Death Hunt (1981) Movie Script

Get him! Kill him! Get him!

Come on!

Get him!

Come on! Get him!

It's about time you learned

respect for a real fightin' dog, Hazel!

Get up, you no good

piece of dung!

Get up!

Get up! Get up, dog!

Goddamnit! I'll kill you myself!

You damage my fightin' dog, you're

gonna be nothin' but a sack of guts.

I'll kill you myself,

you son of a bitch!

The dog's half dead.

I'm buying him.

I ain't sellin'.

Not for no hundred.

That dog's worth two hundred.

Two hundred's what I paid.

That dog's worth a fortune.

A thousand!

He's gonna wish he'd

never seen that dog.

We'll cross again.

Nobody steals from me.

Nobody.

- Morning, Sam.

- Howdy.

Them trapper's comin' back in.

Come on! Move!

Damn son of a bitch!

Trap ain't gonna get away with this.

At least he paid you $200 for that dog.

Shut up about that, Deak.

Morning.

Well, well. Looky here.

Excuse me.

Good Morning.

Yes it is.

Nothin' good about it so far, General.

Can either of you men direct me

to Sergeant Edgar Millen?

Yeah, sure.

You come with us.

We'll take you to Sergeant Millen.

Hello, Hazel.

Who's your friend?

Who goes there?

Edgar, some damn squirrely

trapper stole my best huntin' dog!

Somebody stole my dog!

Go away, Hazel.

That's Sergeant Millen.

What are you staring at?

Are you Sergeant Edgar Millen?

Unfortunately.

That look on your face could

turn good whiskey into sour piss.

You gotta to do something

about this, Edgar.

Sound off, kid.

Constable Alvin Adams

reporting for duty, Sergeant!

Well, well, well.

Now, look what they sent.

Hell, Edgar, that was

my strongest dog.

You were fighting that dog, Hazel.

And from what I hear,

your strongest dog was

a hair's breadth away from being bait.

That's a damned lie. I got witnesses!

What have you got there?

It's a 2 way radio, sir.

The newest thing.

Kids always got something

new that don't work.

This one works. I was

trained in communications.

This mountie here says that man

should be brought up for trial.

Now, what are you

going to do, Edgar?

I'm going to close my eyes

and pray you disappear.

Never had much luck prayin'.

Hey, welcome, stranger.

Come on in and warm yourself up.

My name's W.W. I ain't seen

you in these parts before.

Where you comin' from?

- Oh, nowhere.

- Everybody has to be from somewhere.

I can tell you ain't one of them fools

that come up here from the south

to get out of them breadlines.

Half of them starve to death

and the other half freeze.

More dead bodies up here in the last

few years than I've seen in a lifetime

and believe me, I've

been here a while.

This store can't hold all the

ammo you got on this here list.

But I'll get you what I got.

Huntin' grizzlies, I expect, ain't you?

If you're heading up to old Curley's,

I can save you the journey.

Skeeters got him last spring.

Ate through his eyelids and

pumped him full of poison.

Curley finally got a gun

and blew his brains out.

That's one way to stop the buzzin'.

Recon so. Think you'll be

needing anything else?

Nope.

That'll be one hundred and...

let's see... a hundred even.

Rough travelin' at night.

You're welcome to stay.

We could talk some more.

Outpost to base, over.

Okay.

Your two. And two back.

I'm out.

I'll see you.

Read 'em and weep.

Two pair of kings up.

Hold it.

Three eights.

You black bastard.

Jesus, kid - do we have to

hear that now?

I'll have it set up real soon.

Swell...

...so then we can hear them

pen pushing heroes in Edmonton

giving us orders, eh?

I was thinking maybe we should have

arrested those men for dog fighting,

and that trapper, too.

Dealer stands pat.

Technically, under the

Commonwealth statuates,

if the man Hazel didn't

want to sell his dog...

Looks like we got to

build a big new jail.

Alvin's going to

arrest the whole town.

Let me give you

a little advice, eh, kid?

Just throw those law books away.

Better to turn your eyes and let

them fight their damn dogs.

It's a damn sight better

than them killing each other.

But you can't let people get away

with that - making their own laws.

