Wild Horses (1985) - full transcript
An over-the-hill rodeo champion gets fired from his assembly line job in Texas. He and a buddy then decide to head to Wyoming to get a job herding mustangs. His wife gives him her his blessing, knowing he needs to find something which satisfies his spirit. They sign up for a roundup headed by a veteran cowboy. With the job, he finds himself cross-wise of a corrupt government official, who is making big profits on the illegal sale of wild horses. He also finds himself in the affections of the daughter of an old ranch owner.
- [Commentator] And here's Matt Cooper on Sky High.
This young cowboy's having quite a year for himself.
(gentle country music)
♪ Run on, wild horses, run on and be free ♪
♪ I'll take the best one to run under me ♪
♪ God sent me down here to look after you ♪
♪ He'll take me back there whenever I'm through ♪
♪ So run on
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
♪ I saw a stallion that ran like the wind ♪
♪ Finally caught him, but never again ♪
♪ He's got a spirit that needs to be free ♪
♪ So much about him that I'd like to be ♪
♪ Run on
(cowbell clanging)
(crowd cheering)
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
(horses whinnying)
(uplifting music)
- Matt?
Coming in to change, or you going straight to work?
- No, no, I'm coming, I'm coming.
- Well you better get a move on.
(uplifting music)
Katie, you better get to that table,
you're gonna miss the bus!
(news anchor chatting)
- Morning, kids. - Good morning.
- Morning, Superman. - Good morning.
Did Dean win?
- Well he broke his thumb,
but he still took a third in the bull riding.
- [Tommy] Jimmy, you wanna pull that forklift over here?
(buzzing)
- [Jimmy] All right, Tommy, bring it up, is it loaded?
- [Tommy] All ready to go, need another one.
- [Jimmy] All right.
Who's going out for coal this evening?
- [Tommy] Count me in!
- [Woman] Oh, great.
You got any more of this?
(singing in foreign language)
(gentle guitar music)
- The lunch bell rang two and a half minutes ago.
- Yeah, well we couldn't hear it out here.
- If you'd eat in the brand new,
air-conditioned company cafeteria, you'd hear the bell.
- Suppose it'd be asking too much to get you
to put the bell out here in the fresh air where we do eat.
- What is it about me that makes you so resent my authority?
- Authority, wedge?
Gee, I don't know.
(whirring)
- [Dean] Think about that deal
about those horses I told you about?
- Nope. - Mean, no?
Hey, there it is.
Wyoming, land of enchantment.
- Just for the record, the land of enchantment's New Mexico.
- Whatever.
What do you think?
I ain't got to twist your arm, am I?
- Thanks, Margaret. - You bet, Matt.
- What do you say?
- I say you're crazy.
I can't just pick up and leave.
I've got a family and I've got a job.
- Right, sacking sugar beet seeds.
Hey, you sure wouldn't wanna lose a job
like that, would you?
Look, it's only two weeks.
They pay 350 a week plus a bonus.
Last one of these things they had,
the bonus alone was 1,000 bucks.
- $1,000?
That's three house payments.
- And seven of your truck payments.
Think about it, be like the old days.
- I can't go.
- Come on.
- See you, Cathy. - See you, Matt.
- Where's your sense of adventure?
He's going.
- That was good, honey, thanks.
- Matthew got in trouble at school today.
- What kind of trouble?
- Well, he got sent to Mr. Gold's office
cause he wouldn't take his spurs off.
Wore them to school. (sighing)
Then he was out on the playground, roping all the girls.
- Matthew's a cowboy, and he's the son of a cowboy.
And I want him to feel good about himself.
Why is it the very things that I'm so proud of
in these kids they all keep trying to drum out him?
- They're good people, Matt,
they're just trying to do their job.
Can you imagine a room full of third graders all in spurs?
Just think.
- Okay, I'll talk to him.
- Look at that cloud.
Looks like a weasel.
You remember when we used to do that?
- Yeah, I do.
Hey, come here.
Tell me something.
What kind of an animal would you have been?
If you hadn't been a person.
(serene music)
- Something pretty.
(giggles)
I don't know, swan.
How about you?
- Probably a skunk.
- Good choice.
(chatting)
- [Tommy] Hey, somebody bring me about eight feet
of that double 42 wire.
(whistling)
- Take it off now!
- What's the problem, Wedge?
- You!
In fact, you're the only real problem I've got around here.
What is it with you and that silly hat?
You know, Cooper, your day has long since passed.
You're not any kind of champion around here.
This is the workaday world.
This is what people grow up and do.
And these are against the rules.
There are insurance regulations you don't even know about,
but you don't need to know about them.
All you need to know--
(grinding)
(groaning)
I don't believe you just did that.
You could've killed me!
Mister, you come back here, you hear me?
You come back here!
You're fired!
Do you understand?
You can apologize all you want to,
it ain't gonna do you any good!
You clean out your locker!
(whimsical music)
- Well, you just have to talk to him.
- He don't want me to talk to him,
he's gonna want me to apologize.
- Matt, you know Wedge,
he has been like this since high school.
If you really want your job, all you gotta do is call him.
- How did he ever get to be my boss?
I mean, explain, how does that work?
- I don't know how it works.
But Matt, we can't live like this anymore.
You haven't stayed in a job for over a year
since we've been married. - A year?
Anne, when we first got married,
we didn't stay in the same city for two days.
- But that was the rodeo circuit, Matt.
That was then, this is now.
And you knew that wasn't gonna last forever.
- Oh, here comes the nothing's gonna last forever speech.
Yeah, don't you and Wedge ever let me forget that, okay?
- That is really a cheap shot.
Don't you put me in with Wedge.
I'm on your side.
We'll just take the little bit of money that we've got
and we'll put it down on the Parker place.
- Anne, are you crazy?
Do you know how many ranches go under every year?
What makes you think we're gonna be the exception?
You know what we're gonna do?
We're gonna lose every nickel we own.
- I can't believe that I'm hearing this
from the world champion cowboy.
- Oh, you can't? - No I can't!
You're always talking about commitments.
We can do it, honey, we can do it.
Now I'm just hearing excuses.
Matt, did you ever stop to think
that maybe this isn't the life that I dreamed of?
- Well let's talk about your dreams for a while, okay?
I'd like to know, what do you dream about?
- It's none of your business,
and that's not what we're talking about.
- I'm not talking about anything anymore.
I'm out of here, okay?
(clanging)
Get this thing out of here, too, I'm sick of seeing it.
(mooing)
(clamoring)
- 6.4 seconds, nice run, Billy!
Yeah, it was,
it was tough hanging on that old bull at the bone broke,
but I guess I was just too determined to win.
- Gosh, that must have hurt.
- Well, you know what they say.
When it gets too tough for everybody else,
it's just right for me.
- Hey Dean, let's get out of here.
- Where we going?
- Wyoming. - What?
- I got fired.
- Well, it's about time.
What's Anne think?
- Don't worry about that.
You going or not?
- You sure about this?
- Damn straight.
- Okay, partner, we're gone.
(upbeat music)
- What do you say, hoss,
you wanna stop for a bite of breakfast?
- [Matt] I'm not very hungry.
Next phone you see, I gotta make a call.
- [Dean] Yeah, I understand.
(phone rings)
- Hello?
- Did I wake you up?
- It's almost nine o'clock.
Where are you, are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm okay, I'm in Guymon, Oklahoma.
Guess I got a little crazy last night,
and Dean and I came up with this harebrained idea.
Anyway, I'll be home about five or six, and
I think I'm gonna call Wedge and apologize.
- I don't want you to do that.
- Mom!
- [Matt] What are the kids doing?
- That's okay, hon, he can wear those.
Just wait outside for me, okay?
Almost ready.
They're getting ready for church.
Cody's going armed.
Matt, I know about the roundup,
and I thought about it last night, and I want you to go,
cause I think that you need to go for both our sakes.
- Just gonna get it out of my system, huh?
- Well you can call it what you want,
but you got to do something, and maybe this is it.
You need some time and I need some time,
so you just go and we'll see what happens.
- Yeah, it really hurt when the bone broke,
but I just held on anyway.
Just take the pain.
I won first place, though.
- Really?
- Yeah, I'll probably go to the national finals.
Used to be held in Oklahoma City.
Well, I guess it doesn't really matter where they were held.
See you later.
- Look, I love you, okay?
I really do.
(gentle music)
See you.
- [Man] Come on, y'all, we going dancing tonight.
Party's over here, boys. (whooping)
(chatting) (horns honking)
- (whoops) Look at all these people.
- [Matt] Yeah, it looks like wild horse roundups
are popular around here.
- I wonder how many hands they gonna need.
- Just pull up over here and we'll get a bite to eat
and see what's going on.
(clamoring) (horns honking)
You coming in?
- I'll be in in a minute, you go on.
- Matt Cooper!
I bet I haven't seen you in 15 years.
I think the last time was Presky, fourth of July.
(grunting)
- Where do we sign up?
- There's a fella right in there taking names.
- Thanks a lot. - Good to see you again.
Wild horses and wild women!
Hello. - Hello.
(energetic country music)
- Who do you see about this roundup?
- See the guy with the clipboard, name's Dick Post.
- All right, thanks.
- Excuse me, ma'am, I'm new this town.
I'm wondering, is this a good place to eat?
- Like steak? - Oh you bet,
I love steak.
- How you doing?
Leland, see my dad?
- [Leland] Hi, hon, yeah, he's in the back.
- What happened to your cast?
- It's okay for chasing girls back home,
but look at these guys, it's the real thing.
- I found out who we need to talk to now.
You Dick Post?
- Yeah.
Where you from? - Texas.
- You look kind of familiar.
- Matt Cooper.
- Dean Ellis.
- [Matt] You with the Bureau of Land Management?
- No.
But us boys got together,
and we decided it'd be first come first serve.
You fellas are a little late,
but I'll be happy to put you down.
You'd be 56th and 57th.
- And how many are you gonna use?
- 20.
Like I said, y'all are a little late.
- Yeah, well we got kind of tied up.
Big backgammon tournament over there in Monte Carlo Grand.
- Well you're on the list.
Both of you.
- Tell you what, don't even put us on your list, okay?
Your system doesn't sound too appealing to us.
- Yeah, if there's one thing Matt and me hate, it's systems.
Nice guy.
Hey, you see that girl I came in with?
She's my type.
- Dean, I've yet to see a girl that wasn't your type.
- Bill, will you kindly explain to my father
that it's tough enough to sell fine art in Wyoming
without his interference.
- Will you tell my daughter that people raise cattle
and run ranches in Wyoming?
They don't run these high falutin art galleries.
- Maybe I should move.
What you should do is come back to the place
and work with me the way your mother did.
My grandmother used to get up--
- Okay, whoa, Chuck, enough.
It's a new day, I'm not my mother.
And I'm certainly not your grandmother.
Now we just-- - So it looks like
we're gonna have a real good crowd for a roundup.
- Yes, sir, and I'm sure glad I got my application in early.
(chatting)
- All right, boys, don't push.
We're gonna do this orderly.
Everybody will get a chance.
- We made up a list.
- Fine.
Those men and women on this list will be interviewed first,
in order, and then everybody else.
Hi, Edward.
How you doing?
(chattering)
(serene music)
(phone ringing)
Hi there. - How are you?
- You're Matt Cooper, aren't you?
- Yes, sir. - Sit down.
I'm a big rodeo fan.
Up in Laramie the day you broke your leg.
- You may have to narrow that down a bit,
I've broken a lot of legs.
(chuckling)
- Alright, let's get down to business here, first question.
You do ride the horse, don't you?
- If it's a real emergency.
- Nice visiting with you, Matt.
- Thanks, Bill.
- Guess I better press on to the next man.
Hi, Daryl. - Hi, Bill.
