Riders of the Purple Sage (1996) - full transcript

Alright, get him up.

Get him up!

'Deacon.'

Deacon Tull,
what do you mean by this?

I'm sick of seeing this
fella Venters hang around you.

You want Jane all
to yourself, Tull?

You'll not be allowed to hold
this boy to a friendship

that is offensive
to your people.

Will you have use for
M. Withersteen house

in Amber Spring
and 7,000 herd of cattle?

- Oh, Stop it! Stop it!
- It's okay.



He can have the rest
of the world. He can go there.

Am I supposed to care for him
less because he's not one of us?

Your father left you wealth and
power. It's gone into your head.

If you see the place of women!
Venters, will you leave?

- No!
- Alright.

I'll have you whipped
and turn you out into sage.

And if you ever come back
you'll get worse.

- No, he won't do that.
- By god, Tull.

- You better kill me out right.
- He's done nothing wrong!

No, brother Kart, don't!

Tie him to that fence.

Don't, please don't.

'Get him up.'

'Tie, him!
Tie, him!'



I repent my words.
Please spare him.

Once cometh, my help.

- Do you know him, brother Kart?
- Nope.

Does anyone know him?

Evening, ma'am.

Jane Withersteen, ma'am?

Yes.

- The water here is yours?
- Yes.

May I water my horse.

Certainly, there's the trough.

Maybe I've kinda
hindered something

for a few moments, perhaps.

Yes.

In this country, there are
so many rustlers and thieves

and cutthroats and gun thrower's
and all around no good men.

Ma'am, which
of the no-good class

does this young
fellow belong to?

He belongs to none of them.

He's an honest boy.

You know that man?

Yes.

Then, what's he done
to be treated like this.

Ask him.

Young fella, speak up.

Whoa, mister.

This is none of your mix.
Don't try any interference.

Easy, easy.

I ain't interferin' yet.

I just...stumbled
into a queer deal.

You eight with guns,
a man at the end of his rope

and this woman,
who swears by his honesty.

Queer, ain't that?

Queer or not,
it's none of your business.

Where I was raised,
a woman's word was law.

I ain't quite
out grown that yet.

Meddler.

We have a law here something
different from a woman's whim.

Take care,
you don't transgress it.

To hell with your law.

What have you done,
to be roped that way?

I've been a friend
to this woman.

Ma'am is it true, what he says?

Yes.

Young man, seems to me that
being a friend to such a woman

would be what you wouldn't wanna
help and couldn't help.

Alright, put Venters
over a horse.

Let's get
out of here, men, c'mon.

Stranger?

He stays.

What?

He stays.

Mister.

We're eight here.

Who are you?

Lassiter.

Oh, man.

I'll water her myself.

- She's brought you far today.
- Yes, ma'am.

The men of my creed
have been driven and hated

until they've become cruel.

But we women pray for the time,
when their hearts will soften.

I'm beggin' your pardon, ma'am.

That time will never come.

Oh, it will.

I heard you'd know where to find
the grave of Milly Erne.

What do you know of Milly Erne?

I've long been looking for her.

Nobody knows, but me.

Tomorrow, after church..

...you be here?

Thank you, ma'am.

C'mon, girl.

C'mon.

How could he...who told him
about Milly?

I mustn't stay here tonight,
Jane. They'll be back.

You give me my rifle.
If I'd have had it--

Either you or a deacon of my
church would be lying dead.

Tull's not gonna leave you
alone, till you marry him.

'Pastor Dyer's
not gonna stop him.'

Bern, who is Lassiter?

I heard sort of things.

Rumors...from Grays
and north of here.

He's a gunman, isn't he?

Well, I know this.

Between Tull and death,
there was not the breadth

of the littlest hair.

Never see you, Jane.
Tull keeps you all to himself.

No, he's not courting me,
brother Brad.

What will I do to you.

If he does not make haste
I'll go on courting myself

up to the Withersteen house.

Jane Withersteen.

I now come to a subject..

...that is sad
for me to speak on.

I often wonder..

...what your father
would have said..

...had he known that at your age
you remain unmarried.