The only thing you have to

remember is Millen's law:

You want to stay a mountie, then all you

got to do is keep headquarters happy.

And the only time they're unhappy is when

there's a killing that's not accounted for.

So you account for all killings, and you

live to be an old mountie, just like me.

You got that?

Yes, sir.

Hey, kid...

I ain't a "sir", a "mister", or a "grandpa".

Now, you got that?

This is not going to feel very friendly.

(whines)

It'll do you a lot of good.

I even use it myself sometimes.

You had the strength to come this far.

I think you're gonna make it.

Hell of a life bein' a mountie,

ain't it, kid?

Yeah, great.

Alvin... you want a piece

of this buffalo woman?

Might help you sleep.

I don't need any help.

Yeah.

Buffalo woman's taken a liking to Alvin.

Probably gettin' tired of old men like us.

Wants some younger blood.

You speak for yourself.

I've still got plenty of fire left in me.

I was speaking for myself.

(bark)

If you want this piece,

you'll have to come get it.

Come on.

Come on, now.

The least you can do to show your

appreciation for a free meal...

...is to come get it.

Here you are.

Good boy. Come on.

Good boy.

Hot damn! Boy, you sure can shoot!

Not bad.

Pulled your shot, eh?

Got him in the kidney.

If that had been a grizzler,

you'd have been jacked.

Well, it wasn't a damn grizzler,

and I'm not dead.

Millen, don't you ever have anything

good to say about anything?

Well, what do you want, kid,

a shout, a holler and a cigar

for doing something

halfway right for once?

No, I guess not. Your cigars

taste like shit

and you'd probably crack your

face if you laughed out loud.

Clean your kill.

You know, if he didn't like you,

he wouldn't say nothing.

No, he's just in a hurry to

get back to his rotgut.

He wasn't always that way.

Come on, let's skin this

before it freezes, eh?

No normal man lives in

a little biddy hole like that.

What the fuck we gonna do now?

This is the dumbest thing I've ever done.

Oh, yeah? What about Leon?

I'm gonna get my dog.

I thought I asked you not

to bring that up again.

Bring what up?

- Uh, what's his name.

- Leon?

That's dumb.

Yeah. Shut up, Deak.

You're dumb.

If we don't get where it's warm, we're

gonna be nothin' but statues out here.

Couldn't fit no more

than 2 in that hole.

Ain't no way in hell he's

gonna let Tom and I in there.

Well, I sure as hell

ain't goin' up there.

Dumb! Leon!

Yeah? You're dumb!

You're so dumb

I could sell you dirt!

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.

I am sorry, okay?

I shouldn't have said that.

Dumb asshole.

Before you two kill each other,

there's something I want you to do.

This is the dumbest

thing I've ever done.

Hazel's dog ain't chained.

We don't want no trouble, mister!

We're real hungry and cold!

You let us warm ourselves

... any spare food...

...we pay you twice the

cost for the trouble!

I'd feel better if you'd

lay those rifles down.

Sorry, mister, but...

...the dog wasn't chained, so...

Don't have any room in the cabin, but

if you want to get warm, you can

build yourselves a fire right around there.

Yes, sir. Thank You.

We do appreciate it.

Make you some food.

Get down.

- There you are.

- Thanks, mister.

Get down! No! Get down!

Get down! Get down!

Goddamn!

Help me, somebody!

Kill that goddamn dog!

- Let's get out of here..

- Son of a bitch!

Shot his scalp off!

That son of a bitch

has killed somebody!

Come on, let's go!

We had been married 9 years,

when my late husband left me

to come here and make his fortune.

After a short time, what little

money we had was gone, but

I managed alright on my own.

Now, all that's left to

remember him by is...

...this broken watch...

...and a trapper's license.

And I thank you for

holding these things for me.

But I want you all to know...

...that I'm glad I came here.

Because it wasn't until now that

I fully realized

how little I cared for the man...

...that I will not miss him.

Well...

Happy 1932.

Oh, you feel good.

You feel pretty good yourself.

Take it easy, kid. Easy.

You've got a lot of potential for a rookie,

but damn, you're ragged.

