Face to Face (1967) - full transcript

History Professor Brad Fletcher heads west for his health, but falls in with Soloman Bennett's outlaw gang. Fascinated by their way of life, Fletcher finally takes over the gang, leading with a new 'efficient' ruthlessness.

I've an announcement to make and
I find it very painful.

I'm unable to continue
this history course.

But as you perhaps know

it's not a matter of my own volition.

However, the study of history can be
suspended and resumed at any point.

Because

though all men must die in time,

other men will make history live.

And each man can choose
his own part in history.

We've been forced to choose.

When the war between the States
declared that we were either



Union loyalists or Confederate rebels.

You are twenty years old.

You will have to choose, many times,

between just and unjust,
truth and untruth.

And always the answer is
only to be found

within you.

And if this small bit of knowledge
can help you in the future,

then I'm truly privileged
for my part in history

will not have been useless.

The class is dismissed. Thank you.

My dear Professor Fletcher. Miss Wilkins
I and I look forward to your return.

I hope you're not disappointed.

Come, come, Fletcher.
You're not as sick as all that.

Tomorrow you'll be far away from this
horrible climate. You'll feel differently.



I feel sure your lungs will improve
as soon as you put your foot in,

Texas. And you'll come back here
to Boston completely recovered.

Yes sir, no doubt.

You talk as though you don't care.

And I must say, given your intelligence,

you should have gone far,
a lot farther than you have.

But I'm not complaining.

That's just the trouble.
You have no ambition.

That's why you've never been promoted.

In this country there are no limits
for the man who is willing to fight.

You've never struggled against
the position fate has put you in.

But that is what you must do now,
more than ever.

Well, I'm late for class.
Have a good trip.

Goodbye, Dean.

Well, Miss Wilkins...

He's probably right about me, you know.

Well, I don't believe him. Professor.

That's good of you, Elizabeth.

Are you asleep. Professor?

No, but very nearly.

I couldn't sleep last night
because of you and your Paco

raising Cain in the next bedroom.

Why, Professor, I do not understand,

My dear, I don't believe you.

El amor, it is not wrong.

You do not think it is wrong to love,
do you, Professor?

Because Paco has gone away,
and I feel so lonely.

Lonely?

Who'd be coming up here?

Get out, go on!

Get down there where you belong!

Give us a little drink,
something nice and cool.

Sheriff! This half breed,
he looks like Beauregard Bennet!

It ain't no affair of yours.

Hurry up, we're thirsty!

But, Sheriff, maybe this could turn out
to be an affair of mine

if we have a visit from Bennet's amigos.

All his amigos are underground.

That is, except for one
who escaped our ambush! Zachary Shawn.

But we'll get him too
and then the Bennet gang is through.

Water!

Don't talk so much and
you won't get thirsty.

Just a minute.

Hey you, what do you
think you're doing?

I'm going to give him a drink.

Hold it! You're doing nothing
for that man.

All members of a civilized society
have fundamental human rights.

What's the guy talking about?

Quien sabe, sheriff. He's a professor
from the East. He reads a lot of books.

Well, Professor,listen to me.

That man's a cheap killer.
Keep your philosophy for someone else.

A killer, eh?

You see, in this country nobody can
be presumed guilty of a crime

before a correctly constituted court
of law declares that guilt proven.

All right, all right, spare me the
lecture, give him a drink.

Thank you.

Drop your guns or I'll kill him!

You, get on the coach and
start going as soon as we're inside.

Go on,

Mas suerte!

I, uh, I'm afraid you could hardly
have made a worse choice of hostage.

I'm terribly ill,
it's the lungs you know.

Yeah? But the sheriff's men didn't know.

Go faster, go!

What for?

You might as well be dead
if you're so sick.

I?

But I'm, I might recover, after all,
I mean it's possible!

And even if I don't, this doesn't
make sense. I've never done you any harm.

You have no reason to kill me.

Yeah, you're right. Why kill a dead man.

Anyway, I may need
an extra bullet some time.

How are you feeling?

I'm feeling like I have a bullet
in my guts, that's how I'm feeling.

I did the best I could.
I put you on one of the horses,

but then after nightfall I got lost.

In the morning I found this stream and
I thought maybe I could clean that wound.

No, don't. In your condition,
you shouldn't move.

Then lemme die, leave me alone.

I wouldn't leave my
worst enemy here like this.

Besides, where do you want me to go?

I don't even know where I am right now.

I know a hideout.
If you could get me to it.

Where?

Well, haven't much choice I guess.

Take my gun. Professor.

Why?

Take it, I said!

Aim for the side,
where the chain joins the manacle,

Yes, but how do you fire this?

Pull back the hammer!
Haven't you ever fired a gun?

This thing? That could
be dangerous, couldn't it?

Yes, Professor, it could.

And remember, it's loaded. And
it shoots when you pull the trigger.

Try again,

that's it.

Get closer,

here.