'Jane Withersteen, the cross
must be fully taken up.'

It is time for you to reach
deeper into yourself

and join your family.

'As is God's will
for you to do.'

'Come to your senses woman.'

You risk the fires of hell.

The eternal damnation
of your soul to perdition.

Finally..

...a gunman
has come among us.

Lassiter.

'An enemy of our people.'

'A killer of innocent men.'

There is no place
among the righteous

for a godless man like him.

Let us pray.

Deliver me,
from mine enemies, oh, my God.

Defend me from those
who rise up against me.

'Deliver me from the
workers of inequity.'

'Save me from the bloody men.'

Smite them, Lord.

Consume them in wrath.

Consume them that
they may not be.

Amen.

Amen.

Let us rise and sing now,
hymn number 252.

"There Is A fountain
Filled With Blood."

♪ There is a fountain
filled with blood ♪

♪ Drawn from Immanuel's veins ♪

♪ And sinners
plunged beneath that flood ♪

♪ Lose all their guilty stains ♪

♪ And sinners plunged
beneath that flood ♪

♪ Lose all their
guilty stains ♪

Anything come off
after I left you last night?

These people are slow to kill.

That's the only good I've
ever seen in their religion.

'Hiya, hiya.'

C'mon, my boys.

Black Star.

What do you
know about, Milly Erne?

Jane spoke of her
only once.

What did she say?

Said she had a little girl.

The child was stolen.

Why?

By who?

I don't know.

Soon after Milly
died by her own hand.

Do you know who
had Milly brought here?

No, I do not.

Run, Black Star, Night.

Wrangle, get in there.

Come.

'Good boy.'

What do you think,
Lassiter?

Never seen their like.

Never in my day
I've seen a sight of horses.

Black Star, Night,
fastest riders on the Sage.

Well, Wrangle probably has
something to say about that.

Oh, Bern.

Make sure you run them today.

Come.

East herd's down there..

...and the west herd
is up on the mountain.

Hiya.

Judkins!

Judkins, what is it?

- Ah.
- Judkins!

- 'Judkins.'
- Ah.

- 'Jane.'
- Whoa.

Brother Judkins.

So, this ain't all blood.

- 'What happened?'
- Hester.

At daylight, this morning

Oldring and his rustlers
rode down

and sloped off
with the west herd.

- The whole herd?
- Yeah.

Where are my riders?

Ms. Withersteen, I was
alone all night with the herd.

- You know it was Oldring?
- I saw his masked rider.

Jane, I-I'll find out
where they took that herd.

Bern.

Ain't nobody tracked Oldring

into them canyons
and come back to tell about it.

Those canyons are a maze, Bern.
You'll get lost.

- I'm going, Jane.
- Bern, Bern.

You wanna horse that can run.

Yes, which one?
Black Star or Night?

I'd rather take Wrangle, Jane.
He and I get along real good.

Wrangle, then.

Brother Judkins, what do you
think happen to my riders?

You can speak,
in front of Hester.

Your riders were called in.

By whom?

Tull.

He showed up and called them in
just before night fall.

He didn't give no reason.
Just pastor Dyer's orders.

Did Deacon Tull say that?

Yes, you might say
as I ain't goin'

who's goin' to hold
the herd with me.

And nobody stayed.

Ms. Withersteen, let me try
and get some boys from town.

May be some of your riders
will come back.

'They didn't know
the rustlers were coming.'

We'll try and hold east herd,
if it's still there.

Lassiter.

Hiya! C'mon.

Hiya, hiya.

Hiya.

Lassiter!

Are you all right?

Killed my horse.

Here.

They're going to ruin you.

Just give me Black Star
for a spell.

Then what?

Them fellas won't be
stampeding no more cattle.

No.

No, I won't let you
murder them, Lassiter.

Appears I'm not going then.

I'll get you a horse.

Hiya.

Oldring.

Don't move.

Don't you move.

Now, don't you move.

Pardon, ma'am.

With all my life,
I've loved to roll stones.

Her name's Bells.

Bells.

Where are your riders?

They were called in.

By who?

