The Stranger Returns (1967) - full transcript

Taking the identity of a dead postal inspector found on the trail, a stranger rides into a small western town and finds himself in the middle of a stagecoach robbery perpetrated by a gang of twenty ruthless desperados. Finding out the object of the heist was not a strongbox as it seemed but a solid gold stagecoach, he enlists the aid of a down-and-out old preacher and tracks down the dangerous gang and their unsuspected ally.

* WESTERN JACK *

Come here, Pussy.

Come on over here.

That's a good girl.

Come on.

Hi. Hi.

The coach is traveling
with $200,000 on board.

It's no doubt about it out that
some soldiers are following it.

They won't catch up with them
until they get to Moon Village.

That's all right, Inspector Ross.
Go on.

Mr. Stanley has decided to make
a trip to the Mexican border.



But I personally
convinced him to stop

in Moon village
for a change of horses.

You have to get there first

before the soldiers arrive.

You did a fine job, Inspector.

Well...

I'm just waiting for the money.

The sum we've agreed upon.

What do you worry about
it, Inspector.

The money is here,
and you'll get all of it.

You, climb up there
and when the coach arrives,

you whistle. All right.

Hayah, come on Pussy.
Come on!

Bang, bang, bang!...



A relative of yours?

Well, I don't know how it's
done around here,

but I never heard of a burial
in the water trough.

Besides,
my horse here can't drink.

Right you are, mister.

Why don't you dig that
body a proper grave?

Okay, boss.

The Lord will be my witness.

I never refused
doing a man a favor.

Be careful now.
Don't make it too small.

I figure that ought to be,
'6, '5, '4, that ought to be right.

Well, that should just about do it.

How tall are you?

About six feet.

Six with the hat.

Now how about that.

You can start digging another
grave, the same size.

It looks kind of wide.

No, I don't think so.

Well, I finally got
myself a profession.

Now go get the body!

Go on!

Postal Inspector Ross.

But first!

Say it was you! Say it!

I told you,
not to hit him in the face.

I don't believe that your wife

and daughter approve
of stubbornness, right Austin?

You sure don't look like
the daughter of your father.

Your mother grabbed somebody
who looked like me.

Go on, tell Mr. En Plein,
what you think about that.

You've taken enough punishment,
Jim.

Yes, father.
Don't let them kill you.

"Yes, father".

Because Austin can't wait
to get his hands on your daughter.

Now Jim,
I'm gonna lose my patience.

There won't be a single man in all
these families alive when we leave.

Right, Alvarez?
Right.

We're in trouble, Jim.
That's enough.

Besides, what is your duty?

Meet the passengers with a smile
when the horses are changed?

That's all we're asking you to do.

The coach will arrive with an escort.
We don't want any trouble.

Just your duty!

All right. I'll do it.

Yes!

Go to your homes and hide
in your dirty cabins!

For the Lord knows

that you are too low
to be his servant of charity!

Yeah i just want!
THe few cents that he needs

to nourish this poor
mortal body.

Exodus, chapter 20, verse 24.

And I shall sacrifice
sick animals,

I know that!

thy sheep, thy cows...

And again:
chapter 25, verse 1!

I will accept the gifts
of every man,

that giveth it willingly
with his heart.

Gold, silver and even brass!

Old shoes, used clothes, eggs, fish,

as everything
for the glory of God!

Have you heard the words
of the Bible?

All the sons of good women?

Yeah, have you heard the pride
of the devil's voice?

Have you seen the fires of hell?

Come out of your dirty holes!

Yeah!

Come forward and buy yourself
a one-way ticket to paradise!

What's it cost?

What's what cost?
This ticket.

Spiritually or materially speaking?

One or the other.
Well...

seeing as you're interested
I'd say material wise,

it costs you as much as
your pocket can afford.

But not less than one dollar.

Spiritual wise...

Well, now that's a long discourse.

Well, I'm in no hurry.

You must be a stranger
in town.

I don't recall ever seeing you
around in these parts before.

Does it make a difference?
For the ticket?

No.

Well, let's the go
on with the ceremony.

Solomon.

Book one, Solomon one.

Hear the word of God!

Blessed is he who doesn't walk to
the advice of the non-believers!

Who doesn't start to
the path of the sinners!

Hello, prophet.
Hello there, Mr. Austin.

May the good Lord bless and
look down on you.

Now, that would be something.
Wouldn't it, prophet?

Get off that pulpit of yours!