What do you mean, ragged?

Look, if you're in a do or die

contest with big stakes

you let the other guy

get a head start on you.

Take smaller swigs and

hold your breath, eh?

It looks like it's getting to your head.

When you see it's getting to him,

turn that sucker up

and bust it on down.

then you pray to the Lord you get the

hell out before you fall flat on your ass.

Where did you learn

them high school tricks?

Smooth - boy,

you've got to think smooth.

You're standing on my feet.

Sorry. You want me

to take my boots off?

- Where'd you say you learned this?

- Louisiana.

Louisiana?

You know, I used to practice

on my uncle's still.

Damn, I'd drink his whiskey

better than anybody around.

So, my uncle named that whiskey

after me:

Sundog whiskey.

That's a goddamned lie.

That whiskey was called Sundog

a hundred years before you were born.

Go on. Tell them what

your real name was.

Go on.

- I ain't ashamed of it.

- What is it?

George Washington

Lincoln Brown.

Yuck, yuck, yuck!

What's so damn funny about that?

Nothin'. Not a thing, Mr President.

No, but he was a first rate pitcher

with the Negro League.

Then he tried to make

the move over to the majors

by saying he was a Jamaican.

- Or was it Cuban?

- Mexican.

You don't look Mexican.

They didn't want to let me in

the majors and you know why.

Damn right I know why. I must've

heard that story 600 times.

Because I was too damn good.

That's why.

Hell, I'd have pitched that ball

down Ty Cobb's throat,

and made George Sisler

look like a damn electric fan.

They'll never let a Negro

do that to a white fellow. Never.

No shit.

I just kept trying to keep out of the

cold, and that was good enough for me.

Excuse me.

Alvin, she wants to know when

you can be ready for her.

- Tell her soon.

- She says you're a virgin.

She says you walk like you've

got a roll of nickles up your ass.

She says she can wait

for you in the bedrroom.

Well, there's nothing in the book that

says fucking's against the law.

- I'm surprised.

- About what?

- This.

- What?

What about you?

What about me?

Well...

I mean...

didn't it mean anything?

Oh, God, woman, please.

Get your hands off me!

Where is he?!

I've got to talk to him now!

Get out of my way!

Edgar!

That crazy son of a bitch killed Jimmy Tom!

The fucker who stole my dog!

And you let him be!

Crazy bastard!

Do you hear me Edgar?!

Jimmy Tom is dead!

I'll take care of it.

Jimmy Tom is dead!

I told you I would take care of it.

Get up!

A friendly fella.

He set right where you are, boy,

and paid for everyting with $100 bills.

Hey, he just wanted some supplies.

Bought two of my best shotguns

and 700 rounds of ammo.

From the way he acted,

he didn't look crazy to me...

...at least not any more crazy

than anyone else around here.

You dumb fuck.

You lost what brains you had.

How the hell was I supposed

to know who he was?

700 rounds of ammo?

Bought it all. He had a lot of money.

Who is this guy?

Ever hear of the mad trapper - the one

who steals gold from men's teeth?

Yes, I've heard of him.

You think this guy's him?

Sure it's him! How else

would he get all that money?

Must have made a fortune in gold.

It doesn't make sense.

Listen here to the high fallootin' expert.

Tell us what makes sense.

I just figure any man who'll

risk his neck to save a dog's life

isn't going to kill somebody for gold teeth.

Wrong, boy. He's the mad trapper, alright.

Deak, I want to talk to you.

What really happened last night?

I told you.

Deak, I have to know everything

about this man we're going after.

I gotta know him so good,

I can taste him.

Now, how did you get a rifle butt

in your face without killing him?

He shot first, Edgar!

Honest to Christ!

Hold this, will you?

Ready.

We'll get that son of a bitch.

Alright.

Let's go.

Don't kill me, Albert.

I expect that's you.

Hello, Bill.

Well... what brings you back?

Too damn crowded.

Gettin' that way all over.

Now, listen to me Albert,

'cause you ain't got much time.

Things are not the same

as when you left here.

They put up a town about 7 years ago.

Just a few hours from here...

...in good weather.

There's a Mountie outpost

there, and radios

and newspapers come in

from Toronto almost regular.

