The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) - full transcript
Josey Wales makes his way west after the Civil War, determined to live a useful and helpful life. He joins up with a group of settlers who need the protection that a man as tough and experienced as he is can provide. Unfortunately, the past has a way of catching up with you, and Josey is a wanted man.
Get up, girl. Get up!
Little Josey.
Come on in. Let's
get you cleaned up.
Better go.
[HOOFS THUNDERING]
[BIRDS SQUAWKING]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNFIRE]
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa! Help!
Josey!
Josey! No, no.
Josey! No!
Josey!
Josey! No!
Josey! No!
Pa! Pa!
No!
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa!
[GUNFIRE]
Ashes to ashes...
...dust to dust...
...the Lord gives...
...the Lord takes away.
[GUNSHOT]
[HORSES WALKING]
The name's Anderson.
Bloody Bill is what they call me.
Redlegs?
You'll find them up in Kansas.
They're with the Union.
And we're going up there
and set things aright.
I'll be coming with you.
[GUNFIRE]
All that a fellow has to do...
...is ride into that Union
camp down there...
...raise his right hand and swear such
as you'll be loyal to the United States.
Then he can take up
his horse again...
...and go home.
They're going to give
us full amnesty then?
FLETCHER: Yep.
Everyone else has done it but us.
We're the last of the holdouts.
I'm going in, boys.
I've had enough.
Josey?
Better go with them, boy.
Are you coming with us, Josey?
I reckon not, Fletcher.
They'll be coming after you, Josey.
Yep.
There's nowhere you
can go to get away from.
I reckon that's true.
Well, good luck, Josey.
Put the rifle down too.
I'll need this for squirrels
and such. Put it down.
Kind of young, ain't you kid,
to be riding with this rabble?
Who you calling rabble,
you blue scumbelly?
Hell, we showed these boys anyway.
Lee might have had to
surrender, but we didn't.
Shut up, kid.
Yes, sir.
You showed us.
Now get in line...
...before I kick you so hard
you'be wearing your ass for a hat.
Here's the man you asked for, sir.
Fletcher. Good to see you.
Senator.
Well done.
Thank you.
What the hell is
this Redleg doing here?
You said regular federal
authorities would handle this.
Captain Terrill is the regular
federal authority now.
Captain Terrill is a
bloodthirsty son of a bitch.
He is a looter and a pillager.
He's the worst enemy
those men have got.
SENATOR: The war's over.
Our side won the war.
Now we must busy ourselves
winning the peace.
Fletcher, there's an old saying:
To the victors belong the spoils.
And there's another
old saying, senator.
Don't piss down my back
and tell me it's raining.
Which side is this man on,
senator?
Easy, Terrill. He brought
them all in, didn't he?
All but one.
Who's that?
Josey Wales.
Josey Wales.
Captain Terrill, I want you to
currycomb the countryside.
You beat the brush and
root out everything disloyal...
...from a Shanghai rooster
to a Durham cow.
We've got to clean
up this country.
Now you take five men and
go up there and get Josey Wales.
[FLETCHER CHUCKLES]
Captain Redlegs Terrill and
five men against Josey Wales?
We stopped those bushwhackers
pretty good during the war, Fletcher.
Fletcher, you go with
Captain Terrill then.
Bring in this damn
insurrectionist rebel.
Now, here.
Here's the money for
bringing down the others...
...and there'll be more
for Josey Wales.
I've had enough of
your money, senator.
Let Wales be.
Let me be.
I'm finished with you.
[COINS CLUNKING]
All right...
...I want you men to
raise your right hands.
JAMIE: What for?
So you can pledge
loyalty to the Union.
Hell, pledge loyalty to the Union?
You ought to have us
turn around and bend over.
All raise your right hands
so I can take your oath.
I pledge...
...that I will be loyal to
the United States of America.
I pledge that I will be loyal...
...to the United States of America.
That I will....
Let's see. I will abide by its law...
...that I will never bear
arms against it.
I will abide by its law...
...that I will never bear
arms against it.
And recognize...
...that it is one nation.
And recognize...
...that it is one nation.
I ain't doing it.
Come on, kid. Listen!
Let's get this over
with, damn it!
But I been thinking.
I think it's them who
owes an apology.
And I further swear,
that though...
...I be murderous....
Look! That's Josey!
Verminous, lying, Missouri scum!
Damn you, senator!
You promised me those men
would be decently treated.
They were decently treated.
They were decently fed...
...and then they were decently shot.
These men are common
outlaws, nothing more.
Run for it, Fletcher, it's a trap.
Josey, we best be on our way.
Get moving, boy. Josey,
they're coming after us.
We've got to take to the brush.
You get going!
You can't get them all, Josey.
That's a fact. How come
you're doing this then?
I've got nothing better to do.
Josey, Fletcher was in
with them. It was a trap.
Fletcher?
Never would have figured that.
You dumb kid.
Josey, I've got to
tell you something.
I'm scared of dying, Josey.
Move out!
You are going after him after all.
Fletcher, I'm giving
you a commission.
Hound this Wales to kingdom come.
Hound him, senator?
A man like Wales lives by the feud.
Because of what you did here
today, I've got to kill that man.
Well, he'll have to run for it now.
And hell is where he's headed.
He'll be waiting there
for us, senator.
Don't hold back on account
of me, Josey. I can ride.
I ain't holding back on account of you,
you thick-headed grasshopper.
First place, if we ride in the open, there's
enough posses over in South Missouri...
...to start another war.
And if we try riding
instead of thinking...
...well, we'll end up hanging
by a rope by nightfall.
Where are we headed?
The Indian Nations.
It's a good place to hole up
and get you healed up.
Then we'll go get Fletcher?
Right, boy.
Then we go back and get Fletcher.
There's some riders
coming up behind us.
Get down here, boy.
Lay across his neck.
Keep him down there.
Can you hear me, boy?
Now if you see me get up,
you stay there, understand?
If you hear shooting
and me headed back north...
...get back on that horse.
He'll get up with you...
...and you head south,
now you hear?
You can let him up now, boy.
Let him up!
Get up, goddamn it!
Whupped them again,
didn't we, Joesy?
Whupped them again, boy.
10 years I've been ferrying
Kansas Redlegs...
...Union Cavalry, Missouri guerrillas...
...you name it!
Mad dogs, them guerrillas.
You look sideways at them...
...they kill you!
Kind of hard men to do business with.
You bet!
You know, in my line of work...
...you got to be able either to sing
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"...
...or "Dixie" with equal enthusiasm...
...depending upon present company.
Can't say as I blame you for that.
Only good business to play it safe.
Yeah, well. Thank God
they all been disarmed now...
...except for a few of the nastiest ones...
...who they're busy running down.
Where I'm going, they
know how to handle that kind.
SIM: Where are you headed?
CARPETBAGGER: I'm going to ply
my wares down in Texas.
Texas?
How much for the ferry ride?
Ten cents.
By coincidence, I happen to have
a bottle of this remarkable elixir...
...I could let you have
for that exact amount.
I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old times there is not forgotten
Look away, look away
Look away, Dixieland
Howdy.
Howdy there.
Sim Carstairs is the name.
Mister...?
Figured we'd like to give you
some ferrying business.
With pleasure!
You know Bill Quantrill
used this ferry all the time.
Good friend of mine.
What have you got there?
Just the store with
Grannie Hawkins up there.
I'll tell you what.
We'll all just amble
over to that store.
Him and me will ride. Because
we've got a touch of the cramp.
Stranger, you're in luck.
I just happen to have the
perfect thing here for cramps.
We'll need half a side of bacon...
...10 pounds of beef jerky,
20 pounds of horse grain.
And when we get over there, there
won't be any need for you to go inside.
You can just talk to Old Grannie through the
door tell her we'll need a lot of clean bandages...
...and a boiled poultice for a
bullet wound in a hurry. Come on.
So you'll be Josey Wales.
How might you know
that, Grannie?
Soldiers were here looking
for you two hours ago.
I was going to mention that to
you as soon as I got the chance.
They say you killed your own men.
Those lying blue scumbellies.
GRANNIE: They say you're a
hard-put and desperate man, Josey Wales.
They're going to heel and
hog you to a barn door.
You know what I say?
What's that?
I say that big talk's
worth diddlysquat.
Now them poultices be laced with
feather moss and mustard root.
Mind you drop water on them
occasionally and keep them damp.
Much obliged, Grannie.
You can pay me when you
see me again, Josey Wales.
I reckon so.
There's buckwheat cakes
And injun batter
Makes you fat or a little fatter
Look away, look away,
look away Dixieland
That sure is a sweet
sound to the ears...
...wouldn't you say so, Mr. Wales?
Your young friend
can use some help.
This is it. One dollar a bottle.
It works wonders on wounds.
Works wonders on
just about everything.
It can do most anything.
How is it with stains?
SIM: Here we go.
Come on, come on. Yeah.
Yeah.
Dismount. Disembark, children.
[GUNSHOT]
Get that back!
Bring it back!
Bring that barge back!
Bring it back!
Whupped them again, Josey.
They're hollering for
me to come over.
I can't hold on.
But I'll hold on until you
fellows get out of sight.
All right?
I'll make do something's wrong...
Pull, Lemuel. Pull!
I'll make do something's wrong,
until you get going.
I wish you all lots of luck.
Pull, Lemuel, pull!
Oh I wish I was in
the land of cotton
He ain't going to hold up no ferry.
He's going to bring that
cavalry over fast as he can.
Yeah.
Reckon there's a nice
reward out for us about now.
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage....
We got him now.
We'll get these two first,
then get the others.
What others?
Wales and the kid
are the last ones.
No. Texas is full of rebels.
Lots of work to do down in Texas.
We get Josey Wales and it ends.
Doing right ain't got no end.
[GRANNIE LAUGHS]
We best hurry on, Josey.
They'd catch up to us
by the end of the day.
Judging by these tracks,
there's maybe...
...40, 50 horses ahead of us.
What we've got to do is space
some time between them and us.
What are we going to do?
Stay right here.
Welcome.
Welcome, gentlemen.
Please come aboard.
Howdy.
Pull, Lemuel.
He's still there.
SIM: Still there?
What the hell does
he think he's doing?