Look under the floorboards
beside the far window.

What's the matter?

What's the matter?
I'm coughing, I mustn't exert myself.

Don't let me down,
you bastard, when I need you!

Do what I say!

Under the floor,

near the window;

use that axe:

break the boards!

Go on,

get moving!

Break that board!

Break it. Professor.

That's right!
Now lift it out!

What's the matter with you?!

Hurry!

I can't, I can't,
I'm not well, I can't do it!

You gotta do it, I tell you! You gotta!

Lift it out!

I can't, I'm too weak.

Sure you can.

That's right, lift it out.

There's something hidden under here.

It's full of supplies,
guns, medicines,

Yes, I know, Professor.

I know.

Put that bottle down.

Now do what I tell you.
Put the blade of the knife in the wound.

Make it bigger if you have to until you
feel the point begin to scrape the bullet.

That's it! You felt it.

Go on! That's it, hurry!

Shove the blade in! Go on! I said!

Are you afraid? Further in!

No... please, I can't do it,
I can't do it!

Look at that!

Look at it!

It wanted to kill me, look.

Now that it's out I'm going
to live! I'll live! Understand?!

Excellent shot.

Only I'm still too slow.

Too slow? I'd say
you were a pretty fast draw.

There's plenty of space on Boot Hill
for pretty fast draws.

Ever since I was ten I spent two hours
every day practising to be fastest.

Since you were ten, huh?

Your life would have been very different
if you'd devoted all that time to books.

If you'd used it
training your brain to think

instead of practising
how to draw a pistol.

There's no doubt that holding it
gives one a curious sense of power.

It seems so natural,
as though it had become part of me.

Look, Beau, I hit it!
I aimed at it and I hit it.

Good!

It was easy.

There goes our dinner! Get it!

Look!

What's the matter? Didn't you ever
eat rabbit back East.

Yes, of course, although

we have someone else do the killing
for us and we don't think about it.

Besides, out here in the West

it's difficult to distinguish
the instinct for survival

from the lust to acquire power.

Why do you want to worry
about things like that?

It's impossible for me to stop thinking.
For example, we have plenty of provisions.

Therefore You could easily
have spared that rabbit.

Over here.

What are you going to do?

Do you know him?

No, and I don't want him to know me.

Are you crazy? Put that away!

It's not like shooting a rabbit.
I'll get rid of him.

Hi, there, stranger!
I didn't hear you coming,

but you're welcome.

It's a real pleasure to see another human
being after all these weeks alone here.

What can I do for you, friend?

You can take me to Beauregard.

What?

Who's Beauregard?

Solomon Bennet,

known as Beauregard.
Tell him I wanna talk.

But I don't know who you are.

Shut up.

And you, take off your gunbelt.

I'm Siringo, Charley Siringo.

So I finally found you, didn't I, Beau?

How did you find me?

I looked around.

I heard that Bennet's Raiders

used to have one of their hide-outs
around here somewhere.

What do you want?

I wanna work for you, wanna help
you reorganize Bennet's Raiders.

That's what you have in mind, isn't it?

We'll begin with Zachary Shawn.
Once he's out of jail,

collect the other boys, and as for the
dead... huh, replace them. How about it?

D' you wanna do it?

You really think I'm going to accept
just anybody who offers to join?

No,

but then I'm

not just anybody.

These posters are my references.

This is my good luck charm

from my first sheriff.

Did you ever hear talk of the

Pinkertons?

Sure, it's a private detective agency.

Well, of all the lawmen on my trail
these days, they're the most troublesome.

They could make up a story like yours.

I understand.

But this'll prove that I don't have
anything to do with them.

A Pinkertons' man would've shot the
both of you by now. Who'd stop him?

I would.

I admit you're plenty smart and that's
the main reason why I want to work for you.

I'm afraid not.

I haven't begun my recruiting

and maybe I never will.

All right.

I'm a very patient type. If you want me,
all you have to do is whistle.

I'll probably be
near enough to hear you.

What are you doing?

Clearing out.
I don't want any more visitors.

Must we?
This is a good place.

D' you think so?
Then why don't you stay here.

Yes,

I might.

Because you're going to begin doing

what that fellow said: getting Bennet's
Raiders together again, aren't you?

That's natural.

Natural?

You picked the right word. Naturally
a wild beast returns to violence,

creeps out of the hole where he's

been licking his wounds and
joins the pack again.

You're an animal, incapable of thought.
You kill people from sheer stupidity.

Tell me: what would you do
if you were stronger than I am, Brett?

Oh, don't cry,

it's nothing.

You have a different kind of strength
and you have it here, not here.

Listen, you know what
we're going to do now?

I have to meet one of the boys
in Purgatory City.

Tomorrow there's a train.
You be on it and clear out.

Get me? You should go back East!

Good morning.

I'd like a room so I can rest.
I'm waiting for the train.

I see,

well, if you don't have anything,
where else could I try?

