Tall Tale (1995) - full transcript

A young boy draws on the inspiration of legendary western characters to find the strength to fight an evil land baron in the old west who wants to steal his family's farm and destroy their idyllic community. When Daniel Hackett sees his father Jonas gravely wounded by the villainous Stiles, his first urge is for his family to flee the danger, and give up their life on a farm which Daniel has come to despise anyway. Going alone to a lake to try to decide what to do, he falls asleep on a boat and wakes to find himself in the wild west, in the company of such "tall tale" legends as Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, John Henry and Calamity Jane. Together, they battle the same villains Daniel is facing in his "real" world.

Samson, come on, giddy-up.

Giddy-up, boy.

Come on, Samson, giddy-up.

Samson, come on now, giddy-up.

Giddy-up, Samson.

Daniel, where have you been?

Your father's fit to be tied.

Mother, there was

a horseless carriage.

I was afraid it was

something like that.

You and your flights of fancy.

Daniel, what are we

gonna do with you?

As if your father and I don't

have enough to worry about,

what with all that's

happenin' in town.

Where's Pa?

In the barn, tendin' to Samson.

Sorry, Pa.

Sorry ain't good enough.

Just lucky Samson

didn't break a leg.

Pa, there was a horseless carriage

right here in Paradise Valley.

This is a farm, Daniel.

Work's got to be done

when it's supposed to be done.

I hate the farm.

What was that?

I said I hate the farm!

I wish you'd sell it!

I hate it!

You don't know

what you're saying.

Yes, I do.

It's nothing.

It's just a...

Just a dried-up, miserable

piece of ground.

You hold your tongue!

There's wood needs splittin'.

You go on. Get to it.

Go on!

A man works and slaves

to give his son something,

something worth havin',

and he throws it back

like it don't mean beans.

He's just a boy, Jonas.

He's 12 years old.

Sun be settin' soon.

Trout be near starvin'.

I ever tell you about the time...

Pecos Bill wrassled John Henry

at the Upside-Down mountain?

At least a hundred times, Pa.

That many, huh?

Well...

What about that morning

Pecos Bill spiked

Paul Bunyan's flapjacks

with hot chili peppers?

Bunyan's breath came

spurtin' out like fire.

Burned down the entire

Arizona territory.

I reckon I told you

that one, too.

What about the time old Pecos Bill

took on, single-handed,

50 of the toughest,

meanest outlaws

this side of the rockies?

A person'd have to be

a fool to take on 50 men.

Them 50 varmints,

they slapped leather,

but, before you could

say pass the peas,

old Pecos Bill

pulled and emptied

both his six-shooters,

and shot off

the trigger fingers of each and

every last one of them desperates.

Trigger fingers?

Well, it was Sunday.

Pecos never killed on a Sunday.

Pa, it's just a tall tale.

Just 'cause it's a tall tale

don't mean it ain't true.

It's crazy talk.

Then old Pecos Bill,

he swung his lariat and

roped a passing twister,

and he rode off into the sky.

Pa, Pecos Bill ain't real.

He's out there,

where there's still enough

elbow room for a man to wander.

He's out there,

where the land's

still young and wild.

You don't believe me?

I swear to you,

by the code of the West.

Pecos Bill is as real

as you and me.

Now, you know the code

of the West, don't you?

Yeah, Pa, I know.

Respect the land.

Defend the defenseless.

And don't you never spit

in front of women or children.

What do you want me to do?

You want me to bow down?

You want me to sell

like the rest are going to?

If it means staying alive, yes.

Why does it always

have to be you that's the hero?

Why does it always have to be you

that sticks his neck out?

Because somebody's got to.

- Jonas, no guns.

- Sarah.

This isn't one of the stories

you tell to Daniel.

It ain't that bad.

You're so quick

to risk your life.

What about your family?

What about us?

That's why I'm doing this.

I'll be back before you know it.

Be careful.

Giddy-up!

Well, I'm selling,

'cause I don't know the man

to take "no" for an answer.

He can't make us sell,

not if we all stick together.

My Pa was a farmer.