It's different, Albert.

There's a mountie there named

Edgar Millen, and he's coming after you.

I guess he'll bring a whole

bunch of others with him.

But he's the last man in the world

that anybody'd want on his trail.

They're gonna kill you.

Am I gettin' through to you, Albert?

- I understand what you're sayin'.

- Good.

Then you'll also understand when

I tell you to get the hell out of here.

Head south.

I appreciate you coming

over here to tell me that, Bill.

But you ain't runnin', that it?

Got no place to go.

Your father never had

anything against running.

I don't guess anybody ever really

wanted to catch up to him, anyway.

He's gone, isn't he?

He died in a prison hospital.

Where you headed?

Well, I guess I'll head up

into the high country.

Do some trappin'.

- Good hunting.

- Same to you, Albert.

Come on, boy.

See you around, Albert!

Tie those horses up.

Keep that fire goin'.

Yeah... he knows we're here.

Come on. Come on.

You stick with me, kid...

...and stay low.

Switch with me, Ned.

I want a shot at the front.

It's a deal.

Johnson!

This is Edgar Millen of the Royal

Canadian Polce talking to you!

I don't want any trouble

and I don't want to see

nobody else get hurt!

I'm coming in to talk to you!

Now, hear me out!

Edgar, what are you doing?

If he wanted a fire fight

he would have started.

He ain't crazy.

Naw, he ain't crazy.

You're the one who's crazy.

You don't look like a madman.

You look like a mountie.

Johnson, we've got a

bad situation out here.

The dead body over there...

...probably has your bullet in him.

I have a pretty fair idea

what happened out here.

Then leave me be.

I just can't do that.

I have to take you in

and clear this up.

That's the law. I can't change it.

To you, I'm just a name on

a form you have to fill out.

I have a bunch of savages out here

just aching to splatter you

all over the place.

They don't want your side at all..

Now, if you don't come in with me,

that's all the excuse they'll need.

They'll either kill you...

...or get themselves killed tryin'.

I can't let that happen.

You can't stop it.

No, I can't.

Not without your help.

You come in wth me

and clear this up...

...I'll have you back

out here in 3 days.

I'll guarantee your safety

into town and back.

But if you don't come in...

Hold it!

Don't shoot!

Hold it!

You son of a bitch!

You okay?

Yeah.

I can't leave without bringin' you in!

I hope you sons of bitches

can finish what you started.

We gonna wait him out?

We'd run out of food

or freeze before he does.

He's got too much mud on

the cabin to burn him out.

He's cut firing slits

about a foot above the floor.

He'll be on his belly.

Shoot low.

Pass the word.

Shoot low.

Millen says shoot low - aim at the slits

above the ground. Pass the word.

Lewis. Shoot low.

He's on the cabin floor.

Pass it on.

Charlie, shoot low.

Pass it on.

Low. Shoot low.

Fire low, Deak. Fire low.

I'm gonna get his scalp!

- Go get him Charlie!

- Get 'em Charlie!

Break it in!

Welcome.

Holy shit! Let's get out of here!

I'll bury the guy!

Ahhh! I'm blind!

- Get down, Lewis!

- I'm blind!

Get down!

Jesus, I can't see!

Holy shit! Lay down!

- Big fucking pig!

- Stupid bastard!

You haven't fired a shot!

Ow! Owww!

Sundog!

Step on the other spring!

Come on. Let's go.

We got to thaw out the dynamite, kid.

But not in the fire.

If you get popped and you drop that,

you know what happens.

Look at these hands.

Sure have a great pitcher's hands.

My mama, bless her soul...

...always said my hands

were the best part of me.

And your father said the best part

of you ran down your mama's leg.

Hope you can fuck

better than you can play.

I cooked up some fish for you fellas.

What are you laughin' at?

I wasn't laughing.

I was just musing to myself.

Musing? Big, dumb shit.

I'll slice your tongue out.

Try it, asshole. Try it!

I might!

Maybe Mr Johnson aught to know

about them pretty little teeth you got.

Maybe I'll go tell him.

No. Deak, please don't.

You asshole.

