Joshua (1976) - full transcript

At the end of the American Civil War, African-American soldier Joshua is on his way back home. Unfortunately, one day before his arrival, a gang of five thugs kills his mother, severely wounds her neighbor Sam and kidnaps Sam's new bride. When Joshua finally arrives home, he is given the sad news about his mother's murder. The Sheriff and his posse returns empty handed from their attempt to catch the murderers who vanished into the nearby hills. Driven by revenge, Joshua decides to track down the killers himself and eliminate them, one by one.

Fellow citizens, we
cannot escape history.

We of this congress and this
administration

will be remembered
in spite of ourselves.

We say we are for the union.

The world will not forget
that we say this.

We know how to save the union.
The world knows we do know how
to save it.

During the war, there were
2,778,304 men mustered
into this

service on the union side.
This is the story of one of
those men.

[ Sullen music playing ]

Woah, woah!

Sam!



Honey, I brung something from
town for you.

Thank you Sam.

Oh I, I got a letter
for you Martha.

For me?

Beautiful. Just like you.

Thank you Sam.

You're more than welcome.

You know, I never had time to
learn how to read.

Well it's from your son, Josh.
The war is over, and I just got
my discharge

papers from the 10th
calvary. Thank god the killing
is over.

Looking forward to seeing you
and eatin' that good ol' home
cooking of yours.

I got me some good farming land,
and we can
come back here and make

a home for ourselves. By the
time this letter
reaches you, I should

be about a half days ride from
you. Your son,
Josh.



Yes! He's comin'!
Sam come on in, I'm gonna fix
you the best

meal you ever ate!
I'll be right there.

[ Dramatic music playing ]

We need food and water. We've
come a long way.

Well sure. Help yourselves to
the well. We're

just sitting down
to supper. Come on in.

[ Inaudible dialogue ]

Concentrate on
your food, weasle.

I'd rather concentrate on her.

I've got some nice hot biscuits
for ya.

Thank you!

Those are my specialty.

Yeah, yeah yeah boy. Thank ya
[Inaudible].

This table, good table.
Thank you. Thank you.

Hey pass me a little of that
rattlesnake juice.
- Comin' over weasle.

Mighty fine meal.
Mighty fine.

A man rides a long way,
he needs something solid
to stick to his ribs.

A man needs more
than food, though.

I'd too like to have a
big helpin' of you.

Who wouldn't?

Hah hah, yeah.

Would someone care for
some more stew?

No I, I'm not...

That sure is a pretty
wife you got there.

She's my new bride
from back east.

You're a mighty lucky man.

They sent me a picture to one of
those mail order bride places

back east. Paid for her to come
out here and be my wife.

- You mean you done bought her?
- I sure am a mighty proud man.

- Just like a horse.

I hope I never give you any
cause to be sorry
or disappointed.

Oh Sam.

That's enough. I said that's
enough.

Let me buy a little gift from
her too.

I said that's enough!
What do you mean?

- Plug him weasle.
- Sam? Sam!

- Sam!
- Yeee hoo!

Sam! No!

Sam!

[ Gunshot ]
Josh!

[ Upbeat music playing ]

Howdy. Your name Sam?

- What do you want, boy?
- I'm looking for a black woman
named Martha.

- You Josh?
- Yes sir, I'm Josh.

I'm sorry boy. Some men rode by
yesterday, took my wife, and
killed Martha.

Where is she burried?

Looks like we lost 'em
in the rocks Sam.

We did trail 'em as
far as we could.

Who's that?

Martha's boy Josh.

That rifle you got, it
belonged to my pa.

It was all Martha owned.

Wherebouts did you
loose 'em, sheriff?

About 10 miles east in the
hills. But there's five of them.

I just finished fighting me a
war sheriff, and I killed nearly
twice that many.

[ Men talking inaudibly ]

[ Sam's wife yells, men laugh ]

Take care of that stuff, jed!
Don't bruise her!

Ow!

Woah! I'm gonna straighten this
wildcat up!

Good knock her in the head,
she'll be quiet.

Now behave yourself now!

- There's water about two miles
east of US.
- Good, let's get to it.

[ Inaudible dialogue ]

Don't bruise her jed!

Woah, hold up!
[ All laughing ]

Woah, we can make camp here.

Light the campfire, I'm gonna
try this heifer out.

Who's next?

- Yeah, when does my turn come?
- No!

- Don't wear it out!
- Please!

- Hold her Jeb!
- Please! No! No, no, no!

- Make her remember ya!
- No! No please! No!

No!

Oh, no!

Well jed sure been back
there a long time.
[ All laugh ]

- Sure has.
- She sure must be somethin'.

- Mm-hmm.
- I wonder what 'ol jed's doin'
back there anyway.

[ Cackling laughter ]

Yeah, she sure must be
something!

- She sure is some hellcat!
- Well she's mine! All mine!