A go find customers for
the Lord somewhere else!

Frankly, sir,

how can you allow your
servants to interfere

with the spreading
of the word of God?

Look...

If I were you, prophet,
I wouldn't discuss it.

Well, I was about to leave anyway.

What kind of prophet are you?

What kind of prophet am I?

Just a minute ago
you were yelling like

a wild man that
nobody would listen.

Now you got all
these ears listening.

There are ears and ears
in this world.

Well these ears like listening
to the word of God, the prophet.

Well. Ah!...

Sniff it in prophet,
and tell me what you feel!

I smell trouble.
That's what I smell.

If I was your Lord, prophet,

I sure would lose faith in you.

Besides...

I'm interested in that ticket to
heaven you were talking about.

This will cover the material price.

Mister, that was one of those
brand new federal dollars.

I don't want any trouble.

All you had to do is come on
and say what you wanted.

The Lord will be my witness.

I never refused a man a favor.

Mister, I'm leaving.

Prophet, you're right.
Hm, hm!...

I can smell trouble around here.

Who are they?

Around here they call them
"The Treasure Of the border".

What?

Together, they're worth
10,000 dollars reward.

Hm, hm!...

The one who did the
shooting, what's his name?

En Plein,
that's what they call him.

Do you know what En Plein means?

One who never misses.
Hmm!...

Let me see the coin.

The what?
The dollar. Ah!...

Somebody can do better.

Thank you.

So long, old man.
Are you going back there?

Fact is, I like places that
smell of trouble.

Something good might turn up.

If these fellows is what you're looking
for, you don't have far to look...

Take his gun!

Amen.

Was he the one?

It he the one?

It he the one?
I don't know!

It he the one?

Who am I supposed to be?

There happened to be three men
back at the watering trough.

Four.

You'll have to pay for three.

Kill him! An no noise!

Woa!...

Hi, Jess. Hi, Jim.

Everything all right?
Yes, sir.

How far away is it from
here to the border?

Thirty miles, sir.
Get these horse changed.

We don't want to be here
any longer than necessary.

Donald. Yes?

I'm a little tired.
Well.

Can't I go inside
and freshen up a bit?

Just long enough for
the change of horses.

You, murderer!

Hey! Hey!...

Don't worry about me.

Look after those poor devils outside.

If it's not too late.

Thank God it's not serious.

Try to be calm, it's nothing.

Those poor people...

It's all my fault.

It's all my fault.

If I hadn't been such a coward,
I could've warned them in time.

They were armed...
They could have fought back!

you did more than your duty, Jim.

They almost killed you.

A Postal official has a certain duty.

If I only may decide we made
a signal to Mr. Stanley,

I'll have no peace until I see they
have a rope around their necks!

I Will string them up
with my own hands!

That poor woman...

Who's in charge here?
Nobody.

But I am the local postmaster.

Who killed these people?

Bandits.

They entered the
town a few hours ago.

About 20 of them.

This man here is
Stanley from Arizona.

His bank went out of business.

He was trying to leave
the country with his family.

With a large quantity of gold.

Examine the luggage!

Who were these bandits?

Did you recognize any of them?

I never saw them before,
Lieutenant.

To tell you the truth, we
were also scared that

I doubt that any of us could
give a description of them.

As for me,
they not only gave me a beating,

they made me shot me.

That's no excuse for
not recognizing them.

I can witness that that man
acted with great courage.

Because I was here when this
awful thing took place.

And Lieutenant, sir,

I assure you, even you
and with all your men...

Who are you?

Are you Westpoint?
Of course.

Postal Inspector Ross.

What were you saying
about those bandits?

Well, I suppose besides the
uniform you have a name.

Stafford. Lieutenant Stafford.

What I was saying
about the bandits is

that I think I recognise one
of them from a wanted-poster.

Who was he?

En Plein.

What did they take?

An iron box.

Probably they are
headed for the border.

If I were you,
I wouldn't waste any time.

You pardon me for
saying so, Inspector,

but there's two kinds
of people I don't like.

Those that claim
they know nothing

and those who claim they know everything.

Let's move out!

Then you pardon me for
saying so, lieutenant, sir,

but hard-headed men like you,
either have big careers

or they die young.

Well said, Inspector.
Be seeing you around!

Oh, Lord in heaven,

I humbly pray thy, to take in these
poor men

and find them at least a place in
the servants quarters of Paradise.

Amen. Amen!...

Amen.

You faithless men!