And I know what it's like

to work the land

till your hands

are blistered and raw,

hoping the weather

won't turn bad,

praying the crop will come in,

hangin' on when it don't.

Oh, yeah.

I know what it's like

to be a farmer.

And I got out, hallelujah.

Now I'm giving you all

the same chance...

...I made for myself.

A way out.

$50 an acre.

Cold cash. With that kind

of pocket change, my friends,

you can buy yourselves

a nice, new house in town,

fill it with

all the modern conveniences.

Industry makes them things.

Factories going 'round the clock, oil

wells to power 'em. That's the future.

And then what?

And who might you be, friend?

The name is Jonas Hackett.

And you ain't no friend of mine.

What happens after Mr. Stiles

and his partners from back East

are all done tearin' and

rippin' apart Raradise Valley?

Just like you did over the

mountain in Gravity Valley.

I'll tell you what happens.

Jefferson County will be next.

But, Jonas, $50 an acre!

It's a lot of money,

no question about it.

This is the deed to my farm.

My farm!

It's got my sweat in it.

My blood, too.

It's where my children were born.

Where my father is buried.

And it's where I want

to be buried, too.

And that's worth a lot more to me

than $50 an acre.

It's worth a lot more to me

than any price.

I ain't sellin'.

Night, Jonas.

Daniel?

Howdy, Pa.

Just heard you and ma.

You be quiet, now,

and listen to me.

You take this deed.

You take it and don't you let

anybody have it, no matter what.

- Pa...

- No matter what!

Do you understand me?

Now go! Go on!

- Pa, listen...

- Go, blast it! Go!

He don't have it.

The deed.

Where is it?

I told ya. I ain't selling.

Don't play games with me.

You had it at the meeting.

The kid!

He musta give it to the kid.

Find the brat.

If he gives you any trouble,

kill him.

Pa!

I've done everything I can do.

It's in the Lord's hands now.

Jonas is tough.

He'll pull through.

Well, I'll tell you one thing.

I'm selling.

Pulling out.

No piece of ground

is worth dying over.

Where am I?

Stick 'em up.

Hands above your head.

- Now.

- But...

Zeb, search him.

Search him.

Get out of there.

Come on, boy.

Hands above your head.

Hey, what have we got here?

Hey, that's mine!

Give it back!

That's his.

He wants it back.

Hands up.

Hands up.

I hear some jingle.

We got 16 cents.

Hot spit.

Any... any gold in his teeth?

Open that mouth, boy.

I count one...

wider!

2...

4 fillings.

Somebody ain't been brushin'.

Grub, let me kill this one.

You killed the last 2 in a row.

That's 'cause

I'm better at it than you.

What's fair is fair.

How am I gonna get good at it

if I don't practice?

All right.

Go ahead.

No.

Should I shoot him

right between the eyes?

So long, kid.

Sorry to stunt your growth.

Now, don't you move.

Trigger finger.

Somebody done shot off

my trigger finger.

Who are you?

I'm a ring-tailed roarer.

I can draw faster,

shoot straighter,

ride harder, and drink longer

than any man alive.

- I ride cyclones, and I wres...

- Got a name, don't you?

I'm gettin' to that.

I am the rip-snortin'-est

cowboy that ever rode

North, South, East,

or West of the Rio Grande.

I'm Pecos Bill.

Yeah, ok, and I'm Santa Claus.

Friendly cuss, ain't he,

Widowmaker?

Name's Daniel.

Daniel Hackett.

Well, Daniel Hackett,

I believe them varmints

got something...

...that belongs to you.

Come on, mister.

Let us go.

We...

...we was only foolin'.

We wasn't gonna hurt the boy.

Just one bullet,

that's all it would have been.

I oughta plug you two right now.

But I make it a rule

never to kill a man on Sunday.

But today's Wednesday.

Wednesday?

So, where you headed,

Daniel Hackett?

Where am I?

Texas.

Texas?

Where'd you think you was?

I don't know.

Last thing I remember is falling asleep

in Paradise Valley.

Guess my boat

must have gotten loose.

Drifted all the way down

from Paradise Valley?

