be singing a different song.

Yeah, but I'm a good boy, Matthew, not a bad boy.

Ain't that true, Letty?

Shh!

What's that?

You was starting to ask her to tell you about that man.

Now, Letty, you know, if you could tell us

just a little bit more about that man,

it might be that we'd know him already.

But I've told you.

Yeah, "not tall, not short, not fat, not thin."

I'm afraid we got to have a little more to go on than that.

Now, for instance, what color was his hair?

Well, how about his nose, was it long or short or...?

In between, I guess.

In between.

Well, do you think you'd recognize him

if you saw him again?

Oh, I think so, Marshal.

I'd sure try.

Good.

Well, I guess we'll just have to wait till her pa gets back.

Maybe he can tell us something.

I doubt that.

The way she talks about this feller, he was a stranger.

Are you sure he didn't see you?

He couldn't. I was hid.

Good.

Well, what are we gonna do with her, Matt?

"We"?

Well, now, just hold on a minute, Matt...

Well, I thought you said you'd taken a room here

for a couple of weeks or something.

Well, no, I borrowed that old shack of Jim Brown's,

but that don't mean I'm fixing to settle down

with a girl, that's for sure.

Well, it's just till her pa gets back.

You know, after all, somebody's got to take care of her.

But why me?

- Festus? - Yes'm?

You don't have to worry about me.

I'll be all right.

Now, you see what you went and did?

You got her a-feelin' like nobody wants her around.

Oh, well, I didn't mean that, Letty.

Listen, you're a fine girl.

Anybody'd be proud to have you around,

but see, it's, well, it's just that we're men,

and... and we're not set up to take care of you.

Are there only men in this town?

Hey, now there's an idea...

Ma Smalley.

I'll bet Ma Smalley'd take care of her.

Let's go over and find out.

Come on.

See? I said I'd be all right.

Course you will, honey.

Letty, you've got a caller.

Who is it?

Well, come and see.

I don't see anybody.

Not here.

I don't allow riffraff in my parlor.

Festus!

You notice that I didn't say you had a gentleman caller.

Oh, you're just peeved

'cause I ain't never took no room at your house.

Hardly.

I've got enough trouble

keeping the place clean as it is.

Oh, Festus isn't all bad, Ma.

Well, you can have him, child.

To me, he's a no-good wanderer

who never earned an honest penny in his life.

Well, golly Bill, Ma,

you've made enough money for both of us.

When are you and me gonna married up with each other?

Huh!

Come on. Sit down.

What's all that you got there?

Letty, did anybody ever make you a kite?

What's a kite?

Oh... that's what I figured.

I swear, young'uns is getting to where

they don't know nothing about nothing no more.

Don't think you're just gonna set there and watch me now,

because I'm gonna tell you how,

and you're gonna make it yourself, all right?

What's a kite for?

Just one thing at a time now.

See, we start out by making a kind of a star there, see?

Get a little piece of string...

Festus... say, this is Rod Cassidy here.

Festus Haggen.

Where'd she get that?

She made it.

What?!

Well, I helped her a little bit.

The marshal explained things to me, Haggen,

and I want to thank you for all you've done.

But, uh, kids need chores more than they need toys.

Well, a little bit of fun never hurt nobody.

Especially Letty, right now.

The sooner we find the man that killed her ma,

the sooner she'll get over it.

I don't see how you figure that now, Cassidy,

but I'll tell you one thing,

this man's not going to be easy to find.

Not for you maybe.

I'm gonna find him and right quick.

No man can dare come onto my place and shoot my wife

and get away with it.

You like he done it just to insult you.

Oh, you think it wasn't an insult?

I wouldn't know about that.

You say that Letty told you

that she could recognize the man,

but he didn't see her?

That's right.

Then finding him is no problem, Marshal.

He figured he was safe.

Now he's probably right here in Dodge.

Now, if you got an idea of taking her around town

to see if you can find him, forget it.

I've already thought of that.

- Now, why didn't you do it? - For her sake.

For her sake?!

I don't know what you're talking about.

No, I guess maybe you wouldn't, Cassidy.

I want that man.

I'm gonna find him.

