Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Friends, I'm saying rheumatism, toothache,

sprains, swelling,

chilblains, catarrh.

I'm going even further, friends.

I'm saying that this extract of nuxated iron

is the finest elixir I've come across

since I took the Hippocratical oath

and started to practice medicine.

I raised my only child on it, and look at her.

Right, honey?

- Right, Daddy. - Yes, sir.

And I'm saying, friends,

if you've got a horse that's feeling poorly,

you simply double the dose.

Get going, honey.

And now, friends,

you are about to witness

the most spectacular demonstration

never before seen on the Great Western Plains of America

or Dodge City, Kansas.

Sandy, please show these fine people

that gun handling what old Bill Cody said

he just didn't believe.

Ha ha!

Never seen gun handling like that before.

Sure is plumb tricky, ain't he?

All right, now, let's show these good people

what Dr. Brown's Extract of Nuxated Iron

has done for your eyes.

All right, now...

All right, Sandy, let's show 'em, now. Come on.

Ha!

Stupendous!

Colossal!

All right, now, folks,

don't you pass up this opportunity

to purchase this wonderful elixir.

And remember, we'll be back with a new show in one hour.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Never seen shooting like that before.

Oh, foot.

There ain't nothing to that, you know how.

You'd do as well, mister?

- All I was... - Mouth gives off wind.

I'm talking about your guns doing as good.

Well, no, my gun wouldn't.

I'd have to have me a pair of them doctored guns

like you got,

where instead of just one slug for a bullet,

you got them shotgun pellets a-flying up yonder.

What are you talking about?

Well, I-I only brung that up to say

that I'd have to have doctored guns.

I could do as well.

Maybe you'd like to match me,

gun for gun, right here in the street.

Best man walks away.

Wait a minute, mister.

I wasn't a-looking for no gunfight.

Looking's over. You found one!

Now, now, we're gentlemen of good will here...

You've found it if your backbone's as big as your mouth.

It's too purty a day to spoil it by...

Man's right.

Now, you cool off.

Next time you cross my way,

your pretty day'll be spoiled for fair.

Oh, now, you're too hotheaded, boy.

Look, that might be one of

- our best customers. - What's happening?

What's the matter with you?

Are you going to draw against him?

He sure enough did call me, didn't he?

Dodge is a awful little town.

I just don't know how I can keep out of his way.

Festus, hadn't you ought to be

doing something about that fella?

Oh, that.

Oh... that don't take no doing now.

I walk out on that street

and the doing will get did.

Well, I don't know much about gunfights,

but if I were you, I'd try and get some rest.

Or maybe you could be cleaning your gun or something.

That's one thing I always do, is keep me a clean gun.

I knowed a feller once that never cleaned his gun,

- and it... - Afternoon, Matt.

Thad.

- Matthew. - Festus.

Back kind of early, ain't you?

I figured you was fixing to go

right straight on to Garden City.

Well, I was planning to go tonight.

It's a good thing I stayed over, I guess.

Well, I'll tell you how that was, Matthew.

You see, this feller...

Festus, you don't have to tell me how it was.

There's no way in the world to explain a flat-out gunfight.

Well, now, I wasn't busting for no shoot-out.

You know that.

But I just figured to face up

whatever I'm obliged to face up to.

Festus, how many times have you seen a couple of men

out here in the streets of Dodge take off their gun belts

and go at it with their fists to settle an argument?

Well, foot!

I'm willing to do that, if he would.

What's the other fellow think about that?

I just got through explaining to him

that I'm going to arrest and charge with murder

any man left standing

after a gun duel on this street,

and that goes even if he happens to be a friend of mine.

Well, I'm plumb tickled

you talked to that feller, Matthew,

'cause it's just too purty a day

for carrying on like that.

Good. Just as long as you don't forget it.

Now, if you don't mind,

I think I'll go and get a little nap

before I head out tonight.

You know something, Thad?

I... I sure do feel a heap better

now it's all over with.

There just ain't no sense of killing somebody

over a bunch of silly words.

Well, Doc, I'll ride as far as the river road with you, anyway.

Keep you from getting lonesome.

Well, maybe you can at least keep me awake.

You know, I've been a doctor for an awful long time,

and I've never been able to figure out why in thunder

the stork always comes in the middle of the night.