[ Sam's wife crying ]
Mother...

Don't do this anymore!

[ Sobbing ]

- Oh my god!
- Hey, look at old weasle! He's
all set to go!

- I betcha old weasle gonna die
of a heart attack!
- Let's just see what he's got!

Let's see what you've got,
come on weasle.

Get the hell off! I'm gonna pick
both your heads off like that-

[ clamoring ]

- Alright that's enough,
leave him be.
- Get those pants down.

- Let's see what you got weasle.
- I said that's enough!

- Ah, leave me alone!
- Damnit jed, we just havin'
some fun!

- Don't try me Rex!
- Come on Rex! Draw, draw!

Draw, draw you filthy dirty
slicker Rex, come
on, draw!

One of these days jed!

Draw draw, come on!
Slink off like a filthy

coyote in the dark.
No more guts than a rabbit.

Yeah run off! Put your tail
between-'tween
your tail and run away

like a -- coyote.

Alright weasle, alright!
Get some sleep!

Goddamnnit I said get some
sleep! We've got
a hard days ride tomorrow.

Don't do this anymore! Don't do
this anymore!

Alright...

- No!
- Shut her mouth!

- Shut up! Shut up! Come on, be
quiet.
- Mother...

[ Sobbing ]

- Mother?
- Shut up, shut up.

[ Inaudible ]

[ Dramatic music playing ]

Jed? There's
somebody trackin' US.

Maybe it's a law man.

It's a black man. Ain't
no black lawmen.

Pete?

You boys go ahead, I'll finish
him off and

catch up later.

Don't be long Pete!

Let's go.

[ Rattling sound ]

Ah!

Help me. Please help me.

[ Indistinguishable dialogue,
laughter ]

[ Sam's wife crying ]

[ All talking ]

No!

Get it weasle!

Please no!

No!

Don't drop it!

- Get your filthy hands off me!
- I ain't had so much fun since
I raped my nine

- year old sister!
- S'posin' that black feller got
'ol Pete?

It don't matter none. We'll be
startin' into the high country
soon.

So that sure is some woman.

You old dog weasle!

Too much for that old man we
bought her from.

Yeah we done that sweet
thang a little favor

by takin' her away from
that old man.

Let's get some
shut eye.

[ Sam's wife continues to sob ]

[ Ominous music plays ]

[ Western tune playing ]

Come on Rex old man,
let's hit the saddle.

- Oh! Jed! Jed! Come here!
- Oh, god!

It's that black devil,
it's that black devil!

I know it's him!
He's gonna get me next!

Alright, shut up!
Shut up!

Let's get out of here.

Hyah!

- Jed, what's that black rider
want?
- What we gon' do now, jed?

Let's just keep moving. I know a
town he'd be plum loco to try to

follow US into. Let's go.

[ Horse neighs ]

- Howdy.
- Howdy.

I'm lookin' for three men and
a woman who might've rode this
way.

Don't recall seein' 'em.

You're welcome to stop and rest
awhile. You look tired.

Thank you.

Rod, this stranger here is
lookin' for three men and a
woman.

Who rode this way. I asked him
to stop and rest a spell.

Good.

Howdy, I'm rod.

- Josh.
- These folks are friends of
yours, Josh?

- Nope.
- Been on the trail long?

- A couple days.
- Must get lonely riding out
there all alone.

Got my horse.

I can tell by the way you got
your gun to your leg, you're

a gunslinger,right?

Maybe you're a bounty hunter,
or maybe you're an outlaw.

Thank you for the coffee ma'am,
I'd better be moving on.

You gotta stay and taste my
cooking, I'm the
best around.

Thank you ma'am, but I
better be movin' on.

Right, so you can catch up
to those folks

and gun 'em down.
Maybe there's a sheriff behind
tracking you.

Why don't you stay a spell
longer, friend.

Toss it over here.

You ever kill a man before? You
know what it feels like to kill?

I killed in the war.
People I didn't even know.

Only the battleground
is different now.

You wanna kill me? Go ahead.

[ Harmonica playing ]

Bartender? More whiskey.

[ All chatting ]

You know something jed? You was
right about that black rider.

He ain't gonna come to this town
lookin' for US.

That black riders' making me
more crazy than ever was.

[ Patrons laughing ]

[ Ominous music plays ]

Stand easy mister.

I don't like guns
pointed at me ma'am.

And I'll use it too if'n
you make a move.

- Might friendly, ain't ya?
- Who are you mister?

Why don't I just wait and tell
your friends?
We've got company.

They ain't my friends.

They're part of a bunch of
renegades that run the town.

Lost hombre? What you lookin'
for around these parts?

I'm lookin' for three men
and a woman who

rode this way a short time ago.

You a bounty hunter? You lawman?

Neither one.

Stranger ain't welcome around
these parts.

I'm beginning to get that
feeling. If you
don't mind, I'll move on.