Letty...

Daddy!

Oh, now quit that!

And turn loose of that kite.

You're coming with me.

Please, Daddy...

- Now turn it loose, I said. - Whoa!

Now you better back off, mister.

Haggen...

the minute I laid eyes on you,

I knew we wasn't gonna get along.

What harm is there in Letty having a kite?

Letty ain't none of your business.

Well, then let's just talk about what is.

All that wood and paper and string

and stuff belongs to me.

You do any harm to that kite, and I'll blow your brains out.

Go ahead, Haggen...

you just try it.

Letty, why don't you let me take care of the kite for you?

Do I have to, Marshal?

Well, your pa wants to take you around town.

Here, I'll take good care of it for you

and I'll bring it back to Ma Smalley's.

All right.

I'll settle with you later.

Come on, Letty.

Well, I never thought I'd see the time when Festus Haggen

let a woman make a fool out of him.

I just felt kinda like shooting somebody, Matt,

and he was making hisself awful handy.

Pay attention, Letty!

I didn't bring you down here to watch the kids playing.

It might've been that man, for instance.

How do you know?

- Now you quit fooling around. - Yes, Daddy.

Come on. We'll look in here.

Look them over, Letty.

Please, Daddy, let's go.

Look them over, I said.

Excuse me, mister... what's this little girl doing in here?

She's looking for the man who shot her ma.

Your name's Cassidy, isn't it?

That's right.

And this is Letty.

I've heard of you.

Well, look, Cassidy,

I appreciate what you're trying to do,

but, uh, don't you think it's a little hard on the child?

Now, why don't all you people mind your own business?

Letty's the first child that's ever been in this saloon.

And she ain't doing no harm.

Keep looking, Letty.

No, you don't.

Get her out of here right now.

- Now just a minute... - Don't argue with me!

Get her out of here.

You're a fine one to be talking

about what's right and what's wrong.

Sit here a while.

I'm tired, Daddy.

Well, you're sitting down, ain't you?

You keep your eyes open.

I don't want you to miss a single man.

Even if I do see him, won't he kill me?

Maybe.

Maybe he will.

Unless you see him first, in time to tell me.

Now, you look hard, you hear?

Whiskey.

And bring me another, while you're at it, barkeep.

I tell you, things have really gotten out of hand

when a man can't leave his home for a couple of days

without something like that happening.

I plumb agree with you, Cassidy.

Ah, there's bad happenings all over.

They get worse and worse.

I don't care about "all over"! I care about me!

All I want to do is to find that man who dared come onto my place

and shoot my wife.

They ain't nothing sacred anymore.

Neither a man's home nor his family.

I tell you, he won't get away with it.

He rode into a lion's den

when he rode onto Rod Cassidy's place,

and I am here to tell you.

You never did tell us what happened

to your little girl, Cassidy.

She was hiding.

He didn't see her...

but she seen him good enough to know him again.

Where's she at now?

Over at Ma Smalley's place.

She's staying there until I find him.

And I'll find him, I guarantee it.

Another drink here, barkeep.

That'll be something.

I'd like to see that, when you find him.

Oh, you've got the wrong place, mister.

Shut up.

Oh, this is a boarding house.

You're wasting your time.

- Where is she? - Who?

The Cassidy girl... I know she's here.

- Who are you? - Are you gonna get her

or am I gonna have to find her myself?

She's not here.

She's gone out with her pa.

We'll find out about that. Now come on.

You sit down here and shut up!

I'm gonna put a gag on you and tie you up.

Golly Bill! Letty!

What are you do...?

Is anything wrong?

I came for a visit.

A visit?

This time of night?

I couldn't sleep, so I got up and sneaked out.

That's what I get for showing you this house the other day.

You're sorry to see me.

Yes, I am.

Wait a minute. Just hold on now.

Come on in.

I'll get my shirt and boots on and take you back to Ma's house.

Say you're sorry.

Sorry? What about?

For not being nice.

All right. I'm sorry.

Marshal!

What's going on?

Well, it looks like Letty's been kidnapped.

- What?! - You better come along with us.

What is this? What happened?

How did Letty get kidnapped?!

This is fun.