You are the owner, I presume?

Number Eight.

Uh, thank you.

That man who was smiling, who is he?

Oh, just someone who smiles.

We're pretty friendly people
here in Purgatory City.

We prefer someone who smiles at us,
especially if he's carrying a gun.

But when a fellah
who looks like the spit

and image of Beauregard Bennet
rides into town,

carrying a gun and not smiling,

then we begin to worry.

Where can I find a fellah
called Aaron Chase?

Nobody knows?

I'm talking to you.
I know he lives around here.

He do and he don't, Mr. Bennet.

You see that! Now Briggs is
taking him to see Williams.

And who's Williams?

Why, I'm just an ordinary citizen who's
preoccupied about one of our problems here,

You see, Bennet, for months now in
Purgatoy City we've had a terrible time.

A certain Sam Taylor

has hired a bunch of gunmen and
murderers and with this gang's support

he's managed to gain control of
the entire community.

Listen, I only came here

because your man said you'd tell me
where I could find my friend Aaron.

Outside, Briggs,

The two things are connected.

You see, Taylor controls the sheriff
and the sheriff controls your friend.

In jail?

That's right. But you won't find him in
the local jail. He's really well-hidden.

and I know their hiding-place.

So what?

So, one good turn deserves another.

You restore freedom in Purgatory City.

In return, I promise the freedom
of your friend Aaron,

plus a little sum from my fellow-citizens

as an expression of gratitude:
say, five thousand dollars.

They put a small price on gratitude.

Very well, will you accept
if I double it?

Muy bien.

Taylor is out of town.

He's not due till tomorrow.
You should take advantage of that.

Take advantage of it?

Get rid his gang before he comes back,
Now be careful. Don't get me wrong.

This is a peaceful city.
You must avoid a massacre.

Whoa, In a case like this,

the only person you kill
is the boss and that breaks up the gang.

Do you know who leads them?

Oh yes. Reagon. That hombre's a
mad killer, extremely dangerous.

But, Bennet, what are you
planning to do?

You know best, I'm sure. You're the
expert but remember, Mr. Bennet,

one only one.

Sorry, Senora Reagon,
nothing personal. Just business.

Howdy, sheriff.

I need your help, amigo.

I got a list here of people
who have to leave town within an hour.

Why, there's my name!

"I want you all out of town
within the hour,"

"And if you're not, I'll come and get you
one by one." Those were his very words.

What a man!

Yes, and I never expected this.
It shows nobility of character.

But where are the others?

There aren't any.

What's that? He's alone?

Yes.

Hello.

Thought you'd left by now.

Mm, not yet. My train doesn't pull out
for at least a couple more hours.

I'm just killing time.

Anyway, if they see there're
two of us, they'll think twice.

No thanks.

If any shooting starts,
you'd be right in my way.

Professor, you know what you should do.

You should keep out of this. Understand.

Go and get your train.

You better go back home right now, Brett.

Mr. Williams!

What do you want, Briggs?
I wish you wouldn't bother me right now.

But Mr. Taylor's here.

Taylor!

Well, bring him in at once.

Excuse my clothes.

Naturally I was greeted with the news
the minute that I arrived.

There was no time for me to change.

No need to apologize.
You're the boss around here, eh?

But I hear that the fellow you
got working for you now is actually

Beauregard Bennet.

Bennet, yes.

However,
your boys are all real smart.

Of course.
This should be most interesting.

You have a beautiful view from here.

Excellent.

Briggs, another chair.

Ah, I believe the performance
is about to begin,

Here we are.
On time like I promised you.

And now me and the boys'll be
on our way nice and quiet.

But I gotta say one thing:

the folks in this town sure
are ungrateful.

We tried to help them
and look how they treat us.

Stay where you are.

Hey, you scared? What's the matter?
See, my gun's over there.

I, I only want to return this star.

Thanks.

Buenas dias, Aaron.

What do you say
we look up some of the boys?

Sure, Beau.

Will you sign my notebook.
Professor Fletcher?

Reckon you put paid to quite a few,
eh, Professor?

Do you always shoot'em in the front?

You got a price on your head, too?

Why don't you stay here. You'd make a
better sheriff than the one we got now.

Have a good trip, Professor!
And forget the West!

Vamos!

All aboard!

Hey you! That's my horse!

Wait, wait! I'm coming with you!

You better not do anything rash, friend,

that fellah's a gunman.
He works for Beauregard Bennet.

Hey, Vance, you see him. That's Brett.

He's smarter than the
two of you put together.

You might even I earn something.

Pleased to meet you.

Thanks, Vance. My pleasure.

Anybody know where Zachary's got to?

No, but I know where Jason is.

He had to find work.

Yippy!

Hey, the Professor can sure pick'em.

Gimme that.

That must be at
I east a thousand dollars.

More, more, a lot more.

"Dear Son. We managed to sell the house,
and here's the money for you.

Don't mind about us.