Don't know.
Some of you men get down there.
Prepare to fire.
Captain Redlegs...
...I advise you to turn back.
You can catch him later.
Turn back? Are you crazy?
He's gonna try to pick
us off one by one.
He'll never do it.
At best, he'll get two
or three up front there.
I advise you to turn back,
captain. They're coming.
Do you really think you can
shoot all those men down...
...before they shoot you?
No, no, Mr. Josey Wales!
There is such a thing in
this country called justice.
Well, Mr. Carpetbagger...
...we've got something in this territory...
...called the Missouri boat ride.
[MEN SHOUTING]
Watch out! Back him up!
God Almighty!
Watch out for that horse!
Watch out, you stupid son of a bitch!
Is it bad, Josey?
It's bad.
Don't look at it, boy.
It'll just make you
get feelings in it.
If I don't make it, Josey...
...I want you to know...
...I'm prouder than a game
rooster to have rid with you.
You are a game rooster,
boy. Now shut up.
You could make it without
me, Josey. Here.
Take a little drink of this.
This here linsey-woolsey shirt
I got that all you boys wore.
We didn't have no ma.
So,
Pa did all the fancy
needlework for me.
Told me not to tell no one.
Imagine a grown man
doing that for his own kid?
Sang a little song while he sewed it.
You know "Rose of Alabama," Josey?
River rolled
The crickets sang
The lightning bug
He flashed his wing
And I could rope
My arms I fling
Round rose of Alabama
Oh, brown rosie
Rose of Alabama
A sweet tobacco posy
Is the rose of Alabama
Now you just do that, cousin.
You bring that old pistol right out.
We got him, Lige.
It's him, Abe. It's him.
We got the Josey Wales, Abe!
I seen him ride side by
side with Bloody Bill.
We got reward money coming.
Watch it, Abe. He's meaner than a
rattler and twice as fast with a pistol.
You're a real bush hog,
ain't you, Mr. Josey Wales?
Tell you what.
Move on back. Move on back!
LIGE: Watch him.
I seen him do some things.
Shut up, Lige!
Now
Mr. Josey Wales,
I'd just as soon shoot you now.
Except it'd be hard to drag your body through
the brush to where we can get our price for you.
Shoot him now!
Shut up, Lige.
Move your left hand down
and unbuckle that pistol belt.
Make it nice and slow...
...so I can count the
hairs on that hand.
See, Lige?
You pull his teeth...
...he's harmless as a heel hound.
Always wanted to face out one of these
big pistol fighters they always fuss about.
Only way you handle them.
Abe, watch out.
He's probably got another pistol...
Shut up, Lige.
Call Benny back there on the horse.
Benny! Come out!
We got us the Josey Wales!
JAMIE [SINGING]:
Oh, brown rosie
Rose of Alabamy
Who is that?
He's just a boy.
He's got a fever.
Tell him to shut up.
Sweet tobacco posies...
Pa?
Is that you, Pa?
It ain't your pa!
Now shut up!
Pa.
I got the gold right here, Pa.
What gold is he talking about?
There's no gold.
He's crazy.
The gold me and Josey
robbed from the bank, Pa.
Lige, take a look
under that blanket.
I got it right here.
Thought you could
use some help.
If you get those holes leaking, I'm going
to whomp you with a knotted plow-line.
They ain't honest.
I feel as pert as a rutting buck.
Good.
Because I ain't hauling you
all over hell's creation...
...dribbling blood over
half of Missouri.
Wish we had time
to bury them fellows.
To hell with them fellows.
Buzzards got to eat,
same as worms.
[THUNDER RUMBLES]
JOSEY: A real frog strangler.
Ten, 20 more miles and
we'll be safe in the Nations.
Some cavalry between
us and the Nations.
We're gonna have to wait
till they bed down...
...then walk through quiet.
Here, have some beef jerky.
Don't swallow nothing but the juice.
I'm gonna go have a look-see.
You feel all right?
I feel real good, Josey.
We got them whupped.
Josey, I want to thank you.
For what?
For saving my life.
Forget about that, Jamie.
You know something, Josey?
I ain't scared no more.
All right.
We can start working our
way through now, boy.
This rain is giving us the...
This boy was brought up in...
...a time of blood and dying,
and never questioned a bit of it.
Never turned his back
on his folks or his kind.
I rode with him,
I got no complaints.
The bluebellies will give you
a better burial than I can, boy.
Halt!
What's going on?
Come on, get him.
Howdy.
Howdy.
Name's Josey Wales.
I've heard of that name.
Some said you'd be
headed this way.
And they said a man could
get rich on reward money...
...if he could kill you.
Seems like you was looking
to gain some money here.
Actually, I was looking
to gain an edge.
I thought you might be someone who
would sneak up behind me with a gun.
Where'd you ever
get an idea like that?
Besides, it ain't supposed to be
easy to sneak up behind an Indian.
I'm an Indian, all right.
But here in the Nation,
they call us the civilized tribe.
They call us civilized because
we're easy to sneak up on.
White men have been
sneaking up on us for years.
Cherokee?
Yeah.
They sneaked up on us and they
told us we wouldn't be happy here.
They said we would be
happier in the Nations.
So they took away our land...
...and sent us here.
I have a fine woman...
...and two sons.
But they all died on
the Trail of Tears.
And now the white man
is sneaking up on me.
Again.
Seems like we can't
trust the white man.
You bet we can't.
I wore this...
...frock coat in Washington.
Before the war.
We wore them because
we belonged to...
...the five civilized tribes.
We dressed ourselves up
like Abraham Lincoln.
You know, we got to see the
Secretary of the Interior.
And he said:
"Boy! You boys sure look civilized!"
He congratulated us...
...and he gave us medals
for looking so civilized.
We told him about how
our land had been stolen...
...and our people were dying.
When we finished,
he shook our hands...
...and said:
"Endeavor to persevere."
They stood us in a line.
John Jumper, Chilly McIntosh...
...Buffalo Hump...
...and Jim Pock Mark and me.
I'm Lone Watie.
They took our pictures.
And the newspaper said:
"Indians Vow to
Endeavor to Persevere."
We thought about it for a long time.
"Endeavor to persevere."
And when we had thought
about it long enough...
...we declared war on the Union.
[JOSEY SNORES]
Sergeant said this kid tried to ride
through their camp. They got him.
They did, did they?
They've had men on
guard here night and day.
No way Wales could
get to the Nations.
Where the hell are
you going, Fletcher?
I'm heading into the Indian Nations.
Why don't you stay here, Redlegs?
Wales may be back
in a year or two.
When we get to the Nations,
I want you men to fan out.
Five thousand dollars
to the one who gets him.
A horned toad can tell
you which way to go.
I used to know these things
when I was young.
But when I got civilized,
I forgot all these things.
I didn't know which way to go.
The horned toad says
we should go to Mexico.
Well, Mr. Lone Watie...
...you can take your horned
toad down Mexico way.
I've got some unfinished
business in Missouri.
I heard General Joe Shelby...
...and some men refused to surrender.
They're going down to Mexico.
I think I'll join them.
Shelby?
I didn't know others
hadn't surrendered.
I didn't surrender neither.
But they took my horse
and made him surrender.
They have him pulling a
wagon up in Kansas, I'll bet.
You haven't got a horse.
What do you plan on doing,
walking down to Mexico?
No, there's a trading post
right near the Creek Nation.
They got horses to trade.
You have any food here?
All I have is a piece
of hard rock candy.
But it's not for eating.
It's just for looking through.
Alrighty.
I'll get you a horse.
What the hell have
you got there?
Muskrat.
Muskrat?
What the hell's that?
Muskrat.
No. No, sir. You got to come
up with something more.
Beaver?
Beaver ain't no good no more.
Get me 10 muskrats...
...and 30 beaver pelts...
...and I'll give you red cloth.
Now that's a very
good bargain for you.
Here.
You go have a drink
and think about it.
Spilling!
[HORSE NEIGHS]
You bring some drink
inside, you hear?
I'll tell you, this jerky?
Put it on our bill.
What about these cougar pelts?
Going to put them on our bill too?
This is what you
give those Indians.
Where's the real stuff?
[DOOR CREAKS]
What do you take
for the squaw?
She ain't for sale.
I mean, she ain't mine.
She works here.
See that nose scar?
Know what that
means to a Cheyenne?
One too many bucks.
Little squaw likes the bucks?
Tell you, Zukie, you
put her on the bill too.
I'll be looking for a horse.
A horse?
The horses belong to
these gentlemen.
More than likely...
That is...
...I'm sure they'd sell you one.
Look, I've got some beer.
Some good brewed choc.
It's on the house.
You suppose these gentlemen will be...
...available to discuss
business before long?
Give me a bucket of that choc.
I got him!
I got me Josey Wales!
Yoke.
Five thousand gold simoleons
walked right in.
Right to us.
ZUKIE: Wait a minute!
He's in my place.
I recognized him too.
I'm due an even split.
Mr. Chain-Blue Lightning himself.
Well, the one that everyone's
so scared of.
Well, Mr. Lightning...
...move a muscle, twitch a finger...
...and I'll splatter your
guts all over the wall.
YOKE: Mr. Lightning.
When I say move...
...you move real slow...
...like molasses in wintertime...
...or I drop that hammer.
Now, just ease your hands down.
Take them guns out, butt first
so you can get hold of them.
You understand?
Nod, damn you!
Now...
...ease them pistols out.
Well, let's see...
...you say those horses
belong to them pilgrims?
Howdy.
Howdy.
I'm getting better at
sneaking up on you like this.
Only an Indian can do
something like this.
That's what I figured.
You figured?
Only an Indian could do
something like that.
It's not right, this damn woman
doing something like this to me.
I used to have power.
Now old age is creeping up on me.
I think it's more like
old habits than old age.
Who the hell is this woman?
She was back at the trading post.
Got in some kind of trouble.
She's not going to Mexico
with us. With us?
Now wait a minute. I got you a
horse. You're on your own now.
I've seen a lot today.
I've seen patrols of soldiers all day.
Everybody's looking for you.
She's not going with us.
[SPEAKS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
She says she's Navajo...
...but she was captured
by the Cheyenne.