As often as he comes to Codge Collyer's,

he'd be afraid to come in the daylight.

Afraid he might got shot.

Giddap. Come on.

Fastest, Doc.

Nobody faster.

You know that.

No better gun than you, Sandy.

I'm with you on that.

Hey, this one's dead.

How about another one?

No more for him, Sam.

Come on.

There are other swill joints.

Here, now, wait a minute.

Look, boy...

you've had enough to drink.

Let me be.

Aw, now, come on, let's get to bed.

Get some sleep.

Looky there.

Sandy...

you remember what the marshal told you.

Only thing what I remember is what I told

that raunchy-looking hay-shaker.

I'm going to find him

and settle his hash.

You're going to get us into trouble.

- Sandy, stop it. - Let me be.

If ol' Doc says they've got a bed with a raising head,

why, they've got one,

but who says that ourn ain't the best?

There he is.

Hey! Plowboy!

Your friend just left town, plowboy.

So you figure now's the time to settle things, do you?

No better time.

As much of that scamper juice as he's been a-sopping up,

a good fistfight, like Matthew told him,

wouldn't hurt neither one of us.

Come on, plowboy!

Oh, Sandy, why did you do it?

Why?

- Festus... - How bad you hit, Festus?

It was bad enough to spin him around.

I was just fixing to undo my gun belt,

is all I was doing.

He was drunk.

You all saw he was drunk.

That's why he made the first move.

I didn't make no move, not for my gun.

I just started to unbuckle my gun belt.

You don't draw on a drunken man.

That's murder.

I didn't draw, mister.

I didn't.

When will that marshal be back?

He said he'd charge murder for a gunfight.

This is an outrage!

You don't draw on a drunken man!

Festus, are you running away from this shooting?

I reckon you'd have to say that, Miss Kitty.

You're not going to wait until Matt gets back?

No, ma'am, I can't.

I can't put Matthew in a trap like that,

having to throw me in jail.

- I can't do it. - Festus,

I seen you going for your gun belt.

Well, that's what I was doing all right, Thad.

Festus...

I just want you to know

I'm saying he was the one that called you,

and I saw you ready to drop that gun belt.

But they's others down at the saloon

a-saying that, uh, they seen me unbuckling and him a-drawing?

Well, it's, uh... it's just a difference of opinion.

Uh-huh. Then they's some of them that say

that I drawed on a drunk, huh?

Festus, please wait for Matt.

Let him decide this.

Miss Kitty, I can't.

Matthew's one of the onliest friends I got,

outside of you folks and old Doc.

Well, I just can't crowd him into a corner

where he's going to have

to haul me up to Hays and get me hung.

I-I just can't do that.

I'll fetch Matt.

Howdy.

I had it in my head to...

do a little mule-swapping.

Mule for a horse, that is.

He's right in his prime,

just a little over four.

Mouth him, if you want to.

Real good-looking mule.

I figured you'd see that.

You need at least $30 boot

to get yourself a fine horse.

Have to be owing you, I reckon.

Ain't a soul I owe.

Ain't a soul owes me.

Makes for good sleeping at night.

Mister, I-I just ain't got me $30.

Truth is, I ain't even got me 30 cents.

Business slow the way it is...

I'll take the gun belt as boot.

I reckon it'll just have to be a deal.

One in the middle about matches what you're trading.

Why, that old sway-backed crow bait,

he ain't worth ten dollars, and you know he ain't.

Man on the run's always got the same look.

Considering the fact a...

mule leaves a easy track for a lawman to follow,

I'd say you're getting the best of the bargain.

I'm letting you keep your saddle.

And I'm just plumb hard put

in knowing how to thank you.

Ruth, you old scudder.

Come on.

♪♪

Hey, he got blood on his shirt.

Took a bullet alongside the ribs, I'd say.

He looks about as poorly as this here excuse for a horse.

Where you be heading, mister?

I'm just a-riding.

Well, now, we didn't figure

what you're doing be called walking.

If a lawman put that bullet hole in your shirt,

maybe you got a little reward sitting on your head.

Didn't say where you'd be heading.

Nebraska line.

Nebraska? You done a mile inside.

Hey, mister, I sure would be much obliged

for a place to put up and some vittles, maybe.

