Cast a Long Shadow (1959) - full transcript

Keep your eye on this.

You keep your eye on him.

Hey.

Oh, buenas tardes, senor.Yeah, buenas.

No, no, I'm looking
for a fella named Brown.

Matt Brown? SenorBrown?

He's staying here?Men come, men go.

I cannot remember names.He's young,
about 23 years old

or thereabouts.
Not very heavy,
pretty well-built.

Oh, that one
is in the cantina.

He's a bad one, senor.



He owes me almost
a hundred pesos.

Oh. Oh, heck.

Don't hold your cards
like that, boy.

I can hardly see 'em,
and if I can't see 'em,

how can I
bring you luck?

Open for a peso.

Why don't you shoot first?
Raise 'em, boy.

Up a peso.

That's the stuff.
Watch 'em fold now.

It's too rich
for their blood.

Why don't you shut up?

Up five.

I'm out.

Out.



Call.

MAN 1: Call. Two cards.

MATT: Here's three.

MAN 2: Three to me.

Don't sweat it, boy,
you'll rub the spots off.

Just do like
mommy used to say.

Spread 'em out
and close your eyes.

Twenty pesos.

Why don't you be subtle
and fire a cannon?

I don't know
what you mean, boy.

Deal me out.

There's one too many
in this game.

Hey, wait a minute.

Against the wall.

Come on. Move. Move.

Now, come on, get up.

You can ask
what hit you later.

Hurt bad?

Never felt better.

You're lucky
they didn't kill you.
What's the matter with you?

You had a bottle,
you had a cuspidor, a mess
of chairs in easy reach.

You fought as if the winner
was going to get a medal.

Don't you even have a gun?

Ate it.

Traded it for three weeks
room and board.

Well, I hope
you still own a horse.

Same old plug.

What brings you down
this way, Mr. Donohue?

You.

I've been looking
for you ever since
we buried Mr. Keenan.

Keenan's dead?

Yeah.

I thought he was
too big to die.

Just the thought of him
sitting up in that big house

is kind of permanent,
like the mountains.

Yep. When the mountains goes,

it leaves quite a hole.

You didn't look me up
after more than four years
to tell me that.

No,

that's only part of it.

Your old man
left you everything.

Is this some kind of a joke?

Would I spend five weeks
of my life to play a joke
on you?

It doesn't make sense.

I always figured
you'd get the place
when the old man died.

I didn't think
he even knew I was alive.

Why did he leave it to me?

Don't dig, boy,
you'll just break your shovel.

If he was your father,
he was pretty good
at keeping his mouth shut.

87,000 acres.

He was a weird one,
old J. Keenan.

He was as tough
as they come,

but he didn't smoke,
he didn't drink,
didn't cuss,

was a bug on religion,

strict. Remember?

I remember how
he treated my mother.

The old man could never
forgive anyone who broke
one of the rules

he set store by,

and your ma was a disgrace
to his way of thinking.

His way of thinking?

Keenan was my father.
He was a stinkin' hypocrite

and I'm glad he's dead.

Do you know what
it's like not having a name?

It's like being
the extra joker
in a deck of cards.

You're nothing.

You don't belong in the game.

Oh, well, the point right now
is what do you do
with your inheritance?

I don't know.

You see,
you can never
in a million years

run a spread that size.

It takes experience
and plenty of help
from people who respect you.

Yeah.

Your best bet
is to grab the money

that some of us
scraped up, $20,000.

It should keep you
drunk a long time.

You want to buy it
from me?

That's right.
That's the idea.

I didn't have enough cash
of my own,

so I'm letting some
of the others in
on shares.

How about it?

The place really
means something to you,
doesn't it?

You got yourself a deal,
Mr. Donohue.

Good.

But you'll have to go back
long enough to sign over
the deed

and pick up your money.

You'll only have to
stay there about an hour.

What's the matter?

Somebody there
you don't want to see?

All right.

I can go straight
onto Santa Fe from there.

Once you sign those papers,
nobody cares where you go,

what you do.

I'll get my horse.

[SNORTING]

HUGH: Saddle up tight, Chip.

Sunday.

Sunday?

I thought it was Thursday.

I've lost track.Yeah, I wish I could.
I hate Sundays.

Nothing to do
but stand around
on one leg.

Which is what you do
all week anyway.

Well, I ain't one
to kill myself.

I don't see
no point to it.

Listen, the man's
his own boss.

Hello, son.

Hello.Glad to see you.

Are you?

You've been gone
quite a spell.

Folks was beginning
to wonder. Almost everybody
is in church.

Go get Charlie Boles.

I'll need him
to open up the safe.

Boles ain't here, Chip.Well, where is he?

Well, he left yesterday
to go fishing
up at the creek.

He would.
That's a good
three-hour ride.

You go get him.

I'm sorry, kid.

This will give you time
to clean up and rest a bit.