(singing)

Well, I'll be damned.

Hell of a way for a man to die -

being blown up.

Yeah - be a good man

to have on your side.

Too bad we got to

kill the son of a bitch.

Johnson would have given himself up

if he hadn't been guilty of something.

Guess I was wrong about him.

Most would have run

if they had the chance.

A piece of ground can be

mighty important to a man.

Shit!

Jesus, kid.

Alright, let's go.

(singing)

Follow him.

What's our job in this, Edgar?

Surround the cabin and

stay out of my way.

Let's go!

Come on, baby.

Blew him to Kingdom Come!

The light.

Yeah, right here.

Blew that son of a bitch sky high!

We'll get his scalp this time!

Slow it down, boys.

Come on, slow it down!

Easy, now. Easy.

What the hell you talking about?

Goddamn!

Son of a bitch!

He's gone.

He'll be heading North, up to

the snow in the Kruger Pass.

We'll need your dogs, Hazel.

And enough supplies to

stay out a couple of weeks.

Let's go!

Bring Ned and the bodies

back to town.

Can't be no normal man.

No, he's a killer.

Just a man.

Okay, let's go.

Maybe it was his ghost or something.

Huh, Deak?

Big dummy.

Come on, all you guys.

Move over. Get in the picture.

Move over there. Get over.

Would it make any

difference if I wait?

If I left now I'd never know

what it would have

been like with you.

I guess it's up to me, isn't it?

It's been a long time, now.

You're going to have to

kick me out of here, aren't you?

Yeah, right.

Ain't it about time to rest?!

No, it ain't. We got to

push until we drop.

Damn it!

Get away from my dog!

Well then, keep him

the hell away from me.

Cut that out, damn it!

Let's go!

He ain't too far away.

Come on. Atta boy.

Hold the dogs.

These tracks are strange.

The imprints are deeper in back.

What's that mean?

He's got his snowshoes

on backwards.

He's laying 2 sets of tracks for us.

The man is squirrely.

- He knows what he's doin'.

- Damn right.

He ain't runnin' yet. Let's go.

What do you mean, "He ain't runnin'"?

You see anything, Edgar?

Alright, grab my snowshoes.

Hazel.

That's a girl's name, isn't it?

The way I hear it told, Hazel's

mama didn't know if he was

a boy or girl 'till

he was about 15.

She didn't much care a few years

later when he turned vicious.

Yeah. Everyone up here is vicious.

Like my dog.

Ain't that right, Edgar?

Oh, that's right.

And you here.

You're real civilized.

We don't get many pretty

young white boys like you up here.

Only one thing you're good for.

Leave me alone, Hazel.

Son of a bitch!

Stop it!

Well, well, well.

Look who just got uncivilized.

With my plane in the air and my

abilities as a flier, Albert Johnson...

Captain!

This way. Hold it.

...doesn't stand a chance.

I'm posting a $500 reward

for his capture!

My newspaper will match

that offer dollar for dollar!

That's $1,000 on the

head of Albert Johnson!

Let's go get him!

I hope that bastard

stays alive forever, eh?

Let's go!

It'll be bringing in supplies for us!

Where's Sergeant Millen?

You're looking at him.

I'm Captain Hank Tucker, RCAF.

I've come to bring

the fugitive to justice!

Where's headquarters?

Wherever I'm standin'.

As you can see, he was one of

the Americans' best trained men.

Special Intelligence squad in the war.

These pictures were

taken for security.

Yes, I read, Captain.

He ain't no rookie.

I don't have to remind you,

this is confidential information.

Who the hell we going to tell it to?

Volunteers will be arriving

in a couple of days.

Then send them back.

Excuse me, Sergeant?

You heard me.

I said send them back.

We don't need anymore

misfits up here.

They'll be up here anyway.

There's a $1000 bounty on Johnson.

Now, that's more like it.

Good God, Captain. How could you

let a thing like that happen?

We can use that manpower.

To assist me in cutting him off

before he gets in to that river chain.

You really don't know

what's going on, do you?

He's not headed

into the river chain.

He's going to zigzag his way up

the Sunshine Pass to Alaska.

That's impossible.