I know. I can't explain it, either,

but it's the truth.

Where you going?

South, down Mexico way.

Mister, I gotta get home.

My Pa's bad hurt. I gotta take care

of my mom, my little brother.

Well, you stay here, you're gonna

fry like a bug on a hot skillet.

You best come with me.

Put some muscle into it!

Get out of the way!

Come on.

Stop draggin'.

Paradise Valley.

My idea of heaven.

Iron, coal, oil, copper.

Riches beyond the imagination.

Just waitin' for a few

rugged individuals

with the vision, the strength,

and the means to make

their dreams come true.

Gentlemen, we stand

on the edge of history.

What about the deeds?

We'll have 'em tonight.

Do you mean to tell me

you still don't have the deeds?

It's under control.

Now, listen, Stiles.

What happens if we complete the tunnel,

and the farmers

still haven't sold?

This is the West.

Things are simple here.

There's one law.

Winner take all.

And I plan to take it.

Well, you best be right.

Otherwise you'll end up

right back where you started.

Just another gun for hire.

By the time that tunnel

breaks through,

I guarantee you,

we will have the deeds

to every inch

of Paradise Valley.

One way or another.

Whoa, Widowmaker.

We'll make camp here.

Good boy, Widowmaker.

Whoa, boy!

Whoa, Widowmaker.

Easy, son.

Widowmaker's kind of particular

about folks takin'

liberties with him.

Matter of fact,

last man who tried that,

Widowmaker kicked him so hard

he ended up halfway to the moon.

Name of Lanky Hank.

He bounced up and down

for a month of Sundays

till finally I just had

to shoot him down

so he could have

a proper burial.

The moon's thousands

of miles away.

There's no way a man

could bounce that high.

You sure do know a lot

for a half-growed piglet.

So how's this

for plain English?

Stay away from the horse,

or he'll kill you.

I'll try to remember that.

See that you do.

Kind of makes it all

worthwhile, don't it?

I ain't goin' to Mexico.

Who said anything

about Mexico?

We're headed North.

Paradise Valley?

You got some business to settle,

ain't you?

But, why?

Why would you go out

of your way for me?

You comin', or ain't you?

Hackett's farm.

Right smack in the middle

of everything.

Without that deed, I won't

have a bucket to spit in.

Well?

Hackett's kid's disappeared.

And the deed with him.

Or, in other words,

you let him get away.

Me?

No, kid got hold of a boat.

He slipped down...

I want that kid!

I ain't lookin' for a fight

with this Stiles.

I just want to get back

to Paradise Valley.

Well, sometimes the fight

comes lookin' for you.

Finds you, too,

no matter where you hide.

It would be a hundred to one.

Nobody can win

against those odds.

A hundred to one?

Job like this calls

for a big man.

Mr. Paul Bunyan.

Paul Bunyan?

Yeah, right.

To all staff.

Boy age 12 on horseback...

...in the company of cowboy. Stop

Wanted dead or alive. Stop.

Bunyan?

Never heard of him.

That's 'cause he don't exist.

You ain't never heard

of Paul Bunyan?

Greatest logger of 'em all.

No.

Come on, Daniel, let's haul freight

out of this manure wagon.

Hey, come here.

Come here.

I hear that you're lookin'

for big Paul?

You know Paul Bunyan?

Know him?

By cracker, yeah.

I've flipped more flapjacks

and slung more hash

than you can shake a fist at.

Tryin' to fill the belly

of that fella.

I never could, you know.

Well, would you know

where he might be?

Paul pulled up stakes

when the first machinery

moved in here.

The last I heard,

he'd settled in the

Great Redwood Forest.

Well, I am much obliged

to you, old feller.

Appreciate it.

Thank you, sir.

Good luck to you.

Just some old geezer.

What does he know?

More 'n you.

Howdy.

Hey!

Get off of him!

We'll take that deed, kid.

Pecos, help me!

Pecos!

Hang on, Daniel.

Pecos!

Let's go, kid.

This way.

We gotta get you out of here.

All right now, come on out.

That a boy, Widowmaker!