You can wait
over as Hortensia's.

She'll fix you
some breakfast.

I'll look after the horses.

Well?

The quicker we open
that safe, the quicker you
get a piece of this place.

I'll send my boy
on the fastest horse
I got.

The place is closed.
There's no more whiskey.

Ay,last night.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

They drank everything
and broke the furniture,

and they sang
about their mothers
until they got sick.

Hello, Hortensia.

I tell you,
there is no more...

Matt.

Oh, dios mio,Matt.

[QUESTIONING IN SPANISH]

I was sure you were dead.

Well, not exactly.But you never wrote.

Nothing to say.

Hortensia,
what do you think
about all this?

Think?
What is there to think?

The old man died.
He had no people.

He left everything to you.

I thought you at least
were my friend.

I am your friend, querido,

but to hear
what you want to hear,

you would have to ask
the old man,

and he's dead.

Come. Sit down.

I will get you some food.

I'm not hungry.

Then a drink.

I was lying.
There is whiskey,
a little.

No, thanks, Tensia.

Matt.

Look, Matt, tell me.

Like everyone else
I am...

Como se dice?

I am anxious to know
what you have decided.

I'm selling.

Clearing out of here
as fast as I can.

I thought perhaps
you had had enough
of running away.

Ever since I rode
through that front gate,
it's been coming back.

But that is passed.

You and Janet?

What about her?

I changed my mind.

I think I'll have that drink.

Si.

ALL:
♪ Yet in my dreams I'd be

♪ Nearer, my God, to thee,

♪ Nearer to thee

♪ There let the way appear

♪ Steps unto heav'n

♪ All that thou sendest me

♪ In mercy giv'n

♪ Angels to beckon me

♪ Nearer, my God, to thee

♪ Nearer, my God, to thee,

♪ Nearer to thee ♪

♪ Nearer ♪

When we're singing a hymn,

the notion is
that the voices
should blend together,

not fight one another.

Now, that singing
is just one more proof

that there hasn't been
any harmony of any kind
on this place

since Mr. Keenan died.

Amen to that.

Now, I'm no great shakes
as a preacher,

but a congregation
like this gets no better
than it deserves.

I know what's in all
your hearts and minds.

You're dreaming
of the day that Chip
gets back

and tells us
that this place is ours.

[ALL MURMURING]

My question is,
do we deserve this place?

What have we done
since the funeral?

I've see nothing
but drinking, loafing,

and general hell-raising.

Amen.

Is this the way
you're gonna act

when you become
your own bosses?

Excuse me, folks, but, uh,
I, uh... I figured you'd all
be wanting to know,

Chip's back.

[ALL CHATTERING]

He's got young Matt with him.

HARRISON: Well,
get on with it, Hugh.

Well, my boy is heading
out to the creek
to fetch Charlie Boles.

Seems we bought us a ranch!

[ALL CHEERING]

Thirty years workin'
for the other fella,

and now this place
is mine.

Hey, you old squarehead,
you've got a measly 60th.

I got a full 50th.

I'll thank you
to call me sir now.

We've got to celebrate.
Let's have us a barbecue.

Sure, and while we're
waiting, we can have
ourselves a dance.

Is that all right
with you, Eth?Sure.

Well, how come
you ain't hollered amen?

Oh, isn't it wonderful?

I prayed so for this.

I only hope
we're equal to it.

Don't you understand, Ma?
Matt's selling us the place.

We don't take orders
from nobody now.

You'll take orders
from me Dick Calvert.

Oh, sure, Ma,
but the land we work
will belong to us.

It took Mr. Keenan
a whole lifetime

to build this place up
into what it is.

It wasn't meant
for one man to have
so much.

Well, if Mr. Keenan
had wanted this place
split up 40 different ways,

it seems to me like
he would have done it himself

instead of leaving
the whole thing to Matt.

Ma, we don't care
what Mr. Keenan wants.
He's dead.

As for Matt Brown,
he ain't got the brains
of a muley cow.

What could he do
with a ranch like this?

Just what he did.
Sell it to us.Right.

Now come on, Ma.
Let's go along home.

You know they're
counting on you to make
the potato salad

for the barbecue.

Janet,

you go home and put on
that nice yellow silk dress,

I might just
take the notion
to dance with you.

Take your hands off me,
Sam Mullen.

I sure like that yellow dress.

Why, you could even
get hay on it.

Nobody'd know.

What's your hurry?

I have work to do.

You never have work to do
unless you're sore at me.

What have I done?

Nothing.

I haven't been back
long enough.

What's on your mind?

Matt.

Oh, what's the long face for?

For him?

He's getting what he wants.
We're getting what we want.

The land.
This is all you want?

Hortensia,

I spent 30 years of my life
working this place
for another man.

I finally got a piece of it
to call my own.

Doesn't that
make you happy
for old Chip?

You know
what I want for you.

What would make me happy.