Your Ma and me are pretty old.
Old people don't need very much.

All we care about is you."

Shut up, Brett!

I can read another.
There're more.

Shut up, I said!

Of course it might make you begin to
think and that would be terrible for you.

If you want to leave, I don't mind.

I wish I could.

But I've burnt my bridges too soon,
I have no choice now.

Beauregard,

Beau, but I've been so worried about you.

Howdy, Belle.

This is Brett Fletcher.

Madam.

The others?

They'll get here.
Where's your brother?

He's out after a runaway slave.
Ah dear Mr. Fletcher is from the North.

You looked worried hearing me say "slave".

I suppose yo'd prefer the word "servant".
But a word doesn't change anything.

Nobody'll ever make us change, not even this
Lincoln,

our emancipator. Your pardon, Mr. Fletcher,
even if you're a Yankee,

because you came here with our
Beauregard and you're a gentleman too.

But don't blush.

We're happy to have you as a guest here, in
the ancestral mansion of the De Winton's.

I propose Beauregard,
long may he remain with us;

and I propose Zachary,
may his days in jail be short.

And I propose Bennet's Raiders,
about to ride again!

And I propose the South!

With your permission, Fletcher.

At the De Winton's?
Sure of that, boy?

Of course I'm sure; real sure,
Sheriff. You know why?

Miss Belle keep call in' him Beau
an Mister Max call him Bennet.

Forget it.

Forget what?

I said Forget about Bennet.

Get out. Boy! You're joking, Siringo.

I can prove anything that Max De Winton
is working with Bennet's Raiders,

and capture Beau himself.

And collect a big fat
reward for yourself,

but all the same, you should forget it.

You Pinkerton's men all think
you're something special, don't you?

Yes sir. You got money, a good job,
connections in the government.

You think you can get away with
anything, but

you can't give orders to a sheriff.

Try to understand. Sheriff.

Look, I've had several chances
to catch Beauregard.

I've been following him for months.

But I haven't done it

because he's been trying to round up
some of his former friends.

When they're all together

that'll be the time to arrest Beauregard
and his whole gang with him.

And put an end to
Bennet's Raiders for good.

Smart plan you cooked up, Siringo.

Only Beauregard Bennet is going
to be my prisoner, Mister.

I'm going to De Winton's to arrest him.
And you'd better keep out of my way!

Yep, I better keep out of your way.

I know this isn't very inciting for you,
talking with me here all evening but

there's something I really have
to show you, something very dear to me.

That's part of
a Confederate Cavalry scarf.

That's right. I gave it to my fiance

before he left for Gettysburg.

Gettysburg. You have my sympathy.

It was the only time
I've been in love, that once.

To have been in love once is
something to be thankful for.

Not everyone is that fortunate.

This is the only memento I have now.

Belle.

Listen, old girl, don't begin
that old story again.

You know it only makes you sad. Then I
have to work so hard to cheer you up.

Mister Bennet, would you please
leave this room. Yours is next door.

As usual, no? With the
connecting door. What's wrong?

Oh, I get it.

You don't want him to know.
It'd make a bad... impression, eh?

But you don't have to worry Belle.
Brett's a gentleman.

Aren't you, Brett?

I suppose I must be. So far.

But, ah,

I think I'm learning.

I already told you, Beauregard, I'd
never be too far away to hear you.

But for all I know it might have been
you who told the sheriff that I was here.

Forget it. If it was me though,
would I warn you now.

Maybe.

I wanna think about it.

Hold it, Bennet! Don't move!

You too. Max!

Everyone stay where you are! We've got
you all covered! Don't move, I said.

Unfasten your gunbelts real slow and
don't make any mistakes!

Siringo, my instinct warns me
not to have faith in a man like you,

but the Professor here says
don't trust your instincts, he says.

The brain is really all that matters

and it will consider
true whatever the eyes see.

All right, boys,
this here's Charlie Siringo.

He's with us.

Puerta de Fuego.

Beau!

Welcome home, Beau. We been doing a
heap of worrying about you.

I know who you're looking for, but

Zachary ain't arrived. Sure as shootin'
the vigilantes

bushwacked him on the trail and
God knows where the took him.

Bourbon.

Thanks.

Your memory's sure deserted you.
Don't you recall Annie?

She's all skin and bones, that little girl,
that's what you used to say last year.

Sure, sure, Annie,

and you're still the same little girl,
just as skinny, just as bony.

How about a kiss for me? Growing, eh,
last year you were all knees.

And I still got knees, see?!

Not dancing?

You mind going away so I can finally
have a little peace and quiet.

You kids should all be
in bed taking a siesta.

Baby's willing if you're ready
to rockabye your little baby.

You ought to be spanked;
you're a child not a grown-up!

And you know what you are?
You're a prissy son of a...

Shut your dirty little mouth,
hear?! You!

Wanta?

No, don't know how.

Talking about me in town?
How much reward they offering for me now?