You came here to kill a man.

They'll break you.

The man who brought
Milly Erne to Cottonwoods.

Who is he?

The man who dragged, Milly Erne
and her child to hell.

Put it that way.

Fair thing such as a woman
as you'd never dream of.

So, don't mention her again.

Not till you tell
me the name of a man.

Never.

I reckon, you will.

Then I'll never ask ya.

I'm a man with strange beliefs
in the ways of thinking.

'Cause I seem
to see into the future.

And I feel things
hard to explain.

This is a fine horse, Jane.

Lassiter, will you be my rider?

Did you tell me
a name, I reckon?

You'll not kill me?

No.

What's your name?

Bess. Don't-don't take me back
to cotton woods or glaze.

I'll be hanged.

No.

When you get better,
when you're strong enough

I'll take you back
where they'll find you.

Don't.

Don't-don't take me there.

Just leave me here.

Alone?
To die?

Yes.

I will not.

I'll find us a place to hide.

'Oh, God.'

Show me the way to stay. So, he
won't hurt all of my people.

Give me the strength.

Please don't let
it happen again.

Let me keep my life out and
believe. Please, God. Please.

And dear, Lord.

Protect my friend, Bern Venters.

Mr. Blake, I wondered
if you've seen, Brother Judkins?

Came through here yesterday,
looking for riders.

I think he went on the clays.

- Morning, Jane.
- Pastor Dyer.

What happened to my riders?

Oh, they've become part
of a vigilance band

organized to hunt down the man
who rustled your cattle.

But they were called in before
Oldring, Rustled the east heard.

- No, no, you're mistaken.
- No, I'm not, Pastor Dyer.

Brother, Jud..

When the, Rustler's
took my herd

my riders were
already called in.

That's not true, dear Jane.
You're confused.

Miss. Withersteen.
Brother Judkins.

Brother Judkins?

You're riders are staying in,
Miss. Withersteen.

'There's a vigilance
band organized.'

I know, Pastor Dyer, told me.

Venters, come back?

Head fella, Lassiter, gone?

'I only ask 'coz they say he
is the wanted man in the north.'

That he killed several
men in cold blood.

I hired Lassiter.

He's with the west herd.

You? Oh. Ho-ho.

Brother Judkins, I might be lead
but I won't be driven.

Lassiter, this is an old rider
of mine, Judkins.

Wishes to speak to you.

My name is Judkins.

I don't know you.
But I know...I heard.

What you are. I heard you
killed some men in the North.

Not just the north.

They had it coming, Jane.

Well, I've this to
say to your face.

It would never occur to this
woman to suspect me.

She couldn't think it might
be a low plot to come here

and shoot you in the back.
Jane Withersteen, hasn't

that kind of a mind.
Well, I've..

'...I've not
come here for that.'

I wanna help her to
pull up riding alone..

...with you.

Thing is, do you believe me?

I reckon, I do.

Might've saved
yourself some breath.

Lassiter, won't you
come in, sometimes?

Won't you come
in and see me oftener?

- Is that an order?
- Nonsense. I simply asked you

to come and see me when
you find the time.

Why?

I've reasons.

Only one of what
you need to know.

If its possible, I want
to change you towards my people.

And on the moment I can
conceive a little I wouldn't

- do to gain that end.
- I reckon.

Will you come?

You think it wouldn't be safe
you look for an ambush

in the cotton woods.

Not that so much?

Okay?

The man get drunk
so he locks me up.

But I'm not afraid.

- Shh.
- I'm not afraid.

Hush, Bess.

- I'm not afraid.
- Shh.

I'm not afraid.

You must be still,
must be still.

Don't-don't.

Don't-dont talk.

Don't die, Bess.

Don't die.

Good boy.

'Jane.'

Came to say, I regretted
hearing about your loss

of the east herd.

Our vigilantes will rout these
rustlers when that's done.

Your riders will likely return.

Thank you.

You done a head strong thing
to hire this man, Lassiter.

I had to have somebody,
Deacon Tull.

He's a wanted murderer, Jane.

You fancy that, Jane?

Where's that friend of yours?

