Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

Louie?

Wake up, Louie.

Come on.

What time is it?

Well, Louie, it's getting-up time.

Come on.

There we go.

Where'd you get it this time, Louie?

I was helping somebody wash glasses down at the Oasis.

There wouldn't be no coffee, I suppose?

Well, Louie, why don't you come on back in about an hour.

Right.

Oh, excuse me.

- Hello, Mr. Botkin. - Morning, Marshal.

You had a customer, I see.

Oh, yeah, well, things wouldn't be normal around here

unless Louie spent about one night a week in jail.

What can I do for you?

Nothing, really.

I just wanted you to know that the gold shipment came in.

Oh, no trouble?

No trouble.

It's the biggest shipment we ever had.

How long is it gonna be here?

Till next Thursday.

I just wanted to make sure you weren't leaving town.

Oh, no, I'll be here.

You know, sometimes I think

folks can plain smell gold, Marshal,

even if it's locked in a vault.

Well, let's you and I do what we can

to see that it stays there, shall we?

What is that?

Well, I don't know.

If it's what it sounds like,

I haven't heard one for a long time.

Well, it's a calliope!

Golly, it looks like we're gonna have a carnival

in Dodge, Mr. Botkin.

Now, that's something Dodge hasn't seen in a long time.

Well, if you need me, I'll be around.

What in tarnation's that?

Matt.

Howdy, Quint.

Ain't that something?

Yeah, it's a carnival.

Did you ever see one before?

No, not that I can remember.

- Don't miss the big show! - Yes, sirree, friends!

You're living in the luckiest little town in the West.

We was turning them away in New York City, boys.

Far off distant London was a-begging for us.

- Don't miss the big show. - Chicago was down on its knees.

But where did we come, friends?

Right here to good old Dodge City.

- Don't miss the big show! - Howdy, Sheriff,

and don't you the show now.

He's, uh, not the sheriff; he's the marshal.

Oh, well, uh, better luck next election.

Howdy, partner.

Howdy.

Don't miss the big show, Marshal.

All right.

Don't miss the big show, folks.

Well, doesn't look like they're gonna make much money

at a nickel a head.

Oh, well, that's just a come-on, Quint.

By the time they get through with you,

it'll cost you a lot more than a nickel.

Oh.

Come on, look alive, George!

Come on, look alive!

Hey!

You better quit jabbin' him with that stick, mister.

You'll stir up them moths.

Mister, you're the only one around here

that ought to be worried about moths.

That feller's got all the instincts

of a Haggen, ain't he?

You know, I never noticed it before,

but you've got room for about a million moths in there.

Never noticed it.

Moths...

Now, don't forget, ladies and gentlemen,

tomorrow night, tomorrow night,

the biggest red-letter day

in the history of Dodge City.

Come one, come all.

Come tomorrow night.

Ah, there you are, gentlemen.

Elko's Varieties.

I beg your pardon, sir.

Was that the marshal's office that I passed down the street?

Certainly was.

Thank you, sir.

You're a gentleman and a scholar.

"Biggest little show on earth."

I can't make a...

Well, I'll say one thing.

That was a fine parade.

Ah, good, good day to you, sir.

Howdy-do.

I, sir, am Hieronymus P. Elko,

more popularly known as Harry Elko.

Matt Dillon. What can I do for you?

I am informed... And I assume reliably...

That you, sir, are the duly constituted authority

in this thriving little metropolis.

Well, I'm the U.S. Marshal here.

Precisely what I was told,

and I, sir, am the proprietor

of the biggest little show on earth.

Yes, I know. Elko's Varieties.

Oh, well, then you've heard of us.

Pretty hard not to, Mr. Elko.

Would you like a cup of coffee?

No, thank you.

Suppose we get right down to business?

What kind of business do you have in mind?

Well, sir, I propose to stage a lavish spectacle

tomorrow night in this thriving little community.

A stupendous display of entertainment

calculated to surprise and delight folks of all ages.

In short, sir, I am aiming to put on a show.

Well, fine. Good luck.

Well, now, that brings us to the crux of the matter.

Uh, the, uh, license, fee,

or-or if you prefer, the, uh, donation?