She was violated by one of
the bucks of the Arapahos.
Their sign is the dirty nose sign.
Cheyenne Chief, Black Kettle...
...figures that she did
not resist enough.
Hell, man, can't you get
her to shut up?
[LITTLE MOONLIGHT SPEAKS
IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
Anyway, she says...
...when she come to
that trading post...
...she didn't know this man,
Zukie Limmer...
...was selling liquor.
She also wants you to know...
...that although he beat her a lot...
...nothing happened between them.
And she says you
are a great warrior...
...and that she sort of belongs to
you for what you done for her.
Look, you tell her I don't want
nobody belonging to me.
That meal was damn good.
I'm gonna take up tepee
living if it's like this.
You know, she thinks I'm
some kind of a Cherokee chief.
I wonder where she
ever got that idea.
JOSEY: Chief! Chief!
Chief.
I was just wondering.
I suppose that mangy red hound's
got no place else to go either.
He might as well
ride along with us.
Hell, everybody else is.
Hey, you!
Want to buy some Indian scalps?
Nasty habit, young fellow.
You born in a barn?
Hold it. Real still.
The wheat is from Kansas and the
molasses comes from Missouri.
Well, sir, we'll do without molasses.
Anything from Missouri
has a taint about it.
Grandma, you've got to tread
lightly now we're here in Texas.
Lots of nice elements from
Missouri coming West.
Never heard of nice things from Missouri coming
west. And treading lightly is not my way.
We're from Kansas.
Jayhawkers and proud of it.
I know how you feel.
I'm a Hoosier myself.
Personally I don't think
much of Hoosiers neither.
Yes, friends, yes!
This is a positive remedy
for weariness...
...turgidity of the bowels and...
Say, you're an Indian,
aren't you?
You speak any English?
Well, sir, this is
the very best thing...
...for those who can't
handle their liquor.
What's in it?
I don't know. Various things.
I'm only the salesman.
You drink it.
What's that?
You drink it.
Well, what can you expect
from a nonbeliever?
That old lady don't know the trouble
she can get into talking like that.
Too many folks around
here with thin skin.
Lots of Southern boys been
getting into trouble here.
Cullen Baker for one and Captain Bob Lee
been fighting over in Fannin County.
Bill Longley, Creed Taylor...
...and all them other Taylors
down in Gonzalez.
Killed Simp Dixon
over in Cotton Gin...
...weighted him down with lead.
I got a picture postcard of it.
Here. Have a look.
Josey Wales.
What say?
Josey Wales. They say
he's coming into Texas.
Won't come through here though.
Killed 50, 60 men.
Regulators are all over
the place looking for him.
How much for all this stuff?
Three dollars.
I'm sure those regulators
would pay plenty...
...to the man who could
identify Josey Wales.
Reckon so.
And how about you, sir?
Just a few bottles left.
You won't regret it.
Oh, my God!
It's Josey Wales!
Are you gonna pull those
pistols or whistle "Dixie"?
I told you to stay inside.
Goddamn Indian squaw!
Let's go!
Welcome to Texas, Mr. Lone Watie.
I guess we ain't going to see
that little Navajo girl again.
I guess not.
I kind of liked her.
But it's always like that.
Like what?
Whenever I get to liking someone,
they ain't around long.
I notice when you get to disliking
someone they ain't around for long neither.
How did you know which one
was going to shoot first?
Well, that one in the center;
he had a flap holster
and he was in no itching hurry.
And the one second from the left...
...had scared eyes.
He wasn't going to do nothing.
But that one on the far left...
...had crazy eyes. Figured
him to make the first move.
How about the one on the right?
Never paid him no mind.
You were there.
I could have missed.
SHOPKEEPER: Yes, sir!
It was Josey Wales all right!
Saw him heading north out
of town with a renegade Injun.
I can identify him.
And I'd certainly be glad
to share in any reward.
Knew him quite well actually.
Well, not a hard man to track.
Leaves dead men wherever he goes.
He's heading north now...
...riding with a renegade Indian.
He's heading north now,
but he'll turn southwest...
...head for Mexico.
Then we'll turn southwest
and head for Mexico.
Tell them to head north.
What are you talking about?
Look at those boys over
there tied-down with guns.
Bounty hunters.
Come out of a war, got no
other way to make a living.
Every last mother's son of them wants
that money you've got on Wales' head.
And you and me didn't ride
all that way for that.
I don't want to
hear Wales is dead.
I want to see Wales dead.
We're heading north,
men. Let's ride.
They're following us.
Couple of horses, far off,
moving fast.
I don't hear nothing.
Got to be an Indian to
know those things.
Yeah. All right, let's take
them out in the sand.
Glad you stopped me when
you did. I might have killed her.
Oh, I noticed that.
She got some supplies...
...and our horses...
...and followed us around.
She said we was the
only kin she had.
I bet we are at that.
You know, every man I ever knew...
...who was good with
a gun and lived...
...always had an edge.
And some of them would like to
have the sun behind their back.
That's always a good idea.
Yeah. Sure pays to have an edge.
Yeah.
All kind of edges.
Yeah.
Yep.
[DOG WHIMPERS]
Howdy.
Howdy.
Is something wrong?
Nope.
I guess you were right.
I ain't that old after all.
LONE WATIE: Not many men
west of here.
We're getting into Comanche country.
Wagon tracks.
But I never seen tracks like these.
Never heard of Comanches
traveling in two-wheeled carts.
Comancheros.
Comancheros...
...trade liquor and guns
to Comanche for horses.
Trade women too.
How many of them?
Eight, maybe nine horses,
and a couple of carts.
Those poor pilgrims from Kansas.
They don't look too
proud now, do they?
LAURA LEE: Wait.
Please.
You son of a bitch!
Ten Bears is going to
want a fresh woman.
Fresh, that little gal will
bring maybe 20 horses.
Now if one of you has to,
take that old woman over there.
She might be worth
maybe one donkey.
Fix yourself.
[DOG WHIMPERS]
Move faster!
If you fall...
...they'll let you die.
Keep walking.
Come around here, bitch.
Come around here.
Come here. Now you listen to me.
I want you looking real good when
we get to Ten Bears. You understand?
So the first chance you get, I want
you to jump in that wagon here
and put on one of
your best little dresses.
It might boost your price.
You know, If you look good enough, I might
outbid old Ten Bears and take you for myself.
If I figure this right...
...we're facing the sun.
This ought to give him an edge.
Who are you talking about?
What the hell does he want?
Looks like a parley.
Well, are you just going to sit there all
day or you going to see what he wants?
Get ready, little lady.
Hell is coming to breakfast.
That's a mighty nice horse
you got there, mister.
Would you sell it?
We will give you a good price.
Now spit!
Just get off the horse.
Get out of the way!
Now you'll kill us, I suppose.
I'd have been halfway to Mexico
by now except for that crazy squaw.
I can't understand a word she says.
I knew that would bring you.
Help us!
Help us.
Comanches.
They won't like us killing these friends
of theirs. We better get moving.
Looks like a family of hogs just moved
out of the seat of these britches.
I had such beautiful clothes...
...I was taking to our ranch.
Whereabouts is this ranch?
My son's ranch, he found before
the war near a town called Santo Rio.
Creek with good water...
...trees, cattle, black-tailed deer.
GRANDMA: It's a regular
paradise we're headed to.
Out there?
Your son told you
this was out there?
He told me that. Near a
place called Blood Butte.
My son was true-blue,
Mr. Wales.
He never lied.
It'll be there all right.
Yes, ma'am, I'm sure it will be.
Cottonwoods, live oaks...
...wild horses...
...antelope...
...lots of quail.
You see them?
What?
The clouds over there.
Clouds are like...
...dreams floating across
a sky-blue mind.
I never thought of them that way.
Indian...
...this Mr. Wales is a
cold-blooded killer.
He's from Missouri...
...where they're all known to be killers
of innocent men, women and children.
Would you rather be riding
with Comancheros, Grannie?
No, I wouldn't.
[WOMAN SINGING]
I lost my sweet lover
In the dirty old mines
But he's coming back
No matter how long I wait
My lover is coming...
What'll you have?
Whiskey.
Whiskey, he says!
How about something else?
Well, beer, then.
And get those gents whatever
they're drinking. You too, ma'am.
That's mighty decent of you, mister.
Been a long time since anybody
bought a drink around here.
About as long time as we had
anything to drink around here.
Or anything else.
BARTENDER: Yeah, first the silver
run out of the Santo Rio.
Then the people run out.
Then the whiskey.
Then the beer run out.
Well, no matter.
It's good to see a high
roller wander through.
I didn't mean to offend him.
I guess some fellows just don't
like to be called high rollers.
You know, I knew a fellow once,
he didn't like to be called highhanded.
We'll have whiskey all around.
Comanchero brand.
Angels of Mercy come to Santo Rio!
This ain't Santo Rio.
My son, Tom Turner,
said it was a thriving place.
TEN SPOT: It was.
But when the silver run out,
the thriving run out.
That's right.
I do declare.
Might you be the mother
of Tom Turner...
...whose Crooked River Ranch
is over by Blood Butte?
That I might, miss.
Well!
I am Rose.
Rose of Santo Rio.
I reckon he wrote
you all about me.
I don't recollect that.
After his Lucy passed on...
...he didn't show much
interest in women.
My sonny-boy kept his nose to the
grindstone, providing a future for me...
...and his daughter there.
I do seem to recall him
telling me something about...
...a daughter who was a little odd.
He was killed in the Border
War by Missouri ruffians.
He died a proud member of
Senator Jim Lane's Redlegs...
...fighting for the just cause.
I am sorry to hear that.
I mean, he was of the finest sort.
CHATO: Señora, please sit down.
You must be very, very tired.
I am deeply sorrowed to hear this.
In past years...
...my friend and I were of
service to your Tom Turner.
And now we are at your service.
Why, I appreciate your concern.
I am glad to find manners at last,
here in the wilderness.
We have endured hardship of the
worst sort on the way out here.
Grandpa Samuel and Uncle Enoch...
...fell prey to Comancheros.
Let's all drink to the
damn silver running out.
Gave us some peace and
quiet around here.
TRAVIS: Bad luck, the silver running out.