Well, for you, maybe it is.

Ma's probably found you missing and went out to get the marshal.

Why don't we go, too?

We'll do no such a thing.

You're gonna stay right where you're at!

Let's play a game.

Ain't that how we started, playing games?

You a-traipsing around all over the prairie,

and me a-running my head off trying to catch you?

You were awful rough.

Young'uns ain't no different than a bunch of calves.

They'd all ought to be treated the same way.

Festus, you know something?

What?

Way down deep, you're the meanest man I know.

Well, good.

Oh, Letty!

Letty, you're back!

Oh, you weren't kidnapped after all!

I'm so glad to see you!

What's going on here, Haggen?

She snuck out and come to my house.

I just brought her back.

Oh, you did, did you?

Now just a minute, Cassidy.

A man came in here, he was masked,

he tied Ma to a chair,

he wanted to know where Letty was.

Well, that's got to be man that killed my wife.

He's after Letty now.

After Letty? What for?

Well, how do I know?!

Well, I'll tell you... You had her all over town today.

Probably everybody knows the whole story by now.

Including the killer.

Will you men please be quiet

until I get this child out of here?

Come on, Letty, you come with me.

All right, Marshal, what are you gonna do about this?

You got any ideas?

Now, you're the law, the brains.

At least he's got brains enough

not to do what you done with her today.

I'm getting plumb tired of you, Haggen.

Now, Cassidy, I'll tell you exactly what we're gonna do.

Letty here needs protection.

Now, we're gonna stand guard on her 24 hours a day,

six hours off and four on.

- You want to start out? - Why me?

Well, you're her father; I thought maybe you'd want to.

You're paid for this work, Marshal, I ain't.

I'll come pick her tomorrow, take her around town again.

- No, you won't. - What?

She's staying here till I say it's all right for her to go.

Ain't you forgetting that I'm her pa?

It's like you said,

it's my business protecting people.

Suppose I decide to take her home?

Not till I say it's all right.

From now own, she's under protective custody.

What are people gonna think about me for that?

- I don't know. - Well, I do.

I tell you, Marshal, I'd rather see her dead!

Well, I'm sorry to hear that, but she's staying here anyway.

All right, you stand guard over her all you want, both of you.

But I'm gonna find that man,

and when I do, you're gonna be the laughingstock of this town!

You see what you've went and did?

You made him mad.

Yeah. You want to stand first guard?

Course I do.

See you later.

I hate to wake him up... he might decide to close the place.

For a nickel, that can be the liveliest man you ever saw.

Worth a try.

Barkeep, bring me a beer.

What'd I tell you?

Worth a nickel just to watch.

You live around here?

Yeah.

You?

Well, I'm thinking of settling.

Never was one for drifting around

and living wild, you know?

Yeah, I find a place, I'll send for my wife.

She's back in Illinois just waiting for the word.

You're lucky you got a wife.

You're not married?

She was murdered...

a few days ago.

Say, you must be Rod Cassidy.

How you know that?

People talk.

I know all about you.

And it's a doggone shame.

You don't know the half of it.

You mean, about the marshal and that other fella guarding

your kid down at the boarding house?

I ain't a man to be treated like that!

First, that fella rides onto my place and shoots my wife,

then the marshal takes over my kid.

Well, ain't you figured out why the marshal's doing this?

Eh, it's another insult to make a fool of me, that's what.

That, and something else.

What?

Well, don't you see it?

The marshal figures the killer'll be back to get Letty.

And he's right... That fella's gotta get Letty

and finish her for good.

Yeah, you're right.

So this way, when he comes back again,

he falls right into a trap.

And the marshal gets all the credit for catching him.

I'll catch him myself.

Oh, no, not now.

I don't like to see a man like you done this way, Cassidy.

Just ain't right.

But I guess there's nothing to do

but forget about it now.

They made a fool of me...

all three of them... The marshal, Festus Haggen,

that fella that done my wife in.

All three of them.

That sure is true, Cassidy.

But you know something?

You could make fools out of that marshal and that other fella.

How?

Kidnap your daughter.

What?!

Steal her back, right out from under their noses.

How would I do that?