'Venters.'

Flown to Coop, has he?

And all the contenders
will soon disappear

and there will just
be you and me.

You tell your Lassiter to go.

When your riders come back
they'll kill him if I don't

kill him first.

These are fine horses
you have, Jane.

Should you be up?

You shot me and then
you saved my life?

'Yes.'

Are you glad?

So you're Oldring's
Masked Rider?

Yes. But I never stole or harmed
any one in all my life.

I only rode and rode.

What's he like?

Oldring?

Men say, he's the best
rider on the sage.

Except me.

You care for him?

Yes.

What are you, to Oldring?

You can't live
in the past, Jane.

Evening, ma'am.

Any news of Bern Venters?

How long he's gone?

Well, Judkins says,
he's keen as a wolf.

Oh, I have little fear for him.

Lassiter, will you
stay for supper?

I reckon.

My father's room.

It's been closed
since he died.

If I dared, I'd ask you
to saddle the blacks

and run away
and hide me.

Oh!

No. Forgive me,
I didn't mean..

I didn't mean..
It's just..

It's just sometimes I wish I
could run away from here.

Jane, you can't ride away.

What on earth do you mean?

I'm an absolutely free woman.

You ain't anything of the kind.

Years are terrible things.

And for years you've been bound.

'Habit of years is strong
as life itself.'

I'm afraid for you.

You're to lose the cattle that's
left your home and ranch.

Your body's to be held
or given to Tull

and made to bring
children into the world.

They've got you.

You love your land
and your home too much.

No.

'Bern, people lived here.'

Yes.

- How long ago?
- Oh, a 1000 years or more.

- What were they?
- Cliff dwellers.

They were Indians
who had enemies

'so they made their
homes out of reach.'

I noticed we hadn't
a great deal of cooking.

Hello, Venters.
I'm making you a visit.

How'd you ever get here?

Well, I trailed you.

Bells heard your voice below.

It was my idea, no man
could track me in here.

'Oh, this is gonna worry me.'

Bess, here's a friend of mine.

- He saved my life once.
- Hello.

I never seen a rock I wanted to
roll as bad as this one.

You close that,
I'll live forever.

That there is the
only way up into here.

Who is this girl?

I shot her.
I almost killed her.

Who is she?

She was Oldring's masked rider.

Longer I live,
the stranger life gets.

Might have to leave you
in a while, Bess.

We're gonna need some supplies
if we're going to stay here.

When will you go?

As soon as the storms passed.

There's something
I must tell you.

Tell it, then.

Before you go,
I'll tell you.

Jane Withersteen?

It was your father's wish
that you marry Deacon Tull.

You remember that?

Yes.

And you have refused
Deacon Tull. Am I right?

But now, you will do
as I order. Won't you?

Jane...you're in danger
of becoming a heretic.

Why would I know you repent?

Now, this gunman, Lassiter.

Has he some special
mission here?

Answer me!

Pastor Dyer,
I don't wanna tell.

He said he came here
to find the grave.

Of Milly Erne.

For what else?

For what else?

To kill the man
who persuaded Milly

to abandon her home
and her husband.

And her God.

It's alright, Jane.

- Did you kill him?
- No.

No, I didn't kill him.
I winged him.

I put a bullet
through his arm.

Very impolite he was,
pulling his gun.

Then he went.

I never loved anyone
but my sister.

Milly Erne.

You're Milly's brother?

There was never anyone but
her in my life. Till now.

Milly and me
grew up together.

We was the best
of comrades.

Frank Erne was the...
only man I ever seen

who I thought was
good enough for Milly.

And then one day they
got married I got drunk.

It was the only
time in my life.

I went away.

I don't know.

Before I know, three
years slipped by.

And when I returned home,
things had changed.

Mother was...dead
and in her grave.

Father was a silent, broken man
killed already on his feet.

Frank Erne was a ghost
of his old self.

Through with working.
Almost through living.

And Milly and
her baby was gone.

It appears,
soon after I left home

a preacher come
to the little town.

He was a big shambles of a man
with an eye like gray eyes.