I wouldn't have any other kind!
What'll you have?
I'm looking for Josey Wales.
That'll be me.
You're wanted, Wales.
Reckon I'm right popular.
You a bounty hunter?
A man's got to do something
for a living these days.
Dying ain't much of a living, boy.
You know, this isn't necessary.
You can just ride on.
Whew.
I had to come back.
I know.
Comanche?
Comanches, all right.
Any more of them, you think?
I think that's all there is...
...but they have horses
packing antelope...
...so I figure they're
not a raiding party.
But you never can tell
these Comanches.
You stay with the cart.
[COMANCHES WHOOPING]
Just looking us over, I guess.
They're packing heavy.
They may return.
All right, let's move out.
If they ride with Ten Bears...
...they will come back.
Ten Bears is the greatest
Comanche war chief.
But he's angry.
Each year, he has met with
one of your bluecoat generals.
Ain't one of my generals.
And each year he is pushed
further across the plains.
General Sherman has come
with more promises.
But Ten Bears will move no more.
It's so beautiful.
All right, we can get
to work dusting first.
Got a nice Dutch oven
in the fireplace here.
Mr. Wales, you men
chop some wood.
Now, get everything done.
Mr. Wales!
Did you come all
this way to gawk?
If you don't work,
you don't eat around here.
Didn't figure you for a loafer.
You know, she told me...
...it's the first time she
ever had a place of her own.
Grandma says it's our home.
It is all of ours.
I'm glad there will be a man
around to take care of things.
I'll be dropping back
from time to time...
...probably just to hole up.
Why don't you stay with us?
Be our partner.
They won't miss you.
Maybe they'll forget you.
You know there ain't no forgetting.
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa!
TRAVIS: Hey there, Josey!
CHATO: We're going to Santo Rio!
GRANDMA & LAURA LEE [SINGING]:
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet in the beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We will meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
[DOG HOWLS]
We will meet on that beautiful shore.
Lord, thanks a lot for
bringing us to this place.
Pa and Daniel died...
...at the hands of that low-down,
murdering trash out of hell...
...that done them in.
But they put up a good fight
and died the best they could.
And thanks a lot for Josey Wales...
...who you changed from
a murdering bushwhacker...
...on the side of Satan...
...to a better man...
...in time to deliver us
from the Philistines.
And thank you, Lord, for
getting us together in Texas.
Are you all right?
Ten Bears, he got Travis and Chato.
He'll be riding here in the morning.
If I was looking for a place
to hole up, I'd pick this one.
Walls and ceiling, two feet thick.
All made out of mud,
nothing to burn.
Two doors, front and back,
right in sight of one another.
These here crosses are to fire rifles
through. Up and down, side to side.
As if Tom Turner knew
what he was doing.
You bet he did. I'll be
shooting out of that door.
Grannie, I'd rather have you
sit right there with a bucket by
the powder barrel and do
the loading. Can you do that?
I can.
Moonlight...
...I want you to go to this door.
You fire through here, all right?
Laura Lee, right through this
window. Can you shoot right?
I'll try.
Lone, you take this window
right over here and the door.
Where there's the most
firing coming from.
You're gonna have to keep an eye
on that hallway there because...
...the only blind spot is the ceiling.
They'll get around to it eventually.
They can't shoot through it,
but they might...
...dig a hole in it and drop down,
maybe in the back bedroom.
Now remember...
...when things look bad and it looks
like you're not gonna make it...
...then you got to get mean.
I mean plumb, maddog mean!
Because if you lose your head and
give up, then you neither live nor win.
That's just the way it is.
Use pistols at short range.
More fire power and less reloading.
Keep this fire going.
Keep an iron on it red-hot.
Anybody gets hit, sing out,
slap iron to it.
That's the fastest way
to stop the blood.
GRANDMA: What's all that paint about?
It's my death face.
You know, we're sure going to show
them redskins something tomorrow.
No offense meant.
None taken.
Where's he going?
He knows he can do the best
for us on the back of a horse.
He's a guerrilla fighter.
He figures he can carry
the fight to the enemy.
He's going down into
the valley to kill Ten Bears...
...and as many of the
men as he can.
How's he gonna do that
and come back here?
He won't come back.
Josey!
You'll be Ten Bears?
I am Ten Bears.
I'm Josey Wales.
I have heard.
You're the Gray Rider.
You would not make peace with
the Bluecoats. You may go in peace.
I reckon not.
Got nowhere to go.
Then you will die.
I came here to die with you.
Or live with you.
Dying's not so hard for men like
you and me. It's living that's hard...
...when all you ever cared about
has been butchered or raped.
Governments don't live together.
People live together.
Governments don't give you a fair word
or a fair fight. While I've come here to...
...give you either one.
Or get either one from you.
I came here like this so you'll
know my word of death is true.
And that my word
of life is then true.
The bear lives here, the wolf,
the antelope, the Comanche.
And so will we.
We'll only hunt what we need to
live on, same as the Comanche does.
And every spring when the grass turns
green and the Comanche moves north...
...he can rest here in peace...
...butcher some of our cattle
and jerk beef for the journey.
The sign of the Comanche,
that will be on our lodge.
That's my word of life.
And your word of death?
It's here in my pistols
and there in your rifles.
I'm here for either one.
These things you say we
will have, we already have.
That's true. I ain't
promising you nothing extra.
I'm just giving you life
and you're giving me life.
And I'm saying that men can live
together without butchering one another.
It's sad that governments are
chiefed by the double-tongues.
There is iron in your words of
death for all Comanches to see.
And so there is iron
in your words of life.
No signed paper can hold the iron.
It must come from men.
The words of Ten Bears carry
the same iron of life and death.
It is good that warriors such as
we meet in the struggle of life...
...or death.
It shall be life.
So will it be.
I reckon so.
I'll be damned. Look at this!
Come. Sit down.
I'm so glad to see you.
I never thought I'd see
you again, Grandma.
Chato, Chato. Sit down.
I never been so glad
to see another Indian.
[ROSIE YELLS]
[FIDDLE PLAYS]
[BULL HOWLS]
[DANCERS LAUGH]
I've got something to
show you, Mr. Wales.
I made this chain for you.
I braided it from my hair.
That's real nice. It really is.
It's a watch chain.
Yeah. Well, it's a nice one. It will
come in handy. I thank you for it.
You do have a watch, don't you?
Well, I've been meaning
to get one, yeah.
Could we...
...play a song for you?
I'm afraid I don't really
know too many songs.
Could we play something you like?
Come on.
Only song I can think of
is "Rose of Alabama."
We remember that old piece.
Rosie, come here.
Away from Mississippi's veil
With my old half-ear for a sail
I crossed upon a cotton bale
To the rose of Alabama
Do you dance?
No.
Me neither.
A sweet tobacco posy
Is the rose of Alabama
A sweet tobacco posy
Is the rose of Alabama
FIDDLER: Help us out now.
Oh, brown rosie
The rose of Alabama
The rose of Alabama
I could see him right through this
window when he shot my partner.
He was traveling with an
old Injun and a squaw...
...and some old lady
and a scrawny girl.
Had to be him. He had this scar
right on his face, right here.
I wasn't about to
face him down alone.
You men get them
horses out of sight.
If Josey Wales comes back
here, we'll buy him a drink.
[FIDDLE PLAYS]
Kansas was all...
...golden and smelled like sunshine.
Yeah.
I always heard there were
three kinds of suns in Kansas.
Sunshine...
...sunflowers...
...and sons of bitches.
Well, at least we're
known for something.
I heard a joke about Missouri once.
Something about how
people from Missouri...
...are always saying, "Show me."
Do you know it?
No.
I think it was:
If...
What does a man
from Missouri say...
...if someone asks him
to see a Missouri mule?
And?
He says, "Show me."
Get it?
They teach dumb jokes
to pretty girls in Kansas.
They teach other things.
Show me.
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa!
You're up kind of early,
aren't you?
It's been nice riding
with you, chief.
Same here.
When you get to town, will you get
some nice dresses for the ladies here?
I will.
Get something specially nice for Laura
Lee for when I come back in the spring.
Yeah.
Or the following spring.
Yeah.
Sometimes trouble just follows a man.
Hell, I've been here
way too long as it...
I reckon so.
TERRILL: Josey Wales!
You're all alone now, Wales.
CHIEF: Not quite alone.
Now we're really going to show
these palefaces something.
No offense.
None taken.
These freebooters are
a slander to Kansas...
...attacking innocent women like this.
[GUNS CLICKING]
Josey!
The bullets were flying and
people running every which way.
Church bells were ringing. Me and
Miss Rose were ducking for cover.
Because one didn't know
where the shots were coming...
Mr. Wilson!
Good morning.
Hello, Mr. Wilson.
We were just telling these
fellas a little story...
...about an outlaw passed
through this way a while back.
I don't suppose you'd know
anything about him but...
These two fellows down
here is Texas Rangers.
Been on his trail along with
this other fellow over here.
What did you say your
name was, friend?
My name is Fletcher.
That's right, Mr. Fletcher.
Anyway, the three have
been chasing this outlaw
and it just so happens old Ten Spot here,
will you know, he knows all about it.
Yes, sir.
It was down in Monterey, Mexico,
a little while back.
Anyway, this outlaw fellow...
...he went up against 5 pistoleros.
He got three of them
before they cut him down.
Is that right, Miss Rose?
That's right. His name was...
...Josey Wales.
Yeah, that's it. Josey Wales.
Well, if that's what happened,
then Josey Wales must be dead.
He is dead.
He sure is dead.
Dead all right.
Will you sign this affidavit?
Sign? Well, I sure will.
That's it.
Nice seeing you, Mr. Wilson.
Must be 5000 lawmen
in Texas right now.
Can't get them all.
Yeah, I guess that's the truth.
You fellows get back up
this way, stop in.
I reckon we won't be
coming back this way.
I don't believe that story
about Josey Wales.
You don't?
No, sir, I don't.
I don't believe no five pistoleros
could do in Josey Wales.
Maybe it was six.
Could have even been 10.
I think he's still alive.
Alive? No sir.
I think I'll go down to
Mexico to try to find him.
And then?
He's got the first move.
I owe him that.