Don't let me keep you
from your work.

Well, Matthew,

I just heard
you were back, boy.
I hurried right over.

Did you?Why, certainly.

I wanted to
congratulate you,
son.

You can't imagine
how pleased I am

and how worried I've been,
not knowing where you were.

That's hardly a decent way
to treat your only kinfolks,
huh?

Well, maybe I didn't see
that candle burning
in your window.

Get out of here.

What'd you say?

You heard me, Uncle Eth.

You smell a little money,
and you start acting
awful high and mighty.

It seems to me like
you're the one that's
on the sent of some cash.

I remember all the sermons
you preached to me

while you were picking
my pocket. It makes me sick
in my stomach.

You got a lot of gall
talking to me that way.

Well, that's the thanks
I get for taking you
under my roof

after your mother
disgraced me.

You better get out of here.

All right, boy. I'm getting.

But I fed and clothed you
for a long time

before you started
earning your keep.

I figured that
rich father of yours,
Mr. Keenan,

should have
put out for that.

Now that you've
coming into all this money,
I aim to be paid.

[DOOR CLOSING]

Ma loves a barbecue.Hmm.

Gives her an excuse
to make potato salad.

Ah! Keep your fingers
out of that.

That's right.
And see that you
don't use it

as an excuse
to get drunk.

Lately, Dick hasn't
needed an excuse.

If there's a jug around,
I'm man enough to take
my share of it.

Well, since you've been
running with that Mullen,

there always seems
to be a jug around.

And your share of it
gets bigger and bigger.

I don't know why you two
got it in for Sam.

He's a good fella.

And he's sure
partial to Janet.

I think she's a fool
to hold him off
the way she does.

Lucky a man like Sam
is interested in her
after all the talk

about her and Matt Brown.

Now you quit
pestering your sister.

She'll get married
in her own good time

and to a man
of her own choosing.

About ready, Sis?

Janet?

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Come on. Shake a leg.
We're about ready.

I'm not going.

What's ailing you?

Oh, nothing.

Then why
aren't you dressed?

You go on ahead.
I--I feel a little tired.
I'll be over later.

What's the matter?
You got him on your mind?

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

You don't, huh?

Sis, he isn't our kind.

No, and I ain't letting
any kinfolk of mine
take up with him.

KEN: Wasn't there enough talk?

Why can't you leave me alone?

We'll leave you alone,

but you stay
in the house, see?

Just till sundown.
He'll be gone by then.

Moaning around like this.

He must have done
more to you than
tip his hat.

Get out!

Maybe folks is right.

Maybe you ain't
fit to marry.

Get out of here
with your dirty mind.

Come on, Dick,
leave her be.

All right. All right.
We'll go. But you stay put.

And he better stay put
or when he checks out
here tonight,

he won't need that money.

[SOBBING]

Matt,

I saw you
coming over here
from my window.

Did you?

I thought that...

Well, maybe we could talk.

I think you said
everything there was to say
the last time we talked.

That was a long
time ago, Matt.
I was only 17.

You seemed to know
what you wanted

or didn't want.

A girl,
when she's that young...

Well, certain things
are more important to her
than they are later.

True.

It's only natural
that before you buy
a mule

you look at his teeth
and check his bloodline.

If he doesn't pull
when the whip is cracked,

he's only worth
his weight in glue.

You're not making this
very easy.

Why don't you
leave me alone?

I'm no different now
than I was four years ago

when you refused
to marry me,

except now I've got
a little money.

Forget I said that.

It's all right.
I know you didn't mean it.

Matt, I gave you my reasons
for saying no.

I was honest with you,
I didn't hold anything back.

Except yourself.

Yeah, but nobody
around here believes that.

Ever since you left...
Never mind.

What do you want from me?
A certificate?

I don't know why
I keep trying to hurt you,
Janet.

I guess it's because
everything you have
accused me of is true.

I'm a freak of nature.

I haven't the most
ordinary thing in the world,
a last name.

You would die laughing
if you knew why
I came up here.

I do know.

I thought I could pull
old man Keenan
out of his grave

and find out the truth.

And have you?Sure.

With all his Bible quoting,
he had a temper like
thunder and lightening.

Even an old gunslinger
like Chip Donohue used to
knuckle under to him.

But me?

No thunder and lightening
in me, just hot air
and maybe a little whiskey.

Matt, he left you everything.

No, he didn't.

He only left me
what he didn't need.

But he wanted...Look, if I was his son,

would I come sneaking
around this house
like a servant?

No, I'd throw open
those shutters,
sit in that chair,

I'd buckle on this gun belt,

and I'd throw anyone off
the place who didn't call me
Mr. Keenan.

Then why don't you?

Stay, Matt,
this place is yours.

Words on a piece of paper
don't make it mine.

To hold a place
like this together,

people have to respect you,
look up to you.

Make them respect you.

How?

You could, Matt.