Give this words
of the goods in paradise

and ride to the nearest town!

You're headed for Santo Spirito, Jim?

Naturally.
The mail must go through.

Well, I have a wedding to bless.

Can I go along with you?

You got the money
to pay the fair?

No, but the good
Lord will bless you.

This company doesn't give
any credit to the Lord.

Let him ride, mister.
I stand for his fair.

What are you doing back there?
And who the hell are you?

They call me Postal Inspector Ross.

Inspector Ross?

Do you got any reason
not to believe me?

Of course not, sir.
Nice to meet you.

Get in!

It's okay for you to ride as long
as the Inspector vouches for you.

Thank you, brother!

Let's go!

Hyah!...

What's so funny?

Oh, I was just thinking about a man
I met once back in Salt Lake City,

who claimed he was Inspector Ross.

Well, you see,
in this day and age

everybody is walking around
trying to be somebody else.

Oh yes, no doubt about it.

What you
want with my wife?

Like money!

If you want it kill me!...

Chrysler,
what's he talking about?

Well, he says he's a poor Indian,
but he's still a man.

And if he had a gun,
he would kill you.

Give him your gun!

One gun for you,
one gun for him.

Chrysler! Hm!...

Woa!...

May God ride with you, brother!
Thank you, old man.

And God bless you, sir!
Amen.

Woa!...

Here we are, Inspector.

I'll change the horses and...

So we meet again.

Yeah.

There's an old friend of yours
who wants to see.

Well, look who's here.

Inspector Ross.

Jim.

I knew about you from
the beginning.

What do you want?

And what are you looking for?

Mr. Stanley, before he died,

made me inherit all his gold.

And you thought you
could get it from here.

That's right.

Ah!...

There's the gold! Look at it!

Feel it! Touch it!

Where is the other stagecoach?
Ah!...

Nice work.

It looks exactly like the other one.

Not even the man who made it
could tell the difference.

Well...
Here's your money.

Thank you.

Move out!

You want the gold?
Now, get it!

Excuse me, ma'am.

The ways of the Lord are infinite.

They sure are? old man.

You changed the coach?
Yes, I tell you!

That bastard...

you really broken an ordinance,
didn't you old man?

Good Jim.

What is that?

The only thing my grand daddy
left me when he died.

It works pretty good
at close range.

Well, let me see it!

Hm!...

Well, old man, we're gonna raise
some hell in Moon Village tonight.

Ethel!

Ethel, get your things,
all that you can carry.

We're leaving right now,
I'll explain to you later.

Where is Caroline?

And where is the stagecoach?

The real one.

The one with the gold.

The coach?
You have the coach.

Don't play stupid with me, good Jim.

Even your wife knows what
you've been up to.

Ethel!

You stupid fools!
Don't you understand?

The coach has been
changed by the stranger!

That false inspector Ross!

When, Jim? Tell me!

How am I supposed to know?
It is your fault!

With all your men, you should
have gone after him!

The stagecoach! Where is it?

I don't know! I don't know!

Austin!

Now, don't be afraid.
I am a real gentleman.

I don't know! Believe me!

Believe me!

Stop it!
Stop it!

Austin is a pig, good Jim.

But your daughter is a pretty little girl.

Ah!...

I can't hear you out there, Austin!

Jim!

It's in the cemetery.

No!

Let's go!

That a lord

Que esteka her

ist from door

He goes in me
and you will be saved

Get that fool down!

You will die and your
proud hearts will fall!

Amen.

How much?

Ten thousand.
Ten thousand?

Lieutenant!

Lieutenant!
Hello, Inspector!

You've done a good job?

Well, we do what we can do.

Yeah. There's a reward for you.

It's in here.

Here it is.

No, I can't accept it.

The company...

But I'd appreciate it if you give
it to this gentleman right here.

Because he's the one that
really deserves it.

All right, take.

I'll pray for you, brothers.

And this is mine.

A cigar?

Thank you.

Well, I guess I better be
on my way.

I got to get this coach
back to HeadQuarters.

I'll be seeing you.
Bye, Inspector.

You got a match?

Here.

Thank you.
Keep them.

And if you hear about that gold,
lieutenant,

you will sure let me know, right?

Sure. Be seeing you around.

I'll see you around.

Now you pray for me
some time, old man.

Yeah, I sure will
pray for you, brother!

Come on, Pussy!

And believe me!

You'll sure will it
need one day!

Ah!...

Some day, old man!
Hyah!...