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.