I think I'll try to tell
him the war is over.
What do you say, Mr. Wilson?
I reckon so.
I guess we all died a little
in that damn war.
Little Josey.
Come on in. Let's
get you cleaned up.
Better go.
[HOOFS THUNDERING]
[BIRDS SQUAWKING]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNFIRE]
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa! Help!
Josey!
Josey! No, no.
Josey! No!
Josey!
Josey! No!
Josey! No!
Pa! Pa!
No!
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa!
[GUNFIRE]
Ashes to ashes...
...dust to dust...
...the Lord gives...
...the Lord takes away.
[GUNSHOT]
[HORSES WALKING]
The name's Anderson.
Bloody Bill is what they call me.
Redlegs?
You'll find them up in Kansas.
They're with the Union.
And we're going up there
and set things aright.
I'll be coming with you.
[GUNFIRE]
All that a fellow has to do...
...is ride into that Union
camp down there...
...raise his right hand and swear such
as you'll be loyal to the United States.
Then he can take up
his horse again...
...and go home.
They're going to give
us full amnesty then?
FLETCHER: Yep.
Everyone else has done it but us.
We're the last of the holdouts.
I'm going in, boys.
I've had enough.
Josey?
Better go with them, boy.
Are you coming with us, Josey?
I reckon not, Fletcher.
They'll be coming after you, Josey.
Yep.
There's nowhere you
can go to get away from.
I reckon that's true.
Well, good luck, Josey.
Put the rifle down too.
I'll need this for squirrels
and such. Put it down.
Kind of young, ain't you kid,
to be riding with this rabble?
Who you calling rabble,
you blue scumbelly?
Hell, we showed these boys anyway.
Lee might have had to
surrender, but we didn't.
Shut up, kid.
Yes, sir.
You showed us.
Now get in line...
...before I kick you so hard
you'be wearing your ass for a hat.
Here's the man you asked for, sir.
Fletcher. Good to see you.
Senator.
Well done.
Thank you.
What the hell is
this Redleg doing here?
You said regular federal
authorities would handle this.
Captain Terrill is the regular
federal authority now.
Captain Terrill is a
bloodthirsty son of a bitch.
He is a looter and a pillager.
He's the worst enemy
those men have got.
SENATOR: The war's over.
Our side won the war.
Now we must busy ourselves
winning the peace.
Fletcher, there's an old saying:
To the victors belong the spoils.
And there's another
old saying, senator.
Don't piss down my back
and tell me it's raining.
Which side is this man on,
senator?
Easy, Terrill. He brought
them all in, didn't he?
All but one.
Who's that?
Josey Wales.
Josey Wales.
Captain Terrill, I want you to
currycomb the countryside.
You beat the brush and
root out everything disloyal...
...from a Shanghai rooster
to a Durham cow.
We've got to clean
up this country.
Now you take five men and
go up there and get Josey Wales.
[FLETCHER CHUCKLES]
Captain Redlegs Terrill and
five men against Josey Wales?
We stopped those bushwhackers
pretty good during the war, Fletcher.
Fletcher, you go with
Captain Terrill then.
Bring in this damn
insurrectionist rebel.
Now, here.
Here's the money for
bringing down the others...
...and there'll be more
for Josey Wales.
I've had enough of
your money, senator.
Let Wales be.
Let me be.
I'm finished with you.
[COINS CLUNKING]
All right...
...I want you men to
raise your right hands.
JAMIE: What for?
So you can pledge
loyalty to the Union.
Hell, pledge loyalty to the Union?
You ought to have us
turn around and bend over.
All raise your right hands
so I can take your oath.
I pledge...
...that I will be loyal to
the United States of America.
I pledge that I will be loyal...
...to the United States of America.
That I will....
Let's see. I will abide by its law...
...that I will never bear
arms against it.
I will abide by its law...
...that I will never bear
arms against it.
And recognize...
...that it is one nation.
And recognize...
...that it is one nation.
I ain't doing it.
Come on, kid. Listen!
Let's get this over
with, damn it!
But I been thinking.
I think it's them who
owes an apology.
And I further swear,
that though...
...I be murderous....
Look! That's Josey!
Verminous, lying, Missouri scum!
Damn you, senator!
You promised me those men
would be decently treated.
They were decently treated.
They were decently fed...
...and then they were decently shot.
These men are common
outlaws, nothing more.
Run for it, Fletcher, it's a trap.
Josey, we best be on our way.
Get moving, boy. Josey,
they're coming after us.
We've got to take to the brush.
You get going!
You can't get them all, Josey.
That's a fact. How come
you're doing this then?
I've got nothing better to do.
Josey, Fletcher was in
with them. It was a trap.
Fletcher?
Never would have figured that.
You dumb kid.
Josey, I've got to
tell you something.
I'm scared of dying, Josey.
Move out!
You are going after him after all.
Fletcher, I'm giving
you a commission.
Hound this Wales to kingdom come.
Hound him, senator?
A man like Wales lives by the feud.
Because of what you did here
today, I've got to kill that man.
Well, he'll have to run for it now.
And hell is where he's headed.
He'll be waiting there
for us, senator.
Don't hold back on account
of me, Josey. I can ride.
I ain't holding back on account of you,
you thick-headed grasshopper.
First place, if we ride in the open, there's
enough posses over in South Missouri...
...to start another war.
And if we try riding
instead of thinking...
...well, we'll end up hanging
by a rope by nightfall.
Where are we headed?
The Indian Nations.
It's a good place to hole up
and get you healed up.
Then we'll go get Fletcher?
Right, boy.
Then we go back and get Fletcher.
There's some riders
coming up behind us.
Get down here, boy.
Lay across his neck.
Keep him down there.
Can you hear me, boy?
Now if you see me get up,
you stay there, understand?
If you hear shooting
and me headed back north...
...get back on that horse.
He'll get up with you...
...and you head south,
now you hear?
You can let him up now, boy.
Let him up!
Get up, goddamn it!
Whupped them again,
didn't we, Joesy?
Whupped them again, boy.
10 years I've been ferrying
Kansas Redlegs...
...Union Cavalry, Missouri guerrillas...
...you name it!
Mad dogs, them guerrillas.
You look sideways at them...
...they kill you!
Kind of hard men to do business with.
You bet!
You know, in my line of work...
...you got to be able either to sing
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"...
...or "Dixie" with equal enthusiasm...
...depending upon present company.
Can't say as I blame you for that.
Only good business to play it safe.
Yeah, well. Thank God
they all been disarmed now...
...except for a few of the nastiest ones...
...who they're busy running down.
Where I'm going, they
know how to handle that kind.
SIM: Where are you headed?
CARPETBAGGER: I'm going to ply
my wares down in Texas.
Texas?
How much for the ferry ride?
Ten cents.
By coincidence, I happen to have
a bottle of this remarkable elixir...
...I could let you have
for that exact amount.
I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old times there is not forgotten
Look away, look away
Look away, Dixieland
Howdy.
Howdy there.
Sim Carstairs is the name.
Mister...?
Figured we'd like to give you
some ferrying business.
With pleasure!
You know Bill Quantrill
used this ferry all the time.
Good friend of mine.
What have you got there?
Just the store with
Grannie Hawkins up there.
I'll tell you what.
We'll all just amble
over to that store.
Him and me will ride. Because
we've got a touch of the cramp.
Stranger, you're in luck.
I just happen to have the
perfect thing here for cramps.
We'll need half a side of bacon...
...10 pounds of beef jerky,
20 pounds of horse grain.
And when we get over there, there
won't be any need for you to go inside.
You can just talk to Old Grannie through the
door tell her we'll need a lot of clean bandages...
...and a boiled poultice for a
bullet wound in a hurry. Come on.
So you'll be Josey Wales.
How might you know
that, Grannie?
Soldiers were here looking
for you two hours ago.
I was going to mention that to
you as soon as I got the chance.
They say you killed your own men.
Those lying blue scumbellies.
GRANNIE: They say you're a
hard-put and desperate man, Josey Wales.
They're going to heel and
hog you to a barn door.
You know what I say?
What's that?
I say that big talk's
worth diddlysquat.
Now them poultices be laced with
feather moss and mustard root.
Mind you drop water on them
occasionally and keep them damp.
Much obliged, Grannie.
You can pay me when you
see me again, Josey Wales.
I reckon so.
There's buckwheat cakes
And injun batter
Makes you fat or a little fatter
Look away, look away,
look away Dixieland
That sure is a sweet
sound to the ears...
...wouldn't you say so, Mr. Wales?
Your young friend
can use some help.
This is it. One dollar a bottle.
It works wonders on wounds.
Works wonders on
just about everything.
It can do most anything.
How is it with stains?
SIM: Here we go.
Come on, come on. Yeah.
Yeah.
Dismount. Disembark, children.
[GUNSHOT]
Get that back!
Bring it back!
Bring that barge back!
Bring it back!
Whupped them again, Josey.
They're hollering for
me to come over.
I can't hold on.
But I'll hold on until you
fellows get out of sight.
All right?
I'll make do something's wrong...
Pull, Lemuel. Pull!
I'll make do something's wrong,
until you get going.
I wish you all lots of luck.
Pull, Lemuel, pull!
Oh I wish I was in
the land of cotton
He ain't going to hold up no ferry.
He's going to bring that
cavalry over fast as he can.
Yeah.
Reckon there's a nice
reward out for us about now.
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage....
We got him now.
We'll get these two first,
then get the others.
What others?
Wales and the kid
are the last ones.
No. Texas is full of rebels.
Lots of work to do down in Texas.
We get Josey Wales and it ends.
Doing right ain't got no end.
[GRANNIE LAUGHS]
We best hurry on, Josey.
They'd catch up to us
by the end of the day.
Judging by these tracks,
there's maybe...
...40, 50 horses ahead of us.
What we've got to do is space
some time between them and us.
What are we going to do?
Stay right here.
Welcome.
Welcome, gentlemen.
Please come aboard.
Howdy.
Pull, Lemuel.
He's still there.
SIM: Still there?
What the hell does
he think he's doing?
Don't know.
Some of you men get down there.
Prepare to fire.
Captain Redlegs...
...I advise you to turn back.
You can catch him later.