- This is Matt Cooper, the one and only.
- Hi Matt, I'm Daryl Reese.
I'm a big rodeo fan.
I used to watch you all the time when I was a kid.
- Thanks, I think.
- [Bill] Daryl here, she's a pretty good hand, too.
- Oh really?
Thanks, Bill. - You bet.
- Daryl. - Nice to meet you, Matt.
- Pretty good old boy, isn't he?
- Yeah, he seems nice.
Hey, I wanna talk to you.
- What can I do for you?
(phone ringing)
- I don't want you to say anything till I'm finished, okay?
I wanna go, and I wanna apply just like everybody else.
I'm not asking for preferential treatment.
But I can ride as good as anybody,
you just said so yourself.
I wanted to go from the very beginning,
but I just didn't have the gumption to ask.
I don't know, Bill, this might be my last chance.
(chuckles) What?
- Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.
- Does it?
- No preferential treatment, huh?
- Well, maybe a little.
(laughs)
Thanks.
(smooth jazz music)
- Looks like luck's still holding out.
- So far, it's going, yeah.
- Whatever suits you.
(chattering)
- You're Daryl Reese, aren't you?
- Yes I am.
- Well you made it. - I did?
Thank you very much.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you very much.
- I wish I was going with you.
- I wish you were, too.
- Hi, Maryanne, don't forget to vote.
- [Maryanne] I will.
(upbeat country music)
- What do you think, buddy?
- I think you're snuckered.
- It's my favorite shot.
- Good luck.
- Eight ball in the corner pocket.
- He'll never make that shot.
(cheering)
- Do it again.
- No deal, Ed.
I've taken enough of your money,
I don't like to leave a man broke.
- Come on, man, I wanna see that same shot one more time,
double or nothing.
- Never make the same shot twice in one day.
Someone might figure out how to do it.
(crowd cheering)
(serene country music)
- That guy's pretty hot, maybe you should've just gone on
and taken his money.
- Kid, I've never made that shot before in my life.
- What?
But you said that was your favorite shot!
- It is my favorite shot, I still never made it before
in my life.
- That's great, I love it.
- So what's the news, have they posted the names yet?
- Yeah, they picked you.
I'm one man out, I'm the first alternate.
Damn, I was just probably too goofy
with that guy that interviewed me.
Some people just can't take a joke.
- Forget it.
Who needs those three miserable ass pellets anyway?
Get us a bottle, pick up some stories
about how much fun we had here.
We'll head on home in the morning.
Bartender, see that bottle of whiskey right there?
Put that sucker right here.
(tense music)
(energetic country music)
We having enough fun for you? (shouts)
(grunting)
- [Dean] Matt, look out!
(yelping)
(cheering)
- You okay? - I think so.
- You think he's okay?
- Sure, he's all right.
You're Tug Todmiller, aren't you?
- Yes sir, I think I broke my shoulder.
- You Dean Ellis?
- Yes sir, I am.
- Looks like your lucky day, son.
He was on the list, now you are.
(whoops)
- Congratulations, glad you're coming with us.
- So are we.
Hey, thanks a lot, cowboy. (groans)
- Now this year's roundup
is gonna be run differently than most,
and the reason for that is my friend Chuck Reese here.
Chuck knows more about running wild horses than most people,
so he's asked me to get an approval from Washington
to have an old-fashioned Mustang roundup.
There's an estimated 2,000 head of horses.
He thinks we should only take 25% of them.
So our goal is 500 horses.
Since he's the architect,
I'm gonna make him give you the ground rules.
Chuck?
- Thank you, Bill.
As you know, the wild horse is about the last living part
of the Old West.
We're gonna run this operation in a way
that will honor that heritage.
These horses are gonna be adopted by children
and families from all over the country.
And I sure wish you'd handle them with care.
We're gonna be working on public land.
We're gonna treat it all like it's wilderness area.
There'll be no motorized vehicles
or machinery of any kind up there.
We'll pull a chuck wagon in to feed you
and pack your gear into the base camp,
and fresh horses are gonna be provided by the county
when you need them, and I'm sure you're gonna.
My grandmother used to take me out when I was a kid
and show me these Mustangs,
and there's nothing I'd like better
than to be able to show them to my grandkids.
You got a tough job,
but any horses we leave on the mountain,
just make sure you leave them in good shape.
Keep my grandkids in mind, will you?
That's about it.
- All right, are there any questions?
(horse whinnying)
(uplifting music)
(dog barking)
- [Man] Jack, give me three harnesses, will you?
(chatting)
- Let's go.
- Dean, look at that old timer.
You're not gonna see that very often.
- Pulling a chuck wagon, man, this is keen.
- All right, men, let's head them up the hill!
- Yahoo!
(whooping)
- Bill Ward?
- Yes sir, that's me.
- Bob Hiken, how's it going, Bill?
You must be Chuck Reese.
- That's right. - Pleasure.
Well, it certainly is beautiful up here.
- Yeah, it is.
What can I do for you?
- Well, sir, you can grab your fishing rod
and head for your favorite spot.
I'm your replacement, Bill.
Washington thought it would be a good idea
if I start a little early, took over the roundup.
- Well that just doesn't make sense, I've been--
- Hey, it's Washington, Bill,
we both know it ain't gonna make sense.
Look, they're doing it for me, I know that.
I got some pretty big shoes to fill,
not that I even think it's possible.
I tried talking them out of it, but hey,
take a look at this, Bill.
Your first retirement check.
Not bad, huh?
- I don't know.
- Look, I know it's a dumb move,
but I'm afraid it's out of our hands, Bill.
I would appreciate a few introductions, though,
before you take off.
- All right.
I do want the transition to go smooth.
I care a lot about what we've been trying to do up here.
- I know exactly what you mean, Bill.
Thanks, I really mean that.
Chuck.
I gotta head back into town.
I'll be up at the base camp later tonight, okay?
See you.
- Something about this just don't seem right, does it?
- Not one bit.
I'm gonna make a couple of calls to Washington,
see what the hell's going on.
- [Man] Here he comes!
- [Dean] Open now, keep his mouth open.
(shouting)
(uplifting music)
(whooping)
(shouting)
(horse whinnying)
- What do you wanna do with her?
- Take her down.
- What about her colt?
- [Dick] Leave him, he ain't worth nothing.
(shouting)
(screams)
(chuckles)
- I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
(giggling)
This your idea of a mud pack?
- You know, they say this stuff is good for your complexion,
but they're gonna have to sell me on it.
- How about a ride?
- You're a brave man, Matt Cooper.
- You can ride if you don't touch me.
What about your saddle?
- You wanna get it?
- [Matt] You can just bury that sucker at sea.
(serene western music)
- Did you see that?
- Pretty exciting stuff for a cowgirl.
- [Chuck] What'd you find out?
- Oh, hell, my friend's got an agricultural seminar
going in India.
Been gone for two months.
Ain't nobody seems to know how this Hiken deal came about.
But it is official.
- Well, you're just gonna have to live with it.
(horse whinnying)
- Whoa.
Look at him.
(uplifting music)
- He's the man, all right.
He's letting us know we're on his mountain.
(whinnying)
- So what do you think of Doc's Raven?
- Who?
- Well that's not his registered name.
- Registered name?
- Yeah, he's one of the best bred horses
from around these parts.
- [Matt] What's he doing on the mountain?
- Old Doc Thurme raised him as a colt.
In fact, had him entered at the faturity at Rio Doso.
But about a year before the race, Doc got sick.
That old man loved these wild horses as much as my dad does.
So just before he died, he turned him loose,
figuring that he'd improve the herd.
- Was sure right about that.
(whinnying)
- [Dean] Well this sure beats sacking sugar beet seeds,
don't it, Matt?
- That what you do? - Not anymore.
(upbeat country music)
♪ As the riders loped on past him ♪
♪ He heard one call his name
♪ If you wanna save your soul from hell ♪
♪ Riding on a range
♪ Then cowboy, change your ways today ♪
♪ Or with us you will ride
♪ Trying to catch that devil's herd ♪
♪ Across these endless skies
♪ Yippee yi ay
♪ Yippee yi yo
♪ Ghost riders in the sky
♪ Ghost riders in the sky
(chattering)
- That was real good, R.W.
- Isn't this great?
Here we are, cowboys, singing around a campfire,
eating beans.
(chuckling) Beans!
- What's wrong with beans?
You got something against beans?
- No, I love them, they're perfect.
- I've always liked beans.
About as much as anything.
- You did it now.
- Hey Matt, why don't you do a song now?
- Spell me, Matt.
- Come on. - Sing us one!
- Yours is about the Old West,
and this is more about a modern cowboy.
(gentle guitar)
♪ The band just kept playing, couples kept swaying ♪
♪ Smoke made it so hard to see
♪ Cowboy was drinking, she just kept thinking ♪
♪ God, he looks so good to me
♪ So she walked on over, put her hand on his shoulder ♪
♪ Said cowboy, where have you been ♪
♪ Off to Montana, back to Wyoming ♪
♪ And it looks like I'm riding again ♪
♪ And the band played on
♪ Cause cowboys will always be eight second heroes ♪
♪ Risking their life for the bell ♪
♪ Drinking rye whiskey, chasing fast women ♪
♪ God knows they're all bound for hell ♪
(chuckling)
♪ So the cowboy said, darling, why don't you tell me ♪
♪ What could be in this for you ♪
♪ And surely you're not even thinking about marriage ♪
♪ When I've got more riding to do ♪
♪ She said, hold on now, slick
♪ Maybe I should warn you
♪ You're not the first cowboy I've known ♪
♪ And now that I'm looking at your broken body ♪
♪ Maybe I'll just go home alone ♪
♪ And the band played on
♪ Cause cowboys will always be eight second heroes ♪
♪ Risking their life for the bell ♪
♪ Drinking rye whiskey, chasing fast women ♪
♪ God knows we're all bound for hell ♪
♪ And the band played on
♪ And the band played
(chattering)
- Who is this? - I don't know.
- [Blue] Hey stranger, no vehicles allowed up here.
- I'm Bob Hiken.
- So what?
- Bill Ward.
- Right here.
Folks, there's been a change in management.
It seems that somebody in Washington has decided
that I should step down a little early
and make room for my replacement here.
This is him, Bob, what'd you say your name was?
- Hiken.
- Hiken.
You'll be taking orders from him from now on.
So I'll be seeing you.
Guess it's your show now.
- Thanks, Bill.
Chuck.
That's a fine man there.
He's done a lot of really good things up here.
I just hope I can begin to measure up.
Now if you folks will give me a chance,
I think you'll find I'm a pretty good guy to work with.
I just want y'all to know, anybody's got any questions,
suggestions, anything at all,
just speak right up, let me know.
- [Man] Take care of yourself, Bill.
- Ain't right. - Hang in there.
- Well, you've all put in a hard day's work,
so I guess that's it.
I'll see y'all in the morning.
Thanks, I really mean that.
Oh yeah, Dick Post?
- [Dick] Yeah.
- Could I talk to you for a minute over here?
Gentlemen, ladies.
(chattering) (coyote howling)
I've been checking up on you, Post.
- That right? - That's right.
I think you and I might be able to do a little business.
- What kind?
- Washington wants more horses.
- Ward isn't gonna like that.
- This isn't Ward's operation anymore, it's mine.
Yeah, Bill's a nice old guy,
nobody wants to hurt his feelings,
so that's why we're gonna handle this kinda quietly.
- How many horses?
- 500 extra.
Not for adoption, for a transplant program.
There'll be $2,000 in it for you.
Extra kick come bonus time for each of your men.
Can you handle it, quietly?
- Sure.
Quiet as a mouse.
- Okay.
- Matt?
Oh, I didn't mean to scare you.
Are you okay?
- I'm fine, I just came out to check on these horses.
