Gunsmoke (1955) s01e02 Episode Script

Announcer: Starring james arness as matt dillon.
Sometimes I wonder if there's some good men Planted here on boot hill.
On a given day, any man can be a bad man.
With enough anger inside of him, He can be a killer.
Take that one day out of his life And he'd have been buried in a respectable cemetery.
My name's dillon.
I'm a lawman.
United states marshal out of dodge city.
Over there.
It's a town that has more than its share of riffraff.
There are plenty of good citizens too.
Yet I keep remembering, On any given day something can happen That turns good men bad.
For that one day.
That's when I'm called in.
That's when it's tough.
Rance, jim, ed, frank.
What's the matter with you? He stole one of my horses.
Now, you men all know How I feel about lynching.
Hanging a horse thief isn't lynching.
I don't know a man in dodge I respect more than you, rance.
Any other time You'd be coming to me to stop a thing like this.
I don't know, It must've been the heat's got to you.
You're acting crazy with it.
We're only doing what has to be done.
You've got no right to interfere, marshal.
Now, you men all know me.
You know that this man's done anything wrong, He'll get a fair trial.
Now, go on home, all of you.
Find some shade and cool off.
I said go home.
I said now.
What kind of a lawman are you, Interfering with justice? I said now.
That his gun? Yeah.
We could have done better.
Yeah, better for who? For everybody.
You can see just what he is by looking at him.
A gunman.
Look how low he wears his holster.
Look at the butt of his gun, marshal.
Twelve notches.
Well, I'm glad you happened by this morning, marshal.
It ain't often the law gives me any help.
Don't believe I got your name.
Dillon.
I'm cope borden.
I know who you are.
I've seen your face on the wanted posters In my office often enough.
Any posters on me now, marshal? Not lately.
Shouldn't be.
Just finished six years at prison hill.
Ah, they were wrong.
I didn't steal this horse.
That's rance bradley's iron he's wearing there.
Ah Lot of people use the same burn.
He knows it, you know it, and I know it.
Not around here they don't.
I didn't get this horse around here.
Where'd she come from? Arizona territory.
Bought her a couple of weeks ago, Just before I left.
Who from? I don't know.
A horse trader in yuma.
Did he give you a bill of sale? He might've, Only I don't keep a lot of papers.
What was the horse trader's name? Well, I don't know if I can recall exactly.
Well, you better think about it And don't take too much time.
Name was sanders.
Something like that, I guess.
I don't know.
Saunders from yuma, arizona? Yeah.
Did you tell that to rance bradley and the others? That feller you were talking to? That was rance bradley? Yeah.
People like rance bradley, Law-abiding, upright citizens, I don't tell 'em anything.
They always give me a feeling right in here.
It's like being sick.
You gonna give me my gun? I'll keep it for the time being.
Well, what happens now? We ride into dodge and straighten this thing out.
jail? That's right.
Well, It's better than this tree, marshal.
Been expecting you back for three days, mr.
Dillon.
Hello, chester.
How's everything been? Ah, there's been a fight every night Since you've been gone.
Must be the heat.
Poor me, I was just watching it.
You found a friend? Name's cope borden.
He's gonna be with us for a while, chester.
Oh.
Take good care of this one.
It's liable to be evidence.
Oh, sure will, mr.
Dillon.
come on, boy.
That's enough.
What's the matter, marshal? You got a law against laughing around here? In there.
Matt.
Glad to see you back.
How was your trip? Hot.
You gonna introduce us? Nope.
Oh.
Well, I wanna get in out of this sun.
I'll see you later, matt.
All right, kitty.
Mmm, nice girl, that kitty.
Your girl? Inside.
Drop it there.
In you go, cope.
For how long? I wish I could say for 20 years.
But that depends on whether or not You were telling the truth.
And whether or not the sheriff in yuma Can find a horse trader named saunders.
Should have an answer by noon.
This kind of weather Sure wears them animals down, mr.
Dillon.
They both just picking up heat bumps.
Makes 'em nasty.
Not only the animals, chester.
All right, cope.
You think I owe you something For saving me from hanging.
Well, I don't figure it that way.
You don't like me, And I don't like you.
Maybe it's just to get out of the heat, But I've let you put me in your little jail, marshal.
I've had all I want of jails, And if I don't get a fair shake, I'll break this egg crate wide open, And I won't care who gets hit with the pieces.
I just thought I'd better tell you, So you know where we stand, marshal.
If he tries something, chester, shoot him.
That's where we stand.
Marshal.
Dry whiskey, mr.
Dillon? Too hot.
Beer's cool.
All right, then.
I was gonna ride out to your place later on After the sun went down, rance.
But seeing as you're in town, I can talk to you now.
About that man you wanted to hang.
One of my horses is missing.
He's riding it.
My brand.
You better look at this.
Just got in from yuma.
Sheriff said the man did buy that horse there.
Same brand.
I guess I made a mistake.
Yes, you did.
Well, I thought from the looks of him- Well, you know what a gunman looks like.
I'm awful tired of people like that in dodge.
I don't like his looks or his kind Any better than you do, rance.
He's done no wrong here.
Not here maybe.
Other places, other times.
I know the breed.
You do too.
You sorry he didn't steal your horse, rance? I said I made a mistake, marshal.
You might've lynched him.
I'd be holding you for murder right now.
Next time, you might not be so lucky.
And you'll be making a mistake If you don't run him out of town now, Before he does do wrong here.
This is as good as a bill of sale In case anybody should ask you about that horse again.
I got an answer in case any of them upright citizens Should ask some more questions.
You gonna arrest rance bradley and them other citizens? Nope.
Well, seems to me they're breaking the law.