Easy.

It'd be kinda fun, too.

Oh, I got it all figured out.

Hey, wait a minute...

I don't even know your name.

How come you're so interested in my problems?

The name is Ed Polk.

And I am interested, for one reason:

I just ain't the kind of man that can stand by and watch

another man get his nose rubbed in the dirt

without wanting to help him.

But I don't mean to interfere if you don't want me, Cassidy.

I'll shut up right now, you say the word.

No, no, let me hear your idea.

All right.

Barkeep!

Couple more beers.

Well?

Festus Haggen on guard, all right.

Good, then we timed it just perfect.

I got the horses tied up a hundred yards

straight back of the house.

Come on. Let's go.

I don't know about just walking in there.

He knows you.

He won't do a thing.

If I go first, he'll have a gun on me

before I get up onto the porch.

I guess you're right.

Quit worrying.

What if Letty starts hollering when you go in there?

She'll be too scared in front of a stranger.

That's the whole point.

I hope it works.

It will. Come on.

It's me... Cassidy.

Come in.

Haggen.

The marshal around?

He don't come on guard till after midnight.

You broke down and decided to take a turn after all, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah, I wanted to talk to the marshal about it.

Playing solitaire, huh?

Anything to pass the time.

A couple of moves here you ain't made.

Never mind... Just keep your hands off.

I'll make 'em myself.

There.

You got a pretty good game going here.

Well, I know I have, and it's my game!

Now quit!

Whoa.

We're stuck.

What in the thunder are you talking about?

We're not stuck at all!

All I got... I gotta do is take that card...

Hey!

Good work.

Now you get the horses and bring 'em around

to the side of the house and be quiet about it.

Hurry now!

Where's Letty?

- She wasn't there. - What?!

She must've slipped out like she done last night.

Well, she couldn't be at Haggen's, he was on guard.

We can't fool around here looking for her.

Haggen'll come to any minute.

What'll we do?

We ride out to your ranch.

Are you crazy? That's the first place they'll come looking.

Let 'em come.

You dropped by to check on your kid,

Haggen got smart, and you hit him.

You ain't committed no big crime.

You're right.

Let's go.

Look at that now... Morning already.

You mean we drunk the whole night through?

We sure have.

Well, I feel fine.

I wish the marshal and Festus Haggen'd show up right now.

They probably will show up in an hour or two.

What'd you say?

I said you don't have to worry about them two.

I'm not worried about them.

There... Let's have another drink.

Here, let me pour it.

Drink up before it gets cold.

That's a good idea.

I'll do just that.

Whew! That stuff still hits.

I told you I made it.

Yeah, you told me.

Don't let nobody take my seat.

I'm gonna get a breath of fresh air.

Right.

Took him long enough.

Morning.

Who are you?

Name is Bryan; I'm looking for the trail to Dodge.

Well, there are a dozen trails to Dodge.

All right, mister, just tell me one way.

Why don't you try going straight up?

Are you drunk this early in the morning?

Why, you young punk...

Hey, wait a minute.

Did you kill my wife?

Kill your wife?!

You are drunk.

Oh, sure, you're young, and she was pretty...

I been looking for you!

Now you move, and I'll put another bullet in you!

Bryan!

Oh, you've been hit hard, boy.

What're you doing here?

Never mind about me.

You bring our money?

Saddlebag.

I was coming to Dodge.

You're a good boy, Bryan.

Ain't you gonna help me?

Sure... I'm gonna spend your money for you.

Help me!

You know, when you got to Dodge with this,

I was gonna get rid of you anyway.

Mr. Cassidy there saved me the trouble.

You'd wouldn't have got a whole lot older anyway,

being such a sucker.

Please!

Thanks, Bryan.

You're an outlaw.

Now don't you be worrying about me.

Come on, you get inside where I want you.

Don't move me.

Ah, you've got enough strength left to get inside.

Now get up, I say!

- Put me down! - Come on! Inside!

Put me down!

I'll make you real comfortable inside.

Come on!

You sit there.

Well, that's where you'd have wound up, anyway.

A bed... put me on a bed.

Huh! The next bed you'll have will be six feet under.