Just feels like something's blowing in.
- Yeah, it does.
You know, you're a pretty good singer.
For a bull rider.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
- You're a very good roper for an art dealer, too.
- (chuckles) Why thank you.
- You know, I just can't quit thinking
about that stallion we saw this afternoon.
He was really something.
- Yeah.
Lot of good cowboys have been trying
to catch him over the years.
But he's still here.
- Been around here all your life?
- Yep, born and raised.
Except when I went away to college.
Bet you've traveled a lot.
- Yeah.
Too much, probably.
- So what, you're settled down in Texas now?
- Yeah, we've been there about 10 years.
(coyote howling)
Maybe we should head on back.
- Okay.
(whooping)
(inspiring music)
(whistling)
(whooping)
- This is great!
You guys are terrific!
There must be, I don't know, what, 100 horses in here?
That's great, congratulations!
(uplifting music)
♪ Now he was a good cowboy
♪ He could rope, you bet
♪ Said the horse he couldn't catch ♪
♪ He had not heard of yet
♪ But the boys all told him of an old black horse ♪
♪ Sort of an old outlaw
♪ Down around the chaparral, bottom of the draw ♪
- You gotta be pretty tough to bathe in this water
so early in the morning.
- (chuckles) Shoot, ma'am, I'm a cowboy!
I signed on to be tough.
(uplifting music)
(whinnying)
- Well big fella, you may well be more than I bargained for.
But I'll tell you one thing, I'll be back.
Ah, Daryl, it was great!
I just wish you could've been there, though.
That stallion has a heart the size of a washtub.
And I almost had him.
Just being out there with him, though,
reminded me so much.
- You really miss the old days, don't you?
- The old days on the circuit?
You mean being bucked off in the dirt
with broken bones and teeth knocked out?
Going to the hospital, losing blood, operations?
Yeah, I miss those good old days.
- Oh, I know, the tortured life of a rodeo rider.
You loved it.
I'll bet you remember every bull.
- Oh, I don't remember every one.
But there's one in particular I do remember.
It was 1967, Oklahoma City.
National finals.
Did your dad ever tell you about a bull called Tornado?
- Sounds famliar.
- He was a twister, seven years, nobody could ride him.
Bucked off over 200 men in a row.
Average time maybe three seconds.
I mean, it was out the chute and in the dirt.
He could sunfish like a horse.
- Sunfish?
- When he bucked, he'd throw that old belly up to the sky.
Most unpredictable animal I've ever seen.
He actually scared me just to be around him.
Yep, that was a piece of rodeo history that night.
The longest eight seconds I've ever seen.
- And it took the great Matt Cooper to ride him.
- Oh, hell no, girl.
Took the great Freckles Brown to do it.
He was 46 years old.
I just sat there watching, with 10,000 people screaming.
I mean, it was keen.
(chuckling)
- Matt Cooper, you sure are cute when you're excited.
- Cute?
(uplifting music)
- [Bob] Post, what's the count?
- 48 head for the day.
- What?
That's down from yesterday,
and yesterday was down from the day before.
That's no good.
What's the problem?
- We're having to go higher for each horse.
Stallion's moving them up the mountain.
- Maybe I picked the wrong man.
- I'll take care of it.
You'll meet your quota.
- Good.
- Good.
(tapping)
That outta do the trick.
Let's get out of here.
(horses grunting)
- That's fresh blood, Matt.
- Yeah, I've seen several like that.
- Gentlemen and ladies, could I have your attention please?
I'd just like to say thanks to all of you
for a good week's work.
To show my appreciation, I'd like to invite you all
to a little party I'm throwing tonight down at the lodge.
Now there'll be free food and drinks.
(whooping)
And I've also invited several
of the local ladies to join us.
(whooping)
Now I know we haven't met our quota yet,
but I have every confidence that...
(horses whinnying)
(triumphant music)
- Matt, look at this.
(shouting)
- [Matt] It's Chuck and Bill.
- Brought you some more ponies.
- Yeah, I can see that, Bill, and I appreciate the gesture,
but I gotta tell you that your hanging around here
tends to undermine my authority.
- That's too bad about you and your authority.
- I don't wanna have to call Washington--
- Look, I've got a lifetime invested
in this country and these horses.
Ain't no one piece of paper gonna change that.
- Don't misunderstand me, Bill,
I'm just trying to do the best job possible.
I sure hope you'll be coming to the party tonight.
- [Bill] I'll be there.
(energetic music)
♪ One, two, one, here comes the Santa Fe ♪
♪ She's thundering loud, throwing holly inbound ♪
♪ At the break of day
- It really hurt when I felt the bone break,
but I just held on anyway.
- Gosh, I don't see how you could stand it.
- Pure determination, that's what it takes.
Shoot, if I hadn't won that event,
Matt and me couldn't afford to come up here.
- Come on, Dean, your partner says he's wore out,
so you're elected.
- You're on.
Excuse me, ma'am.
- [Daryl] Hey, caught me a live one.
- Thank you, Matt.
- Did you see how many of those horses
are coming in here with wire cuts?
- Saw several.
You know what they're doing, don't you?
- If you ask me, someone's setting tripwires
to injure those lead mares.
- You bet they are.
Makes it easy to bring the rest of them down.
- Problem is, no one's seeing who's doing it.
- Hey darling, are you gonna eat all that,
or do you wanna dance?
- Well if you're doing the asking, think I wanna dance.
(yodeling)
(cheering)
- Okay, Dad, you're next.
And then you again.
- Oh really? - Mm-hm.
(upbeat country music)
- She's nice, isn't she?
- Yeah, she's real nice.
♪ Blue, blue bonnet lady
♪ Why are you so sad and all alone ♪
- Real nice, huh?
(horses whinnying)
♪ I knew only blue
♪ Blue, blue bonnet
(banging) (screaming)
(yelping)
- You know who started that, don't you?
- My dad, probably.
He's an unusual guy, isn't he? (chuckles)
- Says the same thing about you.
In fact, he says you've got him a little buffalo joint.
- [Daryl] Well that's what happens when a man wants a son
and gets a daughter.
- Oh come on, I can't imagine him
really being disappointed with you.
- No, he isn't disappointed with me.
He loves me, I know that.
But we've had some pretty good fights, though.
(gentle music)
You know, he didn't like the idea at first
when I got married, but he hated it when I got divorced.
- Oh really, why is that?
- Oh, he and my mom worked real hard most of their lives
putting that ranch together.
He wanted nothing more in the world
than to see that handed down to us.
I guess I could run it myself if I wanted to,
but I just don't want to.
- Well.
What do you wanna do?
- I wanna go to Paris. (chuckles)
I just, I don't know, I just wanna be crazy.
I wanna be Tina Turner.
- I don't suppose you'd mind telling me
what on Earth Tina Turner's gonna do in this roundup.
(laughs)
- It's my chance to,
to be the son my father always wanted.
I guess I'm really doing this for him.
- That's nice.
- [Daryl] It's been a long time
since I stayed out all night long on a date.
- [Matt] You know how long it's been since I've had a date.
- Morning, Matt.
- Morning, sunshine.
- I looked for you after the party.
- I was there on the front porch with Daryl.
- I mean after the party, two hours after.
You and Daryl are becoming quite an item.
- You know, Dean, I don't need this from you.
- No, really, the guys think it's cute,
you going out with your daughter.
- My daughter?
- Come on, Matt, just between you and me,
don't you think she's a little young for you?
- I think she's a lot young, and I'm a lot married.
Besides, nothing happened.
Not yet.
- Not yet.
Hey partner, that's why they call it the wild west.
(uplifting music)
(horses whinnying)
(suspenseful music)
(shouting)
- Hold on, Post!
- Forget it, Cooper!
He's mine!
Come on, come on!
I'll catch you, you big lick!
- Get back, Post!
You're making it worse!
Dean!
You better come on, looks like we're gonna need some help.
- Post, get that horse out of here!
You men, come help him!
(clamoring)
- Come on, hurry!
The fence is down!
(horse whinnying)
- [Bob] Move back!
- Be careful!
- They're getting away!
Stop them!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
Easy!
Come on, boy, ho!
Ho!
(gun fires)
Post, don't!
- Get out of here, Cooper.
You've done enough.
- Post.
Let it alone.
(chatting)
- [Matt] You okay?
- Yeah.
Thought cowboys and Indians out here.
- It's like cowboys and fools out here.
- Yes, yes, that's right, Senator Hutgart,
we lost about 100 head.
We'll get them back, though, don't worry.
Okay, I'll talk to you on Friday.
Bye.
You gotta make up for that fiasco yesterday.
- Yeah.
Let me go kill that stallion.
- Forget about him.
I want those horses back, and I want a whole lot more,
and I want them a lot faster than we're getting them.
Can you do it?
(horses whinnying)
- Yeah, but it'll cost.
- Fine.
Now there is some old corrals down on Hawk Meadow.
I want you to use those.
Too many people snooping around.
I want those horses kept away from here.
- What about Matt Cooper?
And that Reese girl and the kid?
What's gonna keep them out of Hawk Meadow?
- Let me worry about them.
You just worry about getting me the horses I need,
and I don't care how you do it.
- [Matt] It wouldn't help if you sent five people with me.
- Could be right, Matt, but it really doesn't matter.
You see, I don't care if you catch the horse,
just as long as you keep him on the move
so we don't have any more incidents like we had yesterday.
- Look, if I go chasing one horse, my bonus--
- I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.
I'm the man that decides who does what around here.
But just as a little extra incentive,
there'll be a $500 bonus if you do catch him.
- Hiken, if I catch him, I'm gonna keep him.
- If you catch him, he's yours.
(serene music)
(horses snorting)
- There he is.
See him, he just came out of the clearing.
- [Daryl] Oh yeah.
But we're sure not getting any closer.
- It's not gonna be easy.
He knows we're here, he's going higher.
- Yeah, I would too if I was him
and had a couple tough cowboys like us after me.
(chatting)
- Let's finish this up, boys.
Ducks will be here first thing in the morning.
(uplifting music)
(bird screeching)
- [Dean] Son of a gun.
He's playing with us.
- [Matt] So you see how worried he was
about a couple of tough cowboys like us
following him, don't you?
- [Dean] What are we gonna do?
- [Matt] I think our best bet
is if we circle around below him
and drive him back up to us.
- Okay.
I'm leaving you without a chaperone.
You're on your own now.
Check you later, hoss.
- Wait a minute, let me help you with that.
- [Daryl] No, it's okay.
- Man's work, what are you doing this for?
- Oh.
Got it?
- I got it.
- Sure you got it?
- I'm sure I got it.
- (chuckles) Yeah, you got it.
- I got it.
I got it.
(energetic music)
- Where's Skeeter, he's late!
- He'll be here.
(whirring)
- Get a line!
Let's go get some horses!
- [Matt] This is truly God's country up here, isn't it?
- [Daryl] Sure is.
- [Matt] I see why that stallion hates to leave.
(energetic music)
(horses whinnying)
(gun firing)
- Are you shooting at those horses?
- No, but I'm sure as heck scaring them!
- Dean says the cowboys are having a lot of fun
at our expense.
Calling us the old man and his daughter.
- Oh Matt.
Don't let them get to you.
Come on, you know how cowboys are.
If they're not part of it, they're against it.
Half those guys are still living somewhere in the 1880s.
Bunch of little boys in men's bodies.
- Wouldn't let them hear you call them little boys.
They work pretty hard.
They're just having fun.
- You know, sometimes you remind me so much of my dad.
- Now you're gonna start on me, too.
Do me a favor, pick on them, leave me alone.
- That's not what I meant.
It's just that he's always taking up for the cowboy, too.
- What do you suppose your dad would think about us?
- He wouldn't think anything.
This has nothing to do with him.
This is between you and me.
