Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 1, Episode 2 - Hot Spell - full transcript

Announcer:

Starring james arness
as matt dillon.

Sometimes I wonder
if there's some good men

Planted here on boot hill.

On a given day,
any man can be a bad man.

With enough anger
inside of him,

He can be a killer.

Take that one day
out of his life

And he'd have been buried
in a respectable cemetery.

My name's dillon.
I'm a lawman.

United states marshal
out of dodge city.



Over there.

It's a town that has more
than its share of riffraff.

There are plenty
of good citizens too.

Yet I keep remembering,

On any given day
something can happen

That turns good men bad.

For that one day.

That's when I'm called in.

That's when it's tough.

Rance, jim, ed, frank.

What's the matter
with you?

He stole one of my horses.

Now, you men all know

How I feel about lynching.



Hanging a horse thief
isn't lynching.

I don't know a man in dodge

I respect more than you,
rance.

Any other time

You'd be coming to me
to stop a thing like this.

I don't know,

It must've been
the heat's got to you.

You're acting crazy with it.

We're only doing
what has to be done.

You've got no right
to interfere, marshal.

Now, you men all know me.

You know that this man's
done anything wrong,

He'll get a fair trial.

Now, go on home,
all of you.

Find some shade
and cool off.

I said go home.

I said now.

What kind of a lawman are you,

Interfering with justice?

I said now.

That his gun?

Yeah.

We could have done better.

Yeah, better for who?

For everybody.

You can see just what he is
by looking at him.

A gunman.

Look how low
he wears his holster.

Look at the butt of his gun,
marshal.

Twelve notches.

Well, I'm glad you happened by
this morning, marshal.

It ain't often
the law gives me any help.

Don't believe
I got your name.

Dillon.

I'm cope borden.

I know who you are.

I've seen your face
on the wanted posters

In my office often enough.

Any posters on me now,
marshal?

Not lately.

Shouldn't be.

Just finished six years
at prison hill.

Ah, they were wrong.
I didn't steal this horse.

That's rance bradley's iron
he's wearing there.

Ah...

Lot of people use
the same burn.

He knows it, you know it,
and I know it.

Not around here they don't.

I didn't get this horse
around here.

Where'd she come from?

Arizona territory.

Bought her
a couple of weeks ago,

Just before I left.

Who from?

I don't know.
A horse trader in yuma.

Did he give you
a bill of sale?

He might've,

Only I don't keep
a lot of papers.

What was
the horse trader's name?

Well, I don't know
if I can recall exactly.

Well, you better
think about it

And don't take too much time.

Name was sanders.

Something like that, I guess.
I don't know.

Saunders
from yuma, arizona?

Yeah.

Did you tell that
to rance bradley and the others?

That feller
you were talking to?

That was rance bradley?

Yeah.

People like rance bradley,

Law-abiding,
upright citizens,

I don't tell 'em anything.

They always give me a feeling
right in here.

It's like being sick.

You gonna give me my gun?

I'll keep it
for the time being.

Well, what happens now?

We ride into dodge
and straighten this thing out.

jail?

That's right.

Well,

It's better
than this tree, marshal.

Been expecting you back
for three days, mr. Dillon.

Hello, chester.
How's everything been?

Ah, there's been
a fight every night

Since you've been gone.

Must be the heat.

Poor me,
I was just watching it.

You found a friend?

Name's cope borden.

He's gonna be with us
for a while, chester.

Oh.

Take good care of this one.
It's liable to be evidence.

Oh, sure will,
mr. Dillon.

come on, boy.

That's enough.

What's the matter, marshal?

You got a law
against laughing around here?

In there.

Matt.

Glad to see you back.
How was your trip?

Hot.

You gonna introduce us?

Nope.

Oh.

Well,

I wanna get in
out of this sun.

I'll see you later, matt.

All right, kitty.

Mmm, nice girl,
that kitty.

Your girl?

Inside.

Drop it there.

In you go, cope.

For how long?

I wish I could say
for 20 years.

But that depends
on whether or not

You were telling
the truth.