I'd have to be owing you.

You look a good feller to lend credit.

Well, wished I had something to put up for a guarantee,

but I just ain't got nothing.

Aw, now, that's a real sad story.

You touched by this sad story, Pa?

This chair like to float away in my tears.

Let's talk some more

about being a bit of money on your scalp.

Look here, sonny.

I ain't never set a foot in Nebraska before,

so that ought to tell you that I ain't wanted here...

even if I am wanted someplace else.

I'll be obliged

if you'll turn loose of my horse.

Oh, he'd be much obliged.

He's a real friendly gentleman.

Well, that's his mule, all right.

Didn't know he was a wanted man, Marshal.

Wouldn't have traded if I figured he was wanted.

What kind of a horse did you sell him?

A sorrel.

How old?

Mmm, not too young, but a mighty fine animal.

Well, exactly how old? I want to know

because I want to know how fast this man might be traveling.

Maybe closing on 20 years.

You mean you traded a mule, a gun and a gun belt

for a 20-year-old horse?

Mules don't fetch more'n $20 these days.

Gun maybe another ten.

- $30 for the both of them. - Yeah.

All right, I'll tell you exactly what I'm going to do.

I'm going to buy both of them from you.

There's $30.

Now, you keep 'em here till I get back.

Rain's probably washed out most of his tracks.

Maybe he'd be cutting south now,

figuring to throw us off.

No, I don't think so.

Festus is a hill man.

Those Nebraska hills

are going to look like safe country to him.

Kind of a horse trader yourself, ain't you?

Morning, Grandpa.

How you feel?

That rain set the dampness in my bones.

Kind of cleared the air, though.

Yeah. Where you be going?

Hitch the buckboard.

Ma's getting supplies from town.

Ah. Well, you'd better run along.

All right.

I've given you a chance.

Bang!

That'll teach you.

All right, don't try anything.

Don't you worry, I'll protect you.

Drop the guns.

You heard me.

Drop 'em.

Oh, no. Don't you try anything or I'll shoot!

Who are you?

Name's Festus Haggen.

I sure would rather you didn't point that thing

so straight at me there. I...

I'll shoot, mister, you go for a gun.

Well, I ain't wearing no gun.

Looky here.

Now, point it another way.

Point it down or...

Look, I gotta shoot if you move any more.

I ain't fixing to move.

Now, now, go call your pa.

I ain't got no pa.

Well, what I mean is, go call somebody.

Makes me nervious,

the way you got ahold of that thing.

Get on to the house.

Whoop!

Well, I've got to get my hat, dumbbell.

And keep your hands up.

I ain't a-going to argue

with nobody a-holding a Long Colt on me.

Just get a move on.

Especially some danged young'un that's lost his head.

- Get up to the porch. - All right.

Esther!

Come on out!

- Hello. - Get a move on!

What's going on here?

Caught him sneaking around in the barn.

You what?

It wasn't exactly sneaking, ma'am,

it's more just a-resting my head for the night.

You slept in our barn all night?

Yes, sir.

I didn't have me no choice,

the weather being what it was.

Sure appreciate letting my hands down.

Oh, that gun ain't loaded.

It's fixed like it wouldn't go off even if it was.

What'd you tell him for?

Why, you little scudder, you.

I didn't mean to rankle anybody,

but my horse throwed me last night,

and I just had time to crawl into your barn

'fore that rainstorm hit.

Listen, you.

Next time that I see that gun belt

out of the drawer without my knowing it,

I am going to lock it up.

Now you give it to me.

And if you want to get into town,

then you'd better hustle to hitch up that buckboard.

Sonny, I'll have to say this.

That was a purty businesslike way

you herded me out of that barn.

I see you hurt yourself some

when that horse spilled you.

Oh. No, ma'am,

not actual hurt.

Just a couple scratches.

I'm sorry we can't give you a horse to catch yours,

but we need the one we got.

Well, much obliged.

I'll just get on my way.

Could feed you, if it'd be a help?

I sure would appreciate that.

Well, come on in.

I'll-I'll get you something.

Where you from?

Down Dodge City way.

Don't talk like no Kansan.

You just sit down, Mr...

Haggen. Festus Haggen.

Haggen. I'm Mrs. Harris.