(energetic music)
(whooping)
- [Man] Bring them on in, boys!
Bring them on in!
Good work, boys!
Same time tomorrow!
- How was it?
- Penned in!
That's what I like to see, results!
- There's a lot more of them up there.
- We're gonna get her tomorrow.
- [Dick] All right.
(thunder cracking)
- The rain's really beautiful sometimes, isn't it?
- Yeah, especially when you need it.
- Yeah. - Can't tell you
how many times we've had to pray for it back home.
- Matt, can I ask you a question?
The other night you said we've been in Texas 10 years,
and now it's we've prayed for rain.
What exactly constitutes we?
- Well, in my case, five.
- You have three kids?
- No, I had four wives.
(laughs)
- Given the choice, I'd prefer the three kids.
- I have a 12 year old daughter who's absolutely heartbroken
that she's not 18 and dating Bruce Springsteen.
And then there's Matt, who ropes every girl at school,
cause he heard his dad did that.
I have a five year old bank robber
who goes nowhere without both his guns.
- Sounds like the perfect family.
- Yeah, it's perfect.
Unless you happen to be the wife who gets a phone call
from her husband that says he's on the road
to a wild horse roundup.
- The almost perfect family, then.
- You know, Daryl, the two most important things in my life
have always been desire and ability.
And it's a pretty frightening thing
when you wake up one morning and realize they're both gone.
- Matt, what are you talking about?
You're a world champion.
- No, I'm an ex-world champion,
and there's a big difference.
And there's nothing more pathetic than an ex-anything.
- Yes there is.
That's an ex-champion who's feeling sorry for himself.
- I'm not really feeling sorry for myself.
But I am very, very confused right now.
And I'll tell you something, young lady.
Being here with you does not make matters any better.
(horse whinnying)
(thunder rumbling)
- Yeah, we're taking these cattle from El Paso
up to the rail head at Abilene.
Nah, it ain't the rain that gets you so much as the snow.
Last week we had snow up to a horse's belly.
Yeehaw!
(horse whinnies)
(tense music)
(bell clangs) (horse whinnies)
- Got him, I got him!
(shouting)
Daryl!
- Matt?
Matt?
Matt!
Matt!
- No, wait!
(shouts)
(groans)
- Matt!
Matt, where are you?
Matt!
Matt, where are you?
- Down here!
- Matt!
Matt, are you okay?
- I'm okay!
Back him up!
Daryl, back him up!
Hurry!
Back him up before he chokes out!
- [Daryl] Back up.
Back up, back.
(groaning)
Good boy, easy, easy.
Back up, back up.
Back, that's good.
Easy, easy.
Easy, easy.
Back.
- [Matt] Keep him going!
- Slow, slow down, boy.
Easy.
Good boy, that's right.
Oh man. - Help me.
- Are you okay?
Oh my god.
(flies buzzing)
(whinnying)
(somber music)
- Whoa.
Easy.
Easy, girl.
Easy.
Easy, little fella.
It's broken, girl.
(tense music)
(gun fires) (horse whinnies)
- I've raised many a colt on this evaporated milk.
I expect he'll do just fine.
- It's gonna take him a while to get used to it.
- Well, well, he goes out after the stallion
and comes back with an orphaned baby.
You're quite a hand, kid.
- Hey!
I had to kill his mother because of you.
- Whoa, kid, you're talking to the wrong guy.
- Wrong guy?
Whose is this, then?
- I don't see my name on them.
- I suppose it's just a coincidence that most of the horses
you bring here are bloodied or limping
or run half to death. - Kid, you don't know
half of what's going on around here.
- You didn't have to use tripwires.
- I was hired to bring in horses,
and I'm getting the job done.
Sorry it can't be like one of your cowboy movies.
- [Blue] Will you look at that?
No, look.
- [Man] Hey, it's Matt!
- [Dean] Man, I don't believe it.
He's got the stallion!
(uplifting music)
Didn't I tell you Matt would catch him?
(laughing)
- Lookie there, I don't believe it.
- Well, all the time.
- [Dean] Hey, let's go, Matt!
- Good work, son!
- [Dean] Bring him on in here, Matt.
Let's take a look at him.
- Come on.
Easy, easy!
- Look over here.
(whooping)
- [Dean] Good looking horse, Matt.
Where you headed?
- Taking him on down.
- Good work, boss! - Yeah!
- [Cowboy] I didn't think anybody could catch him.
- Hey, looks like he took quite a beating.
- Boy, did he ever.
I think you better come along.
- [Dean] Hey, Blue, make sure my colt gets brought down.
- Oh, he'll be there!
(whirring)
(engines revving)
- You wanted horses.
- How many have we got?
- There's 300 head here.
Another hundred at the main corrals,
and 100 are on at the fairgrounds.
- In addition to the adoptees?
- That's right. - Great.
I need 500 horses delivered by noon tomorrow,
that's my deal.
- And I need an extra $2,500 to deliver them.
That's my deal.
- We already agreed on a price.
- Oh, that was for a transplant program.
I know these horses aren't being transplanted,
they're being sold.
You make money, I make money.
Simple.
- You have them there by noon, you'll get your money.
(chatting)
(phone ringing)
(gentle ballad music)
- Hello? (dial tone blares)
- Might have to see you guys a little later, okay?
- Hey, hoss, what's going on?
- Everything's okay, I just wanna check on the stallion.
- Hey, check on my colt, will you?
- Sure.
- Look at this place.
Partner, we got all the makings of a great night.
- Well Dean, I don't wanna cramp your style.
I'm gonna go with Matt.
- Right.
- See you. - Later.
Excuse me, miss, you wouldn't by any chance
happen to be a nurse, would you?
- So what were you gonna do?
Just get in your truck and drive off into the sunset
and never deal with this?
- That's really unfair.
(gentle music)
- Have you been happy up here?
- Happier than I've been in a long time.
- Well then what is your hurry to leave?
Matt, this has been a wonderful two weeks.
- There's a big difference between 14 years and 14 days.
For the most part, my marriage has been pretty good.
- Well then what are you doing here with me?
No, you don't know how you feel about me,
you don't know how you feel about your wife.
You're ready to drive off to you don't even know where.
When was the last time you made a commitment?
- I don't know.
But I do know that for the most part,
my life has been filled with crossroads.
Recently I've made some pretty bad turns.
I've learned a lot about myself in the last two weeks
and my priorities.
God knows I've laughed more with you
than I've laughed in a long time.
- You know something, Matt?
I think you've been spending too much
of your life in the past.
You gotta move on with it.
Can't always be good times.
Remember that if you should decide to go home.
(chattering)
(whimsical music)
(whistling)
- Hey, what happened to you last night, I waited.
- I figured you'd be tied up for sure.
- As a matter of fact, I was.
Hey, what about my colt, you seen him?
- Well you just saw him loping,
he's gotta be here somewhere.
- I can't find him.
- If I see him I'll let you know.
- Come on, move them in there!
Move them!
Hell, I brought them down off the mountain
faster than you guys can load them into trucks!
- [Announcer] We got some beautiful animals.
Here we go, right off the bat, a beautiful big brown mare.
She'd make a fine saddle horse for somebody.
(chattering)
(horn honking)
(horses whinnying)
- I don't know where he is.
- Can't find him, either.
- I'm gonna go check out those trucks.
- Hey Ted, where are the horses that came in last night?
- None came in.
- Well I saw them load two trucks at 10 o'clock.
- No, the gates were locked at dark.
Nothing else came in.
I was here all night.
- Hey Bill.
- Yeah? - Ted said no horses
came in here after dark.
- But we saw them loaded last night.
- [Dean] Guy at the truck says those horses
are for some transplant program.
- What transplant program?
- Says Mr. Hiken told him that--
- Hiken?
Hell, son, you can't trust him.
- Well they're pulling out right now.
- Well I don't know about any transplant program,
but I do know one thing.
Not one single horse is supposed to leave these grounds
without two weeks quarantine.
- Let's go.
(suspenseful music)
- This should be good watching.
What do you think?
- Sounds like fun.
- Let's get my pickup.
- Let's take the alley, we'll catch them downtown.
- [Dean] Right.
- Hey, what are you doing?
- [Woman] What is that?
- Pull over!
- I said pull up!
- Hey, these are stolen horses, you better get down.
- I didn't know anything about that.
Could've just told me to stop.
- Yeah, wouldn't have been any fun.
- It's not your fight.
- Hey Matt.
Look at this.
- Hutgart Meat Packers?
- Is that Senator Hutgart?
- I'm afraid so.
(tense music)
Let's go, get them out!
(whistling)
(shouting)
Let's go, Dean, get them out!
Let's do it!
Let's get them moving, let's go!
- [Man] What's going on here?
Where'd these horses come from?
- Come on!
Yeehaw!
(laughing)
- How about that, Aiden?
- Look at those horses running by, look at that!
(whooping)
(whistling)
- [Woman] Don't that just beat all?
- Look at them go! (horn honking)
- What kind of a rodeo you boys got going here?
- One we didn't count on, that's for sure.
Seems like Hiken had plans for these horses
we knew nothing about.
- Look what's coming here.
- What the hell do you think you're doing?
- [Matt] Shutting down your operation.
(grunting)
(energetic music)
You crazy?
- Hey, where you going?
- I'm gonna have a little fun of my own.
- They ain't near as tough as we was, huh?
- No, they ain't.
(grunting)
- (chuckling) He gave something you'd like.
(whooping)
- Come on! - Come on!
- No, don't!
You did.
- Where's Hiken?
- I don't know.
- Maybe this'll help.
I'm gonna ask you one more time.
Where's Hiken?
- At the Sunny Day Motel.
- Where are the rest of the horses?
- The horses are in Hawk Meadow.
- Look, Harriet. - Oh, that's really a mess.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm okay.
Hiken's at the Sunny Day Motel,
and the horses are in Hawk Meadow.
- We'll take care of Hiken.
- If I can drive this semi, we'll get the horses, too.
- I'll pick up the stallion, I'll meet you out there.
- [Man] Hey, what in the world?
- The hell do you think you're doing?
Get outta here!
(horse whinnying) - Who are these people?
- My god, you didn't.
This is a government operation.
You've tampered with a government operation
and you're gonna pay for this.
- You're getting ready to find out
what a government operation is.
- What are you talking about?
- You and Senator Hutgart are diverting horses.
They're public property, and you're selling them
for your own personal gain.
- This is your fault, Ward,
I'm holding you personally responsible.
I told you to stay out of it.
This is my jurisdiction now.
You're retired!
- Well you are, you know?
- Yeah.
(shouting)
- I don't believe this! - Don't have to get hurt,
just settle down. - I wish I'd have done that.
- Is he all right?
- I hurt my finger.
(horses whinnying)
(shouting)
- I'm so glad we did that!
- Me too.
What are you gonna do now, Daryl?
Go to Paris?
- Maybe.
Wanna change your mind and come with me?
(chuckles)
- Somehow I can't imagine me in Paris with Tina Turner.
- What about it, Matt, what are you gonna do?
- I'm gonna do something I should've done a long time ago.
I'm gonna buy that ranch.
I'm gonna make a commitment.
- Good for you.
Hey, Dean!
- I got my colt.
And I got your stallion.
What do you say, partner?
Time to hit the road?
- Not yet.
- What's he doing?
- Think I know.
(horse grunting)
- Ho, boy, ho boy.
Ho, boy, come on.
Come on.
Come on, boy.
Ho, boy.
Ho, boy.
Okay, boy.
Go get it!
(uplifting music)
This is where he belongs.
Now we can go home.
- [Daryl] See you.