Get the hell out of here.

Down that pipe and keep going.

Say hi to big Paul,

and good luck.

Get back here, kid!

Come on.

What're you waitin' for? Jump!

What I can't understand is

how'd they know we were comin'?

They read the telegraph.

The what?

Strings of wire

which allow a man,

let's say,

over in San Francisco,

to talk to a man

in New York City.

Go on. You're tellin' me

a tall tale.

There ain't no voice

that can carry that far.

They don't actually talk

to each other, see...

but word has it that

that's comin', too.

There's a man named Bell,

he's claimed that people

can be hundreds of miles away

and hold a conversation

like they're as close

as I am to you.

Everybody will know

everybody else's business?

In no time at all,

there ain't gonna be

a single place left a

man can find any privacy.

I tell you, about everybody,

everybody and their dog

is probably after us by now.

Well, used to be when a man got

a head start, it meant something.

At least we got away.

What the...

Never enough for you

termites, is it?

Not enough you swindled me

out of my camp, robbed me of my trade.

Now you want my woods, too.

You want it all!

I'm makin' my stand.

At least, if I go down swingin',

I go down like a man.

Aw, hush up,

you log-brain.

Pecos?

Let me take a gander at you.

You steamin' pile

of buffalo puckey.

You're still ugly.

I told Sam.

They're not loggers,

they're butchers.

Them with their fancy machines.

Cutting down

everything in sight.

The weak with the strong.

Sapling with the full-growed,

so nothing could

ever sprout again.

You know what Sam said?

He said I was behind the times.

Me.

Paul Bunyan.

The man who invented loggin'.

Who thought up

the double-bladed axe?

Me.

Who dreamed up the log flume?

Me again.

Don't think it's easy, either.

My head hurt for days,

coming up with that one.

What about the grindstone?

Flapjack contest? Wedge cuttin'?

3-point stance?

Me! Me! Me! Me!

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned.

In my day,

we didn't kill the land.

We just borrowed from it.

Well, now, what in tarnation

you gonna do about it?

I'm gonna do

as I durn well please,

and the rest of the world

can go to the blazes.

And would that be includin'

Paradise Valley?

Paradise Valley

is no concern of mine.

You're not Paul Bunyan.

Who says i ain't?

My Pa used to tell me stories

about Paul Bunyan.

He said that Paul Bunyan

was a giant of a man.

A man who could tame

a continent,

a man who could look danger in

the eyes and laugh in its face.

Well, he did get

those parts right.

Well, not from

where I'm sittin'.

Seems to me you're just hiding out,

feelin' sorry for yourself.

Pecos, who is this kid?

Seems to me that

you're just plain scared.

You are not the Paul Bunyan

my Pa was telling me about.

- How old are you, kid?

-12.

Do me a big,

sequoia-sized favor.

Stay out of my way

if you wanna be 13.

Is that ox really blue?

'course he is.

He was born during the Winter

of the Blue Snow.

Move it, Pecos,

he's feelin' frisky.

You move it.

We are movin' it.

Big blue bag of beef ought to be

haulin' logs, not haulin' ass.

Pardon my french.

Don't you worry, pretty baby.

Papa's here.

He's not gonna let

the bad man hurt you.

You watch your mouth, Pecos.

Babe's very sensitive.

We'll catch the ferry

at Liberty City.

Save us 3 days of hard riding.

Liberty City?

Home to every horse thief,

bush whacker, con artiste

in the territory.

Who will try his hand

against the latest miracle

of modern technology?

I am offering 10 to one odds

that this new machine

can drive steel

faster than anyone alive.

Now, come on! Come on!

There's gotta be someone

here man enough to try!

You, sir.

Come on, someone out there!

There's gotta be someone here

man enough to try!

My name's John Henry.

And mister,

you got yourself a bet.

I'm offering 12 to one,

the machine wins!

It'd be a sucker's bet

at 20 to one!

$100 even money says he whoops

that gol-dang contraption.

Even money, Pecos?

You can do better than that.

I don't know, John Henry,

that thingamajigger looks

like it means business.

We'll see.