You could be as big
as Keenan and bigger.

Matt, listen.

When you were gone,
lots of things changed.

I quit caring what
other people think.

I was only afraid
I'd never see you again.

Matt, I've gone over it
with myself a hundred times,

and I know now I had no right
to refuse you when I felt
the way I did because

it doesn't matter
who you are
or what you do.

The important thing
is that...

Is that you have
a feeling for someone
and that it's warm

and strong and growing

and you can't let it die
because then you die.

Matt,

I was a girl,
now I'm a woman.

And whether you go away
or stay tonight,
I'm with you.

[BAND PLAYING]

♪ Out down our way

♪ We had a cow

♪ Looked like my wife

♪ Don't ask me how

♪ Cow don't give milk

♪ Ate all of my hay

♪ Sold her to a dude

♪ From Santa Fe

BOTH:
♪ Yippee-ki, yippee-ki
yippee-ki-yi-yo

♪ Yippee-ki, yippee-ki
yippee-ki-yi-yo

♪ Yippee-ki-yi-yay

♪ Yippee-ki-yi-yo ♪

[PEOPLE WHOOPING]

Pretty good shooting, Wade.

You better put it away,
though, before you hit
one of those kids.

That's all for me.

We better go back
to drinking.

What you guys need
is a shotgun.

WADE: This is what
I call a picnic.

DICK: That's what it is.

WADE: Fill me up again.SAM: Give me some more
of that rotten...

Hey, that was pretty fine
shooting, Sam.

Oh, you haven't seen
nothing yet.Give me a drink.

Put the guns up, boys.

Well, look who's here,
the top gun.

Come on, Donohue,
let's see how good you are.

I see one more hand
touch one more jug,
there may not be a jug

and there may not
be a hand.

What put the burr
under your saddle?

These letters
coming from the bank
of Santa Fe

when I was out chasing
after Matt.

They're getting a little
edgy for the money?Edgy?

Worse than edgy.

Seems there's new management,
Chicago fellas,

and they're real upset
that the loan on this place
has gotten so big

and extended so long.

We talked this out
before you left.

Sure. You figured that
we'd pay off the loan
with the cattle that we sold.

The trouble is that
this last letter says

we pay by the 16th
of this month or the bank
takes the ranch.

Sixteenth?
That's Saturday.

We can't pay
without selling the cattle,

and we can't get the cattle
to Santa Fe by then.

Maybe if some of us
went to 'em and asked 'em
for an extension,

The letter rules it out.
Read it for yourself.

Instead of hoofing it up here
because you're in business
for yourselves,

my thinking is you
better all get to work.

You mean try to get
3,000 head of cattle
to Santa Fe by Saturday?

That's the size of it.

Wade, you start getting
a chuck wagon supplied.

The rest of us
will begin
rounding up the steers.

You mean right now?

We'll have to push them
across the flats as it is.

There's no time to take 'em
the easy way around.

Go it slow, Calvert.

Stay where you are.

Ken, you're Janet's
older brother,

so it's you I've got to
speak to about marrying her.

I love her, I can support her,

and I guess that's
about all that's any
of your business.

Mr. Harrison,
can you perform the ceremony?

Well, now, son,
I ain't no real preacher.

Nearest one I know of
is in Santa Fe.

Well, I can say a few words,
but it wouldn't be too legal.

No, I need
a license for a wedding.

How about a funeral?

I'd hoped there wouldn't
be any trouble, Dick,

'cause to stop this
you'll have to use your gun.

Keep out of this, Dick.
It's me he's talking to.

Then handle it.

Matt, I declare you did
decide to come to the party.

Hello, Mrs. Calvert.

Oh, if Mr. Keenan
could only have lived
to see you again.

I don't know
how many times
he said to me,

"Charlotte,
where do you think
that boy has taken himself?"

Ma.Hmm?

Matt's asked me to marry him,
and I've said yes.

Oh, honey,
I couldn't be more pleased.

That's wonderful,
just wonderful.

Matt,

I always did
favor you for Janet.

I'll try to make her happy.

Come on, Ken,
you come with me.
You too, Dick.

There's a lot of cleaning up
to be done before you
start rounding up any cattle.

Janet,

now tell me true.

You ain't really fixing
to marry up with him,
are you?

We got
packing to do, Janet.

SAM:
How can any gal marry him?

I mean,
how's a preacher
supposed to hitch you two?

Woman's supposed to
take a man's name
when she marries him.

What happens when he
ain't got a name to give her?

You're going to take
Janet's name maybe?

[ALL LAUGHING]

Mr. and Mrs. Janet Calvert.

Matt, please stop.

[EXCLAIMS]

Leave him alone.
Let go of him.

Matt, he's got a gun!

[GUN FIRING]

Mullen,

don't you ever pull
a trick like that again.

There's still
papers to be signed,
remember?

You go back
to Hortensia's, kid.