♪ Run on, wild horses, run on and be free ♪
♪ I'll take the best one to run under me ♪
♪ God sent me down here to look after you ♪
♪ He'll take me back there whenever I'm through ♪
♪ So run on
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
♪ I saw a stallion that ran like the wind ♪
♪ Finally caught him, but never again ♪
♪ He's got a spirit that needs to be free ♪
♪ So much about him's what I'd like to be ♪
♪ Run on
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
♪ Run on
This young cowboy's having quite a year for himself.
(gentle country music)
♪ Run on, wild horses, run on and be free ♪
♪ I'll take the best one to run under me ♪
♪ God sent me down here to look after you ♪
♪ He'll take me back there whenever I'm through ♪
♪ So run on
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
♪ I saw a stallion that ran like the wind ♪
♪ Finally caught him, but never again ♪
♪ He's got a spirit that needs to be free ♪
♪ So much about him that I'd like to be ♪
♪ Run on
(cowbell clanging)
(crowd cheering)
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
(horses whinnying)
(uplifting music)
- Matt?
Coming in to change, or you going straight to work?
- No, no, I'm coming, I'm coming.
- Well you better get a move on.
(uplifting music)
Katie, you better get to that table,
you're gonna miss the bus!
(news anchor chatting)
- Morning, kids. - Good morning.
- Morning, Superman. - Good morning.
Did Dean win?
- Well he broke his thumb,
but he still took a third in the bull riding.
- [Tommy] Jimmy, you wanna pull that forklift over here?
(buzzing)
- [Jimmy] All right, Tommy, bring it up, is it loaded?
- [Tommy] All ready to go, need another one.
- [Jimmy] All right.
Who's going out for coal this evening?
- [Tommy] Count me in!
- [Woman] Oh, great.
You got any more of this?
(singing in foreign language)
(gentle guitar music)
- The lunch bell rang two and a half minutes ago.
- Yeah, well we couldn't hear it out here.
- If you'd eat in the brand new,
air-conditioned company cafeteria, you'd hear the bell.
- Suppose it'd be asking too much to get you
to put the bell out here in the fresh air where we do eat.
- What is it about me that makes you so resent my authority?
- Authority, wedge?
Gee, I don't know.
(whirring)
- [Dean] Think about that deal
about those horses I told you about?
- Nope. - Mean, no?
Hey, there it is.
Wyoming, land of enchantment.
- Just for the record, the land of enchantment's New Mexico.
- Whatever.
What do you think?
I ain't got to twist your arm, am I?
- Thanks, Margaret. - You bet, Matt.
- What do you say?
- I say you're crazy.
I can't just pick up and leave.
I've got a family and I've got a job.
- Right, sacking sugar beet seeds.
Hey, you sure wouldn't wanna lose a job
like that, would you?
Look, it's only two weeks.
They pay 350 a week plus a bonus.
Last one of these things they had,
the bonus alone was 1,000 bucks.
- $1,000?
That's three house payments.
- And seven of your truck payments.
Think about it, be like the old days.
- I can't go.
- Come on.
- See you, Cathy. - See you, Matt.
- Where's your sense of adventure?
He's going.
- That was good, honey, thanks.
- Matthew got in trouble at school today.
- What kind of trouble?
- Well, he got sent to Mr. Gold's office
cause he wouldn't take his spurs off.
Wore them to school. (sighing)
Then he was out on the playground, roping all the girls.
- Matthew's a cowboy, and he's the son of a cowboy.
And I want him to feel good about himself.
Why is it the very things that I'm so proud of
in these kids they all keep trying to drum out him?
- They're good people, Matt,
they're just trying to do their job.
Can you imagine a room full of third graders all in spurs?
Just think.
- Okay, I'll talk to him.
- Look at that cloud.
Looks like a weasel.
You remember when we used to do that?
- Yeah, I do.
Hey, come here.
Tell me something.
What kind of an animal would you have been?
If you hadn't been a person.
(serene music)
- Something pretty.
(giggles)
I don't know, swan.
How about you?
- Probably a skunk.
- Good choice.
(chatting)
- [Tommy] Hey, somebody bring me about eight feet
of that double 42 wire.
(whistling)
- Take it off now!
- What's the problem, Wedge?
- You!
In fact, you're the only real problem I've got around here.
What is it with you and that silly hat?
You know, Cooper, your day has long since passed.
You're not any kind of champion around here.
This is the workaday world.
This is what people grow up and do.
And these are against the rules.
There are insurance regulations you don't even know about,
but you don't need to know about them.
All you need to know--
(grinding)
(groaning)
I don't believe you just did that.
You could've killed me!
Mister, you come back here, you hear me?
You come back here!
You're fired!
Do you understand?
You can apologize all you want to,
it ain't gonna do you any good!
You clean out your locker!
(whimsical music)
- Well, you just have to talk to him.
- He don't want me to talk to him,
he's gonna want me to apologize.
- Matt, you know Wedge,
he has been like this since high school.
If you really want your job, all you gotta do is call him.
- How did he ever get to be my boss?
I mean, explain, how does that work?
- I don't know how it works.
But Matt, we can't live like this anymore.
You haven't stayed in a job for over a year
since we've been married. - A year?
Anne, when we first got married,
we didn't stay in the same city for two days.
- But that was the rodeo circuit, Matt.
That was then, this is now.
And you knew that wasn't gonna last forever.
- Oh, here comes the nothing's gonna last forever speech.
Yeah, don't you and Wedge ever let me forget that, okay?
- That is really a cheap shot.
Don't you put me in with Wedge.
I'm on your side.
We'll just take the little bit of money that we've got
and we'll put it down on the Parker place.
- Anne, are you crazy?
Do you know how many ranches go under every year?
What makes you think we're gonna be the exception?
You know what we're gonna do?
We're gonna lose every nickel we own.
- I can't believe that I'm hearing this
from the world champion cowboy.
- Oh, you can't? - No I can't!
You're always talking about commitments.
We can do it, honey, we can do it.
Now I'm just hearing excuses.
Matt, did you ever stop to think
that maybe this isn't the life that I dreamed of?
- Well let's talk about your dreams for a while, okay?
I'd like to know, what do you dream about?
- It's none of your business,
and that's not what we're talking about.
- I'm not talking about anything anymore.
I'm out of here, okay?
(clanging)
Get this thing out of here, too, I'm sick of seeing it.
(mooing)
(clamoring)
- 6.4 seconds, nice run, Billy!
Yeah, it was,
it was tough hanging on that old bull at the bone broke,
but I guess I was just too determined to win.
- Gosh, that must have hurt.
- Well, you know what they say.
When it gets too tough for everybody else,
it's just right for me.
- Hey Dean, let's get out of here.
- Where we going?
- Wyoming. - What?
- I got fired.
- Well, it's about time.
What's Anne think?
- Don't worry about that.
You going or not?
- You sure about this?
- Damn straight.
- Okay, partner, we're gone.
(upbeat music)
- What do you say, hoss,
you wanna stop for a bite of breakfast?
- [Matt] I'm not very hungry.
Next phone you see, I gotta make a call.
- [Dean] Yeah, I understand.
(phone rings)
- Hello?
- Did I wake you up?
- It's almost nine o'clock.
Where are you, are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm okay, I'm in Guymon, Oklahoma.
Guess I got a little crazy last night,
and Dean and I came up with this harebrained idea.
Anyway, I'll be home about five or six, and
I think I'm gonna call Wedge and apologize.
- I don't want you to do that.
- Mom!
- [Matt] What are the kids doing?
- That's okay, hon, he can wear those.
Just wait outside for me, okay?
Almost ready.
They're getting ready for church.
Cody's going armed.
Matt, I know about the roundup,
and I thought about it last night, and I want you to go,
cause I think that you need to go for both our sakes.
- Just gonna get it out of my system, huh?
- Well you can call it what you want,
but you got to do something, and maybe this is it.
You need some time and I need some time,
so you just go and we'll see what happens.
- Yeah, it really hurt when the bone broke,
but I just held on anyway.
Just take the pain.
I won first place, though.
- Really?
- Yeah, I'll probably go to the national finals.
Used to be held in Oklahoma City.
Well, I guess it doesn't really matter where they were held.
See you later.
- Look, I love you, okay?
I really do.
(gentle music)
See you.
- [Man] Come on, y'all, we going dancing tonight.
Party's over here, boys. (whooping)
(chatting) (horns honking)
- (whoops) Look at all these people.
- [Matt] Yeah, it looks like wild horse roundups
are popular around here.
- I wonder how many hands they gonna need.
- Just pull up over here and we'll get a bite to eat
and see what's going on.
(clamoring) (horns honking)
You coming in?
- I'll be in in a minute, you go on.
- Matt Cooper!
I bet I haven't seen you in 15 years.
I think the last time was Presky, fourth of July.
(grunting)
- Where do we sign up?
- There's a fella right in there taking names.
- Thanks a lot. - Good to see you again.
Wild horses and wild women!
Hello. - Hello.
(energetic country music)
- Who do you see about this roundup?
- See the guy with the clipboard, name's Dick Post.
- All right, thanks.
- Excuse me, ma'am, I'm new this town.
I'm wondering, is this a good place to eat?
- Like steak? - Oh you bet,
I love steak.
- How you doing?
Leland, see my dad?
- [Leland] Hi, hon, yeah, he's in the back.
- What happened to your cast?
- It's okay for chasing girls back home,
but look at these guys, it's the real thing.
- I found out who we need to talk to now.
You Dick Post?
- Yeah.
Where you from? - Texas.
- You look kind of familiar.
- Matt Cooper.
- Dean Ellis.
- [Matt] You with the Bureau of Land Management?
- No.
But us boys got together,
and we decided it'd be first come first serve.
You fellas are a little late,
but I'll be happy to put you down.
You'd be 56th and 57th.
- And how many are you gonna use?
- 20.
Like I said, y'all are a little late.
- Yeah, well we got kind of tied up.
Big backgammon tournament over there in Monte Carlo Grand.
- Well you're on the list.
Both of you.
- Tell you what, don't even put us on your list, okay?
Your system doesn't sound too appealing to us.
- Yeah, if there's one thing Matt and me hate, it's systems.
Nice guy.
Hey, you see that girl I came in with?
She's my type.
- Dean, I've yet to see a girl that wasn't your type.
- Bill, will you kindly explain to my father
that it's tough enough to sell fine art in Wyoming
without his interference.
- Will you tell my daughter that people raise cattle
and run ranches in Wyoming?
They don't run these high falutin art galleries.
- Maybe I should move.
What you should do is come back to the place
and work with me the way your mother did.
My grandmother used to get up--
- Okay, whoa, Chuck, enough.
It's a new day, I'm not my mother.
And I'm certainly not your grandmother.
Now we just-- - So it looks like
we're gonna have a real good crowd for a roundup.
- Yes, sir, and I'm sure glad I got my application in early.
(chatting)
- All right, boys, don't push.
We're gonna do this orderly.
Everybody will get a chance.
- We made up a list.
- Fine.
Those men and women on this list will be interviewed first,
in order, and then everybody else.
Hi, Edward.
How you doing?
(chattering)
(serene music)
(phone ringing)
Hi there. - How are you?
- You're Matt Cooper, aren't you?
- Yes, sir. - Sit down.
I'm a big rodeo fan.
Up in Laramie the day you broke your leg.
- You may have to narrow that down a bit,
I've broken a lot of legs.
(chuckling)
- Alright, let's get down to business here, first question.
You do ride the horse, don't you?
- If it's a real emergency.
- Nice visiting with you, Matt.
- Thanks, Bill.
- Guess I better press on to the next man.
Hi, Daryl. - Hi, Bill.
- This is Matt Cooper, the one and only.
- Hi Matt, I'm Daryl Reese.
I'm a big rodeo fan.
I used to watch you all the time when I was a kid.
- Thanks, I think.
- [Bill] Daryl here, she's a pretty good hand, too.
- Oh really?
Thanks, Bill. - You bet.