You ready?

I'm missing my shaker.

Can't drive steel

without a shaker.

Who will hold for this man?

And be squashed like a tin can

by his hammer?

There ain't nobody

that dim-witted.

Come on, somebody's

gotta have the gumption!

You can forget about it!

Widowmaker!

Pecos!

Sorry, Daniel.

I gotta protect my investment.

Pecos!

That's a brave boy!

Everybody, how about

a round of applause

for this courageous young man!

May the Lord have

mercy on his soul.

Mister, I can't do it!

You don't know what you can do

until you try.

Come on.

Come on, boy.

You just grab a hold

of this drill,

and give it a shake and a turn

after each time I hit it.

All right.

What if you miss it?

I never miss.

Leastwise, I haven't yet.

- Ready?

- Ready!

Come on, come on!

4-foot jumper, son,

make it snappy!

Come on!

Come on, John Henry!

Paul Bunyan!

As I live and breathe!

You live and breathe later!

You got a race to win,

so move it!

Time to get serious.

Come on.

This 20-pound hammer

Shines like silver

Shines like silver

6-foot jumper, son!

Go! Hurry!

Hurry, boy!

Hurry!

I can't do it!

Come on!

They're too far ahead!

Come on!

Come on, son!

Get up, Daniel!

Get up, boy!

Damn!

The machine wins.

Thank you, gentlemen, thank you

for your time and your money.

Sorry.

You gave it your best shot.

Well, if you gave

it your best shot,

you ain't got nothing

to be sorry for.

Go ahead, Widowmaker.

Might as well get

your licks in, too.

Looks like the boy

has been through here.

Hey! J. P., look at this.

Somebody's finger.

Somebody's trigger finger.

My record was perfect

before today.

Now you are forever tarnished

with ignominious defeat.

Come on, fellows,

he's just a kid.

He's bad news, Bill.

In breeches.

He ain't that...

What is it?

Sarsaparilla.

To the code.

What do you know about the code?

Plenty.

My Pa's always goin' on

about it.

Knowin' about the code

ain't the same as livin' by it.

Good enough.

To the code of the west.

Code of the North.

The code of the South.

Respect the land.

Defend the defenseless.

And don't never spit in front

of women and children.

You just stepped

over the line, boy.

Well, howdy, friend.

How about me buyin' you a drink?

Sure. Just as soon

as I'm done skinnin' this marmot.

Holler if you need a hand.

What, 'cause you're saddle sore?

He ain't even worth your time.

I'll be the judge of that.

I'd take that drink

if I was you.

So what are you drinkin'?

Whiskey.

Jasper.

Let me have some whiskey.

Shucks.

Gentlemen, to Texas...

The nearest thing to heaven

on God's green earth.

You from Texas?

I do have that honor, sir.

I thought I smelled

something funny in here.

Easy, Pecos.

Can't scrap on an empty stomach,

you know that.

Mister, are you insulting

the great state of Texas?

The great state of two-bit

tin horns, you mean?

Mister, you can insult me,

and you can insult my friends.

As a matter of fact,

you can even insult

my mother or my horse.

But, mister,

don't you ever insult

the great state of Texas.

You're good.

You even hit like a Texan.

All right! Party's over.

Anybody else?

Anybody make a move and

I'll fill 'em full of lead.

Or my name ain't Calamity Jane.

Jasper, who started

this confabulation?

Them two,

and,

where'd that other one get to?

Well, paint my toenails

and curl my hair.

Calamity?

My cactus flower!

Don't "cactus flower" me,

you double-crossin' dog.

I missed you, darlin'.

If only you knew how much

I've been thinkin' about you...

I know too well, you pissant,

flea-infested little weasel.

Calamity, you are lookin'

mighty pretty tonight.

Tryin' to sweet talk me?

You hairy, overgrown,

mealy-mouthed, two-faced,

lyin', yellow-bellied,

snivelin' snake!

You gutless, brainless,

heartless sidewinder!

You ain't still sore

about Amarillo, are you?

Ya had to bring up Amarillo?

What's she got agin' you,

anyway, Pecos?