Turn back? Are you crazy?
He's gonna try to pick
us off one by one.
He'll never do it.
At best, he'll get two
or three up front there.
I advise you to turn back,
captain. They're coming.
Do you really think you can
shoot all those men down...
...before they shoot you?
No, no, Mr. Josey Wales!
There is such a thing in
this country called justice.
Well, Mr. Carpetbagger...
...we've got something in this territory...
...called the Missouri boat ride.
[MEN SHOUTING]
Watch out! Back him up!
God Almighty!
Watch out for that horse!
Watch out, you stupid son of a bitch!
Is it bad, Josey?
It's bad.
Don't look at it, boy.
It'll just make you
get feelings in it.
If I don't make it, Josey...
...I want you to know...
...I'm prouder than a game
rooster to have rid with you.
You are a game rooster,
boy. Now shut up.
You could make it without
me, Josey. Here.
Take a little drink of this.
This here linsey-woolsey shirt
I got that all you boys wore.
We didn't have no ma.
So,
Pa did all the fancy
needlework for me.
Told me not to tell no one.
Imagine a grown man
doing that for his own kid?
Sang a little song while he sewed it.
You know "Rose of Alabama," Josey?
River rolled
The crickets sang
The lightning bug
He flashed his wing
And I could rope
My arms I fling
Round rose of Alabama
Oh, brown rosie
Rose of Alabama
A sweet tobacco posy
Is the rose of Alabama
Now you just do that, cousin.
You bring that old pistol right out.
We got him, Lige.
It's him, Abe. It's him.
We got the Josey Wales, Abe!
I seen him ride side by
side with Bloody Bill.
We got reward money coming.
Watch it, Abe. He's meaner than a
rattler and twice as fast with a pistol.
You're a real bush hog,
ain't you, Mr. Josey Wales?
Tell you what.
Move on back. Move on back!
LIGE: Watch him.
I seen him do some things.
Shut up, Lige!
Now
Mr. Josey Wales,
I'd just as soon shoot you now.
Except it'd be hard to drag your body through
the brush to where we can get our price for you.
Shoot him now!
Shut up, Lige.
Move your left hand down
and unbuckle that pistol belt.
Make it nice and slow...
...so I can count the
hairs on that hand.
See, Lige?
You pull his teeth...
...he's harmless as a heel hound.
Always wanted to face out one of these
big pistol fighters they always fuss about.
Only way you handle them.
Abe, watch out.
He's probably got another pistol...
Shut up, Lige.
Call Benny back there on the horse.
Benny! Come out!
We got us the Josey Wales!
JAMIE [SINGING]:
Oh, brown rosie
Rose of Alabamy
Who is that?
He's just a boy.
He's got a fever.
Tell him to shut up.
Sweet tobacco posies...
Pa?
Is that you, Pa?
It ain't your pa!
Now shut up!
Pa.
I got the gold right here, Pa.
What gold is he talking about?
There's no gold.
He's crazy.
The gold me and Josey
robbed from the bank, Pa.
Lige, take a look
under that blanket.
I got it right here.
Thought you could
use some help.
If you get those holes leaking, I'm going
to whomp you with a knotted plow-line.
They ain't honest.
I feel as pert as a rutting buck.
Good.
Because I ain't hauling you
all over hell's creation...
...dribbling blood over
half of Missouri.
Wish we had time
to bury them fellows.
To hell with them fellows.
Buzzards got to eat,
same as worms.
[THUNDER RUMBLES]
JOSEY: A real frog strangler.
Ten, 20 more miles and
we'll be safe in the Nations.
Some cavalry between
us and the Nations.
We're gonna have to wait
till they bed down...
...then walk through quiet.
Here, have some beef jerky.
Don't swallow nothing but the juice.
I'm gonna go have a look-see.
You feel all right?
I feel real good, Josey.
We got them whupped.
Josey, I want to thank you.
For what?
For saving my life.
Forget about that, Jamie.
You know something, Josey?
I ain't scared no more.
All right.
We can start working our
way through now, boy.
This rain is giving us the...
This boy was brought up in...
...a time of blood and dying,
and never questioned a bit of it.
Never turned his back
on his folks or his kind.
I rode with him,
I got no complaints.
The bluebellies will give you
a better burial than I can, boy.
Halt!
What's going on?
Come on, get him.
Howdy.
Howdy.
Name's Josey Wales.
I've heard of that name.
Some said you'd be
headed this way.
And they said a man could
get rich on reward money...
...if he could kill you.
Seems like you was looking
to gain some money here.
Actually, I was looking
to gain an edge.
I thought you might be someone who
would sneak up behind me with a gun.
Where'd you ever
get an idea like that?
Besides, it ain't supposed to be
easy to sneak up behind an Indian.
I'm an Indian, all right.
But here in the Nation,
they call us the civilized tribe.
They call us civilized because
we're easy to sneak up on.
White men have been
sneaking up on us for years.
Cherokee?
Yeah.
They sneaked up on us and they
told us we wouldn't be happy here.
They said we would be
happier in the Nations.
So they took away our land...
...and sent us here.
I have a fine woman...
...and two sons.
But they all died on
the Trail of Tears.
And now the white man
is sneaking up on me.
Again.
Seems like we can't
trust the white man.
You bet we can't.
I wore this...
...frock coat in Washington.
Before the war.
We wore them because
we belonged to...
...the five civilized tribes.
We dressed ourselves up
like Abraham Lincoln.
You know, we got to see the
Secretary of the Interior.
And he said:
"Boy! You boys sure look civilized!"
He congratulated us...
...and he gave us medals
for looking so civilized.
We told him about how
our land had been stolen...
...and our people were dying.
When we finished,
he shook our hands...
...and said:
"Endeavor to persevere."
They stood us in a line.
John Jumper, Chilly McIntosh...
...Buffalo Hump...
...and Jim Pock Mark and me.
I'm Lone Watie.
They took our pictures.
And the newspaper said:
"Indians Vow to
Endeavor to Persevere."
We thought about it for a long time.
"Endeavor to persevere."
And when we had thought
about it long enough...
...we declared war on the Union.
[JOSEY SNORES]
Sergeant said this kid tried to ride
through their camp. They got him.
They did, did they?
They've had men on
guard here night and day.
No way Wales could
get to the Nations.
Where the hell are
you going, Fletcher?
I'm heading into the Indian Nations.
Why don't you stay here, Redlegs?
Wales may be back
in a year or two.
When we get to the Nations,
I want you men to fan out.
Five thousand dollars
to the one who gets him.
A horned toad can tell
you which way to go.
I used to know these things
when I was young.
But when I got civilized,
I forgot all these things.
I didn't know which way to go.
The horned toad says
we should go to Mexico.
Well, Mr. Lone Watie...
...you can take your horned
toad down Mexico way.
I've got some unfinished
business in Missouri.
I heard General Joe Shelby...
...and some men refused to surrender.
They're going down to Mexico.
I think I'll join them.
Shelby?
I didn't know others
hadn't surrendered.
I didn't surrender neither.
But they took my horse
and made him surrender.
They have him pulling a
wagon up in Kansas, I'll bet.
You haven't got a horse.
What do you plan on doing,
walking down to Mexico?
No, there's a trading post
right near the Creek Nation.
They got horses to trade.
You have any food here?
All I have is a piece
of hard rock candy.
But it's not for eating.
It's just for looking through.
Alrighty.
I'll get you a horse.
What the hell have
you got there?
Muskrat.
Muskrat?
What the hell's that?
Muskrat.
No. No, sir. You got to come
up with something more.
Beaver?
Beaver ain't no good no more.
Get me 10 muskrats...
...and 30 beaver pelts...
...and I'll give you red cloth.
Now that's a very
good bargain for you.
Here.
You go have a drink
and think about it.
Spilling!
[HORSE NEIGHS]
You bring some drink
inside, you hear?
I'll tell you, this jerky?
Put it on our bill.
What about these cougar pelts?
Going to put them on our bill too?
This is what you
give those Indians.
Where's the real stuff?
[DOOR CREAKS]
What do you take
for the squaw?
She ain't for sale.
I mean, she ain't mine.
She works here.
See that nose scar?
Know what that
means to a Cheyenne?
One too many bucks.
Little squaw likes the bucks?
Tell you, Zukie, you
put her on the bill too.
I'll be looking for a horse.
A horse?
The horses belong to
these gentlemen.
More than likely...
That is...
...I'm sure they'd sell you one.
Look, I've got some beer.
Some good brewed choc.
It's on the house.
You suppose these gentlemen will be...
...available to discuss
business before long?
Give me a bucket of that choc.
I got him!
I got me Josey Wales!
Yoke.
Five thousand gold simoleons
walked right in.
Right to us.
ZUKIE: Wait a minute!
He's in my place.
I recognized him too.
I'm due an even split.
Mr. Chain-Blue Lightning himself.
Well, the one that everyone's
so scared of.
Well, Mr. Lightning...
...move a muscle, twitch a finger...
...and I'll splatter your
guts all over the wall.
YOKE: Mr. Lightning.
When I say move...
...you move real slow...
...like molasses in wintertime...
...or I drop that hammer.
Now, just ease your hands down.
Take them guns out, butt first
so you can get hold of them.
You understand?
Nod, damn you!
Now...
...ease them pistols out.
Well, let's see...
...you say those horses
belong to them pilgrims?
Howdy.
Howdy.
I'm getting better at
sneaking up on you like this.
Only an Indian can do
something like this.
That's what I figured.
You figured?
Only an Indian could do
something like that.
It's not right, this damn woman
doing something like this to me.
I used to have power.
Now old age is creeping up on me.
I think it's more like
old habits than old age.
Who the hell is this woman?
She was back at the trading post.
Got in some kind of trouble.
She's not going to Mexico
with us. With us?
Now wait a minute. I got you a
horse. You're on your own now.
I've seen a lot today.
I've seen patrols of soldiers all day.
Everybody's looking for you.
She's not going with us.
[SPEAKS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
She says she's Navajo...
...but she was captured
by the Cheyenne.
She was violated by one of
the bucks of the Arapahos.
Their sign is the dirty nose sign.
Cheyenne Chief, Black Kettle...
...figures that she did
not resist enough.