- Daryl. - Nice to meet you, Matt.
- Pretty good old boy, isn't he?
- Yeah, he seems nice.
Hey, I wanna talk to you.
- What can I do for you?
(phone ringing)
- I don't want you to say anything till I'm finished, okay?
I wanna go, and I wanna apply just like everybody else.
I'm not asking for preferential treatment.
But I can ride as good as anybody,
you just said so yourself.
I wanted to go from the very beginning,
but I just didn't have the gumption to ask.
I don't know, Bill, this might be my last chance.
(chuckles) What?
- Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.
- Does it?
- No preferential treatment, huh?
- Well, maybe a little.
(laughs)
Thanks.
(smooth jazz music)
- Looks like luck's still holding out.
- So far, it's going, yeah.
- Whatever suits you.
(chattering)
- You're Daryl Reese, aren't you?
- Yes I am.
- Well you made it. - I did?
Thank you very much.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you very much.
- I wish I was going with you.
- I wish you were, too.
- Hi, Maryanne, don't forget to vote.
- [Maryanne] I will.
(upbeat country music)
- What do you think, buddy?
- I think you're snuckered.
- It's my favorite shot.
- Good luck.
- Eight ball in the corner pocket.
- He'll never make that shot.
(cheering)
- Do it again.
- No deal, Ed.
I've taken enough of your money,
I don't like to leave a man broke.
- Come on, man, I wanna see that same shot one more time,
double or nothing.
- Never make the same shot twice in one day.
Someone might figure out how to do it.
(crowd cheering)
(serene country music)
- That guy's pretty hot, maybe you should've just gone on
and taken his money.
- Kid, I've never made that shot before in my life.
- What?
But you said that was your favorite shot!
- It is my favorite shot, I still never made it before
in my life.
- That's great, I love it.
- So what's the news, have they posted the names yet?
- Yeah, they picked you.
I'm one man out, I'm the first alternate.
Damn, I was just probably too goofy
with that guy that interviewed me.
Some people just can't take a joke.
- Forget it.
Who needs those three miserable ass pellets anyway?
Get us a bottle, pick up some stories
about how much fun we had here.
We'll head on home in the morning.
Bartender, see that bottle of whiskey right there?
Put that sucker right here.
(tense music)
(energetic country music)
We having enough fun for you? (shouts)
(grunting)
- [Dean] Matt, look out!
(yelping)
(cheering)
- You okay? - I think so.
- You think he's okay?
- Sure, he's all right.
You're Tug Todmiller, aren't you?
- Yes sir, I think I broke my shoulder.
- You Dean Ellis?
- Yes sir, I am.
- Looks like your lucky day, son.
He was on the list, now you are.
(whoops)
- Congratulations, glad you're coming with us.
- So are we.
Hey, thanks a lot, cowboy. (groans)
- Now this year's roundup
is gonna be run differently than most,
and the reason for that is my friend Chuck Reese here.
Chuck knows more about running wild horses than most people,
so he's asked me to get an approval from Washington
to have an old-fashioned Mustang roundup.
There's an estimated 2,000 head of horses.
He thinks we should only take 25% of them.
So our goal is 500 horses.
Since he's the architect,
I'm gonna make him give you the ground rules.
Chuck?
- Thank you, Bill.
As you know, the wild horse is about the last living part
of the Old West.
We're gonna run this operation in a way
that will honor that heritage.
These horses are gonna be adopted by children
and families from all over the country.
And I sure wish you'd handle them with care.
We're gonna be working on public land.
We're gonna treat it all like it's wilderness area.
There'll be no motorized vehicles
or machinery of any kind up there.
We'll pull a chuck wagon in to feed you
and pack your gear into the base camp,
and fresh horses are gonna be provided by the county
when you need them, and I'm sure you're gonna.
My grandmother used to take me out when I was a kid
and show me these Mustangs,
and there's nothing I'd like better
than to be able to show them to my grandkids.
You got a tough job,
but any horses we leave on the mountain,
just make sure you leave them in good shape.
Keep my grandkids in mind, will you?
That's about it.
- All right, are there any questions?
(horse whinnying)
(uplifting music)
(dog barking)
- [Man] Jack, give me three harnesses, will you?
(chatting)
- Let's go.
- Dean, look at that old timer.
You're not gonna see that very often.
- Pulling a chuck wagon, man, this is keen.
- All right, men, let's head them up the hill!
- Yahoo!
(whooping)
- Bill Ward?
- Yes sir, that's me.
- Bob Hiken, how's it going, Bill?
You must be Chuck Reese.
- That's right. - Pleasure.
Well, it certainly is beautiful up here.
- Yeah, it is.
What can I do for you?
- Well, sir, you can grab your fishing rod
and head for your favorite spot.
I'm your replacement, Bill.
Washington thought it would be a good idea
if I start a little early, took over the roundup.
- Well that just doesn't make sense, I've been--
- Hey, it's Washington, Bill,
we both know it ain't gonna make sense.
Look, they're doing it for me, I know that.
I got some pretty big shoes to fill,
not that I even think it's possible.
I tried talking them out of it, but hey,
take a look at this, Bill.
Your first retirement check.
Not bad, huh?
- I don't know.
- Look, I know it's a dumb move,
but I'm afraid it's out of our hands, Bill.
I would appreciate a few introductions, though,
before you take off.
- All right.
I do want the transition to go smooth.
I care a lot about what we've been trying to do up here.
- I know exactly what you mean, Bill.
Thanks, I really mean that.
Chuck.
I gotta head back into town.
I'll be up at the base camp later tonight, okay?
See you.
- Something about this just don't seem right, does it?
- Not one bit.
I'm gonna make a couple of calls to Washington,
see what the hell's going on.
- [Man] Here he comes!
- [Dean] Open now, keep his mouth open.
(shouting)
(uplifting music)
(whooping)
(shouting)
(horse whinnying)
- What do you wanna do with her?
- Take her down.
- What about her colt?
- [Dick] Leave him, he ain't worth nothing.
(shouting)
(screams)
(chuckles)
- I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
(giggling)
This your idea of a mud pack?
- You know, they say this stuff is good for your complexion,
but they're gonna have to sell me on it.
- How about a ride?
- You're a brave man, Matt Cooper.
- You can ride if you don't touch me.
What about your saddle?
- You wanna get it?
- [Matt] You can just bury that sucker at sea.
(serene western music)
- Did you see that?
- Pretty exciting stuff for a cowgirl.
- [Chuck] What'd you find out?
- Oh, hell, my friend's got an agricultural seminar
going in India.
Been gone for two months.
Ain't nobody seems to know how this Hiken deal came about.
But it is official.
- Well, you're just gonna have to live with it.
(horse whinnying)
- Whoa.
Look at him.
(uplifting music)
- He's the man, all right.
He's letting us know we're on his mountain.
(whinnying)
- So what do you think of Doc's Raven?
- Who?
- Well that's not his registered name.
- Registered name?
- Yeah, he's one of the best bred horses
from around these parts.
- [Matt] What's he doing on the mountain?
- Old Doc Thurme raised him as a colt.
In fact, had him entered at the faturity at Rio Doso.
But about a year before the race, Doc got sick.
That old man loved these wild horses as much as my dad does.
So just before he died, he turned him loose,
figuring that he'd improve the herd.
- Was sure right about that.
(whinnying)
- [Dean] Well this sure beats sacking sugar beet seeds,
don't it, Matt?
- That what you do? - Not anymore.
(upbeat country music)
♪ As the riders loped on past him ♪
♪ He heard one call his name
♪ If you wanna save your soul from hell ♪
♪ Riding on a range
♪ Then cowboy, change your ways today ♪
♪ Or with us you will ride
♪ Trying to catch that devil's herd ♪
♪ Across these endless skies
♪ Yippee yi ay
♪ Yippee yi yo
♪ Ghost riders in the sky
♪ Ghost riders in the sky
(chattering)
- That was real good, R.W.
- Isn't this great?
Here we are, cowboys, singing around a campfire,
eating beans.
(chuckling) Beans!
- What's wrong with beans?
You got something against beans?
- No, I love them, they're perfect.
- I've always liked beans.
About as much as anything.
- You did it now.
- Hey Matt, why don't you do a song now?
- Spell me, Matt.
- Come on. - Sing us one!
- Yours is about the Old West,
and this is more about a modern cowboy.
(gentle guitar)
♪ The band just kept playing, couples kept swaying ♪
♪ Smoke made it so hard to see
♪ Cowboy was drinking, she just kept thinking ♪
♪ God, he looks so good to me
♪ So she walked on over, put her hand on his shoulder ♪
♪ Said cowboy, where have you been ♪
♪ Off to Montana, back to Wyoming ♪
♪ And it looks like I'm riding again ♪
♪ And the band played on
♪ Cause cowboys will always be eight second heroes ♪
♪ Risking their life for the bell ♪
♪ Drinking rye whiskey, chasing fast women ♪
♪ God knows they're all bound for hell ♪
(chuckling)
♪ So the cowboy said, darling, why don't you tell me ♪
♪ What could be in this for you ♪
♪ And surely you're not even thinking about marriage ♪
♪ When I've got more riding to do ♪
♪ She said, hold on now, slick
♪ Maybe I should warn you
♪ You're not the first cowboy I've known ♪
♪ And now that I'm looking at your broken body ♪
♪ Maybe I'll just go home alone ♪
♪ And the band played on
♪ Cause cowboys will always be eight second heroes ♪
♪ Risking their life for the bell ♪
♪ Drinking rye whiskey, chasing fast women ♪
♪ God knows we're all bound for hell ♪
♪ And the band played on
♪ And the band played
(chattering)
- Who is this? - I don't know.
- [Blue] Hey stranger, no vehicles allowed up here.
- I'm Bob Hiken.
- So what?
- Bill Ward.
- Right here.
Folks, there's been a change in management.
It seems that somebody in Washington has decided
that I should step down a little early
and make room for my replacement here.
This is him, Bob, what'd you say your name was?
- Hiken.
- Hiken.
You'll be taking orders from him from now on.
So I'll be seeing you.
Guess it's your show now.
- Thanks, Bill.
Chuck.
That's a fine man there.
He's done a lot of really good things up here.
I just hope I can begin to measure up.
Now if you folks will give me a chance,
I think you'll find I'm a pretty good guy to work with.
I just want y'all to know, anybody's got any questions,
suggestions, anything at all,
just speak right up, let me know.
- [Man] Take care of yourself, Bill.
- Ain't right. - Hang in there.
- Well, you've all put in a hard day's work,
so I guess that's it.
I'll see y'all in the morning.
Thanks, I really mean that.
Oh yeah, Dick Post?
- [Dick] Yeah.
- Could I talk to you for a minute over here?
Gentlemen, ladies.
(chattering) (coyote howling)
I've been checking up on you, Post.
- That right? - That's right.
I think you and I might be able to do a little business.
- What kind?
- Washington wants more horses.
- Ward isn't gonna like that.
- This isn't Ward's operation anymore, it's mine.
Yeah, Bill's a nice old guy,
nobody wants to hurt his feelings,
so that's why we're gonna handle this kinda quietly.
- How many horses?
- 500 extra.
Not for adoption, for a transplant program.
There'll be $2,000 in it for you.
Extra kick come bonus time for each of your men.
Can you handle it, quietly?
- Sure.
Quiet as a mouse.
- Okay.
- Matt?
Oh, I didn't mean to scare you.
Are you okay?
- I'm fine, I just came out to check on these horses.
Just feels like something's blowing in.
- Yeah, it does.
You know, you're a pretty good singer.
For a bull rider.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
- You're a very good roper for an art dealer, too.
- (chuckles) Why thank you.
- You know, I just can't quit thinking
about that stallion we saw this afternoon.
He was really something.
- Yeah.