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

Uh, the grease, Marshal,

for the duly constituted authority.

Mr. Elko, we don't have

any license, fees, donations, grease...

Whatever you want to call it... Here,

but if you have some idea of starting a bunco game

or, uh, maybe turning

a couple of pickpockets loose in the crowd,

we do have some jail cells.

Oh, Marshal, I run a straight, honest show,

but that's never kept me from having to pay off somebody

in most every town we've ever played in.

Not here, Mr. Elko.

I-I am relieved to hear that.

You can set up your tents

down south of the town on the flats.

Well, I am much obliged to you, sir.

Yes, and I hope you won't think it amiss

if I, uh, offer you, uh,

two complimentary tickets to our show.

All right, thank you.

Oh! My pleasure, Marshal.

Yes, indeed, my pleasure.

Uh, good day to you, sir.

Yes, a good, good day to you.

Elko.

Harry Elko.

You know, I just been wondering about something.

I never heard of a circus coming to town

and just charging a nickel to get in, did you?

No, come to think of it.

I was figuring more like spending

up as high as ten cents.

- No. - Yeah, I was gonna

get all duded up and take April with me.

Well, she's just liable to want a sarsaparilla,

and there'll be another nickel shot in the head.

Well, even if she does,

it'll still be a pretty thrifty evening.

Well, I'll tell you one thing.

You might as well close up tomorrow night.

Front Street's gonna be about as empty as Boot Hill.

You take me?

To the circus?

Mm-hmm.

Well, that could get expensive. I...

Well, all right, I will,

if you'll lay off the sarsaparilla.

I'll bring my own nickel, just in case.

How-do?

Howdy, Marshal.

Have a poster.

Oh, no, thanks. I've got one already.

Uh, my name's Billy.

Billy, my name's Matt Dillon.

You been with the circus long?

Three years.

How long you been a marshal?

Well, longer than I like to think about.

I don't think I'd like your job.

You're stuck in one place.

Me, I like to travel around, meet people.

I'll bet you see a lot of country.

Yes, sir.

Houston, Austin, Abilene,

San Anton, Oklahoma City.

Why, we've been as far east as Springfield

and Nashville, Tennessee.

Sounds mighty interesting.

Sure is.

Well, I'd better be getting along.

Got to get rid of the rest of these.

So long, Marshal!

Nice to have met you, Billy.

Hello.

Hello.

Fate, my lovely young lady,

has just walked into your life.

What do you mean by that?

I'm in a position to offer you,

not only artistic satisfaction,

but two dollars in hard, cold cash.

What for?

Oh, just for an hour or two of your time.

Onstage, that is,

in front of a cheering audience

of your admiring friends.

Doing what?

Assisting a magician.

Assisting magician?

Merely by being decorative, as you are right now.

I'm sure there's nothing you couldn't learn in ten minutes.

So you come down to our show grounds tomorrow

around noon, and Madame Ahr

will fit you out in the prettiest costume

you've ever seen in all your life.

Well, would it be as pretty as that one there in the picture?

Oh, much, much better, my dear.

How about it?

No, I couldn't.

Why not?

Well, I just couldn't, that's all.

But maybe I'll think about it.

Good.

What's your name?

April.

April Clomely.

See you tomorrow, April.

Speeler?

Eddie!

Eddie, you're supposed to be in the wagon.

Don't get mad, Speeler.

I-I didn't do nothing bad.

I didn't say you did anything bad.

I'm not mad. What if you's to lose your head

and start breaking up things like you did before?

Now, get back there out of sight.

Speeler?

Would... Would you buy me one beer?

Huh? Please?

All right, I'll get you a beer.

Now get out of sight.

Who-who's that lady?

That's April, Eddie.

She's gonna help us out with the sword act

like Myra used to do, remember?

She is pretty.

Yeah, she's pretty.

She's... prettier than anyone.

Ever.

Eddie,

I want you to leave her alone, you hear me?

I-I don't mean no harm.

Eddie, I want you to listen to me.

Don't forget this.

Leave her alone.

Hey, we were talking about a beer, weren't we?

Well, what do you know about that?