And whether or not
the sheriff in yuma

Can find a horse trader
named saunders.

Should have
an answer by noon.

This kind of weather

Sure wears them animals down,
mr. Dillon.

They both just picking up
heat bumps.

Makes 'em nasty.

Not only the animals,
chester.

All right, cope.

You think
I owe you something

For saving me
from hanging.

Well, I don't
figure it that way.

You don't like me,

And I don't like you.

Maybe it's just
to get out of the heat,

But I've let you put me
in your little jail, marshal.

I've had all I want
of jails,

And if I don't get
a fair shake,

I'll break this egg crate
wide open,

And I won't care
who gets hit with the pieces.

I just thought
I'd better tell you,

So you know where we stand,
marshal.

If he tries something,
chester, shoot him.

That's where we stand.

Marshal.

Dry whiskey,
mr. Dillon?

Too hot.

Beer's cool.

All right, then.

I was gonna ride out
to your place later on

After the sun went down, rance.

But seeing as you're in town,
I can talk to you now.

About that man
you wanted to hang.

One of my horses
is missing.

He's riding it.
My brand.

You better look at this.
Just got in from yuma.

Sheriff said the man did buy
that horse there.

Same brand.

I guess
I made a mistake.

Yes, you did.

Well, I thought
from the looks of him-

Well, you know
what a gunman looks like.

I'm awful tired
of people like that in dodge.

I don't like
his looks or his kind

Any better than you do, rance.

He's done no wrong here.

Not here maybe.

Other places,
other times.

I know the breed.
You do too.

You sorry he didn't steal
your horse, rance?

I said I made a mistake,
marshal.

You might've lynched him.

I'd be holding you
for murder right now.

Next time,
you might not be so lucky.

And you'll be making
a mistake

If you don't
run him out of town now,

Before he does
do wrong here.

This is as good
as a bill of sale

In case anybody should ask you
about that horse again.

I got an answer in case
any of them upright citizens

Should ask some more questions.

You gonna arrest rance bradley
and them other citizens?

Nope.

Well, seems to me
they're breaking the law.

They had you pegged
as a horse thief.

You never said anything
to let 'em know different.

I told you I wouldn't give

That kind of satisfaction
explaining anything.

No matter what I'd told them,

They'd have hung me
all the same.

I know 'em.

And I know you.

You're a man
who's had a lot of trouble.

And you can still have a lot
if you want it.

Nothing I can't handle.

His horse saddled?

Yes, sir.

Where were you heading
when they picked you up?

Missouri.

You got a home there?

I got nothin' there.

Or anywhere else.

You know, I think I'll stick
around here a while.

Now that I'm legal and all.

Get outta town, cope.

Why?

'cause I don't like you.

Well, there's no law
against that.

And there's no law says
I gotta leave, is there?

Is there?

No, there isn't.

I think
I'll get myself a drink.

Would you like one?
It's hot.

Maybe I can buy that girl-

What? Kitty?
Kitty.

Buy her a drink, huh?

She must be hot...

On a day like this.

He just asks for it,
mr. Dillon.

Mr. Dillon, look.

Look there.

There's gonna be trouble,
mr. Dillon.

Why didn't you throw him
outta town?

'cause I got no right to,
chester.

Well, I'll get that water.

Never mind.

Ante, gentlemen.

Hold on.

I'd like all my cards
from the top.

They're all from the top,
mister.

Stay outta this,
rance.

Well, the last one come
from the bottom of the deck.

You accusing me of cheating?

It's been on the bottom
ever since you started dealing.

You're a liar.

It's a four of clubs.

Four of clubs.

Wanna see the card?

I saw it.

He was cheating.

He drew first.

You'd have done
the same thing, marshal.

Ah, it was self-defense.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's what it was.

Goodbye, gentlemen.

Cope didn't give him
much of a chance, did he, matt?

He didn't have much
of a choice.

You know who he was?

Mr. Bradley's nephew.

Is that right, rance?

That's right, marshal.

Just got in
from saint louis yesterday.

I'm sorry.

Mm-hm.

Rance!

Stay out of this,
marshal.