Lot of good cowboys have been trying
to catch him over the years.
But he's still here.
- Been around here all your life?
- Yep, born and raised.
Except when I went away to college.
Bet you've traveled a lot.
- Yeah.
Too much, probably.
- So what, you're settled down in Texas now?
- Yeah, we've been there about 10 years.
(coyote howling)
Maybe we should head on back.
- Okay.
(whooping)
(inspiring music)
(whistling)
(whooping)
- This is great!
You guys are terrific!
There must be, I don't know, what, 100 horses in here?
That's great, congratulations!
(uplifting music)
♪ Now he was a good cowboy
♪ He could rope, you bet
♪ Said the horse he couldn't catch ♪
♪ He had not heard of yet
♪ But the boys all told him of an old black horse ♪
♪ Sort of an old outlaw
♪ Down around the chaparral, bottom of the draw ♪
- You gotta be pretty tough to bathe in this water
so early in the morning.
- (chuckles) Shoot, ma'am, I'm a cowboy!
I signed on to be tough.
(uplifting music)
(whinnying)
- Well big fella, you may well be more than I bargained for.
But I'll tell you one thing, I'll be back.
Ah, Daryl, it was great!
I just wish you could've been there, though.
That stallion has a heart the size of a washtub.
And I almost had him.
Just being out there with him, though,
reminded me so much.
- You really miss the old days, don't you?
- The old days on the circuit?
You mean being bucked off in the dirt
with broken bones and teeth knocked out?
Going to the hospital, losing blood, operations?
Yeah, I miss those good old days.
- Oh, I know, the tortured life of a rodeo rider.
You loved it.
I'll bet you remember every bull.
- Oh, I don't remember every one.
But there's one in particular I do remember.
It was 1967, Oklahoma City.
National finals.
Did your dad ever tell you about a bull called Tornado?
- Sounds famliar.
- He was a twister, seven years, nobody could ride him.
Bucked off over 200 men in a row.
Average time maybe three seconds.
I mean, it was out the chute and in the dirt.
He could sunfish like a horse.
- Sunfish?
- When he bucked, he'd throw that old belly up to the sky.
Most unpredictable animal I've ever seen.
He actually scared me just to be around him.
Yep, that was a piece of rodeo history that night.
The longest eight seconds I've ever seen.
- And it took the great Matt Cooper to ride him.
- Oh, hell no, girl.
Took the great Freckles Brown to do it.
He was 46 years old.
I just sat there watching, with 10,000 people screaming.
I mean, it was keen.
(chuckling)
- Matt Cooper, you sure are cute when you're excited.
- Cute?
(uplifting music)
- [Bob] Post, what's the count?
- 48 head for the day.
- What?
That's down from yesterday,
and yesterday was down from the day before.
That's no good.
What's the problem?
- We're having to go higher for each horse.
Stallion's moving them up the mountain.
- Maybe I picked the wrong man.
- I'll take care of it.
You'll meet your quota.
- Good.
- Good.
(tapping)
That outta do the trick.
Let's get out of here.
(horses grunting)
- That's fresh blood, Matt.
- Yeah, I've seen several like that.
- Gentlemen and ladies, could I have your attention please?
I'd just like to say thanks to all of you
for a good week's work.
To show my appreciation, I'd like to invite you all
to a little party I'm throwing tonight down at the lodge.
Now there'll be free food and drinks.
(whooping)
And I've also invited several
of the local ladies to join us.
(whooping)
Now I know we haven't met our quota yet,
but I have every confidence that...
(horses whinnying)
(triumphant music)
- Matt, look at this.
(shouting)
- [Matt] It's Chuck and Bill.
- Brought you some more ponies.
- Yeah, I can see that, Bill, and I appreciate the gesture,
but I gotta tell you that your hanging around here
tends to undermine my authority.
- That's too bad about you and your authority.
- I don't wanna have to call Washington--
- Look, I've got a lifetime invested
in this country and these horses.
Ain't no one piece of paper gonna change that.
- Don't misunderstand me, Bill,
I'm just trying to do the best job possible.
I sure hope you'll be coming to the party tonight.
- [Bill] I'll be there.
(energetic music)
♪ One, two, one, here comes the Santa Fe ♪
♪ She's thundering loud, throwing holly inbound ♪
♪ At the break of day
- It really hurt when I felt the bone break,
but I just held on anyway.
- Gosh, I don't see how you could stand it.
- Pure determination, that's what it takes.
Shoot, if I hadn't won that event,
Matt and me couldn't afford to come up here.
- Come on, Dean, your partner says he's wore out,
so you're elected.
- You're on.
Excuse me, ma'am.
- [Daryl] Hey, caught me a live one.
- Thank you, Matt.
- Did you see how many of those horses
are coming in here with wire cuts?
- Saw several.
You know what they're doing, don't you?
- If you ask me, someone's setting tripwires
to injure those lead mares.
- You bet they are.
Makes it easy to bring the rest of them down.
- Problem is, no one's seeing who's doing it.
- Hey darling, are you gonna eat all that,
or do you wanna dance?
- Well if you're doing the asking, think I wanna dance.
(yodeling)
(cheering)
- Okay, Dad, you're next.
And then you again.
- Oh really? - Mm-hm.
(upbeat country music)
- She's nice, isn't she?
- Yeah, she's real nice.
♪ Blue, blue bonnet lady
♪ Why are you so sad and all alone ♪
- Real nice, huh?
(horses whinnying)
♪ I knew only blue
♪ Blue, blue bonnet
(banging) (screaming)
(yelping)
- You know who started that, don't you?
- My dad, probably.
He's an unusual guy, isn't he? (chuckles)
- Says the same thing about you.
In fact, he says you've got him a little buffalo joint.
- [Daryl] Well that's what happens when a man wants a son
and gets a daughter.
- Oh come on, I can't imagine him
really being disappointed with you.
- No, he isn't disappointed with me.
He loves me, I know that.
But we've had some pretty good fights, though.
(gentle music)
You know, he didn't like the idea at first
when I got married, but he hated it when I got divorced.
- Oh really, why is that?
- Oh, he and my mom worked real hard most of their lives
putting that ranch together.
He wanted nothing more in the world
than to see that handed down to us.
I guess I could run it myself if I wanted to,
but I just don't want to.
- Well.
What do you wanna do?
- I wanna go to Paris. (chuckles)
I just, I don't know, I just wanna be crazy.
I wanna be Tina Turner.
- I don't suppose you'd mind telling me
what on Earth Tina Turner's gonna do in this roundup.
(laughs)
- It's my chance to,
to be the son my father always wanted.
I guess I'm really doing this for him.
- That's nice.
- [Daryl] It's been a long time
since I stayed out all night long on a date.
- [Matt] You know how long it's been since I've had a date.
- Morning, Matt.
- Morning, sunshine.
- I looked for you after the party.
- I was there on the front porch with Daryl.
- I mean after the party, two hours after.
You and Daryl are becoming quite an item.
- You know, Dean, I don't need this from you.
- No, really, the guys think it's cute,
you going out with your daughter.
- My daughter?
- Come on, Matt, just between you and me,
don't you think she's a little young for you?
- I think she's a lot young, and I'm a lot married.
Besides, nothing happened.
Not yet.
- Not yet.
Hey partner, that's why they call it the wild west.
(uplifting music)
(horses whinnying)
(suspenseful music)
(shouting)
- Hold on, Post!
- Forget it, Cooper!
He's mine!
Come on, come on!
I'll catch you, you big lick!
- Get back, Post!
You're making it worse!
Dean!
You better come on, looks like we're gonna need some help.
- Post, get that horse out of here!
You men, come help him!
(clamoring)
- Come on, hurry!
The fence is down!
(horse whinnying)
- [Bob] Move back!
- Be careful!
- They're getting away!
Stop them!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
Easy!
Come on, boy, ho!
Ho!
(gun fires)
Post, don't!
- Get out of here, Cooper.
You've done enough.
- Post.
Let it alone.
(chatting)
- [Matt] You okay?
- Yeah.
Thought cowboys and Indians out here.
- It's like cowboys and fools out here.
- Yes, yes, that's right, Senator Hutgart,
we lost about 100 head.
We'll get them back, though, don't worry.
Okay, I'll talk to you on Friday.
Bye.
You gotta make up for that fiasco yesterday.
- Yeah.
Let me go kill that stallion.
- Forget about him.
I want those horses back, and I want a whole lot more,
and I want them a lot faster than we're getting them.
Can you do it?
(horses whinnying)
- Yeah, but it'll cost.
- Fine.
Now there is some old corrals down on Hawk Meadow.
I want you to use those.
Too many people snooping around.
I want those horses kept away from here.
- What about Matt Cooper?
And that Reese girl and the kid?
What's gonna keep them out of Hawk Meadow?
- Let me worry about them.
You just worry about getting me the horses I need,
and I don't care how you do it.
- [Matt] It wouldn't help if you sent five people with me.
- Could be right, Matt, but it really doesn't matter.
You see, I don't care if you catch the horse,
just as long as you keep him on the move
so we don't have any more incidents like we had yesterday.
- Look, if I go chasing one horse, my bonus--
- I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.
I'm the man that decides who does what around here.
But just as a little extra incentive,
there'll be a $500 bonus if you do catch him.
- Hiken, if I catch him, I'm gonna keep him.
- If you catch him, he's yours.
(serene music)
(horses snorting)
- There he is.
See him, he just came out of the clearing.
- [Daryl] Oh yeah.
But we're sure not getting any closer.
- It's not gonna be easy.
He knows we're here, he's going higher.
- Yeah, I would too if I was him
and had a couple tough cowboys like us after me.
(chatting)
- Let's finish this up, boys.
Ducks will be here first thing in the morning.
(uplifting music)
(bird screeching)
- [Dean] Son of a gun.
He's playing with us.
- [Matt] So you see how worried he was
about a couple of tough cowboys like us
following him, don't you?
- [Dean] What are we gonna do?
- [Matt] I think our best bet
is if we circle around below him
and drive him back up to us.
- Okay.
I'm leaving you without a chaperone.
You're on your own now.
Check you later, hoss.
- Wait a minute, let me help you with that.
- [Daryl] No, it's okay.
- Man's work, what are you doing this for?
- Oh.
Got it?
- I got it.
- Sure you got it?
- I'm sure I got it.
- (chuckles) Yeah, you got it.
- I got it.
I got it.
(energetic music)
- Where's Skeeter, he's late!
- He'll be here.
(whirring)
- Get a line!
Let's go get some horses!
- [Matt] This is truly God's country up here, isn't it?
- [Daryl] Sure is.
- [Matt] I see why that stallion hates to leave.
(energetic music)
(horses whinnying)
(gun firing)
- Are you shooting at those horses?
- No, but I'm sure as heck scaring them!
- Dean says the cowboys are having a lot of fun
at our expense.
Calling us the old man and his daughter.
- Oh Matt.
Don't let them get to you.
Come on, you know how cowboys are.
If they're not part of it, they're against it.
Half those guys are still living somewhere in the 1880s.
Bunch of little boys in men's bodies.
- Wouldn't let them hear you call them little boys.
They work pretty hard.
They're just having fun.
- You know, sometimes you remind me so much of my dad.
- Now you're gonna start on me, too.
Do me a favor, pick on them, leave me alone.
- That's not what I meant.
It's just that he's always taking up for the cowboy, too.
- What do you suppose your dad would think about us?
- He wouldn't think anything.
This has nothing to do with him.
This is between you and me.
(energetic music)
(whooping)
- [Man] Bring them on in, boys!
Bring them on in!
Good work, boys!
Same time tomorrow!
- How was it?
- Penned in!
That's what I like to see, results!
- There's a lot more of them up there.
- We're gonna get her tomorrow.
- [Dick] All right.