Well, you might just, uh, cut yourself some bread.

We've been having a little trouble with the Gabins...

That's the family owns the saloon here.

So, uh, Grandpa's a little suspicious of strangers.

I hope you're not gonna mind some day-old stew.

Oh, no, ma'am, I...

I've been heating it for lunch.

Mmm...

Mrs. Harris, I'll tell you,

this here stew

is the very T-I-inktum-dinktum, and I mean it.

Oh, I'm much obliged.

Tell your mother we want to see her, kid.

People want to see you, Ma.

Who?

I don't know, but they look mean.

Oh...

What do you want here?

Your ma tells me you've been having some trouble

with some fellers, Jimmy. Is that right?

The Gabins don't like us running this station.

I asked what you wanted here.

You sure been put together like we been hearing.

If you got no business here, I want you off my property.

We got business.

Some people want our opinion what this station is worth.

Well, you can tell Mr. Gabin that he can't have this station!

Not for any money!

Who's Gabin? Never heard of him.

Why don't you put a price on it, Mrs. Harris?

Maybe the people we, uh, represent will go higher

than it's worth.

I want you two off my land!

You want an awful lot, uh, seeing as how you only got

an old man and a young boy to back you up.

Well, maybe we could just look around, uh,

see if you're worth more than we first figured on.

I mean just you and us, private.

Now, that's a invitation to get

if I've ever heared one.

Where you fit in here?

What I just seen,

you fellers don't fit in at all.

How long you reckon it'd take you

to get on them horses and ride out of here?

I don't like to push nobody around,

but I get tired real quick

seeing a couple of yay-hoos like you

strutting around.

Now, get on them horses and get out of here

before I lose my patience.

♪♪

Gabin's pulling an old trick,

having them two take over for him.

Suppose they went for their guns?

Well, I wouldn't care

to mull that over none.

Come on, Pa. We'll get something to eat.

Get in the house.

James, wash your hands.

Jimmy is a-saying that this Gabin wants

this here station for hisself.

Oh, he'd like that all right.

He'd move it right into town alongside of his saloon.

There's talk about a-a stage service being added here.

And that might just put

Gabinville back on the map.

Well, uh, if the town's named after him,

I reckon that means he owns most of the property, huh?

Up to this point he hasn't done nothing much to us

except make things uncomfortable.

Like scaring off our hired hands.

It's hard to guess just how far he'll go.

Not hard guessing at all.

They maybe kill us in our bed some night.

Grandpa?

If that stage comes through here,

we're gonna have a good business going.

I'm not gonna be frightened away.

Mr. Haggen?

I think we owe you something more than a meal.

If you can wait till we get back with the supplies,

I'm gonna loan you that buckboard horse.

You can send it back with any one of the freight wagons.

You still going into town

with them two troublemakers fresh around?

We need the supplies, Grandpa.

Well, uh, maybe I can help out there.

Just could be that this old pistol's

still got a little margin left in it.

Now, who on earth can that be?

Howdy do, ma'am.

My name's Dillon. I'm the United States Marshal from Dodge City.

This is my deputy here.

Howdy.

Ma'am.

What can I do for you?

We're tracking a man that may have passed this way last night.

He'd be a stranger in these parts.

We get a lot of strangers

coming through, Marshal.

Well, we saw evidence that his horse may have thrown him.

He'd probably be on foot.

This man an outlaw?!

Yes, sir. He's wanted in connection

with a shooting back in Dodge City.

Oh, you must mean the fella that we fed.

How long ago was that?

Late last night.

He's headed up into the north canyons.

Thank you, ma'am.

Your ma ain't got a ounce of sense!

I am owing to you for not turning me in.

I'm returning a favor.

When we get back

with the buckboard,

you can head out of here.

You still trust me for a horse?

Mr. Haggen, the way you stood up to them two men before,

I got a lot of trust in you.

Whoa.

Hey!

Get them boys out here.

Oh.

That the fella?

That's him.

You boys had a prime bluff run on you.

That old long gun he's wearing

belonged to the young'un's father

Got no innards in it.

I tell you something else.

That fella's wanted by a Kansas marshal

passed through here this morning.

No reward on him though.

So he ain't worth fooling with on that account.

Well, I guess, uh,

he just ain't got nothing going for him at all.