No one's going to make it through

Sunshine Pass this time of year.

Well, this one's going to try.

If he gets over that range, he's free.

And neither you nor your plane

can do anything about that.

- Will you just listen?

- No. You listen.

We've been hunting a man who

knows how to live off the land

and use the terrain.

He doesn't have to

feed a large posse.

In my plane, Aklavik is

a mere 20 minutes away.

We've been pushing his tail

so he can't stop to gather food,

or build a fire to warm himself,

or fire a shot to give his position away.

Captain... have you ever

flown the bush in winter?

My credentials are impeccable, Sergeant.

They sent for me because

I am the best!

Now, your superiors know what this is:

one big goddamn embarrasment!

You've had your chance, and your ground

maneuvers have been an abysmal failure.

This is page 1 news,

and it looks just awful!

I see. It'll look good for the Air Corps if

one of your fly boys does what

the men on the ground couldn't, eh?

Face the fact, Sergeant.

This is a new era.

The future has arrived.

Well, if you're part of the future...

I don't want to see it.

Clarence...

...if I get to Johnson first...

...I'll give you half the reward.

You get to him first - you give

me half the reward.

That ain't fair. I want half.

Hold your fire, boys.

It's only me, Bill Loose.

I thought you was

the mad trapper for sure.

You shouldn't be sneakin' up

on guys like that, Bill.

- Sit down. Make yourself warm.

- Thank you.

How about a drop for the preacher?

So...

...you want to help us hunt Johnson?

You're one of the best trackers around.

No, thanks.

I prefer to work alone, you know?

You need us, Bill. We're the only ones

left who knows what this guy looks like.

Sure... except Millen,

Hazel, Sundog, and...

...and me.

There's a lot of gold in

them teeth, Clarence.

Gold at $35 an ounce.

What's eating at you, Edgar?

My territory.

Not any more, Edgar.

Things change.

I've seen it happen before.

If anybody's gonna bring

Albert Johnson in, it's gonna be me.

Not some bounty hunter or

fly boy buckin' for promotion.

Why you? Why are you so special?

He deserves me. Not them.

That's Johnson ahead of us.

He's runnin' with the caribou,

trying to throw us off.

His strides are gettin' shorter.

Means he's gettin' tired.

There he is!

I see him!

Alright - we got him!

- I could have had him!

- You're in a hell of a hurry to kill!

He's on the ridge!

He's trapped! We got him!

(engine stalls)

George Washington Lincoln Brown.

You black bastard.

I'll miss you.

- We've got to bury him.

- Don't ever grab me.

If we don't bury him,

the dogs will eat him.

Kill the dogs,

I got a man to hunt.

You got to make up your mind

if you're a priest or a mountie.

Hold it!

I'll shoot any man that

tries to follow us!

Now get back!

Get back!

You've seen what's happened up here!

He'll do the same to you!

Now, stay out of it!

Come on.

You still think you can bring

Albert Johnson in alive?

The pure fact is, he's

runnin' to save his hide.

And every man he killed,

he killed to protect himself.

Well, what about

Hawkins and Sundog?

What did any of them die for, Millen?

Johnson didn't do anything I

wouldn't do if I was in his boots.

And if I thought the killing

would stop here...

...I'd let him go.

My old man warned me

never to trust you.

I'm going in after him.

Back me.

Nail anything that moves...

...except me.

Johnson!

We got him.

He didn't move like Johnson.

Better check it out, but be careful.

Go on!

His face is blown off!

What did you see up there?

Nothin'. Just my eyes

playing tricks on me.

Maybe I am too old, eh?

Well, what about Johnson?

As far as I'm concerned...

that's Albert Johnson,

Now you're in charge.

It's up to you

when the killing stops.

He's dead, alright.

Get away from him.

There he is.

Jesus, will you look at that.

Teeth! Gold Fillings!

Johnson's got a whole

bag of gold fillings here.

He's the goddamn Mad Trapper!

Who shot him?

Who shot Albert Johnson?

Millen.

Edgar Millen killed

Albert Johnson.

Where is he?

Kneel down there.

That's it. That's it. Yeah!

Death Hunt (1981) - full transcript