I run out on her.

Now, Bill.

Why would you wanna go

and do something like that?

Calamity's a mighty...

handsome woman, Pecos.

I know.

In her own way.

Have you a drink, big boy?

Maybe some other time.

What's the matter?

Is it past your bedtime?

Kid run away faster

than a scared rabbit.

Amen and good riddance.

He bothered me.

And why shouldn't he run?

You been agin' that boy

since you set eyes on him.

What in tarnation?

It's Daniel!

Ho, babe!

Ho, ox! Ho, babe!

So, Daniel Hackett,

how does it feel

to be on the wrong side

of the law?

Fine, just as long

as my ma don't find out.

Boy, I didn't know

you had it in you!

That's my ox!

What's that noise?

Whatever it is,

it's coming this way!

Faster, you dumb ox!

Go, ox!

Run, Daniel! Run, boy!

Come back here,

you lily-livered cowards!

Stupid ox!

What's wrong with

that dumb animal?

Why ain't he pullin', Paul?

Why'd he quit pullin', Paul?

It's very simple.

If you insulted him,

you have to apologize.

Paul.

Mr. Pecos Bill.

I ain't apologizing to no ox.

Babe, uncle Pecos thinks

you're the prettiest

blue ox he ever did see,

and he is very, very sorry

for any hurtfulness

he may have caused you.

Now pull!

Yeah! go, baby!

Come on, babe! Pull!

Timber!

All right, spread out.

Find the boy, head to the ferry.

Oh, dear!

Timber.

Take that, you pissants!

I'm Paul Bunyan!

I'm 300 pounds of ragin' fury!

You're in trouble now!

Don't point your little gun

at me, you sissy!

I can out-eat, out-swing

any one of you!

I'm Paul Bunyan!

I got him!

Give me that deed, punk.

Come with me, Daniel boy.

Come on.

Nobody's gonna hurt you, son.

Just hand over that deed.

You shot Pa!

Son, your Pa's a fool.

He's stuck in the past and

he wants you stuck there with him.

But that ain't

what you want, is it?

You don't wanna waste

your life behind a plow.

You want more than that.

You hate that farm!

It ain't nothing but a dried-up,

miserable piece of ground. Now...

Gimme that deed!

Son, you're trying my patience.

Gimme that deed

like a good little boy!

Kid, trouble seems to follow you

like a bird dog.

Lucky for me, I got my friends.

Yeah, well, we ain't

that good friends.

Get your carcass off of me!

Move it, kid!

Get 'em! Get 'em!

Move it, kid! Move it!

Come on, Daniel!

Run, boy! Come on!

Run, Daniel, run!

Come on!

Come on, Pecos!

Run!

Come on! Hurry up!

Timber!

This ain't over, kid!

Not by a long shot.

Thinking about your Pa?

I used to bait a line with my daddy

when I was a young 'un.

Never caught much, but

that was never the point.

Seems like fishing's

the only time

me and Pa actually get along.

You two lock horns, huh?

As far as Pa's concerned,

I can't do nothing right.

My daddy was the same way.

Always telling me what to do,

like I didn't have

no mind of my own.

Exactly.

Although, I know I should

have finished the plowing.

Well, now, see,

he only bothered

on account of how much

he cared for me.

Daddy was just doing

the best he knew how.

That's why it grieves me

I never got the gumption

to tell him how

i felt about him.

Why not?

Daddy got sold downriver.

Sold?

We were slaves.

It's too late for me.

Let's hope it's not

too late for you.

First that blasted ox,

now a goldurn jackass!

Might as well be riding turtles!

Cold molasses is a mule.

I wasn't referring to her.

Shake a hoof.

Come sunup, we got the

endless desert to contend with.

The endless desert?

The hottest, meanest stretch

of desolation this side of hell.

Sure is dark. Sure is.

You know, I once seen a picture

of New York City at night.

It's all lit up with

these electric light bulbs.

We could use a few of them

right about now.

Electric lightball?

Light bulbs.

They're balls of glass which

light up 100 times brighter

than the brightest candle.

Go on!