Yep.

And here's the molasses, too.

I have about everything in except...

the cocoa...

I hear them two are bad medicine, Esther.

We already had our taste of them, Mr. Hubbard.

Hey, boys...

I'll get started out with the flour.

All right.

And I need some thread, both black and white.

Yes'm.

Your patience improved any, mister?

Looks like you set down that sack of flour

a mite too hard, mister.

Never seen nobody so clumsy!

You know what that man is now thinking?

He's thinking that you tripped him deliberate, Coor.

That right, mister?

You thinking I did that a-purpose?

Just a pure accident.

He sure is a friendly feller.

You know it wasn't too long ago he said, uh,

he was sorry about seeing us around?

Remember them words all right.

Heard you weren't in the best of health last night.

You know, you don't look well.

Here, let me give you some nourishment.

Just so it don't go to waste.

I got some more!

Oh, he look real pretty!

Hey, let's make a cake!

Hold still, man. Open your mouth!

Let's have a little some of this over here.

Oh, yeah!

Let's make a cake!

Stop it! You let him up, hear?!

Boys just funning.

- Just funning. - Let me go, will ya?

Here you go, Ira!

Oh, that looks nice.

Molasses.

There's no sugar to sweeten things!

We don't want you getting dirty, boy!

He look right pretty, don't he, Pa?

You cowards!

Mister?

Hey, the man's talking to you.

Uh, here's your gun.

Uh, we found it out there in the street.

Would you like to use it on me?

The gun's broke!

That's why he can't use it.

Well, now, just what would anybody carry a broken gun for?

We can fix that.

It's fully loaded, mister.

Waiting for your hand.

Take it, Festus!

Ain't you gonna take it?

Well, I guess he's just too tuckered out.

Why don't we just send him on home?

You kind of fibbed to us today, mister.

I can't think of nobody having more patience than you.

Esther?

You and me ought to be discussing

the price of that station while it's still standing.

What do you mean "still standing"?

Well, it's just a real lonesome old place.

And things do happen

in these here times.

James.

Get up, Bess.

Just come around anytime!

- Hurry back! - You come back, y'all!

I can't think of anything worse to get out hair than molasses.

Got offered a gun.

Why didn't you use it?

'Cause he was scared, that's why!

Now, you hush up or I'm gonna take a belt to you.

And you, Grandpa, we heard enough out of you.

Ah!

It's a man's own business to walk away from a fight.

Well, I'd never have done it.

One more word out of you, young man,

you'll do your studies standing up.

There now.

I think you look a little more presentable.

Clothes a little loose.

My husband was a bigger man.

Kind of figured he was, ma'am.

Oh, I didn't mean it that way.

I'll go feed my livestock.

Here, why don't you let me do it?

Oh, no.

You just stay right here.

I do it every night.

There's coffee on the stove.

Jimmy...

My pa never ran away from anybody.

I'll just bet he didn't.

When I grow up I'm going to wear two guns.

One gun's a-plenty if a feller can just...

Nobody! Not nobody'll ever do to me

what they did to you!

What are you doing here?

Get off my property!

Just take it easy, Miss Harris.

You ain't gonna get hurt.

Yeah, invite a fella to court and then fuss.

Ow!

Ooh!

Come on! Let's get out of here!

Fire!

Fire!

Help!

Help!

Got any more buckets, ma'am?

Here, give it to me, Jimmy!

Pump her fast, Jimmy! Keep her going!

It ain't no use, ma'am.

We can't save it.

♪♪

Now, listen to me...

We just didn't have us no chance, Grandpa.

No, I don't think we did.

You must just be plumb tuckered out, ain't you?

Yeah.

Back in St. Louis where we should be.

I get no more comfort

holding out here.

Sell out.

Be glad we're getting a dollar from it.

Mr. Harris, I-I just can't see

that as being no answer, running away like that.

You telling us what to do?

Oh, no, sir, I ain't.

I'm just telling you that it sure

ain't been no answer for me.

'Cause a man that's running is

a man that's just plain scared.

Like today in town, huh?

Esther?

Next time he'll burn down the house.

You can't fight Gabin.

Well, now, if you was to ask me, I'd say that she's been

a-doing a purty good job of facing up to things.

Uh, the same can't be said for you.