Come on, Rusty. What do you mean reward?

Who do you think's looking for
you after thirty years?

Mean they forgot me? Why the whole
west knew who... Rusty Rogers was.

You said Rusty Rogers?

Is that you?

You, you mean
you heard of me, stranger?

But... surely you're joking.
Why you're a legend.

Your name is so famous
I didn't really believe you existed.

I thought you'd been invented
as a symbol of the wild west,

a figment of the public imagination.

Why, composers have written
whole ballads around you.

Well, as for you reward,
it's gone on up until it's now

your worth five thousand dollars.

No, i'm wrong;
it's gone up to ten thousand dollars.

It's true?

Thank you, I sure do thank you,
Mister. Yippee!

Old Rusty.
A ghost out of the past.

If I've been able to breathe a little new
life into him, it means I'm still alive.

In that case you'll have
plenty of work here.

All of us in Puerto de
Fuego are ghosts of the past.

Buffalo hunters where
there're no longer any buffalo,

cowboys where there're no cows,
prospectors where there's no gold.

The dregs of the old romantic frontier

who are unable to accept
the coming of the telegraph,

the rail roads,
or reality for that matter.

Well, I've never seen anyone more real,

happy, alive and free
than these men are.

We got to find out
where they're holding Zachary.

We'll send out some of the boys to scout
around and pick up information.

That would take a lot of silver dollars,
but after a couple of jobs well,

we will have all we need.

You got anything in mind?

I'll let you know after
I discuss it with the boys.

I had a feeling I was part of the gang.

Let's say you're still on trial, but
you can ride along with us if you like.

We'll be needing
two or three extra men.

I'll come along.

You said that
you'd be needing several more men.

Not you.

I, I've been thinking, Beau.

And I've decided

I want to ride with you.

Listen,

know what this job is?
We're robbing a train.

Know what it's like?
The passengers crazy with terror,

a bullet in the belly
for those who resist.

You know what that means.
It means killing.

No, you're not up to it. Professor.

Hey, you trying to kill somebody?
Watch where you're shooting.

Well, what're you staring at?

Your friend Beau doesn't find it
anything to get excited over.

That's all, let's get out of here!

Aaron, let me have that locket.

Here's your locket, Ma'am.
Reckon you set a lotta store by it.

There's a note inside.
Give it to the first sheriff you see.

What's the idea, Siringo?

If folks get to talking about
how gentle we treat ladies,

they won't talk so much about
what was robbed.

That's how legends are born.

Vamos!

Well, how many people
did you kill today?

None, so far.

All right, play the big man,

Beau but you're not the only man in
the world. Get that through your head.

I may be young but I'm learning fast.

I found out today that certain men,

when they want a girl, they take her
whether she likes it or not.

What's this one?

Thirty-calibre Remington,

packs a real punch for distances
up to four hundred yards.

A thirty-eight,

and this is a forty-four.

Who was it? I want his name?
Tell me or I'll kill you!

Who was it? Tell me, a name?

It was I.

Let's be adult about this.

I wanted, I wanted to kill

and now you can't keep me out of it.

I belong with Bennet's Raiders.

The message we got from Charlie Siringo
says "Can't predict with any accuracy

what Bennet is planning to do. There's
only one way of luring him into a trap?

Move Zachary Shawn to Silver town Jail
and see the news gets spread around.

If they try to get him out,
we'll catch them all."

Might not be a bad idea.

I agree. Bennet's gonna be mighty

interested to hear that Zachary Shawn's
being brought to Silver town.

Here at Willow Creek is the biggest
market for beef west of Kansas City.

I hear that every day they buy and
sell as many as fifteen thousand head.

All right, say only one third of the
daily cash gets deposited in that bank.

It runs to three hundred thousand.

Three hundred thousand dollars.

Yes, but these banks are really
hard to break into. Believe me, I know.

Yes, With your system it is.

You arrive blasting away, take
everything in sight and move out fast.

Works all right
with a stagecoach. Not a vault.

I've been thinking and I got a way
I think that's sure fire to empty

any bank vault
without firing one bullet.

The problem isn't how to empty it.
The problem is how to break it open.

Ah yes, but aren't you forgetting

that a bank vault opens
not just to take out cash.

Imagine we have a couple,
gentlefolk, entering a bank

because they're to depositing
a large sum of money.

Hear that?

This dude's real smart.

Maybe too smart.

You can forget the whole idea.

No bank.

Why?

Zachary's in Silver town. I mean to
break into that prison and get him out.

Silver town. Fine. I know that prison.

Ready to fall down, poorly guarded...
it can't be difficult.

Maybe it's just
a little bit too simple.

Why?

No special reason.

Only that Zachary quite unexpectedly
is put on show in a broken-down jail,

which just happens to be in Silver town,

which by coincidence is the closest
town to Puerto de Fuego.

If Brett is right, could be a trap,
don't you see all that?

That's a risk I'm prepared to take.