One day he disappeared
and the next evening..

...Frank rode in
to find Milly gone.

In time, Frank got
a letter from her.

It was a long letter.

Written a few months
after her disappearance.

She had been bound
and gagged and dragged

away from her home.

By three men
and she named them.

Herd, Medsker, Slack.

She went on to say that for
a time she was out of her head.

And she got right again.

All that kept her
alive was the baby.

The letter ended abrupt.

I set out to find
Milly and I got on

the trail of that preacher.

I never rested.

Not for thirteen years.

This last year..

...I rounded up herd

and I whispered somethin'
in his ear.

Then watched his face.

And then I throwed a gun
against his bowels.

And he died with his
teeth so tight shut.

I couldn't have pried
them open with a knife.

Slack and Medsker

These last months, both heard
me whisper the same question.

Then neither would they speak
a word when they lay dying.

Glad I came here.

And though your teeth have
been shut tighter than them all

them dead men
lying back on that trail.

Just the same as you.

You've told me the secret,
I've waited these years to hear.

Jane, I told you to tell me
without me asking.

That old party throwed
a gun on me.

Lassiter.

I saw on your face
that it was Dyer.

Now Pastor.

It was the preacher
that ruined Milly Erne.

I know it.

Let that settle it.

And I give up my purpose.

I can't kill a man
just for hate.

Hate ain't the same with me.
Since I loved you.

For the record, Jane.

Marriage between us
is outta all human reason.

What was it you said?

Habit of years is strong
as life itself.

I need someone.

A friend.

You.

Now, more than ever.

Well, I..

...I didn't say nothing about
going back on you. Did I?

Will you come back?

Look at this rock.

Let's see.

I can see the hatchet
marks of the Indians.

It was meant for defense.

They never had to roll it.

They all vanished and here
the rock still stands.

When you come back..

...I'll steal up here and I'll
push and push with all my might.

To roll this rock
and close the pass forever.

Can you wait
till I get back, Bess?

You had something to tell me.

I love you.

Black star at night.

Uh!

Oldring.

He's riding black star and
he's leaving tonight.

Tull.

Damn, Tull.

Aah.

'I sorry, Rango.'

Bess.

Bess.

Hey, Venters.

How does Jane look from here?

'Miss Withersteen.'

Miss Withersteen.

Jane!

They've arrested
Bern Venters for murder

'and for stealing your horses
and I'm afraid they'

'they mean to hang him.'

Who accuses him, Hester?

They are at the church.

Bern didn't steal my horses.

I must go now.

Will you be safe?

They have guards
waiting for you.

It's all over.
It's ended.

I'm going.

- Where?
- To those cruel men.

- To Dyer and Deacon Tull.
- What for?

I'm gonna tell Pastor Dyer
I'll marry Tull.

Never.

You have a coat
at your father's.

- Answer me, Jane.
- In his wardrobe.

No, Lassiter.

I'm gonna get back and
have the saddle bags full

and be ready to ride.

Haven't you forgone
your vengeance on Dyer?

It ain't now.
It's justice.

You'll kill him.

If God lets me
live another hour.

I'll run away with you.
Marry you.

Lassiter, am I nothing to you?

Woman, don't trifle with words.

'It was my father who sent
Dyer out to proselytize.'

Truly, Dyer ruined Milly
and dragged her from

her home but it was
for my father.

It was for my father.

It was..

...my father who had her
little girl taken from her.

Because she wouldn't
be his wife.

And when..

...one night he tried
to force her.

I heard them fighting.

But I did nothing
till I heard the shot.

And I cradled his head
in my apron.

And he mouthed words,
"I didn't".

And then he died.

Milly was standing there

calmer than I had ever seen her.

And she made me vow to stay

the hand of vengeance
if it ever came.

I let her go, I didn't stop her.

She shot herself in the willows
with the same gun.

Jane.

'Jane.'

This thing I'm about to do
ain't for anything

that ever happened in the past.

It is for what's
happening right now.

It's for you.

'Oldring and Bern Venters
rustled'

'Ms. Withersteen's racers.'

Me and my riders
came upon them in the act.