She'll help you
clean up those cuts.

Oh, Matt, why'd you do it?

He's hurt you bad.I'm all right.

Let me tell you.

Nothing else would have
pulled me away
from my fishing, Donohue.

I was at...

What's going on here?Never mind that.

I want you to open the safe.

We've kept young Matt
here waiting long enough
for his money.

Oh, sure, sure.

Just a minute, Boles.

You're to open that safe

and give every man here
his money back.

[ALL CHATTERING]

You people,

gouging me with one hand,
shoving a pin at me
with the other

so I'll sign this place
over to you.

Well, I won't sign anything
that will give you
one square acre in hell.

Now, listen here,
Matt...No, Boles, you listen to me.

You and all the rest of you.

This is my place.

I'm walking into
that house, my house,

and I'm going to sit
behind that desk,

and I'm going to
run this place.

You don't want to
work for me,
you can clear out now.

You won't be missed.

You're fired, Mullen.
You've got an hour
to get off my place.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

It don't look like
I'll want for company
when I go.

One hour.

Kid, don't rush off.

We better talk this out.I said my say.

Now
it's your turn to listen.

I've had a belly full
of listening to this crowd.

You mean to spend
your life making us
listen to you.

You think all there is
to owning this place
is living in that house,

sitting behind a desk,

yelling orders at people
you don't like?

What do you know about
running a ranch like this?

I'll learn.

Well, you won't have
a chance.

That sounds like
a threat.

It's a simple fact.

Come Saturday, this ranch
won't even be yours.

It will belong to
the bank in Santa Fe.

Tell him, Boles.

Before he died,
the old man got
pretty deep in debt.

He sank all his cash
into more land.

He had to keep borrowing
to meet the payrolls,
and that's the truth.

These loans are
overdue, kid.

Unless we can deliver
3,000 head of cattle
into Santa Fe

by this Saturday,

the bank takes over.

Why didn't you
tell me this before?

As long as you were selling,
it wasn't your headache.

You just offered me
$20,000 for this ranch.

You still on?

Then you think
it can be saved?

Yeah, it'll take a lot
of sweat to get a herd through
to Santa Fe in time,

but if every man here
had a stake,

it'd be worth it.

Every man here
does have a stake.

His job and his home.

We'll have 3,000 head
ready to move at
sun-up tomorrow.

You men can start
rounding up the
cattle right now.

All right,
it's your choice.

You either take
orders from me

or clear off my place
same as Mullen.

You can't bluff me.

I had nothing when
Donohue found me.

If I don't get the herd
to Santa Fe in time,

I won't be any worse off
than I've been all my life.

Hugh, you can't ask
me and the kids

to start over
in a new place now.

Hugh, you can't.

All right. I'll work
the east pasture.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

Wait for me.
I'm going with you.

MATT: Just a minute.
Leave the jug here.

I'd like a drink
as well as any of you,
better than some,

but till I get that herd
to Santa Fe,

there's no room for whiskey
in my plans.

I'm serving notice
right now.

I'll fire anyone I catch
with a jug or a bottle.

Any special orders
for me?

Rigdon headed
for the east pasture.

Where are the rest
of the cattle?

Mostly along the wash.

Then you supervise
the round-up there.

Who's coming with me?

What should I do
with your money?Keep it a few days.

Maybe the new owner will
change his mind again.

Matt?

Come on if you want
to talk to me.

You should put
cold compresses
on those bruises.

I'm fine.

What's the matter?

You suddenly seem
so different.

I feel different.

Remember how you told me
you'd changed when I was
away?

Mmm-hmm.Changed from
girl to woman.

Well, I grew up just now.
Down in that grove.

You take care of
the horses here now?

Yes, sir.

What's your name?

Noah, Noah Pringle.

Well, Noah, will you
saddle a horse for me?

Well, I ain't turned
your mare in the corral yet.

I'll make you a present
of that old boneyard.

I want something better.

Where's Mr. Keenan's
horse?

Captain? He's in the stall.

Saddle him.

Go on, shake a leg,
boy.

When I had your job,
nobody had to
tell me twice.

Look where I ended up.

Yes, sir.

Giving orders seems
to come easy for you.

I took enough of them.

What's all this going
to do to us, Matt?

How do you mean?

Well, we were ready
to leave this place
and get married.

Do you think I'd let
anything change that?

We'll get married
in Santa Fe.

Santa Fe?

Sure. Come on the drive
with us.

After we've delivered
the cattle,

we'll find ourselves
a minister,

and when we come back here,
it'll be as man and wife.

I don't know, Matt.
Maybe we ought to
wait till...

Now who's changing
her mind?

Don't give me arguments,
just get yourself packed,
all right?

I'll be ready.

Ease 'em!

Ease 'em down, boy!

Ease 'em!

I've chewed dust
till my jaws ached.

Well, we've done
three days' work
in an afternoon.