Well, I'll go along.

What's Brett say.

Let's suppose it is a trap.
They'll expect us in Silvertown

but instead of going there...

We go to Willow Creek
and knock off the bank.

Brett,

come out.

If I hadn't unloaded that gun...

No, you still would
have been faster, Beau,

as you've always been.

Who knows.

You're learning fast, Brett.

All right. Zach won't mind.

We'll do the bank job first. Your bank
job since you're so keen on it.

Come inside.

Ill explain how the job's to be done.

The best time of day to hit the
bank is in the early afternoon

because it will have just reopened
and practically no one will be around.

It's too hot at that hour everyone
will still be at home taking a siesta.

That's one Spanish custom
that still survives in these parts.

Even the sheriff will be asleep.

Naturally we'll all drift
into town one by one.

Aaron will first go to the barbershop

then he'll wander over to the post
office which is right next to the bank

because he will have tied up his horse
there earlier when he rode into town.

At that point Jason will arrive

and leave his horse next to Aaron's.

Both of you will wait right there
in front of the post office

so you'll be close enough
to move fast when the time comes.

At this point Maximilian
will ride into town,

dressed like the Southern
gentleman he is.

Naturally he'll arouse no suspicion

when he walks into the bank looking
like the well-heeled rancher

who is accustomed to having
the red carpet rolled out for him.

Beau is going to cover our getaway.

But since there's more chance of

his being recognized than any of us,

he'll have to be completely disguised.
Let's say, as a Mexican.

However, it shouldn't be necessary
for Beau to lift a finger.

I don't anticipate any gunplay because

if there are any townspeople around
when we leave the bank,

they're going to be distracted by a
hay wagon that's suddenly caught fire.

The plan seems fool proof to me.

Sorry.

Why don't you
look where you're going?

Mr. Carr, this represents all of
our life savings.

Every penny we have in the world.

I trust your safe is
really burglar-proof.

This model is the newest type,

tempered steel three inches thick.

It's the best you can get.

Well, take a look,

Take a look at this.

Hold it, Mister.

You may have guessed,
this is a hold-up.

If you're here looking for work, my
father, he could use another field-hand.

Listen,

what would you charge to go
bother someone else.

I wish: for nothing. Only for the chance
to speak once more with another Mexican.

What's your name?

Paco.

Calmly. Stay calm,

no fear,

it's all going as planned boys.

The boys of the Americans
will not play with me

so I do not like to go to school,
but I know how to read anyway.

Sheriff. There are robbers in the bank.

Don't interfere or there
will be a slaughter.

Telegraph Silver-town and
tell the sheriff to round up a posse.

And he'll need as many good men
as he can muster

'cause he's got to ride hellbent for
Willow Creek to capture Bennett's Raiders.

Bennet? That's who you are!
You're their leader.

You're Beauregard Bennet, you're a
bandit and a murderer!

You're Beauregard Bennet!
I recognized you!

Sheriff! Sheriff!
Bennet's Raiders are here! Sheriff!

Paco!

Looking for me?

We're trapped!

Pick the first horses you can find!
Go on! Get moving!

Brett!!!

Go on, get moving!

You first, I'll cover you.

Maximilian, you're all alone now.

I've been alone all my life.

Come on out!

On one condition.

Name it.

That both of us come out.

That's all right.

Good shot.

Zachary.

They managed to get Beauregard Bennet.

Just how many of those coyotes
did you blow apart

before they got their hands on you?
Plenty, eh?

Not one, nobody at all.

You mean you panicked?
Yeah, it happens,

specially when you're ambushed, but soon's
you're in here you forget you were scared.

Why the minute you're inside then

you're a man again,
a man who's got murder in his heart

and there ain't nothing in the
world can stop him from escaping.

Even if he has to massacre everybody.

But now we are together Beau,
so it'll be easier.

I'll show you how we'll do it.

Sure, it's only a hunk of scrap

but every night I'm grinding it into
a sharp blade; you can kill with it.

In a couple more nights it'll be ready.

Then it's up to you. You persuade the
turnkey to come in here

so I can use this.
You'll hold him while I murder him.

We open the cell-doors with his keys and
we take the other deputies by surprise,

murder them, swipe
a few Remingtons and beat it.

Hold on. You'll be all right.
We're home now. You'll be all right.

Get down,

Maria, get down!

Maria!

What happened, Brett?

Siringo sold us out.
He was a spy, in the pay of the police.

But we pull edit off anyway.

What about all the others?

Ask Beauregard.

What are you trying to say?

Beau wasn't able or wasn't willing to
stop some Mexican from giving the alarm.

Our men were trapped and outnumbered.

That's a lie. Beau wouldn't do that,
I know better.

If things went wrong, you're to blame.
Brett.

You're the one that convinced him
to do the job.

And I was right.

Here's the loot.

What other proof do you want?

Don't say I made an error.

You can be sure I didn't lose my head.