Ellie Comstock is having a baby, and her ma is coming

all the way out from Boston to be with her.

Barney, don't you know that a telegram

is a privileged communication?

What?

Well, that information you just gave me

is private information.

Well, Ellie ain't gonna mind.

Doesn't matter whether she's gonna mind or not, Barney.

You're a telegraph operator,

not the town crier.

Sure, Marshal, sure.

Now, what in the world do you want to know all this fer?

Where's it going?

I want six copies of this telegram, Barney.

I want them to go to Houston, Abilene,

San Antonio, Oklahoma City,

Springfield, Missouri,

and Nashville, Tennessee.

It must be mighty important to be going to all them places.

Expensive, too.

Barney, you just get the telegrams off.

You'll get paid for them.

All right.

Oh, and, Barney, there's another thing.

Now, when we get the answer to those telegrams,

let's just keep them to ourselves, huh?

Okay, Marshal.

Well, not that ain't too bad for a Comanche.

I suppose you can do better?

You watch me.

I'm afraid luck won't save you this time, Quint.

That's right, Matthew.

Now just step aside,

and I'll show how the cow eat the cabbage.

Uh-huh.

April!

- Morning, Festus. - Hold on.

I want to jaw with you.

Well, I'm in a great big hurry now.

Well, just tell me what time you want me to sashay over

and take you to the big show tonight.

Oh, I'm sorry, Festus,

but I can't go with you.

Why in thunder can't you?

Well, on account of I got me something else to do.

Ah, fiddle.

There ain't nothing else to do in town.

Everybody's gonna be there.

I know, but...

Well, talking ain't gonna change it now none.

- Wh... - Bye.

You come back here now.

April?

Some other time, Festus.

Dog dang female.

Well, don't fret, Festus.

You might have saved a nickel or two.

Yeah, you gonna throw horseshoes

or stand here complaining all day?

Well, she's up to no good.

Say, you know, Festus, the idea of this game

is to get that shoe as close to that stake as you can,

not as far away.

Well, I ain't in the mood for horseshoes.

I-I'll see you all directly.

You know, sometimes I can' figure him out.

Don't try to, Quint.

He's a Haggen.

Yeah, that's for sure.

You going to the big show tonight?

- No. - Well, why not?

Everybody else in town is.

Yeah, I know they are.

Hey, let's get an extra loop on that line, boys.

It don't look solid.

Hey, dude, I'm looking for a girl.

Oh, yeah, well, who ain't?

Come on, boys, get these seats laid out here, will ya?

It's about noontime.

That ain't what I mean.

This here girl I'm looking for

has got kind of straw-colored hair.

You looking for a girl?

You come around here tomorrow night.

We got plenty of girls.

Say, have you fellers saw a girl that...

Ah, yes, very nice.

April!

Festus!

You put your clothes on!

Well, what are you doing here?

I assume you know each other?

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Elko,

but-but he isn't supposed to be here.

He... well, he's my friend.

If you just give me a few minutes to talk to him,

I'm sure everything will be all right.

By all means.

It's gonna take a heap more than a minute to talk about this.

Now sit down!

What do you mean, acting like this?

- What do I mean?! - Yes!

Coming around here following me.

You ain't got no right, Festus Haggen.

Well, you ain't got no sense,

a-flutterin' around in that thing

like some ninny acrobat.

I am not an acrobat.

I am the magician's assistant.

You mean you was.

You're going home with me right now.

- I am not. Now, you let... - You're going home, April.

Let go of me!

Aah!

- Who's that? - Oh, no! Stop!

Let go of him!

- No! Stop! - Eddie!

Eddie!

Let him go.

Eddie, let him go, let him go.

Eddie.

No, Eddie.

It's all right.

It's all right, Eddie.

All right, now.

What happened?

Huh?

He was hurting her.

No, he wasn't.

He's my friend.

All right now, Eddie.

Um, where'd you get that?

Give it back to him.

Go on, give it back.

That was my lucky horseshoe.

Yep, sure is.

Almost a full box.

Kind of expensive, though.

Ah, but worth it.

Oh, I've been dreaming of this aroma for weeks,

ever I since I ran out of them.