Grandpa...

That's something I aim to start changing.

Long about tomorrow morning.

Mr. Haggen, Gabin is gonna deny

that he even knows those two men.

I don't want you doing anything reckless.

Oh, I ain't gonna get reckless.

We went into that place

they call a town for supplies today.

We didn't get them supplies, did we?

No.

Well, I think I'll just face up

to that for starters.

Whoa.

Now, I figured you'd be along here directly.

I didn't mean what I said yesterday.

Oh, fiddle, of course you didn't mean it.

You don't have to tell me that.

Why are you going?

No way you can win.

Now, that just ain't true, Jimmy.

Them kind of fellers wants to make you believe

that you ain't got a chance.

But ain't you scared?

I mean, everybody's afraid of a gunfighter.

Of course I'm scared.

My innards are churning around something fierce, but...

Then why are you going?

Because I've got to go, boy.

Well, not for us, you ain't.

Well, that could be part of it.

Well, then I'm coming with you.

Oh, no. No, you ain't.

'Cause you're gonna stay right here.

'Cause your ma would skin you and me both.

Now, I'll be back 'fore dinnertime.

He's back for more?

Appears that way.

What do you want?

Figured I might get me a new hold on them supplies

I started out with yesterday.

You recollect what was on that list, do you?

Well, uh, I'd remember,

uh, I guess.

Let's see there was, uh, molasses

and flour and, uh...

There's just one thing that I want to add.

That's one of these here

second-hand pistols here.

Festus! The Gabins is coming! Look!

Why, you little scudder! What are you doing in town here?

Now, you get out there in that wagon

and stay there, you hear me?!

Git! Git!

I reckon I'll take me a box of them shells, too.

It could be dangerous.

Carrying that gun.

I'm always plumb careful

when it comes to handling a gun.

Much obliged

for the advice, though.

My pappy learned me real early that they's

only three times when a feller handles a gun.

That's when he's cleaning it or when he's a-loading it

or, uh...

when he's fixing to use it.

Just might be your intentions

could be mistaken.

Well, I sure hope they ain't.

What I'm figuring on doing

is, uh, just loading these supplies

in that wagon out yonder.

And I'm hoping you fellers

will let me do it peaceful-like.

You're a witness now, Hubbard.

Me and my boys, we had nothing to do with the...

He got Coor.

And Ira!

He's dead, too.

There's liable to be more.

Sonny, why don't you just ease over here,

so I can keep all you hogs in one bunch.

Now, what I'm fixin' to do is to load them supplies

in that wagon out yonder.

The smart thing for y'all to do

is to pitch in and help me.

All right, Festus, I'll take over from here.

Of course, Matthew.

This here's something I got forced into. It...

I know. Mrs. Harris explained the whole thing to me.

All right, let's drop the gun belts.

You got a quarrel with us, Marshal?

I have. There's a burned-out barn at the Harris station

that's gonna need explaining to the Sheriff of Crosley.

You got a Nebraska warrant

to do the charging?

Mister, I'm not in any mood to argue a technicality with you.

Now, you gonna take off the belts or not?

All right, Marshal.

Whatever's customary.

You heard him!

Take off your belt.

I figured you and Matthew'd be a-stomping around

up in them north canyons for a while yet.

We saw the fire last night.

Thad, keep your gun on them.

Well, Festus.

Coroner's jury meets

in Dodge next week.

I think you've done about enough running, don't you?

Reckon I have, Matthew.

'Cause they...

Be back.

You under arrest, Festus?

Oh, fiddle, no.

You ain't?

But I thought they was looking for you.

Well, they was, but then...

Then everything's all right.

Just as right as summer rain.

You know something, Jimmy?

A feller hadn't ought to run from nothing

'cause a man just can't get

nothing did that way, you know that?

I reckon I do.

And that's something that you'd ought to remember

whilst you're growing up to fill up your papa's boots.

I'll remember.

But what about the Gabins?

Oh, well, don't fret none about them.

'Cause Matthew's gonna settle their squash.

- Yeah. Festus? - Huh?

- Do me something? - Of course I will.

Could I shake his hand?

Who?

Marshal Dillon.

Hope to jump in your vest pocket you can.

Come on.

Matthew? Come out here.

I want you to meet a friend of mine.