This man killed one of the boys.

I shot Oldring,
captured Venters

and got the horses back.

He conspired with the rustlers?

Yes.

'Where are the horses now?'

They're out front.

Bern Venters, how answer you
to this man's charges?

'Very well.'

You are a horse thief
and a murderer.

And I sentence you to be hanged
by the neck until

'you are dead.'

Ah!

Tull!

'Tull!'

It's alright. Shoot.

Ah!

I reckon you better call quick

on that God who reveals
his self to you on earth.

Because he won't be visiting
the place you're going to.

'Let's go.'

Tull will likely raise
an army and come after us.

Can you make it up
to your canyon on Bells?

- Is Jane alright?
- Yeah.

Oh, boy.

You're hurt?

I killed Oldring.

Go son. Keep your
wits about you.

'Go now.'

Are you alright?
Bern. Where's Bern?

He's headed for his canyon.

He killed Oldring in getting
Black Star and Night back.

I've got them outside
and they're ready to ride.

Ride out in the sage,
and Jane, don't look back.

Bern!

Bern.

You're back.

Let's leave.

What?

Oldring's dead.

Bess.

Bess?

He's my father.

What happened?

He was shot
stealin' horses.

Bern.

We'll find a country
not wild and terrible like this.

- Son, where you bound for?
- Safety.

Milly.

Jane, this is Bess.

Bess?

On the trail with the red herd,
I shot Bess. She almost died.

'She was Oldring's
masked rider.'

But she's innocent.
She was a prisoner.

'It's true, Jane. It's as true
as her innocence.'

'That you must believe.'

You killed Oldring?

I did.

Did you?
Did you kill him?

I did, Bess but I never
dreamed he was your father.

I can't go with you.

I thought he'd wronged you.

Forgive me, everything
will come right in the end.

It can't be right.
It'll never be right.

- Bess.
- Let go of me.

- Bess.
- Let go.

Bess. Bess.

Open it.

Jane, Venters, come close.
Take a look at the picture.

- Milly Erne.
- Yes, that's Milly.

Bess, did you ever
see that face? Look hard.

They're the eyes in my dreams.

They're the same
beautiful eyes you'd see

if you looked in a mirror
on a clear spring.

They're your mother's eyes.

You're Milly Erne's child.

Your name is Elizabeth Erne.

You're the daughter of
Frank Erne, once my best friend.

- It can't be true.
- Thank God, lass, it is true.

Jane recognizes Milly.
She sees Milly in you.

It is true, Bess.

Who are you?

I reckon I'm Milly's brother
and your uncle.

Uncle Jim.
Ain't that fine?

Uncle Jim?

It's powerful fine
to hear that.

Elizabeth Erne,
I loved your mother.

Look.

'That buck's going
to be tossed.'

- You headed for our valley?
- You all come with us now.

No. I'll take Bess out of here.

Man, how you ever
gonna do that?

Bern.

You are a rider,
and she is a rider.

And this will be
the ride of your lives.

I give you
Black Star and Night.

- Lassiter, we'll meet again.
- Son, it ain't likely.

Ain't so easy to find and lose
a pretty niece all in one hour.

Elizabeth Erne,
be happy.

Jane Withersteen.

Hold up, Bess.

Too far yet for them
to make out who we are.

They'll recognize Blacks and
think we're Lassiter and Jane.

Now, Bess. Let's go.

It's not them.

Whoo!

They're in the canyons.

Whoo!

We got to rustle, Jane.

They're riding
tired horses, Jane.

Venters likely given a chase,
he wouldn't forget that.

Bear up, Jane.

Bear up.

This is as far as Bells
can go, Jane. Get down.

I'll follow you.

Jane!

Jane, come on.

Jane, I can't do it.

Roll the stone.

'Jane!'

'If I roll the stone,
we're shut in forever.'

I'm thinkin' of you.

Lassiter, roll the stone!

Lassiter, roll the stone.
I love you.

Roll the stone.

Bern, look so
you'll never forget.

Bess, did you hear anything?

'Listen.'

Maybe, I only imagined it.