Hell, man, can't you get
her to shut up?
[LITTLE MOONLIGHT SPEAKS
IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
Anyway, she says...
...when she come to
that trading post...
...she didn't know this man,
Zukie Limmer...
...was selling liquor.
She also wants you to know...
...that although he beat her a lot...
...nothing happened between them.
And she says you
are a great warrior...
...and that she sort of belongs to
you for what you done for her.
Look, you tell her I don't want
nobody belonging to me.
That meal was damn good.
I'm gonna take up tepee
living if it's like this.
You know, she thinks I'm
some kind of a Cherokee chief.
I wonder where she
ever got that idea.
JOSEY: Chief! Chief!
Chief.
I was just wondering.
I suppose that mangy red hound's
got no place else to go either.
He might as well
ride along with us.
Hell, everybody else is.
Hey, you!
Want to buy some Indian scalps?
Nasty habit, young fellow.
You born in a barn?
Hold it. Real still.
The wheat is from Kansas and the
molasses comes from Missouri.
Well, sir, we'll do without molasses.
Anything from Missouri
has a taint about it.
Grandma, you've got to tread
lightly now we're here in Texas.
Lots of nice elements from
Missouri coming West.
Never heard of nice things from Missouri coming
west. And treading lightly is not my way.
We're from Kansas.
Jayhawkers and proud of it.
I know how you feel.
I'm a Hoosier myself.
Personally I don't think
much of Hoosiers neither.
Yes, friends, yes!
This is a positive remedy
for weariness...
...turgidity of the bowels and...
Say, you're an Indian,
aren't you?
You speak any English?
Well, sir, this is
the very best thing...
...for those who can't
handle their liquor.
What's in it?
I don't know. Various things.
I'm only the salesman.
You drink it.
What's that?
You drink it.
Well, what can you expect
from a nonbeliever?
That old lady don't know the trouble
she can get into talking like that.
Too many folks around
here with thin skin.
Lots of Southern boys been
getting into trouble here.
Cullen Baker for one and Captain Bob Lee
been fighting over in Fannin County.
Bill Longley, Creed Taylor...
...and all them other Taylors
down in Gonzalez.
Killed Simp Dixon
over in Cotton Gin...
...weighted him down with lead.
I got a picture postcard of it.
Here. Have a look.
Josey Wales.
What say?
Josey Wales. They say
he's coming into Texas.
Won't come through here though.
Killed 50, 60 men.
Regulators are all over
the place looking for him.
How much for all this stuff?
Three dollars.
I'm sure those regulators
would pay plenty...
...to the man who could
identify Josey Wales.
Reckon so.
And how about you, sir?
Just a few bottles left.
You won't regret it.
Oh, my God!
It's Josey Wales!
Are you gonna pull those
pistols or whistle "Dixie"?
I told you to stay inside.
Goddamn Indian squaw!
Let's go!
Welcome to Texas, Mr. Lone Watie.
I guess we ain't going to see
that little Navajo girl again.
I guess not.
I kind of liked her.
But it's always like that.
Like what?
Whenever I get to liking someone,
they ain't around long.
I notice when you get to disliking
someone they ain't around for long neither.
How did you know which one
was going to shoot first?
Well, that one in the center;
he had a flap holster
and he was in no itching hurry.
And the one second from the left...
...had scared eyes.
He wasn't going to do nothing.
But that one on the far left...
...had crazy eyes. Figured
him to make the first move.
How about the one on the right?
Never paid him no mind.
You were there.
I could have missed.
SHOPKEEPER: Yes, sir!
It was Josey Wales all right!
Saw him heading north out
of town with a renegade Injun.
I can identify him.
And I'd certainly be glad
to share in any reward.
Knew him quite well actually.
Well, not a hard man to track.
Leaves dead men wherever he goes.
He's heading north now...
...riding with a renegade Indian.
He's heading north now,
but he'll turn southwest...
...head for Mexico.
Then we'll turn southwest
and head for Mexico.
Tell them to head north.
What are you talking about?
Look at those boys over
there tied-down with guns.
Bounty hunters.
Come out of a war, got no
other way to make a living.
Every last mother's son of them wants
that money you've got on Wales' head.
And you and me didn't ride
all that way for that.
I don't want to
hear Wales is dead.
I want to see Wales dead.
We're heading north,
men. Let's ride.
They're following us.
Couple of horses, far off,
moving fast.
I don't hear nothing.
Got to be an Indian to
know those things.
Yeah. All right, let's take
them out in the sand.
Glad you stopped me when
you did. I might have killed her.
Oh, I noticed that.
She got some supplies...
...and our horses...
...and followed us around.
She said we was the
only kin she had.
I bet we are at that.
You know, every man I ever knew...
...who was good with
a gun and lived...
...always had an edge.
And some of them would like to
have the sun behind their back.
That's always a good idea.
Yeah. Sure pays to have an edge.
Yeah.
All kind of edges.
Yeah.
Yep.
[DOG WHIMPERS]
Howdy.
Howdy.
Is something wrong?
Nope.
I guess you were right.
I ain't that old after all.
LONE WATIE: Not many men
west of here.
We're getting into Comanche country.
Wagon tracks.
But I never seen tracks like these.
Never heard of Comanches
traveling in two-wheeled carts.
Comancheros.
Comancheros...
...trade liquor and guns
to Comanche for horses.
Trade women too.
How many of them?
Eight, maybe nine horses,
and a couple of carts.
Those poor pilgrims from Kansas.
They don't look too
proud now, do they?
LAURA LEE: Wait.
Please.
You son of a bitch!
Ten Bears is going to
want a fresh woman.
Fresh, that little gal will
bring maybe 20 horses.
Now if one of you has to,
take that old woman over there.
She might be worth
maybe one donkey.
Fix yourself.
[DOG WHIMPERS]
Move faster!
If you fall...
...they'll let you die.
Keep walking.
Come around here, bitch.
Come around here.
Come here. Now you listen to me.
I want you looking real good when
we get to Ten Bears. You understand?
So the first chance you get, I want
you to jump in that wagon here
and put on one of
your best little dresses.
It might boost your price.
You know, If you look good enough, I might
outbid old Ten Bears and take you for myself.
If I figure this right...
...we're facing the sun.
This ought to give him an edge.
Who are you talking about?
What the hell does he want?
Looks like a parley.
Well, are you just going to sit there all
day or you going to see what he wants?
Get ready, little lady.
Hell is coming to breakfast.
That's a mighty nice horse
you got there, mister.
Would you sell it?
We will give you a good price.
Now spit!
Just get off the horse.
Get out of the way!
Now you'll kill us, I suppose.
I'd have been halfway to Mexico
by now except for that crazy squaw.
I can't understand a word she says.
I knew that would bring you.
Help us!
Help us.
Comanches.
They won't like us killing these friends
of theirs. We better get moving.
Looks like a family of hogs just moved
out of the seat of these britches.
I had such beautiful clothes...
...I was taking to our ranch.
Whereabouts is this ranch?
My son's ranch, he found before
the war near a town called Santo Rio.
Creek with good water...
...trees, cattle, black-tailed deer.
GRANDMA: It's a regular
paradise we're headed to.
Out there?
Your son told you
this was out there?
He told me that. Near a
place called Blood Butte.
My son was true-blue,
Mr. Wales.
He never lied.
It'll be there all right.
Yes, ma'am, I'm sure it will be.
Cottonwoods, live oaks...
...wild horses...
...antelope...
...lots of quail.
You see them?
What?
The clouds over there.
Clouds are like...
...dreams floating across
a sky-blue mind.
I never thought of them that way.
Indian...
...this Mr. Wales is a
cold-blooded killer.
He's from Missouri...
...where they're all known to be killers
of innocent men, women and children.
Would you rather be riding
with Comancheros, Grannie?
No, I wouldn't.
[WOMAN SINGING]
I lost my sweet lover
In the dirty old mines
But he's coming back
No matter how long I wait
My lover is coming...
What'll you have?
Whiskey.
Whiskey, he says!
How about something else?
Well, beer, then.
And get those gents whatever
they're drinking. You too, ma'am.
That's mighty decent of you, mister.
Been a long time since anybody
bought a drink around here.
About as long time as we had
anything to drink around here.
Or anything else.
BARTENDER: Yeah, first the silver
run out of the Santo Rio.
Then the people run out.
Then the whiskey.
Then the beer run out.
Well, no matter.
It's good to see a high
roller wander through.
I didn't mean to offend him.
I guess some fellows just don't
like to be called high rollers.
You know, I knew a fellow once,
he didn't like to be called highhanded.
We'll have whiskey all around.
Comanchero brand.
Angels of Mercy come to Santo Rio!
This ain't Santo Rio.
My son, Tom Turner,
said it was a thriving place.
TEN SPOT: It was.
But when the silver run out,
the thriving run out.
That's right.
I do declare.
Might you be the mother
of Tom Turner...
...whose Crooked River Ranch
is over by Blood Butte?
That I might, miss.
Well!
I am Rose.
Rose of Santo Rio.
I reckon he wrote
you all about me.
I don't recollect that.
After his Lucy passed on...
...he didn't show much
interest in women.
My sonny-boy kept his nose to the
grindstone, providing a future for me...
...and his daughter there.
I do seem to recall him
telling me something about...
...a daughter who was a little odd.
He was killed in the Border
War by Missouri ruffians.
He died a proud member of
Senator Jim Lane's Redlegs...
...fighting for the just cause.
I am sorry to hear that.
I mean, he was of the finest sort.
CHATO: Señora, please sit down.
You must be very, very tired.
I am deeply sorrowed to hear this.
In past years...
...my friend and I were of
service to your Tom Turner.
And now we are at your service.
Why, I appreciate your concern.
I am glad to find manners at last,
here in the wilderness.
We have endured hardship of the
worst sort on the way out here.
Grandpa Samuel and Uncle Enoch...
...fell prey to Comancheros.
Let's all drink to the
damn silver running out.
Gave us some peace and
quiet around here.
TRAVIS: Bad luck, the silver running out.
I wouldn't have any other kind!
What'll you have?
I'm looking for Josey Wales.
That'll be me.
You're wanted, Wales.
Reckon I'm right popular.