I keep them here mostly for the gamblers.

Folks around here can't afford them.

Ah, well, I'll take a dozen of them,

uh, to start with.

A dozen?

That'll cost you just six dollars.

Ah, when one demands the best, my friend,

one does not count the cost thereof.

Good gosh, don't tell me that you make all of that

off of five-cent admission tickets.

Well, the secret, of course, is volume.

Yeah, well, naturally, naturally.

You, uh, mentioned gamblers.

Are there many of them here about?

Well, this being a railroad terminal

and a shipping center for cattle drives,

we got our share of them.

One, two, three, four dollars, thank you.

I assume these gamblers, like, uh,

those everywhere else, invest their profits in small,

convenient, portable and concentrated commodities?

Well, they buy a lot of jewelry, if that's what you mean.

Everybody knows that.

They buy diamond rings, diamond stickpins,

diamond cuff links, anything that glitters.

And where in this thriving community

can one purchase such jewelry?

Well, uh, are you, uh, aiming to buy some?

Well, like the gambler,

I too have accumulated, uh,

profits that, uh,

I prefer not to carry about in the form of cash.

In short, sir, I'm aiming to buy.

Well, sir, you've come to the right place.

You mean you sell jewelry?

Why not?

This is a general store.

Boys have got to buy it someplace.

Might as well be from me.

Naturally.

Let me show you something.

Here.

Cuff links, $50 to $500.

Stickpins, up to $1,000.

And rings, $500 to $2,500.

How much were you, uh,

figuring on to spend?

Oh, in the neighborhood of $5,000 or $6,000.

Ah.

There's a beauty.

Well, that one is $1,300.

And you couldn't touch it anywhere else

for less that $1,500.

Is that so?

Did I understand you say "in the neighborhood"

of, uh, "$5,000 or $6,000"?

I shall know more precisely after tonight's show.

I shall return to make my selection

now that I know where to come.

I bid you adieu, but not good-bye.

You wanted to see me, Marshal?

Mr. Botkin, sit down.

Anything wrong?

Well, I'm not sure.

Something about this Elko's Varieties

stuck in my mind.

Now, I sent off telegrams to some of the towns

they've played in recently.

Well, I don't see how that concerns me.

Well, I got answers back, and it turns out

that two of these towns had bank robberies

while the carnival was playing there.

Oh, I see.

Well, I'm not positive that there's any connection

between the two things, but I don't think we can afford

to take a chance on it.

Well, what do you propose to do?

Well, I'd like to spend some time down at your bank

while the show is playing here in town.

Well, certainly, and I'm very appreciative.

I only hope you're wrong.

So do I.

Hurry, folks! Come one, come all!

Elko's Varieties, the greatest, biggest show on earth!

Come one, come all!

Elko's Varieties!

Hurry. Hurry, folks.

Please have your money ready, folks.

Help out the man behind... Here you are, sir.

There you are.

It's the greatest show on earth, folks.

- Two of them. - Two? All right.

There you are, sir.

- Here you go. - I want a balloon.

She wants a balloon.

I want, I want a blue one.

She wants a blue one.

- Okay, sir. - Here we are.

Balloons, five cents!

Balloons... five cents!

That's a meat-eater, boys...

Don't give him popcorn and peanuts.

Look alive there, George.

He's a ferocious beast. We're gonna have a good time,

but, uh, stay away from the cage.

♪♪

April?

It's me, Festus.

All right, folks, it's showtime!

Showtime in the big top!

Step right up!

Right over here to the main entrance.

All attractions on the inside.

♪♪- That's it, step right...

♪♪

Kind of spooky, Marshal.

Yeah.

You know, it's the first time in all my years here

I've ever seen Front Street

without a single living soul in sight.

You begin to wonder if everybody but you has died or something.

That show's a pretty powerful attraction.

Folks got no more sense than sheep.

Now, you sure you don't need any help?

No, no. You go on to the show; spend your money.

Show? It won't get any of my money.

- Good night, Marshal. - Good night.

♪♪

Now, watch this, ladies and gentlemen.

Watch closely.

One and a half inches of solid steel...

Enough to defy a Samson of old,

but not Big Eddie!