(thunder cracking)
- The rain's really beautiful sometimes, isn't it?
- Yeah, especially when you need it.
- Yeah. - Can't tell you
how many times we've had to pray for it back home.
- Matt, can I ask you a question?
The other night you said we've been in Texas 10 years,
and now it's we've prayed for rain.
What exactly constitutes we?
- Well, in my case, five.
- You have three kids?
- No, I had four wives.
(laughs)
- Given the choice, I'd prefer the three kids.
- I have a 12 year old daughter who's absolutely heartbroken
that she's not 18 and dating Bruce Springsteen.
And then there's Matt, who ropes every girl at school,
cause he heard his dad did that.
I have a five year old bank robber
who goes nowhere without both his guns.
- Sounds like the perfect family.
- Yeah, it's perfect.
Unless you happen to be the wife who gets a phone call
from her husband that says he's on the road
to a wild horse roundup.
- The almost perfect family, then.
- You know, Daryl, the two most important things in my life
have always been desire and ability.
And it's a pretty frightening thing
when you wake up one morning and realize they're both gone.
- Matt, what are you talking about?
You're a world champion.
- No, I'm an ex-world champion,
and there's a big difference.
And there's nothing more pathetic than an ex-anything.
- Yes there is.
That's an ex-champion who's feeling sorry for himself.
- I'm not really feeling sorry for myself.
But I am very, very confused right now.
And I'll tell you something, young lady.
Being here with you does not make matters any better.
(horse whinnying)
(thunder rumbling)
- Yeah, we're taking these cattle from El Paso
up to the rail head at Abilene.
Nah, it ain't the rain that gets you so much as the snow.
Last week we had snow up to a horse's belly.
Yeehaw!
(horse whinnies)
(tense music)
(bell clangs) (horse whinnies)
- Got him, I got him!
(shouting)
Daryl!
- Matt?
Matt?
Matt!
Matt!
- No, wait!
(shouts)
(groans)
- Matt!
Matt, where are you?
Matt!
Matt, where are you?
- Down here!
- Matt!
Matt, are you okay?
- I'm okay!
Back him up!
Daryl, back him up!
Hurry!
Back him up before he chokes out!
- [Daryl] Back up.
Back up, back.
(groaning)
Good boy, easy, easy.
Back up, back up.
Back, that's good.
Easy, easy.
Easy, easy.
Back.
- [Matt] Keep him going!
- Slow, slow down, boy.
Easy.
Good boy, that's right.
Oh man. - Help me.
- Are you okay?
Oh my god.
(flies buzzing)
(whinnying)
(somber music)
- Whoa.
Easy.
Easy, girl.
Easy.
Easy, little fella.
It's broken, girl.
(tense music)
(gun fires) (horse whinnies)
- I've raised many a colt on this evaporated milk.
I expect he'll do just fine.
- It's gonna take him a while to get used to it.
- Well, well, he goes out after the stallion
and comes back with an orphaned baby.
You're quite a hand, kid.
- Hey!
I had to kill his mother because of you.
- Whoa, kid, you're talking to the wrong guy.
- Wrong guy?
Whose is this, then?
- I don't see my name on them.
- I suppose it's just a coincidence that most of the horses
you bring here are bloodied or limping
or run half to death. - Kid, you don't know
half of what's going on around here.
- You didn't have to use tripwires.
- I was hired to bring in horses,
and I'm getting the job done.
Sorry it can't be like one of your cowboy movies.
- [Blue] Will you look at that?
No, look.
- [Man] Hey, it's Matt!
- [Dean] Man, I don't believe it.
He's got the stallion!
(uplifting music)
Didn't I tell you Matt would catch him?
(laughing)
- Lookie there, I don't believe it.
- Well, all the time.
- [Dean] Hey, let's go, Matt!
- Good work, son!
- [Dean] Bring him on in here, Matt.
Let's take a look at him.
- Come on.
Easy, easy!
- Look over here.
(whooping)
- [Dean] Good looking horse, Matt.
Where you headed?
- Taking him on down.
- Good work, boss! - Yeah!
- [Cowboy] I didn't think anybody could catch him.
- Hey, looks like he took quite a beating.
- Boy, did he ever.
I think you better come along.
- [Dean] Hey, Blue, make sure my colt gets brought down.
- Oh, he'll be there!
(whirring)
(engines revving)
- You wanted horses.
- How many have we got?
- There's 300 head here.
Another hundred at the main corrals,
and 100 are on at the fairgrounds.
- In addition to the adoptees?
- That's right. - Great.
I need 500 horses delivered by noon tomorrow,
that's my deal.
- And I need an extra $2,500 to deliver them.
That's my deal.
- We already agreed on a price.
- Oh, that was for a transplant program.
I know these horses aren't being transplanted,
they're being sold.
You make money, I make money.
Simple.
- You have them there by noon, you'll get your money.
(chatting)
(phone ringing)
(gentle ballad music)
- Hello? (dial tone blares)
- Might have to see you guys a little later, okay?
- Hey, hoss, what's going on?
- Everything's okay, I just wanna check on the stallion.
- Hey, check on my colt, will you?
- Sure.
- Look at this place.
Partner, we got all the makings of a great night.
- Well Dean, I don't wanna cramp your style.
I'm gonna go with Matt.
- Right.
- See you. - Later.
Excuse me, miss, you wouldn't by any chance
happen to be a nurse, would you?
- So what were you gonna do?
Just get in your truck and drive off into the sunset
and never deal with this?
- That's really unfair.
(gentle music)
- Have you been happy up here?
- Happier than I've been in a long time.
- Well then what is your hurry to leave?
Matt, this has been a wonderful two weeks.
- There's a big difference between 14 years and 14 days.
For the most part, my marriage has been pretty good.
- Well then what are you doing here with me?
No, you don't know how you feel about me,
you don't know how you feel about your wife.
You're ready to drive off to you don't even know where.
When was the last time you made a commitment?
- I don't know.
But I do know that for the most part,
my life has been filled with crossroads.
Recently I've made some pretty bad turns.
I've learned a lot about myself in the last two weeks
and my priorities.
God knows I've laughed more with you
than I've laughed in a long time.
- You know something, Matt?
I think you've been spending too much
of your life in the past.
You gotta move on with it.
Can't always be good times.
Remember that if you should decide to go home.
(chattering)
(whimsical music)
(whistling)
- Hey, what happened to you last night, I waited.
- I figured you'd be tied up for sure.
- As a matter of fact, I was.
Hey, what about my colt, you seen him?
- Well you just saw him loping,
he's gotta be here somewhere.
- I can't find him.
- If I see him I'll let you know.
- Come on, move them in there!
Move them!
Hell, I brought them down off the mountain
faster than you guys can load them into trucks!
- [Announcer] We got some beautiful animals.
Here we go, right off the bat, a beautiful big brown mare.
She'd make a fine saddle horse for somebody.
(chattering)
(horn honking)
(horses whinnying)
- I don't know where he is.
- Can't find him, either.
- I'm gonna go check out those trucks.
- Hey Ted, where are the horses that came in last night?
- None came in.
- Well I saw them load two trucks at 10 o'clock.
- No, the gates were locked at dark.
Nothing else came in.
I was here all night.
- Hey Bill.
- Yeah? - Ted said no horses
came in here after dark.
- But we saw them loaded last night.
- [Dean] Guy at the truck says those horses
are for some transplant program.
- What transplant program?
- Says Mr. Hiken told him that--
- Hiken?
Hell, son, you can't trust him.
- Well they're pulling out right now.
- Well I don't know about any transplant program,
but I do know one thing.
Not one single horse is supposed to leave these grounds
without two weeks quarantine.
- Let's go.
(suspenseful music)
- This should be good watching.
What do you think?
- Sounds like fun.
- Let's get my pickup.
- Let's take the alley, we'll catch them downtown.
- [Dean] Right.
- Hey, what are you doing?
- [Woman] What is that?
- Pull over!
- I said pull up!
- Hey, these are stolen horses, you better get down.
- I didn't know anything about that.
Could've just told me to stop.
- Yeah, wouldn't have been any fun.
- It's not your fight.
- Hey Matt.
Look at this.
- Hutgart Meat Packers?
- Is that Senator Hutgart?
- I'm afraid so.
(tense music)
Let's go, get them out!
(whistling)
(shouting)
Let's go, Dean, get them out!
Let's do it!
Let's get them moving, let's go!
- [Man] What's going on here?
Where'd these horses come from?
- Come on!
Yeehaw!
(laughing)
- How about that, Aiden?
- Look at those horses running by, look at that!
(whooping)
(whistling)
- [Woman] Don't that just beat all?
- Look at them go! (horn honking)
- What kind of a rodeo you boys got going here?
- One we didn't count on, that's for sure.
Seems like Hiken had plans for these horses
we knew nothing about.
- Look what's coming here.
- What the hell do you think you're doing?
- [Matt] Shutting down your operation.
(grunting)
(energetic music)
You crazy?
- Hey, where you going?
- I'm gonna have a little fun of my own.
- They ain't near as tough as we was, huh?
- No, they ain't.
(grunting)
- (chuckling) He gave something you'd like.
(whooping)
- Come on! - Come on!
- No, don't!
You did.
- Where's Hiken?
- I don't know.
- Maybe this'll help.
I'm gonna ask you one more time.
Where's Hiken?
- At the Sunny Day Motel.
- Where are the rest of the horses?
- The horses are in Hawk Meadow.
- Look, Harriet. - Oh, that's really a mess.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm okay.
Hiken's at the Sunny Day Motel,
and the horses are in Hawk Meadow.
- We'll take care of Hiken.
- If I can drive this semi, we'll get the horses, too.
- I'll pick up the stallion, I'll meet you out there.
- [Man] Hey, what in the world?
- The hell do you think you're doing?
Get outta here!
(horse whinnying) - Who are these people?
- My god, you didn't.
This is a government operation.
You've tampered with a government operation
and you're gonna pay for this.
- You're getting ready to find out
what a government operation is.
- What are you talking about?
- You and Senator Hutgart are diverting horses.
They're public property, and you're selling them
for your own personal gain.
- This is your fault, Ward,
I'm holding you personally responsible.
I told you to stay out of it.
This is my jurisdiction now.
You're retired!
- Well you are, you know?
- Yeah.
(shouting)
- I don't believe this! - Don't have to get hurt,
just settle down. - I wish I'd have done that.
- Is he all right?
- I hurt my finger.
(horses whinnying)
(shouting)
- I'm so glad we did that!
- Me too.
What are you gonna do now, Daryl?
Go to Paris?
- Maybe.
Wanna change your mind and come with me?
(chuckles)
- Somehow I can't imagine me in Paris with Tina Turner.
- What about it, Matt, what are you gonna do?
- I'm gonna do something I should've done a long time ago.
I'm gonna buy that ranch.
I'm gonna make a commitment.
- Good for you.
Hey, Dean!
- I got my colt.
And I got your stallion.
What do you say, partner?
Time to hit the road?
- Not yet.
- What's he doing?
- Think I know.
(horse grunting)
- Ho, boy, ho boy.
Ho, boy, come on.
Come on.
Come on, boy.
Ho, boy.
Ho, boy.
Okay, boy.
Go get it!
(uplifting music)
This is where he belongs.
Now we can go home.
- [Daryl] See you.
♪ Run on, wild horses, run on and be free ♪
♪ I'll take the best one to run under me ♪
♪ God sent me down here to look after you ♪
♪ He'll take me back there whenever I'm through ♪
♪ So run on
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
♪ I saw a stallion that ran like the wind ♪
♪ Finally caught him, but never again ♪
♪ He's got a spirit that needs to be free ♪
♪ So much about him's what I'd like to be ♪
♪ Run on
♪ Run on and on
♪ Run on
♪ Wild horses, run on
♪ Run on