I figure we've earned
a little reward.

It don't look like
you took the boss
much at his word.

I'm working for him
to please my missus.

I ain't changing
my habits.

You're fired,
Rigdon.

Oh, wait a minute.

Y'all had your warning.

But Hugh here has been
working hard all afternoon
and he...

Save your breath.

I couldn't have
stomached him all
the way to Santa Fe

even if I stayed drunk.
Come on.

Now get those
cattle moving,

unless you want
to join Rigdon.

[MEN URGING CATTLE]

Janet?

Matt, I know it's late,
but I had to talk with you.

Hey, I was just
thinking about you.

You're going to be proud
to be my wife, Janet.

Oh, I hope so, Matt,
that's why...You will be.

I've made up
my mind to it.

You know, Keenan
left me all this.

He must have had
a good reason for it.

I'm tired of fretting about
what the reason was.

The important thing is
he left me a big job to do,

and I have to
measure up to it.

I will.

I'm promising him,
you, and myself.

You know,
they used to say
he'd cast a shadow

from here to
the main gate.

I'm going to cast one, too,

through this whole
87,000 acres.

Matt...You know what day
this is?

Sunday, the 10th of July.
Matt...

[CHUCKLING]
It's more than that.
It's my birthday.

We're going to celebrate
this day every year,
you and me,

starting right now.

Aren't you gonna
wish me a happy birthday?

Matt, I just left
the Rigdons'.

Are you all packed
for Santa Fe?

Why did you fire
Hugh Rigdon?

Because he was drinking.

He took one drink.

Which leads to the second
and the third and so on.

You know I can't risk
taking any drunk
on this drive.

There's too much at stake.

Give him another chance.

I won't back down.

It's not only Hugh.
It's his wife,
the children.

He should have
thought of them when
he opened that bottle.

You've made your point.
You can afford to
be generous now.

I fired him,
and it stands.

I don't want
to talk about it.

No. No, you'd rather talk
about what a big man
you are now.

Well, I preferred you
the way you used to be.

When I was nobody?

Who are you now?

Matt,

I want to be proud of you,
of what you do,

but I can't be if you think
that to be a big man,

you have to throw away
all the qualities
I loved in you before.

All right, you found out
that you've got the power
here,

you've got the strength
to use it,

but it takes
more than that.

Don't lose your
gentleness, Matt.

Don't feel that it's weak
to show mercy.

Gentleness? Mercy?

Who in this place ever
treated my mother gently?

Who ever showed her or me
any mercy?

Is that all
this means to you?

A chance to get even?

Janet, I don't want
to fight with you.

Now, let's forget Rigdon.

It's not that easy
for me.

You talk about
how you've grown,

what a great, big shadow
you're going to cast.

Matt, you're getting
smaller.

Because I fired a drunk?

I'm not going with you
to Santa Fe.

Why not?

I agreed to marry
the Matt Brown

who took my hand and
walked me to the grove.

Maybe he was small
and frightened,

but I knew him
and I loved him.

I don't know what's
happened to him now.

Now, you listen to me,
you can't...

I'm not rushing off
to Santa Fe to marry
a stranger.

You're talking crazy.

Look, I'm not going, Matt.
That's final.

Let's wait.

Let's just wait and see
what a great, big man
you get to be

because at the rate
you're going,

in a month's time
you'd be ashamed
to be married

to a little nobody like me.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Do you mind
if I sit with you?

Ease in.

Thought you'd be with
your wealthy nephew.

Oh, the way that boy's
been behaving
since he got back,

I'm ashamed of being
his blood relative.

You got my sympathy,
Hugh.

Thanks.

Every man of us here
watered this place with
the sweat of our brow.

We all looked forward
to the day we could claim
a piece of it as our own.

Now along comes
this nobody who
kicks us all off.

Have a drink.

Well, thanks.
I don't mind if I do.

Nothing wrong in having
a little drink.

Even the Good Book says

to take a little wine
for thy stomach's sake.

That takes a load
off my mind.

You know, I just realized
the four of us right here
at this table

got more reason than most
to hate Matt Brown.

Wish I'd killed him
this afternoon while
I had a chance.

I would have, too,
if Donohue hadn't
have butted in.

I bet he wishes now
he hadn't.

Oh, it's too bad
Donohue didn't find
that boy dead.

ETH: Wouldn't be having
the problems we have now.

How do you mean?

Well, I'm his only
living relative, Hugh.

Well, how would
that help us?

Well, with Matt dead,
I'd own this place.

I wouldn't have
been greedy.

I'd have taken, say,
half the money,

kept an interest of 10%.

What good does this
kind of talk do us?
He ain't dead.

That's right. He ain't.

That's too bad.

Yeah, that is too bad.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

[CHATTERING STOPS]

No more drinks,
Hortensia.

You're closed
for the night.

You men better sleep
while you can.

You won't have much chance
between here and Santa Fe.