Where the devil you been?

None of your business.

He got out some way. Hm?

There you are, ladies and gentlemen,

Big Eddie, the strongest man in the world!

And if anyone doubts it, he's welcome to come

right up here on this stage and tell Big Eddie so

in person.

He'll be back, ladies and gentlemen.

There's more, much more.

But now, ladies and gentlemen,

I have a real treat for you.

I have the honor at this time of presenting to you

a little lady known to many of you personally,

one of your very own.

This lovely creature will defy death itself.

I have the privilege at this time

of presenting to you none other than...

Miss April!

Ain't that just somethin' fierce?

Observe, ladies and gentlemen...

observe that the cabinet...

is as solid as a Dodge City beef steak.

And just as hollow as your mother-in-law's head.

Are you still willing to go through with this, my dear?

This is your last chance to change your mind.

I am not afraid.

Excellent!

Did you hear that, ladies and gentlemen?

The little lady is not afraid!

Would you be so good

as to enter the cabinet?

What in tarnation is he doing there?

Looks to me like they're fixing to box her up

and ship her out of here.

Are you comfortable, my dear?

Well, it's awful crowded in here.

There ain't much room to move about none.

Precisely!

And now...

Observe, ladies and gentlemen,

that these are regulation sabers,

as carried by the officers of the Royal British Light Cavalry

in active combat.

My assistants will pass them among you

for your close observation to see that there are

no collapsible blades or trick handles.

If you please.

That's it, examine them carefully, ladies and gentlemen.

Make certain that there are no collapsible blades.

Notice that they're not trick handles.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Observe, ladies and gentlemen.

Are you ready?

Ready for what?

Ready... for this!

Hey, quit that! April!

Just take it easy, Festus. It's just a trick!

Yeah, but April's the one that's getting tricked.

No, they're doing it with mirrors or something.

Yeah, that's why she was over here this afternoon to practice.

Well, how can you practice getting yourself cut in two?

I'm telling you she's all right. Now, just calm down.

How are you feeling, my dear?

I sure didn't hear her say nothin'

- when she asked, uh... - That's all part of the act.

She's all right, I tell you. Just wait and see.

I'll wait and see, all right.

And she better come out of there

in the same condition she went in,

or that feller's gonna have so many swords sticking in him,

he'll look like a porcupine!

Uh, suppose we leave the little lady to rest in peace

for a few minutes while we go on with the show.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege at this time

to present to you the world-famous mind reader

and clairvoyant, Madame Ahr!

Ladies and gentlemen, as you entered the big tent

you were handed a piece of paper and asked to write

any question you may have about the past, present or future.

Are they ready?

- Yeah! - Yeah!

Good! Now seal them in the envelope,

and hand them to my assistants as they pass amongst you.

And Madame Ahr will not only

read the question while blindfolded,

but will answer it, applying her vast mystic wisdom

of the past, present and future.

Hurry up, Eddie, we ain't got time to waste.

I'm trying to hurry, Speeler.

Come on, now, you don't want us

to get in trouble, do you?

I have the first question, Madame Ahr.

The question is from a lady.

She signs herself "W." It reads:

"The fellow I am promised to

"has gone to Hays City for a few days on business.

Is he really doing what he says he's doing?"

That is correct!

And can you answer it?

Yes.

Yes. Yes, Miss W.,

he is doing exactly what he...

I... I got everything now, Speeler.

Yeah. Good, good, Eddie.

Good.

You're gonna like this one.

Got a lot of pretty things, Eddie.

I-I like pretty things.

Can... can I have all I want?

You can have all you want.

Come on.

And here is the next question.

The next question is also from a lady.

It is signed: "Miss K."

It's mine.

And can you answer it?

Yes. Miss K, in Dodge City,

in the business you are operating, you can't help

but make money.

Well, I don't like the way she worded it...

but it's still nice to know.

♪♪

♪♪

It's an old one, Eddie.

You can break this, can't you?

There ain't hardly nothin' I can't break.

Yeah. Yeah, I can break this.

Good. Go ahead.

♪♪

♪♪

Did I do good? Did I do good, Speeler?

Didn't I tell you there was nothin' I couldn't break?