The bullets were whistling all around.

Yet they didn't touch me.

My plan succeeded
because it was a perfect one

but the men weren't and they failed you.

However, men can be replaced.

What are you driving at?

I guess you all think
that's a lot of money, don't you?

Millions.

But I tell you,

this is nothing compared to
what I'll get you.

I'm calling for men who are
fighters, who are ready for anything,

but above all else, who'll obey.

Hold it! This is no place
to recruit out-laws, Brett.

That's our rule
and it's gonna be respected.

But certainly not by me.

Stop! The rest of us here are free men.

Anyone can find refuge with us,
but he's gonna have to respect our rules.

This man's planning something
that means bad trouble for all of us.

So if any of you reckon to join him,
you'll have to leave Puerta de Fuego.

Money

for whoever shuts him up.

I've told you: eliminating Bennet's
Raiders didn't solve the problem.

It only created another one.
Brett Fletcher's recruiting

the worst criminals of
the southwest at Puerta de Fuego.

And that's not all. He's even
importing professional gun slingers

from cities as far away as Chicago
and San Francisco and St. Louis.

Men who'd steal the pennies off
their dead grandmother's eyes.

You better accept the fact that as
long as that pack of wolves runs free,

our banks, our railroads, and our herds
are going to be under constant attack.

In any case, the ranchers intend
to take the law in their own hands

before it's too late.
They're recruiting vigilantes.

Tomorrow or the next day

you're going to see four hundred
even five hundred, armed men here

bustin' to go right into action and
they mean to wipe out Puerta de Fuego.

First I want to hear
what Siringo thinks about this?

Your friend Siringo's still running
around looking for Aaron Chase.

You should never underestimate him.

No.

But you're the man we want.
You know how to get to Puerta de Fuego.

And if you'd be willing to lead
the vigilantes, we'd be certain

there wouldn't be
any violence, useless violence.

That's the kind of speech
they make in Washington

just before they decide to send
the army out to massacre the Indians.

No one can keep control over
five hundred vigilantes.

Mercenaries, starving for loot
and violence, scavengers.

I don't want any part of
what's bound to end as a massacre.

I been sent out here only to arrest
the men known as Bennet's Raiders.

Well, unless I'm mistaken, there's still
one around. Happens he's at Puerta de Fuego.

I know. Brett Fletcher...

And the big brains at the Pinkerton
Agency have figured a plan to catch him,

like sending out another agent

to pose as a bandit
and gain his confidence.

If it worked once,
it could work a second time.

As a matter of fact,
that's what's already been done.

There's a Pinkerton man right now at
Puerta de Fuego. His name is Wallace.

You know, Wallace,
I'm sure you're a university man.

I mean before you joined
the Pinkertons of course.

Same eastern college as Charlie Siringo.

All right.

Go away.

In pain, eh. You must know that
torture's important, Wallace,

'cause it lifts the morale of the torturer.

Didn't they teach you
that at the university?

You were trapped by your higher education.

It leaves its own smell on you;
I know it too well.

I know you do and I can't imagine
how a man of your background could.

On the contrary, what is surprising is

that a man like me could remain

all those years watching life
as a spectator

before he discovered
the force that was in him, but...

D'you have any idea

what can be accomplished here
if you're a man of intelligence.

where men who are morons have succeeded
in usurping the power in the land.

Yes, he'd certainly be
in a position to improve things

but not a weak man like Brett Fletcher.

You change your spots.

You're civilized among civilized people
and violent among the violent.

You're quite ready to adapt
to any new background like a parasite.

Pity you didn't pay
attention at school, Wallace.

The philosophy of violence, recall it?

One violent soul is just an outlaw,

a hundred of gang
but they're an army

at a hundred thousand,
that is the point.

Beyond the confines that limit the
outlaw and individual criminal,

violence by masses of men
is called history.

I must say that I'm glad I've been able
to speak with an equal who understands me.

Those others are only able to
understand the simplest things,

such as the fact that
a spy pays the penalty.

Reasons of state, Wallace. You studied
history so you know what I mean.

Not out of hate

but with compassion.

It's never too late to come over
to the side of the law, Bennet.

Naturally, you have a heavy
account to settle but the point is,

that if you agree to our proposition,
I can guarantee you that the Governor...

Ah, the devil with diplomacy. Now listen,
Bennet,

this is mighty simple, here.
If you agree to guide the vigilantes

to Puerta de Fuego and wipe
that bunch out, you save your neck.

If you don't agree,

there're three death
sentences against you.

Maybe we can only hang you once but,
by God, we'll string you up.

All right, decide.

Hey, you! What are you standing
around for? Get to work,

go on!

Get your hands off me!

All right, let her go!

Why do you keep trying to run away?

I want to see Beau

no matter what he has done.
I want to tell him I love him.

So do I love him, Annie,

even more than you.

You think you're in love
because he is brave,

good-looking and strong, yet
you're only chasing a dream, Annie.