You were told to
clear off, Mullen.

My friends here think
I should stay.

Get your friends
out with you.

[GLASS BREAKING]

Why are you mixing
in this again?

I thought this was
an open fight.

Did I ask for help?

I just didn't want to see
any more of Hortensia's
glasses busted.

But if Mullen
and his friends want
to stop you outside,

I won't raise a hand.

I said, no more drinks.

Oh, have a drink
with him, Matt.

To the success
of the drive.

I gave an order.
I expect any man that
works for me to obey it.

You know, it's not what
you say that galls me.

It's the way you say it.

You'll get used to it.

The question is,
do I want to?

You know, when a man works
the same job too long,

he gets to thinking
no one else can do it.

I guess that makes him
as big a fool

as the boy who thinks
if he gives enough orders,

nobody will have time
enough to know

that most of them
don't make sense.

As my foreman, Donohue,
you'll take my orders
or you're finished.

That's plain enough.

Pick up your money
from Boles in the morning.

Oh, no, Matt.

Keep out of it.

Good luck, kid.

You forced him
to do it. Why?

I should have quit this job
a long time ago.

I can't understand
why on earth you
changed your mind.

Everything all packed
and then you say
you're not going.

You can still go, honey.

He wants you with him.

Aren't you going
with him?

He decided he could
manage without me.

But he can't.
You know he can't.

Janet, he doesn't
set much store
by what I know.

He'd never make it
without you.

Why'd you let him
push you away?

Why did you?

[MOOING]

All right.
Let's move 'em out.

There'll be plenty of time
to talk after we get
to Santa Fe.

Our cattle, boys.

Move quietly and
keep out of sight.

So, you're really going?

That's right.
Nothing to keep me here.

When I locate,
I'll drop you a line.

No, querido.

You will try to
forget this place.

But if you could,
where would that
leave you?

You say there is
nothing here
to keep you.

I think when you go,
you leave behind more
than you take with you.

You're a good
woman, Hortensia,
but you talk too much.

Do not run away.

I'm not running.
I was fired, remember?

Because you
wanted to be.

Oh, Chip, if you go now,

for the rest of your life
you must live alone
with your old fear.

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

You were afraid of Keenan.

I hated him.

No, no, you were
afraid of him

because he knew you
so well.

Because in him there was
no mercy, no forgiveness.

So? I don't look to him
for anything now.

But he still punishes you.
Even from the grave
he punishes you.

For 30 years
he let you think

this place would
someday be yours.

For 30 years
you lived in fear,

lived his way,
just to get this ranch.

And when he dies,
he leaves it to the boy.

Then let the boy have it.
I'm not asking him
for anything.

Then give him what you can,
what you owe to him.

You expect me to stay here
and help the boy keep
what's mine by rights?

For your sake,
not for Matt's.

He's young and strong.

But not weak like you,
querido.

Run. Run from the truth
as you always have.

You cannot get
away from it.

You are weak, weak.

You're the weakest man
I have ever known.

Get back.
Come on, get back.

[URGES MULE]
Come on! Get back there.

[MOOING]

[URGING CATTLE]

Tell the boys we'll hold it
up here for an hour
and let them graze.

[URGING HORSE]

Looks like he's going
to let 'em graze
as long as he can.

There won't be much
grass or water
by tomorrow.

And the day after that,
they'll be on the flats.

Some of 'em will.

Who's that?

It's Donohue.

I thought he tossed in
his cards.

Looks like he's trying
to deal himself in again.

Have some jerky?

No, thanks.

It takes more than nerve
to run a drive like this.

I'm not hungry.

You made good time.

What's on your mind?

I guess I was hasty-tempered
last night.

You asking me to give you
another chance?

Yup.

All right.

I could use another hand.

Donohue,

when we start,
you'll ride drag.

Whatever you say.

Well, we might just
get these critters
to Santa Fe after all.

'Cause Donohue
joined the party?

He knows the trail.

He knows how to baby 'em
across them flats out there.

He came because
he's as sure as
the rest of you

I'm going to fall
flat on my face.

He wants to be standing
where he can laugh loud
and kick dust on me.

And maybe he will,
but he's going to eat
his pack of dust first.

[MEN WHISTLING]

[URGING CATTLE]

[HORSE NEIGHING]

Now, we'll have a cup
of good coffee.

You think we got a chance
of getting to Santa Fe
with those critters?

It's not my job
to think.

Anyway, I got too much
dust in the brain.

Matt called the turns
pretty smart today.

That don't mean much.
Noah could trail
boss this first part.

The flats will be the test.
That's no mistake.

Cattle will get
edgy out there

even when they aren't
being rushed.

A man so much
as breathes heavy,
it can stampede 'em.

The boss will just order us
to quit breathing.

I'd feel better if
you were riding
point, Chip.

CHIP: Nope, it's his gamble.

Let him call the plays.