He killed my nephew,
I'm gonna kill him.

That was a fair fight.

I'll let no prison gunman
come in here

And get away with
shooting that boy down.

Not while I've got breath.

Get out of the way, marshal.

I can handle him.

And his friends too.

Just get out of my line.

Hey, you'd get him.
We know that.

One of these others
would get you.

I don't think so.

Unless you stand there
so's I can't fire.

Are you gonna let them
shoot me down?

Nobody's gonna get
shot down.

Chester, take this man
over to my office.

He'll be safe there.

Come on.

You're defending a killer,

And I won't stand for it.

I want him, marshal.
I'm gonna get him.

I've told you once today, rance,
and I'm telling you again.

Go home.

Is this what you call law?

Protecting a killer,
turning your back on us?

Give me your gun.

He's a good man out there.

He's worth ten of you.

Never done a wrong thing
in his life.

Now the second time in one day
he wants to start killing.

I'm no coward, marshal.

I like to handle
my own arguments.

Yeah, yeah, and shoot
everybody up while you're at it.

Mr. Dillon.

In a little while,
he's gonna turn

That killer loose
in our town again.

I'm not gonna stand
for it.

Are you?
No.

We're gonna do
something about it.

They gonna try
and come right in here.

Nice law-abiding
citizens you got.

Every time I turn around,
they wanna kill me.

You want me to lock him
in a cell for safekeeping?

Just a minute.

We want that man,
marshal.

You gonna give him
to us?

We're gonna have
to take him from you.

Well, marshal,

Are you gonna
let 'em take me?

See if the back's bolted,
chester.

Yes, sir.
And bring the shotguns with you.

Yes, sir.
Shotgun? Oh, now-

Now you're talking
my kind of law.

You have to do your duty,
marshal. No matter what.

You hate my guts,

But you have to do your duty
and protect me.

And you may get shot for it.

It's all bolted.

They'll have to try the front.
They know that.

You know we mean business,
marshal.

Marshal,
can you hear me?

A shotgun can tear up
a man pretty bad.

I gotta hand it to you,
marshal.

You know how to handle 'em
when they need handlin'.

At this range,

You oughta be able
to get, oh,

Two with every shot.

All my life,
people like them out there

Have been kickin' me
out of town,

Throwin' me in jails.

Fine upright citizens.

Marshal,
this is kinda my day,

Because I've never
rightly been able

To get back at 'em.

But you're doing it for me.

Can't shoot
all of us.

Come on.

Don't come any closer.

I'm warning you.

If we have to come in
and get him, marshal,

We'll come in.

You gonna make us do that,
marshal?

If this is the law,
I like it.

I can't shoot people
who haven't done a wrong thing

In their lives until today.

Open the door, chester.

What are you gonna do,
mr. Dillon?

Gonna give him to us,
marshal?

Yeah, I'm gonna give him
to you.

He's all yours.

He's in there,
and he's unarmed.

Go on in
and get him.

Well, what are you waiting for?
I told you to take him.

They won't hurt you,
he's not armed.

Go on, go on!
You hear me?!

Go on in and get him!

Take him out
and string him up.

And then I'm gonna track down
each and every one of you.

And I'm gonna see
that you hang for murder.

If it's the last thing
I ever do.

Now, go on in there.

I don't know
what got into me.

Made me half crazy.

I'm sorry for what I did.

Heat must have got at me
pretty bad.

Well, I guess the heat
got at all of us, rance.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, I...

Guess I'll be going home.

All of us.

Let's go home.

Get his gun, chester.

Yes, sir.

Get outta dodge.

Get all the way out.

You keep on going
and don't you ever come back.

Sure.

Now, you're not too bright,
marshal.

You could have
let him kill me.

Got me off your hands.

This way
you'll always be wondering

When I'm coming back.

I said get outta dodge.

Man like that...

There wasn't a thing
you could do

But defend him all day long.

You know,

I almost wish
he had done something wrong

Here in dodge.

Well...

Maybe this heat'll
ease off tomorrow.

Maybe tomorrow
will be a little cooler.