You did real good, Eddie.

♪♪

I'll take that now, Eddie.

I-I never had nothin' pretty like this.

Not never.

Come on, now, Eddie, give it to me.

Here, come on, now.

- But... but... - Eddie...

- please, Speeler, please. - Eddie...

- Please. - Listen to me, Eddie.

Somebody see that, we're gonna get in trouble.

Oh, nobody'll never see nothin', I promise.

Please, Speeler?

Please?

All right, Eddie.

You funny...

- Aw, Speeler, you... - Come on.

You're good to Eddie.

Thank you.

- Pretty... - Come on, Eddie, let's go.

Get the stuff.

Hello, April.

What are you doing here?

I was curious, that's all.

I followed you from back there,

on account of you was acting funny.

Oh?

Well, that was rather foolish of you, don't you think?

You been robbing the store, ain'tcha?

Oh...

Can I talk to you a few minutes?

Huh... You stay away from me.

If you come one step near me, I'm gonna holler.

Now, April, I wouldn't hurt you.

I just want to talk to you a few minutes.

Speeler?

Don't hurt April, Speeler.

You hurt Miss April.

I-I had to hurt her, Eddie.

You're bad, Speeler.

She was gonna send us to jail.

Don't make me do it, Eddie.

Don't-don't make me do it.

You're ba...

Speeler, you're bad.

You're bad, Speeler. Bad!

Bad!

What's the matter?

- I don't know. - Are you sick?

No.

It's something else.

Something terrible.

♪♪

Stay away.

Nobody hurt April.

Nobody!

I'm not gonna hurt her.

I just want to be sure you don't hurt her, either.

- Go away. - It's all right, Eddie.

Don't come near!

It's Marshal Dillon, Eddie. He's my friend.

- Go away! - He's all right, Edd...

- Hold it. - Eddie!

Eddie...

Please... d... don't be mad.

I'm sorry.

I don't mean to be bad.

Please... Ma... ♪♪

Eddie... doesn't... mean to... do bad.

Won't do bad.

Not ever.

You didn't do bad, Eddie.

It was your pa and me that got you into this.

If anybody did bad, it was your pa and me.

No, no.

Foolish... foolish talk.

You always good.

Oh, you... you never do bad.

Never.

♪♪

Pretty.

Pretty.

April?

You... you take this. You... you keep it.

Please?

Eddie... never do bad again.

Not ever.

Pretty.

Pretty... April...

Oh, son... oh... s-son...

I'm sorry, ma'am.

It's not an easy thing to lose a son.

Two sons.

They were brothers.

I lost both my sons tonight.

♪♪

I been waiting for you, Marshal.

You heard about it, then?

Bad news travels fast.

How's my wife taking it?

She's taking it pretty hard.

It'll kill her.

It wasn't even her fault.

It was my idea.

She was against it from the beginning.

How come you changed your plan, didn't hit the bank here?

How did you know?

From reading a stack of old bulletins.

Seven months ago in Parker Falls

while everybody in town was watching the Elko Variety Show,

the bank was broken into and robbed.

$43,000 in cash.

Same thing in Lewisburg four months ago.

Elko's Varieties again.

$18,400 in that one.

I figured you'd pull the same thing here in Dodge.

I was waiting for you at the bank tonight.

I couldn't resist those diamonds.

What happened to the money from the other two robberies?

In the bear's cage under a loose board.

You'll have to coax that animal out of there, though.

He's a mean one.

That is... to everyone except Eddie.

Those two loved each other.

You don't seem very concerned about all this, Mr. Elko.

♪♪

You probably wouldn't understand the...

thinking that got me into this, Marshal.

You wouldn't understand the struggling...

scrambling for a few cents here, a few cents there...

seeing your family half starved,

your... animals half starved,

never getting anywhere, never getting ahead.

I loved my family, Marshal.

Edith... Speeler... Eddie.

Poor Eddie.

Born without a chance.

Well, now I've got no family, so...

I'm not worried because...

nothing matters anymore.

Not a single thing in this whole world.

I'm sorry about that, Mr. Elko.

Well, we better get started.

Yeah.

♪♪