I got your bedroll
from the wagon.

Thanks.

I'm afraid I wasn't
much help today.

You'll learn.

Well, thanks for
giving me the chance.

Noah?

Yes, sir?

Maybe you better
keep your eye on
the night string.

Yes, sir.

[NEIGHING]

[HORSES SNORTING]

Oh, whoa, boy.

Try to cut 'em off,
or they'll stampede
the cattle.

Right.

Get 'em back
on the picket line
and I'll check the herd.

Here you are, Chip.

That was a close one.

All quiet.

Here.

Thanks.

Anybody know what
set 'em off?

I didn't hear a thing
till they started
bellowing.

NOAH: Let go!

Let me go. How was I to know?
No one told me.

What's the matter?

Tell him.

I'm sorry,
Mr. Brown.

But you got
to believe me.

I didn't mean
no harm, honest.

What'd he do?This is what
started it.

A wolf's skin.

We're lucky the herd
isn't halfway to Texas.

I was carrying it
in my bedroll.

I thought I might get
a couple of dollars
for it in Santa Fe.

You risked all our necks
for a couple of bucks?

All right.
That's enough.

Noah made a mistake,
and he's sorry.

It didn't cost us anything
but a lot of hard riding,
so let's forget it.

You got any other surprises
in that bedroll?

No, sir.

Somebody get rid
of that thing.

[MOOING]

[MEN URGING CATTLE]

The flats are just on
the other side of that hill.

I think I'll ride on
and have a look.

They're camping
down on the flats.

Those cattle are going
to be good and nervous

after a day with no graze
and not much water.

Then we move in,
fire a couple of shots.

And stand clear.

Those steer
is gonna move out
like a railroad train.

And when everybody
is busy trying to
head 'em off,

Matt's gonna meet up
with an accident.

Oh, hold on, Mullen.

When I threw in with you,
I didn't bargain
for no accident.

Just count me out.

Look, you're in this,
and you're gonna stay in.

Now you understand that.

By the time those
cattle get through
tromping on Matt,

nobody's gonna
notice he was shot.

[MOOING]

It's going to be
a noisy night.

Yeah.

Matt's been gone
a long spell.

Maybe he quit on us.

Not him.

He hasn't been off
that horse since sun-up.

Yeah, he don't
spare himself.

You got to give him that.

[SNORTS]

Who gave the
order to stop?

I did.

It was getting dark
and you weren't back yet,
so I thought...

All right, all right.
Finish your grub and coffee,

and then I want
this herd moving.

You ain't thinking
of moving this herd out
on to those flats tonight?

Why, you don't know
what it's like to be...

I know how far
we've come in two days
and how far we've got to go.

We won't make it
unless we do some
night-driving.

You can't expect us
to work without no sleep.

Any man wants
his job with me

better be in his
saddle in 10 minutes.

I'd like a word with you.

You got anything to say,
say it.

You know, night-drives
across these flats

always end up the same,
in a stampede.

I have to risk that.

I know you're fighting
for time,

but this isn't the place
to speed up the drive.

You go out there tonight
and you'll be lucky

if you don't lose
half your herd and
a man or two besides.

If you're afraid,
stay here.

Sometimes it's smart
to be afraid.

You're making a mistake.

You're in my way.

If you're just
half as big a man as you
want us to think you are,

you'll admit you're wrong
before there's any damage
done.

My order stands.

You'll lose these cattle
and the ranch,

even kill
some of the men before
you back down, huh?

I started this
drive without you,

and I'll finish
the same way.

Now, what are you
waiting for?

Eat and get moving.

They don't like taking orders
when the trail boss is drunk,

not on honest whiskey,

but the taste of
having his own way.

You're fired.

You can just fire
all of us.

A man like you
doesn't need help
from ordinary people.

You want the rest
of them to leave me.

That's why you
followed me.

I followed you
to try to keep you

from pulling a foolish
stunt like this.

I don't need any
broken-down saddle tramp
telling me what to do.

I make my own decisions.

These are my cattle.
The ranch is mine.

Only because the old man
wanted to play God and
punish me from the grave.

His leaving me the ranch
has nothing to do with you.

Didn't it?

I'm his son
and I'll tromp down you

or anyone else who tries
to take what he left me.

You're not Keenan's son.
You're my son.

I'm your father.

And any strength in your guts
comes from me.

You...

[NEIGHING]

[GUNS FIRING]

[MOOING]

Stampede!

[URGING CATTLE]

[EXCLAIMS]

My arm.

I think it's busted.

Mullen!

Shoot, and I'll kill you.

I thought you wanted
to kill me.

I did, for a while.

Now, let me have
a look at that arm.

Yeah.

Well, I guess this
should convince you

you don't need to stand
on Keenan's shoulders
or anyone else's.

You cast a mighty long
shadow of your own.

I guess I'll manage,

as long as I've
got you and Janet
riding herd on me.