They had you pegged as a horse thief.
You never said anything to let 'em know different.
I told you I wouldn't give That kind of satisfaction explaining anything.
No matter what I'd told them, They'd have hung me all the same.
I know 'em.
And I know you.
You're a man who's had a lot of trouble.
And you can still have a lot if you want it.
Nothing I can't handle.
His horse saddled? Yes, sir.
Where were you heading when they picked you up? Missouri.
You got a home there? I got nothin' there.
Or anywhere else.
You know, I think I'll stick around here a while.
Now that I'm legal and all.
Get outta town, cope.
Why? 'cause I don't like you.
Well, there's no law against that.
And there's no law says I gotta leave, is there? Is there? No, there isn't.
I think I'll get myself a drink.
Would you like one? It's hot.
Maybe I can buy that girl- What? Kitty? Kitty.
Buy her a drink, huh? She must be hot On a day like this.
He just asks for it, mr.
Dillon.
Mr.
Dillon, look.
Look there.
There's gonna be trouble, mr.
Dillon.
Why didn't you throw him outta town? 'cause I got no right to, chester.
Well, I'll get that water.
Never mind.
Ante, gentlemen.
Hold on.
I'd like all my cards from the top.
They're all from the top, mister.
Stay outta this, rance.
Well, the last one come from the bottom of the deck.
You accusing me of cheating? It's been on the bottom ever since you started dealing.
You're a liar.
It's a four of clubs.
Four of clubs.
Wanna see the card? I saw it.
He was cheating.
He drew first.
You'd have done the same thing, marshal.
Ah, it was self-defense.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's what it was.
Goodbye, gentlemen.
Cope didn't give him much of a chance, did he, matt? He didn't have much of a choice.
You know who he was? Mr.
Bradley's nephew.
Is that right, rance? That's right, marshal.
Just got in from saint louis yesterday.
I'm sorry.
Mm-hm.
Rance! Stay out of this, marshal.
He killed my nephew, I'm gonna kill him.
That was a fair fight.
I'll let no prison gunman come in here And get away with shooting that boy down.
Not while I've got breath.
Get out of the way, marshal.
I can handle him.
And his friends too.
Just get out of my line.
Hey, you'd get him.
We know that.
One of these others would get you.
I don't think so.
Unless you stand there so's I can't fire.
Are you gonna let them shoot me down? Nobody's gonna get shot down.
Chester, take this man over to my office.
He'll be safe there.
Come on.
You're defending a killer, And I won't stand for it.
I want him, marshal.
I'm gonna get him.
I've told you once today, rance, and I'm telling you again.
Go home.
Is this what you call law? Protecting a killer, turning your back on us? Give me your gun.
He's a good man out there.
He's worth ten of you.
Never done a wrong thing in his life.
Now the second time in one day he wants to start killing.
I'm no coward, marshal.
I like to handle my own arguments.
Yeah, yeah, and shoot everybody up while you're at it.
Mr.
Dillon.
In a little while, he's gonna turn That killer loose in our town again.
I'm not gonna stand for it.
Are you? No.
We're gonna do something about it.
They gonna try and come right in here.
Nice law-abiding citizens you got.
Every time I turn around, they wanna kill me.
You want me to lock him in a cell for safekeeping? Just a minute.
We want that man, marshal.
You gonna give him to us? We're gonna have to take him from you.
Well, marshal, Are you gonna let 'em take me? See if the back's bolted, chester.
Yes, sir.
And bring the shotguns with you.
Yes, sir.
Shotgun? Oh, now- Now you're talking my kind of law.
You have to do your duty, marshal.
No matter what.
You hate my guts, But you have to do your duty and protect me.
And you may get shot for it.
It's all bolted.
They'll have to try the front.
They know that.
You know we mean business, marshal.
Marshal, can you hear me? A shotgun can tear up a man pretty bad.
I gotta hand it to you, marshal.
You know how to handle 'em when they need handlin'.
At this range, You oughta be able to get, oh, Two with every shot.
All my life, people like them out there Have been kickin' me out of town, Throwin' me in jails.
Fine upright citizens.
Marshal, this is kinda my day, Because I've never rightly been able To get back at 'em.
But you're doing it for me.
Can't shoot all of us.
Come on.
Don't come any closer.
I'm warning you.
If we have to come in and get him, marshal, We'll come in.
You gonna make us do that, marshal? If this is the law, I like it.
I can't shoot people who haven't done a wrong thing In their lives until today.
Open the door, chester.
What are you gonna do, mr.
Dillon? Gonna give him to us, marshal? Yeah, I'm gonna give him to you.
He's all yours.
He's in there, and he's unarmed.
Go on in and get him.
Well, what are you waiting for? I told you to take him.
They won't hurt you, he's not armed.
Go on, go on! You hear me?! Go on in and get him! Take him out and string him up.
And then I'm gonna track down each and every one of you.
And I'm gonna see that you hang for murder.
If it's the last thing I ever do.
Now, go on in there.
I don't know what got into me.
Made me half crazy.
I'm sorry for what I did.
Heat must have got at me pretty bad.
Well, I guess the heat got at all of us, rance.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I Guess I'll be going home.
All of us.
Let's go home.
Get his gun, chester.
Yes, sir.
Get outta dodge.
Get all the way out.
You keep on going and don't you ever come back.
Sure.
Now, you're not too bright, marshal.
You could have let him kill me.
Got me off your hands.
This way you'll always be wondering When I'm coming back.
I said get outta dodge.
Man like that There wasn't a thing you could do But defend him all day long.
You know, I almost wish he had done something wrong Here in dodge.
Well Maybe this heat'll ease off tomorrow.
Maybe tomorrow will be a little cooler.