He's a hero

that doesn't exist.

No. It was like that once. But now I'd
love him even if he was a yellow coward.

You showed me how I felt.

Because now you're doing exactly the same
things he did, only when you do them

they make me sick to my stomach.

We do the same things, that's true.

But with a difference.

I...

know what I'm doing.

Pay attention, everyone!

Friends, for years those outlaws
have been coming outa the hills

and riding roughshod over
our peaceful community.

But tonight all our citizens

that are on the side of law
and order are ready to fight back.

That's the whole reason
we recruited this little army.

Now I'm going to call on the man
who's going to be your guide.

You all sure know his name,
so here's Zachary Shawn.

Friends, the bounty for whoever you kill
or capture is a hundred dollars for a man;

we pay fifty for a woman and for their
children twenty-five. All right.

Hey, Siringo, what you out here for?
Come and have a drink!

Sorry, I'm making racks.

Pullin' out, but...

That's not my affair.

Sheriff.

Is the Sheriff in there?

Yes, but what's the matter?

Beauregard Bennet broke outa jail!

Don't you bother the sheriff.

I'm gonna handle this my way.

Rusty.

The law decided finally to come git me,

but it weren't no surprise.

Even after thirty years,
I was ready and waitin for 'em.

Where were you hit? Let me see.

No use.

A bullet in my belly. End of the trail
for Rusty, nothin' you can do more.

How'd they succeed?

Everybody was sleepin',
there wasn't no warnin'.

When I saw their guide was
Zachary Shawn couldn't believe it.

Wasn't any time to defend ourselves.

It was a massacre.

Annie?

Seem to recall seein' her
on one of the carts.

Carts?

Brett collected the ones
still able to move around

and headed outa here by cart
in the only direction they could go.

The desert?

Yeah, the desert.

Well, it's hard. Though with
the carts they should get across.

No, they can't get away.

The minute we was all
finished here, Zachary and

fifty of them vigilantes headed
out over the desert after the carts.

They don't want no witnesses
and there won't be none

after today.

Come on, hurry up! Keep moving fast!

Keep on going! Go ahead, I said!

Might as well get down.

We're stuck,

You got another wheel?

No.

Go back!

Keep going.

Get back, you gone mad! If you piled
on that other wagon, it'd break down too.

Get those horses moving!

Come on,

get up!

No.

There's Beau! Beauregard!

Welcome back among your own.

I have no others.

You, drive on and keep going! Hurry!

Beau!

Beauregard!

If there aren't too many,
we can stop them here,

There are too many of them.

I saw them when I was taking the
short cut. Must be at least fifty men.

We'll stop them!

You just stick with me and we'll do it!

We've got to!

Hey look! There's Brett Fletcher!
And Beauregard's with him.

Beauregard shoulda stayed in jail. This
time he's picked a bad hand to bet on.

What's the matter with all of you?

Are you men afraid of Beauregard Bennet,
now, when there's sixty of ya!

How many'll get back home?

And which of us'll die here?

But there's a price on their heads!

And a good one!
Both of them are worth real money!

Zachary's right.

Let's go and don't shoot
before I tell you too.

Leave Siringo for me!

Stop! Stop! In the name of the law!

What's the idea, Siringo?!
Get out of our way!

All you fellahs go back home!

There's nothing more to do here.

Beauregard Bennet 'n
Brett Fletcher are my affair.

And those other people
haven't broken the law.

They got a right to go where they like.

We gotta get him out of the way.
You shoot him, I'll cover you.

Try again if you want.

Everyone of you will have a Pinkerton man
on your heels for the rest of your life!

Now clear out!

Go on home!

Beauregard Bennet! Brett Fletcher!

Throw down your arms! I arrest you

in the name of the law!

What are you doing?

Are you crazy?

I'm doing what I think is right.

Right? What does that mean?

How do you know what's right?

Was it right for Siringo to kill the
sheriff just to get into your gang.

Maybe you think the vigilantes were
right? Answer me! Is that it?

Listen, Beau, there's only
one kind of right in the world.

The kind you make for yourself
if you're big enough and strong enough.

And we're both strong, Beau!
You and I together can recruit

the best men in the West. Bennet's Raiders
a hundred times stronger than before.

And I have some wonderful plans!

There's no other kid of right,
can't you understand that?!

There is, damn you! There is! There is,
know where? Right here in my heart.

Go away and leave me, Brett.

There's nothing more you can do.

No,

there's still one thing I can do
and I should have done it long before.

But...

Beau, what made you do it?

It was what I had to do.

I had so many ideas...

so many plans. Beau,

great...

great...

He has long hair,

is built about the same as you.

Nobody'll recognize his face now.

The law will be satisfied
with a fake Beauregard Bennet.

Anyhow, the real
one doesn't exist any more.

Now, beat it!

Go on. Beau,

go away!

Good luck, friend.

Luck to you, Beau!