Pretty soon,

people won't need lanterns,

won't have to go chop their wood

to make fires,

just turn this little knob

and these electric light bulbs

just come on.

But I like chopping wood.

Pretty soon

there won't be no darkness.

It'll be like

noontime at midnight.

How are folks

gonna see the stars?

They just...

Won't see the stars, i guess.

Well, I don't like it.

No sirree Bob,

I don't like it one...

If you ask me, i think

he's telling us a tall tale.

Yeah, that's a tall tale.

That's a tall tale, for sure.

That's the god's honest truth.

Not see the stars?

Hotter than a June bride

in a feather bed.

What?

This ain't nothin'.

Not compared

to that summer of '88.

It was so hot that all the chickens

was laying fried eggs,

babies was crying sawdust, and...

Great, we're outta water.

Things got so bad that the

whole state of Texas lit on fire,

so I hightailed it

up to Kansas...

Does this story have a point?

Or does it just go on

and on and on

like this stinkin' desert?

Yeah, this story has a point.

I blew out the dang fire.

You know what?

I'm getting sick and tired

of you complaining

and whining all the time.

I'm lost in the middle

of a giant barbecue pit,

and I don't know

what's gonna kill me first:

The heat, the thirst,

or having to listen to

your incessant yammering!

You, shut up!

Shut up! Shut up!

You overblown tub of lard!

You stay out of this.

You... you contest-loser!

What did you call me?

Shut up!

You're nothing

but a big, fat quitter!

Quitter! Quitter! Quitter!

Big, fat quitter!

Quitter!

Pa?

It's all right, Daniel.

It's just a mirage.

He was there.

It is amazing

the things the heat'll do to a man.

I just want to get home.

Well, things can't get

no worse than this.

Pecos!

Good morning.

"Early to bed, early to rise,

"makes a boy healthy, wealthy"...

And alive.

Harm one hair on that boy's head

and you're a dead man, Stiles.

I got no quarrel with you, cowboy,

or your friends.

You sure got a peculiar way

of showing it.

The deed.

You can't have the...

We don't have a prayer.

We never did.

If that's your way of thinking,

I reckon we don't.

You don't stop progress, cowboy.

That's the difference

between me and you.

I can adjust to the times.

You can't.

Don't listen to him, Daniel.

We can beat this thing yet.

You just got to believe, boy.

Where do you get off

telling me what to do, huh?

Where do any of you get off

telling people how to live?

That's it, boy!

That's the spirit!

Don't lose the dream, Daniel.

You don't know what you can do

until you try.

Don't give up on yourself, kid.

You all are nothing!

You're just a bunch of tall tales

that my Pa made up.

And you

are nothing but hot air.

I ain't got all day, boy.

Time is money.

Don't do it, Daniel.

I... I'm

the ring-tailed roarer.

I can draw faster,

shoot straighter...

20-pound hammer

shine like silver

I can out-eat,

out-swing any man alive...

I just want to get home!

I am the rip-snortin'-est

cowboy

that ever rode

North, South, East...

I just wanna get home!

Or West of the Rio Grande...

Pa?

Pa?

What are you doing?

Move it!

No!

Ma!

Daniel!

Ma!

I'm back!

I made it back!

Your father.

He's gonna be all right.

Pa?

- Pa?

- Daniel.

Pa, I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

It's all right, son.

I knew you didn't mean any

of those things you said.

But I did, Pa.

I even told Pecos

you was a fool!

I told him you was stupid

for standing up like ya done.

But I was the one

who was being stupid, Pa.

I was the one

who was being a fool.

- Pecos?

- Pecos Bill.

You had a talk with Pecos Bill?

Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan

and John Henry.

They were all there.

They were

just like you said, Pa.

Well, now.

Where was this?

It was in the desert.

Redwood forest. Liberty City.

The Great Caverns.

Sounds like you covered

a lot of territory.

Well, we had to.

Stiles and his gang

were on our tails the whole ways.

J.P. Stiles?

But it's ok because

the deed's right here.

The Valley's still right here,

and we still got a chance

to save it, Pa.

Daniel.