Help me, Polk, help me.

Get out of here!

Now I can have a drink.

I had to stay sober just so's

I'd get the drop on you, Cassidy.

But everybody's taken care of now.

What're you saying?

I killed your wife.

You?!

And that rotten kid of yours, she seen me,

so I killed her, too, last night.

No!

Only the marshal's gonna think you done it.

That you went kind of crazy last night,

and so you killed her.

And then you come out here and you got to drinking

and thinking about it, and you couldn't stand it.

So you shot yourself.

Oh, I bet the marshal's been looking all over Dodge

for you all night.

And he'll be out here, 'fore long.

He'll catch you.

He'll string you up.

Oh, I won't be here.

I'm gonna pack young Bryan off

and dump him somewhere, then I'll be on my way.

No, no, there won't be no signs left of Ed Polk around here.

You are the most obliging customer I ever come up against.

I'm almost gonna miss you, Cassidy.

Barkeep...

one more here.

Sure.

That's the last one.

The day's still young.

Yeah, but it's a long way to Texas.

That where you're headed?

Yes, sir.

Just thought I'd drop by for a... kind of farewell drink.

You ain't been around very long, have you?

Long enough to collect my pay and close the books.

You a working man?

I do my work.

A man don't have to get down in the dirt

and strain his back every day, does he?

Well, most men do.

Most men are fools.

All right, I see you.

Come on out!

Come on out now, or I'm a-coming in after you,

and when I come in, I'll be a-coming like a wounded bear.

There ain't gonna be enough left of you to pin to a wall!

And I mean it now.

All right, then,

you brung it all on yourself.

I swear, you're the onliest young'un I've ever knew

that was dumb as a camel.

What's a camel?

A camel is an animal that's so dumb,

that when he buries his head in the sand,

he thinks he's hid all over.

What did you run off for?

I told you, before we left my house,

that I'd thump you if you done that again.

Now, Letty, you've gotta quit that!

What if I hadn't sneaked out last night

and gone to your house?

You would have to bring that up.

My daddy would've beat me

instead of the doll and eiderdown I fixed there.

Let's not talk about what could have been.

You've run off for the last time, do you hear me?

I thought it was funny last night,

you guarding my doll, and me sitting over there

in your house the whole time.

I'll tell you how funny that was someday, when you've growed up.

I don't want to grow up.

Well, just don't you worry none

because you ain't making a great deal of progress.

You want me to go away?

Oh, don't start that again.

I'm on to you!

I swear, the only difference in women is in their size.

Some are big and some are little.

You don't like women, do you?

Sure, I like 'em fine.

But I'll tell you one thing, a drink or two helps out.

Then let's go to a saloon.

No, we ain't going to no saloon!

What's the matter with you?!

Now, come on, the walk's over.

We're going back to Ma Smalley's house where you belong!

All right, but I'll carry the kite, Festus.

You might ruin it.

Pick up the tail

and quit dragging it around in the dirt.

Hello, there, Festus Haggen, you miserable old thief.

Well, Billy Darwinkle!

The cussedest man north of the Rio Grande!

Why, you ol' scudder! I ain't saw you...

So long, you fine bunch of fools.

I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to!

Letty, don't you fret none.

He ain't killed.

His leg's just hurt a little bit.

I think you got a broken leg here, mister.

That miserable rotten kid done it.

Ought to knock her head off.

If I could get up, I'd horsewhip her!

Well, you think she did it on purpose or something?

You better lay back and cool off.

You better go get Doc.

I think his leg's broken pretty bad.

That's him! That's the man! He killed my mommy!

I got a surprise for you, Marshal.

What's that?

Out at the ranch.

I killed her pa, too.

Come pretty close to wiping out the whole family, didn't I?

Pr... Pretty close.

Think I better go out on the ranch and check up on this.

Take care of her, will you?

All right, Matt.

Why don't you men haul him out of here, will you?

Come on, Letty.

I don't have a home anymore, do I?

Well, just don't you worry about that none.

We'll find you a place to live.

Till we do, you can stay right at Ma Smalley's house.

Walk me back, Festus.

I'd rather not go alone.

Sure, honey.