You a bounty hunter?
A man's got to do something
for a living these days.
Dying ain't much of a living, boy.
You know, this isn't necessary.
You can just ride on.
Whew.
I had to come back.
I know.
Comanche?
Comanches, all right.
Any more of them, you think?
I think that's all there is...
...but they have horses
packing antelope...
...so I figure they're
not a raiding party.
But you never can tell
these Comanches.
You stay with the cart.
[COMANCHES WHOOPING]
Just looking us over, I guess.
They're packing heavy.
They may return.
All right, let's move out.
If they ride with Ten Bears...
...they will come back.
Ten Bears is the greatest
Comanche war chief.
But he's angry.
Each year, he has met with
one of your bluecoat generals.
Ain't one of my generals.
And each year he is pushed
further across the plains.
General Sherman has come
with more promises.
But Ten Bears will move no more.
It's so beautiful.
All right, we can get
to work dusting first.
Got a nice Dutch oven
in the fireplace here.
Mr. Wales, you men
chop some wood.
Now, get everything done.
Mr. Wales!
Did you come all
this way to gawk?
If you don't work,
you don't eat around here.
Didn't figure you for a loafer.
You know, she told me...
...it's the first time she
ever had a place of her own.
Grandma says it's our home.
It is all of ours.
I'm glad there will be a man
around to take care of things.
I'll be dropping back
from time to time...
...probably just to hole up.
Why don't you stay with us?
Be our partner.
They won't miss you.
Maybe they'll forget you.
You know there ain't no forgetting.
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa!
TRAVIS: Hey there, Josey!
CHATO: We're going to Santo Rio!
GRANDMA & LAURA LEE [SINGING]:
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet in the beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We will meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
[DOG HOWLS]
We will meet on that beautiful shore.
Lord, thanks a lot for
bringing us to this place.
Pa and Daniel died...
...at the hands of that low-down,
murdering trash out of hell...
...that done them in.
But they put up a good fight
and died the best they could.
And thanks a lot for Josey Wales...
...who you changed from
a murdering bushwhacker...
...on the side of Satan...
...to a better man...
...in time to deliver us
from the Philistines.
And thank you, Lord, for
getting us together in Texas.
Are you all right?
Ten Bears, he got Travis and Chato.
He'll be riding here in the morning.
If I was looking for a place
to hole up, I'd pick this one.
Walls and ceiling, two feet thick.
All made out of mud,
nothing to burn.
Two doors, front and back,
right in sight of one another.
These here crosses are to fire rifles
through. Up and down, side to side.
As if Tom Turner knew
what he was doing.
You bet he did. I'll be
shooting out of that door.
Grannie, I'd rather have you
sit right there with a bucket by
the powder barrel and do
the loading. Can you do that?
I can.
Moonlight...
...I want you to go to this door.
You fire through here, all right?
Laura Lee, right through this
window. Can you shoot right?
I'll try.
Lone, you take this window
right over here and the door.
Where there's the most
firing coming from.
You're gonna have to keep an eye
on that hallway there because...
...the only blind spot is the ceiling.
They'll get around to it eventually.
They can't shoot through it,
but they might...
...dig a hole in it and drop down,
maybe in the back bedroom.
Now remember...
...when things look bad and it looks
like you're not gonna make it...
...then you got to get mean.
I mean plumb, maddog mean!
Because if you lose your head and
give up, then you neither live nor win.
That's just the way it is.
Use pistols at short range.
More fire power and less reloading.
Keep this fire going.
Keep an iron on it red-hot.
Anybody gets hit, sing out,
slap iron to it.
That's the fastest way
to stop the blood.
GRANDMA: What's all that paint about?
It's my death face.
You know, we're sure going to show
them redskins something tomorrow.
No offense meant.
None taken.
Where's he going?
He knows he can do the best
for us on the back of a horse.
He's a guerrilla fighter.
He figures he can carry
the fight to the enemy.
He's going down into
the valley to kill Ten Bears...
...and as many of the
men as he can.
How's he gonna do that
and come back here?
He won't come back.
Josey!
You'll be Ten Bears?
I am Ten Bears.
I'm Josey Wales.
I have heard.
You're the Gray Rider.
You would not make peace with
the Bluecoats. You may go in peace.
I reckon not.
Got nowhere to go.
Then you will die.
I came here to die with you.
Or live with you.
Dying's not so hard for men like
you and me. It's living that's hard...
...when all you ever cared about
has been butchered or raped.
Governments don't live together.
People live together.
Governments don't give you a fair word
or a fair fight. While I've come here to...
...give you either one.
Or get either one from you.
I came here like this so you'll
know my word of death is true.
And that my word
of life is then true.
The bear lives here, the wolf,
the antelope, the Comanche.
And so will we.
We'll only hunt what we need to
live on, same as the Comanche does.
And every spring when the grass turns
green and the Comanche moves north...
...he can rest here in peace...
...butcher some of our cattle
and jerk beef for the journey.
The sign of the Comanche,
that will be on our lodge.
That's my word of life.
And your word of death?
It's here in my pistols
and there in your rifles.
I'm here for either one.
These things you say we
will have, we already have.
That's true. I ain't
promising you nothing extra.
I'm just giving you life
and you're giving me life.
And I'm saying that men can live
together without butchering one another.
It's sad that governments are
chiefed by the double-tongues.
There is iron in your words of
death for all Comanches to see.
And so there is iron
in your words of life.
No signed paper can hold the iron.
It must come from men.
The words of Ten Bears carry
the same iron of life and death.
It is good that warriors such as
we meet in the struggle of life...
...or death.
It shall be life.
So will it be.
I reckon so.
I'll be damned. Look at this!
Come. Sit down.
I'm so glad to see you.
I never thought I'd see
you again, Grandma.
Chato, Chato. Sit down.
I never been so glad
to see another Indian.
[ROSIE YELLS]
[FIDDLE PLAYS]
[BULL HOWLS]
[DANCERS LAUGH]
I've got something to
show you, Mr. Wales.
I made this chain for you.
I braided it from my hair.
That's real nice. It really is.
It's a watch chain.
Yeah. Well, it's a nice one. It will
come in handy. I thank you for it.
You do have a watch, don't you?
Well, I've been meaning
to get one, yeah.
Could we...
...play a song for you?
I'm afraid I don't really
know too many songs.
Could we play something you like?
Come on.
Only song I can think of
is "Rose of Alabama."
We remember that old piece.
Rosie, come here.
Away from Mississippi's veil
With my old half-ear for a sail
I crossed upon a cotton bale
To the rose of Alabama
Do you dance?
No.
Me neither.
A sweet tobacco posy
Is the rose of Alabama
A sweet tobacco posy
Is the rose of Alabama
FIDDLER: Help us out now.
Oh, brown rosie
The rose of Alabama
The rose of Alabama
I could see him right through this
window when he shot my partner.
He was traveling with an
old Injun and a squaw...
...and some old lady
and a scrawny girl.
Had to be him. He had this scar
right on his face, right here.
I wasn't about to
face him down alone.
You men get them
horses out of sight.
If Josey Wales comes back
here, we'll buy him a drink.
[FIDDLE PLAYS]
Kansas was all...
...golden and smelled like sunshine.
Yeah.
I always heard there were
three kinds of suns in Kansas.
Sunshine...
...sunflowers...
...and sons of bitches.
Well, at least we're
known for something.
I heard a joke about Missouri once.
Something about how
people from Missouri...
...are always saying, "Show me."
Do you know it?
No.
I think it was:
If...
What does a man
from Missouri say...
...if someone asks him
to see a Missouri mule?
And?
He says, "Show me."
Get it?
They teach dumb jokes
to pretty girls in Kansas.
They teach other things.
Show me.
LITTLE JOSEY: Pa!
You're up kind of early,
aren't you?
It's been nice riding
with you, chief.
Same here.
When you get to town, will you get
some nice dresses for the ladies here?
I will.
Get something specially nice for Laura
Lee for when I come back in the spring.
Yeah.
Or the following spring.
Yeah.
Sometimes trouble just follows a man.
Hell, I've been here
way too long as it...
I reckon so.
TERRILL: Josey Wales!
You're all alone now, Wales.
CHIEF: Not quite alone.
Now we're really going to show
these palefaces something.
No offense.
None taken.
These freebooters are
a slander to Kansas...
...attacking innocent women like this.
[GUNS CLICKING]
Josey!
The bullets were flying and
people running every which way.
Church bells were ringing. Me and
Miss Rose were ducking for cover.
Because one didn't know
where the shots were coming...
Mr. Wilson!
Good morning.
Hello, Mr. Wilson.
We were just telling these
fellas a little story...
...about an outlaw passed
through this way a while back.
I don't suppose you'd know
anything about him but...
These two fellows down
here is Texas Rangers.
Been on his trail along with
this other fellow over here.
What did you say your
name was, friend?
My name is Fletcher.
That's right, Mr. Fletcher.
Anyway, the three have
been chasing this outlaw
and it just so happens old Ten Spot here,
will you know, he knows all about it.
Yes, sir.
It was down in Monterey, Mexico,
a little while back.
Anyway, this outlaw fellow...
...he went up against 5 pistoleros.
He got three of them
before they cut him down.
Is that right, Miss Rose?
That's right. His name was...
...Josey Wales.
Yeah, that's it. Josey Wales.
Well, if that's what happened,
then Josey Wales must be dead.
He is dead.
He sure is dead.
Dead all right.
Will you sign this affidavit?
Sign? Well, I sure will.
That's it.
Nice seeing you, Mr. Wilson.
Must be 5000 lawmen
in Texas right now.
Can't get them all.
Yeah, I guess that's the truth.
You fellows get back up
this way, stop in.
I reckon we won't be
coming back this way.
I don't believe that story
about Josey Wales.
You don't?
No, sir, I don't.
I don't believe no five pistoleros
could do in Josey Wales.
Maybe it was six.
Could have even been 10.
I think he's still alive.
Alive? No sir.
I think I'll go down to
Mexico to try to find him.
And then?
He's got the first move.
I owe him that.
I think I'll try to tell
him the war is over.
What do you say, Mr. Wilson?
I reckon so.
I guess we all died a little
in that damn war.