You don't believe me?

Daniel,

you fell asleep on the boat.

Ma, they were there.

I mean,

they was as real as you and me.

Pa.

You believe me, don't ya?

Yes, son.

I believe you.

We still got the deed, Pa.

I don't know how, but...

but we still got it.

And J.P. Stiles

ain't getting this farm...

Son. You did fine.

You did just fine.

Not that it matters anymore.

But, Pa, it does.

It does matter.

It matters all the world.

We're selling.

No piece of ground

is worth dying for.

I guess it's just about time

you faced up to that, too.

You're giving up?

Wising up.

No, Pa.

No, Pa!

The land's defenseless!

Pa, if you give in, you don't

know what's gonna happen here.

Daniel, you heard your father.

Now let him rest.

Ma, somebody's

got to do something.

Daniel, please.

Gentlemen, your health!

Your health.

Anything?

Clear the track!

The West. Indeed.

That kid's blocking the tracks.

Well...

I see your Pa sent a boy

to do a man's job.

I come of my own accord.

The time for deeds is over, kid.

Get off the track!

I'm telling you to get out

of Paradise Valley.

A little speck of dust like you.

You really think

you can stop all this?

Well, maybe not,

but I sure am going to

give it my best shot.

All right,

have it your way then.

Run him over.

I said, run him over!

Get off the tracks, Daniel!

Don't be a fool!

Daniel!

Help! help me!

God help him.

What the hell?

John Henry, where've you been?

Just waitin' for you

to make your move, Daniel.

Just waitin' for you

to make your move.

Kill them, and be done with it!

Hold it right there.

Mister, I got no fight with you.

Nah. Defenseless young 'uns

and farmers are more your style.

Mister, you just

killed yourself.

Trigger fingers!

My trigger finger's gone!

Well, come on,

what're we waiting for?

More steam!

All right, all right.

I'll pay you $150 an acre!

$200 an acre!

- 300!

- We did it!

5... $500 an acre!

You fools!

One more ought to do her.

Boy, be reasonable.

You know we're going

to win in the end.

Stop!

Just stop.

All right, all right.

I admit it.

You got me over a barrel.

My back's to the wall.

Name your price.

I ain't interested.

You fool!

There'll be others just like me.

More after them and after them.

Long as there's a profit

to be made.

We'll never stop.

We're comin'!

Not through our land!

Daniel!

Atta boy, Daniel!

We did it.

We sure did!

Kinda makes it all worthwhile,

don't it?

It's a right nice sunset,

huh, Pa?

Yes, Daniel.

It's a good one.

Well, time to call it a day.

Come on.

Let's get washed up for supper.

Comin'?

You go on.

Think I'll just...

Stay here a piece.

Pa!

I love you, Pa.

I love you, too, son.

We've come

to say good-bye, Daniel.

I knew you would.

Thanks, Paul.

Thank you, Daniel.

- Me?

- Yeah, you.

Thanks to you, I've got

my old appetite back again.

Hell, babe and I are going

to head on up to the Alaskas.

Hear they got some little tiny

forests ain't even half-growed yet.

What about you, John Henry?

I've been thinkin' about a rematch

with that there steam drill.

Well, if you ever need a shaker...

I'll keep you in mind.

Much obliged, too, Daniel.

To the code!

The code!

Well, you done right, Daniel.

I was beginning to think it weren't

possible to do right no more.

Now 'cause of you,

I know it is.

You're the one

who did everything.

Widowmaker!

So long, Widowmaker.

So long, boy.

Well, hop on.

Me alone on Widowmaker?

Less'n you don't have

a mind to.

Here you go.

He's all your'n, Daniel Hackett.

Pecos!

So long, Daniel!

Take good care of Widowmaker!

Pecos, don't go!

Don't worry about it.

You can handle things from here!

I am a ringtailed roarer!

I can draw faster,

shoot straighter,

ride harder, and drink

longer than any man alive.

I'm the rip-snortin'-est cowboy

that ever rode North, South,

East, or West of the Rio Grande!

I'm Pecos Bill!

So long, Pecos.