Yeah well the woman
stays with US.

That's fine with me.

You can ride out the same
way you came in.

That ain't the way I'm headed.

Now I can either ride around you
or through
you. Either way.

Well you better look around
before you start
anything.

All I have to do is raise my
hand and you're
a dead man.

You do, be the last time you
raise it.

[ Gunshots ]

Mount up!

[ Gunshots ]

[ Gunshots ]

Let me go! No, no, stop!
Let go of my horse, leave me
alone!

Leave me alone!
Go away! Let me have my horse,
please!

Go away! Please,
please! Go away!

Leave me alone!

We're boxed in.

Uh!

Ah!

Uh!

[ Both men grunting ]

Can you make it from here?

I guess so. My place is
just a few miles away.

I'll round up the
horses for you.

What about you? Where do you go?

My fightin' ain't over yet lady.

[ Harmonica playing ]

Hey partner, hey.

Bartender? You got a place we
can bed down for the night?

Yeah, uh, got a couple of sheds
in the back you can use.

And you can sleep
tonight with me.

No she can't.
She's my woman now.

Well how come I can't
sleep with her?

You just do like I tell you.

You go out there and stay that
shed by yourself.

I ain't goin', out there
with that dark
chap all by myself.

Then I'm stayin' here with you.

[ Ominous music plays ]

A double.

Rye or whiskey?

Whiskey'll do just fine.

Bar's closed.

I'm lookin for three men and a
woman. You see them ride
through here?

Who wants to know?

Nah, we didn't see any.

I followed their tracks here.
You sure you ain't seen 'em?

You callin' my friend a liar?

You achin' for trouble Sonny.

But I ain't aimin'
to start none.

You got a big mouth stranger, my
men will shut it.

You'll never make it.

I asked you a question.

They headed north.

[ Knocking ]

Who's there?

Weasle.

There's a man lookin' for you.

Was he black?

Yup, he sure was.

What do you want?

We figure it's worth
somethin' to you to see

that he don't bother
you no more.

[ Inaudible gibberish ]

What's your price?

We figure maybe...
A hundred apiece?

Now you bring him to me. Dead.

And you'll get your money.

[ Gunshots ]

Mm-mm.

[ Speaking Spanish ]

Let's take him to the
abandoned shack.

You found that in
me?

Well.

Glad to see you awake mister.

My name is Joshua.

Mine is Maria.

Well Joshua.

Looks like the worst of your
travels ain't over yet.

You've got a very high fever.

And I reckon pretty soon you're
gonna be a sick fella.

Looks like everytime we meet,
somebody's always

gettin' shot.

Yeah, except this time it's you.

You must want these fellas
pretty bad to follow
them into this territory.

I didn't have no choice.

You a bounty hunter?

No ma'am. I'm gonna kill 'em.

That's all men think of.
Killing.

[ Inaudible mumbling ]

I think the worst of
your fever's over.

[ Door opens ]

[ Speaking Spanish ]

You talked a lot during your
fever last night.

You talked about three men and a
woman riding into town.

So I sent one of my men to check
on it.

And theyre still there.

Nuh-uh, hold it,
hold it, easy now.

You're gonna need
more time than that.

Maybe after a good meal
you will be stronger.

So I stayed on after my
husband was killed.

That lady with these
fellas, she your woman?

Nope.

You really have to
do it, don't you?

Josh?

After your fight is over...

Maybe you come back?

[ Snoring ]

[ Gunshots ]

[ Inaudible ]

[ Horses neighing ]

[ Inaudible yelling ]

How 'bout you, where are ya?

[ Gasps ]

[ Dramatic music plays ]

[ Thunder rumbling ]

I don't like it. That black
riders' still on our trail!

Weasle, bring up
some fresh water.

Weasle! Where are you?

Weasle! Let's go.

Weasle!

Come on weasle, where are ya?
Weasle, come on!

Please don't leave me mister,
leave me-
[ Inaudible babbling ]

[ Inaudible babbling continues ]

[ Gunshot ]

Wait, jed!

Come on, let's go!

Ah!
Jed I cant go!

- You alright?
- I can't go!

- Come on, come on!
- I can't go!

Come on!

Come on, up, up!

- Help me, I can't!
- Alright alright, here we go.
Come on!

- I'm falling jed!
- No you're not, I got ya! Come
on, come on!

I can't I'm falling!
Please don't let me fall!

I got you, I got you!

Get down, stay down!

He's gonna kill US jed! He-

Kill US!

No he's not! We got
good cover here.

[ Gunshots ]

Who the hell are you?!

[ Gunshots ]

What do you want?
The girl? Here she is! Take her!

No! No!

[ Gunshots ]

No please! I'm not one of them!
I'm not one of them!

[Jed] Who are you?

No!

No...

Who are you!?

[ Gunshot ]

I'm my mother's son.

[ Dramatic music plays ]